I'm sure that by now most of you know the Saunders family. They have served the Father for years as pastors and have the biggest heart for orphans I have ever seen. In January their house burnt down, their dog died and their son had an emergency surgery. They lived in a hotel room (all 8 of them) because nobody wanted to rent their home to a family with 6 children. Life was just beginning to look normal. Until yesterday. They got word that their daughter has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She is 19 years old.
This family could absolutely use our prayers right now. Spiritual warfare is what they so desperately need. PLEASE pray with me! I believe in the power of prayer, I believe with all my heart that it can move mountains. I believe in the Body of Christ coming together and praying specifically for things. I believe that every prayer we pray is powerful. I believe that every prayer we pray goes straight to the heart of our Father in heaven. I believe that Satan cannot stand against the army of God. I believe, I believe, I believe!
If you do not know the Saunders family, you can read Linny's blog here. Let's stand with them and trust for a complete healing for their Autumn. If you have a moment, please visit their blog and leave an encouraging note, I know Linny would so appreciate it.
Oh friends, please pray for this sweetest little baby girl. Born weighing only a pound, she has overcome many obstacles in her short life. But things have suddenly taken a turn for the worse. Doctors are declaring her brain dead after a recent surgery. They are saying there is very little hope. This family has endured so much in the last 10 months--still they are trusting God for a miracle. Kayleigh and her family really need our prayers today. They need a miracle from THE HEALER! Body of Christ--let us all pray, let us stand with them in our prayers and trust God for the miracle they so desperately need.
Excited? Absolutely. In just a few days I will be back in Africa. I can hardly wait to get there. To see my family again is going to be such a huge blessing. The smell of the ocean, the wind that loves to blow, the familiar sights and sounds of the place that I grew up in are all things I can hardly wait to experience again. Africa is an amazing place--so unique and so absolutely different to life here in the USA. I will take heaps of pictures to share here.
Goodness--I am trying to get my heart around the fact that I am going to be away from my amazing hubby and other three kids for nine days. That is hard for me.
Needless to say, my boys are beyond excited. The thought of two full days of traveling each way is just heaven on earth to them. Not me. But, I know it passes quickly. We do have an 8 hour layover in London. I am so looking forward to spending the time with one of my best friends. We have not seen each other for five years--we have so much catching up to do. Another little blessing along the way.
I stand in awe of God's faithfulness in my life. The way He blesses me is so beyond my wildest expectation. I am so grateful for His gift of this trip. So grateful to the ones who have blessed me exceedingly, abundantly more than I could ever have asked for. Thank you, dear friends.
I love this picture of my two little ones playing in the snow on Saturday. We got a ridiculous amount of snow in two days. I mean, serious! I have never lived in a place with such strange weather--almost two feet of snow in two days, and then shorts and T-shirts the next day. Too weird.
The remains (in a parking lot) of the biggest snow storm we have experienced since living here. This little pile of snow was 20 feet high!
It seems that the last two days have been all about getting to know me better. Funny. Today I got tagged by my sweet friend, Shonni at nations around our table. My goodness, if you want to get to know an extra-ordinary woman, you have to go and visit her blog (and her amazing family). She is such a huge inspiration to me. If ever I think I'm busy--I just have to think about Shonni and my life suddenly seems so boring :)
8 Things I look forward too...
~~~ My trip to Africa! Oh my, am I excited, or what? I can hardly wait to see my family and friends again.
~~~ Summer! After over a foot of snow today, to say that I am ready for summer is an understatement. Will it ever come?
~~~ The end of another school year. We chose the wrong curriculum this year--I can't wait to change it next year.
~~~ Camping with my family this summer. The kids love it! I don't mind camping--just as long as there is a shower and proper toilets--my only requirements.
~~~ The day when Haven learns how to speak!
~~~ Eating South African food and candy.
~~~ Lazy days sitting at the edge of the swimming pool watching my children swim.
