Priceless GIVE AWAY!!!

This is totally free, no obligation giveaway! I have a copy of Tom Davis' new novel Priceless to send to the winner. I know I love to read in the summer, and this is a great book. If you aren't familiar with Tom Davis, he has written Fields of the Fatherless (a MUST read for anyone seeking to know God's heart for the fatherless) and Red Letters.

If you have a heart for orphans, you must read this book. Maybe you are familiar with the tragic statistics of what happens to young girls once they age out of the system, or maybe you never really thought about it? This book will break your heart for those women and children caught in bondage. You can read more about this issue and the book at: http://www.sheispriceless.com

Okay, it is super easy to enter for the giveaway! Just post a comment, become a follower of this blog (those who are currently followers will automatically be entered), post about it on your blog with a link back (please let me know you have done this), and/or email me at: boroughs9@gmail.com. The more ways you enter, the more chances you have to win a FREE copy of this great book! Please spread the word! I will randomly have one of my kids draw a name on July 5th!

Happy Birthday Blair!

It was a very busy week in our house last week, and the day after we celebrated Irina's 5th b-day, we celebrated Blair's 7th b-day! Blair loved the fact that it was his day, and he had a "noodle" day all day too. He adores pasta and Chinese food, so that is what he had-for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He really liked his new Toy Story bike helmet, gator golf game, and of course a new Spongebob video. I don't know what the appeal is with sb, but he loves all things having to do with that theme! Happy Birthday, sweet boy! We love you and thank the Lord for you!

Happy Birthday Princess!

Happy, happy birthday to our sweet girl! Irina turned 5 last week! All the older kids were so excited to celebrate her birthday. We knew it was her first American birthday, but I am sure it was the first birthday party ever. We started the day with yummy homemade donuts. Mmmmm. Irina loved all her gifts, and of course she loved when we sang and she got to eat her birthday cupcake. We love this precious princess and thank God for the gift of being her family!

Please help my friend!

Last year in Eastern Europe, we had the wonderful blessing to meet several other families who were also there to adopt. One of those couples was Lyndi and Bill, and they were adopting their adorable son Patrick. Lyndi and Bill are in process to adopt again, this time a 15 year old son with epilepsy (please see his button on the sidebar-Freddie). Once an orphan turns 16, they are no longer adoptable, so time is of the essence. They are set to travel in ONE WEEK and they have hit a glitch! Please pray earnestly, and if you can contribute to help them, please do so! You can go directly to their blog here
They need an unexpected and additional $3,000 NOW! Please consider making a tax deductible donation at www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorshupp.html

Take me out to the ball game!

Do you have a Miracle League near you? We are huge fans of Miracle League in our area. It is a special needs baseball league, and this year both Ivan and Blair got to play. Ivan is very serious about his game, and Blair spent the games trying to figure out the best way to amuse the crowd. He is such a ham! Last week he put his baseball mit on his head while he was in the outfield, and came around behind the player who was up to bat just to get a laugh from the fans. He is too much. Today was the season ending picnic and trophies, and here are a few pics to enjoy....

One Year Later: IRINA!

The same day we met Luke, we also met Irina. She actually came into the room first, and I immediately fell in love with her. When I first saw her referral picture, I did not think “oh how cute”. Instead, I was immediately drawn to look at her eyes, and my heart broke. The sadness and hopelessness just drew me in, and as we prayed for her and our decision to bring her home, she seemed to call out “rescue me, please rescue me”.

After our initial visit with Luke and Irina, the orphanage doctor came in to read their medical charts to us, with our facilitator translating. The doctor misunderstood our intention to adopt both children, and thought we were choosing between them. She told the facilitator to tell us that there was no choice, we should take Luke and that we did not want Irina. I will never forget the expression on her face when the facilitator explained that we wanted BOTH children. I might have been missing some cultural cues, but it was a most unpleasant expression, a look of complete disgust. Perhaps she thought we were foolish, or misunderstood our intentions. She couldn’t have been more wrong though, we DID want Irina! This little girl is loved so very dearly and cherished more than that doctor could ever imagine.

This child is not the same one we brought home from the Ukraine. That little girl had a hard time with prolonged physical affection, and she would become completely over stimulated by our attention. She could not feed herself, and had only been fed (and would only eat) pureed foods. She aspirated liquids anytime she would drink, and she did many self-stimulating behaviors like thwacking her tongue, banging her head, facial ticks, and rocking. Her only means of communicating were raging and grunting, and she didn’t make eye contact. It was impossible to get a good picture of her because she would never smile. If we played outside, she would rub her hands in dirt and sand, and then put them in her mouth and eat it. Only a shadow of that little girl remains…

Irina’s transformation this year is nothing but AMAZING! She is a ray of sunshine in our family. Her belly laughs are the best, and we hear them often! She smiles ALL the time, and is now even doing modeling poses for the camera. Irina has learned many signs, her rages have decreased significantly, and she is even starting to make speech sounds (my favorite is when she signs and says “mom” at the same time!). She has learned to eat with a spoon and fork, eats almost anything and everything, and drinks from a sippy cup and a straw. She loves the sandbox and pool and outdoor play (and doesn’t eat the sand and dirt-usually!). She loves LOVE! She not only tolerates affection but seeks it and gives it! Irina reminds me daily of what redemption means, and how love can utterly transform a person. This little girl bubbles with love, joy, and fun and we thank God daily that we followed His prompting and added her to our family!

