Midweek Meditation - A Father's Love Letter

Our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can ever imagine. This is a love letter from Him to you! Be blessed!

Kicking My Drums!

Conversation in the car on the way home today...

Nikki: Could you turn the music up?

Maya: Could you turn the music down?

Nikki: Don't turn it down! It's not even loud!

Maya: Yes, it is! It's kicking my drums! (eardrums)



Solution? Because the girls were kicking MY "drums," I turned the music off until both girls stopped arguing. When all was peaceful again, the music came back on and we continued on our merry way.

Midweek Meditation - Andie's Project

For Open House a few years back, Andie chose to make a video presentation about the week of Creation. I may be a bit biased, but I think she did alright!

What Does a Family Look Like?

When people think of a family, this is probably what initially comes to mind...



Or this...


Or this...


A family might also look like this...


Or this...


But what if sisters look like this...?


Or brothers like this...?


What if siblings looked like this...?


The truth is, a family can look like any and all of the above. A family can be built by birth or adoption, or both. Either way a family unit is God's gift to us that we may experience a little of what His love is.

"God sets the lonely in families." Psalms 68:6

Out of the blue...

Alyssa: "I can't wait to grow up!"
Mommy: "Why?"
Alyssa: "Because I want to get married."
Mommy: "Well, there's a lot to learn before you get married."
Alyssa: "Yeah, I know--like how to not eat like a pig."

Ummmm ... that's a start!

Midweek Meditation -- Fountainview Academy

If you have never heard of Fountainview Academy, you're missing out! This boarding school in British Columbia, Canada, is really dedicated to serving God and helping young people develop their talents to serve Him. Along with their excellent academic program, they run an organic carrot farm (yummy), and, of course, their incredible music program.

One-and-a-half years ago, my husband and I took in two foreign exchange students from South Korea. We helped them learn to speak English and now, they are attending Fountainview. We are blessed to see them whenever their tour bus comes our way.

This is one of the musical videos produced by Fountainview Academy. What a blessing these kids are!




Visit the Fountainview website at fountainviewacademy.ca

My Hubby's Music

I never wanted to have music playing on my blog. I sometimes find it distracting on other sites or I'm not crazy about the music they have chosen. Whatever. But I have finally added a player to my site. The reason? It's my hubby's music.

Shawn is a musician. It is his heart. It is his love. And he's pretty darn good at it too--at least that's one wife's opinion.

And now, he is finally working on recording his music and selling it. Woohoo! He's joined up with...

www.reverbnation.com


Go there, click on the "search" tab, and type in "Shawn Seely - solo piano". He has some sample songs available now, and one actual song to sell. (More will be coming soon!) Songs are $1 each and all proceeds go to support a worthwhile cause -- our growing family!!! (By the way, his song Last Goodbye was the one he wrote for me and performed at our wedding. So romantic, I know!)

As you can see, I'm pretty excited about this. I'll let you know when the songs are available for sale. Stay tuned! (No pun intended.)

Missing Daddy

Daddy left for two weeks. In a little over eight years of marriage, it's been his first trip away from home. I can't say I like it much.

Coming home from the airport, even the noise of the children didn't cover the deafening silence of his absence. The house felt strangely empty. Alone.

There's a cold spot in bed next to me. There's too much quiet in the evening after the kids go to sleep. There's no one to toss the little ones up in the air. And I'm really hoping I don't kill his fish that he so trustingly left in my care.

I began motherhood as a single mom, adopting two children before marrying him (see My Birthday Letter to Andie). It's just been a while since I've been alone for this much time. And phone calls do not replace having him here! Physically, I can manage everything I usually do at home. But, my heart feels like it's pumping at half the power.

It'll be good to have him back again.

Passing Notes

I had not had a good day with one of my daughters. When I said, "Don't," she did it. When I said, "Do it," she refused. When I smiled, she frowned. When I frowned, she smiled. By day's end, I was pretty frustrated and let her know it.

While cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, I noticed her slip quietly into my bedroom. "What are you doing?" I asked. Without looking at me, she muttered, "I left something for you."

Next to my computer lay a note. "I don't want to live here anymore," she had scrawled angrily. Still a little steamed by the way the day had progressed, I hastily wrote, "Some days I don't want to live here either." I carried it back to her room and dropped it just inside her doorway, then continued getting the other kids ready for bed.

A little while later I again found a note next to my computer. I responded. So did she. Back and forth the letters went from her room to mine and back again. And then we passed each other in the hall. She simply handed the note to me. I wrote out a response and handed it back.

