more goodness.

another quick list.

--i am loving american idol.
of course i am.
harry's owning it.
and harry is my favorite.
you know that.

--i forgot to mention the blog cranny and me the other day.
today, her post moved me beyond words.
it was just perfect.

"I'd like to banish the idea that ministry, or marriage, or life, has a honeymoon stage. If we are honest, we know, we absolutely know that life will have its difficulties. And if we believe in the sovereignty of God, we also know that those deserts, those difficult times, are for our good and the glory of God as much as the mountain-top experiences."

a million times yes.

--and good night! have you read this post shannan wrote yesterday??
just so on point for exactly, precisely, scarily where i am and what i'm feeling.
creepy really.

"That is where my pitiful humanity wrecks this gift of loneliness. Over and over, rather than fixing my eyes on the One who loves me best, I frantically scan the horizon-line for a jeans-and-sneaks person to save me. "..."It is our unequivocal duty to love the lonely. We should be linking arms with the outcast, remembering that sometimes the outcast wears $200 jeans and drives and Audi. Sometimes the lonely sits in a nursing home, but she also sits next to us on the bleachers at gymnastics practice."

--and lastly, this, this and this. (from here)

january observations.

here we are at january 19th already.
january is always a blur.
the hoopla of the holidays is behind us and i think we all crave the stillness and pause of january.
the kids are getting back into the swing of things and i've welcomed routine back into our home with open arms.
except for homework.
homework is never welcomed with open arms.
ever.
i digress.
i'm kinda in the mood for writing a list of all my january daily notes so here goes:

--all three kids brought home great report cards.  i'm so proud of them.

--anna has been having some emotional outbursts lately.  either she's jealous of the boys, or seeking attention, or both.  i have a feeling her hormones are going wild.  i don't know how mothers with lots of daughters handle it.  (i'm talking to you, danielle farley!)

--i would pay someone to trim ben's finger and toenails.  i have done it for almost seven years now and i've finally had enough.  i'm sourcing it out.  interested parties apply within.

--josh and john are twins.  it's terrifying at times.  and wonderful at other times.  but mostly terrifying.

--i'm freezing.  i'm counting down the days until spring rolls in.  winter is not my favorite.

--i was on pinterest the other day and i was loving every single thing on there.  i even said out loud "this is the best pinterest board ever!  i love it all!"  and then i realized i was on my own pinterest board.  i'm a dork.

--is blogging over?  i notice less and less blogs still going strong.  that makes me feel so sad.  but here are a few of my favorites lately, all new to me, very different and very, very beautiful:

the beetle shack
heart handmade
shine
me and alice
hello from the natos

--i have found myself in situation after situation, over the past year or so, where i just can't imagine getting through things without help from the Lord.  nothing in my own simple mind can make sense of things without Him.  i think about times in my life where i sinned, failed, made terrible choices, etc. and in each situation, i felt like i was in control.  so foolish.  now i feel like i am never in control, that nothing is ever possible without God.  and there is a peace that comes over me like i've never known.  and this peace is grace.  maybe i'm just now getting it, but man, I GET IT.  and it is such relief.

--i love lists.  they make me happy.

that is all for today.
c'mon spring.

our holiday home.

i know i haven't been very good about blogging lately. 

and i know that most of you guys have given up on my lazy bones, and moved on, you know, to other blogs where people actually BLOG. 

what a concept! 

anyways…i did it. 

i blogged. 

but not here. 

way too expected! haha. 

i blogged over at heather's amazing blog as a part of her holiday home made lovely series. 

i shared a little bit of our home all ready for christmas. 

if y'all are so inclined, hop on over and check it out. 

 here's a little sneaky peeky for those that need tempting!

(hey, look, i'm in the microwave!)

  

see ya there! 

kiss kiss!

today...

today i watched a friend playing in the backyard with her sweet twin toddlers.
today i watched a man buy flowers in the grocery store for his wife.
today i listened to a girl talk about my oldest son and how funny he is.
i think she has a crush on him.

today i sat in the sun and watched the birds flit all over my yard.
today i watched a big fat bunny hop his way down the entire length of my fence.
i like to think he was meeting a friend for a cup of tea and some scones.

today i washed dishes and scrubbed my counter tops clean.
today i wore mint green, my favorite color of the moment.
today my new sandals from target came in the mail along with my new cuff bracelet from becky.



today ben and i watched america's funniest home videos and he said "UH OH!" the entire time.
today we had bagels with cream cheese and fresh strawberries for dinner.
today anna asked to sleep over my parents' house and they were happy she wanted to spend time with them.

today another IEP is in the books and we are grateful for ben's wonderful, caring teacher.
today boxes of sugar-free popsicles were $0.99 at the store.
ice cream sandwiches weren't on sale but i bought them anyway.
sunny fridays call for popsicles AND ice cream sandwiches.

today john and i spent some time together dreaming of our next big home improvement project.
plans will be sketched tonight and pinterest boards will be busy.
a little something like this perhaps...it is a dream after all.

source

life is busy and good.
the sun is shining and so am i.
happy weekend to you.

happy black friday!

why don't you just stay in your jammies a little bit longer and visit the SHOP.
use code BLACKFRI30 to save 30% off your entire purchase!

thank you for supporting our little shop and our adoption.
i am beyond thankful for this blogging community and the friendships i've made because of it.
happy thanksgiving and black friday shopping!

a love song.

i stand in my kitchen, impatiently waiting for the coffee to brew.
grab my phone and quickly check my email.
my heart jumps in my chest--i have an email from jaime.
she met isaac.
he's snuggly and sweet.
pictures are on facebook.
tears are instantly in my eyes.

