I did not let my daughter eat a piece of chocolate found in her stocking...left over from...ahem...last year.
I mean, really, what kind of mother do you think I am?
I did not also eat a piece of chocolate found in her stocking...left over from...yeah...last year.
How desperate for chocolate do you think I am?
And I most certainly did not have a hickey on my neck that I tried (unsuccessfully) to cover up with make up before giving my testimony in Elevation on Sunday.
Married couples don't get hickeys.
Especially super spiritual ones like the pastor and his wife.
Oh no.
Not me.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Photojournal:Thanksgiving 2009
The Whole Hambrick Clan, take 1 (minus those missing...you know who you are!)
Granny and the great grandkids (minus sleeping Ezra)
After stuffing ourselves for the second day in a row, we decided we needed to find a park to burn off some of those calories...
Addie is going to hate this one (but I just couldn't resist!)
Just to make Addie feel better...here is one of me that I don't like. Really, who can do monkey bars?
Gymnastics with Heather
Football with Daddy
The Whole Clan, take 2 (minus those missing)
Gramma introduced the kids to the "secret" cupboard. You know, kind of like the Narnia wardrobe. Kept them occupied for a loooong time!
And kept them quiet (except for when they were surprising unsuspecting people)!
We decided to take a family trip to see the Roanoke star as it had been years since Jeremiah or I had been. The kids loved it...
Well...except for the cold which Ella is clearly demonstrating on her face!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Granny and the great grandkids (minus sleeping Ezra)
After stuffing ourselves for the second day in a row, we decided we needed to find a park to burn off some of those calories...
Addie is going to hate this one (but I just couldn't resist!)
Just to make Addie feel better...here is one of me that I don't like. Really, who can do monkey bars?
Gymnastics with Heather
Football with Daddy
The Whole Clan, take 2 (minus those missing)
Gramma introduced the kids to the "secret" cupboard. You know, kind of like the Narnia wardrobe. Kept them occupied for a loooong time!
And kept them quiet (except for when they were surprising unsuspecting people)!
We decided to take a family trip to see the Roanoke star as it had been years since Jeremiah or I had been. The kids loved it...
Well...except for the cold which Ella is clearly demonstrating on her face!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Holiday Movie Guide
My dad's favorite movie of all time (not just of the holidays) is It's A Wonderful Life.
I have many happy memories of watching that with him as a kid growing up.
I am excited because this is the first year that Ella and Ezra will actually get to watch and enjoy some of my favorite (as a kid) Christmas movies...
Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (the Burl Ives one)
Frosty the Snowman
and...
Mickey's Christmas Carol
As well as some of the newer ones...
Merry Madagascar
The Polar Express
and
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Now that I am an adult (mostly?) my favorite Christmas movie is the original Miracle On 34th Street,
What about you?
I'd love to hear what your favorite holiday movie is!
______________________________________________
Click here for a great guide to all the holiday movies airing this Christmas season!
I have many happy memories of watching that with him as a kid growing up.
I am excited because this is the first year that Ella and Ezra will actually get to watch and enjoy some of my favorite (as a kid) Christmas movies...
Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (the Burl Ives one)
Frosty the Snowman
and...
Mickey's Christmas Carol
As well as some of the newer ones...
Merry Madagascar
The Polar Express
and
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Now that I am an adult (mostly?) my favorite Christmas movie is the original Miracle On 34th Street,
What about you?
I'd love to hear what your favorite holiday movie is!
______________________________________________
Click here for a great guide to all the holiday movies airing this Christmas season!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
ThankFull Week (Active Contentment)
Jeremiah and I did a contentment experiment last year that really taught us a lot.
I am reflecting on what we have fleshed out this year regarding being content.
And yes, this does relate to Thanksgiving.
I have learned that one does not just will oneself to be content. I can't tell myself "I am content" and...poof! It happens.
(If it worked that way I would next try telling Ezra "you are potty trained!" Ha!)
