JOTSCMF

Flint. Isn't it cute?
When I first mentioned changing the name of the blog after we adopt, I mentioned that Keeping up with JOTSCMF just doesn't flow.....then I gave a couple more examples like JOTSCWZ.

That was before we had any idea who our kids would be. We did like the names Meadow and Flint. Then, we thought it would just be Meadow, and that was wonderful. We grew fond of her and began attaching to our beautiful new daughter, through her picture, her image in our minds.

Things were going along well until we realized we just couldn't forget the boy whose face was in my dreams, literally keeping me awake at night. The one from the waiting children's list who was still there, week after week, month after month. The one we had to ask about. Again. And then again. Why was this boy not taken?

After praying for God's will to be done in his life, whatever that may be, multiple times a day, all summer long, I have come to believe he was not taken because God's Jeremiah 29:11 plans for him were here, this family, us. How humbling.

Now, he is the child that will become Flint. Our beloved blessing number 7.

Seems surreal.

We received the assessments the agency did to determine if placing these kids together was wise. There is a lot of information in them, the kids' history. I've poured over them, every detail. Tears welling up in my eyes. Such tragedy and loss. God help us give them hope and healing. After all they've been through, they still have child-like joy. My heart hurts.

What an honor for us to prepare to welcome a precious Meadow and Flint.
God is good and we praise Him.

Unveiling

Sounds so dramatic, doesn't it?
The name we have chosen for the boy is found in this verse:

Isaiah 50:7
Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

His Ethiopian name, which means trusted, will become his middle name.

Hey, guess what? His last name will be Deutsch. (smile)

Yay Stryder!

The kids had dentist appointments this morning. We're going to a new pediatric place who likes to start seeing kids early. Like probably at birth. On your way home from the hospital delivery room. Before they have visible teeth. Or at least a year old.

Really, I thought? Alrighty then. Have it your way. I'll bring my 3 year old with mad screaming skills in decibels that can shatter glass to you, if ya want him. You asked for it....
He started decorating the place with his presence right when we walked in the door. Cowboy boots with shorts is one fine look on a fair haired blue eyed boy with a mowhawk.
Then, much to my surprise and disbelief, he put on the sunglasses, laid back, opened his mouth wide and behaved like a perfect little gentleman! Even cooperated for X rays.
Well, by golly. Blow me over with a feather.
I am so, so proud of this boy. My heart, it swells.

We were even complimented by the hygienists for having good kids.
(Strangely, this was within mere moments of an incident where we were on the receiving end of the nasty stink eye from a woman in the waiting room as the boys started using the over-sized stuffed animals as weapons on one another, pillow-fight style. Eh, whatareyagonnado? Can't win em all.)

The other kids were pros too and no cavities for the bunch. Dolly did cry. Loudly. But that's okay because she's my baby who is growing up too fast, so she can get away with almost anything. Yes, that's fair.

Although it would seem to be a fantastic photo op, worthy of documentation, I did not get one because I was kept occupied the entire.time. getting major hand cramp. Forms and forms and forms to be filled out. The same forms for each child. Yep, we're their parents. All of them. And we live at the same address with the same father and have the same insurance. Why do I have to write this 5 times? I don't know.
Forest conservation, anyone? Seriously.

Still several steps to go....

which will take several months.
And we've still got a lot of work to do.
But we are thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to be able to welcome a new daughter and son!
The rejoicing is magnified because of the wait.
God has had us right where we needed to be to learn what we needed to learn.
We have seen His hand of provision at work and His providence.
If it had been any other way, it would not have been these 2 kids. The right pair, this unexpected, unusual, exceptional course of magnificent blessing.

Our hearts were set to praise either way.

Psalm 13:6 I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

Jayla and Onyx on their first day of Friday school last week.

The bad news:

We have to do another whole set of dossier documents.

The good news:
The adoption of the 4 year old boy (along with the 4 year old girl) has been approved!

The not surprising news: They are slightly concerned about us having 7 children ages 8 and under and will want to follow us closely to make sure we're all doing well.

