Pursued

Today was one of those days when the stress of life just hit.  School starts on Wednesday for three of our kids, and preparation for school brings lots of expense.  Typically we have extra money for uniforms and supplies in August, but not this year so we have the financial stress and the stress that summer ends a week earlier.  We really cherish our summers and feel like we never do everything we planned to do.  There is always the friend that we never invited for a playdate or the activity we didn't get to, the book for school that wasn't read, or the reading program that wasn't finished (oops).  All of it just hit me today though I have friends in much more stressful situations.  However, I opened my devotion for today, and it was just one of those thought provoking devotions.  I just had to share a small snippet of it in my online family journal.

I am working through Beth Moore's Believing God devotional journal.  I completed her Believing God  Bible study while waiting for Julia, and I believe it is my favorite Bible study to date.  I would love to walk through it again with a group of ladies.  In today's devotion, Beth talks about how God sees us and how hard it is for us to see ourselves as He does.  This has come up in a couple of places lately which is always a little nudge that God has something to say on the topic.  Anyway, on page 64, she has several statements to which the reader is to respond:

You are blessed--what does that mean to you?
You are chosen
You are Adopted
You are Favored
You are Redeemed
You are Forgiven

The question on which I want to focus is, "you are adopted--what does that mean to you?"  I am an adoptive mom.  I know the right answer.  The scripture tells us that we are adopted as heirs to the kingdom, the siblings of Christ.  Our savior was adopted by his earthly father, and adoption gives parents to the lonely.  In the past my answer would have been some combination of these things, but today, one word came to mind.  What does adoption mean to me?  It means He pursues me.  I have been on the adoption journey.  I know what adoption means.  It is a pursuit, a very strong pursuit of the person who will be your child.  I think it is very appropriate to say that if I am adopted, I am pursued.  What a cool God we serve!

Spring Break Day 2

Tuesday was recovery day.  We were all tired from Monday's trip.  Savannah spent the day with friends, and the rest of us hung out at home.  We were glad to have Andy home from work for one more day.  So, we took a walk around the block.  Wyatt and Julia rode their bikes.  When we returned Shiloh was so tired that she laid on the floor to drink her water. Come on Shiloh.  You are a peppy six months old, and we only went around the block twice, a long block in the heat, but still.  This is pathetic.In the evening we let Wyatt and Julia soak their feet in the hot tub.  Julia's new cell phone was handy as she snapped a picture of Wyatt and herself so that she could post it on Facebook.  She needed to place calls and text as necessary.

Shiloh?!Julia also used her phone to record video of Mom.  She then edited the video to include obnoxious noises and whispered what she had done to Wyatt.  Of course this Tinkerbell phone cannot do any of these things, but Julia has a great imagination.

Made in China

so, what has been happening at our house? snow days - two this week, and enough snow to make it appear that we have no deck (there are actually two stairs from the deck to the yard)
For the record we have no sledding pictures because I have never done that and neither have my kids. I keep saying we will do it next year, but the money never seems to be there to buy the boots and long johns, so....maybe next year.

Can you find the dog? Shiloh is five months old today.

She does not seem to have a favorite person.

These two keep us amused. Check out their sweatshirts. Wyatt's says "Made in China" in both Chinese and English (at least I think that is what is says in Chinese, how would I know?). Julia's says "100% American Girl -Hand Wash Only - Do Not Bleach --Made in China." I have wanted to buy these for a long time and finally broke down and did it.

My purse started falling apart. I loved this purse that Wyatt helped me pick out. It was about a year ago, and his English was pretty good. He wanted me to buy a baby poop yellow purse...ick. He told me black was a bad color, but this one was shiny, so I think that is why he approved.

Why is a new purse cause for a family celebration?

black cell phone + black purse lining = lost cell phone

My kids had the constant joy of trying to find my ringing cell phone in my purse whenever we were on the road. A joy that brought much groaning. Well guess what...finding a purse without a black lining is no small task, and I did not accomplish it, but the small pocket on the front of this purse should save my kids some headaches. Now if I can fit everything in my smaller purse.

Savannah does not care to wear jewelry, but she loves to bead it, so she has been beading bracelets so much after our beading bee that I bought her the stuff to continue. She can do what she loves, and we can donate the results to fight autism and to missionaries who want trinkets to hand out on short-term mission trips. How's that for finding a purpose in something you love?