Like with all sin, when struggling with discontentment, one simply doesn't just remove the discontent. It has to be replaced with something else.
I have learned that contentment is gained by being actively and intentionally generous and thankful.
When I am focused on all that the Lord has blessed me with I cannot help but be content. When I am actively being thankful I cannot help but be overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord. When I realize all that I have to be thankful for I cannot help but want to share with others.
Pastor Clay spoke a few weeks ago on the subject of biblical finances. He used an illuminating illustration on how when we are comparing ourselves to others in the aspect of "goodness" we always compare ourselves to people "below" us on the goodness scope...murderers, adulterers, etc. However, when we compare ourselves to others in the aspect of what we "have" we always compare ourselves to people "above" us on the possession scale...people with more cars, clothes, etc.
If we can retrain our minds to look at all we have been given and blessed with and have in our lives we cannot help but be thankful.
In turn, true thankfulness breeds generosity.
Generosity breeds contentment.
May your Thanksgiving this year bring about true contentment.
______________________________________________
Philippians 4:11-13
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
I am reflecting on what we have fleshed out this year regarding being content.
And yes, this does relate to Thanksgiving.
I have learned that one does not just will oneself to be content. I can't tell myself "I am content" and...poof! It happens.
(If it worked that way I would next try telling Ezra "you are potty trained!" Ha!)
Like with all sin, when struggling with discontentment, one simply doesn't just remove the discontent. It has to be replaced with something else.
I have learned that contentment is gained by being actively and intentionally generous and thankful.
When I am focused on all that the Lord has blessed me with I cannot help but be content. When I am actively being thankful I cannot help but be overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord. When I realize all that I have to be thankful for I cannot help but want to share with others.
Pastor Clay spoke a few weeks ago on the subject of biblical finances. He used an illuminating illustration on how when we are comparing ourselves to others in the aspect of "goodness" we always compare ourselves to people "below" us on the goodness scope...murderers, adulterers, etc. However, when we compare ourselves to others in the aspect of what we "have" we always compare ourselves to people "above" us on the possession scale...people with more cars, clothes, etc.
If we can retrain our minds to look at all we have been given and blessed with and have in our lives we cannot help but be thankful.
In turn, true thankfulness breeds generosity.
Generosity breeds contentment.
May your Thanksgiving this year bring about true contentment.
______________________________________________
Philippians 4:11-13
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
ThankFull Week (Letters)
We are taking the time today to write a good old fashioned thank you letter.Yes. On paper!
How bout' that.
Ella and Ezra each picked (yes, I did sort of prompt Ezra) someone to write a letter to...expressing their simple thanks for what this person is in their life.
Jeremiah and I will be writing some as well.
Writing a thank you note doesn't take up much of my time...yet, I admit this is something I should do much more often.
Who do you need to take the time to thank today?
Proverbs 11:25
He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
ThankFull Week (Blessing Chain)
The kids and I sat down and made a blessing chain...
Each link had a person or thing listed that they were thankful for.
Here's some of their list:
Mommy
Cars (bet you can't guess who listed that one!)
Daddy
Friends
Trucks
Nana and PawPaw
Airplanes
Gramma and PawPaw
Books
Meme and Poppee
Puppets (aka Church for Ezra)
Cousins
Trampoline
Blueberries
That they can run fast
Levi
Kitties
Mrytle the bird (I'm sure Uncle Frizz-Dizz is going to be listing that one too!)
Macaroni and Cheese
and...
Swimming =)
We hung it over our kitchen table as a visual reminder to them that we are remembering to be thankful this week...and what a lot we have to be thankful for!
Each link had a person or thing listed that they were thankful for.
Here's some of their list:
Mommy
Cars (bet you can't guess who listed that one!)
Daddy
Friends
Trucks
Nana and PawPaw
Airplanes
Gramma and PawPaw
Books
Meme and Poppee
Puppets (aka Church for Ezra)
Cousins
Trampoline
Blueberries
That they can run fast
Levi
Kitties
Mrytle the bird (I'm sure Uncle Frizz-Dizz is going to be listing that one too!)
