When Christmas Seems Dark

A thought came to my heart as I was spending time with God.  I am learning to listen ever so carefully to what He is speaking to my heart.  I am asking Him to allow me to grow in this area, as it is a gift that I must confess that I buried for a good portion of my Christian walk.

May this bless your heart as you walk out today and the days that are coming, that draw us into celebrating the joy of our Savior, Jesus, being born in a dark and cold stable.  He came into the dark world to bring us Light and Hope.   May it fill you today my friend.

A song of David

The Lord is my shepherd.

I will always have everything I need.

He gives me green pastures to lie in. 

He leads me by calm pools of water.

He restores my strength.

He leads me on right paths to show me He is good.

Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave,

I will not be afraid of any danger, because You are with me.

Your rod and staff comfort me.

You prepared a meal for me in front of my enemies.

You welcomed me as an honored guest.

My cup is full and spilling over.

Your goodness and mercy will be with me all of my life,

and I will live in the Lord's house a long, long time.

 

Psalm 23 

Easy-to-Read Version. 

The only thing I would add is that a long, long time isn't the true translation...

slip in the word 'forever' and now we are talking truth.

I am praying for you.  ((hug))

 

Shopping at D & D Market

 

Nothing says Christmas (or any holiday) in our house, 

unless it has some purchases from this little Italian market on Franklin Avenue in Hartford.

This shop has such a warm and friendly atmosphere. You always feel welcomed and treated like visiting family.  My husband is the third generation to carry on the holiday traditions in venturing to this store for our antipasto.  Our children now get to come, one at a time, on the adventure- fourth generation!  For those who are serious in the kitchen in our home, this is a real treat.  So many good things to choose from and really we bring so many wonderful goodies of all kinds home with us. Our cart doth overflow!

Old world charm and Italian love all rolled up into one sweet little market! 

We love you D & D, don't ever change!

Buon Natale

WELCOME HOME!!!!!

Four years ago my oldest fell in love with a fine young man, who happened to go to our church and just so happened to be leaving for boot camp.  Our lives became a sudden whirlwind of events, as so often happens with the suddenlies of God.

After a year of long distance courtship, they picked a wedding date.  It was all fast and furious, due to the fact that our fine young man was about to deploy to Qatar. 

A beautiful homemade wedding happened in the beautiful girl's Grandparents garden. The very blessed parents got to keep their first born-homemade daughter for 6 months, whilst her beloved was off serving our country under blistering heat.  

Then...

we took her to the airport and kissed her so-long!

Many tears came, as the troop of us said our so-longs.

We had never been separated for longer than a mission trip or an adoption pick-up...

so this was going to be stepping into new territory for all of us.

Would they come back??  Would they reenlist?  Would we get to grow along side of each other serving God, as the vision her parents had been given so long ago?

Well...

we don't know all the details yet, but we do know that today

TODAY

they will drive up our long gravel driveway and begin to unpack their lives into ours.  We will welcome them back with glee...our homemade and our son-given!  We have moved and rearranged, so they could find a haven beneath our shingles, while they job hunt and prepare for the coming new adventures that God has awaiting for them.

Am I excited?  With tears in my eyes this Mama says, "Oh, yes!!"

Finishing the last minute details of house arranging and then waiting for the gravel to sound the arrival, as they drive the U-haul and tandem vehicles up the long drive and into our arms.

God is so faithful...thank you for sharing my JOY!!

Sweet 16 (and praying for America!)

Today our Ethiopian daughter turns sixteen!

 Three years ago she arrived hardly speaking English, today she is a sassy firecracker of an American teenager.  Quick witted, serious about learning and ready for a good tease always.  Joy unspeakable to her mother and father.

Let's remember to stand in the gap for our country;

on my heart:

our President : for godly decision making and for knowing the the quiet guidance of the Holy Spirit

for our military:  for wisdom and strength of its leaders

for us-the people:  for a stirring within each American to turn back (really) to God

for judges and lawmakers:  an increasing draw to follow His ways and to honor Him

for our teachers:  the ability to teach that doesn't follow the pattern of this world, but follows the pattern of the Kingdom.  I pray for salvation for our teachers and that it would trickle down to our children.

