Summers End

Girls and Summer

Thought I would post pics of the girls this summer. Bethany is a soccer referee this summer. She likes doing it and has gotten to be even more outspoken....if that's possible ;o. Elaina wearing the dress she made for 4-H. She recieved a blue ribbon on it. Phoebe and Ava at the water park sitting on Paul Bunyans' dog. We have pictures of all the kids sitting on this dog. This time while we were doing the pics the big kids weren't thrilled with sitting on the dog. I love looking back and seeing the old photos, but realizing just how much time has gone by and how quickly it went makes me a little sad. So far we are having a good but busy summer. The kids play soccer 4 nights a week and our church is getting ready for VBS. We are trying to ejoy it, and not just endure it.

Summer Fun

We took the kids up to the mountains camping this past week. The weather was perfect, we did lots of swimming and card playing and eating. We borrowed a amper from some friends of ours and man that was a great move. No tent no air mattress and no worrying about the bears. They came into our site most every night but we were snug in the camper. My coffee creamer did suffer the casualty of the bear, it ate the whole thing so we had to go buy more. No one wanted to be with a momma who had not had her morning cup.....and I mean no one . :) I love going and sitting at the lake in the morning it is so peacefula and relaxing. The 3 girls had a great time, the older ones were bored...no computer...no cell phone....no texting. Oh well that is exactly why we go there. We told our son that obviously he wasn't stressed if he didn't need to just relax. That is the beauty of being 21. Any who it was fun and I'm glad we took the opportunity to go.

Psalm 33:11

"The plans of the Lord stand firm forever the purposes of His heart through all generations." But we must be prepared to wait on God's timing. His timing is perfect for He does things "at the very time" that He and He alone has set. It is not fo us to know His timing and in fact we can not know it-we must wait for it. selected from Streams in the Desert So heres to 7-7 more weeks of waiting and then hopefully NEWS......GOOD NEWS.... Hoping and praying and wishing.....

Good news

So I wouldn't even know where to begin. What a crazy time it has been. We had a stomach bug .....ugh...and then our Aunt passed away and life is just crazy.
But in the midst of that good things were still going on.
We had applied 8 weeks ago for our FBI clearance letter. We have been waiting and waiting....and waiting...I called twice to see what I could find out. Well this week I was informed that mine were not clear and they had to be sent to a special unit for review. Man...how frustrating, they get 2 weeks to review and then if not good notify me and I would have to do them again and wait the 8 weeks again. I was discouraged how come ....why me....blah ..blah...blah.. We started praying for favor with my print card and tried to stay positive. On Friday I was beyond frustrated but Dan prayed and we went to the funeral and everything there went well and when we checked our mail.....there it was ...yes!!! Thank you Lord for miraculously providing what we were hoping for. So that was the last piece of information we needed for our dossier. I am getting everything notarized and then county sealed and then mailing it out. Whew....it has taken us 3months and 2 weeks to get everything we needed for this one. Not bad. So hopefully by Wednesday this part of the process will be over and we will be waiting on translation and being presented to the ministry of justice in Bulgaria. if we are approved we will make this public knowledge. Hopefuly we will have good news to share. I fwe are turned down we won't be saying anything. I have added a picture of Ava and myself when I was in Vietnam picking her up. Just to remind me that it can happen.

Well where to start. On Monday as we were driving home from yet another dentist appointment for Ava, and she was crying hysterically, and I was frazzled. I mean how long can they cry, in this case it turns out for several hours. Ugh what a long ride home. I was sitting in the back with her and Dan was driving and he started talking about how we could relate this experience and have it be a good learning tool. Well he was right God started lining up all the pieces of what we had been through on that day and there is a lesson to be learned.

When we take Ava to the dentist we don't tell , sounds mean but really it is to save her from being afraid and nervous and miserable in advance. This way she gets to enjoy her day right up until we pull in the parking lot of said office. Isn't that so like God? He doesn't let us in on life changing events until it is time because as humans we wouldn't enjoy what we have/had because we would be so nervous or afraid or dreading what it is God wants to do with us next. WE don't live in the moment when we are always anticipating what it is God is going to do next, we spend hours maybe days or months trying to figure God out instead of enjoying what we have. Monday morning at pre-school Ava was having a ball she was laughing and playing and so active. I sat and watched her enjoying her time and thinking if she knew what was coming she would be on my lap crying, and that is exactly the point we do the same thing or we anticipate bad news or events and we don't live in the present that God has for us. I confess to being in this situation alot...too much.
When the truth is in Gods word
Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Now lets get out there and enjoy what it is God has given us this day,don't miss the smiles ,hugs and opportunities to love that are before us.