Thursday, January 29, 2009

What makes you smile?




There are a lot of things that make me smile. My faith, my marriage, my family, chocolate, sunsets, the ocean. So if you were to ask me what makes me smile I could not give you one answer. My faith, my relationship with God makes this life on earth awesome. I know, to put it bluntly things suck right now, but when you have God in your life you can still have joy and hope and that makes me smile. When I look at how He has blessed my life how can I not smile? I sure didn't deserve it but because of his amazing grace I am blessed and therefor I smile.
When I look at my kids faces, yes no matter how old they are they are still kids to me, but when I look into their faces I see 6 amazing gifts. Six gifts that God blessed my life with through birth and adoption. Now that makes me smile!
If you ever came to my house you would see it is comfortable but not fancy by any means. It isn't filled with super nice things but it is filled with lots of love.
My van is 9 years old. When I am in our van and my kids and grand kids are laughing and singing, I smile. When I see my husband melt when he looks at our daughters, I smile. He gets this look that I only see when he looks at them. When our sons are over and they are watching football with their dad and yelling at the refs and players on the other team (like they really can hear them) I smile. When my sons text me and it starts with "momma" I smile. When I look at my three daughters sleeping so peacefully I smile.
There are a lot of things we can be upset about. I could sit here all day and make a list of problems, concerns and worries and how bad things are in the world. If I did that I would be wasting precious time. Besides the worry lines are not becoming at all. Don't get me wrong I have my bad days, but most of the time I choose to smile and be happy. It is a choice.
And if anyone reading this thinks "sure easy for her" I would like to set the record straight. I have lived through hell. Things happened that I choose not to talk about, but even when I was a little girl and before I became a christian I made the choice to break the cycle and make a difference. It is a choice.
I hope today that you choose too be happy and smile!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Two Years ago Today


A little girl landed in America and into the hearts of her new forever family. I had already had the honor of spending time with her and getting to know her for almost 3 1/2 weeks in Vietnam. She walked from the plane and ran into her daddys arms! It was amazing. She smiled at everyone at the airport like she had just been gone on a short trip.
I remember when God laid on my heart to adopt again I thought I must of misunderstood. Mike, my husband thought I was nuts. But I kept listening to God as He spoke to my heart. I had become open to the idea, actually excited, but my husband was waiting for a word from God. Almost 2 years later (I can't tell you how tired I was of this) God said "Elaine tell Mike you are my messenger" I did and Mike said OK! What a blessing we would have missed out on. My point? Keep on keeping on if you are sure it is something God is asking you to do. Even if it seems fruitless at times because in His perfect time it will all come together.
Kennedy never ceases too amaze me. She is so smart, so kind and good and has everyone who meets her wrapped around her little finger. The one thing that she does that knocks me over is she is so grateful about everything. Well until last Friday night we had a little issue but most of the time she doesn't take anything for granted. So for this older mom, this little one has been a blessing in more ways than I can explain.
By the way this isn't Kennedy's Gotcha Day, that was January 10Th, today we celebrate the day she came home.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

We are crazy!

Last Monday the kids were out of school so my friend Dayna and myself decided to take the girls and her son Kooper, my future son in law to Chick-fil-A for lunch. That place is always packed. Kennedy and Kooper went into the play area but because some parents let their kids who are older and bigger play in the LITTLE KID PLAY AREA as in "if you are this high you can't play in here", our little darlins couldn't. So we decided to go to the park. It was so cold but it didn't bother the kids at all. FYI we were all sick later that night.

Krazy Kooper!

Kennedy loves to swing

Cameron wasn't so sure about the cold

I think my mom and Dayna are crazy and now I don't feel good at all!

Sorry Jordan!xoxoxox

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Hi/Lo Thursday!

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts.
My hi this week was having lunch Sunday with 17 wonderful family and friends after church.
My lo this week was when my son called and told us he will be deployed the 10th and not the 15. Only 5 days difference but a life time to me.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

President Obama

Or as Kennedy says Rock Obama. I have posted before about President Obama. I stated it doesn't matter what you think about him but if you are a Christian it is your responsibility to pray for him. He has been left a mess. A huge mess. One of the biggest messes I can remember. President Obama along with the rest of our people in government need our prayers everyday.
As I was watching the inauguration the one thing I kept hearing was "he will need to get us out of this or that." I hope the people of the United States and the rest of the world remember Pres. Obama is a man. A mortal man. He is not God. The fact is this, it is going too take all of us working together to get out of this mess and that will only happen if we turn to God.
I was fortunate enough to be raised in a time when you got a tear in your eye or a lump in your throat when you heard the Pledge of Allegiance or the Star Spangle Banner, when a new President was sworn into office and it didn't matter if you liked who was voted in or not you respected the position. I was raised when prayer in school and before games were a given. Some in America have asked God to leave our public and government offices and our schools and it seems He has. Things keep going down hill, now look at the mess we are in. The cool thing about God is all we have to do is ask Him back and He will be there in a heartbeat. We are suffering the consequences of greed, self entitlement, political correctness and the me syndrome.
It is what it is.
I do not judge a person by their name, religion, color or beliefs. Actually I try (not always succeeding sad too say) not to judge a person at all. Sadly a lot of Christians have judged President Obama. My friends he does not need our judgement he needs our prayers. I loved both prayers said yesterday at the inauguration. When you pray for our President pray for safety for him and his family, pray for wisdom, discernment,strength and calmness.Pray that he will turn to the one who created us. He has been handed a lot but as it is spoken in the bible "All things are possible with God."

