Exciting News!!!

Go check out my sister's blog!

For those of you who don't know - they have been in process to adopt from Ethiopia for the last year. They got their referral for a precious baby boy on the last day of our trip! He is too cute but we can't post any pictures until he is officially theirs - I think after they go to court. We are all praying for a quick, smooth court date and that they can bring him home as soon as possible (we hope by May).

www.edenhorsefarms.blogspot.com

Home!

We survived the eighteen hours in the car both ways and arrived back home Saturday night very happy but very tired after five straight days of skiing and two on the road! Zach and I had a blast racing each other down slopes, taking on some challenging runs, and enjoying yummy food in the mountain restaurants. We skied with my dad, my brother in law, and even with my sister and mom when they weren't too busy shopping or getting a massage... Sorry guys - I had to say it :) (I actually wished I'd stuck with ya'll when I was totally exhausted with an aching body on the way home!) I do love to ski though - I love the glimpse of the incredible beauty of creation that you can see from the top of a mountain on a blue-sky day, I love the feeling of finally getting into a good rhythm skiing while listening to a great tune on the ipod (usually just before falling), I love racing, I love the cozy mountain restaurants, I love chair lift 10 watching all the experts and those who think they are, I love the quiet peacefulness of the Blue Sky Basin...

The kids did amazingly well. Allee and Jadon picked right up where they left off from last year and progressed to the point that they can now ski just about whatever we ski - just a little slower (that is changing quickly however). Of course, the last day Jadon and I went to very top of the mountain and began our descent. He had to make a bathroom stop at the little place at the very top. By the time we got our gear back on and went outside, a heavy snow cloud/fog had settled over us. We were also, I think, some of the last people left on the mountain as it was getting late. I began to panic for a minute thinking I might lose Jadon in the fog if he got too far away from me since visibility was so bad! I realized too that I had to keep him in front of me because there would be no one coming behind us to help if he fell and lost a ski. So we went on down sticking close together and somehow took a wrong turn in the fog, ending up on a very bumpy black run (the levels go green, blue, black, double black and the bumps made it even more difficult). Not to worry about Jadon though - he just zipped on down handling the moguls (bumps) like a pro! It was me left behind and trying my hardest to stay up with him - my big, long skis just wouldn't turn as fast as his little ones! Jadon was so funny on the mountain - he would fall, roll with skis still on, stand back up covered in snow, and keep skiing - laughing the whole time! Such a trooper!


Allee made the amazing ski school level of "Mountain Five" - this means she was regularly skiing blacks and going all over the mountain with the ski school class. She loves the snow as is of course - "never cold and never tired"! She took on a challenging run at the end of the last day with Zach called The Zot. Jadon then wanted to prove that he could do it too but lifts were closed... I am going to have to take some classes to keep up with these kids next time!!!

Benjamin and Ella (my little niece) absolutely loved the snow and loved skiing at ski school. By the middle of the week they were riding the short chair lift and skiing down the hill. I did try to take Benjamin up by myself one day and it would take too long to describe the craziness of that experience! Apparently the ski instructors know something about teaching little ones to ski that I don't!!! One of Ben's favorite activities was playing 'puppies' with Ella in the loft of our condo - precious memories. I guess he likes that game better that playing Polly Pockets although he did some of that too!

Of course we couldn't get through the trip without just a little bit of this...but he did turn it off and relax most days...

In the evenings we cooked in the room, watched tv all together, took walks in the snow and had snow ball fights - ask Zach about the innocent person walking by who got blasted with a stray snowball intended for Jason - I wish I had a picture of that guy's face as he recovered from the unexpected shock while taking a nice walk with his date :) !!!! We took important visits to the chocolate factory and the candy store. But every night we hit the hay early so we could be on the slopes bright and early the next day...

Jadon and Ben also enjoyed eating lots of snow... seemed kind of yucky but I guess they lived!

We had a wonderful time and are so very thankful for such a great time, but are glad to be back in warm, humid weather - do you have any idea how much better this is for your skin?! I nearly dried out up there! We always appreciate home even more after being gone!

OFF WE GO!

Yep - that's about to be me :) Well maybe not quite but I can dream...

To Colorado we go!


