Treasures In Jars of Clay

In This Is Love

2012-02-14T07:12:00.001-08:00

While I was hoping to do a post about The Littles in their frilly pink today, we are still fighting sickness. Little A calmly threw up breakfast in multiple places. I put her in the tub and she just laid there. I said, “Okay Baby, let’s get you out so Mama can snuggle you.” She responded from her position, “No Mama, just lay”. She didn’t want to expend any energy to get out of the tub.

So, our day of making cookies and cutting out construction paper hearts will have to be postponed. However, here is my Valentine thought of the day.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10

A Rock and A Hard Place

2012-02-11T08:18:00.001-08:00

My stomach has a hard knot in it as I read this post. It feels like hopelessness.

Please read the following post and then join prayerfully on behalf of the people from the Nuba Mountains.

http://kimberlylsmithblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/between-rock-and-hard-place.html

You can take additional action by following the link on the post.

What’s Been On My Mind

2012-02-10T12:27:00.001-08:00

I know you are all dying of suspense to know my thoughts. ;)

I love to read and am heavily influenced by books. I have read or reread a few lately and just thought I would pass on some of my recommended.

My #1 recommendation for parents raising or considering getting involved with “children of trauma”

A wonderful and funny look at heart-oriented discipline.

Be inspired by this man’s testimony within the persecuted church in China.

Haven’t read this one yet. Stop everything and read it.

Wow. A book about economics that is funny and fascinating and I believe a MUST READ for Christians working among the poor/orphaned/oppressed/widowed.

Be blessed through one woman’s example of loving as Jesus loves.

A gripping (at times graphic) account of some need to know information about human trafficking and the plight of people in Sudan.

Recent Kid’s favorites:

An amazing Bible story book for kiddos and adults! From creation, the author does a masterful job of weaving together the Bible as ONE story, HIS story.

The Littles current favorite book. Such a powerful lesson presented in an impactful way for littles.

Next on my list: Re-reading my favorite marriage book:

And then hopefully: (does anyone local have a copy I could borrow?)

What books would you recommend?

Down For The Count

2012-02-07T16:06:00.001-08:00

Thanks for everyone’s advice on potty training. Tricia’s comment on my last post cracked me up entirely.

Do you remember this? If not, click here…

Is this potty training mess truly my just reward? ;)

Today 3 out of 5 of our household were sick. Little J joined the party about noon. My health has held strong although dealing with smelly body fluids about did me in several times. I decided I am glad we are not potty training during this time of lots of mess.

As much as Jon wanted to not be sick, I don’t think he minded all the snuggles! ;)

Here’s to a better tomorrow!

The Unpottytrainable Princesses

2012-02-06T07:55:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time, there were two princesses.

(In their outfits of choice this morning)

Actually one Sleeping Beauty + bunny ears= Sleeping Bunny princess

And one self-proclaimed “Queen Esther”

Their life was good and included many activities, like dressing up.

Squirrel watching, dressing up,

playing with babies, dressing up,

a great many tea parties and did I mention dressing up?

But all was not well in the housedom because their Mama didn’t know what to do.

These smart, little princesses, though beyond capable, refused to try and sit on the potty, even amidst their Mama’s pleas and blatant attempts at bribery. (Example of said bribery, “Girl, if you can put anything in the potty, you can have whatever you want, name it, ice cream sound good? or stickers? Cookies, sure and we can make cupcakes.”)

The end of the story is not yet written, but right now it would be something like…”and they all lived smelly ever after”.

Give me your advice, admonishment or encouragement.

Because I want this story to end like this…

”And they all lived happily ever after in their big girl panties.”

Unplugged but Plugged In

2012-02-02T11:55:00.001-08:00

Welp, we are still without internet. But things are happening and God is moving in the little details and we may soon be connected.

The other morning I wanted to know the weather and without internet or television, I had to turn on the radio! Hehehe.

In this time without I have had a few recurring thoughts.

1) AAH! I feel cut off. I am sorry if you have sent an e-mail and I haven’t responded, if you announced you are expecting and I haven’t said congratulations or if you announced your moving and I haven’t offered to help. I don’t know if China fell into the ocean or which political candidate said what and I haven’t done any online banking in days!

BUT…

2) I am also finding in this time of being “unplugged”, I am way more “plugged in” to the vine. My prayer life has greatly improved.

I read a quote today that resonated and I thought maybe it could bless you too.

“Let us not pray for easier lives but for greater power to bring blessing out of every pressure and trial”.

The Littles are adjusting well. Here are a few recent pictures…

Little J has been into layering…notice the tutu over the princess dress.

Playing with new found toys in Grandma’s basement.

Enjoying the nice weather and the new outdoor spaces.

Cooking breakfast for their babies…

Little J was so worried about this doll.

Making boats out of empty boxes…

And finding old favorite books.

A Dead Zone

2012-01-30T17:41:00.001-08:00

The title is much more morbid then the situation. Our new home is in an internet “dead zone”. I snuck away to the local “hot-spot” (Mom and Dad’s). I talked with three internet companies today and my brother is going to pull some strings and just MAYBE I can join my online world again. ;)

We have a lot going on around here. Thanks for praying us through this transition. Grandma moved back home on Friday night and we are glad to have her around!

Lots to tell you but so little time.

A Few Matters of Business AND Some Fun

2012-01-25T12:22:00.001-08:00

Sold Winners

Though it’s a bit early, I have the results for the Sold giveaway. My mom threw in an extra copy, so we have two names!

Mandy R.

Emily G.

Congrats ladies, I’ll get it to you and pass it on when you are finished.

And, The people have spoken!

Thanks for your votes and the verdict is in. We are keeping our nicknames for the girls. These two are staying…

The Littles!!!

Our Time “Watching Uncle Jeff”

Welp, our time with Uncle Jeff is almost over. It has been a blast and The Littles can’t wait for him to get home from school. Let’s just say when he arrives they have big plans for him.

Most of the plans consist of tea parties and they have figured out that he is a softie when it comes to giving snacks. Take for instance yesterday when I found The Littles shoving double stuff Oreos into their mouth as fast as humanly possible.

Actually, they have big plans for most friendly adults who walk through the door. I found three uncles in the loft with the girls, all actively involved in tea parties and rounds of tiger hunting.

My dear friend, Heather, made a long trip to help me pack up and organize the house we will put on the market and The Littles took her hostage, convinced that she was visiting just for their pleasure!

After a day of work, Uncle Jeff decided they just had to go sledding!

They LOVED it.

And proceeded to come into the house and drink their weight in hot chocolate.

Yes, it’s been a party.

As of tomorrow, we are officially living at my Grandma’s home. She joins us next Tuesday! :)

In The World of Toddler Make Believe…

2012-01-24T06:43:00.001-08:00

Anything goes…

Sold

2012-01-23T07:11:00.001-08:00

Thanks to a giveaway on Sarah’s blog, I heard about the book Sold by Patricia McCormick.

I didn’t win but all of Sarah’s winners had to pass on the book. Leah gave me her copy.

Sold is a quick read and an effective way to be exposed to the realities of human trafficking in a not too graphic way as the book is geared for teens (but riveting at any age).

I would like to pass it on to someone interested. Leave a comment below if you would like to read it next. I will draw a name in on Wednesday night if there is more than one person interested. ;)

An excerpt:

In the village school we were taught to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.

The teacher gave us difficult problems, asking us to figure out how many baskets of rice a family would have to sell to buy a new water buffalo. Or how many lengths of fabric a mother would need to make a vest and pants for her husband and still have enough for a dress for her baby.

Here I do a different set of calculations.

If I bring a half dozen men to my room each night, and each man pays Mumtaz 30 rupees, I am 180 rupees closer each day to going back home. If I work for a hundred days more, I will surely soon have enough to pay back the 20,000 rupees I owe to Mumtaz.

Then Shahanna teaches me city subtraction.

Half of what the men pay goes to Mumtaz, she says. Then you must take away 80 rupees for what Mumtaz charges for your daily rice and dal. Another 100 a week for renting you a bed and pillow and 500 for the shot the dirty-hands doctor gives us once a month so that we won’t become pregnant.

She also warns me: Mumtaz will bury you alive if she sees your little book of figures.

I do the calculations.

And realize I am already buried alive.

Baby, Just Give Me A Smile

2012-01-22T13:33:00.001-08:00

Yeah…so any tips on getting a real smile?

The Essentials

2012-01-20T11:45:00.001-08:00

I recently heard a commentary about the apostle Paul, “Paul was a reed in the non-essentials but an iron pillar on the essentials”.

Hmm. Something I am going to start praying for myself.

Out Of Breath

2012-01-19T06:11:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to vote in the side bar! (Read yesterday's post for details).

This picture is a few months old, but so fun I can't believe I never posted it!

4 kids and 4 adults makes for fun hiking. :)

I am pretty sure we took this picture because I begged for a break through labored breaths. ;)

Bring On The New?

2012-01-18T10:09:00.001-08:00

The Littles aren’t so little anymore.

And what do we do when we have more children? Do “The Littles” become “The Bigs”?

Should we change their super-sneaky code names for the blog?

Vote in the side bar with you opinion!

Or you could leave a comment with your ideas.

The new possible replacements?

Care Bear-Little J is my tender heart. When someone is sad, she is by their side, doing whatever she can to help. She cannot handle unrest in her relationship with someone. If she has been disobedient and receives discipline or even thinks she has done something wrong, she cries until we prompt her to say “sorry” and hug it out. It makes her feel so much better, even if she didn’t do anything wrong. Usually about a minute after peace is made, she comes around to the person she feels she has offended and says, “Hi!” in a cheery tone. Little J is just checking to make sure the person answers her back in a chipper tone and then she is sure they are really at peace. Her sensitive spirit also gives some interesting parenting challenges, but that is another post! Hence the name “Care Bear”

Bubbles-Little A is my giggling, bubbly child. She loves a good joke and we noticed very early on that she seemed to have an exceptional sense of humor. Little A makes us laugh with her antics and is a eager student from many antics her uncles have taught her. She is also great at drama. She senses when the situation would be more appropriate to deliver her news in a dramatic whisper or when she is so happy all she can do is squeal in a loud and shrill tone. Vote on the side bar!

My Most FAQs

2012-01-17T07:50:00.001-08:00

“Now, where are you?”

From a Housing Standpoint:

On Friday night, we spent our first night at my grandma’s house. It has been going well, Grandma is still at a continuing care facility. Last night we moved into my parents’ house to stay with my brother, Jeff, for a week. Which is probably the easiest “babysitting” job we’ve ever had. :) Jeff gets himself up at 5:30 to do the cattle chores, comes in, showers and goes off to school. When he gets home he does his homework, feeds the pets, does more chores, his Bible study and then of his own initiative, goes to bed at 9:30 so he is ready to do it all again the next day.

