I pondered how I would answer this question as I drove to the doctor last week - more on that later - not because they meant how was I feeling but because they meant how are you doing?
Lots of people have asked since arriving home with the boys how everything was going. And most didn't want the stock, one sentence answer, but really wanted to know how we were. How are the boys? How is life going from no children to a 3 and 4 year old? How is your marriage? How is Mike doing? How is the Lord blessing and growing you?
Since we've gotten home with the boys, there's more mess and more noise. There's more food and clothes to buy. There's new toys to play with and new play grounds to go to. There's lots more laughter in the house and lots more opportunities to demonstrate patience. There's brush your teeth and wash your face time, a shoes off-wash hands song, choosing clothes for the next day before bedtime, "Mommy-a watch!" moments all the time, and basically never a dull moment!
So how am I doing? I am blessed, tired, surrounded by love, frustrated by life's circumstances, and clinging to God's word with all my strength. There are still moments when I hear the boys playing and think, "Wow, they're really here!" I watch them play on our castle play set with Mike and am still amazed that they are really here. Two little pairs of arms reach for me and say, "I love you, Mommy-a," and I am shaken to the core of my being. I waited to hear those words for so long and the Lord has blessed me. But keeping up with two little boys and running the house is hard work, so I'm really tired! Granted, I'm not as tired as those first few weeks after arriving home when I could barely make it past there bed time before dragging myself to bed! And by no means am I complaining either. I love the fact that I am tired because I am taking care of my own children. But I have an amazing support system: small group, friends, family, Yahoo Group. So many people prayed us through this process and share our joy over the boys arrival and give me godly, motherly wisdom. I am constantly blown away by how many people have been affected by this adoption and all the love that is felt toward the boys. And then there's the things in life that I don't enjoy: the ever increasing cost of a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread (yeah for Aldi and Woodmans!), a husband's third shift job which allows only a few hours in the afternoon for us to be together as a family because at some point he needs to sleep and with two active boys in the house that isn't always easy (but yes I am tankful he has a job after he lost his old one the day before our court date last December), the same icky job that when he is hired on by the company would require more than half of his monthly pay check to pay for health insurance for our family (but we are able to be on Cobra at a paying only 35% rate for another 4 months so $500 is way better than $1200!), and whiny meltdowns (kind of like the one that is going on right now by number 2 son over having to go back to sleep at nap time which has resulted in number 1 son waking up - ahh, the adventures of parenthood!). But over all this, there is God's word: And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28. God called us to this adoption and we followed. His word says He will work good IN ALL THINGS and so I trust Him in the midst of life and work uncertainties. God is love ... There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear... 1 John 4:16, 18. Lord, help me love with Your kind of perfect love especially on those challenging days. For the Lord is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You. Psalm 84:11-12 and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8. In the midst of all the newness, unknown, and uncertain, I can cling to my God and my Savior. The same God who spoke to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and brought the Israelites out of Egypt is speaking to me and working for me and in me. His promises are true always; His mercies are new every morning; He provides strength for each day; He is my all in all.
So how am I doing? I get up every day (after hitting the snooze button at least once), spend some time in the Lord's word, and start the day. I don't always do and say everything just how I would like but life doesn't always happen just as we would like. But at the end of each day, I am married to godly man who thinks the world of me, I have two handsome boys who love me and know me as Mommy, and am a dearly loved, child of God. That's a pretty good list!
Play Dough Fun
The boys love playing with play dough (thank you Beth, Anna, Ginger, and Sellke Family!!) And it's a great rainy day, fun for hours activity.
Mr. Potato Head like play dough kit:
Making hamburger patties and buns:
Mr. Potato Head like play dough kit:
Making hamburger patties and buns: 
Funny English-ism
As the boys are learning English, here are some funnies we've encountered:
A friend was taking the boys and I out to dinner one night. I told the boys we would be going to IHOP to eat. John Eyob pointed and said, "eye?"
We were grilling last week. I said we would be making brats, Italian sausages, and hot dogs. John Eyob said, "hot dogs - woof-woof, Mommy-a?"
The boys always like to know the names of what we are eating for lunch and dinner. When I said Lean Pockets, John Eyob cracked up and put his hand in his pocket and said, "pockets, Mommy-a!"
