Sharing our excitement.. and then back to usual things!

I think I can officially share now, what has been going on in the background here in the last three weeks.

We are in process of an independent adoption of a baby boy to be born in April, and yes, he does have the diagnosis of Down Syndrome. The birth family lives in our state and just does not feel that they can give him what he will need and what they so much want him to have. They have made a mature, committed decision - they aren't kids, they are married, they do have another child. This is just something that they feel is beyond them. I am so grateful that they chose to give this child life, and to do the most loving thing if they really feel they cannot give him what he needs. This will be an open adoption, some contact, we will work it out. I am so very honored that they have chosen our family for this lovely gift! It is truly a God thing, this was not something we pursued or have begun to strive for, in fact it generally was something that I wasn't sure we would ever do! LOL! As usual God has other ideas and I have such amazing peace about it.

So, we are back in the paperwork and getting funds stage, but with a very short timeline! So, I am picking up hours whenever I can, and selling whatever is extra or not needed, and we are praying that God continues to bless our efforts. It is scary to look at how quickly things need to happen, but that is not my job - that is God's. And it is also tax return time! So, we are praying that everything lines up correctly!

Baby, wow, baby!!! We haven't had a baby in our house for about two years (our last foster child)!

On another note, it is winter in Wisconsin! Ugh. I am so grateful that we are now in February, as there is a baby goat in the laundry room, likely for the winter. (On a side note, Zeri just came in with an egg!!! Who would have thought that an egg could bring about so much rejoicing, but with shorter days and the colder weather, the chickens have not been laying and we are getting where we really miss our food source!!! I have been saying that now that the days are getting longer, the chickens should start laying, but it has been very few and far between - which for a family of ten is a big deal - I hate to buy store bought eggs, they just don't taste so good, and we go through LOTS of eggs!) Anyway back to baby goat - he is our next breeding buck with the bloodlines we want, so there is NO WAY we are risking losing him and after his bout with pneumonia, it is just too risky to put him back out in the cold yet. Sigh. So, he lives in the laundry room, paper and hay on the floor, baby gate keeping him in there, and lots of company visiting him. Not quite what I ever imagined, but there it is.

And that doesn't mention the 78 chicks in the living room in stock tanks. Yep. Not kidding. These are the kids' show birds for fair this summer and they come as day old chicks the first week in January. When they are really small, the temperature is a huge thing so we need to keep a close eye on them, hence the living room. Now that they are bigger, they are soon moving to the BASEMENT!!!! We set up larger brooders down there, and they stay there until the weather is nice and they can go to our outside chick run - a place we have set apart for the young show birds so our older birds don't pick on them. They need to be beautiful! Once fair is done, well, then they go right in with the rest of the flock, but until then, they are the most pampered of chickens! LOL! I am very ready to move them to the basement today! And then scrub everything down again! (The chicks really are contained, but as they get older, well, there is an "odor".)

Other than that, life on the farm at this point is just getting through the long last bit of winter. It is encouraging to look at spring coming and know that we are on the downside and that now it is just a matter of time until the warmer weather comes. Warmer weather brings lots of work but oh, so much more comfort in doing it!

Well, got to run! I have the opportunity to work today and it goes right into baby boy fund (as long as all other bills are paid!). God's got it, he isn't surprised that we are at this point, but we will so gladly take any and all prayers as we get ready for this new chapter. (By the way, in case anyone was wondering, the kids are thrilled! The boys don't want to change diapers, but other than that no one has any concerns! LOL! We clearly discussed Down Syndrome - and we know several kids my kiddos ages with DS - and they weren't concerned at all. Actually were upset that someone might not be happy for us about this baby. As Kiley puts it "It is a baby, a wonderful baby. He just happens to have Down Syndrome.". Talk about a loved baby - eight big brothers and sisters to love on him and help mom and dad! Adored will be the only way to describe his little life!)
Love to all, have a great day!

A deep post...

that I borrowed from someone else! I read this and just had to share. It put so much so beautifully, so well. So, I am borrowing from someone else. I have been so blessed by this particular blog, I follow so many that are such blessings!

The 30 Day Journey for Hope

I know that we have seen so many blessings from God even during what can feel like hard times. Today we were visited by yet another angel, a dear friend who is teaching us "goat farming" and putting up with all our mistakes and supporting us throughout. She has been such a kind teacher and always uplifting, not only in our efforts with our goats, but in our family life! She always has such a kind an encouraging word and it blesses us immensely.

I am trying a new thing, aiming to read one book a week and comment on it. I read a lot, I mean, a lot! I have so many books surrounding me that at times either I will never finish them in my lifetime, or I will just be really busy. By the way, that is what I do when I cannot sleep or am worried about something. I love books! Quite literally. My idea of a great date with my hubby was dinner out and a trip to our local bookstore! LOL!

