The Growing Family

As God brought our hearts together as a family to pursue adopting Katie and Christopher several years ago, He has brought us together again with a desire to be a forever family for Anya, Tanya, and Ruslan.

We met Anya and Tanya last summer (2012) through an international hosting program for orphans.  After investing 5 weeks pouring into them, we were gripped with the desire to bring them "home".

For years Anya has prayed for a family, and now God is answering that prayer.  Just as we desired that all may see God clearly through our adoption of Katie and Christopher, we desire that all see the incomprehensible glory of God in what He has now called our family to:  being a forever family for three orphans.

We are now in Eastern Europe to complete the adoption.  Prior to leaving the U.S., I asked Katie if she was excited about her new sisters and brother coming home.  She said she was "happy, but kind of sad."

"Why are you kind of sad?"

"Because all the other kids at the orphanage still need a family."

Wow.

If you would like to follow the work God is doing for Anya, Tanya, and Ruslan, please go to:  http://psalmthirty3.blogspot.com.

To God be the glory!

Unplugged.

This weekend went...Unplugged.

To start with, my irritation with that mind-numbing box for selling "soft-sin" that sat in my living room finally put me over the top. Now it's in our basement...Unplugged.

No more "baby-sitter" with a cord. We didn't let the t.v. be on that often prior to this weekend, but now it sits in the "dungeon" with its twin and all its technical partners.

To be honest, it's really hard to define, but what we do notice is that our kids (& ourselves) seek God more fervently, love each other more sincerely, and have a lot more self-control when the tube is dark. I truly believe that, for all of its beneficial uses, too often it becomes a conduit for selling selfish thoughts & impatience. And our family benefits from its silence. We'll keep "Tubey" around a while longer, but for now we'll let him rest peacefully.

Secondly, my "Not today" got Unplugged.

Take Jaden, Kellen, & Sage turkey hunting? Well, "Yes, today". We dressed in camo, drove through a creek, ate candy bars, talked about our Great God, army crawled in the dirt, hid behind sagebrush and little cedar trees, made turkey calls, and, oh, yeah, saw some turkeys. What a blast!

Add to that some frisbee, dodgeball, cuddling, Mountain Dew, drum circles, dancing, praying, conversations about our Awesome Lord, and lots of laughing.

"Not today"...Unplugged.

Thirdly, worship Unplugged.

Just two voices, a guitar, a djembe, & a sermon on our need for Jesus. Simple. Like our relationship with God should be...Simple. No PhD required. No multi-media effect required. No coffee kiosk required. No special Bible required. Really there are only two requirements: "...sincerity and truth." (Joshua 24:14)

God gave us a plethera of good things (including t.v.) to enhance our experience of trusting and serving Him, but every now and then the "good things" seem to distract our eyes and interests from the One who gave them to us.

So...have I gone Amish? Are we trading our minivan in for a horse and buggy?

I'd be lying to say that it doesn't seem appealing from time to time, but the Unplugged version of life reminded us this weekend that "All of life, comes down to just One thing. That's to know You, O', Jesus!, & make You known."

Maybe we should Unplug more often...

Let there be Light...

"Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you." (Is. 60:1-2)

God, may every day be about You and Your glory. May Your everlasting light shine.

The Light has come, indeed. And it will never leave...

Friday Night Lights Out...(O Sacred Head, Now Wounded)

"He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.'

'Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
'All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:3-6)

And the lights went out...

Isn't she bright, and cute, and cheerful?!? Yeah...this is what I would like to feel like! (I think my hubby and kids would like that too!) However, today, this is a little more accurate...

It is just one of those days when it is difficult to be loving and encouraging. I am quick to snap, easy to become irritable, and looking to pick an argument! I just want to be grumpy!

Unfortunately, the grumpiness is oozing out of me and infecting all the innocent bystanders--my husband and kids!



I need an attitude adjustment.



I tried chocolate...no dice.



I vented...nada.



I took a cat nap...still grumpy!



I think during these times, it is easy to believe the lies of this world...I can't control my emotions...I deserve to be grumpy...I can't help how I respond when my hormones are out of whack...it's all about me...



I am reading a great book right now called Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. It has been reminding me of my need to renew my mind (my thinking) by the Word of God. So, I went to my backpack (which is still unpacked from the hospital) and pulled out this book. I referred to some of the truths that counter these lies that I'm believing. Here is one that just happened to catch my eye...

There is no excuse for ungodly attitudes, responses, or behavior.

Ummm....maybe I shouldn't have gotten this book out after all. But I keep reading, and I turn to 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 in the Bible...

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole
spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus
Christ comes again. God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this.

Although I feel like I want to cling to grumpiness right now, my heart's desire is to be holy and blameless before God.


So, I am making a decision to choose a right attitude, a right response, and a right behavior--and I sense God's prompting me to begin this change of heart by publicly asking Todd's forgiveness...



Todd I love you! Will you forgive me for being argumentative, rude, and grumpy?



It's amazing how God works. The truth truly sets us free. I think I can see the sunshine starting to peek out!

