First Christmas

We love Christmas around here.  Love the food, the smells, the traditions, the excitement, the food!!  The celebration of our Saviors birth and the lessons we learn each year.

This year as we celebrated with Israel and Dawit we kept it simple.  That was my lesson this year was simplicity.  As we read the story of Jesus' birth to the boys I was reminded over and over of how He came into the world quietly and simply.  In a barn, laid in a manger, in a bed of hay.  Some times being an American can really make it seem like we are supposed to do all the stuff.  Buy into all the commercialism, run around like a crazy lady, and becoming obsessed about everything being just so.  Just talking about myself here!!  This year I have learned to keep it simple and enjoy the simple moments.  Just like the simple beautiful way Jesus came to earth.

Erik my 16 year old said to me a few weeks before Christmas, hey mom where is the bowl of nuts you put out every year?  I told him I had not gotten to it yet and the next time I was at the grocery store I would get some.  Honestly I always put out the bowl of mixed nuts with the nut cracker next to them as more of decoration than anything.  So I got the bag of nuts and put it in the normal bowl with the nutcracker next to it and a cute little red bowl next to it to put the shells.  I looked at it and thought, nice, a little Better Homes and Garden!!  About everyday I would come downstairs or walk by the table and there would be a few of  the kids sitting around that cute little collection of nuts and bowls laughing and eating them.  After dinner everyone sat longer and talked and laughed while we ate those nuts.  The next week I actually had to buy another bag because we were getting low.

A simple bowl of mixed nuts.  No elaborate dinner, scheduled events, or crazy expensive gifts.  A simple bowl of nuts to gather around and enjoy each other.  So thankful for the lessons I have learned this year and so excited to simply enjoy 2012. 

Israel and Dawit had a blast this Christmas.  We started the morning with chocolate muffins and candles to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  They thought that was pretty cool and then down to open some gifts.  They opened their first gift and were done.  They were content.  So we took our time and enjoyed the morning opening and playing.  The big kids enjoyed it too.  No rush just simply enjoying the time together.

First Gift.  So excited!  His favorite thing Cars!!

Erik's gift to Dawit.

Thank-you big bro!!

Waiting to open their eyes Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve.

Our First Christmas!

Thankful for these two little guys and the many gifts and blessing they give our family.  They are truly a treasured gift on this Christmas.

I am four!

Our first birthday with Dawit and Israel.  What a sweet day.  Celebrating and joyfully recognizing that they are a  precious part of our family.

Here is a video of the best part.  The birthday song.  They had seen and heard it 6 times before it was their turn to have the song and the cake.  We made a cake for each of them.  Israel wanted chocolate and Dawit wanted pink.  I told everyone that we were going to sing each of them their own song.  There was a quizzical look from some of the family but once they saw how special it was for them to have their own song they understood. 

They enjoyed their cake!

And their presents!

The next day we went to preschool with yummy cupcakes to share with their friends and a mom said Happy Birthday to them and asked how old they were.  They shouted, "I am four!"  So proud!

As we hear back from colleges for Sean for next year, I realize how quickly it all goes.  In a moment I know that these boys will be off to school, playing their first soccer game, middle school, dances, girls, and driving.

Learning to savor the moments and not to worry about the small stuff.   

Happy Birthday Israel and Dawit!!

Christmas Tree!

Everything is Christmas tree.  It is Christmas tree music.  Christmas tree presents.  Christmas tree lights.  Dawit and Israel are in awe and a little confused as we actually brought a tree inside the house and put lights on it and then put fun toys and candy(candy canes) on it.   They are loving it all.  They love to talk about Jesus' Birthday and about baby Jesus.  They know who Mary and Joseph are and especially love to play with the camels in our nativity sets.

Our older children are fun to watch and listen to as they explain what Christmas is and how things work in the James House during this season.  It is probably one of my favorite parts right now.

New to our December traditions is a birthday.  Not one but two.  Israel and Dawit turn 4 tomorrow and we are all excited to celebrate with them.  In fact we are taking the older kiddos out of school at  lunch time because our evening is so crazy.  We have not heard any arguing about that.  Shocking!!  :)

Merry Christmas to you all!!!  I hope and pray that you are taking time to enjoy the simple things like the sweetness of a candy cane,  the beauty of the twinkling lights, the joyful giggles of children, and the truth and hope of a little baby born in a stable who came to set us all free.

