Life has been so full of so many ups and downs of lately and I sit here tonight with a mixture of gratitude and sadness in my heart. My step-father stepped into eternity to the arms of Jesus today. I am so glad the suffering for him is over as it has been a long and painful 6 year battle for him. I am so sad to not have him here any longer and sad our new children won't get the opportunity to spend time with the best grandfather any grand child could ever ask for. I am so glad that he was able meet them and give us his blessing on adopting the kids. He only knew them for a short time, but he loved them.
He has always been an amazing grandpa to all our kids. He rarely missed any ball games, he was at the birth of every one of them, never missed a birthday and always spent oodles of time with them. Looking back I believe spending time with the kids and Bob and I doing what we each liked to do and just being content to be together and have fun was worth far more than money could buy! I will strive to treat other family members as he has treated me, giving of my time in the things important to them.
I am thankful he made it to Amber and Josh's wedding and he was able to (after watching many shows to gain knowledge on what to look for:-) help her find and say Yes to the Dress. He devoted himself to his family and was fun yet a gentleman. I am sad because there is no other grandpa willing to invest time into my kids as Grandpa Airplane has. I am thankful because his other Beautiful half, my mom, will still be around to be a blessing to us all. I have learned from her what it is like to selflessly give and provide the best loving care a husband could possibly receive.
I know when I get to heaven his neck will be one of the first I hug!
Even just yesterday God's timing prevailed in that the entire church service was about heaven and just how real it is. I know, because of his Love for Jesus, where my dad is tonight and for that I am so very grateful.
I am sad, yet truly I am a blessed women.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Maranatha, hope for a rough day!
This has been the roughest day for me since we got the kids. We had a 3 hour apt at a counselor for one of the kids. I thought the rest of us would be in the waiting room, but we were all in there together. The kids were very ill behaved and we all walked out frustrated! The ride home was frustrating until they fell asleep. We got home and I took them all to bed and the boys refused to go to bed. They peed on each other and fought and grrrrrrrr. I just felt bad as I was parenting from frustration. Bob was awesome and kept the boys home tonight while the rest of us went to church. It was good to go share about faith and get built up. Maranatha to you all, it means The Lord is coming, and that is the reason I go on. As a believer we have so much hope and an amazing future! So, instead of staying frustrated I am choosing to focus on my hope for the future and amazingly, I feel much better tonight! I am ready to continue on in the Lord's work and be the best mom I can be:-)
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
"Bored" Is Not a Word Heard in Our Home
It has been a little bit since I had the time or energy at the end of a day to blog. Folks, we are hoppin! The family as a whole is continuing to mesh and grow closer together. It is so amazing to really get to know each child and see how each one interacts with each of the other kids. Amber and Josh have been over a few times since coming back from their honeymoon and it has been wonderful to have all of us together twice. We celebrated Bob's birthday and then Amber's birthday all together.
I must say, the truth is my house is trashed and trying it seems I can either get laundry done or clean most of the house but have not figured out how to do both and/or clean my own room either. I am trying not to stress too much and just keep chugging doing my best. I did find that having a work day day or two a week with a younger helper assigned to an older kid seems to work very well, so we will be doing more of that.
The girls seems to be settling in more this week. Some of the newness is wearing off and they are seeing the routine. They are quite good at keeping their room clean. They are quite clingy when they get tired. I have spent a great deal of time learning and reading up on how to care for their hair and have spent countless hours trying new things. I am feeling more comfortable with it but it is quite time consuming. It does give me great chances to talk with the girls and connect with them one on one. They do everything together and are inseperatable. We have learned they are Very afraid of the dark and purchased more night lights to light the way to the restroom, as fear was keeping them from doing so. They have tried several tricks to manipulate situations or answers they don't like, but they are learning quickly that "this ain't our first rodeo"!
Javon, or JJ as we call him is soooo cute that he tries to charm himself out of any trouble that may find him. He is struggling with using cuss words and lying and we are working hard to help him stop both. He loves to snuggle and gives compliments on all the girl's hair or clothes and is just a charmer! He does not easily lay down for naps and has the ability to really frustrate us with this (luckily there is enough of us to take turns walking him back to bed that no one gets too angry).
Brian, he has a special place in my heart, but he is also extremely difficult to parent at times. He really struggles with self control and lies often when he even thinks he could get in trouble. Being consistent is so key with him. He takes up big chunks of time in correcting some of his poor choices. He has the kindest and sweetest heart in the world. He loves to be a helper when ever he can and is very protective of others.
They all love the pool and swimming is a daily event for us. We got swim caps for the girls to protect their hair. They all LOVE playing dress-up and that has become great fun for those rainy days. Speaking of rainy days, it is hard to keep the boys inside. They have so much energy to burn that those days when they are stuck inside are torture to us:-)
The toughest part for Bob and I right now is the lack of one on one time we have together. We go to breakfast on Friday mornings now for our weekly date and we are figuring it out.
