Christmas

We had a beautiful Christmas season.  We spent a lot of time with family and friends.  The kids stayed up past their bed times however each day they woke up with a smile as they were excited for Santa to arrive.  Carson just plays along with the whole Santa Claus thing but for the most part he figured out there was no way Santa could get everything done in one night no matter how many helpers he had.  Christmas morning was a great success the kids got what they wanted and there was little to no complaining about anything or anyone.  Christmas mid morning was at my parents home where the kids receive way more than they needed but again I am thankful.  Christmas afternoon into the evening was back at our house for dinner and more gifts to open from extended family.  Overall it was a beautiful day.  Noah flew in from NM the little ones were very excited to spend quality time with him.  Shauna is on Christmas break from college.  She too is spending quality time with the little ones.  As I have written before my kids love spending one on one time with family members.  It does not have to be anything fancy...a walk down the street or a trip to the zoo would do.  I am a firm believer that quality time with family is the best gift of all.
As the year is coming to a close we were blessed with good health and no negative life changing events.  I am sure I could write pages of all the things I wanted to happen and did not however I am  not going to focus on them.  I have learned over the past year that there are some things and some people that are not going to change.  So, I could either go with the flow or remove myself from the event or person.  I had to forego a few friendships as they became toxic and were unhealthy.  Those decisions were not easy but in the end it was the best decision.  I also learned that there are many people out there who are ungrateful know matter what I have done for them.  God taught me a very hard lesson about ungrateful people, employees, etc. in the end he taught me that as long as my motives are pure, my heart is clean and I am not boasting about what I have done for them I will have done my job well.  They will have to answer for their attitude.   So with all that being said, I would sum up the year as I learned a lot of life lessons, grown in my faith, did some soul searching and fell more in love with being a Mommy.  I am excited to see what 2014 will bring.  Thanks for reading my blog.  I hope you have been blessed with some of my posts.  I wish you a very happy New Year. May you be blessed with good health.  Remember life is not a dress rehearsal as we only go around once so make the best of it.  

A free gift.

As we rush around trying to finish our Christmas shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking and cleaning please remember the best gift you can give,  is giving your life to Christ.  He is waiting for you to unwrap the best gift of all.  Once the gift is unwrapped you will not exchange it for another color or size, you will not place it back in the box nor will  you think why did they get me this.  You will want to share your gift with others.  This gift is like no other and guess what it's FREE. 

The little ones are so excited for Christmas.   When a Christmas song comes on the radio or t.v Greta Rebecca says,  "Santa is coming."  It's a very exciting time of year.  I need to stay in the moment.

Grapes to wine.

Today during my study I was reading how sometimes we go through situations in are life where our grapes are being crushed.  Maybe it's trying to have a baby, work problems, marriage issues, empty bank account, problem children, etc.  during these dark times it feels as if God is stomping on our grapes (life) and we do not understand why.  But once the stomping is complete we are drinking a glass of wine.  However, during the midst of the situation we can can not see what he is doing but we are feeling it.  I am challenged to start leaning on him more than I normally do during hard situations.   I need to continue to have daily conversation with him about my thoughts.  But most of all, I need to praise him for all things.  Yes, even the things that I can not control. Sure,  it's very easy to write about but harder to do.  I have decided instead of unnessary chatter with others I will be giving God praise.  Furthermore, I will share my own stories how God took my grapes and made them into a perfect glass of wine.  I am..wait I am going through another grape crushing currently trust I am waiting to drink another fine glass of wine (I am hoping it will be this week).  

Rod baby...

We are going to see Rod Stewart tomorrow night.  I think Rod and I will reconnect in a matter of seconds.  Trust me...he will sing a few songs just for me.  Haha.  Yes, I am a huge fan. 

It's looking a little bit like Christmas at our home.  Phew, now Carson can relax...he was worried we were going to miss the holiday if we did not get "the Christmas stuff" up.

I am so in love with my kids.  

Carson's Christmas list

Hockey skates
Bike
Chestnut uggs
Hockey stick
Bayblades
Rainbow loom bands


Cinderella's list

Baby doll
Ice cream

In the moment

We had a very busy Thanksgiving weekend.  We had endless family time coupled with seeing the movie Frozen, card games, shopping and great food prepared by my mom.  The kids had a wonderful time with Uncle Joey and Shauna being home.  The little ones love hanging out with them.          Carson had a riding lesson on Saturday.  My boy could not stop smiling while he was jogging (yes he rides western).  He said "mommy, she is like riding a fancy horse in heaven."  I am trying very hard to stay in the moment with my kids, however my mind drifts to work as there is so much going on.  Decisions are being made that are out of my control but in times like these I need to continue to give thanks to The Lord.   I heard a great message during Thanksgiving.... my take away was during dark times give thanks and praise and God will pave your way.  amen!                                                           Our house is still on the market.  We had a potential buyer, however they wanted a bonus room. We do not have a bonus room. So we continue to pray for the right buyer.  We are still working with the builder on the new house.  We made more changes to the plans.  We really do not want to start building until this home sells.  Again, I am trying to stay positive.  My positive tank is getting rather low so I am in daily prayer seeking direction and wisdom.  Well, I hear my sweet boy singing in the bath tub right now so I am going to get in the moment with him.  

