A Gallery Event

Many people have the desire to adopt, but don't know where to start. In 2001 an artist in New Mexico captured the essence of some very special children. These children desired to be adopted. Since that time, cities all over America have hosted Heart Galleries in hopes of finding forever homes for children.

In the spring I had the opportunity to attend my first Heart Gallery in Bakersfield, California. How excited I was then, to see that Traders Point Christian Church has opened it's doors to host a gallery for the next couple of weeks.

This is a great event and I encourage all of you to spread the word.

Remembering...

Today is National Day of Remembrance for Pregnancy and Infant Loss. I didn't even know this day existed until yesterday when I scrolled through my favorite blogs and saw that Angie Smith (Bring the Rain blog) listed this special day. My family has experienced this kind of loss more often then we would ever like. It is hard and painful.

One of my heart songs lately has been, Bring the Rain by Mercy Me. I have listed it on my playlist below for your hearts enjoyment. I find it ironic that it has rained, dark and heavy today. It's been a sad day--lots of weeping. In the song, Bring the Rain, he sings about how in our mourning we draw closer to God. Isn't that so true?! I find such strength from Jesus when he says, "I turned to you and heard your cry."-Psalm 40:1 and "Out of the depths I heard you cry to me, I heard your voice, I am listening, and I will bring you mercy."-Psalm 130:1 and 2.

May we continue to feel God's mercy shower down on us in our weeping. May we curl up in His lap and give it all back to our Father, who is so close to us when we are sad.

The Doctor Is In!

My boys love to play "Dr. Jaylin and Dr. Aaron". For Christmas, Grandma and Papaw bought a doctor's kit for them to play with. In the medical kit, there are a pair of glasses that when you put them on the same magic that is in fairy dust comes over you and you become a real live doctor. Who needs 8 years of medical school when having a pair of glasses will do the trick?!?! If you are a med. student, come on over and pick up a pair :)

Anyway, the other night Jaylin went to bed early so Aaron had full reign of the doctor kit. And of course, the first thing he pulled out were the glasses. We then went through all of the other pieces, including opening your mouth and saying "ahh". Our doctor, who is absolutely wonderful, laughs every time he sees Aaron--he knows to open his mouth and to say "ahh". Jaylin reminds our doctor that he is Dr. Jaylin at home and checks all of our mouths. Such a protector!

Dancing

Some people have asked what we do for fun at our house...well, we dance :) That's right, we break out the iPod and dance all over the house.

A couple of years ago, a lady named Jenny gave her testimony at our church. She is a very gifted actress and dancer. In her testimony she shared how when she became a Christian, she thought she would have to give up dancing--one of her greatest pleasures and passions. She goes on to share how God revealed to her that dancing is worship to Him. She now dances for Christ. Something about the way she shared her testimony has always stuck with me. I decided I wanted my house to worship in dancing.

Psalm 149:3 says "Let them praise His name with dancing..."

I have included a clip of our dancing. My boys know who they are dancing for. If you are ever riding in our car and the song I Am Free comes on, you will see the boys really break down. I will video tape this soon and get it up on here. I think laughter and dancing can go together...espeically when your one-year-old is heading banging to "I am free to run, I am free to dance..." Hilarious!

Thanks Jenny for sharing from your heart!

Christmas in October?

I LOVE the fall season! It is just about perfect...cool in the evening with red, orange, bright yellow leaves changing into a beautiful display of color. The grass is dark green and jeans and sweaters are pulled out of the back of the closet. There is nothing but love for the change occuring outside. Perfection, God!

However, the boys and I were recently shopping and I noticed that Christmas decorations, music, and gifts were already sprouting about in the stores. Isn't it wonderful!?! I have mixed feelings about this. I mean I love Christmas, but I also LOVE the fall. To compromise between the two, I think I will decorate my house with fall colors while listening to Christmas music--that's right, we listen to Christmas music all of the time :)

A couple of years ago I stumbled upon a great song by Steven Curtis Chapman. This was the Christmas before I got the boys and I was obsessed with learning so much about adoption and foster care while preparing my heart for what was to come. This song still strengthens my soul and speaks to me. I hope you enjoy it! Just click on the link below.



You may need to pause my playlist to listen to the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnRNP0Qipws

A Glimpse of the Slums

This past Friday night we headed over to church to see a mock slum community. I am so excited about where my church is heading. Our minister Aaron has started a new series on getting the church outside of the building. It has been refreshing and stretching. Being a foster mom has become so much of my life that seeing and hearing of other missions and people serving God in other areas has been really refreshing.

Do you ever get the itch to travel to some African tribal nation, sleep in tents, see huge disgusting bugs that you are so sure are going to kill you or give you some crazy disease that will require drugs to cure, all the while seeing our beautiful God at work in the sounds of little children singing wonderful songs to the same God you sing to in America?

I remember the first time I went on a mission trip outside of the US. We were in Mexico. My first experience of true poverty. There was a little baby about two years old. Her name was Margarita and she had down syndrome. Her grandmother told me that the doctors told them they should place her in a school or put her up for adoption--because she would be a burden. That statement has always stuck with me...she would be a burden. How amazing was it that this family, who believes and serves God, knew that God loved Margarita and they would too--a belief that has been a corner stone in my own family. I am so glad that I serve a God that doesn't see me as a burden and in turn has adopted me as His daughter.

Back to the Slum Night...one of the most interesting conversations I had was with a sixth grade student named Meghan. I had asked her if she had told her friends about this event, and she proudly said yes. Sadly though, most of her friends and classmates didn't know what the slums were. She was so put off by their ignorance that she took the time to educate them. What a warrior! As she went on talking about poverty, malaria, and so on, I couldn't help but think that this young girl has more wisdom from God than most people twice her age. What a legacy her parents have given her. It is so evident that God has pursued her heart and won.

A couple of weeks ago I heard a new song by Brandon Heath. It's a powerful song that resonates so much what God is teaching me right now. I've including it on my playlist...I hope you enjoy it!

Going to Wal-Mart

It never fails that half way through the week we have to make a trip to Walmart or Kroger. Last week was no exception. We have been going to Kroger to "spice up" our grocery shopping adventures (trust me--with two boys ages 3 and 1, a trip to the grocery store is an adventure) but Jaylin has had two full-blown tantrums in Kroger so we have to lay low for awhile before we return there. Anyway, I decided to go to Wal-Mart later in the evening so as to fight some of the rush hour traffic. This meant that Jaylin had already been home and changed into...action, super-hero, rock star costume complete with puppy dog slippers, a Lowes workshop apron turned backwards to create a cape, and a flimsy-yellow-plastic-basket for a helmet, all while holding his Elmo guitar. He had informed me that later on that night he would be with his band in the play room for a concert. Now, I knew that I should have had him change back into his normal clothes, but that was a battle I just wasn't willing to have that night...so we trotted off to Wal-Mart, costume and all.

As we walked into the store, Jaylin said his usual greetings to the welcome dude at the entrance of the store. "Hi! My name is Jaylin and this is my little brother, Aaron. And this is my mommy." This night, however, he added, "I'm a super-hero band player." The greeter chuckled and gave him a smiley face sticker. I'm pretty sure they are best friends now.

While shopping Jaylin strutted behind, looking at all of the wonders that Wal-Mart offers. As I dodged the usual "Can I have this mommy?" questions, I filled my cart with the essential items needed to get us through the week. As we reached the check-out counter, the real amusement began. Jaylin was standing in the cart, when all of a sudden he broke out in song..."I love my brother, yeah yeah yeah. I love Wal-Mart, yeah yeah yeah...." Needless to say, this caught a lot of attention. I think a star was born!