I Woke Up...

 Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 106:1

This morning I woke up to ...

*Dishes scattered (not stacked) along every square inch of counter space, because that's the way they were when we left the house yesterday morning for an all-day doctor's appointment, got home just in time for kids' after school snack and left again for church, only to return for all-around bath time and last-minute homework

*Three bathrooms screaming for cleaning

*One load of clean towels on the kitchen table (thank goodness, because the bathroom cabinets are empty)

*At least ten loads of dirty laundry

*Enough crunchies on the floor to make me grit my teeth

*A Bible study to complete

*An unfinished sewing project on the kitchen table (opposite end of the laundry)

*Stacks of paperwork in order of priority on my desk

*A transcript needing final proofreading

*Two phone calls to be returned

*One dental appointment to be made

*One prescription to be picked up

*One birthday to prepare for

Are you right there with me?  I feel better knowing I'm not alone :/

We are conquerors!  Because we woke up...and we got up!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

I used to go to bed with the dishes done and put away, and ditto for the laundry.

I guess that was before I had a preschooler at home, six kids to get on the bus, one to pray off to high school, one to pray off to college, one to pray for in job training, one to pray for in marriage, and one to pray home from China.

So, I got up and praised the Lord.  I ignored all the things I really longed to have done yesterday and went instead to my Bible study.  Because while tidying up the outside does bring some calm to the chaotic inside, cleansing the inside brings the strength to change the outside in due time.

It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives to his beloved sleep.  Psalm 127:2


Lord, help me to put the first things first, without grumbling and complaining.  Help me to keep You first, and give me strength to do what comes next.  May You alone be glorified.

And Today We Gave Thanks

We thank the Father for the redemptive work He has done and the transforming work He continues to do.

We celebrated with family.

We also celebrated life.

The miraculous life of Kasidi Joy.

Today she turned 3.

Her beginning makes us weep.
Her life makes us rejoice.
Thank you, FATHER!

So Thankful!

Happy Birthday, Kasidi Joy!

Last year we celebrated half a world apart and only had pictures of you. Not this year! We have the real deal!

How blessed we are!

Some assembly required.

No problem for Daddy!

Two, really?

For good luck? Big brother is such a good sport!

So many secrets to share...

Nah nah nah nah boo boo

Our non-traditional Thanksgiving celebration (having family here tomorrow!)

After clearing the table, I noticed the 12 cups, and it just made me smile.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving!

I hope you had a beautiful Thanksgiving! We were blessed to have lots

of family and friends around our table(s). The only down side to hosting ~ no pictures.

Well, I have 2 pictures. That's it.

One of a bunch of little kids rubbing their big brother's head - cuz it feels 'soth.' No-Shave November ends soon :)

And then there's this picture!!! Evidence that another Treasure will be around our table next Thanksgiving. Our CIS approval arrived! Next step ~ DTC!

I haven't mentioned that Kasidi Joy's first birthday was Monday. I was hoping for pictures with her birthday cake...but none so far. For certain, it's the last birthday she will spend without her family.

So much to be thankful for!

Thankful Thursday!

It is Thursday... right?

It's crazy here, but crazy is good...normal, even.

Today I'm especially thankful for~

Jesus, my Lord and Savior

My husband, who loves Jesus

My children, who bless me every day

Friends who love my children

Friends who traveled a long way to visit us last Sunday (and brought a delicious lunch!)

Friends we will visit in a few weeks

Friends who work with me, keeping the business going (Karisa and Martha, you rock!)

Friends who have our back all the time!

Our adoption agency

Church family

Family

Your amazing response to our candles (seriously blown away here!)

Our home study visit originally scheduled for the third week in September, moved to t.o.m.o.r.r.o.w.!!!

And so much more ...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psa 100:4

This Thanksgiving is very special for us. We celebrate nearly three weeks home with our two newest Treasures, progressive transition, family, faith, joy, grace...
The days aren't always easy in this time of transition. In fact, most are more challenging than we think we can manage. But we are so thankful to our loving Father for entrusting us with such purpose, for promising to never leave us, for proving His abundant provision, for granting us grace and renewed mercies each day. I pray we will celebrate a heart of thanksgiving not only tomorrow, but every day after.
ps. we're hoping to come home with a new family picture!

From our family to yours:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thankful Thursday

Thankful for Truth:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

Thankful for stretching, growing, weeding. I love the Brandon Heath song, Don't Get Comfortable, currently on my blog:

Comfortable, don't get comfortable.

I am gonna move this mountain,

then I'm gonna move you in.

Yesterday, this is not yesterday.

You were standing on my shoulders,

now you're standing on the edge ...

you are gonna live like you used to dream ...

Thankful that my little man is fully and completely, 100 percent potty trained. Way to go, Buddy!

Thankful Thursday

Thankful for:
Naps
Bed head

Candy (thanks, Abby!)

Big brothers and sister (who avoid the Mom with camera)