One Year Later: LUKE!

A year ago this week, we found ourselves in Eastern Europe, meeting our youngest son (and daughter, but I am going to give her a separate post!)! It is hard to describe all the emotions you experience when the long awaited moment has come, and the child you have prayed for, dreamed of, and stared at their picture, suddenly appears before you in the flesh.

My first thought of Luke was that he was so much cuter in person, and I thought his referral picture was adorable! He burst into that room with so much energy and personality that first day! He was immediately fun and full of laughter and giggles. It was obvious he liked to play and enjoyed attention, and we had a ball engaging with him.

Now a year has gone by, and he has experienced so much, grown and developed so much, and played so hard! As I think back to when we first met him, he is still very much the same little boy. He is fun, affectionate, smart, and often mischievous. However, he has changed in so many ways as well. He no longer grabs food off of someone else’s plate (or takes his friend’s snacks at school), or stuffs a banana (peel and all) in his mouth and frantically tries to eat it, and he can (and does!) take turns (okay, as much as any preschooler). He has learned to share, typically not the toys he loves the most, but we are getting there! He has learned to use the potty and wore big boy pants ALL last week! (Yippee for mommy that she has fewer pull ups to buy!) He gets to ride the school bus, which he loves. He also loves water and to get dirty. It actually brings me tremendous joy to see this little guy play outside and get filthy. I don’t think he was really “allowed” to get dirty at the orphanage, so I love to watch him play with sand, dirt, sticks, rocks, and any and all things that boys love.

Luke also got to celebrate his first birthday ever, and boy did he like turning 5! He had a birthday crown at preschool and he wanted to wear it all day. He loved his cake, and really liked his gifts, his favorite being the matchbox cars and the stuffed puppy (that barks and howls) from Mom-mom and Pop-pop. More than anything, I believe Luke has learned that he is loved, that he has a FAMILY. He is learning what a mama and papa are, that they never ever leave you, and that sisters and brothers love you and take care of you.

It is heart breaking to think of the contrast of what Luke’s life would have been like if he had not been adopted; would he have survived a mental institution long enough to see his 5th birthday? Oh what a tragic waste it would have been for this precious child to not know the love of a family, and to spend out the rest of his days with his potential untapped, his beautiful face unseen, and his infectious laughter unheard. Thank you, thank you, Lord, for the precious gift of our son!

Moving Mountains.....

Do you ever find yourself on a path where the obstacles that lay ahead make the journey seem impossible? I have felt this way lately about a journey I have started on. This week I found myself having a spiritual temper tantrum, whining to the Lord about how the road ahead is impassible and why couldn’t it just be easier. This morning on my way to church, I was realizing that He sets me on these paths because He knows me so well. He knows that if the task is something I feel I can accomplish, I will go ahead and do it on my own, and pretty much say “I got it Lord…I’ll let you know if I run into trouble”. This time the mountains are not the type I can scale or go around, they are mountains that only He can move to make the journey possible. Why don’t I trust Him to do that? He has never failed us, and He is always faithful to see us through, no matter how bad the “odds” might be. IF this is His plan, then He is going to make it happen.

So, please pray for me, dear friends! He has moved several obstacles on this journey all ready, things that would have slammed the door shut to our continuing down this path. Pray for me to trust Him to move the ones that loom ahead. They seem so much bigger and at times I am fearful because they are too big for us to conquer, but nothing is too big for Him.

My version of Dr. Seuss on Attachment Issues

It's that time of year when our kiddo with attachment issues begins to unravel at the changes in routine and structure. I will be honest, it is tough to revisit behaviors that you had thought (hoped) you had overcome. I don't share much on my blog on this topic, not because I don't want to be honest about our struggles in parenting a hurt child, but I feel I need to protect this child's privacy-their story is their own to share. I would always be willing to chat with anyone struggling with attachment issues by email though, so please feel free to contact me if you want to discuss things privately.

Anyway, I have no idea why Dr. Seuss popped into my head tonight while thinking about attachment issues, but here goes:(Oh, and if you don't have personal experience with the challenges of parenting a hurt child, please don't judge too harshly! We love our child with all our hearts, but parenting this child has been one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do!)

I do not like this kid of mine, I do not like them at this time.

Kicking, hitting, screaming “I hate you!”- oh the awful things this kid will do!

Love them, hug them, help them trust? Some days I think my head will bust.

Stealing, lying, hoarding food….can this kid do any good?

Love them, love them, don’t dare stop! Even when your heart might pop.

Wounded, broken, heart torn in two. Heal their scars? What can we do?

Hugging them ten times a day, will it make it all okay?

Be consistent, stay the course….could things get any worse?

Pray, pray, down on your knees! Beg the Lord to help you please.

I do not like this kid of mine, I do not like them at this time.

But, I will love them, yes I will! I will love them each day still.

I will love them every day, until they know they're here to stay!

Yes I will love them, yes I will! I will love them each and every day...

Until they know our love will never go away!
Okay, it's silly and I am certainly no poet, but that's my version of Dr. Seuss on attachment!

Help bring Liliana home!

I am going to be posting about some fundraisers that some "cyber" friends are holding right now to bring home their precious waiting children. This one is to help bring home beautiful Liliana for Robin and her family. Please go HERE and get a chance to win this gorgeous quilt. Hmmm....I want to help Robin, but I also want to win that quilt for myself! So, go get some numbers and if you want, you can give it to me if you win! Seriously, please support this family in bringing home their daughter.