"Happy, Happy, Happy!" - Chad Ona Sullivan

Today I woke up exhausted, okay that’s not necessarily a new thing, but I was MORE exhausted than usual. Last night I had changed all of our sheets after all of us were treatment for the boys having a possible scabies case.  Then the dog puked on Parkers bed.  Not only the comforter, but the sheets and matress cover too.  Changed his sheets again.  Then went to the bathroom and found someone had diarrhea and missed the toilet and there were little brown footprints all over the bathroom and bathroom rug!  But as  I made breakfast for my four little ones, I just about busted out of my skin in happiness! I asked Jamey, “How in the world, can I feel so bad and yet feel so good?”

The answer to that question is that little four letter word ……LOVE. There is so much love in this house you can’t help but smile! Sometimes I wonder if I am actually dreaming. Did I really go to Africa and bring these two perfect boys home? I am just amazed. I saw where they were from, the awful orphanage they almost died in. I keep wondering, how they could live through such circumstances and still be so darn perfect.

I don’t always listen to God. Most of my life was spent ignoring him. Let me tell you from experience, if you listen to what God calls you to do, no matter how difficult or crazy it may seem at the time, you will be rewarded inside. I’ve never been so glad that I finally gave in to what I know I was suppose to do. I can’t imagine not being Chad and Ian’s mommy. We were all six simply meant to be together.  I only pray that others will listen to their calling and not be afraid.

I am called to do more than just adopt from the DRC. There is so much devastation there. I must help somehow. I feel God sent me there not only for my boys but for something more. I just haven’t took the time to put on my good listening ears to hear what exactly it is. I am anxious to find out what it is. But for now I am taking the time to cuddle the four bundles of joy I am so very blessed to call my babies.

Oh, and yes, I am the one who is blessed. Not these two little boys. This is a new pet peeve of mine. I keep hearing how wonderful we are and how we are such a blessing for these two little boys. No people, you don’t understand at all, they are the blessing to us.

The following pictures were taken with Parker's new camera.  That may be why there are no pictures of Livia ; )  I will get my camera back soon and will take some of my other beauty.

Parker loving on his little brother Chad.

On Sunday, Chad would fuss anytime Parker put him down.  Parker was complaining he was getting heavy.  I tried to take him and Chad said "No Mama, Parker!"  Chad loves his big brother!  So, Parker resorted to a sling!

"Happy, Happy, Happy!", Chad's favorite thing to say!

Chad being Chad!

I love this little face!  Snot and all!

We are all home and doing great!

Well, if you haven’t guessed I have been REALLY busy! But I am enjoying every minute of the craziness! I do want to share about my trip sometime but today I am giving some little updates on the family. Ian and Chad have adjusted amazingly well. They have been home for 2 ½ weeks and it seems like they have been here forever. Chad sleeps all night. He has not woke up once : ) Ian on the other hand wakes up twice and sometimes has a hard time falling back to sleep. I can’t wait for the day that he sleeps all night! I am still pretty exhausted. I feel like I haven’t quite recovered from our trip. Or maybe I am just to old to have toddlers again!

They have visited the pediatrician and both appear to be in really good health. Chad has started walking from person to person! This is a big step for him! Ian began crawling 2 minutes later! The competition between brothers begins!

Ian is the most easy going child (except at night). He just takes everything in. He enjoys bouncing on your lap and speaks a lot of baby talk and boy can he smile. Chad is quite the character! He is a big ham! He loves to be the center of attention. He gets pretty upset when people in Walmart do not notice him. He will start yelling “Yo Papa!“ or “Yo Mama!“ Which basically means “Hey you!“ in Lingala. He is speaking so much English already. He has almost stopped using all of his Lingala, even though we have encouraged him to keep using it. Our family has always said “ByeYo” (bye in Lingala), but Chad decided he now says, “See ya!” We are hoping to meet up soon with a lady from Bloomington that we met in the DRC. She speaks fluent Lingala and is excited about helping Chad keep his native language and help the rest of us learn more.

