Judge for yourself on whose to blame!

In light of politicians pointing fingers ... you judge for yourself. This is from hearings in 2004 - 4 years ago!
Now, when your getting angry about why our country's financial system is falling apart and looking for CHANGE ... I'd say you should make sure you are looking for the right CHANGE and educating yourself. The more I learn, the scarier he gets!
Put your COUNTRY FIRST!

To represent life ... you have to VALUE IT!

We are thick in the trenches of a heavy political debate. The one thing I love about our country is that we get to make choices ... we are a democracy. We value that each of us has an opinion and has the opportunity to weigh in on who we believe is best fit to run our country. Lately, however, I have become ever increasingly concerned and disgusted with the opinions of many of my fellow Americans. I have found that many are making choices without being fully educated. They are making choices for the "hip", the "trendy" or based upon "color". Yes, you heard me, recently a man called into a talk radio show I was listening to and said he was voting for Obama simply because he was black. Are you kidding me? That could bring me to a whole different topic ... UGH! But today, I am going to take a look at something that everyone ... whether you are black, white, purple or yellow need to consider and value!

As you look at candidates for any election, you must first look at their fundamental values. Do they hold up with yours? Now, I don't believe any candidate will have the exact political plans that I myself would think is best perhaps, however, before examining the very specific plans, it is crucial to know the heart of the person who would represent us. I know that politics is a very touchy subject. I have been on the receiving end and in the middle of political conversations that do not do anything but create controversy. That being said, however, I do think that as an American, I have the right and privilege of sharing my views and today, I couldn't pass up sharing with you something that has disturbed every part of my being.
For years, there has been the argument of when does life begin. As a believer and a Christian, I am certain that the Lord makes that very clear in Psalm 139. In those scriptures he shares that even while in your mother's womb he knew you. He knows how many hairs are on your head and has every day you will spend numbered. If the bible is truth then that would mean that the Lord who created us and gave us life did so at our conception. If he knows the hairs on our heads in our mother's womb and says he has a plan for us then how can you debate that that is not LIFE?

Have you ever had the opportunity to see a level four sonogram? Recently, my precious sister in law had the opportunity to have one done. She was 18 weeks gestation. My niece to be was thought to possibly have a horrible genetic condition called "Edwards sydrom or Trisomy 18". This condition is fatal to a child and most live only a few minutes after birth. That being said, Karen and John went in to do this sonogram to help rule out the genetic markers for Trisomy 18 (and PRAISE THE LORD ... THEY DID!) Anyways, Karen brought the pictures to us to see our niece in her glory ... in her WOMB! That precious baby girl, in the photos is as much of a life as I have seen any child. She was sucking her thumb in the pictures and had her little hand, which was completely developed, up by her ear. I could see her little eyes, her nose, her mouth and every single little toe and finger that had been formed. She is beautiful and I cannot wait to meet her in person.

I tell you about baby Fergason to bring to light the horror that the democratic presidential nominee is a part of - Infantside. This is not an abortion debate ... this is MURDER!
Please watch the movie below and learn for yourself. To make a long story short, their is a form of abortion where the doctor inserts a needle into the Mommy and induces her labor prematurely. These babies are born premature - 20 and 22 weeks gestation very much alive - breathing - full of life - and then left to die. Recently, in the Illinois Senate, their was a bill up for a vote to bann these forms of abortions. EVERYONE .. including the very liberal and Democratic Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy and more voted for the bill ... they saw that this was in fact MURDER and not a choice! But NOT Barak Obama. NO, in fact, on THREE occasions he voted this bill down. He voted that these children would be allowed to be be born and then, left to die.

