The One Thing (that I am keeping in mind as I plan my New Years goals)

We bought an e-reader for Ella for her recent birthday. The girl is a reading fool and since we travel so much and would rather not go in debt to the local library for lost or overdue books (not that I have ever let that happen, of course) the Kindle was the way to go.

When we got to the checkout at the mega electronics store we bought it from we were asked if we wanted a 2 year or 1 year replacement plan on the reader. Not if we wanted the plan, but which plan we wanted.

We didn't want any plan.

Call me old fashioned, but I believe that my Ella should be taught to be responsible for her things. And if the reader itself malfunctions within a reasonable amount of time, the manufacturer should replace it.

I know, I know,  I sound like a grumpy Grampa.

Almost anything electronic you buy today comes with a plan of replacement.

A guarantee.

But here's the thing I've been thinking about lately as I've been planning out some goals for the new year: Life isn't like an electronic toy. There is NO guarantee we can purchase that promise with certainty that we will be given even one more day.

We recently had friends of ours experience a terrible tragedy, a car accident that took the life of their two year old daughter.

A terrible and horrible tragedy that really hit home because the details of the night were something that could have so easily happened to us.

A terrible and horrible tragedy that made me pause and remember again that my life or my kids lives don't come with a guarantee. Tomorrow is not a certainty. And when I realize that, or remember that fact, I live life differently. My outlook and therefore my actions change with my new perspective.

Suddenly, all the unimportant (that seemed so terribly important) falls away and the important (that got buried under the unimportant) rises to the top.

So, yes, I've been planning out new goals for the upcoming year..a practice I have done since I was a teenager that provides focus and motivation for me. A practice that I believe is beneficial.

The difference comes in that this year I am planning with the perspective that I am not guaranteed even a single day in 2015 and I want my goals for this new year to reflect the important things.

The eternally important things.,,the big moments found in responding to a call to give or go or serve sacrificially as well as the equally important small moments found in raising my children, loving my husband, and caring for the needs God has put before me in my friends and neighbors.

Set your mind on things on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

Colossians 3:2-3

Not Me Monday: Christmas Edition

I did not do such a terrible job wrapping a few Christmas presents this year that I actually told the person I was giving them to that "the kids helped, hahaha!" in order to explain the sloppy wrapping.

I did not used to spend great lengths of time in the holiday paper aisle coordinating my bows and paper. Great lengths of time. Embarrassing lengths of time. (In that long ago world of life before kids.)

I do not fight the urge to undecorate, de-clutter, and rearrange my entire house the day after Christmas.

And I do not ban Christmas music from here on henceforth until the next Christmas season the day after Christmas.

I did not eat up all the leftover homemade cookies and treats in the house on a holiday binge last night because I knew that my normal healthy eating habits start back in effect today.

Jeremiah and I did not do a terrible job of not buying each other any presents this year.

Nope. 

I never lie, waste time on unimportant things, act scrooge-ish, lose my self-control, and never ever ever deviate from the agreed upon budget.

Not me!

on being right (and wrong)

As a Momma, I have a lot of "training" moments with my kids. Teachable moments, correcting moments...call it what you will, but we all know those moments.

The following are purely hypothetical situations that could happen in our house on any given day:

Zoe has screamed at her brother(s),
Ezra has punched his brother.
Eli has pouted in his bed after a situation didn't go his way.
Ella has been impatient with her sister.



Again, purely hypothetical scenarios that could happen.

(Ahem.)

When I step into a training moment, I know what would be the right choice for my kids to make. I am the mother, after all.

Bu here's the thing I am realizing: I am never closer to being completely wrong as when I know I am right.

(How's that for a tongue twister.)

It's not the being right part that is wrong, it's how I steward being right that can become terribly wrong. And not just wrong, but a wrong that forces the consequence of driving a wedge between me and my children...and their relationship with Jesus.

When I am convinced of my rightness, it is easy for me to justify a myriad of responses. All of a sudden anger, accusations, loss of self-control, harshness and berating become okay...because I am right. Right?

I judge my children based on their actions and myself based on my intentions.

I know, ouch.

All of a sudden my rightness justifies those same wrong reactions...and I become a modern day pharisee.

