This is how...
I just talked to a woman for a long time at Dillon International (a faith based adoption and Orphan Care agency) and she said the best thing to do right now is to go donate on line at their website (www.dillonadopt.com) to get money directly to their directors that survived the quake. They have been in touch and everyone survived, however, they are running out of water and food and gasoline to keep the generators running. She also said they HAVE gotten approval to get some emergency visas for kids that were ready to be adopted... The State Department has approved that on our end...thank God! They are now waiting for a 'safe house' near the embassy to be set up so they can take the kids in to town and get the needed paperwork done so those kids can go home...its just not safe enough right now to travel with the babies! She also gave me this site...www.usfch.org...this is the Orphanage and Hospital they support through donations given on line. She said 100%, let me say again, 100% goes to these Orphans at this Hospital! As far as signing up now to be an adoptive family to a Haitian Orphan...it will be at least a year before kids who were Orphaned from the earthquake will be even considered for adoption...the priority, obviously, with these kids will be to reunite them with family, if any survived! Many people have asked, so I thought I would post this...please go check out these sites! They need so much right now!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
I Dont Want to Raise Successful Children...
I read this article here and I was compelled by it. I was sort of stopped and wanted to go back and read it again. I think I read it 3 times. I think, on the surface, I know this is the 'right' thing but I wanted to check my heart on this topic. My deepest desire is not to shape my kids in to who I think they should become. We all have different measures of success. So, what in the world would that look like for my kids - or yours - or whatever... My deepest desire and prayer is that my 'will' and desires would be bent by Gods and that I would raise up my kids according to who HE created them to be! Not my version of my kids Lord - but YOURS! The examples she uses dont apply to my life, but they caused me to STOP and ask myself HOW I am praying for my kids? How I am dreaming for them? Am I listening to The Lord on their behalf instead of just praying into existence who I think they should become?! I long to go to their Creator for those dreams, and not impose my own. Anyway, I thought my friends in blog world may enjoy this...
I Dont Want To Raise Successful Children
by - Lysa TerKeurst
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
I don't want to raise successful children. That's a shocking thing to read, and a shocking thing for a mother to type. So, let me clarify.
I used to define success according to my child's report card. Good grades and academic achievement would surely equal a good child with great potential in this world. But then several of my children wound up being average students with average grades. Though we carted them off to tutors and spent many a late night at the kitchen table helping them, they remained average. And I remained concerned and frustrated.
One report card day I found myself facedown in the fibers of my carpet crying and wondering, "Where have I gone wrong as a mom?"
I dug into Scriptures. I begged God for wisdom and discernment. I prayed for God's perspective with each of my kids. Finally, one day it dawned on me - what if I simply chose to embrace the natural bent of each of my kids as God's way to protect them and keep them on the path toward His best plans for their lives?
What if my A student needs academic success to prepare her for God's plans while my average to below-average student needs to be steered away from a more academic future? What if my sports star kid needs that athletic excellence for his future assignments by God, but my benchwarmer kid is being protected from getting off course by her lack in this area?
And that's when it finally dawned on me. My job isn't to push success for my kids. My job as a parent is to recognize the unique way God created each child and point them to Jesus at every turn along their journey toward adulthood. Yes, I want my kids to learn and thrive and grow up educated, but it's not a flaw in me or them if they don't have straight A report cards and trophy cases full of sports medals.
Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (NIV).
I am challenged to ponder these words, "… in the way he should go." Are we training our kids that the "way he should go" is to chase worldly achievement or to chase God? Whatever they learn to chase as a child, they will chase as adults. Therefore, we must be challenged to honestly assess the way we are pointing them to go.
My daughter, Hope, is one of my average students. She has also warmed many a bench in the sports she's tried, and can always be found hiding on the back row of the stage during school concerts. Using the world's benchmarks for achievement, Hope wouldn't be seen as a child positioned for success. But God…
This past January, my 15 year old Hope, shocked me when she announced she wanted to go to Ethiopia with some missionary friends of ours and live in the remote African bush for the summer. Yes, she may not have trophies and straight A report cards but she does have a heart of gold. And because she's not entrenched in sports and academic pursuits that could have created obligations for her summer, she was free to go to Africa. Free to chase God in a really big way.
