Went to Falls Creek and Survived to tell about it!

Yeah, that's last Monday, BEFORE a week of Falls Creek!
Kaeleb did awesome! He fell asleep during our 10 p.m. devotions and slept through the 2 a.m. praises!

Life of the party
Playing Hacky - not so good!
Ready for evening Tabernacle
What an amazing group of students, cooks and sponsors!
Taking a hike to Devil's Bathtub

Enjoying the refreshing water after the uphill journey

Then to the Icee stand!
Then a shower and very long nap!
and that's where Kaeleb and I are going ~ to bed! Daddy is on his way to Kansas to pick up the kids! It was a Spirit-filled, awesome, exhausting week! What an awesome God we serve! Praise Him for speaking in a huge way!

It's time again

We've gotten another round of haircuts ...

... made the appointment to apply braces, initial preparations for Kayden's 5th birthday (no way!!!), and shipped four kids to Kansas for the week (boo hoo). Dad and Kuyler will hold down the fort this week and get ready for corn harvest while Mom and Kaeleb are at Falls Creek. We are expecting God to do great things! We've got an awesome group of teenagers, amazing sponsors and we're all prayed up and ready to go. Will you please pray for me as I am leaving Kambry for the first time in the 14 months she's been home. Yesterday was very difficult for me. I know Kolton, Kenzie, Kayden and Kambry will do very well at my SIL's, but I miss my kids! May you also have an encounter with God this week!

Home 3 months!

Well, it seems in the blink of an eye we're celebrating three months home with Kaeleb! In many ways it seems like he was placed in my arms yesterday, and yet he's come so far! When we received him March 3 he had just learned to walk and was unsteady, had never eaten solid food, wasn't talking and would hurl any object in his hand. Today, although he's still on the bottle (for bonding purposes), he eats three solid meals, which I feed him (also for bonding), and drinks from a sippy cup or any cup he can get his hands on. He still pockets food in his mouth, but will quickly swallow it with a drink of water. He repeats words and sounds, and recognizes animals and objects like cow, puppy, kitty, car, truck. He loves the bath and wading pool. He can sit on the scooter and steer it instead of pulling it behind him. He is responding to 'no, no' and l-e-a-r-n-i-n-g to share. He greets Daddy with, "Da-da!" He comes to "Ma-ma" for comfort. He loves his siblings and prefers his partner-in-crime Kambry. He definitely leaves his mark in any room he's meandered into: a trail, a crumpled mess, a pile of toys, a puddle of drool :) He's lovable and cuddly and thinks Mama rocks! He still loves his thumb and lovey (uvvy). It's hard to believe we landed three months ago, April 20! He's my 100% all boy, boy, Kaeleb Jon!

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 1 Sam 1:27

I've been tagged :)

First, I have to apologize to Kim because she tagged me while we were in China and I never got around to responding ... so sorry. Now that I am back into my life of leisure (LOL, big time!) I can respond to Tami's tag.


Favorite person: My devoted husband!


Favorite food: Jiff Creamy Peanut Butter with Honey!


Quirk about me: I can't relax when my house is filthy (even though my definition of filthy has changed greatly over the last four years)


How would the person who loves you the most describe you in ten words or less? This is his word, not mine: Amazing (ha!)


Any regrets in life? That I 'wasted' 36 years of my life without knowing Christ. However, I've got a very passionate life with Him now!


What can you NOT live without? Hugs and kisses from my kids


Favorite blog: I wish I only had one! Actually, several times a week I make the 'blog rounds' checking on my friends. And as a bonus, many of them are moms who share recipes!


Something you can't get enough of: Watching my little and middle kids play together and watching my engineering student big kid bring hopeless objects back into operation


Worst job you ever had: Working my way through college waiting tables. The good that came of it: I leave nice tips!


What job would you pay not to have? Sewage disposal (if you knew how much water we use, you'd understand)


If you could be a fly on the wall anywhere, where would it be? In the nursing home the day my dad accepted Christ!


Favorite Bible verse: Phil 4:6 ~ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.


