Rough few days......

Whew!!!  The last few days have been really tough.  I realized Sunday night that I just was not in God's word like I needed to be so I recommitted myself to study on Monday morning.  I spent a fair amount of time in prayer and study.  Little did I know that the day would bring so many challenges that I would need to remember God's promises, His Word, and that He foreknew the troubles that I would have that day and that it was all covered and under His care.  On top of everyone seeming to fall apart, Jeff came home from the YMCA early in the morning and said that he had done something to his hip playing basketball.  He had me massage it but within an hour one of the children came running to get me and said that Daddy was down in the floor in the bathroom.  I thought for sure that he was just using the hard floor to stretch, but instead he had collapsed from intense pain.  Jeff's a tough guy.  Remember he's a blackbelt in taekwondo and works out at the Y aerobically playing basketball with the guys three days a week (he wakes and leaves by 5am each day...I just couldn't do that).  So when I saw him in that much pain, I knew it wasn't good.  He had several bouts of the worst pain ever and has been nearly completely immobilized since yesterday.  We're going to the orthopedics tomorrow (if I can get him in the car) to see if we can get some muscle relaxer and stronger anti-inflammatory meds.  Everyone else is feeling pretty lousy with colds, sore throats, achy, etc.  So the dishes just piled up today and it was chaotic all the way around.  Jake picked today to lose it over EVERYTHING!  Please keep praying for that little guy.  He has lost some weight and just doesn't seem himself.  I think on top of not feeling well, we've probably overdone it and done too many things outside the home.  Please also pray for my bible study and time with the Lord.  I am often so exhausted that it feels physically impossible to get up at the time that I need to in order to be up before the children. 

Language

Well I think one of the problems is definitely the milk.  We had switched to lactose-free milk when we stopped the formula after 4-5 months home, but over Christmas we ran out of lactose-free milk.  Today Jake had nothing but juice and then some of, as he says, "my kind" of milk.  He knew something just wasn't right about the milk and so last night I just told him that we would get some that wouldn't hurt his tummy.  So today when getting ready to drink it he said "my kind?".  It was precious. 

He's also sitting still a lot longer to listen to me read to him at nighttime.  After we read a few books, I sing to him.  Of course, I sing Jesus Loves Me, and so a couple of nights ago, I started each line but left off the last word...which he then filled in.  Cracked me up how much he knew.  The only mistake he makes is that he wants to say "they are strong (instead of weak), but He is strong".  Hmmmm....very telling of us all isn't it?  We just think that we're stronger than we really are.  But yet we are so weak.  We desperately need Him.  The last number of months has shown me more and more how much I need the grace that comes from and through Christ.  Without Him, there is no hope.  But with Him, all things are possible.  I'll try to record Jake singing this and post soon.

The other thing that Jake is saying right now is "mean".  Everything is "mean".  He's just a reflection of us it seems at times and I certainly have heard a number of us say things like "don't do that; it's mean".  But he is saying it about everything and then laughing and laughing.  He thinks it's hysterical.  Kind of like when he first got home he was fixed on "Bop it" which was "Stop it".  I must have said that a lot.

All in all his language skills amaze me!  He is starting to speak in short, but full sentences.  Please pray that I will use my words to encourage him and the others and that I will be always mindful of the power of words. 

My little man's not feeling well

I am so sorry for not posting as I said I would a few weeks ago.  Last night I sat down and typed and typed, but still no post.  I don't know what the Lord wants me to say.  It's the strangest feeling.  I have so much to say about adoption, but I just don't feel fully released to share my thoughts just yet.  I will say that it definitely ranks right up there as the hardest thing that we've ever done (right alongside watching my oldest struggle medically for nearly 2 years) but it is also one of the best decisions that we've ever made.  It is changing us!!  By the way, have I ever mentioned that I am married to one of the best men ever?  I know many of you would say the same, but I just can't say enough good things about my husband right now.  He is my rock!  And it is so neat to see God doing so many things in and through him.  I am so grateful that God blessed me with him.  I have so much to say about my man and especially about his relationship with Jake and Andrew, but that is the subject of another post I'm afraid. 

