three

Miraculously our boy is with us for his 3 year old birthday!! It didn't look like he would be and that fact about broke this mama's heart!!! Doing foster care is hard, always hard! Dealing with the broken system, the broken parents... The kids though...A-MAZ-ING!!! Each and every one have found a home in my heart...in the hearts of my whole family!!! Thankfully every child to come through our home has ended up with a happy ending (one still pending, but, we are believing!)... It looked like this one wouldn't be after T was with us just short of a year the courts decided to prematurely send him (and his 2 1/2 month old baby brother) back to birth mom so she could "try" again. EVERYTHING within me screamed it was a WRONG decision and the battle there waged almost the entire time they were gone. God did capture me in my pit and restore my peace, but, it looked iffy for a good while. And then, He brought our boys back to us!!! More broken, but, with renewed hope of healing...

We celebrated BIG for number 3!!! All of his pre-school friends were invited to the bouncy gym, along with all the family. He was OVERJOYED!! For weeks we talked about the big event!! He was not disappointed! So many celebrations, so many presents, so much love!!! T shows he is 3 by using the love sign...how DARLING is that?!!! He has grown 4 inches in the past five months and has had several haircuts. He is growing by leaps and bounds in every area. His language and speech has soared since he has been home, he is doing so well at the potty thang, he LOVES his teacher and friends and EVERYTHING about his school... He knows how to count to 20, write his letters, get his own snacks (cheese sticks still the fav), get dressed to socks and shoes and just about buckle his car seat. He LOVES bubby, sissy, playing nerf guns & sword fights, being in the backyard, praying, church, telling me when baby barfs or stands, reading, helping Papa fix things and run errands, snuggling, chatting with mama, JUMPING, running, playing in the sandbox, with blocks building tall, tall towers, cars, his bears (white & pink(, snugglin' on the couch with a blankie to watch BOZ or Jay Jay... Breakfast is his most hungry time and he LOVES eggs!! He also loves bagels and "swrol". He is SUCH a delight and a bit more of a challenge as he is now asserting his," NO!" We are so thankful for God's gracious gift of this amazing boy. We hope to make his adoption final this summer. He will be called Levi which means grafted in, joined. And that is what he is in our family...forever OURS!!!

David

Looking back I see that the whirlwind of our lives caused me to skip my David update on his birthday in July...uggg!! So here goes the catch-up... Wow!!! David is growing and maturing in SUCH amazing ways!!!! He had such a broken heart when his baby brothers left to try reuniting with their birth mom... I watched in awe as he determined to take his heartache to God and to listen for God's response. His faith was UNwavering and grew exponentially as he waited expectantly all summer long. While I watched the ugly circumstance, he watched God. I was so humbled and blessed!!! God is at work in the heart and life of my (not so little) boy and it is a beautiful sight to behold!!! David LOVES people and relationship so he was overjoyed to have the Andersons here for over 3 weeks!! He and the cousins had endless adventures camping, hiking, sleepovers, trips to Grammy & Grampa's cabin, Father/Son Retreat, fishing, Lil' Putt Putt, sword fights, video making, zip lining (newly installed by Papa & Uncle Kirk)... LVR was also a HUGE highlight as David met a new hero in Luegi (sp?) and went on ALL kinds of camp adventures from rock climbing to bouldering, field games to basketball, fishing to hiking. There were great camp songs and wonderful memories built!! God has been allowing David to use his gifts and abilities for His glory with many opportunities...plays, skits for kids church, voiceovers, mock trial, guitar, puppets, improv... It has been awesome to see what God brings his way!! In stead of a party (which kept getting put off with the excitement of the boys coming back home, family in town, camps, etc) David chose to have us make up the difference with the money he had already saved and he finally was able to get his iTouch!!! Now it is Fred galore!!! (When his mom allows!) He was DELIGHTED to get his braces off after 3 years...happy to eat ANYTHING he wants now!! :D David still loves adventures in odyssey, lamp lighter theater and has now added left behind to his favorite radio drama's. He still LOVES to read and the Percy Jackson books are now his favs. He is SUCH a delight and people are just drawn to him! He never meets a stanger!! His passions are sword fighting, flips (which he loves to practice at ArtSport), being creative through acting or performing, and worship. He is a GREAT big brother and recently pointed out to me that my fatal flaw is impatience (so observant!) He is always so positive and such an encourager...LOVE that!! I am a blessed mama indeed to have this boy as my own!!!

Kymberlee is 7? NO WAY!!!

