Home, Sweet Home...........

Home.

I wonder what this means for Natty?

In his short little life, he has already had 3 mommys, & the other two have had the privilege of “holding” him longer than me (so far-but, before we know it, the time will fly by & he will have been w/ us longer than either one of them-just like it did w/ Ruthie)

Does home for Natty mean:

Love?

Food?

Kisses?

Hugs?

Warm, dry bed & clothing?

(ok, I know it looks as if the sling is OVER his mouth, but I promise, it's not!!)
Hearing Spanish?

Hearing English?

Wouldn’t you love to get into a baby’s head to see what they’re really thinking?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Natty is slowly but surely beginning to settle into his new family life.

He is being held A LOT!!!

By Daddy, Mommy, big sister Ana & I even caught Ruthie trying to pick him up this morning!

He is recovering from his ear infection & horrible diaper rash, & his demeanor is becoming more & more clear.
He seems to be very mellow, serious baby, who loves to wiggle.


He made his debut at church yesterday, where his Daddy introduced him (& read the story out of John about Nathanael, Jesus’ disciple, in whom there was no guile) , & prayed for his salvation & spiritual growth, & for wisdom as we raise him.

On the legal front, we began the process if getting him a social security number today.


Please pray for both Mama Anna & the rest of the foster family, as I’m sure their arms are aching from emptiness, & they have generously given our family a total of over a year of their lives. Oh, how we thank God for all the love they showered on both of our kids, & the willingness they had to take our children, knowing they would have to say a painful goodby one day.

Thank-you to our WONDERFUL foster family! There are no words for this gift of love you have given our children.

Also, please pray for the kids’ biological mother, who knows they are w/ the same family (but little else), & it has given her peace, (according to some info we have), but I’m sure she still has had a hard time saying goodby, as well. Thank-you for the indescribable gift of Ruth & Nathaniel!


Oh, it is GOOD to be home!!!
Arms & hearts are full!!
Full w/ love for our family (here & those in GT who will always be a part of our family),
but mostly full w/ love for our heavenly Father, who has made this whole adventure that is our life possible!

In Honor Of...........

My sister Shannon, who sacrificed a BUNCH to come to Guatemala with us…….

These photos from our trip will all have her in them!

(I have wanted to write this blog entry for a while,

but either Blogger or children would not cooperate!!!)


Thanks for:


~Getting up SO EARLY in the morning to head to the airport.

~Holding a SCREAMING baby on the plane on the way down to GT.

~Keeping Ana w/ you in your room at the hotel every night.

~Taking Ana swimming, out to dinner & just generally helping Ana feel special

~When things got frustrating (mostly w/ legal stuff), you were a calm head talking to me!

~Having a person there the girls are both comfortable w/ really helped w/ both of them.

~Enjoying the country, language & culture of Guatemala w/ our family. You have no idea how much that means to me to look back on.

~Just being a constant source of support, love & encouragement, as well as a person to bounce ideas off w/ the new baby, means more to me than I can ever express!!!!


1 Corinthians 13: 4 & 7

4Love endures long and is patient and kind;
7Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening.

Boy, did you demonstrate this to our family!

Thank-you, once again, Shannon for all the sacrifices you made to go w/ us! We love you & are SO GLAD you came!!! You’re the best!!!

At DIA, bright & early in the morning!!!


Waiting for the Marriott shuttle at the airport in GT.
Shannon w/ the foster daughter, who is 20 yrs old.
We went out to dinner w/ them the night they dropped off Natty.

Shannon, w/ the foster family & Ana.
Outside the church we visited Sunday.

It is the building in the background, that says, "Asamblea Cristiana" at the top.

"Sisters, sisters........there were never such exhasted sisters!!!!"

Helping Ruthie eat her "helado" at Pollo Campero.

At the hotel, after our Embassy appointment.

The previous 2 pictures were taken at the Relief Map.

It is a huge thing-& gives you good idea of the layout of the country.

At our lawyers for lunch.

The previous 3 pics were taken in Antigua,

at the coffee plantation our friend Jose took us on a tour of.

And, in closing........the plane ride from GT to Houston.

A million times over!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday: Playing Catch-Up

(with Guate photos, that is!)

I'm Back....We're Back.......

& dogone that Norton Antivirus expiration!

It expired while we were in Guatemala, & we just got it up & running today!

I will be posting a ton cause you know I have a TON to post about (& only about 500 pics or so!!!)

(Pray for the babies who both have already been diagnosed w/ ear infections before even being home a week)