Macaroni and Cheese
and...
Swimming =)
We hung it over our kitchen table as a visual reminder to them that we are remembering to be thankful this week...and what a lot we have to be thankful for!
Adoption: Why Ethiopia?
In the same way that the reasons to adopt are intensely individual and personal...so are the reasons behind choosing to adopt domestically or internationally.
Let me state up front that I do not think one or the other is better. There are risks and pro's and con's with both. And I am pretty sure the Lord never makes any kind of differentiation between the two in his word.
A child that needs a home is a child that needs a home.
Period.
I am just explaining our reasons for choosing the path that we have.
Like I've written about before, my personal experience with having grown up with so many adopted siblings strongly influenced my views on adoption. As a young teenager my family did foster care to adopt for a time. I know this is not true for everyone and I hesitate to write this for fear of discouraging anyone from choosing this route to adopt, but I would be lying if I said that our foster experience was a pleasant one. Even as a teenager I saw gross inefficiencies and circumstances where the best interest of the child was not prioritized.
After our missions trip to Haiti, and seeing the extreme and abject poverty that is so prevalent in that country we strongly felt that the Lord was leading us to put our efforts into adopting an international orphan. Regardless of your political leanings...one cannot deny that even the most under resourced orphan or pregnant teenage mother in America has access to public health care and education. Unfortunately, in many under developed countries there is no such thing as public health care and education, or only a limited few actually have access to it.
Once we had decided on international adoption, we looked at three primary factors when choosing a country to adopt from:
1) Where are we eligible to adopt from?
2) Where is there a significant need?
3) Where is there a stable and non-corrupt (at least as much as you can possibly get) program in place?
Haiti was not an option as we didn't meet three key eligibility requirements for the country. As we moved on and started looking at other countries, Ethiopia kept coming up (and up again!) in our research and our talks with other adoptive families.
There is significant need for adoptive families in Ethiopia. There are 4.8 million orphans in this country, namely because of wars, severe droughts, and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The life expectancy for an Ethiopian is 43.
And while no adoption process or country is not without corruption, there is plenty of research that we looked at that showed that the Ethiopian adoption program is only growing and becoming more stable.
Ethiopia also has one of the simplest dossier requirements in the adoption world and is one of the least expensive countries to adopt from.
Intertwined into all this research and facts was a lot of prayer and wise counsel and searching the Word...
...and we felt confident in moving forward with Ethiopia for our adoption journey.
Let me state up front that I do not think one or the other is better. There are risks and pro's and con's with both. And I am pretty sure the Lord never makes any kind of differentiation between the two in his word.
A child that needs a home is a child that needs a home.
Period.
I am just explaining our reasons for choosing the path that we have.
Like I've written about before, my personal experience with having grown up with so many adopted siblings strongly influenced my views on adoption. As a young teenager my family did foster care to adopt for a time. I know this is not true for everyone and I hesitate to write this for fear of discouraging anyone from choosing this route to adopt, but I would be lying if I said that our foster experience was a pleasant one. Even as a teenager I saw gross inefficiencies and circumstances where the best interest of the child was not prioritized.
After our missions trip to Haiti, and seeing the extreme and abject poverty that is so prevalent in that country we strongly felt that the Lord was leading us to put our efforts into adopting an international orphan. Regardless of your political leanings...one cannot deny that even the most under resourced orphan or pregnant teenage mother in America has access to public health care and education. Unfortunately, in many under developed countries there is no such thing as public health care and education, or only a limited few actually have access to it.
Once we had decided on international adoption, we looked at three primary factors when choosing a country to adopt from:
1) Where are we eligible to adopt from?
2) Where is there a significant need?
3) Where is there a stable and non-corrupt (at least as much as you can possibly get) program in place?
