CONTACT

We have made contact.


My husband nonchalantly mentioned on the drive home from the lake last night that he had emailed a recommended adoption agency for information on what to do next. I am thrilled. Thrilled (almost) beyond words. :-)


We have had some well-meaning friends and family think we are nuts to proceed without ever meeting these two beautiful children. I understand their concerns. I am also so very grateful that God is allowing us the faith to move forward without knowing all the information. As I tried to explain yesterday, when you have a biological child, you don't get a test-drive experience. They come as they are, and you work with what you've been given. Our own three "bio children" are both wonderful and fantastically frustrating at times. They didn't get to choose us either. They have us, warts and all. And I believe that just as God decided which personalities would make up the Davis family in the womb, He is also knitting these two in our hearts, before they have ever done anything to merit such incredibly strong love. Adoption is becoming to me a picture of how much God treasures us, completely aside from any worthiness on our part.


In Kelly Minter's study of Ruth, she mentions the contrast between Ruth and Boaz and their counterparts, Orpah and the unnamed potential kinsman-redeemer relative. The latter didn't do anything wrong in choosing to walk away from the adventure offered them. They acted safely, perhaps wisely, in consideration of themselves and the family members that they were already responsible for. Then, they were never heard from again. Andy and I desperately want to be apart of God's story, even if it means risk, and personal cost. May we learn to walk like Jesus (and act more like Him on a daily basis. Sibling rivalry, anyone?)

A Jesse Tree Ornament, symbolizing how Boaz and Ruth's obedience led to the family of Christ

We have also been amazed-slash-amused at our growing adoption awareness. You've noticed how once you buy a silver Toyota Sienna minivan, you are blown away by how many other silver Toyota Sienna minivans there are in the parking lot, not to mention the Honda Odysseys and many other makes and models. We feel as if we are on the very tip of the adoption iceberg, and feel very connected in this experience to others on similar journeys. I keep meeting people who were adopted, or have adopted, or are considering adoption, and I feel strengthened by their collective experiences. I can relate this a little to my first pregnancy. All of the sudden everyone wanted to tell me their baby stories, or pat me on the belly (complete strangers in the elevator even!). A common uniting experience. As God leads us on this journey, may we be ambassadors for Him and His heart for others.


Keep your eyes open for God. Watch for His works. Be alert for signs of His presence.
Psalm 105:4 NIV


Seek His face always
Psalm 105:4 Message

Sick Days

The virus in question turned out to be strep...not just for Laurel, but also for Brennan...and possibly for me. I'm still waiting to see if my fatigue is viral, or a by-product of being the resident nurse the past few days. I have forgotten what it is like to have someone crawl into your bed and throw up on your covers. I have forgotten what it is like to sleep on the couch next to another sick child the next day. We have been blessed. It has been a while since a full-blown Davis Family Funk.






Today I am thankful for fresh laundry...and my latest discovery, Tide HE Febreze Sport Active Fresh scent. Mmmm. I love clean, sanitized sheets. I most likely would have forgotten to be thankful for them without said incident.

I am thankful for the kindness of God when great aunt Carolyn just happened to be shopping for produce when we drug ourselves into Kroger for an armload of popsicles. "Can you stay here, just a minute, while I run like mad through the store?"






I am even thankful for t.v. which usually annoys me. Episode after episode of Little House on the Prairie and Looney Tunes stood vigil while I did the housework. "I can watch t.v. ALL DAY if I want to?" asked Brennan incredulously? "Yes. It's a sick day." (Thankfully, he slept through most of it and then went on the Star Wars Wii the next.) I so need my quiet!

I enjoyed reading fairy tales to my girls from my ancient (circa 1971) copy. The book is beautifully bound with blue tie-dye duct tape, but has been a kept treasure as I still remember climbing into my Grandmother's bed and having her read to me when I was young. I was surprised as I read aloud, at how few things were edited out in the 1970's. My five year old looked at me with big round eyes during a tale of the Red Shoes by The Brothers Grimm. He really cut her feet off and then she hobbled back to town on crutches and wooden feet? That would HURT!!!" Didn't remember that part before I started in on the story. Pre- Political Correctness Era.






I think my children are feeling better. I hear fighting again upstairs.

Why I Have Not Blogged As Much as I Would Have Liked in May

Mary Jayne's gymnastics

Landscaping projects

Mary Jayne monkey bars champion
She got blisters and refused to remove these mittens for days

Cinderella Soccer left ONE cleat...doubling back from piano practice to hunt for the missing shoe

Mother's Day at my brother's led into the "why can't we have a dog?" campaign.
The allergic welts on my calves from Miss Jingle's kisses were not convincing enough evidence for my three.

Making "dirt" cupcakes for the school bake sale that we could not attend since we were heading to a  marriage enrichment evening. Totally forgot to add the eggs...back to the drawing board for a second attempt. Where was my brain? Probably on to the next thing in May Madness.

Hosting a hamburger cookout for our Sunday School class to get to enjoy one another's company without our kids.

Watching the families of geese invade our neighborhood. Watching Andy chase them out of our yard with a remote controlled car.

