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Showing posts from July, 2013

elie's dedication

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"For this child I have prayed and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to Him" ~ (1 Sam) "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future." ~ (Jer 29)  The thought of this moment helps carry me through the wait of adoption.  The day when we dedicate our child to God in front of our friends and family.  It is the moment when we publicly declare that this child belongs to our Heavenly Father.  We make a promise to dedicate ourselves to teaching her God's Truth and to live out the gospel in our home so that she may know Jesus for herself.  " You shall love the  Lord  your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, a

family pictures

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When I found out I was pregnant with number five I knew I wanted to capture this season through pictures.  Looking back over photographs from the past 10 years of motherhood, I always wish I had more.  This season of our life is so precious.  I never imagined the blessing that would come from watching the joy in my children's eyes as they expectantly wait for Baby 5.  With each kick, with each pound, with each passing appointment I see their love for Baby grow.  What started as a whisper of a dream in my heart has turned into an explosion of shared joy.  My dear friend, Rachel Cruz with Precious Thoughts Photography , helped us capture this moment through pictures.  She is a beautiful person and wonderful to work with... i highly recommend using her for affordable family photography!  Not only did we get amazing pictures, we actually had a good time doing it.    

eye on it

A long time ago God made a promise to a community of people.  He told them that He was going to give them a home, a land to call their own.  He asked them to send a group of  men ahead  of the rest of the camp to spy out the land which He was going to give to them.  The men found a beautiful land full of rich resources.  They also saw large, fortified cities and strong, mighty people.  Fear gripped all of the community.  Well, all except two men:  Caleb and Joshua.  While the rest of the community cried and wept in fear and disappointment, Caleb and Joshua saw only God's promise. "If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us - a land which flows with milk and honey.  Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey.  Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them" (numbers 14:8-9) The others saw only the circumstances and forgot a

give me more than i can handle

Where we live it is unusual to have five children.  I often am told that God has given me five because He knows I can handle it.  That I am so this or the other thing.  I will tell you that I am just like you.  I get overwhelmed.  I get frustrated and scared.  Many days my home and my life looks like a wreck.  But in the midst of the chaos I have learned this:  If God only gave you what you could handle then you wouldn't need God.  And I desperately need Him and He will always, always meet that need to be what I cannot be on my own strength.   If you believe that God will only give you what YOU can handle it begins to limit your options.  You are not free to step out in faith, to take a risk, or to move out of your comfort zone.  Your success is totally dependent upon yourself.   And then what happens if you do experience difficulties?  If God only gives you what you can handle? Then when you are in the midst of a trial and feel like you are not going to be able to make it o

Celebrating Forever Family

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One year ago today I got out of bed full of expectation and nerves.  A few weeks earlier some girlfriends took me shopping for a special dress.  A dress that I would wear to meet my daughter.  I pulled that blue dress from the suitcase and put it on.  My mind couldn't believe that today was the day, the day to wear the dress, the day to meet my daughter.  It would be the first of a forever amount of days together. I wondered what she was thinking that morning.  I still wonder with no answers to that one and many more questions in my heart about all the days that proceeded July 16, 2012.  We have gotten bits and pieces of the past.  They come at the most unexpected times.  Like most children do, she shares her heart on her timing and in her way and it is usually in a moment when life is swirling.  Any time she mentions the word China I quickly, desperately  ask the other children to quiet down and stop whatever we are doing.   I strain to take in every syllable because I don&#

hundreds call in

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This past week a friend of mine sent me an email from her priest.  He had convinced a woman to postpone an abortion for her baby diagnosed with down syndrome by promising to find her an adoptive family.  She agreed she would wait, but only for that week. I sent around the message to anyone I could think of that might be interested.  I posted it on my fb page.  As did many other people.  So many, in fact, that the priest received over 900 emails of interest .  900.  900. Does that number shock you?  It did me.  I think it is because I know how many special needs kids wait and wait and wait for a forever family. My prayer is for those 900 people behind each of those emails.  They were ready to sign up with a moments notice for a child in desperate need of a family.  There are plenty more children in desperate need of families.  Unfortunately, more than enough for 900 families. If a child in need showed up at your door would you be able to take them in?  Does your family have the

blueberry picking

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Last night my beautiful neighbor and friend dropped off a delicious oatmeal pie.  So delicious!  I didn't ask what was in it so I could pretend it was healthy since it was made out of oatmeal.  Anyway, she also told us about a fun place to go pick blueberries.  We were supposed to spend today trapped in our minivan traveling to Ohio to visit family.  However that plan was derailed by the hubby's work.  Today was also Tyler's last day of six.  When the kids woke up I told them to put on old clothes because we were going to go pick blueberries.  Everyone was excited.  The trip did not disappoint. The drive is beautiful. The berries delicious.  And we made it just in time.  Today their website posted they are closing for the season.  So while you cannot go this year, I highly recommend you try out Eagletree Farm next season.  You can sign up to be sent an alert next summer when they open. I enjoyed spending time with the kids.  Blueberry picking is actually an activi