I am learning that being right doesn't give me the freedom to denounce in judgement harshly, but it does give me the authority to impart grace and mercy.

As usual, Jesus is the perfect example of how we do this: How he handled the adulteress woman brought to him for stoning in John 8 is a good place to start. The woman was obviously in the wrong, caught in the act, and the pharisees were technically in the right. However, Jesus draws the line in the sand for the pharisees and calls them out on their hypocrisy while he builds a bridge to the woman and offers her grace and forgiveness...along with the truth to "go and sin no more."

I too often offer lines in the sand when I should be focused on building bridges.

I have come to realize that this same confusion of lines instead of bridges and harsh judgement instead of grace applies not only to my parenting, but also my relationship with Jeremiah, my friends and family, and even my reactions to situations such as all the recent Ferguson happenings or my personal convictions on homosexuality and the sanctity of life to name a few. And honestly, even my reactions to bad customer service or that car that pulled out in front of me.

The next time I know I am right,
(which will be very soon as I am rarely wrong...) 
(you did pick up that I was being sarcastic in that sentence?!)
I want to be just as focused on acting right...not just being right.

God Came Down

**This is a repost from last December, but it still rings true today. I still can't get over the fact that God came down. To me. To you. If you are hurting or filled with anxiety this Christmas, my prayer is that you will grasp the reality that God came to you. And HE is ENOUGH for you.**

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him, Immanuel, which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:22-23

I found Djouna sitting behind the coconut tree.

Crying.

The ugly-I-have-lost-complete-control kind of crying.

Some of our kids cry. A lot. Over anything or everything.

Djouna is not one of those...

"Sa ga la Djouna?" (what's wrong)

More tears. And more tears. So I just scooped her up in my lap (she's not bigger than a minute) and held her while she wet my shoulder. She managed to stutter out the reason for her tears after a few minutes.

"I miss my mom."

And then I joined her in her tears and we cried together.

The promise held in the name of Jesus as Immanuel, God with us, is something I have never grasped the depth of until this Christmas. Until I held a sobbing girl who misses her Mommy who hasn't come for her. The only comfort I can offer during these interactions (because sadly, this is not an isolated incident...) is the comfort that God is with them.

It's not a trite phrase I throw out without thinking or meaning. It is a powerful promise that I can offer to these precious children that no matter what happens in their life...their God is with them. He's not far removed, uninterested, and uncaring. He is involved, a comfort to the brokenhearted, and a father to the fatherless.

I know this because it is true in my life.
In the hardest adventure of my life here in Haiti he has been with me.
Every hard moment and every joy filled moment...

As he will be for Djouna.

Djouna on a happier day...getting her excellent report card from school last week!

Pray for the kids here at the mission (and all over Haiti) who live with the reality of abandonment every day. Pray for their little hearts, that they might come to know just how much God is with them.

island of misfit pictures

Better random than never, that's my motto today...

Windy days are perfect for flying kites.

The Hambrick Kids Tree Club, friends only.

Contemplative Ezra.

Cousin power.

tis' the season (for a time warp)

I'm up at my moms for a few days with just the kids this week doing some Christmasy stuff with her and the kids. I have mentioned that I love being only a few hours away from them, right?!

This time last December my mom actually came to visit us in Haiti...

Good memories.

Wow. It is hard to think that was only a year ago...and yet it seems like yesterday. 

Time is a crazy thing.

Speaking of time, I spoke at a Ladies Christmas Tea at the church I attended as a teenager this past weekend. What a crazy time warp! I saw friends there that I hadn't seen in over a decade. And then our family attended the church on Sunday and saw even more friends that we hadn't seen in forever. So fun. 

I was even able to show Ella the spot where her Daddy and I had our first kiss...ahem. 

I mean, of course I didn't show her that.

I showed her the spot where we had our first talk. 

That sounds better.

Crazy time. Wasn't that just yesterday?!

We were driving in the car recently listening to Christmas music and the song Baby I'ts Cold Outside comes on. About a minute into the song Ezra pipes up and says to me, "If they don't know if its cold outside they should just go outside!"

Me: "Huh?"

Ezra: "They should just go outside and see if its cold!"

Me: "Ezra, I don't know what you are talking about."

