Nomads in this Life

Silence

2009-08-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

We've all heard the saying that "Silence is golden." I would agree with that in certain circumstances...especially when you want to write. At present there isn't much silence around my home. With 3 very active toddlers, my house sounds more like a jet taking off every 5 minutes. Earplugs are a requirement to walk in my door.

The troops are doing great and really adjusting to each other. Moses is making great strides, although we are still fighting to get him into physical therapy. We are all thankful to have the Major back after being gone for 2.5months. He is now home at least until the end of the year.

I hope to get back to my blogging soon, but for now will continue my silence until we get our family into a good rhythm. Until I am able to catch up a bit...I thought you would enjoy seeing pictures from the last 2 months of our Troop and how they are changing.
Enjoy!
Month 1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=123409&id=643163202&l=9c126724f5
Month 2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=133118&id=643163202&l=a68a3ad223

Introductions...

2009-06-14T00:53:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd start out my new posts by introducing everyone to our sons.

Togaya is turning 3 at the end of this month. He is our Hunter man-child and full of energy! He loves to jump, run, and throw balls. He's my chatty-Chuck and can talk a blue streak. He's smart as a tac and can learn how to do something after only watching you once. He also loves music and singing and can often be heard around the house belting out his ABC's or Old MacDonald. He loves his siblings and overwhelms them with his hugs and kisses. He is very protective and gets upset if he sees them crying. He loves cuddle time with Mommy and thinks Daddy is the best soldier ever!

Togaya was brought to the orphanage by his mom and left there. His dad had abandoned them when she was 4 months pregnant with him. When she became pregnant his step-sister by another man, she brought Togaya to the orphanage. In Uganda, a man will not raise another man's child. The child either is thrown out of the house or is reduced to the level of a slave. In Togaya's case he was sent to live in the orphanage where we adopted him from. His mom released him to us and we will send her pictures and updates twice a year.

Moses Emmanuel is our little miracle child. He is 18 months, but developmentally has been placed at a 9mon. level. He loves to smile and sucks his thumb when he's tired. He's extremely ticklish and his laughter is infectious. He quite the ham and will start to smile and flirt the minute he sees a camera. His favorite toy is a Fisher Price school bus that he will push all over the house. He giggles with pure joy when he pushed on the swing. He has earned the nickname "Scooter" for the way he scoots on his rear end along the floor.

Our little man was abandoned at birth down a pit latrine. He was heard screaming and rescued from certain death. We know nothing of his mother or her situation. As a result of his time in the latrine and ingesting the refuse, Moses got a serious brain infection that caused seizures and partial paralysis on his left side. We are beginning to work with doctors to restore his mobility. Most think that with proper nutrition and physical therapy he should be fine. We're praying and working towards complete healing.

So, those are my boys...my "pearls of Africa". I love them and look forward to growing together as a family.

We're HOME!!!!

2009-06-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, we're finally home after 6 tough weeks fighting the US Government to let us bring home our sons. God was faithful and we are now home as a family of 5. I will try to write more updates soon...life is bit crazy as we are learning how to function as a loving family. =) Thank you for all your prayers and encouraging notes!

Life is a...rollercoaster!

2009-04-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

No offense to Rascal Flatts, but my current life is definitely more like a rollercoaster...not a highway. Highways are usually long, straight, smooth, and fast. When you think of riding life's highway there is a feeling of restful journeying. Nope...not my life. My life is definitely a rollercoaster. You know the feeling of anticipation as your adrenaline starts to pump. Those brief moments of starting up the hill as you anxiously look forward to the coming drop and then that split second when you see the drop and wonder what the h*** you were thinking getting on the ride in the first place. This is inevitably followed by sheer terror as you are thrown down the hill and through several more ups and downs as you try to catch your breath, take in what is happening, and hold on for dear life.

The last month has been an overwhelming journey of ups and downs, excitement and fear. I have not been able to blog about any of it because I honestly just didn't have the time or emotional energy. I am hoping to get a bit caught up here because I will be starting the next big adventure of our life in 2 days.

At the end of March, we left for the East coast to attend my sister's wedding and while there received the long awaited news that we had finally received a court date for our little men. That began a whole new set of preparations as the reality of our kids coming home soon hit our hearts. We are overjoyed and praying that everything moves smoothly once we're there.

In this midst of this joyful news we got stopped in our tracks by one phone call telling us that the Major was being transfered to another unit and needed to prepare to be deployed in July. I cannot put into words just how fast my world went haywire with that one thought. We began to pray and do more research on this deployment and found out that the position they wanted him to fill he didn't have the training needed. We sent up alot of prayers and a request to be released from this position. God was gracious and we received word just last week that they were releasing him from this deployment. And informed us that he is up for another position on active duty that would allow us to have full benefits, but stay right where we are doing the same thing we're doing. This would be a HUGE answer to prayer for us.

We know the Major will be deployed at some point in the next few years. I am just praying we get at least one year with the boys home so that they can really bond and we can figure out what we look like as a family.

We also recently figured out that I didn't have enough money to make it while in country and had really exhausted every possible avenue to get the needed amount on such short notice with no success. Again, stress was high and we hit our knees asking God to provide. This morning at the last minute the exact amount that we needed came in through a door that we had thought was closed. God is so good! Now I simply have to finish packing my last bag and I am set to get on an airplane that will take me to my sons! It is almost surreal to think that before the week is over I will actually be holding them in my arms.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the last month for you to enjoy.

My beautiful, baby sis and her new hubby

Family shot at the wedding. Boo did great as a flowergirl apart from falling dead asleep 5 minutes before the ceremony. I ended up carrying her down the aisle.

Such a cool shot! No...this is not where they honeymooned.

Aren't they cute?! They are so in love!

T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

All the Lebanese Cousins from my mom's side

A normal picture of all my cousins...gotta love family!

Easter @ Grandma's house.

Boo is wearing the Easter dress my youngest sister used to wear.

Hunting eggs...she really enjoyed throwing them in the basket.

The loot...she was a mess within about 5 minutes of this shot.

I'm gonna miss this...

2009-03-24T10:40:00.000-07:00

I'll never forget the first time I heard this song. I was driving down the 210 when it came on the radio and as I listened to the lyrics, I started to cry so hard I was having trouble seeing the road. It wasn't just that the song was beautiful...what made it so emotional for me was that it brought back a flood of memories. I was the girl in the song...always longing for the next step, looking ahead and not enjoying what I had in the moment. And my dad would always tell me to slow down...someday I would miss those experiences. I remember thinking how crazy he was...only to understand now exactly what he meant.

I do miss those times at home as my parent's daughter. I miss homeschooling and singing together as a family. I miss taking care of my little sisters and doing fun projects with them. I miss the late night talks with my mom and cooking together in the kitchen.

And now that I have my own daughter and we're about to add 2 more children...I know I'm gonna miss these times of just Boo and me together. I'm going to miss just the two of us sharing a laugh or dancing together. I know we'll make more memories together with her brothers...But I know I'm going to miss this season with our first child and life as a family of three.

So, Papa...if you're reading this...I finally got it. You were right. I miss it...I miss you...I miss our times together. And I am making the most of the time I have each day with my little girl and I'll do the same with my sons. And one day, I'm sure I'll be telling them the same thing you told me.

It's all perspective...

2009-03-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

I just want to place a disclaimer here...this post is not a criticism of anyone's personal experience in Uganda, nor is it a direct reflection of any one conversation. This is simple my thoughts on a general thought process and something I have personally been walking through. My apologies if anyone was directly offended by this.

So, in preparing to head to Uganda to adopt T & M, I keep being told how sparse and hard the living conditions are. As I would get in contact with person after person who had been there, most of them had the same story. In fact, so many people were saying the same thing that I was starting to panic wondering what in the world I had gotten myself into. I mean how hard is the 5 weeks going to be? Am I going to just want to cry myself to sleep each night and dream of America? My imagination was just going wild with all the possibilities.

