Good Morning It's Thursday and Gates is HERE!

Hi everybody! Thanks for your love and support of our family! It was so fun to share the excitement with our Family, Friends, NLC Church Family, the faithful Keller Williams Cares team and the entire broadcasting area of NBC2 News (locally and on the internet).

Are you surprised there is sometimes a down side to media attention? Us neither.

Critical 'Anonymous' comments on all aspects of the Rudd Family's commitment to God and to adoption continue to come in as comments on the blog. Just a few though in comparison. We are so thankful that encouraging words of blessing continue also.

We understood the risk of such a public announcement. For several reasons Paul and I considered that the Lord had offered this door to us on the local news. In case you haven't noticed, closing the door in God's face isn't our style. It's our hope that people may be encouraged by this adoption story.

We pray with very real compassion for those who have been bruised in this hectic and often disappointing world around us. We truly believe that the Lord has brought you here to us on this blog so that we may love you, and we do. It's not a requirement that you love us back, but our amazing Lord Jesus instructed Paul and I personally when he said, "Love those who hate you and say bad things about you. That will prove that the Love of God is in you. It's no big deal if you just love the ones who love you, anybody can do that. Love the ones that accuse you falsely and criticize you openly and who use you despitefully to gain attention for themselves. Then everybody will know that you are children of the Most High God. His rain falls on the just and the unjust." May Grace like rain fall in all of your lives. May you know how very, very much God loves you. Our family welcomes you here and Christ Himself offers you rest from weariness and beauty for ashes. Obviously there is no light in us but God, but as followers of him in the freedom we have in him through forgiveness and the rescue of His Salvation poured out on us, we can be sun catchers for His Glory.

Now on with today's update:
Little Gates and barely older Brother woke back up at 12pm. Gates first, then Bridger followed after hearing the music jam buttons on one his toy trucks go on. They hung out looking at books on the couch, they had a snack. Note: Gates is a fan of Yoohoo (great potassium source and easy on digestion no lactose). Mamma stayed up with the little ones and Daddy slept some more. WONDERFUL Daddy that he is, jet lagged and all he got up at 4am and I went to sleep until 7am when we put the boys back to bed. All three have been asleep since then. I'm blogging and trying to unpack very quietly. I'll probably go back to sleep soon too though.

Here is a glimpse from the front row. Bridger wants to share everything with Gates until he realizes that Gates will not return the favor:-) He is doing so great with him though. He walked up to me very intently and stated, "Mamma it's just like you said. Kids don't share toys in the orphanage and now Gates isn't sharing. Can you fix him please?" I applauded his maturity and patience and stayed on the floor with them distributing the toys gently and watching closely for the defensive behaivors children learn in conditions such as special needs orphanages. Head butting, scratching like a little wildcat and throwing... well anything. Bridger's size being over 50 lbs heavier than Gates (even though they are just eleven months apart) seems to be a benefit to Gate's self control during those very brief conflicts. Mostly they have been rough housing playfully with lots of giggling and holding one another's hands and when Gates gets emotional Bridge will bring his lovies and kiss him. By seven am this morning though Gates was crying himself to sleep and Bridger shouted, "That's IT. I have to leave!" lol

Gates let me rock him and sing to him but once he is laid down he doesn't know any other way to go to sleep but to rock back and forth and cry. He never had another option and if you try to comfort him he points to the other side of the room with his tiny finger like, "Go over there! I'm trying to go to sleep." It takes time and we have plenty of it. He's eating well. I am going to go out after pedia sure (children's ensure) and double protein instant breakfast to blend with fresh fruit and his high potency vitamins. It just breaks my heart, when I lay him down on the bed he is so bony and the 'rickets floppyness' is just frightening. I cannot linger on why he is so malnurished. I need to pour my heart into taking him forward with hope.