Do Not Be Troubled... BELIEVE.

Surprise! A blog post from me!  It's been awhile I know, nearly a year. A mama who we traveled with in China posted recently using the word "Trauma-versary" for our one year anniversary of Gotcha Day.  Yes.  Very true.  Excellent word.  This past year has had some very deep waters but God... He is a redeemer!  I finally obeyed that still, small voice and opened my Bible. God led me to the exact Words I needed.  I process things by writing and I've done very little writing this past year.  Lately, however I've been writing more so I'll share a bit of what's in my heart. 

John 14. Have you read it lately?  I'll wait if you want to look it up here.  

It’s been my place to camp out for about a week now.  I felt drawn to these verses during the tumultuous times in which we live.

“Do not be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in Me.” 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

It’s really that simple.  Jesus tells us the way to peace and hope.  Here’s a hint, 

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CIRCUMSTANCES.  

Truly, if we are to have peace it will be found by believing in Christ and in the Father.  The peace He gives us is not as the world gives.  It’s other worldly.  In order to believe, we must know Him, we must know His Word and we must dwell there.  When circumstances attempt to sweep us away we must cling to the Rock of the Word trusting what the Spirit enlightens to our hearts and brings to our minds in the midst of trying times. 

Matthew Henry’s Commentary says this about John 14:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
14:1-11 Here are three words, upon any of which stress may be laid. Upon the word troubled. Be not cast down and disquieted. The word heart. Let your heart be kept with full trust in God. The word your. However others are overwhelmed with the sorrows of this present time, be not you so. Christ's disciples, more than others, should keep their minds quiet, when everything else is unquiet.

See that, Stress has no place in the believer.  We can keep our minds quiet as we focus on Him.  Easy? No. But with practice, taking our fear, frustration, disappointment to him again and again and again it begins to be a habit when stress overwhelms us to turn to the ONE who can do something about the things that are completely out of our control.  

What freedom! What peace, trusting as a child with child-like faith in the Father that truly He cares for us.  He is preparing a place for us and He is preparing us for that place.  

Thank You! And June Happenings!

Our children have been home for a month! And what a month it has been!  Thank you so much for your involvement in their adoption journey.  Because you supported us in a tangible way, there are TWO LESS orphans in the world.  We travelled to China April 22 to May 10th (Mother’s Day) we returned home to be reunited with our nine children who were thrilled to meet their new siblings.

Isabella is “smart as a whip” as my mother would’ve said.  At two and a half years old she’s already picked up more than ten English words and has learned to communicate her needs very clearly.  She enjoys playing house, pushing the baby stroller all over the house, and picking up after her siblings.  She started out a month ago very attached to Doug and was quite timid with everyone else.  She has just blossomed and now enjoys interacting with all her siblings.  The slow acceptance of Mama has been bittersweet.  She really was close to her nannies and had stranger anxiety.  In those first days she really wanted nothing to do with Mama, and that was hard.  But the love and trust that she has developed in a short time has been sweet.  

Isaac is a little bit more of a mystery since he does not speak at all yet and really only communicates by crying, grinding his teeth, and smiling.  We are learning his cues and look forward to getting him the therapies he needs to develop.  He had lost five pounds between his second and third year, but I’m happy to report that in the month and a half he’s been with us he has regained three of those pounds! Lots of good nutrition and lots of hugs and snuggles are filling his tank.  When he smiles it lights up the room and is so precious!   

Thank you again for your support in bringing home our children.  What a privilege it is to participate with God’s plan for these two

.     

Isaac and Isabella say

THANK YOU!

Be Still...

“Honey, can you please get my crutches?”

“Will you please help me put my boot on?”

“Can you refill my water bottle, please?”

“GET THE DOOR!”

“HAND ME MY PHONE! IT’S RINGING! Where is it?”

These and a million other requests have been part of my life for the past two weeks.  And I don't really like it.

 

On June 2nd as I was coming down the stairs after tucking the last little child into bed my oldest daughter and I were joking about how badly she needed dark chocolate and I needed a glass of wine. We were laughing and apparently not paying careful enough attention to the stairs we were descending.  All of a sudden the next step was gone! I kept going down when I should have felt the second to the last stair beneath my left foot.  I landed fully on my twisted ankle and heard the most horrible crunchy tearing sound as I crashed to the floor. Assisted by the strong arms of my husband I made it into the recliner where I would alternately sob and squirm trying to get comfortable for the night .  

