Summer Notice

Does anyone else keep singing the fun song that Olaf (the adorable snowman) sang in Frozen about summer?  [click here to refresh your memory on the song] We were all so sure winter would never end and we dreamed of the hot days, basking in the summer sun. We were frozen for so many months that even people born and raised in Chicago began to question what in the world was happening!

So, here it is. Summer has arrived. What will you be doing? I hope that you will take the time to find the simple joys that you once did as a child during these summer months. Lying in the grass deciphering what shapes were being made in the fluffy white clouds. Pretending that your bicycle was a horse that led you on wild, off road adventures. Imagining racing down a moutain-side on a small wooden go-cart. Eating freezy pops until your tongue turned blue or red or orange. Whatever stirs in your heart, reach out to it this summer and find those uncomplicated (often unplanned), simple pleasures. A smell. A taste. A trip down memory lane.

Happy summer!

Please note: In case you haven’t noticed, I will be taking some time off from my blog this summer. I am working for an intense 5 weeks for a summer school program starting Monday, June 23. Any time I have when I am not at work (before and during the program), I want to spend with my kids and husband. I will check back in again with you when the summer is over. Blessings to all of you!

I Am an Expectant Mother

Having been pregnant six times, I am more than fully aware of the true gift these generous businesses and offices offer as they label their best parking spots for the “expectant” mothers. Nonetheless, the term does not end with the physical birth of a child, it is really only the beginning.

I am an expectant mother.

I expect my children to eat their vegetables and do chores around the house. I expect my children to do as they are told and go to bed at a certain time. I expect they will use the sidewalks and be polite to adults. And on and on. Let’s face it though, those are the basics. Digger deeper, I expect my children to work hard and offer their best at whatever they do. I expect my children will someday realize how to serve others and find ways to contribute to society in a positive way. I expect my children may fail from time to time but come out of those experiences stronger and changed for the better.

However, in all of the things I expect out of life for my children, there are expectations that I put most of my trust in. I expect God to walk with them every step of the way. He is the One who created them and knew them before they were ever placed in my arms. I expect that He will help them discover all of the amazing details He put in them as He fastened them together in the womb. I expect He will teach them to hear His voice, follow His lead and feel His love. I expect my children will dream up things they want to do with their lives; as they go after those dreams, I expect they will discover the God who placed those passions and desires in their hearts. I expect God has even greater understanding, greater plans and a greater love for my children than even I could imagine. My expectant mother's heart is so grateful.

I am an expectant mother.  

May Your unfailing love be with us, Lord, 

as we put our hope in You.

Psalm 33:22

Visiting a Childhood Memory: Grandpa's Go-Cart

“Faster Grandpa… Faster!” we squealed with delight loud enough to be heard for blocks. Grandpa pushed the simple wooden go-cart from behind with an orange broomstick while carefully chasing along with us. He gave it one final shove with all that he had and then hopped on the platform in the back, meticulously tucking the broom to the side of the car, carefully held in place with his left hand. The wind gently misplaced our hair in different directions as we cruised down the residential racetrack. The route was a straight shot but dangerous in feat due to the high speeds in which we traveled. The sounds of the wheels crossing over the cracks in the sidewalk clicked faster and faster as the go-cart made its final descent towards the bottom of the mountain. Finally, the imaginary black and white checkered flag waved the finish line at the empty field where the sidewalk came to an end.

When the ride had come to an inevitable halt, we remained on the go cart while my Grandpa stood up, turned us around and pushed us along in the child size vehicle back up the hill with the end of his broom stick. This was his endless acts of service to us as the passengers. He hauled us upward using the full force of his body, as we so effortlessly sat and steered the wooden box back to the starting line. The plastic red steering wheel had a mind of its own and could move us side to side at will but Grandpa’s strong hand behind the broom made sure we safely arrived at the desired destination.

And so it would begin again and again as we, the “race-team”, entered in to the fast paced world on the go-cart, hour after hour with my Grandfather. There were other places we could venture off to but no; the hill on Gareth Lane was the prized route. It was familiar with sights and sounds that would lure us in to a childhood trance of peace and security that could only be felt with Grandpa, and his broom, as the engine that powered the mighty white go-cart.

