yonas

about Yonas....it's been a while since i updated this blog with news of Yonas.  for those few that have been reading ever since i first introduced Yonas to the original blog, bless your hearts for staying the course here at my family's own cyber journal...you must be saints. 
as some are aware, a group of families around us have all joined hearts and resources to share with this child on the continent of Africa.  he was in need of hope~ and i do believe he now possesses it.  that makes me smile.  a lot.  Yonas has a team of sponsors that desire to cloth him, feed him, provide for his ARV medications to be purchased, send him to school, etc.  they also pray for him, have sent letters and pictures to him, and continue to care for him even though he's a world away.  this is a beautiful thing....
yet, back when Yonas was first reached by the organization that cared for our AJ, his first desire was clearly communicated to the director doing the interviewing.  Yonas wishes for a family.  a forever family.  he hasn't known that in a very long time, if ever at all. 
so began the arduous phase of stone turning~ trying to find somehow, someway, someone who would give this kid a shot.  the latest development is the first real bit of progress seen in almost two full years.  introducing....Project Hopeful.  a friend of mine (thank-you D!!) mentioned this organization early on, and i contacted them about Yonas.  after much back and forth, just last week they posted Yonas under their "Waiting Kids" section, including this bio...

DOB: 1999
HIV+
Yonas lost both of his natural parents at an early age, to what is believed to be AIDS. He was recently (last November) diagnosed as HIV+ himself, and seems to be stabilizing very nicely on ARV meds since diagnosis. He is currently living with caregivers who provide shelter, but little more than that. They do not have the intentions or capability to care for him long term and they desire to find a permanent solution for Yonas. Yonas has expressed his heart's desire to be adopted
into a forever family. Yonas wishes to grow up and become a doctor, and when we met him we noticed his written English was excellent. He is a warm and smiley boy, yet his eyes reveal a short lifetime full of loss and weariness. When allowed to play with a soccer ball on the street, or perform
a dance routine with friends (he's got moves!) for our video camera, he was animated and fun and so delightful. He stole our hearts, and I'm certain if given the chance a family would be most blessed to call him their son!

as i've mentioned to his sponsors, this is a stretch from a purely human perspective.  there are many children under the Africa section, all with a personal story, all deserving a family.  this is a sad and difficult web site to visit.  these children are the most desperate ones.  the hopeless, the vulnerable, the forgotten.  yet, there is Hope.  hope with a capital H.  Hope for Yonas and others because now their stories are out there on the world wide web.  prospective adoptive parents can go there and register and read and see these kids.  and besides, God doesn't need a web site anyway.  this is a useful tool, yes.  but ultimately, i really don't know what the future holds for Yonas.  only his Maker does.  He has a plan, and it may just be to stay in country, to grow up in Ethiopia with sponsorship families stepping in for him until his future is more clear.  i don't know.  i do know that His plan is always best, and we will simply advocate for Yonas until the need is no longer there.  i will pray for a family for Yonas~ as this is his desire.  i will wait and trust and hope you will do the same.

thanks for reading, thanks for caring.  i will keep you posted...

 

 

 

autumn

not sure how it happened that every fall i get to witness the beautiful metamorphosis of three gorgeous trees lining my driveway.  seriously, these three are some of the nicest on the street.  great idea planting these, Mom and Dad...little did you know that one day your youngest would completely enjoy the incredible orange and red hues in the fall, and in the spring~ pink blossoms bursting forth, looking like yummy popcorn balls.

the pictures don't do them justice.  i'm not a photographer, yet...at least...

 

plus, i'm a few days past the peak of their beauty as many leaves are beginning to fall as the wind and rain tug at them...regardless, you get the idea.  i love the seasons and the comfortable predictability of expected changes.  so pretty!

cross country

i'm not the mom who thinks my kids are perfect, flawless little creatures who can do no wrong.  sometimes i confess to feeling disappointment in their choices or persistent hang-ups.  i'm sure they feel the same about me.  it's real life~ every day.  we all have room to grow...i have a lot of room, to be sure....but this day, the 2012 St. Clair Catholic District School Board's elementary cross country meet in Canatara Park, was not a day for disappointment.  my three kids showed up...BIG TIME!  and because i'm honest about shortcomings i think it's only fair to show pride in genuine accomplishments.  Miss Layla was first to run, and this was her first meet.  the air was crisp and removing her coat at the start line was not an easy task. 

