2012

Whew.  It's over.  2011, that is.

I'm emotionally drained.  But, I am slowly recovering and hope to be in ship-shape in not too long!

In all the sadness, in and amongst all the stress, there were two miracles.  Two little baby boys were added to our family.  Caleb Journey was born to Josh and Serena on July 27 (remember I was in Colorado in July?)

and River Arvin was born to Gana and Daja on October 3.

Oh, we do love babies around here!  Those two brand new ones redeemed 2011 for me.  Without them, I'd be hard-pressed to find the good.

Well, the "big" good, anyway.  God is always good and gives us so many every day wonders, that there is always good.  Always a gift from Him.  Always a smile to find.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.  The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.  Lamentations 3:22-24

And now it's 2012.

New Years Day landed on a Sunday this year.  What a wonderfully clean slate it represented.  A new day, a new week, a new month, and a new year!

Today my husband and I sat down to map out our goals and dreams for 2012.  No resolutions, just regrouping.  We'll do it again at the beginning of February.  Either to pat ourselves on the back or to kick ourselves back into action!

For the past few years, I've been choosing a word for the year.  Naming it, if you will.  I named 2011 FREEDOM.  2010 was the year of YES.  Do I sometimes forget what year it is as the months roll by?  Well, yeah.  But, it usually doesn't take too long before the year's name comes calling me back.

2012 is being named "RELEASE".  Not the most common of names, but a very personal one.  This is our year to release pain and illness, to release negative financial concerns, and to release excess possessions.  We are also opening our hearts, hands, and bodies to receive freedom and health.

Hey, 2012 is looking pretty good sitting there all clean and new!

Surprise! Papa's here!

About 2:15 Wednesday morning, Papa came to visit!  Total surprise to me!  I had absolutely no inkling that I would walk downstairs to see his luggage in the living room and then have him pop around the corner!

He came because he missed me, of course, but he was really hoping to see his new grandbaby while he was here.  But, I guess the baby didn't realize that, so Papa had to go back home without meeting him/her.

On Friday, the day before he left, we went up to Estes Park for a family outing and to walk Serena.  Grammie (Serena's mom), Papa, and I explored the town with the grandchildren while Josh and Serena went "hiking". 

As you can see, we have an extra couple of kids.

I brought Meg along and Emily brought her other grandson.

The more, the merrier!

Before we all set out, though, we had a picnic.  We found this lovely little spot next to a church.  It even had a little creek.

Shallah and Papa sharing cookies.

Shallah and Papa have a special thing going.  Before he came, she acted like she loved me.  But one day, I went to get her out of her crib and she hugged her arms around her and said, "I want Papa."  Oh, well.  He's gone now.

Deonte's 4th!

We traveled over an hour so that Deonte could have his fourth birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese -- his first time there.  He enjoyed it immensely and being the center of attention for a whole day and evening suited him just fine, too!  He played hard and ate hard!  Whew!  Can that boy put away some pizza and cupcakes!

 He so enjoyed opening presents with Daddy, though reading every card thoroughly did try his patience a little!

He can definitely sport his new sunglasses! 

Now, remember that first picture of him riding on the horse?  Well, the adults couldn't let him steal the show, even on his birthday!   

Papa 

Mr. Kevin

Happy Birthday, Deonte!  Nana loves  you!

What My Marriage Really Looks Like

We like to take pictures on Easter of how pretty we look in our new clothes.  Sometimes not everything is so new.  Sometimes we don't look so pretty.  But, when things come together and we do take a good picture that we both like, we are happy.  Didn't happen this year.  Nope.  I did like ONE picture, but he didn't like it.  So, no new Facebook profile pics.  At least of us together.

BUT, what we did end up with were a couple of pictures that illustrate our life together.  Enjoy laughing at with us!

Blog Makeover

Okay, people, do you just love it?  The new blog look, I mean.  I adore it.  I just have to brag on my designer, Sharon from Plumrose Lane.

I have been having blog problems for quite some time that I didn't know how to fix.  Stuff on my sidebar was not showing up.  Header all lopsided.  And no one I knew could help me.  So, I contacted Sharon and started all over.  She fixed my kooky sidebar and she came up with a blog theme that I just adore.  I mean, it had to have daffodils, of course.  But the keys, crowns, vintage sheet music, basically all the things I like and have meaning to me -- she managed to put them all together and create something that is SO me.  And for a VERY reasonable fee.  She was also extremely pleasant to work with and so very timely.  No moss grows under her feet!  I cannot recommend her highly enough!

THEN, my husband saw her great work and wondered if she could do the same creative and intuitive work for him.  She could.  She did.  Pop over to Prosperous and Successful and gawk at how gorgeous it all is!  Well, I don't know if Gabe would like the word "gorgeous", but it is!

And if you'd like, go ahead and grab my blog button over there on the right side and display it on your blog.  Even if you couldn't care less about promoting my blog, it is such a pretty piece of art!  Prosperous and Successful has a button, too.  I'm sure he wouldn't mind a bit if you grabbed that button, too!

Downtown Lighting

Tonight as darkness fell, the community gathered to light up our city park and acknowledge the beginning of the Christmas season.

