a new year all together... i can see it now

medicals are all done, with the exception of one x-ray which will be done on monday. embassy appointment and visa to follow. we aren't sure if they will fly home tuesday or wednesday morning, but right now it looks like they will be home no later than january 1st! what a wonderful way to start our new year, all together as a family... i cannot wait until we are together at last! no more being separated again, something that is very necessary for our family. hoping that flights are not crazy expensive. last year it cost us $8000 to get home with the girls (yeah that still stings) so fingers crossed that new year's flights are in our favor!

and just because our son is so dang cute... check him out (daddy took him to the circus):

bringing our son home SOON!

well sweet little wilson is everything i thought he would be, and more! he is happy, such a happy boy. my heart felt peace as soon as i saw him, and any fears i had about his orphanage environment drifted away. i can see a sparkle in his eyes, and happiness in his soul. he is a singer and a dancer! oh how he loves to dance. he is very active and high energy, and will fit right in with our sweet kids at home. he is smart, and very clever. he loves to play games and he learns very quickly.

one thing that took me by surprise... he is tiny! so small. i knew he was thin, but he is really a very small little boy. i certainly have had to do some additional shopping as i was way off on sizes! i look forward to watching our sweet boy grow and blossom before our eyes.

all of our children at home are so excited for their brother to join us. daddy leaves tomorrow to finish everything up and bring him home... they won't be home by christmas, but that's ok. we have many more christmases to come, and we will certainly be celebrating when we are all together once and for all.

there is something special about bringing home your last child... what a sweet homecoming it will be!

tonight's the night...

...i'm gonna do all those things i have to do before we leave! finish our photo books, finish packing, finish schedules for grandma, make little necklaces of me and the girls so they can hold me close while i'm gone. 

i absolutely need to do all these things, and i'm putting it out here to hold myself accountable for getting it done. i've been so busy with work lately that by the time i finish doing all the things i need to do for work, i'm exhausted and just fall into bed. i'm excited to be leaving soon, but i'm going to miss all of my children staying home. to my local friends and family, please surround my children with love and kindness while i'm gone. check in on them, don't tell them they are strong because they don't need that pressure... just let them know you're thinking of them. if you want to bring them a treat or ask grandma if she needs help, that's cool too. please don't forget my big kids. they are responsible, kind, helpful, and loving, but they need comfort and love too. we are so very thankful to everyone who is loving us and helping in so many ways.

we have a couple more days before we are off to see the little boy that stole our hearts. if you see me between now and then, tell me to finish everything i need to get done... really, sometimes i need an extra push!

thank you!!

we held a small auction fundraiser to try and raise some travel funds... check out our thermometer! we cannot believe that we are so close to our goal! we just have a little bit further until we reach our goal, and that feels amazing. thank you so very much to everyone who donated items to our auction, bid on our items, made donations, and gave us such encouraging words. we are so appreciative of the love and support we have received. 

just last night i was thinking about how we have met some wonderful people on this journey to bring our son home. i have met people from all over who hold our family close and surround us with love. the longer i live this life, the more i realize how very special, and essential, this is to my soul. thank you, villagers, new and old... you are appreciated!

inching closer...

...to the date we leave to meet wilson. feeling anxious and excited and nervous all at once. i was thinking about how often i dream of his sweet face and i cannot wait to actually see him in person and commit every little feature to memory. i know it may sound crazy to think about how much you can love a child you haven't actually met yet, but i think that's just part of the beauty of our human existence. i still look at my children, all of them, and i can remember all my thoughts of what they would be like as babies/toddlers/kids either before they were born (if i gave birth to them myself), or as i waited to meet them (if all i had was a photo to stare at for hours and hours). 

i look at them now and see the memories; their faces have changed, their bodies have filled out, and their ages are older, but i smile to myself. i smile because i was right that brother K would be easy, calm, and a warrior. i laugh because i was right that sister K would keep me on my toes and be everything i wasn't, and somehow we would still be close and enjoy each other, maybe for the very traits we lack in ourselves. i smile because i was right that brother C would be unique and strong, close and independent all at once. i catch my breath when i think of sister L, because though she came as a surprise, she is one of the most amazing and breathtaking joys that i ever could have expected. i smile because i was right that sister M is a treasure, one that others could not see, and she is strong and lovable, and loving despite all odds. i laugh again because i was oh so right that sister N is big and loud and fun and fiesty.

