Doubled Joy!

Each New Year's our family REALLY celebrates. No, the change from one calendar year to the next doesn't set our hearts to dancing. The reason for the doubled joy is that on January 1 each year we're privileged to rejoice over God's gift of TWINS. This year John and Alison turned 24.

I love the look on John's face here. He and Alison became best friends before their births. They have been the most remarkable cheering section for each other. Their relationship is just what you would hope of twins. Since Alison married Eric, John and Eric have developed and invested in a close friendship. In addition, John is a favorite uncle of Eric and Alison's little guy, William. John is eagerly awaiting the birth of his twin's first daughter.

We were informed, after untold testing and medication, that I would NEVER get pregnant. As a result of that never, our joy at having TWINS is to the sun and back. Our gratitude to God for the miracle of John and Alison is limitless. The Lord has shown us great kindness.

Curious William

Our grandson is oh-so loved! This is childhood as God intended. This tender care is what millions fatherless children around the world completely miss out on. They are profoundly scarred as a result, but their lives CAN be redeemed when they have a loving home, are taught the gospel, and, by God's grace, eventually find their identity in Christ. Orphans must not be considered castaways! Please, dear friends, would you pray about entering the orphan care fray through adoption or foster care? All we ask is that you seek the Lord. Please go to His word and ask Him to show you His heart for the most vulnerable. If you take the step into orphan care, your life will be raw, hard and more blessed than you could ever have imagined!!! God cares for and leads those who care for the orphaned! We've experienced this 10 times over! He is so good!

(If you'd like to talk to me about adoption, my email is barrennomore@gmail.com -- Please be aware, I'm not always quick to respond, life continues to be wonderfully crazy in our home with 10 children still living with us.)

william + water = wonder

 

SURPRISE!

Last night just after dinner, the door bell rang. We were astounded when we opened the door. Alison and William were standing on the front porch! Our wonderful son-in-law, Eric, had arranged for the sweetest of surprises ~ a week-long visit for his wife and son with her parents and siblings. God abounds in lovingkindness! Watch for more pictures here.

Birthday Thanks to Our Twins {The Role Siblings Play in Adoption}

Mrs. R:

Happy 23rd, John and Alison! Our family has been wildly blessed by the two of you in ways too numerous to count. 

However, on your special day, I want to acknowledge a role you have played in our unusual extra-large bio-adoptive family. You two are the only ones who weren't added to our family through adoption. As the biological children, you could have tried to claim a special place in your parents' hearts. At times it would have been easy to mock or demean your other 10 siblings. But you haven't--ever. As your older sister, Anna, met her birth parents after she turned 18, you were in her corner cheering her on and praying for her.

In addition, each of the three times we adopted three children from Russia, you demonstrated the constancy, patience, love and encouragement your new siblings needed so much to adapt to their new lives in America. You lived sacrificial love like no one outside our family could possibly fathom. And you did so without a word of complaint. In fact, each time we considered adoption, you were in the forefront of the crowd encouraging us. You saw children who needed a family and helped give us the fortitude to take the steps of faith needed to be that family for them. And then you followed up with day-in, day-out love and support for them as they adjusted. You lived Christ-like love before you knew much about the theology of it. 

This time around I'm only posting photos from our first adoption of a trio of siblings, but each of these pictures is worth 1,000 words. These photos were taken in the first six months after the adoption of Zhenya, Sarah and Matthew. Despite the short time your new sisters and brother had been your siblings, their security in your all-embracing love shows in their eyes and their smiles. Although there are no photos here from the adoptions of your other six siblings, the story is the same. Your sacrificial love made an incredible impact from the start and, your dad and I firmly believe, has been a key factor in the reason they are all progressing so well years after their adoptions.

Thank you, twins, for making all the difference in the world.

With much love,

Mom

Alison (rear) age nine and Zhenya age eight -- December 2001

Matthew age six and John age nine -- December 2001

Matthew age six and Alison age nine -- Christmas Day 2001

Matt age six and John age 10 -- Spring 2002

Sarah age 7 Alison age 10 and Zhenya age 8 -- Easter 2002

Zhenya age 8 and Alison age 10 -- Spring 2002

Thankful for Thanksgiving

Mrs. R:

As we begin to wrap up preparations for the celebration of Christ's birth on Christmas, Mr. R. and I continue to thank God for our family's WONDERFUL Thanksgiving. For a full week, we had all of our children and grandchildren in our home (with the exception of Sarah who is serving in an orphanage in Zambia). We experienced the most glorious fellowship. I took this photo on one of the evenings as some of that rich love and laughter was taking place in the kitchen.

