Energy Kale Shake

1/2 bunch kale
1 banana, peeled
1/4 c red grapes or blueberries
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 dash cayenne pepper
1/2 c ice
1/2 c water

place all ingredients in a blender and blend until combined


This does not sound wonderful, but it really is good. I buy a bunch of bananas, peal them and put them in the freezer. When the grapes are on sale I do the same. I have been adding Greek vanilla yogurt (1/4 c) and dry blended oats (3 Tbs).

This is all in an effort to eat more fruits and veggies.

Dreaming of Winter

Today the heat index is between 104 and 108!

The Girls First Annual Beach Trip!

Last Thursday the girls and I set out on our first annual beach trip. It was such a WONDERFUL vacation. Our dear friend from China, Kari, has lived in the states for almost 3 years and had never been to the beach. So we picked her up on the way and headed south.

BOYS WEEKEND! They were just as excited.

Beautiful

We spent hours enjoying the ocean.

We met Kari during our paperchase for Grant. She had come to the states to get her master's degree. Once she finished school she came to live with us while she looked for a job. She has had a very hard hard year trying to find a job that immigration will approve. She was hired twice by two different universities, but the job description did not match her education level. Had she had a HS diploma she would have been able to get a visa ~ basically she was too educated for both jobs. However, each position needed someone to speak Chinese fluently.

We had an idea she would have to leave soon to return to China, but we were very shocked when we heard Friday at the beach that she had to be out of the country by Sunday. Kari has really become like a daughter to us and we have tried everything to help her stay in the US. She had also tried everything. We are all at peace believing God has much bigger plans for her than we could orchestrate!

Despite the news, we had such an amazing time together and only God could allow for the time to be filled with the silliness and fun we packed in around closing bank accounts and arranging for international travel ~ all while enjoying the beach. Kari was so generous to give us this time. She had a lot of people here to say good-bye to but she chose to stay at the beach with us.

Sunday, we drove her home and packed everything she owns into two suitcases and two carry on bags and she left the country at 7:30 PM. We will really miss her, but look forward to meeting up when we travel to get Ruthie.

Precious

New Pictures of Ruthie Joy!

Look at this blessing!!! Pictures of our precious precious daughter and the gift of capturing her face seeing her family for the first time. A friend of mine picked up her daughter from Ruthie's orphanage, the Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute. She delivered a package from us and was able to meet and pray over Ruthie Joy! Ruthie was just returning from her PT and on her way to lunch ~ a little tired and hungry. But cute as cute!

You can see a lot of her personality from the pictures. She is oh so sweet and beautiful!

Seeing her family for the first time ~

Almost can hear her in her soon to be southern accent saying, "Oh My!" as she sees all 8 of us.

Is she about to clap?
(I wonder if the look on the nanny face is due to the translation of Ruthie being on of 7 children?)

That will be me holding her just like that very soon! Such a serious little face.




This is where the pictures get really really sweet

LOOK AT THAT SMILE!~

Doesn't get any sweeter than a kiss blown from China! and to see the tenderness and connection you have with your nanny. You are loved!

My sweet Ruthie Joy, I caught it!

Adoption Update

Ruthie at 15 months

Yesterday we received all our documents from the Chinese Consulate. 12 documents (medical report, birth certificates, financial reports, police clearances, homestudy, letter of intent ...). Each document had to be notarized, then we needed a seal from the county, state, state department and then the Chinese Consulate. All to verify they were real authenticate documents. Next to packing to travel this part is the most stressful part for me. Each document has to be less than 6 months old, the staples after a seal has been applied cannot be tampered with or removed (even if the clerk got all of the papers out of order). The stack of documents has grommets and staples and you have to work around them to get good copies. It is DONE!~ Yipeee.

We are now on day 27 waiting for our I-800A approval. The average wait is about 60 to 70 days. Once we receive this approval we will copy the approval letter, write a letter stating it is a true and original copy, notarize it, take it to the county, state, mail it to a courier to take to the State Department and then to the consulate. It will then be sent to our agency BAAS and the following Friday we will be DTC (dossier to china). Then we line up in for the next approval!

I am getting so very excited and love all the great celebrations along the way. I love little Ruthie Joy! I cannot get enough of her sweet little face. I just cannot believe she is my daughter. I am so grateful to God for the opportunity to adopt again. I am blessed beyond words to have another daughter!

Here She Is!

Here is our newest bundle of JOY! Ruthie Joy Weihuan Perkins!!! Sweet Ruthie is 17 months old waiting for us in Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute in China.
I saw Ruthie's precious little face in May. She was on an agency's waiting child list. It was not until the end of May that we stepped forward to ask about her adoption. On June 3rd we asked China if we could adopt her and on June 10th we received their Pre-Approval. Now we gather and send and re-gather papers to collect a stack of papers called a dossier. We have no idea when we will travel. Skip's guess in December and my guess is January or February. Praying Skip is right - I am not sure how long I will be able to adore this precious little girl from afar.

For some I know it is difficult to understand how you can fall in love with a picture and words from a medical file. I am not sure how either, but I do know it happens. We love this little girl, our fifth daughter! Isn't she the most kissable!

In Memory of Ellie Jeeah - Part 2

Emily and I would spend hours continuing to talk about adoption and how our community need more of a support group. I was still struggling with Grant's adjustment and progress. We knew we needed more in our area and were in touch with others who were struggling with their newly adopted children. Emily was full compassion for those of us who were struggling. It is such a blessing that they did not struggle one single day with Ellie, the bond was immediate and truly supernatural - such a sweet gift from the Lord!

