Hope Has Come!

Dear Friends and Family,
If you have been reading our blog for any length of time, I don't need to fill you in on the latest happenings of the year...you've read it already :) The quotes below seem to state so well what I am unable to articulate in my own words.
He is our only Hope!
Hallelujah~ What a Savior!
Merry Christmas with love from all 8 of us :)

The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity~ Hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory-because at the the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross. It is the most wonderful message that the world has ever heard, or will hear.( From Knowing God by J.I. Packer)

"He comes to us not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace - His peace- in our hearts, by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace"

Christmas is not a retreat from reality
but an advance into it alongside
the Prince of Peace
by David McCasland

That most wonderful time of the year...

We have taken this week off from school and it feels so good to get some cleaning, organizing, baking, and correspondence done. We have also had 2 gatherings with the K family and our dear 'long lost' friends from over the bridge who had not met Mercy and Odesco yet.It seems like when I am keeping the school ball up in the air, some of the other"balls" get lost in it all. It is refreshing to take this break and to give attention to those other forgotten "'balls" and to renew friendships-I am grateful to take my teacher hat off for a few weeks. (I think the kids are even more grateful than me!!) Thanks for checking in:)
Love,MamaB



Mercy loves helping in the kitchen. I admit I don't often welcome the extra set of hands when I am trying to get a meal made in a hurry but she did help make many loaves of pumpkin bread to give away at Christmas.

Odesco's turn!!

The annual decorating of the photo ornament...
Every year since Philip was a baby, we started keeping one photo ornament of each child. Now that they are old enough, the kids decorate their own inexpensive paper mache ornaments to put their picture in later. I write their exact age on the back and then we display them in a row on the tree. I love looking at how they have all changed over the years. At a glance I am reminded how fast time flies and to cherish every moment...even the challenging ones!!

The girls had a very special date with Mimi. They slept over and after church went to see the Nutcracker. Since then I have enjoyed watching these 2 act out the various scenes...I have had little mice dancing around my kitchen....and I must admit they were getting a little too into the Clara /brother scene (when he takes the Nutcracker) !

Odesco...looks good as a blond don't you think??

C helps me out occasionally with Mercy's hair to get it ready for a new 'do'...a definite labor of love!

This picture was the kiddos' idea...as you can see Miss G was not in a picture taking mood...oh well, 5 out of 6 isn't bad :)

Mr. photogenic !

No one escapes the fun of the dress up bin...not even Pop-Pop. He and Odesco had a little adventure during a recent visit.

L has been hard at work perfecting his drafting skills. He has been spending lots of time drawing lately and it has been fun to watch him work so diligently.

Here the 4 littles are waiting for Miss Brittany to join us in the lobby of a local church which does this amazing Living Nativity each Christmas season(the big boys were at a party). Before heading outside with a 'tour guide' to view the various Bible scenes , we were sent to the church sanctuary to wait for our group's turn to be called. We bumped into some old friends and were deep in conversation when I realized Odesco was not in the pew with the rest of the gang. Our friends and Miss Brittany stayed with the rest of the kids while M and I went on an Odesco hunt. We found him almost immediately in the church lobby calmly standing beside a very nice lady who informed us she was looking for a "brown family". Yep, I guess we don't look like we go together!! She wisely asked him if we were his parents and thankfully, he agreed!! We thanked her for taking good care of our little man and slinked away amazed that with 3 sets of eyes, one of our kiddos managed to wander off!!

Odesco really enjoyed viewing the various scenes of the Living Nativity on Daddy's shoulders.There's no chance of him wandering away and getting lost up here!!!

One Year Ago Today....

"You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told." Psalm 40: 5

One year ago today, the Lord changed the fabric of our family forever through the miracle of adoption. One year ago today, we met Mercy and Odesco for the very first time. I stand in awe of all the Lord has done in just one year.Truthfully, it has been a year filled with unique challenges but more significantly it has been a year marked by His abundant grace for every member of our household, for every circumstance encountered. When I think of the huge transition for Mercy and Odesco I am amazed at how far the Lord has brought them. Sometimes in the thick of the day to day 'opportunities' it is easy to lose sight of all He has indeed already accomplished in the hearts of our precious Liberians. I can't imagine life without them and I am so grateful the Lord led us down this path. I am humbled to know that He would entrust 2 more children to us...in spite of our weakness and ever present sin, He chose us to parent these two . There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord in His perfect wisdom sovereignly chose to add Mercy and Odesco to our family for His purposes.

