One of the Best Compliments

This week I was putting our ladder into our small pop-up swimming pool.  I put all the weight of my right foot on the ladder and squished my left big toe. 

I was sharing with some of the ladies at church about my injury and then I share that my grandma always said that your "such and such injury is a long ways away from your heart. 

One of the ladies said, "You have such a big heart that maybe your toe isn't a long ways away."

That is one of the best compliments I think I've ever received.  Oh, how I love to love on people and bring them joy.

Now, I have to share a strange comment.  I rarely wear makeup.  It makes me feel phsyically uncomfortable (allergies) and sometimes emotionally (long story of my many insecurities). 

I wore makeup last night to our VBS Program.  One of the boys who is going into the 7th grade said,  "You look like a clay model."

Not sure I want to be a clay model.  Maybe I shouldn't have worn makeup.

Separation Anxiety / Robin Man / Wonderful Surprise

Written Sunday, 6/24/2012

I have now been Faith's Mommy longer than any other mother figure that has taken care of her.  We have entered the "MAJOR" separation anxiety stage.  Although it is very terrifying for her when I leave, it really makes my heart feel good that she loves me so and wants me.  Shawn and I were going on a date last night to celebrate our anniversary.  We left the kids with Shawn's Mom.  Faith absolutely loves and adores her grandparents, but last night, she was hanging on to my dress and kicking and screaming.  "I want my MOMMY!"  (I would like to point out that even when I picked her up from her Foster Mother in South Korea, she didn't act that way.) I think we are making healthy strides in attachment. 

Shawn stripped her away from me and put her in his parent's car in her car seat.  Shawn's Mom said that she didn't cry any more after that.  One thing I love about Shawn is at supper he asked, "Is it bad that I am worried about baby girl?"  I said, "No. and Yes. She'll be fine."  Of course then I start worrying and almost called to check on her, but I knew they'd call if it was something they couldn't handle. 

I love her so much.  I am glad that she wants to be with me, even though some days it is exhausting, I would not exchange it for anything else on this earth.

Robin Man

Owen has always L-O-V-E-D to be a super hero.  Faith is now really starting to play.  She likes to say that she is Superman.  Owen had an old Robin outfit.  Faith calls herself, "Robin Man."

Of course Robin Man always carries her sunglasses case (purse) with her. 

Wonderful Surprise

For the last 5 weeks, we have only been to church 1 time due to vacation, sickness, and a holiday.  I have missed my church family dearly.  I was SUPER excited to be back to church and Sunday School.   When I walked into church we had a wonderful surprise.  The four girls from Eternity Focus were seated in the pews.  The girls are very good friends with one of our Sunday School students and they have also become good friends with another family in our church.  I was so excited to see them. 

Unfortunately, for them, I had planned all week to use one of their songs ("Live the Lyrics") as the topic for our Sunday School class.   We looked at the Hymn "I Surrender All", which their song is about.  I love these girls, I hope you check them out and are blessed by their music.

Tonight, I am looking forward to Bible Study and Worship Service following.  There is no other place I'd rather be than in the house of God.  

The Stirring of the Soul

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  Colossians 3:1-4 

I love Colossians 3.

Sometimes Bible verses just stir ones soul and all you can say is mmmmm....mmmm.....mmm from your innermost being.  The m's are an inaudible form of thanksgiving to our creator.  You know that feeling of overwhelming joy and peace and love and more positive emotion than you can even describe?  That is Jesus living within.

For an instance it is a feeling that I don't want to share (yes, that's sin).  I want to keep it all to myself.  It is a type of hidden secret, but then I see the selfishness in that and realize that I really do want others to feel it, too.   Many someones shared Christ with me, so I must share Christ with as many someones as I come in contact with.

If we share Jesus, then more peace, love, joy, kindness, and gentleness and forgiveness will be on this earth. 

I hope you take the time to commune with Jesus today, so you can feel HIS presence, too.

Thank you, JESUS.

May God Bless you today with HIS Word.

Father's Day and a Funny Quote I Found Today

On Father's Day we went to the zoo. 

Just look at this wild animal:

 He really wanted his picture taken that day.

It was hot, but we had fun. 

Thank you, Jesus, for our blessings.

Now, to completely switch gears, it is funny how God works.  I was looking for something this morning and I happened to find Aiden's birth story.  Owen asked if I had a birth story for him.  I looked it up.  Here is the quote I found:  "Shawn says we might adopt in 4-5 years, earlier if I can convince him ." 

Owen was born in 2005.   We started the adoption process 5 1/2 years after Shawn made this comment.  I didn't try to convince him of the adopting earlier, but when it came time to adopt, there was no waiting on my part.  I jumped in with both feet.

God was at work in Shawn's and my heart way back then.  I had completely forgotten about even talking about it that early on.  We had talked about it again in 2008, but decided to get pregnant instead.

God's plans, God's timing.

I guess I should also add that today is our 14th anniversary.  Another one of God's blessings.

Thank you God!

My Birthday Weekend and Holt Picnic

We had such a great weekend.  On Friday, Shawn got off work early and we went down to Great Wolf Lodge.  The kids had such a great time.  We don't have any pictures of it, but they loved the outdoor pool.   Faith L-O-V-E-S the hot tub.  The hot tub has seating in it and she likes to push off of it and "swim" to me.  We finally got Owen to go down one of the big slides by himself.  Liam and Faith both went down the little slides.  Owen was too big to go down the little slides any more.  Aiden loves all of it, especially the tube rides and basketball.

On Saturday, we were able to go to the Holt Picnic.  It was nice to meet other parents in real life that I've talked to for so long via the Internet (Jerusha and Paula).  It was good to see Becca and Cindy again.  It was great to meet new people (Frederique and Roger and Nancy and Todd).  I was sad that one couple wasn't there.  They had gone to the picnic in Omaha instead (missed you Kelly).

Aiden had such a good time playing with Cindy's boy.  It is really neat how they hit it off.  Liam and Owen had a great time on the playground.  They were all sweaty, hot, and hungry by the time we were ready to leave.

And Faith.  Well, she was a rockstar as always.  Here are some pictures:

Only picture we have of Liam with the blue, green, and white striped shirt.

Once again, we don't have any pictures of Shawn.  He is the picture taker. 

Sunday was great.  We went to church and Eternity Focus performed for our church service.  Then 4 of the girls in the group (minus the youngest sister who went to youth group) came to our Sunday School class.  It was fun.  I hope they (all our students) enjoyed it as much as I did. 

We did something a little different in class.  We read this Bible verse:

Ecclesiastes 12:11-13
The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails —given by one shepherd.  Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.

Then after we read the Bible verse, I asked them 2 questions that they had to do an independent study on:

1.  How do you know Jesus knows you? Explain (using Bible verses)
2.  How do you know Jesus?  Give examples.  (Also support with Bible verses)
3.  Pray.  Meditate.  Seek.

It's a week for some deep reflecting.  God Bless.