the hair cut :)
hard to cut off those curls but it needed to be done- he had long hair and some really large bald spots in the back....

before




during


after :)


chilling with aunt amy...


he doesn't like to hold his own bottle, so when i'm busy he gets this...






i am so shocked at how easily my kids accept nikau as their brother- he fits right in.
if he fusses in the car wren is quick to say, "don't CRY, nikau!" or "baby's hungry, mom!"

we are changing the spelling of nikau's name. we want him to keep his name because he already knows it, but the spelling is a bit confusing. we are thinking 'neiko' 'nieko' or 'niko'. leaning towards neiko, but not 100% sure yet. and we are looking for a new middle name- his current one is armani.

we definitely have our moments where we feel overwhelmed with all we have going on right now, but we keep going back to God's word and all of His promises. and we are keeping in mind that a little craziness is worth changing nikau's life forever and for the opportunity to teach and emulate Gods love for him. i am praying everyday that He will give us the grace to do this.

God is working hugely in our lives and in those around us and we are EXCITED.
to Him be all the glory!!!
one of the verses i have had hanging on the pantry door in my kitchen for quite some time has blessed me over and over since we brought nikau home.

"surely just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand."
isaiah 14:24

He reminds me everyday that this is His doing. this is what He intended from the beginning.
and we could not do this without Him.

the kids and i had a nice spring break together. i hate to see it end. the kids were helpful and fun. ty is quick to do anything i ask him. shaeya has a running dialog going on at all times- horses, school, friends...tekoa is my entertainer. there is no end to the things she wants me to watch her do- and she ALWAYS makes me laugh. and wren tries to do anything the older kids are doing, usually with disastrous results- but it sure is cute.

the 3 older ones have been sleeping in a tent together all week (every night i go to bed PRAYING that tekoa won't pee in it- so far, so good :)
and it is killing wren that she can't sleep with them.
i always rock her to sleep after i tuck the older kids in, and this week she's been interrupting my songs every 30 seconds to say, "tent, mama" "ty, shaeya, foa (koa is foa) in tent" "i want tent."
maybe i should have let her try it, but i don't think she would ever go to sleep.... maybe i should just move her in there while she's asleep tonight...she would LOVE to wake up in the tent :)

we have a really full day tomorrow with church, lunch with my family, and dinner with dave's family. but i'm hoping we can carve out some time in the morning to talk with our kids about easter and to worship our Father together.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you..."
1 peter 1:3&4