Fav new song(and album)

First: Scroll way down to the far right of my blog and pause my music player, then enjoy this awesome song! I first saw Aaron Ivey at the Together For Adoption conference in Austin last year. This song, The Name, plays constantly at our house(Carter loves it too).  Not only is he an amazingly talented musician, but his heart for children without mommas and daddys is huge.
If you really want to cry a good one, watch his video on You tube called Amos Story(written about his son from Haiti). Great album, run and get you one.

Summer to do's...

Abby's birthday is the end of August.  About 2months ago, I started stripping an old desk that my parents bought for us when I was really young.  I think it is about the most valuable heirloom they have to pass on, so far.  It has been through so many changes, been painted everything from 1970's bright orange, to 80's seafoam green, to red, to white.  It has watched my sisters and I grow up and held notes and craft projects for us all.  I'm planning on stripping all the way to the wood, sanding it, and repainting it.  It has been in my garage, with about 10 different colors showing for the past month. But, I'm totally swamped.... I...cant...do...one...more...thing

 or so I thought :)


This morning, I did my nursing class quiz, studied for statistics.  Then, after hearing Mr. Smiley(aka Hudson), repeatedly say "Pweese you paint me room bwuuu wike Thomas!" I could figure the probability of drawing a red marble from a box of 1000 marbles no longer.  So, contrary to what is sensible and prudent(which I almost always lean to), I began painting.  The letters above are being painted black to go in Abby's new puprle and black room.  Hudson and Dillon will soon have a beautiful denim blue colored wall.

I'm not sure why I'm painting the room.  We are praying over a much bigger house 2 streets over that is headed to foreclusure.  IF, and that is a capitol IF, God wants us to have a bigger house to use for more ministry(we are leaning toward providing respite foster care), then we will be putting in a very low offer on this big, abandoned home.  So, painting our house seems a tad silly.  Oh well, it will likely not happen, so my boys may as well enjoy a bwuu room wike Thomas(the tank engine for all you moms of girls).

Pics worked

 My pics are not loading for some reason.  But, these 2 finally did!  I  think little Texas boys in shorts and boots is the cutest. 
Speaking of Texas, I've got a hankering to pick up and move to Boston today!  Mike and I visited there 15yrs ago and loved it so much.  Live in a 3 story brownstone, no car, walk everywhere or ride the T, tons of history and culture....not 23 days straight of over 100 degree weather in the summer!!  Of course, I hate to be freezing and have lots of snow...alas, Boston wouldn't be a good fit from November to April.  And, lets not forget our fabulous extended families--we just can't live without them, they are precious to us.

Home, cowboy boots, and a streak of luck

Finally, all the kids are home!  Carter returned from youth camp(Student Life in Edmond).  He loved it!  I just love boys.  The brothers all missed each other and here is how they bond...Dog Pile(dang it, my  pics won't load today, I had some awesome ones).


The new fashion statement at our house is cowboy boots with shorts.  Someone gave Dillon some awesome cowboy boots.  The ones Hudson is wearing are old hand-me-downs from Carter(can you even imagine that big  young man wearing little cowboy boots?). 


Abby had volleyball camp at our sweet school this week.  She is really good and she and I are thinking a volleyball, coupled with academic, scholarship to TCU is forthcoming ;)   Of course, TCU is waaaay out of our league so she better get a good scholarship!  She will be turning 11 in a month.  She is becoming drop dead gorgeous.  We are updating her room to be more pre-teen instead of little girl  boohoooo


Good luck?  Of course, as a follower of Jesus, I don't believe in luck.  We've been blessed.  Thursday night I  noticed Dillon was holding his mouth a little funny, and he was really tired.  Friday morning, he wouldn't drink and was talking funny.  Light bulb went off!  The past few times he's had strep, that was the beginning signs.  So, even though he had no fever and was running around fine, I took him to see our sweet pediatrician.  He said his throat wasonly a tiny bit red, but that given Dillon's bad issues with strep, he'd test him.  He came in laughing a bit later, it was Positive.  The child looked no sicker than you and I, but I just knew it.  We are so thankful we caught it early and Dillon isn't sick.
And, I won 4 tickets to a Kari Jobe concert.  O I just LOVE her!
AND, Friday morning I made a 100 on my Statistics quiz.  I needed that badly considering my last 2 quizes were 60 and 66.  I've been getting up every day at 5:45 to do my class before the kids are up.  Only 3 more weeks of this math craziness.  Heck, I'll be darn good at Nevada Roulette after this Stats class(not that I would ever give my hard-earned money to a dumb game).

