Happy Tuesday

A sad truth in my life is that, even though I am closing in on thirty, I still struggle with acne like a teenager in puberty. 

I have a particularly large zit this morning. I walked into The Littles room and Little A gasped, “What happened, Mama?!”.

What a great way to start my Tuesday. ;) Thanks Baby.

Catch the Wind, Mama

The Littles have always had a fascination with the wind.  When they were younger, it took their breath away and they would just stop and enjoy it. 

Here’s a few pictures from their younger days, enjoying the wind.

 

See more of The Littles lovin' the wind

They’ve grown a bit and lots of things change but they still stop in their tracks to enjoy the wind.  “Catch it, Mama!”

“ooh, windy!” –Little J

 

“Catch it!”

There's Movement!

In the Ethiopian adoption world, it doesn’t take too long to look at the numbers of referrals, hear the long waits of families and what is being asked of them before it can become downright discouraging. There is wonderful news to report! There’s movement!

Our friends, Jason and Joy, bring home there 8 year-old daughter, Meron, TODAY! Actually, they land in three minutes. PRAISE GOD. Seriously people, let's praise Him. I will post a picture after I am sure I have permission.

Within the past week, we have received some wonderful news! First, Jon R. wanted to meet (my) Jon for breakfast. Jon and Beth are long-time friends who have been on the Ethiopian waiting list for a llllooooonnnggg time. Jon R. hid pictures of their sweet baby boy (and I do mean sweet, like scrumptious, want to look at him forever, sweet) in the menu to surprise Jon G. Such a special moment.

You can follow their journey at Riggalicious Reflections

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And if that wasn't enough good news, our friends, Jeff and Sarah Stoller, received a surprise this week...after a very short wait, THEY JUST GOT THEIR REFERRAL!  They have decided to name their precious new son, Joah.  He is a doll, breathtaking and beautiful with two, melt-you-into-a-puddle, big eyes in a tiny body. It reminds me so much of the early pictures of our Littles.

The Stollers recently heard from the doctor that evaluated him that he has some potentially serious health concerns.  Though he was born at a normal birth weight, after three months, he has gained very little weight.  He is eating but not getting the nutrition from it.  Joah is tiny.  After The Littles, tiny babies don't scare me, because, oh, God can bring the growth.  However, what this means is that something isn't working in his little body.  The problem could be as simple as a formula allergy or possibly a more serious diagnosis (there are lots of possibilities).  The agency has committed to running more tests and doing more extensive work into the problem.  If it isn't figured out, little Joah will waste away.

God has recently impressed on my heart the need to BATTLE in prayer, for my family, my friends, even those I don't know. Would you pray with me on behalf of these three families?

1) Pray for Meron's adjustment.  I am sure you can imagine the many hurdles present to changing absolutely everything in the life of a grieving 8-year-old.  

2)Let's praise God for Jon and Beth's referral and for their heart as now they parent in prayer, waiting once again, but this time, with a little face, a name, a precious son they will bring home. The wait gets easier now, but HARDER too. 

3) Another praise for the referral!  Pray for little Joah.  He is sick.  Pray that Jeff and Sarah could wisely advocate on his behalf, they would feel the peace of God and that Joah's health problems would be figured out so that he would grow!

4) There are still so many children waiting for families and families yearning for children.

Do You Ever Get So Tired of Looking At Something That You Want to Burn It?

Yeah, that’s where I am at with princess dresses.  Okay, just kidding. sort of.

FIRST thing in the morning, they RUN to the dress up box. I hid the pink dress. It is so tattered and they fight over it.

Shots from BEFORE breakfast.

Good morning Snow White and Cinderella.

Shots from breakfast:

Snow White loves her oatmeal.

Little J insists she is “Cinderella” and wants a bib so her dress doesn’t get messy.

Immediately after breakfast:

Little A models what Snow White would look like should she ever become a homeless person.

Mama can only put real clothes on them if I assure The Littles, “Okay, we are just going to take it off for a tiny bit to put warm clothes underneath it”. They reluctantly oblige.

Yes, as a matter of fact, their hoods have been up since this picture.  The Littles think having a hood attached must mean we use it!

Wordless Wednesday

 

Tuesday Tip (A Psalm Of Your Own)

Along the way, I have collected little tidbits of helpfulness that I want to occasionally pass on…so here is the first, “Tuesday Tip”.

Psalm 136 is so refreshing, a good place to look and be reminded of the Omniscient, Omnipresent, Sovereign God we serve.

A friend challenged me to make this personal, to use the provided format of recalling events in history of our lives where we look back and see the faithfulness of God and sandwich it with, “for his steadfast love endures forever.”

She keeps this list with her and when she is feeling worried or anxious about the day or events ahead, she pulls it out and recounts what God has done.

The original version.

Psalm 136

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁴ to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁵ to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁶ to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁷ to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁸ the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁹ the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁰ to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹² with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁴ and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁵ but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁶ to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

¹⁷ to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁸ and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
¹⁹ Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁰ and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²¹ and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²² a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

²³ It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁴ and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
²⁵ he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

She Can Bring It!

Occasionally, Little A resurrects her “Angry Bird” expression.  (Don’t remember anything about this?, click here). It usually has us laughing, but last night, she would stare someone down until they looked away.  I love this picture as Papa and Little A, though very fierce looking, are just one moment away from letting a smile break through.