His Cherished Ones

Letters to Julia - my three year old

2012-01-29T10:54:00.001+03:00

Dear Julia,

This has a been a week to remind that you are a three year old. You are so smart, so bright, you speak so well and have such grown up conversations that I sometimes forget that you are only three years old.

You are such a big girl! You are a helper, a teacher, and a problems solver. You love to help me cook. You love to help Eunice clean. You love to help the aunties take care of the babies. And you do these things really well! You sit like a little lady at nice restaurants with adults. You talk to Kenyan adults and explain things to them to help them understand. You are so smart. You know so much! You know the right things to do, and you do them.....well, most of the time.

When we were in America, Nana was always reminding me to be careful with you. I would leave grown up things (like scissors and glue) out, right where you played. We would talk about how you are such a great kid, how you know what to do and what not to do, and how you make good choices and do the right thing. And you ARE a great kid! You DO make good choices. But Nana would always remind me, "She is a good girl, but she is three."

Well, indeed, you are three. And sometimes you act like a three year old. And I am learning that I should not put undue pressure on your to act like a grown up, just because you are always around grown ups and act so much like a grown up. This was a tough week for us. You are teaching me a lot of things. You have challenged me and tested me. You have stretched me! You have surprised me. These little three year old behaviors are shining through! You surprised me this week in a way that proved Nana's words of warning to be true. You wrote with pen all over the side of the couch, from top to bottom in long, strait lines curving up and down, covering the entire side of the couch. You surprised me by some of the things you said to me and some of the attitude you showed me.

Those are natural three year old behaviors. It does not mean they are good behaviors or ones I will allow you to continue, but they do remind me that you are three. And above all, it reminds me that I should be in constant prayer for you, for your little heart, asking God to show me how to be a good mommy, and asking God to be near you, whispering into your ear and showing you the right choice to make. It reminds me that my heart should be so full of God's Word that it flows out of my mouth and onto your ears. God's Word must be in my heart, on my mind, and on my lips so that I speak words of encouragement, life and hope to you, not words of frustration or anger. Yes, you need discipline and correction, but only out of love...the love that God puts in our hearts. THAT is what I am learning from you, and THAT is what I want to teach you.

I pray every day ~ all day ~ for you. You are my precious treasure and I want to train you in ways that are glorifying to God. He has created you to be a strong, special, smart little girl, and I want to do the best job I can at facilitating and fostering that.

I love you, baby girl, and I can't wait to see the amazing young lady that God is creating you to be!!

Love,
Mommy

Boys will be boys....and then they will need new clothes

2012-01-28T21:13:00.002+03:00

Oh, these boys. I have two boys who are the neatest, most organized, cleanest teens you have ever seen. I have some others who are perfectly content to walk around with mud coated clothes and sleep in a bed of dirt. Boys. Boys, boys, boys.

Well, the clothes situation has gotten a bit sad. Today was the day to lay it all out. The older boys were at school so they left their clothes for us to go through. Angie and I spent the morning (a very long morning) going through all their clothes, taking inventory of what they had, and seeing what they needed. It was quite a task!

Then, Angie had the lovely task of going shopping at the market for clothes to fill in the blanks of what they needed. The task belongs to Angie because we would lose twice the amount of money as soon as vendors see my bright and shiny white skin. No, more than twice the amount of money. Crazy how the price goes higher the lighter the skin is!

Five hours later, they are back home with new purchases. Now, all of the boys have some casual play clothes for after school, and some nice clothes for church or dinner out....like the pizza night we had last night! :-)

Next project: thorough cleaning of their room! Boys, boys, boys.

Menu plan board

2012-01-26T22:40:00.000+03:00

Meal planning and cooking is a tough task in this country. There are no restaurants that I would want to frequent more than occasional outing (meaning no American food restaurants), no drive-throughs, no easy prep foods, no frozen food section of the grocery store to give you a head start on peeling and chopping vegetables. We don't have some of those staples that you add together to make some quick home cooked meals, which makes looking at recipes on Pinterest quite frustrating at times! You know, things like Rotel, tortillas, cream cheese, cream of mushroom soup, etc. And some things are just SO expensive you can't buy them often, like chicken breasts, cheese, broccoli (when it can be found).

On those long, busy days when you are really just too exhausted to cook a meal from scratch....well, there is no other option. Unless you plan ahead. Having things in the freezer is a lifesaver. But....you have to have them in the freezer ahead of time. Funny how that works, huh? And if you know me, you know that I am the Queen of Good Intentions, but that follow through thing......well, I don't really have that. And that is not really fair to a three year old. She likes to eat food. She kinda needs it, too.

So, thanks once again to Pinterest, I have spent hours looking at and making meal planning ideas. Hours. I tried forever to find a printable that I wanted to use. Then, I just resorted to creating my own. It kind of worked.

But then I saw one on Pinterest that I really liked. So I made it! I actually made it...from start to finish. Well, almost to finish. It still needs to be laminated. Seriously, that follow-through, last-step thing....it's a doozy for me! I saw it Saturday night and I made it Sunday afternoon.

And best of all, I did not buy a thing for it. I had the chalk board that I brought from home, not knowing what I would do with it, but knowing it would come in handy someday. I also bought a bunch of cute file folders with the same thought and intention.

How it works is my favorite part! In the "Meals" pocket, I put a lot of strips of meal ideas. On Sunday, I can pull out all those meal strips, lay them out, keeping in mind what I have on hand, what I have leftover in the freezer, what days are busy and need easy meals, etc, and stick them on the days. As I am putting them up and seeing the bigger picture and realize I need to change something, I don't have to erase or scratch out, I just move it. I can also pull the recipe cards I need for the week and put them in the recipe pocket so they are close on hand.

I realized after I made it that I probably should have made a breakfast column. That is why there are two on the left side.

The key for me is planning ahead and being organized in meal preparations. I know, that is key for most people, but it is an absolute must when there are no "back up" plans, like a Chick-fil-a run or pulling out a frozen pizza. This made it so easy to look at the whole picture and see what all I could make ahead of time, at the same time, or in pieces.

And look! I really did it! And even better....it worked! Well, so far, at least.

And another plus - it's cute. :-) At least I think so. I needed something to cover these drab walls!

Now, the big question....will the Queen of Good Intentions actually continue to use this?! I hope so! It has already made a huge difference this week so I really think I will. We'll see....

Another Blessing!

2012-01-24T16:43:00.000+03:00

We welcome sweet baby Blessing to our home today! This precious baby girl was rescued by a good samaritan who found her laying on the railroad tracks of a nearby town. He named her Blessing Wanjira, meaning "found by the road."

This man had taken Blessing to the police on Friday afternoon and, because it was the end of the work week, they asked if he could find someone to take care of her over the weekend and then bring her back the first of the week. Rather than finding someone to keep her, he took care of her himself. When he came to court today, it was obvious that he had bonded with this little baby. As she cried and we all passed her around, and when he came and was handed little Blessing, she immediately stopped crying. So very sweet!

(We are so glad she is here and can now receive proper nutrition and real baby formula. Her little distended tummy needs to be replaced with good nutrients.)

I love to see how God always seems to bring us a new baby each time one of ours goes to their forever home. Little Sammy returns to his grandmother and God sends us Shadrack, though we don't know how long we will have him. Sweet Winnie girl goes to her new home with her mommy and daddy, and we find beautiful Blessing.

And what a blessing it is! Her life, in one moment, left to the fate of a roaring train, yet forever ~ in every moment ~ held in the fate of God's sovereign plan for her life. He protected her; He protects her still. And we are his hands as He places her in His safe Haven of Hope.

Meet Shadrack

2012-01-23T19:55:00.000+03:00

We brought home a special gift today. Sweet baby boy, Shadrack.

Shadrack is a six week old precious little boy in need of safe, loving stable place to rest for awhile. We are not sure how long he will be with us, but we are happy to have him for as long as he needs us. He comes from a very unstable home situation and the fate of his parents has not yet been determined. His grandmother hopes to come for him soon.

Meanwhile, we are blessed with the task of lavishing the love of God on this precious little life, and what a privilege it is to do so!

Letters to Julia - Happy where you are

2012-01-22T21:52:00.000+03:00

Dear Julia,

I love learning lessons from you. And as you grow older you teach me more and more, especially as you are able to verbalize all that crazy stuff that goes on in your little head!

The whole time we were in America and I asked if you were ready to go back to Kenya, you always emphatically answered, "No. I want to stay in America." Now that we are back in Kenya and people ask you if you want to go back to America, you still answer, "No."

Earlier today we were talking about Nana & Papa's house and all of your fun things in your room at Nana & Papa's house. I said, "I miss Nana & Papa's house. That is a fun place, isn't it? Do you want to go back there and visit?" And you, in all of your three year old wisdom said, "Mom, but we are in Kenya now and not Nana's house. When it is time to go back, then we can want to go to America. Now we are going to play in Nakuru, Kenya in my room. Okay?"

Oh, baby girl. Yes, that is okay. We are going to play in your room in Nakuru, Kenya and enjoy every minute of it! Thank you for reminding me to be happy where I am and not wish away the time I have in front of me. It is okay to want to visit America again, but it is most important to be happy in the place God has us right now. And I am happy to be here, mostly because I am with you (and the boys and the babies and the aunties) and God has great things for us here.

I love you so much, baby girl! You are growing up to be such a great girl, and I love our conversations. I am so glad that you are mine.

Love,
Mommy

Tracy - Education investment at work

2012-01-21T20:58:00.000+03:00

Trinity Vineyard, my home church in Houston, gave the gift of eduction to HCO last year as a part of their "Here, Near and Far" campaign. What a BLESSING! The gift went towards the boys' school fees as well as towards one of our staff's continued education.

Tracy is our weekend baby caretaker who had a desire to go to school for social work. Thanks to Trinity Vineyard, we were able to help her with that! And now, that gift has come full circle as I just hired Tracy as our new social worker! At this point, she has just completed her first level of social work education, receiving her social work certificate.

The timing of Tracy getting her certificate comes at a perfect time, just as we are needing to hire a social worker! Isn't God great that way? We look forward to working with Tracy in this new capacity, and she is looking forward to learning new things and putting her education into practice.

Thanks to Trinity Vineyard for their "Far" gift, and for all of those HCO friends who make it possible to invest in the lives of our HCO Kenya family so that we can continue to work and multiply the efforts that God places before us.

Congratulations, Humphrey!

2012-01-20T18:17:00.000+03:00

Humphrey is one of our oldest guys. He just started Form 2, equivalent in school years to 10th grade. When the other boys moved to a school closer to our house, Humphrey stayed at his old school. He is the only one in secondary school and it is much more difficult to change secondary schools mid-year than primary school. Due to the way things work here and how the schools operate, this was the best option at the time.

So beginning this year, we started the process of him applying to new schools. Our first choice is a great high school near our house. Getting into good secondary schools here is competitive, but we have Humphrey! At his former school, he finished 4th out of 106 students! As we started the search for new schools, based on his scores, he was invited to interview with a few....options! We were most excited about the one closest to our home, which happens to be the best. He was awarded an interview (an entrance exam) to try to one of the 20 open positions. There were 56 students vying for those twenty positions. And guess what! Humphrey scored the HIGHEST of all who interviewed and was accepted to the new school!!

Congratulation, Humphrey!! We are SO proud of you!!

Getting back to life...

2012-01-19T23:08:00.000+03:00

...isn't so easy. I've been trying for almost three weeks now, but haven't quite gotten there. Obviously, as proof of an updated blog.

We have been home for 20 nights. We have overnight guests for 14 of those nights and have been out of town for two. That leaves four nights that Julia and I have been home alone since we returned to Kenya. Before that, the last time we were home without guests was last May 28th. Even during our time in America, there was only one night when we were alone. I wouldn't trade any of this time for the world, but am just realizing how little "normal" time we have had in the past eight months!

Now, I am excited to be home and to attempt to get into our somewhat regular routine. I am looking forward to getting into the groove of my work schedule, too. This week included meetings for our babies' adoptions, a meeting for Julia's adoption, looking at some property, traveling to Nairobi, and visiting my friend's community mobile clinic (and more).

So, now back to regularly scheduled blogging.... :-)

Walking William!

2012-01-11T17:46:00.000+03:00

Finally, I am back to see the first steps of one of my babies! That was a hard thing to miss. Two of them started walking while I was away, Joseph and David. This week, William started walking!

