Don't Cry over Spilled Milk....

I've been in a fragile place for the past week.  Just feeling less than confident, tired, unsure about many things.  I was really was convicted of the truth that it's because I've not spent enough time with Jesus.  This week, I'm really try to focus on nothing but Christ and ask him to give me the strength for each day and the wisdom for each situation that arises.  It's been good.  It's the way it has to be for me to live this life in a way that glorifies him!  How easily I am derailed by busyness!!

Today, I got up and was able to have a quiet time right away- a rarity (usually I have to plop my children in front of the TV).  I came down sure it was going to be a great day.  I caught up on the house and laundry competely by yesterday and today we can just play.

Marc had gotten the kids breakfast's out, I just needed to pour milk into their bowls.  I did that and walked, my heart spewing with peace, over to get my tea- delighted that the day was starting with such a calm.  It was at that precise moment that I heard major liquid spillage.  I turned around to a "Sorry, mama!" uttered in a two year old voice and saw Chloe returning the now half empty milk carton onto the table.  Immediately thoughts of  "my clean house!  No!  Not more laundry after it's all finally done!" were a swirling.

 "OH NO!  How in the world did she get the cap off?!" I uttered, as I raced to the table with towels.  Before I got to my destination, Phin said, "I took it off for her cuz she wanted more milk in her bowl, but I guess she missed!"

His sincerity of heart and Chloe's sweet, "uh oh!" were a gift and a reminder that it's only flippin' milk and this was a great opportunity for a picture;)

You can't see the huge milk puddle on the floor, but suffice it to say, it took 6 kitchen towels and half a roll of paper towels to clean up all this up;)  Still, these are the things we can laugh about.  My kids weren't trying to make life difficult- they were just being kids and I love these kids...and their spilled milk.

Conversations to Remember;)

If you are my facebook friend you may have seen a couple of these this week on your newsfeed, but I am doublin' up and bloggin' 'em too cuz, these moments are for remembering!  Here are a few of our funny kid conversations this week:

Time- Sunday evening
Place- Car while waiting for Mom to get food in Corner Bakery

Marc:  Ava, I am madly in love with your mom.
Ava:  That's great.  One day, you'll be madly in love with me too.
Marc:  What do you mean?
Ava:  (in a sort of jesting tone) I don't care what people say, I am still marrying you when I grow up cuz I love you!
Marc:  Well, don't worry when you are grown up you won't feel that way; you'll be madly in love with your future husband and you'll be very glad that he's madly in love with you too
Ava:  How do you know?
Marc:  Because Mommy and I pray for you future husband all the time.
Ava:  YOU DO!  (at this point I have entered the car)
Marc and I:  Yes, we do.
Ava:  Do you pray for Phin's girl too?
Kim:  Yes, we pray every day that she'll love Jesus with her whole heart and love Phin.
Ava:  You should pray that she really likes poop too.  Phin loves to talk about poop.


Time- Tuesday morning
Place- Breakfast Table

Ava: Chloe, you are SOOO cute
Chloe:  I NOT tute!
Phin:  But you sure are pretty!;)


Time- Thursday evening
Place- Dinner Table

Kim sneezes
Chloe: Bless you!
Kim:  Thank you sweet, baby.
Chloe:  Mommy, Mommy
Kim:  yes, Chloe?
Chloe (with the most pitiful facial expression purposefully put on):  My tummy hurts
Marc:  (genuinely concerned, of course, as this is the first time she's ever complained of a tummy ache)                    Really?  why does it hurt?
Chloe:  Because we don't have any sausage

(She works it already and yes...as a true born in Wisconsin gal, she LOVES sausage;)

Wasp up with this?!

Our house is made of Cedar...looks mighty pretty but we've been having trouble apparently convincing nature that WE not "they" belong living here.  First, our trusty cardinal (who IS by the way still pecking at our windows on a daily basis, has gotten in Marc's car when he left a window open and covered the interior in poop, and was in our garage one day when we came home).  Next, we had a deer sleeping in our front lawn.  I never could get a picture of her...but did you know they curl up and sleep just like a dog? very cute, but quite unsettling as they rush towards you when you spook them by daring to pull into your driveway or open your front door.  We've also been battling wasps since moving in.  We are constantly seeing the little things and finding starts of hives like this around the eeves of our home, the cracks in our deck floor boards, or in this case the track on our sliding door!:

We've had to vigilantly and aggressively monitor our perimeter and attack with pesticide spray.

