that's a wrap!

the time has come.  the first year is complete.  AJ's journey will no doubt continue, but this will be my last post on this blog.  the timing seems right.  i do plan to continue a more general family blog, however.  i will try to find time in the next few weeks to design something that suits our whole crew and will link to it from here when it is up and running.  
in the meantime~ warm wishes to all for a Merry Christmas filled with peace, joy and rest for your spirit.  may our gifts and giving and abundant blessings spill out beyond our homes and into the far reaching places worldwide that long for hope to rise up amidst the despair.
to those that have faithfully tuned in here at this humble corner of cyber space to follow news of our son~ thanks so much!  never did i ever think it would be more than a simple trip journal for us (and our family) when we travelled to Africa.  i'm so glad to have persisted and hope that one day AJ will cherish the information this blog contains.
best wishes for an amazing new year...
cheers!

yonas

"where you live should no longer determine whether you live"
Bono

tough morning.  as i remade Joelle's bed with fresh sheets, i glanced up at her poster on the wall.  it is black with the shape of Africa designed by single words relaying the struggles that plague the continent.  "hunger, poverty, fragile, etc..".  the above quote is at the bottom.  it is hitting hard today. 

a few hours earlier, and prior to wrapping gifts, i glanced at the computer to find an update from Eyob.  Yonas is in rough shape.  we've received word that he is HIV+.  as many of you know, he is officially receiving sponsorship money now to cover medical expenses, food, education, etc...as a result, he has had a social worker visit his current home and it was determined that he is quite sick and needing a "great deal" of treatment from a physician.  it has also been confirmed that his parents died of AIDS.  i don't know a lot about lab values and the most current treatment of HIV.  i do know that he's had symptoms for awhile, as was feared.  his CD4 number is 172 and this is low.  he has started on ART meds, and i do not know what his prognosis will be (i suspect it is too advanced to be positive) now that the necessary meds have been started.  i've asked more questions and am determined to research more online. 
the good news is this~  Eyob has follow-up planned for Yonas, with a physician, and talks about joining with a nearby organization that is more equipped to care for HIV+ kids.  also, the sponsorship funds are being directed to specifically boost immunity through proper nutrition and pay for his medications and testing.   more than that, sponsorship is Yonas' link to people that deeply care.
i hate that Yonas faces this life-altering diagnosis without the love of a family to wrap around him.  i hate that AIDS took his parents, and that where he lives, quite simply, has caused such giant delays in diagnosis and treatment.  i hate that he may already have AIDS because of those delays.  i hate that the Ethiopian government is not yet agreeing to deem this child "adoptable".  i believe there is even a programme/agency in the states that is specifically for US families wishing to adopt HIV+kids...this i will also research... 
yet, i'm soooo thankful for all that have cared from afar.  thanks to all who have contributed to his sponsorship.  again~ if you believe in the power of prayer, please pray.  i'll update here as i receive news.
this, all while i'm about to wrap treasures for my children to tear open in a few days... how do i reconcile the two worlds?  one world where my kids have very few cares and are wildly anticipating all that Christmas means.  the other world where Yonas (and countless others) feels unwell, underfed, scared and alone, oh yeah~ all while he fights for his life.  all while longing for a family to belong to.  so heartbreaking....messes. me. up.

dear AJ

my precious son....today is your first "gotcha day".  can't believe it really.  one whole year since we "gotcha".  as i do for birthdays and adoption (gotcha) days, today is worthy of a letter from mom. after all, there is so much to be thankful for.  plus, it's always good to "recap" every now and again and put things in proper perspective.  what better day than today? 
yep~ it's exactly one year since i wrote this post at the end of our first day together.  rereading it brings the familiar flood of emotions.  that day was the climax of four plus years of wondering, striving, seeking, waiting, despairing, trusting and falling for you deeply.  we've had an amazing year.  you have grown and changed and flourished.  your body has settled back into a place of wellness.  your personality is priceless.  you fit this bunch.  you give and receive love in a beautiful way.  we treasure you.  as you said yourself at the dinner table the other night (while eating a french fry dotted with hot sauce~JEFFF!!!!), "i'm tough!" and yes, you surely are.  your start in life was challenging.  filled with loss.  we know this.  we remember.  we discuss. we are grateful you survived and that God found you a way here.  with us.  the journey to you, AJ (aka Zake, Alemayehu, Alemaye, Alex, Charlie, Chuck the Truck, Goochie-Poochie with a French accent~ Hannah!!) was long and hard, but the joy of being together has soooo far surpassed the heartache. 
we pray the coming year will bring you a deeper sense of security, stability and the wonderful unabashed joy of being a four year old. 
thank you God for allowing us to parent yet another terrific kid.  we seek your wisdom and strength to do that well, and energetically (as my eyelids droop).  please guide his life and guard his spirit as he faces the challenges that are to come.  may he stand in awe at the wonder of his journey and see your hand clearly in that. may his story continue to inspire and point people to you.
love you little man....
mom