i was right about so much, and of course there are unexpected things i never would have guessed, but through it all, these children, their features, their quirks, their lovable selves are forever embedded in my heart and soul and memory. and so what do i think of wilson? well, i think he's a little bit quiet and has a great sense of humor. i think he's a rough and tumble little boy who is eager to learn and full of great ideas. i think he's someone special, someone i love, someone i want to hold close and make it known that he is full of promise and surprises.

as we prepare to bring our last child home, i feel blessed to have family and friends that lend a helping hand. whether you are helping with our children while we travel, joining our auction to raise some funds, donating to our fsp, wishing us well, or taking care of our hearts through our journey, we are thankful and so appreciative. 

this is the last weekend of our auction. we have adorable kid clothes, awesome kid shoes, uganda treasures, and fun wall decals. if you are interested in bidding on some items and helping us raise a few travel funds, please go here and join our auction page: join our auction to bring wilson home

if you'd like to make a tax deductible donation to our fsp fund that will help us with travel funds, please go here: donate to help bring wilson home
seriously, it sounds cliche, but every dollar does help. we have some family members that love to get us gifts, and we are so happy to receive an fsp donation for a gift. we are grateful to everyone that has donated to us already, and so thankful for any help we receive, even if it's a $1 donation. we would love to tell our sweet boy how many people helped bring him home.

if you'd like to help give our children staying home while we travel some love, whether you take them out for a walk to the park, share some treats together, or help provide transportation to dance lessons, please contact me. we are always grateful for help in this area. our children at home will have a difficult time without us, and it would be a huge gift to have help with loving them and showing them kindness while we are away.

it takes a village to raise a child they say. we say it takes a village to raise a family. i know we couldn't do this alone, without the support of our friends and family and community, we wouldn't be able to be the parents, the family, the friends that we strive to be. thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and loving to us along the way.

fundraising and support

we have less than two weeks before we leave! we are fundraising with a small auction on facebook. you can go here and request to be added: bring wilson home fundraiser auction

we have lots of kid stuff, some beautiful items from uganda and some really neat wall art decals, as well as a few other things.

if you would like to donate to our fsp fund to help bring wilson home, you can make a tax deductible donation here: donate to help bring wilson home 

any amount helps, no matter how small or big and we are so grateful for everyone who has supported us on our journey.

anyone local who is willing to help daniel's mother with a few things related to our children at home while we are gone, please email me or call me, we would all be so appreciative of help in this way.

thank you to our village for the love and support as we prepare to bring our last child home!

 

less than 2 weeks...

today marks less than 2 weeks until we leave to go meet wilson! i am beyond excited. i need to pack and i need to finish our photo books. i need to prep some things at home for grandma, and line up a few more resources to help with the children at home. i am trusting it will all work out. deep breaths. this is what a very good friend tells me. i suppose she's right. she's visiting her little boy right now and is sort of a fly by the seat of her pants mom like me sometimes so i'm going to take her word on this one. i'm anxious about leaving our children at home, but so excited to meet wilson and see that sweet little face in person for the first time.

feeling thankful that we have daniel's mother who will come stay with our children and take on the task of helping our kids feel safe and loved while we are gone. feeling extremely blessed that we have two of the kindest, most responsible and loving teenagers that were ever born. whatever karma stores i built up, i've been repaid multiple times over with brother K and sister K. i know that they will provide so much comfort and stability for the three youngest children who are going to miss us terribly. it's going to be hard for all of us to be apart, but at the end of it, welcoming our last child into the family will be worth it. and then our ordinary life goes on, and i long for the ordinary... the jumping in puddles, running to the park, dancing before dinner, racing to get homework done at the last minute, looking for any excuse to play in water, games all over the place kind of ordinary life. we'll have one more little boy to love and any future trips will be all together. that day is coming soon!