Maggie turns 6 & Adoption

Teeny tiny adoption update. We have been officially waiting for two months - so most likely another 7 to go! This means approximately 7 more months until we are matched with our daughter, then after that we will have another 5-6 months until we travel. I'm sure the waiting will be hard as we get closer to our match, but right now the time is slipping right on by, for which I am grateful. I'm also thankful for the consistency of the China program and for the way our adoption agency keeps in touch with waiting families so we don't feel forgotten.

She had a traumatic entry into the world, but not much slows her down now!

Now, for Miss Magdalena. It's hard to believe our smallest baby, our third daughter, is six.

Leaving the hospital after 6 days in the NICU

Her first day home - about 4.5 pounds and 17" long.

It's so hard to believe that our sweet baby is now six years old!

For her birthday she went to the Strasburg Rail Road to ride the train. This was followed by a trip to Isaac's for dinner. The daddy-daughter dates have been one of the best investments I believe we could make. This trip was very low cost (Maggie had a free ticket to the RR and her meal was free at Isaac's - both of those things she earned during the summer reading program through our local library). **Trent has these photos - I'll try to add them later!**

Princess Maggie at the fundraiser

While our kids do enjoy gifts, they all appreciate the gift of time more than anything else. They may not remember what gift they got during any particular year, but they can all recall where they went with their daddy at each age. These moments are more precious than anything I could ever give them. I've learned through my own experiences as well as parenting books and psychology courses I've taken the profound impact dads have on their children, but ESPECIALLY their daughters.

She always wanted a red-headed baby, and now she has one!

Just a little about Maggie:
-She loves babies
-She loves drinking water
-She does not love juice
-She loves coffee
-She learned to tie her shoes in one try this summer
-She is becoming a more confident reader everyday
-She is still very small for her age despite her perfect cheeks
-She wants 10 babies when she grows up (5 from her belly and 5 from China)
-She has big dreams of getting married and considers her options seriously
-Did I mention she loves babies?
-She is very excited to start soccer practice
-She loves catching frogs with her sisters
-She loves to draw
-She is thoughtful (she often will draw pictures for people and send them in the mail or hand-deliver them)
-She is generous (she is continually giving Caroline her own favorite toys to make her happy)
-She loves bugs
-Her favorite color is yellow
-She loves Taco Bell bean burritos
-She is a great story teller
-She is very creative and is always coming up with new ideas for crafts or building forts

Maggie says that when she grows up she wants to be a mom. When Anne tells her that she has to do something else first, like, get a job, her reply is always, "I'm going to paint signs, like Mommy!" Bless her little heart.

She was thrilled to find and inspect a cicada

Recently Maggie has had some hard feelings toward herself. She has struggled with feeling like she isn't good enough. Learning to read has been very difficult for Maggie, along with some other memory problems. It's such a challenge to see these precious little souls face their insecurities. Generally her frustrations blow up into fits of crying and running to her room. Recently during one of these fits she told me she feels like she is a "bad girl" and can never be good. I was able to tell her that she's right. None of us are good. Only God is good. But we can have forgiveness and peace because of Jesus' death on the cross.

Such a devoted big sister!

I know my girls will at some point have to experience some hard things and do some growing up. My hope for all of them is that when those trials come, that they will turn to my Savior and fully accept Him as their own Savior. I feel like my job as their mom, role model, and teacher is to lead them there. I want to provide them with the facts, but so much more. I want to show by word and deed what a Christ follower looks like, even the messy, ugly parts of failure and mistakes because that's where grace shines through brighter. Eventually they will all come to a point in their lives where they must choose for themselves whom they will serve. I cannot save my children. It's a humbling reality for a Mama who likes to DO things.

So happy sixth birthday, Magdalena Faith! You are more precious than rubies. I can't wait to see what grand adventures you'll have now that you are six!
xoxo,
Mama