PLEASE go read this and then PRAY!

My heart is bursting....
PLEASE join me in spreading the word.... we have to find this child's family!  

PLEASE click here and join me in praying for him...   

OVERWHELMING Thankfulness...

I just received a phone call from Faith and Grace's Pre-K teacher.   She was almost in tears.   She quickly tells me that she had to call and share!     They were doing a Thanksgiving project and she pulled the kids aside to ask them what they are MOST thankful for...    Faith (without any hesitation) responds, "My Mama for getting me from the orphanage!"   

As I'm sitting at my desk here at work... bawling my eyes out and thanking God for his AMAZING blessings on our family -  my phone beeps!   I receive a text from her and Grace's answer is just as emotional for me - - Grace answered, "My Mama - cause she holds me!" 

I can't even express the emotion when I hear things like this.  

There was a time when I was SO tired.  I was tired of fundraising.  I was tired of redoing paperwork.  I was tired of answering questions with NO new news to report.   I was tired of the looks and the whispers behind my back.  I was tired of people asking if it was EVER going to 'really' happen.  I was tired of questioning it all myself.    I was tired of waiting.    (If you've not followed our story... just check out the L O N G timeline on the right side!)

I am can't even encourage you enough that if you are also TIRED.... if you are tired of waiting... DON'T. GIVE. UP!!!  No matter what you are facing or 'waiting' on.  

There were SO. MANY. TIMES that I felt I was fundraising and standing alone...  I wondered where in the world my God was.    I was EXHAUSTED from the emotions... I was EXHAUSTED from the struggles.   

However....   When I receive a call like this one... I remember that my God was and is so so so FAITHFUL.  

I am so incredibly humbled and thankful today that I was chosen by my God 4 times....  I was chosen and entrusted to be 4 precious girl's Mama!!!    I am honored.... and to say that I'm thankful today... well, that's putting it mildly! 

A miracle.... It's been ONE year!

It was one year ago today that we met Faith and Grace in that cold orphanage in Pavlodar, Kazkahstan.
One Year ago today that our God performed an amazing miracle…

We met them and knew they were our daughters, but had to rely on God to show up in a HUGE way…. I could retype the story out, but I’ve already written it in last year’s posts: 1) Update - Can you PLEASE help us?, 2)God is SO awesome!  , and 3) This is the UPDATE of a lifetime!!!!   PLEASE go back and read those… Join us in praising our God for miracle after miracle after miracle!

I know that so many of you moved in lightening speech to spread the word on this very day one year ago…. And you bombarded facebook, email, and contacted anyone who you knew that might help… I have a HUGE favor… Will you PLEASE forward this email/post on to those same people again…PLEASE! Will you help me show and spread the word about how awesome it truly is when we obey Christ.

I wish there was some way I could get in contact with EVERYONE who played a part in the miracle… but, I have NO way to contact most of them…. I need your help! I want everyone to know how truly thankful we are! Thank you SO SO SO much! We pray that God blesses you one thousand times over for your giving and kind hearts!

The miracle that occurred on Nov. 4, 2010 is PROOF that God is alive and well and will move through us when we allow him to.

God is so so so awesome!

Faith and Grace have been home 7 ½ months and the transformation is staggering. Yes, there are most definitely days that are overwhelming and sometimes the stress level is HIGH… but, they have made such progress is it really unbelievable if you think back to one year ago tonight! Wow… God had his hand on them… and it’s absolutely a miracle in SO many ways that they are asleep in our home tonight!

God, it’s ALL for you and YOUR glory!

Be encouraged tonight… and remember that often God is working the most on your behalf when you feel him the least! Remember that your miracle could be about to happen…. DON’T give up on the BRINK of your miracle!

Thank you again for your continued love and support of our family! We are so so so blessed to have had such love and support!


Here we are on Nov. 5, 2010.  This was the day we said YES!  :)



Here we are TODAY!  

Here's our first picture of Faith and Grace.... then known as Stella and Violetta (S and V)!

