Please Pray!

Please say a prayer for a little girl from our church who is battling cancer.

Her name is Morgan.

Here is a link to her Caring Bridge Site.

Sweet Morgan is only 7 yrs old.

I cannot imagine the pain the family is enduring.

UPDATE: Morgan passed away today. Please keep her family in prayer as they grieve her loss, but rest in the knowledge that they will see her again someday soon. She's dancing in Heaven now.

What am I missing?

A large part of adoption includes loss.

The last couple of days I have been thinking alot about it.

I don't try to focus on the negative usually. I look for the positive as much as possible because there sure is enough junk in this world.

But some events have had me thinking about all that my boys no longer have in their lives...and what my roll is in trying to help them remember.

I was having a wonderful conversation with Mekdes yesterday. She works with Abshiro Kids and they are putting on an Ethiopian Cultural camp in July here in VA. Financially we aren't able to make it this year. I am really very bummed because I so want my boys to have that connection. Mekdes and I spoke about the loss not just our adopted children experience, but also first generation Ethiopian Americans living here with their birth families. They lose the language and the culture and the sights and sounds of what it means to be Ethiopian.

I suppose it's the same for all immigrants to all countries. There is a piece that will forever connect and now forever separate.

I will admit to bad adoptive mothering and being grossly remiss in not introducing more Ethiopian culture to our boys. In the beginning my excuse was too much stress with adoption related things, and then it was just not on my priority list with every day life. Bad momma. ;o)

Part of my dilemma is that I am not Ethiopian. I don't know how to speak Amharic, and there are really no Ethiopian influences here in our area. We are very diverse racially otherwise...just not Ethiopian.


I went home yesterday afternoon and went on YouTube and found some Ethiopian music videos. E was stuck to the screen. E loved it! He was dancing and smiling and just grooving to the music. He then began talking about a sister. This is the first he's spoken about any family in Ethiopia. Since his English is still forming he wasn't able to say much but he obviously remembered something. And it wasn't a sad memory for him.

N had no clue what the music was and wondered about the words they were using. Another bad mom moment. I had played the music for him in the past but he was never really interested and just would leave the room. Perhaps I should have been more consistent with his exposure?

I also found some Amharic lessons on YouTube, I want to share these with the boys. I'll bet they come in handy with our mission team. ;o)

I pray that I am more diligent in sharing Ethiopia with my boys.

This and That

I tell you what, having 4 days off in a row has been wonderful! Full but wonderful.

Friday was dentist day. We all had appointments. I am not really good about getting those scheduled the way I am supposed to and since it had been a while since we had had it done, I scheduled them for the same day. E has to go to a Pediatric Dentist to get more work done. He has a pretty significant gag reflex so they couldn't do any xrays but it looks like it could be some serious work.. ugh!

I took the kids out for lunch afterwards then to get the boys new sandals. Good grief those kids grow like no one's business.

Saturday we got up early and went back to the beach. We had a blast. The boys love to dig holes as you might be able to tell from the last photos. We had a pretty big hole dug this time and it ended up being a community effort. We had a little boy from Northern Va, and one from NY and others. The dads had fun as well. We left about noon to get back to the house for E's party.

Had a bit of a mishap with the cake.

I got it all mixed and in the 13 x 9 pan, and as I was placing it into the oven my arm hit the door, I jumped and proceeded to dump half the contents of the cake pan upside down into the oven. OIY!

We were able to salvage some and got another mixed and into another pan. And they were actually very tasty. I have some serious cleaning to do in the oven but S was able to decorate the cake and make it beautiful! ;o)

E has decided that now that he is 4 yrs old that he will start peeing while standing and dressing himself. He's so grown.

After dinner D and I got the boys ready for bed and went out for a date. We went to see Transformers! I am so totally a geek when it comes to that movie. I LOVE Optimus Prime. I mostly enjoyed the movie. I don't want to spoil it for anyone that wants to see it, but there are parts when I was not a happy camper. But for the most part I was on the edge of my seat, gasping and enthralled.

Today was our church wide mission meeting. It went really well I think. We had about 9 people there and one already signed and deposited commitment. I know there are others. I am so excited to see how it all goes. God has been moving and shaking! I have been on the phone this week with more people from my church than I ever have learning about the ways things work, and how it all comes together.

I have felt God move, and open doors and touch people in pretty amazing ways.

This morning at church He spoke so powerfully through other people that I was in tears.

