An Alternate Narrative - LAUNCH TIME!

*** I am not an expert on these things. I really don't know much but I DO know how good this whole process has been for me and I really want it for my friends!!! I am also writing this as a reminder to myself so when I launch my other 3 children I will have some reminders. :-)

When people talk about taking a child to college there are often several themes:

"I will be so sad."
"I dread it."
"It makes me so sad to think of all the lasts with my senior."
"It's the hardest thing I have ever done."

What if there is an alternate narrative that replaces the dread with dreams, the pain with peace, the sadness with satisfaction? We just left our oldest child at the United States Naval Academy and it was one of the best days of my life. I felt such peace and joy and satisfaction and pride. This is what I wish for all of my friends that come after me.

It's launch time! They can be ready to launch and you can be ready too! 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 BLAST OFF!

These are my tips:

10. Trusting God with their future - This is the first step because I believe this is the foundation on which all the other steps are built. I really don't think you can have this "alternate narrative" without faith that a Higher Power has your son/daughter in His hands and "He knows the plans He has for them...not to harm them...plans for a hope and a future."  (Jeremiah 29:11) This step is not only important when you actually drop them off at their college/school/military assignment but it is actually the entire point! Step one means pointing your child to Jesus throughout their whole lives so that when you launch them they have a strong foundation. It means praying for them everyday. Not just for their safety but for their character, their friendships, their choices, their strength. This is the step that involves getting them ready for the launch!!!! All the other steps involve getting YOU ready for the launch!

9. Remember your personal worth - Sometimes as parents our worth gets wrapped up in our children. "Proud Parent of Honor Roll Student", "Proud Parent of MVP", etc. We are proud of our kids and we tout their accomplishments on the back of our cars, on our social media feeds, and whenever we have a captive audience. It is good to be proud of our kids but it is not good to base our value as a person or our worth in this world on that. If we do that then when our child leaves the nest we feel less valued and unworthy.

8. Find your own hobbies - It is so easy when raising kids to be sucked into the crazy adventure of driving them to their activities, cheering them on, supporting them physically, emotionally and financially. If our entire life is scheduled around all of their activities when they leave home we might feel empty. Superficially we might even feel bored. It is almost as if our children become our primary entertainment. I am the first to admit I love watching my child do her thing and I will miss watching it as often as I did when she lived home, but I am so thankful that there are many other things I love to watch, do, experience, participate in that do not involve my launched child.

7. Remember your goal! - From the moment our child is placed in our arms, the goal is to teach them how to survive and thrive. We have to keep them safe, warm, fed, dry but ultimately we have to show them how to do these things for themselves because we know we will not always be by their sides. We send them off to Kindergarten with tears in our eyes because we know a sweet chapter of dependence on us is over. They don't need us to do everything for them anymore. We should be so proud of ourselves for accomplishing these goals. All the way up to launch time, we should be encouraging and equipping our children to do more and more for themselves and we should emulate good choices and behavior. (Admittedly, easier said than done.) We should also encourage independence. I think we all like to be needed so much that often we insist that our child needs us. That might feel good in the moment but I imagine that would make the launch very difficult.

6. Give yourself things to look forward to - Putting activities on the calendar and scheduling upcoming visits with your launched child will boost you through those times when you miss them.

5. Good old fashioned letters - Our daughter joined the Naval Academy so she is not allowed to have a phone or computer which has forced us into letter writing. I am learning that this process allows for a lot more thoughtful communication and also provides a beautiful system of journaling our time. I have heard from those before me that these letters will be such a beautiful time capsule for us and will offer us some wonderful memories in the future. We were forced to write letters but it is an opportunity that we could all take part in.

4. Read your bible everyday - This is a reminder from our foundational point above. We can't trust our children to someone that we don't KNOW. When we spend time in the Word we learn more about the One who holds the world in His hands This will bring us peace, not only for our child's future but for the future of our world.

3. Cherish the memories - What better time to appreciate all the fun and memorable things you have done as a family then after you launch a child. Old pictures, videos and letters can stir up emotions for family members but it can also provide a healthy and wonderful time of reflection and celebration. I decided to finally get caught up on a family scrapbook that had fallen to the side recently. We'll see how that goes!

