Thanksgiving Ramblings

We went to the Zoo today to get out of the house.  It was fun! It was such nice weather too!  I had Charleigh in the carrier and the other 5 kids were running around like crazy :) It was good though...Charleigh's first time and she did wonderful.  We got some cute (hopefully) pictures of all the grandkids (now 6) but I'll have to wait for home to post pics. 

After naps we did the traditional thing and went to Rhema for the turning on of all the lights.  It was probably my favorite year so far...and this time I mean it!  Normally I don't love going because it's so cold and crowded and my kids were always too little to have a clue what was going on.  But this year, I feel complete and the sparkle in my kids' eyes and the huge smiles and laughter were wonderful.  So even though I went with a less than perfect attitude, it was grand! :)

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  I have a new bundle to be thankful for!  But so much more...I am just loving where we are right now as a family. Jeff and I are doing really well and are more in love than ever.  The big kids are getting bigger and well, that's just a good thing for the Berg clan.  They are learning and growing and maturing and I love seeing small glimpses of the little people they are growing up to be.  When it's so difficult to press on and be consistent in discipline, it's nice to finally see some positive reinforcement for the parents :)  they are FAR from finished or perfect, but I love this stage that Jackson is in, and well, Creighton...she thankfully makes me smile and laugh more than she makes me want to pull out my hair.  Charleigh is such a good baby and is the delight of all of our hearts.  She is very content most of the time and is a good sleeper.  I am just thankful!  We are so very blessed.

We will have 'the' meal for dinner tomorrow night at 5pm.  My brother and his new wife will be here and then our home will be filled to the brink with love and wild wild wild little people :)  It's fun.  It's crazy, but it's family...we will do our other traditional thing tomorrow and go see a movie.  It should be interesting with everyone there...but I am hoping for the very best!

Good night all. 

New Extended Family

We met with Charleigh's birthfather on Saturday.  It was a really neat time with him and I think we all hit it off well. 

We are learning on this incredible journey all about Open Adoption together.  It's new.  It's scary.  But it's good. So good. We love family and have lots of it, by adding Charleigh to our family we've added even more! It's awesome.  I do believe this is the way that God would want this to be. 

Today

I wrote this yesterday...
Today was a hard day in our journey of adoption.  It was like getting hit by a freight train with no brakes after such a SWEET yesterday.  But, I will still praise the Lord. 

The birthfather needs and wants more information and wants to be a larger part of the process than we had orginally anticipated.  I am choosing to believe that in the end this will be a good thing. I want Charleigh to know who he is, and that is his heart's desire too.  We love open adoption and ALL that it holds...including hiccups...or whatever you want to call today. 

I do believe that the power of prayer was manifested in its full force today.  I could feel it. I could almost audibly hear the petitions on our behalf.  I know that nothing has changed in circumstance, but definitely in my heart. I have a peace that does transcend understanding.  I am claiming promises, claiming scripture, claiming truth.  God has a huge plan for this little girl, and one day, she will have an incredible story to tell. 

She has been loved by so many in the process and will continue to be, I know this.  No matter the outcome.  My friend Marci reminded me that He cares for her more than I (or anyone else) ever could. I will celebrate the life that she has been given, and I will celebrate each moment that she is with us.  We have from the beginning wanted what was VERY best for her, and I know that will prevail.

Thank you all for your prayers.  Please continue them as this is far from being finalized in any direction.

Dedication Sunday

This is my sweet family.  I love this picture even though it's not the 'best' of everyone.  It's certainly a LOT characteristic of each of us. 

Sunday was Orphan Sunday and also the day we chose to have the two precious girls dedicated to the Lord in front of the congregation...and our family.  It was a sweet experience.  It couldn't have been better, well--maybe if Charleigh weren't hungry right in the middle of it...but otherwise, it was fantastic!

Rod, our Pastor, prayed for each of them individually and our family.  They both did well, with only a few squwaks from Charleigh and me dropping her binky (twice).

I don't have any more pics of all 5 of us except for these few...I cherish them!

The neatest thing in the world happened after Rod prayed for the girls.  He presented us with a gift, a large gift! The Church had gotten together and have begun an Adoption Fund for future adoptions, and the first people to use it is our family.  We have been beyond blessed in this journey and this is the icing on the cake.  We will have little to no expense out of our pocket for our adoption now.  I mean really?! God is awesome.  Now there are so many people on this journey with us and that is how I like things...I enjoy people and Love...and we have an abundance! Thank you EVERYONE who is a part of this!

