My brother Isaac

I wanted to share the blessing that we received today all in God's most perfect timing. My brother, Isaac, or "Izeeka" as I like to say, is OUT of IBESR. Just in time for my Mom to leave in a couple hours on her way to visit Isaac and give him all our love.

Thank you Lord. You never let us down and always know what we need right when we need it.

Love,

Angelina

Ella's Birthday Cakey

I have been trying to figure out this new camera and I got some great video of Ella and her cake. I hope that I will be able to upload it soon. (I think that it might be too big.)

Ella really enjoyed her cake of course.

Happy Birthday Christella!!

Christella's Family... a thank YOU

The letter that Lori translated for Christella's Mom.

Hello Friends,

I am Guerda, the mother of Christella. Christella was a baby that I had without pain and when I was pregnant with her I never felt a thing and I was never sick. It was when she was born, I saw that she had something on her back that was giving a lot of pus (fluid). I didn't deliver her in the hospital. When she was born at 11pm and I saw her back, we ran with her and took her to Bernard Mevs Hospital because we were very scared for her. When I got to the hospital, there wasn't a doctor there. There wasn't any beds either, but the nurses looked at her. They said that there was no doctor right then but the nurses all agreed that they would hold her until morning when the doctor would come.

He said that they couldn't do anything. After that, I went to my house. This gave me many problems when they told me that they could do nothing for my child. The next day, I left my house very early so that I could go to another hospital called St. Catherines Hospital in Cite Soley, Port-au-Prince. This hospital didn't even receive her. They sent me to General Hospital, which is the big government hospital. At that time the General Hospital was on strike and they weren't really working. They told me that they couldn't do anything for her because that day they had 5 children die in the hospital. After that I was obligated to return to Bernard Mevs hospital. It was then that I found a doctor that said he would admit Christella to the hospital. Then he told me that she needed an operation, I asked how much money I had to give him. That doctor told me that I had to give him $5000 Haitian dollars (US$675). I told the doctor that I couldn't ever give him that much money because I didn't have it. Then he humiliated and made fun of me in front of many people. He said that he would never do anything for me or Christella. He never took care of her again.

I had to leave the hospital, but I still came back. After some time, a doctor wanted to operate, but he couldn't see in what way he would do the operation. He sent me back to my house again. After that, I just asked God what to do for my child because I didn't have any money. I didn't have anything at all. I couldn't work and care for my 2 year old twin girls. My husband couldn't find work. All I could do was pray because I had nothing else. It was during that time that her back healed and didn't have any fluid coming out of it again.

After some time, it opened back up again. I took her several other places and I can't even remember them all. Her back would leak fluid off and on throughout all of these months. I finally told Christella's godmother that I wanted to try to go to a hospital of white people with her. She responded that she would take me to a distant village called Kazale where there were good white people that believed in God and help people a lot.

Without even thinking, I said let's go with her now. When I got to Kazale, I found the white people's clinic. The man at the gate looked at her and let us in. When I got inside the clinic, they made a chart and they the white lady look at her. She sent me to Healing Hands. The doctor said that he would never touch my child. He said that if she was operated on she would die. I chose not to listen to him because he was encouraging me to give up and let her die. I couldn't lose hope.

I returned to the Kazale clinic and they made a way for Christella to have an operation for water on her brain. They put in a tube that has helped her a lot. He couldn't believe that she lived. After she was discharged from the hospital, I went back to Kazale to see Lori. Christella's back was leaking and she wasn't doing very well. Lori took some pictures and gave me some medicine. I took Christella home and gave her the medicine and put cream on her back. It healed up and stopped leaking. Lori called me that weekend and told me that she wanted to get Christella's birth certificate and come to Kazale on Sunday. I did that and she told me that there were some very good white people trying to help Christella by finding a hospital and doctor that could do the surgery for free.

On Monday we started doing all the paperwork. I couldn't believe it was all happening so fast. The white people said she needed an operation quickly and that they were going to do all that they could to get her to go to the United States so that an operation could be done. When she told me that I was very happy because I saw that God was doing HIS work for my child.

I don't recognize your face and I could never pay you for the services that you are donating for me child and my family, but God in Heaven will repay you.