*****

i rush to the bus stop.
we're a little bit early so i grab my phone again.
this time i pull up facebook and quickly type in jaime's name.
there they are.
pictures and a video!
i show anna and she says "awwwww! he's so cute!"
the bus is here so i put my phone away.
i pray out loud on the way to work , thanking God over and over again.

*****

i make it to work and practically skip into the building.
i log into my computer as fast as i can, quickly open my browser and login to fb.
then i catch my breath.
or maybe i'm holding it.
a picture of jaime holding her son stares back at me and i'm mesmorized.
he's real, no longer a photograph, no--he's real alright, and hanging onto his mommy like she's always been there.
he seems small to me and very pale and i can't help but wonder what kind of care he's been getting.
i can't fathom the thought that they will not be bringing him home this time.
they have to leave him there.
i quickly push that away, focusing instead on the beauty of the moment.
there is so much beauty.

*****

a little boy met his mother and father today.

i can't explain to you my happiness looking at this photograph and reading jaime's emails.

i wonder if this is a little bit of what heaven feels like, where everything feels blanketed by love and even the breeze sings a love song.
redemption is a beautiful love song.

rainy day project.

i am completely smitten with this project i found on pinterest.
(God bless pinterest!)

homemade polaroid coasters.

remember polaroid pictures?
i sure do.
in fact, i remember taking pictures with my very own polaroid camera when i was a little one myself.
can you imagine then the sqeeeeeeel i let out when i found this idea?

 
photo from here.

these are definitely on my to-do list!
do you have any rainy day projects that you want to make?

for unto us.

anna has scarlet fever. (seriously)
i have a nasty cold.
our house is wrecked with a capital W.
there is laundry sitting in our washer that's been there for three days.
i can only imagine how good that smells. 
ben is eating goldfish crackers for breakfast this morning,

i'm not gonna lie, it's been a bummer of a weekend, filled with trips to the doctor, piles of tissues and lots and lots of boring tv shows.

BUT...

there is a silver lining. (isn't there always?)

my dear friend chrissie grace sent me an email friday to tell me something that's been on her heart.
she had an idea, a way she could contribute to the financial burden of our adoption.
and then she sent me the most beautiful pictures:

and man, did the tears start flowing!
awesome, right?

y'all, i am humbled and excited to share these with you.
my friend chrissie grace will be selling these beautiful CHRISTmas trees for two weeks only.
and she will graciously be donating 25% of the profits to our adoption fund!

in chrissie's own words,

"This piece is very special to me.

I really feel like God gave it to me to help Amy and her family bring Davis home.

Amy, I cannot wait to see the gifts it brings.  

I pray Davis feels all the love and positive energy out there, just for him :)

I feel so blessed to be a part of this.  

It feels like what Christmas is really all about."

please click HERE to visit chrissie grace's etsy shop and check out all the details.

i am feeling so blessed and full of hope this fine sunday morning.

chrissie, i just love your heart so much.  

your continued support, encouragement, and devotion to our family, and to davis, overwhelms me.

xoxo.  

 

i'm smiling today...

here's a list why.

*i read this post today.
two less orphans in the world.
if you click on any link i list here today, let this be the one!
it will move you beyond words.
promise!

*my friend jess shared her lovely home here.
it is welcoming and warm and friendly.
i love it!

*my bloggy friend amy went on a fall treasure hunt with her kiddos.
it inspired me!
what a wonderful way to share autumn with our curious littles.

*this recipe for homemade pumpkin butter is on the to-do list for this weekend.
i can't wait.

*speaking of recipes, anna and i made bubble up pizza this week.
my college roommate used to make it and it's so yum.
josh had FIVE servings.

*this beautiful fall porch made me want to decorate for fall.
i've been needing something to motivate me, and seeing these gorgeous pictures just did it.

 *and finally, i wrote this quote down on a sticky note so i can remember.
it's a keeper:
“May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride, and expectation with which God sees you in every moment.”  John O’Donohue

have a blessed weekend my friends!

hot air balloon mobile.

my adorable (and very pregnant!) friend danielle made a mobile for her little baby boy.

and i love it so much that i had to share!

sweetest ever, isn't it?

go check it out HERE. 

photo "borrowed" from danielle.

oh happy day!

today my good friends, the farleys, are finally making their way to their little sergey.

photo shamelessly stolen from danielle's blog

i am beyond happy.

i am beyond ecstatic.

i am beyond beyond.

the farleys have been in this process for over 17 months.