As a believer and a Christian, I do not believe you can with clear conscience place your name and your vote on a man who does not value life. I will say BOLDLY ... there is no way you can be a Christian and still vote for him!
How can this man, who doesn't value life, reside over and make decisions for the living? How can he see value in people when he doesn't see value in the living, breathing and helpless child?
Set aside all the other things I don't agree with ... his tax ideas, his ideas on foreign policy and more and look at ONE central idea. This man, if elected has the opportunity to place three supreme court judges on the bench. I fear what kind of men and what choices would be made at his hand. Think on these things!
I know with certainty that one day, the Lord will judge every man. He will separate those from the left and from the right. (NO PUN INTENDED). Their will be a day that Obama will hold an account for all of his decisions and most definitely, the Lord will judge harshly his decision to be a part of taking the life of a child. I rest in that peace and I know that whatever is to come, the Lord will make right. I do know, however, that he is also a righteous God and I fear the hand of obedience that would be to come. As a Christian, as a believer who values life, think about the day that you stand before him yourself and answer why you checked "yes" to being a part of that choice!

Prior to watching, please place the music on pause to the right of your screen.

The Faith of a Child

The road of parenting is often full of opportunities to learn. You may be thinking that I am talking about all the teaching that we parents are to do for our children. Yes, that too. We are constantly looking for opportunities to give a lesson ... especially in our home. We try to take the "world's" views and experiences that happen around our children and use them to teach them the biblical side of that exact experience. Sometimes, however, we are overwhelmed when they begin to teach us those same lessons.
Recently we had one of those scenarios ...

Our yard is a constant maintenance for Daddy. He takes great pride in the weekly mowing, edging, fertilizing and watering of the yard so you can imagine his despair when the corner of our yard starting having patches of death. Yep ... just dying at the roots for no apparent reason. Doug fertilized, set up the sprinklers, watched the sprinklers to be sure they were hitting the right location and STILL ... nothing would work the miracle he was looking for. He began to do some research and digging (literally) and found that our yard had been infested by "Chinch bugs". Chinch bugs are a tiny black bug that eat your grass at it's roots. They look for areas with high sun exposure so it is already in a weakened state perhaps. In any event .. we were infested!
Doug took quick action and began treating for the Chinch bugs. Even informing our neighbors who had similar appearances that they too had been taken over by these deathly little critters. Canyon watched and helped as he always does and then ...SPOKE!

"Our grass is like our lives. When it's lush and thick is when we have Jesus with us and it's when we have Jesus in our hearts. The Chinch Bugs are like the enemy. He comes to eat our roots and destroy us".

WOW! Really ... my eight year old said this! What an analogy ... a boy after his Daddy's own analogy heart!

Canyon is so right! Our life is like the lush grass. As we walk with the Lord, seek his will in our life, read his word and pray we are rewarded with great fruits. We become thick and lush and we draw people to us. However, we often need to look ourselves and see where we are weak. Like our grass, places of great stress and heat can become a battle ground. It is these places that the enemy attacks. He looks on our weaknesses and strongholds and says "Hey, there is a foothold there" and then he quietly sets in to eat us at our roots. Like the Cinch bugs, it is often not noticeable from first glance. It takes digging and searching to know what those things are. For Doug, he had the internet and began to look at pictures of troubled grass and comparing it against what ours looked like. Once he found that resembled ours he began to read what the culprit was. CINCH BUGS. He had to know and confirm this was the case though and so he began to dig!
You are the same. The Lord asks us to examine our heart. He is with us at all times and he convicts us. He has left his word for us to compare our lives to the life of biblical examples. Have you noticed, often in the bible, his greatest servants had so many weaknesses and yet ... he still used them. Have hope ... he will use you too! But you have to DIG into his word, pray and fast to hear him and to allow him to show you where you are weak. He will show you those places of weakness, those places that the enemy sees too. The enemy is looking for that crack, that stronghold so he can take hold and take you by your roots. Don't let him ... do your own digging first and treat the cause before it comes to steal, kill and destroy!

Thanks Canyon for my lesson! I still have so much to learn the Lord allowed you, my sweet boy, with the faith of a child to do just the right teaching at just the right time!

