The Patricks

5 years old

2012-01-23T20:55:00.001-06:00

Bethany,
Today I'm amazed that I actually have a 5 year old. Your short life has gone by so quickly to this point and I must admit that I'm a little saddened that your baby years are behind me. It's good for me to have this sadness sometimes so that when my long days with you and your 2 year old brother and 1 year old sister seem endless I can know that this phase passes more quickly than I'd like.
At 5 you are probably the most imaginative little girl I've known. You can spend hours playing in your own little world made up of dogs, and wolves, and dolphins. You crawl on all fours and shuffle around the house. Your brother is normally trailing behind you barking and begging for you to let him in on your play. Today, Lydia totted up to me and did a little fake bark and giggled. She, too, is learning from her sister. You also have a little sass to you and your brother is picking up on that too. I have to remind you that you are the leader of your siblings and they look to you for guidance and an example. Mostly, you fill those shoes effortlessly and with confidence.
Bethany, daddy and I have been so blessed to have a special little girl like you. You are uniquely sensitive and in-tuned to other's feelings. You have the most infectiously sweet spirit that everyone notices. I can't remember a time when strangers didn't comment on how you smiled and had a sense of joy about you. It's a gift the Lord has given you and I pray we are able to nurture it and help grow it inside of you. This past year has been your biggest year of adjustment thus far. In the spring we brought JP into the family and though you had prayed for him as long as you could talk, I know your little mind and heart had no way to be prepared for the change. It took you some time to get over the fact that he couldn't speak English and you'd have to "teach" him. Some days you'd tell me that "It's too hard to teach JP English." Thankfully, he picked up his 3rd language easily and was able to communicate with you. It wasn't until we moved to Memphis and the nursery worker at church told me that one of the children had made a comment that JP didn't look like you and Lydia and you stuck up for him and told the little boy that he WAS your brother! It was then I knew you had accepted his place in our family and had bonded with him in your own way. You now stick up for him even when he gets in trouble with mom or dad! Your next big adjustment was moving to a new state and away from your family. It was not an easy decision for Daddy and I to move you away but we knew the Lord had called us to Memphis and to our neighborhood. I had to trust the Lord that he also had called you here. It's been 6 months and I can see how this move is part of your calling and the special life He has planned for you. You've made friends with our neighbors and have a good time with them despite the differences that ya'll have. I can see that, in life, you will be able to relate to and love and care for others who may not share your skin color, family dynamic, religion, educational level, economic level or dreams. I can see the Mercy that God has given you already take shape and it's beginning to bloom even at 5 years old.
You are such a special girl that lives herself out in such a special way. I pray you also keep your kind spirit and joyful disposition and my most earnest prayer is that you become a strong woman of the Lord. You listen to his leading and follow no matter the cost. I sometimes feel inadequate to be the one entrusted to guide your impressionable heart.
In Jeremiah God says, "I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plan to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." We will take those words to heart as we guide you through this next year and throughout your life.
Love You Bunches,
Momma

It's a New Year

2012-01-08T23:30:00.001-06:00

So, I have gotten some phone calls about the newsletter being left out of the Christmas card giving. I apologize people. Please don't make me feel anymore guilty about the fact that I didn't send one the year that we bring our son home. I have decided to write our letter here for those that check it regularly but NOT this post. I just don't have the motivation right now.
I did want to share something else though. With the New Year I also reflect on the year that past. This year was a year of adjustment and transition. It was a year of me, personally, letting go and allowing God to prove Himself trustworthy and good despite my struggling with the path He has led us down. I'm so glad I didn't allow fear and Satan's schemes to keep me from obedience. I honestly measure my years in spiritual growth. There was a time when it never entered my mind to think this way but after the year my Mom passed away I grew so much and went so much deeper with the Lord, that just thinking of what the year brought reminded me of where the Lord had brought me.
Our Church here in Memphis has issued a spiritual challenge in 2012. There are certain "disciplines" they are urging members to master this year as a way to prepare for missions and a general life of ministry. There are some pretty rigorous challenges and first I was not compelled in the least to be a part. But the Lord working on my heart convicted me in some areas and I decided to pray about and practice the ones the Lord impressed on me. One of the disciplines I've decided to take on is reading the bible in a year. I decided to read it in chronological order and came across a bible that is a 365 day chronological bible. Already I've been refreshed with having read the Word daily and knowing that God's Word never turns void and my heart is soaking up what it needs. Today something struck me while I was reading and I wanted to share this passage,
"This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on earth."
Gen 9:12-16
It's amazing that today I can still find a rainbow in the sky. A sign of the covenant that God made so long ago between Him and man. It's the very nature of who God is and the characteristic that God has shown me in 2011; Trustworthy.

Days 7-2 of A Patrick Christmas

2011-12-24T22:26:00.001-06:00

The highlight of our new Christmas traditions in Memphis was Linny and Elba visiting. The Kids opened their gifts from them on this day and we went to see Christmas lights the night before.

Another gun, I mean fun, tradition is the boys basketball party! We had about 15-20 guys at our house for pizza, Crumpy's (Orange Mound Special:note the tin on the counter with 150 wings in it!), and presents for all. It was a blast and glad that Linny and Elba were able to share in it. Arm wrestling was the event of the night:)

We went to the Enchanted Forest at the Pink Palace and had a scavenger hunt and pictures with Santa.

Our saddest day of Christmas? Saying goodbye to Linny and Elba. Evident by Lyd, Lyd's face....

We wrapped up Girl's Club Christmas with movie night at our house. B got to stay up and watch the Nativity Story with us girls.

I threw in two pictures from tonight since it was Christmas Eve. This tradition has carried over from SC, Birthday Party for Jesus. B and Daddy made the cupcakes. Chocolate: our sin, White: Purity from Jesus, Red: the blood that took away our sin, and Green: B said it represents the grass that the sheep eat (?)

Here are the Patrick and Oliphant kids singing Jesus his Birthday song

Day's 10 and 9

2011-12-17T14:33:00.000-06:00

Christmas card: try #8

B rearranging the stocking, again

12 Days of Patrick Christmas

2011-12-14T21:39:00.002-06:00

In keeping with sharing our Christmas season with many of you that we won't be able to see, I'm posting a picture for the next 11 days and I'm going to make up for yesterday with two today....

Our Patrick/Wiersma crew in the depot about to board the Polar Express!

Notice anything different with this picture???

I walked past this particular nativity in the dining room this morning after I had dropped the kids at PDO and took a double take at our bull. I laughed out loud when I saw him knowing my eldest had tinkered and bedazzled him to her liking. Her favorite part of Christmas is putting out the nativity. This year while unpacking one of her favorite nativities that we set up in our room, I noticed we were missing a wise man. As she went shuffling into our room with her hands full of the nativity animals she nonchalantly said, "It's okay Mom, we only need two wise men this year". It's now Joey and I's coin phrase when we only want to half do something, "We only need two wise men this year."

Happenings lately

2011-12-12T22:04:00.001-06:00

We recently went home for an extended trip to SC for Thanksgiving. I was counting down the days and even had my CBS group pray for me as we took trip home because I just knew I'd be so homesick after we came back to Memphis that I'd start over at square one. We had an awesome time.....

First we stayed at Papa Mark and Gram's house and had the Thomas Thanksgiving....

Aunt Anna always does so good with the kiddos

We always decorate Gingerbread houses to kick off the upcoming Christmas season. All the kids enjoyed it with their cousins.

B loved eating her decorations the most. But look at her pretty Gingerbread house.

The little cousins loved hiding under the table and squealing at each other:)

After a few days we went to Linny and Elba's house to spend the rest of our time. This is Mama Irene with some of her Great-Grandkids.

Joey and his brother with the children. What a sweet picture...

We made time for a Clemson basketball game. B loves going to Clemson bball games and JP loved meeting the Tiger for the first time.

She always dances with the Rally Cats...

We went to Papa and Gram's one last time to see them and play in the beautiful weather

Leaf piles were a favorite of the day

The cousins watched a Christmas movie and ate warm cookies. Such great memories they'll have together.

On our way back to Memphis we visited Mimi Sara and Papa Jim. It was so nice to see them and get a chance to run around before our long trip home.

We had a wonderful visit but God heard my CBS group's prayer. I was anxious to get home and start our new Christmas traditions in our new house and neighborhood. It felt good to pull into OM and walk in our door. The Lord tells us to go forward without looking back because we can never be fully in a place with our heads looking backwards at what we just left. It was a real comfort to my heart.

We came back and unpacked and put up the Christmas decorations. I'll give you a little preview of some of our new traditions in Memphis and now, this year, with 3 little ones....

B listening to Christmas music working hard on her Jesse Tree ornaments .This is the first year we are doing a Jesse Tree for advent and it's awesome. She loved making her ornaments and learning about Jesus' family tree leading to his birth! It's been fun for all of us

Baby Josiah busy with the OM house church women baking cookies for girls club that night.

It's no secret I've had a hard time "loving" house church but the Lord has blessed our HC with some really special women. This is Jessica helping B roll dough

More OM HC women busy at work

Girls club is chronicling Jesus' birth story for Christmas but we always have a fun craft!

Christ Communities Christmas party

These two wallflowers didn't do much but eat at the party

Breakfast with Santa at the Botanical Gardens. They had a petting zoo, crafts and Carol-oke

JP singing a song he doesn't know during Carol-oke!

These sweet things have enjoyed the holidays

B making some ornaments for family

We had a first annual Wiersma-Patrick Mountain get-away to ride the Polar Express. Those pictures coming soon.

We also baked pumpkin bread and roasted pecans and delivered them to our neighbors. It was an awesome way to meet some of my neighbors I haven't meet. Sadly, many of them were skeptical when they opened the door but as soon as B flashed her smile and explained that we had a present for them from "Joey and Tia and the kids, and from Bethany that loves animals..." they opened those doors up gladly and welcomed us in! It made me wonder why I had never thought to do this before.

That's the thing I love about Memphis and OM, it's made our family intentional. How can you go back to complacency when you've seen the blessings of intentional?

Be intentional this season. Reach out to someone close by that you don't know well. Christmas is the perfect time to walk to a neighbor's house and give them a baked good or Christmas card. I'm sure, like me, you'll wonder why you hadn't done it sooner.

A year ago today....

2011-11-30T15:10:00.000-06:00

Oh sweet guy, we were so excited this time last year. Thanksgiving had just passed and we had been blessed with the news of our court date! I remember going around the Thanksgiving circle at dinner time and being amazed that our journey was finally here. All the prayers and tears and imagining your little face, all that was finally subsiding and the end was in sight. Daddy and I left your sisters (which was really hard since Lyd, Lyd was not even a year yet) and boarded a plane to headed for Addis Ababa. We had awful travel and got delayed in Atlanta and in Germany. It made our trip there last more than 24 hrs. By the time we finally got to Ethiopia we had missed a nights sleep and still were 7 hrs off due to the time zone. We were given the option to go straight to Shalom Orphanage and meet you or to rest and go for the afternoon session. Of course we went to see you! Your little sleepy face was not in the mood to meet us. You were not interested in playing or smiling and I thought, "Ought Oh, this might be harder than I imagined". You allowed us to finally play with you and hold you only if you good friend was near by. Our court trip to Ethiopia had some unexpected glitches and caused us to only wait longer until you came home. But I know now that God was only giving you and us the little extra time needed to make our adjustment easier. You couldn't have done better getting use to our family.

JP, I'm so glad you came into our lives. The path that led us to you was unusual and different than most other little boys but no less special. Your sensitive and charming way just compliments your sisters perfectly. You have the most mischievous smile and your charisma is contagious. We love you and couldn't imagine our family without you. Here's a few pictures from last years court trip

Mommy had just gotten off the plane in time to meet you!

Mitin, your special friend that never left your side. I pray the Lord keeps you two in touch over the years. Mommy will do all she can to make sure you have this connection.

So happy to finally meet the staff in Ethiopia that made your adoption possible

Addis Ababa from our guest house window

Our last visit with you before having to come home. Look at that cute, little handsome face.

6 months already?

2011-11-07T09:08:00.000-06:00

6 months ago I stepped off a plane with a little boy who barely knew me and whom I barely knew. We had spent the last 4 days together after only meeting briefly 5 months before. And during the brief meeting my JP was not happy about talking with me or his Daddy or sitting with us. We were forced to bribe him with dum-dums to get him to sit on our lap or not cry when we touched him. Joey and I came home and wondered how long it would take this child, who we had prayed for nearly 3 years, to adjust to coming into our family. We had anticipated meeting this child of ours for years and dreamed of how our life would look with a little boy but then we worried that somehow he might be frightened and terrified to board a plane and come across the ocean only to be forever with these white strangers. That small, sweet, scared little boy did board a plane with me and his Grandfather. He endured a long journey without a whimper or typical two-year old episode. He was strangely still and quiet for a tike his age. Now knowing him as a mother does, that behavior came from a scared and insecure place within his confused heart.

Today he has been home for 6 months. He is a happy, sweet, sensitive, and very smart little boy. His English is as good as or better than his peers. He is learning his colors and numbers quickly. He loves "choo-choo's" and cars and screeches every time he sees a fire truck with it's sirens on! His favorite food is french fries and he can spot a Chic-Fil-A from a mile down the street. JP goes to school two days a week and bible study once a week. His best friend is his little sister who loves to run up and down the hall with and who he likes to push in her baby doll stroller. He has fit in perfectly to our family. That's not saying it hasn't been a hard and we are still getting to know each. Our love for him has grown and I'm sure if he could say it he'd tell you the same thing.

I did a small "interview" with JP tonight. I was going to post it but it took way too long to upload....

Memphis in full show

2011-11-03T14:24:00.001-05:00

This isn't "my" tree but these are some downtown trees:)

Today as the kids and I were riding to bible study I was enjoying the beautiful show that Memphis is in the midst of. To be honest, until last week, I was disturbed that I had somehow moved from the lush, green and beautiful land of Upstate South Carolina to what was seemingly a pretty pitiful fall display. There were no turning of leaves to brilliant bright reds, oranges and yellows. Instead the trees remained green and some just went to straight brown or had fallen to the ground. It was yet another small grievance on my behalf. But last week I woke up and walked out our front door to a beautiful, confident, bright yellow maple in a lot across the street that is home to an abandoned house. I rode around last week and found that Memphis was going to prove she was just a pretty as my Carolina. It really was a sweet comfort to my sometimes homesick soul. I was marveling at what is sure to be a short-lived miracle this morning and worshiping God in song and the Lord spoke to my heart. He used that tree across the street to give me a pretty useful analogy. It's funny that the Lord can bring beauty out of despair. Most people in Memphis would ride around Orange Mound and see blight, crime, and poverty. In fact, over the last two weeks I've encountered my first taste of not-so-understanding Memphians. People here are really concerned about where people live. Normally I try to give a general answer but they're not happy with that. Memphians want to know your cross street. Stranges thing. So a couple of times I was talking with someone and they kept pressing about where I moved to in Memphis and I'm trying to avoid because I've already picked up that they're not going to be very understanding of our choice. So push comes to shove and out comes Orange Mound and I see anxiety and discomfort written all over their faces. And I wish I could somehow bring words to encourage them to give it a chance. To not miss the blessing I'm receiving. After living here for only a few short months and beginning to know it more intimately I've found that it's an extraordinary place. My neighbors are special and wonderful people who were created by our Masterful Maker for a purpose in the history of time. There is beauty in ashes and strength in weakness. The tree also showed me that, yes, Jesus does choose to use us despite our sin. That His Majesty shines even through the filth of our nature and our constant waywardness. When I look across the street and I'm tempted to see only a boarded up home and empty lots and find reason to complain about where I'm at, I hope my heart remembers the splendor of a simple maple tree in a Memphis November. That the Lord is at work in the most unusual places and that he normally uses the low and little and humble places on Earth to reveal His Glory.

I'll leave you with a picture of the three little maples in my life....

Fall is in the air....

2011-09-30T23:20:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to do a little (long) peek-a-boo into our busy fall.....

Perhaps one of the most time consuming of all fall activities is the B.O.M.B squad. Affectionately named for the communities that Joey's boys are from.... Belt Line, Orange Mound and Bethel Grove. All in close proximity to one another and it seems our house is in the heart of all three. Mondays are basketball practice and bible study and Saturdays are consumed with games. As you can see, we're working on practicing. Can you guess which one we are? Home or Visitors???? The team grows every week and could really be 3 teams at this point. Any takers??? Orange Mound is ready for some new neighbors...:)

Coach and the boys

Do you see the assistant coach?

Earlier in the month there was big Shenanigans in the Mound with the Heritage Bowl between Jackson State and Tennessee State. We rode in our wagon to the Orange Mound Parade. Daddy's clinic had a "float" and Bethany and Dad didn't catch it in time to start with but jumped on during the parade to help throw out candy.

The Oliphant's came for the fun, too!

Jackson State band. JP loved the drums. The boy can dance and doesn't miss a beat. Maybe we'll see him on the drum line one day?

That same weekend we went to the fair. Do you see the 2 extra kids we now take care of?:) Danny, in the middle is our Manny, I mean good friend from residency that is now working at Christ Community. His house in the Mound's not ready so he's living with us:) Demmerick is our child, I mean neighbor... he does homework, eats, and I some time do his laundry at our house. Oh and if you're at our house that much, then you also get disciplined too.

Lyds enjoying the little play ground. What a sweetie... but don't let that smile fool ya. She's a feisty one she is.

Best Buddies

We also meet the Oliphant's here too. If you don't know yet, the Oliphant's are good friends of ours. They're new in town and Jason is one of two of the new and very welcomed surgeons in the Christ Community family.

Next is Thursday Girl's night with our friends. Our first Orange Mound Girl's night started off the right way, with an ice cream social at Janine's and ended in a very successful win for team 1 (whoot, whoot) of Catch Phrase. We had about 7 or 8 teenagers and about that many grown girls.....

Me and Ray Ray, one of Melrose High Schools star soccer players!

Let the games begin ladies!

Last weekend was a busy one also. We had Sister's In Motion 5K. B-dawg was pumped about her race. Daddy ran along side her and she ran over a mile without stopping! You go gurl... Daddy and B before the race lookin relaxed.

Christ Community was everywhere since the race benefited the new pregnancy and family center.

Headed to the start line

And their off...

This is what we did while they ran....

She'll be coming 'round that mountain....

Successful Daddy/Daughter run!

Then on to the jump house

And JP and Momma do a little Wobble....

That Sunday I wanted to create a little memory and family tradition by going to the near by (15 miles near by) Jones Apple Orchard. I had it all planned to be so much fun and right when we pulled up the clouds rolled in and the sky turned black. As we were warned by the 15 yr old that it wasn't such I good idea to pick apples in a storm (trees, people!) I made my kids get out any way so I could at least get my pictures! Every mom wants her pictures. As soon as our feet hit the ground tornado sirens started going off, buy we picked apples in 2 minutes flat... and I"ve got the pictures to prove it. Enjoy

Most of our apples were rotten. The kids were scurrying around picking up apples off the ground. You can see from the pictures above that it was just a mill house of picking a child up and letting them pick one apple so I could get my picture. Sad, I know.

Well, that was an exhausting glimpse into our fall so far. I still haven't even posted pictures of the Ball from tonight. It'll have to wait. Happy fall to you and yours!

Happy New Year Ethiopia!

2011-09-22T14:51:00.003-05:00

Last Monday was the Ethiopian New Year! It is a huge celebration in Ethiopia. Monday came and went and I didn't realize it until late that night. The next day I was at dance with Bethany and was talking to two Ethiopian adoptive parents. We decided to take the kids to the local Ethiopian restaurants, Abyssinia. JP had meet the Ethiopian girl, Ruthie, who happens to go to his school and who is in B's dance and school class. But he had not been able to meet Solomon. Both kids are 3 yrs old and came home as babies.

