Daddy's Home!

We enjoy picking up daddy from the airport and we had such a nice lady take a few pictures of us. Our reunion with daddy:

Poem for Mothers

She came tonight as I sat alone, the girl I used to be
And she gazed at me with her earnest eye and questioned reproachfully;

Have you forgotten the many plans and hopes that I had for you?
The career, the splendid fame, and all the wonderful things to do?
Where is the mansion of stately height with all of its gardens rare?
The silken robes that I dreamed for you and the jewels in your hair?

And as she spoke, I was very sad for I wanted her pleased with me...
This slender girl from the shadowy past the girl I used to be
So gently rising, I took her hand, and guided her up the stair
Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay innocent, sweet, and fair.

And I told her that these are my only gems, and precious they are to me;
The silken robe is my motherhood of costly simplicity.
And my mansion of stately height is love, and the only career I know
Is serving each day in these sheltered walls for the dear ones who come and go.

And as I spoke to my shadowy guest, she smiled through her tears at me.
And I saw that the woman that I am now, pleased the girl I used to be.

Author Unknown

Taken from the book, Womanly Dominion by Mark Chanski

I have been wanting to write/share a lot of things about this book. I really love this book and highly recommend it to all women, it is about our role as women defined by God. It has been very encouraging and refreshing.

I share this poem because I know many of you who have given up much to stay at home to care for your little ones. Often we have the thoughts "WHO would want this job?", "They think I do nothing satisfying and fun", "I am wasting my education, I could be doing something far greater than changing diapers and feeding babies". It is a difficult task, one I often struggle with daily, that rarely gets recognition and praise. I hope this encourages you, because I know that we (mothers) are very pleased with the life that we have, yet too often get lost in what we have given up (our careers, riches, fame, order, cleanliness, freedom, time, and even showers). We may have given up much, but we have been given even more and better things than we ever could have imagined. People may think we are wasting our education, but we are using it for something far greater, our children's future and eternity.

There is so much from this book I want to share, I hope to share more when I get the chance.

Ellie reading

Yes, Ellie can read... ok maybe not exactly, but she has memorized a few books. Check it out:

Ellie reading to Ainsley and Gerry:

Ellie Reading Book from Laura Hanlon on Vimeo.

Ellie reading before bed:

Ellie Reading #2 from Laura Hanlon on Vimeo.

Pool Time!

We have pulled out the baby pool since the weather is so nice! We love this warm weather.

Ellie Writes!

Ellie can write her name! I have already shared this with you, but I wanted to prove it to you. This is completely 100% written by herself. The only thing I help her with is putting the letters next to each other, but she will write all her letters in the right order by herself (they just will end up all over the page with no instruction). I am so proud of her!

Sisters Reading

They LOVE this book. I absolutely despise it sometimes, so I was overjoyed to find Ellie "reading" it with Ainsley. They didn't even get up when Daddy came in (which is a shocker because they always get super excited when he comes in from work for a break).

Ellie and Ainsley Reading from Laura Hanlon on Vimeo.

I am loving the interaction between the two (well, most of the time). These sweet moments make my day, even when they spend most of the day fighting each other. I am seeing more of the fighting, but I am also seeing more of moments like this... totally worth it all!

MATCHING GRANT!

We are excited to announce that we received a matching grant from the Summit Church through Lifesong for Orphans. What does this mean? That whatever we raise that is sent to Lifesong, will be matched up to $1000!!

If you would like to support us through a tax deductible donation that will be matched, please send check to and make out to, (and indicate in the memo section Hanlon/#1844 adoption):

Lifesong for Orphans

PO Box 40 / 202 N. Ford St

Gridley, IL 61744

Thanks for your support! Waiting patiently to bring home our son.

Farm Animal Days

Friday, we went to Farm Animal Days at the NCSU Beef Unit in Raleigh. They host a few days where kids can come look and touch farm animals, so much fun for preschoolers! On this beautiful warm day, I went with my friend who also has two little ones (Erin, Henry (almost 3), and Anna (9 mo)).

We had to ride separately (of course, 4 kids + 2 adults only will fit in a van which neither of us have... yet). We arrive about the same time and were shocked at the line just to park... in the cow pasture. We waited in line, chatted on our cell phones together (this is probably the most quality conversation we had), and then found a parking place. I was able to park fairly close to the entrance, but Erin ended up parking at the very back of the pasture and basically had to walk 1/2 mile to get to the entrance! Thank goodness it was a perfect spring day, it took us almost an hour just to get ready. The girls didn't seem to mind, they enjoyed people watching and the sun.

It was our first time, and we had a lot of fun. I got to show Ellie all about baby animals, let her touch the animals, and teach about where we get milk from. Ellie really loves seeing and learning about all the animals, Ainsley enjoyed looking at the animals too!

