day 4 - work day

Pray for unity and peace among the team members as we serve.

  “Above all things put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Col. 3:14

day 3 - church and orphanage

Pray for the team, that we will offer hope to those we will come in contact with each day. (and for my heart this day...)

 “May the God of hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

day 2 - travel

Pray for safe flight, good weather, and good health for the team & that God will work mightily, using this team for His glory!

 “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has beforehand prepared so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

day 1 - getting ready

Pray for the team members to open their hearts to what the Lord would have for each one of us.

 “For I am confident of the very thing, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6

how you can pray

My dear friend Beth is a walking bible. Seriously. And she is a prayer warrior. And she is coming to Honduras with me on her very first international mission trip! She put together a specific list of prayers for each day that we are in Honduras. I am going to post them here each day (aaaah the power of the auto post!) so that you can pray specifically with us.

I believe in the power of prayer. Don't think that just because you are home and not overseas somewhere serving that you can't make an impact for Jesus. You can. And it's a simple as going before the God of the universe on behalf of those who are in a season of being able to travel.

So pray for us.
Pray hard.
Pray daily.
Pray specifically.

And God will listen.
He will hear.
He will answer!

dos dias tambien

It means "two days again" in spanish. I'm brushing up ;)

Because that was the title of this post when I was leaving for Costa Rica the first time! Now I am going to Honduras...and I am a boatload of emotions! I am super excited to be going to a new country, although I am nervous to be doing so without my husband. I know I am in good hands, I have no worries about my safety or anything like that. Believe me, we hire two armed guards to walk around with us and stand by the bus...we will be just fine.

I am more than just a little stoked about visiting the orphanage...I honestly think it could quite possibly be the most bittersweet experience in my life. I am so ready to hand out food and shoes to the wordscan'tevendescribehowpoortheyare children that live at the dump and the river bed.

I have not packed.

Yes I know. Don't judge me. All my life I have been what some may call a procrastinator. Basically what it boils down to is I work well under pressure. I can't write a paper unless it's due in 3 hours and I can't pack a suitcase unless it's T - 5 hours until lift-off! Don't judge me.

I am going to *try* to have some posts automatically set up for all of you lovely stalkers readers so you don't miss me too terribly much! However, when I come back it's going to be blogging GOLD! I know you will be in prayer for me and my team!

I am ready to be the hands and feet of Jesus!!!

definition of family

I just *met* Erica from Zerkles and I love her blog already. She exemplifies a Godly woman who grew her family through adoption. Please read this post from her to gain a better understanding of the definition of family.

quotes to live by

I have been compiling a list of quotes that really speak to my heart, and I hope they will to yours as well. Now, that being said, I frequently post scripture here. It's usually about something that God is dealing with in me or a verse that just pops in my head when I sit down to write. My disclaimer is that I believe with every fiber in me that the Bible is the book to live by - hands down.

However, I do believe God speaks through people now too. Friends/Neighbors/Coworkers/Random Cashiers say just the right thing at just the right time and they don't even know it! It's happened to me and I know it's happened to you too. Sometimes we don't even realize how God used them until hours or days later.

You are wondering why I am on my soapbox? It's because some of the quotes I am about to share are from non-believers. I don't think we should dismiss them merely because of that fact. No, they aren't found in scripture, but some of them contain biblical truths anyway. Remember we serve a big God! One that can use whoever he wants however he wants whenever he wants to speak to us!

"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." - John Lennon

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." - Mother Teresa

"A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous." - Ingrid Bergman

"Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly." - Rose Franken

 "Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief." - Joseph Addison

"If you have nothing to say, say nothing." - Mark Twain 

"We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties." - Oswald Chambers 

"A good marriage is the union of two forgivers." - Ruth Graham

productive

So my man is gone to Costa Rica and boredom has set in. I have a new appreciation for stay at home moms and their lack of communication with big people. I have been talking to my dogs for the past 2 days and I am feeling a little crazy. I have 7 days left of this...I may be mental by the time he gets home. Oh remember that when he gets home I leave like not even 12 hours later for Honduras? Don't get me wrong, I am STOKED but this separation is proving to be harder than once imagined. So I have been bored. And then that boredom transformed into productivity. Would you like me to share all I have done in the past 36 hours? Well I am going to anyway.

  • cleaned the kitchen
         - this included taking everything off the countertops and bleaching them and wiping every cabinet      
         - I also cleaned the coffee pot...it was long overdue
  •  laundry
         - like 10 loads, no joke. Don't judge me for letting it pile up. Plus Eric won't isn't allowed to can't do laundry so it needs to be done before he gets home!
  •  vacuumed every floor
  • dusted every surface

I am in the process of brainstorming meals I can make/freeze so my love will have something to eat when he comes home and I leave! Otherwise my bank account will list one fast food restaurant after another...