I decided to dress JP in his traditional Ethiopian outfit. Look how handsome!

The girls also wore their Ethiopian dresses. They all were so cute. It's like JP knew what we were going to do. I kept asking if he wanted to go eat injera and he'd run around with excitement!

We got to the restaurant and he lit up! I think just the smells in there were so familiar. Once the food came he couldn't get enough!

The Ethiopian owner couldn't get enough of him. She thought it was so sweet that he knew how to eat the injera. It is eaten with the hands and Ethiopians are skilled at not making a mess. She was so proud of him! 3 plates later he told me, "Mommy, full".

I just couldn't wait to get him there to see if he'd be able to communicate and use his Amharic with the Ethiopians. Although it wasn't his first language, he still understood everything the Ethiopians were saying. He only spoke a few words and preferred to use his now very good English. Both families were their and the kids had a blast. They started to run around the restaurant and wearing the injera baskets as hats. We decided next time we got together with everyone in the family we'd go to a park! Maybe Abyssinia trips will have to be special time for just the Ethiopian kids.... Here's part of the group picking up. There were 7 kids terrorizing the place!

On the Memphis side of things it's been going really well. On Thursdays we go to the Community Bible Study (CBS) here. I was always a part of it in Greenwood and was thrilled to find that Memphis had a CBS. I was even more thrilled to find that CBS would be studying Revelations!!! The kids love going too. The children's program is like a well run Sunday school. They have lessons and choir and memory verses. This has proved to be a comfort to me since we are doing house church. It's been really hard for me to walk away from the institution of church b/c it was such a wonderful part of my life growing up and has been such a big part of Bethany's life. Bethany and I watched "The Prince of Egypt" today for rest time. She's been learning about Moses at CBS and she mentioned the movie. The Lord knew it was just what I needed to see. Although Memphis has been full of wonderful blessings thus far, I am sometimes "tripped up" in longing to have a comfortable life. Don't get me wrong, we are "comfortable' in the sense of not wanting for anything and having a nice, cozy place to call home. But sometimes being immersed in a different culture and seeing your neighbors deal with really hard and real issues is not easy. Actually, some days just thinking about it is draining. And being in Orange Mound means carrying some of that burden. But as I watched that movie and Moses leading his people through the Red Sea and the waters crushing the Egyptians what really struck me was when they reached dry land it was a desert. They were finally free but all that lay before them was open, hot, dry desert. And knowing the story that they not only lived in the desert but wondered it for forty years and only ate the sweet Manna that God rained down on them. Also, none of the first generation to see the miracles preformed lived to see the Promised Land. And it just hit me. Just because I've been set free with the Blood of Jesus and He's paid my debt for the sin that ensnares me daily doesn't entitle me to comfort and ease. In fact if I looked through the Bible, I would be hard pressed to find one devoted follower that lived a comfortable life. I think of Moses who wondered the desert, Abraham who was called to a foreign land, of Elijah that was suicidal, of Jeremiah who lamented and fought God on being a prophet, of Joseph sold to slavery by his brothers and that's only skimming the Old Testament and not touching the New Testament! I can't even think of one that had an easy existence. "Jesus replied, ' No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'"

Lord, may you keep my hands on the plow and my eyes fixed above. Don't allow my unbelief to cause me not to recieve he promises you have for me. When I start to turn back Lord, remind me of your Words and of your saints.

Never thought I'd vacation in Arkansas.....

2011-08-18T14:36:00.013-05:00

And actually enjoy it!?!?! We've had so much going on lately with getting settled and maximizing our memberships to the zoo and Children's Museum. But some friends of ours from Christ Community invited us to go to Greer's Ferry Lake with them over the weekend and we jumped on the chance for a vacation before starting school this week and the start of fall activities that will tie us down through out the year. The Oliphant's also have three precious kids and Charlie has become a fast friend to B. So off to AK we went. We stayed at "Puddin' Ridge" which also had a farm that we utilized and went to the "beach" on the lake one day. The weather was FABULOUS. It seemed almost like fall which was a welcome from the sweltering Memphis heat and humidity. We spent our time making smores, playing at the farm and splashing in Lake Greer's Ferry. Here are some pics to show our last summer hoo-ra....

Liddy with her new BF, Katelyn. Unfortunately Kate is a lot less excited about the prospect of a BFF. It's written all over their faces!

B enjoying her 'smore

The Oliphant/Patrick clan in their PJ's and the older two can't wait to go to bed to sleep on the bunk beds! The simple joys of childhood...

Starting the day at the farm with a new doggie friend. Monty was on vacation with us but we didn't trust him to come on the farm with all those ponies wondering around, oh and hogs too!

Paddle-boating with the younger ones. Lyds was trying to dive out of the boat at this point to get the very unshy ducks....

Liddy posing for me in one of her moods. See it? The mood?

JP running around with his shirt off . He's that kid.

That donkey isn't really as close to Lyd's head as it looks...

Looks like such a sweet father/son pic but he's actually in time-out. A regular part of our daily routine these days. But they are a handsome pair:)

B with her new fishing pole. No fish on this trip

Liddy enjoying the beach

Bethany now refuses to wear any safety device... she's doing really well but it scares a Momma. JP spent much of his time drinking the lake water despite my best efforts

Earlier in the month we had our first out of town visitors! Linny and Elba came to Orange Mound with a long list of to-do's to work on! Thanks Elba for all your hard work!

We spent time playing at the Children's Museum and hitting up some of the Memphis shopping we hadn't gotten to yet. Linny was the perfect partner to scout out the shops with.

The Crawfords were also in town visiting Callie and JD. Next time we need to work to coordinate these parent visits so I get them in between each other. Helps with the homesickness.

Love this picture. Who knew Joey and Callie would end up in Memphis together? These two have grown up together and Callie's become a dear friend of mine. So glad to have "family" here with us:)

On the Memphis side of things, it's been going really well. I'll have to spend a whole post just updating on our thoughts thus far. But it's nice to have that peacefulness that comes with being in God's will. A sweet serenity that can't be explained.

Thank you Lord for your Providence in all things despite the weakness in my faith and the sin that so easily entangles me. Your Grace is enough for me.....

3rd or 4th

2011-07-25T15:09:00.004-05:00

We're going on our 4th week here or is it our 3rd? Any who, the house has slowed and only small details are being dealt with right now. My kitchen is finally done and the cabinets painted. Plymouth Beige and the pantry cabinet Barn Red! I LOVE my open shelving. I had requested the open shelving and Jacob's Ladder was more than happy with that since it's a cheaper option but once we moved in I was less than thrilled with the thought of my upper cabinets being open and having to be neat. But I must say, they look fabulous with my dishes and I'm glad I went with what I've always wanted. I still have to get cabinet pulls and a kitchen rug. Well, I pretty much have to get a rug (or two in the living room's case) for every room in this house. Not one square foot is carpeted! We've got a lot of floor room and eventually I will probably put in an island for food prep. The real front door is up and primed for my red to be painted on it tomorrow. I think everything will be done by Wed. I'm so excited so that I can unpack everything but a little sad, too. I've grown to really enjoy the workers. Two are Hispanic fellas from Mexico and I've really gotten to know them. They're brothers and very hard workers. They can do ANYTHING. I'm getting their number for other projects I may need help with and I want to invite them to dinner to enjoy the house they've labored over since the beginning! Then there's the Jacob's Ladder volunteers. Oh, the sweet men they are. Most are retired men and some very accomplished individuals. There's a university student who is studying urban redevelopment and church groups that come in masses. They all volunteer their expertise and services on Wednesday's So I've come to look forward to my Wednesday's with them. We spoke at Emmanuel UMC on Sunday to Bill's Sunday school class and many of the men who help in one way or another were there. Bill also has some people from the neighborhood helping. A painter and cleaner in particular. Jeanette cleans and does odd jobs for him and I had her come this weekend to help clean and unpack with me. She's coming tomorrow to clean because we have our first meeting with our new social worker for an update on JP. I'm a little nervous since our new house is in the hood but I"m pretty sure our other SW explained the situation to her. Let's hope she's understanding....
Our neighbors have been so good thus far. We've got Glinda and Linda to our left, Boshia and her sons Donny and new baby who live with her mom, Phyllis, to our right, Ms. Mary across from her, Wolf beside Mary and Edmond and his wife, Bessie, behind us. All of these neighbors have been welcoming and assured us they'd watch our backs. Donny's been over to play several times. He's a wild man. 3yrs old and bigger than all three of mine combine! He was disappointed in my drink selection as he rummaged through my fridge trying to find juice. Our house alarm went off last week at 4AM. I'm pretty sure it was a fluke because Sasha (Ed and Bessie's German Shepherd) didn't bark and she barks at everything and the strays that have taken up in the abandoned home next to ours didn't bark either and they bark at everything too. Ms Linda also reported that her Chiquaqua didn't bark and she always checks when the dogs bark. Nothing was misplaced or taken or moved and the back door pops open if not dead bolted and I had forgotten to deadbolt it. No one could have gotten passed the two by four that arms this door anyways. We're sure it was nothing but it scared the jebbies out of us when it went off. Somehow the little kids slept through it as it blared down the street but B woke up and went straight back to sleep.
Sometimes it's hard to believe we are actually here and I"m really having to secure my doors with a two by four at night. The Lowes man who is installing our wood shed asked me today, "No offense, but why in the world did you move to this neighborhood?" First, I wanted to say in the words of Bonquiqui (click for a good laugh) "RUDE" but I answered honestly and calmly. I get it people. It's strange that a successful physician and his family would move into the hood where poverty and crime mark the streets and the faces of everyone who roams them. And sometimes I wonder why we're here too. On Sunday when we were driving down the beautiful suburban streets and I thought to myself, "That could have been our house and our yard" as I looked at these beautiful homes but then the Lord said to me, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is their your heart will be also." Matt 6:19-21. I know at any moment for any of us life can change and every materialistic possession we own could be gone and worth nothing. I think of the earthquake victims, the displaced refugees, the tsunami victims and the people of war-torn countries. It could be any of us. Something out of our control could happen and take away all we've built our lives around. I want my treasures to be in heaven where nothing can take them away. I imagine Jesus was talking about relationships, good deeds, and changed lives that glorify Him. That's the type of treasures we'll have. But my fleshly side takes over at times and my nature is to want the bigger and the better and to covet what others have. I have to remind myself that I have enough blessing to last a lifetime inside the walls of this house and it really doesn't matter what the shell looks like but the lives that dwell inside. My prayer is that our home be a place of comfort and understanding and that our doors will be open to those in need and our table feed those that hunger and that our relationships will lead others to the One that IS the bread of life. I pray my children see their parents have an active and real faith that focuses on the greatest commandments to first Love the Lord with all your heart and the second to Love your neighbor as yourself. And through this they will develop a deep and personal relationship with their Maker. However God chooses to accomplish this is up to Him. Right now it starts in a ghetto called Orange Mound.

I'll leave you with some more pics.

This is a view of the dining room from the kitchen. The front door is straight ahead. The wall to the right in the kitchen was completely taken out and opend up. There's a bar there now that over looks the dining room.

This is the dining room still. The kitchen is to my back and this is to the right of the room. The door way led into what we think was the first addition to this house. It now houses JP room to the front of the house (backed to the living room) the play room in the middle and straight through this door way and then B's room to the back. The playroom acts as an entrance into both of their rooms set in the middle of them.

This is the orginal kitchen. The left wall torn out and pushed up. The doorway closed in (now Bethany's room with a bath) and the right wall has a doorway that leads to our master bed and bath and Lydia's nursery. The kitchen is much bigger than this now.

More to come next time.....

We"re Heeeeere

2011-06-30T07:34:00.003-05:00

Gosh, I thought I'd be breathing a sigh of relief when the words "We're Here" came out of my mouth. Instead, I'm neck deep in full boxes waiting to be emptied, using the bathroom sink to wash my minimal dishes and catching up on days worth of laundry while tending to my three in a construction zone. The house wasn't quite ready when we came.... the kitchen unfinished and our master bed and bath still needing work. There have been workers here everyday from sun up to sun down and today the kitchen is almost functional and the master bed/bath is being completed for the most part. Hopefully the plumber shows up today to connect the rest of the piping to make these rooms functional. You ask if I'm going crazy? Surprisingly I have remained break-down free until this morning. The simple think of dog hair set it off and I was quickly over it. It's funny how God's Grace can carry. In the mist of my crying fit God said, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and thanksgiving make your request known to God. And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart in Christ Jesus." I actually quoted it as "Do not complain about anything". After my head recited it to my heart I caught the anxious part. Wow, anxious free in this situation. It must be possible if God says so. I really have thought about how lucky I am to be in the predicament. I look around to my neighbors and realize that many would be over-joyed to be in this situation. A newly renovated home, with the problem of too many boxes piled up and no where to put them. Just puts life into perspective being here. I've met several neighbors and visited with a few teenage girls. I skipped the Orange Mound prayer meeting this Tuesday due to exhaustion but I plan to attend from here forward. In fact, it will be held at our house once we're settled. It was started by a Christ Community (CCHS) worker here in OM with Joey. She's a sweet girl who was the first brave soul to move in. She has two roommates and they've really built a re pore with the girls and guys here. There's so much to tell but I'll just have to play catch up another time. We have a Chic-fil-A playdate with another CCHS family. Time to load the kids in the car. A good 10-15 min process! I'll leave you with a few "before" inside pics.

Living room from the front door

The wall to the left was completely knocked out to make a big living area

Hall way. To the left the hall bath and straight the dining room, beyond that the kitchen

The kitchen was gutted and opened up.

Hall bath. Luxurious, I know. We used the closet space in the living room to expand this bathroom vanity area

Too hard for a title, title.

2011-06-16T21:45:00.005-05:00

It's our (Joey and I's) last night in G'wood:( The movers came today and packed our things and tomorrow they'll load the trucks. We've had big celebrations all over this little town. Last night a get together with our residency friends that we've grown to cherish and who have grown to put up with us:) Then today Joey's office had a big lunch for him. The kids left with his Mom so we could get things straight here without 3 little ones right under my feet. It's all starting to hit me now. It's the last time I'll lay in this fabulous room and type a post. Or just do the hum-ho things of life. Oh how I'll miss this house, this neighborhood and this community. We have been blessed here. This is were 2 of my 3 babies came home to and it's where Bethany has been raised her 4 young years. I was folding clothes yesterday while sitting on the floor. She came to me and cupped my face with her little hands and said, "Promise me we don't have to move again. Promise, promise, promise, we'll stay in Memphis forever." It was so hard not to just promise but I couldn't lie because that child forgets nothing. I certainly felt that way about this move and battled it for months. And it's how I've felt so many times in life when I knew that life would never be the same. "Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nest, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matt 8:20. Many times in this decision I've been reminded of this story. It's when a man tells Jesus he will follow Him wherever He goes. But then Jesus quickly replies with this answer. He goes on to tell him that the man cannot even go back to bury his dead father. Whoever said that being a follower of Jesus Christ was easy had it all wrong. Jesus himself says that for all of us to truly follow Him there will be a cost. It's the sacrificial life that mirrors our Fathers. In my case, the cost is the security of family, house, safety and comfort. It's leaving our church and home and truly stepping out. But I can tell you without doubt that this is where we are suppose to be right now. God has not only provided but went above and beyond. We have a huge network of Godly people in Memphis that have made this move possible and that the Lord has used to build me up and most are practically strangers. But they care about us and they care about what we're about. If we would have never trusted and obeyed I would have not seen God be the big God He is. If it would have all been lined up perfectly and all our ducks in a row, then I would never have seen the mysterious and big ways God has provided.

Wow, I've been blessed that God would allow me to be a part of what He is doing. I'm pooped and going to bed but I'll give you a little teaser on the house. A "before" if you will....

It was a dilapidated home with some squatters living inside. But on the porch is Bill Marlor with the organization "Jacob's Ladder" click here, who has been a God-send and whose organization has made it possible for us to move to The Mound. We are in the final stages of the renovation and the house has been completely gutted from the inside out! We are so excited. I'm too drained to go into it much but be on the look out for progress pics!!!!

Hello's and Goodbye's

2011-05-24T21:05:00.007-05:00

We have four more weeks left in Greenwood before our big move. It's hard to believe we are closing this chapter in our lives. Residency, new babies in the house, and a place our family has grown to call Home. It's no secret that I had a hard time when we moved to small town USA. I quit a job I adored, I started staying at home with my new baby and my husband was an intern working over night every 4th night for a year. I felt like a single mom trying to navigate a new town and a new normal all while my husband was gone most of the time. It felt really lonely at times. If not for my Gamo coming every on-call night and staying with me, I might not have made it that first year. I had a hard time, at first, finding my niche here in Gwd. But soon God started working on my heart and telling me to "learn to be content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (Phil 4:12) God literally told me this through other people, study, and in my daily devotions. I started to take this verse to heart "learn" to be content. Soon I was building really unexpected and special relationships, serving our church and getting involved in one of the most meaningful bible studies I've ever been a part of (Community Bible Study). It was amazing. I met new girls through Bunko, the medical association and at the Y. During this time our family went from 3 to 5 and
our number of friends nearly tripled too! :) Greenwood became home and the charm of small town grew on us. We have truly been blessed here and I can only hope and pray our next phase of life will be filled with half the meaningful relationships and experiences we've had for the past 4 years.

On Sunday our wonderful church family had a "Welcome JP" party and a "Send The Patrick's Off" party all rolled into one. We had cake, ice cream and fellowship in the Church park after Sunday night services and we felt the love all around us. It means so much to us that our church is so supportive and prayful for our family and our move. We will certainly miss the Middle school and High schoolers that we've taught the past 4 years. Joey and I both did our last lessons on Sunday:( I will also never forget the women that have mentored me as a wife and mother at SMSBC. Thank you for growing us and praying for us and letting us be a part of your mission. We love you and will always have special memories from our time there.

We had Cake and Ice cream!

B helping direct where all the gifts went.

The Guest of Honor chowing down on his cake.

SMSBC, you really didn't have to do all this for us!

On Monday night we had Family Fun Night with B's school (also our church). They were honoring our service men and women. B had to wear red, white and blue and Joey wouldn't let me get anything new. I decided to make her a twirly skirt from this tutorial.
I'm always real proud of myself when I make clothes now since I no longer have Gamo to help me with it. But when I'm done I always want to show her because I know she'd be so proud I did it by myself. She looked cute and it was an original too! I'm glad Norman was able to come. He brought fresh picked strawberry's, an African print that he picked up at a garage sale, B some Yoo-Hoo's (always) and all the kids a box of animal crackers. He was also honored, along with all the other service men, in Bethany's program. B had me blow out her hair for the program. She's really not into her curls these days. I take offense. She told me the other day while I was brushing her hair, "Mom, you like tangly hair but I like straight hair." I told her that I happen to get a lot of compliments on my curls. She wasn't convinced. We'll have to work on that.

Twirly Skirt

My Yankee Doodle doing her thang

Liddy and Daddy playing on the see-saw

JP and Lyds playing

B with her best friend at school, Kate. (she also has a big crush on Kate's older brother!)

Norman came to see B. I'm glad he got honored as a Vet in her program.

We are some lucky people. As sad as it is to move, the Lord has really placed such excitement and anticipation about Memphis. The decision was one I freely gave over to God but it took me a while to become "content" with it. I was allowing lots of things to steal the Joy the Lord wanted me to have about Memphis and He's teaching me again. Next post? It's about Memphis! I'll let ya'll in on some things I've been keeping on the DL because our adoption. I wanted nothing floating around cyberspace that could have jeopardized it.