On Saturday, to celebrate the one year anniversary of the kids' homecoming, 21 of us went to an authentic Liberian restaurant that we located with the help of the Internet. Everyone who was there at the airport to welcome home our Liberian children was able to join us for dinner. Before leaving for the celebration Mercy asked,"Will there be brown people there?" Yep...lots of brown people :)
Below is a description of our experience as written by MamaK on her blog...she captured the experience perfectly so I thought I'd share her thoughts here:
As we Squeezed into the tiny yet quaint accommodations of a Liberian restaurant, our rather large group of 21 seemed to over take the place. The small, nearly invisible staff graciously handled our intrusion with patience and wide eyes. Even the noise didn't seem to bother anyone who happened to step into the place, yet another testimony to the easy-going boisterousness of the Liberian people in general. The few patrons who were able to find their way around us were very curious about all these white folks in "their" place. Those who did inquire of our seeming displacement, quickly turned from curious to congratulatory. The adoption of four beautiful Liberian children is worthy of all the hoopla.
It was definitely a cultural experience and I'm so glad we were able to 'taste' just a little slice of Liberian life:)
Mercy told me the food did not taste the same but she really enjoyed the hot spices. She also told me that the fish she ate in Liberia still had the eyes in it and it was," YUM!!" Well, I am grateful that we did not eat fish with eyes still in it . One of the soups had many unidentifiable animal parts floating around in the palm oil broth...when packing up the leftovers, I subtly placed that dish under the other empty platters...I was not interested in bringing that home and I didn't think Mama K would want to transport it home either. Odesco was more interested in consuming the KFC we brought along for the less adventurous eaters but he enjoyed all of the rice dishes. Mercy was very impressed that L actually asked for and ate 'fu-fu'... which is made of ground up cassava roots...it is a sticky yellowish blob ~ you put it in a bowl and then pour soup on top of it. Mercy mentioned many times her excitement over Luke's consumption of one of her favorite Liberian dishes..I think their sibling bond has risen to a new level :)

How blessed we are to be walking this path alongside our dear friends, the K family. It really is amazing to consider how the Lord moved them from across the country 5 years ago, joined our hearts in friendship, and then called both of our families to Liberian adoption at the same time! Not only that but our paperwork lined up simultaneously and 3 of our kiddos were actually brought home together. He is a God of details .... nothing escapes His attention. As the verse says above, even though I desire to proclaim His wondrous deeds and thoughts toward us ,there are too many examples to tell of them all.

It is good for my heart to recount His wondrous deeds yet again!!
Thanks for sharing our joy!
Love,MamaB
Now for a walk down memory lane and a few pictures of our special celebration.

THEN: 12/02/06

Our first glimpse!!!This is my all time favorite picture.( I equate this to our delivery room pictures with our biological children!!) We are watching Mercy, Odesco and Jenkins as they approach the glass doors in the airport with Auntie Melodie. I just love everyone's expression as we see our children(siblings) for the very first time.

First Hugs!!

After our hellos above, we had the kiddos quickly pose for one final picture with Auntie Melodie before she boarded her next flight.They have changed so much in just one year....

NOW:

Odesco has grown a bit, hasn't he?? He now has a pair of capri Liberian pants!! Dont' worry, we didn't let him out of the house this way...see the picture below :)Mercy and Odesco wanted to wear their Liberian garb to the restaurant. G just tried hers on at home and decided she would rather be warm !!

Much better...Odesco loves wearing these dress shoes

Mercy fit right in... this was one of the ladies who worked at the restaurant.That's sweet Felicia with the hat on in the background.

Mama and PapaK...

Mr and Mrs. G...last year they drove all the way to the airport spending several hours in the car on their wedding anniversary with 2 little boys in tow to join in welcoming our little Liberians . They also took some great videos and pictures for the K family. Several years ago, our family had the added blessing of welcoming them at the airport twice when they arrived home from Guatemala with their sons....how blessed we are to be surrounded by so many children whom God has added to families through the miracle of adoption!

We were so glad Mimi and Pop-Pop could join in the festivities...

J and G...they did not try the Liberian food but enjoyed the KFC and cake!

Big Sis S and "Miss C"

Mr. G's eyes grew very big when he saw Mercy receive this loaded plate. He asked me if she'd be able to eat it all.and he watched in amazement as she happily enjoyed 3 plates full...typically we limit servings to 2 healthy portions but today, we let her indulge just a wee bit :) Note the palm oil smile...I often wondered when we received pictures from AOH what was all over Mercy's face...it is red palm oil which is used as a base in many Liberian dishes!

Good to the last grain of rice!! The picture on the table was a thoughtful and creative gift made by Mrs. G ...a montage of the last year of life in America!

Odesco and friend S... even Odesco is sporting a palm oil smile!!

..

