Our Journey of Faith

A Trip to the Ice Rink

2012-01-30T13:30:00.000-08:00

We have been involved in a

Parent Partnership Program

this year, which is an

Enrichment School

for Homeschool Students,

but is part of the local public school districts.

We go to school about 5 hours per week,

and our kids take science, cooking, music, etc...

Last week, we had an

"Activities Week",

as a break between semesters.

On Tuesday, the younger kids participated

in a 3 hour Cooking Class on

How to Make Authentic Tamales.

And, on Wednesday, about 50 students and parents

from our school went to the Ice Rink in The City.

Our younger 4 kids have never Ice Skated before,

and Ben & Hosanna have only done it once or twice.

The school paid for 1 parent from each family

to skate, as well. So, Papa decided to skate,

so that I could be the "Team Photographer".

Here are Papa & Ben, enjoying a visit

as they cruise the rink.

Hosanna & Sarah are getting the hang of it.

Josiah was a quick learner, and confident enough

in himself that he offered to help a friend's little boy.

Josiah & Elijah are both wonderful helpers with little ones.

Here are Josiah & Sarah, coming around the rink again.

Josiah & Little Daniel. Aren't they CUTE?

Rachel had a very difficult time learning to skate,

so Hosanna (on the right) and some friends

are helping her, here.

Elijah is quite the little Natural Athlete,

so he was speeding around the rink within minutes.

They all had a GREAT time at the Ice Rink,

and are hoping to go again soon.

A Busy Birthday Week

2012-01-27T13:17:00.000-08:00

Yes ... we have had a BUSY Birthday Week

at the Big D. House.

We actually have 5 birthdays in 6 days

in our immediate family.

Jeremiah ... turned 25 on the 20th.

Sadly, we haven't seen him in nearly a year.

But, several of us were able to chat with him

on his birthday, and wish him a Happy Day!

(Jeremiah is an officer in the Navy, currently

in Flight School in Pensacola, FL.)

Elijah ... turned 10 on the 23rd.

Gregg & Kayla had the day off on Sunday,

so they came up and surprised him with

an early birthday party.

Papa, Mama, Gregg, Kayla, Josiah, & Elijah

went bowling, and then out to dinner at Red Robin.

Then, we came home to cake & ice cream with

Ben, Hosanna, Sarah, & Rachel.

Mama ... turned 50 on the 24th.

Oh My!

I spent the morning at our "enrichment school",

where the younger kids had a 3 hour

class on making Authentic Tamales.

I took Hosanna to get a haircut in the afternoon.

Then, Papa gave me flowers and took me out to dinner

in Canada. I had the BEST steak dinner I've ever had.

Cassie texted me first thing in the morning.

Lindsey SURPRISED me with a phone call from Liberia. Wow!

Carissa phoned from Minnesota.

And, Jeremiah phoned from Florida.

Sarah & Rachel made me some CUTE birthday cards.

Grandpa spent $12 on Express Mail to get

my birthday card to me on time. So sweet!

Carissa & Lindsey ... turned 23 on the 25th.

(which actually makes 4 birthdays in 3 days)

Carissa returned from Argentina last spring,

after 3 years there with YWAM,

and is currently living in Minnesota.

Lindsey is ministering in Liberia, West Africa

for 7 weeks with YWAM.

The day after my birthday, Elijah asked,

"Mom, do you feel 50?"

"No. Do you feel 10?"

"No."

I guess we are both wanting to stay young.

On Wednesday, we got to go Ice Skating

with our Homeschool Enrichment Program.

The kids had MUCH fun!

(pics coming soon)

On Thursday, I went with Ben to an

appt. with his ear surgeon.

(time to schedule surgery)

Today, we are babysitting 3 kids (ages 3, 5, 7)

while our friends move. Papa took the kids

to the beach, while I got ready to go on

a little overnight trip.

Yes. Mama is going to an Adoption Conference

in the Seattle Area. I just found out about it

this week, and the registration was just $35.

Hoping & Praying for some information

that will bring a breakthrough in our

parenting of Rachel.

Also ... this week ... found out about a new

therapist (in our little farming town) that specializes

in Attachment Issues. We will be attending

a free workshop with her on Feb. 7th,

and are truly hoping that she is an

Answer To Our Prayers.

(more details coming soon)

Well ... time to head towards Seattle,

hoping to arrive before the traffic gets crazy.

Looking forward to 24 hours with

other adoptive parents who are

walking a similar journey.

And, looking forward to seeing my friend, Lisa,

who will be presenting a workshop or two.

Hoping you all had a GREAT week,

and that you will have a BLESSED weekend!

Those Were The Days ... A Very Pregnant Mama

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

January 25, 1989

Mama was ready to go to the hospital.

Yes.

Those are bright red maternity stretch pants.

This outfit was put on purely for the sake of

getting a better picture. Mama did NOT

leave her house looking like this. (smile)

In just 9 months ...

Mama went from a 24" waist to a 48" waist.

While the doctors had been very concerned about a

premature birth, coming so soon after 3 other births,

"the twins" had no intention of joining the world

any earlier than they had to.

At 40 weeks, Mama finally made an appointment

to be induced (the 2nd of 5 inductions).

Papa & Mama wanted to be surprised,

so they hadn't allowed the doctors to tell them

whether Baby A and Baby B were boys or girls.

So, they had 3 sets of names picked out ...

2 girls

2 boys

1 girl & 1 boy

After a very short labor, and no pushing, Baby A

popped right out. Carissa weighed in at 7 lb. 2 oz.

Then, after unsuccessfully trying to turn Baby B around,

the doctors pulled her out by her feet.

Lindsey weighed in at 8 lb. 3 oz.

Notice the pretty nightgown?

Mama still has it. And, it's still pretty.

But, Papa bought Mama 2 sets of pjs for Christmas and said,

"It is time to throw away the old ones."

So sad.

Yes.

Mama was carrying 15 lb. 5 oz. of baby.

While we were excited to welcome the girls to our

family, we were a bit apprehensive of how, exactly,

we were going to survive ...

Daily Life with 5 kids under 5 years old.

(Gregg was 4, Cassie was 3, and Jeremiah turned 2

just 5 days before the girls were born.)

But ...

the Lord had a plan.

We not only survived,

but we truly LOVED

the years where our house

was FULL of the Little Ones.

Those were the days ...

Happy 23rd Birthday

Carissa & Lindsey!

Accidents Happen ...

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

... More Often with Children with R.A.D.

This is the doorway from our kitchen to our hallway.

That is a smoke alarm above the doorway.

Little Miss was in the kitchen with 3 brothers when she said,

"I bet I can jump up and touch the fire extinguisher."

(Not quite a fire extinguisher, but they knew what she meant.)

Little Miss didn't think things through.

Little Miss didn't have the ability to jump so high.

Little Miss didn't process what could happen

if she didn't jump straight up ... nor where she could land.

Little Miss backed up into the dining room

to get a running start.

