Happy Birthday, Ian!

Ten years ago today, Ian Kini Lindo was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica. We don't know much about his birth or his first 18 months, but we do know that God created him just the way he is for His perfect purpose and for His Glory! And, we also know that for the last 8 1/2 years, he has been in a wonderful children's home, called Robin's Nest, where he has been loved and cared for and quite possibly, doted over. :-) We are most thankful that the same God that created Ian and watches over him, laid it on our hearts to bring him home and make him part of our family. So, even though we aren't actually celebrating his birthday for 2 more weeks (we wanted everyone to be able to be here!), we are thanking God for him today and for the joy he is! Happy Birthday, Ian! We love you and are so glad you are here!!!

I think he was around 4 years old in the above and below pictures.

Always has that famous smile!

I snapped this picture of the birthday boy this morning! Ian Lindo Humphrey

More New Friends!

Ian enjoyed visits from Hannah and her mom this morning and Mrs. Bennett this afternoon. Hannah brought him jello jigglers in the shape of pumpkins and a very neat toy that fits right in his hand and makes noise every time he bumps it on something. While she was here, she brought him toys from his room and played with him, which he loved - especially the balloon! Mrs. Bennett brought a bag of really neat books and read to him (and Jack) and stayed to play some, too! She even let him borrow the books for awhile so we can enjoy them again. What a busy and fun day!

Ian and Hannah

Mrs. Bennett reading to Ian and Jack.

New Friends!

Ian had a visit from 2 new friends last weekend and loved every minute! We have noticed that he really loves little ones and we are assuming that it's because he was always surrounded by little ones at the children's home where he grew up. They gave us a photo album and there are pictures of children crawling all over his wheelchair and him, too. So, he loved having Isaac and Abigail visit and he even got a kiss from Miss Abigail!

Isaac wasn't too sure about this photo op!

29 Years Ago....

It doesn't seem possible that it was 29 years ago today on a beautiful, 80 degree, fall day that we said, "I do!" God has grown our marriage in so many, many ways and blessed us beyond anything we could have imagined! To Him be the Glory!

Exciting News!!

I think everyone who even remotely knows us (and several who don't) know that we are going to be grandparents in April! However, I visited with a friend yesterday who actually hadn't heard the news, so just to make sure everyone knows this most exciting, awesome, fantastic, amazing, thrilling news, I'm posting it here as well! We were home with Ian a week when Lindsay and Troy presented him with this shirt. The front has "Purdue" on it, but who cares about that when you see the back??!!!

Finally got the pictures to load...

Ian and Jack in our front yard.

Tom and Ian on the mower, making me very nervous.

Go faster, Dad!

I have no idea why this one is sideways.

Weekend Fun

Ian is enjoying his first Indiana fall (winter?) and although he shivers so much that I think he will surely freeze to death, he is never ready to come inside. On Saturday, we went for a walk and he got to ride the mower with Dad. He wasn't so sure at first because it was so big and so loud but before long, he was wanting to go faster and faster. We had a couple of hours on Sunday to relax in front of our wonderful fireplace, where Ian and Lucy (Lindsay's dog) kept each other warm.
(I'm having trouble uploading pictures, so I'm trying this without pics first. Hopefully, they will follow later.

Backing up......

Several organizations have asked us to write our adoption story and we (Tom) finally did it. So, since this blog is still in it's infancy, I thought it would be appropriate to include it here for anyone who cares. The pictures that follow are from the first time we met Ian, the second mission trip and then, finally at home with his new forever family!

Our Adoption Story
Tom & Angela Humphrey

April 15, 2008 began a journey that would change our lives and the lives of our family. On that day, we met Ian Kini Lindo at Robin’s Nest Children’s Home near Montego Bay in Jamaica.

For a couple of years, we had been discussing adoption and sensing that God was at work in our lives regarding our ‘mission’. Both of us had taken mission trips and had a heart for kids and orphans. However, with two grown, married children and an ‘empty nest’, it seemed crazy to disrupt the comfort we were enjoying. And then, along came Ian.

While on a mission trip to Jamaica, the ladies of our team visited Robin’s Nest on April 15, 2008 while the men continued work on a retaining wall at Fairview Bible College. While at The Nest, Angela and the other ladies played with the kids and learned about Robin’s Nest. At some point, Angela discovered Ian, or wheelchair Ian, as he was referred to by some. Ian was an 8-year old boy with cerebral palsy who possessed a sweet spirit and captivating smile that defied his physical condition. He was placed at Robin’s Nest when he was 18-months old. Upon meeting Ian, Angela’s heart was captured. When the men arrived at The Nest later in the day, Tom got to meet Ian and could tell that something was happening with Angela. It took all her strength to climb on the bus at the end of the day to leave Robin’s Nest as she wondered “why can’t we take him home with us?”

We spent the rest of that week praying about what God would have us to do and kept asking questions like ‘why Ian, we can’t save all children like him?’ and ‘why us?’. The only answers we came up with were ‘but, you can impact Ian’ and ‘why not?’ When we returned to the US, we met with our children and told them that we were considering adopting this special little boy who had captured our hearts. Their enthusiasm and excitement was beyond what we could have imagined. Thus began our journey.

Amidst much paperwork, phone calls and more paperwork, we were able to return to Robin’s Nest on another mission trip in April 2009. During that week, Angela was able to spend four days with Ian and Tom spent three days with him. We were able to learn about him and his needs and see that God had planted an amazing spirit into this physically challenged boy. Our time with Ian that week affirmed our plans to bring him into our home and our family.

The Jamaican courts awarded us an adoption license on July 2, 2009 and we began to make plans to travel to Jamaica to finish the process and bring Ian home. On August 22, 2009 we departed for Jamaica hoping for a one-week process and figuring it would take 10-12 days. However, due to several delays with the US Homeland Security, we were in Jamaica for three weeks. Throughout that time, we experienced many highs and lows as we struggled to see God’s hand in the delays. Yet, the longer we were there, the more we saw why there were delays. God gave us three weeks of concentrated time with Ian to get to know him and for him to get to know us. We met many wonderful people as we were able to attend church in Kingston and continue to be in contact with them after our return home. Finally, on September 12, 2009 we returned to our home with Ian.

Ian has adapted to us and us to him, very well. His sweet spirit continues and his smile melts all those he encounters. We continue to be amazed at how God has blessed us and others through Ian. His spirit, despite his physical handicap, is never dampened. What a challenge and encouragement he has been to us and our family.

For us, this adoption was a result of our allowing God to change our plans and our lives in order to reach out to a young boy who did not choose cerebral palsy. Will Ian ever walk? Will he ever talk? We have no idea, but we are trusting God that we have done the right thing for us and for Ian. Who knows what He has in store for us next!

Visit from Big Sister, Lindsay

I've been having trouble posting after Lindsay got me all set up, so am trying again. We were all thrilled to have her visit last weekend, especially Ian (he loves the grandogs and they are very accomodating to let him hug them and sit on his lap, especially Gus.) We made brownies for dessert and Ian licked the spatula, thus the chocolate face picture.