Sierra is seven!

Sierra is Seven!

The thing about Sierra is...

She's a 

MIRACLE

👑

Happy Birthday Sierra!

Words are inadequate to express the love of a mother.

In 2010 a phone call came…

“You’ve been matched with an 8 month old baby girl….” The worker went on and on about the challenges this treasure had already endured in her young life and the numerous diagnosis and bleak potential outcomes. 

Yet, we’d already decided “Yes!”, sight unseen, any diagnosis….God, You choose.” 

“No eye has seen, nor ear heard nor mind imagined the good things He has planned….” Sierra, our miracle girl, is a gift beyond description. She’s a fighter, an overcomer and loves Jesus. She has insight, kindness and gentleness beyond her years. Sierra is a walking light, a treasure of immeasurable worth, and my daughter. My heart swells with love and amazement at the gift of her life...

👑

Video for Sierra

to Music by

Mandisa 

Video created by big sister, Ianna💕

Sierra, tears flow with gratefulness for you.

Happy Birthday!

We LOVE you!

Where has time gone...?

Referral pic:)

Daddy meeting Sierra for the first time 💕

Our princess angel is growing up too quickly...

What a gift to be the one to fight with with and for our miraculous daughter
 and coach her through life.

What a gift to LOVE her every day and night.

What a gift to watch her overcome, bloom, grow and unfold into more than any statistic could have predicted.

What a gift to love this powerful girl!

Our daughter,
Sierra,
is like an angel-
a continual messenger of God's love.



Those frightening obstacles and special needs and challenging potential outcomes we were warned of by diligent social workers, loved ones and well meaning others??
Umm,
every single one has either turned into an opportunity for astounding growth and strength or miraculously faded away-

(Hard things turn into strong gifts in His hands...)

Birthday chicks for our daughter who has taught us much
about the immeasurable value of doing hard things.

I wonder how many miracles are missed because of fear.

What if we'd listened to well meaning voices of others who spoke out of fear?

What if we'd given into fear of loss?
or fear of challenges?
or fear of special needs?

"Perfect love casts out fear-"

What are you afraid of?

Please, do not let fear keep you from
"such a time as this."

Did you know that you are a miracle too?

Psalm 139:13-15
For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Sierra, you are a precious jewel.

You are nurturing, vibrant, funny and incredibly artistic.

When your little brothers cry, you are all over them-
you have a sweet way of getting them to laugh again.

You are there when others are hurt.

You are there cheering your siblings on.

You are there being a big and little sister.

You are here,
and we are abundantly blessed-
beyond what any words could possible describe.

Our hearts burst with love indescribable.

Sierra,

My heart swells to bursting when I think of the miracle of your life and I the light that shines from you.

Daily I melt with love over this daughter of ours...

and oh how quickly she is growing...

Precious Sierra,
You are loved beyond your wildest imagination.

God placed you into my heart decades before you were placed into our arms.

Watching you grow amazes me.
How did you grow up into to be seven years old already?

You are a princess and already your passion for life is changing the world around you...

You GO GIRL!
Together, you and Your Shepherd
Keep changing the world-

👑

Grand Canyon: Our first real vacation as a family of 9:)

David has wanted our children to see the majestic 

Grand Canyon.

For years he waited as our family grew-

and grew

and grew.

Over the last few months, each time we became available to accept another treasured child into our family,

the door has closed.

It feels unfamiliar to not be in pre-adoption mode.

Yet in this place our strength is being renewed and 

our hearts overflow with gratefulness...

    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
 he refreshes my soul.

Psalm 23:2

Here is our first vacation as a family of 9:

The Grand Canyon Railway:

Planning the day:

Waiting to board:

Mohale was NOT appreciating the size nor sounds of something this large:)

Upstairs viewing seats!

Squished together for random pic.

Through a tunnel

Beautiful view from the dome seats

Mission accomplished- 

majestic, startling, breathtaking beauty 

which cannot be captured in photographs:

Too much energy to sit for a pic:)

Only Liam:

pulling his loose tooth out-

he threw it into the Grand Canyon.

Waiting for the return trip:

"Really Mom?  You want me to stand on the tracks for a pic?!"
Something about Converse and railroad tracks.  Thanks for humoring me, Leora:)

Tired little boys:

Two-year-old having a REAALLLLY LOUD tantrum.  Sweet boy was DONE.

What a gift it is to just enjoy this season.

Each child is such a gift and they are growing up crazy fast.

Grateful for each hour.

WOW WOW WOW, what a gift it was to just get away for a couple of days and play.

GRATEFUL.

For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
  Is 43:19

Grateful on Mother's Day

GRATEFUL ON MOTHER'S DAY!!
This is my first Mother's Day with ALL SEVEN treasures home!!!

To my kids-

My heart overflows with grateful love beyond description for each of you. 

