A lot going on...

SO much going on here lately so I'm just going to do a list with pics =) Learning how to do quick blogging so I don't get overwhelmed again and just not do it! Plus all the details are going in the actual scrapbooks and calendars!

- Halif has officially grown out of his helmet and is done wearing it! It was about 2 weeks earlier than they predicted (Feb. 14th) but we weren't going to get another. Our final appt. in Austin is Feb. 18th.  Of course my mommy eyes can tell that there is still a little mishape on his sweet noggin but it is SOOO much better! LOVE kissing my baby's head and not plastic =)

no more helmet!!

- Claire is deep into delivering cookies after selling 311 boxes...of course she had some help from mom and dad but she did most of it either going door to door or calling people who told me they wanted to place an order. I'm SUPER proud of her hard work and persistance. Eden already can't wait to be a girl scout

- Eden is LOVING her gymnastics and everyday asks me "when is it Friday?" Think we will be making her a calendar page on her eye level tomorrow so she can keep track! Last Friday morning she came into our room to wake us up already dressed in her leotard. She is doing so well trying new things that her coach asked if she could move to another class... we like to call her "Eager Eden" always wanting to go first and always wanting to do something new!

- We had Halif's baby blessing on Feb. 7th and we were SO blessed by our church family. We only had one little piece left of cake to take home because so many were there and our piggy bank gift was overwhelming. My sister, Neil's sister and my mom were also able to come celebrate with us which meant so much!

- We had our second post adoption home study on Thursday evening with our awesome social worker, Mary B. I just love her and her words of wisdom! She is such a special Christian woman, mom and adoption guru =) She was captivated by Halif and amazed at how advanced he is with his verbal and physical milestones. More importantly, she gave us a lot of encouragement about our bonding. She said we should continue to be selective in how much we go out, who holds him if anyone does, we should still be meeting all his needs (instead of others), we shouldn't be leaving him (but felt like our Tuesdays were ok) and that she sees more healthy attachment happening than not. I've been so concerned with how Halif has reached out to 3 strangers since we've been home - only one in the past 2 months - and his attachment to Neil being stronger than to me. She said he is still attached to me by all the things I described even if he does like to go to daddy when he gets home. Everything just reassured my heart and mind to keep pressing on and making decisions based on our son and not based on other people's feeling or comments. It was a wonderful visit! We will see her for the last time in August for our final post adoption home visit.

- On Tuesday, Feb 5th we had someone else watch Halif for the very first time and I had the hardest time! It's been 4.5 months and he's never not had either Neil or I with him. I decided to start teaching some of my students at the middle school I travel to so my dad and Neil's dad are taking turns watching him for only about 3.5 hours on Tuesdays at our house. He is sleeping about half that time so it's actually less time than that =) My dad said it went well...Halif just stared at my dad when he came into our room to get him out of the pack n play after nap. I was concerned H would be really excited to see my dad so hearing that he was cautious made me so happy =) It took awhile to warm up to my dad but he never showed fear or cried at all...just observed my dad with those big, round eyes. When I came home, my dad said Halif showed more excitement than the whole time they had been together although he didn't want me to hold him because he was so busy playing with a new toy (a plastic box of all things!) All in all, I think it went well!

And just for fun...Halif is a climber and soon to be walker at almost 11 months!! His new favorite place to climb? Into Eden's bed using her step stool grandpa built =) Eden thought it was great too!

4 months

Yes...it's been awhile and I've been reminded by a handful of friends lately that I've abandoned our blog. Not abandoned but it's not been something on the high priority list as we've been continuing to transition to a family of 5. In all honesty, I just don't know how to find the energy or time to blog especially when I can randomly just put a pic and small blip on facebook in 20 seconds...so much easier for me and I know people will actually read it =) And with still being a bit overwhelmed and processing everything, I at times don't even know what to say. I'd be lying if I told you the past 3 months I've been "missing" have been easy and although challenging, we continue to be blessed and the Lord has orchestrated such amazing progress in adjusting and bonding! I do feel like I'm getting more in a groove and can now see a little more clearly in retrospect.

4 months...hard to believe 4 months ago today we arrived back in San Antonio with Halif and were reunited with the girls! We have all grown, literally and spiritually, by leaps and bounds. Halif is no longer the tiny, frail, fearful 6 month old we brought home but a 10 month old that recently was called "chunky" by a stranger - YEAH!! My baby boy has dimples on his knuckles, chunk on his thighs, a little ring around his wrist and the sweetest cheeks around! At his 9 month appt. he was 17 lbs. 1 oz. which put him in the 11%. He is probably up to about 18 lbs now and as healthy as can be. His development is right on if not ahead and he is VERY verbal - talking constantly and not just babble but real words - hi, bye-bye, dada, mama, uh-oh, ba-ba for bottle, poo-poo and is signing "all done". He understands so much too - responds to no by stopping (most the time), dances when we say the word, follows simple direction like "get the ball" or "give it to mama", etc. They are just sponges at this age. When we got our referral back in June we were told that they didn't know what his developmental delays would be because of his malnutrition and God has just healed and grown this sweet boy up to be as healthy as possible.