The Much Anticipated Post!

2011-05-18T12:49:00.013-05:00

So here it is! I'm going to narrarate some but mostly let the pictures speak themselves. We got the definitive email for our Embassy date at 1:30 Am the morning that we had to leave for Ethiopia. For those outside the Ethiopia adoption world, it wasn't a total surprise. We submitted 3 dates and the Embassy tries to get the one you want according to their availablity. We also had to get to ET by Thurs to do the birth family meeting if we chose to b/c these only happen over the weekend for Bethany Christian Services families. My father-in-law came with me and Joey stayed back with the girls. I wanted him home with me our first week home and we decided this was also the best situation for our girls. My mother-in-law stayed, too, and watched the girls during the day.

So we traveled over ocean, time zones and even fueled in Sudan (scary) and made it into ET at 9:30ish PM on Thurs. We didn't even know what guest house we were in until we got off the plane and saw our BCS staffer, Abel (best guide ever!), and he took us and 2 other families to our first choice, Morning Coffee Guest House!

On Friday we went to Shalom Transitional Home to see JP again. He was a totally different child from the last visit. He came to me with open arms and hugged my neck. We played and laughed and he had fun playing with Doug aka Elba (grandpa name. I know it's awful but what can you do?)

I'll let the pics take over...

Seating and playing with mom!

The glasses always do the trick! He was obessesed with them the last visit and we are not above bribery at this point and it worked!

Peek-a-boo with the glasses? Reeling him in...!

Ring-around the Rosies was a favorite too.

We stayed all morning and had to leave. We wouldn't pick him up until Monday. But I felt good about our meeting and it was an answer to prayer.

Our trip to Awassa (southern region of ET) would include seeing Shalom Orphanage and meeting JP's Birthfamily. It's a 5 hr trip and we stopped for lunch at Lake Langano. As you can see it's beautiful and dry. Very desertisque.

We got to Awassa and rested for a white. Awassa was a beautiful city. A college town. Very clean and had lots of hotels. There were large crowds for a marathon on Saturday. We anxiously waited>

Finally we head to the orphanage and take a tour. I get to meet the special nanny that JP loved very much and that she had a special love for him. It was sad b/c all the children in this facility don't have families yet. They were charming and sweet and there was also LOTS of babies here.

Interesting to see that Shalom was given funds to open by Angelina Jolie's organization.

After the tour we all (3 families) go to meet the birth family. They called JP's name last so through the process of elimination and my own educated guess I lock eyes with his Great Aunt. We hug and cry and she does the traditional cheek to cheek kiss. I choose not to post a more clear picture of her out of respect. But we just clicked. Our interview/conversation lasted about 45 min and we had 2 translators. She spoke Sidaminga? and then it was translated to Amharic and then to English. My translators were great and I had Doug video the meeting. It was a priceless gift that is beyond value.

This was one of my translated. She was taken with Doug. She kept stroking his hair and marveled at his age. She also couldn't believe he had all his real teeth! I told him that if he started acting up I was leaving him with her! He straightened up.

The next day we left Awassa and saw the marathoners. Pretty cool, we saw the leaders pack and several had bare feet.

Monday rolls around and it's time to get the kiddos! There were two of us with boys at Shalom. We went to their room to get them b/c it was during rest/nap time. We brought a change of clothes. The boys in his room oooohwed and awwwed over his shoes. He was real proud of them and I had to hide them for the plane ride home so that he would wear the crocs.

A nanny giving him the traditional kiss.

Us leaving. Note the glasses.

Sweet guy with the glassesJP with one of his Shalom buddies at Morning Coffee. It really helped with the transition to have 4 kids at the guest house all from Shalom. They had been together for so long and made them feel a little more secure.

Embassy day! JP and his friend all spiffy for their Embassy appointments! What cuties.

This is on the balcony at MCGH. Beautiful view for a joyous day!

The next day we took a little hike and played outside.

Hiking around with Mom

Ethiopia's dish: Injera. JP loves it and we can't wait to take him to a wonderful Ethiopian restaurant in Memphis.

This was JP's social worker, Blen. We cherished her reports each month and loved that she loved him so much. A sweet girl who is awaiting her visa for the US to join her husband in TX. I hope to see her again.

He's home now and doing surprisingly well. We have our issues and most is typical two yr old stuff but he's doing sooooo good. The girls have just acted like he's always been here. I play referee A LOT. But I guess that's life with 3 kids four and under.

Do I not have the cutest kids on the earth?

These two are buddies! Becoming the best of friends.

Birth Family Meeting

2011-05-01T10:36:00.001-05:00

A quick update. We just arrived back at the guest house after 2 days and 1 night in the southern region that JP first entered the orphanage and close to his birth city. I was able to meet his Great Aunt that cared for him before he was relinquished. I wasn't even sure that she would come but she did and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. We saw each other and hugged and we cried and she kissed me over and over. There was no akwardness and we just cried and laughed together and really understood each other. She is a Christian and has prayed for him his whole life. You could sense her relief in meeting me and seeing his pictures and knowing he is taken care of. I feel like I have a lot of answers for him one day and a lot of love to share with him from her. IT was a priveledge and honor to meet her and hear the beginning of his story. There is so much to tell and plenty I'll never share with the world(sorry blog world), only him. Continue to pray
as we pick JP up tomorrow afternoon for good!!!!
Tia

We're Here....

2011-04-29T10:12:00.001-05:00

Folks, we made to Ethiopia. It really wasn't as bad as the first trip since it took only half of the time it did the first go around. Doug wasn't as comfortable as me because of his legs but our leg from Amsterdam to ET was very spacious and roomy as only half of the jet was full. I stretched out across 3 sits and slept!.

Today we went to the orphanage and meet with JP. He as so sweet and came running to me with open arms and a huge hug. It was quite the different story than last time. We played and laughed and chased each other. It was a true answer to prayer and a reassurance that he is going to do just fine. I got to see that "all boy" side of him when he was being mischevous and roughing around. Oh, my heart melted when he laughed and hugged and played with me. He kept kissing the picture of Lydia in the photo album he had. I think it's because he loves babies and he just couldn't get enough of her pictures. He had some good time with his Grandpa, too. We are going to his birthplace tomorrow and spending the night. I will hopefully meet with his birth family if they agree to come. On Monday afternoon we will get JP for good and he will stay with us for the duration of the trip. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. I have really seen answered prayers this week! Will keep posting as much as I can. Joey may be updating bc two emails a day is a little overwhelming here! Will keep all you posted.

Tia

Submitted! BUT....

2011-04-13T10:07:00.004-05:00

Wanted to update that we were submitted to the US Embassy for an interview and travel on April, 8, BUT (there's always a but) JP turned two on Saturday (real sad day for his Mama and Papa) and that brought a whole new issue. Some weeks ago we sent an amended home study to change the age of child that was originally on our home study. We are now waiting to get this processed before we can bring him home. Also, the US Embassy requested a court document that needs to be submitted, too, before we can travel. Once again, we are "caught up". Please pray that the officials, that hold this little boy's life in their hands with our paperwork, will be efficient and the Lord will give them speed in these matters. I have most of JP's bags packed. I'm only missing essentials like diapers and such (kinda important) but will get it done this weekend. We are close! So all you righteous people out there pray for my boy. "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiver. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16 Here at Easter I am reminded that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, is the same power that lives in all of us that believe and are saved by the name of Jesus. "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:12-14 Bold promises from our Lord and words that bring hope to my soul. Let the Father be glorified in this situation!

My Baby's first Birthday

2011-04-06T09:24:00.004-05:00

I finally got the pictures from Lydia's first birthday uploaded. I can not believe that she is a year old. Man, I feel like her baby days are flying by and I'm helpless to stop the time.

We celebrated her 1st Birthday at home with family and a few friends. Unfortuately, she was sick that day and not in the best of moods. All her birthday pictures don't show the typical smiling baby that she is. But she had a good time trying her first piece of birthday cake and playing with her cousins and Aunts and Uncles.

At a year Lydia is cruising and standing on her own. She is now walking when she chooses to but prefers the faster method of crawling. She is a climber. I found her on top of the coffee table oneday while I had my back turned. She has figured out how to climb on her sister's bed and has fallen off a couple of times because she can't control her excitement once up there! Lydia LOVES baby dolls and gives them "love" on a regular basis by hugging and patting her babies backs. Lydia has learned how to bother her sister. She likes to climb on her back when Bethany is sitting on the ground and her favorite way to get a reaction from her sister is pull her hair!

Lydia is saying several words: Uh-oh, all done, hey, dog (with barking noise:)), ball, Mama, Dada, kitty cat. She likes to wave bye-bye and hello. Her favorite toy is a ball and her dad is hoping she will be his ball player. She is 96% for her height so she will her daddy's ball player or her Mommy's ballerina:)

Lydia looks so much like her daddy and has his advenerous and active spirit. She is a very busy girl that is always on the go. She has been such a sweet addition to our family. I can't imagine life without her. She brings us so much laughter and happiness. My prayer is that she will grow to become a confident and secure little girl through Christ. I pray that her Father and I have the wisdom to grow her spiritually into the Godly woman that the Lord intended her to become. Thank you Lord for this special gift. Continue to guide us and protect her.

Got it!

2011-04-01T20:00:00.002-05:00

A little update. We know that JP's birth certificate has been processed and we are now waiting to hear about his passport being issued and/or his application being submitted to the US Embassy. We are getting close.... maybe I'll get the travel call in 2 weeks or so. Keep praying people!

I'm ready to update now....

2011-03-01T20:07:00.002-06:00

So, I have been avoiding the blog since glitches in the court process over the last 2 months. I'll start at the beginning if by chance you haven't heard me explain it a trillion times since our court visit.
On November 30,2010 we boarded a plane to go meet our son for the first time and to attend our court date on December 4. We went and thought we successfully passed court and had an incredible visit meeting our son. My mama heartstrings were pulled tight when I met that little boy. I just wanted to scoop him up and never let go until we exited a plane onto that sweet Georgia soil to head home. Well, we had to leave him behind to come home and wait for the US Embassy to invite us back. Two days after we got home I got a phone call from our social worker. I really thought it was to inform us his birth certificate had already been processed and we were one step closer. That wasn't it at all. She told me that the judge and our Bethany worker had overlooked a letter in our file that was requesting updated paperwork instead of the typical letter of acceptance. It literally knocked the wind out of me. I was at Walgreen's picking up my 150 Christmas cards that included pictures of everyone in our quickly expanding family. It was all I could do to get to the car before breaking down. I can not explain the huge hole in my heart for the days following. It seemed like some kind of joke. We were just there and saw and heard the judge congratulate us on having a new son! This couldn't be real and there must be some mix up. For over a week I slept with Bethany every night. The only consolation I had was my girls. If not for them I might have had an emotional breakdown! Most of you know I'm emotional anyways but I was 10x my normal self. So we got all our paperwork in as fast as we could only to be assigned a second court date for February 7th. Four weeks after we submitted it!!! I was hot, but I trusted that the Lord was surprised by none of this and had a reason for the timing of it all. Of course Joey and I prayed about it but we just really had no reason to think that we wouldn't pass the second time around. February 7th rolled around and late in the evening I get a call from our social worker, more bad news. We didn't pass. Evidently our letter of approval is written the day before court and the office was moving locations and didn't write any letters for the entire week. WHAT?!?! It hit me hard. I sobbed like a baby when I got off the phone! I hated to call Joey at work and deliver bad news but he was anxious to hear what the outcome was. He comes home and we are just grieved. I was looking to blame any and everyone for what had happened but mostly I was so angry and upset and disappointed with God. I have never dealt with those feelings towards my Creator. Even with all the loss and sickness that has come in and out of my life, not once have a placed blame on God. Or didn't accept His Providence in all situations. But this time I did. I knew who God was and what He was capable of and the fact that He was allowing our son to stay in an orphanage instead of our warm and loving home was beyond my comprehension. It took me days to even turn to God and speak to Him about all this. I just pushed Him aside and wanted to "punish" Him with a cold shoulder. After a few days He started speaking to my heart and showing me that maybe I had something to do with this outcome. He started challenging my role in bringing JP home. I started to believe that I "had not" because I "asked not". God was wanting me to call out to Him with my prayers and be totally dependent on Him in this situation. Before, I was would call my prayer life in this circumstance very nominal. But He started laying it on my heart to fast and pray. In the bible many things only came by fasting and prayer and I knew God was calling me to this. Joey and I talked about it and made a plan. We got serious about taking this to God and petitioning God through our humble and meek state.
Today we got news that we passed court! Hallelujah!!! But our commitment to deep prayer for JP will not end today. We will pray him home! Join us in prayer and get this sweet boy home.
The order of events is as follows;
1. Apply for Birth certificate with his new last name
2. Once Birth Cert is in hand, apply for his passport.
3. Once passport is issued our application can be submitted to the US Embassy for an appointment.
4. Appointment must be requested for 2 weeks from the date of submission.

Generally the time line is between 4-8 weeks with 4 weeks being the norm. Pray that no more hold-ups arise and it is an uneventful process. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers. Sometimes it has been the only thing to get me through all this.

Come back in a few days. I'll be posting about my baby girl turning 1! My computer is down and all the pics are on there. So once our main laptop is restored I will be posting some big girl pics!

Tia

Little Birdie

2011-01-31T13:18:00.006-06:00

Last Friday I was rushing my very slow, very distractable 4 yr old out the door the same way I do every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for preschool. A simple 1 minute task can drag out all morning when you are dealing with a pint-sized person who barks and crawls and talks out of the side of her mouth like a "puppy". Any who, I rushed the little person out the door and got her on the porch. Sometimes I just go on to the car to strap in Liddy so that I can pick up B and get her in the car more quickly than chancing her finding a leaf or stick or pebble that she will stop and admire and talk to for who knows how long. We finally get into the big Suburban and start chugging down our road. I always pick up a little speed heading down the hill and it was a typical day of speed. From the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a little robin coming low towards the Black Beauty. The birdie soon realizes that a monster is in the middle of the road and turns quickly, but not in time. I don't hear a hit or feel a hit, but who could in that big ole' truck??? I cringe as I look in the rear view and sure enough I see a little bird on the road flapping it's sweet little wings. Thankfully, Miss B didn't realize nor did a bring it to her attention. Trauma to an animal lover of her extent. Some might say the humane thing to do would be to turn the truck around and finish what was started, but I certainly don't have the heart to back the Black Beauty up and end the struggle. So I say a prayer to myself and hope it was just in shock and not really hurt. Well, sure enough by the time I come back by the time had come and the little birdie rest in peace.

I was distraught about this situation and felt awful that the bird's fate had laid in my hands. Then out of no where I thought....

" Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matt. 10 29-31

I had been struggling last week with God's call on our lives. After a weekend in Memphis and the reality of our move I was getting anxious and worried but God used this poor little birdie to remind me that God resides over all His creatures and I am of greatest worth to Him. He will be my shield and protection for me and my family in the days to come.

My little birdie on a day that she insisted to dress herself. We had missed our "make-up" gymnastics's class because of me having the wrong time down and her being her usual slow self. She was disappointed (as seen on her face. She gets that from her mama. You can read us like a book!) so we decided to get our nails done at the nail "sasson". She chose hot pink with white polka-dots (she also gets that from her mama!)

Hard lesson learned for the birdie... RIP

My Baby's not a Baby anymore...

2011-01-19T09:57:00.003-06:00

My baby turned 4! I can't believe I have a 4 yr old. Anyone who gets our Christmas cards or knows us in the least, knows that Bethany is the joy of our lives. She was born with the sweetest spirit and is so entertaining. As a baby, she laughed and smiled at ANYONE who showed the least bit of attention to her. At 2, she was all things Clifford and had a strange obsession with safari animals. We have a bind that is full of those little figurines that you get at the Tractor Supply store, and they are all safari-esque! At 3, she barked and crawled around most of the time and daily made up names that we had to call her. Now starting the 4's she is into cowboys and horses! I have to ride her around on my back and "buck" her off. She likes to "stable" me and make me sit while she pretends to feed me apples and carrots.

Here's some pics from her birthday party. Every year she insist on a certain pary and this year it was "Firehouse Dog" party? Who knows why but that's what she requested. She's had a thing about fires lately and always her love for doggies. Since we couldn't have a party at the Firehouse, we had one at her gymnastics center. It was a blast and she's been talking about it every since.

The Birthday girl showing off her skills:)

Lucas and Joey burying the birthday girl in the foam pit. We all had a blast jumping in and playing with the kids.

I decided when B was born that I wanted to make my kids birthday cakes every year. Each year I kick myself for making that promise and now Bethany knows and won't settle for going to get one. I have to make it. This year she wanted a "almation" (dalmation) dog.

Happy birthday to you.....

A view of the gym

Lydia with her Aunts

We all had a blast!

A prayer for my little girl:

O Lord, you have searched Bethany and you know her.

You know when she sits and when she rieses,

you percieve her thoughts from afar.

You discern Bethany's going out and her lying down,

you are familiar with all her ways.

Before a word is on her tongue yo uknow it completely, O Lord.

You hem her in -behind and before;

you have laid your hand upon her.

For you created Bethany's inmost being,

you knit her together in my womb.

I praise you because she is fearfully and wonderfully made:

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

Pslam 139:1-6, 13-14

A little about Memphis

2011-01-05T13:50:00.006-06:00

I thought I'd share this link with anyone who wanted to know a little more about Memphis. These particular clips are featuring a community called "Binghampton" or "Binghamton". We are not moving into this community but another neighboring one. The videos are best understood after reading the article.

http://www.commissionstories.com/stories/283

A Little Christmas Cheer

2010-12-17T08:05:00.004-06:00

Bethany and Lydia having breakfast with Santa. It was Liddy's first time seeing the big guy and she was all smiles and no tears.

Mr and Mrs Claus

Thomas family Christmas: the Dad and Sisters with Liddy for her 1st Christmas

JP got a present, too!

Merry Christmas!

I Hear it Nooowwww......

2010-12-15T09:25:00.004-06:00

I am so psycho these days! But I can't help it.... I hear the stop and go of the little mail truck outside in my neighborhood!!! I jumped up and got all excited. Our last pieces of requested paperwork are in that truck. I am taking my girls and heading to Columbia to get it all state-sealed and it will be off and out to Washington DC for the national seal. One week ago today we got the call that knocked the wind out of me. I have cried everyday knowing that we aren't waiting for our next travel call but we are waiting, again, on this updated info to get to Ethiopia. I wake up thinking about it, I go to sleep thinking about it, it's always on my mind. But I have found peace this week just knowing that My God is there and here and He is the creator of all things and nothing happens without Him allowing it to happen. I really rest in that knowledge.

I knew I was getting package today because have have been stalking my USPS tracking number like my life depended on it. I sat down in my comfy recliner after I dropped B off at school and put Lyd down for her nap and plopped the laptop on my lap and stalked away. It said that it was "Out for Delivery" and I made up a little song and sang it out loud. Some know that I make up a little ditty for things that need to be sang. Like the Diaper Genie, or the question "What you gonna wear to school today?", or special occasion phrases like "Out for Delivery"!!! So exciting. So I'm off to get this stuff to Columbia.

Pray my paperwork through Washington and over the Atlantic and straight past the translating office and to MOWA!!! Chant it with me... "BRING HIM HOME, BRING HIM HOME, BRING HIM HOME". I'll make little ditty writers out of you before it's all over with....

A fitting Devotion in my Inbox

2010-12-13T09:59:00.004-06:00

I LOVE, I mean LOVE to listen to 106.9 The Light weekdays from 9-12. It's my way of unwinding. I will turn on the radio while B is in school and listen and clean and just emerge myself into something deeper for a little while. This is Billy Graham's listener supporter radio station and the morning programs consist of 30 min sermon segments. While I have my favorites and so I signed up for James McDonald's podcast and email devotionals. This morning I hear the "ding" of my Blackberry and find this very fitting devotion waiting for me....

