Author Archives: admin I really am going to start packing soon…just 8 more days until we leave! But…for now–life continues day by day. And I just have to share the some fun from our last few days!!! OK…so–it’s been HOT here in the South. I mean…HUMID–catch your breath hot. We hit up the hood pool often–but what do […] As we prepare for travel–we want to invest more time in preparing our plan for attachment for our Isaac. Think of it as when you got married and desired to prepare more for the marriage than the wedding. Richard and I have spent almost a year reading attachment books, praying for the Lord to guide […] I like “plans” and “lists” a lot and I really appreciate this post. I’m doing lots of reading and research on attachment and have been feeling overwhelmed. Your summary is helping me break things down a bit. And I am reminding myself that I don’t have to be in control or worry because our Lord and Savior will guide us as we continue in our adoption journey just as He has led us to this point of waiting. Thanks Andrea, you have a great perspective. I’m looking forward to more insight from you as you bring your babe home. Praying for you in the coming weeks. Karee Encouraging you to continue the focus and see the big picture as you cocoon and settle in for this new adventure. You can do this, your older children can do this, it is meant to be. Wishing you days of joy and nights of peace. =) i love this and I am so excited to hear how your bonding goes when you bring Isaac home! I have a question for you, we are adopting an infant first here in the states and it will be just 3 days old when he/she comes home with us! Should we develop a plan of bonding similar to that or would it be way less since we have the baby since practically birth? I would love your thoughts on this! I definitely plan on trying to do as much as I can to bond! Oh April–I think your attachment will be much different and easier because you are establishing a healthy bond and connection from the beginning. Because a newborn DOES sense his/her mommy because of being in the womb–if I were you I would consider not letting anyone else hold your infact for 2-3 weeks. I would also encourage LOTS of skin to skin contact–especially during feedings. I would even let the baby nap on your chest for the first few months (a baby’s brain is unable to establish a schedule until 3 months according to the author of “Healthy Sleep Habits”…so I would ax the scheduling and let the baby sleep on your chest to bond with you and know your heartbeat for the first 3 months. MUCH easier–but still intentional:) Sounds like a wonderful, well thought out plan, and I think you are wise to post about this and educate/warn:) friends and family before you get home. Hoping you will be posting LOTS of pictures of your peanut:) Great plan, Andrea!!! We had/have an almost identical plan, and at 5 months home, Bethlehem is doing well and according to our SW is right where she should be attachment-wise! I’ll be praying for you as you work to transition little Isaac into his forever family and help him form a secure, healthy attachment to you. I also haven’t forgotten the lotion/massage oil stuff I’m sending you – my last batch, which I was going to send you part of was a complete flop due to a certain small child who woke up from her nap in the middle of it and threw off the delicate balance of lotion making! 😉 Wow!! Sounds like a great plan! I am going to have to remember this when we get close to bringing Caroline Faith home! Can’t wait until you get to hold him- SOON!!!!!! Counting down the days with you 🙂 Great post that I will direct to one more family prayerfully considering adoption from ET! Hey friend! Love seeing the plan all mapped out. It always helps me to write things down when I feel overwhelmed. Isaac is going to love his family so much, you are such a sweet, selfless, intentional momma! Thanks so much for posting this Andrea! This is a great plan and so well thought out. I too, need to be thinking in this direction on how to handle it all when we get home…one day! I am so excited for you I can hardly stand it!!!! Can’t wait!! ANDREA!!! This is so awesome! Your long-time dream is finally coming true! i’m so very happy for the Young family and will definately be praying for ya’ll. I love you friend and can’t wait to hear more about Isaac’s arrival! Wow Andrea this is intense. You weren’t kidding. But, I am excited you and Richard have a plan and you are both on board. I would love to help by taking Laney and Parker places too, so they won’t be stuck in the house so much. I heard you were making crib bedding tomorrow! It doesn’t surprise me a bit! Oh, and FBC is going to do most of our shots. Thanks for advising me to go there! Praying for fast attachment with Isaac! This is amazing, Andrea. I have never visited your blog, but deceided to once I saw your last Life Path email with the upcoming details of your Isaac trip. The whole story is amazing along with your photos, your creativity, your family and your faith in Christ. I just love it. It is so inspiring. I would love to spend time getting to know you guys better… you can just see all the life your family brings the world. I will be praying for you guys…… Love, […] some times–a good social playdate is all the help you need! (But more visitors? Oh, but your cocoon plan said to limit visitors…which brings me to number […]  One of my all time favorite adoption momma mentors recommended this short read (20 pages) accompanied by 2 DVDs: “Taming the Tiger While it’s a kitten”. You can read an online review here. This pamplet and DVDs offer a 3 month program breakdown in 3 phases. It’s geared for children and adoptees who have been […] I am very interested to hear how your attachment goes and what that looks like. I think it is wise of you to let family and friends know what that will look like. I worry that when we adopt it will be very hard to explain to family why we aren’t going to be passing the baby around at first. A friend of ours had an adopted daughter with RAD. She was a preteen when they adopted her after 7 years in the foster care system. Their situation was a nightmare, and I understand why it’s so important to help your child attach. Praying for you and will most definitely be reading daily (always) to keep up. Wishing you good health and rest before you leave very, very soon. i always worry it will be difficult for our friends to understand that we’re not just going to be coming to hang out and taking Jai out of the house all the time when we get home. and that they can’t just come over to see him… we’re going to work very hard and trying to get them to understand that before we come home… i’m so glad you posted what you learned so far. it’ll be a great resource to me! i think its great that your going to do that “cocooning” plan! We are SO excited that you are leaving in only DAYS to bring Isaac home – YIPEE!!! – and that you found the attachment info helpful. Maybe we can cocoon together..guess that wouldn’t be cocooning though, would it? LOL So wonderful to be on this journey together as we bring little ones home. Give your family love from the Kelleys, and know we are praying for you!  