Last fall, Emily and her husband and Skip and I ended up at the same adoption conference in another state and it was there we decided that the Lord was clearly moving us to begin an adoption ministry in our area. They had a desire to set up grants for families adopting and I had a desire to get more education for the community. But ultimately we both desired to surrender to what ever the Lord called us to. Our hearts were for Christ and the cry of the fatherless. Packed to the brim with information the four of us decided to have one last meal together before we headed home. We stopped at Panera Bread just outside of Tennessee and sitting at the table we decided to call our new ministry Jeeah's Hope in honor of Ellie Jeeah.

Jeeah's Hope began and slowly God began to unfold His vision for this adoption and foster care ministry. It was very difficult to meet and talk about Jeeah's Hope because of my friend's loss. I would leave meetings and cry. I still very sad that I never met Ellie Jeeah, but I feel like God was showing me His heart and love for her through His intentional and relentless drive to start this ministry. I have loved how He has orchestrated every detail and at every need He has provided. It has become the new plum line in our home. We have set out on other "good" plans in our lives and measured it to His involvement in Jeeah's Hope. Right now this is where He has called us and where the river is flowing in our lives. It is exciting and fun and such a delight to work with this family. and This family continues to bless us with there faith. And wow the other new friends He has brought along in this journey are incredible -

Recently we launch the kick off of Jeeah's Hope Adoption and Foster Care Ministry! I cannot wait to see how God continues to unfold this path and the amazing people He will continue to call to walk with us. There is such a fullness walking with God and wow what indescribable passion He has for the orphan. I am so very thankful to walk along side of Him and be a part of His work.
Ellie Jeeah's short life will have an eternal impact on the lives of other orphans and children. He turns the ashes into beauty.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

This Saturday marks the one year anniversary of Ellie's death. We will be praying for this sweet family and praising God for Ellie's legacy.

Only Three At Home

1

2

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Skip is away on business and the three oldest girls are visiting with their grandmama, aunt and two of their cousins the past two days. It has been a sweet time with the little ones, but I am ready for everyone to come home.

Still hoping for some motivation to get some things done this summer. It is just not happening yet.

Wordless Wednesday

sparkle

Horse Show

Family

Annabel
cantered the course

I was very surprised to see this little pony move so quickly. Annabel said, "It's all in the reigns, other people just pull to hard and slow their horses down."
("other people" refers to her cautious sister, Olivia)
Well done

Olivia full of joy after her ride

A sweet long awaited victory

Olivia and Annabel's first horse show! Oh my you would have thought is was their wedding as I sat and cried tears of joy for them. They have waited five years to be able to dress up and be in an official show. I loved watching them and I am so very proud of all their hard work.

The girls scored one point within each other - not sure how I feel about them competing against each other. They do not mind.

Jeeah's Hope - Part 1

The first part of the story of Jeeah's Hope: Adoption and Foster Care Ministry.

During one of the most difficult time of our adoption journey I was crying one Sunday at the altar to God. We had just lost the dream of adopting a daughter from China, many of you know about Faith. My heart had been broken, we were so confused and lacked any direction. We had finished our dossier and it sat on someone's desk waiting . . . I was broken and really questioned what kind of God would allow me to feel so much pain.

One Sunday kneeling at the altar a sweet couple who was very familiar with our adoption journey met and prayed with us. As we finished praying and left the altar, they handed us a locally published magazine with a family on the cover who were adopting. This couple said, "perhaps you could get in touch with this family." I knew the wife on the cover from a few years past and had heard their family was in the process of adopting. I did not contact them, but kept in touch through mutual friends about their adoption.

Two years pass by and then this last summer I decided to call this friend, Emily, featured in the magazine. We had been home with Grant for awhile and she had also recently adopted a little girl from South Korea, Ellie Jeeah. For hours we would talk on the phone sharing our hearts for adoption and reflecting on our unique and challenging journeys.

Tragically, about two months later, her daughter Ellie Jeeah died of SIDS. Ellie was just under two years old and had only been home for less than a year. I have never been close to a family who had lost their child, I cannot even begin to imagine the pain of loosing a child. We had just become friends and I heard the Lord say, "walk with her." Honestly, I was so scared because of my insecurities and pride. I was so worried about what I was going to say, or if I would be able to say the right things, what if I called at the wrong time . . . the Lord said, "walk."

Through all the confusion of "why" the Lord used this family to show me what it looks like to be the daughter of a king. My new precious friend, Emily, having lost her daughter, walked through this tragedy as the beloved daughter of THE KING. She was grounded in who her Father is and did not waiver about His love for her and her daughter. She did not rest in the whys because she knew the character of her Father and believed without a doubt that He would turn Ellie's short life into something beautiful. Emily walked into the memorial service with her husband and 5 boys in such humble confidence and if that was not enough, she stood and gave her adoption testimony. Passionately she encouraging everyone to hear that God calls us all to care for the orphan. I was so taken by her radiance and grace and moved by the beauty of her heart as she honored God during such a difficult time. In lieu of flowers, their family asked for people to donate money to begin a fund to help others adopt.

I was obedient and chose to walk with her, all the time thinking that it was for her benefit. Do not get me wrong, I wanted to be friends, but I was afraid. I am sure I said really stupid things and to tell you how kind her heart is, she did not need an extra friend, God had blessed her with a large community of sweet friends. I had no idea at the time that my decision to walk with her was a blessing for me and that God had a much bigger plan which would unfold later. Looking back, I can see God so clearly wanted to show me more of Himself through her life.

Emily never wavered or grew tired during her grief - her foundation of Christ was built upon a rock and the death of her daughter was not separating her from the love of God. She was a witness and through Her testimony He was leading me to a place where I would begin to trust Him more and more.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Had to capture his cute little face.