Nothings Impossible...Mark 10:27

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-15T18:06:00.001-06:00

under the weather

2012-02-15T13:52:00.001-06:00

Our sweet J. was feeling under the weather this morning.

When I woke him, he complained of a tummy & head-ache :(

No fever but we decided he should stay home for some extra rest today.

And rest he has...

Not only did he stay in bed longer this morning,

after a piece of toast for breakfast, he laid-low snuggled on the couch

to rest and take in some cartoons.

And when we returned from bringing S. to Kindergarten,

he climbed back into bed for some more rest!

Praying he feels better soon!

Love you Sweet boy

xoxo

Love, Mom

catching some Zzzz's

2012-02-15T09:21:00.000-06:00

We've starting implementing a new (to us) strategy for our night's...

We're working toward better sleep - especially for T,

which in turn means better sleep for mom & dad too (right?) :)

I'm going to be vague with specifics but I will say, we're using tools to instill safety & care.

As I've mentioned before,

T. is a "survivor" and has a long way to go in wholeheartedly trusting "others" to take care of her.

We continue to pray she'll come to know, she is a beloved daughter of the King!

He had a plan (He still does) for her when He placed her in this family.

Nothing's a surprise to Him.

And He doesn't make mistakes.

I pray she will begin to trust enough to be a "little" girl...

To feel taking care of & even a little carefree.

~~~~

We have been using the "strategy" for a few days now, and already we are starting to see & feel a difference.

Praise the Lord!

:D We're still far from the rest of Sleeping Beauty...

But I can say,

We are definitely catching a few more (peaceful) Zzzzz's!

For that we thank God!

He has given us friendly encouragers along our journey

And the confidence to parent our precious daughter with her unique needs in mind!

Sleep by Sleep,

we continue to hold fast to Him and His unfailing love for each of us!

Sweet Dreams,

Becky

~~~~

"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

Color Me HAPPY!

2012-02-10T20:55:00.000-06:00

In this Winter season where the outside world can seem so drab & dreary,

it's hard not to also feel & be kind of stale and blah-zay.

Don't get me wrong;

I'm not complaining about this Winter's mildness.

I mentioned before, we have had very little snow, many days of unseasonably warm temperatures and hardly any slick & trecherous roads to speak of.

None the less, we've had some days too cold to really enjoy and the scenery is certainly grey & desolate.

[desolate: a state of bleak and dismal emptiness./ deserted; uninhabited; hence, gloomy /

Dreary; dismal.]

Even my hair was showing the effects of the gloomy season

I had a few too many of those ~~grey~~ glistening strands for my liking.

:D (a four letter word - I don't like mentioning) lol!

But a little color goes a long way!

And I received two splashes of color in one day....

Not only did I get a little color to brighten things up on the top of my head

but I received a beautiful red sweatshirt in the mail!

The sweatshirts comfy, cozy, has words to remind us God has a wonderful purpose for all our lives and it's a nice bright color! :0)

And I couldn't help but be HAPPY!

A nice little pick me up, just in the nick of time!

Have a colorful day!

I am blessed,

Becky

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven:"

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Not Quite Done Yet

2012-02-08T18:35:00.001-06:00

Remember this?

Well thought I'd just let you know, that the wall still looks like that.

Instead of putting pictures by it, we thought maybe doing something like this? (A bit spendy though huh?)

We're still thinking about it, and when we think about putting something up there I''ll let you know.

It's always a work in progress!

In fact, we've just finally begun shopping for curtains for the rest of our needed rooms - As we have been using sheets that will cover the window since we moved.

Is anyone else in the middle of a house project?

~Michlyn

tidal wave

2012-02-07T12:55:00.000-06:00

We are in a "tidal wave" zone :(

Our little girl's GRIEF is overwhelming!

She is not able to give words to her "anger"

but her pain is apparent and so heartbreaking!

~~~~~~~

We have not shared our daughter's story in completion, because it's just that, hers.

But she has experienced more loss & pain than most adults can even fathom.

Until now, she's maneuvered through such heart wrenching loss & hurt on her own.

She's a fighter.

Broken.

un-trusting.

T. has very high & strong walls built up.

She resists excepting any help; pushes away all offered comfort, sympathy, compassion & love!

~~~~~~

As a momma who wants desperately to soothe her hurts, my heart breaks from my inability to

love her pain away.

I can't make it better!

But I trust in the Great Physician ... He can give healing and I pray for this miracle for our daughter's precious heart & life often.

~~~

I have to admit though, when T's emotions swell up like a tidal wave and her "anger" seems beyond BIG, it's hard not to get knocked over & succumbed by it all.

I find myself responding to the anger & hurtfulness and not the GRIEF I know to be flooding our broken little girl.

I so desire to be used to be an example of God's unfailing love & care for each of our children. I pray for eyes to see what really is and not the emotional mask hiding the fears.

So today, as we doggie-paddle through the storm, I'm reaching for the one who walks on water & holds our day & lives in the palm of His hand.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."

John 14:1

In prayer,

~Becky

The Homework Life of a Teenager

2012-02-03T16:07:00.001-06:00

This is mostly what I've been up to lately. My mom's been doing a fabulous job posting hasn't she? I think so. But if you'll excuse, I must get back to that wonderful homework...not.

Happy Friday!
~Michlyn

re-focusing

2012-02-03T13:22:00.000-06:00

music to my ears.

2012-02-01T12:47:00.002-06:00

Music...

brings me Joy.

speaks to me.

gives voice to my heart.

and is the much needed pick me up on a dreary Minnesota day!

Thankful for the gift of music,

Becky

unexpected...

2012-02-01T10:35:00.001-06:00

We are in the midst of some very painful anniversaries for our little T.

As expected, there have been set backs

T. is struggling with staying in the present and not slipping back to her difficult days of Ethiopia.

Those past "difficulties" have crept into our everyday lives :(

We are working to NOT let the pain define her...

But to remember what & who she loves in Ethiopia.

That each of us could use our hurts to grow.

be better.

learn.

For T to become the beautiful strong little girl God created her to be!

And trust in our God's sovereign & faithful purpose in our lives!

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose, for me; your love O LORD, endures forever"

Psalm 138:8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I did NOT expect...

Is my response in this time of grief :(

There's an inward sadness.

I'm tired.

less patient.

stuck in a rutt.

It's so frustrating... to want to see things through His eyes only to be bogged down by my weaknesses.

~~~~~~~~~~~

But I am trusting in the truth of His words.

Resting in His faithful love & perfect timing!

One foot in front of the other,

Becky

This is what the LORD says:

"Stand at the crossroads and look... ask where the good way is and walk in it,

and you will find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16

Photo Funnies

2012-01-31T20:07:00.001-06:00

Early last month, we did a quick photo session with a good friend of ours. She has great scenery on her property, and also has a really nice camera. So we decided to give it a shot, (no pun intended) in the freezing cold.

She took A LOT of pictures, and we were very happy with the ones that worked out! It was quite the experience though, as this was probably only the 2nd time that we tried to do a session with all 5 kids. (since 'T' has been home)

Plus when it's cold, it just adds another whole round of laughs! So as I sit here remembering all the funny comments, how cold we were, and even the complaints - I'm laughing. Just a glimpse, into what one of our photo sessions looks like.

BEHIND THE SCENES

~Michlyn

miXed messages

2012-01-27T15:57:00.000-06:00

I recently shared what an encouragement receiving a text can be for me :)

I'm touched when a friend will take time to say hi & send an uplifting word or two.

I received another one of those kind messages this week...

Except this time, I let the words get "miXed up"

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Let me back up just a little here;

Our first four children attend a Charter School- that now has a nearly 2,000 student waiting list.

We were part of that waiting list when the big girls were new school-agers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

God opened the door to attend back in 2009, when there was a 6th grade opening for E, mid year.

E started a new school that November with courage & bravery that made us so proud!

With one student in, our other children were placed on the "much shorter" sibling lists.

It was just this Fall ALL of our children were finally included on class lists.

yippee!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But last Spring "pre-school" proved to be too hard for our T.

Home just 5 months before starting part-time Preschool.

The time away from Momma & in the company many outsiders, sent our little girl into SURVIVAL!

She lost me ... And was trying to take care of herself, in a way she knew too well ...Pushing & shoving away anyone or anything that interfered with her doing so. :(

After seeking post adoption council & much prayer,

we made the very hard decision to bring T back home.

Putting our focus on "teaching" T. how to be in a family first.

Step by step,

we CONTINUE to give & teach how to:

trust.

feel safe.

be kind.

show & receive respect.

understand boundaries.

have self control.

LOVE.

This is just a small glimpse of the "attachment therapy" we diligently work on.

