Happy New Year!

It is 2008. I'm sure you probably know that...if you don't, you're in worse shape than me! I'm not really in bad shape, just not feeling overly bloggy. Kept thinking that surely there was something I needed to share, but nothing came. I'm actually feeling a little empty, which is not like me typically...sorta in a funk and trying to work my way through it.

The holidays went well for us. It stayed pretty low key. We had fun with the girls and their new toys. They love their kitchen set and Barbie jeep and we loved watching Davie throw Ellie around that first time she drove. It was hysterical. Now Ellie doesn't want to ride with her...go figure. The big kids got the normal clothes and stuff. Matt got fun stuff for his guitar...I don't even know what it was really. I got some gift certificates and had fun spending one of them at Lowe's on a garden fence to grow my butterfly plants on. Hopefully by spring I will have so many butterflies that you will have to swat them away to get out of your car(ok, that might be like a plague and not be much fun, but lots of them anyway.) I also got a Starbucks card and I am enjoying that tremendously(a comedian at our church last night called Starbucks "the Christian crack"...I thought that was pretty funny and maybe a little true...bummer). Anyway, Christmas was really fun. Stayed up until midnight on New Years Eve too....wow, aren't you impressed? On the way home I saw three sets of fireworks. That's just cause we live way out and can see all the theme parks from out here...impressed, aren't ya? So, I'm thinking that this funk has to do with my lack of self control with food...fatter than I've ever been. Big fat bummer! But, even more than that, my passion for my Lord has waned in the last couple of weeks and so my zeal for life is lacking. I usually get sorta mad at Him when things feel too hard. Like changing. Really making life changes. Please know that I don't mean to be insensitive to anyone who is experiencing anything that is devastating in their life at this time...I know that this seems very superficial in some respects, but the truth is I get so weary of trying to change the things I have struggled with for years. So, I get sorta mad at God for making me continue in this struggle. The truth is, I want Him to remove the struggle...just magically make it disappear. Like a drug addict who miraculously gives up drugs and never wants them again. I want to experience a sugar miracle...never want sugar again. I KNOW I'm whimpy, but really, that's what I want. I don't think I'm gonna get it though...I think I'm just gonna have to struggle with my flesh until I get to go HOME. So, hey, Happy New Year and lets get on with it already....someday I will get to go Home and not struggle with anything anymore. (Hasten the day, Lord...hasten the day.)

On an exciting note, my oldest leaves for London tomorrow...well, she leaves home tomorrow and stays with a travel mate and then flies out of the US on Wed. She is excited, but like all of us, a little nervous. I started really thinking about her going last night and at 3 something a.m. I turned on the tv just to have something other than my thoughts going on in my head. The tv lulls me back to sleep pretty quickly. Before I turned on the tv I laid there, or layed there, I can never remember which, and the enemy tried to do a number on my heart...thoughts like "what in the world are you thinking letting her go over there?" And then there were the anxious thoughts about making sure she has everything she needs. I fight the enemy and pray, but those endless loop thoughts sure get to me sometimes. Is this way too much information or what? Anyway, other than leaving her loved ones(one in particular and its not her dad or I :) she is very excited. Other than her leaving us, we are very excited for her.

School started back today for the other big kids and man is it quiet around here! I love breaks where everyone is home and no one has to be anywhere, but then I love the order and routine that school brings to our lives. I guess I sorta like the non schedule better in some ways though.

Well,I guess I must bring this riveting post to a close. If you are still reading you are faithful blog person and I thank you. Much love and God's peace to you, Jackie Sue

Christmas Events

Christmas Events

So we are having fun around here....! We have basically finished all of our Christmas events other than Christmas Eve homemade pizza and Christmas day with the family. Just thought I would share what we've been up to. The first photo is of Catherine in her school's Christmas Musical. She was one of the leads in the play and we were so proud of the job she did. She sang a small solo and did beautifully. Another singer...what fun! Davie is in the photos with her ballet class. They performed at a retirement/nursing home last Saturday. Davie knows her dance and although she is the youngest in her class she is very serious about doing well. At this performance one little girl fell apart right in the middle of the dance. Everyone stopped to look at her and then Davie just started dancing again. Like "the show must go on". I felt bad for the little girl, but Davie was gonna finish her dance. It really was funny. The last photos are of David decorating his gingerbread house...oh wait, did I say David? I meant Davie and Catherine are decorating their gingerbread houses. That guy in the photos is just their dad standing by and offering creative counsel or building advice or something. This is definitely a new tradition for us. It was so fun. The movie Little Women played in the background as they made their lovely little houses. It was hysterical to hear Davie trying to explain the story of Little Women to David. She kept saying, "see her, Daddy, she dies," about Beth and then more about Jo and Laurie...too cute. (As an aside, that series of books created in me the desire to adopt kids when I first read the books a LONG time ago)We are having a fun and basically non-stressful Christmas season. Here's wishing the same for you and yours. Much love, Jackie Sue

The last blog for the day...I'm all caught up now

More Us!

Just wanted to share a few more photos. If you have the time, click on the photo above...there are captions this time, oh the joy :)!

So....how have you been? I have been fine, but burdened. I have almost finished the book, "There's No Me Without You" (thanks to BooMama for having it on her fall reading list). I decided to read this book thinking it was just another book on adoption/care for orphans in Ethiopia. I've read tons of books on adoption. Mostly ones related to China, so I didn't think any big deal about reading this one. Oh my goodness, was I wrong! I know I tend to live in my own little world and don't watch the national news and I don't have cable so I don't watch news programs in general, but I had no conscious idea of all the children in Africa orphaned by AIDS. I was basically clueless. This book is so educational. It reads like a text book on the AIDS crisis in Ethiopia. I have been floored by this. Much to my dismay my heart has been completely taken in by the orphans there. I have taken forever(weeks) to read this book and since I read fast it just shows how little I could take in at one time. It was just too much information.

