Heart heavy but still at peace

I've been a little bit heart heavyed these past few weeks. Hubby and I had been looking at adopting again. It has been a maze. First we thought it would be the right thing for God if we adopted a child with special needs. We could easily have taken a deaf child, or one with some correctable disabilities (club foot, cleft palate, etc). But did you know that most countries think that we are a big family and must of course not want more kids or be able to care for them financially? If we wanted to adopt a child that was over 5 years old then there are a couple of countries that would accept our application. And then of course there are a few countries in Africa that would be willing to look at our application if we wanted to accept a child that might have HIV or AIDS.

So as you can see my heart began to grow heavy with these thoughts.

We turned our attention towards the possibility of adopting an infant again. Our agency, ever so sweetly told us that we would more than likely not be picked by a birth- mother since she is usually seeking a home with no children or maybe one other child in the home so that her child can have the best chances in life.

Wow...so there are 148 million orphans in this world....

We are a family that would take one or maybe even two of them....

We are blocked though at this point unless we change what we are looking for.....


but


We do have a great family...

We have 5 wonderful kids....

We will wait...

We will wait with peace knowing that if and when God decides that we should adopt again HE will make it very clear what path we should take and how we should get there....

New 'do

Well I hadn't really had a good haircut since we moved to Hawaii about 2 and half years ago. On Saturday though I finally went and got a new 'do. It is a haircut I've had before but this time seemed different. I was ready for a change and somehow cutting my hair was like really closing the door on my time in Hawaii. This short hair version of me feels like the Northwest, feel like home, and feels like me....

Before

After

What is my house?

My goodness I have just read the most beautiful prayer. It comes from a book entitled "The Valley of Vision", a Puritan Prayer book. Here is the quote that really got me thinking:

Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion, instruction, discipline, example, that my house may be a nursery for heaven, my church the garden of the Lord, enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting, for thy glory;

What does my house say about me?

Are my children being raised in a home that will lead them to the cross of Jesus?

Will my children feel nurtured along thier path?

Will they know where the path is?

Will I be leading them along the way?

Walking with them through the pearly gates?

I pray so. (And yes there is a lot to say also about my church being a garden. That will have to wait for another day though.) Right now it is enough for me to concentrate on my home and making it Heaven's nursery.

And what about you? Do you want your home to be a nursery for Heaven? Helping send your loved ones toward HIM? Is there anything you need to do to help make that happen? Anything you need to change?

Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ... But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (New International Version)

Still waiting

It's just after 9 am on a Monday morning
And I'm still waiting
For L and S to get up….
Pretty quiet around here….
Already read my bible studies,
fixed up the budget,
And then our elderly neighbor came over…..
And woke up the dogs,
Who woke up the kids,
And….now the day has officially started.
Happy Monday!

My big girl, L

First Day of School 2009

Each of the kids gave me some crazy looks and some classy looks. I also got some pictures of each of them talking to me. Best quote? S said, "The worst thing about school would be getting in trouble." I asked him, "What happens whe you get in trouble?" He let me know, "You have to go to the principal's office!"

Our Family Holiday!

My beautiful L! She is getting so big. She turned 10 recently!

M&B our beautiful oldest daughter and her fabulous husband.

My Girls!

S's foot in the sand

Hey who are those two cuties!

Great picture of B (notice the reflection in her glasses)

They are about to blown away....











All of us near the Lewis and Clark statue in Seaside, OR

Taking a final bow, at the end of our Talent Show

But of course the final word is from God. I think this picture says, "Follow me"