Thursday, April 30, 2009
I am being punished for making fun of the swine flu in my earlier post. I really did feel like the media was blowing things way out of proportion, but now that it is knocking on my front door, I'm not so sure I'm not a little scared.
Two schools in our town closed today because their had been confirmed cases of swine flu. Zach came home at lunch and said the other High School in town had been closed and his teacher's were saying that most likely his school would close tomorrow for at least a week.
When I dropped Paige off for her kindergarten class this afternoon the bus drivers were telling me they were running late because all of the buses had to be disinfected. It seems a student who rode the bus had come down with the virus.
I am really not that worried about my older children. If they get it I feel they are healthy enough to fight it. However, Paige had pneumonia as a baby and her respiratory system is not quite as strong as the rest of the kids.
The High School is suppose to be closed for at least seven days. I think we will all just hunker down at home and watch movies and play games. I don't want to panic, but I also don't want to ignore it. If any of the kids start feeling flu like symptoms I am sure my calm will quickly disappear. It's a good thing hubby is not one to panic.
I went to Walmart this morning and half a dozen people were walking around with masks on. It made me feel like I was in the middle of a sci fi movie.
My sister and her husband are in Mexico right now docking their boat and they are due home next week. Please pray for their safety and protection from this virus. Also, I am worried about my mom who does not have a very strong immune system right now, it would be very bad for her to get this virus.
Hubby could tell I was getting a little jittery. He sent me this picture of how the swine flu is supposedly spread.
I guess you just have to laugh, it's a waste of time to sit around worrying. I know that in my head. However, my heart is feeling a little heavier today.
Stay well my friends.
Two schools in our town closed today because their had been confirmed cases of swine flu. Zach came home at lunch and said the other High School in town had been closed and his teacher's were saying that most likely his school would close tomorrow for at least a week.
When I dropped Paige off for her kindergarten class this afternoon the bus drivers were telling me they were running late because all of the buses had to be disinfected. It seems a student who rode the bus had come down with the virus.
I am really not that worried about my older children. If they get it I feel they are healthy enough to fight it. However, Paige had pneumonia as a baby and her respiratory system is not quite as strong as the rest of the kids.
The High School is suppose to be closed for at least seven days. I think we will all just hunker down at home and watch movies and play games. I don't want to panic, but I also don't want to ignore it. If any of the kids start feeling flu like symptoms I am sure my calm will quickly disappear. It's a good thing hubby is not one to panic.
I went to Walmart this morning and half a dozen people were walking around with masks on. It made me feel like I was in the middle of a sci fi movie.
My sister and her husband are in Mexico right now docking their boat and they are due home next week. Please pray for their safety and protection from this virus. Also, I am worried about my mom who does not have a very strong immune system right now, it would be very bad for her to get this virus.
Hubby could tell I was getting a little jittery. He sent me this picture of how the swine flu is supposedly spread.
I guess you just have to laugh, it's a waste of time to sit around worrying. I know that in my head. However, my heart is feeling a little heavier today.Stay well my friends.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The World Gone Mad........
Do you think the world is coming to an end tomorrow? You might if you live in California or somewhere else where the Swine Flu has been detected. Geez. Really?
My kids are terrified because the news media is out of control on this one. There have been 50 cases in California. However, NO ONE HAS DIED. Also, ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED.
Do they lead the story with this information????? Oh no, the lead story is how every CVS pharmacy in my area is out of masks and how to order some in bulk online if you can't find any. They do then say, at the very end of the story, how the World Health Organization reports that masks really WILL NOT be effective anyways as you would have to wear them 24 hours a day and small droplets of virus can still get through the mask.
Schools have been closed, travel cancelled, and the news media has a great story they can blow totally out of proportion to up their ratings during sweeps.
What good is panicking anyways? I told my kids three things. Wash your hands A LOT. Cover your mouth when you sneeze. Turn off the TV, stop listening to the news, go outside and have some fun. OK, maybe that was more than three things, but you get the picture.
I will tell you what did get me a little panicked yesterday.
I was driving down the freeway to pick Tyler up from football practice after school and the truck two cars in front of me had a ladder fly off the back of it and hit the car in front of me. There was lots of screeching breaks and thankfully I was able to stop before I ran into the back of this poor guy. I had semi-trucks on either side of me and had no where to go, when I look in my rear view mirror to see traffic behind me slamming on their breaks trying not to hit those of us who had come to a complete stop in the middle of the freeway. The cars were far enough back that it took them a few seconds to get to me. Thankfully they were also able to stop and the guy that got hit by the ladder seemed to be OK. My neck was tense for a few hours after that. I think I had tensed up so much preparing for impact I actually hurt myself.