2. Look forward with expectation - The future is bright! People say that the freedom that comes with an empty nest can be exhilarating. People also say that being a grandparent is awesome. I'm not trying to rush either of those things but I am SUPER excited to dream big dreams about what my future might look like while still very much enjoying the present. My husband and I like to talk about exploring the nation in an air stream or sailboat. We like to dream about visiting each of our kids and their families and looking for ways to bless them throughout their lives. It's exciting to think about!

1. Drop them off and feel the PEACE, SATISFACTION, JOY, and PRIDE that you should be feeling. Know that God has your child in the palm of His hand and He will be with him/her always. Celebrate that you accomplished your goal of raising an independent and capable child that is ready for this. Rejoice that a part of you gets to go try new things, meet new people and experience new opportunities because you were able to launch him/her.

BLAST OFF!

2017 in Review

We have been very blessed over the past year! Here are some highlights from 2017:

Adam- Continued to enjoy and thrive in his position at Mayo Clinic. In the past month he has transitioned to a new and exciting role developing partnerships to expand the reach of Mayo Clinic. He is very excited about it!

Jill- Graduated her 7th grade student in the spring and retired from homeschooling. ;-) You can read more about her thriving student below. She maintains her position as the Family Legacy Director for Inheritance of Hope and enjoys encouraging and equipping young families facing the loss of a parent through IoH's signature Legacy Retreat. She celebrated her 40th birthday this year with a special trip to Ireland and Scotland with her mom and twin sister!

Liz- Finished her freshman year as an honor roll student and 3-varsity-sport athlete. She keeps very busy with cheerleading, weight-lifting and track and enjoys setting high goals and achieving them. In her spare time she babysits and hangs out with many friends. She is very excited to be an independent driver now and we are excited that she can begin getting herself to and from her many events.

Cael- Played basketball in the winter and volleyball in the fall. It seems like he gets taller every single day and he is very happy when he is outside on a court with a ball and a few friends. He is a great conversationalist and that makes him a favorite among teachers and administrators at school. Thankfully, he also keeps his grades up and makes good choices with friends and activities. He was very thankful to go on a special 13-year-old trip with Adam to Norway over Spring Break. They both had a blast making lifelong memories together!

Gabe- Worked so hard to get caught up to his peers. After enduring 7 surgical procedures in 2016 he was very happy to have a hospital-free year (almost). He had one trip to the ER for a fractured pelvis but it healed well after several weeks on crutches. After much prayer and discussion, Gabriel's wish came true when we enrolled him in public school with Cael. He is working very hard in 8th grade and comes home exhausted but smiling every afternoon. He has a lot of catching up to do but his school is extremely helpful and accommodating and he is making strides everyday. He is also popular among all the kids at school, especially the ladies. That smile! Those muscles! That accent! (insert eye roll here). Gabriel made the most important choice to be baptized this summer at church camp. He had surrendered his life to Christ while in a orphanage in Ghana but this summer he felt like the time was right to make a public profession of that faith in his heart. He was proud to have his cabin leader/Uncle B.J. baptize him.

Grace- Finished 2nd grade strong and has been enjoying her third grade class and teacher. She gets so much special attention at her wonderful elementary school and we feel very thankful and blessed. Every meeting starts out with so many wonderful compliments regarding Grace's kindness, helpfulness, and friendliness. She has many wonderful friends and is well-liked everywhere. She loves to nurture all her younger cousins and neighbors and is happiest when she is playing with dolls and watching cartoons. She also enjoys weekly tennis lessons with some sweet friends in the neighborhood.

Here is a short video of capturing many of the highlights listed above. Enjoy!

Superheroes!!!

On August 6th 2017, I encountered three real life superheroes. One was fast, like lightning, in his physical speed and his mental response. He heard a lady screaming for help and his IMMEDIATE response was to run to her aid. (Thank you Derek Moore!)

