And then there was . . . .

Last night, at bedtime, Seth proclaimed, "No Work." It's coming!!!!!
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Yippee! Pray on, warriors!

He speaks -- a little :)

Seth is coming up on two and a half years old and he doesn't really speak a whole lot. Well, at least not English. He talks in a language no one but he understands, and it can be hilarious. At this point, his speech is severely delayed, so in addition to his developmental and occupational therapies, he gets speech therapy. In April, he will start getting speech therapy twice a week.

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Last Thursday I had a meeting with a couple of Seth's therapists to talk about his progress, or lack thereof. They expressed some concern to me, more than I have heard for many months. Trouble is, they didn't offer me any solutions and even expressed some doubts about two sessions a week helping Seth at all. Don't come to me without solutions! YOU are the therapists! I was frustrated after the meeting and felt like it didn't go well.

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On Monday morning, after a great weekend of Seth and Mommy time, I was getting ready to leave for work and Seth was happily eating breakfast. I walked into the dining room and told Seth that I had to go to work and that we would ride bikes when I got home. He stopped eating, looked up at me with a clearly distressed face, and said, "No Mama buh-bye." Awwww. That's my adorable little boy! A three word sentence!!! And man, it's not easy to go to work after that one!

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So my take away? He will speak. When he's ready and in God's time. This whole situation just offers me more reasons to practice patience and trust God and know that He is in control. And more reasons to get on my knees!

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Father, walk with Seth and me through this time of learning and development. Teach us to rely more on You, for everything. Continue to teach us that no aspiration (including speaking) is more important than You. And, Lord, bring the speech, for Seth and I have much to discuss. :) Amen.

Looking Ahead

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to go to Africa. Any country, really. Just the continent in general. God has grown my love for its people and His land over the years. I've traveled a ton to far away places around the world, but never to Africa.

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Last Fall, I met with friends from World Vision and planned to travel with them to Africa this May. And I was excited! The plan was to head to Zambia to see some of World Vision's many water projects and begin to understand my role as a donor to this great organization.

In early January, I got the itinerary for the trip, and it was amazing! Victoria Falls, a safari, and lots of traveling around. Wow! Then, the earth quake in Haiti. My feelings about a lot of things changed after that day and I lost the drive to go to Zambia. One reason was because I wanted to go to Haiti and serve instead. Another reason was because the World Vision trip was touring and not working. Not a mission trip. And it was expensive. I'd rather donate that money, I thought. I remember telling my mom that I wanted to go to Haiti, OR to Uganda with the folks from A Place Called Simplicity who take a mission trip there most years.

http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/

So I started looking for trips to Haiti online. Groups that would take me even though I'm not a doctor. I have other skills! (Or so I tell myself..... Ha). I found a group that would take me, but then they ran into troubles of their own in Haiti and that wasn't going to work, at least not this Spring.

In February, the posting I'd been hoping for arrived. The Uganda trip was coming and open. I jumped! A week later I had applied, shortly thereafter I was "accepted" and on May 12, it's off to Uganda for two weeks! It's the perfect trip for me. A work trip of sorts, with a group of passionate believers. And we will really meet and serve people -- not just tour. Love it!

I'm starting to pray NOW about this trip. For protection and health and fruitfulness and faithfulness and FUN. Lord, bless this trip. May it be a delight to You.

Africa here I come!!! (Finally!)

Haiti

I have a friend, Lori, who is a doctor and is in Haiti right now. (This is at least the fourth doctor I've personally known to go! I'm jealous!). Lori had a fair amount of anxiety about going -- about leaving her family and what she might see and what she might experience. But she was brave and went anyway. Praise God! Please pray for her and her team -- that they would be safe, serve people, and glorify God. I will let her know she is covered in prayer. Thanks!

March Madness

Is there anything better than a "last" snow, cozy day at home with Mama? I don't think so.....

Maybe ya'll don't understand how fun it is to turn the phone on speaker, dial random numbers, and then speed around the house so mom can't catch you. I mean, this is FUN!

Throw some dancin' to praise music in there and it's a rockin' good time!

Maggie's not so sure.....

I did try to get her to take a chip . . . out of my mouth. Hmm. Not so much.

When Payton visited me, I tried to show her my choo-choos and tell her how they sound. She didn't seem impressed.

I also play with my race track, all the time! I'm very precise these days.

Some things will probably NEVER change!

We had a party for Ruben's birthday today. He is six years old already! We had a good time.

There was even a football game!

Alonzo was there.

Papa

Isabel.

Of course, Ruben.

And Uncle Joel with Peyton!

Remembering

Now THAT's Remembering!

First day home:

One month old

Two Months Old

Three Months Old

Four Months Old

Five Months Old

(He will kill me for this one day)

Six Months Old

Seven Months Old

Don't we look alike? In the heart? :-)

Eight Months Old

Nine Months Old

Ten Months Old

Eleven Months Old

And ONE YEAR OLD!

Wuh hoooo!

Personal Update

I started this blog back in late December to kick off our wait for baby number two in our family. I remain excited about that prospect and continue to dream of the laughter of siblings in our home. I put that adoption on hold when I felt like God and I had some unfinished business to discuss prior to going forward. There are plenty of postings on that whole topic! At this point, I think I’ve worked through all of my little (or big) issues and that I have a green light from God to adopt a second child, except for one thing: I need to make certain that my health is really on the right foot before I can proceed because being a single mama doesn’t really afford you the opportunity to rest much! (And I know that parenting with a hubby doesn’t either…..) While I have good days and bad days and I’ve been feeling progressively better overall, I’m not quite there yet. My hope had been that by March 1 I could press go, but it wasn’t time yet. Now I’m hoping for May 1. What a nice spring/summer blessing that would be!

Thanks so much to all of you who are asking about it and praying for us and baby number two, whenever s/he will arrive. I’m still excited; I’m still energized when I think of it; I still believe it’s God’s call for me. It’s just time to wait on Him and be obedient. Pray on warriors!

My new friend

A few weeks ago, Mama got me these friends so that I can learn to zip and button and tie and hook.

At first, I didn't like them.

And even mama wasn't allowed to hold them.

Then one day, Mama saw this when she walked in the room.

Huh. Guess I'm over it!

I'm a Big Boy Now

So Eveline and I were in the kitchen the other day and I turned around to see this:

Um, Eveline, did you give Seth a big glass??? Nope. He did this one all by himself. Oh brother!