Monday, January 31, 2011

Goodness, I Have No Other Words...

 Here’s a few fun pictures 1st.  
 Kalyn made a birthday cake for Steve..she added a secret ingredient to the middle and now we call the recipe “Kalyn’s Chocolate Oreo Looking Dipped In Chocolate Icing Cake.”  I know, that’s a mouth full!  In more ways than one! LOL

 We started tearing out the wall in the kitchen so that we could remodel this little corner to work better.  My parents will be here this weekend to help finish it.
Our home heater broke a few days ago, and today is suppose to be the coldest day since ’97.  Steve is trying to find a part and hopefully get home to fix it later this evening.  We have a few little heaters in bathrooms to keep the water pipes from freezing and our fire place is going non-stop.   It is pretty cold here in the house today though.  Oh the adventures.  
Also, the boys bed broke and can’t be fixed.
And my little toe is broke and I think it is growing back in the wrong place.


Thank you all for your cute comments on the last post!!!  I really enjoyed a few laughs myself from your own run away adventures.
Janet asked about our van in the garage...yes, we built the garage to fit the van, which is why it fits....a normal garage size would not fit a large size van.


Kristi’s comment really had us all laughing....
"Thanks for "keepin' it real!" I love your response about the chores!
I ran away from home once too, but had to come back as soon as I got to the end of the driveway as my parents had drilled into my head not to cross the street and the sidewalk was on the other side. :)”



Sophie asked who the ring leader is - KIANA!!!!


And very importantly, Catalina asked us to pray for a little boy who was badly hurt in a fire!  Please visit her blog to find out more and let’s pray for this family.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Silly Little Darlin’s

 As I got ready to start my day, I noticed four little darlin’s getting their coats and shoes on and they had little back packs and bundles over their shoulders.  I asked them what they were doing, and they told me between giggles that they were running away.  
 I asked them why and they told me they were running away so that they wouldn’t have to do their chores any more.
 You will notice that it is a little cold...and that Landon thinks that they are just a little crazy.  Landon is way to practical to do something this crazy.  However, little Keshawn would like to go with them, except that he is barefoot.  By the way, Joeliana is in flip-flops, just in case you were wondering.   
 As they started on their way a beautiful soft snow began to fall.  I was glad to see that teddy was going with them to watch over my silly darlin’s. 

 As Keshawn and I watched them walking down the drive way, he gave them a little wave good-bye.  

 I went back inside with Keshawn, who began to cry because he couldn’t go with the little run aways.  Kalyn walked by him and lovingly said “I’m sorry Keshawn, but you’re not old enough to run way."
 Silly darlin’s, do you want to tell them that running away wont get them out of their chores;
Or should I?


The rest of the story...they did come back home after a few minutes, and when I asked them why they were back so soon, they said they would run away when the weather got warmer.  Then they asked if they could have some thing warm to drink.
My answer...”Yes, my most precious darlin’s...as soon as you finish your chores."

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Great Day For Up!

“UP! UP!  The sun is getting up.
The sun gets up.
So UP with you!
UP! ear number one...
Ear number two.
Up, heads!
Up, whiskers!
Tails
UP! UP!
Great day, today!
great day for 
UP!
UP! UP!
You!
Open up your eyes!”

From one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books, Great Day For Up. 
Do you have a favorite Dr. Seuss book?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Who Do They Belong To?

A Prayer taken from Isaiah 44:3-4
“Father God, I ask you to pour out Your Spirit upon my children and that Your blessing would be upon my descendants.  I pray that they would spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams.  And that they would declare “I AM THE LORD’s”!!!” Amen

Monday, January 24, 2011

I Can’t Wait...

to say
"Ni shi bao bei”
to these two!!
(You are so precious!)
And I am going to tell her
“Ni zhen mei li!!!!” every day.
(You are so beautiful)
And I am going to tell him
“Ni zhen ying jun!!!!” every day
(You are so handsome!)
And I am going to communicate in every way I can
that I am so glad God gave them to our family!

Friday, January 21, 2011

LIVE!!!

