THE FAMILY JEWELS

 Several years ago, Aunt Carla purchased these for us for Christmas.... We still have them.
Today, Miss Alli was in a bit of a "mood" and talked back.  When I asked her to please not talk
back, she said, "I can't help it! I can't just NEVER talk back....."    It was one of those moments of being right and WRONG!
Yes dear, I understand that you will most likely have another moment of talking back, but that does not mean you can INDULGE just because you know it will happen again.

So, I asked her to sit down by me. I was not prepared to speak, and I needed her to patiently wait until I could come up with some sort of wisdom to impart to her.  She sat, and waited..... I asked her..... "Do you know what it is to be punished?"  She said yes! I was punished ALL the time before!
UGH

No, I mean do you know what it is to be punished properly?  She said no....... (me digging hole)

So, why was  I headed down the punishment road?  Most likely because I was irritated.
 And that is not a reason to punish.

Which brings me to why I don't really punish..... HOWEVER, we do discipline! 

Having her sit next to me and patiently wait, was most likely the best thing, because she calmed down.  She also saw that I don't always have instant answers.......

I figured some humor was needed, so I asked her....."Miss Alli, have you ever viewed the Family Jewels?"  She said, no....insert  puzzled look....
So I got out the jewels from my desk drawer where they have been nestled for years. :)  I carefully opened the box and said, "THESE are the FAMILY JEWELS!"
I lowered my voice to a "MYSETERIOUS and SERIOUS" tone and whispered, "watch carefully".....
I took the jewels into my hand and rotated them around and she could hear them make music.... and then I said, "A-HA!  I've got it!"
She had a surprised look on her face! "What mama!"
How about if YOU don't talk back to mama! How about if you DON'T use excuses when you do and instead say, 'I'm Sorry! And also ask the Lord to help you!"
She had this big smile and said, Ok mama.

I placed the jewels back into the container and then Miss Alli gave me a hug and said, "Mama, I really am sorry! I don't know why I did that. I'll try harder."

And that is ALL I wanted to hear. :)

And then she asked.... "Can I hold those?"   LOL

Martian Child! Watch It!

This movie is one of our favorites. There is so much we can identify with. :) It is based upon a true story, and in the special features of the DVD, you meet the real Martian Child, who is now a well adjusted adult. :)
Why do I love this movie so much?  For several reasons....

1. It gives parents who have difficult children HOPE
2. It is realistic in what happens to children who have been traumatized.
3. It covers MUCH of the opinions of people who do not understand adoption.
4. It shows how unconditional love can HEAL.

It is rated PG, and we DID allow our girls to see it.   If your children are struggling,  it might be too much for them. 
This is a movie I think should be a pre requisite for every parent to see BEFORE they adopt.

Tonight We Celebrated!

Would you believe I forgot my camera!!!!!

Oh well.  Tonight we celebrated Alli's adoption finalization!  She picked the famous "Chuck E Cheese" for her celebration. :)

Before we went, we had a bible study at the local Nursing Home. Mike is such a great leader. He spends wonderful time with several people there who cannot get out for worship service, every Sunday evening.

Chuck E Cheese was open until 10:00, so we stayed the entire time!  The girlies had a great time, and I actually played some games. :) 

MYSTERY SOLVED!

Last night I wrote about the "Mysterious Nibbler".
I concocted a plan to find out "who" it was.
This a.m. I asked, "Who would like a piece of chocolate!"
Erika came running, Sarah came running.... and then Sarah saw the package and said,
"EWWW! Not that kind!"
HA! CAUGHT!
MUG SHOTS FIRST! :)

And then.... my little sweetie. :)  She said when we were watching Sense and Sensibility the other day she asked if she could have chocolate and I said yes. The only chocolate left was that kind. EWWWW.
Ummm. next time, can you throw the 1/2 eaten part away?  yes. Problem solved....

