Eliza’s Day!!

We kept things very simple to celebrate Eliza’s Day!

We knew it would be the perfect way to celebrate the two year anniversary of Eliza being placed into our arms!

We had our little celebration last night!

Eliza asked for brownies, strawberries and ice cream.

That is what she got! She helped Addie Mae make the brownies!

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After baths and pjs we had our little celebration.

Eliza opened her gifts!

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A puzzle with a picture of four horses on it!

She LOVES it so much!

She plays horses all the time! See them on the buffet behind her?

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And a magnetic game to play in the van on our long drives to the doctor!

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David, Kayla and another little person in his pjs joined us for dessert!

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So much emotion wrapped up in this little celebration!

Such a time of reflection, thankfulness, and amazement!!

We love you Eliza Claire!!

Happy Eliza’s Day!!

A Recipe//Rainbow Rice

It has been awhile since I have posted a recipe!

When I started to make this recipe for a church pot-luck, I knew it would be a good one to share.

I have made this for years and years – and do not even know who to give credit to for the recipe!

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Rainbow Rice

4 TBSP oil for sautéing
one small red onion
4-6 cloves of garlic
1 large carrot
1 large stalk celery
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1/4 a head of purple cabbage
1 handful of torn kale leaves
1 handful of frozen peas or frozen green beans
soy sauce
sesame seeds – optional – for garnish
4 cups cooked brown rice (2 cups dry, cooked in 4 cups of water)

Dice all of the veggies rather small. While chopping all the veggies, have the rice cooking. Sauté the veggies in the oil, until soft, about 12-15 minutes. Add the cooked rice, and some soy sauce to taste. Once in a serving bowl, you can garnish the top with sesame seeds if you like.

I doubled this recipe and it filled my crock pot to the top.

Enjoy!!

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We use coconut oil for baking and cooking.

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We use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce. Because of Lane’s severe allergy to soy, our home is soy free.

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Two Years of Forever More

Today was Eliza’s day!

Two years ago today Blake, Addie and I walked into a steaming hot Civil Affairs office in Guangzhou, China, and I held Eliza for the very first time!

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The emotions of that day are still so fresh in my mind.

The wait to travel to China was so hard and long and yet just like that we were there holding our sweet baby!

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What a journey these last two years have been.

We could never have imagined the twists and turns this journey would take!

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When I reflect back, starting with the plane ride home, I stand amazed at how far this sweet baby girl has come.

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She continues to amaze us every single day – she is so strong and brave!

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Eliza’s world is expanding all the time now, and she does so well with all that we ask of her.

Like this photo shoot, for example! In a hay field!

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We all agreed this week that we just simply could not imagine life without Tate and Eliza both here.

Haven’t they always been here?!

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If two years has brought us to this place, I cannot imagine what the next two will do.

What a privilege it is to be a part of our sweet baby’s journey to healing!

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Miss Eliza Claire, we loved you from the moment we saw your face, and our love for you has never skipped a beat.

We are so thankful that the Lord brought you home!

Forever home!

Photos taken by big sis, Kayla – Seasons of Joy Photography

These Summer Days

I took a few photos of us just doing life!

We all enjoy looking back at “doing life” photos – I should take them more often!

We have a 7 o’clock rule here on the farm.

The youngest four have to stay in their beds until 7 a.m.

It took me MONTHS to teach this concept to Tate, who would start calling for me around 4 a.m.

When Tate arrived home it changed Eliza’s schedule a bit because they share a room.

Eliza used to sleep until 9 a.m. and then not nap during the day.

Now she is up at 7 as well, and naps with Tate in the afternoon.

Breakfast is served at 7, then it is time for the kiddos to get dressed and do their chores!

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After chores are done, we do some school and then have our Bible time.

The middle boys are working on some regular school book work, but mostly Bible memorization, learning how to write in cursive, and learning how to type!

I am very slowly going through the My Fathers World kindergarten curriculum with the littles – and I add a lot of hands on extras to their school!

This week has been all about the letter M.

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I also try to have a new activity set out for the littles every couple of days. Monday I set up a book nook with our little tent, some blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, and of course books!

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The littles love, love to be read to, and it is something I really enjoy doing as well!

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After snack, they have Chad time, and usually play outside or in the hay loft with Sadie.

We eat lunch, and then littles nap while the middles read chapter books.

We jump in the pool every afternoon that is warm enough, because my kiddos are part fish!

Getting everyone in the pool and out of the pool is quite crazy, so I failed at photos of that!

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Sometimes we have appointments, and I am purposing to make them in the afternoons now instead of the mornings.

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I am very happy to say that my mini-me was home on Monday! It made my smile brighter!

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Because she was here, this happened that day!

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The kiddos are still loving that book nook – and have asked to sleep in there!

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I am still doing a lot of therapy with Eliza. She always has her sensory meals (jumping, brushing, bouncing or swinging), but now I have been adding those snacks throughout the day. Today’s snack was a bag of goo. She helped me make it, and has sought it out to play with many times today!

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Blake and I have been talking about starting up full time school in the next two weeks. With just four in school this year, and no high schoolers, I think I could handle an early start date! It will afford us the time off we will need if (when?!) the farm sells and it is time to move!

Being these kiddos teacher is just the best calling! I still enjoy it like I did back on day one sixteen years ago! I think sometimes I have more fun than they do! But they love all the things I plan too!

And that’s a peak at “doing life” on these summer days for my little scrapbook!

I am sure we will enjoy looking back at this someday!!