Thank you for being you. 

Thank u for grace and laughter as we figure this parenting thing out on each of you.
I LOVED THIS DAY WITH EACH OF YOU!
YOU MELT MY HEART!

Because we are all broken,

And because Mothers Day can have a way of reminding me how short I fall of perfection,

I want to share gratefulness for
MY BROKEN MOM
(Her story is here: birth mom)

2 Corinthians 12:9  “(God's) grace is all you need. (His) power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to rejouce in my weaknesses,.... For when I am weak, then I am strong..."

In our brokenness- our grief, mistakes, losses, failures, striving, loneliness, ugliness, obstacles, chains, challenges, hurts, imperfections- in our broken life- He's there leading us, holding our lambs close and breathing purpose through those cracks. 

As I held my little boys' beautiful, smooth, tiny hands this week,
my mind flashed heart strings back decades ago...

back to when my hands were small and smooth against hers- worn and hard working- Mom's voice is nearly audible within my bank of savored memories, spoken long ago- "Christy, your young hands are smooth and beautiful, I remember my hands against my grandmothers- her's looked like mine do now.  I would play with her veins which popped up..." she laughed and then continued  "In my aching and desperately lonely childhood, Grandma was one who loved me- I lived for summers because they'd send me away to her."  She paused and then looked at me- her arctic blue eyes were bright between locks of aging deep red hair, "Christy, you won't grasp how much I love you until you become a mother..."  I saw the eagerness in her eyes for me to understand.  My 10-year-old heart couldn't understand- because I loved her with all my heart- how could love be greater than that?

Yet now, seven times over,
I get it.  

And I get the struggle that comes from desperately wanting them to understand my love for them- in spite of my brokenness and mistakes- in spite of the times I've had a bad "moment"  and in spite of my inability to express love this vast in it's purest form.  I get the striving and failing and then the freedom that comes when I surrender to our Redeemer.  I get the absolute incredible JOY of being in love beyond my heart's capacity for seven unique treasures.
I get the heart bursting emotions that explode with grateful amazement as I watch my children beautifully bloom- each one unique.

I now daily drink in a love that would jump to take pain or death in their place.

I now understand that look in her eyes from so long ago.

Mom, I now understand how much you love me...

Mom, through you and God, I learned 

real love.  

In our world filled with unobtainable standards and comparisons,
that is a GIFT.

Mom, your's was a rare and transparent love-
humble, exposed and honest-
not a performing, unobtainable striving-to-look-perfect kind of love.

Yours was a love from above-
poured out through brokenness in it's purest form.

Mom, because you did not follow the push towards perfection, because you have been real and allowed your broken heart to show, because you sought our Heavenly Father at every turn as you felt weak and unable to parent, because you were humble, real, and honest, you have been a better mother than you can dare to imagine.  You relied on His strength in your weaknesses.  You relied on His redemption in your mistakes,  You became my model for parenting-- to Be Real, not perfect and Let HIM do the rest.  You continue to coach me in my mistakes- "Turn to Him, He will show you what to do- as many times a day as you need to."  You continue to remind me "Don't seek the approval of others!  Don't compare!  Eyes on Him who adores you constantly!"
I love the way you put your mistakes out there and laugh out loud!

That is freedom our world needs.

That's the freedom I crave at every failure- and lately, in this season, there seam to be many.

 You pointed us to Him (and not to yourself or any human"authorities") to learn about True and redemptive love.  You modeled the unconditional acceptance you had experienced from Him.  Never ever have I felt that it was possible to get you to reject me. You did not hold yourself up, but pointed to His love.  Because you were broken, HIS LIGHT OF LOVE SHINES THROUGH YOU AND CHANGED ME and I've seen it be a source of change for more women and men that I could ever count.   

My goal, is to be openly broken, imperfect, to be real, before my children-

And then to let them see HIS unconditional redeeming love.
  

Mom reminds me often in this season of intense parenting and toddler tantrums that

"Christy, turn to Him multiple times a day if necessary- He will direct you in parenting their hearts- and redeeming even your blunders into beauty in His time..."

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:24

We are ALL broken.

Our brokenness and uniqueness makes us especially beautiful in HIs hands!!

Often I've locked myself in the bathroom, closet or under the covers and cried out of desperate feelings of loneliness, failure and overwhelming burdens of regret-

And then hope floods in...

Discouraged hearts- in any walk of life, 

can I encourage you?  

HE CAME TO SET US FREE.

He came to bring good news to the poor, proclaim that captives be set free, give sight to the blind and set the oppressed free. (Luke 4:18)

He REDEEMS!
There are no scars and no mistakes that cannot be turned into purpose when placed into His hands!
Those who have the greatest scars, in His hands, become the vessels of greatest hope and beauty.  

This includes our children!

Matthew 11
 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."  

.