Just another day in paradise.

Thanks for the private emails about Carson's behavior at times.  He is gluten free, no color dye and very little sugar in his diet. Please do not get me wrong he is a very nice boy but has a little bite to him at times.   Today he had a horse back riding lesson (which he loves).  When he was done riding he told the  horse  " I am sure Santa will bring you presents because you were good to me today."  As we walked back to the car I replied, 'Santa, hmmm.'  Carson quickly answered, " yes I will buy him two bags of apples."

Mean streak

Carson can be a sweet, loving, kind little boy.  But he has a mean streak in him which we are trying to get a handle on.  He will push, hit, grab and be rough with other kids for no reason. Carson also struggles with people's space.  When we ask him why he just did blank he can not answer the question. If we ask him what he should have done he will give the right answer every time. So it's fair to say he knows right from wrong.  But why the negative behavior?  He gets plenty of positive attention.  He gets a ton of love and affection from us.  We give him praise when he does well. So what the heck?  We pray about this unwanted behavior.  I asked the principal
 if he thought Carson was a bully and he said no as it's not all the time and all the kids love him.  So what is it?

While I was giving Carson a bath tonight he said, mommy, I know you play Santa at Christmas.  I just looked at him.  He replied,  there is no way Santa can pass out all those presents in a short amount of time.  Do the math mommy.  

This why I continue to be nice to certain people...

God says in Luke 6:27.  But to you who are listening I say: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.

Carson told me today that we will never see the date 11/12/13 again.  Then he said, wait we will never see yesterday again either.  He takes a long pause....and replies, I need to think about this.

woohoo!   Carson is in a 11 1/2 shoe, 5 slim pants and size 6 shirt.  He has grown!

It's that time of year again

Dark by 5pm.   Ugh!

Have you ever heard the saying....everything is for sale if the price is right?    Well, I have some big decisions to make.  Praying for God's direction.

It's been two months since my last post. Wow!  Life is so busy right now.  Carson is doing very well in 1st grade.  He had an excellent progress report.  Carson played soccer this season but I must say it's not his best sport.
A funny story....the other night Carson said, "mommy, Alexa's mom has a six pack."  Trying my hardest not to laugh I said, " what is a six pack?"  He replies, " she has six ninnies."  He keeps me laughing.   The other night we had a bowling fundraiser for school and my boy was surrounded by girls.  It was really cute to watch him interact with his classmates.  However, he kept asking me for change so finally I said, what the heck are you getting?  He replied, I am buying the girls rings from the 25 cent machine.  Haha.  He sure is a Latin lover.  Carson is growing up to be a really neat kid.  Well, little Cinderella is hitting the terrible twos.  She is not too bad yet, however you can see the spunk in her eye.  She started music class a few weeks ago.  She loves it.  She comes home singing her new songs she learned.  And if I do not get the words right she will let me know very quickly.                                                                                                                                                  
We are leaving for Florida next Wednesday for 10 days.  We all are very excited.  There is a large group of us going so it will be a great time.  We will be making a lot of memories for sure.                    
Onto some very exciting news....we sponsored a girl to come live with us from Guatemala.  She will arrive in late December.  She will be attending the local community college in the spring.  God had His hand in this process from the very beginning.  To obtain a visa in Guatemala is extremely difficult.  However our girl breezed right through the process.  God is so awesome!  The little ones are very excited to have her live with us too.                                                                                            

Carson's little sister

Thanks Best for watching me the other night.  We had so much fun together.  Now I know why Carson loves you so much.


 

more pictures of our trip

This is where I am in life right now......

God never promised that the Christian life would be easy. In fact, He said it would be a challenge. The world is full of challenges. Bad things happen to good people. But, "Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this you'll experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can (ever) understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Jesus Christ," Philippians 4:6-7

I am walking in a fog.

I can not get my mind around the pain I saw this trip.

I am struggling to focus.

I am pleading with God for a few miracles.

I can not talk about the trip without tears flowing like a river.

 

 

 

I am home from Guatemala

My heart has been changed by the things I've seen and the stories that I've heard. Amazing.

Battle against Evil.

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.

Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.
...
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.

Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.

So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,

and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.

In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one.

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Constant Prayer.

With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones

and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel

for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must.

A Final Message.

So that you also may have news of me and of what I am doing, Tychicus, my beloved brother and trustworthy minister in the Lord, will tell you everything.

I am sending him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us and that he may encourage your hearts.

Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I learned today my dog Kyndel is deaf in both ears.  

In 10 short days

we will be in Guatemala for our summer mission trip. 

And the losing of baby teeth continues for Carson...

wordless wednesday

7:15pm both kids are in bed sleeping for the night.
Time to read my bible as it was a really rough afternoon at work.

bed time prayer

Carson's prayer tonight:

Dear God, thank you for loving us.  Thank you for the sun and warm pool.
Lord thank you for America.  Thank you for my mom in Guatemala who gave me up because she could not feed me.  Thank you for my mommy who adopted me and gives me a lot of love.  I love you and oh thank you my soft bed.  Good night Jesus.

