Happy girl

So it seems that Reagan enjoys dressing up for Aunt Jacque's house more than posing at home! Maybe it was the abundance of wrapping paper and boxes to play with (since no one-year-old I know ever seems to enjoy the gift as much as the package). We had a wonderful Christmas and are now busy digging out from the incredible generosity of our family and friends. I think that a number of old toys are going to enjoy a little "vacation" in the garage for a while. Better get that done during what remains of nap time!

All ready for Christmas!

Though we've yet to get a photo of a happy Reagan in her Christmas outfit, the three of them still look pretty sweet, don't they? We'll try again tonight! Note the doting big brother who is desperately trying to get a sad baby sister to stand up and smile when mama calls "cheese!".

Hark the herald

I’ve long enjoyed the tune of the carol Hark The Herald Angels Sing, but had never really stopped to consider what the words mean. Several years ago I finally did, and fell in love with the hymn not just for the music, but for the truth it presents about my Savior. The first word is an old one, which means “to listen attentively.” Alternately, hark refers to “a hunter's shout to hounds, as to encourage them in following the scent,” which presents an appropriate and interesting image. The hymn writer is imploring us to listen to, and follow, the truths proclaimed by the angels on that first Christmas night. As we approach Christmas this year, I also encourage you to set aside the busyness for a moment (challenging I know!) to consider the words of the angels. But even more importantly, I would encourage you to consider the Baby they announced - Diety veiled in human flesh, Who was born that men no more may die – and to give Him the glory He alone deserves.

Hark the herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled

"Joyful, all ye nations rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With the angelic host proclaim:

"Christ is born in Bethlehem

"Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored

Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come

Offspring of a Virgin's womb

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see

Hail the incarnate Deity

Pleased as man with man to dwell

Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings

Ris'n with healing in His wings

Mild He lays His glory by

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

3-0

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently celebrated the milestone birthday. No, I don’t really feel that much older, but I do finally feel like I’m a true, respectable adult. One would think that titles such as wife, CPA, college professor, aunt, “senior staff” (an unfortunate name for our roles in a college-age Bible Study), homeowner, piano teacher or mom would have done that for me, but somehow leaving my twenties behind seems more definitively adult-ish than any of those other things. So many huge life changes have happened in the past decade that it just now feels like I’m settling in. Between the ages of 20 and 30 I met Dan, graduated from college, started a career in accounting, got married, gave birth to two wonderful kids, adopted a third, ended a career in accounting, started a “career” in teaching – big kids and my own little ones, moved four times, and celebrated 8 years of marriage. It’s hard to imagine that the next decade could hold quite that much stuff. I don’t regret growing older though because each stage just seems to be better than the last. God has been so incredibly gracious to me over the past 30 years that I can’t wait to see what He has in store for me over the next 30!

Not so deceptive, not so delicious

In celebration of my recent birthday (the big 3-0… more about that later), my sister gave me a new cookbook, promoted by a certain talk-show host, that seemed rather promising. The idea is to puree various veggies and sneak them into your kids’ favorite dishes, thus getting them to consume the good stuff unaware. We don’t really have that much of a problem getting our kids to eat what we set in front of them (well, except for Parker who we can’t even get to eat sweets), but I didn’t see the harm in trying to up the nutritional content of the food I serve to the whole family. So on Tuesday I tried the chicken nuggets. Aside from being entirely too much work, they weren’t all that bad. Dan preferred the un-doctored variety, but my mother-in-law swore she liked the broccoli/spinach version even better. I was undecided, but after last night’s fiasco, I am decidedly anti-deception! I thought I’d try the spaghetti pie. Pretty hard to ruin, right? Wrong. For the first time in 8 years of marriage we had to run out for Chinese after dinner came out of the oven. It tasted only a little better than it looked, and trust me, it looked not even half as good as the photo in the cookbook. It was more than a little obvious that the meatballs were full of broccoli, and the carrot and cottage cheese combo was far more than could be overcome by the pasta and tomato sauce. I’m sure a good portion of the blame can be placed on this chef, but I think from now on our veggies will be served steamed, on the side, disguised with only perhaps a little cheese. Now I’m off to find another Christmas present for my sister because apparently great minds think alike – there’s a second copy of this disaster sitting in my closet, wrapped up with her name on it!

They’re out!

