time's up.

This call to action for the orphans versus MOWA/government has brought me out of hiding. I believe that God is in control. I know HE is so I will do all I can and than watch His hand in action. He knows what day and hour we live in. He knows...and yet my heart is heavy for you families. The families that are waiting or beginning or feeling a tug toward adopting from Ethiopia, what does this mean for you? At the risk of sounding over-simplified and insensitive all I can say is "He knows". How much faith do I have in my God? It always seems like the size of a mustard seed during trials like these. Let's be here for one another. I'm here for you, to pray with pray with you for whatever you need to talk of. My ET girls are power packed prayer warriors so don't underestimate them!! :)

Since my hiding we have been busy...as if! Like you didn't know I was going to say that.
We have been to the apple orchard and the animal hospital for field trips. We have gathered together for Columbus Day and Valentines as a home school group.


We have taken family trips to Indiana, Chicago and I went to Canada for a week..alone!

My sister is getting married and all but my oldest have a special role.
We have had some time with my brother.
Two of our kiddos are learning a musical instrument.
We got a new puppy for Christmas and are considering chickens for the Spring.
The world is changing and we are trying to stay focused on what God is saying on how to prepare for it. I find myself wanting to learn how to live off of our land and would love to have a garden this year..FINALLY!

All of us have been very healthy and blessed. There isn't one thing we need for He has supplied it all. Glory to God.

A CALL TO ACT

A Call To Action For Ethiopian Adoptions!
If you are involved in the adoption community at all then you have probably heard by now that on March 10th, the MOWA plans to cut Ethiopian adoptions by 90%. YOUR VOICE COUNTS!
READ THE INFO BELOW AND SIGN THE PETITION! Let us do our part to SPEAK UP for those who cannot speak for themselves. My prayer is that MOWA will find answers to the problems they face concerning adoptions quickly. I pray that they will take the necessary measures to ensure the children's safety and then quickly move their program back into place for the thousands of Ethiopian children who desperately need a family to call their own. Please sign the petition if you have not done so already. Read the info below. Most importantly if you are an adoptive family stuck in the middle of this process, don't lose heart. God is in control! Keep praying and keep your faith high. God is much bigger than MOWA :)







Date March 8, 2011
Regarding Ethiopia


Dear Colleagues,

As you know, Joint Council recently released a Statement regarding the announcement by the Ethiopian Ministry of Women’s, Children’s and Youth Affairs plan to reduce intercountry adoption by 90%. The Statement can be found on our blog by clicking here. As part of our continued advocacy, Joint Council has launched an Emergency Campaign for Ethiopian Children. The details of the Campaign can be found below. Please share this information with your friends, family, colleagues, and adoptive families. The Call to Action can also be found on our blog.

We hope you will join us in advocating for the continuation of intercountry adoption in Ethiopia.

Best Wishes,

Rebecca



March 8, 2011

Joint Council: Emergency Campaign for Ethiopian Children

What You Can Do:

1) Sign the petition to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi – and pass it on!
2) Have you adopted from Ethiopia? Please send us up to 3 photos and 50 words or less with what you would like the Ministry to know about your child – we’ll compile the information and send a book to the Ministry of Woman’s Affairs. Send your photos and stories toadvocate@jointcouncil.org by Sunday, March 12, 2011 to be included. Please note that sending photos and stories gives Joint Council unrestricted right to use the information you provide.
3) Share…Please send this Call to Action to family members, other adoptive parents, and everyone you know! Post, forward and share your adoption stories via Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. Make sure you include us in your posts so we can all hear your stories! Here’s links to our pages: Facebook, Twitter and our blog.
4) Stay informed: Get up-to-date information regarding the situation in Ethiopia by signing up to receive information from us: click here to do so, make sure you choose “country and issues specific information” and “Ethiopia.” And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter andour blog!

Schools Back From Summer!

Yes, a little play on an old song but sometimes life can always refer to a song. Today, just so happens to be one of those days. Lucky you!

I wish that I didn't wait so long to blog about our first few days but I cannot find my camera cord to download my photos and there's something about a post with no photos that makes this less interesting. Not for me but for you, in my opinion, so I have some shots with my phone that I hope works good enough.