Haiti was not an option as we didn't meet three key eligibility requirements for the country. As we moved on and started looking at other countries, Ethiopia kept coming up (and up again!) in our research and our talks with other adoptive families.
There is significant need for adoptive families in Ethiopia. There are 4.8 million orphans in this country, namely because of wars, severe droughts, and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The life expectancy for an Ethiopian is 43.And while no adoption process or country is not without corruption, there is plenty of research that we looked at that showed that the Ethiopian adoption program is only growing and becoming more stable.
Ethiopia also has one of the simplest dossier requirements in the adoption world and is one of the least expensive countries to adopt from.
Intertwined into all this research and facts was a lot of prayer and wise counsel and searching the Word...
...and we felt confident in moving forward with Ethiopia for our adoption journey.
Monday, November 23, 2009
ThankFull Week (and Memory Monday)
We desire as parents to be intentional in teaching our children to be thankful and grateful and focused on all the overwhelming blessings that the Lord has provided us.
Therefore, we are dubbing this "ThankFull Week" here at the Hambrick house.
We are memorizing as a family Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
We also have several simple and fun ideas to do each day for each of us to take an active role in being thankful.
Look for posts throughout the week!
Therefore, we are dubbing this "ThankFull Week" here at the Hambrick house.
We are memorizing as a family Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
We also have several simple and fun ideas to do each day for each of us to take an active role in being thankful.
Look for posts throughout the week!
To My Daughter on her Birthday
Dear Ella,
You turn four today.
Four?
Four!
Four.
I will always remember the day you were born. We caught our first glimpse of your personality and the way you do things on your own time with your thankfully uncomplicated but very surprising five week early entrance into this world.
You were so tiny.
Oh. How we loved you.
Somehow you are so big now (and yet, tiny still).
You dress yourself and feed yourself and clean up after yourself.
Still working on the wipe yourself thing!
You are creative and imaginative and decisive and quirky and oh so independent. I love to peek in on you during your roomtimes and listen in on the worlds you have created with your all your animals and little friends. I never know what you are going to be dressed in when you walk out of your room in the mornings. You now tell me exactly how you would like your hair done for the day. Oh, and the opinions you have on your shoes.
I love that you are not a people pleaser. You are intentional in your affection which make the moments that you initiate a hug or kiss or cuddle or I love you absolutely priceless.
Your curiosity both excites me and exhausts me. I no longer know the answers to all your questions. Just this week I had to look up what armadillo's eat.
(Bugs. They eat bugs.)
You read your first sentence book to me last week. Zac the rat.
(I cried.)
You (mostly) love your brother and the moments I overhear your giggles together are some of the sweetest of my life. You know that you will be getting a new brother(s)/sister(s) from "efiopia" and you pray nightly for them to come home to us soon. I can't wait to see you embrace your big sister role even more with the addition of your new siblings. You will have a lot of important things to teach them:
- The best hide and seek spots in our house
(because you are a pro hider!)
- How to play games on Daddy's i-phone
(because you know how to work it better than me!)
- To remember to always clear your plate after a meal
(because you never forget!)
Your Daddy and I (continue to) pray daily for your heart to be soft to the things of the Lord and that you will allow Him to use the strong but quiet leadership qualities we see he has put in you.
You prayed last night that you would "grow up fast" and it all but broke my heart...
For you are.
My sweet Ella...you are growing up fast.
I am grateful for the painful lesson on perspective that comes with losing a child. I cherish you and the moments I am entrusted with being your mom. I delight in the front row seat I have on watching your life and understanding of it open up to you.
Oh. How we love you.
Happy Birthday, sweet Ella McKay.
love,
Mom
_________________________________
Infant Ella
1 year old Ella
2 year old Ella
3 year old Ella
(almost) 4 year old Ella
You turn four today.
Four?
Four!
Four.
I will always remember the day you were born. We caught our first glimpse of your personality and the way you do things on your own time with your thankfully uncomplicated but very surprising five week early entrance into this world.
You were so tiny.
