Birthday Boy turns 5!

I'm the proud mamma of a 5 year old now! And boy can I say I like 5! J has seemed to mature a lot in the past few months and I am really enjoying him at 5 (although I say that every stage). I told him he can just stop growing now and freeze at 5 because I love him like this...but he told me that's not the way it works and that he has to grow up! Well I'll just have to enjoy it while it lasts and I'm sure when 6 comes around, I'll feel the same way.

Daddy was away most of his actual birthday, so mommy and little brother tried our best to make it extra special. We did whatever j wanted. We hit up the mall, road the remote control cars, ate junk food, splurged on Baskin Robins, road the motorcycle games at the arcade, and then ended the day by meeting daddy at Hard Rock Cafe. He was one happy kid to see his daddy. That topped the day off and he couldn't stop smiling all through dinner. Said it was his "best birthday ever!" quite a few times.

The next morning we had a small party with some sweet friends to celebrate and play games. We enjoyed real pork sausage dogs (such a treat in S. Asia!), played archery (thanks to Nini and Jerry!), twister, frisbie golf, and munched on caramel apples and apple cake (birthday boys special request). It turned into an all day party as our Indian friends showed up once most the Americans were gone (India standard time), but it made the whole day fun. Jackson enjoyed the extra long birthday this year and was one happy kiddo!

Cotton candy ice cream-takes after his daddy!

Man after my own heart, mint and chocolate!

Setting up the archery at his birthday party

Daddy, showing them how its done...or just hogging the game?

Happy boy with his special request-apple cake.

I love this kid like crazy! (He's a full blown KID now! Crazy)

SO happy to have daddy home on his birthday. It's a shame they look nothing alike :) 

Hudson and Maggie waiting for their terms while Isaac shows them how it's done.

Hudson gave it a good shot.

Sweet Discipleship Time

One of the things I am enjoying most about homeschooling my kids is the daily bible study in our routine. It is J's favorite part of school and he and H have different activity books that go along with the story we read that day. I'm using Positive Action bible curriculum, the pre-k and kindergarten work books along with the God's Love bible storybook. I LOVE this bible storybook and think it's the best written kids bible I've come across. The pictures are beautiful and large and each story weaves together in the theme of redemption and need for Jesus' sacrifice for salvation.

Today we were totally off our routine so J and I did homeschool while H napped (we usually do it all together in the morning). It was a really sweet time together and he loved the one on one attention. During bible study, we read the story about the little children coming to Jesus and the disciples trying to turn them away. We talked about why Jesus said all must come to him like these little children in order to go to heaven. That we need to realize our need for Christ and depend on his sacrifice for our sins, not our own ability or good works. He responded with, "well I know I need Jesus, do YOU know you need Jesus mommy?" "Yes, I know I need Jesus." I said. "Well I hope daddy knows he needs Jesus too. Does Hudson know? What about Jeremiah and Tirzah?"

I love the sweet discussion that we get into from the reading of these bible stories and that it makes being intentional in discipling my kids, easier on a daily basis. It's a perk of homeschooling, to just include that time in their day and I hope I can continue to find good material at each age level and that all my kids continue to have enthusiasm for God's word.

If you're looking for a good bible curriculum for your kids, whether you homeschool or not, check out Positive Action. They have curriculum for all ages and are made for churches and home use.

The Long, Hard Wait & Adoption Update

When beginning our adoption process, we were very optimistic and hopeful that all the time lines we'd been given would fall along the short estimates. We, like everyone, hopes for the best and what we think is the best is the easy, smooth, and short path. While the Lord does bless some people with such an adoption journey, that doesn't seem to be the norm. The norm, seems to be a rocky, windy path without an end in sight.

One thing is certain, through all of this experience thus far, the Lord has proven over and again to be with us, to be faithful to His promises, to be our comfort and strength, and able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.

We are in a tough season of waiting right now. The path has felt rocky, winding, and the end is not yet in sight. In fact, it feels like the distance just doubled. This has tempted my heart to despair on more than one occasion. What keeps it going? Only a loving Father who gently reminds me that He knows is truly best for Jeremiah and Tirzah, even when I think I know better. I know through this trial, He is teaching us perseverance and deepening our faith and trust in Him. But I hold fear in the back of my mind of how long I can hold on. I know how weak my flesh is, and how quickly I can forget the Ebenezer stones He has put up along this path thus far. So, we need prayers. Not that we'll stay strong, but that when we aren't, His grace will be sufficient and we'll turn to it for comfort. I want to reach the end of this journey (which is the beginning of a whole new one) with a deeper faith, a borderless trust, and a quiet resolve that His grace is always enough for me. Something tells me I'm going to need those refined virtues to begin the journey of being a mom of four young ones.

