Rachelle D. Alspaugh's Blog, page 63
July 1, 2014
A Healthy Home
Our main goal this summer. This was a crazy, chaotic year getting used to all the changes that came into our lives as a result of adopting a "child". The year before that--so incredibly hard and stressful just trying to maneuver through the international adoption process all over again with no idea how to make it work financially. We're grateful to have it all behind us, grateful to have Juan David home finally, grateful to be rebuilding our finances, grateful to be bonding seemingly well as a new family unit.
We had to work so hard to get through the last two years that we ended up ignoring other areas of our lives. Like....home repairs, physical health, vacations, etc. So this summer, for once, we've made it all about us--our family and our home.
So far, we repainted two rooms. We tore out the carpet in most of the house and replaced it with a nicer flooring that doesn't stink, isn't damaged, and is consistent throughout most of the house. (Still working on finishing up two more rooms). We went camping and have another camping trip planned. We sent the boys to an amazing week of church camp, separately. (So good for both of them, plus it gave us one on one time with each of them.) David gets to participate in indoor soccer with his team for the first time.
Yesterday, we joined the gym! It's definitely been too long since I've been to a gym. It feels so good to complete a cardio workout, develop a routine with weights, relax in the pool and hot tub, and do something that's taking care of me. The boys absolutely love it. I think it will be good to break up our days, give them something to look forward to every day, and it gets them helping out more around the house in the mornings so we can leave sooner. (We let them know exactly how much it is costing us so they can understand the need to show gratitude by helping out more at home.) Plus I don't have to listen to Juan David beg to go swimming at someone's house because now he knows we'll get to go swimming every day. (I think the boy is part fish.) He and David stay together and do most of their workout together. It's cute to watch them running side by side on their treadmills.
The age difference has obviously been a big challenge for David, but I think sometimes he likes having someone to look up to. Juan David is really good with him because he was used to having a sister David's age. We know that within a year from now, life will change even more. Juan David will likely have a summer job and will be driving, so this is a great time to keep them bonding for now.
That's our summer in a nutshell, so far. Focusing on a healthy home. I don't know that I'm getting the rest I so desired, but I'm definitely feeling refreshed.
We had to work so hard to get through the last two years that we ended up ignoring other areas of our lives. Like....home repairs, physical health, vacations, etc. So this summer, for once, we've made it all about us--our family and our home.
So far, we repainted two rooms. We tore out the carpet in most of the house and replaced it with a nicer flooring that doesn't stink, isn't damaged, and is consistent throughout most of the house. (Still working on finishing up two more rooms). We went camping and have another camping trip planned. We sent the boys to an amazing week of church camp, separately. (So good for both of them, plus it gave us one on one time with each of them.) David gets to participate in indoor soccer with his team for the first time.
Yesterday, we joined the gym! It's definitely been too long since I've been to a gym. It feels so good to complete a cardio workout, develop a routine with weights, relax in the pool and hot tub, and do something that's taking care of me. The boys absolutely love it. I think it will be good to break up our days, give them something to look forward to every day, and it gets them helping out more around the house in the mornings so we can leave sooner. (We let them know exactly how much it is costing us so they can understand the need to show gratitude by helping out more at home.) Plus I don't have to listen to Juan David beg to go swimming at someone's house because now he knows we'll get to go swimming every day. (I think the boy is part fish.) He and David stay together and do most of their workout together. It's cute to watch them running side by side on their treadmills.
The age difference has obviously been a big challenge for David, but I think sometimes he likes having someone to look up to. Juan David is really good with him because he was used to having a sister David's age. We know that within a year from now, life will change even more. Juan David will likely have a summer job and will be driving, so this is a great time to keep them bonding for now.
That's our summer in a nutshell, so far. Focusing on a healthy home. I don't know that I'm getting the rest I so desired, but I'm definitely feeling refreshed.
June 29, 2014
World Cup Fever
We've got a little World Cup Fever going on around here. These games have kind of dominated our time, but it's been fun and quite entertaining. We decided to go for three teams from the beginning, so we've made it a point to watch all of their games. USA, Colombia, and Mexico. As of this moment, all of them are still in!
Yesterday Colombia played an amazing game, securing their spot in the quarter-finals. According to Juan David, they have never made it this far before, so we're pretty psyched. It's funny watching the games because we watch them simultaneously via facebook with all of our other friends who are either Colombian, live in Colombia, have adopted from Colombia, or are currently in Colombia finalizing their adoption. One posted a video from her apartment in Bogota after Colombia scored a goal. You could hear cheers and horns honking all over the city. The entire country is celebrating!
I found some red, blue, and yellow paint in the closet, and Juan David's face just lit up. He ran to the bathroom and started painting away. Here's what it looked like in our house during the game. (I'm learning just how passionate Colombians are about soccer).