Little Miss' knees hit the wall here.

Little Miss' face hit the wall straight on.

She didn't even think to put her arms out.

Probably good, though, because her hands

might have made 2 holes, as well.

Little Miss has made no apology.

Little Miss has shown no remorse.

Papa & Mama are so sad for Little Miss ...

... sad that she doesn't know how to think things through.

... sad that she can't understand cause & effect.

... sad that she refuses to say, "I'm sorry."

... sad that she doesn't understand why we can't allow

her to do everything her brothers do, because it is

Just. Not. Safe.

In 27 years of parenting ...

with 11 other children ...

1 big brother (home from Iraq)

punched a hole in the wall once ...

1 younger brother kicked a hole

in a closet door once ...

Oh yes ...

I just remembered ...

many years ago 1 sister pushed another sister

into a wall, which resulted in a hole.

But ...

that's it ...

with a dozen children ...

we just don't "do" holes in the wall.

So sad.

So hard.

Oh ...

in case you are wondering ...

it's not "just the wall" that makes me sad ...

it's the whole lack of cause & effect understanding ...

it's the lack or remorse ...

it's the whole big picture with Little Miss.

And ...

just in case you're wondering ...

it's not just holes in the walls that our R.A.D.

children have brought ...

oh. my. no.

In 27 years of parenting ...

with 11 other children ...

I think 1 big brother got a concussion once,

while playing high school football.

Then, there is Little Miss.

She has had 3 concussions in 4 years.

Oh.

Yes.

Then there were the broken windows.

In 27 years of parenting ...

with 11 other children ...

we've only had 1 broken window.

Then ...

after we brought the children home from Ghana ...

we had 2 broken windows in 2 years ...

and the rearview mirror ripped off of a car the 3rd year.

Yes.

It is the

WHOLE BIG UGLY PICTURE

that makes me sad.

And ...

most of all ...

sad for my precious daughter who

just. plain. doesn't. know. how.

to THINK much of the time.

Just a Few Short Video Clips

2012-01-22T14:00:00.000-08:00

When my camera battery died while the kids were sledding, I pulled out my iPhone and remembered that I have a video camera on it. (Yea ... I've hardly ever used it. I mainly just use my phone as a phone, or to hop on the internet.) So, I enjoyed taking these very short video clips.

Pictures + Scissors + Tape = Scrapbookin' Fun

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

We've been having so much fun in the snow this week,

that I nearly forgot to tell you about my

Scrapbooking Weekend.

Last week, on Thursday, I got a phone call

from a friend, letting me know that there

had been a couple of cancellations for her

Scrapbooking Weekend Retreat, and asking if

I could come to Oregon for the weekend.

Oh. My. Yes.

I spent Thursday evening organizing and packing

all of my supplies, and then headed out on Friday

morning ... arriving 7 hours later at the

Christian Renewal Center.

There were 21 ladies at the retreat,

mostly from the Portland area.

After a delicious dinner ... I got to work.

Here are a few of the pages I completed ...

We continued to work on pages all day on Saturday.

After brunch on Sunday, the winner of the

"Most Pages Award" was announced ...

and I won, with 32 pages completed.

(Which surprised me, considering that many of the

women arrived 4 or 5 hours before me on Friday.)

By 1:00 on Sunday, most of the women were packing

up and heading home. However ... I got to stay an extra day.

Woo Hoo!

More pages.

More chat time.

My dear friend, Julie, is the wife of the director of C.R.C.

We've been friends for 20+ years.

So, when everyone else headed home on Sunday,

Julie and I decided to hide out in the lodge for

another day of precious "Friend Time".

And ...

I completed a total of 63 Pages for the weekend.

Wow!

That is definitely a record for me.

I finished a FULL 12x12 album.

I scrapbooked a FULL year of our lives.

And ... I enjoyed some much needed fellowship.

Here is the lodge I stayed in for the weekend ...

... and the snowy camp road on the way down the hill

... and the beautiful snowy country road leaving camp.

I drove on snowy roads for the first 30 minutes after

leaving camp. Then, I drove through intermittent snow

flurries throughout the day; but the roads stayed clear.

Until ... I got 30 minutes from home and discovered

a full blown winter storm had been brewing for

a couple of days. I was so thankful for the clear roads

on the long drive home. By the next day, over 250 miles

of those same roads were covered in snow. Whew!

After arriving home, I was so excited to finish the

last piece of organizing our new School Room:

My Scrapbooking Counter

I am hoping to get a lot more scrapbooking done this year,

now that I have a designated area to keep my things

organized and ready.

Bring on the Pictures!

I am READY to conquer a few more scrapbooks!

Good-Bye Snow ... Hello Rain

2012-01-20T13:52:00.000-08:00

After 5 days of sub-10 degree weather,

(very unusual for the Pacific NW)

the temperature is rising,

and the rain drops have started falling.

So sad.

But ... knowing that warm weather was on the way,

and knowing that the snow was soon to be gone,

we headed out to the sledding hill right after breakfast.

Oh yea!

We were the only ones at the school today,

compared to the 100 or so sledders on Tuesday.

Josiah, Papa, Sarah, & Ben ... ready for some FUN.

Elijah ... getting pretty good on his snowboard.

Sarah ... laughing all the way.

Sarah, Ben, & Elijah ... make a train.

Josiah ... enjoying his "board", as well.

Sarah, Elijah, & Ben ... oh how they love their "trains".

"Go, Papa, Go!" ... having just as much fun as the kids.

Mama enjoyed taking pics from the bottom of the hill today.

On Tuesday, she stayed at the top of the hill,

so as not to get run over by the other 100 sledders.

Then ... Mama's camera battery died.

Oh no!

What to do?

Oh yes!

Mama iPhone.

Out came the video camera,

for a whole new kind of fun.

So sad to say, "Good-bye" to the snow.

It's been a good week of stay-at-home quiet.

No school.

(homeschool enrichment classes)

No jobs.

(I know ... we haven't had those for a few months)

No play practice.

No piano lessons.

No afternoon workout sessions.

Lots of ...

... movies & games

... mochas & lattes

... hot chocolate & whipped cream

... smiles & laughter

... naps & more naps

Thanking Jesus for a Fun Family Week!

Those Were The Days ... 2 Mamas w/ 14 Kids Under 10

2012-01-18T23:00:00.000-08:00

This is the blog post that got this whole New Theme going. Bloggy Friend, Carissa, shared about a coffee date with a couple of friends. These 3 friends have 7 kids under 5 years old. What a blessing to have friends walking the same Young Mama Journey!

And ...

it reminded me ...

of my friend Tina ...

back in 1990.

We met "The Other Big D. Family" in October 1990.

Our kids were 6, 5, 3, 1, 1, 1 month.

Their kids were 6, 5, 3, 1, and due in 3 months.

Our #1 kids were 4 months apart.

Our #2 kids were 4 months apart.

Our #3 kids were 5 days apart.

