A picture is worth....

A sweet family who was traveling to Ethiopia last week to pick up their new son generously agreed to take a care package from us to Nardos and Nahom. So I went on my first shopping trip ever for girl clothes. Luckily I had a good friend with me who has 10 yrs of girl shopping experience to help me through the ordeal. It was much less intimidating than I had feared. We went to Target, which for me, was a great place to start...no need to go jumping in the deep end, better to wade in slowly. We chose an outfit, pj's, stickers and a squishy teddy bear for each of them. I also got a gender neutral photo album and filled it with pictures that I hoped would make them want to live with us instead of run the other direction.

This morning, I was quite surprised to see in my inbox a letter from the sweet family. Not only did they hand deliver our care package to Nardos and Nahom, but they photographed the whole event. She sent me 25 snapshots. It was so amazing. In the first picture Nahom opened the teddy bear and just looked at it. Then he tucked it under his arm and there it remained the entire time. He never let it go from the protection of his arm. Then I saw Nardos opening her gifts and just staring at our pictures and smiling that beautiful smile. It created such an ache in me that I can hardly describe.

Our court date is Monday, October 5th...just 10 days away. Thoughts of an unfinished house are pushed out with even bigger thoughts. I just want to scoop these beautiful children up in my arms and assure them they are loved. I want to sing them to sleep and comfort them after a bad dream. I want them to know how wanted they are.

10 more days...Please join us in praying God's will be done.

At Last

For the past 16 years my husband has been hoping, dreaming, fantasizing....

Cue the orchestra.

Cue Etta James.

At last, my love has come along.

My lonely days are over.

And life is like a song.

Oh yeah, at last!

He is now the proud owner of a cute little orange tractor with all sorts of gadgets. He has assured me that this "tool" will be pivotal in helping us finish the house.

I can't wait to see what it does best.....paint or sheetrock?

Oh no! Mono!

Preston came home from Family Palooza on Sunday feeling really bad. Our first clue was actually before we got home when Paul found him in the tip off circle of the gym floor laying flat on his back with kids and balls bouncing crazily all around him....while he slept!!! When we got him home we found that he had a temp of a whoppin 103. Monday evening someone mentioned something about a swine flu outbreak at TCU so we decided to take the boy to our doctor's after hours clinic. I hate seeing anyone but my own pediatrician but I had no other choice. She is amazing, awesome, and I think the only doctor in the world who knows anything. Maybe that's an overstatement, but not by much! Anyway we come home from the clinic with a diagnosis of strep, a bottle of amoxicillin, and a promise that we will have a new child within 24 hours. We are all giving each other high 5's because we have plans to leave for a very important reunion with 3 other families in Arkansas. These are couples we met when we were all newlyweds 16 years ago. None of us had kids and we hung out all the time and worked with the youth at our church. Now there are 19 kids between us and our reunions are a blast and a circus. We try to get together at least every other year, and this is one of those years!!! The planning has been in the works since winter.

Well, 36 hours pass and Pres is not only not a new child, but he is a deathly ill child. I call my beloved pediatrician and she says she wants to see him ASAP. Within minutes of seeing her, we have the dreaded diagnosis...MONO. Not only does he feel terrible now, he will feel terrible for a long time, and there is nothing we can do about it. Needless to say, we aren't going to the reunion.

Spiritually, this has been a rough week. We really felt like we needed this trip. These are people who have know us inside and out and have been a support for us throughout our whole marriage. We had been talking about the perfect timing of this reunion and looking forward to a time of renewal and encouragement. Obviously, God had other plans for us this weekend. He has other avenues to renew and encourage.

Here's a picture of my sweet patient. He never complains, never asks for anything, and apologized constantly. "Sorry I'm sick. Sorry we can't go to the reunion. Sorry I threw up in your bed." If only every male in this household could be like this when he is sick (hint hint Paul McKee)

First Day Lessons

Today was the first day of our homeschool co-op. It's once a week and the each kid gets to take 3 classes there. Preschool stays in the same room the whole time, so now that Kellen is in kindergarten he got to choose classes like "the boys". I can guarantee there was not a more excited kid in Texas this morning than Mr. Kellen. For him, this was really his first day of kindergarten.

One of the classes that he gets to take is karate. I know, I know, Kellen is already close to being a lethal weapon, but he's lookin for a little edge over "the boys". Actually he's been practicing on just about everyone. So with that in the forefront of my mine this morning I warned him that if the teacher caught him karate chopping other kids he would be thrown out of class for the rest of the year. I gave him the eye and tried to impress upon him how important this was. Well, we have about a 30 minute ride to school, during which Kellen is very quiet. When we get there and I turn around to tell him to hop out, I see huge tears in his eyes.

"I just can't do it, Mom," he said.

Thinking he's shy about going in I say, "Kellen, you're a big boy. You'll be fine."

"No, Mom. I won't be able to control my karate chopping. I just know I'm gonna be kicked out for the WHOLE YEAR!"

So we say a quick prayer asking God to control Kellen's powerful hands and he ran off somewhat comforted.

God was faithful. Kellen made it through the day without being expelled. According to him "karate was AWESOME, we learned how to stand with our hands at our sides!!!" I've tried to teach him that for years and he NEVER thought it was awesome. I've got to learn her secret.

"You want to know the most important thing I learned today?" Kellen asked.

"Of course", I said waiting to hear what wisdom he is gleaning from his teachers.

"Now that I'm in kindergarten, I've got to take care of my peeing business at home!"

Not sure exactly what the teacher said, but she made a believer out of him and he held it until 12:30 when school was out!

So that was our first day. Hayden was most concerned about being Mr. Cool. He tried on two different outfits before we left! Preston had to stay home. He decided it was a good time to come down with strep throat. Seeing as we are supposed to leave for a reunion in Arkansas tommorow, why not?

I'm just glad there is only one "first day"!