A Must Must Watch!!!!!

Watch it to the end...but make sure you have tissue!!

Victor, a 9 year old, was in the hospital alone with cancer.  The Watters family was often on the same unit becasue their daughter too was dealing with a simular cancer.  The Watters family adopted Victor, cared for him, shared Jesus and loved him up until his death on September 7th, 2011. 


As another friend of ours shared on their blog..."A life with a soul is filled with so many blessings. I can't say (because I don't know this family), but I would guess that whatever struggles came with bringing Victor into their home (financial, emotional, etc.), were a pittance compared to the abundant blessings showered upon the Watters family from and through their five years of interactions with him.

Pilgrim's Progress

I know most of you are going to think I am a big dork for recommending this movie...but that's okay.  Most of you already think I am a dork LOL!

For some of your little right brain learners this is perfect.  It is a great visual.  SOOOO much to talk about, as you know, if you have already read the book.  My little right brainer has a hard time sitting and listening to a book, so for her this was perfect.  Now when we read the book she has a picture in her head and some understanding.  Some of you who have little boys would love this movie too.

And one more thing...this movie made me cry.  I'll say it myself... I am a dork LOL!!!  

If you have netflex you can get it there.

A Little Science Project

When I was young I figured out that if you put a cup of water in the freezer, soon you would have a cup of ice.  My parents would find cups of water in the freezer all the time.  It was a learning process though, because I would check the cup of water every five minutes.  My mom would tell me that if I kept opening the freezer it would take longer because I was letting the cold out.
Guess what I am finding in my freezer ALL THE TIME NOW.  It cracks me up!  They too are checking the water every five minutes.

Princess Chest Re-Do

I am giving the girls room a face lift.  Changing the color of their dresser, drapes, bedding and princess chest.  I am finishing up on the dresser today.  Yesterday I finished thier chest.  I am so excited because I think it turned out so cute!  It started of as a plain white cheap chest from Target....

I took the lid off and ulpholstered it with some soft charcol fabric. 

And because under the lid looked so bad I put some leftover fabric on the back side to cover all the staples. Then I painted the base dark pink. Screwed the lid back on and there you go....a new fabulous chest. YAY!!

Can't wait to show you the finished room!!

Family Vacation

End of August, beginning of September, the girls and I got to go visit our friends, the Gregg's, in LA.  I wish I would have taken more photos because we did so much fun stuff.  At the end of our trip Hubby met up with us and we drove to Colorado to meet up with his parents for a week.  The whole vacation was a blast!!!  It was a nice time away from the heat!  I really love road trips.

Things That Make You Go HMMMMM

You know when you get that unsettled deep down gut feeling that God is doing something.  Nothing is coincidental right?!?!?   It's almost like He is giving hints but I can't quite put the hints together??? 

"OKAY LORD, YOU'VE GOT MY ATTENTION...WHAT WHAT WHAT?"

I know, I know...wait. 
It's almost like a treasure hunt.

I am excited but I don't want to get excited because I don't even know what I am getting excited over.  kind of makes a person go nutty. 



btw...this CD is AWESOME.  The girls and I listen to it often.

I Really Love the Words to This Song

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

(Chorus)
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Chorus

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

Chorus

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

Just Working Through Some More Pride

That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 1:9


Reminds me I am not alone.  I am not the only one.  And I guess it would be prideful for me to think I was...the only one.

Suppose we all were experiencing the same thing...what benefit would that be?  Well I guess it might make me feel better?  But that's not the point of our experiences. 

Many years ago I was dealing with years of infertility and then following that we were going through adoptions.  Seriously, at the time, I felt like I was the only one experiencing my thoughts, depression, and marriage issues.  I actually got angry at others and the Lord that I was the only one going through this. 

Of course I see now.  I realize I was so caught up in my emotions.  It really was, at the time, all about me.  I am so thankful for Gods mercy.  I am grateful that the Lord loves me so much to He help me get over myself and receive the gifts He had planned for me to receive in that time of pain.  I am also grateful He works it all together for His good...EVEN my selfish "I'm the only one" thoughts.    It has taught me how to share my experiences with others in a God honoring way, unlike before. When sharing I used to have thoughts running through my head like, "you wouldn't understand, or, you have no clue".  Totally prideful!  Then there were times I just didn't share at all in order to protect myself from what others may say because of their lack of understanding and then, I would get angry because I felt like I couldn't share.  I realize now, I don't always have to share!!!  Most of the time when I thought I was sharing really all I was doing was complaining, grumbling, and inviting you to my pity party and then when you did not appease my flesh I would get mad at you.  Ugh, such a vicious cycle!  Good grief, how is it that some of you still love me, LOL!!! 

The past has taught me to remove my expectations on others.  It's not always about them understanding my situation...it's about how Christ is working, it's about how good God is, despite the situation!!  It's about me trying to understand what God is teaching me and translating that to others so they may turn towards God in their situation.

So right now, to be honest with you, I feel like I am the only one who has children that dis-like each other.  Daughters who are sooooooooooooo mean to each other.  They act like they hate each other.  They fight and bicker all the time.  And I'm not talking about the typical toddler fights. Every time I turn around I swear they are yelling something so hateful to each other. Their facial expressions and body language is terrible!!!  I would like to blame it all on one particular child, and yes, she may need a little more help than the others, but we all need help in this area.  We don't all respond like we should due to stress levels and sometimes shock from what we are hearing come out of our child's mouth.

Back to the whole expectation/ entitled attitude thing.  I do realize I CANNOT expect my children to obey or be kind, loving and compassionate.  Even if that's what I try teach them ALL DAY LONG!  It's about directing their hearts towards the Lord and how their actions makes the Lord feel (not how mommy feels) so that they would want to please the Lord...not me.    It's about me going to the Lord daily and asking Him to get a hold of their little hearts and make the changes He needs to make.  In the mean time...I really want to pull my hair out!!!!!  Not to mention it's breaking my heart.  So if you feel lead, please pray for our hearts, our reactions responses and that we would be able to bring glory to Christ through our weaknesses.

Thanking God For His Mercy

I am passing on an article that is so raw, so authentic and so beautiful!  We over here have had our small (and I mean small compared so many out there) share of "after the airport" experience and continue to.  I can't tell you how grateful I am for those who chose to pray for us, love and encouraged us, even when you didn't understand what we were going through.  Heck we didn't understand what we were going through. 
I can't tell you how hard it was and how depressed I felt soon after our adoptions.  DID NOT EXPECT THAT!!! And the judging eyes or the subtle comments and sometimes not so subtle were so upsetting and made me feel like I was crazy not to mention made me feel SO isolated.  I truly felt like I was loosing my mind!!!  In part it was our fault because we shared so much of our frustration so openly and I think it shocked so many.  My goodness we were shocked too so I can imagine how we looked on the outside?!?!  I feel like I am in a good place now with all of that.  Judging eyes and the subtle comments don't phase me as much anymore.  God has provided me with safe places to share my crazy, loosing my mind kind of times with ones who understand, ones who know our hearts and ones we trust will speak truth in love and not judgement.  Don't you just love those safe places!!  God is so faithful!


If you know a young mommy who may be struggling with little ones or a mommy who has adopted or just a mom going through a hard time...encourage her, love on her, and remind her "she is following a God in this story who loves and restores... She will not remain exhausted and spent.  We are loved by a merciful Father."


And to the friend who shared this article...thank you for being a safe place.  You have and continue to encourage and love me through the times I feel like I am going to loose my mind.  Love you!!

Luke 22:32d