For now, if you're reading this, please pray for my little Jake.  In many ways I feel like a first time mom.  Things are the same as with my others, but in many ways they are so different.  A couple of weeks ago Jake started blinking especially hard.  He's continued to do that.  With his slightly abnormal CT and diagnosis of CP (and with my background in clinical research on epilepsy), it has been a little concerning to me.  The last couple of days though I think it may be more allergy related or pink eye or something like that.  I'm just not sure.  He also just doesn't seem to feel real well....cries a lot throughout the day and then is awake off and on through the night.  Andrew did have a really bad stomach virus on Christmas Day so maybe Jake has a touch of that.  I don't know.  I'm just tired and thought if you feel led, you might pray for my sweet little guy.  I also think he might have an issue with milk. 

Merry Christmas to you all!

Distracted

Please, if you have been following along and are either praying for us, curious about adoption, considering adoption, please stay tuned.  I have so much to blog about.  I apologize for leaving you hanging but I have been terribly distracted.  Please forgive me and check back for an update either tomorrow or Wednesday.

Some pictures

Well, things continue to go well.  I just can not put into words how God is using little Jake to change our lives.  He was using Jake even before we knew him.  Just the thought of adoption some ten years ago was beginning to change us. 

 

I've included some sweet pictures.  Tonight we went trick or treating which is a pretty new thing for us.  Earlier in the afternoon the children (minus Jake) along with a couple of their friends passed out invitations to our church's walk through drama.  They did this without me as I stayed back and prayed, worked, etc. while Jake was napping.  So we then followed this up by going to just the few doors on our street and one street over tonight for goodies.  It was a good time connecting with neighbors and a precious time watching Jake receive (hmmmm....take might be a better word...but with a smile) some candy.  For the first time he said "thank you" just as clear as day.  Don't get me wrong.  He totally knew what thank you meant and when he should say it, but for some reason he always choose to say that in Chinese which was "gum" (just spelling it phonetically).  He beamed ear to ear as I strolled him about.  It was precious.  His favorite goodie by far was gummy bears.  I've included a couple of pictures.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 Jake thought smashing up his three Ritz crackers (which then looked like 30 or so) and riding his car through them was a great way to finish off his lunch today.

 

 Getting ready to go out the door trick or treating.

 

 My sweet older three just love their little brother and are happy to experience everything again with him.  I am really looking forward to watching them with him over the holidays.

 



 Jake has had a couple of haircuts but got this one day yesterday.  He is so agreeable when it comes to things like that.

 

Jenna is helping Mommy with Jake. 

Beach fun!!

We just returned from a 3 day trip to the beach.  We had a great time....though it was a lot of work since we went without Jeff.  We had such awesome weather and just enjoyed being together so much.  Enjoy the pictures!!

 

He's 2 really......and more

Just thought I'd share another funny thing that tells me that Jake is so 2.  For over a month or so now when he has been playing with his cars, sometimes he'll be sitting on the floor and he'll pick his foot up and try to get in.  No kidding!!  It's really funny.  And if he happens to find one of the matchbox cars that have doors that open, well then he really wants to get in.  He looks at me and grunts like "help me".  It is so funny.  I think now he just knows that it makes me laugh so he does it all the more.

Okay, I wrote that about a week ago.

Tonight Andrew, Jake and I brought home a sub from subway.  Jake ate black olives, yellow banana peppers, red onions, green lettuce (notice the color adjectives......I know, I'm weird), ham, and a little cheese.  He was in heaven.  He followed that up with some applesauce and grapes.  I was waiting for him to pop.

Some other things that I'm noticing changing is that Jake is able to control himself a bit more.  He'll get ready to hit and have his hand raised and start to hit but end up rubbing his hand on your arm and saying "saw -ree" instead of hitting.  It is so precious.  And I've figured out a little better how to help him with the very, very loud squealing / yelling / vocalizations that he makes.....which is to cover my ears and say, "oh, that hurt my ears" which is true.  And since he's so compassionate, he right away gets the connection.  I don't overdramatize it because I know that he's really just trying to express himself most times.  We follow that up with lots of talking so he's still communicating and lots of reassurances that we love him.  I've figured that all the rest of us need a little lesson in self control from Jake.  There's still a ways to go and you factor in that he's two and so if you see him doing all these things, just remember that we're all a work in progress.  And oh is he.  I look at his little head sometimes which is a constant reminder of his background and I just love him so much.  I wander at all that God has planned for Him.  Why did He see fit to bring this little boy to us?  What does He want from us when it comes to Jake?  How can we honor Him best in rearing Jake? 

Thank you for praying for us!  We are grateful.

Enjoy a picture taken by a precious friend's sweet son!  I love this smile....it's Jake up and down.