(After not being in touch for many years,

these 2 ended up at Liberty University

in Virginia at the same time. Crazy!)

Our #4 & 5 and their #4 were 4 months apart.

Our #6 and their #5 were 4 months apart.

Our nickname for Lindsey was "Loo-Loo".

Their nickname for Lacey was "Loo-Loo".

(Our Loo-Loos were 4 months apart in age.)

We were close friends for quite a few years.

We homeschooled together.

We played together.

We went camping together.

We went to Bible Study together.

We lived on farms just a few miles apart.

Our kids went to Awana together.

Back Row: Chris (6), Cassie (6), Gregg (7), Destiny (7)

Front Row: Jeremiah (5), Bethany (5)

A couple of years later, we had Baby #7.

4 months later, they had Babies #6 & 7.

Which gave us

14 children under 10 yrs. old.

(We even went camping together

with all 14 kids under 10.)

But ...

one of my favorite memories ...

of our many fun times together ...

was when we Young Mamas decided to take

our 11 children under 8

on a day trip to Mt. Rainier

(w/ an hour and a half drive each way).

We all piled into my 15 passenger van,

and headed up to the mountain.

The only problem arose

when we had to pay the entrance fee.

The ranger simply Would. Not. Believe. us

when we told him that all of the children were ours.

He wanted us to pay a Commercial Daycare Rate.

Seriously.

To complicate matters a bit ...

I was just 29, with my 6 kids under 8 ...

and Tina was just 25 with her 5 kids under 8 ...

and we both looked a whole lot younger ...

than we actually were.

So, I guess it was understandable.

The ranger finally just shook his head and

let us pay the family rate; but I'm sure he

always thought we were lying.

We had a GREAT day at the mountain.

We took a short hike

(with each Mama wearing

a baby in a backpack,

and Tina pushing her

2 yr. old in a stroller).

Big D. Kids: Gregg (7) Cassie (6) Jeremiah (4)

Carissa (2) Lindsey (2) Josh (1)

Other Big D. Kids: Destiny (7) Chris (6) Bethany (4)

Lacey (2) Annie (8 mo.)

No one got lost.

No one got hurt.

And, we had many a laugh about

the ranger that never believed us.

Those were the days .....

Lots of Sledding Fun!

2012-01-18T16:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we took a 3/4 mile walk

to the sledding hills at the local Middle school.

Elijah really enjoyed his little "Snowboard".

(These are much better hills for learning on, than

the long and steep sledding hills at Mt. Baker.)

Papa tried to scare Elijah near the bottom of the hill.

Crash!

Josiah also enjoyed his new Snowboard.

(Both boys had saved up money from working for Ben,

and were excited that they could buy "boards" this winter.)

Sarah loves the Saucer Sleds.

Papa enjoys the Saucer Sleds, as well.

Papa and Josiah each had their own sled,

but went down together as a "train".

This time, all 3 "boys" linked up and made a "train".

Much FUN was had by all.

Thanking Jesus for a "Fun Family Snow Day".

Papa Has An Interview Today

2012-01-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

When I had a great job interview last week, but didn't get the position, I was confident that the Lord had something better for us.

Papa has a phone interview this afternoon at 4:45 ... for a full-time ministry position.

Please pray ...

... for the Lord's will and direction.

... for peace for Papa as he interviews.

... for favor with the interview team.

This is kind of an "Initial Discussion" type of interview, I think, to see if they want to even begin the formal interview process with Jim.

* * * Don't Miss My Winter Wonderland Post, Below ***

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2012-01-17T20:50:00.000-08:00

Yes.

Winter finally arrived up here in the Pacific NW.

While we've had some nice Play Days at the Mtn.,

the lowlands have stayed mighty dry this winter.

So, we are LOVING the winter storm

that blew in this week.

This BEAUTIFUL tree is right across

the street from our house.

LOVE this view, especially in the snow!

This afternoon, we decided to take a Family Walk

to the sledding hills at the local Middle School.

It is "just" 3/4 mile down the road.

But ...

by the time we finished sledding ...

it was 18 degrees out ...

a NorthEastern wind was beginning to blow ...

and big, fluffy snow flakes were coming down quickly.

It was MIGHTY COLD, but we were having FUN!

Papa, Rachel, Hosanna, Sarah, Josiah, & Elijah

Papa was helping Rachel pull the wagon home,

with all of the sleds and snow boards.

Tonight ...

it is already 9 degrees out ...

and another storm is headed this way.

Woo Hoo!!!

We LOVE the SNOW!!!

Ben's Epic Crash on the Mountain

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Qualifications for the Ideal Candidate

2012-01-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

I thought you all might enjoy reading the Cover Letter that I sent (along with my resume) when I applied for the Real Estate Assistant Job.

As I told you, the job posting on Craigslist made it clear that this would be a FUN company to work for. I knew that if I got "funny" in my letter, that it would "make it or break it". However, I really felt like my cover letter needed to say some things that just couldn't be found in my resume (a resume which included receptionist jobs 30 years ago ... because obviously I've been a stay-at-home mom for much of the past 27 years). Here's what I wrote ...

(This is not what you would expect for a professional cover letter; but I really had peace about sending it. This is not the type of cover letter I would send to most companies; but again, really believed it would be well received.)

Dear Director of Personnel,

I am very interested in the Position of Real Estate Assistant. I have attached my resume and both of the Creative Challenges, as directed.

There are a few things that set this position apart from other administrative positions that are currently open in the county. First of all, I can tell by your posting that you are a professional company, yet fun. You know how to get things done, but you also know how to laugh. This is the type of work environment that I am looking for. Secondly, I really like the 50/50 aspect of this position. I enjoy office work; I'm a stickler for details. Yet, I also enjoy being out and about in the community.

I also like the variety of tasks required for this position. I am just as comfortable behind the lens of a camera, or designing a flyer, as I am using my thesaurus to write the perfect real estate description.

While my resume covers my professional experiences of the past 30 years, it can't begin to tell the story of my hands-on, life experiences. As I looked at your list of qualifications for "The Ideal Candidate", I laughed. It is my position as "The Homeschooling Mother of a Dozen Children" that has refined so many of the character qualities you are looking for.

(The next section was all in paragraph format, so that it would fit on 1 page, but I thought I would separate it for your reading enjoyment.)

Self-Motivation: It takes a lot of self-motivation just to get out of bed some days, to face the challenging crowd at the breakfast table.

Team Player: Our family is all about teamwork.

Problem Solver: Oh my. My days are filled with problem solving.

Creative: I've learned a lot about creativity by planning homeschooling lessons for the past 21 years.

Incredibly Organized: My life is run by my calendar and to-do lists. Have you ever attended 10 of your children's baseball games, at 7 different fields, in 1 day? I have.

Sociable: I love people. I am surrounded by people 24/7.

Excellent Communication Skills: I have had a speaking and writing ministry for 25 years, writing for 2 magazines for 8 and 10 years.

