Emerging

My new favorite saying is "The days are long but the years are short." 

I think all mom's have a special place in their heart for their oldest.  THe baby who changed the dynamics of the household from a couple - two individuals living a life together but fully capable of caring of themselves ~ to a family.  When a tiny little baby enters the picture- in our case fulfilling a dream we were unsure would happen - helpless, needy, and in so many cases forgiving of so many mistakes.

AS I look at the young man who turns 15 today, I can hardly figure out in my mind how this tiny baby born with so many possible complications is now taller than I.

Despite his size, it is heart, his gentle spirit that we are most proud of.  This boy of ours who had not walked into a church until 3rd grade now hears God calling him and my humanness realizes I must step aside.

I can honestly say that the changes we have seen in our boy over the last three years have been amazing.  Our journey through adoption and his two trips to China has opened up his eyes, it has shrunk the world, and dare I say lit a fire in his adventurous spirit.  It is so fitting that our oldest shares his birthdate with our official adoption date for Tao.

I know there will be many more nights of worry ahead, but also feel an excitement for what the future holds.  I know that there will be bumps along the way, and desperately pray for smooth sailing.  But already the man we see emerging astonishes us everyday.

The boy who hates pictures, I absolutely love this from his big hands to his adoring look

World Dwarf Games 2013 ~ Part 2

Sorry, we unexpectedly had a sleep study for Fei and well school starts Monday!

But I won't hold out on the pictures any longer LOL!

I am thinking this will be a - I dunno 10 part series ugh

So you are more than welcome to just ignore our blog for a bit but I really want to capture some of our trip with the kdis so that I can eventually print books and I dunno, have something for our littles like the bigs scrapbooks LOL!

Ok back to the Show!!

I have to say we thought people gravitated to Fei and Tao because they were dwarfs

Yeah NOPE!!

This years games were the largest ever with 400 athletes and everytime I turned around Tao would be with another girl, a group of girls, getting his picture taken and flashing his dimples LOL!

Perhaps my favorite pic ever of him right down to the cookie crumbs!

Every time someone new fawned all over him, I was sure to remind them that not only was he adopted but he sat on the shared list for a year because no one wanted him.

He is truly a fisher of men!! (and women)

She is the darling daughter of a dear friend who also works very hard in the adoption community

Fei was given these glasses by a new friend and he thought he was hysterical

Siblings hanging out between games

The nice thing is that siblings - well they automatically have something in common with the other average height (AH we don't say normal etc) siblings.  THey hung out together between cheering on the littles in their families.  We hope they learned that the feelings of jealousy, and annoyance are common and natural.

And since I have been asked, Cav well, Cav jsut had a rough trip - 

no schedule

Abnormal food

Abnormal rooms

And a lot of attention on siblings.

AS a funny Fei told him that if he learned to run he would become a dwarf too!

Yeah I am guessing we need to work on her a little.

But truth be told he has been very stubborn about even trying to run, 

and doesn't want to listen to mom at all.  

So he walks fast like he has had a stroke on one side.  

We told him, they had games for him too, when he learns to run.

He also got stared at a ton which jsut made us laugh since ever person at the games were used to the stares, comments and the like!!

Our big kids  well they are awesome and the little littles LOVED them!!

I have to say I love this boy - at 14 he truly has a heart for God and shows it!

We had a free day and the littles got to play flag football (none can play tackle due to head and neck issues)

My next post or 2 will be on this important day

BUT I had to include that fact that Tao played ball for 20 minutes and then. . . 

was once again surrounded by the girls LOL!!

If I was good I would know this mans name but the guys were pretty excited and so I think he is the head coach of Michigan state LOL!!

Summer Photo Dump

Ok I am so not a homeschooling mom- I need my time LOL.

So I am not to proud to admit that summer has been absolutely killing me.

BUT as I finally dumped the 307 pictures off my phone I thought I would do a quick catch - up because really it has been lots of fun!

We finally got the front yard (ok a portion) landscaped as our 23 year old house was looking BAD

The forest caught on fire

and the MAFFS started flying directly over our house

So we took photos of everything and packed our crap 

And reorganized 

And Oops what evacuated with us?!?!

celebrated Father's Day and finished up lacrosse

And met lots of new friends in real life!!

who liked riding bikes as much as we do

and bring lots of color to our once white life

and learned to share

and our friends came back (love this Jodi)

And more friends came

And even more

Until we locked the doors LOL

And we planted flowers and our crew figured the firetruck was great for watering

And we did summer school and rocked the 3 piggie opera

(and this shocked momma cried over her girl who has come so far)

And little man (green shoes) played baseball with his best friend

and got nicknamed sledge hamma

and all was right in his world 

And we were in a parade

And he walked part of the way and made us proud

and well he is jsut cute LOL

And we got major braces

and then they broke ugh

And our hearts break but our community has rallied

And the weather has been crazy

Oh wait MORE new friends

And our friends we met in CHINA getting Landon and Tao

And we found out dwarfs still don't float right side up

and watched the Jr National goalball championships 

Oh and the stinking cat had kittens while we were evacuated

and our big brother comes and goes, football, wrestling and lacrosse camps, 

mission trips and FCA

and everyday these two ask when he is coming home

Until they leave for camp

and mommy has no idea how many kids she has any longer LOL

But truly can say she is loving this new crazy life of many,

AND the incredible blessings.

Saturday we leave for the great roadtrip to the World Dwarf games!!