giving

Some of you might remember the picture of this little cutie I had on our blog a while back:

Through the amazing MICAH Fund and loving, generous family, friends and "strangers" we were able to finance a large chunk of our adoption. The organization exists to glorify God by promoting the adoption of American black and black biracial infants and children by providing financial grants for qualified couples in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas.
Now through December 31st, all donations to the MICAH Fund will be matched by a donor...dollar for dollar up to 25K! They ask that we prayerfully consider giving to fully utilize this tremendous gift from that donor. So, let's dig a little deeper and give sacrificially as "whatever you do, work {give}heartily as for the Lord and not for men."
As a family blessed by the MICAH Fund, I can attest to how valuable and essential this ministry is. We're eternally grateful to them and you as we watch our little SweetPea grow~ answered prayer before our eyes.

it's fall!

-or in our house, the most wonderful time of the year! We love the fall season around here. We celebrate our firstborn's birthday and our anniversary, hunting season begins and I bake, bake, bake. With all the pumpkin recipes floating around I decided to share my bread recipe instead of something seasonal. It's the only bread recipe I make anymore...no more dead duck day in our house.

This recipe uses a bread machine-
Add ingredients to pan in order listed, set machine to dough cycle and start:
-1 cup milk, lukewarm
-1/4 cup water
-3 tablespoons butter, soft and cut into pieces
-2 tablespoons coconut oil (can use butter)
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 cup whole wheat flour
-2 1/2 cups bread flour
-1/2 cup wheat germ
-1 tablespoon wheat gluten (can skip but really improves texture)
-2 teaspoons or 1 pkg yeast

When cycle has finished, punch down and divide dough in two. Let dough rise in buttered loaf pans until doubled in size and bake at 350* for 18-20 minutes- tops should be golden. I brush butter over the tops when they come out of the oven to keep the crust chewy. Cool in the pans for about 30 minutes, then turn out on a cooling rack. If you have will power, do not cut until completely cooled. Otherwise slice and serve warm with that new pumpkin butter recipe you've found :) As my son says, dee-yish-ish!

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall not thirst".

sweet P's birth story

Our baby turned 6 months this past weekend- what better way to celebrate than to share her birth day story!

On that Sunday morning at 7:30, I received a text from our agency- 'her water broke call you in 10 minutes! ' Aaaahhh- the day was finally here! We had been told for the past 2 weeks that she would not make it to the due date and had packed and set everything by the door, ready to be thrown in the van. After a frantic rush to get dressed and about 10 oh goodness-es, I got the kiddos up and joined the hubs in the van. Off we went, offering thanksgiving that the call came at the most opportune time- all were at home, well rested and we were able to get on the road in a half hour.
I was also praying we would make it in time for delivery. We didn't want her to have a long labor but were sure hoping it would be just long enough for us to be there when sweet P was born. We texted back and forth with our case worker (who was the best! ) for updates and to let her know how far out we were. The kids were absolute champs during the long car ride. Everyone was excited to get there!
We made it- her birthmother was still laboring when we arrived! Such a blessing. My mom was able to meet us at the hospital and take the kids to the hotel. Then we spent the next two hours visiting with her birthmother waiting for delivery time; precious moments those were. At 11:45 pm I heard our girl's first cries and saw her adorable smushed face :) Surreal is the only word that comes close to describing it. She was perfect at 7# 8 oz and 20" long.
We stayed in a room with sweet P at the hospital, caring for her from the start. We had more time the next day to spend with her birthmother. My mom, sister, Gramma, miss M and UJ were so happy to have the chance meet her. (My sister and grandma were visiting my mom at the time- bonus! )
We spent 12 days in state until the adoption was finalized in court. We were able to spend another afternoon with her birthmother during that time and really enjoyed getting to meet her birthfather over breakfast before we left. Those two will forever be in our hearts and we are so thankful for the brief moments we had with them. We left as changed people and the parents of three.
The Lord paved this path for us in ways that we could not have imagined. It was a time of many emotions, but never once fear or anxiety. He gave us strength to believe that He indeed does work all things out for good for those who love Him. Psalm 9:1 says, I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. And that's why I share this story. Though adoption is complicated and there are many different stances, one fact remains. Jesus Christ died so that we could be adopted into God's family, born again as sons and daughters of the Most High. That adoption is all together miraculous and the best -most perfect- thing that could happen to anyone. Physical adoption of children, while a beautiful picture of spiritual adoption, is not the "best thing" that could happen to a child, but it is a large necessary part of solutions in a sin-marred world where things are far from perfect. We don't rejoice that certain events took place that caused sweet P to become our daughter- but we do rejoice that she is.

