Saturday, November 7, 2009

Orphan Sunday



It is almost midnight and I am finishing up with preparing for what i am going to share at church tomorrow. It is our first ever Orphan Sunday and we've got big plans. We've got 11 kids who are going to be sharing all the stats and scriptures about orphans with our congregation. We are doing a special slide presentation (not the video below) that is pretty heavy but reality. I am going to share what God has led on my heart. This is a pretty big thing for me since I am not a public speaker and it makes me VERY nervous. I am trying so hard right now not to let myself panic. I do believe that God wants me to share so please pray that I will have peace and not anxiety and that God will speak through me. I'd also really like to get some sleep tonight :)

Orphan Sunday from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

and the Student of the Month is...


KALEB. His first month in kindergarten and the little guy is student of the month. They are making it a very big deal this year and had the parents there when they presented the kids. It was a bit emotional (even for me:) to think about how far he has come (literally). He is such a good, smart, sweet, fun boy and he would probably be living on the streets if God had not led us to adopt him last year. I wasn't able to get a picture yesterday but I'll put up a random picture of him.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

We're all in this Together

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Candy, candy, everywhere

I love Trick or Treating in our neighborhood. It's always fun and we have lots of kids all out-and-about. Here's our beauties...
Pirate and Karate Kid

Our Indian Princess

Cat Woman

Our Fashion Model

Our little fairy

Sunday, October 25, 2009

A Great Weekend

Since the kids had Thursday and Friday off from school, we had planned on going camping for a little mini vacation. With everyone getting the flu Tuesday and Wednesday, we had to change plans. Thankfully, the flus didn't last long and all 6 kids had it by Wednesday so we were able to do day trips to enjoy the weekend. Friday we went to Olentangy Caverns. The kids loved it and it was their first cave experience. Then we went to the $1 theatre in the afternoon.
Saturday, we went to COSI (kids science museum). Thanks to Kurt's parents, we had a pass this year so I've been able to take the kids several times but Kurt has never been. It was really fun and we enjoyed another day. Today we headed to Hocking Hills. We stopped on our way at a Pumpkin Farm. It was all you can carry for $20. so we loaded Kurt up. Then we headed to Tar Hollow, Ash Cave and Rockhouse. It was a very fun and full day. I have pictures from each day except today. I'll post today's later.






Wednesday, October 21, 2009

7 Down... I'm the only one left

Yesterday morning, the school called to let me know that Ayden had a fever and I needed to come get her. By the time Bryce came home, he had a fever. Addisyn coughed all night and sometime during the night, we realized Brooklynn was fevered. Kurt was miserable with a head cold (i think flu but he won't admit it)so he stayed home with the 4 sick kids and I worked and we sent 2 off to school. Just a couple of hours ago, the last 2 got their fevers. So, if you are counting, that's 7 sickies (5 with fevers) in our house. I am the only one not sick. The kids don't have school the next 2 days so we were planning on going camping for a few days. I guess that's not happening. SO sad... :(

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Fall... hiking and apple picking






I try not to complain about the weather but I am So tired of it raining. I feel like all I have done this winter (ok- that's funny... I meant to write fall) is sit through cold, rainy soccer games. Soccer games are fun- watching in the rain= not fun. So anyway, last weekend, we tried to take advantage of some time with it not raining. We went hiking and had the best time. I truly think our family is the happiest when out on a hike.
The next day, we tried to go apple picking after church. I put the kids in fall clothes so we could get great pictures but by the time we got there, the orchard was closed and it was cold and overcast. They had bags of apples out for sale with the "honor system" so we bought a bag and took pics in front of an apple tree. Since it was pretty cold- everyone seemed just as happy.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

the road less traveled

There is a blog that I follow that I got connected with through Katie's blog. It is a story of a family that is adopting a little girl from Uganda and has many difficult things to deal with through the process. She wrote something that I wanted to share. Here are Stephanie's words,

"Adoption is the road less traveled and there is a reason for that. IT is a TRAGEDY. For domestic adoption, there is a birthmother that is leaving a child behind...HEART WRENCHING. For International adoption, (typically) a child has been abandoned, and his/her heart KNOWS that and LONGS for a mommy and daddy. IT IS NOT EASY and prepare for your heart to BREAK several times along the road. If you want to feel the Lord's presence more than ever, see the face of Jesus in a child, and experience the HEARTBEAT of Christ TAKE the road less traveled. I've done it three times and will be FOREVER changed."

