Sunday, January 31, 2010

January=Success!

Y'all know I hate new year's resolutions. I never stick with them for long enough to make it seem like success. This year I decided to try a new twist. I'm making a resolution each month. January was a success!

My goal was to organize all of the children's clothes we've collected over the past 6years. Because of Foster Care, we can't get rid of everything. We bought 18 gallon totes and saved enough of each size to fill each tote.

A lot got donated--it really is unbelievable how much we had. Seriously, I think we could've put shoes on an entire village somewhere!

So, whatcha think?

February's goal is to finish Ella Grace & Annabelle's room. We painted it several months ago, but haven't finished all the small details! I need to paint their dresser knobs, hang their names back on the walls, buy a few pieces of decorative pieces, and hang curtains. Do-able in a months time, don't you think?

Will post pics at the end of February!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Snow Day

Redneck Sled: the boogie board we use at the beach!


Even Daddy got in on the action!

We also painted some super easy snowflakes that turned out oh-so-cute!
First we started by taping snowflake shapes onto white cardboard using painter's tape.

Then the girls covered the boards with blue paint until it was completely covered.

When the paint was completely dry, we carefully removed the tape, revealing our snowflakes.



Friday, January 29, 2010

Day 100

It's hard to believe that we've been through 100 days of school; even harder to believe that my baby is nearing the end of her kindergarten year! She was very excited to celebrate the 100th day, so we took cupcakes to for her friends to share at lunch.



Because the internet was short on ideas, we had to come up with a cupcake design all on our own!

It turned out pretty cute, don't ya think?

Our one is a Mike-n-Ike and our zeros are Life Saver Gummies!

Happy 100th Day to all! May the next 80 be terrific!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

#3


We're adjusting to a new normal around here! Our curly haired, big footed, third placement arrived last week! We are thrilled to have 10 month old, "Buddy" (his blog name =), in our family!
More to follow, I'm certian!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Sledding Photo Shoot

Still learning and playing a lot with our new camera (I guess it's not so new anymore)! I took over 100 pictures of the kids sledding with their cousins in Michigan during our visit at Christmas. I'm not sure if I like the pictures best or the memories attached to them. Either way, we got some great shots (sidenote: I don't have fancy editing software, so these are purely "the shot")!


Enjoy!

A too-good-to-be-true family shot! Everyone looking at the camera and smiling!


Love this girl!


Daddy & Annabelle getting "splashed" by the snow!


Ella Grace and Alyssa sledded the farthest -- this is their victory walk back up the hill.


Love this girl too!


Love the expressions!


This was more Hailey and Katie's speed! Grandma was pulling and Hailey was pushing...Katie, riding, of course!


This was the first year she had no fear on the hill! She loved every second of it!


And this girl so!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

2009 Reading Review


I failed. Miserably!

That's why I hate resolutions.
Soon, I'll share with you this year's resolution...soon!
I did manage to read some books in 2009, so I thought I'd make a few recommendations in case your reading list is growing short (does that ever happen?)!

Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas


Highly recommend this as one of the best marriage books I've ever read! Our small group read it together and I think we all grew more spiritually through this book than almost any other we've done together.

The Prodigal God by Tim Keller


Also one our small group went through together. I'll never look at the story of the Prodigal Son the same way again. I'll never look at myself the same way again. I'll never look at my God the same way again.

Everyday Talk by John Younts


Phenomenal! Such an easy read but so full of great truths about how to talk to your kids in the everyday moments about God. Read through this with some other moms who are in the same life stage as I...love those ladies and their insights! The author did a Q&A after we read the book and is one of the most humble, knowledgeable men I've ever met!

Charlotte's Web by E.B White


Ella Grace and I read this during the summer and she was instantly a fan! I loved seeing her tenderness as Charlotte died! Sweet girl! She got the movie for Christmas and is currently listening to Mr. White read the story himself before bed each night. A classic!

Castaway Kid by R.B Mitchell


Eric and I both read this book while on our honeymoon trip. We both were so interested we had to take turns! It's a book about a boy whose mother placed him in a children's home. Many of the struggles he faced, we've seen first hand. It's written as a story, so it's easy to read, but full of truth on God's grace and love.

Stuart Little by E.B White


Another of White's classics that Ella Grace and I read through over the summer. She was amused by the adventures of tiny Stuart and I was happy to be reminded of stories I haven't heard in a long time!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Cousins on the Top of a Hill

(l-r) annabelle, ella grace, katie, jordan, alyssa, and hailey

(l-r) christian, katie, ella grace, annabelle, gabe, noah, and allie


Friday, January 15, 2010

Bragging


Congratulations!
Ella Grace Williams has learned all her
lightning words and rainbow words!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The Rest of the Story...Finally!

Can you read this with this crazyness going on!? Sorry about all the changes. I can't make up my mind what I like or don't like--any input?!?

On to the real post here...hold on, it's really long!

Where to begin? Where to end? I've gone back and forth about where to pick up the story of Baby L; of what exactly to post; and where to bring it all to a close. It's a hard story to tell because so much of what happened was a direct result of what God did and not what we did. I'd like to think I'm a decent communicator, but it's hard to communicate a story that's all about God and really make it all about Him. You know, without sounding totally crazy. Here's my best attempt:

I'd made several phone calls on the way to the hospital to people who I knew needed to know we were there. Once we were settled in, I texted one last friend. She texted back that she was praying for us and that she was singing over us; in fact, that she was praying that the Holy Spirit would give us songs to sing. I appreciated her thoughts, but soon forgot them as I settled into a restless sleep in one of those hospital chairs that folds out into a bed.