An appointment was scheduled, x-rays were made, extensive torn ligaments was the diagnosis. Here’s a boot. Stay in your chair, off your foot as much as possible for six to eight weeks.

But, I have ELEVEN CHILDREN!

But I JUST got home from China!

But I’m supposed to be doing all the feeding, changing, bathing, caring for these two new ones.  

But, but, but… But God has a different plan.

And it involves a lot of sitting. And resting. And being in the midst of the hubbub directing, observing, listening, asking, waiting.

Submitting to, accepting, yes, even embracing this plan has been a process.  I wouldn’t say I’ve really fully accepted it. Yet. I am resigned but that’s different.  But realizing the need to accept it is a step in the right direction.  

This season has given me a whole new level of respect for my mother.  The last several years of her life she lost alot of her mobility.  She depended deeply on my dad who took excellent care of her.  Still, the lack of independence, the inability to do for oneself was difficult.  I remember so many conversations with her agonizing, “but I can’t do anything but sit here!” And I’d encourage her, “Oh but you can! You call me and you pray for us, that is so valuable.” Sometimes it helped and sometimes she just wanted to do… and couldn’t. I empathize now. I’m a do-er and so was she.

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I will be glorified.

I’ve never been very good at the "be still" part. I am learning.

Lord, thank you for this season.  Help me to be still and not struggle against my confinement. I know that You will use this season to shape me into the person you want me to be.  

It's almost time...

Tomorrow is countdown day 4. 

FOUR DAYS!

How did we get here? 

I made a final shopping list and packing list.  Tomorrow is shopping day rain or shine. 

All the nifty baby supplies at my house have to stay at my house because my babies will still be there.  It will be good to have a back up pack of all our stuff for when we get home.
I've packed clothing and a few supplies but Saturday is get-down-to-business day! We will be in China for 17 days and I've got to get busy!



 I'm praying the Lord will guide my thoughts and direct my heart these next few days to draw especially close to my kids in these days before we leave. I made this (so not Pinterest-worthy) paper chain with the dates we will be gone and daily scriptures for my kids.  They can tear off one link each day until we are home. 

 

Our fabulous homeschool mom's group "Mom's Rest Stop" had a shower for me today.  The décor was so sweet and really, really, REALLY made me ready to go get these babies!!! Isaac and Isabella are coming home.  ISAAC AND ISABELLA ARE COMING HOME!

 

 

 

Another group of friends is having a shower on Sunday for us... (I know, I have the BEST friends, EVER!) If you would like to come and did not get an invite, please, please message Fiona or message me and get her info I'd LOVE to see you there before we go!

 

Please pray for God to prepare the hearts of our children. Pray for God to be glorified through this whole trip. Pray for our light to shine and His will to be done.  Pray for our other children at home and my Dad as he leads this crew in our absence. 

 

Thank you to all who have come along side of us.  We are so blessed to have The Church all around us!

 

 

WE ARE GOING TO CHINA!

The last approval we needed has been granted!

We are going to China!  WE ARE GOING TO CHINA!!!

When we got the email I started laughing, then crying, then sobbing.

Earlier this week I was so down.  On Good Friday I started missing my mom something fierce. I've cried and prayed and talked to her all week.  A few days ago we put up a hummingbird feeder, one of Mom's favorite things.  My mom loved hummingbirds and cardinals, red birds she called them. One morning a "red bird" landed on the hook and sat there for the longest time.  It was like God was reminding me that He hasn't forgotten me.

So after the Travel Approval was granted, the Consulate appointment was set and it was time to buy plane tickets! 

Yesterday they were purchased along with a few other plans made. 

If you'd like to follow along on our journey an outline of our itinerary is below. 

My Dad comes to Houston 4/19 to stay with the kids.  Doug and I leave Houston 4/22 and travel to Beijing where we will meet up with our group and tour the city.
 On 4/26 we leave Beijing and head to Zhengzhou in the Henan Province where we will meet up with our children on Monday 4/27. We will be in the province that week until we travel to Guangzhou for our Consulate appointment on 5/7.  At that appointment our adoption will be final.  We will leave Guangzhou for Hong Kong on 5/8 and then on 5/9 we will tour Hong Kong Disney. Finally on Mother's Day 5/10 we will do a little time travel and leave Asia at 5:25am and arrive home 14 hours later at 9:20am. 

