A Girl and Her Shoes

Elena is a shoe girl.

You know how some girls like purses, or make-up,or socks, or jewelry, or fabric (ok the fabric one is just me). Well,if Elena could she would have a closet full of shoes. So how fun it was to go shoe shopping with Elena for a special event that our church youth group 20.20 Student Ministries is hosting called Yours Truly on Saturday. Elena is very exited.

Here is a peek of the shoes she picked out and her dress. Very pretty.



Elena was a pretty smart shoe shopper because she decided to chose a very modist priced shoe for Saturday's event so she still had enough extra money to pick out this very cute pair of shoes. I think she even likes these ones better than her fancy shoes.



We have another shoe lover over here. Before Elena even got them out of the box Lily decided to try them on and walk away with them. Lily was not happy when I had to take them away.

His Going Forth Is Certain

I just want to give Russ and Amy a HUGE thank you!!!!!

I can not explain well enough just what God has done through your kindness today!!

Before I show you all a small sampling of what they dropped off at our house today I would like to try and attempt to write a bit about why there generosity was to timely.

I had a conversation recently with someone concerning our family which in turn touched on the adoptions. This person was curious and I never mind answering questions about our experiences. I rather enjoy it because God has done some very wonderful things. For some reason,thought, after this particular conversation I went away feeling rather discouraged. I actually was feeling like we did something wrong in adopting. I can not put my figure on exactly why,though. I just felt maybe that our family was being very misunderstood.

Anyway, I was SO down about it the past few days. Through that down mind set it is amazing all the shortcomings and weaknesses of Jeff,myself ,and the children I could see.I was making a mental list off all the things we gave up to add these six children into our family,of how our 'reputation' has changed in the eyes of some ,how I can not school the way I would like,etc,etc,etc,blah,blah,blah...Maybe we really did make a mistake and did not hear God's voice at all with this adoption stuff. Those are the thoughts I was thinking anyway.

But...

A verse that kept coming to mind was this

Hosea 6:3

"So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth."

It would float through my mind in song (for those of you who read this and remember the old GCM version,that is the song). I took it as God gently reminding me He is there,He did indeed lead us down this path and we wanted to follow him with all of our hearts we wanted to walk with him and we did. It is not a path he leads everyone down but it is the one he is leading us down.He reminded me he will indeed take care of us.His going forth in leading us is certain and he will make sure we are taken care of even in nobody else understands.

SO now Amy and Russ did you realize when you brought all these goodies down to us you would be God's real life demonstration,his exclamation point to us of his gentle loving care.See he said his going forth is as certain as the dawn and he chose your family to do the going forth for us today.

Thank you,thank you for being willing to be used by God for us.






Ok,just one more story...

I wonder if Russ and Amy even realized what an answer to prayer these folders are!! I went school shopping this fall but could only find about 7 folders left at back to school prices at three Walmarts around our area...quick math, 13 kids needing at least 4 folders each...seven is not even close to what we would need for all the kids. Of course, once the folders were in stock again they were at non-back to school prices. We made due with the 7 folders we had but there were many misplaced pieces of school work these past months.Sounds like a silly thing to pray for,just plain old folders but that is what I would do whenever I would walk by the folders when I was at Walmart or was faced with a crazy amount of papers all over during school time.

Grant, after I mentioned how greatly God provided because I had been praying for months for folders, reminded me that it was a lot like what happened to Darlene Rose a missionary who was in a Japanese POW camp in New Guinea during WWII when she asked God for a banana. God not only gave her one banana, he gave her a whole huge bunch far beyond what she asked for.




And a VERY special thank you to Gracie for parting with some of your treasured stuffed animals!! I promise, the kids will love them well!!

A Cozy House and Ham Soup!

One of the Friday chores in our fireplace room is to clean under the couch cushions and vacuum under the couch. That means flipping the couch on it's side. Today was one of those days that a little chore distraction occurred. The fireplace room chore was Elena's this week.Elena, being the very kind big sister she is did not mind working around the kids newly built house.

Joel, Lily, and Odell in their house section







Anya and Ekie peeking out from their house section.



Some of the cutest feet in the world I just happen to be a mother to.






Ready for a look at the frugal soup I made for dinner this evening?
We have been SO low on groceries but I am getting pretty creative with making do...

This is ham soup with noodles,kidney beans,some rice,and veggies. The thing about this soup is I had to make it all in the oven because out stove top is very temperamental and decided not to work today. I even had to make slow cook oatmeal this morning with hot tap water. Everyone ate it just fine.

Anyway, I had to try to boiled my ham bone I had left over from Christmas dinner in the oven. It worked pretty good but boiling it on the stove would have brought out more flavor. After it was boiled enough I took out the ham bone and tossed in the rest of the ingredients and cooked it a bit longer. I forgot that dry beans need to cook longer than rice and noodles so the beans were not fully done. Nobody seemed to mind,though.In fact many wished we had more.

It was given a thumbs up by everyone! Pretty good!

Cookies,Chaos, and Potato Skins!

