A Month in Review

Well, I have gotten very bad at keeping up here, but there is still so much that I want to document, so that when I look back at these blog posts, I can remember all that we did as a family.

At the beginning of February, we celebrated the Jag 7 two year anniversary! It was two years ago, on February 6, that my mom and I brought Fia and Kwame home from Ghana to join our family forever.  The time went quickly and at the same time it feels like they have always been a part of our lives. We are so fortunate to have them in our lives and all our kids are such blessings individually and together.  They LOVE each other so much, and I am proud of that. To celebrate this year, we had a Super Bowl Party! ;) I felt bad at first that it was the same day, but then I realized that there is nothing more that our family would like than to hang out with friends and family! So, it actually was really fun and special.  We also asked Fia and Kwame what they would like for a special breakfast and they chose Swedish pancakes (too bad I don't have any Ghanaian pancake recipes!).  We also gave them each a soccer ball that we had been saving from when we were in Ghana.  They were so excited to have their own and they couldn't wait to go and play with them.  



 

Love the slogans on all things 'Ghana'!

Later in the month, Mary and Maynad (Grandma and Grandpa Farm) came to visit from MN.  It is always a highlight for our family to have them come and visit.  This time they stayed at a hotel for the first couple nights for the kids to be able to take turns sleeping over, use the pool, and take part in the extravagent buffets that they have at this casino/hotel.  The kids loved it (and so did we)! We also got to take them to Greta's soccer game, Justus's basketball game, marimba practice, a OneStepIn project for church, and take part in a romantic(haha) Valentine's Day dinner(king crab legs) at our house.  One highlight for me was that they took us to a chinese restaurant.  I don't know the last time that I had been to chinese and I don't think the kids ever had, so it was so much fun for us all to practice eating with the chopsticks together, as well as try out some great new food.  Basically, they spoiled us with things we don't always get to do, so I was thankful.  Daron and Maynard also took care of some of our odds and end projects that needed to be done, so the house looks SO much better with the upgrades.



Looks like they had fun at the movies!



How lucky to have both sets of grandparents together in one place!



Ella, pretending she is a OLD! :) Cracks me up!



 These wonderful ladies came one morning, instead of us doing our Bible study, to help me clean out my garage.  It was AMAZING how fast we got it organized and straightened up so I could (for the FIRST in 4 years)get our car in the garage.  Very impressive! And, I have to say that three weeks later, the car is still in the garage! :)

 Last week, I took Greta for her bi-yearly check-up into the Children's Hospital to see how her growth plate was healing in her elbow area. Well, we had GREAT news.  They said that it looks totally normal now and we don't have to come back any longer.  When this happened, two years ago, they said she would have to come back every 6 months until she stopped growning and then she would need surgery.  Well, it's HEALED and we are thrilled.  The only problem...Greta and I were liking our guilt free trips that we had to go into the city for...we might have to keep it going to celebrate.

 We also got to throw a surprise party for my niece's birthday.  The cousins had so much fun and I think she was excited after the initial bewilderment of the surprise.  She didn't realize that all the questions about her favorite food and dessert were for this.  Super fun! And no, the adults didn't eat the mac n cheese, we got some delicious sliders that Brad made(right Dad?)!

 Overall, we had a fantastic month, full of family and fun.  Coming up this month....Alive Covenant Church is celebrating our 5th anniversary this Sunday! I am so excited.  If you live in the area and have ever wanted to check it out, this is the Sunday to do it.  4:56pm at the Sons of Norway!

Our Adoption Agency

I know I have a link on the side of my blog, but in case you were curious and haven't noticed it before, the adoption agency we went with to bring Fia and Kwame home is Adoption Advocates International. You can find them at www.adoptionadvocates.org and they are commonly referred to as AAI. Right now, they are starting up three new programs, called pilot programs, from countries they haven't worked with before. If you are interested in adoption, this might be of interest to you. Check out their blog post (here) about all their new programs.

Spring Break Almost Broke Me!

