this makes me smile

time for another installment in the series of blog posts dedicated to the subject of things that make me smile.  there are many days when i'm laughing out loud with/at my kids and the funny things that routinely come up throughout our busy days.  other days we simply don't laugh enough, and that is just unfortunate as i'm reminded again how short life is and how fast it passes by...

 

so, Hudson's grade four teacher at the new school recently sent home a folder of some of his early stories and drawings.  this is always fun to see, for lots of different reasons.  Hudson has never loved anything related to arts and crafts.  must get that from me! :)  he'd much rather be outside swinging a bat, throwing a ball, jumping on a trampoline, playing football, etc.....basically anything physical wins out over anything requiring slow, methodical and precise handwork.  that's just soooo boring to him!!!!  however recently, in the last year or so, i've noticed a bit of an improvement in this area.  he actually is becoming quite creative in his storytelling and once his art skills catch up i believe he'll enjoy it all a whole lot more.  i'm so proud of his effort in this area, because literally it's like these basic skills that are typically picked up at a much earlier age are just being acquired now.  simply because school is forcing him to address it.  he's just never been interested and we've not demanded it from him.  there were more pressing things to consider anyway!  plus, in some ways i can relate.  i think my parent's "arts and crafts" genes skipped a generation and may have landed in a few of my kids instead.  thankfully, mom and dad love me anyway.  just ask my mom about the day she gave me a "basic" lesson with her sewing machine.  only once.  she saw the sad reality before her eyes.  not pretty.  never again.  it scarred both of us.  anyway, moving on...

 

well, here are a few pieces from Hudson's folder that made my day...i think if you click on the picture it will enlarge it for you...maybe.

 

 

the coat of arms is done in the colours of the Haitian flag. 

 

i have to admit that Hudson would be an amazing tour guide.  the total package of likeable and fun and proud of his homeland.  and he can talk (we agreed he should start by working extra hard on his French, and eventually then Creole) and "wing it" as he goes....yep, that's a gift of his...not sure the position of "tour guide" is needed much in Haiti, but if it was, he could do it.

 

so, that led to a conversation of me visiting Hudson in Haiti for one month every winter when he's living and working there and then AJ said i could come and spend a month with him in Ethiopia each winter (apparently he's going back too).  i told them i'd come and spend time with my grandkids too (doing anything but artsy crafts and sewing) and then they could take their wives out on a nice date while grandma watches the children...it would be win-win for all of us.  they were just grinning at the crazy thought of all of that...me too!

 

adoption

November is National Adoption Month, or Adoption Awareness Month.  i've heard it called both.  and because of this, i've been doing lots and lots of reading on the topic as of late.  there is much out there in the cyber world about this subject.  some good, and some a wee bit discouraging.  overall, however, this continues to be a topic that i'm so passionate about.  for two obvious (and cute! :)) reasons, of course, and even more than that, i feel completely sure that God has placed this on my heart as part of my divine purpose here.  to be a voice for those who have no voice, to advocate for the fatherless....

some other things i know:

~ the resulting joy of an adoption comes only after profound loss happens first.  yes, this loss may be redeemed through the healing that comes from the presence of a "forever family", yet the pain and scars of the loss will forever remain, in varying degrees.  this is just tough. no way around it.  adoptees say this so often surfaces during various life stages and is a process of working through the layers of grief, repetitively.  then, factor in race and differences of cultures and identity questions and it just complicates things further.  

~ i don't believe adoption is for everyone, but i one hundred percent believe that everyone who is able should be investing somehow in the life of orphans, one way or another.  there are endless ways and places and causes that are all working to alleviate the worldwide orphan crisis.  God bless them for their tireless efforts!

~ locally, the greatest need is for families who are willing to consider offering a permanent home to children over ten years of age.  this is not for the faint of heart, obviously, but the greatest desire these kids have is to belong, and they wait for that day, hoping against all odds it comes...

~ adoption is such a beautiful parallel to the way i'm adopted into the family of God by the great sacrifice of God's Son, Jesus.  little me~ unworthy, imperfect, utterly sinful~ in need of a Father to say "i love you unconditionally. you cannot change this fact.  you cannot earn my love, it just is....and always will be" whoa...that moves me...what about my life would matter without the acceptance of that matchless gift? absolutely nothing...

~ lastly.  adoption has taken me to places of greater trust, greater love, greater faith, and a sense of being closer to God's heart than ever before.  it has not been simple, without stress, affordable (gulp), or even without days of doubt.  yet through every single day since our hearts were stirred to adopt~ we have known without a shadow of doubt that this was God's plan and will for our family.  so, i will continue to trust Him for the future of our family too.  because He has been faithful, and will always be there with us through the rolling waves of life.

so, i leave you with some links our SEMC Orphan Care Ministry has been sharing with our church family, and a few others.  if ever there are any adoption related questions, i would be happy to do my best to answer them or steer you in the direction of someone who could. 

 

They Break, You Know

Orphan Sunday Video

Chen Adoption Story

Clark Family Adoption Story

bedtime prayers, by Hudson

(first, hi Angela! :))

Hudson's prayer the other night was sweetness and special all rolled together. he covered his adoption, his Haitian relatives, his brother AJ, and then finished with "I pray that you'll find an awesome girl for me to marry someday."

and i added in a barely audible whisper "not yet, dear God, not yet...."

i love the prayer.  love his sincerity.  still, i'm just hoping every prospective young girl ignores him for another decade.  that could happen, couldn't it??! 

pumpkins

two little hambones remained back home with me while the oldest four were off to wrestling practice with daddy.  all the pumpkins had been individually self-designed, emptied of seeds and carved (Adam and I).  when the time came to finally light the candles placed inside each one these two crazies joined me on the front porch for pictures.  had to use the flash to see them. :)

it was windy and chilly that night, but pj's and boxers were the choice for the photos ("we're not cold!!!!")  they had their silly going on this particular night, and only this picture was even reasonable enough to post.  AJ is all into hand gestures and posing these days.  oh dear...

 

 

Adam's~ 100% by himself...

 

Hudson's

 

AJ wanted a Batman logo.  we tried.  don't judge.  i have zero artistic ability.  the seven year old boy was happy.

 

Hannah

 

Layla

 

Joelle...i picked the heart for her myself because she wasn't here to carve it~ mostly because it was simple and quick after carving four others,  and also because i love her.  so much.

 

then the yummy roasted seeds.  i truly love all of these parts of fall so much. 

 

now, bring on Christmas!!! :)