I am so thankful that I was not hit because I was not in the Suburban but in Dave's Altima and I really did not want to be slammed in to one of those big rig trucks. I was a little shaky for a few hours after that to. It was way to close for comfort.
Thank You Jesus for keeping me and everyone else safe in what could have been a really awful accident.
Now, Jesus, please also protect my family from the swine flu. Or, in the least, from all the news reporters that are sure we will all be dead tomorrow from its effects.
Well, I guess if that does happen, I won't have to worry about all the big trucks on the freeway anymore.
There is a silver lining to every story, if you just look for one.
My kids are terrified because the news media is out of control on this one. There have been 50 cases in California. However, NO ONE HAS DIED. Also, ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED.
Do they lead the story with this information????? Oh no, the lead story is how every CVS pharmacy in my area is out of masks and how to order some in bulk online if you can't find any. They do then say, at the very end of the story, how the World Health Organization reports that masks really WILL NOT be effective anyways as you would have to wear them 24 hours a day and small droplets of virus can still get through the mask.
Schools have been closed, travel cancelled, and the news media has a great story they can blow totally out of proportion to up their ratings during sweeps.
What good is panicking anyways? I told my kids three things. Wash your hands A LOT. Cover your mouth when you sneeze. Turn off the TV, stop listening to the news, go outside and have some fun. OK, maybe that was more than three things, but you get the picture.
I will tell you what did get me a little panicked yesterday.
I was driving down the freeway to pick Tyler up from football practice after school and the truck two cars in front of me had a ladder fly off the back of it and hit the car in front of me. There was lots of screeching breaks and thankfully I was able to stop before I ran into the back of this poor guy. I had semi-trucks on either side of me and had no where to go, when I look in my rear view mirror to see traffic behind me slamming on their breaks trying not to hit those of us who had come to a complete stop in the middle of the freeway. The cars were far enough back that it took them a few seconds to get to me. Thankfully they were also able to stop and the guy that got hit by the ladder seemed to be OK. My neck was tense for a few hours after that. I think I had tensed up so much preparing for impact I actually hurt myself.
I am so thankful that I was not hit because I was not in the Suburban but in Dave's Altima and I really did not want to be slammed in to one of those big rig trucks. I was a little shaky for a few hours after that to. It was way to close for comfort.
Thank You Jesus for keeping me and everyone else safe in what could have been a really awful accident.
Now, Jesus, please also protect my family from the swine flu. Or, in the least, from all the news reporters that are sure we will all be dead tomorrow from its effects.
Well, I guess if that does happen, I won't have to worry about all the big trucks on the freeway anymore.
There is a silver lining to every story, if you just look for one.
Labels: Mom Stuff
Friday, April 24, 2009
Disciplined
This morning I was whining to God about the long wait for our referral and asking him again if we were suppose to adopt a child off of a waiting child's list. The wait just seems so long and I am routinely sent photo's of children waiting for a family. Unfortunately, they have not been from our agency.
Back in December I was having these same feelings and we actually requested information on one of the waiting children that was listed. She was a darling little girl, around 5 years old, who was wearing a baseball jersey. How fitting is that?
I prayed for direction and was really excited about, perhaps, switching agencies mid stream and adopting this little girl. However, I wanted to make sure we were doing the Lord's will and not our own.
We waited.
He answered.
This was not our child.
I settled in to wait it out with our current agency. We have a very good agency but they do not have an orphanage. They have a transition home where the children are taken when they are matched with a prospective family. Our agency works with several orphanages and we have great faith in them both ethically and morally. Some of the other agencies I have spoken with did not give me this same sense of assurance.
Well, over the last few days I have had that unsettled feeling again. Wanting to go on the waiting children's list and take a peek. I was asking God this morning during my prayer time if I should do this. I was whining and crying to him that I was so frustrated and just didn't understand what was taking so long.
In the side note of my Bible their was a small article about having a contented and patient heart. This is what it said;
It is common to hear women bemoaning their lack of patience as if it were the most difficult gift to pry from God's hands. In fact impatience stems almost solely from our exaggerated notions of what is due us. If we could but lower our estimation of the importance of our time, our plans and our feelings, we would find ourselves almost automatically more patient.
