Christmas Card picture for this year

Well, it was a job that had to be done. Wubby went upstairs, walked carefully into each boy's room, and gently roused them on Sunday morning. Their little eyes still half closed in sleep blinked to clear away the dreams they were having. Daddy asked them to come downstairs for a quick Christmas picture around the tree....oh, and be showered and dressed when you get there!!

What????

TeeHee! Believe it or not, half an hour later we had all four children posed for this pic(we did tell them they did not have to "dress up")...all were clean and smellin' good :-)What good sports they were! I just love these kiddos! My life has been enriched beyond measure since having them. Thank you Jesus for the gift of my children.

Advent...the coming.

Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. This season marks the beginning of our Liturgical year, and it is a time of waiting for Christ to come into our lives. We wait with expectant hope. After all, that is the ONLY way we should wait.
I must remind myself to keep the focus on Christ, and His coming. We know we are remembering His birth at this time, and we wait for His time to come again in glory.
I cannot help but note the similarities in this waiting. As I wait for our daughter from Guatemala, I also wait in expectant hope. We are adopted sons and daughters of God, as she will be the adopted daughter belonging to her new family....she is already a member of His divine family. I humbly pray that I may not allow my wait for her to overshadow my wait for Him.
As I contemplate Christ and His humble entrance into this world as a helpless baby, may I be reminded that Christ exalts the humble. May I be reminded of all of my blessings, and of all of those less fortunate. May I see His face in the poor, and the defenceless. In the arrogant and in the angry. In the rich and in the reproachful. May I know that it is not my place to judge, and that I am called to love as Christ loved.

Judgement Day

Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. (Luke 18: 6-8)

This scripture passage came to me this morning in a devotional I was reading. It was very timely(thank you Jesus!), as on Saturday morning as Wubby and I were praying and reading, the parable of the persistent widow came up in our daily readings. As we discussed the need to pray without ceasing concerning bringing our daughter home from Guatemala, we also realized that sometimes praying in "thought" just isn't enough. We needed to pray in "action"!! We are taking this to the next level, and we feel very empowered by the Holy Spirit. We feel now is a time of movement, not passivity. We continue our fervent prayers and we are turning up the heat as we strike the match again and again until we have a roaring flame ignited that will reach far away into the heart of the judge that feels he is in control. We are praying for his submission to the will of God, and for a just decision to be rendered...NOW! We will be relentless in our efforts to thwart the plans of the enemy, and will plague the Heavens with persistent prayer until a decision will be made. We know who is truly in control...God! I have commanded Satan back to Hell in Jesus' name, and will not allow him to devour this tiny soul.

Please pray with me!!

Happy Halloween!

Every year my husband's office decorates for Halloween. Other bays join in, and there is a contest at the end for the best design. Summer Rain loves to go, and she gets enough candy to not go out later...but that doesn't stop her from trick-or-treating later..no,no,no :-) This year Wubby grew a goatee and moustache and transformed into "Shaggy" from Scooby-Doo! They all did a great job with costumes, and everyone had a great time!

Thanksgiving in October?

I didn't think it was possible. It was definitly handcrafted by God. :-) Last Sunday evening as I was cooking dinner, it dawned on me that our middle son had not left to go back to college. Hmmmm. His girlfriend was still there, too. Then I realized that our firstborn son was also home, and with his girlfriend no less! Our dear daughter was there as usual, and I made a quick phone call to get son #3 home from a friend's house as well. The wheels were turning very quickly in this brain of mine. Suddenly I started cooking even more!!! There was homemade beef stew, chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes, baked beans, white gravy with peppercorns, fresh bread, and brownies hot out of the oven! I also brewed up my special sweet tea, which they can only get at home! A feast for sure!! We all sat down to eat together, and the laughter and smiles that accompanied the meal nourished our souls as much as the food nourished our bodies. Funny, but just the night before, Wubby had asked me what truly made me happy. I told him I was truly happy when our whole family got together and shared a meal. God was listening, and "overnighted" me an answer to a prayer!! Thank you Jesus!!

Another Shower Story

Okay, I admit this title was a bit misleading. We were not given another shower.... this story starts out with me in the shower. TMI????? Sorry about the visual this might leave with you all, but this story must be typed :-) Any hoo.....last week, Wednesday to be exact, I had my small group sharing with my Cursillo women(at 6:15 AM), and came home to do my daily reflections and bible readings, and intercessory prayers. After all of this, it was time for a nice hot shower. So far, so good. Well, in the middle of my shower, I felt the overwhelming need to be on my knees in prayer for our adoption. I hit the shower floor, and prayed until the water was getting cold! I stood up, got out of the shower, and proceeded to dry, dress, and get ready for the day. After I got dressed, I went to check the answering machine for any calls while I was indisposed, and sure enough there was that blinking red light to signal I had indeed missed a call while showering. Not to curious, I went to see who called. I figured it was Wubby saying he was on his way home for lunch, but was very much surprised to hear our case worker on the machine instead!! She asked me to call her back. I was VERY shaky when I dialed her back. I have had so many ups and downs on this journey, that I really didn't know if I wanted to know what she had to tell me. When she answered the phone, she gave me renewed hope in the form of a story about the Lord using people when they are unaware of it. A lawyer, a legal assistant, a small, beautiful child, and a story that only our Lord could craft. We have a break in our case! That news is simply overwhelming!!! We are headed for RENAP for our daughter's birth certificate!!! Yes, we have snatched the file from the very hands of the enemy, and are heading to the promised land :-) I really need a force of prayer warriors(and I know where to find them!!), to be sure we do not get kicked out of RENAP. If we get through this with her BC, she could be home for Christmas!!!!! My heart proclaims the Glory of the Lord!!! He has done this! He and He alone!!! He has used His mighty power to show us He is Lord!! I humbly bow my head to Him, and ask for His blessing and His mercy. Thank you Jesus! Amen!