Today was also supposed to be the day that my mom started chemo, but we have another setback. She has cellulitis in her arm and now has to go through another antibiotic. Keep praying. Your prayers are much appreciated!!

artist....God

This picture from our day on the farm was the last picture taken, and I thought it deserved a post of its own. The day started poorly. Nobody was prepared for church. The kids had nothing to wear as I have not pulled off the fall and winter shopping yet. Finally dressed, we left home so late that we turned around and returned. So when the evening ended with this sweet hug from God, I so needed it.

a few of my favorite things

While driving home today, I heard Steven Curtis Chapman's newest release. Heaven is the Place clearly describes those things he misses most about being with Maria and looks forward to doing again when they are reunited in Heaven. When he spoke of having his daughter cuddle on his chest, I was reminded of some of my favorite things. The past two weeks have been stressful, and I have felt that I could not catch my breath. I found myself snapping at Savannah this morning and saying that something on our schedule must go, and I offered up my Bible study on Wednesday nights as the only thing that can easily be axed. I know that this would not be a good idea as this promises to be a powerful study, and I know I need it. I am simply overwhelmed right now. So, I heard the song and thought that I would simply list some of my favorite things on the blog today because this could be fun. Yes, I should be cleaning or doing laundry or going to a parent meeting....think I'll skip that meeting tonight.

and here they are, not necessarily in order

• worship
• Revelation Song
• seeing something happen that can only be described as a miracle
• laying on the couch with a baby snuggled up on my chest
• sleeping late
• having a toddler tell me something that is clearly important or scolding me and then walking away leaving me with no idea whatsoever what was said
• a freshly bathed baby lathered in Johnson's Baby lotion and dressed in clean pajamas
• Hershey's Nuggets -esp. toffee
• date night
• nights out with my girlfriends
• hugs
• Julia's laugh - truly the best sound in the whole world
• listening to Zachary encourage his teammates after games and practices
• Savannah's kisses goodbye in the morning
• Wyatt's grin when he is delighted
• watching anyone who is thrilled about something
• sinking my feet in the sand with a cold beverage in my hand, my husband at my side, my children playing in the surf and watching the sunset
• laughing with my family
• seeing my church family
• Bath and Body Works - Spearmint Eucalyptus, Butterfly Flower, and Jasmine Vanilla
• catching up with old friends
• a 7 or 8 year old's grin when both front teeth are missing
• pictures - esp. of people
• Andy's sense of humor

These are a few of my favorite things -- simple pleasures - mostly cheaper than Oprah's list.

Incredible, Inspirational, and a hit right between the eyes!!

At this point you must be thinking, who is this blogger who disappeared for a few weeks and then comes back to post three times in two days?

I can't resist but to share this post from this amazing blog- possibly the most inspirational blog I have ever read! If you scroll to the bottom of my page, you can find the full blog by clicking on "the Journey." Prepare to be amazed by the way this very young woman (I think she is only 20) says "yes" to God. Be warned it may just change your life.

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2009/08/be-warned-i-always-re-read-things.html

Have you seen The Karate Kid?

Meet Mr. Miyagi

The fingerprints of God

I have considered blogging about this for quite some time, and I have a semi-free morning, so I am taking the opportunity to do so now. The shadow box pictured above is our personal spiritual markers or memorials. Several years ago, Andy and I took a Growing Kids God's Way class, and we learned lots of great, common sense parenting tips. However, my favorite part of the class was an extra video we watched toward the end. The Ezzos (authors of the series) talked about the shadow box they kept in their home containing the spiritual markers of their family. It was a few years after that class before we started our own shadow box, but that seed was firmly planted during that class.

All through the Bible, God instructed His people to build memorials. He knows very well how forgetful we are. He taught them to use the memorials to instruct the next generation. Do not forget the great things God has done. Even now when we take communion, we are using one of the memorials God gave us so many generations ago.

How easy it would be to forget. We have this displayed in our home in hopes of encouraging our children that God is alive and active in our lives. Those who lived during Biblical times are not the only ones who have seen God at work. This box was a huge encouragement to me along the difficult adoption trail to Wyatt. I would pause at it from time to time and remember that my God is faithful, and He has done great things for us.

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What is in the box???