Good Night

It's pretty tough to look at one of your precious ones when their hooked up to all sorts of hospital contraptions. You can't even hold them as cuddly as you want. You know that they are less than comfortable, but you know that those contraptions are helping them to improve their condition.

As a dad, I typically respond to illness in my children with frustration and anger. Not so much anger that spills over toward my children, but anger that I feel helpless to "fix" what is wrong. I've had great difficulty trusting God with the health of my kids. I know intellectually that He is more than Sufficient and Capable, and I choose to believe that. I know experientially that He is Sovereign over ALL things, and I choose to believe that. But there is difficulty in living that belief out.

I'm thankful that God continues to be just as Sufficient, just as Capable, & just as Sovereign no matter how I'm feeling or what I'm believing. He just IS. Malachi 3:6 says, "For I AM the LORD, I do not change..." Amen.

As it all relates to Katie, she is doing well. She should be able to come back home tomorrow morning. I can't wait. I hate leaving her hospital room knowing that I won't wake up and see her. I can only "visit" her.

For those parents who have a routine of hospital visitations and stays, I pray that God surrounds and protects your family, and that He provides you with encouragement and refreshment at just the right times.

I am hopeful and excited that tomorrow I will tell Katie "Goodnight. Sleep in the knowledge of the presence of God.", then kiss her, lay her down in her bed with her idea of a pillow, and know that she is home. That will be followed by a "Daddy, ada pease?" Then I'll get the water, and she'll say, "Taint-yu, Daddy."

Then I will know that it is a Good Night.

Back to the hospital...

Since arriving home with our family, Katie has flourished beyond our expectations. Sometimes I catch myself smiling and just watching her interact with her brothers and sister.

Everything from her physical motor skills to her health to her verbal communication has really blown us away. We are so thankful at how God has allowed her to blossom. So much personality in such a small package.

However, it seems that we keep revisiting ear infections. She has basically spent most of her life suffering from an ear infection or trying to recover from one(or two). As a result, the fluid and pressure in her ears is not able to drain properly. Well, this week we are hoping that those problems will be taken care of.

Thanks to a well organized and thorough team of doctors here in Billings, we were able to coordinate for Katie to have a "simple" procedure done in which she will have tubes put in to relieve pressure and fluid. Of course, by now you know, there is not much related to Katie's healthcare that is "simple".

Normally, the procedure would take less than half a day including the prep and observation/recovery time. In Katie's case, she will go in this afternoon to begin prep which will include an IV and a blood transfusion (courtesy of an unknown selfless volunteer who donated their own time and blood- Thank you). That will make up most of today. She will stay overnight, then wake up in the morning for the procedure. She will remain in the hospital for obeservation and recovery until Wednesday if all goes according to plan.

She seems to be doing very well today, which is a great sign. We are praying for God to strengthen her body for the procedure, protect her during the procedure and recovery from it, and for God to bless the doctors with success in all of their hard work. There are multiple variables (too numerous to mention) that the doctors have had to account for to keep Katie from as many risks as possible with her sickle cell. Thank you to them from our family for their dilligence, thoroughness, and humility.

Pray with us on her and her doctors' behalf. Thank Him with us also for bringing Katie to the one place in the world where she would have everything she needed. Just as God had prepared our family to receive Christopher and Katie, he also prepared our community both spiritually, physically and intellectually. Even before Katie made it to MT, God was training some of the doctors and hospital staff in treating a patient with sickle cell. He also brought into our lives folks whom have been a tremendous asset in making sure that she gets proper treatments (which are often quite different than the norm).

God is always Good. He is always Sovereign. He is always Omnipotent. He is never surprised. We rest in our Father and Lord. He is our Sufficiency. There is none who love our little Katie more than Him. So, while we pray on her behalf, we pray not with worry, but with trust in the One who heals merely with His Word.

James 5:16-18

Living With Purpose

It seems that God often communicates at deep levels with me at the tail end of the day. It might be that I'm not very good at paying attention during the daytime when life seems to happen at full throttle. Thus, I sit here, while most of the family sleeps, with my mind weaving in and out of life's purposes and praying for God's perspective and wisdom.

An hour ago, I wrapped up a discussion with Jenny concerning God's purpose for our lives. When we have these discussions, I love how Jenny always points me back to Christ, His Word, and communication with our Father. She is the greatest asset God has given me apart from Himself. I am so thankful for her...words are lacking.

Jenny and I are not content to simply be "positive" influences to those we meet and know (especially our children). We long to be people who, by God's grace and power, influence others toward life changing decisions to pursue and serve Christ passionately.

For some, that may mean we ask a genuine, but challenging question. For others, encouragement from God's Word. Still others, a life well lived in their presence or service. Whatever the specific situation may be, I pray that we would not casually squander our moments by settling for superficial conversations about busy schedules and nasty weather.

Too often we have wasted our moments. Too frequently we have taken the "easier" road. And too much we have missed the joy of helping someone surrender their life to Christ.

Father, please don't let us miss another opportunity with our children or with our friends, family, and acquaintances. Let Your heart's desire be our joy.

