Meaning of life...

So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

Morrie Schwartz, in "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom

Spring soccer!

Oh the weather outside is lovely....NOT. Soccer players are tough, not like those sissy baseball players that cancel at the hint of rain. No, soccer players stick it out through the wind, rain, and sleet, they are superstars! Now, the real sympathy should be given to the supportive families that have to sit through the hour game in that same wind, rain and sleet. Brrrrr. Sometimes I wish soccer players weren't so "tough". haha! So we started the season with a chilly rainy day and lots of mud. It was fun though!

eeeek! Tomorrow is the big day!

What big day you ask? Home-study day! Yes, our home-study is tomorrow!! We are so excited, feels like we are finally moving along the road to our sweet baby boy. We are really doing this! So from what I understand he won't be inspecting my linen closet or my many junk drawers. Phew. Because those are a mess. The house still really needs a good cleaning though. I know he won't be doing the white glove test tomorrow, but I still can't help feeling like I need to DEEP clean. *take a breath* So stay tuned, i'll update tomorrow night!

He's a teenager!!

I can't believe it! We've got a teen in the house now! My little 9lbs 13oz chunky monkey is now a big, strong, handsome 13 year old. Where has time gone? I'm not ready to let him grow.

Seems like yesterday he was running around the house with a binkie and blankie permanently attached. I'm not ready to let him grow.

He is almost as tall as me now. He wears a size 10 men's shoe. His smile still warms my heart just like it was his first. He is kind and has such a gentle spirit. He is thoughtful and is such a deep thinker. He has a great sense of humor and loves to make people laugh. His laugh is contagious. I'm not ready to let him grow.

He still doesn't love to try new things and has yet to outgrow the picky eater stereo-type that our pediatrician assured us he'd outgrow. Although cheese and bread aren't the only food groups he'll eat now, so it has improved. He likes tradition. He is artistic. He loves computers. He is a writer and writes amazing poetry. I'm not ready to let him grow.

He is a protector of his sisters and while he tries to hide it, we know in the little things he does that he loves them greatly. He is a reader. He will choose a book over TV and get lost in a book for hours. He is an athlete and really enjoys playing basketball. He doesn't hate playing football. He loves PlayStation 3. He loves music. I'm not ready to let him grow.

Life is simple. Life is complicated. He's thirteen and I'm not ready to let him grow. But he is growing up. We are so very blessed to watch him grow and love who he is becoming!!

Baby Steps toward God's perfect plan

We finally mailed off our giant packet of paperwork for our home-study today! YEAH!! I've been feeling a bit discouraged because this whole adoption process is taking so much longer than I wanted. I see other families just breeze through the process and wonder why the heck it is taking us so long?? This morning in my inbox on the very day we mailed off our packet to get the home-study under way this is my positive daily devotion (see below). God is so timely in His messages to us, I really needed this reminder today. Enjoy! And now we are one step closer towards our goal to bring home a sweet baby boy from Ethiopia...in 2010 (I pray!).

“Put things in order.” 2 Corinthians 13:11

A plan becomes a reality only after the first action step is taken. If you doubt your own ability to carry out a task, you might hesitate or you might never begin it at all.

Each time you begin a project, picture yourself mentally taking one step at a time to complete it with God going ahead of you, making your way successful.

Say this prayer aloud: "I put things in God's order. All is in Divine order as I take my first step. I am continually guided by God."
You are empowered, then, to take another step, this time with a greater feeling of security and self-confidence.

As you continue taking steps, with each progressive move, you are gaining momentum and your confidence builds to new heights. Knowing that God is in charge, you take each step as a leap of faith, in which you meet the challenge and accomplish whatever needs to be done by you.

In Luke 1:78-79, our Bible states: "By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those to sit in darkness,… to guide our feet into the way of peace."

When you ask God for guidance, you are not looking for an easy answer or for a way out of having to make your own decisions. You are a soul, living this life to learn to make decisions, and you are asking God to guide the decisions you do make, so that they bring about what is best for you and everyone concerned.

Cheer!

Cheer competition season is in full swing and we are having a blast watching Bryn in her element. She's still loving it...and talks about how she never wants to quit. So we'll see. The older she gets though the more crazy stunts and wild tumbling she'll be doing...and already I get so nervous for her. Yikes. God give me strength....and a bigger bank account. LOL.

The Shadow

By Garret R.

I dance along the wall,

wishing to be set free,

as a shadow should be,

but I can't you see,

bound to a human being.

I want a chance to dance on more than just the wall,

feel the rain on my skin,

build a snowman in the snow,

snuggle up by a warm fire,

taste the warm, steaming cup of hot cocoa.

I want to smell the flowers,

while taking a stroll through a meadow.

But it will only be a dream,

so far away from me,

but that doesn't mean I still can't believe.