Happy Birthday, Reni!

Dearest Reni,
It's hard to believe it's been a year since we were celebrating your first birthday with you in Elbasan.  Oh, what a day that was!  Not quite like we imagined it, but the fact that we were with you overshadowed any thing else, even Daddy's relapse of malaria. Jesus answered our prayers that we could be with you on that day! I'll never forget how dapper you looked in that special outfit from Duzi.  She even had your hair slicked over!

Today was a bit quieter, but special nonetheless.  We are on our long-awaited family vacation -- our first as a family of four!  We woke up in a Best Western in Cumberland, Maryland and after a quick breakfast (made quicker by your glimpse of the pool through the window) we spent some time in the pool (to hopefully tire you and Ellie out before another several hours in the car)!  Today you learned how to jump off the edge into our arms!  You would count, "3, 4, 9 JUMP!" and fall with complete faith that we were there to catch you.  I think by the end of the week, you will be able to count all the way to ten correctly and with ease.

Reni, I don't even know where to begin with all that God has taught me through you.  I must confess that having a son was both exciting and scary for me!  I never had any brothers, and for at least three generations above me, none of my mothers or grandmothers had brothers either!  You could say femininity was something I was quite comfortable with.  Boy, has it been fun to have a son.  Trucks, tractors, cars, dinosaurs, lions, fearlessness, rambunctiousness -- it's everything I imagined a little boy to be.  But you have also been more loving, more tender, more sweet than I knew a son could be.

You won my heart long before I won yours.  Ours was a relationship a bit slow in coming.  I could tell before we even met that the ladies in Elbasan were your favorite people and it would be a while before another woman could take their place.  Add to the fact the 10+ days of alone time between you and Daddy before coming home and our bonding was even more delayed.  But slowly, slowly, like the snow melting in early spring, your heart warmed to your mommy and after Daddy's 10 days of spring break in Haiti, you and I were best friends.

This past year has been one of the best I can remember because of you.  You have opened so many doors, brought us joy immeasurable, and taught me that God's best for us is nothing to be afraid of.  I can't imagine what went through your mind when everything you knew was stripped away and you came to live in a new place, with people whose language you didn't know, and never again saw the ones you first loved.  (Someday, before too long, we hope to take you back to see them again).  In spite of all of that, you never failed to exude a joy and love for others that I hope you never lose. One of my favorite things has become watching the reaction of others who meet you.  A friendly grin and "hello" from you and their faces light up.  I think your daddy's cousin Dan described it best when he said yesterday that you live with your heart cracked open for the whole world to see.  [editor's note: if you are a blog reader who has never met our son -- he is as happy, content, and sweet as his pictures imply].

Reni, I never cease to be amazed at the way God wove all the threads of our lives to intersect.  Know that you are dearly loved and we can't wait to see what the next years bring!
All my love,
Mommy

This and That

The kids got haircuts last week... can you tell?

On Sunday we had the special treat of having lunch with Mom and Dad Waggoner.  They were in Kentucky at a State Park for a school reunion.  Their travels back to Ohio brought them through Lexington so we met them at Chipotle after church.   I don't think Ellie was expecting the visit to be so brief, but her sadness was assuaged when we told her it would only be 6 more sleeps until we saw them again!  We are leaving this weekend for a big road trip to New Jersey to see Nathan's grandparents and Mom, Dad and Rebecca are joining us.  It's been three years since we saw Grams and Pop Pop last, which of course means they haven't yet met Reni.  We are all excited about the time with them, but Nathan and I have had a bit of trepidation about the length of the trip with the kiddos.  We'll keep you posted!

After lunch with Mom and Dad, we came home and were blessed by a visit by Ricky, Aiden, and Aolani.  Ricky and Aiden made two trips with us to Hungary and we are so pleased that they paid us a visit on their way through Kentucky on their summer travels so we could meet their daughter (who is now 18 months old)!  Congrats, friends, on the announcement of your baby boy!  I'm sorry I didn't get any photos!

Keys, Purse, Phone... Ready to Go!

The only thing that would make him happier would be if he was holding my REAL phone!

Hide N' Seek

Reni loves to do this almost daily.  Occasionally we'll notice it's extra quiet and wonder, 'Where did Reni go?'.  Then we'll walk by a closet and hear a sweet little sing song voice say, 'Yoo hoo!'

Forgive the mis-matched jammies, but I'm sure you won't even notice over all the cuteness.  I'm LOVING this age!  New words this week are "blanket", "my turn" and "share".

Hidden Treasures

I don't know who all stops in and visits our little blog, but I thought these links might touch some of you.

You may wonder why anyone would consider special needs adoption, or you may just enjoy reading a testimony of someone's personal journey to adoption... the links below fit both categories, and after a couple of recent encounters, I feel they are especially timely to share.

Yesterday after getting my hair cut I ran into someone I hadn't seen in a couple of years, and then a short time later had lunch with a few folks that again, I very rarely see socially.  On both occasions in the process of them asking about my children (particularly about adding Reni to our family in the last year), I was asked if we pursued special needs adoption intentionally. Then later, something to the effect was said about how "lucky" Ellie and Reni are to have us as parents.

