Coming Home Sunday!

Hi, everybody!

Well, I'm sitting here on the couch in my fuzzy white robe with a few second to type something! We're having a great time and are gearing up for T2 near Saverna Park, MD - Thanksgiving two with Ben's Mom's side of the family tonight. It's pretty chilly here today with a high expected of about 42 degrees I think. It's been very relaxing, and we're starting to get things together for our drive home tomorrow which usually takes us close to 10 hours with holiday traffic! Ugh!

On another note, Miss Ava has her first cold and is a little under the weather. We went out late last night and got Little Noses to help her breathe a little better. She's a real trooper, though. Even being sick, she's still smiling! She's sleeping in the same room with us, and Ben and I were up last night checking on her every once in awhile. She's having trouble breathing through her nose, so sucking her thumb has been a little tricky!

I'm excited to post some Thanksgiving pictures when we get home! Please pray for our drive home if you're reading this - that it will be uneventful, and Ava will be comfortable.

Love and Thanksgiving to all!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Tomorrow, we're headed eight hours north to West Friendship, Maryland to visit Ben's family this week and introduce Miss Ava! I'll post some pictures when I get back!

I am so grateful for this season, but I must be honest and tell you that I'm also so grateful for the very difficult season that was eight years of my life, as I know that it left me humbled, stronger and clinging to the hope that is my Savior. He is very near to those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit. I know that full well. In this broken world that we live in, He's so good, and He's so faithful.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Love everyone,

Emily

Ava is 3 Months Old!

First, I finally found the song that spoke to my heart SO many times during the last eight years. It's "In the Waiting" by Greg Long, the first song now on my playlist. I don't remember the first time I heard it, but everytime I caught it on the radio, tears would stream down my face because I was so "In the Waiting." This song is dedicated to any of my readers who are also "In the Waiting" and who are praying for a peace that passeth all understanding. Most of all, I want you to know that it's ok for you to be in that place...His strength in you will come in that precious time...

Three months ago, Ava had just been born at 1:56 a.m, and here I was as the adoptive Mom following this little bundle down the hallway into the nursery. I think this picture was taken close to 3:00 a.m. This picture captures so much for me- the waiting, the longing, the surprise and astonishment and the peace and expectation all wrapped up together. I had a special bracelet that allowed me to come into the nursery. I kept it to show Ava one day.



Now, three months later, Ava and Saki are lounging on the couch together! My special bracelet has been put away for safe keeping. I think Saki gets the good sport kitty award this week! Notice that Lucy, the other cat, is not pictured! She's sulking somewhere in the corner...







Me and Ava hanging out in the nursery. I kept trying to get a one handed camera shot of the two of us!



I can't believe that Ava is already three months old! It seems like yesterday when Ben and I were bringing her home from GA! She's babbling away now and holding her head up like a pro. I have some video I'm going to try to upload this morning. Ben usually does that, so I need to figure this out!

Her favorite thing to look at right now is fans! We're having a slow Saturday. I got all of my thank you notes completed yesterday! Again, I am SO GRATEFUL for all of the warm wishes and generous gifts for Ava.

On another note, I drove twenty minutes to the airport last night to tell the Kato family goodbye. I called Ben afterwards and told him that it felt like a piece of my heart broke off. I am going to miss that family SO much. Please pray for them if you're reading this. I know the Lord answers our prayers in His timing, and I don't want to stop praying for them to know Him.

Ok! Enjoy the pictures and video if I can get it uploaded!

Miss Independence

Just in the last few days, Ava has started "holding" her bottle while we feed her. She'll hold it for a few minutes at a time. She is very strong and insists on putting her hands on the bottle! :)

I'm at home today writing thank you notes and catching up on some paperwork and such. Ava is babbling away as I write this post. I hope to upload some video soon of her noises!

Hope everyone is having a blessed day! I hope to post a longer post soon. Martha, my plan is to send you a "thoughtful" e-mail today. I've been pondering some things I wanted to share with you. :) Amy, I posted on your blog which I discovered today! We have GOT to catch up! I was drooling at your Japan pictures!

Looking Up!

Ava had tummy time yesterday and held her head up for the first time!



