Category Archives: Mommy Moments Two of these “Best Years” series posts in a row? Well, I couldn’t help myself as I laughed at Frankie baby this morning. My cup runneth over. THIS baby’s birth…changed me as a mom…as a person…and I had no idea what I was missing… The days were long and the years seemed to fly by…and […]  Exactly 14 months and 2 days from our 1st wedding anniversary, we welcomed our first child into the world. While I was certain we’d spend our first years just me and my beau–and who knows maybe I’d convince Rich to take a trip across the world with me to visit China while I still had […] Lovin this look back series. God continues to reveal our common connections! Six months of colic with our 1st born. And I have relatives to confirm it was not the witching hour fussiness at the end of the day so many Mom’s complain about. OOOHHH! I say all the time, he got all that fussiness out in the 1st six months … cause he has been a DREAM toddler, big boy, tween, and teen. Cannot wait for post five! “Learning to be less concerned about my heart plans” … that is the nugget of truth I needed today! Thank you for this reminder! Love & Blessings from Hong Kong, Kim so-so precious! 🙂 Makes you realize just how fast they grow up. I had 3 kiddos really close in age, too.. 11 months a part, so I TOTALLY get this time of your life. 🙂 A lot of that time for me was a blur.. total mommy-mode 24/7.. feedings, diapers, playing, baths, no sleep…. but ah, I would never for a second trade it for anything in the world. We never left our house, either…. and going to the dr. office was a HOOT! It would be baby Addi strapped to my chest in a sling, and me pushing a 1 & 2yr. old in a double stroller… oh, the looks I would get. It doesn’t help that I’m only 4’11.. people stared at me like I was some teenager out of control (hahaha). 🙂 Love reading this series of posts from you… 🙂 makes me smile! These rememering posts are great! I SO get you with the two very close apart and reading your experience, I felt like I was re-living my first mommy days… we had a lot of the same experiences! 😉 The time does really blur together, I still can’t believe my “baby” just turned two and her big brother will be three very soon. Love these posts! And I can totally relate to those early Mommyhood days! We had our 3 kids in less than 3 1/2 years and I was sick with all 3 pregnancies! Sometimes I was just in “survival mode”, but those years were so precious! So thankful for them!! Can’t wait to read post #5!!! 🙂 […] (Post 3) One of the best years of my life – Part III […]  The hubby and I have been sitting behind the computer today reminiscing…reminding ourselves to ENJOY THE MOMENTS. Sooo…for those of you who adore Frankie baby as much as we do…you just HAVE to see what our Parker looked like when he was Frankie baby’s age… Parker: Age 2 Oh my Parker-man still melts my heart! […] My girls have their own songs that I made up when they were born, too! Wow.. I didn’t realize anyone else did that, lol! It wasn’t even planned.. just happened :O) Awwww…..I sing to my kiddos too. Made mine up 🙂 They love it and if I forget- they remind me.  As I’m working with an amazing team of adoption moms…WAY AHEAD of me–so full of experience and wisdom…on a VERY special pre-Summit event, I have been praying WHAT Lord do you have for these moms…WHAT do you want them to hear? I was praying today–and being ONE OF THOSE MOMS in the middle of it […] It is so funny that I got up at 4:30 this morning to get ready and decided I had a little time to get online. I open up your blog and see that verse and it sends chills down my spine. I got home from youth last night and was thinking as I was in the bed that we need to read the bible more at youth service, I do to. It’s been awhile since I read the bible. I get mine out just let it fall open and read the first verse I see, guess what it was? YEP, Matthew 11: 15-30. I think someone is trying to tell me something. And no recipe? 🙂 I’ve gotta learn how to make these with my kiddos. Sounded like similiar kind of days yesterday, except we made chocolate banana pops to freeze since we had lots of bananas and some chocolate to use up! 🙂 Fun times. Praying for you as you juggle all that you will today, Andrea! Thanks for the reminder to rest. I needed this reminder in the craziest of ways. Thank you for allowing God to speak through you! I need this today. I am feeling the weariness…. And example to follow. Celebrate and give thanks … even on the hard days. I was just about to send you an email and nag you about that info packet and thougt I’d stop by your blog first. So glad I did–no need for me to add demands to your busy life!! Just get around to it when you are able (but don’t forget about me–I’m still interested and my Hus-B is on board!) Great post, Andrea–words from Jesus that every busy mom needs to read and take to heart. And please do share the whoopie pie recipe! They look so yummy! xoxo Water to my soul. Thank you, Andrea – you minister to so many of us. I will be praying for you. Wow Andrea lately what you are posting feels directed at me. I am trying to fight the good fight to often alone. Today I am trying to get through what feels like a test of my faith. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Sincerely, Rachelle thanks for this today andrea! i need REST in the worst way. so much going on, sick kids, adoption that’s a hurry up, then wait… then more paperwork… then fingerprints again. so many things uncertain except for the love of my Savior. thanks for reminding me to rest in Him, because I’m a complete spaz without Him. Praying for you Andrea……..God knows…  I feel like my posts the last few weeks haven’t made much sense–as I pray for what is ahead but wait upon Him for confirmation and His timing. So while I wait and pray–I do my best to share what I’m learning…partly to remember this part later–and the other part just because I feel like […] Love. This. Post. Oh sweet girl, this post was for me! We are in the midst of crazy over here. We are fostering a baby girl we’ve had since birth, she’s 3 months now. I am staying at home and really need to go back to work, but God just keeps saying no. My Mama-heart is glad, my checkbook is sad. We spent the day with our family yesterday who have quite different priorities. We toured my sister-in-laws new $400K house that only she and her 6 year old live in. We got to see the new bass boat my brother-in-law got for his 40th birthday. We heard all about the upcoming trip to Hawaii my husband’s sisters are taking in April, with a stop in California for a few days. Yesterday was the first day they had met our foster baby- who is black. They knew she was black, but knowing and seeing are two different things and that was evident. It was a long ride home last night. My heart just struggled with “things” we don’t have, and God’s plan, and acceptance. So, this post was very much for me. Thank you for sharing. Thanks, Andrea. Needed this! Praying for you! I needed to read this. We have a meeting coming up on Friday with our social worker from the pregnancy center. Everything is updated so we’re not sure why she’s driving 2 1/2 hours to come and see us and the kids are to be here. She said she was not at liberty to tell us, so my mind has been wondering what in the world this is about. Not typical, I don’t think, if there is such a thing as typical. Anyways, trying to let go knowing that God will not. Thank you for this post! I’m praying through some of those exact same things right now! I’m not one to “sit around.” I’m a “do-er.” So, the fact that I feel God call me out of a ministry that’s been SUCH a HUGE part of my and my entire family’s life for the last 8 years is SCARY! BUT, He is calling us into the wide world of adoption! We’re expecting from Ethiopia (possibly siblings!)!!! STILL, I feel a restlessness that usually, in my case, means, HOLD ON, KELLY! I HAVE BIGGER THINGS YET! And, I think, “Seriously? Can I take a small break?” Then I think of Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest,” when he says (paraphrased), “You will never be released from the Great Commission.” So, keep on keepin’ on, and I’ll try to do the same!!! (I’m trying to get a blog up and running…unsuccessfully right now, but it’ll be up soon!) 🙂 Needed this reminder!!! WIth our adoption taking longer than we planned it is so wonderful to be reminded that it is not longer than God has planned. His timing will be perfect for our family….and to rest in the beauty of seeing it all unfold is a blessing. Love you and praying for you too! Love this, friend. I was just thinking the other night about how we are on kind of a “high” right now. God is moving BIG and fast and we are seeing Him minute by minute in exciting ways. I was wondering what it’s like to come down from that mountain and settle into the everyday. God is teaching me so much lately that the everyday is where the true miracles happen, I am just more likely to miss them. Isn’t He good? Yes…yesterday I was reflecting on how our huge age gap, adoption heart, etc. were so normal 2 weeks ago in Georgia and as I sit with my oldest son’s basketball team the moms are all smiling at me chasing my 2 year old and saying, “So glad we are done with that stage.” Well, with the exception of one mom who started over with a little boy from China and is now 4 (CL/CP too)…she gets it! 🙂 She is the light of our life…so glad we didn’t miss this opportunity to be parents again! Praying we take courage and don’t let fear stop us if the Lord calls us to adopt again! I have loved “finding” and following your blog!!! You have been very encouraging to me lately as we begin the process of adopting from Ethiopia(our second adoption-first was Bulgaria-home July 2010)….we are already facing financial attack, emotional attack, and in the middle of it all..I have this CRAZY idea that we’re supposed to request TWINS!!! It is a crazy hard road into the unknown, and we have very little support…SOOOOOO, keep writing!:) It ministers to my heart and gives me the courage to continue on this WILD path of international adoption!! God Bless, PRAYING for you as God continues to call you to what He has for you. I feel those moments ….many times. The moments inbetween. Love what God does… Right there with ya Andrea! This post was for me too. Our family is about to enter the “crazy” life and leave our comfy American lifestyle behind. I know it’s the perfect path for us, but I wonder how many people will understand and encourage us along the way. I am blessed to have a husband who doesn’t question this path and is obedient to God’s perfect plan. Thank you for writing you thoughts and feelings, it