So the 2011-12 school year began, and we decided to keep our little T home.

Not an easy decision for sure...

Our school is beautifully diverse with many multi-cultural families.

I was giving up snippets of free-time & volunteer opportunities.

It would just plain be different from what we once imagined it would be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And though some days are better than others,

We are right where we need to be!!!!

Making progress!

----------------------------------------------

So when I received a text reminding me of the deadline date to include T. on the sibling (waiting) list again for next year...

I read it & got all miXed up!!!

I couldn't remember why we decided to be home?

Couldn't think of any progress we had made?

Forgot why it was I was giving away all moments of peace & quiet?

Or missing out on so many other opportunities...?

~~~~~~~

I shared these thoughts & feelings with a friend.

She so graciously spoke truth to me...

We are home because it's working!

We are making progress!

She has grown & changed so much!

The chaos that once defined us has been replaced with a new kind of peace & confidence!

Because being away from me for even short amounts of time, sends T. back into SURVIVAL!

Right now, her tools to function healthily in a family are easily forgotten! :(

Because she needs me to be home with her!

~~~~~~

I am still very much blessed by those occasional encouraging text messages!

I am also blessed by friends brave enough to speak the hard truth - even when it's not exactly what I wanted to hear ... or was it? :)

With A Thankful Heart,

~Becky

A home-schooling, Charter school chauffeuring, Grateful Momma <3

Please know, I DO NOT judge what ever decisions YOU are making for your own families / birth or adoptive children- especially concerning school. We all do what we have to do and make decisions based on what we believe to be best for each of us. God bless YOU, every step of the way!

text messages

2012-01-19T22:14:00.001-06:00

I've received a couple text messages this week that gave me a much needed "pick me up"!

In a season in life when there doesn't seem to be adaquate hours in a day,

or enough of me to go around,

it means so much to open 1 of these encouraging txt :)

My favorite this week;

Praying psalm 121 over your life, Becky!

Be encouraged! Love you!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"I lift my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from?

My help comes form the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-

he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you-

the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm-

he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore."

Psalm 121

-------------------------------------------------------------

Might seem silly to some, but it truly gives me the lift I'm so often in need of.

And best of all it almost always comes at the exact moments I need it most :)

Thank you friends [P,J, C, B, M,] for listening to His prompting - and reaching out like you do.

An act that probably seems insignificant to you

but makes a world of difference to me & my family!

U r a blessing!

#Once again so very thankful for His creative ways of bringing JOY into each of my days!

ttyl,

~Becky

not what it looks like...

2012-01-19T13:45:00.000-06:00

Well, welcome to a real Minnesota January, I guess : /

We've been spoiled with unseasonably warm temperatures for this time of year.

And other than the lack of snow for the outdoor sport enthusiast, no one was really complaining.

That has now changed...

We got a little snow yesterday and as the sun went down so did our temperatures... Brrrrr!

For several days we enjoyed temps in the high teens & twenties,

Not too bad, if you ask me.

And perfect Winter weather to still enjoy the great outdoors.

As of last night though, we dipped into those dreaded below zero temps :(

Not so much fun, but inevitable.

But no matter what it's like outside,

I have a little girl who needs the fresh air & exercise only the great outdoors has to offer.

So I bundled her up... head to toes.

Set a timer.

And sent her out.

Despite the bright beautiful rays of sunshine and T's big smile,

it's not what it looks like...

It's cold!!!!

But the few minutes she endured it, she enjoyed herself... sledding, swinging & upside down sliding. lol!

And all in all made for a happier & more peaceful home :)

Thankful for the beauty of this day & the shelter of His love,

~Becky

"I long to...take refuge in the shelter of your wings." Psalm 61:4

lessons in liking

2012-01-18T12:38:00.002-06:00

I read "one thankful moms" blog often ... Lisa has a way of speaking the very truth of my heart and breathes encouragement and support to me simultaneously!

Not everyone will relate to the attached topic but I am inspired by her courage to talk about this real issue and her positive & tangible ways of addressing it.

Thanking God today for His wonderful & creative ways of filling me with HOPE for all life's moments!

I am blessed!!
~Becky

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To check out her blog/post click here!

one of those days...

2012-01-18T08:35:00.001-06:00

(Credit for the picture)

It's not even 9:00am and it's shaping up to be "One of those days"

--------------------------------------------------

But it's early, and I am bound and determined to NOT get stuck here.

"He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." Psalm 40:3

So we'll start again ... Ready. Set. Go. :)

Thankful His mercies are new every morning,

~Becky

I Wish...

2012-01-17T17:23:00.000-06:00

Sometimes...

I wish teachers wouldn't give out so much homework

I wish my mom didn't get hurt while she tries to be the best momma she can be

I wish I had the stylish clothes and shoes ever

I wish my siblings weren't so mean or disrespectful

I wish I could please the Lord in a better way and more often

I wish my attitude was always good

I wish that making hard decisions wasn't so...well...hard

I wish the truth in some situations wasn't so hard to say

I wish that the house was always clean

I wish my makeup, hair, and face was always spotless and perfect

I wish that I didn't get so jealous over ridiculous things

I wish my dad had a better boss and a higher paycheck

I wish that money didn't get in the way of so much stuff

I wish that hearts could never be broken

I wish that there were so orphans in this world

I wish friends wouldn't lie and make things so complicated

I wish driving was a piece of cake and could be done with no possible accidents

I wish politicians could make decisions that help everyone

I wish athletes didn't have to get hurt and ruin their dreams

I wish that no one got sick and would stay healthy

I wish that I could take amazing pictures

I wish... I wish... I wish...

BUT

I know... That our God performs miracles and that some of the things above could eventually be fixed.

Nothing is impossible with God!

~Michlyn

calendar pages

2012-01-17T14:16:00.001-06:00

It's the second year we have been along side our Ethiopian born daughter during some

very significant and hard anniversaries :(

The losses aren't written on any calendar, but rather on our little girl's heart.

The time of year her world turned upside down, more than once is NOT consciously known but SO obviously felt in the very core of our daughter.

Everything changes for a span of time...

Goes backward!

Trust that seemed to be building, slips away and is replaced with intense grief, anger,

and a need to once again depend solely on herself.

Long before we ever saw her precious littel face or knew she would one day be our daughter...

A tiny little girl on the other side of the world experienced loss & pain far greater

than many do in a long life time.

Hurts, I was not there to comfort her through and still can't take away.

But she is a daughter to the King and He holds her heart in his hands-

He is able to give her healing and has divine purpose for every part of her life.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I believe without a doubt ADOPTION is God's heart.

"In love he predestined us to be adopted as His sons and daughters through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will." Ephesians 1:5

Adoption is wonderful and beautiful!

Adoption is also painful and one of the hardest things I have ever been a part of!

Our daughter remembers her birth family - misses them with everything in her!

And can't truly grasp the blessing of a forever family, when her first family wasn't forever.

I imagine it could take many years before she will begin to trust we are her "forever family" and won't ever give up on her!

So once again as we turn the pages of our calendar,

our daughter, who came to us through God's miracle of adoption, grieves!

I wish it didn't have to be...

But as we walk this path before us, we cling to God's promises to each of us.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

One step at a time ... One day at time... Moment by moment

Prayerfully His,

Becky

The Same Faces

2012-01-16T13:19:00.001-06:00

We have one crazy girl, and she can still pull the same crazy faces!

~Michlyn

We're Back | Road Trip

2012-01-16T13:04:00.001-06:00

We took another road trip this weekend! It was a short 2 day one, but it was so fun! We went to see our friends the Zells. They live in South Dakota, which is only 4-5 hours away. We were all very glad it wasn't another 12 + hour trip.

Unfortunately because it was such a short trip, and we wanted to get as much time in together as possible I didn't take a single picture. Not one. Can you believe that? My mom brought her camera but we just never got it out.

If you remember they came to visit us in November and we had a lot of fun with them then too!

So that's why I've been slacking a little on this blog. Friday we didn't have school, but Erin and I had a group to go to that night and we also had to pack. We left Saturday morning, came home yesterday, and we're glad we don't have school today.

A couple of us still need to finish homework, the other ones are playing games or coloring, and we're definitely taking in this great weather for as long as possible! :)

Have a great Monday everyone and happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." - Dr. King

~Michlyn

that's better :)

2012-01-12T16:18:00.000-06:00

even if I had to do 'em ;)

risky business...

2012-01-12T07:30:00.000-06:00

At the "risk" of seeming less then the fabulous house keeper that I am [LOL!],

I have to ask....?