Sister Love

Eric and Alison's first child, William, at about 18 hours old. He's being loved on by his Auntie Anna, Alison's older sister. Anna flew to New England from Ohio to help the new parents make the tremendous adjustment to adding their first new family member. Anna's husband, Aaron, was remarkably kind in giving our family the "gift of Anna" on this landmark occasion. He took four days off from work to stay home and watch their one- and two-year-old daughters.

Learning to be a Mommy

More on William's birth day coming soon. Until then, here's a photo I love of Alison's in her first hour of being responsible for a new life.

To God be the glory!

Eric and Alison: When the Wait Drags On

Denise:

After a fabulous 30th-anniversary celebration last week with the love of my life in Maine, this week I'm in Massachusetts with our second daughter. Alison and her husband, Eric, are expecting their first child ~ a boy. The little guy has thus far been reluctant to make his entrance in the world. He was due five days ago on September 27th.

This morning I went with Alison to her weekly doctor appointment. This week's visit started with an ultra sound since Alison is over due. The goal was to check the baby's health and make sure that he is still surrounded by enough amniotic fluid. The little guy passed the various tests with flying colors. Alison and I were treated to so many evidences of the God's amazing handiwork. We got to see a clear picture of the valves opening and closing between the four chambers of Little Man's heart. We were treated to a sharp picture of his beautiful spine. His kidneys were cute and his profile was perfect. Alison and I were overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord for the wonder of His work.

After the sonogram was finished, Alison saw her doctor who informed our very pregnant daughter that her body still isn't ready to give birth. Alison left the appointment discouraged that it looks more and more like a medical induction might be the path to her first child's birth. She called Eric who knew just what his wife needed to endure the wait for their son's birth.

We met Eric for lunch at a Five Guys near Eric's work for hamburgers and fries. Eric provided just what Alison needed...

...a listening ear...

...and a bit of reassurance that he stills loves his wife.

After 30 minutes with her husband, Alison's discouragement was replaced by steadfast determination, and she was ready to face a few more days of pregnancy...

...and Eric was ready to return to work.

On Sunday, Eric and Alison will celebrate their first anniversary. Today I got to witness a husband's devotion to his wife bring hope to her heart. As I watched Eric impart his strength to his wife, I couldn't help but think of this verse, "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25 ESV). Eric loved sacrificially today and was the very picture of Jesus loving His bride.

I thank God for Eric and Alison's one-year-old marriage. I thank the Lord that our daughter is in such good hands as Eric cares for her. And I thank the Lord that one way or another Alison's physical soreness will soon be replaced by the emotional and spiritual joy upon becoming a mother.

The Next Time...

Last weekend we got to see Alison, our second oldest daughter, at 36 weeks pregnant.

The next time Alison and her daddy see each other, she will be a mother.

Growing a Boy

When our daughter, Alison, visited with her husband, Eric, at the end of May, my camera was busy! She was 22 weeks along with her first child ~ our first grandson.

When Eric returned to their home in Boston to meet work obligations, Alison stayed behind for a few days of family time.

I asked Alison if I could do a maternity shoot, and she was game.

Alison is an utterly girly girl who doesn't know one end of a basketball from the other, so to speak. Thus, my daughter got quite silly during the photo shoot with the props we brought along to a favorite park in order to represent how much she has to learn.

We left the park and went to the nearby college. Alison spent years taking violin lessons in the music building there. She did a quick change and we went to work taking advantage of fabulous lighting and great geometric lines.

Now and then we added a prop. We were simply having the best time as mother and daughter. We laughed as we learned together what worked for the photos and what didn't. All the while, we just couldn't help marveling that Alison is growing a human being inside her. How good and kind our God is!

We were pleasantly surprised to find the building unlocked since that hadn't always been the case during the summer throughout Alison's teen years.

We were also delighted to find that many alterations had been made inside since either of us had last been in the building. What a make-over the structure had been given! The furniture was brand new and yet had retro look that's so popular right now.

Because of it being summer, the all-glass lobby of the arts center was void of people.

Our family is daily thankful for Eric and Alison's pregnancy. Because Jim and I experienced extreme infertility, the whole family is keenly aware that the ability to get pregnant is not a given. All in our growing army of 18 have spent 25 weeks thanking God for the little boy He's growing in Alison!