AND... Here are our precious adorable babies TODAY!   These 2 angels are truly amazing... and as you can see in this picture... their personalities come shining through!   We are in AWE of our God and the miracles we see EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!



Our 4 girls all together in ONE big hug... all looking at the camera and smiling...  THAT is truly a miracle in itself, and that my dear friends makes this Mama's heart soar BIG!



On the brink....

(Before I really start this post I want to explain about the new 'look'... ummm... well, I realized that the background was not showing up at all.. meaning it was hard to see lots of things... so I found this generic template where at least EVERYTHING is showing up. THIS IS NOT how I want the blog to look... and SOON (hopefully) I will update it - Goodness it needs some serious updating... it's in the works - It really is!)



Now... on to the REAL reason I am writing...


Well... I have felt this compelling need to come here to the blog and write about this very thing for DAYS… so, here I am!


It's a post of encouragement to ANY of you who might be about to 'throw in the towel' so to speak. I know that lots of you are facing things in your lives that you wish would END already. Some of you have honestly been trusting God for a miracle for a LONG time... and are wondering if he even cares or realizes that you are hurting....

Well... let me take you back - 1 year ago TODAY!


I was stranded in Kazakhstan... I remember those last few days before we met Faith and Grace SO vividly... Lots of people told me I'd forget and it would all be a blur. Some of it is... but, honestly, my stomach is rolling right now as I think back and reflect on that very time.... those 2 1/2 weeks when we were in country 'waiting' to meet our 'son'.... :) Now - if you don't know our story, and what we went through in country, then I suggest you go back and read through the blog from about Oct. 23 - Nov. 2nd, 2010. That will give you a good idea (sort of) of what we were going through.


However, at that time we didn't know who might be hacking into the blog, reading what we were writing, thinking, saying...etc.. and so I was somewhat reserved.


To be completely honest, I wasn't completely honest


It was BRUTAL! We talked about giving up... we asked ourselves if we had missed God. We didn't understand why we were there and NOT meeting our child. We were running out of money. We were both off from our jobs with NO pay. We hadn't even started the process of bonding and court, etc... and it had been weeks. We were desperate for God to show up and show up big.

I just read back through a few of those posts from one year ago today.... and on the day that I went on a walk alone... it was a BAD day. I didn't understand what was happening. I threw a HUGE fit... I walked around those streets in that city (not a very safe thing to do... but, I didn't care) and cried out to God.... I sat in a park bench in the city park... 1/2 of a world away from our family and just about threw in the towel. It was tough... it was hard and it felt like God had forsaken us...

As I look back and think back to that time now... I am just so thankful that we held on. We clung to each other and our God and the promises he had given us. We quoted the scriptures and the promises that he has given us and you better believe it I reminded him of what he had told me.

Even in the midst of "knowing" he did have a plan it was SO tempting to give up and walk away. I had followed other families for years and they walked over and came home in one month - court completed - families intact.. WHY US?! WHY God... WHY??!!!

I am assuming that most everyone who is reading this knows about our miracle, and what God did on Nov. 4, 2010! Wow…. And to think that when we were SO low and about to give up… we were 48-72 hours away from a miraculous breakthrough… WOW!

I came here because I know that someone who will read this in the next few days is facing some sort of struggle in their life and they are considering just giving up.

Maybe you are facing a 'wait' for your adoption and you don't think you can stand to wait another day/hour/second….HOLD ON!

Maybe you are struggling in the area of finances and things look so hopeless that you are about to just give up.... HOLD ON!!!

Maybe you are in a marriage and you've been trusting God for a miracle for years and you are about to give up... HOLD ON!!!!

Maybe you are unemployed and need work and wonder if God sees your babies are hungry and need clothes... HOLD ON!

Maybe you are reading this and considering taking your own life... because things are just not right in your world... and you've begged God to show up... HOLD ON!

Maybe you are waiting on a healing in your body or that on a loved one... and they are getting sicker and sicker... HOLD ON!

The list could go on and on and on!

You see NO MATTER what you are facing.... PLEASE don't give up.... don't throw in the towel... You never know when YOUR MIRACLE might be 5 minutes from happening!

