Well, well, well...how have so many months gone by with no blogging??
We have been busy.
We have just been living.
I have tried to SIMPLIFY life as much as possible...and it's a good thing...
Things have gone so well with Mia's adjustment to life here in our family...we are thinking God knew we needed an easy little one to balance out some of the more challenging (not mentioning any names, lol) ones in our happy little group.
Spring and Summer, and now Fall have passed by and I have just not sat down to blog about any of it. I have been savoring every moment, trying to live in the present, and trying to slowly ride the waves of all the adjustments of life after an adoption and focus on my family.
We have celebrated birthdays, holidays, and our 21st year of marriage. We have gone through lots of medical tests and a surgery for Mia, lived through the stress of a long term-illness of our PopPop, traveled, and returned to full-time homeschool for ALL the kiddos (full and part-time college for our "bigs"). We have celebrated with 30 family members at our house for Thanksgiving, and watched as our kids keep growing...(why is it that every time I turn around it's time for a meal???) ;)
As 2013 draws to a close I am overwhelmed by the care and gentle way our Lord has carried us through this adjustment time (it's actually been so much easier than I ever dreamed) and how he has honored our leap of faith to bring this little princess home. She is a delight and little love bug - truly. I can't imagine if we hadn't followed God down this path...
We have been so generously taken care of by our friends, family, and loving church family - the meals, clothes, shoes, toys, and even homeschool books keep coming in for all our little girls. I love how God takes care of us through others' hearts. These wonderful photos in this post and on our blog header (our Christmas card photo) were even a gift from a homeschooling friend/photographer highlighting adoption on her blog. Blessings all around.
Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas, filled with wonder and joy as we think about that little baby sent down from heaven. A baby sent to save the world - a savior sent to save you and me. I look forward to getting back to blogging in the new year (and filling in the gaps from this past year with lots of photos!) ... but for now I am off to enjoy a warm cup of tea in the family room with my peeps...
Hello to those of you who are stopping by! Today was Compassion Sunday at church and I got to set up a display, say a few words to the congregation, and show a video about something near and dear to my heart - child sponsorship through Compassion International. For those of you who missed church, or who don't live nearby, here's what I shared -
We saw a short, sweet video that followed two "Elizabeths," one a sponsor and the other, her Guatemalan sponsored child. The child, through an interpreter, relates her story. This is a child who, in the eyes of the world, has nothing. She lives in obvious poverty, has no mother, a father unable to work due to injury, and she is doing the housekeeping and care for her younger siblings.
But the light in her life is the Compassion program at her local church that she attends. There she receives food, health care, educational help, and Biblical teaching about Jesus. She is there because she has a sponsor - Elizabeth from the USA. She and Elizabeth exchange letters and drawings, prayer requests, and friendship through a relationship through the mail. Her life's story has been changed because of Compassion and her sponsor's help. I just figured out how to share the video so here it is if you missed it -
I challenged our church to see if we could sponsor all 25 of the child info packets that I had at our display out in the lobby. Sponsorship is a wonderful ministry - just $38 a month. You can forever change the life story of one little child living in extreme poverty and most importantly, introduce them to Jesus Christ. There are many wonderful groups that have child sponsorship programs but through our family's years of sponsorship, we have found Compassion International's Christ-focus (where care is given through a local church and families are plugged into a church community) to be our favorite.
Well, God was faithful and moved in the hearts of many today - 19 of the 25 children were sponsored. I am hoping to speak again at our Bible study on Thursday and perhaps more will be sponsored. We will try again next week as well. Feeling so excited that 19 new children will be getting wonderful news soon that they have been chosen to participate in a Compassion program. Great things are in store for them! Of the 19 that were chosen today, several were children who were considered to be "priority" kids - ones who had waited over 6 months to a year for someone to choose them. YAY!
The simple act of saying "yes" to the opportunity to sponsor is huge - huge for that child and also for the sponsor. I can't tell you the number of times that our sponsored children have written us of how they are praying for us or show care about our wellbeing. It is truly humbling. I consider them my "extended family" or my "long-distance kids." They hold a special place in my heart.