Wow, I wish it was that easy to catch a mouse! :)

MYSTERIOUS NIBBLERS

 I  had to laugh when I opened the fridge and saw this!  Now I am not sure WHO it is.... but I have my suspicions based upon the teeth marks in the chocolate!  Somehow, the little darling didn't look closely enough at the package to see:

UNSWEETENED! LOL

So they left it there, to be rejected and uneaten...... Now, when I was a child, I would have never done something like that! NO! I went straight for the butter!  I could never figure out how my mom knew I had bitten butter.... (of course I was much younger)  The gap in my teeth led my mom to the culprit every single time!

I think I might ask anybody if they would like some chocolate tomorrow and hold up the package. The person who says "NO!"  They will be my guilty party. LOL

A Passage

Anna and Sarah are both 12.  They decided that it was time to have their ears pierced.  They had mentioned it before, and played around with clip on earrings for a long time.... but today was the day.
After daddy made sure they understood that true beauty comes from inside, and while there is nothing wrong with wanting to wear earrings or look pretty; it is WAY more important that your hearts are pretty.

And then:  They went and had it done!  They did rock, paper, scissors to see who the first victim would be:
Sarah went first. :)

and then Anna:

I think they are both lovely inside and out! :)

CAUGHT

HA! I caught her in the act of delivering breakfast! :)  Thankyou!

PARENTING .....

One of the great things about being a parent; you never quit learning.  I have been learning to be a better parent for 32 plus years now, and I'm still learning. :)  There is always a way to improve, because there are always ways to fail!
Why are there always ways to fail?  Because Humans are Human! This means our kids fail AND we fail.
We are all in the same boat! And with my analogy from the other night on saying you are sorry; folks who know a water fall is coming, do everything they can to turn away from the danger!

In the same way, if one's parenting style is not working, ESPECIALLY with a child who has a trauma background, or emotional baggage or RAD, or any other label, it seems to make sense to do everything possible to NOT go over the epic waterfall!

If What you are doing is NOT working, then, how is doing the same thing, day in and day out going to change anything?
Time for a new way to think, and a new way to parent!

Obviously there are tried and true BIBLICAL objectives held in Scripture that we MUST obey and abide by.... "Be Kind!"  "A SOFT Answer turns away WRATH!"  "Fathers, DON'T Exasperate your children!"
"Father's Don't FRUSTRATE your children!"  (I did this one today) "Encourage one another" "Pray for one another!"  "Be patient" "Be forgiving" "Be long suffering"
 "Teach your children" "LOVE your children" "Be tender hearted"...... these are OBVIOUSLY parenting paradigms that are a must in the ole' tool box!  and the list goes on and on and on.......

It is so interesting how scripture does not say that you should be harsh with your children.
It does not say to lash out at them in anger.  It does not say to make them angry. It does not say to punish them for every wrong they do.  It does not say to yell at them. It does not say to be disrespectful to them or to take all of their rights away as a human being.  It doesn't say any of those things.
And  it CERTAINLY does not say to hit them with a wooden spoon, or punish them for not obeying the very first time.
What it DOES say to parents is to discipline them. To teach them, with the methods CLEARLY layed out in scripture on how to treat others.
Children are PEOPLE, not objects.   Sometimes I think people treat their animals better than their children.
God is our heavenly Father.  I have heard many times people say, "God spanks us"..... really? When?
How?  Are you talking about the loving correction of the Holy Spirit in our lives?  The conviction of the soul through the reading of the word?  There is correction in there, but it is a loving correction of a Father to His child. 

In teaching our children to love each other and to be loving, we MUST be that example to them.
Just as God has been that example to us.
Tonight, I think some of that teaching payed off.  Tonight I over heard Alli and Sarah talking.  Alli said something about her adoption being final and she wanted to celebrate.  Sarah said, "You know what Alli? Do you know what it means?  It means that you are my sister for EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER... and I'll love you FOREVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER......and there were a few more EVER's thrown in for good measure.
I called Sarah out of bed, and told her, "I am really so happy about what I heard you say to your sister tonight. :)"  She said, "Mama, she needed to hear it!"  :) And then I couldn't resist getting them both out of bed for a photo. :)

I think we ALL need to hear it again and again and again...... I really do!   "I love you FOREVER, FOREVER, FOREVER.... and MAKE IT SO!
 