Our bags are packed and we are ready to roll. We are headed off in a few hours for an 18 hour drive into the snow! We are so excited - especially Benjamin who has never really played in the snow before. (He's seen a few snowflakes but not REAL snow you can hold and throw and lay in...) Colorado is having one of the snowiest years in it's history... great conditions for skiing.

Our car is loaded up with snacks and treats, books to read, books/stories on tape to listen to, car games to play, little surprises for boring moments, music, and of course the most important item - the DVD player! Our course then there's pillows, blankets for each child, suitcases close to bursting with heavy ski clothing, an ice chest full of meals we cooked to eat while there, games for the evenings, cameras, the laptop... Gosh what am I forgetting - perhaps I would have been better off making a list of what NOT to take! It's fun though - the preparation is a bit stressful (as everyone would attest to last night :)) but part of the excitement too!

Anyways, look forward to some pictures in the snow when we return!!

Just a note - I know some of you have been wondering when I am going to post an update about Nastya. I will soon - there are reasons why I haven't wanted to post yet about things on here. We do have some positive news and I promise for an update when we get back! Thank you to those of you who keep checking and praying for us in that - don't stop!!

God's Word

Tonight was just one of those nights when Scripture came alive - sometimes I pray and read the Bible and it's just okay or good - I know I am blessed by it but it's not always so apparent to me at the time, other times I neglect reading at all - this always has apparent effects as I always get a wrong perspective, me attitude, worry more, etc.... But then sometimes God just allows a certain passage to speak to my heart - or maybe it just so happens that my heart is softer or more sensitive to His spirit - maybe I am just quieter, or maybe someone has been praying for me.... But whatever the reason, I am thankful for His word.

Tonight we were reading Mark 14 with the kids - Here's what we read

27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, because it is written, `I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.' "But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not." And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times." But Peter kept saying insistently, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And they all were saying the same thing also.

They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here until I have prayed." And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. And He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch." And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. And He was saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." keep watch for one hour? "Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. And He came the third time, and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. "Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!"

I saw that Jesus knew that his closest friends would deny Him. I know that He knows my failings too. I saw that this hurts him when they are too tired to even pray for him in His greatest hour of need - and this is after He has just humbly washed their feet and has told them that His hour has come. After all Jesus has done for me and the grace and love He continually pours out into my life, I still can be so very selfish and yet He doesn't give up on me. I know that the rest of the story is that He does not treat them with condemnation or disgust at their laziness and lack of serving Him even a little like He serves them. No, Jesus is disappointed and probably hurt but it does not change that He continues to love them and the next day lays down His life for them. And why is He able to do this? Because He is first surrendered to His Father's will -not His own. This is the key to having this spirit of service and grace and love - to be surrendered to the Lord's will not my own will - even when His will is very tough. But I thought of the verse - "For the joy set before Him, despising the shame, Jesus endured the cross..." He focused on the joy that surrendering to the Lord's will would bring. Not right in that moment, but set before Him. I am reminded to keep my eyes of eternity and on glorifying God and not on the fleeting pleasures or discomforts of what I am called to do today. And to keep my focus on Jesus as my example of love and servitude.

I love that when He returns, He does not hold it over them but loves them completely AND puts trust in them to carry out His work on earth. He doesn't give up on us even when we blow it! I know this. But it was good to be reminded of His grace and servant heart.

And to look to Jesus as my model in graciously responding to my children (or my husband, friends, etc) when they fall short - just as my Father in heaven responds to me. And to love not based on the actions of others but on the love with which the Lord loves me. A lofty goal for sure and one that I am certainly not meeting. Okay not just not meeting but completely blowing it quite often! But I see here that God does not give up on me or quit believing in what He can do through me. Thank you Jesus for Your word, for Your grace, for Your love, and for Your example. Thank you that You keep teaching me and loving me. Thank You that You never change! Thank you that You promise that You are faithful when we are faithless.

Yee-Haw

Last night we went to a fundraiser for our childrens' school. Have I mentioned that I love this school? We are truly thankful to be a part of this school and for the friendships we have made! I could go off on all the reasons we are there but if you want to know more - just ask us :)

Anyways, so last night we were at the fundraiser out at Old Texas Town - a lovely area out in the country with pavillions and a big dance hall for events. We had a band, yummy bar-b-q and some silents and live auctions. The kids all played for hours running, chasing, having a hay ride, and DANCING!

The best entertainment of the night (for me at least) ~

And then he finally convinved a girl to dance with him...

