Category Archives: Day in the Life Well…this has been one PERFECT weekend I must say! AND…it has ALSO been yours truly’s birthday weekend!!! Yep! This momma turned 34 years old today (by the way–doesn’t Facebook make you feel SO LOVED on your birthday…when all 1500 of your VBFF send you birthday wishes!!! SO fun:) I just love that my birthday fell […] Did I grab your attention with that title? I thought I might. Okay, you usually get funny Frank stories, crafts, Isaac updates and our daily craziness–but today I was reminded of something…and then refreshed with something else–so I just had to share. No matter how old you are, every now and again you find yourself […] Needed that today Andrea. Thank you. I am so far removed from clique-yness. In our community there is a bit of snobbery that goes around the farming community (i.e. wealthy landowner’s wives) I have a girlfriend who is a farmer’s wife like me and she tries so hard to keep up with all of them. I have this liberated feeling that they are all running a race I’m not. It’s so freeing to remove yourself from any of that! When we moved back to MS, I just had to separate myself from groups like this. I just didn’t want to be a part of it anymore…it is so freeing. I don’t even think about it anymore…praise God! This really speaks to my heart. The Lord has been reminding me this week that forgiveness and loving people who don’t love us can be tough, but then again, so was dying for all my sins. I let go of some things and have felt amazing freedom and joy. And…as afar as not fitting in….I was at my neighborhood Bunco the other night, and although everyone was nice, I didn’t fit in. I can’t join in with the chatter about what happened at the gym, or what new clothes I’d bought or what I’m doing to my house. I wanted to chat about adoption and my passion to return to Africa. Polite smiles all around….. Have a blessed Christmas! BUT are we to remove ourselves from them completely??? This is my instinct and what I want to do…but not what we are called to always do. RIGHT? Oh, heavens no…hope it didn’t sound like I don’t still love these girls. Some of them are still my closest friends. It was just too tempting for me to be involved and not get so caught up in “keeping up”…Unfortunately, I was probably, although not on purpose, in a lot of cliques in high school and college…I know God doesn’t want that for me anymore…He wants me to love others around me, no matter what! We moved to an area where everyone goes to church every Sunday but this clique mentality is so prevalent. So many “let’s get together’s” & so few true friendships, it’s sad. I have learned that God wants us to be who he created us to be and to be kind to everyone. You never know how God is using you to change other’s hearts. I have adoption on the brain & I’m not afraid to say it or to talk about Wiphan. We’ve had a few joking comments about “drinking the Koolaid”. Yet those same folks have since donated to adoptive families & families in need when I send my e-mail blitz’s about a new cause/family that God puts on my heart. I truly believe that Jesus went straight to the folks who were perceived as “sinners” & if we are truly living in Christ, we will too. God bless! This is an absolutely beautiful reminder. Thank you. WOW, Andrea! (I know I always say that)… but God has certainly used you again to speak to my heart! I was JUST having this EXACT SAME conversation with my husband last night after leaving a party where many of the “elite” in our community were there. I just leave parties like that feeling like I just don’t fit it.. sometimes it is lonely and disheartening, but how amazing that God knew exactly what was on my heart and used YOU to speak to me! There is so much cliqueness in this small southern town I live in, it can be really hard sometimes feeling like an outsider… it is comforting knowing that I am not alone in my feelings on this! I love, Alison, that you came back to chime in again:). Wish you lived closer sister–you are one precious momma. And thank you ladies for sharing your words of encouragement! Sandi H…hoping and praying for sweet connections and deep friendships in your new area!!! Thank you, Andrea. Much comfort in knowing I’m not the only one.  Isn’t it SO MUCH FUN to run out to your mailbox EVERY day and sweet faces on pictures of friends and families you just love!? I just LOVE it! AND…I have to find a way every year to display EACH and EVERY one!!! We have already filled up BOTH of our huge message boards with […] I agree, Darcee is the Best!!! WOWWWW!!! So very cool and her heart is so strong with passion and love for others. Love Darcee, and Love your cards throughout the years! LOVE your cards throughout the years! Such a great idea to post them all together. Going to have to do that too! And I LOVED getting your precious card in the mail! Made my day! 