 Here's a map of China if you want to follow along. (Beijing, Zhengzhou, and Guangzhou are pretty much in a line from North to South)

China is 14 hours ahead of CST.  So pretty much if we are awake, ya'll are sleeping and vice versa!  We will try to be available on Facetime or WeChat.  We will be updating our family and hopefully they can keep ya'll updated throughout our trip.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! for all who are praying... we still need it!  We still have some in-country plans to make and we need to pack! Wow... my head is spinning! Thank you for joining us on our journey!

His Name is Laughter...

Isaac's update was ... tough.

We received two pictures, a line of a spreadsheet with measurements, and a few generic answers about his health.

I felt very heavy as I looked into his forlorn face.

His measurements have to be off... if not, he's only grown one inch and one pound in nine months.

He cannot drink liquids. No water. No milk. No juice.  It is not for lack of desire because when the other kids get sippy cups he wants one too, but only drinks about 1/3 of it, according to the update.  I'm convinced that a speech/occupational therapist will work wonders for him.

He just looks like he's in deep, deep need of a FAMILY!!!

Good thing we have one for him. 

Please pray for our Isaac. Please pray for his transition that there would be no fear.  Pray for his health that we could find out about his needs and be able to meet them quickly.

I think there's a reason God had us name him LAUGHTER after the Isaac in the bible who was born to parents of, ahem... advanced age... And he brought them JOY!

Hang on baby! Mama and Daddy are coming!!!

WE ARE FULLY FUNDED!!!

God loves to do impossible things!

He loves to provide for his children.

He loves to show Himself strong in our midst.

WE ARE FULLY FUNDED FOR OUR ADOPTION!

Our expected expenses according to our agency are $21,470

In addition to monies we've spent,

Donated to date by friends, family, and grants is $21,467 

DO YOU SEE THAT.!?!

God did that through His people! 

HE IS SO GOOD!

Rejoice with us. 

Updates, Updates Everywhere!

Three subjects, One Post because my brain is like spaghetti and it's all connected anyway!

Update on ISAAC!  

Update on our process!

We got an update on Isaac... and he looks forlorn, like he needs his Mama and Daddy NOW!  They just sent the same height and weight from September 2014 which actually was from his birthday February 2014.  Additionally, we found out that he does not drink, only eats soft foods for hydration.  So, while I'm glad to have an update, it makes my heart heavy and I wish I could travel TOMORROW! PRAY for our boy. Which brings me to my next piece of news!

We received immigration approval on March 10th!  One step closer!

We also received our passports back with our 10 year China Visas... you know, just in case we need to go back! 



WOOHOO! Lifesong MATCHING GRANT!

Well, this Adoption Journey has been a journey of faith and hope. 

Back in October we applied for a grant from Lifesong and did not hear back... until now!

A friend put us in contact with someone who works with Lifesong and they were able to secure a

 

MATCHING GRANT!

 

That means that your gift will be doubled up to $2500!

 

 

So if you've held off giving because your gift is too small, guess what?! It now will be doubled!

 

$5.00 = $10.00

 

$10.00 = $20.00

 

$50.00 = $100.00!

 

I love the way this works :-)

 

Double!



ISAAC JUDAH



Twice as much for TWO cuties!! Two times the blessing!

ISABELLA PROMISE

 

 

To pay online go to www.lifesongfororphans.org/give/donate. Select “Give to an Adoptive Family.” Complete the online form and fill in “Family Account Number” (Audirsch 4941) and “Family Name” (Audirsch) fields. Note PayPal charges an administrative fee (2.9% + $.30 USD per transaction). Your donation will be decreased by the amount of this fee. 

 

Checks should be payable to “Lifesong for Orphans. In the memo, note “family name” and “family account number” (Audirsch/#4941) to assure it goes to the correct account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 40, Gridley, IL  61744.  Lifesong has been blessed with a partner that underwrites all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption. 

NOTE: In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to the named non-profit organization. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use. 
o Individual donations $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request. Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.

