Did I just describe your kid?
I dropped Silas off at preschool, where he goes to get speech help when the teacher informed me that my Si had been really rude the day before. My Si?! Really? (Sense the sarcasm) We had already been experiencing some changes since school started...oh please tell me I'm not the only parent whose child changes when school goes back in session! HaHa! Really it doesn't even take school back in session for children to pick up behaviors. That craziness can happen from going to Wal-Mart, visiting a park or Heavens to Betsy (unsolvable origin...just FYI encase you were starting to google it) Church!
The teacher kindly informed me that she realizes he has picked this behavior up at school and even knows which child he is morphing into. Bye bye tender hearted sweet boy, welcome rude little I-want-my-own-way rotten child!! What!?! You called your child rotten, I call it like it is!
Here is where the rubber meets the road for me...I expect my child to pick up on all the characteristics of other children...the good and the bad. Its unfortunate that its mostly bad that comes home. sigh. In my opinion that's really not the issue.
The issue is...we live in a society of ill mannered bratty rottten kids!
Judgemental?! Perhaps. People judge us by our children! They even judge our children! They may or may not avoid us based upon our children. They judge how we parent or should I say...don't parent! And many of us can say..."oh I don't judge." "Been there done that, I know how you feel." "I'm sure they are doing their best." Blah blah blah, deny it, but we have all done it!
I often find myself not thinking of the child as much, (although someone SHOULD as my Great Grandmother would say "yank a knot in his tail.") My thoughts are more for Mom and Dad. What is going on Mom and Dad? Do you need help? Have you lost control? Are you beyond exhausted? Clueless how to parent? To me those are legit questions to parents with OOC kids (out of control kids). Side note: different than ADD kids! Or at least I think so.
Which makes me think back to my Great Grandmother. She would talk about the close knit community in which she raised her daughter. Rebellion wasn't tolerated at home, the neighbors house, school or church. The community helped raise children. It was definitely a more stern society. We have come a long way from that. We are no longer a community helping each other, but rather sitting back, judging and doing nothing. I know, I don't want it to be true either. I want those who need help to ask for it. I wish I trusted my neighbor enough to call my child out on his behavior. To believe others care about the heart of my child, but they don't.
The good news is...I do! And the good news is that God trusts me to care for my children. I care enough about my child (and other children sometimes) that I take the time to TRAIN THEM IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO. (Proverbs 22:6). Am I an expert, absolutely not! (I read lots of books, pray a lot and ask loads of questions to mothers who have raised well-behaved God-fearing children) Do my children rebel? Yes Are they perfect? Not by a long shot. Are we together learning patience, forgiveness, respect, obedience, mercy, and grace? Yes! Am I strict? Yes! Do I expect children to obey their parents? Yes! Do I hope parents will step up to the plate and train their children? Yes (although I think I understand why many don't....Part 2)
Children left to themselves bring shame to their mother (paraphrased Proverbs 29:15...read it, there is more there to help us learn to parent). We are entrusted with much (what could be more important than the souls of our children?) and much is expected. God is expecting much from us!!!! (Luke 12:48 para.) Parenting is a hard job. Its not for the weak. He does give us the strength each day to endure the path that is before us. (see 2 Cor 12:9)
God uses it all for his glory, even when our children grow up and turn to their own way (Part 3 perhaps). I really don't have it all figured out, I work hard at it EVERYDAY.
Let's encourage each other to work hard at training our children.
In Him, Micah
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Tough Stuff
Its been almost a month since I have posted anything here. I would like to say its because life has been so smooth and busy. The busy would be 100% true and well the smooth 100% false! (Did you hear the teacher in me come out?) Its really been insane, that I can't even remember back a month to start with the craziness. We had two birthday parties in August (I have to look through the pics on my computer to remember...I'm too young for this to be happening already), Brett's Mom and Bob visited and then later his brother along w/ our niece and nephew...so fun! Eli was sick with that nasty respiratory virus, I ran two 5K races within a week of each other (haven't ran much since high school...let's not go there), signed up for another Color Run in a couple weeks to do w/ our Classical Conversations homeschool family, went to my first Major League Baseball game w/ Brett, Zahavah and Eli! And this month we started back to homeschooling. And I garage sale'd some through all that. All that sounds peachy and wonderful and fun...and IT IS, but....the enemy is alive and pecking (like a rooster, chicken whichever of those evil birds you prefer). And I have been feelin it, from about every angle of life. Its to be expected when your Pastor decides to preach on TOUGH STUFF. Tough stuff is gonna happen. And it has been since before he started the series! We also knew we would be under attack because my husband spent 72 hours on A Walk to Emmaus. I have found myself in unrelenting spiritual battles. Still happening today. I rejoice that God has been faithful. He DOES NOT promise a life free danger or hardship. It was interesting last week when our small group leader said, "I don't want to sign up for a life of Job!" And I thought...but haven't we already? Haven't we already signed up for that by proclaiming our Salvation in Jesus Christ!!!!! I didn't say that out loud, but I did think it.
