AwaitingKate...

Letting Go...

2011-09-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken a week ago on our last day with Barron. For a number of reasons God has asked us to let go of something that we treasured. It was extremely hard for our family. But He came along side of us and provided a very good home for Barron. He has a new family that treasures him like we did. We are so thankful for that, but it is still bittersweet. Funny thing is...I never thought of myself as a horse owner, but I really loved it. It sort of changed me. Horses are just an amazing part of God's creation. The fact that He could design such an animal points to His majesty and supremacy. No wonder His Son will return to this earth riding a horse....

Two Teenagers Now!!!

2011-06-27T10:56:00.000-07:00

Logan, my newest teen (and Penny)

Hunter and Barron

Well, this weekend officially made me the mom of 2 teenagers.Heaven help me!!! My Logan turned 13 over the weekend, joining her 15 year old sister, Hunter. Personally, I think the teenage years can be a challenge. I would take the" terrible 2's" any old day. The secret??? Whatever it takes to keep them walking with the Lord even though the World is constantly pulling them in other directions. I long to enjoy these years to the fullest, but their are days when I hang my head and feel failure pressing in. Praise God for His grace and mercy over and through our situations! Praise Him that He loves our children even more than we can imagine!(Praise Him that I won't have another teenager for 5 more years!) Anyway, Logan had a very good time celebrating with her family and grandparents. We are THANKFUL to have this young lady as our daughter. Happy Birthday, Logan... we.hope and pray that this is your best year yet!!!

How Beautiful!

2011-04-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

My husband and I (and the rest of the family) spent last weekend in a little country town seeing Randy's eldest daughter (Elisa) get married. We also photographed the event...no stress here! It was a beautiful ceremony and Lisa was completely elegant in her gown. She was a radiant bride if ever I saw one. Randy and I also took her portrait the week before. Yes, you heard me right, I said the WEEK before the wedding...no stress here! I could not help but be reminded that this year marks 20 years of marriage for me and Randy. Twenty years! Is it possible? It also brought to mind that a successful marriage makes Christ the center. I can look back at the ups and downs and give thanks that He was ever present for us to lean on and still is. Randy and I wish all the happiness and joy in the world to Elisa and Ryan.
The new header photo is of Kate looking out of the church where the wedding took place. This church was built in the mid 1800's and overlooks the graves of Revolutionary and Civil War soldiers.

WANTED: This Video Says it All

2011-03-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

WANTED: This Video Says it All

If you have 8 minutes.....please watch this.

Valentine's Day Question???

2011-02-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

Anybody out there know of anything SEXIER than a man who will take another man's child as his own...give that child his energy , love, guidance and support in every way??? A man who would give that child something very precious.... his last name.... and the reputation that goes with it??? Me either!!!!
(Just a little plug for my valentine today.)
Lisa

Chinese New Year Celebration

2011-02-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

Two Saturdays ago we all went to watch Hunter, our 14 yr old, dance the double ribbon dance at this year's CNY celebration. She was the token white girl dancing but it doesn't bother her so it doesn't bother me. I have to admit, however, that I did wonder how many people in the crowd thought she was Chinese and had albinism. Anyway, my girls are allowed to dance because we are a part of FCC here in Raleigh. FCC stands for Families with Children from China and since we have Olivia, we qualify . Olivia was not dancing this year as she would rather do a double back hand spring than twirl. Oh well. It is a lot of fun to watch these girls dance , but sobering to know how drastically different their lives would be if families had not stepped up and adopted them. So much talent and beauty and potential and wonder in these little lives. Praise God that they are now in a place where they are appreciated for the treasure they are. So many are still languishing in orphanages. It's haunting.
On another sad note, Olivia , a few years ago, did dance the Scarf Dance with about 30 other 4 yr old Chinese adopted little girls. This year there was no Scarf Dance. I thought they had just done away with it because it was a lot of work (can you imagine teaching 30plus 4 yr olds to dance??/) and they didn't have the teachers to do it. But no...there was no Scarf Dance this year because there were no 4 yr olds signed up to dance, presumably because of the massive slowdown in adoptions out of China over the past few years. Tragic!!!

My Kate Turns 4!

2011-02-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

Unbelievably my littlest girl turned 4 last week. We just happened to all be sick with what we thought was the flu, but what turned out to be just a rogue virus, so there wasn't much of a celebration on her actual birthday. (Yeah, now we can still catch the flu!) So, this week, we celebrated with Kate's friends at ballet. It was just right. Eight sweet kids, a wonderful hostess (thanks Jody) and Duncan Doughnuts with sprinkles...just right!!! Kate ...this is your mother telling you to stop growing now!!! I don't want you to get any bigger!!! Not one bit bigger!!! Happy Birthday sweet baby: )

Happy Birthday Beautiful Girl!

2010-12-12T17:41:00.000-08:00

Olivia turns 8 yrs old later this month but we had her party today to try and dodge the Christmas schedule rush.
She had a great time with her friends and family, and my special gratitude to Hunter and Logan for taking over the horse and barn segment of the party. I am so thankful that this little treasure could celebrate her life with a family who loves and cherishes her beyond words. How many children in this world pass over their birthdays, year after year, without even knowing it as they languish in orphanages . Lord, raise up an army of families to rescue your littlest lambs.... and Happy Happy Birthday Olivia!!! We love you very much!!!

Amazing Gift to be Thankful For...

2010-11-27T20:04:00.000-08:00

What an amazing gift we Americans have been given. A few hundred years ago God stirred the hearts of men and women to leave house and home and set out across the ocean for lands unknown. They risked life and limb for freedom and opportunity and the ability to worship God without persecution. This was the sight I awoke to this week in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. It was awesome! It was beautiful! And I couldn't help but think that our founding forefathers , by the grace of God, fought to establish this beautiful land as the country we all know and love...the greatest country in the world ....a gift to us all.

Happy Fall, Ya'll!!!

2010-11-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

It is , of course, officially fall here in the Carolinas, but it really doesn't feel like it to me until the NC State Fair rolls through . This year the girls entered the Fair competition with foods and crafts. Hunter, Logan and Olivia all won ribbons so it was a banner year! Especially thrilling was the blue ribbon that Logan brought home for her first quilting project. Girls, we are so proud of you!!!

Look How I Spent My Day....

2010-10-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

My friend, Kristin, and I and 5 of our 8 children headed north to Virginia today to spend some time with our dear friend, Adeye, and her kids. God gave us beautiful weather, a perfect fall day to spend outdoors. As Adeye would say, it was "lovely"! Ps. Thanks , Kristin, for getting the whole thing started with Starbucks!

Our Treasures from Afar: What did those shirts say?

2010-10-15T12:50:00.000-07:00

I stole this from my bloggy friend Karin. If you have just 2 minutes, you should click on her link and watch the video she has posted. I trust it will make your day: )

Our Treasures from Afar: What did those shirts say?: "I don't know if you have been as mesmerized by the rescue of the Chilean miners as I have been, but wow. I noticed as they were pulled from..."

Unbelievably Blessed!

2010-09-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

OK, right now I am noticing that my blog is at the bottom of everyone's list as I am finding that I am only capable of posting once a month. But I do want to do at least that much! And I have had this post rattling around in my head for a while. And today is the day that I am I letting is out.....
Life on this planet is tough. That is just the way it is, we live in a fallen world! All around us people are hurting , hungry, lost and alone. Most of US (reading this blog) are parents that have had the opportunity to follow God down the path of adoption. We have read the Bible and understand that it is our duty and privilege to care for the orphans of the world in some capacity. We have experienced the joy and anticipation and thrill of bringing home a child that needed a family. We know how blessed we are to have these hand-picked little ones come into our lives, look up at us and call us Mommy and Daddy. We know that the adoption road can have twists and turns but we can endure because we LIVE the blessings of adoption on a daily basis. However, what I have been thinking about lately are the women and men that enabled us to become adoptive parents in the first place. For every child that is orphaned , there are a set of biological parents somewhere. For every time an adoptive parent first gazes at that referral photo on the laptop, a biological mom or dad has surrendered a child because they knew they could not keep it. For every moment of glee in our lives over this new addition to our families , there existed a moment of confusion, terror, and desperation in the life of someone else. It is very sobering. Adoption is a wonderful thing. It is the fulfillment of God's promise to make beauty from ashes. But at its very core is a broken life or heart, probably more than one. But... what really focused me on blessings lately is the fact that, for whatever reason, God picked me and you and most of my blog friends to be the ones to stand in the GAP between hopelessness and hope, between despair and dreams, between life and death... for little boys and girls all over the world. I have thought , lately, that I could have been that mother surrendering my child to an attorney or orphanage because my situation was dire. I could have been the one with the broken heart, longing to hear some word about the state of my child that I left at the gate of an orphanage in a wicker basket at 2 or 3 days old because I could not bring her home to my distraught husband. There are biological mothers all over the world that endure this reality on a daily basis. I could have been one of them....
But I am not. By God 's infinite grace , my spirit was made aware of the need, I was supplied the money , I had access to people in the adoption realm that could make it happen, I had family members supporting us, I had a home and resources that a child would need, I got the adoption shower and well wishes and prayer support, and then..... I got to go and claim this bundle of joy for my own. And now, on a daily basis, I get to watch her grow, I saw her first steps, I get to calm fears and bandage hurts, I get to teach her about Jesus, I get to hear the funny things she comes up with , I get the looks of adoration and the warm hugs and smushy kisses. I get all of this! Why should one woman get ALL of this??? It is simply unbelievable blessing. I take it for granted too much of the time. But consider this, instead of cyberspace uniting us to blog and compare the ins and outs of adoption ,we could be united by immeasurable loss of a child that we felt we could not keep. I praise God in Heaven for turning His face toward us and blessing our families with the miracle that is adoption, and I lift up the mothers and fathers that actually created these children that we call our own. I praise Him for giving them the courage not to abort and I pray that he will bless their sacrificial hearts.

