Hey folks! I've just become aware of a precious family who was in Moscow to adopt their son, Kirill, who has Down Syndrome. Their agency has never seen a denial once a court date is given; however, they were denied because of his condition and told they could certainly have a different child but that this child would be better off in an institution.
Please lift them up - they are appealing. Kirill would be the FIRST child with Down Syndrome from his region to be adopted. Please pray & check their blog for updates. They are an Alabama family!
http://oureyesopened.blogspot.com/
Rammy is doing great. We went to church today & he grabbed hold of the nursery door & pulled himself in. I went in with him, and he sat in my lap the whole time. He was quiet but ate snack & I just hugged on him and kissed on him . . . he was slightly off this afternoon & I think it may have had something to do with the nursery. Maybe brought up some memories... I think we will need to stay close to home more so. Things are going so well right now & I don't want to mess them up. I think we just had too long of an outing today. Church & lunch then home for nap. We've tried to limit our outings & if we do, just to a couple of hours. As always, we so appreciate your prayers.
God bless, Kim
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Welcome to America, Baby!
Ok, folks. Forgive me for the delay but here are some pix of our trip home and arrival on US soil! As you can see my blogging is waivering. I will probably let go of this responsibility. I am grateful to all of you for keeping up with us while in the Philippines & for your prayers. Please remember us in the coming weeks, months and years. Rammy will begin lots of tests to see how he is doing health wise, CP wise and so on. I appreciate your prayers for him to endure this time. We know he will be wonderful & God has great plans for him. Enjoy the pix! God bless. Kim
Rammy leaves says goodbye to Manila - for now . . . the first wimper we ever heard from him was at the airport and was quickly calmed by his worldly posession - a cabbage patch.
3-2-1 Blast off! He did great the whole flight. Slept maybe 8 hours or so but just enjoyed time with us & playing with the Delta kids movie - he LOVED the Dumbo movie and we also played a memory matching game. 
Come on in, Rammy! Let's have some fun!
That's all we've got for now. There's more pix but everyone just returned from carpool so I must go. Rammy loves his family & screamed yesterday when we dropped the kids off at school and then again this morning when Matt pulled out of the driveway to take the kids to school, so I ran him to the car & buckled him in. He is precious and we are so enjoying him. He brings much joy to our home and much chaos! We are all hands on deck & every waking moment is consumed by Rammy or my taking a moment to be with one of the other three adjusting to our new life. SO, I LOVE YOU all very much but please know I probably won't post much more - maybe once a month or so! Thanks again for everything! We are doing great & our church is taking great care of us with meals & even babysitting the others when we take Rammy to the doctor.... God is so good and faithful in this adoption process. I would love to share what an incredible experience it has been but I just can't right now! Rammy's back from carpool & Dad's heading down to work - gotta run!
God bless!
Friday, March 11, 2011
We're Home!
Greetings from Alabama! It's good to be home with all four of our children & we are so grateful to God that we made it through Japan before the disaster hit. We went from Manila to Nagoya to Detroit to Birmingham.
When we arrived in Detroit and people started turning cellphones on the word spread quickly - the flight attendants said we were one of the last two planes to leave Nagoya Airport in Japan before the disaster. I have no idea of the damage and haven't seen any news footage but understand we are very blessed to have made it out. I did notice as we taxied on the runway that we were right on the water. I could see large ships out to sea.
Rammy was incredible the entire flight! We played some, watched some & he napped a total of about 7 or 8 hours. Not a lot when you consider we were travelling for 24!
He warmly received his big brothers & sister and they were all over him. He handled it much better than I anticipated. The Elmo balloon they had waiting for him was a big hit and he also is fond of Sam our dog. So far - so good.
We are going to try and catch up on some sleep & will share some precious photos from our trip here when we have a moment. AGAIN, I can't thank you enough for covering us in prayer. What a true blessing!
God bless.
Kim
When we arrived in Detroit and people started turning cellphones on the word spread quickly - the flight attendants said we were one of the last two planes to leave Nagoya Airport in Japan before the disaster. I have no idea of the damage and haven't seen any news footage but understand we are very blessed to have made it out. I did notice as we taxied on the runway that we were right on the water. I could see large ships out to sea.
Rammy was incredible the entire flight! We played some, watched some & he napped a total of about 7 or 8 hours. Not a lot when you consider we were travelling for 24!
He warmly received his big brothers & sister and they were all over him. He handled it much better than I anticipated. The Elmo balloon they had waiting for him was a big hit and he also is fond of Sam our dog. So far - so good.
We are going to try and catch up on some sleep & will share some precious photos from our trip here when we have a moment. AGAIN, I can't thank you enough for covering us in prayer. What a true blessing!
God bless.
Kim
Thursday, March 10, 2011
We're Off!
Good morning! It's 3:00 in Manila, and we are up and preparing to leave for the airport by 4:30am for a 7am flight! The flight will take us through Tokyo-Narita airport, to Detroit, to Birmingham.
Please pray for a smooth travel for Rammy. He's only been in a car a handful of times and never a plane!!!
Also, please pray for our first encounter with Kuya Jack and Nick and Ate Mary Beth. We will be coming off a 24hour travel experience and they will be eager to greet all of us! Precious ones...
Last night, we all sort of hit a wall and were so tired and sort of mourning the end to this special time. A little post-adoption depression maybe? I have a feeling it won't last for long. . . Rammy has a contagious smile and personality. We are so blessed. Not to mention I will have all four of my children together tomorrow! We leave this morning which is Thursday afternoon for you Americans! We will get home around 5pm - please don't call us! ;-) hee hee With 280 traffic, Rammy should meet the rest of his family around 8 or 9! :-) not to mention his first ride in a carseat - please pray for this also. He may be quite frightened when we try to strap him in; although, he seems to like the buckle on the stroller at least...
