THE SWEETNESS OF OUR FATHER!

 Last Sunday morning when we were up north we were blessed to be able to be a part of the Pretty Lake church service.  It was such a special time.  I helped my brother John lead worship... and a family friend did the preaching.  There were baptisms in the lake after the service and a great meal.

While Jay was preaching he pointed out this neat little pine tree growing right out of the middle of 2 other pine trees...It was nestled right in there.  Just like we are to be firmly rooted right in the palm of our Heavenly Fathers Hand.  He can protect us and care for us... We are sheltered right in His hand when the HARD storms of this life blow... And trust me they will blow!  It was such a beautiful reminder of the Lord's faithfulness!What a sweet gift of God's handiwork in this tiny precariously placed tree!

Thank you Lord for your faithfulness to us.  When the struggles of daily family life, relationships, lifes stressful situations come closing in on us, you are so compassionate to hold us in the shelter of your wing.  Father, I live for an audience of one... for you alone!

The Gift of another day!

Last Friday we were so blessed to be able to visit with Levi's donor mom, her new husband, and her kids at the zoo in Chicago.  I think that the highlight animal wise was the polar bear... He was the most playful, happy polar we have ever seen...

It was such a sweet time to get to see each other again.  It has been about a year since we have seen them.

Honestly, I am overwhelmed with God's goodness in bringing our families together to bring Levi life... I don't think it will EVER get old... He is a miracle... and we are so blessed to be a part of it!

Her husband was so sweet to hang with the middle aged kids, Anna, Jojo, and Hope.  Hope took an immediate liking to him and was holding his hand whenever she could.  He was really sweet about it!

She and I sort of hung a few feet back just visiting most of the day.

I was so thankful that Levi let her hold him.  He even snuggled right into her as he got tired:)  (He is at the age where you never know who he will be willing to go to or how much he will fuss.  So I was so grateful that he was sweet with her.)

She is so respectful of me being Levi's mom... Her maturity given the situation continues to amaze me.  It was fun to chat about Levi, but honestly, it is just as much fun just to talk with her about life in general. 

I am so thankful that I can actually call this sweet gal, Levi's biological mom, my dear friend.  She has given us the most amazing gift to enjoy every single day... I could never thank her enough... But God gave me a friend out of the deal too... It is such a sweet gift from God.  Never could I have planned it any better... He is so good!

All the kids hanging out together...

Of course the cotton candy was a big hit:)

Levi's donor mom, Levi, and me:):) 

Anna and Levi's biological sister... Levi looks a lot like her... These 2 were so sweet together.



19 years today...

19 years ago today... we pledged "Till death do us part!"

Never in a million years would I have thought the Lord would bring us through all He has in the past 19 years. 

There have been some beautiful times and some times that I honestly, can't believe Greg loved and held me through...the darkest of times.

God knew I would need a man who would hang with me for the long haul through the hardest of times...

I am so thankful that the Lord chose Him for me...

I am so thankful for a committed husband, an incredible father to our kids, an orphan lover, a lover of people, ultimately a man that wants the world to know his savior personally, a man that is truly committed till death parts us! 

The pastor at my nieces wedding this past weekend had the best message... It was so so good to hear just before celebrating our anniversary.

Unfortunately, we are celebrating apart again this year... I celebrated with my 2 sister in laws and sister over tea and coffee cake this morning... It was such a treat!

My hubby and I will celebrate together when we get home later this week... I can't wait to be in the same house again!!!

Greg, here is to the next 19 and more... I am committed and excited to see what the Lord has in store for us in the future... I know He has great plans for your life and ministry.   I am so glad to be experiencing this great adventure with you by my side... I can't wait to see the child that the Lord will add to our home soon, for you, me, and the kids to make our own... What a gift from HIM!  (It thrills me to know He knows exactly who that precious pumpkin will be!)  Babe, here's to being one in HIM... 19 years together here... 19 years closer to eternity our real HOME!

Love isn’t a feeling but a tying.

The practical translation of “I Love You” is “I am Tied to You” — no matter what breaks loose.

Love never gives up but lays itself down.

A FIRST...

 Yesterday Anna was a flower girl for the first time...

 Yesterday, the first of my nieces got married...

 Yesterday, Louis shot his first wedding... (these are just a few of the pictures ... totally unedited at this point.... I think he did a great job and I know that they will look even better after he can work with them on Lightroom:)

We have laughed and laughed at the facial expressions in this one...

 The wedding was held in a beautiful Women's Club downtown...

Will, getting ready to go in and shortly see his bride...

We have had some busy last few days...

It started with Louis and a trip to the ER after he got hit in the head with a golf ball while golfing.  It literally caused him to briefly pass out and fall to the ground...Praise God it was only a concussion and he has been doing fine... Crazy though...