Calf nursing from cow, this was very interesting for Ellie:

Ellie and Henry:

Ainsley hanging out in the stroller (so she wouldn't escape!):

Horse (mare) with foal:

Girls looking at the pigs:

Henry and Ellie petting a goat:

Ainsley was also very brave and petted the goat. There were a lot of animals there, those not pictured above included sheep, bunnies, a bull, turkeys, and baby chicks.

I am sad we didn't get a picture of how we ended our morning. We ended up eating our packed lunch underneath a huge oak tree in the cow pasture up near Erin's car. Perfect.

Definitely going to go back next year, we had fun even though it was extremely crowded!

Feeding Myself

Here's a video of Ainsley eating all by herself! It was the first time I let her really do it completely by herself. She did great!

Ainsley- 15 months!

My little Ainsley is 15 months old! I would have to say that these past few months have been the hardest with two since she was born. I can't do many things fun (like Marbles or the library) with just me and them, Ainsley runs off one way and Ellie doesn't just follow me around chasing her little sister (I don't blame her). Ainsley is one the move and into EVERYTHING, having one this age is difficult, having another child to tend to is definitely a lot more challenging. I am simply exhausted, but boy can we have some fun together!

I do love how cute little ones are at this age, although a handful, and Ainsley is simple ADORABLE! Here are some facts about Ainsley at 15 months:
-waves at EVERYBODY
-very quiet to everybody but us. she mumbles a lot, trying to talk to us in sentences, but we don't understand any of it. she likes to scream/yell a lot when playing with her sister, this is very annoying.
-loves to give hugs, hold hands, be held, and cuddle. she usually will come up to me and Zach at least 10 times a day to give hugs. i love it.
-she still loves to read
-she likes to play by herself, and seems to really enjoy her time when her sister is gone. she loves to play with Ellie, but really seems happy to explore things on her own
-likes to hug, rock, cuddle with baby dolls and play with cars
-loves to bother her sister, mostly just to get a reaction. it's quite entertaining to watch.
-says mama, dada, doggie, kitty cat, ball, thank you, balloon, yea, and a few more I'm sure.
-eats with a spoon by herself
-great mimicker. she can copy something we do extremely well, i.e. wash herself, pretend play, talking on the phone.
-she loves to play with pretend food with Ellie, and does very well at pretending (not putting her mouth on the toys)
-likes to get into the trashcan, the dog water bowl, and the toilet. she loves toilet paper, even if it's been used (she removes it from the toilet after her sister has discarded of it, yuck and very not fun).
-still loves to eat, but has become slightly more picky. she definitely doesn't prefer anything green except avocado and lettuce. Both Ellie and Ainsley LOVE quacomole and pizza.
-sleeps in the same room as Ellie (since January), but does NOT like her sister to sleep with her.
-sleeps on her tummy most of the time.
-is the cutest little thing when she runs. she scuffles her feet really fast and has either a huge grin on her face or a very serious look.
-seems to be left handed still, but does color with her right hand.
-she still sucks her left thumb and rubs her right ear when sleepy.
-taking 1 nap a day with Ellie, and sleeps for 2 hours! what a relief!

Although she keeps me busy and easily frustrates me, I love what a sweet joy she is to my life. I can't get enough of her smiles, hugs, and cute looks. I am so thankful for this healthy, beautiful little toddler!

Marry You

What we do in our free time:

Dancing from Laura Hanlon on Vimeo.

I know the posts have been few the past month. I seem to forget to take pictures and videos, the girls are wearing me out! Ainsley is into EVERYTHING and never stops going. Ellie has been challenging, but I think we are turning a corner! I will try to get a post with some more specifics soon.

Ellie- 35 months

Okay, okay, I know Ellie is almost 3, but I wanted to go ahead and make a post about her just in case I forget some things. I should have been making more posts this past year about her because she has changed so much! She is still our little social, vibrant, beautiful girl, but she sure has grown up into a preschooler!