God bless you for praying for us and encouraging us along the way! Here's some pictures from ICAB day and the "Beibering:" :-)
Please pray for a smooth travel for Rammy. He's only been in a car a handful of times and never a plane!!!
Also, please pray for our first encounter with Kuya Jack and Nick and Ate Mary Beth. We will be coming off a 24hour travel experience and they will be eager to greet all of us! Precious ones...
Last night, we all sort of hit a wall and were so tired and sort of mourning the end to this special time. A little post-adoption depression maybe? I have a feeling it won't last for long. . . Rammy has a contagious smile and personality. We are so blessed. Not to mention I will have all four of my children together tomorrow! We leave this morning which is Thursday afternoon for you Americans! We will get home around 5pm - please don't call us! ;-) hee hee With 280 traffic, Rammy should meet the rest of his family around 8 or 9! :-) not to mention his first ride in a carseat - please pray for this also. He may be quite frightened when we try to strap him in; although, he seems to like the buckle on the stroller at least...
God bless you for praying for us and encouraging us along the way! Here's some pictures from ICAB day and the "Beibering:" :-)
We've been Beibered!
Well, today we went to the InterCountryAdoptionBoard offices today to receive Rammy's passport and US Visa. The office was very nice and we were able to take some precious photos of Rammy there. He received a Filipino flag, Jeepney (a popular mode of transportation here in the Philippines) and a book about the Philippines. I thought that was a really nice gesture. It really didn't last long. We were told who to hand what to when & were given a sheet to write a note to Rammy & leave for him in case he ever come searching for his birth mother here.
Then, it was time to celebrate! Matt and I were a little nervous because it didn't feel like a done deal until we had these papers and worried something wouldn't be ready or available and delay our departure. We so miss our kiddos at home. Luckily, all went well. So, sweet Tito Gerry took us to one of the best buffets I've ever seen! There was Japanese & Filipino food and even Turkey! We had a delightful time watching Rammy enjoy his Sinigong broth and rice. Then, it happened... we were Beibered! Tito Gerry kindly asked the strolling musicians to serenade Rammy with a Justin Beiber song, "Baby, Baby, Baby" Oh, yes, we have video! Rammy loved it! He was captivated by the musicians and singing & at moments was completely embarassed and would hide his face. Then, he'd emerge again to enjoy the music. I was fine until they sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" which made me tear up. Precious... Rammy then proceeded to follow the musicians to the next table and get in the way of all the waiters because he so loved the music. Quite a celebration dinner!
I couldn't imagine anything better happening today, then as we returned to the hotel for afternoon nap, I had a precious moment that warmed my soul as a mother. Matt went shopping for a few packets of oatmeal for the plane ride for Rammy and I laid down to wait on him to fall asleep. He was on his pallet bed but restless. He kept sitting up, rocking a bit & tapping his knees with his hands, so I asked him if he wanted to lay down in the bed with Mommy. I tapped on the edge of the bed and held my arms out to him. He got up, climbed up on the bed and laid his head on my chest and fell fast asleep. I could never have imagined this happening - especially not this soon. Nor, do I even expect it again anytime soon. For now, it's a precious gift.
After a three hour nap, he's up snacking and ready for the pool and officially off schedule! Leave it to the Dicens to mess it all up! :-) I think the excitement of the week finally caught up to him.
I will try to post some of the photos from today later on. For now, here's some swimming from the other day . . .
Then, it was time to celebrate! Matt and I were a little nervous because it didn't feel like a done deal until we had these papers and worried something wouldn't be ready or available and delay our departure. We so miss our kiddos at home. Luckily, all went well. So, sweet Tito Gerry took us to one of the best buffets I've ever seen! There was Japanese & Filipino food and even Turkey! We had a delightful time watching Rammy enjoy his Sinigong broth and rice. Then, it happened... we were Beibered! Tito Gerry kindly asked the strolling musicians to serenade Rammy with a Justin Beiber song, "Baby, Baby, Baby" Oh, yes, we have video! Rammy loved it! He was captivated by the musicians and singing & at moments was completely embarassed and would hide his face. Then, he'd emerge again to enjoy the music. I was fine until they sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" which made me tear up. Precious... Rammy then proceeded to follow the musicians to the next table and get in the way of all the waiters because he so loved the music. Quite a celebration dinner!
I couldn't imagine anything better happening today, then as we returned to the hotel for afternoon nap, I had a precious moment that warmed my soul as a mother. Matt went shopping for a few packets of oatmeal for the plane ride for Rammy and I laid down to wait on him to fall asleep. He was on his pallet bed but restless. He kept sitting up, rocking a bit & tapping his knees with his hands, so I asked him if he wanted to lay down in the bed with Mommy. I tapped on the edge of the bed and held my arms out to him. He got up, climbed up on the bed and laid his head on my chest and fell fast asleep. I could never have imagined this happening - especially not this soon. Nor, do I even expect it again anytime soon. For now, it's a precious gift.
After a three hour nap, he's up snacking and ready for the pool and officially off schedule! Leave it to the Dicens to mess it all up! :-) I think the excitement of the week finally caught up to him.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
What a day!
I get just tired and confused thinking about today! It was a busy one - not quite sure that today was what the classes and books have told us to do these first few days, but I have seen some serious bonding between father and son. I must go on the record though to state that Matt started it! :-)
After breakfast, we played a bit in the room with toys and books then skyped with Kuya Jack, Kuya Nick and Ate Mary Beth. It was good to hear their voices & see them - a little blurry though. They sound great and are just going to be wonderful for Rammy. Matt was spinning a football on the floor and Rammy immediately began to try and do the same. Then, I through the ball up in the air and caught it, so Rammy through a notebook up in the air. oops! We had a good time playing with the recorded storybook I had sent him. He kept pushing the record instructions & I would press stop. He kept swatting me away, so I picked up the book and placed it on my head and walked away. He followed and proceeded to try and climb up on me to get to it. A funny silly time together - bonding. He is a little ham!