Live all the days of your life!”  Johathan Swift.
I saw this quote somewhere and thought how funny, because I was just actually thinking something like that this morning.  I want to LIVE each day, not sludge through them.  I want to be passionate each day, not weighed down.  I want to shine each day, not moodily get by.  
Ahhh, except for one little thing that frustrates me so...my sin nature!  God’s child in me wants to LIVE and SHINE for His glory.  Yet, the sin in me wants to live and shine cuz it’s funner than being all down, tired and moody.  I think I need to look for the beauty and color I can find today.
Was that random or what?
Womanhood...can’t live with it, can’t get away from it.  
My prayer today is from great inspiration John Piper;
“Hallowed be Thy Name” - Father God, I pray that in all the world Your Name would be regarded as precious.
“Thy will be done on earth as in Heaven.”  My precious LORD, I pray that the hearts of my family would be changed to do Your will with the same zeal and purity that the angels have in Heaven.”
The sun is shinin’ in....time to make my bed an begin this day!
Loves to you all!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

My Mother Will Be So Proud

I have fond memories of mom sewing and she was so good at it.  And she did a great job of teaching me to sew.  I have clearly stated here more than once that I just don’t really like to sew.  Mom taught me so well to sew that I really have no excuse; I know HOW to sew; I just don’t like to.  And then comes Caresse, and she is all talented and loves to sew, however, she needed me to teach her some basic things.  So I thought that the easiest way to do this was to sew a skirt for me and teach her from that.  Well, one thing led to another, and the wonderful book that we got, Sew What-Skirts, really motivated me and I bought fabric for 4 skirts - 2 for me, 1 for Caresse and 1 for Kalyn.  Above is the 1st one...a VERY simple but cute skirt for me.  
Did I do O.K.?

You Wouldn’t Believe What I’m Doin'



And I’m not sure what they are doin’.  I think the front child is suppose to be a horse, but I really think her load is unfair.
Yesterday was a great day for this child....
She passed her driving test, so yes, I have a new driver in the house!  
It’s been busy here this week so far, but I’m thinking that the rest of the week should calm down.  
Time to go back to that thing that you wouldn’t believe I’m doin’.  I’ll show and tell later.

Monday, January 17, 2011

A Biblical Approach To Cleaning A Toilet?

"Biblical Worldview" has become a popular phrase in many Christian circles.  Have you thought of it much?  At 1st, I didn't give it much thought...I felt I was already pretty much looking through my "Biblical" glasses at the world around me, and I certainly want to teach my children to know and live by the truth found in the Scriptures.

But, I've been thinking a little more on this after reading the below quotes from Total Truth by N. Pearcey....

"The danger is that if Christians do not consciously develop a Biblical approach to the subject (all subjects), then we will unconsciously absorb some other philosophical approach."

"In other words, not only do we fail to be salt and light to a lost culture, but we ourselves may end up being shaped by that culture."

"We just begin by being utterly convinced that there is a Biblical perspective on everything - not just on spiritual matters."

Do I believe that there is Biblical perspective on EVERYTHING?  And are there some Bible ideas that I have rejected because they were to hard, or I didn't like them?

I'm really trying to look at some of my thinking and find those thoughts or ideas that I have absorbed from my culture.  I know that I had many problems in my marriage during the 1st years because I had certain ideas and expectations that lined up with my cultural world views, but certainly not Gods Biblical truth.  I have learned that even some good "Christian counseling, books and sermons" are laced with a cultural opinion.

It made me think of one of the very 1st things that the LORD did when He brought His children out of Egypt.  They did not know the LORD's ways, they only knew Egypt's ways.  So He sent something simple, the 10 commandments, and told them to learn them and be careful to do them.  Sounds easy enough really, but before I can judge them for falling so quickly back into their "Egyptian" ways, I would be wise to learn a lesson from their mistakes.  I am sure that many of the stories in the Bible are partly there to teach us the dangers and mistakes that others have made and to help us learn from them.  I think it is probably easier than we think to "fall" into cultural ideas that are against God's ideas.  And God makes it very clear through out the Bible that He considers this REBELLION.

