Life Lessons on...Death

A little over a year ago... well a year and a half ago, my beloved Po Po (grandfather) died.  Sam made the trip back to the States with me.  Sam spent the last week of Po's life drawing him pictures and giving him toy cars, and holding his hand just to comfort him.  I was so proud of my little guy.  He was a little scared at first but pushed past it to be helpful and loving.  Now, I did not allow Sam to see Po the last day he was alive (which Sam didn't realize until very late at night).  I didn't want Sam to see my grandfather so stretched and really not there anymore.  I still think that I made the right decision on that one.

Since that time, Sam has talk about loving Po and all that he did.  We even have a book that we put together of all Sam did for Po (my wonderful Aunt's idea).  It was a very good catalyst to speak about death and dying.  Sam also knew that Po was not afraid of death, but was ready to go home to be with Jesus.  To see death in such a light was a really good thing for Sam.  He begun to learn that death was not to be feared if you know our loving Savior.

Sometime in the not so far future we will be facing the death of Andreas' grandparents.  No, that is not happening right now, but we can perceive it on the horizon.  We went to the hospital to visit with Mormor the other day.  David was definitely scared, but Sam, even though initially startled by the tubes and things, pushed past it to hold her hand, talk with her, and love on her.  Again, I was so proud of his caring and gentle heart.  As we left Mormor I could see the wheels turning in Sam's head.  I didn't push, I knew it would come in due time.  The next morning I was driving Sam to gymnastics and this is the discussion we had:

S: ''Mommy, will you die someday?''

M: ''Yes, someday I will.''

S: ''Mommy, will I be old when you die?''

M: ''I hope you will be old when I die, but none of us know when we will die, so maybe you will be old when I die.''

S: ''Mommy, I took care of Po Po when he was dying.''

M: ''Yes, you did a wonderful job and Po Po really appreciated it.  Mommy was very proud of how gentle and loving you were.''

S: ''Po Po was ready to go home to Jesus!''

M: ''Yes love, he was, but I miss him a lot.''

S: ''Mommy, Mormor is ready to go to heaven.'' (needing a reassurance that Mormor wasn't scared)

M: ''Yes baby, she is.  Mommy, Daddy and the rest of the family will be very sad and cry, but it is good for her to go to heaven and be with Jesus.''

S: ''Mommy, I hope I am old when you die like Farmor (farmor is mormor's daughter, Andreas' mom)

M: ''Me too baby, but no matter when I die, I will go and be with Jesus and then you can meet me there when it is time for you to go to heaven.''

S: ''Okay mommy, I'll do that.''

Written down it doesn't sound as significant as the conversation really was.  His intonations and inflections.  I could almost ''hear'' the gears in his little head moving.

Then two days later I talk to him about praying for a college friend who was dying of leukemia.  This friend was my age and had 4 children.  She died Monday night (please pray for her family).  I felt like it was a good thing to talk to him about because of what we had been talking about.  Again, I could see the gears moving in his head.  He asked me why I was crying when I talked to him about it.  I said because I was sad for her children and her husband.  I wish I could remember exactly what he said, but in his own sweet way he reassured me that it was okay....she was with Jesus.

I know this discussion isn't over with him and I honestly look forward to more of it with him.  I am humbled by his sweet innocence and perfect trust in Christ.  I love the fact that he has seen and is seeing his great grandparents welcome death, so that they move into eternal life.  Great grandparents that show him a faith that makes dying something to move gracefully into without fear.  Great grandparents that show him the reality of heaven and being with Jesus.

As Sam learns these lessons....I think his mommy learns them also.

Laurie

Follow up...

I am sorry that I have been so poor at posting this year.  I will do my best to get better and I should have some pretty major news in the next few weeks.

However, I wanted to share how Mormor is doing because so many have asked.  She is an amazing woman...it ends up that she fell because of some small strokes (nothing to unusual).  That fall was enough to break her hip.  She had surgery the next day and has not stopped praising God since she was taken to the hospital.  Due to circumstances I will not share on such on open venue...Mormor is convinced that this was God helping her to move to the next stage of her life.  She is at peace and being taken care of in the hospital for a few more days at least.  She is truly amazing me.  I hope I can praise at 80something and my hip gets broken.

So thank you for all of your prayers.  Keep praying for healing and the decisions that still need to be made for the future, but don't forget to praise Jesus...even in the trials.