After that, we rested & took in a little Sesame Street downloads - Matt was wise to bring the Ipod for the flight home. We have Sesame Street & Diego to watch! Rammy loved the Ipod and used the earbuds no problem. Then, Mom knew it was bubble time. We went to the roof and Rammy was a natural! I've never scene a toddler figure out how to blow bubbles so quickly - of course, he also figured out how to poor the whole bottle on himself, too! ;-) It was fun. His fighting spirit came through in this activity because he wouldn't give up on the bubbles even when it was all gone! He turned to Mommy to wipe his bubble hands - need met.
After lunch and a nap - staying on schedule still, the Dicen adoption journey took a wrong turn off the "what to do the first week with your new child" path . . . I know they don't recommend taking your child to Disney, but what about the Manila Ocean Aquarium Park? I mean that's not Disney, right? Anyway, so he touched a starfish - he liked it! Really!!!! Except when he tried to touch by himself and startled and turned and ran into my arms. I loved that moment - need met. I also loved the moment where he wanted a stuffed octopus but Mommy didn't have the pesos, so I told him we had to ask Daddy - show him what you want. He took Daddy by the hand & went straight to the octopus. Needless to say, we are the proud owners of a mint green stuffed octopus. :-) Daddy meeting a need - I mean every kid needs a mint green octopus! I enjoyed hearing him growling at the fish and crocodiles with confidence while in the safety of his Daddy's arms. Precious.
Then we were off to the Aristocrat, a long standing restaurant known for it's Filipino delicacies, for dinner. I must be the first to admit - Matt started it. The food fight that is. Ok, it only took place at our table but for sure was a food fight. Matt has been aggravating Rammy since yesterday - just asking for trouble! So, like any good Dicen boy, Rammy brought it! :-) This is the part where the mommies from Gentle Hands will cringe because they have done such an amazing job raising their children with excellent table manners - sorry girls. Rammy began to try and get his Daddy's attention at the table (this may have been after I gave him some tastes of the cake his Lola Baby gave him before dinner - oopsy!). He kept teasing Matt thinking he would get his attention - Matt thought it would be a good idea to see how far Rammy would go to get his attention - well, let's just say that might not have been a good idea? Rammy first took a piece of his scrambled egg & dipped it in the Shang Hi Roll sauce (mimicking his daddy's actions) and threw it at him. Matt didn't react (again, waiting to see how far Rammy would go - don't ask me why. I don't know. Guy think I'm assuming). So Rammy, proceeded to take his hand and place it in the shang hi roll sauce and grab Matt's arm with it! Matt again did not react other than clean himself up (please know that I was busy eating my Halo Halo with Ube ice cream and didn't see any of this but kept hearing Rammy laughing hysterically!) Finally, Rammy grabbed Matt's arm and leaned over and drooled on him! That was the last straw & Matt caved! As I listened to my husband's re-cap, I'm sure I haven't done it justice. Need met - male bonding! :-) Even as I walked him around & tried sitting on a bench to cradle him, Rammy looked at me and said Dada & touched his head. I took him to Matt and he crawled right up in his lap. He loves his daddy.
Of course, it is Ash Wednesday in the Philippines, so traffic was heavy. It took us a long time to get home, but Rammy was on my lap the whole time playing with his octopus that he conveniently could suction cup to the window (I don't know how he knew to do that but he did), and I cuddled, caressed, squeezed and loved on my third son. It was a most precious time - even though it wasn't written in the books. . . and I feel a little guilty about running about with him so soon . . . it was nice.
We were in the room an hour past bedtime & he went to sleep. But tonight was different... I leaned over and kissed him good night, prayed over him - basically tucked him in. Matt was busy doing something else. I grabbed a shower. I thought for sure he would be out by the time I got out of the shower, but Rammy was still awake. I couldn't believe it. As I laid down, I looked at him with a mint green octopus over his face laying on his pallet and heard, "Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada..." I looked at Matt and asked him if he tucked Rammy in - you know, Matt - did you kiss him goodnight? Matt said no. So, he got down on the floor and kissed and squeezed on him just like he does our other three. Then Rammy went to sleep right away. I think he was waiting for Daddy to tuck him in - it was a good day.
A good day not because we're awesome parents or because we went to awesome places or because Rammy has been in an awesome orphanage (although it is an incredible place) or because we've been in an incredibly wonderful hotel - it's a good day because we serve an awesome God who is sovereign and who has blanketed in His grace because you have blanketed us in prayer. Thank you! Tomorrow we go to ICAB to get Rammy's papers. Prayers appreciated. We will fly home Thursday night US time and be home Friday!
After lunch and a nap - staying on schedule still, the Dicen adoption journey took a wrong turn off the "what to do the first week with your new child" path . . . I know they don't recommend taking your child to Disney, but what about the Manila Ocean Aquarium Park? I mean that's not Disney, right? Anyway, so he touched a starfish - he liked it! Really!!!! Except when he tried to touch by himself and startled and turned and ran into my arms. I loved that moment - need met. I also loved the moment where he wanted a stuffed octopus but Mommy didn't have the pesos, so I told him we had to ask Daddy - show him what you want. He took Daddy by the hand & went straight to the octopus. Needless to say, we are the proud owners of a mint green stuffed octopus. :-) Daddy meeting a need - I mean every kid needs a mint green octopus! I enjoyed hearing him growling at the fish and crocodiles with confidence while in the safety of his Daddy's arms. Precious.
Of course, it is Ash Wednesday in the Philippines, so traffic was heavy. It took us a long time to get home, but Rammy was on my lap the whole time playing with his octopus that he conveniently could suction cup to the window (I don't know how he knew to do that but he did), and I cuddled, caressed, squeezed and loved on my third son. It was a most precious time - even though it wasn't written in the books. . . and I feel a little guilty about running about with him so soon . . . it was nice.
