Christmas!

Our Missionary friends Matt & Erin Hughes with Erin holding their Princess Olivia. We enjoyed their company while they were here. They truly inspire me to spread the Word of Jesus to the lost.
My Grandma and Grandpa with their Christmas gift from me.

Eli with this "Big Christmas Gift." Ofcourse he really likes it, but doesn't get to play with it often. And just incase you were wondering...I'm WAY to practical to buy this jeep new. I got this as a steal from my good friend Sarah. Her son outgrew it. I believe they are $300 new. I paid $75 and that was a stretch for me!

~Baby Zahavah is her Princess outfit from Grandpa Barry~

~Micayla opening her DVD player~

~This is my favorite photo...I truly love his expression!~

God is working all the time....

Tonight my husband t-boned another car going 60 mph...yes 60! He walked away without a scratch. He is terribly sore and his knees and nose hurt really bad. His knees slammed into the dash under the steering wheel and his face made contact with the airbag. Praise God no one was killed. Seriously when I arrived at the accident...it appeared someone could have been dead. As we were walking to my van someone asked us if everyone was ok, b/c it didn't look like it! It keeps hitting us that I could be a single mom and my children could be without a father...and that keeps us THANKFUL...that God spaired his life. Brett was about 50 yards from the car when he slammed on his breaks and closed his eyes. He said, "I didn't even know if I would live." Both cars are totaled. Please Thank God tonight for keeping Brett safe.
Thanks; Micah

God is at work!!!!

I have had little time to post anything lately. God is doing such an amazing work in me, that I have little time to figure it out all (as if I should eh?)...its happening so fast. I must say not all days are easy (very few actually)...many are hard because as much as the Lord is working in me, Satan is there at every angle attempting to destroy what God has deemed Good. I did want to two things that have been given to me that I like to think about...
"God does not call the equipped, He equips the called." This rings sooo loud for me when I think about our adoption. Because so many days I feel that I'm just not capable of being a mother to more than three (somedays I'm not even sure about three)....but yet my heart is called to father the fatherless...or in my case "mother." :)
"Fake it, till you make it" This has been my saying this week...to myself...when I lack much needed patience! I HATE lessons in patience, but its a must if you have children. And I do want to be the kind, patient, laid back easy going Momma. lol..that makes me laugh...b/c I feel I'm a far cry from it. :)
Well...its feeding time again...and we are having company tonight. I love having other families come and eat supper with us! Fellowship!!!!! I crave it!

Hop on over to our adoption blog
www.heartforafricakids.blogspot.com
There are some cool things posted for sale, all proceeds go towards our adoption.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

The best group shot I got! I really wish Pappy would of made of it, but he didn't. Thats ok, maybe next year. This is the one time of year my sibs and I make an effort to get us all together to enjoy the patch. This is the first year we went to The Great Pumpkin Patch and aside from the horrible wind that kicked up tons of dust and dirt...this patch rocked! The kids had fun, I got a delicate pie pumpkin (not the regular pinkish ones that are used for canned pumpkin) no...this one is the cream of the crop pumpkin pie pumpkin...or so the guy told me. If he was just trying to sell me a pumpkin...it worked. I took a ton of pics, but 50 were worthy of keeping. And b/c I'm dead tired...this is the only one my blog readers get to see today. :)

Our walk in Oakland today.

A nice blue bench...I love color in odd places. Blue didn't match anything around this bench...which makes it so unique!

Launahee J

Zahavah...I love that this photo is completely unaltered. I think it turned out very good. Nice green steps!

I want to say this is at OCC, but I think maybe its the Historical Building, or the old Teen hang-out, and now I'm not sure what they call it...but I like to take pics there!

~They are holding hands...I LOVE IT~

She is only two, but looks so big here!

Micayla's First High School Dance!

