3 Things: A Special Day!

Today... was awesome.

Reason 1, which isn't really a reason, is it's the 15th. And you probably know if you've been reading awhile that the 15th of the month is a special day to me. :)


Now for the other 3 things.

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Today started way too early, when half of us and Rachel left to go to a church over 2 hours away.

We went to see one of our favorite Ukrainians preach - MAX!

He wasn't able to get it in his schedule to come to our church this trip to the States, so we went to see him.

The church he was speaking at is the church our friend Alice pastors. Alice has known us for probably 8 years now, and she led the mission trip my dad and I went on to Ukraine to work with Max. She has been over to Ukraine 14 times to work with Max, and is a great friend of ours, even though we don't see her often enough!

After the service we got the special treatment and got to go out to lunch with Max and Alice! It was a great time to catch up with them, and just spend some time with them we never get to have.

So grateful we got to see them and grateful they took time to visit with us!

If you don't know who Max is, go read here about the last time he came. You are missing out if you don't know who he is and about his AH-mazing ministry! Visit his website HERE!
(Side note: While going back and reading that blog post to link it here, I realized I was wearing the same shirt I am today. Whoops.)

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The second thing.

One year ago today, on September 15th, Lyla Spitz came home!

It was actually after midnight on the 14th, but I count it as the 15th, because ya know, I like that day.

After the three hard but awesome weeks as I took care of Lyla's siblings, Dave and I headed to the airport in the middle of the night to for him to pick up his wife and bring his daughter home, and for me to finally meet the baby girl I had prayed for and blogged about hundreds of times.

It was emotional for sure. I couldn't believe she was actually HOME with her family and I got to witness it! I blogged about it here.

I've seen Lyla twice since then, and my oh my is she doing well!

Welcome home Beanbean! One year! You rocked it, now rock the next one!

*Visit her mama's blog to see how she's doing!

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Third.

Today, someone has a BIRTHDAY!

Maxim is 9 today!!

Max, not the one we went to visit today, but our other favorite Max, has been special to our family for a long time. But he waited and waited and waited for a family.

But then he found one, the Nance family, and I ended up taking care of Max's siblings too while his mama was gone. 3 weeks last December, and another 4 in January and February.

It was by far the hardest 7 weeks of my life. But so incredibly worth it.

Sick day, for me and the kids, and definitely was not the only one!

Because Max got to come home. When I held him for the first time and looked into his eyes... all the pain and hardship, all the sickness and struggle of the previous weeks faded away. Because he was worth it.

I would do it all over again to get him home.

Because today, for the first time in his LIFE, he got to spend his birthday with a FAMILY. Who loves him soo very much. He is learning and growing, and changing the world, because a family said yes, I will love you.

Happy Birthday Max-a-million!

*Visit his mama's blog to see how he's doing!

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What a day! Happy 15th to you all!!

Dear Lyla, it's your birthday!

Dear Lyla,
Today is your birthday! You are 3 years old!! And today is a very special birthday, and very different from last year!! Why? Because this is your first birthday WITH a family, and last year you were still in an orphanage.

I posted this post last year about your birthday... When I posted that, I prayed it would be your last birthday in an orphanage, and my prayers were answered. You are now HOME, and LOVED, and CHERISHED, and SPOILED like a princess should be! :)

It brought me to tears reading that post and thinking about the wonderful family you are now home with. You are SOOO blessed baby girl!!

When I wrote that post, I also never dreamed how blessed I would be! I was hoping your family wasn't going to live TOO far away, so I could maybe come visit you someday. Instead, not only do I get to meet you, I get to help take care of your brothers and sisters when Mama came to get you, and be at the airport when you came home, AND spend several amazing days with you and your family!!!

I'm so lucky to love you Lyla! Happy birthday sweet girl!!
Love,
Sarah

Goodbyes. Coming Home. Promises Kept.

Saying goodbye.

Why does it have to be so hard?

No matter who you are leaving or where you are going, goodbyes are never joyous times (so maybe there are times when you are glad someone is leaving, but that's besides the point).

I was dreading it since I arrived at Spitz's three weeks ago.

Saying goodbye to the people and place I've fallen in love with. Leaving my second home. (Actually third home, sorry Michelle.)

I've been home a few days now - it's good to be home, but I still miss that family something awful!

Is it crazy that I check the time throughout the day, add an hour, and think about what they are doing at the moment?

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Since we left the house soo early Thurs morning, I had to say goodbye to the littles Wednesday night. We attempted some pictures with Caleb laughing at us over skype in the background.

I think they came out pretty well considering we were dealing with 5 toddlers who were being uncooperative since they were over tired, or half asleep. ;)

The best picture of 10! I love this picture, and these kids!!!!
L to R: Gavin, Lyla, me, Sara, Belle, and Owen

The 3 Ukrainian Spitz's!

My current favorite picture - me with the Princess herself!!!

She was cracking up!!

At the airport - Summer and I both happened to wear our Lyla tshirts, so we attempted a picture, but baby girl wasn't too thrilled with that idea!

Take 2... it'll have to do! :)

Shortly before I said goodbye to these two!!

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My trip home - it was slightly eventful. Apparently planes can't fly and they get delay when the weather is bad. Lesson learned.

My first flight got delayed over 1 hr, which caused me to miss my second flight altogether. So even after I was put on a different flight for my second flight, that one got delayed awhile too. I ended up getting home 4-5 hours later than planned. Ohh well...

My first flight was almost empty so I had not only the seat next to me, but the whole row to myself!! I was laughing about the fact the people in 1st class were sitting next to eachother, 4 to a row, when I could basically lay down and stretch out all I wanted! And I got to read this book most of the way home! I'm about half way though it, and it's SOOOO good!! Thank you Summer for getting it for me!!

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When Lyla became available again, she found a family, lost that family, and then many many people were yelling for another family for her. When that family, the Spitz's stepped up to adopt her. I wrote this post about rainbows and God keeping His promises.

Friday there was an almost identical rainbow, and I was reminded of God's promise in John 14:18, and how he kept his promise to Lyla. He made sure she was not left to die as orphan.

She is now home. She is now loved. She is now cherished. She is now spoiled rotten, and she knows it too, but she deserves it!!!

Welcome home Lyla Love!!! Words can not express how happy I am that you home with the family that loves you soo very much and was meant to be yours from the very beginning!!!

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And! You can follow Lyla's journey as she transistions into her new family and gets here heart fixed here on I  Love You to the Moon ad Back!!!!!

Last few days with the Spitz's

I got home last night. I'll blog more about it later, but let's just say I jinxed myself asking for prayers for an uneventful trip!! ;) To catch up on my blogging (since my computer was being crazy my last few days NY), here are pictures from the last few days I spent with Lyla and the Spitz family. :)

These two love their teethers!!

This daddy's love for his daughter is amazing....

Sisters!!

Feet Wars!! Between Lyla and Gavin!

Lyla's Sandal Gap - soo cute!
Aren't her feet huge?? They are so long and thin!

Asleep in Daddy's Arms

Breathing Treatments... Lyla must have had these in the orphanage or something because she knew right what to do and held in her mouth the whole time!!

Lyla and big brother Conor!

Belle loves the sound and vibration of the breathing machine... same as the vacuum!

Visiting Bellie's school!

Painting with her tongue, crazy girl!

That's better, but still her tongue isn't going back in the mouth - she thinks she will be able to sneak it down for another lick! ;)

On her classroom door - what a perfect picture for her! :)

Her very own locker!!

Sara Grace in her Princess Belle costume

Dancing with Tay the Beast!

One of my favorite pictures that I took while there!!!