Hi friends! Sorry for my monthlong absence! Things have been wonderfully full and busy and wild and fun and did I mention full?! Since I've blogged last we've welcomed 5 new babies and I've been able to introduce 5 new families to their new babies for the first time. I feel like I am just beginning to make my way out of a really dense fog of transition in resettling back here at DOH and in South Africa in general. The good news is that I feel like I have finally found my "sea legs" once again... thanks so much for the prayers, words of encouragement and support. 

I had the joy of placing our biggest girl with her mommy at the beginning of this month. Toddler placements are sensitive introductions but this placement was absolutely picture perfect! Our big girl was excited, relaxed and beyond ready to meet her mommy. A week or so before the placement, I started showing her pictures of her new family, discussing the placement process and preparing her for her big day. We spent time picking up out her outfit, packing up all of her mementos and going over and over the whole process. The big day finally arrived and our girl did so well! She confidently walked into her mom's arms, happily sorted through all of her new presents and boldly sang the song we practiced together day after day. In her little mousy voice she sang: "I can do all things, all things, all things. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13" louder than she had ever practiced! They had a lovely picnic in our garden, had a brief tour and then off she went to start her new life with her precious new family. She has been made for amazing things!

One of our boys meet his precious family this past week: a mommy, a daddy and a big sister who was also adopted from Door of Hope a few years ago! The placement was possibly one of the most peaceful handovers I've been apart thus far. Our boy was so settled and his family was so sweet and quiet I almost felt like I should be whispering the whole time! It was very special... here we are waiting outside right before we met his sister. As you can see we are heading into fall... he loved stepping on all the crunchy leaves.

My little "California State Flower" met her family this month as well. Our girl bonded immediately with a lovely local couple who became parents for the very first time once she was settled into their eager arms. It was a unique placement because the handover happened onsite at Baby House 2. I loved that the Aunties got to meet the family on adoption day and got to see our baby girl all dressed up and ready for her placement. I am always amazed at our Father's faithfulness to place our little ones into the arms of their parents at the perfect time and in the perfect way. Here she is all dressed up and ready to meet mommy and daddy!

I got some exciting and (sad for me) news: my Queen Bee is going to her family in her family's arms in just over a week's time! I am going to miss her SO MUCH but I am so very thankful that she will be going home soon. She is just the most delightful, joyful and content babies I've ever had the joy of loving. I cannot imagine how much joy, love and happiness she is going to be bringing to her new mommy and daddy. One of the good parts of her going to her family soon is that I get to take her out to socialize her. For Queen Bee that included coming over to my flat and getting a pedicure:

And she had another couple of hundred pictures taken including a photo shoot including a set of pictures in one of the most fun outfits ever! Auntie Lauri bought this amazing tutu for Esther when I was home over Christmas. The shirt and leg warmers are from Target... I have to say that babies in leg warmers might be one of my favorite things ever!

This picture is from one of the photo shoots we took outside and this picture totally reminds me of my brother Dan's songs that he wrote for his wife Emily. "...she folds her hands in just the right way...". Queen Bee is a little princess in so many perfect ways! 

I am going to miss my girl more than I think I am ready for! I feel more connected to my Queen Bee than any of my kiddos before... even more than my big boy "JJ". When she first arrived she spent the first two weeks of her life with me... including all of her middle of the night feedings, her first cries and coos and her first bath. She wriggled her little way right into my heart over those 14 days and has never left! So I am busy covering her in kisses and soaking her in as much as I can until the day we have to part ways...

We are quickly heading into fall her in Jozi which means it is officially baby snow suit weather in our houses. Here are a few of the cutest snapshots. Here is Queen Bee in a fabulous pink one:

One of my favorites is this penguin one for our little BH3 baby boys:

Complete with little penguin footies:

 Here is baby "H" in a pink bear outfit... her hands are also folded perfectly!

I've been gathering up things to put into Queen Bee's scrapbook and I've decided to include this E.E. Cummings in her book. I think it sums up perfectly how I feel about my babies and our time together. I will leave you with it below. Thank you for your prayers and love... we love you! 

Love, nicole and her babies

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) 
i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
                                  
i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) 
i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows 
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)