One of the first e-mails she sent me from Ethiopia read, "Mom, I've fallen in love with the AIDS orphanage children. They rushed at me when I held my arms out and I tried with all my might to hold all 30 of them at once. I love it here."
Now, don't get me wrong. I do expect Hope to return to her studies this fall, give 100% effort, and finish her high school career having done her very best. She will most likely then go to college. But she probably won't be delivering the valedictorian address or wearing the honors cords and medals. She'll be the one with a vision of a dying AIDS orphan pressing against her heart ready to chase God's plans to the ends of the earth.
So back to my original statement, I don't want to raise successful children. It's true, I don't. Though Hope's sister coming behind her is an A student and can always be found on the front row of school performances - we don't chase after success for her either. I trust God that she needs those things in her life for the plans He's unfolding in her life. We train with that bent in mind. But, we don't chase it. Just like Hope, we point her in the direction of God at every turn and pray like crazy.
I stand by what I said and I'll say it again, I don't want to raise successful children. Because--- raising God-honoring adults who will set the world on fire for Christ is just so much more rewarding.
Dear Lord, being a mom is a really tough job. Please help me, teach me and show me how to define success for my kids. In Jesus' Name, Amen
I Dont Want To Raise Successful Children
by - Lysa TerKeurst
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
I don't want to raise successful children. That's a shocking thing to read, and a shocking thing for a mother to type. So, let me clarify.
I used to define success according to my child's report card. Good grades and academic achievement would surely equal a good child with great potential in this world. But then several of my children wound up being average students with average grades. Though we carted them off to tutors and spent many a late night at the kitchen table helping them, they remained average. And I remained concerned and frustrated.
One report card day I found myself facedown in the fibers of my carpet crying and wondering, "Where have I gone wrong as a mom?"
I dug into Scriptures. I begged God for wisdom and discernment. I prayed for God's perspective with each of my kids. Finally, one day it dawned on me - what if I simply chose to embrace the natural bent of each of my kids as God's way to protect them and keep them on the path toward His best plans for their lives?
What if my A student needs academic success to prepare her for God's plans while my average to below-average student needs to be steered away from a more academic future? What if my sports star kid needs that athletic excellence for his future assignments by God, but my benchwarmer kid is being protected from getting off course by her lack in this area?
And that's when it finally dawned on me. My job isn't to push success for my kids. My job as a parent is to recognize the unique way God created each child and point them to Jesus at every turn along their journey toward adulthood. Yes, I want my kids to learn and thrive and grow up educated, but it's not a flaw in me or them if they don't have straight A report cards and trophy cases full of sports medals.
Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (NIV).
I am challenged to ponder these words, "… in the way he should go." Are we training our kids that the "way he should go" is to chase worldly achievement or to chase God? Whatever they learn to chase as a child, they will chase as adults. Therefore, we must be challenged to honestly assess the way we are pointing them to go.
My daughter, Hope, is one of my average students. She has also warmed many a bench in the sports she's tried, and can always be found hiding on the back row of the stage during school concerts. Using the world's benchmarks for achievement, Hope wouldn't be seen as a child positioned for success. But God…
This past January, my 15 year old Hope, shocked me when she announced she wanted to go to Ethiopia with some missionary friends of ours and live in the remote African bush for the summer. Yes, she may not have trophies and straight A report cards but she does have a heart of gold. And because she's not entrenched in sports and academic pursuits that could have created obligations for her summer, she was free to go to Africa. Free to chase God in a really big way.
One of the first e-mails she sent me from Ethiopia read, "Mom, I've fallen in love with the AIDS orphanage children. They rushed at me when I held my arms out and I tried with all my might to hold all 30 of them at once. I love it here."