The Benefits of Waiting

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord." - Psalms 40:1–3

The longer I live, the more I come to understand that life doesn't have a lot of green lights. There are hardly any times where God is like, "Do you want that? Have it right now. Why didn't you ask sooner?" More often God is like, "I'd like you to wait."
"No! I want it right now!"
God is like, "Listen! You might think you want it now, but I'm going to give it to you when you're fit to receive it. I'm going to use the process of waiting to shape you into the woman or the man that I want you to be. Getting it now wouldn't advance My purposes for you. I want you to wait."
Waiting is not an easy thing. Waiting is not passivity. Waiting on God is not the absence of efforts. Waiting is "I've done everything I know how to do but it's not enough and now I am waiting on God to do for me what I could not do for myself."
That is such an important lesson to learn. Let me tell you about some of the benefits that you get when you wait on God. Here are five verses that spell them out.

According to Psalm 40:1 when we wait on God, He hears our prayers: "I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard my cry."
According to Isaiah 64:4 when we wait on God, He acts on our behalf: "Nor has the eye seen a God like You who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him." That's what God is fired up about. He works for the people who wait. I wonder how many things we don't get because we're out there working for it ourselves beyond what we should and God's like, "Would you just stop that? I act on behalf of the people who wait for Me."
Psalm 25:3 says that when we wait on God, He keeps us from shame: "Indeed none of those who wait for You O God will be ashamed."
Isaiah 40:31 says that He gives strength to those who wait: "Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength."
Psalm 37:34 tells us that those who wait for God are exalted: "Wait for the Lord and He will exalt you."

Bottom line; God always makes it worth our while to wait for Him!

James McDonald

And so we wait....

Devastated

2010-12-11T04:22:00.002-06:00

I guess I've put this off as long as possible thinking that it was all a misunderstanding. But it appears to be reality and I must face it.
On Wednesday I got a phone call from our social worker. It appears we didn't actually pass court. Instead of an approval to bring our son home in our file, it was a request for updated information. It has been so long since we initially sent in our dossier to Ethiopia there are some documents that needed to be updated. We had updated our fingerprints and other necessary documents for the US, but Ethiopia now wants some other paperwork updated.
I've been sick to my stomach and crying for days. I can not believe we are going through this. I thought the nightmare of the wait and uncertainty was over. All we want to do is bring our son home. The first day I tried to put it into perspective but I couldn't. The fact is, our son is in an orphanage day after day and we have a pretty great family right here that wants to love him and provide for him. What other perspective is there? But the next day I did convince myself that it could be worse. I could have gotten a phone call saying that he was very sick or had an accident or worse. IT COULD BE WORSE. I have so much to be thankful for. I have a husband that has been through the ups and downs of this journey with me, I have two sweet and smart and precious little girls that are happy and healthy, and I have a son that is being well taken care until he is under my roof. We have a happy and secure life and the promises of a Savior. It has taken days to make my "blessed" list because I just want to sink in a hole of despair about this.
I do understand that it is really for the interest of the children of Ethiopia. It is the governments responsibility to make sure all their children are in safe and legit homes. Sadly, there are people out there who exploit and take advantage of orphans. It is ET's job to protect them. In the grand scheme of JP's life, what's another month of waiting?
I'm not one to throw out the "Sunday School" verses but all week the Lord is pressing this verse on my heart.
"Trust Me with all your heart and lean not on your own limited understanding and knowledge, but in all things acknowledge that I am in control and I have gone before you and I will make your journey straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Lord, I know that You have gone before me in this situation and You are there now working on my behalf. I know that Your word tells me that You have only good things for Your children and even the bad things for our good. I trust that Your ways are higher than mine and my earthly view is not able to span time like Your heavenly view. I know that You are a God of miracles and You can work a miracle in this situation if You so choose. I pray for JP this day, that You continue to surround him with love and prepare his heart for the day when he leaves the only home he's known. We give You all the glory and honor in bringing us to this place and I give over all my worries to You, who is ready and able to give hope. In the name of Jesus I pray these things, Amen.

We offically have a son!!

2010-12-03T11:47:00.001-06:00

Just writing the title of this post is bringing tears to my eyes. Yesterday flying over Ethiopia was a sight to see. I never tire of God's creation and how different He has made each place and each person. I see rolling hills and flat land. Patches of brilliant greens and dull browns. It's all woven together to paint a beautiful picture. Stepping out of the airport and hearing, seeing and smelling a different, foreign, culture never ceases to amaze me. All of these beautiful people who don't look or act like me intrigues the inner parts of my heart and mind. The imagination of my Maker overwhelms me and I feel privileged to experience it all.

Today was a surreal experience for us. We woke up and unlike the other families, I wasn't nervous at all about the court proceedings. We drive through the city and make it to the federal court building. After several flights of stairs and many winded Americans:) we make to a semi-large room filled with other families from different agencies. We wait for our orphanage to be called. Each family anticipates hearing their child's name to go into the room. It seems like families are coming out after a minute or less. I'm still not nervous at this point. Our orphanage is called and our families start being summoned one at a time. I start crying after the first family receives good news. Soon, JP's, name is called(his Ethiopian name) and we enter. The judge is a beautiful Ethiopian woman who over sees ALL court cases! What a busy lady, glad she wasn't our sick on this day:) She quietly, as custom in Ethiopia, ask us several questions. I get really nervous and Joey takes over! She finally ask, "Do you understand that this is permanent?", us: "Yes". She smiles and says "Congratulations, He is yours"! My heart was overwhelmed with joy! We have a son!

We go to a coffee house to celebrate our good news with GREAT Ethiopian coffee and popcorn! We go to a nice mall and have a fabulous lunch with shopping and then we all canceled our "mountain" sight-seeing plans and asked to see our children. We got to spend the afternoon with JP and pretty soon he was sitting in our laps and letting us hug and kiss on him.

Today is a day that will forever be etched in my heart and soul. JP we love you and can't wait to come back and bring you home!

Face to Face

2010-12-02T12:18:00.001-06:00

J P,

We are such proud parents at this moment! After all of our flight delays, we stepped out of the airport at 10:45 in Addis Ababa and went straight to visit you. The other families had been visiting yesterday and all morning and when we first arrived you and the other children were having a very busymorning with all the parents playing with you. Your dad and I went to you but you shyed away from us. Daddy did get you to kick a ball with him before the Nannies took you inside for lunch. I noticed that you barely ate any of your food but drank all your milk! You and your big sister share this common trait! Once the Nannies brought out the dum-dums you were done with your food. Your special friend was there and very happy to greet us and play with us. While you were eating she came and took your block. You calmly called the Nanny and pointed to tell on her. WHen the Nanny didn't understand, you got up and pointed harder! THe Nanny went to her and she took off running with a smile on her face! The Nannies report that you "fight and play with her a lot" since you are close to the same age.

She was an important tool to getting you to warm up to me and your dad. At one point, you cried when we tried to show you too much attention and we had to give you some time to come to us on your own. I helped convince you to do that by giving you candy:) The Nanny then came and sat with me and your friend and got a a pile of books to get you close to me. It worked! And before long you and your friend were laughing at me make animal noises and fishy faces. Your friend especially liked the fishy face and belly-laughed each time I did it and this would make you laugh at her. It warmed my heart each time I heard you sweet laugh or saw that big smile. You kept pointing to the kitty because you wanted me to meow. I think you and Bethany will get along just fine:)

Soon after I was able to cuddle you some and get you comfortable, we had to leave. We tried to get you to wave bye-bye to us but you started to get shyagain. After we turned to leave you ran to the door and waved bye bye to us and gave us a big smile. This was the best moment of our day with you!

We understand that it will take you time to love us and trust us. We are okay with that and will give you as much time as you need. But you must know that we have loved you long before this meeting.

We are going to visit you tomorrow and I know that we gained good ground today.

With Love and Patience,

Your Parents

My Dearest JP,

2010-12-01T12:09:00.001-06:00

Well, if it were a perfect world, we'd be soaking in the sights and sounds of your birth country and feeling all the night-before flutters in anticipation of meeting you. Instead, I'm sitting under the golden arches in Frankfurt, Germany hoping to get to Ethiopia by morning to see your beautiful face for the first time.

Your dad and I have had quite the journey thus far and I wanted to write it down before the details left me. We drove to Atlanta in fog and downpour yesterday and arrived at Hartsfield Airport at about 4 PM. Our flight was scheduled to leave for Frankfurt at 6PM. Luck so had it that our aircraft was struck by lightening landing in ATL! You'll soon find out that your mama is a nervous flier and this news only frazzled me more than I normally am at an airport. If that wasn't enough, I spotted two very suspicious passengers booked for our flight! At some point between 6PM and 10PM when we finally left, the TSA came to our gate pacing around my suspects! They left without find but I was still nervous to board our lightening-struck aircraft that suspicious fellas on it. We were in the very back of the economy zone and your dad's lap tray wouldn't stay up for the entire flight! Don't get me wrong, we're economy type of folk, but for your sake I might book business or first class when we come back to bring you home. We had very turbulent conditions and your dad and I both thought we might get sick. Daddy even broke out in a sweat and had to get out his barf bag!

We touched down in Frankfurt to a picture perfect winter scene and the land blanketed in snow. It was sight to see but once again, made your nervous mama scared we'd skid off the runway. Thankfully we touched down with no problems:) We missed our connecting flight and were redirected 4 times before we had to wait for 1.5hr to get our next flight. Once I got to the booking desk I politely informed the attendant that we had to get a flight before the next day so that we could meet our son before our court date. Evidently Germans aren't use to this kind of helpful direction from their fliers because I was asked not to get hysterical! We got it all worked out and we are now enduring our 9 hr layover before boarding our Ethiopian-bound plane. I can't wait to see your sweet face and put all these travels woes behind me. Seeing you will be all worth the setbacks we've encountered.

More to come from your hysterical Mother....

Because of Love

2010-11-23T13:30:00.005-06:00

We have been so overwhelmed with your love and support. I put our donations together on Friday night. Joey and Bethany went to the Clemson basketball game and I had time to gather everything we had received thus far and organize. At one point I was hoping no one would come by unexpectedly because they would have been concerned. I was bawling while putting all this stuff together! I am a bit emotional right now any way. So many conflicting emotions are competing with each other. While I am elated to meet JP for the first time, I am dreading the long trip to only come home without him. It's going to be heartbreaking to leave our little boy behind. It has really hit me that we are going half-way across the world without our girls. It's so hard to take such a big trip without our children. Lydia is only 9 months old and it's killing me to leave her. But I will decide to Trust the Lord in knowing that He loves my children, all 3, even more than I do. I Trust that this whole process is in His perfect timing and in His able hands.
Mostly, I wanted this post to be about your giving and our great appreciation. I was so overwhelmed with a feeling of love and support while putting our donations together that I could barley get it done. So glad I was alone in the house, except for Lyds and she can't use words:), to pack the donations because Joey might have thought I was on the edge. All that said to say "THANK YOU". Your gestures will always be remembered and a part of our son's journey.

We got soooo many diapers, cloth and disposable! I even got a donation from a complete stranger! I was ordering Lydia some cloth diapers (I know! A whole different subject for a whole different post!) when she saw the link to our blog and read about our journey! She donated a good amount from her own shop! If you are in the market for cloth diapering I must tell you to support this sweet woman at www.nellsnaturalbaby.com .

Several of you donated formula. Lots of our physician friends gave in this way. I also received $55 dollars and used it on cloth diapers and formula. I did get another generous donation of $100! I will be using this in-country to buy goods that I see the orphanages need once I get there.

My living room was taken over with all our goods!!!

Joey's parents Sunday school class took donations and one family friend got a generous donation from Gerber of cloth diapers and lots of onsies! We got a bunch of clothing from other donors, too.

TONS of baby wash and diaper cream samples from some of our physician friends:) Also plenty of lotion, ointment, some medication and thermometers.

Toys and fun things for the kids.

And it's packed, barely!

It was only a few weeks ago that we got an update, so I really wasn't expecting anything before our trip.But we got one last week! He looks so happy and healthy. JP has gained over 8lbs since he entered the orphanage and at 27 lbs, he weighs more than his big sister! Our last update said that he had a friend that he "played with and fights with a lot." I figured out who her parents are and she will actually be leaving to come to the US shortly after we make our court visit. I'm glad we will get to meet his special buddy and get a picture of the two of them before she leaves!

Please remember our family in prayer this week. Pray for safe travels and for me to not be a total baby about leaving me kids! The ones that I will be coming back to and the one that I will be going back to get. It's going to be hard on all of us and I'm most worried about this. Pray that I don't forget anything important like our passports or something! God Bless you all for your support and generosity.

Pure and genuine religion...

2010-10-26T15:07:00.002-05:00

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

James 1:27

Hello Family and Friends!
We are beside ourselves with excitement about our upcoming court date in Ethiopia! It will be our first time meeting JP face to face and it will be the trip that makes him legally our son!!!! Sadly, we will have to leave the country without him until he is issued a Visa from the US Embassy. This can take 1-4 months after this initial trip. People usually travel within 6-8 weeks though. We will cross our fingers and pray for speedy proceedings.
Any who, this email is to get you involved in helping the orphans of Ethiopia. We will bringing 3 Rubbermaid tubs full of donations for JP's orphanage and the other 2 orphanages that are affiliated with Bethany Christian Services in Ethiopia.
We will be leaving Nov. 29 and coming home Dec. 5. I will need all donations by Nov. 21 to get them ready for taking. Don't feel obligated to donate, I just know there are several friends and family that want to help and be a part of the process. Not only will it be a blessing for our little man, but to other children without families that are struggling in an impoverished country.

Recommended donations:

Top five most requested items
1.Disposable diapers-all sizes,
2.Powdered formula,
3.Medications and toiletries: antibiotic cream, baby thermometers, diaper rash cream, baby oil/lotion, hand sanitizer, etc,
4.Clothing:sweaters, pants, socks, and shoes, especially for children ages 3-9. This request is for Bethany Sponsorship Families, not for the orphanages
5.Shool/craf supplies and education activities for all ages

Other items to consider:
Infant and children's vitamins,
Fer-in-sol infant iron drops,
One-piece PJs,
Shoes,
Blankets,
Crib sheets,
Baby bottles: plastic with normal nipples,
nipples for regular bottles,
Infant sippy cups,
Cloth Diapers

Personally, I would say the most important items to send would be cloth diapers. Most children are clothed diapered, including our JP. Disposables are more expensive in ET and therefore the nannies will only change their disposables about 3x a day. Which leads to the next item, diaper cream. Thankfully, JP has not been reported with diaper rash but I know several families that children had severe diaper rash to the point of open wounds and lesions. Formula and medication/vitamin's. Any typical baby item would be great and of course the little ones would love some toys, too. After all they are children:)

I hope this is informative but if you have any questions please email me. If you know of someone who would be interested in giving please pass along the information. Sunday school classes or your church or your child's preschool may be looking for a service project and we'd be happy to be your subjects!
Much love to all. Thank you in sharing in our excitement of finally bringing our son home.

"Mommy, do you like my picture of Jesus?"

2010-10-11T13:53:00.004-05:00

So, we were in the car yesterday and Bethany was playing with her Leap Pad thingy. One of the games ask you to follow "Scout" digging and when you stop it should be a picture. Well, B is never patient enough to "follow Scout" so she just draws her own picture. She will finish and tell me what the picture is that she drew. She looked up at me and said "Mommy, do you like my picture of Jesus?"

Here it is....

Need I say more?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-06T11:34:00.003-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-10-04T09:28:00.005-05:00

As much as hate September, I love October! It's my birthday month and it's Halloween and it's football and crisp air and leaves turning and switching off of the A/C and Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate at Starbucks! It kicks off the holiday season!!! We spent the weekend enjoying the 1st of October, here are a few pics....

B, Hudson and Hayes at the homecoming floats at Clemson. Not sure who the other kid is but he sure isn't showing his Clemson pride in that yellow???

We have kicked off the month with Greenwood's Harvest Fest 2010 at the Connie Maxwell Farm. We went with the Wiles and enjoyed lots of great food and music and USC chaplain's Adrian Dupree. An awesome speaker. The kids ran around like crazy and had a good time
in the cool fall evening.

Bethany kept tackling Austin. Nothing like a good game of chase. Look at the surprise on his little face. Later Austin threw up right in the middle of the field and we felt sure it was because Bethany wouldn't get off of his stomach! The other little girl is Kate from her class in school.

Gabby and Lydia hung out together, too!

We ended our kick-off to October weekend at our favorite Sunday restaurant, Sweet Peas!

Here are the girls on the bench outside of Sweet Peas after church!

Happy Fall Ya'll!!!

"For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is recieved with thanksgiving..."1 Timothy 4:4

It's been a long September

2010-09-23T07:45:00.002-05:00

Those that know me best and even read this blog regularly know that I dread September. While I was starting this post that Counting Crows song, Long December, kept replaying in my mind. Because I feel that way about September. I mean 2010's September couldn't drag out more if it added 5 more days to the end of it.
Right now I sit in that deep grief that sometimes can't even be felt. Of course, I've experienced this before but I had forgotten the feeling until it came upon me again. The days, weeks and even months after my mom's death are a blur. I can barely remember her funeral service. It's because I was chest deep in pain and loss. I always vividly remember being right beside her as she took her last breath and it being an intimate moment that was given by God as a gift among the heartache. September is never the month to celebrate her life, it just doesn't seem right. But it does always bring me an awareness of the brevity of life and an urgency to love and live while I can.
Last year when I wrote this post I never could have imagined that almost to the day I would be letting go again. The last 4-6 weeks have that blur effect. The days just run together in a string of lasts. The last time Gamo came to Greenwood, the last time she saw the girls, the last thing she sewed for me, the last time she was well enough to walk without my help, the last time we had a conversation, the last time she drank and ate, the last time.... I was able to be there for a lot of last but she waited until I was gone for her last breath.
Today I'm feeling drained and numb from her loss. She meant so much to me and my girls. She was truly a one-of-a-kind. She can't be confused with someone else because she was just that different. A bright yellow in the middle of gray. The hardest part of a loss is finding a new normal. So much of my daily life included her. There are literally 15 times during the day that I want to pick up the phone and call about something the girls did. Or talk about getting the fabric for the annual dress making we do in the fall for B. I was looking forward to week long visits in Memphis to ward off my homesickness. But I will get by and find a new normal. The loss never fades but the hurt does dull with time.
The Matriarchs of my family are gone and now I must step up. I hope that I get the best of the both of them.

From the moment Lydia was born Gamo kept saying, "She doesn't even look like a newborn! She's exceptional!" Only from the mouth of a Grandmother...

Mother's Day and Lydia's Baby Dedication. She prided herself on looking young and was on cloud nine when people mistook her for my mother. "You don't look old enough to be her Grandmother!". "Oh, I'm actually a Great-Grandmother!"

Always so proud of Kara. She told Kara she was #1 just like she had always been.

Christmas at Uncle Terry's, 2009
Gamo and Bethany on her 1st Halloween. She and Bethany shared a very special relationship. Gamo stayed with us so much during Joey's intern year. She was there for all of Bethany's milestones.

Peace eluded from Gamo when she came home on Hospice. A quality I had never really seen her hold. She had come to terms with her illness and with her faith. A life-long journey of seeking out God and God being faithful in showing himself to her. I will rest in seeing the fruit of Peace in her discovery of the truth of God's word. The gift that I will treasure among this sorrow.

