Hello...

Hello dear friends.  It has become so hard for me to have the time to blog!  And I hate it.  I have always enjoyed this creative outlet and also just "communicating" with my friends and family.  Nights I used to steal to have some blog time are now full of games and bedtime routines followed by me falling into bed as early as possible.  Days are quickly spent by going to free movies, the pool, laundry, cleaning, crafting, gardening, errands, school time, and the occassional nap!  I did actually hunker down a week or so ago and read a book in four days!  Oh sweet memories of when I always had a book OR two going!

Abby is doing well.  She had a seizure yesterday at 4:45 a.m. but it had been since May 26 that she had one and another month before that!  So one a month right now is great.  I am really also trying to help her learn to read this summer.  We work on sight words and a reading program about every other day and she is retaining some of it... that's the biggest problem.  So we are hopeful for her.  We are also decreasing her Klonapin in hopes to get her OFF.  It is the third seizure drug she is on and was supposed to be short term... four years ago... like only be on it one year... short term!  It's very addictive and any time we have tried to decrease it... seizures just erupted.  So we are decreasing it VERY little at a time and just covering her in prayer.  Your prayers for the removal of this drug would be so much appreciated.  We are praying for what is true in heaven to be true on earth... Abby is healed in heaven... we are praying for God's truth to come down from heaven and cover her here.  THANK YOU.

On another note, Abby has decided she wants her old room back.  This creates a MASSIVE project for me as the closet in that room is the ONLY place I have to store things like craft stuff, extra pillows, wrapping paper/bags, pictures not on the wall right now, sewing machine and sewing supplies, fabric, baby crib that was my grandmothers' and made by my great grandfather, you know... all THAT stuff.  SOOOOO... I am in organizing mode big time... with some purging as well!  In all my extra time, of course!  Abby and Brenda still get along great but it is a good idea that they have their own space.  There is such a gap socially and emotionally between them.  Abby needs to have all her toys around her and a place where everything there is hers.  Brenda needs a place to spread a puzzle out and not worry about it being bothered and to sit and read.  It would have been ideal to have them in one room... but we are now going to full occupancy!

Brenda is doing great.  Her english just amazes us and every one else.  She is reading english readers all by herself now.  She'll go through a magic tree house book in one day!  I love it.  Now that her vocabulary is good and her comprehension is good, we are going to be working on spelling this summer.  The hardest part is that the pronunciation of "i" in latvian is "e"... and "a" was something else so when we are spelling and I say "i", she'll write an "e"... it's hard on her little brain!  But once she see's it, she almost always notices it doesn't look right and catches herself.  "S" is also "C" and that one trips her up a lot too.  BUT she is a super fast learner!  I am so proud of her.  

She is very helpful, so sweet and kind with Marc and super patient with Abby.  She just amazes me.  We are hoping so badly that our next trip to Latvia will be at the end of July/very first of August.  We really need it to happen before school starts here so we can get her into school.  So you can pray about that for her/us! 

Marc, Marc, Marc.... we are having a trying time with him right now.  He is SUPER UBER SO SUPER HYPER EMOTIONAL and it is REALLY REALLY hard for me.  His language is just slow coming and he just cries and is in an emotional breakdown MOST OF THE TIME.  I am in prayer all the time for wisdom, grace, patience, energy, strength, and hope in how to be a good mother for him.  I am so exhausted with it.  I need a good book on how to raise a toddler that cries all the time.  I need to google it.  I am trying hard to teach him to "get his emotions under control" and to know when it is appropriate to cry and when to simply use words.  My biggest prayer requests for him is for healing of spirit, loosening of the tongue with an outflow of language, and self control.  He also still has little control when it comes to eatting.  And oh yeah... he still won't play by himself most of  the time.  Any prayers you want to offer up here are very welcomed!