So here is where we stand now. We are still waiting on birth certificates and one final document from the courts. We were hoping to have these by now, so I could travel to Congo to visit our kids and file our i600 form (petition to US government to recognize our kids as orphans). But, my visas to Congo expires Oct. 25, so it's looking like this isn't going to be an option for us. Once we get our paperwork, we will file the i600 form in the US (by mail). This will take 1-2 months to be approved and upon approval, our 3-6 month investigation with the US Embassy in Kinshasa will begin. (They are investigating to be assured our children are true orphans by US standards). When this investigation is finished, we will be given a visa appointment. Obtaining the visa takes 2-3 months. If at this point, the DGM office in Kinshasa has reopened (they just announced they are shutting down for up to 12 months), then we'll be able to travel to pick up our kiddos. What we hoped could be done this year, is looking more like a year from now. Accepting this in my heart has taken a few weeks, but God has been comforting me and giving me a piece that He is in control and caring for Jeremiah and Tirzah when I can't. We appreciate the prayers and encouragement many have offered to us lately. It is tough, but this long journey is going to have a destination that is so worth it all. 

Hiking in the Hills

The last few weeks have been jam packed and crazy busy for our family. The boys and I have tried to slow down the last few days while daddy has been out of town. So when we got an invite from some friends to go on a hike to a nearby fort, we jumped at the chance! In our state, there are 400 forts, once controlled by Shivaji. He was the founder of the Maratha Kingdom and there is at least one statue of him in every Maharashtran town and city. Today we took a hike to the 'youngest' of his forts and one of the better preserved. It was a pretty easy hike, minus a pretty steep climb or two. But both boys did really well, and with only a hand to hold, they both made the climb to the top on their own two feet. I ended up hiking down with Hudson on my back, which is the last time I ever do that! My hips are dearly paying for it today which is pretty sad to admit. 30 is nearing on me...only months away...and I already feel like I have 'old lady' hips. Sore hips and all, it was totally worth it. We had a great hike, an amazing view and breeze from the top, and were able to watch deer, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs, and no other people (which is hard to do in India). The boys found some 'crystals' as they called them, and really enjoyed the outdoors and our time with sweet friends. We stopped at a road-side waterfall on the way home and tried to get as close as we safely could. We are in the last few weeks of rainy season, which is the perfect time to hit the hills. Everything is lush and green, the waterfalls are flowing, and the rains are pretty predictable to come in the late afternoon. 

Here are a few pictures from our day out. We sure missed daddy, but now we have a great place to take him.

The kids took a route less traveled at one point.

The kids started off with great enthusiasm.

Taking a break at the top with a great view and breeze.

The Mountain Conquerors!

The steepest part.

About to head down the hill.

Watching butterflies and dragonflies

The kids on their alternative route.

Mountain Conquerors!

Roadside waterfall

First Day of Kindergarten? No way?!!?

First Day of Kindergarten for J and First Day of Pre-K for H! Let the fun begin!

My sweet boy is growing up too quickly!

Despite appearances, this kids LOVES school time and wants to be included in everything big brother does.

HS is exciting! Sometimes Superman even shows up!

I keep looking at my boys lately and wondering, "Where did my babies go?" Daddy is gone all this week and the boys and I have been watching lots of old videos of them to help pass the time (and to gets peeks of daddy as we miss him lots). The boys just love to see themselves as babies and it makes me long for those days and their tiny-ness that we'll never get back.

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and tell myself to just treasure the days! Isn't that what every woman or man with grown children in our lives advises? And it's usually right before our kid throws a monster tantrum in the middle of the store or whacks you in the face in front of a playground full of people?....When you have two (or more) so close in age and your days are FULL of changing diapers, cleaning up messes, putting kids to nap/bed, feeding them, getting them yet ANOTHER cup of juice, breastfeeding, trying to squeeze in a shower for yourself or a quiet time during nap...it's hard to slow down and soak them up. You try your best to take the moments you get to sit and play with them or admire them... soaking those precious commodities up and storing them away for later days when you'll have more time for remembrance.

