Landon's questions and adamant statements go from hysterical to unbelievable. I have GOT to do a better job recording these things! Hence, a must do blog update ensues....
First...a little "catch up." I am going to do my best to include as much as I can without spending all day blogging since I have seemed to have lost
that blog good feelin' the gumption for blogging in the late hours of the night after school work is done.
January and February were full!
We met up with our Bethany friends at their annual International Dinner in January. We have developed such a great friendship with one VERY special family, the Hirschbergs. Here is a picture of our children together. It's funny how we both met on our journey to adopt internationally, and how, since then, both of our families have experienced God's double blessing with surprise adoption miracles!
This picture brings a big smile to my face!
Bethany International Dinner Kids! 2013
We signed Landon up for 6 weeks of ice skating lessons. It has been really neat to see his progress each week! I have to say, I felt really bad for him the first two weeks. It took him a solid 30 minutes each time to just get back up to his feet without any coach or chair assistance. But, we have one determined little boy (as if we din't know that already!) and he perservered making us both so proud of him! He and Greg are getting ready to leave now for his last lesson. I will post some videos in my next post- which I refuse to allow to be too many days from now.
2nd week!
There was also a small snowfall late January. I am slightly hesitant to claim it has been the only one of our Winter season...I do not want a surprise March storm!
February brought in Aunt Jilly and Cousin Jackson to celebrate Jackson's 1st Birthday! We had intended on driving out to Kentucky to celebrate Jackson's 1st birthday there, but God had different plans in store. A week before Jackson's birthday, God took Grammie home to be with Him in Heaven, and that brought Jill and Jackson here to celebrate her life. Blessing in disguise- Uncle Chris, Aunt Marissa, Aunt Faith, and Aunt Marianne were able to celebrate with him now, too!
Happy 1st Birthday, Jackson!
Adorable birthday boy!
Wait a minute- who's birthday is this, Landon?
It didn't take long for Ethan to show Jackson where all the goodies are at Mommom's!
On to the 4 year old Musings...
Grammie's death seemed to bring about a lot of interesting questions and comments from Landon. We had debated on bringing him and Ethan to the viewing and funeral, and for a few reasons, decided to include the boys. For one- I feel that Landon had a hard time fulling understanding the permanent loss of Dakota this past summer. I thought that perhaps seeing Grammie would help. I also didnt want funeral experiences to be something that were devastating to him later in life if he had not experienced them as a child. Personally, I have a lot of funeral memories from my childhood, which I feel really helped me get through the funerals of closer family and friends I have experienced in the past ten years. We were so grateful to have my mom and Aunt WaWa at the funeral with us, so they limited the amount of time the boys had to be in the viewing area and services. Just a few minutes of exposure was all we were really intending.
In preparation for Landon's first funeral experience, we explained that although he would see Grammie's body, her soul was in Heaven with Jesus already. Here is how our conversation following unfolded..."Will Grammie come back to live at her house?" "No, hun, she won't. When you die, you don't come back." "But, you came back to Russia to get me!??" Greg and I exchanged a surprised look- we haven't really explained that we left, came back, left, and then came back to Russia again, a 3rd time, to finally bring Landon home. He must remember this on his own! His understanding is amazing, and causes me to wonder just how many early childhood memories he has tucked away in his mind. I have and continue to pray that as he gets older and relays those to us in different ways we have the wisdom to respond in a way which makes him feel secure in who he is, and in a way that just screams love and purpose over his life from the start. While we were at the graveside service, Landon did not want to join us under the tent. My mom happily stayed with him by the car, and she relayed his concern that "there were too many strangers over there." It makes me feel good to know he feels secure with our family and us, and is wary of those he does not know. Coming off of a recent adoption conference, I feel like we can check off another box in the attachment column with that one!
This past Wednesday, we made our way to Aunt Liz's (Grammie's sister's) funeral. Landon seemed more familiar with the experience, and was very well behaved all day. As we were pulling out of the cemetary we explained that Mommom had seen Great Poppop and Grammie's grave stones, and that Great Poppop was Grammie's husband. Landon so adamantly replied, Grammie doesn't have a husband. Thus ensued more explanation. At one point Landon declared that Uncle Chris was married (which he isn't). And we asked to whom? And, he confidently said, Aunt Jilly! (LOL!) Greg was trying to correct him, and was listing people we know that were married, including us. And, Landon...again, in his 4 year old wisdom, declared, "You're not married! You weren't in a parade!" Some things we are just laughing about and trying our best to re-direct his thinking without getting into a serious debate. :)
Last weekend, Greg and I were so blessed to have the opportunity to go to the Together Called adoptive parents' retreat that the
Sparrow Fund organized. The couple that began this organization two years ago felt that there was a need for adoptive parents to fellowship, receive words of wisdom to fill them up, and time alone together. How right they were! Our weekend away was SO.NICE.
The opportunity to have uninterrupted conversation and meals together, the reminder that "Our adoption journey to bring home and help the healing of our once orphaned children's hearts is much bigger than just that...it is also God's journey to redeem and restore our hearts." While we parent our boys, we are reminded over and over again, of God's grace in our own lives. While we were YET SINNERS Christ died for us- NOT after we got our acts together in "time out"- NOT when we were speaking kindly to him or obeying him the first time. What reminders. The chance to exhange stories with other adoptive parents who seem to be able to spill time and time again miracle after miracle of God's provision and hand in thier adoptions reminded us of how the God we serve loves us so much and cares about every detail (car ride, court appointment, paperwork issue) in our lives. The chance to spend time with Caytee and Bob, a couple who are extra special to us. Their example and love have encouraged us more than words can say. Together (as a couple and as children of God, adopted into His family) we are Called to love on our children and on each other. What a weekend.
With that...February comes to a close.
....and the past 2 hours of blogging really remind me how "slow and steady" blogging is so much more efficient! Up next, scrubbing the kitchen floor! (eeeek)