Many, Many Thanks.

Helande's Family... a Thank YOU

This letter came with Helande's paperwork. Lori translated for little Bugs Mama and I thought that it was important to share with all you prayer warriors out there!

Dear Supporters,

I am Rosemene, the mother of Helande. I gave birth at my house in the area of Lacoupe Madigra. When I finished delivering her, I saw my child was born wiht a ball on the back of her head. When I saw this, I went to the Sodo Hospital with her. The doctor said that he couldn't do anything for my child. After that, they sent me to the Kanje Hospital, but I didn't go. I preferred to come to the Grace Health Center in Kazale. When I came to the clinic, they sent me to Healing Hands Hospital. When I got there, they did a consultation for her and they said that they couldn't do anything for her. When I was finished passing in all of these places and they said that they couldn't do anything for my baby girl, Lori said that she would create a way to find a contact with someone so my child could go and get an operation in another country for her head. After Lori told me that they found a good doctor who would do the operation for my girl, I was so very, very, very happy because now I had a hope that my child could be helped and saved. I tell God thank you before everyone. I thank Lori and I thank every person that I don't even know that gave us this big grace, this big favor. Thank you for the expenses and sacrifices that you are giving to help my baby and our family. You are doing this so that my child will have life. I believe that God will give you reward and repay you on my behalf. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Can I get a sip of that?

I was trying to decide if I should title this post:

1. God's true test of how much one person can take

2. Sick, Sick, and sicker

But

3. Can I get a sip of that? was the big winner

Nina:

My sister always gives all her sips away. Any meandering hand that might reach for a sip, she hands over her cup and allows whomever to drink from it.

This is how her life has been for weeks now. And I admit whole hearted that I have been right there in line taking sips. Nina is my rock, I am the liquid and despite her sip giving, she is my solid. She always has five minutes to run this or that errand and never complains to me even when my day has been long and I am being a grouch. Well yesterday Nina ran out of sips to give. She woke up at 4:30am with chest pain. After calling her doctor and making an appointment, she left for work. One of two jobs that she was planning to do yesterday (along with feeding and caring for her horse, and two children, hubby was out of town with work)... at 11am she went to the doc and had a bad EKG. Some nitro glycerine, asprin and an ambulance to the ER later... I found her laying in a hospital bed being poked and pricked and prodded. A 2nd EKG looked normal... MRI questionable... Cardiac intensive care for the night it was for Nina. Nina is 40, healthy, non-smoker, not overweight... why was this happening? They put her on heparin for the night and waited to see how she would do. At this point the panic set in. Why were they keeping her in ICU if they "thought" she was ok?

This morning she had a stress test and another MRI. She did so well on her stress test that they discharged her from the hospital with the warning to take it easy, and de-stress her life as much as possible. I am not sure that they can pinpoint exactly what was causing her chest pain and numb arm, but her chest feels better now, and they know she didn't have a heart attack. Please keep Nina in your prayers, I know that this was a wake up call for her and maybe God was just throwing out the warning note that she needs to stop giving all her sips away all the time.

Christella:

Ella finished her Bactrim and two days later, once again, got a fever. I emailed with Dr. A. and Lori to try to figure out what to do. She just had an on and off low grade fever earlier in the week. So with the help of "B" the spina bifida nurse, and Dr. T. (the local doc), we were able to execute Dr. A's plan to put Ella on a intermittent catheritization plan. It is thought that since Ella keeps having UTI's/Bladder infections, she is not fully emptying her bladder. So every 3-4 hours we have to put in a catheter and let it drain. This was an enormous worry because A. I am not really sure where the urethra is :) and B. How will her parents be able to manage all this in Haiti? (It's "clean", not "sterile"... but still... you need clean water and time and training of sorts.)

So we figured out how to do it, where to buy supplies, got them ordered and here, then figured out how we were going to get enough stuff back with us to Haiti etc. Then we had to find her urethra... we ran back and forth from the bathroom to the computer to look at the diagram. The first time was really tricky and it's been smooth sailing since then.

So with the cathing and with a daily dose of prophylactic antibiotic, we thought that we would be able to keep her healthy and clear up some of the troubles that she is having.