Eating up the leftover popsicles from strep week

Learning the art of the hula hoop and seeing Cirque de Soleil's Allegria with Mom for a GNO

Being amazed by a lightning storm on the back porch, and then being blessed to see a  double rainbow right in front of our house. Helping a hummingbird to escape out of our garage the next day.

Mary Jayne's tap dance recital

Finishing the AWANAS books

Not being that sad that we didn't go far in the coach's pitch tournament...or that we missed Brennan's award ceremony and  Tiger Cub Scout Badge awards ceremony. (Thanks Aunt Nee Nee and friends who carpooled for us)
Because.....

We have new blessings to consider. We are greatly anticipating the arrival of Vilnis and Natalija from Latvia this summer. We attended training for our hosting program in Charlotte and even had a real date on the way back home...One of those, "I DO remember you" moments.


May has been exhausting with the end of everything. Preschool water day, elementary school water day, 
writer's day at school, baking chocolate chip cookies for Laurel's chocolate presentation at school, testing week (Interrupted by strep week), trips to the doctor and pharmacy, trip to the dentist for a filling. Celebrating the mothers. Celebrating and appreciating the teachers, the coaches, the volunteers, the leaders. Saying good-bye to our college students for the summer. Anticipating the summer weddings and showers for the babies and brides. Loving the graduates. Trying to squeeze in one last play date for this one or that one. Trying to plan Laurel's special 10th birthday party...trying to plan my 40th birthday party...Buying the presents for other kids' parties. Trying to work out arrangements for our family beach week. Filling out the forms and writing the checks for the summer camps. Planning ahead for VBS. Trying to find a day when the girls in my Bible studies can get together to finish our study...or go out to dinner and a movie. Trying to plan the summer study at our house. Trying to figure out ways to make each of the 36 days that Natalija and Vilnis are with us impacting and life-changing. Trying to hear the Lord's voice for the future of our family.

How blessed is the man you train  God, the woman you instruct in your word, providing a circle of quiet within the clamor.
Psalm 95:12 Message version

With a little help from my friends

Today I am thankful, once again, for my girlfriends, without whom, I would not make it nearly as well on this motherhood journey. As I reflect on the past three days, I am filled with gratitude for all those in my "village". Your generosity and presence in my life is greatly appreciated.


Thanks to Stephanie for giving me first-dibs on her hand-me-downs before her garage sale. I love hand-me-downs!

Thanks to Tina and Laura for raiding their closets and outfitting Natalija and Vilnis' linen sets for the summer.


Thanks to my mom and my mother-in-law for letting us borrow their extra twin beds.


Thanks to my sister-in-law for offering to host mom and I for mother's day, and to my other sister-in-law for making the sandwiches on our second round of mother's day festivities.


Thanks to Jane for quickly handing over her trash can and old towel when Laurel started gagging as we loaded up the car to go home after the three rounds of mother's day fun.


Thanks to sweet Amanda, our favorite nursing student, who was unafraid to stay with Laurel the following morning with the questionable virus, so that I could teach my classes and not have the anxiety of trying to find subs at 5:30 in the morning.

Thanks to Lisa who took Mary Jayne on the preschool field trip with her daughter Claire, as I was running around in circles.


Thanks to the preschool and elementary school teachers who thought of mother's day projects for our children to complete so that our days would be even more special than they might have been.

I love you all and am thankful for your help this weekend.
Taryn

The Lessons from Bamboo

I received this email today in honor of Mother's Day. It is from Sharon Jayne's devotional. It gave me chills to think of all that is truly happening when it seems like nothing is happening!

Lessons from the Bamboo Farmer

Sharon Jaynes

(In honor of Mother’s Day, Sharon’s devotion will focus on motherhood.)

Today’s Truth
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary (Galatians 6:9 NASB).

Friend to Friend
For years I told people that I was in labor for 23 hours. However, the truth is more like 21 years. Being a mother has been the most fulfilling, frustrating, exciting, exhausting, mind-boggling, hair-raising thrilling tiring, stimulating, soul-stirring, delightful, difficult, consuming, laborious, uplifting, inspiring, challenging, captivating, and rewarding job I’ve ever had. Did I mention difficult? I should have gotten a clue when I was told that having a child begins with a word called “labor.”

I’ve had times when I felt like throwing up my hands in frustrations and saying, “I quit!” Is what I’m doing making any difference to anyone? I want results! Show me results!  Then I think about the bamboo tree.

When the Chinese plant bamboo, first they plant the seeds, then water, and fertilize them. The first year, nothing happens. The second year they continue to water and fertilize the seeds, and still nothing happens. The farmer continues this process for a third and fourth year with no visual results. Then sometime during the fifth year, in a period of approximately six weeks, the Chinese bamboo grows ninety feet.

The question is, did it grow ninety feet in six weeks or did it grow ninety feet in five years? The obvious answer is that it grew ninety feet in five years. If the grower hadn’t applied water and fertilizer every year, there would be no bamboo.

It is the same way with raising children. We pour into their lives. We plant seeds of character, pull weeds with discipline, water with prayer, and fertilize with encouraging words. Then one day, if we are persistent and consistent, we will see beautiful results. 

