Do You Want to Laugh??

I recently was directed to a fantastic blog and I really think you are missing out if you haven't read it yet. It's called "Stuff Christians Like." I promise that at some point you will read something that makes you pee in your pants (unless you are into daily kegel exercises - only then are you safe).

Here's the link: http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/

Now, I will give a disclaimer. If you are super churchy, you will probably be offended. And I think it's a good thing for super churchy people to be offended, so please read it anyway.

Poor Air Quality

There is a fire burning in North Carolina, about an hour south of where we live. The fire is burning peat moss in the ground, and until we get tropical storm force rain, the fire will continue to burn. This has caused a lot of smoke in our area here in Virginia. Sometimes the smoke is so strong that visibility is poor, depending on how the wind is blowing.

**Update**
This morning I learned that the smoke we're experiencing is actually from a fire burning here in Virginia in The Great Dismal Swamp (sounds spooky, doesn't it?). So, the fire is burning a lot closer than I thought, though we are not in any danger. The NC fire is also still burning, but apparently our current smoky air is not from that fire.

Most people complain about it. It's a common topic of discussion. Asthma sufferers need to stay indoors. The smell of smoke is sometimes so strong that it can be smelled inside our house.

And Chuck and I LOVE it. We love it because it smells like Haiti. Not only does it smell like Haiti, but since it's been like a bajillion degrees out with nearly 100% humidity, it FEELS like Haiti, too. While others are holing themselves up in their houses to get away from the acrid smell, Chuck and I make some smoothies and sit on our screened porch and sweat and think about Haiti.

Seriously, when I'm outside with the heat beating down on me and the smoky air surrounding me, I smile.

Gosh, I love Haiti.

6 Word Meme

I got tagged by Ginny to do a 6 word meme. I don't know what a meme is and apparently Webster doesn't either because it's not in the dictionary. In Ginny's post it says something about summing up my life in 6 words, so I'm going with that idea.

Here are the rules I was given:
1. Write your own six word memoir.
2. Post it to your blog including a visual illustration if you would like.
3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post.
4. Tag 5 more blogs with links.
5. Don’t forget to leave a comment in the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

So, my 6 words are: LIVING A LIFE I DON'T DESERVE.

Okay, so I realize some of you may disagree or think I have too hard of an outlook on things and that's fine for you. I'm not posting this for a theological debate, rather this is the truth that I live by.

Until I was 22 I lived the most selfish and self-centered life I possibly could. Everything was about me and if you got in the way of that, watch out!

At 22 I was introduced to the idea that maybe my drinking was a problem, so with some help, I quit. At 24 I was introduced to Jesus in a way that I could understand and made the decision to follow Him. I don't do it gracefully and I mess up a lot, but my whole life is different now in such a good way.

The Bible talks about sin and the repercussions for sin. I sinned a whole lot before I knew Jesus and I still do. The difference now is that when God sees me, He sees Jesus standing in for me. And Jesus was perfect - He did not ever sin. That means that God sees me free of sin. Pretty cool if you ask me.

I have no doubt that all of the goodness in my life today is a direct result of a relationship with Jesus. Yes, sometimes I'm a better person than I used to be, but not always. I still mess up and make mistakes. But God keeps pouring out His wonderful blessings on me. And you know what? I just don't deserve it. I don't. God has blessed me and my family and taken care of me and my family in such loving, tender ways. He meets my needs. He brings me comfort during sorrow. He has made so very many wonderful promises to me and He has and will fulfill them. I have done nothing close to deserving His favor, yet He pours it out on me.

So that's my 6 word meme, whatever the heck a meme is!

And I'm a rule breaker when it comes to these things... So I'm not tagging anyone. I would challenge you to think of your own 6 word memoir and blog about it, though!

Things Are Coming Together

Things are really coming together for us around here.Lately I've been given a lot of hand me down clothing and baby equipment and it has truly been a blessing. Thank you to everyone who has given us stuff!Yesterday we got an infant car seat, and now I feel really relieved. They won't let you leave the hospital without one, so now I feel like we can really have this baby.Tonight a friend offered me her boppy, bumbo, and breast pump. Such blessings!!I'm getting more and more excited and nervous about meeting Tristan.We are also getting really close to the homecoming of our adopted children, and we are just about ready for them, too.We've been busy around here, but it's a good kind of busy. I have a doctor's appointment in the morning and I'll post if we learn anything interesting.

