My 6yr old

Is an angel. Yep, he has me wrapped so tightly around his little finger. Hey, I'm honest. I admit it. He is rotten and the apple of my eye. Of course I love my other kids and they are great kids! But if you have a child with special needs, you know what I mean. There is this fierce momma bear instinct watch over and protect him. He is just the kind of kid that mean bullies could take advantage of. He is very small for his age. He is timid and unsure of how to act around peers that he doesn't know well. And, he has a severe speech/language disorder. It is a very cruel disorder. He knows what he wants to say. He looks at you with big black almond shaped eyes trying to speak and use gestures, some sign language, to portay his story. I know what he is saying, most of the time, but others don't always get it. Last night we were hanging out in the street with several neighbors and children playing. One boy was particularly rough and unruly. Later that night I was bathing Dillon and he looked at me seriously and said "Momma, I tawk you. Man hut me." I asked him "A man hurt you?" He said "uhuh" and then slapped himself on the cheeck. I asked him "did he hit you?" Dillon said yes. I asked him "a man hurt you or a little boy". Dillon stretched his hand up and said "big boy!" Then, the pout came and he leaned in for a kiss. My heart was so burdened for him. He has had to climb uphill his whole life. Everything your typical child does with ease is a struggle for Dillon: breathing, drinking, talking, singing, running, learning letters. You'll not find a sweeter child though. He pays close attention to others feelings. When we walk hand in hand he will lean over and kiss our hands. He has taught many many people about being kind and loving those who have special needs. My dad is one of them. My dad is now champion of those with special needs! I leave you with a plea- teach your kids about being kind and patient with people who have different abilities.

Thanks for sharing your journey

We have had the wonderful privelage of meeting an amazing family about 4 years ago and watching the journey they have walked throught. E. and R. are parents of 3 little ones and were serving at a seminary in Romania when their daughter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. With no advanced medical care available, they sent out requests to the US. God stirred some people in our towns hearts and brought the whole family here. Over the last 4.5 years, this family has lived here and gotten treatment for their child. Many times in church, we would have special prayer times and offerings for them. Several times the child was very near death and doctors gave no hope. I'm so excited to say that today, they made special appearance at our church to say goodbye. They leave next week for Romania, with all their children! Their daughter is currently cancer free!! Neuroblastoma is one of the most aggressive childhood cancers with a grim prognosis. This special little girl has had kidney damage, re-learned to walk several times, and spent more time in ICU than any human being should be able to endure. So, to the S. family, we say THANK YOU for sharing your miracles, your family's joys and struggles, and most of all for your testimony to God's faithfulness. You have served well. May God bless your work in Romania with peace, fruit, friends, health, and most of all may HE receive glory through your family!

Battling some anxiety

We are so close to getting our travel call. Seriously, it could be today, or at least in the next 2 weeks! I'm starting to really struggle with some anxiety over our trip. I'm scared of how much our plane tickets are going to be. Have you ever bought tickets to Korea during peak season with only 3 days notice??? Not cheap! I'm scared of the plane ride home with a 20months old little boy who has never seen us before. If you are a passenger on our flight home, I'm sorry. I'm scared of figuring out who is going to take care of Dillon and Carter while we are gone and how they are going to juggle football practices, school and schedules. I'm really scared of them getting sick or hurt and I can't get to them. Just a few months ago, Dillon was very sick. He had a febrile seizure for the first time ever at over 6yrs of age. Because it is abnormal to be so old for your first febrile seizure, he spent 2 days in the hospital and got a spinal tap and EEG, IV antibiotics and breathing treatments. What if it happens again and I'm on the other side of the world?? I was holding him during the seizure. It was terrifying and I thought he was dying(and I've been a critical care nurse for a long time). Then 2months later, Carter fell while ice skating and got a serious concussion. He also spent 2 days in the hospital and the CT scan showed several tiny areas of bleeding in his brain. He is fine now, but what if it happens again and I'm not able to get to him? It would take at least 2 days for us to get home for an emergency! The enemy is really using my need to be in charge and on top of things to rob my joy right now! I've not slept well the past 3 nights because of worrying. I know my Father God is in control and I can't change anything. I'm praying Phillipians 4:6-7 right now.
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

How do people deal with life without knowing Jesus as their personal savior, friend, helper? If I believed the humanistic mumbo-jumbo about everything in life being left to chance, that my God wasn't involved in every aspect of my life and didn't hear my prayers, I'd fall apart.

A quote that stings!

An amazing blogger that I follow everyday wrote this quote on her blog. It stings quite a bit!

Doug Phillips: The Bible calls children blessings and debt a curse. Yet in our society we apply for curses and reject blessings. Something is wrong with this picture.

An update--yippeee!

Our lovely caseworker asked Korea for an update on Seong Cheol(Hudson). Of course, he is perfect! He isn't near as chunky as I was guessing him to be based on the video from March. He weighs about 27 pounds and is 32 inches tall. He says lots of Korean words including grandfather and grandmother. He loves to go outside and runs well! He sounds like a delightful 20months old boy. Sure wish I knew what his chubby cheeks felt like to smother with smooches, what makes him giggle, what makes him scared, how it feels to carry him on my hip, if his eyes disappear when he grins like Abby's do, if he takes a pacifier, what songs is he learning, how he looks when daddy throws him in the air????? As a follower of Jesus, I totally believe that God has every detail in His control. There is a perfectly good reason for our delays, but oohhh, is it hard to deal with everyday!!
Proverbs 3:3-5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.

From my prayer warrior's mouth

Abby has always been a super prayer warrior. When she was 2.5, she'd stand on the fireplace, wearing a pink ballerina outfit, hold a Bible and say over and over again "Jesus God, Jesus God."! Her prayers are like 30yr old women's. Tonight, like everynight since March 10th, we prayed for baby Hudson. From her heart came... "and please God, let Hudson's papers be done soon so we can go to Korea cause I'm tired of praying for this every night."!!! HA! If that doesn't get our Heavenly Father to cracking up, I don't know what would ;) Hopefully it will work , cause, honestly, I'm getting tired of praying the same thing!!

Growing in numbers and fun!

Our family Christmas this year will be super duper FUN! One of my sisters is due in 3 weeks with baby Kylie. Another sister has baby J, the beautiful and crazy little foster baby. Well, we found out that the birthmother is supposedly due in a few weeks! My sis and her hubby will most likely get the baby from the hospital. And, we should travel in 3 weeks for Hudson! So, literally within the same weeks time, 3 kids will join our family. We still have a sister who is young and newly married who hasn't started building her family yet. What a zoo it will be when she has several kiddos. What blessings! What precious, loud, fun, crazy memories :))