Independence Day

We love the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In fact, I even have some pictures of "Mary" and "Pa" driving a team of stuffed horses from the table- er, wagon. Enjoy some of Laura's wisdom with us this Fourth of July-
 The Declaration and the song came together in her mind, and she thought: God is America's king. She thought: Americans won't obey any king on earth. Americans are free. That means they have to obey their own consciences...

This is what it means to be free. It means, you have to be good. "Our father's God, author of liberty—" The laws of Nature and of Nature's God endow you with a right to life and liberty. Then you have to keep the laws of God, for God's law is the only thing that gives you a right to be free. 

Laura Ingalls 

July 4th, 1881

Little Town on the Prairie

three sizes

Lately, I've been praying that the Lord would grow my heart. Meaning, help me to love more- love deeper those I already do, increase my love for the unlovable, help me to sacrifice more out of love. As thoughts raced, two things stuck. (Okay, three if I include the conviction that I'm really failing in these areas.)

#1  Remember the Grinch? His heart was two sizes too small but at the end of the story, it grew three sizes in one day :) A literal picture of a heart growing to fit more in.

#2  I have been following another adoptive mom's story lately as they seek embryo adoption and the name of her blog came to mind: Room For More. Mind you, they have 5 children and completed an adoption already.

What 'more' looks like will differ for us all. For some, it may not even be more. It may just be that we might not grow weary in what our hearts are already invested in. But, can we do more out of love? Open our doors wide with hospitality, sacrifice 'our' time for serving our church family, make tangible effort to show love to those who do not love us, care more deeply and sacrificially for orphans and children in need of families. By His grace I can, remembering CT Studd's admonition- only one life twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.
 

Well, in Whoville they say - that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day.

may He grant your petition

Last year at this time our dear friends came to visit. The two things I remember vividly from their time here- how beautiful she looked pregnant and our time of prayer before they took off for home.
We were standing in the garage saying our goodbyes. You know that bittersweet moment when you're thankful for the time you had together but sad to see it end and no one really wants to get in the car so you pause for a moment, just looking at each other? She broke the silence saying she thought God would have brought us our son or daughter by then. For the last seven months we had been waiting for a birthmother to choose our family. Can we pray for this? she asked. That time of prayer was powerful and sweet as all four of us petitioned before God. Hope filled our hearts that He had given ear to our prayer as our friends drove away.
Then day after day, it appeared that He had not answered that prayer. We waited and waited, prayed and prayed. When we were matched five months later, we rejoiced! So He made us wait for our desired answer for months- He is good and His timing is perfect- no big deal. However, judging from the due date, our baby had her beginnings right around that precious time of prayer with our friends. Our prayer had been answered in the way we had hoped months ago- when we had prayed- we just weren't aware of it.
I encourage all of you who are waiting for answered prayer, trust Him, hope in Him. Our eyes cannot always see the mountains He is moving right at the moment our lips are asking. It may take days, months or years to see the fruit of our prayer. We can rest knowing He is faithful.
“Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to Him.”

1 Samuel 1:17

bring him home

A sister shared a video with me about a couple adopting from Uganda. Things have moved along very quickly (yay for them !) and because of the way the courts operate in Africa, they would like to raise the remainder of funds in the next 2 weeks. Such a great idea they propose here as they ask for just $2 from each viewer and that you would share with 25 friends. Here's to hoping 25 reader friends will see this post and help this family bring their son home :)

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

happy mother's day

I think this song by Keith & Kristyn Getty is very much the prayer of every believing mother- whether her child is showering her with love today, waiting for the day to come home to her 'forever' or still growing in the womb. I feel safe saying, it is even what we pray for our children that He has yet to give. What a blessed gift, this role of mama- Happy Mother's Day!

brownies

My husband says said nothing beats a box as far as brownies go. I agreed; we loved the red box. Chewy and fudgey... no cakey brownies in our house and especially no frosting or nuts. We're purists : )
In an effort that began last year to eat "from scratch", I started my search for homemade brownie recipes that could compare to our favorite. After a few attempts -and failures- we were visiting my mom's bakery. She had the best brownie recipe, even the hubs couldn't say anything bad about them. A tiny tweak here and there (she added nuts) and this is our go to recipe.

