Fitness Adventure

Last year...training for a half-marathon.

This year....gaining new respect for cirque de soleil. My arms are about to fall off after one hour learning how to climb silks in aerial yoga.

My fitness buddy and I spent the morning celebrating our summer birthdays with a fitness adventure. Something outside the box of zumba on Mondays, running on Tuesdays, step aerobics on Wednesdays, and rpm (spin bike) on Fridays.

In our 40s we have noticed that most of the senior citizens in group fitness classes hang towards the back of the exercise room. We are challenging ourselves to still be plugging along towards good health even as we age. Wish us luck!

 

 

 

 

 

Honors for Laurel

Goodbye Bookman Road Elementary.

Laurel's six years here were marked with academic honors. Today she received an award from her class for outstanding citizenship as well. She stood up to be recognized for academic team, math competition, student ambassadors, All A's, Presidential Academic Award, and yearbook staff.

I think I was most proud of her, however, when her classmates recognized her for being a leader and a person of good character.

Jesus, may her life shine brightly for you in middle school too.

Great job, yearbook staff

Delight

The Lord delights in the prayers of the upright. (Proverbs 15:8 NLT)

My house is quiet this morning. Everyone is enjoying the chance to sleep in on Memorial Day. No school. A later start for Andy's work. A different schedule at the gym.

Just the birds chirping outside, my blog reflection and Jesus.

I loved this verse from Proverbs this morning, that God actually delights in our prayers. So many times I feel like I have run out of the ability to listen well, much less delight in, another's conversation. Yet God DELIGHTS in talking to us, listening to us, and responding to us.

We are giving Natalia the middle name Eliana, which means God has heard and responded. She does not have a legal middle name, so we picked one that we thought summed up our adoption process. He saw her need and responded. He gave us the desire to adopt, and has lead us down the path of flying to Latvia in a few weeks.

 ¹ If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. ²If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. ^3-7If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. 

1 Corinthians 13:1 Message

The Proof of Your Love acoustic version

"The Proof of Your Love"

King and Country

If I sing but don't have love
I waste my breathe with every song
I bring, an empty voice
A hollow noise

If I speak with a silver tongue
Convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste
With every word I say

Chorus
So let my life be the proof

The proof of Your love

Let my love look like You

And what You're made of

How you lived, how You died

Love is sacrifice

So let my life be the proof

The proof of Your love

If I give to a needy soul
But don't have love then who is poor
It seems all the poverty
Is found in me

Chorus

Ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
When it's all said and done
Ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
When we sing our final song

Only love remains
Only love remains

Chorus

(Music & Lyrics: Joel Smallbone / Luke Smallbone / Mia Fieldes / Jonathan Lee / Fred Williams / Ben Glover)

Rest

We did make it to Saturday after all, and feel considerably more rested than we did last week in all the craziness that comes with the end of the school year.

Friday night Laurel and I went to her decade dance which celebrated the graduating fifth grade by dancing through the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, until today. I was recruited as Zumba mom to help lead out, but the kids didn't really need me. I even consulted YouTube to learn The Wobble, but they could do those line dances in their sleep.

Yesterday we saw family at the lake and went on a date. We saw the What to Expect When You're Expecting movie, and laughed because we could relate to so many of the pregnancy, new parent, and now adoptive parent fears and questions.

We were both touched by a scene of a couple who was adopting from Ethiopia. It turns out that the Ethiopian twins who played the role of this child in the movie were actually adopted by a family from Atlanta that had three biological children. There are families like us everywhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8koTuWfOuw


We were sent a surprise text message of a friend who knew a friend who was looking to babysit this summer. "Did we need help?" Um...yes...we need lots of help. That was encouraging to watch God provide care for B and MJ the second and third weeks we are away. Step by step, all is coming together.