Folks, it just doesn't get better than this! I almost laughed until I cried (until of course he broke out of his serious, focused dancing and looked at me - then I told him what a great dancer he was :))...

Lazy Blogger

It's true of me!!! I am going to try to be better :)

Why have I not been blogging? Busy, busy, busy... Okay I know you are saying that is a pitiful excuse because we're all busy. And you're right - that isn't a good excuse - I just can't think of a better one right now! I'll let you know when I come up with something! We have been doing lots of fun stuff - here's the latest...

Allee and I are mountain climbers! Yep - we climbed to the top of Enchanted Rock in Fredricksburg. It is this huge rock hill made from granite. There is very little foliage after you get past the bottom because there is no dirt and it becomes too hot in the summer. There were interesting little caves and creveases in the rocks that we climbed through and explored. At the top you could so far and the little people and cars down below looked like toys. It was awesome - if you haven't been, be sure to go. But unless you are really ready for a sweaty challenge avoid it in the summer - I hear the granite really heats up and you are blasted with heat from above and below - kind of like the beach but without the water.

Anyways, it was a fun day to enjoy a beautiful part of creation and to just sit back in awe of a little part of what God made. But as we were reminded in church this morning - as beautiful as days like these lately have been - this is just the created - we can only imagine the Creator's beauty and wonder. There is a refreshment that comes from a some exercise and from being outdoors and taking time to notice little wonders like lichens and mosses and fairy shrimp eggs (I think that's what they were called). I am thankful Allee and I could enjoy it all together.

THREE CHIEFS

Well we learned a bit more about each other and teamwork this past week. At Allee's school each child does a major project about anything they choose. The child chooses the project and then the family works on it together. Allee chose to learn about her grandparents' dairy farm. We spent some time at the dairy last semester learning about the milking process, the care of the cows, what is done with the milk, the history of dairying, and so much more. We even got to watch and video a calf being born. To make it even more exciting, the calf was huge, got stuck, and Tommy (Zach's dad) had to help deliver the calf. We weren't sure if it was alive at first and then were so overjoyed to see that the little calf was just fine! It was such a fun weekend in Sulphur Springs.



After a little more research and gathering materials, it became time to assemble the information onto the poster. Well, this is when we discovered (I should say rediscovered because we have known this for a long time!) that we are all a bit on the headstrong side. To those of you who know us well - you know that is a bit of an understatement :) And we all three had different ideas of how and what to present. It was comical seeing our personalities come out... I had to just walk away and tell myself "It's her project!" Zach helped a lot too but Allee did the majority of it herself. She did a great job! So we learned a lot about dairy farming and a little about teamwork and personalities as well :)



1 Peter 5:5 "Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."




Grandparents Day was this past Friday and we had such a great time looking at all the students' projects. I learned a great deal from the projects and loved seeing their varying interests. Benjamin was awed by some of the electricity projects that a few older boys chose! And the ceremony was truly a blessing for grandparents and for parents. We are so thankful for the wonderful, supportive grandparents our children (and us too of course) are blessed to have. What incredible things they teach our children and what love they share with them.



We are also so grateful for this school at this point in our lives - God was faithful to lead us to it this year, and we have been blessed to watch our children grow mentally and spiritually this year.

Brrr...

Okay it is COLD and WET for us in Texas - not a fun combination. We are just not used to this weather and I can't say I like it... I know this is nothing compared to many places - but at least in some places there are fun things to do related to the cold - like snow instead of rain! All right - I'm done complaining. On the other hand, we've had good excuses for hot chocolate, lots of card games and reading books :)

We are actually choosing to go to much colder conditions in March!! We are so excited to go skiing (with the kids - even Ben gets to go) in Colorado for spring break with my parents and my sister's family - Allee and Jadon can't wait. When we took them for the first time last year, Jadon began campaigning that maybe God was telling us to move to Colorado forever and Allee began saying that she might find a college in Colorado. So I guess they don't mind the cold at all! We are going to drive 18 hours to get there so that should be an adventure all in itself :) Am I really smiling about 18 hours both ways in the car - I may have a different emotion halfway home...

