Christmas

It's after 10pm on Christmas night.  One baby is fast asleep, one four-year-old is resting soundly and one three-year-old is too excited about spending the night at Grandma and Papa's to close his eyes.  The day has been full, just like any day caring for three little ones (even with a husband and parents close at hand).  I want to remember today because next year these amazing little people that we've been entrusted with will be another year older and I have no clue what the next year will bring. Laying in bed this morning attempting to pry my eyes open, our ears were filled with the sounds of a sweet little girl bursting with Christmas cheer.  "Hark the herald angels sing,...

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Christmas Photo Shoot Attempt

Merry Christmas Eve Eve from Addie Be...

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Completely Adorable

This little lady has completely won me over. I just love Addie Beth so much I can hardly stand it! She spends her time signing "banana" over and over, eating bananas over and over, burping her baby dolls, sucking her pointer finger and snuggling her baby, scooting all over the place, and clinging to her Mama. Oh, this girlie is just too swee...

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Mis-tuh Air-won and Mis-suz Heh-thuh

For the past 4ish months we've been blessed to have some friends living downstairs. Some people may think it's a little nuts but we see at as a work of God.  Can I just say that we love having Mr. Aaron and Mrs. Heather (or "Mis-tuh Air-won and Mis-suz Heh-thuh" as Owey calls them) living in our home?  God was so clearly involved in leading us to offer our basement to them at just the right time when it would bring Him maximum glory. We love it for lots of reasons. We love that because they are here, Heather can stay home with her baby.  We love that because they are here, our kids get to watch two other people live out a life of faith in Jesus.  We love that because they...

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God's Care

We have been so overwhelmed by God's kindness in bringing in orders for our store!  Really, each time I see that we've sold something, I feel like it's God Himself handing us the money for this adoption.  He's called our family to step out and trust that He will provide and He's doing just that! He could do it however He wants, but God has chosen to use YOU, dear friends, to help us with getting the word out about "Already Love You."  Thank you for being His instruments!  I continue to be amazed at each FB msg, blog post, or Twitter that I see about our store.  We're getting more purchases each day. You guys are amazing! Almost every order has been from someone we've...

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Winter in the Eyes of my 4 year old

Don't you sometimes wish you could be 4 again, if only around Christmas? Yesterday morning, my girl was at her sweetest, gushing with joy about Christmas coming soon and about the newly falling snow. "Mommy! Mommy! This is the most snow we EVER had! Oh my goodness! There just keeps being more and more!" Nevermind that there was only a teeny tiny little itty bitty dusting out there-it was big stuff to my daughter. I love that Tali is a fresh reminder to me every day that God has absolutely filled our lives with things to be grateful for. Sure, it's cold out. Yeah, there's less sunshine. But my guess is that God's a lot more delighted in Tali's response to His beautiful creation...

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Already Love You Give-away

Want to win something cute from our Etsy store?  Stop by In Light of the Truth to find out about a great give-way going on right now.  Much thanks to my college friend, Sarah, for doing this for us!  And as a side note, I think that Sarah's heart to come alongside us in this is one snapshot into how someone can individually walk out obeying God's command to care for orphans.  One way that she is honoring God's command is by helping us along in our journey to adopt!  If God hasn't called your family to adopt, that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do to love orphans.  I've seen friends follow this command by seeking to become foster-parents.  I've seen others...

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Adoption Fundraiser: Etsy Shop is Open!!

Ok, folks.  The time has come!  Our adoption fundraiser store, Already Love You, is officially open for business just in time for your holiday shopping.  Stop on by and check out some super cute aprons, adorable bibs, trendy nursing covers, and much more.  This is shopping with a purpose for sure; 100% of the proceeds go directly into our adoption fund.  This is all for the sake of caring for one of God's orphaned children. We'll be updating the shop regularly with more items so we've got lots more comin' your way.  (It's taking me much longer than I thought to snap pictures and upload everything.)  Check back often! And would you mind doing us the favor...

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What about adoption?

Back in the summer before my thyroid went completely crazy, I posted about our plan to someday adopt. (See here, and here.)  Then, I found myself merely begging God for grace to get up out of bed and my plans got thrown out the window.  Pursuing adoption got put even further into the "someday" category.  Thankfully, God's plans are better than mine and His don't change.  In the meantime, Rwanda has closed its doors to International adoptions as they put into place better laws to protect children there. It's unlikely that they'll re-open anytime soon (potentially not even for 5-10 years or so from what I've read). We've continued to pray and think about what the Lord has...

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Sweet Baby in a Tutu

Ok, so her animal print pjs don't exactly jive with the purple tutu but that's completely beside the point.  A baby in a tutu?  Absolutely adorabl...