Spring break almost broke me, but I will start with the positive, because we did have SOME fun over the week. We started it off by having lunch with friends that have adopted from Ghana. The next day we went on a hike with some great buddies and we all had a blast.
We also got to enjoy lounging around a little more than usual and the kids ate some Easter themed pancakes...

we joined in on an annual town Easter egg hunt...

...as well as our own Easter Basket Hunt at our home.

Oh, and Fia lost her second tooth for an even bigger adorable toothless grin!

But...it did almost break me!

Spring break is now over and I am hoping we are going back to life as usual! What is that again? Gosh, I don't want to complain, but it has been aWHILE since life seemed usual or normal. Ever since our accident on February 20th (that date is etched in my brain from signing it on numerous forms now), our life has been busier than normal.

Why? Well, each person has been to the regular doctor at least once, plus a couple extra appts. for ear infections and a new one that I will have to post about later: photosensitivity??!! Then, for many weeks we were all going to the chiropractor at least three times a week and now just last week it has dwindled a bit. Daron and I are still there three times each week, along with massage twice/week, and physical therapy 1-2times a week! In between those appts., we have both been trying to work, keep the house up inside and out, entertain, hang with the Chapman's (ha!),plan out an Easter service, and walk ALOT (we still haven't found a vehicle to replace the van, so I have been walking or borrowing cars as I refuse to drive 'Big Red'-the beast-plus it only fits 6).

Oh, and just in case we weren't about to go crazy already, a new curve ball was thrown at us a week ago when I was getting the kids ready for bed. I moved a beanbag around in the boys room and found MOLD!! Yep, nothing small of course, but a 2-3 foot area that was covered in black, fuzzy mold. I literally thought about how to best give the news to Daron for fear he may run out of the house. The next 5 nights after we put the kids to bed, Daron worked late in the room, and we moved EVERYTHING out; then he took two walls out to check for more mold and moisture. He eventually found the problem outside that made the water come up through the cement floor and the padding and carpet was really wet, so that had to go too. Luckily, there was no mold in the walls, so after everything is dry, we can get the dry wall back up and get some new carpet-ugh! Too bad the carpet wasn't even 5 years old. Oh well. Then, two nights ago, we realized the carpet in the girls closet was wet too, but we waited until after Easter(today) to do anything more. Luckily, I think it won't be a big deal in there and we just need to dry some of it out.

So, I haven't been quiet because life has been dull over here. I just haven't posted for fear of having a nervous breakdown when thinking about it anymore. Honestly, the little things are definitely adding up and bringing me down. I hate that 'things' have an effect on me, so I have really been trying to look at the positives and not dwell in all of this, but it doesn't always work. I have to say that I did form a smile when Daron came inside with the door handle from his truck. Yep. It broke off, so you might just find him climbing in and out of his window like the good 'ole Duke boys! ;)

When it all comes down to everything, I am blessed with our lives, our family, our home. I just want to add onto that our CAR!! I think it will really help when I have a car again. Just kidding. Not really. Maybe? Either way, prayer would be appreciated!

Chat with the Chapmans

Yesterday was a very special day. It started out great by having Swedish pancakes with my family in the morning and ended just as great by going on a hot date to a favorite eatery with my husband. What happened in between was also great and so special, and definitely not a typical day for us. We got to meet up with Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman!


Literally minutes after I wrote the last blog post, I got a call from my mom saying that Mary Beth had called and said that Steven was going to come to town later in the week and we should meet up then so we could meet him too. I was so excited. It isn't too often that you get to meet people like the Chapman's in a casual setting, and not standing in line waiting for an autograph. I was thrilled that we would be able to meet them both and tell them how thankful we were for the role that they have played in our lives.

We decided to meet at a park and it was perfect. When they walked up, it was amazing how laid back and REAL they were. There was no part about them that said, " I am a Christian Rockstar or I am the wife of a Christian Rockstar!" They were friendly, genuine, down to earth, open, interested in our story, humble, and their love for God and their family oozed out of them. I was impressed, and so was the rest of the family. God works in very mysterious ways and it was amazing to see how God gave us a special present by being able to meet and thank them for loving orphans and financially helping us bring Fia and Kwame home through Show Hope.