Our oldest is nearly 5!  I would say daily, or at least every time I am on the playground in the middle of the day with my kids, I get asked "So your kids aren't in school yet?" or "where are your kids going to school?" I usually reply with "Yes they are. I am homeschooling them" which bring son more confused questions as to why my kids aren't in "real school". It's a huge social expectation here, to put your kids in school by age 2.5 years. Many do at 1.5 for 'play group' and continue on from there. I'm learning to not take offense at the baffled looks I get or the neighbors who've asked me for the 14th time...and it helps to reply in confidence that yes, homeschooling is a very real thing and a legitimate alternative. I have come up with a pretty standard and non-offensive answer as to "why" we homeschool and "yes I am indeed qualified to do so."
For those of you who have not yet been to S. Asia, these kinds of persistent personal questions by complete strangers are completely routine and not seen as rude  or inappropriate (at least by those asking the questions).

One of the blessings of living here, is that I get to homeschool my kids. I know not everyone views it as a blessing, but I sure do. Besides having been convinced of how beneficial it can be (no matter what country you dwell in), I really see it as an opportunity to invest fully into my kids.  My time with them is SO short after all and will be over in a flash. It's an awesome responsibility which I believe anyone who has a desire to do it, can do it successfully. I know it can and will present challenges and it is WORK but I love the idea that I can taylor school to fit my child's strengths and weaknesses. I know them better than anyone else and I am passionate about challenging and equipping them to be the person that God wants them to be. And how, where, and by whom a child is educated contributes greatly to their character molding and the likelihood of them reaching their potential. I know it is not for every kid or mom,  but I am really grateful I can and am excited about the adventures and memories it will bring. I am also really grateful to have a spouse who is passionate about me homeschooling our kids. He agrees with it's merits and benefits and his confidence in me is constantly encouraging. He will have to play more intricate roles further down the road when we get to high level math and science :) I look forward to naps while he teaches physics and chemistry :)

Excited about homeschooling? YES! Ready for the challenge and blessings? YES! Confident teacher? eh...not exactly... Thankfully I really feel like God has lead me to some good curriculum choices that will work well for J and myself. It's been a long process of deciding as I have NO personal experience to lend from. I prayed about curriculums, researched, and listened to experienced HSing moms a lot! As far as this year goes, I feel confident in my very loose 'plan.' I like to plan (that's no secret to anyone who knows me) but I have become so 'go with the flow' and reluctant to planning since we've moved to S. Asia. It's a good thing, I think, as S. Asia has a way of ruining any plans you make anyways. I find myself feeling way less up tight and controlling, which is a plus too. Our routines here are constantly changing, so our HS will need to have flexibility for the spontaneous and inevitable transitions.
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My Curriculum Choices for Kindergarten

I've had a few friends ask what I'm using, so I thought I'd just share it here.
The planned curriculums we're using and loving so far are... (all of which we have started except for Handwriting, but will start on Monday)

Positive Action's God's Love storybook bible w/ kindergarten (and pre-k for H) activity book. This is the best children's bible I have every read, and we have a LOT! Seriously it's SO good. I am pleasantly surprised by it every lesson.
Five In a Row- a read a-loud program using 18 classic children's books. You read one book a week, the same book, 5 days in a row. Each day you read the book, you do an activity or talk about an aspect of the book from a specific subject like social studies, art, literature, math, and science. My kids love the repetition and look forward to this time everyday!
Singapore Math- I have high hopes for this curriculum and so far we like it. It seems like a very solid math curriculum using spiral learning method and teaches in both concrete and abstract ways. Lots of fun activities and interactive worksheets, which my boys love. I really just chose this one b/c it's highly praised by those who use it and b/c the Singaporean approach to math has supposedly produced some impressive results.
All About Reading-I am very excited about this phonics program. It is multi-sensory and so clearly laid out for the parent with 49 simple lesson plans. I basically open the book and it tells me what to do, which is what I wanted in a phonics program. Not sure why, but teaching my kids to read (and High School chemistry) are the scariest responsibilities of homeschooling my kids. I also chose this one because it's sister program, All About Spelling is highly praised. I plan to use it for first grade.
Hand Writing Without Tears- Again, I heard and read great things about this program. The teachers manual offers multi sensory options and lots of pre-writing skills that I may not need to use with my oldest, but I think it will be great to do with H whom we are doing pre-k with. With J, I think just working through the workbook will be all he needs. The workbook looks so well planned out and their system of learning seems fool-proof (good thing b/c I'm a beginner!). I am looking forward to adding this to our HS time on Monday.