Making Our World A Little Smaller

We have TOO MUCH STUFF!
It is an American problem I think..... But it is one that is a constant battle, and one I REALLY need to win.
So today, we tackled the girl's room.
I cannot believe how much stuff has been accumulated.  There is barbie stuff, clothing, inherited clothing, books, tapes, cd's, toys, art supplies, knitting yarn, sewing things, games......Really, when you think about it, how much STUFF does a person need?

When I was growing up, we had a VERY limited amount of personal things.  Pretty much, each person had enough stuff to fit into a small box.  This was a rather good idea!   It sure made it easy to keep things clean.

Today, I talked to the girls about making our world abit easier to manage. Too many things is not a good thing. They all agreed and we spent the day, a very HOT day, paring down on stuff mart.

Next, I'll work on my own personal stuff mart.  There is clothing I will NEVER wear, mostly.....
My goal is to have STUFF gone and a much more manageable household, by the time school starts.

That is a huge goal, since we start in 3 weeks. :)

DON'T FORGET!

Don't forget to thank your chicken today!  Yes, our famous back door chicken is now laying eggs on the front porch.... right on my table cloth! LOL 

Thank you Crazy Chicken! You saved me a trip to the coop. :)

"WELL I'M SORRY! vs..."I'm Sorry"

This was the talk of the evening.  What does it mean when you say you are sorry?  What is it to be "sorry"?
What is included in TRULY being Sorry?

We had this discussion tonight after Miss Alli's behavior exited stage left.   In trying to get her back on track, she continued to dig a deep hole of words with no meaning..... including "WELL I'M SORRY THEN! OK!"   ummm. no, not ok.

"YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME! YOU DON'T THINK I'M SORRY! as every fiber of her being is saying she isn't sorry, and there is not a reason to believe her. The VERY thing she is doing is what got her into hot water in the first place! LOL

This conversation went on for a while, and then I had enough. Time for bed. Of course there were the protests and then a few things flew off the bed.... and now into the abyss. They will not be back.
As we do not tolerate EVER throwing anything.  Anna learned this the hard way.... Apparently Miss Alli will have to learn it that way too.

So, after all was calm, and peaceful.... I asked to speak with her once again. This time we had a real conversation.  She went right back into defense mode.  I stopped her and let her know I was not going to tolerate another conversation like that.  And then I asked her.... "What does I'm sorry mean?"
She said, "It means I'm sorry!"  But what does it mean?  You know, it means I'm sorry!
Can you use another word? No
Can you describe what a sorry person means? No

So, I decided to try and explain to her what truly SORRY means.
I told her, if you are in a boat on a river and the river is about to end and there is a dangerous waterfall, the person in the boat would turn the other way and get away from the waterfall. They wouldn't say, "Yep, there's a waterfall and then just go over it!"

In the same way, if you are behaving in a certain way, and realize you are wrong and say you are sorry... you don't keep doing the same behavior!  You TURN the other way... you STOP the behavior that is wrong and behave differently.
It is called having a REPENTANT heart.  Somebody who repents of wrong, stops the direction they are going, and turns the other way.... they go from doing wrong, to doing right, just like the guy in the boat turns his boat around and goes away from danger to safety.

A person who is SORRY isn't going to say, "Well, I'm sorry then! and then have a bad attitude because they have been corrected!"  They are going to understand that they did wrong, REALIZE they are truly WRONG In their heart, feel BADLY about that wrong and tell the PERSON they wronged that they are TRULY sorry, they were wrong in what they did, how they acted or what they said, and then they will ask the other person to forgive them.  THEN... they will STOP the behavior and act in a way that is acceptable!

The reason dear I didn't believe you were sorry, was because You didn't ACT sorry. You weren't sorry.
You were angry at being corrected.  That is NOT sorry.

Now, do you understand what sorry is?  Yes.

And then we talked about how each of us fail each and every day, and only in a repentant heart can we try to do better. We cannot do it on our own. We need the Lord to help us...and He is the one we go to for strength to change our behavior.  HE changes us. We cannot change ourselves.
Alli believes this, yet falls back on old behaviors now and then.