 

 

 104 girls set off for the trail and Layla's red shirt was lost in the sea of competitors. but not at the finish line...no, not there. to our wonder and complete surprise the first shirt we saw rounding the corner at the end of the race was that of our feisty daughter. she crossed the line FIRST, and both Jeff and I were sort of speechless. i think Layla was stunned herself, and cried a few tears of emotional release for what had just transpired. plus, her hands were really cold...

 

i think the medal and ribbon helped her results sink in, and she was pretty pleased that she dug deep to finish strong.  she says she had a good idea she was in first when she passed a group of girls midway through the race, and then she held her own until the end.  wow...

 

below is adam with his teammates at the starting line.  i love Adam's growth this past year with his running ambitions.  he now whips me in the monthly 3 km race we do with the RoadRunners club (humbling....just a bit).  this past Saturday was no different.  he seems to be more excited about the sport than ever and ran like a champ.  he crossed the line 14th for his age group~ and that was out of 60 competitors.  awesome work, Adam!!!  love to see your effort and drive developing.

 

Miss Hannah...equally amazing to us on this day.  anyone who knows Hannah also knows we have some battles about participation in certain, fairly typical, sporting events that are open to girls her age.  she tends to resist for lots of different reasons.  this sport~ cross country, is one she seems to enjoy.  she attended practice faithfully without complaint and the trail runs are definitely her favourite. 

 

well...she brought it this year and improved greatly from the previous meet and standings. she flew across the line in 13th place with a look of strength and determination that was so fun to see. approximately 50 girls were in her category. 

 

 

once our feet thawed and our body temperatures returned to normal, we could look back on the morning in the park with great satisfaction.  there was great sportsmanship from the TCA competitors and a stronger overall finish than ever with lots of personal bests....

let it be known L, A, and H~ i'm so proud of you for giving your best!!! 

**note** some pictures are blurry because of the pure speed of the person captured in photograph. :)

 

thanksgiving

so much to be thankful for.  crazy blessed.  here are just a few.....
jesus. coffee. legs that carry me. 39 years of life. childhood memories. pizza. jeff. eyes. long-standing friendships. clean sheets. hot baths. my van. joelle. loving parents.  in-laws i love. pumpkin spice lattes. church family. hannah. sons and daughters, both. peace. joy. music. energy and strength. orange/red painted trees. adam. mum pots. candles. running water. working furnace. comforters and quilts. flannel sheets. pumpkin pie. layla. laughter. tears. affordable education. opportunity. choices. love. birthdays. hudson. vacations. hot meals. full fridge and freezer. working toilets. medication in well stocked pharmacies. aj. siblings and their families. shared moments with cousins. ears. like-minded husband. teachers that care. each new day. freedom. pumpkin anything. forgiveness and grace. a good book. a mom that taught me.  a dad that provided. parents that were there. laugh-out-loud moments. kids that talk in their sleep. an overflowing laundry basket. warm clothing. unconditional love. grandparents that are involved. basketball. soft pillows. comfy couch. wrestling. hugs. turkey. sweet potatoes. a crackling fire. God's promises. left-overs. soft towels. knit slippers (yep, that's a shameless hint, B!). blogs. noisy bustle around the kitchen. quiet moments.

that was easy.  how about you?

hope your thanksgiving was filled with gratitude...

energy outlet

can you guess which child of ours looovvveeessss his weekly trampoline class?  the pictures below are from last month, about the time we started adding up the crazy number of hours Hudson spent jumping each summer day.  then my sister-in-law gave me the idea of registering him for a trampoline class at the local gymnastics club.  we did, and he loves it...

this guy hops and jumps and runs for the entire 60 minutes, glancing over at the window from where i watch, giving me a thumbs up when he sticks a landing or tries a variation of his flip.  he is agile and daring.

the trampoline has proven to be a great energy outlet for a boy who is boundlessly active and busy. 

i wouldn't say the instructional class has been super technical or even teaching much that he doesn't already do, but sometimes it is just fun to have something that you love to do and can look forward to at the end of a long school day.  and he does!  that's nice to see...