4th of July Fun!

Mercy and Odesco doing the "shausa dance"(aka:"sausage dance") when they found out we were purchasing hotdogs at the gathering after the parade!

P gets an adjustment from our friend and chiropractor on the stadium bleachers after the festivities. Thanks Dr. R :)

~The church float~

Sweet friends hanging together before the parade began...who could resist taking a lollipop from this gang of cuties?

Our gang at a local parade. Yearly, our church participates with a festive float in it and a few members of our worship team perform while church members (including kids) hand out tootsie pops to the watching crowd...such fun!!

Proud to be an American!!

Unexpected Blessings...

Unexpected Blessing #2...I received a message from our pediatrician's office asking me to contact them in the morning. I was curious what this could be about- figured it was some billing issue and much to my surprise learned that G had won this huge bucket of summer fun because her name was picked out of a hat... ...during our last visit, Iwas given entries for each of our kiddos and never gave it another thought...until we received the call to come claim the prize!
Unexpected blessing #1...the surprise of the day...a real live starfish!!! The evening before our beach trip, we read the Big Backyard magazine we had just received in the mail that day. It was all about sea life andthere was a page highlighting starfish. Mercy and Odesco asked if we'd see any and I told them no...in all my years of beach going , I have never seen a starfish. We were in the water up to our knees and this little critter floated between me and the kids...and it was alive-although I would have been just as thrilled to spot a dead one :) I was so excited and told Mercy I think the Lord sent it just for her. We kept it in a bucket of sea water and watched it all day before setting it free . It was one of those magical memories!

That's M, Odesco and Mercy on the right...the people on the left, well, I don't know who they were! I was sitting on the beach with my sis in laws watching this unfold. There was no one else in the water but our gang and these 2 sweet grandpas with their grandson. Daddy took Odesco in the water and Mercy followed but Daddy didn't know she was behind him...he waded out a little further than Mercy could handle on her own so she just helped herself to the hand of this gentleman beside her! You should have seen my hubby's face when he turned to see our bold daughter holding the hand of a stranger ! Guess we need to work a bit on her discernment :) Fortunately, this gentleman was 'safe' and kind and had a good sense of humor!

The boys trying desperately to outwit the sea...it didn't work and soon after this picture was taken, the fort was no more~

Ahoy maties... Our little pirates enjoying some pizza~

What's a day at the beach without being buried in the sand?! Of course, I went to extreme measures to make sure the sand stayed on the beach and NOT in Mercy's hair!

Cute cousins...hard to believe these 2 are not related by blood!(remember, I am part of a blended family that works:)!!)

yep, it was as chilly as it looks but the kids had a ball...thanks, Daddy for taking them in while I captured the 'Kodak moments' and stayed dry and warm from the knees up :)

The boys and a few of their fun cousins :)

The girlies...Mercy had this expression most of the day at the beach...smiling/giggling so hard her eyes were closed for the pictures!

Last week we had the opportunity to make our annual trek to the shore to 'mooch' off my family since they rent a home for the week. Unfortunately the only day we could go was not too pleasant weather wise. In fact it poured much of the trip there but we had checked the hourly forecast and it was supposed to clear for a few hours in the afternoon. We are glad we went...after all-what did it matter to the kiddos...there was sand , the ocean, and cousins!!!--what more could they ask for?! Mercy and Odesco were such fun to watch as they saw the huge expanse of water and the big crashing waves for the first time. They had a blast and so did the rest of us.Once again, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have such wonderful family...thanks gang for letting our clan invade your home- use your hot water, and devour your food!
Love, Mama B

Finding my peace in Him alone...