Professional Appearance: Due to the fact that I don't want to look like "the old woman in the shoe", I am not a sweats and tennis shoe mom.

Detail-Oriented: You can't imagine the details it takes to run a household of 14 people.

Multi-Tasker: My middle name.

Time-Management: As I said earlier, I live by my calendar and to-do lists.

Walks On Water: Not yet, but I'm working on it.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Laurel

(Yes. They actually had listed "Walks on Water" as one of the "Qualifications of the Ideal Candidate" ... which showed me they definitely had a sense of humor.)

Now, while I told you that it ended up that I knew 2 of the 3 realtors that were hiring the assistant, it was the one that I did not know that was screening all of the applications. She got 25 applications ... passed 12 along to the other realtors ... and gave her recommendation of the 6 that she would like to interview. And ... I was in her Top 6, even though she had no idea that I knew the other 2 realtors. That meant a lot to me, to know that I wasn't just interviewed because I happened to know the realtors.

What did you think?

Would you ever be daring enough to send such a Cover Letter?

Have you ever considered how your career experience as a mother might transfer over to a professional position?

By the way ... all 3 realtors told me they LOVED my cover letter.

A Simple Prayer

2012-01-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Elijah's bedtime prayer a few nights ago ...

"Thank you, Jesus, for Mom. Thank you that she married Dad. Thank you that they had 12 children ... because if they hadn't, then I wouldn't be here."

Each and every one of our children is PRECIOUS. I cannot imagine if we had stopped at "only" 9 kids and not had Elijah (being our 10th bio. ... but now younger than our 2 adopted). He brings such JOY, and LOVE, and COMPASSION to our home. I simply cannot imagine life without him (or any of the other children).

Heading Out ...

2012-01-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

I'm off to a Scrapbooking Weekend with friends.

Yippee!

My blog won't be quiet, though,

as I've got posts lined up for every day.

Hope you all have a BLESSED weekend!

* * Don't Miss My Post Below, about the Block Family * *

No Room In The Inn

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

No.

This is not an Old Christmas Story.

Do any of you follow Amy Block's Blog?

I found her blog 4 years ago,

and we quickly became more than Blogging Buddies.

We moved on to become email friends,

prayer partners, and then Real Life Friends.

(We visited their family in Texas

on 2 separate Road Trips.)

The Blocks moved

(with 7 of their 9 children)

to Guatemala last August,

to work in an orphanage.

A few weeks ago,

the orphanage welcomed 5 siblings.

Here is a little snapshot of their story:

(found in THIS blog post from Amy)

They were found eating dirt, doing everything they could to survive.

The oldest little girl is nine, and it is obvious she has been

the only mother figure in their lives. Today they were given a bath,

a head treatment, a haircut, a couple of outfits, shoes

and a whole lot of love. And as the days and weeks go on,

they will be given a whole lot of Jesus.

I wish I could think of some way to explain to you the look I saw

in their eyes. The look of fear- and then the look of hope.

I wish there was some way you could walk in their shoes

for just one day so that you could fully understand.

Because, my fear is, this is just another post. Just another story...

and for some reason when it isn't ours story-

we tend to not care as much.

The truth is, after the placement of these five in our children's home-

we are full. We have three bedrooms and 32 children.

Simply put, there is no room for more.

So the next call, and the next call after that and the next call after that-

will have to be turned away. Children who are just as important

as these, children who are just as important as you and I.

Truly.

There is ... No Room in the Inn.

No room for more children to sleep.

Where will the next abandoned children go?

Where will they sleep?

What will they eat?

Will they ever experience the love of Jesus?

While I believe I've never presented other's

financial needs on my blog before,

I hope you will consider giving

to this very needy situation.

Someone has generously given $10,000 towards

Matching Funds. Therefore, if you give $25, it

will actually be $50 for the orphanage. If you give

$50, the orphanage will receive $100.

I hope you will join me in supporting the Block Family

and their ministry in Guatemala.

What can you give today?

What can you give up this week?

A stop at the coffee shop?

A fast food lunch with the kids?

A dinner out with your husband?

I hope you can help. Here is the link to make your donation:

http://www.eaglesnestint.org/Donate-to-the-Eagles-Nest_f08529.html

The Great Race

2012-01-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

Papa reminds the boys of the Rules of Racing.

Elijah (in red) and Josiah (in blue) ... ready to race.

Elijah is ahead ... 1/2 way down the hill.

Elijah hit a bump, and flipped off of the saucer.

Josiah ran right over Elijah.

The boys pull themselves off of each other.

Right back up the mountain they headed,

to give it another shot.

God said, "No."

2012-01-11T20:45:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for all of your prayers this week ... for my interview on Monday morning, and during the last 2 days of waiting to hear.

It was a great process. It would have been a great job. But, it also would have been a BIG commitment, with major life changes for the family. So, while I was excited about the possibility, I was definitely praying for the Lord's will. I have absolutely no desire to go to work full-time unless that is CLEARLY what the Lord is calling me to do. Now, since the answer for this job was "No.", than we KNOW and TRUST that the LORD has an even better plan. Can't wait to see what it is!

Now, I'll tell you a little about the fun process that it was ...

I found the job on Craigslist ... it was for the position of Real Estate Assistant. The posting made it clear that it would be a FUN company to work for. And, while it was a 40 hour per week position, there was a lot of flexibility in days/hours worked (which would have been wonderful). The position would have been about 50% of time spent in the office and 50% of time out in the community (taking pics of houses, servicing clients, writing marketing descriptions, etc...). Everything about the position was right up my alley.

The interesting thing was that the posting did not say which real estate company was hiring. The cover letter, resume, and "creative challenge" (writing a marketing description) had to be sent to an anonymous email. I know a few realtors in our county, but had no idea which company I was applying for.

When I sent in my application packet, I received an email back from the "marketing director" that said that my documents were unable to be opened. I had to do a bit of troubleshooting, and discovered that Jim's laptop had a newer version of "Word" for Mac. So, I transferred my docs to his computer, cut and paste them onto new document files, and sent them off again. Through this communication with the marketing director, I was able to research her email address and find out which company she worked for. And ... I did know a realtor that worked in that office. However, I still had no idea which of the many realtors in that specific office was actually hiring an assistant.

You guessed it. When I got invited to interview, I found out that I did know 2 of the 3 realtors who I would have been working for. So, the interview process was fun and non-stressful. After the interview (with the 3 team members), the lead realtor walked me out, gave me a hug, and told me that she would love to hire me but that it obviously would be a team decision.

I came home and prayed and prayed some more. I knew that if the Lord wanted me to have this job, that I would be hired. However, I really didn't know if I was supposed to commit to working 40 hours per week for the next 3-5 years or more. (That was the commitment they were looking for.) I had absolute peace that the Lord would show me clearly whether or not I was to do this.