Charleigh

Charleigh is doing amazing.  She's gained weight nicely and yesterday weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces.  She is still smaller than eithe of my other two were at birth, but I feel like she's getting bigger by the day.  She is a really great baby, especially compared to Jackson as an infant. :) She had a really really terrible night on Monday and didn't let us sleep at all really, but last night she made up for it by already skipping a feed--6 hours is like heaven! :)  I don't expect it, but happily take them when they will come!  She is starting to be awake more during the day now, which is the goal...so we will never have another Monday night again...  It's crazy having one so little again...I barely remember what to do, what their next steps are in their journey of their first year...as I know they change SO much SO fast. 

We've talked to the birth family almost everyday since her birth and it is going very well.  I think her birthmother is healing well physically and emotionally for now, which makes it even that much better.  I can't wait to see them all again on Sunday for Creighton and Charleigh's dedication!

Creighton is wearing the flowergirl dress from our wedding (replica of my wedding dress) and Charleigh is actually wearing the dress I was dedicated in 29 years ago! I am so excited and both of these sweet girls and their sweet dresses mean so much to us!  God is good.  He has been so faithful and blessed our socks off!

Crisis Pregnancy Outreach has been INCREDIBLE to us.  They've checked on us on a regular basis and gotten us anything we needed and have just been great! I cannot tell you how much I would recommend this agency.  Their hearts are in the right place AND they are wonderful to the adoptive families as well. 

Sisters...

To the best of my knowledge these are in order.  She just cannot get enough.  I love their little sister bond. Pretty sure all these speak for themselves :)

Birthday girl....she turns 3!

My sweet 3-year-old!

She knows exactly what she wants....

And this was it. All she wanted to do on her birthday was be at home, holding Charleigh.  I even splurged and let her watch High School Musical 3 even though she would have been just fine even if I hadn't of put it on.  She couldn't have been happier

But we did take her to get donuts...a tradition on birthday mornings around here!

Then later after dinner I surprised her with a cute cake...although I really wanted the Belle one, they didn't have it, but it wouldn't have mattered...she said, "but Moooooommmmmmm, I wanted the Ariel cake"....which they don't even make in this type.  What she doesn't know is that for her party I ordered her a HUGE Ariel sheet cake that she will LOVE! ;)

I can't believe she's 3...however, she acts 12...until she acts 2 again :) Oh the drama of girls..and now I have 2 of them :) Joy Joy looking forward to the teenage years already.

Happy Birthday Creighton! I love you so much

Answered prayer and a request

I just re-read this post. It's a little surreal that I have my sweet bundle in my arms. I love my first letter to her now that I have her sweet face memorized.  I didn't know all that the Lord would do.  I couldn't have wrapped my head around it if I had known...I am glad that I didn't know all the details. I am thankful that I allowed the Lord (haha...as if I "allowed" him anything) to take control of this.  Because seriously we have the perfect open adoption and its just begun.  We adore our birthmother and her family.  God handpicked us to be Charleigh's family...and for them to be part of her forever too.  It's so amazing that they are believers, as this process would be so hard I think dealing with someone who didn't know Hope, Grace, Agape, and who didn't know that He has a plan.  His details are amazing.  All of them.  Psalm 139 has never rang more true to my spirit. 

I do have a major prayer request! Please be on your knees for our sweet birthmother tomorrow as she and her family go before the judge to relinquish her parental rights.  This is going to be a difficult process to go through most likely for everyone in the room.  I want to be there to hold her hand, but I am so thankful that she has supportive family that will be on her either side.  Just pray for peace for a non-judgemental atmosphere, for the undeniable hand of God. 

And then right after that, we are told that they will attempt to make contact with the birthfather...oh please would you pray that he would not fight this...

Love at First Site

Jeff and I didn't want to take our camera in right away when we went to meet the birth family...but thankfully they had theirs and this was me when I first saw her.  You can't tell (thank you M for making it b & w to hide it) but I was balling my eyes out!  But I just love it.  God is so good.

Welcome Home Charleigh

So, we're home! We officially (totally still unofficially) have 3 kids.  Today was my first day at home, but I was blessed by Mother's Day out today for the older two.  Charleigh and I stayed at home and I attempted to organize/pick up my disasterous home. 

I cannot tell you just to the extent of how much we have been blessed!  It's beyond measure really.  I mean of course, just in Charleigh herself, but so many people have stepped up and cared for us in so many ways: material things for Charleigh, financially even, meals galore in line for our whole family, and just tons of prayer and love! I feel so connected to my Savior and feel like He is being so glorified by his people in this!!  The Church is being the Church...it's so good.  It's just amazing. 

If you have been a part, whether small or large, in helping us in any way, thank you! From the bottom of my heart, my praise goes to my King, my thanks goes to my King...and to you all who are being the hands and feet of Christ.

