My favorite two year old in the world!

My favorite almost 2 year old in the world!!!!

My favorite 3 year old in the whole world!!!

7 MONTHS....

......since my last attempt at a blog post!! Eyob had only been home 3 weeks!! Now he's been home almost 8 months! What a ride it has been. Blogging just hasn't been a priority, I guess.

Since November we've had holidays, birthdays, many trips to Children's Hospital, Eyob's g-tube and mickey button placement, a family wedding, Dan traveling multiple times for IV, a homeschool conference, crew meets, much learning and growing together as a family of 8, and much more!

Eyob is such a joy! He is the easiest baby I've ever had. He sleeps 12 hours through the night in his crib. And sometimes takes a 3-4 hour nap. He eats anything and is very happy and affectionate. He is talking a lot and practically running. He and Abel get along so well now. One day this week, Abel came down in the morning after waking. When Eyob saw him, they shared a wonderfully mutual hug. So precious! I really love having them so close together. It's double the diapers to wash, two high chairs wherever we go, and will be a bit of a challenge to keep up with them at the pool this year, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! Abel continues to blow me away with his take on the world through verbal expression! He is so bright and so funny!

I've been experiencing an usual amount of joy lately, for me that is. I'm sure it's God working in me as I'm not naturally a bubbly, content person. I just feel like I'm right where I need to be and doing a decent job of managing everything. It's a good feeling! I am so grateful for the paths God has made clear for our children educationally. I just can't believe how much I love homeschooling! It is such a good fit for us. The girls and I have really enjoyed our Ancient History reading/projects and study of marine life. Sadly, it has not been a good year for Noah academically and in other ways. After a two month attempt at homeschooling him this past year, I sent him back to public school. Not a good idea! He's really struggled and I've done a lot of worrying. We have decided to enroll him in Ohio Virtual Academy. I'm really excited about this option for him. Brianna has been disappointed in her education this year and after signing Noah up, surprised me by her interest in OHVA as well. They are both officially enrolled and we'll receive their materials/computers some time in July. It will be added work for me, but at this point I'm willing to do anything to help Noah be successful. It will be so good to have them home and be more involved in their education. They will also be able to participate in our local homeschool cooperative. It's an incredible co-op with over 150 kids, a large amount teens, for them to connect with. Exciting stuff!

Dan and I are longing for a get-away. We are hoping to do this some time this summer or fall. It's been 6 years since our 10 year anniversary trip! We do look forward to our month of IVLI at Cedar Campus coming up. Although it's work for Dan, it will be wonderful to simplify and be there as a family. I was very strongly feeling pulled toward adoption about 4 years ago when we were last there together. I spent the summer studying the scriptures about orphans and God's desire for us to care for them. It will be wonderful to be back there with our larger family and look to God again more deeply for his will in our lives.

A snap shot

Right now I am listening to Brianna's beautiful piano playing. Simone is interacting with Eyob as she finishes her assigned book; she's enjoying two of her favorite things at once. I can hear Ahni prancing around. Abel is dipping graham crackers in a stray cup of milk. The house is strewn with the leftovers of the day's activities. We have yet to do the final cleanup. There is string strung from one chair to another about 25 feet away where once a balloon zipped and entertained. The remaining ball of yarn somehow went around the dining room table and chairs making a large seven-sided shape. There are laundry baskets that served as trains and boats and a stray pillow whose role was a landing spot during a flood. Many books and papers and abandoned kid-dreamed projects still occupy space on the kitchen table, the one that needs to be set for dinner. Lunch dishes are waiting to be reduced along with the dinner dishes soon to pile up. In my head is a giant question of what to make for dinner without a functioning oven. Soup again tonight? Now the baby is fussy on my lap and manipulating an envelope for a temporary fix. A diaper surprise beckons. This is a snapshot of a normal day. Tomorrow the flurry will repeat itself. Life is good.

We are not the heroes in this story

I've been thinking about how strange it feels when people say things like..."What a wonderful thing you have done," or "What a difference you are making," or "I wish I could do that." Though I appreciate the sentiment, it feels very uncomfortable and I've figured out why. We are not the heroes in this story. Our boys and their first families are. We have not suffered loss and heartache forcing us to make difficult choices. We have not lost everything we've known because of a lack of basic resources. It is humbling to have been entrusted these precious lives (all six of them) and we will strive to make a difference in each of their worlds, but we are no heroes.

Life with Eyob is dreamy....though I'm not dreaming much

Eyob is the sweetest baby. He is amazing all that he has endured and still has a smile on his face. Many people have invested in him along the way and it shows. Now everyone in this family has picked up the torch and loves him in their own special way. Brianna loves to tickle him and make him laugh. Noah can't resist a smooch or two or three. Simone is now ready to hold him as much as I am willing. Ahni notices all the things he does. Abel brings him toys and sits in his bouncy seat (when Eyob's not in it, thankfully). Eyob lights up when Dan comes into view, but Dan has been sick so that's been limited. I love caring for him. He's so sweet-natured and after a long nap, I can't wait to hold him again. Nights aren't filled with much sleep, but we are all adjusting well. I am so grateful to God for his hand in all of this. I am a blessed woman.