And then he is 9

This week Cole turns nine. He's an amazingly creative, thoughtful, and fun person who stretches, challenges, and inspires me each and every day. I feel such a mix of being so excitedly curious to see how he grows and what he does and how he lives his life; while at the same time, longing for and hanging onto the early days when he was so little. I suppose that puts me right in the middle - where we are now - loving, learning, and enjoying each and every step of the way on this journey that I'm so blessed to share with him.

Super Hero Capes

Because Superman was an orphan...

There are lots of ways to support our adoption, and here is one.
Superhero Capes are $30. For information on how to customize a cape, see this post.

January

Never underestimate the power of January, unassuming and quiet as she sometimes may be.

January is all the underground, behind-the scenes hard work that it takes to make every other month fruitful and beautiful.

She’s a force to be reckoned with. She is a leader.

This is the month that we are FINISHING our adoption paperwork. It is done. Put a stamp on it and send it out.

I love January.

Sponsored Dress

Happy Birthday Jillane Downs! This dress was sponsored in your name.

This sweet fabric makes one cheery dress for a 6 year old little girl.

New Year’s Resolutions. Where optimism reigns.

Here we are at the beginning of January.  The month we all collectively sign on the dotted line of those New Years resolutions we intend to make.  I’ve always been a ‘resolutions’ kind of a girl.  I love fresh starts, new beginnings, second chances.  I have tendency to be a little over-zealous when the New Year rolls around. I want to train for a marathon and read 52 books in a month and reorganize my whole house and take up knitting and an instrument. All today. Right now. And I usually set lofty goals only to be reminded a year later that I’m only one person—with plenty enough to do everyday—aside from learning to play the bass.

And so I am inspired to write about the things I want to change.  There’s something kinda vulnerable about making your resolutions known.  They seem more ‘official’ and thus the guilt begins to creep in because I know don’t have the best track record of keeping them.  The one I seem to keep fairly consistently is exercise.  So I always hate going to the gym on January 1st with eight million people I’ve never seen at the gym before vying for the same set of dumbells.  The comfort is, I know they won’t be there on Feb. 1.  And similiarly, my impeccably organized pantry on Jan. 1st will look like twenty toddlers have been rummaging around in it by Feb. 1st.  I slowly seem to make some good lasting changes but I’m not setting any records here.  I’ll let you have a peek of my preliminary list….and maybe you can help me.  

1.  I need to lose a little weight.  I have gained a few pounds mostly because I eat like a 9 year old. I have a serious sugar addiction. I exercise regularly and will begin training for a half marathon.  But I must find a way to cut out sugar. I have intense cravings for chocolate. This resolution, though seemingly vain has far reaching effects on my mood and energy level. Now move out of the way so I can get some ice cream, sister.  

2. Make decisions more readily. I don't make up my mind very well. I can tell you I know what I don't like, but I do struggle at deciding at what I do like. This year is a growing year. I won't lose sleep over stuff I can't control.

3.  I could tweak my meal planning a bit to include more healthy options. My meal planning is pretty good but since I’ll be working on #1 I’ll have to make some changes in the content of the food.  Tacos and chili have become a staple from week to week. I've gotten tired of pushing super healthy food on the kids and since I am cooking every night, I've surrendered in the last year and I cook mostly kid food. Sorry kids I am serving superfoods again.

4. I’d like to have a more structured Bible reading scheme.  I’d like to read the Bible through chronologically.  There are online sources that give a schedule but if you have any suggestions, let me know.  I’m compiling my reading list for ’12 but I’m not done yet.  Do you have any awesome, life-changing books I need to add? 

5.  I’d like to become a better writer. I have to get more organized and efficient with how I spend my computer time.  I keep finding more blogs I like to read…..and keep thinking of more things I like to write, but my family needs to eat and wear clean clothes and live in a clean house, so I need to be more purposeful about it.

6.  I want to be more purposeful in serving my neighbor. Service projects of some sort that the kids and I can get involved in.  Any suggestions?

7. I need more organization in my home.  I need a professional organizer to come to my house and order me around.  My house almost always looks clean and organized so I’m pretty good with the big picture.  (My car….. now that’s another story) I need organization with paperwork, receipts, clothes, and toys. Our system now, for paprwork, is to trash it and that isn't working too well. Secondly, I dream of a beautifully organized basement and attic. Our toy situation is not suitable for the kids because I think they would prefer it all over the floor. The attic is downright embarrassing. I keep getting hand me downs for clothes that I can't bear to pass on. Clark seriously has about 25 bathing suits for when he is 5.