Today has been a restful day. Andy has chosen to stay home with us even though his workload looms over his head with an end of the month deadline and the reality of being out of the office for three weeks during our adoption journey. I am so proud of the way my man is juggling all of these intense responsibilities. God is providing strength for the day.

We went to church, figured out economical out to eat options for the upcoming "Davis, Party of Seven" (Qdoba), prepared decorations for Laurel's early birthday party on Friday, and went to the pool. When a friend of Laurel's came over to spend the night, her mom dropped off a bike that her boys had outgrown.

At church, my friend Lisa surprised us with a bag full of clothes that her son had outgrown. I am so thankful for people's thoughtfulness. I'm also thankful for people's inquisitiveness about our adoption process. I was able to share with another mom today about the great need there is for adoptive families to consider adopting older children. She had never heard the statistics of what happens to children who " age out" of the care system. I pray that we will be able to advocate for children the rest of our lives as we are given opportunities to share our story.

One friend seemed almost apologetic and said, "All I have to offer is my prayers." and I assured her that that was what we needed most!

See New Horizons for Children's website for more information on how to love orphans.

http://www.newhorizonsforchildren.org/

Moments of Panic...Moments of Trust

Things are coming together. One shopping trip at a time.

 

One notarized document at a time. (Thanks Kathy!)

One homework assignment completed at a time.

One end of term architecture project celebrated,




One fed-ex package of euros and lats arriving at the doorstep so that we can hail a cab from the airport.

 




One playdate at a time. One birthday surprise planned, mailed, or wrapped.One birthday party planned and shopped for. (Hooray for Michaels coupons!)

One dentist appointment scheduled. One summer Bible Study registered for.

One Bible Study hosted here...one rummaging session through the attic to find all the African artifacts we've collected for VBS.

Andy and his team are surviving the major project of software conversion, one late night after another.

We remembered volleyball on Wednesday.

One dish in the crockpot.

 

One kindergarten young author's celebration.

One long conversation with Mrs. Boswell on how to teach kindergarten to Will and get him ready for the fall.




One outfit ready for the decade dance tomorrow. (Thanks for the loan, Mom!)

One day's strength at a time.

 




In children's version of Jesus Calling that we read as a morning's devotion on the way to school, it comforted me to think about God being above time and space. God is with Natalia and Will in Latvia, seven hours ahead of us at 3pm while we are just beginning our school day at 8am.



Moments of panic (what needs to be done?) replaced with moments of trust.

 

encouragement from Lysa TerKeurst

Lysa TerKeurst, of Proverbs 31 Ministries, is an author and speaker who adopted two teenage boys from Liberia in 2003. Her devotional came to my inbox today and was encouraging. The delight and challenges of becoming parents to two more kids were as real in her life as they are in ours.

With Jesus, "there is no way" becomes "He IS the way".

“… If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

The butterflies have found our bushes!

Read Lysa's words below:

There’s No Way- Lysa TerKeurst  

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NIV 1984

I wasn’t in the mood to be messed up.

I put my head against my bedroom wall, closed my eyes, and whispered, “There’s no way.” It was late summer of 2003 when my world collided with what seemed like an impossible invitation from God: adopt two teen boys from war torn Liberia.

All the reasons why this wasn’t a good idea tumbled before me. Honest reasons. Understandable reason. Solid reasons.

Who would do such a thing?

Missionaries would be much more qualified. Missionaries with grown kids and multi-cultural experience. People much more spiritual than me. People much more gentle and patient enough to do this sort of thing.

Not this disorganized woman who originally thought Liberia was in South America.

Not this mom who already felt overwhelmed with her three kids.  How in heavens would we add in two more?

Not someone who couldn’t find the video she rented a month ago and who paid so many late fees at the library they should have named a shelf after her. Maybe two shelves.

Definitely not me.

But it was me.

The invitation was mine.

And I knew it.

No matter how many times I whispered over and over, “there’s no way,” this nagging sense of possibility wouldn’t leave me. It wove its way through every fiber of my being until I stood up and shifted everything I thought my family would be with one weakly whispered, “Yes.”