Supplementals we are using and loving are...

Leap Frog Tag pen with books and the World Map. We LOVE the world map. It's fun and my kids are learning so much about geography which is very applicable when you have family and friends all over the world!
Magic School Bus dvds The boys' new favorite video to watch and it is even on Netflix!
Liberty Kids dvds Another new favorite and is teaching my boys about America. I want them to know about their country's heritage and identify themselves as Americans. I think it's especially important to be intentional about this when you live overseas.
Carmen SanDiego dvds We have only watched one so far, but they are good and reinforce world geography lessons we're getting through Five In a Row.
DinoLingo Hindi dvd Program- I watch these with them as I want to learn Hindi also. It's fun and a great program so far. It comes with flashcards that mommy uses for herself :)
Explode the Code online phonics games/program that is a fun way to practice what he's learning through All About Reading.
PBS Kids Play online educational games. It's especially great for our 'gaming' child in the making, H, who also needs something special to do while I'm doing one-on-one activities with J.

Ebenezer Stones

One major area of my walk with God that has been tested and stretched the last few years has been that of faith. I'm not talking about my faith in Jesus as my Savior, but the kind of faith that in the face of affliction or trials, doesn't waver or doubt. I've always seen my husband as a great man of faith. It seems to come easy for him. And it's true, it is a spiritual gift, so some seem to have stronger faith than others, but I know it's a gift that can be given in increasing measure through growth in our relationship with the Lord. And I have yearned for my faith to grow for years. So how does our faith grow? Through God giving us ample opportunities to be faithful and believe in Him. Such opportunities are rarely painless or easy. And boy has He given me a lot of opportunities in the last few years.

Perhaps the most difficult faith challenge is the one we are currently going through, but our adoption process has been one of those prime opportunities to show the genuineness of my faith. I am encouraged to see how He has changed me through my "warm up" faith challenges in the past. Losing my mom, when I was only 21 was kind of the ultimate faith challenge for me. Having came through that, by the grace of God, with my faith intact--I have more of a resolve to default to faith, rather than my former default to panic and doubt. Various trials and opportunities to believe God have only deepened my faith that He not only CAN do miracles and hears us, but that He DOES STILL do miracles and answer us. The answer I have received after months of fervent prayer has not always been the one I sought; but a few times it has not only been what I asked for, but Abundantly Beyond all that I asked or thought of.

My preferred way to pray is to journal--to God. I'm not a very articulate person but with paper in hand and a pen, my heart and mind seem to pour out more fluently. I also love letters. And seeing The Word, as God's love letter to us, I like to respond in kind. My prayer journal this last year and a half has been full of miracle type requests. I've seen Him answer in the sweetest ways concerning our adoption and I am holding on to those answered prayers as Ebenezer Stones (1 Samuel 7:12) to remind me when moments of fear and doubt creep in that, "Thus far the Lord has helped us."

We are two months in to the "court process" of our adoption journey. And to be honest, the waiting is far from painless or easy. The next update we get, could be the one that says, "F&J are legally yours!" It's kind of like the moment you anxiously await to see your baby's heart beat and all their intricate details on that ultrasound monitor. While we have already had the joy of meeting our kids, they are not yet officially "ours." I long to read those words that legally makes us the mom and dad of two more precious children. I long for the confirmation that they are indeed close to coming home. That this dream we've prayed for and longed for is going to come true.

There are so many sad adoption stories out there of lost referrals and the heart ache which comes with it. So many that can cause my mind to dwell on fears and anxiety and "what ifs". But I'm striving to hold onto those Ebenezer Stones and keep my eyes on my Great God, who can do far more abundantly beyond all that I ask or imagine (Eph.3:20). And who works all things together for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose. (Rom.8:28) Please pray with us that we'll keep this kind of faith and that it will grow ever increasingly as the days pass by. And please pray with us for the Lord to continue to do miracles in our adoption process and blow us away, once again, with His goodness. We know He has called us to this, and He who has called us is faithful to complete it. (1Thess.5:24)

Oman

We just got back from a very quick visa-run trip to Muscat, Oman. We would have loved to stay longer, but money and vacation days are all being saved for adoption needs right now. But our first experience definitely left a desire to come back soon.

