Here’s a little poem to start our day....

Two by Two

Two by two 

the children get the stomach flu.

I’m to tired to rhyme,

and so this little poem is through.

Ha-ha, how did you like that?

I thought I would answer a few questions that I have gotten in the last weeks...

1)  Several of you have asked what kind of dog Kiana’s Rider is.  He is a mix called Shelchon (Bichon Frise and Sheltie).  


2)  Jean asked how I learned to change up my blog.  I learned some things from here - The Cutest Blog on the Block.  But mostly I just googled what I was looking for, like “free blog templates” or “how to - make a blog header”, etc..  I practiced a lot on a “test” blog before I ever touched mine.  I found cute backgrounds from here and here.  I know this isn’t a lot of help, but I searched so many places that I really just picked up pieces here and there...


3)  For Caresse’s shawl that I knit for her, I used this pattern called Gentle.    I loved working with this pattern.  It is easy and pretty.


If you have any questions that I have missed, please let me know.  Off to clean up a sick little boy and the floor that was in his way.

Her Love

I have been so proud of Kiana.  She has taken wonderful care of her new puppy.  And he adores her.  She lovingly named him Rider.  It is very common to hear Kiana say to her little pup “You are so adorable.”  
She saved up and waited for two long years to help buy her puppy.  She also picked out a breed that wouldn’t be too big (mommy’s wish) and not bad for Corbin’s allergies.  They are quite adorable together, and she will always remember her “1st love”.
In other news,
we have the stomach flu here and that it not so warm and fuzzy as a puppy is.  If ya’ll don’t hear from me by the weekend, send in a recovery team...LOL.
loves to ya’ll on your Monday.

Awesome!!!!!!

Kalyn and I were gifted to free movie tickets.  And I got to tell you, since Steve has been gone for 3 days, we were looking forward to the break!  Steve was wonderful about letting us go too.
What did we see?  I can tell you it was AWESOME.  I cried; I laughed; and I came away even more thankful than ever for the gift of life, and the blessings that adoption has brought to my life.  The movie was “October Baby”.   PLEASE go see it.  This isn’t a “political” issue.  The issues really are love, forgiveness, and living the beautiful adventure that the LORD has given us.  
I’m am so missing sitting down and blogging, or catching up, with all of you.  I miss reading your blogs and there are several emails that I want to answer.  I am missing connecting with you all!!  I must say THANK YOU for all of your sweet comments on the last few posts.  Several of you gave great suggestions for us as we walk this new road of CL/CP with Noelani!  I am so grateful, and would mention each of you in this post as a special thank you, except I can’t even keep the children’s names straight right now.  LOL....I wanted Corbin the other morning, only I called Aiden’s name.  When I finally got Corbin to come, he promptly informed me - “I’m Corbin.”  Hey, I was just glad that I had called the right “ethnic” group.  Speaking of that, Noelani is so funny...and cute...she pretty much divides people into “Asian”, “African” and “American”... so when she asked where each child is “born from” and we get to Corbin, we tell her that he was born in Oklahoma.  She adamantly and quick corrects us and tells us that he MUST have been born is Africa because he is black.  LOL  So we let it go for now.  When she sees other “African”’s (like at the Children’s Hospital in Denver), she is always afraid for them and will say “I don’t love you, Africa”, which translates into “I am afraid of this African looking person.”  
Thank you again for your advice and comments for us as we walk this journey of healing with our children.  I love you all and am so grateful for you.

The Plan

Yesterday was an important day for Noelani.  We went to the Children’s Hospital in Denver and met with a slew of Dr.’s to come up with a plan of action for her repaired cleft lip/cleft palette.  
Noelani is very aware that her teeth and her lip is different than other people.  Her teeth are a mess.  There are two in the roof of her mouth, and others that are in the wrong place in her mouth.  Even thought she couldn’t understand most of what we talked about, she understood that she will be getting her teeth fixed, and that is very exciting for her.