Now, don't get me wrong. I do expect Hope to return to her studies this fall, give 100% effort, and finish her high school career having done her very best. She will most likely then go to college. But she probably won't be delivering the valedictorian address or wearing the honors cords and medals. She'll be the one with a vision of a dying AIDS orphan pressing against her heart ready to chase God's plans to the ends of the earth.
So back to my original statement, I don't want to raise successful children. It's true, I don't. Though Hope's sister coming behind her is an A student and can always be found on the front row of school performances - we don't chase after success for her either. I trust God that she needs those things in her life for the plans He's unfolding in her life. We train with that bent in mind. But, we don't chase it. Just like Hope, we point her in the direction of God at every turn and pray like crazy.
I stand by what I said and I'll say it again, I don't want to raise successful children. Because--- raising God-honoring adults who will set the world on fire for Christ is just so much more rewarding.
Dear Lord, being a mom is a really tough job. Please help me, teach me and show me how to define success for my kids. In Jesus' Name, Amen
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A Sesame Street Sea World Morning with friends!
Jessica and I took our boys (or if you ask Matthew, the boys took their Mommies) on a date! Sea World breakfast with Sesame Street characters!
It was a great morning and afternoon complete with dolphin feeding, climbing all over a huge playground, the aquarium, etc...it was a great time with our boys!
Me and the boys. We walked a lot like this. One because we were trying to keep Ryan Tootle from roaming off with some stranger and two because Matthew wanted to be held a lot so I bribed him to walk by telling him he needed to hold 'Ryan Tootles' hand! Matthew LOVES 'Ryan Tootle' almost as much as he loves saying his name! Always first and last together!
We started off the morning with a buffet breakfast with lots of Sesame friends. Is this Oscar? I was really bad at knowing who any of these people were besides Cookie Monster...although Matty and Ryan loved the pink and orange girls with their 'pretty dresses'.
The best date a girl could have!!
I am not sure who cute orange girl is, but the boys loved her!
We walked over to a HUGE playground that had several rope climbing walls, slides, tubes to crawl through...we often call Matty 'Monkey' because he LOVES to climb anything and everything, so he was a happy boy!
LOVE this photo - so cute they are! Melts my heart. And please note the awesome bed head that my sweet Matty REFUSED to let me fix before we left the house. I told Jess it looks like he has one of the "bump its" in his hair to make it look poofy!
The highlight for the boys at breakfast (besides the Fruit Loops and being with thier Mommies) was Bert and Ernie for sure. Bert and Ernie were so great with them..they stayed at our table and played with them for a while! I do not remember their noses being so HUGE...they were the size of the boys heads I swear...and Bert had this panic look on his face that really made me laugh!
Honk Honk! Matthew honked his Berts nose so hard his head almost came off! HA
Prettiest boys I ever saw!
I have to admit, I liked feeding the dolphins just as much as Matthew did! Minus the slimy dead fish, of course!
Sweet boys enamored with the dolphins!
Jessica and I laughed at this poor shark...he looked like he was missing a top lip...so wierd looking!
It was a great morning and afternoon complete with dolphin feeding, climbing all over a huge playground, the aquarium, etc...it was a great time with our boys!
Me and the boys. We walked a lot like this. One because we were trying to keep Ryan Tootle from roaming off with some stranger and two because Matthew wanted to be held a lot so I bribed him to walk by telling him he needed to hold 'Ryan Tootles' hand! Matthew LOVES 'Ryan Tootle' almost as much as he loves saying his name! Always first and last together!
We started off the morning with a buffet breakfast with lots of Sesame friends. Is this Oscar? I was really bad at knowing who any of these people were besides Cookie Monster...although Matty and Ryan loved the pink and orange girls with their 'pretty dresses'.
The best date a girl could have!!
I am not sure who cute orange girl is, but the boys loved her!
We walked over to a HUGE playground that had several rope climbing walls, slides, tubes to crawl through...we often call Matty 'Monkey' because he LOVES to climb anything and everything, so he was a happy boy!