So, when the email came today telling me that they had hired someone else ... I had complete peace. Even though I was very excited about the job potential ... and we could really use an income some time soon ... I was not disappointed at all. I knew that this was not the Lord's plan for me right now.

The realtor did tell me that I was #2 of 6 interviewees and 25 applicants ... which made me feel very good. However, the woman that they hired had 8 years of experience in real estate. Clearly, they needed to hire the woman with experience in the business. No hard feelings there.

So ...

back to the drawing board ...

back to craigslist ...

back on my knees.

While our local school district is not hiring any substitute teachers, Jim is in the process of trying to get on the sub lists of 4 other districts in the county. We will pray for subbing jobs, even though full-time subbing doesn't even come close to paying our monthly bills. Jim also applied today for an evening office cleaning position.

God will continue to provide.

God will continue to guide our steps
through this unemployment journey.

In March, Jim might be able to work
the temporary job at the refinery again;

and in the spring and summer
we will pray for painting jobs.

Thank you, again,
for your continued prayers.

We are TRUSTING GOD
to give us WISDOM
to know HIS WILL
in these uncertain times.

It's A Small World

2012-01-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

Has a stranger ever come up to you and said, "Hi. I recognize you from your blog?"

It's happened to me a couple of times ...

In May of 2009, I was waiting outside the embassy in Ghana when an American woman walked out ... did a double take ... and said, "I know you." Not only did she recognize me from my blog, but she only lives about 4 hours from me. Crazy!

In the spring of 2010, I was at one of Hosanna's middle school track meets (an hour and a half from home) when a woman walked up and introduced herself. She recognized my African Beauties from my blog.

In the summer of 2010, I was with my kids at one of their summer track meets (30 minutes from home) when a woman walked up and introduced herself. She, too, recognized my African Beauties from my blog.

Just a few days ago, I got a blog comment from someone. She hadn't seen me out in public, but she had seen one of my kids. Here is her fun story ...

Hey there! I have been a reader for about year now and love reading your posts. I recently had family in town who were from England and looking for a specific type of shoe and after ordering them online found out they were the wrong size. With them leaving the country 2 days from then we had to go to the mall to find them. The man at the store was happy to help and was amazingly nice and went above and beyond. This man was no other than your son Greg! I recognized him from your blog, but didn't say anything incase he was unaware that he was mentioned on here. Just wanted to stop by and say you have a wonderful son! :)

Isn't that a great story? Thanks, E., for letting me know that you ran into my sweet son. Love it! (Yes. He knows I write about him, and he enjoys reading my blog.)

On the flip side ...

Have you ever seen someone that you recognize from their blog?

That happened to me last spring.

One day, I was at one of my kid's baseball practices. I noticed a couple of women out for a walk, specifically noticing how cute one of the ladies was dressed (not really wearing "walking" shoes).

That night, I was on a friend's blog when I noticed a comment from someone I'd never heard of. For some reason, her comment interested me, so I popped over to her blog. There she was, with a picture of the outfit that she was wearing while walking at the ballfields. (If she hadn't shown the picture of her outfit, I would not have recognized her. I hadn't even noticed that she was a cute redhead, just that she had a skirt on with cute boots.) Now ... she has become a special friend.

Thank you, Jesus, for the crazy way you bring people into our lives!

The Challenge of Photography at the Mountain

2012-01-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

As you know ... our family loves to go on Adventures.

And, as you know ... Mama loves to take pictures of the family.

Sledding Adventures happen to be the most difficult

to photograph, and the most "not fun" for Mama.

In order to get good pictures of the family sledding,

Mama can't be with the family ... having fun.

No.

Mama must be at the bottom of the hill ...

or a distance away ... with her telephoto lens.

These are all taken from quite aways away.

Mama tried to walk closer,

but was literally sinking in hip-high snow.

Here is a more long-distance look

at the hill they were sledding on.

There is a snow-covered lake at the bottom,

surrounded by hills on 3 sides.

When Mama was trying to get closer, for better pictures,

and sank hip-high in the snow,

her foot actually went through the top layer of ice

and got wet in the lake.

Yes.

It was a tad bit concerning,

especially since the family was at the top of the hill

and didn't know that Mama had fallen down

and was a bit stuck.

Mama sure likes having a telephoto lens.

Mama took pictures for a couple of hours,

and then put her camera away after lunch,

so that she could join the family at the top of the hill.

Pictures of sledding taken from the top of the hill,

just aren't from the best angle.

And ... Mama doesn't want to ~~slip~~ ~~slide~~ ~~fall~~

tumble ungraciously down the hill

while trying to get the best pictures.

(Just walking through hip-high snow was scary enough,

as Mama didn't want to break her leg

2 days before her job interview.)

Even though Mama is sad that she isn't always

up on the hill laughing and joking with the family,

she does love taking pictures to preserve our memories.

Mama does enjoy it, and knows the pics are worth it.

Mama Has A Job Interview Today

2012-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder to pray for me this morning ... as I have a Job Interview at 11:30.

* * * Don't miss "Snow Much Fun" in the post below. * * *

SNOW Much FUN!

2012-01-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

Papa and I took the kids to Mt. Baker on Saturday.

It was FUN, FUN, FUN!

Papa ... loving his new Christmas Coat.

Papa loves to inner-tube with the kids.

He'll even hop onto one of the little saucer sleds.

Ben ... ready for some serious 'tubing.

Oops!

More crash pics to come later.

Ben's friend, Alex, joined us for the day.

(Alex happens to be the younger sister of

Josh's wife, Hannah. So, she's family, too.)

Sarah ... always pondering.

Sarah accidently let the inner-tube head down the hill by itself,

so down the hill she headed to retrieve it ...

sliding on her "bumper" (our new family word for behind).

Josiah ... ready to give his new "snowboard" a try.

Practicing his balance at the top of the hill.

Josiah let the inner-tube head downhill by itself ...

so he thought he'd try the face-first approach to go retrieve it.

Elijah ... focusing very hard on learning how to balance

on his new "snowboard". The tongue action

is part of his focusing routine.

Elijah was often found creating his own trail ...

off in the deep powder snow.

Everyone was a bit envious of Elijah's "mask",

as it was snowing and the cold wind

was whipping our faces for part of the day.

Please Pray ...

2012-01-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

... for Little Miss today.

The last 2 days have been over-the-top challenging again.

We are going on a Family Adventure today, and decided it just isn't safe to take an angry little girl to the mountain to play in the snow. (She got angry last summer when we were at the mountain, and she ran off and hid from us. That would not be a good thing in freezing weather.)

She will be spending the day with friends who understand the challenges of R.A.D. They are giving Jim and I a day of respite ... a day to PLAY with our other children ... a day to let down our guard for a few hours.

Thanks, Friend! You are appreciated!

* * * * * don't miss my last 2 posts on * * * * *

"Those Were The Days ... "

Those Were The Days ... Family Christmas Pictures

2012-01-06T23:45:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

If you haven't read my last post,

you'll want to scroll down and read it first.