Oh. How we loved you.
Somehow you are so big now (and yet, tiny still).
You dress yourself and feed yourself and clean up after yourself.
Still working on the wipe yourself thing!
You are creative and imaginative and decisive and quirky and oh so independent. I love to peek in on you during your roomtimes and listen in on the worlds you have created with your all your animals and little friends. I never know what you are going to be dressed in when you walk out of your room in the mornings. You now tell me exactly how you would like your hair done for the day. Oh, and the opinions you have on your shoes.
I love that you are not a people pleaser. You are intentional in your affection which make the moments that you initiate a hug or kiss or cuddle or I love you absolutely priceless.
Your curiosity both excites me and exhausts me. I no longer know the answers to all your questions. Just this week I had to look up what armadillo's eat.
(Bugs. They eat bugs.)
You read your first sentence book to me last week. Zac the rat.
(I cried.)
You (mostly) love your brother and the moments I overhear your giggles together are some of the sweetest of my life. You know that you will be getting a new brother(s)/sister(s) from "efiopia" and you pray nightly for them to come home to us soon. I can't wait to see you embrace your big sister role even more with the addition of your new siblings. You will have a lot of important things to teach them:
- The best hide and seek spots in our house
(because you are a pro hider!)
- How to play games on Daddy's i-phone
(because you know how to work it better than me!)
- To remember to always clear your plate after a meal
(because you never forget!)
Your Daddy and I (continue to) pray daily for your heart to be soft to the things of the Lord and that you will allow Him to use the strong but quiet leadership qualities we see he has put in you.
You prayed last night that you would "grow up fast" and it all but broke my heart...
For you are.
My sweet Ella...you are growing up fast.
I am grateful for the painful lesson on perspective that comes with losing a child. I cherish you and the moments I am entrusted with being your mom. I delight in the front row seat I have on watching your life and understanding of it open up to you.
Oh. How we love you.
Happy Birthday, sweet Ella McKay.
love,
Mom
_________________________________
Infant Ella
1 year old Ella
2 year old Ella
3 year old Ella
(almost) 4 year old Ella
Saturday, November 21, 2009
No Prince Charming (Yet)
How Ezra does a tea-party:
Innocently anticipating the arrival of the tea...
This looks easy enough...
Let me take a polite sip to make them think I am a well-behaved prince...
Ok, I've thrown them off and they are distracted...I think I'll just slide my hand into my cup...
Can't. Contain. Myself. Any. Longer...
Must. Go. CRAZY!!!!!
We might be sending Prince Charming off to etiquette school =)
Innocently anticipating the arrival of the tea...
This looks easy enough...
Let me take a polite sip to make them think I am a well-behaved prince...
Ok, I've thrown them off and they are distracted...I think I'll just slide my hand into my cup...
Can't. Contain. Myself. Any. Longer...
Must. Go. CRAZY!!!!!
We might be sending Prince Charming off to etiquette school =)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Photojournal: Tea Party
In honor of Ella's upcoming 4th birthday we held a princess tea party this week...
Pre-party: We made sugar cookies in the morning. Surprisingly, Ezra loved it and stayed with me until the last cookie was rolled out...long after Ella had deserted me.
She was allowed to pick out whatever princess outfit she wanted, including accessories and hair-do...
Four other beautiful princess (and one handsome spiderman) arriving and checking out each others outfits...
Decorating the sugar cookies...
Playing "unwrap the present"...a perfect game for this age group (with the exception of Zeke's broken heart every time the present went by without the music stopping!)
Getting to really unwrap a present...
High noon tea...all set!
Ella loves to pour her own tea (and add a lot of sugar!)
Ella's reaction to us singing her Happy Birthday =)
She did manage to unplug her ears to blow out her candles...
It was a fun and special morning celebrating our Princess Ella.
Happy Birthday sweet girl!
Pre-party: We made sugar cookies in the morning. Surprisingly, Ezra loved it and stayed with me until the last cookie was rolled out...long after Ella had deserted me.
