Friday, August 27, 2010

Look who's 5!!!

To round out Birthday Season, little Miss Lexi turned a whopping 5 years old on August 20th!
Papa made her a number five shaped chocolate chip pancake to start the morning.  We went to the mall to ride the carousel. (The closest we could get to what she really wanted to do, which was ride a real horse!)  We stopped at the Disney store and let the birthday girl pick some figurines to go on top of her cake.  Of course, she chose the pack of princesses.  Lexi's special day ended with her choice of dinner, "sketti and meatballs" and gifts from the family.  We love you Lexi Bexi!


Sunday, July 25, 2010

WELCOME TO BIRTHDAY WEEK!

July 17
Happy birthday to you!  Happy birthday to you!  
Happy 6th birthday dear NATALIE!  Happy birthday to you!


July 19
Happy birthday to you!  Happy birthday to you!  
Happy 7th birthday dear JUSTIN!  Happy birthday to you!



July 22
Happy birthday to you!  Happy birthday to you!  
Happy 36th birthday dear SCOTT!  Happy birthday to you!

PHEW!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Happy Homecoming (Part 2)

(continued...)

We ended our 2nd Homecoming Day with jammies on, gathered around the computer to watch the dozens (maybe even hundreds!) of videos and pictures from our final days in Russia (June and July of 2008): Visiting the kids in their "Russia Houses." Our morning in court. The tulips that were in bloom everywhere. Yelena, Sergey, Marina, and the many people in Russia who led us step by step through the process. Eating a steady diet of Pringles and M&M's. A parade. Dancers in the town square. Fireworks. The red and black lacquered furniture. The rows and rows of little beds lined up in the orphanage. Gotcha Day. Walking out of the orphanages for the last time. The faces of the little friends our children left behind. The women who care for those precious babies. Living in hotels. Elevator rides. Washing clothes in the sink. Pushing that ridiculous stroller all over Krasnoyarsk and Moscow. Playing in the fountain. Reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear again and again and again. Red Square. Blogging in the business center. The kids only speaking Russian. Airports. Surviving those long flights.

Lexi. Still just a baby really. Hair framing her sweet little face. Stuffy nose. Soaking up every outdoor moment she can. Rolling in the grass. Splashing in the fountain. Smiles. Giggles. Fitting so perfectly in my arms. Snuggled against my chest. Thumb in her mouth.
Lexi. My sweet silly baby.

Natalie. So protective of her little sister. So protective of her own fragile heart. Eyes that seem to suspect more than her three year old soul should know. She keeps her armor on for a while. But when we load the van to leave the orphanage for good she scoots close to me and says, "Ya tibya loobloo, Mama." Yes, my precious daughter. I love you too.
Natalie. My strong, brave, lovely daughter.

Justin. Jumping into Papa's arms. Anxious to show us all he can do. Such a smart boy. Taking my face in his little hands and kissing me on the cheek. Claiming us as his own from day one. Frustration with the language barrier. So proud to be a big brother.
The son I never imagined I'd have.
Justin. My capable, tender-hearted son.


***Insert big sigh here***
Ahh, how far we've come.
How much we've all learned about love... about trust... about grace.

I loved celebrating Homecoming Day with my family.

Celebrating with Scott. My husband and very best friend. Whom I truly love more with each passing day. Truly. So fun to bungle our way through parenthood together!

Celebrating with our children. Who fill me... no... who, overwhelm me, with depths of emotions I never knew existed.

And yet, and yet... as good as it is to celebrate being home... My heart has a place of longing for my eternal home. Sweet heavenly home with Jesus. Ah, now that will be a homecoming :)

But we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. A home of righteousness. All of this is in keeping with God's promise.
Dear friends, I know you are looking forward to that. So try your best to be found pure and without blame. Be at peace with God. Remember that while our Lord is waiting patiently to return, people are being saved. (2 Peter 3:13,14)



We read the book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, again and again when we were in Russia.  The kids loved it!  Within a couple days, Natalie and Justin were reciting it.  Their first bits of English.   
This video was shot in the bathroom of our hotel room in Moscow.  The bathroom doubled as a playroom, family room, library, laundry room.... (But, you'll see that Lexi is actually using it for it's intended purpose!)

Friday, July 2, 2010

Happy Homecoming (Part 1)

Today we celebrated our Homecoming!
Two years ago
July 2
we finally
FINALLY!
came home
HOME HOME HOME
First thing Natalie said to me this morning was "Happy Homecoming Day Mama!" She wasn't about to waste a single moment not in celebration of her special day! We started the morning with a yummy waffle breakfast. Then headed to the theater to see Toy Story 3. (Was it just me or did anyone else shed a tear when they watched it?! Sheesh!)
Later in the afternoon we made a special Homecoming Cake.
Note I said the cake was special. Not exactly fancy or beautiful! But we made it as a family, so that's what counts, right? As an added bonus (not that it matters with special cakes) it actually tasted just fine!

Baba and Grandpa were nice enough to bring us dinner tonight. We reminisced a little about that day in 2008 when they picked us up at LAX. Haggard, exhausted and emotional. But, we were together. We were a family. We... were... HOME!

(stay tuned for Part 2 of this post)

Monday, June 28, 2010

Fun Times at Vacation Bible School

Had a fantastic time at VBS this week! Our theme this year was High Seas Expedition. These three little sailors are ready to ship out!

I helped out with Justin's group... First Graders. Oh my. He's a first grader!? Justin said his favorite part of VBS was the snacks.

Makayla and Natalie take a break for a snack. Natalie's favorite part of VBS was storytime. She says, "In church I learned that God's word is true. God's word is comforting and God's word is for everyone."

Lexi's favorite part of VBS was singing "Today is the Day."

Our High Seas Expedition finished up on Friday night with a slide show and songs from the kids.


Friday night also included a cookie potluck/contest. Can you believe that the Mocabee's Peanut Butter Wheels won Best Presentation!?

Monday, June 21, 2010

Happy Fathers Day! And while I'm at it....


.... happy Mother's Day too!
Two years ago:

June 10, 2008. We were ushered into a Russian courtroom. It actually felt more like a basement dressed up with a few tables and chairs strategically positioned to look like a courtroom. No matter. Two years ago, a Russian judge took her place in God's divine plan for our family. She
said "Da...Yes." Just like that, my children were finally MY children.

June 21, 2008. The ever memorable "gotcha day." The last day my precious babies would ever spend in Russian orphanages. No longer would they go to sleep at night without a cuddle and an "I love you" from their forever mommy and papa.

And here we are today. Celebrating Mother's Day. Celebrating Father's Day. Sometimes I have to go back and check the blog or read my journal just to prove to myself that it all really happened! And even then... strangely, some of the details remain fuzzy.

So grateful that the Lord concerns himself with our details! But here's what's not fuzzy. The years I ached for a child. The assurance from God that He, indeed, had a vision for our family. The waiting. The faces of our children when we first met them. A divine promise fulfilled.

To so many reading this blog today, thank you for being part of the journey.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1a

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Natalie and Lexi's First Dance Recital

Natalie and Lexi performed in their first dance recital last Friday.

I was more than a little overwhelmed by the amount of sequins and glitter involved in the costumes! Then, of course, there was the hair primping and make up application. Yikes. Lipstick and blush on a four year old kind of makes me cringe, but I had some good moral support. (Thanks Gaby!)

In the end, the girls were super adorable! They danced their sweet little hearts out. Afterward, Justin gave them each a bouquet of flowers. Glowing. I think that pretty much describes the faces of our tiny dancers.

I'm also pretty sure they had their very own cheering section!
I'm beyond grateful that our kids have so many people in their lives who love on them.