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!!!