sushi = yum

Last night gave me just the break I needed from my lists and packing. A deliciously perfect night of sushi, laughter & conversation to warm the heart and a quick stop by Andy's for a sweet finish.

Kelly, Julie, me and Kari ~

Kari's OMG was on fire...

...so was Kelly's.

I went all out w/ 7 Samurai. Mine was topped with 7 different kinds of fish and was delish!
Julie has some super fun kanakuk counselors staying with her, so our party of 4 grew to a party of 10 when the darling Neal girls plus friends go to Kai. I think it was decided that although this was a first at Kai for us, it will not be the last! :) Girls, can we start planning a date in October? ;)

Thanks Kari for taking your camera. I totally lifted these pics from your blog.

adoption blip

This blog appears on a few friends blogs in the sidebar. On some it is under friends, on others it is under adoption links and others it is more specific, like adoption links ~ rwanda. If you happen to click here looking for adoption news, I don't post much. We have chosen an independent path for adoption from Rwanda, not one with an agency. We have a specific child we would love to bring to our home, but the process will be quite difficult. For the time being, we send the child to a boarding school, knowing that the education and care they receive is fantastic.

Jonathan has met with the people in the RW Embassy in DC and called them yesterday. He was unable to reach them, but will try again today. When we arrive in RW, he will meet with the minister of gender and family (i think) and discuss the possibility of adopting a specific child. We know that it is totally in the hands of the Lord. I find myself guarding my heart and viewing the glass half empty. I'm not a pessimist or half empty gal by nature. My mom has said for years I have a Pollyanna view of the world. I am guarding my mothers heart and the wall I have built seems to get thicker the closer the time to our departure nears. I don't like this, I don't like it at all.

We have been told that the child we send to school could spend time with us while we are in RW. I want so desperately to do this, but if we are told no we cannot adopt her, I am afraid that I'd rather keep a distance. How can a child that has been orphaned, have a family visit her only to leave her behind because of laws and people in high places? Do I allow my family to dive into this relationship trusting that the Lord will guard hearts while blessing them at the same time? I'm just not sure.

I'm not sure why today I felt prompted to write about adoption, but I did. So there is a very short blip to what I am thinking, feeling and waiting on. If Jonathan gets through to the embassy and hears anything I'll fill you in. Will you pray that very shortly after we arrive in RW, Jonathan will get to meet w/ the minister and ask the question we have been waiting a year to hear the answer, "Will you allow our family to adopt a specific child and give her a forever home?"

Give a Damn?

Sorry Mom, but yes, that is the name of the post and the name of the organization that I have been emailing with for a few months. Forgive me if you find their name a bit off color, but check out what they are doing and why...This is 4 minutes, but it is the trailer for their film and the story, the embeded video is the one they made before they left on their journey.

Hopefully sometime in September, I will have the chance to meet these guys as they make their way to Rwanda. Maybe we will even share a meal and I will get to hear some of their stories first hand.

For those of you who tweet or twitter or whatever it's called, you can follow them HERE and you can check out their website HERE. It should be an interesting journey.

Lists and Community

I wonder how many lists my friend Justyn made before moving to Kenya for a year. I have lists everywhere and we are only going for a few months. What do I need to make an empty house a home? What do I need in a kitchen? I have asked myself multiple times, Why did you get rid of all of your extra stuff when moving.

Even though I didn't know it at the time, I feel like God was preparing me for a gift. The gift of community. I have a great community here that is not only excited for this adventure, but they want to help. I have been asked more than one time by many of them, do you have your list ready? What do you need? Kari, Kelly and Julie ~ Your excitement, encouragement and willingness to dig through your linen closets and kitchen drawers means more than you know. Part of your home will make a home in Rwanda that many will use as they travel to N. Rwanda helping the youth, while they work with Kids Across Africa. Thank you and the list...it will be emailed soon. ;)

God Bless America Finale

Next on the Horizon

This morning on the deck, while his sister and brother were sleeping, E was scraping and brushing away sand to discover the dinosaur hidden inside. Early mornings are not new to him, often when I wake I find that he has been snuggling with his daddy, praying and reading the Bible. (J wakes @ 4am to read and pray daily.)