One year ago tonight.... I almost gave up. I was on the brink of the most miraculous thing I've ever seen or experienced in my life. IF we had given up.... we would have missed that!

Now, don’t think that we weren’t trusting God because we were… but, sometimes the stresses get overwhelming and everyone considers (or at least I think we all do) just giving up. That appears to be the easier way out… but, let me encourage you tonight that you don’t want to!

PLEASE don’t give up…. Keep trusting God because you could be ‘on the brink’ or YOUR miracle!!!!!

Be encouraged in the Lord tonight and know that …”His love for you is NEVER ending!”

DON’T GIVE UP… Your miracle is on the way!!!! :)
… and cling to his promises! He says it perfectly in John 11:40, “ Did I not tell you that if you believed – You would see the Glory of God?”


Believe and you will see his Glory! What an amazing God!

SPD - A post to my fellow AP's!

Well… I am back! :) I know that all my faithful blog readers have missed me as much as I’ve missed you… and honestly I have missed writing here. I have plans to kick this blog back up a notch, but never seem to find the energy to actually sit down and come here and write… but, tonight is your lucky night!


I was just putting dishes in the dishwasher and about to tackle the load of clothes that just came out of the dryer (that are now resting on the kitchen table)…. BUT, while I was doing those tasks my mind was thinking… and I decided that some of you might need to hear this tonight… SO, here I sit!

This post is dedicated to my fellow adoptive families and anyone who is interested… but, mainly to those who are and have and will be struggling with the same things we face daily in our little home!

It’s called Sensory Integration Disorder! Faith and Grace have not been officially diagnosed with SPD, but I could push for it and get that diagnosis. Grace really struggles the most with sensory stuff, but both have the classic institutional sensory struggles.

I am tempted to go into the struggles of how hard it is to really know if it’s truly sensory integration issues… or if it’s a result of environment (institutionalized life) prior to coming home, but you have to treat it as it is… and our girls struggle with sensory issues, regardless of the cause!

Ok…. So, we are in the process of some paperwork at the school (yes, the SCARY IEP)! My friend (the SLP at the elementary – I’m at the Intermediate grades) has done some speech/language testing . The PT has evaluated them… and my friend who is an OT is going to evaluate them tomorrow. I was talking with my friend who is the OT tonight on the phone… and she prompted this blog post.

She was a FAITHFUL supporter of our adoption and followed our journey and supported us in ways that make my heart smile. She’s an incredible resource to know and have in my corner.

Again, Thank you Jesus!

SO… tonight I was telling her of some of the things we see and struggle with. I was telling her how well Faith and Grace are doing in school… and how poorly they sometimes then do at the daycare and at home. She shared with me that in her experience she has seen this be true a lot of times. She said that kiddos who have sensory issues NEVER really get rid of those (which we all know). These kiddos just learn to adapt and adjust and self regulate to keep things at an even balance.

She then explained how that she feels with lots of kids they are attempting to keep things in ‘check’ so to speak all day in that structured environment (school). However, when they get home they tend to them be VERY impulsive and often parents will see a far more severe sensory deprived or overloaded child than the teachers or caregivers ever see.

I have NO idea if this is what is going on with Faith and Grace… but, I can tell you that it made me feel better! :)

This made me think about the similarities with some of the children I have on my caseload who stutter. I have had parents repeatedly tell me time and time again at IEP meetings that their child is severely dysfuent at home… and we’ll be telling them about how awesome they are doing with their speech in therapy as well as the classroom. I quickly explain to parents that I think often times kids who have to change the way they speak all day (attempt to be as fluent as possible) often relax when they finally get home. They KNOW that their parents are going to love them regardless of their stuttering or weaknesses and therefore stop attempting to monitor their speech.

I then encourage my parents to take that as a compliment that their kids feel well loved and secure!

I think this could be similar to our SPD kiddos. They are attempting all day to maintain their little bodies to an acceptable and appropriate level, and when they get home they just relax!