makes me feel that I am not the only “crazy” one put there…. I am sitting here reading your post and amazed at how God speaks through people that I don’t even really know! God has been calling our family to a life that isn’t normal and goes against what society says a family should do or have. He is calling us instead to give Him all that we have so that He can make much of His name through us! Oh how that doesn’t make sense to alot of people! Thank you for allowing God to use your journey to encourage me. You were speaking on EXACTLY what I have been praying about!!! Praying about God really breaking my hubby’s heart for those in need. He gave me a triple dose of mercy but hubby just doesn’t understand. God is bringing people into our lives who need lots of support on top of the call to adopt. I am just faithfully trying to follow his call even when it’s hard. Even when it costs or results in sacrifice for our family. Sun I had a discussion with my hubby about getting his heart ready for what God has in store for us & that adoption while scary for him is our next step. Afterwards he accidentally broke my super heavy indestructible mantle cross the 4th one since I felt in my heart to adopt. I told him God is letting him know that faith without deeds is meaningless & that we are called to act despite our fears. He is a factual guy & is having a hard time reconciling what “makes sense” with what God is doing in our lives. Oh & the other day God used your blog to lead me to ourunveiledfaces.blogspot because they are needing 100 families to donate just $20 to build a grain mill in Holeta!!! God has used you to bless my life and to speak to me in so many ways!!!! Thank you for your courage & faith!!! Thank you friend. You are so encouraging at keep things in perspective! Thank you Andrea. You let the Lord speak through you today and it clearly reached many of our hearts. Just today I received more paperwork from AGCI and our journey to Ethiopia is getting so overwhelming. But your words lifted me up and reminded me of all of God’s promises that I’ve been standing on since He first called us to this task. I look forward to holding my Zoe Ameris in my arms; giving God all the glory. Bless you. Andrea, you are wonderful! I’m so thankful for your thoughts and inspiring attitude and faith. I feel as though we’re being called to adopt. My husband doesn’t feel the same; saying we’re stretched enough with the four kids under 9 we have now (the youngest being just 7 months). My sister tells me how much we’ll miss out on and how crazy life would be with more. We even discussed how my kids just might not get the chance to go to Disney World. 😉 I’m so relieved that someone else thinks as I do in that those things don’t really matter to me (and I don’t think they will really matter to my kids). I want them to be grateful. happy. giving. loving. faithful. I don’t think that will come with material things and experiences that society says they “should” have. Keep doing what you do – because it’s great. God Bless You! |
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Hi Andrea! My name is Lauren and I met you a LONG time ago, back in 2001 after your year in East Asia, as I was considering going. I remember you told me, “You WILL meet your husband there”! And I did! And you know him! His name is Brett Dooley. We have just returned to East Asia and I have been turned onto your blog by some adopting moms here. I had to comment on this post, because we also had a very long road in conceiving our second child (whom I am expecting this July), and your post definitely captures the new gratitude I have as a mom while longing for a baby, and the joy that comes in expecting that long-awaited miracle. I had no idea what a miracle our first son was until it took us 1.5ish years and a miscarriage to get pregnant again. Thanks for sharing this as a best year, it’s a great perspective to have as heart-wrenching as I know it was. Your family is so precious!
Oh, I can’t read enough from you – I think you should write a book! 🙂 Thanks for reminding me to enjoy my kiddos in the here and now, in every moment, not just looking to what’s ahead!
LOVE you! Enough said. Your real and authentic and that is why I know God has called you to such a divine purpose…you reach women at a level that I don’t know if YOU even know yet, my sister.
Thanks for always been honest…it is beautiful.
I love this sweet story of your life!
Love the story. I also love the picture of Frank with Richard in the background. It looks just like the big boy Frank we now know!
Every chapter just keeps getting better!
That was so beautiful and my story is so similar with our first two being wonderful surprises and then trying two years for our third son, and here we are on our own journey to Ethiopia for our daughter. Your story is beautiful and I look forward to the next chapter; you’re an excellent writer and your words gush the glory of God all over the page. Bless you.
just beautiful. and now I don’t feel so silly for taking pictures of my girls almost every day. they are the most precious gifts.
Love hearing God’s story of your family 🙂
i am AMAZED at how frank has looked just the same from the very first minute he was born!!! that expression on his face is just so FRANK. i love it!
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