~~~ Seeing God's plans and purposes for our lives unfold. I love the adventures He takes us on.
8 Things I did yesterday...
~~~ Literally dragged myself out of my warm bed to get to my 6am spinning class. Not so much fun when it is freezing outside.
~~~ Made more and more and more food. How can it be that little ones are always so hungry?
~~~ Laundry done and folded--but still not put away yet.
~~~ Ordered a pair of shoes off the internet for my brothers wedding. The second pair! The first ones I decided I really don't like, so they have to go back to the store. Let's hope I prefer the new ones. That's me--I just have to change my mind.
~~~ Emailed my sister-in-love-to-be's sister (did you get that? what a mouthful). I don't think there is any way that I am ever going to fit into the dress she bought me for the wedding (I am a Matron of Honor). Why? I gave her the wrong darn size. Got my South African/American sizes so confused. Sizes are smaller there. Yikes! Too late--either I'll have to squeeze every bit of me into that tiny little dress, or I'll just have to go shopping for another one when I get there.
~~~ Grocery shopped for the fifth time this week.
~~~ Procrastinated about tidying up our messy cupboard that has all the games in--yes, I'm still procrastinating.
~~~ Printed out some yummy new vegetarian recipes--can't wait to try them.
8 Things I wish I could do...
~~~ Make sure that every orphan in the world had a mommy and daddy that adored them.
~~~ Lead worship in church. I LOVE to worship--but I cannot sing to save my life. Yip, I was in the back of the line when God handed out singing voices. I can't sing and I absolutely cannot dance. Praise God I sing to an audience of ONE!
~~~ Teach my kids how to play an instrument.
~~~ Have a weekend getaway alone with my hubby.
~~~ Have the joy of carrying a baby in my womb--it has to be one of God's most amazing miracles.
~~~ Live in a seriously old, victorian home on a few acres.
~~~ See my family who live in Africa more often.
~~~ Ensure that each one of my children chooses to walk with the Lord as they grow up--that they will never be tempted to take the wrong road.
8 Shows I watch...
(I am so not a TV person--so I am going to add in some movies I have enjoyed watching)
~~~ American Idol
~~~ Extreme Home Makeover
~~~ The Secret Life of Bees (if you have not seen this---go and rent it. It is beautiful!)
~~~ The Biggest Loser
~~~ Facing the Giants (Flywheel and Fireproof, too)
I got a note on facebook asking me to list 16 random things about myself. Since I am definitely not active on facebook (because I would spend my entire life on the computer if I tried to do that too), I thought I would post them here. What a fun way to get to know each other a little better.
So, here are some things about me you probably didn't know...
~~~ I am addicted to spinning! I wake up at 5:30am and am on the spinning bike at 6am. I absolutely love it--and it gives me some time to myself while the rest of the family is still sleeping. I get home and my crazy day begins.
~~~ Healthy food is a passion. About 12 years ago we made some major changes to our diet. I started studying natural health and nutrition, and have continued to learn about it over the years. I love feeding my family healthy food, and love trying new recipes.
~~~ I have been a vegetarian for 21 years. I started out not eating red meat and then stopped eating chicken and fish too.
~~~ I love having a clean house. Clutter drives me nuts (and makes me seriously grumpy--not a good thing). My hubby jokes with me that if he sits in one place for just a little too long, he WILL get packed away.
~~~ Ah, the hair color! I can NEVER decide whether I prefer being a brunette, or a blond (and I've been black and red too, but those do not work for me!). It changes frequently. My dear husband never quite knows who is coming home from the hairdresser. In fact, I change my hair so often that I probably should have been a hairdresser. Darn it--I totally missed my calling in life.
~~~ I love paint! The paint on the walls probably changes as much as the color on my hair. I have a serious problem with colors, as you can tell. Help!
~~~ Furniture hardly ever stays in one place. I get so bored with the way things look. I love change and the feeling it brings, even if it just means changing the position of the sofa.
