Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Adoption Affirmation through Abundance

Merry Christmas Friends!
 
We hope you have a joy filled day celebrating the birth of our Savior!
 
We are celebrating the birth of Jesus with great abundance. We are blessed with family, friends, health and comfort.
 
Jesus was adopted :)  Did you know that?  Jesus had an earthly father.  I imagine that they had a typical father/son relationship.  Seeing as Jesus worked as a carpenter, I imagine Joseph trained him in those skills.  I can see them working hand over hand, Jesus hand gripping a chisel and hammer, Joseph gripping Jesus' hands, teaching Him how to use the tools of the carpentry trade.  As a disclaimer  ... those are just "my" thoughts. :) 
 
 
 
The title says Adoption Affirmation ... what does that mean? 
 
 
Guess
 
 
....
 
 
....
 
 
Go on
 
....
 
 
.....
 
 
Did you guess?
 
 
 
 
We are adopting again!
 
 
 
A little girl.
 
 
 
She is two years old.
 
 
 
She lives across the ocean.
 
 
 
Her name is Trinity and we are working hard to bring her home :)
 
 
 
You can see a little more about her on Reece's Rainbow
 
 
 
 
As soon as we decided we were following God's call to adopt again, chaos struck and it was immediately evident the spiritual battle was starting early and the attack foremost was on finances.
 
In October and November we replaced major appliances because the repair was not cost effective.  We also started a remodel to enclose our entryway and create more bedroom space.  We paid our initial agency fees and this month paid for our home study and other administrative expenses.
 
During this time, we decided we would put Christmas gifts as a very low priority.
 
Our washing machine was also repaired 5 times from October to December - we have an extended warranty so we did not have to pay for that, but what a hassle!! 
 
Sometimes discouragement sets in and I wonder how in the world this will all work out.  Then, something remarkable happens, it works out, but the workings come from out of this world.  The Lord show Himself and abundance flows.
 
We had the opportunity to share a little of our story at our church on Orphan Sunday.  Our desire in sharing that story was to encourage others to get involved in orphan care.  We just did not think that it would directly impact our family.  Were we wrong.  Three Sunday School classes decided to adopt our family and provide Christmas gifts for us. 
 
Aunt Sissy added a whole bunch of gifts too.  Our UPS driver was working overtime getting all of her present delivered to the house. 
 
When I was super discouraged over the laundry pile up, friends did my laundry.  They really did.  It still makes me cry.  Friends came to my doorstep and picked up the laundry to wash it, dry it, fold it and bring it back to me.  Can you believe that?????   Dozens of loads of laundry was washed by our friends!!!!!!!   We are really blessed!  We have children that regularly soil clothes ... and they are pretty funky smelling.  It even worked out that a friend took a bunch of laundry right before the machine was repaired and all of the laundry that washed, allowed me to start with my regular daily wash load.   I am still reminded of this blessing each time I walk into our laundry/family closet room and smell the scents from all of the different laundry products.  I think the scents are lingering as a daily reminder that God is in the details and He will work all things to His glory.  Even smelly, stinky, gross, laundry. :)
 
We have also had a number of friends and people we barely know, offer to help us fund raise for Trinity's adoption.
 
It is now early Christmas morning, and the gifts have all been stacked under the tree and they are abundant!  In the morning we have a big breakfast, and make a cake for Jesus' birthday, then we open presents.  Yes, I know, we are horrible ... making them wait, but we really want them to focus their mind on Jesus first.  I think they are going to be super anxious, we may have a hard time holding them back.
 
 
So with all that said, I just wanted to share a picture of the provision.  Pure abundance.  It is almost embarrassing to put this picture on here.  But, we know clearly God provided and we want to honor Him and have Him praised!  Will you join us in praising Him?
 
 
This is truly nothing but the work of The Lord. 
 

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Gingerbread Houses

We made gingerbread houses today. 
 
In the past, we have always purchased a pre-fab kit.  They taste really gross, so this year I concocted a plan to make gingerbread houses from graham crackers, home made icing and lots of yummies candies.
 
 
Grace and I prepped all the goodies.
 
 
 
Noah even spread the icing.  Maybe he will be the next Cake Boss.
 
 
 
Gloria ... well, she just at the crackers.
 
 
Daddy and Seth worked together ... side note  .. Look at Seth's eye contact --- it is straight on!
 
 
Bub worked with design precision.
 
 
Joy was really concentrating here!  See Gloria still chomping the cracker?
 
 
I wish I could say Gracie stayed this neat.  By the end, I had to send her to the bathroom as she was ringing the icing through her hands ... remember the mention of home made icing?  Butter and sugar - I bet she has the softest hands in the house tonight.
 
 
Sammy did great decorating his little house.
 
 
 
Faith is concentrating too!
 
 
 
Hopie is trying to protect her masterpiece from Leah
 
  
 
 
MASTERPIECES
 
 
(do you see the icing ABOVE her elbows?!)
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eating their creations.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Birthday Birthday!!!

December is a busy month for us. 
 
We celebrate 4 birthdays in the month of December.
 
Hopie and I were up last week.
 
I turned 41 and she turned 4.
 
 
Cinderella Cookies
 
 
Presents!!!!!!!
 
Cinderella
 
 
Princess with her Cinderella doll in the carriage on her Cinderella bike.
Notice a theme?
 
Yes, her shirt says princess :)
 
 
 

And here I am  ... another year older,
blessed beyond measure

Saturday, December 15, 2012

A Loose Tooth

Faith told me her tooth was loose.  I really thought she was wiggling it and wishing it was loose.  Sure enough, I checked it and it is really loose.
 
She is still a baby!!!!  Time moves tooooo fast.
 
She made her own momento bag.  She wrote and spelled it all herself.
 
 
 
Faith
Tof Bag
For Faith
 
 
 
 
They grow too fast ... tomorrow we will be choosing wedding gowns.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

UPDATE!!!!!! 368 BIBLES FOR ORPHANS

Sorry this is long overdue!!!
 
 
All I can say is WOW!!!!!!  Enough money was donated to buy ....

 
THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT

BIBLES FOR ORPHANS

You helped place God’s Word in
the hands of orphans in Ukraine!

 

In total $1104.00 was donated!!
THANK YOU!