Today my friend Pam Hudson spoke on stage with Pastor Scott because she has been fighting cancer for five years (I HATE cancer)...some tough stuff you bring on, and some finds you all on its own and Pam lives daily with HARD tough stuff that she didn't go looking for. I know a Mom who lives with HARD tough stuff daily too, as two (YES TWO) of her children have a terminal incurable disease. These ladies lead tough lives I'm clueless about, they have my daily prayers.
There is tough stuff we kinda sign up for too. When we step out of our comfortable little box into the great unknown through OBEDIENCE, we can meet tough stuff face to face. I think that is where satan likes to show up...in our unchartered, unfamiliar places. Homeschooling was a lot like that for me...a move out of total obedience and yet God is using it to shine light in all the places of my life that need refined. I struggle and I do not enjoy it everyday, but I'm honest about it. So many people ask, "So, how is homeschooling going?" I'm not sure they are asking because they really want the truth or just asking to be nice, but I tell them the truth. God is refining me!
He will use whatever we let Him. Its called surrendering. In the big picture my tough stuff isn't tough compared to many, but it doesn't change the fact that it's still my stuff that God is using. We all have stories. (rabbit trail)...I was just telling my husband how hard it is for me sometimes to look around and see the pain and suffering of people. I see it, I can feel it, everyone has a story and a hurt. I understand why drug use, addiction and suicide is on the rise...people are suffering without hope!
In all our tough stuff, we as believers are promised an eternal life FREE OF pain and suffering. God wants to use our stuff to mold us into HIS image. He also wants to shine His glory through us. Proclaim His faithfulness in our lives. He wants to BE IN the trenches with us. I don't know about you, but I tend to want to run, no BOLT from my tough stuff. I don't like it. I don't like pain...physical or mental (I suffer mostly from mental, I know, har har) and I don't like those around me to suffer. In my rare but occasionally busy co-dependent self I want to fix and help, fix and help and help get you back in your happy hole. But really...what GLORY does God get in that?
Today my friend Pam Hudson spoke on stage with Pastor Scott because she has been fighting cancer for five years (I HATE cancer)...some tough stuff you bring on, and some finds you all on its own and Pam lives daily with HARD tough stuff that she didn't go looking for. I know a Mom who lives with HARD tough stuff daily too, as two (YES TWO) of her children have a terminal incurable disease. These ladies lead tough lives I'm clueless about, they have my daily prayers.
There is tough stuff we kinda sign up for too. When we step out of our comfortable little box into the great unknown through OBEDIENCE, we can meet tough stuff face to face. I think that is where satan likes to show up...in our unchartered, unfamiliar places. Homeschooling was a lot like that for me...a move out of total obedience and yet God is using it to shine light in all the places of my life that need refined. I struggle and I do not enjoy it everyday, but I'm honest about it. So many people ask, "So, how is homeschooling going?" I'm not sure they are asking because they really want the truth or just asking to be nice, but I tell them the truth. God is refining me!
He will use whatever we let Him. Its called surrendering. In the big picture my tough stuff isn't tough compared to many, but it doesn't change the fact that it's still my stuff that God is using. We all have stories. (rabbit trail)...I was just telling my husband how hard it is for me sometimes to look around and see the pain and suffering of people. I see it, I can feel it, everyone has a story and a hurt. I understand why drug use, addiction and suicide is on the rise...people are suffering without hope!
In all our tough stuff, we as believers are promised an eternal life FREE OF pain and suffering. God wants to use our stuff to mold us into HIS image. He also wants to shine His glory through us. Proclaim His faithfulness in our lives. He wants to BE IN the trenches with us. I don't know about you, but I tend to want to run, no BOLT from my tough stuff. I don't like it. I don't like pain...physical or mental (I suffer mostly from mental, I know, har har) and I don't like those around me to suffer. In my rare but occasionally busy co-dependent self I want to fix and help, fix and help and help get you back in your happy hole. But really...what GLORY does God get in that?