I have to share one of our last great days of our summer. My beautiful sister came to stay the weekend with us and I LOVED it. Why can't she be here more so I can love her in person? Oh well Lord, you are in control. I don't get to tell you what to do with her life. She said we should go for a greasy burger run and then hit the lake for the day. Boy am I glad we did.
It was just like old times riding in the sun with the wind and bumps of the waves. Just as great as ever before and to get to be with my kids enjoying made it even better. I can't imagine what grand kids will be like. She and I decided we wouldn't swim so we didn't, I repeat did NOT, wear our suits. Well, once we slowed down in the cove, the next thing I knew we were all in the water, fully dressed and all. I about drowned myself in my long knit dress, yes, it was ridiculous! haha but a great memory!

Labor Day weekend was our last hurrah for the summer of no bedtimes and no schedules for the most part. We stayed around here, but the itch was to travel and stay somewhere away. We refrained and I'm glad we did. We went shopping and found the kids some new desks and chairs, which in turn, had me working for hours getting the classroom ready. I loved every minute. I was nervous. Wait, these are my kids why am I nervous? Maybe because I have 4 grades to teach this year? Or the expectation of kids who have been to a "real" school? What if it's not what they expected? I want them to learn and love it! Prayers were going up this Labor Day weekend. I wouldn't let the kids in the class until Tuesday morning when we began for I didn't want to take away any of their excitement. I kept them out while I worked and worked and then Tuesday morning came. I made homemade pancakes and everyone has been dressed and ready in no time for school all week. We walked into the class together.
They were so excited to see everything. We said a prayer, our pledges and took first day photos. We also measured on the wall every one's height and marked it on the wall. The drywall guy didn't come in time to get the room done before school so they aren't mudded or taped. That has made it fun because we can just write on the walls when we want to.

All in all, I can't believe how much God has blessed us in homeschooling. We have talked about the kids growing closer and playing so well. They are respectful to all of us and are excited to learn. Even lil miss Jerusa, who I thought would be a tornado, she is craving to learn. Jersey is amped up and will be working ahead as much as possible. Jhet and Jhager are great readers and writer and Jackson is very good at teaching himself. All this and it's only the first week! God, keep it up!

Today, we had a older man from our church come teach us how to make homemade bread from scratch. He even grinds his own wheat flour which I find incredible.
This was a great hands-on for us and we all loved it! My friend, the mans daughter brought her kids after school to join us.
It took 3 hours plus but the house smelled so great and the snack at the end was awesome. I hope we can make this in our house on a regular basis.


It's now the weekend and Jersey has her second soccer game tomorrow. I hope you all have a great weekend too. Looking forward to week two of home school ending with a meeting with our wonderful new home school friends on Friday!!!

One more thing, I snapped this while riding in the car. Don't the twins look SOOO much alike?!

Science, Penmanship, Soccer and Homeschool Meet and Greet...

What do all these have in common? These are all firsts we experienced this past week. I told you how my kids keep inching toward more school. The girls are amped up and the boys are OK with it so I keep opening a new subject. The plan is to start the day after Labor Day but I want to keep their minds reeling in. Maybe it's me waiting for the Labor Day ritual..maybe I should just start in? Thinking about that.

On Tuesday we got a picnic lunch packed and our Tom Sawyer book and headed for the shade tree..

We enjoyed meat sticks, chips, carrots and dip and banana's. The loved it and ate it all up.

They didn't know I did this too but I packed their Science books in a backpack with little magnifying glasses, tweezers and all those fun scientific things. The girls were done eating first so I gave them their books and they found a spot to read. Of course I had to read to Jerusa about how God made her eyes to see, her nose to smell etc. Jersey read hers but she is def. a beginning reader. Then the twins read to me about the nervous system and it's 3 parts. Jackson read his intro chapter about who made everything that has to do with Science.

On Wednesday, I got out every one's Penmanship books, not just the girls. They have been cracking theirs as I already said so I didn't want to leave the boys out. The twins have great handwriting. When Jackson saw his first page he said, "This is all I have to do". That made me happy as he dreads this subject.


