Just To Be Truthful...

I did promise on my Look Carefully post to show you me, on this, my 46th birthday, with no make-up, no curled hair, and just to throw in a little "GASP"...
I'm in my jammies.  Of course, I thought it was the hight of wisdom to surround myself with my young and sweet darlin's.

Poor Kalyn got lost in the crush...Keshawn doesn't look happy, and I keep counting and only come up with nine (I did count Kalyn's legs...), who is missing? And yes, my poor African babies need some lotion on those legs!!!!

Thank you all for remembering me on this special day...and for the blessings I never expected to find in the blog world...you and your friendship!!

I Love This Name...

YAHWEH...my God who reveals Himself through powerful acts of deliverance.  Do you believe that He still does this?  "I Am Who I Am" doesn't change. He still delivers His people from their bondage; pain; fears; slavery; poverty of our souls; lack of faith. 
YAHWEH is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love towards US...do you believe that?
YAHWEH works righteousness and justice for the oppressed. Do you believe?
As a father has compassion on his children, so YAHWEH has compassion on those who fear Him.  
YAHWEH has revealed part of His nature through His name...He is forgiving, healing, REDEEMING...
He delights to bless you...
do you believe?
Everything that I have just written about YAHWEH'S nature, I just took from Psalm103.
Today, I am 46 years old and I can tell you something...I have learned to trust in the ABSOLUTE TRUTH of the Word of God;
whether I felt like it or not...
whether I believed it or not...
whether I could see it or not...
I have gone through some things that I was pretty sure would destroy me...you probably have to. 
And I have learned that I WILL SEE YAHWEH, mighty to save; yours and my faithful, covenant keeping God;
He is our faithful, wonder-working God.
Do you believe this?
There were times that I didn't...and I have had to confess that my unbelief came from my fearful heart, not Who He is. I wasn't believing the TRUTH. 
Do you know what to do when you don't believe the truth? Start telling yourself the TRUTH from the Holy Bible...start with Psalm 103 if you want; start telling yourself the Truth in spite of how you feel...do this constantly, don't give up, this is a battle. 
YAHWEH is mighty to save and to deliver.
Trust me ... THAT is the truth.
"I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears." Ps. 34:4

Wordless Wednesday-Partners In Crime

LOOK CAREFULLY

Do you see it...the make-up, the curled hair, the clean smell (imagine)...I just wanted to document something that ALMOST never happens. I do take showers (of course), and I do blow dry my hair, and I do put make-up on when I HAVE TO, but a miracle of sorts happened here...all three happened on the same day.
Now, you must be asking yourself "why" is this an issue...
because here is the confession...it is my birthday Friday (guess how old I am...I'm not really sure; I am horrible with numbers, but that is a different post).
Why does that have anything to do with this picture?
Because Jace was home and his friends where coming over, and they were bringing their cute and young girlfriends over and I was feeling "old (er)". 
So, I did it all...so that I wouldn't feel so old around those young, non-sagging girls...
And just to be truthful...I will show you the clean me with no make-up, and no curled hair on my birthday, because there has to be somewhere where I can be "free" to be me! And I figure the internet is safer than a few teen age girls in my house. 

Monday Go-Go

Our precious family in Denver came down yesterday to spend Easter with us.  And the weather was barely warm enough for the children to enjoy their combined (for all of them) gift from Grandma, Uncle  Ronnie, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Les.  One big gift for the year is easier and the children are blessed with something that they all can enjoy together. And BOY did they have fun.








It was so fun to have Jace here for the weekend also. 

Grandma, Aunt Kathy, Uncle Ronnie always enjoy the children! Uncle Les was unable to come this year.

I am so grateful that Grandma (Steve's mother) is able to spend this special time with our family.

I have no idea what is going through Alia's mind, but she is so funny...she often makes some of the funniest faces I have ever seen. 

Kalyn and Grandma enjoyed catching up. Doesn't Kalyn look cute with her hair curled.

Jace, being a typical young man, always finds some way to have fun!!!

It was funny watching my 6'3" child squeeze his long legs into the Go cart for a little fun. He went back to his home in Dallas this morning. As always, I am so grateful for our families that spend time with us and love us. We are so blessed.

Life and Freedom

What a precious weekend we are having with Jace home.  It has been cold and windy, however, the children are spending as much time as possible outside playing. I am so grateful for the time to remember and teach my children about the life and freedom that we have through our LORD, Jesus Christ. Praying you are having a wonderful weekend with you loved ones.

"Mom, Dad's Home-My Emotions"

I always know when Steve is home...no matter where I am at, Aiden comes yelling though the house "Mom, Dad's Home!!!"

Many times I just say "Yes, baby, Daddy is home." Usually, Steve has brought home groceries of some sort, and 3 year old Aiden loves to help bring in the bags...still yelling to anyone who missed the 1st announcement that daddy was home. 

However, occasionally, when I hear him yell this happy news, like today,...

...my own emotions get the best of me. The "mommy" in me feels sad for those years that he didn't have a daddy (or any family). It is difficult to explain...I guess the best way to explain it is a mourning for what my child missed those first months or years of their lives. Yes, of course, I am happy for what they have now, a home, a family.
However, they are MY children, and just like I would feel for my birth children, I feel a sadness, and a thankfulness, for what they have come through. Sometimes, I find myself saying to my newest little son, as he snuggles into my chest to rest and receive love, "It's nice to have a mommy, isn't it?" I'm not thinking how wonderful I am or anything, I FEELING emotions of gratefulness that HE has a mommy to snuggle him, because I love him so much and for 7 months he didn't have a mommy. When Kiana first came home from China, my parents came right away to meet their newest granddaughter. As I watched them loving on her, I had some of those same feelings..."She now has a Dandy and Gommy...a few days ago, she had no one!" My birth children always had all of these blessings and people that loved them, but my children home through adoption did not. Their stories started before we brought them home. And often those stories included loneliness, hunger, and fear. 
Of course we, as mothers, should and we do help our children heal from those early pains, but I guess I am realizing that we as the mothers should also realize and help our mother's hearts heal because we love them so, and WE HURT also for what they have come through. 
So, when my little man yells with all the happiness that his three year old body can hold that daddy is home, and I feel that familiar sadness and thankfulness, mourning and joy...
I am going to look into his eyes and say "Yes, baby, Your daddy is home."