~~~ Ug, I despise dirt! A backyard must have grass, and very little dirt. So, here we are living in a place where nothing grows at 8500 feet altitude. Nothing, except the pine trees. Oh, and the Aspens bloom for about two months of the year. Our backyard? A sand pit! I am convinced God uses it to keep my attitude in check. Every time a kid or a dog comes inside after being in the yard--they bring half of the dirt inside with them. Did I tell you I love a clean house???
~~~ I love Goodwill. Most of what I buy comes from Goodwill. And, I go on Saturdays when I get an additional 50% off. I am seriously cheap.
~~~ I never used to be frugal. I loved spending money on nice things. How God changed me. Now I hate buying anything new. It is such a waste of money. I love finding bargains.
~~~ I love anything feminine and girly. Pretty dresses, pink clothes, soft colors for make-up and anything with a girly feel is just perfect for me. I used to be a complete tomboy--I did not wear a dress for the first 21 years of my life. Now pink is my favorite color.
~~~ I was a horrible student in school. I loved school, but hated studying.
~~~ My mom died 2 1/2 years ago. I so desperately miss having a mother. It has left such a void in my life.
~~~ I am terrified of snakes! I hate the buggers. I don't care if they are the 'cute' colorful kind you buy as pets, or the 'harmless' garden snake--a snake is a snake!
~~~ Okay, so it's no secret--I love warm weather. It is just what I am used to. But, you know what I love the most about warm weather? I love having a tan--there is nothing better for me than spending the whole day on the beach and coming home completely fried, and then having to smother my body in after sun cooling lotion! Definitely one of my most favorite things. I know, so weird.
~~~ I am as crazy about my husband as I was the first day I met him. He is still my hotty hot! Seeing him all dressed up still gets my heart heart going. Say no more :)
I was told to tag all my friends and ask them to do the same thing--so friends, go ahead--post 16 random things about you on your blog. I'd love to read them.
Be blessed, precious ones. Thank you all for sharing in my joy about my trip to Africa. You guys are the best!
Isn't life just such a funny thing? One minute I think I have things all figured out--and the next thing I know, God has totally changed the direction things were going in. Ever experienced that?
Up until Saturday my plans were to leave for South Africa in two weeks time. I had a free ticket to get there. All was well. That is, until we got confirmation that I had to fly stand by. No problem--except for one tiny detail. My flight landed in Dakar (a country in West Africa), a country which has experienced a lot of hostility recently. I would have to get off the airplane, and trust that I could get another seat for the remainder of the journey to Johannesburg. Hubby immediately said, "No way, I am not willing to take the chance of you not getting a seat in Dakar--I cannot take the chance that you may have to spend a day or two alone in that country."
Heck!
So out of the blue on Saturday, we get this phone call from friends who are so dear to our hearts. Friends who we adore. They casually ask me how my plans are going to get to S.A. They share with me that God had impressed on their hearts to help out in any way they could.
The God of the universe, the amazing One who holds ALL things in the palm of His hands had gone before me...again!
Yes, I am still going to South Africa, and yes, I will still be attending my precious brother's wedding. BUT--I will not be traveling alone! These amazing friends of ours have not only paid for my ticket, but also for my two older sons to travel with me. Oh my heart--my two boys, who miss their family so much that they have many tears over it, are coming with their mommy to be in their uncles wedding. Yayyyeeeee! All because two friends cared enough to buy tickets for all three of us to be a part of this special day in my family.
Here's the thing. I know my God. He has never, not once, ever let me down. Did I say ever? Well, ever! I knew that my God would come through for me, no matter what the outcome, and that I would be okay with it. You know what the Almighty did? He searched, He looked, He waited for faithful servants to step forward and be USED by Him to bless us. He chose the most amazing friends to be the deliverer of the gift. Goodness, there just are no words to describe what I feel.
