So-Long, but Not Farewell

Lately I have been thinking a lot about trust, specifically trusting God.

With in the past few months our pastors, Ira and Nate, spoke on trusting God (look for Peace Out) in the middle of adversity not just at the end when we can see the whole picture. To trust God even though we don't know the full scope of God's plans, to trust Him knowing that God has our best interests in mind.

May 2008

At 14 I was diagnosed with PCOS, which was not in my plans. At 18 I was angry at God that no guys seemed interested in me and thus no guy would marry me which would mean no kids for my future. In my early 20's I struggled with knowing that it was quite possible that I would never have biological children. In my mid 20's I wondered where the man would come from who would marry me. At 28 when I finally married I thought a lot about the hole in my heart that a child could only fill. Then, in September 2010 it all became clear why I had to go through what I had to, a special boy had been set aside just for me and he was as perfect as could be.

Now, imagine if I had my own way? If I hadn't had PCOS, if I had married when

Stomper Oct 2010

I wanted to, if I had given birth to my own children, I would have never been in position to provide a loving home for a little baby boy when he was born. If I had avoided all the pain in my life I wouldn't have the life I have now, a life I enjoy.

This morning we said so-long to Honey Bee (she was moved to a home closer to the rest of her family to better facilitate reunification). So-long, but not farewell. We are trusting in God that He will care for her like only He can. We are trusting that He has plans for her and for us, plans to grow her and us, plans to bring her and us closer to Him. We can believe these things and trust in these things because He has proven to us time and time again that He can be trusted. He has plans to give us hope, and even though we don't understand His thoughts, we know He loves us. We hope and pray that God will bring us all together again, maybe not here on earth, but later in heaven.

So we will trust and we will pray. We will be her prayer warriors, unknown by her, but there just the same. We will trust that God brought her into our lives for those seven short weeks for a reason, and that this pain we feel in our hearts is to bring us closer to Him.

We will always love her, she will always hold a special place in our hearts, and she will always be our daughter.

Mimi & Bumpa's House

We have been spending a lot of time at Jason's parents house. It's nice to get out of the house and have other people help me with caring for the kiddos. I feel very blessed that Stomper and Honey Bee have such involved grandparents.

Here is a typical day for Stomper while he's at their house...

Playing at Mimi and Bumpa's house is a blast!



We put toy buckets on our heads,

Play in Mimi's baking cupboard while Auntie makes supper,

Get sat on by Bumpa,

And snuggle with Bumpa when the day is done.

Yarn Along :: Projects

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~ via Ginny

I have dutifully been pecking away at my Christmas Knitting List.
Top of my list right now: Finishing Honey Bee's baby doll. I just have a few strands of hair left and then she will be done. I finished Stompers hat Thanksgiving week-end, Jason's Hunters Hat I finished in January (he was very upset when he learned he couldn't use it until the end of the year), I decided that since everyone else got a knitted thing for Christmas that I should get one too so I started a pair of arm warmers  (pictured above) for myself for Christmas. I also restarted Jason's Christmas stocking and remembered last night that I still haven't finished Stomper's Sleep Sack. I promised a cousin a pair of gloves for Christmas, but it looks like they'll have to wait until the first part of the year, hopefully she'll be patient with me.

Stomper's Hat I designed on my own. I don't think I'd do the moose pattern in the round again. There is a large space to carry the yarn and it didn't work out too well. You can't see the true color very well in this picture, but the hat is green. The doll is an adaptation of this pattern from TwinsKnit. I omitted the ears, changed the yarn to a cotton (it doesn't get fuzzy in little mouths), changed the colors around, and added hair. It is a very easy and simple knit and I'll probably make a few for Easter for my Sunday School class.

As for reading, not doing a whole lot of that these days. I did start Graceling by Kristi Cashore yesterday on a whim. I got tired of watching DVD's and both kids were sleeping so I thought I'd give it a try. I read it before and it's nice rereading something, I haven't done that in awhile. It's a really great psychic/superpower book, but the only thing I don't like is the sex scene in it which was not neccessary.

The Meaning of "Na"

Dear Stomper,

I am so thankful that you are learning to communicate. I love to hear your little voice while I'm driving down the road. You don't have much to say it seems, but your cute little noises make me smile.

I do have one complaint. What does "Na" mean? You use this word constantly.
"Na" you say to me holding your hand out towards the table littered with papers, food, cups, and clothes and then you look expectantly at me like I understand exactly what you are saying. Are you saying: "Mum, look at this mess!" or "Mum, I like that project you started." or "Mum, I'll help you throw away some of those papers." or "Mum, can I have a snack?"

You get very frustrated at me when I don't respond correctly to your "Na" and I was just wondering and hoping if you could define for me what it means.

In the meantime we will do our part to teach you how to communicate better. You are learning fast how to sign with us so that at least your "Na" is not a gut wrenching scream, but a way to get our attention.

We love you very much, Baby Boy, and look forward to conversing with you in English instead of "Na"

Love your Parents,
Papa & Mama

Week Ending

Stomper, Honey Bee, and I have tried to keep things low-key over the past 36 hours. Mainly due to a very goopy nose and a cranky disposition from a certain little boy, which reminded me that we haven't been home much since the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Between the holiday, shopping, church, Honey Bee's visits, other appointments, and visiting grandparents we've only been home to sleep it seems. We were due for a day in. Unfortunately Honey Bee had an appointment to get a shot update on Friday, and so I called my gracious sister-in-law (who I woke up from her slumber) to see if she could come over and spend time with Stomper while I ran out with Honey Bee. I made the right decision. He took three 1 hour naps yesterday and still went to bed on time and slept for 12 hours, poor baby!

New Shoes, Pizza a Plenty, Freezer Finder

Because it was Friday I felt the need to make pizza. I probably should have bought frozen pizza, but I wanted too many flavors. I wound up with a total of 6 little pizza's. I bought frozen bread dough loaves, thawed and raised 3 of them, cut them in half, stretched them, and then covered them in delightful toppings: dill pickles, pepperoni, chicken, Alfredo, pork, onions, BBQ Sauce, tomato sauce that I made, peppers, and zucchini. They are so very yummy! The best part is that there are plenty of leftovers for breakfasts this week-end.

Honey Bee and I have settled into a minor nighttime routine. She tanks up before bed and eats 2-3 4 ounce bottles from 6pm to 10pm then falls asleep somewhere near 9pm and sleeps to somewhere near 3am. Then she's up again around 6 for snuggles and a snackleral before sleeping like a log for a few hours. Of course, now that I have told you this she will change her mind. On morning when Jason doesn't go to work he gets up with her the second time and I get to sleep in until 9 or so.

On Stomper's adoption front, things are progressing and it looks like everything will be buttoned up by late December or early January. There were some miss-communication or lack of communication all together between DHHS, the courts, and our lawyer which is why things are taking so long. Hopefully in a months time this ordeal will be all behind us.

Expectant Friends

Dear Karolyne and Charlene,

I would like to knit you something for your upcoming bundles of pooping, crying, and not sleeping joy.

What would you prefer?

You may choose, color, type of fiber and size. Here are your options:

Hat, mittens, and booties (not the booties shown here)

Bunny or bear (bear not shown).

Turtle rattle for the stroller

Coming Home Set

Rocket Power (makes a noise when you shake it) 

Flannel Hunters Hat

Sneakers

Thumb Sucking Mitts

Little Lamb

Sweater Set (booties, sweater, and hat)

Let me know what you decide so that I can look for good deals on yarn!

Sincerely Your Knitting Friend,

Delia