Valentine Card 2010

Simple Heart Valentine's Day 5x7 folded card

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We have a 4-year-old now!

Happy birthday to my dear 2nd boy Jadon! He challenges me to no end, but has the greatest smile to make up for it! Hehe.

Check out his class photo. Makes us scold him and laugh at the same time! What a memory...

Something is making me tired...

We spent most of the day at California Adventure yesterday having fun before Jadon's pass expires tomorrow on his birthday. We were driving home after 4pm and I was trying to talk to Jadon to keep him awake so he could attend his sports class. I could tell he was drifting in and out.

Me: Jadon, tell me about your favorite part of today.
J: The train and monorail. (eyes start to shut)
M: Jadon, try to stay awake so you can go play ball.
J: (eyes open quickly) I'm trying, but something is making me tired.
M: (chuckling) Something is making you tired? What is it?
J: I don't know.

Well he didn't make it home awake so he didn't get to go to his class. :(

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Jer and I went to Olive Crest's annual adoption dinner tonight. It was at the Spaghetti Factory, a first for Olive Crest! Usually it's at their office building. It was so nice to eat and chat with other foster and adoptive families about their experiences. One couple sitting with us has 6 children - 4 biological and 2 adopted. The other couple has one child and just got certified to be foster adoptive parents yesterday! We're right in between them, certified 2 and a half years ago and 4 kids later. It's only by God's grace that we are where we are, blessed with all the children we have.

Over 500,000 children in America are in foster care. Over 100,000 of them are available for adoption. Please think about opening up your hearts and homes to a child in need of a family. There are so many right here in our own backyard. We don't all have to adopt internationally. God has brought us through much heartache from being foster parents, but we know this is where He wants us to be and this is what He wants us to do.

There are never enough foster families to take in foster children.

It finally happened to me...

I thought this only happened in the movies. Yes, it is what you think it is!

Jer was giving a hug to Josiah this morning in bed.

Jer: I love my 5-year-old.

Josiah: (they got up to walk to the boys' room) I love my 31-year-old.

He actually remembered his Baba's age!

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One day this week I walked out of my garage and looked for the boys, who were playing outside in front of the house. I looked to my left and was horrified! Josiah was pulling up his pants and proceeded to button them. He had just peed on my neighbor's front yard! WHY???????? We live right next door!

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Josiah: Why does ice melt?

Me: Because if it's not cold enough, it melts.

Josiah: Why don't we melt?

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We have fun with our little boys and on the other end of the spectrum, our teenage daughter just got asked out for the first time to her homecoming dance. She is so excited and so are we! And we're learning just how EXPENSIVE formal dresses are, in addition to everything else that goes along with attending a nice dance... :)

The Spirit Moves

Tears welled up in my eyes this morning when my Community Bible Study core group leader told me she prayed for me and my daughter. Sounds simple, right? There's more. She specifically prayed for us on Friday night exactly 2 weeks ago. The Lord brought us to her mind that night and she fervently prayed. She didn't know why, so she asked me this morning how things were going.

I had missed CBS last week due to Judah's runny nose. During the last two weeks, a whirlwind tore through our daughter's heart and brought her back to us slowly. I shared with Christianne briefly that the night she prayed was the first night of our daughter's bout of depression that went on for days, affecting the whole family. We've definitely needed prayers! God truly carries us through the tough times, providing the love, prayers, and fellowship of other believers...even when we don't even know it! Wow, I have NEVER experienced the Holy Spirit moving so specifically in my life before!

We discussed John paving the way for Christ's ministry and touched on the Fruits of the Spirit being a manifestation of true faith. Yet it's not what I do, it's what Christ does in me. If He were not in me, why would I bother with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? What would be the point? How could I even come close to succeeding if it were not for Him? May others see Christ, not me.

One lady from my core group mentioned using the Fruit of the Spirit in disciplining her children. What a great idea! I had learned about "catch them being good" when I pursued my teaching credential, but how wonderful to connect it with God's word. Every time one of her children show that they are being loving, kind, etc., they get a little craft puff ball added to a jar. When the jar is full, they get a special outing with Dad. How cool is that?

It is SO much easier to administer discipline for the negative things. I don't want the kids to come to expect a reward for every good thing they do, but it is nice to get a treat every once in a while. This way, they also learn what the Fruit of the Spirit entails!

Here is little Jadon taking a piano lesson from me last night just before bedtime. I was trying to help him follow along with the music by pointing to his spot on the page, but he said, "I do it myself, Mama." He requested that I get the camera to take a picture and video. :)

Judah stands!

My 9-month-old stands for about 10-15 seconds! :) He also learned how to hug by putting his head on the shoulder of the person holding him.

This is what I found yesterday morning after I came back to the dining room from getting changed in my room. That Jadon is always messing around! And Judah suffers...or profits from Jadon's lack of discretion.