Delightful Christmas Story

Do you need a little help finding the Christmas Spirit?
Have you lost the sparkle that comes in preparing for the arrival of Christmas?  Has your heart forgotten the meaning of our celebration?

Well,  I think I found something to bring you JOY...
from a slightly different perspective!

p.s....my family is crazy over this fabulous version of the Christmas Story...
we love the twinkling star leading the way to Jesus!
(what's your favorite part?)

18th Birthday Wishes!

A sweet Hungarian girl is turning 18 today!

Won't you celebrate her with us?

Happy birthday to our La-La!

Food (for Thought)

"Only one life, 'twill soon be past,

Only what's done for Christ will last."

 -C.T. Studd {1860-1931}

(behind the scenes: my heart)

Today I was studying faith (righteousness). Actually, it started by finishing up study notes from my Pastor's sermon this weekend.  My church has started small groups (growth groups) to help us not only have better fellowship (big churches sometimes find love: fellowship difficult).  We all study Sunday's sermon and discuss it. 

This weekend we weren't in church, well we were, but it was a different church.  We drove an hour away to an Ethiopian church that meets in New Haven.  It was combining with our Ebenezer Evangelical Church (Ethiopia/Eritrean) church; as we lost our pastor last year.  We had an all afternoon celebration of the combining of these two congregations.  It was wonderful.  Honestly never did I think my family would be sitting amongst 100 Ethiopian/Eritreans, listening to Amharic (for 3 hours), having a dear friend (Getch) translate for us, then eating a feast together of their amazing (AMAZING) food.  

beautiful fellowship: LOVE (real stuff!)

 community: different, but filled with love, open hearts and a willingness to let us in.

strange, not what I would have expected
 or where I would have expected it in life.

Anyhow, as I tried to be ready for our growth group tonight, the Holy Spirit began to direct my path...

  I was led to study a sermon by Smith Wigglesworth. 

 I came across this quote (see above) and was convicted to allow the Holy Spirit to renew my view of how I should be living.  I love the Lord, but I think I must have forgotten this truth that all else gets burned up in our life...only what is done for Jesus is what will stand. 

Father forgive me, somehow I lost the vision, renew my heart Lord.

In Jesus' name I ask it.

How does this statement resonate in your soul today?

A Few Wedding Photos

As I didn't take one picture the day of my daughter's wedding

 (wish I did now, but not sure how I could have worked that ;-)

  I will link you to her blog and you can see some of the pictures a few of our family and friends managed to capture.

 Click on the words "The Wedding" and get a taste of our celebration...

The Wedding!

And the Bride Wore White

This is the picture taken in the dressing room the night we found THE DRESS. The bride to be is holding up said dress, as it was a tad larger than needed at that moment.

This dress is a tale unto itself that will have to wait.

Dropping in to fill you in...

no pictures yet.

The wedding was beautiful.  

The weather ordered straight from heaven. 

 The bride beamed all day, we never knew she could smile that much. 

The groom was handsome and eager for his girl to become his wife.

Everything was perfect and I am amazed at how in a few short months we managed to put together such an amazing celebration of love, in the form of a wedding.  Two young adults who waited for the one..

two who never dated, but served God and expected that in due time the one would come.

and her Mama and Papa smiled big too.

We had a wonderful day, a day that seemed like it was so far off, but in reality came so very quickly.

We are so happy for them and thankful for the fact that God blessed our daughter so greatly in her JoJo 

 (and with his family).  This mama snapped a few shots the evening of the rehearsal, but the rest will come from our friends the photographers, as this mama just didn't have camera time that day.

However, we are exhausted. 

 I think it is emotional exhaustion, I find myself crying at odd moments.  Sometimes happy and blessed get mixed with sad.  Our parenting days went by so fast and Saturday we took our hands off our daughter and allowed her to fly on her own. 

 I am a mother after all, and letting go was a big thing to this small heart.

As she stepped out onto the balcony to make her way down the stairs to her groom, it dawned on me how much this tiny platform to the garden was like a nest and how bird-like she had become in these past few months.  She was ready to fly.  I am not sure I was ready, nor her father, but God said it was time.