Blessings,
laurie

Borrowed Post

In one of my readings of a friends blog, I found a breath of fresh air.  Amy Kinnell (you can link to her blog on my roll) posted this link:

Don't Carpe Diem

It is an article in the Huffington Post that comes from a blog.  I highly recommend it for the average mom.  It put words to how I feel so often.

Enjoy,
Laurie

Prayer Needed

Today has been a really hard day and it is only 1:00 in the afternoon.  This morning Andreas' mormor (grandmother) fell and broke her leg.  I know that doesn't seem so bad, but there are huge circumstances behind it all.  Here is what we need prayer for:

1.  Mormor is 88 years old...her leg will not heal easily if at all.  Please pray that it will and she will not be in pain.
2. These two precious people are the matriarch and patriarch of this family.  None of the family would be the people we are today without their love, support and prayers.  Please help us all as we grieve this time and as Mormor, Margareta (mom) and P.G. (mom's brother) prayerfully consider the future.

Blessings,
Laurie

The Kjernald Family 2011 

- a year to remember

This year has been another tumultuous year for our family. It seems as if we just can't stay in one place for very long. As you can see by the picture we are very excited to share with you the "news" of our son David who we adopted in May.

Thanks to Sweden's generous parental- leave guidelines both Andreas and Laurie got to spend the first three months at home together with him and Samuel. We are very happy, stressed out and excited to be parents of our two lively and wonderful boys, but we would be lying if we said that it has been easy. As I write this I realize that it has taken quite a while for David to feel as if he belonged, but I think he is starting to realize that he is here for good. The bountiful Christmas gifts probably helped and we are looking forward to a time when Samuel and David are really good friends. All in due time, though.

Andreas has continued to enjoy pastoring the UMC church where he has been for the past four years although this year has seen some developments that will have a major impact on our future. The UMC in Sweden has merged with two other denominations to create a new denomination, a move that we will not make. Combined with the probable discontinuation of the congregation where we have served...let's just say that 2012 will be yet another year of moving for the Kjernalds. By our count, we are up to 16 moves in almost 15 years of marriage which is both annoying and wonderful (in that order, however!).

Samuel has started first grade and is doing really well. He is already able to read some fairly difficult passages in Swedish OR English and then translate it to the other language. He is also in gymnastics and practices twice a week. We continue to be amazed at him and what he can do. To be honest, there are times when we are also amazed at some of the less-than-stellar things he does, such as toilet-papering the bathroom in his school. A heart of gold, a mind of scattering thoughts struggling to focus and a smile and a laugh that will melt the polar icecaps faster than a Hummer.

David is best described as "happy". Though fiercely stubborn he is always up for a wrestling match and some good old fun and is, seemingly, never far away from pulling a simple prank or teasing us. Full of life, it has been really good to see David transform into a little boy that is

able to enjoy life as a three-year old should. From fearing everything from Kelty (our dog) to grass to sand to lacking a variety of non-starchy foods to you name it...he is now running around playing and walking with bare feet on our gravel driveway (well, a couple of months ago, too cold now).

Laurie has joined a gym. This, however, is not the big news. She continues to take care of our boys while making sure that our home is a home and not a house/apartment. She has also finished her Swedish classes and is now able to speak and understand this most beautiful language of all (hhhmm). She attends a Bible study and continues to make an impact for God with new and old friends, one even starting to attend church again after a long hiatus.

As we look forward to this new year it is clear to us that:

1)we have NO reason not to trust God to take care of us and 

2)we are blessed to call you our friends and co-workers in His kingdom.

May God bless us all and revive us with Himself when times are dark and "rejoice" us with Himself when times are good.

Andreas, Laurie, Samuel and David

To End the Year

To all, I pray that you have had a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful time with family and friends celebrating the birth of our Christ Jesus. We have had a wonderful, relaxing time at our home in the woods. It has been more than exciting to teach David about Christmas. He really got into saying Happy Birthday to Jesus and he had a good time setting up the manger scene. He seems very interested in all of it. He has had no idea why we had put a tree in our home, had special family nights and extra dinners with extended family. We didn't put the presents out until the night before. When he realized that he had presents and he got to open them it was quite exciting. He made this gutteral noise and tore right into them. I really think that it made him feel important that he received gifts also. Next year will be great also when we see him get excited with Sam because he knows something is coming. Praise Jesus to see him feel special and get to know he is a part of us. I haven't been able to post because our internet has been slower than molasses, but I did want to mention that yesterday on the 28th we recognized the 6 year anniversary of picking up Samuel in Nepal. What a blessing he has been for these six years. I can't believe how much he has grown and learned. It is quite exciting to see what he is and will become as he grows into an adult. I will always be so thankful for the blessing of being his parent. I can't link right now, but you can go to youtube.com and put in kjernald, adoption, nepal and see the video of us picking Samuel up. The music is not so good (you tube made us change it and we haven't been able to get some good stuff on there), but it is still worth a look (at least I think). We are celebrating New Years up at the ocean house again this year. Just a quite time with the family. I will try to get some pictures up before then, but I can't promise anything. Until then, I am praying for many of you, miss a ton of you and hope to see many this coming year. If I do not get to post until after the New Years, let me say... Happy New Year...may we take stock in all the God has done and taught us this past year and continue to be hidden in Him and only Him this coming year. Blessings, Laurie

