August!

Holy cow.  It's August.  I've been doing school summer camps way more than I wanted to.  The good thing is that Kepler loves going to school/camp.  He's pretty quiet at school.  It's like he watches and saves up all his words for his time with me.  Today was rough.  I don't think he paused once today.  Constant questions and commentary!  It's great that his language is progressing but it's exhausting at the same time.  He's speaking in complete sentences...
"Where we going today, Mommy?  Where we going?  We going to school today, Mommy?"
"That's a potato.  Potato up there, Mommy?  Yep.  That's a potato."
"Going to summer camp today, Mommy? Play with my kids at summer camp?  Go to the park, Mommy?"....You get the idea!
It's been really hard to get him to bed on time with all the light and nice weather!  We've been having so much fun visiting parks, hosting Grandma and Grandpa, going to the farmers market with Andrea and Isaac Cerretani, going on the church camping trip and going out for ice cream.  There are just not enough hours in the day!
Amos had to travel out of town twice in the last 3 weeks.  Kepler was pretty bummed that Daddy was gone but he started chatting with him on the phone.  He and Daddy would talk for about 5 minutes about what they had done that day.  I sit in the drivers seat and yell back a translation if Amos can't catch what Kepler's saying.  It's pretty cute.
Kepler seems to be learning that we come back too.  We left him at the Cerretani's for a few hours and went on a date.  He did great and we had absolutely no strange behavior afterwards, which has happened in the past:) We might make that a regular thing!  We are so lucky to have good people in our lives that are willing to take him in a heartbeat.  We are so thankful.

Approaching June

I can't believe May is almost over already!  We just got back from a two night camping trip at Lake Roosevelt.  We had so much fun!  It took 6 hours to get there and Kepler didn't complain once!  He just sat there reading his book, playing with his toy or watching the world go by outside his window. His favorite thing to see while in eastern Washington were the massive "round and rounds".  Any guesses as to what they were?!  Windmills!  It was like a dream come true for him!  We do fast food on road trips and he was very excited to get "chicken nuggles" for dinner!  We call snuggles "nuggles" in our family and for some reason, this was so cute to me.  He was relating nuggets to something that sounded familiar:)  Away from our normal eating routines, we asked him, "Kepler, are you hungry?  Do you need to eat?"  He replied, "Yes. My hungry.  Eat food."  Daddy said, "Oh.  You need some food in your belly huh?"  Kepler looked at him like he was crazy and said, "No!  Not in belly!  In mouf (mouth)!". 

One exciting part of our camping trip was that he got his new balance bike!  He loves it!  He mostly walks it around but they say that's how it starts out.  He's rode it so much this weekend already that he is getting more confident at maneuvering it around already!  I love it because it is powered by him.  It's not mommy pushing him on a trike while he thrashes the handle bars back and forth making the walk the most annoying exercise I've ever had while he just sits there:) He also loves his "helmount" (helmet).

We did our second major (for us!) hike as a family this weekend!  We hiked up to the top of Steam Boat rock again.  It was better but more difficult this year.  He is more sure footed and able to walk further than he could last September but he is HEAVIER!  I had to carry him in the Eurgo up and down the rock!  We had to have a stern discussion about him throwing himself to one side to point out birds and such because he almost sent us both down the side of the rock!  He did fantastic hiking though!  He hiked all the way up to the rock and the entire time we hiked up on top of it!  When we got back down he said, "We did it!". 

He did so well sleeping in the tent as well.  He slept soundly both nights.  This is much improved since last fall.  I think his little brain is more sure that we'll be around when he wakes up.  His sleep used to be so fitful and full of violent wake ups and screams.  We are approaching our Home One Year mark and this makes me so happy.  He deserves the peace.
We were surprised that he slept so well despite our noisy, foul mouthed neighbors camping 10 feet away.  Amos said, "He might have some new words after this trip."  So far, so good.  We'll probably hear him use them in context sometime and be shocked:)
All in all, we had a great, adventurous yet relaxing trip.  We are looking forward to the summer ahead!

Lately he's been asking himself something so he can answer it. Like on our trip we heard him say, "You hungry? Yes. Eat food." Today he said, "Want to go to park? Yeah! Take bike to park!". We have been practicing good manners as always but it's funny to hear them come out. People will ask him his name and he'll proudly hold up his pinkie and ring finger and say, "I'm two!". Sometimes people get his name when they ask how old he is:) My favorite is "Mice" to meet you. Do I ever have to correct that?! I don't want to!

An adoption #2 update:
While in Grand Coulee, we mailed off our I-600A to USCIS:)  We are now waiting on our fingerprint appointments!  Moving right along!
However, right before we left we got a letter from the IRS stating that our refund is in review.  They are investigating our refund.  I've heard from a few people that your adoption credit refund is tricky to get.  You have to fight a bit.  If they are hoping that we just give up, they are wrong.  We NEED that money for this next adoption and I'll fight for it:)  I won't be forgetting!

