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!

visits to London

AJ and i have visited London twice over the past couple of weeks.  we are seeing a pediatric specialist there who is trying to get to the source of his enlarged spleen.  there are no answers yet, but the doctor did say his guess is that the cause is something of a "non-severe" nature, as AJ's only obvious symptom is the spleen itself.  AJ has been a trooper, from the amazing way he travels (once without food or drink as required for an ultrasound) to the brave way he endured more bloodwork, and his patience during the hour long ultrasound~ he has tolerated this investigation like a champ.  last trip i brought the camera and snapped a few for memory's sake. 

he wanted to be sure the bandaid was in this picture.  there it is buddy!

jeff

there are many reasons this man is hugely attractive to me....

six of the reasons are in the picture above (which isn't great, i know, but hey~ when you're almost late for church and the sun is beautiful and bright and you're happy just to have no one picking their nose or who knows what...) 

plus, the man is incredibly brave...

and deserved every one of those pieces of bacon piled high on his blue plate this morning.  thankfully he didn't consume the entire pound but shared with willing observers...after all, i need him around until next Father's Day.

love you jeff...

the Ethiopian did not disappoint

so, AJ had a pb (personal best) on Saturday at the Sarnia Roadrunner race....1 km in just over 11 minutes.  we waited, and waited some more, a while after all the other children had crossed the line, and then we spotted AJ rounding the corner at the last 100 metres or so...wow!  of course, it was his first race ever and was lots of running with some walking interspersed, so there will be lots of room to improve. however, for the moment, he's basking in the glow of the adoring cheering fans, the teddy bear he was awarded by race officials, and the purple ribbon for participation....the hashbrown, sandwich and LARGE glass of OJ at A&W after the race were also very yummy. classic positive reinforcement.  all of the other kids also had their best times.  perfect weather conditions helped with that...good times...

ahhhhh, the glory....

wasn't quite sure how to stand at the start, so he opted for the wrestling stance he knows so well.  he'll get the hang of it soon enough...

my special boys....

and now he's cheating, trying to get the edge over the other competitors :)

after the run....his older brothers were so proud, as well as very sweet to him.  AJ, on the other hand, sort of looked like he was thinking "we really do this every month??  by choice?  are you sure?  running isn't all it's cracked up to be...."  i know AJ, i know....

self realignment

every few months, it seems, i need a slight tune-up of my perspective.  a "new renewed" view of my role.  a fresh take on this title i carry of "mom".  why so often?  good question....if i knew the reason maybe i wouldn't be in this situation to begin with....i may have even blogged about this before.  (no memory, remember??)  this is not new to me...same stuff, different day.
lately, as circumstances around me have come together, i'm once again caught in the hard place of evaluating my priorities.  the forces outside this home, this family unit~ well, they are pulling from all directions.  pulling for my time and energy and service.  pulling rather continuously and with a measure of determination.  basically, there are endless places for me to serve, in many good and worthwhile ways.  school, church, my community, just to name a few.  i live in a mentality of wanting to please, to be all things to all people...hahaha....NOT POSSIBLE!  the answer seems obvious~ even as i type the words, and so totally understandable...so, why the inner struggle?  as the options pour in, i begin to wage the inner war for balance in my life.  the tricky and precarious task of keeping the "plates spinning".  do i add another plate, do i take one away, do i spend more time on the ones already there, guided by my (hopefully but not always) steady hands?  the twinges of guilt remain.  probably always will.  yet i know very well my limits.  so, i continue to plug on...most days very content with my position and place in this season of life.  when i get bogged down with the possible ways i could be extending myself outside this home, i need these little "adjustments" of my focus.  first and foremost i am a daughter of the King~ called to love and be in relationship with my heavenly Father.  thankfully, my worth is immeasurable to Him~ and is not performance driven.  phewww....secondly, i am the wife and partner of a pretty fabulous (and cute and funny and smart) man.  this man needs me to be sane (always good! :)) and functioning well on the homefront.  he does not demand this of me, not even close.  but his ability to perform well at his many roles is aided by my centeredness here.  next in line on my priority list~ my dear kidlets....these precious ones i've been soooooooooo blessed to parent.  funny, because i would be so much more content to come to the end of my life and have felt as though i gave them my all, to the best of my ability..  it's easy to get off track on this third priority...so very easy.  after all, my investment with the kids is so difficult to measure.  and i like to measure results.  i'm kind of funny that way.  i want to see a fast return for my efforts.  i'm less into waiting twenty years for the "wow, they turned into reasonable adults!" moment...being a mom is so different than everything else that is enticing me.  i don't get paid, for one thing.  in fact, they pretty much suck me dry financially.  definitely no financial perks!  there is no volunteer "log book" where my hours are recorded and recognized in print.  no amazing reviews from patients who've benefited from my care (that's jeff)~ no gushy letters singing my praises (well, dear Layla does come through with some pretty gushy letters every so often, and they are purely delightful except when she feels the need to constantly refer to my death, like "i'll miss you so much when you die......"  yah, thanks for the brutal honesty Lay)...anyway, the point is this~  being a mom is hard work.  often exhausting and never ending.  yet~ without a doubt i believe it is the highest calling i'll ever have in my lifetime.  i need to remind myself of this when so many really good distractions tend to draw me away.  i don't want to be so stretched that i miss the joy right before my eyes.  i want to be present, cherishing and savouring these days.  everyone knows their own limits, and everyone is capable of different things.  for me, this little "pep talk to self" is necessary every so often.   so, consider it just that.  realignment complete.  sorry if you've been bored by my rambles.  i'll resume usual AJ news soon...

"mom, AJ swim?"

like any of you could resist those big brown pleading eyes....not a chance. this dear child adores the pool. loves, loves, loves every bit of it. the jumping in, the splashing, all the crazy kids, the 68 degree temperatures, the looking under water (with or without goggles), the mouth open, then choking and subsequent retching in the pool (okay, maybe not that part)...

it has been so sweet to see him play in this way. he's already getting the hang of it, and his short little legs are constantly kicking while he's in. i hope (realllly hope) someday soon he'll be able to swim without any floatation devices, because that would do so much for my peace of mind...

in the meantime, however, he's getting lots of practice. he doesn't seem to have much fear at the moment, and generally is just thrilled to be in or around the pool.

  

leaves me wondering....how do you feel so joyous in such frigid waters??  what happens between age 3 and 35 (ish) to make one dislike those temperatures so??  odd....whatever the case, this kid is loving it...