Ya know, even at the end of a LONG day, I am still thrilled with what God is doing in our home. I love all my babies!!!
I must say, the truth is my house is trashed and trying it seems I can either get laundry done or clean most of the house but have not figured out how to do both and/or clean my own room either. I am trying not to stress too much and just keep chugging doing my best. I did find that having a work day day or two a week with a younger helper assigned to an older kid seems to work very well, so we will be doing more of that.
The girls seems to be settling in more this week. Some of the newness is wearing off and they are seeing the routine. They are quite good at keeping their room clean. They are quite clingy when they get tired. I have spent a great deal of time learning and reading up on how to care for their hair and have spent countless hours trying new things. I am feeling more comfortable with it but it is quite time consuming. It does give me great chances to talk with the girls and connect with them one on one. They do everything together and are inseperatable. We have learned they are Very afraid of the dark and purchased more night lights to light the way to the restroom, as fear was keeping them from doing so. They have tried several tricks to manipulate situations or answers they don't like, but they are learning quickly that "this ain't our first rodeo"!
Javon, or JJ as we call him is soooo cute that he tries to charm himself out of any trouble that may find him. He is struggling with using cuss words and lying and we are working hard to help him stop both. He loves to snuggle and gives compliments on all the girl's hair or clothes and is just a charmer! He does not easily lay down for naps and has the ability to really frustrate us with this (luckily there is enough of us to take turns walking him back to bed that no one gets too angry).
Brian, he has a special place in my heart, but he is also extremely difficult to parent at times. He really struggles with self control and lies often when he even thinks he could get in trouble. Being consistent is so key with him. He takes up big chunks of time in correcting some of his poor choices. He has the kindest and sweetest heart in the world. He loves to be a helper when ever he can and is very protective of others.
They all love the pool and swimming is a daily event for us. We got swim caps for the girls to protect their hair. They all LOVE playing dress-up and that has become great fun for those rainy days. Speaking of rainy days, it is hard to keep the boys inside. They have so much energy to burn that those days when they are stuck inside are torture to us:-)
The toughest part for Bob and I right now is the lack of one on one time we have together. We go to breakfast on Friday mornings now for our weekly date and we are figuring it out.
Ya know, even at the end of a LONG day, I am still thrilled with what God is doing in our home. I love all my babies!!!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Who's Loosing Their Marbles?
We have been thinking of ways to encourage the kids to make good choices and discourage some of the behaviors we'd like them to leave alone. What we came up with is a marble system. Each child has their name on a cup and a happy face and in the middle is a tub full of marbles with a big sad face on it. Whenever one is kind or shows obedience or makes a good choice they get a marble and if they make a bad choice or disobey they loose a happy marble to the sad bucket. At the end of the day which ever 2 kids have the most happy marbles get to pick a prize out of the prize basket. They LOVE going to the basket! Brian has had a rough couple days and is bummed he has not earned a trip to the basket of blessings. It is fun to encourage the kids to earn marbles and hopefully will help them learn some good character traits.
It rained most of the day today keeping us inside most of the day and that is super tough as these kids have more energy than FPL! They were able to swim for a couple hours tonight which helped them get to sleep. Bed time is running smoother and tonight we hit the goal of in by 8pm, yaaaaaaaa! There was much whining and tears from Brianna who didn't get to go to blessing basket tonight, but hopefully a lesson learned.
The hardest thing right now is really the noise level. These kids scream at each other and us all day. It is very trying at times. I don't understand why they yell, I mean even when they sing and pray they yell. Will need to get creative on a way to quiet them some. Maybe play a whisper game. Any ideas?
My favorite part of each day with the kids has become morning when ALL the kids that are awake pile into my bed and snuggle and love on each other. It is semi quiet as all aren't awake and all are so sweet. It is fun to watch 7 or 8 kids pack into my bed with me:-)
In the van we listen to Bible verse songs A - Z and they are doing great at memorizing God's Word. We have also spent a lot of time, especially with the girls, talking about Jesus and salvation. Briasia asked Jesus into her heart at Bash at church and Brianna has asked many questions. They are working through confusion as they have been raised Jahova's Witnesses for 1 1/2 years. Please pray for them.
So interesting watching the kids get to know each other and start to mesh into 1 family. It is going to take time for these beautiful babies to fully settle in. They still ask almost daily if, when and where we are going to drop them off. That breaks my heart. They ask why we want them or love them. I heart aches for them to fully believe I and accept our love. I am soooo stressed at some moments but I must admit, I regret nothing and love my life and this opportunity so much. It is teaching me and all of us as a family so much.
If any of you have any good creative ideas, please post them:-)
It rained most of the day today keeping us inside most of the day and that is super tough as these kids have more energy than FPL! They were able to swim for a couple hours tonight which helped them get to sleep. Bed time is running smoother and tonight we hit the goal of in by 8pm, yaaaaaaaa! There was much whining and tears from Brianna who didn't get to go to blessing basket tonight, but hopefully a lesson learned.
