Please Pray

Please pray for this precious child.   The Philip Hayden Journal.

Six-year-old Hayden Sun Yuanyuan is always quick to pull guests down to sit next to her and chat, and it’s usually more sweet command than gentle request.  Though here just a short time–she moved to House of Love in July–she’s quickly captured our hearts.  Hayden has a large tumor on her cheek, which has grown significantly in the last few months, and tomorrow she heads to a surgery team in Hefei with Dr. Moody.  U.S. Surgeon Dr. Lisa Buckmiller will meet them there to help remove the tumor from Hayden’s face.  This is a very delicate surgery, as the mass is attached to the nerves in her cheek, and we ask for your prayers in guiding the surgeons & giving Hayden peace.  We know she has a long healing journey ahead of her, and we can’t wait to see her back home. We lift her up to Jehovah Rapha–our God who Heals.

THE PUMPKIN PATCH!

Olivia

Grace

Blessings!

Amelia

Quinn

Annabel & Amelia

I have a few friends who are waiting to meet their first daughters.   Girls, I cannot wait for your hearts to capture a moment like this!

The Love Between A Daddy and A Daughter!

And that goes to you too Dad - I love you, Ashley

Fall Festival

The annual Mother's Morning Out Fall Festival was on Thursday.  Quinn and Amelia would agree it was a fun filled sugar high day!  They had so much fun dressing up in their costumes and collecting treats. 

Annabel Helping at The Fishing Booth

Pirate Quinn Digging For A Treasure

Lunch!

Just My Size

Lesson Learned #1

It is 5:55 p.m.  I am expecting the social worker for home study visit #2 at 6:30 p.m.!   Today was the "walk through" so the house was very clean.  Surly I can fit dinner in.  Do I have a choice? Running a few minutes behind,  I calmly pull our individual pizzas out of the oven on the foil lined cookie sheet.  The pan tips as I close the oven door and our dinner slides off lands face down on the immaculate floors!  SPLAT!  

Lesson learned: Lining a cookie sheet with foil in order to save time washing dishes is a bad idea!

Wordless Wednesday

Moving Day

Latin, Greek, and SAT's

A conversation between an 8 year old and a 10 year old.

(Overheard and interrupted by Mom)

Olivia: What is an SAT?   It says Latin and Greek will help my SAT score.  

Annabel: it spells sat . . . you know!  (doncha know anything?) 

Mom: No, Annabel it is S-A-T, it is a test you take to get into college.  

Annabel: "College, that is what you have to do if you want one of those careers." 

I had to leave the room because of my laughter.  My mind then began racing at the statement ONE OF THOSE CAREERS.  I assume, and am in fact quite sure, that my career as a mother did not fit into her equation of college=careers.  This led me to further poorly process (at 4:00 p.m. after a long day of home schooling, mopping floors, dusting, laundry, carpooling . . .) that you can take the SAT 3 times, graduate from college, do some post graduate work, get certified in a couple of professions and then become a mother - which is, as I mentioned before, probably not one of those "careers" in Annabel's eyes.  However, as a mother I am so grateful for ALL the education I have because I spend countless hours putting my knowledge to work, brainstorming and trying figuring out things like:  How can I teach my children to flush the toilet, use toilet paper!, use their own toothbrush ... NOT just any toothbrush, bathing is good, you should use soap when you bathe, if you brush your hair every day it will not be as difficult to brush, when you go outside, shut the door!  The list could go on and on and I assure you if I had my Doctorate in Child Behavior I still would struggle with the same unresolved issues. Motherhood is truly a challenge and I am one of those girls who, as my husband says, delights in a challenge - though he does not always delight in the same challenges I do!  I do LOVE being a mother!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Assigned a Social Worker!

