Whadusay

Our Christmas Card

2011-12-09T12:46:00.001-08:00

We decided not to send out Christmas cards this year. It felt overwhelming.

Our kids were pretty bummed when we told them, so they asked...

"Can we put together a little song and dance to share with everyone anyway?"

How could I refuse...

Hope you enjoy their production!

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Adoption Ideal

2011-11-22T06:31:00.001-08:00

I'm guest-posting on the MomLife Blog today.

"Idealize (Def: to attribute ideal characteristics to)
Ideal (Def: existing as a mental image or in fancy or imagination only)
Christmas, Birthdays, Vacations and other special events are prime targets for any idealist. Marriage and motherhood too, especially if you are single and have no kids...."

Want to read more, check it out here...

For my birthday...

2011-11-21T10:58:00.001-08:00

... watch this video. It is exciting!!

It is proof that the cycle can be broken.

And even more exciting... there is a piece of land available in Ukraine that Lifesong will buy if they raise enough money. This land will be used to plant strawberries. It will be used to give more orphans a chance to rise above and make something of themselves.

It will allow them to beat the odds.

Odds like 80% of orphans who age out of the system end up dead, doing drugs or in prostitution.

Terrible odds.

BUT, Lifesong is making a difference and YOU can help.

Here's how... for my birthday (which happens to be today) I am asking for presents:

$33 donations to Lifesong (in honor of my 33rd birthday)

Donations that will be invested in the lives of orphans, so we can tell more stories like Sergie and Andre's.

Go here now to give!

Faceless Self Portrait

2011-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 21: Faceless Self Portrait (almost)

Something Orange

2011-11-10T04:33:00.000-08:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 19: Something Orange

I had to make a special purchase for this. I hope you all appreciate the lengths I'm willing to go to keep this challenge, at least in a skip-a-few days kind of way. "Something Orange" gives me the perfect opportunity to show off my newest Etsy purchase, but in order to properly show it off, I had to purchase a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks to go with it. For the record, also orange.

And since my partner in crime, armed with Puppy, just happened to be wearing his orange coat...

He made it into the post. Lucky him. Lucky me and my pumpkin spice latte wrapped in Etsy cuteness.

Your Shoes

2011-11-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 18: Your Shoes

I don't actually have the shoes I'm picturing here today in my possession, although they are on the way. Due to arrive tomorrow in fact. Here they are in all their tiny glory. If you squint and look really close (I couldn't figure out how to make the picture bigger without blurring) you can see why I'm so excited for tomorrow. They are my first pair of Toms.

I am sure you all know what Toms are? If you don't here is the scoop. Toms is a company that gives one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes you purchase. So while I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new pair of shoes, a child somewhere is anxiously awaiting the arrival of their pair new pair of shoes. Pretty cool stuff.

Which brings me to my next blog topic... Gifts that Give back.

Last year I set myself a goal to give as many gifts as I could that gave back in some way, kind of like giving two gifts at once! My mom got a scentsy warmer that also funded an adoption. My dad received a beautiful piece of artwork (from pitter-patter art) that also funded an adoption. You get the drift.

I'm attempting this again this year and thought I'd share a few links with you if you'd like to do the same.

Check out these shops:

The Mercy Shoppe - all proceeds go to benefit a maternity home in Kenya

Wild Olive T's - 10% of all profits go to help children in China and Uganda

Toms Shoes - donate one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you buy

Gobena Coffee - 100% of the profits go to support orphans in Ethiopia

Junk Posse - your purchase supports numerous non-profit organizations

Minus One Project - an adoption fundraiser

Hearts at Home - all purchases support the ministry Hearts at Home

These are just a handful, I know there are more.

If you know of others, please share the links in the comments.

Happy Shopping!!

Technology

2011-11-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 16: Technology

Can I reuse a picture from day 13?

Cause I have been loving my iPhone. It, quite frankly, amazes me.

Today I set my calendar to sync "in the air" through iCloud. If I make a change on my PC Outlook, it shows up on my iPhone. If I make a change on my iPhone a state away from my PC, it shows up in my Outlook within minutes. Woot! Woot!

It's the little things. The mind-blowing little things. Pandora. Skype. Facebook. Words with Friends. ITunes. Google Earth. Take a minute to think on what any one of these little apps can do, especially compared to ten-years-ago technology and it is CRAZY how far we've come so fast.

Now my kids are growing up taking all these crazy technological advances for granted. I overheard them talking yesterday while playing a game on the computer,

"Look, Aunt Leslie is on-line. We should skype her."

Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy.

Crazy, mind-blowing technology.

Eyes

2011-11-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 14: Eyes

She has the most amazing big brown eyes. They are one small part of what makes her beautiful.

Eyes that all but disappear when she smiles, which just happens to be another small part of what makes her beautiful.

She is the only one in our family with brown eyes. Beautiful brown eyes. I hope she will always see them the way we do. I hope they will never become something that makes her feel different or excluded.

We are all different in our own way. Some ways are more obvious than others. But even more, we are a family, a team, by God's perfect design.

Her beautiful brown eyes add a unique flair to our family and we wouldn't be the same without her.

Yourself with 13 things

2011-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tami's Photography Challenge Day 13, Yourself with 13 Things

That's me with my 13 favorite apps. Except there aren't 13 apps, there are really just a handful. Only one that I downloaded myself last night because I am a fresh, baby-new iPhone user/owner.

The phone isn't baby new. Kory's been using it for the last year, but he just made the upgrade to the 4s and I, lucky me, get his Iphone4. Sweet!

So I'm trying to figure this iPhone thingy out, including all the apps. And since I don't have 13 favorite apps yet, would you mind sharing yours?

What do you consider the must-have or funnest-ever or just-plain-cool apps that every iPhone user should have?

Halloween

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry, no sunsets today. I'm taking a break from Tami's Photography Challenge to post yesterday's happenings instead.

We were invaded by a candy-hungry crowd including a pirate, Heidi, a knight, Bob the Builder and Snow White. They were wild. I'm exhausted. And with the loot they brought in we are looking at a three month sugar high at least.

Or maybe we will donate their loot to the troops, save our teeth and see if we can go longer than a month between dentist visits. Seriously, our dentist has gotten to know me too well over the last 4 months. There has been talk of naming a wing after me, or at least a chair. This is something I'd rather avoid.

Unfortunately, I don't think Hubs will let me give up the loot that easily. He walked over a mile last night to earn his cut. He has a bucket labeled "Dad's Stash" and has warned us all their will be a penalty for stealing from it.

As for me, I will spend the next month trying not to eat the candy as well as taking on the responsibility of rationing the sweets, adding the title "Keeper of the Candy" to my already too long list.

Ah, the Joys of Halloween.

I'm being sarcastic.

Happy November 1st. :)

Something Blue

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 11: Something Blue

We tell people to think Jonah and the whale, blue water.

It is a little trick we've done since they were little to help people know who is who. When you have identical twins, it helps. And after six years of wearing blue, his favorite color is red. BUT, his favorite color to wear is blue.

We've brainwashed him.

We've brainwashed both of them.

Last summer Simon received a shirt that had a little bit of blue on it. He didn't want to wear it because it looked too much like Jonah. Once I was able to convince him that it was his and did not look like Jonah, he went from never wearing it, to wearing it all the time.

He would have worn it every. single. day if I'd let him. If you look back over our pictures from summer of 2011, you will know which shirt I am talking about.

But enough about Simon; Jonah is my something blue.

Childhood Memory

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tami's 30 Photography Challenge, Day 10: Childhood Memory

I could have spent hours spinning my days away in our old brown chair. She was my favorite place to read or listen to old records like the Carpenters, Psalty or Music Machine.

She was situated in a corner, the perfect distance from the wall making it possible to push my feet off with enough force to make it to the other side. I could spin for hours if I wanted, never leaving the chair or touching the ground.

I could also see out the front window. Spin, pause, look outside, watch a bird or the tree limbs blow or a neighbor ride by on a bicycle. Spin, pause, daydream, spin again.

As my sisters got older I sometimes had to share, but I always considered her my chair.

When we moved to the country, there was a problem. She didn't match. I'd like to think my passion saved her, but I don't remember. I only know that my parents decided to recover her, changing the brown to red.

I do remember being unsure the first time I sat in her. She didn't feel the same. She was no longer in a corner. But she was still my favorite spot to read.

I have a very distinct memory of sitting in my now red chair finishing Jane Eyre. I was nearing the end of the book where Jane was finally going to be reunited with her Mr. Rochester, never to leave him again. I remember tears coming to my eyes, completely engrossed as that perfect moment I had been waiting the entire book to read came into view. And then, my mom called me to set the table, and kept calling me until I was forced to respond, pulling me from the world of Jane and completely shattering the mood.

I think I finished the book before I went.

One day, long after I had moved out, my parents decided to redecorate. My old brown, changed to red chair once again did not match. They needed to find her a new home and I had the perfect one in mind.

I don't sit in my red chair and read as much as I used to, but no worries, she's not neglected, because I'm not the only one who considers her a favorite anymore.

Someone You Love

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 9: Someone You Love

This was an easy one. After 12 years of marriage he still makes me laugh more than anyone in the world. This is no small feat.

He is an amazing man, father, husband. He provides, leads, takes care of us.

He is someone I love, like crazy.

A Bad Habit

2011-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 8: A Bad Habit

This was a hard one. Because, you know, I have like zero bad habits. Kory even agreed with me (smart man!). And, all I could think of was the Berenstain Bears and the Bad Habit, where Sister tries to kick the bucket on her nail biting. I don't remember much else except that by the end of the book she had beautiful nails so I'm assuming she accomplished her goal.

Then I remembered that ALL my kids bite their nails, except Suhn, which I'm sure has very little to do with the fact that I often forget to cut their finger nails for months at a time. I'm sure Suhn will eventually join the rest in their nail biting glory. But because she doesn't (yet) I am actually remembering to cut her fingernails and hence every one else's as hers actually get long enough for me to notice and do something about.

