CHEERS!

HERE WE ARE TOASTING LAST FRIDAY NIGHT TO PERSEVERING THROUGH ANOTHER WEEK.... THAT IS SPARKLING GRAPE JUICE:)

PRAISING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS TO US!

I AM DETERMINED TO GET OUT THE CHINA AND CRYSTAL GLASSES MORE OFTEN... IT WAS FUN AND THE KIDS THOUGHT IT WAS SO SPECIAL.

We had quite the busy week last week. Thankfully Jojo's head is healing really quickly and it looks great. Last Tuesday we had an interview with a birth mom, we know that she will be interviewing other families... I don't think that homeschooling is her thing and that is ok:) We met her, her friend, her mom, her 1 year old daughter, and her mentor for lunch. She was incredibly sweet and it was an honor just to get to visit with her even if she chooses someone else to parent her baby. I am always so impressed with these girls who in really difficult circumstances chose life for their baby and then love them so much to try to find the perfect family for them if they can't parent the baby.

I don't think I have mentioned here that we reactivated our profile for adopting. Given the situation with sweet little girl... we could have her for even up to close to a year and then find out we may not be able to keep her. We just don't know. If that were to be the case we don't necessarily want to be out of the mix for that long and then end up at the end of the year being empty handed and hearts shredded up a bit... who am I kidding shredded up a whole lot... We are trusting God with the outcome of all of that and praying that she becomes ours forever.

If we are fortunate enough to keep her, we really would love for her to have an adopted sibling, if that would be God's will.

We also knew that our profile was being shown on this past Wednesday. We know that young lady chose another family with out any children. We know that God has the exact children chosen for us... and we trust in His choosing, but I will admit it is still a roller coaster emotionally sometimes. I just can't help getting excited... But then there is certainly some disappointment when we know they choose another family. At the same time we know that child was not meant for our family, but someone else's:)

So at the end of the week we celebrated... celebrated being a family, celebrated God's goodness to us regardless of what may sometimes be going on around us:)

I am really excited for Holy Week. I know we will be incredibly busy with services each night Thursday through Saturday... and then a few on Easter morning. I know my hubby will be pretty tired come the end of it. But I am really excited to focus with the kids, on all that Christ did for us on the Cross. We can get so busy with life... but this week we intend not to. As we walk through all of the steps of that week, the last supper, the betrayal of Jesus, the Crucifixion, and then YES... the RESURRECTION we pray it will be a growing time for all of us.

YEAH GOD... FOR BEATING DEATH AND THE DEVIL SO WE CAN SPEND ETERNITY WITH YOU... AND ALL OF OUR LOVED ONES WHO ARE ALREADY THERE WITH YOU.

Oh, the thought... I can't help but smile:)

MY POOR JOJO... BEWARE IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH

THIS WAS MY SWEET JOJO EARLIER HOLDING FETA (THE OTHER BABY BUNNY IS NAMES SWISS, THIS ROUND WE ARE OBVIOUSLY GOING WITH CHEESES)...

THIS WAS MY SWEET JOJO AFTER CALEB'S SOCCER GAME...



I HAD ONE OF THOSE "TERRIBLE MOTHER" KIND OF FEELINGS TODAY. WE WERE AT CALEB'S GAME AND JOJO WAS SITTING RIGHT NEXT TO ME ON THE BLEACHERS. AS HE GOT UP TO GET SOMETHING, THE BOARD THAT HE STOOD ON WASN'T ATTACHED... NEITHER WAS THE BOARD THAT HE FELL ON... HENCE THE NAIL HEAD THAT HE SLAMMED HIS HEAD ON WAS EXPOSED... I GUESS THAT IS THE KIND OF EQUIPMENT YOU HAVE OUT HERE IN THE COUNTRY:)

I SCOOPED HIM UP AND HE WAS CRYING A LITTLE, THEN THE LADY BEHIND ME SAID, "AHHHH, HE IS BLEEDING." WHEN I TURNED HIS HEAD AROUND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH JUST POURING OUT...

