Adoption Update

Many of my sweet friends have been asking me where we are in the process of adopting.  Nothing has really changed, other than things God has been revealing to us personally.  I wasn't going to do a post, however, in my time with the Lord last night praying for our child, He made is clear I need to share this.  So I am.  I am not sure why, but I know He has His way of doing things...So here it goes...

Where we are:

We are still waiting.  We know 100% God has called our family to grow through adoption.  When has not been determined.

Things we feel God has made clear:

• We are called to adopt. 
• We called to domestic adoption. 
• We are not called to international adoption. 
• We are to be open to whatever age/sex/race child God gives us, as long as they are the same age or younger than The Princess (which is currently 7).
• When it happens it will be fast/unexpected.
• Right now we are not supposed to go through an agency. (This does not mean we will not eventually, but God has not cleared us to begin paper work.  We are beginning to think this means He may be calling us to be open to a private adoption.)
• Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean He has shut a door.  Just when we get discouraged He puts someone in our path to encourage us.  We met a family this past week that felt called to adopt for 8 years before God gave them a child.  I also think about Abraham who waited for a long time before the child God promised was given. 
• Our child is not born yet.  (There are very few times I have heard God speak clearly to me and I know the other night when I could not sleep and was praying for our child He told me this!)
• We must be open to knowing the birth family and at least meeting them one time.  Maybe even be a part of the birth process with a mom.  (this is a definite calling, just God telling us to be open to this). 

Things you can do for us:

• PRAY!  Pray for the birth parents God will use and for the child He gives us.  Pray for protection physically, spiritually, and emotionally.  Pray for us that He will continue to guide us and make it clear exactly when and how He desires us to proceed. 

• Talk about us!  Please share these prayer requests with those you know.  And, if you know someone who is thinking about adoption as an alternative to abortion please tell them about us!  We are open to meeting with birth parents on a case by case situation.  Also, if you have any connects whatsoever to any child who is in need of a home, please make us aware of it. We would prefer that your connection not know our name and where we live until we agree to meet or talk with them. 

Thank you in advance for your prayers!  

Dear Johnathan

Dear Johnathan,

Tomorrow morning when you wake up you will be 10!  I will never forget that morning.  It was extremely early and I had been up all night very excited about finally getting to meet you.  You were born around 5 am and I will never forget that moment!  They put you in my arms and the world faded away.  For eight and half months you grew inside of me.  I had wondered what you would look like.  What color eyes would you have? What color hair? Would you have hair? How much would you weigh? Would you look like me, or your daddy?  But, there was no way I could ever prepare myself for the way I felt when I held you in my arms that first time.  You were perfect!  My heart was so full I felt it might just bust.   Later that day I remember being overwhelmed with the responsibility God had given me when He gave you to me.  See I was young.  I turned 22 a couple days after you were born.  Your daddy and I were still newlyweds figuring things out as a married couple, in seminary, poor as dirt.  I take my responsibility to love you and teach you what God desires for me to teach you very seriously.  Sometimes it still overwhelms me.  But, I want you to know this.  You have taught me so much.  God has used you to grow me up.  He has used you to teach me about how much He loves me.  He has used you to teach me what childlike faith looks like.  You are an amazing gift from God and I never want you to forget that.  God gave you to me and I will be forever thankful to Him. 

As I think about these past 10 years and the fact that you growing up in front of my eyes so fast I can hardly stand it, all I can think about is how blessed I am.  Since day 1 you have been a joyful, peaceful, loving child.  You were the baby that everyone wanted.  You slept through the night quickly, you didn't cry unless you had a reason, and you loved being held by anyone who wanted to hold and love on you.  As you have gotten older these qualities have just grown.  Now, as a ten year old, you are such a joy to be around.  Your sense of humor can make anyone laugh.  Your facial expressions alone are enough to make someone laugh so hard they will cry.  You are so sweet to everyone you meet.  You have been blessed with sweet friends of all ages and I love watching you with them.  You love wrestling, playing football, and anything else rough, but you know when to calm down.  You are usually the first to check on someone when they are hurt and you feel terrible if you are the reason they are hurt.  You love on younger boys that look up to you like I have never seen a boy your age do.  You encourage them and teach them things you know.  When your sister was born you took your responsibility of big brother seriously.  You protect her.  You take care of her.  You enjoy being with her and she looks up to you.  You are extremely smart and athletic.  You are just all around a great kid.   Oh and I can't forget the fact that you love pretty girls! ;) 

The thing I love most about you though is your desire to obey God.  You love learning about Him and His plan for you.  When you learn something new about how He desires you to live, you practice it.  I look forward to watching you continue to grow in your walk with Him.  I look forward to the years ahead as you move from boy to young man to man.  As much as I dread them because that means you will be grown, I am that much more excited about what God has for you. 

