Six Months!

Today marks six months that Abigail has been HOME!  I can hardly believe it has been six months. It seems like yesterday.  I can hardly believe it has only been six months; it seems this baby has been with us forever. 

She is FULL of JOY!  She is STRONG! She is a PRINCESS!  She is a FIGHTER!  She is LOVE!  She is LAUGHTER! She is SMART!  She is a TALKER!  She is a HUGGER!  She is FAMILY! 
She is HIS!!!

I am beyond grateful that God would choose us to kiss her cheeks (until they have to be sore), to carry her, to search endlessly for food she will actually eat, to rock her to sleep, to sing "wheels on the bus" with her at least 10x in a row each day, to watch "big bird" with her as she squeals and names each character, to read books to her, to pray with her, to tell her God made her perfectly and wonderfully in Uganda so she could be part of our family here in the US, to pull her in her wagon, to hear her say "I WUB U" , to spoil her, to "raise" her!

Often times people will say what a gift we are to Abigail and how "lucky" she is to have a family.  I want to make it very clear that WE ARE THE LUCKY ONES!  Now, I'm a straight shooter so let me put it all out there...Is it difficult to have a 1 year old in our home again?  YES.  Is is challenging to "go back to this stage of life" 20+ years later?  YES.  Are there times we think "what was God thinking?" YES.  Is this momma tired? YES!!!  BUT..... Is it all worth it? ... without a doubt YES! 

How do I know it is worth it?  Because we had empty rooms in our house and Abigail needed one.  Because she makes us laugh a million times a day and laughter is good for the soul (it's my most favorite thing to do). Because I have seen healing in our family because of our common love for this baby.  And,  Because this adoption has brought us closer to God and more dependent on him than we have ever been in our lives! 

We didn't choose this path.  There is nothing righteous or special about what "we did".  We simply choose to be obedient.  Now what God did on the other hand is MIRACULOUS!  Do you have an empty room?  Do you desire to be obedient?  There are at least 147 million more children that need a family; that need a home; that need love....  Maybe it's your turn! :)

I'm looking forward to the next six months!
Blessings, 
Tosha (the luckiest mom in the world)

Here are a few of my favorite pics from the past few weeks...

Coming out of the fog... well a little

Our 2 weeks HOME in America have been FULL.  Full of jet-lag, visits from family and friends, parties, food and basically full of LOVE.  It seems weird that we have been home for 2 weeks.  It seems weird that we have only been home for 2 weeks.  In many ways it seems Abigail has ALWAYS been here; like we have known her her whole life.  In many ways it feels like she just arrived and we are in over our head.

I'm just now starting to try and recall memories and process our trip and experiences in Uganda and throughout the adoption of Abigail.  Many people will ask me "how was your trip?" "how was Africa?" etc.  The only response that I can give at this point is "Life changing".  I am praying that with more time that I will be able to give more description and better share all that the Lord did in my life and in my heart while I lived in Masese.  I pray that I could share details and stories and express the impact those I met had on me. 

For now I'm going to keep putting one foot in front of the other in this country, in my "real life", in my "NEW life".  For now I'm going to keep clinging to Him and His truths to get through each day learning to parent Abigail here, with part of my heart still 'there'.  I still look at baby sister most days and feel overwhelmed that He would create her for US and that He would stir the hearts of dear friends Suzanne and Gwen and others to help us get her home.  The miracles, I'm SERIOUS with that word - TRULY MIRACLES - that took place in the last 10 months to get Abigail HOME have impacted my family in so many ways!  We will NEVER be the same and I am so happy for that.

Abigail is doing FANTASTIC.  She has had her first round of immunizations (she was immunized in Uganda but her pediatrician wants her to have them all again in the US).  We also got her blood work results and as we expected she is a healthy girl! She does sleep but only for 2-3 hours at a time. I'm thinking this has more to do with jet-lag and me being sick our first 2 weeks home and not getting her in a good routine than her just not being a good sleeper.  When I say I've been sick I mean that Satan is NOT happy baby girl is HOME and he is attacking me physically!  I have been deaf in one ear due to sinus congestion for many days, I had an abscessed tooth, my lymph nodes in my neck swelled to the point I could not turn my head and over all I don't remember when I have EVER felt this crummy!  Luckily antibiotics have cleared up most of the junk and I am starting to feel like a human again.  I started back to work this week and Abigail is attending Pre-School at the school where I work (she is the only girl with 4 boys in the 1 year old class).  She has enjoyed the first 2 days of school!   I'm hoping having a set schedule each day at school  will help us get into a routine and the sleeping problems will improve.

Abigail had a Birthday Party/ Sip-n-see shower the first weekend she was home.  That was SO fun to see her opening presents and laughing and smiling for those that have prayed for her and waited for so long to meet her.  I will be writing thank you cards for years to come I'm sure as she was showered with more toys, clothes and baby dolls than I have ever seen at one time.  It warms this momma's heart that she is SO loved! After the party she got to see Big Sister dress up for the Homecoming dance.  A 1 year old and a 15 year old are such different worlds but OH SO FUN together!

Abigail has also attended 2 high school football games  (I am also the cheerleading sponsor at our school).  It is fun to see the love and excitement our school community has for baby sister!  She is NEVER in need of attention!  I'm sure once she feels safe out of mommy's arms I will be wishing for a chance to hold her myself.  There is ALWAYS a crowd of students, faculty, alumni and parents around wanting to show Abigail some love!  HOW BLESSED ARE WE?!?! Oh baby sister has decided to jump out of my arms for one of my students and football player.  It is almost comical how much she adores sweet Hunter.  Her mom adores Hunter too as he is like a son to me. I wonder if he reminds her of someone or if she just loves him.  Either way it is precious to see.

                                                 She is Definitely a LIONS FAN!  Hahahaha


Oh we also went with several cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents to Lucky Ladd Farms Pumpkin Patch since being home.  Abigail enjoyed riding in a wagon with her cousins and being outside.  The weather was amazing and we had a GREAT day.  Big sister was with Katie Davis and the 147 crew in Birmingham AL that day so she missed the Pumpkin Patch fun.  She said worshiping at David Platt's church and seeing Katie share her story with so many was worth the trade-off.  I agreed with her and kinda wish I was on that trip too :) I love Big Sister's heart and how much she loves the Lord!

This last weekend we had 2 cousins over and carved pumpkins while they were here.  As I watched Abigail sticking her hand inside the pumpkin and the hilarious faces she was making I thought "what in the world must she be thinking?".  America and her new family must seem so VERY odd to her hahaha.  Odd or not she seems to be adjusting extremely well!

Well this is a little of what we have been up to during our 2 weeks home.  Thanks for loving us and praying for us! We are beyond blessed!
Love from Tennessee!

Photos from our Airport Greeting...

We have been HOME for one week and are starting to feel "normal" again.  I will attempt to catch everyone up on our 1st week home but first I wanted to give you a peek at the LOVE we received as we landed in Tennessee. We were overwhelmed by the crowd that showed up to greet us at the Airport.  We are so blessed to have such prayer warriors as family and friends.  We will NEVER forget how many of you prayed for us, gave financial support and your ENDLESS words of encouragement.  Thank you for LOVING US!!!!!

F

FAMILY!!!