Cheap Fun!

Why do we waste our money buying our children expensive toys? Look at all the fun and happiness a little bubble wrap can bring!

100 Days!

I figured with all the hub-bub about the president's first hundred days in office, I'd do a little celebration of my own. Believe it or not, it has been 100 days since Devin's adoption was final. It seems in one sense like it just yesterday but in another it's hard remembering a time when he was not a part of our lives. As I look back over my blog through the good times and the not-so-good, I see God's hand at work through everything.

We're still having a really good time. Devin couldn't fit better into our family. Lately we are busy creating in the kitchen. Devin is learning to flambé and I'm praying that my new cabinets are fire-resistant. He whipped up a batch of homemade barbecue sauce that is so good that I'd love to bottle and sell it...I'd be a very rich woman. Get a load of our cool creation...a Memorial Day cake that looked like a hamburger! The kids and I had a great time figuring this out!



Another funny hobby that Devin and I share is couponing. He loves to help me go through the grocery stores and collect all the coupons he can find. He is shameless and it cracks me up! He's the only one of my kids who's not embarrassed to go to the checkout counter with 20 boxes of Pop tarts and a stack of coupons an inch thick! We have made our quest for savings quite a game. Thank you Cassie and Jessica for our new passion! We're having a blast!

I am in awe of God's intimate knowledge of the deepest desires of our hearts and His delight in giving them to us. I'm looking forward to the next 100 days and on to a really fun future!

Prayer for Foster Kids

Tonight I had the privilege of getting together with a group of dear friends of mine to hold a prayer vigil for kids in the foster care system here in America, especially those kids who are waiting to be adopted. We celebrate those who open their homes to provide loving foster care to children who need care in very difficult times but also see a great need for families to step up to the plate and provide these kids with permanent "forever families." Sometimes it seems that the need is so great and there is so little that we're able to do to help. I confessed to my husband tonight that most of the time I greatly underestimate the power of prayer for these seemingly helpless situations. Nights like tonight redouble my commitment to petition the Father for this desperate situation.

Tonight's prayer focused on:
1. The kids themselves - We named children by name whose needs we were aware of and asked God to raise up families that could give them the love and care that they needed.

2. The birth families - We all know that God's best is for children to be raised by their loving birth families, but Satan has broken families apart due to drug and alcohol abuse, crime, and other ungodly choices that cause people to either give up their children or have them taken. These people, no matter how broken, are still precious to God. We prayed that God would come along side these broken people and restore them. They may not be able to be reunited with their children, but maybe someday they could be a testimony to their children and other about the power of God to change people's lives, no matter how deep in to sin and brokenness they had fallen.

3. The social workers - These dear people work long, thankless hours to try to both find loving homes for these kids, and if not, to make their lives as normal and fulfilling as possible. I know that this work must be terribly discouraging most of the time and they don't get thanked nearly enough. We prayed for strength and wisdom for these soldiers of righteousness.

4. The judicial system and government - We pray that God would give exceptional wisdom to the judges that both have to weigh who should keep or lose parental rights and where placement of the child should go. Also, for the government who decides on funding for the foster care program.

5. Foster Care homes - Pray for strength for foster moms and dads who are providing care for kids in the most difficult and traumatic times of their lives. Pray for amazing insight and understanding for these parents to deal with the pain and loss of their foster kids. Also pray for the material provision for these families as the payment they receive from the government doesn't even come close to covering the financial needs of these kids.

6. Finally, the church - As the American church we have the numbers and the ability to wipe out the problem of kids waiting for adoption. We prayed that the American church would see it's responsibility to the orphans of our land and rise up to the challenge. God said in His word that what we do for "the least of these" is just like we're doing service to Jesus himself. We know that God's heart aches for the pain of these suffering children.

Our comfort is that God does know each need and each child individually and has a great plan for each. What a privilege to be a part of God's plan for one of these. What a great joy our son has brought into our lives. I invite anyone who is interested to walk the path and ask God if this is something He has called your family to.


















On a more personal note...Our son turned 15 last week. What fun to sing to him and watch him excitedly tear open his presents. As you can see by the photo, the thing he was most excited about was getting his restricted driver's license. He now refers to my truck as "our truck". The boy can dream!

My oldest daughter Erin has graduated with her AA from Santa Fe College and next week my youngest daughter Erica will graduated from high school.
This last weekend was prom and she looked absolutely stunning!

This month is National Foster Care Month. Please continue to lift these children up in prayer and ask God what your part should be. It's an exciting adventure!