Patience is a more positive trait. It is the ability to bear affliction, delay, and interruption with calmness, perseverance and confidence in the goodness of God. It is inward peace as well as outward control. It is the submission of our schedules our viewpoints, our dreams to the greater plan of God, with the conviction that he has a good reason for every delay he allows to come our way.
SMACK! I felt like God had just given me a good spanking.
Am I finally going to give all control to him? I sure am going to give it another try.
I do have peace knowing that God did lead us to this agency, and I truly believe (finally) that they will find us the child that God has specifically picked out for us.
Perhaps this will all make more sense when we find out who our child/children are? Maybe not. I will just have to wait and see.
Back in December I was having these same feelings and we actually requested information on one of the waiting children that was listed. She was a darling little girl, around 5 years old, who was wearing a baseball jersey. How fitting is that?
I prayed for direction and was really excited about, perhaps, switching agencies mid stream and adopting this little girl. However, I wanted to make sure we were doing the Lord's will and not our own.
We waited.
He answered.
This was not our child.
I settled in to wait it out with our current agency. We have a very good agency but they do not have an orphanage. They have a transition home where the children are taken when they are matched with a prospective family. Our agency works with several orphanages and we have great faith in them both ethically and morally. Some of the other agencies I have spoken with did not give me this same sense of assurance.
Well, over the last few days I have had that unsettled feeling again. Wanting to go on the waiting children's list and take a peek. I was asking God this morning during my prayer time if I should do this. I was whining and crying to him that I was so frustrated and just didn't understand what was taking so long.
In the side note of my Bible their was a small article about having a contented and patient heart. This is what it said;
It is common to hear women bemoaning their lack of patience as if it were the most difficult gift to pry from God's hands. In fact impatience stems almost solely from our exaggerated notions of what is due us. If we could but lower our estimation of the importance of our time, our plans and our feelings, we would find ourselves almost automatically more patient.
Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that
you might have great endurance and patience. Colossi ans 1:11
Patience is a more positive trait. It is the ability to bear affliction, delay, and interruption with calmness, perseverance and confidence in the goodness of God. It is inward peace as well as outward control. It is the submission of our schedules our viewpoints, our dreams to the greater plan of God, with the conviction that he has a good reason for every delay he allows to come our way.
SMACK! I felt like God had just given me a good spanking.
Am I finally going to give all control to him? I sure am going to give it another try.
I do have peace knowing that God did lead us to this agency, and I truly believe (finally) that they will find us the child that God has specifically picked out for us.
Perhaps this will all make more sense when we find out who our child/children are? Maybe not. I will just have to wait and see.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Monday, April 13, 2009
6 Months Of Waiting
I am tired of waiting. Today marks six months of waiting for a referral. Me and the kids are really tired of waiting.
We have been waiting for our updated I-171H for about a month now. This is the paper that says we are now approved to adopt a child up to the age of 5. I am a little frustrated that it has not come yet, though our adoption consultant did update our file saying we were approved for up to that age child. I guess that is something.
So, I guess we just continue to wait and hope the phone rings soon.
In the meantime we have lots of baseball going on around here to keep us busy.
Paige is still enjoying t-ball.
Garrett is enjoying playing on his team, however, they have only won one game. His Dad (the manager) has never had a losing team. They are a young team and they are learning. A parent on one of the other teams gave my hubby a great compliment the other day. She said "You know, I am never sure if you guys have won or lost. The kids on your team always look happy and like they are having fun".
The kids may be having fun but the manager is beating himself up. It's hard to lose, especially when you put so much of yourself into the team. Fortunately, the players seem to be oblivious to this fact.
After his last hard loss (they have lost a couple by only one run) I sent him this verse I had read that morning.
"We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character hope.
I told him that God was trying to produce great hope in him through this trial. He laughed and said maybe he was. Poor guy. They play Thursday night and I am hoping for his second win. We really do have a great group of kids on the team.
And then their is our oldest son. The one I am not allowed to talk about. There are some really exciting things happening in his baseball career right now, unfortunately, I am not allowed to speak about them.
I will tell you this and just hope he doesn't read the blog and then I won't get into trouble.
He played in a game tonight in a "big stadium" with lots of scouts around checking out the talent. Hearing your sons name being announced over the loud speaker like he is a major leaguer and then having scouts turn their clipboards over to read their notes about your kid is kind of a surreal experience. I really wanted to peek over one of their shoulders and see what was written down but I was trying to act cool and blend in.