The hardest thing right now is really the noise level. These kids scream at each other and us all day. It is very trying at times. I don't understand why they yell, I mean even when they sing and pray they yell. Will need to get creative on a way to quiet them some. Maybe play a whisper game. Any ideas?
My favorite part of each day with the kids has become morning when ALL the kids that are awake pile into my bed and snuggle and love on each other. It is semi quiet as all aren't awake and all are so sweet. It is fun to watch 7 or 8 kids pack into my bed with me:-)
In the van we listen to Bible verse songs A - Z and they are doing great at memorizing God's Word. We have also spent a lot of time, especially with the girls, talking about Jesus and salvation. Briasia asked Jesus into her heart at Bash at church and Brianna has asked many questions. They are working through confusion as they have been raised Jahova's Witnesses for 1 1/2 years. Please pray for them.
So interesting watching the kids get to know each other and start to mesh into 1 family. It is going to take time for these beautiful babies to fully settle in. They still ask almost daily if, when and where we are going to drop them off. That breaks my heart. They ask why we want them or love them. I heart aches for them to fully believe I and accept our love. I am soooo stressed at some moments but I must admit, I regret nothing and love my life and this opportunity so much. It is teaching me and all of us as a family so much.
If any of you have any good creative ideas, please post them:-)
Thursday, May 30, 2013
It Was the Best of Days........It was the worst of Days......
Wow!!! I know I say that a lot on here, but it is the best word to describe so many moments we are experiencing. This morning was awesome! Lilly and Alex worked at our church Bash for the younger kids, while Aana, Noelle, Andrew, Brianna, and Briasia all attended. This gave me a few hours alone with the boys. We had a blast at Bass Pro Shop and then at Costco for lunch. When I picked all the kids up it was obvious they had enjoyed the Bash. I pray it is helping the girls know more about Jesus.
I am consistently amazed at how God works out so many details for this entire adoption. When I picked the kids up from Bash a lady standing off to the side was watching the boys run around a tree. I was a little tiny bothered at how intently she was watching them. Then when she heard me call Brian she asked if it was Brian with 3 siblings and with his current last name. I was dumb founded as after I said yes she revealed that she will be our new case worker starting this Monday. She is a daughter of a dear friend at church of mine. We knew our caseworker was moving and done last Friday and have felt a little apprehensive about who we would have next, and Bam! God worked it all out!
After Bash we hung out at home and then went on a bike ride. The girls ride much slower than the boys. I was riding in the back with Brianna and she fell off her bike. I thought, no harm done as she landed in the grass. She sat there for a moment and then started screaming. I jumped off my bike thinking she was hurt and ran to her and pick up the bike to move it and she was already up stomping and jumping around. I was totally puzzled for a moment until the sting started hitting me! She had crashed into an ant hill and she was getting ant bites and I now had hundreds of them all over my arms and legs. My right foot is Very bit up but it seems she only ended up with a few bites. Needless to say it was a long ride home! Briasia crashed by our house and Lilly carried her in and Brian sprung into helping action getting the bikes out of the street and was so precious and concerned for his sisters! We got everyone bandaged up and off we went to watch the bigger kids' dance recital.
They all did great at dance in their routines. The little ones had a hard time sitting still to watch but overall they did well. We then went to McDonalds, and what a mistake!!! Brian threw one major fit after another the entire time. They all fought over fries and were just not doing well. It was a long ride home as Brian screamed the entire way and they all fought over toys. I must admit, I was ready to yell Calgon Take me Away (Only funny to those old enough to remember)! We made it though!
I got the boys to bed and then the girls completely melted down. In the end it was because Briasia's loft bed was under a smoke detector and she was scared to death of it and her twin was crying with sympathy pains:-) Bob came and helped me move the bed and........ahhhhhhh all is well in the Hahn house tonight.
I love every one of these children so much. Some moments are so frustrating to me and reminds me of how much I must frustrate my Lord when I throw a fit. It is so hard to think through the adoption of these children without truly being humbled at how I have been adopted into His family and he has been sooooooo patient with me! Praying for God to give me ideas and wisdom on how to train Brian to handle his frustration. I am also giving a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone of our other children. This is a family ministry and all the kids have risen to the calling and been a HUGE HELP!
Soooooo Blessed!
I am consistently amazed at how God works out so many details for this entire adoption. When I picked the kids up from Bash a lady standing off to the side was watching the boys run around a tree. I was a little tiny bothered at how intently she was watching them. Then when she heard me call Brian she asked if it was Brian with 3 siblings and with his current last name. I was dumb founded as after I said yes she revealed that she will be our new case worker starting this Monday. She is a daughter of a dear friend at church of mine. We knew our caseworker was moving and done last Friday and have felt a little apprehensive about who we would have next, and Bam! God worked it all out!