Weather Forecast

Yesterday I had a meeting at work. Nothing too important, just the usual updates and a viewing of the new power points that we will be using in some of our classes.
I was running a bit behind in getting there, traffic was slow, etc... I didn't check the weather forecast before I left the house. Maybe I should have, but in retrospect, it would not have prepared me for the SHOWER I was about to run in to!! That's right! The wonderful ladies that I work with and around threw me a VERY unexpected toddler shower for our sweet Guatemalan princess!! I was reduced to tears! The decorations were so sweet, the food was delicious, and the cake was amazing!! But most beautiful was the prayer that was said to bless the food, and in thanksgiving for this opportunity to bring home our daughter in God's time, and to call to mind our Lord and His love for us!! Thank you ladies for the wonderful day!!
It could not have possibly come at a more needed time. Sometimes when the wait gets long, and the distance between me and my daughter seems more than just a plane ride away, I am in need of God's little pick-me-ups! This was a REALLY BIG pick-me-up!!! Thank you Jesus!!!
I prayed this morning to thank Him again for yesterday. I also asked Him if I could spend the "gift" , or should I wait a little bit longer. He promptly gave me the "go-ahead" to be a good steward of the gift I had received! Thank you Jesus for retail therapy!! :-) This Momma's goin' shopping!!

Fall

Summer Rain and a friend were helping me decorate for Fall. Basically, a trip into the attic for me, and a hallway upstairs littered with the remnants of boxes and tissue paper that held the treasures they were seeking. (Hmmmm. I wonder who's gonna havta clean THAT up??) They put out this cute display with the help of our sweet kitties. Samson is the gray kitty, and Charley is the black kitty. Both felines have since "rearranged" the display at will. I guess they haven't gotten it just right yet :-)

Shoes???

Sorry this shot is a bit blurry, but I find this most interesting. Our youngest son loves "different" things. He is very comfortable in his own skin, and will wear whatever suits him...including a three piece suit and tie to school on any given day. He loves hats of all kinds, and his taste in clothing spills over to his shoe selection. For example, when buying shoes for school this year, he went to a Converse website, that allows you to design your own shoes. He choose low-tops with a special design/fabric on the inside, and black leather on one side and white leather on the other. Think bowling shoes. Guess I should have taken a pic of those too!LOL! Anyhoo, these are his latest find. They are climbing shoes. They have a rubber sole, and each toe gets a special little toe shoe area separate from the toe next to it :-) They even have special socks that can be worn with the shoes....of course those were a must have, too! He rarely wears the socks, though. He is allowed to wear them to school, but his Food Dynamics teacher restricted him to only days they were not in the kitchen cooking!!How funny is that?!!!

Close Moments.

Friends,
Well, yesterday was a tough day. Actually so was the day before. Lots of time in prayer for our daughter to come home. My heart was so heavy, leaden almost, causing me to look heavenward for strength and reassurance and rest.
As I was sitting at dance class, waiting on Summer Rain to finish her ballet class, I looked down upon the bench I was sitting on. There was a copy of Sports Illustrated. Hmmm. I don't read that magazine, and I almost looked away when the front page slogan caught my eye, and I re-read the three words that were blazed across the center in big, white letters. IT WILL HAPPEN!!!!! I couldn't believe my eyes! I really believe God put that magazine there to remind me that our daughter will come home :-) As if that was not enough, He graced me further with my daughter's shouts in the car as we were leaving the parking lot after dance class. She calls out,"Look, Mom! A rainbow!!" Indeed when I looked up, I saw a a broad slice of a most beautiful rainbow!! God's reminder to me that He keeps His promises!! To let you know how awesome this was, there was no rain, not this day or the day before. Just beautiful skies, and God's rainbow to share His love with me.

Family Fun Day

Wubby 's company has a family fun day every year. It is great fun for all of us. There is bingo with really good prizes, and guessing games, a few carnival rides, a runway of sorts with carnival type games, and many, many inflatables for bouncing fun! We all always enjoy going, and Summer Rain loves it!!! Of course, the food is very good, and the kiddos love the free, unlimited popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, cookies, and a huge buffet!!

The first pic is of our youngest son, just finishing his rock climb, and Wubby is next doing the same :-) The other pic is our Summer Rain (on the right) with a friend. They filled the backseat with their loot, and made us stay until it was OVER!! We were exhausted...but jubilant :-)

Ordinary vs Extraordinary

Hello friends! Well, it is Friday, and my hope soars as I await the phone to ring today. Is there anything special about today. Nope. That is precisely what makes it so special. It is an ordinary day. God loves to use the ordinary to do EXTRA ordinary things!! If the phone doesn't ring and bring good news from Guatemala today, I will still enjoy a wonderful weekend , and await the next ordinary day that God chooses to use to bring to me the news that our file has been signed by the judge, and we are off to civil registry! We are getting closer and closer to bringing our daughter home. She is just beautiful, and I miss her very much. Soon, a couple of my friends will be traveling to pick up their daughters from Hannah's Hope, and both have promised to take with them a measure of love from me to bestow upon my little sweetie. Thank you friends in advance, for transporting a bit of my heart to Guatemala!

Meandering Thoughts

The morning is pregnant with hope and promise.
The breeze causes the gentle tinkling of my wind chimes.
What are they proclaiming?
The freshness of the air fills my lungs with a sweetness rare.

I walk in the desert.
Sometimes with purposeful strides.
Sometimes skipping along.
Sometimes in circles.
And, sometimes, trudgingly on, and on.

It is quiet here, in my desert
save for my own thoughts.
The truths I know flood my mind.
Some appear as a fountain
Gushing forth to quench my thirst.
Others as manna to satisfy my hunger.
Still others as mountains that must be climbed and probed, and explored,
and eventually conquered.

My Lord is with me here.
He speaks softly His words
that direct my path inward
to use this gift of desert time for discipline.
The discipline to increase my faith, and shine light on my darkest corners.

Homecoming

After a long trip, it is so nice to come home. I am a happy mommy today as I look about my house and see that the two boys that were away are now back home. I can safely tuck them in...OK...they are 21 and 18, so I won't ACTUALLY be tucking them in, but I can MENTALLY tuck them in :-) Yes, their piles of dirty clothes litter their bedroom floor, but that is OK. No longer do I regard those piles as laundry, but as the signs of life that they represent. I love my children, and would gladly have them all stay here in this house with me forever!! I keep telling them that when they grow up and get married, they can live here with us and we can just stay SO CLOSE!!! They all smile that knowing smile as they back away and make a run for the door!!LOL!!
All of this homecoming is so bittersweet as I ponder the other homecoming we are waiting for. Our sweet daughter is still out there in a land far away waiting for her own homecoming. She , too, will have her very own little pile of laundry that will represent the fact that she lives HERE, and can join her sister and three brothers in the day to day life that has been fashioned for her by the very hand of God.
May God swiftly answer the prayer of my heart to bring her home safely too. My fifth little child needs to come home.