Saturday, August 16, 2014
The Serenity Prayer
God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right (new) if I surrender to Your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.
-Reinhold Niebuhr
Most people stop at "difference", I did too til I knew there was more! And the more is SO MUCH MORE. Its important! Those lines are the ones I find myself repeating more often, like...
living one moment at a time...
I so often find myself not living in THE MOMENT. I'm either beating myself up over the past or living in the past hurt. Or I am so focused on the WHOLE day, week, month planning that I ignore the PRESENT (which is a gift, remember!)
...accepting hardships as a pathway to peace...
oh boy...diapers can be a hardship...really they can be! Rebellion in your child. A detached family of origin, finances, addiction, death of a spouse or child...God works through all of that pain and suffering for HIS GLORY. Keep reading the prayer...
HE WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT (NEW)...IF I SURRENDER TO HIS WILL.
This where I land and think hmmmmm...new. New doesn't mean fixed, comfortable, managable in the present, the rest of the prayer indicates new as in eternity and that makes the most sense, that lines up with the book of Revelation.
Sometimes life is hard when the new isn't instant. When the pain lingers. When the hurts and betrayals resurface reminding us again to accept that hardship as a pathway to peace. That pathway is, well exactly that...a path meant to walk through to heal. I'm not going to lie, its not easy, its painful. But our Hope is in Jesus Christ alone and he does promise to make all things new AND he promises to walk that pathway with you! Keep walking. Grab a cup of coffee and your Bible God is always ready and waiting to walk through life with you. Have a blessed day!
NIV Revelation 21:5 "He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
NASB Deut 31:8 "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right (new) if I surrender to Your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.
-Reinhold Niebuhr
Most people stop at "difference", I did too til I knew there was more! And the more is SO MUCH MORE. Its important! Those lines are the ones I find myself repeating more often, like...
living one moment at a time...
I so often find myself not living in THE MOMENT. I'm either beating myself up over the past or living in the past hurt. Or I am so focused on the WHOLE day, week, month planning that I ignore the PRESENT (which is a gift, remember!)
...accepting hardships as a pathway to peace...
oh boy...diapers can be a hardship...really they can be! Rebellion in your child. A detached family of origin, finances, addiction, death of a spouse or child...God works through all of that pain and suffering for HIS GLORY. Keep reading the prayer...
HE WILL MAKE ALL THINGS RIGHT (NEW)...IF I SURRENDER TO HIS WILL.
This where I land and think hmmmmm...new. New doesn't mean fixed, comfortable, managable in the present, the rest of the prayer indicates new as in eternity and that makes the most sense, that lines up with the book of Revelation.
Sometimes life is hard when the new isn't instant. When the pain lingers. When the hurts and betrayals resurface reminding us again to accept that hardship as a pathway to peace. That pathway is, well exactly that...a path meant to walk through to heal. I'm not going to lie, its not easy, its painful. But our Hope is in Jesus Christ alone and he does promise to make all things new AND he promises to walk that pathway with you! Keep walking. Grab a cup of coffee and your Bible God is always ready and waiting to walk through life with you. Have a blessed day!
NIV Revelation 21:5 "He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
NASB Deut 31:8 "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Simple yet so profound...
The moment I wake up my mind is spinning 100+ mph (or whatever, I don't lay there for an hour...seriously like my kids would ever allow that!). The typical morning is I need to do this and that oh and scrub the tubs today and change bed sheets, and teach teach teach (that has to be a top priority as a homeschooling family...I cannot forget that one; don't worry, I never FORGET). Then pinterest (let's just stay off social media today b/c I have too much to do today. Oh and I should take the kids to the library and then maybe the park. Perhaps DQ for breakfast, wait lunch. I should reach out to my BFF, I miss her! Oh and I have to memorize all the Bible Scriptures to sign language for CC and and and and. That's just a watered down sample of my ADD mind at 5:30am.
And then....I read something so simple, yet so profound!
