Friday, August 29, 2008

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.

Monday, August 25, 2008

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

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

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!!

Monday, August 18, 2008

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!!