One of my favorite pictures of Taylor from her mission trip to Ukraine last year. Pure JOY!

Taylor is on a mission to answer the call God has on her life.

She is excited about the opportunities God has set before her this summer.

She is going back to Ukraine to serve the least of these.

As you know, Taylor has a heart for the people of Ukraine. She has 3 Ukrainian siblings.

She and her youth group will be traveling to Ukraine in June.

They will be staying with the Malone’s, our best friends who recently moved to Ukraine to serve as missionaries. They are 45 minutes out of the capital city of Kiev.

They plan to canvas the neighborhood and invite children to a VBS they have planned. Also to invite those they meet to a weekly Bible study the Malone’s host. “If you invite the Ukrainian children their parents are sure to come, says Gus Downing – Founder of Ukraine Ministries of Oklahoma.” They also plan to spend time in an orphanage. This may just be the highlight of Taylor’s trip. It is a great way to build relationships for future opportunities as well. I do know they are bringing suitcases filled with Beenie Babies to pass out to the children. How fun is that! I’m sure we will hear more details as the trip draws closer and the Malone’s get settled.

So grateful for this amazing opportunity for Taylor to share her own gifts & talents from the Lord.

Taylor’s second opportunity is to attend SLU, Student Leadership University.

This is a leadership conference that only a few from our church will attend but hundreds of other students from across our country will participate. It is for those who want to grow, learn and lead. Taylor will learn skills that will last her a lifetime.

She attended the first conference SLU:101,  which was held in Florida last summer.

This year SLU:102 will be in Washington D.C. She will have unique opportunities to be trained by those she may not ever have had the chance to meet otherwise. What a difference our young people can make with their witness in the area of leadership.

You have the opportunity to invest in Taylor, her calling and in the least of these.

Taylor has raised over half of her total needed for both trips.

We are asking for your help with the balance of $1,500.

If you feel led and want to contribute there is a Chip-in on the side bar of my blog.

Your donation goes directly to Ukraine Ministries of OK on Taylor’s behalf.

Also, please continue to pray for Taylor as she prepares for both of these wonderful opportunities. She has a servants heart and wants to be used.

Thank you for praying.

Thank you for giving.

Thank you for sharing.

God Bless You!

After spending 5 days in the hospital with Mia I felt like we were all ripped off

a week from break and time with one another.

The time off just went WAY too fast for me.

I enjoy having all of my kiddos home, no appointments, no plans,

just time spent with one another.

Days were you sleep in,

stay in your jammies until lunch time

then staying up late watching movies.

The little’s on the other hand enjoy going to school.

They were ready to go back.

And if I had to admit I like routine myself.

I’m already counting down the days until our next break together.

Spring Break seems so far off.

So proud of Mia, Macey and Marcus for working so hard at school

& for making the most of their time there too.

Before long they’ll be back on the bus and on their way HOME again.

Today was Mia’s appointment with her own ophthalmologist, Dr. Scott.

Mia looks great.

Prayers were answered.

After a 5 day hospital stay, IV antibiotics then oral,

the antibiotics did their job of ridding the infection from her eye.

Dr. Scott went over the seriousness of her infection.

The only way to prevent such an issue again is to have surgery.

Both tear ducts need to be probed.

If her eye begins to seep and turn red she needs an antibiotic immediately.

We are praying for wellness and surgery when the time is right.

For now, she is getting ready to return to school after winter break.

I’ll keep you posted when surgery is scheduled.

Continued prayers for our girl appreciated.

I thought it was great when Mia was playing with the Etch-a-Sketch. She began tapping the screen as though it was an iPad. No honey, you have to twist these little white nobs to draw a picture then shake the Etch-a-Sketch up & down to make the picture disappear. The good ol’ days!

Haircuts for the boys in our house

Wayne and the boys waited WAY too long to have their hair cuts.

They use the barber shop downtown & they have been closed for the holidays.

They could not get in the week before due to Mia’s hospital stay.

Wayne and Tanner got their usual flat tops.

Not a cut you can just stop off and have anyone cut.

Marcus is a unique customer himself.

It takes Wayne & I both to hold his hands & comfort him during his cut.

From climbing up in the chair, putting on the cape then hearing the hair clippers turn on, there is NOTHING Marcus likes about a hair cut.

It’s sad but necessary.

It has not been the same since wearing the halo for 6 months.

He is hyper-sensitive when it comes to holding his head, the noise of the clippers and the little hairs that creep down his shirt & itch him all over.

Can you imagine?

We use the same barber & she is understanding to his particular needs.

There is NOTHING that soothes him better than his mommy & daddy holding his hands & feeding him pretzels through the whole ordeal. 

I even sing his favorite songs to keep him distracted.

All hoping the barber would quickly get the necessary cut OVER.

Thankfully we don’t have to go very often, for Marcus’ sake.

But boy is he a handsome young man when it’s over.

See for yourself.

Marcus too is ready to go back to school tomorrow.

He looks so cute if I do say so myself.

Today is the federal holiday for New Year’s.

A paid day off, we’ll take it.

Monday’s are also OT for Marcus & Macey.

