Category Archives: Mommy Moments After all LONG crazy week—joy has come in the morning!!! I am so thankful for hard moments–because boy do you rejoice in the good!!! Today has been an INCREDIBLE day—and we’re only half way through it!!! We still have one of our VBFF’s Buzz Lightyear water parties to go to AND THEN screen-on-the-green with all […]  I am convinced that I have the absolute dearest friends. Romans 15:1 says Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. I just want to say how humbled I am by my friends and their love. No matter how silly or trivial or even how real or uncertain—my friends have […] So love your updates! I suggested that Summit VI have a “Meet your Favorite Bloggers” breakout last year. 🙂 It would be SO MUCH FUN to have a blogger gathering!!! Hmm….we’ll have to keep praying about that one! So glad you got to enjoy a cup of coffee and QT this morning! Abby is sleeping through the night AFTER a 11:30 p.m. wake up, upset and digging at her diaper. So hoping she doesn’t have a UTI. But, since she is tracking with Isaac guess I better watch out for that…LOL! Blessings on your day! Jenny Would LOVE to come! 🙂 Love your inspiration from God and your family. He is a very cute 1 year old on that bike 🙂 Andrea: What sweet pictures. My little guy has a pedal tractor too – he’s a farm kid so it’s fitting 🙂 Awesome pics of your gorgeous kiddos! You are not unfairly biased… they are all beautiful!!! A few days ago, I felt worn out. Okay–even yesterday I still felt that way. I had been “holding it together” for awhile and even the added craziness to our lives I had chosen to be excited about…the therapies and helping our little man achieve new goals. Then, one thing followed another…fevers, ER visits, UTIs, […] I kept reading to the end (smiles) and I am so very honored to know you and walk beside you. I am learning by you, and I don’t have similar situations in my life right now … but I see you. Praising God for answered prayers of a renewed heart, Andrea. =) You all have been in my prayers today! Love you and your heart! I am a friend of April’s and have followed your blog. I have been so touched by your family and your story – as it continues to unfold. Thank you for offering so many people the gift of perspective, the story of kindness and grace, and the realization that all of us can make an impact on others through our faith. Thank you for sharing the ups, downs and joy that your days bring. Love it! Love you and praying for strength to pour over your family!!! Praise God for little Isaac!!! AMEN! Sometimes the world creeps in stealing our joys. Sometimes things go wrong…or seem impossible- HOLD ONTO FAITH & HOPE!!!! God is still moving those mountains! Thank you for your amazing, beautiful, and faith filled honesty! One day at time and remember those beautiful words from Phillipians…I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WHO STRENGTHENS ME! I have SO lived these feelings, Andrea…and my heart is burdended for you. It is hard, hard, hard when the Lord brings situations to us that are not what the world sees as “typical” but HE is truly most glorified in these times. I am praying for your weary soul, for sweet Isaac, and rejoicing that God gave you some bright spots today! Love to you! go look at my post and look at LL one year ago and one of my girls are using their feet to hold her up so she doesn’t fall over…she was supposedly 10 months old…but my dr. says now that he thinks she was 15 months old and couldn’t even sit up…look how far she’s come and we didn’t even know to worry about it…he just says now that he’s always thought she was older…so…he’ll be driving you crazy and running around yourhouse destrying it in ONE YEAR toO 🙂 kj I just love you, Andrea! The end. “Their running is not my goal here—instead it is to teach them to run to Him with the feet of their hearts”…my own heart ran to god when i read this. i may have never read a more beautiful sentence in my life. what a beautiful sentiment of what we really want as parents. not that we will for one second stop believing that this boy will run like forrest and it will be all over this blog. but that in all things, we will trust in god’s goodness no matter the outcome. “Maybe he isn’t at a stopping place–just a resting place…where I also now find myself”… YES. not stopping. not giving up. not giving in. just resting. resting in His goodness and love. wetting the couch with your tears. shamelessly letting others serve you. and turning to god’s word for your strength (you are a champion to me in this). I am a friend of Kristin Burleigh (adopted Markos through AGCI) and am mom to three girls, one adopted, two biological (4, 3 and 1). We live in Seattle, WA. I have been following your blog for quite some time and gain so much strength from your posts. You are so honest and it is truly a gift to me. Thank you! As you share, you are helping prepare my heart for the future. We are not sure what is in store for us as we consider growing our family through another adoption, but I know I will go forward, very prepared. Thank you for sharing your soul and your family. It is not a coincidence that I read your blog daily. Peace- i think lots of us momma’s find it easy to compare our stories to other momma’s stories and find our own lacking, especially when things get tough. i’ve just also been reminded that my value doesn’t come from anything but HIM alone. i am his creation i was born in God’s thought. i delight his heart because he made me, knit me together for his perfect plan. he made you too and what a beautiful life he has woven together for