End of 2015

As 2015 comes to a close I can't help but count my blessings. We have had a great year and are looking forward to what 2016 has to offer and praying it includes adoption! We met with the worker yesterday and the new termination paperwork has been filed. She said not to expect to receive a termination date for about 2-3 months. This was very disheartening for us as we had hoped right after the new year we would be given a date. She reassured us that after termination occurs things will move more quickly and we should still have adoption this summer. I am doing my best to not get my hopes up. Each time we are given a potential date it seems to be pushed back another 6 months. I keep reminding myself that it's not in my time, it's in His. We are so ready for this sweet boy to have our last name and to officially be a family. I told the worker that I would love to go on vacation this summer and be able to leave the state without permission and carrying papers with me stating we can have him there. It seems so silly but that means he is ours forever and we can just live our lives without worrying that someone is going to take him.
We were blessed to celebrate several Christmases this year and our sweet boy sure is loved. We decided this year to stay home as a family on Christmas and it was so nice! We started our own traditions and just got to stay in our pajamas and watch our sweet boy open presents. We have enjoyed every second of being with family and also being at home together. There is something special about this sweet boy and you just can't help but be happy when you are around him. He is the sweetest thing and can always make you laugh. He is truly the greatest gift Tyler and I have been given!
We pray 2016 is a blessed year for you and your families! Happy New Year!

 Watching the UK/UL game while grilling on his new grill.

                                                                                                  He loves the trampoline Auntie got him!

Putting out reindeer food on Christmas Eve.                  Hmmm...Are these presents for me?

We loved our matching Christmas pajamas this year!

 Handyman playing with his tool bench.

 Cooking some lunch for us.

You're A Better Mom Than You Think

I recently read an article about being a better mom than you think you are.  God knew how much I needed this article and timed it just right. I had been struggling with feeling like I was absolutely clueless and was failing our sweet boy. I try in everything I do to be a good example for him and to show him right from wrong so when he was coming home from daycare and hitting and yelling I didn't understand and felt helpless. We have spent several minutes over the past few weeks just sitting together and crying because neither one of us really knew what to do. Everyone kept telling me it is just the age, he is in the terrible twos, and he will grow out of it but I was beginning to think there was not an end in sight. I spent countless hours reading articles and books on how to teach him to stop hitting, to be nice, to communicate his feelings effectively, and on and on. I read some articles that made me feel like I truly had it all together and others that made me feel like I had already ruined his life. When I read this article I decided that instead of feeling like I was failing I needed to focus on what I did well that day and the highlights of my time with my sweet boy. That night as I sat and rocked my sweet boy while we finished reading our bedtime stories I asked him he was ready to pray. He looked up at me with his big brown eyes and said "Jesus." In that moment, I knew I had done something right. He repeats a prayer after me each night and always ends with "maymen" then sings "Jesus love." When we sing Jesus Loves Me, he sings along with the first part and gets very still and silent and waits so he can sing "Bible" as loud as he can. In those moments with him in my arms praying and singing, all of the negative of the day was washed away. It didn't matter that he laid in the floor and screamed for what seemed like an eternity, smacked me with his shoe, or he had a complete meltdown in the middle of the mall because we couldn't keep riding the elevator, my sweet boy knows Jesus and that is all he needs to make it through this crazy life.

Just as God put that article in my life on the day I needed it, he also placed a very special family in our lives when we got our sweet boy. This family listened to me cry, listened to me complain, celebrated every milestone with us, and loved my sweet boy as if he was their own before he was old enough to go to daycare. Today, we celebrate with this family as termination occurred and they will be moving forward with adoption. My heart is overflowing with joy and happiness for them. As we continue to await that amazing day, we will celebrate in their happiness!

Here are a few recent pictures. Our sweet boy loves to talk to Santa but wants nothing to do with sitting on his lap. If you ask him what Santa says he says "Wo Wo" so now that is what he calls Santa.

 Attempt #1 to visit "Wo Wo"

 Attempt #2 to visit "Wo Wo"

Decorating a Christmas Tree

Who needs new toys when you can repurpose what you have?!

