Wordless Wednesday - Well... Almost Wordless

3 Weeks old  (6lbs 4 oz)

 This is especially for you mom, so you can see how tiny she really is. Laying a top of two regular size bath towels.  

My hard working men building a chicken tractor for the flock of 50 meat birds that absolutely must be moved out of the brooder, TOMORROW.

 My favorite person relaxing on Sunday afternoon and snuggling baby girl.
 I love you, Dear and  Happy Birthday too! You have been entirely awesome these last weeks, I promise I won't entirely forget to celebrate your birthday.  Tradition will continue, Cheese Pastries are in your future somewhere, I promise. :-)

   I feel so grateful tonight for all the big and little blessings that I enjoy.  Maybe tomorrow I can post a gratefulness post and list some of these special things.

Lexie - 2 wks

Has it really been a whole week since my last post?  My, oh my, how the days have flown past.

Baby Love is two weeks old today.  We think she is the cutest thing we ever did see and we just can't stop kissing her soft baby cheeks.  

You don't think Adison is in love, do you? 

 Oh, but wait till you hear what he asked me two days ago. 

He was sitting on the couch cuddling Lexie and holding her baby fingers in his with the most infinite tenderness when he looked up and said, "Oh Mommy, could you ever actually marry your sister?"   Lexie stole his heart and he is so in love with her.

The other brothers are in exactly the same shoes. They are both mighty proud of their little Itty Bitty.

Keishon is my special babysitting help.  He is fabulous with her, so very protective and  gentle.

So there you have it.  Life here is all about baby right now.  We will blog other things in good time, for now bear with me a bit.

Itty Bitty Alexis, Her Story and Ours

About three years ago we began to discuss adopting a baby girl to complete our family. We started the procedures and road the roller coaster of emotions that goes with adoption.

 Last year we had a potential match and thought we would be bringing a baby girl home . This situation was frustrating, painful and a very emotionally draining experience.

 Over the course of the next weeks and months we have had small possibilities rise and fade on the horizon. Of course, as always there were plenty of high dollar adoptions that we weren't even able to consider.

Another year passed, and then this spring we frequently discussed adoption and prayed a good deal about it. In the end we decided that when our paperwork expired in July we wouldn't renew it.  We decided it was time to move on.
 If we were really supposed to adopt, God would have to arrange it in His own way.  The money that had been set aside for adoption we used for expanding our farm, fencing in the property, and to fund several other projects.  We honestly thought it just wasn't meant to be and so moved on with life.

God obviously had other plans in mind for us, which we knew nothing about until last Thursday, Oct 7 at 4:45 PM.
  We were traveling towards Greenville to pick up some Craigslist garage doors to finish yet another farm project when our cell phone rang.
It was Carrie from Special Link. She told us that there was a baby girl that had been born the day before to a 13yr old and needed a family that was ready for immediate placement.  Would we accept and come immediately.

We explained that our home study was not current, and that we would need a few minutes to get around minds around this before we were ready to answer either way.  She assured us that they were fine with using the old paperwork and could start proceedings with this and simply follow them with an update.

Relinquishment papers had not been signed but were scheduled for the morning.  Knowing how often things fall through before consent is signed we said yes, knowing that it might mean nothing at all and yet somehow sensing otherwise in our hearts.

I didn't sleep well that night and all the next morning I felt more anxious than I can ever remember feeling in my life. My mouth was dry, my stomach tied in knots, and I jumped each time the phone rang.

At 12:30, Friday, (October 8) the paralegal called and said that relinquishment papers had been signed and would we please come  yet today to spend time with the baby.
 Last minute babysitting arrangements were made for all the boys and by late afternoon we were making the two hour drive.

As the miles sped past we wrestled with the suddenness of it all and tried to wrap our minds around what was taking place. We were thrilled, still logistics loomed over us like a grey cloud.

When we held Alexis for the first time, 27 hours after the first call, any doubts that might have remained in our mind evaporated.  We fell completely in love with her, and knew instantly that all would be well.

 The following days seemed to drag on forever as we waited for her release from the hospital. The weekend made the paperwork issues take a good deal longer.  I wrote a blog on some of that that some how didn't get posted and ended up in a saved draft that I discovered today. (Strange, probably you all didn't need to hear my whining and complaining)

Yes this has all happened very suddenly and has caught us a bit unready.

