Disabled

When our little man was born to us, the one thing I swore was that we would NOT make him a chronic child.

AS a nurse we would cringe when these kids would come in - whispering that a parentectomy was the only surgery that would help.

I am afraid though I might have gone to the opposite extreme.  This became very evident this past weekend.

We took the little ones to a Starlight Easter Egg Hunt.  Let me first say we LOVE Starlight foundation.  We are extra blessed because they partner with the Cadets at the Air Force Academy and put on some pretty incredible events for kids with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

Anyhow, we enjoyed all of the games, food and inflatables.  As usual I was floored by Cav's incredible ability and strength.

And then I was confronted with the breakdown of the Easter Egg hunts, 0-4 years, 5-9 years or wheelchair / physically challenged.

With the two others I thought no problem we will do the 0-4 year old group.

Very quickly the realization hit me that regardless of what we think of Cav, he is disabled, he CAN'T keep up with the other kids and this poor angel ended up with a whole ZERO eggs.  I had to leave him sitting there while I ran after the other two but my heart just broke for him.

I swallowed my pride (not even sure that is it) and took him to the physically challenged egg hunt.  Although he was far more abled than the other kids, filling his bucket and then his pockets, it's where he belonged atleast this year.

He was so funny, he shook EVERY egg next to his ear and would only place the ones that rattled in his basket!!

Easter Egg "Hunt"

Ok I know it - we are hillbillies LOL!

BUT daddy determined that we should add a little fun to our Easter Egg Hunt.

Don't you TOUCH my eggs! bwaahaa

LOOK what I got!!

Watch out Fei!

One time showing this girl and she was able to load and shoot!

Shorts on Easter, and a snow capped Pikes PEak in the background!

Everyone had fun, but especially DADDY!

SUnday Snapshot - Easter

It was a great Easter.  Not just because we were able to celebrate His resurrection with our new children.  But because I was able to get atleast ONE good picture of tall 5 kiddos that I LOVE!!

I am a bit of a freak.

I have always dressed them for Easter and usually pick three colors to work around.

Pink, white and tan were this years colors.

We found the girls outfits right after we got home from China.  Little man picked the little boys outfits and we got our big boys to coordinate.

These were taken this morning BEFORE church  -
heehee the sermon was basically on the craziness of our lives -
probably NOT the best timing, but I couldn't be more thrilled that they were
still CLEAN,
slightly pressed looking,
and excited enough they cooperated with me. . . some!

AN out take but LOVE little man's toothless grin so maybe a head swap is in order!

Love this picture of my girls - 

I can believe how much Morgan has changed and also a bit scared ~ she is TEN!

My little stinkers!

My favorite question when photographing is "WHO FARTED!" heehee

 I of course don't have all the info but I shoot mostly with a Canon and this was with my 50mm lens.  I have been fiddling in Lightroom for post processing.  Loving this different etheral look.

Not to look at the 500 other pics to see if their are some other keepers!

Coming Full Circle

It was a year ago that I lost it!

I remember sitting in Good Friday service and GETTING IT!

Half a world away there were MANY MANY children who would never have the OPPORTUNITY of choosing salvation.  That by the meer fact of WHERE we are born, we may or may NOT be exposed to THE word.

I don't think I ever mentioned it but when I was 13 my parents were divorced.  This was in the 80's right before the FAD of divorce.  We were a rarity.  An being so we were told by the Catholic church that my mother was not welcome back.  Um great that basically meant that us kids were also sent away.

It took me almost 20 years to come back to the church.  I often stand in awe of the cradle to gravers who are so much more versed in scripture.  I pray this is how my children will be.  (ok sorry I digressed.)

In this country for the most part children are exposed to The word sometime in their life.  I have no stats on this but just my feeling.  BUT in China - a land of NO religion (for the most part) how many children will become adults without EVER hearing about Jesus.

I fully respect that at some point people must make a decision to follow God, BUT what about those never exposed.

