Grace and Glory

she went and did it...

2012-02-12T17:00:00.000-05:00

despite my begging, groveling, weeping,

bribing, etc., she went right on ahead

and turned 18.

she can vote

she can be called for jury duty

she can buy a lottery ticket...

the thoughts of a high school graduation

in a few months?!

have mercy!

traditional dinner @ her favorite Italian restaurant

there were gifts...

there was cake...

there was sibling love...

there were flowers from Dad &

a ginormous bar of dark chocolate...

now,

what is one thing every girl dreams

of for her 18th birthday?

what was the ONE specific thing this

calm, organized, routine-tradition lovin'

birthday girl asked for?

to go to a local shooting range w/ her dad

pistol packin' mama

note to all future interested male suitors

who may possibly not treat our daughter

w/ the utmost respect befitting a

daughter of the King...

they're both mighty fine shots.

consider yourselves warned.

the big 1-8!

2012-02-10T08:41:00.003-05:00

be still my heart - I cannot believe
this baby girl is 18?!!

we thank God for you, Ali!
18 years ago today,
with that
"deer in the headlights"
glaze on our faces, we
became parents for the first time.
we were scared to death,
and you were perfect.

we can't begin to describe the joy we've
been given as we've watched you grow
into a beautiful young woman who
is passionate about seeking her
heavenly Dad, embracing His Son as
her friend, and being filled daily
with His Spirit -
you are an amazing gift!

so today, we bless you with these words-
Ephesians 1:17-20
"For I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, that He may grant you a
spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into
mysteries and secrets] in the deep and intimate
knowledge of Him. By having the eyes of
your heart flooded with light, so that you can
know and understand the hope to which
He has called you, and how rich is His
glorious inheritance in the saints, and what
is the immeasurable and unlimited and
surpassing greatness of His power in and
for us who believe as demonstrated in
the working of His mighty strength which
He exerted in Christ when he raised Him
from the dead and seated Him at His own
right hand in the heavenly places."

birthdays, festivals, and dragons...oh my

2012-02-05T11:45:00.002-05:00

the birthday girl enjoyed a wonderful day...

aunt Sue dropped by to bring a gift

& read one of Gracie's favorite books

sooooooo blessed!

i'm gumby!

isn't Ali talented?

she made a Grandma cake pop...

"ooooh! bucks!"

thank you Grammie!

meet "dr. drill & fill"

Gracie's obsessed with this slightly disturbing toy.

when daddy was asking her some questions

as she was making play dough braces, she said

"pwease weave me alone...i'm working!"

the queen deemed the day

"uh-mazing"!

yesterday we attended the local

Chinese New Year celebration.

this girl loves her some noodles

the noodle queen sharing some love with

Erin & her best pal.
(whose mama happens to be my best pal

since K5...isn't God fun that way?!)

the much anticipated dragon making

his entrance

well, it's time to get my multi-cultural self movin-

happy super bowl sunday!

(who's playing anyway?)

four is fabulous!!

2012-02-01T08:29:00.001-05:00

we love you Gracie Jia Shu!

happy birthday

to our sassy little princess!!

we bless you today with

joy and an extra special

covering of the Father's love.

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

2012-01-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

happy Chinese New Year!!

it's the year of the dragon & there's

lots of fun happening around here today...

some cool crafts, fortune cookie baking,

and of course some local Chinese food tonight.

happy monday y'all

and

"Gung Hay Fat Choy"!

the Response

2012-01-20T19:09:00.004-05:00

this past tuesday evening we had the
privilege of attending an amazing evening of

prayer for our country.

The Response is a prayer gathering,
based on Joel chapter 2,
being held around our nation with the

purpose of lifting the Name of Jesus and

"pressing the gates of heaven to see

justice and righteousness in America."

you can read more about it HERE.

if it will be held in your area, I highly

encourage you to go and be a part!

our Ali was asked to be one of the participants

to read Scripture and pray...

oh my goodness.

my heart was ready to burst with thankfulness

that the Father has captured her heart

and has given her a passion to see His will

done on this earth, and a boldness to

make Him and His love known.

that's my baby girl!!

Joel 2:12-13

¹² “Even now,” declares the LORD,

"return to me with all your heart,

with fasting and weeping and mourning."

¹³ Rend your heart

and not your garments.

Return to the LORD your God,

for he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love,

and he relents from sending calamity.

distractions, dentists and phish food

2012-01-13T10:20:00.001-05:00

wowzers

it's january 13 & my motivation button

seems to be in need of a tune-up.

wishing I could be confessing

organized drawers and closets

unpacked boxes

color-coded schedule charts

daily aerobic workouts...

but nope, I got nothin'.

things are slowly happening house wise.

painting is being done, & yes,

some boxes have been unpacked.

I do manage to get out of my pjs by mid morning,

and there is a home cooked meal on the table nightly.

but

distractions are a biggie for me

for some reason this new year.

with so much to be done, our normal

daily routine has been dicey.

one of the toughest aspects?

the home school routine.

a new setting & trying to recover

from a big move have been a tad difficult.

the biggest distraction?

these guys

I mean really...

we're loving the bay window w/

the groovy bird feeder view,

but w/ every new, fabulous bird that

lands for a bite or two,

we are immediately glued to the window.
it's like a daily ornithology field trip.

really, our Creator is amazing!

we are birding nerds.

I might have some t-shirts made.

yesterday this little penguin went to the dentist.

she can walk into the surgeon's, ENT's

and pediatrician's office w/o batting an Asian eyelash,

BUT

the dentist is a different story altogether.

I'll just say that her amazing dentist has stated

that Gracie has the strength of a grown man.

she. hates. that. dentist. chair.

so, being the awesome mother that I am,

with memories of our last visit dancing in my head,

I allowed Brian to take her.

she cried, yes, but she laid back & was compliant

enough for an exam.

thank You, Jesus.

the next leg of our journey will be a three-ring-circus

of working between her surgeon, her dentist

and an orthodontist.

buckle up. it's all good.

oh, and poor Alison...

she had a craving for a particular

Ben & Jerry's ice cream yesterday.

so, being the softy that I am

( in more ways than one...

see above "non-aerobic routine"reference)

I bought her some.

after a few bites she thought it tasted, well, odd.

"mom! this says it went bad in september!"

then I noticed

it went bad in september

of 2010!!

when I called the store manager and politely

suggested he check the freezer shelves,

he told me we could bring it back for an exchange.

don't think so.

a refund is just fine, m'kay?!

thankfully, no digestive disturbances occurred,.

and I think the craving for that treat no longer exists.

happy non-distraction weekend!

our Christmas

2011-12-31T09:44:00.001-05:00

new pjs for all

twas the night before Christmas

just give me the chocolate,

thank you very much

love at first sight...

the new mountain bike

the new pair of Wallabees..

and there was great joy in the land

new quilt + her new Bible = a happy Ali

a little nerf bball action to

work off those cinnamon rolls

"you'll shoot your eye out, kid!"

giving grandma her gift

warmin my buns with grandpa

"I beat grammie at Candy Land! whoop whoop!"

getting ready for target practice with grampy

our annual trek to see the gingerbread houses

at the Grove Park Inn

Gracie's favorite!

Erin's favorite!

my favorite!

happy trails y'all!!

JOY to the world!

2011-12-25T06:58:00.001-05:00

Come, Thou long expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free

From our sins and fears release us

Let us find our rest in Thee

Israel's strength and consolation

Hope of all the earth Thou art

Dear desire of every nation

Joy of every longing heart

let every heart prepare Him room!

2011-12-24T11:29:00.001-05:00

i love Christmas eve -
soaking in family time &

preparing for our favorite day of the year!

one tradition...

making a birthday cake for Jesus.