D and I usually sit in the balcony of the church. During our prayer time, we are given the opportunity to say, out loud, our prayer request. A member of our church who I know has had issues with her husband asked for prayers for "a father dealing with depression and his faith." She was catty-corner to us in the balcony.

We had offering and then as we began to sing the next song, How Great is Our God,...her husband walked in and stood next to her. I don't know how many people saw this or knew what it meant...but I just stood there in tears and rejoiced at how great our God truly is.

He provides, He lifts, He gives peace, and He strengthens.

To the Beach for E's Birthday!!!!

He's Birthday was Thursday. He is a big 4 yrs old!!!

He doesn't totally grasp the concept of what a birthday is yet. Daddy called him from work to sing Happy Birthday and when he heard daddy say Happy Birthday he wished daddy one too...lol

We kept things small scale for just that reason though. We hung out in the morning. Then went to the beach for play time. He was a bit worried about the water at first, but then got over the fear. He wanted to be just like N, who has NO fear.

We had his favorite Pasta for dinner. And he chose Strawberry Ice Cream for dessert. We will have a family party for him on Saturday.

Look how grown he is!!!
E listening to a card my parents recorded for him.... it was too cute!
Being silly! Eating his birthday ice cream. He didn't want cake.
E listening to Erin and her family sing the Happy Birthday song. He kept looking at the door saying "Coming? Coming?" I was sad to say nope they weren't coming.

Mission Teams... a work in progress

I just first want to say that I LOVE what God does with me. Truly I enjoy His stretching and bending and growing...and many times pruning.

That said, while these things are happening I don't always remember that the result is a a smarter more Christ centered me.

I have never formed a mission team, nor have I have been on the back end running the fundraising and promotion so I am in one serious learning curve. ;o) Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?!

Things are moving. Things are happpening, people are excited about coming and our contact with YWAM is still excited about working with us. ;o)

I didn't realize the detail that would go into making all other parts happen. I mean I wasn't thinking I would say "Hey let's go on a trip!" and have everyone else work it... but my delegating isn't working out so well. My co leader is a guy... a great guy...and I am in no way man bashing, but I was talking to my hubby earlier and said "He's not doing what I am telling him to do!" to which my husband replied "Typical man!" hhhhmmmmmm

We are trying to put together a Yard Sale fundraiser in August. It's coming up quickly. I have learned all kinds of new things about the workings of my church today just trying to get the announcement in the bulletin for this Sunday. Things I needed to know, however who knew it would take an act of congress to get a Yard Sale planned?!

I know God is behind our efforts and all will come to fruition in His plan. He has already taught me that if I don't immediately go into stressed out fix it mode that things get fixed by themselves. I still go into fix it mode...but not with the added stress factor. If I can get it fixed and not just fume about it to myself..then Praise God. And if it's not to happen the way I had planned... well then...something else will work out better.

If you think about it, will you pray for my continued openness to Christ's leading? For the doors that are to be opened..open. Those that are to be closed..close. And most importantly the grace to let all the stress roll off my back.

Family Fun

These are a bit out of order...lol

The house...


mom, S and Grandma Cheryl
Aren't they the cutest?!
oh bad girl!
My momma and her daddy
Daddy and N racing to the park.
Momma giving E a lift.

My tiny little grandma


A daddy's love
my mom being naughty
My dad cooking breakfast ;o)
Yes the cabinets are really that color green and the counter tops are really bright yellow. You know what's funny about it though? Is that it's not something I ever notice. It's what I grew up with, they have lived in the same house since before I was born so although it's not something anyone would ever choose now, it's beautiful to me. It's home.

The funny thing is that they have the money to replace it if they wanted to, but they are happy with the way things are as well. They got new carpet years ago and it was like changing the world to them. They would rather travel the world than change their house. ;o) Besides dad (what I call my grandfather) would rather work outside than mess with interior decorating.

Battlefield

Me and my S it was a bit windy...lol


My dare devils.





oops lost S in the wind... lol
King of the rock!

Pics from Saturday (and some Sunday) afternoon

N supervising the paver installation
Taking a break with GG (great grandma)
E and GG conversing about the wonderful qualities of cheese sticks.
N and Grandma Cheryl (not really grandma, but we call her that anyway)

Grandma Cheryl showing the boys how to make the measuring tapes work.

Helping pic up magnolia buds in the yard

Practicing soccer

Look at my yard treasures (ok these are Sunday pictures)

My Nanny and Grandma Cheryl are the best!!!
N being goofy
Into the mind of N. He loves to order things and arrange them. He brought me into the room with my eyes closed so he could show me his work.