Belated Digital Birthday Message

Ok, so I have some catching up to do here in blogland. First and foremost is one incredible kid that I owe a birthday post.

Our incredible Abi Grace turned 8 back in June and due to all the wonderful chaos of our schedule, I failed to get her up a birthday post.

Abi, my dear Abi.

You are a hoot and I am so grateful to get to be your mom. You are an absolute blast. I love your comic timing, your dry wit and your spunky personality. I love how you are not afraid of quiet and yet you sure love to tell a good story. I love how you run absolutely wild in the backyard and yet can sit so quietly and respectfully when you need to be. You are a great mixture of Merida’s wild freedom and a quiet lakefront watercolored on a blank canvas. Abi, I just love you and your awesome self and I am so thankful to have gotten 8 years by your side. Can’t wait to applaud you more as you grow and mature into new layers of awesome.

May it be filled with more reckless-abandonment hugs, wild wrestling tickle fights, and homemade bows and arrows in the backyard.

Love you so. Happy Birthday!

P. S. Way to improv on birthday candles.

July 22, 2018 2

Another Glorious Four

Today our baby turns 4!!!

Eden, you are an absolute delight and we love your sweet little snuggling ways. Your little heart is just blooming as this fun-loving character is emerging.

I love how you have begun to see other people, especially little ones who need a friend, and while you are initially shy, you warm up well in hugging love. Even though you are now a huge four year old, know that Mommy and Daddy will always pick you up when culture feels too uncomfortable and uncertain. Also know that we see how you are flourishing in your quiet, but sweet little heart. Eden, we all love you so and even though your birthday is and will be celebrated in three different countries over the next few weeks due to travel, know that regardless of where we are or will ever go, you are treasured so in our hearts.

Eden, it’s a privilege to be your mommy.

I love you, Happy birthday.

(And yes, I will read you this to you like I read all the other birthday messages to your sisters, even if they can read. 🙂 )

July 9, 2018 2

Creativity

Rachael used a Little House on the Prairie book that her Aunt Jes gave her a little while back to make a corn husk doll. I love how she used the resources available to her – grabbing some grass pieces from our backyard and following the step by step instructions to make the doll. She even ties a rock into the doll’s head to give it shape.

And then when I was sick, Rachael came up with the idea of a pop-up card of us holding hands.

Abi went out and picked 16 varied colored flowers to bring a freshness to one sick day. I didn’t get a picture of it in it’s full splendor due to being down for the count, but it was really quite lovely.

Then came another beautiful flowered creation with each individual piece cut out and glued on. Rachael poured an hour and a half into this masterpiece.

It’s really fun to see the creative juices flowing. I absolutely love the heart behind their creations.

And for those of you who gave us art supplies to bring over here to Mozambique, here is some of the fruit of your thoughtful gifts. The girls are loving it. Thank you, again.

January 22, 2018 0

At Last!!!

After 3 months of sleeping on mattresses on the floor, today we celebrate having a fully assembled room for our little ladies. That’s right, THE BUNKBEDS ARE DONE!!!!

(Peek-a-boo, Eden!)

And naturally you’re dying to see how the whole space came together, right? Well, that’s why we made you this video. 🙂

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We are beyond ecstatic to see some of the final HUGE pieces of the house come together, like THESE AWESOME NEW BUNKBEDS!!!!!

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

January 18, 2018 1

And Then We Have a Nine Year Old!

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This amazing little girl turned NINE yesterday surrounded by our adopted overseas family.

The children’s department made much of our birthday girl throughout the day

and then there was much rejoicing as she enjoyed a piece of ice cream cake in the evening among friends.

She had counted down the days and her radiant smile throughout the day was nothing but contagious.

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Rachael,

I could not be more proud of you. Your heart is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. How you gently care for the little ones that flock around you is just amazing to watch. Your kindness, your gentleness. You see even the smallest ones and long for all to be included. You graciously listen when others just pass on by and you are always willing to offer your arms to help embrace another. Your laugh is contagious and your joy radiates. How you go out of your way to speak well of others, even if they have not been kind to you. How you see the best in people. How you long to honor others in speech and actions. I am just so incredibly blessed to get to be your Mom.

Thank you for daring to embrace people from other cultures, even when it’s messy and hard. Thank you for daring to listen to others when you are not sure if they will stop to listen to you. Thank you for being so willing to offer reckless abandonment hugs to any and all who will receive them.

You lead your sisters so beautifully well. You care for the inner hearts of people, even when it costs you time and tears. You just love so incredibly well, holding nothing back and offering all that you have. You are such an example to me, Rachael, and you encourage me so by just being you.

So here’s to a wonderful year ahead, my dear Rachael. I absolutely thrill at the opportunity to watch you grow and take flight in our Lord. Oh how awesome it is to get to cheer you on as your beautiful heart grows in the Lord.

I just adore you so, Rachael. Happy, happy ninth birthday, Love. And thanks for letting me still call you my baby. =)

Love,

Mommy

P.S. Stop telling people you only have 4 more years until you’re a teenager. Mommy’s heart can’t take it. 😉

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Happy 9 years, sweet Rachael. You are an absolute blessing to our little pack of foreigners.

January 6, 2018 2

Last Day

Today was the last day of school for Rachael and Abi at the local Portuguese school. These girls rocked out their year with excellent grades (some of the highest in their class) and the casual learning curve of 100% of school being in a foreign language they didn’t even know how to say hello in eleven months ago.

So before I put one uniform away in the memory box and gave away their old uniforms and books to others, I got one picture of their utter joy amidst a year of accomplishments.

Well done, Rachael and Abi! Daddy and I are beyond proud of your endurance and hard work and we are so excited to celebrate being back on the same schedule again. We made it, ladies!!! And you all blew us out of the water with your wonderful selves again this year. Let’s celebrate with our normal Friday pizza and movie night and a night of No Homework for the first time in a long, long time (yes, I too will never forget how you guys had homework every night).

Yay, my delightful loves, WE MADE IT!!!!!!

(Did you catch that ankle friendship bracelet in the above picture, Aunt Jes? It’s still going strong over a year later. She never takes it off. =) – You are so loved. )

September 29, 2017 2