For the rest, I just cut what little is left of their nails, say something about it being a bad habit and move on to their toenails, which they used to bite as well, until recently. :)

Fruit

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 6: Fruit (I hope they won't kill me when they are older) of a Loom :)

An oldie, but an oh-so-cutie!

From a Low Angle

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 6: From a Low Angle (that would be theirs)

From a High Angle

2011-10-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Tami's Photography Challenge, Day 5: From a High Angle (that would be my perspective)

Something Green

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Photography Challenge, Day 4: Something Green

She has been with us as long as we have been us. I believe she was our first furniture purchase as a couple. She has served us well over the 12.5 years we've been together. I say "she" because "he" feels totally wrong, as does "it" when referring to a piece of furniture that has been sat on by us for as long as she has.

Oh, the memories...

She was the inspiration for our guestbook in the early years when we crammed her into our one bedroom Chicago apartment. If you visited us during that time, chances are you sat on her and had your picture taken as proof that you had indeed been there.

When the kids were born, she became a bed for Grandma's and Aunt's who were willing to help us survive the newborn years, especially the twin newborn years. The Grandma's moved on pretty fast, but the Aunt would periodically come back, that is until she moved to Africa.

She has always been one of my favorite reading places. The kids' too!

And by far, my favorite napping place.

She has comforted sick kids...

... and been the spot where we have enjoyed movie after movie. Sometimes all seven of us have crammed together on her to enjoy a film and when the kid's go to bed and it is just Kory and I...

I get 3/4 and he sits on the end. That is until he moves to the floor which is when I know it will be just me and her finishing the movie. I fill him in when he wakes up to go to bed.

There are days I wish she was a different color or a little more modern, but when I really think about it...

I'm glad she is who she is.

Something soft, cozy, and comfortable.

Something green.

Don't forget to head over to Tami's to see other 30 Day Challenge participants!

Clouds

2011-10-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

30 Day Photography Challenge, Day 3: Clouds
Here are a few of my favorites...

If you can't tell, I'm going about this photography challenge from a mom perspective. Because, well, I'm a mom and that is pretty much my life right now.

I don't have a fancy camera, just a point and shoot with 8 megapixals. You aren't going to see great photography on this site, I will save that for Tami.

Regardless, this should be fun.

What I am Wearing Today, cause I know you were curious.

2011-10-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

My friend and photographer extraordinaire, Tami, is doing a little 30 day photo challenge. She invited her blog readers to join along. So I am.

Today's "photography challenge" is "what you wore today." If you hop on over to Tami's blog (one of my favorites!), you will see her working the wrinkled shorts look and totally pulling it off.

What I wore today... not so styling. It's a gym day (yay! my gym days are harder to pull off lately) and the sun isn't shining and its cold and after the gym I have no where else to go. Add that up and I'm working the sweats today.

And since you were curious about the turquoise hoodie...

I bought it at the Old Navy in downtown Seattle last summer on our way to China. We had a nine hour layover. I was cold and realized I had forgotten my white hoody at home. So I bought the turquoise one. Only to realize, again, several hours later as we waited to board our plane that I had, indeed, brought my white hoody. I didn't need a new one. Especially in the oven that was China that week.

So there you have it, two hoodies.

One of which I wore today. :)

Has Thomas the Train moved on?

2011-10-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

If you have followed my blog over the years, then you know my boys love playing with Thomas. They received their first train set on their second birthday and were hooked. Barely a day would go by that they didn't play with Thomas. At bedtime they would "talk trains" late into the night.

They would disappear into the basement for hours. Sometimes I would sneak down to "listen in" on their play and hear snippets of life in train world.

"Come over here, said Thomas"

"No, said James"

Wordless Wednesday would often feature the many places Thomas was found in our house. The pictures were never posed and I loved finding Thomas in surprising places.

Yep, our investment in Thomas and friends was well worth the money, probably the best toy investment we have ever made.

The other day I overheard a clerk in a fabric store inform a customer that Thomas is not as "in" as he used to be. I wanted to argue, but even I had to admit things have changed around our house since the boys started school.

I don't find Thomas the train in surprising places anymore, at least in train form. And the boys don't stay up late discussing Thomas's adventures. I don't get to overhear "train talk" like I used to.

This makes me a little sad.

Instead, my boys have found a new passion that still includes Thomas, which makes me happy.

As Suhn would say, "Ta Da!"

They have become quite the artists and yes, we go through a LOT of paper.

Now instead of finding Thomas the train laying around the house I am finding portraits of Thomas and James and all their train friends.

These portraits used to appear taped to the walls throughout our house until Mya had the brilliant idea of creating an art museum in the basement.

Our basement museum continues to grow. I love the creativity it represents.

Thomas may not be as "in" as he used to be, but he will always hold a special place in this momma's heart. And our little museum will commerate (for now) the days of yore when Thomas was all the rage.

Even though they grow up and move on, there is nothing quite like a boy and his train.

up to our necks in leaves, literally

2011-10-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

I Heart Toothless Grins

2011-10-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

The Discipline of Giving Thanks

2011-10-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving is not so much a feeling I feel when I’m feeling thankful...

Instead, it is an intentional act. Or better yet, an intentional thought process. It takes discipline.

The more I practice it, the more I am rewarded with that feeling I feel when I’m feeling thankful. It’s a good feeling. Like Grandpa says, it can make a person feel almost selfish it feels so good.

A thankful person is one who remembers where all good gifts come from. And even if the circumstances of life don’t feel good, a thankful person is one who trusts that God is in control anyway. Even when life is hard, there is always something to give thanks for. The person who finds that something and gives thanks for it, in all circumstances, lives a joy-filled life. I believe that is true.

I want to live that kind of life.

I want my kids to live that kind of life too.

Thus begins my quest to live a more thankful life.

I bought a little notebook the other day that sits on my bedside table. The goal is to record five things I’m thankful for every night before bed, so that I can end each day on a thankful note. I started this little practice two weeks ago. And while I’ve only actually written in it, ahem, three times, I have found my days are interrupted more often with thankful thoughts and the intention to add these little praises to my notebook.

I’m still hoping to get more consistent with the actual recording process. A notebook filled with reasons to be thankful has to be a motivating read when I’m finding it hard to find things to be thankful for, right?

Yep, I think so too.

Today I am giving thanks for fall colors, a working vehicle, the God who hears me, a Starbucks gift card, and Focus on the Family podcasts.

What are you thankful for today?

He did it again

2011-09-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

If you ask his kids or grand kids, or anyone who knows him, you would end up with a long list of wisdom. He likes to talk and the words that come out of his 80 plus years of living are ones to be remembered. In fact he made a list once, filled with some of his favorite sayings gathered and used over a lifetime. Some he used more often than others. I blogged about it once a long time ago.

He did it again the other day. I heard about it from my dad. He added another bit of wisdom to the list. One I have been mulling over for days. I think he is on to something.

He said, “It is almost selfish to be thankful for everything because it makes me so happy.”

If you know him, I have to ask… doesn’t that sound like something he would say?

How cool would it be to have a statement like that “sound like something you would say.”

Yep, I wanna be like my Grandpa.

I think I will start by giving thanks for him!

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18

There She Goes

2011-09-23T11:50:00.000-07:00

She's officially off to Africa. My sister and aunt extraordinaire has left the country and is on her way to Zambia where she will live for the next year teaching art and music at Lifesong's school. She will be loving on kids and putting her vigorous auntie training (provided lovingly by her 11 nieces and nephews) to good use.

I am so excited to see God work in her and through her. I am so excited to see her live out this dream.

But I will miss her.

A lot.

Which I'm trying not to think about.

So let's move on.

If you are interested in following along on Leslie's great adventure, she will be blogging here (hopefully with more frequency than she's blogged the last 6 months, hint, hint).

You can also follow along with the McB family here. They arrived in Zambia today. Leslie will be living with them for the first two months until their guest house is complete. Then she will move across their yard.

Leslie, I love you. I'm praying for you. And I can't wait to see the adventure unfold.

Glory to God, for "great are his purposes and mighty are his deeds." (Jer 32:19)

Not one of his better ideas :)

2011-09-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

Read this

2011-09-10T06:38:00.000-07:00

A friend forwarded me this link yesterday.

Man, I can relate with this post on so many levels. The details may be different but the feelings are so much the same. I am thankful when people share their struggles honestly with Truth sprinkled in. It is therapy. A reminder I am not alone.

But enough about me.

If you are adopting or have adopted. If you are muddling through the aftermath of some life change or know someone who is...

I'd like to encourage you to read this.

An Adventure in the Backyard.

2011-09-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

They were excited and that made us excited.

A backyard camp out.

I have so many fun memories of my own backyard camp outs as a kid.

Driving up to the gas station to pick out treats to eat in the tent.

Hostess cupcakes or Whatchamacallit candy bars for me.

Going to sleep with Dad in the tent.

Waking up to find him mysteriously gone.

An adventure in the backyard.

We didn't run up to the gas station to get treats.

But we did roast marshmallows and make smores.

Kory pulled out the guitar.

We sang Twinkle, Twinkle little Star as the stars made their night-sky debut.

We took turns telling scary/funny stories that involved ghosts, bears, squirrels, golf balls and smores.

And then, we fit five kids and one brave Dad into a 4-man tent, while Mom (that would be me) headed in to sleep in her own bed.

They fell asleep with Dad in the tent.

And woke to find him mysteriously gone.

An adventure in the backyard.

Epilogue: Kory tried to sleep in the tent until about 2:00 am when he decided to move in to the sofa, where he tried to sleep with the window open and a clear view of the tent. The kids went to bed late, woke up too early and were all feeling tired today. They loved sleeping in the tent and we are going to love sending them to bed early tonight. :)

Gabby God's Little Angel - a book review

2011-09-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

Gabby God’s Little Angel, is a sweet picture book about a fun-loving guardian angel named Gabby. If you are familiar with the Gigi, God’s Little Princess series, this book is written in the same style which should not be a surprise as both characters are the work of author Shelia Walsh.

The illustrations, done by Marina Fedotova, are whimsical and sweet. Without a doubt, they add value to the story and make this book a fun one to look through.

