Celebrating our littlest superhero!

Isaac turned three one week ago today! It was fun to see him really "get" his birthday this year, and we tried to make it so special for him. He woke up and was excited to see his decorations and presents at the table. (As a side note, Aaron asked me what we would do if we had 10 kids since decorating for each birthday takes so much longer than we think it will!) We had our traditional chocolate chip teddy bear pancakes for breakfast and he opened his presents. We gave him his own superhero cape that a friend made for me (he had been wearing his brother's), a huge semi-truck that carries a bunch of matchbox cars in the back, and a new soccer ball. We played with his toys the rest of the morning, and then met Aaron at McDonald's for lunch, Isaac's favorite.
For supper we had what he requested, cheese pizza and Cheetos. I made him a little cake for his actual birthday, but we were going to have some family over to celebrate Thursday so I saved his big cake for that. After supper we gave him the choice of going fishing, on a hike, or to a park, and he picked going on a hike. After he asked what a hike was. :) It was a great day celebrating this little guy, and thanking God for giving us this precious gift.

Some facts about Isaac at three years old:
-he hardly ever walks anywhere, he jumps, runs, or bounces.
-he is big (wears a lot of size 4 clothes), and is quickly catching up to his brothers!
-he LOVES breakfast which he calls supper, and hates supper which he calls breakfast. he will eat all breakfast foods (eggs, oatmeal, cereal, etc.), but takes one bite of supper almost every night, regardless of what it is. unless it's chicken strips or pizza. :)
-he has been potty-trained for about 6 months, and was SO much easier to train than his brothers.
-he sleeps with his "baba" and "blankie".
-he is super ticklish!
-he is my buddy, and wants to be wherever I am.
-he hates to be left behind, but will play happily by himself if he can choose to. one day after his nap he requested to have "rest time" in which he played by himself in his room for an hour and a half.
-he is so cuddly, and still loves to be held and rocked.
-he likes being the baby, and reminds me all the time that he is my baby.
-he is super coordinated and loves soccer and baseball. we had to take an unfortunate trip to the ER and he was perfectly fine, but the doctor commented a couple times how coordinated he was and that we needed to get him into sports.
-he will always be my littlest, but he calls himself my stinkiest!

waiting

I read this poem this morning, and loved the message. This is what I desire my heart to be like during this wait, not that it has been this way, but so thankful for the Lord's grace that meets me moment by moment.

Waiting! Yes, patiently waiting!
Till next steps made plain shall be;
To hear, with the inner hearing,
The Voice that will call for me.

Waiting! Yes, hopefully waiting!
With hope that need not grow dim;
The Master is pledged to guide me,
And my eyes are unto Him.

Waiting! Expectantly waiting!
Perhaps it may be today
The Master will quickly open
The gate to my future way.

Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
I know, though I've waited long,
That while He withholds His purpose,
His waiting cannot be wrong.

Waiting! Yes, waiting! still waiting!
The Master will not be late;
He knoweth that I am waiting
For Him to unlatch the gate.
J. Danson Smith

a bit of a rough patch

So, I haven't really felt like writing lately. I think that may be directly related to the fact that life just seems hard right now. We have still not heard anything definite about our adoption. Basically, we could get the news any day that we have been approved, but it could also be weeks or longer. I read somewhere that waiting for something that you felt like God led you to do, but He now seems to be so quiet about is one of the hardest things. And I think i agree. I know He could change things in a heartbeat, He can move mountains, and if He doesn't there is a good reason. It's just hard. Hope B. is now almost 10 months old, in the last picture we received she was sitting up and playing with toys. It's the first time we have received a picture of her doing something other than lying in her bed. :) She is the sweetest thing, and letting go of her over and over (figuratively) is the hardest thing I have done.

In little boy news, Isaac is done with his pacifier (bobo), and Eli has stopped sucking his thumb! Both victories for our little family. Isaac chewed through his pacifier when we went to Oklahoma and I had not brought any others, and really did not want to buy more. So, that was the end of that. He actually handled it SO much better than I imagined he would. He had a couple of rough nights/naptimes, but nothing major.

Eli has sucked his thumb since he was probably 2 months old or so. Up until recently, he would suck it pretty much any time he was doing something quiet-being read to, watching t.v., riding in the car, etc. We started making it a "find" to suck it outside of bedtime, and I really never saw him suck it anymore. And we said if he gave it up completely he could have a party at Chuck E. Cheese, and although we don't have hidden cameras in his room, I think he has actually given it up. Micah has verified and confirmed he really doesn't suck it anymore. :)

Life is marching right along, and I am trying to figure out how to march here along with it while part of my heart is on the other side of the world.