WD-40 Gets the rusty out

I believe that I came to this journey with rusty armor

I truly felt that I had a pretty good grip on myself. I was so arrogant in thinking that! I knew that the Lord had called us to bring a little one into our family but when I got the green light from my husband, I took off running FULL FORCE, armor lumped in a rusty pile on the floor.

It was foolish of me to feel that I could walk/RUN into this journey with SELF shining.

I do such a pour job of humbling myself and daily asking God to help me walk this journey in the way that I should.

I feel that so often I get caught up in signing the next paper, making the next payment or waiting for the next email. I forget that there is an enemy that is walking around like a lion..looking for someone that he can devour. I have to remember to turn my life..EVERY part of it over to the Lord. I have to put on the armor of God. I would never walk on the battle field without the proper gear so why would I ever begin such a journey of faith with half of my armor hanging off. 

WHO KNOWS?!?! But ladies and gentlemen...I think I did

I think I've recovered

So, I thought that signing on for teaching Sunday School in the youth department would be JUST that

TEACHING SUNDAY SCHOOL

Oh, no ladies and gents, that is not it AT ALL

I have now signed up for kickball, blacklight dodgeball and now..

a LOCK OUT

It has taken me a few days to write about this because quite frankly 

IM OLD and its not easy to recover from an all nighter

Well, we started the night at our church's gym at 9:00pm

stayed there for a few minutes going over a few rules

( that I don't remember) 

and then we headed out to the movie theater to watch Spiderman

We went from the theater to Partyville which happens to be a local inflatable FUN FILLED place owned by some great people at our church. Whew, we were there from about 2am-4am which was WAY past my bedtime. Then, we went back to church and played some four square and basketball

By WE...I clearly mean NOT ME! I was not participating at this point. I was simply trying to stay awake and not fall over. The students then played a few games of hide and seek ( or sardines) and then it was time for their mommas to pick them up.

Oh man, I am just now recovering but my sleep schedule is still 100% off! 

The thing I will say about this is that I had a great time. I am so excited about all that God is doing in and through the students at our church. They are amazing young people and have such amazing hearts. I continue to be impressed with their desire to love the Lord and others. It is an honor to be around them and walk through life with them.

They see my CRAZY and are TOTALLY not bothered by it :)

You gotta love that!

Put Your Hands UP

We are heading to ATLANTA in the morning!!

Our biometric fingerprint appointment is bright and early 

9:00am 

That is obviously NOT early if the trip was right down the road...

HOWEVER, we have a good 2 hour drive or more to Atlanta, so we are going

to be getting up and hitting the road early!

We were going to attempt to make this our 10 year anniversary trip but that is NOT happening!

With our appointment being so early in the morning..and us having to leave SUPER early it just wasn't looking promising! Our families are always AMAZING to watch the kiddos but this IS the middle of the week :) My sister has a commitment that is NOT child friendly but would have been able to watch them tomorrow afternoon. My mother in law could watch them all after 11 and my mom was working but would of course be wiling to watch them after work. They were all scrambling to try to help but in the end we just didn't see how it was going to work. My mother in law went ahead and let Alyssa stay with her and she is taking her to a sewing/quilting group tomorrow. The boys around sewing machines is NOT the best idea :)

So, all of that to say...we are going to enjoy having our sweet boys with us. They are actually very excited about going OUT OF TOWN. They think that is the coolest idea EVER. Little do they know we are having an appointment that may require them sitting for quite some time. We are excited to make the very best out of it. 

So, it looks like no BIG 10 year celebration in the way that we thought. 

However, we know that traveling to Congo and picking up our sweet babies is the BIGGEST celebration we could have! We will make it somewhere...sometime. Just the two of us ;)

Ok, the ten year post is coming...just been TOO busy and that one is going to take a WHILE!

OH...WE GOT Eli's BIRTH CERTIFICATE this week!!! Not the one with our names on it...just his precious name! HOWEVER, I LOVED IT!!! Made me cry, smile, and flip out a little!! We didn't get Chloe's and our agency said...it is somewhere out there..so FOR NOW...that is good enough!!

Have a WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY everyone! If you think about our family today..please say a prayer for travel safety and a great time!!

Singing In The Rain

Happy 4th of July from our crazy crew!

We all had a great day at MiMi and PawPaw's house

No rain was going to stop these cousins from having a good time!

Alyssa, Bryson, Karlee, Caleb and Cooper! Our little stair steps :)

My sister, her husband Matt, my parents and ALL five kiddos were able to enjoy some wonderful family time. My poor hubby had to work today but we saved him some BBQ so I think that made him

feel a little bit included :)

While we all had a wonderful time playing and enjoying each other's company, we were so aware that not all families are together this 4th of July. Our hearts turn to the MANY men and women that have sacrificed SO much to defend and protect the freedoms that we hold dear.

Thank you for those that are serving or have served our country!

GOD BLESS YOU

Didn't see that CRAZY coming :)

As reported in an earlier post

WE BOUGHT A PUPPY

remember her?

Ok, well I also believe that I hinted towards the crazy that was brought forth by her arrival

I was too tired to really go into all of it the other night but tonight...

 I have nothing but a quiet house and some alone time

So, we brought sweet little RockC home and all was going well

We were all excited and the kids were in heaven having a new little puppy around the house

We took her to the pet shop and purchased some chew toys, a leash and a collar.

I mean, we were SET

We had a great afternoon of taking her to meet the family

Well, my sister, her hubby and kiddos.

It was a great evening of newness and fun! 

When it was time to settle in for the night...

IT HAPPENED

( the crazy that is)

I began really losing it 

The kids had been tucked in bed and now it was up to Cameron and me to figure out how the night was going to go with this new little creature.

