Update on Christina's Injury (A God Story)

I have left our readers dangling -- a bit like the light bulbs in the photo in my last post. I deeply apologize to those of you who are loyal followers and supporters of our unusual family. And now I'm going to add injury to insult by not even posting a photo of Christina.

Let me just make a promise to post a photo of Tina very soon. However, in a way this photo is almost more fitting. God's glory was on display late this afternoon as I wandered outside to take a few photos of the tail end of a beautiful autumn. God's great grace was also on display in how He healed Christina. Her surgeon prepared us for a rough ride of continued swelling of her internal organs before any healing would begin. And, that was if no complications occurred that would require surgery.

However, God had His own way with Tina's healing. There was no additional swelling. There were no complications. Tina's hospitalization did last five days; it took that long for her to be able to digest food again. She was admitted to the hospital on Thursday night and released the following Tuesday evening. Before she came home, we made a trip to the grocery store to stock up on special foods for her to eat during the long healing process to digestive system. However, Christina came home completely well. Completely healed. Despite the horse's well-aimed kick, she was ready to eat every day food. She was also ready even that night to resume her normal activities. We were nothing short of shocked! How could she be so...so...well? We made her take it easy for a day or two, unable to believe what we were witnessing. However, by Friday of that week Tina had convinced us of God's great grace having made the impossible possible. She was so healthy that she joined her brothers and sisters as they wove they're way through a corn maze that covered 17 acres.

We know that God can always heal, but that He doesn't always choose to do so, or to do so as quickly as we would like. In this case, we're very grateful for the mercy He showed our family in healing her so thoroughly and so quickly.

10 Years? Already?

I simply can't let today slip by without mentioning that this is the 10th anniversary of our adoption of biological sisters from the town of Klinsty in the region of Bryansk in extreme western Russia. Christina, Hope and Faith (l-r) were 7, 3, and 5 when we adopted them. They have brought immeasurable joy to our family and we thank God for them daily! The most prominent characteristic of these sisters is that are all avid self-taught learners. If they develop an interest, they educate themselves. Each of us in the family has learned so much from them about subjects we would have never thought to pursue ourselves. Their zest for life is contagious! What a gift these older-Russian orphans have proven to be!

before they departed

Alison and her funny guy, Will, left earlier this week. We'd all enjoyed a blissful seven days of love and laughter! To mark the special time, I wanted to make sure I had a photo of everyone in the family with their favorite 5-month-old little boy. I'd already taken pictures of Zhenya and Eliana with William, but this post includes photos with the rest of the gang.

You'll see William's tongue out in most of these photos. During the last couple of days Will was with us, the silly boy was almost continually trying to roll his tongue. In those moments when he forgot his passionate pursuit, there was always someone around from our extra-large family to remind him by rolling his or her tongue. I was left out of all this fun because I'm one of those folks who can't roll my tongue. Can you roll your tongue?

When William was placed in Hope's arms, he was quite interested in tasting her. Perhaps this was because he was born in October everyone has been wearing sleeves. Maybe? Perhaps...?

One lick became two before we could get Will to turn toward the camera.

Love this guy's sparkly eyes! Even when he isn't smiling, he still looks happy. God has been so kind to give him delight in his world.

And when Will smiles, we find we can't resist smiling with him.

In fact, when William smiles, the whole room lights up.

The Bible says that grandchildren are the reward of old age. William's grandpa and I are relishing the sweet reward of having this precious child as one of our grandtreasures.

These two were buddies during Will's visit.

As were these two.

When John got home from work, William used his lap as a throne.

Christina had been volunteering at the horse therapy ranch near our home, but when she returned I got a photo of this auntie and her little nephew in his pajamas just as the sun set.

Now that our grandson has gone the house just seems too quiet.

Evelyn the Adventurer

In June I was blessed to be able to visit our oldest daughter, Anna, and her husband, Aaron. When the Lord gives me the great blessing of one of these trips to see our married girls, I try to take one of our older children who is still living at home with me. That way that kiddo and I get some one-on-one time. This also gives that child the chance for some time alone with his or her oldest sister. While Jim and I are constantly amazed at the many benefits of being a super-sized family, we also realize that one of the dangers of being part of a large family is getting lost in the crowd.

This time it was Christina's turn to travel with mom. Not only did she love getting some sister-time in with Anna, Christina thoroughly enjoyed having her two nieces to herself. Both Brielle and Evelyn (pictured here) seemed to delight in getting some "Auntie Tina" time.

On one of the days during our visit we visited a large local park for a lunch picnic and some playtime on the play ground. Brielle, who had just turned two a couple of weeks earlier, ate her first-ever sub. The very small "children's size" sandwich looked so big in her bitty toddler hands.

