Praying for JAPAN

With all the news these days I am sure you are praying for the situation in JAPAN with the massive earthquake last week. Please continue to pray for the situation, and also for the people of JAPAN. I am praying that this event will soften the hearts of the people there and allow them to respond to God. Also, please pray for my sister and her family. They are church planters there in Tokyo. Although their family is safe, it is a difficult situation and there is much need for prayer.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER !!!!!!!!!

Since there is no way to call you right now...I am sending my birthday wishes this way this year.
Let me introduce you all to my sister Sue. She has been my best friend for years and I can say what a blessing it can be to have a sister. We have always had a close relationship and when we were in college, we were roommates for a year. We got married 10 weeks apart (I know...I know...my poor mother) and were each others' brides maids. We only get to see each other every few years as she and her husband and boys are missionaries overseas. When we came home with our boys, she flew here to welcome us home at the airport to show her support for our adoption (just one of the ways she supported us).

She loves her family, serves with her husband and loves the Word of God. Please pray for my sister and her family as they adjust back to a new ministry in full time missions work. I have been praying that God would prepare the hearts of the people as they arrive and settle in to a new town. Pray for their boys as they start a new school. Pray for strength and energy and health.

Happy Birthday Susan !!!!!!!

Wish I could be there with you to enjoy the day together.

a pic from our Thanksgiving visit together

catching up

We have been busy...and I mean BUSY around here. As I sit here and write this post, the family is conked out on the couch watching Cinderella (well ~ Chuck is snoring and not watching much). I think we needed a day of rest. It feels like a long time since we have had one.

We had lots of excitement and holiday celebrations in the past few weeks. We had a nice time with my sister and her family during Thanksgiving. They were here just over a week and all the cousins played and played and played. From football outside to Wii golf indoors to letterboxing to playing at the park. We had an active week. There were 11 of us in all for the Thanksgiving meal and most of the evening diners so the dishwasher got lots of use (couldn't have done it without all the help in the kitchen ~ thanks!!).
The girls helped make our rolls for our meal. It is always a joy to serve with them in the kitchen. I love teaching them to bake and cook. This year we made cloverleaf rolls with our traditional recipe. YUM !!








The kids watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in the morning and worked on a craft at the same time. I made a quick turkey collage for them to do. My kids had so much fun on the one we made for the reptile project we wanted to make another one.










My 3 nephews were here and the girls enjoyed having cousins around. My sister's youngest is the same age as Tally. All of them are fun to have around.











It really was a fun time for Thanksgiving with my family. We are pretty tired from all the action around here and I will have to post more of catching up from the last few weeks. The girls worked a yard sale table yesterday and I posted that on the adoption blog with an update of our funds so far. Feel free to go and check it out. HERE

We have also had other holiday parties and activities going on and I will try to post pictures soon. Just trying to catch up and get some much needed rest at the same time.

Hope your weekend has been great. Enjoy the second Sunday of Advent.

flash back to our trip

We really did have a good time on our trip to visit Chuck's side of the family. It was fun to explore their world and see their friends and reconnect with family. One day we drove to visit Chuck's grandfather's home and all his family that was in the area. Since we don't get to very many family reunions, it was extra special.

Of course the girls had a great time playing with cousins and climbing in the tree house. I sure love that area of upstate. So beautiful and scenic. I could sit outside and stare at the garden and listen to the birds all afternoon. I still think we will end up back in the country someday. Maybe when we are old and gray and our kids come to visit us with all the grandchildren.

We have been blessed with loving and supportive family. This trip reminded me of how I am so grateful for Chuck's side of the family. I just love to see how they are so proud of him and who he is. They have been very supportive and encouraging. We are so blessed.

Preparing for Easter

One of my new goals is to be more purposeful in what I do. Making the best decisions I can as I educate these children. Choosing activities that widen their world. Exposing them to truths of God's word. Encouraging them to develop their personalities.

This year we decided to observe Lent (the weeks before Easter). Rather than just thinking of this as a time to "give something up" (which in fact we have all given up a favorite special food), we have used it as a time to prepare our hearts for this season. I wanted to share some of what we are doing as a family. First off, we are reading the Purpose Driven Life (which should take 40 days). I thought that would be a good book since it is designed to be done in 40 days (which is about the length of Lent). It has been a great book to read and discuss as a family each night. And even though it may be geared for adults, it is still applicable to kids.

Then each day after we are done reading the chapter in the book, we choose an activity. I had printed out a list of Lenten activities that I had down loaded from Homeschool Freebie of the Day (HERE). Each day is a different activity that the kids "draw" from and we do the suggestion (I cut the list up into strips and put them in an envelope). Some of the ideas might be to read an extra Bible passage, or an Easter related book, act out the parade on Palm Sunday, sing an Easter related song, or maybe a craft.

