Week 13, Marta's Gotcha Day

                                                                                      

Week 13, Marta's Gotcha Day (GD), April 23rd!

Six years ago, God placed this beautiful little girl into my arms.  I had no idea how she would change my life.  We've been through many ups and downs since April 23rd, 2007.  Marta is now thriving and bloosming into a child who loves the Lord.

She had a foster family when she was in Guatemala for approximately 8 and a half months.  They took such good care of her.  We have a picture of Marta with her birth mother.  She has seen it and sometimes

she carries it to school with her (she keeps it in her backpack).  She's told me that she loves all 3 of her mothers, but she knows that I'm her forever mother.

I'm thankful to God for putting Marta in our family.  I'm thankful to her birthmother who was brave enough to let her go.  I'm thankful to our Pediatrician who discovered her defective heart condition and for her Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon who performed her heart surgery.

We celebrated on Tues (GD), after school with cupcakes and a few small gifts.

It took me over an hour to explain to Jake & Joy what we were celebrating.  Now, they know that they will also have a GD to look forward to in Jan 2014.  Plus, it helped us start working on geography.

Here are some more Marta pictures!  WE LOVE YOU, MARTA!   

The picture below is from a family trip that we took in 2011.  She's 4 years old.

                                                                                



The "Monkey Bars" is her favorite thing to do at the playground!  Grace loved the monkey bars also.



Please continue to pray for Marta.  The "big change" is still happening for her and all of us.  Even though positive changes are now happening with regards to Joy's behavior, Marta is still needing prayers for her spirit and heart.  Please pray specifically Romans 15:5-6 for her:  "God, give Marta and her siblings endurance, encouragement, and a spirit of unity as they follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth they may glorify you, precious Lord." (from Jodie Berndt's book, keep reading) 

This week we found out that Jake has won an award for an art contest.  The art teacher at school entered students into a contest at the local Water Works Department and he won!  On May 20th, we'll go to the presentation of awards to find out what award he'll receive - 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.  The picture below was taken by Joy.

Thank you again to all those who are praying for us.  Bringing Jake and Joy home from China has not been an walk in the park.....and I knew that it wouldn't be.  I thank God everyday for His wisdom, direction, and guidance.  I've started a new prayer journal which has 5 separate sections, one section per child (5-section spiral notebook).  I'm trying everyday to pray specifically for one child in writing.  God provides the 10, 20, or 30 minute time periods here and there so that I can be with Him to pray quietly.  My outside resource is Praying The Scriptures For Your Children, by Jodie Berndt.  She does a nice job in her book of the different prayer categories.  I use her thoughts sometimes in my written prayers.  I even found it at the local library! 

Stay tuned!  Week 14 is now happening.....

Week 12, Postive Changes

Week 12

If you've been praying for our family, thank you! 

God has answered those prayers.

I've seen so many postive changes this week in Joy's attitude.

It's been wonderful.

Joy is now beginning to learn who a mother is and how a mother is there to love and support her.
She is understanding what a family is and how she fits into it.
I'm thankful to our great God who loves this little girl so much and who is transforming her from
the rough child she was into His princess.

She and Marta are getting along much better this week.  Even though they are exactly the same
height, Joy has started to realize that Marta is only six years old.  She is sharing with Marta and
accepting Marta's handmade cards.

She is always the first child to get up in the mornings.  Details about her life in the orphanage are now
starting to come out because the English is improving.  She was able to tell me that all the
children wake up at 5:00am each morning to get ready to go to school.
She said if they didn't get up when they were told, they would hit us. 
They were given breakfast at the orphange and then theywere at school by 7:30am.


Since she is the first up, she enjoys listening to us (Tom & myself) read our devotional together.
She sits with us on the couch and is a part of our prayer after the devotional reading.

  
This week she has dressed up everyday for school.  Jake decided to do a photo shoot of his sister.
This fashionista knows that we need to get her some different shoes to go with all the dresses.
Her friends at school are being blown away everyday with her new look.