However, with all of this house swapping and living out of boxes and suitcases, I sort of feel like a GW alternate houseparent! ;)

From A Missions Standpoint:

I have been reluctant to write this out as it is not a done deal and I will feel really embarrassed if something falls through…but, here it goes. Last night Jon and I turned in our applications to a large mission organization. If we are accepted, we will go to on-site evaluation with them in May where we meet with staff, have questions answered and go through testing. I am the most worried about the psychological testing because my mind has felt pretty fuzzy lately…maybe I am losing it? ;) If we make it through all their test in May, they assign us a position and a training route and we then start our support raising journey. Mid-summer we would have another two-week training/orientation.

Where is Jon working?

Jon is working at my parents’ farm. He LOVES it and his employers ;) view it as an opportunity to invest in our long-term goal of an ag related business in Ethiopia so they are giving him a variety of experiences, from machinery maintenance, cattle, hogs, driving truck and tractor to soil testing.

How are The Littles adjusting to all the change?

Praise God, they are doing remarkable. They occasionally ask to go “home” and can seem a little bummed that we aren’t returning to our little, red house, but they recover quickly and are really enjoying it. Grandma’s house has so much room! We spent our first 20 minutes yesterday just learning the layout of the house. We started in their room and then I would give them a question, “Can you find the kitchen?” This would embark on an adventure of lots of giggles. I finally told them it was time to eat breakfast and Little A said, “Mama, this is fun!” and she wanted to keep playing the “find it” game. :) They can still get turned around and then just yell, “MAMA” and head the direction of my voice. Last night when Jon got home, Little A yelled, “We’re down here, Daddy!”.

We are moving forward and God is abundantly faithful.

(Photo credit: Holly Walburn)

Flat Top

2012-01-16T17:20:00.001-08:00

Guess who woke up…

with a perfect flat top?

Little J, and no, we didn’t style her, she just slept flat against the top of her crib.

The Inheritance

2012-01-13T09:14:00.001-08:00

As we have considered moving to Ethiopia over the past year, I am not proud of the fact that it has been rough. I have dug my heels in the dirt in protest almost every step of the way. I get stuck in counting the cost…I start weighing it all out and that is where I stop. Honestly, from my fleshly perspective, the cost of leaving everything, everyONE is too high. I have explained to God that it isn’t me I am concerned about, it’s The Littles. I can get indignant, “Why did You give us such wonderful family if You are gonna take us to the other side of the world?” Then I read the scriptures and I beg God for the words of Christ to be what drives me.

I found this article in HeartCry magazine from one missionary mama to another. Many of her thoughts resonated with me. It Is long, but beautiful, encouraging and full of truths I pray I can remember.

I recently began to feel the acute pangs of missing home. I think it began with my sister going into labor and me being so far away in a tiny village when I received the news. I felt so far away and sensed a growing sadness in not experiencing that moment with my family. I was bombarded by a growing array of thoughts about having missed so many other joyous family moments. I looked at my little daughter who is a constant joy in my life, and I ached with the desire for her grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles to experience her life as I do daily. But they won’t and when they see her again, this stage will be gone. These sad thoughts grew, linked themselves to others, and spiraled downward to a place where my sacrifice no longer seemed worthy it. My head knew why it was worth it, but my heart refused compliance. I began to think: If I could only have some assurance as to when we should be finished with the work, then I could set my eyes upon the light at the end of the tunnel. However, this caused my heart to leap at the thought of returning home to family rather than at the precious reality that a new people group is now offering a new praise unto our Father.

Today, while reading “Candles in the Dark” by Amy Carmichael, I came across an excerpt of a letter to a dear friend in which she quoted Deuteronomy 18:2:

“The Lord is their inheritance as He hath said unto them.” Amy then followed by writing the following: “I thought then as I think now of the lovely inheritance you might have had. But He is your Inheritance instead of that lovely earthly joy. Throughout all eternity that word will be opening up its treasures.”

At that point I could not remember exactly what the context was for this verse, so I looked up Deuteronomy 18:12. God, in giving instruction to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, lays down what should be the inheritance rights for the Levites, those God-chosen servants who were to devote their lives to worshipful service in the temple. My heart sank as I read: “The priests, who are Levites-indeed the whole tribe of Levi-are to have no allotment of inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the offerings made to the LORD by fire, for that is their inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.”

Tears burned my eyes as the Lord spoke these words directly and deeply to my heart. I thought of the other eleven tribes who received-as their right-a share in the goodness of the land. I then thought of my family, in their homes, enjoying the blessings, those “lovely, earthly joys” God had frequently given them. And I heard in my heart, But that is not to be your place. Your inheritance is different.” As I was soaking this in, tears again burned my eyes, and I whispered back to Him, “This is a hard word.” My desires to have my daughter grow up around her grandparents and family and an eventual life of pleasant familiarity in America crumbled around me. Then, I again heard God whisper, “This is not your inheritance. Your inheritance is Me.” How true this is for my life. I even live on the offerings made to the Lord by my brothers and sisters who have received a very different inheritance. As I closed my Bible my eyes again went to Amy Carmichael’s letter: “You will never regret your choice. It is wonderful to be free to pour out all, every drop of one’s life; and that is what you have done and are doing. No, you will never regret it; never.”

There, in my mind’s eye, I knelt beside the road of my spiritual journey, dug a small hole and buried, hopefully deep enough, my desires for a different inheritance. He is enough! My heart still feels weighted with mourning the death of a desire. However, my heart is secure in knowing that He is enough. I must, in faith, cling to this promise. He is my inheritance, my eternal inheritance, just as He promised.

National Human Traffick Awareness Day

2012-01-11T13:06:00.001-08:00

We drove a long time to get there and then climbed out of the vehicle at a stream at the foot of a mountain and hiked the rest of the way.

The boys were welcoming with lots of hugs, smiles and sweaty hands to hold as they were excited to show us their home.

I fanned myself with whatever I could find as I listened to these boys from Loving Shepherd’s Home of Hope in Kpoux, Haiti. They all sat and shared their stories and then the statement was translated, “Stand up if you were a child slave before living in this home”.

I was taken completely aback when I saw that 7 of the 11 boys stood up.

One boy told of how he no longer had any bladder control because of the severe beatings across his back while he worked as a slave. I had never met a slave before.

There is an estimated 27 million slaves today. More than at any point in history. Even in the USA. Half are kids.

There are a lot of wonderful organizations working in prevention and rescue. A few we have been blessed to partner with:

Loving Shepherd Ministries

Make Way Partners

To be honest, 27 million makes me despair and seem hopeless…but our God is never helpless.

What if 2012 was the year the church mobilized on behalf of the trafficked? What if this year liberty was proclaimed to the captives because of our prayers, financial support and advocacy on behalf of the voiceless?

What The Littles Do During Mama’s Packing…

2012-01-10T19:40:00.001-08:00

As I pack, The Littles have made a lot of new discoveries.

Their “ball gowns”

And then play-doh with some newly found “pretties”. They remind me of little Hungarians.

Oh, they keep me laughing. :)

Ready, Set Go!

2012-01-09T17:14:00.001-08:00

Hehehe. This is the last thing I should be doing right now. However, to justify myself, look what just went to Goodwill? Yes, that is a start…a very small dent but I am all about rejoicing in the little accomplishments. In fact, I just added “blogging” to my list so I can scratch it off when I finish.

Another way I justify blogging, this is also like my family scrapbook and baby book…so you know, I can’t get behind. ;)

We were with our G family this weekend. So much fun! We had planned a Christmas/sledding weekend but because of the snow not being present, we just Christmassed. :)

Guess who got Big Wheels?

Six kids in one house and everyone is glad for MICKEY MOUSE. ;) (Baby Leo not pictured)

We are so thankful for our wonderful families!

The Great Wall of China

2012-01-08T19:15:00.001-08:00

A few more memories from Alabama:

If we are around a beach, another tradition my family has is an excavation day in the sand.

These are the great pyramids from two years ago.

This year the boys had their planning meeting and it resulted in this…

The Great Wall of China.

We started on a very foggy morning:

It was crazy foggy.

The Littles had their own mountain to work on so they didn’t destroy the big ones.

Work progressed

Meanwhile, we broke in the new recruits

The brothers brought their unwavering focus. :)

and The Littles burrowed in the sand

There was some cute, new teamwork going on…

And the finished product…

Oh, that’s just my child who I maybe forgot to watch closely enough.

Now for the Great Wall…

Forever Mine

2012-01-06T05:44:00.001-08:00

As we grocery shopped, Little A looked up from her perch in the grocery cart and smiled, “my mama” she said and reached her little arms out to pull me into her. She held me tight and her little head rested on my chest. “And you’re my Little A, did you know I get to be your mama forever?”

Two years ago today the phone rang and I was shocked to hear, “We have baby twin girls who need a mommy and a daddy.” I have never been the same.

January 6 2010, we saw our little girls for the first time. All three pounds of them.

Baby girls, we praise God everyday that He entrusted you to us.

Our lives changed forever on that day and we couldn’t be more thankful.

To read more details of the referral and how we were matched with twins two days after we were on the waitlist, read here: It’s Our Referralversary

#400 and A Big Change

2012-01-05T09:00:00.001-08:00

This blog has been around for almost two years and this part marks a monumental 400 posts. We’ve come along way, baby! ;) Thank you so much for tagging along for our ride.

Now for the big change…We’re moving, like…NOW. No, not to Ethiopia yet. This probably seems abrupt and it has felt that way a bit to me as well, but we are so thankful for how God has orchestrated details.

We have been living about 20 minutes north of our church community and 45 minutes north of my family. This arrangement has worked great for us and we LOVE our neighborhood and our neighbors. They have become our friends and are a big part of why pulling up in front of our little, red house seems like home. For that reason, this is bittersweet. We knew the move was coming but we anticipated it being more towards next fall.

However, now that Jon has started working on the family farm (45 minutes south), we quickly realized that we should consider moving closer, for less time and expense with commute and so the girls and I have an opportunity to interact with him during the days.

Enter God’s orchestrating…my dad’s parents live about 2 miles away from the farm. Grandma lost my Grandpa this fall. They have a very large house with lots of outdoor space and a full basement with it’s own kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. Over Thanksgiving weekend, Grandma had an accident and broke her femur, right below the hip. She has been in the hospital and then rehab/continuing care. I won’t go into all the details here, but basically, we are going to move in with her and we feel so blessed that she would let us move in and blessed that we can help her as well.