While I am at it (plugging Compassion and child sponsorship and all..), I want to encourage any of you who might be curious or want more info, to check out the Compassion website (www.compassion.com) for lots more videos and information. You can find pictures of children from all over the world (or search a particular country, age child, or even a child born on your birthday) and begin a sponsorship right now - today! If you are local - I still have 6 beautiful children's info packets - kids who are waiting to still be sponsored by our church family.
That's it for today guys, Happy Compassion Sunday to you - I am happy to say that....
**UPDATE: By the end of the week, all 25 children had sponsors! AWESOME!
If you recall a few posts back, I ran through the long list of steps we still have til we meet our new daughter. We are now in the middle of those steps, waiting for one step after another (yes, most are known by initials) of the process in China. At this point we are L.I.D. which means our paperwork has been "logged in" to the adoption system in China. The "D" stands for "date" which is today, October 9. Sometime during this step, all of our paperwork will be translated into Chinese in order to be ready for our future court date (I had incorrectly thought this was done before it went to China).
The next step is a long one - L.O.A. (Letter of Acceptance) -it can take from 2-4 months and most parents in the China adoption world actually count the days - you sorta kinda need to know your number of days til you receive the next step as you WILL be asked by someone at some point as they are going through or have gone through the process. Sorta like a childbirth labor story - the number of days you had to wait for your L.O.A. is just something you know (tho' knowing me I am likely to lose track). In the meantime, we will receive a bunch of paperwork in about a week - lots of official things to sign. I thought we got the actual referral papers at this point but we don't get that til we get the L.O.A. More immigration application forms will be filled out next week when we get them so they will be ready to send in once the L.O.A. arrives.
Once we have the LOA - and the LOC (the letter of confirmation that we will receive with that), we can send T a care package with our family pictures and gifts!
Praying hard for T's little heart for the time when she learns she will be leaving the home she has been in for so long. Praying too for an easy transition into our family.
HI peeps...I have been reflecting a bit on this blog lately. Why am I writing it? Well, I can't seem to even begin to get into scrapbooking again (oops, wait - I sold most of my stuff), and it is a fun way to keep up with the busy and sometimes ridiculoushilarious interesting happenings with our gang.
I have been so surprised that many of you are reading and even sharing our blog. Thanks for stopping back again and again. I am excited that you care to follow our adoption and that you have enjoyed reading about our wacky family (and my random thoughts!).
I remember reading a while back that if you want to have a large blog "following," you need to have a niche - something that people can take away - something they can learn or a specific hobby, craft, style, etc. Since I never set out to have a "following," I haven't really cared about that.
But I am finding that I really want to branch out from just family/adoption news and happenings. Although I could write about some of my interests and current lifestyle things like homeschooling, budgeting for a large family, knitting, crafting, Weight Watchers....I sorta don't want to have to have that be my blog's niche. While I probably will, from time to time, write about these things, it just seems like too much work to have to "choose" one or two of those topics to always focus on and have to keep up with new ideas/patterns/recipes etc.
So instead, what is my heart passionate about??
I have found that lately I have wanted to share my faith - what I believe, why, and why I so much want you all to know Jesus like I do - to know that He loves you and died for you and promises to be with you in all your joys and trials.
As you must know by now, I have become passionate about orphans - I want people to be aware of the enormity of the issue and want people to know about how others are helping and how they can help. I want to challenge YOU to help in some way.
Over the years as I researched adoption, I have gotten to "know," thru the internet and our Ethiopian adoption, a number of truly amazing families who have done some pretty awesome things in the world of adoption - one family who has adopted 20+ children, another adoptive family who sold everything to go run an orphanage in a country no longer open to international adoption, another woman who was so impacted from her adoption experience that she now single-handedly runs a very popular blog where she fundraises for families and shouts advocates for special needs orphans.
My plan is to highlight some of these amazing people, link their blogs, share their stories. I hope to do a little advocating too of some of the beautiful children that are waiting...just waiting and wishing and hoping that they will be "picked." So be looking for some posts with info about adoption, photos of the beautiful children, and what others are doing to serve in the area of adoption and orphans. WE are GOD'S solution to the orphan problem. Yes!
