Bitter Sweet Goodbyes

Well it is official. We are childless for the next 17 days. While we are excited to be leaving for our mission trip tomorrow we are a little sad that it will be a while before we see the kids again. On top of leaving them today Noah has the stomach flu. He is currently at my sister's house throwing up. This tends to be a family tradition when you visit Aunt April. In fact while Noah was throwing up on the way (he started throwing up half way to my sisters) Kayla said "well Noah you are officially a Milner because you have thrown up while driving to Aunt April's." They live about 6 hours away so it was a long trip. I am sad but there is nothing we could do.

We are getting excited and are almost ready to leave. I still can't believe that we will be on a plane for more than 20 hours total. Well I have to get going so I will have to post more when we get back.

Two Will Do!!!!!!

Little Man After His Bath

So often we are asked the "are you done question?" The answer...God willing yes. We absolutely adore the two children that God has blessed us with. We are so content and blessed especially since we thought for ten years that we could only be a family of three. Of course there is the occasional laps in judgment where you begin to think to your self that you could do this again. Then it happens. You quickly re-enter reality as you take on three extra kids while mom is recovering from the flu. Actually it is always such a blessing to have the kids. As many of you know a dear friend of ours died suddenly (almost 5 months ago) leaving behind a wife that was expecting, along with two children. Our little man of Steele was born two weeks after daddy went to be with Jesus. Since then we have had the pleasure of being a part of his birth, his baby dedication, and his day to day milestones. So when mom came down with the flu we packed up the kids and brought them home with us. Actually we have shared the time with another family that has been there with them too. All this to say I really do not know how single mom's make it. We tag team and still have to fight our way through the chaos of feedings, baths, getting kids to school and daycare, etc. At one point in the evening I think that all the kids were crying. At one point I think I even heard James crying. He He He! Just kidding but he did look at his preteen daughter and say "doesn't this make you want to go out and adopt three more?"

We really do count it a blessing to have these three beautiful children and their mom as part of our family. We always look forward to having the kids we just wish that it was under different circumstances. Please do pray for this precious family. They are a beautiful picture of God's grace and mercy at work and are such an encouragement to our family. However all the struggles and burdens of being a single mom are overwhelming.

For now we are just blessed to have two beautiful children and the opportunity to be an aunt and uncle to several other precious children. Unless God says otherwise I think that we are done.

Look What I Can Do!

Remember when Noah could just barley see over the top of the crib on the first setting.


Okay I was not ready for this one:(
Yes I know that he is two and yes big sister was in a toddler bed at 18 months but he's the baby and I was hoping that we could make it till at least 2 1/2 before we have to take down the crib. It just seems like he's growing up too fast.

Hey, check this out. There's a way out!
Uh Oh! I've been caught.
But I'm still so cute that mom won't mind.

ATTACK OF THE SLASHER!!!

I know that we are behind "filling in the gaps" but we are just really busy getting ready for Thailand. We can hardly believe that in 11 days we will be on a plane flying half way around the world. I have also started the new Beth More study "Stepping Up". Those that have taken her studies know full well what that means.

Any way I really need to get on with the current post so I will go back and fill in as I can. So on with the current madness at the Milner house hold.....

Late November I (angie) came down with pneumonia. When I went to the doctor I was treated for allergies not pneumonia. Well long story short after two more weeks I went back to the Doctor and still had pneumonia. More meds! Another 10 days went by and I was still sick with all the symptoms returning. So this time more test, almost a hospital stay, and yes more meds! The reason for sharing this part is to say that I have been on meds for 7 weeks now and still going. The meds that I have been taking all this time include steroids. Now when they first prescribed them I said no (they make me sick) but was told that they were necessary and to give them a try. When filling the prescription the pharmacist said not to take them late at night as they cause nightmares and many other sleep issues. Hence the following story.....

Last night Kayla our daughter came into our room around 3:30 am to inform us that she had a terrible ear ache and that she couldn't sleep. She was hoping for pain meds and moral support. However that is not what she got. Here's how it goes.

Mom is in a very deep sleep having an intense dream. Kayla taps mom on the arm to wake her up. Mom gasps as she is woken up and realizes that something is standing over her. Just as mom is trying to process being woken up Kayla leans forward to tell mom about the ear ache. Mom (not wearing her glasses, coming from a deep sleep, and having an intense dream) finally makes out the image that is standing over her. To mom's horror it appears to be a faceless slasher with very big hair and a tie dyed shirt lunging at her. Kayla trying not to wake dad leans in so that she can tell mom about the ear ache. Remember that Kayla is in pain as she leans in and is moaning as she approaches mom. Mom becomes threatened by the slasher and her moans and gasps one more time before she begins to scream violently while grabbing dad's leg. Mom is also trying to get as far away from the slasher as possible. (Yes dad's lap will do) This causes Kayla to gasp then scream and then for some reason dad becomes startled and in his "I'm scared now too, but I'm here to protect you growl" starts to take on Kayla. At this precise moment in time mom realizes that it is actually Kayla and not a slasher and told dad "everything is okay go back to sleep. This did not set well with dad because now he is all worked up and confused wondering why we are all screaming. Well, lets just say NO ONE went back to sleep for some time. Kayla got her meds and was back in bed but by this time we all had the giggles. Well except Kayla she was still in pain and a rattled by mom's out burst). Now when I say we got the giggles I mean that we laughed until we could not breath. I think that we actually feel asleep laughing.

I have to say that we have had such a good day today because of that moment. I think that with all the tragedy and seriousness that our family has seen and endured lately that we have just forgotten how to laugh. The kind of laughter that comes from your gut that you just can't stop. I have stopped so many times today and thanked God for that very odd yet priceless incident that we shared this morning. I think he just knew that we needed to laugh. In so many ways it was very therapeutic. Thank you Jesus for bringing some much needed smiles and laughter into our home.

As for Kayla she is feeling a little better. Dad and Noah took a four hour nap and Mom just can't wait till there are no more steroids!

angie

Time to update the Blog

Well we have officially been home with our little man NOAH for 18 months almost 19 months. As one would expect so much has changed. Life with a toddler and a preteen is rewarding yet challenging.

The day we received Noah's referral Tia Aj suggested that we follow our journey with a Blog. Of course my first thoughts were "a Blog what is a Blog?" Well now I know what a blog is but I still do not know all the tricks to posting on them. After following other adoption blogs I come to have bloggers envy (Yes I know that is not spiritual but neither are you all of the time). Actually I have just come to a place where I feel that I need a place to journal and share what God has been doing and is still doing in our family. Also Noah is starting to talk about Guatemala and his foster mom Grandma Alice so I want to catch up on the blog while those precious memories are coming to the surface again.

To clarify we will always cherish the memories that we have from our pick up trip and the months to follow with our new baby boy however our homecoming was bitter sweet. Our family has endured three tragic deaths and our brother Mark leaving for war since Noah's pick up trip...the first tragic news received when we landed in Houston waiting for our next flight. I will share more of this in other post as I would like to honor each of these Godly men as they have played an important role in our life and supported our family's decision to adopt.

We will try to relive some of the events over the next few weeks so that there are not as many holes in this adventure. Please bear with us as most of this is old news but we feel it will help us sort through all the emotion that this journey we call life has brought our way. For those picture hungry folks like me we will add those too. We will post as often as possible to catch up but we are also trying to prepare for our mission trip (we leave in 20 days). Prayers are coveted as we will be away from the kids for 17 days:(

I will try to post a few pictures from our pick up trip as soon as I remember how that is done.
Angie