Happy Birthday My Son

William, my sweet boy, my Squishy had his fifth birthday today. How appropriate that it falls on Thanksgiving this year. We are in deed thankful for this guy. He is a light in our home. His smile can only cause others to do the same. His laugh, infectious. I have only known this boy for six months and he has completely stolen my heart.

He LOVES pumpkin pie. The first time he had it, he asked, "Mummy, what izz dees? It is verrry goot!" When I told him it was pumpkin, he said, "Oh pumpkeen izz goot. Pumkeen izz verry goot. Mummy, my like it." So given the day, he had a birthday pie, rather than birthday cake.

Blowing out the candles.

Look at that huge bite.

Can you believe it all fit?


When it came time to open gifts, he looked at us like we were nuts. He had this look on his face that seemed to be saying, "What am I supposed to do with this?" I told him to rip it open, that there would be a toy inside for him...a present. After the first, one he would look at me and say, "Mommy reep et?"

He got an enchima (monkey in Lungandan...totally spelled phonetically) from his grandma and grandpa. The also sent him a cool building set and a tractor. Thank you grandma and grandpa...you hit the jack pot with the monkey.

Our wonderful friends dropped off two books for him. Curious George and Spot's Birthday. Thank you Dodson family for the books. We are looking forward to
snuggling up and and reading about the funny misadventures of one curious enchima.

"Mommy, yook at dees."

What a wonderful day. Happy birthday my sweet boy!

The Tree

We decorated our Christmas tree this morning. Normally we would do this Thanksgiving day, but tomorrow also happens to be my Squishy's 5th birthday.

We have not been much on Christmas around here the last few years, and have on several occasions, contemplated not having a tree any more. I would be so cool with that....the kids however...not so much. In an attempt to find some meaning out of all this tree business, I decided that as we decorated the tree today, I would ask the kids how the tree and the things on it, called us to remember Christ.

We started with the obvious, the tree and the lights.

Trust me when I say, we had a great family devotion time this morning. So I asked, "How does this tree and the lights remind us of Jesus?" Here are some of the responses:

"Jesus died on a tree."

"The tree is green, it reminds me of the new life I have in Christ."

"The lights remind me that Jesus is the Light of the world."

"It also reminds me that I am to be a light for the world, pointing them to Jesus."

"All Christmas trees are in the shape of a triangle. That is a good picture of the trinity."

"Jesus was a carpenter, he worked with trees."

"The star is like the star the wise men followed to find Jesus."

"It smells good." I couldn't get her to articulate why the tree smelling good reminds her of Jesus...but I could think of some reasons.

Next we strung popcorn and fruit loops to hang as our decorations.

Here are there responses to the same question, focusing on the decorations:

"Popcorn is a seed. One popcorn seed planted makes many popcorn seeds. It is like the gospel. We have the seed planted in us and it makes many more seeds."

(I added red food coloring to the popcorn while it was popping)

"The popcorn is red and white. It reminds of Jesus purity and His blood that makes me pure."

"The fruit loops are circles, that is shows completeness. Jesus completed all that needed to be done, so we could be saved.

"They taste good...ya know taste and see that God is good."

How about some pictures of these wise ones

Then we added candy canes. They all told me what they could remember of the Story of the Candy Cane.

As Christmas get closers we will do individual studies on some of the names given to Jesus in the scriptures using Adorenments. I have has these for years, but have never used them. This year we will.

I must say, I have a new appreciation for the tree in my living room. I am certain that when I look at it for the next four weeks, I will think not how beautiful the tree is, but about how beautiful my Savior is.

Where Do You Fall?

Here is a nice web site to put all our woes into perspective. I encourage you to enter in some smaller numbers (after you enter your own) the results should shock us. I know it shocked me.

This is information that I struggle with all the time. Every time I want to buy something, I think about the people we saw in Uganda drinking filthy water. I think about the children in tattered and torn clothes. I think about the kids who were blessed enough to have shoes, even though most were painfully to small for their feet. I think about how I was able to check myself in to a clinic and receive the best medical care the area could afford, in order to treat a resistant strain of malaria. I think about the mothers and fathers who will bury their child today, because they didn't have $5 for malaria medicine. These are the things I think about.