you! blessings & strenght to you! olivia Another beautiful reflection of the Lord’s work in your life and your obedience to Him. I feel blessed that somehow I didn’t see this post last night. What a great way to start my day!! I got up extra early to prepare for a long day at the hospital for more tests for BA. Yes, the endless appts are part of the journey God has chosen for each of us, but it is indeed a privileged calling to raise a child who requires more care than his/her peers. As you beautifully stated, we mommies are SO blessed with the fruits of our labor and we learn a LOT of patience in the process! Hang in there with the PT… they get stuck and resist and everyone gets frustrated, and then their development spikes and you’re working towards the next goal! Keep persevering my friend… Can’t wait for a playdate! Thanks for blessing me with your heart this morning! sweet andrea…the Lord has blessed you with such a beautiful heart. your honesty thru these struggles will help so many other mommies and families. i pray the Lord will continue to strengthen you and show you His purpose and grace thru all these hard days. i can picture little isaac running down the soccer field and the tears streaming down your face…what a day that will be! Thank you for sharing your heart Andrea! My baby brother has lots of special needs, including CP and neurological issues. Doctors said he would never sit up. With prayer and joy, my mom had him sitting up by the time he was 3, and WALKING by the time he was 9. He defied every “hope” his therapists ever had for him! To God be all the glory!!! Sweet friend – thank you for the beautiful reminder to keep Him as my focus – definitely needed that today. You are in our prayers, for strength for today, for healing and rest for Isaac, and for His joy to permeate your day – You all are going to soar like eagles!!! (again – my favorite verse:). Also – I must thank you again for your sees cd that you send months ago – Hannah and I have been listening to it every morning – starting our day in the Word:) Very encouraging, Andrea! Yes! I read all the way to the end. Wow, this is so powerful! Your perspective is so insightful and you my friend get the big picture!! I am so proud on you and continually encouraged myself. xoxo-Rachel I, too, read to the very end. Not sure how I found your blog although I have two children adopted from South Korea so adoption was probably the cause, but this is the first time I’ve commented. I just wanted to say this post was so encouraging and such a good reminder that our trust and faith is in God alone. This is a song I take comfort in. I wanted to share it with you. Your post is beautifully honest! My husband and I have begun the adoption roller coaster, and therefore we searched for blogs in reference to Ethiopian adoptions…God most certainly put your blog in our “path”! I am so thankful to read your blog as your honesty, love for Christ, and love for your children are wonderfully expressed. Thank you for sharing your heart with us blog readers! 🙂 Thank you for being so honest and sharing your true heart. So often we want to be an encouragement to others but not at the risk of revealing our “weak moments”. Your honesty is encouragement! Wish I lived near you…. I love to hear your heart. And by the way, your little man is adorable. Thank you, Andrea, for pointing me again to put my trust and faith in God alone. It’s so easy to get distracted by worries and fears and I’m so guilty of putting this adoption process in the Lord’s hands and then taking it right back again. I needed to be reminded to trust my faithful God, knowing He sees the total picture! I’m praying for you and for sweet little Isaac. I can’t wait to see God unfold the good plans He has for that precious little boy! Just wanted to let you know my son has hypotonia with NO underlying cause. We also had to see a neurologist and all of that just to be sure, but there is no reason. He started walking at age 2. He is now 4 1/2 and his motor skills are about a year behind his peers. He struggles especially with fine motor. Most importantly though….it doesn’t stop him from being a normal, active, crazy 4 year old! It can be hard at times with all the therapy and the frustration…..I just try to remember that Our Father made him just perfect in his eyes. Isaac will be just fine. Thanks for your awesome, funny, inspiring posts. I love them….  “They” say adoption is not for the faint of heart–you’ve probably read that before on my blog…but it is very, very true. Some times, I get sidetracked from truth and my flesh sneaks in. I start to worry what others might think of me when it is hard…because right now–we are in a season of […] These pictures are so PRECIOUS!! Will be praying for ya’ll as your going through this hard time. Our strength truly does come from HIM alone! fantastic pictures!! i especially love the one where isaac is about the eat your face off! so sweet =) the pictures are beautiful – your family is just breathtaking. We are praying for you – for rest, for strength, for peace, for healing, and for continued laughter and joy and smiles. Such great pictures!!! You have such a blessed family! Your family is adorable! I have loved following your blog and I really enjoyed what you wrote about today. It was just what I needed to hear. oh andrea…those pictures are TRULY priceless! On hard days, just take a look back at those pics and they will truly brighten your day and remind you what you are called to do! Praying for you and your sweet baby, beautiful pictures Praying for you and your beautiful family. Thank you for