The story is based on Psalm 91:9,11, “The Lord is your protection… He has put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go.” And while I love anything that reinforces the message that we are precious and loved by God, which is a clear message of this story… my one concern is the idea that God shows us his love by protecting us from harm. While I believe He does protect His children at times, I also know sometimes He does not.

Despite my concern, which could get me accused of way over thinking a children’s book; I look forward to sharing the story of Gabby with my girl. It is a sweet, whimsical, girly story book that will be a fun adventure for us to share together.

***DISCLOSURE NOTICE: A free copy of this book was supplied to me for the purpose of review by Thomas Nelson Publishing. No monetary exchange was given. All comments and wording in this review are purely my own.

Christmas Shopping!

2011-09-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that correctly.

And even though it is 100 degrees outside, I am beginning to think Christmas.

Last year I set a goal to purchase gifts that gave back. This year I'd like to do the same.

So, in the spirit of Christmas, I'd like to share a few opportunities with you.

Have you ever heard of Scentsy? Head over here to learn more.
The Scentsy fundraiser will only last during the month of September. What makes this FUNdraiser extra fun is if you make a purchase over $10 you can be entered to win other prizes. AND, for every purchase you make money goes to help orphans in Henan (Suhn's province in China). So go knock a few items off your Christmas list and help orphans at the same time. It's a win-win-win (which is by far the best kind).

One more "gifts that give back" tip (and I'm hoping to share more over the next few months so stay tuned)...

Wild Olive T's

Awesome, awesome t-shirts for women and kids. Better yet, a percentage of EVERY purchase you make goes to help orphans.

My "So Loved" t-shirt if an easy favorite. Mya and Suhn's too! Go check out the site. Seriously, t-shirts don't get any better than this.

Happy Shopping and have a great Labor day weekend!

Caught in the Act

2011-09-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

I thought I was being economical.

At first everything was going according to plan. No problems. Life was great. Until, I started noticing...

It really seemed like nothing. A few crumbs behind a chair or under a table. No big deal.

Then, the crumbs begin to show up on his face. I'm ashamed to say I looked the other way. Denial set in.

Things proceeded to get worse.

I started locking the box in the cupboard, but it continued to "disappear." It would mysteriously show up behind a chair or in the toy cupboard. I started getting sick to my stomach every time that box was gone.

I knew something was up, I knew it was bad and I needed to confront, but it is so hard to admit your loved one has a problem.

The day finally came when I caught him in the act.

We were getting ready to run some errands. He smiled sweetly and ran to "find his shoes." I followed. He led me right to it. He had hidden the box again for easy access. He grabbed a handful, stuck it in his mouth and turned. He saw me.

We silently regarded each other. The jig was up. We both knew it was time for change.

Hello, my name is Sean, and I'm a... goldfishaholic.

Love You More - a book review

2011-08-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Love You More by Jennifer Grant is the story of one mom’s adoption journey to her daughter Mia. It has the feeling of a memoir and is divided into three main parts: Starting the Journey, Waiting for Mia and Learning to Know. The author is vulnerable and realistic as she shares her journey and is an engaging writer. Once I started reading, it was a book I looked forward to picking up which is always a good sign!

As an adoptive mom myself, I could relate to a lot of what Jennifer wrote about even though our adoption journeys, including the countries our children came from, had many differences. Adoption brings with it many special challenges and it is a relief to know you are not alone when facing different issues.

Love You More is a book I would highly recommend to those considering adoption. It gives a realistic view of what the journey might look like, it challenges you to check your motives and it shares the many joys that may surprise you along the way. I would also recommend this book for those who are in-process or who have already adopted. It will remind you that you are not alone in your struggles. And, I would recommend this book to those who have family or friends who are adopting or have adopted. It will give you greater insight into the adoption journey and how you can support those you love who are on it.

Love You More is an inspiring and insightful read, well-written and well-worth your time.

***DISCLOSURE NOTICE: A free copy of this book was supplied to me for the purpose of review by Thomas Nelson Publishing. No monetary exchange was given. All comments and wording in this review are purely my own.

The Sappy "First Day of School" Post

2011-08-19T06:55:00.000-07:00

The house is suddenly quiet. Today marked the beginning of a new season. The three big kids are off to school. One of the littles has started preschool.

5 - 4 = 1

One little left in the mornings to keep me company. It feels strange.

The kids are all ready for the change. Third grade, Kindergarten and even preschool are exciting adventures and my kiddos are ready. I am too. I'm excited to see what they learn, and how they grow. I'm excited to have one on one time with my little boy. I'm excited to walk with them through this next stage of life.

But.

I got a little teary as I watched the bus pull away. The first day of school always seems to bring melancholy with it. It marks the passage of time and reveals the growing up like nothing else.

It makes me want to stop time or at least slow it down. Instead the opposite seems to happen.

Come Monday, melancholy will surely move on. We will jump into our new routine full force, time will ramp to warp speed, and I will do my best to make the most of my days as they race on.

You Never Know Where Thomas Will Turn Up...

2011-08-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

For more of Thomas's favorite places go here!

Great and Noble

2011-07-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered the following quote attributed to Helen Keller:

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.

This so resonates with me. I want my life to count for something, to accomplish something great and noble.

I've been told by experts that motherhood is a "great and noble task." This can be a hard truth to believe when I find myself drowning in the day-to-day mothering duties that fit the description "humble tasks" like a glove. You know the drill... diapers, dishes, laundry, etc., etc., etc. hardly great and noble if taken at face value.

I know parenting our kids and sharing Jesus with them is great and noble, I do, but it is far too easy to get lost in the monotony of the daily grind. I sometimes struggle to feel significant, but I've learned a little secret this summer.

Honestly, it is something I've known, I'm sure you know it to, but sometimes I need an idea repackaged or rephrased in order to embrace it again and let it change me.

Want to know the secret?

I intentionally dedicate my duties to the Heavenly Father who sees all, as an act of worship.

If I catch myself grumbling because I have to wash bedsheets for the umpteenth time that week, or wondering what's the point of sweeping the floor again. I try to stop myself "Lord, I'm so tired of doing the same things over and over again, but I will do them again for you."

It is a small thing, the task itself doesn't change, but the significance does.

The act of worship can even transform the act of folding underwear into something great and noble. Amazing!

Worship gives significance and purpose to the mistakenly mundane, every day tasks of motherhood, making them great and noble. Not because of what we do, but because of Who we do it for.

It Couldn't Just Happen - a book review

2011-07-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

Our kids are currently enrolled in public school and while we feel really good about this decision and the school, there are certain aspects that nag at us. Science curriculum that promotes the theory of evolution is one of those nags. That said, I am always on the look out for resources that present the truth about evolution and where we come from. After reading It Couldn't Just Happen-Knowing the Truth about God's Awesome Creation by Lawrence O. Richards, I think I might have struck gold!

While the book was a little more text-booky than I was expecting, I found that once I started reading I couldn't put it down. While it might be a little too in depth for my kids right now (my oldest is currently 8 years old), in a year it will be required reading (I believe the book targets kids ages 9 and up). I've even wondered about reading it out loud together next summer, or having my daughter read it and then discuss the questions at the end of each chapter together to digest and dissect what she read.

The book contains five parts. Part one discusses the universe and its origins, part two delves into how life began, part three goes into the wonders of plants and animals throughout creation, part four discusses humanity and part five shares why we can trust the Bible. Mr. Richards did a great job of presenting what evolutionist believe and why their theories don't hold up as well as presenting the intricacies with which God created our world. Psalm 19:1 kept running through my head while I was reading it, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

We live in an amazing world that leaves no doubt of who created it. This book is a faith strengthener that adults and children alike will benefit from reading.

***DISCLOSURE NOTICE: A free copy of this book was supplied to me for the purpose of review by Thomas Nelson Publishing. No monetary exchange was given. All comments and wording in this review are purely my own.

Unleashed - a book review

2011-07-04T08:29:00.000-07:00

If you page through my copy of Unleashed by Erwin Raphael McManus, you will find underlined phrases, stars and even a handwritten exclamation mark or two. That will be your first hint that the message in this little book resonated with me. And, based on my graffitied pages you might make the educated guess that I wanted to remember and maybe even share parts of what I read.

Your guess would be correct.

In fact I’m going to share a little of what I read with you right now…

"All of us, it seems, are susceptible to choosing a life defined more by security and safety than faith and risk. I’m convinced that all of us struggle with the tension of wanting to live a life of unimaginable adventure and at the same time maintain a world that is fully under our control. The problem is that faith when fully ignited moves our lives entirely out of our control completely into the hands of God…You don’t need to go find faith; you need to unleash it."

If this quote moves you, then you should read Unleashed. And if it doesn’t… you should probably read it to.

Throughout the pages of this book, Mr. McManus calls Christians to leave the safe, domesticated “Christian” world that we have created and wholeheartedly follow and embrace the “barbarian” call Christ created. He reminds us that the call of Christ is not safe, "God would never choose for us safety at the cost of significance. God created you so that your life would count, not so that you could count the days of your life."

I found Unleashed to be well-written and thought provoking and would highly recommend it.

***DISCLOSURE NOTICE: A free copy of this book was supplied to me for the purpose of review by Thomas Nelson Publishing. No monetary exchange was given. All comments and wording in this review are purely my own.

Summer Eating

2011-06-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

Peaches and plums have been disappearing around our house like they are going out of style.

I'm glad they are pounding the fruit rather than the

cookies and sweets which I keep meaning to make "tomorrow."

After all,

there is nothing like a juicy plum on a summer day.

Our First Gotcha Day!!!

2011-06-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, we saw our daughter for the first time. It was a long-awaited, much anticipated moment that we will cherish forever.

And while the reality of the moment did not mirror our imagining of it, the reality was better and deeper than we could have hoped for. It is a moment seared into our hearts. A priceless memory, forever ours.

One year ago today we received a gift. One that we are still unwrapping, one year later. An amazing, smart, funny, cheerful, emotional, cuddly, loving, bright, lights up a room when she walks into it kind of gift. A year ago we only saw glimpses.
Today, she opens her sweet heart to us in a hundred different ways.

Using a Suhnism, the way she's melted into our family is "kinda awesome." She belongs with us and we belong with her.

