Celebrating our 1st Christmas season as a family of SIX!

This month we have enjoyed celebrating the birth of Jesus with our families! We started the month of December being a part of our church Christmas program.  This year the focus was on our adoption through Jesus.  Christmas is definitely significant to all believers of Jesus, but it's just a foretaste of the significance of Easter.  Easter, the resurrection of Jesus, is the true celebration- giving us eternal life, adoption by God the Father! Adopted children and families participated in this program as a visual to the great blessing of adoption- spiritually and physically!

Leaving for the Christmas program.  Luke wore his outfit from China, representing his country. 

Luke has done remarkable with the different routines and many different faces while shopping, gathering with family, medical appt., going to church.

On our way to Vanderbilt appt and the Perry family Christmas.

As you can see, he has different clothes on from traveling. Note to self:  don't give a toddler 3 cups of water while traveling, it will come out- all over him!!

Luke's cardiologist examined him and confirmed he will be proceeding with scheduling the arteriogram- sometime in January. We are hopeful that we will receive the date this week.

With cousin- Cade

With Mimi

Luke waking up for Christmas with the Perry cousins.

Waiting to open gifts

Alaina opening gifts

Emma and Cade, the two oldest Perry cousins

Yes, the boy draws a great audience..Yay for cousins!

Rachel and Maddie opening gifts

Rachel, Mimi and Ben

Luke with Uncle Randy

Craig and I (so thankful for this man;)

Outside fun with Uncle Chuck

I believe this is my favorite picture of the weekend..  the Perry brothers and Grandad completely focused on this sweet little guy.  To think that one year ago, Luke was one of many, many little precious babies in a cold institution, high in the northern mountainous parts of China to being among people, FAMILY, where He is so greatly loved and cherished. A MirAcLe!!! 

His favorite gift- the bag the gift was wrapped in and these cards- to dump in and out!

Christmas Day- traveling to the Stanley family Christmas

Luke with Poppa

Getting ready for opening presents

Alaina- trying to wait patiently for presents

Luke with Aunt Tracy

Playing with the Legos from Poppa and Grammy

Maddie, (cousin)Ellie, and Rachel 

Rachel and I, soaking it all in...

Miscellaneous pictures over Christmas break:

Who's got who here?

Can't get enough of him

My sweet baby girl!

He LOVES this cap! Roll Tide Roll!

The last day of 2013, snuggling with a snack... a much different end than the start of this year for our sweet boy!

Enjoying a New Year's Eve movie with the family.  Luke loves cuddling up with Maddie, one of his favorite spots!

2013 was such a blessing- anticipating The Lord in 2014.  Happy New Year!  

Bless All The Dear Children in Thy Tender Care

For ten weeks I have rocked our son to sleep at night.  In the first days it was with much excitement- and nervousness about if he would accept me.  Other times, it's been nights of anticipating bedtime because I've been so exhausted from all of the care taking and our family's new normal.  But then there have been other nights, tonight being one of them, when it's such a spiritual occurrence.  You see, tonight as we've just gotten home from a wonderful weekend of celebrating Christmas with the Perry's, my mind and heart (while singing and rocking) is on Christmas... the true significance and rescuing that has truly taken place.  

As I sang a Christmas song (Away In A Manger) to Luke rocking him to sleep, I heard the words like I don't ever remember hearing:

"Bless all the dear children in thy tender care".....

I started thinking about Luke's birth mother and who she might be- and if she will ever hear, or be told about Jesus.  I became so overwhelmed with gratitude for the choices made that brought him to a safe place where an orphanage cared for our son and how God has not only rescued Luke from a life as an orphan but that He has so generously rescued Craig and I- twice!  We were rescued when the Holy Spirit drew us to Himself- and the second was when He rescued us by showing us that this life and our world is so much bigger than chasing the American dream.  Craig reminded me today traveling that each day as we parent our son and daughters- God is slowly rescuing, refining, and sanctifying us.  Praise God, DAILY He reminds us that we cannot love and give our children- who He has placed "in our tender care," any earthly satisfying blessing that can touch His AmAziNg love for them.  The greatest gift we can give them is a life that reflects our love for the Lord.