Gracie asked me the other night

"uh...how He gonnna eat it?"

hmmmmm...

I told her it will make His heart very happy

to watch us celebrate the day He was born!

merry, merry Christmas eve!!

oh there's no place like...

2011-12-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

HOME for the holidays!!

we're moved in.

boxes remain in our bedroom, basement & garage.

(many, many, many, etc. boxes )

BUT we have a Christmas tree,

beds to sleep in,

and the Christmas shopping is done.

we are beyond grateful for God's provision

of a house that fulfills many dreams for our family...
another family oriented neighborhood.

room to entertain.

a finished basement for the kids
to have friends over.

an amazing back yard that we love-

we're an "outdoor/mountain-y" kind of family,

so it's the perfect place for our kiddos to roam.
(and the sunsets have been beautiful!)
we want to honor Him with this gift.

Thank You Father!!

waiting for santa to ride through the
neighborhood on a firetruck!

notice the not-so happy 3 yr.old
who wanted nothing to do with
jolly old saint nick.
*funny stuff*

the back porch
that makes us happy, happy, happy

the view from our porch

and the piece de resistance?
just behind that tree line is....

this!!

what?
a river and over 2 miles of neighborhood
hiking trails was not on our
"new house check list",
and not even a thought w/in our price range,
but we are soooo thankful that our
heavenly Father Who knows our
inmost desires blessed us with this beautiful bonus.

Ephesians 3:20-21

" Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!"

what to do?

2011-12-12T11:44:00.001-05:00

what does a family do to pass

the time during their hotel stay

as they await a closing date on their new home?

they check out all the local

free Christmas activities!

last weekend we visited a

"walk through Bethlehem" display

at a local church.

it was done really well - you had to

"pay your taxes" as you entered the city

gate, and the city itself was made to feel so real.

not too sure about that pony...

Gracie couldn't wait to see baby Jesus

she also "weally" wanted to see a camel.

she decided once one was w/in sight she preferred

"pwetend & not weal ones".

we also visited a local family home

that totally makes the Griswold light display

look like slim pickins....

we're talking front & back yard,

walking trails,

blinking lights synchronized to music,

santa himself,

free popcorn...

"I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action

Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle

with a compass in the stock

and this thing which tells time"

"me? sit on his lap? no way."

wouldn't you love to be his neighbor?!

thank you also to the dear friends who have had

us in their homes the past few weeks.

while it hasn't "felt" much like Christmas

in this hotel, when we are embraced in loving homes

with fabulous holiday food :) we truly

feel loved, and grateful for His provision

through others!

we're scheduled to close this week.

we.can't.wait.

the suite life

2011-11-30T22:14:00.000-05:00

where did November go?!

we shared a wonderful Thanksgiving day with my family.

is my niece's daughter a honey, or what?

so thankful for my nephew Colin's life...literally.

He was hit by a car last month, and is healing

well - God has big plans for him for sure!

seeing my niece w/ baby girls

makes me feel O.L.D.

(notice Colin didn't lose his sense of humor in the

accident. that family trait is a toughie to shake)

my dad had a little air soft target practice w/ Quinn.

LOVE seeing our kiddos enjoying

the house I grew up in.

cousin beauties

the lovely hostess - my fabulous sista

now for the reality check...

remember that house closing that was supposed to happen?

as we watched the 2nd pod take our belongings down the street,

we heard that the closing couldn't happen the next day.

after we picked our jaws up off the floor,

it was time for a little brainstorming.

thinking how nice it would be to save one weeks'
worth of extended stay fees,

we decided to...

camp out!!!

10 days in our empty little house.

between amazing neighbors, family

& church friends, we were outfitted w/

mattresses, bedding, pots & pans, etc.

it was all good.

especially the nights where some really cool families

had pity on us & invited us over for dinner in their homes! :)

we did close on our home this past Monday.

THANK YOU JESUS!

which brings us to our suite little home for now...

500 square feet of family bliss.

Quinn's words after loading up @ the free breakfast...

"this is the life. I could get used to this!"

so as everyone else seems to be scrambling to get

their Christmas trees and nurse their aching feet

from black friday, we are just trying to navigate

our new normal until we can close on our new home.

Gracie has had quite a few meltdowns,

which is understandable.

as Brian said, she's just acting out what

we're all feeling on the inside!

I'm contemplating taking Quinn & Gracie to

the hotel laundry mat for a homeschool field trip of sorts.

then again, it may not be good for their phsyche to

see Mama curled up in a fetal position on the floor

having flashbacks of the sketchy laundry mat

we had to frequent a few times when I was little.

yep, I can still see myself taking in that little slice

of society eating cheese nabs while
my mother slaved away.

I am grateful.

grateful for a safe place to land as we transition.

grateful that we're together.

grateful God orchestrated the sale of our home.

grateful for His provision.

and grateful for the dollar spot at Target.

life may be a little upside down right now,

but I swanee, I can't not bring some Christmas

cheer to our home suite home!

all boxed in

2011-11-15T21:57:00.000-05:00

THIS

is my life right now.

boxes, boxes, packing, packing,

sorting, sweating, panicking, cleaning,
praying, reminiscing, dreaming, etc.

Is the picture becoming more clear?!

We are moving this week,

and our heads are spinning.

We close on our house Friday & will be

staying in an extended stay hotel for

2-3 weeks until we close on our new house.

6 people.

2 cats.

3 small rooms.
one national holiday.

did I say 2-3 weeks?

can you just feel the love?

family.bonding.super-sized.

so grateful to our heavenly Father
that our house sold while many others sit,
unsold, in our neighborhood & city.
so grateful to have a place to stay in the interim.

did I mention is was 2-3 weeks?
6 people.
2 cats.
yeah, yeah....

we are looking forward to being in our
new home, where Gracie will finally have
her own room.
(2 years in our bedroom has been
a real blast, let me tell ya,
but the fun has run it's course.)

on the other hand, we'll all be processing
some sadness over leaving this house,
this side of town,
and our AMAZING neighborhood.
Quinn especially will be saying goodbye
to a lifelong buddy - definite effort
will be made to keep those two
playing together as often as possible!

for someone who isn't very fond of change,
I'm excited to see what God has for us
in a new community,
and so grateful that the girls will now be
only 3 minutes from school, and we'll be only
10 minutes from Brian's office & church...
it's all good.

as for that that 2-3 week window...
we're telling Gracie it's a vacation
at a hotel.
i'm trying to convince myself
of that concept as well.
hey- I love free trial size soap & shampoo,
and who can say "no" to a never
ending supply of clean
white towels and an
in-the-wall hairdryer?!!

as of today,
we're officially

POD PEOPLE!!!!!

prayer update

2011-11-08T09:20:00.004-05:00

thank you for your emails & prayers for my nephew!

we are believing God for miraculous healing,

and thanking Him for Fathering my sister

and her family so far.

instead of trying to update

his status in my own words, I'll

post the most recent update

from my sister's Facebook...

Has been an eventful 24 hours. As we expected he developed lung problems that made us ramp up breathing treatments and get him up and moving more to open up that left lung that has collapsed a little. He still has off and on fever and we had to do an xray of his stomach tonight due to his tummy becoming very distended. Found out that the new g/j tube moved out of place and has to be replaced if possible or he needs another surgery for a different kind of tube. He is only receiving IV fluids right now and is not able to get anything by mouth. Praying for a calm night with sleep and healing of his lungs and answers for his feeding tube.

would you pray with me today for this precious guy?

my nephew is one of my heroes...

he's faced so many obstacles and surgeries

in his life, and we love him to the moon & back.

today he faces one of his most challenging surgeries

to date-an experimental, yet necessary one.
the doctor is creating a new ureter from his bladder
and will also be putting in a g.i.tube as it is now
necessary for him to have pump feedings.

we're believing the Father to supernaturally guide

the surgeon and bring grace-filled healing to

Jeremiah's body. we're also asking for

tangible peace for his mom, my sister, as

she walks through this day.

