Taking Stock of the year.

On examining our conscience we will easily find that during this past year we have at times lacked charity, been too easy going in our professional work ( even motherhood), grown used to certain spiritual mediocracy,and given little in the way of alms.

We have been prey to selfishness and vanity.

We have ignored the grace offered to us be the Holy Spirit.

We have been intemperate, ill-humored and stubborn in character.

We have more or less deliberately allowed ourselves to be distracted in our practices of piety...

...we have have COUNTLESS reasons in ending the year by asking GOD's forgiveness.  ~ In Conversations With GOD.



I can truly put "I" in every "we."  As I was doing my quiet time this morning, reading this, God showed me just where I need to be, just where I need to change, just what I need to do.

None of it is easy or comfortable.

But it is all good. :D

And on a different note...

Last year today, at this moment..we were on our way to CHINA!!!!

Here is John getting off the 14+ hour plane ride in Beijing. Yes, we celebrated Midnight some place flying over the North Pole.

Just a few days before :

seeing her for the very first time WITH OUR OWN EYES!!!!

Thank You GOD, for the blessings we received, both known and unknown.

GOD bless you this year, not with an easy life, but with you knowing HIS presence as you live whatever life brings you.

We Wish you a Very Merry Christmas

It's beginning to look alot like it is time for PANIC MODE.

Samuel has been the sickest.  We all got sick, but he had the knock-out, drag-out, can I just please die, but not die,  104.3 down to 101 with Tylenol, throw up, I can't walk flu.

Right before Christmas.

Not that he did that on purpose.  Or he likes being sick, or he thought it might be funny.

It just happened that way.

And so we all were in the process of getting better and now we (okay it is only me, but I feel better thinking I am not the only one) are in panic mode.

I mean PANIC MODE.

Because I lost 10+ days of shopping. Not that I am complaining taking care of the family.  But it is CHRISTMAS season.

Elly's first Christmas. I will post pictures soon.  She thinks it is a wonderful idea!  And she probably thinks China should get into the action, too.  She loves church and when she is pensive and you ask her what she is thinking about she will usually say "Jesus."

I love that.  

I don't know just how much she gets, but I know how much she receives.

I made John take her out the other night to show her the lights in the neighborhood.  Poor kid, she got stuck being stuck as she was the only one not sick.

Okay, so now that I just announce we are in panic mode, I should get some school work done, then go out and try to settle that down a little.  

But I leave you with this picture and this song.  

This is us being SO HAPPY that we were in China last year.  FINALLY!!!  We left New Years Eve, celebrated midnight in the North Pole, and were in Beijing New Years Day.

2 Days from getting our baby girl.

This song made me cry ALL THE TIME last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xebv7muzxU

And now...

It is Christmas time as she is home.

She is home!!!

Now this song still makes me cry, and pray for those waiting for their babies.  

 I have those families in my heart today.  Waiting...

Waiting...

As we are waiting.  Again.

Sorrow in Joy.

Tis the season to be jolly...

For many this is true.

For many this is not.

I think of Mishel.  I have prayed for Mishel for years.  And continue to do so.  Won't you stop by and see?

And I think of my son.  My son is an urban missionary.  He goes places even the police don't go.  Some of the stories he shares with me... some of the lives he deals with... how his own heart  aches an breaks as he realizes how destitute life could be for some.

In this beautiful season, this THANKFUL season of celebrating the birth of our Saviour & Lord, let us look beyond our own little corner of our lives, beyond gifts and decorating.  Beyond our agenda.  Not that these are bad by any means, but reach out to those HE came for, not just us.  HIS true heart went to the destitute, the lonely, the hurting, the poor, the hopeless.

Be HIS heart, HIS hands, HIS feet, HIS head, and yes, even HIS purse.

And you will celebrate Christmas HIS way.

And you will find the joy in the middle of the tears.

And start to be a little more like HIM.

45

                                                                       See this guy??

                                                              (picture taken late this summer)


He turned 45 on Monday.

He probably doesn't want anyone to know that.

He loves it when people see him with his 12 year old & his 3 year old, assume thats it, and then he gets to tell them he also has a 25 year old and a 22 year old.

Because the people don't believe him.

