Birthday blessings

A year ago today we found out our dossier was submitted and accepted for our adoption of Sean...on my birthday! That was a great birthday present.

It is amazing that its been a year already. Even more amazing is that we have 2 precious little boys in our family that we didn't yet have a year-ago...one adopted and one by birth (Aidan). EVEN MORE AMAZING is that next year we may have more!

The children surprized me with a photo album scrapbook with pictures of them and our family that they put together in secret...what a blessing, especially since they worked together to make it for Mommy. They were so excited today to give me their cards and homemade gifts, and to make breakfast and for dinner their version of "Olive Garden." I am so blessed to have children who love me, whom I know I do not deserve but are purely a gift from God. It is humbling!

I was reminded how precious they are when my 5 month old rolled off our bed (despite pillows blocking all around)and fell between the bed and the wall....amazingly and thankfully, his head landed perfectly on a pillow that had fallen there and he was not hurt! I felt badly but was so very thankful for God's grace and His reminder of how precious my children are and that I need to be more patient, loving and thankful for them as sometimes in the day to day routine we can lose perspective. No more napping on a big bed. Time for moving him into his big crib (out of the bassinette):(

I also was thinking about how blessed I was to have parents who lovingly received me into this world. Now having learned of and seen first hand an orphanage (just one of so many) full of children who were not loved, wanted or kept for whatever reason, I know that is not something to take for granted.

Oh, our homestudy update visit was yesterday...which seemed to go very well. We are glad to have that completed, as once it is received we can begin applying for grants.