And just like that... she is 8!

Anna and Hope June 2011... Awwww... where has the time gone?  

And just like that, our Hopie girl turned 8! 

            

HOPE: to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence... to expect... 

When we were waiting for a child after Samuel died... We were grieving with Hope... waiting with Hope... and Waiting for Hope!   We were expecting that if it was in His will, the Lord would add to our family through adoption and He answered with our Hopie girl!

She is full of spunk... and a whole lot more... Raising her has taught us a lot and taught us that there is so much about parenting that we don't know or understand...

She were able to spend her birthday with out of town relatives so that was especially fun for her!

We are so thankful that God chose us to be her family!  Adoption is such a gift and has changed our family in so many ways.  We are in awe of all that He has done for us and through Hope's life so far.

 Our prayer for her is that she will seek HIM always, that she will follow him closely and know that she is deeply loved by him and us... That she will always know her life has great value,she was created with a great life purpose, and that she will trust him with her future!

Busy days...

The days are flying by and there is much going on and many changes in our home...
March 2016 literally blew by us and here we are almost a week into April...
This past Saturday Greg had 2 weddings, plus preaching the regular 4 church services this weekend...
We hosted a couple that is being called to our new church in the evening...
I had a homeschool informational meeting...
I went out in the craziest weather I have seen in a long time... blizzard like conditions one minute, and sunshine in the next... no lie...
Came out of the grocery store to a dented car door from the car next to me... His door blew open the wind was blowing so hard... It was just a crazy day... Louis and I both started new jobs and feel so blessed to have them!

All in all we are loving life and enjoying the busy days... knowing that soon summer will be here and things will slow down a lot for the littles and I in the house:) 

This is how the jobs get done around here... everyone pitches in... hauling groceries for mom!  I couldn't do it with out all of their help!  Even though they make 95% of the mess... I cherish it... I know it won't be long and I will wish for the messes under foot...  They are getting big too fast!

Hopie and Zay Saturday morning staring out the window watching the fresh snow fall...

Rascals in the living room... jojo and Levi, wrestling one minute... hugging the next!

Ann and her sweet friend Ava loving on Kaliyah!  

HOpe to post more soon about the new jobs and life in general... So thankful for God's faithfulness in all of life... the slower moments of calmness and the busy full days... He walks with us through it all!

Happy 7th to our Hopie girl!

Here is our  Hopie girl turning 7 just a couple of weeks ago... 

Life has been busy and I am just getting to posting about it now:)
She loved being Queen for the day and picking all of her meals:)  Pizza and soda is a favorite in this house, as well as ice cream for breakfast:)

Welcoming Hope into our family came clear out of the blue one Friday morning...

"What are you doing this afternoon?"  our agency asked Greg.  "Could you make a trip to OKC to pick up a 10 month old baby girl?"  

I will never ever forget getting a phone call from Greg to fill me in on the call he had just received.

We didn't expect to have to tuck her in bed every night for 7 months wondering if she would get to stay...  

Our hearts were tender...

 We had just 14 months before left a hospital with out our newborn son Samuel who was stillborn... and just 4 months before we had to plan the funeral and bury the baby boy we had been planning on adopting... 

Our hearts were more than tender... 

And there she came... our hope!

She came quietly at first... 

She came sillier as time went on...

She came with her own degree of sass, spunk, and naughtiness at times... 

But we loved her anyways:)  

We had been longing for a little child to hold in our aching arms... 

We had been longing to show her our full devoted love...

We had been longing to make her our own!

The agency director, Hope and I signing saying she was now home forever...  We were overjoyed!

Hope and Anna on the day of her finalization:)  Anna was beaming! She finally had a sister!

Happy Birthday Hope Jubilee Marie Hintz!
We are so thankful for this special girl!!  We celebrate her precious life!

Her first few days...

The crew welcoming baby Kaliyah home from the hospital in Arizona... They were TOTALLY enamored with her right from the start...

Sisters...  I am so thankful to have this picture...

Jojo is like a little baby whisperer... seriously so good with her... 

Hopie, our very busy little girl, shone when she held her! And she still is such a big helper!

Caleb enjoying some snuggles before we opened gifts on Christmas Day!  (These were all taken before her birth mom changed her mind that day... everybody was falling in love already... it took like 1.5 seconds!:)

Totally Isaiah... in the midst of crazy circumstances this is what you get... A little bit of Zay Crazy!!

Kaliyah Joy... Christmas Day... 2 days old!

 Sweet Baby Girl!  Looking back at these pics makes me realize how light her skin was at birth... She has already changed so much!  What a treasure every moment with her is...

Day by day...