Come to Jesus

This song has been on my mind for a couple of weeks now. I cannot seem to get it out of my head. I guess I need to "blog" about it. The song is by Chris Rice and I am posting the lyrics. I so feel like this song is "my" song about the spiritual journey I have been on. This adoption has certainly given me cause to draw closer to Jesus. I know that is what He wants of me, to draw closer. And I am learning that as much as I want "Y" to come to me , Jesus wants me to come to Him even more.

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain,
so Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk Sometimes we fall...
so Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain,
then Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live

O, and when the love spills
over And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside,
then Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side,
and Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live

A time for change.

Change is the one thing we can always count on. Not all change is welcome, yet it comes just the same. Some change IS welcome. I am not so sure how I feel about our recent change. We dropped off our dear son at college on Saturday...to fend for himself in the wide-wide world of being a Freshman. He will navigate the dorm and the gym and the food courts. He will find his classes and probably miss a meal or two. He will work late doing his homework(or he better:-)), and I hope he will miss me just a fraction of how much I miss him.
I must have looked pretty pitiful at church on Sunday, knowing he was far-far away...OK he is less than a two-hour drive from me...anyway, back to my soulful expression. I walked down the aisle to receive Holy Communion, and back to my pew to kneel and pray. As I was exiting the church, I was stopped by our priest, Father Phil. He held my hand and guided me to the side as he asked what was making me so sad!! He knew from the look on my face at communion that I wasn't my usual "smiley" self (as he put it). As I explained that we had just left Matt at school, he smiled a knowing smile, and said,"Robin, you are always being the mother, aren't you?" My tears immediately filled my eyes.
Today , with the help of my two devotionals, I reflected on the ability to be completely joyful and at the same time completely sorrowful. I think I have a good example of this circumstance!!

How to spend my day!

What do you do when you have a beautiful sunny day and a giant skate box to play with? Why, if you are this son of mine, you spend your time enjoying the great outdoors while your little brother and sister are in school for the day :-) Going off to college has its advantages, one being that school doesn't start as early as high school!

Matt built this box and painted the mural on the top as his final art project in Advanced Art last year. He had a great time putting it to good use when he got it home! I love to watch him skate. He has incredible balance, and strength. All of this ability is ordinary to him. I recognize these as gifts and talents given to him by our Lord. He thinks all of this stuff is just easy!! I love this boy!!!

Senior Year

WOW! I can hardly believe that our youngest son is actually a senior this year! As I contemplate where the years have all gone, I know that

even he must grow up. He was one of the sweetest babies to ever come into this world. He was a cutie and a cuddler, and melted my heart a little more each day. He still does. I told him the other day that now that his older brother was on tour in the US, and now that his middle brother was away at college, he would be the sole recipient of all of the love and affection I would normally have divided amongst him and his brothers!! He was thrilled, let me tell ya ;-) LOL! He receives and tolerates all of my hugging and squeezing with a smile. What a good boy...er...I guess I mean...young man :-) You will always be my baby!!!

More Fun at the Beach

Because we love it, and because Summer Rain does not enjoy seafood...we headed to The Mellow Mushroom for pizza one night! We love this place, and it was once again a big hit.....especially when we discovered it was Karaoke night!!LOL! No, I couldn't convince any of the kids to get up and sing, but we all chorused in while sitting at our table:) One of the advantages of being a "musically inclined" family (except for me of course!!), is

that as the music flows, so does the laughter! One of my VERY FAVORITE things in this whole world is a time when all of us are together, and there is laughter in abundance! It warms the cockles of my heart:) I love my kids!!!

We Love the Beach!!

Hello folks! I have been absent from the blogging world for basically the whole month of August

!! We have been a very busy family. Here are a few pictures of our trip to the beach. We had a great time of playing in the ocean, getting some sun, and of course eating some awesome food:) The boys are BIG seafood junkies, and were right at home partaking of the wide selection at hand...and it was fresh, fresh, fresh!!! I must confess to enjoying some delicious blackened Mahi-Mahi myself!!YUM!!

Hanging in there!

I thought I would be posting about our swift entry into civil registry, but I am not. I am waiting to post about our entry into civil registry:) Once again I am the recipient of the "Hang in there" comment of encouragement. I am keeping my eyes on Jesus. He knows how long I need to hang in there. I am reminded of a playground I took my daughter to a few days ago. It had one of those hanging runner tracks that you hold on to the bars and glide down to the other end (and back again if you can keep a good grip). I lifted my daughter up to the bars(she couldn't quite jump as high as it was), and gave her a gentle push. There she went, back and forth a few times before her grip gave way and she came down only to ask me to lift her back up to try again. Hmmm. A good lesson in that for me. God knows how long my grip will hold, and He gives me rest when I cannot hang on any longer. He also knows that when I try again, I will hold on a little tighter, a little longer, because He has encouraged me.

Modern Day Miracles

I am sorry I have been remiss on posting lately, but I have a very good excuse:) I have been witnessing a MIRALCE!!! (I have been sent a picture of said miracle on!!)
The look on this precious child's face mirrors mine. I see pure joy! Thank you Jesus!

The praise and glory go to GOD!!! He used His mighty power and orchestrated all of this before time began. I may have been in the dark, (actually I spent many days in darkness), about His plans, but I was constantly reminded that His ways are not our ways, and His plans are not our plans. His ways are, after all, so much better than ours!! He has chosen to bless our family with the privilege of raising this beautiful child. I am so humbled by His Divine mercy. I have so much to learn about God and His ways!! But for now, I will "bask in the Son" for giving me the gift of a daughter:)

Milestones

Throughout our adoption process, we counted milestones. Some were so very exciting!! These were signing the contract with AGCI, mailing off the dossier, being put on the waiting list, getting "the call' for referral, seeing those first precious pictures of our daughter, visiting her for the first time, holding her for the first time, getting DNA, getting PA from USE, getting IN to PGN.....

Some milestones were more difficult. Getting past the DNA glitch( USE wouldn't accept transferred DNA), getting kicked out of PGN twice, the second time on her first birthday, getting caught up in the CA mess...twice, missing her first birthday...

Other milestones are just now happening. These are the saddest of the sad. On June 26th we "celebrated" our one year anniversary of getting "Y's" referral. Today we celebrate the one year anniversary of the day we traveled to Guatemala for our visit trip. Tomorrow will mark one year from the time we first held our new little daughter in our arms. We were so full of hope and anticipation of bringing her home. HH was wonderful. We had a picture perfect time. We totally fell in love with this small child who lives so very far away. She felt like she was mine.

