thank filled...

for friends.
even if i lose their email address and blog address when switching over computers!
can my friend who is adopting my sweet little jiangcheng baby boy PLEASE email me?!
megan???

thank filled for one year

we worship a great big god.

he had a plan that started before the creation of the world.

a plan to make something beautiful.

a plan to redeem.

a plan to restore the wasted years.

and, although we often don't understand the ways he is doing that,

we choose to worship.

one year.

we praise you, abba father!

you are good.

thank filled for one year.

happy forever family day, aubrie-li cana.

thank filled last "first day of preschool"

(yeah, yeah.  i know there are nay-sayers that say "oh!  don't say you're done, tami!  whatever.  right now, there are no more kids in our family, so it is the last "first day of preschool" - unless something changes.)

my little man started preschool this morning.
and i cried.
of course i cried!
i have spent nearly every day for the last three years with him.  i am the momma bear - as in "don't mess with my kid, or i'll claw you!" kind of momma bear.


as he got ready to go to school today, i just kept looking at him and thinking that he really is ready.
he has made amazing progress at occupational therapy and speech this summer.
he has made amazing progress in attachment this summer.

and my heart just had peace that this was good for him.
i mean, it's good for me, too!  but, when we originally made the decision for preschool, the decision was very selfish on my part.  i needed a little break.
this morning, though?
it was all about abe.  and all about the reality that he has grown sooooo much this summer... and he was ready to spread those wings... a little.
;-)

here is abe greeting mr. l.
we are beyond blessed that the school that most of our kids go to also has a preschool.  mr. l is the principal for austin, amy and anna.  we are also beyond blessed that abe's preschool meets at one of the places he feels most comfortable - and safe: our church!

some days it's "abraham" and some days it's "abe".  today, he was having an "abe" day, but had to find "abraham" on a fish.

he then took his fish and matched it to the fishbowl that also said "abraham" on it.

he had an amazing day and was so excited to tell me about it.
i happen to think that god hand picked the PERFECT teacher for abe.  a teacher that i could trust to love my very special little man.  it's pretty hard for a momma bear to trust just anyone, you know....  but this teacher?  she is a god-send.

thank filled for broken roads

thinking about the broken roads that brought me four children.
my heart stirs with anger about the injustice.
a week ago, i wanted to seek out a birth mother.  i have no warm and tender feelings for her.  i wanted to hunt down pathetic orphanage workers.  i wanted justice for the injustices my child suffered...

but, the spirit nudges me to see it differently...
thank filled that god kept them and carried them.  thank filled that he intends to use the injustice to point to the glory of his perfect justice.  thank filled that god has called me to seek justice on their behalf.

random thanks

i have so much to be thank filled for.
sometimes it's harder to see.
and sometimes, blogging just takes too much time and effort.

but, this morning i was thinking about a few things i am thank filled for:
- coffee. (that's a pretty consistent one)
- paint.  i'm looking forward to painting abraham's room this weekend.  a task that i can plan and complete. sometimes stay at home moms need those...
- my partner.  i love him.  i'm thankful for him.  i can't imagine doing life without him.
- retreats.  it's ok to admit that this is hard and that i need a break.  i'm looking forward to this retreat with some friends.  i don't even know WHICH friends, yet ;-)
- china.  it's rocked my world.  it's changed my perspective.  when i think of the past 5 1/2 years, so much of my life and heart are there.  so thank filled that god opened my eyes to these people.