Yesterday Colombia played an amazing game, securing their spot in the quarter-finals. According to Juan David, they have never made it this far before, so we're pretty psyched. It's funny watching the games because we watch them simultaneously via facebook with all of our other friends who are either Colombian, live in Colombia, have adopted from Colombia, or are currently in Colombia finalizing their adoption. One posted a video from her apartment in Bogota after Colombia scored a goal. You could hear cheers and horns honking all over the city. The entire country is celebrating!
I found some red, blue, and yellow paint in the closet, and Juan David's face just lit up. He ran to the bathroom and started painting away. Here's what it looked like in our house during the game. (I'm learning just how passionate Colombians are about soccer).
Home :)
Juan David arrived home safely from camp yesterday. He really had an amazing time, an experience like no other in his life so far. As soon as he got in the car, he couldn't stop talking about all the new friends he made. He even wants to start going to the church on Sunday mornings so he can still see all the friends he made from the other services. I told him I don't mind taking him at all whenever he wants to go. He has always loved going to church here, but we've really hoped that he'd begin to make some closer relationships with church people. We finally got our wish. Now, most of them happen to be girls, but, hey, I'll take what I can get. (What girls wouldn't love hanging out with the cute new kid from Colombia with the cute accent?)
We finished his room just in time for him to get home. He said he loves it! One dark red wall. Three white walls. Black trim. Black shelf. Black closet doors. Dark red curtains. Even a new ceiling fan that actually works. (He had a really old one in there that would only work half the time). I hope it makes him feel even more at home now. It's finally his own room, just the way he wanted it. My favorite part of decorating it was putting up all the pictures of his siblings across the top shelf. It's not just his room, it's their room.
We finished his room just in time for him to get home. He said he loves it! One dark red wall. Three white walls. Black trim. Black shelf. Black closet doors. Dark red curtains. Even a new ceiling fan that actually works. (He had a really old one in there that would only work half the time). I hope it makes him feel even more at home now. It's finally his own room, just the way he wanted it. My favorite part of decorating it was putting up all the pictures of his siblings across the top shelf. It's not just his room, it's their room.
June 24, 2014
All smiles
Looks like he's having a great time and even got to meet Pastor Steve (from the Rockwall campus, the one who preaches via satellite). I see he did not forget to put on his Colombia jersey today. I hope he got to watch the game since Colombia did so well!
Here at home, we're continuing on his "new room" so it will be ready for him. (It felt a little strange today painting over walls that we once painted for his sister.) It warms my heart to give him the opportunity to make it his own. One more wall to paint and then to finish up the trim. His flooring will have to wait because we're working on the floors in the other rooms of the house still. (Or maybe I should say Mike is still working on the other floors). I've been making a good spectator and realizing just how helpless I am in a lot of areas.
Here at home, we're continuing on his "new room" so it will be ready for him. (It felt a little strange today painting over walls that we once painted for his sister.) It warms my heart to give him the opportunity to make it his own. One more wall to paint and then to finish up the trim. His flooring will have to wait because we're working on the floors in the other rooms of the house still. (Or maybe I should say Mike is still working on the other floors). I've been making a good spectator and realizing just how helpless I am in a lot of areas.
June 22, 2014
More soccer, more camp
David has had to give up the opportunity to play indoor soccer with his team for the last three summers because he's spent them all in Colombia. So this year, he finally gets to play. Today they played their first game and tied. Once again, I'm so thankful for a good coach that's so willing to dedicate his time to these boys.
Juan David left this evening for a week of church camp in Colorado. They have a long bus ride ahead of them, (prayers for safety, please), but an amazing week awaits them. We're talking "hotel style camping" at a ski resort. He's going to have an awesome time. He's been a bit nervous about the necessity to speak entirely in English the whole time, but I know it will be so good for him. His confidence in his English skills will skyrocket after this trip. I also pray that it will have a deep spiritual impact on him.
It will be a very quiet week here at home without him, but I am looking forward to some one-on-one time with David over the next few days. Plus we will be working together to repaint Juan David's room with his chosen color scheme while he's gone. He, too, will get to come home to a new room--one that he designed. I think it will only help to make him feel even more at home here.
We've been doing quite a bit of home improvement stuff this month, actually. Mike has been a busy guy. It's a little hectic, but it feels so good to tear up the old, dust it all off, declutter, and start over new.
Juan David left this evening for a week of church camp in Colorado. They have a long bus ride ahead of them, (prayers for safety, please), but an amazing week awaits them. We're talking "hotel style camping" at a ski resort. He's going to have an awesome time. He's been a bit nervous about the necessity to speak entirely in English the whole time, but I know it will be so good for him. His confidence in his English skills will skyrocket after this trip. I also pray that it will have a deep spiritual impact on him.
