Category Archives: Day in the Life my heart is full–and it has been…an exhausting, beautiful, hilarious, wonderful and overwhelmingly good day. You know what it feels like after you have a baby? I’ve heard people say: “If you could bottle up that emotion and sell it, you’d be a millionaire.” Oh my. Put another bottle on the market for sale…because today–today […] …of the rest of your life. Ever feel like that? I remember when we had our first child. I remember looking at him…knowing that life would NEVER be the same. I forgot what life was like before him. Richard and I would go on date night and ask ourselves, “WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT BEFORE […] I CAN.NOT.WAIT to read about and see pictures of this journey your family is taking. Tetiyana’s life will never be the same, knowing that Jesus’ love is what brings her into your hearts. so excited for the journey you are on! Beautiful sharing. Beautiful faith. Beautiful family. Beautiful FATHER. As a mom adopting for the first time, (4 sweet siblings from Nicaragua), this is a post I will keep in my Bible. It touched my heart…  Seriously. I haven’t blogged in about a week. That SQUARE challenge has me so focused I guess I haven’t even thought about checking my email. BUT I had to update because SO MANY CRAZY and EXCITING things have happened THIS week. VERY thankful. FIRST…we put a FOR SALE sign in our yard on WEDNESDAY NIGHT! […] WONDERFUL news, Andrea!!! Praise God for His healing!!! SO, so happy to hear this!!! And, excited for you as you welcome Tetyana into your home and your family! Praying for God’s will regarding selling your house!! So happy for the Lord’s healing on your life. I saw you at the January C4C retreat and you look so healthy and vibrant now. We serve the great physician! So glad you are able to care for your family and however God places in your life. Jessica Praise God from whom all blessings flow! 🙂 WOW!!! I just love hearing about how God has completely healed you, Andrea!!! Our Jehovah Rapha is so awesome!!! Praising Him and rejoicing with you! You look great!!! Praise God. Can take your name off the Prayer Angels and date and say done ! Thank you ,Lord for healing our sweet servant,Andrea ! I am so incredibly happy for you. Your story gives me hope… it is so hard to keep it through watching my husband fight a chronic illness for 5 years. Andrea, A friend sent me to this post. I’m so happy for you. My son and I both are fighting Lyme disease. It’s beyond thrilling to know someone beat this awful disease. God bless you!! Janelle Wow–That is an awesome story! Praise God for bringing you the right doctor. Would you please send me his name? Thanks!  This weekend–I got away with some of my dearest mommy friends. It was heavenly. We got away…we talked…we talked…and we talked some more. Getting together with dear friends and talking just to talk can some times even seem like rare thing in our culture of status updates, instagrams and emails. And keeping up with all […] Oh my goodness Andrea, I was literally being convicted about this very thing 5 minutes before I read your blog. Wow! I guess God is confirming what I felt the Spirit saying! I am ashamed to admit this but I have realized that lately I rarely play with Hannah without my phone beside me to check email, fb, adoption forums. So I will definitely be taking part in this challenge! Thank you for your wisdom! I love this! And one of my verses in my devos this morning was Colossians 3:23! 🙂 I am doing a similar but different challenge this summer so I can be still and listen, and I wish I had someone else doing something like that with me. I deleted twitter/FB off my cell phone for the summer, after hearing Vicki Courtney speaking about being a Mary or Martha woman. I’m also reading the Circle Maker and was reminded of my need to be praying in the silent times – car rides, moments waiting for the kids to get out of VBS, etc – instead of picking up my phone for something to do. And, I want to be journaling my prayers more than I recently have been. So this way I only check from a desktop when I have the opportunity, which usually isn’t very often! 🙂 Praying for great things for you as you take this square challenge – especially with another girl to love and give your attention to this summer! 🙂 Great idea Andrea. I am up for the challenge! .. after feeling convicted from The Holy Spirit about the amount of time I was waisting online while my girls were in school, I disabled my facebook account on Valentines Day and I haven’t been on since. What started as a “30 day challenge” for me is still going…. and I feel SO MUCH BETTER about how I spend my time now. Amazing how He knows what we need to bring FOCUS, balance, and peace in our lives. This is the first time in over a week I’ve been online, it just doesn’t pull at me like it use to. The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy.. and the BEST way he can do this is by stealing our time that is so so precious. I’ve never been a phone or TV person- our family will watch an ocassional kid-friendly movie, but(rarely) watches TV because of all of the garbage on it, so the computer has always been my “social outlet”. I’m a SAHM, but my girls are all school-aged so my days were whatever I choose to make of them. My morning routine would be take the 4 of them to school, come home– turn on the computer, check facebook, blogs, emails, and pinterest and before I knew it… 2-3 hours would be gone in an instant and then I was left feeling crumpy about how my day was waisted. Then… The Holy Spirit started pricking my heart slowly.. and then on Valentines Day the conviction was SO heavy, I knew that was the day & what I needed to do. My joy was being sucked out of me because of a computer screen, waisting time, and then making me feel guilty about it. Love how our precious father knows what we need and then leads us to do it. Anyways… good luck with your challenge sweet girl— I think it’s an awesome idea! 