After our refreshing day at the lake and cold showers to get all the sand off, the little boys were up in their room for quite a while. They came down in these outfits...'basketball' socks (actually the big boys' old baseball socks!) and basketball shirts... it was 95 degrees out and I was sweating just looking at them in these goofy socks :)

Yesterday was one of the most humid, uncomfortable days of the summer so far and we along with a few other families were blessed to enjoy the day at a lake with friends who are members. We spent most of the day in the refreshing water...it was one of those magical days where everyone played beautifully together (there were 24 kiddos in all!) and the moms took turns escorting the kids out to a floating dock where they jumped into the water... while the kids jumped , the moms chatted as we floated on 'noodles'-refreshing all the way around!!

G and Miss Felicia in her adorable swim gear~

Sunday best...L saw this suit in his closet and wanted to wear it for playtime to be a 'detective'...I told him he could wear it instead on Sunday and he relented. He surprised me by remembering as soon as he woke up Sunday morning- then Odesco was a bit 'put out' that he was not dappered up and chose to wear the duds above. In his (and Mercy's too) mind anyone wearing a tie is a pastor...too funny!

The other morning the kids put on the cd of Watoto African children's choir and danced their hearts out. Odesco got out the drum and G pulled out a box of instuments from her closet...I was hanging laundry during their 'performance' and needed to take a break to close the doors since they were SOOO LOUD (happy sounds, though) ~ I didn't want to offend our neighbors! The kids seemed to gravitate to the position Mercy is in for this picture so that they could watch themselves in the reflection on the TV :)

I caught these 2 in a sweet moment...L was 'teaching' Odesco to play tic-tac-toe

On Saturday in the midst of our normal weekend 'to do ' list, we were able to squeeze in special time with each of the kiddos. Daddy took the little boys out for breakfast- they were so excited and adorable as they snuck outside at 6:45...then Mercy and I went on a long walk and just 'happened' to end up at Dunkin Donuts where I bought her a treat...later G and I were able to go out for a little trip for her to finally use a birthday coupon (her bday was in April!!) and later Daddy took the big boys for a long bike ride while I took the littles for a swim next door. I was grateful for these little windows of time to spend 1:1 or 2:2 time with the kiddos as things can get rather chaotic when the whole gang is together :)

Puzzle time...I'm trying to have the littles do this world puzzle a few times a week..then we sing the "continent song" (From Geography songs for all you homeschool moms!) It's fun because the kids have friends from North America, Central America, Asia and of course Africa!! Odesco and Mercy are learning to locate Liberia and enjoy seeing the route their plane flew when they came to America.

Cooling down on a humid evening at our generous neighbor's pool! For you obsevant people wondering where our L is, he is drying off on a lounge chair~

Math time...the 3 youngest were learning the difference between quadrilaterals and triangles and created many using crayons and pencils~Yep-that's a sticker on Odesco's forehead :)

Seeing Odesco in his swim attire just cracks me up...he and Mercy are like little fish...loving our pool times at various friends' homes and doing so well in their lessons- their acclimation to the water has been a huge blessing as we go swimming several times a week!

P and Odesco just hanging around waiting for the others to finish their swim lessons at a friend's house.

We have been enjoying the change of pace that summer brings. We are still trying to get a bit of school done in the morning since our afternoons are usually errand running or 'pool mooching' :)
I am also getting the kid's portfolios together from this past school year and planning out our next year. One trivial project I completed was to organize our junk drawer...so now in the midst of the craziness and clutter when I need a "fix" , I walk over to that drawer open it..breathe deeply and enjoy this one corner of order :) Silly, I know but I am so enjoying the visible and relatively long lasting fruits of my labor( it has stayed organized for a whopping week already!!) For most moms out there I know you can relate to the feeling that everything we do gets undone rather quickly...we wash dishes, put them away and it is soon mealtime again... we do laundry, fold it and before it even gets put away, there is another pile looming in the laundry room...we straighten and clean and then our little blessings awaken and it's hard to tell we ever did anything in the first place...so, this drawer of order and my crazed enjoyment of it is a reminder that I need to find my peace in Him alone. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with order-in fact, God is the author of order and demonstrates order in creation itself. I am actually putting a few organizational tips I learned from a seminar I just heard into practice, hoping to add some order to our busy home.I once heard clutter and disorganization described as 'visual noise' -- I can so relate to that description! When things are grossly out of order it feels loud to me- it seems like all of those out of place items are screaming,"put me back where I belong!!"-strange, I know :) My problem is that when our home is disorderly and the kids' stuff abounds in places it shouldn't be, my heart is tempted to fret and feel unsettled and the fruit of this is sadly a discontent, snarly, irritable Mommy. So, I am realizing once again my need to find peace in Him alone - no matter what the condition of our home is. Sometimes "visual noise" is not the issue but instead, it is the real thing...literal noise due to sibling conflict, whiny attitudes or just plain old defiance. Again, my peace needs to be in Him regardless of the storm raging around me.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord God is an everlasting rock"Isaiah 26:3

