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!!!