And think he had them at 11.  If it really is true.

Duh.

He is older then I am, by 2 years thank you very much, but you can't tell.  :P

He is going to be a grandfather, yet can play any pick up game and win.

Again:    :P

And for the past almost 26 years, I have had the blessing to call him my husband.

5 years to 50.  Don't tell him, let him do the math.  And sweat it out.  :)

So little Time.

I need to make myself sit here and write more often.  But we have school, activities, a toddler and a 12 year old.  an adoption in the works, church, sleep and whatever takes up life s we know it.

I have been sick.  I am tired of coughing and not being able to keep food down, if it happens to be that I am having a coughing fit while I am eating.  Which has happened too often.  I know TMI.

I am tired of no one understanding me because I sound sick as a dog.   I am tired of pushing myself when I am so tired. 

I am tired of whining.

So I will stop.. Again.

Recap:

Thanksgiving morning, we all go out for our 5K Turkey Trot.  It was pretty cold.  But we finished and we were thankful.

Chloe was SO happy that it started to snow as we were leaving.  I don't think VA Beach has much snow. ( click to view bigger)

Elly's first Thanksgiving.  She fit right in.  The food was amazing.  As always.  Thanks to my mom.  :)

And of course I have to include a picture of my grandbaby.  Oh, and my daughters.  lol.

My 3 youngest.  I think my oldest was on the couch 'watching football'.  READ: trying not to fall alseep from eating too much.

Chloe & I were out the door 5:45am on Black Friday.  I KNOW we were so late because we overslept.  :P  ( being sick and all)And after we got home, we took Elly to her first movie at the theaters.  It was 3D and she thought it was fantastic!  Sitting with Eugene the Moose.

And Saturday, off to find the perfect tree.  Or at least a tree that was good enough because it was SO COLD.  I was ready to take the first one I saw.  We were there for an hour.  Do you know what it is like to be outside for an hour in freezing cold weather??!!??  

Not as fun as it sounds.

We just got back from our social worker's.  I am hoping our dossier will be sent out before Christmas, or at latest,  beforeNew Years.  Though it is not as much paper work this time around, it is still time consuming.

And coming home, I got to thinking, there are so many children out there.  So many waiting.  So many just wanting someone to say, "My child, let me give you a hug." So many dying.  So many hoping.

What will it take for us to live The Faith?  To walk The Surrender?  To give The Hug?

http://vimeo.com/13831236

AND, it is beginning to look alot like CHRISTMAS!!!

It was the day before Thanksgiving...

This is Marv.

Samuel got Marv for his 5th birthday from a friend of my older son.  He named him Marv because he LOVED LOVED LOVED Home Alone.

Marv was found on the side of the road, tiny as could be with his brother.  The vet though he was slightly less then 8 weeks old.  The friend kept the brother and gave Marv to our son.   Marv could be found cuddling and purring anytime, anyday, any reason.

One affectionate cat, I tell you.  Even with the dogs.

For the past 5 days, Marv has not been doing well.  So this morning, we took him to the vet.

While at the vet, he had a seizure.  Today, Marv died.  It was his liver.  

I am not a cat person.  Not even in your wildest imagination.  My husband loves cats.   BUT,  I mourn today, because even though I am not a cat person, he was still part of our family.  My husband and Samuel are heartbroken.

We still have 2 other cats at home.

Plus 3 dogs.

And a rabbit.

Then...

This afternoon, I get to drive into the city (last year's picture) then into Queens, to pick up my daughter and son in law from LaGuardia.

Their plane comes in at 5:30pm.  I think I may be home by midnight.  Holiday traffic and all.  :P

And tomorrow, we are out the door early in the morning, for a 5K Turkey Trot.

My idea.  Because I am just chuck full of them.  :P

Did I mention I am sick?

I am.

But Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  Ever.  

So I will put away the griping and start the rejoicing & thankfulness, and remember that I GET TO be a blessing. God is good..

YES!!!

My daughter and son in law will be here in 2 DAYS!!!!

And my sister and her kids will be here in 2 days!!

And my favorite holiday will be here in 3 days!!

And then my favorite mother/daughter activity will be here in 4 days!!

So maybe I should go take a nap.

