Want the real of our day?? Just for your entertainment…I’ll share. How about the bad news of our day…and then the good???
Keepin’ it really real today.
Ok…so I *attempted* to take part in a normal summer daily activity and take the 4 littles to the Lifetime pool. It works GREAT when we go on the weekends because Rico Suave goes with us–and when one of our 4 gets overstimulated (we’re going through a REALLY tough stage with our littlest right now)–one of us can take him home to wind down while the other stays and lets the others enjoy a normal fun day at the pool during the summer. I hoped just MAYBE I could handle it solo and just maybe a tantrum wouldn’t happen…one can HOPE right?? Soooo…the bad news is we lasted 10 minutes before the crying started. We tried to hang in there because you know what goes into an outing like this (suiting up, sunscreening up…and to think about turning around and packing up–I was determined to TRY and let the older ones have at least an hour of fun.) A precious mom sitting next to me decided to offer consoling words…”My sister is in the process of adoption, but I don’t think she has any idea that this is what it really looks like…” Awww…thank you kind lady. I’m not sure if that was consoling or what to say–so I told her maybe it was just the approaching 3’s and all personalities are different–and there was really a lot of joy going on here;)…you just couldn’t see it at that moment:)
After my failed attempt to make our squirt happy, I decided I’d attempt to let our little one play in the kiddie room that has lots of fun things to do and sitters to watch them so we didn’t have to leave and allow the others to have a normal play day at least for just an hour.
We all got back outside, started to let everyone play–and 10 minutes later a lady with a HUGE white board started encircling the outdoor pool with the words written on it: “ANDREA YOUNG PLEASE COME TO CHILDCARE.”
Oh well. We tried:) And the precious staff in the kiddie room tried too! LOVE those sweet girls for trying! So…that was the bad of our day.
And then the good…
I tried to make our having to leave fun…and we went to Target to buy an really fun inflatable to take to our neighborhood pool instead…something like this…
Found that pic online–those aren’t my kids:) They all had a blast at our pool playing–and we met THE most precious family while we were there–who had a son that my littlest was absolutely intrigued by and had a blast playing with–outside of the pool (he is terribly afraid of water so to have 3 kids that LOVE to swim and 1 that hates the pool…it was such a sweet treat to have someone who he wanted to play with so the others could play with too!). His mom and I had an amazing talk about Africa, Wiphan, adoption…and even our upcoming hosting time with Tetyana. She was so moved about Tetyana’s story–that I sat there just so encouraged…JUST what I needed after a crazy day feeling like we couldn’t possibly take on any more crazy. Encouragement from a completely stranger…seriously–just what this mom needed today…because–I really, really, REALLY needed it.
I love how God orchestrates our day in the midst of crazy. To be honest, I’ve really struggled lately with the hard parts of adoption–it can just be SO HARD when you are the middle of helping a child heal. I struggle with thoughts about a normal, calm and peaceful life–and I’ve never lived in such need of an ultimate Healer…needing the Lord’s power to intercede on a minute to minute basis. It is good. I know that it is good. But it is so hard.
I love how the Lord provides–and how He sends just what we need when we need it most.
On a side note–I have some amazing blackberry recipes for you. I made some yummy jam the other night with the older kids too…way more blackberry jam than we could ever eat so we’ll be making some Mayberry style deliveries later today.
Last night–we also made some…GET THIS…gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan whoopie pies! The icing was made with tofutti cream cheese (cream cheese made from tofu) and organic sugar. They loved them (but I’ll confess I like regular icing!)
Alright ya’ll! Hope y’all have a good weekend!!!
XOXO!
Andrea
by admin
I love how God plans our steps even when we consider it a disaster….GOD KNOWS!!! 🙂 You know sometimes I wonder what it would be like to not have my crazy life…..but not for long because I just look into my hubbies eyes, and the other 18 eyes looking at me and think- what would I do without them?
LOVE YOUR HEART!!!!!!
Andrea, could you sent me the recipe for your gluten free whoopie pies, please? Thanks! You can send it to candyfeathers@gmail.com
Andrea — thank you for being open and honest and real. I don’t know how exactly to say this but your words have really hit me so I had to share what’s on my heart after reading this…
We are just finishing up the frantic paper chase toward submitting our dossier. Everything seems to have gone wrong and I’ve been feeling like we will NEVER get on the waitlist… and I’ve been so anxious about that, as well as the lack of movement within the program.
I KNOW that God’s plan is perfect and I need to rest in HIM and trust HIS timing, not mine. But even though I know that with my heart, my head still wants things to move along according to my timing and my agenda.
Anyway, all of that is to say that this post resonated with me. After reading your words, I have received such a peace that God’s timing IS perfect. He knows the plans for our family and He knows that our twin toddlers need me right now. All of me. I have to be present for them and not so focused on what is to come. The honesty you’ve shared about the good AND the bad times has helped me to see that we have to work hard to prepare our hearts and our family now before our daughter joins it. Does this even make sense?
Sorry for such a long comment…but I hope you know that you are such an inspiration and a light for Jesus! Praying for your entire family!
I love all your posts, but this one.. and the bit about the white board cracked me up. 😉
Looking forward to reading about your summer adventures with T.
Oh, and you ought to go to Isle of Palms instead of Hilton Head. I would love to meet Frankie baby and the other kids.
Yea! Could I also get the GF Whoopie Pie Recipe? My seven year old princess has Celiac Disease, and I tried Whoopie Pies once to no avail! 🙁 If you get the time, you can send it to nagruhn@yahoo.com! Thank you!