Then, I met another military wife who had been there alone adopting their two blessings and she sent me a picture of what the rooms actually look like. My heart leapt! It was going to be paradise! I guess it's just perspective....

You see, when people talk about "sparse" or "rough" living my mind instantly goes to my time in Thailand living on the border with Burma in refugee camps. Having little to no electricity, sleeping on a bamboo floor in a hut with chickens roosting underneath. (After being woken several mornings in a row at 4am...I was ready to start learning how to kill chickens.) Bathing in a COLD mountain river or having to pull buckets of water up from an even colder well and bathing publicly with everyone watching you. Having no connection to outside world through the phone or internet. In fact, one time it took a 5 hour trip to make a 10 minute phone call.

I am thankful to report that my time in Uganda will not be like that. Sure it will be different and things won't be as reliable as they are here, but at least I'll have electricity most of the time, there is a hot water in the shower most of the time, I can have internet in my room most of the time, and I'll be sleeping on a semi-soft bed off the floor without any animals underneath my head. In fact, it will be much like the "resorts" we used to go to in Thailand when we needed a sanity break from the camps.

I do want to clarify that I'm not putting down those who felt it was hard...it probably was for them. But I've realized that it is truly all a matter of perspective. Thankfully, for me the living conditions will not be hard. There will definitely be other parts of this trip that I already know will challenge me. And without those experiences, the trip wouldn't be as effective because in those times of stretching I learn so much about God, myself, and the world. So here's to an exciting adventure ahead!

What my room might look like in Uganda...I tried to find one of my pictures from Thailand to have a visual comparison, but they must all still be at my parent's house. So, you'll just have to use your imagination.

Stuff & Swashbucklers

2009-03-12T10:03:00.000-07:00

In this journey of adoption there are moments of crazy stress and pushing to get all the paperwork together. You have a huge list of things to collect and get signed...and many times that list seems never-ending. And then, one day you actually have it all done and are able to hand it off. Your desk seems unusually clean and your to-do list drops off to nearly nothing. It's a bit disconcerting at times because you quickly realize how much of your daily focus was on the adoption process and getting the list done, and suddenly there's nothing more you can do but wait.

I hate waiting...(imagine me saying this with a Spanish accent for all you Princess Bride lovers)

As you may have deduced, we are in that part of the process right now. Our dossier (think ridiculously huge stack of papers) was sent away to Uganda yesterday and now we simply wait to hear when our court date will be...which will determine our travel date to pick up the boys. It was quite amazing this morning to look at my desk and see that it only had 1 manila folder on it...not 6. And I keep feeling like I have something that needs done or someone to call only to realize that it is all done.

Since I hate waiting...I have been keeping busy prepping for the boys' homecoming and our upcoming trip. I have been collecting all kinds of fun stuff to take with me to keep them active and trying to finish up their room. Each one will have his own backpack filled with cool stuff to ignite their imagination and creativity. I've also discovered the little men's clothing sizes, so we're starting to fill their clothes drawers as well...(thank you Aunt Paula & Anna!)
One of the cool things I came across in my shopping yesterday was a foam/rubber swashbuckler sword for only $1. (Again, think Princess Bride: You killed my father...prepare to die!) Anyway, I thought they were perfect for our little men and the Major would love them too. I quickly found out that I made a HUGE mistake in only purchasing two. Within minutes of showing them to the Major, he handed one to Boo and they were off battling it out together. Soon they were attacking me and I had nothing to defend myself with...so, I'll be back at Target soon to purchase three more: one for each member of the family. I am looking forward to many sword fights with our kids!

General update on life as we know it...

2009-03-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

I know things have been silent on my end for quite a while now. That is not because there isn't a TON I would like to write about. It kills me to not be able to share openly about each step...but I'll make it and will share everything soon enough once we're home as a family of 5!

We have been so busy lately prepping for so many things in the making. I have finally gotten T & M's room just about finished and am starting to put together all the fun stuff to take with us to Uganda.

We recently received new pictures of our little men and I wept as I looked at the beautiful boys who will be my sons. God has been so good to our family and I am anxious to hold these little ones in my arms soon.

In the meantime we're also busy preparing for my little sister's wedding. I can't believe she's old enough to get married, but I am so thankful for the man she is marrying. They will be extremely happy and I look forward to being able to discuss "wifey" things with her soon.

The Major and I recently went to a Brooks & Dunn concert at Universal Studios Amphitheater. It was a ton of fun...but even more so, just being together. We haven't been very good at being consistent with our date nights and special outings, so this was a long time in coming for us. The only bummer was that it rained that evening, so we couldn't ride the Harley there. Otherwise, it was a night full of good music and fun.

Boo is doing well...still growing like a weed and really making huge developmental jumps. She's nearly running around the house now and has gotten her fair share of fat lips and bruises. She is starting to identify body parts now and is slowly starting to say words. I know she knows more than she is letting on...her comprehension of what we're saying is astounding at times. She also recently became the co-owner (with her brothers) of a new table and chairs for them to color on and do art projects. Mommy is already very thankful for a place to make messes without destroying the house. She is starting to get the hang of coloring. We have figured out that markers are her best medium since the crayons end up getting eaten. YUCK!

So, as you can see we're doing well...just extremely busy and looking forward to some major changes in our lives soon.

Showered with Love

2009-02-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

This Valentine's Day weekend was loads of fun! In my family, Valentine's has become a special celebration and we are trying to carry on that tradition. My home is decorated with hearts and we have a special tablecloth that we only use this month. I make sure to put together "love boxes" for both sides of the family to have and open from us. They are usually filled with small treats. We also received love boxes from both sets of parents filled with goodies for each of us.

The morning started with Boo and I surprising Daddy with our special matching shirts. I was so excited to have these "My Husband Rocks" t-shirts to wear out in public so everyone would know what an amazing man I married. Boo was in on it too and made sure people also knew she had a cool Daddy. He loved them and we loved wearing them!

Next on the list for the morning was opening our gifts from each other and the extended family members. There were lots of kisses and hugs going around. Boo's favorite gift of the day, was the two dollars ($2) that my grandmother sent her.

After opening our gifts we quickly dressed and headed out the door to get our family picture taken for the year. It's late...I know, but we just haven't been able to get it done with sickness and traveling. The pictures all turned out great!

We then found a Sees Candy shop in the mall and the Major bought me a whole pound of my favorites. (treadmill, here I come!) I surprised the Major with lunch at his favorite restaurant: Red Robin. He was very pleased with his burger and all three of us had a wonderful time together.

We headed home in time for the Major and me to catch a movie together and stop at Ikea to get a small table and chairs for Boo and her new brothers. It was a wonderful day full of love, joy, and time together as a family. Definitely a Valentine's Day to remember!

Can't you see the look of pure joy on his face?!

Mommy & Boo enjoying a tropical smoothie.

Don't you just love the matching headbands we found?!

Boo thoroughly enjoying her mac n' cheese.

Silly Mommy forgot her bib...she was a mess & LOVED it!

My Husband Rocks! - Friday...on a Monday

2009-02-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend was so packed with wonderful memories and times together that I simply did not get a chance to write on my blog. I have lots of catching up to do and will hopefully get all the new posts written before the end of the week...especially since this weekend is going to be just as crazy!

Prompt/Theme:

1. Tell the story of your first Valentine's Day together.

For our first Valentine's Day as a couple, we were separated and halfway around world from each other. So...I'd rather tell you about our first Valentine's Day that was spent together. It was in 2005 right after we were married. We had moved to Seoul, Korea within 3 weeks of our vows and were living with another couple while househunting for our first home. I was getting discouraged because we were having such a hard time finding a place. Then, on Valentine's Day we went to look at a few possibilities. The minute I walked into the first apartment we looked at I knew this would be our home. It was small, but had tons of character to it. The neighbors around us were quiet and mostly older Koreans. We continued to look at other places, but none of them held a candle to that one. We put money down on it right away and couldn't wait to move in. It didn't bother us a bit that we didn't have any furniture to actually move into the apartment. We were just thankful that the Lord had provided such a wonderful place for our first home. That little apartment will always hold a special place in my heart...it hosted more missionaries and comforted more souls than I ever thought possible. I miss it!