Even yesterday, while I shopped for Christmas gifts for my children. I wondered. We already do Christmas VERY meagerly in our home. Each child gets one gift, and the budget is low. Still I wondered. Is this what I should be doing with this money? Will I have to answer one day for these purchases...that we don't need...when there are people starving...people dying. I think often about how blessed we are. Then I wonder, where is the line? At what point does my spending cost someone else? I honestly don't know the answer. I am however, thankful that the Lord has opened my eyes to at least question what we spend and where we spend it. Something tells me though, that when I do stand before my God, that I will not regret giving in abundance. I just might wished I had given much more.


My dear friend April, told me a quote one time, and I have never forgotten it (although I have forgotten who said it...so I am hoping she will leave a comment and tell us who said it)

"Live simply. So others may simply live."

Bonding

When we were in Uganda William wanted his daddy. That was all he wanted. It was understandable of course, he had plenty of mamas. Mandy had told us in advance that the kids, especially the boys, longed for men in their lives. She would tell us how they would respond when male volunteers would come to the home. Anyway, after a couple of weeks in Uganda, this was not getting any better. It wasn't just that he wanted his daddy, he didn't want anything to do with me. So we would roam about and Richard would have William and I would have Marissa. It became apparent that Marissa was wanting some daddy time too. Richard made the decision that it was time to start nudging William toward me. This started with simply having him sit by me in the car, and hold my hand while we walked that day...so that Marissa could be with her daddy. You would think this went well right? Not at all! William scooted all the way across the seat as far as he could and wailed. We hadn't seen him cry like this before. Then when we got out of the truck, and I tried to hold his hand, he would yank it away, and look for Richard. His wanting and adoring his daddy I was prepared for....his total rejection of me...no way I could prepare for that. I knew mentally that this would pass, and would change over time. There was no convincing my heart that William would one day have a bond with me. Thankfully, things have changed, and William loves and wants both of us. He has begun to see the benefits of having both a mommy and a daddy.

This morning, he came and snuggled up with me in bed. He stayed for quite a while. It was sweet to my soul to have him on my chest. Normally, I would let him snuggle as long as he wanted, but it was 9:00 and I had no business still being in bed (in my defense we went to bed late, I still had not slept 7 hours) and I needed to get up. So I ask him if he wants to go and snuggle with daddy. His response was to hold me tighter, smile, and say "no." I stayed in bed :)

Soon we had four other blessings snuggled in too.

Life is good.

Too Much Fun Not To

Unlike Shara (poor girl, I simply must purchase her a book immediately) I have read and LOVE Jane Austen. So which heroine am I?

Take the Quiz here!

Not Me Moday

The Family Edition

My beloved did not spend five hours looking back through the history on our computer, trying to locate a child I had found nearly a month ago, that is available for adoption. He did not find out that they call it the World Wide Web for a reason. He did not comment about how much of the world I had looked at over the last month.

While doing this, he did not see all the jobs I had looked at for him. That would be lack of faith. Seriously, I do not have a problem at all with this walking by faith...daily bread thing. Really I don't.

We didn't spend several more hours last night looking for her again.

When we did finally find her last night, we did not give a second thought at all to the cost of giving her a family, thinking the cost was far too high. We did not discuss how we do not have the money to do this again.

We did not just give our friends a "pep talk" just a couple of hours before that conversation, that God pays for adoption. Money should never be a consideration. That would be so hypocritical of us.

When Marissa wanted to go work out with me, Noah did not say the following, "You can't go until you get big like mommy." I did not look at him with raised eyebrows, only to have him say, "I meant old like mommy." Again with raised, I did not reply, "This would be a good time for you to stop talking."

This same child did not ask me, "Mom did you play with a yo-yo back in the olden days, when you were a kid?" I did not reply, "Honey, mommy didn't live in the olden days...your grandparents did. Yes, they played with a yo-yo. They probably had to go to the bathroom in an out house too."

I did not want my friends to adopt from Welcome Home for purely selfish reasons. It would be so wrong to want them to adopt from there just so my kids could see their friends. It would be equally wrong to desire such things, just so that there would be another family in our church that looks like ours.

I did not spend $65 dollars on three t-shirts at the silent auction at the gala...just because they said, "Simply Love" over the top of an outline of Africa. This would be silly, I don't typically pay more than $5 for a shirt. It WAS for a good cause though, but I would never use that to justify such extravagance.