Now for his heart....there has been a lot of love and adjustment going on in this house. Our cocooning has overall proven to be fruitful - Halif is very attached to Neil right now which is a huge blessing! If he can truly attach to one of us, the other will follow...that would be me =)  Sometimes it's hard when he grabs onto Neil's shirt and fusses when I take him or Neil gives him to me but I know that this happens with a lot of kids bio and adopted. I know it in my head but sometimes my heart just isn't there so I won't lie...it's a little hurtful and I can't and really don't take is personally. I know we just need more time. People say "Oh he came to you so young he won't have any grieving/adjustment or bonding issues" and while he might not have as many being younger, he does and will at different stages of his life. Although he is 10 months old we have to keep his "at home" age in mind for bonding which is 4 months. And if you really think about it, there is SO much bonding and connection that happens to a mother and baby while she is pregnant so we not only weren't there for the 6 months he was in Ethiopia but the 9 months he was in utero - that's 15-16 months time we are catching up on! There has been a lot of progress made but we still have a long way to go.

 The most challenging part of the past 4 months has been Eden... my sweet, strong, stubborn, funny, passionate, cuddle-bug, 4 year old. Wow - this has ROCKED her world and we have been on our knees asking the Lord to guide us through this. There was a period of 6 weeks where she'd bring me to tears almost every.single.day. because she was going to get her attention one way or another. She was used to being the baby and she was now the big sister. She was now sharing me during the day and we couldn't just go and do what we wanted all the time. While searching for scripture to pray over her for a spirit of love, self-control, patience, obedience, a funny thing happened...the Lord led me to those scriptures that very clearly was for ME. I was not leaning on the Lord and His word to fill me up to display these attributes I wanted to see in her. Conviction? yes!! I have learned that Eden will control the whole house if I let her. And my response is what determines what will happen. Me staying calm, praying that "in your anger, do not sin", forgiving just as HE forgave shows Eden what I pray to see in her. The last 3 weeks have been so much better and I'm thankful that just as in any challenge, the Lord has shown me how I was blessed and what I learned. I pray I can continue and show all of my kids how much I love them each as individual, unique, special blessings to me!

OK so I could write a book about the last 4 months but I'll stop there =)

Here are a few things I'd like to jot down:
- Halif loves shoes or I should say is OBSESSED with shoes, loves Rollo the cat, wants anything with buttons, loves music of any kind but especially the Fresh Beat Band
- Eden started gymnastics in January and is having a blast; she also has pneumonia over the Christmas break
- Claire lost her first and second tooth, broke her first bone (collarbone), had pneumonia, strep and a stomach bug...all in two weeks time
- Neil and I celebrated our 10 year dating anniversary at Jim's...with Halif in tow =)
- I was really sick during Christmas break and was so thankful for Neil. He took care of all three kids like a rockstar and I think this is when Halif got so attached to Neil
- Halif is sleeping better these days...he goes to sleep right after eating which is still about 3-4 hours. We are still exhausted but it's getting better.
- Eden can't get enough of school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She asks to go everyday and poor girl has one more year to wait before that happens.
- Claire has started Girl Scouts and just today, Ballet. She is growing up so fast and so motivated to do her very best in all she does. She sold 286 boxes of cookies with very little help from mom and dad. She is also really loving reading and science! She wants a science experiment birthday party.
- Halif gets his helmet off Feb 14th and it has done an incredible job rounding out his sweet little head. He got it on Oct. 25th and we will have to get used to seeing him without it when he's been wearing it 23 hrs. a day

And here are a few more pics:

Bluebonnet Season

I just love this time of year when the roadsides are painted with wildflowers! Of course the bluebonnets are my favorite and this year was an especially good one with all the rain we've gotten the past month or two. We have a tradition of taking pictures in the bluebonnets and each season tells a new season of our lives. Here is a walk down memory lane...

2003 - nine years ago! a few months before we started a new forever together

2004 - we didn't take pictures together but this was on one of the many nature adventures Neil took in the forest area across from our apartments. Loved this picture with the apartment building in the back with the ever present balloons!
2006 - We welcomed our sweet Claire just a few weeks before! This was the picture we used for her birth announcements!


2007 - This was the year of the bluebonnet photo challenge =) Neil and I each took Claire separately to see who could take the best pictures! Just a friendly competition that we don't remember who judged or who won! Claire was just a little over a year

2010 - A few pics with Abbey and one with Eden in the same outfit that we took Claire's pictures in.
Eden Noel (1 and 4 months old) still 2010 - this was the first time we did professional pics and they were by Synergy Photography in San Antonio.... some of my most favorite pictures not only because they were amazing but because of the time of our lives it signifies! This was when we started our adoption process and we used these pictures on our thank yous for everyone who helped us in one way or another. These pictures will always be some of my favorite...

Eden - 1 and 4 months old
Claire - 4 years old
2011 - we were all set to get pics taken again but it was so windy that we delayed and then when we rescheduled the bluebonnets were gone!! It wasn't a very good year for them!

2012 - this year... my sweet girls in matching dresses...these will also be some of my favorites for all time =)

Eden - 3 and 4 months old






our budding photographer and memory preserver!
It's amazing to see how God has weaved our lives over the past years! I pray that next year we will have three little ones posing in those bluebonnets and celebrating yet another season of what He has in store for our family!