Read more of her story at Joining the Journey.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

This stinks...

This is a marathon weekend and we had a birthday sleepover for Ayden last night and tonight is Bryce's. Three kids have soccer games at 10 and we were supposed to get together with friends we haven't see in 15 yrs this afternoon. Well- wouldn't you know- I am sick. I have been having problems all week and finally went to the Dr yesterday after I spiked a fever and was having problems breathing. Well- I have the flu and a bacterial infection. I am banished to my room for the birthday parties and we are obviously not getting together with friends today. Kurt is getting ready to take all the kids to the soccer game and I am home. No fun! At least Kurt is the best husband and dad EVER and is taking care of everything and everyone himself (including a birthday party for 8 little girls).

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Calamari anyone?


Today we took Bryce out for lunch for his birthday (which is tomorrow). It's our new tradition this year of just Kurt and I taking the birthday kid out to lunch on a date. Bryce chose Japanese Steak House (I know... expensive taste). Kurt and I were thrilled because we love it also but rarely go because it is just too expensive for our family. Bryce was so excited and he wanted to try something new so he ordered calamari and loved it. He's our little seafood boy (just like his dad). Next week, we'll take Ayden out- her restaurant pick is Subway (too funny!) Twins are so fun!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

SCORE!


Addisyn scored her first goal in soccer tonight! She was so excited. She started out the season so timid and she's made so much progress. The team has been wonderful with her and helped her so much. She is still trying to understand rules and positions but she has come so far. After their win on Sat, they made a pyramid and she had no idea what was going on, she just climbed up when someone told her to. Another first...

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Letter from Ethiopia

As many of you may remember, we wrote letters and sent pictures to the orphanage in Soddo last spring hoping that Addisyn's mom would get them. We just received a letter back from her yesterday. It was beautiful and perfect. She thanked us and told Addisyn not to worry about her- that God was taking care of her and that she was so happy that God was taking care of Addisyn and her American family. As Addisyn read it, she just kept saying "my mom is live". It was an incredible relief to her. She is filled with emotions because she is so happy to hear from her but it brings back floods of memories and she really misses her. She talked last night alot about the last times she saw her mom and saying goodbye. I can't even imagine what that was like for either of them. Her mom truly loved her- her only hope for her future and life was in America.
Today she is very happy and can't wait to share her letter with teachers and friends. The letter was an incredible blessing.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Scrapbooking again

This weekend, I pulled out my scrapbooking stuff, made a mess in the LR, and spent the entire weekend scrapping. It has been way too long! I used to keep up, but this year, I've only done it once in the last 9 months. I let the kids do pretty much whatever they wanted in the rest of the house as long as they let me work in the LR. It was so fun and I got about 40 pages done! I think that's pretty amazing (if I can say so myself). I am still "in the mood" so on days I am not cleaning houses, I am trying to get a little done during the day. Now if I could just afford to get all the pictures developed that I took over the last year...

Thursday, September 24, 2009

busy, busy, busy

Not posting much right now because we are so busy. We drive Addisyn back and forth to Cypress 3x a day, we have 4 kids in soccer and 1 in gymnastics and piano, I am working cleaning houses, and I am homeschooling in between it all. It's going well. I will post soccer pics as soon as I take some. I wanted to tonight but it was raining. I'll get to it ASAP.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Visit Orphans

Freed to Visit Orphans from Together for Adoption on Vimeo.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