After lunch on the Daytona boardwalk I decided to head back up to the hotel pool. As I was walking toward the steps of the hotel pool a man came behind me and forcibly grabbed my wallet and ran. The wallet had many credit cards, identification cards, a little cash and the key fab to drive the van that would get us all home.

I began chasing him as fast as I could but he was VERY fast. I screamed the whole time I ran "HE STOLE MY WALLET! HE STOLE MY WALLET! HE STOLE MY WALLET!"

He ran out from the beach to the side road and kept running down and across the main street. I kept running after him and screaming.

The next thing I knew a VERY fast man came running from in front of me. When the thief saw him he threw my wallet and its contents all over the sidewalk and kept running. My new hero proceeded to tackle the thief to the ground while two other nearby heroes came to assist. They nailed this guy facedown to the ground while I called the police. When the criminal tried to get up one of the guys picked him up and slammed him back to the ground and they made sure he couldn't move after that until the police came. (Thank you Spencer Adams and Brandon Sellers!)

A kind lady who had started running beside me helped me gather my wallet and the spilled contents. She also helped talk to the 911 operator when my tears began to flow.

It turns out this man is on probation for assault and battery with a weapon. Thank God he did not have a weapon this time. These three men that came to my rescue did not care if he had a weapon or not. Their response was immediate and brave. They took control of the situation and made sure that I was safe and justice was served.

After the robber was arrested and put into the vehicle, he asked the police officer if he could talk to me. From the back of the police car the window was lowered and between the bars he said " I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry". I said, "You're young. You still have a lot of life to live. You need to make a change and start making better choices. If you were one of my kids I would want to shake you and remind you that you have a choice. It makes me sad that your life is so bad that you think you have to steal someone else's money to survive. You should know that Jesus loves you and He can give you a fresh start. I mess up every single day and Jesus forgives me."

He said, " I wish it could be different. I'm so sorry."

I said, "It definitely can be different. If Jesus died for you then anything is possible. Think about that from jail and make a change in the way you live. There is hope. And I forgive you."

Will I still press charges? Absolutely! I pray that the time behind bars will be the greatest thing that ever happened in this man's life. I pray that by robbing me today in Daytona Beach that his entire eternity could be changed.

I got to share Jesus with a criminal today. I still have all my credit cards, money and keys. And I have some new amazing friends that happen to be real-life super heroes disguised as wrestling coaches from California and Kentucky. I think robbing a lady outside a hotel that is hosting a national conference for wrestling coaches is not the stupidest thing this man ever did but it certainly wasn’t smart. I guess he wasn’t counting on the fact that not only do these guys have strength, speed and amazing submission moves, but they also have tremendous bravery and an authentic desire to serve and help others with their talents. I thank God for bringing us all together on Daytona’s strip for a life-changing encounter. 

  

 

New Beginnings

There is nothing greater than a fresh start....

We have a brand new house.

Gabe has a new and improved leg.

Everyone started a brand new school year.

And God's mercies are new every morning...thankful for that!

Deep Cleaning

I was watching a show the other day while folding laundry. It was a comedy sitcom full of funny little lines. One of those funny little lines really struck me. 

The son in the family was given a chore to clean the bathroom. He was a thorough individual so he googled a youtube video on "how to clean a bathroom" and followed the instructions to perfection. He realized that much of the grime and mold between the shower tiles needed more attention and in the process he ultimately de-tiled the entire shower to tackle the filth underneath. When the mom walked in she was livid. She saw a bare wall and tiles all over the ground and exclaimed, "What have you done?!?!?! I ONLY asked you to clean the bathroom! We are not a "DEEP CLEAN" family  we are a "SUPERFICIAL CLEAN" family. It is the filth and the grime that holds this whole place together! Without it we would fall apart!"

The statement made me laugh. Then, it made me think. 

There is no question our family is a mess. So is yours, by the way. 

We have so many issues, and flaws, and filth and grime. Sometimes you can see it easily and sometimes it hidden behind tiles. Unlike the mom in the sitcom I really want to get all those parts clean and it starts with me. 

