“We do not create our destiny; we participate in its unfolding.”
―David Richo
Did I ever tell y’all about our newest neighbors? They moved into the house directly behind us last summer and you won’t believe where they lived before that: Haiti!
Yep. They relocated to Haiti in June of 2010 to launch a new phase of their ministry- Pathfinder Ministries. In 2011, they became co-directors of the Children’s Hope education initiative in Jacmel and area directors for Children’s Hope in Jeremie/Anse Du Clerc. They led the construction of two orphanages and oversaw the operation of 8 schools. They also led Bible studies, preached in local churches, and taught English to local Haitians, so you can imagine how excited we were when we found out they were moving into the house across the alley! I mean, what are the odds, ya know? And what a gift to have neighbors that speak our son’s native language right in our backyard!
And speaking of our little love, I put together a video of some of my favorite i-phone clips to share here today. I hope it makes you smile too! 😀
And if you left a comment on my previous post- thank you so much for leaving me such kind and encouraging words to find! You will never know how much I appreciate and cherish them…and you!
Be still my heart! Such a precious gift you are to each other- all 3 of you. And a blessing to those of us that read your blog and are inspired by your joy and goodness. Congratulations from the bottom of this strangers heart!!
Amazing!! So happy for you and your little family! Lots more hugs and kisses in your future:)
I have followed you for many years and I have been cheering for you empathising with you and praying for you! this makes my heart so happy to see it all come to fruition. What a beautiful bundle of joy! God is good!!! Thank you for sharing your journey! As I’m sure you have now realized… The journey has just begun!
Too precious for words! I am so very happy for y’all!
He is adorable and you are both so cute with him! Praise God for his gift to you!
So precious!!!
This made me BAWL!!! I am so thrilled you will be bringing your son home soon. My heart has ached for you over the years as you faithfully waited and kept having to say goodbye to him. Prayers for you all as you transition to living under one roof, a forever family. <3
Smile…. Sob…. Whatever! Thank you so much for sharing your video, I can’t wait to see the one at the airport! Good luck and I hope you have speedier processes going forward and get to bring him home soon.
Oh, my goodness! So adorable! 🙂 And your neighbors… just amazing. God is so good!
Oh so very thrilled like all of your readers to finally see this beautiful sweet little boy!! I have tears of job watching this video and knowing that all your prayers and patience has finally paid off!! He is such a wonderful blessing from God!!!
Such a lucky little boy. I could watch your video over and over. The miracle of Sonny and now the miracle of your new neighbors who speak his native tongue—God is so good. This made me cry; so happy for your little family. So glad I could share part of this journey with you.
That’s the cutest video I have ever seen!!! So happy for your little family.
Sonny’s the little branch that makes your family tree complete. He’s a ray of sunshine!
The Happy Tears are flowing. Such sweetness and joy!!! Can’t wait for the airport Gotcha celebration.
This made me cry tears of joy for you all. So happy that y’all will get to bring him home soon. Such a joy to hear your son say I love you. I know that melts your heart. My son didn’t talk until he was three. When he said the words I love you to me it absolutely made me melt. Mother and child…a very special bond. ?
Looks like Kevin may have a future musician in the family? Thank you for allowing us to pray for y’all and share in your joy!
Hugs,
Cheryl
Tears of joy for you and Kevin. It was wonderful to see your faces the first time you met your little man. The sweet hug he gave you. There is no love like the love of a child.
Best video ever! So precious. Thank you for sharing your amazing family with us.
My heart could explode. The tears of joy I just experienced watching this are so precious. What a beautiful child and what a wonderful gift God has bestowed upon your family!
What a beautiful little boy you have. My heart filled with joy when the gate opened and he went to you and hugged both of you around your necks. So sweet. Thank you for sharing this precious video.
Thank you for sharing the video. It brought tears to my eyes to see the love and fun shared between all three of you.
That was beautiful!!!!!! Brought tears to my eyes, so happy for your new family of 3!!!!!!
There are no words to adequately describe the beautiful miracle of your precious family! Thank you for sharing these amazing photos and video of Sonny (I have been so excited to see him!) ….and thank you, dear Jesus, for placing this little lamb into Layla and her husband’s sweet care. Amen! :o)
This brought tears and laughter. My heart is full of joy for the 3 of you.
Hi! I am one of your quiet guests at the Lettered Cottage but I had to take a minute to say congratulations to you and your husband on your Blessing from God. I cried tears of joy for you as I watched your video. So very happy for your little angel that he has two loving parents and a family to call his own. Wishing you many years of happiness. You are blessed and so is your son.