My beautiful, bright, articulate, compassionate and passionate daughter just turned 7 with great JOY!!! She was counting down the days months before!! This year we did a couple of weeks of celebrating... We had a family party with her birthday month partner, Brenny, she had a Party Palooza at the Toy Station with many friends, a school celebration with fancy cupcakes, her name on the school marquee (BIG hit!!), a shopping and dinner with Grammy & Grampa all to herself... She beamed and LOVED every moment!!! She felt like she should be able to be BOSS on her birthday with David making her bed and doing her bidding...so funny!! It is hard to believe my baby girl is already 7 and in first grade!!! The years have flown by!! I remember so clearly the agonizing wait to have her in my arms and then my first glimpse of her there on the cool tile floor at The Home of God's Love. Her sweet little pouty lip... Oh how my heart rejoiced to finally have her in my arms!!! What a perfect match we are!! Deanna Holsinger says we may not look much alike but we are twins!!! :D She still adores her David and is interested in everything he is...they are such good friends!!! And now she is the adoring big sister to two little brothers. She devotes much time reading to them, playing with them, making them laugh...she is the perfect sissy!! When she is not helping around the house (LOVES!) or with her siblings she enjoys hanging out at her friend Sophia's or having a play date here. She LOVES reading and doing art projects. She is forever wanting to go to the park or ride bikes. Camping remains a great joy and she delighted in spending a week at LVR family camp this summer, as well as our tent trip to the beach and the Grand Canyon. She LOVES school and continues to endear herself to every teacher with her work ethic, kind character and bright mind. They all rave about her and I have to agree, she is a marvel!! She still has her faithful friend Bitty to snuggle with and she still needs her rest to keep her emotions in check, she is dreading/looking forward to braces when finger sucking will not be allowed anymore. This summer during VBS she decided the time was right to give her heart to Jesus!! Oh the joy she brings!!! She loves reading her little Bible and I have watched in wonder as I see the Holy Spirit working in her life and heart. She is a worshiper and creates songs of prayer to the One she adores. BEAUtiful!!! I told her recently after some questions she had about her birth mom that SHE was the first one to "tell" her birth mom about Jesus!!! She couldn't understand how as she was a tiny baby and couldn't talk yet... I told her that when the birth mom needed help she went to the CPC and they told her about Jesus there!! Kymberlee was in awe that God had used her life in such a mighty way before she was even born!! I LOVE that she is getting to know already about the wonderful plans God has for her life!!! I am an eye witness to God's reveal of this precious jewel of mine! I am SO honored and grateful for His TREMENDOUS gift of motherhood to me. Happy sigh!! Some highlights of our "gurst" age...she has lost (and trying to find) two teeth an has a couple more wigglies, she is a whiz kid at reading (all subjects really), she is an athlete! She was the only K and now 1st grade rep for the Trailblazer Landsharks and she runs like the wind...a total natural! (Just like snowboarding, skiing and soccer...) She did her first play where she was a 50's dancer, a ribbon dancer and a part of the crowd. She says she will be a dancer, a singer and an artist (her framed art work lines our walls :D) when she grows up. She still loves to help me bake and do laundry and now she is really enjoying the Mei Mei (little sister in Chinese) Club we attend together each month. Whata girl she is!!! SO glad she's mine!!!

TERRIFIC Tru is TWO!!!

Well, our boy turned two yesterday! It is hard to believe that he came to us 7 months ago barely walking and saying only one word... He has come SUCH a long way!! He LOVES being outside in the snow, at the park, taking a walk, anything outside!! He went sledding for the first time last week a LOVED it!!! I was a bit surprised as he HATES swinging. We are wondering if he may have been left in swings as an infant?? ANyway, Tru also loves to play cars in the kitchen...he pushes them Faaaaaast!!! :D His favorite thing is any nerf gun he can get his hand on!! When he finds one it's a long day for all of us as he can't quite cock it himself yet! :D He spent hours this Christmas playing with the nativity set and loves to pray and read books...on his own and with me. His second favorite thing is sword/light saber fighting...brother has taught him well!! :D He is a great eater and has only just recently become more picky (and holding food in his mouth forever before swallowing...uggg!!). He is starting to exert his independence right on time, apparently!! :D He has been really using words more and more since we have gotten tips to help him from the speech gals. Hopefully soon he will start therapy for that...(and play therapy too as he still struggles with visits). He is SO happy every morning when he wakes up!! He does best with early to bed, early to rise. He loves to go play with friends at M&B, CBS, AWANA and Gymboree!! Yesterday he had so much fun passing out birthday treats to all his friends!! :D I think he really knew yesterday was his BIG day!! He learned to associate 2 with him and even hold up 2 fingers (we worked for days before on that...) Grammy got him nativity nesting dolls for Christmas as he loves auntie Kimmy's so much and they ARE a big hit. He has an engineering mind to be sure. We also find him "dressed up" lots...he adds hats, beads, bigger shoes, headbands... whatever he finds. He is always cracking us up!!! What an absolute delight he is!!! We are so blessed to have him a part of our family for this time. We are trusting God for his future!!!