I will usually say aloud the order of things we'll do for the day. We were recently going somewhere with my Mom and since she was in the car, I wanted to stop at the library without having to take the boys in with me. I told them I was going to just run into the library quick and be right back. John Eyob questioned, "Mommy-a run? Eyob run too!"
A friend was taking the boys and I out to dinner one night. I told the boys we would be going to IHOP to eat. John Eyob pointed and said, "eye?"
We were grilling last week. I said we would be making brats, Italian sausages, and hot dogs. John Eyob said, "hot dogs - woof-woof, Mommy-a?"
The boys always like to know the names of what we are eating for lunch and dinner. When I said Lean Pockets, John Eyob cracked up and put his hand in his pocket and said, "pockets, Mommy-a!"
I will usually say aloud the order of things we'll do for the day. We were recently going somewhere with my Mom and since she was in the car, I wanted to stop at the library without having to take the boys in with me. I told them I was going to just run into the library quick and be right back. John Eyob questioned, "Mommy-a run? Eyob run too!"
4/26-28/10 - "Stay"cation
Mike requested a couple days off and ended up having four and a half days off in a row - stay-cation time!
We began the week with a visit to the library (the boys liked wearing the headphones and listening to part of a story the best) and then got lunch from Sammies, our favorite burger place.
We began the week with a visit to the library (the boys liked wearing the headphones and listening to part of a story the best) and then got lunch from Sammies, our favorite burger place.
Tuesday found us using our Kohl's Children's Museum tickets (thanks Gail, Karen, and Beth!) and the boys had a blast!
playing on the crane:
beating on a drum:
pushing a lever to inflate a nylon tube:
mopping the floor:
getting a sandwich ready at Potbellys:
taking care of sick animals (notice how John Eyob is using the syringe, this is the way I give our cat medicine each morning in her mouth!):
pushing the giant plastic push pins:
playing in the middle of a car table:
the giant train table:
pretending to drive the train:
One of their favorite places, the car room:
looking at baby chicks:
Another favorite spot, the grocery store section:
And hands down, their favorite, the water works!
Look at these muscles!
Wow, my balance is great!
Mommy's Boys:
John Eyob pushing our friend Eleanor:
What a great stay-cation! Good Night! Sleep Tight!! Thank Jesus for the day and see you in the morning light!!!
(And thanks Julie, Sarah, and Danna for the cute African sheets - the boys love them and John Eyob has claimed the coordinating fleece blanket for himself!)
beating on a drum:
pushing a lever to inflate a nylon tube:
mopping the floor:
getting a sandwich ready at Potbellys:
taking care of sick animals (notice how John Eyob is using the syringe, this is the way I give our cat medicine each morning in her mouth!):
pushing the giant plastic push pins:
playing in the middle of a car table:
the giant train table:
pretending to drive the train:
One of their favorite places, the car room:
looking at baby chicks:
Another favorite spot, the grocery store section:
And hands down, their favorite, the water works!
Wednesday Fun - Independence Grove:
The boys loved climbing up the rock wall climb to get to this slide.
Look at these muscles!
Wow, my balance is great!
Mommy's Boys:
John Eyob pushing our friend Eleanor:
What a great stay-cation! Good Night! Sleep Tight!! Thank Jesus for the day and see you in the morning light!!!
(And thanks Julie, Sarah, and Danna for the cute African sheets - the boys love them and John Eyob has claimed the coordinating fleece blanket for himself!) 4/20/10 - Home for Two Months
I cannot believe two months have gone by with the boys being here (and really longer than that because I'm not getting this post done until May!) At times it seems like they have always been here and the process of getting them here seems so far away!
They are doing so beyond what I had imagined and even more than I had prayed for.
Shortly before leaving for Ethiopia and after lots of reading of all the adjustment and attachment issues and challenges that could be before us, a thought ran across my heart, "Wow, Lord, wouldn't it be great if there weren't any issues!" Of course, I knew this couldn't possibly be the case - a 3 and 4 year old moving half way around the world to live somewhere they have never seen with people they have never met except in pictures and experience new sights, sounds, and smells. Not to mention a 38 year old and 52 year old first time Mom and Dad. Now way!