One morning while the air was still very cold E woke early and after they read, he asked when our family would get to go to Rwanda. (Our kids knew that part of the deal w/ this move was that our family would go 1 time a year to RW with KAAC~R.) Gently, J explained to him that it was costly and the money was not available within the KAAC budget for our family to go and we personally could not afford the cost of such a trip.

As I understand it, he got up, walked to his room and grabbed his billfold. He looked through it and handed Jonathan a $20 bill, the largest bill he had. He said, Daddy, this is for KAAC to help with our plane tickets. J told him thank you and then said that he must begin to pray* that the other money would be provided. They prayed that morning and not many nights passed that he didn't ask God to go to Rwanda as a family, as we prayed at bedtime.

It happened and we are going. (9 March '09 for the rest of the story)

As the trip draws near, my piles grow. 5 people, 2 bags of 50 lbs each = 500 lbs of stuff we can take. Within that 500 lbs need to be all the makings of a home...kitchen items, sheets, blankets, towels, toys, homeschooling supplies (giving it a shot for the first part of the school year), clothes, toiletries...So much to think about.

I am feeling overwhelmed many times through out the day. In those moments I think of the gift we have been given. I thank God in that moment for the feelings of being overwhelmed. We are studying James at church and it could not be more appropriate for the life we are living.

We are SO excited to get to experience the land where Jonathan spends many weeks out of the year. His first year with KAAC took him all over the States, 2 weeks in South Africa and 15 weeks in Rwanda. This summer we get to go with him on his travels. We slow down his pace a little, but it has been fun so far.

To the family in TX, gentleman in NY, dear friends in Springfield, MO, a couple in OK and an anonymous donor in CA we THANK YOU. It all began with the prayers and a $20 bill of a seven year old...You listened to the whisper of the Lord and answered. You have no idea what you have given to our family, no idea.

*in NO way are we trying to teach our children a "wealth gospel" but we do want them to understand the power of their prayers. We want for them to know that God not only hears, but listens to the prayers of his children. If we were to travel to RW as a family, God would have to do some serious fundraising on behalf of our family.

on and off for a few years...

...these youtube commercials have made our family roar with laughter. This morning the kids asked to watch them again.

You know what we did? We laughed, laughed hard.

Colorado Fun

We had a blast! Check it out --> CLICK

birthday to mountains

Wait, the photos posted mountains to birthday. Oh well. I've not been on my computer since I left MO, but today need to clear my memory card on my camera to make room for new photos. J's computer was turned on so here are a couple of snaps for my mom and anut bumpee and whoever else ventures this way.

We are having a great time in CO. Sad that J has to work and can't play w/ us, but thankful that the evenings find us together instead of states apart. We are so thankful for family and extended family. We do not have the opportunity to spend w/ the Creeds in CO enough. The kids have had a ball playing hockey in the garage and practicing their target shots w/ T's air soft collection. (I even caught Jonathan & my uncle John taking a few shots from the patio chairs last night.) Morning coffee and the Today show, an afternoon at the pool and paddle boating on the pond, morning jogs in the chilly air, skimming the local news and strolling the sculpture park, all with the backdrop of the Rockies ~ Thanks John, Joan, Hannah and Tucker for your hospitality.

We did get to have Jonathan join us for an afternoon picnic in the canyon & as you will see below the kids played in the freezing cold water and J took a moment to relax. Before we left MO we went out to celebrate Abi's birthday. SO fun. Thanks for inviting us along Abs.

Today we head to see my grandparents in their cabin on the mountain side. I'm looking forward to having the boys share with me the stories of last summer. They spent a couple of weeks w/ my parents and my dad's parents in July '08. Not many kids have the opportunity to hike the woods with their great grandparents...and 2 summers in a row. A blessing.

Then we will head to Sand Dunes National Park (i think it's a NP?) and meet the Braners and then check out Kanakuk Colorado.