You are my favorite 10 year old and I will always love you!

~Mommy

Mr. Edward

It has been a while since I have posted.  There is not a day that passes that I do not think about my sweet grandma.  I am still reminding myself on a daily basis that she is no longer here.  She will not be calling to check on me and we will not be having lunch anytime soon.  As sad and depressing as that sounds as soon as those thought cross my mind they immediately shift to thoughts about her worshiping Jesus and loving on all the sweet babies and young children that friends of mine have lost over the years.  I think about the perfect body she has and all the sadness goes away.  How can I be sad?  Yes, I am sad for me, but not for her!

I also think a lot about the last month I had with her.  I have already written about Mrs. Louise and her impact on my life.  I want to share with about someone else who made a huge difference in my grandma's life by doing something that you and I would probably consider so small. 

Mr. Edward (I can not remember his last name) is sweet man in his 60's or 70's.  He has been working with St. Dominic's for almost his whole working career.  He is not a doctor.  He is not a nurse.  He is not a chaplain.  So what does he do you ask?  He transports people from the main hospital to the cancer center building.  Yep!  That's his job!  He would come in help move my grandma from her bed to wheelchair, wheel her to the van, drive across the street, and wheel her to the waiting room.  He has been doing this so long, that he remembered her from the first time she had cancer and she remembered him.  He was sweet and gentle with her frail little body.  He came in the room just whistling away to himself.  He would make sure the wheelchair had enough cushion and then he would move her over.  Once in the chair he would wrap her up in blanket so she wouldn't get cold.  Then, with a smile on his face he would wheel her to the van and get her situated.  He never really talked much, but you knew he loved what he did and that He loved Jesus! Grandma loved him.  The last day she had treatment while at the hospital she made sure we had a little gift to give him and she hugged and kissed on the cheek as he was leaving. 

So what did I learn from him?  Well, we have put so many levels on jobs these days.  I mean who really wants to have a job driving patients from one building to another all day long?!?!  However, Mr. Edward knew that is what God called him to do, so he did it amazingly!  He put into action exactly what it means to do everything unto to the Lord.  I pray that whatever God calls me to do, even if the world thinks its a little task, I will do it will all that is in me, as unto the Lord.

Ms. Louis

It is has been a little over a month now since my grandma went to be with Jesus.  I miss her a lot and find myself thinking a lot about her and memories I had with her.  There is a tiny part of me that is scared if I don't think about them, and write them down, then I will forget them, and I don't want that to happen.  One of the main things I think about is the last month she was with us.  I recount those days over and over in my head.  They were some challenging, but very special days.  I learned a lot and grew a lot in my walk with the Lord. One of things God keeps bringing to my mind are all the people who truly blessed my family during that time.  Of course our church family was amazing and loved on us like God had called them.  However, the people I think of most are the people I don't see anymore.  The doctors, nurses, and volunteers that prayed with us and invested in my grandma's life.  One lady in particular that I think about a lot is Ms. Louis.  Ms. Louis works at the cancer center as the pastoral care person.  Her whole job is to pray for and with those who are battling cancer.  She hangs out in the waiting room and talks with those who are going through one of the toughest battles in their life.  She wasn't there every day that we were there, but as soon as we would come in on the days she was there, she came right over and sat down and loved on all of us, especially grandma.  I think one of my favorite memories was of her and grandma talking about memories they had of snow (they both grew up around snow and thought southerners were crazy drivers in the snow).  Every opportunity she had, she would pray with us also.  I don't think she realized how much she meant to us.  She was just doing what she loved to do and what God called her to do.  I remember her telling us about how God called her to what she is doing now.  She said no at first, but then God changed her heart.  I wonder what our experience would have been like if Ms. Louis had not been faithful.  I can't imagine those days without her.  I enjoyed the time we got with her, even though it was really only a few days each week for only two weeks.  I pray that I will be as obedient to God as I saw her model.  I pray that God will use me in someone's life like He used her in mine.  I wonder how different the world would be if we all loved with the love of God like Ms. Louis did.  Even, if we all just loved one person like that, WOW!  I believe God could change the world just like that. 