Our Christmas cards are in the mail! If I didn’t enjoy getting them so much there’s no way I would go to all the trouble. For some reason the task just seemed especially tedious this year. Maybe it was the multiple photo sessions in multiple outfits on multiple different days (we get to dress and pose for the grandmothers’ Christmas cards as well). Perhaps it was the fact that the cute cards I bought on clearance last year didn’t want to go through my printer, which meant I had to print our letter on a separate sheet. I couldn’t bring myself to make another run out just to get paper, so I was limited to my stock on hand, which of course was not the right size and had to be cut by hand because my paper trimmer was too small to accommodate it… you get the idea! Top that off with the printer running out of ink and the laptop running out of juice mid-print and I was pretty much Christmas-carded-out before I even got to the sort, stuff, address, lick and stamp routine. All in all it’s still worth it for the fun of running out to the mailbox each day to see how our friends and family have changed and what they’ve been up to over the past year. I also appreciate the opportunity to share how gracious God has been to us, but I think next year I might go with the Costco photo shop special. So if you did receive a card, enjoy! If not and you’d like to have one, shoot me an e-mail with your street address (momwholoveschrist@hotmail.com) but you’ll have to do without the letter – I’m all out and not about to start that mess again. Or if you’d rather not have our family photo plastered on your fridge next year, just enjoy it here:

As you can tell from our photo, the ~ family became a little more Vietnamese in 2007! After almost two years of waiting, Reagan finally became an official part of our family on May 15th. Since then, we have enjoyed getting to know the little person who for so many months was just a picture and a dream. Reagan is a sweet, happy baby who has blended almost seamlessly into our crazy life. Parker has embraced the role of big brother with gusto, and his laughter and enthusiasm are contagious. Alyssa loves being mama’s helper, but now shares her mornings and tender spirit with her beloved kindergarten class. Dan enjoyed ten weeks away from work, which we filled with all kinds of fun “bonding” activities after bringing Reagan home, but eventually returned to a job he loves. My life is filled with the simple joys and stuff of being a wife and now mother to three. When there’s time left over I blog about it ~here~. But as grateful as we are for our many temporal blessings, and especially the joy of adopting a child, they all pale in comparison to the joy of being adopted as a child of God. At this special time of year, and every day, we rejoice that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). We pray that you too have been redeemed and know for yourselves the indescribable joy of being adopted by God!

Not beach people

This is how we love the beach! Close enough to smell the salt air, watch the waves crash, and take some cute kid pictures, but not so close as to deal with the sticky persistent mess that inevitably results from any physical contact with sand and salt water. I know, we're spoiled and probably a little too uptight, but we really did have fun and took the kids on the nearby 3-car ferry to make up for not allowing them to bury themselves in the sand!

THE call

One year ago today we received the phone call informing us that we were parents once again. After months on the waiting list, nearly a year and a half into the adoption process, and two countries later, we were finally sure that our daughter was alive and waiting for us in Vietnam. We were shocked she was so young and so tiny, we could barely tell what she looked like from the little grainy photo, we weren’t even sure what we would call her, but we knew she was ours and loved her from the start. Now we know her in the flesh, are watching her sweet and silly little personality develop, and are falling in love with her more every day. As much as we praised God for Reagan one year ago, we feel even more blessed by this precious gift from our heavenly Father today!

Disneyland... again!

Three times a birthday

ONETWO
THREE

Alyssa's birthday celebration became quite drawn out this year. Her party had to be resheduled due to the fact that so many of the attendees were ill. Since she and I weren't sick, we met the only other well family members (my sister-in-law and niece) at McDonald's for dinner - hence the first celebration. We finally were able to have the real party a few days later, and a week later I got to bring cupcakes to her classroom. As you can see from the expression on her face, that was probably the highlight of them all. So there's the birthday wrap-up. Most of you probably get tired of all the family photos, but a few of my readers (hi mom!) require them!