Ironically when I look around my house or others people's homes, I don't see physical messes. I really don't. I think God gave me blinders to the deep dirtiness that accumulates in a house because He knew I would not be able to live my life in peace if I could see it all. (I sympathize for those of you who can see the deep dirt and grime.) I have always been perfectly happy with a "picked up" home- a superficially-clean dwelling. But then.....a cleaning lady came. Her profession is to deep clean houses and she is good at it. She and her partner spend 4 hours in my house and the house is amazingly clean when they leave. I can't even tell exactly what they did (remember, I can't see these things) but it looks and feels and smells great!

Did you know God is a professional cleaner? I invited him to live in my heart when I was a young girl and I often let His home get filthy. I have had moments when I have felt like I was all cleaned up but ultimately, on my own, I don't even see all the filth. Yet, he promises in 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I need a good cleaning and I am not capable of doing it on my own. Lord, please forgive me of my sins and purify my heart. I don't want to be superficially clean. I want to be deeply clean and be a proper dwelling place for you. Amen.

I am hoping as this mama's heart undergoes some deep cleaning that it will pour out blessings on our entire household. I don't imagine it will do much for the physical state of our house but I will continue to be exceedingly grateful that God has provided the resources for my sweet cleaning lady to come each month and do her thing.

P.S. We had some family pictures taken. I love my filthy crew! We clean up pretty well (superficially)!

Nothing is better than BEST!

God is good all the time….All the time God is good. 

I know this statement to be true because I have experienced it. I have seen and felt God's goodness on easy, happy days and on tough, painful days. 

God is BETTER lately.  Is that even possible?

"Better" implies some sort of change, albeit in the right direction but nonetheless, it implies a step-up, an improvement. 

But, God is unchanging.

-good

-faithful

-trustworthy

God does not change.  It is us who change. 

If I have felt as if God has been "better" lately it is simply because I have opened my eyes to His works around me. The opposite is also true. If it feels like God is far away and not very engaged in my life, it is not because he has moved away. It is not because he has lowered His standard of goodness. He only knows one standard...the highest level of good...the BEST!

God has been constantly and consistently good and I have missed so much of it? That is a HUGE bummer for me and you. Can you imagine how much we have missed?

Despite our ignorance or poor priorities or lack of discipline…God is still good and faithful and trustworthy. 

Nothing we have ever done or could ever do will EVER change God. That is powerful!  He is never LESS good or LESS faithful or LESS trustworthy. He is unchanging. 

Even on the highest of high days or the lowest of low days, He is always BEST. 

When my best friend, Kristen, was battling terminal liver cancer she always joked about being God's favorite child.  She felt that way because her eyes were fully opened to his miracles in her life. Her eyes were fully open to his goodness and faithfulness and trustworthiness and because of that she didn't miss His goodness. She was dying of cancer and felt like God's favorite child. 

My God and your God has not and will not ever change.  Not only is He good all the time but He is best all the time. You can't be any better than best. 

This post is dedicated to my friend, Laurie Griffith, as she starts chemo today to blast leukemia. Laurie, May God give you strength for the journey ahead and may you feel like His most favorite child as your eyes are open to the miracles around you. I pray God uses this chemo to wipe out the cancer from your body and uses the journey of this trial to make you more like Jesus. "Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

From peaches to oranges

In May our family sold our home, packed our stuff and moved from Georgia to Florida.

"Blessed in the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalm 1:1-3

It is my prayer to bear good fruit. Peaches or Oranges. It doesn't really matter where I am bearing the fruit. I just want it to be good fruit.

Lately, I feel like I am trying really hard and the fruit that I bear looks really good on the outside but then you cut it open and it is not good at all. I mother 4 kids, two of whom I adopted from Ghana last year. I serve families with a terminally-ill parent and young children through Inheritance of Hope. I pack, unpack, decorate, organize, shuttle kids, plan events and most often keep it all running smoothly. The fruit looks good. But I have been cutting it open and finding rotting cores and dried-out pits.

I know the problem.

I am not the PRODUCER of good fruit, only the bearer. I cannot bear good fruit unless I am attached to the vine.

