Snow Mountain

My parents got us passes to Stone Mountain for Christmas so we decided to take advantage of an available weekend and go play in the snow and camp. It was ALOT of fun as you can see from the pictures. Everyone had a great time!!

Here is a place near where we were camping. It was a beautiful weekend!

 Snow, snow, snow... it was really alot more fun than what I expected. It was actually nice to not have snow at home since it seems that at home I don't get to stay out very long. After I get everyone bundled up someone is ready to come in for hot chocolate so I don't get out the door. When we are somewhere else they can't go inside so I get to play too ;)

Okay we had our vacation now come on TA, hurry up and get here!!!!!!! We are beyond ready to get to China and Micah!

God's People

As we await Travel Approval we've been figuring out where all the money to travel will come from and I really stand amazed. This morning I realized that we've adopted 3 times in 4 years.

Y'all that is a lot of money... I'm not sure if this is okay or not but it's the truth. Especially for a 1 income family of 5, then 6, then 7 members. A family that has 2 children with medical conditions and 1 of those children ALWAYS meets his deductible ;) Of the other 4 children 1 of them ALWAYS meets their deductible as well just because they are active kids.

All this to say I really can't believe we don't have extreme debt in adopting 3 times in 4 years. Only God could have made it possible!

As I was asking other families this morning that have traveled recently what their travel expenses were like I was looking at what we have left in grant money and adoption tax refunds from last year. It all seems to be matching... what we'll owe verses what we'll have that is.

Try to remember that we also traveled to Boston 3 times last year for medical appointments and surgery. We have one more medical bill to pay on that and then it is paid off.

Again, I'm just saying all this to show that ONLY God could make it so we won't have any debt when it is all said and done for this adoption also.

As I have been thanking the Lord for his CONSTANT provisions today Grace comes in with the mail. One letter- from my aunt and uncle. It included a very sweet note and generous gift for our travel expenses. God is so incredibly good and faithful.

As I think about all those who have contributed by giving Clayton jobs, supporting our Both Hands project, and donating toward our grants I am amazed at the global church.

I probably think way too often about how The Church needs to be caring for those in need and not often enough about how God's people DO come together to help one sweet child come home. We are so blessed by God's people, family, friends, acquaintances, and some we don't know. I wonder if those that gave that don't know us will meet Micah in heaven and be a part of his story! 

Thank you to everyone who is helping us make one less orphan!

This is the kids making supper for me last week. It was pancakes and toast :) The boys were in charge of the toast. Missing in action is Joy... she opted out of helping which is funny because usually she LOVES to help.

This is a group of settlers that saw "something" in the woods. They came in got their weapons and went to the fort!

Yes, we live in the south... 

Also, please continue praying for my grandma. She is in rehab but had a bad night and is not feeling well today. Thanks!

Our Chinese New Year celebrations

We had a great meal with some old friends and some new friends. Yi's best friend that she went to college with in China is here for the weekend. She lives in California now. Then 2 other Chinese teachers from some schools in our area came over. We ate some fish soup, Chinese dumplings, potatoes and green beans (China style), and Chinese flat cakes. Very yummy!

If you can't be in China for the New Year you can still play with fireworks. Definitely not as dramatic as if we were in China but still fun!

The kids have gotten quite accustomed to the "Red Envelopes" with money inside :)

 The boys aren't into dressing up in their traditional Chinese clothes :)

Hope everyone has a blessed New Year... we sure are!

Happy New Year!

Today we are going to celebrate the Chinese New Year with Yi and her friend. The girls, Faith and Joy, are dressed in their Chinese clothes and we have our red envelopes ready to give out :) Grace is with her Sunday School class ice skating but has her clothes ready to put on for dinner. Fun times!

We are trying to keep ourselves busy while waiting. We try to take the kids out for a "date" for their birthday each year. Faith's birthday was in November... a bit behind I know BUT we had fun roller skating with her and a friend.

Then the next day we decided to go ice skating for a home school day at the ice rink. This was Joy and Isaac's first time skating. They had a blast!

Then I decided to premake a few meals for the "my head is in a fog" first few days weeks home from China. So happy to have 6 meals behind me... 2 meatloaves, chicken spaghetti, pot pie, ritz chicken, and brocolli and cheese soup.


Trying to keep my mind off this waiting is such fun. I think the last set of pictures from China did me in. I realized Micah is getting bigger without us.

I did read another amazing devotion in Faith's "Jesus Calling" book. It was titled "Trust my Way" and the main verse with it was Isaiah 55:9

"For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts highter than your thoughts"

I recently read a devotion that said sometimes God allows us to see the end... like a mountaintop. BUT we can't see the way to the top. The details we trust to Him. That is how I'm feeling in several areas recently so I'm trying, by His grace, to enjoy the journey and not take any shortcuts but learn the things He wants to teach me along the paths.

Speaking of cute....

Oh yes... refreshing your inbox does pay off sometimes when you are waiting for news from afar.

According to our updated info Micah is 32 inches tall and 24 pounds AND most importantly an extremely cute little boy!!! Last night at supper the girls were fighting about who would change his diaper. We promised them that there would be enough diapers to go around ;) Funny... the boys never offered their help.

I have a feeling this is going to be a LONG few days/ weeks of waiting. I keep saying to myself, "the end (or beginning) is in sight... keep enjoying THIS day." I am more successful at some moments than others. ;)

Guess who we sent these to?

All the socks are not for him, they are for kids in the orphanage. We used Red Thread to send the items. Maybe, just maybe we'll receive some updates on him sometime later this week... maybe or maybe not!

Either way we should be seeing him in person soon. Again... theoretically... I realized that IF we get our TA this week we COULD travel the first week of February. Not likely at this point but the family that had their Article 5 picked up at the same time as us got theirs faxed today with 3 other families ahead of us.

Bottom line IF our TA comes in the mail to our agency this week or Monday next week we could travel VERY soon. Whoo Hoo!!

As I found out today that the family we were waiting with got their TA I was scrambing for a Bible as the tears were welling up. In a house of 8 people there are quite a few Bibles laying around and I would have settled for a Children's story Bible at this point. I ran across Joy's NIrV first and read Philippians 4:19 after reading Faith's devotional "Jesus Calling" for children. Can you tell that in the midst of all this we are trying to get school finished?!!

"My God will meet all your needs. He will meet them in keeping with His wonderful riches that come to you because you belong to Christ Jesus."

Perfect huh?!!!

Also, my only living grandmother fell this week and is on her way to the hospital. She has a broken hip. Please pray for my dad and family as they figure out how to best care for her. She lives in Illinois which makes it very difficult on us in GA.

God is good and is always at work, even when we can't see Him.

The Sleep Over

This weekend the girls were away at a birthday party so the boys asked to have a friend spend the night. It was SO cute. They slept in the living room with MeiLi... I slept on the couch since Josh was so excited he couldn't go to sleep.

AND by the way Isaac's lizard is doing much better. He's eating. We won't talk about the fact that his food of choice is cockroaches. Yes, we are actually buying cockroaches and keeping them in a container to feed to my Isaac's reptile baby. If there was ever a question that I have lost my mind this validates the concern. Every time we put the food in the tank I think to myself "we would sure have a problem if these things got loose in the house and started reproducing". Nonetheless I'm certainly glad God answered the prayers of one 7 year old boy and his mama.

On Saturday afternoon the girls and I went shopping for Micah for a few things we were missing. We got some great deals and now have a large pile of clothes to take to China with us.

WHOO HOO! Theoretically we could get our travel approval this week, not likely, but possible. If not we'll have to wait until everyone in China comes back to work after the Chinese New Year. That'll be the week of January 30th. Regardless, we are close!

Getting Excited

It seems that each time I go to the store I think of something I could get for Micah.

I bought his laundry basket for our laundry room.

Then some diapers and a blanket to take with us to China. I looked at a few other things like cute little boy gloves but decided to get them in China. He'd like the characters there more than here and would enjoy picking them out I'm sure.

Now I'm just trying to refrain from starting to pack his bag ;)

We've been enjoying school this week. I think the first week most of us were just in shock still from having to get started back. It seems I enjoy breaks TOO much. I like not having any routine but I have 5 (almost 6) kids so that just won't work to shoot from the hip all the time. Thus we'll embrace the structure that starting school brings.

We started a new science unit on flying creatures. The kids split into teams and went on a scavenger hunt.

Tomorrow we are going to make a bird feeder out of a 2 liter bottle.

We are also spending our time nursing our gecko lizards back to health. I now call them my reptile babies. Who would have thought they would be so finicky. It seems that Isaac's lizard was being bullied by Joshie's lizard so we had to divide their tank and pray that Isaac's lizard (Mask) would start eating. So here I am in the midst of everything else every morning and evening counting crickets on each side of the cage and looking at lizard tails to see if they are beefing up. Who would have known that the way a lizard's tail looks is how to tell if it is healthy or not!

The joy of having boys! The boys are really sweet with their lizards though and it would break their hearts to have something happen to them (especially this boy's heart).

Soothing to the Soul

God's Word is definitely the only thing that can lastingly soothe my heart.

In an effort to find some answers to my never ending visits to doctor offices and hospitals God led me to some verses (and some chocolate). Romans 8:31-35 and Romans 8:37-39...

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God's elect? God is the One who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or familine or nakedness or danger or sword?

No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Then, as usual, He used them again at church last night. God is just sweet that way, isn't He! Bottom line... God's Word is much more lasting and filling than even chocolate :)

We are getting super excited about traveling once again to China. In the midst of setting up doctors appointments today God sent a very nice nurse my way who provided lots of information, advice and insight into the medical needs we think Micah may have. It was very encouraging and helpful!

Isaac seems to even be a bit excited. He's still nervous about the food but he is talking about the trip more.

Pictures of the kids coming soon... still trying to get back to a normal routine after Josh's surgery and Christmas break.

Every day is NOT Friday

Having a child with medical and emotional needs that are more than the "average" child is most definitely the hardest thing I have ever done.

A few days ago I spent about an hour or so trying to set up appointments for Micah and Josh when we are hoping to be home from China in March. One would think that calling to set up appointments wouldn't be SO time consuming but I have learned differently. By the time I got off the phone the kids were going crazy, ferrets were running loose, and "someone" was hungry (actually I think he said STARVING!!).

The two boys' eye doctor appointments and Micah's orthopedic appointments are on the same day which is a blessing and a curse as they are in Atlanta. The curse part is driving an hour back and forth, then sitting in the waiting room and offices for 3+ hours with one very impatient little boy and 1 culture shocked little boy that doesn't speak the same language as me. Praying for some God ideas for entertainment and comfort for that time.

These appointments also land the day before Joshua's ear surgery. Crazy I know but have to be done, yes.

Feeling a bit like I teeter between swimming on the bottom of a pool and can just barely get up for air, then am able to tread water with my face barely above the surface for awhile, then back down I go.

Then Wednesday night Josh thought he was going to win an award at church based on what he had been working toward. Well, another little boy said more verses than him so he didn't.

Let me just tell you as his crocodile tears were falling mine were welling up inside too. It took every ounce of energy I could muster to remain positive, telling him things like next time maybe you can get it with Isaac (he's working toward the award too... only life comes easy for Isaac... he's athletic, school is easy... he just has more successes). I can feel like the poor child can just never get a break... But there is always a reason. I keep thinking that maybe God is trying to teach Josh perseverance since everything seems like an uphill climb for him.

Last weekend we went to a birthday party for a little boy that is Josh's age that we go to church with. The little boy has been diagnosed with autism and it was so fun to watch him interact with those that he loves and that love him. As his dad prayed before we ate I was so moved.

I remain convinced and convicted that one of the many things that God is teaching me through getting to have Josh as my son is to be content where he is at and where I am at. I think I spend so much time trying to move him forward emotionally and physically I forget to just be happy he is where he is.

If he never speaks any clearer than he does now so what?!! If he can't ever handle not knowing where his next meal is so what?!! If he can't ever handle be seperated from us so what?!!

I'm trying to devise a plan to just enjoy the seasons of constant doctor's offices and hospitals. I think one of them God is leading me to is cutting down our school workload drastically in March. Maybe 3 days a week just a few subjects. Not sure yet but convinced that He is more concerned with us meshing as a family than how much math we do.

SO back to the title of this post.... every day is NOT Friday except for when we get to heaven. AND then every day will be much better than Friday. And when we are in the actual trenches of life we get to see how God picks up the broken pieces of life. It is rarely a short term quick fix either... God has our back and good planned for us and He is also patient and long suffering. He seems to want to create those characteristics in us too.

I guess parts of me envy those that can keep themselves out of those trenches and other parts of me are grateful for the lessons God teaches me in the messy, hospitals, doctors offices of life. I certainly wouldn't be as dependent for Him without this craziness and being utterly, desperately, dependant on Him is what makes everyday good not promises of a life that can only be filled in Glory.

I wonder what those imprisoned for the Faith think about the phrase "Every day is Friday"?!! Hmmm.... His Word seems clear a Follower of Jesus' best life is in Heaven not here on earth. Now on to enjoying the journey of becoming more like Him today... as hard yet fulfilling as that might be!

More Christmas pictures

Nene and Papaw's house

Probably one of the more exciting things this Christmas was Joshua learning to ride a bike with no training wheels at Nene and Papaw's house yesterday. He found out his cousin who is 5 also learned so I guess it provided him with some motivation.

And last but not least our new and improved boys' room... making good use of our vertical space.

Travel is still hopefully mid February and Joshua's ear surgery is scheduled for March 16th. Next week I'm going to start calling to schedule some appointments for Micah for after we plan to be home but before Joshua's surgery. Glad God's grace is sufficient and His strength will continue to be made perfect in my weakness :)