a God kiss...

so i slept late, had my breakfast fixed, my lunch delivered and was taken out to dinner (and then ice cream :)...  i have had flowers delivered... opened really fun gifts... gotten a plethora of texts, calls, cards and emails... i have a facebook page full of encouragements... (i absolutely believe family and friends are a kiss from God!!)...

I COULDN'T HAVE HAD A BETTER BIRTHDAY!!

 

 

or so i thought... and then God did His thing... the unexpected, the super surprise, the amazing wonder... He had one special daddy kiss hidden... my oldest Brazilian son Erik called... and wished me a Happy Birthday!!

 

 

REALLY GOD!! 

turns in the road...

only 10 months ago my kids were in private school and then God said turn... and i became a full time home school mom!

only 3 months ago i was on staff as women's ministry director and then God said turn...and i became an outspoken advocate for orphan and trafficking awareness!

only three weeks ago, i was mom to 3, step mom to 1 and to be mom to 4... and then God said turn... and i became a mom to a 12 year old boy i had never laid eyes on, but had been praying for since 2007!

WOW, what a difference a day can make!!

as i look back over this past year, nothing looks the same EXCEPT the faithfulness of God!!

i'd be lying if i said the turns in the road have been easy, or that they always felt good, made sense or ushered in the warm fuzzies, or if i said i have smiled through them all!  truth be told i have cried, kicked and fussed all the while clinging tighter than ever before to the Lord.  

i wouldn't trade today for yesterday and certainly not last year... because each choice of obedience at the turn in the road has pushed me yet another step closer to my creator, and it is GLORIOUS!!  He is so faithful!

as we prepare for our time in Brazil, i anticipate many bumps, curves and turns along the journey... but i know it will all be worth it... and i thank you for being our prayer partners through it... i am eternally grateful!

cool confidence...

speaking of God whispering sweet words over our sometimes overwhelmed hearts...

there is something special about a child finding thier confidence...  Stephen rounded the corner just a moment ago and said, "Hey mom, check me out... i did good didn't i?" 

(don't say i told you, but skyler was at the top of the stairs saying she dressed him, i'm still giggling :)

Go God!!  this child had no confidence 2 weeks ago when we met him!!  I wish i could sit across from you and tell you the God story here... it would BLOW your mind.  God is working a miracle in his life and it is way cool to sit on the front row and see Him work!

walk by faith and not by sight...

this adoption has certainly challenged me and my family in so many areas of our faith over the past few years... it truly has been an incredible faith journey... one that has stretched me in believing God over what the world and my eyes would tell me.    

there are days of great strength and then some not so much... there are days that the responsibilities of life seem GINORMOUS and then HE SHOWS UP... with words that heals the overwhelmed places...  i am not going to lie and say life is easy right now... BECAUSE IT IS NOT... i am simply choosing to put one foot in front of the other in belief of my God... and embrace the life He has blessed me with me...

and when it all seems as if it is going to take me under, HE gives me a tangible visual of His truth... last night was one of those times... i read these words on a piece of paper that came in the mail from the immigration office...

"Petition received to classify convention adoptees as immediate relatives"...

and then listed Erik and Wendell...

those words as insignificant as they might be to you, were balm to my aching heart...  we are right around the corner from seeing our boys... GOD IS SO FAITHFUL!!

You are invited!

yes, it is worth it...

we have had quite a turn of events in a ten day period in our house... we have added a new member to our clan...

has it been easy... nope... but nothing worth doing is!!  has it been worth it... absolutely... all good things are!!

our house has been a big basket of chaos as the pieces have all been working themselves out... however... it has all been worth it! 

on any given day... as we prepare for our departure to pick up our two boys in Brazil... if you stop by... here is the scene you will most likely see...

and yes i'd still say... 

IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT!!!!

surprise...

surprise is a word that we have come to expect and respect in our home!

every morning when i roll over i ask the Lord to give me the courage to face the day HIS WAY... with His attitude, His compassion, His grace and His love... i always ask for Him to break my heart over what breaks His... with expectation that He will do all the above... however, i have become sadly aware that in my heart i also put parameters around the expectation limits...  you know... kinda like... well ok Lord do it to this point, or to this far, or in this kind of circumstance, or as long as it looks like this :) 



listening to and obeying the Lord immediately when my plate is overflowing has been a weak spot for me on many occasion... so i have desperately been working to SIMPLIFY my life to just what He would have me to do...  to truly take away complications so i can immediately respond when He speaks... and to learn to do it without excuse or debate (that can be hard for a stubborn country girl like me:)

i am truly GRATEFUL He doesn't take direction from me!!! because left to my own selfish reasoning i would have passed up one of the most amazing surprises He had in store for our family right now... because i was too busy looking to the future!!

understand... i miss it so often!!!  but this week i was keenly sensitive to His voice spoken through many venues about a situation... and we as a family made the choice to respond... in truth i admit... its been scary, exhilarating, tear jerking and life changing all at the same time...

we have had the joy of having a sweet youngster stay with our family over the weekend that has opened our eyes in so many ways at a deeper level to the hardships and great needs around us... we have been changed FOREVER! 

my heart has ached, broke, bent and shattered... again and again!  but i have clung to these truths...  

        NOTHING IS TOO BIG FOR GOD!

IN HIM ALL THINGS CAN BE MADE NEW!

AND...

GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE HEALER; WE ARE JUST THE BROKEN JARS HE OFTEN CHOOSES TO WORK THROUGH!!

this moment yesterday is what God used to change my head knowledge of what breaks His heart into complete heart knowledge of the truth...

hurting people!!!! have you ever seen a kid with their OWN first new pair of shoes... when everyone else has been getting them for years... something magical happens!  have you ever heard the HEARTFELT laughter of one who hadn't felt like really laughing in a long time...  have you ever heard the deep gut CRIES of a young one who has way to much fear in their soul... it will change you!

God has proven again and again that He does a mighty work in the unexpected if i will jump on board and allow Him to steer... what i thought we could do to bless another has WAY MORE blessed us! 

i've learned to love God surprises... regardless of their inconvenience or pain attached... they are worth it!!

the day we sent our paperwork to immigration... God had more than one BIG surprise in store for us... i am sure glad we didn't miss it!!  





it really did happen...

our papers REALLY were mailed to immigration TODAY!!  GO GOD!!