4...ALREADY?

Scared out of my mind....That's what I was 4 years ago when I got the call about MyMy-our first foster baby. Born into some "very rough" even "deplorable" circumstances-AND exposed to methamphetamines and marijuana in the womb. Could I handle a "drug baby?" "What if she had to go home-back to her birth family?" God knew...

The Captain was out of town and I couldn't get ahold of him so I told the social worker "YES, we will take her." I WAS A NERVOUS WRECK!

I had just a few hours to gather ALL things needed for a newborn. Several friends rose to the occasion and helped us out instantly.

We had spaghetti that night..We (The oldest, bean, T and I) were eating when the car drove up. It was the social workers first delivery of a foster child since starting her first job out of college.

This is how she came to us..In the below photo are ALL the worldly possessions she had. A pink blanket and hat, a diaper and a t-shirt.
I asked the social worker "Are you going to stay with me?" She said "No, I have to go home and get supper for my husband." ARE YOU SERIOUS? You just drop her off and expect me to know what to do with a newborn? I haven't had one in 15 years.

She was loved instantly by all of us...ESPECIALLY the oldest..
Daddy got home later that night and I don't think he put her down for days!! The joy this girl has brought into our lives has been phenomenal!Her adoption was finalized just short of her first birthday!She has become a little violinist-something she most likely would not have done if God would not have saved her life that day 4 years ago.Happy 4th Birthday our princess-little MY MY who has become a beautiful young girl right before our eyes.
Most people say "Oh, you have saved those kids." NO...Thank you MY MY for helping "SAVE US!" And for the MANY blessings your life has brought us.

"The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and your going now and forevermore." Psalms 121:7-8

Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY by 11pm Friday!

FIRST GIVEAWAY-YAY!

This is my first official giveaway!

It's in honor of my 104th post!

Seems like yesterday when I had NO CLUE what a blog even was! LOVE the blogging community! God has lead SO MANY friends to me!

I've been SO EXCITED and anxiously awaiting this little gift below to give to one of YOU...my faithful or sporadic bloggy readers!
Isn't it boxed so adorably? It will be a surprise to the winner!
My new friend Beki-has the most adorable stuff! She just made me this necklace and I LOVE IT! It's reversible-she also made the winners surprise!



















There are only 2 requirements for this giveaway. THEY'RE EASY!

#1 You must leave a comment on this post by Friday, Feb 20th at 11pm.

#2 You must promise to share the following quotes/facts with 2 people....

Every 10 seconds, one person dies of AIDS and another 2 are infected. A total of 3 million people die each year from AIDS. This staggering number has been compared to 20 fully loaded Boeing 747 airplanes crashing every single day for an entire year.

"WILL American Christians stand by as an entire continent dies?" ---Bono from U2

Halfway around the world..there is a little boy or girl who is desperately in need of your compassion.

Less than 3 percent of evangelical Christians said they would help a Christian organization minister to an AIDS orphan.

"In the poor we meet Jesus in HIS most distressing disguises."--Mother Theresa

"You can throw up your hands in despair (about the sheer numbers of children suffering)...OR you can roll up your sleeves and get to work."-Larry Jones, co-founder-Feed The Children

How do we get our arms around 15 million children orphaned by AIDS? It is not impossible. There are 350,000 Evangelical churches in America. If every church in America sponsored 42 African AIDS orphans, we literally could SAVE THEIR LIVES!

"THE HIV/AIDS pandemic is the greatest opportunity for the Church to be the Church. It is time for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who need compassion." -----------------RICK WARREN

* There are 4.8 million orphans in Ethiopia.

- " In 2005, Ethiopia had 1,563,000 AIDS orphans, the second-highest concentration of such children in the world; and 4,414,000 orphans from all causes, the second-highest number in the world."

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody -- I think that is a much greater hunger -- a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. ~Mother Teresa

Isaiah 1:17 says, “Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” God is commanding us to care for the orphan!

“Whoever receives a child in My name, receives Me.” Matthew 18:5

There are NO unwanted children in the world, satan wants them ALL.

No, you can't "save the world" but you CAN make a difference in the life of one child that will last for generations. Bringing the love of Jesus to even ONE of the least of these-it's what Jesus would want.-ME(Jen)

"Though it makes things tighter for us in this king size bed, our home, our vehicle, as well as our wallet, the little pressure we may feel does not even compare to the pressure these little ones are experiencing. I figure if I ever make a mistake in over-indulging this is a good one to make." --John Loux (friend adopting 2 special needs kids from Ukraine as I type)

What are you willing to suffer for the sake of a child?