My friends, we are so unbelievably blessed (just in case you haven't felt that way lately)....

Back from the Beach...

2010-08-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Again! Does anyone still check my blog for new posts?
Our family has just returned from the coast. It was a fun and fast week. I really didn't want to come back to be honest. School starts in a week and I don't feel ready or able. How can summer almost be over???? Wasn't it just May 31st? OK, enough whining.
The beach was beautiful as always. A thousand little creatures to observe and waves to ride. We witnessed 3 weddings, believe it or not, as well as two men hopping up from their towels and calling their family members in from the surf (because they thought they saw fins).Did I mention that it was Shark Week on the Discovery Channel while we were there? (I think everyone was a bit jumpy.) I knew we had seen too much of it when Kate declared to me that the tide pool had a shark in it.
Anyway, we had the chance to take lots of photos which is so much fun. Friends asked us to photograph their family in the dunes and we loved the challenge and learning opportunity. Hopefully and prayerfully we got some shots that they will love. And now for a few of my favorites from the week...

Just Plain Fun!

2010-07-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

Last week I finally got to meet a friend of mine, Adeye, that I have only known through blog land for the past 18 months. When I discovered her blog, she was the adoptive mom of 2 and pursuing 1 more little girl in the Ukraine. I gleaned and gleaned from her godly wisdom and exhortation. I was bolstered by her courage. I had so much fun getting to know her from afar. Then, as God would have it, my real life girlfriend , Kristin, and her husband, decided to adopt through the same ministry and country as Adeye and they were able to meet in person this past winter. Fast forward 6 months....

Now that the adopted little ones are all home, Kristin and I made the trek north and Adeye made the trek south and we were able to meet , the 3 of us and our 15 children, just over the Virginia state line. I have no more words so I will just let the photos tell the story.

Guess What ! We're Adopting Again!!!!

2010-07-09T06:37:00.000-07:00

As much as I wish it could be another of God's little girls somewhere in the world, this time we are adopting a creature of the 4-legged persuasion. I have 3 daughters that are horse crazy (one of which is completely bonkers) . The completely crazy one has been begging for a horse of our own for many moons now. Anyone who knows anything about horses knows that they can be very expensive to keep. Therefore the answer was always a resounding "no", unfortunately. Well, the prayers must have been ascending from our house to the throne of Heaven in droves because a couple of weeks ago a friend of Randy's (who has a horse farm and has been attending a Bible study that Randy has been leading ) offered us a horse for a few months. He appreciated the fact that the horse would have so much attention and love and would be ridden, and it was one less for him to worry about. Swell!! except for the fact that we had no place to keep a horse. We called a neighbor who also has horses and asked if she had room for one more. She did!!!One more mountain, we cannot afford horse boarding. Our neighbor offered that the girls could exchange stable duties for boarding costs. Really???? No one but God could have worked this out. How amazingly sweet of Him to give my girls the desires of their hearts like this. So, without further ado, meet the newest, much anticipated, member of the Allen family...Barron, our bay, Tennessee Walker.

Help if you are able...

2010-07-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post about a blog friend, Holly, who has a huge heart for orphaned children and is fund raising for her second adoption. If you are looking for an opportunity to help with the orphan crisis around the world, consider giving to Holly's adoption fund. Two ways...first, you could simply bless her family with a love offering or , second, you can go to her blog (A Purpose Driven Life) and read about her fund raiser on Etsy. This company allows a certain percentage of all sales tomorrow (7-6-2010) to go to Holly's adoption fund AND you get some beautiful or whimsical jewelry to give as gifts. It is a win- win situation!!! You can scroll down my favorite blogs list and click on Purpose Driven Life to visit Holly's blog and help out. Thank you in advance!!!!
ps-Once you are on Holly's blog, scroll past the latest post. The next post down is on her fundraiser. May God bless your efforts to help the "least of these".

Finally!!!

2010-06-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

Randy , the girls and I finally got to meet Miss Nadia Ferguson last Sunday. Boy, was it just me or did it seem like a lifetime since I first lay eyes on her last December when Jim and Kristin announced their adoption?????

Anyway, it was certainly worth the wait. She was sweet and delightful and entertained us all. I will never get over watching an orphaned child become treasure in the eyes of a family. Of course, she always was precious in the eyes of God. So glad he opens our eyes to the truth of where TRUE treasure is hidden on this earth. So glad Jim and Kristin set their hearts on finding it....

Happy Father's Day....My Gift This Year !!!

2010-06-20T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well, this was an interesting Father's day for me. I just have to say that I am glad my father is still with me. He almost wasn't. Almost two weeks ago my father was driving in his 89 toyota pickup (yes, that is 1989) and turned on the airconditioning. He heard a strange sound and then there was an explosion within the engine area . The next thing he knows, the truck is on fire and smoke and flames are billowing into the cab through the vents. My father was able to get out but, in grabbing his wallet and cell phone, he burned his hands. By the time the fire engines arrived, flames were shooting 15 feet into the air. The truck was a total loss.
My father did receive some burns, but I don't have to tell you how tragically this story could have ended. In my mind, I can see the door jamming closed and my father unable to get out of the fire. I easily could have been planning and attending his funeral this week. So ...I really want to thank my Heavenly Father for allowing me to have and keep my earthly father for another day and another Father's Day.

Grab a tissue first....

2010-06-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hope is Fading from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.

Adoption...Modern Day Miracle

2010-06-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

My family and I were blessed to witness a miracle today. Today we watched as a little girl on the other side of the world lay her big blue eyes on her family for the very first time. Her name is Nadia . This adoption journey began 6 months ago and culminated this morning when Jim and Kristin were able to hold their child for the first time and wisper to her that she was loved and wanted and coming home. Nadia went from orphan to treasure in the blink of an eye. What could be more miraculous than that? !! Congratulations to the Ferguson family and all the extended relatives....miracles this big have a way of spilling over into every life they touch! To God be the glory...great things He has done!!!

Hello Again and Hunter is 14!!!

2010-06-05T19:36:00.000-07:00

OK...it has been a while since the last post. School is over for another year.Finishing up this year was a full time effort. In the fall I am teaching 9th, 7th and 3rd grades plus keeping a preschooler happy. (I think I am tired already.) But for now, I am enjoying my first week of summer with my girls. I cannot remember anticipating another summer as much as I have this one. And now it has come...

I have been wanting to post my eldest daughter's, Hunter, 14th birthday party. It was actually almost a month ago now. She had her best buddies over for a cookout, homemade ice cream Sundays and some girl time. She is now 14 and I have no idea how she got that old. (Wasn't I just watching the stick turn blue and telling Randy that we were going to have a baby?) Anyway , this one is a spitfire... fiercely independent, passionate about horses , knowing exactly how the world should run, computer whiz, adoption advocate , lover of fore lorn animals and anything Japanese. I am grateful that Jesus is always watching over her, and I pray that she will stay by His side all of the days of her life. Happy Birthday Bootsie!!!
( In the first photo , Hunter is wearing Western chaps that she received from her Grandparents as a birthday gift. Even a horse lover can be pushed to her limit. Note her body language as she is obliged to try them on. Hee hee!)

Happy Mother's Day to You!!!

