Merry Christmas

I really cant believe that Christmas is here already! It just is amazing how time zooms by. I am just sitting here thinking about all the amazing ways that God has blessed us in the past year. He gave us Mia and my heart just overflows at all that she has brought to our lives. She is such a joyous and funny little gal who keeps us on our toes:) God called us to stretch ourselves again to possibly bring home two children from Ethiopia..still working on that. He blessed with a wonderful harvest and kept us safe through it. We have a warm home and we have never went without food, warm showers, clean clothes, and we have so many that we can call family. We are so abudantly blessed! I believe God has called us to lay ourselves down and to be even more given up for His names sake. I believe that 2010 is going be a year of seeing the Mighty hand of God in our lives. I know He is going to do miracles in our life and I cant wait to see how this all goes down. I pray that each and every one of you will seek the Lord with all of your hearts and that the souls around you are your biggest priority. There have been a few things that have happend this year that have torn my heart open and I know I am a better person because of them. These things made me fall on my knees before the Lord and cry out to Him. They made me examine myself to see if I was truly being all that I am to be before the Lord. I dont wish the hard times on any of you but I do hope that Jesus is the one thing you make time for in your life. I hope all of you have a blessed Christmas and may the Lord richly bless you in 2010-A

The trial of our faith

I decided since we are adopting again and we have no extra monetary means....I was going to read about the life of George Mueller. This is one the hardest parts of adoption for me. Iam a person who likes to be ready in advance at all times. Possibly a control freak..:) I am trying to let this go and God has really been working on me since we have started our family...like the other night. Mia was suppose to be getting her coat on so we could take supper to Brett in the field. She came around the corner with this funny look on her face. Then she said "poop mommy"! And she had poo all over her hands, her shirt, her sweater, and had smeared it all over the window seal and a few other areas!!!! She got her hands smacked and a stern lecture about where her hands did not belong!

But I love her to pieces! She has blessed our life beyond what we could have ever thought and we are learning to die to self so that we can raise her up to love Jesus with all her heart.

So back to George...I really have always liked these stories of the incredible faith of this simple man and feel like I can learn from him and his walk. Since we hope to add two little people and become a family of 5....just writing the words freaks me out......I am going to need all the direction to walking with his kind of faith as possible. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Christ Jesus-1peter 1:7 Our Pastor preached an amazing message last week and I felt like God was telling me that I had prayed in faith, and that He was going to bless us but that I had to quit being anxious and let Him do his thing. So with every bit of the faith that I have-Iam trying to do just that.

Now for some closing remarks...Our friends from Ohio leave tomorrow to go to Ethiopia. They are leaving there daughter who is 17 months old behind, and going to pick up their new son. Please Pray for them. Pray that their daughter will be fine and they will be at peace leaving her in the states. Pray that they will be safe and their health will be protected. Pray that their hearts will be bonded at meeting with their little baby. Pray that they are able to enjoy this trip to the fullest and that God binds this family together. And thank you for praying for them-they are dear to our hearts and we love them greatly. I hope that you are able to be enjoying this Christmas season to the fullest and that Christ is the center of it all! May you be blessed-A

December is here!

Every year I am going to make the most of this wonderful month in which our Savior was born.....and each year it goes by so fast. We are still trying to get all the crops in and that means food to the field still! I did manage to get all my christmas decorations up and now we are ready. Next week we hope to make 30 dozen cookies for the prison ministry. Then we are going to make more fun cookies for others, and hopefully I am going to find time to try my hand at making hard tack candy.
Next on the adoption news....our 2nd homestudy is almost finished! That means soon we can get all the papers sent away so they can began the journey to Ethiopia. I cant wait. I get butterflys each time I think of it! Well I do believe its time for more little people in the house so that Miss Mia can learn that all is not hers:) She is sure that everything is hers and that is sure to make things fun for the future! Well I have been cleaning the basement to make a play room to use during the winter. A room were we can have a bird and a place that will not be ruined if the new puppy would choose to pee. So I must be off to work agian. May you be blessed-A

