Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas at Grandma's house - I got some bibs, a book, an outfit, and some other fun items.

I'm Daddy's little Stocking Stuffer

If I could only move on my own I wouldn't have to be subjected to this...

Daddy loves to play with me. This particular morning I'm playing "kitty" just like cats like to sit on the back of couches. As you can see I thought it was pretty fun.

Karina is coming home!

This summer Karina, an orphan from Ukraine, came to spend the summer with Grace Marsh, a friend of ours and member of Redeemer. During Vacation Bible School she was assigned to help me with Craft time along with her chaperone, Svetlana. She was 12 at the time and full of life and curiosity. I had a great time having her in my room all week, and even though the language barrier was an obstacle, she made every effort to communicate and help. We prayed for a family to adopt Karina. Grace was in the process of doing so until a new Ukranian law banning single parent adoption was put in place.

We continued to pray for a family for her and were thrilled beyond words when Matthew and Sheila Nasekos (the camp director and his wife from Twin Lakes where Thomas and I worked for 5 summers) answered God's call to be her family (http://www.storeygraceinperu.blogspot.com/ - your faith will be strengthened as you read their story and how God answered the years of daily prayers of Babushka Lela). They are currently in Ukraine finalizing the adoption and getting ready to bring Karina home! Please join us in prayer for them and for more families for these children who so desperately need a home. Statistically, 70% of the girls will end up in prostitution and 70% of the boys will end up in jail once they are sent out of the orphanage at 17 years old.

You'll notice on our blog there are several adoption blog links of families we are praying for and following on their adoption journeys. We have so much to be thankful for this holiday season and have been blessed beyond what we could ask for. These families are stepping out in faith to follow God's call. There are links on their blogs for tax-deductible gifts to help with the $20,000 adoption costs to bring these children hope and a family. Please join us in supporting them and praying that God would continue to bring more families for these kids.

If you'd like more information on adopting from Ukraine, please let me know! A friend of mine from college is a missionary in Odessa who works in the orphanage and helps to find homes for these children, most often with families in the US.

My Great-Grandpa Perrin Berry

My great-grandpa passed away last weekend. He was almost 87 years old and he and Mamena were married for 60 years. I'm very sad that I never got to meet him. He was a pretty amazing man. He was a medical doctor for 30 years before becoming the Medical Director for Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance. In World War II he didn't want to risk the draft so he signed up to be a pilot. His first attempt he was denied due to high blood pressure. His mother told him to do as she said for the next 6 weeks and try again, so he slept, ate the foods she gave him, and did the other things she told him to, and when he went back his blood pressure was normal and they took him. He flew all over the US transporting planes, and then went overseas and flew the Central Burma Campaign, carrying fuel and supplies over The Hump. He received the Air Medal, EAME, Asiatic/Pacific-one star, and the Victory Medal among others. Daddy spent a lot of time with "Grandpa" when he was growing up. Momma got to know Grandpa before Alzheimer's took away his memory, and she loved to go over to their house and say "Hi Grandpa, how are you today?" He would respond every time with "I haven't thought about it." Grandpa was also an elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church and was a strong man of God. Momma's favorite memory of him is one time when Momma and Daddy went to Mamena and Grandpa's house to eat about 6 months ago. Grandpa's memory was not very good and he had to be in a wheelchair and didn't talk much, but he got out of bed to eat with us. Mamena asked him if he would like to say the blessing, and he said that he would. "Dear Lord...we thank you for this food...bless it to our nourishment...we love you Lord...In Jesus Christ's name we ask it...Amen." Even though his memory of many things was gone and his health was rapidly failing making it hard for him to talk, he remembered His Savior and wanted to do as he had always done, leading his family in thanking and loving God. I hope I can be like him when I grow up.

"We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done." Ps. 78:4

Various moments from the week

I have begun to smile! On Daddy's 29th birthday, December 8, I smiled at Momma multiple times in direct correspondence to her playing with me. This was the first time I have smiled "knowingly" at her. Here I am yesterday. Momma would like you to notice how nicely dressed I am in my little polo and sweater vest. I was looking particularly cute and then I decided to put the cherry on top and give her a sweet little smile :)

This is what Daddy and I do together...walk on the wild side...take chances...sit up alone in a chair...