Well that's all for now folks!

compliment me

click here.

Just do it, you won't be disappointed! Ok well you might be, but at least you didn't waste too much time ;)

happy love day!

isn't he cute? my precious valentine!
Today is a day to celebrate the ones you love, married or not! Everyone loves someone and love makes the world go 'round. So does coke.

Happy Valentines Day!

two weeks

IAMLEAVINGFORHONDURASIN2WEEKS!

I am slightly excited, which I am sure you couldn't tell from my lack of spacing and insane capitalization. And I am even more stoked because I just learned that in addition to going to the dried up river bed and the dump to give out food and shoes - we are going to a government orphanage.

As in an orphanage run by the government



with loads of beautiful children



who don't have parents



and are adoptable.



Adoptable. As in I can take them home! Except I can't...because we haven't started an international adoption yet. (Probably because this one hasn't gotten off the ground yet! grrrrr) I am going to be an absolute mess the entire time I am there. What's worse is the puddle I will be in when I have to leave. Leave? Without taking at least one?

That's probably the cruelest form of torture there is.

have not love


“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

addiction(s)

I have let you in on a few of my vices before...but now I think it's just time to come clean on all of them. Yes, I am setting myself up for some major razzing, but I am ok with that. I am a big girl I can delete comments take it ;). Soooo in my oh-so-loved-list-form here are my addictions in no particular order!

Don't judge me.
  • coffee (with sugar and milk, or hazelnut creamer, or french vanilla creamer, or vanilla latte)
  • coke (with crushed ice in a styrofoam cup and NOT pepsi! it's best this way, seriously.)
  • chocolate (any kind, but I prefer dark)
  • cherry chapstick
  • blogging
  • HP
  • wii
  • sleep (I used to be able to sleep for like 14 hours at a time...not anymore. Oh the joys of getting old.)
  • nutella (on graham crackers or banana...or a spoon!)
  • Eric's iPhone (mostly the games like Angry Birds, PVZ, and Flight Control)
Don't judge me.

Ok, that probably isn't all of them but it's all I could think of at the moment. If you know me and you know I left some out...feel free to leave them in the comment section!

Also, if you are commenting you need leave at least one of your addictions so I don't feel like a complete and total loser...unless that is what you are going for. And if you are - BOO on you!

Don't judge me.

he would

he would probably gloat when we found out she was a girl 
he would laugh and poke my belly when she kicked him for the first time
he would be drive entirely too fast to the hospital when it was time
he would be brave during labor and braver during delivery
he would hold her for the first time like she was the most breakable thing on the planet
he would love her fiercely

he would pretend to be grossed out the first time she peed on him
he would get up in the middle of the night just to see if she was ok
he would brag the day she could hold her head up on her own
he would be nervous and excited the first time she crawled...then walked...then ran
he would beam from ear to ear the first time she said "daddy"
he would love her unconditionally

he would pick her up and hold her tight every single time she cried
he would get defensive if someone else so much as looked at her cross-eyed
he would kiss her boo-boos
he would tuck her in at night and read stories
he would pray over her and with her and for her and about her
he would love her tenderly

he would worry about her
he would make sure she knew he would always be there
he would take all of her pain and fears away if he could
he would play with her for hours on end
he would teach her guitar one day
he would love her uncontrollably 

he would be a good dad...
and one day, God willing, he will get the chance.

hero



He walked the dirty streets. Famous for nothing.
He said “come follow me” and they came.
A face like all the rest.
But something was different.
The Son of God would lead the way.
And soon they all would say.

There He goes - a hero.
A savior to the world.
Here He stands with scars in His hands.
With love He gave His life so we could be free.
The Savior of the world.

He spoke with clarity.
Walked across the sea.
A single word would calm the storm.
His touch could heal the sick
but He was called a hypocrite.
Laid behind the stone.
His death was shortly mourned
He left the curtain torn.

There He goes - a hero.
A savior to the world.
Here He stands with scars in His hands.
With love he gave His life so we could be free.
The Savior of the world.

He choose to take the cross.
Shed tears for the lost
the broken and the needy.
Forgiving those who were and will be.
The angel made it clear.
He told them have no fear.
He’s not here. He’s not here!

There He goes - The Hero.
The Savior to the world.
Here He stands with scars in His hands.
With love He gave his life so we could be free.
The Savior of the world.
The Savior of the world.
The Savior of the world.
- Abandon 

virtual tag...

...less anxiety than real life tag!

Sweet Rachel at Once Upon A Miracle has tagged me in this little online game and I am ready and willing to play! It's kind of like 20 Questions...except there are only 19 and that bothers me a little. Anyway, she had questions, I have answers...

1. if you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family? 
Have you looked at my blog header lately? Or the left side of my blog? K, that answers that!