Our favorites have been the crafty ones. One night we talked about Jesus being the lamb of God and we made a lamb craft out of cotton balls.Aren't these lambs sweet? Chucked helped come up with the idea of how to make them.
Another night the craft idea was to make a poster or picture that said "He is Risen" or "Our Redeemer Lives". On that night, Chuck's parents were here and participated in our craft time. Everyone had a different idea and each one turned out great.
We decided to use construction paper instead of markers or crayons. And it was Chuck's idea to rip the paper for the craft instead of cutting it.
I find it really helps to have lots of craft making supplies on hand and ready to go for things like this. Chuck had neat Easter songs that he found on You Tube playing in the background. It really was a fun evening. Again, being purposeful in our family activities.
The back of our front door is a great place to display our art. I love all the different designs. And it looks so springy around here with all these crafts on display.

Busy Holiday Week

We have had my whole family here for the Thanksgiving week. Chuck flew in Wednesday night. My parents arrived about a week ago and my sister and her family also got here the night before Thanksgiving. It has been a full house and lots of fun.


We only get to get these cousins together every 3 0r 4 years and amazingly they all get along and have a lot of fun. Susan and her family are missionaries in Japan and are currently living in California. I wish the visits weren't so few and far between.













We went and picked out a tree (hopefully we wont celebrate Christmas in this house).













For fun we have gone letterboxing.












And the kids put on a Christmas play. Including an angel, Mary, Joseph, a shepherd and a director/narrator. It was so sweet.













***We should have our house appraised this week. Please continue to pray that it appraises for the agreed amount. If it doesn't, we will have to figure out what to do. We are trusting and believing that it will appraise, but in this crazy market, or if these buyers have someone working in their favor, we could have problems. Please pray!***

Aunt Susi

We have been busy this week with a wonderful visit with my one and only sister, Susan. It is always a joy to get together as we live in different countries and only get to see each other once every few years. It has been 3 years since we last had a visit from her. The girls were beyond overjoyed to have her come. Today we had a little tea party (just us girls). Something she probably doesn't get to do often with her kids (she has 3 boys).

There is something so special about good relationships that are so natural even if it has been years since you last were together. I love those kinds of kindred spirit relationships. I hope my girls have that kind of friendship as they grow.

My sister was commenting on how different it is to be around girls. She says they are quiet, obedient, relational and don't challenge me. Then she said, "I hope you know how good you have it with your girls." What would a boy do to our mix of things around the house? Wouldn't it be fun to find out???

Well, I am off to go and pick up Chuck at the airport. So I guess that will be our mix of boy in to the home for the weekend. =) Oh, BTW, for all those of you who are still praying for Big Daddy to get that job, keep praying. Earl (AKA, Big Daddy) and Sandy dropped by the house on Tuesday just to visit and ask some questions. It was a very surprise of a visit (as I have never met them before and had no idea they were coming) and turned out to be a nice visit. He is still in the running for that job. I told them that we are praying that he gets it (to which Sandy said, "Keep praying".)

Congrats to my dear sister on their home

Just want to shout out to my sister and her family. They just put an offer on their first home and it was accepted. I am SOOOO happy for them. What a big deal. They are missionaries in Japan and are home in the states for a year (though their home is all the way across the country from me). We have been praying with them that God would lead to just the right place. And this place seems perfect for them.

We are praying with you Susan that all the details fall into place. I know this home will be a blessing to you and yours and God will honor all that is done there to bring Him glory. Woo Hoo!!! Doing the happy dance for you. =)

This is SO not the person I want to be

I have some confessions to make. I have failed again in the birthday department. My sweet dear sister's birthday is today (technically last night due to Asian time difference) and I didn't send her a card or anything. No cute email. No note or card or gift. Nothing. I knew it was coming (this has been a yearly occurrence for 30 + years) and I let it slide.

Ever since we had our home for sale last year (different home, not this one) our life has been bear minimum. I have spent a year packing, showing a house, unpacking, remodeling and now packing again. It has consumed me and things have slipped through the cracks.

I have heard myself say we don't have the time or energy or money to make a big deal about birthdays and holidays. I hate this. This is NOT the person I want to be. I love my family so much and want them to know how special they are to me. Not just my kids, but my spouse, parents, in-laws, sister and nephews. I desire to demonstrate what they mean to me.

Little example of my chaotic life...in my unpacking, I found a sympathy card I had for my brother in law for the death of his dad last summer. I had every intention of getting it to him to express my concern and it got lost in the shuffle.

Lost in the shuffle. I fear of really knowing what else slipped through the cracks. What other balls have I let drop? I guess it shows how human I am and that though I try, super Mom I am not.

All this to say, Happy Birthday Sis...so glad we could at least talk on the phone and I owe you for one years worth of birthday wishes.