Me standing in front of our first home in Seoul, Korea

Our day didn't end with househunting though. My sweet husband had planned a special getaway for us. He had reserved us a suite in the hotel on the Army base complete with rose petals, chocolate covered strawberries, and champagne. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of that evening. After a delicious dinner in one of the fanciest restaurants on the base, we spent most of our evening just enjoying each other's presence and talking about what the future held. We had no idea how hard the next 2 years would be...or how full of joy and new experiences that would stretch and grow us. We were just thankful to be together after so much separation and to have a roof over our heads to call our own.

The happy couple ready to take on the world

2. If you decide to take the advice of this article (The Romance Factor by Twanda R. Smith), tell us what you're going to do, or share pictures if you have time!

This article had some great ideas and one that I have been working on for the last week. Since moving into this house a year ago, I still haven't decorated our room. I kept focusing on the other parts of the house that most people would see and also the children's bedrooms. Sadly, our romantic haven looks more like a project space than a place to get away. In the last two weeks, it has finally gotten to me and I am starting to decorate and redo our bedroom. Finances are tight with the pending adoption, but I have been watching sales and searching on the internet for good deals. I'm hoping that by the end of the month I will have a new room for the Major and I to relax in. It will still need to be practical in some ways, but hopefully will also be a place that causes sparks to fly. I'll definitely post pictures of the before and after once I'm finished.

We're Expecting!!!!

2009-02-06T15:27:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not pregnant...but we are expecting! Yesterday I received one of the most wonderful phone calls any family can experience. It was the call to tell us that we had been matched with two beautiful boys who were chosen to join our family. We now have names and faces of the children God has specially chosen to be a part of our family. T & M are precious little men and their Momma can't wait to hold them in her arms and see their smiles. Although I can't post any other details...let me just say that our household is going to be BUSY! The Major and I couldn't be happier. Our sons are waiting for us in Africa and we are anxious to bring them home to our arms!

These could be our children...

2009-02-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

As I watched the following video, I was not prepared for the deep emotions it would elicit. When the aid worker stated that "these could be our children", I broke down. This was filmed in Uganda and highlights just a small reason we are feeling God moving our hearts to adopt from this country. I hope this gives you a tool to pray for the orphans not only in Uganda, but all over this world. And perhaps it will help to encourage more of us to open our hearts and our homes to them.

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27.

WARNING: Contents of this video could be emotionally disturbing to some.

My Husband Rocks - Friday (MHR)

2009-01-30T10:14:00.000-08:00

Oops...forgot to post this, but better late than never. =)

Theme:
What was the moment or the circumstances that led to you knowing that you were going to marry the man who became your husband . . .

This post is an easy one for me since that moment is so indelibly etched in my mind. As many of you know, my husband was chosen for me by my dad after they met on an airplane. Yes, you read that right...my dad came home from a trip and announced to the whole family that he had met my future husband, handed me his address, and told me to start writing him. (he wasn't joking) So, I did...I started to write this man who was a single soldier serving our country in South Korea. A year later we met in person...there weren't huge fireworks, but I could tell there may be something there. We continued to write LONG, frequent letters to each other sharing our dreams, visions, and hopes for the future. I grew in my respect for this man and was amazed at how similar our life goals were.

My dad and I planned a trip to Thailand to visit some of the orphanages that I had worked at previously and were able to get a layover in Korea to spend some time with the Major. He was going to join us in Thailand as well. I was so nervous meeting the Major for the second time...my heart was pounding getting off that plane. I knew this man...but I didn't really know him. I knew his heart and it made me want to follow him anywhere, but would the man himself be that way...and would he even be attracted to ME?! Those first few days were so awkward, but soon we were talking to each other the same way our letters had talked and according to my dad, we never drew breathe.

The moment I "knew" though, was a magical night...our last night in Korea...on top of the Namsan Tower overlooking all of Seoul. The whole city was sparkling and the mountain was covered in a frosty snow that made it sparkle as well. As we talked and looked out over the city huge snowflakes started to fall...it was like a scene out of a movie. I can't remember what we were talking about, but something the Major said touched me deeply and I started to cry. As I turned away to wipe my eyes in embarrassment, he pulled me in close to his chest and held me tightly without saying a word. I will never forget that moment...I felt so at home and protected. The whole world could have come against me at that moment and I would have been safe and at peace. I knew then, that this was the man I was supposed to follow for the rest of my life.

To this day, whenever the Major holds me close there is something in my soul that sighs with contentment, "I'm home."

Adoption Update

2009-01-24T05:30:00.000-08:00

I know I am terribly overdue for this, but life happens. =) We are still working on an adoption from Uganda although the landscape continues to morph as we travel this road. Our journey will be a little different than most international adoptions, so I ask for everyone's patience as we experience this adventure God has called us on.

The first change you should be aware of is that we have switched agencies. Not long after finishing our international homestudy, the agency we were working with alerted us to the fact that due to some issues in-country, they were shutting down their Uganda program. We were disappointed, but not discouraged. We knew God had other plans. We were put in touch with another group that works out of this area and instantly fell in love with the couple who are overseeing it. They are true kindred spirits and our 1 hour meeting with them turned into 4 hours of blessed fellowship. We are not only impressed with their walks, but also their activities within the country and total dedication to working above board in all they do.

This brings us to our next change...as per our agreement with this new agency, I won't be able to blog much about the process. I will give you general updates as I can, but all details will need to be held until we return to the States with our children. I will keep blogging as things progress, but will not post them until we're united as a family.

Some other general updates:

We have finished our international homestudy and are just waiting for USCIS approval for the children's visas.
We have not been matched yet, but are hoping to hear something soon!
Our time in Uganda will be longer than originally planned. I'll be there closer to 5 weeks as opposed to 3. I'm truly excited about this! I look forward to getting to know where my kids are from and the traditions their culture has...as well as the food. I can't wait to interact with them in their known environment before bringing them to the States. It should be a wonderfully educating experience!
It is looking like we will be bringing home 2 children instead of 3. We are not closing the door on this yet, but just waiting with open hands for the Lord's will.

So, that's about all I have to update right now. Feel free to ask questions...I will answer them openly if I can, and if not, you will receive an answer privately. We truly appreciate all the prayers and thoughts everyone has sent our way. We feel very supported through this process and know that God is working.

"My Husband Rocks!" - Friday

2009-01-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

This week I bumped across a running project on another friend's blog. She was part of a growing number of bloggers who are participating in "My Husband Rocks!" Fridays. Every Thursday, Katy Lin from http://honestandlasting.blogspot.com/ posts a theme or two for us to write about on Friday. As a woman who has a husband who truly rocks, I thought this would be a great way to remind myself each week of exactly why I love him.

So, without further ado, here is this weeks MHR post:

The Theme:
Tell us about a time that your spouse went out of his way to serve you, and love you sacrificially.

Honestly, this has been a really hard post to write. The Major lives this everyday in so many ways it's hard to pin-point one. I could talk about the way he sacrifices his sleep to stay up late and watch a movie with me or let's me sleep while he tends to Boo if she wakes in the night. I could also mention how just this week when Boo was so sick, he ran out several times to the store to get medicine or special food items for her.

I think my favorite memory that stands out most in my mind happened when we were living and working Korea. We were actually in China on a missions trip to check on projects and encourage some of our fellow laborers there. We were near the end of a long trip and had gotten delayed flying into Beijing, our last stop. We were picked up by a local worker and taken to the office/apartment we were going to be staying in for our last few days there. I was so exhausted I could barely see and was looking forward to crawling into bed. There would be no sleep for the weary this night.