Does it ever seem like "momma's" the only one in your house that can [sometimes] SEE the dishes that need to be washed? Or is that "super power" exclusively mine? :D

Off to do that wonderful job now ... praying for the beautiful people who dirtied the dishes as I work.

ho hum!

a dish washing momma,

Becky

the best medicine :)

2012-01-11T10:39:00.000-06:00

Humor is so good for the heart!

a moment to just be silly.

time away from the stresses of life, given to JOY.

Joining in with "laughter" feels good...

lighter.

happier!

-----------------------------------------------------------

As we spent time together with dear friends over Christmas break, the common theme for us girls were 'SCARVES'.

a couple of us girls could be found wearing one at any given time :)

A scarf or two could also be found hung over a chair or other piece of furniture.

And DJ does not like to be left out :)

So when given the opportunity,

he picked one up, wrapped it around himself and says,

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!"

Laura was quick to join in the "fun", re-wrapped her scarf and hammed it up!

I had to take a picture.

Laughter truly is the "best medicine!"

Happy Days to all of you,

Becky

Man Up

2012-01-09T21:50:00.000-06:00

You see that cool "Man Up" shirt?

My dad sports it well don't yah think? I was just thinking about this "Man Up" thing after I read a post on a blog that I follow. This is what she wrote:

In the midst of this beautiful mess, I am very aware that God has blessed me with a unique man for a husband. Let's face it, most men don't want the big, messy life we have. Most men want to save money for "toys" or vacations, not adoptions and missions trips. It is not typical for man to leave the comfort of the simple life in favor of the big messy. ~LARA (The Farmer's Wife)

You can see her blog here!

After she wrote it, I instantly thought of my dad. Of course he loves cars, motorcycles (has actually owned a couple before), four-wheelers, and snowmobiles. (probably his favorite) But he chose to put that stuff behind him, and look deeper. To seek God in a time that seemed impossible. I now have a little sister, that came home from the other side of the world.

It takes gut. A lot of it too. To stand up against what this world thinks is "important" or "needed". To go against other peoples' thoughts and remarks that can be so rude. To look to a God, who can do more than we can ever imagine... and say yes. Yes I want to follow you. Yes I want you to guide me. Yes I'm going to do what you want. Not what I want, or friends or other family want... But what You want me to do Lord.

He calls us to "Man up... Love and protect the fatherless".

And that is exactly what the best dad, and superhero of my life did.

~Michlyn

any guesses...?

2012-01-05T19:56:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

Somethings Brewing...

Our Hearts...

are being stirred

and tugged!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

We are sifting through it...

it feels intense, wonderful, hard, stretching, and so much more.

More to come

Any guesses what has us "all shook up" ?

wordless wednesday

2012-01-04T10:43:00.001-06:00

and two eyes made out of coal?

2012-01-03T13:37:00.001-06:00

Despite fighting her first Winter cold, T headed out to play today.

With all the other kids back to school, she quickly occupied herself with a little snowman building.

I do have to say, she's persistent.

The snow is hardly sticky but with a bucket and lots of determination...

A snowman was made!

I handed over the sought after carrot nose,

T. found twigs from yesterday's disgarded Christmas tree for arms

And what else do you use for eyes...

Doggie Doo ... Yuck!

Hey, it's her snow creation - who am I to squelch such orginal thinking???

A+ for creativity!

Happy New Year,

~Becky

Momma to some cool genius kids ;)

Pictures From Our Trip

2011-12-30T16:06:00.002-06:00

We had so much fun with our friends! It was definitely worth the 12 hour drive (each way). It was a blessing to see them, and we can't wait to see them some time in the new year!

Blessings,

~Michlyn

We Need Your Help!

2011-12-28T12:12:00.001-06:00

To spread the word of course...about Kyle. (You remember the post about Jonathan?) Well Kyle is in the same situation. He needs to be adopted before his 14th birthday in February! Please spread the word, and click on the links below from Adeye's blog. There are children who need a loving family before they are kicked out on the streets. FOR NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!

Oh my goodness!

Last Friday I posted about a few children in desperate situations who so urgently need someone to come and rescue them. Thankfully, I have heard that there have been inquiries on most of those children. Praise God! Even sweet Shannon, who only had a few days to find her family, has had TWO families inquire about bringing her home.

Sadly though, one young man on that list has not had a single family ask about him. And even worse is the fact that he is quickly running out of time to be adopted. Last week I was told that Kyle had only three days to find his family. Yesterday I felt so absolutely heartbroken for him. I wondered how a young boy must feel when he knows that time has run out--and nobody CHOSE him. My heart ached for him as I thought about his feelings of rejection and abandonment (too many times). Just awful.

Today though, my friend Annie, who is a huge advocate for orphans, found out that it IS still possible for him to find a family. Annie spoke to another family who also rescued a son when he literally only had days to spare before becoming unadoptable.

There is still a glimmer of hope for Kyle!

His dream of having a family of his own can still come true.

Blessings,
~Michlyn

Road Trip

2011-12-25T22:11:00.001-06:00

We're off to take a road trip in the morning! We'll be visiting with a family that my parents traveled with in Ethiopia. We're all pretty excited to spend time as a family, and also with friends around this holiday season. A dear friend of my mom... Her parents are letting us stay in their duplex, which is just about 2 hours away from where are friends are staying in their hotel.

God has blessed us to go on this trip, and we're thankful for that! Erin and I are packed, and maybe the boys... not sure yet. Just to finish packing everyone else and everything else for our 12-13 hour road trip. Dear Lord in heaven give us all peace, and patience! :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We definitely did!

Blessings,

~Michlyn

Merry CHRISTmas

2011-12-25T13:05:00.001-06:00

God's Beautiful Creations #3

2011-12-23T17:47:00.001-06:00

Between Wednesday afternoon and this morning, it has snowed (just a little dusting) about three times. It is December 23rd, the eve of Christmas Eve. Here in MN there has been only one (end of november) big snow fall. With the temperatures dropping, and the excitement of the holidays you'd expect it to snow really soon. [AND STAY] God has a good sense of humor, and we are "Dreaming of a white Christmas"! Here are a few photos I quickly took.

Some snow or not... He still show's his beautiful creations to us everyday! Sunsets and all...

Blessings,

~Michlyn

Christmas break...

2011-12-23T11:04:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, was the first day off from our "normal" routine!

The beginning of "Christmas Break"

I look forward to the time together and the reprieve from the usual daily routine...

That being said, I so thrive in "routine" and believe my children (and many others) also do better with knowing the plan & expectation :)

But today, most of my kiddo's enjoyed a laid back day of just being together!

A break ... from the get up and GO schedule!

NOT watching the clock all day long for the next trip out was a welcome relief.

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But I said "most" of my kiddo's :(

Just as it's been since the beginning of the holiday season - in November with the celebration of multiple family birthdays and Thanksgiving ...

T. is struggling!

She struggles with even the slightest change in "normal" routine

And unfortunately, the first day of her siblings home for Christmas break, did NOT prove to be easy on her.

It puts her into a "funk"

Uncertain what the "break" in routine means for her...

She finds her [intentionally] predictable world become a bit too big to manage :(

We are working tirelessly to help her depend not in what she is capable of managing but to trust in the mom, dad and forever family God has given to love,care for and guide her.

With T's background of loss & trauma, this process is a very painful & difficult one.

She is guarded.

Trust does NOT come easy, and why should it?

What her past has taught her is; bad things do happen & loved one go away.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The "normal" structure of our family is forever different and constantly changing

As we look at our way of life with a NEW perspective and make choices with the past of our youngest and for the best of our WHOLE family in mind.

This is HARD!

But we feel God leading and equipping, moment by moment.

It's not what we imagined things would be like.

I definitely miss the peaceful & carefree days that Christmas [break] use to be

But believe it's okay to miss what once was but NOT dwell there.

------------------------------------------------------

The Holiday season & celebrations may feel more stressful this year and maybe always will,

but no amount of anxiety, hurt or chaos can ever change the reason we celebrate Christmas!

Each and every day, moment by moment

we will continue to put our trust in the One who was born that first Christmas morn

who came to die for us,

and give us LIFE!

------------------------------------------------------------

And it's our heart's desire to live a life that gives glory to God

It isn't picture perfect,

But God led us into the hard & messy places of life

And it's exactly where we want to be,

trusting & more dependent in Him alone!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

God Bless,

~Becky

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2: 10-11

The Tree is Up

2011-12-22T10:50:00.001-06:00

Blessings,

~Michlyn

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T15:50:00.002-06:00

Mighty to Save!

2011-12-20T14:28:00.001-06:00

I know that many, many of you are following Jonathan's unfolding miracle! I cannot even begin to tell you how much we appreciate your continued prayers as his family works hard to bring him home.

