This morning I drove across town to the Nebraska Children's Home Society , walked in the front doors, and handed in our final paperwork, complete with five copies of our profile letter.
That's it.
From this point on it is now out of my hands.
There is nothing left to do but wait.
And, I'm okay with waiting. God's been teaching me how to wait on Him for a good long while now, and, I'm at a point where I can wait, in peace, no matter how long it may take.
We will wait for the Lord to bring the right mother, and the right child into our family.
I have no idea who God has chosen to trust us with her child. I have no idea if she is pregnant yet. I have no idea what she's been through...or will be going through...to lead her to adoption.
But what peace I have when I think about her knowing that God is watching her right now, seeing everything she's going through...and knowing at some point in time God is going to collide our worlds together. And I pray that when the time comes, and our lives are forever intertwined, it will be a beautiful display of God's love and grace.
Because we know God wants what's best for us. Even if what's best isn't exactly what's easiest.
So we wait. We wait in peace because we know she's out there somewhere. And God is moving all the pieces of our lives to bring us together. Sometimes that takes a while. So, again I say, we wait...
"Lord, I don't know if I'm ready for this. I don't know what this next step looks like. I don't know what I'm going to need to handle whatever comes our way. Thank you that you don't wait until we're perfectly prepared to ask us to follow You. Thank you that you've called us, right now, where we're at, all our imperfections, to follow in the path you've laid out for us. What peace I have knowing you are overseeing our lives. And so I'm standing in faith That.You.Will.Equip me, Isaak, Sydaleigh, and Marvelly and continue to develop in us the qualities we will need...to love the mother, and to love the child, no matter her background, or the child's age, gender, or race. Hold my hand, and remind me of Your promises and goodness when my heart forgets. Help us Lord, so when that phone rings, and your promise is waiting on the other end...we will be ready to take the call."
Come on in...
Monday, July 26, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Twilight zone
5:04pm.
Sydaleigh is jumping on the couch cushions and screaming in delight.
Marvelly is simultaneously screaming, but not in delight.
I look away from the screaming to see the dishwasher flooding all over the floor.
I then hear Chief starting to throw up in the other room.
The phones ringing...
and I'm standing there, wide eyed, wondering when I entered the twilight zone?
Sydaleigh is jumping on the couch cushions and screaming in delight.
Marvelly is simultaneously screaming, but not in delight.
I look away from the screaming to see the dishwasher flooding all over the floor.
I then hear Chief starting to throw up in the other room.
The phones ringing...
and I'm standing there, wide eyed, wondering when I entered the twilight zone?
Getting back on track.
I've been out of my routine lately. My routine of getting up early, when the sun just starts to peek in through the windows and go out for my run and quiet time with God.
I busted a toe last Thursday while attempting to mow the lawn. I was trying to move a patio chair without letting the handle go on the mower, and I forcefully set it down on my toe, which proceeded to gush blood and swell. After a week I'm finally able to put pressure on it.
The next day I had a little mole cut out of my leg which has been hurting like he cut half my leg out.
Then, the next day, we went to a birthday party and I seriously busted my left shoulder going down a 16 foot high inflatable water slide. That was totally worth it though. :)
However, with all those things working against me, I haven't been up for getting up lately.
Stinkin' body hurting all at the same time.
Quiet running time is essential for me in the morning. I like to escape, and run, and have quiet talks with the Lord before I talk to anyone else. To pray, and clear my head, and gather perspective and energy before the chaos sets in. I crave it. And I've been missing it.
Hoping my stitched up leg, swollen toe, and busted shoulder feel better fast, so that I can get my mornings back on track....
I busted a toe last Thursday while attempting to mow the lawn. I was trying to move a patio chair without letting the handle go on the mower, and I forcefully set it down on my toe, which proceeded to gush blood and swell. After a week I'm finally able to put pressure on it.
The next day I had a little mole cut out of my leg which has been hurting like he cut half my leg out.
Then, the next day, we went to a birthday party and I seriously busted my left shoulder going down a 16 foot high inflatable water slide. That was totally worth it though. :)
However, with all those things working against me, I haven't been up for getting up lately.
Stinkin' body hurting all at the same time.
Quiet running time is essential for me in the morning. I like to escape, and run, and have quiet talks with the Lord before I talk to anyone else. To pray, and clear my head, and gather perspective and energy before the chaos sets in. I crave it. And I've been missing it.
Hoping my stitched up leg, swollen toe, and busted shoulder feel better fast, so that I can get my mornings back on track....
