Doctor Visit

Today Levi was at the doctor's office for another round of immunizations and some blood work. He was also seen by the doctor, who couldn't believe the difference in him since just a month ago. She said she couldn't believe how much more alert and active he is now than he was just a month ago. She said he must be adjusting well. I would certainly agree with that! He is now up to 18.2 lbs. and 29-1/2 in. so he is certainly doing well gaining weight, which is good when you consider last month he was only in the 5th percentile for weight. He was certainly a real trooper as he received first 2 immunizations (one in each leg) and then had blood drawn from his arm on one side and a finger on the other side because they weren't able to get enough from the arm for the lead test. He only cried for a short time and by the time we got in the car, he was finished. He thought the band aid and gauze on his finger was a rather curious thing and by the time we reached Wal-Mart, he had it removed. I just haven't figured out where he put it!!

Weekend Visitors

This weekend my brother Todd and his family came to meet Levi. We had a great time just hanging out and Levi really enjoyed his aunt, uncle and cousins. I'm so glad they came to visit!!


Jadin and Levi


Hazel, Levi and Natalie

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Todd and Amee brought their dog Buddy along. He gave Levi a kiss. He didn't mind Levi climbing all over him.


Levi liked Natalie's Cookie Monster stuffed animal. Here he is playing with it with aunt Amee.

A Busy Week

For those of you who check our blog regularly, let me apologize for the long absence. With company and computer problems, I was unable to post anything, which is too bad because lots has happened in the week since I last posted. On Saturday evening the motherboard on my computer went out. Thankfully it was under warranty and we didn't lose anything on the hard drive. You may want to grab yourself something to drink and sit back and relax because this will be a little bit longer post.

I am just amazed at how much more comfortable Levi has become in our home and family. As a result, he is blossoming! Last week he started doing the motions for "so big" and for waving. He doesn't quite get how to do them in response to the words yet, but that is starting to come. On Monday of this week, there were two birds on the windowsill outside our diningroom and as the second one flew away, I said "bye-bye birdie" to which he did wave. He also waved good-bye to his grandpa when we were leaving their house the same day. Although it doesn't happen all the time yet, I know it is just a matter of time. He does seem to catch on to things quickly.



As you can see from the picture, while my parents, in-laws, brother-in-law and nephew were visiting this weekend for the play Rachel was in and Levi's dedication, Levi was finally able to get the ball into the hole of this toy. Prior to this, he would put it to the hole but not know how to release it (kind of like the Cheerios earlier). The toy makes some funny noises as it passes through the body of the toy so it is fun for him to do it over and over again.






Levi got to meet his uncle Cory and his cousin Alec this weekend for the first time. He and Alec hit it off great and we would love to Alec come and play with Levi anytime. They stayed until Wednesday morning so the two boys got to play together several times.






Last weekend Rachel was in the Easter play that our church did. It was called "The Carpenter". It is set in the 1950's in the small new England community of New Salem. As the play begins, Jeff Masters, an unknown carpenter, has just arrived in town. He immediately begins to cause a stir, arousing speculation among the townspeople as to his background. He begins to make an impact into the lives of his neighbors as he helps them by doing various good deeds and acts of kindness, even getting involved in the life of one of the town's most "unfortunates". Rachel played the daughter of the family the carpenter was boarding with. Her character was unable to walk at first but through the encouragement of the carpenter and the necessity to lay aside her own needs, she is able to walk again.







On Sunday Levi and 8 other children were dedicated to the Lord during the church service. During worship time, I had him in the carrier and when he saw me raising my hands in worship he did the same. It was the sweetest thing. Rachel and Levi and I all wore our traditional Vietnamese outfits for the occasion. When it came time to go on stage, Levi had had enough of the hat as you can see from the pictures. Everyone thought he looked adorable though and our pastor and several others thought that they needed to get themselves an outfit as comfortable as ours. The words our pastor prayed over Levi were very special and I believe prophetic.

On Monday Levi's Certificate of Citizenship arrived. Hooray! That means he is officially a citizen of the United States. Now we can begin the process of re-adoption (I believe) and getting his name legally changed.

On Tuesday, I was playing with Levi and decided to try playing pat-a-cake with him again. Up to this point, he would keep his hands closed in a fist when we did it. But that day, he opened his hands and giggled when we did it. Then, when it was time for lunch, he started clapping his hands. It was so cute because he would bring the one hand over to hit the other.

On Wednesday, he took his first step completely unassisted by anyone or anything. He is also starting to stand for longer and longer periods of time. I know it is just a matter of time before he will be walking completely on his own. I just hope he doesn't do it for the first time at the babysitter's house after I go back to school.