AGCI always reminds us to "guard our hearts". After all, anything can happen with international adoption. I would like to know how anyone can do that. I simply cannot fathom entering into this process with a guarded heart. Where my children are concerned, I am fully vested. Heart, mind and soul. Guarding my heart means not feeling or growing in love. When I think about this, I bring to mind words that a very wise woman once told me as we were embarking on foster care. We asked about loving these children who would be with us, and then having to let them go. She said very simply," No one ever died from loving a child." How true that is. Our hearts will always be affected by these tiny beings who come into our lives. Whether they are there for a few days or for a lifetime, we should love them completely. Maybe the reason they are placed with us is so that we WILL love them. After all, who needs love more than they do?

I love you my sweet, Y. You will always be the daughter of my heart. No one can take the love I have for you away. It is mine to keep, yet keeping it is loss, not gain, therefore I give it to you. You will never be without me in your life. My love for you will always remain. No matter what. You may depend upon it. I may not be holding you in my arms right now, but know for certain that I hold you daily in the arms of my heart.

Hugs and squeezes from Momma

Alright already!!

Have you ever been yelled out by God? Well, sometimes I get yelled at. Today was one of those days. .(Kind of gives you insight in to the hardheaded, impatient person I am.) Really, I didn't know that my wandering eye was causing wandering thoughts. Should I take matters into my own hands? I could just speed up this whole thing! I could just do this, and then it would be decided. Future chosen. Choices made. Done.
A little background for you , so it doesn't sound like I am rambling...OK...I AM rambling, but isn't that what my blog is for?? :)
I was told to check out AGCI's new web page. It was great! As I was checking out the countries available to adopt from, I went to India. As I was looking at all of the pictures of the beautiful children, I wondered if I should switch countries, and just go on with an adoption of another child. Maybe two. A girl and a boy. Get the ball rolling. After all, these kiddos are beautiful! These kids need a home. I have time right now to do a new dossier. I could be like Nike and "Just Do It!"
Well, I went as far as to e-mail AGCI about a picture I saw on the website.
That is when it happened!! The YELLING I mean. I sat down at my kitchen table to do my morning reading/prayers/reflections. After an opening gratitude prayer, I picked up my Streams in the Desert book. OUCH! My ears were scorched!! The reflection was about Elijah and the brook, as it dwindled and dried up. God sent Elijah there. (Hmm, my situation in Guatemala, perhaps.) He stayed put, Elijah I mean, even with the circumstances being what they were, until the Lord spoke to him. (UH-OH! Could it be that the circumstances in Guatemala are causing me to panic a bit? Am I becoming anxious, and want to make other plans before God speaks?) Am I devising another plan, long before the brook dries up, and asking God to bless it, and heading elsewhere? (Paraphrased from the reflection.)
"God will often extricate us from the mess we have made(was I about to make a mess of things?), because "His love endures forever". "YET" (oooooooohhhhh, that word is powerful!) if we will only be patient and wait to see the unfolding of HIS plan, we will never have to turn back and retrace our way, with wasted steps...." (Again, paraphrased.)
Then , in the very last line in the reflection, in italics none the less (so I wouldn't miss it), came a VERY LOUD voice, saying..."Wait for the LORD". Patiently wait! (Psalms 27) I went and read the whole Psalms after that !!
Oh, I am to be patient and wait some more?!
Yes, Lord. I will quit my wandering eye. I will allow it only to look heavenward. I will await your command. As the brook dries up, I will try my best not to be fearful of what I see, I will see the circumstances through your eyes, for you see so much more that I do.

Amen.

More Encouragement!

I can always use more encouragement!! Can't you? :)
AnyHoo, one of my favorite verses for encouragement during our adoption wait has been Habakkuk 2:3
For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come,it will not be late.

I was reading on the 4th of July (OK,OK, I do a lot of reading!!), in my Streams in the Desert book, and low and behold!!! God had placed that very verse right there to remind me that He is still working for our adoption!! Thank you ,Jesus!! You always know when I need some "inside" comment that will satisfy my need for confirmation that you are still working on my behalf!! Just wanted to be sure we were both on the same page:)
What an awesome God we serve!!
He also sent me another verse,(yes, I was STILL reading!), and that AGCI quotes a lot in their literature. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.
I just love it when God sends me encouragement!!
Praising God for all He does!! God is good, ALL the time:)

Encouragement

I have been praying very diligently lately for many things. One thing especially is for encouragement. I have found God's word to be very helpful (like, duh!)!! Also, a devotional book that a friend gave me titled,"Streams in the Desert" has been a great complement to my morning prayer time.
About a week ago, as I was once again reflecting on the situation in Guatemala and with our adoption, I was praying especially hard about the path we have chosen to take, and was asking God to make it clear to me we were where He wanted us to be.
I read a quote from the book I mentioned, by a man named Matthew Henry, who said,"We can depend on God to fulfill His promise, even when all of the roads leading to it are "closed"." This was a very powerful message, because we all know Guatemala is CLOSED right now. God WILL fulfill His promise!! Now, "when" is another question I have been asking:)

Can you say BUSY??

Thanks for stopping by! I have been a bit remiss in updating my little blog lately. Please forgive me!! I have been quite busy of late, and will fill you all in on the details...I know how we all like the details!!LOL!
First of all , my oldest son left yesterday to tour with his band. They are headed for Detroit!! I know they will have a great time, but this old groupie will miss him terribly:)
Second, my youngest son is headed for Germany tomorrow!! Can you say, "We haven't packed a thing!!!!" Nothing like procrastinating to make life a bit more exciting:) He will have a wonderful time, and I am so happy we were able to send him. I think international travel is a great opportunity for our young men. We were able to send our middle son to Japan a couple of years ago. He was amazed at the different culture, and wants to return someday.
My middle son and I have been shopping for his dorm room at UAB. What fun it is to watch him pick out all the things that will make his space feel like home away from home. While we were shopping, we ran across a friend we know from church (an older couple) and the husband said,"Why didn't you just give him a couple hundred bucks and let him shop by himself?" I looked at him and said,"What fun would that be? This way I get the pleasure of his company, and he gets "extras" because I am here!" I found that to be so true. There are so few moments where I get to be alone with just one of my older boys. I love to spend one-on-one time with each of them. They are all so very charming, and handsome, and sweet. They like to shop with me, get a coffee with me, or sneak out for a nice lunch with the "Momma"!! How cool is that??!