It will be a very quiet week here at home without him, but I am looking forward to some one-on-one time with David over the next few days. Plus we will be working together to repaint Juan David's room with his chosen color scheme while he's gone. He, too, will get to come home to a new room--one that he designed. I think it will only help to make him feel even more at home here.
We've been doing quite a bit of home improvement stuff this month, actually. Mike has been a busy guy. It's a little hectic, but it feels so good to tear up the old, dust it all off, declutter, and start over new.
World Cup 2014
So, we missed the first few games of the World Cup (including Colombia's first game), but we kept up with the scores and the hype via Facebook. However, we watched all the games we missed after we got home, and we made up for missing Colombia's first game by showing our spirit for the second game. So far they've won two out of their first three games.
Today the boys wore their new jerseys that I got for them so they could properly cheer for the USA game.
Yes, I do enjoy dressing them alike when they will actually comply with me. It makes them look more like real brothers, despite the obvious physical differences.
Today the boys wore their new jerseys that I got for them so they could properly cheer for the USA game.
Yes, I do enjoy dressing them alike when they will actually comply with me. It makes them look more like real brothers, despite the obvious physical differences.
Camping Part 2
Once we visited with everyone, we decided to head closer to home to find a better campsite. Our site in Austin didn't have any kind of fire pit, nor could we even use our tiki torches at night. They would not allow any type of open flame. We actually had to ask to borrow a small grill to cook on and a table to eat off of. We wanted to go home with the smell of a campfire on our clothing, at least, so we headed to Lake Whitney to finish our camping vacation.
Our campsite at Lake Whitney offered everything we wanted. A fire pit. A grill. A table. A shaded area to eat. Close access to the water for swimming. No restrictions on burning. Mike cooked us some amazing meals over the fire, we made smores late into the night, the boys and I rode bikes, and we swam all day and then returned to the lake to watch the sunset in the evenings. We had a lovely time together. Our favorite part of the trip was watching the boys bond more and more every day.
Nice place for my morning quiet time.
A beautiful, heart-warming way to end each evening.
Camping is so good for the soul. And such a bonding experience for a family. We are looking forward to our next camping trip in July.
Our campsite at Lake Whitney offered everything we wanted. A fire pit. A grill. A table. A shaded area to eat. Close access to the water for swimming. No restrictions on burning. Mike cooked us some amazing meals over the fire, we made smores late into the night, the boys and I rode bikes, and we swam all day and then returned to the lake to watch the sunset in the evenings. We had a lovely time together. Our favorite part of the trip was watching the boys bond more and more every day.
Nice place for my morning quiet time.
A beautiful, heart-warming way to end each evening.
Camping is so good for the soul. And such a bonding experience for a family. We are looking forward to our next camping trip in July.
Family Camping
As soon as Mike got off work early on Friday, we took off to go camping as a family for the next five days. We purposely chose a campground in Austin so we could see a few specific people.
Friday night, Juan David had a reunion with the family that hosted him and his sister through Kidsave back in 2008. They hadn't seem him in almost six years. We will always be grateful to them for opening their home to them that summer, thus bringing Juan David (and his sister) into our lives.
On Saturday, we arranged to meet one of Juan David's childhood friends from the same orphanage who moved to Texas in 2011 via adoption. He and his mom came to the campground and stayed the entire day late into the evening. We feel so incredibly blessed to have made this connection and immediately connected with the mother. She is an amazing Christian woman who has so much in common with us. We all loved watching the boys reconnect, realizing that it gave us another part of their childhood that we missed out on. We plan to stay in touch and keep the boys involved in each other's lives. They even came back on Sunday to take Juan David to church with them, which he told us was very much like our own church.
Later on Sunday evening, we invited another friend to the campground who also adopted three Colombian boys through Kidsave. His boys are all young adults now, the youngest being 18. They all played soccer together for a bit and we just talked about similar experiences. He is also the one who connected us with our lawyer in Colombia who helped us get Juan David's case reopened. Without his help, I highly doubt we would have followed through to contact the lawyer, so God definitely used him to play a big role in our story. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of their visit. :(
Friday night, Juan David had a reunion with the family that hosted him and his sister through Kidsave back in 2008. They hadn't seem him in almost six years. We will always be grateful to them for opening their home to them that summer, thus bringing Juan David (and his sister) into our lives.
On Saturday, we arranged to meet one of Juan David's childhood friends from the same orphanage who moved to Texas in 2011 via adoption. He and his mom came to the campground and stayed the entire day late into the evening. We feel so incredibly blessed to have made this connection and immediately connected with the mother. She is an amazing Christian woman who has so much in common with us. We all loved watching the boys reconnect, realizing that it gave us another part of their childhood that we missed out on. We plan to stay in touch and keep the boys involved in each other's lives. They even came back on Sunday to take Juan David to church with them, which he told us was very much like our own church.
