Isaiah 43:1-6

But now , this is what the Lord says-He who created you, Jacob He who formed you,Isreal: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you: I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you: and when you pass through the rivers,, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned , the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the holy one of Isreal, your Savior: I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and ,honored in my sight, AND BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.

I will give nations in exchange for you, and peoples in exchange for your life.

Do not be afraid for I am with you ; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north 'Give them up!!!!!'and to the south 'Do not hold them back' "BRING MY SONs from AFAR...............

So what is this all about? We have had some very discouraging news this past week. The little boy we have been trying to bring home,from the Philippines, may not happen. The agency that we have been using had not researched the program very well and now because of restrictions that the PI has had in place since 2009 we are really not eligible to adopt from there. We are devestated we have been praying and working at trying to bring him home for quite some time and now .....well...it might not happen. Please pray for Gods will in this situation. We would love to bring him home and have him be our son. He is a 5 year old who is hearing impaired and he just needs the love, support and medical help to be the man God created him to be. Our hearts cry is to bring him home.

Also we found out last week that my SIL has cancer, 2 different kinds. This is very difficult on the family. My husband has already lost one sister to cancer and now another one has been diagnosed. Please pray for Deb she needs Gods healing touch and strength for the day.

A little summer fun...

We have little family activity that we do in the summer here. It's called pig for dishes...we play a game of pig (basketball) and the loser has to do dishes that night. I love it because hey I love a little help with dishes.

Quiet House....Is That Possible?

So how can a house with this many people living in it be quiet? Beats me but that is how it has been lately. Matt is out of town for the summer, and Beth was gone on senior trip for the last 4 days. We were able to all fit around the kitchen table for meals and not need extra chairs pulled up. We had grandparents in yesterday and Jess showed up with her kids so that filled us back up again. Dan and I have decided we were not made for an empyt nest. Out hearts and house were made for people, so we say bring em on and bring em in. This fall will be an adjustment as Beth heads off to college and Matt goes back for his 3rd year. We will only have one child playing highschool sports , no more deciding who's stuff to go to , whos' closer who's did we go to yesterday, why Alex will get quite spoiled. (he is already). For 6 years we have had 2-3 kids playing sports of some kind at the same time. So hey think of all the things I should get done and caught up on....yeah right ....who am I kidding?

We have heard that we are under review right now....how exciting.....nerve racking.....we are praying for a positive outcome. And a speedy decision....as I eat when I'm nervous.....I really need a speedy decision.....there has not been near enough chocolate in the house since Friday. We will keep praying in faith believing that Our GOD is greater and mightier than any other and HE hears and answers!!!!!!!!AMEN

Patience

" The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations." Psalm 33:11

"I am still confident of this ; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27: 13-14

"Let us hold unswervingly to the HOPE we profess, for HE who promised is FAITHFUL" Hebrews 10:23

No News is Good News.....

No news is good news ......is not necessarily true....it just means there is no news...

That being said we have just been in a dry spot....no news...no change....nada...zip


So I will leave you with something I thought was funny....

"I don't want to brag or anything but I still fit into the same pair of earrings that I wore in highschool"

In Honor of Mother's Day

I recieved this in an e-mail and thought it ws too funny and true to not share.

I owe my Mother
1. My mother taught me To Appreciate a Job Well Done:
"If your going to kill each other do it outside I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me religion:
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet"

3. My mother taught me about time travel:
"If you don't straighten up I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week."

4. My mother taught me logic:
"Because I said so that's why"

5. My mother taught me foresight:
"Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you are in an accident"

6. My mother taught me irony:
"Keep crying and I"ll give you something to cry about"

7. My mother taught me osmosis:
"Shut your mouth and eat you supper"

8. My mother taught me about weather:
"This room looks like a tornado went through it"

9. My mother taught me about the circle of life:
"I brought you into this world and I can take you out..."

10. My mother taught me about behavior modification:
"stop acting like your father"

11. My mother taught me about envy:
"There are millions of children less fortunate in this world who don't have parents as wonderful as you do."

12. My mother taught me about anticipation:
"Just wait until your father gets home!"

13. My mother taught me about recieving:
"You are going to get it when you get home..."

14. My mother taught me about science:
"If you don't stop crossong your eyes they will get stuck that way"

15. My mother taught me humor:
"When that lawn mower takes your toes off don't come running to me..."

16. My mother taught me genetics:
"you are acting just like you father..."

17. My mother taught me about my roots:
"shut that door...what were you brought up in a barn?"

18. My mother taught me about wisdom:
"When you get to be my age you'll understand"

19. My mother taught me to enjoy the ride:
"don't make me pull this car over..."

20. My mother taught me patience:
"sit there until I say you can get up..."

So where to begin! We have been waiting here for weeks and sometimes months on news of so many different things. Well this past week we have finally been getting some results/answers. So glad for that because I have to admit to worrying over them big time. Not right I know but the honest truth.
Sometimes waiting on God takes a lot longer than I want, and much more patienc/faith. But God is faithful and forgiving. So what has been happening....hmmmm?
We recieved Elainas' Certificate of Citizenship YEAH!!!!!! We applied for this in the begining of January and waited and waited and waited some more. She knew we had applied for it but then I had not said much after mailing out the application. I had thought that we would surprise her with it when it finally came. So every day I watched and waited. We recieved a letter telling us that our petition was approved and as soon as we mailed in her green card they would send us the certificate. Dan and I were thrilled. I mailed out what they wanted the next day and then we waited some more. Everyday I checked the mail in case it was there. One time Elaina even asked if it had come. Well last Thursday it arrived.(can you hear the hallelujah chorus here?) We then decided to surprise her with it on Easter. What perfect timing , I called my sil and she made a red/white/blue decorated cake for us. We had 35 people in for Easter dinner and when the kids went out for the egg hunt, I switched a table cloth to a flag one brought out the cake and put her certificte on an easel and surprised her when they all came back in the house. How fitting that Christ died so we can be citizens of heaven and now Elaina is also a citizen here in the good ol USA. We were so blessed to have it in hand. It is finished she has her paperwork all done after being home for 10 years we completed the last step. What a great feeling that is.

The other thing we have been waiting on is our dossier going to the Philippines. This process has been so much longer than I ever imagined. But it looks like this coming Friday it should be sent. The last piece is on it's way to our agency.

We had 2 weeks of Easter vacation and I went with Bethany on 3 college visits. WHEW#### She has been accepted at all three we just went to check them out and get a feel for where Beth would want to go. She has her pick and now we are trying to come up with money (she doesn't even feel nervous about money). So we are praying and looking and seeing what needs to be done. But I have already done finacial aid for Beth and matt and we were pulled for varification(again) and I have those forms all done and sent back to each school, so I'm keeping up. We only have like 8 weeks of school left. Matt is done in 3 weeks so things are winding down.

And today we went back for Phoebes post op appointment and got very good....great.news. She passed her hearing tests in the normal range. YEAH!!!! Her ears have healed up and she is hearing, so we will continue on with speech . She has healed completely from the broken collarbone incident also.

Have a Blessed day. Christ has risen just like He said He would!!!!!