Monday, July 19, 2010
Our sunflowers
When we were planning out our garden in the spring, after a long and brutal winter, Isaak said he wanted to plant some sunflowers. He said they would be easy to grow, not require high maintenance, and add some height and extra dimension to the bulbs already planted.
I do not know squat about flowers. I can identify a rose, a sunflower, and those weedy dandelions, and that's about as far as my knowledge goes. You'd think after growing up with a mom who planted an extensive garden every year, and "encouraged" us to work in it with her, I'd know more than I do...but I don't. So, anyways, when Isaak said low maintenance I was on board.
When it comes to me and flowers, the more low maintenance the better. :)
So, we prep the dirt, buy the seeds, (and this is rather embarrassing to admit, sometimes I amaze myself at my own ignorance)...but I was literally stunned to see that the sun flower seeds that Isaak threw down into the dirt, the same sunflower seeds that my husband sucks on in the car and spits out into any container he can find, the same sunflower seeds that get spilled all over the car when he forgets to throw the remnants away, the sunflower seeds that drive me crazy....are indeed the same sunflower seeds that produce sunflowers. Who.freakin'.knew?!
Low maintenance was an understatement. These beauties took no time at all to grow taller than Isaak.
I was beginning to wonder if they would ever bloom an actual flower. It took a couple months, but they've finally started opening up to the world.
Aren't sunflowers grand? They are so cheerful, and pleasant. I love that they are in my yard to enjoy.
I do not know squat about flowers. I can identify a rose, a sunflower, and those weedy dandelions, and that's about as far as my knowledge goes. You'd think after growing up with a mom who planted an extensive garden every year, and "encouraged" us to work in it with her, I'd know more than I do...but I don't. So, anyways, when Isaak said low maintenance I was on board.
When it comes to me and flowers, the more low maintenance the better. :)
So, we prep the dirt, buy the seeds, (and this is rather embarrassing to admit, sometimes I amaze myself at my own ignorance)...but I was literally stunned to see that the sun flower seeds that Isaak threw down into the dirt, the same sunflower seeds that my husband sucks on in the car and spits out into any container he can find, the same sunflower seeds that get spilled all over the car when he forgets to throw the remnants away, the sunflower seeds that drive me crazy....are indeed the same sunflower seeds that produce sunflowers. Who.freakin'.knew?!
Low maintenance was an understatement. These beauties took no time at all to grow taller than Isaak.
I was beginning to wonder if they would ever bloom an actual flower. It took a couple months, but they've finally started opening up to the world.
Aren't sunflowers grand? They are so cheerful, and pleasant. I love that they are in my yard to enjoy.
Friday, July 16, 2010
My first batch of bread
(added the recipe link at the bottom of the post....)
I have been looking for a bread recipe for a while now....wanting to start making my own, as opposed to buying expensive loaves that don't taste nearly as good as homemade.
I want regular white bread. Nothing fancy. Just a simple white bread that I can use for sandwiches.
I bought all the basic ingredients a while ago...months actually ....and it's all just been sitting around my cupboards, waiting to be used because I haven't been able to find a recipe worth trying.
I don't have a bread machine.
Yet, most of the recipes I kept finding called for one.
Or, the recipes would call for bread flour.
What is bread flour, and how is it different from, oh, regular flour?
I was in the doctor's office last week and was reading Martha while I waited and inside just happened to be four bread recipes. One of them for white bread. Now, I'm no Martha food maker. I don't ever attempt to make anything from her because I am not a fancy cook or baker, and she typically calls to use things in her recipe that I've literally never even heard of. I like to keep it simple. I don't have time to invest hours in the kitchen for dinner. The girls would have my head. And then they wouldn't eat the food. :~)
I was hesitant to even bother looking at the recipe, sure that it would call for something ridiculous like organic flour, or honey made from only the finest bees, or sugar from the tropics of Southeast Asia.
But, it was surprisingly simple. So unMartha like.
And, I am proud to say it turned out great! I've never made homemade bread before and I was sure that just because it was my first time something was bound to go wrong, like it would suspect that I was a newbie so it wouldn't rise just for kicks. :)
But it totally rose. And looked beautiful. And tasted delicious. And Isaak loved it. And the girls ate it. And now it's all gone.
Oh yeah.
Martha's simple white bread recipe
I have been looking for a bread recipe for a while now....wanting to start making my own, as opposed to buying expensive loaves that don't taste nearly as good as homemade.
