Happy 4th Birthday Miss Cece!

Four years ago a little treasure was born, 

without any elated announcements, or pink glittery gifts.

Instead, her birth was met with scrambling, and case worker phone calls.

Although I had no idea at the time that my daughter was making her way into the world, God had been preparing our hearts to receive this gift.

Today we celebrate the day of her birth.  We honor the woman who nurtured her life and allowed her to be born.

Too many babies are denied that chance, which makes this celebration of her birth so much more poignant.

She came home when she was just 5 wks old, but we didn't dare to even hope that someday she would be ours.  She very quickly became "ours" in our hearts, but it took three long years for her to be be legally ours as well. 

A totally unexpected gift.  A precious treasure.

A traumatic delivery, a tragic loss, a week alone in the NICU, a month in a "Baby group home", and symptoms of narcotic withdrawal had left this sweet little girl resistant to comfort, detached, and extremely fussy. 

I sometimes wondered if I was cut out for this responsibility. 

The relentless "job" of caring for a baby that was not my own. 



As the months passed this fussy little newborn grew into a content, cheerful, secure, and interactive baby.

Miss Cece and her Daddy have had such a special bond.  She is most certainly a Daddy's girl.





This little girlie has a quick smile and a ridiculous giggle.

She loves animals.  Any kind or size.  No fear at all (even when she should have it).

She loves to play with her siblings and her friends.

She's a natural caretaker and nurturer.  She is affectionate, sensitive and dramatic.  Spunky and Sassy.

A self professed Princess.

She loves well.



She can be delightful, and she can be frustrating enough to make me wonder if I'm cut out for this responsibility.  This relentless "job" of being Mommy to this beautiful little girl who is now my very own.

One thing I know for sure is that I am so extremely grateful for the chance, as well as for God's grace and guidance to try to be the Mommy she needs. 

I am so thankful that we said "yes".  One unexpected little phone call during the rush of an average day.  So easy to ignore. 

It would have been so easy to make excuses, to be "too busy right now", or to give in to nagging doubts and fears.  I honestly don't know how I didn't, other than the work of the Holy Spirit preparing me to set aside my self preservation and receive this unexpected blessing. 

Miss Cece you are a joy.   

Lovie, we are so thankful for you and proud of you. 

Happy 4 th Birthday my sweet little girl, who is growing up into a big girl too quickly!

A Daddy and a Fishing Pole.

 

Does childhood get any better than that?
Two things every little boy deserves.



I love that look of nervous anticipation on his face.

This was a perfect place to take Elijah fishing for the first time.  Within minutes they had their first catch.

 



After inspecting his prized catch they let  Mr. Tilapia swim home.

San Ignacio - Day 2

Our two days in San Ignacio, staying at Ignacio Springs Bed and Breakfast, were our best vacation days this trip. It's not every often, in our travels, that we find a place that is this family friendly.  It was such a relaxing atmosphere.  We come across so many places, hotels, rv parks etc.  that are the exact opposite.  Not everyone welcomes families...and if they do it's often with a bit of a snobbish attitude. 

We woke up to a delicious breakfast served in a little outdoor dining room, and then spent the rest of morning doing this.

 It was actually warm.  So nice and toasty, sunshiny warm.  It felt SO good to just soak it up.

 Between ridiculously easy fishing, and the water toys the kids were in heaven.

Elijah even got brave enough to play with minnows in a pail.  At least until they started jumping.

 Despite teasing about crocodiles, piranhas, and water snakes most of us eventually ventured into the water.  By "us" I mean them.

Silas enjoyed fiddling with the breadcrumb bait and little fish hooks. This picture made me laugh because he looks like Gollum...."Precious". 

The mighty Tilapia catching fisherman. 

We were surrounded by Date Palms.

It was so serene and relaxing.

 

 

At lunch time we drove into town, found some tacos, and then went to see the historic San Ignacio mission.

 

The church was established here about three hundred years ago. 

Such a beautiful building.

The kids felt inspired to try out the kneeling benches.

 The whole place had a rather Nacho Libre-esque feel to it. 

 



Before suppertime we hit the spring again...this time with a bit more wind.

The next day we packed up, and drove to Bahia de los Angeles.  We slept one night there and drove the rest of the way back to our little trailer in North Baja in the morning.  We arrived in Colonia Vicente Guerrero just in time for a rainy, muddy weekend.   It was good to get back to our familiar little town, it's amenities, and our own beds.  Our time here is ticking by quickly.  This was a great little vacation, but we are looking forward to another week of working with our friends at Welcome Home Outreach.

Trauma is a Beast

Trauma is a vicious  beast.
Always lurking in the shadows. Stalking it's prey, it watches and waits for signs of weakness.

It's icy glare pierces the soul and binds a heart up with fear. Insidious. Tenacious. Compassionless.

The younger the prey, the stronger the predators unrelenting grasp. 

Trauma is a constant companion, a comforting seductress that lures and possesses according her fickle will,  a puppet master who pulls the strings, moving her marionette in a contorted dance.

It tells a tragic tale.

Like a scratch in a song it replays rejection, loss, and fear.

A story that words cannot retell, but rather weaving it's image like mismatched thread through an entire tapestry.

A branding iron that scorched it's disfiguring mark into every neuron and cell.

Removing the black thread so tightly woven is meticulous work.
An aggrivating, and impossible task. 

Some wounds will forever leave their mark.

Trauma is a beast,
but this momma is a bear.

Trauma is relentless,
but so is redemption.