I told her the most godly people there are, live a DAILY life of repentence before God.... we are ALL sinners in need of a Savior. Each of us....Mommy and Daddy included.

Coming to terms of the human condition, with a child who has a trauma background can be a very tricky walk.  Truth needs to be understood, yet the delivery of truth is so very important.
Getting to the truth and understanding it, is the pathway to healing.  Yes, you do things wrong, but our love for you does not change. Yes you sin, but God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse.
These truths, when they are embraced, HEAL.....

One Child At A Time

The big picture is overwhelming....  BUT..... Can we LOVE one Child at a Time?  Can we answer the CALL?   Don't forget God's Call to help the Widow and Orphan.....



I think sometimes we underestimate the Grace of the Lord Jesus in our lives. We underestimate the Power God gives us to press on through His Spirit.  We look at pictures of children who are deemed "less than" by society, and sometimes in our hearts we think..... "I can't!"  "Not me!"  What about later? What about the future?  What about my family?  What about my free time?  What about my outside activities? Would it be fair to my other family members?  and the thoughts go on and on and on.....

The one thing we forget to think about is the absolute BLESSING that a child who is "differently abled" brings to our lives.  We forget about the sweet smile... the response to our love....the little fingers wrapping around ours for the very first time. We forget that each little soul who seems lost in a sea of beds, is a PERSON... a very distinct person.... with thoughts and feelings and longings, no different than you or I.

What if it was YOU in that bed? What if it was YOUR SON or YOUR DAUGHTER in that bed?
Would you not want somebody to reach out and love them too?  What if YOUR child had a disability?
Mine did.  Mine do..... so what? 

Children with disabilities bring all sorts of things into a family. They teach us to love, to be more patient, to not take one BREATH for granted.  They teach us that some things just aren't that important. And they teach us that our IDEA or perception of PERFECTION is certainly not God's.

Erika and I recently heard somebody say something about children who are handicapped and she nearly cried.  It was all negative. So there sat my beautiful, sweet daughter, and this person equated her entire life to being a "pain". 
Maybe they didn't mean it in the manner they spoke it. Maybe they meant that there is heart ache in life.
This is true.  It is not easy seeing your daughter bravely go into an operating room with feet and come out without them.  It was a "painful experience", but it certainly does not define Erika. 

Erika is a JOY and so is Sarah;  and I bet many of the children and even adults seen on this video are also a joy.  It is all in how you view life.

If life is all about our own comfort and entertainment..... maybe we should re think what real life is all about.
Real life STARTS in Christ...... and then.... Oh boy! Hang on for the ride of your life. :)

Babies and Such

I was looking at the newest baby at church today. She is simply beautiful. She was resting peacefully in her mother's arms, snuggled against her chest, at perfect rest. 

When I see babies now, my thoughts are all over the place. Memories of my own babies come back to mind, and how peacefully my boys rested, snuggled comfortably in my arms.... memories of watching them breathe, memories of their first smile, first tooth, first coo, first word.... and I marvel that they are now a bunch of big hairy men! LOL

But then, my heart goes to my girls.  I don't have any memories of them being little. I have heartache for them, because each of them came from very difficult circumstances.  Their early lives are a mystery.
Who snuggled them? Did they love them? Did they let them sleep peacefully, listening to a heart beat? Did they pause and listen to their precious breath? 

NO. It didn't happen.

Our girls missed so much, it hurts to think about it.  Their early lives were already lived.... WITHOUT US!  Whaaa......   I didn't hear their first cries. I didn't comfort their little tears, or comfort them when they were sick or hurt.   They only had themselves. :(

And now, I can't think of what life would be like without each of them.   It SEEMS that they have always been here. The only memory that they haven't, is that I have no baby  pictures. :( 
It is as if that part of their lives is unaccounted for. It is very sad. 

I am so thankful they are home. I am so thankful they are happy and I hear joyful laughter and screams and squeals. I am so thankful that I can rock them even today.... and they don't seem to mind. :)
Yes, we joke that they came "potty trained and talking back"..... but there is pain there too.
I would have given my right arm, to have been their mama from the beginning.