We move in about a week and then Grandma will return home too, but our move is going to be a bit of a gradual process. I can’t get a house ready to sell in a week! With this move also comes lots of purging. I have known before the move to Ethiopia we would need to minimize, but I am also not quite ready emotionally for that either. I know, so weird, I am emotionally attached to a town, a house and it’s contents (even our landscape. Jon has made it look amazing, I just want to be able to see it when those million tulips pop this spring!).

We will be about 30 minutes south of our church community and are so thankful to be able to continue to worship there.

Much to do! Anyone know where I can find boxes? ;)

One quick vacation picture to break things up…

Cold Beaches

2012-01-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

Having vacationed several times with my family in Alabama in January, our expectations are for wonderful family time but not necessarily warm weather.

We did have some nice days and the beach is gorgeous.

On our last day, we had to go down to the water, but the sunshine can't put the temperatures over 50. Brr. The weather doesn't dampen The Littles love for getting sand everywhere. ;)

Heading to the beach

Jay did the traditional "Polar Bear Plunge" solo.

Aah, this is more like it!

Yay for indoor pools! Although I don't know what The Littles are going to do when they can't "dip" every day!

Painting Pictures of Egypt

2012-01-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

Out on the beach I was reflecting on the new year. It feels like a fresh start and I love those, like a new razor, new sheets or the crisp pages of a new journal but this year as I thought back on 2011 and the complete trajectory change that it has brought, I thought, "I just want my life back!".

A Sara Groves' song that has ministered to me at various points in my life came to mind. In "Painting Pictures of Egypt" she sings about the children of Israel desiring to go back to Egypt and complaining in the wilderness.

"I've been painting pictures of Egypt, leaving out what it lacks,
because the future seems so hard that I want to go back.
But the places that used to fit me, cannot hold the things I've learned,
so that road was closed off to me, while my back was turned."

I rejoice in how God has grown me this year. I haven't shared much of the journey with you because it has seemed like a roller coaster and what I thought was a concrete plan has changed and changed and changed. Seriously, I do rejoice, but I also think that if 2012 is like 2011, ~~I might just curl up and die~~ err....be on my knees, a lot.

I don't really "want my life back". I just want to be comfortable again and in control but am so thankful to know that His Grace will continue to be sufficient and His is strong in my weakness.

As vacation nears an end, I am so thankful to know that His Grace will continue to be sufficient.

Now a few pictures to lighten the mood. ;)

A Little Pretzel With Your Sand

2011-12-31T09:29:00.000-08:00

The combo of The Littles and the sand almost overwhelms me with the mess. Add a snack to this situation and I have to just remind myself to chill. :)

Teamwork

2011-12-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

Shouldn't you be at least five before you consistently ruin every picture with an awkward cheese face?

Who Will Take Me Dipping?

2011-12-29T18:01:00.000-08:00

All of these adults and The Littles have one question; DIP?

Rounding up anyone willing to take her dipping...

They bring their own towels, they just need someone to operate the "alligator" (elevator).

Lots of lovin' adults to talk into it!

2011-12-28T19:28:00.000-08:00

We had a Merry Christmas and during this season, life has been chock full of unexpected, but God ordained changes (which I will tell you about soon).

However, this post will just be chock full of pictures. :) I regretfully didn't get my camera out much but here is a few of our festivities:

Happy Birthday Jesus party

Learning new sports,

High fashion,

Cousin love,

A giant pajama party

and some dips!

Now we are here...

More to come...

Some Antics and A Flashback…

2011-12-21T16:07:00.001-08:00

Last year at this time…

Some recent antics and a tiny update on our Ethiopia projection.

-Jon has started working on my parents farm. It has been a blessing for us as Jon is getting agricultural experience to prepare us for Ethiopia. The first night after work he walked in and the girls gave him a squeeze and then started sniffing the air. Jon said, “Little J, what’s wrong”? She took a big sniff and pointed to his jacket and said indignantly, “MOO”.

-Every bearded man is Noah and this includes any Santa we see. The other day some Amish men came to fix our window. They walked in and Little J said, “Noah!”. Already embarrassed I tried to pass it off and quietly explain that they were “nice men” and “friendly”. We went upstairs as they needed to ask me questions. The girls huddled close to my legs and then Little A started to clearly say, “Men, go away, men, go away, go away”.

-I heard a little voice from the kitchen, “Amy, help me, help me Amy!” I went in the kitchen and Little A’s eyes were sparkling as she was pretend stuck. I stifled my laugh and said, “Little A, call me Mama” to which she responded, “Okay lady” She also calls me Ames at least once a day.

-The Littles love jokes. Here is an example of a line that cracks up The Littles:

Jon: Did you know there was a pink letter so stinky the mailman wouldn’t deliver it?

The Littles: hehehehehehe (literally beside themselves with giggles) More, more!

-When The Littles are asked a question, they precede the answer with “maaaaayyyybbbbeeee”…

Have A Merry Merry Christmas

2011-12-20T10:46:00.001-08:00

If you are interested, here is our Christmas 2011 letter:

Normally we don’t send a Christmas update; we just send the picture of our smiling faces and let you assume that all is well. Don’t worry, we are happy to report that all is well and God continues to be faithful. We love that about Him, that He is unchanging and continually sovereign and merciful.

So, while all is well, all is also very different. This past year has been full of redirection for us and at times, it seems like we were just barely clinging on for the ride. We feel God’s leading for our family to be involved in full-time missions overseas. As we have prayerfully considered what this means, God continues to lay Ethiopia on our hearts. Jon and I had the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia for further exploration in early November.

Jon has worked at Paragon Landscape for five ½ years and our whole family has been blessed through this company and Jon’s coworkers. He is done with his job as a landscape designer/salesman as we move towards beginning our support raising/missionary training journey. The vision for our time in Ethiopia would be to work within a “business as missions” model and start a business with a “double harvest” mindset. The basic explanation would be that while the business will hopefully bring in monetary profit for the sake of community development, it is crucial to also be paired with discipleship and biblical teaching and training for the sake of a harvest of souls as well. While we don’t have an exact timeline or plan (trust us, we wish we did!), we are moving forward, praying for faith to follow where God leads. Jon hopes to use this time to work in an agricultural setting to learn more about the industry as it seems that agricultural businesses are one of the most effective industries in Ethiopia.

I continue to stay at home with my little “silly beans”, Little J and Little A. They crack us up with their antics, melt our hearts at their sweetness and sometimes make us crazy with their orneriness! Jon and I love the toddler stage. It is hard to believe that two years ago at this time, we had never even considered raising twin girls. Once again, it shows how God’s plans are so much better than ours (Eph. 3:20-21).

Teaching Christmas to two year-olds has made it come alive again. The deep kind of alive that leaves us humbled and with goose bumps as we stop to think about the well-known words of the Christmas story and realize their magnitude. They girls have a much-loved Nativity set and we have a hard time keeping track of “Baby Jesus” as they snatch Him out of the manger for cuddles. They watch in wonder as the nativity scene plays out again and again as we tell the story of when God became man and lived among us. They love when the angels appear to the shepherds. Little J and Little A giggle when it gets to their part, “Hallelujah, glory to God in the highest!” Little J just says, “Glory, glory, glory!”

We wish you much love and Christ’ abiding peace in your Christmas season.

Glory To God In The Highest,

J&A, j&a

Lazy Woman’s Snow Day

2011-12-19T10:59:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you just don’t have the energy for a full snow day.

However, I propose a decent solution: Lazy Mama’s Snow Day

When we got that first snow, there are only so many times in a 24 hour period that putting on snow boots sounds like fun.

The solution, SNOW IN THE HOUSE.

(And yes, you do spy princess dresses paired with Elmo slippers because these Littles don’t think it is possible to over-accessorize. )

Baby Jesus, Joseph and Barbie all joined in the fun.

Hmm…may be doing this a lot this winter.

Three Toddlers Walk Into A Bakery

2011-12-17T11:46:00.001-08:00

The cute Yummees Bakery sat empty, rows of perfect cupcakes beautifully displayed and the bakers worked on cakes in the back, completely unaware of what was about to hit them…

3 toddlers on a sugar high. Oh ya.

(Little J would only eat the cupcake by bringing the whole plate to her mouth)

Starting into their cupcakes

About 90 seconds later…the sugar hits their blood stream.

Yes, we did offer to windex their windows.

Since our encounter with Santa, Little A has wanted to hold Little J on her lap.

Miss Adilynn decided that she wanted horsey rides from The Littles.

Little J was not a fan of that idea and kept laying down.

No problem, the great part of twins is there is always another one to catch! Little A enjoyed it.

(I really wish I could have caught the whole thing on video!)

Thanks Kristi and Amy K, what a fun idea!

It’s The Thought That Counts?

2011-12-15T12:05:00.001-08:00

Because we are going to be singing at a nursing home tonight, we thought it would be a good opportunity to practice giving to others.

“Girls, who wants to decorate Christmas cookies?”

They both started on the same cookie

Oh yeah, good and decorated.

TIme for a cookie!

Little A shoves it all in, Little J took her time, licking off the frosting and adding sprinkles to each bite.

A small sampling of their work.

Hopefully it is the thought that blesses and not the perfection of the product. :)

All Dressed Up With No Place To Go

2011-12-14T04:35:00.001-08:00

I’ve always thought that I would be the mom who would allow my kids to go to the grocery in costume. It has always made me smile. However, now that The Littles wear Princess dresses everyday, we have not gone out in public with them once.

We are working up to it. :) Do you let your kids go as they are into public settings?

First World Issues

2011-12-13T06:01:00.001-08:00

(Make sure you check out and add your traditions to the last post.)

It is the little things that drive me crazy, ya know?

Take the following things I have complained about (at least in my heart) within the last few weeks:

-The sun is so bright and I forgot my sunglasses on the table at home. Squinting is so annoying and will probably give me a headache and more wrinkles, that skin around my eyes is so unforgiving.

-My internet has not been streaming videos quickly and occasionally stops to buffer. *GASP*

-Macy’s didn’t have my size in the exact boot I wanted, I will either have to go to another store, order it online, settle for another pair of boots or skip new boots altogether.

-Our automatic door on our minivan is not working properly, again.

-Walmart stopped carrying my favorite brand of hummus, the only brand they carried with 100% olive oil. Huge bummer.

A few weeks back I was talking to Jon on the phone and was telling him my predicament-that I didn’t have quite the right “genre” of shoes for my outfit. He laughed and said, “Ames, this sounds like a first world issue”. Humph. Sigh. Long pause…should I be mad? I sat there for another three seconds and then I laughed too.

Since then, God has brought these words to my head often as I find myself getting worked up and bugged and I must say, it has been good for me and my contentment level!