She's a self-proclaimed princess who likes to boss "just a little bit." But she lets the rest of us be Kings, Queens, Princesses, Princes and Puppies so its okay.

She loves to quote movie lines, or her big brother, sister, dad or Grandpa's lines. She thinks they are all "so funny," and is quick to follow-up with a laugh.

Her speech is amazing. Instead of replying with a simple "yes," she will typically give a "yes, I can do that." She surprises me with new words like "nutritious" when I ask her if she wants a snack. She loves to talk. She loves to connect.

She may not be able to walk independently yet, but when she's in her walker you better look out. She will not hesitate to run you over if you are blocking something she wants.

Yep, our Suhn is one AMAZING kid (If you know her, you know what I mean!).

Today, June 28th, we remember once again our first meeting. We look back over the past year and remember tears and laughter. We remember special moments and milestones. We marvel at how fast the year went and how hard it is to imagine life without her.

And we give THANKS from the bottom of our hearts for the gift of our daughter Suhn.

Happy 1st Gotcha Day baby girl!

We love you so much!!

Post-it notes are Great for chore lists...

2011-06-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

...because you can always keep them close at hand!

You never know where the chore-list will pop-up while the boys are working.

Summer Reading

2011-06-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Summer Days

2011-06-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

Summer has arrived and with it an onslaught of seasonal activities. In the short time she's been with us we've already tackled VBS, family vacation, and the summer reading program. Soon to follow is family baseball, swim lessons and birthday week. In between is all the usual every-day stuff, chore lists, grocery shopping, OT and PT, dentist appts, eye dr. appts, breaking up fights, feeding, chasing after and keeping up with my little herd, etc. etc. etc.

It's been fun. I'm loving me some summer days, at least most of them.

(Let's face it, with five kids under the age of 8 we have had moments (ahem, looonnggg moments) where attitudes have been less than stellar (for ALL of us) and bedtime or quiet time can't arrive fast enough or last long enough.)

With all the summer hustle and bustle, this little piece of blog-land has been ignored.

I can't promise that will change a whole lot in the next few weeks, but here is what I'm thinking.

While the writing may be sparse, I am hoping to share bits of our summer with you through pictures. You know, to keep in touch.

So until next time, Happy Summer Everyone!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Whoo Hoo, Summer is Here!

2011-06-01T05:07:00.000-07:00

Listening In

2011-05-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

A conversation with Suhn...

S: Mom, you are the queen.

M: Yes, and who is Daddy?

S: The king.

M: Who are you and Mya?

S: Princesses

M: What about Simon and Jonah?

S: Princes

M: And what about Sean?

S: He's the puppy!

There you have it, our royal puppy.

Aunt Leslie

2011-05-22T18:41:00.001-07:00

Aunt Leslie is one of the coolest people ever.

For starters, she is an artist and an amazing singer.

But even better than that, she is probably one of the best aunts in the world.

She does cool things like take us on trips to Chicago or invite us over for slumber parties. She even watches Barbie movies with us.

She helps us with our Halloween costumes.

She babysits us for FREE.

She makes cool things out of sand like mermaids, whales and frogs.

Yep, she is really quite amazing.

When I grow up I want to be an artist aunt just like her!

Everyone should have an Aunt Leslie, but I know not everyone can.

I heard there are some kids in Zambia who need help. They need an Aunt Leslie. Someone to have slumber parties with. Someone to teach them things about art and music. Someone to care about them the way my Aunt Leslie cares about me.

Even though I will miss her terribly, I've decided that I will share her with them... for a little bit.

So I am sending her to Africa to teach art and music for at least a year. And here is where I need your help. It costs money to go to Africa, so to help out I'm going to be selling yummy, sweet lemonade at my mom's Garage Sale later this week. All the proceeds from the garage sale and my lemonade will go to Lifesong for Orphans to help Aunt Leslie go to Africa.

So please come on out to my house this Thursday (1-7) and Friday (8-5) and help me send Aunt Leslie to Africa.

There are a lot of kids who will be so glad you did!

PS If you can't come to our sale, and still want to help you can go here and mention Aunt Leslie's name in the memo!

Thanks for helping!

Love,

Mya

PSS If you are local, please help us spread the word and share this post and information on the garage sale on facebook!!

Summit VII

2011-05-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

My head is still spinning trying to process Summit VII.

It was overwhelming. Over 1500 people coming together to

talk, network, inspire, learn, and advocate for the orphan.

the topics were many

poverty, adoption, church adoption funds, global initiatives, foster care

and the need,

orphans, street kids, poverty, injustice, human trafficking

the need breaks my heart.

It steals my breath and SCREAMS, YOU MUST DO MORE!

On my own, the need is paralyzing. Thankfully I'm not on my own and it is not up to me to rescue. I am called to obey, one step at a time. He may or may not call me to do "great" things (by the world's standards) to alleviate the need.

That is His job, not mine.

He simply asks that I listen to His voice and obey His call, big or small, whatever that may be.

Interested in a few sound bytes/links from the Summit? Here you go -

When our children look into our eyes do the see how precious they are? - Karin Purvis is a rock star. Go to Empowered to Connect to find helpful resources and videos if you are the parent of a child from a hard place.

Poverty alleviation is not about us coming and rescuing the poor, it is about us coming together with them and working toward a closer relationship with Jesus. We must walk humbly with the materially poor as Christ transforms us both. - Brian Fikkert, co-authored the book When Helping Hurts. Kory's thoughts on Brian were this, "I like listening to smart people and I like listening to funny people, but I really like listening to smart, funny people." We are planning on buying this book, it is a paradigm shift we all need.

We are not called to save the world, we are called to be a light. - Kristen Welsh, a favorite blogger of mine and founder of Mercy House. You can find her blog here.

Wordless Wednesday - On a Walk

2011-05-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Help Orphans

2011-05-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

I am really excited!

Tomorrow Kory, Suhn and I will be heading to Louisville Kentucky for the 7th Annual Orphan Summit. We will be surrounded by people filled with God's heart for the orphan. We had the opportunity to go last year and it was inspiring. I have no doubt this year will be as well... I'll let you know!

Since I have orphans on the brain tonight, I thought I'd share a couple of events going on right now or in the near future that give YOU an opportunity to advocate for the fatherless.

First up, how about a chance to shop for a GREAT cause! You can learn about the cause over at the Love Changes Lives blog and check out this post to see how you can help. Henan is the province in China where Suhn was born and Henan Kids helps raise funds to support the orphanages in her province. In the month of May if you purchase any shirt at ByGraceDesigns and enter Henan Kids in the Referral Code box, $5 will be donated to that organization. Yipee!!

Second, for all you locals, there is an event called 5K for orphans coming up in July. All money will got to support an orphanage in Guatemala. If you are a runner, or simply have "Run a 5K" on your bucket list (like me), this is a great opportunity! There will also be a 1-mile walk and a Kids Run so bring the family! Go here for more information or here for the registration form.

And while I'm at it, another great site to check out, the newly created Forgotten Initiative website. If you have a heart for Foster Care this is a great ministry to support or pray about starting in your neck of the woods! You can also become a fan on Facebook here.

Know of other ways to help the orphan? Please share in the comments!

Motherhood Should Come With...

2011-05-06T06:36:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in 5 minute Friday again. 5 minutes to write, unedited, whatever comes. Today's prompt is: Motherhood should come with...

Head over to Gypsy Mama to read others or add your own!

Go.
Motherhood should come with a major compensation plan. Money won't do, that's too shallow for the depth this job requires.

No amount of money would be enough.

Motherhood should come with compensation that means something... like a million hugs, kisses and snuggles. The touch and feel of small hands in yours. Constant reminders to be and play in the present. I love yous written and spoken. Special looks.

The chance to see a child grow into an adult with purpose. To be a part of something bigger than yourself. To be challenged to give up yourself for the sake of another.

These are the compensations motherhood should come with.

It's a big job. No one told me how hard it would be. Or how blessed I would be because of it.
Stop.

What to Read on Vacation

2011-05-05T07:10:00.000-07:00

Last week Hubs and I escaped to Florida.

The kids stayed home (with grandparents), and we had the luxury of doing whatever we felt like doing. Bliss!

We walked the beach, rode bikes, slept in, went out to eat, read by the pool...

It was a much need break from the busyness of life; and more importantly an investment in our relationship. And while this isn't really the point of this post, if it has been over a year, or 2 or 3 since you've had time away with your hubby, alone. Stop reading and plan a trip TODAY!!!

Back to the reading by the pool...

Vacation reading is a treat. I only read certain kinds of books on vacation. I stay away from deep, life-changing stuff. Non-fiction is off limits. No literary prose or Pulitzer prize winners allowed. Instead I focus my attention on...

any guesses???

Drum roll please...

Thrillers.

John Grisham provides a huge selection along the legal lines. But I've dabbled in T Davis Bunn and Ted Dekker as well.

No real meat. Pure entertainment. Fast-paced reads that allow me to barrel through at least two per vacation.

Periodically, I will make an exception to my vacation reading fare. But the exceptions don't read as well, because let's face it... there is nothing like getting lost in a good thriller, hiding from the Florida sun under an umbrella poolside.

How about you... What are your favorite vacation reads?

Wordless Wednesday - I know I've been MIA... I've simply been enjoying the view...

2011-05-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday - You Never Know Where Thomas will Turn up...

2011-04-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Or how many pieces he will be in (poor Percy!)

Pictured: the contents of dirty pant pockets before laundry!

For more of Thomas's favorite places, go here!

What to do when you don't feel like it

2011-04-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about yesterday's post and Michael Hyatt's list and I'm wondering...

What do you do when your emotions overwhelm you for whatever reason, or none at all? What do you do when you need to get things done but you just don't feel like it?

I started my own list. Here's what I've got:

*Stay away from the Internet/e-mail/Facebook. These are things I do when I'm stalling. When I don't feel like doing anything else or want to waste time. Forcing myself away from them sometimes forces me into doing what I'm supposed to be doing.

*Set a tinsy, tiny goal and accomplish it. Then move on to the next thing and start building momentum.

