Junkin Update

This happy and precious baby boy is 7 months old!

For some reason, this milestone was more emotional than the rest. I have zero explanation on why, and the emotions could have been hormonal, but I was a wreck taking these photos. Maybe because 7 months is downhill to turning ONE????

He is one of the happiest, sweetest, smartest, and most laid back babies I know. And....extremely EASY! I've been told more times than not, that "we're in for it, with the 3rd." But I disagree, and even if we are...we will love every minute of it just like we do with this precious angel!

In one week, he started crawling (backwards), clapping his hands, standing up alone, and saying "dadadada". He is learning so much so fast, and is providing 95% of our entertainment on a daily basis.

(A few days late) but Happy Valentines Day...

Even though the holiday may be a little cheese, we never pass up an opportunity to celebrate.

I celebrated with my little Valentines a day early with a few surprises.

Pax took me on a date to the new doughnut place in town...

Rowen gave me "raincheck"...

And Payton and I celebrated the day/night in Nashville with meetings for new ministry opportunities in Haiti and other children around the world (exciting announcement on that coming soon)...

some quality time over a nice dinner,

and a night spent with just the two of us...

while Paxton enjoyed his first spend the night party with his aunt, uncle, and 2 cousins. Thank you to my mom and sister in law that made the 2 days and 1 night in Nashville possible and peaceful since it is still not easy leaving him.

We received an update on Rowen this afternoon....

 February update:

Payton & Heather, I’m so glad you got a chance to visit with Rowen and the other children while you were here.  Thanks again for the supplies. In this month’s update I have included pictures of Rowen playing with his friends at home and at school; I promised none of them were staged!!  I know you worry if he interacts with other children, I can assure you he does.The kids just had a week off from school because of Carnival.  I was fine with that it gave us an opportunity to stretch out our Valentine celebrations.  Rowen loved all the goodies!

It absolutely thrills our hearts to receive confirmation that he is learning and thriving; yet, we read these emails and stare at these pictures with wet eyes, because of the reminder that it brings that we are missing these precious days of his life. Not a day goes by that we don't dream and talk about the day he is home wrestling at night in our bed with Payt and Paxton, capturing him doing and saying new things, hanging his precious pieces of artwork on OUR refrigerator, and of course SO much more!

I hear this comment quite often, "I bet Paxton helps the time pass by." While I can understand the mindset that is behind it, I often gently disagree. Like I said above, not a day goes by that we don't pray, dream, and talk about Rowen and how much we wish he were home. Paxton and the excitement of the new baby bring immense amount of joy; however, our constant longing heartache, and the reality that our family will not be complete until he is home has never and will never subside until he is under our roof.

With that said, we trust in the unwavering Sovereignty and PERFECTION of our Savior; and we have no doubt that His timing is absolutely right on time. In that, we find a peace that comforts our minds and hearts as we consider each day a day closer :).