Meet Micaela

Micaela Joy Shipman is as spunky as every picture we had ever seen of her suggested.  She is a cross between Abbi and Faith.  She is smart, busy, bossy, loving, funny, motherly, and should I mention CUTE?!  If I had $10 for every time I heard that, I would be one rich woman!

Micaela (pronounced Mi-K-eye-la) went to Children's Shelter of Cebu just shy of her 3rd birthday so she has lots of memories of her life with her first mama.  It's fun to talk to her about when Brother was born and what she did when it was just she and Mama A.  Some of her memories are quite made up too, but we try not to laugh because she's so certain of them.  Micaela is fiercely loyal and gets upset that Cayden doesn't have to same memories as she does (he was 6 wks old when he entered CSC), so she has taken it upon herself to tell him all about their mother.  As an adoptive mom it is important to allow my kiddos the chance to talk about their birthmoms.  Sometimes my big girls get upset, but then I remind them that while we gained two siblings, we can't forget that they experienced great loss, especially Micae.

Micaela's 3rd Birthday

Micaela's 4th Birthday

Last birthday before mom and dad come! 5 yrs old.

When we first met Micaela she was quite reserved.  On our first day at CSC we took Micaela to lunch.  She got into the car and when we arrived at the restaurant she grabbed my hand to go.  Guys, I about died.  Having braced myself for the worst, and thinking she may not want anything to do with me, it was clear we were going to be ok.  That would be a pattern every time we'd go somewhere. She would always want to hold my hand anytime we were in a store, mall, or restaurant. I was her security blanket.  But at night, Abbi got the honors.  Once we had the kids back at the hotel Micae and Abbi slept together.  Micaela would put her arm around Abbi and grab so tight Abbi could hardly breathe.  Brave Micaela.  

I remember leaving the orphanage with the kids belongings in tow.  The driver took us back to the hotel and all the while both Cayden and Micaela looked out the window in silence.  What was going through their mind?  Granted, we thought we knew what we were doing (HA!), but imagine leaving all you've known to start a new life with people who you've seen in pictures and talked to once via Skype.  Leaves me speechless when I think about it.

Her first trip to a pool with her forever family

Micaela is our first child who is an early bird!  When she first came home she would go to the basement to wake Faith up, bypassing mom and dad.  I'm am no where close to a morning person, so needless to say was not happy about a child waking up by 6:30.  One day I asked her when she would sleep in.  She told me that she liked getting up early because she loved it at home!  How sweet is that?  Somehow I need to become a morning person!

Micaela is super observant.  She had to have a chest x-ray, and to this day she still remembers the exact road the office was on.  

This picture is Micaela's first experience making chocolate cake and licking the beater.  She is her mamma's daughter.  Her favorite food is eggs with toast.  Side of chocolate works fine too. :)

Some of Micaela's favorite things to do are legos, pretend play (usually she's the mom and Cayden is the dad), watch morning videos, and if she could do it everyday she would play outside.  She also loves to color and write her letters, which she now knows!  On occasion we ask Micaela if she wants to go to school.  Once she found out that you go all day and you don't come home for lunch, she has decided that she wants Mom to teach her at home!

Micaela loves to wear skirts and have her hair curled.  She does not, however, enjoy the blow dryer. It is a necessary evil, dear.  We're not in the tropics!  She loves jewelry and her favorite color is blue.

Before Micaela came home we debated on a name change and decided we loved her first name which means gift from God.  I'll never forget the night I was tucking her in bed and asked her if she would like to have a new name, like Cayden had gotten.  She was so excited when I told her Joy would be her new middle name!  The next day she gave her baby doll a new name....Joy.

Micaela, you do bring such joy to our family with your infectious laugh and the funny things you say. Your courage to face a new life and love those around you will take you far.  Your heart for Jesus and prayers for your best friend to find a forever family shows us that you were wonderfully made.  The best is yet to come sweet girl.