Rend Your Heart - Easter 2021

We are Easter people. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus, Christianity wouldn’t exist. As a family, we rend our hearts and prepare for the celebration of Easter with the lighting of candles for 40 days and readings from the Old and New Testaments about Jesus and all the prophecies He fulfilled. It’s amazing if you take the time to consider it! We read an incredible book together called Amon’s Adventure to help us consider what it would have been like for a young Jewish boy living during the last few weeks of Jesus’ life. Our annual Messianic Seder and foot washing always brings such reverence and peace to our home. 

Now, may we continue to live like Easter people with the knowledge and belief that the Risen Savior is walking beside us each day. May we live believing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us...because it does!

Happy 11th Birthday, Mary-Michael!!

Our Dear Mary-Michael,

Darling, you are growing into quite the young lady. I remember when you were just a few years into elementary school, and I feared you would always be really shy because you were so quiet unless you really knew someone well, and you would get so nervous to meet new people or speak in front of class. That fear has disappeared as you have become a vibrant, witty, smart and very fun young lady. You have your Daddy’s quick wit and sense of humor, which I never saw in you a few years ago. You have a sense of adventure like him, and you definitely inherited his very generous spirit. You love to give gifts and just give your stuff to others if you think they might enjoy it. You and I share a great affection for books (you are that kid reading in the bathroom at odd hours of the night and early morning) and learning. You also have a great memory for what needs to be done or hasn’t been done (like me!), especially for things that are important to you. We’re still working on you caring as much for your own chore list as you care about me signing a permission slip on the first night it’s received (even if it isn’t due for a week).

You continue to thrive in school, and you take care of your school work without any help from us. I love being with you and your crazy class when I'm in the library. It's clear that they all respect and value you and your thoughts. Adventure awaits as you will head to a new school for middle school this fall. We wanted to give you the choice to make the switch to Grace Christian School (grades 6-12) at 6th grade, so that you could start at the beginning. We toured the school and asked you to pray. You knew that you wanted to go there pretty quickly even though it meant leaving your friends, and we are so excited for your choice. You will get to be with some of your church community and be in a larger school where we believe you will thrive and grow. Speaking of church, your pre-teen class teachers love having you in there and regularly tell me so. They enjoy your humor, knowledge and the fun you bring to the class. One of them recently told me they'd love to just sit and talk with you during class, but they have to pay attention to the other children, too. You are something!

You have developed a great love of dance, and it has been so fun to see you find something you really love. We are praying COVID doesn't take away your recital this year. You also still enjoy fashion and taking pictures. You have a great eye for detail when it comes to photography and are regularly asking for my phone to snap a picture. When it comes to fashion, thankfully, you are quite budget-conscious, but you are good to put together interesting pieces and also have a Nonnie regularly bringing you new-to-you things from the thrift store, so you are never short of options and ideas. 

When it comes to friends, Addison, Emma and Berkley are among your favorites, but you do so well connecting with those older and younger than you. Benaiah is one of your biggest fans and definitely looks at you like his mini-mother. You do a wonderful job helping me with him. 

You are growing in your faith and are full of great questions that we love to help you explore. I believe and pray that when you are an adult we will be very close friends. You are a special young lady with great potential, and we love you forever and for always. 

Momma

Happy 3rd Birthday Benaiah!

Dearest Benaiah,

We celebrated your tractor-loving self with your very favorite people - your brother and sisters - and one of your favorite things to eat - donuts. I never knew such a little boy could be doted on so much by his siblings, and you love every moment of it. Your presence has also developed their character in so many way - more patience, better servant hearts and definitely more playfulness giving them permission to just be kids! 

At 3 years old, you are becoming your own person with your own opinions. As your speech has improved you are communicating better with words but often at a very high and demanding volume. We take deep breaths and ask you to try again. You are learning as we all do. One of your favorite things to tell me several times a day is, “When Daddy get home, I give him big, big, big, big...HUG!” So sweet.