On another note, I am so proud of Allee. I have watched her start a very challenging new school this year with all new friends (who have all known each other for many years). She took it on like she does most things in life - with courage and hard work and an incredibly positive attitude. She worked so hard when the homework was new and different last semester and even made honor roll the first trimester. And she did it all without hardly a word of complaint. Sometimes I was more overwhelmed than she was and she would just tell me "It's not that much Mom" It was a lot at first and she inspired me with her attitude. Now she's got the hang of it. She is gifted with being super smart but more importantly she just is a hard worker and doesn't get discouraged easily. Anyways, I was just thinking about what a gift my sweet girl is... she is such a joy to us!

A Few Updates

We did get news from our agency that Nastya made it back her home and with ALL her belongings! Thank you for praying. We have all missed her greatly this past week. It is hard because we have not yet found a way to call and don't have any contact with her. We have put together our first care package and hope to send it next week but even something like that we are still learning what you do to go about mailing to Ukraine (affordably :)). We are very excited to have connected with a missionary group that visits her orphanage I think weekly, and we may be able to send things through them. What a blessing to have these missionaries working with these kids and to be able to see the effect they have had on this child. Everytime Nastya talked about them while she was here, she would just light up and it was clear from things she said and wrote that she truly knows that God loves her and prays to Him on her own initiative. It is wonderful that these people have poured love and hope into the lives of children who have so few who care about them. And so neat to see that while Nastya may not fully understand why they do what they do, she does feel love from them and believes that God loves her.


In the other news - we have just been busy playing catch-up with work and school and basic housework (piles were taking over and those who know me well know that is bad...:-o ) We are getting back into the daily routine after a great break from school and more structure. It was a nice break but good to be back into the "groove".


It is also a time of reflecting and praying for God to lead us to what He wants in this. We trust Him. This time with Nastya has changed us in some fundamental ways... we are trying to take some time to process it all... We have become more grateful for the incredible blessings we have been given - our family and extended family top the list. Of course we are always grateful for the people in our lives, but it deepens the reality that it is a blessing and a gift and we can't take these people and this time for granted. We do know that we are blessed beyond what we can comprehend and don't want to miss the joys of each day!

On Her Way to Ukraine...

Tonight we put the sweet girl who we have come to love deeply on a plane to New York and then to Ukraine. They said it would be hard - I had no idea it would be this hard. A week ago it would have been hard - now it was nearly impossible. I cling to knowing that God loves her more than we do, that He is with her, that He goes before her and before us.

This past week has been so precious. We hit some emotional roadblocks with her about halfway through last week. Things had been going great and then seemed to get more difficult last Tuesday or so. I think she was unsure about whether she could trust that we really loved her, and we still felt a bit distant although comfortable with her. Then this past Friday - after the t.v. filming - somehow (several close friends were praying I know - thank you!) things turned around and she really let down her guard. She began to open up to us emotionally. It's hard to explain how we could know that when we couldn't talk with her, but we have found that words are not as necessary as we might have previously thought and that body language and actions and a few attempted words in another language can speak volumes. This past weekend and this week have been especially precious and we are thankful for each moment. We have come to love her so much and it is difficult not to think of her as our daughter. But God is in control and we know that He is able to do all things and that He is good and loving. So we trust that His plans are perfect for our family and for Nastya. We pray that He would give us grace to trust Him and to clearly see His plan in each step.

Today and yesterday Nastya was very specific about what she wanted to do. And she was clear that she did not want Allee to go to school but to stay home with her - they have had soooo much fun together. It was bittersweet to see her relishing each moment. She had a glorious time riding her bike at my mom and dad's, feeding the horses one last time, taking a long bath (two actually), fishing for minnows with a net (the reason for the 2nd bath), and getting her back scratched. She also ate as much fruit as she could hold and plenty of sausage :) She kept asking to take back food to Ukraine and we sent a little on the plane, but of course she couldn't really take much with her. We hope to send a care package soon.

Please pray specifically for Nastya's belongings as she travels back to Ukraine. She loves her baby doll and her photos and several other items. She had been asking for photos and was delighted this morning to receive a book full of tons of pictures of all her adventures and favorite moments. We packed a suitcase of clothes and things too. Pray that she is able to keep up with her carry-on backpack and that her checked bag will make it intact to her orphanage.

Well, that's about it. We go to bed tonight incredibly grateful for this precious time that we have all had together. Thank you to each and every one who have been praying for us and encouraging during this time. It has been all the more special and fun to be able to share it with you.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."