Happy Thanksgiving!

Report Card

I went to Eloisa's first parent/teacher conference today. Hilarious. Before I even sat down, the teacher and her two assistants began raving about our Isa. "Oh she is just so adorable." "She is so sweet." "Oh Isa is so funny." "We just love her facial expressions." "She is so respectful." "She is so kind with the other kids." I found myself wondering, "Whose kid are you talking about?!"

Isa, we are so proud of you and so very thankful you don't challenge your teachers like you challenge your mom and dad!

Drew took her on a little date to Ivanhoe's so she could show them her report card for a free sundae (a little bit creepy if you ask me--his eye is bleeding chocolate).

Orphan Care

I ran across this article (a must read!) and it gave me some awesome ideas for orphan care. If you are wondering what your part is, ask the Lord to show you as you read through THIS.

Little Black Dress

Stella Claire looking chub-a-licious in her little black dress. (Thanks Britt :)

Benjamin asked if he could hold Stella with her sitting up. He was so excited when we said, "yes, of course."

Giving

I have begun to think about Christmas and things my children will be delighted to pull out of a stocking. I love seeing their excitement and joy at the little treasures they receive. But more than that, I love to see them get excited about giving to others that actually have needs-huge needs. My hope is that my children would know deep in their hearts that it is truly better to give than to receive. I want them to find joy in giving. I think one of the biggest ways that will happen is if Drew and I model that kind of joyful giving and let them be a part of it. We wrestle with the tension of wanting to give our kids good things (because it brings joy to us), while still trying to instill within them a spirit of giving to others.

I'm thankful for the blessings we have, although it often makes me a little ill to look at our closets full of toys and stuff. I think about what that money would do for a little child that is starving. I'm thankful for our apartment. There is a limit on how much stuff 6 people can fit in this space. It makes it difficult to acquire more things and I'm grateful for that. A large family in a small space is a good regulator.

Our family is 'adopting' Haiti this year for our Christmas giving. If the Lord lays it on your heart as well, consider joining us. I have been incredibly impressed with this ministry: Heartline Ministries.

Also, this month is National Adoption Awareness Month. As an adoptive family, it's always hard to know how to best communicate and encourage our heart for the orphans. I have heard people say that they 'just don't have a heart for adoption'. To that I would say, you may not be called to adopt but we all are called to have a heart for orphans because it's God's heart. He longs to set the lonely in families. If your family is not called to adopt, what is your part in caring for the orphan? 'Adopting' an orphanage? Loving on foster children? Helping another family adopt? We couldn't have completed our adoption without the help of those maybe not called to adopt, but called to assist those who do.

Linked below are my brother's family blog and our friend's blog. Both will be traveling to Ethiopia sometime in the coming months and are trusting the Lord to provide the money they need to complete their adoptions.

Rychener Family

VanSwearingen Family

What would happen if we all cut our Christmas budgets in half and gave the rest away? Let us give generously and sacrificially. Someday our kids will thank us even if they don't get the ipad they are begging us for.

Chatting

Stella made her Great Grandma Ruth's day with all her cooing and smiling.

What a difference 3 weeks makes!

Stella met some new little friends tonight. Maks is 3 weeks younger than Stella and Sophie is 3 weeks younger than Maks.

Meeting Raja

We all haven't spent a good chunk of time in OH in awhile and there is a lot going on here. :) We had to come up and meet our new nephew, see Matt and Julie's new house, meet our friends' babies, and just spend time with family.

Jay and Megan came over with the kids last night. Oh my, Raja is the tiniest and cutest little guy. Would you believe that Isa and Raja are the same age? Raja will be 4 in December. I couldn't get over their height difference. (Please disregard Isa's hand down her pants.)
Grandma Pam's kitchen was quite full of hungry kids.
At the doctor's office yesterday, the nurses, doctor and receptionist kept saying how Stella was so perfect and beautiful that she looked just like a doll. When we got to my mom's last night, we were cracking up at how much she looks like this baby doll. When Jay and Megan were getting ready to leave, Jay was helping pick up and accidentally dropped this baby on her head. My heart dropped and for a second I really did think he had dropped Stella.

2 Months

Baby girl is 2 months old today. Crazy how time flies. She is no longer our tiny little newborn. Two months ago she couldn't fit into her own skin. Her skin was wrinkly and so loose all over. She looked like she had elephant knees. She is now sporting rubber band wrists, dimpled knuckles and precious chubby cheeks.

I took her to her two month check up yesterday afternoon. She weighs 13 pounds and 2 ounces (90%) and is 24 and 1/2 inches long (95%). Her head circumference is 37 and 1/2 cm (25%-she gets that from Drew).

She sleeps most of the day. Literally, sometimes I feel like she is never awake during the morning and afternoon. Once her siblings go down at 8:00, she is wide awake from then until 11:00. This is probably because Drew and I are so distracted until that time of day with her siblings and she loves the attention we give her in those 3 hours. She is cooing and talking to me more and more. Sweet conversations. I'm trying to record them in my heart.

She goes down at 11pm and has been sleeping until around 5am. Wow, we are so thankful for those 6 hours because Benjamin and Samuel took a much, much longer time to sleep 6 hours. Little piggies. When I lay her down in her Moses Basket at 11pm, I get in bed next to her. I dangle my hand over the side of the basket and she holds my finger until she falls asleep. Melts. my. heart.

The first two months have gone by so fast. They are only tiny for such a short time. I'm trying not to be sad about how quickly it goes. Thank you Jesus for this precious gift to our family. We are all so very much in love with this little girl.

Oh Birthdays!

Isa turned 4 today. Can't believe it! Wasn't Benjamin just 4? We celebrated with the Moser clan on Friday night. We ate dinner at Red Robin and then walked across the street for coffee and gelato. Yum.

Can you believe this is the best picture I got of these 4? Pathetic. :)

Yesterday morning was my birthday. Isa and Sam were up ridiculously early due to the time change. Getting 'an extra hour of sleep' was a nice thought but it didn't happen. No one wanted to take turns sitting on my lap so they all lined up.
Isa invited a few of her little friends over yesterday to celebrate her life. They were all so cute and fun. They each got to decorate a plate of cut out cookies. I should have taken some 'after' pictures of both the cookies and my kitchen floor. Hello sprinkles!
Drew took the kids downstairs for an obstacle course.

Isa and her friend Laynie.

My mom needed a Stella fix so she came down with Grandma Ruth for the afternoon. We'll have a little party for Isa in Ohio this coming weekend with my family.

Birthday girls.
Isa is crazy about this new blanket from Matt and Julie. If you felt how soft it is, you would want one too. I'm thinking about taking a nap under it right now.

It's Bekah's Birthday!

Hey friends, this is Drew. I just wanted to hijack the blog for a minute to announce that my amazing, wonderful, gracious, and gorgeous wife turns 31 years young today. We'll celebrate later in the week, since we're having a fiesta for Isa (she turns 4 tomorrow). Happy birthday Bekah!

We love you,

Drew, Ben, Isa, Sam, and Stella.

A blog to follow

The more settled we get at Taylor, the more I keep begging God to keep my heart tender and open to those suffering in the world. One way he is doing that is through this blog.

Let your heart hurt for Haiti. Ask God how he would have you respond. One of our Compassion children lives in Haiti. She lost her home and her mother in the earthquake. Heartbreaking.

7 Weeks