The owners of this restaurant were so gracious -allowing us to bring in KFC for the non adventurous eaters and a big cake to top off the celebration-believe it or not, it was too sweet for Mercy. She prefers her meat and hot pepper over sweets any day!! Odesco though fits right in with the rest of us and loves the sweet stuff!

Celebrating God's gifts to us: Odesco, Mercy, Felicia, and Jenkins

Their Big Nite' On the Stage...

Well, once again our home school group made quite a 'family' memory as the kids performed the Kathi Hill musical, "Operation Christmas Child." Every time I watch one of these my heart is so full...we have been blessed to participate in these annual musicals since P was 4 years old (he is now 12 and was the only one from our family not in the performance this year.) What a rich, nurturing environment for our kiddos to grow up in. I am so grateful that they will have these treasured memories with their friends and siblings. When this performance was done 6 years ago, I was pushing a stroller with baby G and pregnant with L...I have vivid memories of P and C being little angels and now C is old enough to be cast for one of the 'big' parts. How did that happen?!? These years are just flying by!!!
All of the kids did so well...L especially humored us with his creative interpretation of the choreography. Those who were there know exactly what I am referring to! I laughed so hard, I cried. We were so proud of our bunch and all the other children who diligently learned their lines, the choreography, and songs. A special thanks to the 3 moms who made this happen. Thanks for making another treasured memory in the lives of our children and all those who were able to enjoy the show!!
Thanks for checking in...
Enjoy the pictures...
Love,MamaB

Jenkins and Odesco... Goofy boys in a goofy moment...

What a handsome fellow!!

~Sweet Friends in a quiet moment~

Trying to quiet down before the big show... special friend E with Mercy...

Now, the boys had a different idea about quieting down before the show...corralling this lively crew was quite a feat!

Mercy and Big Bro' C just before walking on stage. C had one of the main parts and did a great job as "Private Gomer Smyle" (a take off on Gomer Pyle)...he made us laugh with his accent and great delivery of his corny puns, "Golly" and "Shabam" lines.

Odesco, L, and Jenkins
Aren't these just the most adorable shepherds you have ever seen??
They did a very convincing job of acting afraid as they huddled together when the 'angel' appeared to them.And after some coaching, they actually learned not to carry their sheep by the ear, leg, or tail!

L as a saxophonist alongside the jammin' guitarists
during an Elvis type song~

"Gomer" in action

G as "Wanda Fulweather" doing a silly takeoff on the local forecast.

The whole cast in action.

Mercy performed with her usual enthusiasm and boundless energy. She did a great job memorizing the words to the song she is singing above and even took part in a special dance with big brother, C and 2 other friends! Amazing to think that this time last year Odesco and Mercy were just coming home and now they are such 'little belongers' participating in the home school play... this is truly a testimony to God's grace at work!!

Thanksgiving and Family Fun...

Pictures don't quite capture the beauty of the view in Grandmom and Pop Pop's backyard

G and Mercy - their first Thanksgiving together :)

Thumbs up from Odesco... he definitely enjoyed the meal! This is his lunchtime turkey and fixings -not to be confused with our mid afternoon meal with the other side of the family!

Sweet sisters in a sweet moment together

5 'sabu heads' as Mercy and Odesco would call them, This picture makes me smile!!
M and 4 of his 5 brothers...do you see any resemblance?!? (this pose was not my idea, really!!)

.... one of my favorite part of any gathering at my in laws is seeing how much M and his brothers just love being together. They could talk for hours and hours if we wives didn't nudge them on to our next destination. I didn't catch a picture of the B older boy cousins over on the other side of the driveway doing the same thing gathered around one of my nephew's trucks...they are definitely following their fathers' example!!

What's Thanksgiving without a little football??

The cousins! Destination #2 with my side of the family ...we actually rent the hall of a local church and use their kitchen and multi purpose room to contain all of us! Our kids love being together...so much so that we left the gathering with 2 more cousins in tow for an impromptu overnite' :)!!

~Sweet cousins~

Meal #2... a few hours did lapse so this was more like an early dinner(really!!) Mercy was watching my brother carve the turkey from steps that overlook a little window into the church kitchen. Her eyes got really big when she saw turkey on the bone and she boldly asked to reserve a piece!!

A picture paints a thousand words... Odesco got his bone too!!

Sorry Uncle John, couldn't resist!!Some of us laughed about going upstairs and taking naps on the padded pews of the sanctuary...but we didn't as you can see above!

Friday morning breakfast ...a full table with the addition of 2 cousins :)!!