While in Phoenix, Seth showed us this youtube clip that I thought was GENIUS and kind of sad as the irony hits.

I Need Your Ideas...Traditions for Focusing on CHRISTmas

2011-12-12T12:29:00.000-08:00

Last year I asked you about your Christmas traditions. I just went back and re-read them and love 'em more even now! Check out your ideas from last year here.

We have had a few festivities focusing on the fun and "magical side" of Christmas. While it has been fun and sweet, we don't want receiving gifts and eating lots of cookies to be our focus. This feels very Grinch-like, but we are teaching Santa as a fictional character. We were at a large family Christmas last night and so we explained Santa before he came. The girls were apprehensive but did a good job with enough assurance and a prayer with Little J for courage to sit on Santa's lap.

This year, a common thread that keeps coming up is doing a Christmas focusing on sacrifice and giving back. We have had a few ideas but need your ideas too!

So, AGAIN, I want to hear your traditions. Specifically I would be interested in knowing how you have incorporated giving with your children. How do you focus on Christ during the holidays? Even if you haven't implemented them, what activities have you thought of doing with your family?

More of The Three Amigas (And One Funny Story)

2011-12-10T12:11:00.001-08:00

While we were in Phoenix, these three together were quite a trio. I am amazed and thankful for how well they all got along! There were moments of watching them and I almost felt like they were teenagers hanging out and then I would change a diaper and remember. (Or actually Jon would change a diaper and I would remember. I have to give a shout out here. That man changes LOADS of diapers.) :)

Bathtime is more fun when the tub is full of kids!

The high chair line-up

Delighted with their own bowls of frozen yogurt.

G took off her shirt before the ribs and chocolate cupcakes meal. Of course The Littles wanted to match!

Peek-a-boo!

“Who can find Little G’s belly button”? (We maybe had some confusion…)

And one funny story:

While at the zoo, the girls were enjoying the baboons (at least I think it was the baboons)

And when Little J (my tender-heart) was the only one left standing at the window, there was a “BOOM” and then feathers flew and a bird landed at her feet. A very out of it bird who had just run into the window right above her.

Little J looked at the bird, who was still moving a bit, and started to cry, “no tweet tweet”.

Our own “circle of life” lesson at the zoo. Dumb bird.

Christmas For A Cause

2011-12-09T11:56:00.001-08:00

The article I posted in the previous post has really got me thinking. It is kind of too late for this year to have a drastic change but the importance of intentionally giving and teaching your children how to give definitely keeps popping up.

So I am challenged, in a good way.

Now that we are in the throes of Christmas shopping (I know, some of you may be done) we are going to compile a mini-list of places you can buy gifts that benefit others! (A list of catalogs to shop for others is also available at the end of the article I posted earlier this morning). This is where I NEED YOUR HELP. My schedule is tight right now, I am going to start a small list and I want you to add on. Leave a comment of the website, what they sell and what it benefits. It needs to benefit others and give me the website, these are the only requirement. M’kay? Fun huh?

Ordinary Hero – proceeds benefit different projects, internationally and domestically. great apparel, mugs, jewelry, (If you know Ryan and Amber Prevo, putting their name in the memo when you purchase something contributes 40% of the proceeds towards their adoption fund).

Grafted Together-100% of proceeds benefit orphans, widows and adoptive families: they have hair accessories, t-shirt, jewelry (Locally benefitting the Detmer family, adopting 2 kiddos from the Congo)

Lifesong for Orphans-gifts of purpose catalog, t-shirts, cd, cookbook

One Hope CD –100% of the cd price ($10) benefit orphans through Loving Shepherd Ministries.

147 Million Orphans-Apparel, jewelry, bags

Simply Love Campaign-Great t-shirt!

Gobena Coffee-Think all things COFFEE. Fair Trade, organic, mugs, benefitting orphans and vulnerable children in Ethiopia

Thanks to the additional commenters! Please check the comments to learn of more ideas and very exciting opportunities you can be a part of, seriously, something for everyone!

Mindy, a huge thanks for posting this one! I knew it was out there, just couldn’t find it!

For a very extensive list, visit here:

http://www.liftedfromthewater.com/adoption/christmas-shopping-with-a-purpose/

I am out of time. It kind of bugs me to be so unthorough. However, if I wait for an exhaustive list, I am never going to get it up here, Please add in the comment section (even personal fundraisers) and I will post!

Hmm…

2011-12-09T05:44:00.001-08:00

I read this blog post a few days back. I can’t figure out how to share it in a pretty format, but highly recommend three minutes to read it.

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/12/when-christmas-gets-radical-whose-birthday-is-it-really/

Oh Baby Love

2011-12-08T11:06:00.001-08:00

The Littles love babies, especially Little J. The other day, driving down the road, I heard her listing all the babies she knows, “Baby Leo, Baby Indigo, Baby Jesus, Baby Beckham, Baby Norah…etc”. I can rarely find our manger with baby Jesus as it is her favorite thing to snag from the Nativity.

Needless to say, living in the same house as a baby for a weekend was loads of fun, especially with Brandy being such a laid back Mama and letting The Littles play with Baby N.

After The Littles watched Little G help change Baby N, they were mesmerized and wanted to do the same thing!

I asked The Littles, “Do you want a baby in our house?” Little J responded, “Yes, Baby JESUS!”.

The Princess Tea Party

2011-12-07T12:25:00.001-08:00

We recently returned from a quick trip to Phoenix. It was really cold while we were there but we weren’t going for the temperatures but the company and they certainly did not disappoint. My college roommate, Brandy, married my first cousin, Seth (who was more like my brother during college). Seth and Brandy have two girls, G. is a few months younger then The Littles and then the ever sweet, 5 month old “Baby N.”. (Insert sigh of wonder at this girls’ charm, seriously a living baby doll).

The Littles and G got along so well. I was amazed how well G allowed Little J & A to commandeer her toys, food and space. :)

One thing all the girls had in common was their love for tea parties. The Littles also love to dress up and since Aunt Susie gave them “princess dresses” for their birthday, they wear them EVERY day. No joke. (Susie, that gift hit the nail on the head!) So of course, they went to Phoenix with us and there was even a third dress.

These three little amigas had a tea party like it was their job, attacking it with a serious energy.

Snow White, Sleeping “Booty”, Cinderella and Mr. Bear.

Little J pours Little G a cup of tea.

It kind of made me want to have triplets. Just kidding…sort of…look at all that triplet love. ;)

Yay for girls and their love of all things girly!

Snow Bunnies

2011-11-30T16:29:00.000-08:00

Yes! Bathtime! That means I can grab Jon's computer and catch up on all your lives as he graciously handles this part of the day! ;)

My computer is still at the shop with an unknown virus. I have spent the majority of the week without a computer or a vehicle (Jon is transitioning out of his current job). I have been calling and putting pressure on the technician, to let him know, I am serious about getting this issue resolved. The conversation goes something like this:

Me: Hi, this is Amy again. How are you doing?
Lloyd: Fine.
Me: Oh, great. So, how is my computer looking?
Lloyd: We are working on getting the virus cleaned off your hard drive.
Me: Okay, does it look like it caused damage?
Lloyd: Too early to fully tell.
Me: Okay. Well, what would be your guess on time frame of when I could come pick it up?
Lloyd: Hard to tell, maybe tomorrow or after, depending.

That Lloyd, I am sure he is good at his job but is not much for details. :) I will just snag Jon's computer when I can and frantically communicate with the outside world.

We did play outside on this warm afternoon! This mama is not a fan of being cold, so I know I have to take advantage of every nice day. The Littles LOVED the snow. As in, couldn't get enough and mama was begging to go in and maybe evening bribing with promises of hot chocolate, popcorn and raisins.

Hope you all enjoyed the first snow!

More Dips!

2011-11-29T08:52:00.000-08:00

Every part of bathtime is fun...besides Mama insisting on detangling. :)

Virus

2011-11-28T19:03:00.000-08:00

Aah! My computer got attacked by a virus. A bad one. I may be offline for awhile. :(

Betelem

2011-11-22T17:46:00.001-08:00

I sat under a shade tree at one of the Lifesong School’s in Ethiopia. She came towards me, her sparkling eyes shining almost as much as her huge smile.

We started our chat. When I asked about her living situation she lost her smile and with her eyes downcast, Betelem doodled in the dirt. “My mom doesn’t want me and I never knew my dad.” She explained that she lives with her aunt now, she loves her like a mom.

When the conversation moved on, her sparkle came back to her eyes as she laughed and told me about her life now, how much she loves school, her teachers and school lunches. Betelem’s favorite thing to do in her free time? “Help my aunt around the house”.

A few minutes later, I was told by a staff member that her aunt is HIV+.

This is the part where I am supposed to pull together a touching conclusion, possibly tie it in to the theme of thankfulness but to do that dances in the face of Betelem’s grief. Yes, I am thankful that she is able to attend a wonderful school and learn about Jesus. But, I can’t tell her everything is going to be fine. I can’t tie this into a neat, little bow.

We hugged and she bounced away.

Bye sweetie. May you be known by our Father and know that He always wants you.

Learning New Words

2011-11-21T16:32:00.001-08:00

Little J had a hard day with no-no’s. Daddy took her upstairs and Little A and I were downstairs and heard Little J cry. Little A looked at me and said, “Poor lady".

No one told me how fun it is to listen as toddlers learn new words!

My Mama Comfort Zone

2011-11-18T05:31:00.001-08:00

In general my comfort zone is really large…well, maybe a better word is expandable. Not being a really structured person, I love soaking in new cultures and experiences and while new circumstances can make me uncomfortable, I can take a deep breath and enjoy the newness, the adventure, play it louder, dance harder, go faster.

However, somewhere in my expandable comfort zone, I became a mama, the kind of mama who is home for naptime and 7:30 bedtime. If we can’t be, we find a suitable dark space and I tote noisemakers, blankies, lovies, pacies and their satin encased pillows. My babies need their sleep, ya know?

My goodness, watching them fingerpaint for the first time was out of my comfort zone! I knew the floor needed scrubbed, so, hey, why not? Hmm…I just kept trying to remind myself that “IT’S WASHABLE!”

(Although I definitely learned some ways to improve on this activity for next time).

This time while in Ethiopia, I was processing life as a mother of sensitive toddlers. I must say my comfort zone felt remarkably smaller. As we walked up to church the booming music and worship poured from the open-aired building. We walked around the corner and found a bench on the dirt floor and watched worship in wide-eyed wonder, I had never seen it quite like that. I saw the “Sunday School” which consisted of all the children in church, sitting in a side wing, girls that looked about 6, holding their younger siblings, no adults present and the kids quietly sat and sang when appropriate, for an HOUR.

