I'm Baaaa-aaack!

When I said I was going to cut back, I never dreamt I'd become an absentee blogger. Journaling is so healthy, and I love sharing the thoughts & emotions that arise with each new mile of this journey. But for the past year or so, being a wife and mommy has required every moment of my attention. Although that hasn't really changed, I'm hoping to squeeze in a few minutes for blogging every once in awhile.

God is so very good, and I'm feeling exceptionally thankful these days. Here is my precious family at Wade's sister's wedding in October. All three of our girls are unbelievably special. I am blessed beyond belief!

The Long Road

This is my 500th post. Seriously? Have I really shared that much? As I look back at the past few years, it's like a dream. We've been through so much in such a short time. Two beautiful daughters. Nine unborn angels. A new home. A new community. Basically, a new life in the deep south with incredible relationships across the country. It's crazy. We miss our long-distance friends, but we belong here in Hattiesburg. Truly.

I'm thinking about going back to the beginning of this blog to read the whole thing and see what God has done in our lives (and hopefully how I've grown). I may be the only reader, now that my blogs have dwindled from daily to monthly. My analytics program says that 40,000 people have visited this blog (which seems hard to believe), and my sincere apologies to each one of you for the cutback. Although I miss writing (and the catharsis that accompanies it), I'm also enjoying the time away from the computer. Time is precious. Every minute online is a moment of their childhood.

Speaking of which, here are my beauties in all their glory--along with some of God's amazing creation:

Reflections on Infertility

I've had a great deal of time to reflect on our journey through infertility and adoption. If I had it to do over again, there are certainly some things I'd do differently.

Most importantly, I would put complete faith in the Lord and trust in His provision. Although I felt that I fully depended on Him during our attempts to get pregnant, I now realize that there were times I pursued my selfish desires instead of waiting on the Lord. My yearning for a child was so profound and intense that I could not see straight, let alone make the wisest decisions at every moment.

Of course, hindsight always seems to offer a much clearer perspective than the vision that's present in the thick of emotional and physical strife. My faith was in its infancy during the majority of our fertility treatments, and now that it's growing and maturing, I have a greater ability to trust and rest in the Lord.

Looking back, I did pretty well with what I was given, but I definitely see areas in need of improvement. You live and learn. Now I am in the process of allowing that wisdom to guide us in the right direction.

Adopting is one of the best things we've ever done, and I am hopeful that our family will continue to grow by that means. I'm so thankful that God led us to be adoptive parents, even if it took many roadblocks and detours to get there. Infertility is a long road, one that we'll continue to travel for many years to come.

There is nothing more challenging and fulfilling that being a mother. Thank you for encouraging and supporting me along the way!

Dressed up for Liliana's "Buh-Bye Pull-ups" party. Liliana requested silly dress up clothes and a homemade chocolate cake. Notice the remnants on her face! We try to have fun around here!

Twenty Thousand Words

Photographs by Nicole Gourley http://www.spiritsbreezephotography.net

Happy Valentine's Day from our family to yours!

Ramona

Memorable Moments

This is my favorite video clip of all time. It features my girls in one of their many hilarious interactions. I guarantee you will smile, and it's highly likely you'll laugh out loud.

Speaking of laughter, here are Liliana's latest and greatest comments...

"Mommy, I wish it was Christmas, so I could have a jackhammer. I'd use it to break up the ground and dig for worms and rocks and toys."

(When helping Leila to stand) "Just believe, Leila. Just believe. God the Father almighty will protect you!"

"Mama, keep an eye on me, because I'm doing something bad."

Hope your day is filled with memorable moments!

Blessings, Ramona

Blessed Beyond Belief

It seems that the weeks are flying right by. I've had a few bouts of homesickness, but overall, I'm loving our new home and community. We've been soaking up the sunshine and warm temps, renovating this quirky house and getting to know our new friends. While Hattiesburg is definitely trailing St. Louis in the things-to-do-with-kids category, it is not lacking in kind, caring people...and that's really important to us.