"Let the peace of God rule in your hearts" Colossians 3:5

God's word always cuts right to the heart...If the peace of God truly reigns and rules my heart, I will not be ruled by my idol of order and craving for external peace. How kind of the Lord to use the crucible of our home once again to reveal my desperate need for Him to rule me and change me from within.

Growing in finding my peace in Him alone~
Mama B.

Giving Honor to Whom Honor is Due....

Happy Father's Day....Daddy was blessed with many dollar store practical finds including: dress socks for work, wipes to clean the car, bungie cords, and a paint brush!! It was quite an adventure making these purchases last week with the 4 littles. I'm sure we provided entertainment for all the other shoppers as we walked the aisles and discussed appropriate gift options . He also received candy (which he generously shared with the rest of his pleading family!), a biography about Douglas MacArthur that C thought would make a great read aloud with his Dad, and the dvd Flywheel. We watched it last night and I highly recommend it-it was produced by the makers of Facing the Giants and was an amazing story about God's miraculous redemptive work in the heart of a dishonest carsalesman. I laughed and cried...a great family flick! Probably ranks on my all time favorite list!!

Inspired by my dear friend's public letter to her hubby on Father's Day(it is a beautiful letter-check it out here : http://www.graceunchanging.blogspot.com/) I did not want to miss an opportunity to honor my husband in his role as Daddy to 6! This morning I was reminded of a Father's Day 12 years ago when I had the privilege to honor M in front of our church and his visiting family. He had only been a Daddy for 6 weeks and it happened to be Dedication Day for our eldest son. As we were overjoyed with the long awaited arrival of our baby boy, I remember being overcome with emotion saying , "In my mind's eye, I can see P following his Daddy around coiling cords and setting up chairs each Sunday morning as he joins his father in serving the church." Well, that is exactly what does happen each Sunday morning as our 2 oldest sons eagerly join their Dad ( with the added motivation of seeing a few of their buddies on some weeks) leaving our house at 7:15 to go assist in the setting up of Sovereign Grace church. M has by example taught these 2 to be cheerful servants~ every Sunday for the past 14+ years M has diligently and faithfully served (with the exception of a few weeks of transition when our little Liberians joined the family and the few Sundays we have been away on vacation). I am so grateful for his faithful , unwavering example. I am grateful for the way he has led our family in building our lives around the local church...I am thankful that he is teaching our children to serve cheerfully(well, that's the goal anyway :) in our home and within our church community .
Yesterday during our morning church service, a touching video was shown... children in our congregation were creatively telling their Dads what they loved about them... some were hysterical, others were sentimental-like when Mercy shared in her beautiful Liberian accent," I love my Daddy because he cares for me-Happy Father's Day!!" ...and others were just well- practical. That would have been P when he shared ,"Thanks Dad for teaching me how to work!" Everyone got a good laugh out of that and it became the joke of the day... but truthfully, I am so very grateful that my hubby is instilling in our boys especially, the value and importance of hard work. Already, they have 2 lawn mowing jobs for neighbors and are learning to serve 'as unto the Lord' in our home. This is a gift they will take with them to their future employers and future spouses...a gift they will one day, Lord willing, instill in their own children.
So, to my hubby: I am so grateful for the heritage of service you are building in our family, I am grateful for your faithful provision so that I can be right where the Lord wants me...the best place on earth...here in our bustling home. As challenging as our days can be, there is truly no place I would rather be and everytime I get to go on a field trip with the kids, buy them a new pair of shoes or just a special treat I try to remember to tell them to thank you for working so hard to make it all possible. Thank you for saying ,"yes" to the privilege and call of adoption...knowing it would not be an easy road but one we would be blessed and honored to travel upon together. Thank you for your faithful support of our homeschooling...thankyou for the many times you have given me opportunities to 'be with the ladies' to get refreshed. Thankyou for encouraging me to have a one night 'retreat' just this past weekend...God envisioned my heart and renewed my appreciation for the wonderful gift He has given me in you and our precious children ! I hope you felt honored and loved by all of us yesterday... Happy belated Father's Day!!
You are very much appreciated and loved!!

