Commonplace

Happy Birthday, Kate!

2011-12-28T11:08:00.000-06:00

No longer a baby on the Angel Tree,

Kate turns eight years old today.

By the grace of God, she has been saved from a mental institution.

She lives in a "school," where she's been given the opportunity to learn.

She has done well, grown healthy, despite her diagnosis.

From a family who visited her orphanage last Christmas:

"She is really something. She is so funny, and she is ready to jump into arms and be hugged and kissed! She smiles, has good vocabulary..."

So many praying for you, sweet Kate,

but your family has not found you.

Let your army of prayer warriors grow,

let your mama find you soon,

let your ninth year bring you hope

and bring you home!

Third Day of Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T10:29:00.001-06:00

The children exchanged gifts!

Laura Belle is the giver. Each Thursday she picks a prize at school - and she rarely selects something for herself. After Thanksgiving, she decided to keep all her prizes secret, wrap them, and give them as Christmas gifts to her brothers and sister.
...
All year, I have been collecting little things for stocking stuffers. When I pulled everything out, there were a LOT of little things. Since the boys don't have a prize day at school, I set up a Rudolph Shop for them (inspired by RR Fundraisers - thanks, ladies!). Each gift cost 10 cents. Even though spending those dimes hurt, Samson and Ben were pleased that they could buy gifts too.
...
I have laughed at them all December. When they receive little gifts from friends, they always come to me with the bow or the bag and say "I want to save this to wrap presents with." That would be Thomas' economizing genes coming out. Please don't tell them about saving tissue paper. I don't have enough closet space to save all that paper!
...
Toys 'R' Us would do well to build a location out by my parents' house. My mom, "Anna," also took each biggie on a trip to the store to get presents for siblings. Plus, she wrapped and delivered their purchases - thanks, Mom!!
...

So this morning was great fun for the wackies! It was fun for me, seeing what they picked out for each other. Pillow Pets for everyone! Star Wars, Disney Princesses, rubber spiders, jewelry, puzzles - and Samson and Laura Belle surprised me with artwork! Sweeties!

When Thomas and I started celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas, the gift exchange days were few - his family, my family, us. It was strange, spreading everything out, but I knew that more giving days were coming, that we'd be adding a day to give gifts to the children and a day that the children give to each other. Seeing the sibling exchange for the first time, seeing the children own the celebration of this day, was hugely gratifying.

Merry Christmas, everyone! There's lots more to come!

Second Day of Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T09:32:00.000-06:00

Well, it's not a catchy lyric but... on the second day of Christmas, Santa gave to me... national media coverage of international Down syndrome orphan adoption.

The Cox family is one of the first I read about when I discovered the Reece's Rainbow ministry. It was so exciting yesterday when Kecia posted "Big News!" on her blog.

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And to see the institutions where these children are headed... isn't it shocking?

Annalisa

Annalisa will be three in February.

Jonas

Look at this bright little guy!

Jonas will be four in April.

Living in a region that often transfers children to the institution at four years old,

he only has a few months left.

I appreciate all the support that Annalisa's received so far. In a month, her grant fund has grown from $5 to $640! This is phenomenal! Thank you so much!

However, after this season is over, please don't forget Annalisa. And don't forget the others like her. Please continue praying for them and sharing their stories when you can.

AND you can help committed families like the Cox family. Go to "Sponsor a Family" at Reece's Rainbow to find a family that is working to bring a child home.

The Evans family is ready for Amanda!

First Day of Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T13:15:00.001-06:00

I present the lighting of the Hilleke Family Christmas Tree.

Accidents Requiring Medical Attention

2011-12-22T12:15:00.000-06:00

And the winner is... Mr. Adam.

Monday night, he was running into the boys' room and fell just so, his teeth cutting his lip on the inside and the bunk bed cutting it on the outside. Not hurt too badly, he stopped crying within minutes, but the outside cut wouldn't stop bleeding (probably because he wouldn't. stop. touching. it!).

So off to the ER he and I went, a parenthood first!

We were the only ones there, another first!

We were home within an hour, can you believe it?

Two stitches on the outer cut, none on the inner cut. He cried only during the numbing.

Afterwards, watching him try to figure out why his face felt so weird was hilarious. He kept biting his grotesque lip, poking it, eventually all-out smacking himself in the face.

