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| If you return to the Main Page, we hope that you will sign our guestbook. We hope to share the encouragement and kind words with Maria someday. |
| 10/29/2006
Praise the Lord! We have a new pastor! We are pleased to announce that Pastor Mike Lumpkin and his family will be coming from Memphis to lead our church. Many of you know that we had a pastor at our church for 35+ years. Well, three years ago, he retired. Since then we have been waiting and praying for a new pastor that GOD had chosen, not men. It has been a long and sometimes difficult wait (reminds me a LOT about the adoption process). We feel very blessed that God is finally revealing his plan. More good news...Maria did NOT cry when she was dropped off in her class at church today! She pouted, but did not cry. I guess she cried once between Sunday School and church when there was a switch in teachers, but otherwise, she did MUCH better. (Cannot say the same about day care yet...) As you can tell, tonight was Pumpkin Carving Night at the Cloud house. We had a wonderful time opening up the pumpkins, pulling out seeds, and carving faces. Maria was quite fascinated with the whole process and enjoyed playing with the seeds and pulp. She thought the faces were pretty funny. I tried to insert a little spiritual lesson in there about how we are all yucky on the inside from our sin nature, then God comes and cleans us out when we ask Him into our lives. However, the kids were much more focused on the pumpkins at that moment. I will have to try again later... Let's see...new words. Maria now says, "Light". Of course, her daddy sells lighting fixtures for a living (one of several things), so she was bound to learn that word! She is also saying "tummy", "please", "all done", and her newest phrase, "thank you". She likes to say that one. We are working on breaking (or at least slowing down) a couple of habits. Maria was really bad about pulling her the tops of her ears down and "tucking" them into her ear! She had done that alot at the Hogar. We really felt like it was just a habit, not so much a security thing, so we started saying, "no ears". Her doctor agreed with that. (They are a bit floppy; they have been pulled on...by her...ALOT.) We have pretty much broken it at home, but she is still doing it at places I am not. When I picked her up from day care on Friday, she had both of them tucked in! The funny thing (though I don't really laugh about it), as soon as she sees me, she untucks them! So she knows that she isn't supposed to be doing that! We are also trying to limit her thumbsucking (which also involves her pointer finger) to bedtime or naptime, though I know that she "needs" it at church and daycare. She is getting pretty good about it at home though. We just ask her if she is ready for bed. She says, "NO", then takes it out. :) Happy birthday, Meme! (Yesterday) Well, thank you for your praying! We are encouraged by today at church. I think maybe another big request is for me. I have to be very careful not to overreact, especially when Maria is being a turkey. I wish I could say I am the perfect parent and handle everything with calm and ease. But I cannot...and even if I did, I think my children would deny it. :) Please pray for my patience. It is hard for me to not want changes immediately! Though I know deep down that God has been waiting for me to change for 35 years now...Thank you for praying for us! |
| 10/31/2006
Happy Halloween! I do realize that a lot of people don't "celebrate" Halloween. I cannot really say we "celebrate" it, but we do enjoy pumpkins and trick or treating. It is a good time to socialize with our neighbors. And the kids always enjoy dressing up. As you can see below, Maria was an angel this year. We decided on that since we got two sets of photos from the Hogar with Maria in shirts that said "I am no angel". That sealed the deal. :) It was hard to get her still long enough for a good picture. I will say that she very much enjoyed dressing up and liked it when people gave her candy, even though she doesn't really eat much other than M and M's. Oh, Lauren was a bunny, and Hunter was a police officer. It was a fun evening, even if it is quite cold and dreary out. We are doing okay. Maria is acting very "2" right now. She has a definite attitude. Last night she didn't want to get undressed for her bath. And today she chose to sit in the high chair after breakfast for an hour...she was able to get out if she wanted...she just didn't want to! She is really testing some independence right now, which is good. Thatis what 2 year olds do. It doesn't necessarily make it easy on Mom and Dad though. :) Well, I don't know if you have ever been in an elementary school for Halloween, but I am wiped out! Have a good night! Happy Halloween! |
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