Oh how we are blessed. Tonight we were telling the boys that they will be coming with me, and we were sharing how it all came about. Anthony said this to them, "That if we had a lot of money, and could buy everything our hearts desired, then we would never appreciate how God takes care of us like we do now." What an amazing thing it is to live a life of trusting God for our every need. We would never have it any other way.
He is our provider, the One who takes care of every single need we ever have. How desperately we need Him. How much we appreciate the amazing way He takes care of our family. How thankful we are that He uses people we know and love to bless us exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ever imagine. Part of the joy of all this is that we KNOW that these friends, who love the Father with all their hearts, will be so absolutely blessed for their faithfulness. The joy for us is in sitting back and watching His amazing plans and purposes for their lives unfold. The joy is in having front row seats and watching Him move time and time again in their lives. Joy indescribable.
Ever doubted the faithfulness of God? Don't. He IS faithful and true!
Thank you, precious friends, for the glorious gift. There simply are no words!
Some days are just extra special. Today was one of those for our family.
We celebrated the RISEN LORD--the ONE who defeated death.
And, we celebrated the birth of our precious first born. Ten years ago we welcomed our first child into the world in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. In many ways, it seems like yesterday. I had just quit my Public Relations job to join my hubby in full-time ministry. Anthony was about to celebrate his 41 birthday and was so excited to be a first time daddy, something he wondered if the Lord would ever bless him with. He did! (And He has kept blessing us with more and more and more...)
I can hardly believe ten years have passed. Our little boy is growing up so fast. What a blessing he is to his parents. Strong and very determined, with an amazing sense of right and wrong--this boy longs to see everyone come to know the Lord (just like his daddy). An amazing big brother, he is always willing to help out in any way needed. Sweet and tender hearted is our oldest son. How I wish I could just stop the clock and keep him little--but at the same time I am so excited to see God's plans and purposes for this child unfold.
The men in my life. How blessed I am.
"Daddy, do you really have to make my hair look like this for church?"
Some of them just take a little longer to wake up in the morning--especially when they get woken up for a busy day. Not even the Easter goodies got her moving faster. (Thank you Grandma Lynn for all the Easter treats.)
Three kids took part in the Easter skit at church. Too fun.
Chinese Mary. She took her role very seriously.
The one who just loves to act and be goofy.
What in the world would Easter be without snow--buckets of it! Oh the joys. Yes, I am astounding myself--I even have a good attitude about it. Mmmmm, maybe that's because I know that in just two weeks time I will be in the land of sunshine and beaches. Bring on the snow!
Praying your Easter was as blessed as ours. What a joy that the tomb is empty! What a joy that, no matter what happens in this life, those who KNOW HIM are assured of what the future holds. KNOWING HIM--that really is all that really matters, isn't it? No self helps book, no 'feel good about yourself' dvd's and cd's from the latest motivational speaker--none of it will do. KNOWING HIM--the ONE WAY to fulfillment in this life, no matter what we go through. Amazing Jesus. I am so in awe of His amazing love, grace and mercy. My only purpose in this life is to KNOW HIM--more and more. It is in knowing Him that I am able to be all the other things He has called me to be. It's as simple as that. (Loved it, Pastor Jim)
So much happening--I am pretty speechless tonight. God has blessed me exceeding, abundantly more than I could ever imagine or ask for. I am hardly ever at a loss for words (just ask my hubby!). Tonight I am. More tomorrow....
Even with huge gaps in my teeth--I am still completely adorable.
Remembering the day that Jesus took that long, painful, unimaginable walk to His death--all so that I could live. There are no words. I once read in a book that if I were the only person here on this earth, He would still have done it--just for me! Amazing Love, how can it be?
Since day one Haven has been terrified of doctors--not just a little fear--TRAUMATIZED! I guess that whenever you adopt an older child there is always a big black hole regarding their past. There is no way of ever knowing exactly what they have endured in their lives. So it is with Haven, she has so many fears and scars on her body, things that we will never have the answers to.
