Daina, our newest blessing!!

I wanted to share and update everyone on our most recent adoption. Daina is 14 years old. I met her while I was in Haiti picking up Hope and Grace. She very sweetly came up to me as I was taking pictures of other young children in the orphanage. I turned around and was greeted with the biggest hug from Daina. My heart just melted, and it was then that the Lord began to speak to me about the possibility of another adoption. I could not stop thinking about her and praying for her. Even before I got home from Haiti, I mentioned her to my family at home. And when I got home, I shared more of what I believed that the Lord was telling me. I just loved this young lady so much and could not explain the bond I felt with her. To my surprise, all of the boys and Jeremy were immediately positive about the possibility of another child. Although it took several months to make a decision to adopt, the Lord did eventually make it so very clear to us that we called Dr. Bernard in Haiti and committed ourselves to our sweet Daina. We are still at the beginning of the process, and have many months to wait, but we trust that the Lord will bring her home to us in His perfect timing. In the meantime, we can email her through the help of an American missionary who is staying at the orphanage (thanks Bryn). We are so very thankful for this blessing to have contact with our daughter. We would appreciate your continued prayers as we once again go through a very long, and sometimes emotional journey of adoption. God is good, and He is faithful to provide His lovingkindness and mercies and grace each step of the way. Daina, we love you and praise the Lord for bringing you into our lives! You are a blessing!!

Happy Birthday Hope!!!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Hope, Happy Birthday to you!! Hope is 5 today and we were so happy to celebrate her first birthday with our family. What a blessing she has been. We can hardly remember our home without her or her sister. God has been so good to us, and we thank Him for His love for us that He would bestow on us such wonderful blessings in our children.

Hope had a birthday party with a few friends. The boys all got involved in the activity planning. Christian made up his own egg hunt with his very own toys and candy for the kids to hunt for. Austin and Kaden took part in making a "pin the bee on the flower" game. And Kaden dressed up as a clown for the party. It was very sweet. It is very evident how much the boys love their sisters!

Praise the Lord for the gift of children!!

Our all-star!!

Yes, I will say that we do indeed have an all-star football player in our home. Austin was the quarterback (#14) for the Glendive all-star football team. They played in a Jamboree in Forsyth on Saturday and won all three games that they played. The team now has an open invitation to play in Orlando, Florida, but unfortunately it is just too costly for the team to go. Bummer!! That would have been a fun vacation. I guess we will just stick to playing in our neck of the woods.

Austin had a great season. The fifth and sixth grade team in Wibaux ended with an undefeated season!! Go Longhorns!!!!! We had so much fun watching Austin play and excel at his position. We look forward to years to come! We love you, Austin!!

Snow in October?

Yes, we did indeed have our first snowstorm of the season. We got about 8 inches, and the kids absolutely loved it. Here are a couple of pics for you to enjoy!!

STRADLEY'S GREAT ADVENTURE

Hi Everyone!! I just love reading other blogs so I thought I'd give it a try for myself. We are an active bunch these days, with many activities keeping us busy. School started August 20, and we have been on the go. Austin played Junior High Football, and had 10 games the month of September. They did great. He played quarterback on the 5th and 6th grade team, and helped lead his team to an undefeated season. He, along with 5 other boys, were also selected to play on the Glendive All-Star team, which is now scheduled to play on Saturday, the 18th, in Forsyth. He also played on the 7th and 8th grade team as an end. They ended the season with just one loss. It was such a fun season watching the team play. Austin is definitely an all-star!!
We also just experienced our first snow storm this weekend. With 8 inches of snow, the kids enjoyed sledding, building a fort, throwing snowballs, and just having fun!! Isn't it great living in Eastern Montana where you get the year's worst snowstorm in October!
School is going great. Austin is in 6th grade, Christian is in 4th grade, and Kaden is in 2nd grade. Hope will be 5 years old this coming Sunday, and Grace will be 3 in November. They are doing great with our family. We are continually amazed with their adjustment to our home. We are truly blessed. And now we are in the process of another adoption--a 14 year girl from Haiti who I met while in Haiti last year. Our paperwork is now in IBESR, which is the Haitian immigration department. We trust the Lord for His perfect timing in bringing Daina home to us.