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Almost a Year of Addie Beth

My sweet and beautiful baby is going to turn one next weekend.  I am stunned that an entire year has passed since we first saw Addie's face.  She has been such a joy amidst months of the dark shadow of illness that I've walked through.  This girl feels like a part of me we're together so much! Simply put, I love her.  So that I don't forget... Favorite Foods: Chex, chicken, ice pops (she thinks she needs these because the big kids have them) Clothing Size: 12 months on most things but still wears some 9 months. Hair: Pretty straight.  Red highlights but mostly brownish/blond. Eye Color: Blue! Favorite Books: Where is Baby's Belly Button, Baby Faces, and Moo Baa La...

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Warm Fall Days Rock!

Getting 3 little people to smile for a camera isn't easy. This is about as good as I could do given that it was about nap time and we were all tired. I just love these 3 little people! Each one of them blesses me so much each and every day (and each and every one makes me cry out to the Lord for grace!). Had to include a pic of Baby Girl's first shoes. Aren't they so cute? They might just be magical shoes because after we put them on her, she suddenly went from occassionally scooting around a bit to scooting full speed all over the house! These are apparently her magical scootin' shoes. Side note: when we were buying these the saleswoman at the store brought out a big sneaker-type shoe...

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He Does Mighty Things

"Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man."   Psalm 66:5 Though I don't feel 100%, I haven't felt this good since before I was pregnant with Addie Beth.  Come and see what God has done!  He is awesome in His deeds!  It is He alone who can heal! Thank you for praying for me.  If you're tempted to be discouraged about things you're begging God for that He isn't granting, take heart!  He hears His children!  He rarely acts in the timing and exact way that we think is best but He does hear the cries of His children.  Persevere in prayer!  It is a mighty God we serve.  He is awesome in His deeds...

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He Really Does Hear

You know how sometimes you can keep asking God for something and He's not giving it and you can begin to wonder why?  Doesn't He hear me?  Doesn't He want this VERY GOOD thing for me?  Doesn't He promise to hear us when we call to Him?  Why isn't He answering this prayer? Why has healed other people and He's not healing me?  Should I keep praying for this? Josh and I have been praying for God to completely heal me of Graves' Disease.  Our small group has prayed with us for this.  Countless friends and family have prayed with us for this-maybe you've been one of them.  And it's been over 3 months since I was in the emergency room and still, I'm not feeling...

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She Makes Me Smile

This is my sweet 10 month old. When I look at her, I can't help but smile. Addie Beth is a bright spot in every single day. Whether I feel sick or healthy, happy or sad, tired or energetic (I will feel energetic someday, right?), looking at Addie always makes my heart swell with joy. I really feel like she's God's tangible expression of His love for me. When she snuggles up to me, it's a tangible reminder of how real and how good God is.  Only an amazing God would give such beautiful gifts to His children. I love Addie and I love the God who made her. Onto other things... Thanks for praying for me. I keep wondering if I should post how I'm feeling but it changes each day and sometimes...

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Praying Psalm 119:67

Thank you for all of your prayers!  Many have asked how I'm feeling so I wanted to try and post a small update.  Basically, my health goes up and down like a roller-coaster these days.  For a couple of days I might feel sort of decent and then the next day, I seem to plummet down again into feeling awful.  It's very inconsistent but the long and short of it is that this is how my body responds to Graves' Disease being treated with PTU. I'm very affected by the medicine, so much so that it's been very hard for my endocrinologist to determine what dosage I need.  Each time we think the dosage may be right and my thyroid levels begin to normalize, I start going into HYPO-thyroid...

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He Sees

Dear Mamas at Home, looking back at the week and wondering what was accomplished, take heart.  We work for the eyes of our Unseen Father who knows what is done in secret. Be refreshed.  Read this.&nb...

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A Couple Island Pictures

Cousins Somewhere Over the Rainbow Beach Baby More pictures to come!  Thank you so much for your prayers for my health during the trip. I felt pretty awful some of the time, but for the majority of our time in Maui I felt well.  God was so kind to do that for me!  I'm waiting to hear back on my blood-work to see where my levels are at right now. Praying that God would heal if He hasn't already. ...

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Been feeling gross. Blood tests showed that my levels are still in hypo so no meds 4 another week. Still praying 4 heali...

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Mondays Are Awesome

Monday = results from my blood test that will show where my levels are (I don't feel healed but maybe it's a gradual healing...today I feel fairly good). Monday = Hawaii!!!!! Thanks to the generosity of Josh's parents, we are headed to Maui with Grammy, Pops, Aunt Amy, Uncle David, and cousin Eli.  We are so incredibly excited about making memories together at the beach.  And as a bonus, I am seriously hoping for some great photos to come out of this time. I even painted Addie Beth's toenails for the occasion. Thanks for all of your prayers for my health. I don't know what God's going to do but I trust that He will use this for my go...