This has been one exciting adventure and the fun is just beginning : )

A Quiz

Because I seem to have such trouble coming up with blog posts these days.
1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:30
2. How do you like your steak? medium well
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? My Sister's Keeper. Saw it with my daughter's sister.
4. What is your favorite TV show? American Idol
5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Ethiopia Africa in a house full of children. If you really want to help orphans, it's better to go where they are.
6. What did you have for breakfast? Oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon and milk
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Indian
8. What foods do you dislike? mushrooms
9. Favorite Place to Eat? Sandy Natarajan's house
10. Favorite dressing? I'm a salad-aholic. Like them all.
11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Mega van
12. What are your favorite clothes? The ones my baby girl wears
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Uganda
14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? half is half either way
15. Where would you want to retire? In Ethiopia
16. Favorite time of day? When Bobby walks in the door after work
17. Where were you born? Garden City Kansas
18. What is your favorite sport to watch? gymnastics
19. What is your favorite sports team? don't have one
20. What is your favorite Olympic event? gymnastics/diving
21. Yes or No? It depends on the question
22. Bird watcher? Sure
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning!!! I turn into a pumpkin at 10:00 pm
24. Do you have any pets? barn cats
25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? We're adopting from Ethiopia!!
26. What did you want to be when you were little? gymnastics coach or therapist
27. What is your best childhood memory? flying through the air tumbling around
28. Are you a cat or dog person? I'm a human person
29. Are you married? Yes!!
30. Always wear your seat belt? Of course
31. Been in a car accident? Yes. I'm usually the cause. See question 30.
32. Any pet peeves? Materialism and waste of good resources that could drastically change lives
33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? veggies and cheese
34. Favorite Flower? lilly
35. Favorite ice cream? soft serve vanilla
36. Favorite fast food restaurant? not a really a fast food fan
37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? once
38. From whom did you get your last email? a yahoo group I'm in for children with HIV
39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? I would NEVER max my credit card shopping. NEVER.
40. Do anything spontaneous lately? This quiz was not part of my plan for the day. (yesterday)
41. Like your job? Like my people. Could do without all the cleaning.
42. Broccoli? absolutely
43. What was your favorite vacation? Glenwood Srpings with Bobby when we were young and very, very fun so we made up lots of silly games to play
44. Last person you went out to dinner with? my husband and children
45. What are you listening to right now? My husband telling me he cleaned his car so it should be good for the next 2 years.
46. What is your favorite color? red
47. How many tattoos do you have?5. I would like 5,000 more, but won't.
48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? zero

New Guinea

Jayla has been asking for a pet for at least 5 of the 8 years she has been on this earth. We finally let her get a guinea pig because she seems responsible enough now to care for one.

No good rodent shopping can be done on an empty stomach. LaCasita first. It happened to be a Wednesday night and pint sized people eat free. Bonus.

Arriving at the Pet store. Tiarra worn to impress the pig with his new Royal Mother.

Woops, no guinea pigs here, they're out. Load up the troop for another trip to another store (easy!). It only takes us 23.7 minutes to get through a parking lot and back into the van. After repeating 16 times, "buckle up" everyone is good to go-ready to hit the road again.

Finally at home with Cookie, the terrified black ball of fur with a white strip of hair on his face, in the corner of the cage. Royal mama is truly pleased.

Bad pictures

JO&S crashing in front of a movie with their friends, the Gregg kids, after running and playing hard all evening. Our families enjoyed an unplanned, unexpected dinner together. Easy and relaxing, it was really fun. No preparation required when you don't know you'll have guests. I wasn't even showered : ) Yep, yucky.

We ate the most delicious calzones made by Lindy that she just happened to have with her for the weirdest reason. Frozen pizza for the kids, carrots plucked from the garden, homemade peach crisp whipped up quickly, watermelon and ice cream picked up by Bobby on the way home and wala-dinner is served.

Why are these pictures blurry? I don't know. They don't look that way on my screen, only when uploaded to blogger. Here is blurry me with my blurry boy, taken on a different day when I had indeed bathed.