This is my sweet boy. It is so hard to get a good picture of him. He always looks so serious, but truly, this boy is sweet. He is the gentle one who took Hopey's place in needing the evening hold and cuddle time. He just has a soft, tender side, but is still all boy when a ball comes out or when it is outside time.

William has been freed for adoption and is waiting to matched with a prospective family.

Praise God for babies who are growing, happy and healthy!

Friend Time - fun and a great help!

2012-01-10T22:22:00.000+03:00

Julia and I have had a fabulous time with our great friends, the Omondi's. Dennis and Allison and their precious kids, Anjela and Benjamin, came to help us transition back to life in Kenya. They live in Mombasa, on the Kenya coast, and work with Serve International of Denton Bible Church.

Allison has been here to help me get settled and to watch Julia, who is loving all this play time with her best friend, Anjela. I have thoroughly enjoyed having this time with Allison, cooking, unpacking, taking care of the girls, working at the baby house. And Dennis has been my resident advisor, helping with everything from telling my grounds workers how to repair broken pipes, getting insurance for my car, looking at possible land purchases with me, beginning the dealings to research land purchase options, and talking through so many ministry issues I can't even count. Usually, he is my long distance advisor, but it has been great to have him here as I delve back into work and begin to work on some new things.

These girls are two peas in a pod! They have very similar stories of their life beginnings, and it is so fun to see how God has interlinked their lives. They keep talking about being sisters, and they act like it! Spending an entire week together has brought out their sister sides, but they do truly love each other. Julia kept asking last night, "Anjela, we're sisters, right? And BJ is our brother."

I think she thinks she is really part of their family! We were taking "family" pictures the other day and this is what we got (in addition to the one above):

Look at her, so proud of herself for bee-bopping into their family picture as if she belonged there!

They also have an amazing adoption story with their son, Benjamin! You can see a recent piece on MSNBC featuring their story and the agency where BJ came from on their blog: Safari za Omondis.

Thanks, Omondi's, for coming to visit us! We had such a great time and miss you already! This house is quiet! Good thing you'll be back Friday and we still have more time to hang out!

The boys' lazy afternoon

2012-01-08T22:25:00.000+03:00

We have sugar cane in our shamba! (shamba = garden) I didn't even know we had it until Maina asked me if they could have some sugar cane from the shamba.

Sugar cane is a favorite treat for Kenyans. They eat it straight from the cane, or suck on it, rather. First of all, this stick is HARD! And they use their teeth to bite it off!

Even little BJ, my friends' precious son, joined in the fun!

But fortunately, for the little guys (and we weak American women) there always seems to be a guy with a panga nearby. (panga = machete)

I am so happy to be back with these boys! I have missed them, and missed time hanging out with them in our backyard. They are a great group of boys.

Speaking of these great boys, please pray for Humphrey. He has applied to a new high school and had his interview/exam on Friday. High school, public high schools, are very competitive and difficult to get into. Up to now, he has been attending school far from our house. He has to walk to the highway and then take a matatu to the edge of town. We are hoping and praying that he will be accepted into this new school, a very good school, which is just down the road from our house. Humphrey is a great student. At his old school, he finished 6th out of 114 students. But this "new" school is competitive, and there are 56 students vying for 20 open positions. Please pray for favor and for the Lord's will to be done! We will know the results on Tuesday.

Winnie's Forever Family

2012-01-07T23:53:00.000+03:00

THIS is what it's all about! THIS is why we are here.

This is Winnie with her new mommy and daddy and big brother. This family is getting the gift of a super sweet baby girl. Winnie is the most pleasant, calm, and happy little girl. She loves to dance, or rock. When the aunties start singing, Winnie starts swaying. She is also a little mover! When she wants to get from Point A to Point B, she just goes....right over anything that may be in her path.

Nine months ago I went to pick up this tiny baby who had been found wrapped in a plastic bag and left alone on the ground. Today, Winnie's mom and dad come to pick up a healthy, happy little girl who has been wrapped in love and gathered up into arms of hope.

Little Winnie is a special little girl with a very bright future. She is now a part of a family who loves her and can offer her so very much. She will definitely be a daddy's little girl!

I pray, little Winnie, that you will grow to know that you are your Heavenly Father's cherished little girl, too. We will miss you, sweet baby girl!

Miah Update

2012-01-04T22:04:00.001+03:00

So many people asked me about Jeremiah while I was in the US. Precious Miah. Well, here he is....

His parents are simply amazing and they are so good to keep me updated. As of now, they hope to finally be making their trip home to Italy THIS WEEK! Their adoption process has been completed and they are now waiting for the last step of his travel visa to Italy to be processed. Please pray that this is expedited quickly so they (his parents) can finally be reunited with family after almost eight months, and introduce Jeremiah to his friends and family at home! Believe me, I know how important this is! :-)

We love you Jeremy and miss you very much!! And we will remember you always....especially Julia. She misses her best friend every day.

First Day Faces

2012-01-02T21:50:00.000+03:00

I'm home!!! We arrived safely on Friday night and came to Nakuru on Saturday. We are adjusting well, though not sleeping well. Julia and I are both so happy to be back.

Here is a flash of a few faces....

William

David

Lizzy

Winnie

Annabelle

Maina

Joseph

Charlie

Christmas at the baby house

2011-12-26T21:54:00.000+03:00

I was so sad to not be there!! Those babies are so special, and I wish we could have been there to help them celebrate this special day of Christ's birth. Maybe next year they will all be celebrating Christmas with their very own forever family!

Benita is the lady who is watching over things at the baby house while I am away, since Rebekah left. She assisted Rebekah while she was there and now has really stepped up and taken it all on. Benita is kind of known as the "stickler" for the rules. She is always checking in on the older babies and telling them to lay down during nap time, keeping everyone on schedule (like not being late/early for naps), making sure not too many sweets are given to the babies, etc. But we LOVE Benita for all that! This was her email to me this morning...

Dear Trena,

I know I said I’d wait on emails (everyone deserves a break – especially on Christmas Day) but I think the babies would want you to know about their Christmas.

If the babies could talk (in a way which we could understand) I think this is what they might say…

Oh mum! Oh boy! Did we have a good time yesterday! (Well, we think it was yesterday. We still don’t know how to measure time, you know.)

A little before going down for our morning nap, that funny lady showed up. We think she’s funny because she likes to do “pop pop” with us and tries to teach us new words. Before she told us to lay down (she always does – even though she knows we get back up as soon as she leaves…) she said she had a surprise for us.

After we got up, the new word was “b a l l o o n” and imagine our surprise when we went in the living room and found 40 large, colored balloons. Oh! The fun we had!!!

Sammie & David had the times of their lives – going around and hitting the balloons. Joseph seemed scared to death to even touch them (but calmed down when assisted and comforted by the aunties and her). Lizzy had been thoroughly spoiled by being able to play with them while we were supposed to be sleeping. Maybe because of that, she was fine with the rest of us entering into her fun.

We played until it was time to eat and then got to go OUTSIDE!

We Love going outside but this time the funny lady brought us something we had not seen for a long time. BUBBLES! Although it was a bit overcast, we had such a nice time watching and trying to catch the bubbles. It was hard to get to them because of the wind but we sure had fun trying. The aunties joined in the fun by making sure there were plenty of them for us to chase and they even let some of us try to blow through the little holes.

Lizzy did pretty good but David was really funny. Instead of blowing he decided to lick the hole instead. Since he did, everyone else who tried after him decided to do the same thing.

Once we went back inside, the funny lady told the aunties that only the little babies had to go down for a nap. The rest of us (the big boys & Lizzy Lu) were to stay up long enough to listen to music and have some sweets.

Auntie Suzzy put on Christmas music and they all began to sing the birthday song… She said it was Jesus’ birthday (not David’s… not Lizzy’s) but we didn’t really care whose it was. We just knew we were in that circle we get in when nice things are coming and we were ready.

And guess what she’d brought us??

There was strawberry yogurt (bariti), banana muffins (only a little frosting because she doesn’t really like babies to have sugar) and… marshmallows! (But only 1! Oh man!!) We ate them quickly (especially Josef who eats everything & Maina – who doesn’t) hoping for more but it was clear to us that she was not going to budge.

So, after much fun (and only a few complaints) we went off to sleep…

When we woke up, she was still there so we had our snack (something she told the aunties we should not have again because they were too big, dry and we were trying to stuff them in our mouths whole) with some juice. She stayed for a little longer and played balloons with us and then she left.

We really did have a nice time!

Thank you for letting her help you…

Thank you for sending Rebekah (who we would have loved to be there to play with us – please tell her we miss her… when we remember…) and thank you for letting God use you to help us find our very own mommies and daddies.

And if you should see the one called Jesus?

Please tell Him we while we don’t yet know who He is, we were sure glad it was His birthday and thank Him for the balloons, bubbles and sweets.

We really did have fun and hope you, Juju, Rebekah, auntie Chris and everyone there had a much fun as we did.

Love,

your babies of haven of hope baby house

with a little help from the funny lady… :-)

Missing....

2011-12-23T03:07:00.001+03:00

Well, I have been informed by the Diaz kids that I had not posted on my blog in 13 days. So....just for you guys, I will attempt to go back over the past few weeks and post the entries that I have started. We'll see how far I get.... :-)

And there may not be too many posts in the coming days. Getting packed to go back home to Kenya is a LOT of work! Add the excitement and busyness of the holiday. This is gonna be one tired mama, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!! We are having an amazing time enjoying our last few days in America!

Gordon's adventures at Julia's house...

2011-12-23T00:40:00.001+03:00

Julia's elf, Gordon, has been busy this season! He comes every day to keep an eye on Julia and reports to Santa each night. We think he has enjoyed his time at Julia's America house.

Gordon found some time to catch up and hang out with some old friends...

We think he is a cowboy-wanna-be. He hung out on Papa and Uncle Kenan's stuff a lot....

We never knew where he would pop up, always hanging around to keep an eye on things...

... or playing and messing around with Nana's friends!

And sometimes an elf just needs a break, some time to relax with friends...

But good 'ole Gordon, he always remembered the real reason he was around....to remind us of Baby Jesus, the reason that we celebrate. Just like Gordon sees everything Julia does and reports to Santa, he reminds us that Jesus is the One who is always with us, seeing the good we do and the choices we make, and Jesus is with us all year round, even when Gordon goes to the North Pole.

Thanks for the reminders, Gordon!

Presents and Bows!

2011-12-22T23:39:00.000+03:00

I love beautiful Christmas packages! I love wrapping them. My mom always tells me about her Great-Grandmother Gear who always gave the most beautifully wrapped presents. And I remember my Great-Grandmother Hartsfield's Christmas presents, specially wrapped in shiny paper with big, perfect bows at Hemphill Wells in Lubbock. I guess pretty packages somehow remind me of memories, some of which I never even had. Is that even possible?

This was a few weeks ago. Half of them have already been unwrapped, but I still wanted to share the fun!

First Christmas program

2011-12-22T02:01:00.000+03:00

Julia had her first Christmas program a few weeks ago. I really did not think that she could do anything that would totally surprise me, but she proved me wrong. This was NOT what I expected from her!

Poor baby girl just looked at me and cried with the most pitiful look ever! Good thing Papa took off work and Gran came so that they could see her cry! At least she cried quietly and continued to do the motions!

This is the same little girl who will get up in front of any group with me, and often times wants to have her own turn to speak, to tell people about her boys or her babies. I don't think she liked being up on stage with me out, looking up at her.

Really, she was fine when they first came in. The program was at nap time and they woke her up to go to the program. I'll blame it on that. :-)

Letters to Julia - The Wonders of His Love

2011-12-11T19:50:00.002+03:00

Dear Julia,

Oh, the wonder of the season! Your little face is lit brighter than the sun, and your excitement shines right through your eyes. Every little thing is like your own special gift and I love watching you.

My prayer for you is that you will always know the wonder of the season...but in more than the sparkle and lights. May you always know the true joy of Christmas, the gift we are given of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that you will experience the wonders of His love. In the midst of holiday excitement, may you delight in His wonder and the hope that will fill your heart every day of your life as you grow in His love.

Love,
Mommy

A little girl's thrill

2011-12-10T19:05:00.002+03:00

Oh, what fun! We had a super Christmas day on Monday! We were in Houston for the TVC event and for Mom's doctors appointment and decided to take advantage of the holidays in the city and let Julia have some Christmas fun.