This picture just cracks me up! I had the flash on, and Ava's blue eyes really stand out! Here, we were having some "look at Mommy's crazy facial expressions time."



Good morning, everyone!

Monday is underway, and it feels like I have a thousand things to do! Anyone else out there feeling that? I am making a conscious choice, though, to try not get anxious and fretful about all of it. Most of the "things I have to do" are not as important as I often make them out to be! Perfection rearing its ugly head lately....

I'm aware of making a deliberate choice to simplify this holiday season and concentrate on family and friends. I'm trying my best to keep up with a Beth Moore Stepping Up Bible study with some women on Wednesdays, and I just want to sit and soak up the words I'm hearing - to look to Him who is enthroned above me and enthroned over all that I "have to do" and keep my eyes focused on Him.

How quickly my eyes can look down at the rather large plate before me. I watch myself as I pick up my fork and place this and that on the plate. Sometimes, I place things on my plate, and other times, other people place things on my plate! Know what I'm talking about?

The other day, I quickly became stressed about getting Ava's announcements finished, Christmas cards and Christening invitations picked out, thank you notes written and sent and making a Christmas stocking. Good grief! That plate looks pretty full! I won't tell you some of the things I was spooning onto my plate in addition to all of that! I knew something in my spirit was off, so I stopped and said, "Whoah." What is it I really have to do? The answer came back as love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind and others as myself. I didn't hear anything about perfect holiday decorating or the perfect baby announcment in there anywhere! Whew! What a relief!

When I look to Him and let Him define my "perfection" it's easier to let go of some of the "have tos." Right now, I have to fix my eyes on Him to get back on track and not try to keep up with my own crazy expectations of myself! Anyone else have crazy expectations of yourself, especially at this time of year?

My goal in the next weeks ahead is to be thankful and grateful for all that God has given to me and helped me through and to worship the newborn King... Two things on my plate.... The other things are really just sides and pats of butter. I'll get to those.

Lord, please help me focus on the main course this holiday season. May God bless each of you in the coming weeks.

Hi, Amy!!

Amy!

I am so thrilled you found my blog!! I was just telling Ben that I haven't seen you in ages!! Holidays always remind me of our fun times together when we were little! What is your e-mail address? I tried to google you and found some wedding pictures but they were so not you! I can't wait to catch up! How amazing that we both have a heart for Japan! I hope to talk soon! Love, Emily

Ava is 12 weeks old!

Ava is about 13 lbs and Saki, our cat, is also about 13 lbs! Saki needs to lose some lbs...




I had some relatively quiet time tonight to sit down and reminisce the past twelve weeks, and wow, how time has flown! The magnitude of the moment of Ava's birth came through again to me in pictures tonight. I still just sit and look at her and those pictures and wonder...

I went to my dentist today, and the women there know our story, and they got to meet Ava for the first time. Everyone marvels at the story. I tell them that God is just marvelous and can do exceedingly more than we could possibly ask or imagine! Not sure I'll ever look at an ice cream cone the same way... I'm still so overwhelmed by the timing of everything and how quickly it happened!

The pictures here show Ava sucking her thumb minutes after birth. I'm convinced that she sucked that little thumb in the womb. Just the last week or so, she's starting to find it again.

Tomorrow, we're on our way to Nashville to get re-fingerprinted for our China adoption - just one last road to travel to bring Maia home next year. We're also in the process of getting documents county and state certified - just a little more red tape to cut through to bring her home. I told someone the other day that if I had to roast marshmallows on a boat in the middle of the ocean to bring her home, I would!

I hope everyone is having a great week. It's raining here, and naps are calling my name this week!

Kokoro Wo Komete - From the Heart

For God so loved the world...

I imagine God looking at the great nation of Japan with great love and affection in His eyes and great passion for them to know Him. I imagine this because of a special love He put in my heart for them. I am passionate about the Japanese people and have known for years that this love comes from the Lord. I believe that He has called me to love them passionately because He wants to reveal Himself to them through me. I'm so not perfect at sharing my faith with them as I blubber and blunder around. I've tried, though, and I know God hears my voice and supplications over and over again as I pray for them. It is my fervent desire to love them with the love of Christ that they may come to know him. They are my brothers and sisters, and even an ocean away, I can pray for them. God is big and He works across oceans and lands. Thank you, Father, that I don't through perfect witnessing have to "save" them. I know that's the Holy Spirit's work. You know my heart for them and the times we've shared together here. Please hear my prayers...