Whirlwind

On Friday, May 3, 2013 God called my sweet Grandma home to live with Him forever.  Her 79 years of life were not without trials, but she always found the blessings when others would have focused on the negative.  My Grandma as always been a huge part of my life.  When I was very little, she kept me while my parents worked or went on dates.  When I was 7 she moved in with us. We traveled together a good bit.  At first just to the coast to visit my Aunt and her family, but then also to Disney World and to California when I was in high school.  These past, almost 5 years, have been full of lunch dates.  She always had some piece of advice to give me while we were together, even if it was as simple as how to clean a television screen with a dryer sheet.  She loved my children and husband also.  In fact, I am pretty sure she might have loved my husband more than me.   She loved spoiling my children and made sure that anytime they were at the house, they had something to take home with them, even if it was a small snack.  She loved knowing everything that was going on with our family.  She enjoyed knowing my friends and what was going on with them as well.

On Sunday, April 7, 2013 my sweet Grandma was admitted into the hospital.  Little did any of know the road that was ahead and the limited amount of time we still had here on earth with my Grandma. At this point the doctors informed us of a massive tumor growing form her ribs, pressing on her lungs.  They also told us of the same cancer being found in her brain.  This type of cancer (neuro endocrine) was aggressive and fast growing.  They told us that usually patients with this cancer had 4-6 months to live.  However, God gave us some sweet memories during this time in the hospital.

On Friday, April 19, 2013 we brought my sweet Grandma home.  She was nervous but full of joy knowing we had spent so much time getting things ready for her.  The next week would be busy with radiation and physical therapy every day.  Again God was gracious and gave us what we needed, when we needed it to be there for her, as well as some precious memories.

On Tuesday, April 30, 2013 my mom and aunt met with my Grandma's oncologist and were told that the cancer was growing faster than expected and was found in more places.  He told them as gently as possible that she probably had another month, possibly a few weeks.   That night we had a sweet little birthday party for my princess.  We had not had a family party yet because of everything else going on.  However, things had settled down a bit and we had gotten into enough of a routine that we figured it was time to make this happen.  Grandma had so much fun.  She propped up the hospital bed in the front room (which she never used) so that my princess could be "Queen for the night".  We had the best time!

On Wednesday, May 1, 2013 it became very obvious to all of us that she was not going to radiation.  So, we helped make her comfortable and called hospice. 

On Thursday, May 2, 2013  a hospice nurse and aid came and made my Grandma pretty.  They also were very honest with us and said my sweet  grandma might not make it through the weekend.  Grandma was less aware of what was going on and by the end of the day was mostly asleep the whole time.  While in and out of sleep she talked some, saying things like, "It is marvelous!" and "You aren't going to believe it!" and "It's amazing!".  When we asked her to tell us what she was seeing she told us about a big angel.  She also said there was lots of ice cream!  I personally have no doubt in my mind that God was giving her glimpses of heaven.

On Friday, May 3, 2013 we woke up as normal and went straight to check on Grandma.  Pretty soon we realized that we were not going to be able to wake her and get her to respond.  The next few hours to be honest were somewhat a blur.  I know that I spent this time helping my mom getting things done for church.  Then the hospice nurse came and confirmed that she was in a coma light state and that we should go ahead and call family to see her.  My uncles were in town at this point and so we called them to come over and put my other aunt on speaker phone.  Our precious senior adult pastor from our church also came over.  Around 11:45 am, he came and gathered everyone to come back into her room.  I have never been with someone when they went to be with Jesus, but I knew I wanted to be there with her.  I was a little nervous, but so thankful to be there.  As I entered the room I realized that her breathing had changed.  No longer was she struggling to breathe, but breathing short soft breathes.  My mom told my grandma that we were all there and it was okay.  My grandma opened her eyes for a minute and then closed them.  She knew we were there.  She knew we loved her and she knew it was time to be with the love of her life, Jesus.  Not long after that, her heart simply slowed down until it stopped.  There was no gasping for breathe or struggle of any sort.  She peacefully entered the presence of her Savior!

