Sunday, October 30, 2011

enjoying fall and thoughts on adoption


we had a fun weekend being out and about
enjoying the wonderful fall season
 we started out early saturday morning to speak at an adoption meeting being held close to our home
sponsored by my adoption agency, awaa
 i'm always so excited to share our story of adoption

 i love to look in the faces of people beginning the journey 

 to reassure them, that it will work out for them too
in one way or another

 God is so good!
 have you ever read the blog Kisses from Katie?
it is an amazing chronicle of one girls heart, longing to serve him
the author of the blog has just published a book with the same title 
and i bought it this weekend and couldn't put it down!
this young girl, katie
is from middle tennessee and grew up in an upper middle class home
she felt called to move to Uganda after high school graduation
and her parents reluctantly agreed to let her do mission work in an orphanage for one year
well, that one year has turned into 4 and she has created a simply amazing ministry there
oh yeah, and in her spare time has adopted 13 little girls!!!!!!!!!
she's 22 years old and the mother of 13 Ugandan girls
i told you her story is amazing!
i urge you to read her book or just go and peruse her blog when you have a spare hour or 24...
each story, each entry will captivate you
it's just unthinkable that a young, beautiful, talented girl would choose to live her life
and yet, she thinks it is unthinkable that all of us "Christians" would choose to stay in ours
it really gives you something to think about
living in total need
and living in total greed
in her book, she speaks of adoption
and i just love how she puts it
in her words...
adoption is a redemptive response to tragedy that happens in this broken world.  and every single day, it is worth it, because adoption is God's heart.  his word says, 'in love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will'(Ephesians 1:5).  he sets the lonely in families (see psalm 68:6).  the first word that appears when i look up adoption in the dictionary is "acceptance".  God accepts me, adores me, even, just as i am.  and he wants me to accept those without families into my own.  adoption is the reason i can come before God's throne and beg him for mercy, because he predestined me to be adopted as his child through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace. (pages 72-73)

she goes on to tell about how God has commanded her to take care of, to adopt, all of these kids.  she is not doing it out of charity, she is doing it out of obedience.

although, our stories of adoption do not match up
i selfishly wanted to adopt because i wanted to be a mom.
while i do believe that God gave me the desire to be a mom
and God certainly lead me down the path to adoption
it wasn't my "good deed" either

well, i could go on and on
just read the book:)

Katie's Book


fall in my town

the beauty in  and around me is breathtaking
it reminds me of how creative and imaginative my God is
 i snapped this quickly through the car window as i was out driving on saturday
i just couldn't let the moment pass as i noticed the quilt of fall colors beside me
 the yellows, golds, reds, and oranges are amazing!

perfection
i hope you take a moment this week to notice the beauty around you:)

Sunday, October 23, 2011

fall break

it's been a great week off with my lit' pumpkin
i have a lot to post along with many cute pictures
but, for now i am soaking up a few more hours before my crazy week starts back
trying to brace myself for a few weeks of long days ahead 'til thanksgiving break
then a few more until christmas break
it goes by so fast!

Monday, October 17, 2011

krispy kreme

we had another good day at church sunday (yeah!)
and so she asked to stop by the donut store
i'm starting a terrible habit...but they are oh so good!!



llama llama

this weekend we visited the southern festival of books
it was a beautiful weekend and the festival was all outdoors
our favorite character, llama llama was having a birthday party!
we LOVE llama llama and had so much fun meeting him:)




Friday, October 14, 2011

a new day

to encourage you today...

but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word...jeremiah 23:28

now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say...2Thessalonians 2:17-17

what joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord...psalm 84:5

for the Lord God is our sun and our shield
he gave us grace and glory
the Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right
o Lord of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you...psalm 84:11-12

amen

Monday, October 10, 2011

cute giveaway


i've been looking for a cute banner to complete my fireplace
this is a cute one and maybe you can win it
go here for details

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Disney on Ice

we had a very fun-packed saturday!
we started out the day enjoying disney on ice
i was really looking forward to seeing molly's reaction to seeing all of the princesses
and she was super enthralled with it all from beginning to end!
she sat in her seat the whole time mesmerized by the show
we didn't even get up during the intermission


 (my pictures all seem overexposed
and the ones inside the arena are really on the wrong settings:(
i need to learn to use the appropriate settings asap)
 this was really funny...on our way to the arena i was snapping pictures of ms. priss
and a homeless woman offered to take our picture
i reluctantly agreed, and right when i handed her my camera i thought she is going to run off!  ha!
she kept backing up with it, but thank goodness she didn't run off
i was just thinking...she will be able to out run me and i have pictures on there that are not loaded onto my computer just yet!  
of course, she followed us a couple blocks asking for $
but, she was harmless
 i have been looking for this dress for a few years!  ha!
i first saw it on a blog, probably 5 years ago
the little girl was at disney world
and it was just so simple and adorable
i was so happy when i found it on ebay a few months ago in molly's size!
molly has the cinderella and snow white dress
i really want to take her to disney before she outgrows these dresses
it's shallow, i know:)


 in nashville, we have our own star walk!



 i was disappointed they didn't have the real characters out for pictures before the show
i guess they want you to make a trip to the actual DW for that!
i ordered our tickets during the presale this summer
and was able to get 2 tickets on the first row
we had great seats!
we sat right beside sheryl crow, scott hamilton, and one of the guys in rascal flatts
totally cool!
we also sat next to the adoption attorney who finalized molly's re adoption here at home which was really fun
she had her son there and as we talked, she said you seem really familiar
(we had only met once 5 years ago at the beginning of the process, the re adoption was all done through mail)
so, after we chatted we connected the dots! 











the best part was at the end of the show when all of the skaters came out together
molly (and the other kids) was able to walk right up to the edge of the ice and shake their hands
when she saw belle up close, she was so amazed!
we were too close to take pictures and it was all so fast
i was just enjoying the moment
that's when i mentally booked our trip to DW!  ha!


 after the show, we took in all of downtown nashville
it was such a beautiful day!
molly was totally into all of the street performers throughout the city!
(for out of towners--there are singers literally on every corner of downtown nashville!  and they are usually good:))


 and we took a carriage ride (horse and buggy) around downtown to end the afternoon
(yes, molly insists on wearing her glasses upside down)
what a really great saturday with my girl!!


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