(not a picture from church, but a similar scene)

I had to laugh as I thought how different playing church would be here. I also realize that if they are overwhelmed by our wonderful, relatively calm church in the US, whew, we have a lot to overcome.

I thought about The Littles as I picked up yet another pantless toddler. When there is no money for diapers, the kids don’t wear anything.

Jon and I followed a little toddler, no older then three, walking down a path and she stopped abruptly at a thorn bush. Without a sound, she removed a large thorn that had just embedded itself in her foot. She trotted on like nothing happened.

A small child pressed herself into my skirt. I scooped her up and her face was covered in dry snot and about 5 flies were taking advantage of the opportunity. She didn’t even notice. If a fly even dares enter our vicinity, The Littles are shrieking, “shoo fly, don’t bother me!” while flailing their arms.

Needless to say, my “mama comfort zone” was S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D.

But you know what? It’s okay.

One night, months ago, I lay in bed wrestling with God. As Jon snoozed peacefully, I explained to God through my sobs that this couldn’t be the right thing for us. It just isn’t safe for kids. As I thought through the dangers and even many opportunities for death in a third world country, I gave God the ultimatum, “Okay, I will be willing, but if we go, you cannot take my babies!” In the stillness of the dark room, I clearly heard in my heart,

“Amy, I can take your babies tonight in their cribs in “Safeville”, IN or they could be in the middle of the desert and bitten by a poisonous snake and I could preserve their lives.”

And that’s been my Ebenezer. My moment I can go back to when fear threatens to overwhelm me. I can run into the arms of a Sovereign God.

So…???

2011-11-17T04:51:00.001-08:00

We are so thankful for how you have supported us in prayer during our time in Ethiopia. We are thankful for how many of you express your continued prayer support.

When we left, I let you know that we were feeling God’s direction to explore the possibility of working as missionaries in Ethiopia. So, now that were back, I should have a nice clean answer for you, right?

I have been debating on how to word this and have decided that gut-level honesty is the best. I am not good at pretending for long.

For the months that we have been praying, praying and praying about this, I was able to hold things pretty relaxed. Not that I didn’t have my moments of panic and many moments of fear and feeling overwhelmed, but overall, I could let it play out. In my thoughts, this trip was going to answer all our questions and give us a clear and concrete plan on moving forward. Jon is going to be done with his job shortly, etc.

Well. We had our questions answered but for each question answered, at least two more were raised. I can start feeling discouraged, frustrated and even panicky that God has not operated on my timetable. However, this lasts only for a few minutes as I reflect on how God confirmed Himself to us in so many ways while we were in Ethiopia, ways in which I wasn’t even asking.

So, here we are, loads of questions but still knowing we should be moving forward and in this direction. It’s good, in-the-I-am-scared-but-praying-everyday-for-increased-faith kind of way.

I was recently reminded of the faith of Abraham and his testimony has strengthened us. “Nowthe LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you…so Abram went…Genesis 12:1-4

As we contemplate our own “far country”, we rejoice in knowing that we serve the God of Abraham. He has been faithful and we trust He will continue to be.

We Celebrated All Day Long.

2011-11-15T06:23:00.001-08:00

While i was gone, the littles kindly removed the shift keys off my laptop. both of them. grr. so frustrating to type and since i have already sent multiple e-mails, my tolerance for trying the same letter five times is completely gone, so here is my apology about a post without capitalization.

we celebrated the littles birthday yesterday, in a lot of small ways, but by lunch time they were singing, “happy birthday to you”.

thanks to my friend heidi’s idea, i went in the girls’ room and recorded them waking up. sadly, they were GRUMPY and started fighting over the pink book, literally wrestling for it with shrieks. yeah, they will love that video later. :)

little a licks a beater after watching how we made the cake.

a tea party with daddy in the tent.

during the tea party, little a put her hand on her chin and while stroking it said, ”hmm, maybe.”

the littles each got a baby doll with natural ethnic hair. they were fascinated, studying her from every angle and then little j proclaimed, “little j hair!”.

cupcakes! they waited all day for these. little a would walk up to where i had the cupcakes and say, “later, mama, later.”

it was such a fun day. i love birthdays.

Our Two Are Two

2011-11-14T03:17:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to my sweeties! This year, their birthday is going to pass in a laid back fashion. No birthday party as it snuck up on me, I did have a great idea for a theme though... (I am feeling some mom guilt over no party).

From all reports from other mothers of multiples, two is the magical age. Time will tell. :)

Little A

Little J

Thanks to Holly from Holly Walburn Photography for taking The Littles 2 year pictures! She also took our family picture, but you will have to wait for that one until Christmas. I can’t give everything away.

Little J and Little A, Happy Birthday! Thank you for making us the happiest Mama and Daddy. We love you so much our hearts nearly explode.

Jetlagged

2011-11-12T12:22:00.001-08:00

The Littles faces were a welcome sight this morning! They were a little hesitant at first but now they don’t let us far out of their sight. At lunch time, Jon talked about going outside to which Little A responded, “daddy, no go!”.

More trip details to come, but here are a few more shots. I am trying to space out the pictures a bit so there isn’t one post with 50 pictures. :)

So glad The Littles are back in our arms!

Adventures in Babysitting

2011-11-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

This is Aunt Kris updating the blog today. Jon and Amy are flying home today, so please pray for their safe travels. I'll be picking them up at the airport later and I'm sure they will be anxious to go see their precious little girls!

Thanks to all who prayed for me, Steph, and my mom this past week and a half as we took care of the Littles. They did great for me and mom says they are still doing great. They asked about "Mama-Daddy" (they like to make it one word), but never got too sad. I would say something like, "You know where they are at. Where are they?" To which one would respond "Africa!" I wish I could make you hear it like they said it because it was adorable. Then I would say, "And what are they going to do?" And one would say "back!" Yes, Mama and Daddy are coming back.

An alternate title for this post could be "Take Another Little Piece of My Heart." Just when I think I can't possibly love the Littles any more, they go and and steal another little bit of my heart. Their mischevious grins and spontaneous snuggles just make me want to squeeze them in my arms and keep them forever. While my 3.5 days with the girls gave me a glimpse into the exhaustion of motherhood, it also gave me a new glimpse of the joys. Friday night I was exhausted, irritable and unsure how I would survive the next two days. But by Sunday night, the thought of leaving them was painful. They just crawled deeper into my heart!

Ok, I realize I'm using too many words and need more pictures, so here are a couple from the weekend.

At the library playing on the computer and most importantly - getting out of the house!

These next two pics are from my iPhone and for some reason my computer won't let me rotate them. :( But, I love them because these girls are so sweet in the mornings and this shows the Littles sweet and funny personalities.

This next pic isn't the greatest, but if you look closely, you can see the girls are wearing Elmo slippers. Nick came to help me on Saturday and Sunday and came with these gifts. The girls loved them and began calling them "Elmo feet." So cute and such a good idea! This guy is good at bribery. :)

Finally - a humorous story from the swings. You know how you warn your young children not to walk in front of the swings because they might get hit? Maybe we should start warning adults too. I was talking with my brother while Little J was swinging and when I turned around to give her a push, I was promptly smacked in the face by her swing. This was followed quickly by a bloody lip and then it swelled up nicely. :) Oops!

Thanks again for your prayers for the Littles, Jon and Amy, and all the babysitters! They have been felt and appreciated!

Overflowing...

2011-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

We have been learning much.

We have received a warm welcome, lots of love and smiles.

Can you find the foringe (foreigner)? ;) The largest game of "Follow The Leader" I have ever been in. I actually had to stay moving or be mobbed. I was so out of breath but kept hopping, skipping and spinning around to stay ahead.

Children waiting on a donkey cart for their siblings to get done with school.

It doesn't matter what language you speak, boys love to flex their muscles.

Our minds are full of lessons, reflections and things we have learned.

Although Jon and I can't wait to get The Littles in our arms, Our trip has been blessed and it is nearing a close. We have felt your prayers and are deeply humbled by them.

So Thankful...

2011-11-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

For what God is doing.

Thanks for your prayers. We can feel them and from all reports, so can The Littles. :)

Love,

Hello Over There!

2011-11-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

Hi All! I have a few minutes to blog. Now that I have figured how to do it here, maybe pictures will be coming...

We can feel your prayers. Seriously. We have had plenty of new experiences, some deep, thought-provoking and challenging. Others more humorous, like almost falling into a squatty potty or watching a bird poop during church and splatter the man in front of me.

I want to share a story that will probably feel boring and insignificant to you but felt nothing short of a miracle to me.

We knew after we landed (8 hour time difference, their morning, our middle of the night) we had a small window of time to shower and then hit the ground running, literally into an all day conference with meetings in the breaks.

Jon and I also knew that we could be held up with getting visas, exchanging money and going through customs. We sat in the back of a huge plane, our hope of moving quickly through the visa line had disappeared and as I thought about our five huge pieces of luggage, chock full or donations hitting the x-ray machines, it looked like a customs nightmare.

About an hour before we landed, I was overwhelmed, my heart aching thinking about time away from The Littles, realizing that my plan to sleep on the plane had failed and feeling nearly short of breath as I realized how long our flights felt, that with each passing minute, we journeyed further from home, from family, from community. Thinking about that distance for a trip has never bothered me but as I reflected on this being our new life, I journaled the following:

Father, I know you are always with me. You indwell me. You are granting me grace right now. But, Father, I need to feel You. I know I don't deserve it but I am so weak right now, full of ache. I don't want to spend this time unsettled. Jesus, confirm yourself to me. I know you will give me the grace for every situation. God, show yourself BIG.

We got off the plane and everyone loaded into buses. We were in the back of an overcrowded bus. However, for some reason, our bus left first and when it was time to unload, they opened the door on our side of the back of a crowded bus. We went into the airport and walked, by ourselves navigating through the airport, feeling like maybe we were going the wrong direction because there was no one around.

We get to the visa line and made the shocking discovery that we were first. We flew through that and Jon exchanged the money while I get in the customs line. He joins me at customs and we got through in about five minutes.

Next was the baggage claim, as we walked up to the carousel, there were our five pieces of luggage, coming around the circle. We praised God that all our luggage arrived and then faced customs for our baggage. Customs can be a headache, always costing time, sometimes significant amounts of money. A man came up and directed us to a different line. This line took us around huge lines of people and to another checkpoint. As this checkpoint, the man asked us a few questions and then directed us straight ahead, bypassing the x-ray machines and the huge lines of people, straight out the door. As we walked out, holding our breath a higher-up didn't stop us, Jon asked, "Uh, Ames, did that just happen?". I smiled and answered, "God is showing Himself big...for me.".