On Monday, May 6, 2013 we had a family time of visitation.  This was the first time I had seen her body since the Friday before.  She was so beautiful in her turquoise dress.  Her hair was fixed so wonderfully and her make up looked amazing.  However, she wasn't there.  As I looked at that beautiful body, I realized she was wasn't there.  She was forever praising her Savior!  So many people came that night to public visitation.  Some were people that knew my grandma when she was younger, and some were sweet ladies who knew my grandma these past few years.  All talked about what a blessing she was to them.

On Tuesday, May 7, 2013, exactly one month from her entering the hospital, we celebrated the life of my Grandma during a sweet service and then took her body to be buried. 

This past month has been a whirlwind.  A whirlwind that changed me forever.  I have memories that I will hold on to forever and I believe that God taught me some amazing things about His love for His love during this time.  He made me stronger.  He grew me.  He also blessed me tremendously.  During a time that most would be desperate and without hope, I have found myself filled with peace and a hope of eternity with Christ that is even stronger.  I have found myself being thankful for things that most would be angry about.  I have found myself being more aware of how amazing God's love s for us. 

I am thankful for my Grandma, Merna Mae Morris Morphew, and the impact she had on my life.  I am thankful that one day I will be with her again and we will worship our Savior together!

10 Years

This week I have been overwhelmed with thoughts of my life 10 years ago.  I know that sounds funny, but once you read more you will understand.  See, 10 years ago, about this time of year, I was just a few weeks pregnant with my first child.  I was clueless to how much my life was really going to change, but I knew there was change coming.  I was in my first semester of classes at new school, in a new city, surrounded by new everything! Life really felt hard to say the least.  At age 21, I was having to make some big decisions.  See, we had just moved so that my husband (we had only been married a few months) could go to school.  I was not about to let him quit.  After all, God called him to be the provider for our family and that provision including some more years in school.  So, I made one of the toughest decisions I had ever had to make up until that point in my life.  I took a break.  A break from what you might ask?  A break from my plan.  My plan to finish college and start the job I had always wanted, teaching school.  I had to submit to a new plan, God's plan, for my life, which included not finishing my degree.  This decision wasn't made easily, and was met with great controversy.  Everyone had their own opinion of what I should do.  Only problem was, they weren't me and if I listened to them, I would be disobedient to God, the only person that really matters.  After my spring semester I did just that...took a break from my plan and began to learn what it looked like to embrace God's plan completely.  This was was not easy for me, but I am so glad I did it! 

Now here I sit 10 years later....being so thankful that 10 years ago I took a break.  God has taught me so much over the past 10 years.  I can't even imagine what my life would be like if I had not submitted.  I still struggle sometimes with with calling on my life to be full time mom and wife, but God is continue to grow me into what He has called me to be.  He has also given an incredible opportunity to go back to school.  If I had fought 10 years ago and stayed in school, I would be done now, with a job, and tons of student loans!  Now, here I am finishing my degree and will finish with NO LOANS!!  God is so good! 

New Year....New Blog

So, what do you do when you are sick and the new year hits!  Well, since I have no energy to do anything, but wanted to feel productive....here is what I did.....

I started a new blog!!!  That's right!!  Check it out!!

MY NEW BLOG!

Phone post

So, it's official! I am the worst blogger ever! I always have good intentions and it just never happens. However, last night when I couldn't sleep, I found the key! The key to increasing my posts!! It's the blogger app for my phone!!! Yep! There is an app for that! In fact I'm using it now!! Writing a blog post from my phone!! I'm sure I will blog more! So here's to more blogging in 2013!

Bring it On!

Well, my classes have officially begun.  The past week has been one of great emotion.  I started the week by receiving books and printing notes and syllabuses.  I became very overwhelmed by the step I had taken.  I began to doubt myself and my abilities and truthfully wondered what in the world I had gotten myself into.  I looked at the papers I am going to have to write and realized it has been almost 10 years since I have used APA.  I thought about how smart my husband is and how he will be reading all my discussion answers and 2 of papers and grading them.  I thought about all the things that are going to get in the way of me studying.  However, in His amazing ways, God reminded me over and over that He is in control and He has called me to do this during this time in my life and He will sustain me and give me what I need to bring glory to His name.

Tonight, I posted my first 2 discussion question answers on my class page and it felt good.  God showed up!  He helped me recall all that I had learned through the video lectures and reading I have done the past couple days and it felt good.  I felt smart!! I know that He allowed me to have to tonight to remind me, again, that He's got this!  As long as I follow His plan and work hard what is assigned, His name will be glorified!!  SO, BRING IT ON!!  Bring on the papers, discussion questions, and massive amounts of reading!!  I got this!!  Cause I have GOD on my side!!

