Typical Everyday Is Good

 Some days are just those plain old days with lots going on, but nothing too exciting.

 Today was one of those days.

 Getting stuff out of the attic for clamming tomorrow and camping next week.

 The boys had a good talk with their new family and watch World Cup Soccer, Caleb found a good book and read six chapters, and Hannah got to play with her new Barbie's.

 I am learning to like normal, plain, some what boring days! 

 Dealing with lives touched by trauma, life can sometimes be far, far from laid back and typical.

 But that is OK too when it is the path laid before you--One step at a time God gives wisdom and strength for the moment.

 And boy does it make the days like this one pictured here priceless.

 A morning of enjoying horses before a hard day helping David's sister re-roof her house.

 These kids moved a whole pallet of shingles to the second story roof---without a word of complaint I may say.  I was very impressed.  One day at a time.  One victory at a time.

Blessings to you as you walk into your weekend--keep your eyes open for the opportunities laid in your path, and keep praying for Erinn, that they find an antibiotic that works for her that she will not react to.

For Such a Time as This.....

For the last 2 1/2 months we have been a larger family than usual.

We were blessed to have Amani  and Fani join us in late March for respite care.

Since they have only been in America since December, from Ethiopia, we have enjoyed doing some firsts with them, as well as homeschooling and teaching English.

Wildlife Safari was a big hit with so many new things to see.

We get to enjoy their company for another month or so before they join their new family.

They were beyond excited to see the lions saying they were so 'scaried'.

Caleb and the boys have been trying out some new expressions and having fun with the camera.

Having 4 teenagers in the house has been an experience.......

Sometimes it is all fun and laid back like this bear.....other times not so much.

Some days we are all full of energy and smiles....other days I spend my days waking them up because they are 'bored'.  They are all learning, too much boredom makes mom find work for them!

One of the fun things about Wildlife Safari was the fact that my parents work there so they know the names of all the animals and the animals would turn towards us when they called them.

So as for the title of this post.....We have had so many people ask how or why we have done what we are doing. 

The only answer I can give is that we feel that we were placed here for "such a time as this".

 

 Like the story of Esther, she was just going about her daily life and God took her on another journey she did not ask fo,r nor was she seeking something new.

But God had a plan for her and it was GOOD!  It always is!  And so the journey is a journey of being His hands and feet one day at a time.

So we come to the 'end' of this post!  HA HA!  Yes, one of the boys thought this would be a good picture.

Yes, we are finally at the end!  OK this one was me---I could not resist catching them trying to pet the deer!

 

Blessings as you seek to Delight in Him one day at a time.

Where Life Has Been Taking Us...

 I have had so many people ask why I have stopped writing here.  Lack of motivation, personal struggles to lay to rest, kids, grandkids, travel, life and following down the less trodden path...take your pick:)

So fast updates:

Our precious new Grandson, Eli Austin, was Born on March 8th in Hawaii.  I was blessed to be able to be there with in 1 day of his birth.  What a treasure all children are, but their is something special about these grandchildren :)   He is such a good baby and special treasure to his parents.  It is a wonderful thing to watch your children become parents.  Erinn has been through the wringer with this pregnancy, birth and in the months following---I am so proud of her determination.  Please pray as she is fighting another serious breast infection.  Michael should be home soon from his latest training that has had him away from home for 8 weeks.

Little Harrison is 21 months old and all boy in his activity level with all the wonderful learning and bumps that come with being a toddler.  He has a grin that lights up the world and a curiosity that keeps his mom and dad on their toes.  Danielle has been amazing in constantly seeking out remedies outside the norm to help with the health issues he has struggled with since birth.  Though he his happy and health looking his body is still trying to regulate and he is blessed to have an amazing mom fighting for him every step of the way.  Ryan is still busy working hard and is now out of the National Guard.

 Drew has finished up his 4th year at Washington State and will be staying on for a fifth year of eligibility in Cross Country and Outdoor Track.  He is pursuing his degree in criminology and working many side jobs to supplement his track scholarship.  It has been a blessing to watch your son become a man.

 Hannah just finished up her first year of special Olympics.  She won a gold, a silver and a bronze.  she was so proud of herself. She is going into the 6th grade in the fall and is 11 years old.  She is looking forward to Joni and Friends Camp this year.

 Caleb has a birthday coming up and he will be 14 and going into the eighth grade.  He ran track this last year at the local Christian school having top 10 times in everything from 100m to the 1500m.  He is changing in so many ways right now it is great seeing the work the Lord is doing in his life.

And my wonderful, amazing husband......holding us all together.  He is a great leader and is so open to learning things that will help our crazy family.

So much more is going on, but that is a fast update.

Blessings.

