Humbled Honored and Honest

I am truly humbled and honored by something that happened at church today. I was preparing to go before the congregation with scripture to begin our church's focus on Adoption Awareness this month. I looked at the piano, where I sit every Sunday and saw this book, Twelve Extraordinary Women. Then, I opened it. Inside the front cover was this note:

To the most extraordinary woman that I know. How you do what you do for so many and still keep a smile on your face and kind word and worship on your lips is amazing. You are a very special person. I give you this book with all the love of Christ.

Most of you reading this blog are mothers, many of you are adoptive parents, and most of you are followers of Christ. Can you imagine the emotion that flooded my soul? As the tears began to flow, I sat in unbelief. I don't know who gave me this book. I have already started reading it, and I think I'll recommend it to you. But, to the person who gave it to me, Thank you.

I only hope and pray that what anyone sees in me is Jesus. From the moment we committed to adopt Ellie, I began to pray that God would manifest His glory in the lives of our family members. I continued to pray that as it became known that Brandon would join our home. This scripture in the preface of the book is what I hope my life exemplifies, "God had chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence."

May my flesh receive no glory, but may Christ be glorified in everything I do.

Up Next: Honest Confessions

I really do NOT have it all together. I work, I try to be a good mama, I teach Sunday School, I play the piano at church, I've been preparing for Adoption Awareness at church, and I'm in the Christmas drama. Yes, I have plans to slow down a little...maybe, But, I confess, my house is a wreck!!!! It could be cleaner. Sometimes, I just sit down and look at the mess. Sometimes, I just can't keep up.

But, this weekend, as we were making efforts to maintain some order, I told Ellie, You need to pick up your Dora toys." She asked, "Where are they?" I told her, "By the fireplace." Sometime around 15 minutes later, I walked through the Great Room. Ellie was behind the love seat. I looked at her sternly and said, "Ellie, I told you to pick up your Dora toys." Honestly, she looked straight at me and said, "I'm trying to find the fireplace."

Now, you get to decide for your self. Was the problem...
(A) She was finding a creative way to avoid housework?
(B) Fireplace was a new word for her? or....
(C) My house is such a wreck, no one can find the fireplace?




I get the privileg of watching Ellie, Josie-Tatum, and Brandon bond with each other while learning to be a part of a family. The girls love Brandon, and it shows. How special for him, too, to have them at his Senior walk on Friday afternoon.



And, I forever remained honored and humbled that God chose me to be this kids' Mom! I pray that his mother in heaven knows how much I love him.




Brandon played so well Friday night. Sadly, it was a loss that mean our team won't move to State playoffs. I didn't cry nearly as hard as I thought I would--the game was so close, I got into the spirit of the game, shouting like a Banchee. We'll see how emotional I am next week, his last game which is out of town.

Thanks for keeping up with us!
Robbie