We had a wonderful first Thanksgiving with our 2 newest additions. They met some family members on both sides for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed feasting and being with their cousins. It was a gorgeous day...many trees are still quite full of vivid leaves so the ride was breathtaking at times. I love asking the littles why God makes the leaves change color...in unison they reply, " For His own glory!" It certainly does make me stand in awe of Him when I marvel at the wonders and intricacies of His creation.I told Mercy and Odesco that once again, it seems as if the Lord orchestrated this just for them. Months ago, we tried to explain to them the changing seasons and they just couldn't get it. Now they are so enjoying the beautiful display of color all around us although I did notice thatby Saturday the trees were beginning to look a bit 'snaked' as L says ( aka: naked/bare!).
Our dear friend BAA spent Thursday and Friday with us and we always enjoy her company...she has become an 'honorary' member of both families so it is a blessing when she joins our holiday festivities. Yesterday (Friday) we headed back to Mimi and Pop-Pop's to spend the day with my brother and his family who were in from upstate NY. It was refreshing to just be together and do nothing planned. Pop-Pop took the littles on two 'expeditions'-walks around the neighborhood and the kids were so excited to show us their discoveries ( a few sticks, bottles, cans , and the bonus: a real softball!) The decibel level in the house decreased significantly during these walks!!

Saturday night M had each of the kids say one thing they were thankful for. Each of our bio kiddos said in one way or another that they were grateful Mercy and Odesco are home. Even those who struggle the most relationally with our new blessings said this and it did my mommy heart good to know that they love and appreciate their new siblings :) L also added that he is thankful God took his spots away- so are we!! Odesco said he is glad God brought him here and Mercy added that she is thankful for her new 'B' family. So, even if they were just parroting one another, it is good to hear them all acknowledge God's goodness to us in bringing Mercy and Odesco to be a part of our family.

Sunday afternoon I took Mercy to the Lakeshore Learning Store to spend her birthday money from Grandmom and Pop-Pop B. C came along too and we exchanged many smirks across the aisles as she entertained us with her usual level of boundless energy and enthusiasm. Everything she saw, she liked...even if it was something she can never use like decorations for a classroom bulletin board :) Finally, I narrowed down the choices to 3 and she was still lamenting over the difficulty deciding. It must all be so overwhelming to her and Odesco as going to a store to shop was just never a part of their growing up experience. After making her final decision, she still had a small amount of money left over. She spied a bin of cool looking pencils and decided all on her own to buy one for herself, G , L and, Odesco. I encouraged her to put them away for Christmas. So, we got home and she secretly gave me the pencils to stash away. After about 15 minutes, she couldn't stand it and wanted to bless her siblings right now. So down to the basement I went to my gift hiding spot...she was so excited to share in this way....and it was great to see her be a cheerful giver.

This week has been busy with our final play rehearsals, home school, and no week is complete without at least one visit to a doctor or dentist:) Monday, Mercy was complaining of increased mouth pain and she was having some bleeding from her 'silver tooth' so off to the dentist we went only to learn it was a problem with her bite plate resting on her upper gum. We came home long enough for a call to the orthodontist and thankfully they they were able to quickly see us. They adjusted the appliance and increased the spring load on the front tooth. Already her tooth has moved significantly which is good news but she was not a happy camper due to the discomfort this causes. She has been taking Motrin/Tylenol since then but this morning she has not mentioned it...yet! I'm sure I'll have some fun pictures from the play...the kids are all doing so well and the little ones especially are very excited.
Thanks for checking in...
Love, MamaB
PS kids say the silliest things:
* As we were driving to dress rehearsal on Tuesday night L excitedly announced, " I see Paris!!!" He was referring to a rather large pointy looking decoration- a Christmas tree on the lawn of an apartment complex. And truthfully, it did sort of resemble the Eiffel Tower. We have not yet studied Paris in great detail this so I was quite curious where he learned such facts. His reply, "Ratatouille"
Ahh, what a relief to know that while he was vegging on the couch watching the movie that Mimi generously purchased for him after his surgery, he was actually being educated :)
* Today we stopped to get gas and the attendant said," Thank you, Miss." G then asked indignantly," Doesn't he know you are a Mrs.? Does he think you're just babysitting all of us kids or something?" So I explained that Ms. or Miss is the proper title for a lady and then L chimed in ,"What is it illegal for him to call you Mrs.???" Guess you had to be there, but to hear these kiddos banter back and forth, can be quite entertaining!!
* Today during school I was doing an activity with L where I read him a poem and he needed to narrate it back to me. The poem was about a pasture and a cow who was licking her calf. I asked him why he thought the mommy cow would lick her baby. He thought for a second and said, "That's how the calf takes a shower"...then he thought some more and then seriously asked," But Mommy, who gives the mommy cow a shower?" Hmmm good question, L , good question!!