What Time Has Taught Me

Every year during national adoption month, which is also our 'Gotcha' month,  I am challenged to look back over the years of our journey and do a lot of contemplating.  This year even more than in past years because of the challenges this year has brought.

Yes, during National Adoption Month I feel a need and a responsibility as an adoptive parent to inform and encourage people about the wonders of adoption, but this year I thought long and hard about encouraging anyone to jump into another person's pain.  That may sound harsh, but the reality is 'hurt people, hurt people'.

Now I can hear many of you thinking, "They were so little when they came, how much can they remember?"  or "After 8 years in a loving family, surely their past is their past." or  "It is just being a kid or a teenager, nothing unusual.", and the most painful "Surely if you prayed enough and asked God for healing you would not be dealing with these things."
 

 The truth that many people are not able to comprehend, I know I could not before we adopted, is that kids with hard starts are going to have a lot of hard work to go through to deal with the trauma locked up in their minds and hearts.  Think about a soldier coming home from a war zone trying to deal with what he has seen and the PTSD he deals with, they were adults with functioning reasoning skills, the ability to protect themselves and fight back, and they had lots of other guys on their team.  These children have none of these things on their side.  They have immature reasoning skills, they are too small to fight back or protect themselves, and many times the ones who should be on their side are the one harming them or doing nothing about the harm.

Now before you say it, I know this is not true in all scenarios, praise God.  And I know that all children will deal with trauma differently.  And I know that many adopted children go on to live very typical lives with little affects from their early losses.  And I know that some children will mold into their families with not a thought of looking back at what they have lost.

That being said, I do believe that the majority will not fall into this category, especially with the trends to children being older and older when they enter their forever homes.

 SO WHAT HAS TIME TAUGHT ME THAT IS HELPFUL?

1) The biggest thing I am learning is that adoption is refining me in ways that I never knew I needed refining!

When you have a child who can find every button to turn on your anger, bitterness, selfishness, and the unforgiveness in your heart.  A child who desperately wants in his deepest soul to believe that he can trust again, but in order to do this he is going to test and manipulate every part of you to say, "Are you trustworthy?  Are you going to stick with me?"

I have been on my knees searching out God with tears of desperation and dying to self repeatedly.  What better place to be than to know you can't do it-----only God can.

2) That God is more than enough!

I am a control freak, I admit it.  Stepping into the lives of hurting children, I wanted to 'help' to 'fix' to 'control' to 'make it better'.  What parent does not want the best for their children?  But as time went on I was daily reminded 'I can't fix this'.

Don't read this wrong.  I fight for my treasures!  I read and research and implement all sorts of different techniques.  I have new friends all over the country that have become part of my rallying squad and I a part of theirs.  We use therapists and therapies to engage hearts and minds.  We have prayed over, cried over, and loved over a hurting soul.

But in the end I have to trust that GOD IS ENOUGH!  Only His love can reach a lost soul.  Only His touch can heal a broken heart.  Only His mercy can cause a heart to trust again.  Only His forgiveness can release a ripped up heart to forgive others. And all of this takes time and it is in God's time, not mine!

3) That love is a moment by moment choice---for all of us.

Sometimes love is easy, the sweet tender face of a sleeping new born, the sweet smile of a six year old handing you a bouquet of dandelions, the smile of triumph in the face of a child who aced the test.

But what about love when you have been lied to again, or they found the answer keys and cheated again, or the child who is screaming in terror over what seems like nothing, or the silence and trembling for no apparent reason, or the fists balled in anger again.  Where do you find the love here?

I tell you, you find it in the choice.  You choose to love this child in his pain.  You choose to forgive again and again and again.  You choose to teach the same lesson again and again.  You choose to look past the anger for the hurt daily to see the child.  You choose not to wait for the 'I'm sorry' but remind them again it is needed for restoration again.  You choose not to be easily offended again.  You choose to try again.  You choose not to let the offending words pierce your soul.  You forgive those outside your family who do not understand.

 YOU CHOOSE!

Many, many days lately these choices have been made though puddles of tears and piles of prayers, but they are made none the less as I fight my flesh for my children's future and God's glory.

There is so much more running through my mind, but for today on this eighth anniversary of our children's home coming, I wanted to share what I am learning about myself, about love, about God.

And to decide, "Do I encourage others on this journey?"

Well the answer is yes!

Is the journey going to be all roses?   No

Is the journey going to be all thorns?  No

Some days, weeks, months or even years it will lean heavily in one direction.

But if this is the journey you are called on, you will be called to die to yourself daily, to pray harder and longer than you believed possible, to seek the TRUTH in everything, even things you long thought true, and to grow through trials, pain and joy unspeakable.

May the God of all Truth be glorified in our lives and our journey!