The other thing I am passionate about is child sponsorship. For exactly half of my life (exactly), I have - and now my family has - sponsored children. We have, over the course of the years, sponsored 9 children through various organizations. As the years have gone by, we have found that aside from feeding and clothing and educating our sponsored kiddos, we have wanted to make sure that our money was providing the most important gift to our sponsored children - the gift of the Bible and knowledge and teaching of Jesus. That is what led us to Compassion International.
Among Compassion's several initiatives to address the needs of the poor in third world countries, their sponsorships (and actually all of their programs) are carried out by local churches. The food, education, aid, etc. is given in the name of Jesus (not the government or some social group). This is important to us. The children (and by association, their families) get plugged into a church where they receive programs, Bible instruction, aid, and the love of Christ.
A few years ago, I signed up to be a child advocate (not anything too big mind you - just enables me to set up sponsorship tables at concerts, events). I have done it a few times and it has been exciting to me when a new person takes on a sponsorship - I know how this one decision and commitment will impact this child forever.
So, from time to time, whenever you see this icon, I will be "blogging for Compassion." That post will be highlighting something about Compassion International, child sponsorship, our sponsored kids (we currently have 5), or the needs we can fill to serve and minister to those children living in poverty around the world.
If you are local, you will get a chance to hear a bit more about Compassion and the wonderful sponsorship program - in 2 weeks our church is sponsoring a "Compassion Sunday" - I will be sharing a video, some of my experience as a sponsor, and will have a display table with info/photos of children just waiting for you to say "Yes- I will sponsor you!!"
Feeling burdened for those who are hurting. (Buckle up, this is a long post...)
Lately, it seems, that many I know are facing trials. One friend has been sitting by a dying family member for weeks, another lost her brother suddenly, another family member has had one stress and uncertainty after another, family and friends are nervously awaiting medical diagnoses, living with chronic illnesses, marital difficulties, addictions, job uncertainties, financial stress.
Just this past week, our town was rocked by a terrible murder/suicide of an entire family. Our children and teens (and our entire town) are left to mourn and deal with the devastation of such a horrible tragedy.
Personal lives are further punctuated by the news stories of global issues like poverty, abuse, crime, injustice, threats of war, and the list goes on. This world is broken. One just needs to look around a little to see it.
I'm feeling burdened today.
Feeling burdened for those who, amid these personal long-term stresses, crises, sadness, anxiety, illness, death...feel alone, lost, scared, fearful, anxious, desperate, lonely, and discouraged.
More than half a life time ago (yes, a little more than half as many years ago as I am in age), I made a decision to follow a path that has not only affected the course of my life, my focus, my choices, my life's ambitions, but my future, my destiny...and how I am able to face the pain, crises, hardships, and difficulties of day to day life - and the big, life-altering events that this life has handed me.
So tell me, how do YOU do it?
How do YOU manage?
How do YOU face the stresses and disappointments and heartache and pain that this world and your life situations sometimes heap upon your hearts?
I do know that for me...I can't face it alone.
I made the decision all those years ago to give my life over to the ONE - the only ONE - who could rescue, save, strengthen, and make this fearful and anxious heart into something HE could use. I knew then - and it has been proven over and over to me - that JESUS is the only way that I can walk through the painful times of this life, face the fears of the unknowns, maintain hope for an everlasting future, be used for something bigger than I could ever imagine.
Do I still stuggle? Yep.
Do I still have difficulties? Yep.
Do I still have kids who irritate and disappoint me? Yep.
Do I still mess up daily, sin, and get discouraged? Yep.
Do I still hurt over the losses and sadnesses this life has handed me? Yep.
Do I still cry about the injustice, the hideous crimes and tragedies of this life? Yep.
But...
Do I have hope? Yep - always.
Do I have a SAVIOR who stands beside me through each and every day, hardship, dark moment, and tragedy? Yep, I know HE is there.
Do I know that I am never alone through all the good and all the bad? Yep - always.
Do I know that by giving HIM my life, HE will use it in the way it was intended - and that it will give HIM glory and satisfy the inner longings of my soul? Yep - always.
Do I know that this life is just a part of my journey...that my true home, will one day be with HIM in an eternal home with no tears, sadness, death, or pain? Yep, thankfully.