Happy Birthday Christella!

Yesterday Ella had her first birthday. Not a good day between my sister and her fever, it was more of a struggle then a celebration. At 10pm her fever was 105 and I was about to panic. Bob and I pushed fluids and some motrin and monitored her to make sure that she didn't start having febrile seizures. It was a Friday night and what else could we do?

The fever went down fairly fast and this morning was only 101 (8 hour later without more meds)... but I was feeling SO unsettled and uneasy. How can I take her back to Haiti being so sick without all the answers? Well I just can't!

So this morning we went to Urgent Care and gave all the long and involved medical history and after a urine sample, it was determined that she definitely has an infection. They sent more urine out for a 2 day culture, but feel that the bacteria is resistant to the Bactrim she has been on. They said given her high fevers, she liked has a kidney infection. (So it spread from her UT, to her Bladder to her kidneys.)

The Urgent care Doctor asked me FOUR times when I was planning to take her back to Haiti (we are getting really close) and with my reply he just stared for a minute and rolled his eyes.

Please Lord let Ella be fever free and ready to travel ASAP!!! I want her to be healthy when I give her to her Mama!!

D.A.:

D.A. is a little girl, well not so little but a 12 year old girl that I care for. I am not going to be able to go into too much details right now but she lives with her single dad and is having a HARD time in life. She has been exposed to way too much at her young age and acts out (not when she's here but at school and her dad's) and got suspended indefinitely from school last week. Given that I am leaving SOON and not able to "share my sips" adequately right now, today was the last day until I am back and settled that I can care for D.A. I am not sure what her dad is going to do, and I pray that her counselor is able to get her back in school soon.

Wondering about my sip:

*(Always have to think of me!)*

So while I was away on my travels my sister was supposed to be here with my children. My husband is home but gone 12 hours per day or longer at work. (M-F, sometimes Sat.) Given that the good "money making" time is about over with the weather for his job, and things are about to get "tighter" here. Now is not a good time for him to miss work, but if he has to, we will work it out. I can't heap my life on my sister right now, so we are praying that my Mom is able to fly in from Ohio maybe a day or two after I leave. My Mom is really good about not sharing "sips" though. LOL (NOT in a bad way, in a... "her children need to learn to take care of themselves better" sort of way.) But I hope she can share some sips right now. :)

So hopefully it will all work out that my Mom and her dog "Sasha" will be here to help out. Or else we will resort to plan B. (Begging friends and neighbors for assistance.)

I just don't like feeling as if a red, waving flag telling me that this trip isn't a good idea. So maybe from here on out the packing and settling and rest of the planning that should have taken place over the past week, will take place, without any more glitches, illnesses, hospitalizations etc. Ok?

Done.

Sarah

P.S. Cute picture of Kylie (kims daughter) and Lulu from the circus. :)

Isaac

Another parent took these pictures of Isaac while she was at COTP recently. Thank you SO much for the adorable pictures, they gave me many smiles. :)

Love,
Sarah

Going to Haiti

After debating the options Kim and I decided that we would make a plan to take the girls home to Haiti. And it's going to be VERY SOON. So we have lots of planning and packing to do and we are truly excited about this adventure.

God's hand is already at work.

We emailed to ask if it would be OK to come to COTP for a couple days to visit our boys/help out and got an email back that from the director of COTP who is going to be in Port WITH ISAAC the same day that we arrive and the day our flight goes from PAP to CAP. (From one side of Haiti to the other.) Isaac will be having his INS appointment that day. What a wonderful blessing it will be to have D. and Isaac with us during part of our travels... and it's an exciting distraction away from leaving the girls.

Thank you Lord!!!

More soon.

Blessings,
Sarah

P.S. I will be trying my best to get my camera repaired this week. If any parents have any special picture requests while I am at COTP let me know!! :)

I'm Invisible

A dear friend sent this to me and I thought I would share it with all the Invisible Women out there.


It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response,the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone andask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm onthe phone?" Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because noone can see me at all. I'm invisible. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm noteven a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guideto answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Rightaround 5:30, please."I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and theeyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter.