Oman is much more like the US than it is like India, so not only did we enjoy getting to experience a small taste of the culture and sights, but we were able to enjoy many missed western amenities. We stayed in a guest flat, which came with a car, so we had plenty of space and freedom to explore. (Gasoline costs about $1 a gallon there too!) Next time, we'll use the car even more to our advantage to explore the wadis (mountain natural pools), sand dunes, Beduin fishing villages, and some snorkeling at remote beaches.  

We could see the beautiful blue Gulf of Oman from our guest flat and took a short ride to a beautiful (and CLEAN!) beach. We went pretty early and only managed an hour, because it is hot and humid in Oman this time of year. From walking down the stairs from the flat to the car, we were already dripping with sweat. Really, that was the only downside and it wasn't a hinderance from doing outdoor activities, except during midday. We enjoyed the drive through the city on the huge, broad, expressway from which you can see old mountainside watchtowers, forts, the Sultan's Palace and his Grand Mosque, the Opera House, and other architecturally impressive buildings. All the buildings, even the houses are impressive there. From what we learned, most families have 6-8 children and they all live together in one massive house. So it appears that everyone in Oman lives in a mansion, but really they are multi family houses. 

And of course, we greatly enjoyed the amenities of the shopping malls, especially the free AC. We ate, played, and shopped as much as we could in two days. There was a lot of hamburger and donut consumption and playground stomping to burn off the affects of the latter. 

Check out more pictures from our trip here.

Loving Rainy Season

I really think this past summer (March-May) was more mild than last year, but that's probably due to us being more acclimated to the local climate. But I still had high hopes for rainy season this year and it has not disappointed  Unlike last year, the rains came like clock work from June 1 and barely a day has gone by that it hasn't rained. In fact, we've had so much, that the northern mountainous regions are facing severe mudslides. Within a few days of the rain hitting-our dry, dusty, smoggy, city was sprouting new grass and leaves and was refreshed with a constant breeze. This sudden and drastic change made us realize just how much the hot summer days were affecting us. Rainy season is so refreshing in every possible way.

The boys are loving the fact that they can now go play outside at anytime of day since the temps are down. We've spent quite a few days playing in the rain by traversing through our housing society's garden. My little explorers love stomping in puddles, hunting for tadpoles in the newly filled pond, and trying to "float stuff" in the standing water.

Just a Kid

I love having sons. They are so funny and full of creative energy that I wish I could bottle up and instill in myself. But honestly, having two little boys, so close in age (18 months) can make me feel like the ring leader of a circus act. Or maybe my oldest is the ringleader since he loves to tell everyone what to do ( "directing" as he calls it) and I am just the clean up crew. You know the ones..the poop scoopers, animal feeders, garbage collectors, etc. Yep, "clean up crew" better defines my role in this family circus...

I've been reading a great book lately, called Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys. It's quite comical to hear strait from a male therapist's mouth (and father of sons) that neither moms nor dads understand what goes on inside a little boy's mind. They are a creator all their own and nurturing them is an art form. One I have not mastered, but am more bravely rising to the challenge lately.

A few days ago, Jackson and I were in the garden together letting him burn off some of that "creative energy" and I enjoyed a few precious moments of watching him climb a tree, stick in hand, singing the most fitting song possible. "I'm just a kid with a head full of dreams and a dream full of things to get done. All of my life it's been spinach and greens and I'm ready to have me some fun. Oh I've never captained my own pirate ship, laden with Spanish dab-loons....but hey, it ain't even noon!"

Congo-Part 3 (Our last day)

Our last day in Congo was the best and hardest of all. Our translator brought F & J to us, to spend most of the day together. On the car trip over, F had got sick all over himself and our translator's bag. It was probably a compilation of just eating, no AC, bad traffic, parasites in his tummy, and nerves. Thankfully, some sweet friends we made there lent us an outfit of their son's to wear.

The same friend's son is the same age and from the same orphanage. So it was really helpful to have a familiar friend to play with while mama and papa got acquainted with them. It's so challenging not being able to communicate. The experience gave us an idea of how we need to plan and prepare for their coming home. It will be a big adjustment for them on top of learning a new language. From what we've heard from others, they learn so quickly and start to blossom and thrive within just a few short weeks. Those reports are encouraging and we are eager to start that journey.

