The beginning of March, we celebrated my (GASP) 35th birthday. I remember each and every birthday leading up to this year from 2008...they were pretty much the same...a huge ache in my heart and another year without being a mom. This year we celebrated with SOOOO much joy and thankfulness that THE BEST birthday present was given to me! I woke up on that morning with tears in my eyes and fullness in my heart knowing the LORD had answered my prayers in such a HUGE way and better than I could ever imagined. My parents and AJ surprised my that day with a beautiful dinner out. My parents kept Eli while AJ took my to one of our absolute favorite places to eat The Stone House. We had a wonderful night out!
 |
| Best birthday gift ever! |
 |
| First birthday as a Mama! |
A week late later we celebrated 3 months since the say Eli became our first child! The day will be forever etched in my mind. I remember all of us crammed in the elevator to the 3rd floor of the civil affairs building. I remember Sherry, our guide telling us not to talk too loud or smile too big (yeah right). I remember being told the children would be brought to the room we would wait in only to be totally surprised to see a room full of nannies with three gorgeous children. I also remember seeing a scared little boy as we entered the room watching and wondering what all of this meant. AJ and I scrambled for our camera and video recorder as we were not prepared to have them already in the room. I remember the nanny speaking Mandarin to Eli saying something to the effect that this is "your Mama and Baba!" The warmth I felt in my arms when I took him in my arms and Eli was no longer an orphan was incredible...that I remember. So much I remember that day and at three months so much had changed from that day.
 |
| First moment I laid eyes on Eli |
 |
| Eli's nanny |
 |
| We are a family! |
Since December 15th 2013, Eli went from a scared, malnourished child, to one that is filled with joy, spunk and a love for Jesus. He eats like a horse, has grown almost 4.5" and gained 7 pounds. He has learned to trust, to love and come to us when he has a boo boo. He sleeps without terror and screaming through the night. He wakes with peace and calmly calls for us, rather than throwing himself into hysteria. He can climb, run, jump, use simple phrases, dance, ride his scooter, match puzzle pieces/shapes and build large towers. His love for puppies is unfailing and he is finally learning to like being dirty. He even smiles for pictures (not an easy feat)! Above all, he loves Jesus. He talks about Jesus, sees Jesus everywhere and raises his hands in worship daily and on his own volition. Eli runs to his room after breakfast and devotionals to do his own Bible time. He'll sit on floor of his room and page through his Bible jargoning about Jesus and God telling his own version of the Word. What a miracle to see how the LORD brought this child out of a desperate situation and into His grace and mercy. The power and transformation of adoption is one of the most beautiful things to see witness! It's a TON of work and patience but worth the fight!
 |
| Puppy love! |
We ended the month with snow melting and spring coming out a bit. The shedding of winter coats and boots! We brought Eli to his first children's birthday party and watched him like a hawk the next couple days to make sure he was not overstimulated or that it was too much for him to process. He did great and was only a bit tired the next day. He does require routine and we need to pull back often to ensure we don't over do it for him. If a weekend gets to busy or there's too many changes at once, he has more behaviors and crying/clinging. So we advocate for him and protect him from too much, which means having to back out of plans or to say "please don't pick him up," or for us to hang home for a day or two. We want the best for him, even if means someone might be offended!
In less than a weak is Eli's 2nd birthday. We have a small celebration of just immediate family planned Easter weekend. It's going to be a beautiful weekend to celebrate Eli's life and the life Jesus gave so we could be washed from our sin live eternally with Him! WOW! We, however, do not want to overshadow his birth parents in all of this. I often think and pray for his birth parents, especially his birth mom. I pray that she somehow knows her little boy is safe, loved and knows Jesus. I pray she knows the love of Christ and that He can heal her wounds. I pray the LORD comforts her as his birthday approaches. Although Eli is still far too young understand, we will ALWAYS include his birth parents in celebrations. We will honor them because they gave him life and we now have a wonderful, amazing, funny, outgoing son because they chose to do so. That is something I am forever grateful for.
AJ and I pray you have a beautiful Easter weekend. Please remember what Easter is all about. Jesus' sacrifice and laying down of his pure life so that we may live and live more abundantly. Without his saving power, we would be nothing and have nothing. God bless you as He has blessed us so greatly! Have a very HAPPY EASTER!
God is Good and we are BLESSED!
"For God so loved the world, that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the
world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through
Him.
John 3:16-17