We went to the Galleria and it took her all of five seconds to spot the ice skating rink! I didn't even know that she knew what it was. Good 'ole Special Agent Oso and the Disney Channel! :-) I wasn't about to get on ice skates, and we know everyone would shoot us if we let my mom even think about getting on ice skates, so that left Auntie Kris who was happy to have another bonding moment with the little girl!

Oh my goodness, I don't know if I have ever seen Julia so excited about doing anything before! She was absolutely beside herself with anticipation. She just couldn't stand it!

And then the most hilarious thing ever. She was absolutely determined, yet so excited she couldn't get control of herself! Jello-O legs were ready to run! My little rag doll would fall, smile on her face, thrilled to her core, and reach up to go again.

After an hour, Julia was a pro and gave Nana a few lessons.

We had such a fun day...and this was just one of our Christmas celebration adventures! We are soaking up every moment of American fun before we leave!

Trinity Vineyard Church Brunch

2011-12-08T16:34:00.002+03:00

Once again, I have failed to post for far too long.
And once again, TVC has blessed me with a warm showing of support and encouragement. We had a wonderful time last weekend at the Trinity Vineyard Women's Christmas brunch, honoring HCO.

It was so much fun to do a little Kenya Christmas decorating and to set up shop with what was left of our Cherished Handworks items.

We had a great time of sharing, too. I will write later about what I shared. I have been having so much fun with the Lord and love having the opportunity to share it!

It was great to see so many wonderful friends. Thank you, TVC, for allowing HCO to be a part of your family, and thank you for the blessing you are to us. Thank you to everyone else who came to support HCO. It was a huge success and it was a privilege to be a part of it!

The Gift of Adoption

2011-12-01T19:49:00.002+03:00

(photo by Kara Bryant Photography - thanks, Kara!)

Obviously, adoption is near and dear to my heart. It's what I do. It is the goal of my baby center and the reason I started it. It is what I hope for in my personal life. It is the base of my relationship with my Maker.

Even though I think about adoption all the time and it is a very real thing to me, God has been taking me deeper in my thoughts towards adoption and its implications on my life. He has been showing me new relationships and correlations of adoption that are working together to give me a more solid picture of who He is to me. I am so thankful for the gift of adoption! In fact, I think I might share some of this with a group this weekend when I speak on Saturday. I'm just so excited about it all that I want to share!!!

I will write more about this later, but today I wanted to share some awesome news for Julia and I...the adoption agency in Kenya and the partner American agency have agreed to take our case and help us begin our journey to adoption!!! This is a HUGE thing, as our case is very unique and somewhat involved and complicated. I am legally Julia's guardian until she is 18 years old, but that is obviously not the same as adoption. We have a long, hard road in front of us, but we we are about to take our first steps down that road!! Hopefully, we will begin shortly after the first of the year.

Oh, how I wish I could share some of the details and what I have been told! It is truly evidence of God's hand at work - absolutely no other explanation! Some of the first hurdles have already been overcome, and I am seeing proof that all the struggles and fights we have gone through over the past year and a half (mostly pertaining to her guardianship) have all been foundational for this. It is great confirmation to know that it was worth it, as if I ever had a doubt!

I can't wait to share with you this journey to adoption! Though earthly adoption can be a long, complicated process, aren't we blessed to have instantaneous adoption by our Heavenly Father!? He accepts us and takes us as His own in a heartbeat...from our very first one, in fact. What a blessing adoption is - on any level!

2011-11-25T09:27:00.000+03:00

What a difference a year makes! This was my baby last year on Black Friday, shopping at Village Market in Nairobi.....

Look at those baby fat cheeks!

And one year later (minus two days)...

Time flies and babies grow! I pray I will always see the joys in the everyday, not wishing away a single moment or missing a single blessing. Each day is a treasure, and I want to cherish every jewel.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T21:38:00.000+03:00

Yes, I am blessed and have so much to be thankful for....

I am thoroughly soaking up every minute of holidays in America!!!

Where am I?

2011-11-23T22:11:00.000+03:00

Well, I have been without internet since Sunday evening. I first called the service provider on Monday and have been trying to deal with it since then. Finally, today they agreed to send a technician out - on Friday. :-( It is absolutely crazy how dependent we become on technology! It is also crazy that Rebekah and I send an average of 6 emails back and forth per day - and yes, that is average. Sometimes we hit way more than that!

So, I am without internet - and I am at McDonald's at 10pm the night before Thanksgiving just to use their internet. Starbucks was already closing. I'm feeling a bit like I am back in Kenya.

So, a very happy Thanksgiving to each of you! May you recognize the blessing of His abundant provision this season! And may He continue to bless!

The Brotherhood

2011-11-22T06:59:00.000+03:00

Yesterday I spoke at the Baptist Brotherhood meeting at First Baptist Church of Midland. What would possibly speak about to a group of men, but our boys?! And what better group of people to ask to pray for these boys, but a group of men who know and understand the value of their role in a family?!

These boys ~ Humphrey, Patrick, Freddy, Maina and Collins ~ are with us because I believe God has a special plan for their lives. There is something in these boys that sets them apart. Ask anyone who has met them and they can tell you that these guys are special.

As you spend time with family this Thanksgiving holiday, please remember these guys and pray for their "family" of brothers. I am thankful for them, and I know that they are thankful for you.

2011-11-20T19:33:00.000+03:00

Dear Julia,

I was just thinking today, as I was flying back from Houston to see YOU, how far we have come this past year. Then, I thought that I would go back and look at my journal to see exactly where we were in our journey this time last year. I only had my last two journals with me, so I could not look that far back. Instead, I looked at just six months ago...May 20th.

May 2011

I wrote in my journal that day about our struggle to get your passport, being so far from even getting an appointment to apply for your visa. We were really fighting hard to get that passport! We spend countless days in Nairobi, more than half the month. I wanted so badly for you to come to America! And look....we're HERE! Our God is GOOD!

I even looked back at the blog and found what I wrote later that day after I had written in my journal that morning. In the blog post six months ago today, I was tired and frustrated with many things. The title of the post was Wresting for the Blessing and that is exactly what we were doing. Wrestling. And our faithful God brought us through that hard time of waiting, to bring us to this place, to America. And we see His blessings of that journey every day.....bedtime stories with Papa, laughs and stories with Nana, day trips with Aunt Kris & Uncle Barry, playing in a tent from Grandma & Pa, baby Will's first birthday party and a cookout with family.

Sometimes that is exactly what we have to do. We may have to wrestle through hard times to get to the amazing blessing God has waiting for us on the other side, but oh, is it ever worth it! Haven't we had a wonderful time in America?! You have experienced and learned so many new things. I know that when we return to Kenya, you will have some very special memories that you can hold in your heart forever.

November 2011

I am looking forward to getting back to Kenya and seeing what all the Lord has in store for us this next year....or even the next six months! We are two blessed girls....God is taking us on some great adventures in His will. I can't wait to share more with you....the hard, the easy, the tough, the fun. I know that He has great plans for us and He will never leave us or forsake us. Even this journey to America is proof of that!

I look forward to many more journeys and blessings with you, my little jewel! YOU are my blessing!

I love you,
Mommy

Forgetful Mama....remembers!

2011-11-15T19:57:00.001+03:00

As a kindergarten teacher, I was often on the opposite end of the forgetful mom who failed to send snacks to school on her kid's assigned snack day. You know, the end where the kids are. The kids who want their snacks. The kids who live for snack time, second only to recess time. But I could never really be upset with the moms who forgot (unless of course they were the moms who never sent anything back to school, regardless of what it was) because I knew that if I were a mom, I would probably be the one forgetting to send snacks.

Some people might think it would be easy to just have to remember one day out of a whole month. How hard could that be? Write it on your calendar. You are only inconvenienced that one day out of many. Not hard. Well, I'm the opposite of that. It's just one day - what are the chances that I would remember that one random day in the middle of many?! Not good.

Each day that I drop Julia off at Children's Day Out, I would think in my head, knowing that my day was the third Tuesday of the month. I even thought of it once over the weekend and I was so proud of myself that I was NOT forgetting! See? Just days away and it was not forgotten.

Well, fast forward two days and it had not been a blip on my radar since that brief flash of remembrance on Saturday morning, when I noted that I needed to go to the grocery store. My mom has to go to the allergist on Tuesday mornings so we usually leave a little early. Since her mishap last year, fainting immediately after getting her shot and ending up in the hospital for three weeks, recovering for over a year, they kinda make her stick to the "wait 30 minutes before leaving" rule. So, Tuesday mornings are kinda tight for us. And wouldn't ya know it....that blip on my radar shot out into a bright, blaring light - 30 minutes before go-time!

But did you catch that??? 30 minutes BEFORE, not after! I didn't forget!! Well, not technically! And, as Kris always points out, I put things off until the last minute, then pull them off in a rush and no one ever knows the difference. Yep, I did it. Without having to go to the grocery store. (Although I did go to planning-ahead-stocking-up-stash for what I am collecting to take back to Kenya and dug out a new jar or peanut butter.)

So, today's snack was individual peanut butter cups with fall sprinkles and pretzel sticks for snack, or "princel" sticks as Julia calls them.

Whew! Yep, I just had to document the fact that I DID remember snack day - Julia's very first (and only) snack day - that day I always feared I would forget! I could be an American mom, afterall!

Oh yeah, and I am remembering right now that I have to bake cookies to take to her Thanksgiving feast on Thursday. Yes, I am remembering. I will do that tomorrow. I will. I better.....I fly to Houston on Thursday and that would leave Nana scrambling to find cookies! Yes, I can do this. I can. Really. Watch....

~ Please, Lord, help me remember to bake cookies to send for Julia's first Thanksgiving feast! I don't want to be that mom, the one who sends her little child to the Thanksgiving feast without anything to contribute. Amen. ~

Deli's future

2011-11-14T13:00:00.000+03:00

I love Mondays. Though I talk and/or email with Rebekah, who is in Kenya managing things for me while I am away, most every day, Mondays are full of information. We have Monday Management Meetings (MMM), and getting the notes from that meeting is always a highlight for me. Although there are many items that are just business - the mundane daily goings on, frustrations being dealt with, problems being solved - there are also bits of information that I love to hear, things that make me feel good, connected, close.

Today's MMM notes held some exciting news. Angie, our baby house manager, met with the mother and grandmother of Deli today. If you don't know or do not recall her story, you can READ IT HERE. Short story is that Deli came to Haven of Hope as a place of protection, having been born into a situation that was not safe for her, in a less than desirable set of circumstances.

This is Deli, just as she arrived at HOH, 12 hours old

As time has passed and the situation with Deli's biological family has had time to settle, they have made the selfless decision to place Deli for adoption. Though we believe that it is best for babies to be with their biological families if at all possible, we also understand that adoption may be a better option in some cases. Please pray for this family as they make decisions for the future of this precious little girl. May the Lord's will be done in this beautiful baby's life.

God has a special plan for sweet little Deli's life. She is a sweet little baby, dearly loved by so many in her life. May God wrap His arms of love around this little darling every day of her life, and may she always know how that she is dearly loved and cherished to her Heavenly Father.

Letters to Julia - fun times in the dirt :-)

2011-11-13T05:53:00.000+03:00

Dear Julia,

You are such a funny little girl! I have so much fun talking with you, listening to you (because you really don't need anyone talking with you for you to enjoy talking), and watching you play.

You are a typical kid. We could buy every great toy in the world and you would still enjoy the most basic things - like dirt. Yes, you love to play in the dirt. But just like when you were a baby, you still don't like for your hands to be dirty. Such a strange little combination. Of all the things we did when we went camping, playing in the dirt and digging for buried treasure was your favorite.

You always remind me to enjoy the simple things, to take pleasure in the most basic things God gives us. I hope that is a skill you keep for all your life. I love watching and learning from you. I love you so much!

Oh, and you did a GREAT job this week! I love watching you share your heart and life with others. You prayed for the ladies' lunch at the Womens Missionary Union lunch, talked with the people on Monday, helped me speak at chapel at the kids' school, introduced "your boys" to all the people at the church we visited, answered questions for the RA & GA class, let all the teenage girls take pictures of you, and were a joy to the many other people you met this week. What a busy week you had....and then you got sick. :-( I pray that you are feeling much better today!