We can enjoy the freedom that comes from purpose breathed into every mistake.
And even one hour at a time, we can seek direction from our redeeming Shepherd on how to parent our children...

Isaiah 40:11 

He will feed his flock like a shepherd.

    He will carry the lambs in his arms,

holding them close to his heart.

    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

Ps. 32:8

 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.

I will guide you with my eye.

 - Isaiah 30:21

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it. 

Deuteronomy 3:22

I will guide you with my eye.

Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.

Psalm 32:7

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. 

Celebrating and enjoying the honor of being a broken mom today to seven miracles from heaven.

Happy Birthday Leora!

April 16, 2016

Happy Birthday Leora!

Beautiful, kind, gentle, caring, calm, funny, insightful, wise, creative

 Leora is 14!

Proverbs 13:12

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

Until I longed for a child, I had not grasped the depth of desperation that can be the result of a deferred dream. 

The day my OB Dr. revealed her concern that my pregnancy with Leora could easily end, was a day my heart fell deep into that sickness. The experienced Dr's concern was underscored by prescribed ultrasounds- 4 each week.

   Although glimpses into Leora's unborn world were a treasure, I ached for a day when she'd be safely delivered into my arms. 

14 years ago, my "tree of life" exploded with joy as newly birthed Leora was finally placed safely into my arms- healthy, strong, beautiful and deeply treasured. 

She came into our arms on her grandmother's birthday. 

Oh how I cherish the memories...

Leora was a sweet and gentle baby...

Leora with her big sister, Ianna

Her name means "a light"

-and she has been since the day we learned of her life.

Kind hearted Leora

During each of her last two birthdays, Leora expressed sadness- sadness from a desire unfulfilled.  She wanted Mohale home for their birthday.  Their birthdays are only 2 days apart. 

Last year was particularly difficult as our own USA government had required us to dissolve Mohale's adoption process and start it over. We all felt panicked with fear that our beloved Mohale- who we'd never yet held- would be forever kept from a family- our family. 

My heart- and the hearts of our children also, fell into that place of heart sickness from hope further deferred. 

(It felt like the longest 

high-risk pregnancy ever.)

This weekend, our hearts burst with life, love and laughter. Leora and Mohale finally have their birthday celebration

Together. 

Leora's birthday dream from years past, has been fulfilled...

Daiily, she's pouring herself out for others...
and creating laughter in abundance.

The years have unfolded and the sweet little sister also became a middle child and the big sister of 5!

Leora,

You are our miracle.

I call you "angel" because from the moment I learned of your life, your presence felt like a message from Heaven of God's love.

We longed to hold you long before we knew of your presence within

and long before your first breath.

Daily we celebrated your life-

And a day does not go by that I don't Thank God again that I get to be your mom.

You are a gift.

You were created beautifully for a purpose.

You are treasured, 

adored,

loved,

and celebrated.

You are precious, priceless and filled with His beauty- inside and out.

You have the gift of creating laughter and your heart lights up dark places...

“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous — how well I know it” Psalm 139:14

Mohale is three!!

April 14, 2016

Mohale is 3!!!

Three years ago today my son was born into our broken world. 

His first mother's heart broke. 

Three young heroes on their early morning walk to college found newborn Mohale abandoned, alone, and crying in a ditch. 

 Mohale was named after one of these three Heroes who rescued him.
.  

Although we did not know of Mohale, 

God had a plan. 

The week of his birth was the exact week we began the adoption process as the first American parents to adopt from Lesotho under the new HAGUE accreditation.

 (To this date our son is the only Lesotho child to be adopted and brought home by an American family under the new accreditation.  Please pray for waiting children.)  

One year unfolded-

He was loved by many beautiful hearts and thrived in the arms of those at Beautiful Gate Orphanage who prayed for his adoption-
Beautiful people with beautiful hearts surrendered to love Mohale fully so his heart could be someday healed.

Mohale has bonded and attached incredibly because of those at the orphanage who loved him beautifully in the wait.

His referral to our family came when he was 10 months old.

Referral picture:

Two years ago today, our hearts ached to go and bring our Mohale home for his

1st Birthday

But red tape kept us away and we celebrated his 1st birthday apart.

Another year went by-

One year ago today we were in the midst of more adoption red tape and our hearts ached to hold him on his 

2nd birthday.

Another year has gone-

A rich year indeed- that included a trip to Lesotho❤️. 

Today we celebrate our son's first birthday home as he turns

3!

Mohale, you are beautiful. 

Your heart is gentle and strong. 

Your mind is sharp, clear and bright. 

And we treasure you, our precious, adored, gentle

SON. 

Friends from near and far celebrated your adoption and birth with us this week.

GRATEFUL

Our arms and hearts are full.

For those who wait and wait on dreams to be fulfilled,

don't give up.

Habakkuk 2:3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it;
it will surely come; it will not delay.