I can see however, that God had different plans.  I don't know why....But HE does!  And he has chosen to take Ashes and turn them into beauty.......

And I get to watch it all unfold in my home.   Oh how thankful I am. :)

There's My Man

Yes, he is preparing for Winter. :)

and, yes, he has his Save the Squirrels T Shirt on, which means..... I need to fold the Laundry FAST! :)

You Know What Happens When You Assume!

Why do we assume????  I got caught into that today.  For 4 months now.... I have asked Miss Allie to brush her hair in the morning. Many times I'll get, "Ok, in a minute" and then, it is 10:30 and hair is a tangled mess.  So, then I have to say, "Alli, I really need you to get your hair brushed! Do you need mommy to do it?"  "No mama, I'll do it!" and then she does.

Today, I said, "You have not brushed your hair."  Her response.... "You didn't tell me to."

I then said, "I didn't know I was supposed to tell you to, I just figured you knew to brush your hair first thing in the morning when you get up."
She said,  "You never told me that. I didn't know I was supposed to."

And you know what! She is correct! I didn't ever say, "Every morning when you get up, you must brush your hair before you do anything else, or before breakfast."

I ASSUMED she knew.  She didn't. So for 4 months we have had this back and forth thing going on that I couldn't figure out.

She very matter of factly said, "Well, if it is what I'm supposed to do, and you tell me to to do it, I will." LOL

So, I said, Ok, "From now on, when you get up in the a.m., before breakfast, before you do anything else, I want  you to brush your hair and make it look nice for the day."

Her response?

Ok mommy. :)

We'll see what tomorrow brings. LOL

Good Friends, Old Friends, Friends of Friends :)

Our friends came over tonight to pick up a car that had been repaired.  We always love to see them.  They are really more like family. :)  Mike and I married 4 months before Mark and Faith... and Mike and Mark were room mates at a place that was dubbed "Haynes Home for the Terminally Single".... OBVIOUSLY they went out of business. LOL

 The young man in this photo is a family friend visiting from Germany. He had quite the audience of beautiful girls. :)

The kitties were especially interesting..... LOL

Catching GOOD Behavior

I have not posted much about this before, but figured now is as good a time as any. :)
When the boys were little, I used to WAIT to see them doing something good, such as: sharing, listening, obeying, making their bed, putting clothes away, doing a good job on a chore, etc.... and then I'd say something to them about it.  "Mama's really happy that you listened the first time!"  "Mama noticed what a great job you did on the dishes!" etc.
I am not talking about empty flattery.... or rewarding for nothing.... but just a recognition that somebody is making an effort.  It really is encouraging to them.
Many times our children's efforts are looked over and then we draw attention heavily to the unwanted behaviors.
I don't want the rocking chair to be used ONLY for direction, but also for spontaneous times and  closeness.

Today, I found the girlies doing all sorts of good things. They cleaned up, and Erika did laundry without being asked.  Alli and Sarah were playing really nicely together. Anna was sorting out clothing that was "acceptable vs. not acceptable" from the new bag of clothing we received today. :)
LOVE hand me downs!

They also had a really great time at Vacation Bible School.....
So, "Here is to Catching Good Behavior!" :)

Keep up the good work girlies! :)

Photo Contest

Erika is having a photo contest on her blog.  She asked me to post a favorite photo.  This is one of my favorites.... our 44.5 lb Turkey!!!! And yes, that is Erika standing behind him. :)

He barely fit into the oven on Christmas day.  But he sure did taste good! :)

One Of Those Wonderful Days

Today was just such a wonderful day.  We started out with Vacation Bible School. Erika, Anna and Sarah are all helpers this year, and Miss Alli, was in the 9-11 group.  Erika is a helper for her group, and she was very glad to have a sister with her.

Alli made a FRIEND! She was sitting and chatting with her, and they gave each other a hug before we left. Yea Alli!

After VBS, we headed to visit Mr. Charlie for his second birthday. He is SO cute. I just love that little guy.
On the way there, we had a VERY interesting talk in the van.... it was about babies and marriage.
Most of the girls do NOT want to have a baby because it will hurt A LOT. 