Encouraging you to go break a sweat

This post has nothing to do with living for Jesus, adoption, raising children, budgeting, or my usual focus posts.  But, I really believe a lot of you will benefit from reading.
One of my classes right now is Health Promotion.  The instructor is not very likeable,  but the course is very good.  I am really really encouraging you all to read Move Yourself by Tedd Mitchell et.all.  It is put out by the doctors at the world famous Cooper Clinic in Dallas.  Basically, you will reap huge health benefits just by moving a little.  They call the typical American lifestyle Sedentary Death Syndrome.  Even 15minutes, 3 days a week, of physical activity will lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and melt belly fat.  Interestingly, if you are the type who stores excess fat right around your belly button instead of butt/thighs, you are at much greater risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease and such.  So, they stress Waist management, more than Weight management.  Be encouraged, visceral(or belly fat) responds quickly to exercise. 
I viewed a slide show this morning about how portions have doubled in the last 20years.  ClickPORTIONS if you'd like to see it.
Here's good news:  your iPhone can help tremendously.  Mike has lost over 30 pounds since Jan 1 using Lose It, an app on his iPhone.  Everyday he logs his food intake and his exercise.  It displays calories in and calories burned.  He looks amazing and his having fun telling people that "this summer both me and my Honda Accord hit 200(for the record, he is 6'1)!"  For example, I swam laps for 20minutes in our community pool.  I logged it into Lose It and it shows that I burned 173 calories.  Then, I logged my food and drinks for the day..so far(2 cups coffee with French Vanilla creamer, 1/2 banana, bowl of Fiber One cereal, and a cup of orange juice).  According to the graph, I've consumed 586 calories and burned 173.
So, take this info and run with it--literally :)
I'm a cardiac nurse and sure don't want to see anymore men in their 30's getting stents!

Almost let Dave down

Man we came close to buying a newer vehicle several days ago.  Sure was big and roomy and pretty. But, it sure is hard to put a payment in your budget again when you've not had a car payment for several years!  So, that night, we came home and re-read us some Dave Ramsey(you sure are bossy Dave!).  We'd love to keep plugging away, using up our old, yet reliable, Honda's, and save.

The group I went to Haiti with is returning in January.  I'd sure love to go.  The money I'd be using for the car can help pay for my trip :)

Why my kids are the luckiest ever?

They have the BEST grandparents ever!!!
Every summer my mother-in-law hosts the grandkids for swim lessons.  They go to the country and take wonderful lessons.  They play with cousins, they eat lots of pizza and ice cream, and basically, do whatever they want--cause that is what Nana does for them.  Dillon just spent 4 fun days out there.  Ohhh, I missed that loving boy and Hudson was lost without his best buddy.

And my mother, she hosts Ma Camp every summer for Abby and my sister's daughter, Maddie.  They swim, they get pedicures, learn to sew, and make a formal dinner for Poppa.  I had to drag her out of my mom's home today for a few nights in her own bed.
My kids are totally spoiled to have awesome and Jesus-loving grandparents both within 1.5hours of us.



Dillon at swim lessons learning safety rules



He's so brave now



Abby and Maddie with Poppa




Hudson played in a bucket of water while
 Dillon was at swim lessons

Carter is too old to do those kind of things anymore.  He's a working man--remember? :)
Here is a pic my sister took while at the lakehouse.  Cuties ehh?