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God Can Heal

This is me before the meds kicked in & I started putting on more weight Well, the verdict is officially in. I have Graves' Disease.  I was really hoping and praying that postpartum hyperthyroidism was to blame, but nope. Graves' is basically an autoimmune disease where your body attacks your thyroid.  Graves' Disease doesn't really ever go away completely, but you can go into remission. The two main treatment options are to take a radioactive pill to kill my thyroid (then be on meds to do what my thyroid would have done for life), or to take meds for 1-2 years in hopes of regulating my thyroid levels enough to be in remission and off meds for good (or until a flare up comes). ...

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Happy Monday!

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Have You Ever Seen Such A Sweetie?

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Will you get me a blanket?

I would like to issue an apology to anyone that has stepped foot in our house over the past 7ish months.  Though you have been very kind and never mentioned the frigid conditions, I am sure that you were wondering if you would leave with your fingers and toes intact.  I do thank God that no one left our home with frostbite...at least not to my knowledge. The good news is that last night I asked Josh a shocking question: "Babe, will you get me a blanket?"  He stopped in his tracks and stared.  "A blanket?  A blanket! Do you mean to tell me that you are cold?"  It was a sweet moment in the Fenska home.  For once, I was not fanning myself or commenting about...

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His Way Is Perfect...even when it involves sickness

I'm not going to complain about the hospital because: A. Complaining is sin. And because B.They kept me from going into cardiac arrest. But still, they didn't explain a lot of what hyperthyroidism is or what treatment really means.  That was probably for the best because I'm guessing that I would have gotten overwhelmed, laying on a hospital bed with wires strapped all over, being told that it could take MONTHS before I feel better. Yep. MONTHS. The thyroid is sort of a hormone regulator and helps control things like weight, metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, etc. A normal range of the thyroid hormone TSH should be from 1-2.  3-4 means that you have hypothyroidism (your body...

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Beta Blockers and the Screaming Lady

If you were waking up 4+ times a night for about 7 months, how do you think you'd feel?  Not bursting with energy and wanting to run a marathon, right?  Well, I've been feeling awful for months but assumed that it was due to my sleep deprivation. I've been exhausted, weak, hot all the time, starving an hour after I eat, easily overwhelmed, and shaky.  I have never felt so awful before in all of my life.  Each day I was waking up just feeling like I had absolutely no energy and no way to get through the day.  The thought of changing a diaper or doing the dishes just seemed like it required way too much physical stamina.  I spent a lot of time begging God for grace...

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Right now I'm in the hospital. Found out that I have hyperthyroid. I'd love prayers for healing and that I'd still be able to nur...

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From China to Rwanda

Instead of leaving you hanging, I thought I'd fill in some more details!  How did we get from me having the desire to care for orphans in China to deciding to adopt from Rwanda (hopefully starting the process in 2011)?  Here's the rest of the story... Before Josh and I got engaged I asked him if he'd be interested in adopting someday. I told him that if he wasn't, I wasn't sure that I could marry him because it was that important to me. He quickly said he'd definitely be interested. :) We got married and 3 babies came pretty fast.  Five sweet years of marriage passed and life was going at full speed.  I didn't give much thought to the babies without parents; my mind was...

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Rwanda

When I was a little girl, I once caught a glimpse of a news broadcast about orphans in Russia.  My heart was forever changed.  I knew that somehow, someday, I would do something about it.  After college, I moved to Wheaton and began pursuing a Master's Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. The plan was for me to graduate and head to China to work in an orphanage there. I made a friend that knew Mandarin and she tutored me in Chinese.  I wrote papers on the orphan crisis in China.  I watched videos about adoption and researched various orphanages.  I cried about the kids there without families and I prayed that I'd be able to help. Then something happened....

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Happy Belated Birthday, Babe!

Yesterday, my favorite person turned 30. You may know him as the smart guy with glasses that loves the Padres, Breyers strawberry ice cream, and studying God's Word.  You may see him most often as a pastor preaching to you on Sunday morning or the dude rockin' out on the guitar during worship.  Or maybe if you're a part of my family, you've chatted with him a couple times but don't know him too well yet.  I don't know exactly what you know of this man, but I can tell you this: my husband is the real deal. There are plenty of things I could list or describe to show you this but I will attempt to keep it short and just share one example: On our anniversary this year I was rushing...

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Baby Girl

This is one of my favorite outfits from Tali's hand-me-downs and I couldn't resist putting Addie in it. I love this girl! Oh, and I'm trying to figure out how to make my pictures bigger but I think I got it a little too big. Hopefully I'll work it out in posts to co...