This Day...6 years ago

Today I am flooded with one specific memory.  On December 21, 2005 we were living in Jackson, Mississippi, Andreas was in Seminary, and I was working for a church and working with amazing birthmothers for New Beginnings.  The day started like any other when I received a call from a social worker named Don.  He had 3 words for me...''you can go!''.  Yes, six years ago today we were given permission to go to Nepal and pick up our first son.  What a joyous day that was.  We went from assuming we would spend Christmas not hearing anything (and being incredibly sad about it), to having plane tickets to leave Lexington, KY on December 26th.  What a God given Christmas gift he was and continues to be.   I still get butterflies in my stomach thinking about that day and all the anticipation that it held.  However, I do praise Jesus that we are now 6 years on the other side of that adoption. What an incredible 6 years it has been.  

Blessings,

laurie

Love the food stuck in his teeth! This pic is from the small play that his English class put on for the parents.  Ironically, Sam was Father Christmas (ironic because we do not do Santa in this family).  Sam got a kick out of it.  

Sam,


We are so thankful for you.  You are strong in body and heart.  You are smart and caring.  You are charming and funny.  You ask profound questions about God and can give daddy the simplest answers to his theological questions and be right (the faith of a child).  You are learning to be a good big brother and you continue to teach us as we try to parent you as Jesus would want us to.  We love you and always will.  


love,
Mommy and Pappa

Backlog....again

In November, Samuel had Fall break.  We couldn't do much, but we did decide to take the boat down to Fredrikshavn, Denmark and drive across the country (only took 40 minutes) to the biggest aquarium in Scandinavia.  Now as impressive as that sounds, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed at the size of it.  It was a really good size for the time we had and the kids were done at the end, but when you make those ''biggest'' claims, the American in me comes out.  I expect really BIG.  I must remember where we live.  We had friends come along with us and a fun time was had by all (well, Kunal didn't feel so good, sorry).  One thing I love about aquariums is the cool shadow lighting I can get with the camera.  Yes, yes, I like the fish too.  

So enjoy the pictures below.  We had fun doing them and we appreciated that the kids cooperated (most of the time)!

This seal would follow our hand as we ran along the windows, it was really fun for Sam. 

There is a kid in the middle, but it didn't work so well.  I still think those water tubes are cool.  

My strong boys, love David's strong pose. 

That massive fish is called a Klump fisk in Swedish and a Sun fish in English (I think).  I don't think I had ever seen one before.  They had two of them here.  Apparently they are very gentle, but they are massive.  

Andreas captured this image.  Sam is looking at a screen that lit up his face.  I really love this pic.  

They aquarium also had a seal feeding that we saw and a wind tunnel that made hurricane strong winds.  It was pretty funny to watch the kids blow themselves away.  I couldn't capture any of it without blur because the wind was soooooooo strong.

We topped the night off with a great dinner at a place called Moby Dick Seafood Restaurant (how appropriate).  Then we took the boat back to Gothenburg.  The kids actually stayed up until midnight when we drove off the boat, but they were asleep in two seconds once we were on the road.  The next day all were exhausted, but glad to have gone.

Sometimes I wonder what David really thinks of all this being his first time to see any of it.  I wish he could express himself better, would love to hear his thoughts.  I do know that he really enjoyed it, so that will have to do.

Blessings,
Laurie

Backlog...

Hey there you all...

I am sorry for the silence.  My hormones have come up again to attack and frankly that makes me exhausted and cranky.  One of these days I will share all that has happened in that area (because I feel like the Lord is prompting me to), but for now I will leave it at the above.  

