Welcome Home Soldier

So much good news to share these days requires more posts! This one is dedicated to one very brave soldier, his (dare I say braver?) wife and 3 boys who endured a second tour in Iraq. Welcome home, soldier! Thank you for doing what needed to be done so that we can carry on safely with our lives at home! We are so glad you are home safely and we will continue to pray for the safety of all our other soldiers who are protecting our freedoms around the world.

Children Are A Blessing From the Lord

I love adoption...on so many levels! Not only is it beyond my comprehension that God would adopt us, it is such a miracle to me to watch it unfold in living color right here on earth. If you want to help make my friends' Christmas extra special, you can participate in the fundraiser for their next adoption journey. They are fellow laborers with us in Navs and already make wonderful parents for their two...soon to be three...little ones!



The DEAL:

The link below is to a photographer who will donate 100% of the proceeds for your gorgeous Christmas card purchase to their adoption journey. These cards are very beautiful so check out the link: http://www.lauraluphotography.com/ and be a part of giving a little one a great family!

FYI:

If you think you want to take part in this fundraiser. After Laura sends you back a digital template with you photo(s) in the template you can order prints from a place like Walmart.

Their printing costs for 100 4X6 prints of the template that Laura sends you: Walmart will charge you $15.00

If you do 100 5X7 prints: 58.00.

If you were to go to Walmart with your pictures and use one of their holiday templates: 100 5X7's $60.00
100 4X8's $33.00

If you donate 25.00 and get one or two of your pictures in Laura's template. You will still need to find a place to do your photo prints for you.

The Ways We Pray

Lately we've been trying a little experiment at mealtime to encourage our kids to pray before they eat. Frankly it all came out of a moment of exasperation for me; it just didn't seem to set the right tone for praying when I had to yell and threaten my kids to say "Grace." So one morning a week or so ago I informed the Things on the spot that from then on I would be praying at breakfast, Thing 2 at lunch and Thing 1 at dinner...no matter what! I also told them that they could decide how we would "fold our hands" when it was there turn to pray. This has turned my frowns and frustrations into smothered smiles and heartfelt prayers. The boys love coming up with creative ways to "fold their hands" and belt out heartfelt prayers without resistance.

Last week we sat in Guadalajara's (the only local AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurant...a requirement for me before agreeing we were "called" to minister here, that along with a Starbucks) and Thing 2 informed us we needed to put our hands behind our heads in order to pray. We obliged and I'm sure incurred a bit of interest from onlookers. We have also had some charismatic prayers with our hands lifted high. Tonight we all put our index fingers on our nose to say grace.

Sometimes they are silly stances, and sometimes not so far off the mark, like when we fold our arms across our chest. Even though the words are right, "Thank you for God. Thank you for the bananas..." (Okay, mostly right, he's 2!). Anyways, even though the words are right I find that often my heart isn't, and my arms folded across my chest is a more honest reflection of how I'm feeling. Now the Things really aren't trying to teach me a lesson on prayer by their creative approaches, but I have a feeling that God is doing just that. I'm humbled and grateful that He accepts me no matter my stance, inside and out, and patiently works with me until I'm back in the right position inside. I don't really think He gives a hoot about the outside; if He does I guess we have some answering to do about the ways we pray at dinner!

So now it is your turn. What has God taught you through your little theologian(s)? I'd love to hear and know I'm not the only one God humbles through her (his) kids!

Things I've been seeing lately.

Thing 1 informed me that "we don't have enough blocks"....ha!

Our little soccer player and froggy made out like bandits this halloween...everyone was happy with the haul they made and it has been disappearing at an alarming rate. At T1's preschool they had "Cookie Monster Day" instead of Halloween. Everyone wore blue and made cookies and his teacher informed me when I picked him up that T1 had eaten his whole cup of frosting in addition to his cookie. He was a bit hyper and I was a bit annoyed (not really)...but I'm secretly getting my revenge by giving him a piece of Halloween candy every morning before school (really).

Like father .................Like son. And everyone says that T2 looks like me...ha!

T2 "enjoying" the fire trucks at the homecoming parade.

T1 enjoying the kittens on his first fieldtrip to some local gardens. Apparently they grow cats along with grapes and gords.

"Octember", the boys enjoying their first snow.



How precious you are, our newest little nephew ready to get his first big bucket of candy.

Sometimes experience is the best teacher. In this case T2 learned that the soap at Grandma and Grandpa's house doesn't taste good and should be left for bathing. T1 claims he was not involved in T2's decision to bite it...the jury is still out.

Once again, Tiney Hiney didn't give us very many great shots of it's little face. The placenta (looking sort of like brains) was in the way, but it is waving "hi" anyways.

Looking a little "alienish"...but all parts are there that should be, and it is a week ahead in growth for whatever that matters.