BROWNIES
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (I use unrefined, refined works as does butter if not on hand)
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour

-Melt butter and coconut oil. Sift cocoa into mixing bowl, add butter mixture, eggs, vanilla, salt and sugar. Stir until smooth. Add flour, stirring until just combined. Bake at 350* in a 9x13 pan for about 30 minutes.

We tend to eat them warm with Breyer's vanilla bean ice cream... definitely a favorite dessert.

Who wants to see a picture of brownies when you could see this precious face? At 2 months, she's full of sweet smiles!

a big day

The first day of March was an exciting one! For the last month our little guy has been telling everyone, "I'm almost three but for now I'm two!" March 1st came and he could no longer say 'almost'. He woke up singing 'happy birthday' to himself and the fun began.

happy birthday precious UJ !

*fun day*

Sweet P enjoying the water park

Mater birthday

After all the birthday festivities were over, Miss M decided today would be the day to finally get that loose tooth out. A little floss, a tug, a pop and it was over... kind of. Once the blood was noticed, panic set in and the tears flowed. Don't worry, eventually she was thrilled.

after the drama was over, all smiles

Sigh, what a wonderful day with our children, a blessed time of memories. We are indeed thankful. May the Lord use our family for His glory!

"May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace"   Psalm 144:12

blessed

I've been procrastinating. How does one possibly capture the shower of blessings we've experienced the last 2 weeks in one post? As much thought as I've given, all I can come up with are the words to a favorite hymn.

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Not because our prayers were mighty, some prayers were never even uttered. Not because the issues at hand were big, even the smallest details were brought to fruition. Not because we are special or good; we do not deserve anything much less this precious gift. No, it can only be because the LORD is good, He gives out of His goodness, to see His will fulfilled. All we can do is humbly bow our heads with immeasurable thankfulness and praise Him. We are now a family of five, baby P is settling in nicely. She is precious.

 

 

 

 

"I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord,
    the praises of the Lord,
according to all that the Lord has granted us...according to the abundance of his steadfast love."

Isaiah 63:7

Jehovah-Jireh

The day we've been anticipating- your prayers are appreciated.

 

New Days and New Paths

"You have not passed this way before!" Joshua 3:4 

"Abraham named the place Jehovah-Jireh (which means 'the LORD will provide')" Genesis 22:14 

As you begin meditating on this verse, write deep in your heart this word with the strongest confidence: Jehovah-Jireh. This name tells you that you can trust God always, that no promise of His ever fails, that He does all things well, and that out of all seeming loss and destruction of human hopes, He brings blessing.
You have not passed this way before. There will be both sorrows and joys, both failures and successes. You cannot predict your future experiences. You cannot see the next step before your feet. Yet Jehovah-Jireh calls you to trust Him calmly. He bids you put away all anxieties and foreboding, because the Lord will provide!

-- J. R. Miller

oops, sorry about your toes

This post has been brewing for a while. I've been in avoidance mode. I've heard critical thoughts regarding adoptive parents ... they all think adoption is the only way to build a family, they only ever talk about adoption and they think everyone should adopt. Well, here I go. I'm going to tell all you to adopt :)
Have I done this before? I truly only want to encourage, to say- if the Lord is opening your heart to adoption, don't shut Him out. Last Sunday, that is what the message for us presented clearly. Do not let your ears become dull to His prompting. For me, that means speak up. For you...?

Today was the last straw. An agency emailed a list of waiting children. I scrolled down the list of short descriptions for each child waiting for a family. The last one on the list: a two year old boy. He has been given the same name as our two year old son. A name that is not common or trendy, or coincidental. A name that hit home. A name that made him and the rest of those children on the list very, very real. I broke. I want to rouse hearts that have already been awakened to adoption. Fight dullness and heed if He is telling you to move. Obediently open your hearts and home to children like U . They say he loves loud toys, hugs, cuddles and tickles- melts my heart.
No, adoption is not the only, nor do I claim superior, way to build families. Yes, it is a financial sacrifice. Yes, there will be many unknowns. Yes, it is hard. No, the Lord does not call everyone to adopt. But is He speaking to you?

"Indeed God speaks once, or twice, yet no one notices it." Job 33:14