Not much else really seems to matter in the context of eternity and the Hope of all mankind, Jesus. Let us eagerly prepare for the celebration of the empty tomb and the defeat of sin and death.

Intentional Obedience

We had a huge celebration last Sunday as Jaden, Kellen, and Sage were all baptized. It was a glorious day. They each have their own story as to how they came to their decision to be baptized. The Holy Spirit prompted each of them at different times and in different ways.

We have talked about baptism throughout the last couple years with our kids... We would make it a point to have our children present (instead of in the nursery/child care) when someone was being baptized. Our children loved watching baptisms, and it would usually prompt many questions. It would also come up whenever we would read particular Bible stories. Sage especially like reading about John the Baptist and how eccentric he was, and we would usually end up in a long discussion. However, she would always end our night with "...but I don't want to be baptized. It would be too scary."

We never wanted to be the ones to "make" our kids be baptized. We truly wanted the Holy Spirit to be the One stirring their hearts. We were very careful to give them info about what Scriptures says about baptism, what it means, why God commands us, etc. without causing our kids to think "this is something my parents want me to do."

We started talking about baptism in everyday conversation a couple weeks ago. We told the kids that there was going to be an opportunity at church. Sage actually responded immediately with enthusiasm. She said, "I want to be baptized and tell the whole world that I love Jesus." She was genuinely excited and had plans of all the people she wanted to tell.

Jaden, on the other hand, was very hesitant. He knew it was a command, but he did not want to get up in front of the church. He had his mind made up that he would not be baptized.

Kellen has such a tender heart for Jesus. He wanted to be baptized because he loves Jesus and wants to follow him! It was something he just knew he was supposed to do.

Later in the week, just a few days before Sunday, we had Jaden and Kellen write in their journal why they have chosen to follow Jesus and also why they should be baptized. Jaden said, "well I don't have to write in my journal because I'm not getting baptized." I told him that he still needed to write about why he has decided to follow Jesus. So he reluctantly went to work. I ended up taking a cat nap, while they worked on their journal (unbeknownst to me). When I woke up, Jaden eagerly came to me with his journal wanting to read what he had written. He began sharing why he has chosen to follow Jesus. Then he flipped the page and started reading "why I should be baptized..." I was surprised, and asked him why he wrote that. He said that he decided that he should be baptized because God was commanding it, and he loves Jesus and has already chosen to follow Him. We were so proud of Jaden--especially that he would not let fear get in the way of doing what God has commanded! After making the commitment to be baptized, Jaden had such a joy and enthusiasm. He kept saying, "I can't wait until Sunday!" Then Sunday morning when he woke up, he ran up the stairs, saying "Today is the day I get baptized!!!"

Then on Friday, March 27th, we had each of the kids send an email to Pastor Marc, telling him of their decision. I love their emails because it shows their individuality--each of their personalities shine through. Pastor Marc actually had the emails put into power point and shared them with the church before each of their baptisms. Here is what each wrote...

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Hi

I am Jaden and I would like to baptised. Could I? Because I chose to follow Jesus for my whole life. I believe that God is my Savior!

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FROM:KELLEN
TO:PASTER MARC


I want to be BAPTISE ! I Love Jesus with all my hart ! I hav a journal to i'm going to read it.

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I want to be baptised...
because Jesus loves me and I love him a lot too (like a thousand, million, gillion, killion)
I want to follow Jesus because I love him so, so, so, so, so, so, so, much. I want to follow him where ever He goes. Jesus loves me and someday I will go to heaven. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. That makes me want to follow Him.

From: Sage (as dictated to my Mommy)

P.S. The "so, so, so, so" went on for about 2 minutes!

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On Sunday, everyone was so excited. We brought clothes to change into, towels, cameras.... Once we were at church and in the bathroom changing, Sage became very upset. She did not want to have to wear her capris over her swimsuit. They were going to get all wet. I tried explaining that everyone wears their clothes. She did not like this idea. It did not make sense why you would wear your clothes knowing you are going to get soaking wet. She remained a little uneasy throughout the service, and I was beginning to wonder if she might change her mind last second.
Finally we were called up front as a family. The order was for Jaden, the oldest, to go first, then Kellen, then Sage. Sage watched with a huge smile and clapped as her brothers were each baptized. Then on her turn, she quickly hopped into the "tub" eagerly anticipating her baptism. As she was dunked under, she had that panicky response, of being put under water. She scrambled, standing up, wiping the water off her eyes, as Pastor Marc asked if she was ok. She hopped out with a towel wrapped around her, and immediately turned to me and said, "Mommy, I want to do that again." We kept walking down the hall back to the bathroom, with Sage asking the entire way, "Mommy can I be baptized again. I liked that so much." She was disappointed when I said no, but I explained to her that she had many friends that had not been baptized yet. She can now encourage them to be baptized and tell them how special, awesome, and celebratory it is to be baptized. A week later, she has asked me a couple more times if she can be baptized twice because it was so much fun. I am so thankful that she has a memory of it being a joyous occasion.