How God must have snickered as He heard my prayer!! The boys have been attached to us since our first game of chase in Ethiopia. There is no question that we are Mommy-a and Ababa to them and they are our sons, children born in our hearts. And adjustment issues, what adjustment? Except for the first few days, there have been no major issues. They are happy and healthy. Thank you Lord - I could not ask for more!
And there are little changes: John Eyob will refer more often to himself as John and his brother as Ryan. Yes, these are the American names we chose for them, but I don't know how I feel about him not including the name Eyob as often! And Mike is often called "Daddy" instead of Ababa while "Mom" has just started being said instead of Mommy-a. We see lots more "cars" and not mack-e-naws. I don't know how I feel about that! And I don't even like to think about the day their accent begins to fade!!
So as they change and grow and develop and learn, I am thankful for a God who does not change and is the same today, tomorrow, and forever, and I am blessed beyond measure by the plans He has for me!
They are doing so beyond what I had imagined and even more than I had prayed for.
Shortly before leaving for Ethiopia and after lots of reading of all the adjustment and attachment issues and challenges that could be before us, a thought ran across my heart, "Wow, Lord, wouldn't it be great if there weren't any issues!" Of course, I knew this couldn't possibly be the case - a 3 and 4 year old moving half way around the world to live somewhere they have never seen with people they have never met except in pictures and experience new sights, sounds, and smells. Not to mention a 38 year old and 52 year old first time Mom and Dad. Now way!
How God must have snickered as He heard my prayer!! The boys have been attached to us since our first game of chase in Ethiopia. There is no question that we are Mommy-a and Ababa to them and they are our sons, children born in our hearts. And adjustment issues, what adjustment? Except for the first few days, there have been no major issues. They are happy and healthy. Thank you Lord - I could not ask for more!
And there are little changes: John Eyob will refer more often to himself as John and his brother as Ryan. Yes, these are the American names we chose for them, but I don't know how I feel about him not including the name Eyob as often! And Mike is often called "Daddy" instead of Ababa while "Mom" has just started being said instead of Mommy-a. We see lots more "cars" and not mack-e-naws. I don't know how I feel about that! And I don't even like to think about the day their accent begins to fade!!
So as they change and grow and develop and learn, I am thankful for a God who does not change and is the same today, tomorrow, and forever, and I am blessed beyond measure by the plans He has for me!
Yellow and Orange Days
So I know the title says "day" but if you look closely at what the boys are waering in the pictures, you'll notice that sometimes, it's really "days!"
Yellow day began with a project that practiced the fine motor skills of cutting and glueing. The boys cut small strips of yellow paper and glued them to a long piece of black paper - this was our road.
Then they peeled and placed yellow stickers (a gift from my cousin Dan's wife Ginger and a big hit!) on their road.
Another day found us making sun masks. The boys paiting a paper plate yellow, more fine motor practice and expeience with paint and paintbrushes.
You are my sunshine!
Moving onto orange day, we started by making orange fish with paper plates. The boys each painted two paper plates orange.
After the plates were dry, Daddy cut them and stapled fins on to make fish shapes.
Then the boys picked up and glued on (more fine motor practice) a google eye, orange beads of various sizes and an orange feather and pom pom ball.
Showing off their projects!
Time for oobleck!
Yellow day began with a project that practiced the fine motor skills of cutting and glueing. The boys cut small strips of yellow paper and glued them to a long piece of black paper - this was our road.
Then they peeled and placed yellow stickers (a gift from my cousin Dan's wife Ginger and a big hit!) on their road.
Another day found us making sun masks. The boys paiting a paper plate yellow, more fine motor practice and expeience with paint and paintbrushes.
You are my sunshine!
Moving onto orange day, we started by making orange fish with paper plates. The boys each painted two paper plates orange.
After the plates were dry, Daddy cut them and stapled fins on to make fish shapes.
Then the boys picked up and glued on (more fine motor practice) a google eye, orange beads of various sizes and an orange feather and pom pom ball.
Showing off their projects!
Time for oobleck!First measure 1 and 1/2 cups corn starch.
Then add 1 cup water - ours was dyed orange.
Mix together carefully, adding more corn starch if needed.
The play and get messy!!
Then add 1 cup water - ours was dyed orange.Mix together carefully, adding more corn starch if needed.The play and get messy!! I realize this post is a bit technical in its description, but that's the teacher in me coming out!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