Finally, she was quietly standing at my doorway. "Would you like to talk?" I asked. "Okay," she shrugged. We sat down on my bed and shared our hearts. Tears flowed. The wall between us was torn down and a bridge built up again in its place.

Passing notes isn't my usual method of solving differences, but it worked for her. Thank You, Lord, for yet another victory today!

The Least of These...

"On the street I saw a small girl, cold and shivering in a thin dress, with little hope of a decent meal. I became angry and said to God, 'Why did you permit this? Why don't you do something about it?' For a while God said nothing.

"That night God replied... 'I certainly did something about it...I made YOU.'" -- Adapted from Latin America's Casa Alianza, which cares for homeless children



"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40.

Midweek Meditation - Creation Calls

All of Creation points to one Master Artist. His hand hung the world in space and His words have filled it with life. His breath gave us life. And His life gives us hope. Be blessed!

My Birthday Letter to Andie

Andie,

You are my first child, but the second oldest in the family. (Adoption can make a family funny that way.) You are my dream-come-true, but I was so nervous when the call came asking if I would take a two-year-old who bit and threw tantrums. I was a basket-case by the time they knocked on my door. What had I gotten myself into?

You were so tiny and vulnerable. The social worker put you down on my floor. Two plastic grocery bags contained all your earthly possessions -- diapers, a doll, and some clothes. After signing some papers, the social worker left. Just another day on the job for her. But for you and me, it was the first day of being a family.

You stood still beside the couch, quietly looking me over. My stomach was in knots. Did I know what I was doing raising a child by myself? I had signed up for foster care classes so confidently--all smiles. And now? Here you finally were in my house and I was at a complete loss. "What am I going to do with you?" I whispered as I sank to my knees in front of you. Your dark brown eyes looked intently into mine. Then, slowly, you walked over to me, put your arm around my neck, and hugged me. "Yes, that's right!" I smiled, holding you tight. "I'm going to love you!"

Suddenly everything was clear again. We would take one day at a time. God would lead and we would follow. You and me. That's how this family started. And that's how this family has grown.

One year later, Quinn joined us and became your nine-year-old big brother. You called him "Tin," and adored him. And then you fought with him. And then you adored him. And then ... well... you remember. :)

And then one day, you realized our happy little family was missing something very important. We had no daddy! So you took it upon yourself to pray a daddy into our family. For three years you prayed. Every morning and evening, at every meal, at every church function, during prayer request time at school, at every opportunity you asked God to give you a daddy. It became a little embarrassing for Quinn and me, but you were relentless!

And God answered your prayer. Eight years ago, Daddy and I got married. You were the flower girl and a happier flower girl there never was. When Daddy and I got into the car to head off for our honeymoon, you pranced out towards us wearing your dress and my veil. You told me you loved me and gave me a single white flower. You were no longer my little princess, you had become our little princess.

The years have flown by. Quinn is grown and on his own. We have three new girls in our family and who knows how many more to come. Today you turned sixteen. You are my helper, my friend, my daughter. You are an incredibly caring and loving young woman and I am so proud to be a part of your life. I'm looking forward to seeing what God will do in the next sixteen years of your life and beyond!

Hugs and kisses,

Mom

What Did You Hear?! What Did You Say?!

As I mentioned in a previous post, we attended the wedding of a former student of mine last Sunday. During the ceremony, the minister addressed the bride and groom several times using their first and last names. The bride's name, Rebecca Jordache, is Romanian and not pronounced as Americans would do it. Phonetically, it is pronounced YOR-A-DOCK-EE. Alyssa listened quietly as the minister continued preaching to the couple. Later, she asked me, "Why did the minister keep telling Rebecca she's a ducky?"

Her question threw me for a minute. I could not recall one instance in the entire ceremony when the minister had told the bride she was a "ducky." But, Alyssa was emphatic. She explained, "He kept saying 'Rebecca, you're a ducky! Rebecca, you're a ducky! And it wasn't nice. She looked so pretty!"

A week later, Maya gave us this gem.

My children and some of my nieces and nephews attend the same small school where I teach. The other day Maya asked me why her cousins had not yet arrived at school. I explained that they had a dentist appointment to go to and would be at school later. I went on to tell her that she and her sisters would soon be having dentist appointments as well. Armed with that information, she went running off to find her sisters. I overheard her saying, "The Petroviches (cousins) aren't here because they have a disappointment this morning. We're all going to have a disappointment soon too!"