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the returnof a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip,and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sittingthere, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hardnot to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-styledress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashedhair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smellpeanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned tome with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It wasa book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'dgiven it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which Icould pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we haveno record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will eversee it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost asif I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices youmake every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you'vedone, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me tonotice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't seeright now what it will become."At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness.It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspectivewhen I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I 'd built a shrine or amonument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there isanything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Great Job, MOM

A bit of this... a bit of that...

My camera is broken and waiting to go to the repair shop. The zoom isn't working and it won't close or even try to take any pictures. So hopefully we can get it fixed and new pictures will be coming soon.

Ella is very sick. Please keep her in your prayers. She has been running a fever since Monday morning. She went to the doc Monday and it seems that she has another UTI... the meds should be kicking in and hopefully her fever will start to come down soon. It does go down as long as I keep the tylenol coming, but it has been as high as 105... now its 102, this morning 104... and last night 103.5. She is miserable so I want to see her get healthy soon! It seems like its been weeks of her on antibiotics for different things. Keep Christella in your prayers. If she isn't better tomorrow, she will be going back to the doctor. (He said give the antibiotics 48 hours to start working and seeing a difference, that's this afternoon... I am hoping we see some positive changes.)

Isaac news: I just heard this morning that IBESR has everything that they need as far as fixing the paperwork goes. They are signing out files again and we are hoping to hear that they will sign us out soon! But no specific news as to when/if that will happen. :(

School: Homeschooling is moving at a snails pace with a sick baby... but this week started the home school classes for the kids. Lauren and David have class two days a week and the other kids on another two days... so it makes for a busy week. L and D are taking the bus 1.5 hour each way to get to and from there. But at least it gives them time to get homework done! Everyone is happy classes have started back up again and they are especially happy to see all their friends of course. I just wish that we lived closer so it wasn't such a haul getting everyone to and from all the time.

Nothing else too newsy happening... we are still waiting on word from Salem as to when we will be taking the babies to her to go home. So I am working on going through clothes, supplies etc. and getting the scrapbooks for the girls done so that everything is ready to go when we get the call. Another big task is getting through the records and paperwork and getting them in order. Praying Ella heals fast before they go home!

Blessings and Happy Wed. :)
Sarah

Jeremy

Here are some recent pictures from Jeremy. Well not really from him, but from his MYspace page. We haven't heard from him directly in weeks now. He must be busy with life and busy figuring out who he is... still. Last we heard he was still in New Orleans and is living in this old house that he might be working on also. He seems to get online daily to check his myspace but isn't replying to our messages.? His 21st birthday is this month and we miss him. Jeremy-if you are reading this we are worried about you. He has been living in New Orleans doing volunteer work for many months now and lives without an income. Some of the pictures of him are from the Rainbow Gathering... he looks happy...

We want to hear from you soon!

Call or email!

Love,

Sarah and Dad

Great Job Salem!!

I just wanted to give Salem a shout out! :)
I copied this from her blog she has been working so hard and I am so proud of her and what she has been able to help put together...

I'm just so excited.
I think I told everyone at one point that I have been in contact with some great people from Operation Smile. We have been working to get surgery for some adults in Haiti that have never had their cleft lips/palates repaired.
Very SOON Operation Smile will be sending a team to Haiti to explore the idea of starting cleft repair trips there. While on this trip though, they wanted to actually do some surgeries so they will (Lord willing!) be doing surgery on some adult cleft patients that Lori (Real Hope for Haiti) has found and given me the information on. I am SOOOO excited and blessed to be a part of this.
PLEASE pray that this goes extra smoothly. A lot has to come together in a short amount of time, but this is such an incredible opportunity for these people in Haiti. Something they probably never dared to hope they might get.
And if you have a minute - pop on over to the Operation Smile website - they are an incredible organization doing amazing things. http://www.operationsmile.org/
Picture: We hope most of these patients can get surgery. Yes, one of them is Schinders father!

Lulu's Prayer

Robert and I have avoided talking about Isaac and the situation in too much detail with the kids. They have all had more than enough loss in their little lives that we don't want to needlessly worry them with woes about their baby brother right now. After I got done with the last post I spotted Lulu out of the corner of my eye, on her knees, talking to someone...