spicy??

tonight AJ had a drink of grapefruit juice before bed...as he gulped the last swallow he declared emphatically "it's SPICY!!" :)

tropical splenomegaly

our first knowledge of AJ was simply that there was a child in Ethiopia who was almost three years old at the time and presenting with an enlarged spleen.  we weren't told much, just that this boy was a potential "match" for our family.  our agency was rightfully guarded with the information, not wanting emotions to cloud over the the practical implications we were possibly facing. we were asked to research and think about it.  we did just that.  we prayed lots too.  after seeking medical opinion and much discussion between my wise husband and i, we fairly quickly concluded that this child was one we wished to hear more about.  we're soooo glad we did....
fast forward to the present~ just under two years since the enlarged spleen was detected.  almost one year since being home.  we went to visit his pediatrician again this week for a re-check.  it had been several months, at least.  AJ's doctor palpated his abdomen and said "i can't feel it!".........for real.  the spleen is gone, tucked away back in its intended place, no longer detected below the rib cage....yayyyyyy!!!  such relief to hear those words.  we knew AJ was generally well.  we knew his spleen was reducing in size.  we hoped it would be "normal" in time.  and it finally is!  being parasite-free and removed from the environment that seemed to present long-term issues with viruses and disease has allowed him to gradually return to a place of health.  we are sooooo grateful.....
now, let the wrestling begin!  we just need those mats in the basement and we'll be set! :)  and no, i'm not even kidding.  my slightly enthused husband has really been scouting online prices for that very thing.....

skates

this one falls on jeff.  i'm glad it does.  many pairs sitting nice and orderly by the tree only happens after almost two hours of retrieving from the "skate shop" in the basement, sorting, sizing and walking around in~ times six!  once that's done, it's determining who has working skate guards (AJ's are hot pink at this point.  seems to be his colour!) and who needs their blades sharpened.  this year we need another skate bag too~ because if all goes as planned the little man will embrace the fun of this amazing winter sport.  last year.....not so much.  can't say i blamed him.  the shock of the climate change must have been intense (oh how i miss the weather in Ethiopia.  and i was only there for a few weeks).  plus, bundling up like the Michelin man wasn't exactly a highlight.

yep.  rink boards are up.  plastic is ordered.  it won't be long and the crew will be lacing up and wearing a path to the ginormous rather large (and tiring to shovel.  thankfully there are lots of helpers!) rink in the backyard.....oh Canada...

4-14

ahhhhh....my four year old and my fourteen year old.  a decade apart.  such a range.  such a connection.  so much happens between those years.  my youngest is busy.  however, my oldest is busy in a much more complex way. she has a lot going on.  she is absorbed in her current "world".  sometimes this is a.....(sigh....word choice dilemma)....challenge.  life is full and fun and demanding. lots of "new and different" all around her.  her little brother often does much to keep her grounded.  he doesn't know he's doing this for her.  nor does she.  but i see it.  he has a way of reminding her of the "constant" of family.  one of the perks of having lots of siblings, i guess....they have fun behind the lens of a camera.  i love that.  sometimes she'll surprise me and disappear with him for awhile, and i'm blessed in turn with these cute images caught on her purple camera.  i love them. 

 i love how she loves her little brother. i love how he loves her.....between these two characters~ our four other unique and equally exhausting precious rascals  kids.  i guess that makes these two my bookends! 

guess who.....

is learning to dress himself more and more these days?

his technique isn't exactly "perfection" yet, but his "back side" sure is :)...

the crew...the good and the bad and the wonderful

wonderful is photographer (and former babysitter to at least five of our kids) Brenna Reilly (go now~ well, maybe not right now :), and check out her site.  her pictures are breathtaking)...she is sweet and lovely and so gifted. 