The whole process took less than 20 minutes. Maybe it seems a small thing. No one we have talked to since arriving have ever heard of skipping through customs. It was just what I needed.

You’ve Delivered

2011-11-01T16:57:00.001-07:00

Being in need is not a position that I find comfortable or desirable. I would rather be self-sufficient, moving through life with such independent grace that you all stop and think, “Wow, that woman has it all together”.

However, lately I have been in much need, the ugly cry kind of need, the emotional basket case with a disastrous house kind of need, the I-am-anything-but-the-woman-with-it-all-pulled-together kind of need.

I changed my mind though about the being in need thing because God can only be strong when I realize my weakness.

Tonight I feel weak we leave and saying goodbye to the girls felt like ripping out a chunk of flesh but I know that God will continue to provide.

And to be totally honest, it’s okay. When I am Miss Independent, and in the mode of “let me try to fool you about how everything is under control while effortlessly balancing two toddlers on my hips”, I can feel isolated because I miss out on the blessing of community. I don’t think you really buy my act anyway. :)

We expressed a need, and WOWZA! You’ve delivered. We are humbled by your encouragement, your prayers, your bags of donations, your support and your love.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so thatthe power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then,I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Only Treats

2011-10-31T17:32:00.001-07:00

The Littles feel a bit out of their element at library story hour. I am not sure as to all the reasons but it is a lot of activity, especially at a costume party!

Hence the group picture. Little J couldn’t handle all the pressure of all of the mother’s looking and taking pictures.

When she turned her back to the wall, the mothers began to look in her direction and point.

Which was just a little too uncomfortable to my monkey, Little A.

Heather and Beckham joined us for the day, so FUN! The Littles want “Baby Beckham back”. ;)

We tried the costumes again and it went better tonight.

Trick or Treat!

Especially when they understood the concept that we knock on a door and then get “nummies”. Turns out they talk to strangers for candy and will even oblige them with “please”, “thank you”, “trick or treat” and animal noises.

Now it’s way past bedtime and they’re on a sugar high. That’s why they usually don’t get candy before bedtime…

Yay!

2011-10-31T06:16:00.001-07:00

We leave tomorrow night to start our trek to Africa. The Littles don’t know it yet but we have been trying to prepare them in subtle ways. We feel your prayers.

But, today’s post is about something more EXCITING!

The lovely and talented Aunt Kris is engaged! :) We are so happy for Nick and Kristen and The Littles have already nicknamed him, “Nick, Nick, Nicky”.

Welcome to the family Nick! We love you already!

The Little Watching Crew

2011-10-29T06:19:00.001-07:00

While Jon and I leave on the evening of November 1st and will be gone until the 11th, The Littles are going to be in good hands! I am really thankful. As our departure approaches, we feel your prayers, for real, as in I can talk and think about it without crying. :) Thank you. Can you keep them coming? For The Littles and the following people:

Aunt Steph is going to watch The Littles from November 1-3.

Aunt Kris will cover November 4-6.

And Papa and Nana are November 7-11.

Plus, a host of other people who will be helping as Papa and Nana harvest! :)

Bless you!

Drum Roll Please

2011-10-26T19:32:00.001-07:00

Wow, we have three winners from our

GIVEAWAY

Congratulations to:

Steph from Loving Mercy

Jessica F.

Mandy R.

Ladies, please leave a comment so I know you heard you were the winner! Then e-mail Jody at jdetmers@frontier.com and let her know which style of headband, flower or bracelet you would like. She can do flowers on alligator clips or headbands.

If you didn’t win, remember to visit the etsy shop, Grafted Together, and get a few Christmas gifts or suggestions for yourself!! Isn’t shopping with a cause the best?!

Many blessings to the Detmers and their journey to bring home Isaiah and Sophie from the Congo!

Sunday Best

2011-10-25T16:54:00.001-07:00

Little A was accessorizing herself, but I wasn’t sure why. When she was happy enough with her appearance, she announced she was going to “church”. I was intrigued to see her impression of church as it sometimes seems they get stressed out by all the action on Sundays.

Little J, my underclothed rabbit, joined in the fun and yes, it looks like they are looking at board books, but make no mistake, they are actually hymnals, to which the girls sang a few bars.

“Hey sister, did you get that page number”?

I gave them the care bears to let them “parent” during the service and to see what they did. The care bears sat on their laps for a little bit while the girls read them stories. The game ended soon after as Little A had enough of her care bear’s attitude and took her care bear out of service for “discipline”. Little J followed with her care bear. Glad they are getting the important things.

As for the wisdom teeth, I am faring well, had a few more dentist visits and am feeling better, although the taste in my mouth is so gross, it actually makes me wince when a new little bit leaks out. I am eating, well slurping, nonstop to get the taste out of my mouth. I actually got so full I had to switch to constant candy. Probably the only person who gains weight during wisdom teeth recovery. ;)

Dry Sockets

2011-10-24T17:00:00.001-07:00

You can enter the GIVEAWAY until October 26th!

From the bottom of our hearts, thanks to those of you who quickly grabbed donation items off of the list from the previous post and the many of you who have expressed in person or through another means of communication, your love and support of our family. We are humbled and grateful.

Lately, it feels as though I have been all business. Partly because I have had my wisdom teeth removed and have been very careful; however, this still did not stop me from having two dry sockets! YUCK. On the bright side, I can’t be in too bad of a mood as three people covered dinners for us. I am so spoiled. In an effort to lighten things around here (my mood included), a few random pictures of The Littles.

Starting this blog, we didn’t realize that it would actually become our “village” but it has and we are so thankful for you.

In Need

2011-10-21T07:59:00.001-07:00

Don’t forget the GIVEAWAY!

We are in need. Our family needs your prayers. If you have been reading our blog in 2011, you may have noticed references to us going through some hard stuff, the good kind of hard, the kind of hard that has made us fall to our knees. Through a series of God ordained circumstances, Our family has been praying about entering full-time missions. We leave for Africa on an exploratory trip and will be gone November 2-11. The Littles cannot go with us. I will write a little more about this before we leave on November 2nd.

We have been asked to take over supplies for the missionaries we are visiting and a small group home for orphans. We would be really thankful if some of these items could be donated. If you are interested in donating any of the following, leave me a comment or send me an e-mail. I am willing to do pick ups in the area and will also be down in the Bluffton area before we leave. Thanks for your consideration!

Needs List

-Soccer balls (not inflated if that is possible, otherwise we can deflate them) 4 balls Thanks Ashley!

-~~4 boxes Purex 3 in 1 laundry sheets~~ Thanks Mandy!

-~~20 boxes of Crayons (boxes of 24)~~ Thanks Jodi!

-~~15 children’s scissors~~ Thanks Rachel!

-Clothes: Lightweight pjs, lightweight clothes, sweatpants, underpants, socks Thanks Suzy! (no sleeveless tops) Can definitely be used and specifically in these approximate sizes, dark shades are better for bottoms, socks and undies

~~-3 ½ yr old twin girls (small for their age)~~ Thanks Mindy!

-~~4 yr old boy (wears size 3)~~ Thanks Sarah!

-~~6 yr old girl~~ Thanks Jody D!

~~13 yr old boy (size 12, needs cargo pants)~~ Thanks Suzy!

-~~Jump ropes/puzzles/balls~~ Thanks Janel!

-Toys (can use additional) Thanks JJ!

Books/DVDs (appropriate for Ethiopian children, can be used)

~~-3 large bottles of hand lotion~~ Thanks Emily!

-~~3 dawn liquid detergent (large bottle)~~ Thanks Nichole!

-~~3 long handled spatulas~~ Thanks Nichole!

-~~Children’s multivitamins (3 large bottles)~~ Thanks Kristi!

-Cardboard filing/storage box that can be broken down

Thanks for your prayers.

Oh Happy GIVEAWAY

2011-10-19T04:14:00.001-07:00

It is bleak. Midweek. I get four cavities filled today and my wisdom teeth taken out. Blech.

How about a GIVEAWAY to bring a little cheer?

Yeah? I thought it was a good idea, too. Especially because I am going to do all I can to avoid going out with a swollen face.

Recently, I stumbled across a garage sale of an amazing family who are waiting to bring home their two children (Sophie-6 months, Isaiah 2 1/2 years old) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Detmers are creatively raising funds for their adoption, check out their blog here.

Jody is Miss Creative and has used her skills to make headbands, flower pin/hair accessories and bracelets to fund bringing their children home.

Visit the etsy shop where she sells her items.

A few samples

The Littles have headbands, but these fabric flowers aren’t just for littles! They would look adorable on adults as well or pinned onto a sweater for a little flair.

Hmm. What to get that woman who is hard to shop for at Christmas?

Lightbulb.:)

Want to win a bracelet/hair accessory/pin?

Of course you do!!!

1 item of the winner’s choice given away for every 15 comments.

Earn up to four entries (each entry a comment)

- Leave a comment

- Go the the etsy shop and leave me a comment on what pin/bracelet/hair accessory you would like to win

- Facebook, blog or tweet the giveaway and let me know with a comment

Let’s blow up the comments so I have something to do in my self-imposed lockdown.

And visit the Detmers’ blog and leave some love. :)

Giveaway open until October 26th.

Kung Fu Fighting

2011-10-16T19:07:00.001-07:00

Last year The Littles didn’t do a lot of leaf jumping, mostly because they weren’t even walking. :)

Lots of leaf lovin’ this fall.

Yearning For Justice

2011-10-14T10:18:00.001-07:00

In 2011, human trafficking became the world’s biggest trade.

This is a problem internationally and within our own borders.

Though victims come from a variety of backgrounds, they are in a position of vulnerability.

Orphans are easy prey for traffickers. No one is standing in the gap for them.

They estimate there are 27 million slaves worldwide. More than there have ever been at any point in history.

Estimates say that at least half of those are children.

2 children are prepared for the sex trade every minute.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
   because the LORD hasanointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
   he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
   and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
   to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
   the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
   the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3

(Information taken from Tom Davis with Children’s Hope Chest)

Blink

2011-10-13T07:57:00.001-07:00

A mother once told me, “When you are a mom, the days go slow, but the years fly by.”

Next week marks our 1 1/2 anniversary with the girls. I know, not that big of deal to celebrate, but it has made me a bit reflective. :) Since on the official day (October 19th), I will be getting wisdom teeth extracted and four cavities filled, I plan to not post because pain medicine messes with me. While it would probably be amusing for you, I will try to spare myself embarrassment and have Jon change my password or something. ;)

While there is nothing quite as breathtaking as chunky little babies, I am glad we are through this stage. :)

My Littles may need a new name soon as they insist that they are “big girls”.

Big girls with cheesy grins.