Here I am with my new hair cut.  It's pretty short.  It super super easy (done in 5 minutes, dried and fixed!)and usually looks good.  And even though I do love it, I think I want a little longer length version of it... which should arrive in about 6 more weeks maybe!  I am a hair nightmare.  I never like my hair.  Never have.  It's a lie from the enemy and you think I would be over it by now... right!? lol

I am overwhelmed with trying to figure out how to run a household and manage three children... well.  It was a big jump to go from one to three in one year... and it hit when school was out.  AND that (school) gives me light at the end of the tunnel.  In August, both girls will be in school and Marc will be in school twice a week.  I'll actually have some time to myself again and I think that will help bring about some balance.  I am also learning that I don't have to entertain them all the time!  I had my AH HA moment and am going with it.  "Find something to do" is now an active part of my vocabulary instead of "how about you play with play dough", or "how about we play this game", or "let's do a craft"!"  It's working better for all of us. And we totally still do stuff together... but not all day anymore!

Here are some pictures from Brenda's birthday party... long over due of course.  My mom came and she made these gorgeous cupcakes for her.  It was so nice to have her here.  I love and miss you Mom!

I love this picture... one of my favorites ever!

And lastly, but NOT least, this is my precious Campbell.  She is my friend.  She is like a sister.  She is like a daughter.  I adore her.  I admire her.  I respect her.  And I love her.  She has become a big part of our family ever since she became my one employee with Georgia Jewels.  That's when we really talked and bonded.

She house sits, dog sits, and baby sits.  Last week she gave us a night of free babysitting, because she knows how much money we are spending on this adoption. And I think she may be really worried I am going to sell a kidney!  Because of her free babysitting, Don and I went to dinner (with a gift card from a friend I had from my BIRTHDAY in February) and ate free... then went to the Atlanta Braves game and had FUN.  It was a MUCH NEEDED NIGHT.  THANK YOU.  We have no family here and never have the gift of free babysitting! 

On top of that, Campbell has a love for the Lord that just makes me smile in my heart.  She has a hunger to draw closer to Him and experience ALL of Him.  She is not content to be like other young people.  This is an example of her heart.  She had a yard sale, made a lot of money, and then gave it to our friend who is hosting a child from Latvia this summer.  She could have used that money to buy new clothes, new music, go out with friends, or take it on her two week trip to CA... but no... she gave it to someone in need who is doing an amazing thing.  

She also took the beautiful top three pictures of the kids with the sunflowers as a gift for me.

Campbell, even though this little bio of you may embarrass you a bit... I ADORE you and love you crazy.  I think you rock in many, many, many ways.  You are like no other young person I have known.  You inspire me and I LOVE that you spend time with our family and that my girls get to see you... and see Christ in you.  I want them to grow up and be just like you.  I also want you to quit school and move in and be my fourth child... but we can't have everything can we!

I love you and I hope your trip to CA is amazing this weekend and for the next two weeks.  

Toodles...

And then there was More...

There was a storm last night.  Our neighbor's beautiful pear tree was split in two and now lies over his yard.  Our dinning room ceiling leaked again, big time, turning the floor into a mini pool.  Then I awoke this morning to frantic cries across the seas that D and B were having problems getting home.  Imagine that... really... no way... not problems!? 

When they changed B's ticket from Amsterdam to Munich on the way over there... they changed both legs instead of just one.  So there they stood in Amsterdam, (which Abby calls Hamsterdams) on the way back, with B's ticket leaving from Munich.  And of course no one there would/could change it.  The friend who booked B's buddy pass ticket is on vacation (also of course)... but DID call me back from a fishing boat in the ocean off Myrtle Beach!  We did get the password and info needed and another friend (also a Delta pilot... thank you Jamie) used it to rebook her ticket out of Amsterdam (ANOTHER CHANGE FEE AND INCREASE IN PRICE) and then booked Don a ticket as well.

I THINK they are boarding in 30 minutes to fly home.  If there are no more frantic cries... I guess I'll be picking them up tonight! :0)

In the meantime, I am listing a kidney for sale on ebay and Craigslist if anyone wants first dibs!  And then I am booking a room in a far distant land (that I can get to by car, of course!) to retreat to for a week.