Imposters

Can I just tell you how much I love artificial Christmas trees? For many years I was something of a Christmas tree snob and just couldn’t bear the idea of forgoing a real tree for the holidays. Growing up, our trees were always real and both looked and smelled wonderful right on through the Big Day. However, I don’t think I’ve yet mentioned that I’m a native Washingtonian. In case you haven’t heard, the climate there is significantly different than my current environment. Southern California tends to be quite dry, which is great for outdoor play and my mood, but not so good for Christmas trees. What may start out as a beautiful decoration the day after Thanksgiving will be a pile of tinder by the time Christmas finally rolls around. For several years Dan and I compromised by picking out our tree on my birthday in early December. This satisfied my need to have the Christmas décor out early while avoiding a fire hazard on the holiday. However, the trees still got quite dry, and man are they expensive here! So, in time my frugality and fear of fire won out, and I finally broke down and bought a fake one. Or rather, make that two. I purchased one on clearance in the after-Christmas sales a few years ago ($14.99 I think!). When I pulled it out the next November, however, it turned out to be a cute, but very stubby little tree. So that became our “kids” tree for all the homemade and miscellaneous ornaments. Ultimately a handy thing to have, but not the Christmasy masterpiece I had envisioned. I then went out and purchased another of significantly greater stature (not on clearance), and have been in love ever since. The thing goes up in a matter of minutes, it fits perfectly into its custom-made stand, there’s no cutting, watering, falling needles, or asymmetrical spots. It comes pre-lit, the branches can be contorted to any position you desire, my Margaret Furlong collection can be protected from little hands with one little bend, and it can stay up for as long as I want. I’ve even solved the problem of smell by purchasing a real wreath from my favorite store. Of course, I am sacrificing a little character, I know the fake ones aren't as "green" as some would like to think, and my kids may not know the joy of searching for the perfect tree, but its not like LA has a lot of “over the river and through the woods” kind of tree lots anyway! And yes, I know these are the same pictures as last year, but they really haven't changed - another plus! Just imagine one more stocking hanging on the mantle.

All is quiet on the blog-front

I’m relieved to see that I’m not the only one who has neglected their blogging duties over the long weekend. Between the holiday times two (Thursday for Dan’s side, Friday for mine), Alyssa’s birthday, a nearly 2-week break from school, the Family Plague (which hit 11 out of 16 family members), Black Friday, and decorating for Christmas, blogging just hasn’t been a priority. Judging by the lack of posts on my normal blog-roll and dip in traffic here, I’m guessing mine isn’t the only hectic life. So I trust I’ll be forgiven, and hope to come up with something meaningful to say here one of these days. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and don’t neglect to continue thanking the One who gives us life, joy, and the opportunity to find peace with God.

5 years ago

About this time five years ago I was recovering from one of the most exhausting and rewarding experiences of my life: giving birth. I was in labor for 2 days, pushed for 3 hours, and was finally blessed with the sweetest, most beautiful newborn baby girl I had ever seen. All of our family was there – those who couldn’t be in the room had their ears to the door – and within hours of Alyssa’s arrival we had dozens of friends stop by to see this precious gift. Dan and I were overwhelmed by the love demonstrated to us by so many of those close to us, but even more in awe of this tiny little body God had entrusted to us! Looking back at pictures she was as funny looking as most brand-new babies are (especially those who have spent that amount of time in the birth canal!), but I thought she was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. I couldn’t wait to get her home, dress her up, take her out, and show the world what an incredible gift we had been given. But as proud I was of her that day, I am infinitely more proud of her on this day. She has already proven herself to be a beautiful young lady, inside and out. Her confidence in who she is and what she knows is both admirable and humorous (Daddy thought he would have at least a few more years before his little girl would start correcting him). Her love for her siblings and cousins is evident in the way she talks about, shares, and serves them (though you shouldn’t think that means they don’t bicker!). Just as all parents think their children are brilliant, I’m convinced she is, but more importantly Alyssa loves to learn, is respectful of her teachers, and is anxious to soak up the truth of the Scriptures. Alyssa exhibits care in her appearance and loves to dress up, but isn’t affected or afraid to play in the dirt. She is excitable about something like a birthday party, but patient and humble when it has to be postponed as a result of the Family Plague. Many of my own character qualities are bound up in this little life, but she has enough of her daddy in her to make her incredibly likeable. Already I admire the lady I see emerging from the precious girl God allows me to mother. Already I am thankful for the pain of that day 5 years ago, and the indescribable joy He has brought to our lives as a result. Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

What's more fun...

...than one kid with the stomach flu? Three kids with the stomach flu! At least, that is, if you measure fun in loads of laundry...

1st Fieldtrip

Tuesday was a big day! Alyssa got to ride on her first real school bus and go on her first real field trip! The bus was actually a more anticipated event than the play we attended, and the field trip in general has been talked about even more than her upcoming birthday. Needless to say, we had a good time and I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to be a part!

I watch in hope

A favorite worship song of mine is taken from Micah 7:7

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD,

I wait for God my Savior;

my God will hear me.

