Gotcha Anniversary #3...then and now..

.....then..March 30, 2008....he stood in the corner of the room behind the bed so sad and scared....

fall 2010, posing with complete cofidence

"....uhhh, hands off big guy"...and he didn't let dad touch him for another two weeks

2011, he wakes every morning and asks "where's dad?"..and many times throughout the day..."when is dad coming home?"

"not sure who or what you think you are but don't touch the pink shoes"

I love this picture...it was taken during Hudson's Christmas program...I snapped it right as he saw me in the audience.  Nothing like your child's face lighting up when they see you!!!  Very different from that first day.  

It is so hard to believe it has been three years and yet we really can't remember life without Hudson...he continues to bring joy and laughter to us daily and we are STILL in awe with humble gratitude that we were chosen to be his parents.

Three years ago today....

.....we were physcially still a family of five although finally in the same country as our boy...

We were climbing the great wall in below freezing temps....

eating lots of this...

and making dear, sweet friends....

...counting the hours before we got our hands on this sweet baby!!!

Thomas brought the circus to town..

This has become a permanent feature of our living room...once in a while it is replaced with scenes from Radiator Springs or back to the wild west with a playskool fort and then further back to midevil times with a castle but most days Thomas runs through our living room on a new adventure.  Last weekend the circus came to town so Thomas and friends have been busy building, moving and transporting animals...I hear this coming weekend is Thomas' b'day so a party is being planned.

My dad pegged Hudson as an engineer his first summer home (at age 2) when he would watch grandpa patiently in his shop as he would hammer red hot damascus steel into knives on his anvil or use any number of tools in some fix it job.  Hudson will study any sort of moving part in a machine and you can just see the wheels in his own head turn as he tried to figure out how things work.  He loves to construct his own bridges and train tracks and builds ramps and towers with anything he can get his hands on.  He will study Thomas "track maps" and go about following the design.  I have never once seen him show any frustration as he works puzzles, designs and takes things apart and puts them back together.  His tool kit is never far from whatever project he is working on a it always contains electrician tape which can hold anything together.    

Who knows what Hudson will end up doing in his life.  I have a child old enough that I know what they displayed when they were little does not necessarily mean it will interest them years later....but sure enjoying the imagination and wonderment of now.  

40 Days For Life

If any of you have read unPLANNED you know what 40 Days For Life is all about.  If you want to be part of a powerful, but PEACEFUL movement I would encourage you to go to their website and see if your city is participating.  I talk with girls weekly who are faced with crisis pregnancies and abortion is a consideration.  My heart SO longs for these girls to choose life for their babies over death.  Just as many of you are advocates for the orphan because they can't advocate for themselves we need to have the same passion for the unborn and ACT!!!!  I am totally opposed to any hateful and unloving actions towards those that are involved in the abortion industry in any way,  that is not how the battle will be won but we MUST storm heaven with our prayers and always be loving towards girls, boys, men and women who are victims of abortion and its money hungry industry.  I hear about the pain weekly in girls I talk with who come through our centers doors.  What they thought would be an "easy" fix to a then problem has turned into shame and emotional pain, and many time paralyzes them in their relationships.
My heart and hope is that adoption would be thought of more readily than abortion every time a girl/young woman is in a crisis pregnancy.   It is amazing to me that there is a more negative reaction to adoption than abortion and SO the enemies delight.  I met with a 13 year old last week who is pregnant and due to her mom's tough love is moving forward making an adoption plan, PLEASE pray with me that she will take this first act of parenting seriously and choose a future for her child.  She is one of three clients right now moving forward with adoption, all who have considered abortion.  They are my heroes!!!!
I would also encourage you to read unPLANNED.  This is Abby Johnson's story about how she left an abortion clinic in Bryan, TX after directing it for 8 years and literally ran in the back door of the Christian Coaltion down the street.  Because of their peaceful relationship that they had developed with her over time she knew she could go to them when she needed a safe zone.
It is an amazing book showing both sides of the battle....PLEASE read it as it will give you a whole new perspective on how the other side views "us" and what truly works.... an amazing story of God...grace and mercy!!!!




***Please feel free to email me privately at sharonteague@me.com if you have ever been touched by abortion.  Many women have never shared their story with any one, no shame or guilt will be found in you by me.