Latest on the Fam

Sophia's "Pee-pee Party" for the first night she went all day on the potty!
Ahnika with big sis' Michelle. These two are inseparable when she visits!
Isn't she a sweet baby?
Ahnika loves to go under water. She is a little fish.
These guys crack me up in the pool. How is it we have gone two years with only a broken collar bone and 5 stiches. You would think with 4 boys we would have more!

We have been so busy lately with kids, work, family, urg! Where does time go. The boys are loving having Kev watch them this summer. They go to the free movies, water slides, pool, trampoline, the mall, video games, etc. Of course, after chores, reading and work books. I am still a mom you know! The girls LOVE their new "school". They sing songs, quote stories from the bible, their tempers are better, and the biggest news - Sophia is potty trained! Yeah!

Our biggest news, however, is there is another Christ follower in our home. Kevin accepted Christ while being a leader at our churches middle school camp. I wasn't there, but George was there to share with him. He gets baptized on August 24 and his girlfriend Mikaya is the weekend before. This was such an answer to prayer. We have been praying for years for him. I can't wait to see what God does with him!

We head off to Camp in the next couple of weeks. I am so excited! We are spending a few days in Seattle before Camp. We went last year to camp and it was awesome. They have counselors for each of kids and so we get free time most of the day. It is such a blessing. Plus I get to see and meet some other adoptive families I have known through email.

We just keep plugging away at life. Some days are easier than others, for sure. But in the end, who could have asked for a better life than what God has given us. We also just got news from a friend that my Ethiopian boys' grandmothers are doing well. George and I are praying for the opportunity to travel there next year to visit them and to visit all of our other dear friends. I miss Ethiopia. Ahnika's grandmother sent us a beautiful dress and scarf for her. I am so blessed to have the children I have. God gave me the sweetest things in the world. I get so stressed some times, but then I really do try to sit back and realize, this is so short and I just need to enjoy EVERY moment. Even the tantrums, smart mouths, $0 balance checking account, mac n cheese for dinner - again, yelling, dogs barking, laughter filled, smiles, tears, accidents, hockey games, trampoline, water wars, nerf dart wars, spilled juice, etc. etc. are all gifts from God, and I need to enjoy them.

We live in such a society that breeds being the best, the fastest, the prettiest, the richest, etc. But really, why should we? Does it really change the outcome of our lives? God's design was not for that. I want to be simple with my life and to get rid of this flesh once and for all. But it cries out for more and more. What if I had nothing, like my little kids' families? What if I had to dig through the garbage for tomatoes like Caleb did at the age of 3? Or walk a mile a day to the market to sell potatos like Giovanni did at the age of 4? And I whine because I wish I had more money. I am shameful. God, give me the grace to love what I lack and embrace humbleness. When will it all be enough that we finally say - get rid of it all! I pray soon. My heart breaks as hear more and more about the famine in Ethiopia. What will become of my children's birth families? How can I help them? What about the disease that is destroying a nation? What can we do to help?

I know I will be praying for the famine, HIV/AIDS, my kids' birthfamilies, my family, and all of our future. There is so much more we can do. Lets stand together to do this!