Over the last few days there have been many obstacles to overcome. At times his adoption has almost seemed impossible.

BUT GOD!

He who sits upon the throne has heard every prayer on behalf on this precious young man! He truly is mighty to save the orphan.

This is an update from the precious family trying so very hard to bring Jonathan home:

"The Embassy in his country has made Jonathan's case priority. They emailed back quickly! All we have to do....get this....all we have to do is submit our I600a before his birthday to USCIS. We don't even need to update our home study to submit it! I'm overnighting it today! That is for his visa. One thing down.

Now, we are working on making sure the orphanage doesn't release him. We should know more about that today! I'll update you as soon as I hear anything! Praise the Lord! His hand has been on this the whole time! Even when I couldn't see through the fog! It almost doesn't seem real. I'm so humbled and blessed that we serve a God who cares so much for us, so much for Jonathan!

The prayers of God's people! That is what led us in the right direction. Thank you!"

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. There are still a few hurdles to jump over, but things are definitely starting to look more positive. Please keep praying! Pray that they will be able to keep Jonathan in the orphanage until his family gets there. Pray for a heart of compassion for those who make decisions on his behalf in his country. Our God is ABLE.

For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
Zeph 3:17

{Better late than Never} Can't believe he's 9!

2011-12-17T17:24:00.000-06:00

Our 'J' turned 9 just over a week ago! I honestly can't believe it... It's always on my brothers birthdays that I can't believe they're a year older. (Must be a big sister thing) I was only 6 years old, and announced that my mom was having another baby! That 'baby' is now 9 years old! We had a blast watching him open his presents, hear about his fun day at school, and help him celebrate his special day!

'J' you are such a blessing to us! You are smart, and keep life interesting! Can't imagine not having you as my little brother! Hope you felt extra special on your birthday!

~Michlyn

Update on Jonathan!

2011-12-17T08:57:00.001-06:00

AN UPDATE ON JONATHAN...

Oh my goodness gracious! What an outpouring of LOVE we have received for Jonathan. It truly has been an amazing thing to witness. Thousands and thousands of people have read his story in the last 48 hours--only because so many of you cared deeply enough to link on your blogs and facebooks. So many people shared his story. The army of God took up the mandate to care for the orphan!

I am so, so thankful.

As of yesterday we do have a family who has stepped forward and who is qualified to adopt Jonathan. That is the GOOD news. However, as things so often go with international adoptions, this is truly going to take a miracle. Definitely not impossible (for NOTHING is impossible with the King of Kings!), but it is going to take us all praying and believing that this young man WILL come home!

Many have asked me how they can be praying specifically for Jonathan and his adoption. Obviously with time being so crucial in this case, there are many obstacles in the way and we covet your prayers. Every day counts!

~~ The family who is trying to adopt Jonathan will have to have an update done on their homestudy. While this is typically a very simple and easy thing to have done (usually just a paragraph or two which needs to be added), unfortunately with the holidays upon us everyone is busy and they are struggling to find someone to do the update in a huge hurry. Please pray that the Lord, even now, will be moving on a social worker's heart to jump in and get the job done as quickly as possible. Pray that the Father will lead this potential family to the right person who can help them.

~~ Pray for great favor in applying for and getting the visa Jonathan needs to enter the country on. With so little time before he turns sixteen at the end of this month we really do need to pray that God will move this mountain too.

~~ Finances. With no time to fundraise (because adoption is insanely expensive!), his family will have to come up with lot of money super quickly. Again...not impossible. I know that many of you have said that you would love to help. I'll keep you updated on ways that you may be able to do that later.

~~ Timing is crucial here. Please pray that things will happen in the Lord's most perfect and amazing timing.

~~ And for Jonathan. Every time I think of him, my heart aches. He knows all too well that time is ticking by and that with every day that passes his dream of finding a family diminishes. I cannot even imagine all that must be going on in that young man's head right now. Fear, uncertainty, anxiety. Please pray that the Lord would put a hedge of protection around him and that He would keep him safe.

So, things ARE moving forward and there is definitely hope on the horizon for Jonathan, but getting him here truly is going to take a miracle of God. Thankfully, we serve THE God of miracles! Please keep praying that every mountain, every obstacle, and every plan of the enemy will NOT stand in the way of this boy coming home. It's a known fact in the adoption community that if you want your faith to be tested like never before...adopt a child! Why? Because this is spiritual warfare! Adoption is about rescuing children out of captivity--taking them out of darkness and bringing them into HIS glorious light. It is about the Kingdom of God advancing on the earth and many, many children being rescued from the most horrific situations our hearts could ever imagine.

But, adoption comes with a price. It is hard! It takes every ounce of faith you can muster on any given day. It takes courage, a huge heart, obedience, and a promise to your child waiting on the other side of the world that you will NEVER give up on them--no matter what the enemies camp throws your way!

All that to say that we need your continued prayers until Jonathan is safely united with his parents. Please pray church!

I will continue to keep you all updated on specifics as Jonathan's miracle unfolds. Thank you for all you have done to ensure that this young man does NOT become another statistic!

urgent!

2011-12-15T09:44:00.000-06:00

I read a blog post this morning that has my heart breaking :(

[I'm re-posting it below]

You see, I'm a momma to many, including a 15 year old ... and my heart aches at the thought of any sweet child being set "free" at such a young vulnerable impressable age ... 15 or 16 is still a CHILD! A young person in need of love, connection, hope, care, provisions...

Please join me in praying & sharing the needs of this young man ... Jonathan!

To God be the glory!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

URGENT***URGENT

A couple of mornings ago I woke up to an e-mail in my inbox. "A boy needs help!" I read through the information and my heart broke. Not really knowing what my role was at that point, I prayed and trusted the Lord that He would send the right family.

I prayed the entire day on Monday for him. I checked in later that night to see if the many prayers being prayed on his behalf had been answered yet.

No, they hadn't!

Tuesday morning came and all I could think about was this poor young man. I started thinking about when I was a teenager, and what a blessed life I had--a warm bed, food in my tummy, the opportunity to go to school, and people who loved me. I put myself in his position and I felt physically sick.

You see, life as this one young man knows it is about to change. Drastically!

It was then that I knew that I knew that I needed to come to you, the amazing readers of my blog, with another rescue mission. I realized that, knowing all I know about him, if I choose not to advocate for him, well, I may just regret it for the rest of my life. I knew I had to try to help, and I also knew that you guys would be so faithful to rush in and help.

Friends, this time a young man, just fifteen years old, is literally on the brink of an absolute catastrophe!

This is Jonathan. I don't know anything of his history, only that he is an orphan in Eastern Europe.

On December 31, 2011, Jonathan will turn sixteen. A huge birthday for most teens. But a dreaded day for this young man. Soon after the day of his sixteenth birthday Jonathan will be given the "gift" of his freedom. Together with a small bag which contains all of his earthly possessions and about $30 in cash, he will be set free--no longer to be taken care of by a state orphanage.

Freedom?

Sadly, not!

Unfortunately, most of the children like Jonathan who "age out" of the system literally have nowhere to go. They are left on the streets to fend for themselves. With nowhere to turn, and no one to turn to, many end up in the trafficking industry. The majority never make it past their teen years. It is the sobering reality of most orphans who are forced to leave the only place of safety they know. The statistics are staggering. It is one of the many reasons adoption advocates fight so very hard to get children out of orphanages before it is too late. They know.

Here's the thing...

Jonathan has a matter of DAYS to find a family. Mere DAYS!

In order for this boy to be rescued from a life that few of us can even begin to imagine, a family needs to step forward in the next few days and commit to him! I'm told that as long as there is a commitment and the I600 visa is applied for, he will be kept where he is, and the adoption can be completed later. That's the good news.

Right now what is needed is a family who has adopted internationally before. From the contact I have been given, "He needs a family that is married, can travel, and has a homestudy that can be used for immigration approval and is willing to apply for immigration in the next week. If a family is ready to apply they will work directly with the facilitator who knows him."

One week! A visa HAS to be applied for in the next week in order to save this boy!

Here's a little we know about Jonathan:

"Jonathan is apparently a very, very good boy. He has a great sense of humor which has been confirmed by other kids in his class and two children who were recently adopted to U.S. He loves to work on a computer, takes part in virtually all theatrical performances organized at the orphanage, just a great actor, very calm when not on stage, never gets in trouble, loves sports and plays soccer, played basketball and trained in light athletics, studies at good level. Jonathan is respectful to adults and older children. He is obedient and always ready to help. NEEDS A FAMILY to file for immigration ASAP, can adopt later. BEGS translator when he visits if he has found his family yet, desperately wants to be adopted. Can be chatted to on Skype as well as email."