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a picture of our first house --- This is the story of our first home. We were ready to start a family and decided it was time for a house. We found one just down the street from our apartment that would suit our needs. It was in need of a lot of cosmetic work, but the price was right. However, the bank we chose drug their feet on the loan. It went on for three months, and we decided to give up our good faith deposit and move on. It was a frustrating time. We decided that we would wait indefinitely before looking for a house again. During the following spring, I found myself expecting our first child. Andy called from work (he worked nights) one night and told me that I needed to make the bathroom my bedroom for the night because tornado warnings were in the area especially around our home. As I made a bed on the floor of that tiny bathroom, I prayed that one day we would have a house with a basement bedroom so that I could sleep in a bed during tornado warnings - silly, I know. People all over the world sleep on the floor every night of their lives. Why should I be entitled to a bed? Anyway, a week or two later, I decided to look at houses for fun one Sunday afternoon. I found an open house in the paper and went with my mom to look at it. I loved the house. It was a three bedroom home with a huge kitchen and a basement that was partially finished. Yes, the basement had a bedroom. Andy and I made an appointment to see the house later in the week. He loved it as well. However, we still weren't sure this was right for us. I prayed that God would give me a sign. That very afternoon, our realtor (who we hadn't heard from in months) called to see if we were still interested in buying a house. I told him about the house we had found, and he helped us with the loan, inspection and all the details of closing. Before we knew it, we were living in a great house. We loved it there and would probably still be there, but our family outgrew it.

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a swimming pool ----- When Zachary was 2 and a half years old, we joined my parents and siblings on a vacation in South Carolina. We stayed in a cabin in a forest area where watching the little kids was high priority. There was a lake right outside the back door of the cabin, and it was home to alligators. Rattlesnakes had once claimed the life of a young child in the wooded area that surrounded the cabins. There was a swimming pool, and we had a child who was not a bit afraid of water. One morning I woke to nurse Savannah. My sister walked in the room and asked where Zachary was. I replied that he was asleep on the cot next to me. She stated that he was not. I thought she was kidding and that she had been playing with him in the kitchen, but she did not know where he was. We searched the cabin to find that he was gone. Andy headed out to look for him and met some maintenance workers coming down the path with him. Zachary had been in the pool. They thought he was with another family, but the family got up to leave, and he stayed. He led them to our cabin. I tried later in the day to get Zachary to lead us to the cabin, but he could not do it. I was convinced that God led him back to us safely and protected him from the dangerous woods and the lake. I always thought that God saved Zachary for greatness, but it was years later while listening to the testimony of another lady during a Bible study, that I thought maybe Zachary was saved for Julia (this was before Wyatt was a thought for us). It was while this woman shared about an attack against her dad. He was okay, but had he not been okay, she may not have been able to go into the mission field which is her life work. I thought about the swimming pool incident with Zachary and how if things had not turned out okay, I never would have had the confidence to parent again, and certainly never would have adopted. Maybe that was Satan's thwarted plan - take a child from us, so that we would raise fewer children for the glory of God.

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poison ivy ----yes, that is real poison ivy that I laminated ---Now, I will tell you why this family can thank God for poison ivy. A few years ago, my dad got into poison ivy while working in his yard. He was covered in it. My mom, who is a nurse, did her homework and admonished him to see a doctor as it covered so much of his body that it was dangerous. My dad (remember that he is a man) refused. Of course the weekend arrived, and the doctor's office was closed. He decided that he could no longer stand it. He was going to the emergency room. As he prepared to go, he felt short of breath, something he mentioned to the doctor in the E.R. The doctor was concerned about the poison ivy but also wanted to investigate the shortness of breath. As it turned out, Dad had a blood clot in his lung and blood clots in both legs. Had he not gone to the E.R., he would have died within days. God put a whole string of events together on this one...the poison ivy, the wait until the weekend for treatment, the shortness of breath, the deligent doctor (who turned out to be a friend of Andy's and mine).

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airplane -777 --- That is a 777 in our box, and this is the story of Julia. Adoption was placed in my heart long before we started the process to Julia. There are many markers in her story, but I will try to stick to the plane. All along the process I needed constant affirmation from God that we were doing His will. No one in my family had ever adopted. We had no reason to believe that we could not have more biological children. It was expensive. We are still paying off her adoption. On April 18th 2005, I checked our personal page on our agency's website and found that we had a group number. This would be our travel group, and this was confirmation that a phone call would come the next day to let us know about our child. Our travel group number was 777. As more details unfolded we learned that we would fly to China both ways on a 777 and that we would meet our daughter on June 7th. When I talked with our nursery director about all those 7s. She got excited and pointed out that 7 is God's perfect number of completion. I saw it as a gift from God. He put that 7 all over the place in the final weeks of her adoption and it brought me great comfort. I also wondered at the time if God might be giving us a clue that someday we would be a family of 7. We will see about that one.

