Feeling just a bit better

Thank you so much for praying. It has been a real struggle to be REALLY sick (both husband and I) for 4 of the first 6 days our new children have been home. I told Jeff that if we could survive this while sick, then surely we can survive it (and even thrive) when we are well! LOL!

As I was contemplating how I would respond to the constant eye-rolling, whining, sagging-shouldered "aw, but mommee!" sounds of my un-parented, steeped in tween-culture, attempts to manipulate me of my new 9 and 12 year old daughters today. . . (way too long of a sentence, but it continues), I found myself thinking how totally spoiled they were and how all of their responses are totally dependent on them getting what they think they deserve: if they get it they are happy - if they don't, they are whining and pouting.

AND THEN IT HIT ME!

I have been whining and complaining to God (and a few select friends) that I am sick right now and how unfair it is and how it would be easier if I was not sick because, after all, I had plans for this first week and this is making MY life harder and that really God should give me what I want because I think it is best . . .

Oh. . .

Ah, yes, I just love how adoption has opened up my eyes to all of the ways that I respond like a spoiled orphan when I am not believing and living in the reality of the fact that I am an ADOPTED daughter of THE benevolent King of the Universe! He really does love me and really does have a GOOD purpose and plan for my life. No discipline seems good at the time but in the end it reaps a harvest of righteousness. Ultimately, it is not about "me" anyways. It is about Him being glorified. IF I really believe that He is good AND that He is sovereign, then I can fully trust him with EVERYTHING (even being sick right now) and. . . probably, I shouldn't whine about it!? LOL!

So, praising God for all of the good things that are coming from this sickness and doing just what I tell my children to do: "put your shoulders back, put a smile on your face, and with joy in your heart say 'yes, mommy.' Good job!"

"Yes, Daddy!" :)

Sick! Please Pray!

Of course, it doesn't surprise me but I am a bit bummed that almost all of us are feeling quite under the weather here. . . I'm sure this is a part of the spiritual battle going on (husband agrees). Poor Little Missy is having some migraine headaches again. Jeff is battling allergies. Miss C and Miss D seem to have a cough/sore throat tonight, and I have a definite head cold. . .

The first few weeks of adjustment are hard already and I definitely didn't want to be sick during this time! But, the Lord never gives us more than we can handle, right?!

So, I would love it if you would pray that we would all be feeling better soon. Also, continue to pray for the girls heartstrings to be tied to ours and pray for all of the children's adjustment to each other. Pray that all of our children would come to know the love of the Savior in a very real way. Pray for spiritual protection from the enemy especially during this transition time. Pray that my joy might not be stolen away even in the midst of feeling quite terrible! Thanks!

"The girls" are home!

Miss C, Miss D, and Miss A officially joined our family on Thursday! It has been a long and exhausting but very exciting weekend.

I am so amazed at all that has happened in the past 4 months. It was actually exactly 4 months ago to the day (May 17th) when I first sent an email inquiring about 4 children in foster care who would be available for adoption. A few emails later, there were actually 6 children (all siblings)! Well, in July we visited them. In August, 3 of them visited us (the girls), and on Sept. 17th, they joined our family forever! Wow!

I am forever thankful to some really wonderful friends (you know who you are!) that have helped us plan and prepare our hearts and homes for these children. Without all of the prayers and physical help of the whole body of Christ, we truly would not be able to do this! Thank you so much!

Besides all of the very real physical settling that is happening right now (going through clothes, organizing, etc. . . ), we are also having to do a LOT of VERY intentional parenting. I think that we always try to be intentional. . . but this is constantly engaged, maximum in intentionality, intense parenting AND there is a very real spiritual battle going on right now too. Please pray for us and for all of our children.

Just tonight, Little Miss A woke up crying a few hours after bedtime and she was scared and sad. It wasn't night terrors (seen those!) or a nightmare. . . it was something else that we have seen before. . . something more spiritual in nature. I held her and rocked her and spoke words of comfort over her but most importantly I prayed aloud over her. As I prayed, I realized that the enemy is NOT happy about these precious children being here in a home where they are going to hear about and experience the love of Christ. Satan's plan was for their lives to be stolen and destroyed by drugs, gangs, teen pregnancies, and a complete lack of knowledge of the Lord.

BUT, Praise the Lord, His plan is for them to be redeemed. We, amazingly, get to be a part of the amazing process of watching how God "buys back" their lives. . . how He is rescuing their hearts. . . how he is restoring their souls. . . how he is refreshing their spirits. . . and renewing their minds. We are SO BLESSED to get to be a part of this once again!

I am very thankful that my husband had the wisdom to realize that, while we could have said "no, this will be too hard, let's not "mess up our lives that much,"' it would have also meant saying "no" to being a part of and watching this redemption story God is writing in the lives of Miss C, Miss D, and Miss A. I don't want to miss it!

now. . . if I can just remember this on the hard days. . . LOL!

Evangelical Collapse Revealed by Studies of Parenting - Reformation21 Blog

Evangelical Collapse Revealed by Studies of Parenting - Reformation21 Blog



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Be a part of Bringing them HOME

Kim and Ben are two amazing people who love the Lord and have REAL faith - faith that actively does something God has called us to do: they care for orphans by adopting them, loving them, caring for them!

Kim and Ben need a place - a home - to continue this incredible ministry that God has given them. (read more here)

They think they have found the place. (you can view it here)

They can afford to pay the mortgage.

BUT, they need the money for a down payment because the banks won't accept offers with an FHA loan right now!

The down payment would be about $25,000.

Kim and Ben are selling everything they can. Project Home has raised almost $4000 so far.

Do you realize that if just 200 families, who believed in what Kim and Ben are doing and wanted to be a part of an amazing story of God's people caring for orphans, gave just $100 each. . .

This house could be theirs?!

Would you consider joining us in giving $100 towards a family being able to continue and thrive in ministering unto "the least of these?" Would you be willing to pass this along to just 5 of your friends who also might consider joining us?

Come and be a part of the celebration when Kim and Ben and "their 10" come HOME!

"Pregnant" for 4 months?

Well, not physically pregnant, but when Miss C, Miss D, and Miss A permanently join us on Sept. 17th, it will have been 4 months exactly since the day I first sent an email to the adoption social worker inquiring about them and their brothers.

While it has seemed like a long process, I realize that 3 children in 4 months is quite fast! Half the gestation period of a physical pregnancy and also half the time of our first adoption "heart pregnancy" which was about 9 months from seeing their picture to picking them up.

AND, on top of that. . . we will most likely also have Mr. J, Baby D, and Baby A ("the boys") within the next 2 months!

Six children in 6 months! LOL! This is quite an adventure we are on!

My husband is joking that even though we will have 10 children, he will only have changed diapers for one (maybe 2) of them!

We can't wait for the girls to get here on the 17th. Miss C will be celebrating her 12th birthday just days after she arrives. How fun to be together on this very special day. Our children are SO excited for their sisters to finally be HOME!