I am not sure I am doing justice to my mother's heart.  We know we haven't lost a daughter, but instead have gained a son, but still the ache beats strong in my heart and mind. 

My daughter is beautiful. 

We spent years training her in the way she was to go and this day she was ready to go.

  She is a woman and now a wife.

She is filled with love and joy unspeakable (as is her Knight).

 How quickly time goes by and how quickly you arrive at release time.  

Taking some time to rest and reflect. 

 Gathering up my heart and placing it into Jesus' hands.

  Asking God to help me and my Knight with this transition in our home (and hearts). 

Believing He has good things coming.

I do think my girl was the prettiest bride ever...pictures to come.

-

*these picture are pre-alteration (or pre-altar, hee-hee) 

 Snapped in the tiny dressing room.

 Stop by in a wee bit and you will get real photos of the gorgeous bride!

Prayer Request Sunday (wedding stuff)

Prayer time...

anyone in? 

 What can we pray about together this week?

*Less than 6 days to the *wedding!*

JoJo arrives home tomorrow from the Air Force. 

 My girl only has 5 more days to say, "I'm engaged."

We are all so excited.  

Babies do grow and fly from the nest,

 love yours so when they do you won't have any regrets.

  My how quickly time flies by.

Courtship to ENGAGEMENT!

Yup, back in this picture these two were just courting. 

 JoJo called and asked my Knight if he could court our daughter last February 20th.

This February 20th, while my beautiful daughter was out visiting JoJo

 (with his mum and two little sisters), he asked her to marry him.

(back up...

he called my Knight the week before and asked permission to ask our baby to marry him.)

AND

she said yes, through her tears.

Wedding is set for May 26th...this year. 

 A few weeks and we will be having our first WEDDING!!

crazy, yeah we know...

JoJo is serving in the Air Force and will be deployed in June.  

A beautiful hand picked ring by my future son-in-love.

  Golden, sparkly and perfect for the Princess!

*picture taken by the Princess.

Love Wishes and the Joy of Bubble Wrap!

Have a happy day.  Hope yours oozes

 with love and sugar and perhaps a bite of chocolate too.  

My day looks rather busy.  I am taking a friend who is a recent widow on a walk in the woods with my children instead of our regular homeschooling schedule (which personally I am sick of and need a break from!)...

we are going to leave some marshmallows and other tasty treats

 for my 3 gone back to the wild baby raccoons. 

 (Betty can't believe i am still feeding them. But I can't get their little faces out of my head, as they rolled the marshmallows over their little fingers with glee before they started nibbling on them. Funny, now she is saving up snacks for them too.  Can't wait until she gets to see where they live. Alas though we will be awake, they will be sleeping somewhere out of sight.  If only they knew it was a day dedicated to sugar, surely they'd show face.)

Then going to visit one of my dearest friends in the hospital, he is having back surgery in the morning and I am going to hang out with his wife Beth.  We are praying this is the solution to the horrid pain he has been having for months.  Please pray for Brent!!  He is the friend I prayed for for 25 years, last year God allowed me to lead him to the Lord (say Halleluiah!!)

Then back later in the day to eat the very red cupcakes we made tonight.  Oh how my children love that sickening sweet frosting.  

 I found mine marked down to 25 cents a can after July 4th at Aldi's.  

And because there is nothing natural in it AT ALL, it literally lasts forever.  I have enough red and blue frosting hoarded up in our pantry for years to come!  

Planning on a nail painting festival here late in the day with my daughters.  Figure they would all like some spa treatment, not sure my oldest will be able to play spa with us, she is busy at college these days and getting ready for a trip with JoJo's mom to Seattle this weekend. My Baby is growing up, sniff-sniff.

Now to share these precious photos

 of our Bubblewrap Princess...

Hope your day is filled with JOY unspeakable!

On Becoming A Teenager

Princess Sunshine:

She entered our life as a very broken 3 1/2 year old girl.  

She was so tiny, so fragile and so unsure of adults. 

She had been taken from the only life she knew by state officials, who came to be her parents,

until adoptive ones could be found for her.  

The Spirit of God came to us...

He called us to make her ours. 

We heard Him clearly- from youngest family member to oldest.  