The whole room was filled with dust. The bed and pillows were moldy smelling and I ended up spending the next 2 hours coughing and needing to use my asthma inhaler while the Major was sleeping peacefully. After dissolving in tears, I woke the Major up and told him what was happening. His response was so precious. Without hesitation he got up, got dressed, and packed up our things to head out and try to find a hotel. The crazy thing was that it was now 3am...we have no way to contact the local workers, we don't know any hotels in the area...we didn't even really know where in the city we were, and we don't know the language. That doesn't stop my dear husband though. Out we went to wander the streets of Beijing.

There happened to be a few cabbies just outside the apartment complex and the Major bravely approached them with his Chinese/English dictionary and pointed to the word for hotel. Well, at least we thought it was the right word...there were two possibilities. We realized we had picked the wrong "hotel" word when the guys started looking me over and giggling. The Major quickly righted the situation and got the message across of where we wanted to go. In faith, we hopped in a taxi and started our trip down dark streets hoping we'd come out of this alive. We soon saw the most beautiful site...English letters spelling out HOLIDAY INN. I wanted to cry in joy. When we got in there, they were booked, but quickly found us a room in another nearby hotel. By 5am, we were finally crawling into a dust & mold free room.

The Major only got 2 hrs of sleep that night because he had to be at a meeting at 7am that morning. He came back to the hotel rejoicing that I had been able to sleep and took me out sightseeing later. It was truly a night to remember and one where my husband put my needs completely ahead of his own. He has continued to serve me this way throughout our marriage and I am so thankful to be his wife.

The Mission:
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, has two parts. First, look for ways that you can serve your husband. These can be big or small, sometimes the things that seem so insignificant to us can make a big difference in making our husbands feel loved and respected. And second, if your husband asks you to do something for him, even if it seems silly, or like he could easily do it for himself, do it cheerfully and without an attitude of annoyance.

OK...so, I'm going to have to think of some new ways to serve him this week. I have some ideas, but I won't share them yet since he reads this blog.

As far as the second mission goes...I'm pretty good at that, but I think I need to work on my heart attitudes more. I usually will cheerfully do something when he asks, but sometimes I find myself inwardly feeling put upon or aggravated that he asked. This week will be "heart-focused" on rejoicing in the ability to do things for the Major and the fact that he is around to ask me to do things.

The Joy of Simple Things

2009-01-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

While the Major was gone this past week, I was able to focus more attention on Private Boo. We had a wonderful week together connecting on a deeper level as mommy & daughter. As I spent more time with my little girl, I was reminded once again of the joy of simple things.

In our age of technological advances, children (and adults) have more gadgets to play with than ever before. More toys that sing, dance, light up, etc. It's truly amazing what the human brain has created. And yet, with all these new inventions I realized as I watched Boo play, that she took the most joy and had the most fun with simple every day things.
Whether it was trying on Mommy's shoes...

...Or wearing a sock on her head like a hat...
...Or swinging outside on a warm, sunny day...
...Or helping Mommy clean the house...

...Or just wearing a pair of her favorite pajamas...

...Boo seemed to take the most pleasure out of everday life and turn small everyday moments into times of joy and adventure. She challenged me to do the same and I found myself becoming more content than ever with my life, my home, and the everyday tasks that I accomplish as Mommy.

Seeing life through my child's eyes had brought more joy into my life and thankfulness for what God has blessed me with on this earth. I am determined to continue this pattern as we start this next semester and year. I want to make sure that I am enjoying everything to the fullest and truly living out our family motto of: CARPE DIEM! (Seize the day)

I hope you also take time to see your life through a child's eyes. You'll be amazed at the joy you'll find lurking in moments you often just ignore.

A Fruit & Flowers Anniversary

2009-01-07T00:20:00.000-08:00

Time is such a funny thing. For some moments it seems to move so quickly we can hardly keep up. For others, it seems to take forever. And then there are those moments and years, that aren't that long ago, but so much has happened in between that it seems ages ago. The later is how I am feeling today as I ponder our fourth anniversary.

Four years ago today I said "I do" to one of the most wonderful men I know. It really wasn't that long ago. I feel like I must have miscounted the years...surely we've been married longer than that...at least that's how it feels. We have packed more into these last four years than some people get to experience over their whole lifetime. And the crazy thing is we don't seem to be slowing down our pace either.

I knew my life would be filled with adventure and challenges when I married the Major. I had no idea it would be as hard, as beautiful, and as stretching as it has been. There were moments when I wondered what I was thinking and if I had made the wrong decision. There were also moments when I wondered if our love and bond could possibly be any closer or tighter. We are only four years into our marriage and I can already attest to the fact that your love for each other does change and become sweeter, deeper, and more amazing each year. But it doesn't get that way without the refining fire of life.

As I'm celebrating this anniversary separated from the Major, I've been thinking alot about another aspect of our marriage...and that is how incredibly "Christ-like" my husband is. We have faced so many challenges that at times nearly crushed my faith or pushed me to the edge and as I look back, I see the Major there holding me, encouraging me, and loving me UNCONDITIONALLY through it all. He has shown me so many times what Jesus' love for us looks like and it can be really overwhelming. I am so unworthy of this earthly man's love and yet he showers me with it liberally...how much less deserving am I of God's love and yet He pours His blessings on my life daily.

I miss the Major...I look forward to his homecoming and being able to greet him when he walks in the door from school or work. I can't wait to get back to having devotions together and worshipping at church as a family. I look forward to the many years we have ahead of us and watching our relationship deepen. I look forward to raising our children together and seeing who God brings into our family. I look forward to the adventures of living this "nomadic" life that God has called the Major to live and seeing where that leads us. I look forward to just resting in the arms of my beloved.

So...Happy 4th Anniversary, My Hero! You are the sparkle in my eyes and I'm always home as long as I'm with you!

I receive you, (Major), from our Lord to be my husband and covering; and will acknowledge you always as the head of our family, even as Christ is the Head of the Church.
Before God and these witnesses, I covenant this day to love you unconditionally and sacrificially by following the example of Jesus who laid down His life for us. I give myself completely to you; and will strive to walk in faithfulness, purity, and obedience to your leading as you follow the Lord and His Spirit. I will continually seek to do you good and not evil, so that your heart can rest in me all the days of your life.
I will endeavor to provide a haven of rest and peace for you in our home. If God should bless us with children, I will help you to raise and train them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I will teach them by word and example to love and honor you as the king and priest of our family.
(Major), I love you…
For better or for worse,
For richer or for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish as long as we both shall live.
With our eyes fixed on the Cross of Jesus Christ and under the banner of His love, I joyfully submit myself to you to be your wife until death separates us for a time or Christ returns in glory.

Taking Baby Steps

2009-01-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

I know I left you all with a rather frustrating post. Soon after writing that post, we jumped into the holiday mayhem and have only just this weekend returned to some sense of normalcy. I have several new posts and thoughts to share with you, but I wanted to start off the year with a smile.

My first post of 2009 will be of my sweet daughter who chose to take her first steps last night. We were delighted and amazed as she finally trusted herself to be able to walk. As I watched her joy and happiness with each step and then finally fall into the arms of her dad...I thought of our own personal walks with the Lord. What joy it must bring God when we finally "walk" in our faith. When we take those first baby steps in trusting His will for our lives. And then, the joy in our own hearts as we realize that we are walking in His presence and falling into His arms in pure joy at the feeling of freedom it brings us.

May each of you start this year walking in His presence and will. Even if all you can do are baby steps now...you will be running by the end of the year straight into the arms of loving Father.

