My son's home

Today was an exhausting day! I rode the four hour one way trip to Nimba with roads that are far less then pefect! Pot holes everywhere! But it was so worth it!

I made a promise to the parents who came with Toben's biological parents that I would some day go to Nimba to see where they lived. Today I made good on that promise. Nimba is in the interior. It is away from Monrovia, so the poverty increases. This is where a lot of the kids that we have brought home came from.

The first stop was the home of 7 of the children. Grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends all came out to see the pictures. When I showed them to an older lady, she didn't hardly see them before she started dancing and praising the Lord! It was amazing! She was so excited to see her grandchildren and how they were doing! She started saying, "I sell my children? I will never see them again? Look here!" She had been chastised for placing her children for adoption. As the common mindset here in Liberia is that 'adoption' means the children will be sold in slavery or taken for their organs or sent to Iraq for war. A big part of what God has allowed me to do this trip is to use the media to educate people on what adoption is! She was so excited to have proof to her naysayers that her grandchildren were happy and alive, and thriving!

We went to a couple of other homes. One of the mother's had cooked lunch for us. So I ate field rice with meat & cabbage stew. I really ate the stew! However, it was so hot that I had to eat mainly rice with a little stew! I'm not fully Liberian yet, evidently!

Next we went to Toben's village. It was off the road just a litte, surrounded by greenery. And in this little expanse in the greenery is a grass hut kitchen and eight to ten mud huts with grass roofs. There is no water well, no bathroom, no shower, no school, no access to medical care. But there are children everywhere, most only with shirts on as pants are a luxury here. The girls nursing babies look to be not much more than 13 or 14. Each one had a baby on her hip or at her breast. I just sat in the "kitchen" watching it all as they went to get Toben's birth mom from the farm where she was working. I was trying to take it all in, but the more I looked around, the harder it was. It was as if I had no where to file in my American brain what I was looking at! Eventhough this is my fifth trip to Liberia, the poverty and way of life of so many Liberians just doesn't compute. I can't imagine that a place like this really exists in 2009! But it does!

I hear Toben's mom saying, "Welcome, welcome!" as she comes down the path. As soon as she emerges from the brush, I get up and go around the group of people. When she locks eyes with me, she throws the bucket she was carrying on her head to the ground and breaks into a dead run! She nearly nocked me down as we embraced. Then her laughter turned to sobs as she said over and over, "Thank you, Father! Thank you, Father!" The faith of these people still amazes me! It shines a light on my lack of faith as I live a life of luxury and want to stop each time it gets hard! But hard is a daily reality for this lady just to survive! She saw the album I brought her of Toben, and she just wept! It was such a sweet moment! I saw Toben's 12X12 mud hut that he called home before he came to Addy's Hope. I met the children that were born around the time he was. I could not grasp that if Toben was not in my home right now, this is where he would be! Walking around, probably with no clothes, dirty, hungry, smiling (as all the children are so happy!), but sentenced to a life of poverty and hardship simpling because of where he was born!

So there we were! Two moms, a world apart, sharing the love of a little boy! It was a magical moment really! Something that trying to explain would just ruin.

The whole day was kind of that way! I don't stop and think enough about the lives that we have touched. Pastor Paul, our staff Pastor, has reminded me so many times this week that we have changed the lives of 37 so far! There are another 59 waiting in our home. Then at each place we stopped, they asked us to please take children with us today! They longed for more children to be removed from the circumstances that so many are in, with no help from the government or any other organization. UNICEF is not helping them, yet they are against adoption. Save the Children are not helping them, yet they are against adoption. I am not against what they do. I still believe it will take all of us! But until they can feed and educate and clothe and provide shelter for ALL children, then adoption should be one of the options available!