We first met her without her knowing who we were.  We were allowed to take her in, without fear to enter into her heart.  We walked slowly, ever so slowly towards bringing her into our home.  Moving her from all she had know, brokenness, hurt and neglect...to a place where she could bloom into all she was created for.

She slowly allowed us to love her. 

She slowly, ever so slowly began to offer her heart to us.

love came, in bits and pieces.  Love came and showed us how to reach her.  Our girl has been like a present that was wrapped in many layers, the first layers were dirty and torn.  But with each new layer a new level of glory has been revealed to not only us, but to her as well.

God has a beautiful plan for her life.

He promises to bring her life and life with abundance. 

He knows the plans He has for her and they are not to harm her, but for her good.  

She has given her heart not only to her Papa and Mama, but to the One who formed her in the womb of another.  She has learned to trust Him.  

He surprised her with the arrival of healing for the deep places that were wounded within her, with her Ethiopian older sister.  Their love for each other was the touch of God that moved our sweet blond girl to wholeness.  They choose to spend most of their time together, their hearts are knit together in an amazing transforming kind of love way.  The kind of way that could only be orchestrated by God Himself, to which we are so grateful.  

Happy 13th birthday 'Siddy Dirl'

(when she arrived she had a pretty large speech problem-

which disappeared as we held her, loved her and pressed into God together-

Expecting His Goodness!)

God has amazing, wonderful, surprise filled plans for you 

sweet girl-

can't wait to see what surprises He has in store to bless you with.

Merry Christmas From Our House!

Merry Christmas...

May the Savior reign in your heart now and always!

What Is Christmas to You?

Do you have a moment?

I am wondering if you can share what Christmas means to you?

  Life is so busy, but my heart yearns to know what it is that you are celebrating this season.

What does your preparation look like?  Who do you celebrate with?  What is your favorite thing about Christmas.  

and

If you have a prayer request...I'd LOVE to pray with you this week. 

Let's open our hearts and let Him fill us.

I often think of wild horses as I think of things such as Black Friday or the day after Christmas in regards to shopping frenzy (is there a name for this one?)

Although I find great beauty in wild horses, I don't want to be among them as they venture out for savings on such days.  Their behavior is unpredictable, certainly not to be trusted or relied upon. I know money is tight for many, but I am just not up for the madness.

As my company left yesterday and I plunked down in the living room in front of the roaring fire.  My Knight handed me some of the sales circulars to glance at, as I rested after the big day.  I am amazed at those who would venture out in hopes of being one of the ones who lays hand on one of the three available in the store, at its greatly reduced sales price.  Three to five available, really?  

1 John 2:16

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

Hope you enjoy your preparations for Christmas.  Let us remember that it isn't about things or gadgets, but about reflecting on Jesus coming to give Himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus came not to herd us as Wild Horses, but to offer us life if we are willing to confess our sins and follow him.  He offers us freedom and deliverance if we would just come to Him.  In order to get there, I think we must rid ourselves of this wild horse mentality that we've picked up from this world.  (remember we are to be in the world, but not of it.)

Wild Horses are not what He desires.  Beautiful true, but the heart attitude is what He looks for~ you know the humbling of ourselves, dieing to self and loving others.

May we find harmony with Him as we prepare for Christmas' arrival.  May His presence fill our homes, our hearts and our preparations.  

Psalm 33:17

The wild horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Proof that Life is Good

sisters who are friends too

a 3 year old who loves the water (and taught herself to swim)

a best friend who became family (by marrying my brother)

for remembering this summer, the summer of my raccoons

remembering that though the trail sometimes is treacherous, 

that thankful God is with me.

for my raccoons that are now wild

how thankful I am for pictures and a head full of memories

for this Knight who celebrated 25 years of bliss with me this August

 that I am loved

Recipe for Ethiopian Tea

One of the many benefits of adopting children from a foreign country, has been the blessing of discovering culture through our taste buds.  With two beautiful Ethiopian daughters (age 3 and 14), we have thankfully been led into Ethiopian foods and drink. I think having a 14 year old who grew up within the culture has helped us retain many of the traditions within the Ethiopian daily life.