it's a pleasure to watch her work magic, although i think it might be a wee bit more pleasureful to watch her create lasting memories of other people and their families.  with mine, however, there was the "in the moment" begging and pleading and hoping for a "natural" smile from my kiddos.  there was the "clean-face" checks, the fly away hairs, the ashy skin of my brown boys then contrasted by the too shiny effect of the applied cream...all of that makes picture day somewhat stressful to me, i admit.

the reality is, however, that we are all those things, more often than not.  the crew of us are a messy-faced, food in our teeth, dry skinned, dishevelled bunch sometimes.  much like our unkept hearts, actually! 

just like Brenna does with our portraits (did i mention how gifted she is??) Christ comes in and tidies up~ cleans house, so to speak.  He picks up the mess, the sin, the dirt, the ugliness of our real selves and presents us before God as whole and worthy and beautiful and loved.  SO THANKFUL for that...

the finished product, then, is something of beauty, much like a few of these pictures. 

the beauty of editing a photo is that we no longer see the flaws, but simply the essence of who we were as a family during this season of our lives, October 2011.  

 thanks Brenna, you rock...by the way, if Jeff and I were ever to renew our vows, i'd definitely call you.  hypothetically speaking, of course.  like, only if he were planning it as a surprise, which i'm sure he must be doing....cuz he's like that, you know...ahem....

AJ's dedication

my dear daughter, Joelle, made a slideshow on PowerPoint for AJ's dedication service at church a few weeks ago...most of the pictures have already been seen here, but the really sweet song accompanying it was Safe and Sound by Matthew West (love him), and we thought it was so fitting...

after the service it was really great to have our special (and so supportive, i might add) families (and our amazing pastor and his equally delightful wife and stunning children) over for cake and munchies.  here are a couple pics of AJ taking it all in with his cutie-pie cousin, Jett ...the cake, i might add, was an absolute highlight for that son of mine who shares my love of all things sweet.  he inhaled his piece in like two minutes~ focused and masterful at getting that fork into his mouth each and every bite.  it's hard to hold him back to just one piece, but there were others to follow in the days after as we finished off leftovers.

good day....

fabulous fall family fun

for a few fleeting moments,

 (Korny Korners 2011)

flip through our "fotos"

(AJ going along with the joke and pretending to be "so sad" when Daddy told him this was his pumpkin to take home from the pumpkin patch.  that boy is catching on...)

and find our family

(AJ pumpkin carving in his gitch...doesn't everyone? :) )

frolicking in fantastic fall functions...

(a "pop star", a bedtime/pajama girl, a zebra, a regal queen, mr. smarty pants, and a wacky doctor)

phew...there's my attempt at alliteration and my throwback to English class.  it was so long ago, in fact, that i had to google (yes, it is a verb!)  the word alliteration to be sure that many words starting a sentence with the same consonant was really called alliteration, and it is!  imagine that.....a blog that not only provides captivating photography but also educational snippets to enrich your life.  does it get any better?!?!

National Adoption Month

did you know November is National Adoption Month?  in keeping with the desire to raise awareness of the 140 million orphans worldwide, here are a few links.  grab a coffee and sit a while to see the many ways people are stepping up and joining the movement to care for the "least of these"...

the first two links focus beautifully on foster care and domestic adoption of kids already in the system needing families.  so many already waiting.
Focus on the family broadcast Part 1
Focus on the family broadcast Part 2

interested in short term missions to care for orphans in this capacity?  here's another great link....

David Platt says this, "Orphans are easier to forget until you see their faces and you know their names."  wow.  so true.  hold one, look deep into their eyes, see their needs and surroundings and circumstances up close.  imagine walking a day in their shoes, or lack of shoes as often is the case...life.changing.stuff....

another great organization that is already meeting the needs of orphans in the beautiful country of Haiti is God's Littlest Angels.  Hudson's orphanage.  this was his home for 14 months while he was nurtured and cared for and brought up to a healthy weight until we were finally cleared to bring him home.  GLA has so many needs.  they have stood the test of time in a place where their efforts must always feels like just a "drop in the bucket".  you can partner with them in orphan care in lots of different ways.  volunteering your time in short or long term missions, school sponsorship of Haiti's vulnerable children, prayer, fundraising for their building project, etc...they are a large part of the reason Hudson is a strong healthy active (ahem...) boy today.  love them...