"Look, Mom! It doesn't hurt!" Goofball.

The stitches won't come out until next week, so we're in for some unforgettable family photos this Christmas.

Hopefully, the next visit to St. Francis will be to the 4th floor....

Warrior Wednesday

2011-12-21T08:43:00.000-06:00

Standing up!

Pretty in pink

From the summer 2011

Look at these new pictures of Annalisa! The pink ones were taken in November 2011, and the swing picture during the summer 2011.

My favorite is the shot of her standing. You can see her whole body, in all its sweet pink glory.

Annalisa's grant fund has grown by $400 during this year's Angel Tree. THANK YOU to all who have contributed so far! Only 20 more ornaments will meet her goal for the year. What a blessed gift the Angel Tree 2011 has been to her forever family!

A Handful

2011-12-19T10:12:00.000-06:00

EVERY time I go out and about with three or more children, I hear:

You have your hands full!

Anyone might say this, the classiest of ladies, the punkiest of teens, but, to my ears, it ALWAYS sounds like this:

Booh-wee! You got chyur hands full, don't ya? ::yuk,yuk,yuk::

I struggle with replying kindly. They don't care about my work, they're not interested in the blessings of childbearing. There is no respect or even genuine curiosity. That comment says "Hey! Don't you know your life could be SO much easier without all those pesky kids dragging you down?"

Put your claws away, dear, the Spirit says to me.
Sweet, succinct replies don't come easily.

...

Thomas has a good one for his most-often-heard-inappropriate comment.
When he says "I've got five children and one on the way," he hears:

You know how that happens, right?

Hee-haw.

Again, ANYONE might say this. Wizened shipping managers, prim secretaries... "Hey! You have a lot of kids. You must be an IDIOT, so I'm entitled to comment on your most intimate relationship."

Well, since an honest question deserves an honest answer, Thomas looks them straight in the eye and says:

Yeah, it's a lot of fun.

Bam!-with-a-smile
And the person either laughs out loud or turns red AND NEVER SPEAKS TO HIM AGAIN.

...

Imagine my joy when this popped up on Pinterest:

Source: obyandtarabennett.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

I cannot wait for the next Wal-Mart trip.
I might take all the kids.
Just for effect.

Pinterest reigns.

2011-11-19T15:01:00.001-06:00

Making lunch, Thomas says "Hey, check this out!"
He's turned the toaster on its side.

me: "Okay...so?"
"I'm going to make cheese toast."
"What? Why like that?"
"I saw it on Pinterest," he says with a huge grin.

My world came crushing in upon me.

My Girls

2011-11-07T15:16:00.001-06:00

September 2011

Kate. Lucille. Annalisa. These are my girls. I visit their pages daily, offer up prayers for them morning and night.

I think about what they are doing - when I go to bed on Thursday, their Friday is about to dawn. What will that day bring them? What expectations do they have each day? And what have they long given up hope for?

Kate's birthday is right after Christmas. Has she ever hoped to celebrate those days outside the orphanage?

Lucille's best friend was adopted last summer. Does she wonder about her friend?

Annalisa is playful - does anyone seek her smiles and games? reward her with attention?

Josie and I dance to My Girl. It's our song, sure to bring out the smiles. She signs to the lyrics and my heart fills-to-burst with pride. I look forward to every event where this song might be played, anticipating the moment she recognizes the tune and relishing every move we share on the dance floor.

It's just a tiny joy I get from being Josie's momma. There are others, like this one... Only God knew Josie before she was born, and only He knew what wonder these unexpected joys would work together in my life.

My orphan girls have mommas too. I know mommas are out there for them. I pray God will send each of these tiny joys to her momma soon. Because she doesn't know what she's missing.

Commonplace Life

2011-11-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

I started blogging after Samson was born. I chose the title "commonplace" because... I always believed that fame, renown, wealth were in my destiny.

The belief was integral to how I saw myself in the world. Growing up, when I finished a drawing, I thought "Somebody's gonna pay A LOT for this when I get famous."

I agonized over every word I wrote in school. How I signed my name, every poetry exercise, every paper. "They might laugh at my 'early work' when I'm well-known. Unbearable!"

After I became a wife and mother, the reality hit. Now, I laugh at the strength of the impact, but then... I felt a real loss. I had to accept normal and common as MY story. What a cross to bear!