After Bash we hung out at home and then went on a bike ride. The girls ride much slower than the boys. I was riding in the back with Brianna and she fell off her bike. I thought, no harm done as she landed in the grass. She sat there for a moment and then started screaming. I jumped off my bike thinking she was hurt and ran to her and pick up the bike to move it and she was already up stomping and jumping around. I was totally puzzled for a moment until the sting started hitting me! She had crashed into an ant hill and she was getting ant bites and I now had hundreds of them all over my arms and legs. My right foot is Very bit up but it seems she only ended up with a few bites. Needless to say it was a long ride home! Briasia crashed by our house and Lilly carried her in and Brian sprung into helping action getting the bikes out of the street and was so precious and concerned for his sisters! We got everyone bandaged up and off we went to watch the bigger kids' dance recital.
They all did great at dance in their routines. The little ones had a hard time sitting still to watch but overall they did well. We then went to McDonalds, and what a mistake!!! Brian threw one major fit after another the entire time. They all fought over fries and were just not doing well. It was a long ride home as Brian screamed the entire way and they all fought over toys. I must admit, I was ready to yell Calgon Take me Away (Only funny to those old enough to remember)! We made it though!
I got the boys to bed and then the girls completely melted down. In the end it was because Briasia's loft bed was under a smoke detector and she was scared to death of it and her twin was crying with sympathy pains:-) Bob came and helped me move the bed and........ahhhhhhh all is well in the Hahn house tonight.
I love every one of these children so much. Some moments are so frustrating to me and reminds me of how much I must frustrate my Lord when I throw a fit. It is so hard to think through the adoption of these children without truly being humbled at how I have been adopted into His family and he has been sooooooo patient with me! Praying for God to give me ideas and wisdom on how to train Brian to handle his frustration. I am also giving a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone of our other children. This is a family ministry and all the kids have risen to the calling and been a HUGE HELP!
Soooooo Blessed!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Gotcha Day Celebration......All 4 are Moved In
This was a great day in the Hahn house! We picked up Brianna and Briasia at 12:30pm today along with all their belongings. I would ask for all to pray for Evette, their foster mother, as she is having a hard time. The girls have seemed a little confused. They have asked how many nights they get to stay and the boys too have asked if they will be separated again and dropped off at an old house or a new family. I have given many hugs today and explained many times that this is their forever family and home.
It just makes me think of how lost and orphaned I once was and how my Lord adopted me in and washed me clean and now I am a daughter of the king! It is amazing how tired I can be and feel like I can't muster any more patience and then, God, tugs at my heart and reminds me of where I once was and what he did for me.
This evening we had cake and ice cream with all the kids (even Amber and Josh came over). We sang Happy Gotcha Day to You, and enjoyed some fun laughter together.
The girls love their new bedroom and beds. They went to bed quite easily tonight.
It really is amazing to me how smooth this process has gone and how God has ordered our steps. I am glad the girls came today and not last Saturday as we wouldn't have had their room ready yet.
At this point the kids don't have middle name so we are helping each of them pick new middle names for their legal birth certificates we will get at the adoption finalization. So far we have Javon Joshua Hahn (his nickname is JJ so this makes great sense), Brian Robert Hahn (when we asked him what name he wanted he asked what is daddy's name? And then said I want that one just like my daddy), the girls are still thinking. Some suggestions they gave at bedtime between giggles were Spot, Dahdah, and a few other silly names. We will be working on those.
Now comes the tough stuff. You know, the daily grind. The day in, day out care, teaching, discipline and love. I know though that He who began a good work in me will complete it. My God amazes me in his grace, love, and how he gives me energy when needed.
Truly, I am a blessed women, wife, and mother!
It just makes me think of how lost and orphaned I once was and how my Lord adopted me in and washed me clean and now I am a daughter of the king! It is amazing how tired I can be and feel like I can't muster any more patience and then, God, tugs at my heart and reminds me of where I once was and what he did for me.
This evening we had cake and ice cream with all the kids (even Amber and Josh came over). We sang Happy Gotcha Day to You, and enjoyed some fun laughter together.
The girls love their new bedroom and beds. They went to bed quite easily tonight.
It really is amazing to me how smooth this process has gone and how God has ordered our steps. I am glad the girls came today and not last Saturday as we wouldn't have had their room ready yet.
At this point the kids don't have middle name so we are helping each of them pick new middle names for their legal birth certificates we will get at the adoption finalization. So far we have Javon Joshua Hahn (his nickname is JJ so this makes great sense), Brian Robert Hahn (when we asked him what name he wanted he asked what is daddy's name? And then said I want that one just like my daddy), the girls are still thinking. Some suggestions they gave at bedtime between giggles were Spot, Dahdah, and a few other silly names. We will be working on those.