2. if you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?
Easy peasy - a house full of kids of all different colors!

3. what is the one thing most hated by you?
Spiders. Ughhhhh. Seriously I don't like to use the word hate but I H.A.T.E. them!

4. what would you do with a billion dollars? 
Alrighty here we go! First I would tithe 10% to my church. Then I would give 50% of what was left to charities such as Compassion International. Then I would pay off all of our debt! Finally - and most importantly - I would adopt about 1000 kids from every country in the world!

5. what helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
Chocolate
Coffee
Eric
Maggie and Nebbie (sometimes they are the ones that put me in the bad mood to begin with, however!)
These are not necessarily in order ;)


6. which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone? 
Tricky tricky! I believe both is the correct answer. I love to love Eric, and I love that he loves me back! But knowing Jesus loves me, well there aren't words to describe that.

7. what is your bedtime routine?
It varies...we go to bed pretty late most night but we are trying to break that habit because my darling husband has to get up at the butt-crack of dawn for his fancy-shmancy new job! We usually will play some wii together, then I retreat to the mac to fool around be productive blog and check email and then he drags my behind to bed around midnight usually...

8. if you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner? 
Awww tender! Well clearly I am married, happily for 4.5 years now! We met at a mutual friends birthday dinner when I was just 15 years old.

9. if you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be? 
I'm a little obsessed with music, especially indie christian bands. My new fave right now is Deas Vail, and I'd love to be a fly on the wall during a studio session!

10. what kinds of books do you read? 
I love to read, I just don't get to do it as often as I'd like. My friend Taylor has reintroduced me to the world of fiction again! And I covet her Nuk...big time. I love Francis Chan and John Piper and Beth Moore though too.

11. how would you see yourself in ten years time?
Well like I've said before, Eric and I want a whole buncha kids! So hopefully surrounded by them somewhere...maybe living in Costa Rica? ;)

12. what’s your fear?
Ok this one is deep. Sorry guys but I usually just write what pops into my head as I sit down and this is what happened to pop in. I am afraid of never being called "mom." I know you may think that's silly and irrational but I am truly scared of it. I know many wonderful and Godly women who are called to a life of just them and their husband, but I know God has called me to be a mother. I am just afraid I will never attain that calling. Sounds silly now that I have written it...

13. would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?
Heck no. Notevenkidding.

14. would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?
Well considering we are already proud members of the "married and poor" team, I'll stick with that.  Although I use "poor" lightly as I know we are wealthier than 90% of the world we live in.

15. what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Stumble to the coffee pot...

16. if you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?
Not a dern thing! I knew what I was getting in to when I married him ;)


17. if you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
Princess Consuela Bananahammock (1000 reach in, out, up points for whoever can name what that is from first!


18. would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?
Jesus tells me to so I'd love to say "yes absolutely" but I know me and my stinky humanness...


19. if you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
Nutella. I am super obsessed at the moment. Ask me tomorrow and this could change! What can I say? I am nothing if not fickle. 


Ok since I am such a super fast virtual runner and all...I tag:

Denine @ Ever Wonder
Jen @ Discovering Joy in the Storm
Mrs. Irons @ Project Open Hearts
Ange @ Rejoice with Joy
C.C. @ His Heart
Penelope @ Foster 2 Forever
Kavitha @ Chicken Curry n' Apple Pie

And anyone else who wants to play along!

                  

q and a

I am just answering some questions today with material that anyone could google and find out for themselves. When people ask us these questions (usually incredulously) I like to be able to respond in love and with information that will educate them.

Q: Why are choosing foster care for your adoption? (Usually followed by, "do you know what you are getting in to?")

A: 
  • Currently, there are approximately 425,000 children in foster care in the United States. It's estimated that 115,000 are eligible for adoption.
  • In 2009, about 57,466 children were adopted from foster care.
  • Median age of child in foster care: 8.1 years.
  • Race/ethnicity of children in foster care: 38% Caucasian, 30% African-American, 22% Hispanic, 10% other.
  • The average child in foster care goes through three different placements and stays in the system for about 30 months.
Q: Why do you want a sibling group? (Usually followed by "One at a time is the way God designed it for a reason!")

A:
  • Siblings have a shared—often difficult—past and can provide a support system that no one else can. 
  • Brothers and sisters can help reduce the negative effects from the loss and separation of their parents.
  • Separating siblings puts each child at greater risk of emotional disturbances and difficulties in school. 
  • For some children, separation from siblings may cause greater stress than separation from their own parents, particularly those children whose parents were absent both physically and emotionally.
  • Siblings miss each other. Most adults who were adopted as older children return to agencies to search, not for their birthparents, but for siblings. 
  • Keeping siblings together improves their self-esteem. 
  • Siblings prefer to be together. 
All of these statistics were found at Adoptive Families.