"There is hard work in surrendering to God. Being a follower of Christ is all about getting to know the heart of God and having a close relationship. The best part is, this relationship is the only one we take into heaven. So I must choose to get to know Jesus. If I don't, the end of my life could look like this: I walk slowly up to the pearly gates and wait while someone checks to see if my name is in the BOOK. I then walk forward to shake Jesus' hand, but I walk slowly because I don't know him that well. For me, getting to know Him better means that I'll run through the pearly gates, jump into the Lord's lap, give him a big hug AND FINISH THE CONVERSATION WE STARTED THAT MORNING." -Meg Wilson (emphasis added)
Simple, yet so profound. I don't do that! Obviously, read that messy 1st paragraph. And so I woke up one morning and said, "HI GOD." I think I ever chuckled a bit. How silly of me not to run to the creator FIRST thing every morning! Don't get me wrong I pray with my husband before he leaves for work, so we do pray in the "morning." But I'm not giving God the very first part of my day, my thoughts, my life, my day! So I have started...
"HI GOD! Its so hard! Thank you for my wonderful blessings. Please give me the strength for the day for all you have created me to be."
He promised he would...give me that strength and he also said Have A Relaxed Day. I love you, we got this together.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
And then....I read something so simple, yet so profound!
"There is hard work in surrendering to God. Being a follower of Christ is all about getting to know the heart of God and having a close relationship. The best part is, this relationship is the only one we take into heaven. So I must choose to get to know Jesus. If I don't, the end of my life could look like this: I walk slowly up to the pearly gates and wait while someone checks to see if my name is in the BOOK. I then walk forward to shake Jesus' hand, but I walk slowly because I don't know him that well. For me, getting to know Him better means that I'll run through the pearly gates, jump into the Lord's lap, give him a big hug AND FINISH THE CONVERSATION WE STARTED THAT MORNING." -Meg Wilson (emphasis added)
Simple, yet so profound. I don't do that! Obviously, read that messy 1st paragraph. And so I woke up one morning and said, "HI GOD." I think I ever chuckled a bit. How silly of me not to run to the creator FIRST thing every morning! Don't get me wrong I pray with my husband before he leaves for work, so we do pray in the "morning." But I'm not giving God the very first part of my day, my thoughts, my life, my day! So I have started...
"HI GOD! Its so hard! Thank you for my wonderful blessings. Please give me the strength for the day for all you have created me to be."
He promised he would...give me that strength and he also said Have A Relaxed Day. I love you, we got this together.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
Friday, July 25, 2014
Teach them in the way they should go...
and when they are old, they will not depart from it. (paraphrased Proverbs 22:6) This morning over breakfast I glanced at our marker board that I had my reminder (from last week) to "Be the hands and feet of Jesus." The reminder wasn't written for my children, but for me. Last week God hand picked, special delivered four precious souls into my yard. They were straight from him for me to love on, feed, hug, listen to, provide a safe energetic place to play and relax. I probably would have missed the whole package (I mean lesson) had I not just been praying and asking God about mission work. Oh how my heart sometimes longs to work along side those mighty missionaries in Africa with all those beautiful orphans. I'm in touch with many ministries that are feeding, clothing, nursing God's orphans in Africa...and I LOVE it. You see their transformation from near death to alive and surviving and joyful, right before your eyes! I want to do that! But God in his majestic authority reminded me that I am needed HERE. In America to do the same. (He told us when we adopted that His plans were not our plans) Africa and America's orphans needs are the same, some more extreme than others...but needs nonetheless, and its not for me to determine where to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I (and you) are just called to obey the calling.
Which takes me back to breakfast. It dawned on me this morning that perhaps my children thought the reminder was for them. And I realized they probably don't know what the reminder means. Its up to me to TEACH THEM. Over breakfast we talked about what it looks like to be the "hands and feet of Jesus." How Jesus walked the earth during His years. My smart little whipper snappers grasped it quickly. I told them the reminder was for me, not them. But now they too can join with me to be His "hands and feet." It wasn't a profound lesson for them, shocker! I think its easier for them. Matthew 18:3, might have some bearing on why its so easy for them! (this might be a rabbit trail) but somethings are just easier and more natural for them when it comes to embracing the poor and loving the fatherless. They don't see what I see. I think that's beautiful. Probably the way God intended it to be. Kids don't see the imprints the world has left. I want to encourage my children to be the "hands and feet" of Jesus and then stand back and watch and pray that they too are used for His glory and make an impact on eternity.