We spent a little time playing in the bar of the convent and letting their tummies settle. Then we headed around the block to the shopping market which also holds two restaurants inside. I carried J, in part because her shoes were way too tight for her feet. She has the longest feet, which match her off-the-chart height for her age! She might be taller than all her brothers someday! Kit and F walked hand in hand down the block. Kit and I would glance at him and at each other with a smile. He has quite the little hop in his step and walks with a confident little swagger. He is very sure footed and coordinated for his age. (His daddy was way excited about the prospects!)

We ordered a full size dinner for them to share of saucy beef and rice. They devoured it!! I'm talking every grain of rice was off that plate by the end of lunch. The only thing they didn't seem to like was peas. Ok, so it's a universal issue then! It was pretty cute because we noticed that they would pick them out, put them in their left hand, and slowly lower it under the table to drop it on the floor. All the while, looking up at us for our reaction. It took some convincing that we didn't mind and eventually we just picked all the peas out and piled them to the side.

After lunch we shopped for some toys and headed back to the bar in the convent (I still love the sound of that) to play and rest. Up till this point, they hadn't really said a thing. They were very quiet and shy until everyone left the room except me. Then, as if on cue, they began chattering to one another in their heart language and teasing each other by taking one another's toys. (Oh they will surely fit in with their new brothers :) ) They would giggle and give a shy smile when they saw me watching them. J then pulled out a tiny piece of buiscut (cookie) she'd been saving in her dress pocket and offered some to her brother. How they could still be hungry, I have no idea! We played for a little while just the four of us, until J finally gave up and fell asleep in my lap. Kit almost had F asleep on the floor when it was time to leave.

We had plans to go to a traditional Congolese dinner at our orphanage director's house with another American couple and their son (the friends I mentioned before). In consistant fashion, our driver was about 1.5 hours late and when he finally showed up, a HUGE storm hit. Kinshasa is right on the Congo River and the streets quickly began to flood. What topped it off was that our car had NO windshield wipers. How he lasted to the near end of rainy season without them is beyond me. So (already 1.5 hours late) we crawled through the streets of downtown Kinshasa, until we lost the car we were following and got stuck in a river of a road. The flooding was so bad, locals were taking pictures over the fence of all the cars that were stuck. We came to understand why so many vehicles we'd seen were SUV's and had vertical exhaust pipes.

The down pore eventually slowed enough for our driver to see enough to reverse out of that flooded road, dodging traffic on both sides of us. But not without the car's floor board (and my purse) completely flooding. (I was so thankful that I decided at the last minute to leave my camera back at the room.) To top it off, our car was out of gas. Thankfully there was a station at the end of the street and after a quick fill up and only one giant "curb check", we were on our way. Because we'd lost the car we were following, we then headed to a main road where our driver got out to wipe down his windshields and get directions. But he was stopped by some reporters who shot some video of us and gave him a quick interview. I was beginning to see why this sweet man was always so late.

At this point, F stood up in the middle of the back seat (they still hadn't said a word or barely moved a muscle) and propped his arms across the back dash, propped up one leg and 'surveyed'. He stood like this for the next hour as we drove to dinner. Kit and I were pretty amused by him and just wondering what was going on inside his head. So much to go through and soak up for such a little guy.

We enjoyed a delicious traditional Congolese dinner of chicken, fish, FuFu (sp?, a giant dough ball thing which is a staple in much of Africa), a banana plantain dish, boiled potatoes,  and casava leaves (similar to spinach). We really enjoyed meeting the director, as with the rest of the orphanage staff. F and J again ate their weight in food. Their poor tummies had quite a day! It's a pretty cute site to watch them methodically pinch off a piece of Fufu, roll it up in their hand, pinch it with some casava leaves or fish and put it down. I almost cut their fufu in half to share, but they both nearly polished theirs off. I think they reached max capacity and both ate more than I could.

Leaving the dinner with full bellies and tired kiddos, we made the long foreboding drive back to the orphanage. They each fell asleep in our arms as we pondered our time with them and what this visit must have been like for them. I wondered what they would be thinking in the morning when we've gone back to India and they are back to waiting for mama and pappa to bring them home. Saying goodbye was nothing short of painful.

We're praying the months are short in number and our kiddos thrive in their temporary home, until they can finally join their forever family. This trip was the end of a long wait for us--to find out who our kids are-- and the beginning of a more difficult wait for us all. Waiting for the last 'waiting' to end and for our lives together to officially begin.