The Bear's First Haircut!

We took the "Bear" to get his first haircut yesterday! We had planned on just having it trimmed but the wonderful barber suggested that we cut all the baby hair off (since he had patched everywhere) and let it grow in even. When the barber started cutting I was almost in tears... the Bear went from a baby to a little boy right before my eyes. He is still a cutie but I can't wait for those curls to come back. Enjoy the pictures.

The Bear's First Mom

A year ago our family was still "waiting" and praying that we would have the opportunity to parent another child and at the same time last year "A" the Bears first Mom was just days a way from delivering her baby boy. I think about her a lot during a normal week but this week she is heavy on my heart. We did not get the chance to meet the Bears first Mom yet we love her and pray for her daily. The first time he smiled, the first bath, the first time he sat up, the first time he ate cereal, his first tooth, crawling, curls, walking in all of these I have thought of "A" and hoped in my heart that she knew that the Bear was happy and healthy. Yet I have a peace and rest in the fact that she looked into his eyes first, she held his tiny little body close, she gave him his first kiss she showed him what real love is when she chose life and brought him into this world. We are thinking of "A" this week as we celebrate the Bears first birthday. We will celebrate with cake and laughter but in my heart I grieve that she will not be with us... that she has missed this year... that she has not heard his laughter and his gruff baby voice. My wish for the Bear this year is that he will have the chance to know "A" his first Mom and that she will want to know him.

When should a firstfamily view profiles???

There is an interesting discussion once again going on the web forum that I frequent (probably too often) about the percent of failed placements. There was an interesting point made that first moms and dads should not even look at profiles until after the babies birth. At first I thought well, that won't give them much time to choose an adoptive family for their child and as I processed it more it just made more sense for first families and potential adoptive families.
I think that if more first families did not even see profiles until after the babies birth then they would not have the pressure of feeling like if they changed their mind and decided to parent that they would be hurting someone in the process. This way they could make the choice of parenting or placing with no added fear of hurting a family that they may have become very close to.
I think that this would also help guard potential adoptive families hearts. A failed placement is painful but if we waited until these first moms could see, hold, and bond with their babies and then make their choice I think that we would see less failed placements and more first moms feeling like they were able to make a clear "hearted" choices of parenting or placing (even though I know it will still be the most painful thing that they could ever do).
This whole process has been an interesting journey for me. I have seen how God has changed my heart about first families and given me a great compassion for them and we need to give them every opportunity to make the choice to parent with out dealing with manipulation and the fear of disappointing others... still processing but I see viewing profiles after a babies birth as a good option for a difficult situation.

YES, We plan on Home Schooling

So there was an interesting thread started on one of the web forums that I frequent on a daily basis: To Homeschool or Not to Home school. If you had asked me this question two years ago I would have probably said that "I got a great public education and so will my children... plus our children can be great tools for reaching out to lost families in our community."

Well, after much reading, research, and prayer the Lord has changed mine and the Professor's heart drastically. We feel like we have two options: We can educate our children from a "Christ-centered" worldview or we can educate them from a "secular" worldview. We desire for our children to understand that ALL things are of the Lord... history, science, math, language, finances, our time, etc. We know that if we put our children in a "public" school environment than these things will not be taught, nor do we expect them to be taught. We are the parents and the primary educators and nurturers of our children's faith and therefore we would never expect the church let alone the public education system to be the primary educators of our children.

Here is what we have come to believe and embrace:

1. God has given us (Dad and Mom) the primary responsibility of the education of our children and therefore Covenant children are to be trained and nutured primarily by their parents.
2. At the fall, the image of Christ in man was broken. As God disciplines those He loves, children need consistent instruction and discipline from parents and other godly adults to develop godly character, behavior, and thoughtful habits that assist them in learning and living.
3. Understanding the Truth involves the acquisition of wisdom through the fear of God, not just the accumulation of knowledge. To deprive a child of truth is to deprive him of life. Thus the reality of God's grace must accompany a commitment to integrity, diligence and moral purity.
4.Academic achievement should not overlook the healthy development of the whole child in a proper environment. Young children (especially up to the age of 9) are better nurtured spiritually, emotionally and intellectually by their parents in their home. Among numerous benefits, the home provides opportunities to:
a. Spend time outdoors to explore and play safely.
b. Stimulate learning by doing, experimenting and observing.
c.Develop responsibility through working with parents in cooking, cleaning, gardening, and
other household projects.
d.Model and imitate family values, rather than those easily adopted by children in other
settings.
e. Have security, acceptance, and love from parents that cannot be duplicated by other
caregivers.

Many of these beliefs were learned and embraced from the Professors time on staff as a teacher at Perimeter Christian School in Duluth, GA. We are still learning and hope that we will always be learning and growing as individuals and as parents.

The Professor

Well, the boys and I will be spening Father's Day away from the Professor this year. I HATE IT! But in the season of life that we are in at the moment it could not be helped. So, in honor of Father's Day I thought that I would write a tribute in honor of the Professor:



Where does one start to describe "perfection!" I can remember this first day I saw him just like it was yesterday... I still laugh that I told my friends I would marry him one day (even though it took him 3 years to come around). I am amazed that God loves me so much he would give me such an amazing husband and father of our children. The Professor is a busy man but his family is first and foremost.



Let me tell you a bit about the Professor (for the two people that might be reading my blog). First of all he is the youngest son of a family of two boys. He was born in Dekalb County, GA on October 17, 1977. He comes from a very deep spiritual heritage... it is his heart for Jesus that I feel in love with. He can be both extroverted and introverted but he is refueled by time by himself.

He is the best Daddy! I love watching him with our boys. He loves to wrestle and play with our oldest and loves to snuggle with the baby.

I am thankful and amazed everyday that God would bless ne with so much.

Happy Father's Day Professor... we are so proud of you.

I will finish this book

Being a Mom of two small boys keeps me busy enough... and with the Professor working 2 jobs and taking classes almost full time... down time for me is scarce (Not to mention I am directing a Pre-School camp for six weeks this summer). Moving on to the point of my post...I was given the book this week "Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God" by Noel Piper by my new friend. It is the stories of five women who lived out their faith. Well, the fist section is on the life of Sarah Edwards, wife of Jonathan Edwards the famous puritan pastor http://edwards.yale.edu/about-edwards/biography/. As I was reading I was struck by a personal account that was given about her by Samuel Hopkins a family friend:

" For [her children] she constantly and earnestly prayed and bore them on her heart before God... and that even before they were born."

I think what hit me here was the wording of "bore them on her heart before God." Sarah knew that no matter what she did for her children the most important thing that she could do for them was to bring them daily to the Lord. After all, Christ is the one who will ultimately change the hearts of our children. Having an almost 3 year old can be a challenge. He has his own little personality and he now argues and talks back. We talk a lot about making good choices and that we need to obey Mommy and Daddy because it ultimately honors God. He knows that when he stomps and throws his hands up that it is just arguing with out using words. We are not perfect in our discipline but we try to be consistent. However, one area that as a Mom I would love to grow in is praying more for more boys. I know that the root of it all is the fact that my little man is a sinner who is battling his own will. It's not that I don't pray but I am learning so much that I need to be praying for Bubba's heart... and only God can change his heart.

God's Glory in Adoption

Here I go... Here is an amazing article/sermon written by John Piper on adoption. I am still digesting all of this and will blog my thoughts later... I am encouraged though!
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2004/175_Predestined_for_Adoption_to_the_Praise_of_His_Glory/