 

1 Peter 3:13-15

Usually no one will hurt you for wanting to do good. But even if they should, you're to be envied, for God will reward you for it. Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way."

 

kissing privately

Me: Carson- I spoke with Sophia's mom today and she said Sophia said she did not kiss you.
Carson: We did kiss.
Me: Why would Sophia tell her mom she did not kiss you?
Carson: because we kissed privately.


 

Relaxing with my little girl.

First day of summer.

Last day of school. YEA!

Did I really have to read the below today?

1 Thessalonians 5:15

June 13, 2013

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Do I really do this?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6

Can I get an Amen?

I wanted to be a perfect mom but....

Motherhood has shaped me, broken me, changed me, humbled me, and caused me to rely upon God more than ever before. And one of the most important lessons I’ve learned so far is to give up on perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

quote from MSM, C.P.

 

6 Years

Today is our sixth forever family day.  I can not believe its been six years since God placed Carson in my arms at eight months old.  As I have written numerous times this little fellow saved my life.  We have a bond which is indescribable.  Carson is filled with spunk and will challenge me to the hilt and back.  However his heart is so tender for the sick and needy.  His smile and laughter are contagious.  He is my super star.

 

 

Happy 2nd Birthday Greta Rebecca

Wordless Wednesday

As I sit here typing this letter my heart is filled with mixed emotions. I have questioned the Lord over the past years as to why he brings certain people in and out of our lives. Some of the people have caused heartache while others have brought joy. With that being said, rewind the clock eight years. I made a decision then, being single, to adopt a son from Guatemala. This decision was based on the desire to have a child and the need to fill one of the biggest voids in my life at the time, being alone. So the Lord showed me through time that I have what it takes to be loved and to love again no matter what. Carson has changed my life in ways I cannot describe. He has taught me so much about myself. Carson has taught me to forgive even when it hurts. Needless to say, there has been some healing that has taken place in my heart. God has always been faithful and has given more than I could every ask for in so many ways. One of those ways is to allow us to be part of an ongoing mission to serve the people of Guatemala. What began as a curious and anxious team of 4, God has blossomed into a group of over 20 willing and able volunteers.

As our mission team prepares our hearts to embark on this next journey to Guatemala in July, we have no idea what the Lord has in store for us. However, from past experiences he has revealed to us that money does not buy happiness, sadness can be turned into joy, prayers can be answered, that giving to others with a cheerful heart is more of a blessing than receiving, and so much more. Over the past few years, I have been asked why we don’t just send the people in Guatemala money and they can build their own homes, get their own food, and take care of their own needs. Well, my response is usually something like this “It’s easy to write a check and place it in the mail, however when your hands and feet are doing the work for the Lord your heart is changed forever.” Some people understand my response while others just shake their heads.

While money doesn’t buy happiness, the reality is we need funds to be able to provide such things as homes, beds, food, water filters, wheelchairs, and other needs of families (many of whom are widows with children) as the Lord shows us.

In order to help raise those funds, on June 8, 2013 we will be hosting our third annual Walk/Run/Ride4Relief and Yard/Bake sale event. Please come out that day and show your support. One hundred percent of the funds raised are used to purchase home construction materials, monthly food supplies for families, water filters, beds, wheelchairs, and other needs that we see while we’re there. If you can’t attend this event and would like to make a donation please send it to Calvary Baptist Church, 2373 US Route 9 Oceanview, NJ 08230. In the memo line please indicate “Guatemala missions”. Would you be so kind to keep us in your prayers as we continue to fundraise and prepare our hearts and minds for what is to come in the next few weeks. Also, please keep our families in your prayers as they care for our little ones while we are in Guatemala serving others.

Memorial Day 2013

He still can not

reach the sink to wash his hands. 

This is how we rolled at the Inner Harbor.

Vanilla?

Vanilla is great for stess and anxiety. Adding vanilla extract to a glass of water or milk can help calm you and reduce stress. Since stress causes other health problems, reducing stress is getting at the cause. Vanilla has even been used as a treatment for depression.  

My heart aches for those in Oklahoma. Let's be diligent in prayer and listen to what God might have us to do. I wish I could hug those children.

I only have one thing to say today - you NEVER really know someone.

Omie this one is for you

A date

C:  Mommy, would you like to go on a date tonight?
M: hmmm what would you like to do?
C: Well, I do not drive so I will go where you pick.
M:  Ok, let me think about it
C: Wait!  I do not have any money so you will have to buy too.
M:  No money?!
C: Nope no money but I do have roller blades so we can go to the skating rink.
M:  Ok, its a date. 

A bit on the anxious side about work right now.

Philippians 4:6-8
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.
Matthew 6:31-34
"Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Wordless Wednesday

This makes me sick.

Greta Rebecca loves collecting hen (hay) from the fields at the horse stable.

 

 

 

Carson playing one of his favorite sports.