one week into homeschooling...

Bringing Hagan and Griggs home to school 

has been a huge blessing!!

Not only for Hagan, mom is pretty boring to hang with all day!

And well, little 4 year old brother...

he takes a lot of leading and more patience!

But Griggs, he's just right!

Not unlike Goldilocks and the three bears!

Watching them learn together,

challenge each other 

entertain each other

and encourage each other

is a joy! 

I love seeing their personalities work together!

For those who may not know,

Hagan and Griggs came home together.

They are not biological brothers 

but when we were matched with the two of them

Hagan was moved into the same foster home as Griggs -

so they were brothers for about 6 months before we got to them!

I've been thinking about the journey to bring them home -

that was a hard one!

We had no extra cash!

We already had 7 kids and dealing with Elijah's hurts day in and day out!

But, you know when God calls you to something -

HE is going to bless you!! 

I remember praying, "God, if you want to close doors,

if these adoptions are not from you,

I'm okay with that."

I know, can you believe I said that!!!

But, y'all, I was tired!! 

I was run down and at my wits end most of the time!
Not really a happy person.

Treading water through your days 

is a hard place to be!

My health wasn't good, but I faked it!

You know, "I choose this life."

It wasn't anyone else's problem! 

We had been told by numerous doctors -

"Don't adopt again! 

You have enough on your plate and things won't get better."

My response, 

"You are NOT my God! 

I will do what my God tells me to do!"

We fundraised e.v.e.r.y. penny to bring our boys home!

We are so thankful 3 1/2 years later for everyone who helped us bring them home!

And then,

we were done!!!

Let's end of a good note!!

But, before we left China - 

God whispered in both Bryan and my ears -

"You are not done,  your daughter is still here."

(story to be continued...)