Around 2 am L's heart monitor began to go off. This had happened several times, but he was usually settled by a few gentle touches. This time was different so I got his bottle ready and nestled him in my arms. He was sleepy and quickly settled into that sleepy suck that looks more like a chomp (moms, know what I'm talking about?). I'd seen this chomping before; in our Katie. I actually chuckled in that hospital room at that moment. Was it possible that God had given us a poor eater in Katie almost two years previous for this moment--feeding this little boy in a hospital room?

I remembered that singing often helped her stay alert as she ate in the middle of the night.

I rocked. Twisted the bottle this way and that. Held my finger firmly under his chin (another trick we'd learned with Katie-Girl).

And Sang.

Sang mindlessly.

In that moment, I remembered the text from my friend. I really had no idea what I'd been singing up to that point, but at that moment of realization these words were on my lips: "Here I am to worship, Here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that You're my God..." Tears still come as I remember. At that moment, I worshiped in the most pure way I've ever worshiped. In those moments, I felt the Lord’s presence in a way I’ve never experienced before and in a way I long to experience again.

**************************

Sunday was filled with snuggling, silencing the heart monitor, feedings, a little dozing, and a lot of emotion. Doctors and nurses urged me to go home and be with my family. I felt torn. They moved him to a room beside the nurse’s desk, so I could rest in the fact that he was being well cared for. I slept that night in my own bed and the rest was good.

Monday morning I woke with a new drive. No longer the emotional momma from yesterday, instead, determined to make sure what needed to be done for this baby was done—today!

I grew angry as I realized that, because of his medical condition, this child should’ve never been placed in our home. Then, grew graceful as I realized that it wasn’t a mistake that this child was placed in our home.

It didn’t take long for DSS to arrive at the hospital. I saw her at the nurse’s desk in an animal print suit and heels, magnifying a definite presence and I guessed her identity. When she requested to speak to our nurse, all doubt was gone and I prayed for strength to say what needed to be said and grace to say it in a God honoring way. When she arrived, she apologized for all that we’d been through and promised that we’d have a home suitable for Baby L to be discharged by day’s end. Usually a non-confrontational person, I was surprised by the assertiveness with which I spoke. I explained to her, and anyone else who’d listen or asked that day, about how God had placed this child in our care for a specific purpose—that purpose, we believe in part, was to save his life.

The night before, Baby L's cardiologist visited and told us what he believed to be true: if L had not been in our home, rather had been in the situation he was taken from, he’d have, in all probability, been found dead that weekend.

On Tuesday Baby L was discharged into a medically fragile foster home and the week before Christmas had successful open heart surgery. That's all we know and all we'll ever probably know about him. Like Little Man, he'll forever be in our hearts for all he taught us about who we are and who God is.

***********************

As we anxiously await the call for another placement, we are learning that this journey has little to do with the kids who come into our home. Like much of life, this is about us...about our hearts. We've seen more about who God is over the past year, through foster care specifically, than we've seen in a lifetime. Our view of God has grown.

Honestly, we're discouraged not to have a "new kid" (how our girls refer to our next placement =). We're learning--even in this waiting period--that God holds the world together. He's got this one figured out and He can be trusted.

The girls and I were reminded of this today in the sunrise. It was spectacular. We admired from the window upstairs as they got dressed this morning. On the way to school, they were eager to pray. "Dear Jesus," prayed my darling Annabelle, "Thank You for the sweet sunrise You gave us this morning!" She didn't mean sweet as in "cool." She meant, "God it was sweet of You to give us that." Again, tears even as I type.

It was a sweet reminder that He is a big God who loves us...because of the cross!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Under Construction

Please try to ignore these hideous colors and mismatched layouts!
I'm working on it!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Thanks For Your Patience!

I've spent naptime tackling a few things that needed to be done: updating my calendar and cleaning out my inbox! Now that those are done, I'm ready to update my blog! Apologies for taking so long.

If you're curious (you are, right?) our internet issues have not been totally resolved. Our wireless router went out and we're still in the market for a new one. That leaves two options: working on our dinosaur of a desktop or hooking the laptop to the internet cord, thus confining me to our office. I've opted for the laptop in the office and, though, the office is my happy place--where most of my creative genius (it took me 4 tries to spell that word correctly; what does that tell you?) happens, I don't prefer blogging in here.

What has the new year brought to the Williams' home?

We're counting points. Again. Still don't think rice cakes should count! Just sayin'.

Pnemonia. Ella Grace spent the first weekend of the new year in the ER (with about half of Greenville!) where she was diagnosed with pnemonia. She gave us quite a scare as the doctors began to talk about her appendix due to her high white blood cell count. We were relieved when chest x-rays revealed pnemonia! She has yet to go back to school for a full day, but we're hoping that will change after her doctor's appointment tomorrow!

What else? No new placement yet. We're all eagerly awaiting the "phone call!" The girls ask me almost daily to pray for our "new kid." We do. Eric and I are so blessed by their willingness to love!

I have tons of post in my brain!! Promise to finish the story of Baby L. this week! And post a few pictures from our holidays! And...oh...I'm so behind...it's a little overwhelming!

Thanks for sticking with me....so patiently!

Love to all!