Prayer Needed

This little girl is one of my most precious treasures that the Lord has blessed me with. I cant imagine if we had not been able to get her or when we went to get her we had been told it was no longer possible. This is happening to the people in Canada. The Canadian government is not allowing people to bring their children home from Uganda. There is another Canadian family in Nepal with their daughter and they have been told they cant bring her into Canada. I dont know a lot about the situation in Canada, but I do know my Heavenly Fathers heart. He loves these children and he is calling Christians all over the world to step up and open our hearts to the orphan. Will you join me in praying for these families and for the whole situation? Check out www.aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com . This gal is the one who I got the info from.
I have been reading a book on the 2nd world war and how Hitler was snuffing the Jews out. One thing I never realized was, if the Jews got to Switerzland and were caught, the Swiss would turn them over to the Germans. The Swiss were proud to call themselves a nuetral country and yet they participated in this horrendous act to stay nueutral. Are we as Christians staying nuetral by not speaking up a little louder? Are we participating by not opening our hearts and homes to the orphan in a bigger way? I have been feeling burdened by this. Am I just wanting the little perfect family so I can still be comfy and not stand out to badly? Or am I willing to be the person that God has called me to be and stand tall in the face of adversity and persecution? I have been so convicted in the last couple of weeks to really seek the Lord and He has shown me were I have been walking to closely to the worlds side of things. I read blogs of amazing families that have miracles happening and they are bringing children home and growing their families and God is blessing them in a mighty way. I want that! I know God has called us to grow our family through adoption and I also know He has layed some things on my heart lately that are going to be tough. As James Macdonald says " I dont want to walk into heaven, I want the break though the gates at full speed"! Thats what I want to and it comes through prayer and fasting before our Almighty God. So while we are eating our turkey and filling ourselves to the brim and thanking God for all of Our Blessings, remember the orphan. They may be going hungry for the 8th day in a row or worse. Be a world changer-seek the Lord-How will you intercede for the children of the world and for those who are being attacked by Satan for stepping up?! PRAY ....with all of your heart. Isaiah 65:24-I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! As the day of Christs return gets closer, Satan works harder to get us down. I believe with all my heart that God will do great things, if we as the christian will only get down on our knees and stand in the gap for those who cant speak up for themselves. May you be blessed this thanksgiving and remember the miracles that God has done in your life-A

Mouse mystery

So this morning I went to the kitchen and was going to take my daily dose of pills and vitamins. Then I realized that the mouse who is stalking my kitchen....ate my daily birth control pill. So I am wondering if it works the same for the mouse as it does for a human? Either way, I guess I am controling the mouse population. Thats all from the profound section of my brain....A

Gratitude

So its that time of year again. You know the one filled with yummy food and the abundance of gifts and such. Well yesterday I was doing some of my Christmas shopping and I was just amazed at how many people are already out doing the same thing. So I just have had a few thoughts swirling in my head and now you get to read them:) First is the whole concept of Gratitude, which is a state of being grateful. I was just watching people and wondering if we even know how to do this anymore. This is something we have tried to begin to teach to Mia, and will continue to be a big subject in our home. I think we have so much we dont even know how to truly be thankful for the things that we so take for granted. So I have been talking with Mia about those things each day. Clean water, we wake up and get to eat 3 meals a day with snacks, we have many changes of clothes, we have shoes, we get to brush our teeth, and the list is endless. I listen to Family Life Today, and Barbera Rainey has been speaking on gratitude. I want to challenge all of you to count your blessings each day and make it a habit rather than wishing for more or better.
Next on my list of things swirling...World Vision Gift Catalog. Check it out at www.worldvisiongifts.org and bless someone somewhere this year. We are doing the gift for women and child in Guatemala in honor of Mia.
Next...a friend of mine told me that she has overheard a lady explaining that at their home the kids only get 3 gifts each, since that is what Jesus recieved. I thought that was such a cool idea and have adopted it for our family.
Next...If you live in Indiana or wherever you may beable to go see the Trans Siberian Orchestra. I am totally pumped about this. The talent is just amazing and the light show is awesome! I cant wait!!!
Okay now that I have that all out-I hope each of you is blessed today and that Jesus is your reason for being-A