2010-05-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a beautiful photo of my cherubs to post on this day when I celebrate God's plan and purpose in making me a mother...after all, He used Hunter and Logan and Olivia and Kate to bring His plan to fruition. But I couldn't find a picture of them all to post and my thoughts really went a different direction anyway...
When God whispers in my ear and reminds me of my purpose as a mother to these children, I hold these inspirations very close to my heart as precious nuggets of pure, gleaming gold, grounding me AND allowing me to soar, all at the same time! He has given me two lately...
A few Sundays ago, sitting in the service with Kate on my lap, I couldn't help but think of her life if God had not brought us to her. The choir was singing a old time hymn of pure scriptural truths , the kind of song which was written after the author had LIVED it, TASTED God , and SEEN with his own 2 eyes that He was good. I looked at Kate and wondered what she was actually hearing, how or if the Holy Spirit was reaching her sweet, little 3 yr old spirit....... and what boldly came to me was... not THIS one, Satan....you will NOT have THIS one.... Kate is ultimately responsible for accepting Christ Jesus as her Savior in her lifetime, but she is now in a home and church and surrounded by people who will ALWAYS point her to Jesus as the answer. Would she have had this in Guatemala? Will the thousands of orphans still in Guatemala ever hear the Truth???What about the millions of orphans around the world??? Only God knows the answer to that, but Kate(and Olivia) have it now!!! This, God whispered to me, is one reason I appointed you as her mother, because I know that you will strive to show her My truth for as much time as I give you with her.
A couple of weeks ago Kate had to have another MRI. I hated the thought , dreaded the procedure, and resented the situation. As I was forlornly carrying Kate into the hospital, God gave me another nugget. He said, "Lisa, in this life, Kate may need some extra medical attention...will you see that she gets it for Me???" From that point on , I looked at the day in an entirely different light. Of course I will, Lord! ( maybe another reason God appointed me as her mother...I will strive to be obedient even if I don't like a situation).
I have 3 other daughters with which God has given me many a chance to beg for nuggets. Sometimes He has given them, sometimes not. But all four of them are shaping me into the woman God wants me to be. For this, I am eternally grateful to them and to God!!
Being a mother is an amazing journey. God really gives us a glimpse into the magnitude of love that He has poured out on His children. It is an impossibly hard job at times and,yet, a job with the highest return. To have been chosen to raise the next generation of God's people in this dying world is a position of vast honor. I pray for myself as well as all of you on this mother's day. May we keep on keeping on, pointing all those little pairs of feet toward the cross and throne of Jehovah. May we ask for and receive those golden nuggets.May God show us,time to time, just why He brought each of us our particular children. May we view motherhood through the eyes of the One who purposed us to be mothers before the foundations of the world, and not through the eyes of this, now, broken world.
Happy, Happy Mother's Day to you!!!

Mesmerized

2010-04-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Kate and Olivia were invited to a birthday party this weekend...for princesses only! I had too much fun photographing this social event of the season: ) I caught two princesses adoring their royal jewelry. Couldn't help but think, when I first saw this photo, that 20 years from now, the exact same scene may be playing out as two close friends examine the diamond ring proudly worn by one or the other. Huge huge sigh : )

Spring is in the Air...

2010-04-12T19:32:00.000-07:00

Springtime is in the air here in North Carolina. Randy and I decided we would take the girls to some local gardens and take a few photos. Of our 4 daughters, we only had 2 takers, but we headed out anyway. I have to say, the colors of the flowers were in full burst! There were some areas of these fragrant gardens that were breathtaking, especially in the sunset. How splendid of our God to give us such colors and scents and seasons. Can you just imagine the colors and fragrances and gardens of Heaven!?!

Amazing Love...How Can It Be...

2010-04-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

What an amazing day! Another Easter has come and gone, but the magnitued of its impact on our world and all of civilization endures! Once again we are reminded of the great length and depth that God Almighty has gone to in order to Adopt those who would put thier faith in Christ Jesus and give us the right to be called the Sons and Daughters of God. We are reminded that He reached his hands to this gigantic orphanage that we call Earth (filled with people who had been cut off from thier heavenly Father through sin) and paved the way to redeem us , adopt us, and welcome us to His home in the end. Easter represents the end of our lives as orphans and the beginning of our lives as treasured heirs of God. Adoption ...... His idea, His plan , and His heart.

"Amazing love, how can it be, that thou my God shouldst die for me....."

Happy Easter!

I Heart Faces....Dramatic Black and White

2010-03-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

This week's challenge photo must be in black and white only for dramatic affect. I am excited to see all the entries as black and white pictures are my favorites! My entry is a photo of my daughter, Olivia, outside during our first North Carolina snowfall of 2010. To see the photo in full size, click on Olivia's face. For more dramatic photos, check out http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Friends New and Old...

2010-03-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

Me , Karin and Kristin

Jeff and Randy

Upside down Sara Grace

Jake, um , there is someone we would like you to meet....

This is Kate!

And this was the mutual reaction..sigh...

Karin's Kate and my Kate

Olivia, Micheal and Logan

Karin receives flowers from her sweet babies.

Whoowee, now THAT is a handsome couple!

Group shot..thank you, Hunter and Taylor, for being in this one:)

The definition of fun: getting 15 children in one good shot!!!

My family and I had the privilege of meeting some blog friends this past week. Karin and her husband Jeff and nine of their 10 children were in route to South Carolina to see their 10th child and eldest son, Ryan, graduate from bootcamp. We were able to rendezvous in Benson , NC as they headed south on 95. My friend, Kristin, and 2 of her children also journeyed to Benson to meet the Prunty family. We met at a small park/playground area so that the Prunty kids could really stretch after 10+ hours of being in a car. We 3 families REALLY filled up that playground quickly. Karin and I have had this vision of marrying her Guatemalan son to my Guatemalan daughter for a little while now. We were both excited to get photos of the 2 of them seeing each other for the first time. Well...I think we are safe to say that it wasn't exactly love at first sight. Never-the-less, the paparazzi was flashing as we FORCED our 3 year olds to stand together and smile in each others' general direction. Sigh.

I think Kristin would agree that the time together was short but so sweet. Who would have ever guessed that you could make such heart connections over the internet ... just another blessing of sharing the passion for adoption and love for the same God.

I Heart Faces...Bundled Up!

2010-03-13T19:46:00.000-08:00

BRRRRR, this week's photo theme is "bundled up" as we all search for the good in the freezing cold grip of winter. This shot was taken on our first of 3 North Carolina snowfalls this year. Kate is actually sitting on a sled being pulled around by her dutiful big sister. It was a beautiful snow, but it sure was cold! For more bundles, check out http://www.iheartfaces.com/
For a better look at this photo, please click on Kate.

Saving Two Little Ones....

2010-03-09T12:07:00.000-08:00

We have friends in Colorado who are attempting toadopt and bring home two little girls from Eastern Europe. They are trying to raise the final funding for their trip though an ebay auction. Please consider helping this family by taking a look at the items listed in the auction and bidding on ALL of them. Thanks!!! (To read more about the journey to Harper and Hailee, click on the No Greater Joy Mom link on my blog list.)

Olivia's First Competition...

2010-03-04T20:18:00.000-08:00

Olivia (my daughter who is constantly upside down) started taking gymnastics last summer and made the Jr. Gymnastics team last fall. A couple of weeks ago she had her first competition in Raleigh and we all went to support and encourage her. The team leotards had not come in yet which is why some of the girls are dressed differently from others. Olivia did very well for her first meet, having to perform routines on the floor, balance beam, bars and vault. Yeah Olivia! You go my little gymnast!! Thank you to your big sisters and their friends,too, for coming and cheering you on:)

I Heart Faces...Hands-On Challenge

2010-02-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

This week's photo challenge is taking a break from faces and focusing on the hands. These hands belong to a very special little girl who is growing up way to fast for her father and me. To view other great "hands-on" photographs, visit http://www.iheartfaces.com

To view this picture larger, just click on Olivia's little fingers:)

One year Later...