I wanted so badly to sneek off to the dance and peek in and get some more photos...but that time has come that I am no longer welcome with her and her girlys. Thats ok, I understand...I remember being the same exact way. Even at Wal-Mart they hook up and run away to whisper all their private talk. It's offical...I am now at a stage in my life where I can honestly say...I remember treating my mom like that. I remember doing the samethings Micayla is doing. Makes me feel like I'm getting old. But instead of being depressed about it...I'm embracing it. Micayla is brilliant and beautiful. She has so much ahead of her. And she seems to be making some hard decisions these days. Public school is not a kind place. (Thats a whole other post). I'm happy she had fun and enjoyed it.

And those with Big Brother....

I love her lips in this photo!
I think this one is my favorite.

Vote for your favorite!

Photo above is #1
#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

Special thanks to Brenda and Bogey Bogear for the use of their property...it was beautiful and we had fun! And to Daddy for his participation in helping with bubbles and smiles...and to little brother Eli for being a trooper and joinin in on the fun...see next post for pics with him!!!!

#7

#8

THANKS FOR THE VOTES!

Labor Day Weekend Campout

I had a lot more photos to load, but it seems blogger is only going to allow me these. Grrrr. We had an awesome campout experience...just as good as last year, if not better since our children are bigger. We were able to sit and enjoy a little Bible study without interruptions, which was really nice. Here are a few snippets of our weekend....

My Mom and Zahavah...I really like this pic.
Bear Taylor and Marie Bixby playing a game...this was sooo funny. The picture doesn't do justice b/c you can't hear the sounds these two were making. Although I did get a video, so maybe Brett can help me post it. Marie won!

I love Z's expressions!

Enjoying a toy from my childhood, Pap is suppose to bring it to me sometime...since my sis is clearing out the barn for chickens...eeek...more of that to come for sure!

Eli and Caydance try the game. Eli says, "I won!" Although I'm pretty sure Caydee did, but oh well...they had a blast.

My absolute favorite photo of the weekend! Micayla with her big Pappy.

LOL...I had to post this...I told Cari it would make it to facebook...although it hasn't yet!

Serious Golf-A players.

Second favorite photo of the weekend, suckers from Aunt Tabby!

~These two tikes really love each other, they are close cousins~

Rejoice in HIS BEAUTY!

This morning was a very slow start. Satan has a way of trying to pull us down into his sticky nasty self pity dumps. And honestly sometimes I'm so distracted...he just knows. This morning...I basically cried out..."God direct me." Cause I truly felt like I was walking crazy bored to tears circles around my house with no purpose. And it was So Simple...he did direct me...to His Word. Its never a boring place to end up. And it never ceases to amaze me where he directs me through the pages and how it speaks to me soul. Early this morning I opened facebook to find pics from one of Brett's friends who have traveled through Yellowstone. And I sit in awwww of the beauty! I saved them to our computer to share with you...I'm sure Lance won't mind! :)

From this am's reading:

1 Chronicales 16:10 Glory in his holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise, he is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the nations are idols but the Lord make the heavens. (And the beauty you see in these photos which pales in comparison to the heavens)

27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place.

32 Let the sea resound and all that is in it, let the fields be jubilant and everything in them.

The side bar in my Bible talked about how we humans turn to nature to help us rejoice to the Lord...these pictures help me!

These verses also spoke deeply to me because it feels like so many people, as well as our government are turning to other gods for their answers and their salvation. My heart is heavy for their lost souls.

Have a Jesus Day!!!!

Zahavah's 2nd Birthday is TODAY!

Some adults said this looked like something from a horror flick, I actually desaturated this pic, so it doesn't look so evil!!! That red icing was loud. She loved her Elmo cake.

Zahavee opens her Little Blessing Daily Devotional from Brook & Braghan. We LOVE this devotional...short and sweet just for their age!

All the kiddos LOVED the bubble machine KaKa got Z for her b-day. Thanks KaKa!!!

Zahavah and Ephriam...his b-day is the day before her's. They are good buds. They don't know it, but us parents have them arranged to marry....shhhh.

~The day after the big party, Z's b-day gift from Grammy J arrived...she was so excited, cause by now...she had the unwrapping thing down...as you can see!~ Yes, Spiderman is missing an arm...he decided he wanted to keep him anyway and play him as if he fell from a building and is injured.

~This morning we invited family over for Birthday Pancakes...it was fun~