Play Ball...

Those were the words for the day. It was opening day for my babies and boy was it busy. We started out with pics at 10:30 for Blake and then on to a double header that ended around 2. Home for hotdogs and chips to turn around and be back at 3. Then it was more pics and running between Grace and Samuel's games that happened to be at the same time and opposite sides of the rec department. Needless to say I am tired, but it's a good tired. The head of the rec department stopped me one time and asked if I was leaving. I told him know just headed to the other game and that I was soon going to borrow his Gator. Then the thought hits me...... What would I do with another one playing? Oh well, guess I would figure it out because I so want to bring another sweet baby home.
Also, before you guys think "poor pitiful Amy" let me just say I am not the busiest one out there. One of Jim's co-workers has EIGHT children playing!!!! Bless her soul she is a single mama trying her best and I so look up to her!!!

Today too is my anniversary!! It has been 11 wonderful years. And my thoughtful baby girl picked me some beautiful flowers for the occasion. I was going to post a pic, but my computer is acting up. Oh well.

God's Provision...

That is what I am in need of.... You see it is getting to be time for us to buy our plane tickets for our mission trip to South Africa and the money is just not there. I talked with one of the other members of the team and they don't have the money either. Would you please join us in praying for God to provide. Thank you so much.

If you are reading this and feel led to give a gift to our trip you can send checks to:

New Life Baptist Church
PO Box 714
Metter, GA 30439

Thank you for your prayers as we seek God's face in this situation.

Long time...

Okay, so it has been a long time since my last post, but life has been crazy busy. First of all my grandmother got sick and was placed in the hospital, moved to a larger hospital and placed in ICU. That had us all busy since the bigger hospital is an hour and a half away. Praise God that she seems to be doing better. This all hit so sudden, but she is recovering and hopefully will be home in a few days. Please lift her up in prayers because this has caused a life style change as well as it has taken her from her beloved job as mayor of the town she has called home for almost forever.

Our mission trip seems to be coming along great!! Satan tried to get a foothold, but in the words of Barney "Nip in the bud" was the theme and praise God that is just what He did! I know that God has great plans for this trip because Satan was trying very early to destroy it. We do ask for your continued prayers for this trip as we are still fundraising and enjoying how God is working it all out.

Thanks for all the prayers.

These were some shots I took out in our yard this week. The Japanese Magnolia petals make a beautiful carpet. Add to that my daughters love for Laura Ingalls and I think the pics turned out great!!!

Wow!!!

That's the only word I have to describe today. Can you believe it has been 3 years since our little Thanh Tam became ours? I am blown away!! I love to remember that time and the emotion that seemed to pour out of my entire being. How I felt at a loss for words of what to say to my precious son (and for anyone that knows me a loss for words is big). I remember he was quite easy going and was fine where ever we took him. He had to have his hat no matter where we went. And at the end of the day he would fold his clothes nice and neat and organize all his things.

Now it's like he has been with us always. He is a true southerner with a twang to rival anyone born here. He loves his boots and has figured out he doesn't have to fold his clothes anymore. He now has a mama for that. I thank God every day for the blessing of this wonderful son. He has brought a life and joy to our house that only he can. He is quite the clown and keeps us in stitches. He loves to imitate his big brother and will follow every command given by his mothering big sister. Thank you God for this joy you have brought into our family.

A Must Read...

Okay, you all know my heart for the orphan. Well here is someone who has been better able to express my feelings, so I ask that you please read this....

On Saturday, two precious women arrived for the weekend. They have spent 2 weeks volunteering at a foster home in Beijing. These women were such a gift from my Heavenly Daddy. On Sunday, we spent countless hours talking, crying, praying, crying, reading the Bible, crying, and crying some more. It was sweet and cleansing for my soul. Kim and Angie, you are true angels. Your sweet and gentle spirits ministered to my soul in a way that only God can ordain. I am forever thankful!

Why were we crying you might ask? Well sweet friends, we were crying for lots of reasons. We were crying because the plight of the orphan is so humongous that we feel helpless. Not hopeless--but helpless for sure. We look around and see all these precious, priceless treasures and we wonder "why God?" We wonder if we're really helping them by coming here. Because I can love on them while I'm here...but then I leave. Just like every other person in their life. We cried because this is reality. Its staring us in the face...and it seems unbearable at times. We cried at the lack of passion for orphan care. We cried for the comments we've heard. "Oh, I'll adopt after I have my own kids. We would adopt if it wasn't so expensive. God just hasn't called us to adopt, but its great what you're doing. I don't know if I could love an adopted child like I love my own." And while I understand that these comments are not made out of cruelty or hard-hardheartedness, when I'm staring at a child in the face as if to say, "No, mommy isn't coming today..." I just cannot be sympathetic to excuses. These are human beings. They are children. They are fearfully and wonderfully made by the master Creator Himself. They are not a tourist attraction or a sad story on television. They are real. And if we won't act for them, who will? No one will. And that is reality. They don't understand our excuses.

And I will not be shameful of the tears. Anyone that has talked to me in the past few days will tell you...my heart is full. But you know what? These children deserve to be cried for. They deserve my tears and pain. When I cry, my mama usually cries too, because a mother feels the pain of her child in a way no one else can. Well these babies don't have that. Most of them have never had tears shed on their behalf. So I will cry shamelessly. And my prayer is that the Body of Christ as a whole will begin crying for these children. May the Father of the fatherless grip our hearts and give us an urgency to act quickly. While we're sitting around praying about whether we should get involved--they are dying. They are spending one more day alone and hopeless. They are going to bed one more night in a place that is not home. They are ceasing to cry because they know that when they cry, nothing happens. That is reality.

What will we do when reality hits us in the face? That is what I'm wrestling with, dear ones. I will greatly appreciate your prayers. The weight of reality seems unbearable at times. But when I am weak, He can be strong. My Beloved is strong for me. And He is strong for these babies. I don't understand most of whats going on around me. But I'm willing to fight to know Jesus in the midst of reality. And I pray that every person who reads this blog will pray and consider the plight of these precious ones. When when we stop making excuses? When will we recognize our excuses as s-i-n? Yep, I said it. Orphan care is more than a suggestion--its a command, a duty, and a divine privilege.

Coupons, coupons,coupons....

Okay, I mentioned a few posts ago that I have started couponing. I am still learning, but was proud last week when I went and bought $159 worth of groceries for $53!!! Some still consider me an amateur but I was proud. So this led to a discussion between me and Jim about getting out of debt. We have really been working hard for about 6 months on eliminating all debt. So as the discussion progresses Jim insists that after the debt is paid, we will continue like this and save like crazy. I was fine with that cause I said then we can adopt more kids. He was like yeah well that will take a lot of saving. I said "Well, **** is getting two for 35." He jokingly responded, "35 dollars? Yeah lets stockpile them." I got tickled and then he looked over and said, "Hey do you have a coupon for that?" I just about cracked. So I am now searching for the adoption coupon LOL!!!

On a serious note, my heart is heavy for the orphan again. It's almost made my nights unbearable as that is all I think about. Please pray that God will work in our lives and allow us the privledge to adopt again.