2010-02-14T17:23:00.000-08:00

This is a hard post, but one that I needed to write because God has been so very very faithful to us...
It is hard to believe, but a year ago this week I sat in Duke Hospital with a 2yr old child that I hardly even knew. She had been home for 48 hours when we were told that our "healthy" little girl needed an MRI and that she possibly had spina bifida. The MRI confirmed that ,while she did have SB, it was a benign form of it. Normally people with this form, Occulta, have no signs or symptoms and just carry on a normal life. However, the MRI also confirmed that Kate had a tethered spinal cord and that surgery was in her very near future. For the record, we were not against adopting a SN child at all. But a SN that we were prepared for, one that we had researched and felt comfortable that we could "handle". For any who know me well enough, health issues always pose the biggest storms. And this storm was huge and raging. After all, I hardly even knew this child and she was really asking me to handle a lot. I experienced a lack of emotion. I held Kate at arms length. I was terrified to love her because she now represented despair and unknowns. We had to prepare to be at the hospital for a week with her and I had no idea how we would manage that since Randy's job was out of town and we have 3 other children. The whole idea of being in the hospital made me want to throw up. It was a tough tough time. Neither Kate nor Olivia experienced bonding issues with us when we brought them home ,so I don't know what that is like. I am sure it is awful. But I can testify to how gut wrenching it is to bring a child home, a child you have fought for over months and years, and to then feel numb toward that child. I pretty much cried for the entire 6 weeks preceeding the surgery.
So... the surgery was successful and Kate did very well and all the hospital stuff came and went. Praise our God for that! Now I am back home with Kate and trying to pick up some of the pieces, all the while crying out to God to change my heart and give me the eyes to see the little girl that God saw. I don't know exactly when or how it started, but I do remember that HOPE did tiptoe back into my heart and mind, little by little. I started to relax. I started to see a new normal. There were still unknowns but God was granting me the courage for such a time as this. Then along came a blog and a woman that had adopted 10 children , many that had special needs too. It just so happened that she had just returned home with a Katie of her own who needed very serious heart surgery. On the same trip to China she returned with another daughter who was facing a foot amputation. Wow. Then along came another blog and another woman that was attempting to adopt a little 4 yr old girl with DS and a heart condition. Wow. I did not know of anyone who had SOUGHT OUT such critical SN children to adopt. It was a whole new way of thinking for me. All the while , I had numerous friends praying for me and my adjustment with Kate, numerous friends visiting, encouraging and talking with me, numerous friends drugging me with Starbucks coffee, and lifting me before the throne of God. It was all heaven sent and God ordained. I poured over the adoption blogs and various other ones that were recommended and I continued to cry out to God. I gleaned from these women and from my friends and family. And I read the Psalms (again).
The next thing I really remember standing out in my mind was the morning that I had actual excitement in my heart at the thought of Kate waking up. Previously, I just wanted her to go to bed early and sleep late in the morning.
And.... love.....it just grew from there.
I came face to face with my selfishness and my striving and clamouring to keep my life within my comfort zone.( God HATES our comfort zones; I am convinced of it.) How can we accomplish ANYTHING for Him if our comfort is first and foremost in our minds??? He put me in exactly the circumstances that I needed to be in to see my heart for what it had been. I was feverishly pulling my hand away, but he held on tight to me. He brought Kate through beautifully. I don't think she ever even sensed that I was over the edge. A year later Kate is a healthy and wonderful child and I am HER MOTHER.There are still trying days, but I would not change anything. If she has any setbacks in her future, I will walk down that path with her and count it as an opportunity to suffer for Christ. I would not exchange the spiritual growth and insight for all the comfort in the world. I am so thankful for God's faithfulness and for the Christian sisters that I have at arms reach and within the blog world. You gals are amazing! What a difference a year makes....

Visit a friend of mine....

2010-02-11T04:29:00.000-08:00

My blog friend, Sophie, posted today about an opportunity recently given to her to speak to churches on the plight of orphans around the world. So I am inviting anyone who might read this to pray for her witness and that God will use her to reach hearts for orphaned children. She has a video on her blog (God's Heart: Adoption) that is very moving and a great reminder of just how God has used adoption throughout history to accomplish His plans and how near and dear adoption is to His heart. Please visit her blog and watch...
http://countingourblessingsdaily.blogspot.com/

Memorable quote...

2010-02-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

I discovered this quote and liked it immediately. It is a good reminder as we live in this modern day Babylon where every message seems to target our materialism genes. I personally believe that God is a lot less concerned with our comfort than we think He is. Listen, we will rest on the other side, my friends. Right now , we are here to serve God and work for His kingdom. We are here to pick up our cross and follow Him. And , remember, Christ owned NOTHING while on this earth...........

"The richest person is not the one who HAS THE MOST, but the one who NEEDS THE LEAST."

PS...Our sweet little Annie is gone. We hope and pray that we will see her again one fine day.

We may be losing one of our pooches...

2010-02-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

This is a sad post, but I wanted to ask for prayer for the kids in light of the declining health of our older dachshund, Annie. She is nearly 13 and is in bad shape tonight. She started having some seizures over the past couple of days for unknown reasons. We have not taken her to the vet because we know they will hand us a huge bill and a dog they can do nothing for. Right now we cannot handle a huge bill. And we know there is nothing that can be done for her. So we keep her as comfortable as possible and watch for signs of pain and discomfort. It is hard to think of losing our 4 legged friends. Every family goes through it, but it never gets any easier. I like to think that they are ushered into Heaven as part of God's beloved creation. Heaven does have animals afterall. I guess one day we will know for sure....

Adeye! This is for you....

2010-02-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

Trying to squeeze the most fun out of our snowy wonderland last night, Randy and I allowed girls to do a little horseback riding. Anything better than riding a horse in the snow? Not to my little women, there isn't. It was a beautiful evening and sunset and the girls had a ball. BTW, the last photo in this series is for you, Adeye. Here I am!!!

Let it snow!!!

2010-01-30T19:46:00.000-08:00

Our first snow for 2010! Started falling last night around 10:00pm and went all night long. We all awoke to a winter wonderland. Did I say early??? Hunter and Logan spent the night with a friend in the neighborhood so Randy and I just had the little girls last night. Even so , they didn't make it to bed before 10:00pm and Randy and I finally hit the hay at nearly 1:00am. Ugh!!! Then , because her girls were gone, Muffin (our dachshund) just could NOT get settled. She was in and out of our room, whining, pacing the hall and agitated ALL NIGHT LONG!!! Now 7:00am rolls around and Kate and Olivia are jumping on us ready for a snowball fight. UGH again!!! We sent them back to bed and tried to recover from our very active, sleepless night. Eventually we did make it out. It was a lot of fun. Quite cold and crunchy! We did it all...roasted marshmallows and hotdogs over an open fire, wonderful sledding , hot cocoa and snow cream. Hard night...great day!

I Heart Faces entry...Texture

2010-01-25T19:43:00.000-08:00

This week's theme is texture. This is a shot of Kate peeking through the gates of a courtyard in Antigua, Guatemala. Her face is a mess, but I decided to leave the crumbs .(There's a story there.) To get your hands on more textures go to http://www.iheartfaces.com

And the winner is....

2010-01-19T19:53:00.000-08:00

the Ferguson family!!! They have now embarked on this wonderful journey that we call adoption. With all of its ups and downs and ins and outs and highs and lows and endless opportunities to trust the Lord, Jim and Kristin are in it for the long run!!! They have picked a little pumpkin off Reese's Rainbow named Nadine. They had decided that her name should be Nadia, in keeping with her heritage, and then , as only God would work it out, found out her name really is Nadia! She is perfect for them and it was really no surprise to me that she was the one that God was leading them to. She is a spunky looking ,blue-eyed beauty who looks as though she is interested in everything. I am still walking on the clouds over this amazing miracle. It has been nothing short of fun and excitement since Kristin made their announcement. Hang in there, you two. There will be storms to come, there always are, but I believe that when God opens eyes to the need of the world's orphans , He really lets us SEE HIM in a fresh and new way. It will change you forever....You are the winners! You get a precious lamb! You get the untold blessings that adoption brings. You get to serve God in this very tangible way and save a life at the same time! You win!

I Heart Faces...Best Face

2010-01-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday I Heart Faces!!! What a fun first year you have offered to so many who love the art and sport of photography! This is my entry for best face. This is Kate goofing off in her sister's new black blingy hat taken a few days ago. She is quite the ham.... For more beautiful, interesting, sweet and sassy expressions visit http://iheartfaces.com/ and wish them a Happy 1st Birthday!!! Click on Kate to see photo enlarged.

An "I Heart Faces" Photo Challenge!

2010-01-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

Here are my three attempts at embedding the I Heart Faces logo into my photos. Great homework assignment! For other embedded logos click on http://www.iheartfaces.com

I am submitting these photos into the I Heart Faces logo photo contest. By entering, I am granting I Heart Faces LLC permission to consider my photo for use in the marketing and promotion of their website. Please click on each photo to see it enlarged.

One of my best gifts ever....