We put her in her crate right next to our bed and just sat there watching her. She began whimpering. Her whimper quickly turned into an ear piercing YELP

Cameron just chuckled and decided to sweet talk her to see if that would work

He then got her out of the crate and put her next to us in the bed. He decided that he was going to take a shower...which then left me to face the puppy alone :)

What I AM ABOUT TO SAY SOUNDS CRAZY... I KNOW THAT

Watching her in her cage clawing to get out and listening to her yelp sent my heart and head into a HUGE panic!  I immediately realized how much ( in my mind) this was going to be like bringing our little ones home.  The night before... we didn't have her and then...that night she was just THERE!

Knowing nothing of where she was the night before or how she liked to sleep. I didn't know if she liked to sleep with a blanket or a chew toy. Did she like chew bones or tennis balls...I mean... I was snapping :)

As Cameron went and hopped in the shower, he left the puppy next to me. I scooped her up and cuddled her. She turned and licked me but then BIT me. Which sent me into a full blown tear fest. 

There have been times when I have questioned what it will be like to have Chloe and Eli home that very first night in our home. For some reason having the puppy and not knowing how to make her settle down and sleep or stop screeching in her crate made me question my ability to parent these two precious babies. Then I stepped out of the crazy fog and realized Im already a pretty good momma to my three and the Lord would help me walk through it. HOWEVER, the crazy was intense there for a time.

There is a realization that there is a life that these babies have lived that doesn't involve me. They have developed routines, coping skills and have found comfort in things that I know nothing of. I must admit that scares me a little. Umm, when I say a little, maybe I mean a lot :) I know that with each baby  that you bring home, there is a huge learning curve. With my children that are 9,7, and 4 I am still learning. There is just something that is a little scary about bringing little ones home that you so badly want to feel safe, loved and happy...only to realize that there is so much to grieve, work through and heal from.

 I think that this has been a great eye opener for this crazy momma! I truly feel that this has shown me a side to this journey that I had shut out. You know, the realistic one! The reality that after this part of the journey is over...the real journey is just getting started!!! That makes my heart soar! I am thrilled to be Chloe and Eli's mommy. Now more than ever I just see that I will NOT be able to do this apart from the Father! I will have no idea how to comfort them sometimes, I do not know if they will like to be held when they fall, cuddled when they are sleepy or hugged when they are sad. I will have no idea! The great news is that I am fully aware that I don't have to know all of those things. I know that God, who began this good work in us will be faithful to walk the path with us. Will it be hard...YES! I fully expect that. 

However, I know that God redeems what is lost and heals broken hearts. I have seen it first hand. I praise Him for all that He is going to do in and through our family and especially our chidren...

all FIVE of them

Depraved Indifference

PLEASE take the time to watch this video

It is beyond difficult to know that we have TWO children sitting in an orphanage 

in one of the most dangerous countries in the world

It is heart breaking knowing that they go to sleep each night without the love of a family

It is so hard for us to sit and feel as though we are

POWERLESS

Did you know that the Democratic Republic of Congo is the SECOND most dangerous place in the ENTIRE WORLD for women? 

Can you imagine knowing that you had to wake up EVERY day of YOUR LIFE with great fear that you could be raped, mutilated or murdered? 

Can you imagine someone breaking into YOUR home and taking YOUR children just to build their army of hate?

Can you imagine YOUR wife, YOUR mother YOUR sister or  YOUR daughter being taken and used as a sex slave for hate filled warriors?

Where MY children are... it is called the "rape capital of the world"

What if YOUR children were there?

It is said that nearly 48 women PER HOUR are raped in the Democratic Republic of Congo 

48 WOMEN EVERY HOUR ARE RAPED

When I ask you to pray for our children does this help you understand the URGENCY of the need?

When I ask you to pray for me, their mommy, it is because I am awake WEEPING trying to NIGHTLY place them in the Father's hands.. knowing I can do NOTHING to comfort, protect or help them.

Do you understand that when I BEG for your financial help, it is not because it just takes the burden off a us a little... NOT AT ALL! It is because I do NOT have $40,000 PLUS dollars sitting in an account and I NEED IT! I need to bring my children home and that is one HUGE step in getting them here. 

This week has been very hard for me

I don't think I have ever written a post like this but my heart is OVERWHELMED

God has called us to be their parents.

They are OUR responsibility

Until now They have had  NO ONE fighting for them, no one being their VOICE!

The second we saw their faces... ALL OF THAT CHANGED!!

 

This is

US 

FIGHTING FOR THEM 

" Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless "

Isaiah 1:17

PS...sometimes a MOMMA SNAPS ;)

 

I like to MOVE IT MOVE IT

While daddy is away... the family will....

GO SEE A MOVIE

I took the kiddos to see Madagascar 3 today. It was a super cute movie and kept us entertained 

on a soggy day. It didn't rain but everything was still a bit soggy from yesterday!

The unfortunate part of taking them to the movie is that I usually take them ALL to the summer movie special days. WHICH costs like $2 a child. So, today, when I went on up to the ticket counter and handed over $30.. I almost choked... then Bryson reminded me that I promised them popcorn if they cleaned their rooms. 

WOW.. what was I thinking?

BRIBING the innocent children with POPCORN

So, that cost us another $22

HOLY MOLY that was a trip for the records! They loved and I did too so it was worth it

ALSO... at VBS last week one of our missionaries was serving the people of Madagascar so it

was a great lesson and we were reminded to pray for them. 

Oh, there is a lesson in EVERYTHING!!

On ANOTHER... MORE IMPORTANT note..

My brother in law Matt came home from Africa today!

I can not wait to hear all of the amazing stories that he has to share

I know that God used him in some amazing ways and I am so excited to hear about it

He has already posted some pics of his SAFARI 

but here is a little teaser of what he saw

HAHA 

have a great night everyone!