HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I am sure my Mother appreciates me posting her birthday BUT I will not post her age. I will just say she is exactly 20 yrs and 9 months older than I am AND I am NOT telling my age!!! My Mom is great. She was a stay at home Mom when I was little and went to work when I was in High School, I think. She quit her job several years ago to spend more time with her husband, kids, and grandkids. She now watches children in her home and enjoys it very much. SO...Happy Birthday, MOM. Love Ya!!!

We are iced in today. When my son came in this morning and told me he was out because of bad weather I didn't believe him. I looked outside and it didn't look that bad to me. Then I had to check 2 different channels to believe him. Mainly because we usually get an automated phone call at about 545 if they are out. The call came at 730 instead.

Nothing new about the adoption. I am TRYING to "wait" patiently but to be honest it is getting harder and harder. I pray for peace daily and I do feel that. I don't walk around in a miserable state but whenever I have a minute to stop and really think about it or when I have to go into the nursery for something THEN it hits me. That is when I really pray for peace!!

Until later...
Tina

WAITING

There have been several times lately that I have asked God for a sign that we are making the right decisions. I have begged God to bring us our little guy soon. But then today, as I was reading the daily blogs that I keep up with, I found this poem. I think God was telling me something!! SO...As hard as it is we will wait and we will trust that God is truly in control of all of it!

This is what I read: ( Michelle, Thanks so much for the reminder.)


Wait

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...
and the Master so gently said,"Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!"
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate
hangs in the balance and you tell me to Wait?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
as my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine...
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
when darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love
when the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,
the faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,
what it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
but oh, the loss if I lost what I'm doing in you.

So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
that the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still "WAIT".

~~~Russell Kelfer~~~


Psalm 27:1,14
The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? ... Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.


Until later...
Tina

A DAY OF LOVE???

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!! I hope you have all enjoyed your Valentine's Day. We are spending the evening at home. I have fixed dinner and will share it with my husband and our youngest daughter, Emilie. The other two will be out with their "others". :P I guess I should start getting used to this right?

Today has been a bit of a bitter sweet day. My grandmother passed away on this date 10 years ago. She was an awesome Godly woman. She made the best blackberry cobbler. She made many special items that are in my house including Tifanie's "bubba". ( A very special blankie that we could not leave home without for the first 5 years of her life!!) Emilie has her middle name (Jean). Emilie only got 7 months with her but I tell her stories often and we have many pictures that we share with her. She has been missed very much by all of us but one day we will be reunited with her in Heaven. That makes me happy!

We had another personal conference call on Wed. It was just to answer any questions that we may have. BUT all of the questions we really have can not be answered because no one really knows. So far we are still sticking with the plan that we will wait and see what happens. We pray daily to seek God's will and peace throughout our wait. We ask that you join us in praying for the same. We also pray that things will move along smoothly.

Thanks so much for your continued support. God Bless You All!!

Until later...

Tina

HAPPY TET!!

What is tet, you ask? Well...we are still learning about this Vietnamese Holiday. It is the beginning of the new lunar year. Today, February 7th, is the beginning of Tet. Tet will last for 3 days in Vietnam during this time they will celebrate with special food, visiting with friends and family and many other traditions. As i said, we are still learning about this Holiday. We will be so excited to celebrate this Holiday with our little guy when he arrives. This year is the year of the rat. My first reaction to this is YUCK!! Most of you know that I am terrified of mice and rats. I must say the more I am learning the cooler it seems.

If you would like to learn a little about this Vietnamese Holiday you can go to
www.saigoninfo.com/tet/meaningoftet.htm

I can't wait to share this holiday with our little guy.

Until later...
Tina

FEBRUARY ALREADY???

Wow! Where did January go? It seems like it has just slipped through my fingers. Our year has begun quite busy. We have spent a few weekends out of town with Donald at Guard. He is now moving to Columbia, MO. He has been trying to get there for awhile. He was the Command Sgt Major at Lebanon, MO but was not working with MPs so that was hard for him. He felt like a third wheel most of the time because he didn't know as much about aviation. He has been an MP for over 19 years. Anyway...was that boring enough for you?? :) We enjoy going along sometimes and staying in Hotels with indoor pools for the kids. It is like a little mini vacation.

The kids were home from school today. They are going tomorrow. The weather is cold but the streets are not too bad. I made a trip to Walmart this afternoon and they were mostly cleared.

We have some new additions. We got them on Monday. We have about 8 fish and a frog. Emilie has proceeded to name them characters from her favorite shows. We have Zack and Cody, Mickey and Minnie, and characters from High School Musical.(I can't remember them all!) So far they have lived 3 days in our home. I will keep you updated. Usually, we kill them quickly.

Adoption News: NOTHING-- We are still waiting to schedule our personal conference call. I am learning major frustation and patience!! BUT...GOD IS IN CONTROL...and I am KEEPING THE FAITH!!!

Until later...
Tina