I also can not end this post without saying that I have the best husband in the world.  He is excited with me and for me during this time and he has been nothing but encouraging to me.  He told me the other day that is he was glad he had an opportunity to "pay me back" for the years I supported him during school.  God has definitely used him during this past week in more ways than he knows.

like feet of deer

Lately I feel like I have been running around with my head cut off.  I seem to have forgotten which way I am going, and what needs done.  Our schedule this month has been anything but normal.  When the month of April is over, we will have celebrated Princess T's 6th birthday, been out of town as a family two times, seen daddy go out of town 2 times, and Professor and I have had a getaway.  On top of this, my sweet grandma's stress fracture still has not completely healed and so I have been taking her to all her appointments AND (in case that was not enough) my mom had knee replacement surgery (unfortunately I have not been as much help as I would have liked to be - but I have tried very heard to do whatever I can whenever I can).  Needless to say I am starring the last week of April in the face and have no clue how I got here or where the beginning part went.  My house is a disaster, the kids are behind in school (not by much, but still not exactly where I would like to be at this point).  I feel behind in every area of my life and so say I am discouraged about it would be a understatement.  


This morning, I woke up with a horrible headache, which led to me leaving church immediately following LifeGroup and sleeping the whole afternoon.  I feel better (sort of) but worse at the same time.  See, God is moving big time at our church and this morning in Worship HE WAS THERE!!!!!  AND I MISSED IT!!!!  I missed seeing HIM at work!!  Stupid sinuses!!!  I think I might have to cut them out!  On top of that I am awake at 2:45 am, with no hope of sleep anytime soon.  So even though I needed that nap this afternoon, there were consequences!!  


As I laid in bed trying to sleep my mind kept thinking about what had happened at church this morning and how God has placed our family at Colonial Heights for a reason and how thankful I am that HE chose us to be a part of HIS work at CH.  I am not worthy of it all.  I am totally undeserving of it.  In fact, sometimes I think God must be crazy when He looks at me and still chooses to love me and use me to complete His plans here on earth.  I mean, I can't even keep it together when life gets crazy!!  


There are few times when I have felt that God was keeping me awake for a reason and tonight is one.  See, after all these thoughts, I had another one.  In craziness of April, I had neglected the most important thing.  I had decided to be in control and totally pushed God out of His place in my life.  Right there in bed God just comforted me and told me He forgave me but it needed to change.  He wants His place back.  So, I got out of bed and came to the couch.  I began reading in the New Testament (mainly because I am behind on the reading plan our church is doing) and in my head I just kept thinking about Habakkuk.  See, earlier this week, the kids and I learned about Habakkuk and his role in Biblical History and while learning about him I realized I had maybe only read his book once and probably needed to read it again (of course because we are busy I didn't).  So, I flipped over to Habakkuk and began to read.  


Before I say anything else, you need to know. Habakkuk lived in a horrible time. He lived around the time King Josiah was reigning and right before Babylon took over Judah.  People all around him were evil and choosing not to follow Christ.  God was about to allow Babylon to take over Judah as punishment for their disobedience.


Habakkuk starts out his book asking God why in the world God would allow him to see such horrible things.  God comforts him and tells him to be patient, that in time it would end and things would get better.  (Please keep in mind this my paraphrase - for specific wording you can read Habakkuk in your Bible).  By the end of Habakkuk, he is choosing the trust God and he acknowledges that God is all powerful and can do whatever He wants.  Then he writes these verses at the very end....


Though the fig tree does not bud 
   and there are no grapes on the vines, 
though the olive crop fails 
   and the fields produce no food, 
though there are no sheep in the pen 
   and no cattle in the stalls, 
yet I will rejoice in the LORD, 
   I will be joyful in God my Savior.

 The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
   He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
   He enables me to tread on the heights.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

WOW!!!  Did God know what I needed or what?!?!  Isn't He amazing.  He could have led me to read verses about bad things that happen when you disobey, but instead He reminded that He is Sovereign and that if I allow Him to be my strength, He will not only give it to me but He will allow me to step in confidence (like the feet of a deer) and He will lead me to the heights (my high places).  God is so good!  


Thanks for reading my incredibly long post.  I pray that it was an encouragement to you today (or whenever you read it). 