We're also thrilled about our large property. The girls play outside most of the day (left: Leila sitting in the grass on a sunny afternoon), and we are all fascinated by the wildlife. We have so many beautiful birds, lizards, chameleons, frogs and insects to keep us company in the yard. At the same time, we have met our nemesis: fire ants.

No matter what the weather is like, the girls love to keep each other company. I couldn't be happier about the way their relationship continues to grow and blossom. They absolutely adore one another. I love seeing the way Leila's face brightens when Liliana enters the room and observing Liliana's sweet words and actions. As Leila's birthmother aptly put it, "They're two peas in a pod!" (Left: sisters cuddling on the sofa, like they do almost every morning.)


Liliana is already psyched for this year's Mardi Gras festivities, which are set for the mid to end of February. I'm particularly stoked about the unlimited supply of King cakes during the next six weeks (a perk of living close to New Orleans)! Like last year, we'll be celebrating in New Orleans with friends. Our hotel is located in a family-friendly area right on the parade route. And, contrary to popular belief, the daytime events really are for families (i.e., we shout to receive beads).

This week was very momentous for both of our girls. Liliana began riding her bike without training wheels. Aside from forgetting she could steer (and trying to eat the azaleas a couple times), she was a natural.

We are thankful to have a long driveway for perfecting new skills. Each day, I grab a piece of chalk, walk to the 3/4 point of the driveway, draw a line across it's width and write, "STOP." And Liliana swipes the chalk and adds an extra line to the "P," making it an "R." She thinks it's so funny, and I think it's cool that she can write all of her letters!

Precious Leila is already six months old, and she learned to sit without support this week. On Monday, she was very unstable, toppling over every minute or so. But by Wednesday, she was able to sit for almost 30 minutes! She's a rock star!

Although getting here has been quite the journey, we are so blessed to be a family of four. We absolutely adore our precious daughters, and we thank the Lord for them every single day!

My Beautiful Girls

From Our Family to Yours

Merry Christmas from Mississippi! Here we are on the beach in Ocean Springs during a visit with Wade's brother & family. We've been enjoying unbelievably warm temperatures this week. In fact, I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt right now, and I've had to run the ceiling fans to cool the house. Is it really the end of December?! It feels like May!



Liliana and I have been tackling the heaping boxes that once covered our dining room floor, and I'm psyched to have only a few left! Finally, there's light at the end of the tunnel. It'll be so nice to have dinner at the dining room table for the first time.

Here are the girly-girls on our new sofa (thanks to Hudsons, my favorite store) in the living room. They're so cute together. Liliana dotes on Leila, and Leila smiles and laughs at Liliana like nobody's business!

Wade and I are absolutely stoked about being so close to the beach. There's no place we'd rather be than in the warm sand on a sunny day, and now we're just a short drive away. Liliana and Leila will be such beach bums this summer.


We are also enjoying more frequent date nights than we were able to have in STL, thanks to retired Grammy and Grandfather (Wade's parents). We attended a Christmas party last night, and we had so much fun that we were the last to leave!

Liliana seems to be adjusting a bit better the past few days, now that we've unearthed her favorite toys. She is on Christmas break until the first week of January, so we'll have plenty of time to play and enjoy the this crazy warm weather. Liliana is still falling pretty frequently, which is a major concern. I had to pick her up early on Monday after a serious faceplant on the classroom floor. And on Tuesday night, she fell against the corner of the coffee table and gashed the back of her head. Poor darling! We're praying it's just the stress of the move and nothing grave. Please pray for her!

Leila Bean (as we affectionately call her) now rolls over, sits up and is eating rice cereal, carrots and sweet potatoes. She likes to be in the middle of all the action, especially when there's a large group of people. The term "social butterfly" is a really an understatement for her. She would rather "talk" to and watch people than sleep!

We feel very blessed this holiday season, and we wish you every happiness. Merry Christmas and much love to one and all!

Connecting

After less than three weeks in Mississippi, I find that I am quickly embracing my inner Southern Belle. My tendency toward a fast-paced way of life is showing signs of a slowdown, and my Midwestern accent has adopted a slight drawl. And, of course, I've always appreciated a cleverly accessorized outfit and a perfectly coiffed mane!

