I was recently asked to be a "guest blogger" for my friends at Shift115 so I wanted to include the link!  This is the story of my journey of worship and how God has used my kids to teach me what it means to be free.  Enjoy! 

http://www.shift115.com/2013/09/a-lesson-from-our-kids/

Gotcha Love Day

It's hard to believe today is Zachary's "Gotcha Day" and that one year ago, on Valentine's Day, we met our sweet boy for the first time.  And yet, it seems strange to me that he hasn't always been with us because it sure feels like it.  I can't possibly express how crazy we are about this kid.  I stand in awe at how God has set this little one in our family and he soooo fits right in =).

 

 

 Feb 14, 2012 we saw Zachary for the first time at his orphanage.  He was so scared and upset, his nannies did their best to comfort and reassure him.  We had to keep our distance at first.

 

 Justin had to walk with him outside the orphanage to try to calm him down while I got all the info I needed inside.  We found out later that while Justin was sweating bullets with our terrified toddler and I was furiously writing down and videotaping everything the translator was telling me, Grace was hanging out with the nannies and holding babies in the nursery.  Happy girl.

 

 

 Saying one last good-bye to the ladies who loved him so much.

 Sad and scared...broke our hearts and yet we trusted he would feel safe soon. 

 

 

 

 

February 14, 2013

 

We celebrated both Valentine's Day and Gotcha Day first thing this morning at our favorite...The Original Pancake House.  The kids woke up this morning so excited that it was Zac's special day.  He was very confused and kept asking if it was his birthday!  Who ever heard of Gotcha Day anyway? =)

I am crazy in love with all 5 of my babies and their daddy.  It's been an awesome journey to Taiwan and back and I am so thankful for the way God's hand has been on this little boy's life.  We are so blessed to be his family.

"Hold You Lap"

Zac is such a cuddlebug.  He is always reaching up for Justin or me and saying "Hold you" or "Lap" or "Hold you lap".  I love that he wants to be close to us.  This morning I sent my big kids back to school after a really nice Christmas break.  No one wanted to get out of bed (me especially) but they made it out the door on time.  Asher has been sick and just wants to lay around (SO not Asher) so I was hoping for a little quiet time with my Bible, coffee, and gently falling snow while the two little boys watched a movie.  I barely cracked it open when Zac came into the kitchen..."Mommy, lap?" I said, "Don't you want to watch the movie with Asher?"  "No thank you (he's seriously that polite).  Lap."  So up he came.  I love holding him even though it makes it a little harder to drink my coffee and hold my Bible so I tried again to see if he wanted to sit next to me and color or do a puzzle.  Nope, "Lap".  So I tried to read while he chatted about how he wanted hot cocoa, his daddy, and looked at a picture of himself that I used as a bookmark in my Bible.  "Zackey...aw, cute!" (He's heard that more than a few times!).  I wasn't comprehending anything I was reading so I finally decided to read out loud.  I was finishing up Revelation, a book that I tend to avoid.  I know I am not supposed to be fearful but I confess that I find myself freaking out a little when I work my way through it so I was excited to read the last chapters when all things are new and Satan is banished forever.  I was surprised when tears started forming in my eyes as I read aloud.  By the time I got to Revelation 21 I was pretty much sobbing through it.

"I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared.  And the sea was also gone.  And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband.  I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, the home of God is now among his people!  He will live with them, and they will be his people.  God himself will be with them.  He will remove all of their sorrows and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  For the old world and its evils are gone forever.  And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making all things new!"  Revelation 21:1-5

I share this story for a couple of reasons...one is that I was reminded of the power of the Word of God this morning.  Reading it aloud made it even sharper to me.  The other reason is to encourage other moms of little ones.  There are opportunities to sit at His feet when your 3-year-old wants to sit on your lap and you never seem to be alone.  In fact, a part of the reason I found myself in tears was just being struck again at the miracle that I even had this precious, beautiful little boy on my lap and I had the honor and joy to speak Truth over him.  He kept putting his little hand on the page...he has the sweetest little hands. 

There's so much more I could say about my experience reading Revelation this time.  I know God led me back to it again.  Read it...maybe even out loud...and be filled with the hope and assurance that Jesus wins the battle and all things will be made new.

(sidenote...Zachary was on my lap as I wrote most of this post too...=)