Eliana's almost 2

After a few months away from the blog we are back into the blogosphere just in time for Eliana's second birthday.  Not that there wasn't a lot to say, but life with 2 kids, a business, work, etc. has taken up all the available time.  I am sure those of you with kids can relate :)

On June 26th, 2011 this wonderfully cute bundle of joy came into our lives at 3lbs. 6oz.  She came home from the NICU in August and what a journey it has been.  Not only is she a wonderful, joyful and terrifically independent little girl, but she is a wonderful little sister to Patrick.  We love these kids in ways that can only be explained by God and parenthood.

This year we are having a lady bug birthday party with a NO GIFTS component (Grandparents excepted).  Evites will be forthcoming.  The reason behind this is twofold.  The first reason is that 2- year-olds don't need a ton of gifts.  The gifts from parents and grandparents will be plenty and won't overwhelm the play area with more stuff.  The second reason is that it allows us to ask you to help support our friends, Alison and Cheyenne Kroeker as they raise money for their second adoption.  Please use the money that you were planning to spend on a gift for Eliana (whether your propensity is to purchase from the dollar bin at Target or something much more extravagant!) and let it help the Kroekers adopt their second child.  Eliana was given to us by God as our beautiful second child through adoption, and we desire to see that blessing extended to our friends.  Adoptions are expensive (in the range of 20K - 30K,) so we would like to do whatever we can to help our friends raise the necessary funds needed.  Vivian and I are passionate about adoption and can't wait to see what little child is brought into the Kroekers' lives by God through adoption.  Below is the fundraising article from the Kroekers' blog which you can find at the following link.

Kroeker's Blog

We have chosen a PUZZLE FUNDRAISER to fund a majority of the costs for our adoption. (Domestic Newborn Adoptions range from approximately $18,000 to $30,000) We have two methods you can use to make a donation through sponsoring a piece of our adoption puzzle!  Will you please help spread the word?

We are asking for a donation of $10.00 per puzzle piece (puzzle pictured above).  You can, of course, sponsor as many as you would like... (if you choose $10 = 1 piece, $20 = 2 pieces, $40 = 4 pieces, etc...). When every piece of this puzzle is sponsored we will have raised $10,000!! Which is what our agency fees will be (not including birth mother costs).

We will then write your name on the back of the pieces you sponsor, and once our puzzle is completed, we will frame the puzzle in a double-sided frame.  We will be able to see the names of all the individuals who helped us bring our baby home! Each piece we put together will make this process come to life as we see the puzzle grow into the beautiful picture!

For both methods, in the comment or memo box, please put in the names for us to write on the puzzle piece(s)

To donate with a tax deductible receipt go to our Ordinary Heroes fundraising page:http://www.grouprev.com/kroekeradoption and click on the "Donate Now" button!! ***All donations through our fundraising page at Ordinary Heroes are charged a 2.9% processing fee***

To donate where 100% of your donation goes to our adoption costs, go to PayPal and send it via bank account transfer to Cheyenneandalison@yahoo.com ***All transactions through bank accounts are not charged a processing fee***

We are so excited to see with our God is doing and going to do throughout our adoption journey as we grow our family! 

Please feel free to share this with anyone and everyone you know!!!! Every little bit helps so much! Even if you can't sponsor a puzzle piece or donate towards our cause we'd cherish your PRAYERS most of all!!!!!!

Colorado Skiing February 2013

If your ideal vacation is one where the kids don't fight, kids eat perfectly and have wonderful manners all the time.  One where kids go to sleep the moment you tell them then this vacation wasn't it!!
BUT
If your ideal vacation is one where kids experience the beauty of God's creation, have a great time, learn to ski and enjoy the snow country at Copper Mountain.  One where the parents share the duties of kids and still get to ski themselves then this was that kind of vacation. 

Seeing Patrick learn to go downhill by himself was priceless!! (We will save stopping for another time :))
Seeing Eliana be our little snow bunny was equally priceless!
So all in all when you add up the costs, the effort, the situations you end up with only one thing left to say.  Thank You God for a priceless week at Copper Mountain Colorado.
Enjoy the video of our time here
Colorado2013 from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Train Station

With thousands going to the mall the day after Christmas we decided to go to the train station.  No need to get on a train, the experience of seeing the trains and hearing them is good enough for us!  Patrick and Eliana love trains and the San Juan Capistrano train station is a very scenic place to visit.  It is a favorite among those who make their living taking photographs.  All in all it was a fun family day relaxing in the cool air.  No video this time, only a large collage of photos.

