2 more days!!

as we are gearing up for saturday...

we decided to break and... 

preview our "For Life Ministry" products last night at Bible study...

so... between Jeff's and Kasi's "techi minds"...

they put together some winners :)

we have no idea what all God has in store for saturday...

but we are excited to find out :)

hope your there with us!!

Don't forget!!

this saturday...

the 28th...

5 days away...

You don't want to miss!!!

forgot to share...

should have shared...  we realized as of thursday we would have to do some changing and rearranging so... this is what we had just finished when i got the news...

We are finally OFFICIAL!!!!

so we just heard from the embassy...

WE ARE A GO!! 

the paperwork reads that Erik and Wendell "will be authorized to enter and reside permanently in the United States following the adoption".  the words we've been waiting to hear!

so now we should hear soon from the judge on our court date and then we will book our flights :)  hope to be able to tell you those as early as next week!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget to join us 

NEXT SATURDAY THE 28TH AT CAMP MARANATHA!!! 

so close but not quite there...

you know 6 months before vacation your eager but it's ok... BUT 6 weeks before vacation, the wait begins to seem SO LONG...  i feel like we've been in the 6 week wait for A LONG TIME and that we've even done it a couple of times!!!

every time i think we are fixing to get the go ahead to book our flight... theres another "oh but you must wait on this"...  or "oh but this has to happen first"... being so close but yet not there, is emotionally draining...

so much has happened... since feb 24, 2010 when we began our paperwork... since may 30, 2011 when we mailed them their family photo albums...  since august 2011 when we hung welcome signs on their doors...  since sept 2011 when they started the English speaking school because our travel was RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER :)...  so much has changed... but not the turmoil inside...

my heart aches daily for them... my mind resketches their faces again and again... i walk by their rooms late in the evening when all are asleep praying for them again and again...  i wonder what they ate in a day... did anyone ask how they are... the wait is so hard... we are so close BUT not quite there...

i know Jesus is watching over all and knows whats best and i cling to Him tightly... however, i'd be lying if i said anything other than this mommas heart is aching for her boys...

leaving a legacy..

i was preparing for Bible study tonight and these are the words i read in John 15:16a...

(Jesus is speaking to the disciples in the upper room just hours before His arrest)
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit - fruit that will last - "

Jesus left His mark on the world and here in His last earthly hours He is telling the disciples to go and do the same... to not merely exist but to "bear much fruit"... to go and make the rest of their days count for eternity.

He meant for them to mimic His existence, just as He means for us to do...  to steward our existence, our time and resources into fruit bearing...

so you know i had to ask the question... do i mimic Jesus with the way i steward my resources and time?  am i a fruit bearer?  what is my legacy as of today?  eye popping questions ending often with eye popping answers!

i've tried to keep this in mind today as i've waded through it... one really tough day... as a matter of fact the whole week has been a blur of tough stuff...

now understand first and foremost that i understand that NOTHING about child rearing is easy... that NOTHING about adoption is easy... and that NOTHING about the puberty years is easy... so you'd think that i would understand that combining them all together at the same time would obviously NOT BE EASY!!  and it's not :)

however, at the end of the day when i get the blessing of sitting in the floor and sharing how much "Jesus loves him and so do we" with a very broken little boy and see the understanding come over his face... i know once again it is ALL WORTH IT!!

i pray daily that i end the day with a legacy of loving Jesus and loving others sacrificially!!

THERE ARE MILLIONS OF KIDS ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT NEED TO KNOW OF THE LOVE OF JESUS... WILL YOU HELP US SPREAD HIS TRUTH... ONE CHILD AT A TIME!  I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT ITS A LEGACY WORTH LEAVING!

Come find out ways to get involved on April 28th from 10-7 at Camp Maranatha in Scottsboro!

Can't wait to see you there, The Newsoms

fun in the sun...

sunshine, laughter, music, food, speakers and more...

if that were not enough to intrigue you...

add canoeing, a game of ultimate, rock wall climbing and archery...

still not enough...

what about moon bounces, crafts and face painting...

still not sold... 

a family scavenger hunt, family bingo, minute to win it and incredible fellowship... 

interested now...

It's going to be a great day for the family that you won't want to miss...

It's in 13 DAYS...

April 28th at Camp Maranatha...

Hope to see you there!

Freedom...

 today...

after having my time with the Lord (with my Bible laying in full view on my lap),

after eating breakfast (until my belly was full),

after taking a walk with Jordan (on clean and safe streets),

after eating lunch with dessert (actually way more than i needed),

then...

i got to enjoy this...

dying eggs...

as i took pics, laughed and silently prayed prayers of thanks...

i was stricken speechless at my lack of gratitude so often for my freedom.

a freedom that costs so many so much...

beginning with Jesus!

as i reflect on the reason we are celebrating this weekend...

the resurrection... i too have to look to the cross...

there is not one without the other...

the freedom we celebrate is because...

Jesus ENDURED the cross and THEN was raised from the dead...

so ALL could have freedom...

the COST of PAIN for mankinds choice of freedom was worth it to Him!

the freedom i enjoy today is because others have followed Jesus'

example and sacrificially given for me!

what about me and you??

 is anothers freedom worth that much to us?

there are millions of voiceless people today...

trafficked...

dying of dehydration and malnutrition...

 held against their will...

dying of starvation...

forced into slavery...

dying of preventable diseases...

i could continue but you get the picture...

they too deserve freedom...

want you join the fight to help them?

that's what the gospel is all about...

sacrificial love!

TOGETHER... we could make a difference.

Jesus gave His life for ours...

He died FOR LIFE!

What will you do for another to have life??

For another to know the hope we have in Jesus??

We invite you to come and join our family and many others in the trenches as we fight

for those who have no voice...

some days...

wow, the day began so peaceful and perfect... 

 (i actually made them jump out of the car this morning and snap this shot!)

and then there was the NEWSOMS!!

what a day! 

the turtle is lost (which i hope he still has his shell after the fall)... the dogs are still hiding... glasses have been broken... the cell phone has been rescued from the dogs poop... doctors bills are out the roof... i'ven  taken all the motrin and tylenol i can have... and the day isn't done:)

any body got any prescriptions i can have before our other kids get here?!?

new news :)

so we finished all the paperwork to send off for our boys visa for the return trip home with their new names on them...  Erik Mark Newsom and Wendell Cole Newsom... it was AMAZING to just write their new names down... i know it probably seems a small step to you, but for us it was HUGE...

some of you might remember these signs we hung (a year ago May) on their bedroom door...

so we are about to see over two years of prayer, perseverance, persistence and pain culminate in a homecoming!  How glorious is our God!!

now a lot has changed in our journey over the years... but not our God... He has remained faithful, loving and true...

won't be long now and we'll have flight details... can't wait to share that with you :)