Through A Child's Eyes

Our greatest hope as we entered the holiday season was to have a termination date. We knew we would not be finished with the adoption process by Christmas but had anticipated a termination date so that as the new year began we could start the adoption process. The worker was here this week and sadly, we will not have a termination date by Christmas. Things seem to always be pushed back but she assured me that once termination occurred things would pick up and we would have a finalized adoption by summer.
As disappointed as we were with this update, it's hard to be upset with our sweet boy around. We are in a much safer place than we were this time last year and for that we are incredibly thankful. Everyone has told me this will be such a fun Christmas because our sweet boy will be so much more aware and they were definitely right. We were out shopping last weekend and he was amazed by all of the Christmas trees and decorations. Watching his bright eyes grow big with excitement and a smile spread across his face moved me to tears in the middle of a store. Tyler thought I was a little crazy but it was one of those moments I have always heard people talk about but have never experienced. Seeing it through a child's eyes and taking the time to just stop and enjoy. We decided that night we were going to put our Christmas tree so when he woke up on Monday morning we could surprise him. I had the camera ready as Tyler went to get him from his bedroom. We told him we had a surprise for him and as he walked out, he rubbed his eyes, and said "Oh wow!" He stood in amazement and then repeatedly said "tree, lights, Wow!" It was the best reaction we could have gotten. Our sweet boy just lays on the floor and looks at the tree and his nativity.
Our hearts are full and we are beyond thankful for our sweet boy. Being his momma makes me happier than I ever thought I could be.
Please continue to pray that our case moves forward and a little quicker than it has been. We are so ready to know without a doubt he is ours forever!

Always Something

Well it has been an eventful few weeks in our house. I received an update from the social worker that was not exactly what we had hope for. The termination paperwork had the first potential dad's name still in it so it was not able to be accepted. The social worker stated in most situations the court would try to serve the second dad before the termination paperwork could be filed again. This was extremely frustrating to me! This will be the third time they have tried to serve him. She also told us the attorney who handles all of the termination paperwork was retiring and someone new would be transitioning it.It just seems like it is always something! I keep reminding myself it is all in His time and I need to be patient!
Our sweet boy is growing like crazy and keeps us laughing every single day. He had a great Halloween and loved his costume. Since he loves trains he was a train conductor and we turned his into a train for him to ride in. When we opened the garage door he said "WOW!" His reaction was priceless and made every single second that we word on his train worth it. He wasn't really sure about all of the strangers but managed to say a few "chickacheets" as we visited houses.
Halloween ended with a trip to the ER for croup which was not fun at all! It has absolutely wiped my sweet boy out this week. He has had 2 doses of steroids and he still feels yucky. It is never fun when they are sick but this momma has enjoyed extra snuggles and time with her boy. We are praying he starts to feel better and we can enjoy the weekend with our sweet boy.

Choo-Choo

Our sweet boy had his follow up appointment at the allergy/asthma doctor and they said he sounded like he had a new set of lungs! This was exactly what we wanted to hear. We are hoping the antibiotic that we just finished is exactly what he needed to clear out the nasty infection. If the infection returns within the next week we will have to schedule an appointment with the ENT to get cultures of the infection. We are hopeful that it is cleared and we will not need to do this.

We also met with both of our workers yesterday Neither one had any new information which is good. We are still anxiously waiting a date for TPR but as with everything else, we know it is in God's time. We asked a timeline for adoption to be completed and they said end of spring. This is way longer than we had hoped for but are beyond thankful to even be discussing adoption. Soon enough he will be ours forever!

After having appointments all day yesterday we had a family day today. Our sweet boy absolutely loves trains! He can hear a "choo-choo-" from miles away and gets so excited. His room is decorated in choo-choos, he has tons of choo-choo- toys, and loves his choo-choo shirts so we decided we would go see choo-choos today. We enjoyed the day at Entertainment Junction and our sweet boy was absolutely amazed. He loved looking at the train displays, riding the train, and playing in the play area. There is nothing like watching our sweet boy's eyes widen with wonder and excitement. We were so thankful to have the opportunity to take him to do something that he loves!

 Playing with the gears on the choo-choo

 Putting the coal in the engine.

Picking his pumpkin from the small pumpkin patch

So Long Sweet Summer

Tomorrow officially marks the end of summer and beginning of fall. Tomorrow also brings another court date. We know this court date will be a review but we are praying things will progress quickly after we attend. We ask for prayers for our sweet boy's future and all of those who have a hand in it. I will update more after we are there.
Thank you in advance for the prayers!

Someone is already missing summer and the pool!

Praises and Prayers

Our new worker came to the house today for a home visit. Normally, I am a mess on these days even though they are routine. My heart races and my stomach is in knots all day but today I was extremely calm. She told us what we have been waiting to hear for so long, the termination paperwork has been filed! Now we wait for a court date for termination and then we can proceed with adoption. We still have several months until all of this can occur but we are one step closer to FOREVER!

We are asking for prayers for our sweet boy. He has been having lots of breathing problems with the weather changing and we were referred to an allergy/asthma doctor. We go tomorrow for a consultation and allergy testing.

As always, please continue to pray for everyone involved in the case. We are getting there!!

 We spent some family time at the zoo and I captured this beautiful picture while on our train ride.

 Sweet boy of course enjoyed his carousel ride.

He would have sat here all day if we would have let him!

Shew! Mondays are rough! He was worn out at nap time while at daycare.