Guilty pleasure: "Whose Line Is It"


Got any confessions: I don't always make my kids brush their teeth at bedtime. I'm tired :)


If you had $1000 to spend on YOURSELF, what would you spend it on? To have my 'character lines' softened or removed. (At least that might make a down payment)


Favorite thing about your house: It's full! (And I love my kitchen)


Least favorite thing: It's too small.


One thing you are bad at: Singing (but I do it anyway :)


If you could change one thing about your current circumstances, what would it be? That I could 'put off' working for a few years


Who would you like to meet someday? My biological paternal grandmother (most likely in Heaven)


Who is your real life hero? My husband! He's the most humble, generous, hardworking person I know.


What is the hardest part of your job? At home, having patience with my children; at work, having patience with my clients ... and I'm pretty much always on someone else's schedule.


When are you most relaxed? Early morning


What stresses you out? Chaos!


Favorite quote: "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." Corrie Ten Boom


Why do you blog? So my friends don't feel guilty for not calling me since they know everything that's going on :) Truly, it's my way of sharing my testimony and encouraging others.


Who are you tagging? Kim H. Wendy Martha

Can we just skip this week :)

Monkey see, monkey do ...
Ahhhh
Saturday while this was going on inside ...

... we were outside doing this! Because while THAT will grow, THESE will grow faster!

If it's not a laundry basket, it's an ice cream bucket. 100% all boy!

Sunday we went to see my dad, and on the two hour drive home we were amazed at God's majestic creation!

This is one of those weeks where my list is so long, I don't know where to start, so how about let's call the whole thing off :) Kenzie has basketball camp, we have baseball and softball, and Kolton has his ortho consult which will probably result in braces. We're making the final preparations for Falls Creek, which includes taking the kids to Kansas to stay with my sweet, patient sister-in-law! It suddenly occurred to me that three days after camp is Kayden's birthday, and just days after that we'll begin selling corn and melons, Lord willing!

In more exciting news, we found out that three of the children we met and photographed in Foshan now have families!!! We are thrilled for the children and for their new parents. Maybe we'll get to 'follow' them to China!

Guess what?

I can't believe I'm typing this, but I'm going back to China! No, we don't have another child (I think God knows better than to entrust us with another living being, but enough about that:). Our friends, the L's, are logged in for their son, and after much prayer have decided Dad must stay home with the four siblings, so Mom needs a travel companion! Clayton and I considered the invitation, said we'd pray about it, but admittedly our hearts were already set that I would go! We are all about the
miracle of adoption and encouraging families so this seemed like a perfect God thing! I'm not looking forward to leaving my husband and kids for a week or more, but I know it will all work out. This family visited us soon after Kaeleb came home, and God had already been preparing them for a China-born son, so we weren't surprised when God revealed their boy a short time later. We will likely travel after the Olympics, and I am beginning fervent prayer now
that God would help me to be the warrior /support/encourager/shoulder-to-cry-on/comedian/photographer and whatever else is needed to help Tami and her son through their amazing transition. I would be honored if you would join me. I am so looking forward to this journey and watching a miracle unfold. Imagine ~ I will be climbing the Great Wall without a Snugli; I will NOT be packing diapers; I will not be sharing my twin bed with a sleepless baby; I will not pack formula (though I'm perfectly willing to prepare and wash bottles!); I will have one bag - LOL!

Hug Your Father

Who needs toys ... when you've got a laundry basket?

Guitar Hero anyone?
Or maybe a nap?
What is she thinking?

And him? They're conspiring against the mom :)
High winds and storms causing a power outage inspired several 'projects.'
It's a bittersweet Father's Day weekend. On one hand, we will see my dad, but he's certainly not "Dad." He's getting more tired, which is probably an effect of the cancer, and more confused. We're amazed that he's still with us six months after his brain injury. Although this isn't the quality of life he'd prefer, I am reminded of the amazing things God has done in this time of suffering. So, Happy Father's Day. I praise my Heavenly Father for giving me a godly husband who just happens to be an amazing dad!

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Pet 3:9