 





BABY NAMES!!! Drum Roll Please!!!

Introducing....

Isabella Promise Audirsch

&

Isaac Judah Audirsch

 

Isabella is two and Isaac is three.  They are not siblings by birth, but will be brother and sister soon.  We are so incredibly blessed to add these two babies to our growing family.  Please keep them in your prayers in the coming months as they make their great adventure to becoming Audirsches! We cannot wait to welcome them.  As it stands now we will likely travel mid-late April.  We are still gathering funds for their adoption if you'd like to help bring them home watch for an announcement about a matching grant.



Financial Update for Those Who Have Asked

We have been asked to "Let the need be known" for our adoption.  I figured I'd stick it here in a blog post for anyone who is interested. 

So, here's the nutshell for those of you who want "Just the facts, Ma'am"
And I will give a more detailed account after that.

We need approximately $13,200

We owe about $21,900 coming up in the next few weeks. 

 

We currently have $8200 which has been donated to AdoptTogether

And we have approximately $500 left in our savings account.

 

We have invested $13,692 so far.

 

We have received $2650 from two grants, we applied for ten.

I want to begin by saying we have some of the best friends and family in the entire world.  Already, YOU have given about $10,000 (to AdoptTogether and personally)  That is TRULY amazing and we are so very blessed. 

Here is the breakdown if you are interested.

$11,400 Orphanage Fee Due 4/9  - ($5,700 x2)

$3,000 Airfare for Doug and I - ($1,500 x2)

$4000 approx. In-China travel (flights, hotels, food)

$1500 approx. Visas, Kid's passports, physicals, notary fees

$2000 Airfare for Kids coming home ($1,000 x2)

$5 eggrolls (for Doug) Kidding! ;-)


THANK YOU!  If you stuck with me to the end of this post!

And even bigger THANK YOU!!! to those who have given to us already.  We so appreciate your generosity.

If you know anyone who would like a proven, previously-loved, practical 33 foot travel trailer that sleeps 10 we would love to sell it! Contact me by email.

There are ways to give and I will tell you we are currently waiting to see if we can get a matching grant.  We applied in October, I called to follow up, they know our current timeline and are going to see if they can "do anything for us." I will post on Facebook and my blog when we hear back from them.

If you would like to give now, you can give to AdoptTogether.

So there ya have it folks, that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

We have a SPECIAL Birthday today...

Happy Birthday to You...

                        Happy Birthday to You...

Happy Birthday Dear....

ISAAC!!!!

 

 

Happy Birthday to You!

 

Dear Sweet Son,

 

Today you turn three years old.  You're becoming such a big boy!  This past year has held many changes for you and this year is going to hold even more.  Soon you will become an Audirsch and have a Mommy and Daddy and a bunch of siblings eager to love you and help you. Although the first three years of your life are full of questions, God knows those answers and He provided for you to be at a wonderful home where you were held and SEEN and loved that first year.  Your second year of life holds a little more mystery, but God knows that too and He promises that He is with you and He is a Father to the fatherless and a defender of the orphan.  In just a few weeks we will come for you and your life will change drastically again.  Our greatest hope for you is that you will come to know and love Jesus most of all. I pray that you are celebrated today. 

 

In the words of your godly grandmother:

 

Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, may you find Jesus near every day of the year.  A happy birthday to you, a happy birthday to you and the BEST year you've ever had!

 

We love you son!!!

 

Mommy and Daddy <3



The FIVE Magical Questions

 

At this point in our adoption process our agency informed us that they will request updates from the orphanages in which our children reside and we can ask five specific questions.  No pressure, just pick the right questions.

Five.

Five questions of a million I have.  

Did anyone gaze into their newborn eyes with wonder or delight?

Did their Mama hold them close?  

Did she cry when it was apparent she would not be keeping her child?

Did she make this decision or was it made for her?

How can I step in this gaping hole?  Can I give them what they need?  Am I what they need?

How long was it before they stopped crying for their Mama?  

What is their favorite comfort? Does anyone comfort them?

What makes them happy or sad or afraid?

What makes their eyes light up?  

How big are they?

How much have they grown since our last update?

What do they eat?

What medicines do they take?

Who takes care of them daily?

Do they sleep hot?

