"Are They Yours?"

Life has been so busy since we've returned from Colombia! From meeting family, to visiting with friends, phone calls, doctor appointments, blood work, registering for preschool, and so much more!!! We have went shopping a few times and out to eat since we've returned home...and we get a lot of "They are so cute...are they yours?" I answer it quickly with a response hopefully promoting adoption and sharing our experience in Colombia. Ben however, didn't feel the same when approached by someone who made the comment that he must have been busy after high school if those are all his kids! That was kindof rude...

Anyways, we have taken the children to Louisiana this past weekend to visit my family. They met Nana & Papaw, Grand-Papi (G-Daddy) & Mamie, and Tio Juan and Tia Amy and many more...we took them to Ruple Baptist Church on Sunday, my grandparents church, and Andrew & Tatiana went to Children's Church. The other children wanted to know how did they know so much Spanish when they are so small??!! So cute! They like church! Andrew said prayer over dinner tonight all by himself!

The children are also able to identify their nose, eyes, ears, & mouth! We began reciting the numbers and letters this week. Friends from Oregon sent us LeapFrog videos. We were finally able to get the children to sit attentively and watch the Letter Factory video. It is a fun video identifying and sounding out the letters using a song and cartoons. The children like it...well, Diego, he does have some difficulty sitting still. I have been giving stickers & grapes for good behavior. They like praise and rewards.

We are collecting change to help with the costs of a Colombian adoption for another prospective adoptive parent at this time. The children helped fill a bottle! That was neat...they don't understand now, but it was bottles of change that helped bring them home! It is nice to be able to help other families as we have been so blessed by our adoption experience.

Along with the sweet blessings, we have had challenges...We are learning how to deal with difficult behaviors, daily household tasks, and etc. The sweet moments that are filled with precious hugs and kisses make the early morning awakenings, the sticky kitchen floors, the strown toys all over the house---worth it! The children have been a blessing.

I also want to say thanks to other adoptive and prospective adoptive parents that have been such an emotional and spiritual support to me and Ben as we have journeyed thus far. Hopefully, we can be the same to you and others we are yet to meet...