last, but not least.  Children's HopeChest is making a difference.  Tom Davis is CEO, as well as the author of several books that have challenged me personally.  he will be speaking at our church late April 2012!  stay tuned for more on that....

yonas update

remember Yonas?  i first mentioned him here and in several follow-up posts as well.  since January we've been inquiring about sponsorship of this boy.  he was 13 at the time.  he wants to grow up to be a doctor.  Yonas is fully aware that to dream big for one's future in his circumstances is wishful thinking at best. more pressing issues, like sur-viv-ing, cloud his dreams anyway.  at a most basic level he also wishes for breakfast, or maybe even transportation to school so he doesn't have to walk several hours one way for his education.  he probably also hopes that maybe his friend will share a bit of his family's food at lunch time.  he wishes he didn't have headaches so often.  he wishes he had a forever family to call his own. he'd also admit that deep in his heart he also wishes for love and affection.  to belong and be cherished.  to feel overflowing joy and hope simply because he is alive and just at the brink of discovering his potential in life.  we've prayed for Yonas for many months, and so have many of you.  the progress has been painfully slow, and the updates sporadic.  but he is not forgotten.
yesterday we received some more news.  the government has granted permission for Yonas to be sponsored where he is at currently.  the paperwork has been issued.  however, they have not yet given permission to KVI to take custody and seek a permanent placement for Yonas.  the Ethiopian government continues to have very tight regulations and limitations on who is deemed "adoptable".  in my opinion, some of this is in the best interest of the children, and some of it is not.  the large movement opposing international adoption has taken a toll.  children are being affected.  but that's getting off topic. 
for Yonas, we are going to be sending funds to help assist his guardians while Yonas lives with them.  this will help with school supplies, transportation costs, food, medical care, clothes, etc...we are told we'll receive regular updates.  and i've now learned that "regular" in Ethiopia is very different than "regular" here! :) i hope to be able to send letters to him and perhaps even pictures.  this leads me to my point...
some of you have asked about helping Yonas.  if you would love to be his sponsor as well, we will pool the funds and wire it directly to KVI, designating a monthly allowance for sponsorship that we'll send in lump sums, once or twice a year, i'm thinking.  hopefully we can also write letters and send photos~ all of us!  KVI's sponsorship programme is brand new, and we aren't exactly sure how it will "look" yet.  However, Eyob agrees that sponsorship of Yonas is necessary right now because of his many needs, and that the he will continue to actively pursue admission to KVI for Yonas' safety and stability. 
my prayer is that Yonas will "feel the love" from across the world.  that even though his situation is bleak and he's sort of "going it alone" in that far off place, that he'll feel held in the protective arms of his Creator, loved by strangers and maybe even hopeful for the first time in a long while.   if this interests you, please message me or comment and i'll be in touch.

canadian, eh?

say hello to our little Canadian citizen! 

it is official.  the card and certificate arrived in the mail yesterday, and Mr. AJ is now a Canadian.  wish he could hold dual citizenship, but he can't.  so while i feel great joy and relief to welcome my son as an official citizen of this amazing country, i vow to always remember and speak of the equally amazing country of his birth.  his native land.  his place of origin and cultural heritage.  i hope and pray he will have a future that includes giving back to Ethiopia in a sort of "full circle" kind of way.  to satisfy any of his heart's desires and unanswered questions as well as provide something of himself to better a nation.  that's my prayer. 
time to teach him the anthem, i think!

court date

i promise to refrain from constantly mentioning momentous anniversaries in our adoption journey. forgive me for doing so twice this week. but man oh man, this was a huge one!!! one year ago today we heard the words "he's yours". a surreal moment in time that feels like yesterday. the elegant, soft-spoken judge looked up from her paper, smiled and said those two words that momentarily seemed to freeze time. it was like the weight of the previous two years (and four months, but whatever) was lifted, and the stress dispersed like a mid morning fog or like rain hitting a windshield or like............ok, as usual~ you get the idea. sometimes it's just fun to pretend i'm this ultra creative and captivating blogger whose readers hang on every written word. now, where was i? oh yes, a courtroom (that really was not your average courtroom, but just a regular room with a desk or two) in Addis ...upon receiving the best possible news we loaded back in the van and made the short journey to the orphanage where our newest son waited for us wearing vibrant fuchsia. the colour of that sleeper was a perfect match to our mood!

