Year End Review - A Layton Photo Journey

Since this year has had major happenings, and changes I thought it would be good to review all the blessings...


January 1- Kitumani Children's Home opened it's doors.  We were ready to take the first boy under two!! Our homestudy was done, just waiting for US approval.  Here are some pics from the last year.

February brought a visit from our niece, more fingerprints for the adoption, and waiting.

March no real events, just tea parties and lots of playing, and waiting and praying for who God would bring to our family.

April always includes egg dying and the Celebration of Christ's Resurection.

May brought a answer to our prayers! Mark Joseph Layton was born, and named our son!

June began with a lot of excitement, a ton of adoption paperwork, lots of birthdays, and a great family vacation!

July, our adoption paperwork was coming to a close.  Trying to figure out all the steps to finalize Mark's adoption, and travel dates for Phil to go. And of course our yearly church "Family Camp" camping trip (the highlight of the kids summer, although Adam kept asking when we were going home.)

August was the month that seemed like a year.  Phil's tickets bought and ready to leave on the 27th.  But in God's perfect plan three days before Phil was to leave, our sweet boy was taken from this world.

August 29, Phil arrived in Congo

August 30, Phil buries our son

September 9, Phil is scheduled to return to the US.  Three days before he is to leave God gives us another son.

September 10 Phil is HOME!

September 12 we begin the whole adoption process AGAIN!

September 26 we take a emergency trip to San Francisco to get my passport renewed...fast!  I spent most of the day in lines, the rest of the family got the see the sights.  Adam's favorite... what he called "The Golden GREAT Bridge".

October, we are ready for Africa leaving October 2.

October 4, I get to see Matteus for the first time!

October 5 final adoption judgment

October 7, I leave Congo to return to the US, Phil leaves Lubumbashi to go to Kinshasa.

Praise God for the Greene's!!

He is ours!!

October 26, he is HOME!!!

In the two short months that Matteus has been here God has melted and melded our hearts together as a family, and has amazingly grafted him quickly into our home.

Here are a few favorite pics from the last two months...

First taste of ice cream!

The Compassion for Congo Team

And our favorite picture of the whole year... 

The Layton Kids Get Funky

Here are the little Laytons in their Christmas outfits getting their groove on, just for fun, wishing you a Merry Christmas.

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/J4tSGqdXr0KrmvXrYfsh

Wednesday with Didier

Yesterday we were blessed to spend the afternoon with Didier. Here are the brothers, 2 shorter Layton brothers in matching shirts, and 2 taller brothers holding them in matching shirts.

He also gave our kids a drumming lesson. In Congo they can make an instrument out of anything, and they do in their church services.

Jaime's parents came into town today and my parents arrive tomorrow, and so this Sunday Matteus' grandparents will get to meet Papa Didier. He will be at Grace Bible Church Fair Oaks where he is preaching one last time before flying back to his family Monday in Congo where he will be home for Christmas.

Link to Radio Interview and Compassion for Congo site

The audio of last night's interview is posted below. Phil comes on at about the 16:40 mark.

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sermonID=127111047520

It was a brief interview but we pray the Lord may use it to move some listeners to become parents for this precious ministry and/or to help Didier and his children's home in some way. For any of you who have not yet checked out the website for Compassion for Congo (Didier's ministry, the site includes options for support and some pics and history), the link is below:

http://www.compassionforcongo.org/

Pray for Me as I Will Be on Live Radio Tuesday Night to Talk About Our Adoption

Tuesday night I (Phil) will be interviewed live on AM 710 (Sacramento KFIA) at 6:15 p.m. for a few minutes to talk about:
- our adoption and how God moved in our hearts to adopt
- encouraging listeners to learn more about adoption spiritually, and for some, to encourage them to consider adopting, and recommended resources
- how having a multi-ethnic family relates to the gospel
- more about the Compassion for Congo ministry and how listeners can help if they desire

Not Bad for a 1-year-old in first 5 weeks of a new language

A lot of you have asked how Matteus is doing and is he learning English. At first, we tried to communicate in the limited Swahili we'd learned from Didier to make the transition easier for him, but some of the early English phrases he learned and used in proper context (that I started teaching him in Congo) were "up, please" and "more, please", "OK", "cutie pie" and "I love you."

Here is some of the vocab he picked up pretty quick in the first couple weeks:

- "Tooth Brush"

- "Moto Train"
- "Moto Truck"
- "Mama moto-car" (this is #1 on the list as far as usage)

- "Cracker"

- "Milk"

- "Book"

- "Cat"
- "Dog"
- "Food"
- "Thank you"
- "Church"
- "Owie" (as he shows us where to kiss to make it feel better)

How is it going lately? Maybe the best way to answer is by sharing some things he's said in the last couple days:

- "Momma, I need my shoes"

- "I'm gonna get you" (his favorite game of tag/tickle and first long phrase)

- "Try and get me" (when it's your turn, pronounced "trawn-gimme")

- "Momma, Watch" (which is repeated many times)

- "Look" (which is also repeated many times)

- "Christ-a-mas Lights"

- "Christ-a-mas Tree"

He can mimick the ring tone on my cell phone and will come to me mimicking it to let me know that my phone rang. There are so many words he understands, it's really amazing how quickly he is learning. You'll have to forgive us if we can't help posting video footage of our 1-year-old cutie pie   

Matteus counts to ten

Now I know my ABCs

Layton brother duet "Jesus Loves Me"



I think the shorter Layton got distracted by a moto-car :)