Sledding Fun in late April

The kids enjoyed sledding so much during the winter. Here you can see Fabian and Marissa teaming up together as they slide down the smaller slope in the yard. Those two have developed such a close bond which is so incredibly cool because the experts kept telling us we'd have problems with the two of them since they were so close in age (Marissa is only one month older than Fabian). We do see competition between our children but nothing out of what's ordinarily expected. It's most always healthy competition and is welcomed. During the times they get a little carried away, it's our job as parents to set the limitations or administer the punishment, whatever the case may be. From the video you can see that Fabian was a little keyed up but having the camera filming will do that to the boy. You can see how Marissa plays along like a good sport too. There's only been just a few times in the past 5 months that she's grown tired or disgusted with her brothers and sisters, citing that they weren't playing nicely together, etc., but nothing that can't be satisfied through a little alone time. Marissa really is a great helper to me and such a wonderful big sister to her siblings! One day Marissa came in complaining that Fabian and Karen had ganged up against her. I reminded her that she wanted sisters and brothers just as much as Mommy and Daddy wanted them. She looked down at the ground and then popped her head up with a little smile and said, "Oh yeah, that's right. I am thankful that I have brothers and a sister." ...And off she went to play again...so sweet.

We thought the girls (Karen and Marissa) might team up together and form a closer bond and perhaps team up against Fabian, but that has never been the dynamics here. Karen is content playing among herself. She's a very creative little girl and would color and do crafts all day if she could. She also loves to play dolls. She enjoys such girly things and loves princesses. She constantly reminds me that for her birthday party in September she wants princesses! She loves fashion and loves fixing hair too!

Karen is a very loving child, probably more than the others are. She favors her sister Marissa in that she reads when I'm in need of a small pick-me-up. At just that perfect moment she'll come over to give me a hug or a kiss and tell me she loves me so much. Marissa was that same way when she was younger. Karen just does it more often and at least several times daily I get a little surprise reminders of how much she loves me. Karen is still a Daddy's girl and hops in his lap every chance she gets. She has to share with Luis sometimes and that usually sparks a bit of jealousy. Luis is funny -- he'll try to push Karen off of Daddy and if that doesn't work he'll let this little squealing noise out. We're trying to break him of his screeching and squealing, but it is so cute paired with the little mannerisms he does at the same time.

Karen has warmed up to me so much also. She tells me of their way of life in their earlier years in Colombia and is really opening up to me. At times I cry at shows whenever they are touching, (i.e., Home Makeover with Ty Pennington, documentaries about African poverty and AIDS, etc, you know what I mean). Well, seems Karen has a soft side too because she joins right in. The both of us need tissues before the end of the show. She's definitely my girl!

I'm so proud of my kids. I thank God so much for bringing us together as a family! He is the ultimate matchmaker. I thank God for taking Rick and me so deep in our level of faith we developed during our adoption wait. So much of it was a useful to withstand the snares the enemy was preparing for us ahead. Had we not been so trusting of God and His plan for us, we might have been inclined to listen to Commonwealth Adoption Int'l agency as they pressured us, urged us to decline this sibling group and recommended against accepting these children. Yesterday's Mother's Day sermon was packed with a "Fight for the Family" message, and it made me smile to think of how much God has strengthened our family. In fighting for our family, we are really fighting for our Father above, because it ALL centers around Him!