We are all called to be the "hands and feet" of Jesus. It looks different for each person, but God has gifted each of us to do our part. It could be in Africa, it could be in America, it all matters to God.
James 1:27; "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Which takes me back to breakfast. It dawned on me this morning that perhaps my children thought the reminder was for them. And I realized they probably don't know what the reminder means. Its up to me to TEACH THEM. Over breakfast we talked about what it looks like to be the "hands and feet of Jesus." How Jesus walked the earth during His years. My smart little whipper snappers grasped it quickly. I told them the reminder was for me, not them. But now they too can join with me to be His "hands and feet." It wasn't a profound lesson for them, shocker! I think its easier for them. Matthew 18:3, might have some bearing on why its so easy for them! (this might be a rabbit trail) but somethings are just easier and more natural for them when it comes to embracing the poor and loving the fatherless. They don't see what I see. I think that's beautiful. Probably the way God intended it to be. Kids don't see the imprints the world has left. I want to encourage my children to be the "hands and feet" of Jesus and then stand back and watch and pray that they too are used for His glory and make an impact on eternity.
We are all called to be the "hands and feet" of Jesus. It looks different for each person, but God has gifted each of us to do our part. It could be in Africa, it could be in America, it all matters to God.
James 1:27; "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Monday, July 21, 2014
God's Word
This world fights for my attention, the small tiny things to the big things, but in the wide picture they are "simply" distractions, they look different for everyone...for me its stuff from that dirt on my kitchen floor, dishes, cars and legos scattered all over the kid's bedroom floors, bed sheets that need changed way more often in the Summer than in the Winter, the awesome clearance sales, those horrific weeds in my yard oh and my garden, dust and cat hair, mountains of laundry...I could go on and on and on. These things sometimes keep me distracted from training and teaching my children, but more than anything they keep me in a place of internal chaos. Restlessness. Not peaceful and eventually angry! I know, really anger!?! Yep! They all roll up into ONE BIG BALL of self pity and self defeat. I can't keep up. I can't do it. I have no help. Its too much. Blah blah blah blah. But ultimately it keeps me SEPARATED from Jesus. That's the real tragedy. Not that some of those things don't get accomplished, (uhhh laundry never really gets done anyway right and let's be real two-two year olds...my floors may never be clean all at once...EVER AGAIN!). Its sad really, not the floors, the disconnect from my personal savior and the FACT that I'm responsible for that. Its something that I allow to overwhelm me too often, too much. Satan knows. He knows the distractions to use to pull me away from the peaceful spot I long to rest in, stay in, in Christ's presence, His arms. I got to get back to that place I love. And often times, that's a battle in and of itself as well. I have to constantly remind myself what is important. I already have two, sometimes three "to-do" list (and yes I have those "to-be" lists too). Satan wants my soul, and yours. He knows my weaknesses. I have to redirect myself, just like I have to with my kids...everyday! I have to make a CHOICE to turn my back from those distractions and open the Word of God and soak up his promises. So easy, but yet, so hard. But it is MY CHOICE. Today I soaked up:
1 John 4:4-6 (TLB)
Dear young friends, you belong to God and have already won your fight with those who are against Christ because there is someone in your hearts who is stronger than any evil teacher in this wicked world. 5 These men belong to this world, so, quite naturally, they are concerned about worldly affairs and the world pays attention to them. 6 But we are children of God; that is why only those who have walked and talked with God will listen to us. Others won’t. That is another way to know whether a message is really from God; for if it is, the world won’t listen to it.
Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God's Word is reassuring. His Word is reliable. His Word is Truth. Its what I rest in. Its what I train myself to turn to, to lean into, to trust in, to live by...to break away from the chaos.
1 John 4:4-6 (TLB)
Dear young friends, you belong to God and have already won your fight with those who are against Christ because there is someone in your hearts who is stronger than any evil teacher in this wicked world. 5 These men belong to this world, so, quite naturally, they are concerned about worldly affairs and the world pays attention to them. 6 But we are children of God; that is why only those who have walked and talked with God will listen to us. Others won’t. That is another way to know whether a message is really from God; for if it is, the world won’t listen to it.
Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God's Word is reassuring. His Word is reliable. His Word is Truth. Its what I rest in. Its what I train myself to turn to, to lean into, to trust in, to live by...to break away from the chaos.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
5am and a Vacation to Remember!
