6 mos. home

Its hard to believe its been 6 mos. since we have brought Caleb home from China. In some ways it has gone by fast and in others not so much. We endured severe illness in our whole family for the first month we were home. Then soon after recovery Caleb had his first surgery. It took a month to recover from that. Then summer was getting used to life with a toddler. School kind of got off to a rough start with finding a new routine and how to involve and keep a toddler occupied. Fall has been busy with activites, including family camp, a trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium, starting the adoption process again and another surgery. Whew! So now for Caleb we have a hearing screen and Speech evaluation lined up in the next couple of weeks. So I think life is giong to get busier as I'm sure we will have speech twice a week. But probably no more surgeries for a couple of years.
Yes, it has been hard, yes it has been good. But it was meant to be from the beginning of time. In the hard places is where we seek and find God the most. I feel that I am learning that in each area of my life. But how can I not do what God calls of me to do just because it is hard?! How can I just sit back and live and enjoy the American Christian life? I don't think that is what God wants. ( Yes, I am reading the book "Radical" right now! :) )
Austin and Naomi love (most of the time) having a little brother and are looking forward to having a little sister. We are planning on taking Naomi to China with us this next time. She is very excited. Hoping to have our homestudy off to immigration very soon. Things have kinda gotten held up this month. So our paperwork will most likely not be to China by Christmas like I had hoped, but hopefully soon after as Chinese New Year is Jan. 23rd.
Very excited about attending Steven Curtis Chapman concert in Roseville next week, spending time with family and then getting to go to Tahoe for 2 days with just my bunch. Looking forward to going somewhere that it is actually FALL!

Toddler boy in the house

Yes I have a very busy little boy about the house, so blogging is on the backburner. He is very comfortable here now and is testing everything in a good and sometimes not so good way. He tries to repeat everything we say, is learning his letters and sounds and numbers. He loves figuring things out and TOTALLY understands what we are saying. He is very smart. I've decided he will be able to teach A and N Algebra in a few years! :)
This Friday is surgery day. He will have his nose and lip worked on. We appreciate prayers! It shouldn't be as hard as the last one, but I'm not sure if he will just be scared about being in the hospital again. Hopefully he will only have to stay one night. Rod still had some family leave so is taking a week off, praise God! My freezer is full of food, homeschool is going pretty well, so hopefully his recovery won't be too bad. Then coming up we have a hearing test, just to make sure he is hearing ok before we start speech. Have a speech evaluation in Nov., and a dentist appt. for cleaning and for fitting of an appliance to cover the hole behind his front teeth. We thought that could be repaired now but it has to wait.

For baby China girl we had a yard/bake sale this last Sat., did ok. God is again just providing a little at a time, and we are so thankful. The frustrating part of the adoption process begins again. Thought we would get our I-800A sent off soon ,but it will be a couple more weeks. So our paperwork will not be to China by Christmas. :( But still hoping to travel by this time next year, we'll see. I'm going to try so hard this time to "wait better". I am busier so that helps a little.