Last Saturday night, we shared a very special evening with the Kato family, some dear friends of ours who are leaving soon to return to Japan. Ben worked with Mitch-san at Denso, and through the years, we've become close friends. Chi Chi and Mayu are their girls, and I honestly think they're some of the cutest kids in the world. We spent some time this year making Thanksgiving turkeys together! I will miss this family so very much. Many of our friends who came here to work for Denso are now back in Japan. The time that they spend here is precious to many of them, and it's a bittersweet return to their beautiful country. I will always remember our time together.

I made a promise to Chi Chi and a dear friend, Junko, that I would someday visit them in Japan. That's a dream of mine, to go their country and spend time with them there. Someday... :)

Kokoro wo komete is Japanese for "from the heart."

Here are some pictures from our holiday celebrations through the years...


Sharing the meaning of Christmas in 2005 with my dear friend, Junko, who is now back in Japan. This picture was taken shortly before she returned home. I'll never forget this day. We were both in tears as we said our goodbyes and promised each other that we would meet again. My prayer is for this to be true either on the shores of America or Japan or on the Heavenly shores someday. My prayers for her to know Jesus are constant and fervent. She is my sister an ocean away,and I miss her dearly.



Me in 2004 behind a lap full of fun - Chi Chi is in the foreground.



Chi Chi and Mayu posing in front of the Christmas tree in 2006. Can you tell they are used to posing for pictures? Cuties!



All smiles at Christmas 2006...



Ben and Mitch(Mitsuru)-san celebrating Christmas in 2006 with Chi Chi and Mayu.



Mitch (Mitsuru), Sachiko, Chi Chi and Mayu celebrating the Christmas season with us in 2007!



Making Christmas cookies with Chi Chi and Mayu in 2007. We had so much fun and had SO much flour ALL OVER THE PLACE!



Chi Chi and Mayu showing their Thanksgiving turkeys 2008! I asked them what they were thankful for, and Chi Chi, the eldest said, "Golden Retrievers and flowers." Mayu, the youngest, said, "Ducks." :)



Chi Chi and Mayu holding baby Ava...

Pretty as a Picture

It's 12:00 a.m! I should SO be in bed! Here are a few of my favorite 2-month old pictures to enjoy! Oh, and yes, that's a scratch on her little nose from the night before! Thankfully, the pictures we ordered buffed that out. I think it's kind of cute, though! Goodnight...

Ava is 2 Months Old!

Miss Ava turned two months old October 21st!

Weight: 12 lbs 9oz
Length: 22 inches
Eye color: Blue!
Hair color: blondish-brown

I took her to Sears for her 2-month portraits and will try to post some of those pictures on here later this week. We're settling in tonight to watch election returns!

Oh, and I said I'd tell about my emergency room visit! I had stabbing pains in my left rib cage most of Sunday, and they worstened when I was at my Aunt's house Sunday night. I'm talking pain scale of 9 out of 10. Because we weren't sure what was causing it, we went to the emergency room, and I was diagnosed with pleurisy. It's basically an inflammation of the lining of the lung/rib cage area and takes about a month to heal. I'm not exactly sure why I have it... I'm not supposed to be lifting much at all, which is tough, because I have to lift a 13-pounder right now! I'm taking it as easy as I can, though, and I hope this will heal completely very very soon! Happy Election Day everyone!

My School Shower! Cherished Memories and Lessons and Gifts from the Lord

Gathered together in our school library is the circle of friends from my years of teaching sixth grade math at Maryville Intermediate School. I was so touched that they came to celebrate the finale of a very difficult season with me! Thank you, everyone, for your kindnesses and your encouragement during my time there. I couldn't wait to celebrate with you!!