One year on Nov. 15th

Guatemala City, Guatemala-one hour late already and the luggage is just meandering its way to us. Welcome to a new world were things just take time:) We were running and trying to get through customs, get luggage, find our way through the hundreds of Mayans who had come to the airport to just watch the people. We were already a hour late and I wanted to get the room all ready for Mia and to have the families presents all wrapped. We zoom through crazy traffic and pull up to the Westin. Utter poverty and filth on one side and a mecedez on the other. We were here. We run in and they are all there-the whole family...and our daughter. There were so many emotions! Brett meeting Mia for the first time and knowing that through all of this, at the end of the evening we would have to say goodbye. Mia was so cute! She had grown so much since mom and I had been there. Clara had dressed her in this cute purple dress and she looked like a little Mayan princess. All of her foster sisters were there too. And then there was this wonderful family who offered to interpret for us for the evening. Praise God for them! We went out for dinner at a most delicious Peruvian restaurant. During dinner I would have to wipe back my tears because each minute that past was closer to goodbye. Clara-the foster mom- would just cry and look at me with such sadness in her eyes that I just about couldnt take it. Brett was in a daze. New country,new language, new food, and a new daughter! Well that was the first day of our family of three. By the grace of God-we said our goodbyes. How do you portray all your gratitude to a family who has given all of their love and care to Your child for 15 months? Someday I hope to speak Spanish good and take Mia back to visit. Well from that day forward we have been most blessed by this little girl being in our lives. There have been some really rough days when I have wondered what in the world we were doing but God got us through. Mia has adjusted well and she doesnt know how much it blesses us when she wraps her arms around us and says "my mommy" and "my daddy". Thank you Father for this precious girl! We are a forever family!

Jesus Loves Me!

I heard a quote the other day and I thought it was good. It was this "gossip the gospel"! I really like that! I have been thinking a lot about this Christmas season and how I might be a witness to the people around me that this is not just another holiday. So I pray that I will beable to not be so in a hurry that I cant talk to those around me about the Reason for this Season.
I love my little Mia so much! She loves to sing along with Klove and its makes my heart happy in a teary, good way to see her praising Jesus with her arms stretched up to Him! She is such a gift from the Lord and we love her so much! I pray that this week is blessed for each of you and that you draw near to the Father though the Word-prayer and fellowship.
Blessings to you-A

A New Day

I may be crazy, but I love Mondays! They are a fresh start to the week and I am always reminded that the Lord says that His mercies are new every morning-GREAT is his faithfulness! So this week is a new week to exercise and eat right. To be a better mom than I was last week. Mia is becoming such a big girl. She says new words every day and puts more words together too. This morning she woke up early (the time changed) and she was crying and yelling for me. So when I walked into her room , she says "mommy, I crying and crying, saying Mommy, mommy!" . Totally silly is what this little girl is. She loves to go to church and see the kids and sing to Jesus! She loves to sing and we love to listen. We are quickly approaching our one year anniversary of Mia being in her forever family! Simply amazing how much our lives have changed in one year. We have become better people because of this little blessing that God has given to us. We are looking forward to see what the next year will bring into our family. Well I hope this is a week of experiencing the greatness of the Lord in each of your lives. May you be blessed-A