I love you, sweetie girl!
Love, Mommy

Want to help Lizzy?

2011-11-10T03:14:00.000+03:00

We are super blessed to have a special needs educator and autism specialist, Melissa, that will be joining our team in 2012. (More on her later!) Though her main responsibility will be working with the Cherished Handworks ladies and developing their program, she also brings a wealth of experience that she will be using with our special needs babies in the baby house. Melissa will also be introducing Lizzy to a communication tool that can change her life...if we can get the needed devices.

Lizzy has made great progress and continues to advance more and more each day. She has a wonderful therapist who has done a great job in training our aunties to administer a developed home therapy program, which they do twice per day. Lizzy has come a LONG way! This precious little girl wants to do more; she wants to learn and grow and develop. And she IS capable! Lizzy has a very keen awareness of what is going on around her. Her little mind is bright! She wants to communicate....and now she can have the tools and equipment to help her do so.

Lizzy will be able to use the Proloquo2go program which operates on the iPod Touch and iPad. Now, we just need an iPod Touch and/or iPad for her to use! The iPad will be easier for her to see, touch and learn how to manipulate the program. The Touch will be easier for her to hold and carry around with her once she learns the program.

If any of you have an old iPod Touch or have upgraded your iPad and would like to donate your old one to Lizzy, she would be VERY grateful! ...Or if you know of anyone who has old ones lying around, please ask them. ...Or if you would like to donate money toward the purchase of a used Touch or iPad, please let me know!

These Days....

2011-11-09T01:32:00.000+03:00

Well, I have obviously slacking on the blog posting lately. Maybe that can tell you something of how these weeks have been going. I have been traveling quite a bit, as well as spending time with my family and helping my mom.

Traveling back and forth to Houston (an 8 hour drive - with a 3 year old) has become a normal thing to us, averaging twice a month. I enjoy meeting with friends and supporters, and it seems that there is always HCO work for Kris and I to catch up on. We have enjoyed some great trips to Florida and Pennsylvania as well.

In Midland, I have been enjoying time with my parents. My mom has had a tough year. So many times through her first 9 1/2 months of recovery I had wished I were here to help her. Some wonderful friends have stepped in to take care of her, driving her to and from work, therapy, doctor appointments, etc. Now, that is my job and I am SO happy that I get to do it! Julia is definitely loving time with Nana & Papa!

There are SO many fun things about our time in America, Julia's amazing developments, and the goings-on in Kenya that I want to tell you about....I just can't seem to find the time to sit and do it. I never thought I would be busier here in America than in Kenya. It is actually a weird thing - life is busier in running errands and going here and there, doing things while in America, yet it is busier in a different way in Kenya, running the ministry, solving problems, and living under the stresses of life while in that country. It feels as though I don't have enough hours in the day while in America, yet I am always more tired, exhausted and stressed while in Kenya.

Anyway, these are some random thought I had while I was driving around, thinking of why I have not been able to blog lately. So, there you have it....my thoughts for today regarding our time in America. And my excuse for not posting regularly. :-)

Baby Update - Kennedy

2011-11-02T05:20:00.000+03:00

Sweet boy, Kennedy. Kennedy came to Haven of Hope at the end of May, seven months old. He recently turned one year old.

Kennedy came to HOH via the Children's Department. His mother took him there as she was no longer able to care for him. In and out of various mental healthcare institutions, Kennedy's mother realized in a moment of mental clarity that he was not, and would not be safe in her care. After investigating the situation, tracing the family, and verifying her story with the mental care institutions, it was clear to us that Kennedy's life and wellbeing was truly at risk while in his mother's care. Since that time, Kennedy has been safe at home, in this haven, with a new hope for his future.

Also since that time, it has become clear that Kennedy is on the autism spectrum with some degree of autism. Please pray that I will know how best to help this little one and how to provide the needed care and instruction that he is due. At this time, he is receiving occupational therapy and the staff is being trained in to continue that therapy in a home program in the baby house, just as they do with Lizzy. The staff will begin more training on basic sign language communication when I return in December. We are VERY blessed to have a staff who loves these little ones and is beyond willing to do whatever it takes and learn whatever they can to help these babies grow and develop.

Thank you, HCO family, for making a difference in Kennedy's life!

Letters to Julia - Happy Birthday, Nana!

2011-10-30T12:02:00.001+03:00

Dear Julia,

Oh, do you know how loved you are?! With so much time and attention from Nana & Papa and everyone else who loves you, I have no doubt that you feel that love now, and I pray you never, ever doubt it a day in your life.

Today is a special day because you get to spend Nana's birthday with her. I am sure that your being here is the best gift she could ever have. She loves you SO much, and you have helped her heal so much the past few months, just by being here to love her. You two have a special bond, and it absolutely thrills me to see the joy that you share. You have made a difference in her life. You have made a difference in many peoples' lives.

I have missed you so much while I was in Pennsylvania at a conference this weekend, but I am coming home to see you soon! I am even waiting at the airport in standby right now, hoping that I can get to you before 10:00pm tonight. I hope you and Nana & Papa had a great day celebrating Nana's birthday!

Oh, and you look super cute in your little cowgirl Halloween outfit today! :-)

I love you, both!
Love,
Mommy

I didn't know what I was signing up for

2011-10-29T23:46:00.000+03:00

Kris and I are in Pennsylvania at a blogging conference. We are having a great time hanging out with each other and hearing some encouraging words. But this is October....I wasn't expecting snow! It is absolutely beautiful! It's hard to imagine that it was 90 degrees in Midland less than a week ago, and was close to 100 degrees less than two weeks ago. Now, I'm in a winter wonderland! :-)

I also didn't know what I was signing up for when I asked Kris to come to this blogging conference with me earlier this year.

What have I learned at this blogging conference? Well, first of all, I am not a blogger. Not like the ones here anyway. But what I am - or what I hope I am - is a friend who shares my life and stories with my friends, the friends of our babies, our boys and our aunties. Our blog is minuscule in the blog world, but it has huge impact in our family's life because it brings our babies, boys and aunties together with you, those of you who really know them, love them, and pray for them. And it is an honor to be that vehicle of relationship between you and them!

Welcome new baby, Charles

2011-10-27T22:23:00.001+03:00

Two week old Charles is the newest member of the HCO Haven of Hope family!

Sweet little Charles was found on Wednesday in an abandoned silo. The person who found him took him to the local provincial hospital, who then called our manager to come take him. He is approximately two weeks old, small by American standards, at 6lbs, 8oz, but completely healthy.

We are so very blessed to receive another special gift of life! God has great plans for this little boy. Though he was abandoned by his earthly family in his first days of life, He will forever be held by his Heavenly Father, loved and cherished every single day of his life! And there is a mom and dad out there somewhere who will one day welcome this precious baby boy into his forever family. What a privilege it is to be a part of God's plan in helping this little guy as he waits for that forever family!

Ju's first trip to the pumpkin patch....or to a yard filled with pumpkins

2011-10-26T07:39:00.003+03:00

Julia is three years old, but this is her first Halloween. She is at the magical age when everything is special and exciting. She is also my little girl who hears, remembers and connects everything. After reading books and talking about fall and pumpkins, she was absolutely in heaven in the pumpkin patch!

She had been telling us for days about all the steps to make a jack-o-lantern..."You cut a hole in the top and take out the gooly, gooly yuck, and make a face and put in a candle...." There was no way we were not going to be making a jack-o-lantern!

I carved my share of pumpkins as a kindergarten teacher for nine years, but I must say that doing it with my daughter was AMAZING! We had such a good time, and the thrill and excitement in her eyes was a priceless joy that I will always remember. These are the joys of our time in America. I am so thankful for each special moment.

Welcome, Thomas Family!

2011-10-25T06:09:00.000+03:00

We are so excited to introduce you to the Thomas family, the newest addition to the HCO family!

In June 2012, Andy and Ginny, and their four children, Hannah, David, Sarah & Joshua, will be moving to Kenya to join the HCO Kenya team as Co-Directors of the ministry. Their primary focus will be the HCO Boys Program, while they also help to oversee the overall ministry.

As the ministry of HCO has exploded this year, it has become more than I can manage by myself. In God's perfect timing and sovereignty, He has brought this amazing couple to join me in leading our HCO family. They bring a wealth of experience in ministry, full hearts, and a passion for serving where the Lord has called them. I cannot wait to see what God has planned!

I will definitely be sharing more about the Thomas's and their journey to Kenya in the next few weeks, but I wanted to introduce them to you. God has blessed me beyond measure with this amazing couple. I cannot wait to serve with them.

You can read their story of how God brought us together and led them to joining HCO by CLICKING HERE.

Letters to Julia - You are my treasure

2011-10-23T04:16:00.001+03:00

"For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21)

Dear Julia,

You went on your first camping trip last weekend and had a wonderful time! Well, it probably doesn't count as a real "camping" trip when we stay in an RV with its tv's, oven, refrigerator and microwave, nicer than most homes in Kenya, but still....camping. I think it may help the "camping" part of it that you spent the majority of the time in the dirt. You LOVE to play in the dirt! Digging, building castles, making piles, cooking. So much fun for my baby girl!

You got a super special treat when you and I returned from Fredericksburg to find that Nana & Papa had found a hidden treasure map! It was a map of our camping spot with X's marking buried treasure! Oh my goodness, the fun!

You and Nana set out on your quest to find the hidden treasure, marking landmarks and counting steps.

You worked so hard to dig and dig and dig to find the hidden treasure!

What a joy it was for you when you found it, silver coins!

You know, I think I had as much fun watching you as you did searching for your buried treasure. And it brought me as much joy to watch you find it as it did you. YOU are my treasure! Finding you has brought me so much joy. Being your mommy is the best gift in the world! I could search and search and dig and dig and never find anything as precious as you.

I pray that as you grow, you will know the greatest Treasure of all....the love of God and his Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that you will want Him with your whole heart and will search for Him always, finding Him right beside you, in your heart, and offering you more of Himself every day. May you desire Him more than any other riches of this earth. May you seek after Him with fervor.

And I pray also that you will love Him more than anything of this world, that you will know that your greatest treasure is stored for you in heaven, and may you, one day, willing and wholeheartedly follow Him.

"...Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

(Luke 18:22)

I love you, baby girl. YOU are my treasure!

Love,

Mommy

Little Longhorn

2011-10-21T05:50:00.000+03:00

Just a warning....posts may be a little heavier on the Julia side than the HCO Kenya side for the next few days. We had such a great time last weekend and I have so many fun pictures of the new things Julia is doing, I just can't help but share!

Making her Uncle Barry proud, Julia was full force in UT mode last weekend. Too bad it didn't help them win. Last time we were in Houston, Kris taught her how to make her fingers say "Hook 'em"! She was so excited the first time she could do it by herself.

The next morning, she yelled at me from the other room in a voice of panic, "Mom! My fingers forgot how to say 'Hook 'em!'" Well, her fingers quickly remembered and she wanted everyone else to share in her UT excitement.

Unfortunately, Papa didn't quite share her Longhorn enthusiasm. He's more of a "Guns Up!" kinda Texas Tech guy. That didn't fly well with Julia.

So with great intensity Julia was determined to teach Papa's fingers how to say Hook 'em.

Yep, Uncle Barry has created a little UT darling. She points out every burnt orange 'T' and longhorn she sees. She even notices them playing on tv.

Here's a "Hook 'em!" for Auntie Kris & Uncle Barry!

My Guys

2011-10-18T01:46:00.001+03:00

I have loved getting to spend time with my guys. My little brother is such a good daddy. He has always been great with kids so I knew he would be a good dad, but actually seeing how great he is...I love it. He did have a wonderful role model, of course!

And little Will....precious! Julia absolutely loves him, and why wouldn't she? Isn't he adorable?! Little cowboy man. Once again, another blessing I am enjoying during this time at home.

Letters to Julia - America's first letter

2011-10-16T07:32:00.001+03:00

Since coming to America I have not written a single letter to Julia. While in Kenya, Sundays were my days to go personal and write to or about my precious baby girl. For the past three months it seems that the majority of my posts have turned personal. I have enjoyed chronicling our time in America and sharing our American adventures and everyday experiences, but I have missed writing letters to Julia. There are so many special things that we share and I want her to have them to hold on to in the years to come. So, back to "Letters to Julia...."