She was allowed to pick out whatever princess outfit she wanted, including accessories and hair-do...
Four other beautiful princess (and one handsome spiderman) arriving and checking out each others outfits...
Decorating the sugar cookies...
Playing "unwrap the present"...a perfect game for this age group (with the exception of Zeke's broken heart every time the present went by without the music stopping!)
Getting to really unwrap a present...
High noon tea...all set!
Ella loves to pour her own tea (and add a lot of sugar!)
Ella's reaction to us singing her Happy Birthday =)
She did manage to unplug her ears to blow out her candles...
It was a fun and special morning celebrating our Princess Ella.
Happy Birthday sweet girl!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Preview
I seem to be a little overwhelmed (in a good way!) by the 15 million things I am planning and preparing for this week and weekend.
Therefore, my blog posts might be a little scarce until I can breathe again next week.
I am working on two posts that I thought I'd preview:
Adoption: Why Ethiopia? (or why international adoption?)
Thankful Week: Ideas that we are doing the week of Thanksgiving to be intentional in teaching our children to be thankful. (Along the lines of our Holy Week ideas)
Therefore, my blog posts might be a little scarce until I can breathe again next week.
I am working on two posts that I thought I'd preview:
Adoption: Why Ethiopia? (or why international adoption?)
Thankful Week: Ideas that we are doing the week of Thanksgiving to be intentional in teaching our children to be thankful. (Along the lines of our Holy Week ideas)
Tis the Season
Ella got concerned that Levi was getting lonely at night.
Her solution: Share Guatemala (her beloved baby doll...not to be confused with Guacamole...her other beloved baby doll)
Her solution: Share Guatemala (her beloved baby doll...not to be confused with Guacamole...her other beloved baby doll)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
What I'll Miss...
We are losing our downstairs roomies.
It's moving day for Josh and Tasha and the kids.
We truly have enjoyed their company and I thought I'd write down (for posterity sake) some of the things I am going to miss:
- The smell of their coffee...
- Built in playmates for the kids...
- Tag-teaming on the meals (what are we going to make for dinner tonight?)...
- Date swap...
- Cai's smiles...
- Josh and Jeremiah's serenades to each other...
- Hearing Zeke say "Um, Uncle Palw"...
- Company on my usually lonely Wednesday nights (who is going to watch ANTM with me now?)...
Oh wait, we weren't supposed to admit we watch that show!
Ooops =)
- Adult conversation throughout the day...
We sure have made some (more) good memories these past three weeks!
It's moving day for Josh and Tasha and the kids.
We truly have enjoyed their company and I thought I'd write down (for posterity sake) some of the things I am going to miss:
- The smell of their coffee...
- Built in playmates for the kids...
- Tag-teaming on the meals (what are we going to make for dinner tonight?)...
- Date swap...
- Cai's smiles...
- Josh and Jeremiah's serenades to each other...
- Hearing Zeke say "Um, Uncle Palw"...
- Company on my usually lonely Wednesday nights (who is going to watch ANTM with me now?)...
Oh wait, we weren't supposed to admit we watch that show!
Ooops =)
- Adult conversation throughout the day...
We sure have made some (more) good memories these past three weeks!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Not Me Monday (The Jeremiah Edition)
Jeremiah did not (did not!) cry during the movie "Up" this weekend.
He always chooses healthy breakfast options for his children and would never ever let them gorge themselves on sausage links.
Never.
Jeremiah would never argue with his wife over trivial matters like blog posts. Nope.
Not even once.
He would never threaten to throw a phone against a tree just so he could get a new one.
How silly.
He did not get into an unexplainable bad mood over the weekend and blame it (really) on a brain tumor. Of course not.
No. Not him.
Not my Jeremiah.
Care to share anything your husband never does?
He always chooses healthy breakfast options for his children and would never ever let them gorge themselves on sausage links.
Never.
Jeremiah would never argue with his wife over trivial matters like blog posts. Nope.