Opportunities to share

Hey everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend! We had our last homestudy visit this past Saturday. I am truly thankful its over. Its really not bad-but when its your second for the same adoption-the endless questions that you have answered so many times get old. One thing that has been hard is this gal is learning all about us and she isnt very personable. Oh well-its done.
We had a visitor at church Sunday to preach. He spoke on reaching out to the Muslim community. One thing that he really stressed was that this religion is not a peaceful religion and we can really reach these people by loving them. 1John 4:11-Beloved, if God so loved us , we ought to love one another. Pray for these people. They are blinded from the truth that can set them free for all of eternity. A lot of these Muslims dont like the mean part of the religion and are open to the gospel if we will just present the message to them. We are ambassadors for the King of Kings and the Lord or Lords. Get out there and do your job!:) I have been thinking of this since so many in Africa are Muslim. I pray that God will give me opportunities to share the truth to these people.
May you be blessed-A

praise in the storm

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We had a nice fall weekend for once. Its been so rainy and wet-but one of things that I love about a cooler fall is the beautiful leaves! They are awesome right now!
One thing that is amazing to me is how timely our pastors messages are to life. We have been going through the book of John and we were in chapter 6 yesterday. In this book the disciples are going across the sea and a storm hits. While they are freaking out and trying to make it through the storm-Christ is just out for a evening stroll on the waves of the sea! Well Christ comes walking by and they freak all the more. They think he is a ghost. Well Christ just comes over and gets in the boat and the bible says the waves were instantly calm and that they were immediately at their destination. Well our pastor was explaining to us that sometimes God puts us in a storm to keep us safe. Maybe we are getting to much like the world and forgetting that this place is not our home. Or maybe we loose sight of the big picture. Whatever the case-we may think we are going to be capsized by the waves but God is all the while keeping us safe from a more dangerous situation. So whatever you may be facing this week-remember that God is there right beside you and that the waves will not over take you. There are two kinds of christians in this world...the ones walking into a storm and the ones that are walking out of a storm:) The joy is that He always brings us through the storm! May you be blessed this week and remember to praise HIM in the storm-A

A Weekend to Remember

Hi Everyone! Today Brett and I leave for the weekend! I am super excited for this. We are going to the Weekend to Remember put on by Family Life Today. Its a christian based program and I am hoping to gain a lot of knowledge. I listen to their program almost every day on Moody. They have lots of wisdom for families and couples.

Please pray for us. This is the first time we will be going away, just the two of us, since Mia was placed in our arms! Please pray for her. I am trying to not worry about her:) She is going to be staying with Bretts parents-so you can pray for them too!

Hope your weekend is blessed-A

Its a grand life!

Hi everyone!
Life has been on fast forward! Two weeks ago was Mia's birthday party. We had 28 people and lots of fun presents. Pictures will follow another day:) It was a fun evening and she had a lot of fun with all the children. I cant believe that she is already two. Its kinda sad but I know there are many fun days ahead. She is such a blessing to us. We cant imagine life with out her. I was a little sad just wondering about her birth mother. I always think of her and wonder if she is sad or if she thinks of Mia on the special days, and then I pray that God will give her a special peace. I hope she knows how much we love her for the hard choice she made. We tried to do Guatemalan things-like the pinata! But I had gotten a pink horse and Mia loved it and was upset that we were wacking away at it with a bat! Maybe next year it will be more fun.
Well next on the list of crazy life items-we are adopting agian! We have been working on this since March and recently found out that the gal that did our homestudy was not really licensed and so we now have to redo. Just lovely! But I keep thinking that God knows our future-He called us to this and there is always a reason for the timing of things. We are adopting from Ethiopia and Lord willing, we hope to bring home two children. We have been called to this and we know that God is going before us to make a path. Its going to be a ride of watching miracles. We have no money for this adoption and the economy has not been good for farming-yet God called and we want more than anything else to do HIS will! So we jumped in with both feet! Its a little exciting and a lot of scary. We had our first homestudy this past Saturday. It was interesting. Glad its over. Its hard to explain that God called you to something and that you have the faith that He will work it all out according to His will. A worldly view does not understand. Plus I wish the people who did this kind of work had first hand experience in adoption. You cant know all until you have done it, and even then there is a lot of unknown!
Number 3 on crazy life items-Mia's getting 5 teeth!!!! I have had 4 days of crying and fever and I feel a wee bit cranky myself. I cant wait until this is done:)
Well that should update you for now in our life. I have lots more to say but since its nap time I had better work like a wild women!!:) May the good Lord Bless you-A

Home sweet Home

Hi! This is going to be my 3rd attempt at this post! I have no clue what happened to the first two so who knows! We have been busy. First off-thanks for the prayers for little Charlie. He is doing better-released from the hospital and back to the orphanage. God is so good to care for the orphans.