Then, Marc went to Lebanon and we've been lax in our security.  Todays inspection first revealed this:

(It's about 5 small hives)

and then we were HORRIFIED to find THIS:

We quickly realized our new neighbors had set of a colony and were claiming squatting rights and we knew we could merely attack them with a spray purchased at Walmart, so we picked up the phone faster than batman...and are praising God for same day service!

Schoen's=Superhero's in our eyes.

Not only did they take care of our "guests" (estimating there were about 500 wasps in the large hive pictured above),  They helped us remember the wonder of God's creation  (He said, "Wow!  That is a beauty" when seeing the crazy big hive) and they told the kids all about how they humanely care for pests of all kinds.  He let them try on the gloves he wears when trapping raccoons, skunks or opossums and such, told the kids how they trap them and where they take them to let them go without hurting them.  He is a GREAT guy!

I sincerly hope you don't have problems such as we do (thank GOD it's all exterior!!!),  BUT if you do have any issues, call this guy.  Not only will he restore order, but share the joy he takes in his job with you.  Who knew having Wasp's nest removed would turn into an evening of entertainment?!

(note- yes, Phin IS wearing fleece Christmas pajamas in 90 degree weather.  The boy insists and USUALLY is inside in air conditioning- don't judge; we pick our battles;)

Adoption Update

As some of you know, there has been some speculation of late as the future of Haitian adoptions.  Haiti voted to ratify the Hague convention on 6/11 and the implications of that are unclear.  For more specific information (all the information we know at the moment) you can read our director's blog.

What most people who know have asked me is, "am I anxious?"  In short, no, I am not.  I haven't blogged about it, simply because we don't know what will happen.  There is not much to say short of speculation that can be found in multiple places on the internet.

What I know is that thus far we have done what God has led us to do.  I know God is doing something in my heart and I don't believe that it will not come to fruition.  Is it being overly optimistic?  maybe.  I just know that we have taken steps of obedience to get us where we are.  I can't imagine God closing the door, yet, I know it is possible.  I also know what we have experienced in our hearts and family and our relationship with God to this point is God led.  If the door closes, we know he has purpose in that and will direct our steps from there.  Marc and I both feel that if the door closes, God has something else for us to do in Haiti and will show us at that time.  We feel very called to the children of Haiti and thus far all arrows have pointed at adoption.  But we acknowledge the future is never guaranteed and completely out of our control.  We have complete peace- truly.  We know that the God of the universe DOES know exactly what he has planned for us and we know He will work his purposes in us and through us as he sees fit.  We will wait and watch in expectation.

As this point, we will continue to proceed with our adoption, knowing the risks, because we feel that is where God is telling us to go.  If he changes the course, we will change the course.  Our faith is not in governments or our own abilities, our faith is in a Sovereign God who knows EXACTLY what he is doing.  We know his ways are higher than our ways and we surrender to where ever he takes us.  We hold the future with expectations but with open hands and hearts, trusting him completely for he's promised to guide and lead us.

So today we go and get our biometrics done at immigration, the final step in our "approved" to adopt by the goverment step....and then we continue waiting and seeing where God leads next.  It's a little fuzzy from our view, but the future is crystal clear to him!

Lest I forget what the Lord has done....

I was pondering God's goodness last evening and again this morning.  Convicted how easily I take it for granted.  EVERY good and perfect gift is from above.  EVERY one.  Nothing good in my life is deserved, earned, or owed me- it is all a gift from God.  Beautiful friends, Beautiful opportunities for ministry, Beautiful Worship, Beautiful family...small foretastes of a Beautiful God.

Many people have asked how I survived Marc's time in Lebanon.  We missed Marc greatly, but really it went as well as it could go without him.  I did not have ONE day when I felt alone.  I did not have one day when I wondered if we'd make it.  Not one bad day.  I was tired- oh yes, definitely was tired.  I missed my man- for sure, but there really was nothing remarkable to complain about.  Nothing.  It's easy to miss how remarkable that is in itself.  I spent 10 days with three kids- supported by friends and family.  I didn't have a blow up at my children.  I didn't want to give them away.  We experienced joy of other's checking in on us;  we had moments of fun.  It went very well.  People have credited me from time to time in asking how it went and finding out it went well, and I was convicted yesterday to just take a moment to remember not ONE ounce of credit goes to me.  God knows how weak I am.  I have bad days as a mom when Marc IS home.  To not have one bad day in 10 when parenting alone?  It is really a miracle.  It is good.  It is a gift.  God granted me that.  He provided the friends to support me, the energy for my kids, the joy in supporting my husband.  He gave me a gift and I don't want to overlook how large a gift it really was.  I did nothing to deserve or earn it- he bestowed it.  I am SERIOUSLY grateful.  Praise him for his provision and love.  Praise him.