Later on Sunday evening, we invited another friend to the campground who also adopted three Colombian boys through Kidsave. His boys are all young adults now, the youngest being 18. They all played soccer together for a bit and we just talked about similar experiences. He is also the one who connected us with our lawyer in Colombia who helped us get Juan David's case reopened. Without his help, I highly doubt we would have followed through to contact the lawyer, so God definitely used him to play a big role in our story. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of their visit. :(
Summer fun
My summer resolution was to write a blog entry every day. Ha! I don't think I'm doing so good with that one. Looks like I've got a bit to catch up on in the last week and a half.
Let's start with David's camp. He left the morning after school got out and came home the following Wednesday. He absolutely loved it and found himself surprised at how much more freedom you have at a middle school camp than at a kids' camp. He loved the food, came home with a larger appetite than before, and has mentioned several times how much he liked the speaker and the worship team.
Here's a picture of the Firewheel group. David is kneeling down in the second row.
He had an awesome time, but I'm glad to have him back home now. He came home to his brand new room and absolutely loves it. It turned from a little boy room into a tween/teen room that he can be comfortable in for many years now. We rearranged it just right so he has a separate study area, too, which he really likes.
Let's start with David's camp. He left the morning after school got out and came home the following Wednesday. He absolutely loved it and found himself surprised at how much more freedom you have at a middle school camp than at a kids' camp. He loved the food, came home with a larger appetite than before, and has mentioned several times how much he liked the speaker and the worship team.
Here's a picture of the Firewheel group. David is kneeling down in the second row.
He had an awesome time, but I'm glad to have him back home now. He came home to his brand new room and absolutely loves it. It turned from a little boy room into a tween/teen room that he can be comfortable in for many years now. We rearranged it just right so he has a separate study area, too, which he really likes.
June 13, 2014
June 13--Gotcha Day
Today is our first anniversary of Gotcha Day. It's the day that Juan David's social worker brought him to us and placed him in our care. This time we knew we wouldn't have to give him back. We still had to go through Integration a week later, and then wait for the adoption to go through the court process before officially signing the adoption decree a month later, giving him his new last name. Making him officially part of our family forever.
June 13, 2013
Five years of waiting. Fighting. Gaining contact with him, losing contact with him. Grieving. Gaining contact again. Losing contact again. Finally, the day came that we didn't have to give him back.
Here is a poem that appears in the second book (whenever I get around to finally publishing it--those issues are for another post). Seems fitting to share it here today--the day God gave him back.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 115%; widows: 2; orphans: 2; }P.western { font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; }P.cjk { font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; }P.ctl { font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; } I felt compelled to ask
A surrendered heart,a tearful plea,so stuck in my misery.Then I heard a tender whisper,“Child, give them back to Me.”
I let them go,I held them high,Open hands up to the sky.He convinced me I could trust Himeven if I never knew why.
Life went on,Hearts on the mend,Yet I felt compelled to say,“If you would do one thing for me,let me hear from them someday.”
A letter written,a phone call arranged,Sweet messages soon danced between us.Then they whisked her away, left him alone,Our hearts left again to fuss.
A sister gone,a brother forced to leave,Not even a future family in sight.“I'm all alone,” he cried out to me.So my heart once again began to fight.
Life stood still.How could this be?I felt compelled to ask boldly.“Oh, God, if it be Your will now,would You give him back to me?”
June 13, 2013
Five years of waiting. Fighting. Gaining contact with him, losing contact with him. Grieving. Gaining contact again. Losing contact again. Finally, the day came that we didn't have to give him back.
Here is a poem that appears in the second book (whenever I get around to finally publishing it--those issues are for another post). Seems fitting to share it here today--the day God gave him back.
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 115%; widows: 2; orphans: 2; }P.western { font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; }P.cjk { font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; }P.ctl { font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; } I felt compelled to ask
A surrendered heart,a tearful plea,so stuck in my misery.Then I heard a tender whisper,“Child, give them back to Me.”
I let them go,I held them high,Open hands up to the sky.He convinced me I could trust Himeven if I never knew why.
Life went on,Hearts on the mend,Yet I felt compelled to say,“If you would do one thing for me,let me hear from them someday.”
A letter written,a phone call arranged,Sweet messages soon danced between us.Then they whisked her away, left him alone,Our hearts left again to fuss.
A sister gone,a brother forced to leave,Not even a future family in sight.“I'm all alone,” he cried out to me.So my heart once again began to fight.
Life stood still.How could this be?I felt compelled to ask boldly.“Oh, God, if it be Your will now,would You give him back to me?”