* Promise myself a reward if I do what I need to do.

*Play a game with my kids. Sometimes just doing something gets me going. This is a fun something that involves connection. win-win!

* Pray for inspiration on what to tackle first.

* Do something that fills me up. There are times when I get worn down and no amount of handy "tips" will get me going because I'm running on empty. Those are the times I need to do something that fills me up, like reading a good novel or taking a nap.

* Just do it. Push through the "I don't feel like it" and do it anyway

* Spend time with Jesus. Read his word, pray or just being still.

These are a few things that work for me... what works for you?

I don't feel like it.

2011-04-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

"If we do only what we feel inclined to do , some of us would do nothing forever and ever...The proof that we are rightly related to God is that we do our best whether we feel inspired or not."

-Taken from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Feelings are deceitful. They cannot be trusted. They tend to blow things out of proportion and distort the truth.

I question my calling simply because I don't feel inspired.

Or, I act rashly because I do feel inspired and don't want to wait.

They make it hard to know what to do. I can't make a decision based solely on my feelings... can I?

Sometimes I do. Especially in the little things.

I don't feel like dusting so I don't. I don't feel like talking so I don't. I don't feel like getting up...

This may be okay on a Monday, but if I let my emotions rule, life can quickly spiral out of control. Pesky feelings.

On the other hand, feelings make life richer. Moments are held tighter. Relationships go deeper. Life is more colorful when we let emotion shade our vision.

Emotions are God-given, it's good to acknowledge them, as long as we don't live by them.

God give us His word and His spirit to help discern what's real and what's not. I'm thankful for that, especially when my emotions are out of control. When they cloud the truth and fog everything I see. When that happens, I try to take a step back, remind myself that feelings can't be trusted, pray for discernment to see the truth, and act on that truth.

Whether I feel like it or not.

I just wish it wasn't so hard to do.

***I just read this post on Michael Hyatt's blog, it felt like a good thing to share. :) ***

Hard Love

2011-04-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in 5-minute Friday today. Here's how it works...

She provides the prompt (today's is Hard Love), you write for 5 minutes, whatever comes, no editing, no tweaking, it doesn't have to be "just right".

Hard Love. Go.

Love feels hard today.

It is dark and gray outside. Clouds covering the sun. One of those clouds has creeped inside. It follows me wherever I go. Raining down negative thoughts.

I'd like to say it affects only me, but clouds like this tend to reproduce at a rapid rate. Frustration seeps out of me and, like it or not, affects the little people around me.

Love feels hard today.

I need a good dose of truth. I need to remember the sacrifice that was made for me. The greatest love ever shown in the history of the world. That was a day when love had to feel hard. Physically... the nails pushed through his hands and feet. Emotionally... they weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. Spiritually... the God of the universe turning his back on his beloved son.

That day, love was hard. And the world has never been the same since. Stop.

Have you experienced any miracles in your life?

2011-04-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

Walking on water or feeding 5,000 with one child's meal. Making the blind see or raising the dead. These events scream miracle. Impossible for a mere human to pull off, there can only be one explanation...

This week as I prepare for Easter and think on the life of Christ, the miracles he orchestrated and the sacrifice he willingly made, I think about the miracle he did for me. The miracle he thrills at performing for whomever will ask.

He took my old, sin-stained heart and transformed it into something new and beautiful.

He saw value in me. He looked beyond my selfishness, the filthiness of my attempts at "righteousness" and pursued me anyway. And when I responded to his call and surrendered to his will, he transformed my heart into something new and made me holy.

And while my traitor self is still fighting to do wrong, my heart, my true self, transformed by Jesus longs for righteousness and the God who made me.

An impossible task for a mere human to complete; there can only be one explanation.

A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death...Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we are talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells...if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus...When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life.

(Rom. 8:2-3, 9-11 The Message)

Praising God for the miraculous work he does in those who follow him everyday!

Happy Easter everyone!

***Head on over to Jill Savage's blog today to read more stories of the miracles God has performed in her life and others. Click on the "click here" at the bottom of her blog post to see other blogger's links.***

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Easter!!!

2011-04-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Winners

2011-04-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all your comments and green ideas! I'll keep this short and sweet. The winner of the book Green Mama is.... Sarah R.!!! AND, The winner of the chicobag... Cara!!! Congrats girls! I'll be contacting you for shipping information shortly.

Embrace and Serve

2011-04-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

I help her on the bus; she's ready to go.

"See you after preschool" I call as her big brother falls on the cement driveway. He needs comforting. Snuggles are a must. Followed by magic kisses for the ouchies. I relish the minute before it is banished by other requests that fight for my attention.

"Mom, I can't find any pants I like." "Mom, can I have a peanut butter sandwich?"

I leave little man so I can help his brothers; jumping from one "need" to another, wondering if the day will hold enough uninterrupted minutes for me to check something off my to-do list.

Motherhood is filled with reminders that my life is not my own.

Some days I embrace the reminders. Some days I wallow in frustration because of them.

The frustration comes more often when I'm focused on myself, when I don't take time to sit and be refocused. Spending time with Jesus is vital if I want to ward off frustration and embrace more.

When I choose to embrace and serve, the reward is great. Sought after treasures like joy and contentment find me. They creep in and yell "Surprise" when I'm not looking, reminding me why I love being a wife and mom. They prompt me to give thanks for the people I share my life with, the people I get to serve.

My life is not my own and joy comes when I choose to serve.

It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. Galatians 5:13 (The Message)

Interview with a Mom - Tracey Bianchi... and a GIVEAWAY!!!

2011-04-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends, if you read my review of Tracey Bianchi's book Green Mama - The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet, then you know I'm a fan. Today I get to share a little interview I had with Tracey and at the end of the interview, there just might be details on how you can win a prize or two!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

We've been blessed with a great family. Three children (two boys and a girl). The boys are ages 7 and 4 and our daughter is 3. My husband Joel and I have been married for 14 years and met one summer at a Bible Camp in Wisconsin. My husband comes from an enormous, fun, loud and crazy Chicago, Italian family so we've got tons of cousins and chaos to keep us busy. God has blessed us with a great community of friends and people we love just outside of Chicago.

Tell us a little bit about Green Mama and why you wrote it?

As a Christian I was really struggling with the fact that the whole environmental conversation had been hijacked by politics and the media. I believe in God and believe that he made this world for us to enjoy and for us to know him better. So it made sense to me that we would want to do all we could to protect and care for God's Creation. And, as a mom, I wanted to be sure my kids were growing up healthy and that God's earth would continue to nourish them when they were older. So, I wrote the book to try and take the conversation out of the hands of politics and media and to put it into the hands of us moms who are in the sticky mess of life with our children each and every day. I figured if moms can get behind this issue then we can indeed change the world together, one family at a time.

What has been the most challenging part about being a mom for you?

I love my kids deeply and praise God for them every single day. But I will also say that I had no idea how hard it was to be a mom! When my first son was born I struggled with loneliness and depression for a while and it was really hard. And I will say that some days it still can be lonely. Sometimes there is just too much to do and at the end of the day you are just too tired and exhausted to pick up the phone and try to connect with someone. So for me, just managing the balance between all the duties and details of motherhood and friendships and relationships. This is what has been challenging for me.

Share a tip, or something you do, to help your kids embrace the “green” lifestyle.

I think that the best tip I can offer is to help your kids love God's Creation. So many times in the green conversation people head straight for recycling or reusable bags or other action points. But we can forget WHY we are doing it all. We care about the action points and details because we love God and we want to know him more. So if our kids get outside and play or they pick a favorite trail or animal to learn about they are also learning about God. And if they become passionate about the people and places in this world and the God who made them, the rest will follow. So I think a great starting point is to fall in love with God's creation first, have fun, have adventures and then take the appropriate steps after that.

What is one green thing you wished every mom would do?

Drive less. Even if we live in rural areas and it is really hard to do so. Consider walking to an errand once a week if you can. And I know it is hard to do that for some folks but driving is one of the harshest activities we do. It's hard on our air quality and our quality of life too. By walking places we can take our time, check out the scenery around us. We can say hello to friends and neighbors and we become more connected to our communities and neighborhoods. Our kids get exercise too. So I would encourage people to try and walk to a place or errand at least once per week.

Share your favorite green tip?

I LOVE garage sales and resales. LOVE THEM! My favorite green activity is buying other people's junk ;) Now that's the sort of recycling that I love.

Any parting advice?

Just to encourage moms to really consider making a few lifestyle adjustments that can help God's planet. The Psalmist reminds us that "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Every day God is speaking to us though Creation and as parents we've got to start listening to the voice of God from the places of beauty and splendor on this planet. There is a saying that reminds us as parents that we borrow this world from our children. That we are informing their future. We do this so well with worship and Bible study, sunday school classes and VBS. Let's also take God up on his offer to teach us through Creation. So I guess my parting advice would be to simply go outside and let your soul soak up God's sunshine, and then think about how to help others do the same.

Thanks for sharing Tracey!

To learn more on how to become a Green Mama, I'd encourage you to buy the book (or borrow mine if you are local!)

You could win a copy for yourself!!!!!

And that's not all! A second lucky winner will receive a chicobag, reusable bags that can be stored in your purse (the color of your choice!). Go here for more information on the bag.

For a chance to win, leave a comment on this post with your favorite green tip (or simply tell me you'd like to win!).

For two chances to win, share this post on facebook and then come back and leave a second comment on this post letting me know.

You have until Monday night (7 pm CST, April 18th) to enter. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, April 19th. Please leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!

Good luck everyone and thanks for playing. :)

Wordless Wednesday - Hey Mom, I can't see!

2011-04-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

Green Mama

2011-04-07T13:15:00.000-07:00

I will never campaign to save the White Rhino. The word "tree-hugger" brings to mind images of liberal hippies chained to trees. I don't worry about global warming or climate change, in fact I rarely think about them.

At one point in my life, I associated all-things "green" with a liberal media who cared more about trees than human beings. But, through a little education, I have grown to see the importance of the green movement. I've learned that part of being a good steward means taking care of the planet we live on. As part of that stewardship, I've been trying to do my part. Things like remembering to bring my reusable bags to the grocery store and recycling for starters.