LOVE this photo - so cute they are! Melts my heart. And please note the awesome bed head that my sweet Matty REFUSED to let me fix before we left the house. I told Jess it looks like he has one of the "bump its" in his hair to make it look poofy!
The highlight for the boys at breakfast (besides the Fruit Loops and being with thier Mommies) was Bert and Ernie for sure. Bert and Ernie were so great with them..they stayed at our table and played with them for a while! I do not remember their noses being so HUGE...they were the size of the boys heads I swear...and Bert had this panic look on his face that really made me laugh!
Honk Honk! Matthew honked his Berts nose so hard his head almost came off! HA
Prettiest boys I ever saw!
I have to admit, I liked feeding the dolphins just as much as Matthew did! Minus the slimy dead fish, of course!
Sweet boys enamored with the dolphins!
Jessica and I laughed at this poor shark...he looked like he was missing a top lip...so wierd looking!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Thanksgiving in Dallas
WE went to Dallas to be with Brians Mom and Family for Thanksgiving! It was so fun to be with family that we dont get to see very often! And, 'Grandpa Eddie' is a professional chef so we do a lot of watching and eating...the food is always out of this world!
Anna with 'Grandpa Eddie'
Matthew after he got in to Mommys make-up!
Matthew and Anna working together to "cook dinner" according to Matthew! They are starting to play together now which is so fun!
After we were good and stuffed, we went to play at the park near 'Grandma's' House. It is the same park Brian played in when he was a little boy!
Anna's first time to swing...she loved it! This is one of those pics you need to click on to see her sweet face close up! Such a happy girl!
the 3 things I am most thankful for!
Mommy and Baby Girl!
'Grandma' and Matthew playing together...sweet memory I had to capture...
THanksgiving morning with Dad! I LOVE footie PJ's!
Anna with 'Grandpa Eddie'
Matthew after he got in to Mommys make-up!
Matthew and Anna working together to "cook dinner" according to Matthew! They are starting to play together now which is so fun!
After we were good and stuffed, we went to play at the park near 'Grandma's' House. It is the same park Brian played in when he was a little boy!
Anna's first time to swing...she loved it! This is one of those pics you need to click on to see her sweet face close up! Such a happy girl!
the 3 things I am most thankful for!
Mommy and Baby Girl!
'Grandma' and Matthew playing together...sweet memory I had to capture...
THanksgiving morning with Dad! I LOVE footie PJ's!
Things I dont want to forget...
We got our blog printed out...its amazing. We went to www.blog2print.com and ordered it and it came in a great hard back version. Matthew loves it, and always asks to see our "special book". So, being that this is officially our family/baby book, I need to keep track of all the little things I always say I dont want to forget!
MATTHEW - 2 years and 8 months:
You LOVE to sing and play guitar! I have to get good video of it because you look up, close your eyes and totally jam out!
You love to play "super guy" with your Daddy! You use this big guy voice and scrunch up your face like you are so serious and say, "Momma, I save you, I super guy. I have a stone like David"
If you are in a "mood" and know you are about to be disciplined, you will say, "I not obey Momma, you no put me in time out" pointing your little finger at me! Can you say strong-willed?!?!
EVERYTHING is a gun...a straw, a pencil, a crayon, a hammer, your hand - everything. Your favorite thing to play is "fire gun" with sound effects and all!
Yesterday, you woke up and the first thing you said when you saw your Dad was, "come on Dad, lets go shoot the dear!" So funny...I mean, Brian hunts, but not that much! How does he come up with those things.
You LOVE to pretend now. Its so cute. You make us lunch and check our temp and put us to bed and pretend like you are our "Daddy" so sweet
Last week, you said, "I want a baby brother and another baby sister and we will name the boy Samuel". Okay then!
You run and fall and jump and wrestle and dance and hop and move ALL THE TIME!