We are in love with our littlest baby girl.  She is a great baby, although we do need to work on her sleeping in the night, instead of ALL day long ;)  We'll get there.  She's just precious.  Such a joy.

She most definitely has a purpose in this world and I cannot wait to find out just what the Lord has in store for us with her, for His Kingdom with her....I just can't even put parameters on it.

She has a story...a long one and I will share it in bits and pieces.  I am one exhausted mommy tonight though and MUST go to bed while she is sleeping....

The kids ADORE her.

But this shirt that my sweet friend Kara got her says it all:

Oh precious girl, we are...so thankful for you!

We have our new baby girl!!! She is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! She is a real peaceful, go-with-flow kinda girl. We are all in love! No computer here so will have to post more later. Http://yfrog.com/5hz6qvj you might be able to see her there but until we get home that's all we have

Jaxisms

The other day Jeff was giving Jackson a bath and he kept kicking the bucket over the side of tub.  Jeff told him he'd get a spanking if he did it again.  Several minutes later, Jackson kicked the bucket again. 
Jeff: Jackson did you kick that out on purpose?
Jax: yes
Jeff: [spanked him]
Jax: [cried]
Jeff: [feeling bad, because maybe he doesn't know what " on purpose" means] Buddy, do you know what "on purpose" means?
Jax: yeah, it means you get a spanking!


Then today, Jeff and I were in our room, and the two kids were in the sunroom coloring.  I start laughing because I hear Creighton just rolling and cackling.  I LOVE her laughter, especially her belly laughs.  About the same time, Jeff and I thought that must mean something really bad was happening, unfortunately.  We were right.

lovely, he is learning to write the number 4!

this is Jeff getting on to them after their timeouts

my crazy man acting like a wild indian

But, after they sat in time out for a long time, I was talking with Jackson...the coversation went something like this:

Me: Jackson, why would you mark on the floor?

Jax: Maybe der are tings in me..

Me: what?

Jax: maybe der are widdle pepull in my belly

Me: what kind of people in your belly buddy?

Jax: maybe kind of widdle pepull that make me make bad choices

Me: how would those people make you make bad choices?

Jax: maybe day haf wemotes...(maybe they have remotes)

Me: [i had to walk away for fear of actually laughing AT him]

This boy is a mess and is constantly coming up with the craziest and funniest things on earth.  I just love it, even though it's not always easy to discipline him because he's too funny (and not to mention cute!)

Waiting...

Our women's ministry is currently in the middle of Esther by Beth Moore.  I can't tell you how much I love this study.  As the weeks progress, it has only gotten better.  This week tops it all.  If I have ever needed a word from the Lord, then it was now, and it was this!  Get your pen!!

Habakkuk 2:3c
Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Oh, how my heart needed to hear that promise, first and foremost.

But the TRUTH behind what her whole talk today was this: We will lose our strength when we wait on _________ (fill in the blank for yourself), but we will renew our strength when we wait on the Lord.

For me, for us, our blank is our baby.  To say we are waiting would be an understatement.  Although we have not waited long compared to many people, not to mention we already have two blessings with us, we truly felt that this was a God thing and that because we were so willing to step out in faith, that there would be no waiting.  But there is.

And you know what? It's good.  I'm okay with waiting, I am.  I'm just not good at it.  Patience does not come naturally to me, but I must say I am working on it--with the Lord's grace.  We only want what is best for our family and for this child.  Truly.  So, why was I so anxious and trying so hard to DO when I should just relax and stop and wait on the Lord, not on my child.  Wait on the Lord renews my strength. I am excited for that burden to be completely lifted from me.  Because I have been zapped waiting (thinking I could actually do something) about getting a baby here sooner.

Today's lesson was all about time.  When time is so different on God's left arm than mine, why would I choose to want to be zapped of my strength.  I know there is another (maybe more) Berg out there, and somewhere written in the pages of his/her life we get to meet.  Not only will our paths cross, but they will unite, forever.  We'll be completed all the more as a family, and I CAN wait for God's best.  I am so thankful that I serve such a loving, compassionate, all-knowing God. 

So, I am not anxious about the wait for our child.  I am still thrilled to be on the journey, but it's better now.  God has ever so graciously been giving us (me) his sweet gestures to not lose hope in the journey all along, just as I needed them.  I am so thankful for this one. 

So, as we wait on the Lord for our precious new addition, we wait with open arms, open hearts, and renewed strength.  Thank you Lord.

And there is a song that I just love out called While I'm Waiting by Josh Waller...listen if you'd like!

Impressional?

If you think kids are un-impressionable...check this out. Wow. He's a doll...and he's got talent for sure. But it makes me want to seriously consider who/what my children watch/hear...I mean he has got it DOWN--to the facial expressions and all!