Strength to " go on", but to "sit still"?

How often have I prayed for strength to "go on"? Many times. When my children were newborns, and the days and nights just seemd to flow one into the next. Sleep was only captured when I could pry my watchful eyes off of their angelic faces. For me, to gaze upon a newborn is to be allowed a treasure beyond comprehension. I would pray for strength to get up another time to nourish that precious life. They were so hungry for food and for the reassurance that I was out there , and that I had heard their cry.
When my father died of a massive heart attack, and I had missed getting to see him that day.
When my nephew and neice's firstborn was lost to a heart condition at 9 weeks old.
When my adoption journey took an unexpected turn.
When ......trials that only happen to "someone else" unfold in my own life.

I am reminded that the Lord is my strength to go on, but ALSO the Lord is my strength to "sit still"!!! To do nothing. To just sit still and wait, requires great strength! "Thank you , Jesus for the strength to sit still and wait on You." Amen.

Decision Made

Dear Friends,
First of all, I wanted to officially say that Wubby and I have signed the postponement contract with AGCI for Guatemala. God is s-l-o-w-l-y unfolding His plan for us. We feel like we need to stay put!
That being said, I have been journaling for a purpose. Sometimes when I feel as if God isn't departing any direction for me, I can look back over a week or two of journaling, and there I will find my answer.
Some words I have been hearing are:
-Psalms 138: 1-3,7-8
...The lord will complete what He has done for me.
- God's pain in our suffering is even greater than our own.
-Luke 1:45
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.
-From the book,"Streams in the Desert"
The things that are most precious to us today have come to us through tears and pain.
- The story of Abraham and Sarah: Sarah could not wait on the Lord. She did not believe that His word to her and Abraham would come true. She took it upon herself to make things happen. I do not want to do that. I want to trust Him in the wait!!
- "Be still".
-Psalms 121:1
Lift up your eyes to the hills and go forward. There is no other way.
-It is by trusting you will know fellowship with Him.
-Isaiah 49:4
Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly spent my strength,
Yet my reward is with the Lord,
My recompense is with my God.
-Three times I was reminded that 1) You knit me in my mother's womb 2) from my mother's womb He gave me my name 3) the Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb He gave me my name.
This lets me know that I am not forgotten. He knows right where I am.
-Isaiah 45: 2-3
I go before you and level the mountains; Bronze doors I will shatter, and iron bars I will snap. I will give you treasures out of the darkness, and riches that have been hidden away. That you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name!

The Taste of Blackberries

My Friends,
I am quite alone in my house right now. The cats are even asleep. Wubby is umpiring baseball, Son 1 is working, Son 2 is "chillin" with a friend, Son 3 is working, and Summer Rain is down the street with a friend. I am here blog-stalking and learning lessons from others. The smell of a made-from- scratch blackberry cobbler is permeating my thoughts. It is almost done. The blackberries are fresh from the prickly vines that torment the picker. We can learn a lot about life from a blackberry bush! The blackberry is very well protected from the hand that seeks to remove it from it's home. How often do I set my eyes on the prize , only to forget to watch out for the snares and brambles that must be faced before any triumph can be had? God never promised that there wouldn't be thorns in the blackberry patch, but anyone who has ever popped a bursting blackberry into their mouth after the battle with those thorns, can attest to the fact that the battle is worth it!! YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bittersweet Memories

I would love to be posting a beautiful picture of our "Y" today, but alas, that is not to be. God has other plans than the ones I first thought were unfolding. At least He has another end to this story than the one I envisioned. His way will be infinitely more beautiful and will give Him the glory He deserves. I hope I can point to that glory and to Him in a way that will be pleasing to my Lord.
This is not to say that I am not sad beyond belief at this circumstance we are now in. Today is the one year anniversary of our referral call. I can clearly remember the time and day. It was a Tuesday. Mid-afternoon. It took two phone calls, one to start my heart, the next to send it soaring into heaven:) I was on my way to work to teach my parenting class, when my cell phone rang with confirmation of "Y". I remember crying, screaming, and wondering how in the world I was EVER gonna teach my class!!!
This memory will be with me always.
"I love you, my sweet, sweet little girl."

What a cute couple!

This is my oldest son and his girlfriend. Are they not just the cutest!!! They have been together since Chris was 16 years old! It will be 6 years this September! (Funny little aside...I met Wubby when I was 16!!)

We love her like our own:) I could not have hand picked out a better soul mate for our son. " Thank you Jesus!!"

Some of Matt's Portfolio

We scattered a few of Matt's drawings around the formal dining room at his graduation reception. It was real treat to see a lot of his work all in one place:) We wanted to display his final art project, but it wouldn't fit. He built an 8 feet by 4 feet skating box, and painted a mural on it. We couldn't quite get it in the house!!

Happy Graduation!

Our sweet Matt! I just love this boy!! He is sporting all of the cords and medals for his art acheivement. We are so proud of him:) He is headed to UAB with an art scholarship!!GO MATT!!

Wild,Wild West!

This is Summer Rain in one of the four costumes that she wore in her dance recital this year! This was her tap number! We always have a great time with recital!! Such a girly thing:) She is taking five classes each week. Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Ballet, and Modern. We practically live at The Dance Company!!

Anyone Hungry?

Okay! You know you are a mom when you go away without the kids and you take pictures of the "cool' McDonald's because you just know your kiddos will have to see it!!! We actually went inside for coffee, just so we could tell Summer Rain we did and that we sat on the second level:) I must say, she was VERY impressed!!LOL!

Amazing!

Well hellllllooooo! I have just a few minutes to put a couple of pictures here. Wubby and I went to Las Vegas the first of this month on a mini vacation. Well, actually, Wubby was awarded Employee of the Year in his department at work, and the award ceremony was there, and I got to go along for the ride. We stayed at Caesar's Palace, and the hotel was gorgeous! It earned it's 5- star rating:) The only drawback was no coffee pot in our room!! I guess if you stay at a 5-star hotel, you are not supposed to make your own coffee, you are supposed to pay the $20 to have coffee sent to your room each day!!

Anyway, my favorite part was the shopping!! This picture was actually taken INSIDE!! The ceiling is painted like the sky, so it always seems mid-day while you are there. Amazing...and probably someone did research to determine the time of day most people made purchases, and that was the kind of day the sky would reflect!!TEEHEE!!