You love to sing Jesus loves Me, Away in A Manger, ABC's, Veggie Tales songs, etc...
When we get in the car, you find something that will reach the seat in front of you and say, "come on Momma, lets drum"
You love to make lists and run through what we are going to de step by step...at night, you will say, "Okay Mom, FIRST, we are gonna take a bath, THEN we will brush a teeth, then we will put on 'Poojays', then read a book, then Night Night....oh wait wait, I forgot to pray"...and the list starts all over!
You call your Pajamas 'Poojays"
You LOVE your cowboy boots! You want to wear them with everything! Even your poojays!
You love to wear hats...helmets, hardhats, whatever - all the time!
You are so funny and you LOVE to make us laugh! Especially when you know you are headed to time out!
Every morning, the first thing you say is, "is Anna awake?" You love her SO much!
The other day, one of my friends asked Matthew if he knew what his name meant and the conversation went like this,
Amanda - "Matty, do you know what your name means?"
Matthew - "Yes, My name means Matthew Josiah Garrison"
Amanda - "Thats great Matthew! That is your name. Do you know what it means?"
Matthew - "Yes, it means, I'm gonna shoot a dear!"
Amanda - (laughing hysterically) "Oh gosh Matthew. Thats not what your name means, your name means 'Gift from God'"
Every night before you go to bed, we pray and you say the same prayer with us every night, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might! And love your neighbor as yourself"
I love you my sweet passionate, smart, handsome boy!
ANNA FAITH - 8 months
You weigh about 17 pounds
You have 5 teeth. 2 of which are the top ones which totally change the way you look...makes you look like such a big baby girl!
You smile with your whole body still...and always the biggest at your brother who you adore.
You are still VERY laid back and gentle, but are getting more of an opinion all the time!
You threw your very first fit a few days ago...I laid you down to change your diaper and off you went, arching your back, screaming, kicking! It made me laugh so hard because I have never seen you do that!
You are a major paci girl...love your paci when its bed time...it serves like a switch to get you to sleep!
You seem so little to us because your brother was so solid and chunky and big at your age. In reality though, you are just about the 50th percentile in everything.
You are crawling...full on! My how life changes when babies become mobile! You are busy busy exploring your world and of course, everything goes in your mouth.
You have your Daddy's disposition for sure! So peaceful, gentle and calm and yet a little spice and strength when you least expect it!
You are not a fan of all the cute bows I bought you. You wrestle and grunt at me when I try to fix your bow...I did not think it would start this soon!
We love you sweet tender baby girl!
MATTHEW - 2 years and 8 months:
You LOVE to sing and play guitar! I have to get good video of it because you look up, close your eyes and totally jam out!
You love to play "super guy" with your Daddy! You use this big guy voice and scrunch up your face like you are so serious and say, "Momma, I save you, I super guy. I have a stone like David"
If you are in a "mood" and know you are about to be disciplined, you will say, "I not obey Momma, you no put me in time out" pointing your little finger at me! Can you say strong-willed?!?!
EVERYTHING is a gun...a straw, a pencil, a crayon, a hammer, your hand - everything. Your favorite thing to play is "fire gun" with sound effects and all!
Yesterday, you woke up and the first thing you said when you saw your Dad was, "come on Dad, lets go shoot the dear!" So funny...I mean, Brian hunts, but not that much! How does he come up with those things.
You LOVE to pretend now. Its so cute. You make us lunch and check our temp and put us to bed and pretend like you are our "Daddy" so sweet
Last week, you said, "I want a baby brother and another baby sister and we will name the boy Samuel". Okay then!
You run and fall and jump and wrestle and dance and hop and move ALL THE TIME!
You love to sing Jesus loves Me, Away in A Manger, ABC's, Veggie Tales songs, etc...
When we get in the car, you find something that will reach the seat in front of you and say, "come on Momma, lets drum"
You love to make lists and run through what we are going to de step by step...at night, you will say, "Okay Mom, FIRST, we are gonna take a bath, THEN we will brush a teeth, then we will put on 'Poojays', then read a book, then Night Night....oh wait wait, I forgot to pray"...and the list starts all over!