Post Vacation Blues

We enjoyed seeing Amos' family so much in California last month!  His sister's wedding was beautiful and seeing his brother and his family was great.  Kepler got to meet his cousin for the first time! 
I'm going to be brutally honest here.  Most of my posts are pretty positive so I think I deserve some grace with this post being a bit less than "puppy dogs and rainbows".
We were prepared for Kepler to have a hard time on the plane.  He doesn't like loud noises or elevators and a plane taking off resembles those two horrors in one scary ride.  We prepped him ahead as much as we could and he seemed great up until boarding.  We did carry on luggage only so Amos and I both had our arms full of luggage.  Kepler was bopping along until we entered the plane.  As soon as he saw the row of seats ahead of him he freaked out and tried to turn around.  It was like something triggered his brain that this scene means a change in life!  He was sandwiched in-between Amos and I, thank goodness, so he didn't get far.  We told him, "It's okay, follow mommy."  He made it back to our seats with a LOT of coaxing and then after throwing our luggage in it's place I scooped him up, held him tight and calmed him down.  I'm sure people watching think I was a bit harsh but they don't know Kepler.  Gentle is often NOT the way to comfort him when he's reached his "point of no return". He responds very well to someone being in charge and letting him know what is expected and that he is safe when he's scared or has gone overboard.  Maybe other adoptive parents can relate? I don't know.  I've tried it both ways and he seems to take comfort in the more 'no nonsense' approach even when he is scared.
Anyway, this began our journey.  He made it through the plane ride pretty well. 
He did great riding in an unfamiliar rental car as well. We explained things as we went and he seemed to be fine.  He conked out before reaching the hotel.  However, the combo of him getting a bad cold/cough, us being in an unfamiliar place with no set schedule was A LOT more difficult for him than I thought it would be.  He is so flexible at home and I really thought he would just roll with it because we were with him.  NO SO.  He freaked out and did strange crying/yelling behavior every time we met up with Amos' family.  It was so embarrassing.   I felt so bad that they didn't really get to know the real, sweet, easy going, people loving Kepler.  Every transition was a struggle.  To make it worse I had NO patience left because he wasn't sleeping hardly at all, thus we weren't either.  He woke up every hour crying and thrashing and kicking during the night.  It was an angry, fitful restless night every night.  It was AWFUL.  I am used to getting sleep.  At home he sleeps in his own bed for 11-12 hours every night with no interruptions.  This was horrible.  I'm guessing it was a perfect storm of him being sick, therefore not sleeping soundly and waking up in an unfamiliar place with new people around.  I honestly think he thought we were dropping him off with a new family.  Amos' family was so gracious with his horrible behavior (Thank you Jimmy and Alexis!) but our dreams of them getting to know him and having fun with him were crushed.  I was horrified every time we met up with them and he screamed and cried/whined.  It was so unlike our Kepler.  After a couple days of no sleep, my patience was nonexistant and I'd had enough.  I wasn't as understanding as I should have been for sure but Amos was there to take over when I'd had enough.  This was the hardest week with Kepler that I've had. 
We had some good times sprinkled in there with the ocean and sand and Cousin Cora and the play ground and the zoo but every single transition was so bad.  He was so stressed out with the unknown and I think he was just terrified the whole time that we was going to be handed over again. 
Okay, I'll stop whining:)
He was great once we got home again.  When we entered our house he ran inside his room and played with every toy he owns.  He was so glad to be back.  He had made a comment while gone about his boots being in the "garbage".  He thought we were gone from our home forever.  You should have seen his face when we came back!
Since being back, his cough has gone away but a nasty cold took root a week later.  His good ear starting oozing and I took him into the doctor the next day.  They saw a hole in his good ear drum:(  Appointments at Children's Hospital are in the works to figure out how this is effecting his hearing. Holes in both your ear drums is not good for hearing thus language development.  So sad. 
On top of all that, the last day we were in California Amos got a high fever.  We got home to find out he has pneumonia, again.  He was hospitalized for 3 days but is home now.  It's been a roller coaster to say the least.  Last week I thought I was going to loose my mind.  Thankfully, I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Kepler's language is exploding lately!  Here are some of our favorites:
                       "Pet-a-pony pizza"- Pepperoni pizza
                       "Teemawmow!"- Time to eat (dinner time)
                       "Umpty Umpty"- Humpty Dumpty
                       "With you"- I want to come with you
                       "Nummy"- Yummy
                       "Need it"- I need it (for anything he wants)
                       "Bama and Bampa"- Grandma and Grandpa
                      
He has been such a joy since being home.  I taught in Kids Church today and couldn't believe how great he was.  He is used to me being busy with kids while he is around.  He has had to learn to be patient and share me.  This is HARD to do for a 2 year old and he has come so far! 
Today was a landmark day in the social world.  We took him to a park and he actually made a friend on his own!  He was interacting with another little boy.  They were climbing up the slide and sliding down on their tummies while laughing at each other.  It was so cool for Amos and I to witness this!
Here Are some pictures for you to enjoy!