Me: Lulu, who are you talking to?

Lulu: I was just talking to God mom.

Me: What were you talking to God about?

Lulu: I was talking about Isaac.

Me: You were! That's great!

Lulu: I let God know that when Isaac comes home I am going to be SO happy Mom.

Me: Me too Lulu, that is so sweet of you.

Lulu: Because Mom, Isaac is going to stay for MORE than just a couple days right Mom.

Me: Yes, Lulu, Isaac is going to stay forever.

Lulu: He needs to come home soon Mom. Can he sleep in my room?

And with that she gave me a big hug. Sometimes 5 year old's know a lot more than we give them credit for. Thanks Lulu.

Love,

Sarah

Calgon take me away!

We are almost through with the first day of home schooling and about 10 loads of laundry. I also managed to get the picture order (200 pictures) placed for the babies little scrap books of their time here in the states. Kim, Lauren, Grace, David and I will be working on these over the next week or so. Day one, almost over, and only one fit and one set of tears. Sophie.

She woke up in a great mood and was so pumped to take action she could barely choke down a banana for breakfast. (Half of which mysteriously ended up on the floor and she called "Charlotte" over to eat it... the dog.) Sophie jumped right into her work and managed to get it all done well before lunch. (She doesn't procrastinate and she works fast and does a good job too.) I wish that all of the kids had the same amount of motivation that she has. Once she was done with her work she made it her duty to "let everyone know it", by making as much noise and being distracting as humanly possible. She even made herself a half glass of water mixed with a pitcher sized container of Crystal Light pink lemonade, and gagged and ooeed and aaahheed a foot away from where everyone else was working. "Sophie, stop it!" rang out like a loud speaker coming from the crowd. (Note to self: It is OK to give Sophie enough to keep her busy even if its twice as much as everyone else.)

By the time everyone was eating lunch she had placed a poorly written note on my desk regarding the "stupid boobs" that she has to live with and that "Lulu will never help clean her room". I asked her to come over and talk to me, and she came over, grabbed the note and tore it to pieces and threw it. Then changed her clothes, grabbed the hair brush, brushed her hair and put her shoes on. I asked her if she was running away. She told me no, she just "felt like" getting ready to go. (I guess just in case she was going to make the grand escape.) With that she threw the hair brush and slammed her bedroom door shut. She was ticked off. I tried to ignore her for as long as possible but when it came to the point where she was slamming her bunk bed into the wall I had to take action. I carried her to the front porch and asked her to stay outside until she was ready to talk about why she was so mad. An hour has passed and she is still sitting content in the garage.

The best way to describe Sophie is what she says herself: "I hate soft things."

Clothes right out of the dryer, pillows, cashmere, satin, silk: anything soft she can't stand. Welcome to the world of RAD. (Reactive Attachment Disorder)

The babies have slept through the drama after a 2 mile walk with Lauren this morning. And everyone else is just about finished with their work. I am sure that in a matter of moments Sophie will come through the door, apologize and life will resume as normal.

Calgon take me away. May tomorrow be a better day for Miss. Sophie Mo.

Sarah

Sloppy Joes

What a wonderful and weird day here in the wild west. The morning started at 5:30am when after getting poked in the back by Bean's boots long enough I had to get up. Certainly there was some good documentary to watch on demand... yep... sure enough...

The Ghosts of Abu Ghraib

http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/ghostsofabughraib/index.html

Not exactly the kind of thing I want to watch or think about early in the morning, but it was a really great documentary that examined human obedience. I think of situations like slave ownership, concentration camps, and Abu Ghraib and I would like to think that "I would have known better". I would like to think that I would be able to step back and pray and think about the situation and make the right choice, the ethical choice, the just choice and I would do the appropriate thing. Not only would I not partake in such horrific human treatment, but I would step up and do something to help make the situation better. After watching this documentary and thoroughly examining the place where the prison guards were, and the situation that they were in, I no longer knew for sure that I would have done the "right" thing.

