Oatmeal in my pocket...Gum on my shoe!

Some DAYS, WEEKS, seems like MONTHS,

are like that....

I started out making our normal 10 cups of oatmeal

and as I was filling up a little bowl at the stove

it slipped out of my hands...

HOT oatmeal all down me and right into my hoodie pocket!

(the hoodie I was wearing happened to have GRUMPY from the Seven Dwarves on it..just fit my mood!)

I was doing hair, brushing teeth and wiping bums in the kid's bathroom when my bare foot was sticking to the floor.

What on earth!! WHO IS SPITTING THEIR GUM ON THE FLOOR!!
(I know the blog title says "shoe" but that sounded better than "foot" :))

I haven't posted in soooo long for several reasons...

Life has been hard and I've been worn out physically and emotionally some days :)

It's not hard 24/7

There are some beautiful, sweet, funny, precious, everything good moments and days 

for sure!

Like the other day when

Boy comes down in sandals and I say...you need to put on tennis shoes...it's freezing outside!

"But MOM, these are Jesus shoes!!!"

Okay, how do you argue with that. He got to wear the sandals.

We are hearing more and more stories of the children's lives back in
Ethiopia.

Heartbreaking at times for what they have seen and experienced.

Yet, they are so animated when they tell us and laugh at times remembering funny things.

At bedtime I was talking with both boys..

Big boy was telling me about his Ethiopia Mom and how she is with Jesus.

I just try and listen and think

"What Lord, can I say to comfort him?"

Then our 6 yr old says, 

"Mom, T is going to heaven b/c he asked Jesus into his heart!

"I told him what to do and said the words and he said them after me,

so he is going to be in heaven with me forever!"

Wow! I was speechless and full of tears. 

My 6 yr old is having conversations at night with his brother that are of the upmost importance

and I'm just trying to get everyone quiet and asleep!

I think I have been overwhelmed and have missed out on the right

perspective.

I get in the middle of all the 

"MOM, MOM!

and trying to attach to 4 children who were uprooted 3 months ago from the only 

lives they have known,

and I forget

we are not alone in this...

even though adoption can be a lonely place when

other's can't understand

why you don't let your 4 year old 

love on them and sit on their laps

or why

you can't leave the baby in the nursery at church till that baby is KNOWS 

we won't ever leave them and we are coming back.

That we miss our friends and the fellowship

but for our children's sake to learn we are family

we have had to cocoon and not leave them with others.

For the first time in over 3 months Randall and I went to 

dinner together (at dinner time!)

for his work. It was the first time we were both gone from the kids at dinner and bedtime!

It FELT sooo good! :)

My Mom and Nick watched the kids (yes, it takes 2 people!)

I came across this quote a while back and it really encouraged me:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
President Theodore Roosevelt

We are in the arena of trying to blend a family and 

not err

but 

thankfully we 

don't get our strength from ourselves...

Isaiah 40:31
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

And at the end of the day

I am so grateful

whether I am worn out or not

that God has chosen us

for these 4 sweet children.

 When I see all 4 big kids intently digging the biggest hole

ever in the garden TOGETHER

I think this is part of what 

it's all about!

Our bio 6 yr old is not by himself digging...

they all have each other.

4 heads is better than 1 for digging!

mmmm..peanut butter/jelly and bell pepper sandwich!

Biggest brother with 2 little brothers :)

1st day of school!

Wait! I think I see a worm!

kisses!

jogging buddy! 1st time to use the jogging stroller again!
Yahoo!

All 4 wanted to sit on same side of table
Together!

Love, Tracy