Today was our first day back since the holiday’s.

Our plan was to go as a family, all except Taylor.

Taylor had spent the night with Hannah & had planned to spend the entire day with her. Time is passing quickly for those two.

Anyway, we were about 10 minutes from walking out the door when the phone rang. It was Taylor asking for Daddy’s help on behalf of Miss Mary.

They were only a few miles from our house & theirs when Mary’s 12-passenger van filled with 12 people had blown a tire. They were safe but stranded.

(Chris has left yesterday for a quick trip to UA to take care of business)

Fortunately, we had not left so Wayne & Tanner where on their way to help.

Mary had pulled over in a Burger King parking lot by no mistake.

Wayne worked hard to get them back on the road as soon as possible.

They were headed up the turnpike, a 2 hour drive, to meet Mary’s brother & his children for a visit. This put them behind about 2 hours.

After all was said and done, Wayne fixed their tire while I took the 3 little’s to OT myself, Mary & the kids got back on the highway as planned & we were able to meet Wayne & Tanner just in time for lunch at McDonald’s.

A detour, YES!

Another opportunity to be used to serve one another, definitely.

We were just glad we were able to help.

It won’t be long before we won’t be the ones to be called on. Sniff! Sniff!

For such a time as this…

Sid the Science Kid aka Tanner

Tanner has really enjoyed Science this year.

Several household items we have in the pantry has been used

as some kind of Science experiment.

He has enjoyed learning these techniques on line from Steve Spangler.

So much so, that he asked for Science projects for Christmas.

He has a bubble gum making kit, root beer making kit, the possibility to make snow, gravity goo & his latest fascination is dry ice.

You pick it up from your local grocery store & add water.

Tanner was so good with his little sisters.

They too enjoyed blowing the dry ice.

Tanner was intent on showing the girls how dry ice works

and

“to look with our eyes and not with our hands.”

He was totally in his element

Side note: If you add dish soap to a piece of yarn & slowly drag it across dry ice with water in a bowl, you can watch a bubble form.

Tanner is teaching us all to love Science.

It’s something he is good at and enjoys.

Happy Experimenting!

We were excited to receive “Redemption” just in time for Christmas.

This book is the beautiful adoption story of Derek & Renee’ Loux’s three sons adopted from Ukraine.

We were in the process of adopting Marcus (remember Macey was our bonus when we arrived in UA) when we learned of the Loux family. They were just a few months ahead of us in the adoption process.

I remember reading their blog as they shared their experience of rescuing 3 young boys.

All three boys have special needs.

Derek wrote a post Friday, December 12th, 2008 that has forever impacted the lives of so many.

A message on redemption.

Our family also rescued & redeemed the lives of 3 children just like Jesus rescues & redeems us!

This story is real. It’s personal. This story is meaningful. Beautiful.

Our Mia Grace was happy to take her picture with our copy of “Redemption”.

Today is also a holiday, New Years Day.

Today is the Lord’s Day. A time to gather as a family & fellowship with our church.

I could not think of a better way to start the new year.

I was pleasantly surprised to see one of my dearest friends on the praise team this morning, Alyson Lee. She was here visiting her in-laws for the holiday weekend. It was refreshing to see her as we exchanged smiles & later hugs. She has been so precious to me in recent years. She continues to be such an encouragement & a wonderful support to me & my family. I have greatly missed her since she & her family moved to Texas, over a year ago. We keep in touch through phone calls, Facebook and a weekend scrapbooking retreat twice a year. Seeing Alyson was a blessing I didn’t know I needed until today.

God is good like that.

As Chris Malone led worship & Mary too on the praise team IT hit me with a stream of emotions.

Our family is only weeks away from saying good-bye to our dearest friends.

Friends we’ve known for over 10 years.

Friends we’ve grown to love and value.

Our children’s best friends & mine too.

Through the births of children, the news of Down syndrome, walks at the YMCA, the adoptions of SEVEN children with Down syndrome from Ukraine, garage sales, hour long phone chats, birthday parties, sleep overs, surgeries, numerous church activities, date nights, stiches, broken bones & ER visits, play dates at the wooden park, road trip to Dallas, Women of Faith Conferences, adoption trip to Ukraine, a child locked in the car (in the driveway), trips to the zoo, Christmas parties, home school field trips, swimming at the Moore Pool (we look like we own a day care) a shoulder to cry on, a non-judge mental ear to listen, many prayers said on one another’s behalf & laughing so hard I could pee my pants.

The list goes on & on.

What I will miss most is TIME together.

So excited for the call God has on the Malone’s lives. Proud of them for giving their YES.

None the less, they will be missed. No other family can relate to ours quite like they can.

Not making resolutions this year.

I do have a list I will keep to myself of things I would like to accomplish, do better at or more of.

We were given an opportunity right away to serve another family.

We were able to bring dinner to another dear family, the Bessert’s.

They have been so good to us when arriving home with new little ones from Ukraine, preparing meals for our family & making hospital visits with a Diet Coke in hand.

Wayne & I were grateful there was a need we could fulfill, dinner.

