Spring Zoo Trip

I realized we usually go to the zoo this time of year. It's warm out but not hot. It's between when daddy has started being really busy and before he gets really busy again with more farmy stuff and we need to soak up some family time. But I didn't realize just how much the same time of year we go until I started looking back at previous zoo trips. We didn't make it last year, but the two years before we went the middle of May. Anyway, daddy squeezed out a morning to go to the zoo with us! A thunderstorm is usually brewing while we are there and we end up hurrying through to get out before the storm hits, but this time we saw everything we wanted to and avoided the rain. And it was a beautiful, cool day. Wonderful!

Addyson and Braden have grown up SO much since we were there last! They walked hand in hand to see some things up close by themselves. And they walked almost the entire way . . . with absolutely no complaining.

This was my view for most of the time. I pushed Karina in the stroller while the twins held daddy's hands and enjoyed him all to themselves.

Karina had fun. She is so observant and noticed most of the animals.

Braden was so excited to see all the animals. Addyson really liked it too.

The gorilla was just hanging out. Like most of the animals.

Daddy and Addyson had fun hanging out too.

The giraffe was really close to the fence so Braden could get a good look!

I asked Braden what his favorite animal was when we got home. He said the cow. Of course, of all the animals at the zoo the ones he could see from our house are his favorite. 

This was my favorite. 

It's an okapi. I don't ever remember seeing one before. It's legs look like a zebra and the rest of it is sort of like a short giraffe. And it has the longest tongue that I have ever seen. It was throwing it's tongue up around tree branches, wrapping it's tongue around them, and pulling them down so it could reach the leaves. The kids thought it was awesome too. And when I reminded Braden he decided this was really his favorite. Until he changed his mind again. Boy loves all kinds of animals.

It was a fun time together!

And the zoo was followed by the traditional lunch at Freddy's. Yum!

Braden and Addyson are already asking when we can do it again. Good chance you'll find us there the middle of May next year.

Karina's Dedication and Mother's Day

Yesterday we dedicated Karina at church with a big stageful of other parents and kiddos.

It was great to hear their stories and be reminded of God's faithfulness to all of us. To be thankful for how he blessed those who waited . . . through infertility, through international adoptions. How God has weaved families together from all over the world; not only Russia but China and Peru were represented too. It was a great time to celebrate God's gifts to us. 

It has been clear to Ryan and I since the moment we "decided" that we were ready to have kids that these children don't "belong" to us. 

Funny how we thought having kids was up to us. God made it obvious that He would follow through with His perfect plans -- and teach us much about Himself and about life -- and bless us with children if and when He wanted. When it fit in His plans that are so much bigger than ours. Many times through pursuing adoption and then throughout the process of waiting to bring Karina home God reminded us again and again that He loves all the children of the world and they are completely His. It's not just the cattle on a thousand hills and the sparrows that He watches over. He owns and cares for each person too and not one of them is forgotten by God. He is completely capable of planning, following through, and taking care of each sweet child. We get the joys and responsibility of raising them and showing them God's love but He is totally in control of when and how and who. So we are able to hold Karina a little more loosely knowing that she belongs to a God who created her so perfectly and has a wonderful plan for her life. Knowing that He will never forsake her -- or us -- and that we have been granted a wonderful opportunity to love her for as long as we have breath. I love that when people say she has beautiful hair or the most awesome eyes or such a joyful personality, that I can agree that she most certainly does. Because I had absolutely nothing to do with it. God created a very wonderful little girl that we get to love. Adoption is a beautiful thing. If you feel God directing that way, don't hesitate even if you get scared and doubt because God can turn the scariest times into the most beautiful adventures.

Ever since we started struggling with infertility Mother's Day has been a not so happy day as I know it is so for so many others - for lots of other reasons too. But even after being blessed with Addyson and Braden and now Karina it still is a weird day for me. I guess I just feel the pain that I know I missed before that so many are feeling. I'm glad that God uses our struggles to soften our hearts for others even if that means we hurt too. So as I think about Karina and her birth mother thousands of miles away I understand that Mother's Day will probably feel weird for her too. And that's ok. I'm thankful that she had another mama that chose life for her. Ryan was out somewhere with Karina and someone mentioned that her mama must have had some awful heartburn (Karina has an extra full head of hair in case you hadn't noticed - and supposedly expectant mothers have lots of heartburn if their growing baby has lots of hair). And it made me thankful once again for all that she endured for Karina and how special she is. I prayed for her especially yesterday that she would know just how loved she is and how much the little girl she shared with us means to us. 

So glad to be this sweet girl's mama. We really meant what we said at her dedication. She is full of joy and has brought so much happiness to our family. We are so glad that God invited us to be part of her life and are so privileged to get to call ourselves her family.

Thankful I get to be a mama to TWO girls - something I used to be scared of, silly me.

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And mama to a little boy who doesn't much like taking pictures but would rather moon the camera - maybe boys are what I should have been scared of after all. Thankful for this little boy who has a soft, sensitive heart and gives awesome hugs at just the right time.

I was also blessed to have my Grandma Nightingale and my mom (and dad too) here overnight. 

What good examples of how to be a loving, godly mom and grandma. So thankful for the time spent with them over the years but especially this weekend. It was so good to talk and hug on my grandma. 

And a house full of family celebrating. Thankful Karina has so many people to love on her and that she  enjoyed family on this Mother's Day.