🙂 I love all your cards from the past and we loved getting yours the other day. SO precious! I see ours and am so glad you got it! 🙂 The Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus one is SO precious! I just saw that idea this year and am so sad I didn’t do it last year when N was an infant. 🙁 You seriously need to do a blog post on how you get your kids to all look and smile for the camera. I try all sorts of tricks and don’t even force them to and just try to be silly… and it still barely ever happens! You have amazing talent! I really like your 2008 card… so cute!! Darcee is such a sweet, sweet lady. LOVE her:) I love the cards. Of course Frank makes a grand entrance that year on the card. 🙂 That is DEFINITELY the cutest card I have ever seen. I also like the 2010 with Frank’s great smile looking over at Baby Isaac T I love Christmas cards too!! Your Christmas cards are beautiful and your family is precious. We keep our Christmas cards up all year so we can pray for the families that have sent them to us throughout the year. Merry Christmas and God Bless! Andrea, Wow! ALL of the Christmas cards are so wonderful. I love that you shared them all with us. 🙂 I have to say, that the manger scene one was amazing!! Your kiddos will love having these to look back upon. That is so cool about all of the volunteers, I’m so grateful for their willingness to serve us adoptive mommies, what a blessing! Love your Christmas card message boards. I just made a much simpler (read: less crafty) version. Kari from My Crazy Adoption is posting it Monday as a guest post on simple decorating ideas. Your cards are so precious and it is beautiful to see how your family has grown! Love all the cute cards, especially the manger. You deserve some sort of “Best Christmas Card Award”. I nominate you. You are amazing ! Your family is BEAUTIFUL and a reminder of how GOOD God is, has been and always will be….Isaac has been loved and dreamed about and how sweet our Lord is to have put this desire in your family’s heart and to watch over the months of your trust and obedience and REWARD…ITY…he looks as if he has always been with you and your family… BEAUTIFUL ! Love. Just FYI, we will be the ones that surprise you with a Christmas card in like, March….just don’t think we forgot about you. 🙂 And, actually it won’t even be a card…you just wait. 🙂 Lest you think I’m the energizer bunny and never run out of energy–I finally did…today. And it’s such a good reminder for me to slow down during this busy season. Christmas is my favorite season, but if I’m not careful I turn into party mom, taxi mom, craft mom, and even burned out mom. Some […] I hope you feel better, and with the feeling better, that you continue your rest and slower pace as you desire. Hugs to you my dear. hope you are well soon. and so glad isaac did so well. Hope you feel better soon!!! We need to slow down too…and we don’t even have 4 kids…yet! 🙂 Oh sweet girl, rest to you, I will be praying for you. Get well soon! Get some rest. We will miss you but we will be glad to see you healthy when you return. Okay…so laughing at how we are tracking together! I just hit a wall last week! Things were busy and Abby was doing so much better and I found myself getting back into the “norm” and what I normally could do. However, I kept dropping the ball on things. It started piling up and then I melted! Realized that the Lord was calling me to just “be” in this season and slow down again. My boys have picked up so many things going to school this year and it has been one illness after another (yes fishing the retainer out of the toilet when Sam unexpectedly got sick was my BREAKING POINT..GROSS!). Okay…so back into a semi-cacoon we go too!!! 🙂 Jenny Praying for you, Andrea. Awwwh, 🙁 feel better soon … I know, I was there this time last week; I feel your pain. Rest up! I gotta tell you that I’m relieved to hear you are slowing down. I know that is definitely from the Lord. You concern me, girl, with all that you do! You are such a blessing to so many, don’t get me wrong. But there is a time for rest. I am always so amazed by all you do but am glad to know you are indeed human. (I always wonder how you do it all). Praying for rest and peace for you. Enjoy your breather. I hope you feel better soon! It is never fun when Mommy is sick. I am thankful that your hubby was able to stay home. Take the rest you need. Praying for you. From one mom that like sot “go go go” to another…take the time you need to rest up. All the activity will be