Imperfectly Perfect...

Life can be unpredictable.  Especially with 3 toddlers in tow ... Katie and Jordan are living out that crazy-happy reality daily since their adoption was finalized last August.  And several weeks ago, they were kind enough to include me in on some of the fun!

It all started with a small dream.  and it seemed so wonderful.   and so perfect.

and I said yes  :-)

So Katie gathered her little family together and some snacks and a little red wagon and some extra blankets and more snacks, and they all headed for our Lake Place.  For Pictures.  Like a Family-Photo-Shoot kind of thing. 

And what Grandma wouldn't love to be a part of that?  A picture-perfect captured for their first forever-family Christmas card.  Sweet little faces, chubby fingers and darling dimples... what could possibly go wrong?

We scouted out some potential backdrops around the place... got out the little red wagon and let those babies loose.

Did I already ask what could go wrong??

Aw, goodness... things got messy fast.  3 Adults were absolutely no match for those 3 adorably active toddlers.  At the lake.  With no boundaries. 

It started out well enough.  A nice walk around the pond...

And then feeding the fish.

 

However, C was more fascinated with the swing than the fish :-)

 

 Daddy to the rescue...

 

sort of...

but then C spied something on the ground that was much more intriguing than smiling for the camera!

 

So we moved to the old tractor.  Because, well, boys and tractors...

 

 And lost C completely... it would appear that tractors were not his thing either :-(

With fears of wild bush-dogs honing in on his pitiful cries, we swept them all up and headed for a walk...

Much better... until 2 broke from rank...

 Fairies were whispering... be free... fly with the wind...

 

Oh, my goodness, hearts crack wide...  Undone by joy, this is the face of happy...

And after the running, a regrouping and resting on soft blankets and laps.

 

Which lasted all of 22 seconds... and they were off again...

 

 

Off to explore... the car ???

 

...because that's the place they always want to go every other day... Not! 

 

So what's a new mom and dad to do when they find themselves alone??

 

 Snatching a few minutes of couple-time is a sure-fire way to bring 'em all back!

 

Worked like a charm. 

... and babies rush back for their share of the love.

 

 

And somewhere in the search for their Perfect Family Picture, Katie and Jordan found Beauty Glorious in the perfectly unorchestrated moments of a day spent together in play and laughter...

We never did get a picture of all 5 smiling perfect for the camera,

but what we did get were memories heaped with happy

and hearts filled to the brim with thanksgiving,

for this, God's Grace-Gift of Love.

And that might just be Picture-Perfect...

May our days, no matter how unpredictable or imperfect,

bring moments sweet with the ones we love...

These Imperfectly Perfect gifts of time

are the cherished treasures of a life well lived. 

In Grace, Overflowing,

                     Jane

When a family grows in love...

Be still my heart...  our family has grown by 3 beautiful babes...

 ...in an instant the Judge made permanent what has been a journey of love for so very long!

 

From the uncertainty of foster care

to the

forever arms of family...

It is a celebration of the power of faith and love...

and the sacrifice a mother and dad made so that their little ones would have a chance to rise out of the hopelessness and despair that birthed them.

It wasn't an easy road for the biological parents to walk...

drugs dogged their steps and taunted their resolve.

In the end, the climb was too steep,

the addiction too powerful...

And how do you explain that to the vacant-eyed woman who can't remember to feed her babies, let alone change their diapers... whose only thought is her next hit and why are these babies crying, they just keep crying... they lay for hours in filthy car seats while the smoke hangs in the air, dirty dishes and cigarettes lying everywhere...a daddy who disappears for days on end... and how do you raise up a child here?

My heart aches for their loss...

These children are smart and funny and so truly precious...

their smiles will melt a heart

and their belly laughs make you love them more...

their first steps and first teeth

and snuggling up all baby soft after bath...

and this momma gave away all that to run after the drugs she can't give up.

God knows the aches of the heart.

And He can change the story....

For these 3 littles, their story begins anew this week!

"Born not from our flesh,

But born from our heart.

You were longed for and wanted

and loved from the start.
                                 ~ anonymous

Welcome home Babies!

Welcome Home!