Dear Julia,

We have been having such an amazing time in America! As much as you love Mickey Mouse, I don't think we ever need to go to Disneyland. Everyday in America is like Disneyland to you! America is full of so many new joys and simple pleasures.

One of our main reasons in coming back to America for so long is so that we can see our supporters, thank them for being a part of the team, and for you to meet and get to know our friends and family in America. Since we got here you have been inundated with people, people, people! Very few days have passed in which you have not met a new person. Most days you love it; a few days you have been maxed out and just don't want to talk to anyone else. But Kris always reminds me that you are doing remarkably well for what we are asking you to do. You are constantly being taken from place to place, introduced to tons of new people, you have no schedule whatsoever, and you are three years old. I am so proud of you and how you handle our crazy life!

Last week you touched my heart in such a special way. You asked me, "When is my turn to talk to the people?" I was unsure if you would really do it when the time came, but you did! And now you just naturally take your turn and tell about whatever you want to share.

That may seem like a simple thing, but to me it was so special. I know that what we do in Kenya is special to you, too. You know and love our babies, and you know that it is our job to take care of them. They are special to you, and you love them. And I know that you love your boys, too!

I pray that you always know that you are a special part of our ministry. I hope that you will love it so much you will want to share it with others, not that you ever have to. God brought you to me for a reason ~ for many reasons, actually. I believe that one of those reasons is that you will understand the purpose of what God has called us to do and have a perspective of it that no one else ever could.

I am so proud of you! God has given you a sweet heart of service and of caring, and I love to see you show it. You are a very bright little three year old and God has equipped you with a great ability to share and express yourself. I know He has great plans for you and I cannot wait to see how He uses you for His glory!

I love sharing this American adventure with you! You make every day special and fun, and I am so glad I am here with YOU! I love you, my best little friend!

Love,

Mommy

Peace.

2011-10-15T18:02:00.000+03:00

Two of the people closest to me have experienced great loss this week. They are hurting, and so I hurt.

If you had not noticed by a few recent posts, I am doing a study on the fruit of the Spirit right now. This week, peace. Is it possible to have peace in the hardest times of life? It is, if you are looking for the peace of God. And I pray fervently today that my dearest friend and sister-in-law are able to rest in His peace. What I read today reaches to the heart of my prayer for them. In Living Beyond Yourself Beth Moore says,

"Please understand this vital point of peace: peace means the absence of fear and turmoil, not the absence of pain and grief."

Oh, how we wish that our lives could be pain-free and grief-free! Yet, that is not always God's way. It is often in times of pain and grief that we can look through to see His greatest glory ~ the glory of that peace that transcends our understanding, the glory of that peace that reaches beyond life to the depths of the heart, that glory of the peace that shows us that God is still here, still holding us during the times that the heart pains and grieves.

Peace. Jesus holding us in hard times.
Peace. God's calming hand on us while the world spins wildly around us.
Peace. The Spirit soothing our hearts while daggers seem to stab at its core.

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

Once again, God uses my beautiful babies to give me a picture of what He is teaching me.

These precious little lives know the peace of God. Their surrounding circumstances have no affect on their internal peace. They can truly rest in peace. Days before these pictures were taken, Winnie's life did not bring peace to those around her. She was found days before inside a plastic bag, tossed aside as trash. She was the center of turmoil, struggle. So was sweet Annabelle, found deep inside a pit latrine. Certainly, not a place of peace. Yet, these babies, in the midst of strife, sadness and struggle, can rest in the peace of God. They rest in peace.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27)

I pray for peace in the hearts of those I love. Though I would like to wish them a pain-free and grief-free life, my greater prayer is that they know peace.

Father God, reach to the hearts of our loved ones. May they feel your hand of comfort all around them. Let not their hearts be troubled and let them not be afraid of what life may bring in the days ahead. Rather, bring them rest, comfort, and peace. We trust that through life's turmoils and struggles, Your glory will be known and shown, that in You we have ultimate, unending peace.

Jeremiah's Family

2011-10-15T06:00:00.000+03:00

Jeremy turned three and celebrated his first birthday with his parents!

What a privilege to see one of our Haven of Hope babies living a beautiful life exactly where he is supposed to be! And of all babies, our first HOH boy, Jeremiah! This little Italian boy is still living in Nairobi while his family completes the adoption process. Julia and I saw them the day we left for America and his little Italian accent was in full force! Jeremy is blessed to have wonderful parents who love him so very much.

THIS is one of the greatest joys of my "job." I am blessed beyond measure to see the fruition of God's perfect plan being played out before my eyes. To know that the mission of His Cherished One's Haven of Hope Baby Center ~ to promote the value of family and offer the hope of a future to abandoned and orphaned babies ~ is being accomplished according to God's perfect will is a gift of God's grace.

We are so happy for Jeremy and his Mama and Papa. May God bless you, precious family!

David Now

2011-10-14T06:12:00.000+03:00

Many people have asked me about this little guy lately. I have intended to do a David update for awhile, but as you may notice, I have been a bit {lot} lacking on the blog posting lately. And for those of you who are new to reading our blog, let me introduce you to our one of our miracle boys, David Nasib.

What can I say but "precious?" This is one precious life of one precious little boy. A true testament of God's great grace and a physical picture of His healing restoration. This little boy who was close to death is now a happy, healthy little man.

We have still been unable to attain the proper documents to free him for adoption. He was originally sent from a Muslim run children's home in far rural Kenya to a government children's home in Nairobi. They are disputing the release of his proper documents and police reports to our "Christian" home since that is not where they intended for him to end up.

Sweet David Nasib was fighting for his life when he came to Haven of Hope. I remember seeing him for the first time, days before these pictures were taken, and he looked lifeless. At three months old, he weighed a mere 3 pounds, 7 ounces when he came to our home. He was less than that when I first saw him.

This is David at three months old, weighing just under four pounds.

I remember vividly the feel of him in my hands. Yes, hands. He would not even fit well in my arms, totally swallowed. His arms did not naturally fold into himself; his body did not naturally fall into the fetal position. His legs and arms fell outward as he had absolutely no muscular control whatsoever. He could only eat less than a half an ounce every half hour to hour. He could not cry. There was no strength left to voice his desperate cry for food. Even if he were able to muster up enough energy to make a noise, that would have been a waste valuable calories that his body desperately needed to keep to use for nutrition, so I woke every 45 minutes to one hour for the first week, just to prevent him from having to struggle for voice. The aunties were very nervous to have him and it took quite a few days for them to feel comfortable to keep him on their own. It was a sobering realization to know that had he been in America he would undoubtedly have been in the NICU, not only when we got him but for weeks afterward.

This little guy did survive. He will be two years old in December. David is a true warrior who fought valiantly for his life. His life is blessed and he will have a story of God's saving grace to tell. And we are grateful to the Lord for bringing him to Haven of Hope and allowing us to be a part of David's story, for allowing us to show him the hope of a future.

And we are also so very thankful for all the wonderful friends of HCO who have taken time to pray for David, to ask about him, to remember him. He has some special friends, like Rebekah who is getting the chance to spend lots of quality time with her little buddy.

Thanks to all of our HCO friends and partners who make it possible for the lives of little ones to be changed! All of our little ones have their own, special unique story, and we are all blessed to be a part of it!

Joy.

2011-10-09T05:36:00.000+03:00

Lizzy is a picture of joy. True joy. The joy that little kids sing about....down in their hearts.

Oh, how amazing it would be to live in the fullness of that joy every day! We can. But how often do we really take the time to recognize the true blessings from the Lord that make that joy complete? From the blessing of the mundane daily tasks to the ultimate gift of our salvation, we have reason and justification to live in joy! Not just to have happy days, but to have joy in our hearts regardless of the circumstances of the day. That deep joy that comes from the inside out. Joy!

In the presence of God, joy is found. And we have an ever open invitation into His presence!
In the love of God, joy is found. And oh, how He loves us!

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love....These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be full." (John 15:9, 11)

I love to see joy in the faces of my babies! They know joy. Regardless of what the beginnings of their lives may have brought them, their joy is intrinsic. It comes from within. My prayer is that they will one day know that joy in its fulness; that they will know the One who gives them joy; that they will know the joy they sing about.

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart

Down in my heart, down in my heart

I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart

I've got the love of Jesus in my heart!

And I'm so happy, so very happy

I've got the love of Jesus in my heart!

What we're here for...

2011-10-04T23:39:00.001+03:00

among other things, one of our primary reasons for being in America is to spend time with family. This is treasured time for us. Before we came home, Julia had only met my mother and my best friend. We don't know when we will be able to come back once we begin the process of legal adoption. In addition to being here to help my mother in her continued recovery, I want to be here long enough for Julia to establish, real, lasting relationships with her grandparents and friends and family. I want her to experience life in America in a way that she will be able to remember it. I think she will remember this special mini-vacation with Nana and Papa for a long time! Oh yeah, Mommy and Auntie Kris got to tag along, too.

We went to Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX a few weeks ago. It is an amazing indoor water park that has more kid friendly play places than you can imagine!

Papa and Julia had a great time together. For one, my dad was actually able to get away from work for a few days to enjoy a little family time. That in itself was a huge blessing. He is by no means a workaholic. He was home before 5:00pm every day when I was growing up, but in the past few years his job has become insanely demanding and has taken a toll on him. We were SO glad he could get away on this special weekend, his birthday!

And this is what we are here for.....

one of the most precious moments I have had since we have been back, seeing something I have longed to see for almost two years. Tired little girl snuggling with Papa.

Great Wolf Lodge was a blast! We got to play and play and play together, Julia met new cousins (my cousin's daughter's), and even enjoy a super cool, kid-friendly suite!

Kris & Ju singing & reading in her clubhouse bunk.

These are the memories Julia is making, and we are loving every minute of it.

Love.

2011-09-30T17:06:00.000+03:00

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." (John 13:34)

Sometimes I am overwhelmed with love for others. Sometimes I am not. Sometimes that love is accompanied by emotion. Sometimes I feel no emotion, or even find it hard to love. When I look into the faces of my babies, into the eyes of my beloved Julia, that love comes freely and naturally.

But other times, when I stand in line in a government office and deal with the bureaucracy and negative attitudes of others, that love does not come so naturally. But still, God commands us to love ~ to show love ~ even in those hard time. Agape love, the love that is referred to most in the Bible, the love that is a quality of the fruit of the Spirit, is not a feeling, but an action. Though it may accompany a warm, fuzzy feeling, it is an action that is in response to God's command.

My prayer is that I would grow more and more in my love for the Lord that it would radiate from me in my actions, that love would be evident in all I do. Even in times when I don't feel so loving, may my actions always be proof that God in me, and His love therein, is greater than all else.

"Now these three remain: faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love."

(I Corinthians 13:13)

A sneak peak....

2011-09-27T21:26:00.000+03:00

Julia and I spent an hour this morning with the awesome Kara, of Kara Bryant Photography. Here are just a few glimpses at the beauty she captured in my sweet baby girl.

One Year Ago Today.....my amazing mom

2011-09-26T17:18:00.000+03:00

My mom's accident was one year ago today. She has come so far and I am so very proud of her!

After three weeks in the hospital, three months at home, nine months with a walker, she is plugging away and is almost back to normal. She is a picture of persistence and endurance! She works so hard. Now, she is working half days, going to therapy four times per week, and hopes to start driving again soon....with her physical therapist's approval, of course. :-) I have no doubt that she will be restored to full health very soon!

It was so hard to be so far away from her this past year. So many times I have felt so helpless and like the worst daughter in the world, depending on so many wonderful people to do the things I should have been here to do. Honestly, one of the biggest blessings for me in this trip home is simply being with my mom, doing the things I wish I had been here to do all year....picking her up from work, taking her to therapy, to doctor's appointment, to run errands, shopping and cooking for she and my dad. So many blessings in the "little things." We are living life together. I am not taking this for granted! I am soaking up every minute of it, adding each little thing to my blessings count.

Julia and my mom already had a special bond before we even came home. They Skype often and talk on the phone almost every day when we are in Kenya. But having Julia here in person has made a world of difference! The change in Mom since we have been here is HUGE!

How great is this picture on SO many levels?!?!

Mom & Julia together....in America! A little piece of heaven on earth.

