So Much to Say

First and foremost, our Jillian has slept through the night the last two nights in a row.  Not only has she slept through the night, she has gone to sleep peacefully without putting up an ugly fight.  She has let me rock her, hold her, and ease her to sleep just like she used to before the last month reared its ugly head.  THIS IS A HUGE PRAISE!  I have to admit..I am scared out of my wits to leave this sweet girl alone with Daddy while I am in China.  The not sleeping issue has been so hard and being alone with her would just really make it HARD for sure.  We have been doing some pleading with the Lord during our prayer time..begging Him to help her overcome this and I am hoping she is moving in the right direction with the progress of the last two nights.  I was certainly beginning to run on empty, but each day the Lord filled me up somehow.  Needless to say, I am grateful for the two restful nights.  GRATEFUL!

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So much is happening on so many fronts..I really just want to record this so that when I doubt I can remember how God is in every detail.  How he cares about every little thing..down to the smallest particle and how He has it all in His control..

 Last Wednesday, I found a box waiting by my backdoor.  I opened it up to find all of these beautiful new clothes for my Jillian.  Three new short sets, two dresses, two pairs of pajamas, a new stuffed toy, and matching hair bows were all inside the box.  A whole week's worth of outfits were given to her by my amazing, loving friend Julie.  She has been Jesus' hands and feet for our family many more times that I can even do justice in this small space and well..she did it again. Getting new outfits for a growing one as the seasons change is off of our to do list.  A need provided for by a believer who is a blessing in our lives.   It might be too selfish to wish the warm weather would just come because these clothes are so cute and I can't wait to see Jillian in them! 

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Sometimes when things happen, I simply can't even believe it myself and this is one of those times.  About every three months I sit down and evaluate Jillian's play, what she is using, how she is playing with it, where 

we should be going..etc.  The budget for new stuff is not huge and so I plan.  I am intentional about garage sale shopping, goodwill shopping, and the like.  As I was planning, the dentist play dough set made my mental list.  Play dough is an important part of Jillian's therapy and she is obsessed with tongues, teeth, and mouths right now so I wanted to play off her interests.  I was planning this out on Friday of last week.  So I began to put aside intentionally some funds that would add up to what I would need to get my hands on the set..when on Saturday this exact set was given to us by some incredible friends who were cleaning out the toys their grandchildren have out grown.  I couldn't believe it.  God is in every detail of my life.  Without a doubt..EVERY-SINGLE- ONE!!!

I wish that I could say  that every time the going gets tough and things seem desperate that I always remember to put on my full armor.  I wish I could say that I am really good at going back over each and every example of God's faithfulness on the days that seem bleak.  I am not always so good at that.  In fact, it was Daddy last week,  in light of an unfavorable financial situation that was out of our control, who said..do you doubt that God will cover any losses that man might cause us?  He has just provided everything we need to bring home our baby girl AGAIN!  So true! Truly I am blown away by His goodness and His constant provision.  I am thrilled to know Him and excited to continue down this path He has us set on.  To God be the glory for all He has done in my life!

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 

She Won With A Last Second Shot

It is hard to believe that my oldest baby is thirteen and in 8th grade, but she is and it is basketball season around her.  We HEART bball.  Daddy is blessed to be able to coach this amazing team of young women for the incredible Christian school that she attends.  These girls, in this photo with our oldest treasure, are one thing that I give thanks for every. single. day in my prayers.  They are wonderful, Godly kids.  They have been playing ball together since 5th grade, working hard, doing their best, and teasing their coach along the way.  They are finally in 8th grade and after three seasons of playing alongside each other..they have found their rhythm.  Watching them play this season is so much fun because they are GOOD (if I do say so myself).  Her friend Ris is also about 5'10" which helps us out a bit.

We hosted a tournament today and we won first place!  We also won the sportsmanship trophy because the other teams chose us as the best sports.

Everyone played a HUGE part and worked hard together and we beat Schaumburg Christian School 27-26.  There were 30 seconds left on the clock and we were down 25-26 when my sweet Em got the ball and made the winning lay up!  She was thrilled!!  Everyone stormed the court and celebrated!  We really do love this game and it is so rewarding that Em shares this love with us.  We are about three weeks away from the state tourney and we have our eyes on the prize!  Watch out teams because this year we are the ones to beat!

LOC IS HERE!!!!

IT CAME!!!!!
IT CAME!!!!!
(Imagine me jumping up and down shouting!)
After 91 long days..LOC is here!  We are moving on to the next step! 
That means that we should be traveling in about 8-10 weeks at best.
PRAISE GOD!!!
Anna Mei we are coming for you sweet baby!

Sister Love

 I was out for a minute last night while the treasure was napping.

Daddy and Sissy were home waiting for her to wake.

I came home to find this..

 My babies snuggled under a blanket reading a book together in the chair.

Oh my heart!

Jillian was pretty sleepy and SLOW to wake up.

Sissy took advantage of her and snuggled her awake.

I couldn't help, but get her yawn.

I just love these girls together.

Do you think one more can fit up there next to them?

I think we can squish her in.

Eyeglasses Games

 (This is real life people.  An undershirt, sweatpants, and that hair..it's how we roll around here.)

This little treasure is very in to playing with, examining, and putting on eye glasses right now. 

