Madame Butterfly

Creed's operatic debut. Love it. I like to say that Creed got called by a "scout" or an acting recruiter last week. Ha. A little boy that they were using had to drop out at the last minute so through a friend of the director we got hooked up and Creed was cast in the role of Madame Butterfly's son. He is loving every second of it. So professional, so attentive, and perfect really. The director and other actors are just amazed at his attention. So, remind me again why his attention goes a million different directions during school at home? Hmm...interesting. 

I am super duper proud of him, though. The production is tonight and tomorrow. When mim said she was coming, he asked "so, will you bring me flowers?" Nice. 

Fun times with a manly man....

Somebody better watch out if we don't get our paperwork soon.....I'm sending this guy to confront them! (yep, no news today)

Rejoice

My wonderfully amazing friends...

They thought of every little detail to add to the blessing. My FAVORITE....Bella Rosa Chocolate Chip cake...yummy.


My friend, Marcelle, remembered that my favorite food (seriously...well, it's tied for my favorite with smores) is chocolate covered strawberries.
Umm....well kind of an inside joke but I thought I really needed to post this just to confirm that I have some of the dorky-ist friends (not pictured but none the less dorky behind the lens, photojournalist and marathon runner Jen Nev).

Rinn was seriously an angel. Everytime she opened a gift she would say something nice like "ohhhh...Jude really needs that" or "OH! That's great!" Such a sweetie pie.
This is my "Oh, look how fancy I am" look with my new Rowdy bag....you gotta admit, I do look fancy-smanshy.
I had to post one pic of my sis Mika. I know (as several of you mentioned) I look nothing like her (ie: the skinny legs, long fingers, curly hair...all around cuteness). She was making comments throughout the shower that were cracking me up. She knows me way to good. 
All the fun stuff for Ju Ju Bee. 

"Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn" Romans 12:15

These friends have been through the best of rejoicing and the sadness of mourning with us during this process. I am so incredibly overwhelmed with God blessing me by surrounding me with some of the best people in the whole world. It truly is amazing. My friends never get tired of blessing and giving, it is incredible. 

Through this process I have grown so close to my friends and family. It has been incredible times of joy and intense times of sorrow and through it all they have stood closely by. Going through something like this is someone else's life is incredibly taxing. At times, they might think "okay, enough is enough..." but my friends and family have not done that. 

At this shower, I really felt like many of those there have prayed for Jude just as I have, honestly. With their whole being. Bringing Jude home safely has been a journey for all of us. A journey of prayer and faith. 

God is so good. So amazingly, abundantly, overwhelmingly good. 

Date Night

Daddy took Rinny to daddy-daughter date night at church. He even got her flowers. At the church they danced to "Cinderella" and then Rinny got to go on stage and say "I love you, Daddy!". Micah said she didn't need the microphone at all and didn't have any sort of stage fright. Hmm....sounds strangely familiar. Uh Oh, I'm in for it. 

Even though Creed was taking me on a date, my "frince" (Rinny's word for prince) got me flowers none the less. Okay, I love him and he is my frince.

My other little frince.
Creed and I enjoyed the Melting Pot cheese fondue and of course, chocolate fondue. Yumm oh. Afterwards we got on some Chuck E Cheese action. Sweet. Nothin' like visiting Chuck E Cheese on a school night until around 9:15. The cliental around that time is awesome. 

My little frince turned into a pirate and then fell asleep. On the way home I was DYING laughing. We are trying to teach Creed how to treat the ladies. He opened my door for me, always asks "how was your day" or "tell me about" this or that. At the end of a wonderful evening with my gentleman he asked, ever so sly...."Since we went on a date, can I sleep with you tonight?" Ha!! Totally innocent but still hilarious to me. And yes, mamma said "okay, you talked me into it!" We cuddled all night. I guess we will have to work on teaching him the ins and outs of what is and what is not appropriate :) We've got awhile I guess.

Waiting for baby brother....

Update

We just got an email from our friend and case worker. She let us know that Jude was discharged from the hospital. Praise the Lord. He was discharged on November 10 and we should be getting his discharge summary soon. We are so thankful he has been discharged and back in the comfort of his foster home. 

Please pray for continued healing, and also for Mrs. Kim's (Jude's foster mother) daughter. She is trying to enter college and that is very, very competitive in Korea. I am praying for Mrs. Kim to get rested and able to feel at peace and comforted after a very stressful few weeks. 

Also, if that mailman doesn't have something for me today.....welp, it's going to be ugly. How could they do that to me and not deliver the mail yesterday? Don't they know that is what I look forward to every day!

Seven

months old today. Missing him tons. Our prayers is that we won't have to be celebrating his little milestones thousands of miles apart for much longer.