The Big Day

To help create some extra fun for Titus' big day we hung streamers from his door and filled his room with balloons while he slept the night before.  

What a fun way to begin a birthday day!

What birthday would be complete without a special waffle breakfast complete with a birthday candle?  

Titus loved his first waffle.  

But, wasn't too happy about waiting to eat his waffle while Mommy and Daddy sang Happy Birthday and took pictures. 

We then went outside to look at the 4-5" of snow, while Daddy packed up the car so we could go celebrate the big day with family 

Mommy & Daddy spent a lot of time decorating at Papa & Grammy's house, cooking, and making everything special for the big day.

 

What a fun 1st birthday party!

 

 

Saturday night, Uncle Eric, Aunt Kate and Cousins Elle & Zane came to celebrate Titus too.

Two birthdays in two days means double the cupcakes and double the fun!

 On this special day we celebrate our Titus' life and God's perfect provision in bringing him to us.

We can't wait to see what the next year brings.

A year in review

 

1 week old

 

1 month old

 

2 months

  

3 months

 

4 months

 

5 months

6 months

 7 months

8 months

 9 months

 

 10 months

11 months

12 months

From laying and being bottle fed in our arms,
to drinking and feeding yourself.

From crying for us

to saying, "mama, dada," when you need or want us

From sleeping 20 hours a day and waking every 3 hours to eat
to sleeping most of the night with 1 long nap a day

From being cuddled constantly
to mama and daddy trying to catch a cuddle when we can

From staying in one place
to being chased as you crawl as fast as you can

From little smiles
to out loud giggles

and...

From not being born from our bodies
to now an irreplaceable place in our hearts

Today,
we celebrate you!
We love watching your sweet little personality come to life!

We love you little mister man!

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!

A busy weekend

This past weekend we drove a couple of hours to meet other Home of God's Love families to celebrate Chinese New Year.  We are blessed to have so many opportunities to celebrate Titus' heritage with so many people!

Since the celebration was in the same town that Uncle Braden, Aunt Clarissa and Cousins Hadley and Braxton live; we decided to make a weekend of it and spend some time together.

 Hadley & Braxton love their "Baby Titus"

We had the special treat of watching Braxton and Coach Braden  in action during a basketball game on Saturday morning.  We often wish we lived closer so we could enjoy more of these fun aunt and uncle moments.

 I think B was having a great time.

Love that smile!

Because it's preschool basketball the coaches are on the floor at all times.  It's great that the little ones can have one-on-one help.  We had a great time and it's really hysterical watching this age play!

We were also ecstatic when they in turn, decided to attend the CNY party with us.  Hadley was overjoyed as she loves reading about other cultures.  She has been reading lots of books from the library about CNY, China, and adoption.  I love to watch her learn and explore.

Thanks Hadley for helping me make egg rolls!

We spent a lovely evening eating, talking and meeting with other families.  It never ceases to amaze me how God uses adoption to build families.  We saw several classmates from our alma mater, Ozark Christian College, that have also adopted from THOGL. So exciting to watch how God intertwines our lives yet once again.

6 months ago

We were in Taiwan

I knew very little about it or what life would be like there.
Our son's birth country
90 miles from mainland China
Mandarin Chinese is the national language
A whole different culture
And those were the main things that I knew.
But now, when I think of Taiwan literally thousands of pictures come to mind...

Memories
Faces
Stories
People

The Home that has facilitated in creating many forever families.

 The majesty and beauty of God's creation found in the
marble at Taroko Gorge.

Singing Amazing Grace together with Ted and The Crowdus
in a cave were a secret church met almost 100 years ago.

The largest Taoist temple in Taiwan that overlooks
The Home of God's Love.
Sometimes during the evening and late night hours
we would hear chanting and worshiping.

The streets of Taipei filled with incense, food, and
paper prayer cards
 all to be given to false gods and deceased ancestors
because it was ghost month.

Oh how my heart now breaks for the lost people of Taiwan.
Will they ever know the Truth?
70% Chinese religions (Buddhism/Taoism/Confucianism)
28% nonreligious
2% Evangelical Christians

I also picture the beautiful children at The Home
that have childhoods so different from my own.
Despite the cultural divide and language barriers we found alternative means to communicate
through hugs, tickles, teasing, and playing games.
My life will forever be changed by these beautiful faces.

The love for two people who have taken James 1:27 to heart;

ministering for 42 years in the country of Taiwan

Thank you Ted and Bev!!!

 

Remembering Bev's prayer over Titus 

before we began our long journey home

still makes me weep.

 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.  

I Thessalonians 1:3

Of course, one of the best moments  is when

my aching arms  finally held my baby boy for the first time. 

Oh the joy and love!