Do they play with other children?  

How many words do they have?

Besides words, how do they communicate?

I could write questions all night long....

And then I found out  no one answers the questions you ask anyway.  They just tell you what they’re going to tell you and that’s it.  

So here’s what I know. I know GOD loves these kids. I know we will love these kids. I know He’s been with them all along.  I know He is a Father to the fatherless, I experienced that firsthand for the first nineteen years of my life. (I did have an awesome Mom though!)

We will pour love and prayer and delight into them.  We will partner with Christ as He does His work of redemption in their lives.

We will trust Him each step of the way, even with unanswered questions and impossible circumstances.  He’s teaching us that He kind of likes the impossible.

Oh Lord, prepare their little hearts as only You can do.  Amen.

We should be traveling sometime in the next 9-12 weeks.  There is an end in sight.  We may never have answers for them now, but we will discover the answer to all these questions and more as we journey together with these precious souls God has knit into our family.  He's so very good.

Rejoice with Us! GOOD NEWS!

I received this email at 5:15pm on Friday:

CONGRATULATIONS, Douglas & Stacy,

 

Here’s the news you’ve long been waiting for—your dossier was sent to China today (12/12/2014)!  J

 

After months and months of mailing documents hither and yon, waiting on signatures, paying fee upon fee, we finally completed our paper chase.  Our agency translated it and as we speak it's being hand-carried to the CCCWA in China.  Within three to five days we should receive notification that our dossier was delivered, then three to five weeks after that we will have our official Log-In Date.  We are still hoping to travel in the spring.  

 

There are two babies who will not grow up in institutions, who will know the love of a family, who will have a Daddy and Mommy, brothers and sisters.  And that makes my heart exceedingly glad.

 

 

 

For all of you who helped us with our expenses and work thus far, we extend a huge

 

THANK YOU!!!

 

If you wanted to help, but have not done so you can give to a 501c3 AdoptTogether, Paypal me at my email, or simply mail a check.

 

 

 

 

Buster's Brew Christmas Coffee Fundraiser Update

We are blessed! 

Our friends at Buster's Brew are passionate about adoption. Last night they opened their shop as a venue for a Christmas Coffee Tasting and Silent Auction. 

 

We had several friends and local businesses generously donate sixteen items for our auction; all except one sold and $692 was collected from auction items.

• Dannenfelser Chiropractic
• Tracy Jean Hair Styling at Moriri Town Center
• Young Living Essential Oils, Christin Pivero
• Good Life Goodies
• Take & Bake Meals
• Magnolia Acres Farm
• PylesofPics, Etsy Shop

The immediate need we are fundraising for is our 2^nd Agency Fee- $2,350 and  CCCWA (China Log-in) Fee- $1,290 = $3640.  This amount is due before December 31.

In all last night we received nearly $900.00

in ticket sales, auction items sold, and tshirt sales.

To date we have $2670 toward our goal. REJOICE WITH US!!!

P.S. If you missed the opportunity to give last night, there is still time!

You can paypal me at snaudirsch at gmail dot com

Or give here to the 501(c)3 AdoptTogether

If you would like to order one of my AWESOME adoption tshirts they are $20.  You can paypal me and tell me your size.

Finally, If you like coffee or tea or sandwiches or a cool local place to have lunch you should make Buster's Brew in New Caney your new favorite!

Update... Well, It's About Time!

I've updated FaceBook, but many of you stay in touch through my blog which has been sorely neglected the past few months.  After we moved into our house, it seemed as though someone hit the fast forward button and time to write was lost in the shuffle. 

Life has been full in a very good way and we are finding all our new normals just in time to upheave them again!

Most of you know, last April we officially started our adoption journey.  We were matched with a sweet girl who is six months younger than Caleb.

 

ISN'T SHE A DOLLY!!!

 

 

Well, a month or two ago, we were contacted by our agency with the news that this little guy was available too, so we decided to expand our family by TWO!  We are very excited about this amazing opportunity for our family.  

HE IS SO PRECIOUS!!!

 

 

This guy is six months older than Caleb. 

 

 

At this point in our GREAT ADOPTION ADVENTURE  we are about done with our dossier, in fact we have sent all but one document to our agency for final review.  After our dossier is completed and goes to China, hopefully by the end of the year, we hope to be able to travel to get these babies by April or May 2015. 