Romans 15:13

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with

joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow

with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."

a whole lotta fun going on

2011-11-01T12:21:00.000-04:00

life is crazy right now

so I'm so thankful for the fun moments

we can find in our busyness!

we celebrated my handsome daddy's birthday

it's amazing, really, how a
very ~~bossy~~ convincing 3 year old
can make a table full of adults sing
round after round of
"The Wheels on the Bus"

the yearly pumpkin carving while

watching Charlie Brown & the Great Pumpkin

she drew Quinn with his glasses

the kitty cat princess

the princess & the navy seal/black ops hero

book 'im danno

2011-10-23T13:41:00.000-04:00

this sweet innocent face

don't let it fool ya

she got the local sherrif to visit our church today

by dialing 9-1-1 on her daddy's phone

during the service.

am I too old for this?

just gotta laugh.

we interrupt this school year...

2011-10-12T09:10:00.000-04:00

for a quick-mini-long-weekend-fall vacation!!

what, what?

thanks to a very kind friend of a friend,

we were able to escape to the mountains for a few days.

our big girls were off monday & tuesday,

so when the offer we couldn't refuse

presented itself,

we got the heck outta dodge!

the one catch of the weekend

Ali's new friend

it's hammock time

rainy afternoon porch nap

Psalm 104:24
"LORD, you have done so many things!
You made them all so wisely!
The earth is full of your creations!"

happy, happy birthday

2011-10-07T07:19:00.002-04:00

happy birthday to

my best friend,

and the most wise, humble, courageous

and loving person I've ever known!

'tis fall around here

2011-10-02T11:38:00.001-04:00

and that means our yearly trip to the

mountains for apples!

for this one, it was all about
the pumpkins.

does he realize Thanksgiving is

just around the corner?!

poor kid,

taking that SAT in the morning

made her a little bubble off balance

the rest of the day.

it was freeeeeeeeeezing!

the trip home.....

smiles & apple tasting for some,

sleep for others

the par-tay

2011-09-26T13:07:00.001-04:00

Quinn & his buddies spent the afternoon

with a wonderful friend of Brian's

who taught the guys how to shoot bow & arrow...

a dream come true for the birthday boy!

too cute, or what?!

Quinn, the huntsman

time for a little football action

"do you like my sheeeens?"

someone needed a little "daddy attention"

b/c she wasn't the CENTER of attention :)

more fun that evening w/ Grandma & Grandpa

& our friend Diane!

"I'm TEN!!!"

to top off the weekend, big sis Ali

took Quinn a Sunday afternoon date.

the sugar high continues...

double digits!

2011-09-24T09:20:00.001-04:00

10 years old!!!

happy, happy birthday to our

handsome

creative

compassionate

nerf-loving

lego-building

faith-filled

son.

we love you Quinn Samuel!!!

blessed beyond measure

2011-09-22T12:19:00.000-04:00

yesterday was lovely...

my honey took the rainy day off from work.

the best gift ever!

the day was sprinkled with surprises...

my favorite candle

2 dozen roses accompanied by

a tiny teddy bear (claimed by Gracie)

and a box of chocolate (claimed by moi)

the first Pumpkin Spice latte of the season

and dinner at one of my favorite places in the world!

20 years = a priceless gift
I'm so in love, and so blessed!

aaaand
to make things even more joyful around here,
Gracie's appointment went so well the other day.
NO MORE NOSE TUBES! YayYayYay!!!
after the doctor took the tubes out,
Gracie asked me if they were out forever.
when I said "yes", she said
"I wuv you Dr. Matthews!"

tah-dah!

when I looked at her in her carseat on the way home
I was flooded with emotion.
Gracie has walked through so much in the last 2 years.
there will be more procedures in her future,
but today we celebrate so many amazing milestones
as well as celebrating the wisdom & skill of her surgeon.
ultimately, we celebrate the wisdom, healing, love and care
of our heavenly Father!

Psalm 34:1-3
"I will praise the LORD at all times.
I will constantly speak His praises.
I will boast only in the LORD;
let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the LORD'S greatness;
let us exalt His name together."

2 years ago

today!

"You are worthy, O Lord our God
to receive glory and honor and power!"
Revelation 4:11

two decades

2011-09-21T08:28:00.004-04:00

twenty years ago today
I married my best friend.

4 beautiful children,
8 cars/vans,
1 dog,
2 cats,
1 rabbit,
a dozen or so fish,
one apartment,
3 houses,
uncounted birthdays & holidays,
many, many road trips,
hours and hours of prayer,
countless laughter & tears later...

and he's still the love of my life!

I love you Honey!

it's electric

2011-09-19T20:28:00.000-04:00

we're heading back to Charlotte early

tomorrow for another post-op appointment

3 months after Gracie's last surgery.

we believe this will be the day when

we're told she no longer need the nasal stents.

PLEASE!!!!

she's been such a trooper,

but I think we're all quite ready to

be done with that aspect of her recovery!

she'll also be having the second in a series

of treatments called microcurrent

therapy for her scar.

what is that, you ask?

instead of pitifully limping through

my limited-knowledge explanation,

I'll share what what we've found

in our research...

Microcurrent is a novel therapy that utilizes extremely low-level electrical currents (microcurrents) to treat nerve and muscle pain, inflammation, and other health challenges. Each tissue in your body has its own signature electrical frequency, which may be disrupted by injury or disease. Microcurrent therapy simply restores normal frequencies within the cells, resulting in remarkable improvements in pain, inflammation, and function.

Microcurrent treatment is also used on scarring. The electrical impulses when applied to scar tissue can change the color, texture and fabric of the scar reducing its appearance and also lessening any sensitivity in the area. It works by promoting healing from within the cells that make up the scars. EA-MP technology can help with most scars though not all. The more healthy tissue around the scar the more likely it is to heal completely while larger scars with little healthy tissue may not heal as well.

how's that for exciting?

we like to live on the edge of

medical coolness around here.

here's miss sassy at her first session a month ago.

other than feeling a little

"tingly", she did great.

when I asked the nurse if it would work

on stretch marks and/or cellulite,

her nervous chuckle of

"hmmm, I don't know."

just sucked the air right out of that

room, I tell ya.

oh well, it never hurts to ask.

feelin groovy

2011-09-18T12:51:00.000-04:00

we've been blessed so far with a three year old

who doesn't ask/beg for things...yet...

but

over the summer, after her big sisters

& her daddy acquired new tie-dyed t-shirts,

this three year old has made it

her mission to have one of her own.

"PWEASE may I have a shirt like daddy's?!!!!"

yesterday I happened to score big

at the dollar rack of Goodwill.

Lands End, no less!

you would have thought I had bought

her the moon...one happy girl.

have a beautiful week!

the mother's day gift that has rocked my world

2011-09-13T20:01:00.001-04:00

the flowers are long gone.

the chocolate still lives on...on my hips.

the cards, probably in a ~~landfill~~ keepsake box somewhere.
the one gift I'm still savoring 4 months later...

this book

One Thousand Gifts
a book that dares you
"to live FULLY right where you are".

right where I am?
a stay-at-home, homeschooling,
toddler chasing, teenager embracing mom
& wife to a very busy super hero?!

this read is a life-changer, for sure.
one chapter in particular has been read
and re-read, underlined, and sprinkled with
some grace-cleansing tears.
you see, one of my life-long struggles,
my "f" word, if you will, has been
fear.

here are some of the quotes that
I've been chewing on the past few months.
it's as if the author's been reading my mail,
so to speak...