A couple of months before reading this book I was chatting with the Lord "you know, Lord, I can see why people get addicted to adoption. It gives purpose and meaning to the mundane day to day life of things. It gives me focus and a goal and I love the end result so much that I could do it again and again, but David says we are done, so now, Lord, what do I do? What is to be my goal now?" He clearly spoke to my heart "raise the children I have given you. Finish the job well." I remember then thinking, duh....that is the truth, Lord, getting them here wasn't really the hard part at all....raising them....that is the hard part. So, I began to pour myself into my children and to the goal that God had set before me.

Soooo, now I have read this book and I have no idea what to do with this information. I will never be the same. I have cried as I have read the book and I have wept before God and asked Him, "what do I do with this information? what do You want me to do now that I know the need?" I don't have any answers yet, but He will show me.

Of course I have been sharing with David about all that I was learning. You can imagine his reaction to all this orphan talk. On our date over Thanksgiving I shared some more with him....David-"We're done. You will have to get one of your kids to do this one". Me-"Oh, honey, I know we are done. It has just touched my heart and I don't know what to do with all this information" David-"Well, stop reading...no, not really...I don't know what to tell you, but I am too old and we are done." Me, smiling and laughing, "oh honey, don't worry, I wouldn't want to get another child before Matt leaves home and that's at least two years. And then, if we did, I would want an older girl to go between Davie and Catherine. Besides in Ethiopia we can't adopt anyone more than 50 years less than our age and since you are over 50 we would need to get an older child. But, don't worry, we have two years before we need to do anything." David-"Ok. Now can we talk about something else?" All smiles and a fun date with real conversation and food and laughter. A good time was had by all two of us. And do you know how I know this? The next day we celebrated "thankful Saturday"(my made up holiday) and David shared that one of the things he is thankful for is "Jackie's heart for adoption". I was floored!!!! And this was after all my Ethiopia talk!

I have NO idea where this will all lead, but I love the journey of finding out. Maybe it is to be an encouragement to you....maybe YOU need to adopt from Ethiopia :) Much love, Jackie Sue

Christmas bloopers on Thanksgiving

Family Stuff

(I know I know I'm making more than one post in a day, I got behind already)These were some bloopers from our photo shoot for our Christmas photos (thanks Chris). The bloopers are the really fun ones I think. There are TONS of them and this is just a few. The photo above is missing yours truly, but oh I love Ellie's smile there. When Ellie begins to hold up her hands she is saying "all done, all done" and wants to be through, but when the other kids start imitating her it gets fun and silly again. Regardless of how stressed I get, these kids of mine try to make family pictures fun...can you imagine???? I'll post the real photo later, but thought these were waaaay cute!

Dancing with the Stars

Fall Family Fun

Can you say "dancing with the stars?" Oh my, but we can! We had a ton of fun watching dancing with the stars this last season. It is Davie's and my favorite show. She knew all the dancers names and had her favorites. We were totally into it as you can tell by her photos. She didn't so much want to watch the stars as to BE the stars. I had to remind her that I really did want to watch the dancing on the tv or she would take the stage completely, which I loved until it got to the last few shows and then I really did want to watch the dancers more than her :) The photos above are meant to be switched from one to the other quickly to get the full effect. What a hoot my girl is! Hope they make you smile.

Another Month Flies By

More Family Fun

If you click on the photo above you will go to my web album. I've uploaded a few fun photos of the kids. The gals in bed with their daddy are having some fun. I just loved their matching pjs! Ellie turned 19 months this week. She continues to be quite entertaining. We are really enjoying her.

Things around the house continue to stay busy. We have had lots of fun together. A few weeks ago Catherine Jo won second place in her first horse show. I was one proud momma. My third child is really coming into her own. It is fun to watch her blossom. She has gone from being the baby for 7 years to being a big sister to two and is doing really well at it. I don't have a photo of Matt in his Target uniform(go figure), but the boy does me proud working his not so fun job and staying on top of school at the same time. It is not easy sometimes, but we are doing pretty well around here.

We celebrated Davie's "i gotcha day" this past Saturday. David built a pit in the backyard for a campfire and we roasted marshmellows for smores. She thought it was the neatest thing. After the smores and baths we watched her gotcha day video. Oh my, was she cute! She was such a happy little baby from the very beginning. I am so blessed to have her as my daughter.

Thanksgiving has come and gone. Sarah was home for 5 days and we had some fun with her. We celebrated on Thanksgiving day with family and then spent time on Saturday with friends reflecting on our blessings of the year. I have so much to be thankful for. Not only do I have wonderful kids, but David is such a wonderful partner to me. This is my team and I'm grateful that so far they haven't voted me off the island.

How You Live

Well, I couldn't get this to work, but it was Sarah to the rescue and so now you can share in the joy of my new favorite song. I JUST LOVE IT!!! Enjoy :) (If you decide to listen to the video you have to go down and pause my programed music selection) love, Jackie Sue (I only wish you could hear Davie singing along...we may have to arrange that while Sarah is home for Thanksgiving...only a week now!!! Yipee...doing the happy dance!)
P.S. I've listened to this song over and over....and the more I've listened to it the more it is a prayer for my children(especially the part about visiting the folks more than on the holidays :) just kidding, but really an exhortation and dream for them to live life to the fullest and keep the main thing the main thing,( to quote my favorite Coach).