It was such a special day. I was very overwhelmed with emotion and shed many happy tears. I couldn't help but think how we have prayed for each of our children to accept Jesus as their savior, to love Him wholeheartedly, and to pursue Him with passion. I realized that we had even begun praying that while each of our children were still in my womb. God had heard our prayers and He had begun answering them! There is no greater joy than living a life in complete surrender to Jesus. And to see our children start on that journey....pure joy!

Pictures!

Spring had finally sprung and all my crocuses were blooming! I was so excited. Spring is my favorite time of the year, and flowers just make me smile!

Then...we got more snow


Then...it melted. It would warm up during the day to melt everything, but freeze again at night. During this crazy Montana weather, we got this picture of a crocus completely encased in ice! (this was the day after taking the snowy basketball picture!)



For school, Jaden and Kellen had to dress like they were 100 years old. This was their interpretation...black socks and flip flops, highwaters, a robe, beards...


...and didn't you know that every old man has some great moves...


just a cute picture of Christopher!


Saddle Up! This is some Work Horse! Look how many kids are piled on!!!


Then the old horse gave out...


Then Mommy realized that half the kids were shirtless for the pictures as they were all getting ready for bed. So everyone had to find shirts so we could just take a couple more pics...but it seems we may have lost our Kodak moment...

The Quarantine House

This is the time of year where us Montanans catch some major Spring fever. There are a few who desparately cling to winter by catching a few extra runs on the ski slopes. But for a home full of kids, we're desparately ready for some serious outside time.

Spring fever is here in more ways than one. First, Jenny is just ready for them to have some room to run during the days, and not be stir-crazy inside. It seriously is getting to be like feeding squirrels coffee beans and turning them loose in our house.

Second, there is something about the arrival of warmer weather (perhaps the outside time helps) that helps us to sterilize our house from winter germs. We figure that most of the kids in Billings have been to our house this winter-or, at least, their germs have been. I'm finding that I'm becoming a bit OCD with keeping things cleaned up. Thankfully, Jenny does a GREAT job of keeping our house spotless. I'm really amazed at all that she accomplishes in a day. I certainly feel a bit guilty that she doesn't at least get paid vacations. She deserves it for sure.

Over the last couple of weeks, we've basically been keeping our house as a nonofficial quarantine site. Let's see...we've done the coughing, aching, sneezing, stuffy head thing. We've done the fever and headache thing. We've done the asthma/Croop cough thing. We've done the throw-up thing. We've done the whining, grumpy, "I want it now!" thing that goes along with all the other things. I'm sure I'm leaving something out,--and to that particular Virus or Viruses, I apologize for the lack of recognition.

So, if you've got sick kids, bring them on by, maybe we can expedite this "germ sharing" thing that we've drawn out all Winter. We're ready to be done with it.

FYI: Currently we are in the Asthma/Croop & Fevery, achy, runny nose, whining, grumpy, "I want it now!" thing. As a result, Katie has made her customary trip to the ER for blood work to rule out infections. She seems to be doing very well inspite of her fever. She is drinking a bunch of water & juice which is really helping. Hydration is a very big deal for her. We are so thankful that she continues to recoup pretty normally after these viruses blow through our house. It certainly is a contrast to our first few months after her arrival.

It's times like this where I know Jenny gets fatigued and strained from the "daily" stuff, but God knows how to strengthen and uphold her. Pray for her strength, patience, and rest as Spring finally blossoms here in MT.

Emmanuel - God with us.

Tonight we sat and ate dinner as a family. Nothing unusual about that. But conversation insued with Jaden, Kellen, Sage, and us about orphans who need extra medical care -like our Kisakye (Katie) used to be. As we talked with the kids, I found myself saying-without having truly considered it-that if Kisakye wasn't here with us, she might be dead by now.

(Pause) My own words made me stop for a second as I injested them. Lord, could that be true? Is it possible that the sunbeam smile, captivating eyes, and personality-plus sitting two seats down on my left might not even be in this world apart from Your Mercy expressed in our family?

(Another pause) Thank you, Father, that we get to be a part of what your doing down here. It's hard to believe that in my very house, the tangible expression of God's grace and mercy wakes up every morning singing her own praises to her Creator before Jenny gets her out of bed, and then dances her joy-filled limbs through the house to the breakfast table.

Emmanuel - God with us.

A couple of days ago, I was asked about generational sin and illnesses like Kisakye's. Though it was a sincere question, I found myself wanting to take the part of Protector of my baby girl. But still, it is true that children too-often bear the burden of rebellious offenses against God by adults around them.

I've ruminated on that question since, and asked God to give me His perspective and wisdom. Something about the context disturbed me,...until right now. Like dawn chasing darkness from a hidden valley, John 9:1-3 blazed in my mind.

Now as Jesus passed by He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."

I get it now! The question over who sinned is totally irrelevant and unproductive. The fact is, God has chosen to reveal His works in a little girl that is my daughter. Praise God for little miracles. And praise God that whatever her heritage may have been, it is now one that is blessed by God.

Emmanuel - God with us.

Quotable Quote

"When we make a present for Jesus, does He close His eyes?"