Facts about Ellie, listed in the order they come up in my mind:
-LOVES people and does NOT like to play alone. Wherever we go, Ellie will make a friend. If she even spots another kid running around (even if they are 10 years older than her), she wants to be their friend and play. I love this about her, she is so friendly!
-VERY stubborn. One thing that amazes me is how much will this little girl has. If she REALLY wants it, she will do it even when she knows the consequences. One example is her desire to get into her sister's crib. Sometimes she wants to play, other times she wants to just sleep with Ainsley, either way Ainsley does NOT like it. I'm not sure if we would care so much, but if it's preventing Ainsley from sleeping, we can't tolerate it. Ellie has gotten a red, raw bottom on many occasions from her stubbornness. I'm hoping this is only temporary and soon she'll start caring more about being obedient and pleasing her parents, although I don't want it to go away because this can be a positive attribute too as she gets older. I hope we can teach her well... we're working on it.
-LOVES to squeal and scream with her sister. I cannot keep this girl from screaming, if it's in a game of hide and seek or simply playing with her sister at dinner, she cannot contain herself. Girls will be girls, but I hope soon she will learn that screaming is only for outside.
-One interesting fact about Ellie is that she has only said "I love you" without being prompted a few times. She doesn't even say "I love ___". The only time she has said it, is when she tells us or Ainsley that she loves her. It is super sweet, but I can't wait for the day when she says I love you mommy. I'm not sure if this is strange, but at least I know when she does say it, she will mean it.
-Ellie loves shoes, especially dressy shoes, although she also loves to take them off. As soon as she walks in the door, she takes her shoes off. In the car it was a battle until the past 6 months to keep them on, now she continually asks. She also loves skirts and leggings, although she still lets me dress her in whatever I want, and her favorite shirt is her "party shirt". She still refuses to keep her hair up or a clip/bow in. She loves painting her toes, but hates getting her toe nails cut (fingernails she's fine with).
-She has been obsessed with tv the past year, but just recently I think she doesn't seem to care as much. Instead of asking for tv when she wakes up from her nap now, she asks to read a book. Love it.
-We haven't been to the beach or pool since September, but at least 2-3 times a month she asks to go. We are excited for the summer!
-She loves to jump and sing. One of the funniest thing she does right now is join together multiple songs. Right now her favorite song to sing consists of I Can Talk to God, Jesus loves me, and God loves you and me.
-Although she does not like to play alone, recently she has become very good at it. She will pretend play a lot. She likes to grocery shop and check out, drive her car and visit friends, talk on the phone, lead sunday school and worship, be a waitress, play doctor, and play mommy with baby doll. I often take a few moments and stop what I'm doing to just watch her, it just makes me smile.
-She has memorized a few books and often reads them to Ainsley, this is definitely a favorite of mine to watch. I'm very impressed at her memory and how fast she can memorize a book.
-Ellie knows her letter sounds and most of her letters (depends on if she wants to think). She has just started writing her name, I'll try to get a picture up soon.
-she also knows her shapes, colors, and how to count to twenty (although not perfect every time).
-still a picky eater, but getting better. Meal times are definitely a lot of work, unless it's something she REALLY likes.
-can buckle herself in her car seat all by herself! I love this, such a big help!
-favorite songs: Hosanna Rock, Jingle Bells, and recently Marry You (which we don't approve of)
-favorite books: Clifford books
-favorite tv shows: Super Why, Dora
-favorite friend: Addison (whom she also has stated that she loves)
-Loves to be thrown in the air really high.
-Loves stickers and to color.
-very curious, she wants to know everyone's name and what they are doing. We will see a random stranger in the store and Ellie tells them her name and her sister's name and asks them what they are doing.
-Ellie has never been a cuddler, always has wanted her space, until recently. She now will cuddle with me, asks to be held frequently, and will lay on my lap. I think she is starting to understand that this is a form of love.

Ellie is such a fun, lovable girl. I can have so much fun with her and although I may want to pull my hair out most days from her craziness, she always makes me smile at the end of the day. I know we are in the "terrible" stage, this soon shall pass. I don't want to forget her fun, friendly, care-free attitude. I hope to remember the good moments, not the bad ones. I love this girl, forever and always.

Adoption Setbacks...

So we have had a few hindrances with the adoption.
1. My fingerprints with the CIS were unable to be processed, so I have to go back in and redo them. I still have yet to do that, it's just not so easy to carry 2-3 children into the UCIS office. Zach has been crazy busy with work, my mom has been sick, and well I just need some help at 8am on a weekday morning! I'm hoping to get it done tomorrow, I think this will be the day! We will have to wait another 2-6 weeks for the fingerprints to be processed and approved, I'm hoping it will just take 2 weeks this time around.

2. Gladney adoptions have been on hold in Ethiopia for the past few months. There is one family under investigation, therefore the MOWA refuses to approve Gladney adoptions until this case is solved. We have no details of the case, we are just waiting until they finally get this investigation over with! They initially said it would only take 2 weeks, but nobody was surprised when they informed us it would take longer.

3. The MOWA (Minsitry of Women's Affairs, which must approve all adoptions) has just issued a notice stating they will no longer review 40 cases a day, but instead will be reviewing only 5 due to short staff! This is HUGE. It makes me a tad bit worried because this will slow things down A LOT. We don't want to wait forever to welcome an orphan into our home, there's just too many out there! This hopefully isn't a permanent thing. I'm praying the Ethiopian government won't allow this to happen and adoptions to take this long, their children are at stake!

None of this will hinder us from bringing home our child. We desire for a child to enter our home in the next year, but I still continue to trust in God's timing. Please pray for us and for these MOWA situations to resolve. Thank you for your continued support!

Early Spring

We have been enjoying the weather, we absolutely LOVE this springtime weather! Here are a few moments I caught on the camera:

Coloring with chalk:

Fun on the slide:

Hopscotch:
Hi Mom:

Done.