Now comes the tough stuff. You know, the daily grind. The day in, day out care, teaching, discipline and love. I know though that He who began a good work in me will complete it. My God amazes me in his grace, love, and how he gives me energy when needed.
Truly, I am a blessed women, wife, and mother!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Javon Moved in, Wedding, Next move bedrooms for girls moving in this Saturday
Busy, Busy, Busy!
We have continued with visits with the girls each weekend and Javon moved in last Friday. Amber's wedding was on Saturday and it was amazing and sooooooo busy! I am so thankful for the amazing support God has had around us! Our neighbors kept the boys over night for the wedding, which was such a blessing! The boys were able to be close to home and know they were loved and coming back in the morning.
We have had company in from Ohio and have so enjoyed the visit. It has been very busy though. The next couple days will be about cleaning Amber's old room, moving Logan into her old room, cleaning Logan's old room and going to Akia to purchase beds for the girls which move in on Saturday. So exciting!
Brian is doing amazingly well learning the rules and he talks about how much he loves his new forever family and how he is glad he doesn't live in the foster home where no one was nice or loved each other. Amazing how articulate a 4 yo can be. Javon, which we call Jay jay, is struggling with the rules and visiting time out a lot. He just has no tools to cope with frustration other than to hit, punch, kick, spit, cuss, and call names. He is amazingly cute and I'm sure he will catch on with things calming down a bit now.
The girls move in this Saturday and I am so excited! Going to enjoy doing their room!
Today was my birthday and we went to Sanibel Island for the day. I loved being with all the kids and with my friend Becky and her family. The boys loved playing in the sand and water!
I must say, it is tiring working with the kids, but it is an amazing blessing! I love the life I get to live!
We have continued with visits with the girls each weekend and Javon moved in last Friday. Amber's wedding was on Saturday and it was amazing and sooooooo busy! I am so thankful for the amazing support God has had around us! Our neighbors kept the boys over night for the wedding, which was such a blessing! The boys were able to be close to home and know they were loved and coming back in the morning.
We have had company in from Ohio and have so enjoyed the visit. It has been very busy though. The next couple days will be about cleaning Amber's old room, moving Logan into her old room, cleaning Logan's old room and going to Akia to purchase beds for the girls which move in on Saturday. So exciting!
Brian is doing amazingly well learning the rules and he talks about how much he loves his new forever family and how he is glad he doesn't live in the foster home where no one was nice or loved each other. Amazing how articulate a 4 yo can be. Javon, which we call Jay jay, is struggling with the rules and visiting time out a lot. He just has no tools to cope with frustration other than to hit, punch, kick, spit, cuss, and call names. He is amazingly cute and I'm sure he will catch on with things calming down a bit now.
The girls move in this Saturday and I am so excited! Going to enjoy doing their room!
Today was my birthday and we went to Sanibel Island for the day. I loved being with all the kids and with my friend Becky and her family. The boys loved playing in the sand and water!
I must say, it is tiring working with the kids, but it is an amazing blessing! I love the life I get to live!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Brian's First Full Week Living in the Hahn Home
Ok, first because so many have asked, here are the pics of the girls hair last week. I loved it!
This week with Brian has been AMAZING! We have had some rough spots to work through. It is obvious he has never had loving discipline. We have spent all week talking about choices. We have talked about how when we make good choices we receive blessings and when we make bad choices we don't receive all those blessings. He has required much help in understanding that he is not a bad boy we are going to get rid of and send away when he makes bad choices. He can be very stubborn especially when he operates in fear! We have talked a lot about God and Jesus as he doesn't understand this God thing at all. He is soooo very smart! We pray with him every night, I say a line and he repeats it and tonight we just remembered what we have prayed about each night and said it by himself. It is a step in the right direction. He will be 5 in July and recognizes no letters or his name. But he is picking it up very quickly.
I took him to Sarasota with myself, Lilly, and a homeschool class of 8th graders to watch them participate in Mock Trial completion and he was amazingly well behaved and I was so proud of him!
He wants to be a pilot when he grows up after meeting Grandpa Airplane and he is amazed now watching the sky looking for planes. He also wants to be a soldier one day and get married and have 4 to 6 kids:-) So sweet!
He has loved the attention not only from our family but from all the neighbors and my CC students, and from church. God has blessed us with such an amazing support system!
All our bio kids and Noelle are adjusting well too. Andrew gets a little irritated with Brian at times, but he also loves being a big brother, as long as Brian stays out of his things:-)
Our attention is now ready to be focused on Amber's wedding quite intently. It is all falling together and is a wonderful blessing to watch them prepare to start their life together. They moved their things into their new apartment yesterday, but neither will be staying there until after the wedding.
Then the day after the wedding, Javon moves in! Yaaaaaaaaa! I am telling you, God has had his hand in the timing of everything and every detail! It is such a wonderful time for the Hahn family.
Here are some pics of dad and Brian playing with little dirt bike toys as they watch dirt bike racing on tv together. Toooo cute!
