The Rest of the Story

So...you know our day went well.  Exceedingly well!

How great is our God?!?  I spent much of the two-hour trip to the hospital at 4 a.m. praising Him.  He is worthy.  Always!  We can pray with expectation and confidence.

Dr. Smith knew we have another surgery tomorrow, and he knew we hoped to recuperate at home.  But he also knew we were willing to do whatever was best for the girls' recovery.

The plan was to harvest cartilage from each of their ears for the rhinoplasty, and his greatest concern was swelling, blood accumulation and possible infection of the graft site.

For that reason he thought it best we stay overnight for observation. 

But these rock star patients did so well, and Kinley didn't even need a graft ...

 ...so he let us go home...JUST AS WE'D PRAYED!

That was an answer to prayer, and we thank you for joining us in that request.

And then as we were pulling away from the hospital, the phone rang with good news!  We have 

 (that's pre-approval from China to adopt our littlest Treasure!)  
Didn't expect that!

What I didn't tell you is at 2 a.m. we woke up to this...

 Our heat and air unit has crashed!  And if that weren't enough, it has ruined the ceiling.

Maybe you've heard the adage, "You might be adopting if things start breaking."

Well, we have a broken AC and a broken lawn mower so we're off to a great start :) 

But I choose to praise HIM!
He is worthy!
There is nothing too big for Him.  No costly heat and air unit, no fear of surgery and no obstacle to bringing our Treasure home.  Nothing!

Are you approaching the throne of grace with confidence?

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Heb 10:19-23

Homebound!

Praise God!

Are We There Yet?

To the end of this week, I mean!

Tomorrow morning at 4 a.m. we will head south for back-to-back surgeries, hopefully beginning at 8:30.  Kennah and Kinley are both having cleft-related revisions.  

Our hope and prayer is that we get to spend tomorrow night at home.  
*Would you join us in that prayer?*

The week gets a little crazy after tomorrow, but we continue to seek perspective from the Lord.  We are so in awe of His handiwork!  We face this week with peaceful hearts, even amid the chaotic events, praise be to Him!

We will keep you posted on the progress.

Thursday is the last shot at the Canon!!  We will be posting the winner by Thursday night.
Thank you to all who have given and shared, and may you be blessed 

In 4 Days...

...we draw for this fella!

If you'd like to help us raise the $3900 home study fee AND get a shot at the Canon EOS Rebel T3, there's still time!
We will draw the winner, purchase the camera and ship it directly to the winner!

Thank you to everyone who has already given and shared!

To God be glory!!!

This Week Is...

Oh, but aren't they all?
I'm probably overthinking it.  Or maybe I underthunk it when I planned it all.
Anyway...

*Senior pictures should be matched with the announcements this weekend, addressed and mailed by Monday.

*There's some sort of school dinner Monday night - the first of many end-of-year banquety type things.

*Tuesday I'm just going to work and will let the Daddy handle the two doctor's appointments.

*Wednesday we report to Children's at 6:30 a.m. so Kinley Grace and Kennah-Bug can have their back-to-back surgeries.  We hope to be released by late afternoon but may have to spend the night.

*Wednesday evening Daddy will leave the hospital to attend the state FFA convention where Kolton Tee will be recognized for receiving the State FFA Degree!

*Thursday morning we report to another surgical center for Khloie to have her eye surgery, which should be easy peasy.

*Thursday also ends our first fundraiser for this bad boy ~

(Thank you to those who have already given and shared!!!) 

*Friday is recovery day, until someone tells me differently.

*Saturday is Oklahoma Hearts for Adoption's first annual craft fair!

*Sunday we honor 8th grade and senior graduates at church.

*I think we've completed every bit of paper work to this point in the adoption process, and we will be starting our home study soon.

Maybe, just maybe, we will receive PA for our little man this week and can share his picture with you!!!!

Whether we are at work or at rest, may God be glorified!

Baby Steps to Baby K ~ Camera Giveaway Fundraiser!

When we said, "Yes!",  the Lord knew we had the love in our hearts and that we would make the time and space.  He also knew that we did not have the funds for the process.

That's a fraction of the 'faith' part of this journey.

He is always faithful!

Always!

He is our Provision!

We are committed to working as many hours as we can squeeze into a day to raise extra funds.

A long time ago we cut all extras from our budget.

We will sell anything that isn't nailed down :)

Once our home study is completed, we will begin applying for adoption assistance grants.

And we will hold fundraisers.

We are praying for creativity, but most of all we want to glorify Him!

Kicking off our first fundraiser!

Canon EOS Rebel T3

Here's the skinny:

*This runs from today 4/21 to Thursday 5/1

*There is a PitchIn Box in the right sidebar

*A $25 donation gets 1 opportunity for this camera

*A $50 donation gets 3 opportunities for this camera

*A share of this post on your blog and/or FB gets an additional opportunity each (please leave a comment or email linking your share)

*The winner will be notified and then announced following the close of the fundraiser, and the camera will be shipped directly to the winner

Thank you for investing in the life of our boy!

Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black)

·         12.2 MP CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for high image quality and speed.

·         ISO 100 - 6400 for shooting from bright to dim light.

·         Improved EOS HD Movie mode with expanded recording and with in-camera video editing options.

·         High speed, reliable 9-point AF system utilizing a high precision, f/5.6 cross-type center point.

·         Enhanced metering with a 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system for accurate metering between exposures.

In The Scheme of Things *Announcement*

We've been pondering the brevity of our lives lately, a lot.