2010-01-07T12:26:00.000-08:00

Our family had a very nice Christmas this year. I am thankful for all that we received from those around us as well as the opportunities that we had to give. This was Kate's first real Christmas with her family. (Technically she was home the week of Christmas last year, but she wasn't even 2 yet and her mother was a raving lunatic with all that was going on so I am not counting last year's experience.) This year she was right in the mix though. She found opening gifts and eating sweets galore very agreeable. Surprise, surprise!!! Anyway, Christmas morning was a lot of fun. My husband really shocked me with photography software. Never saw it coming. Such a sneak! And I love it!!! Anything to feed the PHOTOGRAPHER WANNABE BEAST within.
All this aside , I didn't receive my sweetest gift until 2 days after Christmas when one of my closest girlfriends emailed me. She said she was sending me an email and then she wanted to talk. I thought I was in the doghouse over something...so.... imagine my delight... when.... I opened the email to find the faces of 2 little girls in the Ukraine that she and her husband were considering ADOPTING!!!! I was speechless!!! This particular friend and her husband have desired a 4th child for over a year now and have struggled with infertility issues. Having 2 adopted daughters myself, I would ,now and then, gently,lovingly (Kristin, are you on the floor laughing??) try to plant the seed in their hearts of allowing God to bring this 4th child into their family in the same way. Her heart was open, but her husband had a lot of reservations about the whole idea and process of adoption and had for years. And I knew that. I had spent many a shower and middle of the night insomnia moments questioning God over this. "Lord ...why don't you just change his heart????" This was a family in want of a child and the world is full of children in want and need of a family!!! Seems like a perfect fit!!!! "God...why aren't you moving in this???" Well, obviously God was and is always at work whether we can SEE it or not. So....looks like a precious girl somewhere is going to get a precious family after all!!! I could not be any happier for both sides!!! Yipppppeeee!! One of the biggest blessings of this situation will not be given to the family or the baby, however, but is reserved for the rest of us. We all are allowed to see,once again, the hand of God at work. We all are privy to the softening and opening of a heart to the call of caring for" the least of these." We all get to observe the purest form of religion play out. We all get to witness the miracle of the unwanted becoming treasure!!! We get to watch a man and his wife rescue a lamb from the pit. We see our own adoption into the family of God play out on Earth as this helpless child is taken in and given new life. It is humbling to the core of our hearts and spirits. I give all the glory to God...great things He is doing and great things He has done!!!
I will post more as I know it and once the child is chosen I will put her picture up. Please pray for this couple and their family as they move forward...Jim and Kristin and their children..Allen, Josi and Micheal. Pray for God's wisdom and discernment to cover their decisions. Cannot wait to post more: )
ps-I don't want to embarrass anyone, but some of you that will read this post should know that God used you and your examples to bolster this family's decision to adopt.

I Heart Faces...Hilarious Outtakes

2009-12-28T19:53:00.000-08:00

This is the documentation of the downward spiral which should have been a lovely photo shoot in a picturesque setting with my 4 cherubs:

Hunter (the one holding the dog) started the ball rolling when she picked up the dog and refused to allow Kate (in white) to walk her on the leash. Note Kate's expression and Hunter's oblivion to the ensuing meltdown.....

Because Kate cannot shake her attitude and Hunter was the cause , Hunter is now grounded for decreasing our chances of even getting one good shot. Now note Hunter's new expression. Kate continues to stew...

Kate can no longer hold back and completely looses it while her sisters look on....

And,voi-la, the photo session is over. Kate is leaving, picture or no picture....(sigh)Are we having fun yet?????
Any other photographers have days like this? Right now I can see the humor in these shots. At the time it was anything but funny! For more humorous photo outtakes, head over to http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus...

2009-12-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

Wow! Another Christmas morning has come and gone. We all had visions of sugarplums dancing around here to be sure. Everyone was overjoyed with thier gifts. Even Muffin, who has been steadfastly guarding her gift bag of bones for weeks now. Happy Birthday to you, Jesus. Thank you for coming to this Earth to rescue us. You were not content to allow this planet to remain a gigantic orphanage. You left Heaven to restore a right relationship between the fatherless and thier Heavenly Father. You said you would not leave us as orphans. You were true to your Word as always....

Christmas Memories....

2009-12-20T17:16:00.000-08:00

A dear blog friend of mine asked me to pen my fondest Christmas memories and then ask 5 more blog friends to do the same. I have to admit that my first thought was...how can I fit this in with everything else I have to do??? But now, with a few more things crossed off my list, I am excited and ready...

My childhood memories of Christmas are wonderful and warm!!! Everything about Christmas was Currier and Ives at our house. My mom loved to bake so there were lots of baked goods around the house. My mom would bake cinnamon buns and purposely let them remain undercooked so that the ones in the center were gummy, just for me. She made creme cheese danishes that would melt in your mouth and we had them the whole month of December.Also homemade eggnog. I would awaken to the smell of coffee and the sounds of Johnny Mathis singing Christmas songs, songs that I still love today. We lived in New Hampshire and Idaho before that. In those days you hiked into the nearest wood and cut down the tree of your choice, trudging through the snow I might add. We always had white Christmases in those states. Mom and I would make homemade ornaments for the tree a lot of times and we had those large, colored lights that I loved. (As soon as small white lights came out, my father opted for them, but I always loved the colors!) We always were involved in church and Christmas services, singing hymns and carols in a little church nestled in the valley. Sledding and hot cocoa were a constant around the house. I always left a note and cookies for Santa and started Christmas Eve out on the couch in front of the fire place. Somehow I always awoke in my bed on Christmas morning. My stocking was always filled and every year it contained chocolate covered cherries and an avocado. Because I was an only child, my mom and dad and I took turns opening gifts and our Christmas morning would take glorious hours! But, you really got to see the expressions on each face as we opened our gifts and I still prefer this way today? Jesus was the center of life, at Christmas and everyday before and after. In our house , Santa did not diminish Christ's birth. He simply aided in the tradition of gift giving which we did in honor of the ultimate gift of Jesus Christ given to mankind. I am sure that I am forgetting many aspects of my childhood Christmas, but I do remember crying at the end of the season, year after year, because I longed for it not to be over. It was magical. The whole Earth was decorated for the birthday of Jesus, whether it acknowledged it or not. The soul seems lifted during the Christmas season, then and now. I am sure this is God's doing, quickening our hearts and minds to be mindful of him.
Merry Christmas everyone!!!!
Now to pick 5 more friends to share thier Christmas upbringings:
Jody
Karin
Joanie
Nicole (who just returned with her newest daughter from China)
Mary Beth Chapman (couldn't hurt to try asking)

Here is the blog address of my friend in Colorado. She has a very unique Christmas upbringing in South Africa. http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/ Stop by and pay her a visit!

I Heart Faces...Pets

2009-12-15T16:46:00.001-08:00

So here is our little munchkin, Muffin, when she was just weeks old. She is actually chewing on a bone but the photo doesn''t show it. Couldn't you just eat her with a spoon? Check out all the sweet , wonderful and exotic pets at: http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Olivia Turns 7!!!

2009-12-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

All of Randy's girls....whew!!!

Decorating gingerbread men.

Yummy!!!!!

Unbelievably, my little Olivia is turning 7!!! Today we threw her birthday party with her friends. The theme of this year's celebration was "Sweet Shop". So much fun to fill these sweet party girls up with sugar and then send them home:) Weren't we just getting home from the airport with this little 10 month old bundle??? Where oh where does the time go??? Thank you ,Lord, for bringing this little lamb into our home. Olivia, you are such a blessing to your family. Happy Birthday, sweet pea!

I Heart Faces Sweet Dreams...

2009-12-07T20:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, our daughter is asleep in the dog house! She crawled in there to play one night and the next thing we knew she was asleep! Poor Muffin was out of luck! Couldn't really make out her face so we placed her picture nearby. Sweet dreams Baby Kate! Please click on the photo to see larger version. Check out all the other sleeping beauties at :http://www.iheartfaces.com/

I Heart Faces ...Tooshies!!!

2009-12-01T13:12:00.001-08:00

This week's theme at I Heart Faces is tooshies of all things! Normally I buy my girls swimsuits with skirts beacause they are a little more modest. However, when you spend half of your time upside down, a skirt is pretty useless! No idea who the little boy in red is but I like the splash of color he adds to the photo. Check out all the bottoms at : http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Counting My Blessings

2009-11-29T20:10:00.001-08:00

Our family was treated to the mountains this Thanksgiving! The area was so beautiful. We slept 50 feet from a waterfall and left the windows open all night so we could be lulled to sleep by the muffled roar . I happened to awake about 4 in the morning one day and peered up into the sky. The stars were so big and so bright i woke Randy up to share them with me. I never knew stars could look like that! It all started my thinking about how richly blessed I am. And so I thought I would post some photos showing my greatest treasures on Earth. Lord, I pray that I am always the one healed leper that returns to say thank you.
PS...Lord, the snow on Thanksgiving day was icing on the cake! Loved it!

I Heart Faces Sun Flare

2009-11-23T06:39:00.000-08:00

Katie and Kate at the park in the late afternoon. My attempt at sun flare :0)

Go to I Heart Faces to see more sunshine. http://www.iheartfaces.com/ Please click on my photo to see it larger.

I Heart Faces entry...Autumn Beauty

2009-11-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

This weeks's theme is Autumn Beauty so I took Olivia up to the commons area in our subdivision where the kids all like to play in the trees that line the pond. I do not know what type of trees these are but this time of year they literally look like they are on fire! For more fall beauty check out http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Today was Orphan Sunday!