* * * * * * * * * *

For the Holiday Season this year, I pulled out a few of our old Family Christmas Pictures and displayed them on the refrigerator. (I think I've found a new tradition.)

Awhile back, Sweet Friend Bridget mentioned that she would love to see pictures and hear stories from my years of being a young mama with a house full of young ones.

So ... here's to Bridget ... here's to New Christmas Traditions ... and here's to my new theme of "Those Were The Days" ...

Sorry about the quality of the pictures. Back in the Good Old Days, we didn't have such things as home computers or digital cameras. (smile)

October 1991

Gregg (7), Cassie (6), Jeremiah (4 1/2),

Carissa (2 1/2), Lindsey (2 1/2), Joshua (1)

(Mama was 29 ... with this house full of young ones.)

Thanksgiving 1993

Papa (33) and Mama (31)

Gregg (9), Cassie (8), Jeremiah (6 1/2), Carissa (4 1/2)

Lindsey (4 1/2), Joshua (3), Benjamin (5 months)

July 1994

At Great-Grampa's Cabin in Canada,

w/ Great-Grampa's Hat Collection

Gregg (10), Cassie (8), Jeremiah (7), Carissa (5),

Lindsey (5), Joshua (3), Benjamin (1)

September 2002

Gregg (18 - not pictured), Cassie (17), Jeremiah (15),

Carissa (13), Lindsey (13), Josh (12), Ben (9),

Hosanna (6), Josiah (2), Elijah (9 months)

I hope you enjoyed these first pics for my new theme ...

"Those Were The Days".

Those Were The Days ...

2012-01-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

While many blogs are focused on one specific area of life: adoption, marriage, spiritual growth, homeschooling, cooking, crafts ... and many blogs cater to one or two specific categories of readers: adoptive moms, young moms, homeschooling moms, crafters, photographers ... I have always hoped and prayed that my blog would be more than "an adoption blog", "a mom's blog", "a homeschooling blog", "a spiritual growth blog" ... and I think I've been pretty successful at attracting a wide variety of readers.

While I read many adoption blogs (and so appreciate the encouragement and support found there), and occasionally pop over to homeschooling, cooking, decorating, and crafting blogs (for fun and creative ideas), the other category of blogs that I absolutely LOVE to read are the blogs of "young mamas". I love to laugh with them, cry with them, and give them any encouragement that I can possibly give. (And I so wish that there had been such a thing as a Bloggy Friends when I was a young mama ... along with Skype, cell phones, computers, video cameras. Yea ... we didn't even have home computers "back in the day".)

Today, I would first of all like to share with you a few links to a few of these fun young mamas ...

Shilo (friend of 10 years), at My Cup Runneth All Over, homeschooling mama to 3 bio. and 1 foster (hoping to soon be adopted).

Dawn (real life friend in FL), at Are These Kids All Yours, homeschooling mama to 8 adopted kiddos (hoping to adopt another precious one soon).

Dianne (blog friend met once), at Tuininga Family Adventures, homeschooling mama to 6 bio. and 2 adopted (moving soon to missionary life in Uganda).

Carissa (blog friend), at lower case letters, mama to 2 little sweeties (so far).

Kate (blog friend), at Savvy Little Women, and One Little Man, mama to 6 little cuties in 7 years (incl. 2 sets of twins).

Ashley (blog friend), at The Vanilla Tulip, mama to 3 little sweeties (so far).

Heather (blog friend), at It's Twinsanity, homeschooling mama to 6 in 6 years (incl. 2 sets of twins).

Jessica (blog friend), at The Making of Mom, homeschooling mama to 6 under 7 (w/ 1 set of twins and 1 on the way).

Bridget (real life friend in CA), at Don't Blink, They Grow Up Too Fast, homeschooling mama to 6.

Sorry if I missed you, but it's hard to keep track of all of the fun, young mamas who's blogs I read.

Anyway ... you are probably asking ... what exactly does this have to do with the, "Those Were The Days" title?

Often, when reading these fun blogs I am reminded of the days ... long, long ago ... when I was a young mama with a house full of little ones. And, in those moments of reminiscing, I think of long ago stories (and pics) that I want to share with you all. So, I thought I would start a little theme that I will share with you occasionally ... of taking a look back 20 years or so ago, at the Big D. Family when it wasn't quite so big.

Not only will this give you all a chance to laugh ~~with~~ at me at the memories, but I hope it will also be an encouragement to all of the young mamas that read my blog ... that they can see that I, too, have been there, done that.

Stay tuned for a few fun stories and pictures ...

Bringing Mamas Together for Education, Support, Prayer, and Fellowship.

2012-01-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to let any "locals" know ... if you live in NW Washington or the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada ...

I am going to be leading a weekly study group for Mothers of Traumatized Children. (I heard such a group recently referred to as "Trauma Mamas", and kind of liked the ring to that.)

We will be reading through The Connected Child, and using the Study Guide, "Created to Connect", as we support each other on the difficult journey of parenting our adopted children who have been traumatized.

Here's the Scoop On Our Group ...

Monday Nights

6:45 - 8:45 (w/ availability to chat later)

Weekly (but you are welcome to come every

other week if that's all you can commit to)

This is a 13 week study (welcome week plus 12

chapters to study weekly).

I am able to offer ...

... leadership for the study.

... friendship and prayer.

... a welcoming, warm, and quiet home

(Jim and the younger kids go to Bible Study

Fellowship in Canada on Monday nights).

... mochas or lattes

... assorted hot tea

You can bring ...

... your books and study guide.

... your prayer requests.

... your willingness to share and to learn.

... snacks to share.

Let me know if you'd like to join us, and please pass this information along if you know anyone else who might like to come, as well.

The Possibility of BIG Changes Coming

2012-01-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Jim hasn't worked since September; and our savings account won't last much longer. (Praising the Lord that we have had a savings acct. to draw from.) So, we have been considering a major change: Mama going to work full-time while Papa stays home to homeschool the kids.

Over the past few months, I have looked at a lot of office/administrative types of job openings, but most of them don't pay much over minimum wage. Those positions wouldn't pay enough to have me work and Jim stay home. However ... in the past couple of weeks I have applied for a couple of positions that would pay enough to allow Jim to stay home. Both positions would also be much more than "just a job". Both positions would really use my experience, skills, and passions. I would be excited to work for either organization.

And ... just a few minutes ago ... I was contacted for an interview on Monday.

Oh my!

Excited!

Please keep this in your prayers, that we would know without a shadow of a doubt that this is what the Lord is calling us to ... and that the Lord would give me favor in the eyes of the interview team.

A Totally Spontaneous Family Fun Night

2012-01-04T22:45:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve 2011

Nothing to do.

Nowhere to go.

In the late afternoon Ben suggested,

"Why don't we go to the beach and make a fire?"

Papa and I looked at each other.

We couldn't find a reason to say, "No."

So, a plan was made.