Then came Thursday! And the clouds parted and God said, "It is good". This was our Home school Meet and Greet that God so graciously put together here at our home. I don't know how it came together other than by a Mighty Hand. The word got out within a 30 mile radius and hungry hearts came to meet. Boy did we need it and love it. God knows just what we need. There were 8 moms, many of whom I have never met and 27 kids, who had never met and we all got along like long lost friends. We hope and look forward to doing that again soon.




Saturday brought Jersey's first soccer game. She did great(like you couldn't have guessed) My mom, sister and grandma stayed the night with us the night before which was WONDERFUL:) Did I tell you how much I love my family? My sister is my soul sister and my mom and grandma are full of wisdom, but anti-aging! ha ha
Jersey didn't make a goal but had some really great plays. She's VERY athletic. She can run and kick and pass like a pro.

Tom Sawyer and Fresh Apples

Today was a great day. It was one of those days where there was a peaceful atmosphere all around us. We slept until we were done sleeping, got up and ate if we wanted or just hung out until we grew bored with that. We have been starting our days out with devotion for the past few weeks, or since vacation actually, and we ALL are learning so much.
Today was about I Samuel 13:13: "You made a wrong decision" said Samuel. From there we got to talking about Kings and Solomon always comes up. My boys especially think his kingdom is intoxicating..so we got out my Bible book I bought at Dollar General. It's amazing with great facts and modern day relevant issues. Who would have guessed such a great find for 4 bucks.
From there I mowed the yard while the kids piddled inside and out. Then I came in and made good ol' PB&J's. I tell you there was a day when none of us would have eaten that,but not now. Being on a budget and finding ways to feed my crew is challenging at times but doable. Jehovah Jirah, my provider.
Summer is coming to an end and homeschool is about to begin. I can't keep the girls out of their books they are so excited so why keep 'em out? We have started cursive with Jersey and print with Jerusa. They write until their hands hurt, per their choice. They love it and the soreness is the only way I can get them to stop. The boys are a different story. We have always started after Labor Day but I don't know if we are going to be able to stretch it out that long... we shall see.
This afternoon, we grabbed our antiquated Tom Sawyer book I picked up at the used book store for 5 bucks. We have been eating up each chapter, usually one a day. We read it under that apple tree, which by the way is heavy laden with nice, red fruit. We picked and ate for a snack one of natures treats.


So as "school" is about to begin and summer is coming to an end, life never does.

"It's a Sad Day When You Can Slip on Your Sons Shoes!"

I stepped outside and slipped on my eldests shoes. They almost fit. A guy is here making a path of sidewalks in front of our house. I said, "It's a sad day when you can slip on your sons shoes".


"Yeah, I guess so."

"Oh, you don't have children?" (what is the polite way to ask that question?)

"Well..my wife and I have been trying for 3 years. She is now 14 weeks from giving birth to our baby boy." Wow, I said, congratulations.

You see they had been trying and could never figure out why they hadn't gotten pregnant yet. But God's timing is so impeccable. And looking at it in hindsight it is always more beautiful as opposed to being in it and being frustrated.

Last year they went to Kenya(if she were pregnant then she would not have been able to go) to help at an orphanage that a lady 15 miles from our house started. I have never heard of it until today - God's timing. Jump for Joel is the name of the organization. Four years ago this lady who is around my age, needed 2,000 dollars to go to Kenya on a missions trip. She didn't have the money so she prayed. Lo and behold, her college, the U of I, sent her a 2,000 dollar check stating that she had over payed that year on her tuition - God's timing.

From that she has started an orphanage in Kenya that has over 90 children. I know what your thinking if you're mind is like mine, let's go adopt them. But did you know that Kenya has strict laws stating that you have to live in Kenya for 2 years before you can adopt and the children have to have proper paperwork to be adopted. Many of them don't have any parents let alone proper paperwork. Joel and his sister Faith are two children that are HIV+ and the founder fell in love with them thus the name Jump for Joel...and as I'm typing I just now get the play on words about Jump for Joy..OK, anyway :)

This man cutting a path in my front yard has taken me down a path today..and you as well..God's timing. While him and his wife went on this trip they got to see a VBS of sorts that is organized in Kenya on Saturdays. 120 children gather there to get to have poridge for lunch, play games, hear the Bible and have beans and rice for supper. Two meals like that is a feast to them. Many children eat every other day. Once they got back from the trip, this wife(I don't know her name) of the man working in our yard decided to organize a marathon to raise money for the food for these VBS's. That money was purely donation and they didn't know where the rest was going to come from. She was going to run 26.2?miles and raise money. 63 people came to run and raises $6,363.00. Enough for the rest of this year!! See how awesome our God is!

check out their site: http://www.jumpforjoel.org/

This year is the first year they have young people old enough to go to college and that can happen with us and our donation - God's Timing.