All that to say, I'm really excited to tell you about a book I read titled, Green Mama - The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet by Tracey Bianchi.

No matter where you are on the green spectrum, this book is a good read. Written from a Christian perspective, it gives all the right reasons to go green and is filled with ideas, little and big, on how to do that. The ideas presented in this book are realistic and doable (written by a mom for moms), but be warned this book is much more than an idea book, Green Mama has challenged my thinking in a lot of ways.

It convicted me that I need to be a steward of more than the money and talents God has given me, but of the planet I live on, His creation. It challenged me to think about the purchases I make and how they affect the world, both before I bring them home and after I throw them away. It reminded me that part of going green is living in contentment and limiting what I buy. And, it confirmed that going green is not just about land and plants and animals, but about the people we share this planet with.

I still have no plans to help save the White Rhino, but I am trying to live a greener life. Many of you are far ahead of me in this journey, some may be lagging behind, but whatever shade of green you may be I believe this book will be a great resource to help you along the way.

***I love the message of this book and want to share it. All that to say, there just might be a giveaway or two on Friday! AND, if you have any questions you'd like to ask the author, leave a comment and stay tuned!***

Wordless Wednesday - You Never Know Where Thomas will Turn Up...

2011-04-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

To find more of Thomas's favorite places go here!

Gotcha Day - the video!

2011-04-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

She hasn't been herself the last few days. She's been battling fever and a cough that won't go away. Her normal sunny personality has been clouded with gray. This morning the suhn peeked through again. She is on the mend and I will be so glad to have her feeling better and back to normal.

At church yesterday a friend reminded me that one year ago we had no idea what life with Suhn was like. She was a dream. Today I can't imagine life without her. I am thankful beyond words that God hand-picked her for us. He knew we needed her.

Today I'm going to share Suhn's gotcha day video with you. It is a little long (just over 13.5 minutes), but it is so special. It shows the day we received a precious gift, wrapped in a beautiful red dress.

Suhn, you fill our lives with joy. We are so glad you are ours!

A, B, C

2011-04-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Many, many, many, many moons ago I wrote a post about a trip to the library and a corresponding goal.

I know have been DYING to know what became of that goal (to read a book by an author whose last name started with A, followed by one whose last name started with B, etc. and etc.).

"What letter is she on?" you may have asked yourself over the last few years. "Has she made it through the alphabet? What on earth did she read for X? Did she even make it past A?"

The questions are endless and I have left you hanging. For that I apologize and offer these hope-filled words: "Hang no more."

(Don't worry, this is not an April Fool's joke!)

Yes I have continued on. No I did not read through the entire alphabet.

YET.

I have in fact only made it through the letter C (but I have letter D sitting on my living room table; I WAS going to start it but another book came in the mail which I will be sharing with you next week, THEN comes D).

I'm sure every. single. one. of you are dying with curiosity at this point. Hanging on every. single. word that I type....

WHAT, by golly, did she read AND DID she like them?

Lucky you, that's what comes next!

Author A: Jane Austin. I read Mansfield Park. As this was 2.5 years ago, I don't remember a ton. It was not one of my favorite Austin books (I liked Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice much better). I remember it being a little hard to get through, but enjoyable.

Author B: Pearl S. Buck. This was a very pleasant find. If you've never read Ms. Buck's words before, she writes predominately about China (an obvious interest of mine). For this little project I read Peony, which I loved. The main character is a Chinese servant girl living in a Jewish household in China, one of the last Jewish households in the city (which is in Henan province where Suhn is from!!). The book does a great job showcasing the struggle between culture and heritage. I have read more of Ms. Buck's novels as a result of reading this one and plan to read more in the future.

Author C: Willa Cather. I chose O Pioneers! I LOVED the first sentence in this book, "One January day, thirty years ago, the little town of Hanover, anchored on a windy Nebraska tableland, was trying not to be blown away." I thought the book was beautifully written, and the entire time I read it I felt like I knew the story (I think it was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie years and years ago and that I watched it.). I did not like the ending, but thoroughly enjoyed Willa's writing style and would like to read My Antonia which is considered by many to be her masterpiece.

So there you have it... A, B, and C.

Curious what D is?

My previous hope-filled words do not apply anymore...

Here is where I leave you hanging!

Love IS

2011-03-31T11:19:00.000-07:00

I told a friend that adoption has taught me more about real love than anything else in my life. After some thought, I think the better way to say it would be, Adoption has given me another lesson in real love.

It started with my parents. They showed me what love looked like and introduced me to the Author. My siblings and friends gave me opportunities to practice. The first big test came with marriage, after the honeymoon fever wore off. Then came the babies, although it was the toddlers that made the lesson come alive (I've often said motherhood has made me realize my need for a Savior like nothing else!).

Each step in the process has been an experience in letting go of what I want for the good of someone else; pushing my selfishness into a new or different light, to be surrendered and changed into something better by a power greater than my own.

Many times I have taken one step forward followed by five steps back, choosing instead to hold on to the selfishness and allow it to fester. In spite of this, when I look back over the years I do see growth (thankfully!!).

The last nine months have been another time of growth. Adopting a toddler has been harder than I thought it would be. Bonding (on my side) has not happened automatically like it seems to for others. It has been a process. One that we are still working through.

Over the last few months I have been learning, once again, a lesson in love.

The Bible says Love is Patient and Kind. It does not say Love feels this way, but that it is.

When I feel impatient, I can still show love by choosing to be patient, no matter what I feel.

I wish it were as easy to carry out as it is to write, but true love does not come naturally. It is given to us by our Savior and through His Spirit we are empowered to act.

I am learning how much I need His power in my life and I am learning to ask for that power more frequently. It has not been an easy process. I have not liked the way I've acted along the way. But I am so thankful for the lesson.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Wordless Wednesday - Tortilla Tuesday

2011-03-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

Don't know what Tortilla Tuesday is? Go here!

Advice for New Moms

2011-03-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

A new mom recently asked me for advice on living with a newborn.

Here's what I shared:

1. Nap when the baby naps. It is part of your job description at this stage in life. It will make you a better mom and a better wife.

2. Make time for yourself. Whether that is in the form of a bubble bath, a trip to target, or a run. Do something that fills you up so you can continue to give to your family.

Now its your turn. What is one piece of advice you would share with a new mom?

Go Team Go!

2011-03-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

I never wanted to be a cheerleader in high school. I was never good at acrobatics. I didn't like being in the lime-light. I had a quiet voice. My cheer-leading skill set was most definitely lacking.

As I've evolved over the years my cheer-leading skill-set has maintained status-quo. I'm still terrible at acrobatics, prefer to stay out of the lime-light and have a voice-volume on the lower end of the spectrum. And yet, somehow, I find myself cheering with increasing frequency. It is one of the many requirements of my job as mom, no matter how unqualified I appear to be.

As the boys learn to ride their bikes, I cheer them on.

When the kids says they can't, I encourage that they can.

I cheer when Mya plays piano at her school talent show, when Sean goes pee on the potty, and when Suhn takes steps on her own.

"Whoo Hoo!" "You did it!" "Great job!" "What a big boy!" "Go Team Go!"

Sometimes the cheering gets tired and redundant. Sometimes those I'm cheering desire me to stop. Or I want to stop. Sometimes its not appropriate (a time to cheer and a time to lament) or a dose of reality is needed instead.

But overall, it is a role I relish. Cheering my kids to do more, be more, try more is exciting. As mom, I get to be a tool that helps uncover their God-given gifts and encourage them to practice and use them. What fun! Cheer-leading may have had no appeal in high-school, but I'm loving it now!

Thankfully no acrobatics are required.

"Worry weighs us down, a cheerful word picks us up!"

Proverbs 12:25

Shoes and Beans

2011-03-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

Raising kids in a country where you can almost unknowingly collect way more stuff than you'll ever need can be challenging. Heck, it's challenging to lessen the hold stuff has on any person little or big especially when the stuff surrounds you, bombarding you like a yippy dog when the doorbell rings.

We've been cleaning out closets this week. I have garbage bags ready to sell or give away after going through only two closets, not to mention the tubs of clothes I plan to keep. Meanwhile, I'm making a list of clothes to buy. It's crazy really. Especially when you look at how the rest of the world lives.

Telling my kids how great they have it doesn't go very far. Even telling them some kids get only one meal a day, have only one pair of shoes, etc. can go in one ear and out the other. It's not that they don't care, its just hard to grasp when you can't see it up close and personal.

Even when you've seen it up close and personal it drifts away when you are surrounded once again with "more than enough." I hate how that happens.

That's why I'm excited about a couple "days" Lifesong for Orphans is encouraging in the upcoming week.

Shoe Saturday and Tortilla Tuesday.

The Lifesong blog is focusing on Honduras this week. They have a great program (go here to read more!) making a huge difference in the lives of kids in Honduras. Kids who have one pair of shoes and eat rice, beans and tortillas every single day.

On Shoe Saturday, Lifesong invites you to count the pairs of shoes in your kids closet (with them of course) and remember the child in Honduras with only one pair.

On Tortilla Tuesday, Lifesong invites you to have a meal of rice, beans and tortillas and remember the child in Honduras who is eating the same thing.

It's a great chance to help our children, and us, remember those who have less and experience what that feels like on a small level. It's also a great chance to get involved, donate money and share your "more than enough" with the kids in Honduras.

Head on over to the Lifesong blog today to learn more!

Keep Riding

2011-03-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

They learned to ride their bikes without training wheels the other night. As with most things in life, they learned together.

Not surprisingly, one learned a little faster than the other. It was noticed.

"He can do it better than me."

Yet he didn't let it get him down. He kept plugging away. Kept trying. Before long, he was riding like he had always known how. He was ready to head off on new, exciting bike-riding adventures.

I was proud of the way he handled it.

I want to be more like that.

There is always someone better and when I compare and find myself lacking I want to give up, or not even try.

"She's better than me" I whine to myself. "I'm not really needed."

Sneaky pride trying to pass itself off as humility.

I want to learn from my son and keep plugging along; Keep trying.