One of the things that I came home from Ch*na with (not including David) was a desire to learn to cook some of the things that David liked to eat... as well as the rest of us.  The first thing I tried was Kung Poa Chicken.  We ate this everyday in Ur*mqi at a Muslim restaurant down the street from our hotel.  It was really good.  I was happy to get that one in quite soon after we got home.  I make it at least two times a month now. 

The second one I have tried is Ch*nese dumplings or pot stickers. Not an easy undertaking, but I have to say well worth the effort. I found many recipes online and tried them a couple different ways, combining, doubling and trying different ways of preparing them.  The last time I made them (I have made them about 5 times now) I finally got them just right for our taste.  I don't have the exact recipe on me, but will share when I get it all combined and written down.  

I will admit that I am not so good that I actually made the wrappers to the dumplings.  I did buy them at one of the Asian stores in Gothenburg, but they work great.   I have been doing pretty good at actually folding them also.  I watched a few videos on youtube.com and off I went.  I served them with rice and a cabbage/carrot mix that I fried with a little soy sauce (really good as a side).  The kids and the husband really like them and we eat and eat and eat and eat.  The only thing that stops David is that the dumplings run out.  My husband took pictures the last time to prove that I was actually doing a good job.  I know it sounds silly, but I really enjoy doing this for David especially, just one of those little special things for him.  Of course he doesn't understand it, but maybe one day he will.  

  

Blessings,

Laurie

Part 4

Okay, I hope none of these are repeats, but they maybe.  I know I haven't been on here much, but life seems to be going a mile a minute.  Christmas is not that far away and I am simply not ready for things to be moving so quickly.  The boys are doing great.  They still fight, but I have noticed more times that they actually enjoy each other between the fighting (PRAISE JESUS).  

David has his first meeting with a speech therapist tomorrow, which I am incredibly thankful for.  He is really trying hard to talk and so we need them to start with the therapy.  Please pray that he likes the therapist and wants to work.  

Enjoy the signs that we got a kick out of.  

Our guide said that this is suppose to mean...Keep of the grass.  Not sure how you get that out of the sign, but hey I'm not judging!

It is hard to see, but the shirt was bought in Urumqi and it says...''It be game with you''.  Again, I am at a loss as to what it means but thought I would at least get some conversation from people when they read it.  

I was just wondering what was ''Patriotic'' about this?

I love that they called the low season, ''slack'' season.  So do you get to ''slack off''' from November 1 to March 31?

Okay, this one had me laughing out loud...So are the railings the relics?

Hmmmm...Obama in a Mao uniform...what are they saying?

Awww, those poor seals! (for all you animal rights activists...they are talking about stamps)

Blessings,

laurie

Happy Birthday/Happy Thanksgiving

First I would like to say Happy Birthday to Dad (my father-in-law).  I won't share exactly how old he is, but I will share that he is wonderful.  He has been an amazing husband, dad, and granddad.  As a matter of fact I believe David is a huge fan of his (David really likes to play with him) and I know Sam adores him.  

Tack Pappa att du är så tålig och underbart.  Vi är jätte tacksam för dig och allt som du gör för oss.  Våra liv är mycket bättre med dig nära.  Grattis på din födelsedag.  Vi älskar dig.  

David had only been home a week when this pic was taken.

Secondly, I would like to say Happy Thanksgiving.  Even though it is not celebrated in Sweden, I will be having an international dinner tomorrow night with several family and friends from around the globe.  The countries that will be represented will be...the USA (that's me), Nepal (Sam), China (David), Sweden (unfortunately not Andreas, he is in Riga, Latvia this weekend), India, Malaysia, Australia, Ireland, and Iraq.  I don't know if I missed anyone, but I hope not.  This years dinner is not nearly as big as the one two years ago when we had 16 countries represented, but it was not possible this year to pull off a big church bash, so it is a little more intimate this year.

I am very thankful to be celebrating at all and really miss my family in the States at this time.  I am thankful for so much.  This year has seen the end of our 3 1/2 year wait and David came to our family in May. God showed himself in so many ways through our journey and has been a comfort, a trusted friend and a sovereign God through it all.  I am always thankful for my family (immediate and extended).  My husband is a solid rock that continues to show me the way to Christ and loves me even when I feel truly unlovable.  My children (who can drive me up a wall at times) are the most wonderful boys that I can imagine.  I am continually in awe that I have been given the privilege to be their mommy.  I continue to be thankful for my Bible study group and how they challenge me and keep me accountable.  I am thankful for new and old friends and the blessings that they are even when they are an ocean(s) away or sitting in my living room drinking tea with me.  I am thankful to have seen a very faithful God answer so many prayers, heal so many people, place so many orphans in families and redeem so many lost.  This year has not always been easy, but the difficulty has also taught me to be thankful and look beyond myself.