"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart, and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29

Proud Big Sister

2010-09-10T09:46:00.002-05:00

I wanted to share some pics from KK's first VARSITY game! I can't believe she is old enough to be in high school!?!?! I couldn't wait to see her gleaming under the Friday night lights, it took me back. But she did great. I remember how nervous I was my first varsity game with the whole student body glaring down at me and worrying I was not going to know the cheer the captain called. Oh, the worries of a high schooler... Anywho, here she is, Kara McKenzie, making her varsity debut for the Travelers Rest Devildogs (sad she wasn't a General, but only few can be so lucky)! You did a great job!

Halftime she meandored over to her big sister...

Proud parents

Joey loved wearing his blue and gold!

Looking all grown up:(

Half a year already???

2010-08-29T19:35:00.003-05:00

Liddy, I can not believe 6 months have gone by since we brought you home from the hospital! You are doing great and have been such a joy to us. We can't take you anywhere without you drawing a crowd with your gummy smile. You are the spitting image of your daddy and everyone loves the blue eyes that you share with him.
You are sleeping 12 hrs at night and take a 2-3 hr morning nap and a 1.5-2hr afternoon nap. Sometimes you even take a cat nap in the evening! You have been eating 3 "meals" a day since you were 4 months and taking 4 bottles too!
You are actually trying to crawl but right now you are doing a great job at belly scooting to get your toys. Like your sister, you love Cruz. When he comes in every morning you giggle at him while I feed you your breakfast. You come to the YMCA with me and do a really good job, with the exception of one day. Your dad wants me to stop turning on the noise machine but I still think you need it with your noisy 3 yr old sister:) You love Bethany and get so excited when she focuses her attention on you. Today you were giggling at her while she threw a fit in the car!!
We are enjoying every moment with you, Liddy. I savor each day b/c I know I can never get these precious months back. We love you!

So happy on her half-birthday!

Her gummy grin that we love so much. Who wouldn't stop and babble with her?

Her sitting-up trick...

REFERRAL!!! And other life changing news...

2010-08-01T11:34:00.004-05:00

We are busting at the seams with all sorts of wonderful news! First and foremost we want to announce that we have FINALLY been matched with our Ethiopian son! It's a journey that started 2 1/2 yrs ago and seemed like it would never end but here we are in the final stages of bringing him home. He is a beautiful and healthy 15 month old. He is in a small orphanage right now that has almost as many nannies as children. So that is wonderful news. We will give him Joey's name, Joseph Pearson, and call him J.P. Our family has been praying specifically for certain things in the life of this child that we were yet to know and God was faithful to those prayers. We prayed that he would have attention and love while not in our care and he been loved in his 15 months of life. Unfortunately we are unable to post pictures or too many details about him until our adoption is finalized and we bring him home. I really believe we were blessed with this referral after an act of obedience in another area of our life.

Two weeks ago we decided that we needed to move where God was calling us to and it's not here in Greenwood. In the same week that Joey started working for Ware Shoals Family Practice we also put in our notice to leave on Jan. 31, 2011. In 6 months we will be moving to Memphis, TN to work with a ministry called Christ Community Clinics. They have 5 clinics in the inner city areas of Memphis and move into these under served communities and work and start churches in neighborhoods. We did a rotation last May and loved it but when it came down to deciding to stay or leave this summer we did the most easy and comfortable thing. God worked on our hearts and we realized that we made a mistake and it wasn't too late to right this wrong. We will probably we traveling to Ethiopia to bring home JP around the same time that we move. It should make for an interesting year of changes and blessings. Pray with us as we move into this next phase of life and leave the comfort of the known and move into the unknown. I'm anticipating the things that God has in store for us!

Swimming like a fish!

2010-07-26T14:06:00.003-05:00

We had a great vacay in Garden City with all our family and friends. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Bethany did start swimming all on her own. I think she didn't want to be out done by her big cousin Hudson when he started swimming without his swimmies at the beach too. Here are some pics of our week.

Miss B in her sun hat

Sam's Corner

Rusty Roo's Birthday celebration

Mommy and Daddy's night out. The grandparents kept all the kids while all of us went out one night.

Joey, Billy and Charley. They were coming to the beach together since they were babies and now they have babies that they're bringing to the beach!

Our little olympian...

Lydia relaxing poolside

Bethany, Blake, Reed, Cy Marie and Anna Cate

My sweet family

July 4th weekend

2010-07-09T20:24:00.004-05:00

We spent the 4th on Lake Cherokee like we've done so many times before. The house was full and so were our hearts. It was so nice to be with the whole family and we had lots of reasons to celebrate. Hudson had his 4th birthday on Thursday and we had a little party for him and Doug had just celebrated his 60th birthday and Joey's graduation.

This is Hudson blowing out his Lighting McQueen cupcake. Liddy is dangling in the background...

Adrienne, Macy and I on Kabob night.

Elba taking B for a canoe ride. We had some technical difficulties with the boat so had to find a new mode of water transport.

Danny and his sister came to visit for the day and went to Oconee Falls.

I bet you didn't know that Hudson and B could kayak.....

The Patrick Family at Dee and Gray's annual bbq. It's a big broad and Rusty's not even married yet!

Our family before the 4th bbq

My sweet patriotic girl! We were taking a late evening cruise around the lake. You've gotta love those quiet and still evenings. (Note: every little girl needs a head light at the lake. You know, just in case your in the likely situation of being out in the woods by yourself at night:))

The sun setting over the Appalachian Mnts

As much as I am blessed and forever grateful to our founding fathers and those who have died fighting for my freedom. I remember that first and foremost I am a citizen of heaven and my home is not here. If not for my freedom and right to worship I may be like the millions of others that have never had the opportunity to find the hope and peace of salvation. Today Joey and I prayed for unreached people groups around the world and those that are persecuted for simply trusting Jesus as their Savior. I hope you lift your voices tonight in prayer and pray for the church around the world. The ones meeting behind closed doors, or hiding bibles in secret places, fearing for their lives, being shunned from their families and despised by their neighbors. Simply because they are believers. Pray for encouragement and comfort as they walk a road many of us will never have to walk because we have the privilege to worship freely.

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Phi 3:20

Our final graduation? Nope

2010-06-29T10:38:00.007-05:00

Well, it's been a busy graduation week/weekend. We started the festivities off in typical graduation week fashion; skit night and bbq at Dr. Smith's pad. Complete with the big white tent and band. Joey volunteered himself last year to write the skit for his class. Let's just say he wasn't asked again this year! But he, Russ, Danny (whom they recruited from the 2nd yr class), and Carlos. They did their own thing and it was pretty funny to see Joey in my running gear and a depends. Don't ask.

Maggie, Asia, and Bethany climbing the big Magnolia tree in the front yard

Some of the residents gearing up for the skits.

Our family the last three years:(

Joey (Dr. Sealy), Russ (Dr.Smith) and Danny AKA Danququ

The goofballs. This crew could only mean trouble!

The next day was the big graduation day. Joey's family came and his older brother, Charley. We missed Rusty but understand he's got a "real" job these days. We then went to a little reception afterwards and said our goodbyes. Lydia was really tired and started getting fussy at this point and I took her home. I got to avoid the long goodbyes which I HATE! But I went by and said bye to the Acosta's later that day. So sad.

Joey getting his diploma, at least I think that's what you call it?

Bethany was so proud of her Daddy!

The Montgomery Center for Family Practices class of 2010!

Liddy had to be taken out during the ceremony but she was all smiles afterwards.

After the big graduation I took her Joey to ATL for some Braves games. Before kids we went to at least one series every season but I haven't been to Turner Field since the year I got pregnant with Bethany. Joey's been back each year but it was a long time since the two of us enjoyed some games together. We saw two great games against the Detroit Tigers. The first night McCann hit his career 100th home run and then the next day Chipper hit a 3 run homer. We enjoyed our time without the kiddos but I missed them.

Most people would be happy to never go back to school after 23 years of school but he's not through yet. Joey starts seminary in the fall while he works at Ware Shoals family practice. He has to get so many seminary hours before being appointed as a career missionary with the International Mission Board. We're in a our last phase before we leave for the mission field! So exciting. We have the month of July to ourselves before he starts working! We plan to make up for lost time while he was a resident! It's amazing to look back over the years and see God's hand at work. Guiding us when we had no idea he was nudging us. I can't wait to see what the next few years hold!

The Man of our house!

2010-06-23T10:10:00.004-05:00

Dad cuddling his girls:)

I wanted to post a little about the man that is the father of our house. He has a lot to put up with with three girls that want his attention and love. He is the type of man who gets up in the middle of the night when his babies are newborns and calms his anxious wife when she isn't sure of herself. He makes bottles, changes diapers, plays tea party and cowgirl, and cuddle and kisses his girls daily. On top of his domestic duties he is fully committed to his patients and their families. Many a night he has come home after staying with a family well past his shift to comfort them or reassure them. He prays with nearly all his patients and has shared the gospel with many who lack the hope of salvation. He is passionate about his family and his calling and we are few lucky girls to have his devotion! We love you babe!

Father's day 2010 at Lake Cherokee

Lydia's first Father's Day

Saddle Ridge Ranch

2010-06-16T13:13:00.003-05:00

Howdy ya'll! This here is a few pictures of our VBS at "Saddle Ridge Ranch"! Another teacher and I led the preschool missions. We had two classrooms for each age; 3k, 4k and kindergarten. Bethany had a blast. They learned about African missionaries that work with Ostriches, Cowboy missionaries that work with cowboys and X-treme team missionaries that work in hard to reach places like the Amazon. The first night they looked at me like I was from another planet but by the end I think they realized what missionaries were and that they could be missionaries right now just by showing God's love and telling others about Jesus. So if they got that then I deem it a success! We had over 150 kids each night and the last night was "Family Night". Bethany got to sit on a real horsey and that made her day. Each night she reported to me that there were no real horses. I think she thought VBS was going to be all about horses! I have so many cute things that the kids did but not the energy to write them down. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves....

This was my 4k group, they were a trip! You can see trouble all over their little faces!

B before the worship rally at the beginning.

This is part of B's class, 3k, this isn't all of them. They were hard to corral. The costumes were part of my lesson.

Family night and Miss Priss is on Velvet. Look at that smile. She told me last night that for Father's day she was getting dad a REAL horse and for "Child's Day" (a holiday I was not aware of) she wanted a really pretty dress.

She hung around Velvet for a while before she did the jump houses.

End of the Year Program

2010-06-08T12:53:00.005-05:00

I thought this was funny. It's Bethany's end of the school year program and she did much better than her Christmas program. At the Christmas program she just stared out into the crowd and didn't move. I think she was mesmerized by the big light. But this time she did better. Note the ugly face she makes before the music starts. I get to look at these kinds of faces at least 6-12x a day! She also gets stuck with the "eyes" motion for a while but by the end she was doing all the motions. It's only a little bit of the video hope you enjoy....
* You can silence the music by scrolling to the bottom of the page and hitting the pause button.

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-07T10:14:00.004-05:00

We had a great Memorial Day weekend with my family. The only thing missing was Joey! He had his next to last call night and was working all weekend. The girls had a blast with my sisters and brother. Poor Anna had Bethany on her hip all weekend. B also slept with Anna and woke her very early every morning!!! Kara played in a basketball tournament all weekend and i got to catch one game and Bethany went with them to a game. She also got a new horsey compliments of Gram. I don't have a picture with her and the horsey yet but she named him Spotted and rode him all weekend. It's just a little stick horse that makes a galloping noise but she loves it! Here are a few pics of the girls with the family.

B and Lid getting a pic in their matching outfits

The girls with Gram and Papa

Kara and Sam and B. She had a great time bossing them around all weekend!

"Bloom where you are planted"

2010-05-28T20:31:00.007-05:00

Or is the phrase "Grow where you are planted"? I don't know but this little phrase sure helped me out when I was in one my most discontented states. I first pondered this quote 3 years ago when I went on my first women's retreat with South Main Street Baptist Church. I was struggling at this time with moving to Greenwood and being a stay-at-home "single" mother. It was Joey's intern year and Bethany and I spent most of out time without our man. Greenwood didn't have much for me to do and I terribly missed working as an HIV case manager and my co-workers that had become great friends. I was just kind of unhappy. But once our speaker Ruth McWhite started to share about a season in her life where she felt this way she quoted this little saying and told how it really made a difference in her life. I started thinking about that and it hit me that I was only going to grow more miserable if I continued this state-of-mind. It's funny how easily your outlook on life can change by just being more positive.

I thought of that season of my life today as I was harvesting our first crops out of the garden. Only weeks ago we planted little seeds that needed sunlight, water, and nutrients. We took special care during this time to water and feed them so they would grow and bear fruit. It's such a wonderful analogy of us. At the beginning of our relationship with God we need spiritual food and nutrients. We need our roots to grow deep so that when the drought of life hits are roots are deeply planted and we can still bear fruit.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and i in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

John 15:5

Monty watching me harvest my veggies! Last year he got into the little fence around the garden and ate much of our veggies. He also ate several cantaloupe that had vined outside of the fence.

Note all of Bethany's plastic eggs that he has chewed!

Our Garden!

We have squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, okra, tomato,red and green peppers and lettuce.

Me with my 2 squash and zucchini! Can't wait to cook those things up...yum!

Liddy Lou

2010-05-21T13:00:00.007-05:00

Can you believe it's already been 3 months since Liddy-Lou-Who was born? She's laying next to me right now as I'm typing and giving me her best toothless grin. What a joy she's turning into! To recap on the last 13 weeks, she was quite the handful until about 6 weeks old. At that point she started to settle in and didn't have anymore inconsolable "spells" as my grandmother would put it. She discontinued her acid reflux medication during her second month and has done great without it.

Liddy, at 3 months you are doing well. You will now sleep 8-10 hrs at night. We give you one last "dream feed" around 10PM and don't wake you and you will sleep until 6:30am-7:30am. You take 3 naps a day and your daytime sleep totals 5.5-6 hrs of sleep. You eat 5.5-6.5 oz of milk six times a day! I have to use two bibs at each feeding because you are so messy! You have out grown much of you sister's baby cloths and I'm afraid you will catch up with her at some point.

You love to talk to your mom and dad and will babble at us when we speak to you. You also try and laugh out loud but right now you make a loud sucking in sound that scares your cat, Cruz:) You bat at your toys and can even grasp things and hold them in your hand. For the past 2 weeks you have been fascinated with your hands and concentrate very hard to get them in your mouth. Most of the time you end up crying because you can't quite get the hang of it.

Your big sister is taking more of an interest in you and you now give her big smiles and watch her as she plays. This has helped to make her feel special and to like being around you more:) Way to go Lydia! I remind Bethany that one day you and her will be best friends.

I enjoy you more with each day and count my blessings because I am able to stay at home with you and your sister every day and watch you grow and learn. Know that I daily ask God for wisdom on how to raise you girls and prepare you to be Godly women.

You were 3 months old this week and you have gotten very big.

As you can see, it's hard for me to get a good picture of you and your sister. I hardly have ANY picture of the two of you and it's been 3 months!

You and Brice have become friends. Your sister is best friends with Brice's big brother, Lucas!

You will only sit in your bumbo for short amounts of time or you end up like this!

On Mother's Day you were dedicated at Church. The pastor prayed for you and gave you letter that you are to open when you are 12 yrs old. The Church members also recited a prayer and pledged to help you grow into a spiritually strong person. Your friend Brantley Carter and Kaleb Sperry were dedicated with you.

Mommy felt very blessed on Mother's Day to have such a wonderful family.

I might be the luckiest woman in the world....

How far is Heaven???

2010-05-04T11:41:00.006-05:00

Bethany and I singing Father Abraham.....

Me: I use to sing this song when I was a little girl

Bethany: With your mommy?

Me: Yes, me and my mommy would sing that song. I miss my mommy...

Bethany: (Big smile like she just thought of something really good) You can see your mommy when you get to heaven!

Me: (Tears) Yes, I'll get to see my mommy when I get to heaven.

Bethany: I'll get to see her, too, when I go to heaven. And daddy and Lydia will go to.

This was just what I needed to be reminded of today of all days and it's a bonus God delivered his comfort through the mouth of my 3 year old daughter! My sweet Nanny passed away early this morning and her journey to heaven these last few weeks have taken me back to my mom when she was near the end. So, I've had a couple of rough days watching Nanny grow sicker and taking me back to those awful weeks before my mom passed. I couldn't help but be happy for Nanny. She was a Christian and I have no doubt she stepped through the gates of glory. I wondered what she would see first and who would be their to usher her in. I thought of all the people that have preceded her and knew my mom would be there waiting to give her a big hug. Life is so fleeting and time passes by more quickly each day. I pray that I don't take this life for granted and each day is lived bringing others closer to the Creator of it all.

Bethany and Nanny at Thanksgiving Dinner 2009

Nanny meeting and holding Lydia for the first time. I'm so grateful she was able to meet Lydia and see Bethany one last time. What a blessing.

" Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish ore defect.

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God."

1 Peter 1:17-21

Oh Bethany, Your so Brave....

2010-04-20T14:05:00.004-05:00

So, for those that don't know after my last post I got a call from Joey. He was in the car with Bethany and Hannah Grace (our neighbor who's 5) and was taking the crew to our favorite trail, Oconee Falls. Well, 30-45 minutes later I get a phone call and Joey says, "We've had a little accident". WHAT!?!?!?! Those words are every mothers worst nightmare. He goes on to tell me that they were at end of the trail with the waterfall in sight when she and HG started running and she tripped and hit a rock. She was a very brave girl when said she was fine and didn't' need to go get stitches. But to the hospital they went and waited for 5 hrs for the numbing cream. By the time she got them she got frantic and ended up ripping the first set out and having to get more. She has gotten great pleasure from all the well-wishers telling her that she's brave. She really thinks she's big stuff!
Even with the stitches she had an awesome weekend and loved camping and staying in the tent. Poor thing...she missed the best part, hobo's and s'mores.

Here are some pics of her first father/daughter camping trip...

The Crew having breakfast. Eggs and Bacon, yummy!

Bethany in front of the massive tent. Who wouldn't have fun playing in that thing? (Note the hair and mix-matched outfit. Her Daddy tried!)

Bethany has a lot of catching up to do to get on even ground with this crew!

The chin... ewwww

After the fact, don't let the happy face fool you.

It's a Spring Thing

2010-04-10T13:28:00.005-05:00

AHHHHH, it's finally Spring in the south! We southerners aren't use to such a long winter. I actually look forward to the winter months and the short days but it's awful having a winter baby. With both of my girls I had to stay inside so much because it's RSV season and this time it was the swine flu and RSV! I was very excited about daylight savings this year and the summer-like weather we've had!

Liddy's 2 nd month has been busy and is flying by. She went on her first trip to the Isle of Palms for the Cooper River Bridge Run. The whole Patrick clan was down for the trip and Lydia had her worst nights (yes that's plural) yet while we were there. She was up screaming all night twice but she also had her best night (yes that's singular) while there. The day we got back she started taking really good naps and doing well at night (no screaming or playtime)! It always happens that way. With Bethany, a good friend came to visit when she was 6 weeks old and she was up every night screaming inconsolably while he was here. Then the next week she started sleeping through the night! But sadly, I forgot my camera while at the beach and didn't get any Bridge pics. Bethany did the kid's fun run and had a great time. I, of course, walked the 6.2 miles with a friend and Joey and his dad and brother ran.

As I type, Bethany and Joey are on their first camping trip to Devil's Fork. They went with neighbors and it sounds like they are having a blast. Joey did take the camera so I'll post pics of the trip later. Below are some highlights of our month thus far.

