Videos!

Now that it has been a year, I decided I'd finally try and make videos of our two trips to Russia to adopt Rebekah, as well as a video of our first year home in honor of Gotcha Day.  Zac and I have wanted to do this for SO long, but didn't think it could be done on our computer.  We still don't have the best software and while this is something, it isn't as good as we had once envisioned.  We had wanted to include some video clips too, but that was not easy to do with the program we are having to use.  But, I think something is always better than nothing, right!!  Maybe one day when we have a fancy M@c, we'll update! :)

I went to a ladies conference in February where K@lly Minter both spoke and sang.  I purchased her CD, and as I was listening heard two songs that I thought were perfect for adoption.  The songs are actually about Ruth, but I found both of them so fitting for the plight of the orphan.  I pray that as you watch these videos that you'll be touched and encouraged to get involved in helping orphans here in the U.S. and around the world.

To God be ALL the Glory for the great things He has done.

Trips One and Two and Gotcha Day 2010:



One Year Home:

Gotcha Day

We enjoyed a wonderful day today as a family, although it didn't start out how we hoped.  Sweet Rebekah woke up this morning crying and when Zac went to her it was apparent that she was in the middle of having a bad dream.  After she woke up we ate breakfast, got dressed, packed up (which took so much longer than we had desired), and then put a whiny/crying girl into the car to drive to a zoo about an hour away.  We seriously wondered if we should just go back inside and try again another day.  However, we knew that no matter what we wanted to celebrate and make the day special.

Thankfully, the car ride turned things around, and we happily began a fun day exploring the zoo.  Rebekah has never been to a zoo, but knowing her love for animals we were sure she'd find it so fascinating.  Her favorites of the day were the monkeys and the giraffes, but I think she loved it all.  Tonight, we had a little celebratory dessert and put her to bed early.  She was exhausted. 

All day long I couldn't help but think back to what we were doing this time last year.  Things were very different, but the best part of our Gotcha Day last year was seeing Rebekah really smile and hearing her laugh for the first time.  We had no idea the transformation and healing work that God was only beginning to perform in her little life.  We are so blessed to call her our daughter and she is a treasure.  Our hearts are full of thanksgiving to God for bringing us all together as a family and answering our prayers for a child.  He is faithful! 

Don't worry, this won't be our last post about today...Zac has one brewing, and I have a two slide shows that are finally *almost* done.  I wanted them to be finished by today, but we are having a few problems.  Hopefully, we can post all of this very soon.

If you'd like to see our pictures from today, click here.   

Gotcha Day Eve

Tomorrow is our first Gotcha Day!!  For those of you not familiar with the term, it is and adoption term referring to the day that you "got" your child.  I CANNOT believe that it has been a year already!  So many thoughts are brewing around in my head.  I have a few things that I am working on that I HOPE to post tomorrow.  But, the reality is that today and tomorrow are "normal" days which leave me with very little time to work on a computer and think. :)

Zac has a better way with words anyways so I'll leave you with a re-post from last year that is very deserving to read again today.  As a side note, we were supposed to get Rebekah the day after Easter Sunday.  It turned out that we had to wait one more day, but Zac did not know that at the time he wrote his post.  Enjoy!

Easter and Fatherhood Eve

Week Twelve

Last week we headed up to Birmingham to visit my mom who recently had her second knee replacement.  She was only a few weeks out, so needed some help and some company!  On our way there we stopped in Montgomery and got our second (one-year) post-adoption report apostilled and mailed off.  I wanted to take a picture, but didn't want to dig the camera out of the trunk. 

We didn't do very much while in Birmingham because we were there to help out my mom.  However, I wanted to take Rebekah to ride the carousel at the mall and when my mom told me she hadn't left the house in two weeks, I knew she had to come with us!  The next day we had to take my mom to the doctor and while she was there we played at a nearby park and enjoyed visiting with my friend, Heather.  On our last day there, I tried to snag a few quick pictures.  It was a fun visit!

3.24.11

Cozy morning on the couch with Daisy the dog!

Kay-Kay and Rebekah!

Week Eleven

3.14.11
 We were loving the warm spring weather this week!  I cleaned up the pool, got out the bath toys, and put Rebekah in her bathing suit.