I took him to Sarasota with myself, Lilly, and a homeschool class of 8th graders to watch them participate in Mock Trial completion and he was amazingly well behaved and I was so proud of him!
He wants to be a pilot when he grows up after meeting Grandpa Airplane and he is amazed now watching the sky looking for planes. He also wants to be a soldier one day and get married and have 4 to 6 kids:-) So sweet!
He has loved the attention not only from our family but from all the neighbors and my CC students, and from church. God has blessed us with such an amazing support system!
All our bio kids and Noelle are adjusting well too. Andrew gets a little irritated with Brian at times, but he also loves being a big brother, as long as Brian stays out of his things:-)
Our attention is now ready to be focused on Amber's wedding quite intently. It is all falling together and is a wonderful blessing to watch them prepare to start their life together. They moved their things into their new apartment yesterday, but neither will be staying there until after the wedding.
Then the day after the wedding, Javon moves in! Yaaaaaaaaa! I am telling you, God has had his hand in the timing of everything and every detail! It is such a wonderful time for the Hahn family.
Here are some pics of dad and Brian playing with little dirt bike toys as they watch dirt bike racing on tv together. Toooo cute!
Saturday, May 4, 2013
More Firsts in this day!
Wow! Wow! Wow! Every day right now is so full of so much that it feels like it is longer than just a day. Thursday evening we picked up Brian first. When I knocked on the door a man inside yelled, "Who is it?" I told him it was me and then I could hear Brian yelling, "It's her, it's her, I told you they was coming back for me!" When the door open Brian ran out, jumped in my arms and said I wanna go get in my car seat in the van. I took him to the van and then loaded his bike, 2 toys, and some clothes. He wasn't even interested in saying good bye! It made me think. So few belongings in this world, no one wanting him, and foster parents that talk very badly about him in front of him, and having no idea idea about God, how could this boy ever even have a chance? Lord, thank you! By the grace of God, that could be any one of us. How can we leave kids in these situations?. My heart aches!
Brian was a chatter box wanting the update on anything he missed while he was away. He was most interested in if his bed was still just for him and how long is he allowed to stay. I love this boy!
We then picked up Javon and headed home. It was a great evening with the boys. The next day, Friday, was a flurry of activity with hosting the SWFL Christian Prom with Shawn. In the middle of the afternoon I went to pick up the girls. Oh, it just felt so good to have them all under 1 roof again, I mean all, as all 13 of us were home at the same time at one point:-)
Today was beautiful! We played outside and Bob and I just laughed at all the activity watching them play. We also spent a good share of the day (actually last couple days) helping them all understand the rules of the land and it is going to take some adjusting for them to say the least.
We went and watched Anna's softball game and the kids loved yelling her name cheering for her. It is so cute as they have learned all the kids names already and now they all call us Mom and Dad.
I made life books for each of them with pictures of us and them and different pictures of us with them. I wrote to them how thrilled we are to adopt them and have them as part of our family. They have been asking many questions and they are somewhat confused. Who could blame them. Brian lives here now, and Javon, who is 3, will be moving in in a couple weeks and the girls, who are 5, will be moving in the last week of May. BUT, explaining this to kids that have been bounced around and don't seem to understand a forever family is quite the task. They are all bonding well to each other and to each of us.
This afternoon we went to the beach and it was a blast. It was very windy and the waves were quite big. They giggled and squeezed in delight and it warmed my heart beyond words! I don't think they have been to the beech much.
When we got in the van and I looked at how much sand they all had in their hair I realized I must tackle the task of the girls hair. Now, I must admit this was a little scary but also so fun to do with them. I stopped and bought what I thought we needed and headed home to give it a shot. I must admit I failed I taking pictures of this event but I must say, IT WAS SOOOOO FUN! Amber came home from work and Lilly was with us and all 4 kids and we all laughed and comes each others hair and it was just so fun! As Brian was combing Amber's hair he let her know it would be just right if she'd put some grease in it;-) So sweet! I ended up putting the girls hair in pig tails that are like puff balls. I luv it and they both luv it and I am just tickled how well it went.
Being a mom is soooo amazing! I am so blessed, even if I am so tired I could fall over. It is a sweet tired.
Brian was a chatter box wanting the update on anything he missed while he was away. He was most interested in if his bed was still just for him and how long is he allowed to stay. I love this boy!
We then picked up Javon and headed home. It was a great evening with the boys. The next day, Friday, was a flurry of activity with hosting the SWFL Christian Prom with Shawn. In the middle of the afternoon I went to pick up the girls. Oh, it just felt so good to have them all under 1 roof again, I mean all, as all 13 of us were home at the same time at one point:-)
Today was beautiful! We played outside and Bob and I just laughed at all the activity watching them play. We also spent a good share of the day (actually last couple days) helping them all understand the rules of the land and it is going to take some adjusting for them to say the least.
