Cracker Barrel and a Prayer Request

Our daddy is on his way to bury his dear aunt who lost her battle with cancer last week.  Please pray for him as he makes this journey and as he will be performing the funeral services too because Aunt Wanda's pastor is stuck in Africa.  This is a huge privilege for him, but I am sure that it will be emotional as well.  Please pray that he will represent her life well and that God will give him the right words to share the hope we have when we live in Him.

With Daddy away, we girls decided to go on a little outing of our own.  We had a gift certificate we received at Christmas for Cracker Barrel.  So, we loaded up our little treasure and decided to give it a try. She has never been to a sit down restaurant successfully before.  Until today, having someone come to our table we didn't know (a server), talking to us, and bringing us food has been way too scary for her.  She would cry and we would have to leave before eating.  It was lunch time on a Saturday so the place was packed.  We had to wait a few minutes to get a table, but Jillian did amazingly well!  She looked at the toys that spin and light up for the few minutes we had to wait.  She was cool as a cucumber.  She walked through the crowded dining room when it was time to go to our table and wasn't even phased by the noise or the people.  She sat at the table, colored a bit, and signed eat macaroni and cheese.  I did bring all her food, like I always do, because she just seems more comfortable if she can sit down and get started eating her familiar foods right away.  I did order her mac and cheese from the kids menu at the restaurant too and when it came..she took her spoon and dug right in to the bowl from Cracker Barrel.  She didn't even wait for it to be put in her familiar tray!!  It was a beautiful lunch! 

I must have been just beaming because there was a woman near by who just couldn't stop smiling at us as we ate.  As we were leaving, she told me what a beautiful family I have and how it just makes her smile to watch us.  I love this picture to the right.  Can you see how Jillian is holding Emily's hand while she eats?  I tell you, my heart is full today.  I love having time with my girls and if Emily hadn't been sitting in the front seat next to me on the way home, I may have bawled the whole way.  God has brought this little one so far.  The love that we have in our hearts because of her is just truly incredible.  I am blessed beyond measure to get to mother these two precious lives and can't believe God is giving me the chance to love one more.  Just another ordinary moment that seems so miraculous because of the addition of this little Chinese treasure in our lives.  I have been worshiping my Lord all day because of the beauty of it.  I praise Him for giving her to us and am in awe that we get to have one more!  Emily and I were even planning how we would sit at a table in a restaurant when we are a family of five.  Simply too good!

Because God Has a Sense of Humor

Last night was the first night since our sweet Jillian had that horrible dream and meltdown on Dec. 15 that she has been able to go to sleep without 60-90 minutes of thrashing, screaming, and fighting.  It is also the first time that she has sleep through the night since Dec. 15.  She slept from 10:30-7:00.  This is AMAZING!!!  It wasn't even too traumatic getting her down for her nap today either.  I am praying that this continues for her.

But because God has a sense of humor..

while my sweet Jillian slept through the night..

This momma was up comforting and caring for a vomiting teenager.

Sweet Em was sick all night.  She stayed home today and was finally able to eat a piece of dry toast and keep it down.  I am choosing JOY today though.  I am choosing to be grateful to have these children under my roof and I am giving thanks that I am able to care for them-even in the middle of the night.   

Dear Lord, I do love being these girl's momma, but I wouldn't mind a bit more sleep either.  See if you can get that worked out for me.  Until then, I am grateful to know you and cling to the promises in scripture.  I know that this life is a mere speck of dust and I want to live it well for your glory.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 

A Christmas to Remember

Holding on to fond memories of this Christmas..

Last year, this sweet girl was so afraid of everything.

She couldn't open a gift, play with any new toy, or enjoy much about Christmas.

Her fear and anxiety was almost paralyzing to her,

BUT

our God continues to bring healing to her little heart!

This year she enjoyed Christmas for the first time!

(and this momma's heart was FULL!)

She opened this baby and signed open because she wanted it out of the box.

She fed her right away and rocked her too.

 She was off pushing this vacuum as soon as she opened it.

She loved this "dream light" contraption and

insisted on keeping the lights off the rest of the night.

Uncle A was visiting and really mad about the lights being off.

He would go and turn them on.

She would go and turn them off.

(It made us giggle a bit.)

 She has this food in OT.

We use it sometimes in Speech Therapy too.

 

She knew just what to do with it.

She is holding the yellow ball her sister picked out for her.

She loved it.

When you shake the ball, smaller balls inside light up and shake around.

Big Sissy was pretty proud of her choice of gifts for Jill.

Sissy is getting a room makeover.

She got lots of zebra print stuff.

We will paint her room (teal blue) when she is home from her trip.

Speaking of Uncle A, he never did win the battle of the lights

but was happy to score several cardinals gifts

(that he managed to get open even if the over head lights were off).

 Daddy got a new sweatshirt from 147 million orphans.

(All our purchases support orphans in China so I HEART this company!)

I got a new tea mug from 147 myself!

It was a beautiful, quiet day celebrating the birth of our Savior.

I am so very thankful to have this little family,

but have to admit it is hard on this momma's heart not to have our Anna here with us.

It makes looking forward to next Christmas that much sweeter.

Our Family Tree

When we moved to this big, old parsonage..

I finally had room to get a pretty tree.

You know, the kind of tree with a color scheme,

matching packages, and all new ornaments.

Because of the beautiful tree, the family ornaments

(and our old family tree)

is now decorating the family room in the basement.

 Clearly, this is Em's favorite tree.

She loved to count all the ornaments that she has made.

She also likes looking at all the ornaments that we have collected through the years on special trips and such.

This tree is like a walk down memory lane and it is important to her.

 Daddy is showing off his ornaments.

Jillian liked the 49ers ball.

It is red after all.

 She helped Daddy hang it.

Daddy has many special ornaments too.

This one is a sweet tea glass.

Daddy LOVES sweet tea.

There are so many activities this time of year and so many special memories made.

My heart is grateful for my family today.

Now I Have Her Trapped

What do you do when you are home alone with a

rambunctious, Chinese toddler and you really, really need to get dinner cooking?

 

Why, you trap her in a giant bin of packing noodles of course.

 This plan works great as she is laughing and

rolling in the noodles for a few, short moments.

 Then, it happens.

She takes a hand full of them and

decides it would be oh. so. very. much. fun

to pelt momma with said packing noodles while she is cooking!

This game made her very happy and

she even had to include her big sister in the fun.

Not sure why in the world God thinks I deserve such goodness..

But having these girls playing at my feet in the kitchen is

SO. VERY. GOOD!

Being a mother to these two precious blessings..

It is reason to praise God today!