This is Joey and B going to Doughnuts for Dad at school. Oddly enough, the book fair is held during the week of Doughnuts for Dad.... Needless to say Bethany came home with a book. The most expensive one at that!! You can see the excitement on her face. She knew she was getting a doughnut AND a book that day!

I keep finding Bethany trying out Liddy's stuff. On this day she had become eerily quiet so I went upstairs to find her in her sister's crib with her paci in her mouth. I thought it was so funny. The next picture is when I decided she had had her fun and needed to give the paci over and get out of the crib. As you can see, it caused a major breakdown!

Lydia and B at our church Easter Egg hunt. I'm surprised B got in the bunny's lap. I think I would have been scared of this bunny if it were me!

Lastly, the best family shot I could get of us on Easter. It was our first Sunday back at church and we were all excited to get back to our church family. We had missed them. We are still another 2 weeks away from going to Sunday School. Joey doesn't want Lydia in the nursery until she's 8 weeks. So we're all anxiously awaiting that return too.

Happy Spring everyone! Enjoy the season of new birth and resurrection!

Our first month!

2010-03-23T14:50:00.003-05:00

So, we are officially starting the second month with Lydia. She was 4 weeks old last Friday. Somehow the days seem endless but the month has flown by. The first month and a half seem to be pure survival mode but once weeks 6-8 roll around it seems more predictable. Lydia has been somewhat of a fussy baby but we started medication for acid reflux and it has really seemed to help. She's had a handful of nights that she's slept 5-51/2 hr stretches but she's also had nights where she was up 2-3 hrs at a time. We are seeing more of a pattern at this point and look forward to the first night of 7 hrs of sleep!!! Bethany was such a great baby but somehow I forgot the horrible 6weeks of inconsolable crying at 2 am. Lydia is not this bad but she has her moments:) Newborns are just hard sometimes. Joey's been great, as always, with Lydia. He gets up and takes a night shift or he'll help in the middle of the night when she won't stop crying. The baby stage is his thing... he enjoys it and is really hands on. It's helped me a lot.

Bethany has been doing well. She is sort of indifferent to her sister. She hasn't let her disrupt her life and she doesn't show a ton of interest in her right now. If someone ask her how she likes her sister, her response is "She cries a lot"! She has been really good with the new addition. I've been proud of her. B has been really into Easter eggs and we have to hide eggs around the house or in the yard for her to find. I can't wait for our church Easter egg hunt where she'll be able to find eggs and get prizes!

Here's some pics of the month....

This is at the beginning of the month at about week 2!

Lydia started smiling in her 3rd week! This is one caught on camera. B didn't start social smiling until 6 weeks....

The girls

We call this her Don Juan look! We were trying to wake her to take her bottle so we had to strip her down. As you can see, this technique didn't work so well. She was in a milk induced coma....
We found big sister playing with Liddy's stuff!

Introducing...Lydia Hopkins Patrick

2010-03-02T12:58:00.006-06:00

Lydia was born on February 19 at 9:40ish PM. She weighed 8.3 lbs and 19 1/2 inches long! We have been home for over a week and are adjusting to the newborn schedule. It's much trickier when you have a 3 year old to keep up with too! Big sister is doing good. She has been indifferent to Lydia for the most part. In the hospital she didn't want to have anything to do with me or the baby. So we don't really have any cute sister pictures in the hospital. Bethany was a bit intimidated by the hospital and mommy not being able to move around much and having an IV in her arm. It's been hard for her to understand why I can't pick her up and carry her around and this has caused a couple of meltdowns. She also got the stomach bug for 3 days once we got home and she only wanted mommy during this time. You know she must be feeling bad when she turns down "Linny" (grandma) and wants me! But for the most part we are doing well considering the lack of sleep! I'll try and post more pics later.

2010 Blizzard and Update

2010-02-16T07:40:00.008-06:00

We had a wonderful snow in Greenwood this past weekend! It was the perfect snow with no ice or freezing rain. We got 6 inches and it may have been a record for the little town of Greenwood! Bethany had a great time but I think her dad had more fun. They built a snow man and a snow dog (looked more like a beetle to me). Bethany was very distracted by eating the snow. She was more into eating it than playing in it! Monty was wild and loved the snow too. By Saturday evening it was mostly gone from the roads and by Sunday it was gone. That's how we like snow, quick and painless.

My Pretty Snow bunny

The Family in our first snow of the year
Pregnancy Update:

Last week when I went to the doctor we decided that would be my last visit. If I don't go into labor by Thurs, then I'll be going to Labor and delivery at 5:30 Am ! in the morning. Typically anyone doing a VBAC would not be induced because it makes the contractions too intense for the scarred uterus, but we will be doing a light induction on Friday. Everything is perfectly in place for a VBAC except that I'm not dilated. Baby is very low and cervix is ripe. So the plan is to use enough Potocin to dilate me enough to break my water and most likely my body will then go into it's own labor. So, we will see. I may end up having a c-section again but I think the VBAC is well worth the try.

38 Weeks and 5 days

Big sister at the Greenwood baby shower

Karen(right), my gracious host and the other 3rd years

On Valentine's we had a little scare. I had hardly felt the baby move all night and all morning so I alerted my personal doctor by waking him up and telling him I was worried. This pregnancy has been so different than my 1st. Bethany was monitored every other day with NST's and ultra-sounds for months. Her movements were light and she was a not very active. I didn't know that she was those things until I got pregnant with this child. She's like a brute compared to B. She is constantly moving and is very powerful to the point of pain sometimes. So, when she wasn't doing that for 12 hrs it scared me. I couldn't imagine going to the hospital and coming home without a baby (morbid thought I know, but it was my worse case scenario). So, we went to the Montgomery Center first and Joey did an NST. We did all the usual things to make a baby "wake-up" but nothing helped. She was so still and had no accels in her heart rate. We decided to walk over to the hospital and get monitored and the minute I laid down for them to monitor, she started move like a mad woman. I'm sure they thought I was a basket case for coming in b/c she rocked the NST and we went home. Now, I'm just waiting. The scare did make me jump into gear and get some last minute things done like packing my hospital bag. I've been such a procrastinator the second time around!

Sorry so long!

2010-02-05T13:41:00.006-06:00

I haven't done great about blogging the last 2 months (not that I've ever really good at keeping up)! I'm posting pics of some highlights of the months. December was great. Bethany really enjoyed the season and got excited about everything this year. It was great to have a Christmas through the eyes of a child! She was really into the Nativity story but only seemed to focus on Mary riding the donkey! Joey would have to pull her around her room on her horse and pretend to be Joseph, Mary, and the donkey!!!

I'm doing good. The baby countdown is on.... less than 3 weeks away! I am trying for a VBAC but if I haven't gone into labor by my due date (Feb. 22), then we'll have to do a c-section. The baby has dropped and my cervix is thin so that's all good news! Good friends have thrown me a baby shower and I got a lot of diapers and wipes and bath stuff. I'm thrilled that we have a "stock" of all the necessities. I'm also having another small shower in Greenwood with the girls from the residency program. My sweet friend Karen insisted on celebrating this new baby!

The nursery is done (finally) and I feel like I can move on to something else. I must be going through some major nesting b/c all I want to do is clean all the time. It's not that I really want to clean but it makes me feel better, less anxious. I get a sick satisfaction with having a clean house! I promise not to let so much time lapse between post b/c I do know there are a small few who check this and like to look at the pictures!

Happy 1st Day of Advent and World AIDS day

2009-12-01T13:20:00.003-06:00

Hello all! Just wanted to wish everyone a happy start to the advent countdown. Bethany was so excited to put up the first piece of her advent calendar this morning. She didn't quite understand that she has to do one a day but hopefully after 25 days she'll get the hang of it.
Our Thanksgiving was great and we ate like pigs. Then we got our tree the next day and started decorating. I'm one of these people who likes to get the tree and decor up asap so I can enjoy it before it has to come down. I was disappointed to skip a personal tradition this year... Black Friday. I'm also one of these people who LOVES to get into all the shopping mess the day after Thanksgiving. I get energy from all those people fighting over gifts and scampering from one store to another trying to be one of the first 100 people so they can get a free snow globe at the door! I was grumpy for missing it but then perked up once we went tree hunting!
It was truly a special time decorating this year. It's Bethany's first year that she's really interested in all the Christmas hoopla and she is really into it. She loves all the nativities and arranging the animals in their special places. Poor baby Jesus doesn't get nearly as much attention as the camels, sheep, and donkeys! She decorated her little pink tree in her room and I'm sure it will be knocked over by the end of next week. She can't keep her little hands away from the ornaments! We have so much to be thankful for this season, my heart is full.

Today is also World AIDS day. Being an HIV case-manger and always having a special place in my heart for this cause, I wanted to bring attention to it. Many right here are thriving and living a "normal" life. But all over the world, millions are dying because the lack of medical care and medications. So, say a prayer today for those who are battling this disease and lack the resources to control it.

Pregnancy update: I'm 28 weeks and still doing well. I failed my first glucose test but passed the next one with flying colors (thank goodness)! I did not want to have to deal with a diabetic diet during the holidays. The weeks are starting to fly by now and we have only a few weekends "free" before the baby comes. I have several things that need to get done by then and we need to convert the guest room into babies room! Exciting stuff around here. I'll keep posting the progress!

This month in pictures

2009-11-02T15:35:00.005-06:00

Baby bump at 23 weeks

Family Photo after my birthday dinner. Monty is never in the pic because he can't behave, but he did okay in this picture.

Miss B at the pumpkin patch picking out her pumpkin

Gutting the pumpkin for our jack-o-lantern. It was her first pumpkin carving!

Mom was the offical carver but couldn't have done it without her helper.

Daisy the cow came to her school fair. She and some of her classmates enjoyed Daisy while the rest of the kids ran from her!

The finished pumpkin, it says "Trick or Treat"

Cinderella and Lighting McQueen at the Aldersgate UMC "Trunk or Treat"

The Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming and Cinderella on Halloween:)

Who knew the Fairy Godmother had such hip friends; Priscilla and Dr. Carlos Acosta?

We had a busy but fun-filled October! It was Bethany's first holiday that was really fun and enjoyable for her. She really had fun dressing up and trick or treating. Hope your October was as good as ours!

Pregnancy update and Happy Halloween

2009-10-30T15:21:00.003-05:00

It's time to update all on the pregnancy. I am days away from my sixth month!!! I can't believe that time has went by this fast. We've had a lot going on and since we have a 2 1/2 yr old to keep us busy, this pregnancy has flown by. For those of you that don't know, it's a GIRL! We're excited that we will have two little girls and that Bethany will have a sister to journey through life with. I know from personal experience how special a sister relationship is and I'm glad my girls will have that. Joey is very excited to be getting another girl. He and Bethany have such a sweet relationship and she's such a daddy's girl, that he is excited to experience that again. We always felt like our Ethiopian baby would be a boy, so we still feel like God has a boy in the cards for our family too.
Thankfully, I have not had any problems thus far and hope it is uneventful and unlike my last pregnancy. So much of this pregnancy has been different than the last and that's a good thing! She is a very active baby and has been hurling kicks at me since about 16 weeks. When other moms are still trying to figure out if what their feeling is baby, I'm watching my stomach move in waves as my baby rolls around in my belly. She is measuring a week ahead, putting her due date at Feb. 14-16. We are still debating baby names but have it narrowed down to two names! I'll post baby bump pics soon. I download my pics at the end of each month and we still have Halloween to capture for October! I know it's a little OCD, but I don't like to mess up my picture files:)

A day I'll never forget

2009-09-14T10:28:00.003-05:00

So, the day I dread weeks before it comes is finally here. September 14. There have been some years that got close to me forgetting the date but it's never just come and gone without a second thought. It looms around and shadows the whole first part of my September. It's the day my mom left this life and entered eternity. A day that will always be at the top of my list for one of the greatest privileges of my life along with one of the greatest losses of my life. Nothing can quite describe the honor I felt to be next to my mom, after a 2 year battle with breast cancer and a month of hospice, as she took her final breath and met her Jesus face to face. I wish this day was filled with the memories of the years that she spent cheering me on, encouraging me to be a Godly woman, watching her carry my little sister and giving birth to her, watching her grow in her faith, and loving her family unconditionally. But today I always remember the end and the fight and the struggle and the days that led up to her last moments on earth.

As other hard things are going on in our lives today, I needed this day to roll around to remind me that God is faithful to those who love him. He has a plan to give us good and to prosper his children. In my mother's death I learned those lessons. That she didn't really have the losing end of the deal, but the most glorious. She got to be in the presence of the Almighty God that had created and loved her since the beginning of time. He showed that love by dying on the cross for her while she was still a sinner. Her death was not in vain. It was used to turn the hearts of people back to God. I've seen those changed lives. Today, I needed to be reminded that God loves me and you in that same way. He has plan, even in our brokenness.

Mama, I'm overwhelmed with the knowledge that I never have to question where you are. I knew that you were a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ and that was the most important gift you could have given to me. Assurance in your salvation. I've realized that anyone can make an impression but it's much harder to make an impact. You certainly impacted the world around you. I'm proud to call you my mother. I love you and miss you more than any words can express...

Ready to Share with the blog world...

2009-08-26T10:28:00.003-05:00

So our family has some BIGGGGG news! I was reluctant to announce this news for a while because it was a BIG surprise and it took some getting use to. I wrote my previous post right after finding out this news and you can see how God was working it out in my heart and mind. In our family's heart and mind, too. Well..... we're expecting another baby!

Yes, you read it right. I'm pregnant. It's exciting now but it was a big shock. Since we are in the last stages of our adoption we didn't know how this would all work out and what God was doing in our lives.

On the issue of adoption, we are still pursuing. It's a kind of wait and see what happens but it could be delayed or we could continue from here on out. Our Ethiopian child has become such a part of our lives since last September when we ended our "paper chase". We have grown this baby in our hearts and prayed unceasingly for this child. So that thought of abandoning this adoption was heartbreaking. But God called us to this child and we anxiously await the arrival of our son or daughter.

On the issue of pregnancy, I am really excited now. Joey and I both are! Thankfully, I have not had any problems thus far and it seems to be uneventful. With Bethany I was already having issues and problems by this point. I will be 15 weeks on Monday. Joey did an ultrasound this week and the baby is measuring a week ahead which is great! Bethany was always smaller than she should have been. He/She is very active in there. I'm not able to feel the baby yet but we could barely get the measurements on the ultrasound because he/she was soooo active! This one will keep me on my feet!

We never imagined having 3 children in our home at this point! But God has other plans. I guess he wanted our children to have each other when we left for the mission field. We can't wait to see how all this turns out and what the Lord has in store for us! Please pray that we will find God's direction easily and that our household will make an easy transition with all the changes that will occur.

Father's Day with Dad at the hospital.

Before our big news

Happy Father's Day x2!

I will trust in YOU

2009-06-25T21:47:00.006-05:00

So it's been a while since I've really updated... sorry about that. I know I have a few faithful readers but most of you are faithful friends too, so my news really isn't news. But I do like to share my thoughts.

We were in Memphis last month and got to meet some really neat people doing mighty work for God in some of the worst areas of our nation. It was really encouraging to meet these docs and teachers and pastors. We had a really good conversation with the "chaplain" of Christ Community Clinic. Hang with me on this story because it's so applicable to life.

Nathan was telling the story of how he and his family moved into the area and felt a peace about doing something that seemed totally illogical to most everyone, even themselves. He was telling us about the story of the Israelites that Moses had led out of slavery in Egypt to the desert. God had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. A land that was rich and plentiful. They had wondered in the desert for 40 years questioning God. Finally, God told Moses to send spies into the land and bring evidence of the milk and honey back. So, spies went in and brought back branches bearing fruit. They gave the account and said that it was true, this was a prosperous land. But there were giants in there. They could never defeat this great city. They grew angry at God and said they would rather return to Egypt and live in slavery rather than die fighting this battle or wondering the desert.

That is so like us people. We see God move and don't believe. We experience His miracles and still question. And when he brings us to our promise we would rather return to being a slave in sin and disbelief and distrust. Over centuries in time this still holds true to the human condition.

God did eventually bring them to that promised land. And they marched around that city for 7 days and shouted and the walls came tumbling down! Who would have thought that would be the way God would bring them to their land. Without a weapon used.

I needed to be reminded of that this week. I needed to remember that God doesn't bring me to something and then back away from it. He accomplishes His plan but it's usually much different than I expect but it's also more glorious.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things for for the good of those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose.

Here's some pictures from our Memphis trip

Baptism House Church style.... in the back of a truck

Memphis Redbirds Game ( we all just happened to be wearing yellow, it wasn't planned)

Joey and Bethany at Overton Park enjoying a sunny Sunday

Me and my girl seeing the Peabody ducks
She had to wear her Memphis Zoo shirt everyday...

Need your phone number!!

2009-06-12T21:04:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone,

So, I washed my phone and lost all my numbers! AGAIN! Last time it was Joey's phone, this time it was mine. Please send me an email with your number or send a text or better yet, call me! I need to get these back in the phone. Some of ya'll might get this again on facebook. Please get me your numbers. Hope everyone's doing well.

Tia
www.the-patricks.blogspot.com

My Redeemer LIVES!

2009-04-09T13:44:00.002-05:00

I really have a deep sense of unity and bond with the body, or church, of Christ on Christian holidays. Something just amazes me about the fact that not only is my family honoring and remembering Christ on a particular day, but so are others all around the world. Others that I have no common bond with, I don’t speak their language or eat their food. I don’t look like them or live under the same circumstances, but I am bonded to them in an unexplainable way. One day I will be ushered into the presence of God and worship the great I Am with every tribe and nation and all these differences won’t matter. There’s something powerful about that. I was reminded this past Sunday, Palm Sunday that the Kenyan’s, Filipinos, Peruvians, and Panamanians were doing the same thing that our church body was doing. Probably swaying Palm Branches and reading the account of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the King of Israel!”
John 12:12-13

It made the beginning of the Holy Week all the more special. Holy week is such a special time in the Christian calendar. It really sums up the hope that’s found in being a follower of Christ. As Good Friday approaches, I hope all who read this take time to reflect Christ sacrifice on the cross and the glorious hope that’s found in that empty tomb!

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!”
Luke 24:1-6

Last year I listed my favorite song on this Easter post. This year I’m switching it up and posting the video to my second favorite song!
Check out the song and video here…..

CLICK ME!

4 referrals this month!

2009-04-05T20:47:00.002-05:00

I am so excited for the Bethany families that got referrals this month. It was a little disappointing not to see any families getting referrals last month, so I am over the moon that children are getting forever families and families are getting gifts from above. Congrats to everyone.
This also means we move up on the list!!! By my calculations, we could get a referral by the end of summer. But hey, who am I to calculate? The last time I calculated I would be getting a referral this month! Anything can change with international adoption. But I'm praying for loads of referrals each month.

Slumdog Craze

2009-02-23T13:19:00.006-06:00

Although I haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire yet, it was definetly a hit at the Oscars last week. Now I can't say I condone the 2 young cast members that were actually cast out of a slum in Mumbai, but that's a post for another day. I was just glad to see that something bringing awareness to the world's need was winning awards, and not just another movie to add to the "trash" list. Anyone, who has ever went to another country and worked in or saw a slum in their travels is deeply..... touched, for lack of a better word. Something just doesn't seem right with the world when you examine your resources and see the vast needs of so many. It feels really unfair and can bring an overwhelming feeling of guilt. More than anything, this one issue of poverty has challenged my faith. Unlike Slumdog Millionaire, most of those living in the slums don't strike it rich with a million and end the struggles of their lives. But there is a hope for them. And really for all of us who struggle in our circumstances. Whatever they may be.

I ran across this clip last week and have been meaning to write this post since, but it's a true story of a slum dweller in Nairobi, Kenya. Listen to what she has to say....

