The beginning.




It's hard not to smile when looking at that face, don't you think?

We are a week home and are officially thrown full back into toddlerhood. This while managing the older three recouping from our long time away, helping Annie process that someone else just took her 'spot', Kevin figuring out how to catch up at work, me trying to find out what in the world we can all eat and enjoy, helping everyone stay safe, and just staying on top of the regular 'stuff' of running a home, trying to be attuned to everyone's needs....it's a lot. I'm not going to lie. Even that we finished mowing the lawn yesterday was a small miracle. Some would describe this as "survival mode". Much has changed for everyone, but especially for Ben. And for us, some things are familiar in parenting him and some things are new, because of how he spent his first three years.

From professionals in the field, we've heard anything from "it seems manageable at a month, but then hits the fan around month 6" to "the first three months are horrible" to "the first 3-6 months are REALLY, REALLY hard". All of those have the common denominator that this summer and fall are likely to be like nothing we've experienced before. With summer bringing on less routine, more options, access to wide open spaces and a new little man trying to figure out his new world...I'm probably the only Minnesotan wishing it were winter right now. We are needing Jesus more than we ever have before.

Jude, Timmy and Annie have been such amazing big siblings. I couldn't be prouder of them. They share with him, play with him, help keep him safe as well as carry him off randomly to be 'SuperBen'. Being Ben's big brothers and big sister will take a learning curve for them as well and they are willing to walk the road. We are asking a lot of them and they are learning how to love both when it's easy and when it's hard. We can only pray that they will see Jesus' sacrifice for them more clearly after having sacrificed so much for their new brother. 

Four kids jumping

So, we started this blog with the intention of sharing the specifics of how our adoption process was progressing as well as share insights into adoption related topics with you, our friends and family who care about us.  From here on out, both Kevin and I are sensing that the best avenue for future conversations regarding our family and adoption would be best done in a more personal format. Now, actually finding space for those personal conversations will be a monumental feat! Also, know that we are open to talking to anyone at all even remotely interested in potentially exploring the possibility of adopting.

Which reminds me...many of you prayed for and passed along a blog post I wrote last summer about a little boy named "Yeager" in trying to find him a home. We got to meet him while we were in China! Sweet boy, with a mom and dad working hard to get to him from Illinois. It was such a joy to take some videos and pictures for them as I know I would have treasured those if anyone would have been able to take them for us. I'll be so excited when he finally gets home too.

So, with all this said, I'm guessing that this may be our last blog post. I'll keep the blog out there for a while in case there is anything we've posted in the last year and a half that is worth reading again. Feel free to still forward to anyone connected to an adoptive family if you think it would be encouraging. Everything we have learned has been from people who have gone before us. We also would love to meet other families who have recently adopted from China who live in the Twin Cities or other Chinese Americans as well. We want to expand our circles of friends as well as attempting to keep Ben connected to his birth culture. Feel free to connect us if you know of anyone!

I know I've mentioned we need to be in 'cacoon mode' for a while to keep Ben's world small and for him to feel secure within his new family unit. But please feel free to reach out to our family. Even if it's just to send us a note letting us know you prayed for us. Invite us to stuff and we'll discern on a case by case/day by day situation if it would be a good idea or not. It all goes a long way to help us remember we're not alone. Thank you to those of you who have brought meals to my parents while we were gone and to us this week so far. Your extra effort on our behalf is beyond appreciated.

We are thankful to be starting this new season and getting to know this really great kid. We already see a lot of good things blossoming in him. The Lord has not abandoned this little one. 

As I type this I have him in a toddler carrier on my back and he's actually fallen asleep.  Jude and Annie are playing a game together and we're about to head out to pick up Timothy from school. This is a rare quiet moment these days. A chance to take a breath. In. Out. In. Out. One day at a time. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

We are confident the Lord laid this calling to adopt Ben on our hearts. It becomes clearer as we get to know him that he is a wonderful fit into our family. That affirms our faith even more in our amazing God. We are standing on our Redeemer's promises of faithfulness to all of us for the days and years to come. We are safe in His Hands and there we will be sustained.

Thank you for celebrating with us what He has done!

Psalm 82:3 Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.