Fuzzy Onyx and Clover.

A hazy dance scene between another brother and sister. One more.
Unclear dolly.
Out of focus Ty.
And lastly, shaky J.
Looking good, good looking.

"When, because of your faith your life too becomes perceptibly different; when your reactions are quite opposite to what the situation seems to call for and your activities can no longer be explained in terms of your personality; that is when your neighborhood will sit up and take notice. In the eyes of the world, it is not our relationship with Jesus Christ that counts; it is our resemblance to Him." (excerpt from The Queen and I)
Taken from Beth Moore's study on Esther.

I took it over the summer at the new AMAZING, church we've been attending (which is smaller, less overwhelming for the kids as well as closer to home).
The study was excellent, so relevant to the lives we, as women lead on a daily basis.
All 7 of us love, love, love the church.

Schedule and....

The students on the first day of school.
The bicycle helmet is because we take safety very seriously at the kitchen table.
One girl in her nightgown and one shirtless-as you can see, no dress code! Come as you are in all your cuteness, that's the rule.

6:30 Mom up/pray/spend time with God and coffee!

7:15 Kids wake up/pray/spend time with God

7:30 Breakfast

7:45 Morning routine (chores for kids, chores for mom)
*Loud praise music playing during morning routine*

8:15 Free time OR extra chores (extra jobs if chores weren't done well)

8:45 Tidy up

9:00 School

11:30 Lunch

12:00 Clean up lunch (kids help)

12:30 Recess

1:00 Mom read to little kids (big kids like to listen too)

1:15 Quiet time/Reading/Writing (big kids do school work independently, little kids nap)

2:00 Quiet time free play alone (big kids can play quietly)

3:00 Afternoon routine (kids each have one chore)

3:30 Free time/extra chores if job wasn't done well

4:00 T.V. (mom makes dinner, may or may not have a helper)

5:00 Set table/tidy up

5:30 Dinner

6:00 Puzzle Center (kids do puzzles, mom and dad chat and clean up dinner)

6:30 Family time

7:30 Brush teeth/Prep for bed

7:45 Circle time/clear conscience (read Bible, read children's novel we're currently working on, ask for forgiveness if any offenses are left unresolved, pray)

8:15 Quiet reading (kids read to themselves or look at books quietly)

8:30 Lights out

Sleep tight

Mom and dad time-Ahhhh. Until the thunderstorms begin and kids start to cry.

This is what we were doing yesterday on Jayla's birthday. I accidentally deleted the 2 adorable pictures I snapped of our 5. Major bummer.

My hair is much, much shorter now : )

"You are still silly, fun and lively, thank God!"
Written to me by an old, old friend I met in kindergarten and reconnected with on facebook. She has to be old, we're the same age : )
It's funny as I meet people again on fb that I knew from childhood how several of them have reminded me of that aspect of myself.
I so, so, sooooo often feel burdened, overwhelmed by the multitude of never ending tasks I alone am personally responsible for and can never seem to quite accomplish. The to do list is long, times of rest and reprieve are short, prioritizing is challenging. If I still have any inkling of lightheartedness, it is a miracle! I am glad to remember I used to be fun and hope to not entirely lose the joy of my youth.

Have a wonderful, splendid, fantastic, weekend.
I am thankful for you, friends.
You are like sunshine on a rainy day.

The occasion my girl will never forget

Her first slumber party! Not extravagant, not large, but fun for the girls.

They are easy to please.
Pizza was first.

Dolly is obviously not concerned about slumber party etiquette.

Ripping your shirt off when the guests arrive is NOT proper, lady like conduct.

I wish I would have snapped a picture of Butler Bob serving the girls with a towel draped over his forearm. All they had to do was say the word, clap their hands twice in the air, and he was Bobby on the Spot to fill drinks, serve more pizza, etc. Since I didn't get a picture, you can take my word for it-he's a very handsome butler.

The spa treatment began with feet soaking in sweet scented bubbly water.

Refreshing treats for the ladies.