I can honestly say, there were moments of sheer joy where I felt reassured that I’d heard God right.

But there were many other moments where life felt chaotic, messy, and really hard. There were tears. There were moments where I loved my five kids but I didn’t like them very much. There were moments I wondered if I’d heard God wrong.

And there were more times even after we adopted where I said, “There’s no way.” There was no way we could overcome a medical diagnosis one of my boys got. There was no way two teenage boys who tested at a kindergarten level could catch up in two years and be ready for middle school. There was no way I could be patient enough to educate them at home during those two years.

But every time I said, “there’s no way,” I’d remember Jesus calling himself, “The way…”  (John 14:6).

He was the way. He was the one to follow. He was the one who would guide me each day. He was the one I needed to pour out my heart to in prayer. He was the one to listen to. And He was the one who reassured me with so many promises in the Bible. One of those promises was Isaiah 58:10-11:

“… If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

I could be a light rising in the darkness. I could be full of life like a well watered garden. I could be refreshing like a spring whose waters never fail. Me. Crazy, incapable, crying in my closet me. If I let Jesus be my way, and do what He was asking me to do, these things could be true for me.

And they can be true for you as well.

Do you have a situation in your life where you are saying, “There’s no way…”?  Maybe you aren’t called to adopt, but whatever you are being called to do or face, take heart. Look into the Bible and find some promises that apply to your situation. And follow Jesus’s instruction for that promise.

Friend, there might not be a way if you only look at your situation with human reasoning and calculation. But if you let Jesus’ truth and promises fill you, you’ll find a different way. A good way. A sure way. His way.

http://lysaterkeurst.com/2012/05/theres-no-way

At home day

We had some repairmen come today, so I had the day IN before taking Laurel for her well visit/shot appointment. I spent the day making lists as I have this sense of "I'm forgetting something" with all the craziness of end-of-the-school-year activity. Last night L and I were hard at work on a math challenge that she spent four hours on. When we looked up, we realized that we had worked right through volleyball practice. Oops! Sorry coach. We don't mean to be irresponsible, but things are flying around here. I was a little disappointed that we were not going to be leaving June 2nd as we had requested. Now I see the wisdom of God in giving us a later departure date. My head might have flown off without those extra two weeks of preparation!

My times are in Your hands      Psalm 31: 15

Bring cake plates and cupcake stands for  5th grade graduation
Learn the Wobble and remember the Thriller dance to lead this Friday's 5th Grade Decade dance
Send in drinks for the 5th grade picnic
Kindergarten young writers night
Second grade diorama and class party
Vacation Bible School room decoration day
Finish Bible study I'm behind on by Thursday
Register Sunday School girls for summer Bible Study on James
Make a plaque with Natalia's new name (spelling) on it to match Mary Jayne's name
Decide on whether to finally consign kids' clothes, or just pack everything back up in the attic
Family Business picnic/redeem expired groupon for a date with my husband
Express my condolences to family as I am missing my aunt's funeral
Figure out something for Father's Day, Laurel's early birthday sleepover, Michelle and Stephanie's birthdays..order cake..mail Aunt Debbie's birthday gift
Have B's friend over for a play date in return before we go
Remember the different Memorial Day teaching schedule at the gym
Track down two more subs
Make notes binder with flight information and contact numbers for my wonderful Mom and the others who will take care of B and MJ while we are away...figure out who can stay with B and MJ in the mornings
Figure out what's for dinner
Recharge international phone calling card
Power of attorney
Teacher appreciation
Coach appreciation
...and don't forget volleyball again!

We ARE thankful for immunizations and travel health nurses!

We thank Grandmama and Granddaddy for helping us send Laurel to Latvia to experience this as well.