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 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 15:4-6

A perfect but somewhat harsh example is in the love I have for my youngest child. She is precious. She is beautiful and kind and helpful and loving. She is also so desperate for approval, affection, and attention. It is exhausting. Every day I wake up with a resolve to "do better". I commit myself to try and be more patient, loving, encouraging....." I fail EVERYDAY. Sometimes I fail within 5 minutes of waking up. I go to bed praying, "please God help me do a better job tomorrow. Help me love her better, be more patient, give her what she needs....."

Precious! (Photo creds to big sis, Liz)

This week God taught me something. He doesn't audibly speak to me or anything but He has spoken a truth to my heart. "You can do nothing apart from me. When it comes to loving this little girl, you will never be able to love her enough to "fix" her. Even your best love is not enough for her. You are only called to point her to Me. My mercies are new every morning. Stop praying for perfect love for her. Your love for her will never be perfect but mine already is. Abide in me. That means spend time with me, talk to me all day, fill your mind with my words. I will take care of the rest."

"If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers, such branches are thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourself to be my disciples." John 15:7-8

I know that this God is not a genie in a bottle. "Whatever you wish will be given to you" is a promise but it has the condition attached "IF YOU REMAIN IN ME AND MY WORDS REMAIN IN YOU." This is my most important job today. Yours too. Yes, the kids need to get to practice or camp. They need to learn to read. They need clean clothes and they need food on the table. Yes, some emails need to be returned and some bills need to be paid and some calls need to be made. But all of this is secondary to remaining in Christ and having His words remain in us.

Lord, I want to bear YOUR fruit. The good and best kind. I want to be used by you so you get all the glory not me. Please love that little girl (and the others) in your perfect way. Transform her heart and mind so she knows her true value in you. I will do my best to keep pointing her to you.

For now, I am going to find a juicy orange and share it with my sweet little seven year old who will soak up every second of my attention.

Forever Family...One year!

One year ago we became a forever family...February 23 is a day I will never forget.




Over the past several weeks I have been reflecting and reliving last year and I am so overwhelmed by God's faithfulness!!! I have been in tears when I remembered several specific moments in the journey to get our kids home. (Ebe Fialley, Meggy Dankers, Sandy Garcia, Edie Koller, Rick and Emily Everswick, Gloria Thompson, Allison and Dwayne Stanton...I will forever be grateful for your help during this week last year!!!)

We will always celebrate February 23rd as our "Forever Family" day but it is also a day that holds a special place for me since it is the day my stem cell sharer went to be with Jesus. (I was a match to donate stem cells to a stranger in 2011. I have come to know and love him and his wife over the past year.)

On the day that Gabriel ran into the arms of the first father he has ever known, Montie Duncan ran into the arms of his heavenly Father. It makes me happy to celebrate both occasions on the same day and to know that the same God who welcomed Montie into heaven with open arms also was holding and carrying our family through the long journey home from Ghana to Georgia. Abundantly blessed, indeed!

Montie Duncan

Personalities Defined

I am SO THANKFUL we all remained sickness-free over the holidays but February has presented a different story entirely. As Gabe and Grace experience their first true winter I have been prepared for some runny noses, sore throats and coughs.

It started with Grace and then Gabe and then Liz and then Adam and then me and finally Cael. Now...it is back to Grace! Liz missed 4 days of school last week and Grace has already missed 2 this week.

Thankfully, it is pretty standard runny nose, fever, sore throat stuff and nothing severe. But...I have been doing a lot of middle-of-the-night comforting, medicine-giving, nursing and I think it is so funny how each of my children's personalities have been highlighted in the way they receive my middle-of-the-night care.


Grace- (With major high-pitched whining, heavy breathing and LOTS OF TEARS) "I don't want to take medicine. Will it hurt? I'm scared. Do I have to go to the hospital? I don't want to take medicine? Will I miss school tomorrow? Will I get a shot? Do I have to go to the doctor? I don't want to take medicine........" (gasps, sobs, more whining......)











Liz- Drinks the medicine, goes back to sleep.












