First Sleepover

Back in January our girls had their first official sleep over at the Whetstone's house while Jeremy and I went to the Discover adoption seminar. It was the first time they had spent the night at someone's house other than their grandparents. So, we had been wanting to return the favor. We have had "sleep overs" before with Sadie, Kinnick, Macey, & Hannah but their moms came too. So, this was our first official sleep over with just kids. Grace & Faith were very excited and put on make-up to get ready. Grace also picked out a "boy" shirt with a basketball on it in honor of boys coming over. (This sounds very much like they were trying to impress, but it was all very innocent.)

They were excited to put on their pjs and watch a movie with popcorn.

Here Logan and Titus toddled down to the girls' room to drag books off the shelf while the older kids were playing in the back yard.
Titus & Logan went to bed great. The older kids had a bit of a harder time, but overall I'm sure there will be LOTS of much later nights at future slumber parties! The Whetstones are dear friends and I am enjoying watching the kids' friendships develop.

Signs of Spring

Spring is officially here and we have changed out our seasonal "artwork" from snowmen to flowers. This one was super easy. Each of the kids made the number of flowers as there age. That worked well since I only had to coax Titus into painting one flower.

Here is the finished product. Faith got to do 3 1/2 flowers. The girls enjoyed adding their names with scrap booking stickers from Nana.

The temperatures have been up, down, and all around but we have been enjoying the days that FEEL like Spring.

One day Jeremy went into work late (10 am!!) because he was working late. We got doughnuts and then went to the park to ride bikes. Here Grace is riding her sister's bike. She REALLY needs a bigger bike!
We have gotten out the hammock- the girls' favorite thing to do with their daddy.
Titus LOVES going outside & getting dirty.

He is really enjoying this car. He can't make it go forwards but he loves to pretend to drive.

We have enjoyed a few picnics at the park with friends. On this windy day the wind did all the blowing for us when we played with bubbles.
Faith ridding Grace's old bike (because it is even smaller than her bike). These pants she is wearing already have a hole in them from an adventure in our backyard, so I'm glad they were handed down!
I LOVE Spring.

Little Pink Princess "Bible"

This is the devotional book we are using for our breakfast devotion time. Faith calls it her little pink "Bible." A while back we were reading from Numbers 9:15-23.

On the day the Holy Tent was set up, a cloud covered it. (The Holy Tent was also called the Tent of the Agreement.) From dusk until dawn the cloud above the Tent looked like fire. The cloud stayed above the Tent. At night it looked like fire. when the cloud moved from its place over the Tent, the Israelites moved. Wherever the cloud stopped, the Israelites camped. So the Israelites moved at the Lord's command. While the cloud stayed over the Tent, they stayed in place. Sometimes the cloud stayed over the Tent for a long time. The Israelites obeyed the Lord and did not move. Sometimes the cloud was over it only a few days. At the Lord's command they moved. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from dusk until dawn. When the cloud lifted the next morning, the people moved. When the cloud lifted, day or night, the people moved. The cloud might stay over the Tent for two days, a month or a year. As long as it stayed, the people would camp. But when the cloud lifted, they moved. At the Lord's command the people camped. And at his command they moved. They obeyed the Lord's order that he commanded through Moses.

This passage caught my attention and resonated with my heart.

I felt like these words were cut and pasted out of our current life circumstances...

The cloud might stay over the Tent for two days, a month or a year. As long as it stayed, the people would camp. But when the cloud lifted, they moved. At the Lord's command the people camped. And at his command they moved.

Now granted we don't live in a tent. No, we live in a very nice super comfy American home. But, as we have been seeking the Lord's vision and purpose for our family we have been living in a sort of "we might be moving" limbo land for almost a year and a half. And to be honest, it is the best of times and the worst of times all wrapped into one. On the one hand God has immeasurably blessed and redeemed "Hannibal" as we have waited. I have also come to learn that the "permanence" we often assume/rely on in our lives is a false sense of security. But, it can also be challenging. We find ourselves saying, "But what if we're moving..." when trying to make financial decisions, as we prepare for Grace going to kindergarten, as we grow deeper relationships with new friends and attempt to prepare for an adoption. So often we come to a place where we think it would be SO much easier to make a decision if we knew where this path would end up...

Boy, do I wish we had a pillar of cloud & fire over our house. (Wouldn't that be cool?)

Yet each time we wait God has always given just enough grace & wisdom for us to know the next step (maybe I should say baby step). He's been faithful to give clear direction even when that has been in the form of a no. No, we didn't end up getting an interview. No, that position is no longer available we just offered it to someone yesterday...No, you aren't eligible to begin the adoption process this year you will need to wait. And so we wait, and pray, and seek and sometimes try to convince God he really needs to have this all worked out by the fall when Grace will start kindergarten. (I'm not sure he is near as worried about this fact as I am :)

Looking back at the Scripture I see the following:

1. Sometimes the Israelites stayed (for 2 days, a month, years)

2. Sometimes the Israelites moved. (after only a few days)

3. The people were ready. (day or night they moved)

4. They were directed by the Lord's command and they obeyed.

Well I've got one and two down. And I think I'm the closest to three I've been in my whole life. But, four well I think I will be working on that one my whole life. Total obedience is hard. I know the Israelites knew that! But, I also know its a worthy goal. I'm still working on figuring out the difference between when God is planting you and when He is preparing you. (And I'm still willing to install the pillar thing if God is interested...)