Do I wish for each of my friends and family, and to those of you I might not know personally, to know HIM like I do? Yep - of course.
Do I pray that you will know HIM and by knowing HIM will long for eternal treasures rather than losing yourself in the pursuit of earthly things that will never last? Yep, I will admit I do.
Do I cry knowing you are brought down by the struggle to carry the weight of the burdens of this life all by yourself - without the supernatural help of a mighty, savior KING? Yep...you bet.
Do you know HIM? Do you have HIM - with you, beside you... in you?
Have you considered HIM?
Not sure how many people actually read this blog. I'm thinking that most of you that do are fellow believers. You share in the hope that I have. You know Jesus - and Jesus knows you. You talk to HIM like I do. You study about HIM and the God who sent HIM. You love HIM and pour your life out for HIM and know, like I, that HE is with you - through each and every day - beside you, guiding you, and when necessary, carrying you or picking you up to help keep you going. It is because of HIM that you have lived through unthinkable things, handle what the world might think impossible, make the choices you do for your life (even if it appears ridiculous to the world). You make life's decisions based on what is in line with HIS words and actions. You long to know HIM, to be like HIM, and to serve and share the good news about HIM.
But I would guess that some of you who might happen upon this page don't know what I am talking about. You will read through this post and be irritated or indifferent. You will be offended. You will come up with reasons that this is foolishness or not realistic or silly. You will not finish reading, or will not stop back here again, or might decide that I have lost it.
Please...keep reading...
Your thoughts about me personally are not important. But your thoughts about HIM are. Whether you like it or not, this man Jesus lived, died, and rose from the dead. HE fulfilled prophesies told long before HE appeared on this Earth of what the long awaited Jewish Messiah would be like, what lineage and town HE would come from, what sort of life HE would live, and what of sort of death HE would die. Because of HIS life, HE demands a response from you. You will either disregard HIM... or HE will be your Lord. As I see it, there is no in-between. You can't "sorta" follow HIM.
Please...consider Jesus.
Get a Bible, read the gospels (the Books Matthew, Mark, Luke or John in the New Testament) or any other information about HIM (did you know there is much written about HIM in other ancient historical documents?) (The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel is a great contemporary look at one man's investigation of Jesus). Decide for yourself if HE is worth investigating or at least ask (what can it hurt to just ask?) if HE will show you who HE is - that HE will make HIMself known to you. Read HIS words in The Bible. Seek other believers.
And then make a decision. HE demands a decision.
Either HE is who is said HE was... or HE wasn't. If HE is who HE said HE was...well, it will change your life - it changed mine. And with this you can't argue. Challenge the reading material, even The Bible, but you can not argue with me about my experiences, and what HE is to me personally, or what HE has done in my life and through my life.
HE is alive and real and living in me and in HIS other believers. HE offers hope, future, and everlasting life. HE has changed me and continues to change me and lead me in directions I never thought I could or would dare to go. Our GOD loves and longs for each and every one of HIS children to consider HIM, and find HIM, know HIM, and follow HIM. HE wants to live in you and through your life. HE wants to be there beside you through each of your days...to share in the day to day details, joys, difficulties, successes, failures, and tragedies. Quite honestly, I don't know how others can face these things without HIM beside them.
HE longs to be your savior, your hope, and to guide you in the life that HE has planned for you to live.
Please consider HIM.
This song says it so well. Listen. Please consider HIM - who died for you and offers to be with you...always... If you ask, HE will not forsake you either...not for a moment...
I never meant for this blog to turn into an "adoption" blog. I know that sounds funny but I really set out to record the happenings of our family, some of my thoughts, and post a whole lotta photos. I guess in many ways, a blog could save me from my endless guilt for not keeping up with my scrapbooks.
(I am sooooooooo behind in my scrapbooks.)
I realize most of my posts these days focus on our current adoption and while that is good (and at times, the most newsworthy), there really are lots of other happenings here at home. Kids are growing up (way too fast, I might add) and we are in the thick of trying to figure out a new fall schedule - complete with many different schedules, activities, etc.