SO… if you are seeing your little one have GREAT days at school and a different child comes home… breathe a sigh of relief tonight and maybe… just maybe your baby feels secure and relaxed and therefore needs a break from the stresses of holding it all together!

YOU are doing a wonderful job… keep on parenting with love and kindness and remember that YOU were hand picked to be that child’s Mommy and Daddy!

I can’t even imagine walking this road of life without my Jesus… wow!

I hope and pray this was a bit of encouragement to someone… or someone else enjoyed this bit of information!

Oh… and one more thing… at this point 1 year ago – we were in our apartment in Kazakhstan waiting to meet available children… wondering if God had yet again forgotten about us… BUT, choosing to trust him, because he said to go!

TRUST HIM… He means what he says!

I have so many blog posts rolling in my head.. once I ever sit down to write you will have lots of stuff from me!

A dear friend today sent me an email and said to ‘sleep whenever you can… if you have to pick between sleep and something else – choose sleep’… I think that was really good advice for me! I am pretty exhausted… However, blessed beyond my wildest dreams!

Have a wonderful night!

1 Thes 5:24

A precious moment in time... Faith puts things in perspective once again! :)

Where do I even start?   I have had SO SO SO SO many posts and chapters and things rolling in my brain for the past few days/weeks/months.... that I couldn't help but come here tonight and write about this one...  

One of the things that I've been going to post about (once I get caught up... ha ha ha) was how blessed we are to have Faith and Grace...  sort of my 'rescue' post...

Some of my long-term readers will remember a post years ago.. when I made the statement that we still had babies to 'rescue and save'... and I had some people RIP me a new one online with messages and comments about how "wrong" that wording was.... and how I needed to educate myself about adoption that using those terms would be detrimental to my future children, etc....

It was a VERY hard time for me... and the negative reaction of those readers REALLY bothered me a lot...  I attempted to rebuttal my comments and explain what I 'really' meant... but, I don't know that I was ever really understood.... and honestly it doesn't matter.  

I knew back when I wrote that post that we were also being 'rescued' by our adopted children... :)    I had already began to see the transformation that God was doing in our lives/family as a result of the adoption.    We were growing closer to him...  We were trusting him for a miracle that with our natural eyes LOOKED impossible.    We were seeking him together and in ways that we'd never sought or been at before.   WE experienced God bigger than we've ever seen through all this.   I know that there are some of you that have also been touched by this incredible miraculous story that is our family.   
I can't even tell you how humbled it makes me to think that others have been touched, saved and even possibly rescued as well...

You see it is SO SO SO true when I say that Faith and Grace rescued US.     There have been so so so many times and examples that I could give you... but, tonight (obviously) is the most prevalent example in my mind. 

We started back to school today... F and G started pre-k, Bay started 5th grade and Brook started 1st!   Faith and Grace also started daycare in the afternoons for the first time...  You see today was a day that we've talked about for months... I vividly remember our bedroom in our apartment in Kazakhstan... I was sitting in the floor, Phil across the bed and we were just talking about the August that the girls would start school.  Would we start them in Pre-K, hold them out, could I stay home, how much would they have picked up in 4 months, how much progress would they have made... would they be ready?      We talked about this day in DETAIL numerous times... and anticipated it all summer.    Honestly, I've dreaded it...  I've wished time to slow down and been sad as I've seen it getting closer and closer on the calendar.. :(  

It's truly amazing to me that on this day... August 11, 2011... the day we've dreaded.... our little Faith put things in perspective once again. 

You see there have been some things happening at my work that are overwhelming...  and there are some things that have been happening that I can't write or share about...  but, they are disheartening and overwhelming to Phil and I.  

