I want to put this up here. Little "Tamara" (Tamara on Reece's Rainbow) is once again available for adoption. She was on the "My family found me" page for a bit but now she again needs a family. One way we can help her family is to raise her adoption fund, donate to Reece's Rainbow and spread the word - tell people that this precious little girl needs a forever family. How does raising her funds help her get a family? Well, because some families have the room, the time, the finances to raise a child - but not the $25,000 on-hand that it will take to go through the entire international adoption process. Click on the link below - there is a give-away happening especially to benefit little Tamara! Please consider participating and/or donating to her adoption fund, even the smallest amount.
http://onelessbroken.com/2012/04/22/ugandan-pursenecklaces-giveaway/
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Easter 2012
Below: Coloring eggs.
Baskets:
Evie often gets this little look on her face. She was thrilled about her sucker - can't you tell? He, he!
Zeph was so excited to get a big chocolate bunny just like his siblings did! 
To limit (ha!) sugar we also threw in bubbles and a little hotwheels car for him.
At my aunt and uncle's house doing an egg hunt: my younger cousin helping Zeph and my aunt helping Evie. 
Nathanael's treasure - oh my.
They had a trampoline. I thought Zeph would HATE it. He LOOOOOVED it! This is HUGE for him! He has had a very difficult time with ANY MOTION so we only let on the other two very little ones with him and they all had a blast, happily running and bouncing around on it!
Zeph really liked the eggs - opening and closing them was very tricky but he just loves containers and things that open and close.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
All about "Mr. Z"
This post is all about our little Zephaniah - LOTS of pictures. I took these pictures because I made a promise to a doctor in Zeph's orphanage to email photos. I have patiently waited 'til I could take these - pictures of him walking! These will be the FIRST pictures they receive! I also need pictures to include in his annual report. I really need to do new pictures of all our kids but first thing's first.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Baby and kiddo updates, April 4th
I'm an estimated 16 weeks along in my pregnancy. I traded in my nausea for sciatic nerve pain, it seems. It's not as bad as I've experienced before but it does slow me down a bit as it gets worse through the day.
My hubby just started working at his new location and it's actually a 1.5 hour drive there and back. So we aren't seeing much of him on his work days/nights. We are looking forward to spending time with him on his days off. And I'm looking forward to eventually living closer so he can spend those 3 hours with his family instead of driving!
Wanna see something amazing???? When you get to the bottom of the page you'll see a video of..........................................
Yes! Zeph is getting better and better at walking with his prosthetic. We're also seeing even less anger, frustration, head-banging, face-smacking, stimming. We had a few rough weeks where he hadn't been head banging as much but he had replaced it with throwing toys instead (to get his frustration out). This week I'm seeing less toy throwing as well. He's having an easier time transitioning from differing activities, including meals. We got rid of the high chair and he is sitting at the big table for family meals and at the little table outside with his siblings for occasional meals and snacks outside (as it's starting to warm up here). I think this has really helped him because it gives him some control - we are avoiding saying the phrase "all done" (which was upsetting him terribly) and instead it's pretty much just up to him to get down when he realizes that his plate is empty and nothing else is happening there - and what do you know - he actually gets down to do more "fun" things (like play) rather than sit and wait for more food that is not coming. We've been more consistent with food, trying to avoid second servings and desserts so as to not confuse him - one plate full of food and that is it. If we are having dessert it gets served WITH dinner on that plate. This way he knows WHAT TO EXPECT and can ACCEPT when his meal is over. We have also implemented a time-out chair for ALL our kids, Zeph included. If he threw a toy or hit someone or purposely defiantly disobeyed us then he sits on the time-out chair for 2 minutes. We weren't sure if this would be helpful to him (with his background) but it almost seems to have made him feel safer and calmer. He's relaxed a bit more. Go figure. We were previously just letting him "cool off" in the pack n play or for an early nap in his crib. Apparently this works better for him (at this point). There've been many more minor changes that all together seem to be really helping me and Zeph.
Our little Arielle is pretty much fully potty trained - using the BIG potty even! Yay! She's looking forward to wearing her pretty dress again for Easter. She wore it to the family gathering after my dad's funeral. A friend had given it to her, what a lovely surprise it was! I promise to take pictures!
Nathanael is plugging away at school (except he's on break at the moment). He is so very excited about all the hard-broiled eggs coming his way in the near future - he LOVES eating them! He doesn't realize he's about to have so much fun decorating them first! (pictures to follow here, too!)
Evie, our little "face maker". Boy she can throw "mean" little scowls and then smile and give mama a kiss. It's hilarious. She's added a few words to her vocabulary but mostly still says "eh" and points. She's also quite the gymnast here, climbing everything she can. She and Zeph are both wearing onesies due to a little habit they both have of trying to play in their diapers. I found her a sweet onesie dress:
The "contraption" (triple stroller, thankful for Craigslist!) we use to take walks - we plan to start walking to church even! (There's one real close). It's going to get too hot to drive 45 min. to church in the heat with no a/c in our family vehicle and the diesel prices are killer. But I think God is blessing us literally "where we are at" with this nearby church being so close that we literally CAN walk. All this time I didn't even know that a couple we've known since high school are the youth group leaders there and also participate on the worship team. They've been so loving and welcoming! We miss our other church family but right now we have to do what is safe and affordable for our family.