One would think since I have a bunch of children around all day I do pretty good with chaos and craziness. I really do not. I am pretty controlled over where kids are allowed throughout the day. I do well with up to say four or five children in a room with me at a time unless it is meal time,chore time,schooling time,or another specific time I planned. At the other times throughout the day the kids do not really have free reign over the house. They can not go into the basement to play and ten minutes later decide they would rather color in their rooms and then back into the basement to play after that.No,I can not have that. So I made a 'no wandering around the house wherever you want' rule.

I have other silly rules like only three kids are allowed up in their bedrooms to play at a time. The rest play in the basement. I set a buzzer and the kids rotate.

Another rule is they have to ask to use the bathroom or get a drink throughout the day. Why...well,if there is not some sort of bathroom asking rule I end up having half my children all in the bathroom at once (boys and girls) needing to wash their hands or get a drink but in reality they hang out in there playing with the sink,dancing,chatting,like there is a little party going on.

I have been thinking that I really need to grow more in the area of letting go of the need for order. Order is good but too much can cause me to miss out on growing my relationships with the kids and the impromptu fun I envision every other mom but me has with their children.

That being said,I though I would practice letting loose a little and called Joel and Grace up for an unexpected cookie baking time.



After a bit Anya ventured in to see what was going on.I thought that is ok she can be my helper.




Soon Lily and Nolan wandered in. Just out of the picture Elena,Josh, and I think Grant were hanging around. I was doing good but then both Joyce and Naomi came up from the basement to check out what was going on...I had this struggle in my head should I send them back in the basement or let them stay up...I decided I needed to send them back in the basement because I was starting to get stressed out with all the chaos. They were a little disapointed to be missing the fun..

I will keep working on it...



Just an added cute picture of Grace helping Lily make some cookies



After the table cleared Elena sat down to finish up the last of the cookies.



What good looking cookies!



Here is a frugal large family meal thing we do. Whenever we make mashed potatoes we save all the peels and freeze them. Jeff's idea,isn't it a great one! When we are peeling 20 pounds of potatoes and my hands start to go numb, knowing that the skins will be a part of a cheap tasty future meal makes the potato peeling task worth it.

Sometimes, I use the potato skins as a base for an egg bake but tonight I just put them in a baking pan,added oil,salt,pepper,and garlic salt and baked them awhile.



Tasty!

One Last Thing

The greatest compliment a mom who usually burns things can get.

Rambles

I've been a little impatient,bothered,and angry lately.

With what?

Well,so many things...with my future plans,with my super slow character growth,the kids,finances,our house that seems to be falling apart faster than we can afford to fix it. Whatever there is to be impatient,bothered,or angry about it has all surfaced these past few weeks.

I have been spending a lot of time looking over the fences of my 'neighbors'(so to speak) and wondering why God is doing such and such in their lives and not in mine. Stuff like that.

Thoughts like "God just move faster,get going,what are you waiting for anyway!" and "Lord,why does our family look so rumpled and 'theirs' looks so together,why,why,why. Tell me why!" keep rolling ,maybe more like slamming, through my mind.

*sigh*

This morning God so kindly (and maybe a little firmly) reminded me (yet again because I am slow to hear) that he is indeed in control.


Isaiah 45: 9-12

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’
Does the pot exclaim,
‘How clumsy can you be?’
How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father,
‘Why was I born?’
or if it said to its mother,
‘Why did you make me this way?’”

This is what the Lord says—
the Holy One of Israel and your Creator:
“Do you question what I do for my children?
Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?
I am the one who made the earth
and created people to live on it.
With my hands I stretched out the heavens.
All the stars are at my command."

Now, if this rebellious heart of mine would just stop and yield, peace would break through those pounding thoughts and I could sit back,rest and enjoy where I am at right now.Enjoy this very spot in my life,this very day. I would see what a blessed life I have.

In Memory Of A Sweet Little Angel

A blog friend sent Grace a gift in memory of her sweet little grand daughter Hannah who would be about the same age.



Sheila included fun gifts for the rest of the crew as well.



Thank you so very much Sheila

I'm Keeping Busy With...

A little bit of toddler counter climbing antics





home school restructure planning

(I suppose it is hard to tell what I am doing by this picture,isn't it? Silly but I need to see what every child needs to do when I think things over,change things around,etc... I need to do it all with pencil and paper before I get it all onto the Microsoft works schedule thingy and printed out. I'm odd.I make so much more work for myself than I really need to,I think.Yes,and my sewing close by keeps me motivated.)



I'm keeping busy with...

just a tad of fabric shopping (some of the newest Walmart quilt of the month fabric)



a little quilt top making



and a little more quilt top making



with the help of a wee tot



and a little tasty frugal soup making



Yes, I'm keeping busy...

A Little Trip

A little afternoon trip to the library left me with a big stack! School week here we come!!

Meet The In-Laws

Jeff's sister Sandy emailed us these great pictures so I thought it would be fun for you to meet the in-laws.

Thanks Sandy!

This first one is a picture of Jeff and his family that was taken a few months back when Jeff visited with them.

Clockwise left to right

Jeff's sister Ayme, Jeff, Jeff's dad, Jeff's mom, Jeff's brother-in-law Jim, Jeff's sister Sandy ,and Jeff's sister Lisa.



This picture is of Jeff's nephews. They are his sister Sandy and Jim's children.

Back row (l to r) Caleb and Mitchell
Front row (l to r) Noah and Bram