We went and watched Anna's softball game and the kids loved yelling her name cheering for her. It is so cute as they have learned all the kids names already and now they all call us Mom and Dad.
I made life books for each of them with pictures of us and them and different pictures of us with them. I wrote to them how thrilled we are to adopt them and have them as part of our family. They have been asking many questions and they are somewhat confused. Who could blame them. Brian lives here now, and Javon, who is 3, will be moving in in a couple weeks and the girls, who are 5, will be moving in the last week of May. BUT, explaining this to kids that have been bounced around and don't seem to understand a forever family is quite the task. They are all bonding well to each other and to each of us.
This afternoon we went to the beach and it was a blast. It was very windy and the waves were quite big. They giggled and squeezed in delight and it warmed my heart beyond words! I don't think they have been to the beech much.
Being a mom is soooo amazing! I am so blessed, even if I am so tired I could fall over. It is a sweet tired.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Brian Moves In Tomorrow!!!
I am so excited to report that we had a meeting with the case workers and the GAL today and went fantastic! We get to pick up our son Brian tomorrow and move him into our home! Words can't even express how I feel. This is a total God thing! God has moved this entire thing along very swiftly and smoothly so far. Brian is such a sweet boy, though he surely has his issues. Please join me in praying he feels welcome and transitions into our family and home quickly. God is so faithful to bless us in such beautiful ways. Thank you all for your support and love, it means the world to us!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Overnight with kiddos Great Success!
We had a great weekend with the kids. They all loved the toys we have purchased for them and the boys loved their new beds and bedding. The boys both call me mommy, not because we told them to but I think just because of hearing the other kids. There are definite struggles for them but with God's grace we will work through them. We have noticed that being quite stern yet loving seems to get to respond. They love being told how much we love them and hearing they have done a good job and given high 5s! They all did quite well in church yesterday and seemed to enjoy it. Bob was so sweet, last night in that he said he he was absolutely 100% sure this is what God has for us and is so excited about moving forward. I have the best husband in the world! God is so faithful! Please join us in praying the boys get placed ASAP. All 4 kids cried very hard when we took them all back to their foster homes last night. It was very very hard to leave them. We are in love with these children and they are forever linked to our hearts!
Monday, April 22, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Beautiful/busy visit!
We were privileged to spend all day today with the 4 beautiful little ones. It was wonderful to see our children all loving on and playing with them. We went to breakfast and we swam and we all went to Andrew's baseball game and then we swam for a few more hours and we had dinner and the older kids took them around the block a couple times while we had Bible study and then we took them eat to their current homes. Wow! That is a lot. But, it was awesome. We have our work cut out for us and we are thrilled! Ya know, when you are doing something you know God has called you to do, it just makes it all the more worth while!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Wow! What an amazing first visit!
Waiting, anticipation
We are sitting at the park waiting with great anticipation! We brought each child a small toy, water bottle, snack, bubbles and a ball to play with. Butterflies in my tummy. Lord, calm my nerves. Will they like me? What do they know about us?just silly, I know. So many emotions. So much excitement. Lord, you are good!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
God's Confirmation!
Ok, so I show up at church for Bible study and ask them to pray for the adoption process and for the 4 children we adopting. After prayer a women named Jamie came running to our table and asked to see the picture. She provides respite care and had taken care of twin girls for several days that also had 2 brothers. I showed her the picture and indeed they are the same children. She kept saying how sweet the girls are and how much we will fall in love. She was able to give us more information that was helpful to know. It was definitely confirmation that we are on the right path. It brought tears to my eyes just to see God work and reveal more to us. Thank you Jesus!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Where to start.
This blog is named after a verse in God's word. James 1:27 External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world. (James 1:27 AMP)
I am a Christian wife and homeschool mother that desires to serve The Lord, my family, my church, and those around me. I am blessed beyond measure and feel like I am living my dream. Every time The Lord calls me to do something He equips me to carry it out. Raising children has been one of those areas God has called and thankfully continues to equip my husband and I to complete.
We have 6 beautiful biological children. I have prayed and desired to adopt since about 1999. My husband was not on board with the idea. I must admit there have been many years of tears and conversations with God asking why He would lay this on my heart and not on my husbands. I prayed often for the Lord to take it away from me or lay it on my husband's heart as well. At different times I have given up in frustration only to have it return.
In 2010 Bob and I had a conversation again about adoption and he gave the ok to check into the classes needed to adopt. I was filled with a huge sence of joy! We then headed out to visit my father and sister. About 2 hours later I received a phone call that a close friend of mine had passed away and her daughter was no where to be found. We were very close to Jennifer and her daughter Noelle. We immediately headed back to town and Bob and I went straight to Jennifer's home. She indeed had committed suicide and Noelle was found and placed in our home. Noelle has lived with us ever since and has visits with her father. She has taught us so much. The days have not all been easy for her or all of us as a family. However, God has been amazingly faithful and these past 3 years have been wonderfully rewarding in many ways.