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our current house---- This is the story of our current home. We brought Julia home, and suddenly our perfect little house seemed far too small. Gas prices were going up, up, up, and we were across town from school for the kids and our church, a place we visited about five times a week. We also knew at that time that we wanted to adopt again, and there was no place for another child. Therefore, we started the hunt for a new home. We put an offer on a house that we loved, but the backyard was not really suitable for us. Our home did not have any offers on the table, and we were hoping for a buyer. We knew that my brother wanted to buy our house, but he was not ready, and we wanted to move during the summer. We lost the house we loved on my birthday. Bummer. We rode out our contract with the realtor on our house and decided to wait until spring to try again. In December, our realtor called to say that there were two houses up for sale in the neighborhood we really liked. We looked at them and really loved one of them but decided to wait. A week or two later, she called again about a house in the same neighborhood. We took a look and loved the house. My brother was ready to buy our old house and we moved in February. We did not realize at the time how necessary our move was. Our children have attended the same Christian school since kindergarten, but they move to a different location for middle school. Had we not moved, getting Zachary to middle school would have been impossible.

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not pictured - an armoire---During our move, we tossed our old desk. It had been Andy's in high school, and it was falling apart. It was an eyesore. We did not have the money to replace it, so we sat our computer on a child's desk and held the keyboard in our laps when we were using the computer-- pitiful, but we couldn't afford to do anything about it. Finally, we had enough and decided to take money out of our adoption fund and buy a desk. We found a computer armoire that we loved and purchased it. Upon our return after that purchase, we opened a letter from our mortgage company that had been sitting in a mail stack for about three days. It was a refund from our previous mortgage, and you guessed it, it was about the same amount as the armoire we had just purchased. We took that as a go-ahead from God to get the adoption ball rolling. We bought a miniature armoire to put in the shadow box, but it did not fit, so we are on the hunt for a tiny, doll furniture armoire to add to the shadow box.

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not pictured --the logo from Zach's football helmet - This isn't really locked into the shadow box, but the logo is the symbol for the Christian school our kids attend. We have sent children to this school for eight years now. It has involved sacrifices for our family, but God has been faithful to provide, and I pray often that He will provide for them to see it all the way through as long as the school continues to teach from a biblical world view and encourages students on their personal journey with Christ.

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God's fingerprints on Wyatt's adoption--- I shared some of Julia's story. Now I will share a little of Wyatt's. We chose the name Wyatt for a son before Savannah was born. When the idea of that son being Chinese became a possible reality, I wasn't sure that Wyatt worked. I think of Wyatt's as blondes. However, when we got Wyatt's information and learned the meaning of his Chinese name, it was almost identical to the meaning of Wyatt. Jun (Wyatt's middle name in China) means brave or soldier. Wyatt means brave, little guy, or warrior. The little guy part of his name fits as well because Wyatt is in the 25th percentile for height and weight. Now that is on the American chart which should be different from the Chinese chart, but even his orphanage noted that he was small for his age.

I prayed throughout the process that Wyatt would be able to sing (thanks Jen for sharing a prayer you said over your son that inspired this). I specifically prayed that he would be able to use his voice to draw people to God and that he would be gifted like Steven Curtis Chapman or another singer (who shall remain nameless) who I think is very gifted. Initially, Wyatt sang all the time when he joined us. On the only feedback we got from his music teacher this year, she noted that he has perfect pitch. hmm - we will wait and see what God does with this.

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Is God cool or what!??

Bucket List

Our church has a weekly paper, and each week a new member is usually profiled. One of the typical questions is "name something on your bucket list." This has gotten me to think lately about my "bucket list." I don't know that anything on this list is a MUST do before I die because to live is Christ and to die is gain, but this is my expensive wish list.

• take the family to do a summer camp with Bring Me Hope in China - interesting because I don't jump at the chance to volunteer at summer camp with my own kids
• take the family to Disney World -it would be very cool to do this while at least one child is still enthralled with the wonder of it all
• take the family to Washington DC and tour all the traditional stuff along with the National Zoo
• visit the CCAI office in Colorado and find the pictures of Wyatt and Julia on the wall
• go on a heritage tour of China
• go to Estes Park and go horseback riding in the mountains (I did this a few years ago, and I think it was my favorite part of any vacation I have ever had).
• let each of the kids be an only child for a weekend - getaway with Mom and Dad (This appeals to me to have each one of them all to themselves for a weekend, but I am one of six children and not so sure this would have appealed to me as a child.
• get Andy to take Salsa or ballroom dance lessons with me (Okay this may be even more unlikely than my next wish).

One more - adopt a young girl (2 or younger) from China with a minor heart condition. I list this separately because it is the most unlikely of the list to happen aside from the dance class with my husband which is definitely the least likely to happen.
The rest of these are of lower priority to me, but I would like to do them.

• go to Hawaii
• take an Alaskan cruise