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After last weeks disastrous start I had hoped this week would start better. It did for my oldest, just not for my husband and me. My car is in the shop again, I am ready to drive it to Goodwill and donate it! But let's not go down that road... So yesterday DH went in late to work and dropped our oldest off at the bus, she went to school and he went to work. Everything went smooth as glass until DH went to pick her up and she didn't come out the building... He waited for awhile still no daughter, he saw a lot of her friends, he asked the guy that was patrolling the common area if he had seen her. Nope so he called me, did he have the time right? Yes he did. He headed to the office they hadn't seen her, but she should be in her math class... Yep they had her old schedule on file; he told them that her scheduled had changed last week. DH and some other gentleman checked all the classrooms that are used by our school in both buildings of the University... No daughter... OK I am stuck at home with no way to get up there and DH is going crazy trying to find her and no one at the school knows where she is or have they seen her!! DH finally tracks down her psych teacher. Yes our oldest was in class left on time and seemed fine, she volunteered to check all the girls’ bathrooms for him... No daughter... DH is now walking the perimeter of the building checking in the fields and along the stream, just in case... I am on the phone with him, using my cell phone to keep redialing daughter's cell, in a total panic as no one has seen or heard from our daughter for over an hour now!!! When he yells in the phone she is calling me.... A few minutes later, seems like another hour, the phone rings it is my daughter!! Her guidance counselor pulled everyone, about 15 kids, that didn't have a Flex class in for a meeting and decided to use a conference room that isn't part of our school, but one that is used only by the University that hosts the school!!! He had turned off his radio so he didn't hear the frantic calls from the office to the rest of the staff looking for our daughter!! Mean while the school has been locked down and the police have been called, there is still chaos going on around the school... But I am just happy to have my daughter in her father's care safe and sound and totally oblivious that she was the cause of the crisis. She has also been told even if the counselor says it is just going to take a few minutes to call whoever is picking her up and let them know, no matter if he objects!!! We are so thankful that God kept her safe and oblivious to all of this. She just felt aweful that we had gone through this. She kept telling me mommy I am sorry... Here is hoping and praying that we have a better day today!! |
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This morning, I did something that most of America does every day of a new school year. I put my child on a bus to go to school. The only difference than most families is that my child is almost 17 not 5 or 6. It was a little strange, but I wasn't alone as there were several other parents there also waiting to watch their child take those first wing beats to adulthood. What makes this day even more special for me is that seven years ago our family was made complete. As I watched her wait excitedly to get on the bus, I see her in my mind a few short years ago; wait excitedly to get on a plane at the Hong Kong airport, because in just a few hours she would get to hold her baby sister for the first time. She chattered away excitedly that day too, as we flew to Nanchang, just like she did this morning to her fellow classmates as they waited for the bus. August 20th will now hold two special memories in my heart. Today I watched a girl take flight to becoming a wonderful and caring woman, just as I watched a few short years ago she became a wonderful and caring big sister. |
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The last few weeks have been a lesson in grace, patience, and biting my tongue. As many of you know we found out the end of July that my oldest was accepted to a new college in our town called So the last few weeks we have been dealing with schedules, testing, admittance meetings, bus schedules, meet the Professors, and a myriad of other meetings! Some we were told we need to be at and didn’t need to be at, others we were not told about until it was almost too late… But with working with a totally new program with a brand new school, some of this is to be expected.
I surely don’t remember going through this when I was getting ready for college, but when I was talking to my dad the other night he reminded me of a few of the same trials. I am thankful to say that she now has a schedule that is correct and set to get on the bus on the 20th for her first day of college!! Something I still find hard to believe I have a college student and not a junior in High School! So when our school starts at home in a few weeks I will be teaching only one small 3rd grader… what am I going to do with all that free time??? |
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Introducing our newest feathered kid...