Something To Ponder

Sometimes ordinary words are placed side-by-side and they become extraordinary wisdom.

For example:
"Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect."

I am contemplating this wisdom.

I Go Before You Always

I received this this morning in my inbox. It is from a website called "God's Minute". It amazes me how God can use litterally ANYTHING to get His comforting word out to us when we need it most.

BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE; DO NOT BE AFRAID, NOR BE DISMAYED, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO. ( JOSHUA 1:9 * NKJV )
Dear Robin,
Whenever you become fearful know that: THE LORD, HE IS THE ONE WHO GOES BEFORE YOU. HE WILL BE WITH YOU, HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU; DO NOT FEAR NOR BE DISMAYED. ( DEUTERONOMY 31:8 ) After all, when we are fearful we worry and tend to build mountains out of mole hills in our minds. Now things rarely ever materialize nearly as bad as we then have anticipated. Thus we have become fearful for nothing, and remember that fear is the opposite of faith! Now God has even promised us: WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU; AND THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW YOU. WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU SHALL NOT BE BURNED, NOR SHALL THE FLAMES SCORCH YOU. ( ISAIAH 43:2 ) This verse is referring to the Children passing through the Red Sea, and also the protection HE gave to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, in the fiery furnace. Both are good examples of how God has helped HIS Children in the past! Therefore King David was able to boldly say: "YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL; FOR YOUR ROD AND STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME. ( PSALM 23:4 ) So Robin, when you become worried or fearful know that God will help you, just as HE has done for His Children in the past! Therefore; you may boldly say: THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION; WHOM SHALL I FEAR? THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE; OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID? Amen! ( PSALM 27:1 )

In HIS Love & Service,
Pastor Allen

The Call

Well, once again I am looking for light in this dark place. I know God is with me, but what He is up to I cannot say. Our news about our adoption case is not what we had hoped. PGN did not change their minds about our case. It remains closed.
I am trying to look up to my Father and praise Him for His works in my life. I know He already knew this would happen, but I didn't, and I have to trust His heart to know what is best for me and for "Y".
Please pray for our family as we travel a road not yet traveled. We do not know where it will lead us. Maybe to another adoption....maybe not.
I will open my heart to His will. I will pray it seeps into my soul and flows in my veins, and becomes my lifeblood. May His will become my will, and may I be a good and faithful servant to Him. May this trial only serve to draw me closer in, and strengthen the bond I have with Him.
Amen,
Robin

AGCI vs PGN

I could just have easily said God vs Satan in my title for this post. I truly believe this is a spiritual battle we are facing. The Enemy knows that if this child comes home to us that she will be brought forth to be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! This is not lost on the Evil One. He does not underestimate the power of God!
The meeting with PGN to decide "Y's" case is this afternoon.
Please pray!

FOUND! AN OPEN WINDOW!!

I know I am backtracking a bit, but I must type that last Friday, May 30th, I received a call from All God's Children International, our adoption agency. It was definitely a "God Thing" kind of call. We had been recently told that our current adoption was closed, and we would have to make the gruelling choice of what to do next. God was not really nudging me in any particular direction. We could opt to terminate the whole process (that one gave me such a sense of emptiness), we could sign a postponement contract in Guatemala, or we could switch to another country and basically start all over. Heavy sigh! No option was what we wanted. We wanted our sweet daughter to come home from Guatemala. The blessings of a christian organization such as AGCI is that THEY are committed to praying for us all also. As we waited for discernment, they were also praying for His will to be done.
The call about this tragic news came on Wed. May 21st. During our grief, we felt all of the prayers of our friends lifting our hearts and minds to give glory to God. I really cannot describe how protected I felt during the moments between the two phone calls that were as different as night and day. One took away all hope....one brought it all back.
The second call was to tell us that PGN (Guatemala board of advisers that approve all adoptions) had requested a second review of our case to bring our daughter home!! PGN NEVER does this! This can only, without mistake, be the hand of our Lord interceding in this situation Himself! It truly is a case of Him seeing what has to be done, and opening a window for His will to pass through.
I am following Him as closely as I can. I see the window, and although AGCI has said to "guard my heart" lest I be disappointed, I am breathing in the sweet breath of hope that billows at the curtains surrounding the window that He has unlocked and lifted open. I am following His Hope.
The light that was not visible before, is now streaming through the panes of this window and is also piercing through the pains we have endured in our journey to this child.
Peace be with you all,
Robin

When a Door Closes......

My Friends,
Oh how good it is to have friends. They talk with you, laugh with you, and cry with you. The last few days have been crying days. My faith in God's plan has been sorely tested. I am trying to stand firm and face the suffering that is my cross to bear. I offer it all up to Him who will be glorified in it.
All of this sadness is related to our latest adoption news. The child that was to be ours will not be coming home. It hurts to type those words. Each letter of it a painful reminder of the truth behind the words. Random letters on a keyboard, arranged in such a way as to bring tears from the very core of my being.
The story is a tragic one, about a woman of faith who can not care for another child. She seeks a way to secure the future of this tiny gift from her Lord. First, she chooses life. Praise the Lord! Second, she chooses a family to adopt her tiny daughter. That falls through. She must have been wondering what her Lord was doing. Then she chooses another family, meets them, and just knows it is the right family. She has peace. Her job is done.
The tragedy? Her untimely death. Gang violence is responsible. Where are you God? Why did this have to happen?
Now, what will become of this little daughter? She will not get to come home to the arms of the family that has waited for a year for her. I, her mommy, will never hold her in an embrace that is so full of love that we can cry together over this loss. I met her birth mother. I can tell her how sweet and wonderful she was. I will not get that chance.
God often closes doors to paths He does not want us to take. He has slammed this one shut! I am overwhelmed. I turn round and round looking for the window that He will open. It will be filled with light for this darkness, and provide the much needed air for my lungs. It is hard to breathe. There are so many "why's", but not so many answers.
I am trying to trust in His heart. He will not give His child anything that is not good for them. Lord God, please show me your way, and the goodness in all of this. If I am never to find out why this all happened, help me to be aware of your presence through this pain.