Using footage from famous obedience experiments performed at Yale by eminent social psychologist Stanley Milgram in the 1960s, the film suggests that under orders most people are capable of perpetrating inhumane and unjust acts against others.

The footage that was used was intriguing. There was an ad put in the paper recruiting people to partake in an experiment. (Likely for some kind of monetary compensation.) They would bring the people into a booth and have them flick on switches making them think that they were using electrical shock to hurt someone in another room. When they would put even on the lowest voltage there would be screams from the other room. (They were actually testing the person who was flicking the switch and not the shocks, I hope that I am explaining this clearly.) Even at one point there was a man that came into the room and said he wasn't going to do it, he didn't want to hurt this other person that was screaming, he was angry and seemed like he was about to walk out. The person running the experiment (the controller) told the man that he needed to flick the switch. The man said no again and asked "who would be responsible if something bad came to the person receiving the shock"... the controller said that he would take full responsibility... and the man went ahead and started flicking switches despite the pleas and cries from the person "receiving" the electrocution. They said that ALL of the people who came in to partake in the experiment were able to be convinced to flick the switches. Powerful stuff indeed, the human mind and the human soul, and the way that we allow ourselves to be convinced of wrong despite intelligence, upbringing (nature and nurture), and despite will. What I came away with was that I need to take more time to examine the choices that I am making and the reasons that I make them, and to remain firm in ethical conviction. Even when I feel as if other's are taking an unethical lead from their superiors that negatively could impact my family, I need to bow down and pray for them. "Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us." On a lighter note: The rest of the day went great. The "big boys" made it home safely and got right to work on their bedrooms. (We moved the little boys in the big boys room to make a work out room from the little boys room, both BIG rooms, don't feel bad.) But now there is a little more space to run around when its rainy outside. I am thankful that my boys are home and were willing to help work hard today after the long flight from Ohio. Yeah!! We then ran out to the dairy to buy some ice cream for dessert to have after our sloppy Joe's... it's fall weather, you need to eat "fall" food today here. And that will crack up my Ohio friends as I think that every time they came to my house they likely ate sloppy Joe's... what can I say, it's easy and fast to feed a crowd. :) I have two little pray requests: 1. is for my great Aunt Josephine (Bo) who fell while visiting her sister at the nursing home (Aunt Patty), and broke her hip 2. is for my patience while dealing with home schooling Lulu this year, the child is going to test every ounce of patience that I have left in my body, and may be the demise of my home schooling career (she is just as strong willed as they come). Off to get the ice cream out. Happy Labor Day. ~S

Super Sunday

This is what happens when Lauren has too much time on her hands. She is a Tetris freak and since she has beaten the game one too many times, I guess this is what happens with a bag of pretzels. HOME SCHOOLED kids are so fun. :)

lol

Today we spent the day moving furniture and re-painting our living room a slightly different shade of green. We are trying to get the house in tip top shape this weekend before we start back with the home school grind on Tuesday. While I was painting Cole decided to come and talk to me about adoption, Isaac and why things are taking so long...

The conversation went something like this... "I sure hope that Isaac is home before Christmas"... I told Cole that I didn't think that would happen but that we just need to pray he is home as soon as he can be. Cole then asked if an adoption is done "from our country" do things go any faster? I explained to Cole that things would likely go a bit faster, but some people who adopt children even in the USA, wait a long time for a child to come home. Then Cole asked if we "adopt a neighbor" how long would that take?

Well... hmm... I explained to Cole that there are no neighbors up for adoption so that is really a hypothetical situation that would likely not ever happen. Pretty cute thinking though... I guess that in his mind an adoption timeline matters in the case of distance=more time. Which isn't always so.

We are also gearing up for Danny and Tyler to come home bright and early tomorrow morning. I ventured down to their room while they were gone and they will be none too impressed with the to-do list waiting for them. :) Welcome home! But seriously, we have missed them and are anxious for them to be home, as I am sure that all thier friends are!

Off to clean up and figure out dinner. I hope that you are all enjoying this long weekend.

Many blessings,
Sarah

P.S. Thanks so much for all the well wishes, words of wisdom and prayers from everyone over the past few days. It is nice to feel the support and like I am not in this alone! Love to all.