CHRISTMAS VIDEO

I saw this video a few years ago.  It touched me and brought tears to my eyes.  It was the first time that I seriously thought about adoption as an option for our family.  Now that we are on the other side of the adoption, it holds even greater significance for me.  I wonder what our kids were thinking about last Christmas.  I think that while we were praying for God's leading in our lives, they were praying for a family.  Pretty neat how that has all worked out, huh?

I love this video because it reminds us that there are many older children that need families. There are 50 million orphans in the world - minus three!!... I also love it because the words are meaningful.  I hope you have the time to watch it.

We just experienced our first Christmas with our three newly adopted children.  This video still brings tears to my eyes, but as I watch it, the reality of our adoption makes me so happy that we answered the call.  Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!!  We did!  I'll be posting more soon!

Steven Curtis Chapman Music Video

CONGRATULATIONS, LINDSAY!

Lindsay graduated from Northwestern College yesterday.  What a fun day!  The graduation took place yesterday afternoon.  The last college graduation I was at was...Allens!!!  Wow!  Where did the time go??  I saw a name of a girl that I recognized on the program.  She was  was also an elementary education major.  Allen and I realized that she was a girl that Lindsay had played with on many occasions when we lived in Sioux Falls during our residency years.  I'm sure we have pictures somewhere of the two playing together.  Katie was about 5 years old when we last saw her and her parents!  Lindsay of course knew her from the education program, but they had never made the Sioux Falls connection.  It was very weird to look at them all grown up and think of all that has happened in the last 17 years.  (I should have taken a picture of them.)  

Anyway, the graduation was very nice and we couldn't be prouder of Lindsay.  She has already had one interview and within hours after the graduation, she had a message on her phone from a school requesting another interview!   Not bad for a new graduate.  I have no doubt that she will be a great teacher and make a huge difference in the lives of many kids.

After the graduation, we went to some friends for a wonderful dinner and party. My parents and Bjork's parents met us there.   Allen, Lindsay and I lived with Ben and Phyllis for a few months when Allen was in medical school.  We have pictures of Lindsay sitting on Ben's lap when she was 18 months old.  Again, it is hard to believe that 20 some years have passed and she is now ready to launch her career AND get married.

We had such a nice time at the dinner party.  Ben and Phyllis had not met our new kids so it was EXTRA fun to reconnect!  After dinner, we went downstairs for a fun time of Christmas singing.  They have an old player piano and lots of instruments...so we made music for the rest of the evening.  You can't see this from the pictures, but it was a wild and loud time!  Lots of fun and what a gift!  Thanks Ben and Phyllis for sharing this special occasion with us and for graciously sharing your home and your lives with us.   

Yesterday was a great day of celebrating and of thanksgiving.  Congrats to Lindsay!  You are amazing!

THE CHRISTMAS RUSH

Christmas is only 9 days away and we are all in the middle of the Christmas rush.  We didn't exactly have a choice as far as the timing of our adoption, but it seems that a month before Christmas would not have been my first choice.  Oh well... having said that, we can only live one day a time and try to do the best we can with.

I am really trying to NOT feel overwhelmed with all that is going on in my life, but I am having a bit of trouble.  It is not that I am at the verge of a breakdown.  That only comes about once or twice a week! :)  I am simply doing my best to keep my head above water.  My nose is barely out of the water but I am managing to stay afloat!  There is laundry to fold, dishes to wash, bills to pay, phone messages to answer.  Add on top of that homework help, voice lessons, basketball and wrestling practice, school concerts and activities to keep children occupied.  We are trying to keep Christmas as "normal" as usual...which means shopping, baking, Christmas concerts, etc...   I know that most of you are in the same boat.  I know how crazy this season is and how we all try to do TOO MUCH.

I have lots to tell about and it makes me happy to know that there are a few of you out there who are reading along.  I like my blog and and am committed to writing about our life for another nine months or so.   However, it seems that I am definitely caught in the Christmas rush and writing has become a bit of a chore.  Anyway, sorry but right now I can't keep up with ANYTHING! so well... will you keep checking back?  Be patient with me in the next few weeks.   My number one goal in blogging is to keep a record of what is happening in the life of our family, but I also love sharing our story.  