UPDATE as of 1:30 mountain time today...

I am on my way to the medical records office in Phoenix for full medicals requested by Alabama... The Adoption agency director is REALLY going to bat for us to get Alabama to push it through today and then AZ to push it through possibly today... With the upcoming holiday this would be a HUGE  BLESSING... We are so grateful to her!   This is going to take a miracle since it has taken us this long to not even get through the first state yet... But God's knows and He is in control... :)

Original post:

As the days tick by... Some of us here in AZ awaiting the clearance of our interstate adoption paperwork to clear and some of us waiting 1800 miles away in IL., there are  lots of things happening for the 7 of the Hintzes back at home in Chilly Illinois...

Dad Getting little guys and hopie ready for school each day... 

High school boys taking care of preschool boys after school (They are such great brothers!)...

Snowy walks to church... 

Facetiming with mom, Anna, Jojo, and Kaliyah...

And on our end in sunny Arizona there is a lot happening for the 4 of us:)

Day trips to Sedona to catch a glimpse of God's beautiful creation... (The friends we are staying with had a job 20 minutes from Sedona, so we tagged along)
Long walks with toddlers...
School work with Anna and Jojo (YAY... Science is mostly completed for the year... all of our book science is done... now just observations and projects!!!)

Lots of snuggle time with precious baby Kaliyah:)

Sweet get together with precious friends...

We are so thankful that even though we left our house 3 1/2 weeks ago and have been separated for a lot of that time... God is blessing us all with sweet times and lots of memories being made!  

So here is the ICPC status... 

Basically tomorrow starts day 1... Yep, you read that right DAY 1!!! Even though we are post relinquishment by 17 days, it is still day 1... 

 God willing our packet will be sitting on the ICPC Alabama desk tomorrow sometime.  God willing she will pass it through maybe tomorrow or shortly there after...  We have found Alabama to be not so easy to get through... We had new affidavits that needed to be written up, signed and notarized, that will go from the Alabama lawyer (who knew we would need an Alabama lawyer????) and be in ICPC  possession tomorrow morning! 

With the ways things have gone there are any number of things that could happen.  There was even one mention of a family that had to take the baby back to the state of the birth mother before they could clear that state.  OH GOODNESS, Please pray she is gracious, (that she won't make us do that and) that she will find all the paperwork needed right in front of her, and that she will pass us through that state asap.  

Then we need to clear Arizona... We are HOPING  by Friday... 

Then we need to clear Illinois...  God willing that happens by next Wednesday... This is all BEST case scenario... :)

As always we know that it could happen that we are cleared mid next week... 

AND then again, it very well might not happen...

 Please continue to pray that God moves any mountains in the way... Pray for safety and protection of Greg and the kids back home and then for us here...  And pray for patience that we all can just take it all in stride...

WE KNOW THAT NONE OF THIS TAKES  THE LORD BY SURPRISE... He knows the exact time that we will get clearance.   It will all be in HIS perfect timing:) 

Why Heaven will be my eternal bora bora...

I've had a lot of time to think this summer...

In MANY ways my life (as well as some of yours) may  not be what you would have anticipated it being... and then again there are many ways it is more than I dreamed it could possibly be...

I never would have dreamed my life would include...

Losing a child...
Moving so many times...
Moving my children so many times...
Being married to a pastor...
Spending so much time away from my husband or my husband away from me...
Running an infant loss support group...

It can be easy to become discontent... or disappointed at times...

In our crazy social media driven society today, especially with facebook, instagram, and twitter blasting every one's "perfect and happy life" right in your face, it is easy to compare your life to others and become disappointed... discontent... and even disconnected...

Did you know that there have actually been studies that have confirmed that there is an association between Facebook use and depressive symptoms. (Not depression in the debilitating clinical sense, but a milder manifestation)  An article reported in TIME magazine showed the results of a scientific study where scientists studied 600 people who logged time on the social network and discovered that one felt worse after visiting the site- especially if they viewed vacation photos.   

On those days where you are still in your Jammie's at noon, when the kids are arguing,  where there have been tubs of juice spilled, multiple pairs of underwear to clean up (yay for potty training), you feel like you haven't had a shower or adult conversation in days... it can be easy to feel that maybe the grass could possibly be greener...

Or maybe it is one of those days where you missed a deadline at work, you had to waste hours of time in city traffic, you possibly lost a job, or you realized that friend you thought was a true friend, really maybe isn't... 

It is easy to long for something more... something better... maybe what some one else has or has done... dreaming for that to become your reality too...

(In all honesty,What they portray probably isn't completely their reality anyways... )

Whenever I feel that bitter little bugger of discontentment, rearing it's ugly head...
I think of Heaven...

