First day of BSF!

Since my children don't go to preschool, and everyone else's do, I don't have any "first day of school pictures."

So, I figured first day of BSF was good enough!

 

 

 

 



They love BSF. Wait, I mean I love BSF. For them and for myself. I asked how it went afterwards and neither one of them would tell me (although Liv gets a pass for being unable to say too many words).
Hannah isn't a typical girl in that respect. She's a chatterbox, but she won't tell me about her day if I ask. Although...if I wait long enough, I will get bits of pieces of things that happened. I need to learn that about her, avoid asking her direct questions, but hang out with her long enough to open up.
Olivia, on the other hand, I think will have to be my family informant. She'll be the one to keep me updated on hers and Hannah's business.

I was thinking today about how much I love knowing my children intimately and how much I delight in them. I know the cat cup is Liv's favorite cup. Her striped blanket is her "beedee." Hannah's favorite bib is the red one. Her favorite blanket is the one with the dog head. Hannah loves pb & j sandwhiches, but Liv isn't a big fan of bread. Hannah loves salad, Liv, not so much. Olivia loves steamed cauliflower and broccoli and Hannah doesn't. Hannah loves tv, movies and vidoes and Liv could do without them. Hannah is obsessed with "reading" books to herself, but not me reading to her.
Hannah loves going out to eat, Liv doesn't care. Hannah has some sort of oral fixation (and has her whole life) and she is always wanting gum, or chewing her fingernails. The other day she came up to me and said, "Mom, I need something to chew on." Liv loves gum, just because Hannah does.
They both love rocking before bed. They both love the song "Holy holy holy." They love to wear matching clothes. They love quiet time and Bible stories. Daniel and the lions and David and Goliath are Hannah's favorite, Olivia loves Noah's ark.
Hannah loves yogurt, Olivia doesn't. She loves applesauce, Hannah doesn't. Hannah loves any and all meat, Olivia doesn't. They both love eggs. Olivia loves oatmeal and cream of wheat, Hannah doesn't. She wants something sweet (gross) every morning like fruit loops or honey nut cheerios.
Hannah loves One Direction (boy bands already!) and they both love dancing to music all day.
Hannah has already asked for an iphone and a tv in her bedroom (I told her that her brain would explode if she had a tv in her room).

I really love anticipating their likes and dislikes. While I am wrong sometimes, I am usually right about whether they will like something or not. I really love surprising them with something that they love and watching their faces light up in amazment that I would pick something out for them so perfectly.

It reminds me of Zephaniah 3:17, my current favorite verse, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His voice, He will rejoice over you with singing."

He delights in me? ME?? He rejoices over ME with singing?? That's incredible.

Thanks for your words of encouragement and prayer over the last weeks. Some of you were encouraging about our adoption that wasn't.
We are continuing to pray for Miss D and are very comfortable with the thought that the Lord brought her into our lives in order that we might pray for her and her son for the rest of their lives. We may be the only people in her life that are praying for her.

We are still ready for another baby and exploring all options. We are even exploring some international options as we are feeling very tentative about opening ourselves up to another expectant mother/baby and having it fall through. I know if it happens again domestically, God's grace will continue to show up huge in our lives, but I also feel that the Lord will still be honored if we choose to protect our family's emotions and pursue an international adoption (don't get me wrong, those are hard in other ways, I am fully aware).

Sometimes my sinful nature kicks in and I wonder why can't this just be easier? I'm emotionally tired of this, and yet, I know the Lord is using all this to continually sharpen me and have us depend on Him. I would not be who I am today without infertility, two domestic adoptions and three failed adoptions.

Our family is on an adventure, I just want to skip to the last page and read the ending:)