I pray that today you all have a chance to stop, reflect, know God, and be thankful too.  Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Blessings,
laurie

Six months and going.....

In six months we have gone from this...

To this...

I just love that I caught this on film!

David has bloomed and will continue I am sure.  He is a happy child, normally calm (but tends to whine because he cannot talk so well).  He has reached a new level of comfort with me.  I know this because he is pushing, and pushing, and pushing the boundaries.  Yes, this wonderful child is learning that with parents..not only does he receive love and laughs and security, but discipline.

He understands both English and Swedish while still understanding Mandarin (when my friend is around to speak it to him).  He will mainly answer in English (not surprising because I am with him the most).  He does have a vocabulary, but not one that anyone outside the family really understands.  I just laugh when people look at me and gasp because I know what he is saying.  The funny thing is it is mainly melody.  David has a great sense of melody and can repeat any melody that he hears.  So with the words I listen to his melody and am able to figure out what he wants (hopefully speech therapy will start soon).

He knows and seems proud of his name.  When we talk about him with doctors or the social worker he understands the difference between his Ch*nese name and his new name.  He will say no to his old name and yes to his new name.

David is curious, helpful, loving, playful, friendly (except to Sam, well sometimes), and quick to pick up on things.  He has great fine motor skills, but is still a bit clumsy with runny or walking.  He didn't have much muscle tone 6 months ago, so now I think he is doing great.  He has learned to run (without falling), ride a tricycle and a scooter, build with duplo and little legos (much to Sam's chagrin) and climb on most anything...he is a boy after all. 

He will still eat anything you put in front of him and continue until he is stopped.  But that is slowly disappearing.  He is sleeping in his own bed, feels comfortable enough to come get me if he needs me, or wander around the house before any of us are up (normally I hear him pretty quickly).  He loves books, cars, and anything that Sam says he is not allowed to play with.

David is recognizing friends, and remembers names quite easily.  He still very much loves Farmor and Farfar (especially Farfar).  I am still his number one pick, but Daddy has gone from number 79 to number 2!  He is learning to fully enjoy a Pappa who is loving, but will wrestle and kid around with him. David really does like Sam.  He will follow him and do everything Sam does, which of course annoys his older brother.  They are both still quite jealous of one on one time for the other, but we are working that out (David truly believes I am his and not anyone else's. He will even try to get in between Andreas and I.)

So far I think he is doing really great.  I love to see him pray and start mimicking the stories we tell from the Bible.  He perks up when I read a story about King David.  He is truly making his home with us, for which I am thankful.  Of course things are always perfect (did you read the he is pushing the boundaries earlier?), but are things ever perfect or normal?  Naaaaaaaa, that wouldn't be fun, at least now we are kept on our toes.

So please keep praying for us.  Six months is still a very short time in the scheme of things.

David,
We can never express how happy and thankful we are that you are a part of our family. I love to see you shine!  You are a beloved son, brother, grandson and cousin.  You are not accidentally put here, but with purpose and love, from mommy and daddy's adopted Father.  As we always say, ''Home is where the family is'', and you are home!

love,
mommy or maeee (as David says)

Old Sorrow, New Grieving

Today is the year anniversary of my grandfather's death.  My grandfather (Po Po as we called him) was an amazing man.  He would never have thought it or boasted about it, but he has touch thousands, if not millions with his teaching on inductive Bible study.  Robert A. Traina, Po Po, was loved by many, admired by many, and was the most humble, kind, patient, and loving person that I have ever known.

As his book is so titled, Po Po was methodical.  He loved the Bible, studying and knowing it and God were a passion of his.  God also imparted to Po Po the love of teaching.  So he did not keep this passion to himself, but graciously gave it to many as a professor, dean and author.

On the more personal level he was a brother, husband, dad, grandfather, friend, pray-er, uplifter, listener, and laugher.  His laugh was deep and heartfelt...and he laughed often.  He loved us (his family) so deeply and lifted us to Jesus everyday of his life.  I am sure that the prayers that Grandma and him raised to heaven helped me come to my Savior and marry a man that was like Po Po in so many ways.