We were in the room an hour past bedtime & he went to sleep. But tonight was different... I leaned over and kissed him good night, prayed over him - basically tucked him in. Matt was busy doing something else. I grabbed a shower. I thought for sure he would be out by the time I got out of the shower, but Rammy was still awake. I couldn't believe it. As I laid down, I looked at him with a mint green octopus over his face laying on his pallet and heard, "Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada..." I looked at Matt and asked him if he tucked Rammy in - you know, Matt - did you kiss him goodnight? Matt said no. So, he got down on the floor and kissed and squeezed on him just like he does our other three. Then Rammy went to sleep right away. I think he was waiting for Daddy to tuck him in - it was a good day.
A good day not because we're awesome parents or because we went to awesome places or because Rammy has been in an awesome orphanage (although it is an incredible place) or because we've been in an incredibly wonderful hotel - it's a good day because we serve an awesome God who is sovereign and who has blanketed in His grace because you have blanketed us in prayer. Thank you! Tomorrow we go to ICAB to get Rammy's papers. Prayers appreciated. We will fly home Thursday night US time and be home Friday!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Check This Out
Good morning! (I think) Well, it is for us over here. It's around 4:30am here, and I'm beginning my usual wait for Rammy to wake up at 6. It's interesting that I say usual because this is only the second day he wakes up in our care. It just feels like we've had him forever. God has embedded this child in my heart - I prayed he would prepare Rammy's heart for us and ours for him, but I never imagined it could have felt like this. Beautiful... precious .... what an amazing God!
Please take time to check out Gentle Hands Facebook - there are amazing pictures of our first meeting with Rammy - but really to me, it was a family reunion. God knew in the beginning and made us family & on March 7th, we were reunited! Tracey who is Charity's sister-in-law has an incredible gift for photography; I don't know if she has studied it or just has the gift - either way, I'm so grateful. The pictures are incredible and truly capture the moment. That precious and Glorious moment. It's so neat to see how God's perfect plan designs families and puts them together for his glory - Charity's parents and their ministry, Charity's ministry at Gentle Hands, and Tracey marries into all of that? Amazing!
http://www.facebook.com/gentlehandsinc If you click on Rammy finally goes home, you'll see around 60 photos of our time together at Gentle Hands.
We had a wonderful time at the pool yesterday. Rammy is part fish for sure (just as Brittany said!). We found these beautiful flowers blowing off some trees in the pool area that have a beautiful fragrance and are white with pink edges and yellow center - I can't remember the name but will find out before we leave. I gave one to Rammy & he played with it until . . . well it was no more. So I got out of the water and went in search of more. The gentle breeze provided more... I returned to Rammy with handfuls. He was thrilled. He threw them in the air and then would go collect them all from the water and clung to them so tightly. It was like he was celebrating having a family . . . throwing these beautiful flowers in the air.
He loved his french fries for lunch although he was almost too tired to eat. We hit the mall last night for bibs and a carousel ride. He loved it - I know that the mommies at Gentle Hands make every effort to socialize the children and get them out & it is clear. Familiar with a carousel? How many orphans do you know who are? Such a special home, Gentle Hands. Please consider supporting them if you aren't sure what risk to take for an orphan - you won't regret it. He also loved his spaghetti from McDonald's! Yes, McDonald's serves spaghetti, rice and fried chicken over here along with Big Macs and double cheeseburgers and fries! So, it's official! My son is a mall rat! ;-) We played in the Toys R Us for a long time - he loves stuffed animals! They would fall off the display & he would say "uh-oh!" "Uh-oh!" He also enjoyed legos at a "Build It" store. He seemed to really respond to the sights and sounds of the mall which is a really good sign. We tried to make it as interactive as possible with us for him.
We have lots of pool photos, etc. I will post when we can turn the lights on in our room. ;-) Sleeping babe you know!
God bless.
Please take time to check out Gentle Hands Facebook - there are amazing pictures of our first meeting with Rammy - but really to me, it was a family reunion. God knew in the beginning and made us family & on March 7th, we were reunited! Tracey who is Charity's sister-in-law has an incredible gift for photography; I don't know if she has studied it or just has the gift - either way, I'm so grateful. The pictures are incredible and truly capture the moment. That precious and Glorious moment. It's so neat to see how God's perfect plan designs families and puts them together for his glory - Charity's parents and their ministry, Charity's ministry at Gentle Hands, and Tracey marries into all of that? Amazing!
http://www.facebook.com/gentlehandsinc If you click on Rammy finally goes home, you'll see around 60 photos of our time together at Gentle Hands.
We had a wonderful time at the pool yesterday. Rammy is part fish for sure (just as Brittany said!). We found these beautiful flowers blowing off some trees in the pool area that have a beautiful fragrance and are white with pink edges and yellow center - I can't remember the name but will find out before we leave. I gave one to Rammy & he played with it until . . . well it was no more. So I got out of the water and went in search of more. The gentle breeze provided more... I returned to Rammy with handfuls. He was thrilled. He threw them in the air and then would go collect them all from the water and clung to them so tightly. It was like he was celebrating having a family . . . throwing these beautiful flowers in the air.
He loved his french fries for lunch although he was almost too tired to eat. We hit the mall last night for bibs and a carousel ride. He loved it - I know that the mommies at Gentle Hands make every effort to socialize the children and get them out & it is clear. Familiar with a carousel? How many orphans do you know who are? Such a special home, Gentle Hands. Please consider supporting them if you aren't sure what risk to take for an orphan - you won't regret it. He also loved his spaghetti from McDonald's! Yes, McDonald's serves spaghetti, rice and fried chicken over here along with Big Macs and double cheeseburgers and fries! So, it's official! My son is a mall rat! ;-) We played in the Toys R Us for a long time - he loves stuffed animals! They would fall off the display & he would say "uh-oh!" "Uh-oh!" He also enjoyed legos at a "Build It" store. He seemed to really respond to the sights and sounds of the mall which is a really good sign. We tried to make it as interactive as possible with us for him.