Need vs. God's Will

2008-11-21T02:34:00.000-08:00

There are days when I hate the whole adoption process. You know, the days when you want to close your eyes and click your heels together 3X and say: "There's no place like my imaginary world. There's no place like my imaginary world." And suddenly you find yourself in the midst of that world of soft edges and perfect color. A world where everything flows just right and is perfect. Perfect decisions, perfect people, perfect situations. A perfection that requires little from you because you are perfect too.

I'm having one of those days when I hate the adoption process. It's one of those days when I wish I was waking up in my imaginary world, but instead am faced with NEED. How do you handle it?

How do you handle seeing a need so great that it is hard to even look at it? Even worse, how do you handle it when you finally do look and realize that you meeting that need is contrary to God's will? Need vs. God's will...it is hard to deal with...but even harder when it deals with human life.

I am struggling...struggling with the knowledge that God is probably telling me to step away from faces filled with some of the deepest need I have seen because it is not His will for us. I am struggling not to feel like I am abandoning these faces. I'm trying so hard to remind myself that I am leaving them in Palm of His hand. But it doesn't help...because I am struggling with the pain of their NEED and the knowledge that I could meet it if I chose. But how do you choose to meet a need contrary to God's will? And are you really meeting that need if you do?

There are days when I hate the whole adoption process...I'm having one of those days.

HIV Adoptions: Oh Yes You Can!

2008-11-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

This is a great short video that talks about the realities of adopting HIV positive children. As we look towards our future adoption from Uganda and the possibility that one of our children may have this condition...we want all of our friends and family to be educated on what that means. This video is a great starting point. Take a few minutes if you can and watch it.

http://www.facinglife.tv/episode/season_3/episode_7/episode_307.html
(once it opens up the page for you, click on the link to watch the whole episode)

Summary
Carolyn Twietmeyer called her husband at work one day and said she found the children they were supposed to adopt, and one of them is HIV positive. Kiel Twietmeyer didn’t really know how to respond. After about two weeks of contemplation the couple decided they had to go to Ethiopia to adopt the three siblings orphaned by AIDS. Before leaving to come home to the U.S., Carolyn took her son to visit his friends at the orphanage. It was during this visit that she met Selah, also orphaned by AIDS and living with stage four AIDS. Today, as the newest Twietmeyer child, Selah’s health has significantly improved with the help of antiretroviral drugs, a dose of hope, and lots of love from a blended family.

The idea of adopting a child with HIV isn’t rare. Margaret Fleming, founder of Adoption Link and Chances By Choice, an adoption agency for HIV/AIDS orphans, says there are many parents desiring to adopt a child with HIV. Today with the advancement of antiretroviral medications the lifespan of a child living with HIV has greatly increased. Mary Austin, an RN and adoption advocate with the agency says the virus is often times more manageable than diabetes. Margaret has adopted three children with HIV and Mary has adopted one child with HIV.

The United Nations reports there are 14 million AIDS orphans worldwide. 22 million people have died from AIDS with 74% of that population living in sub-Saharan Africa.

Paperwork Party!

2008-11-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday we took another major step forward in our Ugandan adoption. We had put it on hold for a season because it was looking like we would be welcoming 2 orphans from the US into our family. Thankfully, extended family members of these two dear children stepped up and took them under their wings. So we're now back to walking through this amazing, challenging process.

I was finally able to finish all the paperwork for our international homestudy and mail it into the agency. Now we wait for them to contact us later this week and set up a time to meet with our social worker to finalize the homestudy. We're both excited about this and nervous as well.

I think the money has begun to feel more daunting to us lately. It has kept me up the last several nights. I lay awake trying to brainstorm ways to supplement our income without leaving Boo or over-extending our family life. (which is arguably already over-extended) I felt myself getting more and more despondent over the situation. In fact, I started to question if we were even supposed to do this. Was I pushing something on our family that God didn't want?

The Major has been my rock through this whole time. He has not wavered once in his desire to see this through nor has his faith wavered that God will provide for us to bring these new recruits home to our arms. I'm so thankful for this man of God I am following. He is so wise and teaches me everyday about trusting God to do what He said He would.

So, we've moved forward...after praying together over the paperwork, we sent it away with all the hope, fear, and excitement that encompasses each step of an international adoption. May the Lord show Himself faithful on behalf of orphans worldwide!

Two for ONE! (Part 2)

2008-11-09T20:54:00.000-08:00

Pvt Boo's first birthday celebration finished off with a bang this weekend. We were able to have a small party at our home with family and friends from the area. It was supposed to be a butterfly tea party...but our state decided to have 85 degree weather in November. So, with the help of my most awesome mother-in-law, Grandma G, we punted and had butterfly punch instead with lots of "tea" snacks. The weather was gorgeous and once again we just sat amazed at the blessing of our daughter and the impact of her life already on those around her.

One interesting note...our daughter hated opening presents. We thought that with all the ripping of paper and magazines that happens around our house these days, she would really be into it. We were very wrong! After trying several times to get her interested she started to cry. So, cousin Jameson came to the rescue and opened them all for her. His observation when he was done: "This is the happiest day of my life." Who knew opening gifts for someone else could bring such immense joy?!

Hope you enjoy the following pictures. Alot of these are for the many family members who were unable to be there with us. We love you and thought of you often!

Our Little Butterfly

The "tea" table

Butterfly cupcakes again...a little different style this time

Devouring her cupcake...she knew what to do this time.

The end result...she was totally covered!

In her Hanbok

(This is in honor of our dear friends in Korea. We had Boo participate in a ceremony they do on the first birthday called Dol Jan Chee. The child has several items placed in front of them and chooses one that is supposed to signify their life later on. Not sure if you can tell from this picture, but Boo chose a book on the ground first and then the money. The love of books I can help with, but she must have a rich uncle somewhere...cause the money won't be coming from us.)

Two for ONE! (Part 1)

2008-11-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

Ok...so I know I am so behind in blogging, but life has been extremely full lately. On October 29th we celebrated Pvt Boo's 1st birthday. It's so incredible to think that it has already been a year since we brought our little 4.5lbs girl home. She is now a healthy, active toddler who is getting into everything!

Because of scheduling conflicts, Boo got to have not just one, but two parties for her birthday. The first one was on her birthday and we had the added blessing of being able to celebrate it with her other mom: Miss D. We all had so much fun loving on our girl and being able to meet Miss D's dad and Boo's grandfather: Grandpa C. She wasn't sure about her birthday cupcake at first, but soon realized how delicious it really was. It didn't take long for her to devour it.

Here are a few pictures from our time that evening:

Miss D & Pvt Boo

Boo's butterfly cupcake tower

Totally enthralled with her cupcake

Grandpa C meeting Boo for the first time

Our beautiful gift from God!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

12 Months of Pure Joy!

2008-11-05T13:24:00.000-08:00

I know I've been remiss in blogging. Life has been crazy with traveling, etc. I do have several posts waiting in the wings which I hope to get up here soon. For now, this post will have to do. I am amazed at how fast time has flown and that my little girl is now 1. Hope you enjoy this look at the last 12 months.

Pumpkin Patch Fun (?)

2008-10-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took Pvt Boo to the pumpkin patch with our local MOMS group. One of my dear friends and Boo's partner in crime, Mr. J, joined us for the adventure. Let's just say the day was a flop...and it wasn't the little ones' fault either. They were perfect gems.

I don't know about you, but when I think of October and going to the pumpkin patch memories of a brisk day with cool air and the delicious smell of fall soil fill my mind. Hot apple cider and hay stuck in your shorts and hair from the hay ride and rolling down the hay slide. Yeah...not one of those things happened.

The day was extremely HOT! No crisp fall air here. We did get a hay ride...without hay. (?) So, I guess technically it was just a ride. Oh and did I mention it was HOT and dusty?! We saw a few farm animals. Boo was too hot to be remotely interested in them...although Mr. J thought the baby chicks looked yummy enough to eat. When we finally got to the section where we could pick our pumkins both kids and the adults were so hot and thirsty that we quickly chose our souveniers, took a few pictures, and unanimously decided to head back home to air conditioning and iced tea. We enjoyed the rest of the day hanging out and watching the kids play together. They both were extremely happy to be out of the heat...and so were we!

