Growing

I am admittedly on my laptop much less now than I have been in the past.  Posting a full update from my phone does not seem practical at all.  Today I have a day off and some time in between appointments.  I opened my computer and had forgotten that my background photo was the very first picture we ever received of Jhohan and Sofia.  It is kind of incredible to think that we received that picture almost 2 years ago now. 
Nine months ago, I met two very scared children who knew no English except for Happy Birthday and likely had never seen a white person before in their lives.  In nine months, our world has changed even more that we could have imagined.  But today I think about those little scared, timid faces.  Wow have they grown. 

Here is that first picture.  I showed it to Sofia recently.  She said, "My bed.  My bed.  That's my bed!"  It is really incredible to now see how much they remember and can tell us about.  Both kids are becoming more secure and attached to Tyler and I.  Jhohan is FINALLY on the charts for his height and weight!  They make strives every day that often seem small but in our world are huge.  

Sofia can dress herself independently and loves to help around the house.  She really enjoys gathering dirty laundry and helping to prepare meals.  She plans to work at Hot Rods with Mommy when she grows up.

Jhohan recently got his "big boy" wheelchair and just started aquatic therapy.  His increased growth and strength amaze me.  He interacts very well with his peers.  He still loves anything associated with cars, wheels, etc.  He wants to work at Ortho Knox when he grows up.

Thank you all for continuing to pray and be a part of our journey.  For more regular updates, find us on facebook or instagram.

6 months

First of all, I want to tell y'all how many blog posts get started and left hanging out in drafts these days. There are lots of reasons for this but most of them have to do with the tiny humans who basically run my life.  Either they interrupt my musings or I decide I've strayed too far from my story and started writing theirs. Our stories are often intertwined but I also think it is important to protect what is theirs so many details don't end up in a public forum like this.
That being said, tonight we want to celebrate with You, our village. Tomorrow, February 2nd will be 6 months since we met S & J. Some days it seems like it's only been a few weeks and others it seems like forever. Tonight I thought I'd review what our last six months have looked like.
Sofia and Jhohan have tried more new foods than I can count. Jhohan still prefers arroz (rice) and pollo (chicken). He is not a fan of pork chops or anything cold (ice cream, popsicles, etc). On the other hand, Sofia prefers pizza and French fries. She has an aversion to green things...mostly because they are green.
We have had lots of new experiences. Sofia loves the car wash. Jhohan likes anything that involves being around trucks, trains, or tractors. He is not a fan of loud noises and they both dislike snow.
On the other hand, Tyler and I have had tons of new experiences as well. From booboos to diapers and wheelchair fittings to ER visits this parenting thing isn' for the faint of heart. However we love it! It's incredible to watch our kids beat the odds and defy expectations. It's even better to get to do it together.
Thank y'all. We wouldn't be here without you. You have and prayed. You celebrated our joys and wept at our pains. You've helped make us a family. So here's a glimpse into the moment when our big dreams became a reality.

Here's to a lifetime of beating the odds, defying expectations, and dreaming big. Here's to family.