(That is one thing that Samuel's life has given me... an eternal perspective... I am so so very grateful for that beautiful blessing amidst the pain of losing him... He has me longing for Heaven in a way that I had never experienced before)

Truly, I do... I think of Heaven... and  no matter what it is that maybe I feel I am missing out on... I focus on Heaven...

This world is like the tiniest of beginnings... while it feels like life might move slowly some days... This life is just the tiniest of dots, the start of the entire line of eternity... going on and on... FOREVER...

ALL THE THINGS WE LONG FOR OR WISH WERE DIFFERENT IN OUR LIVES... THEY PALE SO GROSSLY IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY...

That  beautiful trip to Tahiti...
Really I will have eternity in somewhere FAR MORE beautiful than Tahiti... Forever there...  It will be like waking up every single day in a place that is so much more beautiful and perfect than the best tropical paradise vacation  I can even imagine:)

That perfect body... Thank you Jesus, that we will be given new bodies in Heaven... perfect bodies... FOREVER... (on a personal note...for me, there will be...  no more kidney stones, pink eye, etc....:)  Yay!!!

That perfect marriage... (Who really has that anyways... two sinners married to one another... Ha!)
We will have that perfect Heavenly marriage... Christ married to the church... His followers... FOREVER... for all eternity...

The perfect chore helpers...(While I am sooooooo very thankful for all 7 of my kids, and so thankful for all of our possessions... With 9 of us... no matter what... we create a decent sized mess.) And sometimes the exhaustion sets in... But in Heaven, I hardly think the tedious job of  changing out seasonal clothing for the kids will be happening... nor the loads and loads of laundry... It will be a permanent vacation from the jobs that sadly take me away from my kids at times.  Can you imagine just worshipping Jesus and sitting at His feet... that being your only real job:):)

That perfect family relationship... Heaven... worshiping our Savior for all eternity... I have a feeling relationships in the sense that we have them now, will be a thing of the past...

That perfect HOME and manicured yard... I can not wait to see the mansion the Lord is preparing for me... Maybe Samuel will be the first one to show me around... CAN NOT WAIT!  That mansion is going to blow doors on any wonderful home or kitchen I could ever dream up here on earth!

That heart that is no longer hurting... He says in His word that He will wipe every tear from our eyes... Tears... no longer a thing to even worry about in Heaven... Can you imagine all the physical, emotional pain, and turmoil we feel in this life... NEVER AGAIN... Wow... just WOW!

Please hear me loud and clear... If your life contains great trips to Bora Bora every year... a beautiful 10,000 sq. ft. home... A near perfect marriage... I am not saying that is a bad thing... I am not saying anyone should not experience such wonderful things here on earth...    Truly I am happy for you...

What a special gift and blessing God has blessed with you with in this life.


 I am only saying for me... in this life...

There are many days that focusing on Heaven gives me just the perspective I need to put my heart back where it NEEDS to be...

I am only speaking from my heart...

I know that anything my heart may potentially be longing for here on earth... That Heaven is going to just blow it all out of the water...  times 100!  Have a blessed day friends!

Family is more than blood...

And this is how we found them early in the morning last week... Heart melter!!!

We are family!  

We are different...

We don't all look or act the same...

But God creatively wove us together...

Biology makes us family... Adoption makes us family... Sacrificing birth mama's made us family... Setting aside fears made us a family...

God made us a family... I could never have dreamt it up to be any better...

Are we perfect... NO way!! 

But we love him first, then each other...

Thankful and blessed!!

This is what is keeping us busy...

The weather has been perfect this week for some great pool time... We have been so blessed to be able to purchase a family pool pass for the last few summers... I think if we go three times we have it paid for... We have already been twice this week... 

And seriously, the place is great for kids of all ages... splash pad and kiddie pool for the littles, a pool,  and a couple of slides for the bigs:)  Grateful mama here:)

Anna finishes off the soccer season with a tournament this weekend... I think she has found her niche... She is leading the team in scoring:)  She is fast and furious... but slightly out of control... Totally just like I was when I played soccer... 

 These two are pretty much in separable... Church buddies, soccer buddies and pretty much down right silly buddies:)

And this little character is pretty much hands down the reason I struggle to get anything accomplished during the day... 

He thought it was a great idea to mix the already cooked pancakes with a drumstick... 

BUSY, CURIOUS... NON STOP is this little guy!  But I wouldn't trade it for the world... 

So while the big guys are away in Haiti, our days have pretty much been filled with...

Pool time... Cleaning up after the littles... some house organizing... soccer... More cleaning up after the littles... ordering school books for fall... late night movies with Anna and Jo...  A few moments of me time when I get out for a run... Some more cleaning up after the littles...