Today I just finished "Gifts 2: How People with Down Syndrome Enrich the World" Edited by Kathryn Lynard Soper. It is wonderful. Lots of stories from people whose lives have been touched by Down Syndrome - parents, grandparents, siblings, other relatives, friends, teachers, therapists, etc. It was really encouraging to see how positive people can be, to look at all that really matters in the world and all the blessings each individual can and does offer. I enjoyed each and every story and would highly recommend it. There is a book "Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives", edited by the same person. I am going to have to go and look for that book! I highly recommend Gifts 2, whether your life has been touched by Down Syndrome or not. It really makes you think about the blessings of everyone in our world!

Goodnight!

Pray with us???

We are all doing really well, this isn't one of those prayer requests because things are hard. Some things are always hard - like winter in Wisconsin, especially on the farm. But God has been so good and has many "angels among us" that have really blessed into our family, even as we deal with the harder times of life.

The kids are all wonderful! Healthy, active, busy, silly, wonderful. I cannot imagine life without a single one! I would love to share with anyone our positive experiences with older child adoption and adoption, raising children, etc in general. Feel free to leave me your email and I will try to answer any questions you might have. I am sitting here listen to my kids practice the song several of them are singing for the nursing home church service we help with. Talk about making a mother's heart just swell with love, gratitude and pride!

We have an interesting situation that we are in process with and I ask for your prayers with that. I am not ready to share the details yet but hope to at some point. So, now if you could just pray that God's will be done and that we simply listen to his voice and follow his leading. God has given me such peace about a situation I adamantly had said I would not be able to work through. I see so much positive and blessing. Each step we take into this situation has resulted in more blessing which to me is a confirmation. I am again humbled and in awe of God's tender mercies to all his people!

So.

"Sing sing sing,
and make music with the heavens,
we will sing,
grateful that you hear us
when we shout your praise,
lift high the name of Jesus!

What's not to love about you,
heaven and earth adore you,
kings and kingdoms bow down,
Son of God you are the one,
you are the one we are living for."

This is what Kiley and Faith are singing while Alex is playing guitar for them. Such sweet music, something I have dreamed of for so long! How can you not just sob as you see God move. I am so very grateful. I so hope it blesses those who hear half as much as it blesses me!

Now, off we go to our Wednesday adventures!!!! Horse back riding lessons, guitar lessons, helping with the nursing home church service, a quick dinner and our own church service! We are always exhausted by the end of Wednesdays but they are so great!

Listen to this!

Click Here

Click the link above! Who says that kids can't do a lot, or you need to wait until you are grown! I am amazed and humbled!
Me

Surgery day!

Of course surgery day dawned with a winter weather warning! Ugh. But we made it in, got the kids to my mom's and got to the surgery center. Add in a bunch of hours and some sedation and waiting and recovery and now we are home, back through said storm.

All went well. The doctor found two big floaters that he thought were causing most of the trouble, and a few small ones, some tight scar tissue that he was able to release, and a couple other little things that he was able to "clean up". Steve responded well to the whole thing and I am carefully timing his pain meds so we keep him comfortable for the next day or two. He is non-weight bearing until he sees the PT on Monday. But all is going well so far.

So, he is now tucked gently into bed, current with medication dosages, leg elevated, ice on and playing with his computer. What more can you ask for?

One of he kids - Aman - has had what appears to have been possibly nervous about all this - has thrown up the last couple days off and on. Not sick at all, but vomiting a couple times. The first time I thought it was because he ate too many cookies at 4H, then he was fine until the next afternoon when he had a muffin (he had eaten in between), then was fine until early this morning, then was fine and then threw up again this afternoon. He has been absolutely fine otherwise, playing, eating off and on, no fever, nothing. I am seriously wondering if it is a nervous reaction to Dad's surgery. I am hoping so as then he can calm down now and settle down. Otherwise I will be calling the doctor soon.

Well, I hope you all are snug and warm and safe in your own beds! I am looking forward to snuggling down in mine!

Prayers please

Hi all,
Well, we are anxiously awaiting tomorrow. Steve (dh) injured his knee - again - while we were loading a horse in the beginning of December. He has had problems with this knee for many years. This makes the tenth dislocation, but only the third since his last surgery fourteen years ago. But this one was really bad. Really bad.

Imagine someone the size of a professional football player unable to walk - I am only five foot five and our oldest two boys are both just about my size. And a farm, and eight kids, and a job, and general life. Ugh. Walking did improve, but there is great pain involved.