I didn’t know, but often children with cl/cp have other problems associated with this defect.  One problem is usually in the ears.  There was good news and interesting news in this area for Noelani...no fluid in her ears, which they see a lot.  That is great.  However, she does have “mild” hearing loss and might have been born with it.  That was the interesting.  However, also good, she may not need any thing (hearing aids or surgery) done since she seems to be doing so well.  The one concern is that her language development, her ability to say letters and sounds, is not very good, and there is a question that the hearing loss might be effecting that.  
So the plan....
-get a healthy mouth...that is going to take some time.  She needs some teeth pulled, braces, and a bone graft surgery.  
-The most important next, but more immediate step is speech therapy.  We are meeting with a lady on Thursday.  
I am really praying for the LORD’s leading in all these area’s.  There are so many puzzle pieces that I’m still not sure of, yet, we have a plan and I remind myself often of the LORD’s advice in the Bible; “Do not be anxious about tomorrow...”  Today has enough to deal with.  I get so stressed when I start trying to “take care” of all my troubles right now.  May be my “plate” seems so full because I take on problems and things that do not belong to “Today”.  
I know I haven’t written much about Clive.  I will be catching up on my newest little man soon.
Thank you for your prayers and thoughts for us.

Big Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a big day for our newest daughter, Noelani.  I will share more later.
But for now, here are some cute pictures from our “Turtle Encounter”.  

 Wasn’t he (or she???) brave?  The turtle, not my children - LOL.

 Being a smart home school momma, I jumped on this educational moment for my children.

 Wasn’t it sweet of this he/she turtle to indulge us?  And, yes, I must look up how to tell if “it” was a he or a she.  

 This turtle was really not afraid of us, and I think was hoping we would share some food, which we didn’t have...
Still, it was fun to explore this little beauty.  And then we put it back by it’s water home.

 Noelani was very afraid to hold the turtle, but she did touch it.  I was proud of her for being so brave.  Both she and Clive are experiencing so many new things each day.

See ya’ll soon to tell you about the “exciting” for Noelani.

I Was Scared!!

I’m sick, so I have been sitting around playing with my blog design.  I wanted a design that I could play with when I get the urge.
So I came up with this for easy starters.  I wanted a picture with Noelani and Clive in it.  Come summer I will get another family picture made, but for now, this one at the coast is all I have.
I got to tell you I was scared half out of my mind when I deleted the old template, which was a custom design - which means I paid someone who knew what they were doing to design my blog....
What do you think?
It’s a start for now....

Self-Sufficient?

"What is your need?  Whatever it is, it is entirely God’s concern.  He may instruct you in it, and the obedience is yours to carry out; but the provision is His.  When given the opportunity to stress self-sufficiency or dependence on God, Jesus chose the latter.  Let neither the enemy nor your own limited vision talk you our of dependence on Him.  Contrary to the voices in our heas, no need is too small, and none is too large.  He is the God of compassion, and the God of abundance, and best of all, He is our Father.” (from my devotional this morning - The One Year At HIS Feet Devotional)


Know what is funny about my devotion this morning?
Last night was a really bad night for sleep.  Several of the children aren’t feeling well and I was awake a good part of the night.  I thought of the verse in 2 Corinthians 12:9 where the LORD said “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
And into my mind popped this;
“Self-sufficient verses Grace-sufficient”.
I spent some time thinking on that and asked the LORD to teach me to be more Grace-sufficient in my daily living.
And then this morning I wake up and read this most perfect devotion.  Cool - huh?
Caresse’s current infection is requiring her to be on THREE very strong medications, and this after already 2 months of another medication.  She took her new meds last night, and soon afterward was throwing up.  She is having such a hard time right now.  Her shoulder hurts, but we can’t have the surgery till this infection clears up.  This infection is hard to get rid of and seems to be creating new and harder problems.  As a mother, I am feeling frustrated for my daughter.  And she is hurting and frustrated.  It’s hard.

As I look at this “need” for Caresse, I confess again my sin to worry and doubt the LORD, and thank Him for the opportunity to depend upon Him and practice “Grace-Sufficiency” today.

I Love To See...

 the world called “Childhood”.  

 Seeing what my children create and imagine is inspiring,

...and fun.  And who knew that Legos’ can be game pieces?

Want What I Have

Today I’ve been reading from a little e-book called Mindset for Moms (You can find it here.)
Four words stood out to me, but not for the normal reasons that you may be thinking;

“Want what I have.”

I’ve been in this weird “mood” lately.
Kind of unmotivated; 
“blah”;
not really depressed, but certainly tired;
may be a little “stuck”.
In fact, I have been finding it very hard to blog.  What do I say today? “Ba-hum-bug” with a long sigh.

Then I hear HIM whisper softly “Walk this path that I have given you faithfully, not perfectly, but faithfully.”
  

Want what I have.