You love to be read to, and your current favorites are “Goodnight Tractor” and “I Am America.” Others we’ve read repeatedly are Knuffle Bunny (all 3) and Dragons Love Tacos. Reading aloud is one of my favorite things to do with you all, so this is a treat. You also love to race anything with wheels around the house and join your big brother in building Legos. I’m happy to report you have never swallowed one or stuffed one in your nose or ear. Whew! If the big kids go outside, you are right behind them trying to find your boots and climb up to get your jacket. They are so good to bring you along to do farm chores or to just play. If they’re carrying wood in for the wood stove, you’re right behind them with your own small log in your arms. If we’re bringing groceries from the car, you’re arms are full with bags, too. You LOVE to help.

You currently really enjoy eating sweets, cottage cheese, other cheeses, berries, cucumbers and peanut butter off the spoon. You are a pretty good eater and especially love spaghetti, pizza or tacos for dinner. As soon as you see I’m cooking in the kitchen, you push the red desk chair over to where I’m standing to “help.” You love to stir and add ingredients, which has made me watch you very carefully because sometimes you start adding without me realizing. Surprise!

Potty training is in your near future, my son, so let’s get ready to say goodbye to diapers for good! You are also enrolled for 3 days in preschool for Fall 2021, and I know you’re going to be such a great addition to Aylett. There are big boy things ahead of you!

We love you, Benaiah, and we consider it a great privilege to have been chosen to be your parents. You have truly completed our family and made it more fun and lively than we knew possible.

Forever and for always,

Momma

Snow Skiing Adventure

We were so grateful to give the children their first opportunity to snow ski this winter. They did amazing and surprised both of us. Our business partners joined us for the grand adventure, as well.  From cramming into a tiny 1 bedroom apartment so we could stay on the mountain to Benaiah putting on some tiny skis to be pulled around by a hula hope in his pre-ski school class, the long weekend was full of new experiences and opportunities to be brave!

We wrapped up the experience with snow tubing, long naps on the way home and days of laundry. It was well worth it!

Sweet Sixteen Sleepover

Leila and three of her girlfriends who were also adopted from Niger (2 from Leila's orphanage) were such fun as we ventured about to celebrate the birthday girl. We started at Chipotle for lunch and then went to Short Pump for a little shopping. Leila picked out a cute outfit at Hollister and enjoyed spending her birthday money. Then we surprised her and met Philip and Erica (friends with ice hockey and figure skating experience) at the ice skating rink. Leila has always wanted to go ice skating, so we were so excited to make it happen with some help. The rest of the family met us and joined in the fun.

After we wore ourselves out skating circles, we headed home for pizza, cupcakes, outside fun and movie watching. The volume level increased dramatically with squeals, giggles and good ol' fun. It is such a blessing to have maintained these precious relationships between these girls and the other families who have adopted. Happy 16th birthday, Leila!

Sweet Sixteen

Our Dearest Leila,

This milestone birthday is a sobering reminder of how fast time flies and how short a child’s time at home really is. There’s so much I still want to tell you, teach you and affirm in you. It’s quite incredible to me that the little girl we brought home 5 1/2 years ago at a mere 43 lbs. is now a beautiful young woman who shares my clothes.

While your time living in Niger was filled with hardship most of us will never know or understand, when I really think about it, your time here in America has been filled with its own share of hardship and challenge that I also can’t fully understand. A new language, a new culture, a new family, school for the first time, blacks and whites and colors in between.

Young lady, you have done remarkably well, and we are very proud of you. You are still so much a little girl inside a big girls body. You are not eager to grow up and still long in many ways to be a child with a life filled with simple things and fun activities. Doing hard things has been something you have had to face on a daily basis, and we have fought with you, fought for you and cheered you on along the way.

Your English teacher recently wrote to me and said, “She tries so hard; we see it every single day.  She never gives up.  And she perseveres. With a smile and a wonderfully buoyant, joyful spirit.  Every.  Single.  Day.  She is a very special young woman.” We hear this over and over that you are delightful, sweet and funny among other things.

And when things feel hard and school seems like too much, we remember that the strength of your character and a heart committed to others and the Lord will far exceed straight As on paper. 

Your favorite things include rice (of course!), hot wings, spicy chips of all kinds, listening to music, braiding your American Girl doll’s hair, coloring, playing basketball, going to youth group and spending time with friends.

Your driver’s license is still in the distant future but for now you’re asking more questions while we’re driving and perfecting your skills on the 4-wheeler and golf cart. You’re blazing your own trail at your own speed in your own way, and along the way you are touching lives. We love you.

Momma and Daddy