It's FAIR WEEK!!!

We will be having a BUSY week around here!!

Erica finished her cake last week...isn't it awesome??!! The judge liked it, too!!


Saturday the kids were busy getting their goats ready....washing, shaving, pep-talks, etc.....



Today was the goat show.
Brock and Erica have learned sooooooo much since last year. It was fun to watch them show with more confidence (and more fun!) this year.



They actually had to show "against each other" in the same class with their does.


And little brother???? Well......I would say he was pretty proud, wouldn't you???


As far as the rest of the week....
Brock will show his 2 hogs in the swine show on Wednesday.
The livestock auction is Thursday (Erica will sell one of her goats. Brock will sell one of his hogs.)
I, personally, will not be showing anything.....however, I WILL be busy trying to track down the following: 1 elephant ear, 1 funnel cake, 1 batch of deep fried veggies, and 1 large milkshake!!! My goodness! Mama has GOT to get busy on the fair food!!

Flowers, A Hero and A Bug Scientist

Some days at the office are difiicult.

And then are days like today.....

About 2 seconds after walking in the door, I noticed a vase full of flowers...a very sweet gift from a family that has had a very, very rough road to travel over the past 4 years. The simple thank you note spoke volumes.

Then there was the 7 year old boy who had the cut on his head. As I was using Dermabond (the skin superglue) to put "humpty dumpty back together again", his mom told me that daddy was getting ready to go overseas again...back to Iraq....he flies a med-evac helicopter. I VERY CLEARLY remember how daddy was in Iraq 3 years ago, too, when their twins were born. At first I wasn't sure what to say....and then I looked that boy square in the eye (through the tears that were forming in MY eyes, not his) and told him how his daddy was one of my heroes. He said "Really?" and I said "YES! Because he is so brave and strong and is going to help save people!" The look on the mom's face spoke volumes.


Then there was the little boy in for his 6 year check-up. I couldn't help but remember the day his mom first walked into my office with a picture of him from Russia...."Does he look healthy?? We are adopting him." Today he told me how he and his mom were looking at the "ear chart" on the wall while they were waiting for me. I said "Wow! Did you learn something? Are you ready to be a doctor now?" To which he promptly replied..." Well, actually, no. I plan to be a bug scientist." ACTUALLY? PLANS? BUG SCIENTIST? And then he went on to enlighten me on the chemicals that mix in a lightning-bug's tail to make it light up at night. Did I mention that he was 6?? I think I smiled for 2 hours after that. That little BOY spoke volumes!!


Some days at the office are difficult.
And then there are days like today!!

An update...

My mom is recovering well. I don't think she realizes how far she has come in just a week.
So far...no complaints from my dad. Apparently our care of him is "adequate".

In other news....
---We are busy completing 4-H projects. The county fair is next week.

---We have moved Sparkles to a farm MUCH closer to home. Now she is just 5 minutes away. We will be able to see her more often, and we hope to be ready to bring her home in a couple of months.

---The fried green tomatoes abound.

My blogging has been spotty lately...too busy living life, not enough time to blog about it. It reminds me of a quote that I read a couple of months ago (I apologize, I forget where I saw it) that really spoke to me:

"A warning: This glowing screen is not reality, only a pale reflection of it.
Blogs can be interesting, uplifting, nourishing, but they are much like television;
time consuming to look at, and time consuming to create.
Remember to turn off this electric box and live what really matters."

So true.
I love blogging!! And I am so blessed,encouraged, and nourished by the blogs of several other Christian women. But sometimes, I just have turn off this electric box and "live what really matters."

Praise Report

Thank you for your prayers.
Mom's surgery went VERY well. The surgeon said it literally could not have gone better. He used a new device to get the spine into "near perfect alignment"...so, I think that is definitely an answer to prayer!

Don't stop now....
Please keep praying. Mom is in quite a bit of pain, and it will be a long road to full recovery.

Go God!!

A prayer request...

My mom is having back surgery tomorrow.

Will you please join us in praying for her. ---that her surgery would go well. ---that her recovery would be quick. ---that her pain would be gone.

And while you are there on your knees.....please for my dad, also. My mom does SO much for him (he has Parkinson's disease) and she will not be able to do any lifting, twisting, or bending for a couple of months. When he realizes that he is now dependent on the next generation....well.....I am sure he will be a little nervous. (Relax, dad, I've forgotten all about those times you grounded me!) Pray that we do a good job for him!

We so appreciate your prayers.

a MUST read

Read it. You must.

Redeeming Love. by Francine Rivers.
I do not think I have ever been so wrapped up in a novel...ever. You absolutely should take my word when I tell you that you MUST read this book.

Go to the library to check it out, or go to your local Christian book store, or go online to order it....I don't care how you get it, but get your hands on it soon and start reading. You won't regret it.

And then you just HAVE to let me know when you are done, so we can chat about it!!

Happy July 4th!!

God bless America,
Land that I love,
Stand beside her and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above;

From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America,
My home, sweet home.
God bless America,
My home, sweet home.

One year ago today....

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families...
Psalm 68:5

I have started to write this post several times...but the words just don't seem adequate.
I keep trying to describe the joy that fills my heart today...but the words just don't seem adequate.

One year ago today, in an orphange in Guatemala City....we walked into a room of sleeping babies....and woke one of them up. The little wide-eyed baby boy that I pulled into my arms could have never imagined how his life was about to change...and neither could we.

I sit here and write this with tears in my eyes as I remember that day....July 2, 2006...."Gotcha' day".... I have spent the last hour looking at pictures and remembering how amazing it was to finally have Micah in our arms (Click on the July archives, and you can re-live it, too!!) . I will never forget walking into that room at Hannah's Hope...waking him up...saying good-bye to his special moms....riding in the van to our hotel...Micah was instantly in love with his new brother and sister....Brock and Erica were FINALLY getting to hold the little brother they had been watching grow up on videos (sent to us monthly from the orphanage). Chad and I marveled at how God's plan and perfect timing had delivered this baby...our son.... into this family.

It was overwhelming to me then....AND IT STILL IS TODAY.

God has blessed us beyond our wildest imagination.

I remember posting 1 Corinthians 2:9 from our hotel in Guatemala...."No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." I mentioned in that post, that we had a 1 Cor. 2:9 day. Well, if that was a 1 Cor. 2:9 day....then we have had a 1 Cor. 2:9 year!!

Heavenly Father,
We are so grateful. Thank you.

A "simply" beautiful weekend!!

Have you ever had one of those vacations that you feel like you need a vacation to recover from??? (We sure have!!).....WELL....I am happy to say that this weekend was NOT one of them!!

Chad and I had a WONDERFUL time in Amish Country this weekend. We spent hours just driving the countryside....marveling at the beauty of God's creation, appreciating the Amish culture, and talking (lots of good talking time). It was the perfect way to spend a long weekend.

Perhaps later this week I will post some more pictures, and share some of the things we "took away" from our trip...but for tonight I think I will just let it all soak in.