Ezra: "You know, the song, Maybe It's Cold Outside!"

There's that crazy time warp again...what happened to this 4 year old?!

I can't remember enjoying a Christmas season like I am this year! I am not stressed one bit but rather am having so much fun soaking in all the decorating, music, special events, sending cards, baking, and lights! Even the shopping has been fun for me...something that is not the norm. We have a very small budget this year, obviously, but I love how that has forced me to be very creative and homemade in my giving. Thank goodness for pinterest, ha!

And now a walk down memory lane of Christmas card photo's of the past...

Speaking of Christmas cards, because of our transient last few months, most people have lost track of our address. If you'd like to send us one (which we'd love!) email me at jennifer @ jenniferhambrick.com (no spaces) and I'll send our address to you.

Merry 15 days before Christmas everyone!

thursday thoughts (with i-phone photo dump)

We traveled down to Florida for Thanksgiving with Jeremiah's family last week. While I am not a fan of the almost 12 hours it took us to get there thanks to all the holiday traffic (thankfully the kids are traveling rock stars and did awesome!) it was so worth the effort for us all to be together this Thanksgiving!

We saw the movie Big Hero 6 (we all loved it!), took the boat to the Jacksonville Zoo, ate way too much food, decorated Gramma's tree, exchanged presents, did a teeny tiny little bit of black Friday shopping, rode go-carts, and had an all around blast.

Gramma and PawPaw with all 9 grandkids all together! This hasn't happened in almost 2 years!

Last Thanksgiving our entire family had a terrible stomach bug and we ate nothing but saltines and gatorade...so the memory of that made this year all the more sweet.

We had carefully planned out our return trip to try and avoid the traffic and another 12 hour car ride home...but that didn't quite work out as planned and so we overnighted in Charlotte (which just so happens to hold an Ikea so it really was a blessing in disguise...ahem) and turned it into a two day trip home.

Oh, but to be home! I love being home. And our tree is up and we are all decorated and in the Christmas spirit!

If we can only keep Zoe from un-decorating everything.

Me: Zoe, did you take the angel and star off the tree again?
Zoe: Yes, because dey are so cute and i jus wanted too. I wuv them.

Repeat and repeat.

The Lord knew who needed to be extra cute in this family.

                 

This week has been gloriously normal. I've really enjoyed this week...school and visits to the park, puddle jumping, and hot chocolate parties. 

Happy Thursday everyone!

in all and in everything

I've started this habit when I find myself unable to sleep or fighting off feelings of uncertainty: I take out my trusty journal and start adding to my thankful list, writing down all the things I am thankful for.

An internal transformation usually occurs in this time as I find I don't have near as much room in my brain for that anxiety that was plaguing me, for that discontentment, for grumpiness, or for pity parties.

But here's the thing...

I've been challenged over the last year by the verses that command me to give thanks, in all things. 

Or in everything.

All means all. 

Everything means everything.

My thankful list should include the good and the bad. 

One of my favorite all time books is The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, I love the story where she and her sister are sent to the Nazi prison camp, Dachau, and assigned to a flea-ridden bunk room. That first night as they realize the terrible conditions they choose to stand there and pray, giving thanks specifically for the fleas. 

Later on during their stay they are able to start and lead Bible studies in that room without fear of discovery from the guards that were present in every other bunk room, who kept away because of the fleas.

My thankful list has slowly gone through a transformation to include the things I would categorize as difficult...the low bank account statement, the sickness, the difficult person I am dealing with, the child with an issue I can't figure out...

When I thank the Lord for the difficult things in my life, I am trusting His Sovereignty and allowing myself to let go of the control. Then the biggest transformation of all can occur: I am filled with Him, not my worries about me, and true peace comes and settles in. 

Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

In all things, give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

swiftly fly the years: Ella McKay turns 9

My firstborn is 9 today. 

I remember the day she came into the world so well, surprising us all at her 5 week early entrance, but thriving and healthy at 6lbs 2oz.

From early on she has always had a sweetness, a goofiness, and an up-for-anything-ness. 

She has always been a lover of creatures, big and small.

Outdoors is where her creativity expands and she is always making up some fairy world or fairy house.

She reads. all. the. time. Fantasy books being her favorite...but she will read anything and everything...all the day long if I'd let her.

