To All Who Serve

I love my country.  I love the principles it was founded on.  I am so appreciative of all who choose to serve in the military for our country and our freedoms.  My dad was one of those proud Veterans.  I wish he was here so I could tell him how much I love and appreciate him.

(Dad would have chuckled had he been able to see himself on my blog...especially in uniform.)

My husband is one of those veterans too.  I am proud to say that we have a few veterans from both sides of our family who have served and are currently serving in branches of the military.

A Little Cake...

...a little candy...

 

...a new rash guard for Hawaii...

...a new video game...

 

...some cash from the family...a night out with his friends eating pizza, riding go-carts, and laser tagging.  There was nothing else this guy wanted for his birthday.  I love this guy.

My Life Lately

We're in somewhat of a lull now that two of my children have married, soccer break is on, and school just keeps moving on.  I've had a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride these last six months, though.  Probably longer than that if I'm quite honest about it all.  A whole lot of stuff has happened in our corner of the world.  Looking back, I wonder why I haven't lost my sanity by now.

At moments, I've wondered why I kept giving my heart and soul, time and energy to certain situations with nothing in return.  The Lord graciously spoke to me while I was in the "depths of despair".  I keep reading this over and over.  "But this I say, He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an abundance for every good work....Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness."  2 Corinthians 9:6-10.

We always think of this scripture in terms of tithing.  But, it says so much more.  I realized that I was not joyfully serving God.  It seemed like I was doing so much grudgingly and getting nothing in return.  But, is that what God wants?  Why can't I just give my heart, love, work, prayers, and kindness without expecting something in return?  Why do I always put a stipulation on my giving?  God says He will multiply the seeds I have sown and increase the fruits of my righteousness.  Him.  Not me.  Not the person I am praying for.  Not the person I am helping out or kind to.  Him.  It may seem like something so little to you, but it is a huge eye opener to me.  I wanted recognition from individuals for my deeds and prayers.  I wanted a response; results.  I made it all about me; but it isn't about me at all.

Now onto other things.  I love having a son at home.  He can do the dirty jobs; like pump my gas, take out the trash.

(I have to take pictures of him when he isn't looking.  That's why I carry my camera with me.)

But, for some reason, I have to get Ivy to kill the spiders that Jack runs from.  Pshhh.

The girls have been enjoying all the falling leaves.  It's been pleasantly nice in the 50-60's.  Yesterday was warm; around 80.

This year, I tried out a new curriculum in Math.  I am not a fan of rote memorization without understanding the numbers themselves.  That is why I loved Singapore Math.  I used that with Ivy when she first came home.  This curriculum is very similar in the fact that you calculate through grouping, but it is less expensive.

It started out a bit overwhelming, but I got it all figured out.  It is a lot of mental math and it is amazing to see the girls grasping this new concept of math.  They can actually add horizontally!  I am enjoying our math time so much more now.  Just me, my girls, and my dry erase board.  We have fun and I love seeing great things going on in their minds.

I got some new pictures of my son and (gulp) daughter-in-law.  Our sweet friend, Leanna, took them.  I cannot take credit for the photos.

And, Jack and I are anticipating a little trip soon.  I can't wait!  I'm counting down the days until I see my daughter!

I have the best husband in the world, ya'll.  He is sending me off with my son, while he stays home with the girls.  As much as I love my three girls, I think I got the better deal.  The girls probably think they got the better deal because they'll have plenty of pizza, chocolate, and late nights, I am sure.

What Makes a Mom?

One night, I was sitting with a friend during a banquet.  It was fun watching all the little kiddos running around.  We were remarking about how cute this one tiny little girl was.  I mean, she was really, really, cute.  She was maybe 3 years old cute.  Then I noticed all of her siblings.  And, you guessed it!  They were all cute!  They were all wearing cowboy boots and belt buckles that weighed more than the cute kids.  Anyway, my friend remarked to me, "You know...she has six kids, and she is only 38 years old."  I wondered what was so remarkable about that since, well...I have six kids....they're all cute....and I'm only....well...skip the 38 years old part.

So, I looked a little confused and replied, "I have six kids you know."  And she said, "Well, she birthed all of hers.  There is a difference."  Now, I am not a very good bluff.  I'm sure she saw the surprised look on my face because she repeated herself, "There is a difference."  I just looked at her and didn't really know what to say.  Those words made me feel that I somehow had to prove myself as a mom.  Was it a competition?  Childbirth vs Adoption?  Thoughts ran through my mind and I wondered if there really was a difference.  I thought about my babes that I lost at birth, Ashton, Grace, Ben, and Rachel.  I turned to A Friend and shared that little bitty fact with her.  She replied, "I didn't know."  How could she know?  It is not something I go around telling people.

That short five-minute conversation keeps popping into my mind.  It is amazing how a simple comment can affect someone and cause their thoughts to go in all different directions.  Is a mom, who has never given birth, less of a mom to her two, five, six, or even ten adopted children?  Do those children not count on the scale of "mommy-hood"?  Is giving birth some sort of badge of honor and those who are not successful doomed to wear a scarlet letter their entire life?  Is it the physical act of childbirth and the passing on of our genetic traits that makes someone a mom?  Or is it the raising of a child that makes someone a mom?

I've always heard that DNA doesn't make someone a mom or dad.  To me that is absolutely true.  I guess I just have different eyes when it comes to mommy-hood.  It is not the nine months of work up through the birth of the child that makes someone a mom.  It is that mom's entire life of self-sacrifice, prayer and devotion to her children that makes her a mom.

"Mommy-hood"

 

New Threads

When Seth stopped playing in leather breeches, coonskin hat, leather gloves, and cowboy hats, I packed them up, hoping one day that he would want them for his own little boy.

Last week as I was rummaging through the tubs of "stuff", some little one was tagging along with me.  Once she saw all that fun looking stuff, she asked to play with it.  And, after promising me she would take care of her big brother's stuff, she picked out her favorites.

I went onto explain to her that she was wearing real leather.  Then I had to explain what real leather was.  Her response was priceless.

"You mean I'm wearing dead animals?"  Yes, Eva, you are.

She Turned Eleven

Wow!  That seems so strange to even write the title to this post.  Yes, I  have an 11 year old daughter.  When you're adopted at age 7.5, age 11 gets here rather quickly.  It was a pleasant day.  Big brother started off wrapping her gifts that he bought.  He wasted a ton of paper because he wasn't interested in making it look pretty.

If you were an 11 year old, which gift looks more appealing?

Jordan always wraps beautifully.

Remember those cool pens that has about 10 different colors?  I always loved them.  Jordan found one for her.

Then she opted for the ridiculously-rich dirt cake.  Yum.

Ivy had her school pictures taken yesterday at co op.  As she sat there on that stool, she looked so long and thin....and old.   No more baby pudgy cheeks. 

Remember how her cheeks looked?

Time is rushing by...