I have come to the conclusion that she must have had a HORRIBLE hospital experience. There is nothing documented in her medicals from China that she was ever hospitalized, but that is no surprise either. We pretty much take all her medicals and past history that has been documented with a grain of salt.
As soon as she realized where we were today, as soon as she knew that it was a hospital she sobbed uncontrollably. Not just a child-like cry with tears--I mean shaking and sobbing to the point were she could not be comforted, no matter how hard I tried. Her little body trembled in absolute fear...shaking! Thank goodness they eventually gave her a sedative, which did relax her a little. Oh my heart.
After a 75 minute procedure, the dentist had to remove 4 teeth--all in the front. All the other teeth he managed to save. Her gums were so inflamed and infected that he needed to scrape underneath them to remove all the bacteria. Most of the discoloration is gone, and her teeth in general look so much cleaner.
For the most part, having a non-verbal child has been very do-able for our family. As we have journeyed the past six months, we have learned how to meet Haven's needs. But today was tough! My heart broke as I looked at my child and knew that there was no way that she could communicate to me what she was feeling. She had no way of telling me why she was afraid. Once surgery was over, she had no way of letting me know where she was hurting. There was nothing I could do--except hold her tight and assure her everything was going to be okay. It was a hard day. My mommy heart broke for my sweet little one who lives in her world of silence, completely unable to share her thoughts and feelings with us. It was one of those times she just had to trust me that she was safe.
Days like today make me long for Haven to find her voice. But, I know we still have a very long road ahead of us. I cannot tell you how grateful I am the Lord has blessed us with this sweet little flower--what a joy it is to see her blossom and grow. There is such a sweetness about her, such a tenderness. I know that some day we will look back on the days that she did not speak and it will all be a distant memory. I am claiming that for Haven's life!
So, what do you do when you have five children and no babysitter---yip, you take the whole crew with you wherever you go...how blessed I am to have children who know how to keep themselves entertained.
They colored in and did word searches
The hospital loaned us a Nintendo DS---serious fun for the little guy
Crossword puzzles for the oldest
Blessings from Whom all blessings flow!
When Haven came out of the recovery room, she got loved on by her brother.
Sweet little sister is always nearby to love and cuddle her big sister. Oh how Haven loves this girl.
Thank you for your love and your prayers for Haven. She is doing fine this afternoon. A little sore, no doubt, but okay. My prayer for her is that ALL the fears she has will be gone in the name of Jesus. That she will know in her heart that the world is not a scary place--that she is safe.
Teeth, good dental hygiene, teaching kids to brush well and to floss--all the things we parents teach our little ones from the time they get those first teeth. It's one of those things that comes as naturally as eating an apple. That is, unless you're an orphan. I never thought much about it until I took Haven to the dentist. It's one of those things I just assumed all kids learn how to do.
We knew something was wrong. From the first day that we got Haven we realized that she could not even hold a toothbrush, she was clueless. But oh my word, I was so not prepared for the dentists findings--in her eight years in the orphanage Haven had most probably NEVER had her teeth brushed. Ever! Can you imagine? The plaque buildup on her teeth is so severe that it has actually gone under her gums and caused infection and inflammation. It has also caused her teeth to discolor so badly that some of them look brown. Plaque--from total neglect! Poor baby.
Due to her extreme fear of anything that remotely resembles anyone in the medical field, we have decided that it would be so much less traumatic if she had a general anesthetic to have her teeth taken care of. I just cannot imagine how we would ever get her to lie still in the dentists chair for several appointments to take care of all the damage. It would never work. We have no idea how many cavities there are either.
Tomorrow (Thursday) is the day. Haven will finally get her teeth taken care of. I know she is going to hate being in the hospital and will most probably freak out, but praise God for anesthetic! I would so appreciate your prayers as we go to the hospital tomorrow. Mostly pray that Haven will be at peace. This stuff is a huge deal for our sweetie. She is absolutely terrified of doctors...and I mean terrified.
Thank you for your love and your prayers, precious friends. I appreciate you all so very much.