Not even once.
He would never threaten to throw a phone against a tree just so he could get a new one.
How silly.
He did not get into an unexplainable bad mood over the weekend and blame it (really) on a brain tumor. Of course not.
No. Not him.
Not my Jeremiah.
Care to share anything your husband never does?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
For the first time in four years...
We don't have a crib set up in our house.
Yep.
Ezra spent his official first night in his "big boy" bed last night.
Can you tell he was so excited...
He did really good at obeying and staying in his bed.
He did, however, fall out of bed. Three times.
Yeah, we need to get a batter rail system in place.
Next step...
Potty training?
Nah.
We are not even going near that one anytime soon =)
Yep.
Ezra spent his official first night in his "big boy" bed last night.
Can you tell he was so excited...
He did really good at obeying and staying in his bed.
He did, however, fall out of bed. Three times.
Yeah, we need to get a batter rail system in place.
Next step...
Potty training?
Nah.
We are not even going near that one anytime soon =)
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Rain Drops
With all this rain...
And five children stuck in the house...
There has been a lot of this going on...
"Cars" and snacks for the boys...
Barbie for the girls...
Long (pony-filled) bubble baths...
and of course...crafts...
I hear rumors of sunshine for the weekend!
And five children stuck in the house...
There has been a lot of this going on...
"Cars" and snacks for the boys...
Barbie for the girls...
Long (pony-filled) bubble baths...
and of course...crafts...
I hear rumors of sunshine for the weekend!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thursday Thoughts
See this.
It all turned into this.
What is this?
I'm so glad you asked =)
A finished packet of documents for our dossier mailed off to our adoption agency earlier this week!
I would say I am enjoying a nice break from paper pushing...but that would not be true. I have turned my efforts into filling out adoption grant applications =)
Rain, rain, go away. 5 kids stuck inside for two going on three loooong days...enough said.
We rented the movie Up tonight for our family movie night. We all loved it! I'll probably be admitting on my next not me monday that I did not cry at it. Nope. Not me.
Happy Thursday!
It all turned into this.
What is this?
I'm so glad you asked =)
A finished packet of documents for our dossier mailed off to our adoption agency earlier this week!
I would say I am enjoying a nice break from paper pushing...but that would not be true. I have turned my efforts into filling out adoption grant applications =)
Rain, rain, go away. 5 kids stuck inside for two going on three loooong days...enough said.
We rented the movie Up tonight for our family movie night. We all loved it! I'll probably be admitting on my next not me monday that I did not cry at it. Nope. Not me.
Happy Thursday!
Date Swap
Wanting to take advantage of our built in babysitting arrangement we worked out a date swap this week.
Monday was our night to go out while Josh and Tasha held the fort down with all five kids.
We went to dinner at Chai's in Erwin Square. Jeremiah has been a lot but it was my first time. Loved it! Not that I am too hard to please...as long as I don't have to think it up, cook it up, or clean it up I am good to go! Oh yes, and to eat an entire meal and stay in my seat and to have uninterrupted conversation with my favorite conversationalist...incredible!
Tuesday night was Josh and Tasha's night while we took care of the kiddo's. Having 5 kids, 4 and under will definitely keep you busy...but we had a blast!
We will definitely be doing this date swap thing again!
Monday was our night to go out while Josh and Tasha held the fort down with all five kids.
We went to dinner at Chai's in Erwin Square. Jeremiah has been a lot but it was my first time. Loved it! Not that I am too hard to please...as long as I don't have to think it up, cook it up, or clean it up I am good to go! Oh yes, and to eat an entire meal and stay in my seat and to have uninterrupted conversation with my favorite conversationalist...incredible!
Tuesday night was Josh and Tasha's night while we took care of the kiddo's. Having 5 kids, 4 and under will definitely keep you busy...but we had a blast!
We will definitely be doing this date swap thing again!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Did You Know?
