Spectacular number seven!!

Look at this sweet face...

For seven years, I've been the blessed mama that gets to see this face every single day.

Really, could he be any cuter?

But, don't tell him I said that, because he is almost nine, you know, and being called cute isn't really his favorite thing anymore.

But, he is cute...there's just no way around it.
And if we're not in public, sometimes he doesn't mind being called cute.

Jadon has also become a little adverse to hugs in public.
But, if you're in need of a hug in private, he is all there.

And he's a great hugger.

And if you're Adam, he'll probably even give you a hug in public.
('Cuz Adam is pretty much the light of Jadon's life.)

Okay, Elijah might get a hug in public too.

('cuz Elijah is his next-best buddy).

But, more likely, you'll find them sword fighting or confiscating Grace's dolls (in the nicest possible way, of course).

When we adopted Jadon, we could tell right away that he was all boy.

But he does have a quiet side too.

Especially when he's asleep.

He's really quiet then.
But, I like it when Jadon is awake...'cuz he's just so darn cute (sorry Jade...I can't help myself!), and fun, and sweet and loveable!

Thanks for seven wonderful years together, Jadon! You are an absolute treasure. We love you and are so glad that you are our son!

They're really cookin' now!

Ever since Yana's cooking extravaganza last week, all of the kids have been asking to make meals. We've been having such a good time! As long as we're not in a rush (and don't mind a little extra clean-up), it really is a great activity to do together.

Last Saturday, Lily made some incredible quiche. Here she is, mixing up the filling.

Chopping fruit for the fruit salad.

It was getting a little late, so Lily hopped in the shower, and got her jammies on while the quiche was in the oven. Here's Lily and Dad (Lily's right-hand kitchen helper) with the finished product. They were delicious!

On Friday night, Adam decided to make mini pizzas. Wow! They were really good!

Adding some sliced peaches to his smoothies.

There's nothing like a good salad (especially when I don't have to wash the lettuce!).

Everyone likes to get in on the fun!! Yes...they really are cooking now!

Breakfast buddies

Adam is so sweet with Grace. If she cries, he is usually the first one to her side to see what is wrong. He loves to carry her around and to give her little things (like gum!). And he even plays mei mei (dolls) with her!

This morning, when I walked into the kitchen, I saw Adam and Grace sharing a chair and sharing their breakfast. So sweet!! There were plenty of other chairs available at the table, but they wanted to be together. I'm so grateful for their love for one another.

the other side of the same coin

A couple of years ago, I was reading a post by a woman whose husband was not open to adopting. We've all heard of this story before, haven't we? The wife wants to adopt, but the husband is concerned about finances, time, etc. and is therefore not ready to adopt.

But even though this is a common story, and I had heard it many times before, at that moment, I felt as if my heart would break in two. I was literally undone. This is what I wrote in my journal:

"Where are the men who would love to love God by taking care of the fatherless? Who would love to do it?! Not, who had to be talked into it and then are willing, but who would love to do it. Lord, I ask for You to raise up this sort of man among your people--as an icon of Your care for Your children. May there be many of these men. May it not only be women who care for the fatherless. Men must care. Lord, I ask You with boldness and assurity that you desire this and will do it."

Less than one month later, my precious husband approached me, saying that he thought that we should adopt again! Friends, I was not praying this prayer with my husband in mind. But God saw fit to answer my prayer in a way that only He could do. He answered it (and continues to answer it) above and beyond my expectations!

So, why do I share this story with you?

In my post below, I wrote about something that I totally believe in. I believe that God gave the gifts to the Church and we are to use these gifts and appreciate and support each person as he/she is called in different ways to love God and one another. Together, we glorify God as we serve one another and the world.

But, that does not mean that we are to sit silently and wait for the gifts to be manifest in the Church. If you believe that you have the gift of mercy, I entreat you to continutally storm the gates of heaven on behalf of the suffering people of this world. If you think that you are the only one in your local church body who feels this burden, ask the Father to send others...ask the Father to send MEN who would love to love the Fatherless and care for the needy. God would LOVE to do it! He would LOVE to see this kind of love manifest on the earth.

