Words of Wisdom

Re: suggestions for keeping expectations realistic and for attachment/bonding:
Remember that hard isn’t wrong.
Remember that the child you’re struggling with may be the child that cares for you in your old age.
When you cannot view a child as “your precious child,” view them as “God’s precious child” and love them accordingly.
Remember that you yourself are an adopted child of your Heavenly Father, and as such, you have significant attachment issues yourself.
Speak blessings; thank God aloud, in their presence and regularly, for the incredible blessing each child is and for the fruit you see in their lives.
Ask God to help you notice behaviors that are important to Him and not notice behaviors that are not important to Him.
When you look at your children, smile at them.
Remember, it is not over, until it is over.
Julie B. (mom to 13)

What would you advise as the best preparation for international adoption?Are there any suggestions for keeping expectations realistic and for attachment/bonding?
small world said...
Ray's comments for best prep for international adoption:1.Get your ENTIRE family on board before you begin. There will be bumps in the road.2.Consider your birth order and do not change it easily.3.Consider an older child as well4.Realize that you are not in control and that God has a plan. He just needs obedient followers.5.This adoption is not about you getting children, but rather children getting parents.Theresa's comments on realistic expectations for bonding.1.Know that changing a child's survival skills into a dependency on you is NOT an easy or quick process.2.Be prepared to spend many hours dealing with the trauma adoptive children come with.3.Skin to skin contact is essential to the bonding process.4."Rejection" from the adopted child is not about you, it is their way of rejecting the pain they have already experienced in their lives. It may take a long time to work through the pain and have trust develop.5.Celebrate any little break through.6.Let your heart break with and for your child.These are a few thoughts we had tonight.They are neither complete, nor thorough. Just things to think about. We do not consider ourselves experts. We only speak from our experiences with our own adoptions.
Ray and Theresa 9 children from age 22-1year 5 bio, 4 adopted

A Soliders Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear. Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow. My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old, Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold. Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here! Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!" For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me. My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December," Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers." My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam', And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile. Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag. I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.. Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right." "But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast? It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long. For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled. Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN 30th Naval Construction Regiment OIC,

Logistics Cell One Al Taqqadum, Iraq

Pictures from ET!

Tuesday Morning!!! I can not believe we have gotten this far and yet
if not for Pete I don't think I would be posting still!!!! I am not
even able to explain the many emotions that are happening here. Some
one a while back posted the flight as brutal ~ not even close
really!!! I felt like all we did was eat and sit and so 3 meals later
and way to many hours my body was exhausted!!! Did not need sleeping
meds for me the first night. Yesterday was meeting the girls and this
was the most sur-real moment! It really is not something you can
explain when they just come running out to you (some cases handed to
you :)). We were able to spend about 3 hours at the Transition Home
and so many kiddos!! You really can not imagine how this is all set up
and yet if you were to have kids exploding out of a pinyata you MIGHT
have an idea!!! They just seem to be everywhere and you just want to
love on all of them and yet be with your own and they all so want to
be with everyone as well. It was wonderful to tour and see and be
with all of the kiddos!!

I am hoping to post more latter but must do paperwork party for now!!
Will bug Pete later to help me!!! :):)

Savannah, Saubi and Isaiah, we love you and miss you much!!!

"I'm Leavin on a jet plane..."

Well, it's official.  I that's what all this luggage and paperwork and nerves are about!! :):)  We are leaving for Seattle in just a few hours, will over night and leave for DC at 7:30 am.  Then on to Addis on Saturday night ~ still not sure this is real!!!  I have so many emotions (leaving some kiddos here at home and going to get our other kiddos) just praying right now!  Can't wait to post from ET and share this journey with so many of my faithful friends!! Thanks for thinking of us and keep the prayers coming!  We love you guys!   RR 08/05/08 2 Sisters Travel date 11/14/2008

Email Test

We can not get to our blog from ethiopia so this is a test run!  Hopfully it works :):) Jori & Tracy Armstrong RR 08/05/08 2 Sisters www.armstrongs2ethiopia.blogspot.com

Forever Families for the week!!!

Laughner - http://laughners.blogspot.com/

Britton - http://www.brittonadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/

Hammond - http://thewait4you.blogspot.com/

Nunez - http://nunezstory.blogspot.com/

Terwilleger - http://isaacandkathee.blogspot.com/

The above families are in Ethiopia picking up their kiddos and loving on our this week!! Follow along on their journey and hey, maybe even get on board with giving another one love in your own home!! God is Good all the time ~ All the time God is Good!!

And of course now that we can here are some more of our girls!!!! We are coming girls - only 11 more days till departure!! So many things I should be doing!!!