Almost wordless Wednesday

Sledding

This picture has nothing to do with sledding. I thought it was cute so I threw it in.
The kids were playing a game they made up while sitting in the closet. They bring so much joy to my life!



I know it is officially spring, so these will be my last winter pictures I post for awhile, or at least I hope!


Dane has made so much progress the last month or so. I am so very proud of him! His minor surgery he had at the end of February went amazingly well too! I promise I will post more about those when I have more time.



Beautiful Sunshiny Days...

Oh, it has been so nice out the last few days. The wind has been a bit blustery but not bad at all. The sunshine and temps in the upper 30's even 40's has done wonders for me! We have enjoyed riding bikes and scooters on our nice clear driveway and street, we even went for a walk. The kids just loved it and I enjoyed their laughter! Dane is known to love and beg for food on a regular basis (something we are still working on) and I could not even get him to come in for lunch with out him having a small fit. It was just too nice to come in.

Please hurry spring, we miss you!!

~Wordless Wednesday~

Dane being himself- a little ham

Daddy and Dane

Grandma and Livi

David and Uncle Burt

Grandpa and Dane

Go David!!

WOOHOO! Go Laina!

Livi and Dane havin fun in the big washing machine box

...more fun

Let's color it again!

Alaina

cancer, consults and surgery

Well, my mom got the news a week or so ago, they found more cancer. This time on her ear. Thankfully it is a non-aggressive cancer and usually does not spread to other areas of her body, but it will do a lot of damage to her ear if not treated.  It was a bit shocking, but at the same time it wasn't. She has an appt. soon to figure out the treatment plan. We continue to pray and trust that God is in control of this situation.

We had Dane's consult for his hands several months ago now and I keep forgetting to post about it. Surgery is planed for this summer. Ugh, yes summer. The doc was pretty adamant that he had the rest of his life to swim and enjoy summer. I am still not sure how we are going to do this. How in the world am I going to keep a 2 year old inside, clean and dry during the summer?!  Not to mention not being able to go to the beach! I am going to see if the doc will at least agree to do it late summer. The plan is to do each hand separate, allowing 4-6 (that's all summer, 4-6 weeks) weeks healing before doing the opposite hand. We have an appointment in April for more x-rays and things. I know all this is worth it but summer, really??

Last thing, we discovered Dane has a little medical issue not related to his hands that requires some out-patient surgery. The issue is minor, but if left untreated will become a major issue as he gets older. I am so thankful for my mommy instinct and for a doc that listened to my concerns. Surgery is scheduled for the end of this month and will take about an hour. Surgery and recovery should not be too painful (or so I am told) and he will be fully recovered in 4-6 weeks. Thankfully I do not have to try to keep his activity level down that whole time, only the first week.

I am really looking forward to spring. I enjoy a few winter activities but I have had enough of the cold and snow now.  I am hoping February ends quickly and that March brings us better news and warmer weather. A girl can hope for warmer weather in March, right?!

Here is to warmer weather and sunshine :)!!





EXCITING NEWS!!

Today I was originally going to do a "Wordless Wednesday post" but I have way to much to share today! I am going to save the most exciting news for last.

As some of you know my mom had surgery in mid Dec. to remove a cancerous mass and the right lobe of her lung.  She unfortunately is no stranger to cancer. She did get good news at the Doc's office late last week. Her lympnodes are clear, the cancer is a fairly common cancer (it is not the same type as what is in her eye), and they believe they got all of the caner when they removed the mass. Recovery is going slow but well. She will go back for another check up in 6-8 weeks.  She takes great care of herself, loves her family fiercely and I sometimes have a hard time understanding why her, but I just have to trust God , He is the one who is in control. I thank God everyday for my mom. I love her so much and she is so important to me and our family...we are so blessed. 

On a lighter note:
First I am going to start of with a little bit of background history-
Back in May 2010 we were notified that we had received a fairly large grant (yahoo!) to help us with our adoption costs. Now, in order for us to receive the grant Dane had to be home , I/we had to write a short story, essay or what have you about our adoption journey and  submit a few other things. I panicked a bit because I am not a writer of any kind.  I was relieved to find out that whether my essay was good or bad we would still receive the grant (another yahoo!). So a few days after Dane got home I slowly started on my essay so I would be sure to have it done by the deadline.
Now, fast forward to yesterday-
I got an e-mail from our adoption social worker regarding the essay I wrote for the grant. The organization that approved us for the grant also publishes a magazine and they were wondering if they could interview us and possibly publish a article about us/my essay in their April issue on "Inspiring Families". I do know that they also wanted to interview a couple other families, but I am so honored to even be considered!!! I am still shocked! Of course I had to say yes!

OK, now on to the REALLY good stuff!
Last week my hubby got a call from his brother- His brother's family was considering adopting! They chatted for awhile. We anxiously waited (almost a week)  for the official news whether or not they were going to do it. (I vividly remember the conversations my hubby and I had when we talked about it- it is overwhelming in so many ways). Well on Sunday we got the news- they ARE adopting! Woohooo! We could not be more excited!! They are a wonderful family! They have 2 beautiful kids now and we can not wait to hear the news that they have been matched with an Ethiopian prince or princess!! And then they will have 3! I hope it is not long- I am a very impatient waiter! The waiting seems almost as hard as when we were waiting. We can hardly contain our excitement! Our family will be so blessed by this decision!

That is it for now. I just love good news!!

Christmas

OK, I know it is a bit late! But better late than never, right?!
Christmas was great! It was busy and fun! We really enjoyed having Dane home for Christmas too!!
Since my mom had surgery, Christmas for my family was at our house. Despite my inability to cook, my lack of serving dishes and dinnerware,  I pulled it off. I did find my short comings the reason for most of the laughing and joking though - it was all in good fun! I think I would have worried if there had not any joking!

Well, I think that is about all I have to write, it was fairly uneventful, so here are some pictures!

Some pre-Christmas sledding

Our first Christmas all together!

1 year ago we got the call...

My husband laughs at me and my remembering dates and how I take a trip down memory lane to much, or so he says! I love going down memory lane, I love to think about our family and the important dates. It brings so much joy to my heart. I reminds me of how truly blessed I am; it is like sunshine to my soul.

It was a little after 3pm one year ago on Jan. 5, 2010.  I was getting ready to pick the kids up from school because they had a 4pm dentist appointment. And my phone rang, I thought nothing of it really. I answered and it was our social worker and I still thought nothing of it. And then the words came through the phone- we had been matched with the little boy that we were interested in, we had a son! . I was shocked. I was caught completely off guard. I did not hear a single word she spoke after that. I honestly did not think we would get a call that soon. The last time we were interested in a baby it took a couple weeks after the "cut off date" (the date we had to notify the agency if we were interested in a child) to be notified that we had not been chosen.
It was the 5th, the cut off was the 5th by noon, it was just a couple hours after the cut off. I hung up the phone and frantically tried to call Joel...he wasn't answering his cell phone or his work cell. So I called again and again and finally left a message to call me ASAP! After a few minutes, which felt like hours, he called me. He was surprised and ecstatic, but he had to go. I so wish that I could of had a few more minutes relishing in the exciting moment. I then called my mom and my mother-in-law and left them both messages to call me. All of the sudden it dawned on me-dentist appointment...I had to go! I rushed to get the kids from school and we were fashionably late for their appointment. But at that moment I did not care! I was beyond excited! I checked my e-mail when I got home for our official referral and found this photo of out precious son and was even more in love.

In honor of this day we prepared a box of donations to send to Holt (Korean adoption agency).

And now, he is home....