Thursday, February 1, 2018

3 years & 30 blogposts later...

This... friends, is blogpost #30 after 3 years ago today, posting my very first blog and inviting you to join us on this journey to bring our baby home from Haiti. This week also marks 13 weeks since we met our sweet Silas in Bogota, Colombia. THANK YOU for being a part of “our village” and joining us on this incredible, messy, scary, beautiful journey that has taken us from a family of 2, to a family of 3, and now a family of 4. Goodness... how our God has gone before us and literally carried us over the past 3 years!  

I have been attempting to put into words the “hills and valleys” of our journey since traveling to Bogota and since being home, but have been unable to truly communicate what my head and heart know and have experienced; and what my Father has taught us about Himself and His heart. He remains faithful as we continue to navigate the “hills and valleys” of this journey making joy available to us along the way. I have learned that some stories are just unable to be completely told with written words, but are instead felt so deeply they are best told face to face while sharing the same space. Like a campfire or kitchen table... they create an environment for intimacy, transparency and openness - an opportunity to gather and truly connect. However, once we have both babies home, we might just have to write a book in order to get all of these incredible stories printed on paper and in one place to truly tell of HIS AMAZING GRACE. 

Haiti babe UPDATE: We are still advocating for an official match with a little guy who is 16 months younger than Silas. I can't imagine anything better than built-in best friends, right?! Please continue to pray for our agency, social workers and partners on the ground who are working daily with the Haiti Matching Committee to ethically provide families for so many children in need. 

We met our sweet Silas 13 weeks ago and truly did not realize that it was possible to experience this much JOY. Our time since returning home has been full of not only holiday festivities and time with our tribe, but also doctor appointments and therapy evaluations. As his mommy and daddy, we are humbled to have been chosen to steward this sweet, sunshine boy and daily pray for continued wisdom as we navigate our brave boy’s needs and continue to learn more about him every, single day. He is strong and determined as he tries new things and has transitioned beautifully. Silas has been navigating new faces and places like a rockstar making new friends wherever we go. Goodness, what a gift of GRACE he is! Since it's been 13 weeks, I thought I would share 13 fun facts about SILAS REDDING COOPER:

1. always scrunches his nose when he smiles
2. obsessed with buttons, lights, door stoppers and music
3. favorite time is bath time, because he LOVES the water
4. cannot sleep without his black and white blankie
5. yogurt, smoothies, milkshakes and mangoes are his favorite foods
6. waves to everyone and claps for everything 
7. his belly laugh will make you laugh 
8. vocabulary includes - "dada", "yeah", "wow", and started saying "mama" just this week!
9. enjoys finger painting and chatting with his friend he finds in his reflection
10. his musical instruments are his absolute favorite toys, because... well, NOISE! 
11. collects all of his favorite small toys on the windowsill daily 
12. favorite books are The Brave Little Camper and God Knows All About Me
13. has definitely mastered blowing kisses and the perfect squeeze for a hug 

We are truly humbled and honored to have the privilege of stewarding these sweet souls, that they may experience the glory and unconditional love of our Heavenly Father who knit them together, fearfully and wonderfully. He has always known them and sees them even now. Whether growing in our hearts while waiting or even after bringing them home, God remains sovereign over their little lives as He orchestrates all things for their good and His glory. The following is not only true for our babies, friends, but also true for me and you. Take a moment and breathe in TRUTH - He has always known us and sees us even now. 

"O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I go down to the grave, You are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there Your hand will guide me, and Your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from You. To You the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!" (Psalm 139:1-18) 


http://www.kstoddardphoto.com

Worship in Waiting: 
"Make A Way" I Am They
"Hills & Valleys" Tauren Wells



No comments:

Post a Comment