I was reminded today that only but by the grace of God was I born in America and have the freedoms, joys and abundance that I am blessed to enjoy. Toben's mom didn't choose to be born into a country that was in the middle of civil war with bullet riddled houses and light posts, no infrastructure and no education system. It could have just as easily been me! But since I am the one with the abundance, then I have an obligation to do something to help those without. And because of that, I have to keep going! I have to keep fighting the battles and caring for the children! God used today to cement in me the calling He has on my life! It may get tough, but quitting is not an option!

Why I do it!

Ok, after my last post, I am renewed! The fight is the same! The struggles and obstacles are the same! But the faces....these faces.....

This is why I do it! God has placed a burden on me for these people as they have no voice right now! They are the forgotten of Liberia. There are many more than just those in this one village, but this is where God has called Addy's Hope. Our new building can be seen as a beacon of hope across the street. The foundation with the pillars....it is a sprititual site to see walking up. It represents beginnings, firm foundations, and progress!

We talked to Moses again. He is so excited to see us back...all of the people were! I got to see Patricia again and her baby boy. She is only a child herself, but she has this child to care for. Based on statistics, she has a 1 in 5 chance of losing him before he turns five years old. There were many more girls like Patricia. I held a baby that was a month old or so. I asked the mother how old he was, and she replied, "One year." They just don't have a concept of time...and why would it matter in a life like this?

Just a different world! I can get overwhelmed looking at all these people, but then I have to remember that I only have to walk in obedience! God hasn't called me to save Liberia from poverty, He has only called me to obedience, and through my obedience, and your obedience, and the obedience of the Body of Christ called to Liberia, God will save Liberia from the current conditions! And then He will recieve all the glory for it!

So tonight as I lay my head down on a bed in a home filled with children, I am thankful that God has placed this call on my life. It is hard, it is stressful, but it is so important! I love the people of this country, and I am thankful for the opportunity to serve them!

Same Song 5th Verse

This is my fifth trip to Liberia...the story is the same. A few have much while many have little. Those who have much don't seem to care that many have little. I have talked to so many who agree that what we are doing is a good thing. I ask them, if we don't take care of the 59 children in our home, who will? The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare does not have the money to take care of them. Their parents don't have the money to take care of them, that is why they are here! Do these people who are opposing adoption wanting the children to just starve? Is that ok? Why should I be ok with that? Should you be ok with that? But how do I fight it? God has called me to adoption. I have contemplated many times if I can just fund raise and help the people. But God has said no! Adoption is my calling! My passion! But we use what we make in adoption to change the lives of children and adults who are left in Liberia. Why is that a bad thing?

Our opposition is far and wide. Most are "Christians" that we fight. Both in Liberia and in America. How is that? How do people who call themselves followers of Christ work against us when our desire is to feed children and help them. The list of things we have done for Liberia goes on and on...and I hope it continues to go on and on some more! But right now, I have to worry about where the next month's meal and salary money will come from. Will the Ministry of Health help me if I can't feed the children? NO! Will President Sirleaf who put the ban on adoption feed the children next month? NO! It is up to me, ok, not really up to me since God is in total control, but you get the drift. I have to make sure the money is there. And if it is not, find the avenue that God wants to use to bring the money.

But the money is really just a small part. It is also the children who sit here with out a mommy and daddy to tuck them in. I am Mother HollyAnn here at Addy's Hope. When I come to the home at the end of every day, the kids bombard me. They want a hug..they want to hear someone say their name! Their little eyes light up every time I use their name! They want to be someone special! Doesn't every child deserve that? There are 18 families waiting to tell them just how special they are, but because of government and politics, they are not allowed to.

UNICEF and Save the Children would rather see them starve than go to another culture. I have always said, and still believe that the children should reaming with a family member if at all possible! But sometimes, that just can't happen. And with the poverty that is in Liberia, families cannot take in all the children that are in need in this country.

I could go on and on. I just don't understand. I know this is my call...I know there is no walking away from it. I entertain the idea now and then, but I know down deep that God has not released me, and probably will not for quite some time! So I must press on! I must draw closer to God so that I can lean on Him and rely on His wisdom and protection and guidance.