It wasn't until I pushed my buna (coffee) cup away-that I learned to love Ethiopian tea.  Now I don't know how they prepare this in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa I only experience a real buna ceremony. But in my Ethiopian church, this tea is served during fellowship time at gatherings close. 

All of us look forward to a cup, each of my kids always line up to get handed their own cup of tea, including our 3 year old.  They normally pair it with Ethiopian bread, which is a yummy partnership: caffeine and carbohydrates-in my book you can't go wrong there! 

Ethiopian traditional tea

What you will need:

tea pot 

(mine is a stove top whistling model-I try to get whistled at a few times a week at least)

4-5 black tea bags 

(well for a typical tea kettle size)

(my Ethiopian friends like the Lipton variety)

8-15 whole cloves

5-8 cardamom (the green whole variety)

one cinnamon stick (about 3 inches long)

fresh cold water to fill the kettle with

sugar to taste (but my Ethiopian friends aren't afraid of sugar, enough said).

Put all ingredients into the kettle.  Bring to a boil.  Let sit for 3 minutes, fish out tea bags (which if you were smart, you let those cute little strings hang out over the edge of the kettle and secure them with the lid).

Pour into cups, add sugar while hot.

Stir...

Drink!

Personally, I don't drink tea black or with tea with sugar, but this is beyond lovely this way.
You can reuse the spices and tea bags for another round,
often I reuse mine for several days before discarding them.
They sit their waiting, patiently waiting for some fresh water, so they can get to business!

To change it up once in a while (hey, a girl has to have change, right?) I sometimes throw in some fresh ginger, a big hunk with the rest of the spices before brewing occurs.

Hope you will give it a try and let me know what you think!

cardomom

(easily found at an Indian market)

cinnamon

(you only need one, but the one I had looked so lonely 

that i brought a friend along for the photo shoot)

 cloves

This is what we're talking about!

Pop on over for the giveaway...

16 First Days of Homeschool Celebration

Yup, this is our 16th year of homeschool
-day one.

I survived with all my fingers and toes intact!

I wasn't so sure how today was going to go...as when we were bundling every one's curriculum for the year the night before our big opening day, my Knight and I were growing faint. 
We started the day however without any casualties
and only one case of whining about an assignment
(note: 9 year old son suddenly doesn't want to write short stories).

 We finished the day singing "Happy First Day to you" (sung to the tune of Happy birthday).

It was a fabulous hit and made the teacher (moi) endeared to every one's heart
(note: the three year old Ethiopian princess can be bribed with sugar).  

The delightful red frosting was scoffed up over the summer from Aldi's at 25 cents a jar, so you will probably be seeing red and blue Fourth of July frosting for months to come.
(note: make more cake and come up with more songs to keep the morale high in school).

 Here are the faces that will grace our homeschool,
that we named 16 years ago as "Growing along Together.
 ...well, except for the oldest who is now in college, but still graces us with her loveliness.
(and as she got me started in this homeschooling 16 years ago....
well she is included in today's snaps too!)

our homeschool graduate...

13 years of homeschool for her..

and she is on the Dean's List at college 

(note to self, relax you are doing fine teaching your children).

our 11th grader...

working harder than ever!

The one who will hit the piano to unwind after a long day of hard studies.

our 6th/7th grader...

her second year of homeschool. Last year she completed from K- grade 6!

(can you say Halleluyah that we got that much done in one year).

I never taught English as a second (third) language,

but all things are possible with Christ who strengthens us!

Guess the sky is the limit with this Ethiopian daughter.

our 7th grader...

eager to learn and happy to homeschool next to her Ethiopian sister/best friend.

4th grade it is...
she is careful and hard working.  

This year we are going to work a bit extra with speech.

4rth grader too...

this boy is fast...need to get extra work to keep him busy.

(and work on writing more short stories)

3rd grader at large.  

Quick to get concepts and able to leap small buildings in a single bound.

AND...

 

my 3 year old preschooler.

Candle licker and proud of it.

Always happy to sing, puzzle it up, entertain, correct her siblings,

snack, pray and move heaven to earth,

occasionally she slows down long enough to work at school.

"Happy First Day to YOU!"