Trying to Feel the Joy

All,
Thank you for the prayers. The update is not good. I just heard from AGCI (our agency) that they were unable to get to our birth mother in time. The interview will have to be rescheduled. I ask for continued prayers of the faithful to help AGCI locate and notify our birth mother so that our process can continue. We are in a holding pattern...once again.
I am trying to give praise and glory to God from whom all good gifts come. I know He loves me, and will not forsake me. He who sees and knows all, knows what is best for me. Maybe the interviewers today are the unkind ones, and He is helping our birth mother be in an interview with a kind person. We will never know why this is happening, but I am trying to rest in Him, and trust His will.
As the Virgin Mary said,"Lord, be it done to me according to Your will. I am the handmaid of the Lord."

Our Lady of Guadelupe

This picture is my prayer today. I pray that Our Blessed Mother will continue to protect the children all over the world from the "beast", especially those in Guatemala awaiting permancy in the form of a family. I pray that the Virgin Mary, our heavenly mother, will watch over and protect all of the birth mothers who seek a better life for their children. Blessed Mary, please comfort these women as they stand in judgement before the PGN. You, as a mother, know especially what is in each of their hearts. You can feel their pain as no other can.

Hail Mary, full of grace

the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary,

Mother of God,

Pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.

Amen

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.

Contemplation.

Wubby took this picture a few weeks ago, when the spring, green leaves had just made a good appearance. It was a lovely day.
As I reflect on this picture I am reminded of God's provision. The tree just stays put, and leaves the worrying to the Creator. The rains come, and the tree just soaks it in. The drought comes, and the tree will rely on the times of rain when the Lord provided water. The tree knows not what each day will bring, but nonetheless, stands in the presence of the Lord and takes whatever comes. The tree knows that God will see to it's every need according to His will. The tree bends and sways with the will of the Father as the winds blow at times softly through it's branches, and at other times with the force of fury.
Today, as I was reading God's word, I was comforted by the message. It was as follows: James 1:2-3 "Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."
And Psalms 119: 71-72 "It was good for me to be afflicted, in order to learn your laws. Teaching from your lips is more precious to me than heaps of silver and gold."

My humble prayer

Lord,
Teach me to be joyful in ALL things. Allow not my will but your own to be my goal. Forgive me for seeking my own intentions, when I should be seeking yours. Grant me wisdom to sustain me in my trials.
Amen

Samson

I had to post these pics. This is one of our sweet kitties. His name is Samson. The first pic of him is the look he gets on his face whenever Summer Rain is coming to play with him!LOL! The second pic is his disinterested look at the piano music box that he will have his first piano lesson on. The last picture is the determined Summer Rain making sure Sam-Sam gets his money's worth out of the lesson!!!

The Busy Life.

All,
I hope to get back into the blog swing of things this month. It has been a very busy time for us with preparations for our middle son's high school graduation, and his college acceptance and our daughter's dance recital. They all converge this weekend, and end on Tuesday evening with graduation ceremonies. Family will be in from out of state, and that means deep-cleaning inside and outside!!LOL! Got my mom and the MIL here for inspection!! Ouch!
Anyway, we cleaned the deck and planted lots and lots on Saturday and Sunday, and I have been a painting maniac trying to spruce up the place. It all needed attention, and there is nothing like impending company to get me up and running!! We are having a graduation reception for our DS on Sunday, and he politely asked if there was a limit to the number of friends he could invite!! GULP! "Uh, no dear. However, please don't invite the WHOLE senior class!!" That would be hundreds of kids! We shall see how many he pares it down to:)
Robin

Summer Rain

Hellllloooo! I have missed you! Glad you could come for a visit:) I have been very busy lately, and will hopefully get updates on my blog about all of the good stuff!

Here is a quick pic of our little Summer Rain who went camping at Camp Cha-La-Kee with her Dadda, Chief Running Deer! They had a great time, and won many ribbons. Summer Rain won fishing trophies for Most Fish Caught, and Biggest Fish! We are very proud of her:) Now...if she will only learn to bait her own hook!LOL! EWWWWW! Worms!!

They were able to ride horses, as you can see, and that is a favorite activity!

Where was I? Oh, well, I was visiting my Momma and we were dining out and shopping, and chatting and driving all over looking for a Starbucks!! We finally found one..in the HOSPITAL!!! When I tell everyone that my mom and I went to the hospital on my last visit, they all ask "why"? I simply say,"For coffee, of course!" TEEHEE! As we left the hospital with our coveted beverages, my mom turns to me and very seriously asks,"Robin, can you drink and drive?" That one kept us laughing all the way home:)

I Go Before You Always

No picture this time. Only my heart speaking love and thanksgiving to my God who gives as well as takes away. The wait has been getting increasingly more difficult. I do not ever doubt that the promise will be fulfilled, but I do question what will be left of me when it is. Will I have spent all of myself in the struggle to find peace in the wait. I want to have so much left for her. She deserves it!
I was praying for God to guide my path, and lay before me the sure knowledge that He was responsible for my direction. At Mass on Sunday, I stood to take my place in the line that would bring me before His altar, before Him, and allow me the great privilege of receiving His precious body that was given up for me. The song playing for Holy Communion drifted over the pews. It flowed into my ears and stirred my heart as God used its soothing words to reassure me of His divine plan. The song that I joined in to sing through my tears was, "Be not afraid. I go before you always. Come follow me. And I will give you rest." This is the very song I named my blog after! Thank you Jesus for your personal relationship with me!!
Amen!

Happy Birthday Summer Rain!

Our daughter turned 9 years old on April 12th! We cannot believe how fast she is speeding toward double digits!! Please slow down my little princess!

For her birthday(that is her in the middle), she had two of her closest friends spend the night. Anyway, first we all went to the movies to see Nim's Island. It was a cute movie . Plenty of adventure! Then we went to the mall for some fun and girly shopping! We hit Libby Lu first for hair extensions and "Do's", and then on to Justice and Hallmark to check out the available WebKinz supplies! They didn't want to leave the shopping behind to go eat, so we dined in the food court, before making our final purchases. After a trip into Bath and Body works for a hand treatment and new lotions to try(and a few lip gloss choices), we made our way back to Justice to buy WebKinz. By night's end, the birthday girl's total supply of WebKinz had risen to 35(including what she had at home)!!! I ask? Is there such a thing as TOO MANY stuffies?? I THINK NOT!! Her pals enjoyed a new WebKinz ..or two...as well ;) Needless to say, the mall was closing when we headed home. When we got home, there were gifts to open for the birthday girl as well as gifts for the guests. They received cute crocheted purses stuffed with candy, lip gloss, nail jewelry, a new Barbie, and a new outfit for Barbie to change in to, a beaded necklace, and a punch ball! Fun was had by all, and the girly girls went to sleep snuggled next to their new stuffies...all of which had been properly named and registered on WebKinz World! Of course, they giggled quite a bit before settling in...it was after 1 am when their eyes closed for the night! Good thing I am a night person!LOL! Where was Wubby, you ask? Happy NOT to be with us on our excursion:) And, asleep before the rest of us!