--Sage

Real Life

We recently received a package from J.B.,a friend of ours in Uganda. (I have written about him in previous posts from when Lacey and I were in Uganda. He is the pastor of the church I went to in Jinja, he took Lacey and I to a village to distribute our suitcase full of goodies to the kids, his wife, Grace, cooked many yummy meals for me, and he and his whole family blessed me tremendously. We love JB and his family!)

So when we opened the package, it was full of African outfits for each of our children. For any of you that have had to buy clothes for others, you know how difficult this can be. Imagine being in Uganda, buying African clothes for American kids you have never met nor seen in pictures! And all the clothes fit perfectly! Everyone loves their individual outfit and is very appreciative.

So, ever since we received this package, I have been thinking about how important it is for me to get a picture of the kids in their Uganda clothes. This is almost a daily thought. When I woke up this morning, I thought, since Jaden and Kellen are on Christmas break now, and everyone is home this morning with no plans of having to go anywhere, this will be a great day to get pics done. So I made a quick chore list for each of the kids with the last one being--change into African clothes.

Everything was going well until I had the camera out. All of a sudden the whole morale of the group went downhill fast! So I reminded them how fast pictures will be if everyone just cooperates and smiles!! This is how the next 20 minutes went:

Me: Everyone stand over here, ok smile, look at me! Christopher, put your shirt down. Jaden no bunny ears for this picture. Look! Smile! Uhh, that would have been good, but Katie you weren't looking at Mommy! Again...Sage please stand on two feet, Jaden, relax a little bit, that doesn't even look like a smile anymore...Click! That would have been good, except I can see your undies! Come one everyone, this doesn't have to take soooo long. Please just LOOK AT ME! SMILE! NOW! Sage, please stop looking at your reflection in the TV. Jaden please stop making funny faces. **Now comes bribery** Everyone look at me, smile and you will get a cookie! (Everyone gets excited and shouts "cookie") click, but now Christopher is sooo excited at the idea of cookie he can't stand still. Jaden has had it...there are no more smiles, he keeps raising his hands in the air, like he's had enough. I'm irritable and grouchy and just keep clicking the camera anyways. Kellen keeps running from his spot to the camera because he wants to see the picture I just took! I know I am nearing the end of every one's sanity, so I try to muster up some enthusiasm and announce that this is the last picture. Everyone give me your best smile! Click! Ok...that would have been the last picture, if Sage would have had been standing on TWO feet, if Jaden was smiling, if Kellen didn't have his arms wrapped so tightly around Katie and Christopher that it looked like they were in a choke hold, if Christopher didn't have his arms in the air, and if Katie didn't have drool down the chin! Augghhh! Let's try this again....Augghhhhh!!!!

And all of you are wondering why you haven't received our family Christmas picture in the mail yet! HA!









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So, in the middle of posting the above pictures, my friend Megan, popped in to say hi while on her lunch hour. She and I were downstairs, when we heard a sudden crash and the sound of things breaking or at least hitting the floor. We ran upstairs to find our Christmas tree laying sideways! Ornaments were everywhere. And there were two guilty hoodlums standing next to the tree! This gruffy mom (you are getting a great mental picture of me today!) sent them all to bed. Megan and I tried to lift the tree back into a standing position, which did not work well. As we are lifting and holding and the other is fixing the base, we realize part of the base broke. We notice this, as the tree is in the upright position, I am just letting go of the tree, and Megan is down on her knees looking at the base of the tree. This picture explains the rest...


When this happened, I said, "Megan, are you OK?" She muffled out a "yeah." So I said, "then hold on, I have to run and get my camera!" She graciously let me take this picture. We had a good laugh! If it were not for her being here at that moment...who knows... God knows how much we can handle, and then I guess, he sends in reinforcement!

thoughts...

Many have asked about Katie's health. Right now, she is doing well. We have had many ups and downs since bringing her home in April, and know that this will be the norm throughout her life. It is hard to get used to the fact that blood transfusions, hospital stays, and increased risks of complications will all be normal for Katie. My heart breaks and I have tears flowing as I write this. I want my daughter to be healthy. I want her to be able to play in the snow, to go hiking in the mountains... We know that God has chosen her for our family and that we would not be complete without her. I remember just a couple weeks ago when Kellen was in the ER getting an IV started...he was crying and saying how much it hurt...Kellen and I talked about how often Katie has to get an IV and how it helps us to understand what she goes through and to have a deeper compassion for her.
Why Lord does she have to have Sickle Cell? Why does she have to experience such pain?
A dear friend of ours, who is in his 20's, also has Sickle Cell. He lives in the same town as us, and is from the same town as Christopher and Katie in Uganda. (God has blessed us so much!) He is in the hospital with complications right now, and I ask you to pray for him. That God would heal his body, give him strength and that God would receive the glory. It is hard for me to watch what he is going through. The pain is so great. My heart aches for him. As I watch him, I can't help but think that this may be Katie some day. I feel so helpless. I want to stop the disease and not allow it to wreak havoc on her little body. But I can't. We live in a fallen world where there is sin, pain, and suffering. My eyes have to be fixed on Christ, the One who gives us hope, who forgives us for our sins, and gives us life everlasting. One day, there will be no more tears and no more suffering. Thank you Lacey, for sharing this song and video with me and for giving me a fresh perspective.
click here to view