William did not hand me a glow stick and ask, "Mommy, will you turn this on for me?" I had to ask him to repeat himself. Of course it was not because I wanted to hear his cute little voice say it again. I only have him repeat himself because I don't hear him, not because I like his accent.

See what everybody else is not doing at Mck Mama's Not Me Monday carnival.

Anyone?

Back from the gala...oh my...to many thoughts...I asked Richard if I could have another child for Christmas :) He said yes :) We are praying about what to do next. Which leads me to this question...

A few weeks ago I read, on one of the blogs that I follow...though a link or something....about a young girl in Russia. She has a couple of friends that have already found homes in America (one or both in Texas), and their families are trying to find one for her. We have been unable to get her off our hearts, and were both thinking of her tonight. We prayed for her, that God would make it clear to us if we were her family, and if not that he would bring her one...soon. ANYWAY...I had a question....Where is she? I have NO clue where I found out about her. Anyone know...who she is....where she is at....if a family has found her....anyone? Please help :)

Anyone know how we could possibly afford to do this again?

Anyone thinking, "How could you not afford to do this? A child's life depends on it."

Anyone think we are nuts?

Anyone else thinking about the cry of the orphan?

Anyone else look at waiting children in Ethiopia today?

Anyone else look at waiting children in the foster care system today?

Anyone else wanting to lay down their life for one of God's children?

Anyone else want to step out in faith, and trust God, to do the impossible?

Anyone else want to be nuts?

I am going to try and get some sleep. I will post more about the gala tomorrow. Seriously, anyone know where to find this girl?

Life

So what do you do when you have a naughty dog? Piper...our ever so lovable and HYPER chocolate lab, is in serious need of training. We were doing so well with him, then we left for Uganda. The rest, as they say, is history. Last week he killed a chicken...shame on him. He felt bad, really he did. Then today we get a call, "Piper is stuck in a tomato cage!" Huh? Yep, my fully grown lab...stuck...in a tomato cage. Apparently this is a pattern for him. Richard tells me he rescued him from a similar situation last week. Is there any hope for this dog?

I wonder how long he had been walking around this way.

I have a great post about the huge blessing we received last Sunday. There was a "Welcome Home" party for William and Marissa. I guess they are too old for a baby shower :) So that post, with pictures is on it's way.

I have another hot date with my beloved tomorrow. This one I am TOTALLY EXCITED about. We are going to an Orphans Ticket Home Gala. Tom Davis, author of the life changing books Red Letters and Fields of the Fatherless,and president of Children's Hope Chest, will be the keynote speaker. Oh I can't wait. Seriously, I am so excited.

For now I leave you with my favorite moment of today.

Sigh...I love being a mommy. Is there anything better? I think not.

I am off to watch a film with my beloved. It's a chick flick ;)

Overcome

Wow. Occasionally I use the google blog button on my tool bar and type in "Uganda Adoption." Don't know why I do, I just do. Today I found this family, and I sit here overcome.

Honestly, as I was reading their story I sat at my desk, unable to stop the tears. My God is so overwhelming gracious to me. This is the second family, that I know of that is fighting and struggling to bring their children home. There have been other families I have learned about, that had to fight for their children as well. Two of those families, you can find here and here. I found them when Richard said, "Uganda or nothing." Their stories scared me. I was not up for a long drawn out battle. My heart was already broken. Their determination and faith encouraged me to press on, despite the unknown. This story could be our story. We could have come home with empty arms and broken hearts. We could be packing up our family and moving, as Richard was clear that would be what we would do if need be. Or we could still be waiting. Wondering why. Wondering when or if God would move and bring our family together. I just want to take this moment to thank Him for His amazing mercy. I am sitting here with two beautiful Ugandans, calling me mommy. He didn't have to choose the easy path for us. He did. I am so thankful.

If you think about it, maybe you could stop by the blogs of this family, and this family. Support them with your words and prayers. If you are able, support them with your money. Adoption is already expensive, without the added expenses that are accumulating for these families. Imagine if one of your children were caught up in governmental red tape. Thousands of miles away from your love and care. Imagine, not being able to hold them. Not being able to smother them with love and affection. My heart breaks for these families. I pray the Lord would be rich in His mercy toward them, and bring their children home. That He would unite their families. I pray also that until He does, He would pour out grace upon grace, that they might endure until that wonderful day.