Maybe someday I introduce Boo to a real pumpkin patch experience complete with hot apple cider and real hay! Here are some of the pictures we got that day:

Ready for an adventure

Moms & Kids on the hayless hay ride

Mr. J was totally ready to eat the baby chick! Yum!

They are so cute...but so hot. Poor dears!

Boo is clapping (are we done yet) while Mr J tries to see if her pumpkins is better than his.

Kisses for Momma!

This photo cracks me up! Between the look on Boo's face and Mr. J eating the sign, it totally depicts the day and our experience.

Where does time go?

2008-10-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

On September 29th, Pvt Boo turned 11 months. I really don't know where the time has gone. I've been pretty nostalgic lately as I've been realizing more and more that my baby isn't a baby any more. She's really coming in to her own lately and is turning into a little girl.

This month she started getting more and more independent. She plays on her own happily for long periods of time. I love to watch her interact with her toys and babble at them. I only wish I knew what she was telling them. She is also pulling herself up on everything! I have a feeling she'll be walking by the end of the year. She is such a happy and joyful child. Her smile just melts our hearts and constantly reminds us of the joy God must feel towards us...His children.

We are in the midst of planning her first birthday party with her Mom and extended family. It will be the first time that Boo will get to meet her biological cousins and aunts and uncles. Part of me is extremely nervous, the other part is thankful and excited. I want Boo to always know how deeply she is loved, not only by us, but also by her other family. Love placed her in our arms and Love is what continues to hold her and support her. Please pray for our time with her extended family, that God would give us grace and wisdom as we learn how to walk in an open adoption.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of Pvt Boo from last month. Enjoy!

FINALLY!!!

2008-10-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

It only took us a year and a half since coming to LA, but we FINALLY found a church! I'm so excited and for the first time in a long time...I'm feeling fed spiritually. I know our main focus in attending church shouldn't be for our own selfish needs, but coming off the missionfield battered and bruised, I'm in need of some serious healing. New City has already helped me to begin the process to wholeness.

It takes us about 30 minutes to get to church each Sunday, but it is worth every minute of the drive. NCC is a brand new church in downtown LA and their focus is to bring together people of every walk, culture, and ethnicity. It looks a lot like I envision heaven...just on a smaller scale. As soon as you walk in the door, you are covered in love from those around you. There is a vulnerability amongst the members that encourages honesty and realness.

NCC is a hospital. They are welcoming in sinners of every walk and lovingly tending their wounds. They don't compromise on truth though. Their love of all people doesn't equal acceptance of sin. They don't ignore the disease that is killing each person walking into their midst, but make sure that they are aware of what is truly making them sick and then seek to bring them to the healing table of the Great Physician.

Sitting in the NCC is uncomfortable sometimes for those who are used to normal evangelical churches...but we like that we're being stretched. It is good for a weekly reminder of why Jesus came to this earth in the first place. I don't think He or the disciples were comfortable with all the sick and maimed people that came around Him either. But He welcomed them, loved them, fed them, and ultimately for many, healed them. What better example to follow than this?!

If you're ever in the LA area on a Sunday...we'd love to have you join us! You will be loved and challenged...and more importantly meet Jesus amongst "the least of these."

You can check out more about the church here:
http://www.newcitychurchla.com/index.cfm

A Mother...

2008-09-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

"A mother is likened unto a mountain spring that nourishes the tree at its root, but one who mothers another's child is likened unto a water that rises into a cloud and goes a long distance to nourish a lone tree in the desert."

~The Talmud~

Sesame Street, Sickness, and Sewing

2008-09-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This is a very random post. There is no rhyme or reason to what is shared below...simply a post of the random things of life in our home.

Well, our home was recently hit with unknown sickness. Poor Boo got hit the hardest with an extremely high fever and small tummy upset. She was so pitiful. This was her first time being sick and she really was an easy patient. She drank her activated charcoal which quickly took care of the tummy problem. The fever has been a whole different story. It just keeps hanging on. Boo is a trooper though and dutifully takes her meds while watching copious amounts of Sesame Street. Since there are only a few songs that she likes and that we approve of...the Major and I have caught ourselves singing them throughout the day. Suffice it to say, we can now count to four while singing about chickens, penguins, and monsters.

Here are some pictures of our sweet sick girl:

Drinking her activated charcoal

Such a sweet face!

Resting on Daddy's chest...her favorite place

Watching Sesame Street on Mommy & Daddy's bed

One other random thing that I am totally stoked about...my sewing table! I was perusing Craigslist last week as I normally do and came across a beautiful desk that would fit perfectly in our room and work as my sewing table. We got it for steal and now my sewing machine has it's own little corner and I can actually use it to my heart's delight! I can't wait to get started since I have several projects waiting for me.

Seeing Jesus

2008-09-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I'll have a moment where the Lord just steps in out of the blue and opens my eyes about something. I confess, it is not as often as I would like...I think some of that is my own fault for not being more aware of His presence and the multitude of lessons He has all around me. For some strange reason though, I got it this time. I heard and I am still pondering. And just to make sure I got it...He set me up with an experience last night that just emphasized what He has been saying to me. Bear with me as I try to explain it all.

I just finished reading Ted Dekker's Circle trilogy: Black, Red, & White. It's a great trilogy to read if you have the time. Anyway, one of the challenges in the book was a struggle between those in "the Circle" to see Christ's Bride in people of "the Horde". The Horde is stricken with a disease that makes them smell horribly and causes their skin to turn white and fall off. Not a pretty picture. One character in particular goes through a struggle to convince the others that their view of the Horde is wrong...they should be seeing them through the eyes of Christ as part of the Bride He is trying to woo. I won't tell you the end of the story, but I will say I was convicted that too often I allow myself to be put off by the outward appearance of those I come in contact with. I only see their "disease". I rarely view them the way Christ does. It was hard to admit to myself that in this way, I was acting very Pharisaicle. (is that a word?)

As I pondered that the last week, the Lord brought in His second lesson and it dealt with our adoption. As we initially discussed our openness to specific children and medical issues that they might have, we looked at it from a very practical view point. We're missionaries and probably won't have the ability to handle some of the special needs children like those who are HIV+ It made reasonable sense at the time. Then God...stepped in and questioned me. Why was I willing to accept any child with any challenge He might send me via my womb, but I was so quickly setting boundaries on the children He wanted to bring us via adoption? It was a smack in the face. We hadn't really taken time to ask Him what His opinion was in this situation. We just assumed He would see it our way. So, I tentatively asked Him what He thought...

"Whatever you do to the least of these...you do to ME."

It broke my heart and even as I write this brings tears to my eyes. How did I miss Him so easily?! He was standing there in front of me all the time. Those children are His bride just like me and even more powerful...those children are my opportunity to serve Jesus. As I open my heart to them and their pain, I am opening my heart to Jesus, to embrace HIS heart and HIS pain. What an honor! I was floored. The next day, I discussed what I had been shown with the Major and we have begun a season of prayer to discern how the Lord wants us to move forward and what openness HE wants us to have...not necessarily what openness we're comfortable with.

But what about the practical side??? Yes, I can hear some of you asking that with great concern in your voices. I asked Him the same thing...and His response silenced me.

"Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Light."

He assured me He would provide. If I gave birth to a child with diabetes,there would be no doubt that we would find a way to provide the needed medicine and care wherever we were in the world...why should it be any different with a child that comes to us through adoption? God withholds NOTHING from us who have come into His family through adoption...as His children, why would we act any different?