That was seven years ago. In that time, my story has grown into one that I love. What has happened - births, deaths, marriages, trials, lessons, failures, surprises, prayers - all that is numbingly normal, all that is mine. Wonderfully common.

Doug Wilson wrote of a commonplace book twice. The first made me think of blogging again, only to exercise wordcraft. The second made me realize why my commonplace is now so lovely to me. Through nothing I have done, through nothing done to me, except by the Holy Spirit who lives in me, my life is made extraordinary.

31 weeks

2011-11-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

~~Names~~ Two options. Done.
~~Cut back on the coffee.~~ Nightly, nauseating heartburn is a strong motivator.
Evening stretches with the ball.
Doula for the doula? 75% sure I'm going solo this time.
~~Where will he sleep?~~ Adam has been moved to the boys' room.
Prep the carseat.
Prep the clothes.
Make a postpartum wishlist. Wishing I'll make it to the Pastor's Conference this year!

Nesting: Finish what you started.

2011-10-18T08:56:00.000-05:00

The final UFO: Knit edging I started while expecting Samson. Using medium weight cotton and #8 needles.

Is it even worth finishing?

UPDATE: 11/5/11 Unraveled, reballed. I think this yarn will be happier as something else.

28 weeks

2011-10-15T17:05:00.000-05:00

Me? Pregnant?

Oh...maybe I should make a list of things-needs-doin'.

Cut back on the coffee.
Evening stretches with the ball.
Doula for the doula?
Where will he sleep?
Prep the carseat.
Prep the clothes.
Make a postpartum wishlist.

Report back next week.

Ben in the car

2011-10-15T16:53:00.000-05:00

October 11-17, 2011

In the car we play 'I Spy"-type games: see it, call it, get a point. These games could also be called "Ben wins. Momma loses."

Momma: "I see a pumpkin!"
Ben, singsong: "That doesn't cou-nt!"

. d r i v e . .

Momma: "I see a spider lily."
Ben: "That doesn't cou-nt."
...
Momma: "Do I get any points?"
Ben: "No. I see it first., so I get all the points."
Momma: "How many points do you have?"
Ben: "I got'boutliiiike...one-thousand two-hundred fifteen twelve sixty. That's all."
...
Momma: "Ben, when can we play 'Momma wins'?"
Ben: "Three sleeps?"
Momma: "Okay. Saturday, we will play 'Momma wins. Ben loses'."
Ben: "ummm...I don't like that game. I'm playing 'Find the Red'." ::gun-blasting sounds coming from the backseat::

... Saturday
Momma: "Okay, Benny, my turn. I see a red car, I get a point, okay?"
Ben: "No, Momma. You got'boutliiiike one-thousand, one-hundred points."
Momma: "Really?! I like this game already!"

A day that kills complaints.

2011-10-15T16:28:00.000-05:00

October 11, 2011 evening

There are days when I walk stunned. Through the everyday chores, my mind reels from the providence of God. I try to bury my thoughts in sermons, in books, in TV, in Facebook, anything to keep from pondering the "why?'

A dear family surrounds their critically-ill daughter, she a mother and wife herself, while her body fights to regain control.

A father and mother face each day without their beloved daughter. For eighteen months, every new morning is a painful awakening to the reality that she is gone. And this past weekend, they lost their son and home to a fire.

A child stolen from her home.

A mother who must plan her child's funeral before his birth.

For what my family considers a blessing, legions of children around the world are despised.

Complaints rise up and die in my throat. They cannot have breath. Today my breath is for nothing but praise and prayer.

These are the days that make me slow down at bathtime. Make me look at each wet, soapy face and say "Thank you, God, for your goodness to us all." This is a day when my stretching hips protest every step I take and I have to say "Thank you, God!" Because thankfulness quashes all complaint - and frees my tongue to beg mercy for others. For those in truest need.

Little Lessons

2011-09-18T17:31:00.000-05:00

In the car, going to church

Samson: "My finger is bleeding!"

Thomas: "Uh-oh...better go to the hospital and cut it off"

Ben: "Nooo, Daddy. The hospital is for getting babies out of the momma's belly."

Thomas: "Oh yeah? How do they do that?"

Samson: "Sometimes you have to push."

Thomas: "Really! Mama, you taking notes on this?"