How often do we have the opportunity to give back?

How can you repay someone for their thoughtfulness & time, by doing the same.

I am a giver by nature. It is hard for me to ask for help or receive. I am learning with the course of the past couple of years there is no way we can do the calling God has on our lives alone.

God has placed generous, kind people in our paths who ask for nothing in return. True servants!

I pray this year I can be a better giver of my time, gifts & talents.

This message is about genuine friendship. Heartfelt & real.

I pray I can be a blessing to those who continue to give so freely to our family.

We are depending on the Lord as our provider of all things & our strength in all things.

To God be the glory!

Happy New Year 2012

I found myself in a position this evening I had not planned for.

A place that is becoming my new norm.

As Marcus’ mom & his voice I continue to share his story. His story of redemption.

The Lord continues to offer me opportunities to tell where Marcus came from & just how far he has come.

I can honestly say, the last 3 months have been harder than the first 2.5 years home. Why?

Because of change. Change for the good but none the less change.

I love Marcus. I know Marcus. I am invested in Marcus.

I am in a position, as his voice to share with others for him.

We don’t always receive the response we had hoped for.

Marcus is a handful, requiring constant one-on-one supervision.

Being left to himself for 3 years in a crib has certainly taken a tole on his short life.

There are times it still angers me, the neglect, malnourishment & abuse. It is not fair.

More importantly, it is not Marcus’ fault.

My husband & I were called to rescue him from an orphanage in Southern Ukraine.

We did just that. It was only the beginning.

Today, we continue to meet Marcus where he is & meet his needs as they come.

That has meant offering him great medical care, food for nourishment & most importantly the love of a family. The list continues to grow; the love of a church family, therapists & those who teach him in the classroom & neighbors in the community.

We have been told we are pioneers.

Teaching those to offer Marcus the love of Jesus & grace he deserves.

It’s not a job I came equipped for but one I gladly accept.

My prayer is that I will glorify the Lord in ALL that I say & do.

As I share with others our reality, Marcus’ truth, I pray there is compassion & concern to do right by him.

He deserves the love & kindness of others. In a way only God can provide.

I will continue to be his voice.

Advocate for the things that are right, not easy.

Marcus has come so far.

We see it as his family.

We want others to join us as we help him reach his full potential in a loving, accepting environment.

I thank God I was chosen for this journey. Marcus is SO worth it.

Please continue to pray for our little man.

God knows his needs even more than this mommy can express.

Our God is Bigger!

Macey would “take the stage” as a part of the AWANA Worship Christmas program,

The Hanging of the Green.

The kids have worked tirelessly week after week on their songs they would share with us.

I am excited that Macey is included with her typical peers each week as they play instruments, sing songs & offer their worship to the Lord. It is a joyful sound and she LOVES it!

Macey was ready. She sang her little heart out along with signing the motions. No stage fright for her.

She was a star ready to shine!

Well, maybe just having a good time with her friends but I thought she was just beautiful. An angel.

Everyone in the family sat front & center to see Macey, to cheer her on. Everyone except Marcus. He played in childcare during the program. One day he will join us. Miss that little guy.

Anyway, Mia sang right along too & Daddy was grinning from ear to ear. One proud papa.

Things are different. Plans change but traditions stay the same.

Wayne & I knew this weekend would be a challenge. How could we all go to Journey to Bethlehem as a family or how could Wayne & I continue with tradition & take Taylor & Tanner together?

In years past, we’ve taken advantage of the first Friday night in December as date night, offered by our church. We left M&M to attend this event with T&T. This year the DSACO moved their Christmas party to the same night, last night was Bedlam so we made a choice to go tonight.

Wayne was helpful so I could continue to take Taylor & Tanner and bring Macey along as well. Was it the same, no. I missed Wayne being a part of our evening, it’s tradition. He offered to stay home with Marcus & Mia. He is nursing a cold himself. It promised to be a late, cold evening. We made the right choice.

                         We waited outside                   We waited inside             and waited some more

Then it was OUR turn to experience The Journey to Bethlehem. The iron horse awaited our arrival.

We traveled for miles & miles.

We learned of the Messiah, born in Bethlehem.

Jesus is THE Reason for the Season.

We are grateful for the ministry of Forest Hill Christian Church.

What a wonderful tradition to keep for my children.

May we all remember to keep CHRIST in Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

This is the one football game Wayne & I make sure we watch together. It’s Bedlam!

The guys are funny wearing Wayne’s FREE Oklahoma Blood Institute t-shirts. I guess you could say we’re a house divided. I think they do it to have a little fun.

Game day is another reason for Wayne to feed us well. He wanted Bar-b-Q. Ribs to be exact. He bought a slab from our friends at Van’s Pig Stand. The ribs fell off the bone. That’s the only way I like them. They went great with our ham we were given last night from the DSACO Christmas party.

Taylor, Tanner, Wayne & I have enjoyed our evening together. Nothing like watching a run away game. The cowboys have the win in their hat. I feel so sad for the Sooners. No touchdowns to be had tonight.

Oklahoma football + Family time = Priceless

Cowboys 44 vs. Sooners 10