Who knows what adventures might be waiting if I do?

Wordless Wednesday - Celebration at the Easter Seals Telethon... my man knows how to party!!!

2011-03-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

Donations are still being accepted if you are interested in partnering with families who parent kids with special needs in central Illinois. Contact me for more information!

Listening In

2011-03-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

A Car Conversation:

S: Can we take a rocket to the sun?

Me: No, you would burn up before you arrived because the sun is so hot.

J: Can we take a rocket to the moon?

Me: Yes, in fact people have taken a rocket to the moon and even walked on the moon.

S: Do you know the name of the person who first walked on the moon?

Me: Yes, I think his name was Neil Armstrong.

S: No mom, (spoken with emphasis) it was Buzz Lightyear.

We may need to watch a little less Toy Story at our house me thinks...

Expecting Hamburgers

2011-03-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

They looked like hamburgers.

We ate them like hamburgers with buns and ketchup and mustard.

We told the kids they were like hamburgers because, well, they looked so much like the real thing.

The problem was, they weren't hamburgers.

They were black bean burgers and while they tasted good... they had no meat and tasted nothing like a hamburger.

Our expectations made a good meal seem less than stellar.

It's not the first time my expectations have gotten in the way.

Not that having expectations are bad (I don't think they are). But, if we give our expectations free rein, nothing in life will ever seem good enough. Living under that umbrella is a great way to make life a whole lot greyer. Expectations that become the standard can poison relationships, smother us in discontentment and steal our joy.

In my experience, its pretty much impossible to delete the art of expecting completely (and I really don't think we need to try), but it is possible to keep them in their proper place. Recognize them for what they are, but not let them become the standard by which life is measured.

Next time we have black bean burgers, we will not be dressing them up as hamburgers. Instead we will enjoy them for what they are and not what we are expecting them to be.

Have your expectations ever gotten in the way? Are all expectations bad? How do you keep your expecations in check?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Wordless Wednesday - Open Coats and Muddy Boots... Signs of Spring???!!!

2011-03-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

Suhn's Adoption Trip - part 1

2011-02-28T10:53:00.000-08:00

I'm a little frustrated right now.

I've been working on putting our video and photos from China into "movie" form and have been having a little bit of trouble. I use Windows Moviemaker. It is free and easy to use. It's not flashy, but it does what I need it to do.

For some reason, our videos from China do not like this program. I edit them and they show up on the screen unedited. Or the words do not match up with the picture.

When I play the video back in Moviemaker there are no problems. It is just the way I want it.

BUT, when I save and upload my movie to You Tube (which takes an inordinately long time) it plays back wrong, or in the case of the video below after 10,000 tries almost right and just a little wrong.

Yes, I settled.

It's going to be good enough.

I hope you like it. It's a little long and a little shaky, but it's done. Even though it is not perfect, I like it. It brings back good memories and reminds me of good friends, which is the whole point of a home movie in the first place.

Mission Accomplished.

Enjoy!

Remembering

2011-02-25T09:45:00.000-08:00

Monday night was a treat.

My mom took Mya and I to visit my Grandma. She is moving soon, downsizing to a smaller house closer to us. She has been cleaning out her closets and drawers getting ready for her move. We went to help. Actually we went to take. She told us what she didn't want and we took it (don't worry Jami and Leslie we left some for you).

It was so much fun. We ate dinner together. Mya asked Grandma about her life when she was little. And then we went room by room through Grandma's house and I was given the gift of remembering the countless hours I spent there as a little girl. The rooms, the smells. Its the only house I've ever known her in.

We looked at puzzles I remember doing. We went through the cedar chest full of dress-up clothes. We looked at books and Archie comics that I read on summer overnights before falling asleep. Books that my mom read when she was little and that Mya will be reading soon. We looked at wedding gifts, given over 60 years ago to celebrate a marriage that would last a lifetime.

Some of what we looked at will be moving into our house. A quilt made by my great-grandma given to my grandparents as a wedding gift. Puzzles. Books. Antique blue vases. The cedar chest (with dress-up clothes still inside).

I'm excited about these gifts and the memories they bring back, but I adore what they stand for even more. A Godly life-long marriage. God-honoring lives. Grandparents who love me and continue to invest in my life and the lives of my children.

The legacy my Grandma passes on to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren is a priceless treasure, one that will influence generations for years and years to come.

When you are blessed by a good thing that has been around for as long as you can remember, it is easy to discount its influence, to forget. Even a priceless treasure.

That is why Monday night was a treat.

It was a chance to remember.

Wordless Wednesday - So, you're telling me... you want lunch???

2011-02-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Screendoor on a Submarine

2011-02-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

"It's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine," Rich Mullins once sang. He was talking about faith without works, but the same could be said of arguing with a three year old.

Believe me, I know. I have LOTS of experience.

Three year olds arguing with each other is even more pointless. I have been witness to many conversations between mine, especially in the car, such as...

Suhn: My name is Suhn.

Sean: No, my name is Sean!

Suhn: NO, my name is SUHN!!

Sean: NO, MY NAME IS SEAN!!!

Sean: We are going to turn on my side.

Suhn: No, we are going to turn on my side!

Sean: NO, we are going to turn on MY SIDE!!

Suhn: NO SEAN, WE ARE GOING TO TURN ON MY SIDE!!!

Some times I join in: Be Quiet you two, I'm driving, I'll decide where we turn.

Many times that's the point where they decide to join forces and tell me I'm wrong.

And then a little tune pops into my head and I remember how pointless it is to argue with three year olds. You think I'd learn.

Actually you think they'd learn. How many reminders, consequences, etc. do they need to remember who the boss is? (eh-hem, that is ME just in case you had any doubt)

Someday (soon? please, please, please) they may actually figure out how pointless it is to argue with mom. Until then, I will bravely carry on, enduring the long, arduous, screen-door-on-a-submarine, I-am-right-because-I'm-three type of episodes/tantrums that come with three year olds...

...or I will keel over from the brain exhaustion that comes from listening to one too many pointless arguments.

At this point in time, I'd say its a toss-up.

Starting from Scratch

2011-02-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

Starting from scratch. That is kind of what it feels like when you adopt. Like throwing out everything you thought you knew about parenting and starting over. Not quite, but kind of.

I'm learning you do parent an adopted child different. It makes sense when you think about it. You pretty much have to parent every child you have, homegrown or adopted, differently to some extent.

But an adopted child, is a child born to you out of loss. And loss is hard and leaves a mark. If you ignore that mark and try to pretend it is not there more damage can be done.

I've been feeling insecure in my parenting of Suhn. Does she react that way because she is three years old or because of her great loss? Is she acting out of 3 year old selfishness or out of fear and insecurity based in her past? Am I too hard on her, or am I not firm enough?

I find myself wanting to react based on the fact that she is three years old and ignore the loss, but I am learning to stop myself and pray for wisdom to better understand her. And then parent from that new perspective.

It's not easy. I've made mistakes. But I'm learning.

I've been reading through a book called The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis, David Cross, and Wendy Sunshine. It is a great resource for adoptive parents, filled with strategies and reminders to parent your child with their past in mind in order to heal their wounds and give them a successful future.

If you are an adoptive parent I would love to hear your perspective on this or any resources you have come across in your journey. Please share in the comments!

Wordless Wednesday - Hey Mom, Do you see me?

2011-02-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Lesson in Love

2011-02-12T14:03:00.000-08:00

Through the ups and downs of everyday life over the last few months, I have been convicted, nudged, and taught about love. I've been learning that love is so much more than an emotion. It is so much deeper than a feeling. Love is a choice.

Sometimes the emotions burn along with the choice to love, but not always.

Loving is so much harder when the emotions aren't there to back it up. But I think when we love anyway, it becomes much more real, or mature, and many times the feelings follow the action.

In a recent Hearts-to-Go enewsletter (to get this free resource delivered to your e-box once a month go here and submit your e-mail address!), Jill Savage talked about this concept. It reflected a lot of what I've been learning, so I asked if I could share it with you.

Jill writes:

Immature love is a noun. A thing we long for. A feeling. An expectation of what someone will do for us.

Mature love is a verb. An action we take. A decision. A choice to do something for someone else.

Unfortunately too many of us have yet to mature in our love, and our relationships bear the scars of that fact. But it's never too late to grow up. If we want our love to last a lifetime, we can't afford to keep believing that love is a noun. The feeling of love is short-lived. We have to transition to understanding that long-lasting love is really a verb.

But what does this English lesson of nouns and verbs have to do with real relationships? How do we take this concept and apply it to real life? Maybe these scenarios can help paint the picture.

Love as a noun spent all last week wondering what your spouse was going to do for you for Valentine's Day. Love as a verb spent all last week preparing your expression of love for your spouse.

Love as a noun feels despair when you no longer feel "in love" with the person you are married to. Love as a verb understands the ebb and flow of feelings. It focuses more on expressing love than feeling love.

Love as a noun demands its own way. Love as a verb works to understand differences and is open to new ways of doing things.

Love as a noun finds faults in others. Love as a verb gives grace and forgiveness.

Love as a noun expects others to serve them. Love as a verb serves freely.

Love as a noun expects to always feel warm and fuzzy and "in love." Love as a verb realizes that often we have to choose to love even when we don't feel like it.

Over the last few months I have been realizing that I am lousy at love. I've chosen to focus on love as a noun with my husband and kids more times than I'd care to recount by reacting to them with immaturity and selfishness instead of acting out love as a verb.

I am a work in progress.

I'm so thankful for my Savior who patiently teaches me these lessons. He shows me how to love through his example and encourages that I can love better because He first loved me.

May your Valentine's Day be filled with that kind of love today!

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Not that I would get bent out of shape over something like yeast...

2011-02-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

It's a small thing. a very, very, small, small thing.

My bread, that I put in the oven to rise, will most likely not be rising.

I am pretty darn sure I left out the yeast. The first batch had yeast, but the bread machine decided not to work. The second batch, the bread machine kicked in, but in my haste to refill the machine... no yeast.

AAACCCKKK!!!