Times Like This....

The Princess has a very hard personality.  None of us in this house understand her!  She does what she wants when she wants and truthfully rarely cares what the consequences are.  However, there are times (that are becoming closer and closer together the older she gets) when I can take a deep breath because I am reminded that God is working in her life, no matter what I see on a daily basis.  This video is of one of those times.  It was taken at Professor's parents' house over Easter weekend.

New Beginnings

Nine years ago I was faced with a big decision.  Professor and I had just moved to Texas.  We were both in school and both working multiple jobs.  It was a very trying time in our marriage and life.  On top of this we found out some very excited, yet scary news, we were going to be parents!  Yes, in January of 2003, only 2 weeks after moving, I found out I was pregnant with Wild Man.  Well as you can imagine, this changed everything!  One big thing it did was to make us painfully aware of the fact that we could not afford or manage both us being in school, with several jobs, and a new born.  So, one of us had to take a break from school.  Since we had moved to Texas for Professor's schooling, and since I was the mom and most of the newborn duties would fall on me, I made the very difficult decision to take a break from school.  Those who were close to me then know how hard it was.  I had never once before then even considered not finishing college.  It never crossed my mind.  In fact, I looked down on those who didn't.  I never understood why people wouldn't go to college if they could.  So, this felt like defeat to me.  I felt like a failure.  I lost some friends (who really in all honesty were not friends) because of my decision.  I had mean things said to me and lots of people began to judge me and look down on me, as I had to so many people.  It suddenly became my mission to finish school at some point just to prove people wrong.  So that I could look at the people who had said, "you will never go back" and say, "I told you so!  Look at me!"

As the years went by and began to really love being a mom and the role God had given me the need to go back to college began to grow faint.  I still had people tell me that it was a bad decision to quit and that would never finish.  However, the older I got and the more in love with God I fell, the need to made people happy or prove them wrong grew weaker and weaker.  Suddenly I found myself in a great place. I was doing things God wanted me to do, not the world.  So, I made another decision.  I decided that if and when I went to back to school, it would be in God's time, for God's glory!  And, if that meant I never went back, then I was okay with that.  Being in the center of God's plan for my life became priority.  I did not care what the world said about me and my education.  After all, I was not going to stand before them when I died!  

As many of you know over the past few years God has been working in amazing ways in my life and one thing He has called me to do is teach my kids at home.  Many of you would be surprised to know that in the state of Mississippi you do not have to have a college degree to to do this.  This was right up my alley.  I love teaching and now I was able to do something I loved and didn't need a college degree!! God is good.  

However, during my research of homeschooling I learned that many states are requiring a degree.  I am sure that MS will be the last one but it became apparent to me that eventually this might be an issue.  About 2 years ago, I began to pray about this.  I wanted to go when it was God's time, not mine, but my heart begin to ache to finish my degree so that if one day MS did make it a law, I would still have the ability to homeschool my children.  

Well after 2 years of prayer God has made it clear that it is time!  I am going back to school!  Not because I want to prove people wrong, but because I want to bring glory to the name of GOD and He has made it clear that I need to do this in order to fulfill what HE has in store for our family in the future.  

I will be completing my degree 100% online.  This will still give me the freedom to homeschool and be the wife and mom God has called me to be.  I will be changing my major from Elementary Education to a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.  Right now I am still in the application process but if all goes well I will begin either at the end of April or in June at the latest.  

I am very excited and can not wait to see how God uses this next phase of my life for HIS glory!!

Happy Birthday Princess!

My word! 6 years has gone by way too fast and my baby girl is no longer a baby!  Sometimes my heart hurts when I think about how fast time is flying!  Princess T entered the world at 7:05 am on April 4, 2006, weighing 7 lbs 6 oz AND she was 4 weeks early!!!  She wanted us to know who was in charge from the beginning!

I have no words to describe how much I love this girl. She is a very challenging child sometimes, but when she is in a good mood she is so fun!  She is at such a fun stage in her life right now.  She has learned to read, which has opened up a whole new world for her!  She loves using big words and pronouncing each word with lots of drama. She lives in her little world where fairies are real and animals talk to each other and to her.  She loves being a "mommy" to her babies and truthfully could careless what her room looks like.  She loves being around people and being the center of attention.  But, the thing I love most about her, is her love for the Lord.  She LOVES learning about God and how He wants her live.  She loves praying and has such a sensitive heart for people who are hurting, even if she doesn't know them.  She loves being at church and reading her Bible.