Psalm 126:3- The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad!! - Mercy and Odesco's 6 month-i-versary!

THEN: One of the few pictures of Mercy and Odesco together ~we received this while the kids were still at AOH..I remember thinking they looked so sad ...

THEN: immediately after getting off the plane with "Auntie Melodie"-dazed, confused and overwhelmed!

NOW: What a difference 6 months makes...here are Mercy, Jenkins and Odesco swimming in our friend's beautiful pool!

NOW: Celebrating "Officer"Jenkin's K's 6th birthday last week. How blessed we are to be on this journey with our good friends, the K's. And how fortunate our newest blessings are to have kindred friends from AOH whom they see on a regular basis at homeschool activities, church , and just for fun !

Mercy's sunflower in "Nana's garden"... a timely reminder of blossoming where God has planted her~ here in our family!


Hope has come again~both literally and figuratively . I needed a pep talk and some new ideas for styling Mercy's hair. Thanks Hope for your creative handiwork, friendship, and encouragement!!

It has been a little over 6 months since our precious Liberians joined the B family! There have been so many changes, so many evidences of God's grace at work in the hearts of these 2 little people. I know I use that phrase 'evidence of grace' almost every time I write an update... I hope it does not 'cheapen' the significance of what our BIG and powerful God is doing in 2 little hearts and in the hearts of the rest of us! As challenging as these 6 months have been, I honestly can not imagine a better fit in our family than Mercy and Odesco. The Lord hand picked us for them and them for us and I am so grateful for the bedrock assurance that trusting in His sovereignty can bring. I am reading the biography of George Mueller to the little ones and today this statement resonated in my heart...it is referring to the large sum of money required to build a new orphanage and George Mueller's response of faith but I found it so fitting in our current situation. (see my post from May 19th)

"The greatness of the sum required affords me a kind of secret joy; for the greater the difficulty to be overcome, the more will it be seen to the glory of God how much can be done by prayer and faith"

So, I look forward to seeing how the Lord is going to work out the many challenges that still arise on a regular basis and I rejoice in the major work He has already accomplished!

Now for some highlights since my last post:
* Last weekend all 4 littles spent an overnight at Mimi and Pop-Pop's (my parents) so that my hubby and I and our 2 eldest could serve at our state homeschool convention. I only signed up to serve on Friday so that I could be free to leave should Mimi need me to come get them for some reason. I am happy to report, I was able to stay the entire time and aside from small manageable squalls, Mimi reported that things went quite well. This was Mercy and Odesco's first trip ever to Mimi and Pop-Pop's...they did many special things...went 'swimming' in storage bins ( see picture below), ate Mickey Mouse pancakes and 'shausa' (sausage) for breakfast, went out to lunch one day and dinner the next...all very special treats. Our kiddos are so blessed to have 2 sets of godly grandparents... I am taking notes and want to be just like them!!
The 4 littles 'swim in boxes'...they were so excited to tell me this when I called to check in on them while we were away at the homeschool convention. Funny thing is, knowing the resourcefulness of my mom, I could picture exactly what they meant without an explanation from Mimi.

