Ladies and Gentlemen.....we have a gotcha day!

On August 29th this cutie pie will be taken through the gates of the orphanage and he will join his forever family!

The plane tickets are booked and everything is ready for him to come home. I even have a stash of donated breast milk for him in the deep freezer. I have enough diapers to last six months at least!  I have a dresser full of clothing and more clothes in the basement.  I've had to start avoiding the baby clothing aisle in the stores because we have more than enough. It's going to be bittersweet packing up his outgrown clothing. I'm already feeling sad about that. lol

So Silas and I have less than 4 weeks together as a family of two. That's just incredible to think about.

Last week we went camping with my family. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. Silas loved the water and the beach and he slept fairly well in the tent except for one 5:30 morning wake up.

Goofing around with Auntie Sara

Nap time with mommy on the beach

Sandcastles with grandpa

On August 10th he gets his cast off! I can't wait to see what his reaction to going to the pool will be like.

We went back to the beach yesterday and we might go one more time this week because I have cousins camping up there.

Next week we're going to go to a different lake and spend a night in a yurt! Should be fun.

Then the trip to Regina to get the cast off.  We'll stop at a splash park on our way back again.

As you can see I'm trying to fill our days with lots of fun stuff so the time passes quickly but also gives me some quality time with Silas before he has to share his momma. 

25 days until Myles leaves the orphanage and 34 days until Silas starts school! 

I have a blog?

I guess a month and a half between blogs isn't terribly unusual for me but boy has a lot happened in that amount of time!

Silas and I took in an air show in Winnipeg at the beginning of June. I enjoyed it and Silas finally noticed the planes near the end of the show. lol

We had a pool party for Silas' 5th birthday. Veggie Tale theme! Lots of fun and almost all his friends from daycare were able to come.

I'm still pretty proud of my cake!

Two days after the pool party and the night before his actual party he broke his arm! I was at the library taking a test and got here about 30 seconds after the babysitter called.

#ouch

We ended up going to Regina to get it casted properly which involved an overnight stay in the hospital (our first together!) and being put under in the OR the next morning. I was very thankful mom had decided to come with us.

The timing of this was a little stressful because the day after he got the cast in Regina we were supposed to fly to Vancouver Island.....from Winnipeg.

So as soon as we were discharged (and I fought to be discharged earlier than they were planning) we were on the road driving from Regina to Winnipeg. We got to my brother's house in time for a good nights sleep and then the next morning we hopped on a plane and off we went!

The reason for going to Vancouver Island was to finally meet Heather and the rest of the Keno family! And our friend Jalena also flew in from Edmonton. It was a wonderful 5 days of being with people who really get adoption and raising kids with special needs. Our time together was such a blessing and I loved it all.

Silas rocked the beach and ocean with his cast. We'll have to go back next year and show Myles the ocean! We also visited a petting zoo and a dairy farm. Silas was much more interested in the "big toys" than the animals.

Silas meets the ocean. Love at first sight!

Emmy and Jalena

Silas and Wyatt

Heather and Wyatt

Silas....pretending to be gentle with Emmy.

While we were there on July 4th over in Bulgaria a judge made me legally Myles' mom! Yay! So we're on the homestretch now. I'm just waiting to hear when I can go pick him up. Every waiting stage of adoption is hard but somehow this part seems the hardest. You're so close but not quite there. *sigh* Every day is a day closer I keep telling myself.

Here's a video I made from pictures taken on trip one. Have your Kleenex ready!

And then on the 6th we flew back to Winnipeg. We made friends with our pilot! He also has a 5 yr old son with Down syndrome. When we boarded the plane he made sure we got to see the cockpit. Pretty cool!

On the 7th, before we left the city, we picked up Silas' bike that has been adapted just for him so he can learn how to ride. And he's learned so quickly! Once he gets steering down there'll be no stopping him.

Last week we went to a splash park in Dauphin after Silas' hearing test. He loved it! It was nice for him to be able to play in the water without worrying too much about his cast getting wet. This week we have to go to Regina to see the surgeon about Silas' arm and I'm hoping to stop at another splash park on our way there.

On the weekend I finally found the hardware for Myles' crib and got it put together. At bedtime I was telling Silas all about how baby Myles was going to come sleep in this new crib. Silas kept looking towards the doorway and around the room trying to figure out where this kid was going to come from. lol It'll be interesting to see what he thinks of this "new daycare kid" that just never goes home!