When I was eleven, I traveled to Israel, Jordan, and Egypt with my grandmother and aunt, and the experience at a young age forever shaped who I am and how I view the world. We appreciate their help in giving her this experience.

Mini me on a camel in 1982 with my Aunt Debbie

The  Chinese have a saying that goes something like  this:

 'When someone shares with you something of  value,

you have an obligation to share it with  others!'

Thank you, everyone for sharing in this journey with us. We appreciate you.

Busy love

Today's accomplishments seem small, but as I crawl into the covers at 10, I can reflect that it was a good day. We are pooped out at the end of a full weekend...school carnival, baseball tournament, volleyball tournament, church, meetings, and laundry.

Hooray for a family business that sponsors school events.
We appreciate you!

It was my turn to cook breakfast goodies for our Sunday School class along with my friend Gennie. I have learned to double everything so that my family doesn't eat cereal while I take all the casseroles and baked goods to the family that just had a baby, or surgery, etc. In our haste to get everyone and everything out the door, I forgot to take our breakfast-for-lunch dishes out of the oven, so they were a little less delicious and overcooked, but no one complained (much).

Before church we were able to call Latvia. A special moment of the day for me was telling Natalija that we were coming to see her soon. Although we know from the process that she has been told that we are trying to adopt her, she apparently didn't know that we would be coming to her this time. I could hear her quickly inhale in a gasp of excitement and surprise and she kept telling Laurel how happy she was. Little brother Vilnis (Will) was playing outside and doesn't much like to talk on the phone, but I am confident that Natalija told him our news.

My sweet friend Amy gave me a bracelet that matches one she will wear while we are gone. I rarely get emotional, but I teared up when she told me that she had bought four of them last year....and one by one they have gone to China when Betsy adopted Vivi, and to Ukraine when Gennie adopted Ivan, and now there was one going to Latvia. How God has blessed us with a community of praying girlfriends!

After church and Sunday School, we came home to the balancing game that we play on the weekends. We are trying to figure out what a Sabbath looks like for a family involved in ministry, in family business, and in the final stages of preparing to adopt two children.

A took L on a long power walk so that they could have some one-on-one time and get some exercise. Then he needed to head back to church for a director's meeting and then off to work to meet business consultants for dinner.

MJ spent all afternoon learning how to balance on a ripstick. One scraped elbow later, she's got it! We drew a chalk circle on the sidewalk that reminds me of a Dr. Seuss tree.

B worked on his habitat report. We learned all about the venomous black mamba and will come up with a diorama of an African savanna sometime before Friday. We finished reading Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH, a book I remember loving when I was a child and both agreed that our favorite part was when one brave rat sacrificed his own safety to try and go back and recover a fallen rat.

L made fudge for her teachers as an end of year thank you gesture. She loves to bake and she loves to give.

We folded clothes, cleaned up messes again and again and again, had a YOYO dinner (you're on your own) where everyone claims what leftovers they want for dinner, took baths, and read. Then somehow it was 9:45. A had returned home, changed the air filters and put the letters up I had spray painted to make the boys' room just as much Will's as it is Brennan's. I was proud of Brennan for pointing to the letters on his wall and requesting that we put Will's name up too.

Air filters and spray paint. Busy tasks. Our soul connection time was collapsing into bed, turning on the ipad and discovering that there is a gym in Riga that has classes that we recognize. Maybe we'll get to work out while we're gone? Maybe we'll get to go on a date next Saturday. Saturday seems so far away.

A and I are trying to figure out how to have any energy leftover for ourselves. Looks like we are going to have to start bedtimes at 7:30pm! I can tell that's not going to go over well in the summer with the extra daylight hours.


This is the season for patient love.
We watched this movie based on a true marriage this weekend.

                                                             
The Vow wedding vow
Paige: I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home. 
Leo: I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms, now and forever. I promise to never forget that this is a once in a lifetime love. I vow to love you, and no matter what circumstances might carry us apart, we will always find a way back to each other.