I want regular white bread. Nothing fancy. Just a simple white bread that I can use for sandwiches.
I bought all the basic ingredients a while ago...months actually ....and it's all just been sitting around my cupboards, waiting to be used because I haven't been able to find a recipe worth trying.
I don't have a bread machine.
Yet, most of the recipes I kept finding called for one.
Or, the recipes would call for bread flour.
What is bread flour, and how is it different from, oh, regular flour?
I was in the doctor's office last week and was reading Martha while I waited and inside just happened to be four bread recipes. One of them for white bread. Now, I'm no Martha food maker. I don't ever attempt to make anything from her because I am not a fancy cook or baker, and she typically calls to use things in her recipe that I've literally never even heard of. I like to keep it simple. I don't have time to invest hours in the kitchen for dinner. The girls would have my head. And then they wouldn't eat the food. :~)
I was hesitant to even bother looking at the recipe, sure that it would call for something ridiculous like organic flour, or honey made from only the finest bees, or sugar from the tropics of Southeast Asia.
But, it was surprisingly simple. So unMartha like.
And, I am proud to say it turned out great! I've never made homemade bread before and I was sure that just because it was my first time something was bound to go wrong, like it would suspect that I was a newbie so it wouldn't rise just for kicks. :)
But it totally rose. And looked beautiful. And tasted delicious. And Isaak loved it. And the girls ate it. And now it's all gone.
Oh yeah.
Martha's simple white bread recipe
Thursday, July 15, 2010
What.is.going.on?
What happened to my kids?
For the past three days Marvelly has been ultra rebellious. And I do mean ultra!
Not taking naps, getting out of bed (which she never does!) and sneaking into the playroom while she's suppose to be napping. Then, not going to sleep at night. Turning on the light, reading books, getting out of bed to play by Sydaleigh, total indifference to correction. It's the total 'Marvelly show'. She just wants to have fun, and that's all.
ohhhh....it's really starting to wear on me......
and this morning with Sydaleigh....
she preceded to leech onto me at VBS, throw a temper tantrum about me leaving , and display some intense separation anxiety. She's been going fine for the past three days, and then, boom, out of no where.....FREAK OUT!
I had to leave, with her, and she is now sitting in her bed until lunch time. What she chose over going to VBS today.
I don't get it! I just don't flippin' get it!
Did somebody sneak some crazy juice into the water or something?!
What's up with my kids?!
For the past three days Marvelly has been ultra rebellious. And I do mean ultra!
Not taking naps, getting out of bed (which she never does!) and sneaking into the playroom while she's suppose to be napping. Then, not going to sleep at night. Turning on the light, reading books, getting out of bed to play by Sydaleigh, total indifference to correction. It's the total 'Marvelly show'. She just wants to have fun, and that's all.
ohhhh....it's really starting to wear on me......
and this morning with Sydaleigh....
she preceded to leech onto me at VBS, throw a temper tantrum about me leaving , and display some intense separation anxiety. She's been going fine for the past three days, and then, boom, out of no where.....FREAK OUT!
I had to leave, with her, and she is now sitting in her bed until lunch time. What she chose over going to VBS today.
I don't get it! I just don't flippin' get it!
Did somebody sneak some crazy juice into the water or something?!
What's up with my kids?!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Uh oh.
*gulp*
*eye bulge*
I always get a little bit scared when I come downstairs and see the living room like this...
and Isaak stuffed behind the couch...
*eye bulge*
I always get a little bit scared when I come downstairs and see the living room like this...
and Isaak stuffed behind the couch...
Getting ready for school
I took Sydaleigh out for some special Mommy time last night before dinner. With her being in VBS this whole week she isn't getting as much face time with me as she's used to, so we went shopping, just us.
I took her to pick out some new clothes for preschool next month. Which I can't believe is only a month away. Normally, I just pick up the girls clothes on clearance at Target or hit up my favorite kids consignment shop (they don't know the difference), but starting school is special, so I let her pick out some special things.
Of course she wanted everything she saw. She was nearly bouncing off the walls with delight looking at everything. But, it was fun to talk with her about clothes, and colors, and matching, and this and that. I remember the thrill of shopping for new clothes every year before school started, it was surreal being on the other side, as the parent this time, feeling it through the eyes of my own child. :)
I took her to pick out some new clothes for preschool next month. Which I can't believe is only a month away. Normally, I just pick up the girls clothes on clearance at Target or hit up my favorite kids consignment shop (they don't know the difference), but starting school is special, so I let her pick out some special things.