Gabe- "I will not take this."
Please buddy just take it. It will help your cough.
"I will not take this."
Please. It will make you feel better.
"No"
Please. Take it FOR ME. Please. I can't sleep when you are coughing so much. Please. It makes me feel like a good mom.
With a frustrated sigh, he swallows the medicine and goes back to sleep.







Cael- "Thank you so much mom for giving me this medicine. Thank you for helping make me comfy. Mom, do you remember the last time I was sick and I threw up? I'm not going to throw up this time...I just have a bad cough and a runny nose. (I bring him a tissue.) Thank you so much, mom. I love you. Thank you for taking such good care of me. This medicine tastes really good."









This reiterates to me:
Grace is still very needy and fearful. She needs a lot of affirmation, reassurance, and TLC!
Liz is very compliant and responsible and doesn't require many words.
Gabe still wants to be in control but he also really wants to protect me and take care of me.
Cael likes to talk! He is also very affectionate, sensitive and loving. If something can be said using 3 words he will find a way to turn it into 30.

I love these 4 treasures so much!!!! Looking forward to seeing how God is going to use each of them and their unique talents and personalities for His glory!

Pinch me...I'm dreaming!

On Christmas morning I looked at Adam and said, "Am I dreaming?" 

I looked around our living room at the four amazing kids that God has given us. They are all healthy. They are all happy. They are all home.  Sometimes it's hard to believe. 

Last Christmas I remember the presents under the tree that went unopened and the uncertainty at what the future held for us. 

We had many opportunities this holiday season to reflect and share some of the joys and sorrows of the year.  We are so thankful to God for sustaining us through a tough year and binding us together into a true team...Team Thompson! Looking forward to 2015!

2014 Highlight Video

Hopefully you have received our Christmas card and were directed to this blog to watch the highlight video. If you did not receive the Christmas card and would like one, I have plenty of extra so please give me your address and I will happily send you one! ;-)

Hope you enjoy this small recap of our year! It's been one of the best and most difficult years we have had as a family.

Thanks for all your prayers and support!!!  We are so thankful for each of you!!!

Faithful followers

There was a time when I updated this blog regularly. To those few sweet people who still click on the link and check for an update despite my lack of attention...this update is for you. (Jillian ;-)

Liz has been doing a lot of cheering this fall. She cheered for her school football team and she competed on the school cheerleading competition squad. Now she is cheering for a local all-star cheer gym. She loves it all! She also loves hanging out with her friends and she just enjoyed an amazing 13th birthday.

Cael has been playing baseball, running around outside and learning more and more skills on the guitar and piano.  He loves playing music and singing all the time.

Gabe has been learning how to read. He has learned so much this Fall with his amazing teachers. He has also enjoyed playing baseball and PS4. He had another surgery to remove a bony tumor from his wrist and is recovering well. 

Grace loves being part of the crowd and helping mom with everything. She also loves playing with her dolls and toys. She is working hard to learn her letters. 

We just spent an amazing week in Virginia at a lake house with Adam's parents, grandparents and his brothers and their families. It was the first time we have all been together in 13 years...so we now have 10 children and 2 more on the way. We made some great memories together and have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. 

A few sweet/fun stories to share:

While decorating the Christmas tree, Grace was very enthusiastic about all of the different ornaments, especially the handmade ones. She wanted to know what was written on the back of each one.

"Elizabeth 2006"

"Cael 2009"

EJT 2009"

Liz "2005"

Cael "2010"

You get the point. 

Then, she found an ornament that didn't have anything on the back. It is a purchased ornament, not handmade. It is a wooden cross. She said, "Can I put my name on the back of this one?"

Sweet girl. The cross does have a way of making everything right. 

Then, there was an ornament "Thompson Family 2009...Adam, Jill, Elizabeth and Cael". Grace asked me to read it to her, which I did. "You were just a baby then. Isn't that funny to think of yourself as a baby?" She said, "I didn't even know who my mom was yet?!?!?!" Bless.

