Magnolia Leaf Christmas Garland

FIRST and most important…guess who made ANOTHER milestone?! Our little man!!! He has been home 5 months. We arrived back in the U.S. on July 2nd–5 months ago and he was 11 months old. In FIVE (5!) months, Isaac has learned to sit independently, eat babyfoods (he couldn’t do textures or any solids when we brought him home), eat fingerfoods, CRAWL!!!, say: mama, dada, bird (isn’t that funny that those are his words…BIRD of all things…but you all know how I feel about birds!), and LAST week he did this for the FIRST time!! He is a rockstar now at his NEW milestone and we are SO PROUD!!! AT 16 months old…he can…(drum roll please!!!)

Isn’t he getting so strong!! (excuse the diaper…I had been trying to catch this on film for days and I got it…so there ya go!) AND he is making the “s” sound, “t” sounds and “l” sound!!! AND he works on the Vtech computer:). He is a GENIOUS!!!! (On a serious, mommy brag note–our pediatrician really does think he is SUCH a bright little man–and I agree!!! He has this momma ALL figured out too…he knows if he cries out an any hour–he has a momma with a weakness who will come running to his bedside–and usually plop him right beside her at night!) There isn’t a day that I am not SO humbled and thankful that GOD WOULD CHOOSE US to raise yet another one of His precious children.

Please say a prayer on Tuesday at 9am (EST) as Isaac goes under anesthesia for a minor surgery with our urgologist. Please pray for a speedy recovery. He really is doing GREAT–and we are most thankful for an incredible homeopathic doctor we found that helped us learn that Isaac doesn’t have asthma or half of the other things we were unsure about. After finding this new doctor several months ago, our sick visits are no more–and we are finally finding our new grove and just enjoying our sweet family of 6! Yes, we are crazy…things are usually messy…but we are loving life—and mommy even has time and energy for crafts again!!! (Along with planning the adoption retreat and monthly fun meetings for our local African Family Fellowship!!!) ALSO on the prayer list–please pray for one of my bestfriends Melissa who is in Uganda RIGHT NOW going through the court process to bring home her beautiful son who just turned 2 years old. Melissa and Dee were brave and took their 4 year old Henry and 2 year old Mary Taylor WITH THEM to Uganda! Please keep their family, travel, health and safety in your prayers!!! I hope to have some sweet airport home-coming pictures to share with you all in January if everything goes as planned the next few weeks and over the Christmas holidays. Dee will return next week with their son, while Melissa stays in Uganda with both 2 year olds while things are finalized. PLEASE keep this momma in your prayers!!!
Isaac also made his debut on the big screen at church this morning! He waved at the camera and was a HAM while daddy tried to keep him quiet and mommy shared about Wiphan to our church’s congregation. Our church is really helping us spread the word–and we are so thankful. If you would ever like to join us in being a voice–and sharing with others in your church about Wiphan–please let me know and I’ll send you information how you can do this through media, flyers and a short slideshow about Wiphan Care Ministry!

Last but not least—a craft. EVERY now and then…I’ll take on Martha Stewart. Her crafts are usually too intense for me. BUT when I saw this one and realized it’d cost me $3 at most to pull it off—I decided to go for it! I’m still not done. I need to do the top of the stair way and attach ribbons where they touch the top of the rail…but here is my work in progress! (Won’t the ribbons hanging down make a pretty finishing touch!)The only thing I had to pay for was silver spraypaint. Martha used glue and mica–which sounded too messy to me. I opted for a can of silver spray paint. Parker gathered the magnolia leaves from the yard, Rico Suave spraypainted, and I hotglued them to little cardboard arches. You can see how Martha did hers here. Kuddos to Martha for thinking to break down the cardboard stock. And don’t waste your money on cardboard stock–just take apart some boxes as things arrive in the mail. This is really super easy–and super cheap. The way I like my crafts:).

Okay guys I’ll probably be MIA some this week helping my little man recover…hopefully he will have no more UTIs afterwards. My goal this week is to also get my Christmas cards addressed and in the mail! Isn’t it the most fun to get cards in the mail each day!!! Hope you all have a GREAT day!!!

XOXO!

Andrea