Sweet morning moment

Every now and then I am allowed glimpses into the truth that the hard work we are doing with these kiddos will pay off. This particular morning, breakfast was ready and the kids were still quietly in their rooms with the doors closed. I thought perhaps they were still sleeping (shocking idea, that one). When I went looking for them, I opened the door to the girls' room to see this - peaceful playing. One was reading a story to the others, while one managed the Fisher Price record player as it played musicbox melodies.

Be still my heart. They can actually hang out with each other sweetly. I had to grab the camera and take a picture. Proof that I didn't dream that moment up.

So we press on, trusting that one day these moments will increase in frequency. In the meantime, I am so grateful for the glimpses we do receive.

Looking back at Christmas 2015

I am finally getting around to sharing a slideshow of this past Christmas.

Here's what the slide show is NOT -- a complete picture of our Christmas. It does not show our attempts at advent readings and activities to still our pace and center our hearts, or how the kids picked out and sent gifts to impoverished families around the world through World Vision. It doesn't reflect our desire to make Christmas about Christ, though that was the focus.

It does show lots of presents which could appear to be all about consumerism. These were not ordinary presents, however; they were thoughtful gifts from so many family members near and far, biological and adoptive. Gifts from people who, in some cases, suffered a lot this past year, and they still made time to think of our kids. To send something from Ohio or New York or Florida to bless the kids.

This year there was much loss in our families -- our extended families, our kids' biological families -- deaths, financial struggles, cancer, dissolving marriages. The opening of these presents represents the giving hearts that continued despite all the grief.

I chose this somewhat odd song to accompany the slide show because there is always room for forgiveness, new starts, and ultimately the redemptive and transforming power found in Jesus -- God become man to connect with us, heal us, and change the trajectory of this fallen world and our broken lives.

The past two years (since Oli and Bella joined the family) have been so hard for us, but we are finally on the other side of the transition. This Christmas finally felt like that. Finally felt as if I had breath in my lungs again. (I am working on a couple of posts to let y'all into that part of the journey. Coming soon...) When the lyrics say, "So it's been a long year, every new day brings one more tear..." my heart sighs with the knowledge of that feeling. And yet the good news is what Christmas represents. God with us. Emmanuel.

The Clubhouse & Mud Kitchen

A couple of years ago The Papa and I had a conversation that went something like this:

Mama:  Let's build a fort for Benji for Christmas. We can use some of the wood we have lying around here. It'll be cheaper than buying a play structure and we can build it ourselves. It will be rustic and good for his imagination.

The Papa: OK.

As we got into the project, the conversation then went something like this.

Mama:  Wait. What are you doing? That's not what it said in the plans!

The Papa: I'm following your plan.

Mama: No you're not! That is supposed to be 54" total. See? LOOK at it!

The Papa: It wasn't clear.

Mama: How could it not be clear?!  That's what the line shows!  That's the number RIGHT THERE.

The Papa: These aren't good sketches.

Mama: They are perfectly clear! You just have a mental block when it comes to me trying to communicate with you about something you don't want to do.

The Papa: I think we should hire the Northrops to finish this for us.

Somehow The Papa and I managed to build the foundation together. And the Northrops did come complete the job. And it cost at least twice what I had hoped because we got real weatherproof siding and because I had no idea lumber was so expensive. Truly. Plus the whole paying someone else to do the labor thing.

And, P.S., they understood my blueprint just fine.

But then the little building sat. It had no curtains and no furniture in it. I thought that would make it the birthplace of imaginative ventures, but all it became was a ghost town. I thought it would transform into a castle, or a pioneer fort, or a spy hideout. It did no such thing.

So this past spring I decided to lure Sadie into it. I sewed curtains from fabric that was languishing in a pile in the loft. We rearranged the kids' playroom and brought the table and chairs out to the little building. The kids made art and taped it to the walls. We hung hooks for a handheld broom and dustpan for tidying up, and a few for hanging superheros capes, lanterns, and fake crystals. Because...fancy.

Now the house is in heavy rotation, and they all refer to it as "The Clubhouse." We are in the process of painting a sign to hang on the front, and I am pretty sure it needs a hanging pot of succulents at the entrance as well. (Then again, someone already tore down the windchime, so maybe I am a little too ambitious.)

 This brings us to The Mud Kitchen.

No matter what I do, they ALWAYS come back to digging in the planters.

So I got smart and gave them a patch all their own.

 The mud still ends up all over, but now they are not digging up newly planted vegetables.

Bee-la-la is in the busybody stage. She swiped these sunglasses from behind Benji's back.

And she decided to actually eat the mud pie. She gave it a thumbs-down.

And there ya have it!  Backyard times at our place - good dirty fun.

A Boy and his Grandpa

We went bowling for Auntie Rosie's birthday and this is now one of my favorite shots. Benji used to call my dad "Gumpa." We are sad it didn't stick, but we still pull it out every now and then.

'Tis the Season for Birthdays

Benjamin turned 8

The transition from winter to spring is one that is jam-packed with birthdays in these here parts.

For the kids we kept things simple this year: just dessert with whichever family members could make it over.

Brent got further along in the 40-somethings

With a little more energy and money under our belts this year (as compared to the last two years), The Papa and I could actually pull off some grown-up time. I surprised him with an overnight stay on Shelter Island, where we got to eat at a nice restaurant, take in a live band, and tear up the dance floor. We spent the following day riding around on bikes and just having nothing to do. BLISS.

Sadie Lou turned 5

Oliver turned 4

For my birthday, I planned a wine tasting at the folks' cellar. Five dear friends and their husbands came over for a night of learning about the Garnacha grape, Spain, and various Spanish blends with Garnacha. While many great photos surfaced from the evening, this one makes me laugh loudest. Please enjoy the photobombs. A couple of our husbands are gremlins.

Jessica is now soundly 40-something

A Peek at Their Friendship

These two are such good friends. 

There may be three years between them, but they still bring out the best in each other.

Together their imaginations soar. Their voices sing. Their bellies giggle. They even sit in silence as the breeze passes around their shoulders and through their hair.

Back when Benji was a little guy, we knew he needed a sibling. We did not know how that would happen. Now he has three, but Sadie will always be that little bright-eyed bundle he held in his chubby dimpled fingers when we first brought her home. He was so curious, and so fleetingly gentle.

And she will teach him to dive fearlessly into other people's lives, because that's how she rolls. Taking turns leading, multiplying joy exponentially, and taking silly to a whole other level - these two. Sibling friendship at its best.