* Last nite' I was reading a bedtime story to the 4 little ones...at the end of the chapter one of the questions was ," How has God shown His love to you?" I started with Mercy and was so blessed by her response...especially in light of our conversation after her meltdown a few weeks ago. She said , "God showed His love to me by bringing me to America and giving me a new family." Odesco is not one to express original thoughts yet with open ended questions and following Mercy's lead, he said something quite similar. My heart was so encouraged...small steps, small steps!!!
* Yesterday Odesco taught L how to 'pump' his own swing...a skill he mastered just last week. So now our 2 little guys can swing themselves and boy, are they proud!
* This morning, Mercy patiently waited as I prepared breakfast for the crew and gave the toasted bagels to all her siblings before taking one herself...
*On Wednesday, we had a 'nurses visit' at our pediatricians office for Mercy and Odesco to receive their next round of shots (or "jukes" as they refer to them). They were not happy to hear about this doctor visit but we prayed and I reviewed with them what behaviors were acceptable.(ie: they can say "Ouch" but no screaming /out of control behavior) Mimi and Pop-Pop came for a last minute visit which was a nice diversion throughout the day.There were several meltdowns that day and I suspected much of it was due to the anticipation of the 4 pm appointment so it gave further opportunity to talk about their fears and that God would be with them and help them. We talked also of the purpose of the 'jukes' and that we could be grateful that here we have medicine to prevent them from getting sicknesses that children in Liberian and other places die from. Due to the behaviors displayed during the day, I was a bit apprehensive heading into this appointment but I am happy to report that they were champs during the shots and rose to the occasion...we were soooo proud of their self control! They were both extemely fearful ( I don't blame them) but with coaching from Daddy to look the other way, it was over before they knew what happened. Odesco had 4 and Mercy had 2....when it was all over, they even thanked the nurse and emerged from the room with smiles on their faces anticipating the 4 stickers they would soon choose. On the way home, Mercy commented that Jesus helped her not to be afraid. Wow, what a difference 6 months and the grace of God makes!! (remember our visit on 12/5/06???)

Thank you for checking in, praying for us, and rejoicing with us~
To God be the glory-GREAT things He has done!!!
Love,Mama B.

Simple pleasures...

Our first time in a swimming pool!! These 2 loved it!!!

All set to go!! Even a pink bathing cap :)

Warming up after our refreshing swim...note all the boys' matching swim shirts...we looked high and low to find matching shirts last summer thinking Mercy and Odesco would be home any day. Thankfully they still fit :)

What handsome fellows...finally able to wear the shirts we received at the shower given last May anticipating Odesco's homecoming ~

Carrying bananas Liberian style!!

Our "twin girlies" wearing matching dresses (given at the shower )that hung in the closet for close to a year awaiting Mercy's arrival and then the warm weather!!

Our "twin boys"!

Taking a refreshing 'bath' in the hose on a hot & humid day...

Riding the tricycle with shoes on the wrong feet...and 'ungreased' legs and arms~

Riding the bicycle with training wheels and a helmet that fits over beads :) (And it's purple!!!)

He who promised is faithful...