But like I said, I wouldn't trade it for the world... 

These kids are my greatest joy!

Last day...

Another last day of school in the books...

Here is Hopie girl with the incredible Miss Blinn... She was an excellent teacher and exactly what Hope needed this past year.  We were so blessed by her and her patience with our family! Oh there were the tears a flowing when we went to pick her up from school yesterday...

Not only was it the last day of being in Miss Blinn's class and seeing some of her friends for a couple of months... but it was also....

The last day with this great man as principal at St. Peter School.  Mr. Kirsch retires after 42 years serving here at St. Peter... What a unique and special experience for the people here.  There are many people who grew up and attended school here and had Mr. Kirsch as a teacher that now have their children here in school... 

He is one of the most personable principals I have ever met... He is there doing parking lot duty and greeting the kids every day. I literally have seen him be the last person at the Sports banquet washing down the tables... 

He even went above and beyond to serve Hot cocoa at the preschool on freezing cold mornings... 

He has a servant's like unlike most others... and has given his heart and soul to this place... 

He will be GREATLY missed by so many...

I have met with him on a number of occasions about the older kids walking over to take some classes... 

Each visit he would always ask if I would just like to put them all in the school... (While we LOVE the school and it is a great help and fit for Hope... I have loved homeschooling the other kids in the past) We have been so impressed with the school on so many levels!  We really do love it!

He would always ask, but never put any pressure on, and he welcomed my Anna this past year with arms wide open for art, choir,  and sports after school... 

She has loved it and Jojo will join her over there for hopefully PE, art,  and a few hours on Friday... 

It is a huge blessing to us and as a principal he welcomed us as homeschoolers with respect, support, encouragement and kindness... I so appreciate that and him... 

It was emotional for me as a mom with just one child there in the school and a couple doing extracurriculars there... I know it was a super emotional day for many...  I realized that I really don't mind change and think that change is good... But in this situation, change is just hard... I know everyone will love the new principal, but it is hard to say goodbye to someone who is a staple here... 

What an example he and his secretary (Mrs. Namakoudis, who has been there for over 20 years) are to the people and especially the kids... Service with a smile and hearts that point back to Christ again and again...

Hope and her friend Faith at the yogurt shop after school... The place was full of St. Peter families... It was a great day!

Mother's Day 2015

This year my heart was torn in two on mothers Day...

I have girls from my MEND group that were experiencing their very first Mother's Day without their baby here with them... Oh the hurt and sorrow...

I watched kids at church whose mother passed away years ago...

I looked into the eyes of my adopted kids and couldn't help but think of their very first mommies that gave them life... And then made probably the hardest decision of their lives to hand those precious babies over to someone else to raise...

There are moms who are close to their children and moms who are estranged from their kids...

I remembered the mothers days I really wanted so desperately to be a mom, but wasn't sure if it would ever come to be... Oh the longing and hurt of women struggling with infertility...

There are so many who hurt on Mother's Day, yet so many reasons to rejoice... 

I would not trade my job as a mom for anything in the world... NOTHING!  It is my greatest JOY in life!!!

I awoke to the kids bringing me breakfast In bed... It was Super yummy and super sweet of them...

Oh the sacrifice our sweet birth moms and donor mom (for Levi), made to bless us with the amazing priviledge of raising their sweet amazing babies... 

I am overcome with gratefulness!!!

My heart bursts with love for these seven amazing gifts from God...

And my heart rejoices that one day when ALL THINGS ARE MADE RIGHT... I will have eternity with all of my kids...

God was so good to make my dream of being a mommy a reality... My heart OVERFLOWS!!

Does she know???

Does she know how much her big sister longed for a little sister to call her own???   

Does she know how much The Lord healed my heart the day we finally knew we would really be keeping you and you would officially become a forever Hintz???

Does she know God used her to start a small fire burning in my heart to love those little ones who have no one, and need a family to call their own ??

Does she know that her spunk and sass sometimes take things to a whole new level and yet have driven me down to my knees so many more times than I can count... 

Does she know that God used that cold December day we met to crack open and explode my knowledge of the character of God??? Just as we would welcome her home and into the family, so He loved and adopted me as His child...

Does she know that when I think of all of my greatest treasures in this life, my heart is amazed and blown away that we can call her our own??? 

Happy 6th birthday Hopie girl!  That cold December day changed me and the make up of our family... 

We woke up not even knowing you existed and went to bed with you sleeping soundly right next to my bed...

You are a gift from God, lovingly created by Him for a great purpose... May you grow to know Him and His love for you more each day!