"Anxiety has been my natural posture,
my default stiffness...
How I refuse to relinquish worry, an identity.
Do I hold worry close as this ruse of control,
this pretense that I'm the one who will determine
the course of events as I stir and churn and ruminate.
Worry is the facade of taking action
when prayer really is."

"Fear keeps life small.
Stress isn't only a joy stealer.
The way we respond to it can be sin."

"Trust, it's the antithesis of stress.
I can't fill with joy until I learn how to trust.
Romans 15:13
'May the God of all hope
fill you with all joy and peace
as you learn to TRUST in Him.' "

"Stress brings no joy."

wow-weee
that's Truth.
Truth that can set me free
from allowing fear to keep
parts of my life "small".
Truth with a capital "T"
is Jesus, and His perfect love
is promised to cast out fear.

yuck
I'm so done with that word.

harvest moon festival!

2011-09-10T15:44:00.001-04:00

the traditional mooncake

my surgeon doesn't need to know I ate sugar, right?

ahhh...it's a holiday

chopstick queen

2 fiiine lookin men

chopstick princess

the 1st thing Gracie asked when told we were

going to the Chinese festival...

"is dat dwagon gonna be there!!!"

Zhong Qiu Jie!!

bring it on

2011-09-08T09:43:00.000-04:00

my favorite season

aka FALL

a cool morning properly greeted with

mugs of Red Zinger tea & hot cider

“Allez! Cuisine!”

2011-09-06T16:30:00.000-04:00

Iron Chef Quinn is up for a challenge

he must have misplaced his white chef jacket,

yet he wields the spatula with controlled strength.

today's secret ingredient...

Bobby Flay's got nothin

on these skillet skills

(although he probably wouldn't let his kids

cook shirt-less around hot grease...)

the crowning glory...

"bunny salad" for dessert

our own little kitchen stadium

where cuisine reigns supreme

diary of a brave kid

2011-09-02T16:06:00.001-04:00

swinging with my dad - pretty safe place to be

climbing up by myself -a little scary

but worth the bravery to come down the slide

hmm...my brother doesn't seem scared

why doesn't he looked as thrilled as I do

on the "little kid slide"?!!

the scariest climb of all

her literal words after braving that ladder...

"I did it, and

I wasn't scared!"

we heart our city

2011-08-28T17:01:00.000-04:00

yesterday was just a fabulous day

we started early with a little stroll

down main street at the farmer's market

check out that beautiful young lady

peddling her wares at the

Great Harvest booth.

(quite frankly, I couldn't handle the

crowds, having to add numbers in my head

& make the correct change with a long line

of people waiting...I'm breaking out in a

sweat just thinking about it)

then we attended The Hinge

which is a yearly event held downtown.

it's actually a day of prayer set aside by our mayor

to pray for our city and to worship with other believers.

it was amazing

the weather was perfect

here's another beautiful daughter

worshipping with her bffs from church.

seeing this makes me choke up -

Brian & I are beyond grateful to see our

kids mature in their faith, & to have the chance

to worship with them and pray with them

is priceless.

really, we've travelled to a country where

worshipping the Creator of the universe in

a public place would be illegal.

we. are. so. blessed.

Quinn's little buddy was asked to pray.

is he a cutie, or what?

our youth pastor taking time to pray

w/ some of the girls & for the schools they attend.

and there was much rejoicing

2011-08-25T12:16:00.000-04:00

after 2 years of speech therapy,

today we heard the "d" & 't" sounds

for the first time.
( she been using "h" instead)

AND

loud & clear that little princess said

"Daddy"

Whooot to the Whoooo!

it may sound like a small accomplishment,

but those are the only sounds we

had never heard up until today.

God is good,

and this girlie is a hard worker!

last week was another post-op visit.
her nose looks great, and
her palate & gum line still look amazing.
we have 4 more weeks of
the nose stents,
(insert big sigh here)
and a new lip scar treatment plan.
(more to come on that!)

we're in somewhat of a school
routine around here.
reality is tough sometimes.

look at those little angels
quietly doing their work
while I enjoy a cup of coffee and
gaze happily around at
my spotlessly clean house...

a girl can dream, can't she?!

the most awesome fourth grade boy ever...for real

2011-08-17T18:38:00.001-04:00

so God has led us

to another year of having my sweet boy

home for school!

between this smart boy

and one busy 3 year old sister,

I need to be eating my Wheaties

and chuggin' the caffeine for sure!

his new "first day" outfit

PJs!!
("nanee nanee booboo to my sisters who
have to wear their school uniforms!")

the fun may now begin!

the next best thing

2011-08-15T15:40:00.000-04:00

what does one do

when you head to the neighborhood pool...
4 kids in tow
lunches packed
to find that its closed?!

you create a back porch pool party
for special friends

complete with a poolside picnic

it's all good

to dare more boldly...

2011-08-12T06:30:00.000-04:00

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

attributed - sir francis drake -1577

a kleenex and a side of "bless yous"

2011-08-08T07:41:00.001-04:00

the kleenex?

that would be for me.

my big girls have their first day of school today.

the senior

9th grader...really?!!!

attending the same school this year!

why does the mama look through the camera lens

& see all the other "1st day pics"?!

the pigtails

the ironed little dresses
the missing front teeth

the Barbie lunchbox

the Madeline backpack

my, my, my

as for the "bless yous"?

those are for Ali & Erin.

aside from the lump in my throat today,

Brian & I could not be more proud of our teenage girls,

and we bless them today.

we bless them to be confident in who God

created them to be.

we bless them to boldly share the love of the Father

in tangible ways with their peers and teachers.

we bless them to carry God's kingdom

and the power of the Holy Spirit

everywhere their sweet little feet step.

they are where they are for a purpose,

and we can't wait to see the Father's

hand on them this school year.

as for Quinn & Gracie,

I'll be investing some time in them today -

explaining to them how they will

never be allowed to leave mommy

and go to high school,

putting little bricks on their heads & informing

them that they are not allowed to grow up

so darn quickly,

etc.

be blessed beautiful treasures!

so loved

2011-08-06T18:58:00.001-04:00

I have loved the t-shirts from
Wild Olive.
Check out their blog
HERE
for a great giveaway & to read
the story behind this beautiful t-shirt.

100% of the proceeds of the sale of each So Loved tee will be used to
fund a future heart surgery for an orphan in China!!!!!!!!
now,
that makes me down right giddy!

princess power

2011-08-04T09:17:00.000-04:00

100+ degree heat

can't stop this girlie

from showin off her princess cuteness

heat, schmeat

so it begins...

2011-08-02T10:18:00.000-04:00

my brain has put it off all summer long,

but it's here...

the realization that Ali will now be a

senior in high school.

today is senior portrait day.

