Family Pictures

I have been putting pictures together for a presentation about our adoption- As I have scrolled through hundreds of pictures it has dawned on me that for how many pictures I take we really don't have many family pictures.........LOTS of the kiddos (I am sure this is typical) but not so many of all of us- Noting to self that we will take more of them- all of us together in one place needs to be captured more...........after all, if Lily Pie had a ticker for 'how long until your first born graduates from high school' it would read a little over 19 months- after graduation I have a feeling our 'all together in one place at the same time' moments will be even fewer.........Ok I am stopping blogging about that so I don't end this post in tears :)
Here's the family pictures I could come up with in my search through pictures- They are in no particular order

Ellie and Heather's Furrowed Brow

I try to walk, usually with Ellie (in her stroller), several times a week- each walk is the same 2 or so mile 'loop' around my subdivision....Matt will sometimes join Ellie and I.  The same question usually comes out of his mouth each time he joins........'let's change the route up a bit- Why do you always walk the same loop?'  Just like his question, my reply is always the same...........so I don't have to think about where I am walking- I like going on auto pilot, letting my brain relax, and just think- If I go a new route I will have to 'check in' and pay attention to where I am going.....
Tonight, Ellie and I were on our usual loop- We were about a quarter of a mile in......I glanced down at Elle's just as she placed one of her little legs up on the stroller tray in front of her- She scooted back and was just lounging.  About the same time she did this she also turned her little curly hair'd head and looked up at me......her brows furrowed together........the look on her face with her little foot up on the tray immediately took me back to the wee morning hours of June 18, 2011.....

Our birth mom Heather, with her same foot propped up on my Durango's dashboard- her brows furrowed together........we were on our way to the hospital to see if she was having a case of false labor or if our Ellie was on her way.

As Ellie looked up at me and I looked at her, the furrow gave way to a smile and I stopped the stroller.  The memory was so clear- had she been older I would have sat down on the curb and told her all about the car ride to the hospital that early June morning......all about the first time I saw her birth mom and her brother Caiden.........all about her birth........about the days that follewed that we were able to spend with Heather and Caiden.......and so much more.  With the stroller stopped I came around the side of it- still looking at her smiling face and bent down.....my face right next to her's giving her a kiss.....She was content to look forward after that, foot still up- I carried on with my walk letting my 'relaxed brain' remember back.....

I have so much to tell you Ellie.......

Your Birth Mom has things she will want to tell you...........

Heather and I are friends on facebook- One of her friends, who is also a birth mom, posted this on Heather's wall- I cried when I read it (it is from the poem Legacy of an Adopted Child- Author Unknown)

Once there were two women
who never knew each other
one you do not remember
the other you call mother
two different lives shaped to make yours one
one became your guiding star
the other became your sun
the first gave you life
the second taught you to live in it
the first gave you a need for love

the second was there to give it
one gave you a nationality
the other gave you a name
one gave you the seed of talent
the other gave you an aim
one gave you emotions
the other calmed your fears
one saw your first sweet smile
the other dried your tears
one gave you up - it was all that she could do
the other prayed for a child
and God lead her straight to you
and now you ask me through your tears
the age old question through the years
heredity or environment- which are you the product of
neither my darling neither
just two different kinds of love!!!!

 

Thank you for this picture Cloudy  Day Photography

16 Months Old & A brief conversation with our Birth Father

Your 3 days short of 16 months old Elle's........You really are growing up so fast!
A few of your favorites right now are:

• Sour Cream and ketsup- You love when we put it on any and everything
• Your blanket that Auntie Val made- you hand it to me when you get up in the morning (because you sleep with it every night), I bring it down stairs and put it on your chair. where you go and get it periodically throughout the day, bringing it to me so I will sit and rock you with it wrapped around you
• The pink chair that is just your size......the one mommy got from Kristen- You sit in your pink chair drinking your bottle (with your blanket) every morning
• Her bottle that she call's 'BOB'.....
• Big Girl milk (what we call your 2%)..
• Chocolate (a little bit everyday with mommy)
• Refried Beans (you've like these for several months)
• Having us read you books- especially 'Farm Yard Fun' (From Auntie Erika)
• Her Nana and Papa (she runs to the door if someone knocks yelling 'papa! papa!')