We have lots of pool photos, etc. I will post when we can turn the lights on in our room. ;-) Sleeping babe you know!
God bless.
Monday, March 7, 2011
First Night/Morning
The first night went great! Rammy ate a good dinner & had a ball in the bath - splashing Daddy and flopping about like a fish. We managed to keep him on schedule and attempted to put him in bed with us, but he wasn't going to sleep that way. So, we made him a nice bed on the floor & in a matter of minutes he was out like a light! Apparently, quite a few of the kids prefer to sleep on the floor. Although, Rammy is used to a toddler bed, I think he is also used to sleeping alone. He slept through the night until around 6am (we were up since 4 and thought he would NEVER wake up!). :-)
He ate an incredible breakfast, skyped his big brothers and sister, and headed to the pool. Oh my! He loves the pool! He laughed and splashed. A precious time to see his adventurous side. We ate lunch poolside which I wasn't even sure he could stay awake for. He did fine & apparently has had french fries before! He is a good eater. He ate fish and rice also. We got him to the room and made up his pallet bed & was out!
We may head to the mall this afternoon after snack. We are doing our best to maintain his normal Gentle Hands schedule. I can't express to you what an incredible job they do there. It's not an orphanage . . . it's a home with many loving mommies. I will forever treasure them.
Our children seem to be very eager to meet brother Rammy. They were showing him Teddy bears on the skype and telling him he could have them when he got home. Jack did a really good job showing this little bear & telling him "Rammy, I'll give this to you when you get home." They are all so sweet and excited. Matt shifted the camera so they could just watch him play and do his own thing because he certainly wasn't going to sit still in front of a camera! He did wave to them & did some silly things like climb into his toy bag, etc. They all laughed.
He is a little rascal. I forgot to tell you the other day that when we were driving home from Gentle Hands that he unzipped the back of Tito Gerry's seat slipcover & tried to stuff his baby in it! He is so funny! Always busy and figuring out new things to do. Needless to say, I was in no way prepared for a toddler at almost 40! I guess I will get there at some point - I'll be glad to have Jack, Nicholas' and Mary Beth's help soon! :-)
Aunt Michelle is rolling off her duties, as Aunt Cyndi has arrived in Birmingham. MawMaw is doing what she always does when I have a baby: laundry, cooking, spoiling the older siblings, cleaning. I gave Cyndi a list when we skyped today - RICE RICE RICE! BABY PROOF locks & socket protectors & put up the toilet cleaner! A lot to do plus taking care of my kids! She can handle it. She and MawMaw will also get Rammy's crib ready. What a joyful time!
Joyful, but difficult. Please pray for those precious mommies at Gentle Hands and for Rammy's brothers and sisters there. I know they miss him terribly. It's hard to let go of one you've loved. But I have to say I hope they get to say goodbye to all of them soon, for there are always more children who need them and forever families are wonderful for those children.
He ate an incredible breakfast, skyped his big brothers and sister, and headed to the pool. Oh my! He loves the pool! He laughed and splashed. A precious time to see his adventurous side. We ate lunch poolside which I wasn't even sure he could stay awake for. He did fine & apparently has had french fries before! He is a good eater. He ate fish and rice also. We got him to the room and made up his pallet bed & was out!
We may head to the mall this afternoon after snack. We are doing our best to maintain his normal Gentle Hands schedule. I can't express to you what an incredible job they do there. It's not an orphanage . . . it's a home with many loving mommies. I will forever treasure them.
Our children seem to be very eager to meet brother Rammy. They were showing him Teddy bears on the skype and telling him he could have them when he got home. Jack did a really good job showing this little bear & telling him "Rammy, I'll give this to you when you get home." They are all so sweet and excited. Matt shifted the camera so they could just watch him play and do his own thing because he certainly wasn't going to sit still in front of a camera! He did wave to them & did some silly things like climb into his toy bag, etc. They all laughed.
He is a little rascal. I forgot to tell you the other day that when we were driving home from Gentle Hands that he unzipped the back of Tito Gerry's seat slipcover & tried to stuff his baby in it! He is so funny! Always busy and figuring out new things to do. Needless to say, I was in no way prepared for a toddler at almost 40! I guess I will get there at some point - I'll be glad to have Jack, Nicholas' and Mary Beth's help soon! :-)
Aunt Michelle is rolling off her duties, as Aunt Cyndi has arrived in Birmingham. MawMaw is doing what she always does when I have a baby: laundry, cooking, spoiling the older siblings, cleaning. I gave Cyndi a list when we skyped today - RICE RICE RICE! BABY PROOF locks & socket protectors & put up the toilet cleaner! A lot to do plus taking care of my kids! She can handle it. She and MawMaw will also get Rammy's crib ready. What a joyful time!
Joyful, but difficult. Please pray for those precious mommies at Gentle Hands and for Rammy's brothers and sisters there. I know they miss him terribly. It's hard to let go of one you've loved. But I have to say I hope they get to say goodbye to all of them soon, for there are always more children who need them and forever families are wonderful for those children.
We got him!!!!
What a glorious day! As you know, we started out EARLY due to nerves we couldn't sleep! So, we were picked up by Tito Gerry and went to Gentle Hands.
Rammy was very aware that something was going on and felt the anticipation and excitement of his caregivers. He played hard to get for awhile - but I'm an old pro at dealing with those "hard to get" men! ;-) Anyway, we just hung out for awhile and allowed him to do his own thing. There was a basket of toys that he was exploring. At moments, he would check us out and then go back to his toys. I brought him the stuffed puppy Aunt Cyndi purchased & that was a major ice breaker. He immediately loved it & put it with the other puppies in his box. He kept pullng his crate of toys everywhere with him not wanting to share! Finally, I grabbed some toys and began playing on my own. He eventually warmed up to us.