2009-11-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

This link will take you to a very moving video about the plight of millions of children around the world. Check it out and think about what you can do to help:)
http://vimeo.com/6317258

I Heart Faces entry...Balloons

2009-11-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken in the ancient city of Antigua , Guatemala last December. Kate had been with us for 2 days at the time. What better way to break the ice with our new daughter than with a balloon? After all, when you are 22 months old, balloons are sheer magic!!! (The stains around her mouth? ...our 2nd attempt to break the ice with chocolate ice cream) Click on Kate's photo to see full size. For more magic balloons, check out I Heart Faces this week at http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Kate's First Fall Festival

2009-11-01T06:07:00.001-08:00

Last night we dressed up the kids and took everyone to the annual Fall Festival at the local Baptist church. Hunter did not come this year due to a stomachache.(I think she may have outgrown this aspect of childhood.) This was Kate's first experience with dancing and playing games for candy. Urekah! She likes this crazy American custom. Everytime I turned around her little face was peering into her bucket for another treat. All the girls entered in the cake walk and won multiple times. Nothing like home-baked goodies from the ladies of the church! Ran into a friend with her two daughters adopted from China. Gosh they had grown! She introduced me to another woman and her 4 Plilippino daughters. All 4 girls adopted last summer at one time! This family went from 1 child to 5 overnight! All the girls were precious and beaming! So fun to see. Love it when God encourages me through other people's adoption journeys. Happy Fall, y'all.....

Soooo Worth Reading....

2009-10-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

I would love for anyone that happens across this blog to visit a friend of mine . I have never met her but she is a sister in Christ and another mom who has been touch by adoption. Her little boy Luke is just turning four and the story behind his adoption from China is amazing. Nicole and her husband set out to adopt their third child and expected it to go as the first 2 adoptions had. But adopting little Luke was full of surprises. And many of them heartwrenching. Now , many many months later, God has revealed to them that had they not been willing to go and get Luke and give him the care that he desperately needed , he probably would not have reached the age of 3.

Please check out http://Bakerssweets.blogspot.com in the list of my favorite blogs.

It is great to have girlfriends!!!

2009-10-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

Last week I took my youngest two girls and headed to the local park to meet up with friends. This photo shows my Kate and her friend Katie , also from Guatemala, adopted within 6 weeks of each other last year. They have not been together in some months ,but they really don't seem to feel the distance when they are together. What a sweet gift that God would bring these two girls so far from their homeland through adoption and then put them together again in their new homes and families. Katie's mom and brother were there too, as well as Olivia, and we all had a great time. I am so thankful that Kate and Katie will have each other to weather the challenges that adopted children sometimes face. Girlfriends I pray they will always be....

I Heart Faces entry...Pink

2009-10-18T19:43:00.001-07:00

This week's theme for I Heart Faces is "pink" in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. I have a friend, another mom touched by adoption, who fights this battle as I type this post. She is a dear woman, a wife, a mother of two and a friend to many. Nancy, you are in my prayers...
For more pink inspiration, go to the I Heart Faces websight and please click on Olivia's photo to see in full size. http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Fair Days

2009-10-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

It's that time again, time for the North Carolina State Fair. We took the kids yesterday and met some friends there. This was Kate's first trip and she was pretty spellbound by the lights, the crowd, the sights and sounds and smells. We had a nice, cool fall afternoon this year. Funnel cake and cotton candy were had by all. A lot of fun....

Amazing Evidence of God's Love

2009-10-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

I went to read a post this morning by my friend in New England and wound up with tears in my eyes. I was so moved by what was written that i wanted to allow anyone who might come by my blog to access the story she told of a little girl who was lost and then found. Grab some tissue and go to http://jacobsjourneyhome.blogspot.com/ and look for the post about Bill and Lynsay. I know you will be blessed:)

I Heart Faces Entry...Excited!!!

2009-10-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

This week's theme is EXCITED! So, this is what we call Kate's "bathtub" face. The child is partly mermaid and simply lights up when we say the word...bath. For more excitement , check out the other photos at IHeartFaces. http://www.iheartfaces.com/

I Have A Good Brain....

2009-10-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

As I was driving my 6 yr old , Olivia, to soccer practice the other day she said to me, "Mom, you have a good brain!!"
"I do, I replied. Why do you think so?"
"Because you decided to get Kate and I JUST LOVE HER!"
(Believe me ...it was one of those moments where your heart smiles.)
So ...I guess I have a good brain....cool.

Quote for the day...

2009-10-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

"Never fear to suffer; but oh! fear to sin. If you must choose between them, prefer the greatest suffering to the smallest sin." Thomas Guthrie

Our world makes light of sin, but our God calls us to live a life of holiness, conformed to the likeness of His Son and unstained by the world.

Blue....

2009-09-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

Another week, another theme for the I HEART FACES photo blog. This week's pictures have to have blue as a dominant color in them. I knew right away which photo I would choose. This shot was taken at the coast late in the evening. I don't usually take pictures past evening light, but the kids were running on the beach and having fun so we stayed out later. Much to our delight , as the sun was close to setting , the sky turned a beautiful deep blue and pink. So intense were the colors that they cascaded off the water and the sand. As I am photographing, I see my totally dressed 2 year old headed for the surf. I said "Kate, do not get wet!" and this was the look I got...

For more "Blue" shots, head to http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Completely Candid.....

2009-09-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ok...this week's theme at I HEART FACES is "completely candid" so I thought I would put this photo in of Olivia at the beach this summer. She was so enveloped in studying the sea life in the tide pool that I was able to take this shot without disrupting her concentration. Please click on photo to see it full screen. Check out I HEART FACES starting tomorrow to see other great candid shots...

http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Please read...

2009-09-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

It was so fun to discover a couple of comments from some friends of the family last night, Thomas and Leslie Hudgens. Randy had the pleasure and honor of leading Thomas to Christ a few years back and Leslie is the woman he met and married a year ago, a woman he discovered on a missions trip to Honduras. Thomas has been a friend of the family since the beginning of our adoption journey to Olivia from China. The process and the roller coaster of emotion and faith building and testing left an impact on him as a new and growing believer in the Lord. He has now witnessed the adoption of our youngest , Kate, from Guatemala and all the highs and lows that have accompanied that journey. Last night Thomas left some of his thoughts about adoption as two comments under the "How Beautiful" post. I tried to copy and paste them as a new post but to no avail. So...please backtrack to the comment section under that post and read what Thomas and Leslie's insights are. I believe you will be blessed by what God has taught them through adoption (comments #5 and #6).

How Beautiful...

2009-09-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

How Beautiful the hands that served
The Wine and the Bread and the sons of the earth
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long dusty roads and the hill to the cross
How Beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ
How Beautiful the heart that bled
That took all my sin and bore it instead
How beautiful the tender eyes
That choose to forgive and never despise
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ
And as He lay down His life
We offer this sacrifice
That we will live just as He died
Willing to pay the price
Willing to pay the price
How Beautiful the radiant bride
Who waits for her Groom with His light in her eyes
How Beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure lives so that others may live
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ
How beautiful the feet that bring
The sound of good news and the love of the King
How Beautiful the hands that serve
The wine and the bread and the sons of the Earth
How Beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful is the body of Christ

by Twila Paris

This song was sung last Sunday at my church. It is one of my favorites so I thought i would print the words for anyone and everyone to read. These lyrics always bring me to tears as i am reminded just how much my God loves me. I especially love the line that talks about the" radiant bride who waits for her groom with his light in her eyes". I know this was true of me 18years ago as I walked down the aisle toward Randy . I hope it still rings true today. But even more, I pray and hope that the light of Christ shines in my eyes for a lost world to see. How amazing to think though the words of this song that reflect all that God ,through His Son, has done for mankind. Completely beautiful!
"How beautiful when humble hearts give the fruit of pure life so that others may live." Another of my favorite lines. May this always be true of me, Lord.