Livia is such a little mommy. Bottles, rocking, diapers, the girl does it all! She can’t stand to see them cry, whine or be unhappy. She is going to spoil them rotten! Parker loves his new brothers. Chad and him play a lot. Ian loves to kiss Parker more than anyone else. It is so sweet to see! Parker has been a little kiss shy (except with mommy and daddy) since he started school. But he loves Ian’s kisses slobber and all!

I am still trying to get into a routine and figuring out how to do everything with babies on my hips. Slings are a wonderful thing! I recommend the K-Tan sling to everyone who has little ones who need to be held. But I am soooooo happy and love having little babies again! I am not taking time to proof read this (to much laundry to do), so please ignore the mistakes!

Here are a few pictures and I promise it won’t be so long before I write next time!

Here are a few pictures of us at the airport.  Finally we are all together!

 

Chad being a ham at Thanksgiving!

Ian finally decides he likes food!

Three of my four boys enjoying the hot tub.

Emotion Filled Friday

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Emotion Filled Friday

Stori with a lapfull at the orphanage.

Chad laughing uncontrollably

Ian's beautiful face

They were worn out at the end of the day.  One of the sweetest things I've seen is if they are sleeping and Ian cries, or even whines, Chad rolls over in his sleep and comforts him.

First, I apologize to all of those who have been checking my blog.  I simply have had no time to write!

Well, Sunday night was the hardest day of my life.  Leaving Livia and Parker was so hard.  They are so excited but just did not want us to leave them.  I didn't want to leave them at all.  I was very mad at myself.  I really wished one of us would have stayed home with them.  We have called home several times and of course they are doing fine.  But we all terribly miss each other and we can't wait to get home!

We arrived in Kinshasa on Tuesday around 2:00.  Pastor Loma picked us up and drove us to the guest house.  The boys arrived a few minutes after we did.  I was so overwhelmed with emotion!  My boys were right before my eyes!  I could actually hold them.  I held myself back for a few minutes and talked to them.  Ian came right to me.  He is so adorable.  I then passed him on to Jamey were he fell asleep.  I decided to spend all of my attention on Chad.   Chad would cry everytime I looked at him.  I believe they had been preparing him for this day.  He knew what was going on and he did not like it.  My heart broke for him.  Pastor Loma and his family stayed with us for probably 45 minutes.  I finally decided to hold Chad.  He did not cry and hasn't ever since.  When I finally gave him to Jamey, he fell asleep too.  Daddy seems to have the magic touch.

We all slept together in a king size bed surrounded by mosqito netting. Using a flashlight, I felt like we were camping.  Couldn't help but think that Livia and Parker would really like it!  Wednesday we took the boys to the clinic.  It was probably only 5 miles away, but took about 2 hours to get there.  The boys were wonderful.  The trip was a very long one still.  With no air, high tempeture, high humidity and 11 people in a  mini-van it sure was hot and sweaty!  The boys only got blood drawn and will have a thorough examination next Monday.  They had a very hard time finding a vein on Ian.  It was very hard to see him in pain.  But he was over that very quickly.

Ian has bonded with me very quickly.  He wants to snuggle and give me kisses all the time!  Yesterday, he would fuss if I was not next to him.  He would cry and stop as soon as I picked him up.  He is a very happy baby!  He laughs and smiles and coos a lot and sings a lot too.  He is also very active and jumps on me non stop.  He's sort of hard to hold.  He is very strong.  Jamey found a scale here at the guest house and he weighs 11# and Chad weighs 19#.  We aren't for sure how accurate the scales are, they appear to be very old.  But they both are very small!  Ian has been wearing 3-6 month clothing and some 9 month old.  The clothes I packed for Chad 18-24 months  have been big on him and he has been wearing Ians 9 month old onsies.  I have a feeling both of the boys will be growing very quickly.  Ian takes lots of formula and Chad is eating all of mine and Jamey's meals (at the guest house we are served our meals and only a small amount is prepared)!  We are so excited that he has such a good appetite.  He had been eating mostly bread.  So, I am so pleasantly suprised that he likes green beans, greens, chicken and meat.  He just will eat anything so far.