I really don't like getting my picture taken, but Joy was insisting that it was my turn.  This is our box garden
that Tom works so hard in.  He's developing his green thumb.  Right now we have kale and green onions.
And again, I'm including this picture of myself so that you can see that I'm still hanging in there.  People keep saying to me, "I don't see how you're doing it.  I couldn't do it."  Then, I have an open door to share
with them that's it's not my doing, it's God's doing....He's the one who gives me strength.  He's the one who instructs me, even at night while I'm sleeping.  They give me some strange looks, but it's fine with me.

Mom's sweet friend, Miss AA, dropped by this week with some little gifts for the kids. 

Thank you AA for the jewerly, beads and beautiful flowers.

Marta wasn't home, but Jake and Joy made sure to set aside some of the pink

bracelets and necklaces for her! 

I was so proud of them for understanding the concept of sharing and

for thinking of others.

Grace, our oldest, helping Joy get the bracelet on.

Marta, our youngest, is also doing better with having a 2nd big sister.  Please, however, keep her in your

prayers.  Our "big change" is still happening and it will probably continue for at least another 6-9 months.

One thing that Marta and Joy have in common is that they both love Barbie dolls.  This is Marta's

Barbie car.  She decided she needed a car for the girls.  I was really excited to see 1) that she was 

playing by herself and 2) she had decided to use her creative juices.  She has become an inspiration to Jake who now has his own plans for designing his Barbie car.  

Along with her love for Barbie, Marta also has a love for the Splat the Cat.

We've checked out almost all the I Can Read! #1 Splat the Cat books from the Village library.

It's exciting see her figure out the words.  I takes be back to when Grace and Shane were learning how to read.  So again, she is inspiring her new siblings through her love of books.  When they see her reading, they also become interested.  They haven't fallen in love with Splat the Cat, but I know in time

they'll find a character or series that they'll want to hear more about.

And last but not least this week, the report on the boys.  Jake is a helping spirit.  He wants to chop up whatever we need chopping and he wants to "give the flowers a drink" whenever possible.

He has become the translator, sort of.  When Joy can't figure out what to say or how to say what she needs in English, she'll ask him what the word is that she's looking for.  He'll usually be able to assist.  Our handheld translator is now history. 

Shane did well this past Sat in the regional double dutch competition in Florence!  He'll be going to the state meet the first Sat in May!  :)

And we are happy to say that Jake is eating very well.  He's asking for more ice cream after the first bowl is eaten.  The only thing that he doesn't seem to like is quiche.  He's still very skinny, but I know that he's gaining weight.  I can see it in his face.

Many thanks again to those of you who are praying for us.  I'm so thankful that we are almost at the 3 month mark.  It's exciting to know that God is with us each and He'll continue to guide us!

Week 11

 Chinese Jello tastes like sweet tea.  This was a treat from our friend, Helen.
Thanks Helen!

Marta ate it, but nobody else would, not even Jake and Joy.

Joy and Marta had a better week this week as you see.

Joy and Marta did Grace's make-up and then Joy did Marta's make-up.

So what makes a tough little girl come crying (almost) to her mama?

You guessed it, a hard fall on both knees in the street.

Joy was playing a game of tag with the new neighbors kid and Shane.  She fell when she was running across the street to avoid being tagged.

I was sitting on the edge of our yard and saw it happen.

After she fell, I wondered if she'd get up crying. 

As you see she recovered quickly and Marta was happy to play nurse.

I put 3 bandaids on one knee and 2 on the other.

These are our new neighbors.  Jaheim is a 5th grader and Asia is a 3rd grader.   They go to Whitesides! 

When we were in China, J & J showed discrimination toward Africans (we only saw a few). 

It's funny now how God has brought these delightful children into our lives and they live right across the street.  Since J & J have been going to school, they have not shown any ill behavior toward the 

African American children (at least not to my knowledge).  

The bugs are already bad (the knats).

Joy was able to rejoin the crew after the bandaids got put in place. 

I decided to add in a picture of myself this week to let you know, again that, yes, I am still alive.