Words cannot describe how excited I am. In about two and a half weeks time I am heading 'home'--back to Africa! Just for a week. Oh friends, God is just so amazing. When my dear brother got engaged and asked me to be in their wedding, my first thought was, "Yay...but how in the world are we going to afford the ridiculous airfare!" I only have one sibling, so this is such a special day for both of us. Somehow, I just knew that I knew that my God would provide.
And He did! A very precious family member (on hubby's side) has blessed me with a ticket to go to South Africa!!!! How amazing is that? There are no words.
So, in just a couple of weeks time I will be heading back to my country to be in my brother's wedding, and to see all my friends and family. And, I get to meet my new niece, who is just three months old. Such a blessing.
Living on the other side of the world is so hard. My children are growing up with no family around. It really is tough sometimes. But, I am so comforted in knowing that my God knows my needs, every single one of them. And, He is more than able to take of every need, every desire and every longing I have. This trip is His gift to me. And He used a precious man, whom we love dearly, to be the deliverer of the gift. How blessed I am.
I am so excited, friends. The last time I was in South Africa was two and a half years ago when my mom died. What a joy to be going home for different reasons this time--a time to celebrate with the ones I love. My heart can hardly wait.
Oh precious friends--I am having one of those days! The days when my heart is so burdened, so heavy. The amazing thing about the glorious Body of Christ is that the Father gives each of us a passion for something different. When we step out and do something about what is on our hearts, we literally make a world of difference, right? Being the hands and feet of Jesus to a world in need. I guess our only responsibility is to do something, not just sit back and assume that others will take care of the problem. Being the church, not just doing church.
So here I am--burdened! For orphans. Truthfully, my head and my heart just cannot get around it....all 143 MILLION of those who wait.
143 MILLION!!!
How can that possibly be?
I know I shouldn't do it--waiting child websites should be a no-go zone for me. But I just can't help it. Seeing those precious faces brings me to my knees, begging God for a solution to an overwhelming disaster. I look at the hundreds and thousands of children available for adoption, and my heart breaks...
Why are they waiting?
Who will love them as their own?
Who will love them just the way they are? Fearfully and wonderfully made!
Surely someone will go?
Who will tuck them into bed at night and tell them, " I love you, sweet one. I am so blessed God sent me to be your mommy".......
You will NEVER have to sleep in a cold, metal crib again!
You will be clothed in clean clothes, have many shoes to wear on your sweet feet. And, you can raise your hands and praise your Father in heaven all the days of your life--for He has delivered you.
Precious child who waits for a family--your Daddy in heaven promises you this today......
"I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU AS ORPHANS, I WILL COME TO YOU" John 14:18
Yes, I am burdened. I know that there probably will not be a solution to the orphan crisis this side of heaven. I know that some day all the tears of these precious little children will be wiped away. But, what about the here and now? I long, with all my heart, to see more families GO. Please hear my heart--I know that adoption is not for everyone. I completely understand that. But, just maybe, fear (of finances, bonding, attachment issues, paying for college, other kids in the family, supporting an extra child etc) keeps us from experiencing ALL that God has for us? Fear does keep us in the boat--in the safe place. When really, the blessing is in walking on water. Will it be scary? Yes. Frightening? Probably. But oh the blessings--words can never describe the blessings of being right in the center of God's will for our lives.
For the last few days I have had a song on my heart. At first I could not figure out why the Lord had given me this song (I had only ever sung it once in church a while back, so it was not one of my 'favorites' that I sing all the time. I only knew one line of the song). But, now I get it--it really is ALL about obedience to the Father. How far are we willing to step out of our comfort zones when He says "Go". How many times have I let fear of the unknowns keep me in the boat? How many times have I let fear keep me from experiencing all that God has for me, and my family? So many times, no doubt. We humans, it is such a natural thing to take the easy way out, but there really is nothing easy about taking the road less traveled--God's way!
Please take five minutes and listen to this--you will be challenged and encouraged.