Mom at a water park

Julia at a water park

Mom with a smile without a hint of headache in her eyes

Mom kneeling down - no walker anywhere in sight

She has gotten discouraged at her rate of progress, still not being back to normal, but I just see the amazing progress she HAS made! We never dreamed this road to recovery would have been so long, but it is a road in the right direction. God is faithful.

We are so grateful to all the people who have helped my parents through this year, to all the people who have prayed. My mom is blessed with some wonderful friends!

I love you so much, Mom! I am so glad I am here with you for these few months, and I am thankful for who you are in my life.

New Shoes...and gifts for boys remembered

2011-09-23T04:50:00.000+03:00

When I taught PPCD (Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities) we had a class book called "New Shoes." Each time a child got new shoes, we took pictures of kids with their shoes. Little kids love new shoes and it was one of their favorite books!

Big Kenyan kids are no different. They LOVE new shoes, too! All the boys have gotten new shoes since they came to live with us - school uniform shoes, everyday shoes and slippers (shoes for home). But this time they got NEW, new shoes...from America! I measured their feet (actual American shoe sizes are so hard to figure out there), got new shoes ~ in America ~ and sent them with Adam & Melody a few weeks ago.

Our boys are blessed to have great friends at Trinity Vineyard in Houston who always remember them specifically and send things for them whenever someone comes to visit. This time, Adam & Melody came bearing gifts from Elizabeth and Megan as well. They are so proud of their new things and they feel so special when they realize that people know and remember them. Such good, handsome boys.

Patrick was visiting extended family when these pictures were taken, so here he is sporting all his new duds. He is such a kind, gentle, handsome young man.

Thanks, Elizabeth & Megan!

Little Man, William

2011-09-22T06:52:00.001+03:00

My boy. I am missing him!

This serious little man is really developing a personality. I love this little guy! Something just draws me to him. Of course, I love all our babies, but William was definitely my little buddy in the few months before I came home.

I think there is a deep wisdom in his face. He likes to take in everything around him, and one day it will all come out in a powerful way. Even his facial features show it. I even think he already has his grown up features in his face. Can't you see it?

William will be one of our first babies, if not the first, to be placed with his forever family once I get home. Everything is ready for him to be placed with his family; I just cannot let one go unless I am there to read family profiles and bios myself and meet the parents in person. Choosing families for our adoptive babies (or discerning God's voice in determining the families He has chosen) is one of the biggest decisions I make. I am not willing to do that from such a distance. It is one of the things, maybe the thing, that I most look forward to doing when I get back to Kenya! I cannot wait for William to meet his forever family! Please be praying in advance for this family, that the Lord is preparing their hearts for receiving His wonderful gift of a son.

I want to be a bell sheep

2011-09-21T20:01:00.001+03:00

I pass through herds of sheep and cows every day on the road from my house to the baby house. Well, from my house to anywhere, but especially going to the baby house. And yes, that is generally through, not just passing by herds of animals.

Yes, on my road taken on my iPhone

I have noticed that there is always one or two wearing a bell. I had wondered how the shepherd chose that one, but without thinking too much about it, just assumed that was maybe the strong-headed one that he needed to keep track of.

I think I learned the answer in a book I am reading, Raising a Daughter After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. The shepherd does chose that one specifically. The shepherd, knowing his sheep, will notice the one who naturally follows him, who keep an eye on him and stays close by.

On that one, he puts the bell. It is the "bell sheep." The other sheep will then begin to follow the sound of the bell, even if they are not intently watching, intentionally following the shepherd. It makes perfect sense. I see this every day (that I am home in Kenya, that is), and it is something I can relate to, something that will now be a reminder to me.

As a mom, that's what I want to be, a bell sheep. (I guess I could also relate to the cows since I see even more herds of them, but being a "bell cow" doesn't sound so sweet.) I want to be so intent on watching my Shepherd, following my Savior that His marking, His bell, will be on me. As I grow in love for my Father, the Shepherd, I will naturally follow Him and it will be evident in my life - my words and my actions. That is my desire, that my bell will ring in my words and actions ~ and that my daughter would hear.

We know that children model what they see and hear. I pray that my daughter will see and hear the sound of a bell worthy of following. I want to be a bell sheep that she can follow, one that will lead her to the Shepherd.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

(Deuteronomy 6:5-7)

Just Shop for a Just Cause

2011-09-20T00:28:00.000+03:00

Our first show of Cherished Handworks craft was this past Saturday. It was so great to participate in Just Shop, a fair trade show sponsored by A Just Cause. A huge success.

Our first booth:

Our product:

We sold little girl/baby hats, headbands and scarves with interchangeable flower pins, all made by our Cherished Handworks ladies. (You can meet them via the link above: Our Mamas.)

What a privilege to share these ladies' lives with people! They are such wonderful ladies. They have learned a new trade and are using it to provide for their families. This is their only means of income and I love the fact that they can use skills and abilities that God has given them to feed their children.

Where does time go?

2011-09-19T00:11:00.000+03:00

Whoa! I have NOT been doing good at posting lately. Maybe that tells you a bit about our time in America the past few weeks. Julia and I have really enjoyed spending time with friends. It has kept us quite busy. One of the big reasons we came home for an extended period of time is because we want to see friends and meet with the friends of HCO who make it possible for us to be in Kenya, doing what we do. It has been SO fun for Julia to meet my friends, as well as having the chance for us to catch up with each other. We love having the opportunity to share what God is doing through His Cherished Ones! What a blessing to be a part of it, and what a blessing to tell others about it!

Here's Julia with one of our friends, Blake, who happens to be a former student of mine. She LOVED playing with Blake the other night. He taught her how to make music with all kinds of percussion instruments, let her play with his guitars, his keyboard, and even his drum set. She is going to have so many great memories of the people she met in America!

Julia is being a real trooper! It is hard on a barely-three-year-old to have no routine or schedule. She meets numerous new people every day, and we are going from place to place almost all day long. In addition to visiting friends in their homes in the evening, Mommy has been dragging her to Kris's work to see people, lunch appointments, appointments with pastors, and some of my former schools! Granted, she has some moments of shyness or tiredness, but for the most part, she is doing great! I have am proud of her.

We met with my associate pastor who just returned from visiting HCO Kenya (the baby house, the boys and the CH ladies) the other day and I got some of his fabulous pictures of our boys and babies!!!! I will post them soon so you can see how our beautiful little ones are GROWING!!

good texts....first steps

2011-09-14T18:00:00.000+03:00

I love getting texts like this one from the aunties at the baby house: (in typical Kenyan texting)

"Hi mum. Hope u & Juju r ok n enjoying. Ev'one is fine n guess what...joseph is taking his first steps! Salimia wote. Miss u sana sana."

I LOVE happy updates on my babies, especially when they are such fun milestones! We have been waiting for Jophes (as we affectionately call him, thanks to Julia & Miah) to take his first steps!

Joseph has become such a happy little boy. His Auntie Maggie is definitely the bright spot in his day. They have a wonderful bond. Joseph has been freed for adoption and will be matched and placed as soon as I get back to Kenya.

Here he is on his first day at HOH, one day old...

And today, with Auntie Maggie....

What happened to the book? I did read it.

2011-09-07T17:12:00.002+03:00

Remember the wonderful book, One Thousand Gifts that I blogged a lot about before I left Kenya? Well, I did read it, but I just did not write much about it...on the blog. My journal is full with thoughts as I processed through the depths and layers of the book. As I have thought about it a number of times over the past week and read through some things again, I just can't help but share. You know how it is when God gives you something so yummy, you just want to pass it on!

For those who did not see those earlier posts, the word of the book is eucharesteo, giving thanks. It is a powerful reminder of living in a state of gratitude, an encouragement to slow down and see God in every moment, and a support guide to help move from pain to peace. Don't we all ultimately want to find joy, to live in a state of complete fullness? Isn't that all part of the journey to know God more and have more of Him in our lives?

Eucharisteo leads us to joy by bringing us into the presence of God as we learn to recognize Him, His love and faithfulness, in everything around us.

This is when the simple becomes extraordinary,

the "little things" become remarkably significant,

and the ugly becomes beautiful.

When we begin living the pattern of recognizing the gifts He gives us every day ~ recognizing Him ~ we are able to see Him in our lives, know that He is here with us, know that He has been with us, and we can hold on to the promise that He will be with us.

God never promised us that every day day of our lives will be wonderful ~ but there will be wonder in every day. He does not promise that every day will be beautiful ~ but there is beauty in every day, even if it is an ugly-beautiful.

That is where the training of our hearts and minds brings us close to our Savior. Over time we can look and see that He was there. We saw a blessing (often times the ones in disguise), we gave thanks to Him for it, and we began to build a foundation of trust.

"Thanks is what builds trust." (p. 150)

Developing the pattern of recognizing God in our everyday lives is life changing. It is life changing because it is focus changing. Our focus is taken off of ourself and the struggles of life and changes them into thoughts of God, evidences of Him in our lives and surroundings, and opportunities for giving thanks.

That thanks, eucharisteo, is what leads us to joy, to complete fulfillment in Christ. It is a practice, an active choice we make. In life, we are always in active pursuit, always looking for contentment and fulfillment. But if we go backwards and rather than expecting to see this big, huge answer of ultimate fulfillment ~ GOD ~ with the beaming light or burning bush, and we begin to look for Him and recognize His hand in the little daily gifts and blessings, we will find Him. He is there, in the small things all around us. He is already there.

I write this as a reminder to myself. My surfacy reasons for needing to count my blessings while in Kenya are different from the reasons I count my blessings in America. But the heart of the reason is the same ~ I must recognize God's hand, actively alive all around me. And that is where I find peace and rest and a hope for tomorrow. I pray that you do, too.

Oh, there are SO many more wonderful things I want to share from One Thousand Gifts! Maybe I will get to them over time. Or even better - just go get the book and read for yourself! If you want to read my past posts about the treasures in this book, click on the link "Gifts" in the labels below.

Missing some boys

2011-09-06T21:53:00.001+03:00

Julia and I Skyped with the boys the other day, but it's just not the same. They still live at my house, and I am thankful that Rebekah is there to watch over things and see that they are taken care of. Julia really misses "her boys." We miss them so much!

Collins & Maina

Freddy (& David)

Patrick

Humphrey & little brother Collins

The boys started school today. These boys, none of whom were attending school this time last year, are all now very happy to be in school, getting a greatly valued education. It is nice to see how much these guys truly do appreciate their opportunity for education.

Thanks to those of you who help us make a difference in these boys' lives!

Mailboxes & Mail trucks - Julia's new fascination

2011-09-05T17:01:00.000+03:00

Well, we have moved on a bit from the fire hydrants. Instead of pointing out every fire hydrant she sees, she now loves mailboxes, mailboxes, and the whole process of putting mail in the box to be delivered and taking mail out.

It is so funny to see the things that excite her. I love seeing how much joy she gets in the everyday things. She reminds me to count my blessings.

We have to check the mailbox every afternoon after we pick Nana up from work. She is quite fascinated. And it is absolutely the best thing in the world when she gets to see the mailman!

Oh, the little things that make life happy. Yep, she's still loving America!

A great day for the staff of HCO Kenya!

2011-09-05T05:14:00.002+03:00

I love my home church! Trinity Vineyard is such a great support and encouragement to me - and to my staff! One of the many ways they have shown this is the amazing gift they gave to my staff this past week.

My Associate Pastor, Adam & his wife Melody, have just been to visit HCO Kenya. One of their primary objectives was to be an encouragement to the ones serving on the ground. Trinity Vineyard has a unique thought toward and approach to missions. They see the value of supporting those on the ground, the ones doing the day-to-day work that makes the change in lives possible. They also have a strong sense of personal, long-term partnership. They are investing in relationship, not just projects. They are in contact with our staff and boys year-round and have real, personal relationships with them.

Last week, they demonstrated their love and appreciation for our staff by investing in that relationship. In order to spend quality time with them, subs were brought in to help take up slack as the staff spent time talking with Adam & Melody, hanging out, and just enjoying time together. On Adam & Melody's last day there, they gave the staff an amazing gift! They took them on safari!

Almost all mission teams go on safari to see the animals while in Kenya. Yet, very few Kenyans have ever been on safari. We have a game park just minutes from the baby house. In fact, Nakuru National Park and Lake Nakuru can be seen from the baby house, yet only one of our entire staff have ever been to the game park. Maggy and Eunice have lived in Nakuru their entire lives and have never been on a safari in our very own game park. This was a priceless, once-in-a-lifetime kind of gift!