 

We are very excited about this.  And THANKFUL that God would choose to use us in this way. 

 

By the end of the year, when we mail our dossier to China, we will have $3640 in fees due.  If you would like to join hands with us and give toward these specific fees we would be so grateful.  We have a 501c3 ministry who is partnering with us where you can give easily online. 

 

I'm trying to figure out how to put their snazzy button here, but until then, you can use this link:

 

 

AdoptTogether Link

 

 



So that's what's new with us! We'd love to hear what's new with you.  Let us know and keep in touch.  Have a beautiful and blessed Holiday Season! 

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!  We are so blessed to have such a wonderful group of family and friends!

Love y'all!

Finding Gratitude...

Almost Thanksgiving, tick tock, tick tock time passes by. How can it be that I've lived almost a year with out my mom. I remember.

She loved the Holidays... I mean really loved them. Today I was in a store with my girls that was decorated exceedingly early for Christmas. I became excited with my kids, we talked about decor and lights and meals. But tonight, in the quiet, I ache. I miss her. I talked to my mom nearly everyday. I told her about all the little mundane details that no one else cares about and they mattered to her. She delighted in each of the kids and the little things they had said and done each day. 

I would tell her about the two little lizards Natalie and I almost sat on in the chairs, in the cold early morning while stopping at our friend's for a break from our morning jog. They were all curled up together as chilled as could be. Thankfully I saw them before I sat down, I picked them up and incubated them in my hands, hot from jogging. They were so still we thought one of them was dead until it started squirming. Then it ran away. She would've cared about that story. 

And then how I was putting a roast and veggies in the crock pot and decided to call some friends on a whim and invite them over for dinner that night. She would've cared about that. 

And this, she would want to see this silliness

And how Caleb has had a burst of words lately and can say difficult names like "Lily" but still does the sign for "please" and can't say the word. Then later she'd call me and tell me about a commercial she had seen or a show she had watched that had just the solution for his speech issue. BECAUSE SHE CARED. 

I miss her with all of my heart. We will meet again someday and I know that now she is ALIVE!, more alive than she ever was on this planet. When we meet again I plan to just sit and hold her hand and be there with her, maybe much like the last few days I had with her. So precious was the gift of those days God arranged for us last year. 

So as we approach Thanksgiving, I'm grateful. I'm grateful for a mom who loved Jesus and taught me to do the same. I'm grateful for a mom who chose a spouse who became my dad. And I'm eternally grateful for our living hope, Who makes all things new, and gives me the knowledge that Mom and I will worship Him together in eternity. 

The Great (Around the USA) Adventure Has Come to an End

and now The Great SUBURBAN Adventure starts!

Oh ya'll... my dogs are barkin' and my heart is full!  Today was FILLED to the brim with fellowship, friends, fun, and WORK! 

We moved in to our new house, sort of...

When you're doing something with the Audirsches you KNOW it's going to be an adventure.  Well, due to unforeseen circumstances, we ended up without power in our new house until Monday.  So although the house was air-conditioned in the morning, the power was turned off about 10am.  We worked for the remainder of the hot, humid, Houston day without A/C or fans.

I have the most amazing friends in the world... seriously.  First off, none of them left when they found out there was no A/C!

Secondly, My kitchen is UNPACKED and ready to be used.  Amazingly, my friend Jen Johnson and her daughter Joy washed every dish that was wrapped in newspaper (and that was almost everything) and found a LOGICAL home for it in my cupboard or pantry. She was the brains in the kitchen and kept us going.

My friends Kristen Coovrey, Michelle, Mandy, and Meg Bosquez, unloaded box after box.

We had an ARMY of help!  Travis called his airsoft buddies last week and I'm proud to say
Greg and Adam Carman, David Salisbury and Jake Fontz, showed up to do the heavy lifting and lift they did!  Thanks Guys!

And Hannah asked her friend Olivia Salisbury who also came and was a BIG help!

Michael Rivera  and Jason Bosquez were the Tetris Packers Extraordinaire helping put everything on the trailer from the storage unit to go to the house. 

Ken, Claudia and Natalie Hope loaded their car up multiple times and even drove one of our vehicles for us loaded up with more stuff. 