Banquets, Snoring, and Spiders

Thursday was the annual fundraising banquet for our local crisis pregnancy center. It was a lovely event that gave my beloved and I a chance to get gussied up and go on a date. I must say that I have been to a few of these over the last several years, and this one was by far the best. There was great catering, a wonderful testimony from a client, and a speaker that doesn't just speak a pro-life message...he lives it. It was a powerful night and by the grace of God they raised nearly $20,000 MORE than they were hoping for. Here is a picture of me and my beloved, before we left for the big event.

We clean up real nice. Don't we make a lovely couple?

Can we talk about snoring? Seriously people...I LOVE my husband, but a girl can only take so much. I MUST have my sleep you know. Anyway, when ever so gently nudging, him did not stop the noise, I finally got up and moved toward the sofa. Surely peaceful sleep would find me there...right? So honestly, what is worse...a snoring beloved...or ALL THREE smoke detectors beeping due to low battery. Seriously, I was on the brink of insanity. What is the only logical thing to do? Remove all the batteries from the smoke detectors, of course. Really, what are the odds we would have a fire on the night I decide to remove all the fire alarms? (Breathe easy...there was no fire) Snuggled up, in a now quiet room, on a very uncomfortable couch, I finally fall fast asleep. I wake up looking like this.

Bitten, by a spider...on my EYE!!!! Um, have I mentioned how much I dislike arachnids? So my sweet beloved, takes me to the clinic for some medical care. The doctor walks in, looks at me, and says, "Oh, that's not good." Over the course of twenty minutes with her she tells me no less than seven times, "If this gets any worse go to the emergency room, right away." Worse? It's going to get worse? Now I am a worse case scenario kind of gal, so I am thinking brown recluse. I'm loosing my eye for sure, maybe half my face. I was wondering if Richard was going to be able to handle a wife with half a face. Then there was William. I am not sure exactly what he was thinking, but a look of fear came across his face each time he looked at me. I think he was afraid I was contagious. Everyone else, including my ever so dear and faithful friends, just had a good laugh.

Is this what I get for sleeping on the couch? Really, the snoring was bad. I needed to sleep.

Rest assured the steroids and the antibiotics are doing their job, and now I just look like I have a lazy and droopy eye. I still hate spiders...it really creeps me out that one was on me. It bit me. Do I now have spider DNA? Am I going to turn into spider woman? Now that is the ultimate nightmare. To turn into what I fear most. EWWW.

My beloved would like for me to add the following disclaimer: "I have really bad allergies, it is not my fault I was snoring. Have mercy on me. Besides, if I can put up with the ever so gentle nudging, she ought to be able to put with the snoring."

In My Inbox

We are members of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. This is a copy of an email sent out to all members yesterday:

What Can We Expect under
an Obama Administration?

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends of Homeschooling:

Since the election of Barack Obama as U.S. president, HSLDA has received more than a few calls from both members and nonmembers. Some are quite concerned about the future of homeschooling under an Obama presidency.

First of all, let us always remember that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). He also instructs us to be wise, plan, and be prepared in everything we do.

Despite HSLDA’s efforts prior to the election to get an official statement from the Obama campaign regarding their position on homeschooling, we received no response.

So where does that leave us?

We do know that the Democratic Party has an official position of supporting public education. The National Education Association (NEA), which is the national teachers union, is a major supporter of the Democratic Party. We know that the NEA’s position is that every child should be either taught by a certified teacher or supervised by one. Additionally, their position is that the curriculum used by all homeschoolers should be approved by the state, and children should only be able to continue to be homeschooled based upon systematic evaluation by the state.

It is important to remember that under the United States Constitution, the federal government has no authority over private and home education. This is not to say that they will not attempt to exercise authority in these areas. And whenever private educators accept grants and benefits, there are conditions to receiving those benefits, including being subject to regulation.

Just because the federal government has no constitutional authority over home education, however, doesn’t mean that federal bureaucrats or legislators might not attempt to impose some form of regulation over private and home education. We saw this back in 1994, when the reauthorization of the Secondary and Elementary Act (H.R. 6) contained an amendment which would have conditioned funding to the states for public education to require that all teachers be certified in every subject area they teach. The homeschool community rose up; over a million phone calls were made to the U.S. Congress, and the amendment was defeated. During that process, Representative Dick Armey from Texas introduced an amendment which stated that the federal government and Congress have no authority over private and home education. This protective language was passed by the House of Representatives.