a review of the week

Well- this was my first week of really getting an idea what life will be life for the next year. It went really well. I spent hours on Sunday coming up with the homeschooling schedule and preparing for each day.
Addisyn started classes on Tuesday and just LOVED the kids. She kept talking about how nice everyone is and how they all helped her. By Thursday, the school requested that she also take Bible with her class and I agreed just warning them that she would not understand or be able to keep up with the academic part of it and they said that was fine. I am so glad they did. She loved it. The kids helped her look up verses and then they got in a circle to pray and each one of them prayed for her and thanked God she was there. That was very special to her.
She started playing soccer Tuesday. I sent her to just watch but 2 kids were hurt and so they played her most of the game! I was so shcoked and nervous. She was timid and didn't know where to go and the kids were so patient with her and just pointed where she should go. She got a few kicks in when the ball came directly to her but was too intimidated to do too much going after it. She was so excited she got to play and can't wait to play again.
Each day is planned out in detail with lots of transporting since she has to go back and forth 3 times each day. Twice for classes and once for soccer. I am so thankful for friends that are helping with this!
I started cleaning houses last Friday and also this Wed and Friday. It went really well. Other people helped transport her and Brooklynn to preschool and then I did it all on Tuesday and Thursday. Cleaning houses is so much easier now that when I did my "trial runs". I actually enjoy the time alone listening to my music and feeling productive.
Teaching Addisyn has started out well. She is trying very hard and wants to do well. Most of what we are doing now is review so it is not hard. I'm sure it will get much more challenging for her and I when it comes to new stuff.
Thursday was my craziest day. Not only was I taking her back and forth but she also had an appointment in the afternoon, a soccer game, Bryce, Ayden and Kaleb all had soccer practice, Kurt had praise team practice and and Koryn had her first gymnastics class. "Soccer mom" doesn't even begin to represent what I am right now. Thankfully, it's all fun stuff.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

and now my baby....

and my last baby started preschool today for the last time (sniff, sniff). You've gotta love that cheesy smile.


Here's the picture of Addisyn I promised yesterday. She's wearing pink, of course!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Another first

Well, Addisyn started today at her new school. She LOVED it. She kept talking about how nice the kids were and how excited they were to meet her. I am thrilled. This is exactly what she needed. She rides with the soccer team tonight to a game. I took pictures this morning and I want to get a little video tomorrow to post so I'll add it soon.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Letter to Addisyn's new class

I am so excited for Addisyn to get to start some classes on Tuesday. I am doing it more for the socializing than anything. I am praying that she will make some friends that will take her under their wing. Although she is supposed to be going into the 7th grade, we all thought it would be better for her to be with the 6th graders for many reasons. I have heard they have a really sweet group of girls so I am excited to see where this goes. I wanted to prepare the kids for her so they understood where she is coming from. I think this is better because they will understand why she is quiet and doesn't understand everything that is going on. It also will help prevent some awkward conversations like "if you have a mom, why are you adopted" or "isn't america so much better than Ethiopia?" These things are well meaning but would be difficult for Addisyn to know how to respond. I asked Addisyn if I could give them this letter and let her read it and she really liked it. I think it relieved some pressure for her. Here is what I wrote:

Dear 6th graders,

Beginning Tuesday, my daughter, Addisyn will be joining your class for a few of your extra classes each day. I want to tell you a little about her before she begins.
First of all, we adopted her from Ethiopia last April. Her father died and her mother was very poor and hoped that she would have a better life if someone in America would adopt her. We always knew that God wanted us to adopt from another country and when we saw her picture on a photolist of waiting children, we knew she was the one that He wanted us to adopt. We never dreamed we’d be adopting a 12 year old!
It was very hard for her to leave Ethiopia but she was very brave and left her mother and sister, her language and the only country she had ever known. When she came last year she did not know any English. She has learned so much but it is still hard for her to understand what people are saying. She loves to talk but gets embarrassed easily because there are so many words she doesn’t know yet.
Life here is so different for her. In her small town in Ethiopia, she had no car and they lived in a small mud house. She had no electricity or running water. They had to walk very far to carry their water and even then the water was not clean. She had few clothes and never had a choice in what she wore or the style or color. She just wore what she had.
Disease was very common there and people often died. She was even sick often and had malaria for quite awhile.
Even though she is happy in America, she still loves Ethiopia. She is still trying to figure out life here. She is learning what it is to be an American teen. I am hoping that you will all be a part of teaching her not only what an American teen is, but also show her the love of Christ. I am praying that God will give her some special friends from your class. I am sure that she will be shy and embarrassed at first so it will take time for her to feel comfortable around you. I have heard great things about your class and am sure that you will have the love and patience to help her along.
I wish she could be with you all day, but because school was so different in Ethiopia, she has not learned all the wonderful things you all know yet. I am teaching her at home to try to help her catch up on all the things she has missed. In the meantime, she will get to share art, choir, and chapel with you and then she will even be playing on the soccer team.
I hope this is a great year for you all and I am excited Addisyn will get to be a part of it.
Thank you!
Kayla

Thursday, September 3, 2009

quick update

Addisyn gets to start taking art, choir, lunch and soccer on Tuesday. WooHoo. Now to start getting the schedule and transportation figured out.