I know they are meaning to pay Nathan and I a compliment, but it really makes me uncomfortable and I sat there, tongue-tied because I didn't know how to respond.  I know how much we lack on so many levels in the parenthood department.  I know now that parents of special needs kids are regular people. But I also know a truth that I didn't know before.  I recently came upon a verse in Isaiah that resonated strongly in my heart, "I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name." (NASV)


As I reflect back on yesterday's conversation, I realize that verse is what what I need to learn to articulate -- that my children were hidden treasures -- in fact, many, many folks would have overlooked them.  But through the experience of adopting them, we have been drawn closer to our heavenly Father than ever before and have heard his voice more clearly than at almost any other time in our lives as he led us on this treasure hunt that brought our two children home. As we near the end of our first year with Reni, this is what I have come away with.  There is treasure and hidden wealth in helping the orphan and in adoption -- both in the children you carry in your hearts and the intimate experience with the Lord. And this treasure is something that will last for all eternity.

So in that context, perhaps you can see why I found this three-part series published on "We Are Grafted In" to be particularly touching and understand why I wanted to share this story with you (don't worry, they're quick reads).  I think you will enjoy ...

Part 1 of 3:  Not on Our Radar

Part 2 of 3: Everything In Here is Crazy

Part 3 of 3:  I Refuse

Thanks for reading and have a blessed weekend...

Happy 12th, Nathan!

Who would have thought on that hot, sticky Sunday in central Illinois that our family would look like this in 12 years?  Not me!  What an adventure our lives together have been!  Rarely dull, that's for sure. ;-)  While last year we were riding a funicular up to the top of Mt Dajti and eating atop the Hotel President, I was glad for a pretty 'normal' day here in Kentucky, with our family altogether. I can't imagine a better teammate or partner, than the one God blessed me with in you, Nathan.  Thanks for your love, support, leadership, and for keeping me laughing!  Happy Anniversary!

What We're Listening to This Summer

I learned about the Seeds Family Worship CDs over on Kelly Raudenbush's blog when she posted a link to a free song download last month.  I loved the song so much I ordered a couple of CDs for us to listen to in the car this summer while we racked up miles driving to Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey and Illinois again!  Since I'm so weak on Bible memory I thought this was a great way to take advantage of the time in the car and find a great way to commit these words to memory! I love them and find the tunes running through my head all the time!

What's great about these are that they are word-for-word Scripture (from the ESV) -- nothing else -- AND, when you buy a CD, it comes with a free 2nd copy for you to give away!  It doesn't get much better than that!  Just had to share!

July 4th Weekend in Ohio

Following our time in Illinois, we drove to central Ohio for a few days with PaPa and Nonna Waggoner.  This was Reni's initiation to the "fast" boat (as compared to our kayaks, which are rarely fast).

After driving around Alum Creek, we pulled up at a little beach to eat a picnic supper.  We knew that Ellie loves the beach, but this was Reni's first experience.  It was a tad gravel-y, but that didn't bother him one bit.

a little sand in my pizza?  no problem

Shortly after this photo, he was OUT.

Thanks, Mom and Dad, for some great memories!

Illinois Visit, Part 2: Grandpa & Grandma Whiteford

After shooting 3 weddings in 8 days right before coming to Illinois, I was really camera weary.  I did manage to get a few images with my grandparents, Lawrence and Marguerite Whiteford.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any with Grandpa Van and Marilyn.  This particular evening we brought up a small shock of wheat so the "townies" could see what was going on at the farm.  I have to say, staying at Grandpa and Grandma 'Ford's old house is both strange and completely natural.  'Strange' because I RARELY (the only time I can remember sleeping there is the night Hannah was born) spent the night there as a child, but 'natural' because it's the only homebase which has remained constant my entire life.  Now that my grandparents live in town, Mom and Dad live in their house (where my mom grew up) during farming season because it's the operational hub of the farm business.

Grandma's "toy box" has a few stuffed animals and some match box cars.  That's all Reni needs!

THAT'S where you hid that car!

Looking through these images reminds me so much of childhood visits to my great-grandparents Craig home in Minier... playing with whatever we could find while the adults visited.

Grandma has a walker now that is even more fun than Grandpa's because it has a shelf!

And just a few more pics before leaving the next day...

Charley's angels, here we come!

Reni Makes an Appearance...

Bethany Overview from Bethany Christian Services on Vimeo.

Check out this video to see a quick pic of Reni!

Illinois Visit, Part 1: Photos from the Farm

The photos with the VT cousins were taken from Mom and Dad's camera.  Kelly M, I cringe to think of what you're saying when you see the photo below this one.  In Dad's nearly 40 years of farming, I don't know that he's owned a 'red' tractor (aside from an antique Farmall) til last year.

The days with cousins were pretty crazy, from what I heard.  Mom said there was only 1 meal where they were all sitting down at the same time!  It was also chilly, but it didn't keep them from enjoying time outside with the kittens, on bikes, and playing on the front porch (which was converted to an outdoor toy room).

We joined Ellie and Reni a week after dropping them off and thankfully the sun made an appearance...

Do you see how straight and flat are these Midwestern country roads?  A paradise for riding bikes (as long as the wind isn't too strong)!

Ellie learned about "cutting wheat" and Reni now correctly knows this is called a "bombine", of which he proudly owns  a miniature version in KY.

The kids were in heaven, loving the opportunity to watch all kinds of trucks and farm implements regularly drive up and down the driveway throughout the days, not to mention riding in the truck with Gjyshe to turn on/off sprinklers and on little jaunts like this round in the field.

One more post tomorrow to finish off the Illinois visit!  Come back tomorrow!