We flew the South African flag from our house on Sparkle's birthday. Here he is, bringing the flag to the front yard on his birthday morning.
I can't believe he's four years old. I can't believe how blessed we are that this amazing South African child is our son.
Happy Love Thursday, everyone!
(Edited: photos removed)
Our family loves the whole Christmas season, and especially making Christmas cookies! (And licking the beaters! Mmmmm....)
(These pictures are from one year ago today. Sparkle really wanted to help with the mixer, but notice that he wasn't even paying attention. He was probably looking for the other beater.)
More Love Thursday at Chookooloonks.
It's Love Thursday!
Today is the third anniversary of the day we received Sparkle's referral.
We had been waiting for about four months after our profile was sent to South Africa. The whole time we had been praying urgently for our baby and his/her mother-- that his mom would get enough folic acid, that she would know where to go to find safety or help when she needed them, that she would not be afraid to attach to the baby and that he would feel welcome and loved while waiting to be born, that she would have a safe delivery, and a million other things...
Two days before we had gotten a strange voice mail from our adoption agency. Our referral was not quite ready to be sent, but we had a tentative court date in South Africa on October 1, so maybe think about buying plane tickets because they are so much cheaper if you buy them at least two weeks before you fly, but maybe wait for your referral...
We video-taped the machine playing that message. Oh my gosh, the suspense was killer.
At work two days later, I got a phone call from our adoption agency.
"You have a little boy! He's five months old!"
Joy!!!
Hooray! Oh my gosh, I have to see him! I HAVE TO SEE MY BABY BOY!! Call Beloved! Hurry home! Don't you dare open the email before I get there! Hurry!
We looked at his pictures first, of course. I have never seen a more beautiful baby in my whole life, truly. We read the referral out load, and I memorized all five pages of information about him.
We called my mom. (We videotaped this, too.) She was crying on the phone before she even saw his picture. Then both of us were laughing and crying and exclaiming over this beautiful little baby boy.
Both Beloved and I had to go back to work then, but not before I printed out about ten copies of one of his pictures.
After all my sweet co-workers admired him, I tacked one copy of his picture above my desk beside this verse which was my comfort and prayer while we waited for this happy referral:
"But these things I plan won't happen right away.
Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place.
It will not be late by a single day."
(Habakkuk 2:3 from the New Living Translation)
Beloved took this picture almost two years ago one late summer day at the park. The three of us (no baby Pumpkin yet) were lying on the grass in the sun. This was the first time we played "airplane" with Sparkle, and he loved it. This picture reminds me of relaxed, fun times we've spent together as a family.
(Go to Chookooloonks to see more Love Thursday posts.)