It was absolutely wonderful. We ended up playing together quite a bit and then went to the park to play and slide with the social worker from ICAB and a couple of Rammy's friends. We had a ball climbing and sliding and he kept calling us - of course he isn't quite speaking yet, but he was making a two syllable sound that was definitely his way of calling me and daddy!
There's so much to type, but I desperately just want to play with my son! He is precious and filling our hotel room with laughter! Yes, we were able to bring him back with us TODAY! A blessing from the Lord; the transition went incredibly well.
A few points of note as I try to get through this, so I can enjoy him:
He is delighting in opening the drawers in all the tables and desks and such in the room. He also loves his backpack and crayons. Joyful joyful joyful noises!!!! He is totally hamming it up for Daddy right now. We got in the car and he climbed in my lap. When we wre at the playground, he walked under the bridge I was standing on, when I called him, he looked up and waved at me! He wanted me to feed him at lunch today, so I fed him a few bites and then he shared his food with me. The best rice I've ever had!!! :-) Another precious moment was when I kept teasing and signing to him cracker, mommy, please over and over again - Rammy would look at me and smile with a mouth full of Ritz cracker and just cling to the package. Totally taunting me. RASCAL! I mean a total rascal. He is so very busy right now, I can't even express it. Precious little RASCAL! To make it totally and completely official, he has even given me my first poopy diaper! It's official.
I'm outta here folks. Gotta enjoy this and appreciate this moment. Thank you for your prayers; please continue to pray for our transition and his health. I'm going to attempt to post a couple pix. We didn't take as many as we were engaged with Rammy, but I know Tracey at GH took some. We hope to get them! He is one magnificent child. Today is incredible and he is doing wonderful. I don't know about tomorrow when he realizes he's stuck with us... a day at a time and God's grace.
Rammy was very aware that something was going on and felt the anticipation and excitement of his caregivers. He played hard to get for awhile - but I'm an old pro at dealing with those "hard to get" men! ;-) Anyway, we just hung out for awhile and allowed him to do his own thing. There was a basket of toys that he was exploring. At moments, he would check us out and then go back to his toys. I brought him the stuffed puppy Aunt Cyndi purchased & that was a major ice breaker. He immediately loved it & put it with the other puppies in his box. He kept pullng his crate of toys everywhere with him not wanting to share! Finally, I grabbed some toys and began playing on my own. He eventually warmed up to us.
It was absolutely wonderful. We ended up playing together quite a bit and then went to the park to play and slide with the social worker from ICAB and a couple of Rammy's friends. We had a ball climbing and sliding and he kept calling us - of course he isn't quite speaking yet, but he was making a two syllable sound that was definitely his way of calling me and daddy!
There's so much to type, but I desperately just want to play with my son! He is precious and filling our hotel room with laughter! Yes, we were able to bring him back with us TODAY! A blessing from the Lord; the transition went incredibly well.
A few points of note as I try to get through this, so I can enjoy him:
He is delighting in opening the drawers in all the tables and desks and such in the room. He also loves his backpack and crayons. Joyful joyful joyful noises!!!! He is totally hamming it up for Daddy right now. We got in the car and he climbed in my lap. When we wre at the playground, he walked under the bridge I was standing on, when I called him, he looked up and waved at me! He wanted me to feed him at lunch today, so I fed him a few bites and then he shared his food with me. The best rice I've ever had!!! :-) Another precious moment was when I kept teasing and signing to him cracker, mommy, please over and over again - Rammy would look at me and smile with a mouth full of Ritz cracker and just cling to the package. Totally taunting me. RASCAL! I mean a total rascal. He is so very busy right now, I can't even express it. Precious little RASCAL! To make it totally and completely official, he has even given me my first poopy diaper! It's official.
I'm outta here folks. Gotta enjoy this and appreciate this moment. Thank you for your prayers; please continue to pray for our transition and his health. I'm going to attempt to post a couple pix. We didn't take as many as we were engaged with Rammy, but I know Tracey at GH took some. We hope to get them! He is one magnificent child. Today is incredible and he is doing wonderful. I don't know about tomorrow when he realizes he's stuck with us... a day at a time and God's grace.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Risk
This is Matt's post and I've been behind the scenes just soaking everything in.
I'm overwhelmed with a few things.
I look at my countrymen (with pride) realizing there's 80 million total and 20 million in Manila. I look at the poverty all around (with a longing for "more" for ALL of them), I look at all the new condos and malls that have been completed (with a sense of confidence that the economy is growing) and there's more to come. I look at the hustle and bustle of all those going to work (with a sense that this is their life and this is normal), going to the market and going who knows where. I look at my family (with compassion, love, joy, and thankfulness) in the Philippines and realize that Kim and I are blessed to have them involved with the adoption process.
Now I look at my own heart and realize the RISK to LOVE someone is a very scary, vulnerable place to be. I was thinking to myself, should I just grab the little guy and hold him just like I did with the other three? Should I just sit and wait for him to come to me (probably)?
And then, as I read through the Bible this morning, I realized, just like the Lord RISKED himself so that we can better know him, through his actions, words, deeds, HE RISKED. He too knew there is a high probability that he would be rejected. But He RISKED everything anyway.... with boldness & passion.....
He will give me strength to go boldly, with passion to simply LOVE regardless of the RISK....
Thank you ALL, for asking, praying, reading, thinking, and for your friendship.
RISK something for someone today.
I'm overwhelmed with a few things.
I look at my countrymen (with pride) realizing there's 80 million total and 20 million in Manila. I look at the poverty all around (with a longing for "more" for ALL of them), I look at all the new condos and malls that have been completed (with a sense of confidence that the economy is growing) and there's more to come. I look at the hustle and bustle of all those going to work (with a sense that this is their life and this is normal), going to the market and going who knows where. I look at my family (with compassion, love, joy, and thankfulness) in the Philippines and realize that Kim and I are blessed to have them involved with the adoption process.