We just got back on Thursday evening from Washington. We went to visit my family and we had so much fun! Mia loves her litte cousin Shay and is still asking for her each time she wakes up or we head for the car. They had so much fun together. Grandpa Aaron watched them most evenings while the rest of us played Dutch Blitz. It was great! We got to go to Ellensburg-which is where I grew up. Labor Day is Rodeo Weekend in this town and they have a great parade. We left Pasco at 6:30 am to be there and get good seats so Mia could run out and get candy:) It rained on us but it was the best to be there. It was fun to have Brett see the funkiness that I grew up in! We also got to visit my elderly friend Kitty Moe. She is 104 and has the neatest stories to tell. Her family was some of the founding fathers of this country. Mia sat in her lap a little and I think Kitty was thrilled.

Well its been back to craziness since we got home! I have a ton to do and Mia's first birthday home is this next week. Praise God for this little girl who makes our days so filled with joy and laughter, and sometimes complete frustration:)

May you be blessed-A

lots to take to Jesus

First off-I will get some pictures on here soon:) I know some of you are waiting for them!
Its been a little crazy the last little while. God has blessed my garden with a bountiful harvest and I have been doing lots of tomatoe processing. I hope to make a lot of salsa tomorrow! I am also going to try making tamales for the first time. I hope they are good because I love tamales!! This past weekend we spent with the hubbys family and it was fun. We were up at the lake and it was really cool this year-about 65. Not good swimming weather but the little boys all got in and so did some of the girls. Mia and I had a nap on the deck all bundled in a down comforter.
Sunday we had a end of summer band and bbq at the park. It was nice and the hotdogs were yummy. I dont know how many people were there but I do know that they fixed about 150 hotdogs!
Now for the serious stuff. Our friends-Jeremy and Addi Camp lost there baby at 14 wks. Please lift them up to Jesus and Addi asked for healing for her body.
Next-Please pray for little Charlie. He is the little boy of our friends and they are waiting to bring him home from Ethiopia. He has phenomia and its a long ways away from mom and dad. Please pray for them that God gives them peace during this time.
Well I have a lot of stuff to do to get ready for the salsa making process tomorrow-so I must go.
May you be blessed-A

Good reading

One of the things that I have been doing in my life is trying to get rid of baggage from the past and be REAL! This is scary because you have to feel and hurt and allow yourself to cry and admit things about yourself that are not pretty! I have also been reading alot lately. I have not yet figured out how to link stuff so I will just tell you that most books are available on Amazon.
First I read "Scared" by Tom Davis. Heart renching....Now I am reading "Red Letters" by him also. I will read a little bit and just have to sit and think and digest. I am hard core about reaching the orphans of the world. I just dont know yet how much I am to do. Still seeking the Lord on that one. I do know that expanding our family through adoption is one of them-Still seeking the Lord on that one also. Anyway, if you have time to read-reaching the Fatherless is a concern to you-these books are amazing.
I am also trying to plan Mia's 2nd birthday-First birthday home. If any of you know of Guatemalan birthday traditions beyond fireworks and pinatas, let me know!
May your day be blessed-A

Humid days

Today is just another hot summer day, but thats okay since we have been waiting for summer-all summer:) I got tickets today to go visit my family in September so I am pretty excited about that! We get to see cousin Tomas and his girlfriend tonight which is a rare treat! We love it when family visits. Well this is all for now. Just wanted to get the blog going
May you be blessed-A