We have been told on more than one occasion how blessed or lucky Luke is for being rescued- but actually God has used this adorable little guy to rescue us... from our own agendas and ideas of Christianity to a daily dependence on Him- for it ALL!  

..."fit us for Heaven to live with thee there."

As Craig and I think about Christmas and this year- 2013, we are so grateful for not only Jesus birth, but His death which redeemed us and adopted us into the family of our King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

(Luke holding my hand sleeping... his comfort in the car.  Maddie captured this photo while traveling)!

 

Two months- hOoRaY!!!!

Our four little BlEsSiNgS!!!!!

It's hard to believe that Friday the 13th of December was two months that we've had our baby boy with us!  Looking back at the pictures he has changed so much.... definitely he has more hair- and the best smile so far!

Can hardly remember life without him home...

Our two babies snuggled together, priceless!

Update on Luke

(Home 6-1/2 weeks)

Just wanted to update you on Luke's appointment: his cardiologist phoned yesterday and we will see him next Friday for a brief visit at Vanderbilt for him to listen to the thrill that's suspected to be a fistula in his neck (from the surgery in China).  Feels confident it is- wanting solid confirmation before scheduling an arteriogram (?) which will pinpoint exactly where the artery and vessel have connected.  Surgery will be required at some point, but all is unknown until these next two steps.  Please keep Luke in your prayers!  He's doing well adjusting and learning English.  He's eating well and sleeps wonderfully.... Yes, I've fallen totally in love with our sweet little guy.  We are hopeful we can get him past these next steps and healthy in the upcoming few months.  Thank you for praying!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Perry's!

As we look back over the last year we have so many blessings to be thankful to God for.  Often times we think of blessings as good things in our lives given to us by the Lord.  While this is so, I must say that a blessing can also come from struggles, hardships, uncertainties, and waiting.... because a blessing, well- it's whatever draws us closer to the feet of Jesus... that place of total submission and longing to just be- to be in the presence of a Holy and Just God.... Who Was, and Is, and Is to Come!   You see, as we celebrate Christmas- we have so many blessings and the greatest is redemption through Jesus... for all who "take up their Cross and follow."

(Matt. 16:24-26) Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:24-28 NIV)

We thank you all for your countless prayers, giving, cooking, kind words of support, wisdom and love!  So many of you have journeyed this past year alongside us, thank you! While bringing home our son has been the highlight this year, we want to give glory to God.  For His Son is the greatest Son to know personally- which is our prayer for each person who takes the time to read our blog.  

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgivings/Prayers

Our Thanksgiving blessing 11yrs. ago (11/27) our precious Rachel 

So very thankful for this blessing- she is such a creative young lady.  She's passionate about The Lord and is so burdened for others... She challenges me to be ready to share Christ when the opportunity comes. Thankful!

Poppa still believes in the ol' fashion tradition of "birthday spankings"... the girls think this is hilarious!

Grammy hugs!!

Thanksgiving with the Stanley family

Luke's first Thanksgiving... he loved it!

Alaina and Luke (my two babies)

Yes, my firstborn is officially taller than her momma. 

Thankful!

Last November we switched from the country of Honduras to the China Waiting Child program. It was a huge leap of faith, after having our dossier in Honduras for over 5 months.  Looking back God, in His Sovreignty, was orchestrating the details of bringing us to this amazing little guy I'm so honored to call, son!  

Thankful for this time of the year when so many challenge us to reflect on blessings- but most grateful that we have access to our Father, always!  

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1, 2 NIV)

**This Tuesday Luke will have the CT scan/angiogram and sedated echocardiogram at 1:30 at Vanderbilt.  I'm praying the above scripture as we prepare for this day.  HE is my portion, my deliverer!