Agneta's Story

The bible teaches us that as believers we have hope, not only hope, but an inheritance!

"In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.... though now you for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of triials. these have cocme so that your faith... may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus is revealed." 1 Peter 1: 3-7

Sweet Agneta knows trails that many of us may never face. As the body of Christ, we need to join in the suffering of Agnus and those like her, and pray for them to share the hope they have found despite their circumstances.

Ethiopia's children

2009-02-19T12:53:00.003-06:00

This is a very moving article that our Social worker sent to us. It's long, but very good. I was crying at the end... no surprise there!

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — One year ago Aschalew, Genet and Yesalemush Kinfe were three of the Developing World’s 143 million orphaned and abandoned children. These Ethiopian siblings had been housed for seven years in two separate orphanages after the tragic death of their father, and the ensuing reality that their poor, blind mother was incapable of caring for them.
Aschalew, the 17-year-old brother of Genet, 15, and Yesalemush, 14, was settling into a harsh reality. He and his sisters would soon be past adoption age, and they would be forced to fend for themselves in the crowded alleyways of Addis Ababa, the fourth-largest city in Africa.
After many years of praying for a family, it was time for “plan B.”
Aschalew, trying his hardest as the big brother to help his sisters see hope in the future, was studying hard for the Ethiopian national exams. Unfortunately, he rarely saw his sisters, who were housed in another orphanage. Often Aschalew would try to allay his worry for Genet and Yesalemush through his evening prayers.
While the pages of Ethiopian history are filled with stories of old world glory from ancient cities like Gondar and Aksum, the nation — said to be birthed from progeny of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba — is much different now.
Around 40 percent of the population of Ethiopia lives in abject poverty, largely the result of almost 20 years of a brutal socialist regime. Nearly every street in Ethiopia is sandwiched in by roadside shanties with people begging and pleading for enough money to feed their children for one more day.
This is the fate of many of Ethiopia’s orphans and was the worst fear of the Kinfe siblings.
Enter Liberty University
Half the world away, God was still working on “Kinfe plan A.”
Liberty University was in the middle of Spiritual Emphasis Week, led by evangelist David Nasser. Thousands of students were piled into the Vines Center with open hearts, praying for the Lord to do something miraculous during this beginning-ofthe- year revival.
Nasser was challenging the student body to match their actions with their confessions through a special offering that would be taken on the following evening, with all the money going toward changing the destiny of people for Christ around the globe.
Nasser showed a picture of three Ethiopian teenagers he had learned about through Scott Brown, the Executive Vice President of the Gladney Center for Adoption, and said that the money collected could be used to make a difference in these three orphans’ lives. It could be used to move this sibling group from “unlikely to be adopted” to “likely to be adopted.” All that would be left was to find a family.
The next night just over 4,000 Liberty students donated a staggering $80,000.
Kristin Wolfe, an LU senior, was in the crowd during Nasser’s presentation.
“When they showed the picture of the three kids, I said to myself, ‘I have to call my family.’” Before the final “amen” Kristin had sent a text message to her mother in Michigan.
Kristin’s parents, Randy and Kathy, had just visited an adoption agency two days earlier as the next step in a journey that had begun with a Thanksgiving conversation between Randy, Kathy, Kristin, Brad and Bonny about the prospect of the Wolfes adopting.
In a fantastic act of sovereignty, involving a family of five Michiganders, thousands of students in Virginia, and three unaware kids in Ethiopia, God was conspiring a miracle of reconciliation. It was Psalm 27:10 in action: “When your mother and father leave you, the Lord will take you up.”
Ten months later I travelled to Ethiopia with the Wolfes to retrieve their three newly adopted children, an adoption fully funded by the student body of Liberty University, and I watched the miracle.
Students
In only one year after their initial Thanksgiving adoption conversation the Wolfes had to buy a larger dining table for Thanksgiving 2008. The five-member “Wolfepack,” as they call themselves, had become “eight” thanks to the generosity of Liberty’s students.
“It’s interesting how many times we’ve been asked, ‘Is it overwhelming that you’re adopting three kids? Is it overwhelming that they’re from Ethiopia, they’re learning English, they’re teenagers, you already have these three kids, they’re all gonna be in college?’” said Randy. “And really, none of that is terribly overwhelming for us. What has overwhelmed us is that these [Liberty] kids did what they did.”
Liberty helps secure their future
So that the “university might match the generosity of its students,” Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. has offered fulltuition scholarships to each of the Kinfe siblings should they choose to attend Liberty University.
Aschalew, a studious devourer of books, received high scores on the Ethiopian national exams, which makes it no surprise that he read for nearly the entire 16-hour flight to the United States.
“After he read each of the magazines on the airplane, he started reading the air sickness bag, then the safety instructions, so we finally let him borrow a book,” recalls his brother, Brad.
When Randy told Aschalew of his scholarship to Liberty University, his face was painted with a cheekto- cheek smile as he said, “Does that mean I get to read books?”
Randy Wolfe placed his hand on the shoulder of his African son and said, “Liberty University is the college where Kristin and Brad go to school. Chancellor Falwell has granted you, Genet, and Yesalemush the ability to come to school to learn as much as you want. You’ll have books and whole libraries. You’ll have teachers and professors. Whenever you’re ready, it’s available to you, as much learning and as much study as you want.”
Aschalew cried.
Later on, I was sitting with the three kids in the living room of the Ethiopian Guest Home, and I asked each of them about what they were feeling and thinking about their new family.
Genet fought through her broken English to say, “We love them, and we’re happy that we’re going to be their family.”
Aschalew said in better English, “I love them. They are a wonderful family, and words cannot express what they have done for us.”
Yesalemush said something I’ll never forget: “I’m so happy … I am praying that my friends in the orphanage to also have a family.”
Genet chimed right in, “Can we find family for our other friends?”
Through the beginning of tears I replied, “We will try.”
One week later I read an Associated Press article citing the State Department’s latest adoption statistics: “The number of foreign children being adopted fell 12 percent in the past year, reaching the lowest level since 1999.”
I thought, while we can’t solve all the world’s problems and save all the world’s children, we must do something. This time, we changed the lives of three.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning.

2009-02-16T09:10:00.002-06:00

"Anyone who lovs his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;

anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Matthew.10:37-39

The blizzards of the deep south!

2009-01-29T11:49:00.009-06:00

So, we got our first (probably only) snow of the year. It's been horrible reading about all the blizzards up north. My thoughts are with some of my friends up there braving it. I thought I'd share our "inclement" weather with the cyber world! Don't laugh, but the stores were packed the night before with people buying bread and milk. For those who don't know much about us southerners, we like to buy our bread and milk at the first mention of snow or ice. My grandmother actually came the night before and was scared she may get "snowed in". She's a bit of a drama queen on top of our heightened sense of fear of black ice!

The first pic is B on our porch. You can tell the sky's gray, right? That can be scary, maybe.

Next pic, the snow covered ground! B and her best bud and neighbor, Lu. No snowmen for B and Lu:( That's Momo's car in the back. Needless to say, she left later that day and made it home fine!

The Joys of a Two year old!

2009-01-28T09:56:00.005-06:00

Sorry it's been so long updating the blog with pictures and updates on our current life! I still hope to blog Kenya some more but right now it's a daunting task. On January 11, 2009 my baby turned 2 years old! The time has flown by with her and it's been hard on me to move on from the baby stage. She had a Clifford the Big Red Dog party and all the kids from the residency program and good friends from the neighborhood were there to celebrate, too. It's challenging to plan a winter party because we can't do anything outdoors and our house would bust at the seams with her party brood. So, we had the Clifford party at our church fellowship hall. It was a great space and the party was a hit! Clifford even made a special appearance and Bethany is still talking about it!Here are some pics of that....

Our little Clifford Pup took time out to give her mom and dad some love! A rare moment for our busy toddler!

Singing Happy Birthday to the birthday girl. She tells people that Clifford tried to eat her "Happy Birthday" (the cake).

Clifford stopped by to play with the kids. Most of the kids wouldn't get near him for a while but a few brave the initial meeting. Bethany wouldn't have anything to do with him but she likes to brag that he was there!

Reminding me that she is no longer a baby, Bethany is doing lots of big girl things. She is using the potty daily. Actually, this weekend her dad is going to try and completely day train her while I'm at the women's retreat with our church! We'll see how that goes.! Bethany has also thrown all her paci's away herself saying that "I not a baby anymore". However, she found a stash that I didn't know about and therefore still has one that we hope to get rid of by the Spring. She insist on taking naps in her big girl bed and has been pretty good at staying in the bed. On a few occasions she has been up and playing in her room but gets a pop when this happens:(

Bethany on Christmas morning after she insisted that she wear her princess panties that came in her stocking!

The "Call"

2009-01-11T21:48:00.002-06:00

An interesting article that I found and really expressed our feelings exactly, besides the fact that this couple is actually serving in the mission field presently...

Missionary's calling 'undeniable, irresistible' force
12/3/2008
By Chris Watts
EDITOR’S NOTE: Christopher Watts and his wife, Colleen, serve as Southern Baptist missionaries in Rome. Originally from Georgia, they were appointed in 2000 and have a 1-year-old-son named Cotton.
ROME (BP)--Calling, to me, is a funny thing.
In my experience, it comes upon you with a furious intensity and drowns you in an incredible desire to do something huge and glorious, something that is completely beyond the measure of your own abilities.
It changes your path completely and thrusts you into a new and unknown world where utter reliance on the plan and providence of God is an absolute necessity. After a time, though, once the realities and routines of this new world have set in, some of that initial intensity fades a bit, and the calling evolves into the stabilizing foundation upon which every facet of your new life is built.
It never diminishes in its strength or importance, but it becomes more of a compass for staying true to your path, than a sword with which to storm the walls of a lost world. I believe that this evolution is necessitated by the fact that “the calling” serves two distinct roles.
People contentedly strolling along in an easy and comfortable life often need something violent and fierce to move them powerfully and awaken them to the harsh realities of a lost and dying world. Our Baptist cocoon often insulates us from the pain and hopelessness of a world without Christ.
Some of us, me included, need to be slapped pretty hard to see things clearly and hear the voice of God. Oftentimes it seems that change never comes to those who can stand to live without it, and this initial calling is the thing that causes us to be dissatisfied with anything else. It is undeniable and irresistible.
However, once you start down that path, you are confronted on a daily basis with these hard realities. You no longer need to be awakened, you need to be sustained. This life is incredibly difficult. A missionary must make the conscious decision every day that this lifestyle is still worth it. “The calling” is the thing, always lurking in the background, that often gives you the strength to keep trudging forward.
This doesn’t mean the passion diminishes. On the contrary. As you witness with your own eyes the incredible ways in which God is at work in the world, as you see lives being transformed and you sense the intense pain in the hearts of those around you, the passion for the work grows. You begin to understand the power of the Gospel and you long to see people receive the love of Christ.
I am convinced that this job to which I have been called is the greatest, hardest and most worthwhile way in which I could spend my life. And until I am called, kicking and screaming, to something else, there is nothing that could make me quit.

The Rains down in Africa....

2008-10-08T10:22:00.003-05:00

The first few weeks we were in Kenya the country was at the tail-end of the rainy season. We had rains everyday for a couple of days but it was hard and fast and short-lived. Almost always in the afternoon.

This was some of our first friends that greeted us. We were always being "watched", even if we couldn't see them, we felt little eyes on us all the time. This was a picture of some of the children that came to watch us at the fence. The road behind her is the same one that woke me every morning (and Bethany) with children walking to school, playing and singing.... loudly! Also , the herders brought their cattle to graze and cows are really louder than you might think!

This is Miss B playing at the front of the Guest house. At the bottom of the hill is the fence that you see the children above. Bethany liked to wonder out of our unit and go to the main guest house kitchen and dazzle the helpers in there!

I made Bethany a picture book of family and friends and our house before we left. This is her looking at the pictures with "Emma" beside her. By the end of the trip she was no longer interested in the friends or family in the pictures... she was only interested in Mommy, Daddy, "Bethhy"(her), and Emma. Sorry family, but you were a distant memory by then!

This is Janet (our helper) and I cooking. I had a lot to learn once I got there! Janet was a great cook and soon after this picture I decided to stay out of the kitchen when Janet was there and let her do her thing.

Every Friday was "Pizza Night" around Tenwek. This is some of us at the guest having our first pizza night. I was a blast that night. We played games and at great homemade pizza. It was a wonderful time of fellowship. I miss those nights:(

These pictures were probably week 2 at Tenwek. Next time will be some of my outings in the community!

WoooHoooo

2008-09-19T19:58:00.006-05:00

Today we got confirmation in the mail from Washington DC of the authentication of our adoption documents. Our documents have probably made it back to Grand Rapids, MI to the national Bethany Office and will be sent this coming week to Ethiopia, if it hasn't already been sent!!! I am so excited! I will start working on the baby's room once I know it has made it to Ethiopia. When we were in Kenya I got a beautiful hand-made quilt made by displaced women from all over Africa. I also have a gorgeous wall art piece that will go in the room. I only bought those two things in Kenya because I knew that I'd really want to fill the room with things that actually come from their nation.
Speaking of Kenya, my intention was to post pics of our trip over time as we have gotten back since we were strapped for pictures their but I haven't done that at all. So I'm starting tonight. My camera was blurred almost the whole time ( thanks Kara) and all 500 pictures are not close to perfect so I apologize in advanced....

This first picture is us with my family at Charlotte-Douglas airport. Bethany has no idea she is about to go half-way across the world!

This is our first morning in Kenya. We got to this hotel in the early morning, maybe 12AM? This is the night that Joey and Bethany slept like a rock and I couldn't sleep a wink because I heard something scratching on the tin roof and was convinced it was a big iguana trying to get into the room because we had pizza in there. I was also paranoid of the fact that we were in Africa and at any moment rebels were going to come rushing into our room and hold us captive for ransom! Silly girl. Neither ended up being true. There are no iguana's in Kenya or any rebel groups that I knew of. Bethany never slept in this crib they set up for her, she slept in between the two of us. She did like to play with this mosquito net, though.

Later that morning, Gerald, the driver for Samaritan's Purse and who picked us up at the airport, came to the hotel and took us to the Nakumat, a big chain of grocery/target-like stores in Nairobi, to shop for the 7 week stay. He was the sweetest little young man and he loved Bethany. He was so excited for Bethany to meet Ann Marie. He had driven the Fitzwaters into Tenwek about 6 weeks before. Gerald was a city boy by Kenyan standards. He had grown up in the capital city but his mother was from the Kipsigi tribe that surrounds Tenwek and had traveled to Nairobi to do more with her life. She was lucky to land a job and get married to an educated man. The majority of the rural folks who try to make it in the city usually end up in the slums of Nairobi with more poverty than they left. Gerald was a computer science major and loved his family, school, and was very grateful for his job driving. He was one of the few driver's for SP that continued to transport during the former uprising because he was Kipsigis and was not at risk for danger like many of the other drivers. Many still will not go all the way into Tenwek Hospital because at one time there was such danger because of their tribal connections.

I plan to chronicle Kenya by pics, so keep visiting for updates. Also, for Ethiopia news of when our dossier makes it to the country!!!

HALLELUIAH!!!

2008-09-03T06:40:00.003-05:00

Our I-171H came in the mail on Wednesday!!! It was one of the most joyful days of my entire life. I went straight to the UPS store to have it copied to complete our dossier. Friday, Bethany, Gamo and I went to Columbia to have the documents state sealed and given to our social worker! I was so ecstatic that I could hardly hold it in. I compare this piece of paper to the day we had our gender ultra-sound. It was a moment when I felt like the little being growing inside me was actually a reality. That day my love just over-flowed for a person that I hadn't even met yet. In the same way, when I turned in our dossier the being that has been growing in my heart seemed real and my anticipation was marked by joy and a sense pride for this person. It was also a feeling of relief. It has always been in the Lord's hands but now the best part comes, we wait and trust the Lord to lead us to our son or daughter, and see how God always goes beyond our expectations. We'll be lead to a baby that has been chosen since the creation of the world to be a part of our family!!! How exciting!
We've had a lot of questions about travel. We will go to Ethiopia and expect to spend 2 weeks there to complete our adoption. I am looking forward to putting my feet on Ethiopian soil. It's a place where it's people are prideful in their rich culture and close knit family units. I want to learn as much as I can about traditions and holidays and food, all the things that will connect my child their roots. I also can't wait to shop! We plan to get something called life gifts. They are typically given at birthdays and are special gifts that come from their birth country. We hope to bring our child back to Ethiopia one year as a life gift.
I'll keep updating as the days go by. Our dossier still has to go to Grand Rapids, MI to the national BCS office for review. Then it is sent to Washington, DC and then to Ethiopia.

On a different note, my little girl used the big potty yesterday!!!! I couldn't believe it! We were in the bathroom getting ready for a bath and she said "potty" and pulled at her diaper. We've been through this before and I thought it was another time to play and pretend to use the potty. I stepped out of the room for literally 5 seconds and came back to her peering in her potty seat. When I looked in their was pee-pee!!! I was so proud! She then got two cookies. I think the whole thing was a fluke but I sure hope not! We'll see.

Home Sweet Home

2008-08-06T14:54:00.002-05:00

So we are back and have mostly caught up with our jet lag! It was definitely harder coming back than going. Every one's been asking for a new post and I'm sorry but we've been super busy. This past weekend Joey was in a wedding in Birmingham, AL and we were able to see some Tenwek friends, the Champions. It was really bizarre because when we got there and called we realized we were only one mile from their home! I hung out with them on Saturday while Joey did wedding stuff and then we went to church with them Sunday. It was great and they are doing wonderful.

Ethiopia- I've had a lot of people asking about our adoption and where we are in the process. When we left we hoped we'd have our I-171H (approval for an orphan) from the US government but it never showed up. This is the last piece of paper we need for our dossier to be complete and turned into Ethiopia. Well, we expected it during the 7 weeks we were gone and had proposed this "watch out" plan for my friend that lives across the street and then for it to get to my mother-in-law and for her to take it to state office in Columbia and then to our social worker. It was going to be complicated. At the last minute Joey and I gave up and said, " This is obviously not in God's timing for the dossier to be sent before we leave. We'll wait and get this done ourselves when we get home". We got home and it was meant to be because we did not have the I-171H and had a request for some clarification. We contacted our social worker and got the information needed and now are praying this form comes in soon. The Ethiopian courts and government offices close for the months of August Thur September for their rainy season (I think for harvesting purposes), so our new goal is for our dossier be signed, sealed and delivered by the time the courts reopen. Some GREAT news happened while we were in Africa, the first families from our adoption agencies got referrals only after 5 months!!!! So, hopefully things will be going as fast when our dossier reaches Ethiopia.

So, just an update for where we are now. Hope every ones well!

2008-07-23T02:23:00.001-05:00

Precious Daughter,

I have searched your heart and examined your mind in order to reward you according to your conduct and deeds (Jeremiah 17:10). Why do you fear what I have asked you to do? There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out all fear, because fear has to do with punishment (1 John 4:18). Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by me. The very hairs on you head are numbered. Do not be afraid: You are worth more than many sparrows! (Luke 12:6-7)

. If you trust me with all your heart and not with your own understanding, I will make all your paths clear and straight (Proverbs 3:5) I know all the things you worry about but I ask you not to worry about your life and the things you need. Don't you know I know you need theses things? And isn't life about more than that? Look at the birds in the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet I provide for them. Are you not more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:25-26) The treasures you want to store up on this earth can be destroyed by moths, and rust, or stolen. Instead, store up treasures for heaven where none of these things can take it away. If you want to know what your treasure is, then simply look at your heart. Because where your heart is, there your treasure will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

At times, you look to the wisdom of this world and those who do not know me. But the wisdom of this world is foolish in my eyes and is always brought to light with me (1 Corinthians 3:19). So, do not let anyone deceive you with empty words, because God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient (Ephesians 5:6). Do not be foolish, but understand what MY will is (Ephesians 5:17). Once you lived in darkness but now you are light in me. Live as a child of light and find what pleases me! Stop having business with the fruitless deeds of darkness, instead expose them! (Ephesians 5:8-11).

