Celebrating 8 years of life with Noah



One of my very  favorite photos
of Noah ever!

 My dear friend Jennifer traveled with Jael and me to Cambodia 8 years ago to complete our newest son  Noah's  adoption.  The day I met Noah for the first time, he was standing with the orphanage director waiting for our car to drive up. I didn't want to overwhelm this tiny boy with all my pent -up excitement but OH  I wanted to snatch him up into my arms,   kiss those dimpled cheks I' been  dreaming of for  so long, talk to him in words I knew he would not understand,  but  I held  back, "some"!!  I  grabbed him ently, hugged him pretty snuggly but not for  a long time and I kissed the top of his head. He hugged me back right away and I knew I was melting and this little boy was being blended into my being right there on the spot!We had waited far longer than we'd anticipated for Noah's adoption to complete. A suspension on adoptions in Cambodia imposed by the US governemnt left hundreds of us wondering how  and if ever, we' be united with our children. Some of us who had been politically active before jumped right in with both feet ready and many who'd never done a political thing in their lives jumped in too. That group of prospective adoptive parents was ENERGIZED and we let our Congress know it, state by state , Elected official by elected official until a "Pipeline" was established for those families who wished to persevere. That action was responsible before God for many childen being able to come home. How incredible  that journey was  and how unbelievable that it was eight years ago already! That tiny twinkly eyed little boy has grown into a  tall winkly eyed  teenager who is skilled athletically ( baseball, basketball,   tennis, swimming, soccer....) and academically, is a great helper and has a super sense of humor.
What we didn't know then (or in March that year when Charlie and I were in Vietnam together completing Naomi's adoption)  was that when Charlie went to meet Noah that God would be preparing his heart and then later mine, for a whole lot more than this one trip to Cambodia! We both met four other children we never DREAMED we would be able to think about adopting, much less actually DOING IT! The boy who was Noah's best friend ( and the bond between them was so obvious to us as we watched the children together) the boy to whom Noah turned to share whatever he had in his hand , was the subject of one of our very first halting English conversations. "Mommy, a boy at t'orph-nige, he like my brother. He not my brother, but like  brother. Sang Thai. You go 'dop him too?"  WHO KNEW that in February 2004 that request would be a reality?
When I met a little Inca -Mayan  looking cherub of a toddler-aged  girl behind one of the buildings at the compound, another older curly -haired girl was pulling her hair and she was crying. I picked her up, dried her tears as I told the other girl in words she did not understand to "stop that. Don't hurt this little one!" I asked the director about this girl, and was told her name, Narene, and that she had a brother, Guhn Kear and  a sister, Narong,  both older than she was.  She was 3 they said, and the other two 4 and 6. I HAD to meet them too.  No fanfare, but I watched them play, I asked as  much as I could about them, knowing that the "Pipeline" was only at that point for matched children, and  no more. Oh the adventures God was getting ready to reveal to us!!!!!!!!!!!!! Charlie and I compared stories and photos later  only to discover we BOTH had been smitten by the same siblings. Thinking that there was "no way" for any other adoptions, he kept his photos to himself. Obviously God had other plans already "in His Book"
I  have to share some of my favorite photos of my favorite first-adopted son !!! Thank You Heavenly Father so very much for our wonderful son and all the blessings that have come  with being his Mom and having Noah in our family!

Noah with  Leah and Isaac August 2010

Tractor time!

Isaac, Csey, Malachi and Daniel, Jon, Isaiah and  NOAH, Gideon, and Caleb

First days of school  ALPHA PHONICS with Noah (and baby Naomi)

WInter 2002-03 Horse drawn "sleigh" tote . Malachi  pulls Noah behind  Windstar




Noah's Giving and Recieving Ceremony 10-24-2002

                                               

Early photos of Noah ,age 4 and then age 5 PASSPORT PHOTO!!!

                                                       First  Thanksgiving. Noah got his own drumstick!