Now I look at my own heart and realize the RISK to LOVE someone is a very scary, vulnerable place to be. I was thinking to myself, should I just grab the little guy and hold him just like I did with the other three? Should I just sit and wait for him to come to me (probably)?
And then, as I read through the Bible this morning, I realized, just like the Lord RISKED himself so that we can better know him, through his actions, words, deeds, HE RISKED. He too knew there is a high probability that he would be rejected. But He RISKED everything anyway.... with boldness & passion.....
He will give me strength to go boldly, with passion to simply LOVE regardless of the RISK....
Thank you ALL, for asking, praying, reading, thinking, and for your friendship.
RISK something for someone today.
As if . . .
Last night, I pulled Matt aside and told him we should probably try to return to our hotel by around 8:30, so we could get plenty of rest before we venture into this week of unknowns. "As if!"
My precious husband, as always, sought to do what was in our best interest and informed Tito Gerry of our plans. Tito Gerry, "our driver," and Tita Baby, "our tour guide," honored our request and returned us to our hotel promptly. And, we were exhausted! We were out and about for approximately 8 hours and still battling jet lag a bit. So, I was eager for a shower and a good night's rest. "As if!"
By 10, I tried to sleep. I would fall asleep for a brief moment and then jerk awake with a pounding heart. This is the biggest job interview I've ever had! The nerves are incredible . . . ALL NIGHT, I was up with a pounding heart. I managed to fall asleep from about 1-2, then awoke, then again awoke at 4 and can't sleep!
I was thinking about it, and the three I gave birth to pretty much had to love me - I was all they knew from the VERY beginning. I was the first face they saw at birth - the voice they always heard while in the womb. But Rammy . . . the Lord and the folks at Gentle Hands have taken pretty darn good care of him. He could very well say, "hey folks good to finally see the mommy and daddy from the pictures I've had, but I'm good here. You just go ahead and get back on the plane and head on back. I'm good here. No really - go." As part of me longs for one of those scenes like in the movies where he runs to us in slow motion and jumps into our arms and a breeze blows through our hair, I also know the reality is he may see us and turn, run and hide.
One thing I know is this . . . his reaction won't change my heart for him (it might hurt a little). But, I know this is our son. God has made that to clear to us for a long time now. I will love him regardless . . . I just hope I pass the "interview."
Appreciate your prayers for plenty of energy this week. Although I've had little sleep, I know today I will run on adrenalin. Tomorrow . . . your prayers. Thank you for your thoughts, encouragement and prayers. They are so precious to me.
God bless.
My precious husband, as always, sought to do what was in our best interest and informed Tito Gerry of our plans. Tito Gerry, "our driver," and Tita Baby, "our tour guide," honored our request and returned us to our hotel promptly. And, we were exhausted! We were out and about for approximately 8 hours and still battling jet lag a bit. So, I was eager for a shower and a good night's rest. "As if!"
By 10, I tried to sleep. I would fall asleep for a brief moment and then jerk awake with a pounding heart. This is the biggest job interview I've ever had! The nerves are incredible . . . ALL NIGHT, I was up with a pounding heart. I managed to fall asleep from about 1-2, then awoke, then again awoke at 4 and can't sleep!
I was thinking about it, and the three I gave birth to pretty much had to love me - I was all they knew from the VERY beginning. I was the first face they saw at birth - the voice they always heard while in the womb. But Rammy . . . the Lord and the folks at Gentle Hands have taken pretty darn good care of him. He could very well say, "hey folks good to finally see the mommy and daddy from the pictures I've had, but I'm good here. You just go ahead and get back on the plane and head on back. I'm good here. No really - go." As part of me longs for one of those scenes like in the movies where he runs to us in slow motion and jumps into our arms and a breeze blows through our hair, I also know the reality is he may see us and turn, run and hide.
One thing I know is this . . . his reaction won't change my heart for him (it might hurt a little). But, I know this is our son. God has made that to clear to us for a long time now. I will love him regardless . . . I just hope I pass the "interview."
Appreciate your prayers for plenty of energy this week. Although I've had little sleep, I know today I will run on adrenalin. Tomorrow . . . your prayers. Thank you for your thoughts, encouragement and prayers. They are so precious to me.
God bless.
What a day!
Greetings from Manila! We started out our morning with a beautiful breakfast at our hotel and then went for a walk around the grounds. I must say this place is beautiful, and I found myself feeling guilty knowing that just outside these doors are hungry children. A harsh reality of this city - a population of 20 million (according to our driver last night) - which would explain the fact that traffic was still heavy at nearly midnight when we arrived.
As I tried to move past my thoughts of the children I've seen so far, my heart quickly turned to our precious Rammy. Matt and I both couldn't help but imagine what he will think of all the fruits and pastries we saw at the breakfast buffet - I cautioned my sweet husband we would have to be careful to not give him a tummy ache. Daddy loves to spoil his babies. Then we walked around the beautiful gardens and pool area. Every thought of Rammy - how he may enjoy the fountains, the rocks (a boys dream come true! rocks everywhere!), and the pool . . . I'm beginning to think we didn't even need to bring the toys we brought! I could just picture strolling through the garden with him allowing him to explore just enough but not too far from Mommy. Can't wait . . .
Of course, we know that the transition is an unknown territory. We don't know what his reaction will be to us and the drastic change in his life, but we have been praying for a long time about this - we trust the Lord knows.
It's really surreal - we are going to meet our son tomorrow! I just don't even know how we got here. It seems like for months we longed for this child - truly before we even knew who God intended for us, there was a longing in our hearts. We can't wait to see him.
Today was a nice day. We were able to spend the whole day with Matt's Tito Gerry and Tita Baby along with their daughter, Margery. The city of Manila has changed a great deal since 1999 (our last visit here). I reminded Matt of the statement I made the last time we were here "we will come back here someday, Matt! We will adopt a little girl." Matt told me well, it's a boy. I guess God had a different plan - yes, a better plan. I can't imagine another child for us than Rammy.