I will end with a heart-warming story from Gabriel:

As a family we shopped for the items and assembled shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. We talked about the children that would be receiving our boxes and how this would likely be the only gifts they would get for Christmas and then we made a circle as a family and prayed for the boxes and the kids who would receive them. Gabe said, "I am not going to pray" (He usually says he is not going to do something if he is uncomfortable with it but he almost always comes around with a little time.) We told him he didn't have to pray out loud but we would go around and he would be last if he changed his mind. Everyone prayed and then it came to Gabe. He prayed. Out loud. "God, help this child to have a family because it is good. I pray they have a father like me."

No more words.

Abundantly blessed.

Miraculous Summer

This update is long overdue. I'm sorry.

We had a miraculous summer.  We feel like a real family now. It is great!

A few weeks ago, Grace started Kindergarten, Gabriel started 3rd grade, Cael started 5th grade, and Liz started 7th grade.



They are all doing great in school!

Additionally, 2 weeks ago Gabe had 2 large osteochondromas removed from his arm and had a lumbar puncture to determine treatment for a disease he was born with. The surgery was a success and the pathology for the lumbar puncture was as good as it could be. The treatment will be quick and effective and he will be cured. This particular disease would likely have never been found in Ghana but would have caused come severe symptoms later in life and possibly even death. Now he will be treated and cured! Easily! YIPEE! He is a happy kid. He is learning so much and now reads to us each day. Amazing! He is playing baseball this fall and really enjoying having his dad as his coach.

Grace loves Kindergarten and is learning so much! She is very far behind her peers and does not catch on as quickly as Gabe but she is getting lots of extra help at our awesome little school so we are confident she will catch up soon. She is participating in a tumbling class each week and loves to color and play with dolls.

Liz is flipping, stunting, jumping and cheering all the time. She is on a sidelines squad and a competition squad this year and is enjoying all the practices, games, and competitions that come with that.

Cael is playing baseball on a travel team this year. This is the first time dad hasn't been his coach and it seems to be working out fine. He has really matured so much in the past several months and we are so proud of his attitude and example.

I am so blessed to be the mom to these four children and I am also thankful for an amazing husband who allows me to go away a few times a year to serve families facing the loss of a parent with Inheritance of Hope. This organization means a lot to me because I have seen first-hand what an impact a Legacy Retreat has on a family facing the loss of a parent. As the Legacy Retreat Director, I can coordinate and plan the retreats from my home and then support the event on site. It is a joy and privilege! I just came home from the most recent retreat and my life is richer and blessed after having spent 4 days with an amazing groups of volunteers and 15 families who are now dear friends. My best friend, Kristen, who started this organization with her husband and passed away 2 years ago would be so proud of her baby girl serving alongside me (and Mickey). ;-)

Thanks for all your prayers and support!

Some things have changed....some things have not!

We have been a family of six for 4 months. It is so hard for me to believe it has only been 4 months! It has definitely been the longest 4 months of my life probably because so much has happened during that time. Many things have changed and some things have not.

This girl still has a very fun-loving personality...

but she now has "LONG" hair!

These brothers still have moments of tension but it is usually a fun wrestling match instead of frustration and resentment. It has been a joy to watch this brotherly bond develop. Where Cael used to resent Gabriel's strength and toughness he now realizes there is no one he would rather have on his team. Gabriel said today, "Cael, I'm strong and you are smart!" A great team, I think!

This boy still adores his sister but he is coming to terms with the fact that a proposal would not be appropriate. Now he is just setting his sights on all her cute friends. ;-)

This girl has realized that her new brother is probably her best playmate and biggest fan. She is figuring out all his attention and love is a good thing. 

This boy still thinks he is the red power ranger. 

She is still beautiful and we are hoping we can keep her from getting a big head when everyone is telling her that all the time. 

He is learning to let go and be a kid and spend time in mom's lap. 

She still flips every where she goes. 

We are seeing a lot more of this and a lot less of the grumpy boy.

We are so incredibly thankful for all the positive changes going on in the hearts of all four of our children. God has been so good to us and we know He will continue to carry us through everything the future holds. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers. We can only attribute some of these miraculous changes to that.