Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

After Christmas, our time seemed to just slip away! Josh went back to work a couple days before the New Year and I got into a routine with the kids.

Up around 7am.

Cuddled on the couch with Aden and Anna watching Shaun the Sheep until 7:30am.

Breakfast

Anna would then take a long bath (and usually soak our entire bathroom floor... we eventually were able to explain that she can't fill the tub to the top or it will spill over! ... and the shower curtain stays IN the shower.) :) She loved her baths.

While she took a bath I'd play with Aden and give him some special attention.

After her bath, she always wanted me to dry her hair for her. I happily agreed. Every morning.

I pulled out my straightener and curling iron a few times, too!

This would often take us to the point where we could suit up and play in the snow for a little while before lunch.

We'd make some lunch together... we'd eat... then we'd put Aden in his room for a nap.

Anna and I would often work on a puzzle while Aden slept.

By the time Aden was up, Josh would be home from work and we'd spend the time together as a family. We went out to the indoor water park a few times, we took the chaperone from Latvia bowling, we had wonderful friends visit for dinner, we went to a huge sledding hill, and some nights... we just stayed home and played play-doh and goofed off. Life was good. This little family was changing. Our hearts were growing ever so fond of this young lady. 

New Years came and went. We stayed home as a family.

A few mornings, a friend offered to watch Aden, so I took Anna to the Clay House in Weston to do some painting. She enjoyed that a lot! We ended up doing that a couple times. In fact, some gorgeous friends of ours came down from Ashland (you know who you are) to paint with her. We all had a really lovely time together. 

God was growing Josh and I closer and closer to this child. I ached to be her mumma and Josh was ready and willing to take her as his own. I checked, I rechecked, and I verified OVER and OVER with the adoption agency to find out FOR SURE we would not be able to take her into our family forever. The answer was always the same. "You're too young."

Not too young to adopt... Just not 15 years older than her... which is a country requirement.

So, we continued to advocate. With broken hearts, and minds fully committed to this girl, we advocated. We grew closer, we loved her, we prayed for her, we advocated. We saw God work. We saw what kind of love God has for children who do not have earthly parents. Week after week, we saw the Lord do mighty things. 

Time was flying. It was going by so quickly and I wanted everything to slow down! I soaked in every moment, good and bad, and I am certain - she was doing the same.