I began teaching sixth grade on the Stingray team at MIS in the fall of 2000, and at that time, I really had no idea about the difficult road of infertility that lay ahead of me. My years at MIS were unforgettable in so many ways, and it was there that God molded me, sculpted me, refined me, comforted me and taught me the often painful but necessary lessons of humility, submission and not comparing myself to others. I now reflect as I write this on the many times I walked up the stairs to my classroom with a heavy heart but a joyful heart because I was doing what I loved to do: teaching and encouraging children.

The pages of my story there are filled with ink spilling out onto the page, each page barely able to contain all of the memories of joy mixed with suffering and heartache. I remember vividly the day of my miscarriage in 2002 during 7th period and the flood of wishes from faculty and students afterwards. I remember where I was standing in my classroom when 911 happened. I remember all too well the passing of a student and a dear friend/teaching assistant, on two different mornings, two different years. I remember so much. My colleagues became like family to me, and I'd still do anything for any of them.

I remember countless procedures and bloodwork that took me away from my 1st period class, and the monthly disappointments of not being able to start a family. I remember the children I taught, the students I dearly loved, even the difficult ones. They all needed so much love and the gift of encouragment which I know the Lord has given me. I know I was there for a purpose during those years. Teaching was my heart and still is, and I dearly miss the profession, the many children who walked through my door, and my colleagues.

I resigned my position in 20O3 to pursue more serious fertility treatments, and I remember that it was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make. I will always cherish my time there and remember how God changed me in the midst of the struggle there. My keyboard and desk were wet with my tears on too many days to count, but the joy from teaching those precious children far outweighed that grief. Thank you, Father, for my years there. Thank you for those children, some of whom you know I am still petioning you about, and thank you, dear dear friends, for standing beside me and helping me. Janet Weigand, my TA who is now with Jesus, thank you for those time you allowed me to go in for bloodwork by starting my class for me. I know you're rejoicing with me now! And now...

These gracious friends hosted my shower. It was beautiful! THANK YOU Wendy, Eva, Michelle, Barbara and Donna! Debbie, one of my dearest friends/colleauges in the world, wasn't able to be there, but I know she was there in spirit. I love you all!



Here we are together again! It's a shower today - not a faculty meeting! :)



Ava posing in the hat given to her by Beth Fain. She wears this everywhere now that it's turning colder outside! It's so cute on her!



These are two of my great friends, Whitney and April, who I shared a lot of laughs and tears with during my time of teaching at MIS! I miss you guys!



After the shower, we headed to my Aunt Syd's house for a family birthday celebration. Ah, it feels good to sit down and just rest...



I love this picture of my Mom and Ruthie, my grandmother. These are sweet moments together for my family these days as my grandmother struggles with Alzheimers. We love her so much and remember many a family meal and party that she prepared for us through the years. I miss your chocolate pie, Ruthie!



Ruthie just stares at Ava. She is so taken with her. I love this picture of them together.




Here's me and my little cousin, Katie, who's a senior in high school this year! She hopes to pursue a degree in marine biology someday. Maybe she can help me with my fear of sharks! This picture was taken shortly before they whisked me away to the emergency room! More on that in the next post! That's part of why it's taken me so long to get all of these posts up! :)

Little Ladybug for Halloween

Hi, everyone!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few days. It's been a little crazy around our house this week/weekend. I thought you'd enjoy some pictures of Miss Ava as a Ladybug for Halloween this year! She looked so cute in her outfit. The hat just cracked us up. Underneath, she was wearing a pumpkin outfit!

I'll post the second shower pictures very soon and write a longer post. I just want to curl up on the couch tonight and read my Beth Moore book with a cup of hot tea. (If you're a Beth Moore fan, it's the study called Stepping Up: Psalms of Ascent) It's a wonderful study and takes you deep into the Psalms. I especially like it because on any given day, I can go through any of the emotions that the writers like David, Moses, etc went through! So glad I'm not alone! Ava is already asleep, and it's 7:30 new time. I'm sure she'll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning! I hope everyone had a nice Halloween. Enjoy the pictures! :)



Ava with Mom and Dad at their house. We enjoyed hotdogs, potato casserole and pumpkin pie for dessert!




Ava's hair matches the color of the pumpkins in this picture!