9 Weeks!~

The Little Fella is 9 weeks old today!
He is such a sweet little boy. He is growing so fast. He is already 13 lbs and 24 inches long . He is not the best sleeper around :o) but he gives us huge smiles every morning... and it's all good :o). His hair is as wild as ever..sticking up all over his sweet little head. We think it's pretty cool.

This morning we went to the Children's Hospital so he could get a Holter Monitor to wear for 24 hours. His heart beat is irregular and the Cardiologist wants to know if it's just unique/his normal or something that needs attention.


He hasn't minded the extra hardware a bit!

Please pray for my Cousin as she is scheduled to leave for Ghana to bring home her children in 11 days, but...there is a typo on her son's passport that needs to be resolved before she can bring them home. Those of you who have gone through passport drama in other countries know how complicated this can be. Nothing is too hard for God though! Please pray that those who have the power to fix this will be burdened to do so . We know God is going to remove this unforseen obstacle and those sweet ones will be home with their family very soon.

Matthew 6:25~

Our 5 yo slipped into our room early this morning. He was dressed as Batman and had something very important to tell me. "Mama, Mama, Mama.." he said repeatedly as he does when he is very excited to tell me something. "Feel this.." he said as he stroked the palm of his hand. "Mama, it feels just like Little Fella's skin. It's soft just like the Little Fella." He said in wonder.

Something about his eyes deeply touched me at that moment. I thought about how all of my children "Stop to smell the baby" if you will ;o) They literally can't walk past him without rubbing his baby soft hair and commenting to him about how cute he is.

The Wee Boy comes to me several times a day and tells me about a new nick name he has made up for the Little Fella.

Eben asks me worriedly why the baby breathes with his tummy (as tiny babies appear to do).

Joel bounces in grinning from ear to ear the share that "He smiled at ME!"

Once again my children are teaching me about what is really important. So often I go about my day distracted in my head. I feed the baby and wonder if the clothes made it from the washer to the dryer. I change the baby and think I need to remember to add something to the grocery list. I am not LIVING the moment for I am worried about too many things.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Matthew 6:25

Jesus understood our tendency towards this. The same thing people worried over 2,000 years ago are the same things which occupy our minds today.

It is easy for days to rush by and not invest in the relationships God has placed into our lives at this time. Jesus was all about the relationship. He chided Martha for being busy with stuff and praised Mary for investing in what mattered. Time with Him. Listening to Him. Loving Him. That is what he wants for each of us. He wants us to invest in our relationship with Him and with those whom he has placed in our hearts, lives, and homes right here and right now.

I am so thankful to be a Mama. I pray that I can stop each moment I am blessed with to really be there in the moment with my children. I pray I can live LIFE the way Jesus intended me too. I am thankful I have my children to inspire me and to continually teach me about Jesus.

Mary Ostyn (AKA Owlhaven) has written a wonderful book on the "ins and outs" of raising a large family.

As I was reading this book I felt like I was listening to a friend over lunch discuss her family and how they operate. Mary has a very humble and sweet attitude which shines through in her book. The love and care she has for her husband and children is evident on every page.

Mary's ideas are innovative and creative and span topics from grocery shopping to homeschooling.... to adoption to laundry.. and so much more.

I gleaned some new ideas from Mary.. I was encouraged by her, and much of what she said resonated with me.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I laughed in parts and was touched in others. Best of all I was inspired to be the best Mama I can be for the Glory of God.

I think any mother (of a large family or small one) will be blessed by this book and the wealth of knowledge Mary provides.

Happy Mother's Day!~

A really fun part of older child adoption is their ability to share the culture the children bring with them. While Eben and Joel have become quite the American boys in many ways ... they still are Ghanaian through and through.

Some of the things they came home saying have become regular expressions in our family. We all use "Good One." "Nice" and "OOsh" in our conversations now.

Another thing they have brought to our family is spice. They came home and they loved and craved hot sauce and red pepper. Now before their homecoming we had a small bottle of Tabasco Sauce that had probably sat in our cupboard for years. It was rarely used. We now go through a quart, yes a quart..32 full ounces of hot sauce a week. Not only do they love their Hot Sauce (Louisiana Hot Sauce is the favored) but they have converted all of us as well.

We love it and we eat it with every meal. I never would have thought..

Yesterday the kiddies were having a snack of peanuts and raisins and they asked if they could dip them in their hot sauce. I thought it sounded horrible but told them "Sure."

They all loved it.

It was Eben's idea..
The Cowboy shared my skepticism but quickly became a convert.

Even Sweet Pea loves her hot sauce.
The Wee Boy too..

Joel is the Ultimate Fan of Hot Sauce and thought the peanut raisin hot sauce combo was "Nice"..which is high praise.
I caved to the pressure to try the Hot Sauce Snack.. Trying to prove this Obruni can hang with the big boys Ha! I am REALLY not a fan of the Hot Sauce raisin combo though I will confess the peanuts and Hot Sauce were quite tasty.

Matthew 18:20~

Three years ago today I brought the Wee Boy home from Ethiopia. He is such an amazing little guy and I can't imagine not having him in my life. Actually, it's hard to think of a time when he hasn't been here in our family.

As we were looking through the pictures of that blessed day my mind and my heart keep returning to the children we met in the orphanages on our pick up trip. I know some of them have come home, but others I will always wonder about. Did they find their place in their forever home? I worry that some may still be waiting and... I think about the many more children who have entered into orphanage care these past three years.

There have been so many changes in international adoption since we began our first adoptions seven years ago. It seem as if new obstacles and roadblocks are the only constant in the international adoption process. Countries change rules seemingly on a whim which can make a long hard process longer and harder. I know so many right now who are caught up in the throes and the anxiety of the process. The process can be grueling and it can seem so hopeless. I just want to encourage you not to give up. God will make a way. Follow the path He has set before you and trust even when things seem impossible. It is so worth it !

Please leave a comment if you are in the process of adoption either international or domestic and have a prayer need. I know there are other prayer warriors who read here who will pray as well. You can be anonymous if you wish. I would really like to lift up you and your children. God is more than able to move mountains and soften the hardest of bureaucratic hearts.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20~

Blessings!

Star Wars Day~

May the 4th.. be with you :o)

(May the force be with you ;o) Hee, Hee


When my friend Jennifer shared this joke this a.m. I hoped this would bring a smile to these precious faces (Jim's too).

I grew up with my brothers watching and playing Star Wars. We have a few fans around here too as evidenced that we actually own Star Wars Christmas ornaments.... which are on the cake (Yes, we are nerdy..).

I wanted to bless these guys "just because". I was so happy I could bring them a little happiness on a Monday when the baby is fussy, the toddler has a fever, and we are all missing someone we love.


God blesses us so often with blessings just because He can. He blesses us out of His abundant love. I pray that I will always stop and notice and appreciate His blessings, although I so often don't.

I also pray that if I can bless someone in word or deed that I will. I fail at this too often.


I hope your May the 4th is full of blessings.