God's gifts from dedication


Still trying to catch up on God's gifts from the last week and a half...

- My sister and her family visiting for the weekend

- And just going with the flow... showing them some of our favorite spots (garage sales, thrift stores, coffee shops, health food stores)


- Making and sharing allergy-free caramel apple dip (with just cashews and dates and maple syrup!)... Mmm.
 - Cousins playing
- Grandpa Steve's tractor hayride for the family


- Everyone but Abel wearing his sock monkey hat
 - Small town holiday fun
- Adrianna helping Grandpa greet at church
- Dedicating Abel to God at our church
... and our pastor (also an adoptive parent) taking a minute to share about the gift of adoption
... and remembering again that he is God's and not ours
- Adrianna in her "Ethiopia dress"
 - The girls brushing Ruthie
- The Jeep finding another fan
- After-nap cuddles
- Adrianna following the Tinker Toy directions to make a Ferris wheel
 - Grandpa turning Adrianna's Ferris wheel into a science lesson
- Sharing homemade pretzels
 - Adrianna telling Scott how to make Jingle Bells into a "Brush your teeth" song, and hearing them sing it together while brushing her teeth

- Evening praise and worship dancing with the kids

- Abel declaring, "Mommy, I a fireman!" at the park
 - Laura Ingalls and a cowboy coming for a visit to our house

- My mother-in-law coming to help me with allergy-free baking

- Finding a pasta recipe that Adrianna could have
... And her delight in having pasta again for the first time in several months
- Racing with Adrianna to catch the bus
- A Mommy-daughter date


- Game night with mancala, and Adrianna knowing how to play it from school


- Anticipating the fun of having Adrianna off from school for Thursday and Friday

- And enjoying the days off to sleep in later and have leisurely breakfasts
- Spending Thursday as a craft day


- Teaching Adrianna how to sew, and her picking it up so quickly
 ... And Adrianna wanting to share her sewing projects with her friends
 - Abel practicing being a cowboy

- Keeping Abel out of trouble by letting him "help" me bake

- Adrianna setting up "centers" for us to do in the play room
- The constant sew-er
- Making more items to sell on etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/CremeDeLaEm)
- Adrianna completing three pouches for loved ones
 - The kids practicing "touch downs" and "Gig'ems" over dinner


- Taking the initiative to do "lessons" with Abel after dropping Adrianna at school each morning (with the encouragement from my college friend Jenny: http://ourmontessorihome.wordpress.com/)












- Dogs tapping at the glass to come in

 - Always-smudged glass

- Curling up to catch up on daily reading
 - Fireplace weather
 - Excitement to finish her sewing supplies pouch
- Beginning making shirts for nieces and nephews for Christmas presents
 - Continued struggles with years of acne (hard thanks)

- Abel singing "My God is So Big" as we shop

- A cashier asking Abel what he was thankful for, and him replying instantly: "Dizzy cat, Daddy, Mommy..."


Comments

Bloom Where You Are Planted said…
LOVE your pictures and sweet list!

The pics of all the cousins really touches my heart! It makes me long for the day that all 9 will be together at the same time!

Also love Anna's dress! It's gorgeous!! :)
November 17, 2011 at 12:13 PM
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