I hope the photographer can concentrate

with the weeping and waling

coming from my corner of the room.

really, a professional should be
well equipped to deal with
an emotionally unstable mother, right?

by the time poor Gracie has reached this milestone,
I'm sure I'll be a more poised mama...
hahaha
speaking of our youngest, check out
her first official "face" picture

talented, eh?
she had her 4th post-op visit last friday.
she'll be sporting the nose stents for
another three weeks
(whaaaa!)
and we are to up our game on treating her lip scar.
(her surgeon is still not pleased w/ the
redness and thickening going on)
so...more lotion & NO sugar it is!

well, I'm being invited to a tea party
by a very convincing little 3 year old.
I guess I should go change out of my pajamas...

good morning sunshine

2011-07-25T10:05:00.001-04:00

what a perfect way

to start my day!

an old favorite

2011-07-21T16:54:00.000-04:00

it must be the lazy dog days of summer.

i used to have

"this is a blog post"

moments often during the day...

but my brain is toast these days-

so because nothing witty is sprouting

from the mouths of my children,

and no photo-ops are emerging from our

daily summer routine,

i'm sharing what we had for dinner last night.

original, eh?

it is one of my standby/favorites &

since Brian ate it in like 3 minutes flat,

i'm assuming it's still a keeper!

there's always chicken in the freezer,

so depending on what you have you can

grill, broil, or saute it w/ a little

salt & pepper & some olive oil.

the glaze is actually a recipe i snagged

while watching Regis & Katie Lee

(yes, there was someone else before Kelly)

when Ali was a baby, and I had time

to watch things like that after having

a whole, hot cup of coffee and actually

completing my Beth Moore Bible study

in my matching nightgown & robe.

i digress....

apricot glaze

saute 1T minced garlic in 2T butter till fragrant.

in a small bowl, whisk together:

2T orange juice

1T lemon juice

1/2t cornstarch

whisk everything together in the

saucepan & then add:

1/4t ginger

1/3C apricot preserves.

mix & thicken over low heat

& serve over your cooked chicken -yum!

the potato recipe is actually one of Ali's favorites,

so i feel a tad guilty for fixing them

while she is away at camp.

Trader Joe's sells the perfect potatoes

for this recipe.

they are actually called

"teeny tiny potatoes"

(no joke)

& they are fabulous!

the recipe is called "hasselback potatoes"

& you can find it

HERE

i just love Nigella Lawson.

in fact, sometimes when i'm cooking

i pretend i'm her.

really, i think we favor each other...

don't you see the resemblance?

no?

the rumpled yet glamorous hair...

OK, the flawless, porcelain skin?...

the full, sultry lips?

the rosy, high cheekbones?

the voluptuous curves not hidden under a
paint-stained mission trip t-shirt from 1987?

no?

OK, we both have brown eyes.

how's that?

we rounded out our little meal
with some Trader Joe's french green beans,
and all was well with my little world.
(except the fact that my big girls
were still at camp)
BUT they will be home for a quick sleepover
tonight before they head down to
the beach with their youth group pals
for the day. can't wait to kiss those
sweet little faces!!

the good, the sad, and the ugly

2011-07-19T09:31:00.000-04:00

ahhh, there really has been a lot of "good" around here...

like getting a little more sleep at night for instance.

then there's...

lots of pool time

plenty of dart tag

( I'm a tad concerned that the older one

looks a little too serious about his role)

as for the "sad"...

these two left for church camp last night :(

sad for me...happy for them

actually, they're staying right here in

town in church host homes,

so I could spy, I mean check on them at any time...

honestly, I LOVE the heart of our church.

our teens will be partnering with a

different local ministry

every morning to serve in within our city,

and going downtown to pray with

people in the afternoon.

their evenings will be worship/teaching

times @ the church .

friday will be a fun, one day beach

trip to celebrate together.

the girls were sooo excited.

as for the "ugly",

evidently we are just one of many

adoptive families in a wrestling match

of sorts with the IRS over our

adoption tax credit return...

we've submitted the required paperwork

twice so far, and were told to expect

a possible 3rd request.

ugh, ugh, ugh.

maybe I should send the

dart tag duo

to knock on some doors...

4 weeks

2011-07-14T08:03:00.002-04:00

I cannot believe we are now exactly

four weeks post-op.

where does the time go when you're

having well, um, fun?!

we fit in some sparkler time

Quinn called this his "statue of liberty" pose

we've eaten lots of popsicles

(check out that new little smile

emerging under that tape!)

we also saw Dr. Matthews last week.

he actually wasn't totally pleased

with how her lip is healing...

not what you want to hear.

we are applying, as Gracie calls it,

her special lotion

(1/2 castor oil, 1/2 sesame oil)

as often as possible during the day.

we were told that the nasal stents will need

to be in for probably 4 more weeks. :(

the process of cleaning & changing tape

is still NO fun, but getting slightly easier.

God REALLY does give grace in the areas

you think you would never be comfortable in -

grace for daddy to hold her down,

& grace for mamma to clean a sore nose

& insert that tool of torture, I mean healing,

as her baby screams "no mommy!!"

sleep...well, she's had a handful

of nights where she slept all the way through.

it's just so frustrating to her to not

be able to breathe well through her nose.

we've tried to adhere to her surgeon's dietary

restrictions for Gracie as well.

he's very anti- refined sugar - that makes sense.

he also told us that Asian scars can heal

better when you eliminate wheat & dairy from

the diet. she's done surprisingly well.

there are many gluten/wheat free products now

(for a small fortune, I might add)

and then there's, of course, fresh fruit & veggies -

imagine that!

she's LOVED the homemade popsicles.

here are her 3 favorite recipes!

(W.Mart has great popsicle molds for

$3 in the frozen food section!)

Summer Splash

juice of 1 1/2 whole oranges

(Trader Joes is the only place I could find valencias around here)

1C chopped strawberries

1/2 C blueberries

1t flax seed

3/4 cup silken tofu (sneaky, eh?)

3T agave nectar(sold right by the artificial sweeteners)

combine all in blender until smooth.

pour into molds & freeze!

Orange Joy

juice of 6 oranges, or 2C of freshly squeezed orange juice

1 whole pineapple, cored & cut up

3T wheat germ

1 or 2 bananas

1/2C water

puree in blender until smooth.

pour into molds & freeze!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate

1/4C dark chocolate chips, melted

1/4C organic peanut butter

1T wheat germ

1C soy milk

puree in blender until smooth.

drink half, just to make sure it's OK, then pour into molds and freeze!

a fabulous fourth

2011-07-06T16:53:00.000-04:00

if someone could tell me where the long weekend went,

I would greatly appreciate it!

Gracie is more herself everyday, and we're ALL

looking forward to the day when we no longer

need to care for those positioner tubes in that sweet little nose!

she didn't skip a beat, though, in keeping up

with everyone these past few days!

we spent one morning at one of our favorite places -

the Happy Berry

how could you not have fun with a name like that?!

investigating the chicken situation

our own little"Sal"

(one of her all-time favorite books

is Blueberries for Sal)

ma & pa even had the chance to put on

fancy grown up clothes to attend a beautiful wedding...

without children

and the minivan

and goldfish snacks

we celebrated downtown for the 4th

even that crazy nose tape couldn't hinder

this little firecracker's fun

our grown-up girls

sniff sniff

Quinn & his buddy Sam

Gracie entertained everyone around us by hollering out

the color of every firework as they exploded...

"puwple!"

"gween!'

"wed, white and bwue!"

happy gotcha day!

2011-06-29T09:18:00.001-04:00

2 years ago today we met our

baby girl for the first time.

happy gotcha day

Gracie JiaShu!

we were soooo ready to meet her!

our first glipmse

she was one scared little girl

meeting daddy

her first bath

winning her over with sugar?!

Psalm 68:6

"God sets the lonely in families. "

Thank you Father for placing
Gracie in our home!

bye bye Packing, hello Princess

2011-06-25T14:09:00.001-04:00

if the ground shook in your neck of the woods

yesterday morning, it could have been the

aftershocks of a certain sweet girl's shrieks

as the packing was removed from her nose.

can't say as I blame her really.

it was not fun.

at all.

not one bit.

which is why on the way home

this fabulous ensemble

was purchased for our brave little princess.

we were sent home with tubing in her nose

that needs to be there for couple of months

(did I just type that?)

so that the work done inside her nose will

heal correctly. evidently her septum needed
quite a bit of repair.

last night was the first night in over a week that

she (& her parents, in turn) slept all night.

our joy quickly faded

*insert drumroll*

as we realized it was because her tubing fell out.

the drama that ensued as we had to clean

her nose & lip & insert the tubing back in &
then tape it back down....
it made yesterday look like a Mr. Rogers episode.
she is a STRONG girl,
and one tough little fighter.

so...now all is well. I spoke with the nurse in hopes
of receiving some advice on how to keep
the tubing in place. after some creative taping,
it seems good.
until Monday.
when it will be time to take it out
to clean it.
and put it back in.
again.
prayer? yes, please!