He is the one in back. There were 4 in the clutch but by the time we made it to the breeder there were only 3 left. Ollie is so sweet and it is wonderful to have a bird again!! |
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Saturday night at fair I was dragged by my oldest daughter to a vendor that was located near the both my husband and I were working selling light bulbs for the Lions club. The booth was for the local community college. My oldest daughter had been looking for information for her chosen career. She wants to be a zoologist and work at our local zoo. Has had that dream since she was four years old and saw a keeper working with a tiger at our zoo! Even though it was great to watch her clean up after the same tiger later on!! She was in love.. fast forward 12 years that dream has never flickered or changed… The gentleman at the booth informed me that there was a new school in town that was a hybrid between a college and high school that it would be a perfect fit for my daughter and loaded us down with a pile of literature, forms, brochures and a ton of other interesting goodies to look through, along with a bag to carry all of these treasures. We called the school and they wanted her to test for acceptances/placement that night, no let's get ready for the possibility of having one less homeschooling student for me! Not only did she test college ready but she tested out of High School!!
I guess I am going to getting a crash course in the fine art of live with a college student! She is now a full fledged college student!! |
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One of my favorite times of the year is here, even though it is a lot of work we are a 4-H family, I love Fair!! This year is especially nice as we don’t have any live stock!! So we will be going out each day whenever we want to! Not when we have to! We are also seriously thinking about buying a place with more land! See God knows what He was doing last year when we wanted to move to town!! Like we could ever be happy in town, what were we thinking??? Hope you can visit your local fair during this wonderful fun time of year! |
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We are done with school for another year, we are also done with dance, 4-H meetings, and a host of other activites for the next two months! I am ready to have some family time and to take things a little easier. Hopefully we will get some camping in and a family get away time this summer... Hope you all enjoy your summer vacations!! |
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19 years ago today Jeff and I started a wonderful adventure, in a small church in Colorado Springs, never knowing that we would do so many awesome things along the way. It has been an awesome adventure so far and who would have know it would have taken a detour to China, and many other places! That we would end up with two wonderful daughters! Looking back over the road we have traveled, the bumps and valleys don't look so deep, but the peaks and fields of flowers look even more beautiful! Thanks Honey, I love you and Happy Anniversary. |
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Well I know it has been awhile since I was here. But I am ready to move on with everything. First off I am really going to try and build my business it has taken a back burner for year. So I have been working on my web site and it looks pretty nice even if I do say so. The URL is www.stuffnfluffgifts.com Second I am going to get back into playing at church. I haven't been able to even pick up my clarinet since mom passed on. She just loved to hear me play and I so enjoyed playing for her. Our music Minister at church told me the other day that he felt that Mom and God were listening to me play so even though she isn't in the room with me it helps to know that she is still there... Thirdly I am going to get the kids through school this year. We were behind because of all the time we needed/wanted to spend with mom. We are almost caught up Wahoo!! The forth thing on my list is to finish painting the lower level of the house. We moved my sewing/crafts/classroom down stairs and it is almost done!! We painted and bought new storage cabinets!! Hubby putting things together!
Done with that wall
So all in all we are getting back on track... Now if the wheather would just cooperate and stop snowing!!! I could add get my garden in......
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I haven't been very good at keeping you all posted. But now that things have settled down, my mom is now out of the hospital and in full time hospice care at home. She has been in and out of the hospital 8 times in the last 2 months! It has been a real trial as I have tried to help ensure my mom's wishes as she told me years ago, and keep peace in the family. My brother doesn't care about what she wanted just accomplish his wishes, as a non believer he is struggling with his own mortality too. But now it seems that her Dr. has settled on a course that will accomplish my mom's wishes as she told him every since he started to cared for her the last 15 years. Something else I have found out is that not all Hospice's are created equal, some are really high pressure and will promise anything as long as you sign on the dotted line, even if they can't provide the care they promised. So be careful and check them all out! As far as my blog I am going to try to do better. I am not making a New Years Resolution I am going to set up some plans on how I want to live this year! I am starting off with two things this year that are just for me, study the bible more and trying to loose more of the excess weight that I have found over the years, not by going on another diet but by getting healthier! I have committed to finishing my college degree in Biblical Studies and I have also started a new bible study of John called the Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore. I will make time each day to do these two things! I have also committed to eating healthier and to stay off diets. I am going to try my own mix of different programs I have tried over the years and add together what I liked the most on each plan into one that I can follow and keep with. The next area I am going to do is to stop talking about changing things in this house and get decorating! We finished my oldest daughters room this past fall and are going to get my youngest daughters room done. All I need to do is paint! Then it is on to the kitchen, family and front rooms! I have had paint chips taped to my walls for months! I need to get motivated to get the paint and start painting! So that is the plan and hopefully life will not get in the way! Have a wonderful and Bless New Year!!!
