Home 3 Months!

Levi and Mom in on March 7, 2010, the day we met.

Levi at home in Iowa!

I can't believe that we have been home for three months with Levi!  Looking at those pictures from the trip is weird because it seems like he was a different child and that it was so long ago.  It seems like he has been in our family forever!  Levi is such a joy to have around.  He is rarely in a bad mood and is usually dancing, running, jumping, climbing, giving kisses and just laughing at everything.  Here are some fun facts about Levi:

• He calls Isaiah "I-yay- yuh!".
• He eats anything.
• He loves baths.
• He says "Look Mom!" (it doesn't sound like that but I know what he is saying.  It is soo cute!)
• He loves his red crocks and says "shoes" and wears them all of the time.
• He is pretty much potty trained!  Easy kid!
• He aggravates Isaiah and Naomi and they give it right back.
• He has grown accustomed to lawn mowers, well almost.
• He is afraid of lawn mowers, the vacuum, dogs, cats, and horses.  Oh, and the hair clippers.
• He loves to give kisses...even to the cell phone sales man.  Woops!
• He hears "I love you" countless times a day and each time replies, "I wah wah" with a big grin.
• He would love it if we let him take an hour to eat each meal.  He is the slowest eater ever.
• He tries to repeat every word that we say and do every action that we do.
• He is always willing to duke it out with Naomi over a seat in Mom's lap.  Naomi hates this.
• He always has a small car, truck, or train in each hand.  He carries them everywhere.
• He has a lovie!  "Doggie" or "Ya-ye" was given to him by a co-worker of Micah.
• Doggie, Daddy, and Potty all sound the same when he says them.  You have to be looking at him to tell the difference.  If you get it wrong you might get a surprise!
• He is a very happy kid who loves life.
• I think he is comfortable and thriving with his new family.
• His new family adores him.
• He wants another sister...he said so.  I heard him say it but Micah could't quite make it out. ;)

A few happenings...

Micah turned 33 26.  We had a party last week where Isaiah made hats for us all.  I tried to get pictures but for some reason they did not turn out well.  Anyway, Micah had fun and felt loved.

Brian and Erin Uglum along with the adorable Uglum children came for a visit and stayed the weekend.  It was wonderful to have long time friends over!

Oh my goodness, who do those super adorable kids belong to?!?!

These are some pics from our morning at the Dubuque Arboretum.    

My life has changed.

My life has changed.  I am sure you have noticed.  It has been wonderful and glorious and challenging and ugly.  You know, growth.  For all of us.  Growth is painful and SO worth it.

Before all of this change I clung to my quiet time with God every morning.  5:30 alarm.  Up in a flash.  Grabbed my coffee, my bible, sat on the couch on the far left corner situating myself so that I could see out the window a bit.  Ahhh.  Perfect.  Soaking in the word and spending that quiet time in prayer before those little feet hit the ground running was amazing!  I was so glad that I had made that decision every day to  be alone with my father.  I could NOT understand why more people could not do it.  What is wrong with them?!

Then, change.  Lots of it.  And my mood is FUNKY.  Oh and how hard I have tried to blame my funkiness on various issues.  I am too busy.  I am tired.  My children don't behave.  I wish I could have a few days away with my husband.  Adoption is hard.  The roof is leaking.  I have cold sores for the fourth time in 4 months.  The lake house may not pan out.  Oh well, you get the picture.  BUT I know the real reason.  The thing at the root of it all.

The snooze button is hit for 45 minutes.  I drag myself downstairs to the coffee pot just as I hear the little feet hit the ground and begin to run.  Toward. Me.  UGH!  Then there are a million things that occur over the next 14 hours and none of them involve soaking in the word and quiet time in prayer.  That little spot on the couch is collecting dust and so is my bible.  I am frustrated and tired.  I hear the Lord saying "you may be tired, Jamie, but I am not."

A friend called today.  She is a spiritual mentor and her kids are all older and in school.  She said that I need to have a different plan for how I go about getting that nourishment and quiet with my father.  "Listen to sermons or scripture while you are doing dishes and laundry" she says.  You have to get that time somehow and the way you get it may change.  And in fact it must or else the thing or person that is keeping you from what you so desperately want will become a target of irritation.  And that is so true.  Lately, poor sweet Naomi wakes happily to find her grumpy mother trying desperately to grab the bible and steal 5 minutes of reading while shooing her away with annoyance.

So as I was thinking of these things and as the day has worn on I have had some quiet time in the midst of the commotion of preschoolers.  On the way home from dropping Isaiah and a friend at tennis a song came on that brought me to tears.  I was so thankful in that moment for Christian radio no matter how cheesy it can be at times.  That was a moment for me to worship and sing the scripture that I so desire to ponder. I took hold of it with thanks.  Then after lunch while rocking Levi I whispered in his ear "I love you" and he whispered the same back to me as he smiled big.  I rubbed his back while we had a long conversation most of which I did not understand.  He began to rub my back too and gave me kisses on the forehead.  In that moment I realized God's presence and the gift that he was giving me of quiet time with Him and Levi.  Priceless.

All I had to do was desire Him with all of my heart and cry out to Him and He was there to meet me.  He met me right where I was.

So with that, here is a song that our worship team has been belting out at church.  It's the one that spoke to me today.  If you are a mom of preschoolers turn up your radio or grab your Ipod and get nourished while doing this amazing, beautiful, glorious work that the Lord has set before us.

What is going on?

So I know I have not blogged in a while and there have been several complaints logged.  I hear ya.  I have been very busy watching season 4 of Lost dutifully serving my husband and parenting our children.  So, I'm sure you can see why there has been no time to blog.

As for what we have done recently, well, there has been too much to recount but I will try and provide some pictures for your enjoyment.

We went to visit the Steele's and to hang out with the Joel Steele family and Hannah.  All of the following are from that super fun long weekend...

Cora and Walker.

Miriam, Naomi , and Cora in matching dresses that Grandma made.

Sad attempt at a family picture.

Pretty decent attempt at a cute pic of the children.

Very cute cousins...

Isaiah, Naomi, Levi, Miriam, Walker, and Cora.

Well, that's all for now folks.  Stay strong in the Lord.  He is the only way.