Like I could ever be cool. So. Not. Going. To. Happen.
We have been waiting for our updated I-171H for about a month now. This is the paper that says we are now approved to adopt a child up to the age of 5. I am a little frustrated that it has not come yet, though our adoption consultant did update our file saying we were approved for up to that age child. I guess that is something.
So, I guess we just continue to wait and hope the phone rings soon.
In the meantime we have lots of baseball going on around here to keep us busy.
Paige is still enjoying t-ball.
Garrett is enjoying playing on his team, however, they have only won one game. His Dad (the manager) has never had a losing team. They are a young team and they are learning. A parent on one of the other teams gave my hubby a great compliment the other day. She said "You know, I am never sure if you guys have won or lost. The kids on your team always look happy and like they are having fun".
The kids may be having fun but the manager is beating himself up. It's hard to lose, especially when you put so much of yourself into the team. Fortunately, the players seem to be oblivious to this fact.
After his last hard loss (they have lost a couple by only one run) I sent him this verse I had read that morning.
"We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character hope.
I told him that God was trying to produce great hope in him through this trial. He laughed and said maybe he was. Poor guy. They play Thursday night and I am hoping for his second win. We really do have a great group of kids on the team.
And then their is our oldest son. The one I am not allowed to talk about. There are some really exciting things happening in his baseball career right now, unfortunately, I am not allowed to speak about them.
I will tell you this and just hope he doesn't read the blog and then I won't get into trouble.
He played in a game tonight in a "big stadium" with lots of scouts around checking out the talent. Hearing your sons name being announced over the loud speaker like he is a major leaguer and then having scouts turn their clipboards over to read their notes about your kid is kind of a surreal experience. I really wanted to peek over one of their shoulders and see what was written down but I was trying to act cool and blend in.
Like I could ever be cool. So. Not. Going. To. Happen.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Another Daughter Of The King Received Her Crown Today
Updated below
When we walked into church this morning we were surprised to see 4 giant pools all along the front of the sanctuary.
Our pastor talked about baptism and went over many of the verses we had been talking about as a family lately. Only Garrett (10) has been baptized and the other children have been thinking hard about it. Dave and I really want it to be their decision. I don't want to pressure them in any way.
When it was time for the invitation our pastor said that if anyone wanted to come down and get baptized right then and their they could. They had towels all set up and people prepared to mop up the water, etc. I thought to myself, cool, this is going to be great!!!
So, I prayed for the Holy Spirit to speak to my kids and give them the courage to walk down the steps and be baptized. Only Tyler and Samantha were with me. Dave and Zach were at his ballgame and they are going to church tonight.
I turned to Tyler and asked him if he was ready. He paused and then said no. Samantha also said no. So, we watched as hundreds of people came down to get baptized. It was truly amazing. We go to a mega church of over 5,000 people so the thought of walking forward in front of all those people is daunting. I know my kids were afraid.
We ran into Samantha's best friend before church and she and her family ended up sitting with us. We don't usually see each other as they usually sit on the other side of the church but today we ran into each other and we all sat together. Later I would realize how God had orchestrated this whole scenario.
As we watched and clapped and were amazed at all the people going forward I felt Samantha looking at me. I looked at her and asked the question again. This time she said yes. She asked me and her best friend, Michelle, to go down with her (we were sitting in the balcony). Michelle's father and mother have been great friends of Dave and mine for years and her Dad actually married us 23 years ago. I kind of chuckled and told him that he always seems to be around for the important moments in our lives.
Both of our families went down with Samantha and she was baptized this morning in her jeans and sweater. I cried and cried. It was such a joyful moment.
We called her Dad right afterwards and he was really sad not to be their with her. He is going back tonight and we are praying the boys will listen to the Holy Spirit and swallow their fears and go forward. Will you please pray with me today? Last year on Good Friday Garrett was baptized, today on Palm Sunday it was Samantha's turn, my joy would be complete if the older boys would also go forward tonight and step into that water to make their commitment to Christ complete. They have said they want to, they just need to get over the fear of being in front of all those people. Both of my older boys are pretty shy in front of those they don't know so this is a much harder act of obedience for them than it was for my more outgoing children.
What ever happens tonight I know their hearts are in the right place and at some point they will walk forward and be baptized. Again, I don't want to pressure them in any way. However, I will not hide the fact that I will be doing the hallelujah dance if it does happen tonight.