I truly believe God has used this situation to prepare our hearts for adoption. In January, I brought up adoption to Bob as the call toward it was increasing in the deaths of my soul again. I was shocked and amazed when he said yes, he would like to adopt as well. My heart was running over with joy and thankfullness. I made the phone calls and within a couple weeks we started the necessary 10 week classes, home study, along with a list of other varied tasks we were asked to complete.
I have invested a great deal of time reading and educating myself on transracial adoptions. I feel The Lord laying on my heart that the children will be black. I have imagined what they might look like and looked forward with great anticipation, the day we would see and meet our newest Hahn family members.
The Thursday before Easter we signed our completed home study and learned at that time there is a sibling set of 4 children age 5 and under right here in our county! The wait to have our homestudy approved and learn more about these children ensued. Yesterday, April 15th we got the email, our home study had been approved! Then shortly after came another email from the case worker representing the sibling set of 4. I was so excited it was hard to think straight. I spoke to the case worker and found out there are identical twin girls that are 5 years old, a 4 year old boy, and a three year old boy. We were sent information on the children as well as pictures. I am in love! These children are beautiful! I was so excited that as I drove home from CC(homeschool coop), I got off on the wrong exit and then made a wrong turn in our subdivision.
We have read about them and found out today that Bob and I get to meet the children this Friday at a park at 2:30pm. I know it is only 3 days, but it is so hard to wait, knowing these beautiful children are right here in our community! I am praying as are many of our friends that this transition would go smooth. God, truly, you are amazing! I am in awe of the peace we feel about it all.
The timing is one only God could arrange. Our oldest daughter, Amber, is getting married May 18th. This will free up the bedroom needed for these beautiful babies. So many exciting things going on in life.
Could it be, and then there were 11? Children that is:-)
I am a Christian wife and homeschool mother that desires to serve The Lord, my family, my church, and those around me. I am blessed beyond measure and feel like I am living my dream. Every time The Lord calls me to do something He equips me to carry it out. Raising children has been one of those areas God has called and thankfully continues to equip my husband and I to complete.
We have 6 beautiful biological children. I have prayed and desired to adopt since about 1999. My husband was not on board with the idea. I must admit there have been many years of tears and conversations with God asking why He would lay this on my heart and not on my husbands. I prayed often for the Lord to take it away from me or lay it on my husband's heart as well. At different times I have given up in frustration only to have it return.
In 2010 Bob and I had a conversation again about adoption and he gave the ok to check into the classes needed to adopt. I was filled with a huge sence of joy! We then headed out to visit my father and sister. About 2 hours later I received a phone call that a close friend of mine had passed away and her daughter was no where to be found. We were very close to Jennifer and her daughter Noelle. We immediately headed back to town and Bob and I went straight to Jennifer's home. She indeed had committed suicide and Noelle was found and placed in our home. Noelle has lived with us ever since and has visits with her father. She has taught us so much. The days have not all been easy for her or all of us as a family. However, God has been amazingly faithful and these past 3 years have been wonderfully rewarding in many ways.
I truly believe God has used this situation to prepare our hearts for adoption. In January, I brought up adoption to Bob as the call toward it was increasing in the deaths of my soul again. I was shocked and amazed when he said yes, he would like to adopt as well. My heart was running over with joy and thankfullness. I made the phone calls and within a couple weeks we started the necessary 10 week classes, home study, along with a list of other varied tasks we were asked to complete.
I have invested a great deal of time reading and educating myself on transracial adoptions. I feel The Lord laying on my heart that the children will be black. I have imagined what they might look like and looked forward with great anticipation, the day we would see and meet our newest Hahn family members.
The Thursday before Easter we signed our completed home study and learned at that time there is a sibling set of 4 children age 5 and under right here in our county! The wait to have our homestudy approved and learn more about these children ensued. Yesterday, April 15th we got the email, our home study had been approved! Then shortly after came another email from the case worker representing the sibling set of 4. I was so excited it was hard to think straight. I spoke to the case worker and found out there are identical twin girls that are 5 years old, a 4 year old boy, and a three year old boy. We were sent information on the children as well as pictures. I am in love! These children are beautiful! I was so excited that as I drove home from CC(homeschool coop), I got off on the wrong exit and then made a wrong turn in our subdivision.
We have read about them and found out today that Bob and I get to meet the children this Friday at a park at 2:30pm. I know it is only 3 days, but it is so hard to wait, knowing these beautiful children are right here in our community! I am praying as are many of our friends that this transition would go smooth. God, truly, you are amazing! I am in awe of the peace we feel about it all.
The timing is one only God could arrange. Our oldest daughter, Amber, is getting married May 18th. This will free up the bedroom needed for these beautiful babies. So many exciting things going on in life.
Could it be, and then there were 11? Children that is:-)
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