Good Times

Mud Fight at the Beach

It is so interesting the way that there are seasons in our lives.  The past couple weeks we have really treated our family more like the birth of a child then bringing an active five year old home, and what a difference that has made.   When we have a baby, I become a hermit.  I take 4-6 weeks off.  I stay home; we spend a lot of family time and I don't really do much other than focus on the new baby and the children who need a bit of extra attention since there is a new addition.  We have been doing that a little bit more, actually I don't know that the kids have noticed a difference, since it isn't like we haven't been spending a lot of time together since we returned home.  I just cut myself a break.  And it has felt great.  Emery's attachment has become a bit better, we are still taking baby steps.  She is still such a sweet darling daughter, so very smart, so fun to listen to singing all day, so adventurous,  and so concerned for her special meimei and jiejie who are still at the orphanage but being adopted.  She is so very, very concerned for them to be in families.  Her English is moving ahead in leaps and bounds.

I have been reflecting over this year, it has sped by so fast for us, when some parts of the adoption seemed to take so long.  I have drawn near to God, and He has drawn near to me.  It has been a gift to me.  It has been humbling. It has been teaching.  It has been rewarding.  I am so very convinced that prayer is one of the most powerful tools we have, even if the answer is no, or not now.  I believe that prayer has the power to change hearts, whether others or our own.  I am so grateful for prayer in my life, never more so than this last year.  Emery has begun saying her prayers with our family, she calls prayers 'Fold your arms'.  But she adamantly wants to have a turn.  It is really sweet to hear her say Thank you for my family.  It is one of my biggest blessings.  I am grateful for my family.  They are so fantastic.  I love getting to spend time with them.  In a world of so much uncertainty and with so many problems in all areas of life, I am grateful to feel peace in my home and with the people I love.