Pedicures followed. They were painting each other's nails in all kinds of sparkly crazy color combinations by the end of the spa treatment. I wasn't great with pictures here. I was too busy helping with polish remover, opening bottles, refilling drinks.....but I did get one of the birthday girl.

Outside for presents.

Ours was the gift wrapped in the quilt. It doesn't get greener than that : ) It is a barbie castle thing we found at Arc, brought home and scrubbed like brand new. No, she was not embarrassed her gift was not new and packaged with plastic and none of the girls mentioned it either. Not one of these sweet girls is spoiled rotten. It is 2009 and materialism is OUT!
Pink cupcakes followed and again I was too occupied passing out cake and ice cream to get pictures. Butler Bob was helping and getting video footage. Maybe I should hire a photographer next time. Ha.
They played outside and enjoyed her gifts, then when it was starting to get late we had them put on pjs and lay out their sleeping bags for a Barbie movie Jayla selected from Netflix.
Chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast after the girls woke up (way, way too early!) Then, an impromptu tea party before it was time to go home.
The party was small and simple, because that's the way we do parties in Deutschland, if we have them at all.

The girls enjoyed themselves and I believe each one was made to feel special. An advantage to few guests.

Today is her actual birthday and now she's officially a tween.

If I didn't enjoy her company so much at this age, I might be really sad.

She is fun and kind and can understand a lot at this age. She is grasping concepts that are abstract and gaining more of an awareness of how others feel about things. She can anticipate consequence and asks many questions about the way people behave and their actions.

She is helpful around the house, taking initiative to lend a hand without being asked, and good with her siblings and says the nicest things to me just when I could use some extra kindness.

She simply adores her dad and is grateful for any "special" time she can get to enjoy with her parents when the other children are asleep. She plays games without feeling the urge to hide pieces in her pants!

I never knew having an 8 year old could be so wonderful.

You warm, warm, warm my heart Jayla Kim.

I am proud of the thoughtful, generous young lady you are becoming.
You inspire me and make me want to be a better mom, a gentler person.

There is nothing you can do to make me stop loving you.

You will always be my treasured baby girl.

The Blog Scoop

Life is very good and very busy and the days are quite full.
I don't have the desire to carve out as much time to blog : )
That's why there have been less words....more and more time in between the events that take place and posting pictures of them.

I'm going to be a more periodically-when-I-feel-like-it-and-find-the-time blogger and less of a daily blogger this year. And that, will make me a happier person and a better, more attentive mommy ;-) Every other day? We'll see.

Within a few months I will leave my precious babies (for 2 weeks!) to fly half way around the world. I want to spend lots of time savoring life as a biological family of 7 before we become a beautifully blended family of ?? More. The thought of leaving them is kind of killing me and I have to look at it as a missions trip of sorts. What must be done must be done. A sacrifice to be made for the greater good in which I will surely grow and change for the better. I'm thrilled to visit Ethiopia, just not to leave behind little ones I will miss terribly.

And while I'm making {radical} changes, I'm thinking (again) about getting my hair cut.
Really short. Yes I am. Because I'm not as young as I used to be and I don't feel the need to impress you or do my hair anymore. Not that I was ever great at it anyway, and it tended to show.....in my not-so-good hair. Shorter hair feels free and more than almost anything else on this earth, I long to be just that. Free.

It's a sunshiney Tuesday and our new school schedule which we started today seems to be a success.
Spending our days together is rewarding beyond compare and I am one lucky lady.

Monday

We are organizing and sorting and purging and donating and schedule making and chore list revamping.....
Getting ready for the school year.
I love the feeling of getting our act together and decluttering.
I have one child who LOVES it with me and is most helpful.
The other 4, not so much : )
Slumber party pictures will have to wait. We're on a roll today.

((yawn))

gonna be doing a lot of that today.....

Last night Jayla said in the sweetest, best, most sincere way, "I'm never going to forget this."

That alone is worth every lost wink of sleep.

Jayla is having a slumber party tonight for her birthday : )

~

Cassie posted this on her blog today. She has written about it well.