We have been enjoying tons of sleepovers and cousin time! 

Friday we had a very special :) visit with a very special family... more on that to come:)

Yesterday was consumed with wedding preparations...

This morning I helped my brother lead worship at the church service here on the lake where my parents live... It was beautiful looking out over the water...

Tomorrow my parents leave for up north with out us...The truth is, at this point I am too tired to drive with them.  I think the fact that we have been separated from Greg so much lately has added to it a bit... And honestly, I feel a little emotionally tired... So we will miss getting to spend more time with my parents, which is a big bummer.  But we will get to spend a lot more time with my sister and her family.  So that will be a blessing...

Ok... gotta run, literally I fell asleep on the phone with Greg tonight, so I think I better hit the hay!:)

SUCH A SWEET AND PRECIOUS TIME

 God is so so good!  This is what you get when the Lord allows two orphan loving families from separate parts of the country to converge on a park in Tulsa for a picnic...

 This is one of my new favorite pictures... The two Elijahs encircling an Isaiah:) 

 Look at those smiles...

Beyond precious...

 I love how kids can instantly become little buddies...

 And look at these precious girls...  Isn't it amazing how creative our God is???  To create all these beautiful kids...

so beautifully...

so differently...

so precious in His sight...

Kids from all over the whole who love HIM...

My sweet friend Linny...

We had such a blessed time with the Saunders family on Monday... It truly was a precious gift for us on so many levels to get to spend time with their whole family.

I love picking Linny's brain in person on some different things that she has far more experience than I do with...

We laughed and laughed as we sat over pizza, watermelon, and fake girl scout cookies from Walmart:)  (Goodness Linny is so funny and witty in person:)

Lou and Greg loved being reunited with their fellow Africa mission trip friends Dwight and Emma:)

It was beyond precious for us to sit and fellowship with like minded friends who share many similarities with us... They fully understand what ministry life is like.  (With it's joys and challenges:) They understand fully life as a large family, and the blessings of adoption.  And ultimately it was such an encouragement to be with people that walk the talk... are the real deal... honest as all get out (I LOVE people who are real about who they are and aren't afraid to admit they aren't perfect... that day will only come when we meet our Savior face to face!)  ... and continually inspire you in life as they lay it on the line... as they love and reach orphans and others all out of the love that they have for their Savior Jesus! 

It was a blessed time... 

We ended our visit by holding hands in the parking lot and praying together... God is so good to knit the body of Christ together like He and only He can.

Then we all piled in our big white vans :)  and hit the road ... me for Wisconsin... and their family to continue their journey east:)   

LITTLE BUDDIES...

 Lots of days I picture a little 3 1/2 year old dark haired boy amidst these brothers and sister...  I think Samuel would be right in the mix... Maybe have the hootspa like Hope.  I am sure he would be causing trouble and chaos around here just like the rest of them:)  

I am so very thankful that those 2 littler bugs are here to snuggle up with Jojo...

Praise God that Jojo didn't turn out to be our last child to raise here in earth... 

God has been so good and faithful to bless us up Hope and Levi... to entrust these kids into our care...

I know eventually there will be a last child... a baby to our bunch... 

But right now, we are totally enjoying each and every one that he Lord has given us... And we look forward to whoever He has planned for our future...

The kids and I pray daily for whoever that sweet little one might be and for his/her birth parents... (I forgot that I never gave you more details on the upcoming adoption... shortly, I promise!:) 

 Anyways... I will leave you with a couple of pictures of our Levi... 16 months old... What a big boy!:)

MMMM... I could just eat him up!:) So sweet!

WISCONSIN OR BUST... but first a very special treat!

The kids and I will be on the road again today...

Will they be holding on for dear life like this poor grasshopper was last week? (right before I got pulled over by a police officer who was kind enough to just give me a warning on my way home from the blue hole)  You should have seen the kids panic when those light came on...

We will be covering 4 states in 12 hours while the daddy of the house keeps the home fires burning... 

But first, before we actually hit the road, we will be picnicing with the Saunder's family from http://www.aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/   We are sooooo excited!!  Louis and Greg are super excited to be able to see DW and Emma again... and the rest of us can't wait to get to meet their whole crew.  Can I just say what an amazing and much needed surprise it was to make these last minute plans last night... It totally made my day... I have been feeling somewhat burdened lately about some things that I just can't share about at this point... So this is the perfect, fun distraction before the kids and I hit the road...

I can't wait to lay my eyes on their miracle girl Ruby... Well, all of their precious treasures, that is for sure!  You can read her story here http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Miracle%20of%20Ruby ... it is downright amazing!   Make sure you read the whole story and scroll down so you can see the amazing work the Lord has done in Ruby's life. 

I will make sure to post from the north woods...