Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Yes! Amen!



Please watch and then let's chat.....[or I will tell you what I think cuz this is a blog and it is really hard to chat beings that I am leaving the minute I finish ;)  BUT I would love to hear your thoughts so... go watch and then let's chat].


Good, hu?  Um ya!

You know that train?  Ya, it is filled with 160 MILLION orphans, innocent children.  We are singing louder, having more "feel good, inspirational conferences," bigger more convenient buildings so we can gather together and worship in comfort.  All the while singing louder and louder because well...."you do not want to get on that soapbox" or "there are so many and it makes me sad to think about."

I refuse to buy into that.  I have, and I will not any longer.

I am at Jesus feet about taking a few women to Ug@nda in February.  I have had so many "weird" comments that it drives me straight to the word of God and EVERY>SINGLE>TIME I walk away seeing that taking women to care for orphans, the poor and oppressed, is not weird. 

What is weird is to sing louder.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

One year ago today!

One year ago today I walked into S@nyu Babies Home in Ug@nda East Africa and have never, and will never, be the same....ever!

One year ago today my heart was shattered.

One year ago today I got to see what God sees everyday and why He says in His word for us to do something about it.  In fact He says to care for these vulnerable treasures is undefiled before Him.

One year ago today I met my son whom has taught me more in the last year than any person alive.

My heart is heavy with so many thoughts and feelings as we walk through all of these one year anniversaries.  One year since we boarded a plane, one year since meeting #5, one year since going before the high court, one year since the verbal ruling, one year since the visa was issued, one year since boarding a plane to come home, one year since stepping off the plane and into our family of 7 forever, forever. 

It is sweet, so very sweet. 

Words kind of escape me.

I am overflowing with gratitude to God.

Thank you God for taking me on this journey.  Thank you God for using me to bring you glory through this.  Thank you God for #5!  God, you have made him fearfully and wonderfully.  What an amazing blessing this child is.  Thank you for allowing me to be his mommy.  Thank you for teaching me all through out the year how to be his mommy.  I could not imagine going through this life with out him.  Thank you God for what you have taught my entire family.  Thank you God for drawing all of my children to yourself though out this year.  I praise your Holy name God.  You are worthy so very very worthy.  Amen

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Sweet Family Night

*I love spontaneous dance parties*


Look at #4 and #5's faces - how cute is that?

Then our evening ended with Daddy talking about worship and what true worship was.  We pulled up this youtube and worshiped as a family - enjoy!






Thank You Jesus for this sweet night!

Mission Trip Giveaway!

My Crazy Adoption blog is giving away a free mission trip to Ethiopia!  Here are the details:

◦Prize: Mission Trip to Ethiopia, February 17-26, 2011


◦Prize value: $3100

◦Number of winners: 1-2

◦Number of Tee shirts to sell: 183 + 183

◦Ending date of the giveaway: 10/28/10

◦Where it can be won: My Crazy Adoption Blog

◦The prize is from: www.mycrazyadoption.com

◦To enter this giveaway, you can: purchase a tee shirt at My Crazy Adoption Store

Hurry and enter!  Bloggy world can be very fun!!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Oh, the change of seasons...

In the last two months Justin and I have had a walk down memory lane through our childhood "things."

My parents and his mom are experiencing a change of seasons.

Moving, packing up and letting go of "things."

It has not been easy for either of them. 

Change can be so bitter-sweet sometimes.  Sad to know that season is over but excited for what lies ahead. 

We know that God has good plans for each of them! 

Very good plans - it is a promise!  Each of them trust God and have put their faith in Jesus Christ so we stand on that promise!  What great comfort!

This weekend we packed up the kids and headed to my parents to pack up their home of 23 years. 

Two of my sister were able to make it [so sad #3 sis could not be there - they are in the midst of grieving the loss of a parent, please pray for them].


We had a good belly laugh pulling out our senior portraits.


Where has the time gone?



The way we were.
[now there are 4 husbands and 18 {and counting} grand kids - a little different, aye?]


After going through 23 years of "stuff" you can get a little silly and by this point we all were a little [or a lot] nutty! lol

One more ride on "Eli!"  {and no I did not break her, I think}


One more....weren't we cute?



Dad, Mom and Mom V.,
We know that God has good plans for each of you.  We are praying for each of you and look forward to seeing what God will do in and through you in this new chapter.  Thank you for being great parents and most of all for teaching us to love the Lord Our God with all of our hearts, soul and mind.  May we each be spent for Him in this coming season!

Love you all, 
J, S and kids 

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Grace in learning - Praise the Lord!

I learned so much at T4A.  One of the reasons I was so excited to go, was that I knew I would get some new tools for parenting.  Parenting has been a new ball game with #5.  I felt as if I had exhausted my tool box and was left standing with a big fat question mark on my head.  I need to be clear - #5 is a good boy, great boy.  I was just noticing time and time again that my parenting style was not bringing the connection or results I was expecting.  We have come a long long long way and that my friends is the grace of God.

When #5 came home, I treated him like #4.  I thought this was the right way - "treat him like the rest" - I was told over and over.  Now, in hind sight I can see how silly that is.  The rest had not had the trauma in their life that #5 had - things needed to be different, I needed to embrace that.  Sometimes I felt like a rehab center and resented that because I was trying to ignore what #5 had been through.  What my thinking was, I am not sure.  Really, there is a post-adoption fog that happens very similar to that of postpartum - so I am not sure where my head was.

Listening to Karen Purvis talk about trauma and the effects that it has on the childs development, I wanted to stand up and yell "YES!  That is SO true!  What this lady is saying, WE have experienced!"  but I spared us all and did not. :)  I sat there begging God to let all the info soak in all the way to my heart so that I could be the best mommy to #5 and fulfill the role God had granted me.

We have been implementing many of the things she suggests (not perfectly) but making great strides to retrain our brains and reactions.  Wow, we have already seen results.

So ...... we are busy reatraining our brains to help grow his, and loving every minute.

PS - Have I said lately that adoption rock? ...oh!  I does! :)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Just One of the Many

Please read this and get a taste of one of the many things that happened this weekend at T4A:

http://wearethatfamily.com/2010/10/miracles-happen-when-you-speak-up

I think when we all here the numbers or injustices we can begin to swim in a sea of despair.  The quickest way to kick out of that is to act now - in the moment - if it is good, right, God glorifying - jump.  I know one girl that will forever be grateful that that man did.  Please go read.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Full!

Oh my heart is full! 

I can not tell you what a blessing T4A was.  If you are reading and wishing you were there, I just want to encourage you to plan for next year.  It is in Phoenix, AZ!  I love AZ!

I am unpacking my things, washing a ton of laundry and hearing things like "we did not brush our teeth once while you were gone" - lol - oh my, oh my, oh my!  hehe

I want to share everything - record it - never forget it - bottle it up and take a peek on days I need to remember.

It was a place I felt hearts were united for one reason and that was to Glorify God.  Period.

The topic of adoption was plentiful but not without it being Christ-centered.

Honestly, I felt like I got a big fat hug from God!

[more to come]