Catch-up.

So much is going on!!

And I have to think and remember because everything is worth remembering.

First, we got our new daughter's medicals.  I cried.  She is all of 23.5 inches, and weighs 19.5 pounds.  As of October 21, which is not even a month ago.

She is going to be 2 next month.

My boys were 21.5 inches AT BIRTH.  She is off the charts, almost dangerously, and our pediatrician is concerned.   She said it may take 2 -3 years to get her to the bottom 3- 5%, but that is our goal.  

I NEED HER HERE NOW.

And then the following day, we found out she has a mommy.  Her mommy dropped her off and signed off her rights.  It broke my heart.  Her daddy died and her mother is entirely too poor to take care of her.  

Now when I see her picture, I know exactly why she looks so terribly sad.

The spoiled American that I am will never understand how the rest of the world lives.  But I will try and I will seek my Jesus in all that I do, and try not to live and make choices like an American, but like a Christian.

Samuel turns 12 tomorrow!!  He keeps reminding us that 1 more year and he will be a teen.  I rejoice.  John groans.

My other 22 year old baby girl is showing, and it is beautiful.

Elena is doing fantastic.  She doesn't hate the cold.  Though she came in January and a week after she got here we had 3 snow storms in a row, and it was cold for months, I wasn't sure she remembered because life was probably all one big shock... to her life.

And I leave you with this picture.

See, she is not a natural eater.  She has to be encouraged and prodded and sometimes will sit for OVER AN HOUR before she finishes dinner.

Our old dog Shelby, well she is not like our beagles who inhale their food in about 3 seconds.  Shelby enjoys her meal.  She lies down to enjoy the process.

Elly thinks it is her job to encourage and sit with her while she eats.  I think she thinks Shelby doesn't like to eat, just like her.

   Shelby would share with Elly.  But not with the beagles.  lol.

FREE!

I love free stuff.   Well, mostly.  Sometimes the free stuff just becomes stuff to deal with around the house.

But then there are the times when the free stuff is SO DARN COOL!!

And Shutterfly is having one of those so darn cool free things!

You can get 50 Christtmas cards for...yes, that's right, for the wonderful price of FREE!!!!!

I usually go to Costco for such things... but it is free.  I mean how can free not be a good thing on something you use??!!??

So, can you tell I am super excited about this deal?  So go ahead and get yours.  And you can thank me later.

NOW.  Now comes the hard part.  

Now, I have to find just the right pictures.  Do we do one picture?  Do we do a collage?  Do we put all the kids, even the married ones?  Just the ones at home?   How about a vacation picture?  Is that too much " look where we were but you weren't?" Do we do a funny one, an 'our family is perfect" one, a natural one?  Posed?

Geez, I need to go now. I need to stress over which picture(s) to pick.

But you?  You can go over and sign up for YOUR free 50 Christmas cards, so then you can start stressing out with me!!!

Birthday & OCC

My son is going to be 12, in 9 days.   But he had his birthday party this past weekend.

Why, you ask?  

Well, he decided that since he got rid of 6 HUGE garbage bags full of 'stuff' and it is just so difficult trying to maintain said 'stuff', this year instead of his friends giving him a gift, he asked that they bring the money they would have spent, and they went shopping for Operation Christmas Child boxes!!  And since we have to drop off the boxes before his birthday, he had his party this past weekend. 

Get it?

The band of...well...hormones. lol.  All boy, all crazy, all making their moms think they will survive this time period. Hopefully.

Shopping on a budget.  They did fantastic!  Elly did a box for a little girl, too. :D

Decisions, decisions.

And SUCCESS!!!!  They were all so happy and felt like they had done something beyond themselves.  Always a good thing.

Anyway, we are anxiously waiting for our daughter from Congo.  This month is Adoption Month.  This month is to remember the 147 million orphans, near and far.  The orphans that are just looking to have someone say, welcome my child, you are loved.

And can I say, You, my friend are the one who gets the blessing.

I mean, look at this face!!!!

LOL

I wouldn't trade that face for anything in the world.  The joy and laughter, the hardship that cements the relationship, the lessons that GOD has for us all,  the cuddles, the singing, the teaching, the wonder.