Cousin Cora and Kepler running from the waves!

Kepler with Auntie Anesia on her Big Day

Cousin Cora, Kepler and Bama Audrey

Big "peanut" on the elephant!

Kepler and Johannes Kepler, whom he is named after.

Kepler and Mommy RUNNING!

Daddy and Kepler

Mama and Kepler getting some giggles in on the beach.

                                              

Spring News

We are coming out of the winter with great joy! It reoccurred to me the other day that I have a blog to record all the cute things Kepler does and our family news.  Let's start with Kepler's

new vocab shall we?! 

First of all he has so many new words!  He is stringing sentences together and we can catch most of it and get what he is trying to say....most of the time:)  He adds lots of expression and mannerisms that remind me every day that he is African!

Amos and I find ourselves avoiding correction in how he pronounces things or phrases things because it's so sweet!

Here are a few of our favorites:

"I yike it!"- I like it.
"Boo one"- Blue one.  Everything is blue.

"Have it"- May I please hold it.

"MeeelCH"- Milk

"Hold you"- I would like you to hold me

"Appy"- Happy

"Muh-in"- Muffin

"Pitty nights"- Pretty lights

"Copping cart!"- Shopping cart

"Mor peeeeee!"- More please

"Peanut cole"- My penis is cold :)

 

A leprechaun visited our school last week for St. Patty's day. Kepler was half terrified and half thrilled. The kids at school rushed around pointing to things that got mysteriously turned upside down. Kepler followed the crowds but got very nervous as the kids pointed and got excited. He kept finding me and saying, "Hold you!"  So cute. The best part of St. Patty's day was how Kepler said Leprechaun: Keprechaun. He knocks on something and then says, "Keprechaun! At da door!". 

Amos' favorite part of the day is when he comes home from work to have Kepler meet him at the door.  Daddy says, "Hi Baby!".  Kepler proceeds to give him a BIG hug and then says, "Coat off." and helps him shed his coat.  The awesome thing about having Kepler around is that he makes sure Daddy puts his coat in the closet:)   Kepler then says, "Shoes off!" and helps him untie his shoes and pull them and his socks off.  We have never asked him to do this.  He just LOVES serving others.
I catch him sweeping up and wiping things down at school.  He puts his clothes in the laundry basket and keeps his stuff in order.  It's amazing.

 We were so blessed to have Amos' mom over for a day a couple months back.  She lives in Phoenix and always gets as much joy out of seeing Amos with Kepler as we get having her stay with us.  She enjoyed Kepler's funny faces and singing Raffi songs in the car with him:)  We went over to Discovery Park and spent the morning strolling around.  It was wonderful.

There is an elementary park just a couple minutes walk from our place and we like to walk over there to play.  Kepler loved slides and then became terrified of them.  Thankfully we are back at the 'love' them place again.  His gross motor skills are improving all the time.  Stairs and any sort of climbing take some work but he is miles ahead of where he was when he arrived home.  Uneven ground used to really throw him off but that is just a memory in the past now!

We are looking forward to this spring and our trip to California for Amos' sister's wedding in a few weeks!  Kepler refers to loud noises as "Scaaaary" so we've been prepping him on what the airplane ride will be like.  He did unimaginably well on the plane ride home but he was a different kid then.  We'll see how he does!  I mowed the lawn yesterday with him outside.  He was scared at first but then realized that it wasn't going to eat him.  We had to come to the same conclusion about the vacuum cleaner when he arrived home.

Alright...are you ready for our other family news? 

We have started the adoption process again.  Call us crazy if you want.  You have to be a little crazy to get back on a horse that almost killed you the first go around.  But, it was an amazing ride that brought about the most beautiful addition to our family that we could have ever imagined.  There are millions of orphans in the world and we'd like to make our family complete by subtracting one more from that total.  We are asking to be matched with a little girl who is around 1-2 years.  The process is taking longer than it was, as is normal in the adoption world.  We expect it to take at least 2 years before she is home.  Pray for us.  We will need it!

I am often asked, "Now that you've adopted are you guys going have any of 'your own' kids?"

Originally, this was our plan.  We have switched gears.  It would take a very long time to write out all of our reasons here and quite frankly, most people wouldn't get it.  So.... here is one example of why we've made the decision to adopt again...