Sarah said, "I'm not going to marry, because if you sleep with your husband, you'll get pregnant!
Alli corrected her, "No, you have to do something else, not just sleep!"
Sarah said, NO! You just have to sleep!  LOL

Mommy interrupted and said, NO, you have to have sex. Yep, the S word. :)
There were giggles.... and then Anna piped up..... "Well, if you don't want to marry, and you don't want to have babies, but you want children; you can't argue with one that is already here!" LOL
So now, everybody plans to adopt.... and since you can SLEEP with your husband and NOT get pregnant, well, that is just a bonus. LOL

I have to say, I am much bolder with the girls than I was with the boys about this topic.  Somehow I got stuck on plants and fertilizer with the first group, and didn't explain things very well.   Looks of confusion abounded.  

Oh my.....

And then tonight..... Alli came and got in my lap in the rocker. She was in a very contented mood. She said, "Mama, I'm so glad all my paper work is done.... I'm so glad it is final. I was always worried I was going to have to go back, and now I know I won't have to.  I get to stay forever.  I trust you mama."

Her words sure did bring joy to my heart. :)  It was like fresh water flowing....... 

THE DAY AFTER

Today was the day after we found out that Alli's adoption was finalized.  We received the adoption decree and the certified ones are on their way!
Today, was a great day!
Alli attended her first Vacation Bible School at church and Erika was a helper in her class.  She had a really great time.
After VBS, we cleaned a bit and then headed to the Lake for a swim.

On the way home, the girls were all talking about BFF, ( Best friends forever) BFFL (best friends for life) and who their friends were.
Alli said, "I used to have a best friend. I left her in Oklahoma. I can't remember her name though."  She then very matter of factly said, "I'm kind of afraid to make a new best friend, because what if I have to move."

I thought she was very insightful to recognize that she was holding back because of being afraid of the pain of losing a friend.  This really made my heart happy to know she is recognizing this.
I told her that while my childhood was not the same, I could really understand where she was coming from.
I moved A LOT as a child, and each time we moved, left a broken heart of a relationship developed and then lost. :(  It still pains me.  Moving around  like we did, was not healthy, and there was a time where I thought to myself, "Why bother", I'll just have to move again.

I shared this with Alli, and then I was able to remind her of yesterday.  You are not going ANYWHERE! If anybody moves anytime soon, it would be somebody else, not you.
She smiled..... :)

I am so proud of her. She is trying so hard, and she is really trying to communicate better.  She is realizing how much of her language deficit she really has.  We are painstakingly working on explanation and being patient to work on getting words out.

We haven't read out loud together for a few weeks, and last night during family worship, each of us read 2 verses. I didn't realize how much her reading had improved until last night. She did a great job!

Tonight, blessed my heart as each of the girlies went to bed singing songs to the Lord.  I am at peace. :)

FINALLY FINALIZED!!!!

Miss Alli is OFFICIALLY and FINALLY a MINICH! :)

We just found out this a.m.  We are truly blessed!  4 boys and 4 girls.  Wow!  SO HAPPY for us, and especially for HER!
So Here is the order our girls have come in:

First there was one.

 And then there were two.

 And then there were three.

 And now there are FOUR!

When Older Acts Younger

We are going through the crazy play that much littler kids go through.  It is the typical tornado type play of much younger children when they are having GREAT fun, without the knowledge of destruction that they leave behind.....
Today, I followed a path of mudpies, cups left with water, a trash can lid filled with water, a bucket 1/2 filled with water and bugs and grass, clothing taken out of the closet for a possible "Fashion Show", the badmitton set left out, the hammock taken down, the dishes not done, hair not combed, teeth not brushed, bed not made, MY OWN CLOSET had things taken down, and things put in,  and somebody finally sitting at the computer for "computer time".......All of this was before noon.