After hungrily making quick work of the big lunch, my favorite two-year-old was off to conquer the play equipment. We were surprised to find ourselves alone on a beautiful day, but that meant Brielle could climb to her heart's content.

The photo above has quickly become a favorite of mine. The Lord allowed me to capture my oldest grandchild in all her glorious toddlerness (Yes, I just made up that word!)...chubby hands, rolls around her wrists, tiny feet, wispy-wavy hair, fair skin and pink, chubby cheeks. Ahhhh...our Creator is beyond amazing!

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Last summer Brielle was too young to truly understand the magic of a playground, but this summer every ladder and slide is her delight. She slid down slide after slide as her mama and sister watched.

As a younger sister, Evelyn, wasn't content to just watch. Though she was a couple of months from turning one, she wanted to try whatever her sister was doing...and she was fearless.

Evelyn wasn't content just to try out the slides. Even though she wasn't yet walking independently she was determined to make the ascent up the slide. Anna, Christina and I thought this little one would quickly tire and give up. Boy, were we wrong!

The 10-month-old took stock of her goal and started the arduous climb. (The photo above is also now one of my favorites. I just love Evelyn's happy look of determination.)

Although it's hard to see Anna's hand in these photos, Evelyn's mama was keeping very close in case Evelyn's strength flagged.

We were stunned when Evelyn reached her goal.

Evelyn's adventures weren't over, however.

Once she'd climbed the slide, she wanted to do it again...

...and again and again...

...and again. Before she ran out of spunk, Evelyn had made the steep ascent SIX times! Who knew a baby could accomplish such a feat!!!

The little slide-climber was so exhausted she fell asleep sitting up in Auntie Tina's arms while drinking her bottle.

All this time Brielle had also been busy. Both little girls were ready for their much-needed afternoon naps...

...so we headed for home after a magical trip to the park.

Reminded { CAFO 2014 }

This past week, our family attended the Christian Alliance for Orphans' (CAFO) annual summit. We joined several thousand who are on the front lines in the care of vulnerable children around the globe. Those who gathered in Chicago for CAFO 2014 represented 35 countries. Each brought his or her own stories of God at work. Each came to be refreshed and renewed in their commitment to answer God's clarion call woven throughout the Bible to "defend the orphan" (Isaiah 1:17).

Most likely, when orphan care is mentioned, adoption is the first thing to come to mind. While that may have been one of the few ways to make a difference for the 147,000,000 orphans in the past. Global orphan care takes hundreds of different forms and more and more is emphasizing care for the children within their own country. Globally, creative efforts to meet the countless needs of the "least of these" have grown exponentially during the past decade. Adoption is now just one manner of caring for the fatherless.

Adoption does happen to be the orphan care arena to which the Lord has called our family. Adoption is how Jim and I became parents when the Lord placed our oldest daughter, Anna, in our arms through the courageous choice of her birthmother. Several years after the birth of our twins, the Lord grew our family through three separate adoptions as we added trios of older Russian children to our number in 2001, 2005 and 2010. As my beloved husband once put it, "Adoption is what we do as a family."

Attending CAFO 2014 reminded Jim and me of God's heart for the orphan. Being surrounded by so many who love the vulnerable renewed our determination to shepherd well the children who have come to us through adoption. While at CAFO 2014 we were deeply blessed to meet a handful of Eastern Europeans who are serving the orphans sacrificially in their countries amidst difficult circumstances. They embraced our role as an adoptive family wholeheartedly, and we were deeply encouraged by their love.

The two days of CAFO 2014 stretched us from early morning to late in the evening. We learned much during the plenary sessions and in workshops. We came home tired, but it was a good kind of tired. We returned home empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue on in the work we've been called to by Christ. Jim and I also returned to home ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with others who are called to "visit the orphan" in whatever manner the Lord might call them.

On our way home yesterday, we stopped briefly for a refreshment break in the incredibly picturesque town of Galena, Illinois. Galena was founded in 1826 and is the birthplace of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.

Sarah - age 20

While Dad was purchasing a snack for the kids at a coffee shop, I took advantage of the day's beautiful lighting to snap some photos of some of our precious kiddos. 

On the left, Christina, 16 and Faith, 14 

Matt, age 18

Nathaniel, age 14

Once we had food and drink, we slowly wound our way up main street. We weren't alone! A good portion of the mid west seemed to have decided Galena would be a perfect place to celebrate one of the first truly spring-like days of in the northern part of the country.

In addition to many food shops that emitted tantalizing aromas, the town is also home to a number of antique stores and shops carrying home-decorating treasures. I was drawn to this unusual peacock wall hanging.

As we ambled down the street, a fierce-looking watch dog eyed us warily from one of the shops.

We finished our stroll by taking a group photo.

(Sadly, John was unable to join us due to work.)