Never too short

Lately, I have realized that their is so much joy in being a Mom and sometimes we loose sight of that! It seems that we have to remind ourselves of that fact as we get all consumed in "life" that we forget just how much joy and wonder it brings to be a part of the life of a young child. As a Mom we we never have enough time and yet we are never short on many other things. We're never short on laundry to do, grocery shopping to be done, the missing partner of someone's sock, sweeping and mopping, dusting, time outs and refereeing arguments. We are also never short on hugs, kisses, "I love you's", kissing boo boo's, wiping away of tears, opportunities to encourage and edify, lessons to be taught and the best of all ... firsts. Isn't it fun getting to be their to witness so many firsts ... first smile, first coo, first time to sit up, crawl and that first step. The first word, the first laugh, the first hurt feelings, the first time to ride a bike, go to a friends house alone, sleep over, first days of school, first loose tooth and first toothless smile, first taste of something sweet, first birthdays, first kisses, first dance, first break up, first touchdown or goal, first ballet recitals and more .... we are the honored recipients to be there to be a part of all the "Firsts" that the Lord gives our precious kiddos. It is this that brings us each enough joy to get through all the other things that we're also never short on.
This week, I had the joy to witness a few firsts that I thought I'd share with you. Maliah jumped on a two wheel bike (with training wheels) for the first time. YEP, just jumped on in her princess gown and rode away like she'd been doing it all her life. That little spunky girl!
There she goes - took off without any help from dear old Mom!

Check out those precious panties. HA ... that too a first, we've had our first few weeks of a potty trained princess!

Canyon too had his share of firsts. He and his buddy, Ryan took their bow and arrows outside a few times and got to shoot a target. This was Canyon's first time to get to do it all alone

Canyon also got to go in his first limo ride. His little friend rented it for his birthday. I told Canyon that this was his first and probably LAST time to ride in a limo unless it was his wedding night and he was paying. He laughed and then informed me that when he made it to the NFL and was worth millions that he'd probably get to jet around in a few. HAHA
Here are the precious boys getting ready for their first world appearance. As I told the limo driver who recently drove around the SPURS, the COWBOYS and many other high profile guests. .... THESE were his most precious cargo yet!



Maliah also had her first sleep over. Miss Libby joined us for a night and a day while her Mommy and Daddy flew to Nashville for an important meeting. It was so fun getting the privilege of getting to keep her while they were away. The girls has such a good time and Libby was just a joy to add to the family for a few days! Here are the girls enjoying their play time


I hope you enjoyed a glimpse at a few of the firsts that us Mommy's get to be a part of. There is never a shortage of those firsts and thank goodness that's true as their is also never a shortage of all the other that goes along with getting to be the Mommy!

So much catching up to do

Where has all of the time gone? I think my head has been buried in a stack of flyers, e-mails and details for the "Orphans Ticket Home" Gala and this is the first time I have come up for air in some time.
I don't even know where to begin to catch up on what is going on in our home.
First, Miss Maliah officially began "Pwe school". She loves it and took to it right away. She asks each and every day if it's her school day and will say "ah man" when it's not. What a hoot.
Let me show you a few shots of her first day ... isn't she just a doll!

On September 4, we celebrated our second Gotcha Day Anniversary. Truly, it's so hard to believe that our Maliah has only been home two years as I cannot imagine life without her. She is absolutely a riot and keeps me in stitches most of the day.
In honor of our anniversary we went to dinner at MIng Court with the Foote's. Libby, Maliah's buddy who also came home with us from XuWen is so precious to us. I know the blessing of our journey to China was Maliah, however, I never knew the Lord would bless me along the way with the most precious friend that life could offer ... Cindy! I adore Cindy. She shoots me straight, isn't afraid to speak truth into my life (with love) and is as solid as they come. Cindy is more like a sister to me and I treasure her beyond words! So .. .check out a few of the pictures from our fun night! Oh, and I think I'll add a few of how much my girl has changed!
Here she is in the first few days in China. So tiny! So beautiful, so guarded!