You weigh 18.3 pounds and are 29 inches long
Your hair is adorably curly (reminds us of your birth mom Heather).....It still get's deep conditioned everyday otherwise it rats up and it's really hard to comb
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Your birth father sent us a note a few weeks back-

I thank you every day for giving my child a place to have a good life. It means the world to me.

To which we replied-

Ellie is such a blessing- Both you and Heather had a big decision to make, whether to parent or place Ellie with us- We are so grateful that you choose to place her with us.....she is absolutely adored and fits into our family perfectly. The choice that you and Heather made means the world to my husband Matt and I (and to our boys)

Lovin' her some pink chair, big girl milk (in her bob), and Auntie Val's blanket

New Season

It's a new season personally (and seasonally)........I think most of us women feel it deep in our heart......when there is closure of one season giving room to the other

THANK YOU JESUS

The Lord asked 3 1/2 years ago something of me personally that I 'idealistically' obeyed-
I Stepped out of comfort zone bright eye'd, well dressed, 'I can do this'
Had I known then what I know now would I have followed?
Oh Yes......But instead of bright eyes I would have upward turned eyes on bended knee
Instead of pursuing physically well dressed I would have well placed Spiritual Dress
Instead of 'I can do this'........'I can only thru you Lord Jesus do the task set before me'

THANK YOU JESUS FOR THE SUMMER SEASON- For the 2 years of summer that you required hands on learning lessons
THANK YOU JESUS FOR THE 'inbetween season'- the year and a half that followed

THANK YOU JESUS FOR FALL
My most favorite time of year.......it always follows summer.......

YES INDEED, A NEW SEASON started on bended knee.........

Pumpkin Patch

My son Ryan mentioned, in passing, a few evenings ago that we should go to our local pumpkin patch.....'Let's take Ellie!' was his next request......This was Elle's first trip- last year she was still pretty small (and I was pretty tired).  Matt was able to meet us there (Eli had to work)........It was a wonderful afternoon!

Oct 2011 (4 months old)

Oct 2012 (16 months old)

showing us her pumpkin :)

Matt was able to meet us!!

Getting her hand licked by the goat

Along with being a pumpkin patch it is also a samll petting zoo.......


 

A great way to end a fun afternoon

All Fired Up!! :) What do you love about your church part 2

Something has been on my mind for the past 6 months- Please know that I am not trying to tell anyone how to live- I am a passionate person so sometimes when I get all fired up about something it can come across over powering- In this case, it is simply me, working through a situation 'out loud' on my blog in front of anyone who chooses to read it (If I am already annoying you, I am so sorry- Please know I completely annoy myself a lot too).  As I shared in This blog post it seems like, for whatever reason, in my circle of social settings I have been hearing (and seeing) a shift in attitude about what Church is corporately and the importance of it (talking about Church attendance for Christians)- Deep in my heart this bothers me.  It get's my attention- At first it caused me to go straight to the Bible and dig around- Was I putting the 'tradition' of attending church  above what God had to say about the matter in scripture- Was the importance of Church only my 'opinion' with no supporting scripture- At the same time I started fervently praying for God to give me insight (James 1:5) into why exactly I was so bothered and to give me the wisdom to be discerning (I hear lots of off based 'Christian' stuff all the time- In one ear and out the other so to have something get my attention I knew I needed to pay attention because God was trying to teach me a thing or two) Next I asked my husband what he 'Biblically' believed on the subject.........then listened to a sermon my pastor taught on the subject (it's right on- If you want the link to it send me a pm on facebook and I will link it to you)..........then talked to some of my close Godly friends about where they stood ..........then I asked for people to send me a message with what they loved about their church  (Thank You- I enjoyed reading each and every one. I did not end up copying and re pasting but from what you all said, I think you will be pleased with the points below).
I am so thankful for the Spiritual learning curve over the past 6 months- I went into it with a 'gut' feeling about church and came out the other side with scripture based fact and a deep rooted conviction-  This season also taught me to really stop and evaluate my spiritual convictions....are they feelings and opinions or Biblical Godly facts that the Lord states clearly in the Bible.
My heart is so thankful for the Bible- for it's narrow roaded read- the inspired word of God
and so grateful for a husband that loves the Lord
My heart is also so grateful for the doctrinally sound pastors at my church and others like them around the world that tackle tough subjects (like this one) and speak God's word
and grateful for Godly friends that will go straight to scripture before answering if they thought the attendance of church was based on scripture or just tradition
I am most grateful that God, in His always faithful way, took away my lack of wisdom in this matter and replaced it with His truth's
A Gentleman named H.B. Charles Jr. is a Baptist Preacher out in Florida- He had this to say about Church Attendance...........I totally agree-