Climbing

I really should have posted this yesterday when it happened, but I didn't get any pictures because it kind of took me by surprise. Although I wonder why anything surprises me with Levi. One of my friends from school stopped over to visit. She has been so gracious in sharing things that her sons have outgrown or don't use anymore and they are always in excellent condition. Well, she brought a diaper box full of clothes with her. It was taped shut so Levi couldn't get into it. But he sure did have a lot of fun pushing it around (who needs toys?) Earlier in the day, I opened the windows at the front of the house because it was sooo nice outside. Both Millie (our dog) and Levi were so excited that they had to get their faces in the open space. As Levi was pushing the box around, he pushed it over to the window (I think more by accident). Well, before you know it, he had figured out how to climb up on top of the box so that he could see out the window better. Watch out world!! He's on the move!!

10 Months Old Today

Ten months ago today a beautiful little boy was born on the other side of the world. His birthmother gave him the name Binh Thanh Nguyen. Within the past month we have come to know him as Levi Elijah Binh Senior and have fallen head over heels in love with him. Here are 10 things we most love about him:

1. his adorable giggle
2. his infectious smile
3. his flexibility
4. the way he shakes his head no - to the music, when someone else shakes their head yes, and amazingly sometimes at the most appropriate times to questions being asked of him
5. the way he covers his eye or eyes when he is drinking his bottle and getting tired
6. his mobility (yes, I know it keeps me on my toes trying to keep him out of things but I am just amazed at how quickly he has moved from crawling to walking with things)
7. his curiosity - it seems that absolutely everything catches his attention
8. his big, dark eyes and his long eyelashes - boy, I wish I had lashes that long
9. the way he smiles at his sister Rachel and is beginning to want to follow her all around when she is home
10. his baby talk and especially how he says "ma ma ma ma" - I wonder, as one of y friends pointed out, if he is saying something in Vietnamese that he heard at the orphanage

***On a side note, please pray for a boy in my class. Last night his father died. The circumstances surrounding it are very tragic and will most certainly affect this family for some time. I cannot go into the details but would tell you that in many ways this hits very close to home for me.

Resurrection Sunday

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:2

I love this verse because it reminds me that you and I were the "joy" that was before Jesus as He endured the cross. Doesn't that just blow your mind to think about? I know it does mine. Let that thought just sink in for awhile. I bet if we let that thought really penetrate our minds, for some of us like me, it might actually change the way that we view ourselves. If Jesus thought that I was important enough to die for, if I was the joy that was set before Him as He endured the cross, well then that gives my life new meaning.

We had a relatively quiet Resurrection Sunday. This morning we all got dressed up in our new spring outfits to go to church. Our church has a Sunday school class for all age groups, including infants. So, this morning I took Levi to the infant class. I think he did really good for the first time. He seemed to be paying attention fairly well. I'm not sure how much he got out of it but I know others who have taken their children are amazed at the things their children remember from tis time. The first picture is from this time.

After church we left fairly quickly as Rachel had to work. On Sundays she has to set up and get the residents for the church service. Levi and I stayed home and I took a nap and prepared supper for our friends who were coming over. After dinner we all sat down to watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It was one that really struck home tonight as it was about a couple that had one child biologically and thn adopted 5 other children from China - all with special needs. It was also very sad because the father had a brain tumor that was found after adopting all the children and was in the hospital the whole time they were building the house. Three days after the house was finished, he lost his battle with cancer.

I posted a picture of Levi with his great grandma. She is the only one left. We don't get over to see her often enough I am sorry to say. With my in-laws being gone, I thought she might like some company and I'm sure would love to see Levi again. So, we decided to take her an Easter lily and go visiting yesterday. I was so glad we brought her an Easter lily. I think they are some of the most beautiful flowers. She told us that she didn't think she has ever had an Easter lily. That blows my mind because she is in her upper 80's.

I pray that all of you reading this had a blessed Resurrection Sunday and that you will take the meaning of this holiday into your everyday life and not just leave it for this one day a year. I know that I am certainly always striving to do so. Sometimes I miss the mark but praise God His mercies are new every morning and when I confess my sin He is faithful and just to forgive me.

Why

Yesterday I finally got around to cleaning the carpets in our house. It is something that I have wanted to do and that Rachel has been itching for me to do for quite some time now. I actually moved all the furniture out of the way. It was a big job but well worth it. I found it interesting that I would be doing it on Good Friday because I found a connection between the two that resonated with me. When Jesus hung on the cross, He took all of my sin - past, present and future - along with all of the sins of all the other people in the world who have lived or ever will live upon Himself and then nailed it to the cross. The filthy dirty water coming out of our carpets is like my sins. But what is great is that when I asked Jesus to come into my heart and be the Savior and Lord of my life, He took my heart -which was as filthy and dirty as the water coming out of my carpets - and made me as clean as if the carpets had been brand new. That is soooo amazing and wonderful and should motivate me every day to live for Him wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, too often I take that sacrifice for granted and live for me and not for Him. As we celebrate Resurrection Sunday tomorrow, I pray that it will be a resuurection that occurs in my heart as well. And if you have never invited Jesus to be the Savior AND Lord of your life - I mean given Him full and complete control - I pray that this Resurrection Sunday you too will have a resurrection and new life in Jesus.