What happens to those without ~

Without parents - who will read them the bible
Make sure their hands are clasped in prayer,

No these children are more focused on
Food,
staying warm,
surviving.

But ultimately this earthly survival is for NOT,
without hearing The word.

And on, and on, and on my thoughts went that "horrible" night a year ago.

And then I knew.

We couldn't save them ALL,
BUT we could save ALL of ONE.

A year ago we realized that yet again GOd had been at work.

Approved for 2 kids,
waiting for our I-800A approval - oh yeah for 2 kids
All along sure our future only included FeiFei

A year later

 I now realize that GOOD FRIDAY will ALWAYS be part of this child's story -

Our story,
how God used a very ordinary family - probably more faults than most, to bring ONE child to Him.

ANd a year later NOTHING is sweeter than hearing them say AMEN!

and knowing Jesus!

A NEW Normal

5 kids - 3 special needs - 2 asian

You know when you have a newborn and you feel like you are exiting the cloud and you CAN think again.  Your normal is different but better.  That's where we are at.  

                    Reality has set in.

                   Things are crazy, 

                   LOUDER,

                   WAY more laundry.

                   Actually clothes are the bane of my existance.

                   From doing laundry

                   to trying to figure out where to put clothes 

                   (especially since we have both winter and summer out right now.)

                   SOCKS ugh socks have always been enough to kill me over.

                   Our kids HATE socks.

                   They are always taking them off WHEREVER they are at.

                   THen of course NO ONE can find socks in the morning.

                   I just bought MORE socks,

                   Little Man has gone to school SEVERAL days with just one sock on ~ WHAT!!

                   I no longer MAKE my kids clothes (although I admit I bought some fabric.)

                   I have completely given up on scrapbooking.

                   Blogging atleast makes me take pictures of my kids.

                   Creative handmade gifts are being replaced by last minute where the heck is a bag gifts!

                   Don't even get me started on dinners.

                   My poor Asian kids' cholesteral has probably tripled,

                   They know the golden arches, and that orthodontist day means Carls' Junior.

                   They cheer for homecooked meals  .  .  .  . at church - they LOVE the church ladies food.

                   The hardest is that people watch us,

                   We haven't been an inconspicious family since little man was a baby

                   But it is SOOOO much more evident now.

                   Watching, judging, commenting.

                   BUT I LOVE our new life,

                   All the firsts, the artwork, sleeping children,

                   Shoes, dishes (ok maybe NOT!)

                   And LAUGHTER!

                   

On our Way!

Another crazy day - the kids had a SNOW day!!  

Gotta LOVE Colorado!  

The kids traded their swimsuits for syrup drenched snow!

But that's not what today was about -

TODAY was about Cav's journey to walking.

You know your reality has changed when you walk into a room where legs and arms 

are stacked like cord wood!

Atleast there was a jungle gym for my naughty boys!

I brought little man because he has had so many questions - 

I was excited to show Cav the pictures and how he would soon walk!

And then we learned a little nugget about Cav- 

He seems excited about getting his new legs!

So HE can have real SHOES!!

OK dude, we will go shoe shopping for you just as soon as you get fitted for your real legs!

Truthfully though, and I am not sure if it is the time of year, or because we are doing the book of Mark for bible study but I realized something.  Although we yearn to walk with Jesus (literally) and touching his cloak so as to heal- THIS is Him still producing His miracles and I stand in awe!

SUnday snapshot - trampoline fun

 I mentioned last week how much my kids LOVE water LOL!

Today they put the sprinkler under the tramp and went to town!!

Pure JOY from this toothless pirate!

The water sprays from below!

And the motion!

And the best part of all - LANDING!!

I could jsut cry with this pic of Cav - sharing, thinking of helping someone else,

BEING a part of our family!

Handsome boy! (BTW LOVE these new shirts from Wally world!)

Pushing is hard work!

That kid has the BEST lips and all he does is chew on them!

And this one - lost in his teen hormones but I was able to snag a pic!

A FABULOUS Sunday with the family plus 1 extra!