These 2 do everything with such zest !! Our neighbor went away and asked if we would water his plants... Mercy and Odesco were very excited to oblige!! Moments after taking this picture, the watering can became a bit too heavy for their little arms and crashed to the ground springing a leak...they thought this was just hysterical and quickly seized the opportunity to 'take a bath' in the remaining water ...which was quite refreshing on this hot day!
Another milestone!! G lost her very first tooth...Odesco helped the process along~ last week he was pulling G in a wagon and before she sat down, he inadvertantly took off sending her to the ground- mouth first...another tooth is soon to follow
Mercy and Felicia K...setting a new fashion statement in their purple specs and colorful clicky/clacky -'paco-yocos' (beads)....
I try to do a devotional with the little ones to start our day off on the right foot...typically there is much fidgeting, running around and it has become a training ground in teaching self control to our 2 newest family members(and Mommy, too!!) Yesterday, when we got ready to pray, there was lots of scrambling and I expected at least 2 kiddos to be running off when they all surprised me to do this!! Of course, my camera is never far from me so I was able to catch this kodak moment :)
The many faces of our little man L...he was feeling pretty grown up as he 'skateboarded' with his older friend Isaac who was visiting for the evening~
L in his Karate stance....wish you could hear the spirited "HI-YA" yelled as he strikes this pose.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

At church on Sunday, this verse was read and I was reminded of how the Lord used this to keep me anchored during the ups and downs of waiting for Mercy and Odesco to come home. It was a timely reminder for me to anchor my hope in Him alone as circumstances can sometimes cause my hope to waver...yet when my hope is stayed on Him, I am where He wants me to be. Last week was probably one of the most challenging since those first days of transition. I was reminded afresh that our family is not on this journey alone....last Wednesday, in a very public setting, our dear Mercy had a major meltdown. The storm clouds were brewing all week with many squalls each day but this was the biggie!! By God's grace, because this occurred at a public park and in the midst of our annual homeschool planning meeting, I was surrounded by people who love me and our precious daughter. Immediately, the agenda of the meeting changed gears so that prayers were lifted up on our behalf , others went into action helping me gather my belongings so I could remove Mercy from the situation and get her home-QUICKLY!! ....other friends coordinated rides home for the remaining 5 children and helped me remove their carseats from the van...it is amazing to consider how the Lord provided for our every need in the midst of a very challenging time. He is a God of the details!! By God's grace, Odesco, L and G transitioned well to the shift in plans and had a wonderful time at my gracious friend's home all afternoon...the big boys went home with another family, so for the other 5 kiddos this was a wonderful day....they were even fed dinner before being returned home. What a huge blessing to have so much uninteruppted time with Mercy alone...I prayed in the car on the way home after this major incident as I was desperate for God's wisdom to direct our afternoon. I was physically and emotionally spent...selfishly, I wanted to go off by myself and get recharged.Truthfully, I also admit I wanted to withdraw from the issues at hand...I honestly did not want to spend the afternoon alone with my emotionally charged daughter (a sad but honest confession). My heart was not thinking in terms of 'restoration' but God is a God who restores and redeems. He had other plans....I sensed that I was to spend 1:1 time with Mercy bathing her, reading to her and doing her hair. I kept thinking of the verse, 'It's your kindness that leads to repentance'... As she soaked in the tub, I read her a few books and we talked about what was going on in her heart. Basically , Mercy admitted that she wants to be back in Liberia...specifically at Acres of Hope. I am so grateful that Mercy's memories of her time at AOH are so positive and that she holds the nannies and 'aunties' there in such high regard. But, this does pose a dilemma in her little confused heart. I spoke about several of her special caregivers by name (since she mentions them often) and assured her that each one of these people would want her right here with us...that AOH was a 'stopping place' on her way to her forever family. I also reminded her that most of her AOH friends were no longer in Liberia but now with their new families. One of the books I was reading to her spoke of 'blooming where you are planted' and God kindly dropped a picture into my mind to share with Mercy. I told her that God in His wisdom and kindness chose to dig up Mercy's roots in Liberia and to transplant her here with us. I told her that we( and her siblings, extended family, and the many others who regularly show love and acceptance to her) are like the water... used by God to nurture, instruct, love, protect and train her in the ways of the Lord. Then I reminded Mercy of our thirsty pansies when we have not watered them well...they wilt and look as if they will die but perk back up as soon as the roots are able to soak up the water. We spoke of her heart being like those roots and that in order for her to soak up the water of the soil she is now planted in, she will need to start believing that God knows best and has lovingly placed her here in our family. We talked about the anger and sadness she is feeling and that these emotions need to be expressed through talking...not through out of control behavior. I spent close to 3 hours twisiting and beading her hair so there was plenty of time for talking. She grew angry again later when she learned that one of the consequences for her unwise choices was to go to bed before one of our beloved babysitters arrived so that my hubby and I could go to caregroup. We considered cancelling our evening plans but decided that this consequence would be appropriate and we (me especially) needed to be there! So, after dinner and prayers, it was bedtime for our little girl. She was not a happy camper and she knew she was not to get out of bed for any reason other than using the 'commode', as she calls it ... we expected a phone call at caregroup informing us that storm clouds were brewing once again but thankfully, Miss Mercy obeyed and eventually fell asleep. This was a major victory!