She loves to spend hours on my lap moving my glasses around and taking them on and off.

This is an incredible game because it involves SO MUCH eye contact.

Eye contact is not easy to come by with our little one.

Trouble is she can be a bit rough on the real thing 

and I don't really want to encourage her to play with them

BUT

the eye contact is so good and she was so interested

that I decided to purchase several pairs of $1 reading glasses.

I popped out the lenses and keep these frames in several of her play areas.

SHE LOVES THEM!

She loves to put feathers in them, drop beans through them, and wiggle them up and down

all while I have them on of course.

It is great fun and she is SO cute in those little frames.

(Having her wear them works on her tactile defensiveness issues too!)

All of this therapy is taking place with this new eyeglasses game 

and there are so many benefits for her within the context of play.

I love to play

and

I am so thankful to have such a fun little one to play with me!

FULLY FUNDED

Sweet Anna Mei,
A half a world away you lay sleeping in crib number 265 and you have no idea how God is moving mountains so that we can be a family.  I was given a check for $6,000 today by a dear, wonderful family whom we have grown to love over the years.  Today, three months after starting fundraising, we have reached the $20,000 mark.  $20,000 raised toward your ransom in three months.  If my estimates for travel are correct, we are fully funded.  I can't help but weep sweet girl as I think about all that God has done already for you. He loves you so much and has used many faithful believers to bring you home.  Never will I be able to thank each and every one of these people enough who have sacrificed themselves so that you might have life.   They are each a very special part of your story and some day when you are old enough I will recount each and every miracle that has led us to you again and again.  I hope that with all my heart..you will embrace this God who loves you so much and has such a plan for you so that one day you will know Him as deeply as I do and we can share in this adventure of living for Him.  Baby girl, as weak and inadequate as we are -God is more than enough.  He is enough to provide a HUGE amount of money so that we might be a family.  He is more than enough to heal all that is broken in us and to restore us to Him.  Your life and His part in it is already bringing much glory to Him who made you.  I want you to know it!  I don't ever want you to forget.  His splendor is all over you and you are going to have such a story to share when you are ready.  I am blessed to be your mother and can't wait to have you here.
All my Love,
Momma

It's Her Birthday..

It's her birthday and with all my heart I wish she was here with us.  I wish she could eat the cake that I will prepare for her.  I wish she could blow out the candles, tear open her gift, and run to my embrace after hearing me sing my off tune version of happy birthday.  I miss her with everything in me.  I long to know her, to see her face, and hold her in my arms.  While I feel that my heart is likely to shatter in to a million pieces today, I am reminded that my Heavenly Father has a plan and the timing of bringing her home is all His.  I wait with as much JOY as I can muster up today because I rest in the knowing that this is the last year she will celebrate her birthday without the love of a forever family in her heart.

My Dearest Anna Mei,
Momma's on her way to you treasure!  Someday the pain of this wait and our separation will be a distant memory.  We will be playing and living life together just as God has meant for it to be from the beginning of the world.  One day soon, it will be hard for me to remember what it was like without you in my life. I love you dear baby girl!  We all love you and are praying over you this very minute.  Praying God's arms are wrapped around you sending our love across the miles and you feel it in your heart today and every day! Happy Second Birthday!
All My Love,
Momma

The Flu

I have the flu.  I haven't been up off the couch much in the last two days.  In fact, at 1:00 AM I woke Daddy to sleep with our precious treasure the rest of the night because I was coughing so loudly I didn't want to wake her.  She has done amazingly well with momma at less than peak performance though she was really ticked off that I was home this morning and not taking her to feeding therapy.  I should always be about her after all.  If I wasn't home (which I generally am not on Thursday because I am teaching my great class of kids when I am not sick as a dog), she would have been happy to go with daddy and wouldn't have had near the attitude that she did throughout the session.  Sweet treasure..is her life about to change when our Anna Mei arrives.  It makes me smile to think about it and leaves me praying that I NEVER get this sick when I have two littles to care for.  Daddy has picked up the slack today though and it has been a life saver.  I have had this bug since Monday and have managed to carry on relatively well until yesterday afternoon and today.  I even mustered a short trip to the park yesterday morning because it was so nice outside.  I felt lousy, but Jillian loved playing in the unseasonably warm weather.  I am praying the bug stops with me because my oldest has about a bazillion things to do in the coming weeks with 17 plus bball games including a Saturday tourney, a Bible quiz tournament in Wisconsin, and so many other things it makes my aching head spin.  As for the littlest, this flu bug would be a HUGE disaster to her system.  I am hoping all stay well as I work up enough strength to disinfect with my cleaners this evening. 

My biggest prayer request is that our LOC come soon! I am praying that it will arrive on Anna Mei's birthday (January 16)  and I am believing that God will bring that piece of paper here before the shutdown for Chinese New Year!  He is able and He has a plan!

It is COLD outside..

 but our sweet, baby still needs her time at the park.

 We bundle her up

 and she explores all the winter wonders

(like frozen mud at the bottom of the slide)

and the fresh fallen snow.

We can't stay out long,

 but boy does she love the thirty minutes we can muster.

I was thankful to have Daddy home last week to run beside her.

Really is she not the cutest in her snowsuit?