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Recently (many years after the death of my beloved Grandpa) I went back to Gareth Lane to view this favorite childhood place. When I pulled up to the silent, white brick house it did not offer the familiar “welcome” I had known for so many years. I got out of my car and walked to the edge of the driveway to get a closer view of the racetrack again. The path that had supplied so many hours of fun no longer sloped with intensity; the angle was almost undetectable. There was no mountain as I had imagined as a child. Could this be the same place? 

Instinctively, I took off running down the hill anyways. Tears streaming down my face and arms stretched out, I reached towards the sky. I longed to feel the same love and sense of peace as I did when I was with my Grandpa. As I glided over the cracks in the sidewalk I could almost hear an echo from the past beating from inside my chest. He made me feel safe. He made me feel like I was worth his time. More than anything, he made me feel loved! I am forever grateful for the time I had with my Grandpa; he is still dearly missed.

Celebrating One Year of Letters

I have been writing letters since the fourth grade when my close friend, Kristi Brown, moved away to Florida. We wrote about silly things like movies we saw and new flavors of gum we were trying. Nothing big but at the time it was the only way to stay connected; there was no internet, Face book or even texting. So, hand written letters were flown across the miles for years back and forth. . I can’t say that those letters left any kind of lasting impression on my friend but it was the start of a lifetime of letters for me; I would never be the same.

Letters have filled my life in other forms since then.

*Letters to and from my friend during his four years at West Point

*Letters to & from West Africa & France during specific times in my life when I was living far from home

*Letters to missionaries when I could not be the one to “go”

*And on and on…

It only seemed natural then that I felt God leading me to start a one year letter writing project. I LOVE hand-written letters! It was a discipline of sorts to help me develop my ability to write. I started this blog and kept a list of everyone I wrote to… hoping that I would actually be able to fill up all 365 spaces. I would like to say that “I” did it. But it was truly a project impressed upon me during a time of seeking and prayer to find direction. God directed my path and gave me a great sense of His closeness as I would sit down each day to write.

“Lord, who needs a letter today?” I would ask in prayer and a name would come to mind. As I would pre-write the letter in my head, the Lord gave me His eyes to see things in each person that is beautiful, valuable, and unique!  What a joy to be the “hands and feet” of a God who loves each one of us. My constant prayer and goal was that these letters would be a reflection of the God and creator of each person receiving the letters. And if somehow my words failed in that attempt, I knew with great confidence that at least the included scripture verse would leave a lasting impression.

Today, June 1^st, 2014 we leave a stone of remembrance of the completed one year letter project. I have an event on Face book (click to join) to post different things that have occurred throughout the year. I hope people take the time to leave a message about what God has done for them through the letter they received OR the letter they sent out with the stamp I included. I am truly overwhelmed by God’s grace to include me in such an amazing project. I have been blessed beyond measure to be a small part in something that points people closer to their Heavenly Father and King!    

"Gotcha Day": Dreaming of a Future

Today is "Gotcha Day"! Four years ago our family received Birdy and Elias, forever. We are grateful for all that God has done. And we know because of God, they have a beautiful future... our prayer is they would KNOW it too!

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“Mommy, house much would it be for me to buy the old house?”

He was referring to the two-flat we used to live in and now use as a rental property. I am not too sure where he is going with the line of questioning.

“No never mind. I want to buy a house by the beach when I grow up.”

I am relieved I don’t have to decide on an exact selling price or explain how much money that would actually be to him. I didn’t even get to the concept of real estate taxes and home owners insurance; I am sure they didn’t cover that this year in kindergarten.  

“I am going to buy a boat too.”

I want to discuss the huge responsibility a boat would be. The cost of maintenance and up-keep alone would be like another mortgage payment. Not to mention the huge safety risks that go along with being the owner of a boat. He would need to make sure to have enough life jackets for everyone that gets on the boat. And who knows how much the extra supplies, like skis, is going to tally up to. 