The difference this makes in the lives of our staff is invaluable. Showing them how they are loved and cherished is another way we can show them Jesus. Just look how much they loved it! The joy on their faces - and even the fun of dressing in their best for a day at the park!

I am so thankful to Adam, Melody, and Trinity Vineyard Church! It is wonderful when people come to love on our babies, but these ladies and men need and deserve that as well. Our babies do receive love; they hear about Jesus and are told of God's love for them ~ because of the ones who are there to do it every day. Making sure that these people are supported, appreciated and know that they are valued is key to taking care of our babies. As much as I love my babies and boys, I would say that I spend much more of my time with, and working for, the staff than with the babies - so that they can be prepared to love the babies and boys every minute of every day. What a blessing it is to have a support church who sees ministry the exact same way and are willing to invest in them.

Two years ago today....

2011-09-01T13:43:00.000+03:00

Thanks to the little sidebar note on Facebook, I was reminded that it was two years ago today that we brought Kate into our home.

Kate - Day 1 at Haven of Hope

Kate - almost two years later, visiting HOH for our annual reunion

I got the call the night before that there was an abandoned three month old baby for us to pick up from the government children's home. Jackie and I left the morning of September 1st, 2009 to go get our hair cut (reminder, again, courtesy of Facebook) and then to get little Kate. Kate was a chubby little beauty with lots of soft curls. She was the sweetest little baby ever! As Jackie dubbed her, she was "the easy one," for her first year at least!

beautiful Baby Kate, hours after we got her, looking like a China doll

Jackie feeding Kate during our shopping stop before going back to the baby house in Ngong

Oh, what a beautiful girl we were blessed to have! Kate lived with us for 15 months before returning to her mother. (Click on the tag of her name below to read the past posts of Kate's story. Short story: she was not abandoned by her mother, but was taken to the police and reported as "abandoned" by her biological father who claimed not to know her.) Her mother worked very hard to prepare herself to take Kate back into her home. She is a wonderful mother who loves her baby so very much and tries very hard to provide for her. She changed her name to "Kate" (or Cate), the name we had given her, and still brings her back to the baby house - even all the way in Nakuru - to visit her friends and aunties.

Shortly before I left Kenya, I got a call that their house burned down. They lived in a stretch plot of several connected homes (rows of single rooms, actually) that caught fire. They lost everything. We were able to help them relocate to their rural home and set up a new house there. They are recovering, doing well, and even returned to the HOH reunion in August.

Two years later....THIS is another HOH success story ~ the reason we are here. I am so blessed to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of babies in need.

Lizzy-Lou

2011-08-29T20:56:00.001+03:00

This is a re-post from Rebekah's blog, This Little Light of Mine.

Lizzy...

loves to wear her flower headband,

uses the play phone to call Trena and Julia and see how they are doing, :-)

likes to play catch,

enjoys wearing my sunglasses,

thinks it is funny to point and show us her nose,

:-)

Thanks for sharing, Rebekah! I appreciate all you do!

Minnie Mouse Birthday!

2011-08-28T22:45:00.001+03:00

Yes, more birthday posts. Those days (Friday & Saturday) were actually so busy that I actually did not have time to mess with pictures and post. But we had such a great time at her party and I think it turned out so cute, I just have to share!

I had so much fun playing and decorating. I ordered all the printables for the water bottle wrappers, Hershey miniature wrappers, cupcake labels, the birthday banner, food labels, etc from Ashley at Cupcake Express on Etsy. She did an amazing job, was super efficient and so very nice to do the personalization. If you are having a party, it is a fun, easy way to cuten it up. Check out Cupcake Express.

I had such a fun time with my girl. She is truly a joy and I am thankful for every day with her. This was definitely a birthday to remember!

Happy Birthday to my 3 Year Old!!

2011-08-28T15:37:00.000+03:00

I love traditions. Last year, we started Julia's birthday traditions...a birthday door and following the string for birthday surprises. Her eyes lit up when she saw her door and realized today (Friday) was finally the day.

I think she really did remember following the string to her birthday surprises. She started in her room and went into the den...

(Yes, notice my camera on the floor. It broke - on my baby girl's birthday of all days.)

to the breakfast table and through the kitchen...

then dining room....

through the living room...

the front entry....

and back to the den...

And she ended the morning by getting to eat breakfast in her bed while watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She loved it!

I am so glad Julia got to be in America for her birthday this year! Nana got to celebrate her morning birthday fun with her. Such a special time. And it was WAY easier to have and find stuff to make birthday special....balloons, decorations, small little gifts that weren't absolute junk that would break in less than a day. We LOVE birthdays!!!

Nathan Hall Williams Clinic

2011-08-27T16:30:00.000+03:00

You may remember that HCO sponsored a Nathan Hall Williams Center Clinic in March. These are mobile clinic's that my friend, Haley Williams, organizes in conjunction with the efforts of the Ministry of Health to reach the slum communities around Nakuru. Working with the Ministry of Health and having access to drugs at minimal cost, Haley's efforts are multiplied and the clinics are able to reach hundreds of people for a nominal cost. We sponsored another clinic yesterday.

Yesterday's clinic was able to treat over 480 people - for only $200! By taking these mobile clinics into these communities of poverty, it allows these people an opportunity for care that they might not otherwise receive. This team of healthcare workers has this system down to an art! They are incredibly efficient ~ and I have seen many health clinics!

In honor of Julia's third birthday, my parents and I sponsored a NHWC clinic yesterday. In an effort to try to teach her about doing things to help others, I showed her pictures and we talked about how God has blessed her with so many wonderful things, she can share with others and help them. I hope that she will eventually begin to "get it" and understand what a great opportunity she has to share her blessed life with others.

More Birthday Pics

2011-08-27T01:02:00.000+03:00

Because there were too many great moments and shots not to share.....

My beautiful girl :-)

My weird little girl loved chomping on rock salt while helping Papa make homemade ice cream.

"Thank you for coming to my party" favors ~ Minnie Miniatures packs

T-H-R-E-E candles!

and a hug from my baby :-)

reading a Tinkerbelle book with cousin Lauren

her new boo-tiful Cilella carriage (beautiful Cinderella carriage)

...finally. taking a break and enjoying my homemade ice cream after everyone went home.

My baby's last day as a two year old....

2011-08-25T19:09:00.000+03:00

Tomorrow my baby girl turns three!

I cannot believe how time flies. And if you're a mom and you think your baby's first years flew by too quickly, imagine coming in late to the game and missing most of that very first year! It goes by way too fast!

What a great year we have had! I am so blessed to be this little girl's mama. She makes every day bright.

Tonight, we are getting ready for Julia's Minnie Mouse birthday party on Saturday! Can't wait!

Deli

2011-08-23T23:40:00.000+03:00

Little Deli is growing!

This is Deli on the day I left, so tiny and small.

Look at the sweet little thing slipping from newborn to little baby! I can't wait to get back home to squeeze this little darling.

It's the little things

2011-08-23T05:54:00.000+03:00

...that make life so great. Yes, the simple things are quite fascinating to my little Kenyan girl. Since she got here, she has been fascinated by American flags and fire hydrants.

Yes, fire hydrants.

She and Nana went on a walk in the neighborhood the first weekend we arrived and they passed by a fire hydrant. Since that moment, she has had to point out and show Nana every one she sees.

Who knew fire hydrants were so great?

Yep, it's the little things in life.

Lessons Being Learned....

2011-08-22T02:05:00.000+03:00

Dependence on God - the need for Him in our lives - is universal. What that looks like and how it plays out in our daily lives can be very different, depending on where you are and what He has called you to do in a particular season of life.

I have been learning a new aspect of dependence on God since I have been home. While in Kenya, I literally have to depend on the Lord's strength to physically make it through the day. I face things on a daily basis that require His action to complete - in physical ways. Life is hard there. Even though I am blessed beyond measure to have a wonderful house, great staff and ministry that is thriving under the Lord's direction, it is a difficult life. The "little things" become big. Simple tasks are complicated. Everything takes much more time than anticipated, and nothing goes as planned. It ALL requires total dependence on the Lord.

I came to America, the land I have idealized for some time, looking forward to a break from some of the daily insanities of life in a developing country. True, I got it, to an extent. Things are easier. Things go generally according to plan. Life is somewhat predictable, and there are patterns in society that are followed. This is NOT to say that life in America is "easy," it is just a different kind of life. Physical aspects of life are easier, but there are struggles here as well. In America, I find that most of those struggles are internal. I am still processing so many of those thoughts!

Either way - struggles in the physical aspect or struggles in the internal aspect of life - all require total dependence on God. As I jumped into American life a few weeks ago, it was so easy to bask in the "easiness" of life without taking it to heart. It is amazing how quickly the outside world can take over our thoughts when we are not actively walking in the presence of the Lord, depending on Him for our every breath and move. Life is not easy in America. It is different. The physical doings in life are easier in America, but the struggles are still very real. They require total dependence on God. If our day is not laid out and directed by the Lord, there are so many things that can creep in and take up the space that should be filled with His presence.

That is what I am learning. Whether in the land of surplus and plenty (yes, even with the current economic times, America can still be considered such according to standards of the world as a whole), or in a third-world country, we must be totally dependent on God for our every move. We must depend on Him if we are to be who He has called us to be ~ keepers of the Word, doers of His will. We should be so enveloped with His love and filled with His Spirit that there is no room for anything else to enter in as a driving force in our daily lives. This is His place. If we simply go through the motions of a quiet time, checking it off our list, without fully giving ourself and all of our being to the control of Him, we will not be who He has called us to be. That is what I am learning - a continual learning - a practice to practice.

Total dependence. It may have different looks, but the reality of it is the same. We are called to total dependence on Him. ~ for everything. I am thankful for this reminder, for the time to practice it, and for what He can do through me as I learn to give Him every part of my being to do with as He wills.

Can you believe this boy?

2011-08-21T06:54:00.001+03:00

He is one of the most precious things on earth, isn't he? This is David, less than a year and half after he came to us at Haven of Hope.

And this is what he came from. What a tragic beginning.....

(3 months old, wearing preemie diapers)

...turned in to such a joyful life!

David is now 20 months old. He is developing well, with just a few physical delays. The severe malnutrition he suffered in his first three months of life had a lasting impact on his development, but our God is greater and David continues to grow stronger each day.

How can you pray for David?
Pray that....
- proper documents will be released from the District where he came from,
- the adoption agency will be able to help us pursue those documents,
- he will be freed for adoption within the next year,
- he will continue to grow and gain strength in his upper body,
- he will start walking!

First Astros Game

2011-08-20T17:45:00.000+03:00

This time of Julia's life just seems to be full of "firsts!" I have literally dreamed about taking her to Astros games!

She was enamored with how big everything was. As we walked in she caught a glimpse of the field and said, "Hey! It's baseball!" Her eyes were so wide when she first saw the field.

She could actually follow along with what was going on on the field, as much as a two year old can, that is.

And of course, the cotton candy (that I said I wouldn't let her have!) was a big hit!

She was pretty excited when Uncle Barry showed up and he was wearing Astros! She loved pointing out all the Astros logos and stars everywhere. She is a detail girl who doesn't miss a thing!

Ahhh, their loves.....Julia & Mickey Mouse and Kris & baseball. Doesn't get any better than that.

She was pretty excited when "Deep in the Heart of Texas" started! We might have been practicing that before hand. :-)

Can't wait for our next game! My little All-American(-Kenyan) girl had a great time!

First Swimming Lesson!

2011-08-16T19:29:00.000+03:00

Julia had her first swimming lesson yesterday. She was so excited!

She did a fabulous job and had a wonderful time. This little girl is not afraid of anything! She gets a little too adventuresome in Nana's hot tub, and she spends a lot of time there, so I thought it was time for a little training. She had never been in a big pool this size. She loved it!

Her first lesson included beginning safety skills like rolling over and floating (as if she is in distress) and how to climb out of the pool on her own.

And of course she had to talk, explain, and narrate through through the whole lesson. Her swim teacher is WONDERFUL! So great with little ones! She was great to carry on and make Julia do what she wanted her to even with Mom sitting on the sidelines. And I was a good mom to just sit and not say a word. Miss Jen is awesome!

My brave little girl did a great job on her first under water lesson as well!

Julia can't wait until her next lesson on Thursday! And Mom may have to rebudget September to make room for a few more lessons! :-) America is SO much fun!

Julia's Pink Zebra Party - a long picture post

2011-08-15T17:49:00.000+03:00

My little Juju has been somewhat obsessed with zebras the past few months. We went on safari to the Maasai Mara with Kris & Barry when they came to visit us in Kenya. Zebras abound in the Mara. You can always find zebras, even out of migration season. Yet for some reason, while we were there we saw NO zebras. Each day as we set out on a game drive, we would discuss with the guide what we wanted to find that drive. Julia always wanted to see zebras. Crazy thing is that we have zebras on our road to Nakuru! We can always see zebras. Still, that is all she wanted to see. And it stuck. Always zebras. They are her favorite.

A few weeks before we came to America, I learned that Julia's Kikuyu name, Wambui, means "pretty" and is the name used in the Kikuyu language for zebra. "Wambui morendo" is "pretty stripes," but they generally refer to zebra as "wambui."

And of course, her favorite color is pink. So....we ended up with a pink zebra party.

Her "story" was placed around the room. It is such a privilege to share the "Story of God's Grace and Redemption" through Julia's life.

What an amazing testimony she will one day have when she understands and accepts God's call on her life. She will understand God's grace in a way very few others can relate to.

Yes, a lot of pink and black, but there was no doubt that this was a party for Julia! Her baby shower, first and second birthdays all wrapped into one super-special time!

HOH Anniversary

2011-08-14T18:44:00.000+03:00

Two years ago today, I brought home our first Haven of Hope babies, rescued from the government run orphanage and brought into our HCO family. Little did I know that day that one of those babies would become my own daughter. Elizabeth, Julia and Jeremiah were our first three babies. They came to us on August 14, 2009.

This year, we had our second annual HOH Anniversary Reunion. I am so sad that I missed the celebration! This being away from home thing is hard! As much as I was ready for a trip to my America home, I am still miss my Kenya family. Here are some of our beautiful babies celebrating the second anniversary of Haven of Hope Baby Center.

Lizzy-Lou, all grown up, playing with Kater-bug

Sweet Kater-bug

Hopey, with 100% Kenyan look

Joseph & David enjoyed seeing their friends who came back to visit.

Maggy & her boy, Joseph

Tobias & David

Angie & Kennedy, out of the hospital and feeling much better

Sweet Suzy with sweet Annabelle

Sam-Sam

Thanks for a great two years, too all of those who are part of the HCO family and make it possible to make a difference in the lives of these little babies! What a blessing it is to be a part of what God is doing!

Getting ready is half the fun!

2011-08-14T17:03:00.000+03:00

We had two "Come Meet Julia" parties to welcome Julia to America. My parents hosted one in Midland last weekend, and Kris & Barry hosted one in Houston yesterday. It was so great to see great friends and introduce them to my beautiful daughter.

I love hostessing parties and had a blast with Julia's black & pink zebra parties! I kinda went a bit overboard, but I just claim the fact that we didn't have a baby shower, a first birthday party or a second birthday party, so I crammed it all into one! (or two)

The getting ready for the party is half the fun! I started early with making scrapbook pages to tell "the story of Julia." In her {almost THREE!} short years, she has had a unique journey. Her life is a blessed story and a testament to God's grace and redemption and I was very eager to share her story with our friends.

We also started dipping chocolate and preparing the fun treats for her parties. Thanks to Caitlyn in Midland, and Monica and Kirsten in Houston, who came over the night before to help dip and sprinkle, we had plenty of fun pink, black, and zebra treat!

Julia, of course, had to do her part to help, too. She baked her own cupcakes and "decorated" the kitchen with cupcake wrappers while I busy with other things.

Here is are some of the prep pics. Seriously, getting ready is half the fun!

Oreo Pops!

My Mom's trick - get it all laid out, putting things in their bowls/dishes or post-it notes to label what goes in so that others can help get things ready before the party.

Tune in tomorrow to see the finished product of Julia's "Welcome to America" parties!

Happy Anniversary, Haven of Hope!!

2011-08-13T21:52:00.000+03:00

I am so sad to not be there for our second annual Haven of Hope Anniversary & Reunion. God has brought us so far and I am blessed to be a part of what He is doing. I would never have imagined two years ago what all God would have in store for us. It has been an amazing journey.

We have had a total of 17 babies come through Haven of Hope. Today, a few of the babies came back for the reunion and celebration. The staff and Rebekah and Benita did a wonderful job arranging for the anniversary reunion.

Check out REBEKAH'S BLOG for pictures from today's celebration.

at HCO Kenya....

2011-08-12T17:51:00.000+03:00

Everything is well on the HCO Kenya homefront. Of course, there are the many little "testing the waters while the boss is away" things, but overall, things are going well. The babies are well and growing. Kennedy #1 was sick and in the hospital, but he is home and doing well now. The boys have been on school break and are enjoying extra time at the baby house. The CH ladies are working away, making more of their beautiful crafts. I will post pictures as soon as I get some from Rebekah.

And I must say that I am SO very thankful for the people God has put in place to help run things while I am away. Rebekah is the Business Manager and acting director in my absence. And our friend, Benita, is also helping with management as acting as a liaison between the baby house and the management. They are doing a great job of overseeing things and communicating with me. With both of their communication, I usually have 5-7 emails to respond to per day. I am SO thankful for them! I would much rather be taking care things little-by-little as they progress rather than having months worth of issues piled up when I return.

Please continue to pray for Rebekah as she manages things for these few months. She is doing a fabulous job. She is realizing all that goes in to running a multi-faceted ministry, so many random things that don't fall under a nice, pretty, clean job description. As she said the other day, "There is always something coming at you from another direction." Yep! And it never stops. Ha! But she is handling it beautifully and learning a great deal! We truly appreciate her efforts.

Thanks, Rebekah & Benita!

Family Time

2011-08-12T17:00:00.000+03:00

It has been such special times to introduce Julia to her family.

It is also fun to watch her make the connections of how people are connected. She is really learning relationships and it is so interesting to watch her mind work as she makes those connections.

My brother & I and our babies. A long-awaited moment.

Some of Julia's connections made this week:

"Papa is Will's Papa, too!"
"You are my Mommy, and Nana is your mommy! That's funny!"
"Gran is your Gran. Gran is my Gran. Gran is Kaitlyn, Brady and Lauren's Gran. Gran is Ryan's Gran and Kenan's. That's too many Grans!"

Our Family :-)

My little Texas girl

2011-08-10T16:01:00.002+03:00

Julia went to visit her real uncle, my brother. In Kenya, we call most men "uncle," so Julia has lots of them. Uncle Kennedy, Uncle Joshua... But this Uncle Kenan. :-) He is a cowboy; that's his job. So Julia got to see some real Texas when we went out to Uncle Kenan's place. And she loved it!

A visit from Eli

2011-08-05T06:33:00.000+03:00

Our sweet Eli found his "forever family" earlier this year. As per our policy, his parents are supposed to bring him back to Haven of Hope once a month during his foster care period so that we can see how he is progressing and follow up on the placement. They came back to visit last week.

Eli was a little character when he was an HOH baby, and it is good to see that he still is. Such a happy little boy. We are grateful that God allowed to be a part of this little boy's life, to be "home" to him for his first year and a half of life. And we thank Him for uniting little Eli with his family at such a young age, and offering the hope of a future with a mom and dad.

Eli, when he came to HOH

Eli, when he left HOH

Eli now

(Don't you love his pink girl jacket?)

Missing our boys....

2011-08-03T21:34:00.000+03:00

Julia and I are both missing our boys this week. So far, she has not been ready to go back to Kenya, but she did tell my dad last night that she needed to "go to Julia's house to play with my boys." So sweet.

Please pray for our boys. They are really good guys. But, as teenage boys are, and is culturally the norm, "when Mom's away....." It is not at all surprising that once I am away, boundaries begin to be tested, both with the boys and with the HOH Baby House staff. It is a very natural occurrence.

So, that leads me to ask for prayers for simple protection over our boys while I am away. Please pray that they would be young men of integrity, that they would maintain their high standards of behavior that they exhibit on a normal basis, and that they would continue to make good choices in all things.

God bless these wonderful young men....Collins, Freddy, Maina, Patrick & Humphrey (and Tobias).

My little fisher-girl

2011-07-31T06:31:00.000+03:00

We are still having a great time in the mountains, but we are ready to go back to see Papa tomorrow.

Today, Julia's great-grandpa took her fishing. We sort of cheated and went to the stocked pond at the RV park where my grandparents spend the summers. But it made for easy success fishing and was lots of fun for the little girl. She had a blast!

She was pretty excited to see that Pa was really going to grill them! And she even ate it for dinner - a lot of it.

I asked her again today if she is ready to go home to Nakuru, and she said, "No, not yet. I keep staying in America."

Fun in Cloudcroft

2011-07-30T06:34:00.000+03:00

I used to come to Cloudcroft, NM every summer as a child. I haven't been here in years, and now it is fun to be back with my little girl. And she is loving it!

She got to play on her first big outdoor playground! She was in heaven. And Mommy was a little nervous at her fearlessness!

Isn't it always strange how things seemed so much bigger and more grand as a child? These shops seemed to go on and on. Now, they seem so few and so small. It was still so much fun to be there with my mom, grandma and Julia.

I remember the fun of getting to chose my one special souvenir each year. Strangely, now I cannot remember a single thing I actually chose, yet I remember quite a few of my brother's....his Davey Crockett raccoon hat, his play riffle. Hmmm....wonder if Julia will remember her binoculars. They were definitely the hit of today!

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Stop!" - We thought something was terribly wrong. Nope, she just had to take closer look at an American flag, one of her two current obsessions.

The past few weeks have been full of blessings, and the past few days have had their own shares of blessing. Here are some more pics of Julia's first trip to the mountains:

Welcome another new baby Kennedy

2011-07-29T00:08:00.002+03:00

Kennedy is becoming a quite popular name at Haven of Hope. Along with our senior groundskeeper and 11 month old baby Kennedy, we now welcome another 11 month old baby Kennedy to the HOH family!

Kennedy came to us via the local Children's Department. His mother is HIV+ and she nor his grandmother are able to care for him any longer. We are delighted to be entrusted with the care and love of this little guy. He will be with us for up to a year, or until a permanent home is found for him. He has had a few rough days adjusting to his new home but is beginning to get more comfortable and relaxed.

Please pray for Kennedy's mother, for him to quickly adjust to his new home, for him to know that he is special and loved by God, and for his future long-term placement. We are blessed to be a part of this special baby's life.

Oh, what I will miss!

2011-07-27T11:14:00.002+03:00

My baby girls are gonna GROW! These little things will be scooting around all over the place when I get home in a few months. I tried to soak up as much love as I could before I left, but I am afraid those little squeezes won't be enough to last until I get back.

Sweet little Deli is three weeks old now.

Winnie & Annabelle are now four months old! Time flies.

David was a little jealous of the baby holding time. Sweet boy wanted in the picture, too.

I can't wait to see how big these little ones are when I return. Until then, I'll just keep staring at these pictures of the sweet little girls and remembering how squishy and squeezable they are.

Julia's First Week in America

2011-07-26T05:28:00.001+03:00

Some highlights from Julia's first week in America, full of "firsts"....

First Mexican food restaurant...Pappasito's. Mmmm!

First trip to Chick-fil-a!

Mommy wasn't the only one who enjoyed it...

First play place... and playing in it with Papa!

Julia's first friend in America, Miss Mickeala

Backyard fun

Snuggle time with Nana

Meeting the Chick-fil-a cow!

A new pink bike waiting at Nana & Papa's house (a special request put in on her own initiating in April!)

Meeting her cousin, Baby Will, who was quite enamored with her.

And Baby Will makes a great patient!

And fun backyard time with Papa. For weeks before, Julia has been saying, "We go to America and Papa will ride me my bike," meaning that Papa will teach her to ride her bike. Finally, her wish comes true. And it is a sight that warms my heart.

Our time in America is off to a great start! We are enjoying time with family and friends and having a few "down" weeks before I get busy with all the work ahead of us during our time in America. Julia is adjusting very well. And so are Nana & Papa! ;-) Thanks to all of you who have prayed for this time to come!