We also had the opportunity to visit the home of Matt's grandparents where his Tito Ignatio and Tita Mercy now live. The sweet little girls we visited in 1999, Matt's cousins, are all grown up, married and some with children of their own.
I'm typing about all of this because I guess - I just don't know what to say. I feel completely overwhelmed. I don't have the words to express how I feel... God is so good. It's just hard to believe we are here. I can remember all the times I felt like we'd never get to this point and now it's here!
Grateful for your prayers & we'll keep you posted as best we can.
As I tried to move past my thoughts of the children I've seen so far, my heart quickly turned to our precious Rammy. Matt and I both couldn't help but imagine what he will think of all the fruits and pastries we saw at the breakfast buffet - I cautioned my sweet husband we would have to be careful to not give him a tummy ache. Daddy loves to spoil his babies. Then we walked around the beautiful gardens and pool area. Every thought of Rammy - how he may enjoy the fountains, the rocks (a boys dream come true! rocks everywhere!), and the pool . . . I'm beginning to think we didn't even need to bring the toys we brought! I could just picture strolling through the garden with him allowing him to explore just enough but not too far from Mommy. Can't wait . . .
Of course, we know that the transition is an unknown territory. We don't know what his reaction will be to us and the drastic change in his life, but we have been praying for a long time about this - we trust the Lord knows.
It's really surreal - we are going to meet our son tomorrow! I just don't even know how we got here. It seems like for months we longed for this child - truly before we even knew who God intended for us, there was a longing in our hearts. We can't wait to see him.
Today was a nice day. We were able to spend the whole day with Matt's Tito Gerry and Tita Baby along with their daughter, Margery. The city of Manila has changed a great deal since 1999 (our last visit here). I reminded Matt of the statement I made the last time we were here "we will come back here someday, Matt! We will adopt a little girl." Matt told me well, it's a boy. I guess God had a different plan - yes, a better plan. I can't imagine another child for us than Rammy.
We also had the opportunity to visit the home of Matt's grandparents where his Tito Ignatio and Tita Mercy now live. The sweet little girls we visited in 1999, Matt's cousins, are all grown up, married and some with children of their own.
I'm typing about all of this because I guess - I just don't know what to say. I feel completely overwhelmed. I don't have the words to express how I feel... God is so good. It's just hard to believe we are here. I can remember all the times I felt like we'd never get to this point and now it's here!
Grateful for your prayers & we'll keep you posted as best we can.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Almost there...
We're almost there. We are in Narita Airport Tokyo, Japan. It's 2:15am in Alabama and we are sitting here looking at the most beautiful clear sky and bright shining sun. Matt is wearing his sunglasses inside! That bright!
We have tried to stay awake the entire flight - approx. 16 hours - aside from the occasional head bob.
Next stop - Manila! And before you know it, we'll be seeing Rammy.
We have tried to stay awake the entire flight - approx. 16 hours - aside from the occasional head bob.
Next stop - Manila! And before you know it, we'll be seeing Rammy.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
I can't believe it . . .
Well, here I sit with bags packed and exhausted from all the errands for our trip plus trying to capture precious moments with our three babies before we go get number four. I'm sitting at my desk going through paperwork, making sure I have all the key contact numbers we may need just knowing it's way past one in the morning, and here I have an early flight! But it's not even 11:00! That pretty well sums up the past week for me! :-)
I've decided I will let my husband sit next to me on the plane - I had threatened earlier in the week that I wouldn't. It's been a week filled with stress, anxiety, chaos and most importantly JOY! God is so good to have brought us through this process to this point and sent so many special people to help us along the way. He has tenderly loved me throughout this process... sending me just what I needed for encouragement to keep me hanging on to the next little piece of joy - be it a photo, an approval, an e-mail, Jack handing me a book on the Philippines that he checked out from his school library . . . each little piece of love just enough and not too much. Perfect . . . like His love.
It makes me think about how perfectly He has loved Rammy - from the very beginning. Some things not so pretty, some things absolutely make me weep, but He is so sovereign and has had his hand on our son . . . protecting him & preparing him for us - preparing us for him. God is so good. That's all I know to say. Romans 8:28. I know that God will use this precious boy for His glory, and I just feel grateful to be able to love him.
Our flight leaves Friday morning @ 7:40, leave Minneapolis @ 1:15pm, Leave Tokyo @ 6:15pm and arrive Manila @ 10:15pm Saturday (that's around 8am for you Alabamians!). Appreciate your prayers for our travels and that all our children's needs will be met.
God bless.
Kim
I've decided I will let my husband sit next to me on the plane - I had threatened earlier in the week that I wouldn't. It's been a week filled with stress, anxiety, chaos and most importantly JOY! God is so good to have brought us through this process to this point and sent so many special people to help us along the way. He has tenderly loved me throughout this process... sending me just what I needed for encouragement to keep me hanging on to the next little piece of joy - be it a photo, an approval, an e-mail, Jack handing me a book on the Philippines that he checked out from his school library . . . each little piece of love just enough and not too much. Perfect . . . like His love.
It makes me think about how perfectly He has loved Rammy - from the very beginning. Some things not so pretty, some things absolutely make me weep, but He is so sovereign and has had his hand on our son . . . protecting him & preparing him for us - preparing us for him. God is so good. That's all I know to say. Romans 8:28. I know that God will use this precious boy for His glory, and I just feel grateful to be able to love him.
Our flight leaves Friday morning @ 7:40, leave Minneapolis @ 1:15pm, Leave Tokyo @ 6:15pm and arrive Manila @ 10:15pm Saturday (that's around 8am for you Alabamians!). Appreciate your prayers for our travels and that all our children's needs will be met.
God bless.
Kim
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