Elaine
Oh, Kevin, Layla, & Steevenson, this is such HAPPY news!! We are Rejoicing with you! You are a beautiful family!
Praise be to God. This brought tears and such joy to my heart!!!
Many blessings to your beautiful boy Sonny!!!
Speechless, but not tear less!!!! So precious…..Congratulations.”You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.” Isaiah 55:12
Thank you for letting us into your heart and life. Blessed by your journey. His first hug brought tears to my eyes. God bless you and your “Sonny” as you become a family.
No words; just tears! How absolutely precious!
That is one lucky boy! I know you feel so blessed as well.
Sharing happy tears with your family today!
I am so happy for you! these are precious
Thank you for this gift! It’s been so long waiting to meet Sweet P. And now all this! Thank you for sharing your joy.
Oh what a beautiful video!!! I can hardly see through my tears to write this but I’m so happy for you and your husband and precious little boy!!! It brings back all the memories when we brought our baby girls home from India in 1982 and 1984. I just can’t wait till he can come home to his forever family. He is adorable-truly a gift from God.
Heart melt! Such a beautiful joyful montage. Many blessings to you all. 🙂
Grinning from ear to ear? but as I beheld the unveiling of your boy and the love between all you, I felt so honored to witness this Holy and Heavensent gift called ” family”.
So very happy Layla…may every day be sweeter than the next!!
Just sobbing, praise be to God! What a beautiful family!
I did not cry!!! My smile was wide and I kept giggling and drawing my hands to my chest. I think of all the little ones I’ve taught and we’d meet when they were six or seven yet our bond was so strong. And I wasn’t even their Mommy. So great will be your bond established once he’s home I’m just delighted!!! You will find that he will know English so quickly it’s amazing!!! What is this? Who uses it? How do we use it? Why? Have you?? I’d do that with our phonics pictures for my ELD students so that they could talk about a hose and we’d giggle about getting wet in one. It won’t be hard. And you’ll enjoy this special time of walks and story time and talks and looking at trees and bugs and worms and swings. Glorious days I see and my heart rejoices!!! God is good.
I did laugh – through all my tears. So happy for all three of you.
Tears on a Friday morning! What a beautiful little boy and what wonderful news that he is “officially” now your son, although has had your heart for over 3 years. The video where he walks out a little slowly and then throws his arms around your husband – ah, just so touching. As the sun is shining out my window and spring is around the corner, can’t help but think of all the beautiful things blossoming for you and to come! So blessed!
My tears are flowing! Our God is so good!!!
God bless you and your family.. I tried to watch this video on my bus ride to work but had to stop because I started crying… just finished watching. I’m so happy for you and your husband and little “Sonny!”
What an amazing video, oh my be still my heart. I had so many emotions watching these and watching you meet him for the first time almost sent tears down my face! He is TO precious my goodness.
So much happiness and so much joy for the 2 of you!
Lauren | Lovely Decor
xx
Just makes me cry tears of joy! What a blessing you are to that precious little boy! I know he will bless your lives. God is so great!!!!
Layla, I am so happy for all three of you. Sonny is so beautiful and funny and just a joy! God bless you all. <3
So happy for you, Kevin and Sonny! Brought tears to my eyes when you were waiting to hug him and kiss him for the first time. He is so handsome; those eyes, that smile, and his laugh! May God continue to bless you all.
I just kept smiling watching this and saying to myself “God is so good!”
Your video made me cry. Such a perfect little boy with a sweet, sweet smile.
I was overjoyed when you finally got that last, signed document and posted pictures of your beautiful son. Oh! He is so cute! And now, you have shared these video clips of these most precious moments with him; I think it is incredibly generous of you to let us have a sneak peek at those early visits with him.
I thought my heart would burst when he ran to Kevin and when he kissed you right away. I have been a follower of your blog from nearly the beginning and these last couple of posts are beyond words. How blessed all three of you are to have each other!
…. And your new back yard neighbor! What a God thing! Doesn’t He always provide?!
I cant wait to watch the rest of your journey together unfold.
Oh my GOODNESS…I know you already know that words cannot express how OVERJOYED I am that this day has come. Many fervent prayers have gone up and OUR GOD has answered them in His time and for that, we say “THANK YOU!!” I can’t WAIT to hug this sweet boy and see that beautiful smile in person. I love you ALL and am so blessed to be a part of your lives. <3
No wonder you and Kevin fell in love with Sweet P! He is so precious!