The "Plan"

Micah Awate Neal has been home with us for 17 months! How time flies when you have a young child screaming "NO!!!" a lot. We thought it was high time to do our 6 month follow up appointment with our social worker. Dan and I have been kicking around the idea of getting started on another adoption. We didn't really know where or when, but felt like it was probably just a matter of time and prayer. So, I thought we should be frugal! We can combine our 6 month follow up appointment with the social worker at the same time as we get our home study back up to date. After all, who wants to have an outdated home study at ANY point? I jest. I jest.

At the same time, I had been in contact with our agency discussing different options and countries. All the while, Sophie continues to pray every night "Dear God, Please give me a baby from China." So, we narrowed it down to China! On June 28th, I got an email from Mary Ann at Wide Horizons indicating that their fees will go up $400 on July 1st. So, if we wanted to save that money we should go ahead and fill out the first packet of information and pay our first installment. Remember our attempt at being frugal? I know in the big scheme of things $400 doesn't seem like a lot of money, but it all counts. So, we pressed onward. On July 1st, our social worker came and is now working on our home study. Somehow, we are back on the road again. I am excited about what God is going to do!!

Bible in a year

In all my years of following the Lord, I have never done this! I have had several failed attempts. I read an article by Noel Piper today where she mentions the same problem. So, I feel good. At least I am in good company. I am tackling it now though. I started yesterday. The plan I am working from started on June 1. I caught up and am on track now.

When I read this book, they had a great suggestion. As you are reading through the Bible, you journal for your kids. I am doing this for Makenzie now. I bought a journaling ESV Bible. As I read through it this year, I will jot down notes that I feel she would benefit from. My first entry was based on this verse...

Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

I simply wrote: I pray this would be true of YOU. That you would be righteous, blameless in your generation and that you would walk with God.

It's a really neat way to connect with God and with your kids at the same time. Pray I will remain faithful to it!

Theology...

Apparently, Sophie and her cousin, Erin have been talking a little theology. Dan and I were talking about the Lost finale. He was mentioning that the "flash sideways" were really after life. They took place in LA. So, I made the leap that LA is actually heaven? Are you buying that? Since we weren't talking to her, Sophie hears every word. She comments that Erin told her that not everyone goes to heaven when they die. They can go somewhere else. We proceeded to talk to her about praying to ask Jesus into "your heart". An interesting concept to explain to a four year old. Sophie prays aloud "Dear Jesus - please come into my house for a second -- I want to see what you look like". We ask - would you like to ask Jesus into your heart? Response? Not today. Don't worry...Dan closed it all with a rendition of Tomorrow by CeCe Winans.

2 minutes

Of my life...Please feel free to mock my crazy talking...I do.

The big 1-2!!

Seth turned 12 a couple weeks ago. He was my baby. Dan and I had a moment this weekend where we were playing cards with some friends. They were going home to a kid-free house and would be able to sleep in. Seth came to kiss us good-night and asks if he can watch tv after 9am. Makenzie comes to kiss us goodnight and says see you after 1pm. Then, we started over... That is completely not the point of this post though. Seth's birthday...remember?

Seth is the size of a grown man. He is wearing men's clothes, men's shoes, and smells like a man. But, he is a 12 year old boy. Dan and I got a lot of laughs about him getting a cell phone and an iron man mask probably designed for a six year old. He is an awesome big brother.

Fill my bucket!

Sophie's pre-school has been reading this book. Sophie has been all about filling buckets. Well, about her bucket anyway. She did have a moment where she asked me if her "bad parts don't fill your bucket?" She spent a lot of time discussing how when Micah hits her it doesn't fill her bucket. Apparently, at class, Sophie made it very clear that watching tv with popcorn fills her bucket. Sophie's answer for most of the world's problems is to "watch a show". The first words out of her mouth in the morning and the last words from her mouth each day. It really is her love language.

2 steps back

Micah has been having some really hard days lately. He is SUPER clingy. I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said that he called "Mommy!" 900 times a day. He is super shy around anyone new and crabby as all get out. He hits anyone who looks at him the wrong way. He wants to be held, but doesn't want to be held - all at the same time. He is just one angry elf! One of the hard parts of being an adoptive mom is that you don't know how much is developmental and how much is attachment related. We've had a really crazy couple weeks with travelling and visitors, so it could all be chalked up to that. But, I don't want to write it off and wish I would have done more sooner. So, I emailed this awesome blogger, Christine, who has a lot of experience with attachment issues. She confirmed what I already knew and encouraged me to take a few steps back in my attachment process with this sweet boy. I love the bloggy world! Thanks Christine!