Her favorite subject in school is History. 

Her favorite color is yellow. 

Her favorite Disney princess is Jasmine. 

Her favorite food is anything mexican.

Her favorite movie is Maleficent.

Her favorite Bible verse is John 3:16.

Her favorite sport to play is soccer or gymnastics.

I'm finding it hard to believe she is 9, as I'm sure every other parent can relate to this reality. When your child is a baby you hear the sentiment of how fast times goes spoken to you all the time...annoyingly so. To "cherish every moment" when you are in the thick of sleepless nights and spit up and chronic ear infections is rather hard to swallow. 

But then you blink.

And your child is 9.

And you realize they were right.

My dear Ella,

I love you. And I really like you. I love the person you are growing into and I love the patience you extend to me as I navigate these new waters of parenting a tween. You are loved by so many and you know how to love well. You are just getting so stinking fun! I am looking forward to this new year with you, even if I may not handle everything the way you want, always know that I am on your side. 

Happy 9th Birthday! (How bout we wait two years to turn 10?!!)

all my love forever,

Your Momma

the backlog: while we wait

This is the last of the backlog.

And it is really not so much a backlog post as a general update on what is the latest with our family.

We are semi-settled in VA, enjoying country life and gearing up for our first real winter in over a decade. Despite missing our friends in NC, we love living close to family for the first time ever in our married lives. We all LOVE the family dinners and sleepovers and date nights and drops in's to just chat with Nena and all that living close to family brings. We are cherishing this time.

Our school year is off to a great start. We've already had a better few months than our entire year of school in Haiti. Eli is making great strides and I am much more focused and armed with many more resources to help him along...and it is showing. I'm so proud of him.

Ella misses her buddies. A lot. We are planning a trip back to Haiti to visit them (taking just Ella probably) sometime in early 2015 if we can manage it. She'd go tomorrow if I'd let her.

In other kid news, Zoe bid a final goodbye to the paci and didn't look back and Ella turns 9 this week.

We traveled to NC to our home church to share about our year in Haiti earlier this month. It was wonderful to be able to update and thank everyone for their support of us over the last year. I think it provided some closure for us as well.

I'm speaking at a Ladies Christmas Tea at a local church on December 6th if anyone is interested in the Roanoke area. You can sign up and get more details here.  Public speaker I am not, but I am trying to not miss any opportunity to share what the Lord has been doing in my life.

For the first time since we moved back we have actually stayed right here in VA for longer than 2 weeks. Our traveling days are slowing down, slightly. We do head to FL for Thanksgiving next week as Jeremiah's parents are flying back to the states for the holiday and we are missing them terribly. After our FL trip we have no known trips planned for the entire month of December! It sounds wonderful now, but I'm wondering if I'll get restless, ha!

But what about Jeremiah's job? 

Good question. We are still waiting on the Lord for the answer and trying to be obedient to what he has brought us to in this season.

In the meantime he is just lazing around watching sports in his underwear all day long.

Yeah, right...

If anyone reading this knows my husband you know that he is incapable of laziness. He is the hardest worker I know. He has been staying busy renovating the house we are staying in as well as providing handyman services to some local friends and family to help make ends meet. (If you are needing some home repairs done in the Roanoke area, he's your guy! Seriously, the man is amazing.)

If you'd like some specific ways to pray for our family during this time, we'd love if you'd pray that we'd truly be able to grow in this season, not be anxious about the future, for an open door and a clear direction, and for the Lord to provide for all our needs.

Happy Friday everyone! 
(and good riddance to the backlog!)

the backlog: Dr. Norman T. Briggs

An athlete,

an artist,

a (journal published) scientist,

a hopeless romantic,

who wooed his Sally Lou for over 60 years,

father to four,

Grampa to many more,

was Norman Theodore Briggs.

________________________________________________________________________________

He was Grampa to me and was the first person to introduce me to the world of art. 

My favorite birthday was the year he took me to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in D.C. After our guided tour (by portable cassette player with headphones no less!) he took me to the gift shop and let me pick out any print I wanted. I choose Renoir's Girl With a Watering Can. We went home and he disappeared into his basement (I never dared to venture down to that scary place) and emerged later with a handmade frame for my print. 