Bumps in the road

Well, the adventure of getting D and B to Latvia was just that... an adventure!  We have to make four of these trips, two people on two and three people on two.  You can imagine what fair is to Europe booked at the last minute after getting court dates... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

So B had a buddy pass on Delta and Don was flying on his flight benefits... a great blessing... IFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF there are seats.  They were just trying to get to Europe (Amsterdam) where we had bought tickets to get from there to Riga.  After sitting at the airport all day on Saturday TRYING to get out of the country to ANYWHERE in Europe that Air Baltic flew out of, I was driving back home with them at 2 a.m.

Sunday, they were able to get to Munich.  I was supposed to then get online and rebook the Air Baltic tickets from Amsterdam to flying out of Munich.  It wouldn't let me.  So when they landed and Don saw they weren't changed... he tried to change them at an Air Baltic counter and they wouldn't let him either and we had to buy more tickets out of Munich to Riga.

Then Monday morning Abby had to have a tooth pulled at $150.  Then I made a Costco run and we won't even put that total in here.  AND THEN MONDAY AFTERNOON the AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT!

Abby and Marc and I slept downstairs in the living room with a fan blowing on us in our 85 degree house.  Then I called the wrong air conditioning company (our old one) after finding the wrong document in the house maintenance file.  Then I called the right one this morning to find out our contract with them ran out LAST MONTH.  So I called the other back who was here at 8 a.m. and they had us fixed in 15 minutes at another $150.

When it rains, it storms!  Mercy.  But we have cool air and a fridge full of food!  And Don and B made their scheduled court appearance.  I am waiting to hear from them via email.  And I did get to take the kids to a free movie this morning.  Since it is now 98 degrees outside with a heat index of over 105, we'll be staying inside our nice 76 degree house today!  I feel some cool naps coming up in the forecast!

A Journal Entry

Oh, where to start?  I am in a funk again.  It happens ever so often when I am depleted and simply worn out.  I don't like feeling this way.  I wish I could just open a small compartment, change my batteries, and turn the power back on.

In one year, we have moved, done a lot of work to our new home, adopted a child, hosted and are adopting another one, changed churches, lead a small group with our church, I've lead a women's Bible study, had some home schooling going on, started a garden, gone vegetarian, and made some new friends.  

Going from one to three children in one year is enough to stretch the brain.  But one being special needs, another learning the language and culture, and one crying every time you look at him funny or say no... has really mentally exhausted me.

Two days ago, I walked from the office to the kitchen and lost a piece of adoption paperwork that was in my hand.  Yeah.  I looked under the table, in all the folders on the table amidst the 60 pages of paperwork in each one, and could not find this one piece I had just held in my hand.  I simply laid my head down on the kitchen table and sobbed.  It was such a release.  Can you even imagine how VERY SICK AND TIRED I am of writing the same thing over and over and over and over and over again for different agencies and offices and countries on their own forms and then making a certain number of copies of those 9000 documents to be notarized and apostilled and then mailed with specific cover letters to specific places in the specific order with the specific amount of money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????????  Can't we just do it ONCE AND SHARE IT ALL WITH EVERYONE!!!!!!!!! (look, I am having another mini-break down right here... right now.... :0)

So I am TRYING so hard to get a handle on life and get a new balance going.  I have read a book this week and watched two movies with one more to go tonight!  I have taken two naps in the middle of the day too.  AND... I took a day off and was gone from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  It helped... but I need more.  A little more time to just be a girl... to just be me for a few more hours.

I need some filling and rest in the presence of my Father.  I need to have quiet time with Him each morning.  That is my quest next week.  Quiet time in His presence.  I also need to start journaling again, taking pictures again, and blogging more.  There simply is just not enough time for me anymore.  I have to create it.