Oh, God in heaven, surely someone can go for this precious young man before it is too late? Surely he can be rescued in time? My heart cannot even bear the thought of what the alternative is.

Many, many people have joined in to spread the search for Jonathan's family as far and as wide as is possible. Many are praying and interceding on his behalf. Will you please join in? Would you use your blogs and your social networks to share Jonathan's desperate need for a family? It is only going to take ONE family to rise up and say yes. Just one. Surely between all of us we can help one boy to be united with his family...and spared the future he is rapidly heading toward? I have to believe it.

I believe with all my heart that we serve a God who LOVES to show His miracle-working power through seemingly impossible situations. He loves to show His power, His glory, and His faithfulness when all the odds are stacked up against us and things seem so dismal. Of course He can do this!

Thank you so much for joining us in the search for Jonathan's family! I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

Please, I'm begging you to share his story wherever you possibly can! It is the only way his family will find their son.

If anyone would like more information about adopting Jonathan, please contact Amy at waitingchildren@gmail.com

A Relaxing Saturday

2011-12-10T17:05:00.000-06:00

We've been staying busy at home today! Together, we've acomplished a lot, and have had fun doing it. We were hoping to maybe make the trek to get a Christmas tree, but we're probably going to wait until tomorrow after church.

I was able to spend the night at a friend's house last night, and had a blast! When I came home, the house smelled like someone had been baking. Of course, that was Erin and her little helpers 'J' and 'S'. They had made some chocolate-chip cookies! Christmas season is definitely here, when the baking has started!!

Erin and I are also staying busy with our projects! I've already finished one towel, and am going to start another one as soon as I'm done on here. (I'm easily distracted haha) Erin has started a pink scarf, and is hoping to do a couple more as well. As for our tie-blankets? Those will probably have to wait until after Christmas.

I hope you are all relaxing, and having a great Saturday too! The sun is just starting to set behind the trees!

Blessings,
~Michlyn

Say hi to Charlie, our little elf! (More on this guy soon)

Picture Progress!! (Part 2)

2011-12-10T16:50:00.000-06:00

We picked up our ordered pictures yesterday, and got them all into the fitted frames. This afternoon we got them onto the walls, and into the correct rooms!!

An updated "big sisters" pic compared to the one of the left!

Before

After

This was our biggest project! It was a lot of work, but also really fun to finally finish it!

These frames got finished pretty quickly, thanks to Erin's gracious help! :)

My mom and I were running errands earlier this week, and we found this cute frame! We actually were able to get the picture of my mom's whole side from Thanksgiving in this frame. I especially like it in sepia, because it combines all the colors!

We are so glad that we already acomplished this much in one week! Of course it took a lot of my persistence to get them done that quick, but we did it! We have a few more things on our checklist, and hope to finish a few more things before Christmas. :)

Blessings,
~Michlyn

Picture Progress!! (Part 1)

2011-12-10T16:31:00.002-06:00

We have been working especially hard this past week to take pictures, get frames set up, order pictures, and finally get the pictures on our very bare walls. We've gone through a couple boxes, and started putting frames in places where they look good. We had two sets of frames that were brand new, and we had to get them up some where. So here's a few places where we started first:

Pictures above our piano!

Some of our Ethiopian artwork made it onto the walls too! Those are actually Hippo teeth, that are carved and painted. My dad bought them from a little boy who was selling them on the streets.

More coming soon... (It's a lot of work to get everything together)

Blessings,

~Michlyn

"super hero"

2011-12-08T09:52:00.001-06:00

My sweet Dad called this week just to check in with his Baby bear :)

His call even included a birthday song for our "J"

who he lovingly calls "Jimmy Johnson"

And YES he sang - his own version of happy birthday
[which never fails to make the listener smile!]

My Dad's still a "super hero" to me!

I am so very Thankful,

Becky

aka: Dad's favorite Baby bear ;)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-07T15:39:00.000-06:00

who says???

2011-12-01T08:38:00.000-06:00

While on one of my many "runs" to school & back yesterday

I made a couple stops...

I won't say where :) but as I headed out the door of one of my "stops",

I was offered some free gadgets to take with me... so kind!

As I choose colors for my kiddo's I asked silly-ey "how many kids do I have again?" :D

I was met with, "You don't want me to go there. Cause if you ask me, TOO MANY!"

My joyful reply, "What? Really? You can never have too many!"

Who says 2, 3,... 5...8,9...20 is too many, anyway?

[insert her somewhat disgusted face]

"Well I have two & that can be too many."

Me: "The more the merrier."

and I was on my way again...

I guess I asked how many 'cherubs' I had ... but not your opinion on it.

It may not have been meant to be insulting but I found it kind of rude

So very thankful for my many blessings - especially my beautiful, sometimes noisy, loving, energetic children!!!

Can't imagine life with even 1 less

more maybe, but not less ;)

I am blessed,

~Becky

6

2011-11-29T19:47:00.003-06:00

Thanksgiving snuck up on me fast this year, and I hadn't found time to post until now.

We continue to be busy - still finding time for the important ~~things~~ people in our lives! :)

Thursday, November 24th wasn't just Thanksgiving this year but the birth day of our little 'S'

6 years ago, he arrived into the world on Thanksgiving day,

purple and much quieter than anticipated but Oh so beautiful!

a special little boy right from the start

and we are still so thankful for our little thanksgiving blessing!

From day one of T's arrival into our family, S has embraced his little "twin" with an open heart!

[Halloween 2006]

Daddy was the first to start calling him our "Little Turkey" ...

and his silliness & zest for life has him living up to the given nickname

----------------------------------------------------

So last Thursday, we celebrated S's 6th birthday

Where does the time go.?*!

S. Daniel has a way of putting a smile on our faces daily...

he tells the cutest jokes - most of the time funny because they don't make complete sense :D

And says some of the sweetest things

S loves lego's, playing guys [action figures], and anything Starwars

all with his very best friend & big brother J

The two of them are often inseperable

[He surprised me and seemed to love the 28 person chrous that sung to him at Gma &Gpa's home :)

Happy happy Birthday!

We all love you little guy!

Love,

Momma, Dad, M, E, J, & T

Good Deal

2011-11-25T17:38:00.000-06:00

My mom and dad left early this morning to go Black Friday shopping. They stopped at Goodwill and she came home with this.

Live Passionately ~ Laugh Uncontrollably ~ Love Unconditionally

We found a good spot for it on the wall, where it matches both wall colors and even the orange in the kitchen. Even though it is quite bare right now, my mom found a 10 piece frame set a couple weeks ago. So as soon as we find the time to look at the frames, order the right pictures with the right measurements, and get them all together on the wall I'll post it!

It's going to be a process, but it will be before Christmas... I hope. We might even have to take a few more pictures. :)

Blessings,

~Michlyn

My Small Hotspots

2011-11-23T12:55:00.000-06:00

Since it's Thanksgiving Break for us, I decided to get right to work this morning in my room. I decided to go with the the spots that I can usually ignore for quite a while. I've definitely a neat freak, but sometimes I just don't have the motivation to clean everything, every other day. I only worked in my room this morning because my siblings were playing around the house and I didn't want to start picking up and then have it recked in less than an hour.

So my hotpsots in my room are: My dresser, the ledge above my bed (kind of like a nightstand), and the chair at the end of my bed. In these spots, I tend to keep piling stuff up or just throwing it there and then it stays there until I really feel like picking up. :) I attacked them today...

Before

See what I mean by piling?

You've seen this before... So handy to have, so on top of my dresser is where it is!

After

Before

This is the ledge that's right above my bed. So I keep hair stuff, pictures, and my small fan on it.

It started to get out of hand...

After

My bracelets, binders, and hair stuff is finally all organized! (I'm thinking of adding a small lamp, only if we have an extra one though... Or if I can find one at a thrift store.)

Before

The chair that sits at the end of my bed. I keep shoes under it, and sometimes my purse or books will get piled on top of it.

After

Heels and opened toed shoes to the back, and my boots and TOMS [haha yes I got a pair for my birthday - They're coming back!] to the front! (It's getting cold)

I know I was going to share this way earlier - This is another piece of furniture we got for free from that little store in our town. :) It's sooo comfortable!

I even got the motivation to change my sheets and pillow case. Winter is just about here!

I have some good news --- I'll be starting some more projects soon!

You see that "tie-blanket" at the end of my bed? Well each of us has one and I would like to make a new one. Mine has the same flower pattern on both sides, and Erin's has that flower pattern as well with tie-dye on the back. We got them made for us quite a while ago, and we got a new bedroom set last year after Christmas sometime.