Is a wonderful hour. Its super quiet at my house. I love the stillness, the quietness where me and the Lord connect, and the coffee is hot and fresh. I think it my favorite hour of the day. Its been a very busy last couple of weeks. We went on vacation to Nashville TN, came home to 3 baseball games (so exciting), our 9 yr anniversary- celebrated with a two hr Kayak float and then a six hour vehicle shopping extravaganza (if I never do that again, it will be too soon) traded in my four wheel love (that van was good to us) Town & Country for a newer T&C. And we are missing one of our four pets. I'm sure there was more chaos, but that is what I can recall right now.
I MUST talk about our trip! We stayed with a couple I friend'd on FB. They have a son from Ethiopia too. I LOVE getting to know other families with Ethiopian children, I like the common bond me and the moms share and I want my children to know and have relationship (as much as possible) with other Ethiopian children. Michael & Amy offered to put my family of SIX up four nights in their home (which they just moved into the week prior)!!!! It reminds me of God's word encouraging us to be hospitable to one another. Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." They were amazing hosts. I don't think we are angels (haha) but I'm sure we have angels among us! They were incredibly kind to us and made us feel very welcome. They took time to show us Nashville and she let me cook in her kitchen! And we shopped Goodwill for TWO HOURS! We played in their community pool (and managed to get all the way home with their pool key...opps). And Michael entertained Eli for some hours with Playstation, and a crazy game of Life...Eli was in "heaven." He even cried when we left. (I love that he bonds with people and feels the loss when its time to go...so sweet). Amy was kind enough to snap some pics of me and my kids together because I really don't have many. (A nice thunderstorm is moving in...I love it!!!)
On Sunday we went further south to meet another friend I met on FB who has 12 children, only four bio and the rest were adopted a sibling groups from Ethiopia. This jewel has been precious to me from day one on FB. She is committed to her children and I love reading about her adventures. Her children are wonderful. We took them a blessing basket (that is a basket me and my children fill with goodies we think people will be blessed by, they are always FUN to give, its always FUN to be a BLESSING). I wish I would have had more time to get to know each of the children, but it was truly fun. Z got to meet two of the girls she has been pen pals with, she introduced them to Polly Pockets. They played with side walk chalk and explored the woods. Miss. Z managed to make it home with two tickets and two legs covered with chigger bites (hey...thats country living sister, I remember!) Eli lego'd it out with the boys. Brett & I chatted with the Momma for awhile while the kids played and she gave me samples of her wonderful homemade products...I MUST say the Ouchie Butter is worth ordering. Kenenisa LOVES it on his scrapes! "Put ouchie butter on my blood!" And it works!
Ok back to a super cool part of this trip. I friend this Momma of 12 on FB probably b/c we have ONE mutual friend, maybe, and well come on...she has a LOT of beautiful Ethiopian children and I'm so inspired by such wonderful people (some would say crazy, but no me...I think she is an angel). Brett gets to talking to her about their adoption timeline and asks when she brought her second sibling group home, b/c he thinks he recognizes her. Brett had met her on the flight bringing our children home...they all came home on the same plane!! He chatted with her on the plane about her big family and remembered her well!! How crazy is that? What are the chances of Brett having met her BEFORE I facebook'd her 1 1/2 yrs ago!?! For me...it was a God moment. God doesn't do coincidences, he does devine blessings! Moments that make you go Wow. Moments where you know the hand of God orchestrated the whole thing. I must say too because we have yet to ever tell our whole adoption story, this is NOT the 1st time God has moved like this in our adoption. We have many more magical God moments. This gets me so pumped up, I have now lost my focus....so I'll add pictures now. :)
Oh I did I mention my childhood friend Cassie? She lives right down the street from Amy & Michael, I did not know this til I texted her...so I got to meet up with her too. I got to meet her triplets for the first time. So cool, so God!
I MUST talk about our trip! We stayed with a couple I friend'd on FB. They have a son from Ethiopia too. I LOVE getting to know other families with Ethiopian children, I like the common bond me and the moms share and I want my children to know and have relationship (as much as possible) with other Ethiopian children. Michael & Amy offered to put my family of SIX up four nights in their home (which they just moved into the week prior)!!!! It reminds me of God's word encouraging us to be hospitable to one another. Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." They were amazing hosts. I don't think we are angels (haha) but I'm sure we have angels among us! They were incredibly kind to us and made us feel very welcome. They took time to show us Nashville and she let me cook in her kitchen! And we shopped Goodwill for TWO HOURS! We played in their community pool (and managed to get all the way home with their pool key...opps). And Michael entertained Eli for some hours with Playstation, and a crazy game of Life...Eli was in "heaven." He even cried when we left. (I love that he bonds with people and feels the loss when its time to go...so sweet). Amy was kind enough to snap some pics of me and my kids together because I really don't have many. (A nice thunderstorm is moving in...I love it!!!)