Did ya miss me this weekend?? Well…we got crazy–packed up the family and headed out on a 4 hour trip to see some of our AGCI family AND celebrate a very special little girl’s ONE YEAR being home!!! ONE YEAR AGO…THIS MONTH…Lucy Lane came home from Ethiopia AND 1 year ago this July…I emailed Kristi […] these are BEAUTIFUL pics and I am so glad you were able to go to LL’s one year party! how awesome! Her journey has inspired us too! LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing Kristi, YOU, and Cris in one photo! Melt. My favorite blogs and friends in one room. =) Sounds like a perfect celebration for Lucy!! How fun! God also used Lucy Lane to inspire us to adopt from Ethiopia! And I also emailed Kristi with adoption questions…back in March. She was so encouraging! So glad ya’ll got to celebrate together!! oh, too fun…you have the best pics..I love “the hug” pic…adorable…SOOO glad yall came…and we’ll see ya on the 2nd, yayyyyyyy, kj How fun! LL is like the spokesbaby for AGCI – her sweet picture is on the packet they sent us. Thanks for sharing! I cannot wait for a GA group to get started up!!!! What a fun weekend! 🙂 I am glad that you were able to celebrate with the Johnson’s! I love my AGCI family! 🙂 My husband also chases after the kids whenever we get together with other families. He knows I need that time. Have a great day! Okay … truth be told … I am totally jealous! :o) Wow, what a great weekend! How fun! Lucy Lane’s video got me sooo excited for our adoption process. How special to be able to go and celebrate with them and be encouraged as you are about to go and pick up Isaac in just a few short weeks! Can’t wait! Love that you hauled your family here for our gathering. You know we are here to support you too. Blessings my dear friend. I am praying for you and your journey to your sweet baby boy. And a HUGE thanks for snapping a family pic of us. Yes we were sweaty but we all had fun. It’s going in our next pp report. Cris Andrea! This adoption journey just keeps getting better and better! The Johnson Family and their Lucy Lane video are what have inpired us to pursue adoption! Did not even know that y’all are friends, I just got and email from her this morning and I chatted with you on the phone a couple of weeks ago! God is amazing how he brings people together that would have never had the chance to get to know each other! We are going to Nashville next month and Kristi and I are going to meet for lunch! I am SO excited! AND… several of the moms in the pics are Moms who I keep up with their blogs everyday, funny how all of y’all know each other and are connected. I hope and pray that our family will be at one of these reunions soon! Continue to keep our family in your prayers, alot of change around here. Our house may be sold today and we don’t know where God is going to take us but we are trusting!!! Love, Bobi Bobbitt  Should you think I always have it together—this post will offer insight;). My hubby just got in LATE last night from a biz trip—and I had spent the last 2 days surviving with my kids + 2 extra. On top of hubby being out of town + my turn taking extra friends + booking tickets […] Hahaha ~ what fun, Andrea!! Yay! I feel normal now 🙂 Sometime Chuck E. Cheese is the perfect friend for a long day! This totally made me laugh! Hope that you have a good weekend! 🙂 So, so funny Andrea! And thanks for keeping it real. That is a huge gift we can all give each other and I LOVE you for it. We have always liked the pizza at Chucky Cheese, or as we affectionately refer to it, The Petri Dish. Extra prayers going up for the Young littles as (oops…didn’t finish) as whatever “fun” didn’t get washed away with the anti bacterial handwash! And Frankie in Laney’s shirt is the BEST! Woo hoo for fun! Cade loves chuck E. Cheese! that shirt on Frank is so hilarious! haha 😀 Well the shirt made me laugh. Love some Chuck. E. Cheese! 🙂 |
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by admin
I love everything about this post! Such fun at the Young house! Makes me want to drive over :).
all of it looks like so much fun!!
Really? All that in 24 hours. Amazing. Love watching you live life to the fullest! Great shots and heart warming stories that caused me to think … AND giggle!
Love & Blessings from Hong Kong,
Kim
Love this post. What FUN you (and great photos) have on a typical summer day. I’ll be thinking about ya tomorrow during GNO; enjoy your special girl time.
Wow girl, you are staying busy! Before you know it, it’ll be time to step on that plane for ETHIOPIA!!!
the tubs & squirt guns are such a great idea! we’re dying here in FL= SAUNA!!!!
oh i just love your pics, you amaze me with the quality of them! I love water fights! :0) I love blackberries too, I wish I could have reached through the screen and grabbed one! :0) I am SO glad you mentioned that fly thing b/c we have pesky ones from time to time here too! :0) I think its awesome that you got to know Eddie…how amazing to know he is a brother in Christ too and how exciting that he is getting married! :0) have a great day!
You guys have been busy! I had to laugh about your conversation with Eddie- you are such a southerner. Did you “bless his heart” at any point? I love it. I am a wannabe southerner stuck in Arizona. Sigh.
Wow! What a fun-filled blog post! Thanks for sharing another glimpse at a day in the life of a Young! Makes me wish I lived closer so I could join in on the fun! 😉 Thanks for the laughs!
ALMOST THERE!!!!!!!!! Love the fun pics! So funny. I think we need to use the water in the bag with a penny idea too 🙂
So fun to see that you are so close! I look forward to meeting Isaac someday when we’re home for a visit. Enjoy the adventure and best wishes for a great trip! Loved this post – Dent is the best!
The tubs are a great idea! I know your mom so I’ve been keeping up with your journey. Praying for you as you prepare to leave to get your Issac.
Using those tubs for water play is a great idea! I know your mom so I’ve been following your journey. Praying for you all as you travel to pick up your newest addition.