As I type this birthday post to my princess, I filled with joy and thankfulness for the years I have had with her.  I pray that I have many more years with her and that she will continue to grow into the girl God wants her to be.

Happy Birthday my sweet Princess!!  You are my favorite 6 year old!!!

Gonna Make A Shirt

So, on Friday, Wild Man was playing outside and in the process some how fell and landed in such a way that his knee hit his eye.  He has now been sporting a lovely black eye since and of course everyone wants to know about it (even random people in stores that don't know him), especially his friends and teachers at church.  By the end of the day yesterday he was so tired of people asking him what happened. He is definitely not like the Princess in that area.  He really gets somewhat tired of attention.  Anyway, by the end of the day he was really worn out from telling the story and he was telling Professor and I about his frustration.  These were his exact words (please imagine a 8 yr boy saying this as dramatically as possible)....

"I am so tired of people asking me about my eye!  I am gonna buy a shirt and get our neighbor (he said her name) to monogram on it - 'I hit my eye with my knee!  Please quit asking!'  AND I am gonna put it on the front and back so that everyone can see it, whether they are in front of me or behind me!"

I seriously laughed so hard!  I love his little mind.  And, I somewhat understand his frustration.  However as a mom I love that there are so many people who care about my Wild Man!

On a side note the funniest story we got was from a guy who was working at Hobby Lobby today....He said, "I got lots of black eyes when I was kid...AND I even got some in my 20s!" ......LOL!!!  Not sure I would be sharing that as openly as he was....LOL!!

New Venture

Well, as many of you know I love being a stay at home.  I really do.  There are some days that I might say different, but deep down I get true joy from being with my children.  That being said, one of the things I gave up to do this was spending money.  Last year when Princess T's hair got so long and she began to truly enjoy wearing bows, I decided to learn how to make them (because cute bows are not cheap).  What I discovered was not only could I do it but I LOVED doing it!  It was a crafty outlet for me.  I have played around with the idea of making bows to sale for a while, but never really felt like it was the right time.  Then, this past week I got a crafting nook!!  Its small and in the laundry room, but its perfect!!  As I was organizing my ribbon I realized that once I make one bow out of it, I really have nothing else to do with it, so I figured it was time.  That's right, another venture for me!!  My goal is to sale as people need the bows (customizing it to match outfits), but also to make from what I have to try to sale that way.  I have created a blog to showcase what I have made and am able to do, as well as what I have available for immediate purchase.  The name of my blog is Ribbon Head!  Please take a minute and click on the icon below and visit my crafty site.  You don't have to buy anything but I would appreciate it if you would spread the word.  If you have a blog and wouldn't mind putting my "button" on your blog, please let me know.

Growing Pains

Okay I have a confession....Sometimes when I am driving around town running errands or getting my children from one place to another my mind goes back to when I was in high school.  I think because I grew up driving on these streets, it is so easy for my mind to go back to when I was first driving on them.  I think about life then and what I was like.  I think about the friends I had then and responsibilities (or lack of them) that I had then.  Then, at some point I begin to question why I am driving a minivan and who the kids are that are in the back.  All this goes through my mind in no more than a minute (funny how the mind works) and then one of those precious children says, "Mommy!" and I snap back into reality.  I am no longer 16 and I am not headed to meet my friends at the movie or at Mazzio's after church.  I remember that I am 30 and that I am a mom and that I am most likely headed to the grocery store.  However, I love my life now.  I would not change it for the world! Well, I might change one thing....

I hate that my kids are growing so fast!!  I feel like every time I blink they grow another inch! When Wild Man was born, I remember every mom I knew at the time telling me to enjoy because it flies by!  I remember thinking, "I just want to sleep!  How am I supposed to enjoy it?"  I did enjoy those days for the most part and every one of those moms was right.  It flies!  AND, it seems like every year goes faster.  The kids grow faster.  They learn more and can do more on their own.  Sometimes, I just sit and watch them. I watch them play with each other and with the kids our neighborhood.  I watch them do their school and realize I have two incredibly smart children. I watch them laugh and I laugh with them as much as I can. I know they think I am crazy, but I want to remember these days when they are no longer living in my house.  I want to look back (like I do when I think about their baby days) and have no regrets at all!  I also know that it is my job to teach them to follow Christ and to do whatever He asks.  So, that means one day they will leave.  Thats just the way God wants it.  But until then, I am thankful for everyday I have with them.  I am thankful that God has blessed our family in such amazing ways and has allowed me to stay home with them.  I am thankful that I have a husband, mom, dad, mother in law, father in law, sister in law, brother in law, grandmother, aunts, uncles, and tons of friends who love me for who I am and support our family's decision to give up things this world tells us we need so that I can enjoy these days with my kids, even if it hurts my heart to see them grow. It's a good hurt.  It's the kind of hurt that only leaves growth when its gone.