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May you each have a wonderful and CHRIST filled Christmas!
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I know I have been AWOL again, but this time I have a good excuse. My mom has been in and out and back into the hospital for the last 4 weeks. She is doing some better now and the Dr. finally thinks they know where the infection is. In fact yesterday they did surgery to remove the infected tissue and to do another biopsy. See my mom has been suffering from Multiple Melanoma for the past 15 years. I think that her body has just had enough chemo and isn't going to take it any more. I think she thinks so too... Now comes the hard stuff. How do you convince a stubborn old man that has always taken care of everything that his family could possibly need? That he needs help taking care of his wife? My dad has always done everything possible to take care of my mom, but he isn't getting any younger... So the negotiations have begun. One huge problem to this equation is that neither my dad nor my brother are believers. So they feel that mom should fight for every second here on earth. Mom, my SIL and I know better... but that doesn't help them. So through a lot of prayer and stubbornness on my part, there has been a break through. They have both finally agreed to in home care for mom. My SIL and I were both hoping for assisted living care for both my parents. You know an apartment so where that doesn't involve a tractor to cut the grass... But we will take any little steps in the right direction. So please keep praying. You will never know how much you have helped...
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Seven years ago today a lady which I will most likely never meet, had a baby… I will also never know why or how that baby ended up at YongXiu Orphanage in But I do know that I will always be grateful and honored to know and love her daughter. She is part of my daily sunshine and a light of love in my life. I am thankful that God also watched over this small wonder until our family could be united in It boggled my mind then and to this day, as to how someone, holding this wonder and gazing into her beautiful brown eyes, could then leave her, not knowing for sure if she would be found or what would happen to her. I am sure this lady in I can’t imagine what hardships this lady was facing to find the love and courage to pull off this daring plan, but today, a day that we are having 8 other little girls over and will eat sweets and play games, I will always remember that somewhere in China a mother’s arms ache for a child that she can no longer hold… May God give you peace and let you know you have my heartfelt thanks for a wonderful daughter. |
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My best friend for the last almost 14 years was clumsy and furry and always woke me up with a smile. He would peek over the edge of my mattress and never make a sound but wait for me to wake up and give him a pat… Last night at As the bible says in Psalm 30:5 “Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning”
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Sorry I have been MIA lately, but school started the 5th of August! Many of you know what that means; I have no time for anything else, including blogging. But school is going wonderfully we are having a great time and my youngest is having a blast!! Wahoo!!! You know how change is hard, and you just know that if you go ahead and go with the flow and make the change it is just going to stink … Well our church is going through growing pains. Just like any other growth there is a lot of pain involved with the blessing of growing, just ask your kids. So more about the change… our church decided that all of the youth (middle schoolers through high school) will now have only one Sunday school hour, which meant that my husband and I would have to change too, if we wanted to still worship as a family, and we did. I just hated the thought of leaving our Sunday School class we have friends there, and face it I was so comfortable, just sitting in my corner chair sipping my tea, and joining in our small groups discussions, being with people that I had chilled with for years. I didn’t want to change. First I meet the change as maybe I can do something to keep things the way they are, not going to happen the church had made up its mind…. I knew, how about my oldest go to a different service and all. Well that went over like a led balloon… So then I thought that we just wouldn’t go to Sunday School but that didn’t feel right either. Finally I came to the point where I could accept the move, and it has been wonderful. We are in a much bigger group and are learning a lot… Plus it is fun meeting new friends!! So I guess change can be good!! |