It reminded me of my days when the boys were little. But I am not dealing with "little boys", but with a big girl.
Sometimes it is hard to remember that in many ways she is really "Little".... she goes back and forth with this.
Today, she is little....That does NOT mean she is not responsible to pick things up.... but it DOES mean that she is  unaware that her playful bliss,  isn't blissful for me. :) 

We had a serious talk about my closet.... Her reasoning:  "Well, why did you give up your closet it you didn't have any  room and have to use the guest room closet?"  UGH.... LOL  Yes, sometimes she just doesn't get it.
My answer.... "Because I love you; but that has nothing to do with you going into my closet to play." "You may NOT play in my closet."

I went ahead and cleaned up much of the mud stuff on my way to the trash can. My guess is she will not even notice. It has been 4 hours, and she has not noticed yet.  I needed to start somewhere, and I needed to also make sure she didn't get too overwhelmed. 
Some of this is my own fault, as I should have noticed right away the kind of day we were about the embark on, but I didn't.  It is MY lazy Monday.....

I am comforted to know this is just a season.  Anna used to do this very same thing and thoroughly enjoyed her imaginary cookies and baking and fake wood fire and mud pies and all the mess too.  She is much more grown up these days and does not embark on such adventures. :) 

I do know these times will pass, and honestly , I will not miss the mess... but there is only one time to have a childhood...it is when you are a Child and sadly,  much of Alli's childhood was stolen from her. 
So, while, yes, I get abit overwhelmed, I am also thankful that she is PLAYING and IMAGINING, and doing the things she missed out on for so very long.  I am thankful that when I spoke with her about what we are calling "The path of destruction", she came around after a few minutes and understood that she CAN play AND be a little neater. 
This will most likely be a work in progress for awhile.... but I am so glad she is able to go through that stage and we have enough space for her to explore.
And now, I need to go and clean my closet from all of my OWN junk..... LOL

Guess Who Got A Bath!

GUESS.... :)

And now he is worthy of hugs and kisses. :)

And Can It Be

This is one of my all time favorite hymns.  It was written by Charles Wesley.....
 

"My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose went forth and followed Thee."

ROOSTER COGBURN

Here is our newest little farm fellow Rooster Cogburn.  He is enjoying getting to know the ladies.
The girls are excited, because a rooster means BABIES!

SARAH THE POSITIVE!

I just love Sarah. I know I say that a lot, but it is TRUE! LOL
I love her spirit.... she is a sweet heart of a girl.  I know sometimes things can get frustrating.
She is having trouble with her leg again.
The week before camp, she had to be off of it and wear crutches due to swelling and redness.  I think the heat is wreaking havoc on her.  At camp there were a few other kids having the same issues.  She seemed to be able to wear her leg all week at camp and things had cleared up really nicely until yesterday!
UGH! Back to square one.  Well, maybe square 3. It isn't as bad as last time. She is learning to catch things early.  So, her face when I asked her to stay out of her leg today was that of resignation. :)
Here is a picture of the issue she is having.  It is all smothered in tri biotic... :) I have an obcession with that wonderful ointment...... we need stock.

 (picture posted with Sarah's permission)

And here is her beautiful face when I told her, after the ointment dries, she can wear her leg when we go shopping. :)

That's my positive girl! :)

Thoughts About Ilse

This is my favorite picture of my sweet little grand lady.  My Ilse Joy.... OUR Ilse Joy. :)  Ilse's other Ya-Ya, (gramma)  and I talked about the day she was born, and how we stayed behind in Emily's room and prayed together. We didn't know what the outcome was going to be.... we didn't know really what was going on, but what we DID know, is that GOD knows!  And we have a Heavenly Father that we can go to in time of need, and He hears our prayers and comforts us.

Ilse Joy is not a mistake. Ilse Joy has some very special needs. They are different from her Daddy's needs....from when He was a baby.  She is her own little person.
I like to see Ilse as I did Tim.

She is a precious Gift given to us.... and every day, we get to unwrap a new aspect of that gift.  She will be full of surprises for us her whole life, I am sure!  And we know that she will bring glory to GOD with her little life.
I am so glad that we finally got to bless her with gifts....After all, she is such a pretty little lady!

Lazy Days of Summer.....

 Anna loves reading

 

Alli loves Farming.

Erika loves playing with the dog.

Sarah loves playing the Electric Piano....