With your help and the help of homeschoolers all across America, we will vigorously resist any effort on the part of the federal government to regulate home education. Obviously, this will take resources—which come from our membership—and we would encourage our current members to continue standing with us, and encourage others to join us.

An immediate concern to watch is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Although we do not know what Barack Obama’s specific position on the treaty is, we know that future Vice President Joe Biden has publicly indicated that this UN Convention should be ratified by the United States.

It does appear that we will soon have the challenge of keeping the UN Convention from being ratified by the U.S. Senate, ratification requiring a two-thirds majority to pass.

Should the UN Convention be ratified, it would impose the United Nation’s view of children’s rights on America. Under the U.S. Constitution, treaties become the Supreme Law of the land, taking precedent over state laws and state supreme court decisions.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is not in the best interest of parents or children, as it would undermine the parental authority that our laws currently recognize. For further information on the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child visit ParentalRights.org.

To summarize, homeschoolers should not live in fear, but we do need to be wise, and we will need to be vigilant to protect parental rights and homeschooling freedoms in the future. We stand prepared, with your help, to do that as we’ve done for 25 years.

Michael Smith
HSLDA President

I broached this subject several months ago in a post titled A Time For Action. Please, if you are a home school parent, join HSLDA, TODAY. They have very affordable payments plans... $11 a month. Such a small price to pay for your continued freedom to raise and educate your children according to your convictions. Even if you are not a home school family, please check out www.parentalrights.org This will affect your family too.

A Beautiful Morning

It was a beautiful morning, so we took off for the park.

Here is Kaleb, mentally compiling his list of 101 things he'd rather do than go to the park.

Noah, this one is always up in a tree...making cheesy faces.

Speaking of cheesy faces....

I love close up pictures of faces.

They make me smile.

Seriously, your smiling too aren't you?

What could be more fun than playing the in rocks?

"William...you under there?"

I laid down on the rocks, I thought I would show you fall in South Texas.

It's nice....I guess.

But fall in Michigan, oh my, nice just doesn't quite describe it.

It is much prettier there.

I am just sayin'

One Year Ago

My, Oh my...how time does fly. One year ago today, Richard and I made that life altering decision to open our hearts and home, and to become a forever family to children who needed one. I will never forget that morning when my beloved said it was time to adopt. I didn't know what to expect, and if I am completely honest was quite sceptical that he would follow through. Nothing against him, but we had been talking about this for so long...it was hard for me to believe it might actually happen. Oh but happen it did! What a blessing, what a joy, what an honor. I thought I would post a short over view of our process. Man did it go fast! Why on earth did time seem to drag on and on and on, while we were in the thick of it?

11/11 Decide to move forward with adoption.

11/15 Amy emails me Welcome Home's web site.

11/16 Contact Cathie, our social worker, to get the ball rolling on our home study.

11/27 Talk at length with Mandy on the phone. With out a doubt, and with no regrets, we decide to adopt from Welcome Home. Receive a list of children's names and ages to begin to pray over...as well as a price break down. Have my first thoughts of how we are going to pull this off.

12/3 Feel the Lord is calling us to adopt William and Marissa, we call Mandy and let her know.

12/8 Cathie comes for our home visit. What on earth was I so worried about? Didn't I know worry was sin?

12/27 Receive approved international home study in the mail.

12/28 Send off a two i600a applications to San Antonio USCIS office.

2/7 Fingerprints for i600a

3/2 We receive very discouraging news from USCIS. We wondering seriously if this is God stopping us.

3/12 Get everything straightened out with the courts in Kansas, and send off paperwork to USCIS. God pulls off a major miracle and moves hearts, like only He can.

4/9 Have screaming hysterical fit in the office with three children as we open a big manila envelope from USCIS. Approval to bring home two Ugandans!

5/15 Receive our court date. Begin preparing to leave for our children.

5/28 Board a plane for Africa.

6/2 Court

6/5 Judge grants us legal guardianship.

7/2 Arrive home and reunited as a family.

What a mighty, Awesome, and Loving God we serve. He has blessed me beyond compare. I still can't believe these kids are mine. It truly is an indescribable gift He has given us. We love them so very much. They bring abundant joy and laughter to our home. Not to mention they are darn cute. Really have you seen them?