(actual quotes recorded over the last few weeks)
According to Ella:
- God is a good fighter.
- Sleeping with your barbies keeps you from having bad dreams.
- This is today.
- The moon likes her. (By the way, the moon is a boy.)
- When she meets God she is going to be shy.
- The pink panther is pink.
- When she gets baptized she isn't going to wear any clothes.
- Even Mommies need Mommies.
You've got to love the mind of an almost four year old!
According to Ella:
- God is a good fighter.
- Sleeping with your barbies keeps you from having bad dreams.
- This is today.
- The moon likes her. (By the way, the moon is a boy.)
- When she meets God she is going to be shy.
- The pink panther is pink.
- When she gets baptized she isn't going to wear any clothes.
- Even Mommies need Mommies.
You've got to love the mind of an almost four year old!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Adoption: Our Call
Why Adopt?
We have had no problems conceiving our own biological children. Even after our miscarriage in January and dealing with all the complications of the molar pregnancy...we are cleared to conceive again if we choose.
So.
Why Adopt?
This is an intensely personal question that is individual in nature.
For us, there were a number of reasons that led us to adopt.
Some of the reasons, I'll admit, are purely selfish...I don't particularly enjoy being pregnant and we have always known we'd have more than two children.
Some of the reason were influenced from my family experience and having grown up with such a strong connection to adoption.
The majority of the reasons were born out of our relationship to Jesus. After the miscarriage we dealt with a lot of emotions and truly had a broken heart. The Lord was our comforter and we experienced his presence in our life like we had never before. The Lord used this time of softness and vulnerability in our hearts to reveal some changes that needed to be made in our lives.
We read the Francis Chan book "Crazy Love" after this time and a single question really made an impact on us:
Where we had to trust?
“God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.”- Francis Chan
We followed up this vulnerability to the Lord's calling with a summer missions trip to Haiti.
After working in several orphanages there and falling in love with such beauties as these...
We knew.
The time was now.
Time for us to step out in faith on our own adoption journey.
After all, our call as Christians is to...
Defend the cause of the fatherless. Isaiah 1:17
and...
To love an orphan: Is pure and faultless religion. James 1:27
To love an orphan: Reflects the heart of God. Deut 10:18
To love an orphan: Is our joyful response to the loving father who sought us when we were orphans. 1 John 4:19
To love an orphan: Is to love Jesus himself. Matthew 25:40
We have had no problems conceiving our own biological children. Even after our miscarriage in January and dealing with all the complications of the molar pregnancy...we are cleared to conceive again if we choose.
So.
Why Adopt?
This is an intensely personal question that is individual in nature.
For us, there were a number of reasons that led us to adopt.
Some of the reasons, I'll admit, are purely selfish...I don't particularly enjoy being pregnant and we have always known we'd have more than two children.
Some of the reason were influenced from my family experience and having grown up with such a strong connection to adoption.
The majority of the reasons were born out of our relationship to Jesus. After the miscarriage we dealt with a lot of emotions and truly had a broken heart. The Lord was our comforter and we experienced his presence in our life like we had never before. The Lord used this time of softness and vulnerability in our hearts to reveal some changes that needed to be made in our lives.
We read the Francis Chan book "Crazy Love" after this time and a single question really made an impact on us:
- What am I doing in my life RIGHT NOW that requires faith?
Where we had to trust?
“God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.”- Francis Chan
We followed up this vulnerability to the Lord's calling with a summer missions trip to Haiti.
After working in several orphanages there and falling in love with such beauties as these...
We knew.
The time was now.
Time for us to step out in faith on our own adoption journey.
After all, our call as Christians is to...
Defend the cause of the fatherless. Isaiah 1:17
and...
To love an orphan: Is pure and faultless religion. James 1:27
To love an orphan: Reflects the heart of God. Deut 10:18
To love an orphan: Is our joyful response to the loving father who sought us when we were orphans. 1 John 4:19
To love an orphan: Is to love Jesus himself. Matthew 25:40