Olivia - Yellowstone National Park Summer 2006

Whew!  The last time we were assigned a social worker was not for an adoption.  Yes, our hidden past.  Olivia was 5 months old and she had what I thought was  a horrible case of some kind of pneumonia.  It is important to know that Olivia was our first child and my absolute focus.  I was determined to be the BEST mother in the world - I was a perfectionist.  Anyway, Olivia had a horrible coughing fit and threw up.  I hit panic mode!  It was a Friday night and we called the pediatrician.  He suggested we sit in the bathroom with a hot shower running.  Oh no, that certainly could not be the cure, we needed to see a doctor and we needed to see one now.  Why couldn't he make a home visit?  Against my husbands better wishes we were headed to the ER to see what this baby was suffering from. Our experience at the ER was quite similar to my friend Elizabeth's  experience - 'No Mother' in the ER post.  We were scared! We saw the nurse and she checked Olivia's vital signs: no fever, no signs of a cough, clear lungs and then back to the waiting room.  After two hours in the waiting room I said no more of this!  We are leaving, I cannot believe they would not see a BABY! (so terrible of me! b/c there were some sick people!)  We walked out, it was around 12:00 a.m.  Olivia was fine and I really do not think that we ever had her check that week.  Anyway, two months later we got a letter from our states Child Welfare Services!  The ER reported us for refusing medical treatment for our minor! DFAX as my friends and I call it!  This letter solidified my belief that I was going to fail as a parent and I did not have what it took.  Luckily at the time Skip was working for a very old and established firm in a very small town and he was able to fire off a very impressive letter on their letterhead thus warding off a visit from our assigned social worker.

I am not sure what this visit is going to look like.  Fortunately for the sanity family, I have changed through Christ, however, I still fight the same feelings.  Every time I think about this journey to bring baby 6 home I fight feelings of many different fears , unworthiness, and the desire to be perfect.  Yesterday our adoption social worker contacted us for the first time, she left a message on my cell phone about scheduling our first visit!  When I heard the message my heart was filled with joy and then suddenly it was filled with a sense of panic because I will not be able to pull it all together for the first visit.  And then I had the sudden realization which brings peace some days discouragement others and that is; I will never have it all together and it is okay because He will!   He has it covered! He is constantly reminding me that there is nothing I need to do except for believe.   I delight in knowing He has all of it covered and His interest in my children is much greater than mine and more than I can ever imagine.  I need to go return the call.

Somewhat off the subject I am wrestling with two things: 1) Matthew 18:18 on forgiveness.  Has anyone done a Bible Study or research on this verse?  Any insight or wisdom?  and 2) The secret to making a good moist Pound Cake.

Blessings and Much Love!

Wordless Wednesday

My son, Quinn, one of four girls!

Goo Gone Or Gum Gone

How do you suppose I remove this highly combustible chemical from the dryer?

I must say Vanilla Mint Trident mixed with the heat of the dryer and a load of dark clothes gives off a wonderful scent!

Seven Reasons Not To Worry

Yesterday I had to go to our bank to get some documents notarized. I normally drive through bank so I have never had the opportunity to see or experience the inside of a bank.  It was so beautiful and the chairs in the waiting room were very comfortable while I waited.   I was greeted with a friendly smile, not by name, which was more than fine with me.  However, everyone who walked into the bank was greeted by name - it was such a sweet small town feel.  There was a young late 20 something employee who looked in charge he floating around to all  5 customers who filed into the bank around noon.  Because the bank was small and I had nothing to do but sit, I could not but help overhear this older man.  While he was standing at the teller window he was greeted by this young banker who asked in an uplifting tone, "So how's it going Mr. ______?"  Mr.  ________ replied, "Not so great I just lost all my retirement.  Now planning to work for the rest of my life."  Sad, sad, sad! I also felt so bad for this banker who kept saying, "I am sorry."  What else could he have said?

America is in trouble and it is difficult and uncertain and people are in the fight for their financial lives.  I am so sad and every day I ask Skip, what do we need to do?  We have gone over and over our budget the last two months trying to see where we can "cut back".  The company Skip works for just announced they were going to fire 650 employees.  We are so blessed that we are not one of the 650, however, about 300 are going to be from our community and most likely friends.  We live in a town that is not unique to the rest of the US -  houses are not selling and the big companies have freeze on hiring.   With all of this it is very easy for me to get caught up in what I can see.

Anyway, this morning I opened my Bible to Matthew 6  and read : 

Seven Reasons To Not Worry

The same God who created life in you can be trusted with the details of your life. (Matt 6:25)

Worrying about the future hampers your efforts for today. (Matt 6:26)

Worrying is more harmful than helpful. (Matt 6:27)

God does not ignore those who depend on him. (Matt 6:28-30)

Worry shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God. (Matt 6:33)

There are real challenges God wants us to pursue, and worrying keeps us from them. (Matt 6:33)

Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry. (Matt 6:34)

He has it under control.