While I think about it, to all of you who know our family (which is most of you!) know how much we have appreciated your love and support.  From prayers...to meals... to showers...to babysitting...to encouraging words.  THANK YOU!  We so appreciate you.   I wish I could send a special gift to all my friends for Christmas this year...but it's not going to happen.  If you are my friend, know that I am truly grateful for you and how you have embraced our family.  That is my Christmas message for you.  You are the best!!

In the meantime...does anyone have any tips about light sabres???   Yes, I am afraid the Morks are about to enter a world that we thought we would NEVER enter.  But I need help.  Evidently, you can spend $5 or $150!  My preference would be closer to the $5 end please!!  and by the way...Shhhhh, don't tell.

JILL

Last week, our adoption counselor made a follow-up visit to our home.  We have talked to this person many times in the last year about our kids and our adoption paperwork.  She helped us to navigate through fingerprint fiasco, and all of the new Hague guidelines.  I'm sure she got tired of answering all of our calls.  It was really kind of surreal to have her in our home WITH our three newly adopted kids.  Somewhere along the line, we knew it would really happen, but it seemed strange to be on this end of the adoption.  

We had a nice visit with Jill.  She met the kids and asked us how things were going...  After visiting with her, we realized just how well the transition is going.  She told of other adopted families who have experienced many, many problems (right from the start).  She was so encouraging and optimistic about the progress of our kids.  It made me happy and proud of our kids.  Considering the HUGE change that they have experienced...they are doing GREAT!

Being an adoption counselor is no doubt very stressful.  Every family is waiting, waiting, waiting and probably not always very patient.  Everyone feels that urgency to get their kids home.  There is only so much an adoption counselor can do to move the process along, but for the families, they are the one person that will help to make it all happen.  On the flip side, it must be SO rewarding to place children in loving homes and know that you played a big part in the process.  I hope that Jill went home feeling really happy.   I was happy that she got assigned to our case.  We will not forget her.

REINDEER RUN

Saturday was the Reindeer Run!  It is a 5K race around Lake Harriet where thousands of people dress up in holiday costumes and enjoy the outdoors.  This has become a Mork family tradition. Well, actually, this is only our second year, but I am confident that this won't be our last!  It is a fun environment and pretty low key.  Everyone agreed to attend the race and the predictions were as follows...  When asked, Romeo and Rodrigo wanted to RUN the race.   That would put them in first place!  I thought that maybe Allen and Bjork would be close behind.  Lindsay was hinting at also running.  I knew that no matter what, I would be walking.  And Steph was definitely NOT running, but had agreed to be a participant.  Kristin (with her stress fracture) would be cheering us on from the sidelines and Roselyn would be by her side.  Well, we were all wrong!  Here is what really happened.

Kristin decided that her foot was feeling better so she and Steph(!) took the early lead.  They got caught up in the flow of runners at the start of the race and that was the last time we saw them.  Since Kristin was IN the race, Roselyn decided to also participate.  Lindsay, Roselyn and I advanced to the middle of the pack with an initial steady walk.  The boys started out running, but that lasted for only about 200 yards.  It very quickly turned into a walk and then a stroll down the snowy path.  Allen and Bjork hung with the young guys. I do believe that they all had a good male bonding time together.

As we made the first turn around the lake we could see that the wind was going to be a problem.  It was VERY COLD (even by Minnesota standards).  Lindsay and I tried to block the wind for Roselyn but in spite of our efforts, Roselyn was obviously FREEZING to death.  We were at about the halfway mark when Roselyn asked..."How much farther, Mom?"  As I looked past her, I could see the bandshell which was on the opposite side of the lake.  I didn't have the heart to tell her that we had to get to the huge building ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE! so I just said..."Well, we have a little ways to go.  You are doing GREAT, Roselyn!!!"   She didn't say anything, but I'm sure she must have been wondering what we had gotten her in to.  (Just for the record, with the wind, it was probably below zero at this point.)  I called Bjork to see if the boys had turned around and maybe, just maybe... he and the rest of the guys could come pick us up in the van.  No such luck.  Although we couldn't see them...the boys were trudging along about 500 feet behind us.  Bjork had Rigo on his back and they were slowly inching themselves towards the finish line.  Romeo and Allen were bringing up the rear.  It seemed more like an expedition than a race.