I am flooded with emotions right now, there are tears falling onto my keyboard, and I am reminded by another song playing right now, "...that You make everything Glorious..." We are not alone. This is not in vain. Everything will be made glorious in His time. I also think about how hard it is to watch my child suffer and to feel helpless, and then I am reminded of God watching His only Son suffer on our behalf. God loves us so much. I am overwhelmed. Thank you Jesus. Click here to view another

I am determined to post tonight. I have sat down a couple other times over the last couple months and have really struggled to convey my thoughts. My thoughts are still jumbled, but I guess jumbled thoughts are better than no thoughts, right?!?

I will highlight some happenings from the last couple months to get you up to speed...

There was Halloween...we are not big fans of Halloween and we don't "celebrate" the day, but we do get dressed up and go to a Harvest Party hosted by a local church. I only included this so you could see the picture of our night out! Take a good look...Christopher, not Katie, is the pirate this time!



Then we had Kellen's birthday. He had a party at the bowling alley and we had a ton of fun. Kellen requested a particular cake that he had seen in one of my magazines from over a year ago. The moment he had seen this cake, he knew it was the one!


Todd got his first elk! I am sure I am leaving lots of details out on this one, so you'll have to talk to Todd to get the scoop!


The African Children's Choir was in town and it was amazing! Those kids are incredible. If they are coming to a city near you, GO! You will be in for a treat. I was emotional during the show, thinking about all that God has brought us through to unite Christopher and Katie with our family. What a fun night and we got to experience it with some dear friends!

Sickness...this could be a whole post in itself. We have had 4 with pink eye, 2 with strep throat, sinus infection, bronchitis, ear infection, emergency room trips for croup/severe breathing difficulty, emergency room trip for an inflamed hip joint which was thought to be a bone infection, impetigo, bacterial infections, hand surgery, and an allergic reaction to the antibiotic for the strep throat...and this is all in a 3 week period!

Jaden lost his two front teeth!


My sister has moved up to Montana and is in her 9th month of pregnancy! We are preparing for the birth of her little boy. We are happy to have her so close! My parents are living with us until they head back to Uganda, and the kids are loving their time with Grammy and Grandpa. Add 5 kids to the mix and a couple of dogs, and we have a full house! There is never a moment lacking in adventure. Our days are full and a wee bit busy! or crazy! However, you want to look at it!

Our life is full of blessings, and as we approach Christmas, we are so thankful that God has united our family. (Last Christmas we were longing to to have C & K here). God has accomplished a lot over this past year. As we go through dry times, it helps to look back and remember all that God has done. Today, I started reading our story from the beginning just to be reminded of our faithful and sovereign Lord. Even at times when I can't feel or see Him in the day in and day out, He is there. It has challenged me to look for glimpses of God throughout my day--even in the mundane activities or routines. I want to be in awe of God. I want to be aware of His presence.

Thank you Lord for never leaving us. May our eyes be fixed upon You, Lord, this Christmas season.

It's Official!

On October 1, 2008, we finalized the adoption of Christopher and Katie! Their names are legally changed and they now share our last name! We will also be getting Montana birth certificates for C & K with our names listed as the parents! This is the final and complete step in the process and it is a huge celebration. We will forever remember and celebrate Oct. 1st as our official adoption day. Our lawyer was very generous and did all the work at no cost to us--just because he is passionate about adoption. The judge loves adoption as well and made the day very special for us. He was genuinely interested in our story, in the kids' lives, and was quick to give God the glory for it all. On top of all this, we got to finalize the adoption with our friends--the Lundman's! We traveled together to Uganda in March to get our children and we got to finish together. It was a wonderful day!


The kids (there were 13 of them!) got to sit in the jury box!



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We also celebrated Sage's birthday recently as she turned 4! WooHoo!!



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Katie spent another weekend in the hospital. This time she was hospitalized for sickle cell pain which we believe was caused by the sickling of cells in her back. She is doing better and ibuprofen is her best friend.
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We had a major snow storm come through this last weekend which dumped 22 inches. The kids had so much fun building snow forts and snow men, throwing snowballs, and drinking hot chocolate. We lost many, many branches from our trees (the trees had not dropped all their leaves yet and it was a very heavy, wet snow).



Christopher's version of getting ready for the snow!


Sage's version of getting ready for the snow!


Since daddy did not approve of her first outfit, this was her second try at getting ready to play in the snow!

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Katie's hair is slowly getting longer, and I am having fun experimenting with tons of different hair products and hair styles. Here is one of them...


This is actually Katie's favorite look. We thought hair extensions might be too expensive and take too long, so we just have her wear the head-piece from Pirate's of the Caribbean =)

Feeling Guilty

I agree that I have been silent for too long... updating this blog has been on my to-do list for 4 months now! It is one of those things that has been hanging over my head, and the longer I wait, the more overwhelming it seems. Erinn is the one that finally gave me the little kick I needed to get this done, so thank you Erinn C.

