Random Glimpses

(BEFORE I begin, I am sure that you will want to know that the dog just threw up twice on the carpet)

That post that I wanted to do is still in the works, so I thought it would be fun to see some of the randomness that is quite normal here.  I WILL not show pictures of the dog throw-up because, I AM not going to look at it.  I called my beloved oldest daughter up here and asked her to clean up the mess.  Yes, she’s a DOLL!!

The weather has been snowy and cold this week, so Steve was not able to get the plastic on Caresse’s green house.  You know, plants can cost a pretty penny, and I wasn’t going to leave them in the garage to freeze, so we brought them inside last night to keep them warm till the greenhouse is ready.  Now, to just keep the children away from them...  As I am typing, Steve is outside putting the plastic on.  He is wonderful.  

We have been using lots of pain medicine and herbal teas this week to help the darlin’s who are sick with aches and fevers.  And the black beans were soaked all night and were ready to cook for supper. 

These are three of four boys that have been really sick this week...poor darlin’s.  Aiden is the middle picture.  It was so weird to see him just laying there...HE NEVER just lays any where unless he is asleep.  

The children that were feeling well enough were inspired by our art lesson from ARTistic Pursuits this week.  They have been creating some really fun art.  This curriculum is a little expensive, but I have had mine for years and I still love it!!

And that last picture is why I love my big sink.  Boy, can it hold a lot.  You know what else I love?  The children do an amazing job of cleaning the kitchen.  Sorry, no picture of that.  I was probably sleeping with a few sick babies.  

I have read Psalm 50 a few times this week, and read it one morning to the children on a very hard day.  I want to encourage us all with verse 23 - “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”  

I asked the children on this hard day to tell me 10 things that we could be thankful for and then we were going to “offer our thanksgiving sacrifice” to the LORD in prayer.  It can be hard to “be thankful” when things are hard, but I want to glorify the LORD all of my days!  And I want to teach this to my children.  We, as mothers and fathers, must intentionally teach our children these Truths from the Bible and lead the way WITH them.  The children came up with some wonderful things to be thankful for on this morning.  One little darling said “I’m glad we aren’t in an orphanage where there is no medicine when we are sick.”  Another little darlin’ said “Good food to eat and healthy water to drink.”  

I am so thankful for their precious little hearts that want to learn God’s Truths.  May the LORD fill us with His wisdom as we minister and serve those that He has placed in our care!   

For His Glory!!!

Pray With Jesus

Pray with Jesus - from Elizabeth Elliot devotional A Lamp For My Feet

"Because I am "of the earth, earthy," I find that my prayers for the people I love are mostly bound by very earthy concerns--Lord, help P. to find a good wife, show G. which college to attend, provide money for W.'s house and E.'s car, help T. with his book, give X. a better job. It is meet and proper to pray for such things, but not to pray only for such things. There are prayers of far more lasting import which we must also learn to pray. We can find words for those in the prayer of Jesus for the people He loved:

1. that they may be one;
2. that they may find his joy completed in themselves;
3. that they may be kept from evil;
4. that they may be made holy by the truth;
5. that they may live in Christ;
6. that they may grow complete into one;
7. that they may be with him;
8. that the love which God has for Christ may be in their hearts.

If we learn to pray that kind of prayer, it will perhaps amend the "lesser" prayers.

Lord, teach me to pray. Open my eyes to see beyond the earthly to the heavenly. Let my primary concerns be heavenly ones, that your kingdom may come on earth, your will be done in me and in those I love. Teach me to pray with Jesus, for his sake. Amen.”

I am home with two little boys this morning while the rest of the family has gone to church.  I am still sick.  I am feeling frustrated at being sick for so long now.  I have been to the dr. and so far they are coming up with nothing much...a virus, an allergic reaction, hormones, etc....

It is amazing how quiet it is with “just” two boys, and one of them is a two year old...LOL.  The high here in Colorado today is suppose to be 30, with chances of snow later.  Guess we will put off making that green house for Caresse till later.  We have a pair of doves that have made the front yard trees their home.  I love hearing the “cooing” and I have been hoping that they are sturdy enough for this unusually cold May.

I haven’t been taking very many pictures lately...guess I have gotten in a rut...

Steve and I are moving along with studying our Created To Connect information.  Seems like so much some times.  Time and time again I find scriptures that speak the same things to me as the information that I am studying.  I will try to start getting that together to share a little better in the future.

There Once Was A Little Girl...

(Part II of O.K., Sooooo...)

...who loved the mountains so much that she left her home in Texas to move to Colorado where she could be closer to them. 

Besides being in love with the mountains, this girl loved children and couldn’t wait to be a mommy.  The Lord provided the perfect man to become her husband who also loved the beauty in the mountains and the blessing of children. 