God is walking through this with us.
He sent us a hug with this beautiful sunset last night!

sleepless nights and a full glass of whine

2011-06-21T11:39:00.000-04:00

our little patient really is getting better every day, but

along with that healing comes a steady dose of

whining & grumpiness...

I really can't blame her.

the facial swelling is almost completely gone,
but the bruising on her sweet face continues
to appear. her lip looks amazing, and she's
letting us clean it with less drama
each time. she's such a trooper!
we'll head to charlotte Friday morning
to have the packing removed from her nose.
no fun
I know that will help her sleep so much better!

yesterday I managed to get a shower, made Gracie

some popscicles, and thanks to a dear

church friend, our family had a meal that wasn't take-out!

one highlight of our day yesterday

was receiving our new

Aaron Keys CD in the mail.

he was at our church a few weeks ago,

and one song in particular has ministered

so much to my heart.

based on the song of Moses in Exodus 15,

it speaks of God as being a mighty warrior

on behalf of His children.

I remember praying that for all of our children

that evening, & the Father confirmed that word when

those words were prayed over Gracie

3 days before her surgery.

He IS warring on behalf of our family

this week, and in the midst of tiredness,

pain, grumpiness and healing,

it brings so much peace!

"Praise the Lord, our Mighty Warrior,

Praise the Lord, the Glorious One.

By His hand we stand in victory.

By His name we overcome!"

we saw her first stiff smiles yesterday :)
she loved "playing along"
with the new music!

happy father's day from our recovering home!

2011-06-19T10:12:00.000-04:00

first of all, I am so grateful

for my wonderful, godly father.

he has always been such a prayer warrior,

and is a humble, funny, compassionate man.

we'll also be honoring Brian here at home today.

he is amazing - really.

I could not have imagined a more

perfect father for my children.

he has always gone above & beyond to help,

no matter the kids' ages.

his priority has always been family.

he speaks the life of God's word into

their lives and is such an example

of what it means to walk in step with the Spirit.

he loves each one of our children

for who they are, and I'm sure each one

thinks they're his favorite!

oh, and he just is plain ol' fun -

I love the laughter in our home.

speaking of...we got the first tiny chuckle out

of our little patient last night. thank you Jesus!

in my sleep-deprived state I've decided that

the week following

surgical procedures is like childbirth -

your brain, as a way to self preserve, I suppose,

forgets the really tough parts. when you go

through the process again you say to yourself,

"how did I do this before?!"

God's grace - period.

this is just a tougher surgery to bounce back from.

her facial swelling is going down, but the

bruising seems to be more prominent today.

her silly personality is making brief appearances,

and we're grateful for that!

night time is a toughie.

can you imagine not being able to

breathe at all through your nose,

& having a sore throat from work done

in the back of your palate?!

poor baby!

bottom line, the Father is good.

He is walking with us through this

and we will be just fine.

we're getting a better picture of

Gracie's new lip as swelling goes down.

I'm tearing up as I type-

she's beautiful & I'm so grateful

that God brought Dr. Matthews into our lives.

time to love on the little patient.

she's clingy with a capital "C"!

first attempt at playing!

and for my second act,

I can play it with my toes!

a very bright spot yesterday was being able to

slip away to my nephew's wedding - it was beautiful!

the bride & groom!

with my oldest brother & my dad's pride & joy

(not us - the restored car)

my sister & dad

our small family contingent at the wedding

outta here

2011-06-17T10:13:00.000-04:00

we had an up & down (literally!) night.

as more medicines wear off, the fighter in our

little Asian princess comes out more and more.

she can be a mean bear, let me tell ya.

a Starbucks IV would be nice right about now!

her surgeon saw her this morning & was

able to take the tape off her lip.

he said she looks fabulous, which is

good to hear because to us she looks

as if she's been in a boxing match.

not even kidding.

her left eye is completely swollen shut, & we

were told today & tomorrow would be the worst.

she's coping with trying to breathe through her

mouth while sleeping b/c of the nose packing.

she is my hero for sure.

I tell her that over & over.

yesterday as she was in & out of grogginess from meds

she just started praying out loud. I know for sure

she is being ministered to by her heavenly Father

& His ministering angels.

so...we should be discharged after lunch if little miss

fighter will drink for us. please continue to pray for

healing, that the swelling would go down, for peace,

grace & rest. also that the Spirit would prepare Ali,

Erin & Quinn to see their sister looking so rough.

your comments, texts & prayers mean more than you

know. thank you, thank you, thank you.

play dough was fun for...10 minutes

loves having daddy close by

2011-06-16T16:10:00.001-04:00

our sweet girl is resting with

her daddy right now.

her surgery lasted almost 3 hrs.

and went very well.

her new lip looks so different

even under the tape.

both nostrils are packed

& will be for one week.

(can you say not much sleep happening?!)

her uvula was brought together

and her surgeon was also able to add some

synthetic bone to her gum line.

brian's mom & dad have been

here to love on her and us.

we're praying for peace and grace

in this room. she's been

in & out and every time she wakes up,

she's VERY upset.

she's a brave girl.

thank you for praying!

in surgery

2011-06-16T08:33:00.002-04:00

we're trying to catch our breath...

the surgery for little miss Gracie Shu

was scheduled for 10:30 with

an 8:30 arrival this morning

Brian's phone rang @ 6:30...

"Where are you?"

the scheduler @ the office
gave us the wrong time.
needless to say we got ready in record time!

they took her back at around 8:00
after a very speedy check in!

I cannot tell you how well she did.
it was truly the grace of God.
she got a little weepy, but after the
"happy medicine" kicked in
she allowed her favorite nurse to
carry her down the hall.
even though this is the fourth time for this,
it does not get easier for this mama's heart!

she should be in surgery for around 3 hours.
I know the Father is caring for
and ministering to her as I type.
thank you for your prayers.
they will carry us through the day.

Gracie's big day tomorrow!

2011-06-15T11:38:00.000-04:00

yesterday was gracie's pre-op appointment

and we got the green light for surgery tomorrow!

We'll be heading down that road to Charlotte

again this afternoon.

I swear, I could make that drive

with my eyes closed!

the goal is to completely close her lip,

and close the cleft uvula in the back of her throat.

the most extensive aspect of her procedure

will be the work being done on the

inside and outside of her nose.

we're told the recovery from this will

not be a pleasant process for our sweet girl.

Gracie was prayed over at church

on Monday evening, and it was a beautiful

time of peace and wonderful words

spoken over her.

peace

faith

healing

ministering angels to surround her

God as her Warrior

last night as I was asking the Father

how I could pray specifically for her,

I sensed Him say

"What is her favorite song?"

she loves "Crash this Place".

it talks about the glory of God

crashing or invading where you are.

Brian's and my prayer is that the glory of God

would crash and invade

our home,

the pre-op room,

the waiting room,

the operating room,

the recovery room,

and her hospital room.

Psalm 90:16

"Let us see Your miracles again;

let our children see Your glory at work."

would you please join us in prayer as well?

for peace, for Dr. Matthews, and for

Gracie's healing.

before any of her procedures in 2008.

is she not pure sweetness?!

this may not make sense,

but we're going to miss this smile!

I know this completion of her surgeries is

part of the hope and future God has for her,

and we are so grateful for how the Father

has faithfully walked with us through

every step so far.