Here I am with Mamena. I got to spend a lot of time with her this week. My great-grandpa (Mamena's husband) passed away last weekend, and Mamena loves me so much and loves spending time with me, so we went over there a lot so she could hold me and Momma and Daddy could visit with her.

Pappy was there too a lot of the time. He also loves holding me and especially burping me - he's very good at that, which is necessary because I'm not ashamed to say that I do need a good bit of burping.

Church

Last Sunday we made our first trip to church.

Although I slept the whole time (Momma was very relieved), I still needed a nap when we got home. Momma loves it when I sleep like this.

My Daddy sure does love me

well, after a few short waking moments...

it's off to sweet dreams again

A day at home with Momma

Don't you just want to eat me up?

It's cold outside but pretty warm inside and Momma wanted to break out some of my other clothes instead of just my wintry ones - this onesie she thought was pretty cute :)

During our photo shoot I did what I often do, have a little sneezing fit. Momma caught me mid-sneeze

I'm always looking for something good to lick. Momma's gonna video it and post it one of these days. When she puts a burp cloth near my face, I calm down immediately and try to suck on it - I do love a good piece of cloth in my mouth.

A few random photos of our daily life

Momma was going to put me down and get some things done after I ate, but I was sleeping so sweetly on her that she just decided to enjoy sitting with me until Daddy got home.

I'm such a good little cuddler

I was being wild as usual one night and Daddy was trying to comfort me. He took this lesson from Uncle Micah's bad parenting practices and sat me up on the back of the recliner for a few laughs.

When I'm wild, which is most evenings, this is my favorite position to be held in. But I'm very particular that the person holding me must be standing, not sitting, while they hold me. If they comply, I'm pretty happy, if they don't, I have the capacity to make a very long night for them :)

This is my first time having a bottle. Momma plans to work a few hours a week starting back in January, so I need to take a bottle for that to work. I took it no problem from Daddy, but they tried it on me again the next day and I wasn't as happy about that, but they're hopeful. Momma says she's gonna try it again on me this weekend. We'll see what kind of a mood I'm in...

More fun at Grandma's house

Grandma loves little feet :)

Look how much feet grow from the time you're 5 weeks old until you're 20 months - and I even have very long feet for a 5-week-old.

Millie loved holding my hand

She just stood beside me and held my hand very sweetly. In this picture you can see that I am beginning to have what someone at church called a "PROceeding hairline". My hair on top is thinning but staying thick in the back - I'm going for the older look (like, 50 years older).

Thanksgiving at Grandma's house

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we all went over to Grandma's house and I got to meet some more family members. I heard lots of talk about how good the food was, but I am unfortunately too young to be allowed to partake.
Here I am with Aunt Rachel P. and Aunt McLeod and my cousin Millie. Millie knows who I am and calls me "BabyCole" with the emphasis on the Baby, then a drawn out Coooole. Again, I didn't even have to do anything and I was quite the popular little fellow, especially with the ladies. I also hear this gets harder the older you get.

Here I am with Uncle Daniel who came down from Tennessee to visit us. We were so excited to see him and can't wait for him to come again at Christmas!

Millie loves me and was quick to give me kisses.

We wish Aunt Rachel P. and Uncle Matt lived closer so we could play more often :(. And I hear that Uncle Jason and Aunt McLeod are moving even further away :(. At least Grandma is here so I'll get to see them all on the holidays at least.

Thanksgiving at Mimi and Pappy's house

Here are my dear parents :)

Here is Momma with great-grandma Viriginia Berry who we call Mamena (pronouned Mommy-na) - she's like a third grandma to Momma

A few moments with Mimi and Pappy - I was pretty popular though with the other family members who are not pictured, so they didn't get to hold me much. When you're a baby you don't even have to say anything or wear a certain thing to be popular - all you have to do is sit quietly and everyone adores you - from what I hear it gets harder as you get older though.

Our happy little family (i know daddy doesn't LOOK happy, but he really is - he just doesn't like pictures) - Momma and Daddy had lots to be thankful for this Thanksgiving - and I'm thankful for them too :)