Life is full! There is rarely a free moment to spare. I am going from the moment I wake up til the moment I go to sleep. I have never been so busy, yet I have never been filled with such joy from day to day. There is a new level of contentment that God has brought in my role of being a mom. The lesson that was ingrained in me while I was in Africa was "simplify." I have slowly been putting this into practice as I learn to differentiate between what things are good and what is best. I find it very easy to fill up my week with commitments and obligations only to be worn out and tired by the end of the week. I have decided that I am in a season of life where I need to scale back my level of involvement outside the home so I can focus more time in the home. My two main goals this school year is to homeschool Sage and to make "good" sit-down dinners every night. I want my family to know that they are my first priority and to show in practical ways that I care about them.

Since Katie and Christopher have been home, there is a greater since of unity and peace in our home. It is as if our family is a puzzle and there was a piece missing...and K & C were the piece that completed the puzzle. It is so normal, natural and just feels right having K & C in our family. There really hasn't been a transition. I honestly feel as though bringing these two home has been far easier than the transition of having my first, second or third child. We immediately found our routine. I believe this is only possible because of God's mighty hand. I think this is another reason I have taken so long to blog...because in one sense, it feels like Katie and Christopher have been with us forever, since birth. It feels like my time in Africa was years ago. Sometimes I forget that K & C have only been here for 5 months and although it feels so ordinary and normal to us, there are so many people that have traveled this journey with us that are longing for details and pictures. So please accept my apologies for not posting sooner. If I were in your shoes, I would be going crazy for pictures as well!

Katie's personality: Katie is very persistent and stubborn. Although this can be a trying trait for a parent of a 2 year old, we believe this is the reason she is still alive. She is a fighter! She is doing very well health-wise. We have had our share of ups and downs already...3 weeks after coming to America she had a blood transfusion and a hospitalization of 2 days; last month, she had another hospital stay of 2 days for a kidney infection; and then we've had a few ER visits here and there. We have also flown to the Denver Children's Hospital and are working with an excellent doctor down there who has teamed up with her pediatrician here. We feel very blessed to have found these doctors. She is on penicillin daily, we know to keep her bundled up, and we have learned her cues for when she is not feeling well. It has been a learning curve, but it has also become a part of our normal family life.

The best part has been watching Katie grow, flourish, thrive, and come to life. Nobody at Amani Baby Cottage would even recognize her now. She is constantly smiling (a great big smile that shows all her teeth), running around, talking, playing, pretending with her babies and the play kitchen...and she loves her music--anything with a good beat! Katie has amazing dancing skills and we have no idea where she learned these--it must be in her genes! Katie's great accomplishment this week is potty training. She is still in diapers at bedtime, but is doing awesome during the day! Katie is very compliant, likes rules and boundaries, and is very quick to let us know when Christopher has been disobedient. In public, Katie is quiet, reserved and shy, whereas, her brother Christopher is outgoing, loud, and loves to be the center of attention. He is a ham. He is very intense about everything he does. He does everything whole-heartedly and usually has a ton of fun while doing it (even things as simple as climbing into a chair). He is a charmer and has some wonderful facial expressions. Todd's nickname for Christopher is "Cos" because there are a lot of similarities between Christopher and Bill Cosby! One last thing about Christopher is that he tends to be very neat and orderly, a little OCD at times. His blanket has to be just right, his shoes have to be lined up in the mud room, things have to be put back where they go. It is a little funny that his favorite toy is the little red Dirt Devil vacuum.

Christopher and Katie have overcome most of their original fears...dogs (well at least our dog), stuffed animals, bath toys, and bugs. There is still one thing they cannot stand (not necessarily a fear) ...They hate the microwave. Every time I put their milk (they love warm milk) or food in the microwave, they start crying. We go through this everyday. I think they believe the microwave is going to eat their food! But everyday I explain and show them that their food is still there. Christopher is crazy about his food. He LOVES to eat. One day C & K were doing laps around the kitchen table having fun and chasing each other. All of a sudden, Christopher comes to a screeching halt, bends over, picks up a crumb, puts it in his mouth, and goes back to running full speed. Needless to say, Christopher is a few pounds heavier than Katie and a few inches shorter! He is our little football player. Katie is long and lanky, she is our dainty dancer!

We have had fun with the endless questions I get asked every time I go anywhere. Here are some of them:

*Do you run a daycare?

*Are Christopher and Katie twins? (Some have even asked if they are identical!) Then when I answer "No, but they are only 6 days apart," I get a funny look and am asked, "so are they from the same mom?"

*Is your husband black?

"Wow, you have a lot of kids. Do you like it that way?"

We are enjoying our time together as family. Todd and I love watching Jaden, Kellen, Sage, Christopher and Katie all interact in a way that can only be explained by the bond of Christ. God is good, all the time!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

***Just to give an idea of time...I started this post on the 24th early in the morning. I got 1 paragraph written. 9 hours later, I got another paragraph written. 2 days later, I got the pictures loaded and finished! Whew!