The Front of Her Closet

Her Closet

Hmmmm. The first words that come to mind..."poorly lacking". That is what I think when I look into the armoire that will be our daughter's closet when she first comes home. Okay, Okay, I know. The travel pillow and picture frames are debris, and will have to go! Anyway, what this tells me is that I am about ready for some more retail therapy:) I have decided NOT to buy any more clothes until we exit PGN. SOOOO, Come on PGN and LET US OUT!! I did buy a diaper bag! One size fits all:) I love it!! It is in the corner on the left. It looks like a messenger bag, and is brown with pink trim. All of that "stuff" crammed in under the hanging clothes are hooded towels, wash cloths, bibs, shoes , socks, bottles, spoons, teethers, books, etc. I just buy stuff that is not size specific, and toss it in! Actually, I am not sure what all IS buried back there!!LOL! Hmmmm, I may need to take a look!

The Crib

Ah, the crib. It mocks me at times, seemingly laughing at my hopes and dreams. Constantly reminding me that it is empty as I walk by. It's silence making me painfully aware of the absence of the sweet baby girl that does not rest her dark-haired head on the tiny pink flowers that run across the sheets with abandon.

Ah, the crib. It stands as a sentinel to the homecoming of the child who will chew on its railings and bang on its walls. It knows it cannot possibly contain the one it holds....there will always be outstretched arms reaching deep within its confines to free the little one who at once seeks its protection and familiarity, and yet wishes to be out, so to be held and loved . The irony? That little one is held already. Not in the arms of her mother, but in her heart. She is also loved beyond anyone's comprehension. For how can we possibly understand with our limited knowledge, the depths of love that fill our hearts and beings.

Where is the Emphasis?

Today I found myself flipping through the pages of the calender. I am not looking for a scheduled event, but rather an UNscheduled event. I find some modicum of comfort in looking ahead to the imaginary date on which we will get to pick up our baby girl. Pitiful, I know.

The days lately seem endless, but the inquiring looks from others, sometimes keeps me indoors to avoid the barrage of disappointed stares. I actually had a mom I know apologize to me before asking about when our baby would get here. She did not want to cause me any more pain than I was already experiencing. I find it humbling to know that others suffer along with me during this wait.

Some common questions I have been thinking about.

"When will she come home?"

"I don't know."

"Why does it take so long?"

"I don't know."

"Don't they know this is a child?"

"I don't know."

As I look at these three questions, I reflect on the word on which the emphasis is placed. Hmmmm. When will she come home? "I" don't know, but my Lord does.

Why does it take so long? I "don't" know. If I did, I could explain it or maybe fix it.

Don't they know this is a child? I don't "know" anything about the people who God has placed in charge of my daughter's future. All I do know is that He has chosen very carefully all who will be involved in her paperwork, just as He has carefully chosen the family that will welcome her home when the time arrives.

I guess the lesson to learn is that the emphasis must be on GOD. He has all of the answers, even to the toughest questions. I can hear Him speaking to me , His child, as I ask these questions of Him. He is saying,"Because I said so!" I smile knowingly, because there are times when I have uttered these very words when speaking to my own children. Not because I don't want to answer them, but because the answer to their questions would be too far above their comprehension. Trust! It boils down to trust. We ask our children to trust us every day. God is asking me to trust Him in all things. Sometimes His will is too far above my comprehension.

Prom

Our son just attended his first prom! We were so excited about all of the hoopla. He looked marvelous in his tux and his date was a beauty. She is JUST a friend, and she asked him to go. The theme of the prom was The Orient, and the group went to dine at Tokyo, a very nice Japanese restaurant, before going to the prom. After prom, they went cruising in the limo they had rented for the evening, and ended up at a friends house. Our son then parted from his date to meet up with some buddies for an all-nighter of hanging out and having fun. Fortunately for me, that friend lives in the same neighborhood as us, and I know the mom:) Ah, the safety net !! After all, all children need a balance of freedom AND limits!
After three boys, I am SO ready for a chance to buy a prom DRESS for my girls! Fortunately, they are eight years apart, so I can recover financially from one before paying for another!LOL! I know me, and I will DEFINITELY go overboard:)
I had to smile at the picture on the wall to the right of his head. It is him when he was about 1.5! They truly do grow up too fast!!

Hugs!

Gee, are ya tired of all my posts? I know, I should save a few for another day, but while I am here....
OK! I lived for MANY years surrounded by boys. First my husband, then three little ones..all boys. I was seriously outnumbered! When Summer Rain was born, it helped even out the odds:) She makes up for all of those years of no pink and nothing girly around. She gives her brothers a run for their money in the huggy-kissy department. For the most part she is well received, but then again, it is a safe bet to hug in public where everyone is looking, and no one will stop her!!!LOL! Did I mention that she is smart as well as a cutie??!! She is hugging her oldest brother in blue, Spotted Deer. Her middle brother in red, Brave Wolf, and her youngest brother in pink, Running Squirrel. Yes, they too, have Indian names. They were a part of the YMCA program Indian Guides. Now the program is called Native Sons and Daughters. I highly reccommend it if they have this program in your area.
I cannot wait until next Easter when our darling new daughter will share in the hugs !

Christmas Tree Car

Well, imagination is really key in making pinewood derby cars...at least if you are Summer Rain. She wantes her cars to go fast, but that is the job of her Dadda..Running Deer. Her job is to be creative and come up with the years newest design. She has created a watermelon car, a slice of wedding cake car...complete with filling betweeen the layers and a wedding cake topper with a bride and groom, and a party hat car with a poof ball on top! This year her car was a christmas tree (the one in the middle). She is already making plans for next year! I can't tell ya what it is....it's top secret:)

Summer Rain

Well, there is no story behind this picture. I just found it on my camera, and decided to post it because I like it! Summer Rain is very cooperative with me whenever I say,"Stay right like that! This will make a great picture!!"