If you are reading this, pray for me. Pray that I would have the perseverance to sustain me even when it seems that nothing is happening. Pray that I would believe with all that is within me that God is working behind the scenes even when I don't see anything happening.

On a lighter note, I had a first this trip...well many firsts, but this one was surreal. I was walking down the hall at the capital and a guy said, "Hey, I saw you on tv last night!" It took me a minute to register, then I said, "Yes you did." I am never quite sure which side of the fence anyone is on with adoption so I didn't know if I was about to get slammed or congratulated. So I just started praying for the right words and attitude whatever remarks came. I am not sure he was totally pro-adoption, but he did say he enjoyed the porgram. I had another press conference, and this time the tv station was here. It was mainly on adoption education. There is still so much ignorance here about adoption. As the Liberians say, we have to change the mindset of the people. We will be traveling to some villages to help do just that while I am here. I am excited about that as I can meet more Liberians and get out of the Monrovia area to where the real need is.

I also had another first. I did a live radio interview. That was a little unnerving, but God was so faithful and gave me the words I needed. I even saw one of the government officials that I had talked to the day before in an elevator after the interview and she said she heard it. I kind of held my breath, but let it out when she said, "I was pleased with what was said!" Yes!

Headed to bed! I am going to take tomorrow to visit with some of the people I am trying to help...the people who have nothing in Liberia! I so want to improve their quality of life!

By the way...as I type this, I am listening to Barney as 30 some-odd Liberian children sing, "Clean up, Clean up, Everybody, Every where!" Got to love it! :)

Hello From Liberia!

Well, I am in Liberia! Sweating and laughing! I had a press conference today. I will be on tv tonight here in LIberia, but we don't have a tv, so I will not see it! :) I have a live radio interview in the morning...pray for me! We are trying to spread the word about adoption...what adoption is and isn't!

Pray for us tomorrow! It is a big day! We see God doing miracle after miracle! We give him thanks for that!

I'm headed to bed as I am exhausted!

God's sense of humor

Ok, I really don't have time to post, but since I work alone, sometimes I just need to post so someone hears me! :) And the irony of my day today just had to be shared!

So I am leaving for Liberia soon...haven't posted about it as I have many enemies that try to block my work in Liberia, so I need to keep them guessing right now!

But I really needed to work today. Lost on my "to-do" list to prepare for a trip, and this is a day when the little ones are in Children's Day Out. But God, in his sense of humor that I really don't understand most times, sees fit to allow Toben to come down with a stomach virus today. So about 20 minutes after I arrived at the office, I get a call that he has thrown up. So I pick him up and now at home working and loving on my sick boy!

The irony is that I am literally calling government officials inbetween pukes! It just hit me as hilarious..I actually laughed out loud! Only a mommy can find herself calling Liberia and Congress while cleaning up puke! You mommies out there can relate, I am sure! :)

What can I say?

I know you might think you have the cutest toddlers in the world, but I have to tell you...you are wrong! hee!hee! Because I have the cutest toddlers in the world! Take a look for yourself!



Recognize the bear??? That is "Lonely Bear", only we have had to change his name to Mr. Bear because he is no longer lonely! How could he be with a hug like that wrapped around him? Is that not the sweetest thing you have ever seen????!!! I am a blessed momma!

Experiencing God

I am always amazed (not sure why when I think about who God is?!) that God places exactly the right words at exactly the right time to speak into my life whether through friends, Bible Study or what I am reading. There could not have been a better lesson for today than where I am in Experiencing God. So here are the highlights!

God is interested in the World's coming to know Him. The only way people will know what God is like is to see Him at work in their world. They will know His nature when they see it expressed in His activity. Whenever God involves you in His activity, the assignment will have Godlike dimensions to it....When people see something happen only God can do, they come to know God.