Speaking of reflective, I just stumbled across this photo from our homecoming at the airport. I am so thankful that my girls had the opportunity to meet their great-grandpa. They are also still blessed with 4 living great-grandparents, a blessing for which I am so thankful.

Our God Is Able

2011-10-12T05:11:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed with the needs, there are days when the needs can seem so vast, that I am immobilized to do anything.

Today I present to you another need, but ask that you consider if God would possibly want you involved.

Remember when we talked about Make Way Partners and Passport Through Darkness? Make Way Partners has an orphanage for orphans in HIGH risk in one of the most dangerous places in the world, Sudan.

Because of the violence and loads of other factors, the food bill for these orphans has exploded, leaving the administrators facing some tough decisions.

Read the blog article and pray about how you can be involved. Click here: “How to Beat the Trigger Date for Starvation.”

One of my favorite audio series is “The Pineapple Stories” by Otto Koning. I have taken many life lessons from his journeys, but one stands out in light of this situation.

“My God is not short of cars”.

I think of that now as we know our God does not lack. He isn’t short on funds.

In unrelated news:

We have two winners!

Congratulations to:

Ashley B.

Christa M.

Send me your addresses and wait for the One Hope CD!

Remember, if you didn’t win, it is a great way to start Christmas shopping. 100% of proceeds go to helping orphans!

Whoa.

2011-10-11T05:53:00.000-07:00

14 minutes is kind of a long time in your life. You are busy, I know. However, whether you have 14 minutes you can watch this or you can listen to this in the background, do it now. If you can't do it now, maybe bookmark it and come back later.

Thanks for posting this Nichole!

Take the time to read Psalm 148. Praise Him.

Sniff, Sniff

2011-10-10T08:29:00.001-07:00

Sigh. It has been a good season. As of October 9th, our zoo is closed until April.

Don’t forget the giveaway! Check out the previous post!

It’s A GIVEAWAY!

2011-10-06T16:33:00.001-07:00

YES, YES, YES,

it is time for another giveaway!

We will be giving away two cd’s of An Orphan’s Prayer, a just released album!

One Hope is a singing group of a Dad and his three daughters.

“Flowing from a passion for God and His work among the vulnerable, One Hope has released “An Orphans Prayer,” a collection of songs designed to stir the heart of the listener toward greater compassion for the orphans of the world. Featuring new renditions of hit songs from Mark Schultz and Natalie Grant along with plenty of original music from One Hope, “An Orphans Prayer” is sure to draw you closer to the Father-heart of God.”

I wish I was techy enough so you could listen to it as you read about the giveaway…just trust me, you will be blessed by it!

100% of the purchase price of this CD will be donated to help orphans through the work of Loving Shepherd Ministries, a Christ-centered organization, who we have seen God use to bless the lives of many children, through caring for orphans by placing them in families, providing free adoption resources, and combating exploitation.

Check out the One Hope website as you can preview the songs, you will be blessed and maybe you can do a little Christmas shopping? :)

ENTER TO WIN!

1) Just leave a comment here by October 11th 9:00 pm.

2) Facebook or blog the giveaway and comment about it for additional entries.

Baby On Board

2011-10-05T19:39:00.001-07:00

The Littles are going through a “Daddy” stage right now. I love it. :) Walking to the park tonight, both wanted Jon. Which resulted in this.

Yes, Little J is precariously clinging/cuddling on to his back.

Good thing the park was close. :)

Crisp, Clear and Crunchy

2011-10-03T12:01:00.001-07:00

(The title is my alliteration of a beautiful Fall Day, apparently I am very poetic today. ;)). We visited family in Plymouth, MI this weekend and enjoyed much time outdoors! Justin and Sarah were wonderful hosts and it was so fun to see The Littles get to know their cousins better.

The gentleman, Hudson, gave all the ladies rides in his powerwheel Jeep. :)

We went to a cider mill, which was a perfect spot for kids. It was a cold day, so we first went winter coat shopping in Paige’s old clothes. So fun! The Littles were both completely delighted with their new ensembles.

Little J’s reaction after she tried to feed the goat and it licked her entire hand.

Surprisingly enough, The Littles REALLY like scarecrows. :)

Thanks so much Justin and Sarah, we were so blest by your hospitality!

What’s Worse Than Not Winning?

2011-09-29T17:59:00.001-07:00

There is a fair in our town this week and there is a fun little game called the “Mouse Game”. Basically, the rules are simple, you put a quarter down on a number. There is a spinner in the center with numbered holes around the edge. A mouse is released on the spinner and it runs into a hole. If it runs into your number, you are a winner.

Q: What is worse than not winning at the mouse game?

A: Winning once when you have twin toddlers.

Yes, fiasco. Little A picked a lucky number and a subsequent prize. Little J was desperate for her own pink Care Bear. We tried a few more times and then told Little J it was the last quarter and asked her to pick a number. She slapped a quarter down on #58 and confidently said, “that!”. The mouse came out of the box and ran to #7 but stopped short of the hole and ran about half way around the spinner and then stopped and looked like he was thinking. Little J was clapping and saying “mouse” and that little thing ran right into #58!

Whew. Big sigh of relief.

I know this was a great opportunity to teach them that life isn’t always fair, but that little mouse sure made my life easier!

Let’s hear it for the fair!

Oops

2011-09-28T17:59:00.001-07:00

(Alison, check out the last post, because you won!)

She’s been driving me crazy these past few days. Little J has wanted independence in public settings, but as soon as I put her down, she cries and sits or insists I pick her up again. This morning, we were rushing around to get to BSF and we had such a fiasco trying to put her shoes on. She screamed bloody murder and said, “tight.” I yelled back at her, told her they weren’t tight and she needed to stop screaming. We were late to BSF so we could have some snuggle time and recoop but we were both feeling as gloomy as the weather.

After nap, Little J and I had some good cuddle time on the couch, just what we needed. I was tickling her and then noticed her patterned sock was really dirty. I went to pull it off and it stuck. Dried blood all over her foot. Gulp. Poor child, has a very nasty blister on her heel, deep, oozy and big.

Oh, I see…don’t know why I didn’t connect those dots earlier. So that explains the demand to be held, the screaming when I try to put on her shoe, the sitting down in a middle of a parking lot. I feel about an inch tall. I feel so bad but glad I learned an important lesson about taking the time to understand my kids.

Winners and WOW, Your Ideas!

2011-09-28T04:05:00.001-07:00

Wow! I loved reading your ideas about how to use your talents to raise money for a cause! You got my mind spinning and many of you expressed that you don’t feel crafty either. Read the following ideas and be inspired that you can still be creative about raising money for a cause!

“I love to cook. SO, I made a menu with 15 soups, main dishes and desserts on it and people e-mail me their order, I will make it and deliver it to them! The food will be delivered freezer ready so they don't have to eat it right away. I've gotten a great response so far!” -Mindy

“I've considered doing children's photography with all proceeds going toward an adoption, I've used the funds for that before for a specific adoption...but I've never channeled all of it all the time for children's shoots.” –Andria

“I did lots of sewing when we were raising money for our adoption. Mostly items related to cloth diapering.” –Christa

“I've thought it would be fun to host a Christmas party, and instead of doing a grab where everyone has to buy gifts, everyone could bring $ for a cause and the evening could be spent eating and playing games. :)” –Christen

“…But I love to talk, I am passionate about children, and I love the things the Lord loves. So I figure I could do some word of mouth advertising for people who are doing super crafty, sewing, cooking kind of projects. Also, I love to help. So any of the commenters who needs help with their projects, no job is too small or too big, I would love to walk along side of them.” –Suzy

“I've always thought it would be fun to do Casseroles for a Cause or something similar, kind of like a previous commenter. Profits would go towards a charity.” –Mandy

“I do love to cook and bake. I could always do a bake sale!” –Joy

“…What I do well is listen (counselor by trade) and talk (a by product of having to listen all the time). So, for our daughter's care center, we talked a lot to our friends, family, and coworkers about the orphan situation around the world. And, we ask them to prayerfully consider making a donation of supplies, clothes, baby items, even cash (and we will shop for them)” –Sheila

“I love art and creating art. I think it would be fun to do custom paintings/mixed media art for people in exchange for donations.” –Ashton

“I randomly started making hair accessories when my daughter was little and then it turned into a business/ministry and I love it!” –Tricia (MouseyMom from Frills and Flowers)

“I made brooches a couple years ago and still sell some here-and-there” –Sarah

“…I can sew very simple things...Like with straight lines that don't have to be very straight (lol)...” –Jessica F.

“I love to organize so I was thinking more like a garage sale.” Ashley B.

“Last Christmas we did a mall scavenger hunt with our Sunday School class. The last thing on the list was to buy gifts for children who would not be receiving gifts for Christmas from their families.” –Meika

“I enjoy making pacifier clips, brooches, hair clips for girls, and burp cloths.” –Jessica (T)

“I thought I could make meals for people to purchase and then donate the money. I work with people that would gladly buy meals to take home.” –Teresa

“I do have a few hobbies that I love doing. Though I have no learned experience, I love photographing our girls. And, I love decorating, especially with antiques!” -Lorelei

Congratulations to our winners!

Sarah F.

Alison

Lorelei

You can go to Vanessa’s site contact Vanessa directly to place your order and give her your address at vanessa@lynndavid.com.

Thanks so much for sponsoring this giveaway!

See You Later, Grandpa

2011-09-23T11:21:00.001-07:00

Here for the giveaway? Click here.

My Grandpa inhaled for the very last time, Friday morning, 2:45 am. I am thankful for my Grandpa as he is now in a place far too wonderful to imagine, heaven, a place full of God and free of evil. I hurt for my Grandma, her partner of 55 years has moved on without her.

When I think about my grandpa, I get this picture of him in my head. I think it started when I would come home from college and I would see him. Upon seeing me, he would get a smile on his face and clap his hands together once and then rub them together until we hugged.

My Grandparents have lived an example of serving those around them and I am so thankful to be a part of their legacy.

Now, there is a weekend of visitation and funeral…so final. I don’t really like goodbyes. I prefer a good “See you later!”. So Grandpa, while I will miss you here, “See you later, at our Jesus’ feet”.

OneTwentyseven GIVEAWAY!

2011-09-22T11:09:00.001-07:00

Whew, sorry about the day delay. Naptimes didn’t go so well. The Littles are in a new stage this week. The uncooperative stage. Oh boy. :) On to happier news, it is time for that giveaway!

This giveaway is so exciting as a young mom, Vanessa from Lynn David handbags, has decided to use her crafty talents to raise money for orphans as 100% of her sales will go to Ziway, Ethiopia, to fund a Lifesong school project.

(Click on blue bar to go to etsy site)

Here The Littles model a sample of what she makes.