Our neck of the woods is different from the Midwest and the south. For the most part, I don't think many people out here in the Pacific Northwest really follow the Christian Music scene. Of course, we do have friends that do and I am not saying that no one does, but it is definitely a smaller following compared to what I am used to from growing up in the Midwest. So, I think it was a surprise for Mary Beth when she and my mom met and they realized there was that connection with Show Hope and my mom knowing the Chapman's story. They even said that their meeting with my mom and hearing our story was a blessing for them. Seriously? How cool that God orchestrated that.

I have to say that I am so thankful for my mom. Without her, this never would have happened. She genuinely cares about people and truly loves to get to know the people she meets out in the community and who come into her work. She is a great conversationalist and I think it is so awesome that God also blessed her in this instance by meeting a family who she respects and has followed musically for many years.

Wow! What a special day. I know I am not explaining it half as well as how it really felt for me. God was definitely there and it will impact me for many years. Daron, the kids, and I will forever remember our conversation. It was a God thing and I can't wait for Fia and Kwame to understand the significance of the meeting as they get older.

(btw, the kids did ask for their autographs in the end. Greta was most interested in Mary Beths!And Ella was excited to hear more about his CinderELLA song he wrote for his daughter's wedding. When we got home and she heard it again, she said, 'Oh, this is him? I didn't know he sang THAT song'-as it is one we often hear on the radio)

Home for a Year!!

Last February 6th, Fia and Kwame arrived in Washington with my mom and I. They left everyone and everything that was familiar to them and came to a brand new place, with brand new everything! Looking through the pictures from a year ago today were such a mixed bag of emotions. Ghana is a beautiful place with beautiful people. I am not sure how much Fia and Kwame remember of it unfortunately, as much as we try. As hard as their lives were, they also had so much love. Just looking at the pictures remind me of that and my heart aches for their loss, even in the midst of all the joy. And the JOY, wow, my heart is full now that they are home with us. Here are a few pics of our last day in Ghana and our first day in America.

Giving hugs and saying goodbye, for now. These four kids are actually ALL now in America!

This beauty, Miss M. stole my mom's heart and she has been in the orphanage longer than anyone else so far. There is a family that is paper chasing for her now, so PLEASE pray with us that it works out-her heart's desire is to have a family that LOVES HER!
Miss L became a fast friend of mine and I SO wish we lived closer to each other. She is a woman of faith and I truly look up to her. I pray I can see her another day soon. Her little guy is just the sweetest, huh?

Saying goodbye to the staff and kids was almost unbearable. I fell in LOVE with everyone there and wished our countries weren't so far apart. I knew they all loved Fia and Kwame and it must have been so hard to watch them go. I think only 6 of the kids in the picture are still there, and 5 are coming to WA soon. Of course, there are many more kids at Eban House that need forever families. Currently, there are a few boys ages 2-8(I think) that are referral ready and just need families to call their own. Of course, they are beautiful! Please let me know if you are interested or email anita@adoptionadvocates.org

My mom took this picture as we left Eban House....

I was SO blessed to have my mom along on the trip-she was amazing and it was so special for the kids!Here we are. Waiting for the plane from Ghana-via Nigeria-to Frankfurt. Relaxed and past all the check points. Ahhhhh.....
They were so happy to see daddy once we came up the escalator.

First family photo of the seven of us in WA.
Lounging around...ready for bed on our first night home together.

February 6th-it will always be a special day to remember!

Blogstars and Nose Jobs

I am sitting here trying to catch up with blog posts and life, and as I am reflecting, it is exhausting remembering the ups and downs. Hours were definitely not wasted these last couple weeks.

Ella had her tonsils out and she was a rockstar in the recovery and the whole process. She got pretty used to eating only ice cream and it was hard to know when she was 'healed' since Ice Cream was all that she wanted to eat for days to come for some strange reason???? I was then supposed to have surgery exactly a week later for my nose job (deviated septum and some polyp that needed to be taken off) but with my grandma passing away, I couldn't imagine going to her visitation with a mustache bandage under my nose. I know, really, why do I worry about what others think?? Really, I thought it would not be conducive to crying.