While singing this chorus on Tuesday at Bible Study, I thought of how diligently I watched in hope for Reagan, and how diligently I don’t wait for God my Savior.
Throughout those many months (years!) of waiting for our adoption to be completed, I could not be torn away from my computer. I scoured the internet for any information about adoption, Vietnam, adoptions in Vietnam. I hit refresh more times than I care to admit, hoping that some e-mail about our process would be waiting for me. I tied myself to our agency’s forum with the sense that our adoption somehow became more real as I watched others complete the process. My heart leapt each time the phone rang, hoping it was some news about Reagan. Most of my blog posts are about The Wait. My idle thoughts often went immediately to Reagan. Even my worship of God was colored by His gracious care of her and me during that trying time. My sense of hope for my third child was almost palpable.

My conviction now is that I might learn to cultivate the same sense of hope for Jesus Christ. His return is far more certain than the promise of a child ever was. As I witness the dramatic developments in Vietnamese adoption over the past week and the possibility of a shutdown at some point, I realize just how delicate the balance of international adoption really is. In stark contrast is the promise of Christ’s second coming which is guaranteed by God in I Thessalonians 4:16-17 - “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God… and thus we shall always be with the Lord.” The joy that Reagan has brought to our lives pales in comparison to the joy I will experience when I am finally united with Christ. Through Him I can rejoice even when I suffer, knowing that “when His glory is revealed, [I] may also be glad with exceeding joy” (I Peter 4:13).

Yet even in light of those promises, that precious hope, I often fail to anticipate His arrival with anywhere near the longing and urgency I felt for our daughter. Perhaps the thousands of intervening years between His first and second coming have lulled us into complacency, but we are commanded to be ready (Luke 12:40). The gospels are full of tragic parables of those who thought they had time to prepare themselves for His coming, only to be told by the Lord “I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12). My prayer is that none of you, my precious readers, will ever hear those words. I pray that you intimately know the grace of God that brings salvation, and look with me for “the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

I wish I had something to say…

but I don’t. The only thing I don’t like about having a blog is the pressure to keep it going. This is just one of those weeks when there are a lot of things floating around in my brain, but there’s not enough time or brain cells available to put anything coherent down on “paper.” I’ve been thinking about the intense conversations going on over at Voices for Vietnam Adoption Integrity about the potential for corruption in adoption (specifically in Vietnam) and what a truly ethical adoption looks like. I have my own, somewhat unorthodox views and a related post that’s been in the works for some time, but it’s just not ready yet. I’ve been thinking about our friends, the Kostjuk’s, who are facing the possibility that they may never get to know their newborn baby girl. I’ve been thinking about the babies we lost through miscarriage. I’ve been rejoicing in the glorious way God used that pain to lead our hearts ultimately to Reagan, and how without their deaths we never would have conceived Alyssa and Parker. I’ve been falling more and more in love with my newest daughter, almost to the point where I can say I hold the same affection for her as for my eldest two. I’ve been thinking about whether God will ever lead us (or rather Dan!) to adopt again, and when that time might be. I’ve been wondering whether our family is complete and what it will ultimately look like. A lot of fragmented thoughts, but like I said, nothing really cemented enough in my brain to compose a post in and of themselves. So maybe some day I’ll expand upon these thoughts, but for now you just get this little dump.

Happy Halloween!

Though Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays (just why do people have to decorate with tombstones, and what are we supposed to do with all this candy?!) the kids really do love dressing up! Even Reagan tolerated her slightly-ridiculous-but-very-adorable goldfish costume, and Alyssa has only shed her scrubs for the few hours she was at school this morning. I had this great idea for a themed Halloween when I saw the fish costumes on clearance at Babystyle, but Alyssa was set on being a doctor and I just never found the time to create a fisher-girl outfit for her. So alas, no theme. They still looked pretty cute though and are already busy deciding what they're going to be next year.

Reagan's 1st Birthday!

Football fun

As the daughter of a sports fan who only fathered girls, I was exposed to a great variety of live sporting events throughout my childhood. Though I no longer really follow baseball or basketball, my love of football remains. We’re not an NFL kind of family, but together Dan & I really enjoy college ball. Even when Dan’s beloved USC is having a hard day or my Washington Huskies are having a hard season, we’ll watch just about any good match up or tension-filled 4th quarter. But anyway, the point is this: I ran across two unforgettable football clips this week that I just had to share. This is a video from a division III school in Texas. It’s a little hard to follow at first, but a pretty funny and unbelievable ending. For the second I’ll link you to our friends, the Pyromaniacs, since Phil does a much better job rehearsing the background than I could. All I have to say is, how proud would you be to be this kid's grandpa? Enjoy!