Right now, instead of wanting -
-an answer to several of the children’s learning and developmental problems - embrace the daily life of love and learning that we have;
-instead of wanting grass in the back yard, be thankful for 5 beautiful acres for the children to play in and for my soul to feast on;
-instead of wanting more money to buy certain clothes for us all or fix problems in the house, be grateful for what we have and the MANY people who helps us to have it;
-speaking of money - choose thankfulness for this season to practice simplicity in our lives;
-instead of sadness over yesterdays hurts for some of my children,  receive what the LORD has given to us today, with the hope of His good plans for tomorrow;
-instead of wanting Kalyn and Caresse to feel better, accept the LORD’s will for now and rest in that;
-instead wanting to feel more “fire” and motivation; submit to this season in my life.


It’s not that I feel “discontent”; but may be more of a frustrated waiting.  Waiting to feel feel passion, purpose and joy again.  

And really, as I thought on it, this season that I feel my heart is in is not so unlike the present season here in my Colorado Rocky Mountains. It is still winter here - cold and unpredictable weather, browns lands and frozen waters.  Yet, occasionally a birds song or a warm breeze reminds me that soon I will feel the warmth of spring, and see the new life of plants.  I long for spring and for the warmth of the sun on my home and in my heart. 

And for right now, I hear this LORD tell me;
-You wanted to be married - be faithful to minster to him;
-You wanted children - be faithful in this ministry;
-You want to home educate - be faithful...
“Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet Your Heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?” (Matt. 6:26)


I tell myself to “want what I have” and embrace this time of waiting and resting.  It’s not time to harvest for a new season.  It’s time to rest and wait...
with joy...
and with hope. 

There was ONE warm hour this week, and I didn’t let it get away.  I grabbed my knitting, sat in the sun, and stayed there until the sun went down.  It was a wonderful moment of knitting, and watching the children playing around me.  
Tomorrow I am taking Caresse to Denver to meet with the special doctor that we have to see for her infection.  Please pray for us.  Also, Clive has a “funny” sore on his back.  Wondering if it might be what Caresse has, but the infectious doctor want even get him in till the end of April (yea, I know - ridiculous).
I am headed into town this afternoon to study a bit on learning “gliches” as Diane Craft calls them.  We are seeking the LORD for a few of the children that are having problems in school.  By the way, if you want to find out about the amazing ways to help our children through nutritional help, then check out Diane Craft’s Biology of Behavior here.  I really believe that we can help our struggling children by supporting them nutritionally and can say that I have seen it first hand.

Biopsy Report

A phone call from our dr. this afternoon revealed a surprise for us.  Caresse has an Atypical Mycobacteria disease.  We have to see a specialist in Denver and get her on a different medication to clear this up before we proceed with her surgeries.  Not dangerous, but definitely a pain.
Ug.
We had a very refreshing time with Dandy, Gommy and Aunt Karla this weekend.  It is so nice to just sit and enjoy time with my family.

Funny how this time of the year brings a longing for warmer weather to my heart.  And today didn’t disappoint us.  It was around 70 and we enjoyed some outside play time.  We have a large water puddle in the back yard from the melting snow.  The children are loving that!  It is suppose to snow later this week.
Isn’t it horrible about the tornado’s in the south and east?  Praying for those effected.
Time for supper.  How is your week going?  Anything you would like me to prayer for?
loves,

Silliness Abounds

 There’s nothing like a birthday to give an excuse for some silly-ness - Big Time.  And Landon gave us the opportunity with his 11th birthday. (Isn’t he ADORABLE - and he’s as sweet as he is handsome).  We put together and ice cream “cake” (no cake) for him to avoid his food allergies.  It was good!

 The children like to dress up for birthdays.  I never know what they will come up with.

 It can get pretty interesting, I can tell you.  I need to buy them some bigger dress-up clothes, but for now, they get pretty creative.

 Everyone had to take turns trying to do the “funny eye thing.”  I’m not showing you the picture of me.  

 Landon was really wanting this for his birthday, so he was excited.

And this is just to show you what a gentleman my Boo is.  Landon holds the title for the most nick-names in this family.  It really happened accidentally.  Jace was so excited to finally get a brother after 3 sisters that he nick-named Landon his “buddy-boo” when they were little.  All these years later, Landon will now answer to “Buddy-Boo, Boo, Boosky, the Booster, Le-Boo, and Boo-Boo”.  “Le-Boo-Boo” is what I call him most of the time, and he likes that.  It’s my special name for him and he says he always knows how much I love him because he knows he is always his mother’s favorite Boo.