That's My Family

Many years ago in MOPS(Mothers of Preschoolers) we had a speaker talk to us about taking pictures and the value of having pictures done of your family.  Having 4 babies in 6 years was busy, busy, busy so doing the family picture thing was a little too much for me.  But when I heard her speak I realized how important it could be.  Having your whole family portrait taken and having it displayed in your house built family identity and unity.  I wanted our kids to be proud of being a James and this was one way to build that in.

So it began.  My kids are good about it now but when they were little it was a little stressful.  This year it took us longer to get it done now that we are a family of 8 and have many very busy teenagers.  But we did it.  Thanks to a very talented photographer Amy G!!


The boys and I went to Costco the other day to pick up our Christmas cards and get some yummy food and Dawit was carrying a calendar we got free with our order that has our family picture on it.  As we were standing in line and I was emptying our cart he was naming everyone in our picture.  I was not really paying attention but was hearing him in the background.  When I turned to him he was showing a man in line behind us his whole family.  He named us all and the kind man said wow, that is your family.  Dawit looked at me so proudly and smiled. 

Yes Dawit and Israel this is your family!  Would not be the same without you two here!!

Here are few of my favorite pictures that will be proudly displayed in my house!  Cause I kinda like this crew!! :) 

He's 18!!

18 years ago today, well at 10:26 this evening I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.  We named him Sean Patrick James and he was so stinking.........you thought I was going to say cute didn't you?  Well he was but he was also really loud!!  Now when I watch him lead worship music or listen to him play his guitar and sing in his room I remember those long loud nites when he was a baby and thank God for those beautiful healthy lungs.  I am so grateful for Sean and his love for God and His desire to serve Him.  I am so excited to see how God is going to use him.

I am so proud that he is a good friend.  A natural leader and loves to help others in need.   He has had the opportunity to travel to Africa, Mexico and the Bahamas to help others in need and so excited to see how God will use this in the future

I am proud that he is fun and loving and cares deeply for others and is willing to step out in faith and try new things!

 Happy Birthday my son!!  Looking forward to watching as you step forward into the real world and impact it for Him!!

Love you my sweet boy,  Mom.



 

That's Crazy

Israel and Dawit love to say, "that's crazy."  It is so cute.  They say it about everything.  A missing toy, "that's crazy."  Brother just walked in the door from school, "that's crazy."  It is time for quiet time, "that's crazy."  I guess we are all a little crazy around here!  Here are a few of our crazy faces to prove it!

Be a little crazy today!  Happy Wednesday!

No more whining for me!

Yesterday was one of those days.  The pump under the sink rusted out so we had water through out the kitchen.  Pulled out the oven, which was quite the site!  Dust bunnies would have run!  The water faucet also decided it was in its last days so poor Mike had to run to Lowe's to get us a new one and then the toilet was plugged by someone(possibly a three year old) which led to a completely flooded bathroom that ran through the entry way and down the hall.

Yep, just one of those days!!  Soon after the boys came home I realized I had nothing to complain about and I had every thing to be joyful about.  I do not think you can go to a third world country and not be changed and moved to be more content and thankful.  I still have those moments but complaining and whining about what I have just cannot coexist.  How can I complain about my toilet over flowing every once and awhile.  I have a toilet.  How can I complain about my Culligan water pump that makes my already drinkable water better.  I have water only steps away and it is not filled with deadly parasites.  How can I complain about my church when I have freedom to go and worship my God when I want.  You get my point.

Forget New Years resolutions.  How about a life realization.  I have a choice.  Be thankful and grateful and be joyful.  I have nothing to whine about!  If you catch me whining you have my permission to gently swat me into being thankful for all that I have.

Here are the most incredible, funny, and joyful things I am most grateful for!

Forever Thankful.

Love

A few years ago my family gave me a necklace with the word, "Love" on it.  I, well,  I love it.  :)  It is simple and it is what I want to do daily.  Not just to my family but others around me.  But you know what?   It is hard sometimes. Some days I just don't want to love the person at the grocery store who just cut me off in line or love the person at the eye doctors office who is being rude to me.  Yes those things have happened to me recently and I grasped my necklace and asked God to help me love them!!
Honestly, did not do to well at the eye dr office!  