What our world often witnesses today is a devoted, committed Christian or church serving God. But they are not seeing God. They don't see anything happening that can be explained only in terms of God's activity. Why? Because we are not attempting anything that only God can do.

The reason much of the world is not being attracted to Christ and to His church is that God's people lack the faith to attempt things only God can do.....If people in your community are not responding to God the way they did in the New Testament, one possible reason is that they are not recognizing God in what you are doing as a church. God is far more concerned with your walking with Him than He is interested in getting a job done for Him.

~Experiencing God by Henry & Richard Blackaby: Unit 5, Day 3

If you have never done this study, I HIGHLY recommend it! But only if you want to be challenged in your faith and obedience to a God sized God!

Which is a great segway to THE CONTAINER FOR THE ORPHANAGE PROJECT SHIPS TODAY! Yes, the President put a hold on all adoptions on Monday & yes, adoptions fund the care of the orphans that will go in the building that is in the container & yes, adoptions and donations will fund the school that will be built with the materials in the container.....so what does that mean.....THIS IS A GOD-SIZED event! Can't wait to see what He does and pray that He draws those closer to Him that are watching it all unfold!

When God seems far away and our prayers bounce off the ceiling, we can give in to despair, or we can keep holding on to heaven in simple trust.
~Sheila Walsh Life is Tough but God is Faithful

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! :)

Friends....

yes, it has been a tough month! But it all seemed to melt away last night when my friend Tracy surprised me last night! She came over and took me to dinner! My wonderful husband kept our four kids and Tracy's little girl who is close to Ava's age and Tracy treated me to dinner out!

Tracy and I met in high school. We reconnected after we ended up in the same Sunday School class right after John and I married. She threw my baby shower for Callie! We have both moved several times since then, but always stayed in touch as she comes "home" to see her parents and always takes time to see me! What a true friend!!! I have not been so great to do that when I lived off! But Tracy and I have one of those friendships where we can not talk for months and when we do again, we just pick up right where we left off! It is pretty amazing!

Last night we both shared our hard times and good times since last we met...but most importantly we just laughed! Well maybe not most importantly, because Tracy said so many things that God used to encourage me. She refocused me on what is important..she encouraged me in my work, my marriage, my home!

So Tracy, THANK YOU!!!!! And God THANK YOU for Tracy! I often say on here that John and I have no friends....that really is not true! We don't have friends that we get together with often, but God has blessed us with amazing people whose relationships stand the test of time and miles!

Tracy, God used you to refuel me yesterday! I feel ready to conquer the world today, which is good because I have some letter to write, AND Bush is coming home! So the P-trees are going to see the President! The kids get out of school early, and I have to leave the office because roads are being shut down....I figure it is a once in a lifetime experience to be the first to great an Ex-President as he leaves office, so we will go sit for four hours to see him for about 30 minutes! :)

What a difference a year makes....

One year ago today John and I boarded a plane for Liberia. We were going to pick up our son. That is what John and HollyAnn, the parents were doing. HollyAnn, the director of an agency, was also meeting three other families to bring their children home. Little did we know what we were entering!

One year later, I wish I could walk away from it all. I wish I could have rejoiced in getting Toben home and gone on to live our lives. I wish I could send a check on gotcha day to some organization that is working in Liberia, reflect on the miracles we saw to bring Toben home, stay in touch with a few adoptive parents, and live our lives...

But I am reminded daily that the above wishes are not possible. One year later, I am still fighting a government to be able to help its own people. I am being told by their own government officials to fight with all I have and "hit them where it hurts" because that is the only way they will listen. Oh God, what have you called me to....

Then I pick up books like Shela Walsh's Life is Tough But God is Faithful. And these are the lessons God is teaching me:

"There is something built into every human being that says, "I have rights!" When we read in Romans 12:1 that all Christians are "living sacrifices," it sounds so noble. We hold on to that wonderful thought without ever wondering what the implications might be. When Paul used the words living sacrifices, he meant something much different from the old system.

In the Old Testament, a lamb was not consulted as to how it felt about being offered as a sacrifice. It was simply slaughtered and laid on the altar to be consumed by the fire. But in the New Testament - the New Covenant - we are living sacrifices. the trouble is, a living sacrifice can crawl off the altar when it gets too hot. God could have preprogrammed us as robots who serve Him without choice, but instead He has given us the ability to choose.

The more I walk with the Lord, the more I understand that every day of my life, for the rest of my walk on this earth, I can choose t stay on the altar or to crawl away. When the heat is turned up, I can crawl off and say, "Well, this is not what I signed up for. I thought that this would make me feel good. I thought that all my prayers would be answered, but it seems as if God has turned a deaf ear to my cry."

"Turning Point: When the heat of problems and pain burns into our very souls, we can crawl away and hide when it gets too hot, or we can choose to be living sacrifices who stay on the altar for His sake."

I can choose to believe what it seems, or believe the truth that God never leaves us or forsakes us...I can choose to walk away from the call, climb off the alter, or I can remain even though the heat is hot. The world says I can come off the alter, live a "good" life, and I will still go to heaven. That is true. I have accepted Christ as my Savior..I am sealed with the Holy Spirit..nothing can take that away....I will go to heaven. But is heaven the goal? Or is glorifying God the goal? You know, in all honesty, there have been many days this past two weeks that I can say heaven would be just fine with me! I know I am sealed! Now lets have fun!!!! But I also know that the second I walk in disobedience, there will be a God given sorrow that will put a wedge in my relationship with Him. The first time I went through a major crisis of belief after I came home from Sierra Leone without Eden, I knew that this closeness with God, this intimate relationship with Him, is what I want most out of life. So I look at that spiritual marker, that "stone of remembrance" and know I have to press on! Walking away, crawling off the altar is not a choice. I just ask that God will give me the sanity to make it through this crisis of belief and the wisdom to know what steps to take.

And I pray that next year, at least in this battle, it will be behind us, and we will be rejoicing in what God is doing in Liberia!

Toben's Party

Here are some pics from Toben's party! We had a blast! He was so cute! He lit up like a light bulb when he saw his friends arrive! I think everyone had a good time...and I didn't have to clean my house since it was at Chuck E. Cheese's! :)


Doesn't get any sweeter than this!

Yes, that is me in the tubes with the little ones! :) My Dad didn't think Ava should go up in them with out an adult, so I climbed up there!

New Quote

Two words in a Christian's language cannot go together, "No, Lord." If you say no to God, He is not your Lord. ~Henry Blackaby

Happy Birthday Toben!

Today is my precious baby boy's birthday! He is four today. Wow, four! That is really bitter sweet. I mourn the three years I missed of his life! I wonder what he looked like as a baby? Did he sleep good? I will never regain those years....but in some way, I think God uses that to help me get just a small glimpse of what Toben mourns in leaving everything he knew to come to America and be a part of our family. It is the closest thing I will ever have to trying to relate.

This past year has been a whirlwind! So many trials and struggles...and yet Toben hasn't been any of those! He has adjusted amazingly well! He is just amazing! He is perfectly bonded, and I am getting there! His sweet smile and contagious laugh have been such a bright spot in our home...and I look forward to many more years of those!

My Precious Toben,

God is good! That is what your name means! Oh how true that is and oh how God has used you to drive home that fact! You have born way too much weight for a little boy! You carried four years of broken adoption dreams for me. Yet, you have bore them like a champ! God has used you to heal many wounds left when Eden didn't come home. You fulfilled a life-long dream of a multi-racial family! I never thought that it would be possible to forget that you are "different"...yet I find myself looking down and being shocked that a dark brown boy stands next to me! You are just my son now!

