This is what I got from my Dear Husband

Very exciting, isn't it? I hope Miss.A will share our excitement this year. She'll be in first grade...my baby is growing up so fast.....So my DH is responsible in getting Math books, and I'm hoping and planning, and praying, and more hoping that we're able to go to this huge homeschooling conference to get more fun books.

Well, I think I'm good with readings, I have The Writing Road to Reading, and 100 Easy Way To Read (I think that's what it is), I haven't decided which one I'll use for Miss.A, but I'm leaning toward the 100...see whether it will work for her or not. I'm good with religion, I have Chat With God's Little Ones, but I still want to see what the vendors have in that conference.

I went to that conference 2 years ago, and I had so much fun, and hungry eyes...those books were like screaming at me to buy them. I know I have to give my credit card to DH when I go to the conference this time.

Our Spring Break...

We are enjoying spring break with DH. Last Thursday, we decided to have a little family gate away. Besides, it's time for a little field trip. We visited children science museum, and had lots of fun. I think DH had more fun and more curiosity than the kids.

We watched Coral Reef at Cinedome. Mr.C was not really interested in the movie, and he fell asleep on his daddy's lap. After the movie, off we went to see and try all the cool stuff in science museum. Miss.A loved to try different thing in the museum. We saw a mini presentation about turtle and tortoise, although it's too bad Pollo the snake just had his lunch, so we weren't able to see him up close and personal, since he needs 24 hours to digest his food..or else...I can't even imagine...it's too gross.

Mr.C's biggest hit was stepping on huge piano keys on the floor. and of course walking around checking everything and anything.

Mr.C is taking his morning nap

Miss.A is checking out a robot they use in Mars

Just trying out outer space suit

Mmhhh..what should I do with this one?

 

Busy bees

After spending half a day in a museum, we checked in to our hotel room. As soon as we got settled, Miss.A, DH, and Mr.C put on their swim suit (well, swimming diaper for Mr.C), and off they went to indoor water park at the hotel.

The next morning, since it was a nice day..so we thought..we decided to go to the zoo. It was a nice day, the sun was out, but the wind chill was a little bit too chilly. I didn't take too many photos as I was trying to keep warm myself, and to make sure that Miss.AM was warm enough snuggling in her sling, close to my heart. Some animals were actives, though, walking around. We even saw tigers quite up close and personal. We saw a black rhino, who just had a baby couple of months ago (now I regret that no photos of the rhino).

Well, we had fun, and we enjoyed our little gate away. Can't wait till summer for our road trip.

Two months...

I can't believe that two months ago, I gave birth to our third little miracle. Time goes really fast. We found out that we were pregnant with Miss. AM around the same time we were pregnant with the baby we lost through miscarriage in 2007, and our angle baby's due date was around the same time as Miss. AM's due date. We were supposed to hold our baby back in February 2008, but God decided to call our baby home in April 2007, and Miss. AM was born in January 2011.

We didn't expect to get pregnant with Miss. AM, we were trying, if it happened, it happened, if not, oh well....when we were trying, at the same time we were preparing our paperwork for next adoption. Yes, we wanted to adopt again when Mr.C's adoption was finalized. Couple of months before Mr.C's court date, I was running like crazy to get all the paperwork updated.

When the paperwork was almost done, we took a little trip to Atlanta, because DH had a conference there for a week, while Mr.C, Miss. A and myself visited different places, and had tons of fun.

I took my laptop with me since my NFP program is there, and I needed to chart my temperature still, I had my thermometer too. I was late for couple of days, and my tempt was still high. I was kind of wondering, but I didn't get my hopes up since I was experiencing some menstrual cramp, for almost 4 years trying to get pregnant with no result, and when I thought I was pregnant then the cramp came, few days later, my period started, so it was the same feeling this time.

 I waited for my period to come, but still nothing...in the mean time my temp still rising high, now...according to the book, if the body tempt is still high for about 3 weeks after ovulation, no pregnancy test is needed because for sure it means a positive pregnancy. I was late for 1 week, and in that 1 week I had high tempt. I decided to waste my money and buy a pregnancy test.