Here she is ... same girl, same flexibility. She has grown by leaps and bounds. She has blossomed, her personality has come alive and she now freely gives of herself - hugs and kisses abound!

So, as I mentioned, we celebrate our forever family day each year. So far, we have enjoyed each celebration with the family who was there with us on labor day! Here are a few pictures of our crazy girls. Getting a photo of four children all looking at the camera proved to be hopeless. Maliah and Libby also decided it was "Funny face night" and so there you have it ... two year old pictures.





This past weekend my girls asked to play "Make up shop" with Mommy. I obliged and decided we'd go all out and do it right. Maliah, Dakota and I sat on my bathroom floor and I had the joy of dolling up my girls with blush, lipstick, eye shadow, nail polish and sparkly lotions. Once hair and make up was complete, my girls giggled and ran to get their best dress up clothes on. Boy, I was in for a great show as my girls danced in front of the mirror, twirling their dresses and looking at themselves in delight. They were radiant and giddy in their beauty!
Here they are ... starring Dakota and Maliah ...



My favorite moment of the day, however, came when Maliah wanted some more "wip stick". Dakota, being the big sister she is said she would help her ... as I turned around, this is what I saw. Thank goodness my camera was handy as it took my breathe away. Can you imagine 25 years from now when one of them is getting married .....

So, as you can see ... we've had some great days full of moments to capture. I have several more great photos on the camera to download. Stay tuned for the pictures of Maliah on a bike with her panties and Canyon shooting the bow and arrow ... my man's man!

May she find confidence in looking UP

My Dakota, an absolutely radiating blonde with the bluest eyes you can imagine. Her eyes sparkle, her smile is contagious and her giggle will send you into your own hysterics. Dakota is a gem full of mysterious and unknown edges. Dakota is also 6 and lately the Lord has begun to show me just how much Dakota needs to know that she is "Captivating"!
As Dakota and Maliah play, I often hear Dakota say

"Maliah, do you think I'm pretty"

"no" from her two year old sister looking to push a button

again "Do you like me, Maliah"

Sometimes she'll say "yes" and sometimes "NO" - again pushing that button

The outcome of that conversation is joy or tears - depending upon what Maliah has chosen in those moments.

I have also noted that Dakota, who isn't a large crowd kind of girl, gets her feelings hurt and gets left out often. She is usually content to imaginary play on her own and play babies one on one with a special friend. Now, of course at home she'll let us know about feeling left out it in some way and lately I have noticed that it's not through tears but through a battery of insults thrown, rebellious moments and tantrums. My 6 year old, navigating the way through feelings and emotions that she doesn't yet quite understand. Mommy and Daddy working to help her steer those waters.

This morning was the clincher for me as a Mom. A moment that has left me feeling helpless this morning and full of tears.
I dressed Dakota in her precious T-shirt, shorts (as it is P.E. day), hair curled and up in a big red bow to match her red/white and blue shirt. Immediately, Dakota began complaining about one thing or another. Mostly - her panties didn't "feel good". Another mystery yet to solve.
Frustrated by the morning after morning soap opera, this morning I decided to ignore it - all of it and continue with what needed to be done. Then the Lord gave me a big wake up call.
As Dakota put on her shoes and began to get ready to walk out the door with her Daddy she turns, tears streaming down her face and says

"They make fun of me, I don't want to go to school, they always laugh at me"

Taken back as I cannot imagine what they could be making fun of in such a beautiful little girl I say

"who makes fun of you, baby, boys?"

"No, Lauren's other friends, they laughed at me, my red dress and my brown shoes - they always make fun of me"

Now, note, that yesterday, my angel was dressed in a cotton red dress, socks and brown saddle shoes. Perfectly put together with her hair pulled back, Dakota was as cute as they come!