This morning found me a bit discouraged. I was feeling sorta down as I left the house this morning to walk Moo-shu (the dog). I was feeling like I am behind with household chores - the laundry piles are pretty heinous about now. I am not really prepared for all the subjects I need to teach the 3 that are home this year - 2 are a bit behind in some areas and I just can't decide the best curriculum and way to go with them.
My kids are whining and carrying on about doing any school at this point.
But the biggest thing getting me down is the adoption (I know, here I go again about the adoption...). I have felt a bit discouraged - feeling worried about the money and that although we have had some wonderful help from family and friends...worried that it just won't be enough. While many have been encouraging and excited for us, some, have not. I have found myself worrying that what God has called us to do, well, that He won't come through somehow with all the little details and money needs and emotional needs and....well, you get the picture.
As I turned to head home with the dog, I saw it.
A rainbow.
It was over my house and I didn't have a camera.
So pretty and so unexpected.
*** Not the actual one from today but you get the idea.
I even felt a bit guilty when I saw it.
God was reminding me. He's got this thing.
Later in the day, He moved a mountain for us.
Our dossier is waiting for one document to be returned from NY state. We have been waiting for 3 weeks for this document to be "stamped" and sent back to our agency. Our agency had called to check on it and had been told it would take three weeks.
Three weeks have now passed so I decided to have a go at it. I was told quite firmly that this was going to take 6-8 weeks as they were so behind from summer. At first they couldn't even find my birth certificate (the document in question). I needed to call them back after getting lots more info from our agency with regard to when it was sent, how it was sent, what color envelope (?), etc.
At some point the fact that we needed this for an adoption came up and she told me we could "walk in" to get it which would be faster.
In NYC.
A bit too far from VA...
She put me on hold, and quite honestly I nearly hung up. The phone was silent for so long and I was pretty sure that she and I had become disconnected. I was bumming out that our adoption would now be pushed back at least a month due to one document and the fact that they were behind because employees had been on vacation.
I really almost hung up.
When she returned to the phone she was laughing and giddy and nearly crying. She told me that she had talked her supervisor into doing our form now, since it was pulled out. That because we were adopting (I then told her all about T, and about being a native NYC girl, and about how God had just done a miracle through her), that because of all that, she was going to push us ahead and that she and her supervisor were so excited. (A huge shout out to my new friend, Mrs. Griffith and her boss in NYC!)
They estimate it will be on its way in the mail tomorrow - not Sept 28 (the date she had estimated to me at the start of our conversation).
Well, whataya know?
I get teary just writing this out.
God gave me such a boost today.
Thanks to HIM for HIS kindness to me this day - with something I needed - which seemed impossible - which was threatening to make me feel even more discouraged.
He sees,
He knows,
He cares.
He is active in the details and in our little concerns and worries.
He is faithful.
*** I have linked this post to a wonderful blog called A Place Called Simplicity as part of Memorial Box Mondays. Click back to their blog to read about others' stories of God's faithfulness.
To say that I am uncomfortable with some of the comments that have come my way lately is an understatement.
People are so kind and say such kind things but I do find myself uncomfortable with the adjectives they use to "praise" me and my family. Those of you who have adopted or done anything big for God (ie: something that seems CRAZY to the world) might understand what I am talking about. Please don't get me wrong. I appreciate the sweet comments and praises for being - kind, dedicated, self-sacrificing, patient, loving, generous, amazing, etc...
BUT...
Although I and my family might have moments of each of those personality traits, we are no more those things than someone else...on our own. ANY of those things that you think you see or think we are - I just can't take credit for.
The credit is all God's. ALL - EVERY BIT - ALWAYS.
The other day I was STRUCK by a song. Has that ever happened to you?? The words are straight from one of the most popular, well-known, and dare I say - overused (not sure scripture can ever be overused but...) scripture from the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13. The love chapter.
Like you, I have read this chapter many times, heard it at countless weddings, and even had to nervously read it from the pulpit a few times. Yeah, yeah, we all know...it's about love. But in the car the other day I was really hit by the words in a whole new way. This chapter is not just about how to live a life of loving the special people (our spouses, our families) in a nice way. Our lives should show Christ's love always, and in all we do and to everyone we encounter - every day, all the time. Wow. This is not about being a super great person who is nice.
