bodner003

6 months! 6 months? 6! MONTHS! It's hard to believe we met Emily almost 6 months ago. Our Gotcha Day was March 31st. At times it feels like yesterday. But more often it feels like Emily has always been with us. China requires several post-placement reports after adoption is complete. This is when our social worker comes to our home to observe and interview us about Emily's progress. She then composes a report and sends to China with updated pictures and other documents. Our first visit was one month after Gotcha Day. Our 2nd visit is required at 6 months and took place this past Friday. We have grown to love our social worker and we look forward to her visits. Friday was no different. It was a joy to visit with her and reflect on the tremendous progress we've all made over the past 6 months. Emily is a permanent part of our family. And it really feels that way now. We forget she was adopted. The stares and comments in public do remind us (we love the comments, by the...

Today we celebrated Emily Hope's 2nd birthday! Needless to say, this is a very big day for us. So many reasons why. She has never celebrated a birthday before. She was abandoned shortly after her birth and was living in an orphanage on her first birthday. I hope she got some extra kisses that day from her nannies. ;) With so many unknowns and too many days with no family, we are now making up for lost time. Our precious 2 year old is being showered with hugs and kisses today, make no mistake about it. We decided to keep it simple and just spend the day loving on her and making up for lost time. We worshipped and prayed together, giving thanks for His beautiful creation in Emily Hope. We don't know how her actual birth went down. No clue if it was in an apartment or a hospital, or perhaps somewhere else. We don't even know if August 5th was the exact day she was born. Medical reports show that she was likely 5 days old...

One of the great joys Seamus and I have been given through our adoption is being able to encourage and pray for other families. It is a privilege when someone contacts us saying they would like to discuss adoption. We pray for these opportunities to answer questions and encourage. We have seen hearts change through our own process. We've had the honor of sharing tears with people who have also been called to adopt. We praise God that He uses ordinary people like us to help carry out His great work. I received a FB message from a sweet acquaintance last week. She wanted to chat about adoption. I called her the next day and was eager to listen. I was so excited to hear that she knows in the depth of her soul that God has convicted her to adopt an orphan in need. I got chills hearing the passion in her voice. If you've adopted, you know the passion. It's the same feeling we biological mamas have when we lo...

I'm not promised tomorrow. I'm not even promised another breath. Each one is a gift from above, God's grace in it's simplest form. My response to each breath taken... Thank you. Thank you for today. Thank you for this moment. How can I honor Him with the moments he has given me? That's our purpose in life. To know Him and once we do, to honor Him. Because when you know Him, the desire to honor is inevitable. I want to spend my life thanking Him for His amazing grace. I'm restless. I know there is a season for everything. There is a season to wait on The Lord. I wait for Him to lead me. Still, I'm restless. We've only been home with Emily for 3 months. I've also taken on the daunting task of homeschooling my oldest son next year. Add in my career as a bookkeeper. Wife. Mother of 4. I am fully aware of the responsibility God has entrusted me with. I have a firm grasp on the fact that my mission field is, first and foremost, in my home. But I have a ten...

We had the great honor today of having Emily baptized. This precious gift from God has been marked. Set apart. Deemed worthy of the title "child of God" because of Christ's great work on the cross. Adopted. ADOPTED . "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 1:4-5 ) I am overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude when I reflect on the past year and the calling God so clearly privileged us with. I'm humbled by the fact that this beautiful soul is my daughter. But today. Today is bigger. Her baptism represents the work that only the Holy Spirit can do. Into the water... Death to self. Emergence from the water... Life in Christ. Can we begin to comprehend what Christ did in order to offer us eternal life? Can we grasp how painful his seperation from the Father was, in order that He could adopt us? I try. I can't. Not this sid...

"How are you?" My sweet friend texted me as she does every day. "I'm good. Very busy, very tired, very good. Inspired? ;)" "I don't need inspiration. I just wanna' know how my friend's doing." Oh, riiiiiiight! You just wanna' know how I'm doing. And then today an acquaintance reminded me, "Please don't stop blogging." Maybe y'all just wanna' know how we're doing! :) So, here goes... We are great, y'all. Life moves so quickly, doesn't it? The Bible tells us we are but a vapor that vanishes quickly (James 4:14). Why am I always surprised at the way time flies? I dunno but it does. And that's okay when your life is making a difference for the Kingdom of God. But that's not what this post is about. ;) We have been home with Emily for 6 weeks. She is seriously one transformed little lady. We are blown away by the progress she has made in such a short period of time. We are out and about with her ...

Today is Mother's Day. Joy rises to the brim of my heart. Sadness shares this same space. One year ago, I was mom to three precious children and daughter to a gracious and loving lady, giving thanks to God for my many blessings.  This year, this day, I give thanks for these same blessings and one extra special miracle in my life. Last year we were busy pursuing Emily Hope. This year, she is in my arms. I am her mother. She is my daughter. Forever. Today is Mother's Day. It's also our one-month-home day. These past couple months have flown by and the whirlwind of recovery and adjustment sometimes throws my memory in to a tail spin. Thankfully, I am able to recall some special moments and major milestones when I finally sit to write. Her laugh. Y'all. Her laugh. And oh my, her temper. The girl has a fabulous set of lungs. She has definitely learned to fight when she wants something. We neve...