little boys and socks

this morning AJ was getting dressed for school in the kitchen while i went about setting the table for breakfast.  he loves to have everything done for him and sometimes i just love to do it, cuz i waited so long, afterall!!!  however, i've been trying to teach him the basics of pulling on underwear, t-shirts, pants, etc..sometimes he'll get whiny and say "i can't try it"...he knows i expect that he at least try, and then often i'll dive in to assist if the underwear are backwards or the t-shirt is stuck.  today, it was his socks.  i was watching and encouraging while setting out cereal boxes, saying something like "AJ, i want you to just try it.  you're four now and it's okay to try it by yourself (see the emphasis on just trying)."  with the most serious face of desperation and those big brown eyes looking up at me while the socks were scrunched in his hands he said "no mom, little boys can't try it, they can't!"  such an passionate plea, i was down on the floor wiggling those socks on after all, while he grinned at me.  he's a smart one.

a year ago...

it's on my mind this week.  lots.  last year, on this exact day, we met our son.  he was still Zake to us at that time.  we entered the room full of toddlers.  some were in cribs, some on the floor, some walking around us.  Joelle spotted him first.  he was wearing a blue/teal shirt and some denim shorts.  his dimples were such a welcomed surprise.  (his original referral picture was pretty serious~ missing the characteristic mischief and spark we now know and love).  as we played on the floor and he skirted around us, waiting to be grabbed or tagged on his way by, we watched the first little bits of his personality unfold before us.  we were smitten, every one of us.  all the while many other sweet kids clung to our bodies as we juggled the obvious needs of many versus the desire to take in every second with one.  so surreal.  i blogged about it here and i'm so glad i did.  pictures weren't allowed that day as AJ was not yet legally our son.  plus, the privacy of the other children was considered as well.  i'm off to get some laundry folded (think small mountain), yet in this instant i'm enjoying the memory of October 18th, 2010.  forever grateful...thanks God!

this moves me

is it possible to recommend a book even before reading it?  i have been following the blog of Katie Davis for a long time now.  she doesn't blog daily, or even weekly, because she is a little busy raising over a dozen children, but when she does it is always profound.  the story of her life moves me soooo deeply, and often i'll be reading her words with tears streaming down my face.  her faith inspires me.  her trust shocks me.  her sacrifice humbles me.  her love for orphans excites me.  her journey makes me want to stretch myself.  to love unconditionally.  to care less about stuff and more about people.  to follow Christ with more resolve than the day before.  she is truly the hands and feet of Jesus to so many desperate ones in Uganda, day in and day out...well, her story is now in print and i couldn't be more excited to read it!  (once you click on the second link above, scroll down a bit and watch the short video where she shares a bit of her story) i will be ordering at least a few copies, and i can't think of a better purchase with Christmas coming and all of us needing a reminder of the BEST gift ever~ God's Son.  i truly pray that many lives will be forever changed as they read her story~ that we'll all be more "checked in" to the needs around us.  so many hurt.  so many are hungry.  so many are lonely.  so many suffer.  so many are lost.  so many are fatherless.  not to be a downer, cuz i really just prefer the days this blog leaves you all warm and fuzzy :), but the reality is that we have it SOOOOO good in North America.  can't we all use the wake up call?  hope you'll read too, and be inspired...if you do~ please share with me!  i'd love to hear...

summer catch up~ part 2

as i mentioned before, summer 2011 was full, full, full.  once home from our cottage trip we rolled right into five (yes, you read that right) of our children celebrating birthdays in a 1.5 month span.  throw in a "gotcha day" celebration as well when we remember Hudson's homecoming from Haiti.  so, yah...lots of celebrating happens as we speed right up to the end of summer vacation.  AJ's birthday is the last of the five that are closely bunched, and he turned four this year!  before AJ's birthday, however, he had a momentous few weeks of starting junior kindergarten (JK).

walking in, first day.  hudson was so excited to bring his little brother in...