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My Little Ladies

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Sweet Girl at 6 Months

I have to be honest. The last six months have been the most tiring months of my life because little lady hasn't figured out how to sleep through the night yet. But, I also must say that I am enjoying Addie even more than I enjoyed Tali or Owen as babies. I'm not sure if it's because I'm so aware that this time is going to fly by or because I've had so many extra hours with her at night or what. Whatever it is, can I just say that I am nuts about this girl?! Even though I'm tired, I love the time with her even in the wee hours of the morning. So that I don't forget...Addie Beth at 6 MonthsWeight: 15.9 pds (at 4 months she was in the 45the percentile & now she's over 80th percentile!)Height:...

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His Different Plans

You know the old saying, "some days are better than others?" Today falls into the "others" category. Nothing big in the huge scheme of things, but just not my ideal day. I wasn't expecting to give Addie a bath mid morning but poop up her back necessitated it. I wasn't expecting to change Tali's clothes around 10am due to an "accident" but ya can't really have your child running around in the buff. (Quick side note: after Tali declothed herself I heard Owen say as if he was taken aback, "Oh Tali! Yuh not vay-wee mah-dist!" Had to laugh out loud at that.) I didn't expect to look for Owen's bear for a HALF AN HOUR only to find it hiding beneath a toy in the basement. Lots of things I didn't...

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Vacation Highlights

Things I will always remember about this vacation in no particular order because once again I am too sleep deprived to think that sequentially:1) Laughing our heads off at "Nate the Great" audio cds2) An extended time of praying with my hubby3) Hearing Tali & Owen talk and laugh together while they shared a bedroom at night4) Seeing Owen's chubby face with goggles on5) Watching Tali enjoy hours in the pool6) Great quiet times that were actually QUIET since Josh took the big kids out7) Watching some rockin' Food Network stuff with my awesome husband8) Playing "doctor" and "store" with the kids over and over and over again9) Two nights where Addie actually slept well...hope they happen again...

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The sleeping trend was short-lived. Still, vacation is a blessi...

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I am shocked! Addie had her best night of sleep ever! She ate at 7pm, 1am, 7am! Only up once! We're praising G...

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On the road again! I'm posting from my cell on the way to Door County. Since I've been living very day-to-day lately, I only realized last week that this week is our vacation! Please pray for spiritual & physical refreshment & for sweet family time. Than...

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Don't mess with Texas. We're here in the south enjoying the warm air & each other. Josh is doing our friend's wedding today. Pray that God is glorified! It's such a joy to be here even though Addie only slept abt 4 hrs last night. We'll be home Sunday eveni...

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Please Continue Praying for Gabe

An update on Gabe...Ben & Angie received a huge shock last night when they were told that their little guy does in fact have a heart condition. Gabe has Long QT Syndrome and will need to be on medication for life to help his heart from going into arrhythmia. They have been told that he will be able to lead a normal life but will need medication several times a day.Please pray for these friends and their baby. Pray that God would give them grace to keep trusting in Him and resting in His perfect care for their son. Pray that Gabe would be able to leave the NICU soon and that his body would continue to do well with the medicine. Pray for rest in the midst of the weariness. And pray for...

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I'm Weak. He's Strong.

I don't really have anything much to say except that Josh is gone until Thursday evening and that makes for a L-O-N-G week.This morning I got up very aware that in every way that I can think of, I am weak right now. I'm weak in the "rested" department. I'm weak in the "refreshed" department. I'm weak in the "patience" department and in the "eyes on the cross" department and in the "joyfully serving" department. I don't feel like I've been doing anything very well or very strongly right now. Weak at housework, weak in organization, weak at friendship, weak at devotions, weak in parenting, weak in trusting the Lord. I am weak. And actually, I'm probably always this weak, I just don't always...

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Please Pray for Gabe

Well, I didn't expect to be shooting out another NICU prayer request but...Please pray for our dear friends, Ben & Angie, and their new little guy, Gabe. He was born Saturday morning and everything looked great until some concerns over his heart rate emerged. Basically, he had a very low heart rate that kept dropping and wasn't raising when he was active/awake. He was taken to the NICU for testing and the results have been very encouraging! It appears that his unusual heartbeats/patterns are beginning to resume more normal functioning.Please pray that the tests that he is given tomorrow will confirm that he is doing much better and that his heart will function completely normally in...

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Happy Easter!

I'm a bit disappointed that I wasn't able to get all 3 to sit still and smile at the same time...but cute pictures (as fun as they are) aren't really what today's about anyway. So grateful that He is ris...

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Hee Hee!

Oh, and just in case you needed something to make you smile...isn't this photo fun...

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