Hope Won

I was watching a yahoo news clip, and saw Oprah wearing a shirt that said, "Hope Won."

Honestly, as we sat in our living room Tuesday evening, nothing came as a surprise to us. At least as far as the election results were concerned. What did shock us was the response of the people. There were people on their knees crying tears of joy. Looks of admiration. Dare I say almost a reverent look of awe and worship. Young girls jumping up and down and screaming. I couldn't figure out if this was going to be a presidential acceptance speech...or a Beetles concert. It was hard for me to understand why any human would act this way toward another human. Really I didn't get it. As a Christian it was quite disturbing. Then as my beloved and I were spending our Saturday morning, in our favorite way...yard selling...he put it all into perspective for me.

Hope Won.

That is exactly what Americans voted for Hope. For too long we have placed our hope in our jobs, possessions, retirement funds, our toys, our homes...the list could go on and on. We have thought that abundance would bring us satisfaction and security. Now as those things are wasting away, as they always do. Americans are once again looking for Hope. Unfortunately, they are looking in the wrong place. They are looking to a mere man, to restore to them those very things that are wasting away. They believe he offers them hope for security and satisfaction. Obama ran on a platform of change. People know they need change. They feel the emptiness and fear. They are longing for something more.

What they are longing for is Jesus, our Eternal Hope. They are longing for the Hope of salvation. The Hope and the security that comes from knowing the Living God as Savior. They are longing for a Living Hope, that will never fade or perish. They are longing for Christ in them, the hope of glory. This is where peace is found. This is where true, good, and lasting, change is found. This is where security is found. In Him, and Him alone, should we place our hope.

The enemy of this world has blinded the eyes of many. Whispering lies to a multitude of people who have placed their hope in the wrong things, in the wrong people. I pray the God of all Hope would have mercy on us. That He might grant us repentance. That He might gives us true Hope.

Psalm 146 (ESV)

1 Praise the LORD!Praise the LORD, O my soul!

2I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.

4When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,

6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;

7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.The LORD sets the prisoners free;

8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.

9 The LORD watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The LORD will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!

Why?

This is a subject that has been on my heart for quite some time now. I think about it off and on, and I repeatedly ask God when He will move on the hearts of His people. I don't in anyway want this post to come off as judgemental...so please don't take it that way. This is just something the Lord is teaching me and I want to write about it...so there :) It is just that this post, brought it to the front of my mind yet again.

Why do people adopt children? I am sure that there are varied reasons as to why families want to open there homes to orphaned and most often hurting children. I know that one of the main reasons is a desire to expand ones family. I would never say that this is a wrong or less wonderful reason for adoption. It is in fact why we adopted. When we began this adventure, that was our sole reason. We wanted more children, and couldn't have them. For some, they long for the laughter of children in their too quiet lives, so they pursue adoption. It is indeed a wonderful and blessing filled way to grow a family.

Over the course of this adoption, the Lord has opened our heart to His, on the plight of the orphan. By the time we left for Uganda, we still wanted to have the blessing of more children, but there was no doubt that this was now something more for us. It has been said by many in the adoption world, that one should never adopt just to "save" a child. This is true on many levels, for instance we really cannot save a child from anything, that is a responsibility for God alone. I understand the message behind this to some degree, but mostly I don't understand it all.

Could it possibly be wrong to open our homes to children to protect them from the kind of terrible abuse the two in the blog post endured? Is it wrong to want to free them from their prison of abuse and despair?

Could it possibly be wrong to open our homes so that children can have the much needed necessities of life. Food, clean water, shelter, clothing? Have we stopped to consider, particularly in foreign countries, that the children might die of starvation unless they are brought into families. Have we thought about the young girls who most likely will end up on the streets, selling their bodies to have daily bread?

What about illness and disease? Is it wrong to want to open our homes to sick children, so that they might have the medical care that they need to live?

Could it possibly be wrong to open our homes to children so that they might know the safety and love that comes from family?

Would not all the reasons be Biblical reasons to open our homes to children?

I would say they are all viable, good, and God honoring reasons for adoption, I think the Lord agrees.