You may have seen the post on the memorial and the court date, but what you may or may not have noticed was that we had Aunt Kathy and Uncle Mark in town for a few days. Daron and I love having them in town, and of course the kids do too. We always love sitting around chatting, playing board games, etc. at night, doing crafts with Kathy, and getting bedtime stories told by Mark. I felt bad that our time was so limited when they were here, but they got to see how a family of seven is never dull. We were thankful to hear that they still want kids, their number just may have dwindled a bit! Oops.

This weekend, Justus's soccer team went to the finals for the state soccer champs in the President's Cup tournament. They did such a great job and we got to see Justus score more goals! Their team ended up being the final four of eight teams, but ended up losing their last game. This tournament started at 9am in Burlington, so we had to leave the house at 6:15 in order to make it in time-that was not fun! These games were all freezing!!! We are having some arctic cold, but sunny weather here in Seattle-pretty crazy! Starbucks and Crossroads Covenant Church coffee shop we found there were our friends!!

Hey? Did I tell you I am a blogstar?? I guess that is what it would be called....I always wanted to be a star! Well, the real skinny is that a fellow Ghanaian adoptive mom, Andrea K., that I have never met in person, but are facebook friends and she has read my blog, wrote me a note later in the day and said she thought they saw me at a Burlington Starbucks. Her husband thought I looked too young (aw shucks!!) but the truth is that I never got to my makeup yet that AM. What was funnier is that I butted into their conversation with the barista and we still didn't know it was the other. After realizing we were both there after the fact, we did set up a meeting for the next day so we could make it official and all. The family is about to go to Ghana to bring home their daughter in the next couple weeks. Please keep them in your prayers.

After the last game, we jumped in the car to catch the ferry for our first Sunday of the month at Alive. Luckily we made it right before the service started. I know I have said this before, but I am so thankful for our church! They are real people there that I can really share the ups and downs of life with, that I can learn with, and that I can grow with. I am so blessed to be a part of this group! They are truly my family. I can't believe where we were as a church four years ago, and where we are now!

Monday morning, I had my surgery appt. at 6:45! All went well and I am now on the mend. Lots of bloody bandages and it isn't fun to stand up for long. Before surgery, the anesthesiologist came into our room and thought we looked familiar. He said we looked like the winners of Amazing Race. Ha! I don't know who he was talking about or what they look like since we don't watch it, but we played with him for a second and had him second guessing. Maybe he was just confused with me being a blogstar and not a reality star. I don't know? What do you think? ;)

Ghana Get Together

Today we got to visit with a family that we became friends with through our adoption; it was so great to see them again(but we missed you-Amanda)! These guys were one of the first to adopt from AAI's Ghana program and their twin girls were at the same home as our kiddos(Eban), but at different times. Last fall we got to meet them as they were passing through town and we picked their brains over breakfast on EVERYTHING Ghana since they had already lived next door in Togo and had been to Ghana numerous times. Today, Cort and I got to swap stories and watch our eight kids play together at a park- it was so much fun! The only bad thing was that our better halves had to work, so we missed them and they missed out! ;)

Call Me Selfish, But.....

All I have to say is, "Thank you Lord!!!!" Daron and I take turns waking up with the kids so that one of us gets a full night's sleep at least every other night. Fortunately for Daron[rolling my eyes because I am just jealous], he really does get a full nights sleep when it is his turn 'off' as he never hears the kids wake up. Unfortunately for me, he never wakes up on his shift and I have to gently nudge him awake [sometimes kick! Ha! Just kidding. Maybe.] so that I don't have to get out of bed. Well, last night was my night 'on' and not one single child woke up through the night!! Woo hoo!! Even better, the younger two were dry and no accidents! I am hoping this is the beginning of a new trend. I am such a better mom when I get sleep! Can I get an Amen??

