About Me

My name is Tracy and I am married to an amazing man, his name is Thomas! We are a busy family that is always on the go between church, school, work and sports.... we are not a sitting around kind of family. We have 4 amazing children and are working on bringing home Elias to make 5. My hubby is Deaf and I am a sign language interpreter,we are very involved in the Deaf community and are excited to be adding another Deaf member to our family. Our kids, Aaron-19, Luke-11, Tommy-10 and Paige-5 are anxious for their new brother to be home. This is our second adoption and we are learning more everyday to lean on God, this journey is already strengthening our faith! We are working on learning how to turn everything over to God and know that He has a perfect plan and all will happen in His time! Good things come to those who wait.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Luke's 11th Birthday and his first one home with his family!!!

Well folks tomorrow is the day! Tomorrow is our first time to Celebrate Luke's Birth! He is going to be 11 tomorrow and it is a bitter-sweet day for me tomorrow to think that he celebrated 10 Birthdays without his Momma, Daddy, Aaron, Tommy, Paige and Chase and all of the rest of his family who loves him so much!.  BUT we get to turn the tide from here on out! We get to celebrate all those Birthdays together and make jokes about goofy things he has done, talk about how much he is changing, gasp at how big he has gotten (really! we are doing that this year) and just plan old rib on him for getting older! :)))))  I am so happy and proud to be Luke's mommy!

Adding an older child into your home isn't easy. Adding an older child into your life that has no previous language and education isn't easy.. but WOW is it worth it! Our lives are so richly blessed by Luke and his abundant personality, zest for life, LOVE of us!! He is truly my miracle baby! If anyone would have told me years ago that I would adopt a 10 1/2 year old child that is Deaf, I would have told them they were mentally insane! :)  Today I know many people certainly might still think or thought we were mentally insane to bring home a child so old with so many "issues", but let me tell you that having Luke here has meant many things but here are 2 things for sure.....1: Yes! Without a doubt the biggest challenge ever presented in our lives... 2. Yes again, Without a doubt, The most amazing blessing ever bestowed upon our lives!

Luke has made me see the world from a whole new perspective! Luke has made me open my heart to possibilities I thought were never possible. Luke has made me see the world through new eyes.  Luke has helped me to Love on a whole new level. Luke has helped me to see the abundant joy in the "small"  things in life.  Luke is still teaching me how to have patience like never before.  Luke has shown me that GOD has had his hand in placing Luke in our family and making sure this precious child had a future and a family that loves him immensely! Only God could match this mothers heart to an un-seen child over 7,900 miles away and make us such a perfect match for each other!.  Only God could watch over this precious little baby as his birth mother placed him on the steps of that orphanage in Jinan, China 11 years ago knowing full well that this baby whose real name we don't know, whose exact birth-date we will never know, whose actual birth time and weight and length that you see on all of those fancy birth announcements will never be known to this momma, but Our God knows and watched and protected my baby until he could come to me Jan 17th 2011 to become Luke XinHai Worrell!

So TO LUKE!  September 22, 2000 is the date on his paperwork and the day we will celebrate his birthday! Luke told me tonight that tomorrow is the first time (other then last year when we sent a few books and a car to him in the orphanage) that his Birthday will be celebrated with anything other then some food and a few staff and kids saying Happy Birthday.  He still cant believe he is going to get gifts! He cant believe we are having a special day for HIM! Tonight we made cupcakes to take to school tomorrow and I have never had so much fun making cupcakes. Let me tell you my boy can bake.. he is in trouble now that mom knows that hahah! We laughed and giggled and he just jumped up and down for joy at the thought that this magical cupcakes were being made to celebrate him! We baked them and he sat in awe as they rose and turned out so pretty! We did the icing and some sprinkles and he even practiced how to carry the case on the bus tomorrow haha!

So as I tucked my precious 10 year old son into bed, we hugged and kissed goodnight and waved goodbye to 10 and when he wakes we are ushering in 11..... I have a feeling this is going to be a stellar year for Luke!  Thank you God for placing Luke into our lives and allowing us the privilege of being his family! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUKE!!!!
                                Making cupcakes to take to school!!!
                       Breaking the eggs (he was amazingly talented at that!)

                       Never have I seen someone so excited to use a hand mixer!
 Showing him the age old family tradition of licking the beaters! He was very unsure of this tradition until he tasted the magical batter!
                                  Umm are they ready yet (30 seconds into baking)
                                                                  Still waiting......
                                                           Icing up the cupcakes!
                            Got them all ready to take to school, colored sprinkles and all!



8 comments:

Jon and Shelly said...

LOVE THIS!! Happy Birthday Luke! It's Jian's birthday next Thursday! :) We can't wait to celebrate his first in America too!
Love reading your updates!

Earl and Sharee said...

Happy Birthday, Luke!! Enjoy those cupcakes with your friends, tomorrow!

It warms my heart to read how well Luke is doing at the new school!

I enjoy reading your blog and sharing a part of your lives with us..thank you!

Sharee

Leanne said...

Thanks for your blog post. This is really making me think hard on whether or not to go ahead adopt a deaf little boy in China. The whole finanical idea is making me nervous. We are both deaf, and I guess, something is holding me back, but reading your post makes me think of what Im missing having a child around. We don't have children, and years are passing by.
Your spaz is felt through your blog! Thank you for that, really!

Tina och Calle said...

Happy Birth Day Luke! I love, love, love those photos of him really blooming!

I can't wait to celebrate my little Jinan boy's third birthday at home in Sep next year!

Aus said...

Happy Birthday Luke - you'll have many many more!

And may we say that y'all aren't the only family blessed by this guy - Luke brings great joy to our place too!

hugs - aus and co.

Unknown said...

Have a blessedly wonderful birthday, Luke!

Brooke said...

Happy Birthday, Luke! Love the cupcake story and pictures....how sweet! :)

Anonymous said...

Too cute!

Love the post - happy birthday Luke!!!

Our little boy!

Our little boy!
Opening up my care package from my family!

Curious what he is thinking!

Curious what he is thinking!
Checking out my Family for the 1st time ever! (this pic is of my new Brothers and Sister!)

His first reaction after seeing us

His first reaction after seeing us
This is my Forever Family!

Some goodies from the care package

Some goodies from the care package
Some of my new books

This picture makes me cry every time I see it!

This picture makes me cry every time I see it!
My 1st picture of my mommy and daddy! They say I love to look at my pictures again and again!

Studying our faces....

Studying our faces....
Checking out my new family again!

Look at that face!

Look at that face!
Checking out my new books

Aaron's Graduation

Aaron's Graduation
We are so Proud!

Xin Hai's name in Chinese!

福新

Fu XinHai

Xin Hai

Xin Hai
Isnt he the cutest ever?

Aaron's Senior Prom

Aaron's Senior Prom
My handsome Son, Aaron

Aarons prom

Aarons prom
Paige, Aaron and Tommy

My Family

My Family
The Worrell Family

Our Precious one

Our Precious one
Xin Hai in 2008 - so precious! Love that smile!

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