I HEARD HIS VOICE...

Man I love that man...

I heard his voice about 15 minutes ago... for all of 30 seconds.. It was great... He sounds great... He doesn't at all sound tired... He sounded alive!!!  I can see it and hear it all over my husband when he is struggling... and to be honest... He hasn't sounded more alive for a long time!  

I know that he has always had a heart for missions... If I am honest, I know that I have held him back... Admittedly, I personally have never felt the call myself to the mission field.  I have always been more than happy to let him go for short term trips.

I got an email from him the other day, it said... "2 things... 1... you should not have let me come... I LOVE IT!  and 2... we have not had diarrhea's since Easters... (That would be an infamous line from Nacho Libre:) 

I knew he would love it... I can't wait to hear Lou's perspective... But my response to him was , " Where you go I go, Where you lead, I follow"  And I mean it wholeheartedly.  I want him to follow his life's passions no matter where they lead.  I really want him to fully feel beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is doing what the Lord wants him to do and where He wants him to do it...

I am not at all saying that isn't where we are now... I just know that the Lord is growing and changing my heart right along with Greg's while he is gone...  I feel like so often I get bogged down, hurt by people, longing to make situations right that I have no control over.

 What I have come to understand is that the Lord has to work on people's hearts... No matter how hard I try... I can't do it.  I can do all I can on my part and then it is in the Lord's hands... This is hard for me... I am a communicator... I want resolution from conflicts... I have a sensitive heart... probably too sensitive.  And I have spent far too much time worrying about situations and relationships that I can't control...

I just want to be in His will for me and our family... Wherever and however that may be... :) We have one shot at this life to make a difference for the kingdom... and i don't want to waste it:)

 It is kind of exciting when you give up that control and just say go with it God... have your way... not mine!

Pics of Uganda

I couldn't help reposting some pictures here that Louis had posted on facebook... Oh it does my heart good to see my boys and to see them loving on some precious kids.  Wild, they are on the other side of the world.  It makes my heart so happy, knowing that they are sharing the love of Jesus with these kids.  It absolutely breaks my heart to think of kids with out parents or kids with out a family.  It is not right and is totally not ok with me...

 How did we get so lucky to be born into the families that we are ...and into the country that we have been?  It is mind boggling to me and just does not seem fair at all... I know I would want to scoop them all up and bring them home with me.  I continue to pray that the Lord would open up the teams eyes WIDE open to see who needs that extra special loving and that the Lord fills them up with supernatural strength, endurance, and love so that it just flows right from the Father and then out of them to all those they are ministering to. 

DW spoke to some of these same things today on the IVO blog... http://www.internationalvoiceoftheorphan.blogspot.com/  It is a must read for sure!

My heart leapt with joy to hear of the new believers and how there must be a party going on in Heaven today! 

Thanks so much for praying friends! Much love!

Uganda bound...

UPDATE:
Ok... this mama needs to add a little something to this post... I just looked at this last picture....
How did my son get to the point where he is towering over me??? HELLO??? Craziness!:)

ORIGINAL POST:
Last night I dropped off the guys at a friends house so they could be taken to the airport at the crack of dawn this morning...

I just spoke with them.  They made it safely to Dallas and will meet up with some more members of the Go Team here shortly.  Then off to London later today and then Uganda late this evening... they will be there in the morning...

Man, the house is different with out Louis here with us...

We are psyched to see and hear all that the Lord will do in their hearts and through them over there... CAN NOT wait to hear all about it!

  Please pray with us for their safety and for the Lord to work mighty things through their team of 11... They have loads to do with different orphanages, street kids ministries, feeding programs, and the pastors leaders conference... I am not sure how they will minister to the 1000 leaders they are expecting... I know it will be like the loaves and fish... God can multiply their work for sure... and He will have to I think:) 

I am so excited that my husband, who has a total heart for missions, has this opportunity.  And the Pastor leader of their team is an amazing man... I am praying for the Lord to bless this new friendship and I know DW will be such a support to Greg... what I compassionate, fired up worker for the Lord DW is... I have seen in the past He walks the talk out... no holds barred... What a gift to share some time with a fellow worker like that in the kingdom...

I am praying that the Lord works mightily in the heart of my Louis... He  used to express a desire to do mission work full time... He hasn't so much lately... and I truly just want him to do and be where the Lord desires him to be... but I know God will use this time mightily to grow him into the man the Lord has for him to be... He has such an unbelievable servant heart! 

So we place them into the Lord's care... the very best place for them to be... :)

HOPE JUBILEE IS 3...

One of the most affectionate little girls I know

One of the strongest willed girls I know

One full of sugar and a whole lot of spice (hootspa as we like to call it:)

Silly

Smart as all get out

Quite the Little Rascal

Funny!!!

More curious than any kid we've ever had before

Loves to dance, rock out in the car, and sing "Thank you Lord!"

I am so thankful that the Lord chose to unexpectedly drop this little girl in our lap the way that He did,  a little over 2 years ago... When we were waiting to adopt, we kept saying, "Lord we want the exact baby/child you have for us... not just one we want now!  But the exact one you have perfectly created for us!" 

Man, that waiting to adopt is really hard... the waiting to know if you will get to keep that child as your own is even harder... But praise God, Hope Jubilee was a part of His plan for our family!  She really is a little love... and has added so much to our lives.  The Lord has blessed us so much through the gift of adoption... we have learned so much... we have so much more to learn.  We are so glad she is ours!