I just finished reading The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision. It's a MUST READ by the way!  This book is jam packed with stories of people LIVING out their faith.  I have realized that my love for God needs to be a real thing that people see rather than something I just believe in my head and heart but don't act on.  I am discovering more and more that following Christ means bringing wholeness to a world that is broken.  Building our family through adoption is one of the things our family is doing to live out our faith.  Orphans have no one to care for them.  They are left to be God's responsibility.  I consider myself God's hands and feet on this earth and therefore God's responsibility is my responsibility.

You've heard, "Be careful what you wish for."  Well, the same goes for prayer!  Be careful what you pray for!  Some time ago I began praying that God would give me his eyes.  I wanted my heart to break for the issues that broke his heart.  A result from that was Kepler:)  There are millions of orphans in the world and we would like to be the answer to someones prayer for a home.

"Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility."

                            - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Adoption Day

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Today was a very special day for our family!  We finalized Kepler's adoption here in the US!  My parents made the trip out to Port Townsend to join us and it was wonderful.  It felt so good to see the judge sign the decree!  Amos and I were a bit nervous because with Kepler's 2nd birthday came the wonderful phrase, "Um....no!".  He uses it even when you ask if he wants ice cream, a puppy and a ride on a tractor.  We were worried he was going to say, "Um...no!" to the judge asking if he liked his family!  But....he didn't.  Bless his heart!  She asked him, "Do you know why you're here today?" just as his eyes caught the teddy bears lined up on the bench (for adoptions:).  He answered her question with, "A bear!".  The judge laughed and said, "Yes, that too" and handed him the bear.  When she asked if he liked his family and wanted to be with them forever he shook his head yes (which he rarely does!).  It was the sweetest thing!

In addition to our wonderful adoption week, we enjoyed Christmas and a trip up to the mountains to see Kepler's first snow!  What a fantastic way to end the year!

Immense Joy

I know it's corny to apologize for lack of timely updates every time I update my blog but I am sorry.  Life is truly moving so fast.

Kepler turned 2 this month.  In the days approaching his birthday I kept thinking of his birth mom and how she must be thinking about him and wondering about what he is like now.  She hasn't seen him in over a year.  I pray God's presence surrounds her and gives her a sense of peace.  I hope she checks on the updates we send every couple of months. The pictures of him say it all:)  We celebrated his birthday at school this year by having him walk the earth around the sun 2 times and then blowing out his two candles.  His favorite part was blowing out the candles and having his friends sing Happy Birthday!

 He hadn't really had a lot of experience with gifts until his birthday but he got the hang of it when packages started to arrive in the mail each day!  This was really cute until he decided the package that Mama just wrapped up for cousin Cora for Christmas must be a gift for him!
Daddy and Mama took Kepler to The Lights of Christmas for his family birthday celebration.  We have gone to the Lights for 3 years thinking, "Some day we'll be taking our little one here." This year was the long awaited celebration.
It's really quite sweet to meditate on God giving us His son during the first Christmas celebration with our son.  It's been wonderful to tell the Christmas story to Kepler as well.  He knows who Mary,  "Beebee" Jesus and  Joseph are and he points them out on the coffee table as he plays by the Christmas tree.
At his 2 year check up he proved what we've all suspected.  He's healthy, thriving and catching up in height, weight and brain development.  We couldn't be happier.
He's asleep next to my while I write this at work.  The fact that I am able to take him with me while I work is not being taken for granted.  He absolutely loves his school and his friends and being with his Mama.  It's the perfect package deal and I thank God every day for planting the vision of this school in my heart long ago and bringing it to be.  We are so blessed by the community that we serve.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am overwhelmed by Thankfulness this year.  A little over a year ago (Nov 9th, 2010) we saw our sweet Kepler's photo for the first time when we got THE CALL.  Two trips to Ethiopia and almost 5 adjusting months later and we are together for this amazing day giving thanks.
Things are going wonderfully.  Kepler is comfortable at school and home and we've fallen into a good routine.  He still cries if I hold another child but it isn't such a frantic cry as it was before.  He's learning that he belongs with us.  As great as things are going, we still have reminders that his journey (and ours!) is not over by any means.  One sad thing that he does is that he wakes up from his nap sobbing and wailing.  He isn't even really awake but he is so sad. It breaks my heart.  We think this is may be part of his grieving process.  Today I went in to get him and just rocked him in the chair.  He fell asleep on me for about 20 minutes.  This was a wonderful gift today.  I love snuggling with him and this was a wonderful reminder that Kepler so badly needed a family and we are it.  I sometimes forget about the miracle of his adoption when I'm up to my eye balls in potty time, baths, 5 meals/snacks a day and school.  Today was a gift.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to be Kepler's mommy and Amos' wife.  Life is rich.