Of course she wanted everything she saw. She was nearly bouncing off the walls with delight looking at everything. But, it was fun to talk with her about clothes, and colors, and matching, and this and that. I remember the thrill of shopping for new clothes every year before school started, it was surreal being on the other side, as the parent this time, feeling it through the eyes of my own child. :)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
We've got that summer feelin'
Band aids all over their bodies, to cover the mosquito bites.
Scraped up knees, toes, elbows, and everything else that has exposed skin.
Walks to "bunny bear hunts".
Sun kissed hair.
Picking wild flowers
The smell of sunscreen wafting in the air.
Dirty grass stained feet from running outside barefoot.
Breezy dresses.
Bathing suits.
Wet clothes.
Bonfires before bed.
Weekend road trips.
Sunny skies at 5am.
Sunny skies till 10pm.
Hearing the girls talking in bed way too late.
Evening swims at the pool and romps in the sprinkler.
Watching our garden grow.
Walks to the park.
Play dates with friends.
Eating lots of watermelon.
Night time runs.
It sure is shaping up to be one great summer. :)
Scraped up knees, toes, elbows, and everything else that has exposed skin.
Walks to "bunny bear hunts".
Sun kissed hair.
Picking wild flowers
The smell of sunscreen wafting in the air.
Dirty grass stained feet from running outside barefoot.
Breezy dresses.
Bathing suits.
Wet clothes.
Bonfires before bed.
Weekend road trips.
Sunny skies at 5am.
Sunny skies till 10pm.
Hearing the girls talking in bed way too late.
Evening swims at the pool and romps in the sprinkler.
Watching our garden grow.
Walks to the park.
Play dates with friends.
Eating lots of watermelon.
Night time runs.
It sure is shaping up to be one great summer. :)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Colorado Springs for the 4th
Finally!
After almost two years of waiting, wondering where they were going to get stationed, talking on the phone about all the possibilities, dreaming, waiting some more, Drew and Kelly are finally settled in Colorado Springs, a mere 9 hours from us in Nebraska.
I never thought this weekend would come!
It's been very rare in our nearly 10 years in the military that the Lord has graciously blessed us with friends from a previous assignment within any sort of reasonable drivable distance.
First, Matt and Jenn moved to Kansas City, unreal, 3 hours away.
Now Drew and Kelly in CO.
So sweet.
Me and Isaak haven't been to Colorado Springs in nearly 10 years either. We drove through on our way from Georgia out to California, merely stopped for the night, and headed out again in the morning. This time it was so nice to actually get to stay, and play. : )
The landscape is beautiful, but every time I looked upon it I kept thinking of the outback. Australia. Not that I've ever been to Australia, but in my mind this is what it resembles.
Totally.rugged. (said in my best Aussie accent :~) )
and totally beautiful. (facing east away from the mountains)
We tried to cram in as much stuff as our kids would tolerate. So we hit up a park on Friday and just bummed around the house, grilled out, shucked some corn. Oh yeah, and me and Kel hit up Eclipse after bedtime :)
Saturday we went to Focus on the Family, which had this amazing free indoor kids play extravaganza thingy. Slides, tunnels, hollow airplanes, squishy jump things (?), soda fountain shop, and tons more. That place is amazing. I was actually awe struck. As I stood in the parking lot and looked upon the expanse of buildings, thinking about the life changing things going on inside...knowing that it all started with one man, and his vision. And now over 30 years later what he started is reaching hundreds of millions of people all over the world.
Amazing.
I will never cease to stand in awe of what God can do with a willing heart.
Saturday night we went to Fort Carson to celebrate our Independence.
this was the view on the way to base. glorious.
I don't know what they liked more, the glow sticks or the fireworks. But all the kiddos had a blast, made it all the way through the show, no meltdowns....
the Robinsons.
this is how these two watched most of the fireworks.
4th of July 2010
Sunday we took an adventure to the Garden of the Gods. And when I say adventure I mean when I was told it was a park with rock formations that kids can climb on, I somehow envisioned...small rocks.
Not mammoth beasts of mountain jutting out of the ground.
It didn't occur to me either that the park was situated in the mountains.
Or that I should where real shoes.
Or that we would be hiking.
I attribute this stupid lack of common sense to the fact that I have a stupid lack of common sense sometimes. :)
So, off we went. Up the mountains. In my Converse shoes. Isaak pushing our sit-n-stand up hill through trails not meant for a sit-n-stand stroller.