there was much discussion about the decision of starting him at all, and eventually Jeff and I agreed that the best scenario for him would probably be to try him at half-days (instead of full), every other day to start.  we decided to trial it for the first while and were prepared to pull out if necessary.  well...one and half months into school and it seems like it's been a really good decision, so far at least...AJ loves going, and asks most mornings if this is his day to go.  he loves the time there with his classmates and teachers, and also painting, playing and recess.  he doesn't love printing and worksheets, but even there some improvement has been noted.  he actually colours, and is starting to print his name (good thing it's only two letters...we aren't teaching him his full African name just yet :)).  he's pretty short in stature compared to most of his classmates, but he is articulate and grasping the basic schedule and expectation of the JK classroom.

this past month we also took a family day trip to TO to attend a Jays game.  baseball at the ballpark, on a Saturday afternoon, with sun and treats and wide-eyed togetherness.....bliss.  last time we attended a game we were there with a dear Dutch relative (hi Meindert! come back!) many years ago.  it was great to go again, and to see it this time through the eyes of our children.  the whole bit of it....riding the subway, people watching, the busyness and diversity of the city, the Rogers Centre, Yorkdale mall....plus, imagine AJ's surprise when he saw his picture on the jumbo screen between innings, naming him as one of the three Junior Jays stars....

so.much.fun.  happy to have that memory with our kids and time together too.

and lastly, AJ's birthday~ and he was here!!!  what a special occasion it was.  very near to the forefront of my mind that day was all he must have experienced in his first few years of life.  the questions, the sadness, the loss.  yet, so very thankful that we were together and able to love him and squeeze him and enjoy his presence...unfortunately for AJ, his birthday also fell on the day he was scheduled to see a specialist in London.  so, off we went in the rain on another road trip, which i actually think he quite enjoys.  he's such a happy traveller, and we both seem to love the peaceful drive together, just hangin' while we drive.  the appointment went well, and the doctor was sweet.  she feels he is doing very well.  too bad she ordered bloodwork before we left because that is never fun, let alone on your birthday.  again, he was very brave.  the two techs felt so bad about causing the child pain on his birthday that they appeared with not just a sticker, but a Phineas and Ferb activity set which AJ proudly carried out of the hospital, looking as though he almost felt the pain had been worth the prize.  he carried that box the whole way home, never letting go, even when he drifted off to sleep. 

what a trooper.  once back home we shifted into party mode.  the evening was really special~ a construction site cake, cousins, grandparents, a scooter, and a tent. 

he seemed so pleased (although maybe a touch disappointed in my vocal performance during a rendition of "Happy Birthday"...isn't that what his face seems to be suggesting??  i'm offended....) and it was quite indescribable to tuck him into bed and snuggle my four year old gift...such a treasure.

summer catch-up~ part 1

yes, as promised, i'm back for a wee while to "catch-up" a bit.  someday my littlest boy is going to sit and read this (oh yesss he better) and i fear he'll wonder just what happened during the summer of 2011.  it was such a whirlwind that i've needed the past month to regroup! 
July included swimming lessons for two weeks and the first ever cottage trip for AJ.  swimming lessons were a hoot.  AJ definitely mastered "the bob", and was pretty fearless overall.  you'd think in the Salamander level he'd be an easy pass.  after all, he loved going under and didn't think twice about full face and head submersion.  the problem was, he spent so much time under water that i think he missed some of the basic instructions on all the other "requirements" to conquering Salamander.  apparently his "cute factor" and permanent grin (with dimples) didn't cut it either.  ahem.....but hey, who needs a certificate anyway.  a few more weeks in the VanderSlagt pool and AJ was showing great progress on his kicking and underwater swimming.  and lo and behold, by summer's end he was swimming completely on his own, without the aid of any flotation devices!  check out the video proof below.  one of these times i'll remember to stop talking while recording to avoid the highly annoying commentary, but suffer through it to see my dear son and his obvious love of swimming! 

pretty impressive, if i do say so myself!  next year we're on to Sunfish~ and he'll show those instructors what he's made of!!! :)
the day after swimming lessons were completed we were off on our annual trip to Bala for some cottage country enjoyment.  AJ was right into it.  tubing, cousins, Aunt Beth and Uncle Joe, Grandma Mary, Grandpa Joe, swimming, turtles, sand play, boat rides, ski shows, paddle boats, knee boarding (with Joelle), and yummy cottage meals...what's not to love for a three year old??

above, two brothers watching the skiers, in awe....(must have been cool cousin Luke barefooting...yep, he did)

first boat ride ever~ doesn't the smile say it all??