Well, following MRIs and all sorts of stuff, surgery has been scheduled to clean up the knee. Steve's pain level has only increased over time and our normally pretty jolly hubby and dad is reduced to chronic bad pain. He has a very high pain tolerance, but this is bad. Last night it just was all over his face.

So, tomorrow is surgery day - outpatient. The kids will go with my mom (thanks Mom!) as I really don't want them sitting at home worrying and being a half hour away from where we are. I will feel better with them with Grandma.

I would greatly appreciate any prayers you might think to send. I am anticipating given how things have deteriorated in the last week or two that they will find more than they first saw on the MRI. At the very least, this will hopefully improve things and get Steve finally on the road to recovery. I just cannot think too hard about it all as the worries just pile up - how will we get him back into the house, how bad will it be, how will the kids and I manage the outside work without him (though we have been doing most of it since the injury), and on and on. I just have to not think about it and take it a step at a time. It doesn't help that another large adoptive family in blogworld just lost the daddy to a tragic accident, leaving the mom with ten kids, some with special needs. Cannot even imagine myself there. So, breathe.

I cannot imagine how Steve is feeling - I know he is ready and looking forward to it in hopes that the pain will be improved and he can finally work towards getting better. He is doing his best to shield all of us from it, but it is there. I am sort of frozen and just keep going, so probably have not been the best helpmeet to him through this. I am looking forward to being able to focus on this once we get our usual crazy Wednesday done. I have been making sure floors are cleared and give him as much room as possible, that the bed is comfortable, that we have everything arranged to keep him as comfortable as possible.

Anyway, we are off to donations, to pick up a wonderful gifting of a microwave as our is dying and unsafe (thanks Deb! what a blessing when it just isn't in the budget this month to replace), to run by a doctor's office to drop off things for labs, to guitar lessons, to help with a church service at a nursing home and then to a riding lesson before church. Somewhere in there will be a really fast dinner! Then we can focus on tomorrow.

So, thanks for reading!

Happy New Year!

I say this from the comfort of my bed, using my laptop. I have a glass of wine on the nightstand, a good book next to me and a movie that I have seen before (and enjoyed) on the TV.

The four "little kids" are in the living room gorging themselves on sugar free/caffeine free soda, crackers, chips and dip and cookies. They think they are in heaven - they have their sleeping bags all over the living room and are all set to watch the Disney channel ring in the new year! Ten year old heaven!!! LOL!

The four older kids are at a lock in at church - well, they are at a game arcade, then a bowling alley, and then back at church for music until dawn! They have been humming with excitement for quite some time and it reached fever pitch all day long. They happily left the house for the night - 12 to 15 year old version of heaven. I get to pick them up at 6 AM and I expect that they will SLEEP most of the morning (as the little kids likely will also!). Well, that will get me up to go into work for a little while tomorrow. Then I am anticipating a monster waffle making marathon! What a way to ring in the new year!

I guess when I look back (maybe 16 or so years ago) this looks pretty tame, but to me, tonight it is the epitome of contentment. I am warm, cozy, my honey here with me in good health if you ignore his knee (surgery is scheduled for next week), my kids are all healthy, happy and growing like they should be. What more could you ask for?

Well, unlimited wealth, but that really doesn't matter. A better barn for our farm - well, we are working towards that. A van that has a working heater - a couple more weeks and we will get that done too. So, there really isn't anything profound that we are lacking this year. We are planning to continue working hard, loving our kids, building our farm, and hopefully getting better at all of this. The most important things in life we are abundantly blessed with - family, health (thanking God for my mom's clean bill of health today - for a bit I thought I might be counting the minutes with her again, but all is well), jobs, energy, our faith, our home, and a positive outlook. Most days anyway! LOL!

God has brought about so many things about in the last couple years, I barely know how to even wonder about the future. I highly suspect that our journey will continue, in whatever way God wills.

Tonight, I look at the new year with a deep sense of hope and contentment. I am so grateful for the blessings that we have, and want to be dedicated to being a good steward of them all - my children, husband and home. Life is so much more than I had ever imagined, sometimes hard, sometimes wildly joyful, sometimes uncertain, but always a blessing, even in the hard times.

I wonder about resolutions. Do you make them? I used to, but haven't for quite a while. I saw on another blog that I read that she decided to make ones that were in reach. I am stealing one of hers - one I have never been able to do, to read the entire Bible in one year. Another, to keep writing, in whatever form. Third to build more routines into our lives - I love not having routines, but we all do love them when we get into them. I may make small goals for each month - this month (January) I would like to declutter for 15 minutes a day. Sounds reachable, doesn't it? We shall see!

I hope and pray that whoever might read this is finding contentment and progress in their own life, and that God's hand is upon them. I pray that you have a wonderful 2010! Happy New Year!!!!!!!