Got ya thinking huh? Good luck on the GIVEAWAY!

Country Roads...

Once all was said and done with school today. The Captain called from the west coast WITH HIS CAPTAIN WEATHER ALERT to tell me it was 62 degrees outside-I AM CLUELESS of what goes on outside my 4 walls at times. Imagine that!

I promptly jacketed, shoed and rushed the 6 littles out the door to bask in the sunshine! As I watched them RUSH down our road-filled with FREEDOM and ENERGY, The first thing that came to my fairly twisted mind was good ol' JOHN DENVER'S song....

Country Roads, Take me home, to the place...I BELONG!!!

At the end of our road is a creek or "CRICK" as the kids call it. They have gotten MUCH JOY over the years throwing rocks in the creek.

There was no technology, tv, or money involved in the joy we experienced today.It was still somewhat frozen today and so Wy Wy thought he could crack it with this small boulder :) Our Saint Bernard-Karmy got warm today-the kids LOVED watching her swim in the icy waters. Notice all the little rocks around her.After about 30 minutes of throwing rocks, it was time to head home.."Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a REWARD from him." Psalm 127:3

Days like today make me so THANKFUL for my 7 rewards.

We miss you captain daddy!

PS- I am having my first giveaway coming up soon STAY TUNED!!!

Toms and Pizza!

I only briefly got to talk to THE CAPTAIN late tonight & he was so tired so the details of the day didn't get shared. I am posting this info that may seem menial to you...For Him!

THE HIGHLIGHTS
Woke up to the phone ringing (7:30am)-Our new Auger (farmin equipment) is in. I had 3 in bed with me when I awoke 1 boy-2 girls.

The boys have the sniffles and Wy Wy swears his nose is "bleedin" but I tell him its just runny boogers.

All my sweats are low-rise so anytime I sit-Bit But promptly STICKS HIS FINGER IN MY CRACK and screams "POO POO!" and then runs away laughing.

I taught about meters, kilometers and such to Mr. Smearfritz and about Jesus and Romans to "T".

The oldest dropped by for a visit & surprised me with a diet Dr. P-that was nice.

3:30-do I have time to take a quick shower (I really stunk), dress and load 6 littles by the time I need to leave for piano lessons at 3:45? SURE I DO-lock bedroom door, shower, dress-load em all up and head to piano-call chiropractor to tell her I'm on my way and guess what? She left early today-never happened before. HOW DARE HER? I SHOWERED FOR HER! I Needed my body/sanity fix! Bit Bit fell asleep in car.

4-5pm-got gas, washed car and sat in piano teachers driveway.

We usually eat RIGHT AT 5pm but tonight it was 6pm-THREW MY WHOLE NIGHT OFF! Bit But slept in the car (yes in the car) until 6:15-we were all done eating by the time I finally woke him up. I had the doors open to garage and window down in vehicle people-CHILL!

Came home & tried a GREAT new recipe for BBQ chicken pizza and I doubled it as I do ALL recipes for this tribe-YUMMERS! Cooking dinner without Bit But hanging on my leg was a BREEZIO!

Mr. Smearfritz and I LOVE Jalepenos so our part had JAPS on it!You probably notice in most of my photos where there is food..there are paper plates. Why? If I did dishes for all we go through I'd have 3 loads a day.

Paper plates make it so I only have to run the dishwasher once a day.

Bit But slept in the car (yes in the car) until 6:15-we were all done eating by the time I finally woke him up. I had the doors open to garage and window down in vehicle people-CHILL!

Aw-Bell LOVES having her pic taken-here she is with "T"-Pizza LOVE!
After supper and kids cleaned up, we watched Jon & Kate whom the little ones call "their guys" and they slowly drifted to bed by 9pm.

Bit But went at 10:30 due to his extended late nap.

Then I got on-line and got THESE SHOES that I have been wanting for a while. They are Toms Shoes. Toms saying is "ONE FOR ONE"-for every pair you buy-a child in need will also get a pair-GOOD STUFF. Then I went to GOBENA COFFEE and got some of their Coffee that supports orphans in ETHIOPIA, Zambia, Ukraine and India. I have their link also on my side bar.

I figure If I can't adopt a child in Ethiopia right now, I will do all I can to support the causes of the orphans there. I feel my heart & God's voice pulling me there. One day....I pray.....

WITH ALL OF THAT SAID...I am Going to BED-hey I made a rhyme!

And as I do, I will be DREAMING OF HIM........

And praising God for all the wonderful gifts I have been given & praying for those in need.

"You hear, oh Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed" Psalms 10:17-18