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It is said that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger… I guess that is true, but it sure can hurt. This past year I have posted on a few email lists that I belong to, thoughts or ideas that have cause others to shudder, these are message lists that I have belonged to since before adopting our youngest daughter almost 6 years ago. So I have been hammered on pretty badly, for my beliefs and relationship with the Lord, I know that this is to be expected as time goes on... On some of these lists I have felt that it was a wake up call that it was time to move on. Obviously what I had to say wasn’t of any help or wanted any more, as I was being asked to leave. But one or two of the lists I have really felt the sting of betrayal as these were made up of people I considered close friend even though we rarely if ever have meet face to face. People have questioned how can you feel such a friendship with people that you have never met fact to face… But I guess you can’t go through trials and tribulations of international adoption and not feel close to those that have been there with you. This weekend was one of those times. Since we have felt thas it might be a good idea to put our youngest into school, I have been having a really hard time of dealing with it. It is one of those God’s will not mine times. Since I really don't feel at peace doing this. I have also been having panic attacks from reading on the internet things going on in the world of public school. Some of it terrifies me, but some of it I just need to ponder and wonder why. Talking it over with friend’s help, since we are rather isolated right now, I really depend on my online friends. So a post came to me this weekend from a friend about what is allowed and not allowed to be addressed at a public school event. It talked about many different subjects but the main jest of the email was that many social evils and things that most Christians find morally objectable can be address, but that neither the Lord nor prayer maybe. In my pondering I sent this email on to my list friends, the ones I felt safe in discussing anything… see we have discussed many issues in the last six years not just adoption or the struggles of parenting an adopted child, but things like swallowing nails, bus rides with older kids picking on younger children, neighbors who drive us crazy, and even more serious things like the Di Vinci Code, human rights in our daughter’s country of origin, and one member becoming a missionary in Japan, which I think some members missed that connection as she is going to teach as a ESL teacher, with little or no flames, definitely always supportive even when we don’t agree. That was until this weekend and I posted my little post, granted I was in a rush and maybe didn’t explain my feeling in this post clearly, but clear enough so that people that I trusted and considered my friends would pick up on it. Well I was blind sided by the response. Basically I was told that I had no business posting something like that to the list, after all as a Christian I need to be more tolerant (there is that word again, hate it - almost as much as socialization) of the non Christians on the list and not offend them. Some of this was done on the list so that everyone could, see some was done “off list” to save me the embarrassment of posting such a thing. I should keep my Christian conservative beliefs to myself and just not mention them. After all religion is a personal thing… So instead of causing others to be offended by my “oh so conservative Christian views” ones which I have never tried to conceal or hide, as I will never be ashamed of my Lord and Savior. Most of these folks should know I don’t have a religion I have a relationship…. I have left yet another source of support rather than be asked to leave as has happened before… So I guess those wise people of the past spoke the truth with what they wrote this hasn’t killed me, maybe it will make me stronger, I know that my resolve to follow Christ and never be ashamed of being a Christian has been hardened yet again, but it sure does hurt…. |
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My oldest just came home from |
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As I sit here today, tired, happy and amazed! You see yesterday was the last day of VBS and it was, I again was the director for the 4 and 5 year olds. VBS was like always, amazing to see how God works through and with young children. Many young people came to know Jesus as their “best friend” for ever. It was so wonderful to see those young people come to Christ. We even had a few sparks ignited in our 60 4 and 5 year olds. Yep 60 that is why I am tired LOL It was an wonderful experience. I am looking forward to next year… even though my husband says that we are going on vacation next year at VBS time LOL |