We were feeling a little stir crazy yesterday so we took a spontaneous trip to the lake for the late afternoon and evening. It was so nice and warm and calm. For a while we had the beach to ourselves. Silas had no fear of the water and wanted to walk in up to his neck. He also LOVED the boats tied to the dock. I had to tear him away from there when it was time to leave. I'll have to make sure he gets a boat ride this summer for sure.

So that's what we've been up to for the last month and a half. Just keeping busy and enjoying our time as a family of two until Myles comes home and we become a family of three! 

Three blessed mommies with three awesome kids!

Fully Funded and it Feels so Good

That's right! I am done fundraising! The last auction I had at the beginning of May raised the last $3000 that I needed. I'm still amazed that God has done this twice now.   $32000 in about 13 mths.  Crazy faith! Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible! You were used by God for his work!

Right now I am just waiting for news of a court date. I should find out soon. Hopefully this week. We'll see!

I'm trying to be patient but it is like an emotional rollercoaster around here these days. One minute I'm fine and peaceful and patient, an hour later I'll be fighting the tears. It's so hard to have your baby so many miles away.  There's not a thing I can do to make it go faster and I don't like it one bit! sigh

Anyways....here's our life in pictures for May.

He looks like such a big boy!

Silas got quite attached to an Elsa doll in the store. Mommy was too cheap to buy it.

Myles' clothes are all washed and folded and in his drawers waiting for him. Size 3-6 mths for my almost 2 year old. :(

Such a sensory seeker he is!

Testing out his friend's quad.

To the Woman Who Wants To Be a Mom

I know how you feel. I've been where you are.

You want to be a mother more than anything.

Your arms ache to hold a child.

Maybe you are married or maybe you are single.

 

Maybe you stayed off of social media yesterday.

All those photos of smiling mothers with their children

can be really hard to see when that's all you dream of having.

 

Maybe you cried sad tears.

Or maybe you stuffed those feelings down.

Maybe you focused on celebrating your own mother.

 

In any case, yesterday was hard.

 

Well I have news for you!

 

While you were crying for a child,

there was a child crying for YOU!

 

A child who wants a mother more than anything in the world!

Or at least, they imagine they do.

They don't really know what a mother is.

They had one once but now she's gone.

 

A new mother is needed.

 

And they are absolutely powerless and unable to do anything about it.

 

Can you imagine wanting something so bad and being unable to attain it?

Oh wait.

You can.

 

Only you have the power!

God has given you the strength to do hard things!

Or He will if you ask Him!

 

Nothing is too hard with God.

All things are possible!

 

Are you too young?

Start saving now so that you are ready.

Get your ducks in a row early.

 

Are you too old?

There are countries that allow people in their 60s to adopt older children.

 An old mom is better than no mom.
 

Too poor?

I'm not rich by any means and God has provided twice.

Either trust God to provide and then work your tail off

or look into foster care (and trust God there too).

 Also Reece's Rainbow is now offering a $10000 (US dollars so even more for us Canadians) grant for all the children they have listed that are 10 years and older. That would pay for at least a third of their adoption!
 

Too busy?

Really? Laaaame.

If you are too busy then a child might be exactly what you need

so you can realize what is important in life.

 

Single?

 A single mom is better than no mom.

 

Scared?

That's normal but don't let fear stop you.

Be strong and courageous and fight for your child!

Punch fear in the face!

 

It's not the right time?

Either do everything you can to make it the right time

or realize there is no such thing as the right time.

Do you think there is ever a right time to become an orphan?

 

 

Husband not on board?

I can't really speak to this one personally.

It does seem insurmountable at times I'm sure.

My only advice is to pray that God will change your husband's heart.

Don't nag. Just pray. And then pray some more. And then get your close friends to pray.

Before you know it your husband will be coming to you with this "idea" he's had.

 

Too sick/poor health?

This one might be the only excuse I'll accept.

Pray for healing!

 

 

My point is -

You want a child.

153 million children are waiting for mothers.

 

One of them is yours.

 

Wipe your tears, get on your knees

and ask God to lead you to your child.

 

 Maybe it's one of the sweet children found on Reece's Rainbow.

 

Emma



Oscar

Thomas

Domenic

Hemingway



Micah