I said I would never home school.....

So I have learned to never say never! After my last endeavor at home schooling (CallieAnn home schooled the last half of 6th grade and Paizley home schooled her sophomore year), I said I did not ever want to do that again...unless...it was in the best interest of one of our kids.

CallieAnn started asking us last year if she could graduate early. She has enjoyed high school, but she believes she has heard God clearly about the direction her life needs to take. When she first approached us about it, my immediate answer was, not just "no", but .....well, you get the picture! But as I thought about it, a peace would come over me at the thought of her home schooling. I knew without a doubt that peace was NOT from me! Isaiah 55 talks about being led forward in peace. So when that feeling comes over me at times that it isn't natural, it gets my attention. John and I committed to pray with CallieAnn for clear direction and wisdom.

CalliAnn has had a vision for a safe place for suicidal teens for quite some time. We have had suicide touch our lives indirectly numerous times and directly recently. Each time the call she felt on her life became a little stronger and the vision a little clearer. She already has a mission statement and name for her ministry. After a couple of months of praying about what to do next year, I asked her why do you have to do it now? You have your whole life to be an adult. Why not wait until you graduate college at 23 or 24 to start it? Her answer made me proud and sad all at once. She said to me, there are people dying who need what God has called me to do. How can I wait? How do you argue with that? How do you tell your child whom you have taught to dream big, hear God's voice and follow it that they can't obey just yet.....you don't.

So we started looking at all the options. She could stay in school and take extra classes and graduate next year. But as we looked at her degree plan, she was taking a lot of stuff that just didn't make sense and truly would not help her in her goal. The best plan seemed to be for her to home school and take dual credit college courses. This way, she can focus on the courses that will help equip her for the calling she believes God has on her life.

It has been a decision we have wrestled with. I can list as many cons as I can pros about the path we decided to take. There is a part of me as a mom that fears she will regret giving up the "high school" experience. But as a person who struggled through that high school experience, I can appreciate that it is not all it's cracked up to be for all people. And at the end of the day, it came down to trusting that my daughter who has the same Holy Spirit as a Counselor as I do heard His voice and said YES to His call! If I am going to err, I want to err on the side of stoking the fire and fanning the flame within my children to hear God's voice and follow it, and not throwing water on what God has lit!

So today, her daddy took her and registered her for college courses! I am really not sure how my baby girl became old enough to even talk about college! But truly, I could not be more proud of her decision. The last couple of weeks I have seen her wrestle with that point where the rubber meets the road in an act of obedience. She is confident in her decision, and yet she wrestles with what she is also sacrificing to follow God's call.

We have been and will be very careful to not "pigeon hole" her into this for eternity! Obviously, as she matures, seeks wisdom and gains understanding, the direction may differ or take a different course all together. But for now, I could not be a prouder momma than to watch my daughter love the Lord and work to follow His call on her life! Fly Baby Girl, Fly! There is no limit as long as God is the one giving you the wind beneath your wings!

"Nothing could make me happier than getting reports that my children continue diligently in the way of Truth!" ~3 John 4

Raising World Changers: The Reality

There was a quote going around a few years ago that I can't find now, but it was about raising world changers.  There have been a couple of events the past week that have reminded me that raising world changers isn't just some catchy phrase, it is a reality.  And often that reality isn't what I had pictured as being a "good mom"!

I put my 13 year old daughter on a plane this week to head half way across the country to my brother and sister-in-law for a couple of weeks.  She was traveling alone.  This trip would require her to change not only planes, but terminals in a large airport.  Our little local airport only has 4 gates...and that's what she is accustomed to.  Not to mention the fact that we rarely ever fly anywhere!  She was equipped with her boarding passes, her map of the airport she would be landing at and her cell phone.  The plan was for me to get a pass to go through security with her here and wait for her plane with her.  When we get to the ticket counter, I realize I left my driver's license in the car in the envelope with the money I had just gotten from the bank.  My heart sank! A voice started in, "What kind of mom are you? You can't even make sure you have what you need to help your daughter!" This is a voice I hear often! I silenced it long enough to finish checking Callie in and get her ready to go.  I told Callie I would text her dad who was driving around waiting for me to be done since we knew they wouldn't let both of us back and ask him to come by with my license so I could go back with her. She said, "no, I can do it." Then the voice starts in again.  We get to the security line and I go over everything with Callie again - this is where your gate is, this is the time you need to be at your gate, this is your seat number, take off your shoes, put them in the tub with your liquids and purse, etc, etc.  Then I watch as my amazing daughter bravely walks through security....alone.  On the other side, she has struck up a conversation with an older lady and they are both smiling from ear to ear.  She goes blurry as my eyes well up with tears and my heart swells with pride! Even in her own nervousness she has found the ability to connect to someone from a totally different generation and bring joy.  I holler one last "Good-bye!" and "I love you!" As she walks out of view, I hear another voice say, "When raising world changers, you can't always hold their hands.  Sometimes you just have to talk them through and pray as they try out their wings! And good moms know when to hold hands and when to watch them fly!"

And my Heavenly Father knew I needed to hear that in that moment!  So many times through this journey of fostering and adoption, the enemy has tormented me with thoughts of failing my children.  I have shared before that there is no way to parent 7 children the way I parented 2.  I can't be the "everywhere, doing everything mom" that I wanted to be when I pictured myself as a mom.  I struggle with that more at some times than others.  Probably the hardest time was when we adopted from the foster system.  I was in a Bible study at the time where the talk often turned to protecting our children.  I believe in protecting my children.  What the other moms said made sense.  Many put their children in private schools or home schooled them to protect them from what they would be exposed to in school.  We talked about shows that we would or would not allow our children to watch.  It all sounded great.  There was only one problem...while these moms were protecting their children from the influences of the world, I had just invited the "world" into my home through a child who had never been protected.  She in-turn, at no fault of her own, would expose my children to the very things my friends were diligently working to protect their children from.  I would go home and cry after many of these discussions...tormented by what I had done, but knowing full well God had called us to do this.  I just couldn't reconcile the "good mom" role with what God was asking me to do.

The problem was that my "good mom" role was based on an Americanized view of parenting that says children should never hurt and should never be exposed to anything that might hurt them or even cause discomfort. Don't confuse what I am saying with putting your child in harms way physically or staying in an abusive relationship because it is building character.  That is not what I am saying at all!  But what God showed me as I watched my daughter walk by herself toward the gate to board a plane is that all she has gone through and all she is doing now is to prepare and equip her for the path God has for her! She is a world changer!  And world changers put themselves at risk! World changers know how to be hurt and forgive! World changers have to know how to handle disappointment! World changers have to know how to look a big task in the face and do it anyway! World changers have to face fears head on and walk through them!

Back in the car, headed home, I get a text..."I am at my gate!"  I respond, "Sorry again that I didn't have my license to go back with you."  And the confirmation of what God had already spoken, "It's ok.  Doing it by myself gave me the confidence I needed."  And with that I knew my World Changer had SOARED on this test flight! And I also knew God wasn't just equipping her...he was equipping me....you see I have five more World Changers coming up right behind her!

My First Born

Callie turned 12 in January. She is an amazing young woman with so many gifts!  I can't wait to see what God does with her life! She is one of those that you get on your knees a lot to parent because she has giftings that you know you can't really parent without the immense assistance of the Holy Spirit!  She is as beautiful inside as she is out!  We took these pictures when we were on vacation in Fredericksburg several weeks ago!  Where did my baby girl go?

Some say we look alike!

I love this girl and she loves me back!

Callie and my Dad!  I will cherish this picture always!

Did I mention she is a bit goofy too?! 

Well Behaved Women....Callie's not one of them!

Just to update you on the hair bow battle, Callie met with her principal yesterday. At the beginning of the meeting, the principal asked Callie if she was nervous talking to her, and Callie smiled and said, "Nope!" That's my girl!!!!! Seems to be a bit of attempt to intimidate going on....glad it didn't work on her anymore than it did no me!

The petition she started has been approved. The principal put all kinds of stipulations on how and when it can be signed and made Callie initial signature pages, etc. Kind of silly, but we will play by her rules. I am just so proud of Callie for standing up and continuing even when it got hard and could have been intimidating! The petition will be in two locations at three different times during the school day. I am praying and asking my friends to pray that this experience is a good one for Callie and accomplishes all God intends for it to do in her life. And as a momma bear whose watched her cub be attacked, I'm praying for hundreds of signatures for Callie to have when she sits with the principal next week to discuss the petition!

I'll keep you posted! Could not be more proud of my daughter! Makes me wonder what plans God has for her and makes me excited to see just what those will be!

Well behaved women rarely make history

"Well behaved women rarely make history" is a quote by Laural Thatcher Ulrich (I've also seen it attributed to Marylin Monroe) that Callie saw one time and brought to my attention. It was when I was fighting the battle in Liberia to have adoptions opened back up. She said, "Mom, this is you!" She even made it my screen saver on my phone at one time. I wasn't sure how to take that, but I've come to enjoy at as one of the biggest compliments she could give me.

It is no hidden secret that I have a strong personality. And I am well aware that in my earlier years that personality was wild, abrasive and unmerciful. I've heard many sermons over the years about the balance of grace and truth, and I most certainly needed more of the grace! But as I have fought hard battles over the years: adoptions in Liberia, fighting to bring Eden home, fighting the enemy's grip on my family at different times, I have learned to fight as God's daughter. I have come to understand that my strong personality is a gift. It was given to me for the purposes God has for me while here on this earth and He intends for me to use it for good. That means I have to stay in the Word and go to Him in prayer whenever the blood in me starts boiling over a matter. I have learned to fight no battle until God says I can. The battles are His. I don't move until He tells me He needs me to be hand and feet and to go forward.

Which brings me to my current battle. It is over bows and earrings. Yes, that's right. Bows. And. Earrings. Crazy? Yes! But as I have played a meeting I had yesterday over this issue back in my head time and time again, I think I see the battle I'm fighting....and it has nothing to do with bows and earrings!

Our local school district started a new way of serving the children identified as gifted and talented this year. I hate those terms. As a parent of an identified gifted and talented child and a special education child, let me just make it clear that all of my children are gifted and talented and need special education! So please understand I am only using the labels as the education system has them in place. There is definitely some arrogance at times in this circle of gifted and talented in education, but we have always been quick to remind Callie she has been gifted as God needs her to be for His work. And so has every other child placed on this planet! No need to get a big head! Since 2nd grade, Callie has attended a two day a week program where she was bussed to a different school and attended classes with children from other schools in the district. The classes were designed to challenge and stretch these children in ways they wouldn't be in their home school classroom. Last year, the district announced that they would be changing the system and the children would be attending this school every day. They would no longer be divided between two schools. Callie is in 6th grade which in our system is the last year of elementary school. We deliberated long and hard, prayed, talked to Callie countless hours before making the decision for Callie to attend this school. Then they announced that they were wearing uniforms and we revisited it all over again. Callie, as a very fashion conscious 11 year old, was very concerned about wearing uniforms. We assured her she would survive and encouraged her to make her decision on whether or not to attend Carver on something a little more substantial than the clothes she would have to wear. But we ultimately left the decision up to her. She chose to go.

As we went shopping for clothes for the coming school year, Callie was pretty bummed that all could buy were blue, gold and white polos and khaki pants. So in her creativity and out of the box thinking (remember, the thing they are supposed to be promoting at this school), she decided that she could express her fashion style in her bows and jewelry. Nothing outlandish, just a little zebra with the gold or lime green with the white. We pulled out the standard attire policy and combed through it to make sure she wasn't violating any rules before she spent her money. It really became quite interesting to watch how she spent her money and the ways she came up with to express her own individuality.

Fast forward to the second week of school. There was a meeting with some teachers and the students about the uniforms. The students were told that they could not wear bows or jewelry that were not in standard attire colors. Callie was ready to quit the school. I explained to her we were not going to quit the school after we had made a decision and commitment to our year there, but that we could discuss this issue with the principal. I made a phone call and was quite shocked at the response I received. After having the phone slammed in my ear, I had plans to call the administrative offices. I was explaining to Callie about my phone conversation and she asked me to wait to call. She wanted to try to fight this battle herself. She asked if she could create a petition to get signatures. Wow! I'm not sure exactly where she learned about a petition, but I was ready to support her. She wrote the petition herself. I helped edit a few grammar mistakes, but she wrote it. She asked me to wait to do anything else until she could present the petition to the principal, and I proudly agreed.

One of the teachers got wind of the petition and told Callie she wanted to take it to the principal. A week later, the teacher told her she couldn't do the petition without the approval of the principal. We looked up the policy, and that is not what it states at all, but the principal assured me the school district attorney says a petition has to be approved. I told her I totally disagreed with that, but it wasn't a big deal for Callie to bring the petition to her. Callie didn't want to do it alone as she was scared of retaliation by this principal. When the principal talked to me about the petition, she also asked to meet with me again. I told her I had no problem meeting with her, but that if it was going to be a conversation that was anything like our previous phone call, I was not interested in waisting my time. She assured me it would not be. Three weeks later, we finally met (long story in and of itself!).

When I walked into the conference room of what I though was going to be a meeting with me and her, there were two other women in the room. It quickly became apparent that the conversation wasn't going to be much different than the phone conversation. In fact, it was worse. At one point during the meeting, the principal left to get a copy of the standard attire policy. At that time, the teacher who was in the room said, "I want to talk to you as a mother. I have four grown children and you don't need to fight this battle. You need to teach your daughter that no means no. You've asked. She has said no. And that needs to be the end of it." Of course this was right after the principal told me I couldn't contact any other parents who shared my concerns with the lack of communication over the particulars for the dress code. I am reading "Lioness Arising" by Lisa Bevere, and let me just say, when the woman sitting beside me told me I didn't need to be fighting this for my daughter and needed to teach her that no means no, the lioness arose! I politely explained to her that I was not a mother who wanted her children to bow down to unjust or irrational authority. I explained that I was very proud of Callie for taking this cause on and fighting in the proper manner to have her voice and the voice of those around her who were too scared to speak for themselves heard. I further explained that I thought it was absolutely ludicrous that she was telling me I needed to teach my daughter that she can never question a decision that she feels is unjust or unfair. I told her that is probably what is wrong with our country right now is such a complacent attitude. I told her that I am teaching her that a no that is unfair or unjust is not a no until you get to the top. I further explained to her that when Callie wanted to present the petition to the superintendent when he visited their school a few weeks ago, I would not allow her to do that. I explained that you could not jump to the top with your concerns but that you needed to go through the proper channels. We had also told Callie and she has gladly followed the interpretation of the code as it stands now. We will not allow her to be rebellious or disrespectful of the principal as an authority...but to tell her we won't question through the proper channels? Really?! No daughter or son of mine will be taught to lay down and play dead!

Having said that, let me also say that I have wanted to lay this thing down many times over the past two months. Are bows really worth my time? No. But God keeps saying, you can't stop. I've been asking why, and I think that teacher who was trying to get me to stop gave me my answer. I'm raising an Esther! I don't know what God has planned for Callie, but whatever it is, I believe with all my heart it will be fighting for those without a voice in some way. I see Him doing way too many things in her life to not believe that. So God tells me to press on because she is watching. These stakes are low. Not getting to wear a bow that is lime green is not the end of the world. But what she will be fighting for later just might be for those on whose behalf she fights.

My meeting yesterday and the response of that teacher was just a reminder that bucking the system doesn't make you popular. Refusing to stay in the status quo can bring criticism. But even as I read the current chapter of Lioness Awakening, God reminded me why it is vital for His people to take up battles from time to time. Lisa Bevere actually uses the quote I started this post with in the chapter I am reading. She says about it: "In light of this charge, God does not need a band of domesticated daughters who spend their days baking and behaving well. Nothing wrong with baking, but if that is all we do, God won't use us to change history. I know this quote may challenge some of you. It challenged me when I first read it. This is not an admonition to be naughty but to realize that change often comes with the challenge of the status quo." Amen!!!

Lisa goes on to give examples like Rosa Parks. If she had not challenged the "no" of sitting in the white section of the bus, America as we know it today might look different. There is a whole list of women in the Bible who challenged the status quo. One of my favorites is Esther. If she had not taken a risk and gone to the king with her request to save her people...even without being summoned first, the Jews would have perished.

As I drove home from the meeting yesterday I kept asking God why. While I have a strong personality, and injustice makes my blood boil, I don't enjoy battles and I would rather walk away than fight. But God immediately brought to mind the puzzle that He so often uses with me. He shows me a great big puzzle with one missing piece. I am the missing piece. God uses that to remind me that when He asks me to do something, like fight for what appears to be a worthless cause like hair bows, there is a bigger picture I can't see. I have no idea what that bigger picture is, I only see my little piece. If it is just Callie learning to stand up for injustice while the stakes are low or if there is a larger reason, I must do my part or the bigger picture isn't complete. The more I interact in this situation, the more concerns I have. But I know if God has told me to continue the battle, I want to obey. I want my daughter to know its ok to stand up even when people are screaming at you to lay down. I want Callie to know there are battles worth being unpopular to fight. I want her to see Esther as her hero not as a problem causer.

As Lisa says, "when you are awakened, you can't help but respond." May I nor any of my children ever sleep through God's alarm awakening them to a change that needs to be made!

As far as the hair bow controversy, Callie has submitted her petition for approval. It has not been returned as of yet, but should be Monday and she still wants to present it and take it as far as we need to for her side to be heard. I could not be more proud of her! And I can't wait to see where God uses her...bows today, lives tomorrow...and I think I might just keep in touch with that teacher from the meeting yesterday so when Callie is changing the world I can remind her that in her opinion, I should have taught me daughter that no is no.

My amazing daughter!

I truly have an amazing daughter! She is my oldest...my first born. John tells her all the time that we are so sorry that she has to be our guinea pig for parenting (he is the oldest too, so he relates!). Its true, though. Ten years ago, we were clueless as to how to be a parent. I wouldn't say we have it figured out now by any means, but I do think with age comes wisdom and at the very least, I have some of my priorities more in order than I did 10 years ago!

Callie is 10 going on 20! She has always been mature from her age...almost from the womb! Because of that, I think I take for granted her maturity in so many areas, and probably expect more from her than I should.

She has had a perception of the spiritual world from the beginning, I'm pretty sure. I know as soon as she could talk, she asked questions that I didn't even know to ask until I was almost an adult, like at 4 she says, "Mommy, how do you know when God is talking to you?" Me: "Well, He sounds like your voice, but you Know it is Him because you learn to know His voice." long pause: "Mommy, what if He tells me something different than you do" Me: "He won't. Right now He sounds a whole lot like me!" Ok, probably not one of my most positive moments in spiritual parenting, but I wasn't exactly ready for that from a 4 year old. Callie had a recurring "visitor" in her room from the time she could talk until she turned her life over to Jesus. His name was Red Rover. Even now, when she talks about it, I am amazed. She has seen and been spoken to by angels. She has an amazing heart for the less fortunate. She blossomed when Toben came home. She took him under her wing and has done the same with Baby Girl.

She already serves in our church by volunteering in the two year old class on Sunday mornings. I love to hear her talk about "her" babies! She loves those little ones...in fact, she has talked about moving up to the three year olds if there is room in the class for another volunteer because she misses the ones that have already moved into there. She also serves on the children's Praise Band in the Movers and Shakers! She goes around the house singing her songs and doing the motions! I love it!

All this is coming today, this morning because God woke me up at 5 for coffee! I love it when He does that! Morning has always been my favorite time of day. I love it when my house is quiet and it is just me, God, my coffee and my Bible! However, over the past couple of years as I have battled depression, mornings have turned into very hard times for me. So on mornings like this when He just wakes me up and speaks, I love it! Well, at 6, Callie's alarm goes off. She had set it so that she could get up and move her laundry from the washer to the dryer and then go back to bed! Seriously, what 10 year old does their own laundry (she is not required to do this) much less sets their alarm to get up and switch it?! I am blessed to have her as a daughter! She is amazing and I can't wait to see what God does with her life!

Callie Grace, I love you!!!!

~Mom

Battles and Perspectives

Today is a rough day! This is Toben and Ava's last day at their current Mother's Day out program. They have many friends there and Toben has amazing teachers! Ms. Becca even cried when we told her we were leaving..touched my heart more than she can ever know! As an inter-racial family we get many responses and to have another person love my African son in that manner just makes my heart sing...and then break since I am moving him.

I have agonized and agonized over this decision. About the time I would think I am over reacting and I need to just let it drop, God puts a lesson in my inbox or in another lesson I am listening to about fighting. The post from the Proverbs 31 devotion is one example. Another is a Beth Moore Podcast that I listened to on a recent trip. She stressed over and over that at this time in Western Christianity, we need fighters! Her words were, "We are in desperate need of warriors, not whiners!" Then she repeated over and over, "We have to STEP UP! STEP UP!" A wrong was done at their Mother's Day out program. Two specific children with special needs were discriminated against, one was my daughter. The only choice given to me was to move my child (which I was informed would result in a speedy replacement for their program) or leave my job every time Ava needed her diaper changed. Could I do that? Yes, I could, but should I? I don't think so. Should I remove just Ava and let Toben stay? Why would I leave him in a program that seems to have no concern for children with needs or really in the development of a child. I was very sarcastically asked when the issue was being discussed with the director if I had found any program in Midland that would take a three year old who was not potty trained. In fact, I did! Four out of the five I spoke to did not require her to be potty trained (even without a medical condition) and one of them that did said they would make an allowance for her since she has a medical condition keeping her from being on target currently. And the more research I did, the more I found that no child development professional says that children who are not potty trained by 3 are behind! Most state that children will usually be trained between the ages of 2 and 4.

So am I doing the right thing? I wish I could say without a doubt that I am. I can't. But I do know that God needs more people to step up for what is right! So many of the things that I have had to step in and fight for would not have even occurred if the people before me had fought or even just informed others instead of laying down and taking the easy, less conflict path. Just a few of these are the halt on adoptions in Liberia and the agency we used to adopt Eden and Addy that resulted in a denied visa. Because of these experiences, God has placed with in me a willingness to fight a battle even when I may not see the positive outcome of the results, but those who come after me will. That is why I am doing what I am doing at the school.

The other thing I consider on this tough day is perspective. I was reminded that even my adoptive parents don't understand why I want to fight the Liberian government for the rights of the Liberian children and the oppressed people of Liberia. It's not that they don't know the problems. It is that they see a different perspective than I can see. Because of confidentiality among other things, they cannot know all that I know about the officials that I have been called by God to expose. They see their adoptions. The same is true with me and God.

In this little situation with my children and their school, I just see how it effects my kids. The easier road would be to leave them there. But what I don't see is the bigger picture that God sees. There may be a real reason He needs me to remove my children as a statement that intolerance of children with minor needs should not be tolerated, or a director not communicating expectations to parents is not a good way to run a program. I don't know. But I know that God has impressed on me that laying down and letting this incident go without notice is not ok.

So with a heavy heart that the actions of adults have caused my children heartache, I will pick them up today and take them to their new school on Tuesday.

Oh, AND this afternoon we meet with one of Callie's teachers who continues to refuse to follow policies set by the school or provide Callie with all the materials she needs to complete requirements.

Add on top of that my conviction (only mine...I don't judge those without the conviction and wish those without it wouldn't judge me...) to not participate in Halloween in any way on a day when the little kids are having costume parades, and I am beat up before my day even begins today. Well, that is not accurate! I have just had to use my armor a lot already this morning and have a few arrows stuck in my shield of faith and belt of truth where I fended off the attacks from the enemy saying that I should compromise just this once..its not a big deal to put them in some dress-up clothes...well, that would be true except God says NO! Weary of fighting? Me too!

But if I don't fight for my children, who will? As I put on my face book status when all this was coming to a head...this reminds me of the 143 million children who don't have parents fighting for them! And my heart breaks again!

Same song 6th verse!

On my way! Trip 6 to Liberia! I am sitting in Brussels airport watching my daughter sleep wondering what the next few days will bring about in her life as God uses the people of Liberia to impress on Callie a world so much different than her own!

Probably will not have internet acces in Liberia much if at all. So no updates this trip like normal. But we are in our new orphanage....so when I get back, I will share lots of pictures...I imagine Kami has already put up a bunch....click on the Orphanage Project button n the right to check and see! I have only seen a few, but what I have seen is amazing!!!!

Will send pics and updates when I can!

They say the darndest things..

John's parents were so gracious to come watch our kids so we could go to dinner and a movie. We don't remember the last movie we saw together! It was a wonderful evening!

When we were leaving, telling the kids bye, threatening the boys with in an inch of their life to behave, Ava asked where we were going. John responded, "We are going to go kiss." Then Callie says, "Go make a baby!" Well, isn't that lovely in front of the in-laws! Needless to say, I was speechless!

Happy Birthday Callie!

Today my first born turns 9! Nine years ago my baby girl entered this world. On weeks like this, I sometimes wonder what I hear people say, "Why would you want to bring children into this world?" Yet, I look at all four of my children and can't imagine what my life would be with out them!

My dearest Callie,

Nine years! As I teased you earlier this week, this is your last year in the single digits! As I listened to you and Makayla talk about the woes of being the oldest, I had to grin just a little..always having to be perfect, getting blamed for everything your younger siblings do...the list went on! Since I am the baby of my family, I can't totally related. However, I know that you had the distinct disadvantage of being the one who got to be the guinea pig of my parenting! I look back and just pray that God will cover the multitude of mistakes I have made. But when I see who you are on the days when you are laughing and we are sharing a joke or a secret laugh about something one of the younger ones has done or said, I know God has already covered so many of them because of who I see you becoming!

You have always been my spiritual little one! You understood more of the spiritual world at 3 than I did at twenty. From your vivid dreams of "Red Rover" to your heart for orphans. When Toben came home last year, you just blossomed. You poured your heart for orphans into this little boy that represented to you all the world's hurting children. As I see you care about the orphans whether through the money you raised for GAL or through sharing your mommy with 57 little dark brown children halfway around the world, there is a part of me that wants to tell you to run like crazy! Tell God that you will do anything but care about children in far away countries! You see what it has done to me, and you cry with me when I can't hide it from you. But at the same time, I know my number one job is to teach you to follow God with all your heart, and that means somehow finding a way to do that myself and make it look appealing. I am failing miserably at that right now! I am sorry, my precious girl! But as I always tell you, parents do the best they can with what they have. I just pray once again that God will make up for my short comings! He is big enough to do that!

I am sure we will have our share of disagreements over the coming years as you are well on your way to being a full fledged "tween"! But I pray that through it all, I will teach you to cling to Jesus my sweet girl! For no matter what this world throws at you, and no matter what circumstances look like, He is your only hope of making it through! He will be your source of unconditional love, your Solid Rock. Cling to Jesus, Callie, cling to Jesus! Happy Birthday my sweet girl! May you have many more to come!

Love,

Mom

To celebrate, we had a sleep over...Callie and 8 friends. It was fun! Really, they did very well. We had a High School Musical Themed party. They had all kinds of snack foods, and we played a "Get to know you game" while they ate. It was a little scary as each answer seemed to involve something about kissing! John was leading the game, and after about the fourth answer with kissing in it, he looked at me and said, "I think I might need to leave the room!" I just laughed! Later, they were doing their own thing....which for nine girls involves lots of screaming! John asked if I thought they were having a good time, and I said yes. Then he said, "Well, if noise level is any indicator, they are having a blast!" I had to laugh again! Poor John! He really was a trooper! So was Noah...at one point somehow all the girls ended up in his room and a wrestling match insued. We ended up with a goose egg one of the girls and a bloody lip on Noah. But I think that was all the blood from the evening!

We made journals for the girls to take home. It was a mess, but they were pretty!

And what is a brother to do at a sister's slumber party? A picture is worth a thousand words! He is in our sunroom that is separated from our living room by windows! :)