We live in a culture that does not know the LORD's truths nor does it typically try to keep them.  The danger that I want to be very aware of is how easy it can become to fall into ideas that are against what the LORD has clearly given us.  And to teach our children to REALLY know how HE has told us to live.  It's really pretty easy to see...it'll be the way that is opposite of what the world says.  Is there a Biblical Approach to cleaning a toilet?  "Do all things without complaining" is the first thing that comes to mind.  Let's look at our thoughts and actions and do some detective work;  are they lining up with the LORD or with the world?  I really want to encourage myself and you to be very careful about the influences around us and our families!


 

Sunday, January 16, 2011

I Know...I’m Bragging

Caresse loves to sew, like I have said in other posts...and I hate to sew, as I have also stated!!!  Being a very “smart” home school mother, I found some wonderful books to “teach” Caresse so that I wouldn’t have to.  
One of the books (that I love), starts out “Do you fall in love with fabric?” - yes...that is Caresse.  The book is Sew What! Skirts and she loves it.  It teaches her how to make her own patterns for skirts, which she just seems to be a natural at.  
Well, she got so motivated that she sewed a SHIRT for Garett.  No patterns, except what she drew.  And, I have to brag, because I am very proud of her first shirt.  And Garett is very proud of his new shirt also.  He wore it to church today!
Now I am trying to control myself as I think of all the projects I have for Caresse.  She is afraid I am going to chain her to the sewing machine.  Can I do that?  If I feed her?  O.K., O.K.  I wont, and I may not have to if I just provide beautiful fabric for her!!!  I see an evil plan evolving....

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Time Is Running Out!!!

Yes, time is running out for some precious boys in China who wait for their families to find them.  Please take a look and help spread the word everywhere you can.  Within a few weeks their time may be up.  Please visit ASIA’s blog to find out more and spread the word for these precious boys and others!


"There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in."

- Graham Greene

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Amazing God News

And I couldn’t wait to tell you;
 See that cutie there in the middle?  Yea, my mom, lovingly known as Gommy to most...who is surrounded by my precious dad (Dandy) and Steve, Kim and Karla.
She’s the one who has trusted that the LORD was going to heal her after a horrible accident broke her leg over three years ago.  


She has gone through 4 (or is it 5?) surgeries trying to get her leg healed.  Time after time we heard bad news about the bone growth, still they (my parents) turned to the LORD and trusted Him and knew that He would heal her.  Those crutches have been her constant “unwanted” companions for those long years of waiting and watching to see what the LORD was going to do.  It’s been hard, emotionally and physically!!!
But JOY COMES IN THE MORNING (doesn’t it mom!)
Today, there was bone growth and she was told to throw those crutches away and come back in 18 months for a check up!!!  PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I was getting off the phone, mom told me to be sure and tell the children, who have persistently prayed for the LORD to heal and give bone growth to Gommy,  
she told me to be sure and tell them the LORD has answered our prayers!  Because she wants them to know the truth of the love and the goodness of the LORD that we serve!
Do you know what I would tell you today if you are struggling through something?
Call upon the Name of the LORD. 
Jeremiah 10: 25 talks about families that do not call on the Name of the LORD, and it isn’t pretty.  Many places in the New Testament speaks of the new Christians as “those that call upon the Name of the LORD, Jesus Christ”.  
My parents have taught us all to be a family that calls upon the Name of the LORD and to trust Him.  We all know that things don’t always work the way that WE would like.
However, because we belong to HIM and call on HIM things will work out His good and perfect way.
And sometimes, when you really need to hear something good remember my mother who trusted and believed that one day she would see her healing!  And she did!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

As Requested

Here is a picture of the back of Alia’s hair, per a new friends request at Where The Acorns Fall

And, yes, crzy4myfam, I do the girls hair myself.  I have looked at a lot of blogs and youtube videos and books to learn and I really do enjoy doing their hair!
Thank you so much for the sweet comments about Alia’s hair, our anniversary and the broke Bronco.  
The children set up a beautiful candle lit dinner for us downstairs for our anniversary Sunday night and served us...it was so nice.  
 I looked horrible...I wasn’t feeling too good.  What a precious and thoughtful thing for the children to do for our anniversary.  There were dozens of candles and they brought in our iron table from outside (after they tried to knock the snow off) and decorated it so beautifully.  Then, after they had served us, they went upstairs and took care of all the little one’s so that we could enjoy our special dinner.  
Steve did get home safely last night and the Bronco IS going to cost quite a pretty penny to fix.  We are going to attempt to tow it ourselves from Denver to our home here in Black Forest tomorrow, so that our most beloved and generous mechanic down the road can fix it, for less than what it would cost in Denver. 
Here are a few other fun pictures from our days...
 Precious Joeliana-we also call her Joeli-love.