AHHH! I DON'T DO WELL WITH A LOT OF BLOOD. I AM NOT AT ALL AFRAID OF THE BLOOD, BUT MORE AFRAID TO LOOK AT AND INSPECT WHAT IS CAUSING ALL THE BLOOD. GREG OF COURSE WAS AT CHURCH, SO I HAD ALL THE KIDS THERE BY MYSELF. THANKFULLY, I HAD A FEW OTHER PARENTS MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP, EVEN OFFERING THEIR BLANKET TO WET AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE SOURCE WAS. THANKFULLY WE HAD A MALE NURSE:) THERE WHO SAID WE WOULDN'T NEED STITCHES. ANOTHER FAMILY GOT THEIR FIRST AID KIT AND AFTER WE STOPPED THE BLEEDING WE DOCTORED HIM UP WITH SOME ANTIBIOTIC CREAM AND WE WERE GOOD TO GO.

I KNOW THERE WASN'T ANYTHING I COULD DO, BUT I STILL FELT LIKE A HEEL!

I THINK GREG AND I ARE GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND FIX THOSE BLEACHERS... OTHER WISE KNOWING US... IT WILL BE ANNA NEXT WEEK WITH AN INJURY.

JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, JOJO WAS RIDING HIS BIKE WITH ME WHILE I WAS JOGGING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. HE THOUGHT HE WAS SO BIG RIDING THE WHOLE TIME. HE KEPT TELLING ME HOW IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO GET EXERCISE FOR HIS HEART.

THEN HE WAS TELLING ME HE NEEDED TO TAKE A BREAK AND GET SOME KISSES FOR ENERGY... THE KISSES WOULD GIVE HIM ENERGY TO FINISH THE RIDE.

AFTER I FINISHED KISSING HIM A FEW TIMES HE LOOKED UP AT ME WITH HIS BIG BLUE EYES AND SAID, "I WISH YOU WEREN'T MARRIED." I SAID, " WHY JOJO?" HE SAID, "CAUSE I WANT TO MARRY YOU."

MELT MY HEART...

THEN HE CHEERFULLY SAYS, "CAN YOU MARRY TWO PEOPLE MAMA?"

I OF COURSE TOLD HIM, "NOPE JOJO, BUT I KNOW GOD HAS A REALLY SPECIAL GIRL PLANNED FOR YOU TO MARRY SOMEDAY. MOMMY PRAYS FOR THAT LITTLE GIRL ALREADY JOJO."

HE TRULY SAYS SOME OF THE CUTEST, SWEETEST, FUNNIEST THINGS... I NEED TO MAKE IT A POINT TO WRITE THEM DOWN... I DON'T WANT TO FORGET HIS PRECIOUSNESS!

THANKING GOD TODAY THAT JOJO IS SWEETLY SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR NEXT TO MY BED...NO WORSE FOR THE WEAR AFTER HIS EXPERIENCE AT THE SOCCER FIELD.

Memorial Box Monday

I have to say I have been a lurker on Linny's blog for awhile... this woman amazes me. You will have to check out her blog at www.aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com They have the most amazing story of how God created their family and it inspires me... lots of beautiful children through her own womb and adoption.

So I decided to join in her Memorial Box Monday post because after I read her post... I knew I had to post about an amazing way God showed His provision in our life in our early years of Marriage.... God is amazing how he provides... isn't HE???

So here is just one of the many stories of God's provision in our life... He IS a mountain moving God...


Just one week after we got married we moved from Wisconsin to Texas to both start our new jobs as teachers at a Christian school. I had always known that if God ever blessed us with kids that I wanted to be home with them... truly that was one of the only things I had wanted in life... to be a wife and a mother and to be able to be with my child after they joined our family.

Well, as it turned out it wasn't easy to conceive for us. The ironic thing was that it had nothing to do with the cancer treatments that Greg had received, but had everything to do with me. Praise God that after 4 years of marriage we were blessed with our Louis. Throughout that pregnancy Greg and I did a lot of discussing. His mom had stayed home with him for a couple of years and then went back to work as a preschool teacher and was able to take him with her. He grew up in a home where his father was a parochial teacher as well, so I know he had his doubts that we could do it financially with out me working. He had good reason to wonder.... we didn't make all that much:)

We decided we would try it and trust God to provide... (I was so ecstatic... it was a dream come true for me) Since Greg and I had taught at that school for a few years we knew many of the families at the church and school. We decided that I would take care of one other little girl during the day and then pick up kids after school and provide care for them at my home. (I have to give a shout out to Christa, one of the sweet little girls that I watched after school, she isn't so little anymore but a beautiful college age girl... wooh that makes me feel old Christa:)

This is where the story gets interesting...Greg and I had served the church in many ways over those first few years of marriage, praise team, youth counselors, etc. At one point Greg had served on a committee, (the funny thing is neither Greg or I can remember what the committee was even for) He had served with a group of men...