I hate it when little things go wrong. They sometimes remind me that the world does not revolve around me. That the stars do not always align for my pleasure. That disappointments, little and big are a frequent occurrence. That I'm way over-reacting getting bent out of shape over something like yeast...

Like I need that kind of reminder when I'm trying to make bread.

for friends no less.

Unfortunately my friends will have to deal with half the bread for dinner tonight. (The third batch, herbed dinner rolls, I did remember yeast and the machine is working.) But the sweet braids will be a no show. No dough, No show.

And no sweet braids for you my friends, no sweet braids for you!!

As for me, I must swallow the advice I dish out to my kids on an all-too-regular-occurrence:

It's not a big deal, shake it off, and move on.

This is me moving on.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Wordless Wednesday - I have a strange feeling someone got a hold of my camera...

2011-02-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hurry! One Day Left!!

2011-02-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

If you haven't registered to attend Hearts at Home's National Conference (March 11 and 12), you have one day left to take advantage of early registration. After tomorrow, the price jumps up $20 and lunch is not included.

Trust me, you will be so glad you did!!

Go here for more information.

Happy New Year!

2011-02-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

I recently had a conversation with a woman who had been adopted from Korea. She had a great relationship with her adoptive parents and was so thankful for their choice to adopt. She said they handled the special issues that come with adoption well, but she always wished they had made more of an effort to incorporate her Korean heritage into her life.

As an adult, she wishes she had more of a connection with that part of who she is.

When we started the adoption process, I thought I'd like to incorporate a little of China into our lives, but having that conversation confirmed it. So as the Chinese New Year approached, I figured it was as good a time as any to begin and build our own Chinese traditions (although let's be honest, probably more like Chinese-ish).

So we invited some friends and got ready to celebrate.

We decorated the house. Mya made paper lanterns to hang in the windows and helped set the table. Our centerpiece included fresh flowers and oranges; New Year traditions that bring good luck.

Even Thomas and friends joined in on the fun.

We prepared a feast, including homemade dumplings (another New Year Tradition that symbolizes wealth), a noodle dish (which symbolizes longevity), sesame chicken, and sweet and sour veggies. (A special thanks goes out to Michelle for sharing her recipes and book ideas and Kory's mom for helping with the preparation!)

And then we ate, and it was good!!

Suhn pounded the dumplings; I think she ate more than any one!

Another New Year tradition is red envelopes containing money for the kids. All the kids loved that one (the homegrowns weren't so crazy about the food; they'll learn!).

We had a wonderful night.

And I refused to cook anything for the rest of the weekend. :)

Happy New Year everyone!

One Year Ago Today

2011-02-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

One year ago yesterday we saw our daughter's face for the first time.

On year ago today we officially accepted her referral.

What a year it's been!

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Chinese New Year (although officially today is the day), only we will be celebrating so much more than that.

Tomorrow we will celebrate the gift of our daughter Suhn. Handpicked for our family, or maybe we were handpicked for her. Either way God's fingerprints have been revealed over and over again throughout our journey and hers.

About a month ago, AH, the foster home where she lived in China, asked us to make a video of Suhn. They were celebrating an anniversary and wanted videos of the children who had passed through their doors. I thought I'd share it with you today as we celebrate Suhn Mikayla Rui.

Happy Chinese New Year!!

Snowed In and Catching Up

2011-02-02T06:51:00.000-08:00

It took a blizzard... here's a blog post. :)

And dare I say it,

I have LOVED being snowed in.

It is becoming a rare occurrence to have a complete day at home, and running around with five littles (or even 4 when Mya is at school) is exhausting.

So today I am giving thanks for snow days, a change of pace, a warm house, electricity, and a strong man who is willing to brave the elements to dig us out.

In other news, for friends and family who live afar, here is what we've been up to...

Suhn started preschool. She goes three mornings a week, gets OT and PT for part of the time and has loved the experience so far.

We celebrated Suhn's third birthday. Her first birthday with us. To see her surrounded by HER family, soaking in the love was awesome.

Ahh, vacation. Driving 19 hours straight through with 5 kids is not for the faint of heart...

But the destination was so worth it!

There you have it, a catch up blog post of sorts, with more to come...

Merry Christmas

2010-12-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

It's been quiet around this little patch of Internet for several weeks, and just in case you are curious, it's going to continue to be quiet for several weeks more. At least into January, maybe more, we'll see.

Until then, wishing you a Wonder-filled Christmas, from our family to yours.

Wordless Wednesday - Five things I am Thankful for

2010-11-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

6 if you count puppy :)

Giving Thanks for Choices

2010-11-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

"Boys, before we head home, we're going to thank Jesus for all this food. You know why? Because we have choices about what to eat! Many children won't get even one meal today. We have several kinds of cereals and soups. We have sandwiches and crackers. We even have some cookies and juice. Let's say thank you to Jesus."

-taken from Growing Grateful Kids by Susie Larson

Why is it so easy for me to focus on what I don't have? I look at my closet of clothes and feel I have nothing to wear. I look in our pantry of food and feel I have nothing to eat. I look at my furnished, roomy home and feel it is lacking. I look at my relationships and feel I/they fall short.

And yet, if I follow the promptings of His Spirit in me, and give thanks for the choice of what to wear and eat, for a warm, roomy home filled with people who love I am reminded of what I have. What He has given me to steward.

He has made me rich indeed.

Gratitude is a daily, minute-by-minute choice. One that leads to contentment and thanksgiving, and turns my focus back to the Gift-Giver. Away from my wants and myself.

It reminds me to give freely because I have been given much.

But oh how I struggle to stay grateful and content.

I love that we celebrate a holiday focused on thanksgiving. I need the reminder in a big way. This week many will be focusing on the gifts that have already been received and giving thanks.

Today I'm giving thanks for choices, what about you?

Shopping with Purpose

2010-11-20T06:44:00.001-08:00

Wanted to let you know, I found one more "master list" to share...

Go here, shop and help families adopt!

Birthday Fun?

2010-11-19T07:57:00.000-08:00

It is a well documented fact that birthdays become less "fun" the older you get.

I don't anticipate them like I used to, thinking about "the day" for weeks, even months before it actually arrives. Instead, they tend to sneak up on me making it hard for me to remember how old I actually am or will be.

I don't have trouble sleeping the night before my birthday anymore anticipating the day to come. The only sleep deprivation that occurs now-a-days comes with the normal nighttime "I have children" experience.

My kids look forward to cake on their birthday, discussing the color schemes and candles long before I begin to plan that birthday staple. And while I still love chocolate cake and birthday icing, it just isn't the same when I'm the one who has to make it.

(a quick shout out to two friends, you know who you are, who surprised me on different birthdays with birthday cake, a lovely, lovely surprise!)

I'm not saying there is no fun on birthdays as you grow old, just less or maybe different fun.

This year, I've been surprised by a different, unknowing, self-manufactured kind of fun...

I have been treated to a free coffee at Starbucks, a free stir-fry at Flattop Grill and best of all, a free entree at Moe's (translated, FREE NACHOS). All this for simply sharing my e-mail address with them.

Panera e-mailed me too, letting me know that I have a "surprise" waiting for me. I'm not sure when I'll make it in to discover what my surprise is... just knowing I have one is nice.

There will be other pieces of birthday fun too, a date-night with Kory, telling my kids the best present they can give me would be a clean room or getting along (if only it actually worked), having a reason to get out of making dinner or changing diapers or getting up in the middle of the night with a crying kid for the day(maybe we could celebrate my birthday week?), and receiving Facebook and blog birthday wishes (ahem... hint, hint).

Fun, sure, but more of a grown-up kind of fun.

After all, it is a well documented fact that birthdays become less "fun" the older you get.

Wordless Wednesday - There is Nothing quite like a Boy and his Puppy

2010-11-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

When Gotcha Day Isn't a Dream Come True...

2010-11-16T05:46:00.000-08:00

Last week I shared a little of our adoption story here at my sister's blog, today I am guest posting at MomLife Today, "when gotcha day isn't a dream come true..."

Go here to read (insert Paul Harvey voice over), "The rest of the story."

or at least another chapter :)

I Love This...

2010-11-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

...on so many levels. The surprise factor, the music... so FUN!!!

It would be a blast to participate in something like this don't you think?

If you ever hear of something brewing, let me know. :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Following the Bread Crumbs...

2010-11-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

My sister asked me to guest post on her blog today, to share part of my story in a Thursday feature she calls "Everyone has a Story." Head over here, to read a little bit of mine.

Wordless Wednesday - Crayons, Paper, Scissors

2010-11-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

(a homemade memory game)

Get Shopping!

2010-11-08T06:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas is around the corner. I've been at the job of Christmas shopping for several weeks now. Making my lists, checking them twice, and all that.

I love giving gifts, but sometimes I struggle with purchasing more-stuff-that-we-don't-really-need while lining the pockets of corporate America in the process. So this year I set a goal. It doesn't necessarily help the "more stuff" issue, but I have found a way to give twice as much with one gift.

I've challenged myself to buy all of my extended family (this includes anyone outside the 7 who live in my house) gifts that support other causes. There are hundreds of families creating and selling amazing products to raise funds for their adoptions. There are organizations who do amazing work to help alleviate poverty and the suffering of others who sell great items.

I have found some great gifts that I am really excited to give and knowing that my money is supporting adoption and other worthy causes makes me even more excited.

Just in case you'd like to do a little "shopping with a purpose," I thought I'd share some of the great sites I have found...

Kristen, at We Are That Family, and her family have recently been called to start The Mercy House in Kenya. Their etsy shop (go here) has a great selection of items that are constantly changing. Your money will support The Mercy House .
Mama Mimi, at The Domesticated Diva, has put together a large list of links to help you find adoptive families who are fundraising, she has even separated them by category! There is lots of shopping to be done here!
My Cup Overfloweth gave adoptive families the chance to link up and share their fundraisers. There are currently 42 links with a huge variety of products. Shop here to help a family bring their child home!
Linny, at A Place Called Simplicity, had the same idea. Go here, to find over 40 more sites where you can Shop with a Purpose!

If you have found other great places to "Shop with a Purpose", please share them in the comments.

Otherwise, happy shopping and Merry Christmas!!!