Fun day!

We had such a fun day just hanging out together, we even got a little crafty and made Valentine bugs :)

Daddy with a "D"

Reed has been trying so hard to pay attention to his speech and pronounce his words better. He does get frustrated when I correct him too much but I'm thanking Jesus that one day he will be speaking with ease and clarity!

Today I called to check on him after his speech session and he said "mama, guess what I can say.....Da-dee!!!" For three years it has been "aah-eee" He completely drops the first letter of any word that begins with D, T, Th, G, J, Q. We still have a long way to go, but progress IS being made. Each time he says daddy we will have to stop and concentrate on the letters, but he CAN do it!!!

Slamming on the brakes

Ok, so this year I'm one of those who has made a resolution to get in shape. We joined the local Y and so far I'm sticking to a regular routine. I'm up at 5:30 and rushing out to door to workout from 6 to 7. The hardest part is getting everything together so I can shower and leave for work from the gym. I've lost my lock one morning and forgot a bath towel another (good thing my sweet hubby brought me one on his way to work).

So one day last week I hurried out the door like I normally do. Gym bag stuffed full of towel, clothes, hair dryer, deo, shampoo, socks, shoes......you get the picture. I drove maybe 1/2 a mile down the highway and 3 deer darted out in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and came to a complete stop. Everything in the front seat of my car landed in the floor upside down. "Ugh", I thought to myself...."I don't have time for this!" So I pulled off the road and started picking up the contents of my gym bag that had turned over. After I picked up everything I realized I was missing my blouse for work. I couldn't help but laugh and thank the Lord for making me put on the brakes that morning. I would have looked REAL silly going into work with black slacks and a Dale Earnhardt Jr t-shirt!!

Sometimes we are trucking along going about our day to day when all of a sudden God puts something in our path to get our attention and make us "put on the brakes". If we keep the right attitude and keep trusting and relying on Him no matter how big the obstacle that is laid in our path, we will receive our blessing. What a blessing it was that day to NOT show up at work in my gym clothes!

~Blessed

Under the covers

Reed does not like to sleep under the covers. No matter how many times I get up in the middle of the night to check on him and softly pull the blanket over him, he always squirms his way out. I often wonder if it's because blankets were not available or used in the orphanage where he slept as an infant. Possibly it's just because he does not like the feeling of something surrounding and covering him.

This morning around 2 am, as I quietly walked into Reed's room and pulled the cover over him, I was reminded of how sometimes we don't feel like we need God's cover in the middle of our darkness. No matter how many times He tries to shield us and protect us we often "kick out from under the cover" and try to handle things instead of resting and trusting in Him. Look beyond your circumstances today and let Him protect you and cover you with His love.

Psalm 91:4
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler

Fav pics

Good Saturday morning! Last night heavy storms rumbled the sky and it sounded like the wind was peeling the shingles off the roof. This morning the sky is beautiful and blue. So true to storms of life......we should always remember after a storm the sun always shines. Thank you Jesus for the storms of life and the sunshine after the rain.

Here are some of my fav pictures from a photo shoot we had back in October with a very talented local photographer, Jessica Rumble.

Time

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. The last year has been a very difficult year......I am still struggling to make sense of it all but I am believing and trusting in His plan.
Reed is still going to 2 speech classes, one at the elementary school and a private therapist. His speech seems to be improving and Dr G wants to do another palate surgery this spring. We don't like the thoughts of another surgery but we do want what is best so we are praying that we make the right decisions.


God comforts us not to make us comfortable but to make us comforters- John Henry Jowett
Today I pray that whatever you have going on in your life, no matter what you are focused on; you always remember to take the time to offer comfort and support to those who care about you.

~Blessed

Summer fun

Two years home, four years old

Time is going by so fast. Our family day anniversary will be in a few days and it's hard to believe it will be 2 years since love brought us together in a small hotel room in Nanchang, China. God knew exactly what he was doing (duh), as if He doesn't always!

Reed is changing so much every single day and it amazes me how much. He loves to laugh, he loves to entertain and longs to please, he loves stuffed animals and always has to have 3 for mommy daddy and baby, he loves to cook, he is so tender hearted and gets his feelings hurt so easy, he is strong willed and independent, he loves his family and wants to always be with us, he is loving and tender, and he is so perfect just being himself. He is trying so hard to get his speech right and struggles everyday. He has been so patient with us and trying to get the letters to come out right but they just don't. It breaks my over-protective-mama-heart to think he will be subject to ridicule and laughter when he starts school not very long from now. He has already started to cry and get upset when we don't know what he's saying and I worry about his tender heart getting hurt and his spirit broken. (Oh Lord, I pray for the muscles in his lips to strengthen and for therapy to improve his tongue function and control so that he may better pronounce his words, I pray he will grow up to be healthy and happy)

His doctor is suggesting a second surgery on his palate when we go back in 6 months if his speech has not improved. Please pray we see improvement so that he does not have to go through another palate surgery. It hurts my heart to think of his struggles with the past surgeries and the ones to come.

These last 2 years have been joyful, sad, easy, difficult and a learning process for us all. I will never forget the first few days we spent together in the hotel room in China; Tim and I were new parents with so much to experience and learn including how to feed our new baby with a cleft lip and palate. One night we ever so gently broke up crackers for a snack and fed them to him one small bite at a time until Reed (as if to say "let me show you crazy people how to eat!") took a whole cracker from Tim and took a big bite. At that moment I knew that Reed would teach us much more in this lifetime than we could ever teach him and he has in such a short time. He has proved God's love for us is unfailing and that children are a true blessing, he has taught us how to love more deeply, how to live more freely, and how to persevere when things seem stacked against you. I love you my baby boy, today, tomorrow and forever! Happy 2nd family day on March 1st and Happy 4th Birthday on March 2nd. I love you to the moon!!!

CNY

Last night we celebrated the Chinese New Year, year of the rabbit, with our FCC friends. The kids had a great time and it was so good to see everyone.

Reed had the best time with Paul William. They stood in the back row when it came time for the group picture so I don't think either of them got in the shot.

Reed and Joel Grady. He is such a cutie!

Happy New Year!

Snow days

Monday morning we woke up to about 10" of snow and today it's finally beginning to melt away. I wanted to get some pictures before it was all gone so we rode up to Joe Wheeler State Park to play.