We didn't make it very far. The first mammoth we came to along the trail was where we stayed. It was actually rather kid friendly though. Sydaleigh was able to climb up. I tried, but kept slipping thanks to my traction less shoes. It was breathtakingly gorgeous though. And we had a blast.
this would be the craziest saddest attempt at a group photo ever! we tried. :)
we rounded out the night with a rousing game of 'hit the girls with the balls'. Which, they ecstatically loved. Gotta love daddies that rough house.
And thankfully Marvelly only got car sick twice on the way home, 30 minutes into the ride back. Not too shabby.
Great great trip.
*I just have to note....Sunday night a big thunderstorm blew through and on Monday morning, we were about 50 miles outside of Co. Springs and we notice people shoveling heaping piles of snow away from their doors. Uh huh. That's right. We did a double take, not believing that it was really snow in July...but it was. Snow. Heaping piles of it in this little tiny town we passed through. It was along the sides of the road, in front of businesses, in the fields....all over. Snow. And by the time we were passing through it was encroaching on 70 degrees. And there were still piles of it unmelted. I was cringing at the sight.....
After almost two years of waiting, wondering where they were going to get stationed, talking on the phone about all the possibilities, dreaming, waiting some more, Drew and Kelly are finally settled in Colorado Springs, a mere 9 hours from us in Nebraska.
I never thought this weekend would come!
It's been very rare in our nearly 10 years in the military that the Lord has graciously blessed us with friends from a previous assignment within any sort of reasonable drivable distance.
First, Matt and Jenn moved to Kansas City, unreal, 3 hours away.
Now Drew and Kelly in CO.
So sweet.
Me and Isaak haven't been to Colorado Springs in nearly 10 years either. We drove through on our way from Georgia out to California, merely stopped for the night, and headed out again in the morning. This time it was so nice to actually get to stay, and play. : )
The landscape is beautiful, but every time I looked upon it I kept thinking of the outback. Australia. Not that I've ever been to Australia, but in my mind this is what it resembles.
Totally.rugged. (said in my best Aussie accent :~) )
and totally beautiful. (facing east away from the mountains)
We tried to cram in as much stuff as our kids would tolerate. So we hit up a park on Friday and just bummed around the house, grilled out, shucked some corn. Oh yeah, and me and Kel hit up Eclipse after bedtime :)
Amazing.
I will never cease to stand in awe of what God can do with a willing heart.
Saturday night we went to Fort Carson to celebrate our Independence.
this was the view on the way to base. glorious.
I don't know what they liked more, the glow sticks or the fireworks. But all the kiddos had a blast, made it all the way through the show, no meltdowns....
the Robinsons.
this is how these two watched most of the fireworks.
4th of July 2010
Sunday we took an adventure to the Garden of the Gods. And when I say adventure I mean when I was told it was a park with rock formations that kids can climb on, I somehow envisioned...small rocks.
Not mammoth beasts of mountain jutting out of the ground.
It didn't occur to me either that the park was situated in the mountains.
Or that I should where real shoes.
Or that we would be hiking.
I attribute this stupid lack of common sense to the fact that I have a stupid lack of common sense sometimes. :)
So, off we went. Up the mountains. In my Converse shoes. Isaak pushing our sit-n-stand up hill through trails not meant for a sit-n-stand stroller.
We didn't make it very far. The first mammoth we came to along the trail was where we stayed. It was actually rather kid friendly though. Sydaleigh was able to climb up. I tried, but kept slipping thanks to my traction less shoes. It was breathtakingly gorgeous though. And we had a blast.
this would be the craziest saddest attempt at a group photo ever! we tried. :)
we rounded out the night with a rousing game of 'hit the girls with the balls'. Which, they ecstatically loved. Gotta love daddies that rough house.
And thankfully Marvelly only got car sick twice on the way home, 30 minutes into the ride back. Not too shabby.
Great great trip.
*I just have to note....Sunday night a big thunderstorm blew through and on Monday morning, we were about 50 miles outside of Co. Springs and we notice people shoveling heaping piles of snow away from their doors. Uh huh. That's right. We did a double take, not believing that it was really snow in July...but it was. Snow. Heaping piles of it in this little tiny town we passed through. It was along the sides of the road, in front of businesses, in the fields....all over. Snow. And by the time we were passing through it was encroaching on 70 degrees. And there were still piles of it unmelted. I was cringing at the sight.....
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