Matthew 25: 34-40 NIV
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

When I read the above mentioned blog post my heart broke. My heart broke for the family that has to make this heart wrenching decision. My heart broke for the children who have suffered so terribly. My heart broke because I know that MOST people looking to adopt are looking to build a family...and not help build up hurting children. Therefore, most of the people will look at these children and realize, with young children already in the home, they cannot open their home to these precious children. Oh, I cannot tell you how often I cry, "Lord please open the hearts of your people, don't let your children suffer any more."


You see, I adopted to build my family. I am so thankful for the inability to have more bio they children, because it has brought me two amazing blessings. However, I want to make it perfectly clear, that if we ever have the blessing of adopting again it will be to "save a child." Yes, we will be overwhelmingly excited to add more children to our family, but even more, I will be profoundly awed at the ability to serve Jesus in such a way.

It is my prayer that the Lord will move. That adoption will not be just a means of building a family....not because it is not a wonderful way of building a family...but because far too many people who don't want anymore children are missing out on serving Jesus. Too many people who feel their children rearing days are over, are missing the blessing of serving Jesus in this way. Too many children are missing out on the love, protection, and healing they so deserve.

I know full well it is not God's will that every person adopt, just like it is not God's will for all to be a missionary to China.

Should we not a least ask, "Lord, would you have us open our home?"

Should we not at least ask what He would have us to do?

Have You?

Today is the day, the day for Americans to vote. Have you? If not go...now. Do not let this day go by without making your voice heard. Not only because your vote is needed. Vote also because you have this precious right to do so, don't waste this freedom, bought and paid for by the blood of many. Many around the world would love to have this privilege. To vote with out fear. To know that while they still live in a deeply flawed country...it is still a country that offers freedom. Go and take a stand, and then after you have stood remember that God is still sovereign. He rules and reigns over the people of Earth. Remember that all authorities are ordained by Him. Trust Him, because whatever He ordains is right. The following is a prayer for today, written by John Piper. It is my prayer as well. May the Lord move upon His people, to accomplish His will, for His glory.

A Prayer for the Election

November 3, 2008 | By: John Piper
Category: Commentary

Father in heaven, as we approach this election on Tuesday, I pray

1) that your people will vote,

2) and that they will vote with a sense of thankfulness for a democratic system that at least partially holds in check the folly and evil in all our hearts so that power which corrupts so readily is not given to one group or person too easily;

3) that we would know and live the meaning of

• being in the world, but not of it,
• doing politics as though not doing them,
• being on the earth, yet having our lives hidden with Christ in God,
• rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are God’s;

4) that we would discern what truths and values should advance by being made law and which should advance only by the leavening of honest influence;

5) that your people would see what love and justice and far-seeing wisdom demand in regard to the issues of education, business and industry, health care, marriage and family, abortion, welfare, energy, government and taxes, military, terrorism, international relations, and every challenge that we will face in the years to come;

6) and above all, that we will treasure Jesus Christ, and tell everyone of his sovereignty and supremacy over all nations, and that long after America is a footnote to the future world, he will reign with his people from every tribe and tongue and nation.

Keep us faithful to Christ’s all important Word, and may we turn to it every day for light in these dark times.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Not Me Monday

Ohh did I have a week...one of those weeks. Most of the things I didn't do this week...I am not sure I can even post.

I did not have a complete break down on Friday evening. I did not loose it when I walked into my daughters room...which she assured me was spotless..only to find clean clothes (still on the HANGER) in the dirty clothes basket AGAIN. This most certainly did not throw me over the edge and drive me to spend thirty minutes pacing the front yard. I certainly did not vent uncontrollably to my husband and yell, "They are broken! Do you hear me BROKEN! Why did God give broken children to a broken woman?" I did not have terrible thoughts when his response was laughter followed by, "I love you." I did not wonder why he always has to be so stinkin' rational. I did not think that the answer to that question was that I have enough irrationality for the two of us.

I did not have a difficult time stifling laughter while telling William it is not OK to hook 40+ zip ties on the stroller.

When my beloved was smashed between a tree and a 5,000 pound lift this week, I was not the least bit concerned about what this would mean for me. Nope that would be so self centered. My only concern was for him and his well being.

I did not plan an election theme party for tomorrow. I did not have a wonderfully good time thinking up the menu. Things like pork barrel sandwiches served on fresh baked inflation rolls with a side of loose your butt beans (because beans are all you can afford since you lost your butt in your 401K) are much to inappropriate for such serious times. I won't even mention the "drown your recession blues Boston Beer."

