I'm furry too Auntie!

Tonight, as I was finishing my post for Moonbeam's half birthday, Syd came into my room and wanted to see my blog. She asked if I have any pictures of her on my blog.....uh....no....ooops! Better fix that! As she scrolled down the page she discovered the pictures of my pooches Lucy and Cleo - to which she remarked "Furry Kids, Hey I'm furry too!" Ahhhh, laughter is good for the soul! "No, seriously Auntie, my ears are furry! Look closely!"

Now that I've recovered from my laugh attack, here's the debut of my furry niece, Syd! Isn't she a doll?

Happy Half Birthday Moonbeam!

Moonbeam is 2 1/2 years old today!

Happy Birthday sweet girl! I love you! I can't wait to celebrate birthdays together!

I imagine all the details...all of our friends and loved ones there to celebrate you!
I imagine you licking the frosting off the cupcake - because, of course, that is the best part!

So, why "Hannah"?

Another new week! Whew! My mom always used to talk about how time flies - I never really understood that as a kid, but it makes complete sense now!

Lots of positive news on the adoption front, but nothing definitive about when my little Moonbeam will be headed home for good!

What a glorious day that will be!

On one of the Yahoo adoption groups I participate in we all shared how we came to name our little ones.

This made me realize that I never shared that story here.

So, why "Hannah"?

I chose the name Hannah because I love the story of the prophet Samuel's mother Hannah in the Bible (1 Samuel 1:1-2:11).

Hannah was a woman who poured out her heart to God - she had an ache to be a mom (me too!) After pouring out her heart she waited (me too!) for Him to provide.

Hannah was a woman of great faith and love! She left the Temple, where she had been praying, having complete faith that God would answer her prayer. And answer He did!

The name Hannah means grace or favor.

My Hannah's middle name will be the beautiful name her birth mom gave her A. (can't go public with that quite yet) - which means Moonbeam in Kyrgyz.

So she will be my "graceful moonbeam" awww.....isn't that precious?

Can't wait for you all to meet her! She is beautiful!

Meeting Moonbeam

Unfortunately, I have no fabulous news to report after this past week! All my hopes of hearing something wonderful have been disappointed. However, there wasn't really any bad news either. Kyrg appears to continue to attempt to move forward with Int'l Adoption - and that is good news! It just isn't likely to happen quickly....insert heavy sigh here....

I was looking back through my journal and found this entry written from Bishkek the evening of the day I met Moonbeam! I thought I would share it here.

August 5, 2008
Dear A.
I met you for the first time today. At first you were shy and timid. you cried when S. put you in my arms. you weren't feeling very good that day. Your tummy was hurting and so you were upstairs away from the other kids. When I saw you, in your little red shorts, bare feet and no shirt, your sweet little shaved head - my heart melted. As we spent some time together you smiled and me and giggled when I tickled your tummy. You were a bit unsteady on your feet, but you were very determined. You didn't give up! If you fell down, you just picked yoursefl up and tried again.
One time a little boy ran up and took away this little toy cellphone you had been playing with. You fell on the ground and started crying. Another little girl saw all of this and came over and helped you up - I couldn't understand what she was saying to you since it was in Russian, but I imagine she said something like"that was your toy - you go get that back!" And that's just what you did! You marched over to the little boy, grabbed the cellphone out of his hand, gave him a shove and came back over to me - grinning ear to ear! I thought, my little Moonbeam has spunk!

What a wonderful day! A day I will never forget! My dear little Hannah - my heart longs to see you again! I cannot wait to hold you in my arms, cover you with kisses and pour my love into your heart on a daily basis!

While you are thousands of miles away, you are never far from my heart!

Expectation or Dread?

As this week begins I find myself wondering if this will be a week full of good news or another week of disappointment?
I am reminded of a devotion that I led at church a few weeks ago and some things that the Lord spoke to my heart. The devotion comes from one of my favorite books written by Joyce Rupp - it's called May I Have This Dance? One of the suggestions for prayer in the January devotion is to draw a road that symbolizes the year just completed and another for the year ahead. Then spend some time writing down key experiences, events, thoughts and feelings.
As I reflected on the road for 2008 I realized that it was a year full of wonderful highs and heartbreaking lows! One of the highlights was the week I spent in Bishkek with my little Moonbeam! Of course, the lowlights were related to the delays in bringing her home.
As I was looking forward to 2009 I realized that my heart is full of dread! I heard God's still small voice speaking to my heart that He wanted to change my dread into expectation. On my road for 2009 I sensed Him speaking these words to my heart.
2009 is a year for expecting God's love, goodness, gentleness, acceptance, and tenderness towards me and towards my sweet Hannah.
No matter what the circumstances - this is who God is and I can receive all that He has planned for me - trusting His timing and planning - even if it doesn't match up with mine.
So here's to a year of expectation and NOT dread!

A Letter for Moonbeam

A few weeks ago a friend asked me if I have been writing to Hannah. "Well, no" I said - "I'm not sure who would read the letters to her since her caregivers all speak Russian" Well Linda set out to find someone who does speak Russian and asked on my behalf if she would translate a letter to my sweet little Moonbeam. She agreed! So today I was able to put a letter in the mail to my little sweetie with some pictures of the two of us from trip one! Yippee!! Thank you Linda and Olga! What a blessing!

What does one write to a two year old? Well, it took me a few drafts, but I finally settled on this...

Dearest A. -
I miss you very much and I wish you were already home! I often look at pictures from my visit with you in August. I smile as I remember how much I loved getting to know you! I want to tell you that I think about you every day and I cannot wait to come back to Bishkek and bring you home! I am sending you some of the pictures from our visit. I hope you will remember me and how much fun we had together!
I pray for you, everyday – I am praying that you are healthy and know that you are very much loved by so many there in your home and also by me and most importantly by Jesus!
Your auntie and your cousin Sydney and your Papa cannot wait to meet you. Sydney says to tell you hello and that she can’t wait to play with you!
You are very loved A.! I can’t wait to see you again!
I love you!
Mama

Out of the mouths of babes....

Tonight as I was checking email and getting ready for the week I heard my sweet little 9 year old niece Sydney come out of her room and say,
"Mommy, why did God give us belly buttons?"
I didn't hear my sister's answer, but I know for sure what mine would have been....
Belly buttons are the best spots for "zerbits"!
For those unfamiliar with the term - from Urban Dictionary

1. zerbit
n. The act of allowing one's lips and cheeks to vibrate while pressed firmly against a bare abdomen and exhaling forcefully. It usually elicits many giggles and protests from the victim to stop. syn. belly bubbles
AACK!!! It tickles too much when you give me a zerbit!

Ohhh how I look forward to zerbitting my sweet little Hannah!

Long Time No Post - Bad Blogger

Happy New Year!
May 2009 be the year that my sweet Hannah comes home for good!
This evening I took the time to update my blog - give it a facelift so to speak - so I thought I'd better actually write something too!
My last post was in July and that seems like a lifetime ago! Since then I've visited my little Moonbeam (my dear friend Ann found out that this is what her Kyrgyz name means! Thank you Ann!) And I am now fully engaged in waiting! Sometimes patiently and sometimes not so patiently - but waiting nonetheless!
Rumor is that we will hear some good news in mid January!