Since the patterns and colors don't really match, Erin and I want to take a trip to a new fabric store that opened just about 15 minutes away from us soon! Then maybe around Christmas time (or even before that) we can start to make them, and get them put together. I'll definitely post when they're finished!

Another thing is, that I'm hoping to start a few more towels to embrioder to send out and give to family&friends this holiday season! So I'm also hoping to search for some new patterns for that. Erin is looking for some more yarn to finish a couple scarves.

SO SORRY for the long and probably very boring post! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Blessings,

~Michlyn

wORDLESS wEDNESDAY!

2011-11-23T08:36:00.000-06:00

Tuesday is Here!

2011-11-22T07:13:00.000-06:00

The three of us older ones are off to school in just a few minutes! It's our last day before we have our 5 day break from school! (Wed.-Sun.)

Can't wait for the break from school, and to see family over this great holiday! We are truly thankful!

Blessings,

~Michlyn

7 billion

2011-11-20T15:39:00.000-06:00

Just about 3 weeks ago, the seventh billion person was born. This little blessing was born in the Philippines! It's a girl, and they even had a mini celebration!

So cute!

Hope everyone has a great Sunday!

Blessings,

~Michlyn

credit to google images for the pictures - I do not own them.

First Snow of the Season

2011-11-19T16:45:00.000-06:00

Just in time for Thanksgiving! We'll have a white Thanksgiving and a white Christmas! :)

Blessings,
~Michlyn

Blog Button

2011-11-19T11:49:00.001-06:00

We have a blog button!

5 white daisies for the kiddos on earth
1 pink daisy for our baby girl in heaven

As soon as I figure out the textbox below it, and how people can share it on their blogs I'll let you know. As for now this is how you can share it.

1. Save our blog button above, by right clicking and clicking "Save Picture As..."
2. Copy our URL: http://nothingsimpossible-fishers.blogspot.com/
3. Next, go to your blogger acount first click on "Design", and then click on "Add a Gadget".
4. Scroll down to where it says "Picture" and click the little white + sign next to it.
5. At the top you can add a title or a caption if you want. (That will appear above or below the picture)
6. Then finally copy our URL from our blog into the "link" box.
7. Add our blog button picture, that you saved earlier. (It should be in your documents or pictures)
8. Once everything is loaded, and how you would like it click SAVE.
9. The last step, would be for you to move it to the right place on your sidebar. Just move your mouse over it, and 4 arrows should appear. Then you can drag it up or down to where you would like it placed.

Thank you, and good luck!
~Michlyn

P.S. We're getting excited!

tHANKFUL tHURSDAY !

2011-11-17T08:53:00.000-06:00

Can't imagine my life without these six special people in it!!!

Grateful for each one of them :D

They give to me so much...

joy

purpose

love

frustration

happiness

an occassional headache : /

determination

patience

grace

Faith in the One who makes up for my shortcomings

I am blessed!!!

love you all

~Momma / Becky

xoxo

Wordless Wednesday - Counting Down

2011-11-16T19:55:00.000-06:00

wORDLESS wEDNESDAY

2011-11-16T08:47:00.000-06:00

Our New House: 3 down 1 to go

2011-11-15T21:30:00.000-06:00

We are down to four more rooms in our house! I'm showing you three more rooms in this post, and then we'll be down to our last one. We are adjusting well to our house, and it's been a great 3 1/2 months so far. Enjoy the pictures!

Our dining room table :)

We call this our "breakfast table", and we somtimes will use it as a buffet table.

A complete overview look of our dining room!

This is the boys' room. Can you tell? :) Lots of trucks, legos, and other boy stuff.

This is to the right, when you walk into the door. Their closet is so big! They have one of their dressers inside.

We have to be creative in their room for space. They have a lot of odds and ends and one is hanging their stuffed animals from the door.

The master-bedroom! I finally got a simple picture for you. :)

Dresser, and mirror to the right if you walked into the door. They also have a door to the bathroom.

A cute little nook my mom has on her side of the bed. My dad's great-grandfather made this chair! It is such a great memory of him. :)

You might be wondering what the final and last room is that we still have to show you. That would be 'T's room! I have taken a few pictures, but the lighting can sometimes be really bad. Anyway we still have a few things to add to her room, and we hope to paint two walls pink! So two will be brown and two will be pink!

We also have a set of cute girly wall stickers that will look great in her room. She also wants to get a lamp for her room. I think we all agree that it should go on her Christmas wish-list. Maybe a table and chair set that we found in the attic of our old house, and maybe some curtains. Of course she isn't always in her room, so we don't want to do too much to it.

What projects are you working on?

Blessings,

~Michlyn

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-11-12T23:32:00.000-06:00

Today is our mom's birthday!! We celebrated her, and hopefully made her feel extra special today! She's an amazing, caring, loving, teaching, and faithful woman of God. She's an inspiration to all of us, and we all love her to the moon and back! :)

(My grandma posted this on facebook this morning) Wasn't she cute?!

She's a momma to us all, and we love her so much! Thanks for all you do mom!

~Michlyn and your crew

Friends Come for a Visit

2011-11-12T23:19:00.001-06:00

We had some friends come for a visit today! They live quite a few hours out of state, and it was so nice to see them again! My parents met them in Ethiopia, when they were there to bring their little boy home. We got to hang out at our house, talk, laugh, and then got to go out to dinner to celebrate my mom's birthday! :)

A friend of ours, Beka, is staying with us this weekend and so we had double the fun!

Beka and 'L'! :) Such a smart girl!

This is 'E' and I!

All of the girls together! We squished together for a picture!

All of us girls squeezed onto my small bed, to play a fun game of "Catch Phrase"!

'T' and 'C' - Friends unite again for the second time, since being home!

They both have grown so much! Such cute Ethiopians!

They have three biological children (two older and who could not make it) and a 15 year old son, who didn't make it into any pictures. They also have two beautiful daughters from India! 'C' and 'T' have now been home close to 16 months! It's crazy how fast time flies, and the many friendships we can make!

Blessings, to a wonderful Sunday!

~Michlyn

Veteran's Day 2011

2011-11-11T22:55:00.000-06:00

Remembering those who serve and have served -

Thank you!

Blessings,

~Michlyn

15 years...

2011-11-09T08:51:00.001-06:00

15 years ago...

On November 7th

At 4:11am

a beautiful baby girl arrived into the world

blue eyes

fuzzzy brown hair

more precious than words

It was love at first sight

xoxo

And I became a Momma!!!

Michlyn 1 year old

---------------------------------------------------------

So much changes in 15 years

Michlyn became a big sister x5 ... and is wonderful at it!

She went from 21" baby girl

to a 5'4" beautiful young woman

Inside & out

Michlyn Kate

is not only beautiful but

compassionate

giving

Lover of Jesus

a friend to all

----------------------------------------------------

And then somethings never change...

Just like the day she was born

she's strong-willed & stubborn

[not sure where she gets that from???;)]

a bringer of Joy!

And I will never stop loving being her Momma xo

Happy 15th Birthday Sweetheart!!!!

May you continue to seek God's plans for your unique & beautiful life!

; ) Lucky Duck,

Love ~Your Momma

powder puff game

2011-11-08T13:09:00.000-06:00

Last Thursday Afternoon

On a beautiful Fall day in Minnesota

I had the chance to watch Michlyn play in Pact's 4th Annual Powder Puff game

Freshmen & Seniors vs. Sophomores & Juniors

Undefeated vs. The Hunters

It's was Michlyn's first opportunity to play

It's her first year attending Pact

She's a Freshman

They practiced a few afternoons & spent time "creating" their orginal team shirts before game day :D

--------------------------------------------------

It was a lot of fun to watch!

The players all seemed to have a blast too!

The game was close, even intense at times.

Undefeated WON 34 - 30

Woo Hoo!!!!

~PowderPuff Mom :)

Looking back...

2011-11-04T12:50:00.001-05:00

I was picking up the house today, and as I was walking around I noticed that we have so few pictures up. Some that I did notice were the ones of Erin and I when we were little. It's crazy how fast time flies, and how things can change throughout that time.

Here are a few pictures that are around our house:

This is upstairs in the homework room - 2002

This is in our room, by my bed on a ledge - 2003

This we still have to order and frame - 2011

Blessings,

~Michlyn

Gone.

2011-11-04T12:23:00.001-05:00

Our computer is working again! My dad did something to bring it "back to life". We're glad that it's not broken anymore, but everything is gone.

All of our documents, pictures, edited pictures, and other things. A friend of ours might know how to get it back, so we're hoping that will work. Right now we're slowly but surely finding things that will make our computer seem like it's actually owned and not like we just bought it.