I'm thankful that all 5 kids returned to school.  Spring break, however, did give me a picture of what summer could be like if I don't develop a plan.  Our bio kids (G & S) get out of school the end of May and the other 3 get out the 1st week in June.  I know that we'll have VBS in July, but that's all I've got on the calendar so far.

Someone took a picture of me cutting up the watermelon.  This will be one way to keep the kids happy this summer.....to make sure we have plenty of watermelon.  They love it!

Here's Joy being funny for the camera.

This is what Joy did to the watermelon.  She told me it was to much, but she ate every bite.

Thank you again to those who are praying for us!  It means the world to us and I know our Great God is hearing those prayers!  Please continue to pray for a deep element of peace to flow through our family.

If you are someone considering adopting, please take the leap of faith and do it!  God is with you always.

He will never leave you nor forsake you!

Week 10, Spring Break Is Coming To An End

Spring break started with Easter activities.  Our church had an Easter Egg hunt on Sat morning.

The kids had a great time!  Jake even found a prize egg. 



Here's Marta with the Easter Bunny before the hunt started.



This is while the hunt is happening (it's almost over). 



Here are our 2 youngest, Marta and Jake, dumping their eggs to trade for their goodie bags.  Yes, Jake's the one with the Super Man jacket.  My mom gave that to him for his birthday and he wears it all the time.



Some people see these three and think they're triplets.



     We did our favorite ice cream spot this week while we were down 2 children.  Grace and Shane got to visit their grandparents from Tues through Thurs.  We needed something special for those who didn't get to go.  So, we did the Tuesday Family Night and this was just right!

Jake also found the doctor's play kit in the closet this week. 

I think he may have a future in medicine because he has such a tender heart.
This week was the week I fell in love with our son.  He is sensitive, smart, and funny.
God has so many incredible things planned for him and I can't wait to see what they are.

We also got to have a half day visit with my great nephew, John Clifton.  This is really strange to me because I never really thought of myself as a "great aunt."  John Clinton was in town with his grandmother, Grammy Missy.  They wanted us to come over to Folly Beach to visit (Tom's Mother's house).   Marta, Joy and Jake were so excited about this little guy and his little brother (not pictured).  Jake and Joy decided to "read a book" to JC....they were teaching him his alphabet!  Imagine, Chinese children teaching a toddler English.  I was laughing at this.  After eating lunch together, we took a stroll to the Folly River pier.



Joy was doing all she could to get her hands on these little guys.  She probably was
a big help in the orphanage with the babies.

Tom was not on this visit because he decided over spring break to work on the bushes in our front yard.  He cut them all the way back.  I hope they'll grow back soon because our front yard now looks naked.  Jake (not pictured) decided to help Tom with the clean up.  I'm so thankful for his helping spirit!



This is only part of what he did.  The boxwoods on the other side of the house
are also all cut down. 

We visited the library on Friday to return books and DVDs.  Jake found this book and wanted

to check it out.  I didn't look through it until we got home.   It's was a book that J & J can easily read.

This book also got J & J asking questions about going to school. 
It's a good tool for working on their English.

     We ended the 10th week on a not-so-good note.  Joy had some attitude problems.  We

sought counsel from our Christian friend who was able to give us encouragement and shared some insightful thoughts about Joy's behavior.

    I was able to redirect Joy with some "tough love."  I was thankful that by Friday afternoon, I was seeing a change in her behavior.  However, please pray for God to give Joy a teachable spirit and heart.  

     Once things turned around for the better on Friday afternoon, Jake started running a fever.  This is the 1st time he's been sick since he's been with us.  He was almost crying when the fever was spiking.  He slept all day Saturday on the couch.  I'm happy to report now (Sun afternoon) that he's feeling better. 

     I also want to say a very special thank you to the youth group from Anderson that came down this week.  They camped out at our church and did mission work for their spring break.  We got to be one of their projects (they helped J & J with their English).  Mrs. Karmen and the girls were a blessing to our family.  We loved getting to know them.  

*  Karmen, if you come back this summer, please give us a call!