With all that said, I know the road I am asking you to take is narrow and the gate is small. But the broad road and wide gate, that is so tempting and most takes, leads to destruction and unhappiness. Few will find true happiness and joy because it can only be found on the narrow road (Matthew 7:13-14)

I gave you a direction and purpose in life before you were even born (Jeremiah 1:5) I have called you by name to follow me (John 10:3). And if you don't, you will soon realize your life is worth nothing if you have not completed the task I've assigned to you- the task of testifying to my salvation and love (Acts 20:24).

When it all seems too complicated, too confusing, and just too hard to do, remember I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God (Hosea 6:6) It's really that simple. Above all, know that you were created to love and need me and no peace will come upon your soul until you rest in me.

I love you sweet child and gave my life so that you could live. Trust that I have your best interest at heart.

With all my Love,

Your Creator

Since being here I have really searched out the truths of God. I needed to rid myself of the doubts and fears I have of surrendering to the call on my life. I know missions is a part of that calling. Since being here, I have been reassured that the life God has planned for me and my family is much more satisfying than the one I have conjured up. It will bring joy and peace and comfort in the midst of uncertainty. I have always felt a call towards missions since I was a little girl in GA's (for those who aren't southern Baptist, this is part of a program that starts as a pre-schooler and ends as a teen. You learn all about missions). Anyways, it all started then and has been confirmed many times in my life. But while I was in college and Joey and I started getting serious, I thought of what this would mean for my family. I didn't want to have those weird missionary kids who were home schooled and didn't know what McDonald's was! But God is good, and he's shown me that my kids don't have to be weird and unable to relate. I've had the opportunity to get to know these families and see that they are amazing people, true heroes of the faith. Not only do their children relate and have fun, they are sweet and tenderhearted. They will grow up having a deeper since of trust in God by witnessing their Mom's and Dad's living out faith and obedience. I've learned they have a different understanding of life and love. Kenya has been a time of sweet fellowship and getting to know sisters of my own heart. I'm reminded that relationships and friendships that are grounded in Christ run far deeper than any relationship, no matter how long, that only has surface value. Mostly, I'm just okay with knowing that I don't need to know how things will turn out, because even if I plan it still won't end my way. I will take one step at a time and trust that my God is able to protect and provide and even pour out blessings on me and my family.

Signing out from Kenya; a place that will always have a special piece of my heart and soul. And to the sweet Kenyans who poured out their appreciation and welcome to our family; thank you.

Long Awaited POST!!!!

2008-07-21T13:16:00.003-05:00

I've just spent a week being purged of the Internet! It's been down since last Tuesday and I have had NO access to the outside world. But guess what? I made it! It only took a week to feel released of the chains of convenience-at- my- finger tips! The only disappointing thing is that so much has happened and I'm sure I'll forgot something good!
We'll start with tonight... we went to Janet's house (our house help) and had dinner with her family. I must admit that I was a little nervous about the whole experience but quickly felt at home with Janet's good cooking and hospitality. Bethany made herself at home and ran around the place. Kenyans have a strict policy to let their children do as they please and Bethany took full advantage of this in her home. She was demanding spoons, and rice, and walking all over the couch! It was embarrassing. But Joey and I had surprisingly good conversation and just enjoyed ourselves. Sometimes the cultural barrier can be hard to jump over but I had "prayed up" this time and the Lord blessed it. Last night we had a dinner for several of Joey's interns. I cooked them breakfast for dinner and they seemed to like it. My snikerdoodle cookies were not a hit, though. They seem to think that Americans like too many sweets. I couldn't argue.
Tomorrow we have a good-bye party and I can't believe the time has actually come! The party will have some traditional Kenyan food, ie goat intestines and Morsik (milky,sour drink with coal ashes). We have had such a great time but with ups and downs. The "ups" far outweigh the "downs". We will leave Tenwek mid-day on Wednesday for Nairobi and spend the night. Our flight will leave at 11:40PM on Thursday night. We have a dreadful flight schedule with a 6 hour layover in London! I hope Bethany is on her best behavior!
I have so much more to say but am a little overwhelmed with parting thoughts. I'll post a departure post (God willing) before we leave. Can't wait to get back across the pond.

Brooke B- Sorry it's late, HAPPY 1st ANNIVERSARY
Ethiopian families- CONGRATS on the court dates! I can't wait to hear about it more. I got some good shopping information while here and I hope I can get it to you before you leave.
Adrienne and Charley- congrats on being an Aunt and Uncle again.

Tia Patrick, MD

2008-07-11T20:46:00.002-05:00

Oh yeah, that’s right, just hand me my medical degree right now! Wednesday was so much fun. I had asked Dr. Duggar (no relation to Jim Bob Duggar and his family of 20+) ,who is an OBGYN visiting for 2 weeks, to let me know when he had c-sections on Tue or Wed b/c Joey was off and I could go to the hospital and watch. Well, Tuesday he forgot to tell me and had tons of c-sections. So Wednesday came and it was late in the afternoon and he had none. At 5:30 he told me there were two c-sections being prepped and I needed to hurry if I wanted to see them. So I quickly put on Joey’s scrubs and called Krista, b/c she also wanted in on the action, and was up there in no time. I got there just in time to see them start the incision. I had a wave of heat hit me when I saw the ladies white flesh and didn’t know if I should continue to watch. But I pushed through and saw the whole miracle of birth in the most unnatural of circumstances. It was a baby girl! The sewing up took a while and Krista and I saw another surgery taking place in the other O.R. We hopped over there and got to see some sort of colon surgery. It wasn’t too interesting and it looked like a scene from Saw. We then went to another c-section and it was another baby girl. We were so proud of “our” baby girls that we had to go and see how much they weighed and look at them some more, so we made our way down to the maternity ward. Secretly I was hoping my nursing student friends were still on the OB rotation and would let me watch a natural birth. Sure enough I get down there and see Alfred and Gilbert (national nursing students who I met with community health) and sure enough there was a laboring mother who was going to give birth within the hour. Krista had to leave at this point and I stayed behind. The babies that we had just seen were in a cradle behind this laboring mother but I was still told I could go see them. They were both healthy and one was 5.5 lbs and the other over 6 lbs, which is huge for Kenya. The nurse then asked if I would carry one to the nursery! Of course I would! The proud grandmother was waiting anxiously near the nursery and I got to show her the newest member of the family. Gilbert told me to hurry b/c the mother was going to push at any moment. This was her 4th child so she was expected to go quickly, I got back just in time. It was so amazing. The baby just came right out! The mother did so well, no screaming or anything. But as soon as the baby was out and she heard its first little cry I heard her speaking something softly to herself. It sounded like some sort of praise. It was really beautiful. Then the most amazing part happened, b/c of a nursing shortage they asked me to grab the sterile blanket and get the baby after the cord was cut. Gilbert also gave me the suction bulb and told me to suction and stimulate the baby! I felt honored by his confidence, but was not worthy of it b/c I had no idea what to do! Thankfully, Alfred came to my rescue. I finished watching the afterbirth and was able to “examine” the placenta with Gilbert to make sure nothing was still in the mother. By this time it was 8 PM and I needed to get back home. So, I’m ready to deliver if any one wants a home birth or needs a midwife! We’ll be a husband/wife team!
Bethany is doing well. She's become quite the little bossy thing. She has named her stuffed dog Emma in honor of her favorite animal at Tenwek. Emma is some sort of boxer that belongs to the White family. She looks ferocious but is a really sweet dog. Bethany instantly fell deeply in love with her and has given her dog Emma's namesake! Well, the Whites have a 3 (almost 4) year old little girl, Anna, that is a girly-girl if I've ever seen one. One day Anna was telling Emma to "SIT". Bethany paid close attention. And every day she will demand to her stuffed animal, "Sit Emma, SIT!" Then she'll throw it off the couch or bed and say "Down Emma, DOWN!” She demands for us to kiss Emma and sit, too!
I can’t believe we have less than 2 weeks at Tenwek. At times it’s felt like a long time but it really has been a short trip and it will be hard to leave Kenya behind. I’ve really loved the missionaries, the nationals and all the visitors who have been here with us. We ate at the Fitzwater’s tonight with the Gainy’s, too. It was a good time b/c we are like the “young” couples around here :) , that’s what everyone says at least. Tomorrow we are having game night at the Bemm’s, they are teaching us Settlers so we can whoop all the Greenwood peeps! We miss everyone and appreciate all the encouragement and prayers.

My 2nd Post

2008-07-07T00:28:00.000-05:00

I had this weekend off after working the last 12 days straight and it was great time to relax and spend more time with Tia and Bethany. On Saturday Tia and I went out to a nearby orphanage and got to see how the kids are living and then play with them for a few hours. The kids were so full of life and so eager to play with us but what really stood out to Tia and I was that when the director was introducing them he did not know all of their names. In no way does this imply that he is not doing a good job with these kids but with trying to ensure that their basic needs are met he probably doesn’t have the time to truly invest in each one of them. It breaks our heart that these children and so many others don’t have parents that not only know there names but also fill their lives with the love and attention that every child needs and deserves.
On Saturday night we went and had pizza night over at the Bemm’s house (Chuck Bemm-pediatrician and his wife Amy and there four children Abby, David, Lydia and Hannah who they just finalized her adoption from an orphanage here in Kenya). It is so amazing to spend time with so many unique families who are letting their lives truly be used by God. On Sunday we went to church and then spent most of the day just relaxing and hanging out because it rained a lot here today. We did go for a walk during part of the day where I was laughed at some more for carrying Bethany on my back since men in this culture never carry the baby but it is all just part of God teaching me humility.
A big part of this trip for Tia and I was to continue searching for what God is calling us to do with the talents and blessings he has given us. Because of my inexperience as a doctor and especially as a doctor in the mission field I have spent most of time trying to keep up with the patient load and make the best decisions that I know how for the patients. Because of the lack of experienced doctors on the medicine and pediatric services I have been acting as the “consultant” which means that I am the one who makes the final decisions on the care the patients are receiving when I am on call. At times this has been overwhelming and I have spent a lot of time looking things up on the computer or in the medical library. I have also relied on the interns here a good deal. At any rate I have not really had a lot of time to process what God is teaching me from this experience and probably will not until we get back to Greenwood.
One thing I have definitely come to appreciate is the fleeting nature of this life. Being surrounded by people in the 20’s and 30’s dying from rheumatic heart disease, esophageal cancer, meningitis, AIDS, and many other diseases that are so common here has made me realize just how short life is. Even by becoming the very best doctor I can become I will never be able to eliminate the suffering and death in this world. It has added even more emphasis to the true reason for this trip or any other mission trip, to introduce people to “the only name under heaven by which men will be saved (Acts 4:12)” Jesus does what no medicine, surgery, or money can do by giving hope, purpose and comfort to those who truly need him. Tenwek is an amazing place where doctors and nurses are providing the very best care for patients with the resources available at a minimal cost, but the real ministry here is that no patient or family comes here without hearing about the One who created them, died for them and longs to call them his children. On a daily basis I see notes in patients’ chart where they have prayed to accept Christ because the work God is doing through the chaplains here. I pray that our family continues to realize the importance of spending this life on the things that truly matter and that through us more people will come to know our Redeemer.

Happy Belated Birthday, Hudson!

2008-07-02T11:48:00.001-05:00

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY HUDSON! Uncle Joey, Aunt Tia, and Baby can’t wait to see you and give you a big birthday hug. Make sure to save some cake and ice cream for baby. She’ll be mad if you don’t!

I've been trying to post for 2 days now and trying to email people back but the internet has been unpredictable. I haven't forgotten about you! We've been pretty busy around here. Friday’s trip to the market was great. Krista did a good job driving and we brought along her helper, Rosaline, to come with us. The market is probably just 5-7 kilometers away and we parked in a gas station that had been destroyed by the post-election violence at the beginning of the year. I was surprised that the violence was so close to Tenwek. The market was interesting, they all sale the same things so I’m not sure how anyone gets business. Rosaline was laughing b/c all the nationals were asking her if Bethany and Anne Marie were dolls! Lots asked if they were twins. Anne Marie is in the pictures I posted earlier and they don’t look anything alike! Anyways, since Carol Spears graciously let us use her car we decided to go into Bomet and get some ice cream and chocolate after the market!
Joey had to work this weekend but only rounded each day until lunch time and then was on-call. It was pretty slow until the evenings then he would start getting paged. Saturday I went with some of the missionaries and nationals to Bomet for the first ever children’s outreach effort. When we got there we had to round up some kids and soon tons of kids were at the field playing with us. They were so much fun but so confused by dodge ball! They aren’t use to picking up the ball with their hands; balls are always kicked in Kenya! Jenny Roberts (career missionary) had a speaker come after the games. The children all sat quietly and listened to his bible story and even listened intently once split into groups. They loved getting the little paper flyers we gave out. I didn’t see any paper on the ground before we left. It reminded me of how our children can be so discontented with all they have b/c they have so much and expect so much. If this program would have taken place in America the kids would have started stirring and whining before the speaker finished the introduction. And those flyers would have been trash to be picked up later. But these kids had a great time listening and learning. They are so eager for knowledge and to be taught. 26 children and 16 teenagers accepted Christ! It was such an encouraging afternoon. We had balloons for a celebration and they were beside themselves.
This week is quickly going by too. We had dinner at Dr. Carol Spears house last night with some other visitors. I am so grateful to have met all the career missionaries and to listen to their encouraging and faithful stories of what lead them to the mission field. Carol has one of the most courageous and heart-wrenching stories of all. Click the titile to find the link to read her story, or part of her story. I hope you take the time and read what amazing things the Lord can do in a life that’s willing to trust and follow even when it doesn't make sense.
Bethany and I were going to hitch a ride into Nairobi today with some of the missionaries but decided against it. I feel kind of bad leaving Joey behind for 3 days until we would return. Instead we’ve planned to leave Tenwek a day early to spend some time shopping and checking out the capital city together. Friday we will have a big 4th of July celebration here. We’ll get to grill out and have a big party in the Kipaganga (party pavilion)! Then Joey has the weekend off. We plan to hike to Montego and visit an orphanage. I hope I don’t come home with 20 Kenyan kids!
We hope everyone has a great 4th of July and stays safe. We miss you and a grateful for your support and prayers.

Opportunities and Sad Goodbyes

2008-06-26T06:46:00.004-05:00

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:7-10

It’s so nice to have the opportunity to be here. I was thinking about what beauty it is that the Lord has given me and my husband blessings that allow us to give two months of our lives to come to East Africa and be amongst other believers that are like-minded. He knows we needed experience and guidance in the call we feel on our lives. The history at Tenwek is unbelievable. Just 50 years ago this was an un-reached area and now it is home to thousands of Christians! In this Galatians verse I am encouraged by the command to do good to ALL people, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. I know Joey can testify that it is amazing to give care for his fellow kinsmen in Christ that would not otherwise have received care. But it struck me when reading this verse that the Lord always sets up appointments for us to do good to all people. It is His motto; to serve others and “…in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Phil 2:3) I need to be more mindful of how I can serve others daily in the small things and consider others better than myself.

This week has been kind of sad, our friends, the Champions: Greg (gastro. Doc), Laura (wife), Joshua (16), Sarah Baskin (13, almost), Abby (11), and Luke (9), left yesterday. I’ve gotten so spoiled with the girls b/c they watch Bethany if I want to go to the bible studies or up to the hospital to help out. Bethany has gotten attached to all of them. She calls for Abby and “Baskin” when she sees them from across the way. She was asking for Abby all day yesterday! I am thankful we will be able to meet up with them once we get home. They live in Birmingham, AL and we’re planning to meet up when we go for a wedding the weekend we get back from Africa! This is also Julia's last day here. She has been such nice company and a help when my computer wouldn’t cooperate with me. We're having a dessert party tonight to send her home.
On Sunday Abby, Julia and I went to the pediatric ward and made bracelets with the kids. Some kids were too sick to even sit up in the bed and others were so grateful to have some entertainment and smiling faces to greet them. I am touched by how this culture is very family focused. The mothers or fathers stay in the beds with the children and never leave. Joey commented the other day the he has yet to see a patient who is without family. In the US he almost always treats elderly people with no family members present or visiting and it’s just not that way here. Last week I went out with community health with Julia and the nursing students. The community health program here is in crisis b/c it’s main donor for more than 20 years pulled out their giving. The donations funded vaccinations to children and pregnant women, orphans, and community awareness of HIV/AIDS and more preventable diseases. This organization is such a backbone here. Julia’s project has been getting pictures and footage for a movie for fundraising efforts and updating the website so others are more aware of the monetary needs for Tenwek and it’s programs.
I also spent some time in the NICU. I don’t feel very comfortable going up there b/c there’s not much we can do to help. I remember when my sister was in NICU for 1 month after her birth, no one was allowed to visit except immediate family and only at certain times. Also, after having a 4lb baby myselft, all those feelings of trying to protect my small child from sickness comes back to me up there. It wouldn't be acceptable for us to come into a nursery in the US, especially a NICU, so I feel like I should give the Kenyans the same respect. I feel like by going up there I’m doing more harm than good. The Kipsigis people are arguably the most common in the world to have multiple births! There have been 2 sets of quadruplets just since I’ve been here and numerous triplets and twins! Most are so tiny and some don’t survive. Many of these stay the NICU nursery. After the nursery visit we went to see the mothers in the maternity ward. Many of them are up there b/c they can’t leave until they pay their bill! It doesn’t really make any sense to me that you would keep them day in and day out to only rack up more of a bill. Several of Joey’s discharged patients are still in the wards eating and sleeping!
Well, it’s been another long post but there is always something fun to write about. Tomorrow, Krista and I are taking the babies to a nearby market. We are borrowing a missionary’s car so this should be a very interesting trip. The roads are so bad here that it’ll take us all day just to get there!

Shannon- Will you email me so I have your email address? Tell me what happened. It’s so weird b/c I was just thinking of her since I’ve been here!
My email is patrick_tia@yahoo.com

my first blog

2008-06-24T12:50:00.000-05:00

Tia has threatened to rename the blog to Tia's blog if I didn't contribute so I will share a little about all that I am experiencing and seeing here at Tenwek. Last night I was on call for both medicine and pediatrics. So last night I was called to the hospital because two of our elderly medicine patients were not doing well and were dying. After explaining the situation to the families(which family members are always present and at the bedside caring for their loved ones) I prayed for the families. Talking with family members as their elderly loved ones die is something that I frequently do in in Greenwood so it is not out of my comfort zone. After I left those families I went to the ER because several young children had just arrived and were sick. One of the children (a three year old boy) was having a seizure as I arrived and had been sent from a nearby hospital because he had become unresponsive after having many seizures. His father reported that two days ago he had stopped talking and would only cry DaDa and then today had been either seizing or unresponsive all day. We worked on the child for the next several hours and finally he stopped seizing and we transferred him to the ICU. It seems the child has Herpes encephalopathy which is a version of meningitis. I fear his prognosis is not very good and this aspect of dealing with children who are so sick is not something that I have had a lot of experience with in the states. Please pray for the parents of this child and the others like him and for more experienced doctors to answer the call to serve in a place where their impact could be so huge for the patients and the young Kenyan doctors so eager to learn from experienced doctors.