I'll let you all know what happens.
Update: It didn't happen tonight. From both of their responses though I am pretty sure it will happen soon. Some times being a parent and letting your kids make their own decisions is really really hard. Why can't they just listen to me? I am really smart you know (ha ha ha)? Thanks for your prayers and kind words, I really enjoyed reading them.
When we walked into church this morning we were surprised to see 4 giant pools all along the front of the sanctuary.
Our pastor talked about baptism and went over many of the verses we had been talking about as a family lately. Only Garrett (10) has been baptized and the other children have been thinking hard about it. Dave and I really want it to be their decision. I don't want to pressure them in any way.
When it was time for the invitation our pastor said that if anyone wanted to come down and get baptized right then and their they could. They had towels all set up and people prepared to mop up the water, etc. I thought to myself, cool, this is going to be great!!!
So, I prayed for the Holy Spirit to speak to my kids and give them the courage to walk down the steps and be baptized. Only Tyler and Samantha were with me. Dave and Zach were at his ballgame and they are going to church tonight.
I turned to Tyler and asked him if he was ready. He paused and then said no. Samantha also said no. So, we watched as hundreds of people came down to get baptized. It was truly amazing. We go to a mega church of over 5,000 people so the thought of walking forward in front of all those people is daunting. I know my kids were afraid.
We ran into Samantha's best friend before church and she and her family ended up sitting with us. We don't usually see each other as they usually sit on the other side of the church but today we ran into each other and we all sat together. Later I would realize how God had orchestrated this whole scenario.
As we watched and clapped and were amazed at all the people going forward I felt Samantha looking at me. I looked at her and asked the question again. This time she said yes. She asked me and her best friend, Michelle, to go down with her (we were sitting in the balcony). Michelle's father and mother have been great friends of Dave and mine for years and her Dad actually married us 23 years ago. I kind of chuckled and told him that he always seems to be around for the important moments in our lives.
Both of our families went down with Samantha and she was baptized this morning in her jeans and sweater. I cried and cried. It was such a joyful moment.
We called her Dad right afterwards and he was really sad not to be their with her. He is going back tonight and we are praying the boys will listen to the Holy Spirit and swallow their fears and go forward. Will you please pray with me today? Last year on Good Friday Garrett was baptized, today on Palm Sunday it was Samantha's turn, my joy would be complete if the older boys would also go forward tonight and step into that water to make their commitment to Christ complete. They have said they want to, they just need to get over the fear of being in front of all those people. Both of my older boys are pretty shy in front of those they don't know so this is a much harder act of obedience for them than it was for my more outgoing children.
What ever happens tonight I know their hearts are in the right place and at some point they will walk forward and be baptized. Again, I don't want to pressure them in any way. However, I will not hide the fact that I will be doing the hallelujah dance if it does happen tonight.
I'll let you all know what happens.
Update: It didn't happen tonight. From both of their responses though I am pretty sure it will happen soon. Some times being a parent and letting your kids make their own decisions is really really hard. Why can't they just listen to me? I am really smart you know (ha ha ha)? Thanks for your prayers and kind words, I really enjoyed reading them.
Labels: faith
Better Late Than Never
I have been a bad blogger lately. To much running around, no time for the computer.
I had a friend ask me the other day if I was on Facebook? People ask me this all the time and are always amazed that I am not. To be honest I really don't need another addiction that takes me away from my family. Something else to do on the computer could be very dangerous for me. Do those of you on Facebook find it as addicting as blogging? Let me know.
Since last Saturday our family has had 10 baseball games and 2 basketball games. Our kids have been so busy I thought my head might spin off. I am looking forward to the break over Easter weekend. Some families will be playing ball over Easter, OUR FAMILY WILL NOT. There are actually some things more important than baseball, and Easter, the Resurrection, and Jesus are definitely one of them.
All of the pictures I took from last weekends basketball tournament turned out blurry. I was so disappointed. However, here is one from after the game (Garrett is on the left holding the basketball) as the whole team was trying to catch their breath.
Garrett's team came in second overall and we were so proud of the entire team. He had a great time and I feel so blessed to have found this Home School Sports Organization. He has made some good friends and I love how they pray before each game and give the kids Scripture to memorize. Fantastic!I'm off to get ready for Church now. This afternoon I hope to catch up on all the laundry that has piled up over this crazy week. A nap may be in my future as well.
Happy Sunday Everyone!
Labels: baseball, Home Schooling