There is a song that I love that some people have made into a video on youtube. It is one that makes me cry and really reminds me again of the great price that Jesus paid, even though He did nothing to deserve it. I have included it here for you to enjoy! May you be blessed as you celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - the one, true and living God.

Hoa Lo Prison

I was reading the news page on K-love this morning and came across this article about John McCain visiting Hoa Lo prion in Hanoi. Seeing that we had been there about a month ago, I was definitely curious. It is an interesting article and confirms some of the feelings we had as we toured it. The link is provided here:




This is a picture of the flight suit that he talks about in the article.

Catching Up

I know it has been a while since I have posted about the family and what's going on in our lives. So, sit back, grab a coffee or a soda because this post will be a little bit longer. At least there are some pictures to go with it.

First of all, Levi is sleeping tons better. After running a temp for 2-1/2 days after immunizations, I decided to try him in the crib. I was all prepared for a marathon screaming time, but it never came. He now goes to bed at about 8:00 and sleeps until about 6:30. It has been such a blessing to be able to get a good night of sleep myself. I think it maes me a better mommy during the day.

More and more of Levi's personality is coming out each day. He is generally a happy little boy and I love to hear him giggle. We are trying to teach him how to shake his head "yes" as right now he only shakes his head "no". It's funny because I don't think he really does it in regards to things we ask him. But sometimes he does it at the most appropriate times. He also does it when he plays the music on his activity table. It is quite cute!!

On Friday we traveled to hear the high school choir and band perform at music contest. I was a little nervous about how he would do but we found that he loved the music. One of the pictures shows him standing on my friend Rhonda and intently listening to the robed choir. We are thinking that he really likes music. By the way, both the Women's Choir and the Robed Choir did an incredible job. The Women's Choir sang early and we found out that they got all 1's, which is the highest they can get. We left before finding out how the Robed Choir did, and it is now spring break so Rachel hasn't been to school, but were pretty sure that they probably got all 1's as well as they were even better than the Women's Choir.

On Saturday my parents stopped on their way home from Arkansas. They spent the rest of Saturday and all Sunday with us. It was nice for them to see some of the things that Levi is doing by himself. In fact, on Saturday night, he was finally able to get the cereal puffs into his mouth by himself. Up until this point he would get them to his mouth but not know how to release them into his mouth. You can see from the pictures that he was really intent on getting them in. After he went to bed we watched the movie Fireproof. It is a terrific movie and if you haven't seen it yet, I would highly encourage you to rent it and watch it with your spouse. It is well worth it! It sure beats so much of the trash that is out on DVD or in the theaters or on TV these days.

Yesterday I took Rachel and 3 of her friends shopping. It was Levi's first shopping trip to the mall. He did fantastic. I put him in the stroller and gave him some cereal puffs on the tray and he ate away and watched everything around him. He was so fascinated with it all. I was trying to find a dressier outfit for him for Easter but I didn't come home with anything because you either couldn't find anything or you had to pay over $20 or $30 for it and I wasn't willing to pay that much for the little amount of time he will wear it. He'll outgrow it before he gets enough use out of it. So, now I am still in a pickle about what to do.

Last night we had an Arbonne party. Arbonne is a skin care line that was started in Arbonne, Switzerland. It is an all natural line. We didn't have a large turnout but definitely had a lot of fun with friends and learning about a great product line. You can check out their website here to find out more about it. I can't wait to get my product and start using it.

Today Levi got to stay with his sister for two hours while I took care of some business. They did great! Rachel had him to sleep before I even left. I was getting ready and planned to give him a bottle and put him down before leaving and just as I was going to go downstairs to do that, she came up with him asleep. I thought it was so nice of him to leave her a present. Yes, you guessed it! While she was alone with him, he pooped and she had to change it. I just had to laugh!! She still loves being a big sister anyways!

Laminin

I was going to post some more recent pictures of Levi (although I haven't taken as many this week because he has been fighting a cold) but this morning I was reading a devotional blog and came across this video. I found myself totally amazed and yet I feel like I shouldn't be because our God is so amazing. He so desires that we should know Him in a relationship like we would have with a spouse or a friend or a parent that He made our bodies in such a way that it too would point to the cross. I pray that everyone reading this knows Jesus as their Savior and Lord.