Spring is coming...

Daddy spent hours on Saturday adjusting seat heights, training wheels, and helmets...today he took all the littles for a spin around the block..they had a blast and didn't want to come inside today! I have a feeling that they are all going to be begging to ride bikes at 7am tomorrow morning!


Our crew of 'colonists' just before the dreaded shot was fired!!

Mercy and Jenkins K. with "Mr. Andy" ~One of our faithful, fun-loving babysitters! When I saw Andy toting these 2 around, I had to grab my camera. Our Liberian kiddos have been so warmly embraced by our church family ....this picture reminds me of how well loved they are :)
The results of good nutrition...just look at these muscles!!
Because of the recent cold days that still remind me of winter, the definate onset of spring can seem almost imperceptible . But if I look closely enough, I do see the purple crocuses peeking out from the tired dirt and buds forming on the ends of the lifeless looking blah brown branches...if I listen closely, I can hear the birds active in song as they return and settle in after a winter in the warm sun..it still feels a bit like winter but I know that spring is coming. That's the way my spirit has felt these past few days....I'm still exhausted at the end of our long days, there are still 'plenty,plenty'(to borrow a Liberian phrase!) of 'opportunities for growth' but I am seeing more and more glimpses of God at work in the hearts of our little Liberians and what an encouragement that is! I know spring is coming in the lives of our little Africans!! If I listen and look closely enough, I can see and hear the work of God in their hearts. Though the changes can seem imperceptible at times and the winter winds of rebellion will continue to blow , God is at work . I trust that just as one of our nearby treelined roads will soon be transformed into a beautiful pink parade of blossoming cherry trees, so will the hearts of these precious ones as they are being transformed by the love of a gracious God who sets the lonely apart in families. Likewise, I trust that the ugliness of my own heart will be transformed through the sanctification of life with a house full of children! Faith is budding in my heart...I have seen Him work over these past 3 months in so many ways and I am filled with hope and faith for His future grace to sustain and work the kinks out in all of us! I know storm winds will blow in the days ahead which is why I am writing this down...it is too easy to be tempted to fall into unbelief and discouragement when we have one of 'those ' days or 'those' weeks and I must preach truth to my heart when I sense Him stirring :) "Feelings" are transient and often change with the winds of circumstances but God's promises are true regardless of what appears to be happening....even when it seems imperceptible, He is at work...
You may wonder what is is that is causing me to write this... While there are many tangible examples of God at work, there is also a stirrring in my spirit that I can not attribute to anything other than a supernatural work of grace...
I am reminded of this verse from Isaiah 43~
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

I am so grateful for His work in our midst!!
Thought you might enjoy hearing about some happenings in our home over this past week:

* Homeschooler's Day Out this Wednesday was a dream (compared with last week's fiasco)... still many little issues to resolve but overall, a huge victory!

*The other day we went on a field trip with our coop buddies to a former Revolutionary War barracks... boy am I grateful for the many men and women who literally put their lives on the line to secure the freedoms we now take so for granted! There was a 'colonist' in full Revolutionary War garb including a rifle. After the kids 'swore their allegiance' to join with the other patriots in fighting the war, he took them through the drills which would have been given to colonists signing on...complete with a blast from his rifle. Of course he fired a blank but it was quite loud and sweet Mercy was taken totally by surprise...she jumped into my arms screaming and it took quite a few minutes to console her. Over and over again I needed to reassure her that this was just pretend and there were no bullets in his gun. After she calmed down , I asked her why she was so upset...she told me in Liberia, her Aunty was killed by a gun :( She admitted that did not see this but was told this by her 'true-true Ma' (biological mother). At first I wasn't sure if the sound of the gun brought back memories of the days of unrest in Liberia...I am still not sure she would have seen or heard that as she would have been quite young when the war finally ended but it was another reminder of what our Liberian children have been exposed to . After she settled down we went to a room where a 'nurse' prepared the soldiers for their service in the war. She was rather graphic and believable~ so much so that Mercy thought she was going to be innoculated for small pox right then and there...we quickly left the room and talked more about how this is just pretend . After this field trip ended , we went on an impromptu hour long tour of our state house. All of our children (16 kiddos altogether!!) did so well and demonstrated such self controland all of our mommy hearts were quite full. I was so proud of Mercy for pulling it together after some upsetting moments. A few months ago, she would have been 'off' for the entire day but by God's grace she recovered quite well! I sat there watching Mercy and Jenkins giggling as they sat next to each other in the very room where our senators convene for official business... I was struck with the thought that this time last year we had just received our referrals from AOH and here our little Liberians sat in the most important building in our state...such a different world for them!!

*"Oh, sorry Mommy"...such simple words and yet amazing when they come from the lips of little Odesco. I had reminded him to not wear his muddy boots in the house and this was his spontaneous reply...what struck me is it was so natural...no huge scene, no meltdown, no withdrawal...just a simple, humble reply from a little boy to his mommy!! Progress, indeed :)

* As I leave for errands when Daddy is home, I kiss and hug all the kiddos before walking out the door...Odesco now returns my "I love you" with ,"I love you too!!" Again, nothing earth shattering but huge for our little guy!

* Yesterday, L told me he wanted to show me something. Before I knew what he was doing, he got down on one knee, took my hand and kissed it with a flourish of his opposite hand. Don't know where he saw this but Odesco soon joined in and we were all in stitches at our chivalrous little men ...L announced that on his wedding day, he is going to do this to his bride!!

Thanks for stopping by...my heart is full as I contemplate the new things He is doing...Indeed, spring is coming!!

Love, MamaB