I know the years ahead may have challenges as you grow into the man God desires you to be...questions about why you are different, why you were born half a world away, why you were brought here? I don't have the answers to those, but I do know that I will be eternally grateful that God saw fit to put you here! What an awesome blessing to be your mommy!

God has big plans for you my Obie! You wear your name proudly! I pray that I will be all the mommy you need as you go through the bumps and trials of growing up in this lost world. I look forward to many more birthdays with you....celebrating the life God gave you and preserved and brought to us! May God bless you my little man! I love you!

Love,

Mommy

We will be celebrating at Chuck E. Cheese tonight with a power ranger birthday as requested! :)

I won!

I never win anything! But my sweet friend Jodi says she "blemished" one of the bags she gets from Africa, so she did a give away on her blog...and I won it! I can't wait to see it in person! I will wear it proudly!

My African Boy!

Today at Callie and Noah's basketball games, I ran into a friend of mine who has an amazing ministry! One day I need to share her story here! She is the mother of 7 African-American children. She is anglo. Her children were born here in the US...they are "domestic" in adoption terms.

When she came over to talk to me, her 3 year old little girl came with her. We introduced Toben and her little girl. Her little girl said, "hello", and Toben said to this precious dark brown girl sitting on her white momma's lap with the biggest grin on his face, "I am from Africa, too!"

Please help the starving children!

I have a dear friend whom I have never met face to face...in fact, I wouldn't know her if she walked up to me right now. However, she is a kindred spirit! She has pulled me up out of the pit many times in the work that I do, and I am thankful that God brought her into my life.

She is the Ghana country coordinator for AAI. She is leaving later this month for a trip to Ghana. She has become aware of an orphanage there that has many children and no food. The children are literally starving! Can you help? Go to her blog for all the details and instructions on how to make a donation. Five dollars doesn't sound like a lot, but in Ghana, it will go a long way....so even if you can only give five or ten dollars, please do it.

"the righteous is concerned with the rights of the poor" Proverbs 29:7

"He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13

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Siiiiiiiigh......

Somedays you just wonder if God has turned your world upside down for a reason, or He just likes to play with you. Having a couple of those days. Ready to be back on top, but can't seem to get myself up there! Can't wait until the day I see Jesus Face to Face and all this world is behind me!

Haven't done my Bible study yet today....need to.....not really wanting to talk to the Big Man right now....pretty upset with Him.....wonder where He is right now....know all the right answers, but having a hard time convincing my heart that it is all true!

Waiting

You all may get sick of Experiencing God, but man it is rocking my world and teaching me so much! I think of many of you on the adoption journey when I read things in it....as I have to apply them to myself as I walk through all the adoptions I am responsible for also!

Today's lesson was on hearing God. One of my biggest struggles is am I hearing God, or is that my voice? One of the paragraphs really hit home in today's lesson, so I wanted to share it with all of you. Praying that if you are in a waiting pattern for anything in your life, this will encourage you! It did me! I can apply this to just about every area of my life right now....

"If you do not have clear instructions from God in a matter, pray and wait. Learn patience. Depend on God's timing, which is always right and best. Don't get in a hurry. He may withhold directions to cause you to seek Him more intently. Don't try to skip over the relationship to start doing something. God is more interested in a love relationship with you than He is in what you can do for Him. If God is having you wait, He may want to develop a deeper relationship with you before He gives you your next assignment. He may have you wait because the timing is not yet right." ~Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby

Wow!

Happy New Year!

I am three days late posting this! Doesn't seem like that be on time thing will be happening this year either! :) Oh well! Better late then never is my motto!

A wonderful friend of mine took these pictures while I was in Liberia. These are two of my favorites! Her name is Sarah Stepan, and she has just started doing photography professionally. She nannied for us while I was gone and she and John surprised me with the pictures when I got home. These are going on the Happy New Year cards I am sending out (since I didn't get Christmas cards out!)...

Here is the P-tree clan...we are running together into 2009!