 I picked this up at Hobby Lobby and we have been having so MUCH fun with it.


 Buzz Lightyear is saving the world from TheraPutty (I’ll tell you more about this amazing stuff later, but if you can’t wait, look on Amazon).


And Bible time with a baby...it take a lot of patience, discipline and creativity!  Thankfully, Kiana has all of those and is a great help!
Loves to you all!

Monday, January 10, 2011

I Had A Post, but...

Yep, I did...I had a post...something I feel is pretty important.  However, it will not be posted today...
Mercy, I have felt hormotional today.  Steve was gone all week last week and the weekend zipped by.  Monday seemed to have come to quickly and the morning presented us with just enough snow and ice to make driving difficult.  The only 4x4 that we have is my Baby.  So today, Steve left for Denver, where he works most days, in the “baby" - my Bronco.  I know you shouldn’t “love” a car, but I do have “deep affection” for my Bronco.  
Fast forward...it’s the end of the day, and I am finally stealing a few INTERRUPTED minutes to finish the post I wanted to put up and I get a phone call from Steve.  The clutch on the Bronco just broke and he is on the side of the road...which, by the way, we are under a wind chill advisory...it’s 5 below right now.  Last I heard my baby was being towed and Steve was trying to get a rent car so that he can get home.  I tried to keep working on THE post, but finally decided to wait.  
Soooooo,
here are the pictures of Alia’s hair that I did last week, because I did want to share them with you and may be today is a good day for them.
Here is her hair after corn row braids and a night of sleeping in satin covered sponge curlers (from Walmart). 
 This one shows her hair before I put it in a pony tail.


 And these two show her hair after I put the back in a pony tail.  It was really cute and she loved the curls.  And if she looks cold, that is because it was!!!  However, her crazy camera lovin’ mom wanted natural light...poor baby.  So she bucked up and put on a happy face for me, cuz, you know, she LOVES ME...isn’t it great to be loved!
Praying my man is home soon tonight.  By the way, we celebrated our 23 anniversary this weekend...but all I can think is that I am missing him.  And praying our Bronco is home soon and doesn’t cost too much to fix. 

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Beautiful


Have ya’ll heard this song by Kari Jobe?  It is a new favorite for me.
Letting go and worshipping HIM today!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

We’re Tired Today

We’re tired today!!!
This was a cute picture, but out of focus.  So I played with it in my PSE 8 and converted it to black and white...and played with the adjustments there till I liked it.  
But the magic happened with a black and white texture.
Hope you like it and really textures are pretty easy so don’t be afraid of playing around with them.  A good place to start is at The Coffeeshop Blog.
Want to show us some of your creativity?  Come on, don’t be shy.  Just leave a link in the comments!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Don’t Forget To Dance....

