Where did Dec. go?

Well Dec. has flown by! Our family is enjoying the busy days of the holiday season with lots of friends and family. Here are some Highlights so far….
~Danielle and I had our annual Christmas party; it was so fun to catch up with friends!
~Garrett as you can see had his 1st hair cut mishap from his whitey parents…sorry bud!
~This is Reagan’s 3rd Christmas, I can hardly believe it….my little peanut is getting so big!
~And there will be another kiddo at Christmas next year…Auntie Lesley is having a baby!

I just got started wrapping Christmas gifts, I can’t believe how behind I got, considering the fact that I was 95% done shopping in August. Time seems to be flying by; it makes me kinda sad how fast kids grow and how fast the years seem to go by…. I need to remember to stop and take it all in. With that in mind, I am SO excited for Christmas this year, Reagan totally gets the whole present concept…I love watching the look on her face and hearing her high pitch squeals as she opens each gift. And Garrett will enjoy his first Christmas as a Thomas, this time last year we were working on our paper work, and now our little man is here with us!

I probably won’t post again till 2009, so Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Blessings to you and yours!
Love the Thomas Family

Lunch with Jesus....

So the other day I am sitting at the table trying to wake up while the kids eat their breakfast....and out of the silence comes Reagan's sweet little voice with this statement "Mama I am goin to eat lunch with Jesus today!"
This is the conversation that followed:

Me: Well sweetie, remember how we talked about Jesus living in heaven with God.
(For all you theologians out there…. please keep in mind that I am trying to explain this to a 2 yr old.)
Reagan: Ummm yes, I am goin to heaven for lunch!
Me: Well we can’t go to heaven for lunch, (trying so hard not to explain the whole death part of heaven) heaven is far away and it’s a special place you can only go to once.
Reagan: Is it in San Diego?
Me: No its not on the earth…..
Reagan: Is it in Ethiopia?
Me: **Deep Breath** Reagan you know how God made the whole earth and everything in it…well he made a special place called heaven too. Cue the thousand questions!
Reagan: God made my meat? (She was eating sausage) God made my fish? God made my grass? God made Cows, horses…. etc.
Me: Nodding yes to the long list of God made…. questions.
Reagan: God made me?
Me: Yes he did
Reagan: I talk to Jesus in prayers?
Me: Yes you can talk to him any time you want!
Reagan: How about lunch?
Me: Yes we can talk to Jesus at lunch
Reagan: Ok…Dear Jesus…. A-nem! (Amen)

I have to admit I had my first parental panic as to how to answer these deep questions in a way that she would get…. I think I did ok. And I just love that my sweet little girl wants to have lunch with Jesus…. it was definitely a proud mama moment!

O my silly girl!

Did you notice the pig tails? Her hair is finally growing!
I just love her crazy curls...and sassy faces!

4 month update

Garrett has been a member of our family now for 4 months…. time sure flies!
Here is a glimpse of how the adjustment process has been and where we are at as of late.

The question I get almost every time I run into some one is “how is he adjusting?” I in turn give the short answer “He is a adjusting.” Which he is, but I always think to myself…. what a strange question…and do people really what the detailed answer? So for those of you who are curious…I will attempt to answer this question.

Adjustment:
When he first got home he had a horrible time with sleep…he had anxiety attacks and would basically flip out at the mention of sleep. I can happily say that now he LOVES his sleep! He has this fabulous noise machine that plays rain sounds and he doses right to sweet slumber and sleeps 2-3 hours @ naptime and all through the night.

As far as food goes (another popular question) he is doing much better, he used to shovel food in his mouth so fast that he would choke or make himself sick…but now he enjoys his food…he eats slower and pretty much anything we give him. Although he would prefer a diet of meat and bread…typical boy!

Socially, he is just now out and about on a regular basis…. we kept his life pretty uneventful for the first 3 months; we didn’t even leave him with a sitter or take him to church. But he is doing really well now with more social interaction. He still looses it sometimes but for the most part he enjoys being out and about. With the exception of Costco…for some reason the wholesale freaks him out!

There have been some rough moments with him; he had a long period of mourning the loss of what his life was; and a difficult time adjusting to the idea of allowing someone to care for him. But all of his “difficult” behaviors are for the most part gone. One thing that he used to do that has fully disappeared; was when he was stressed or upset, he would scratch at his head and didn’t want to be held or consoled. Now when he gets hurt, scared or stressed he runs to Scott or me for snuggles! Which is HUGE to say the least!

It’s amazing that it’s been only 4 months, we feel like we have been in the adoptive parent trenches for so long now! But I am happy to say that we are out of the thick of it and can look back and with a sigh of relief say “we all made it!” Garrett is such a blessing, and is more joy than we could have ever imagined! Each month gets so much better and he opens up more of himself to us…. we are really enjoying getting to know him and look so forward of what is to come!

Hoops of Hope

Sat. was HOH and the event went great! There was a huge turn out...its amazing to see this event grow each year!
It was such a fun day Scott shot 1,000 free throws! And I counted shots, while the kids played and danced to wonderful African music. Thank you for all your support!
Love, Scott, Amber, Reagan, and Garrett

Yesterday

I'm only one. But still, I am one.

I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something.

And because I cannot do everything,

I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.

--- Edward Everett Hale