"26,575 children die each day of largely preventable causes related to their poverty. But that very statistic, so critical to our understanding of the extent and urgency of the plight of the world's children, also begins to obscure the humanity, the dignity, and the worth of each of those children. It takes away their names and their stories, homogenizes their personalities, and cheapens the value of each individual child, created in the very image of God....the story of one child [is] more compelling than the suffering of millions."
Taken from The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Stearns

Isn't this the truth?

How an orphan changed my life

"Warner Bros. new horror movie Orphan proclaims that it must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own. Let me tell you about how an orphan changed my life....."
Question from Tom Davis' blog


Loving an orphan has changed me in ways that make me unrecognizable to myself as I look in the mirror. I have asked myself the question, who is the woman willing to do this? Who is the one, braver than I, taking on what my former self never could? There are too many risks, endless unknown possibilities. Who is the person walking far outside her comfort zone to give more than is convenient, to push the limits to configure and reconfigure, formulating plans to execute that require constant adjustment because she is driven, determined to make a way?

The woman I am does not care much for travel, especially by plane. Leaving all her children longer than 24 hours is beyond her comprehension. She is selfish with her time and pines away for safety, security, quietness, peace, comfort, ease. A person who does not drink or eat after her kids, hates hospitals, despises the E.R., squeals at the sight of blood does not adopt special needs kids. Not these needs.

Yet, here I am. No longer squealing, I have stopped trying to find a way out of this plan that is just too hard for someone like myself. Rather running toward it, compelled, I will do what needs to be done. Inspired to passionate persistance and willingess to lay old ways aside to forge a new and better, more resilient, less self-centered life. I don't know exactly how it happend. It has to be God.

All I know is I have been changed by love for an orphan and I will never again be the same.

Psalm 25:5
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.

Immigration approval is from the US govt. They have given us the authorization to welcome 2 children, ages 0-7 with special needs into the country (which is what we applied for 8 weeks ago.)
Our agency is still going to have to make the decision about allowing the adoption of 2 unrelated children at the same time, which they have yet to do.

Hope that clarifies. I know it's confusing. I'm just learning to "speak adoption." ;-)

God has been faithful and has taught me through this experience to better trust in Him during times of uncertainty, when there is nothing I can do to make things go as I would like, when I clearly don't have all the answers, nor any real control over the situation. Although much relief would come from finally having a decision, dealing with it whatever it may be, then moving forward, being in a holding pattern has been beneficial. I have to surrender it to Him, I can not will this into happening, my best efforts have been made, and I am not even exactly sure what I should be praying for.
I don't know what the future holds for us or this boy, but I know God is good and He is real and He is near and that is enough for today....
Let His will be done in His good and perfect timing.

Sorry!

We, (J,O,T and myself) were playing the game before bed (after finally locating each of the required pieces through extensive search tactics followed by idle threats of donating all board games to Goodwill if the parts are not replaced properly after use.)

Me: Hey O, it's your turn.

Me: Jayla, it's your turn.

Me: Ty, um...it's your turn.

Me: Tyden quit kicking the board.

Me: Whose turn is it?

Me: Hello? Anyone? Anyone at all? You hoo?

Me: Jayla, people don't like it when you move for them.

Me: Tyden, if you cry about getting put back in start again, you're not going to be able to play anymore.

Me: Deep sigh. Count to 10.

Me: Onyx, IT'S YOUR TURN.

Me: I'm not going to tell anyone it's their turn anymore.

ME: Pay attention young people!

Me: Another sigh. Count to 20.

Me: Give self pep talk about how incredibly fun games are and the importance of quality bonding time with children over bright colorful boards with numerous small boxes around the edges.

Me: Why do I only have 3 pieces on the board? Where is the other red piece?

Everyone, collectively: I don't know.

Me: Someone knows. Where is it?

Tyden: Um, I think it may be in my shorts. (Pulls out piece. Yes, right smack out of his little britches.)
J and her dad playing after short-adorning-game-piece-smuggling-boys were fast asleep.