Tonight as I am saying our normal night time prayers with Faith and Grace... our little Faith was praying first.  She was rattling on about all the things she is thankful for.. with one eye open part of the time to see what else she can see in her room to name. ;)    I have my eyes closed (she thinks), but LOVE to watch them look for new things to thank Jesus for... and them saying their little prayers is one of my favorite times to watch them!  :)   SO precious.... so she's praying along and it was going something like this... "Thank you Jesus my toys, our house, thank you Jesus Mama and Papa and Bay Bay and Brookie and Nana... Thank you Jesus my bed and sheets and um...  covers and clothes and shoes and babies and..."  HUGE pause as she touches her little tummy and her expression changes completely... "thank you Jesus me's full tummy.... (another pause)... "no more hungry"...    She then looks at me to see if I'm looking at her and the expression on her face was absolutely precious.  

Thank You Jesus once again for using these babies to speak to us...    Am I the only one who needed that wake up call?      You see these 2 girls time and time again... have rescued us... from lives of living selfishly and not truly seeing Christ as we are supposed to...

So... If you are reading this... I think it's for a reason.   I think you were supposed to read this and be reminded as I was tonight by my little Faith... of what is TRULY important! 

Live life differently...  CHOOSE to be the one who says.. you know what... I am going to make a difference...  I am going to be kind to my co-worker...  I'm going give some food to a family who I know is struggling... I'm going to pay for that families electric bill this month.   I'm going to give a co-worker a card just because I want to brighten there day...

One of my favorite quotes of all times comes to mind.. and it is: 
"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it...but I'm afraid God might ask me the same question.
 
WE have to be HIM shining to this world... we as Christians are to SHINE for him...
My prayer for all of you tonight is that you would make up your mind that you will SHINE for him...  Do something this weekend, tomorrow....  BLESS someone... maybe it's just an extra smile a hug...   JUST make up YOUR mind that YOU are going to focus on the 'real' reasons we are alive and in this world.... those reasons are to live for Jesus and show the world that he loves them!

Anyone else moved and inspired by my babies tonight?    Probably not.. lol!  I bet this was ALL for me... but, at least now I have it all written down to tell them about one day when they are 25 and have families of their own!  :) 

Be blessed and will you join me in trying to focus on what is REALLY important in life?     Let's not let the stuff that really doesn't matter zap all our energy...  :)  
Have a wonderful Friday!

Catch up post - Part 1

Hello!  I am so sorry that I have not made it here to post and write in months.   There are several reasons why... but, mainly I wasn't sure how much of our 'real' life I wanted to share.   I have been torn between what I should tell and shouldn't...  and quite honestly it's been a hard decision to make.   I will talk more about this soon... :) 

 

I have wanted to update the blog... make it girly (hee hee.. the choice of backgrounds was because I wanted something that would be ok for the girls and our new son(s)!) Isn't that funny?!?!?  :)      
I wanted to update it  and put new pictures up, etc... before I updated about the twins.. however,  I have decided that I just need to post and then update the actual backgrounds when or if I can find the time. 

 

I just want to start out by telling you that I have been to the blog only 3 times in the past few months... and when I opened it up tonight to attempt this post... I was OVERWHELMED with emotions!  Wow... I read back through several posts and had to make myself stop... or I'd be here reading them all night!   I am in COMPLETE awe of MY GOD!  Isn't he amazingly wonderful?!?     There are 2 babies who are sleeping in our house tonight... in their clean (wonderful smelling) beds... who God had an amazing plan for!   Wow... We are honored that we were chosen as their family.   Honestly, sometimes I am so humbled by that very thought that I just feel so inadequate that God picked us.... wow!    

 

SO... back to my pondering about what and how much to post.   I have given this much though and prayer and realize some things.   
It is when we are transparent before each other and God that others are able to be helped, ministered to and blessed by our lives the most.    THAT is the complete purpose of why I am alive... TO glorify God and live for him.     If my life, our life, my little families obedience and struggles and victories can minister to someone else... then I need to share those EXACT moments with people.    I guess my real hesitation with sharing is that we've had LOTS of medical issues with the twins since coming home... and lots of things/behaviors/problems that are completely a result of being in an institution or maybe they aren't... some things we still don't know that answer. 
I just know that one day  I want Faith and Grace to be able (if they would like) to read all this blog... and not think.. "Gosh, Mama... why did you tell the world that about us.. that's embarrassing!" 
    However, after much prayer and consideration... I feel I need to be open and honest.. and hopefully something I share or write will resonate with someone who is reading it and bless them....  in turn our family/life = glorify HIM in all things!   I think if we as Christians as a whole would be more transparent with each other, it would be amazing the encouragement that we'd find and have... and in turn our relationships with Christ would grow and flourish! 
That however, is Lanetta's two cents!  ha! 