STOP. 

Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember reading from some expert, when your kids dream about their future don’t add logic or the realities of life to it. Just let them dream… and ask more questions.

“So, what will you name your boat? You know a boat has to have a name.” I ask.

“Oh. You know what else? I will have two jet skis. One will be pink and purple for you mommy, when you come to visit. The other one will be blue for daddy to drive around.”

He is dreaming about his future, about a house on the beach and lots of fun things to supply his guests… namely me. He wants me to come visit. He wants me to have fun. And he wants the very best for me when I am with him.

I think what he is trying to say is, “Mommy, I love you.”

Keep dreaming things up, my son. I am so glad to be your mommy... I love you too!

Image source: Google Images: http://drprem.com/life/loose-yourself-in-your-dream-and-let-dreams-inspire-you-for-new-you/

I Love Rain!

I love rain.

I love rainy days.

I love thunderstorms & the sound of rain pouring down outside.

Last night we had a beautiful thunderstorm. The weather station even had it rated as pink and purple  on the radar scale (vs. the varying shades of green we see with the typical light rain)… and it was such a welcomed treat. Thunder. Lightening. Even hail. A baseball game had to end early and forced all of us back home, together. As we sat in my dining room as a family watching the hail collect on one of the lawn chairs outside, I was curious what it is about rain that I love so much.

I am an active person. I started exercising about 10 years ago and have enjoyed challenging myself through various races and athletic events. I have 5 children who love playing sports; we spend a lot of our days zipping around from one sporting event to another. I have a husband who is a coach. Add his sports to the calendar and we have quite a hefty load.  So, why would I like rainy days when we are such an active family living life on the go, go, go?

It’s simple: rain forces us to slow down. As much as I enjoy getting things done, I have this deep, secret love for just lying around and doing nothing. Just sitting. Snuggling. Being. The rain is an exempt card from the rat race color coded on my refrigerator calendar. Rain gives automatic permission to skip the zipping around and to just rest. The dark skies and lulling of the rain pitter pattering on the rooftops beckons us to enjoy people, not events.  Rain is less demanding than the dictating sun that presumes a “to do” list in our minds. Rain offers time to just be together instead of do together and it is lovely.

Thank You, Lord, for rain.

Thank You, Lord, for rainy days.

Thank You, Lord, for thunderstorms & the sound of rain pouring down outside

 as we spend time together as a family! 

Image source: Google Images: http://www.banderabulletin.com/news/article_c49dc27c-9bb2-11e1-b79c-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=image&photo=0

Need Help? I Dare You to Ask For It

It was another rough morning as an adoptive mom. Literally upon the door closing behind my youngest 3 children walking out the door to go to school, I burst in to tears. Desperate for a message of hope, I sat at the computer and pulled up Bible Gateway (they have awesome devotionals!).  I clicked on and read the  “Women’s Devotional” which ended with “...Whatever your task today, dare to ask the wild, holy, Sovereign God of Ezekiel to reveal his majesty to encourage and strengthen you.”

OK. Exactly what I needed to do and who I need to find my strength from. I turned on some worship music. Crying. Pity party. Blah blah. “God help me to know I am not alone in this.”

Enough! Disgusted with the mess I was becoming, I got up and went to clean myself up: brushing my hair, washing my face and pulling it together. I came back to the computer to find a Facebook message from an uncle I don’t see or hear from very often. He shared a link for an Ethiopian Adopted Family Camp… and he mentioned he was proud of what we were doing.

Message received, loud and clear (and mind blowing!).

I am not alone; neither are you. God does provide strength and encouragement just when we need it. God does strengthen  us when we ask. Period.

Don’t believe me? Have the courage to ask God for whatever it is you need TODAY. 

Be specific, really specific. Don’t hesitate or do it half hearted. Be honest & lay it all out there. Then, prepare to be amazed at how the wild, holy & Sovereign God WILL answer your cry.

I dare you!

Image Source: Google Images https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13561164-dare-you-to