One-half a year to forever

April 15th, 2012 will mark our half-year journey into our forever family! We have been the parents of 4 boys for 6 months and it is good!

love,

"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)

Trust and Lean

Some days, it is so very hard to give up what you want and realize that God's plan is not yours. Dreams may be gone. Hopes may be dashed. Wants are simply hunger pangs in the light of what you envision and what He has in store.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths." (Amplified Bible)

Being confident in the Lord, for me, is sometimes a second by second process. Right now, I am learning to lean, heavily. Trust, fully. And, I am learning, to be confident HE knows what is best and, more importantly, He owes me no explanation as to why we are enduring what we are.

I am reading Francis Chan's Crazy Love right now. Yesterday, I had an overwhelming sense of dread and I knew the 'news' was coming. I was reading in the book and conviction hit me so hard I had to stop reading, collect my rabid, raging thoughts and panic I felt to settle my heart, soul, and mind and FOCUS on HIM. Realizing God is GOD and He owes me no explanation for what He does. I am simply to trust, lean and be confident in His works.

Seems simple enough, right?

It's hard, y'all! But, then again, growing pangs are never painless...just ask Jackson--poor boy won't quit growing and his legs are killing him :)


love,

"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)

My heart gave birth

Exactly, 6 months to the day, today, my heart gave birth to a healthy, 18 pound, 3 year old, baby boy! Six months ago, in Kirovograd, Ukraine, we became the parents of Jadon Andrew.

February 2011, we began our paper pregnancy. Two months into, we thought we had lost it all. God said,  "I will go before you and level the mountains..." we followed, struggling to hang on to that paper pregnancy, planning for our boy. Our 6 year old boy. The one God did not have in store for us.

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." Isaiah 55:8 NLV

In August 2011, we let go of our plan, and decided to follow his plan, praying He would reveal the child he had in store for us. We followed, blindly, because "This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." 1 Corinthians 1:25 NLT  And we were rewarded for our faithfulness.

Within weeks, God revealed the child He intended for us to adopt. A wee, little boy.  A blond haired, blue eyed, tiny Ukrainian--abandoned at birth, stricken by society, all because of one little, extra chromosome. Down syndrome. The same genetic anomaly one of our twins was born with, our blessing in disguise--Joseph's secret and, yet, it was Jadon's birth family's shame that would ultimately become our reward.

I cannot thank God enough for allowing us this journey in life, against some of our family members wishes, against one social workers opinion, against a society that said he was worthless--but not God. God made Jadon  perfect, in His image, yes, all of my children are "fearfully and wonderfully made" Psalm 139:14 tells me so. Genesis 1:27 tells me so. Today, the Taylor family is seemingly complete, knitted and woven with a beautiful pattern only God could prepare and we celebrate that tapestry today.


love,


"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)

Time

Time is a fickle thing. Just 189 days ago, Shawn and I boarded a plane and left behind our family to bring home our son. Just 186 days ago, we met our son for the fist time. In 4 more days, it will be 6 calendar months since we adopted him into our family. And in 13 days, we will have been back home in the USA with our son for 6 calendar months.

It is amazing how time flies. It is amazing the changes we have seen in Jadon Andrew. We brought home a child, aged 3 years, measuring the same as a 1 year old child, and cognitively and developmentally that of a newborn to 3 month old on a real good day.

Today? Jadon is still delayed, but, he is making LEAPS and BOUNDS in development. He would barely crawl on his own when we got him. He is a toddler now and can walk about 2 feet before falling. He can climb stairs now, with no issue whatsoever. So, now, mommy has to keep the bunk bed ladder put up or he will crawl up there into Jackson's top bunk. The child could not drink from an open cup, a sippy cup, a bottle or any other way to get liquid into his system--today he can drink from a straw! And does so very nicely!  He is babbling more and more and more.

Jared has such a love for Jadon. It is truly heartwarming. Jackson loves to help with his baby brudder too. Joseph likes to include Joseph in his play, though often he is a bit rough with him. Daddy is smitten with Jadon. Momma loves him very much. Our family is better for having him.

Lots of changes in our extended family dynamic have occurred as well. Changes I wish had never happened, but they have. However, I thank God for family that has fully supported us, includes us and wishes to be with and around my family--all of my family. My family. That is what I have: my husband, me and our 4 boys. My family.


Jadon is attending preschool and SOAKING it UP!! He goes just 3 days a week now, but will go 5 days a week in the fall. We are working on finding the best placement/arrangement for Joseph--he will go 5 days a week again this fall for preschool. Jackson will go to Kindergarten, full-day, 5 days a week and Jared will be my 4th grader!!!!! I am astounded at this fact!!

Not entirely sure what momma is going to do with herself each morning when all my boys are in school, but I am sure I will manage ;)


love,



"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)