I was swinging Rebekah and walked away for just a minute and heard, "I'm pushing, I'm pushing"!  My sweet girl was leaning back and propelling herself forward on the swing.  She even bent her knees at times.  I couldn't believe it!

Making funny noises...Check out her long hair!  

3.16.11
 Our crab apple tree in full bloom.  It looked beautiful! 

Snack time outside.  I don't think Rebekah was interested in having her picture taken.

3.17.11

I haven't mentioned it much, but we have been in the midst of potty-training for a LONG time!  I've thought it before and was wrong, but I really believe we are very close now.  Suckers have been a big motivator.  And, yes, that is Dor@ in the background - Rebekah's favorite show.

3.19.11
5:00am - Zac is already awake planning to leave for a strongman competition, and I am startled awake by screams coming from Rebekah's room.  I stumble in her dark room and recognize a very unwelcomed smell.  Poor girl had gotten sick in her bed and was running fever.  She got sick one more time and then ran fever for a few days.  No fun!

3.20.11

 Zac and Rebekah playing her new favorite game, "seatbelt".  She loves to get in our cars and pretend to go places.  We even have to buckle in her dolls.

Week Ten

I'm finally caught up on all the other week's pictures!  You can scroll down to see the previous weeks.  Sorry if I set your G@@gle Reader on fire!  Here's Week Ten:

3.7.11

We started off this week with Rebekah being sick.  She had a bad cold and cough with a little fever.  

Sick little eyes...

3.9.11

I tried to help us have some rainy day fun.  I made "rainy-day rainbow" pancakes for breakfast.

 The syrup was still the best part!

I didn't want to go anywhere in the rain and we obviously couldn't play outside.  I saw this activity on another blog and gave it a try.  Rebekah really enjoyed it and stayed with it for a while, and the mess was minimal!

3.11.11
 It was a beautiful day on Friday, and I was glad it was the end of the week! 

This is a picture of our crap apple tree in the backyard.  It hasn't bloomed in years, but is finally blooming this year.  A beautiful reminder that spring is coming!

We enjoyed having our snack outside.

Gracie is always near to catch a crumb.

We have discovered that we have a slight problem with mice lately.  On Friday, we caught our first one.  Rebekah kept saying "hang on just a second" and "hey, buddy" while we waited for Zac to come home and dispose of him.  I don't think she really understood that he was dead.  Yuck!!

This weekend we hosted our friend Nathan who now lives in New Y@rk.  So, we made some cookies as a late afternoon activity.  Have I mentioned that Rebekah is no longer napping?  :)

I tried to snag a quick picture of us in our aprons, but this is the best I could get.

Don't touch!!

3.14.11

Making breakfast Sunday morning. Look at that hair!

Playing in the yard with Daddy in the afternoon.  

Week Eight

2.21.11

 I caught Rebekah "riding" Gracie one day like a horse.  Gracie's really been taking one for the team lately!  It's taken a while for these two, but they are like sisters now.

Bath Crayons!

Rebekah told me that she was drawing a pumpkin.

2.23.11

Rebekah's half birthday!!  I can't believe time is passing so quickly.  She is now three and a half!  Most days this is very evident as she is asserting herself and her independence quite frequently. :)  We definitely had one of those days, but I was determined we were going to celebrate anyways. 

I took this picture leaning out the kitchen window (Rebekah was in the back yard).  I couldn't even see Rebekah in the frame, and this accidental picture has turned out to be one of my favorites.

We attempted to have a picnic, but she refused to eat her lunch and we eventually had to go inside.  She wasn't too happy with me here because I was taking pictures and not attending to her. :)

Later we came back out and Rebekah wanted her nails painted, so we had a birthday manicure and pedicure.

Cupcakes after dinner!

 Yum!!!!

 2.24.11

We had our second post-placement visit.  I can't believe it was our one-year home report.  In the afternoon, Georgia came over and played with Rebekah and it was wonderful!!  She is so sweet to Rebekah and Rebekah loves her!

2.26.11

Daddy's little strong-girl in the making

2.27.11

Rebekah wore to church the same dress she wore on Gotcha Day.  We didn't get to dress her in a fancy gown and leave the hospital, but this dress is just as special because it is the first dress of her new life with us.  I had to get a quick picture!

Almost one year ago...