The Rest of 2015...

Deuteronomy 7:9 

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God,
the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love
with those who love him and keep his commandments,
to a thousand generations,

It is over.  2015 is over.  And already a new year has begun.  It is time to recap the rest of 2015 that I didn't have time to put into words, those moments that are now memories we hold dear in our hearts.  While the year was too full to take much time for blogging, it was a good year of learning to delight in God's faithfulness and steadfast love for us.  Not a moment of the past year was wasted in learning that precious lesson.

In July we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary 

with a little Minneapolis stay-cation and a quiet night at home.  

To quote Andrew Peterson's Dancing in the Minefields: 

"It's been harder than we dreamed, but I believe that's what the promise is for..."

Our family traveled to Louisville, KY, while Nic worked for a week this July.  The kids and I used the opportunity to learn about US history in the area after having completed a year of US Geography last school year.  

It was a wonderful adventure to have together.

Aliah turned 15 in August and Serena turned 17 in September.  

Precious daughters, it seems like only yesterday when they were 8 and 10, 

and we were stumbling through life together, just getting to know one another 

and learning to be a family.

In October Maria turned 18... she is now the oldest at home, is driving, finishing her senior year of high school, taking clep prep courses, earning college credits, volunteering at church in nursery and pre-school, and is working as a nanny for a family with five children!  It has been quite an eventful school year for her!

At the end of October were were blessed to officially finalize our adoption of Silas.

We are so thankful for God's protection and provision in Silas' life.  We are grateful for the care of our county child protection workers, foster care licensing workers, permanency workers, and our family court judge.

Fall 2015

Maria, Serena, Aliah

Noah, Nic, Megan, Silas, Corinn

*

Silas turned 2 in December.  He is so full of joy.  

Every morning he exuberantly exclaims, "I waked up!"

Most recently he has been wishing everyone a 

"Pretty Christmas and Happy New Year!"

Corinn turned 11 just days before Christmas.  

Our very first child, she is a dynamic daughter full of wonder and delight!

*Missing in the family picture is our oldest son, Hugo, who no longer lives at home.