 

I have no idea who many parts this catch up post will be... but, I'm going to just start telling the story of our last 4 months.   Today is August 2, 2011.   Faith and Grace came home FOREVER on March 15th... so it's been 4 1/2 months! 
LOTS has happened and there is LOTS to tell!  

 

Where do I even start?
The last 4 months have been VERY busy... we tried SO hard to simplify and not be on the go.... but, there were so many Dr's apts and things to do it was amazing.    
There were so many firsts that there is NO way I can list them all...

 

I am going to start out with some pictures... (It's amazing how much these don't even look like them)... Wow!  They've changed SO much!
The first night home we quickly realized that the bunk beds were NOT going to work... :(    Grace jumped from the top bunk (I caught her).. but, we quickly realized that they did not even have the muscle tone to climb the ladder and NO idea how to get up or down.  The bunk beds were QUICKLY deemed NOT safe for their room.    SO... their first full day home consisted of a complete room OVERHAUL... lol!   Nothing like throwing them into one of my projects right off the bat... LOL!  Anyone who knows me KNOWS that this is SO me!  :)   Get used to it girls... this is your Mama!   ;)

 



Here the twins are helping Papa and Uncle Keith assemble their NEW toddler beds!  They loved helping and thought they were doing something BIG! :) 



Here's the NEW room... :)  It works out SO much better... gives them LOTS more floor space.  They will be able to sleep in these beds for a LONG time!  They have plenty of room! 

 

 

Goodness... Bay and Brook sure were happy on the morning of March 16th!  :)  Phil, Bay and Brook quickly broke out the Christmas presents for F and G that we saved for them!  It was DEFINITELY a Christmas in March morning at our house! 

 I didn't wait long until we had their haircut.   My good friend Kim has a salon in her home... so we were able to visit them and get a cute trim fairly easily.  They did pretty good... :) 

Grace

 

Faith

 

Finished... aren't they precious?!  

 

If you look back through pictures of them... you will see that their teeth were in BAD shape.  Their bottom front teeth were DARK brown and appeared to be decaying.   I visited with our dentist at great length about their teeth when we were home in February and we already had appointments scheduled for the first week home.   Call me superficial... but, I really REALLY hated to hear that most likely there was little they could do for them.  Our dentist said that most likely they were decayed and we'd have to make decisions about what to do... but, it didn't sound very promising!   We went to our first apt. to have them just look at their teeth, etc.. and the dentist was fairly certain that all the discoloration was EXCESSIVE plaque and with some special tool and high pressure she 'thought' she could remove most of it.   We went back in 3 days and it was UNBELIEVABLE!   The plaque came off in HUGE hunks and their teeth were completely cavity free!   I am still in shock about this...  :)    The girls did fairly well and tolerated the procedures!   They now have beautiful white and gorgeous teeth!  :)   

 

I have to tell you that my mom and my brother have both been such a blessing to us these first few months home.   One of them went with me to appointments in the beginning.  Phil wasn't able to take off more time from work... so it was a wonderful blessing for either my brother or mom to be able to go with me.   We love you Nana and Uncle Keith! :)  

 

We also had every test you can imagine completed at the pediatricians office.   All blood work came back normal... however, Faith had a very aggressive and YUCKY parasite.  We took meds for that for one week...  and then got an all clear.      Grace and none of the rest of us had the parasite, but all had the FUN testing!  :) 

 

I expressed concern with Grace's vision.. and our pediatrician referred us to a pediatric ophthalmologist.   He diagnosed Grace with Septo-Optic Dysplasia - Mild/Mod Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.   This means that her optic nerves are VERY small.    He asked why he wasn't seeing Faith for an appointment and requested that we work her in that day as well.  He diagnosed Faith with the same.     Grace also has stigmatisms and is very badly near sighted, thus needs glasses.    The Optic nerve diagnosis are not correctable and basically means they have slowed/delayed processing of their vision.   This made PERFECT sense to me... I told Phil from Nov. that we had some sensory integration issues with Grace... and some with Faith.  This was NOT surprising.    