The best thing about these little Fun Runs is the assortment of snacks at the finish line.  It had been a difficult race for our family but there was some anticipation as we headed for the snack table.  Unfortunately, the only snacks left were bags of potato chips and water.  I did manage to snatch a cup of coffee, but there was no hot chocolate to be found.  All the bananas, granola bars, donuts and other good stuff was gone.  Steph and Kristin decided to wait for the snacks until we all finished, so they missed out as well.  The boys, however were thrilled with the potato chips and took several bags!

The race was...an adventure.  There were a few desperate moments, but all in all it was something our family did TOGETHER.   I am sure we will all laugh about it someday...but for now we will let the memory fade a bit before we speak again about next year's Reindeer Run.

BEDTIME

Bedtime has changed a bit around here in the last few weeks.  A few weeks back our evenings were spent watching Food Network, reading, sitting at the computer and thinking about the day to come.  Now our evenings are spent reading to kids, talking about the day, and praying.  Allen and I usually Divide and Conquer!  I read to Rigo and Allen reads to Romeo.  We then spend some time with Roselyn and close out the evening with Steph.  It has become somewhat of a routine.

Reading to our older daughters was one our favorite parts about being a parent.  It is such a warm and cozy time.  This was definitely one of the things Allen and I were looking forward to as we took a step backward and had the chance to read to young ones again.  Bedtime is indeed very time-consuming these days, but we are really loving it!  Some of our best discussions have come at nighttime.  We talk about God.  We talk about family.  We talk about CSC and the Philippines.  We talk about life in Cambridge, Minnesota.  It is the best!  For our kids, it is a time that has been missing from their lives for a long, long time.  It may actually be the first time ever!  

For Allen and me, it is one more chance to read to our children and enjoy the closeness that comes with reading and kissing them goodnight.  Having raised older kids, our perspective is different this time around.  I would say that bedtime is one of the more precious and important times of the day for a parent and child.  Maybe we didn't appreciate that the first time around...?  We get one chance... and then they are gone!  This picture of Rodrigo was not at bedtime, but I think it looks warm and fuzzy...much like the reading time that happens at bedtime.

MORE STITCHES

Yes, there was another mishap at the Mork house this weekend. It all started when Allen took the boys ice fishing on Sunday afternoon. They had a great time! Although ice fishing was new to all of them, they did manage to catch a fish. Allen has always been a "catch and release" kind of guy so he has never actually cleaned a fish at our house in Cambridge. I have always been in favor of this kind of fishing because it meant that I would not have to worry about stinky fish in my kitchen. Selfish, but true.

All of that has changed. The boys assured Allen that they knew how to clean a fish because they had done it (or at least watched it!!) in the Philippines. Naturally, Allen thought this would be a great opportunity to bring their two worlds together so...after carefully demonstrating his surgical skill on a fish, he handed the knife over to Romeo. (You know what's coming, don't you??) According to Allen, things started out beautifully. Romeo was a natural with the knife!! But as Allen turned away to grab something, Rodrigo exclaimed, "Dad! Look! Romeo is bleeding!!!" As you guessed, the knife slipped and Romeo carved a healthy gash in his index finger. It didn't really phase Romeo at the time, but as the night went on, it began to hurt quite a lot. Allen (once again) performed an operation at our kitchen counter. A little novocaine, two stitches and...Romeo was good to go! His biggest worry was whether he could play football today at school.

All of this took place while I was bringing Kristin back to Bethel. (The only pictures of the event were from Allen's cell phone.) I was kind of sad that I missed all the excitement...but then again...I've had a lot of excitement these last few weeks and it was ok to just hear about it. I have a feeling that this is not the last medical emergency for these two boys. I guess we will just have to wait and see!

TRIMMING THE TREE

Friday was our first trip to the tree farm with all of our kids. I kind of feel like a spectacle when we go out because there are so many of us!!! Something I just have to get used to, I guess. Anyway, our adventure to the farm was fun. Later that evening we decorated the tree. I had purchased three Filipino Christmas ornaments last January and then another three this November. It will be a fun keepsake for each of our kids as they remember 2008 as the Year of the Adoption!!