The next morning I was bracing myself for another challenging day filled with 'aftershocks' and much to my delight, I was greeted by an affectionate, much more peaceful little girl.
After our morning routine, Mercy and I drew out the story(picture primitive stick figures...but, she got it!) described above and put it in page protectors for her to look at often. I only did this because on Tuesday of the same week I was speaking with another adoptive mom who suggested 'storyboarding' as a means to help Mercy work out some of the issues she has been facing. Again, God's timing is perfect...this never would have even been a thought had that conversation not taken place. Since then, this idea of 'blooming where God plants you" has come up many times. Today in "Leading Little Ones to God", the lesson was about Joseph and how God always works things for our good (and ultimately, His glory!)... and we spoke again about how this relates to her life.In the past week, we have also transplanted azaleas and repotted pansies...another great living picture of God transplanting her here.
In His timely kindness, the Lord has reminded me of numerous promises I believe He spoke to my heart while we were in the waiting stages last fall. Also, I finally found a journal I was searching for from May 2005..before we even began the official adoption process but knew God was directing us to Liberia. At that time I wrote down a few of the promises I believe He had in store for our 'to be adopted' children. Reading this again infused my heart with faith -it was no coincidence that I finally found this journal at this time...this is by no means an easy road and yet His grace is paving the way.... truly He is about transforming broken hearts and reflecting His image in the lives of His children. As my friend Kim reminded me...the very fact that so many were there to witness "that day" will make the days when God's glory is shining through Mercy , that much more glorious. It is a tricky time for us...knowing that there is definate grieving and anger resulting from all Mercy and Odesco have lived through and yet there need to be boundaries regarding approriate expressions of these mixed emotions . June 2nd will mark the kids' 6th month anniversary since their homecoming...it truly is no surprise that there are still huge issues to work through and yet, there are so many evidences of His amazing grace in their lives already.
Odesco is doing well... he also has bouts of anger here and there but nothing like we experienced his first days home. Often throughout the day, he runs up behind me to give me a spontaneous squeeze...he is a snuggle boy and I love it! He also does the 'Boo-Boo' (aka: Monkey) trick where he wraps his arms around my neck and totally supports his weight without any help from me...comes in handy when my hands are full!! He , L and C had 'buddy' time this morning for over an hour...it does my mommy heart such good to see their brother bonds continuing to blossom!!
Homeschool is winding down although we still try to do some work every day...now I am in planning mode for next fall...I'll be teaching 2 kindergarteners, 1 2nd grader, 1 5th grader, 1 7th grader and a preschooler ...thankfully, the big boys are almost independent with most of their work so I can focus a bit more on the little ones as they learn the 3 R's :)!! The kids are all looking forward to pool days (ought to be interesting-I have never seen Mercy and Odesco around water except in the bathtub!!) and fun visiting Mimi and Pop- Pop at their trailer in Indiana.I am looking forward to the change in routine that the summer brings and trust that the Lord will give me everything I need to begin schooling 2 more kiddos in the fall...I'm grateful to have all summer to work out the details :)!!
Thanks for stopping by,
Remembering again, that He who promised is faithful,
Mama B.