I know that my son, Adam, has a gift of mercy. His compassionate heart is a treasure to me and to the Lord! I continually pray for Adam--that God would further His purposes in Adam's life and raise him up to be a man of mercy. I tell Adam that there are many merciful women, but not so many merciful men. I tell Adam that he is called of God to be compassionate and filled with love for God and for His people. Adam knows that this is true. And I know that Adam will serve God with a fiery love and compassion that will ignite others. In fact, he already does!!

Friends, so many of you have spurred me on with your love for the needy people of this world. Thank you for this! You are precious to me and certainly to the Lord, also!! May we continue to fight the fight of faith together. There are no orphans in heaven! May it be so on the earth!!

precious gifts

I LOVE orphans. I love them because God loves. I love them because His heart is for them and because they are made in the image and likeness of God and are therefore of inestimable value.

I LOVE adopting orphans. I love giving these precious children a home where they can know the love and security of the Father. I love seeing their smiles and hearing their laughter. I love teaching them things. I love learning from them.

I used to get frustrated when other Christians did not see the needs of the world in the same way that I did. I thought that they had cold hearts. Sometimes people are cold, but I realize now that it is not always coldness that causes people to see things differently. Many times, people see things differently, because the Father is revealing Himself to them in a different way.

I know that I have been given a gift from my wonderful Father. He has shown His mercy to me in a radical way. I see His heart of love for the downtrodden and especially for the orphan, and I can't live in any other way. In showing mercy, I am given the most merciful gift of all--a deeper glimpse into the heart of the Father. I want to use this gift in a way that will glorify God and that will serve the body of Christ. I want to use this gift in a way that will show the heart of the Father more, and will cause others to glorify Him more.

Every Christian is given a beautiful gift or gifts. These gifts are glimpses into the heart of God. They reveal things that are precious to our Lord and are intended to build up the body in love. I am so very grateful that God did not only give the gift of mercy. Where would the Church be, if this were the case? He gives different gifts to accentuate different aspects of who He is. Isn't that incredible?! He gives us different gifts, and because of that, any individual person (no matter how godly he/she is) cannot reflect all of who God is. We need each other. Together, we reflect the body of Christ.

Thank you, Father, that you give yourself to your people! May I always strive to love You and to reflect You in the way that you have gifted me. May I always support and appreciate others whom you have gifted differently. You are coming back for Your Bride someday soon! May we all together, be a reflection of Your heart of love!!

In the kitchen with Yana!

I'll admit, I haven't done the best job of including my children in cooking. The kids do almost all of the clean-up, but sometimes I have used my time cooking as a little quiet moment with no teaching involved! lol

The big girls, however, have been inspired by their homeschool cooking class and by their friends, Caleb and Elijah (honestly, Caleb is on his way to becoming a real chef!). So, yesterday morning, Yana and Lily presented me with a grocery list that they had made that was three pages long! Lily went shopping with me and the check-out lady asked if we were buying food for the month!! No, er...just for the week!

Last night, we were going to a potluck, and Yana helped me make my favorite salad. Aaahhh...somebody else washing the lettuce. So nice! (This is not my favorite job!)

Dad has to give the cook a little hug. Here's Yana melting butter for the croutons.

Grinding pepper for the salad dressing.

And here's the finished product (minus the croutons--we couldn't put those on until we arrived at the potluck).

This morning, Yana made breakfast--southwestern style eggs, applesauce with cinamon and raisins and cinamon toast. Tonight, Lily is going to make quiche, fruit salad and a frozen fruit dessert. Hmmm...I guess that I could get used to this!

little worshippers--touching the heart of God

I walked in on Lily and Grace, having a time of snuggly worship together. What precious love these two have for one another. Lily does such a great job trying to keep focused on our precious Lord, and show kindness and love to her little sister at the same time. Makes this momma's heart smile--makes the Lord's heart smile too, I think.