First, we BBQ'd up some burgers

and had dinner at home.

Then, Ben loaded the back of his pickup with wood;

Papa & I jumped in the Excursion with the younger kids;

and off to the beach we headed.

Ben is a Master Fire Builder.

Papa is a big tease ...

trying to build up the flames to burn Hosanna's marshmallow.

Hosanna was still able to make a delicious

(and non-burned) S'more.

Yummm .....

Ben is pretending that he is not cold;

although it is just 36 degrees out.

What's on your mind, Sarah? ...

just looking into the fire while eating her s'more.

Yes.

It was just 36 degrees out.

(But, we did stay warm by the roaring fire.)

We were the only ones at the beach

for most of the evening.

We ...

... roasted marshmallows.

... ate s'mores.

... drank hot chocolate.

... sang silly songs.

... played silly word games.

... and thoroughly enjoyed an evening of

Spontaneous Family Fun.

How did you celebrate New Year's Eve?

Have you ever gone to the beach when it's nearly freezing out?

A Trip To The BIG City

2012-01-03T21:52:00.000-08:00

Have any of you ever taken an "International Trip", just for the day?

Last Thursday, we got to spend the whole day with our "Adopted Big Kid" Kati. She was home from Texas for Christmas Vacation, and we were excited to go somewhere and PLAY for the day. Originally, we had hoped for a trip to the mountain to play in the snow, but the weather just wasn't conducive to that. So, we headed North, instead. North ... 5 miles ... to Canada. (We actually drove an hour to Vancouver, B.C., but we only live 5 miles from the Canadian border.)

Kati came over about 10:00 am, and we had a late breakfast of Waffles with Strawberries & Whipped Cream (one of our favorite breakfasts, if you've noticed mention of it a few times recently). After breakfast, we packed a basket of snacks, found our passports and birth certificates (required to cross the border), and loaded up the Excursion. Off to the BIG City we headed.

Just after heading out, it started to rain. We were hoping to spend some time at Stanley Park, but began to revise our plans as we drove and it rained and we drove and it rained. Calls were made to the Science Center to confirm that we could use our Seattle Science Center family membership cards for entrance. Confirmed. New plan made.

Then ... just as we entered the City ... it stopped raining. Off to the park we headed, and a WONDERFUL afternoon we had ... walking on the boardwalk ... playing in the sand ... laughing ... running ... chatting ...

Kati & Hosanna ... just being silly.

Papa ... wearing his new Christmas Coat.

Sarah ... always smiling.

The Big Kids ...

pretending to be scared of a low-flying airplane.

Hosanna ... writing silly things in the sand.

Elijah ... working on a BIG sand carving.

What could it be?

A BIG FISH.

Can you see the eye and mouth?

Elijah is now carving the fin.

The Family ... enjoying time together.

After a couple of hours at Stanley Park,

we headed to Granville Island

for a little shopping/browsing.

This market is really cool ...

with a lot of different vendors.

Would you like some Octopus?

I passed on that, also.

How about the largest apple I've ever seen?

Truly beautiful and amazing!

We wandered through the streets

and alleys of Granville Island,

and found a few artisans.

Have you ever watched a Glass Blower?

Our kids watched for quite some time.

Have you ever been to a Broom Making shop?

It was very interesting.

After shopping for an hour or two, we slowly made our way back to the Excursion. And, just as the parking lot came into sight, it started to rain again. Wow! We were so thankful to the Lord for giving us a very special afternoon without rain.

Off to the Gas Light District we headed ... for dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory. This is one of our family's favorite restaurants, and we were shocked to hear that Kati had never been. So, a dinner of spaghetti, lasagna, fettuccini, and spumoni ice cream was a great way to top off our day in the BIG City.

We got home about 9:30 ... popped the young ones into bed ... and pulled out the cards. Papa & I enjoyed a fun game of Hand & Foot against Kati & Hosanna. Definitely a MUST when our Big Kids are home.

Kati is back in Texas again. We may not see her until next Christmas. But, we will certainly treasure the memories of our "International Day Trip" to Vancouver.

Psychology vs. Spiritual Help ...

2012-01-02T01:01:00.000-08:00

Or A Combination Of Both?

A week ago, I wrote THIS post ... asking you to continue to pray for our family ... for our Little Miss ... for healing from the devastation that R.A.D. brings ...

Specifically, I asked you to be ...

Praying for healing.

Praying for answers.

Praying for respite.

Praying for support.

Praying for a job so that we can afford to start therapy.
($500+ for the initial consultation,
plus $150 for each ongoing session)

Praying for a breakthrough.

Praying for release from the enemy for our daughter.

Praying for peace in our home.

Praying for comfort for all of the siblings.
(It truly scares the boys.)

So, at the same time I asked you to pray for financial provision so that we can get Little Miss into therapy, I also asked you to pray for "a release from the enemy" for our daughter.

It would appear that some of you are not comfortable with that combination.

I believe that some of you probably prefer the psychology route ... while I know that some of you only believe in the spiritual route.

But, isn't there room for both?

Do you not believe that the Lord can work through psychologists just as He can work through medical doctors? (I realize that some of you may not "believe in" using medical doctors, either, but most of you do take your children to the medical doctor when there are serious needs.)

Let's look at a few of the comments ...

" I pray that you will find help that you can afford and that will bring true healing. Have you considered an evaluation at Seattle Children's?" ... this was from my dear friend Lisa ... a mom who has also walked the difficult road through RAD ... a mom who also believes in the healing power of the Lord ... yet, a mom who has gotten MUCH help for the profession of psychology.

"RAD has reared its ugly head at our house too. We also received our 57 page report from BG Center this week. 57 pages of quite dismal diagnoses. But there is hope!" ... from my sweet bloggy friend, Connie ... another mom who is walking this journey ... another mom who has sacrificed every last dime to find help for her son ... but another mom who also has the HOPE of the LORD in her.

"The worlds "salve" cannot cure a spiritual disease! My parents tried there best, "applying" one salve after another, only to realize that the "disease" would not go away. Walking in sin/rebellion is a "wound" that can only heal through the salve that dripped from a cross two thousand years ago. Praying that your Little Miss lays her wounds where the salve of true healing runs down." Mama in Uganda and I don't always see eye to eye on every issue, but I do have great respect for this mama, who is raising a very large family in Africa.

"I do believe it is spiritual warfare. " ... from Marty, another hurting mama walking in the trenches.

then ... from an email I received ...

"That means spiritual warfare under the leadership and guidance of a Spirit-filled pastor or church counselor. You and Jim can't do it yourselves because you're too involved and too exhausted. Anyway, this requires special training and lots of experience. The actual Gift of Discernment (1 Cor. 12) and qualification for intense spiritual warfare are extremely rare in the church today. ... It's a far better approach to the problem than "therapy".

As Mama in Uganda says, "Walking in sin/rebellion is a "wound" that can only heal through the salve that dripped from a cross two thousand years ago. Praying that your Little Miss lays her wounds where the salve of true healing runs down."