(Yikes, I have a long way to go...really...)
This is love. And this love isn't easy. It can be uncomfortable, hard, tiring, challenging, boring, irritating, long-suffering, painful - but also joyful, rewarding, and fun.
And when we really show it, we are allowing God to come through us to another. Then maybe those descriptives above will be seen more and more in our lives. (Not just what people think we are because we have chosen to follow God on a unconventional project!) Proof that He is who He is and what He is - LOVE.
(Just reread this and I feel I should put a disclaimer here at this point: I realize I am not stating any novel or profound new meaning of this chapter. Just suffice it to say that what I love about God's word is how it meets us at the moment we are hearing or reading it and speaks fresh each time when we are really listening). Hearing this song convicted me that the words my friends and family are saying about me (and my family) need to be REALLY what I am more and more and more. That if I am really heeding God's word and allowing Him to change me and my life, then those descriptives above will be more accurate more of the time. Let my life and my actions, be the proof of His love.
Here's the song...enjoy...(I found several versions/videos on youtube but this one I particularly liked!)
Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west. Isaiah 43:5
Wow! Last Thursday morning, I sat nervously with my finger hovering over the "post" button on Facebook. I had written a status saying that we had a family announcement with a link to this blog - my private blog, my little home on the internet, my unknown blog. We were so excited to finally tell everyone and yet, a bit nervous that we might hear comments that weren't so positive.
No need to be nervous.
We were overwhelmed with the kind and sweet messages from family and friends who finally know our big "secret" and who are as excited as we are to meet our newest daughter. Thank you to our friends and family who have been so encouraging and happy for us.
Many of you have asked us how you can help - and some of you already are (writing recommendations, serving as our notary, providing clothes and gifts already, offering extra beds)! THANK YOU - THANK YOU!
Thank you for your offers of help - we appreciate them so very much. Adoption is costly. We have been through it before and every penny is worth it, but it is a huge expense. We worked hard to do it last time but this time will be an even harder task. We are relying on our faith that God who called us to this will not let us down and will help us to find a way to accomplish the many huge fees and travel. Which brings me to our first effort -
OUR JIGSAW PUZZLE FUNDRAISER!
We have purchased a wonderful, 500 piece, children's map of the world puzzle (see it pictured above). Since we will be a very international family, we thought it was quite fitting!
Anyone can help us put our puzzle together by purchasing a piece or pieces. Each puzzle piece costs $10 - and you are welcome to purchase as many as you would like!
When you purchase a piece of our puzzle, we will write your name (or family's name ex: "The Snell family") on the back of the piece. As the weeks go on, I will post photos of the pieces as we label them. Be looking for your name!
Once the entire puzzle is funded, we'll put it together as a family and have it framed between two pieces of glass. One day T will be able to look on the back at the names of all the friends and family who helped to bring her home!
To make a donation, click on our Chip-In donation box in the upper right sidebar. ** This Chip-In box will NOT show up if you are viewing this on your phone.**
The Chip-In will take you to PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can still donate by clicking the "I do not have a PayPal account" button - this will allow you to pay by credit card. Or you can send a check to us. (3256 Turnberry Circle, Charlottesville, VA 22911). Please be sure to note on your donation (or leave a comment here) the names you would like on your puzzle pieces.
**PayPal donations are NOT tax-deductible - we hope to have an account later in the process for tax-deductible donations. We are also planning a local fundraiser and another online (possibly t-shirt) fundraiser on line.
It is very difficult for me to ask for donations tho' I know that there are many who feel for the plight of the orphan and tho' they may not be able to "go," they might like to help "send" a family. It is gratifying to be able to give in a way that enables you to actually see the child you have helped.
I know some of our friends are also adopting, some are getting over the costs of adoption, some are saving for mission trips, and many of you (like us) are just trying to survive these financial times. Please know that we are not expecting all to be able to give. We do ask that you would pray for us!
Thank you for considering a donation to our adoption. Thank you for praying for us. Thank you for your encouragement and kind words. We are forever humbled and grateful.