Ok, fast forward to about when Louis was about 2 months old. The school year had begun. We had figured out that with the money I was bringing in watching the kids, we would be just a little over $200 dollars short each month... We just moved ahead knowing God would work it all out.

One afternoon I was at school picking up the kids and was stopped by a sweet little girl. She was the daughter of one of the men that had served on the committee with Greg. She came up to my vehicle and gave me an envelope and said, "My mom wanted me to give this to you."

In the envelope was a letter. He wrote about knowing that money would be tight for us being young and now just on Greg's salary. They were really thankful that Greg and I had given a testimony in church about saving ourselves for marriage and each other. They had a sister that had come that one Sunday wem talked and it had been just what she needed to hear. The crazy thing was he had written this verse on his note Galations 6:6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word, must share all good things with his instructor. We were just 2 young early 20 somethings who had given a short testimony... we certainly didn't feel like instructors at all! We were floored by that... (Obviously, that was all God's work, not ours at all:) (Please don't at all think I am sharing any of this to say look at me or us... But truly to say Hey look at God, look what He has done... that is my heart.) This man and his wife had gotten married a little later in life and were blessed abundantly financially... he felt God leading him to share out of his abundance with us... (he even offered to let us use his really cool sports car some night for a date... we never did, bummer, that would have made for a fun memory:) I was shocked, just the note itself was amazing, such an encouragement to us.

Then I looked at the check... can you imagine what the check was for??? First off, I don't think that I had ever seen a check that big... it was for $2500. Yes, it would certainly cover what we would have been short that first year I stayed home with Louis and with just a little leftover. How did he know that we needed $2400? I am still amazed at the number that God laid on this mans heart... truly amazed. I drove right over to the the High School that Greg was now working at and drug all 6 of those kids in with me to show him the awesome handiwork of God right in our hands. I think that moment took away all doubt in Greg's mind that God would take care of us. We felt like that was God's will for our family for me to stay home with Louis and He provided completely.

Still to this day people wonder and ask us how we do it with just Greg working as a Pastor and me home with the kids... and now with us trying to tackle an adoption and all that will entail. Now, I am one frugal gal, (my dad always says that my mom can stretch a buck to five...but I can stretch it to ten... I love that Dad:) Actually I find it kind of fun to try to stretch all that God has given us financially and make it work for us... but it isn't me doing the work it is all God. I could NEVER stretch it like God does. And it continually amazes us... CONTINUALLY. That is it, God will and does continually provide for us. We have no want for anything...nothing! He provides more than we could ever need. He has provided ABUNDANTLY!

You are right Linny. He is our miracle working, mountain moving, awe inspiring, gasp giving God.

Ok, that was kind of a novel... but that was fun, sharing about the goodness of our GREAT God!

And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink, do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after such things, and your Father KNOWS that you need them, But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Luke 12:29-31

UPDATE:

This is funny, my friend Mary just reminded me in my comments that same year God also abundantly provided for a vacation for Greg and I. Not only did He meet our needs but even for a vacation... something that we certainly didn't need but wanted. Isn't that almost crazy??

We had referred our sweet friends Mary and Chris to the realtor we had used and because of that she entered us into a drawing for a vacation package she was giving away... and guess who won? Yep, us. So we won a cruise that of course we took with Chris and Mary. What great memories, thanks for reminding me of that:)

THE OLD INDIAN GRAVEYARD.

THE KIDS AND THE FAUST KIDS AT THE RIVER.


THEY ALL FELT LIKE THEY WERE ON SOME BIG ADVENTURE... I JUST LOVED SEEING THEM OUT IN NATURE HAVING SUCH A BALL.

THE OLD INDIAN GRAVEYARD BEHIND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

We were blessed this week to have some friends out while they were on Spring Break. We of course still did school. I needed to remind the kids that we took our Spring Break when we went to Texas.

We took both groups, the Fausts and the Odoms, out to the old Indian graveyard that is behind our neighborhood. It was a little eery, and sad at the same time. It is all overgrown and most of the gravestones are from the early 1900's. There were quite a few kids buried there... that got me thinking about how many families lost more than one child back then... sigh...