17 long, stressful, prayerful months.

all of this effort has now culminated in this trip.

oh sweetie boy!  momma's on her way!

they will soon meet sergey and meet the judge that will decide his fate.

can you please add danielle, ash and sergey to your prayer list?

they will be in-country all next week and they need BIG prayers!

thanks so much, friends!

kelle.

tonight was a GOOD night.
five of my most favorite people on the planet came over for dinner.
we ate.
we drank.
we laughed like school girls.
and,
we met kelle hampton.

 
well, we skyped with kelle hampton so it was pretty much meeting her.
same difference.
and it felt completely normal.
turns out she is as real as they come, as awesome as you think she probably is, and as funny and genuine as she seems on her blog.
nella is one lucky girl.



we chatted about down syndrome, relationships, husbands, kids, friends, and stereotypes. 
she was in indiana, of all places, and took the idea of skyping a bunch of southern girls in alabama all in stride.
she's been doing this for months, ever since her best-selling book, bloom, came out.
all because she thought it would be a nice thing to do for people who bought her book.
about five minutes before she called, i thought, "no way this is real. no way kelle hampton is actually going to call us.  this is crazytown."
and just as i finished that thought, the computer rang and there she was.




keeping it real, and to be completely honest, i hid in the kitchen and pretended i was cooking for most of it.
because i could hear kelle speaking, talking from her heart about how down syndrome made her a better mother, and about how she worried so much for lainey, and about how the relationship between her kids is more than she ever could have expected--and it made me bubble up with emotion.
i was a wreck.
i was sweating and teary-eyed and sniffling.
and there were my friends, all happy and sweet, just enjoying the moment.
and i was sniffling over the tostadas.
i'm a nut.
i know.
but sometimes reality hits me like a ton of bricks.



i lived through and am still living through kelle's words and thoughts.
they are my life too.
my life is the way it is because of ben.
there's no denying it--his life has changed mine.

i live for today only and try not to get too far ahead of myself.
i've learned that mortal plans are for fools.
we are not in control--oh no.
the Good Lord knows the way and he steers us and shapes us and plants us smack dead in the middle of what he knows we need, what he chooses for us.
you can get all pissy about it, but it won't change a thing.
you can throw a fit, scream and cry, pray and beg for circumstances to change, but if it's meant to be, it will be.
taking it one day at a time, living in the moment, embracing what you have, giving it all you've got...this is the way to live life and really live.



kelle reminded us all tonight.
and it was such a treat.
thanks kelle!

special thanks to all of my furry friends. (hahahaaa) for coming tonight and not making me feel embarassed for getting all teary-eyed.
and thanks so much for the laughs.
i really, really, really love you girls.

instagrammed.

instagram has really changed things for me.
i love creating this collage of our daily life.
that's really what it is, little snippets here and there, just things that catch my eye and i think "oh, i should take a picture of that!"
so i do.

plus, i have the chance to see what my friends are up to and see their lives through their camera lenses, through what has caught their eye.

pretty neat stuff, this instagram business.

here are some snippets from the past week or two.
ben boy's long leggies,

our weekly csa (community supported agriculture) share,

 

fabric at wally world,

feeling God's presence in church parking lot.
reminded that He is everywhere and in everything,

tennis camp fun for the older kids,



take your child to work day with my little love,


 

girls lunch out (a special treat for us both!),

 
diet coke floats to make the bad days all better,

 
i think what ben's saying is, "i want a diet coke float!"
tell me how you really feel ben boy,

 
finding art projects everywhere.
anna is so busy these days,


  

finding my boy reading in bed even though he "hates" to read, (his room is almost done! yay!)
 
a big bowl of fresh strawberries that are devoured seconds later,



a cornfield on the way to work that stopped me in my tracks,




and finally, an early birthday present for myself.
ok, it's from the kids but we all know who picked it out!

 

guess what i'm trying to say is...i like instagram.
that's about it.
:)

i am still alive.

my poor little blog.
here it sits, all sad and lonely, as life just zips by and time just evaporates.

i started this blog many moons ago as a way to document and remember our days; now they go by so far that i can barely keep up let alone whittle them down to a coherent blog post.

we are spending lots and lots of time working on our court dossier for davis.
documents have a short shelf-life in his country so most things have "expired" and need to be updated.
we have hit some snags and are trudging through them, all the while trying to keep our eyes on the prize.

the good news is that we may be traveling as soon as next month!
maybe...nothing is official and no plane tickets have been bought, but i promise this blog WILL be updated as soon as we know.
in the meantime, if you wouldn't mind adding our little family to your prayer list, it would most gratefully appreciated.
we still have far to go and many mountains to climb...

do you remember the farley family and sweet sergey?
they too are expecting travel dates any day now and are still in need of funding.
a friend has put together a great giveaway fundraiser in their honor.

please, pretty, pretty please, with a cherry on top, consider donating to the giveaway!


danielle and i have become very close over the past year or so.
she is absolutely one of the most precious people in my life right now--another person that God placed in my life at just the exact time i would need her!
her family is adorable and couldn't imagine a better fit for sergey!

they are adopting from the same region as we are, and it's a tough one.
there are lots and lots of unexpected costs and they are already stretched so thin!
even one dollar donated would mean one less dollar that they need to come up with.

i am on my knees...please help provide for them as they continue their way to save sergey!