I will be putting adoption thoughts in here this month.  

And while you are it...won't you consider & pray? 

Wind, leaves, cold and kids.

This was her first time playing with leaves.  Needless to say, it may have been a good idea to maybe let her get used to it slowly.

Because she totally disappeared.  And had to be dug out.

But she is a good sport.  Most of the time. lol.

But him.... we couldn't get him out.  

And as fall and all its splendor surrounds us, we wish you a happy Harvest time.   Go out there and delight in HIS creation.

1,000 words.

Life is too busy.  So I will pop some picture in here to remind myself about this month.


Elly & one of her BFFs, Josiah's sister Leneah.  She couldn't smile harder if she tried.  And she was really trying.

Pumpkin pickin'.  With Daisy.  Even though she is a beagle, she doesn't howl alot.  She is mellow. Not like Reilly.  You can hear him howling in the next zip code.

Someone found her perfect pumpkin.

John, looking pretty fine for a going-to-be-a-grandfather in 6 months.  <3

My babies.  Without the one who is actually HAVING a baby.

Adoption #2 is chugging along.  It looks like our new daughter will arrive slightly after our new grandbaby.

And we thought we were going to name her Emma, but decided against it.

I don't know what we will name her yet.

I am hoping for Audrey.  Or Stella.  :D

This weekend I...

Joining Becky in This weekend I....

learned that this guy:

and these 2, are going to become uncles;

And he is going to become a great grandfather,

She is becoming an aunt,

as well as this beautiful young lady.

And this guy on the right, who just became a father again in January, is going to become a grandfather, because his other baby girl,

and her husband are going to HAVE A BABY!!!

Which will make this dear friend of mine and me a grandmother.

And even though alot of other things happened this weekend, THIS is the best.

So, last night , I was once again reading this book I started a long time ago.

Actually, I am rereading some parts randomly, not intentionally, just opening it and reading. ( this is what happens when one can't sleep.)

And it was the part on family.  One of the quotes that the people said was how they do not really worry about the future, they will rely on GOD to provide for today and daily there after.

WHOA!!!

That sounds familiar!!

Maybe something Jesus said??!!??!!

My, how I needed to remember that.

And check out who is the Unreached People of the Day today!!  Right over there on the right!!

God is so GREAT!   Funny, too.

And, thanks to Lori, and the swift kick in the pants that was needed, I am going out today and getting my Esther study.  It is going to be good!!!

Pictures of the weekend:


Going on the first wagon ride.

And first corn maze.

Trying to throw those sticklers at me.  :P

Life is good, because GOD IS GREAT!

What do you think?

So tonight, during dinner, we were discussing taking Elly to the Parade this year.

Samuel and I think it is a fabulous idea!!!


Elly has learned to LOVE the Snoopy movies, and Dora??!!?  Are you kidding???  To see these balloons BIGGER THEN LIFE??!!??!!?? Not to mention all the other cool and amazing balloons, floats, bands, ect!!

John gave me The Look.  :P ( We have been there several times before.) ( If he had to, he would rather watch it on TV because then he can just take a nap. )

LOL.

So maybe we will go over to Central Park the day before and watch them blow up the balloons instead.

Not sure which we will do yet, but it is fun to have something so magical to look forward to!!  And with a 3 year old??

47 days to decide which to do!

What do you think?

25

My oldest turns 25 today.

25!!

How am I old enough to have a 25 year old??  I don't feel a day over 43!

Oh wait, I am 43.  Never mind.

Well, as typical, he is in Arkansas.  He has had his milestone birthdays someplace else.  Starting with when he turned 18, and he was in Texas.  At bootcamp.  And the time he was in Seattle and BC, Arizona.  All for good reasons.

Including today.

My son took a position with The Bus.  He started volunteering there years ago when he was still in college.  Now he is going on staff.  And they sent him to Arkansas for some kind of training.

On his birthday.

But that doesn't stop me from rejoicing this day.  Rejoicing at the life GOD has blessed us with thus far.  The life that made me stronger, weaker, more joyfilled, frustrated, full with laughter and tears. All because of him.  My First Born Son.  <3

None of which I would EVER change.

Happy birthday my precious son.  GOD bless you with many many more.