Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Casts and Creatures

Well, we had a week last week. Frazier fractured his tibia on the trampoline Wednesday night. Being the good parents we are, we thought he was just tired and had bruised something, so we sent him to bed. He woke up a few times in pain (this boy normally sleeps like a log), and in the morning he wouldn't put any weight on it. After a surprisingly fast and pleasant visit to Patient First, we saw the break and Daddy took off to take him to the orthopedic doctor while I took Mary-Michael to kindergarten registration and assessment. Big day! She did awesome and was excited once she stopped clinging to my leg, and little man was very strong with no tears as he got his leg prodded and wrapped up.

We were feeling pretty good until I discovered full blown lice in Frazier's hair and some nits in Mary-Michael and my own the next morning. Can I say gross?! Lice is awful. After some natural remedies, a lot of tears, a shaved head and more than a dozen loads of laundry we are in the clear. I still am struggling sleeping because mentally I itch! And I'm still checking our hair like a crazy lady.

Amidst this fun, we have also acquired a pot belly piglet and a handful of wild bunnies a few weeks old. If you're looking for a petting zoo for your next child's party, please give us a ring!

And we also wait patiently (haha) for the Niger embassy to tell us they've started the final investigation (I604 for those that know adoption lingo). This is our last step, and we are choosing (sometimes each minute) to trust the Lord and His timing.

He's still prett handsome!

Cast brothers with Micah.

Celebrating Karis' 2nd birthday. He's learned to scoot and get where he wants pretty well.

A picture of Leila from Sunday. She's getting a lot of time at the LOC with Thomas in town to get Immanuel's medical exam complete. Please pray for their paperwork to move swiftly, too!

We enjoyed some time at Zalika's house on Sunday. She is so grown up and lovely!

Monday, April 13, 2015

Another Step Forward

Official I600 approval! Those days I thought we'd never get here, and God shows up. He is faithful and trustworthy!


Thursday, April 9, 2015

Strong Girl

Our sweet girl is halfway through her many visits to the clinic for tests and vaccinations. I hate that she's having to do this without us, but our friend Paul says, she is strong and courageous. And he is a Daddy, so I know he's making sure she's ok. Here are pictures from yesterday (and she's actually in a dress I sent over with Geoff!). Please pray for her as she endures all these pokes and visits that are so new to her.

Latest news on the immigration front: we have verbal approval from our officer as of Friday for our I600!!! This is huge, but I want to see it on paper, which is why I've been hesitant to shout it to the world. Despite my desire to check in with our officer hourly, I am holding back, but she promises me we are good to go and the official letter will be out soon. Not only is this huge because this puts us so close to being able to get her, but this is huge because of all the new US laws that we were in middle of. We didn't know if we would have to go find an agency to represent us, get a new home study, etc. We are praising God that we didn't have to do any of that! He is always faithful. Always. Always. Always.





Wednesday, April 8, 2015

A Recent Conversation

Mary-Michael: When Leila gets here, she's going to turn the same color as us, right?
Me: (laughing) Umm, no, babe, she was born with brown skin. That's the way God made her. Why would you think that? 
Mary-Michael: Because it's so hot in Africa.
Me: Did you think she had a suntan?
Mary-Michael: Yes. 
Me: (more laughing) There are other people we know that live here with brown skin.
Mary-Michael: (she's thinking)...well, they are adopted, too, right?
Me: Oh buddy. No, most of them probably aren't. America has lots of different color people. These are great questions. What else you got?