I love living in small town America where we don't have a problem gathering together and singing the whole songbook of Christmas carols and songs.  Seriously, we sang 14 (!) of them by candlelight.

  

By the end I felt a bit frozen, but happy.

Giving Thanks, Day Twenty-One

Dedicating Our Children to God

What a privilege!  Yesterday, Joel and Sarah-Kate dedicated their newest children to the Lord.  It is something that we take seriously and is not just a routine, ritual, or formality.  Joel and Sarah read vows to their children and Pastor/Papa blessed them.  Pastor/Papa charged their parents, their brothers, the godparents, the grandparents, and the congregation.  He gave Deonte and Rhema a little Bible and charged Joel with reading and teaching the Word to them. 

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." 

Psalm 127:3

Of course, we also had a great reception/celebration/party afterwards.  We are so thrilled to have Deonte and Rhema in our family! 

Giving Thanks, Day Eleven

I would be amiss today if I did not thank and honor our United States Veterans for their service to our country. 

My father.  Army.

My brother, Rick.  Marine Corps.

My brother, Dean.  Air Force.

As is the custom around the country, today our town honored our Veterans at a special Veterans Day ceremony at our town's cemetery.  It is always held at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month. 

My husband was honored to offer the invocation and benediction.  These were his prayers.

Invocation

On this Veterans Day 2010, we come together in the Name of Jesus to this place of remembrance for our Veterans both alive and deceased.

O God, may we not confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day for we have amongst us some tremendous Veterans that we commend for their faithful and courageous service.

I pray for those men and women of the Armed Forces past, present, and future.

I ask God to protect them as they have protected us, to defend them as they have defended us, to encourage and strengthen them.  I pray that You, Almighty God, would keep them mentally and physically strong.  O God, enrich them spiritually to be able to handle and cope with both life and death.

These great people have fought in distant conflicts and wars, pursued peace; they have protected borders or served here at home -- all to safeguard and defend the democracy forged in these United States 234 years ago.

On this Veterans Day and every other day, we salute them and extend our thanks.  We ask our God to smile upon each of you and your families.  I ask the Sovereign Lord to heal your body, mind, soul, and spirit.  May He remind you that your service has not been in vain.

It is with deep gratitude and thanks that we recognize this day as Veterans Day 2010.  We, the people of Paso Robles, California salute, honor, and respect each of you.

In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Benediction

Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth,

As we bring this ceremony to a close, cause each of us to not forget these awesome Veterans.  Again I ask for supernatural peace to rest upon each of them.  As long as we have faithful and courageous citizens like these, America will remain free.

We ask that You bless our Veterans today who have served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Bosnia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and other conflicts and places around the world.

These Veterans have laid down and invested their lives for our freedom.  O God, bring America back to gratitude and giving these men and women a hero's welcome and the respect they deserve.

I pray for the upstanding, well-balanced Vet as well as the ones struggling on the streets and living under the bridge.

Lord, we pray for the Veteran located in the highest point in North America, Mt. McKinley, to the lowest in North America, Death Valley.  We pray for Your presence too be real in their lives.

Thank You, Lord, for the two greatest Veterans who brought America to freedom -- the U.S. Military and Your Son, Jesus.  One fought for our freedom here and the other paid for our eternity.

So, we say "thank you" to our Veterans and we bless them in Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Giving Thanks, Day Three

The Washing of the Word.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."  Ephesians 5:25-27

The last several months have been difficult for me.  There are a lot of reasons for that, but not ones I can easily talk about.  Most of them won't even come out in words.

Several weeks ago, I got to the point where I felt I just couldn't keep on without something breaking.  My husband started pressing for answers.  Didn't really have any, but it felt good to talk.  I was just laying on my back on the end of our bed.  He stood over me.  Suddenly, he just started singing.  And praying.  I cannot even describe the peace that came over me. 

Philippians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  The peace that came over me that day has been keeping my heart and mind ever since.


I am so grateful for my husband.  He loves me as Christ loves His Church.  He washes me with the Word.

Aquarium, Part 2

So, I thought I'd better post this before Part 3 happens.  Which happens tomorrow.  Part 1 is here.

Way back in May, we took the Gombojav children to the Monterey Bay Aquarium as part of their last year's Christmas present.  We took the Abdelaziz children in March, and the Correa children get to go tomorrow.  Now, it might be awhile before I can post Part 3, because we cannot post pictures until the adoption is complete.  *sigh*  Sometimes, paperwork can take forever.

So, here we go!

 Not a little excited, are they?

If you can overlook all the political environmental propagada all over, it is really a fun place.  I love that children can have so much hands-on experiences and learning.

Where there is a will,

there is a way!

Though some may think some things are just too wet and slimy to actually want to touch.

 Pure joy.

These two big ol' kids:

are these two (on the left)!

They've added a few siblings as you can see.

Belgee, second from right.

If you look really closely, you might see baby penquins in that nest.

I understand the feeling.

The following picture was requested by Israel as we were passing this store.  Just because his mom would really like it.  Enjoy, Daja!

This time we stopped for cinnamon rolls as we were walking back to the parking garage.  Nana's choice.  No one minded.