The final lesson came via an experience we had last night. We had taken a crew of the cadets contra-dancing for the first time. For those of you who haven't gone before, contra-dancing seems to draw in some pretty interesting characters...people who most of us would probably never talk to or avoid at all costs. Word got around quickly that we were from a Christian University and I was very aware of the huge witnessing opportunity the cadets had that evening. As the evening progressed, I was very disappointed in their actions. In fact, I was so disappointed that for the first time, I pulled the group aside and gave them a very harsh chastisement. They were to be Christ that night...and their actions were more like Pharisees. Where was the humility? Where was the principle of seeing past the outside? Where was Jesus? Jesus not only hung around with weird people, but HE reached out and touched the most diseased. They had not left the scent of Christ...but of judgmentalism and arrogance.

As I drove home alone that night thinking about what I had just said to the cadets, my heart became soft again as I realized I wasn't alone in the car. Jesus sat next to me with a small smile on His face.

"You're getting it daughter."

"Am I, Lord? I know what you're telling me and yet I'm still nervous. I'm still afraid to reach out and touch them. I know I will when the time comes, but I'm afraid I won't do it in love, but only out of duty and obedience to You."

What He said to me next nearly broke me right there in the car:

"You will feel love, my daughter....because you will be touching ME!"

10 Months of Joy!

2008-09-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

Pvt Boo just recently turned 10 months and we are amazed at how fast the time has flown by. She has changed so much from the little preemie we brought home almost a year ago. She was such a serious little baby and is turning into a joyful child whose miles light up the whole room. She is now crawling all over the place and pulling herself up on everything. She babbles alot and is definitely trying to communicate with us. She loves her Daddy and goes crazy the minute he walks in the door. We so grateful for her presence in our lives and love watching her grow into a godly woman.

We've been in touch with Boo's mom and are starting to plan her first birthday party. After alot of prayer, I decided to allow her mom to do most of the planning. In our discussions it has become really obvious that this is extremely important to her. I want this to be not only a good memory for her, but also for Boo to look back on. We won't always be in proximity to her mom and I want them to build as many moments together as possible. It will also provide a great introduction to the extended family. I am nervous about meeting them all, but I'm trusting the Lord to go ahead of us and use this time to give us more insight into Boo's history and another set of family members to love. Keep praying for this...Open Adoptions are so unique and each one is its own set of unchartered waters. I am learning as I go and praying like crazy that our decisions not only honor God, but are healthy for all parties involved.

Here are some updated pictures of Pvt Boo for those who are far away:

Paper Chase...

2008-09-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally received all the necessary paperwork needed to begin our next adoption. I am always amazed at the sheer volume of things that need to be filled out, copied, ordered, and notarized. It is moments like this that I am grateful that God has blessed me with a level of organization and a husband who is also extremely organized.

Speaking of the Major...I am watching him through the window trying to study Greek and Hebrew while keeping an eye on Pvt Boo playing in her baby pool. Not sure if he's having success or not. She seems to be splashing him too much and keeping his attention. He's such an awesome Daddy!

OK...back to topic. Paper chasing. It's quite an exercise in patience and planning. It is also loads of fun for those of us who love to check off lists. I get excited when I'm able to add one more piece of paper to the pile and check it off the cover page. Once you have the whole pile assembled, there is a huge sense of accomplishment and joy as you realize what a major step you've just made towards your children.

We actually have 2 different stacks of papers that I have to assemble. One is for our new homestudy and the other is our dossier for Uganda. The homestudy paperwork isn't new to us and is actually moving along fairly quickly. There isn't nearly as much needed this time around as we did for Pvt Boo. The dossier, however, is a totally different story. Goodness! we have quite a ways to go on that one, but thankfully some of the stuff overlaps and it too shouldn't take too awefully long to complete.

Timing is everything for us right now. Our goal is to have our paperwork finished and sent to Uganda by the first part of April 2009. This would have us traveling sometime in May or June to bring our kids home.

For those of you who have asked about the process, it goes something like this:

Complete Homestudy (the end of December)
Submit I-600A to Homeland Security to get permission to bring the kids home. We should receive an answer from them in 60-90 days.
Submit dossier to Uganda government and NGO. (Beginning of April)
Once our dossier is approved, we will receive a referral (picture, names, and description of the children we're adopting) This usually only takes 1-2wks.
Upon acceptance of the referral from us, they will submit the paperwork and should have a court date for us in less than 1 month.
We scurry to buy tickets and head to Uganda to get our kids. The Major will have to be with me for at least the first week. I will then stay another 2-3weeks more finishing paperwork with both the Ugandan government and also the American embassy.
Bring our children home for good and officially adopt them here in the States. (we are only given legal guardianship of this children while in Uganda. The adoption does not take place until we return to the States.)

So, that's a quick update/overview of where we are in the overall process. Keep in mind this is Africa and anything can happen. It will be an adventure and we are truly looking forward to it! Thanks for all the encouraging words and support.

Live Brave!

Beads & Braids

2008-08-30T12:47:00.001-07:00

I know it's been too long since I last wrote on here. Things got a little crazy around here and we also had the awesome privilege of having a dear college friend and her fiance come visit us from the east coast. We had way too much fun and their presence was such an encouragement to me personally. Just so all my friends back home know...I miss you tremendously!

So, I thought I'd do a little mommy bragging this post. I have a few more meaningful posts waiting in the wings, but this one's just pure bragging.

Pvt Boo's hair has really thinned from losing alot of her baby hair, but it is starting to grow out again. I was really struggling with what to do on the back of her head because although it was thin...parts of it were really long. So I decided to try my hand at beading. My first try looked ok and Boo actually did really well with sitting mostly still for me.
Now, that I had figured out how easy it really was to do, I thought I'd try again and focus a bit more on what I was doing. After several rounds of Sesame Street, we ended up with an awesome set. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how this one came out. She looked so cheerful and I got alot of comments from people when we'd go out in public. Here it is:
I also found a wrap for her hair at night. I wasn't sure how she would do with it, but she kept it on really well and it has made a huge difference in the softness of her hair. It has also done a great job of keeping the styling from coming out. My African Queen:

I just redid her braids and beads in Camo colors for the Major's big opening weekend at the University ROTC program. I'll post those pics later. Suffice it to say, she is the star of the show in her camo braids and ACU jumper.

Pearls of Africa

2008-08-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked about the latest adoption adventure we're involved in now. Since we have made it official as of yesterday, I thought I would jot a quick note today about how God brought us to this point.

The Major and I have begun the process to adopt a sibling group of 3 children under the age of 7yrs from Uganda, Africa. I know, I know...you probably think we're crazy. That's the usual response we get from people. Or we hear "Are you sure you can handle that?" To be honest, no, I don't know if I can handle it and we probably are crazy, but Love makes you act that way sometimes.

Even while we were courting, the Major and I discussed our desire for a big family and how adoption would be a part of that equation. When God closed my womb we realized that we had been given an incredible opportunity to impact children's lives from around the world who may never know what the word "family" means. As the time approached to finalized Shiloh's adoption we began to discuss our next addition to the family. We both wanted to go international this time. The Major wanted to focus on war orphans and I wanted to bring home a sibling group since they usually had a harder time being adopted. As we began to pray for God to guide us to where...Rwanda was placed on hearts. After doing a ton of research and making connections, the door to Rwanda shut. We were confused and not sure where to go from there. We had felt pretty sure that we were supposed to focus on that area of the world. We went back to God and asked again.

Within a few weeks, we had 3 totally different people mention Uganda to us. I did some research and was horrified at the situation going on in that country. I found myself angry that our media was so blatantly ignoring this country and grieved at the suffering of my brothers and sisters there. If you want more information check out: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/ & http://www.wardancethemovie.com/ And you can read the book: Girl Soldier by McDonnell & Akallo

The Major and I became really excited about this possibility, but were once again confused and frustrated when we found out that the government requires you to live in Uganda for 3 years before you can adopt. Then God stepped in and put us in touch with an organization here in our area that is working with an NGO group in Uganda to facilitate adoptions. As we emailed back and forth, we began to realize that God was throwing open this door and it was an amazing opportunity to adopt from a country with real needs where very few people were willing to go.