Isn't that impressing?

My little princess makes me smile so much!!  She has her times where she makes me mad and completely frustrated, but overall she makes me smile.  I love the age she is at right now. She will be six in a few weeks, which is impossible to believe!  She is very independent, but also very dependent at the same time. She can do a lot on her own (and prefers to most times), however, she will curl up in my lap in a heartbeat just to remind me that she does still need me! She loves playing basketball, but would much rather be getting all dolled up and pretending she is a mom to her babies.  She loves using big words, even when she doesn't know what they mean!  For example, when she does or says something that she considers amazing or really smart she will ask us, "Isn't that impressing that I can do that?" She has also learned to read and is trying to figure out why some words sound so different than how they are spelled.  Here is one of my favorite examples....

Princess T: You know mommy, when you spell Ma-Ma it really looks like you are saying Mama.  I think we need to say Maw Maw.  How do you spell that mommy?
Me:  How do you think it's spelled?  (trying to get her sound out words as much as possible)
Princess T: (after saying it a few times..) I think it is spelled M-A-L-L M-A-L-L!

Oh how I love my Princess and her little mind!!  I thank God every day for giving her to me!!

The Dentist

So, I took the kids to the dentist today...for the FIRST time!!  And for another first....Wild Man was the difficult one.  He just does not like new things.  He hates the unknown!!  I guess this is my fault since I am just now taking him, and he is 8.  He didn't mind them cleaning his teeth or even poking at them.  What he hated was having his teeth x-rayed.  You know when they put those things in your mouth and make you bite down, but you feel like they are paper cutting the roof of your mouth....that's what he hated!  To be honest I don't blame him either.  However, he didn't have to be pain about it!  Seriously!!  I felt so bad for the little dental hygienist girl.  She was so sweet, but I could tell she was a little annoyed with his stubbornness, and really not happy when the dentist told her she needed another x-ray done on his teeth.  All in all, it wasn't too bad.  He has 2 cavities that we have to go back and have filled, but for never being to the dentist, I say that's good.  Princess T did fabulous!!  She was extremely cooperative and has NO cavities!!!

We are still alive! I promise!!

I realize that I have just left this blog hanging.  I am sure there are only a few of you that even still read it, but for those who do, we are still alive!

I have had several friends ask me recently where we are in the adoption process, so I thought I would take a minute and just explain where we are and how God is working in our lives.  We still believe that God has called us to adopt 100%.  We in no way doubt that at all!  However, we have really been just in the waiting processes.  We know that God has put us here to wait on Him because we are not patient people.  :)  He needed us to make the first step and just say yes and then be ready for when He said go.  So that is where we are.  Waiting for Him to say go!  What we know for sure is that when it happens it will happen fast and it will happen in a way that in not conventional. What we do not know is age or sex.  We are staying open to what He has for us.  Boy or Girl.  Newborn or Teenager.  I know I have shared this before, but I thought I would share it again.  Please do not stop praying for us.  We know He is in control, but sometimes it is hard to wait.  We have had several friends recently who have brought children home through adoption and because our heart is pulled that way it is hard to see them and not wonder when it will be our turn.  BUT, we KNOW God is in control.  HIS timing is PERFECT!!  So, that is where we are.  Waiting.  Thank you in advance for your prayers.

I will try my hardest to keep this blog going from this point on.  :)

I stink!

Okay, so I am admitting to the world that I officially stink at this blogging thing.  I really, like most other things in my life, really want to be better at it.  I could sit here and type out many reasons why.  Anywhere from how busy I have been to how I really haven't had much to blog about or I haven't really had much to blog about.  But, I am not going to do that because the bottom line is that I am not cut out to blog.  However, I would really like to be better at it so, I am once again going to make another push to keep it up.

My new goal is to blog at least once a week.....do you think I can do it?