Thank you for letting me whine.  I have to download every now and then.  Plus, it helps me remember I am only human!  Now Abby, Marc and I are off for some shrimp fajitas with my precious Campbell and then to Blockbuster for a movie!  Don and B left today for their first adventure to Latvia.  This is the first of four trips.  This trip will be short as we are just returning B to her native country to get another 90 day visa!  She and Don will be back Tuesday!

Much love...

We are so destructive, please pray.

My heart is breaking.  Anger rages through me.  Sorrow lies in my soul.

These images are not pretty.  These images are just the tip of the iceberg... just

glimpses of the darkness that is to come... for years.

These innocent animals are in such distress.  God's creation just destroyed by man.

It infuriates me... man's greed and complete disregard for nature.

I know this was an accident.  This type of accident, oil spill, has happened again and again.

There were precautions that could have been taken.  And they weren't.

And it s-t-i-l-l continues to pour into our ocean.  It s-t-i-l-l continues to flow.

It can become distant to us... unless we are planning a trip to the beach.

That is why I am posting these pictures.  It may be distant to you... to me... but it is not

distant to the birds, the crabs, the fish, the sea turtles and the dolphins... I couldn't bring

myself to post the picture of the dead dolphin. 

Please pray.  I know I often request things of you.  And I am begging

you to pray.  Pray for wisdom to be given to the ones involved in the effort to

stop the spill, to clean it up, and to prevent future events.  Please pray for volunteers

to rescue and clean animals.  Please pray for God's hand to be on the animals.  Please 

pray for the people who are losing their income as the ocean is polluted.  Please pray

for the cities that are losing tourism, jobs, and income.  And please pray that our God

will have mercy on man... that He will prick hearts, kill pride, destroy greed and convict souls.  

Please pray the millions of gallons of oil will STOP FLOWING.

God hears our prayers... and He answers them.  God can heal and restore.

Can you imagine...?

I was looking at one of my favorite blogs this morning and stumbled across this picture.  It just caused me to pause... long... and tempted me to imagine what it would be like to awake each day and walk into this living room.  Someone gets too.  Or at least when they visit this one of ten homes.  I'd never leave my house.  Can you imagine?  I mean seriously, the ENTIRE wall opens up to the ocean and sand.  I can just smell the wonderful salt air, hear the rolling crash of the waves, and feel the fresh breeze!!!! 

And of course there is more.  Here is the bedroom.  It just leaves me speechless... and that is hard to do!

It also leaves me with a rush of mixed emotions.  There is the sudden glimmer of peace mixed with sadness... sadness that I will never even vacation in such a place, much less live there!  The peace these photos just express by their very being makes me want to crawl right into the photograph!  It's amazing that just looking at such photos can actually make you feel peace and calm... serenity.

Then reality screams and jumps right back into my brain.   Reality that I can't even seem to get my house organized.  I have closets that would suck you in if you stood before them too long, drawers that would grab your fingers, boxes that would chase you down the hallway... if you came across them!  Hey!!  Maybe I could hire a staff and then I can have a house that looks like this... oh yea... forgot about all the money I'd need to do any of that... hmmmmm....

So I am trying hard... trying so very hard to slow down and get caught up on life.  It makes me tired just thinking about it.  But today is a day of rest.  And I am going to try and rest! 

Happy Birthday B

Today is our daughter's birthday.  She is eleven.  It's our first birthday with her.

Today, eleven years ago, our daughter was born and started her journey to us.

Eleven years ago, Don and I were going through a very hard time in our relationship

and our engagement was about to be over... we were just days away from breaking up.

Eleven years ago, God knew what He had planned for all of us.  He knew the child

He had for us.  He knew the growth we'd need to get us there.

Eleven years ago, God placed B on a path to us, to find Him, to know Him, to see Him, and to love Him.

Eleven years ago, God starting changing our lives to know Him in a way we could never imagine!

I am so humbled, blessed, thankful, amazed, broken, uplifted, encouraged, and in love... my God totally rocks... and so does our precious, courageous, and beautiful B.