Seasons

My heart is hurting so!!! Today DHS called to say they would be picking Lizzie up to take her to her relatives... We had 4 hours to get her packed up and say goodbye. I had SO much to do yet all I wanted to do was soak up every moment I had left with her, to smell her sweet head and see her sparkly brown eyes light up. Thankfully, she was down for her nap when I got the call so I was able to pack up all her things while I sobbed. Does she feel like mine because she's a baby and counted on me for her every need, or is it that we picked her up from the hospital so battered and broken that we thought she would always be safe with us, is it that she learned to walk before our very eyes, or that she is feisty and bright and beautiful just like our Kymi, or that our whole family adores her (with the exception of Tru when she is grabbing HIS toys, "MINE!!!!")?? I am not sure why, but, the bond is stronger than I ever thought possible for one that is not "my own". I guess that is the pain of being a foster mama...they are not my own... For that matter though, neither are David and Kymi. They are God's too, placed in my arms for just a short while. I must remind myself of this once again...to once again entrust them to the capable & loving plans of my Jesus...KNOWING that He loves each one more than I ever could, THANKING Him for the awesome privilege of being their mama!!! Loving is tough tonight. As the waves of sorrow continue to rush over me I pray that our Lizzie is feeling safe in her new home, that she will be well loved, that she will always know that Jesus loves her, that He is her protector... I know she won't remember us, but, I believe the love & safety she felt in our home are forever stitched into the fiber of her being!! I picked the kids up early from school so they could say goodbye and have one last celebration of her. They cried and held her, played with her, colored her a picture for her take with her and together we came up with this list that is...

Our Lizzie
We're gonna miss her!
She loves playing with the manger
She learned to walk here
She had her first birthday with us
She grew her first 2 teeth
She loves snuggling stuffies, especially the glow snail from Grammy
She is SO cute!
She loves for Kymi (& David) to carry her
Her beautiful brown eyes sparkle
We love her SO much!
We pray for her
She loves crawling in the recycling box
She gets in the trash lots (it is just her height)
Patty-cake can always make her stop fussin'
She tries to copy everything we say (especially Tru!)

Goodbye, baby girl! Even though we had you with us for a short while we will love you and pray for you always!!!

My Husband is a ROCK Star!!!

I fell in love with my adorable husband all over again during our AMAZING weekend away together!! Where better than So Cal...the place where we met and started our lives together??!! We spent lots of time at the beach...ahhhhhhh!!! He ran over 8 miles with little effort while I delighted in the waves washing over my feet, my prayerful whispers for the ones I love most, collecting heart shaped rocks and shells... I loved dreaming and remembering while holding hands with my love walking down the sandy shore, hearing the waves roar...waves that can only come up as far as God Himself allows & commands. WOW!! It was all so overwhelming at times, yet, so comfortable & sweet!! We witnessed a dear friend committing her life to another, caught up with more dear friends and spent time with my Shaffers!! Those 3 kids were the start of my "parenting" and I love them like they are my own. I thank God for the glimpses that He gives me during our times together that He has each one of them under the protection of His wing...that the years I devoted to them have made a difference in their lives for His glory. Ahhhhh! Thank You, Jesus for all the precious moments...each one locked away in my heart!! xoxox

Our kids have grown!! :D

The school year ended and before things start to get fuzzy I must record where my amazing kids have been this school year and some of the ways they have grown. David was in 3rd grade with a wonderful teacher. Mr Bowles loves Jesus and kids and it shines through. He challenged David this year to reach and praised him for being a strong leader. David was tested for the GT program and started that. He is still amazing in verbal skills, loves to read and is an all around great student. His best bud this year has been Nathan Bone as they were in most classes together. He tried Geo Club and did intermaurel sports at school. He finished his first book in T&T...has an unbelievable memory!! Greg and I count AWANA as a HUGE blessing in our lives!! It helps our kids hide God's Word in their hearts and more than ANYTHING we want for them to know Jesus well, to walk with Him all the days of their lives!!! David has really stepped up to responsibility this year with remembering his chores (bed, turtle, recycling, homework...) He has LOVED having Jonah live here and he still loves drama. This was his first year for little league and he improved tremendously over the season. He is above all relational...loves people, always telling stories and wanting to play. This summer he is attending JAM and was awarded a lead role. His favorite foods are still shrimp and crab and he loves dinner time hi/lo. He is a peacemaker and has such a tender heart for the hurting and lost. He asks TONS of questions and still loves to be snuggled at bedtime. We are SO proud of our precious son!! Kymmer grew tons in her wonderful Ruth Washburn experience!! Carmen was amazing with her and she blossomed from a shy, relates better with older kids, girl to being more verbal and open. I think her brother Caleb helped that too. Having to share and stretch was great for her...having a constant playmate was too! (Both kids grew in strength of character being foster siblings! In patience, understanding, love...we all have grown!! LOVE that!!!) Kymi's best buds (besides David and Caleb) were Leo, Indigo and the twins, Madison & Kaitlyn. She became a scientist, a lover of books, a die hard outdoorsman, she learned to pump and moved to a bigger 2-wheeler bike. She snowboarded for the first time and is already doing 360's!! She is an absolute natural athlete with amazing balance. She loves to help me in the kitchen and is very quick to obey and help. No job that Papa does around the house is done without his partner!! (He LOVES that!!!) She's helped prepare the lawn and put in grass, move rocks, give endless doggy baths, make Home Depot runs, install water purifiers, hammer, drill, hand push wheel barrow...she is a tireless kid!! She still loves Bitty and sucking her two fingers. Her favorite foods besides fruit are asparagus & NOODLES!! She is passionate about life and our delight!! She LOVES Jesus and to share her faith!! And, she is VERY excited to start kindergarten next year!! Her favorite activity this last year was CBS... :D We are SO proud of our precious daughter!!