That print hangs in my girls room today.

He always encouraged my attempts at making art. He hung one of my very first paintings in a prominent place in his house and I'll never forget the impression that made on me, that he deemed it worthy to be hung in his house. In college he would ask questions about my art classes and sincerely listen to my talking and was interested in my drawings.

He saw the world through the eyes of an artist, and it was apparent in the way he created things and arranged things.

Thank you Grampa, for first opening that door for me, for believing in my art, encouraging me, and for showing me how to find the beauty. You are missed.

The infamous birthday trip to the art museum. 

       

the backlog: Uganda

I got the pleasure of traveling to Jinja, Uganda at the end of October with my Via sister, Kelly, and three of her girls. Although it was my first time traveling to this country, it felt almost familiar to me...as so much of our family is tied to this country, having lived, served, or adopted from there...for over twenty years of my life.

Coming off of a year in Haiti, I was really interested to see the differences and similarities within the two countries.

My first impression of the country was its lushness. 

It is so green, mixed with the rich color of the red dirt. 

Beautiful. 

The Ugandan people I encountered were helpful, cheerful, and had a quiet unassuming demeanor. 

The Islamic calls to prayer throughout the day were sad to hear. 

A highlight of the trip for me was a trip out to Arise Africa's Bukelaba Children's Home and meet some of the faces I have heard about for years.

Of course, the children were incredible...

My nieces were kind enough to give me the lay of the land while we were there...

Beautiful, right?!

Another major highlight of the trip for me was getting to meet my niece Chloe for the very first time! She is a sweet and playful little girl who fits perfectly into their family. I loved playing with her and cuddling with her (the girl is a great snuggler!) I loved spending time with all the girls and getting to be an Aunt without the distractions of my own kids.

I loved my time with Kelly and Jonathan and getting to see their life in Uganda. I pray for them everyday and see pictures and read about what they are doing...but to get to see it all with my own eyes made it that much more real.

I know firsthand how hard it is to live in a country that is not your home country and all the struggles that come with raising a family, homeschooling, maintaining your marriage, staying effective in your ministry, and I couldn't be more proud of them! In case you haven't before, you can check out more about them here.

a free for all for friday

First things first. In case you haven't noticed...Christmas is coming! Here and in Haiti! There are only 4 spots left, but if you'd like to sponsor one of our kiddo's in Haiti for Christmas, click on this link here and sign up! It has all the details and info you will need.



Zoe is having major withholding poop issues because she doesn't want to poop on the potty or in her diaper. Which, in turn, cause serious back up issues. We've never had a poop issue before with our kids, so, once again, this is a first with the Zooble. She is so stinking stubborn. I don't know where she gets it.

I introduced Ezra to the calculator this week. His mind is blown. He keeps it in his pocket and randomly pulls it out and does a math problem and keeps asking me, "but, how does it know?!"

It's cold today. Really cold. We've spent a whole decade in fake winter in North Carolina and then missed a whole year of winter altogether in Haiti. I am a little scared and excited about a real Virginia mountain winter.

I got into project mode this week and repainted my dining room table.
And then the sideboard.
And then Ella's desk.
And then another table...

Today, Ella spilt fingernail polish remover on her freshly painted desk and one of the boys colored on the kitchen table. Both were accidents and I, of course, kept my composure calm at all times...

Ahem.

Happy Friday everyone! Stay warm!

the backlog: Briggs Vacation

Later on in the month of September we joined up with my family for a few days at Corolla Beach, NC. We didn't have the best weather, but we managed to fit in a whole lotta fun anyways...

The football gang.

I always love that feeling of anticipation right before you see the ocean.
No matter how often I see it, that feeling always wells up. 

Adults only dinner out =)

It only takes about 3 hours for everyone to mobilize when going out.
Good thing there were these handy steps for those that were waiting for everyone else.

We had several rainy cool days in a row.

We found fun ways to keep ourselves occupied in the rain. Gold press on nails anyone?!

Just a "few" of us saw a movie one rainy afternoon.

And then, the sun broke out!

Zoe and her bff cousin Maddy.

Sometimes, even these two are bff's.

My dad with some of the littles.

One BIG happy crazy family.