Randy

2009-08-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

My husband would kill me if he knew I was writing this post ,but I have felt compelled lately. I have had the honor and pleasure of being married to a gem for the past 18 years. My husband has every quality I ever dreamed my prince would have when I was a little girl. He also has one quality that i never asked or hoped for because it did not occur to me that he would need it. I never thought that i would marry a man who would lay down his plans and desires so readily for the cause of adoption. We have 2 biological daughters , as well as Randy has 2 grown daughters from his first marriage. So ,safe to say, our home has its share of estrogen. However, when I suggested(7 years ago) to him that we look into adopting a little girl from half way around the world, I wasn't sure what to expect. Not only did Randy agree, but he travelled to China without me to pick her up. Amazing man! Six years later, he and i would travel again (this time to Guatemala) to rescue another little girl and bring her home. I watch him when he isn't looking and I delight in Randy's interaction with these 2 children. We don't know the details of Olivia's abandonment in China. But we know the whole sad truth of Kate's relinquishment in Guatemala. Kate's birthmom wasn't married, but she did have a boyfriend. Upon finding out that Kate's mom was pregnant with Kate, he left her. When Kate was born, her birthmom turned her over to an adoption attorney. Kate's birthfather was never heard from again. And this is where Randy stepped into the picture. Despite the cost financially,the time, the energy, the added years of needed income, the emotional tole that accompanies any child, and the risks associated with attaching yourself to another human being, Randy took responsibility for this other man's actions... the results of a night of sex with a woman that he wasn't married or committed to. Kate's birthparents did not anticipate the new life that was forming ...a life that both would later find burdensome. Neither wanted any part of this new life and both parties walked away. Randy was able to see the situation in a different light, through God's eyes. He viewed Kate through God's lens. She was not the disposable consequence of some nameless, faceless man. She was God's daughter. His child. HE is the Father to the Fatherless and Kate belonged to HIM alone. And now she needed God's arms to tangibly hold and care for her while on this earth. Randy said, "OK , Lord". This little one will never look like Randy, she will never share a single gene, but it is of little consequence to him. My husband is not perfect, but words really cannot describe how I view his selflessness in this matter. Even when I faltered, Randy was steady. When my eyes turned toward myself, he kept his gaze up. Amazing man! He is a hero to me. He placed his life on the back burner to rescue a child from uncertain fate. Twice! He is a soldier willing to go into harm's way for another. I don't know when or if he will discover this post. I don't know how often he reads my blog. But i wanted to sing his praises for a moment, because i am thankful for him. He is an incredible gift to me : )

Fields of the Fatherless

2009-08-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

I just finished a great little book by C. Thomas Davis called Fields of the Fatherless. I was fascinated to read some of his points as to the role of The Church (the actual body of Christ) in caring for the "least of these". For instance, in the Old Testament, God showed His concern, compassion, and heart for the poor when He commanded His people to set aside a portion of their crops to provide food for the widows, aliens , and the fatherless (Deut 24:19) He was insistent and to violate this command was to sin against Him:

"Do not move an ancient boundary stone, or encroach on the fields of the fatherless. For their Defender is strong: He will take up their case against you." Proverbs 23:10, 11 NIV

He commanded His people to provide for these groups of people and they all knew it. It wasn't a suggestion or even "a nice thing to do". He considered this portion to belong to the poor and the fatherless.

"Scripture mentions the importance of caring for these individuals more than sixty times! Clearly, the protection and well-being of this group are one of God's great and constant concerns. So much so, in fact, He actually defines Who He is by His promises to them..." C. Thomas Davis

A Father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy
habitation. Psalm 68:5-6

Just imagine how God's people could change the world today if we would all tithe for "the least of these". Could we empty out the orphanages of the world? Would the homeless be able to leave the streets for good? Would the alien feel warm and received wherever he journeyed? Just imagine....

"God gave the responsibility to care for the defenseless to those claiming to be followers of Christ. It is through our hands the Father's love comes, it is through our voices His voice is heard, it is through our efforts and those of the church that His care is revealed to the ones the rest of the world has forgotten." C. Thomas Davis

Thank you....

2009-08-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for our family vacation. And for the magnificent ocean and all the creatures within. Thank you for providing a place for us to stay that we could afford and for giving us the money to pay for the gas and food that we needed while on vacation. Thank you for the pretty weather during the week ,and for allowing us to fellowship with family and friends. Thank you for keeping us safe travelling to and from the coast and while we were there. Thank you for children that DELIGHT in your creation. Thank you for all the blessings that you have provided and may we never take them for granted.

In Jesus' name, Amen

Love at First Sight...

2009-08-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

Kate, our little mermaid, LOVES the beach....the water, the sand, the surf ,the waves and wildlife...everything about it. This is her first trip so we were not certain how it would go. First night in the surf, she hit the waves and never looked back. I think she was headed back to Guatemala: )

I Heart Faces Kids Entry

2009-07-27T20:26:00.001-07:00

My sun-kissed girls on the beach last summer before Kate entered the family. As we head back to the coast this weekend for Kate's first look at the ocean, we are all excited to see her response. Please click on photo to see full size. (Hi to anyone viewing this photo the week of Sept 22 from I Heart Faces websight....this is not my correct entry for the candid photo competition. I put in the wrong permalink address on my first try (#50) which directs visitors to this July entry. No doubt you are all probably thinking ...this photo doesn't look very candid and you are right ...it wasn't. My entry for "candid photo" can be found on entry #74. Sorry! Still figuring out the system.)

http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Horsing Around at the Stable

2009-07-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hunter and Kate spend time at the stables on a lazy, hazy summer afternoon.

3 Miracles!!!

2009-07-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

I have had the honor and pleasure of seeing two church families head to China this week. They left to adopt two little girls who had no idea that their lives would soon be turning upside down. Two little girls have now transitioned from no hope to full opportunity, from the lowest rung on the ladder to celebrated heights , from lonely to loved, from accident to blessing, from lost to found, from burden to favored, from abandoned to cherished,... from orphans to treasured daughters. Each a full fledged miracle of our God who IS the Spirit of Adoption. Oh, the 3rd miracle? Another family from our church is expecting their referral call tomorrow. Another little girl begins her transition.....

On the Other Side...

2009-07-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Well...it is over for this year. No more visits to Duke. No more MRIs . No more surgeries. Kate had her baseline MRI (post-operative) today and everything looked great. Praise God! At one point the neurologist said "I see no spinal cord fluid buildup so that's great." All the while i am thinking "Spinal cord fluid buildup???" Was that a possibility??? I must say, for me anyway, ignorance IS bliss. I am strictly on a need-to -know basis. Do not tell me all the scarey scenarios. I do NOT want to know. Anyway, this MRI was long (again) but much smoother than the first. She was sedated interveinously.(NO more yucky tasting medicine to spit out all over mom this time.) So it was quick. The downside was having to find a vein. Kate is very petite and her veins are buried. Really! I warned the nurses and they whole-heartedly agreed with me. However, our nurse found one on the first try. Answer to prayer!!! The rest was pretty noneventful. I do have to say that i was amazed at Kate's reaction to even driiving up to Duke and parking in the deck. SHE KNEW!!! She hadn't forgotten a thing since her surgery. Poor baby. Thank you to all who prayed for her. It was a much better experience this time and we are so glad to be on the other side....

Prayer please....

2009-07-12T09:56:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow Kate heads back to Duke for a post-op MRI. This MRI will provide her baseline from here forward. Please pray for an easy time for her. The last MRI(performed at a different hospital) was less than fun. Actually it was horrible. And it was L...O...N...G! We were there for 6 hours. Anything you can think to ask God for concerning this procedure and experience for Kate, please feel free. We follow up the MRI with an office visit with her neurologist. Please cover this in prayer too. Mainly that there are no surprises. I will post tomorrow night and let everyone know how it went. On another note, i have a huge praise! Kate was dry all day yesterday!!! Huge praise!!!

Caring for the least of these...

2009-07-10T19:30:00.001-07:00

I wanted to take a moment to write of a friend of mine that i have never actually met. She is a dear Christian woman with a huge heart for the orphaned children of the world. Her name is Adeye and she is South African although she and her husband reside in Colorado . She has 3 biological sons and 2 Chinese daughters. Both daughters happen to have special needs. I met her through a mutual friend's blog last February and we have been corresponding ever since. This past week Adeye announced that she and her husband had decided to adopt again. They had come across a little girl in desperate need of a family. She is 4 years old and weighs only 15 pounds! She also has beautiful blue eyes and happens to have Down Syndrome. They are in a race against time for a myriad of reasons. They put a "chip in " on their blog in an attempt to raise money through anyone who wants to care for orphans but cannot adopt themselves. Her blog is " No Greater Joy Mom " and there is a link to it on my blog list. They have decided to name this child Hailee and there is a sweet photo of her on the blog. I wanted to write of this family because they amaze me. This couple willingly seeks out and embraces difficult situations with the same enthusiasm of a school boy jumping into the first day of summer.Even within the body of Christ, this capacity for servitude is rare. Not many people come across my blog, but i still felt compelled to post about this family. You never know what God has in mind. You never know who might want to be a part of this miracle. Please consider giving to bring Hailee home.

This Little Piggy....

2009-07-08T19:44:00.001-07:00

Is there any part of the body sweeter than little toes? How great of God to give each child 10 of them to kiss and tickle: )

Dreamgirls...

2009-07-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

Daddy took this photo of Olivia and Kate yesterday. Two, full of life and promise and dreams. Wonder what God has in store for them....

A Rabbit Trail...

