Gotcha Hope!!

Today, May 13, is Hope's Gotcha Day - the day we were allowed to keep her with us forever! We were actually in Ethiopia this whole week and today was our Embassy Appointment where all the papers were made final to bring her home to the U.S and our family.

What a blessing she is!! As with so many other adopted children, we have just seen her blossom. She was a very quiet baby without a lot of interaction at first but, my oh my, has that changed! She is no longer so quiet (people in church can attest to this!) and she is so full of LIFE! She gives the whole family kisses every morning when she gets up. My dad summed it up by saying: "she barley needs to say words because she communicates so well with her big, brown eyes." She is very personable!

The orphanage she was in was great considering the poverty of Ethiopia and I do believe the staff really cared for the children, but God's word says that the "He places the lonely into families" (Psalms 68: 5&6) because it is the family where we are loved individually, just as we are! An earthy picture of God's adoption of us, His children.

Praising God today for Hope's adoption and for my adoption, your adoption, and 'anyone who will come' adoption into God's eternal family through Jesus Christ!

Andy did a great job of posting some pics of Hope on Lifesong's blog if you would want to check them out:

http://lifesong.squarespace.com/

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

I was reflecting a bit about Mother's Day and my mom. I am truly blessed to have had a godly mother in my life.

My mom is very friendly and talkative, but she is also a good listener. There were many nights when I would come home and she would be waiting up in the chair in the living room to talk about how my evening went. I loved those times! I hope I can be as relational with our kids too (I already KNOW I will be waiting in the chair until my kiddos are safely home while Andy is sleeping away!).

She is also a lot of fun! We would get "inspired" to do some decorating at about 11:00p.m.. We are both night owls. (My dad, on the other hand, would be snugly tucked in bed by 9:30 :-) )We would run out to whatever store was open to get what we needed. There were a few times when we were sure that someone was following us, so we would take an alternate route home so we could lose them before we got home!

One very distinct memory I have of my mom and dad is them praying for me and other issues everyday. They would pray in the morning before my dad went to work which is a sacrifice for my mom since we are not morning people. God has been so faithful to those prayers!

Mom, I am so thankful for you and your love throughout my life. It is a privilege to call you my mother and now my friend too! Thank you for ALL that you and dad still do for us and our kids!

I love you!

~ Jill

Mom,

You've been incredible to all of us kids! I love your sponteneity in life - the fun & random ideas and places to go! I love your easy smile and ready laugh. I respect your ability to set your sights on a goal, and be unswayed from achieving that same goal - no matter how difficult. You are a classy lady.

Thank you for sacrificing a lot of time, energy, and "more fun" things to be doing than the sometimes mundane & monotonous things of raising kids! I really value and appreciate how you were able to stay home and not work when we were growing up! It spelled L-O-V-E to us!

I'm privileged to be your son. And our kids treasure you as a grandma to them!

I love you,

Andy

Girl Time...

Last weekend, Haley and I attended a "Secret Keeper Girl" event. This ministry puts on a fun show with a message to girls ages 8-12 about their identity being in Christ, modesty and true beauty. We had a great time! The "Secret Keeper Girl" staff does a great job of being fun and entertaining while keeping the message clear and Biblical.

We went with some great friends which is always fun!

Sharing a hot cocoa with Haley. I think the most meaningful part of the event for me was when the speaker asked us, moms, to tell our daughters what we loved about them and then we prayed over our girls and they received a one-of-a-kind handmade braided bracelet to remind them that they are God's unique creation.

I think Haley just loved the attention and special girl time. It was a reminder that kids spell love as t-i-m-e.

Great Read...

I have been reading this book and really enjoying it!

If you are blessed with boys, I would HIGHLY recommend it.

I am so thankful for my boys!

How about YOU, any book that you have read lately and would recommend?

Go Cubs Go!!

On Wednesday we had the opportunity to go up to Chicago to a Cubs game. Our whole family went and my dad. It was so fun! We just cherished the time with our kids.

Walking the streets of Chicago to Wrigley Field. There is something so fun about visiting Chicago.

That famous sign...



Caleb was pumped!

The girls. It was a little cold at first, but then it warmed up by the 5th inning.

Travor ready to catch a fly ball.

Haley all bundled up.

The Cubs were playing the Colorado Rockies and the Rockies won 5 - 2. Caleb called Grandpa Lehman on the way home to tell him the outcome of the game. He said the "Rockies smoked the Cubs!" :-)

Clapping for her team!

The 'new' latest happenings...

I guess I like to do big, all-encompassing posts...here we go...

We went to Leo with Steve and Danae to see Gerb and Natalie for a weekend.

I love this pic of Caleb and his cousin-bud, Eli.

Hope at Barnes & Noble.

Hamming it up!

Hope hanging with her cuz, Violet.

Caleb singing in the rain.

I feel like Hope has transitioned from baby to toddler. She thinks she is big stuff now that she is walking.

All ready for the church Easter program on Palm Sunday. I give up on a "normal" picture. Normal is boring, right?

Today, we caught a toad in our window well. After much screaming from me (I kept apologizing for being such a wimp!) we got it into a bucket.

Haley got out her animal book to look up what kind of toad we caught. We think it is a 'Common Toad" -very exotic sound - I am sure my screaming was justified? Our neighbor, Tyler is in the pic too.

From the Heart...

Our church has been study the book of James together. I was doing my devotion in James today which I have to confess, a bit half-hearted, more because I know I need to get it done rather than a deep desire. I have been feeling tired and just plain unmotivated lately.

God is so faithful. I just felt so ministered by Him during my devo (thank you God!). I wrote this e-mail to Andy and thought I would share it here too. Maybe it will be an encouragement to you...




Also, I was convicted of my tiredness... I read these verses:

Ps. 34:1 " I will extol the Lord at ALL times; His praise will ALWAYS be on my lips."

Heb. 13:15 " Through Jesus, therefore, let us CONTINUALLY offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess HIS NAME."

Eph. 5:20 "ALWAYS giving thanks to God in EVERYTHING, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I was convicted to have more "praise on my lips at all times." I think it is easy for me to feel down with all the sour news of the economy and all my fears with raising a family, doing a good job etc... This attitude of mine does not honor God and certainly zaps energy! He is honored by faith and trust. It feels good to be convicted of this and I am going to focus on praising Him today!

What can mortal man or a bad economy do? My HOPE and salvation is in God - THE creator of Heaven and Earth. He speaks and it is done. He is so powerful and yet, He allows me to know Him personally, to live in my heart which is dirty and filthy but made clean by Him?? Awesome! I have EVERYTHING to be thankful for!