We feel this God arranged this in his own unique way.  He is also quite able to provide all the means for the needs ahead.
 For those that asked,  the donations button on the side was placed there for those of you who expressed an interest in helping with the costs involved in this adoption.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to message/or comment.

Most importantly we do ask for your prayers, and want to say a special thank you to all of you who have given so freely in many different ways.
Thank you for sharing your time by babysitting for our boys,  bringing us a hot meal,  sharing baby clothes, and even delivering a tote full of diapers, wipes, and baby clothes to our door step to greet us on our return. Your generosity has been touching and the warmth of your love felt deeply.

 It is alll greatly appreciated, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!

Alexis - 1 week old

 She has regained her birth weight plus 2oz and now weighs 6lbs. 

Mama & Baby

The light in our bedroom was perfect this afternoon and I called D away from his desk long enough to shoot a mama baby picture.

We are home!!!!

Thank you all for your prayers!  We arrived safely home with our precious bundle at 5:30 PM this evening.

Photo update

  Itty Bitty awake, just before her 2PM feeding.

The IV ports were all removed at 5PM.
At 8 after the nursery shift change we will get to see her again and dress her for the first time.  She is doing GREAT!  Thank you for your continued prayer.

Welcome Little One

Today we held our daughter for the first time, and our hearts melted.  Yes, I do believe in love at first sight.  How can I not believe in it?

I will try to share some more of her/our story in the coming days.  Everything has happened so fast we still aren't quite sure which end of our world is up or down.

Alexis Chantel

Born October 6, 2010

Weight 5lbs 14 oz  

(exactly what I weighed when I was born, not that that matters)

Alexis is an estimated 6 weeks premature. She is eating well, and seems to be doing truly doing wonderful in every way. She is being kept in Level II care for monitoring because they really don't know how premature she is and how well she will handle her feedings.

 Tomorrow the hydration IV will be removed and if everything goes well she will be ready to be fed on demand by late Saturday or Sunday.  We are hoping she will be released on Sunday. Currently they are telling us Monday or Tuesday.  Please pray with us that this time will be shortened and we will be able to bring her home sooner.

Sleep well my baby love! We can't wait to see you in the morning.

It's 7AM

Hmm, just possibly you forgot comb your hair this morning? :-)  

Fall is here wearing its changing colors.

I do so love fall weather!  

The crisp cool mornings and the air full of change and newness.  

It is not only in the great outdoors where we see the face of change but for us it is also in our personal lives. Like the misty fog in the early morning hours it hangs over us, veiling the horizon in haze. 

 It's hard to be still and calm in those awkward and uncertain times when you can't be quite sure which way you are supposed to turn at the crossroads.  We have really been praying for God to direct us, and lead us.  

All we know for sure is that we have been given the verse "Seek you first the kingdom of heaven and all these things will be added unto you."

So we are going with that and waiting to see what He will make clear in His time.  Now is the time for patience and waiting.

 Interesting that just a few days ago, a white dove arrived. We have no idea where she is from.
 Its fun to think of it as a sign of peace and blessing, especially right now. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't.  I don't mind believing in signs, especially beautiful ones that hold such wonderful meaning.

    

But daily life does go on, and I have to remind myself that little people don't need to feel the stress of adult life.  Keep it light, and sweet and joyful.  When the house is quiet that sounds so easy and wonderful, but it is easy for those thoughts and ideals to get lost in the clatter and bang and jumble of life with three boys, and on some days you might just make that four.  :-)

I think we have fallen into our new school grove and things are going well.  The boys are enjoying our mornings of school.  I am too, only for some reason I find myself nearly exhausted by noon every single day

. 

The relief of cool weather has drawn everyone outdoors for long hours of fresh air and sunshine. This is truly wonderful for the boys, and for me too!

  Dear friends gave us a two nanny goats, one that had two 1week old kids.  The boys have really enjoyed the kids! and the milk. 

I have got to say, I never ever thought I would be milking a goat, not in my wildest dream!

 The craziest part is that I don't mind it, I actually kind of like it. Its especially cool for us because the boys can't handle regular cows milk.  I am not crazy about goat milk, and D won't touch it.  But it is awesome for the kiddos.  I do like chevre,  feta, and halloumi. If we have a surplus I'll give goat cheese a whirl, it shouldn't be any more difficult that cheese making with cow milk.

So, anyway..............here are the kids with the kids. :-)

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