Wow - I heard a Casting Crowns' song on my ipod while walking today that I have heard numerous times. I'm not so sure that I have really listened to the words before because I heard it today as tho' it was a new song to me. As I have said here before - I am not an eloquent writer. I sometimes think eloquently but then I never have paper with me or I can't write my thoughts quickly enough. When it comes to my feelings and experiences about my faith, well, I rarely can express my thoughts adequately.
This song says what I feel lately regarding my walk with Jesus.
When I went on Youtube to find a video of the words...well...they were all sorta cheesy...until I found this video. This is a live video of Casting Crowns performing this song. The person recording it obviously had AWESOME seats as the sound is quite good. The bonus is the little pre-song message from Mark Hall. (He also forgets the words which is sorta humorous and humble!). Enjoy...
Sometimes I think What will people say of me When I'm only just a memory When I'm home where my soul belongs Was I love When no one else would show up Was I Jesus to the least of those Was my worship more than just a song I want to live like that And give it all I have So that everything I say and do Points to You If love is who I am Then this is where I'll stand Recklessly abandoned Never holding back I want to live like that I want to live like that Am I proof That You are who you say You are That grace can really change a heart Do I live like Your love is true People pass And even if they don't know my name Is there evidence that I've been changed When they see me, do they see You I want to live like that And give it all I have So that everything I say and do Points to You If love is who I am Then this is where I'll stand Recklessly abandoned Never holding back I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to show the world the love You gave for me I'm longing for the world to know the glory of the King I want to live like that And give it all I have So that everything I say and do Points to You If love is who I am Then this is where I'll stand Recklessly abandoned Never holding back I want to live like that I want to live like that
Yikes! Where has the time gone????? I am just the worst blogger! Life has been busy and full and for the most part, fun! I am so tired by the time I get to sit down and even have the chance to blog, that I don't! Ah well, I am determined to keep it up somehow and will try my best to keep at it. Not so sure anyone reads this blog but me...but hey, thought I still needed to explain myself (to myself...??)
It is April and Spring and I don't think there is any time in the year that I like better than the fresh new Spring days when things start to come alive and green and colorful. Gone are coats and boots and mittens and I just love it. We had such a mild winter in Virginia this year - two snow days where the kids actually had to wear boots (of course, it was the ONE year that everyone had a pair that fit when it snowed) and got to sled. Rather a dull winter actually tho' I was secretly loving it.
Christmas was awesome. In fact, it may have been our best one yet. It was low key and full of family time. As much as we love our extended families coming for visits (a yearly tradition) we didn't have any visitors until later in the week this time (Jill and family came for New Years which was awesome). This gave us nearly a week to "hunker down" together, do our traditions like the ginger bread house, cookies, gift wrapping, and Christmas movies - alone. We were able to focus more (never enough) on the beautiful gift of Jesus for which we celebrate. Everyone got along so well, and we played lots of games and - well, it was just great.
We were so busy in the weeks before Christmas (with The Nutcracker and other activities) that it was just nice not to go anywhere or have anything rushing us around. Kate was in The Nutcracker this year which was neat for her. She has been doing ballet since she was 2 and a half - yes, you read that right. She was begging to do ballet when she was 2!!! (no, I was not a stage mom urging her to want to dance). So we started her in a little pre-ballet class during the summer before she turned 3. She has danced ever since (she is 15). She is a beautiful dancer. Ballet has always been her love but she is also finding she loves jazz, modern and lyrical as well. All these years of dance, and Kate never got to be in The Nutcracker until this year when her dance company performed it. She was a wonderful, high-jumping rat, and a flower in the Waltz of the Flowers. Seven performances later and we had all had it with the music but were so glad she finally had the chance to perform in this production. Sadly, this is the only photo I have on my computer (have some professional ones). She's not even in full rat costume here...but you get the idea!
We were much more low key on presents - but had a last minute bonus from work which enabled us to get a few extra surprise gifts that people weren't expecting. Everyone loved what they got and it was just a wonderful family time. I just loved being cozy with my family and not going ANYWHERE. Here are some more pictures of our Christmas time fun!
P.S. FAKE TATOO (from the dollar store and - his favorite gift!! Bleh...)