2009-06-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

This post is a little off the beaten path of adoption, but the beauty of having your own blog is being able to go down rabbit trails if you so choose. This past week has been a heavy one for a lot of the world with the loss of singing superstar Michael Jackson. And so it has been for me. I never met the man or even saw him in concert ,but did grow up singing along with him and marveling at his ability to MOVE. I often thought to myself , when i would listen to someone interview him, that he seemed so lost and insecure when he was not mesmerizing the world on the stage. He often sounded like a 10 year old boy inside of a man's body . As the truth of how his childhood was spent became known, in gruelling practice sessions while balancing everyones expectations on his shoulders, I grew more and more sorry for him. Where were his parents in all of this? Where was a voice of reason to say enough is enough? As a small child, the world put him on a pedestal and watched him take his every breath. Over the next 50 years we would all watch him struggle and unravel as it was clear he could not handle the idol worship. Guess what ? Mankind was never designed to be worshipped. We would all unravel! He grew more and more eccentric as time went by and would make poor choices that would be his undoing. He was a perfect target for the tabloids and they chewed him up and spit him out repeatedly, forgetting that this man had a heart and a soul and feelings and loved ones that could be hurt. Whether you liked his music and style or not, there is no denying the fact that Michael revolutionized American pop music and that he was oozing with God-given talent. Many times, growing up, i daydreamed of having the chance to meet and talk with him and i would take the opportunity to assure him that i wanted nothing from him, but ,instead, longed to give something to him...the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I often felt that if ever a soul needed the anchor of Gospel and Christ's unconditional love, it was Michael Jackson. Well, I never got that chance ,and now he is gone. I would love to know if some Christian out there, somewhere, maybe did get the chance to witness to this man. My heart still hopes that this is the case, and that he did not slip from a lost and lonely life to eternal life without the Savior. I am sad for him. I don't know what i could have done differently, but if i had it to do over i would have comitted his salvation to prayer much more than i did. Life is short and we are not promised a day. This particular man's death has taught me a lot. There, but for the grace of God, go I.....
PS. I can no longer find it ,but there is one version of Michael's song "Heal the World" that seems to center around orphaned children of the world and doctors who are treating them. If anyone can locate it, let me know : )

Summertime Has Arrived In NC

2009-06-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

Despite 91 degree heat today(Ugh!) we are still taking time to smell the roses. (Yes, I do realize that these flowers are not roses. Anybody know what they are?)

Daddy and Kate....

2009-06-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

The Eyes Have It!

2009-06-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day for Kate. She had one of many follow up opthamology appointments since getting her glasses to strengthen her weaker eye. Found out that her strong eye has 20/20 vision and her weaker eye has 20/25. Not bad. Her doctor was thrilled with her progress. I told her that if she was happy , so was I. Anyway , she said no need to patch at this time. Yeah! Go Kate and thank you Heavenly Father for continuing to heal her.

Sisters and Friends

2009-06-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

I have a new header picture compliments of a woman i met who, as a photographer by trade, was giving a deal to families in an attempt to raise money for a missions trip. Her goal was to raise the money to travel to Greece and photograph the missionaries there and what they do, as well as photograph thier families for them. So, at the last minute , i grabbed my little two and searched their closet for similar clothes. Dressed them and threw them in the car and drove to some beautiful gardens in Raleigh where i met Kimberly. I instantly liked her and, as the sesson when on , she expressed interest in adoption. Perfect!!! One of my favorite subjects! Anyway, received a CD a few days later in the mail and this picture of Kate and Olivia was on it. She really captured these two little girls. And, as we all know, we can never have enough pictures of our kids:)

Music to my ears!

2009-06-06T06:11:00.000-07:00

Just finished up another year of violin lessons for Hunter and Olivia and celebrated with the year-end recital. It is sooo fun listening to your children make beautiful music with an instrument. (It wasn't always so beautiful ,but now I can honestly say it is.) How splendid of our God to create music in the first place. Heaven will certainly be awesome ...filled with sounds and notes that we cannot even imagine this side of eternity.

Zoo Fun!!

2009-05-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

Spent all of yesterday at the North Carolina Zoo with the family and good friends. We had beautiful weather and a lot of fun. This was Kate's first trip to the zoo ,but we anticipated she would enjoy herself because she really likes animals and the bigger the better. So many amazing and wonderful animals that God created just for the pleasure of man. The colors of their coats and eyes and the sheer majesty of their presence gives us a tiny glimpse of the mind and creativity of the Creator. Heaven will surely be awesome! Now ...a quiz. Can you tell which photos are of my children and which are of the wild beasts? Some days there is very little difference between the two groups :)

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

God Bless America

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free.
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a soleman prayer.

God bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam.
God bless America,
My home sweet home.

Irving Berlin

Note to Self...

2009-05-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

Remember to pray for the Chapman Family who lost 5yr old Maria one year ago today in a tragic car accident. And pray for any and all other families grieving the loss of a child taken too soon.

Hunter's First Horse Show!

2009-05-17T18:46:00.001-07:00

This was an exciting day for Hunter...her first horse show (in the pouring down rain). Luckily the stables had a covered ring or we all would have floated away. She had a good time and we are proud of her for working hard.

Sweet Insight...

2009-05-16T18:52:00.001-07:00

A couple of nights ago i had a neat experience. Just before i went to bed i went into Olivia's bedroom to check on her. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, i found her sleeping peacefully as she usually is. But this night i paused to really look at her sweet face and this is what i saw.....contentment, love, security, happiness, confidence, enthusiasm, belonging, peace. I saw a little girl full of life, discovering who she is in the Lord and assured in her role in our family. It was really gratifying . Then the Lord brought to my mind this same child , left unadopted . I could not help but be sobered by the thought of it. So many times in our adoption journey to Olivia i was afraid. Many times I just knew that God had picked the wrong woman in me to be a mother to a child that i knew nothing about. There were times i wanted to stop the process. I cried a lot, argued with God a lot, doubted a lot, hoped and prayed a lot. When it all was said and done, however, i knew that i could not say No to God and His Word. Olivia has now been our daughter for 51/2 years. And now I know that this little girl that God wanted to place into our family craves the attention of her mom and dad, loves relationships, loves having sisters, loves being challenged in any and every area, loves to please, loves to talk, loves having grandparents, loves to serve, loves being a big sister, loves music, loves having her own room and her own bed, loves having a dog ,and i could go on and on. I think God was showing me how tragic it would have been for this child to have missed out on all that she loves because i gave into my fear. Parts of adoption can be very scary. However, seeing Olivia, even for just a moment, without a family was heart wrenching. I am very thankful that i said "yes".

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-09T18:57:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to wish all of my girlfriends a Happy Mother's Day! It is still surreal to me that I am now the mother of 4 little women (to be). I know fully that this is a job that demands my full reliance on the Lord. I was never created to raise His children without Him. I pray that, with His leadership and grace, Randy and I raise up 4 passionate, devoted and tenacious women of God. Who could ask for anything more? Happy mother's Day!

Blessed Girlfriends

2009-05-04T19:26:00.001-07:00

Kate was invited to her first birthday party a couple of weekends ago. Here Kate and the B'day girl relax in the hammock after the festivities. What a difference batween their first birthdays in Guatemala and their second birthdays in the US with thier families.
"I will not leave you as orphans..." John 14: 18

Fuling Reunion

2009-05-04T19:08:00.001-07:00

This past weekend our family spent a few fun hours reuniting some little China pearls who all started life in the same orphanage in Fuling, China. All of these girls were just as precious as they could be. Some of them were in the orphanage through the very same months and adopted within days of each other. Then they joined their forever families and travelled half way around the world to wind up in each other's backyards. How amazing that God would bring these little ones together again after so many miles and and so many years. The girls enjoyed each other and the parents had a chance to meet and exchange experiences. Our Olivia is the one on the end in the red and white top with the bobbed haircut. So cute, all of them!!!

Say Cheese...

2009-04-26T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hi Aunt Kristin,
This photo is for you...no more hat:)
Love ,
Kate

Guatemalan Cuties

2009-04-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

Today was a fun day. Kate , Olivia and i met friends at the park for some fellowship and vitamin D. Enjoy photos of these Guatemalan girlfriends out soaking up the sunshine.

Kate's First Easter

2009-04-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Kate's first Easter. She loved the basket and eggs and frilly dresses. Wait until she is old enough to understand the real gift given to her at Easter! He is risen....He is risen indeed! Happy Easter Kate!

Hunter introduces Kate to the Neigh-Neigh

2009-04-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hunter takes kate to the stables and shows her around. I think the horses were a lot bigger than kate expected:)

Kate visits her first farm...

2009-04-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

Today was a lot of fun and a beautiful, warm and sunny day. I took the girls to a farm not too far from the house that specializes in birds of various kinds. We met friends there and did some sightseeing and exploring.

See Mom...No More Cavities!!

2009-04-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

(Picture courtesy of Hunter Allen.)