We were in a hotel room, at night, watching a movie 300 while the kids were sleeping. I gathered all my courage to take the test, I was scared to be disappointed, and I kept telling my self 'it will be negative' just to guard my feeling. Few minutes later, I saw the result, and it was read 'positive', the rest was history....

God had a plan for our family....all those years of trying to get pregnant..it was like God was telling us 'Wait, I have a son for you, My plan is far more perfect than yours' He was right, He always right....Mr.C came to our lives, and it was beautiful, it was perfect, and He never outdone His blessings, He gave us this baby girl as well...

He turned my tears into joy with Mr.C's adoption, and He made me fell down in adoration at His feet, and feeling unworthy...totally unworthy.... with the newest blessing for our family.

What have I done to deserve such blessings? I've done NOTHING except causing Him pain through my failings, yet He keeps showing me how much He loves me, how He knows what I need...

Together with my Heavenly Mother, I'll say " My soul proclaims the greatness of The Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked upon His handmaid's lowliness....The Mighty One has done great things for me and Holy is His name...."(Luk 1:46-49)

Miss. AM just born

I finally got to meet her

Two months old

My Soul is filthy...

Last Sunday, I had all the intention to go for Confession...it's long overdue...my soul is filthy right now. I made everybody to get ready quickly so I could go to Confession. Really...they should have priests special for mothers with little kids...

I asked DH to stay inside the car with the kids while I go to Confession. Miss.AM was just screaming her lung out, I knew I had to leave her or I won't be able to make it to Confession again. Miss. A overheard about me going to Confession and she said " ya mama, you should go to Confession because you made mistakes at me"..love that little heart of hers. People say that if you don't know your sins and what to confess, go ask your spouse or your children, they'll tell you your sins.

I didn't go to Confession though, I waited in front of the room, but the priest didn't come :(, in the bulletin said Confession is 15 minutes before Mass, but I guess not that Sunday...no Confession for me, I'll try again next Sunday.

I still remember...

I still remember as if it was yesterday....April 2007, when we found out that we were pregnant with our second child, but four days later I started bleeding. I fell down on my knees and cried, begging The Lord and Blessed Mother to save the baby, to let me care for the baby here on earth. I begged Him if He wanted to take this baby early to heaven, He does it quickly and don't leave me in limbo. Couple of days later, I had a miscarriage. We lost our baby, I didn't get a chance to baptize him as it happened so fast. Surprisingly, I didn't cry, I was at peace and relieved, knowing that my prayers were answered.

I still remember as if it was yesterday, after the miscarriage, we tried to get pregnant again, with no luck. We went to doctors, RE, did lots of tests, clomid, needles, planning for IUI (we didn't do it, somehow, God's hands were on it, and it didn't happen). Tears, pains, longings, jealousy, despair, you name it, I had it. I offered more prayers, more sacrifices, more Mass...nothing.

I still remember as if it was yesterday, when we decided to pursue adoption. Adoption has been very dear to our hearts, somehow, again, God led us to it. We chose the agency, we did the paper work, home study, profile book, and it was all done, and we waited...for one and a half long years. In the mean time, more tears, more prayers, more sacrifices, more pain, more longing, more despair, you name it, I had it.

I still remember as if it was yesterday, we spent summer 2009 in Virginia. We just came back from visiting my in laws in Pennsylvania. I was checking my e-mails, and saw one from our social worker about a birth mother situation. She wanted to meet us. She chose another family, and somehow, she felt in her heart that she wanted to meet us also. I can see now that it was Holy Spirit who place that in her heart. I was excited, but DH was on guard. 'She chose another family already' he kept saying, our family was just for reassurance, or second choice. I kept praying and praying, and praying, in tears begging The Lord for peace. Rosary was my constant companion.

We flew just to meet this wonderful young lady. I still remember as if it was yesterday, after the meeting, we didn't know what to expect, we went to a hotel, took a nap, but I couldn't sleep. I went to a bathroom, and said my novena(I know, bathroom is the one place I can pray without being disturbed). When I was finished my prayer, our cell phone rang, it was our social worker, saying that the birth mother decided to chose us to adopt her baby....Never Ever Underestimate the power of Three Hail Marys Novena. DH was still on guard, it was not finished.