If God had never used my mouth to say "It's a sad day when.." this conversation may have never happened. I may have never heard this man say, "while we were in Kenya we walked the streets at 4 am to see little potato sacks moving and kids crawling out, cold and covered with urine, sniffing glue and drinking alcohol to make it another day." All because of God's timing has Jump for Joel came to be. And all because of God's timing will WE be able to play a part in giving someone else a chance to walk in someone else's shoes. To go down another path.

HOMESCHOOL-To Be or Not To Be?

Oh Friends, I can't tell you what a time we have had on this topic. To give you some background, our oldest attended a private pre-school and public Kindergarten. Our twins, who are two years younger attended public pre-school. I home schooled our oldest for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. I home schooled our twins for K and 1st. Last year our kids attended our churches new private school M.A.P.S.-mid America preparatory school. But this year the still small voice has been speaking. The most beautiful, awesome thing about it all is my husband is in complete unison with me under God to answer this call. I can't tell you just how much this means to me only to sum it up and say that it means everything. To think of hearing these whispers from God to home school in one ear and the grumbling of not homeschooling from my husband in the other would be utter chaos in my spirit. Thank THE LORD I have not been given that challenge. For those marriages that do, I have begun praying for them because that thought has become real to me through this chapter we have been writing.
What challenge do I have then? What is the point of the question in the title of this blog entry then? Ahh..well..
We have come against strong opposition to our agreement in this call to home school our now five children. I hesitate to being so transparent because I never want to hurt those I love. But I know, as you will see as you read on further, that blogs can be healing, therapeutic, just what THE DOCTOR ordered. So I will be real with you. Otherwise, I am keeping my mouth shut and not being a vessel of a very present help in time of need.
Opposition has come from family. Questions about: How can you home school five children? What if you are sick? Do you have a substitute? They need socializing. They need to get a quality education. These are our children too(we have a tight knit family). You live 5 minutes from a five star school, how can you offer anything better than what they can? Other things have been spoken to us that I refuse to repeat only because I don't believe they have merit of repeating and were only spoken out of pure emotion and not Christ-centered wisdom. (if you can't tell I am all for communication but I am not for bullying or speaking to hurt someone in order for them to cave to see your point of view as truth)
The answers: I don't have them all. I know that homeschooling is awesome. I have done it and I have seen it work in my children. They were VERY well behaved amongst the others in the school last year. Their character was high and they were very much on track with the others in their class. BUT ABOVE all else, WE have heard God and have chosen to follow Him to home school. That to me means more than any opposition or persecution we are facing. Of course I want wisdom from my elders and I want their blessing. BUT AS LONG AS ME AND MY FAMILY ARE DOING WHAT GOD ASKS OF US, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
To top it off I "ironically" read this on

http://www.babeofmyheart.com/a-new-beginning/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BabeOfMyHeart+%28Babe+of+My+Heart%29

:
"My encouragement for YOU is be obedient in the Lord as He lays things specifically on your heart. Do not worry about what the world says or thinks. Decide this day who you want to please and live for. Will it be the world? Will it be your family? Will it be your friends? Or-will it be the Lord? Remember when you follow Him many will think you're crazy (most will!)..many will disagree(even those you love!!)..and you will have a million reasons not to follow..while the Lord offers only just ONE: Because it will bring Him glory. What is the Lord calling you to do today? Are you unsure of what to do? Ask yourself this question: Will it bring Him glory if I follow? HIS PLAN FOR MY LIFE IS GREATER THAN ANY PLAN I CAN CREATE. Fight the good fight..um the WORD says that! FIGHT! EEK! That means it won't be easy. But He will be my strength through it.
I have seen God's hand at work already because of our obedience. I'm excited to see what is to come and to be able to be used by Him for Him every day.

Love you all. Thanks for giving me some of your precious time today. God Bless.

Amber