Our past months in pictures

A delicious Thanksgiving with the most amazing host and hostess, Dan and Jennifer.

Our "Bonnie and Clyde" stop at a casino on the way to brother Pete and lovely Erica's home.

On the way back home to Oregon.

Our annual decorate the gingerbread houses with our dear friends.

Off to find the perfect tree.

Chinese School December program.

Eva's annual Nutcracker performance at the Hult Center with the Eugene Ballet Company.

Performing as a Russian at the tea party.

And as a party child for the main performance.

Waiting to meet Santa.

Christmas Eve

A special Christmas Eve dinner with our friends.

Christmas morning

Lydia decorated her stocking with all her animal friends.

Before we could do anything Solomon had to go get his stuffed animals to surround his stocking. He thought this was an important part of the Christmas morning ritual.

Gifts from special family members.

A totally surprising gift compliments of G and G.

Christmas evening with fun, friends and games.

Christmas zoolights with cute family members.

The whole gang at the Zoo; mighty cold, but always fun.

The kids plus one. Isaiah looks thrilled to be a part of the family.

Shoreacre lights with Aaron, Honor and the gang.

Solomon, happy to be a part of their family.

A day with big sister and the camera.

Meggie's 19th birthday celebrated in Portland.

Eva's arabesque; a photo for her upcoming audition

Celebration.

As I'm running I often listen to the same things on my ipod, but the other day I bumped it and an Addison Road song began playing. This has become my song to strive for for the new year. God has blessed our family so abundantly I need to repent daily and open my heart to His greatness. I strive to Celebrate daily glimpses of God in my life and our family's this year.

I made you promises a thousand times.
I've tried to hear from Heaven but I talk the whole time.
I think I made you too small
I've never feared you at all.
If you touched my face, would I know you?
Looked into my eyes could I behold you?
What do I know of you who spoke me into motion.
Where have I even stood but the shore along your ocean.
Are you fire, are you fury, are you sacred, are you beautiful?
So what do I know, what do I know of holy.
I guess I thought that I had figured you out.
I know all the stories and I learned to talk about
How you were mighty to save.
But those were only empty words on a page.
Then I caught a glimpse of who you might be.
The slightest hint of you brought me down to my knees.
So what do I know of you who spoke me into motion.
Where have I even stood but the shore along your ocean.
Are you fire, are you fury, are you sacred, are you beautiful?
What do I know I know of holy
What do I know of wounds that will heal, my shame.
And a God who gave life its name.
What do I know of holy?
Of the one who the angels praise
All creation knows of your name.
On earth and heaven above
What do I know of this love?

8 years with our Lydia

 

                                       

Aunt Merica

Solomon is often comparing his life now with his before life. I am always so touched by his perception and what he chooses to share with us. Tonight he began what I thought was another heart-felt comparison while I was putting away autumn and taking out Christmas.

Mom. Merica has that.

America has this. What does China have?

Pause. Confusion.

Do you mean Aunt Erica?

Oh, Aunt Erica.

Oh, what a boy!

We have been Lei Lei's family for six months and it has been glorious. Solomon wakes up happy every morning. Every ritual that is new and unfamiliar is a joy to him. He loves learning and gets excited when he gets it. He is loved by his big brother and sisters.

He knows the sounds of nearly all 26 alphabet letters.

He has had three hair cuts already.

He plays guns with his brother and barbies with his sisters.

He hates cheese and drinks milk only because "it makes me strong".

He smiles all the time!

He loves having a family.

He will try anything.

He will be the first to point out injustices and siblings wrong doings.

He just sat through the dentist drilling, all the while smiling.

He is sporting a new silver crown on his tooth.

Mom sleeps with him "for 5 minutes" every night.

He sleeps with the big purple dinosaur.

He talks about China and wants all his friends to have a mommy.

He has fabulous fine motor skills.

He can express in English what he needs and what he's thinking.

He is quick to understand technology and logic.

But also easily misunderstands intentions and can be sensitive.

Loves being good and noticed when he behaves well.

Beams with pride.

Loves gadgets and helping his dad around the house.

Fond of flashlights, tire pumps, shovels, hammers, rakes and wheel barrows.

Solomon is a gift from God and I count my blessings daily that I am his mother.

Solomon's name is Hebrew, meaning peace.

November is Orphan Awareness Month

"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms.


But once you do, everything changes."


~ Anonymous

 
  Click here to view these pictures larger

 
 
- More than 46 million orphans in Africa.



- More than 71 million orphans in Asia.


- More than 10 million orphans in Latin America.


- More than 120,000 orphans in the United States.


Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.


--James 1.27 (NIV)

Photos received from December 2009

Everyday there is something that Solomon brings up about what he had and didn't have in China. Tonight at the store it was the white mushrooms...yes, they have.

While looking at these photos we received last night of Yu Lei at a little birthday party for a fellow friend in the orphanage, Solomon said, "I didn't have a mommy."


I am so honored to be Solomon's mommy. He is one amazing boy. I marvel again at God's word and how our life with Solomon was written in God's book, before ever it took shape, when as yet there was none of us. In God's creation Solomon was always our family.