Guess who got his glasses?!?!

 Look at my handsome boy! 

Just got them on Saturday and he is wearing them like a champ.  He did NOT like them at first and it was a bit of a battle but he is quickly finding out how nice it is to really see!! 

(These are some pre-glasses pictures.)  I know I've said it before.....but this just amazes me.  (mostly because I have always been quite inflexible my whole life and this just looks painful to me.)  Funniest flexible moment has to go to the time when he was sitting in a chair (in time out) and was crying big ole alligator tears and wiping his tears with his toes. 

 Not to be outdone by big sister........

or little brother...........

So Joshua cannot wait to ride the bus to school.  The poor fellow absolutely weeps when the buses leave our driveway.  We are waiting to have his IEP meeting before he can start school, THEN he will get to ride the bus.  So since he doesn't get to go to school right now, he pretends (on and off for a good portion of the day) that he is getting ready to get on the bus.  So below, is how he imagines he is going to look going to school.  Dad's socks, Caleb's shoes, Tori's jacket, somebody's poncho in a bag, Savannah's water bottle that she left at home that day............... 

He was trying so hard to smile for the camera too..........just check out all the cute faces he makes. 

Jesse had to join in and try to smile for the camera too.....

 Joshua made a new friend this weekend who happened to have an extra chromosome too AND also shares a mutual love of Barney!  Soo cute!! 

 

  Last but not least......playing in our little kiddie pool. 

 Joshua and Colt had the most fun of the summer playing in this little pool right here on our driveway.

 

Colt's turn!



A little catch up

I am SOOOO behind!  Yikes!!  These pictures are from a couple of weeks ago.  We went to a little local zoo.  It was great!  Joshua loved the animals but wasn't so sure what he thought of getting too close to them in the petting zoo.  It was cute. 

Just a little catch up.  We are doing great!  Joshua is super busy but equally super loving.  I absolutely enjoy him.  He had his school evaluations and was pretty much a little terror.  The school officials, I am sure, think I am pretty much crazy.  Oh well...... he will win them over in the long run!!!.  We love him so much.

He is still not saying very many English words.  He is picking up new sign language signs every few days.  He is quite bright.      

He is going to be getting glasses!!  Found out that his it VERY nearsighted!!  -7 in one eye and -8 in the other.   I am very excited to see his whole world open up to him. 

Here are the pictures.....

Joshua looking a little worried in the petting zoo.

 The pig is coming toward the kids

 and Joshua is trying to hold it together.

 Joshua finally got up the courage to touch the goat.

 The boys LOVED the carousel.  Joshua did not want to get off.

It turned into a tantrum.  Oy!! (Russian for Oh my!) 

 Thankfully he did not grab this bird.......

 I give up with trying to get a good picture of all of them.  Between

turned heads, goofy smiles and shut eyes.....it's hopeless.

These are a little better except for the fact that

I left out the tiger they were sitting on which was

the reason I took the picture.  oh well.

 We have a kid's 4 wheeler.  It has been such a

hoot watching the older kids give rides to the little ones.

It also has been such a lesson in taking turns and sharing.

The 3 little boys have had their share of tears and

long-suffering waiting for their turn. 

 

 Joshua waiting on the driveway for his turn. 

By the way, that is not Savannah's bike she is riding.

Just plain cute.  Both of them:)

 Now onto bike rides.....we have bike trails nearby us. 

We have been trying to figure out how

to take a bike ride with all six kids. 

 

 The only problem is that usually the 2 littlest boys ride

in the bike trailer.  So we needed to figure out another

way for Joshua to ride with us. 

The solution.  Check this out.  I don't even know

what it is called.  But it is so great that we can still

go on bike rides with the whole family!  Love this!

 

And a just because picture......

My husband multitasking......isn't that awesome?!



Do Not Forget

I John 3:17

 ¹⁷But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels (heart) of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Friends, do not forget 'the least of these' today as you enjoy your family, food, house and other blessings. Read the post below about a 9-year-old sweetheart with Down syndrome.  This kind of suffering breaks my heart.

"Each one of them is Jesus in disguise."
Mother Teresa 

The Blessing of Verity: My baby

August 15, 2011 at 8:27 AM    199 Comments »

We are in shock.
We are angry at Satan.
We have a lot of work ahead of us.
In all her years of working with orphanage directors, Toni has never met one who was so cold and detached as this woman.  It is as if she is still stuck back in the Soviet era.  She does not have the heart, the passion, to be doing this job.  She doesn’t care if others come and help–all the less for her to have to do.  In spite of all the arrangements that had been made, she was with another guest when we arrived, and was not ready for the appointment.  This gave me more time to pray.


By the time we got to see the director, she was obviously ill-at-ease.  I did get to say and ask what I had hoped to, but I could not thank her for keeping Katerina alive.  The words stuck in my throat, and that was before we got to see Katerina.

[This picture clearly shows the uncertain emotions I am feeling, and the money belt I thought was well hidden around my waist.  Oh well.]

In all her years of working with adoptions, Toni has never seen a child who was in worse shape.  She said that she didn’t want to scare me, but that I needed to know that sometimes children in poor condition die before they get home.  She said that one of her other adoptive families recently lost a child in poor shape before they got to see him for the first time.
How thankful I am that God prepared me by guiding us to that blog about little Gabe. When the caregiver handed her to me, Katerina immediately showed that she was afraid by crying and making weak pushing motions toward my hands.

…trying desperately not to cry…
…Toni?  Look at her…?

The caregiver said that she wanted to change her diaper, and Toni asked if I may do it myself.  I took more pictures than this, and am sending them to Dr. Strauss, with an appeal that he write a letter urging expedition.  They will also go to the government officials we will ask for help, and to the USCIS officer with our I-800 application.
Whatever was left of my heart has been smashed up into little tiny bits and is crying out in pain.

Tiny little baby bird.

After I changed her diaper and clothes, I sat on a chair very still with Katerina facing outward where she was not forced to see my face.

I spoke her name over and over.  On this trip, I am calling her by her birth name, Veronika.

She slowly relaxed, and began to smile and laugh.

I told her over and over that I was her mama.

I crooned softly to her that she was my pretty girl, my precious jewel, and I was her mama.

She patted my hand with hers.  Pat, pat, pat, just like Verity does.

She weighs so little that my lap has already forgotten the feel of her there.

I now know how it feels to hold a starving child.

We can look at her and see what kind of life she has lived.  The damage that has been done was so unnecessary.  So unnecessary.

She has spunk, she smiles, she responds, she is a person, she wants to live.

O God, have mercy on her and open the way for her to come home quickly.  Please let us take care of her.
Satan, in the name of Jesus, you are not going to win this one.