For 21 years now we have enjoyed special family time in the Rocky Mountains. As more children were added, we just adjusted what we did so that we could all be together.

Bigger vehicles and larger tents were filled with little people anxious to explore the wonders of nature and enjoy special family time.  Warm sleeping bags were bought and a port-a potty added (to keep mama happy in the middle of the night). 
For Christmas' and birthdays we ask for camping things so that we can continue to go up in the mountains together.

The Bible says “From Your lofty abode You water the mountains, the earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your work.” (Psalm 104:13).  I want my children to experience His nature for themselves...to explore and wonder, to see and smell, to touch and delight in it all. 

We are asked often “Isn’t it a lot of work to go camping with so many children?” As I shared in the 

“O.K. sooooo...” post, YES! It is.  And we have had some difficult things happen (which, sorry that I wasn’t clear in that post...no, all those hard things didn’t happen all on this last camping trip. They have happened at different times over the last few years.)
So, why do we do it?

These smiles....

Their joy....

These little explorers...

Boys being boys....

Mommy and her little darlin’s enjoying so much adventure.
 When we meet people in the mountains and they say “Wow, we can’t believe that you are up here with all of those children”, I usually just smile and say “Yes, it is very special that we can bring our children up here to enjoy the beauty of the mountains”.
And it is worth it all!

Out Of The Loop

Just a day after we found out that my parents and niece were safely home, we traveled to Texas to spend a week with my family.  Thank you all for your prayers for Dandy, Gommy and Tiffany!!! After listening to their story, we are all sure that they were able to get home because of prayer. They drove on roads that were closed just after they passed due to the mud slides. All the countries around them were closed due to the cyclone. There was a small window of time that they could get out of El Salvador and they did, when so many others where left stranded. 
So much had happened this week, but we have just got home from south Texas and still need to bath 9 children. I will write more tomorrow...
but the most urgent prayer needs for now is:
-my mom's rod in her leg has broken and her dr is out of town till next week...she is in a great deal of pain, and her bone/rod is now starting to stick out in the side of her leg...regardless of her pain, she will tell you "PRAISE THE LORD", several dozens of people in Guatemala found their SAVIOR while they where there. 
-My sister (in-law) is still VERY SICK, and not sure where to go now for help. 
And a cute picture of my mother with my daughter, Kalyn, who is now gone till the END of July....

I am so blessed by my family and I pray that we each learn from each other how to strengthen the foundations of our families and bring glory to our LORD through them! 
Tomorrow dear family and friends...I look forward to catching up with you each. Pray for me please...I'm off to bath 9 children now...

Cause His Name to Be Remembered!

"I will cause Your Name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise You forever and ever." Psalm 45:17

As I have been studying through our book, Praying the Names of God, one of the things a think about is the above verse....we, as the parents, have a command from the LORD to "cause His Name to be remembered" to the next generation...this is a parenting verse. In other scriptures we, as the parents, are told to remember and tell our children what He has done. The names of the LORD that we have been studying this week are Esh Oklah - Consuming Fire, and El Kanna - Jealous God. Two of the important verses in this weeks study are Exodus 34:14 and Deuteronomy 4:23-24. The later verse reads "Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." 
The LORD pursues us BECAUSE HE LOVES US. His consuming fire and jealousy are aspects of His Holy and Righteous love. There is no selfishness in His love...He just wants our hearts, our love, our devotion. He has a righteous zeal for us. Can you imagine how much He loves you. Ask Him to show you and confess any tendency to run away from Him. Ask Him to increase you love for Him and your awareness of His Holiness.
And may we pray that the LORD would pursue our children and loved ones. Let's tell the next generation about His Names and how He reveals himself to us each and everyday. 

Help Again,

Family and sweet friends, please pray again...Corbin's asthma is doing badly and we are needing a turn around or we will be in the hospital with him soon.
I feel so helpless!!! Yuch!!
Keshawn is also not feeling good and has a low fever and Steve is sick again.
Our company left yesterday morning and I had hopes of a restful weekend...
sorry, I'm fussing.
love you all!

Apparently,

his bo-bo was worse than I first thought it was (not!) So, Aiden took matters into his own hands.

I'll be honest with you....