You call your Pajamas 'Poojays"
You LOVE your cowboy boots! You want to wear them with everything! Even your poojays!
You love to wear hats...helmets, hardhats, whatever - all the time!
You are so funny and you LOVE to make us laugh! Especially when you know you are headed to time out!
Every morning, the first thing you say is, "is Anna awake?" You love her SO much!
The other day, one of my friends asked Matthew if he knew what his name meant and the conversation went like this,
Amanda - "Matty, do you know what your name means?"
Matthew - "Yes, My name means Matthew Josiah Garrison"
Amanda - "Thats great Matthew! That is your name. Do you know what it means?"
Matthew - "Yes, it means, I'm gonna shoot a dear!"
Amanda - (laughing hysterically) "Oh gosh Matthew. Thats not what your name means, your name means 'Gift from God'"
Every night before you go to bed, we pray and you say the same prayer with us every night, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might! And love your neighbor as yourself"
I love you my sweet passionate, smart, handsome boy!
ANNA FAITH - 8 months
You weigh about 17 pounds
You have 5 teeth. 2 of which are the top ones which totally change the way you look...makes you look like such a big baby girl!
You smile with your whole body still...and always the biggest at your brother who you adore.
You are still VERY laid back and gentle, but are getting more of an opinion all the time!
You threw your very first fit a few days ago...I laid you down to change your diaper and off you went, arching your back, screaming, kicking! It made me laugh so hard because I have never seen you do that!
You are a major paci girl...love your paci when its bed time...it serves like a switch to get you to sleep!
You seem so little to us because your brother was so solid and chunky and big at your age. In reality though, you are just about the 50th percentile in everything.
You are crawling...full on! My how life changes when babies become mobile! You are busy busy exploring your world and of course, everything goes in your mouth.
You have your Daddy's disposition for sure! So peaceful, gentle and calm and yet a little spice and strength when you least expect it!
You are not a fan of all the cute bows I bought you. You wrestle and grunt at me when I try to fix your bow...I did not think it would start this soon!
We love you sweet tender baby girl!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
It snowed in Boerne!
Well, the photos were so disappointing because you couldnt see any of the snow. It was REAL and big and fluffy and Matthew loved it. He kept running around looking up saying, "Mommy, when are the snowmans gonna fall down?" So funny! You can tell he is a Texas kid when he thinks that snowmen fall out of the sky already assembled! :-) ha ha!
Even though the photos are not great, I wanted to blog it to remember when it snowed!
You can see the snow in his hair so we have proof it really happened...
Even though the photos are not great, I wanted to blog it to remember when it snowed!
You can see the snow in his hair so we have proof it really happened...
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
October 2009!
WE went to visit Brians sister in College Station over halloween weekend!
Just could not resist taking this photo. This is how my little girl looks all swaddled up at 7 months - thanks for letting me steal your crib for the weekend Ella!
Brians sister Ginny, me, and all the kids in College Station...
Anna meets her new cousin Eleanor for the very first time - SO exciting to say the least!
We love Lolly at our house - Anna and Lolly just hanging out after Mommy and Lolly bought TONS of cute bows and flowers!
Anna hung out in her car seat. Matthew at the pumpkin patch! He loved running and playing and lining up all the pumpkins in a row. He had a blast!
Just could not resist taking this photo. This is how my little girl looks all swaddled up at 7 months - thanks for letting me steal your crib for the weekend Ella!
Brians sister Ginny, me, and all the kids in College Station...
Anna meets her new cousin Eleanor for the very first time - SO exciting to say the least!
We love Lolly at our house - Anna and Lolly just hanging out after Mommy and Lolly bought TONS of cute bows and flowers!
Anna hung out in her car seat. Matthew at the pumpkin patch! He loved running and playing and lining up all the pumpkins in a row. He had a blast!
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