there waiting for you when/if you want to pick it back up later. Some people need motivation to get going and some need motivation to take a break…thinking God knew you needed a little R&R (too bad it was spent in the bathroom!!) Praying for a quick recovery and slow week! oh andrea…i’m so sorry and so glad your hubby is staying home so you can catch up on some rest! Last night I was praying for strength too b/c Isaac is still waking up twice every night to eat and its starting to wear on me with getting little sleep but thankfully he gave mommy a good nap this morning! I cannot imagine how you do it with four but I long for the day when Isaac (my isaac) might have little brothers and sisters running around with him too! :0) Last night we saw a Children’s Christmas play & a little girl with Down’s syndrome stole the entire show. She played one of the shepherds & every time the kids sang she would run to the front of the stage, throw her hands up, raise her face to the sky, and sing her heart out. Her face literally glowed with pure JOY! Though she didn’t get all of the words right, & sang out of tune at the top of her voice, it was breathtaking! As I watched this little angel, holding my 5 yr old & 6 yr old boys on my lap with tears streaming down my face, I was thanking God. It was an amazing reminder that it really is all about HIM. We decided to lighten our calendar & put the focus on worshiping God with that same joy. We will be praying for some rest, peace, & JOY for you all! praying that you are feeling better today. Wish we lived closer so that I could help out!!! “The sleep of a laborer is sweet” Ecc. 5:12 — praying for peaceful rest and refreshment. PRAYING resting and healing over your home!!! Oh Andrea, I hope you start feeling better VERY soon! You’re family needs you healthy, so I think its a smart plan to hunker downfor a bit.  Isaac not only did great before, during and after surgery today–but he was also a hit at the hospital. Hopefully, this will put an end to his repeat UTIs—and he will just be all smiles…not that he isn’t all smiles anyway. Here is our big man before going back…(daddy is spotting him here just before […] Glad he did so well! =) love what the lady at the hospital said…how cute! I totally get ya when you said how it feels “complete” this year with the christmas card…i feel the same! :0) What a great big brother Isaac has in Frank. A blessing they are so close in age and will have this bond that no one else will have with either one – seems like it will be that way. =) Happy nap time. Thankful for a good surgery. So glad that he did so great! And I totally hear ya on the Christmas cards!!! 🙂 Hope this is the last time, so happy everyone is doing well So happy to hear he did so well! I was praying for him in the wee hours of the morning when I was up with a sick one. Hope you got to enjoy some quiet, down time. So happy to hear that all went well! Don’t worry, Jeff and I don’t have children (yet!) and we are struggling to get our Christmas cards done too! Ha! Here’s to no more UTIs! So glad he is home safe & doing well…praying for continued recovery 🙂 Glad to hear he’s home!!!! rejoicing that he did well and continuing to pray for complete healing. 🙂 I am back from a mission trip to Cambodia. Feeling blessed and broken … not to mention very behind in the land of blog! |
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by admin
Happy Birthday! Awesome post. (:
Happy Birthday!!!! I love that you and Elijah share the same day.
Love ya,
Amy
Happy Birthday, Andrea!!! Sounds like you had a great birthday!! So glad! And yes, you did throw me off with the “we’re expecting a baby!” comment! 🙂
Happy Birthday, Andrea. . .we share a birthday!! Sounds like you’ve had a great weekend. Looking forward to meeting you in Feb.
Love this! “Oh Holy Night” has been the most powerful song to me as well this season. Every time I hear the line “all oppression will cease” I completely lose it. I think of Abby home with us and I think of all the others that need a home. My heart breaks more and more for another in ET. Hmmm!
My heart gets a little weepy every time I read about the adoption conference… because I want to come. 🙂 In March, we brought home our 6th child, our first adoption. Like you, I will never be the same nor do I want to be the same. My soul cries out to help those left behind- I’m not sure what my call is yet and I am struggling in the wait. Homeschooling the 6 children keeps me oh so very busy but I know there is so much more I should be doing. I’d love to be around like-minded people. Any possibility of a waiting list? If not, then I just don’t need to be there and I need to accept the closed door. 🙂