Enjoy

Chirstmas Eve 2012

"How it is."  That is the theme of the video attached to this blog posting.  It is a raw, (basically) unedited video showing life in the Turner household.  Lots of energy from two wonderful kiddos.  The video starts with Eliana in a gorgeous dress because she wouldn't stand still for a picture.  But with the world of smartphones these days all things multimedia are possible.  Patrick may or may not be a typical four year old, but he is full of energy and enjoys dancing to Handel's Messiah or Bach's Magnificat or any other high energy music.  I see Vivian and I as ring leaders of this circus.  Before Patrick and Eliana arrived we had many ideas of how kids would act, think, behave... and well, let us just say that kids will be kids whether you like it or not!  Unpredictable is a word that comes to mind.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Life with kids is priceless, especially during this Christmas season.  This is a time when we are asked to remember that the redemption plan began with Christmas.  For those who put their faith and trust in Jesus who died for our sins on Easter, the promise is that we will spend Eternity with God instead of without Him.  That is the meaning of Christmas and we look forward to our birthday party for Jesus tomorrow.  Bring on the cupcakes!!!

2012 Update from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Active Winter Sports

Active winter sports in southern California are quite different than other parts of the county.   Instead of downhill skiing, cross country skiing, mountain climbing with ice boots etc we have 84F in November.  So a little basketball, soccer and cycling from a toddler variety is in order.  These two kids are growing up quickly so it was time to capture a few moments of video with the kids.  With the help of my Nokia 920 and a beautiful sunny thanksgiving week the following video is the result.  I fully realize that this is the type of thing that parents and relatives enjoy but others not so much.  Regardless I am forever thankful that I get to record these types of memories in video format with such ease and create a timeless memory since I am told that they will be driving and graduating from high school in the blink of an eye

Hope you enjoy the video

ActiveSports from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

It is not about the bike!!

I had time recently to reflect on the meaning of my bicycle rides in various parts of the world (what they did for me, what memories were there, etc.)  Some of the years included milestones in my small world of cycling.  I recall one year where I rode multiple 100-mile bike rides.  On the year of my 40th birthday I rode the alps in Switzerland, France and Italy.  The next year I rode the mountains in Northern Italy for seven days.  These were some epic days: the beauty of the mountains was amazing and the fellow cyclists were supportive and fun.  I marvel that my weekly ride was up and down the beautiful ocean-lined coast of Southern California where people spend thousands of dollars to vacation.  I could go on but by now you are wondering what the point is.  The point came to me today when I went on a bike ride of about 1/4 of a mile (maybe even less.)  But there I was riding down to the end of my housing tract with clip-less pedals and tennis shoes on my mountain bike while pretending to race against Patrick on his tricycle.  It was one of those priceless moments when I realized that it is not about the bike; it is not even about me.  It is about the beauty of a father/son moment.  I am sure there will be others but I have always looked forward to bicycle rides with Patrick and Eliana and this was the start.  The excitement of going over speed bumps (which we call "bump bumps,")  the thrill of seeing Patrick pedal that tricycle hard to "keep up" with Dad,  the fun of just spending time together.  It makes me more than thankful that God through his providence chose to put Patrick and Eliana in our lives.

Thanks for reading

Transitions

I feel as if I have been telling adoption stories nonstop for the past 4 yrs +. It started before Patrick was born and continued through today. I am grateful for the chance to tell the stories of Patrick's and Eliana's adoptions and all the transitions that we have gone through together as a family. Last Wednesday August 22nd was Eliana's adoption finalization court date. Even though it seemed like a mere formality, it was a major transition point. It is the point at which she became a legal Turner. Nothing changes in our eyes: she is still ours, we still love her, we still pay all the bills, we still can't imagine life without her. But nonetheless, it is another major milestone in her life.

I have often thought that this would be the final transition in the adoption story of Patrick and Eliana but I can tell that is far from the truth. Now we begin the slow process of revealing their birth stories to them. Patrick already knows that he and Eliana are adopted, but his ability to process the information is not quite developed. As they grow older, more of their stories will be told and parenting will become more exciting everyday.

I have been reminded on multiple occasions that I shouldn't blink because if I do, the kids will be filling out college applications and getting married before I know it. I am therefore encouraged to enjoy every possible moment, good and bad, happy and sad, so that when we shoot them out into this world as arrows (Psalm 127:3,) we realize that we have taught them well, trained them as much as possible, and enjoyed every last moment of their lives with us.

Thanks for reading.