I immediately bent down and picked up my angel
"Dakota, you are so beautiful! Maybe you should choose to play with someone else as it seems Lauren (her little best friend from last year) has chosen to be with girls who aren't very nice. Maybe, Dakota, you could ask Aubrey to play with you"

Eyes dropped down and tears falling down her cheeks she nods her head

"Dakota, God made you beautifully perfect. He created you, your blue eyes, your hairs, your smile ... every part of you. When those girls aren't nice to you, you tell them that that isn't the way Jesus would want us to treat others and besides ... I was fearfully and wonderfully made - Jesus tells us so"

At that moment, Daddy grabbed his beauty out of my arms and hugged her tightly. Looking at me he seemed helpless.
For the first time, it was our child hurt in such a way that we couldn't kiss, fix or mend.
No, this time, we had to pray that the Lord would fill our Dakota with his love, peace and assurance. Yes, we will continue to tell her thousands of times how wonderful and beautiful she is inside and out. Most importantly, we will continue to pray for her confidence and that in times like the ones that she has recently encountered, she'll look away from those who speak unkindly, look up and KNOW with confidence WHO SHE IS!
My Dakota, the daughter of the King of Kings! My daughter, created in HIS image, uniquely designed with a plan and purpose!
My Dakota, an heiress to his throne and co-heir with Christ himself. That is WHO SHE IS!
It is this that I pray she too will come to receive!

Hand in hand, Dakota and Daddy walked out the door. My Dakota, with her earthly father at her side, finds confidence, assurance and comfort ... a perfect image of what the Lord will do for her and for YOU all day if you let him! I pray that today she'll lean on HIM! Will you pray that too!

Big Bra's!

Recently on a much enjoyed and needed date night, Doug and I were talking about how so many people in our life stage - (ya know the one, where you are all consumed by rearing kids that you forget you even HAVE hobbies) - get bogged down in the day to day and forget to breathe in the moments that come with these fantastic and exhausting years. I shared with Doug that it is often through my writings, whether here or in my own private journals that the Lord shows me all the sweetness and good humor that my 8,6 and 2 year old have to offer. I told Doug that to me, this journey in life is full of snapshots of time. If I had my camera handy more often, I would get the opportunity of catching and snapping fabulous "moments" that would create a great comedy. It's those moments that keep me motivated for the next. Like this one for instance;

Recently, I was tucking in our blue eyed Dakota for bed. I love to kiss her little cheeks at night and to smell her post bathe sweetness. As she laid their looking back at me to say her good nights she spoke

"Mom, did you know that some people have BIG bra's". (that is what my two little angels have named our breasts - man or woman's)

"Yes, Dakota --- God makes them in all shapes and sizes"

"HMMM she says" and then holds out her hands far from her chest. "But some are WAY out here and REALLY big"

"Where did you see this, Dakota"

"The grocery store"

"HMMM, I say" "Yes, indeed some have larger bra's than others"

and THEN she responds "I hope someday, my bra's are little like yours"
HAHAHAHAHA

Michele, J.J. - that ones for you! HAHA

I guess her perspective has changed recently. From the night she was in my room as I dressed and Doug was in the bathroom within an ears shot. Dakota says

"Wow, Mommy your bra's are big"

"HMMM I think as I turn my back a little thinking o.k. so now she's starting to notice things

"Mommy, will I have big bra's like you someday"

Laughing I say "Yes, Dakota, someday you will grow bra's too"

"Mommy, I hope my bra's are really BIG like yours"

From the bathroom I hear Doug say "Bet you never heard that one before". HAHAHA

For those of you who know me will get a good laugh at that one. I am OBVIOUSLY not well endowed.

SO, today, we go through our day and wonder what those little minds will think and say next. BLINK ... tomorrow, they'll be just a memory. Don't let them pass by. Savor them and if possible record them in the files of your mind. If you're like me, however, you may choose to write them down as you know those files seem to get lost and misplaced easily.