It Remains to be Seen...

When I see the little Ethiopian-born princess stomping across the church stage in her clumsy cow costume singing Joy to the World, while she grabs a stray toy axe, 3 feet from chopping the baby Jesus’s manger up, I just get to thinking…. About the little girl, who 2 Christmases ago was stuck in an orphanage, with a mound of paperwork and a wide, wide ocean separating her from our family. She didn’t know what was waiting for her. I see my own 29-year-old face, full of hope of what would one day be, but lined from the miles and worry that comes from taking little boys to and from autism therapy treatments and from feeling like your own womb has betrayed you. I didn’t know how God would would work, heal, and restore. I wonder about a specific soul I may never meet. I cannot imagine the brilliant face of the woman, or girl, who birthed my JG. Was she as bright, as tenacious of spirit, as stubborn, as funny? Did she have hope her baby would live? Or have a family who would treasure her?
When I get to wondering, I get to crying- crying over the words of “Joy to the World”. I see people rushing around in their fancy cars and tacky holiday sweaters, buying more loads of junk that their kids don’t need, that their sister-in-laws will roll their eyes over, and another tie that their stepdad won’t like, busy "makin' the yuletide gay." Christmas is about a baby. A baby who was a king, and hardly anyone knew or noticed. But for those who heard, and those who knew it was precious. They were people, waiting for a savior, and they saw him. He wasn’t what they may have expected; maybe their joy was not as complete as they hoped, because the Lord hadn’t come as a 30 year old conquering king, but as a baby. The “Joy to the World” kind of remains to be seen when you are sitting in a stable, surrounded by stinky animals, and the King of Glory is wrapped up in swaddling clothes. They didn’t know it, but Easter was coming.
I am happy when I see my baby girl prancing across the stage and shouting out the words to “Jesus Loves Me” like she’s auditioning to be the next Beyonce. But part of the Joy to the World remains to be seen….and that is the day I’m waiting for…where the glories of His righteousness are revealed in full, faith is made sight, and every tear is wiped away.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.
I wish you friends, a very Merry Christmas and much joy in the New Year!

A Washington, Oregon, & Florida Thanksgiving with Georgia on My Mind

We have been DTE (dossier to Ethiopia) for 3 months now. We are currently #21 for a baby girl, and #9 for a toddler. We have been visiting relatives all over the nation & homeschooling like mad trying to beat the clock to be finished with 1st & 3rd grades before new baby comes home… and speaking of “new baby” we officially announced her name to family while on vacation: Georgia! Her name had to be sweet, classic, and southern…like me, of course. It is one part George Mueller, one part sweet tea. Perfection.




Eyes as blue as the Atlantic

 

Enjoy the pix of our vacation & I even have a little 3-Month-DTEversary gift for you….

Vacation Hindsight Being 20/20:



Cousin Capers

1. If you walk into your aunt’s house and the first thing you notice is the kitchen smoke detector’s battery is missing, that should be the first clue that you should start praying for take-out Chinese.

2. If your family has more drama than Susan Lucci during sweeps week, expect tears, a surprise family member to show up to events, & learning a deep dark secret. Take it all in stride, not counting the potential cost of therapy needed, but instead consider possible book deals awaiting you in the future.

3. When your cousin says, “ I made yours light on the pina, heavy on the colada”, perhaps you should clarify exactly what that means.

4. When the same cousin says “get out the video camera, we totally rocked that song on karaoke!” perhaps you should consider the ramifications to your self esteem after becoming an overnight Youtube sensation.

5. Karaoke is enlightening b/c you realize that you have been singing the wrong lyrics for about 20 years. BTW: “latigo” is the leather strap used to adjust the saddle’s girth on a horse. In slightly related news: after a month of eating your way across America don’t be surprised if your “horse” needs to loosen his/her “latigo” quite a few notches, if you catch my drift.

6. Don’t allow your beautiful & talented cousin to dye your hair the day before you take Christmas card pictures. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes.

3 Mouseketeers

7. When you travel cross-country with 3 beautifully mismatched children, people will stare because they wonder if you are crazy, a kidnapper, or perhaps a celebrity nanny.

8. Next fundraiser idea:: take pledges for a Potty-a-thon : if I had a dollar for every time my 3 year old begged to use a public restroom, I could have saved myself the many hours of filling out grant applications.

i think we are starting to look alike!?