It’s got a nasty infestation of stupid pop-up ads, but you may enjoy reading Brian’s first webpage from nearly a decade ago! Pre-marriage, pre-children, pre-Rachel, even! But I am in love with who he was even then. And can you believe… he only has gotten better every year!
Just a few pictures
July has been quite a month. We got home from meeting Jordan at the tail end of June and were thinking we were getting over jet lag when July came and mono hit. We didn’t know it was mono for several weeks… but one night I remember thinking that it felt like my forehead was soooo heavy and pushing my eyes closed with a forehead headache…. I don’t know, it made sense then. We kept pushing through the days, going strawberry picking and blueberry picking. We celebrated the fourth of July and we got together with close family members to talk about our trip and share photographs.
I did eventually get tested and was positive for mono. The dishes slowly, and only occasionally have been washed this month. Mostly only when we had no dishes left to eat with. Cooking has been near non-existent. Maggie had the throw-ups somewhere in there and last week I got it too. So food hasn’t really been all that important to me. ha!
Anyway, I am sure that God has been working on my heart, even during sicky times to turn my heart to Him. I’m incredibly far from having it all figured out, but I was forced, this week, to get my priorities straight. First me and my girls and husband. Then my son across the sea. Then everything else. I will add things a little bit at a time. I’m still really excited about Vinnie’s fundraiser! And I am much more joyful about it now that it’s in it’s proper place in my life. It is important to me… but not as important as my girls or Jordan. So, one thing at a time! In the meanwhile, we were able to put $400 more into his grant and we had two other generous donations go in as well, bringing us to $1440! Hooray!
Mama with mono, Maggie with yuckies:
Anna’s been healthy and a good sport too:
Eating yogurt tubes in the sun while Mommy sits and rests:
“Help me push it out, Mommy!” Ok, beautiful girl.
The most neglected “member” of the family:
We’ve been eating lots of yummies out of our garden this year. Success: lettuce, chard, peas, carrots, garlic, turnips. So-so: tomatoes, onions. Possible fails: grapes (stupid fungus is here AGAIN!), chard (chickens are no longer free range), cucumbers (please, grow, please!!!!).
It’s a good man who can ride the spinning merry go round at the fair without getting sick, AND sit on the bunny and still be smiling:
P.s. Fundraisers I’m loving right now:
Totes, wallets, notepad holders and custom orders at Tote-ally Blessed (I have one of her totes and it’s beautiful and very well made!)
Quilts and totes at Mindy Lou Hoo Creations
Filed under Everyday Stuff
Just so you know…
I’m feeling loads better and eating and everything! One little day at a time. Yippee!!
Fun thing I am daydreaming about: Jordan’s homecoming,
Filed under Everyday Stuff
Sickness & Health
My sweet husband took care of the girls and me today. Maggie seems to be completely well again, although still a bit whiney. Hooray! Anna is healthy. Brian seems to be 90% over the mono. I seem to be over the mono too, except for the swollen lymph nodes and they are even less sore. Last night, though I got some kind of stomach bug. I am so thankful for my husband who has watched the kids today and let me stay in bed, sleeping almost all day. I managed some water and crackers this afternoon and I hope I will be much better soon. It is wearisome being sick.
I have so many things that are very important happening these days. But even important things are going to have to stand in line. I think I must reduce my stress level so that I can stop getting sick. It’s been a long year for sicknesses, ever since last October. Ever since about the time we decided to adopt. I don’t know if our spiritual enemy is looking for ways to discourage us, to make us think we’re off our rocker to be considering adopting… but God has not been outdone. God has not disappointed us. If there’s anything I’ve learned from the extended stresses and illnesses, it’s that things are not in MY control. But, they are in God’s capable hands. He knows me, he knows us, he has the absolute best plan for us. Everything we do well, we do because He has enabled us. We are on the right road.
Important things on my list:
– Orphan ministry on church – preparing classes, coordinating with other ministries, preparing presentations, etc.
– Raising money for Vinnie’s grant, who cannot be left an orphan – planning two fundraisers, tracking down fundraiser donations from businesses, figuring out the website, etc.
– Other personal stuff that I won’t share on here, except to let you know that our marriage and kids are doing great.
– Managing my home and garden and paperwork and picking berries
– Preparing for Jordan’s homecoming – learning about health insurance, school-sponsored therapy, tracking down therapists, learning about medicare/medicaid, planning the house, purchasing those things we need, making and canning soup dinners, etc….
– Caring for my children and husband
– Caring for myself and my health
Somehow this list got put on its head. Forgive me if things on the fundraiser get a bit slow for a bit. I need to get myself healthy, focus on my immediate family and home and then allow myself the joy of preparing for Jordan’s homecoming before I branch out into others. I don’t like this, because all those other things on my list are very, very important. But I must confess I have been trying to do everything on my own strength and in my own way and haven’t been listening to the quiet words in my spirit, spoken by the Spirit… which have sounded something like, “Trust me, daughter. Everything is in My hands. Trust your worries and cares to me, for I care about you.”
So….. that’s all for now. Time to rest more!
Filed under Everyday Stuff
Prayer Request
Two posts in one:
Firstly, if you haven’t checked out the blog we started for Vinnie, check it out here: http://fundraisingforvinnie.blogspot.com/ As we have cool fundraisers (selling cool stuff that you want and baking super yummy goodies!) we will talk about there there.
A very important question you may have about Vinnie’s Adoption grant: What happens if things go wrong? What if he is adopted in country, or by anybody who is not connected by Reece’s Rainbow? What if his country decides he’s unadoptable? What if he gos to be with Jesus like James… and no longer needs a grant to have a familiy?
Good question. The answer?
“It is given to another child if it is a waiting child grant and the child becomes unavailable. We always try to choose another child with the same disability, same age and same country if possible. If it is a child that had been selected by a family, the family would be able to choose another child and keep the grant (but only if the child is truly not available, not if they just decide to pick a different kid or different country program).” ~Shelley with Reece’s Rainbow
Furthermore, when a child turns six years old, they enter the older child section of Reece’s Rainbow and no longer have their own individual grant. In this case, I believe their grant goes to the “Older Child Grant” fund on Reece’s Rainbow. At no time does the grant get absorbed by the staff at Reece’s Rainbow.
Note: All donations made to grants have 10% taken to help keep Reece’s Rainbow functioning. We have confidence in this organization.
Second. A prayer request.
We are leading a small forum at our church about orphan care and how families can be involved. Maggie is still not 100%, so we can’t put her in nursery and she may or may not be a quiet, calm child during the classes. Maybe we can get a Mama’s helper at church tomorrow, but I hate to ask a healthy person to hang out with one who is not feeling great. So we plan to try and pass her back and forth. Pray for us, pray for the forum, pray that God’s Spirit would move in His believers and orphans will be remembered!
Filed under Everyday Stuff