He then went on to say that it's a miracle that Grace especially wasn't born blind.    He said that with this severe of a dysplasia (small optic nerve) there is a HUGE percentage of chance (HIGH 90's) that the optic nerve was NOT the only portion of their brains affected.   He was VERY kind when explaining all this to me.. and honestly, he painted a GRIM picture.   I don't think he realized the degree that I understood what he was saying... but, he basically said they could both very easily be VERY handicapped mentally.   I knew EXACTLY what he was saying...    I don't really know how to explain how I felt in that office that day.   Honestly the girls were AWFUL.  My mom was with me and we were both basket cases trying to keep them calmed down and controlled.  They were VERY overstimulated and LOUD and well... it was chaos.. that's the BEST way to describe it.   My mom wasn't in the room with me when I received all the news... she was in the waiting room.  We had thought maybe separating them, etc would make them calmer.  HA!

As we walked out of that office... one with a kid in tow - I couldn't help but laugh!  Remember my post from March 9th - airplane ride from Pavlodar to Almaty?!   When I'm overstimulated I laugh and cry both... well, that's what I started doing...

I then start telling my mom about the diagnoses... and how that even in the midst of hearing him caution me of the road we 'might' have ahead of us... I KNEW that it was all ok! 

It's giving me chills now as I type this out...   God prepared me.   I already knew in the deepest recesses of my heart that we would receive a BAD report from medical doctors regarding the twins.   I don't know how I knew it... did God speak to me audibly?  No... did I dream it.. NO!  It's in those still small voices that he often speaks the most to me.. it was there and I just knew.   THIS very thing... these medical issues... ALL OF IT... are for HIS glory!   I knew and know that at some point one day.. Faith and Grace will share their story.. their journey... their life.. and they will have an even GREATER story to tell and share!  Not only did God rescue (yes... I used that word!) them from a life without knowing HIM... but, he also healed their bodies and minds and they will be WALKING proof in more than 200  ways that God is alive and well today!  

Whew.... give me chills!!!!! 

I have a whole entire other post about 'resuce'...  I will write it one day... I promise!   :) 

...and more about all the medial stuff later too!

At about 2 weeks home.. we took pictures to make an INVITE for our celebration/ welcome home party!  This is the picture we used:

I will share more in a few minutes about Bay and Brook... but, just know that at this point.. when the twins had been home 2 weeks... Bay and Brook were BEGGING to not go to school!  They wanted to stay home with us and carry them and play and baby them every single second.   They were absolutely SO SO SO proud of them and both attempted to Mother them!  :)  

ok... back on track... so Grace got some ADORABLE glasses:

Aren't Grace's glasses cute?  :)   Here they are still in their pj's... under a HUGE tent we built in our living room! :)   They were SO excited and LOVED it! 



Another pic in tent!   They had been home about 3 weeks here... notice their WHITE sparkling teeth!  :)

 We stayed home and away from anyone except immediate family that first 4 weeks...   on the 5th week.. we had a shower at my work... and a huge town-wide welcome home party at the community building. 
Both were incredible events... we were showered with love and gave God all the glory for Faith and Grace coming home.   
I had to share one of the gifts in this post for my fellow adoptive parents... aren't these the CUTEST shirts?!  A gift from another adoptive mom that I work with!   These were my fav. gift!  :)     The text under the 2 hearts says, "... because that's where I was!"   AWE.... isn't that precious!?  :) 

I know I should post pics from the showers and parties.. but, I won't today!  

That pretty much brings us up to date through them being home for 5 weeks. 

Their English was coming along @ 5 weeks home...   I was at this point surprised that it wasn't progressing faster than it seemed to be...   They pretty much spoke Russian to each other until about the one month home mark...  I think that's really interesting too...

