Our family has been asked to participate in the Children's Hospital Telethon this year. We are delighted to share our story with the viewers. We have a great experience there every time that we go. Our inpatient stay back in November was above and beyond what I expected it to be. They have become family to us. We are honored to be a part of the telethon. I pray they are able to raise more funds than what their goals are for the hospital. This hospital is a blessing to say many children. We are so fortunate to live so close to such an amazing place.

The 2011 Telethon will take place on Sunday, June 12 from 7:00 am to 6:30 pm. For more information on Children's Hospital...check them out online at www.chnola.org

For those of you that are local, we'll be on Channel 6 at 11:00 am on June 12th.

I've been on this quest over the last couple years to scale back "the stuff" in our lives. It's a constant struggle. There's such a pull from the world to get more stuff. The more stuff you have, the better you're doing. You can't be happy without the stuff...You need more stuff. UGH!! It really drives me a little crazy. Anyway, that's another story for another day : ) It's been a process for me. This week it dawned on me that I had 10 drawer 48 inch tall jewelry box. It actually made me ill.  27,000 children will die tonight from starvation and I have acquired so much jewelry over the years that I need a jewelry box the size of furniture. It's quite ridiculous. And it's not that it's all expensive jewelry because lots of it's isn't. It's just that who in the world can wear this much jewelry and the truth is I don't wear it. Why would I keep all of this jewelry. I really thought hard about that all week and once again I came back to the realization that I place value in the things I have instead of where I should place value. This struggle with materialism has been harder than what I've been willing to admit. It makes it more difficult when people treat you like you're crazy for selling your stuff. It's not too popular to sell your new cars and drive old cars. We're on garage sale number four in the two years and still have too much stuff, but yet people don't get it. I've been asked why are you getting rid of your stuff.  That's crazy I've been told. I want to scream sometimes "people are starving.....and I have to have two attics and a barn to contain my junk !!" That's crazy to me. Sorry, it gets me stirred up. I'm really working hard on living for the Lord and not for this world. I just have to keep reminding myself that in order to do that I have to stop worrying about what the world thinks and focus on what the Lord's will is for me. I know that's easy for some, but it's hard for me. I'm making progress though. Wow, this has turned into a therapy session : )

So....I tackled my jewelry this week. We're having a garage sale Saturday and I'm getting rid of lots of it. It feels incredible. My girlies helped me clean it all out. They had a blast playing in all of it. I let them both pick out something they really liked for themselves and the rest we polished and cleaned and put in little jewelry bags and boxes to sell.  They were so sweet I had to snap a few pictures of them. It always amazes me that a little girl is a little girl is a little girl. It doesn't matter if they started their life in an affluent family, or a middle class family or an orphanage. Little girls just love sparkly, shiny, beautiful things. I love to see their eyes light up playing dress up.  I love that God made us this way. They put on jewelry, crowns and princess dresses and they are transformed. They walk differently, talk differently. Truly little princesses. Wow, God is good. It brings me to tears sometimes.  I love being a woman, a wife and a mom. I adore that I get to share these moments with my sweet girls. I look forward to teaching them what it means to be godly young ladies. I know that in this world, in this particular culture that we live in there will be a struggle with materialism. I know that they will probably not always agree with me on this topic. I still look forward to the journey with them. You guys remind me of that when they are 15 and slamming their bedroom door in my face : )There is no greater calling than being their Momma. It's not always easy, but an absolute treasure.  

Adopting a Boy

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was so sweet...my first one with Mari. She loved making cards for me. Helping with breakfast for me. Picking flowers for me. She loves having a Momma….how I love having her for a daughter.  I thought all day about Mother’s Day 2008, the day I met Izzy. I can hardly believe it’s been three years.  Amy….I so love that we shared that : )  Izzy was a Miss Priss from day one and nothing’s changed. She is getting too big too quickly though. I would love to rewind and enjoy it all over again.  Needless to say, I feel very blessed these days. I really never dreamed that it could be this special. On days like Mother’s day though my mind always wonders off to the children that don’t have a mom to celebrate Mother’s Day with this year.  My prayer is that by next Mother’s Day many of them will be with their moms. The reality is that most of the 147 million orphans won’t be with their moms but I can still pray for that. We serve a big God and He’s putting families together every day.

I struggle though with the thought of so many children, alone, orphaned.  It keeps me awake at night sometimes.  I think about Izzy laying outside of a hospital in Fuzhou and Mari abandoned in some remote village…alone crying for their mom’s. I thought about their birth mother’s a lot yesterday. How do they feel especially on days like Mother’s Day.  It’s pretty overwhelming.  I had no idea what I was getting into when I asked the Lord to break my heart for what break’s His… no idea. My heart is broken though for every orphan child and you can’t undo that.  Strangely enough the Lord uses these two sweet girls to help mend it. The thing that breaks it also mends it…go figure. Mother’s Day was sweet. 

I'll have some news soon…… Great news. Happy news. Jump up and down news : )  

Easter weekend...