health update and a hug in the mail

I'm pretty disgusted. I finally decided it was time to clean out our refrigerator. And, due to my inability to cook at any one time for less than one hundred guests, we have a LOT of leftovers stuffed in that metal box. To be fair, I've started freezing many of our leftovers because we seem to tire of the same ole' thing entirely too easily around here and the majority of the plastic containers I just cleaned out of the fridge contained unidentifiable objects that ended up in my trashcan {ah-hem, my dogs ate like kings just now}. I'm disgusted at my own waste and misuse of the incredible privilege of having access to nutritious, fresh, hot meals whenever I am the least bit hungry {or bored}. 

But, that's another post for another time. I just had to take a break from my overflowing trash receptacle and prayers that our daughter is getting something nutritious today to jump on to share a little about our morning. 

First of all, great news to share -- the doctor we hired to visit our S has agreed to go back to the orphanage {I'm hoping tomorrow} to conduct further blood-work and ensure that S is getting the proper medication. This has given me so much peace and comfort. I feel truly blessed to have Dr. L on our side. I know God personally placed her in our path to care for our daughter during this time. 

Through the course of our email exchanges, I thanked her profusely and assured her that she is a blessing to our family. Her response?

"You're welcome my friend. Its a pleasure and blessing for me to serve all of you. I'm a mom and I've 6 kids who lost their father last october; I know its very hard to lost the parents.If I can be a blessing for these orphans to anyway it will be with joy every time!"

And, I thought this suburban life with the white picket fence and the 2.5 kids and the two cars and the fridge overflowing with food-that-we-can't-eat-fast-enough-before-it-spoils was hard. 

Humbled. Blessed. Thankful.  

In other news, the boys and I decided to head out after storytime at the library to mail another little care package to my dear friend, Sheena, to take with her to Africa for our S. 

We sent clothes and shoes to our girlie {she has worn the same two shirts in every photo I have of her and I am so grateful she has the two because they do always look clean}, along with the sweetest little "lovey" that my adoptive-momma-soul-sister, Nikki, gave us for S. 

I have been sleeping with this little monkey for the past few weeks so that it will smell like me {whenever I can sneak it from Ben}. He likes to cuddle with it and tell it how much he loves S. We talked about how we will be sending it to her and he seems to understand the concept. 

Yet, I was a little concerned at the post office when he started to cry and said he just wanted to hold onto it for S until tomorrow. 

I kneeled down next to him and explained again softly and carefully that this little monkey will be sent to Africa and S will be able to hold it and hug it and know that her brothers and her mommy and daddy have held the same sweet monkey. I asked him to send his love to her through this little monkey so that she knows how very much we love her. 

He kissed it and then handed it to Nathan to kiss. 

As I started to put it into the box, he asked if he could give it another hug first.

I won't even pretend that I wasn't a sobbing mess then just like I am now typing this out. It was a sweet, innocent moment and I just love the hearts of my precious boys. I don't know how much they understand about this process but I know that they are proud to be S's brothers and I am so very proud to be their momma.

Shopping for clothes for little girls is WAY too much fun. I may need to start working again once S gets home in order to afford this new habit. :)

And, just for fun...we had to run to the eye doctor to get my glasses fixed after mailing off that precious package and these two just made my heart soar with laughter, as always. I don't know how appreciative the staff was but these two tried on every pair of kiddo glasses in the place.

Doesn't Ben look like such a little man? These boys are going to do big things with their lives. I just know it.

Oh - one last thing, have y'all heard the song "Reason to Sing" by All Sons and Daughters? I'm loving it right now. You can watch them sing it live here. It's completely worth the extra four minutes. 

Hope you all have a beautiful Ash Wednesday!!!