If you are in the midst of raising your children, or even a parent of grown children waiting to see the results, I want to encourage you to press on.  Don’t give up!  Keep praying!  Keep encouraging!  Keep loving! And one day, when you least expect it, your child will “rise up and call you blessed.”

Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, sometimes I get really tired and frustrated as a mom. When I grow discouraged, will You help me to keep the goal before me … to raise a child who is a man or woman after God’s own heart? Help me to remember that You, as my Heavenly Parent, never give up on me. Even when You don’t see the results that You desire, You continue to love, nurture and teach me. Thank You for being my example of persistent and consistent love.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

We first began considering the question of adoption when Mary Jayne was born. She was biological kid number three, and I felt "done" biologically speaking. This didn't make a lot of sense to some, including my OB who called me a "perfect baby candidate" because we had been blessed to deliver three healthy babies without any complications. However, I didn't feel that our family was finished.

Five years of discussions, tears, informational seminars, waiting and wondering if I was crazy to feel the way I do...including a period of hopelessness where I assumed my dream was dead,  and now, almost out of nowhere, we are going to be the hosting family for Natalija and Vilnis on June 30. I stand back in wonder, wondering that the five years of waiting and considering, were not actually dead times at all. God is good, and His timing is perfect.

watermelon girl and strawberry boy

We are trying to work on our 5+ a day. The kids are doing better with fruits than veggies.

Tomorrow Brennan goes to the strawberry patch. We have been several times as a family and the first grade goes as an end-of-the-year field trip. Part of me feels like I should feel badly that I will not be going on the trip. But I don't. I am tired. I have a been-there-done-that attitude that comes with fatigue. Poor third (and maybe fourth and fifth) kids. I did buy a big box of freshly picked strawberries from a roadside stand from the same farm and felt closer to the earth since I didn't buy them from the grocery store. There is something special about shopping from a roadside stand.

                                              Memories of Picking Strawberries at Cottle Farms

                                                           Mmmmm....freshly-picked

The girls make strawberry shortcakes as a surprise for Daddy.

Thanks Andy for chopping up all those strawberries so we could enjoy them. I am an inspired shopper and a pooped out cook. Sandwiches, anyone?

Heart and Sole Race 2011

The Providence Hospital Heart and Sole race is a good ladies only 5 miler that offers chocolate-covered strawberries and a rose at the finish line.

I am proud of my new runner girlfriends from our Sunday School who signed up to run this race. Some of you didn't think you could do it, but you did!

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  

Hebrews 12:1

A scroll of remembrance

A scroll of remembrance

Malachi 3:16 

Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another;

and the Lord listened and heard;

A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence

of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord

and who thought on His name.

I first ran across this verse when I was studying Malachi with BSF: The History of Israel and the Minor Prophets.

I loved the image of God leaning in to hear the things we discussed in our small groups. Think of all the things we have wondered about. The ways we have wanted to grow. The things we have wanted to change. God has been present, and has been leading us, and responding to our prayers. He has taken note of our devotion and has been with us every step of the journey.

My sweet college girls teach me many things during our discipleship get-togethers. My vocabulary is often enriched. My favorite phrase this year was F.O.M.O... as in, "don't be a FOMO". The acronym stands for "Fear Of Missing Out".

As various girls have lamented the changes that come with moving on and graduation, I recognized that this is not a trait that is specific to the college experience. I have adult women friends who are also FOMOS...cramming their schedules or their families' schedules to the brim because they fear missing out on some irreplaceable experience. And, to be honest, I sometimes operate as a FOMO myself.

As much as I want to live life to the full, and as much as I want my children to have a warm and happy childhood, I am trying to evaluate, and re-evaluate, what is beneficial, and what is permissible, but honestly, too much.

Father, guide me as we look at possibilities for this summer. Let us leave room to simply breathe, and rest, and even become bored so that we are forced to use our own creativity instead of relying on the instant gratification of someone else's.  amen


See Sarah's blog for her take on leaving this phase of life, and a photo of my cuties
http://stampsonmypassport.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-hate-this-part.html

Thumbs-up haircut

Tonight is the first time I have attempted to blog with someone small on my lap, by my side, and styling my hair. My nine year old suggested that I show Andy my new haircut, so they all piled in around the Mac for the family photo. I appreciate the thumbs-up affirmation. A few days ago (a few days before a needed haircut), my five year old stopped in her tracks, put her hands on her hips and said, "Seriously, Mom?" I had pulled my hair into a ponytail on top of my head to clean house, and she was offended my obvious lack of fashion sense. As in, "You are NOT going to drive me to preschool looking like that, are you?" (I did.)

These Mom years are exhausting, but fun. I wonder if they will find me embarrassing when they are teenagers. I almost hope so!

For more on how to handle criticism, check out Lisa TerKeurst's blog The Underbelly...on the soft vulnerable side of someone who is a critic. I needed to hear this as I always take criticism too much to heart.

http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?FBLike=http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LysaTerkeurst/~3/VvS8UzzOwbo/