Something Old, Something New

That's basically what it feels like around here.

There's definitely something new with Katie and Christopher. A new family dynamic; a new routine; a new perspective on God's purpose for our lives; a new beginning for all of us in many ways.

Yet, still, there is something old about it all...

Have you ever bought a pair of shoes or pants that made you look twice to make sure they weren't "pre-worn" because they provided the comfort of your old one's? Have you ever been to a place you know that you have never experienced before, and it still felt strangely like home? Have you ever made a new friend in some wierd circumstance, and after a few moments you connected like best friends since junior high?

In a very abstract way, that's what it's like with Katie and Christopher being "home". By our strange disappearance of blog entries, you may have deduced that our days have precious little "left-over" time which has definitely caused us to be more deliberate with each moment. Yet, God's presence is still abundantly clear, and His grace flows in a continual stream.

I've often found myself at the edge of a mountain stream wondering when the water will run out and stop flowing. Perplexed, I keep watching and listening as the dribble, gurggle, pop, and splash never show signs of fading.

Welcome to God's grace. It is the stream that never fades or falters. It is never late, and is always enough for the present need. Sure, there is never enough water in that mountain stream to meet the demands of hundreds of years, but there is always enough for that moment. There is an endless supply of grace; never in surplus or need; always just enough.

We remind ourselves of this as Katie is in her first major hospital visit here in Montana. She is requiring a blood transfusion to overcome some difficulties with her sickle cell. She's weak, tired of being poked and prodded by the nurses, and generally in a little of a fowl mood, but she is very gritty and tough. A couple of weeks ago she had blood drawn, and I watched in amazement as she merely blinked when they poked her with the needle. Then I watched her scream in complete terror as they attempted to put a band-aid on her wound. Go figure, but she is certainly tough. That's God's grace in the life of a little girl with a difficult disorder. His grace is practical and sufficient.

Pray for her health, and ask God to do what we pray over her every night: That she would rest in the knowledge of the presence of God.

Matt. 28:20, "...And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Lots of...

Lots of poopie diapers,
Lots of crying,
Lots of chaos,
Lots of messes,
Lots of laundry,
Lots of dishes,
Lots of love and joy!

We are getting into a good routine and I am feeling almost caught up on sleep. There were a couple days when Todd got home from work last week and I had the kids fed and in bed already--it was only 5:30pm! And they actually slept through the night until 7am! C & K are doing terrific. They are eating very well and liking all the new food. I know the Amani mamas would be shocked that the kids are surviving without eating any posho! Their starch bellies are even shrinking in size. Katie eats about the same size portions as Todd. She keeps eating and eating. I will ask if she is all done and she shakes her head no. I then ask if she wants more and she will sign "more." So we keep feeding her. I can't wait to take the kids to the Dr. for a checkup in a month to see how much they have grown. They already look and act healthier.

At home, the kids feel safe and secure, so we have really seen their personalities blossom. Katie is a little teaser. She has the funniest faces. She and Todd will make funny faces and point at each other--this has become a morning ritual. She makes us laugh so much. She is following commands very well and is signing "please," "more," "all done," and "thank you." She loves music, singing and dancing. Yesterday as the radio was playing, Todd picked Katie up and started dancing and twirling around with her. Katie had the biggest smile and my heart melted as time seemed to freeze for just a moment. She is just so happy so much of the time. Katie seems to be more outgoing and courageous than Christopher, but when she doesn't want to do something there is no changing her mind. She can throw a good temper tantrum!

Christopher is a ham. He loves to laugh and his new saying is "tickle, tickle, tickle!" as he tries to tickle your chin. He loves to find the humor in everything--even mischief and discipline--he usually has this little smirk that is not so funny when you are the parent. When we go out in public, Christopher is the scaredy cat. He is extremely cautious and scared of everything....
Todd's guitar, stuffed animals, toys that make noise, and most people... He will give high fives and pound knuckles, so this is a start. Today he went into the church nursery with minimal crying. When I picked him up, the workers said he did great. He just ate lots and lots of goldfish crackers--That's a sure way to get on Christopher's good side!

Jaden, Kellen, and Sage are enjoying their new brother and sister. They are adjusting very well and have become huge helpers around the house. It has been such a joy to have our family together. Although to an onlooker it appears as complete chaos in the home, there is actually a sense of peace. I even had a dream the other night that I picked up the violin and played perfectly. (I do not have one music gene in my body). Todd says the violin is the instrument of peace and that I must be feeling peaceful. I can't find any other way of describing being home and being together as family. It just feels right, normal, natural, peaceful and joyful.

I know we have been covered in prayer and I thank you for that. There has been an outpouring of love, support, encouragement, prayers, and kindness. It has been a wonderfully warm welcome home and we are so blessed. Thank you for partnering with us in this journey. I had previously mentioned in a blog, "it is finished!" I believe it is more accurate to say that that particular chapter is finished. However, this new chapter is just beginning!

**I have not forgotten about posting pics and video. It just requires a little more time than I can seem to find! One of these days...!