We are so blessed

I guess at Christmas time all of us get rather in sentimental, thankful mood. This year is no different for us. The only difference is how many blessings we can count and praise God for!

We have moved to Big Sky, Montana. We are settled into our new home. The children love it there! (And so do their parents!) There is lots of snow and sunshine, and with a golf course across from our house, the kids have a huge playground to enjoy this winter. A day hasn't gone by since our move that they haven't been sledding, cross country skiing or just playing around in the snow.

Some collected thoughts, blessings and special memories to share with you that have gone on over the past few weeks...

* Singing along, at the top of our lungs, to "Awesome God" with my almost 12-year old daughter, Mariyana, while driving our van to MT. The dark night sky was dotted with a million stars and the moon was shining bright. Can you experience God more deeply than worshipping him with your new daughter on such a night? I never have...

* Listening to Olesya, our 5 year old daughter, thank Jesus for her Mama and Papa at each meal this week.

* Seeing the excitement in all the kids' eyes as they find every Baby Jesus in every Christmas display around town.

* Hearing Lillia, our 4 year old, thanking God for her entire family by name at each meal.

* Having Olesya say "America is cool!" when we were talking about her forever family.

* Hearing Lillia pray for and talk about her brother and sister she has never met in Ukraine (the two older siblings of our new children).

* Seeing the growth and change in the two boys' confidence and language skills.

* Counting the days each week with excitement and eager anticipation until we can go to church again!

* Hearing stories about the children's experiences and memories in Ukraine before coming home.

* Listening to our 2 and 4 year old daughters (our bio daughters) as their vocabulary grows daily - with both Russian and English words! And, laughing with joy at having to remind Lillia that she needs to speak English with her grandparents if she wants them to understand her! Smiling as we tell Anabella to say "Yes" and she repeatedly says "Da" instead.

* Listening to our 5, 7, 9 and almost 12 year old as they "review" their Russian vocabulary that is beginning to slip away. (We aren't joyful they are forgetting their Russian - we would love for them to keep it, but it does show us they are really progressing in English. It has taken them longer than an individually adopted child to learn English because they have each other to speak to, as well as help understand English.)

* The opportunity to live in a ski resort community, surrounded by God's beautiful creations, while being able to teach the children about sledding, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and iceskating. Seeing and experiencing their excitement in participating in these activities.

* Our meal-time prayers in which some or all of the children participate as they feel led - each saying their own individual prayers for what they are thankful.

* Hearing the kids share their prayer requests at bedtime each night - mostly prayers of thanksgiving for their family and for Jesus.

* Seeing the children's understanding of family and their permanent place in our hearts and lives grow - not only to increase their comfort and security, but wanting to expand and extend it to other children waiting for their forever families.

* Daily experiencing God's grace and strength as we enjoy our family. Six children are a blessing. We are not overwhelmed with anything except joy and blessings. Our full table is alive with laughter and sharing. Our work load is light with eager helpers. Our hands aren't full - our hearts are. Family has become our true priority and instead of missing our time or money or sanity or whatever else we might have imagined missing with six children, we just sense missing our other children - out there somewhere waiting for their forever family.

And so, for tonight, I will close with a happy heart and a thankful spirit. God is so good!