Coffee, Snow Sledding, Pizza, and "Ratatouille"

It was a great day!

I met some homeschooling mommy friends for our weekly coffee and chat and then spent the rest of the afternoon visiting with one of the best homeschooling mommies I know while we watched our children snow sled and play snow football for about 3 hours (mommies stayed inside with the "littles").

We topped off the day with pizza for dinner (daddies included!) and the children all watched Ratatouille which meant that we actually had time to sit and talk to our dear friends for more than an hour! This, I assure you, is a rarity for us right now. Our great evening ended with chocolate chip cookies for all before we headed home for bed.

This is what we refer to as a "good idea" which is quite different from a "not so good idea" (like trying to roast hot dogs and marshmallows outside with 8 children under the age of 8 and an incessantly-barking Labrador puppy - yeah, that might be a "good idea" in about 4 years. . . LOL!)

Well, even the "not so good ideas" are actually pretty great when shared with great friends and they do give us a good laugh. . . eventually!

This day was made even better knowing that the dear Addy's Hope families arrived safely back in the States today with their precious children after a long and hard spiritual battle which many people fought on their knees and in which the Lord was, is, and will continue to be glorified!

My Children's Nicknames

So, what happens when you have one biological child and then adopt a sibling group of 3 from Liberia?

1. Your biological son learns to speak perfect "Liberian English," of course!

It is VERY funny! Our oldest child insists that he cannot help but speak what we affectionately call "Liberian English" because "it is inborn, mom!" Hmmm. . . I'm pretty sure he was born here in America and hadn't heard any "Liberian English" until we adopted his siblings 9 months ago. . . he definitely has a sense of humor! It does really help though- since he can interpret for them to all the people who think they really are speaking another language!

2. They give each other nicknames just like they did in the "orphan home."

Just wait until you hear these. . . My husband and I didn't even know they had these names for each other until recently but apparently they have been their "names" for a while now! Really, you are not going to believe this - we were both shocked and totally laughing when all of this came up at the dinner table last week!

Youngest (adopted) girl - "Sucky-finger, big nose"
- because "she suck her finga and have a beeg no-"

Youngest (adopted) son - "Mountain head"
- because "he have a beeg hea- and lotza bee hai-"

Middle (adopted) son - "Jaw b0ne"
- because "he have a beeg chee-"

Oldest (bio.) son - "Snot-nose"
- because "he peek hih no- an eed it!" LOL!

I contemplated using these lovely nicknames on our blog. . . but, after we finished laughing, we decided it might be a good idea to come up with more honoring nicknames to call each other - and I think I'll go with these when referring to the children in future posts:

daughter - Little Missy
youngest son - Speedy Mo
middle son - Big Jo
oldest son - Mr. Z

Well, those are but two of the VERY funny things that have happened since the Lord blessed us, through the miracle of adoption, with 3 more wonderful children.

Praising the Lord for His Wonderful Grace in bringing home 5 more children from Liberia TODAY!

Sunday Scripture

I've been reading Isaiah lately and I think it is possibly my new favorite book from the Old Testament (although Deuteronomy has been my favorite for a long time). Here is some of what I was reading this morning. I have been especially surprised at how often the themes of both "grace" and "glory" seem to come up. May the Lord bless you today as you live according to your created purpose: Don't know what that is? Check out the passage below and see if you can find it!

Isaiah 43
But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.

I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—

everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.

All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.

Which of them foretold this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
I, even I, am the Lord,
and apart from me there is no savior.

I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
I, and not some foreign god among you.

You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?”

This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“For your sake I will send to Babylon
and bring down as fugitives all the Babylonians,
in the ships in which they took pride.

I am the Lord, your Holy One,
Israel's Creator, your King.”

This is what the Lord says—

he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the desert
and streams in the wasteland,

to give drink to my people, my chosen,
the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.


Did you see it? We were created for HIS glory! (I know, I helped you a little bit with the color - maybe next week I'll make it a little more challenging).

Oh, that we might truly live for HIS glory, that we might proclaim HIS praise in the desert. If only we could truly understand the magnitude of HIS grace - that HE has redeemed us, chosen us, loves us, and is with us.

May you truly understand HIS grace and HIS glory today and forever,

Jen

Entering the " Blogosphere"

Well, the truth is, I have been lingering here for some time now. . . I actually had a blog at one point (back before we adopted 3 children from Africa last April) but I never did manage to keep it going. I'll admit to spending too much time reading everyone else's blog while completely neglecting mine. I have been challenged and encouraged by many of these blogs (see sidebar) and kept on thinking that I would eventually get around to it again but I had just one problem. . .

I couldn't think of a good title! LOL!

I know it sounds like a silly reason not to blog, but I seriously wanted to have a blog name that said something significant since my desire is also that my blog would say something significant (at least occasionally!). So, after many months of thinking about it, I am finally back "online" with the blog name that came to me while I was soaking in the tub contemplating the meaning of life. . . It pretty much sums up what I think life is supposed to be about. . .

I have been SAVED by His Grace in order that I might LIVE for His Glory!

What do you think? I have more thoughts about this that I hope to post on soon.