Today was a day of “busy and quickly”... busy doin’s school quickly, quickly doin’ my shower, busy eatin’ lunch and quickly cleanin’ lunch so that we could run to town (which is a 30 minute drive one way) to check a little darlin’s teeth and busy buyin' some necessary items for the next week. I quickly sucked my coffee down and wondered why I am having these funny little red spots on my face.  I quickly scanned emails and blogs, but really had no time to even think about what I was looking at.  
I got home to find an email that said we should have our state approval for our adoption in the next week, so now it is time for the I800A to be sent in - quickly.  One more step closer to our children!
It is late now and there are 4 children sitting in “time outs” at least till tomorrow...O.K. I WILL let them up before that...BUT only long enough to go to bed!!!  Three other children are in the red warning area’s of time out, or straight to bed if they push it.  It is hard when we have to go to town because the children miss their naps, and boy is it showing.  And one of the worse acting out children is Aiden, our little sensory guy....he is pretty much “over the top”.  His jammies are bothering him; his brother took “his” book (not); a sister is looking at him; and on it goes.  Every few seconds he is in trouble or screaming or crying and fussing.  And for him each thing is a completely “earth shattering” emotionally roller coaster of issues.  I am hoping to schedule an appointment with an occupational therapist (who is familiar with sensory integration) in the next few days.  
So, I posted the above picture because sometimes I need to remember to stop and dance, or stop and hug.  I laid on the couch with the kitchen a horrible after dinner mess and held one of my milder boys, because it is so easy for him to just be good, and not get “me” as much.  I tickled him and petted him and stroked around his beautiful Asian eyes and just loved on him.  Chaos was happening around us, but we still stole our little moment and I’m glad that I did. 
Today was busy, but it teaches me to still find time to nurture and love on those precious ones.  And now, I am going to take some little loves up stairs and pray our blessing over them and sleep...not quickly because today will become tomorrow, and yesterday will soon be a precious memory of living and loving busily, but thankfully.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Looking to Him

IMG_4114.jpg_effected.jpg"Father God, give me a heart that looks to You for what I need today, whether it is wisdom, comfort, joy, or perseverance...I seek You and ask that I would glorify you today!"
It was a tough morning.  My little daughter that "falls apart" did and I needed to hold her and try to calm down the out of control emotions within her for over an hour.  It makes me hurt for her...for the needs that where unmet those 1st months of her life, the cries that where not answered, the desires that all babies have to be held, loved, cuddled, nurtured were left unmet...
I pray and ask the LORD what to do to help her...what I hear is what He has done for me...draw her near and be her peace till she can receive it. (Eph. 2:13-17).  So, our little world stops for a time; no school, no laundry, I just sit holding her rigged body and pray for healing and help.  After it is over, she if fine and helpful and happy again.  But those moments when things become to much for her remind me of the times when things are to much for me and I want to remember to look up and know HE is holding me, and I am not alone.
On a happy...I got both Alia and Joeliana's hair done the last two days.  Yea, that always makes me feel good.  I did something fun with Alia's that I will show you later.  Till then, LOOK UP...Our Heavenly Father is much closer that we think!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Help a Family and Find Some Riches

Our friend Sallee and her family need some help raising money for the plane tickets to return to Ethiopia to bring home their beautiful son.  Many of you know that the adoption process for Ethiopia has changed and it is now required to travel twice to bring home the children. 
Look at the change in this little sweetheart.  To me, there is no better picture to capture what the love and nurture of a family can do for a child.  From hopelessness to hope.  From fear to joy.  
When we trust the LORD, He brings the children to us that He has already sovereignly designed.  Whether through birth or adoption, HE is the Creator of each family.  In an imperfect world, where birth families are unable or unwilling to care for a child, the LORD brings about the perfect.
Truly, when we open our hearts to receive the children that He sends to us, we will become richer than we ever thought possible.  Not the riches of the world, though the LORD may choose to send those also if He so desires.  But a richness of treasures found in the heart, in relationships, in learning to love and serve and die to self.   Great wealth is found in learning to see each person as a perfect and beautiful work of the LORD, created in HIS image.  
The LORD’s ways are not our ways.  
“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” Prov. 24:3-4
The LORD is filling the rooms of our homes with precious and pleasant riches; and those “riches” are little people who make messes, need baths, get sick (by the dozen usually), argue and fight...
AND those “riches” also give the sweetest kisses and hugs, make me laugh and love, bring me sweet gifts of flowers and pictures (pictures where I have a princess crown and look skinnier than I am),  and fill each day of my life with beauty and hope.  
The LORD has been speaking a word to me - “Build”.  I will be searching more in the Bible, but for now, I feel that He has said to me “Keep building”.  
Look again at the picture of Sallee’s little Samson Jude...
Let’s keep building the LORD’s house, and let’s help each other fill our homes with the LORD’s Riches!

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