Ellie said a couple of funny things today, but the first needs a little explanation.
So here is the obvious – Ellie lives with caucasian parents, is Chinese, and is about to have a little sister from Africa. Everyday, when she is busy coloring or drawing, she picks out the appropriate crayon color depending on her subject’s ethnicity: peach, tan, or brown. It has become very important lately to her lately to define this in all her artwork.
Today she saw a picture of brown eggs in a basket. Evidently she has never seen anything other than white eggs before. She said, “Mom! I think those eggs are from African chickens!”
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Tonight at dinner, Ellie said, “I think Daddy finished his pizza first because he has the biggest mouth.”
Daddy was not impressed by this declaration. (But Mom thought it was hilarious.)
We had an ultrasound this afternoon and found out that we are having a boy!
As the nurse took the measurements, we watched him wiggle and squirm. He did a lot of stretching and seemed to keep his hands up near his face during most of the ultrasound. We were even able to count all of his fingers on one of his hands. What an amazing technology to be able to get this kind of a peak at our little one.
So, 3 girls + 1 boy = 2 very blessed parents
Monday was a whirlwind around here!
We did school, received delivery of some very beautiful bedroom furniture for the girls, had a piano lesson, shopped for an area rug and quilts, discovered a consignment store and found a cute accent chair, moved clothes into new bedroom, dropped off Julia’s blanket to a family who will take it her (along with some hugs, too, I hope), washed all the new bedding, and tucked everyone into bed on time.
They were a bit sorry that they couldn’t sleep in their new room, but Daddy still needs to carry Hannah’s mattress down from her old room and he was in Boston last night. They did have a grand time climbing up into the top bunk and playing. I heard Hannah tell Ellie, “Let’s come up here everyday and tell secrets.”
“Almost” is the theme of what we were able to accomplish this weekend on my loooooonnng checklist toward getting ready for Julia.
I am praying for a court date in February since that is about all I can do on the paperwork side now. But, I can organize! and clean!, and de-clutter!, and that is exactly what I set out to accomplish this weekend. I got a lot of small things done, but most everything is in the almost stage of completion.
On Thursday, I found out that the girls new bunk beds had arrived a week early – (figure that, doesn’t it always take longer than the estimate to get furniture in?) They are coming tomorrow morning! Ryan left today for a business trip, so yesterday was the day to get many things done.
For me, the most exciting thing Ryan accomplished- and Ellie, who is always right there when Daddy is assembling something – was setting up Julia’s crib! I think he took the time to do that yesterday just to delight me. Ellie is only going to sleep in that room a couple more nights and most of her things have been moved out, so I am so eager to have a “place” for Julia and begin to get her bed ready and set up shop for her. Ryan had to do a lot of lifting and carrying of things that I would normally help him move, but he didn’t complain once about having to do it all himself. I am sure I complained more than once, though.
There is a family right here in Littleton who is traveling next week to adopt their infant son from Ethiopia. They are willing (at the sacrifice of precious luggage space) to take a small blanket to Julia and take some pictures of her when they are visiting the the orphanage. I am hoping they can hold her and snuggle her a bit, too! I am looking forward to passing on the favor in a month or two.
I was thinking that I would go out and get her a brand new blanket, and wash it up with our lovely Downy dryer sheets for her. When I was going through baby clothes last night, I found a small pink thermal blanket that both of the older girls slept under when they were babies. It is one of those blankets that gets softer with each washing. I was overwhelmed thinking about her sleeping under it on the other side of the world – remembering how my other babies looked when I would tiptoe into their rooms and watch them while they slept.
Ellie faced a giant for the first time and won. She was afraid of having the new male coach at gymnastics last night. He is really good and I was excited for her to benefit from his instruction, but she was intimidated about him touching her as he helped her learn her skills.
I prayed with her and reminded her of Joshua 1:9, “Be strong and courageous and do not be afraid, the Lord goes with you each and every day.” She immediately became full of peace, and her determination shone through as she headed in with the rest of the group. This coach is especially gifted with the kids: encouraging them, acting a little silly, and giving lots of positive reinforcement. He was aware of the situation and had made a new friend in Ellie by the time class was over.
I was so happy to talk with her afterwards to hear about how much she enjoyed class and bring an abstract concept of God into a real situation for her; her strength and bravery and determination came from the Lord when we asked for it in prayer.
Ryan took Hannah out to Breckenridge to ski today. She was good to go on the greens and even did a couple of easy blues. He sent me a shot from the top of the mountain.
Another referral showed up today – hopefully more to follow as the day progresses. My excitement is abounding with how things are progressing and that we are closing in on bringing Julia home.
Also watching the happenings in Haiti, I would just as soon not have my child on the other side of the world. My prayer is that the Haitian government will release the children who have been in paperwork limbo in their system to come home sooner rather than later.
Maybe as the walls have crumbled, so will the red tape that many families have been enduring in getting their children home. After all, our God works all things for the good of those who love him. He trades beauty for ashes. I saw a Haitian mother on the news last night who dug her three children by hand out of their devastated home, had to wait a couple of days for medical treatment for their injuries, held her 9-year-old son while he had a huge gash stitched up without anesthetic and said, “I know that there is a God and He loves me because I still have my children.”
-”Ellie, I think we need to get you a new coat. This zipper is just worn out,” as I was trying to tug her zipper opened again while the fabric was stuck.
-”You mean my coat is tired?”
Pregnancy is a time when a husband really has to step up to the plate with encouragement and compassion and mine has:
-Hugging his wife who is crying for really no apparent reason and at a completely inconvenient time.
-Taking his wife out to lunch on a weekday because she was finally able to identify what she has been craving and it is a cheeseburger from Red Robin with all the gooey fixings.
-(Willingly) carrying heavy or bulky items and moving furniture in preparation for not one, but two new babies.
-Spending Saturday and Sunday shopping for bunk beds and then taking us out for ice cream after we made our purchase.
-Taking extra turns in tucking the girls into bed and remembering to refill the humidifier because his wife is just too tired and didn’t even ask him too.
I apologize for such a sappy post – let’s blame the hormones.