We've been seeking perspective.

And this is what we've come up with.

In the scheme of things, our lives on this Earth are very short.

In the very short time we have, what difference will we make?

The Bible says this world is not our home. (1 Pet 2:11)

But we still pass through.

In passing, what mark will we leave?

We bring nothing when we arrive, and we take nothing when we go.

There are temporal investments and eternal investments.

We've prayerfully decided to make a deposit.

An investment.

It will reap an amazing return.

The journey will be costly.
But in the scheme of things...
What is ~
*Time
*Paperwork
*Money
*Space

It will require faith.
But we serve a God who does the impossible.
We put our hope in Him.
His faithfulness never fails, even when we lack faith.
We are not saviors, rescuers or redeemers.
We are ordinary folks.  Parents.  Sinners saved by grace.  Believers.
We serve the Living God.
We want to live by His Word.
We are no better than anyone else.  We battle the flesh moment by moment daily.
We desire to be counter-cultural.  Not so we can stand out.  So He can be magnified.
Not every Christian can or should adopt.
And just because someone adopts doesn't make them a Christian.
But if we call ourselves Christians we ought not blend into the world.
We ought to live by a different standard.
Not a societal swaying with the wind.  But a rock solid Foundation.
God has placed a desire in our hearts that we can't ignore.
We are heartbroken for the plight of the orphan.
That desire and heartache mixed with faith as small as a mustard seed causes us to move.
May we run this race with endurance and for His glory!
Because in the scheme of things, it will be a short race to an eternal finish.

It is with pure joy that we introduce Baby K.....!!!
He will soon be orphaned no more!!!

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:18

Do Something

I've loved this Matthew West song ever since I first heard it!

It reminds me of me ~

*Asking a friend to pray, then realizing I didn't.

*Shaking my fist at God, asking Him to do something, then realizing I didn't.

*Expecting others to act a certain way, then realizing I didn't.

God created us for the purpose of glorifying Himself.

If we call ourselves believers, we ought to be busy doing something.

Not to earn our way to heaven (that was finished on the cross!)

But as a result of our changed hearts.

Kingdom work looks different for each of us.

There are crises that are so much bigger than we are.

Does that serve as an excuse to do nothing?

Just last night my youngest 18-year-old son asked me why people call themselves Christians ...but don't act like Christians.  

My response:  I am just as guilty!  We live in a world in which we want to fit in, filled with tempting promises of better things that we can truly grasp.  Loving this world requires only a means to get the things dangled before us.  Living as a true believer requires faith in the Living God, facing ridicule, making choices viewed as illogical, and loving haters. 

And then he asked me an even harder question:  What can we do about it?

That's more difficult, because we are not the judge.  But how about we stand firm on the Truth of God's Word and live by it.  You know, as if we truly believe it.  How about we turn from the idols of this world and cling to our Savior.  Let's extend grace when we've been hurt.  Let's extend a hand when we've been kicked down.  Let's fight for a real cause.  You know, a cause that involves human lives.  But let's fight with love.  And forgiveness.  The kind of love that God first extended to us.  And let's never forget where we came from and where we're going.  And in every little and big thing we do, let's do it for the Lord.

Father, move in our hearts and cause us to do something!

Verse 1:
I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
Thought, how'd we ever get so far down
How's it ever gonna turn around

So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, "God, why don't You do something?"
Well, I just couldn't bear the thought of
People living in poverty

Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, "God, why don't You do something?"

He said, "I did, I created you"

Chorus:
If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it's time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It's not enough to do nothing
It's time for us to do something

Verse 2:
I'm so tired of talking
About how we are God's hands and feet
But it's easier to say than to be
Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves
It's alright, "somebody else will do something"

Well, I don't know about you
But I'm sick and tired of life with no desire
I don't want a flame, I want a fire
I wanna be the one who stands up and says,
"I'm gonna do something"

Chorus:
If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it's time for us to do something (yes, it is)
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It's not enough to do nothing
It's time for us to do something

Bridge:
We are the salt of the earth
We are a city on a hill (shine shine, shine shine)
But we're never gonna change the world
By standing still
No we won't stand still (x3)

Chorus:
If not us, then who
If not me and you
Right now, it's time for us to do something
If not now, then when
Will we see an end
To all this pain
It's not enough to do nothing
It's time for us to do something

It's time for us to do something (x2)

Time Flies!

As much as I'd like, I can't slow the pace of life!

We currently live by a schedule of events.

I guess that happens when there are teens in the house.

But this teen of ours has grown up much too fast!

He hasn't even graduated, and I'm already thinking of how sad I will be when he moves to college.

He is the Krew member hardest to get pictures of because he's on the go!

He's a hard worker, a dedicated athlete, and a loyal friend.

Here are a few of the pictures my friend Lori captured of our second oldest, Kolton Tee:

*Pictures by That One Girl Lori Photography*

*You can be sure this mama will get more pictures in the coming months*

Cuke & Tomato Salad - Yummy!

Yup, this one's a keeper!

Cucumber & Tomato Salad
* 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
* 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
* 1/4 purple onion, thinly sliced (thinner than my   picture!)
* 1/4 tsp pepper
* Kosher salt to taste
* 2 tbsp. fresh dill (or dill weed)
* 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
* 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tsp Dijon mustard
* 1 tsp honey

In a large bowl combine cucumbers, tomatoes and onion.  Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over cucumber mix, tossing to coat.  Serve immediately.

The people loved this...except that I added too much onion.  Make it your own!