Hair and Lotion (3 months in & learning)

I figure I will have a new post in a couple of months, but because some have asked what we are doing, I will share what a regular day looks like in the hair and skin arena for the little ones. I still have a lot to learn, I know, but for right now, this is what we are doing and it is just MY opinion. I would also love to hear what products you LOVE for your child's kinky hair and as we all know, what works in ones person's hair, will not necessarily work in another since everyone has different textures. As a matter of fact, Fia has softer and looser curls in the front of her head than what she has in the back. I definitely have to use more product on the back of her head to keep it more moisturized.

So...below I will list out the skin and hair products that I have found to work for Fia and Kwame. I would love other products that those of you have found to be tried and true since right now, I just have a bunch of 'tried' and not so many that are 'true.' Here goes...
Skin: Fia and Kwame need to be lotioned twice a day if I don't want their skin to get ashy or dry(which I don't, so I do it, but man....I now realize how I have neglected the other 3 kids skincare- I think they use lotion once a year!!And that is suntan lotion-just kidding-maybe...). I have found a few products that I like that aren't too expensive and you can find at a Target, Walmart, or other drugstores.

1)Suave Cocoa Butter with Shea moisturizer- this I buy in the family size and now use it for all of us(only a couple of us get it twice a day though). I keep this in each of the bathrooms b/c I am lazy, but this seems to last all day for Fia and Kwame and isn't greasy. The only real con I could see with this, is that it could be a little thicker. Besides that, I find it a very good smelling lotion for a great price with SHEA!

2)Palmer's Shea Butter Formula-made with organic Shea-in the pump bottle- This lasts even longer through the day and if I skip it in the evening by accident, it isn't as noticeable. Not greasy at all and probably my favorite but I have only found it in a smaller 13oz. bottle as compared to the Suave in a 32 oz. I like the big ones so I don't have to go to the big chains that often since I have a spending problem and feel the need to buy all the 'deals' when I see them. I am much better off if I never set foot in the stores!

3)Palmer's Shea Butter Formula -solid- this has the Shea butter as the first ingredient, smells great, it is a little greasier, but moisturizes really well. Both of them have vitamin E as a main ingredient too.

Hair: Right now we are keeping Kwame's hair short, so I just need to make sure that I moisturize it a couple times a day. I am being a little sexist I know, but I have been using the less expensive products on him since his hair gets shaved off every month or so. I know...it probably isn't fair, but life isn't fair! So...for the cheap products(LOL) I am using in Kwame's hair:

1) Motions Hair and Scalp Daily Moisturizing Hairdressing-the product is okay. I bought the whole shampoo/conditioning system in Motions and it works well for Kwame, but it doesn't keep the curl enough for Fia so that is why I don't use it for her. I just rub this into Kwame's head and then I use a wide toothed comb to go through it.

)Motions Nourish Leave-In Conditioner-This is a good spray that I can use if his hair needs a little more moisture throughout the day or we just need a touch up. I also use this on Fia's hair before other products when wetting it and combing through. So far, I have liked this spray better than other more expensive ones.

3)Luster's PINK Original oil moisturizer -this is one that I have been recommended from many and it is definitely worth the 4 bucks that it is, and then some. It isn't amazing or anything, but it does make the hair very soft. I use this in both the kids hair when they need some more moisture or when I am braiding. It is an inexpensive way to condition and it definitely makes it softer and smells good too. This is a good one for Kwame after I have conditioned his hair in the bath (once a week).

For Fia, I have tried many more things since, as of now, I mostly choose to have her wear her hair natural. Like Kwame, I only condition her hair once or twice a week and don't even shampoo it unless it has gotten very dirty for some reason. The shampoo dries her hair out even more, so as long as I rinse and condition, we are good to go. The hair products that I have liked the most for her so far are the Curly Q's products.

Curly Q's Coconut Dream Moisturizing Conditioner- Like I said above, I use this every couple of days instead of shampoo. It smells amazing and makes the most beautiful curls in her hair. All of the Curly Q products are natural and is SO YUMMY! Before this, I didn't realize that she had the curls that she does. Sometimes for extra conditioning, I will add some more in after I have rinsed and leave it in. When she is in the bath and I have put the conditioner in the first time, I use a wide tooth comb and my fingers to go through it in the tub,rinse and then just pat dry. I don't comb through it again or it will be too poofy.

