Hair Cuts, Science, and Summer Fun...

I am finally getting around to posting some pictures.  The big boys have been gone all week on a missions trip...so, I am left without 2 of my biggest helpers.  I must say, though, that I am so, so proud of the boys.  We got to see them on Wednesday doing their presentations...speaking in front of tons of kids, and Drew got the awesome privilege of leading a kid to Christ.  They are having tons of fun and bringing glory to God - I couldn't be happier!

 Studying about the power of the suns rays...burning a hole in a leaf.  Drew told Maggie not to look at the sun because she wouldn't feel pain, but it could blind her.  She said, "Well, then, I would just put dirt in my eyes.  That's what Jesus did, and the blind man was healed."  I absolutely love the childlike innocence and faith.

 While studying Mars...Drew put together his team of Mars Mission Explorers.

 Luke's team chose to go without oxygen backpacks and helmets...they were going to kill wasps.  Nice.

And, finally...the little boys got haircuts!!

Well Done, Sweet Friend

I promise that there are pictures coming...the boys got hair cuts - so, so fun!

But for now, I just wanted to do a short tribute to my amazing friend and sister in Christ, Laura.  She fought the fight, she kept the faith, she pointed others to Jesus, and on Saturday night at 9:30 she met Him face to face.  I know that I know that I know that He said to her, "Well DONE good and faithful servant."  She suffered more than anyone I know and yet she always pointed others to His goodness and faithfulness and love.  She wrote letters to her children for all to read that hold more amazing theology than I have heard from many pastors...if you want to read them, go here (and click on the topic of "Journal" they are entitled "What I want you to know about...")...you will be inspired and challenged, I promise.  She always had words of encouragement for me even when my problems were far smaller than hers.  She was 37...she leaves behind 3 young children and one husband...please pray for them - can you even imagine the loss that they feel?

Life is short, folks.  Really short.  Make sure that you are living for eternity because our lives here are but a vapor.

Keepin' It Real...

Friday was a horrible, horrendous, terrible....(okay, that was a line in a book, and I can't remember the rest), but it was a bad day.  I am so thankful for every single one of my kiddos. Period.  No buts.  No exceptions.  Yet, I must say that when you are introduced to special needs as a mama that didn't have 9 months to prepare for things, research things (especially for a homeschoolin' - love to prepare mama) and you are dealing with a language switch, things can get just plain ole hard.  My boys are a thrill - I LOVE them, but I feel completely insufficient to provide all the care that they need sometimes.  My one biggest prayer has been - "Lord, may I give You glory in ALL I do."  Friday, I felt like I was bringing Him glory in nuthin'.  Absolutely nuthin'.

I have a friend, Laura (you may remember her from a previous post), who is battling metastatic breast cancer.  She is fighting for her life, big time.  Every step of the way, she has brought Him glory.  She has thousands who read her posts, and she always points them to the Savior.  People have come to Him through her.  Now, my little ole life is NOTHING compared to her's, and I don't want to even pretend that I am comparing them.  However, I couldn't help thinking, "Lord??  I SEE how Laura is bringing You glory.  I don't understand her suffering or pain, but I see how she is bringing You glory.  In my little ole corner of the universe, HOW is what I am doing possibly bringing You glory?  In all the little chores day in and day out, over and over and over again...HOW is it bringing You glory?"  I had to call Mike to pray for me.  I had to email a friend to pray for me.  There was no big shining moment of relief, but we made it through the day and even had some laughs and smiles. :-)

I say all this to say...as I lay in bed that night I thought and prayed again, "Lord, I am still not sure I get it, but I love You and I love my family.  That's it.  That's all I have."  And as I lay there in silence, He reminded me of a poem by Amy Carmichael that I used to have posted on my microwave...

"Jesus, Savior, doest thou see,
When I am doing work for Thee?
Common things, not great or grand,
Like carrying wood or stones or sand?

I did common work, you know,
Many, many years ago,
And I don't forget, I see,
Everything you do for Me."
- Amy Carmichael

So, moms of one, moms of many, moms of healthy kids, moms of not-so-healthy kids, anyone serving silently...the world may not see, but He sees, and somehow...though we may not understand...it brings Him glory, if it is done for Him.

When I Suddenly Realized That I am loosing brain cells...

I showed up to the pediatric dentist at 8 a.m. with all 7 kiddos, get everyone signed in, sit down, and think, "Yep, I got this.  We are doin' good."  The hygienist calls my gang back and as we head in, the receptionist comes around the desk, puts her arm around me and says, "Honey, the kids look great, and you are here on time.  It's amazing, but your shirt is on inside out."
Someone.
Help.
Me.
Please.

Our Version of Wordless Wednesday

A Couple of Birthdays

 Landon and Maggie helping me make Emily's cookie cake.

 Emily and BecBec in their matching pajamas...their birthdays are close together, too. :-)

 Landon and CJ were AMAZED at the kids jumping and swimming at Mimi and Paw-paw's pool...Abby thought that was pretty funny.

 CJ and his Thomas birthday cake

 CJ loved opening his presents.  I wasn't even able to capture some of the precious faces that he made.

 This is a look of sheer joy.  

Here he is playing in the bathtub with more of his birthday gifts. :-)

So, this won't be a long post because while we had a GREAT time of birthdays...we now have a little one with some CRAZY fever virus.  My hands are full right now.  Hope you guys enjoyed the pictures!

A Boring Post with lots of "ologists"...

Wow.  I have not been a very good blogger lately.  At all.  We have been trying to get used to a new normal, and I am trying to adjust to making my "to do" list much smaller.
We had our appointment at the Spina Bifida Clinic, and it was so helpful...and overwhelming.  The neurologist was awesome!  We will have an appointment with him sometime this summer for a brain and spinal cord MRI (or CT scan or whatever it is) for them to determine...um, something to do with the nerves - ha...obviously, I am on information over-load.  The pediatric orthopedist was also awesome, and Landon will see him in September for a pre-op visit and then in October, he will have surgery to turn his foot and to repair some little details of his foot...they will break the tibia and turn the foot a little more outward, which should help so much in his walking.  We will go in late summer to see the pediatric urologist for a urodynamics test to determine how well their bladders are functioning, and we will have visits along the way just to make sure that we are training and growing as we should. :-)
You know, when we began this adoption process, I had NO idea how complicated Spina Bifida can be.  But, you know what?  The Lord knew, and He also knew that I needed to be slightly ignorant to fully obey Him.  I am afraid if I knew all the details, I would have thought, "There is NO way that I/we can do that."  And, I would have been right.  I/We can't do this.  HE has to do it.  I have learned through trial by fire that I cannot make it through ONE day without a quiet time, and without relying completely on Him for everything that day.  I can't imagine missing out on these blessings because of my fears of being incapable and insufficient - especially when He constantly reminds us in His Word that HE is sufficient - always.  These boys are awesome - difficult sometimes, but awesome! :-)
I promise that I will have pictures after this weekend because little CJ has his 2nd birthday on Monday, and we will celebrate on Sunday! :-)  Hope you guys all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!