I am still sick ... and it has me down!
Our friends, Britt and Audrey, left Sunday with one of their daughters. The mom and dad are off for two weeks for some intense mission training. Their other three children will stay here with us till they return. I finally let myself rest in bed all day Monday and I thought that I might be doing better, when last night I had one of the worst coughing fits I have ever had. For almost and hour and a half I coughed and threw up. Steve was trying everything to help. Finally it settled down and I slept uneasily some time after 12:00 p.m.
This morning I felt like someone had beat me up!
I got up and we did school and then I lay down again this afternoon.
I really feel that this is just a bad cold and needs time to run its course, however, it has been a fighter for sure!
So, I know my blogging is boring and reflecting my lack of energy and motivation. I feel that I need to give our family and three guest what I can, do school and still be with my new baby!
Hey, guess what, with Christmas and surprise money from friends we were able to buy a new oven, since our is broke...thank you LORD. It should be available in about three weeks!
Still waiting to see what will come about for a van...
The weather was nice today, so the older ones enjoyed some out door play time this afternoon...boy, was the house quiet with the little ones napping and the older ones outside!
I have a craving for chocolate chip cookies...so I'm off to beg Kalyn!, even though it is supper, because when you're sick you can break the rules!

Galatians 6:1 Parenting from Becca

If you haven't met Becca, you must go visit her. She has become a very sweet blog sister to me. We seem to have so much in common and her heart is so tender for her children. I am often encouraged by her as a mother and woman.
She recently did a post called Galations 6:1 parenting and it was just what I was needing! I have two little boys who are really testing me right now and most days I feel as if I am somehow failing as their mother. One of these little sons is honestly one of the "biggest" personalities I have ever seen and most days start with battles and do not end until this little guy is asleep. Then on the cute side, every morning he will climb up in my bed before I get up to give me a kiss. He just does everything BIG, including sinning.

Galatians 6:1 "Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself."

My ESV Bible says "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted."
Verses 2-4 have some wonderful advice also, but I have to stop right now at this verse.

There is a truth here that I have also seen...my children's sin does often place a temptation in my heart to also sin. It's not "their" fault...it's just that there is a spiritual warning here to heed. Their sin/transgression is a time where I need to be aware of my own heart, and what I might be tempted by...am I tempted to be impatient, rude, respond in anger? I love that a very important verse is just above this Galatians 6:1 verse...Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

"Father God, please show me my own sins before I respond to my child. Holy Spirit, I ask for your help. Help me to restore my children with gentleness, humility and love. Help me to help them back onto the right path"

Parenting Verse-one

"Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." James 1:19-20

You are probably familiar with this verse as I am, however, I have been especially looking at verses with an eye towards what it teaches me as a mother. I then label these with a "p" for parenting and a pink sticky label so that I can find them quickly.
So here is my "mommy paraphrase" of the above verses; "I need to be quick to listen to my children, slow to speak until I have heard their heart, and slow to anger, for my anger will not bring about the LORD'S righteousness in their little hearts."

I find this helpful and even now as a write this, I am reminded and convicted of an incident that I handled very badly just a few hours ago.
"Father, please forgive me for being quick to anger, and slow to hear and speak. Help me to patiently parent my children and I ask that YOU would bring about YOUR righteous fruit in their lives. Amen"

Introducing....

our new son...

Keshawn Lee Wodamo Hassoldt

After anxiously waiting this morning, I got the wonderful phone call that told me I am mom to this precious little boy!!!

We now wait again, to hear when we can travel to bring him home.

Thank you for praying for us...we are celebrating and making all the fun phone calls to family! I am so glad that I can show you how CUTE he is!

"Thank you Father God, for giving us another son!!! May he be home with us soon!"

That Silly Ol' Van

Do you know why I love this silly ol' van...

-Well, I'm just thankful to have something that takes us ALL on family vacations together...

-and, though it has been "hit and run" FOUR times; yes FOUR TIMES, it still serves our family needs....

-it gets us up into the mountains for camping and pulls a trailer full of food, toiletry and bedding for 11 for 3 nights (including the "mommy MUST" porta-potty...because this makes me happy at 2:00 a.m., but then so does Dean Martin...his voice just makes me happy...sorry);

-but do you know why I LOVE this van....

-tomorrow we find out if our little Keshawn passes court in Ethiopia....

and my silly van has room for FOUR more babies...

Bring them home LORD GOD...
...and by the way I bought a blanket for Keshawn today, because....

well, because, I'm am so "pregnant" and ready to hold my little one...please pray for favor for our court date!!!!
Thank you!

Our Time

First, thank you all so much for your precious words on this post (Pregnant!)...I really am grateful for your friendships to share the journey's of this life with. There were even two comments from fathers and one comment from a grandmother. Thank you again, for your support! Counting down till Monday....
Kalyn and I had a wonderful time together...and Steve had a great time with the others here at home!
Wouldn't you know, the first morning I was awakened by dozens of babies crying LOUDLY! at 6:30 a.m.
I kept trying to ignore the noise, wishing it were a dream, when my curiosity finally got the better of me. Looking out the window, I saw dozens of mother deer who had come to the river by our cabin with their babies. I don't know why those babies were fussing so much, but they were! One especially pathetic cry came from a crippled baby who was trying to hop behind mama on three legs.