But I’m not discouraged. I’m an optimist.  This is gonna be my year.  To get organized and charitable and skinny and spiritual. That’s why I love resolutions. Despite any past failures in these areas, I am fully confident that strides will be made and goals accomplished. You pessimists out there are shaking your heads, aren’t you?  You don’t even make resolutions because you’ve seen the outcome too many times.  You will sit on the resolutions’ sideline and just wait to see how long it takes until I’ve given in……when I’m only in the book of Exodus in July…….and I can’t find Clark's hand-me-downs in May…….and I’m up 10 pounds in September.   But that’s okay.  I love having tasks and goals.  And if only one of them ‘sticks’…..well, that’s better than nothing.  

Good thing God doesn’t use ‘resolution theology’ with us.  He knows us too well.  So he designed a plan that didn’t hinge on our sticktoittiveness.  He went the whole way.  Accomplished it all for us so that even when we fail, he forgives and gives us  ’new mercies every morning’.  Even with our ‘mostly likely to fail’ list of changes we intend to make, He has a plan that never fails.  I think schemes for personal improvement can be valuable.  I’m just thankful that’s not how my relationship with God works. 

So, what’s on your list or have you forsaken ‘the list’ altogether?

Gifts

written by Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts
Joy:
...The brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the world. When we lay the soil of our hard lives open in the rain of grace and let joy penetrate our cracked and dry places, let joy soak into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows...

Time:
Time is a relentless river. It rages on, a respecter of no one. And this, this is the only way to slow time: When I fully enter time's swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here...Weigh down this moment in time with attention full, and the whole of time's river slows, slows, slows...I have lived the runner, panting ahead in worry, pounding back in regrets, terrified to live the present, because here-time asks me to do the hardest of all: just open wide and receive.

I can't believe how easy the tree went up this year. Just popped it in the stand and voila, it was straight. This is largely contrasted from last year when the tree almost fell over on multiple occasions. When we stood back and looked at it, we all commented that we probably never have picked a more scrawny tree, but once the limbs relaxed, and the ornaments on, it looks beautiful. The train fits perfect underneath, and the kids have been having a great time with it.  

A friend handed me two huge bins of GeoTrax trains. I knew nothing about how awesome this toy is! I have two sick kids home today, and I knew I was going to need some quality entertainment. We set up a very exciting track and then we realized that the trains are self-propelled. Fun! 

Pumping the kids with vitamin C to fight the running noses, sore throats, cough and headache. Can't hurt. Neither does candy canes, twinkling lights, sparkling snowflakes, homemade cookies, cuddley overgrown puppies, loving husbands, squishy pillows, warm quilts or hot tea with honey.

Sponsored Dresses!

Felt a bit weird hanging out these dresses for a photo in 30 degree weather. Wishing a could wrap up these up for Christmas in fancy tissue with a big bow on top. Can't stop thinking about the children who won't receive a family this holiday season. I made these dresses for older girls. My heart is heavy for the older child who might be caring for siblings or have experienced more pain and loss and trying to survive in bleak situations.

Thank you Paul and Heather for your generous sponsorship.  

Anonymous contributor 

Not as Planned

Dear Kelly,

You must try to remember that waking up at 5am doesn't make for a better day. Instead of getting tons done, you just start more projects which makes for a more frantic (and tired) you, at 12 noon.

Secondly, never buy a snow jacket again because they are apparently "not cool", will never be worn and the argument about whether or not it is cold enough for a jacket is one you will regret.

Two year olds don't like five quick stops in and out of stores. Browsing in the toy aisle is not advised and will end in the two year old climbing out of the cart and running after Thomas the Train and bouncy balls. Don't pick the candy lane at check out because your two year old will handle (and break) all the Twix bars and the five year old will sniff every last pack of gum. At the fabric store you relent to the cart battle and let the kids play amongst the fabric as you search for red satin. When you can't find the two year old, check the batman fleece. He will be hiding under it, giggling. At the Post Office, the two year old will take off his jacket at least 10 times and cry because he wants it, "On! On! On!" The only reason you are in the post office is to send another Express Mail package to the USCIS because you actually forgot to sign it the first time!

Driving home, you actually start to see humor in the whole escapade. You remember how quickly you slid by an older couple in the Dollar General as Clark tapped the lady on the back and said very loudly (with reindeer antlers on his head), "Ho, Ho."

At home, you are greeted by the morning mess, still not picked up. The dog snatched a stick of butter from the counter which was softening for cookies. You decide that the day needs a start over. You get into jammies and slippers and sip tea. The kids might think you've lost it, but you are reminded of all the work you have to do and you should probably get up early tomorrow because today didn't go as planned.