All Things New

Scripture says, "If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old things are gone; new things are come" (2 Cor. 5:17). This is true of the spiritual life. But it's also true of those experiencing adoption. It's because of Jesus Christ that we began this venture of adoption so that these little ones can experience a new life. We pray one day they will step into new life in Christ as well.

Speaking of new things, here is a list of ten "firsts" that Steven and Samuel have been experiencing!
1. You should have seen their faces when they boarded Pappy's speedboat and raced across the waters of Smith Mountain Lake!
2. They both went fishing for the first time, catching bluegill. Steven was pretty afraid of the fish. He never touched a live one before. On one occasion a large carp took his bait and we reeled him in. We had to explain why we couldn't keep the fish. No one in America eats carp.
3. New teeth? Within a few short weeks, Steven lost both of his lower middle teeth.
4. They both saw their first rainbow on Memorial Day too. It spread from one end of the sky to another. We shared the meaning of the rainbow to them. (Read the story of Noah)
5. Samuel can now swing himself on the swingset without needing a push. They are growing fast!
6. The boys are now able to enjoy church classes without the parents present.
7. Recently the boys attended their first 4H horse show. In fact one lovely lady offered to give them a ride on a calm 28 year old mare.
8. In preparation for cowboy duds, they learned how to do snaps on their clothes. That's a given for most children but when you have boys with physical issues, this is a milestone.
9. Steven and Samuel have been watching the garden grow and tasting fresh snow peas, lettuce and spinach. By the end of the month we will have beans and tomatoes.
10. Steven is becoming acclimated to the swimming pool. Samuel is a pro when it comes to the pool but the only pools in China are for tourists at the fancy hotels.

Diana and Rich visited us for a couple of days last week. they brought lots of old photoes and we stayed up late into the night sharing memories.