Chad hasn't cried at all.  But he is not himself yet around us.  When we are with Pastor Loma he lights up and his personality comes out.  He smiles and talks (French and Lingala)!  With only us he still talks, unfortunately we cannot understand him.  He is much more subdued.  It is such a big change for him and he has been through so much already.  But he does love to snuggle!  Will stand and try to walk with assistance.  But he tires very easily.  He had Malaria and I don't think he has ever recovered his full strengh since than.  Well, they just rang the bell so I've got to go feed him some lunch.  I will try to right more the next chance I get.

Well, I am back.  Well fed happy babbies!  They are both so easy.  They never cry.  Ian cries only when he is hungry and has as I mentioned cries when I leave the room.  But he has started being fine with Jamey today.

 Oh, and did I mention how cute they are!  Here are some pictures!  

Chad looking at a book.

Ian giggling!

Ian kissing Stori

Ian and Stori

Chad asleep on Jamey

FINALLY!!!!

WOW!   I can't believe the time is almost FINALLY here!  I am so anxious, nervous, happy, prepared, yet unprepared.....I am just feeling so many things right now.  Packing has been my biggest stress this week.  How do you fit everything you need for two weeks for two babies and yourself in your carry on's?  It seems to be an impossible task!  I am finally almost finished with it : )
 
I am not nervous about our trip at all.  I am very nervous about leaving Livia and Parker.  I am going to miss them so much!  I cry thinking about it.  My outgoing little Livia is excited about all of the adventures she will have while I am gone.  Parker on the other hand would rather stay home.  He is very, very sad we are leaving.  It just breaks my heart to see his tears.  Although, yesterday, I said we would be leaving in 4 days,  he actually replied, "I am so excited!"  Of course, not because we were leaving, but because he knew he would soon finally have his brothers home!  I am so lucky to be blessed with children with such big hearts!

Today I am asking all of my readers to pray.  Pray for my babies I am leaving here.  May they have fun with grandparents and cousins and be comforted in knowing I will be home as fast as I can.  Pray for my new babies as they make such a big transition.  May they find comfort in our arms as they are taken from anothers arms.  Finally, pray that we all make it through the big transition when we come back home!  I just can't wait for that first family hug!

Beautiful Boys, Beautiful People

I was pleasantly suprised to get two more new pictures of my beautiful boys.  They have no idea how many people here are loving them, praying for them, and waiting to hold them.  I am just so overwhelmed by all the support we have gotten.  I knew I'd have the support of all those close to me.  But I am suprised by all the other people who are praying, donating to the orphanages, and offering their help in any way the can.

These people have kept my hopes up when I saw my boys starving.  They helped hold my heart together when we lost Linda and Dokta.  They helped keep my mind together when our trip was postponed over a month.  These people have donated over $1500 towards supplies and have given many supplies for the children we must leave behind in the D.R.C.  These people are just AWESOME!   Thank you!  I love you all! 

Let the Sun Shine!

Yesterday we had a birthday party for Parker.  It is a month before his birthday, but we will be coming home with two little ones the week of his birthday.  Didn't know if they would be ready for 12 kids running around.  So, Parker happily agreed to an early birthday party. 
After what seems of a month of clouds and rain,  the sun shined for his party!  We had scavenger hunts, roasted marshmellows,  went on a hay ride and found pumpkins and did a lot of swinging!  Then Parker enjoyed a slumber party with his wonderful cousins!  I think it was a pretty good day!

The Crazy Gang!

Parker swinging with his buddy Koby.

Livia and Jonathon......cute, cute, cute!

Parker with his spider cupcake!

There is also a lot of good adoption news to share! We recieved news that the Terry's got their referral picture!  I am so excited for them!  The Solberg's paperwork is moving along really quickly!  And we recieved new pictures!!! 

Chad.  Can't wait to see him smile : )

Ian is sitting up all by himself!

Mama Josephine giving my babies some love : )

By the way, we leave in 2 weeks!