tubing, with apprehension at first, which quickly disappeared as he started giving hand signals shortly after.  a three year old telling us to hit rollers and go faster, even though he had no clue what he was asking for! guess it seemed like the thing to do...

front row seats at the ski show.

nothing to do with AJ, but seriously, doesn't this dock spider induce instant terror??  yah, me too...

it really was so special to finally have AJ there with us.  the previous year in Bala we had just received our referral, and his picture came along with us as we dreamed of the day he'd be there in the flesh.  well, 2011 was the year, and it felt sooo right...well, right until our tire blew on highway 400 the day we returned home.  that didn't feel so right, but thankfully my quick identification of the problem (translation~ me in a raised voice saying "that's not the muffler Jeff, that's our tire, that's our tire, that's our TIRE", as i watched the smoke and flapping rubber in the side mirror while listening to the grating noise of our van (loaded with eight well fed people and pulling a trailer loaded with our stuff ) riding on just the wheel rim.  yah, that was fun...thankfully, all were safe and we were fixed up and back on the road again in a reasonable amount of time.  but enough about our treasured van....

August and September also included some special memories worth noting, but it will have to wait until another day.  i'm easing back into this blog thing slowly, remember? :)  see you soon!

hello dear blog

dearest blog, oh how i've missed you.  feels like so long since we last connected.  months have passed and so much has happened!  where do i even begin??  and who knew i needed you as badly as i've recently discovered i actually do?  the creative outlet (because, you know, the creativity oozes from my pores :)), the ongoing journal for history's sake, the pictures to cherish....all things i now know i miss and will surely regret if i don't get back on the blogging wagon again soon....so, i carefully plan my return to you.  the wheels are turning.  templates, titles, topics~ all are being considered.  not sure how it will look yet, but at least in the nearest future there are some days in the life of my youngest that are definitely noteworthy, here in this very corner of the blog world.  so, while the absence was necessary, i plan to carve a few moments back into my insane rather full schedule to restore our blogging relationship...more soon.  fondly, Shana

let's review

six months already?? that's half a year.... seriously?? time sure goes faster on this side of the adoption journey compared with the dragged out waiting part...this precious boy is slowly but surely becoming all things "VanderSlagt". for better or worse. fitting right in. content and comfortable.

let's do a review....

above, our first time laying eyes on our son. july 12th, 2010....the first picture we received the day of referral. what a day it was....

november 2010.  last update photo sent by our adoption agency.  we were so close....

trip #1. October 21st, the day of court, right after being told "he's yours".  we'll never forget how cute he was in pink.  the day we got "up close" with his beautiful dimples...

trip #2. "gotcha day".  december 16th, 2010.  leaving the transition home with our son.  still, all i can say is "wow".  so blessed.  AJ isn't convinced yet....

let the fun begin.  all five siblings ready and willing to meet his every want or need.  we attempt to strike a healthy balance.  the adjustment begins.  mostly, it is divine....

Christmas holidays.  home to connect.

antics and silliness captured in still shots as bonds are forged.

brothers connected with a common thread...

black and white "cuteness"...

teeth..."AJ do"...

posing for Hannah, all "dude-ish".

too big for my lap, but still loving some warm milk at bedtime.  why not.  he didn't enjoy that basic pleasure all those months when most babies do, so we're making up for it now...hey, nice couch!!

so great to have this journey recorded...it seems as good a time as any to announce a blog break. first of all, it's officially summer here and my kids are home (survived two weeks already....a little applause please?!).  i would like to spend less time on the computer during these months together.  they need that from me too. 

i don't know what my fall plans will be, but i do know for certain this blog has caused me to grow personally.  taking the time to write my thoughts during this crazy ride of adoption has solidified my faith in a more intimate way, deepened my desire to live my intended purpose each day i'm given, and has left me in greater awe of the story that is unfolding in our family of eight.  we are grateful to those that have followed along and supported and encouraged us along the way.  i'm also soooo happy to have a permanent record of AJ's adoption as the special little details already seem to be slipping from my "data-storage-compartment".  this blog has become for us a detailed "baby book", of sorts....i only wish i had the same for the other five...hope they forgive me for that. 

to my little man AJ~ we adore you!  we walk the journey beside you in utter amazement of your little life.  can't wait to see what God has planned for you....enjoy the journey!