We even ended up taking a nice long hike with Shelley and the Faust kids all the way through the woods to the river. It was a gorgeous day and we had quite the adventure just trying to find our way back to the neighbors path... but we did make it. We even saw a beaver dam. I love living in the country and having room for the kids to roam and play. Of course I wouldn't ever let them down by the river without Greg or I, but at least there is the potential to be able to do lots of running around:)

It was a treat for me to be able to visit with my 2 frinds while the kids played. I cherish the times I get to do that. Before Samuel died, I didn't feel that need to have time with friends as much as I do now, so it is quite a treat when it happens.

We had a great visit with sweet little girls birth mom yesterday. She is so very sweet and thoughtful. It was a little strange at first, I think just because I really had no idea what to expect and have never done anything like that, but it was so nice. Sweet baby girl really does look like her birth mom in the face. That was kind of fun to see and they have the same smile... so sweet. We all loved getting to meet her and her foster mom. They were both very nice... I just can't imagine... We are so thankful for the gift that we have received in this little baby girl and we have her to thank for that. I am sure we will see her again in the future, but I am not sure when that might be. I am so thankful I was able to take some pictures so sweet baby girl can see those as she grows.

We also found a great deal on a used outdoor playset for the kids on craigslist. I have been watching for over a year. It is going to be a total bear to take apart and move. I feel bad for Greg, but am so happy for the kids. They are thrilled.

So that is about it, besides the big snow storm we got today. It was about 70 degrees yesterday and today it is a winter wonderland outside. Greg will have to get up REALLY early to make sure he makes it into town to preach. Then he will call us and let us know how the roads are and we will determine if we head in or not... we are still getting used to the fact that you just drive the roads as is... there isn't a whole lot of road maintenance during a storm. It will all melt Monday though and then maybe Spring will arrive:)

MOVING FORWARD AGAIN...

THE FIRST SPRING "NEW LIFE" IN SAMUEL'S GARDEN:)
MY MOM BOUGHT THIS BIRD BATH FOR SAMUEL'S GARDEN WHILE WE WERE IN FLORIDA TOGETHER... I LOVE THE LITTLE BIRDS ON IT... IT REMINDS ME OF THE VERSE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT IF GOD WATCHES OVER THE SPARROW, HOW MUCH MORE SO DOES HE WATCH OVER US... A PARAPHRASE OF COURSE... I ALSO LOVE THAT THIS CRAZY OKLAHOMA WIND CAN BLOW IT OVER AND NOT DAMAGE IT AT ALL:)


MY OLDER BOYS CAME OUR OF THEIR BEDROOM THIS MORNING WITH THIS LITTLE GIFT THAT THEY MADE FOR ME. I LOVE THEIR SWEET TENDER HEARTS.

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement to me... This has been one heck of a week, that is all I can say... I am continually amazed at how my personal journey of grief goes...

Sometimes I feel bad, this is our family blog where I share about our family... everyone in our family. Samuel is very much a part of our family everyday... others may find it odd that I still share about him. I know others that have 2 blogs, one for family, and one for their loss... but for now I think that this is just how we will continue... to share it all... the happy days of our family life and the days where our grief is more at the surface than others.

Back to my grief journey... I am amazed at how certain things affect me, can trigger a not so good day, or a really bad day. There are things that I think I will deal with fine... that then when it happens, send me into a tailspin. On the other hand there are things that I think will be awful and then turn out to be not nearly as bad as I had thought. It is a constant ebb and flow with me. And I think that is the hard part with grief... it is so unpredictable. Praise God I had a lovely lady from church offer to come to MEND with me last Tuesday... I needed the company on the ride. The meeting came at just the right time for me... God knew I would need it just this past Tuesday. I don't think I had a day like Tuesday since... I can't remember when... and Tonya, you were right... I was more like crashing...not just touching down... (Those are the days when you really just want the Lord to come back NOW, and take us all home) But praise God, He is faithful to allow me to take back off, and keep moving:)

We are super excited that we get to meet sweet little girl's birth mom tomorrow. She is excited to meet us too, I am happy about that. I just can't wait to thank her for giving this sweet little girl life... Under very difficult circumstances, she chose life. What a gift she has given to us for these past few months... and hopefully for the rest of our life on this earth is she becomes ours forever:) Time will tell... As we move forward we wait... we trust...