Anna and Levi snuggling on the couch before our Dinner Divas class:)

Levi was all dinner diva'd out... He was literally starting to fall asleep on Caleb's shoulders... time to put that sweet little pumpkin down for the night:)

I thought Corelle was supposed to be unbreakable???  Not in this house, so it seems...

Collecting out coins for Uganda:)

We are really getting close to when the guys will be leaving for Uganda... God has been so faithful and good to provide for every single step of the way and we know He will be faithful to carry them through the whole trip.  We are thrilled for them to have this amazing opportunity to minister to the people and children there...

 Tonight it was Jojo's night to pray before dinner.  He said he wanted to pray from his heart.... The very last thing he said was, " And dear Lord, please let daddy bring one of those chocolate kids home with him..."  All I can say is out of the mouth of babes...

We would love for you to pray with us that the Lord would protect them on the way over and while they are there, and that He would use them in might ways while they are over there.  I am hoping to be able to be in contact with them every once in a while and I will update for sure!

JUST BECAUSE...

I just had to post a couple of these newer pictures just because...

My little girl is not so little anymore...She is the most tenderhearted loving girl!

She loves to sing, loudly, all the time:)  She loves to do anything like mommy, and it melts my heart.  I know these days and times won't last forever... it is so precious to me. 

I had to post these sweet pictures of our Anna just because... the longer we have her here with us... the more we love her... She is such a gift! 

I CAN'T HELP MYSELF...

 I CAN'T HELP MYSELF...

 MY HEART IS FILLED WITH GREAT JOY...

 I LAUGH OUT LOUD...

 I GIVE GREAT THANKS TO GOD...

FOR THE SWEET, BEAUTIFUL, PRECIOUS MOMENTS THAT STAYING HOME WITH MY KIDS ALLOWS ME...

Besides Basketball pictures, I haven't taken any real recent ones of the older boys... I love being home with every single one of my kids:)  I couldn't help posting that picture of Levi with the breast pad on his head... What a sweet little dolly! 

We have been incredibly busy this last week.  I feel like I am always saying that... I am sure everyone feels the same way probably...

I had to teach a mini coupon class at the youth sponsored tea party 2 Sunday's ago.  They did such a great job putting it together.  The tables were beautiful, the food delicious and the kids pulled it together amazingly well!

Last Thursday we had such a fun day (This was the day that Lou said that it was the best day of his life)  My sister had told us to watch the Price Is Right that day because when they had been RVing it in California they had tried to get on some game shows... I figured that they must have gotten on it, at least in a small way... What I didn't know was that my brother in law was the big winner of the day.  We were laughing so hard.  When they called his name, he literally jumped over numerous people.  He even won a car!  The whole thing was just funny and made for a particularly exciting morning...

Then that night G and I were able to go to the Steven Curtis Chapman/Josh Wilson/Andrew Peterson concert.  We got in free since we worked the show hope table.  It was awesome, totally my kind of concert.  We met some really neat people that were passing through town on their way back home to Montana... He from Montana, her from South Africa and they met in Jerusalem... We totally hit it off and were struck with the neat ways that God works.   Andrew Peterson is my all time favorite.  Josh Wilson is an incredible guitarist.  And Steven Curtis Chapman is always great!

Last Saturday I was asked to lead 2 sessions for the girls at our youths True Love Waits weekend.  It was on modesty and I spoke to 2 different age groups of girls.  INTERESTING, to say the least.  I think that it went pretty well... I think the younger girls were more honest and receptive to what I was saying.  I just so badly wanted to impress upon their hearts, that modesty is really a heart issue and what are the reasons  we wear what we wear, What are our motives?  We even got down to the nitty gritty on what is appropriate for shirts, shorts, skirts; all of it.  They had some really good ideas, but in general I am not sure they fully grasp what immodest clothes does to the men/boys they come in contact with.  I am praying that the Lord planted some seeds for them that they will continue to think about:)

Now I am plugging away, getting ready for my meal class next Monday... It hasn't been dull around here at all... I have a feeling the next 10 years are going to be like that :)

IS IT WRONG???:)

 IS IT WRONG THAT WE STILL HAVE OUR TREE UP?  I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I AM SORT OF HAVING A HARD TIME TAKING IT DOWN... I LOVE HAVING THE LIGHTS ON AT NIGHT... AND THIS WAS AN AMAZING TREE... REAL, FROM LOWES.  WE GOT IT THE SUNDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING; IT HAS BEEN UP EVER SINCE AND LITERALLY IT JUST STARTED TO DROP NEEDLES THIS WEEK... UNREAL!

 THIS YEAR WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY THE OLDER BOYS GETTING A CHANCE TO PLAY ON OUR CHURCH SCHOOL'S BASKETBALL TEAM.  IT HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE.  IT HAS MADE LIFE A LITTLE MORE BUSY FOR SURE, BUT IT HAS BEEN FUN.  FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY THEY WON A PLAYOFF GAME AND SO NOW WE ARE OFF TODAY TO DRIVE 2 HOURS TO GO TO THE NEXT GAME... CONSIDERING THAT THE BOYS HAVE NEVER PLAYED BASKETBALL, THEY ARE DOING REALLY WELL...

SO FOR NOW WE ARE OFF TO PACK A LITTLE BIT IN CASE THEY WIN AND WE NEED TO STAY OVERNIGHT TO PLAY AGAIN TOMORROW... WE WILL SEE...:)

YESTERDAY  LOUIS' WORDS WERE... THIS IS MOST FUN DAY OF MY LIFE... I WILL TRY TO POST WHY WE HAD SUCH A FUN DAY SOON...