A Few Highlights of 2015

It's a new year! I love looking back through the blog at the end of the year just to see what all I considered blog worthy throughout the last year.

Here are a few of the highlights from 2015:

The children and I spent most of last January in Texas. We did a lot of fun things while we were there, but the skate party for Freeland and Casper's birthdays and the fun day the children planned at school are some of my favorite memories from our stay there.

In March Keith and I attended the Together Called Retreat for adoptive parents. We had such a wonderful time there together!

In April I went to China and Keith and the children went to Florida. We still laugh about their less than thrilling trip!

In June I completed my first 365 photography project and started on a second year. I learned so much by taking the time to get my camera out {almost} every single day!

In July I started my photography business. I had a goal of doing two sessions per month. So far I have far exceeded that goal.

Also in July Keith went on tour with the Oasis Chorale. At the last minute Eliana and I decided to accompany him. We began and ended the tour in Indiana and spent most of the time in southern Ontario.

In September we began attending a Classical Conversations homeschool community once a week. It has been a good fit for us and we are glad we took this step!

I went to China in September and this trip we also went to Taiwan. I got to experience a typhoon in Taiwan. It meant we didn't get to see as many children, but it sure makes a great story!

The children sang in a homeschool choir this year. Their Christmas program was a big deal for all of us!

Douglas got his driver's license in December and we are all still figuring out what all that means. I do know he went grocery shopping the other day and only missed one item on the list, so that may mean great things for me!

My brother, Levi, was here for Christmas. It had been about six years since he had visited us so it was a super duper special Christmas!

And that brings us to now. 2015 was pretty eventful and I fully expect 2016 to be just as full of excitement and blessings!

The Superkids of 2015!

What better way to wrap up the year than to share with you the Superkids of 2015? Each of the precious children came home or were matched with families in 2015. These are my babies. Most of these children I have met, played with, prayed for, advocated for, and rejoiced over when their families found them. These sweet kiddos are a huge part of my life and I'm super excited to share them with you!

Here they are!

The Superkids of 2015!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Martins!

And We Have A Driver!

Yesterday was a big day in the Martin household! Douglas and I ran up to Elizabethville so that he could take his driver's test. I'm pretty sure I was more nervous than he was as he and the instructor walked out together. It seemed like they were gone for much longer than they actually were and the minutes between seeing the car pull back in and him walking through that door stretched on interminably. But the minute he walked in he gave me a thumbs up! The instructor said, "He says you can ride in the back on the back seat on the way home because he doesn't need you in the front anymore!"

iPhone picture is the best we've got!

This morning I sent him out on a local errand by himself, I think we are both going to like this new phase! I can't say I wasn't a little nervous, but not too bad.

Parenting is such a strange mixture of joys and sorrows. I couldn't be more thrilled for him, but I know that this really is a huge step in the process of him becoming completely independent, and that is such a strange feeling.

Homeschool Choir Christmas Program

Since September our children have been singing with a homeschool choir. Each week we drove (actually for the last while Monica, my wonderful "mother's helper", drove...) the whole crew to Carlisle for practice sessions. The girls sang in the preparatory choir and the boys in the children's choir. At first they weren't all sure they really wanted to join, but as the weeks rolled by it became obvious that they all looked forward to going.

Last night they had their Christmas program. I have to say, I was totally blown away. The preparatory choir was just adorable and they did such a great job! Seeing little Eliana up there standing perfectly and singing every word was just amazing. Yes, I was THAT mom, crying and videoing the whole entire time!

Keith sang a solo while Douglas accompanied him on the piano just after intermission. They both love music so much and it's pretty special that they could do this together.

Anyway, I was one proud mommy last night.

They all stayed up front for a bit after the program was over so that we could take pictures.

It was such a great thing for the children to participate in. They have a break now until February then they will start practicing for their Easter program. I'm already looking forward to it!

Rough Patch

I've hit another rough patch with health issues. I know it is to be expected, but it doesn't make it any easier to deal with it. Everything is just so much more difficult when it hurts to move and the exhaustion is overwhelming.But we are hanging in there knowing that better days are just around the corner.

The excitement is high around here as we prepare for Christmas. Last night we exchanged names for gifts, so now everyone knows who they are buying a gift for. Now we have to plan our special times as we take each child out for dinner and to do their shopping. I get to buy for Annika and I can't wait to go shopping for her! I also can't wait to spend an evening out with the three children I take shopping. I so treasure these sweet traditions.

Later this week we are going to put up our winter village. We don't do a huge amount of decorating, but we do love our pretty village!

We drove around looking at lights the other evening.

I love this time of year with the emphasis on kindness and giving. I love watching the children think carefully about what their siblings would treasure. I love the focus on and celebration of Jesus' birth.

So I guess I'm saying that we are excited about and enjoying this season even while needing to take everything very slowly thanks to health issues. Maybe the health issues are a blessing in disguise, forcing us to slow way, way down. (At least, I would like to be that accepting and resigned.)

On Friday evening, the children have a Christmas program with the choir they sing in. Keith is singing O Holy Night while Douglas plays the accompaniment on the piano as part of the program. They have been practicing in the evenings. There is something really special about watching them share this thing they both love so much!

Oh yeah, and on Saturday evening at 7 Freeland is playing his guitar with a group of guitarists at the Legend Cafe in Lebanon. He would be thrilled to see family and friends there!

Another Year of Gratitude

It is Thanksgiving Day. The day we collectively pause and look at everything we have to be grateful for. The day we try to put aside or petty complaints and count our blessings. The day we observe our bounty and simply say, "Thank you!"

My list is long again this year. Many of the same things are on my list every year. That is one of the things I'm most thankful for. I still have all of the people I hold dear in my life.

God.
Always at the top of the list. He is good. He has blessed us again this year. He has brought both great and difficult things and He has walked each step with us.

Family.
My husband, my children, the very core of everything I am thankful for. I feel they deserve to be mentioned individually.
Keith- I never want to have to live without you.
Douglas- Thank you for being my responsible eldest. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.
Freeland- Thank you for your gentle side that you show to me and to other humans and animals who need to be shown gentleness.
Casper- Thank you for your willingness to learn and explore new ideas, and thank you for talking to me about your many ideas and imaginations.
Annika- Thank you for your independent little spirit. Thank you for loving "girl days" and "pretty things". Thank you for being the daughter  I dreamed of having.
Eliana- Thank you for your sweetness. Thank you for the hundreds of cards floating all over the house covered in "I love Mommy", for the snuggle times and the constant reminders of the fact that you trust me with your sweet little heart.

My grandparents, my parents, my siblings, my siblings-in-law, my nieces and nephews, you know who you are and you know how you bless me. I'm thankful for each and every one of you.

Friends.
I'm a quiet, introverted person. I have a few friends whom I love dearly. And I think it makes me even more thankful for each of you.

Opportunities.
I have again been blessed with opportunities this year. Opportunities to do many things I love to do. I went to China twice. I took thousands of pictures of children. I watched many of my China babies matched with and come home to their families.

I started my photography business and have taken pictures of many sweet families. I love doing this and am grateful to be able to.

I am still homeschooling my children. I love being able to do this. It is a bit of a stretch for me to continue because of my health issues, but we are homeschooling and everyone is doing well.

Material Blessings.
The house we live in, the clothes we wear, the food we have in abundance, and the list could go on and on and on, for the ways we are blessed with material things.

Thank you, God, for each of these blessings and the many I have failed to mention!