He is good.

oh dear beach, how do I love thee?

2011-06-12T10:14:00.002-04:00

let me count the ways...

beautiful beach angels

ice cream at the
odd ice cream/video store

mwuahhh hahaha
ice cream for lunch!

my girls!

little miss sassafrass

pool time

all my babies!

really?

evening bike rides

digging...to China?!

a little sand-to-the-fanny action

putt putt pros

dinner on the porch
(watching the golfers was quite entertaining)

time with my honey

poor (above) honey after
his bike accident :(

watch & learn

so grateful for the gift of our time away
before Gracie's surgery!

James 1:17

"Every good gift, every perfect gift,
comes from above.
These gifts come down from the Father,
the creator of the heavenly lights,
in whose character there is no change at all."

a sad goodbye and a happy surprise

2011-06-03T11:23:00.000-04:00

first of all,

I have to say how proud I am of Quinn

for finishing up a wonderful 3rd grade year!

he won every award...

attendance, honor roll, citizenship, etc....

he was home schooled! :)

really - I told him I will always treasure this

past year with him. he's a smart boy

and we covered a lot of ground.

congratulations 4th grader!!!

we had to say a tough "goobye" this week.

it was especially difficult for Ali.

her dear friend flew home to China on Wednesday.

Ecko was an exchange student

at Ali's high school this past year.

we so loved having her visit in our home.

she felt so comfortable here,

and we loved the time we were able to spend with her.

the highlight of her time here?

Ali was able to pray with her at Christmastime

when Ecko invited Jesus onto her life.

it was beautiful and so exciting!

she has been a sponge wanting to learn more

and grow in her walk with the Holy Spirit.

I will always have the image on my mind

of when we took her to pick out a Bible of her own.

with tears in her eyes, she ran her finger

over & over her Chinese name that had been

engraved on the cover.

priceless.

she wanted the PINK Bible!!

friends and sisters!

lunch with dear friends to

honor Ecko before she left

would you please pray for this sweet girl

as she eases back into her life in China?

as for our pleasant surprise?

we had pretty much written off any

kind of week-long vacation this summer

because of budget and timing with

Gracie's surgery.

long story short, after searching some

rentals by owner at Edisto Island,

we were able to negotiate a rental for next week

for less than the winter rate on a condo.

we are sooo grateful for God's favor in this,

and plan to relish every second with our family

as we gear up for surgery the week after our return.

no alarm clock.

no schedule.

thank you Father for this gift!

ooh la la red carpet

2011-06-01T21:00:00.000-04:00

our little Erin Rae is officially done with middle school!

we are so incredibly proud of her

and are constantly in awe of the

compassionate, hard working, and talented

girl she is becoming!

it's a tradition at Langston for the 8th graders

to walk the red carpet on the last day

flowers from dad

sad goodbyes

a little chinese food lunch celebration

don't mess with us.

we've got chopsticks &

we know how to use them...

sporting the new T

from the new job!

this girl loves her

some lo mein noodles -she always has!

let summer begin!

2011-05-30T21:56:00.001-04:00

today my heart is very grateful to every

man and woman who has given their

life to protect and serve our country,

as well as to those who have served

in our military

and those who are serving today.

really

we are so blessed.

we spent the majority of our day

on paris mountain watching this...

the US Pro Cycling Championships

and cheering on own our local cycling pro

George Hincapie

whoop whoop!

the cutest cheerleader on the course

the "we're bored waiting for the second round" shot

happy Memorial Day!!

dear father time...please slow down

2011-05-26T10:05:00.001-04:00

as of today

after her final exam,

Ali is a senior in high school.

sniff

wait a minute...

didn't we just attend her K5 graduation?!
now she's driving and
has her first job.

so proud,

but it's bittersweet, I might add!

a junior marshal at her

high school's graduation

with her bffs

then there's this one...
Erin will be in high school next year.
can't. be. true.
she's departing her amazing middle school
with honor roll awesomeness.

as we count down to this little princess' surgery,
she's keeping mighty busy...

creating masterpieces

riding her bike

and following her big brother around everywhere.
all the time.
she thinks she's 9.

one more week of school
and it's no more alarm clock for awhile!!!

hear me roar

2011-05-19T09:41:00.009-04:00

mama bear.

roaring.

me.

after we had been home from China
for a couple of months

I wrote a post following a tough incident, and decided

after all to not publish it.

it was therapeutic just to type the words, I guess.

I found myself in a similar situation today,

and although it's happened quite a few times,

it really hit me the wrong way this morning.

granted...

I'm tired,

I've had a cold,

and life is crazy busy right now,

so maybe that's why I'm hypersensitive.

the Father has extended grace after undeserved grace

to me personally.

I must choose to do the same to others.

it's a choice.

so here are the words I wrote almost 2 years ago...

I guess I knew it would happen, but after over 2 months of being home w/ no incidents, I was taken by surprise. Someone made fun of my baby's mouth. It was child, and I have been prepared to extend much grace in that department. I have definitely been there as a mom...your child makes a comment (the kind where you're wishing to melt into the floor) about someone's physical appearance...but this wasn't innocent childlike curiosity or even immature out-spokeness. It was downright making fun, sheer disgust and laughter at her expense. She was blessedly unaware of it all, but my heart was ready to explode.

My point in all this? Not sure...maybe to vent a little, but also to challenge (myself included). I know everyone's natural personality is different and unique, but compassion and sensitivity can be taught! It's times like this that I painfully recall words spoken out of my own mouth at someone else's expense that I desperately wish I could take back. Words are powerful (James chapter 3). If one of my children have ever spoken hurtful words to or about someone, I am so sorry. One of my most heartfelt prayers for them is to see others the way Jesus sees them, and to be oh so sensitive to what comes out of their mouths.

I'm done roaring.

I've forgiven.

I'm moving on.
a beautiful day awaits!!

rollercoaster weekend

2011-05-16T11:04:00.001-04:00

we had such a busy weekend!

strawberry picking
the purchase of a 3rd car (SUCH a God story!)
a royal banquet
the cd release party of our amazing worship leader, David Walker
one sad little curve ball was also thrown our way

beautiful girls on a beautiful morning!

someone ate more than they helped!

our church had it's annual Kingdom Kids Royal Banquet

saturday evening. it's such a fabulous evening where

our kids dress up, enter their beautifully decorated "royal kingdom"

to the sound of trumpeters, and are served a
fabulous meal as they hear wonderful stories
about the kingdom of God.

the purpose is to remind them of who they are in God -

children of the King, and empowered to bring His

kingdom here on this earth as His children - fabulous!

our handsome little knight

one of the beautiful royal servers!

saturday was also a tough one for all of us as

our family dog had to be put to

sleep following a vet ER visit.

i'm so glad Brian was here when she had

what they believe to be either a prolonged seizure

or stroke due to a brain tumor.

we all will miss that crazy dog, especially Ali.

she was the one who picked Scout out 14 years ago,

so it's been especially tough on her.

happy memories!

the countdown to the last days of school

and Gracie's June surgery has begun...

a rollercoaster ride for sure!

my inner martha stewart

2011-05-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

maybe it was the mother's day full of inspirational love

maybe it was because there was a gallon of strawberries calling out to me

maybe it's the rising cost of groceries...fruit snacks in this case

maybe it was the fact that I've told the kiddos I'd be making this for weeks...

homemade fruit leather

it's a good thing

and I feel like the homemaker of the year

(if I don't look around at the piles of laundry,

mountains of scattered toys, and unchecked to-do lists...)

Happy Mother's Day!!!!!