being honest about the journey and helping others tounderstand just what adoption entails. Wow, I have SO much to catch up on! And AMEN to that BEAUTIFUL post sister!!! LOVE those family pics!!!!!! OH MY STARS! you represent Christ well Andrea…praying for you sister!! LOVE this post! Relating to you. Abby is getting tubes tomorrow and we went to the ENT TODAY. Miraculous cancellation! God is good!! LOVE THE PICTURES! So beautiful! Priceless! absolutely wonderful and precious photos. and I’ll agree…he IS the cutest…especially snuggled up next to mommy in that beautiful sling. praying for you tonight. oh, what great pics…Karen does mine next week..ok, so we need to start planning YOUR weekend here…Saturday night?? hanging in the back yard?? i’ll email ya, kj The pics are beautiful!! Praying for you and your sweet little guy! Your family is beautiful!!! We will be praying for everyone…especially for Issac’s health. Love the pictures. Beautiful. Praying for your family. Those pictures are sooooo sweet. I love the family one. Yesterday I posted this about adversity: http://thefarmerswifetellsall.blogspot.com/2010/09/gift-of-adversity.html Praying for you in this challenging season. <> Know this. Keep praying. The tough Months, move on to tough weeks, which become tough days, and then maybe tough mornings or afternoons and then moments. THis changes you. As much as the kids adjust- so do the adults. <> It does get easier. the beauty of god’s grace, strength and provision is all over this post. it shows up in the pictures of a beautiful family deriving their beauty from His! i love them all. did you use an ethiopian shawl/scarf as a carrier in those photos?! brilliant…and GORGEOUS. I so needed this post, Andrea! We have been “dragging our feet” so to speak on our adoption the past couple of months, however God continues to confirm His will for us to adopt in so many remarkable ways! When people look at me like,”you must be crazy, you already have such a crazy busy life”, sometimes I feel discouraged and doubt this decision, but I think of you and how REAL you have been in sharing the ups and downs of this journey, I praise God to have you as my friend, even if it is from a distance!(: BEAUTIFUL family!! and love her in a POPPY DIP!! Great pictures! You have a beautiful family. Blessings, Girl, I needed this today. I’m sitting here a work, tears in my eyes. I’m tired. At my wit’s end. Patience gone. Wondering why in the world we signed on for a fourth child. The self pity party needs to stop. And God has used your blog to tell me so. Thank you. And the pictures are simply beautiful. So wonderful!! Thank you for sharing your story with us. Our prayers are with you and God continues to weaver your family together!! AMAZING pictures!!! You can actually SEE the love you all have for each other! Love the precious pictures of ITY in your arms! God is truly showing His grace through that little face! Thanks for posting this, and reminding us all that we get our strength through HIM!!! Read this at THE perfect moment. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing your heart. Will be praying for more STRENGTH during this time for you! These pictures are beautiful! I appreciate you sharing the hard and joyous parts of the journey. So excited! Friday is our first day us ladies at church are getting together to cut out the patterns for the pads and envelopes and then we will get together a second day to sew them all! I have been following your blog ever since you brought your sweet baby, Isaac home from Ethiopia!! I am inspired by following your story, as my hubby & I (& our 4 children) wait for a match for siblings (0-5 yr)! Thanks for taking time to blog because it makes a difference. I especially enjoyed your last blog about where your strength comes from & absolutely LOVE the pict of you & Isaac & your family as well!!  A quick update on Mr.Isaac’s pulmonology appointment today: It was actually a really great doctor visit considering some we’ve been through! We took some more not-so-fun xrays (poor guy hates those!) and the doctor has given us a great treatment plan for asthma. We’ve got different inhalers for different occasions…daily use, emergency use, etc. It […] […] healing…and each of us matter deeply to Him (remember the little bird outside OfficeMax?) OR do you remember the bird that was waiting for us out side the pulmonologist that day…when I wa……and the song he sang??? I felt God just reminding me that HE would be my strength in this […] |
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A girlfriend of mine had to drive from Maine to Arizona with her baby in tow and says she counted Mum Mum wrappers at the end of the trip and there were 17!
The pics are awesome! Glad y’all enjoyed such a great day! I am so excited for the Jets to play the Paladins next week. We can give the babies a playdate and have fun watching the boys play together – albeit against each other :(. I definitely need to get tips on how to get a baby to eat MumMums. I have been giving them to BA sporadically for months and she apparently doesn’t like them… Maybe Isaac can inspire her! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your joy and pics!
Beautiful post. In every way!
Love & Blessings from Hong Kong,
Kim
Glad your week improved!! My Delaney loved MUM MUMS too. They were one of her first self feeding foods. In fact we found a box we didn’t know we had and she has been enjoying them again! We will continue to keep your fam in our prayers.
what a fun day! it’s sweet what pals parker and laney are…love those last pix.
I love, love the pics of P&L! 🙂