When we got home after our first visit with the boys my mom called and asked a very real question.  Stephanie, do you love them?  Do you love Dawit and Israel?  Such a great question and such a real answer came out of my mouth.  I would love to say that the moment  I held them I was absolutely in love with them.  My love was as best as I can describe a mercy type of love.  I would do whatever I could to meet their needs, get them home, give them a forever family, and give them all the snuggles and attention that they would let me give.  But love like with my first four, no.  Hard to type those words but it is true. 

We were strangers.  We had never met and all of sudden they were my children and I was their Mommy.  It took time to get to know eachother(and we still are).  It took time for them to trust us and let us help them.  We had to earn their trust.  Can you imagine leaving everything you know, the food, the smells,  the people, and the most challenging the language and being dropped into a new enviroment?  So mercy seeped from us as we learned together.  Then one day after choosing each day to love, work hard, love some more, cry, and love again it occurred to me through many tears how much I loved these 2 little boys.  We were walking in the snow as we did everyday during the winter months and as  I  looked ahead at 2 very active 3 year olds I cried tears of realization.  I loved them soooo much.  They were my boys just like my first four were my children given so graciously to me by my loving God.

It was not magic.  It was not some amazing miracle.  It was love.  It was a decision we had to make each day.  Some days were harder than others, but God gave them to me and He  loves me without abandon so the choice was mine.  I am glad I chose love because today as I dropped the boys off at preschool  Israel ran to me before  I left and gave me a big hug and kiss and said , Bye Mommy!!  Maybe not a big deal to you but for Israel it was.  He has taken longer to bond and attach to us and it brought me to tears.  I am his Mommy and he loves me and I love him. 

If you have ever thought about adoption and are wondering, doubting, questioning, or feeling scared.  That is ok.  I did.  I had doubts and had moments of fear.  It's normal and expected.  Sometimes reading others experiences can lead us to think that it was perfect and beautiful and that the child instantly loved and listened to you.  Nope!  It can get messy sometimes but it has been all worth it.  2 very loud, funny, precious, and fiercely independent boys have given us more than we could ever imagine.  Love!!!

Burdens-National Adoption Month

We are about to approach  the year anniversary of Mike and I flying to Ethiopia to meet Dawit and Israel for the first time.   It is hard to believe that a year ago this week I had never held these 2 boys.  That I did not know that their smiles would brighten this whole house.  I am glad to know that when Dawit gets really excited he claps his hands three times and when Israel is really pleased with himself he shrugs his shoulders and has a little giggle.  We cannot imagine not having them in our lives.  They have been such a blessing. 

This past weekend Dawit was sick.  He had a super high fever and was stuck to me.  He was so hot and when I would go to another room he would cry out Mommy, sit lap!!  I would come back and snuggle with this hot, miserable little boy.  I held him all day sunday and could not get these thoughts out of my head.  Who would be holding him all day if he was sick in Ethiopia in the orphanage?  Who would he call out to in the middle of the nite when he did not feel good?  What kind of medicine if any would he get?  How many children right now around the world are suffering from illness and have no one to snuggle with or cry out to? 

Kind of depressing!  Maybe it should be.  Maybe we should all have that burden.  I prayed and felt we should adopt for 19 years.  It was a burden I carried for all those years and did not know if we would ever do it.  But God lead us to adopt internationally and naively I thought the burden would magically go away when we landed back in the states with my beautiful boys.  Nope!!  It did not go away!  How could it go away after seeing a row of beautiful babies in a orphanage with no family.   A room full of toddlers grabbing at our legs calling out Mommy.  Watching mothers with babies on the streets begging for food.  No, the burden should not leave.  It should continue to burden me and others.  It should push us to action.

This month is National Adoption Month, and guess what? I am going to blog my little heart out this month because I believe God wants us all to be burdened. Maybe to adopt, maybe to be foster parents,  maybe to help someone else adopt, or maybe sponsor a child or maybe contribute money to help a village have clean water.  What ever it may be God does not ask us to help orphans and widows He tells us to.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  James 1:27

First Picture of Israel.

                                                             

First picture of Dawit

Sorry for the sideways pic.  Very first pictures of tbe boys.

Home sweet Home!!

Love how God works all things together.  Now looking forward to see how He works in the years to come!!

One Special Guy.

Happy Birthday, Mike, Dad, Daddy, Pastor Mike, Coach James!  He wears many hats and he wears them all well.  We love you and are blessed to have you!

 

Love you!  Your crazy gang!!