I hope that everyone else is having less technical difficulties!

Blessings,
~Michlyn

Crashed

2011-11-02T19:10:00.001-05:00

So our one and only computer crashed today. We think it was a virus from a website but we're not sure. It is so frustrating! My mom spoke to a friend of ours who knows a lot about computers and he said that we probably lost everything!

Awesome.

I really hope that we can figure it out, and hopefully get it working again. We payed quite a bit for our computer and haven't even had it for a year. I'm on my handy-dandy iPod Touch right now, and no it's not the easiest thing ever, trying to post from here.

I'm sure we'll be MIA for a little while, but hope to post as soon as we can! Thanks for bearing with us! Have a fantastic weekend!

Blessings,
~Michlyn

wORDLESS wEDNESDAY

2011-11-02T09:53:00.002-05:00

... our chair ...

WoW!

2011-11-01T14:21:00.000-05:00

Michlyn's been asking me for a long time to post on the blog again :)

I truly enjoy posting but time gets away from me & words seem few...

Well, the words that swim around in my head aren't few but when it comes down to ~~putting them on paper~~ journaling those words on the blog, I often draw a blank.

But I did not want to miss the opportunity to brag on my wonderful kiddos...

Last Friday after a few hard days and few not so bad days, my big girls gave me the opportunity to get out with a girlfriend for a couple hours.

We were just running errands but the reprieve from daily demands and the friendly conversation was priceless!

What I came home to was the icing on the cake...

Kids had had lunch

Kitchen counters were cleared & wiped off

Dishwasher was loaded and running

Both upstairs & downstairs were picked up and vacuumed

Beds were made

E. put some finishing touches on the girls room

Michlyn picked up the boys room

and all 5 kiddo's were in good spirits!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While I was out & about I picked up a few little things;

Fake nails & black polish for Michlyn

2 Teen magazines (starring J.B. of course) for E.

[an on sale] Starwars Jedi costume for J.

*I tease that the purchases were well worth the "sweetness" that I came home to... Truth is, I would have paid much more!

We were all "ready" for the evening activities - A youth group bonfire and games for the big girls, a costume party with a friend for the boys, Dad was working late so a quiet night home for T. and I :) Awww

Wow, I really do have GREAT kids... I am blessed!

~Becky

Happy Halloween 2011!

2011-10-31T20:10:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again! Our Fall Halloween celebrations began pretty late this year... It just sneaks up way too quick! We carved our pumpkins last night, and lit them just in time for our festivities tonight!

It was pretty fun this year, having a first time experience of actually handing out candy to kids. Since we moved a few months ago, into a neighborhood.

Here's some pics of our traditions!

Our little Yoda! (from Star Wars)

Pretty Garden Fairy (a little costume that Erin wore when she was little, believe it or not)

Our jeti, also from Star Wars

Black eyed pea...Can you tell she's our extra creative one?

I was a cat! :) (Yes I still dress up, although I didn't treak or treat this year)

Happy Halloween from all of us! :)

Blessings,
~Michlyn

Wordless Wednesday - The Big Sisters

2011-10-26T16:05:00.000-05:00

Fall Funk

2011-10-25T17:01:00.001-05:00

I'm going to copy Jody over at her blog and talk about some "Fall Funk". Sort of a brain dump, or ~~small~~ update on our crazy life.

1. I wish that the house would always be clean. All the time. Not have to worry about making messes, or ever having to use a toilet brush or vacuum again.

2. Homework is not my hobby. Even though it might seem like I like to do it, since I'm doing it ~~24/7~~ a few hours each night.

3. Siblings DO drive me crazy. Some more than others depending on the day, and what they do and will continue to drive me crazy throughout my life. Especially when they're hurting others at the same time...

4. I love Fall... I really do. But I mean really; why does it have to be this cooollldd? I know, I know it's Minnesota and almost November but I would love for it to heat up just a bit. :)

5. I love compliments. Just today I got more than 4 compliments on my hair. Makes me smile every time.

6. Teachers frustrate me. Not often or a lot, but sometimes they just do. Do they think I like failing a paper, having to redo it in 2 days, and now currently having a C- in that subject?? Ugh

7. THE CHRISTIAN RADIO IS AMAZING - enough said.

8. We seem to have a seat-buckle issue with 'T' right now. Sometimes refusing to buckle, and having mom get out more than 3 times to help her back in - In the middle of the carpool lane at school, thus backing up the long line.

9. I can't wait to drive. haha I'm getting Drivers Ed from my parents this year for my birthday!! Which is in 13 days! Thought I'd remind you again... :)

10. Dinner and dishes seem to come faster and faster everyday... Poor mom. I was surprised to come home today and see the kitchen was clean. Then I told her nice job!

11. Halloween came up WAY too soon this year. Do we have pumpkins yet? Nope. Do we have any decorations up for Fall? One or two. (We don't put all those creepy decorations up like some people - no offense to anyone, but people can go over the top sometimes.)

12. I'm craving some Ethiopian food right about now. It's so expensive, and we haven't been there recently at all. I think it's a good sign to know we've been saving a little bit of $$$.

13. I don't think I've been to Walmart, or Target in more than a month! Oh. My. Goodness. Definitely need my shopping fix soon... Even if I don't buy anything.

14. My dad's boss frustrates me [and my mom] sometimes. He hasn't gotten a higher paycheck in more than 5 years, and just found out that they are hiring more employees for about the same salary as him. Talk about frustrating. I mean really people?! Wake up and look at my dad - He's the hardest working guy ever!

15. The End.

Thanks for reading my ~~pretty~~ very long vent about life. We're doing just fine... Taking one step at a time. Our God is good, and that's stuck in our heads at this point. Have a good Tuesday night!

Blessings,
~Michlyn

P.S. Thought I'd give you a few positive and pretty pictures. :)

Fall Pictures 2011

2011-10-23T13:24:00.000-05:00

Many of you probably know that I have been wanting to get our family pictures done this year, for a very long time. :) Well, instead of going to an expensive studio, or an outside session we did them on our own. One of my mom's friends did help us quite a bit, since she has a really nice camera. It was a lot of fun, because we took pictures almost all weekend. Here are some of our favorites.

Michlyn

Erin

'J'

'S'

'T'

Wishing you all a peaceful Sunday!

Blessings,

~Michlyn

Update - 15 months

2011-10-20T15:04:00.000-05:00

This is an in-between post, because yesterday [15 months ago] my parents brought 'T' home with them forever, and in four days [15 months ago] they all were in an airport coming to greet us.

'T' has been taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back in progress. Somedays I'm amazed at how well she listens, and other days I'm amazed at how her behavior can go comepletely backwards. This past week has been extremely hard... There has been arguments, fighting, disobedience, and sometimes she's remembering her losses.

All these things are usually happening when we're at school, and my mom is home. She is so worn out by the end of the day - between driving back and forth 3 times, and trying to stay calm on bad days.

Reverting backwards is tiring, and it feels like we're making no progress. She can fight, and fight, and fight, and there is usually nothing to stop her. Forever we will love her, and forever she will be with us no matter how many tough things we go through.

She is a very smart little girl, and sometimes a little too smart. ;) She's spunky, she's got attitude, and we love her. We have to be reminded often of how God put her here with us for his specific purpose and plan. Not because of what we want to be "normal" again, or how much we want her pain to go away, but because it's His plan for us to help her.

'T' you're amazing, and we pray everyday for strength and wisdom to help you. We will never fully know or understand your story, and you will never fully know our lives before you came.

Jesus loves us no matter what - remember that.

In Him,

~Michlyn

Wordless Wednesday - Skies

2011-10-19T19:31:00.000-05:00

Just for Fun! (Part 2)

2011-10-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

Michlyn mentioned this to me, so I decided to do it. As she "interviewed" me all the questions. I think she enjoys hearing the answers... Some of which she probably didn't know before. Here you go!

