This has been a big year for our family. When it began, we were unsure of when we would all finally be together. As I sit and reflect, I am overwhelmed by all that has happened and the grace God has shown us.
It has been a year of stress and changes, as well as, excitement and MANY firsts. It is so incredibly difficult to sit down and summarize such an amazing year, not only because there is a very loud game of hide-and-seek going on in my house at the moment, but because our blessings are innumerable.
Don't ever be fooled to think that because we highlight the positive that there haven't been challenges to the new lives that we live. However, the blessings and bright spots are much sweeter because of the struggles that we have gone through.
To finish out the year, I wanted to highlight a few of the many milestones our family celebrated.
January
Chancely turned 4 but we couldn't show his face because he wasn't legally a Fitzgerald.
Molly turned 8. Uncle Brian threw Molly a beautiful party and Aubree went with us to Savannah to celebrate and watch Molly swim.
We experienced some disappointments during January as well. We were informed that an important meeting that was necessary to move our adoption forward had not happened as scheduled and would cause further delays.
February
Molly and Joey enjoyed the Father-Daughter Dance
Our boys celebrated a late Christmas in Haiti because of issues with the shipping container.
March
March was a BIG month for us!!!
Lincoln was the PBIS student of the month for his class.
Molly and I traveled down to visit the boys in Haiti.
We celebrated Agendo turning 7, but we missed Dad and Lincoln.
On March 27 (while Molly and I were visiting) after a 3 year wait we learned that Agendo and Chancely had OFFICALLY become Fitzgeralds!!!!!
April
Molly participated in her first track meet
We celebrated our last Easter as a family of 4
May
Molly and Lincoln finished another great soccer season.
We celebrated the end of 2nd grade for Molly and Kindergarten for Lincoln.
Molly went to her first overnight camp without her mom (dad was a little reluctant).
Adoption Shower during post-planning: So thankful for awesome people!!!
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| Lovely shower hostess, Christan B. (Not Pictured: Jenny W.) |
June
Aunt Becca and Lauren took Molly to her first tennis camp.
We were able to sneak off to Nashville for a swim meet and enjoy a fun visit with the Dunlap crew!!
During the month of June we were on pins and needles waiting for passports and visas for the boys!!!
July
A HUGE MONTH FOR US!!!!!!!!!!
We celebrated 4th of July...
We celebrated Lincoln's 6th bday...
Our awesome church gave us an adoption shower. We are so blessed to worship and serve with such wonderful people.
And on July 25 Joey and I flew to get our boys!!!!
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| Our first night with the boys |
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| Going away party at the creche |
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| Our stay at the Best Western in Petionville |
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| Finally Americans!! |
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| Our wonderful welcome home crew!! |
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| Think he was excited about seeing his brothers??? |
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Excited to reunite with Molly and Linc and to finally meet some of their cousins! I can't say enough about the support from these people God had blessed us to call family. We were so thankful that Meme, Papa, Uncle Adam, Aunt Becca, Lauren, Caroline, and Katherine joined Molly and Lincoln to welcome us. There were a few others hiding behind cameras that we are SO thankful for as well.  |
We celebrated our first family day on July 30!!!!
August
And the many "firsts" begin....
Met more cousins!!
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| First Sunday at church |
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| First Open House for school |
First Days of School
First boat ride
First brownie bowl :-)
First watermelon
First football game
Happy Bday, Daddy!!
Needless to say...August was a big month for us!
September
Soccer began
Grits with Grandpa at Daffodil for Chancely
Lincoln lost his first tooth!!
Met Nana Pam and Papa Joe
October
First trip to the Jacksonville Zoo
First stay in a hotel
Wonderful visit from the Dunlap Family!!!
Citizenship Certificates arrived in the mail :-)
First family pics by T. Alonso with Captured Gravity
(who also captured our homecoming at the airport)
First Halloween
Molly and I squeezed in a "Girls Day" on Jekyll Island
November
Soccer Season came to an end
(first pic Captured Gravity Photography)
We recognize and appreciate National Adoption Month
We packed Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes
Uncle Brian was a stand in for Mom and Dad
for Thanksgiving lunch at school
We celebrated Thanksgiving at Aunt Becca and Uncle Adam's house
We met Santa
We picked out and decorated our Christmas tree
Made Christmas ornaments
December
Molly competed in our system Tech Competion
We celebrated Advent
All of the kiddos performed in the Christmas musical at church
Molly set new PRs in her December swim meet
First trip to the movies...Star Wars!! Everyone loved it!
Christmas Eve gift exchange
Wonderful, blessed first Christmas all together!!!
I started keeping a journal for each of our children a few months ago. I thought this was a good way of sharing the thoughts I have as they grow older and to remind them of special moments during their childhood. It is fun to think about how they will feel when they read it many years from now. I am taking the same approach with my blog. As this journey of our adoption has finished and we are a forever family of 6 (unless God changes MY plan :-) ), I have decided to keep documenting our family's journey as we are abandoned to the call to live for Christ.
We can't express the thankfulness we have in our hearts for those who stuck with us for the 3.5 year journey and continue to support our family now that we are home together.
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:9-13
In His Service,
Amy