I was thrilled when my beloved did in fact get his much sought after deer. Of course my reason for my happiness was not that he would now be home. It was of course that he was successful in his quest.

My inner conspiracy theorist did not go wild when my friend told me that she received a phone call from a certain person running for reelection for senator saying," A* I see you haven't voted yet..." This would not have concerned me at all. Especially since her husband and son had already voted, but she had not...and they did not receive a similar phone call. After all the government is completely trustworthy....right?

Most assuredly I did not think at all this week about Mckmama and her sweet baby Stellan. I did not check her blog like 500 times for updates....that would be a clear indicator of being way to obsessed about the unfolding of this miracle. You can check it out for yourself here.

Here's me hoping that next week I can paint a much more favorable picture of myself on Not Me Monday.

InSoMniA

It is 12:47 PM and I am still wide awake. All alone I might add. My beloved is off at some deer lease, no doubt sleeping peacefully, dreaming of giant 10 point bucks. Yet here I am AWAKE. Not that I am bitter or anything like that. Really...I am just wondering if I am ever going to get to sleep so I can dream about my beloved bagging one of those 10 point bucks he his dreaming about...so deer season can officially be over :)

I am hoping some random blogging will put me to sleep. Reader beware..who knows what I'll say while in this sleep deprived state of mind.

Any one notice the really big and bright star above the moon tonight? It looked so cool. So I called Kaleb and asked him to get on Starry Night and find out what planet it was. Listen up all you homeschoolers...well and any one else interested in astronomy...If you don't have Starry Night...GET IT! This is one of the coolest programs on our computer. It is awesome. You can track back thousands of years and see what position the stars and planets were in at any given date in history...even where they will be in the future. So cool. Especially to track back and see what the sky looked like in the middle east around the time of Christ's birth. Anyway, so he calls me back and tells me it is Venus. "Cool" I say. Then I make the mistake of asking, "What does Venus stand for anyway? You know what god or whatever." My sweet darling son replies, "I don't know I am not a pagan." I love his sense of humor. He then filled me in on what I wanted to know. Speaking of star gazing, you must watch this film (Film, that is what I am calling all movies now, because that is what William calls them...it is so cute. "Mummy, I want to watch a film.") where was I? Oh yes, you must watch this film called Bethlehem Star...at least that is what I think it is called. It is sort of like a documentary...maybe it is a documentary. It is about this lawyer who gets all interested in the Bethlehem star that the magi followed to find Jesus. He uses this same software to take you back. He then explains a bunch of cool stuff about the alignment of the planets and what they mean...then brings in the scripture. It is so amazing. You must, must, must, watch it.

1:07 getting a bit more sleepy.

I can't believe it is November. In a couple of weeks it will be one year since God called us to adopt. Nearly one year since we first laid eyes on those two sweet children SLEEPING down the hall. Man I can't believe it. What is even harder to believe is that we have been home for four months. Time is just flying by. I can't imagine life without them. If fact it is hard to remember what life was like before they came home. They are so much a part of us. What a year. I need to call our social worker and schedule our six month post adoption visit. I think we are going to ask her how much it would be to update our home study. Ya know...just in case :)

Really I can't believe that I just typed that. Am I nuts? No...I don't think I am. Our Lord has just graciously given us a small piece of His heart for the orphan. Now we just have to figure out what He wants us to do with it. Reckless abandon...that is what I want. Totally abandoned to my Savior. Some would call it foolishness. I actually had a pastor tell me that one time (not my current pastor I might add) "There is a fine line between faith and foolishness." Is there? I don't think there is. Faith pleases God...His word says so. In fact it says WITHOUT faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him. No, I don't think there is a fine line. I think if we are acting in faith...it pleases Jesus. There is no foolishness in that...nope, not ever.

Our family is coming to a crossroads. I can seen it...so can my beloved. We see a couple of different roads for our family. All of them appealing to us is one way or another. All of them leave us with doubts and fears. Moving to Uganda and caring for children. Buying land here and focusing on helping others to adopt...maybe adopting a couple more ourselves. Staying where we are, near our church and friends we love so dearly. We see the paths, but do not know which the Lord would have us take. So, we wait on Him. Knowing full well that each of those paths will require faith. Knowing that where ever He leads us, it will be good.

It's 1:27...I think I might be able to shut things down and get some sleep. Maybe...I hope so anyway.