•  The word of God teaches it (Heb. 10:24-25). A high and correct view of scripture demands regular church attendance.
• Corporate worship is where the preaching and teaching of God’s word takes place (2 Tim. 4:1-5).
•  It follows the example set by the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16).
• It is a wise and proper use of the privilege we have to publicly and corporately worship God. There are Christians in other lands who do not have this freedom. The only way for us to express our gratitude for this liberty is to use it faithfully and thankfully.
•  Your neglect of corporate worship grieves the Holy Spirit who lives within the individual believer and the church as a whole (Eph. 4:30).
• It brings joy to the spiritual leaders who watch over your soul and who must give account for you. Absenteeism grieves them and is unprofitably for you (Heb. 13:17).
•  It demonstrates that you share the mission and ministry of the particular church family of which you are a member.
•  Your absence from church services renders it difficult, and in some instances impossible, for you to participate in the church’s mutual ministry to itself, especially the “one another” commands of the New Testament.
•  You need the encouragement that comes from the assembling of the saints (Heb. 10:24-25). In fact, the more evil the days become, the more you need this encouragement.
•  God demands first place. We should give God the first part of our financial increase. We should have a daily quiet time to give God the first part of our day. And we should regularly attend church on Sunday to give God the first part of our week.
•  It is a way of preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).
• Public and corporate worship is one of the key places where you exercise your spiritual gifts. It is a strategic place to minister to other believers (1 Co. 14:12-14).
•  Your regular attendance serves as a positive example and influence for others.
•  If you take part in some ministry of the church – and you should – your absence can hinder the overall effectiveness of the group and discourage other members.
• Being involved in public and corporate worship services counteracts our self-centeredness.
• You should take the time to stop and say “thank you” to God for bringing you through another week.
• Absenteeism is a poor testimony to unbelievers who see your inconsistency (John 13:34-35).
•  True and saving faith will create love for that which Christ loves; namely, the church (Eph. 5:25). Regularly attending church services is a fundamental way to show your love for the bride of Christ.
• It is the practice of good habits like regular church attendance that builds spiritual character.
• The New Testament teaches us to recognize, to share all good things with, to submit to, and to honor the spiritual leaders who teach us the word. Attending worship is a way of doing that. (Remember, not only are we accountable to the word of God, we are also accountable to those who God uses to teach us his word.)
•  Attending public and corporate worship services renews and strengthens us for the days ahead (Heb. 10:24-25).
•  Corporate worship helps reinforce the truth that worship is not about getting from God. Fundamentally, Christian worship is about giving to God.
•  Public and corporate worship is the officially designated place to carry out the ordinances of the church – Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

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Here are some other interesting facts I came across.....

• 'I love church. What a harbor it has been to me through the years. I love the Table. I love its Head. My life would be a black hole without Christ and the communion of saints.' ~ Beth Moore
•  Corrie Ten Boom loved and served the Lord, and was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church.
• Anne Graham Lotz (Billy Graham's daughter) who stopped attending church for a season of time because of 'too many bad experiences in church to believe that God dwells there—and only there. She was kicked out of one church, she says, for insisting on the inerrancy of Scripture. She left another more recently in a fight concerning a new pastor. She soon came to realize that she was a "believer in exile," she says, and for more than a year she wandered from church to church looking for a home. "I've had Christians treat me in a way that is so wrong and so vicious, I realized there's a difference between God's people and God.".........had this to say after passing through the 'no church' season and finding a new church home “Church may not be necessary to knowing God", she says, "but it keeps the relationship going-You can really love the Lord, but after a while, if you’re all by yourself, the fire goes cold.”
• The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Web site encourages new Christians to make church a regular part of their lives: "Whatever it meant to you in the past, going to church can now become a rich and rewarding experience."

Hunting & High Heels

Congratulations to my son Eli who shot his first buck today (It's a fork...whatever that means- maybe girl deers are called 'spoons'........hee!)
Congratulations to my daughter Ellie who, at 15 months old, successfully walked around in her first set of high heels (never mind that when my boys got wind of it they talked her into wearing her camo croc's)

Ellie checking things out

Showing his mama the bullet