Every morning I will spray her hair with either water, the Motions leave in conditioner spray or Curly Q's Moist Curls Spray. I then comb through small sections adding one of the different moisturizers. There are three that I tend to use the most:

1)Curly Q's Milkshake: This smells amazing, first of all. It is about $14 a tub, but it is a great leave in conditioner for very dry hair. It really does hydrate well, as well as soften, Fia's hair. It also seems to relax some of the poofiness(new word?) and leave more curls. Again, this brand is natural and so it just feels good too. This one isn't very heavy and would also be good before braiding.

2) Curly Q's Custard- This one smells even better than the milkshake! ;) It is a little heavier and helps to give more curl definition. Supposedly it also helps elongate the curls, but I haven't noticed that. It is also great for strengthening the hair, but it might be a every other day for these products b/c this is also about $14 -$16, while the Motions and Pink run you only about $4. I say that, but I keep going back to them for Fia's hair since I really see a difference when I use them.

3)Carol's Daughter Hair Milk- This is much lighter than the above two and it is free of petroleum and artificial junk, as well. It is also more expensive than the drugstore brands and I hadn't really been that impressed with it and all the hype it got at first. It said it is suppose to add shine and frizz free definition. I noticed the shine, but for Fia's hair, it doesn't seem to help the frizz too much unless I use ALOT!! What I do notice it doing though is making her hair very soft and keeping the moisture when I have her hair in twists or braids. When her hair comes out of the twists after a couple of days or after a nights sleep, it is SO soft and looks very healthy-so, I am now a fan of the infamous Hair Milk.

Recap of Fia's Routine: At bedtime and some naps I now put the Hair Milk in Fia's hair(when I am not too rushed) and do about 4-5 twists in her hair, along with her satin cap. This helps me to have less work when she wakes up and keeps her hair a little more hydrated while she sleeps. Once she wakes up, I just take out the twists, spray on some water or other spray to each section and add the Curly Q Custard or Milkshake. I then add one of my favorite hair bands for her and we call it a day(or at least a couple hours)!

Until next month....when I will probably have an entirely different routine! ;)

Fia and Kwame's Photo Session

On Sunday we had the pleasure of getting Fia and Kwame's pictures taken professionally by a photographer that I met through working at Possums Boutique; her name is Christina Koon and she was fantastic! We want to have a whole family session too, but Greta had just had her surgery and didn't want photos taken, plus I just didn't have enough time to figure out what 7 people were going to wear-two was hard enough! Well, all of the kids ended up coming with us to Scenic Beach and they were such great helpers. They did even have some cameos in a few of the pictures with their unbrushed hair, dirty clothes, and messy faces (honestly!) HA! I think Christina managed to cover them with balloons though, so it didn't show too much grime-lol! Anyway, here is the link if you are interested in seeing Fia and Kwame in their first photo shoot. Oh, and they were wardrobed by Possums Boutique-(wink, wink)!

http://www.christinakoonphotography.com/ : then go to slideshows, then click on Fia and Kwame

Palm Sunday & Dedication!

We had the great privilege of dedicating Fia and Kwame at our church on Palm Sunday. We had wanted to do it soon after we got home with the kids and after throwing it together; we were so blessed to have a lot of family there! Thanks to both my parents and Daron's for coming, Grandma Gwen, Aunt Jan, Uncle Erik & his girlfriend Britta, Aunt Kathy & Uncle Mark, Uncle Brad& Aunt Ingrid(Kaia and Lola too), and Inger 's family (Joel we missed you)! We were so honored to join with our church and dedicate our children to God; thanking God for the privilege for raising Fia and Kwame and being trusted to do so. We are so blessed!! Our church is so important to us; the people are amazing. So, besides asking the Godparents, Erik, Kathy, & Mark, to pray for our kids and be there for them, spiritually and otherwise, it was also so meaningful to ask our church to take part in this very special moment for us. Thanks to Uncle Erik for singing his song, "Waiting for Your Word, " and a big thanks to Tom Woltjer for taking pictures that Sunday at church; they are a keepsake!!