Yesterday, we met face to face with the head of the agency we are working with and handed in our first round of paperwork officially starting the process. It will take some time, but we are excited and trust that God will provide everything we need emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially for this adventure.

I will keep you all posted on each step of the journey. Hopefully, I'll get some time in a later post to explain exactly how the process will go, so you can be praying with us through each step. Thank you all again for your love and support of us through this. We look forward to meeting the African children God has chosen for our family!

Live Brave & Love Crazy!! =)

A Sweeter Song

2008-08-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Last night I was reading through my blog list and came across a post that had me in tears and I'd thought I'd share some of my thoughts here.

First, here's a portion of the post from her blog:
I recalled a quote I read years ago in a Max Lucado book (ironically, I think the title has something to do with a storm...). It told the story of a very young girl who was playing her violin at a concert and there was no question she was a prodigy, gifted well beyond her years. But while her fingers danced on the strings, a man in the audience leaned over to his friend and said, "Can you imagine how beautiful it will be once she's had her heart broken?"

I don't know why, but after reading that last quote my mind turned to my infertility. It isn't something I think about alot, but for some reason this specific quote really hit me hard... "Can you imagine how beautiful it will be once she's had her heart broken?"

It's true...so true. I think about my life and specifically my desire to have children and it would have been beautiful and amazing to have been able to give birth to our children. BUT it has been even more beautiful wallking through the adoption journey that brought us to Pvt Boo and will eventually lead us to our other recruits. It hasn't been easy and there have been many tears shed in the process. In fact, I had to be broken first in order to be able to receive this gift.

Sorrow is not something we run after. It's not something we purposefully pray for, but when it does come into our lives, we need to trust that the Lord is doing something in us that only brokenness can bring about. A pitcher that has been broken and put back together again will have cracks that leak water...and so our lives when broken and put back together by the Lord leak His presence and blessings all over those we come in contact with.

And just like the man observed...I hope that my song, the song the Lord is playing through me, is a sweeter song because of the brokenness I have experienced.

She's Ours!!!

2008-08-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

On August 1, 2008, Pvt Boo officially became our daughter with all the rights and privileges thereto. It was a day of celebration and thanksgiving. While we know in our hearts how hard it was for Boo's mom to release her to us, we know it was the right decision and we are rejoicing in the beauty of God's plan for her life.

The actual court ceremony itself was pretty special. I wasn't sure what to think, and didn't think it would be that big of a deal. Surprisingly, I found myself getting quite emotional as I listened to the Judge and had so many emotions running through me that I wasn't sure what to do with them. Even now, I am still "unpacking" that day and trying to cherish those memories in my heart as Mary did with her experiences with Jesus.

After being sworn in, the Judge asked us a series of questions and then talked a little bit about Boo and our duty to her. He then asked us to sign the official sheet making her our daughter. After pronouncing us a family, he gave Boo a special teddy bear. It was an amazing feeling to be on the other side of this journey.

What I found most interesting is that as we were getting ready to leave, I looked around that courtroom and had the distinct feeling that we would be back there adding more recruits to our tribe. Who knows????

Signing our commitment to our daughter.

One big family with the Judge...our dear friends the Grazors & our most awesome babysitter and fellow adoptee joined us for this special occasion. Our babysitter extraordinaire was adopted in this same building 18 yrs ago.

Sergeant Sunshine

2008-08-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

And then there's me...Sgt Sunshine. I am incredibly blessed to be a part of this nomadic tribe. As keeper of the tents and provider of nourishment...I find myself fully engaged in life. I love making our tents a place of refuge and peace from the outside world for all who enter. I try to create an atmosphere where others are refreshed and feel the presence of the Lord surrounding them.

I am currently focused on Pvt. Boo full time. Between her and the Major's work with the cadets, my home is revolving door of people needing loved, fed, encouraged, and challenged. It keeps you on your toes. With the increase of cadets to 50 this semester, it will be interesting to see how busy it will actually get around here.

We're doing a new activity this semester...I had so many girls ask me to teach them to cook, that I am doing a once a week open house/cooking class. They will cook the meal for the evening and the others that want to come study, visit, or swim . I hope it goes smoothly...it will be an interesting experiment.

When I'm not loving my daughter and husband, I try to find time to work on digital scrapbooking, sewing different projects, and dabbling in my Doula work. I know this is a short season though...once the new recruits arrive I will be fully engaged in tying heart strings and homeschooling.

Well, this is a good start to this blog...I'll try to update more later on actual events in our lives. Until then, LIVE BRAVE! =)

Private Boo

2008-08-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

Private Boo is our first "recruit" to this crazy journey that we're on. She is our blessing from God and we are treasuring every moment we have with her. Her smile is the first thing we see in the morning that lights up our day. She has taught us so much about ourselves in the short amount of time that she has been with us. She is a delight and joy and we look forward to many years together as God allows.

PVT Boo's favorite activity right now is crawling and exploring. She is starting to get into everything and "training" has begun on what is allowed and what is NOT allowed. Thankfully, she is a fast learner and lessons don't usually need to be repeated often.

Boo has also recently gotten very interested in books and loves us to read to her. Each night we have some time together on her new bed reading stories. I'm hopeful our girl will continue this love for books as she grows older.

Although we don't own a television and I don't want our recruits to watch alot of shows, etc. I have just recently allow Boo to watch certain episodes of Sesame Street. She loves the muppets and watches them intensely...every once in a while giggling at something they did that she thinks is funny. She especially likes when they sing...her current favorite song is Ernie singing "Do De Duck". It's pretty cute and even The Major got into it one time.

So that's a little intro on our Boo...I'm sure you'll hear a lot more about her in late posts. As always...Live Brave!

The Major

2008-08-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

The Major is the rock and leader extraordinaire of our little tribe. He's the joy of my heart and my hero. He is truly a man after God's own heart.

In our current journey the Major is focusing on several different areas. He is working with the US Army training new officers in a local university through the ROTC program. Within that job he is discipling several of the young men. We both love our work with these cadets and are thoroughly enjoying the youthful enthusiasm and chaos that they bring to our lives.

The Major is also on a steep learning curve on what it looks like to be a Daddy...and he is doing an awesome job! His daughter (Private Boo) is totally in love with her Papa and gets so excited each evening when he comes home. Mornings have become a special time for the two of them. Papa feeds his little girl and reads her the Bible for a little devotional. I hope this becomes a habit for them that will lead to precious memories and sharing in the future. He is learning early to tie the heart strings of his daughter to his own.

Last, but not least...in fact it is his favorite thing to do right now, is being a student in the Word of God. The Major is continuing his studies in seminary and loving every minute of it. This summer he dove into "Gladiator Greek". It's an intensive 8 weeks of learning to read and comprehend Biblical Greek. His times in the Word this last year were very special and I always looked forward to his homecoming. His eyes would be shining and usually he had something to share that he had learned.

There is much more to the Major, but for now this is a great overview of who he is and what he's currently up to. Hopefully, I'll get the other introductions written this week as well. Until then, LIVE BRAVE!

Where we are now

2008-08-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I've tried to start this several times and for some reason decided to really make it work this time. We are entering a new adventure here and I really want to be able to share it with others.

We are currently in California and are as settled as this nomadic family can become. At present, it looks like we will be here for a few years. It's hard to imagine though. I've moved 4 times in the 3.5 years that we've been married...so the thought of staying in one place for more than 2 years sounds almost like a dream.

I will try to write more later and introduce each of the current members of our tribe and how they're keeping busy. Until then, may you continue to keep your eyes on the Pillar of Fire and move when it moves, rest when it rests, and trust in His leading.