I have been trying to catch a perfect shot of The Littles with their sweet pom-poms, but, as aforementioned, UNCOOPERATIVE. Above is an imperfect picture. :)

So cute, huh? Would you like to win one of your choice?

(Color samples)

Now, start your own brainstorming. Vanessa’s initiative has made me look at what I could be doing in my own life to raise money for a cause. Now, I am not a crafty person (and it grieves me greatly.:)) but that doesn’t mean I am off the hook!

One will be given away for every 15 comments!

You can enter the giveaway up to four times

(Separate comment for each entry)

1) Leave a comment

2) Do you have a skill you could use to raise money for a cause? Comment and tell us your idea. (This does NOT need to be something you are already doing or even have plans of starting, we are just brainstorming. :))

3) Facebook about the giveaway and comment

4) Blog about the giveaway and comment

Giveaway ends Tuesday at 9:00 pm

ooh, ooh, ooh!

2011-09-20T17:41:00.001-07:00

If naptimes go well, tomorrow we have a giveaway to announce! :)

See you after naps!

Rock Climbing

2011-09-19T04:44:00.001-07:00

These pictures are leftovers from our Labor Day excursion. The Littles were delighted to find two large rocks and I am sure when you are under 3 feet, these seemed like a mountain. :)

Happy Monday!

His Business

2011-09-16T08:20:00.001-07:00

God and I have talked a lot in 2011. He is refining me, chastising me, teaching me. I feel like a broken record, “but God, this just doesn’t make sense!”.

But then He reminds me. He isn’t in the business of making sense.

He is in the business of bringing glory to His name.

He is in the business of making His children holy.

I surrender, once again.

P.S. In more unrelated news, check out this thought provoking article. “Are We Guilty of Slumdog Tourism?”.

They’ll Do Birthday Parties

2011-09-14T18:09:00.001-07:00

Looking for entertainment at your next big social event? Well, look no further, thanks to our garage sale gem! Yes, a keyboard complete with microphone that amplifies. It’s no end of ~~VERY LOUD~~ fun at our house.

The Littles are convinced that the only way to use the microphone is to nearly swallow it.

They can even do street performances (after Mama couldn’t handle the noise in the house). Little A on keyboard, Little J on vocals.

P.S. In unrelated but very exciting news, we went to BSF today and the girls had their first experience in the children’s department. They cried for ten minutes, but then calmed down and had a par-tay! They hardly wanted to leave their teachers. Praise the Lord with me for this growth!!!

My Pumpkin Elves

2011-09-12T18:52:00.001-07:00

While digging through clothes last week, assessing how many winter clothes The Littles have, I ran across two pumpkin costumes from Maya and Sofia (a set of twins that graciously share their hand-me-downs). Last year The Littles were too small for these, so I stowed them away for this year. Sadly enough, this year, they are too big for the costumes.

However, after Little J tried on one, Little A had to have one too and even though I couldn’t get the snaps together, they insisted on wearing them ALL morning long. Even though they were sweating and we played outside.

(Watching “Mickey Mouse”)

The Littles were finally talked out of the pumpkins at lunch time because of my pleas of not wanting to get the pumpkins dirty.

In going through picture archives, The Littles are accessorizing themselves often now. Here are a few examples:

Little A, sitting on the potty, with her monkey backpack and shorts on her head.

Zipping around in their old bath towels, transformed into a monkey and bear cape. (Which, greatly increases their speed, when they have something on their heads, they zoom around and around a small loop in our house).

With slight pauses in the action for kisses.

Maybe it is time we get some dress up clothes at our house? ;)

Never Miss A Chance To Play Peek-a-boo

2011-09-12T05:08:00.001-07:00

The Littles teach me a lot. Some lessons I’d rather not learn, like how quickly my patience wears thin or that I should always bring a change of clothes because a diaper blowout might be in the day’s forecast.

Other lessons are more refreshing;

They have taught me that every day is fresh and full of opportunity for giggles and adventure.:)

The Great Outdoors

2011-09-08T08:02:00.001-07:00

On Labor Day, we had no plans, so we enjoyed a day at the nearby state park.

We put the headbands in after a few encounters with people resulted in The Littles being addressed as boys. Apparently, until hair can drop down over the ears, boys are a safe assumption. :)

Little A. I know, you were probably tricked, assuming the she would be wearing the pink headband. Grr. Little J refuses to be conformed to my system! :) I didn’t know it was possible for a 22 month old to have such a color preference!

About as good as a self-timed photo shoot can get with toddlers.

The Littles, mesmerized by the water.

The Family Resemblance

2011-09-07T06:39:00.001-07:00

Here Comes The Bride

2011-09-06T08:50:00.001-07:00

Chad and Christen’s wedding was everything a wedding should be, complete with beautiful bride, smitten groom, abundant love, supportive family, wonderful food, etc, etc... However, it was a complete blessing that the focus of the whole day was Jesus Christ. Seriously, God is going to do big things through this union!

(Jon was the photographer!)

Chad and Christen

Two of my “little” brothers.

The Littles and Uncle Chad

The Littles greet “Aunt Leigh”

Mom and Dad

The Littles couldn’t resist the fun park, even though they were wearing white.

Kris, Mom and I. (We are missing Christen, but she was a little busy being the bride)

The Littles play with Uncle Jay and Uncle Jeff

Smith models his genius corsage. Reminds me of his daddy’s family, always designing something cutting edge. :)

Chad and Christen with the parents.

Tragically, our only picture from the weekend with all four of us. :(

Uncle Chad shares some love

Chad and Christen, so stinkin’ excited for you!!!

This Magical Moment

2011-09-02T11:51:00.001-07:00

The air has been heavy around me lately. We have been doing lots of thinking and praying about some stuff in our life and I have really been praying through decision making, specifically how the decisions of Jon and I affect The Littles. As I worked on lunch, Little J came over, gave my leg one of her signature squeezes, looked up at me and then said, “I love you” before toddling away.

MELT MY HEART. Our first unsolicited “I love you”…

Baby girl, I love you more than I can express and we thank God for you every day. We pray God gives you a deep, abiding love for Him and a magnificent obsession with Jesus Christ.

These Three…

2011-09-01T05:48:00.001-07:00

Well, they complete me.

More Sweet Memories

2011-08-31T04:24:00.001-07:00

“By The Boat”

2011-08-30T06:30:00.001-07:00

Because we have done two lake vacations this summer, Little J’s favorite phrase is “by the boat”. She knows that she can swim when we go to the water. Our vacation with the G family did not disappoint, beautiful weather, quality family time and lots of opportunities to “dip”!

We have pictures galore, so this will be part 1 of 2!

Deep Sigh...

2011-08-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

Just back from vacation with Jon's family in MI (pics to come) and my brother's wedding (pics to come). So, we are readjusting to life as normal, again. Oh boy. It takes us awhile.

So this is why if I get ONE thing checked off my list, I deserve a nap. :)

Oh Happy Day!

2011-08-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

It's The Little Moments

2011-08-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

It's life's little moments, you know, the kind you miss, but when captured, they take your breath away.

(thanks for the pictures Nathan and Natalie!)

The Wrong Side of History

2011-08-19T05:30:00.001-07:00

Where were the German Christians during the Holocaust? Some may not have known of the horrific genocide, others may have learned a bit and then shut their hearts to learning more because it was too painful, too risky to become educated to the point of action. Yet, there was also a minority who moved and opened up their homes at great personal risk for the sake of the Jewish people.

Where was the church in the South during the time of slavery? Studying history, there were Christians who did step up and take action against this sinful atrocity and devaluation of human life, but many of the defenders of slavery and all its evil practices were upstanding members in the prominent southern churches.

We look back and we can clearly see the injustice and sin. It is easy to point fingers at the past and the Christians who, in general, did very little to fight.

I don’t want to be there, on the wrong side of history. What will they say as they look back on the church of America? Where are we standing silent when we should be standing in the gap?

Will they look back and see a church, filled with the Spirit, bringing good news to the poor, binding up the wounds of the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61-1-2)? Or will we be looked at in retrospect as the rich, overindulged church, which praised Jesus with our lips, but looked on with dead hearts, unwilling to take a risk for the marginalized and oppressed?

Oh Jesus, move us, may we not be on the wrong side of history.

Hog Roast & Walk

2011-08-17T16:31:00.001-07:00

Come one, come all!

Our family won’t be able to make it because we will be involved in wedding fun (yep, my little brother is gettin’ hitched!).

However, this event is going to be INCREDIBLE, food, activities and all proceeds go to benefit the Lifesong Ethiopia school! For Indiana folk, Van Wert isn’t that far across the border and all donations are matched up to $11,800.

And dun, dun, dun, duuunnnnn…I think my comment problem is fixed once and for all (thanks Jennifer!), so if you tried and have given up, try again. I am expecting big things in the comment department. We are gearing up for a giveaway, so you better practice. ;)

These Are A Few Of Their Favorite Things…

2011-08-16T06:09:00.001-07:00

We had a picnic in the park last night and although there were no raindrops on roses or whiskery kittens in sight, a sunny 76 degrees, plus these giggly babes was just about perfect.

Swings:

Sticks

Mama

Wide open spaces to “march”.

Squirrels to chase

Daddy

Slides

And a few of Mama’s favorite things? Peek-a-boo and giggles.

Perfect.

Bowling for Bugs

2011-08-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

The Littles love their bowling set. We gave them the rules, "roll the ball towards the pins and knock down the bugs." but they quickly found a way more effective way to knock down the pins without sister grabbing the ball.

Those Could Be My Children

2011-08-10T19:43:00.001-07:00

My heart has been heavy as news continues of the drought in the horn of Africa (affecting parts of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia).

I found an article in Time talking about this crisis and refugee camps. There are 70,000 people camped outside of this refugee camp and though things are barely at a survival rate in the refugee camp, the people there are the “lucky ones”. Today, my friend, Tricia, posted this article and video from CNN on the largest refugee camp:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/08/09/largest.refugee.camp/index.html

Did you watch it?

Mothers are literally walking for days, some walking for weeks across the desert with their children. It mentions a mother who would walk with one child, set him down, go back for her other child and repeat this process, day after day across the desert.

I watched it in tears as I realized, those kids, they could be mine. That mother, watching her baby waste away, that could be me.

(Photo taken by United Nations)

But it’s not me.

Look, here I am, with my babies.

So, do I just breathe a deep sigh of relief, thank God for His provision for my family, whisper a prayer for rain and move on with my day? To be honest, sometimes, yes, that is what I do. Not this time, God has not been letting me off the hook. Let us unite in fervent prayer and match our prayers with our giving.

Two reputable organizations taking donations for relief: