Running to win or running for the love of the race?

Maggie running hard...

Maggie before her race....

The kids had one of their track meets on Saturday. While this was nothing new for the older kiddos, this was Maggie's first track meet. She loves to run...LOVES it. She runs because she wants to - not because she is told to (like the older kids :-) In each one of her races, she had that smile on her face - the one you see in the picture above. She kept that smile, loving the RACE - not the ribbon at the end. I felt so bad because in each event she competed in, she was an inch away from first place...literally. But, you know what? She didn't care. She didn't know that her ribbon had a "2" on it. She was thrilled with her prize. She just kept asking, "When can I race again? When can I run again? Is it my turn yet?"

Oh, how I wish and pray for that attitude in life. I pray that I will enter each day with an attitude of love for my Savior, husband, children, and even an attitude of love towards the challenges that are placed in front of me...not so that I can get the best reward, but so that I can get the reward that He has for me...that special reward that He has in mind just for me. Running the race for the love of the journey. I could learn a lot from my kids if I would just take the time to do it!

Awake after hibernating?

I feel like a bear coming out of hibernation...I had decided to quit blogging after getting really tired of blogging addictions, facebook mania, and the technology craze that seemed to expect everyone to keep up through some form of media. Then, a wonderful, old friend from Florida contacted me...encouraged me and (without realizing it) inspired me to keep on blogging - even if it is just for my kiddos to look at years down the road. Since my last blog in September :-) ... We survived and even learned to love the ice.....

Visited our local science center....

And we are finally enjoying the awesome spring weather! And if I can EVER get good at this insane blog thing, I will figure out how to post pictures in an orderly fashion...if anyone knows how to post pictures with little quotes under them, could you let this technologically illiterate person know?? I hope to be updating with more pictures and a few more postings of our "goings-on" here in the Symasek house.

Happy Birthday (late) Abby!!

Abby turned 2 on August 25th...so, I am a little late in this post, but better late than never. :-) She knew JUST what to do on her birthday - she loved having everyone sing to her, and opened her presents like a champ! I can't believe that she has been with us for 9 months now! She and Maggie are becoming quite the little duo...the best of friends, the worst of enemies, and double-trouble when they put their minds together. We love you, Abby Grace, and are so thankful that the Lord blessed us with you!

Blessings and suffering

Yesterday we returned from our family "vacation" to Huntsville...enjoying the US Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville Botanical Gardens, and Constitution Village. We all had such a great time, and the kids learned a ton!

We came home to discover that a friend of ours whose family has been waiting for their referral from Ethiopia for over a year finally received their referral for a precious little 4 week old boy! "What a blessing!" I thought. Then, I read more recent news via email..."please pray for little Judah as he is suffering from intense vomitting and diahrea". Then, more recent news..."little Judah didn't make it." Ugh...how quickly my thoughts went from blessings to suffering. My friend wrote of the intense pain she is feeling in her heart...pain for a baby she never held, but has been held in her heart for months. I know that some people may not understand how she can be grieving so when she never met the child, but when the Lord places orphans on your heart, pain and grief can be just as intense as the love that you feel for each and every child that you know has no father, mother, home, food, on and on. In His sovereignty, the Lord will use this for His glory and for my friend's (and her family's) good - He promises that. But for right now, would you pray for Allison and her family?

The passion of my heart...

I have attached a new button on the side of this blog for a foster home in Beijing. They are currently working on a new home south of Guangzhou where there is a real need for foster homes and orphanages. Check it out you guys! The work they do is amazing - the kids are beautiful, and there are so many ways to help them out!

Summer fun

Well, this summer has been busier than I had planned, but it has been fun! Blueberry picking, McWane Center, travelling to Jacksonville, guitar camp, film camp...

I wanted to post just a little note on God's faithfulness. As believers we always talk about "God's faithfulness" almost to the point of trivializing His Amazing Faithfulness. We have been home from China for over 6 months now...I feel like I am just now waking up from a dream. It has been harder than I thought - not because of Abby, simply because of me...my selfishness, my pre-conceived ideas, etc. But, because of HIM, our family is adjusted amazingly well, and I believe that He allowed this 6 months to be crazy for me in order to show me that it is He who does the working in us. He caused Abby to adjust well, He caused her not to have issues with inappropriate attachment, He caused her to love routine and to giggle for 30 minutes when we got home from our vacation (she knows this is HOME). Anyway, He amazes me.

Here are some summer pictures...Abby and Maggie playing in the crib...Abby and Maggie getting into trouble (which they LOVE to do together)...and Drew's 10th birthday party.

Privacy...

As I am sure you have noticed (if you are still bothering to check if we have posted anything :-), I haven't posted in quite sometime. The main reason for that is privacy concerns. Initially, I had a privacy setting on our blog. Then, I took it off...now, I am going to put it back on again :-) I haven't been too smart about not putting personal information on this blog. So, I am going to put a privacy setting on the blog and continue to post for friends and family who would like to view things going on in our world. :-) If you would like to be able to view the blog, please email me. If you don't have my email address, post a comment so that I can email you. Thanks so much, you guys!