My friend Kelly Sakal, loaned us her sixteen year old son, Bryce for the day. 

Tonight, we have a full on turkey dinner with all the trimmings prepared by my dear friend Anne Trapani,  And I have a bottle of yummy wine from my friend (whose identity I'll protect, see sistah, I gotcher back!)

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! to all of you who helped!

Earlier this week we moved our beloved RV from it's spot at the Rock'n E RV park in Cold Spring where we have stayed for the last five months to a storage facility less than one mile from our new house in Kingwood.

If you talked to us when we first arrived back in Houston we would have told you we were looking for a house very different from the one we ended up buying.  I keep telling people this house is like BATMAN! "It's not the hero we want, but it's the hero we need."  And it really is a beautiful house!

Trusting that God knows our needs better than we do, we know God has been with us each step of the way and although His direction for us may not be clear our hearts are turned toward Him desiring His glory in our lives, in our journey as individuals and as a family.

So as we bring to a close our epic 10,000 mile, sixteen month, 22 state, 'round the USA adventure which has included amazing sights of God's creation, fantastic experiences of natural and man-made wonders, and pain and joy and despair and hope we look to the author and finisher of our faith for the next chapter.

He is writing our story and we are so blessed to have you be part of it. 

In the next year, if the Lord wills, our family will expand by one Chinese daughter which really is the focus of the next few months.  Well, that and moving into a new house and getting nine kids back to homeschool and routine.

We are so blessed that you have come along for the ride and we hope that you will stay with us as we journey together into the coming year.

Mom's Birthday

This Lady was born to this Earth on this Day

Seventy one years ago.

I suspect she has a new birthday now, but I'm still kind of attached to this day.  After all, I celebrated it every year of my life until now.  So I think I'll still choose to celebrate this day for this wonderful woman who was with me, talking to me nearly every day for my entire life.  OK, there were some days when I bombed her calls, some days I didn't have answers to the questions she would ask and some days that were just too busy.  But mostly, we talked. 

I remember when my mom turned thirty seven, my brother, my friend Erika, and I made HAPPY BIRTHDAY signs on poster board and put them up on our front and back windows announcing my (single) mother was "37 TODAY!" I'm sure she really appreciated that.

I'm trying to remember other birthdays but mostly I just remember snapshots.  In recent years I know she enjoyed going out to dinner with friends.  She was usually in Washington in July because Arizona was just too hot for her this time of year. 

Happy Birthday Mom.  If you were here of course I would call you and I would have sent you flowers, probably a day or two late, but the bouquet would have included Star Lilies. 

 I love you. I miss you.

What do we know? NOTHING!

Mom's birthday is July 24th.  She would have turned 71.  It's been seven months since my Mom's graduation (as I've decided to call it) to Heaven.

The other morning a friend asked on her FB page "What do I do with a Gift of Faith?"  I immediately thought of my dear mother and shared my post from mom's Memorial service with her.  Reminded of my mom, I re-read some of the blog posts from last December.  I came upon this statement penned by yours truly just a few days before the storm hit.

"What's after Phoenix?" you ask.  We don't know. But we do know that the next several weeks will hold a beautiful celebration of Our Wonderful Savior's birth with my parents. God is good, all the time, even in the dark when we don't see the way."

Do you see that? "God is good, all the time, even in the dark when we don't see the way."

God knew what was coming when I so naively wrote those fateful words.  "we do know that...."

NOTHING! NOTHING! THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW! NOT A GOSH DARN THING!

James 4:13-15  Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Lesson learned... sort of. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I feel a little mocked by my blog post.

It's been a little dark the past few months.  

But we are attempting to lean on The Lord day by day.  Trusting, listening, waiting, being content are all skills that have grown in each of us over the last several months.

It is not easy, or for the faint of heart. 

We made an offer, had inspections, and put money down on a house in Kingwood, TX.  We are supposed to close August 8.  It will be nice to have a little elbow room (and I do mean a little, especially in the back yard!) 

I've changed my prayers lately to less of "God please do this and God please do that" to "Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your Name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven..." It's a tentative place to be this not knowing and trying to trust in the dark.  But it's where we are. 

We are choosing gratefulness and joy day by day, rather moment by moment as we wait.