Chip away at it

Hopefully this will minister and encourage some of you like it has to me.  I've been reading Nehemiah the past few days in my yearly Bible reading program.  You know what is amazing about the story in Nehemiah?  The walls of Jerusalem were in ruins, there were only a few(compared to how many people used to be) people returning from exile, and the few Isrealites had little resources.  They used what they had, where they were, for God's work.  In an amazingly short amount of time, with enemies breathing down their backs, the people repaired the walls of their city.  They built the section of the wall that was directly near them, with their bare hands and skimpy tools;  toiling day and night to make a difference.  When they were done, the nations near were afraid of the Isrealites because God's power was made so evident.  It hit me...this is no different than today.  We fight for God's glory and honor, and we go about Kingdom business, chipping away one piece at a time.  I was so discouraged Sunday night.  My plea posting(on here and Facebook) for the little boy in SE Asia needing a family was met with Zero responses!!  Oh, lots read it(my stat counter says that 160 people have looked).  Yet not one person was willing to verbalize "Yes, we stand in agreement that this child needs a loving family ASAP."  I was mad, heartsick, and tired.  But, God's word revealed to me that I have to be faithful in repairing the broken walls in my area of influence.  I'm not called to rescue every one of the world's 160million orphans.  I'm called to faithfully do what God has called our family to do.  The results are up to Him.  What broken walls has He called you to start repairing??  To quote a great preacher  "Use what you've got, where you are, for who He is"!

Dillon's twin needs a family

You guys are not going to believe this!!  I got an email from a sweet friend of mine who wanted me to check out a lady's blog.  She said the blog reminded her of me because of my passion for the global orphan crisis.  I read the lady's blog(awesome writer and passionate heart for the orphan!).  It got me thinking about how years ago, I'd peruse waiting child sites all the time, just making sure I was up-to-date on my adoption issues, and, I could advocate for particular waiting kids.  So, I decided to check out Holt International's waiting child site, as they still post pics, most dont without a password.  Seriously, not at all exaggerating here, I found our precious Dillon's twin(5yrs younger)---waiting in an orphanage in the world for his own momma and daddy.  He is 3 years old and his medical and developmental description and picture could have been a straight from our home, 5yrs ago.  Click CHILD  to see him.



This is our Dillon at 3yrs old!


My heart completely breaks for this little boy.  Please, oh please, would one of you apply to adopt him?  I'm convinced that Dillon has done so well and gotten so healthy because God gave him his own family who push, love, pray, encourage, insist on the best treatments for him.  We aren't special at all--we are just a regular momma and daddy wanting our angel baby to thrive.  This waiting boy deserves that.  He doesn't care if you can't provide a shiny car, his own fancy room in a big house, a funded college account--he just desperately needs a family.

hi from the buried pile

Wanted to make a quick note:
  Had a great extended family, somewhat redneck, lakehouse trip with my parents and sibs.  Lots of floating in the lake, lots of kids running around, lots of food!
  Paddling upstream without an oar in Statistics class--praying to make a C.  It isn't exactly easy to study for Health Promotions and Stats with 4 kids at home.
  Have only heard once from my friend visiting her 4 kids they are trying to adopt in Ethiopia--kids speak some English and watched the video she took.  They pointed at Ryan and said "Pappa!" 
  Just heard that South Korea is going to host 2018 winter Olympics!!  HOORAY, we are going to save starting now.  First thought for me, no lie,.....ooooh, maybe we can bring home another precious Korean angel when we go ;)  I know, I'm nuts, especially since by then Mike would be 48 and me a little less than that.  Those almond eyes and jet black hair melt my heart.

Going to meet the 4 kids

Remember my precious friends who totally stepped out in faith and said YES to adopting a sibling group of 4 kids(ages 4-12) in Ethiopia??  Well, their process has been sllllllooooww.  So, Jessica and a friend, are leaving today to go visit those sweet darlings.  They have gifts and letters expressing their love for the children who are living in an orphanage.  Can you just try to envision the children's faces?  Oh, it is so sweet.  I wish I could come and take pics and see how God turns beauty from ashes--from being orphaned, living in an orphanage, wondering if you'll ever get a new family--to a beautiful auburn haired mamma flying from the other side of the world, delivering words of love and sweet treats.  Precious isn't it?