Happy Trick or Treatin'

Happy One Year as a FaMiLy! (10/24/14)

Below is a video to celebrate and to tell the, "Story of Luke and God's work," in our lives this year!

http://youtu.be/7_jJ6V59aGc

These four kiddos bless me and refine me each and everyday!

One day this little doll will smile with a pose for his mama!

My three angels~ they've grown so much this year as they've put many of their own desires and needs aside to help with Luke's needs. Whether it be medical appts, behavior issues, sleeping in on Saturdays, or playing in the backyard with Luke rather than in the woods with neighbors... they've risen to the occasion of loving Luke and growing in their patience and care of their baby brother. I'm so proud of our girlies!

The countdown to our one year forever family day..

One year ago today, we were at the Great Wall of China, anticipating the next day, date of Oct.13th, when we would fly to the mountainous, unique province of Gansu, China, along the Yellow River, where we would finally after 22 months hold our son. These pictures hold so much of my heart, a deep warmth of gratitude to a place, a people, a culture that is so much a part of our son... What beauty God  has created there- today as I reflect on this beauty I pray that His Name will be known and lifted High, among this nation and people.  Feeling so, so grateful!

We've "gotcha" now sweet boy, forever in our family today!

Happy Fall

Luke's 4th Birthday!

October 1, 2014, we had the wonderful blessing of celebrating Luke's 4th birthday~ first birthday home with us.  He celebrated at playschool with his friends and teachers and then had a dinner of long noodles with his family.  He will be celebrated with extended family and friends on Sunday, October 5th.  Praise God our sweet boy is home this year.  We were preparing to travel this time last year to meet him and bring him home.  We are getting close to our one year celebration. 

               Luke before playschool

      Luke with his teachers and friends

   Pictures with the sisters before getting ready for his birthday dinner

    Enough with the pictures... no more!

   Birthday dinner out~ Perry, Party of Six!

Daddy gave up on the chopsticks, and let Luke feed him

He's a natural with feeding himself rice.. He perfectly placed his fingers when and hasn't had chopsticks in about 9 months. 

       Girls trying dinner with chopsticks

When we started singing to him with the candles lit, he immediately blew them out and said, "eat, eat."  It was pretty sweet to know that we had another first with him tonight, singing and celebrating with him by singing Happy Birthday and having cake. It was evident he didn't know the routine of singing and then eating!

Sundays party celebration with family/friends.

Mimi, Alaina, Rachel, Luke and Granmomma

Happy 11 months!

It's so hard to believe 11 months ago today we were waiting so nervously in a hotel room in Lanzhou, Gansu, China to meet, touch, hold, and to finally see in person the amazing little boy God was leading us to- our determined, funny, indecisive, snugly son. As we approach the one year mark of having Luke,  we've been diligently working towards our 1 yr post placement paperwork.  It's been nostalgic to see how much he has changed, the girls have changed, and our family all together.  As I sat at Alaina's soccer game watching her play this morning.. with her daddy coaching her, the girls, my mom, and Luke and I watching... All of the memories of last year came back to me.. we were only weeks from leaving for a country I never knew would become so special to my heart, to meet our son and to begin life- as a family God started orchestrating back in October of 2010 

(when I began feeling a tugging on my heart from The Lord to adopt-a son, and the very month Luke would be born to a mother who would make a decision that God Sovreignly used to lead us to him).  

Oh how thankful we are that His ways are higher than ours!  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 33:21-22 NIV) 

Happy 11months with your "mama" and "baba," Luke O'Neil Perry! We ❤️ You!

Another first with our sweet boy~Luke's 1st day at playschool

Before drop off at playschool...

So far so good- praying he has a good year and continues to make progress developmentally and with speech (and that we can get a little homeschooling in)...

Hooray!!!! He had a good first day!