🙂 Oh, Andrea… I am so convicted about this very thing. My hubby even mentioned it this weekend…that I need to put down my “square” and just be in the moment! I have found myself checking my phone just out of habit. For no reason at all! This challenge scares me a little 🙂 but I am SO in need of it and am so excited to do this along with you! Thank you! after waiting almost 2 years to adopt our sons from rwanda, it became a HABIT to check email incessantly. they are home now. i don’t NEED to check the computer that often, but it still do. this is a GREAT challenge to me! especially as my summer is beginning with my 6 kids at home! i want to BE with them FULLY!!! thank you for the challenge! I would love to join you for this challenge. I waited a long time to be a mommy and yet I struggle with living in the moment and just enjoying my sweet boy. I have been convicted about this very thing and know I need to do this. Thanks for the challenge! I have been feeling the same way…..I will take this summer challenge with you ladies and spend time connecting with my family and God! Especially in the really quiet moments where I grab my phone or ipad. I will be praying for all of us and believing that God has something in store for each one of us. I have been following your blog since the January Created for Care retreat. I have often said that my hobby is following adoption blogs. I do enjoy it and have been blessed by the stories telling about the miracles and mercies of God. I have also been convicted that I spend too much time reading about other peaople’s lives (many of whom I have never met) and not enough time engaged in my own. Thank you for this challenge. Praying that all of us who are taking it on, will be blessed by the time we gain with our families! WOW I need this!! as I feel myself getting caught up in that nasty little square thing way too much since summer has hit. It’s my outlet is what I tell myself daily.. ugg… thanks for this and going to try to do this!  HE’S BACK!!! At 6:30am…his flight landed…and he is safely home. Rico Suave is finally back from Africa…and I can jump for joy! I’ve been counting down the days and hours with my kiddos, with my friends and even on my Facebook status…only I couldn’t say what I was counting down too–because no one…literally no one […] Makes me smile cause I think all Mommy’s should get a cape when a child is born because you really have to be Supermom to juggle the daily chaos. After especially crazy days I take a moment at night when all is quiet to check on my sleeping kiddos & seeing their blissful faces makes it all worth while. Praying for health, fun, and rest for you all as you get ready for your new arrival! Phew Andrea, I am exhausted just reading all this! Have a wonderful time with your man and your girlfriends! You really need a break! Whew! I’m exhausted just reading this!! You definitely deserve a break and I’m glad you were able to get one this weekend :)! So glad your hubby is home safe & sound! |
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by admin
Should include an UGLY CRY WARNING for all readers! So touching and inspiring! Love & Blessings, Kim
Wow! All I can say is wow…a true blessing for ALL of you!! I can’t wait to hear more!(as I type through my tears)
Tears and laughter!!!! oh this is beautiful. I swear she looks younger and more childlike already, I’m sure she has had the weight of the world on her shoulders and already it looks like she is letting go of that a bit! Beautiful!!!!!!!
You never cease to amaze me. ♥ My heart is bursting with joy for you and your family. ALL of your family. 🙂 One day you will no doubt hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Love you girlfriend!
Andrea, This is just so touching. What a blessing. Some how I missed the start to this journey and am now wondering what is going on with this story and how it came to be. If you don’t mind telling that I’d love to know.
This post had me laughing- I love reading about your first day of adventures! Ever since you wrote that you’d be hosting T for the summer, I’ve been waiting to read about it- because it’s something we’d like to consider in the future. Thanks for documenting and being real. Blessings on Day 2!
oh my, wasn’t expecting to cry….SO sweet…what a blessing for your family and for her…truly inspiring…I never even considered hosting BUT now…can’t wait to hear more 🙂
So beautiful!! My heart is full of joy reading this and the tears are streaming!!!! I have been praying for sweet T and your family and am so happy to hear all about your wonderful day together!!! Truly perfect! Love everything about this!
I am crying (closer to sobbing) right now as I finish reading this. I can just visualize the senario. I am excited to see what the next 5 weeks holds for you family and this precious young girl. I will be praying for you all!
You are so wise even in your exhaustion to record all that is in your heart!
Oh my, Andrea! Tears just flooded my eyes and overflowed! I can’t wait to meet your girl!!!!!
Ok, I’m tearing up, too! Thank you for sharing! She is so beautiful and I love how she looks in the last picture compared to the airport pics. She looked older in those first ones. Thank you for letting us follow along!
Wow. Loved every minute of reading. Thank you for sharing all the fun and amazing details. I can’t wait to watch the next 5 weeks unfold. How incredibly exciting!
Oh wow!!! It’s no coincidence that God has healed you at just this time. Can’t wait to watch the story unfold.
amy
Thanks for sharing the start of your journey… loved reading the details and, as always, appreciate you sharing your heart. Praying for all of you! Hope you have a smooth transition and that she can handle this heat!!!
I am so glad that you took the time to share this-not just so that you’ll remember, but so that we can be amazed at what God’s doing right along side you. He is just so personal in His care for each and every one of His children, isn’t He? It is beautiful!
Just in awe of what the Lord has done! Oh and really, I am going to need in a big box of tissues if you keep writing like this!! 🙂
Andrea, as I read this, my heart is so touched! This is a beautiful girl who desperately needs to be loved and to have a family, as are all orphans! My prayer is that there will be a miracle for her! Love you more than you know!