On Sunday we went further south to meet another friend I met on FB who has 12 children, only four bio and the rest were adopted a sibling groups from Ethiopia. This jewel has been precious to me from day one on FB. She is committed to her children and I love reading about her adventures. Her children are wonderful. We took them a blessing basket (that is a basket me and my children fill with goodies we think people will be blessed by, they are always FUN to give, its always FUN to be a BLESSING). I wish I would have had more time to get to know each of the children, but it was truly fun. Z got to meet two of the girls she has been pen pals with, she introduced them to Polly Pockets. They played with side walk chalk and explored the woods. Miss. Z managed to make it home with two tickets and two legs covered with chigger bites (hey...thats country living sister, I remember!) Eli lego'd it out with the boys. Brett & I chatted with the Momma for awhile while the kids played and she gave me samples of her wonderful homemade products...I MUST say the Ouchie Butter is worth ordering. Kenenisa LOVES it on his scrapes! "Put ouchie butter on my blood!" And it works!
Ok back to a super cool part of this trip. I friend this Momma of 12 on FB probably b/c we have ONE mutual friend, maybe, and well come on...she has a LOT of beautiful Ethiopian children and I'm so inspired by such wonderful people (some would say crazy, but no me...I think she is an angel). Brett gets to talking to her about their adoption timeline and asks when she brought her second sibling group home, b/c he thinks he recognizes her. Brett had met her on the flight bringing our children home...they all came home on the same plane!! He chatted with her on the plane about her big family and remembered her well!! How crazy is that? What are the chances of Brett having met her BEFORE I facebook'd her 1 1/2 yrs ago!?! For me...it was a God moment. God doesn't do coincidences, he does devine blessings! Moments that make you go Wow. Moments where you know the hand of God orchestrated the whole thing. I must say too because we have yet to ever tell our whole adoption story, this is NOT the 1st time God has moved like this in our adoption. We have many more magical God moments. This gets me so pumped up, I have now lost my focus....so I'll add pictures now. :)
Oh I did I mention my childhood friend Cassie? She lives right down the street from Amy & Michael, I did not know this til I texted her...so I got to meet up with her too. I got to meet her triplets for the first time. So cool, so God!
Anniversary Kayak float
The coolest baseball team ever!
All of us at Amy & Michael's right before we headed home.
Duckling
Penpals! I can't wait to hear more from them!
Blessing Basket dig in.
Group photo
This is a photo of Brett showing them Haile (the famous Ethiopian runner) that Brett met at the airport. They didn't believe him, so he showed them the pic of him and Brett together. Then when the boys realized Haile was on the flight with all of them, "MOM...WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!" Mom, "Uhhhh I didn't know who he was! How am I suppose to know?" (Poor Mom!) Its kinda like finding out you were on the plan with Michael Jordan and didn't know it, its kinda a big deal. I told him I would send him a picture of Haile if he wanted one. :)
Farmer's Market!
Opryland Hotel Gardens, my favorite spot.
Family pool pic!
Amy is such a gentle sweet precious soul.
Me and Cassie and all of our children-Micayla. Its a bit weird when you think about having grown up with someone from the beginning of time and moving through life with them, but not really with them. Cassie has always been special to me. She has always treated me with kindness. She too is a precious soul.
I'm so glad we didn't spend two hours in the car to see the Hendersonville Freedom Fireworks because let me tell you...this subdivision was having their own little (I mean BIG) Firework Wars and it was AHHHMAZING! I have been to tons of firework shows in my lifetime, my Dad always took us, but this was incredible. BIG works from almost every angle. They would light up the whole sky right above our heads. Super impressive!
One of my favorite shots!
Oh and a super special THANK YOU to my Girl Amy Plummer and Lakers for taking care of our furry family while we were away.
Oh and a super special THANK YOU to my Girl Amy Plummer and Lakers for taking care of our furry family while we were away.
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