I am trusting thee, Lord Jesus, trusting only thee...

TOUCHING DOWN IN THAT PLACE

TODAY IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHERE I AM TOUCHING DOWN IN THAT PLACE. I HAVE FELT IT COMING FOR THE FEW WEEKS OR SO...

• THE PLACE WHERE MY CHEST LITERALLY HURTS AND I THINK, NO I KNOW, THAT I FEEL MY HEART BREAKING ALL OVER AGAIN...
• THE PLACE WHERE I IMAGINE HOW HIS SKIN FELT AGAINST MINE...
• THE PLACE WHERE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SMELL HIS SWEET SMELL AGAIN...
• THE PLACE WHERE I WANT TO BE HELD BY GOD, BUT FOR SOME REASON HE SEEMS MORE SILENT THAN HE DOES ON OTHER DAYS...
• THE PLACE WHERE I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE "OTHER ME" , THE ME I USED TO BE, BEING THE NEW ME HURTS WAY TOO MUCH SOME DAYS...
• THE PLACE WHERE I WOULD RELIVE THAT DAY WITH HIM IN A
• HEARTBEAT... EVEN WITH IT'S EXTREME SORROW, JUST TO HOLD MY PRECIOUS CHILD AGAIN...
• THE PLACE WHERE I JUST WANT TO GO BACK AND RE SEER EVERY INCH OF HIS BEING INTO MY MIND, FOR I FEEL MY MEMORIES FADING OF WHAT HE REALLY LOOKED LIKE, NOW I WONDER IF I AM JUST REMEMBERING WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE IN PICTURES...
• THE PLACE WHERE I REALLY WANT SOME ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS...
• THE PLACE WHERE I REPLAY SO MUCH IN MY MIND...
• THE PLACE WHERE THE EVER PRESENT ACHE IS ALL THE WAY AT THE SURFACE...
• THE PLACE WHERE I JUST WISH LIFE WERE SO DIFFERENT THAN IT IS...

ALTHOUGH SAMUEL IS ALWAYS ON MY MIND, I KNOW THIS PLACE IS DIFFERENT... I KNOW THIS IS PART OF THE GRIEF JOURNEY... BUT IT IS SO HARD... ONE OF THOSE REALLY HARD DAYS...

BIRTHDAYS ALL AROUND:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET SISTER BETH... SHE HAS BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL SUPPORT TO ME THIS PAST YEAR... MORE SO THAN I WOULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED. WE ALL LOVE YOU BETH!

THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WITH SAMUEL.... IN THIS PICTURE ARE MY MOM, MY SISTER BETH, ANNA, MYSELF AND BETH'S DAUGHTER SARABETH... I LOVE THAT SHE IS NAMED AFTER BOTH OF US:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY UNCLE THOMAS! HE, MY SISTER BETH, AND JOJO (ELIJAH THOMAS) ALL SHARE THE SAME BIRTHDAY. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT OUR LAST FAMILY REUNION ON THE DAY THAT HE RENEWED HIS WEDDING VOWS WITH MY AUNT, HIS WIFE OF 50 YEARS. I LOVE HOW ANNA IS JUST WATCHING HIM LAUGH, TOTALLY ENTHRALLED WITH HIM... SO FUNNY.

OUR SWEET PRECIOUS JOJO... MY 9 LB. 6 OZ BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY!

THIS IS TYPICAL JOJO:)

OH HOW WE LOVE THIS SWEET, PRECIOUS BOY... HE FILLS OUR HEARTS WITH JOY AND LOVE. WE ARE GETTING READY TO FILL OUR DAY WITH FUN AND CELEBRATING HIS LIFE. WE WILL BE HAVING OUR FRIENDS THE TIEWS OVER TO HELP US CELEBRATE.

JOJO WANTED DUSTY ROAD SUNDAES FOR BREAKFAST... DEER MEAT FOR DINNER AND SCHAUM TORTE FOR HIS BIRTHDAY DESSERT.

I DON'T' KNOW TOO MANY KIDS THAT WOULD WANT SCHAUM TORTE FOR THEIR BIRTHDAY... BUT THAT IS WHAT HE HAS WANTED FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS... SO QUIRKY, SO JOJO, SO ABSOLUTELY FUNNY AND PRECIOUS.

THANKING GOD TODAY FOR HIS WONDERFUL GIFT OF JOJO!