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you. Princess Diaries' Anne Hathaway :)
2. What has been your favorite age so far? 32... Still young, but old enough to know better.
3. Where did you meet your husband? He's my high school sweetheart.
4. How many children do you have? 6 (5 that walk, and 1 with wings)
5. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? No. Unless singing in front of your whole Preschool class counts, and think you sound good.
6. What’s the first thing you notice about the opposite gender? Eyes or Abs... Or lack there of. ;-)
7. What really turns you off? Negativity/Complaining
8. What do you order at Starbucks? (Caribou Coffee - haha not Starbucks) Carmel High Rise
9. What is your biggest mistake? Unnecessary debt
10. As a child, what did you want to grow up to be? A nurse or teacher
11. Say something totally random about yourself. I loved being pregnant!
12. Do you still watch kiddie movies or TV shows? Yes... iCarly, Good Luck Charlie, or Cars (I've got little kids and teens... What can I say?)
13. Did you have braces? No.
14. Favorite Social Network? Facebook or blogging
15. What is the most romantic thing someone has done for you? Proposed - 18 years ago :)
16. When do you know when it’s love? When you can't imagine life without him and can only imagine life with him.
17. Do you speak any other languages? No... I've learned a little Amharic ('T's first language from ET.)
18. Have you ever been to a tanning salon? Yes, many moons ago........... Striving for that perfect glow for my senior prom.
19. What magazines do you read? Parents, Life Lines, and whatever is out at the dentist/ortho's office - Having two with braces, we're there often.
20. What is playing on your iPod right now? I don't have an iPod
21. Have you ever ridden in a limo? Yes
22. Has anyone you were really close to passed away? Yes - My sweet angel Laura Grace
23. Do you watch MTV? No... (insert digusted face here)
24. What’s something that really annoys you? Inconsiderate people
25. Which television show were you sad to say goodbye to? None... not attached to TV shows.
26. Can you dance? No, I'm not coordinated. Once upon a time I did do Line Dancing.
27. What’s your favorite place in the world? Home Sweet Home
28. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room? Yes. I had kidney stones. I remember it like it was yesterday.
29. If you could meet anyone (dead or alive) who would it be? My daughter's birth mother.
30. If you could change one thing in the world for your child, what would it be? To protect them from heartbreak...

Blessings,
~Becky

Just for Fun!

2011-10-17T16:26:00.000-05:00

This is a fun post that I decided to do, thanks to my blogger friend Deborah! I tweeked it just a bit, because I think this questionaire might of been for moms. lol So if something seems different, it's because I'm not married, or have any kids. lol Hope you all can learn a little bit more about me!

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you. A girl that my cousin met at camp, and she has the same last name too!
2. What has been your favorite age so far? 14 - It might change soon... My birthday is less than a month away! :)
3. Where did you meet your best friend? I have a few best friends, and I met them all through church or youth group.
4. How many children do you want? Between 5 and 6... God has his own plan in mind though so that could definitely change!
5. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? Yes, I have in a group - I have done solos or duets but there wasn't that many people.
6. What’s the first thing you notice about the opposite gender? Eyes
7. What really turns you off? Complainers or people who boss me around.
8. What do you order at Starbucks? To be honest I have never been to Starbucks but I love Caribou Coffee! I usually order a hot decaf coffee drink or a smoothie.
9. What is your biggest mistake? It's something I'm working on... Taking things people tell me personally; depending on what it is.
10. What do you want to be when you grow up? An elementary teacher! I love kids, and teaching!
11. Say something totally random about yourself. I can't have anything orange flavored... not kool-aid, orange fruit snacks, any orange flavored candy... BUT the funny thing is I can eat actual oranges and orange juice! Otherwise everything will give me an instant headache.
12. Do you still watch kiddie movies or TV shows? haha not unless I see something my siblings might be watching.
13. Did you have braces? YES. I had them for three years, had them off for a year, and now they're on again... Oh I can't wait for the day they are off forever!
14. Favorite Social Network? Facebook
15. What is something really special someone has done for you? Hmm...There are too many to count, but last year on my birthday I went shopping and I really wanted a coat, but didn't have enough money. So my grandma helped me pay for it, and I was so grateful!
16. When do you know when it’s love? I have no idea... lol I'll find out sooner or later.
17. Do you speak any other languages? I'm taking my first year of Spanish... Actually had the Chapter 1 test today... I love Spanish and it's not too hard as long as you ask questions. I think that's super important when you are learning any new languages.
18. Have you ever been to a tanning salon? Uhh no. I don't EVER plan on it either.
19. What magazines do you read? haha I'm kind of a "gossip geek" (Not in a bad way - I just like that silly celebrity stuff) So probably People, BOP, and you know the occasional teenage magazine.
20. What is playing on your iPod right now? I have an iPod Touch and somtimes it's my life... :) Nothing right now, but the Christian radio on and it's playing: "I will follow you" by Chris Tomlin
21. Have you ever ridden in a limo? No... I hope to someday.
22. Has anyone you were really close to passed away? Yes.
23. Do you watch MTV? I might have just flipped through it on the TV... But definitely something I never ever want to get addicted to.
24. What’s something that really annoys you? When people think they are so much better than you.
25. Which television show were you sad to say goodbye to? Oh probably Suite Life on Deck (Disney Channel show)
26. Can you dance? hahahaha NO. I've always wanted to learn a few dances, but I have No. Moves. At. All. (Lets just say I get my moves from my momma... Lol love you mom!)
27. What’s your favorite place in the world? Being outside when the wind is blowing through my hair, where I am alone, where I can think, and can study the beauty of God's creations.
28. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room? Not yet. But my mom has, when she had kidney stones... Long story and maybe I'll tell it someday... One of the scariest things ever.
29. If you could meet anyone (dead or alive) who would it be? Probably Bethany Hamilton... She is an amazing inspiration to me, and a Christian too! I would also love to meet some blogger friends! :)
30. If you could change one thing in the world for the better what would it be? Wow that would be a tough one. I would try and illiminate the causes of debt. It's so hard right now especially in our economy, and it's so hard to see people you love, and other people in general to go through all the stress it causes.

Want to play? Just copy and paste and change your answers to fit you!

Blessings,
~Michlyn

Fall Fling 2011

2011-10-17T08:05:00.000-05:00

I'm quickly going to post about the weekend getaway that Erin and I got to enjoy with our youth group! We headed to Fall Fling this past weekend with our youth group at Camp Shamineau! A Christian camp for families, youth, they have father-daughter, or mother-daughter retreats, women rejuvienating weekends, and A LOT more.

We came home Friday from school, finished packing, and by 4:45 p.m. we were on our way to camp in one of our two 15 passenger vans. We stopped for pizza, and had a crazy two hour ride there! :) (You know how it is with teenagers right?)

There was chapel, many activities like - climbing wall, ropes course, paintball, horseback riding, flag football, and some other fun tournaments. We got to learn a lot, praise God, and grow together spiritually. It was incredible! Here are some pictures:

Erin's things just about packed!

My things! Lol yes I might have over packed just for the weekend, but I did use everything I brought so don't judge! :)

Playing ultimate spoons!

It got a bit crazy, as everyone decided to dive for them!

Flag Football!

We won our first game, but lost our second so we didn't get to the championship. It was also great to watch other youth groups play and fun together!

Erin, and three of our friends from church we shared a cabin with!

Our cabin for the weekend! It was heated, and so cozy! :)

Heading home after a much needed, and amazing weekend!

Can't wait to go back... Camp Shamineau is a great place to come anytime!

So that's where we were missing all weekend, and we ALL loved every minute of it! Hope your weekend was just as fun, and busy!

Blessings,
~Michlyn

Nothings Impossible...Mark 10:27

Wordless Wednesday

under the weather

catching some Zzzz's

Color Me HAPPY!

Not Quite Done Yet

tidal wave

The Homework Life of a Teenager

re-focusing

music to my ears.

unexpected...

Photo Funnies

miXed messages

text messages

not what it looks like...

lessons in liking

one of those days...

I Wish...

calendar pages

The Same Faces

We're Back | Road Trip

that's better :)

risky business...

the best medicine :)

Man Up

any guesses...?

wordless wednesday

and two eyes made out of coal?

Pictures From Our Trip

*We Need Your Help!*

Road Trip

Merry CHRISTmas

God's Beautiful Creations #3

Christmas break...

The Tree is Up

Wordless Wednesday

Mighty to Save!

{Better late than Never} Can't believe he's 9!

Update on Jonathan!

urgent!

A Relaxing Saturday

Picture Progress!! (Part 2)

Picture Progress!! (Part 1)

"super hero"

Wordless Wednesday

who says???

6

Good Deal

My Small Hotspots

wORDLESS wEDNESDAY!

Tuesday is Here!

7 billion

First Snow of the Season

Blog Button

tHANKFUL tHURSDAY !

Wordless Wednesday - Counting Down

wORDLESS wEDNESDAY

Our New House: 3 down 1 to go

Happy Birthday Mom!

Friends Come for a Visit

Veteran's Day 2011

15 years...

powder puff game

Looking back...

Gone.

Crashed

wORDLESS wEDNESDAY

WoW!

Happy Halloween 2011!

Wordless Wednesday - The Big Sisters

Fall Funk

Fall Pictures 2011

Update - 15 months

Wordless Wednesday - Skies

Just for Fun! (Part 2)

Just for Fun!

Fall Fling 2011

We Need Your Help!