The stomach flu took its second victim last night around midnight. I had a rough night and morning, but am feeling a bit better; however, I am yet to eat anything other that toast and tea. Hannah bounced back in less than 24 hours, so I am optimistic.
There are 9 people in our house this week enjoying the last week of the holidays.
Let’s hope the victim count stays as low as possible.
Happy New Year! Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Yesterday was our 14th anniversary. Just like a marriage itself, it had its up and downs.
It started with a low point. Hannah came into our room at 1:08 am and stated that she had just thrown up. My kids are not the vomiting type, so we were up for a while trying to get things cleaned up and Hannah settled back in.
As we were falling back to sleep, Ryan said, “oh, by the way, happy anniversary.”
The chorus to a Darius Rucker song, about raising a family, ”…it won’t be like this for long…” was running through my head.
Ryan said, “yeah, um, its going to be like this for awhile to come.”
I said, “I’ll take it.”… and then, on a practical level, I took some unisom to help me go back to sleep.
I also thought, having just celebrated (a bit early) my parents-in-law 40th anniversary, that marriage is, in fact, about endurance and commitment, hoping that the sum total of what you have achieved together is honorable to God and a good foundation from which your children can spring into their own lives. We’ve always said that even with the ups and downs of marriage, we are grateful to be able to navigate through life with a partner rather than on our own.
The high point?
We went to my doctor for an ultrasound. We saw and heard the heart beating and received reassurance that everything looks good and right on track. I know that I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I saw our little one’s heart beating and watched as it wriggled around in response to the poking and prodding of the ultrasound tech. It was amazing to see that at 11 weeks, there are arms flailing, legs kicking – a whole human being in there who is only real to us so far in my high level of fatigue and queasiness.
We celebrated our day by having dinner at Cheesecake Factory and viewing the new movie, ‘Up in the Air’ thanks to my parents who are visiting and took care of our girls for the evening.
Low-key day? Sure. Just right, sort of day? You bet.
Ryan posted some December pictures on his site. Here is the link.
Oh, by the way, Ryan spilled the beans on a post today and my mom saw Treasure’s official name. We are naming her Julia Joy Hale.
Merry Christmas!
Last week, Hannah had a super loose tooth. She refused to pull it, hoping it would soon enough fall out on its own.
Finally one morning she woke up and it was out. She said, “I prayed that it would come out and it did!”
Ellie heard me telling Ryan about the event.
She said, “Well, I prayed for a pony…”
Ellie has been cracking us up this week with some of her 4-year old phrases.
-Grandma: ”Why don’t you go over there and play Simon Says?”
-Off goes Hannah, always the leader, “I’ll be Simon!”
-Ellie, quickly trailing behind, “I’ll be Says!”
**********
Last night at dinner, they were playing a guessing game. Hannah gave a clue, “It starts with a C….”
Ellie immediately shrieked, “Seed!”
Uncle Dave laughed out loud.
**********
I said, “Ellie, can you remember what we decided to name Treasure?”
Her response, “Yes, Diamond!”
Well, no, honey, but we haven’t told Mimi and Papa yet, so I can’t post it here….
…Is a GIRL!
We were so blessed today to receive a call letting us know about our newest little one.
She was born on July 25, 2009. Her paperwork says she is very healthy and on track developmentally.
She is beautiful with dainty features, lovely coloring, and big brown eyes. (I could go on and on – and probably will given the opportunity.)
I told Ryan that – finally – we have a face to match the person we have been loving, praying for, and waiting for all this time.
Now, let’s get that baby home with her family who is so very ready for this joyful, new addition.
as she makes her new favorite statement about God: “Isn’t it funny when God changes His mind?” (I am sure that is not theologically sound, but she is 4 after all- and maybe that is the best way of understanding in our limited humanness when God says, “My ways are not your ways.”)
She is asking this in the incredulous situation that we have found ourselves in this week. Ryan and I found out that we are expecting Hale Baby #4 who will arrive sometime in July.
The reason we know “when” this baby will arrive is because God has done the miraculous and I am pregnant.
We grappled with infertility for years, but in the final analysis we were happy to continue to add to our family through adoption. Our lives would be so much less rich without our Ellie Grace and we have eagerly invested much time, energy, and many prayers for Treasure. Our horizons have widened as our eyes have been opened to the gravity of the depth of need in the the world.
Coffee tasted bad, I was queasy, and nauseous. I was terribly hungry while at the same time repulsed by food. We were heading up to Breckenridge last Saturday to go skiing. I thought, in an ambivalent mood, gee, I better just be sure before I spend the day falling, or rather skiing down the mountain. Also, how long can a slight stomach flu/possible food poisoning last?
We are “reservedly excited” by this news. Never thinking we would carry another biological child – I think we will breath a sigh of relief with every milestone reached – positive ultrasounds, reaching the end of the first trimester, hearing the baby’s heartbeat, feeling the baby move. I am definitely feeling the “pregnancy symptoms” which awe me and can be tiresome (literally) both at once.
Our commitment to Treasure hasn’t changed. The path is certainly going to be different as we become a family of 6. We are hoping for a referral soon and grace in quickly completing the steps toward traveling and getting Treasure home. But of course, that has been our hope all along, hasn’t it?
It is obvious that both my girls spent plenty of time with Papa last week:
-Hannah reminded us this morning that she doesn’t eat lunch, she eats dinner as her noontime meal.
-As I am typing, she is outside with a ruler measuring how deep the snow is this morning. I think every family in Indiana must own a rain-gauge and regularly discuss the amount of precipitation they receive in its many forms; rain, ice, or snow.
-Ellie told Ryan, “Suit yourself,” when he told us where he would meet us after a potty break at the airport upon our arrival in Denver Saturday night.
I am so thankful they have such a great Papa.
Tonight for Awana’s the children were to dress up as their favorite biblical Christmas character. Hannah said she would be an angel since we have a beautiful costume from a couple of Halloween’s ago.
Today I mentioned maybe she should just wear the wings and the halo and skip the dress in light of the fact that they play running/tagging, etc. games and it was also supposed to snow tonight.
It took no convincing: ”Sure, Mom, I’m not sure kids in my age group dress up.”
Well, the wings required safety pins which I can’t seem to find since we moved and never seem to remember that fact until I am desperate for them.
So, she headed into Awana’s with only the halo and only put it on her head when she saw a couple of bathrobe-clad wise men from her group.
At first, I was relieved. She wasn’t overdone, but she was participating at the same level as her peers.
Then, I went into my room where I help with the kindergarteners. There were no fewer than 12 angels in full crooked-winged splendor, and even a Mary with “Baby Jesus” preciously wrapped in swaddling clothes.
It was bittersweet remembering all the occasions for dress-up in which she has eagerly participated. And know that while there may not be much more interest in this, I am enjoying this new phase of “9-year-old-tween-age-hood”. I also see glimpes of the Hannah that is to come, and let me say, with all due “Mom-bias”, that I really like her.