While waiting for the baby boy to be born, Rosary was my constant companion, I kept praying and praying, to be allowed to adopt this baby boy. I kept praying and praying, telling God that I was scared to get hurt, to be disappointed, I was scared to hope, but I was scared not to hope, I kept repeating what Our Lord said in the garden 'Not My will, but Your will be done'. I kept saying 'Lord, let Your will be my will'

I still remember as if it was yesterday, the baby boy was born. The birth mother had a very hard time letting him go for her love for this sweet child is huge. We prayed and waited and prayed and waited. We were in limbo, Our world was turning upside down.

I still remember as if it was yesterday, the excitement to receive a phone call telling me that the birth mother will sign the surrender paper, only to find out on the day when she was supposed to sign and we picked our baby boy, that it was not going to happen. She still couldn't let go.

I still remember as if it was yesterday, the tears as I put back the crib back in the garage. I put back the baby clothes that I washed and folded back in storage, I gave away the diapers, binkies, and lotion to my dear friend who was expecting a baby girl. I fell down on my knees, with tears, crying uncontrollably, I opened my heart to let Our Lord see the pain I have. I didn't blame Him, I understood, but still the pain was there. This happened for 1 long month. The pain, the suffering, was so intense. Sorrowful Mystery from The Rosary was the only Mystery that I could pray with tears. Amazingly, I prayed it well, as I could relate my pain (although my pain was nothing compare to His) to Our Lord's pain during His suffering. I placed everything, nothing to hide at the foot of His Cross. I was searching for Blessed Mother hands to hold when I prayed, I was burying my face on her lap as I wept.

I still remember as if it was yesterday, It was Thursday, Sept 10, 2009, we just came back from our monthly homeschooling meeting. I had a headache, so as soon as we got home, I was getting ready for bed. DH was preparing Miss. A to bed. It was 9pm when our cell phone rang. It was our social worker..the conversation was like:

SC: Hi Amelia, how are you?

Me: good, how are you?

SC: Good, do you have any plans tonight?

Me: (well, it's 9 pm, and I'm in PJ my plan is to sleep) No, not really

SC: Do yo think you can go out again and pick up your son?

Me: speechless....you're joking right?

I still remember as if it was yesterday, at 9pm, DH heard me screaming of joy, ran to the kitchen, and I told him we had to get going and pick up our son. We loaded the car seat, we didn't have any diapers, and we drove 1 1/2 hours in the middle of the night to pick up our son.

God is faithful. He held our hands in those trials, He understood our pain, He wept with us. At the end, He turned our tears into joy.

"More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones." -St. Therese of The Child Jesus-

When we picked him up at the agency office

New family of four

A day at home

Mr.C right now

My New Routine....

Finding a new routine is not easy, well, at least for me. When Miss. A came to our lives, it took me forever to get into the routine on top of being first time mommy, no friends, no driving license. Staying inside the house day in and out surely made me a little bit insane.

After 4 years of longing for another child, Mr. C came into our lives. Well, this time it took me about 3 months to adjust with 2 kids. Just when we were enjoying our new routine with 2 children, The Lord gave us another miracle...Miss.AM born 18 months apart from Mr. C....

Now, I'm finding my new routine with 3 wonderful children. Not easy, but we'll get there, with lots of graces and guidance from The Lord, like He always provides.

I guess I can say that my one of my new routines is enjoying the fact that my two older ones enjoy being with each other, they play nicely, and they fight nicely too.

Sitting in the recliner while nursing my sweet Miss. AM while yelling 'get off from your brother, don't sit on him!' or observing how gentle and caring Miss.A when she is teaching Mr. C about shapes and colors. Listening them laughing and chasing one another....ahhh..nice new routines.

Just some photos...

Our Miss.A

Our handsome Mr.C

 Love of my life with his youngest one, Miss. AM