OH MY GOSH!!

It happened, it really happened!

We received MOI approval yesterday!

We are in shock. They are coming home soon!

How soon you ask? My best estimate would be at least a month, more if we run into any problems.

Oh, thank you, Jesus!!

God is being truly hilarious in the timing of all this. I can't go into detail now, but I will when I can. Our God is an awesome God and a very funny God, too!

Huge Bummer

It didn't work out for Chuck's parents to stay in Virginia, so they are heading back to California.

We are, of course, totally bummed by this.

If you could, please keep Ron and Suzy in your prayers as they travel back to CA. And pray for us, especially Chuck. We were so excited to have them here and have grandparents close by for our boys.

Thanks.

Sorrow

Our adoption journey has been a long, winding journey that has spanned 3 years. In May of 2005 God spoke to Chuck and I about adoption. Shortly after we opened our hearts to that idea, we were told of a baby that had been born at a mission in Haiti who needed a family. Chuck and I of course didn't think much of it at the time, but that all changed a few months later.

In July I went to Haiti, specifically to that mission. Three months earlier we had gone through a miscarriage and my heart still hurt deeply. While I was in Haiti I met baby Jabez and God used him to minister to my broken heart and to speak clearly to me about adopting from Haiti. I came home from Haiti knowing that we were to adopt from Haiti and that the time was now.

We waited to find out what would happen to baby Jabez. We needed to wait for him to be placed in an orphanage so that we could align ourselves with that orphanage. To make a long story short, Jabez was never placed in an orphanage that would adopt out children to the US and eventually the missionaries who were present from the day of his birth decided that they would pursue adopting him.

We were sad, but also happy that all along he'd been with the people who would be adopting him. The day after the Lord closed the door on Jabez for us, we received the referral for the twins.

I have kept contact with Jabez's parents, who serve in Jacmel, Haiti. I have watched him grow up in pictures and videos. He has a very special place in my heart. God brought me such healing through him during a very hard time and he is what led us to our beautiful sons.

Jabez's path has not been easy. The circumstances surrounding his birth were tough and left him with some special needs. He has struggled with illness repeatedly.

This afternoon I went to the blog that his parents, Danny and Leann, keep and learned that Jabez passed away this morning. I'm shocked and sad. I'm also so happy that he is now with Jesus and no longer has special needs or health problems.

Please lift up Danny and Leann, as well as all the kids and staff at the children's home that they run. Jabez was a very special part of their lives and I can't imagine their grief right now.

Waiting...

...for our monthly pictures.

...to hear we are out of MOI. I'm going to step out on an emotional limb and say that I really feel like we will be out soon. I feel the same sense of anticipation that I felt in the days leading up to learning we were out of IBESR.

Hopefully I will post good news and pictures SOON!!

Ouch!!

For three nights now I've woken up in the middle of the night to terrible pain in my right hand, wrist, and arm. I'm quite positive that it's pregnancy induced carpal tunnel syndrome. I've been treated for minor CTS in the past, but I've never experienced the numbness and pain like I am now. It is agonizing and nothing I've tried so far (other than praying) has eased the pain. I'm fine when I'm up and awake. I have some numbness and tingling, but not anything like what I experience at night.A year or so ago I gave away the splints that I got back when I was treated for CTS. Today I asked the person I gave them to if I could borrow them for a few months since she's not using them.Of course I'll talk to the doctor at my next appointment, which is Wednesday. If any of you have any suggestions for me, please post them in the comments section. I'll try anything!

Garden Update

Today Chuck weeded the garden for me. He is awesome. It was like 100 degrees out and the garden was infested with weeds. He is such a good husband!

He came in to tell me that we had some red tomatoes. Sure enough, there were 3 red cherry tomatoes. I picked them, washed them, and then coaxed Chuck into eating one. Chuck hates tomatoes. He says they taste like fart. I don't even know why he knows what farts taste like, but that's his deal. Anyway, he said, "It's the best tomato I've ever had."

7 out of 8 pepper plants have peppers growing on them. The cucumber plants have really taken off, but I don't see any cucumbers yet.

So, apparently my black thumb isn't so bad after all!

Bonus Pictures

Gotta love it when you get a few bonus pictures...

Both are of Noah. Samuel was sleeping.