This is a summary of the first 5 weeks home:

• Family:  EVERYONE is THRILLED...  :)  Bay and Brook are incredible... they LOVE them and seem to love every second with them.  The girls LOVE my mom - Nana and are also bonding well with my nephew - Cody, brother and sister-in-law.
•  Medical:  Optic Nerve Dysplasia -   we have upcoming dr's apt's with Endocrinologist and Neurologist
• Communication:  A combination of English/Russian and gestures! :)  There were honestly only 3 times that they tried to communicate that I never knew what they were saying...  it really wasn't hard to communicate with them.  We figured out a way!  :) 
•  Sleep -  a HUGE problem... they don't sleep through the night... wake up a lot.. and there are LOTS of issues.   :(      We rocked them from the time we got home until around 4-5 weeks home... then we attempted to transition to patting their backs in their beds.     There were so many times that it was overwhelming that there are 2 of them.    I have to admit that it was TOUGH!  There were nights that I sat in their room attempting to shuffle between them rock and pat... and I just cried.    Phil traveled and was gone a lot the first few weeks home... since he had missed so much work.    My mom helped me SO much... I have NO idea how I would have survived those first few weeks without her.
• Toileting:  Attempted panties - however, went back to pull-ups full-time due to excessive numbers of accidents.   Faith is doing better than Grace.   At one month home both were completely in pull-ups.
• Bonding and Attachment:    At 4 weeks home we were making progress, but still had a long ways to go... however, they were doing good.    I felt that it would have been going better, but with 2.. it was so hard to rock, cuddle, give eye to eye contact, etc.... without leaving one out...  :)      

(on a side note... just writing all this out is making me really realize the amount of progress they have really made! wow...  it really is incredible where they are today (at 4 months home verses 1 month, etc..)..

During that first 5 weeks home there were so many firsts it's UNREAL..

here are a few of the ones I really remember and some of my favorite memories:

• They were in awe of our outside cat... only at about 3 months home has the excitement worn off.  They would scream and jump and yell EVERY SINGLE morning!  :) 
• The first time they put their feet in the grass barefoot.... :(     They didn't know what to do.
• They couldn't climb up the ladder for the slide... they had NO idea about how to put one foot up then your hand and pull, etc...  
• They LOVE to swing! 
• They LOVE their big sisters... their FAVORITE time of the day is watching for the bus to come down the road!  :)
• They LOVE to run out in the yard and meet Bay and Brook when they get off the bus!
• At about 3 weeks home:  I will never forget when Uncle Keith kept them in the van while Brook had some dental work done... (had to have a tooth pulled)... I get a text from him saying... EMERGENCY... come outside! :)  They wouldn't stop spitting at him and in the van!   HEE HEE HEE!  ;) 
• The first time Grace called me "Mom" instead of "Mama"... and she shortened "Papa" to "Pop"
• Grace's face when she realized how much she could see with her new glasses...
• I will never forget the FIT Faith threw cause she wanted glasses!!!
• Their begging for ear rings...  they looked at everyone's and asked about them... :) 
• The first time I held them in church and sang - "Amazing Grace - My chains are Gone" and "How Great is our God!"
• When I realized that Grace (at 2 weeks home) could sing Jesus Loves me!  I had been singing it to them as we cuddled and rocked.   She knew EVERY word!
• The first time I took them anywhere ALONE... :)   It was to the dentist... had to stop 4 times during 30 minute drive home!   whew.... :)

Goodness.. the emotions of this are overwhelming.... :) 

I think I will call it quits for this post!  My goal is to post an update a night until I get caught up!  :)   

Please just know that YOUR continued prayers and the wonderful GRACE and MERCY of our Jesus have continued to carry us these past few months.  

It is still incredible to us when we really think of the miraclous things God has done... these girls are miracles!   It doesn't take long to think about it... and remember that God has a plan and be so thankful for his awesome provisions and blessings!  

More soon... check back tomorrow!  :)  

Have a wonderfully blessed night!