2011-05-08T08:53:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to the most amazing mom in the entire world!!! She is always there for us, no matter what! We are so blessed to have such an awesome, loving, sweet, beautiful, and godly mom! We love you so very very very very very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alison

thank you

2011-05-04T11:09:00.007-04:00

as Mother's Day approaches my mind is turning
frequently to Gracie's birth mother.

What would I say to her if I could?

Thank you for giving her life.

Thank you for placing her in a public place where
she would be found and taken in to be cared for.

Gracie will always be told of her beginnings,
and her birth country will be a part of all our lives.

Gracie is beautiful, and delightful,
and she is loved unconditionally and
with such a deep love it's overwhelming at times.

I don't know your motives/reasons, but
God's plans for Lian Jia Shu were made before
she was even conceived. The months you carried her
and the moments you shared with her on her first day
can be treasured in your heart - Please don't feel
shame or hopelessness. The Father's hand is
clearly on her.

We have prayed from the start that Gracie's birth parents would also be a part of the family of God so that one day they will see with their own eyes the beautiful girl they had a part in bringing to this world. We won't romance their story with Gracie. We don't know their situation or motives, although her special need and her gender may have been clearly part of their decision. She will always know that she was NO mistake, and that she a Woodard just as much as Ali, Erin & Quinn are. I believe the picture of adoption/salvation will be even sweeter to her heart and mind one day - that that truth will be deeply rooted in her.

CHOSEN & DEARLY LOVED

a royally dreamy day

2011-04-29T20:51:00.002-04:00

there's a little princess in all of us

daddy telling a bedtime "princess Gracie" story

a beautiful Resurrection Sunday!

2011-04-24T20:44:00.004-04:00

He is risen indeed!

2011-04-24T06:16:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter!

spring break thus far..and the heart of God

2011-04-20T12:33:00.006-04:00

Ali has school.

Quinn and his pals are keeping the streets

of our neighborhood safe with their Nerf gun skills...

and these two are stuck together like

PB & J

if you are not a follower of my friend Linn's blog,

please take the time to read

THIS entry.

our family had the privilege of participating

in a small way by sending some items.

read HERE

to see the follow up.

it will break your heart,

as it did my own.

ALL are precious in His sight.

I want to be His hands & feet,

and bring His Kingdom to dark, hopeless places.

may the Father continually break our

hearts with what breaks His own.

this life is too short.

praise Jesus that these precious lives were touched

and honored in Uganda!!

DC in pics

2011-04-19T08:12:00.008-04:00

Erin & I had a wonderful trip.

we're in recovery mode -

catching up on some sleep &

tending those aching feet!

the view of the Potomac from

George Washington's Mount Vernon home

National Archives

Abraham Lincoln's top hat

at the Smithsonian

not to be outdone by

Michael Jackson's hat

First Lady Michelle Obama's

Inaugural Ball dress

definitely outdone by

Rick Flair's cape & boots

"whooooooooo"

loved Julia Child's kitchen

in the American History museum

the 8th graders at the White House

Air Force Memorial

the National Cathedral -

a beautiful, breathtaking tour

the National Zoo

changing of the guard at

the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington -

that ceremony never gets old

Erin's first Metro ride

WW2 Memorial

4,000 stars representing the over

400,000 American lives lost during the war

DC DC, Baby

2011-04-11T08:02:00.006-04:00

three years ago I headed to Washington DC

with Ali's 8th grade class

tomorrow Erin & I will be on a bus at

5 am (really?!) with

62 8th graders

15 sponsors

and a positive, joy-filled attitude

(Bwah-hah-hah!)

ok, really, I'm sure if I can keep

a steady stream of caffeine,

orthopaedic shoes on my feet,

and some factory-grade earplugs,

I'll be just fine -

honestly.

so, thank you government

for not shutting down.

thereby avoiding countless hours of

free time.

(not the words you want to hear

involving 62 fourteen year olds)

Quinn pointed out the other morning

that when I accompany Gracie's class

to DC that I will be a

grandmother...

do the math,

he could be right.

(I'm saving up money for botox

and B-12 supplements starting now)

I'm honestly looking forward to sharing

this experience with Erin.

that girl can make me laugh,

and her company fills her mama's heart with

JOY!

looming on the horizon

2011-04-06T10:23:00.009-04:00

what's looming??

a government shutdown?

tax day?

spring break?

spring cleaning?

Easter Sunday?

Gracie's next surgery?

all of the above!

we were in Charlotte yesterday

to see Dr. Matthews who was still pleased

with Gracie's palate healing, and ready

to schedule her next surgery!

He will be repairing her uvula

(it is split in half basically),

her lip, and also working on her nostril,

which actually will be the most difficult

aspect of this procedure as far as

her recovery goes. she will

come home with packing in her nostril,

which will be interesting b/c it will

obviously affect her breathing, and

we will go back a week after to have a

tube-like device placed in that

nostril to hold the shape as it heals.

it will be an interesting summer...

he listed some things we should avoid/limit

after her surgery, mainly for the incision healing...

sun exposure,

sugar in her diet,

and he mentioned that with some Asians

wheat and dairy

can cause thickening of the skin

at the incision site.

ok, so any ideas for a

sugar-dairy-wheat free

diet for a 3 year old who loves food?!!

I guess we'll cross that proverbial diet

bridge when we come to it!

two of my favorite peeps

playing in the back yard

and here's a taste of the unbelievable musical

talent that resides in our home. I see a

worldwide tour in her future...

hearing that sweet girl plat her harmonica

thrills my soul...

she couldn't do that before her palate repair.

God is so faithful!!

april fools

2011-04-01T15:55:00.003-04:00

so last night was Ali's first official
ride-in-the-car-with-other-teenagers-
without-parents-dress-up-get-
your-hair-done-receive-a-corsage-
wear-shoes-other-than-flipflops-
outing.
can't bring myself to say the D word.

it was like the car commercial where the dad
is looking at his 3 year old daughter
sitting in the driver's seat as he gives her
safety instructions, and the next shot is his
teenage daughter backing out of the driveway....

yep, that's what I saw - our little Ali playing dress
up and pretending to go out on a da__,
I mean outing with her daddy.
sniff sniff

"come on dad, please stop embarrassing
me, and quit threatening to be cleaning your gun
when my da--, I mean outing friend arrives"

this masterpiece took an hour -
wish I could take the credit for doing it!

someone was really excited for her sister
(I can't understand why said person
kept giggling all evening...)

the sweetheart of a guy who was our
baby girl's "friend-that-accompanied-her
on -the-formal-outing"

how did the family survive you ask?
after sitting down for dinner to an empty
casserole dish (April Fools kids!),
we ate dinner at Yogurt Mountain.
Yesiree - chocolate, vanilla, and
a plethora of sugary toppings can help
a mom & dad through anything!
(I still don't understand why
Erin keeps giggling to herself)

behind the lens - a 3 year old's perspective

2011-03-29T11:09:00.005-04:00

ahh...life around here seems to be settling down a bit...

my mom is home from the hospital,

so while the scary part of the roller coaster

seems to be behind us, a new unexplored

section is being experienced as

she recovers at home, and we learn exactly

what level of care is needed.

thank you for your continued prayers!

on a much needed lighter note...

Gracie received her very own

camera for her birthday.

(ours kept coming up missing,

and would have dozens of random

pictures on it - hmmm...)

I thought I'd share some of her photographic

skills...enjoy, & keep her in mind

for your next big event!!

someone quickly figured out

the camera's special effects

the never-camera-shy big brother

her dream kitchen

abstract Erin

one of her favorite tv shows

Fred's big close-up

she calls this her

"washed out 70's polaroid photo

of my sister Ali"

she loves capturing her mama

in her pj's w/o makeup

she actually took this of herself,

and we think its lovely!