The people I've met are so friendly and caring, and it seems that many folks are going out of their way to help us feel welcome. We also dived head-first into church and community activities, which has accelerated our ability to get connected. Apart from intermittent moments of sadness and longing, I'm starting to feel more at home. I still miss our St. Louis lives, but I also see great things ahead here.

I wish I could say the same for sweet Liliana. She has been having a very difficult time adjusting to the new environment. She asks to go "back home to Missouri" almost daily, and she frequently cries about missing her friends, school and our neighborhood. Her behavior has been extremely hard to manage, and her mood seems to swing by the minute. To make matters worse, it appears that poor Liliana is experiencing effects of a concussion sustained on Halloween eve. Her balance and coordination are so out of whack that she continually falls and/or has accidents involving her head & face. On top of all that, she has also been battling a viral infection for the past few days. So, please remember her in your prayers...and lift up her health and heart to the Great Healer!

As I close, I must express our heartfelt thanks to those who continue to support and encourage us along this journey. We are so grateful for family and friends, old and new!

Many blessings,
Ramona

Important Dates

Four years ago today, our miracle child was born and we held her in our arms for the very first time. What a thrilling memory, the first of countless precious moments with our angel. Happy Birthday, Liliana! We adore you!

I'm happy to announce that another important date is finally on the books! Less than three weeks from today--October 14th--is Leila's TPR hearing, after which she will officially be a part of our family. Although the adoption won't be final until April (yes, three months longer than originally expected--long story), the wait is mostly a formality. More hoops to jump through, thanks to Missouri law. And it'll be worth every moment.

God willing, everything will go smoothly between now and then. If so, Leila's baptism will take place on October 19th. We are really looking forward to celebrating her life and our faith with our friends, church family, her birth family and our extended family...all of the people who love Leila and have prayed for this adoption.

All in all, lots of good things going on. We are exceedingly blessed!

Two Blessings

I'm in love with my girls. Here are some highlights of this week. Above, Liliana recites a Bible verse and sings "Amazing Grace." She is such an independent, loving 3.99 year old...and I'm proud to be her mommy!

Below, Leila displays her growing repertoire of expressions and vocalizations. She's such a sweet, happy girl...and I feel blessed by her presence in our family.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Leila "talks" to me...

Liliana talks to God...

Two Months

One of the things we often hear is how Leila Madeline fits right in with our family, and how she resembles Liliana as a baby. Here's Liliana when she was Leila's age. Although Liliana refused to show her sweet dimples, it's clear to see the similarity between the girls. One major difference: Liliana had a three-pound head start!

Yesterday was Leila's 2-month well-baby visit. Our pumpkin weighed in at 10 lbs., 13 oz., despite the recent increase in projectile vomiting. Due to a concern that Leila may have pyloric stenosis, the doc ordered an ultrasound at St. John's Mercy. Just three hours after her exam (and four painful shots), poor Leila had to undergo another round of poking and prodding.

Suffice it to say that there was a great deal of crying and screaming. And that was just my part! Seriously, though, Leila raged so hard at the hospital that we almost took her to the ER. After an hour of trying every soothing trick in the book, she finally calmed down enough to take her home. Sweet girl was so exhausted...and so were we!

Throughout the rest of the evening, Liliana held Leila's hand and kissed her on the head while saying, "It's alright, baby Leila. You'll feel better soon." Oh, they're so adorable together! I think they're going to be the best of friends!

I digress. So, a day of drama to determine that Leila has severe acid reflux and a spasming pylorus (no stenosis, praise the Lord). We had the opportunity to watch her organs function as the doc performed the ultrasound...which was pretty cool, but not worth a moment of our sweetie's suffering. We are now waiting to hear from the pediatrician to discuss how to proceed with Leila's treatment. We're praying for an effective strategy to alleviate all pain and discomfort.

Well, that's our Monday. Hope your week is terrific!
Blessings,