Not only in his life did he teach me about Christ, but in his death.  Last year I was able to make it back home a week before he died.  He spent that last week in my Aunt's home (his youngest daughter), with my mom (his oldest daughter) and my Aunt taking care of him.  Sam was with me and Po Po loved to see him and hold his hand (Po Po always had the warmest hands).  Sam drew many pictures for him (he was taking care of Po Po too).  When the rest of us would have to leave Po Po's room, Sam would go in and just hold his hand.  Memories I will always cherish.

We really didn't know he was going to die that last week until the final two days.  So we got to say good-byes and I love yous.  His dignity and calmness followed him into eternity.  He was ready to go home and we all knew it.  He did not need to fight it, or tie up loose ends, his life had been lived to be prepared for the moment he would go to Jesus.  And even though I have been taught about heaven so much in my life, it became all the more real to me as he entered it.  Not because I saw heaven for myself, but watching and being with this man all my life and then watching him die showed me the full circle of a life lived well for Jesus.  His words, his actions, his thoughts behind all of it, was for one purpose and he was ready when it came.  I am beyond sure that he heard, ''well done, my good and faithful servant'' as he passed from this world into Heaven.  

I know that I fail on so many levels to live up to what he has taught, but remembering makes me try harder.  Not because he said so, but because it is all REAL.  One day I will also step into eternity and I would like to be able to face it in the same calm manner because I am ready.  Because I have lived my life with this purpose in mind.  Which really means that I need to do that now, because eternity may not wait until I am 89 like Po Po.

So as Po Po would say, I have some ''wrong thinking'' that I need to deal with and simply go to my Bible.  It is all there, know what it says, know God who is seeping out of every word and page.  Live my life according to those words and love God wholeheartedly.

''In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has NOT overcome it.''  
John 1:1-5

Po Po and I, when I was about 3 years old.

Thank you Po Po, for not only loving me, praying for me, and being the most amazing grandfather that you could be, but for living your life for the God you so dearly loved.  You not only showed me the way, but thousands of others.  I will always be your ''kissy baby''. 


I miss you,
Laurie
(please forgive the typos, it is hard to write through the tears)

Perspective

I know that I have been silent for a while on how the boys are doing.  I just needed to get a little perspective.  We are coming up on the 6 month mark for David.  Wow, time flys and to be honest it has not always been fun, but we have had some great times.  

David is a wonderful boy.  He is much calmer than Sam, but they seem to enjoy each others humor, when they are not fighting.  He has a great smile and those dimples just make you fall in love.  However, it is the constant whine that dampens those dimples a bit.  I know, I know...he is learning the language.  But at this point it is actually more than that.  We were told that we would have to wait at least 5 more months before they would call us in for speech therapy.  Well, let me tell ya, that is not going to do.  David wants to speak, he understands AMAZINGLY well.  The problem here is that he cannot say the words.  I work with him the best I know how and he really tries, but we need a professional.  So we are pushing to try to bump up that 5 months.  My real fear here is that he is developing patterns of whining that will continue even when he can say words.  We do use a lot of sign language with him, but if we don't push him to use it, he will fall back to whining.  As much as a mom loves her children the constant whine really gets to a girl.  

David is also INCREDIBLY stubborn.  I know many of you other adoptive parents and some non-adoptive parents (my mom for example), are saying ''we understand'' (actually my mom is laughing at me right now, saying ''I told you that your stubbornness would come back to bite you!'')  The stubbornness served him well in Ch*na, but it is not serving him so well here.  I have been pretty good and kept my patience about me, but I have to admit that today I lost it a bit.  There was some yelling, followed by a time out (for both of us), and crying (on both our parts) and apologizing (on both our parts), then some hugs and cuddles.  When it was over, I cringed to think about how angry I allowed myself to get.  In my talk with God I am reminded that I too am stubborn beyond belief, and that I failed, but I still have more time and a God that is constantly patient with me.  So tomorrow I will try again, while trying not to be stubborn myself with my Heavenly Father.  

I am constantly reminded that my boys are an incredible blessing.  Sometimes that reminder comes in the form of other adoptive moms and dads out there...so thank you.

So I would say that for now my perspective is still growing as we continue to grow as a family.  But when I do get a breather and I step back, I am incredibly grateful for the privilege of parenting these boys.  Awesome responsibility in the hands of Andreas and I.  Sometimes I question our abilities, but in the end I cannot question God, because He really does know EXACTLY what He is doing.

Blessings,
Laurie

Part III

There is Arabic, there is Mandarin and off to the side (hard to see) there is even Russian.  Now that got confusing, especially since I can read or speak non of them! 

They have very intelligent grass at the Heavenly Lake outside of Ur*mqi!

Patriotic?