Family Outing

No, we didn't go to China today, but we did go to Lake Forest mall to celebrate "The Year of the Ox", aka Chinese New Year. We watched a Lion Dance, martial arts demonstrations, and some cute kids singing Chinese songs. We browsed some artwork and photos of China and enjoyed a yummy Chinese lunch. I guess you could call it getting ready for our real trip to China! (YAY!) =)

More good news!!!

I didn’t ever imagine it happening like this. I pray for my children's salvation, and I guess I had this idea that he'd gradually show interest, and then one night when Heath or I was tucking him into bed, we'd have a big talk about Jesus, and pray together. Well, I guess that wasn't God's plan . . .

The other day at breakfast, we were reading the boys’ Bible study lesson about John the Baptist, about how the people were being baptized because they were sorry for all the wrong things they had done and wanted to do right. The end of the story said that we also need to ask God to forgive us for our sins. Just then Ethan piped up and said, “I already asked God into my heart.” I was a little shocked! I asked him when he did that, and he said, “I think it was last Tuesday.”

Later that afternoon, while Jesse was sleeping, Ethan and I got to talk about it, and, lo and behold, he really does get it! He believes that Jesus died for us so that God could forgive us, and he said he loves Jesus and wants to obey Him.

I know this is only the beginning, and there's still so much he needs to learn, and so much growth ahead. But it's so exciting that God has already drawn Ethan's heart to Himself, in childlike faith. Despite the fact that it didn’t come about the way I’d always envisioned, I know this is the beginning of Ethan’s eternal life and his relationship with Christ. Hallelujah! God is awesome!

We got it!!

Today, on my way to run a couple errands, I stopped at the end of the driveway to get the mail. I was excited because I noticed a chunky envelope containing a kitchen cabinet catalog I'd been waiting for (for ideas for our new house). But I quickly tossed that aside as my eye fell on an envelope from US Dept of Homeland Security! I knew it was about our I-800A (application to adopt a foreign child). I figured that it was a request for more documents, because we still had another month before it was supposed to be ready. But I eagerly opened it, and literally started screaming for joy when I read: "The above application has been approved. . . You have been approved to adopt one child from the following Convention country: The People's Republic of China." I've never been so excited over a piece of mail!!

So, now we need to gather up our huge stack of documents and get all this to the agency ASAP. They'll translate, notarize, finalize, and send our dossier to China! That means we will soon be able to request a specific waiting child. Please pray for God's leading. This is a huge decision, and at times I feel scared to death to have to decide something this important. I think it'd be easier if we had no choice! We need God's guidance as far as medical conditions to accept or decline, and really just want Him to very obviously direct us to the specific child He has for us. We also still need a lot more money, but that seems really minor compared to this decision. After all, money's just money . . . choosing a child will radically change a little person's future.

We are so excited. Thanks for your continued prayer support.

Our first "tooth-fairy" visit

I thought kids didn't lose their teeth until they were 6! But obviously, I was wrong. Ethan's had a loose tooth since right around Thanksgiving, and he finally lost it on Thursday (1/22). It'd been bothering him for awhile, and Heath kept offering to pull it out. But Ethan wouldn't let him. I, of course, wanted nothing to do with it. Even though I successfully lost all my own baby teeth, and survived natural childbirth twice, the thought of pulling out my child's tooth makes me quite squeamish. Thursday morning, Ethan came into our room saying his tooth was really bothering him today. I looked at it, and it was sticking out straight forward, barely attached. I suggested he let Daddy pull it out, and he did! He's been quite excited to have lost his first tooth, and the one next to it is already a little loose too!

Heath and I decided to start a new tradition with our kids. Once a month we'll each take one of them out to do something fun and have some one-on-one time with them. They spend so much of their time together, so we thought it'd be nice for them to have some time with Mommy and Daddy by themselves. Tonight was our first time. I took Ethan, and Heath took Jesse. Ethan requested Chuck E Cheese, so I braced myself and we went. :) It was actually really fun, not at all as horrific as it was for his birthday party. We had a nice time eating pizza together, and he had a blast playing all the games. Heath and Jesse went to "the ice cream place", which is really a buffet restaurant that happens to have a soft-serve ice cream machine that the boys love. They had a nice time too. I think this will be a great habit to get into, that will be especially important as they get older!

We had a great visit with Jen & Joel Dean this weekend (friends of ours from college). They've been living in Italy (for the Army) and are now happy wanderers until they find out where Joel will be doing his residency. It was great to reconnect. We had a great time, and Ethan and Jesse LOVED playing with them. Thanks for visiting, guys! We love you! =)

Sorry, I totally forgot to take any pictures while they were here!
:(

Wedding #4

Well, we completed our last wedding of the year! My cousin Zeke Magill married Meagan Linebaugh on New Year's Eve. Ethan was their ring bearer. Instead of bubbles or birdseed, we ushered the bride and groom out with sparklers, and they even had a few fireworks going off. It was really neat!

We had a great time up in Pennsylvania visiting with a bunch of relatives for the week. I had told the boys they'd get to see lots of snow when we went to PA, but when we arrived Saturday it was 60 degrees! Fortunately, we did get snow in time for the wedding...just enough to make it pretty and give Ethan a chance to sled.

The boys stayed up til midnight for the first time on New Year's Eve. We're all pretty tired out from the week, but we had a really good time. Happy New Year everyone!