Nashville, Tennessee, December 2011~

Ravenna Eddleston writing.  Thought I would update you on how our Christmas went.

I am getting ready to pop.  Little Josiah will be born in a little under a month; it's getting harder for me to move around (let alone, breathe!).  Greg, my husband, is having to do everything; it's just too much of a chore for me, what with this gargantuan belly impeding any (and all) progress!  LOL

I have a feeling Josiah will be coming sooner than expected.  I am not in labor at all yet, but I wouldn't be surprise if I start laboring soon.  I just pray everything goes smoothly.

We will be picking our other new son, Maddox Nathaniel, this weekend.  We got the call yesterday from the adoption caseworker; Maddox has one more day of testing and then he will be here in America!!  We are all so excited we can hardly stand it!!

Grace, our only daughter, is looking forward to helping Mommy and Daddy take care of her two new brothers, but I can tell she is bothered by the fact that she is the only girl.  She is getting used to her new American name; she is now known as Grace Mukhtar  Hope Eddleston.  She likes it a lot better than Mukhtar, even though I have repeatedly told her that Mukhtar is a beautiful name.  Grace looks at me like I have rocks for brains.  LOL  Somehow she hasn't been convinced.

Christmas went without a hitch.  The kids got everything they wanted and are busy playing with their new toys and games.  The house is bursting with noise and constant activity.  I just wish that I could be having a girl for Grace; that way, she won't be left out with all the boys in the family: she will soon have five brothers ... and no sisters (yet, though that may change in the future if God sees to it! LOL).

I'll be glad when Paul, David, and Grace go back to school; it will be a lot  quieter.  Paul and David have been at each other's throats and Grace is tired of having to babysit her younger brother.  Well, she has her work cut out for her because she will soon have two more brothers to watch over! Right now she has it relatively easy! LOL

Grace has completed physical therapy.  She has reached her peak potential.  She may always have the slight limp (and the braces on her legs; she has weak ankles), but I am pleased at how far she has come along.  That is one less thing she has to worry about.  The doctors are pleased at her progress and have basically thrown her out: they don't want to see Grace until at least April!  Then her next appointment will be in July!

The weather here in Montpelier, Vermont, is brutally cold, windy, and snowy.  The kids are staying indoors; it is not safe for man or beast.  The wind chills are in the minus zeros to minus teens; it is dangerous to be outside, according to the weather forecasts.  No worries: as long as the power holds, we can still stay warm with the fireplace and wrapping up with extra blankets or throwing more clothes on, to preserve our body heat.

I pray the power doesn't go out!

Well, Greg has made supper. so it's time for me to waddle into the kitchen and eat.  But first, I will have to call him, so he can get me out of this chair!! LOL  I will write soon; if not, then Greg will, to let our friends know that Josiah has been born (safely, I hope!!) and that Maddox has arrived from China!  This is going to be a very exciting time in all our lives!!

Take care and may God bless you as much as He's been blessing us!

~Love, your friend in Vermont, Ravenna.  :)

~To be continued.~