Celebrated my Grandmother's 75th birthday in March - her with my niece Layla and our Arielle.
Yes! Zeph is getting better and better at walking with his prosthetic. We're also seeing even less anger, frustration, head-banging, face-smacking, stimming. We had a few rough weeks where he hadn't been head banging as much but he had replaced it with throwing toys instead (to get his frustration out). This week I'm seeing less toy throwing as well. He's having an easier time transitioning from differing activities, including meals. We got rid of the high chair and he is sitting at the big table for family meals and at the little table outside with his siblings for occasional meals and snacks outside (as it's starting to warm up here). I think this has really helped him because it gives him some control - we are avoiding saying the phrase "all done" (which was upsetting him terribly) and instead it's pretty much just up to him to get down when he realizes that his plate is empty and nothing else is happening there - and what do you know - he actually gets down to do more "fun" things (like play) rather than sit and wait for more food that is not coming. We've been more consistent with food, trying to avoid second servings and desserts so as to not confuse him - one plate full of food and that is it. If we are having dessert it gets served WITH dinner on that plate. This way he knows WHAT TO EXPECT and can ACCEPT when his meal is over. We have also implemented a time-out chair for ALL our kids, Zeph included. If he threw a toy or hit someone or purposely defiantly disobeyed us then he sits on the time-out chair for 2 minutes. We weren't sure if this would be helpful to him (with his background) but it almost seems to have made him feel safer and calmer. He's relaxed a bit more. Go figure. We were previously just letting him "cool off" in the pack n play or for an early nap in his crib. Apparently this works better for him (at this point). There've been many more minor changes that all together seem to be really helping me and Zeph.
Our little Arielle is pretty much fully potty trained - using the BIG potty even! Yay! She's looking forward to wearing her pretty dress again for Easter. She wore it to the family gathering after my dad's funeral. A friend had given it to her, what a lovely surprise it was! I promise to take pictures!
Nathanael is plugging away at school (except he's on break at the moment). He is so very excited about all the hard-broiled eggs coming his way in the near future - he LOVES eating them! He doesn't realize he's about to have so much fun decorating them first! (pictures to follow here, too!)
Evie, our little "face maker". Boy she can throw "mean" little scowls and then smile and give mama a kiss. It's hilarious. She's added a few words to her vocabulary but mostly still says "eh" and points. She's also quite the gymnast here, climbing everything she can. She and Zeph are both wearing onesies due to a little habit they both have of trying to play in their diapers. I found her a sweet onesie dress:
The "contraption" (triple stroller, thankful for Craigslist!) we use to take walks - we plan to start walking to church even! (There's one real close). It's going to get too hot to drive 45 min. to church in the heat with no a/c in our family vehicle and the diesel prices are killer. But I think God is blessing us literally "where we are at" with this nearby church being so close that we literally CAN walk. All this time I didn't even know that a couple we've known since high school are the youth group leaders there and also participate on the worship team. They've been so loving and welcoming! We miss our other church family but right now we have to do what is safe and affordable for our family.
Celebrated my Grandmother's 75th birthday in March - her with my niece Layla and our Arielle.
I leave you with this:
Re-cap of March. Saying goodbye, for now.
As you can see I haven't updated in over a month. On March 7th I had to say "goodbye for now" to my beloved daddy, as he went home to be with Jesus. I had been trying to visit him in the hospital and then when he passed the following days were full of planning final arrangements, mourning, comforting other family. We know he is in heaven where there is no more pain, sickness, death, tears, darkness, sorrow. But we will miss him so very much until we are all in that wonderful place together someday.
Picture above and below: Me (Rachel) when I was a babe with my daddy.
Below: My dad and our little Zeph at Christmas this last year.
Below: Our oldest Nathanael with "Papi" a few years ago.
Below: My dad celebrating his 50th birthday just a few years ago. He had a funny sense of humor - loved him so much!
By the way.... our new baby is due right around what would have been my dad's 55th birthday. It will be so bitter-sweet. We thank God for the blessing that my dad was here, for his presence with the Lord now. And we are thankful for this beautiful little life forming in me. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away....Blessed be the Name of The Lord.
Below: My dad and our little Zeph at Christmas this last year.
Below: Our oldest Nathanael with "Papi" a few years ago.
Below: My dad celebrating his 50th birthday just a few years ago. He had a funny sense of humor - loved him so much!
By the way.... our new baby is due right around what would have been my dad's 55th birthday. It will be so bitter-sweet. We thank God for the blessing that my dad was here, for his presence with the Lord now. And we are thankful for this beautiful little life forming in me. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away....Blessed be the Name of The Lord.
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