Amen.

Absolutely.

I agree.

We have talked this through with Little Miss MANY, MANY times. We have prayed for her. We have prayed with her. We have prayed over her. We know that the enemy has a hold of her heart, and for whatever reason, she will not release that hold ... she will not allow herself to fall into the arms of Jesus, the One who can bring true healing.

I haven't ever gone into details of the rages that our Little Miss experiences, but a sure sign of the enemies hold on her is that if I start quietly praying for her while she is raging, she will start yelling at me to stop. The louder I pray, the louder she yells. She begs and pleads with me to STOP PRAYING. Folks ... if you are not familiar with spiritual warfare ... this is only a little tiny glimpse into what it can look like. It can be quite scary, especially for the other children. I do not share this to bring any type of condemnation nor judgement on my precious daughter ... but to try to help you to understand how very serious the spiritual warfare is that we are dealing with.

In the meantime ...

... is it really wrong to seek help from "the professionals"?

... isn't there the possibility that a therapist might be able to help us to walk through each day together until such time as Little Miss chooses to "lay her wounds where the salve of true healing runs down"?

We KNOW that our precious little girl needs to find true healing from the Lord. And, we cry out to Him to bring that about.

Yet, somehow I sometimes feel judged by the fact that we are also hoping to get the help of a trained therapist.

Just an F.Y.I. ... we have no plans just to look in the phone book and call up the closest "therapist". There is a group of therapists in the Seattle area who work specifically with children who struggle with R.A.D. And, guess what? These therapists don't just have their diplomas hanging on the wall. No. They have walked through the trenches themselves. I believe that two of the therapists in this particular office are adoptive parents who themselves have children with R.A.D. I believe there is a third therapist in the office who was, herself, an adopted child with R.A.D. Even if these therapists are not there to anoint my daughter with oil and call out demons ... isn't there the slight possibility that they just might be able to help us navigate this most difficult journey? I am banking on it. I am praying for financial provision to be able to have them hold my hand as I do my darndest to parent this child, while awaiting full and complete healing from the Lord.

On the flip side ... we also have no plans on looking in the phone book for the closest pastor that might have the experience to bring healing and deliverance to our daughter. And, we don't believe that any type of "diploma on the wall" of a pastor will make him qualified for such a task, or not. We have also sadly discovered that when we have disclosed any of the parenting challenges brought on by our adopted children, that we can quickly be shunned by pastors, friends, adoption support groups, etc ... So, going around town and knocking on the doors of every pastor just isn't going to happen.

We absolutely believe in healing.

We absolutely believe in spiritual warfare.

We absolutely believe in deliverance from the enemy.

Yet ... we also believe that the Lord can and does work through ordinary men and women ... and we believe that He can even work through the profession of psychology, if He so chooses.

What do you believe?

Where do you stand on this issue?

If you have children with mental/psychological challenges ... I'd love to hear what route you have chosen.

Say Cheese

2011-12-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

Do any of you have kids that Just.Don't.Like. to have their pictures taken. Period. Don't even ask.

Gregg has always been "one of those kids". I love this "boy" dearly, but can't for the life of me get him to smile for the camera ... and neither can sweet Kayla.

Maybe I'll get a smile ...

when Noah is born ???

Yes ...

this wild, hairy, bearded man was our "clean cut kid"

that served in the Army for 4 1/2 years.

I guess he is rebelling after all those years

of being required to keep his hair short.

Christmas Day

2011-12-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

After a late night for Papa, Mama, & the Big Kids,

we let the young ones watch a movie when they got up,

and the rest of us rolled out of bed around 10:00.

We started the morning with ...

Strawberry Banana Smoothies

Cinnamon Rolls

Mama's Candy Cane Sweet Bread

After a leisurely breakfast,

it was time for a bit of ...

Present Opening.

It took Papa a full 3 minutes (video-taped)

to unwrap this present ...

layer #1 ... regular gift wrap

layer #2 .. gift wrap covered in clear box tape

layer #3 ... cardboard box taped shut

layer #4 ... an old comforter

present ... 4 big bars of Dark Chocolate from Ben

Elijah was THRILLED with his Nerf Gun.

Jeremiah sent Navy Attire for Josiah and all of the kids.

Ben bought his own truck this fall,

so Papa & Mama thought an Emergency Kit

would be good for him to have.

Ben is wearing his new Grinch Pajamas.

Rachel got a couple of Barbie Dolls.

She was in need of a few more quiet time activities.

Sarah was very excited for her new Sewing Machine.

After everyone opened a couple of gifts,

we took a break from presents for a few hours.

Out came the Candy and Games for awhile.

"Adopted Big Kid" Jared came by

and we played a game of Hand & Foot.

Josh & Hannah came over for a couple of hours.

Don't you like Josh' sweater?

I asked him if the orange hat

was to keep him from getting shot.

After dinner ...

we headed back downstairs to finish the Present Opening.

Hosanna got a couple of movies.

Ben got a Plaid Shirt in the mail from Cassie,

and the new Glenn Beck Book from Gregg.

Mama's memory card was full before this present
was fully opened; but Gregg loved his gift
of all of our 1980-90s Children's Cassettes.

He bought a car recently that still has the old
cassette deck, and since baby Noah is due in March,

we thought we'd pass along all of our old cassettes.

It was wonderful to have Gregg & Kayla with us for Christmas,

and good to have a visit from Josh & Hannah,

but we were so sad that the other Big Kids

couldn't make it home from around the country.

It's been a very long time since

all of the kids were home for Christmas;

but we have usually only had one or two Big Kids missing.

This year, we were missing 4 Big Kids and 2 Spouses. So sad!

Candy Cane Sweet Bread Recipe

2011-12-28T11:24:00.000-08:00

Several of you asked for the recipe for our traditional Candy Cane Sweet Breads (in this morning's post). The original recipe is from an old "orange-cover" Betty Crocker Cookbook. However, they have a very similar recipe on their website, which can be found HERE.

Here are the differences ...

Instead of 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk,
I use 2 cups sour cream.

Instead of 1/2 cup butter,
I use 1/4 cup butter.

Instead of 1/2 cup sugar,
I use 1/3 cup sugar.

The old recipe calls for No Baking Powder.

Instead of using both the apricots and cherries,
I used 3 cups cherries.

For the "glaze", the old recipe calls for a simple,
2 cups powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons water, icing.

I decorate the candy canes with cherry halves rather
than red hot candy.

I started making these 29 years ago, and last year was the only year that was "missed" due to our wedding trip to Texas. I always make them the morning of Christmas Eve, and then Jim and I deliver them in the afternoon. When we moved away from our old house 11 years ago, we had several families who had counted on these for their Christmas morning breakfast for 15 years. They were sad to see us move (and not just because of the missed candy canes). We now have friends who have gotten these as gifts for the past 11 years, and they always tell us how much they look forward to it.