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Birthdays

Last week I celebrated my birthday. At some point I decided I may grow older but I am not going to become older. I thought about the age I loved the most and I am staying there. After much thought I have chosen the age of 40. It was when I turned 40 that everything collectively came together. My walk with God was getting much better ( I had only been a christian for 3 years) I had come to terms with things in my past, my marriage was awesome, I had 3 great sons and we were getting ready to adopt our first daughter, I had friendships that I valued and I began to like who I was. It was just a great age.
I believe age is a state of mind. You are as young or as old as you choose to be.
You can look 90 but if you feel 30 then that is what counts. Sure you will have the noticeable affects, gray hair, trifocals, rooster neck, wrinkles, your boobs pointing south, things like that are going to happen. The point is that life is what you make it.
Personally I have had to deal with a lot, more than most people will ever know, but I made a choice. That choice was to make the best of this one life God gave me.
So celebrate your birthday! You can choose to stay at a certain mental age or keep going on. Celebrate this life God gave you. It is the best birthday gift you could have.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Can you say mammogram?

I had my yearly mammogram today. I have mine on or close to my birthday. Kind of a present to myself. BUT I want to talk about this process. Don't get me wrong I am soooo grateful for them. But I have to say I kind of wonder who thought of it. I think maybe a husband who was mad at his wife. Anyway it had to be a man.
Ok, first of all you can't wear deodorant before you have one. The one time you are going to sweat like a hog and you can't wear deoderant! Then you get to the radiologist and go into a very small room where you are told to undress from the waist up. They now have this little cape with one snap in the front. I felt like "Mammogram Woman" I mean you already feel silly now you have to wear a cape. A new thing I experienced today is they now put these pretty little band aids on YOUR nipples. Ok,like that isn't awkward. Supposedly this gives the Dr or radiologist a focus of which way the boob is going. I find this very concerning. You can't tell which way the boob is going? I see my x-rays and I know which way they are pointing! Personally I think the tech puts them on for a laugh. Cape pulled back, bandaids on now you step up and the tech grabs your boob and moves it around on this cold glass plate like it is play dough. They shape it anyway they want too. Then you are suppose to lay back and relax the shoulder opposite of the boob that is being flattened like a pancake, hold your breath and pray to God you do not pass out! Then you hear those dreaded words "we have to take that one over again." Of course you do. Let's not forget there are the many different poses. You kind of feel like you are getting a mug shot! When all is said and done you and your cape go back to a room the size of a small closet where they offer deodorant, get dress, go on and pray that no lumps are found.

SAVE THE BOOBIES! THINK PINK!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Happy Gotcha Day Kennedy!


Two years ago today I was in Vietnam. A beautiful 2 1/2 year old girl was placed in my arms and I became her mommy forever. She had a huge family waiting in America for her. Kennedy has blessed our lives so much. She is kind, funny, sweet, loving, smart and outgoing. Sometimes I will watch her sleep and I am overwhelmed at the love I have for my little one. She has been a blessing and I am so happy God chose her for our family.
Happy Gotcha Day sweetie! You are loved! momma

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Adoption

Who was the first to adopt?.... give up? God, that's who! I think that is so awesome! Yup, I am adopted by God the Father. I love it.
I have been thinking a lot about adoption lately. Maybe it is because Jan 10th it will be two years since Kennedy was placed in my arms in Vietnam. Maybe it's because Jan 11th I will be "older" and unless a miracle happened I will be to old to adopt. Not that I am planning on it, it just the fact it seems so final. I have a huge issue with age limits on adoption. Age does not the parent make! It is the heart. Anyway it gets to me. My husband and I do not plan on adopting again, but if the opportunity was to present itself I would hate for age to be the reason a child could not have a loving home. How sad.
I have been blessed to give birth to four babies. One is in heaven and the other three, our sons are all grown up and on their own. When we decided to adopt they had a say in the decision and they were all for it. Same thing second time. The third time our second to oldest was not thrilled at all, the other two were fine with it, but not him. He came by about 2 days after I came home with Kennedy and it was love at first sight. Adoption changes hearts.
Sadly it is getting harder and harder to adopt. This breaks my heart. No matter what the requirements are or who sets them, the agency or the country, there will always be orphans and there will always be couples/families who desire to adopt them, but the more hurdles they have to jump, the more doors slammed in their face the more likely they will just give up. Of course there needs too be rules, background checks and some cost, but sometimes the rules are so crazy and strict that many potential parents feel defeat before they even apply!
It would be my prayer that someday countries and agencies would come together and realize that adoption is a matter of the heart.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

How Beautiful!

Today was a picture perfect day! 78 degrees in January! We spent most of the day outside just doing stuff. It was incredible. It was so awesome that around dusk I went out on our balcony to take in the beautiful sunset and I looked up and saw the most perfect star and a beautiful crescent moon. It took my breath away. I began too pray and thank God for all His blessings and for never giving up on me when I know I have failed in my walk with Him. As I took in all of this beauty all I could think was "Lord, how beautiful you are." That star, the moon and sunset, the breeze, those are all Him and they are all beautiful.
I know a week from today when Dusitn leaves it is going to be hard, but I remember a couple of years ago when God spoke to me and said "I will take care of him" that it gave me a peace beyond understanding. I am having faith in that promise.
I hope that you will take a moment an drink in His beauty.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year 2009!


I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years. I am looking forward to the 2009. I can't believe 2 years ago today I was finishing up my packing for Vietnam. It seems like forever ago. I took a look back at the blog I kept for our journey to Kennedy and I marvel at how God pulls everything together in His perfect time. I always say He never suprises me but He always amazes me!
My biggest "self" prayer this year will be for Dustin to come home safe from his deployment to Iraq.
My prayer for all who read my blog is too have a blessed and peaceful New Year and if you don't know Jesus ask Him into your heart and you will be amazed!