Our first night we enjoyed Kalyn's special requested meal...daddy's steak (special secret and all!!!), and wonderful salad.

It was to cold to really hike, so we did 4 wheel to some beautiful places. Kalyn thought it would be fun to get a fire going to have our picnic by. It was hard work because it was so winding, but we finally got one going.

I fell in love with a fun little lake that is being rearranged by beavers.

We were coming down a 4 wheel rode, when all of a sudden I saw something black off to the right, so I backed up and hesitantly got out of the Bronco, because by now I was pretty sure it was fake....but no, I was NOT going to trespass! (Not that I usually do....)

Of course, this was one of the reasons we went to this area of the Rocky Mountains...

And what could be nicer than this pretty dessert to celebrate my sweet 16 year old.

She Didn't Know...

I read a blog friend's post this morning...I'm sure she didn't know how much it would stay in my heart!
She always has such beautiful pictures, and wonderful scriptures. I always feel so encouraged as a mother also.
Today, though, the LORD caused me to stop, and listen to something that He has already been telling me.
I'm sure that this blog friend didn't know that the LORD would use her post to stop me and convict me (convict-good; guilt trip-bad).
I use to be a "good mother" (I say that with a chuckle!)...you know, read to my first two children, tucked them in at night with more reading, prayers, snuggles, played games with them. And or course, much time was spent in perfect discipline and teaching.
Or course, with only a few children, I was also a "perfect homemaker" (again, chuckling at my youthfulness). The house was usually spotless except for the toys that the "good mother" had out. I had plenty of time to nurse my babies, read, cook yummies, and do crafts and other fun things. Why, I could even watch an hour of TV every afternoon and still have everything perfectly ready for my husband when he came home. My children were dressed cute and were clean. I took them to baby gym classes, play groups...you know, all the best that we could afford.
Something happened though....the LORD gave us a passion for the orphans of the world, starting with Kiana.
Then two more babies followed her quickly...
I was still doing pretty good at the "perfect" pace I had placed on myself, though I was beginning to get a nervous twitch in my eye-LOL.
The LORD knew and with a twinkle in HIS eye (I'm sure), brought 4 more babies within two years...
Perfection went out the window as I began to look for ways to survive.
Taking care of a large family has been good for me...I have died to my perfection, my abilities, MY desires, my ways...
and I was stripped down to nothing that I could do, except rely on HIM. I gave up all those expectations and "good" ideas of how to do this or that.
Now, with the "slate clean", as they say, the LORD has been bringing HIS ideas to me of "how" to do this or that. I had placed so much guilt on myself because I wasn't parenting or taking care of our home the way I use to....
But that was the point, the LORD was/is pruning those things that will not bear fruit for HIS glory. It's not about MY glory. I am not able WITHOUT HIM.
So how did the LORD use Connie's post today to convict me?
It's time to start "doing" somethings again...only this time in His Perfect Way...relying on Him to show me "what" and "how". But, I haven't quite been listening to Him, partly because I'm tired and partly because I didn't want to get back into the "do it this way to be a good parent...and if you don't, your not..." guilt trips.
I have let the business, and the tiredness keep me from bearing HIS fruit in some areas...
I want the children in bed as quickly as possible so that I can sit...
but I feel that the LORD wants me to start spending a little more time during this precious part of the end of our day.
I don't want to be to busy, or let tiredness, keep me from mothering them HIS way, and enjoying the journey of each day with them. It does take a lot of hard work to manage a larger-than-normal family, however, God has used that to pry my hands off of "how" to do it, and now, I feel more open and ready to find out from Him how to do it.

"Connie, thank you, for your post which has encouraged me to listen to the LORD, and to begin to bless my children and be with them at bedtime instead of rushing them off to sleep."

What She Told Her Brother...

Do you know what Kiana told her brother?

They were sitting in the back of the Bronco, playing around and singing songs on our way to camping last weekend.

And I hear Kiana say, "Know what my secret weapon is?" I couldn't wait to hear the answer to this!

Then she says, "My cuteness."

I was hoping she didn't know this!

Daddy's idea

My sweet husband thought that it would be a good idea (which it is) to buy SIX soft swords and a soft bat and ball. The children have had a blast with them,

of course, however,I have been taking care of the wounded all day...thankfully, no blood has been involved!

and these two are really into the warrior character.

And if you look closely behind these two is the treadmill that I have been having a hate relationship with this week..."I hate you because I don't want to but I should"!