I believe with all my heart that God is raising up an army of crazy people to do the ridiculous. Many believe we are living in the end times--we agree! We sense that more than ever God is looking for those who are willing to 'step out on the water, when they say it can't be done'. God is seeking out those who will serve Him with reckless abandonment. And when God calls them to the fire--He will NEVER withdraw His hand from them. They will gaze into the flames and see Him there. The lyrics of that song, If You Say Go, are absolutely incredible. It's time to walk on water, friends--keeping our eyes fixed on the One waiting on the other side. It is so absolutely worth it.
Yes, I am burdened, but filled with a passion and a desire to do everything I possibly can to make a difference in the life of a child. If He says Go--I WILL GO! The comfortable life, the easy road--well, it just doesn't work for me anymore. It will never bring me satisfaction. I'm watching and waiting, listening for that still, small voice to say "GO!"
I am so grateful to my sweet friend over at A Place Called Simplicity for starting Thankful Thursday. What a blessing it has been for my family to make a conscious decision each Thursday to be thankful to God for all He has done in our lives. And there is so much.
Thursday morning is a precious time for me and my kids--they know that Thursday means devoting our prayer time to giving thanks to God. They each come prepared, knowing what they are thankful to God for. Oh to hear them each expressing it to their Father in heaven with such sweet innocence is such a joy to my heart. There can be nothing sweeter.
Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom that CANNOT be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God with reverence and awe.Heb 12:28
I am so thankful for so many things. My heart is overflowing. What did we ever do to deserve the goodness of God in our lives? I will never understand.
~~ A husband who treasures me.
~~ Children that are the apple of my eye.
~~ Friends who love me just the way I am.
~~ A place we can call home.
~~ Food that nourishes us, and fresh water to drink.
~~ Manna for each new day. We are never, ever without. How He makes the finances stretch!
~~ Dreams and desires which are God-breathed into my heart.
~~ A computer to keep in touch with my family (who I miss till it hurts) overseas.
~~ The absolute privilege of being able to teach my children at home.
~~ Flannel sheets to keep the bed so cozy.
~~ Thrifty places to shop.
~~ The freedom to worship God!
~~ Friday nights when I have the night off cooking--hubby takes over.
So much to be thankful for, precious friends. God is SO good to us!
There is something almost magical about having snow in winter. I have grown to actually quite like it (which can only be a work of God for a girl from the Southern Hemisphere like me!). Now I just have to get my head around the fact that spring is not actually spring where we live. I have come to the conclusion that we only have 2 1/2 seasons up here in the mountains--winter, summer, and a tiny hint of fall (oh, and then more winter). There aint no spring!
But it's all good. We did finally have enough snow on the ground to take the kids sledding. Want to know what Haven thought of her very first sledding adventure?
Need I say more???
Daddy got the day off work due to dangerous roads. The kids made absolutely positively sure he was not bored. Igloo building--that's what dads do best!
As for God, His way is perfect.2 Sam 22 :31
What God is so great as our God?Psalm 77:13
I know that the warm weather does eventually come. For today, we are nice and cozy inside. I am choosing to make the most of the time we have to be wrapped up inside together, just being. Before too long, we will be outdoors every day, enjoying the warmth of summer days--and I'll be like a reptile looking for any sunny spot I can find.
This is the day that the Lord has made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it.
Thank you Father that you are so in control--even of the weather!
Blessed daughter of the King of Kings, wife to the most amazing man in the world and mommy to nine beautiful children. Three sons the good old fashioned way, two special needs princesses from China, two angelic treasures who have Down syndrome from Ukraine, and two amazing blessings who also have profound special needs recently adopted from Bulgaria--you can read Hasya's story here and Kael's story here. We're crazy about Jesus, learning daily about total surrender, passionate about adoption, and learning every day how to live life to the fullest with various special needs and medically fragile children. On these pages I share my passions, my heart, my victories, my struggles, and my daily life. This is my unfolding story.
