It's about time!

Whenever I see people I haven't seen in a while, I usually say, "What's new?"  Most people say, "Nothing."  Even if there is something, it's easier to just say that....but around here, there are a few new things so I thought I'd give a quick update!

No that is not a greenhouse you are seeing in our yard!  A neighbor friend asked if we wanted his chickens - he had already built a sweet chicken tractor for his yard and offered to bring that too.  It's pretty amazing to see how smart he was - he used things like gutters and framing materials from the Habitat Restore in town.  I always love seeing how people use pretty ordinary things in new ways and we are so grateful for this!  

 Here are Pippa and Lois, our original two chickens.  They are taking a dust bath in the next door neighbor's flower bed!  It's one of their favorite spots and he says he doesn't mind.  =)  We are so lucky to have accommodating neighbors!

 And here are the 3 new chickens!  Jessie is the white one, Brownie is the brown one and Lily is the black and white one.  I have wanted to add to our flock for a while and truly, it is a blessing that the neighbor was willing to give us all of this for free!  We promised him some eggs anytime so come and get them whenever you are ready!  I think one of the best parts (to me) is that I really had my heart set on a black and white one like that - I know it sounds silly but I feel like God answered my prayer about what kind of chicken I wanted!    So Lily is my favorite - but I like them all b/c they are all very friendly and willing to be picked up.

 This is a closer look at Jessie.

 Jessie and Brownie drinking.  These 3 chickens came 'pre-named'.  I don't mind their names but I must admit that I find myself calling the white one Lily since that seems logical to me.  Lilies are usually white flowers!  I have to remind myself sometimes that Lily and Jessie are opposites.  Brownie is the easiest one to remember of course!  We have slowly been introducing the original and new girls to each other.  One of the first days there was blood - Pippa is by far the smallest hen out there but we think she was top of the pecking order for the original two.  Now?  They are hashing it out and Dave thinks that Brownie might be the highest rank...They have endured a few daytime hours here and there together and so far so good.  At night the original two head to bed in the original coop while the other 3 retire in the 'annex', or the new part of the coop.  For a few nights Dave was trying to put them together, but maybe they don't mind sleeping in separate quarters.  Either way, we are happy to report that we are now getting about 3-4 eggs each day!  I expect in summer we will be getting 5 a day.  YUM YUM!!

In other news, I believe this is the first year in a while that we have put up a Christmas tree.  Other years we may have had one, but just a table top.  No babies in the house means we can set up the big one =)  I cannot describe to you the excitement that ensued when my kids heard that!  "This is soooo exciting, Mom!"  I grabbed my new camera and took some pictures...I want to remember the excitement!  I get a little OCD about decorating the tree but I tried my best to let the kids help.  Now I'm glad I did of course b/c the little things make me smile!  There's about 4 ornaments on 2 close branches, clumped together...when I told Moses he could bend the fake branches up a bit so the heavy ones didn't fall off, he started to bend them up at a 90* angle!...Colleen wanted all the sparkly, dangly, pretty ones close to the bottom so she could touch them whenever she feels like it...no one wanted to put any ornaments on the back side...very few of them are higher than chest height...etc...I went back and added a few tonight, but took pics first.  I think next week we will get out 'the kid tree' - we probably have 3 trees that are between  3-6' and then at least 2 that are little tabletops.  I'm thinking we try to decorate a new one each week?  I like the excitement!  And the others are small, so it won't be too much work =)

 The boys assembled the base.

 Everyone got into the task of pulling the branches down and apart!

 This girl was over the moon...she must have told me that she loved me about 100 times!!  (Trauma mama's/parents of RAD kids will get that more than others...)  She was also excited b/c she had found her sparkly Rudolph shirt and had chosen to wear it that day so decided that was why we put up the tree.  Yes, we put it up all b/c you wore that shirt...I had to get a pic of her standing by the tree - I wish it captured the awe on her face better but I am still learning to use the new camera.  She was bouncing and singing and just very happy!  This morning I found her sitting on the couch in the dark, basking in the glow of the tree lights!  I remember doing that as a kid =)

Well, I guess that was only 3 new things, but it's not nothing anyway!  I hope to post one more update before the Christmas letter...

So that just happened...

We are in the process of transferring our foster care license from the county to the state.  It's a long story, but the short version is that for now we are only interested in growing our family through adoption.  It does not mean we are done fostering forever.  It does not mean that we think everyone should stop being foster parents or no one should consider doing it - it is a much needed and beautiful experience!  If you want to hear more (you know I'm always happy to talk foster care and adoption!), feel free to contact me (in person, email, comment, etc...)  Anyhoo - here we are.  Waiting.  =)  A necessary step in the process, I guess!
In other news - some friends just brought home their forever baby!!!  So amazingly excited for them - it's not my story to tell, but they have been through a lot of heartache and even in their joy, I'm sure they are still processing some grief.  It's a blessing that they are willing to share their journey w/us and everyone around them.  Please pray for them as they spend these first days together, allowing God to unite them in a way that DNA can't!  Thank you!
We've been hearing good news for others who have been granted TPR and are headed for adoption, families who are building relationships w/their foster placements and friends who are soon to deliver babies of their own!!  Very exciting =)  I am so thankful I can share in other's joy at a time when I am trying hard not to focus on the boring part of waiting!  This time serves a purpose though, I know that...getting a lot done around the house!  Well, not right now, per se, but....you know what I mean...
To all my friends in foster care - I see you.  I see how you are working every day in a crazy system, just to make a difference in your community.  I see you, the gallons and gallons of love overflowing from your tiny cup, how it never stops and how so few people pour their love into you.  I see you.  I love you.  I am cheering for you, standing behind you and praying for you!!

Respire, aspire, maybe perspire a little and hopefully inspire

If you read my blog or know me, you know I am a notorious list maker.  I make them, lose them, write new ones, compile them, file them, etc...I have written a life list, or a bucket list, of sorts at least 3 times on this blog and yearly goals for a few years in a row.  (You can read them here, here and my 2013 goals here - the second one is really the best.)  A lot of the things on the lists I thought I might actually have a shot at (like adopting) and some of them I may never get to do (like seeing a komodo dragon in the wild) but I put them on there anyway.  That being said, I realized the other day that a handful of my life list items are 'in progress' - I am in some way, shape or form actually doing 3 or more things I didn't think I would ever get the chance to do!  Recently I saw a FB post from a 40 days for Life type of group (can't remember which one) about starting a crisis pregnancy center in my town.  My eyes nearly jumped out of my head - I have always wanted to do something like that, ever since I 'met' Bethany.  She had written about volunteering in one and I put it on my life list b/c I really want to do that too.  I figured it would have to wait until I moved to a bigger city...I was wrong!  Thank God I was wrong!  I have been to a few meetings and we have a board, possible location and funds - more funds than I ever thought possible, thanks to the Teens 4 Life group we have here!  I cannot wait to go to each meeting and I have met some people filled w/compassion and love!  I know God will do great things...I am so grateful for the chance to be a part of it here, now...
...Another thing from my list was to get back to the drama world. I can’t say for certain when, exactly, it was, but I believe it was the summer of 2012 when a pastor from my church came to me and told me about an acting opportunity.  He had been working with a man from another church on a script…immediately intrigued, I told him to keep me posted.  A few weeks went by and I received notice about the auditions.  We were a small group that first night, but we prayed and God directed the steps of a few others to join us.  In spring of 2013, we performed the play for the first time, under my pastor’s direction.  We all felt exhausted afterwards, but sad that it had to end.  The author of the play reminded us that it didn’t have to end!  We have since performed it again and there are contacts being made and at least two more bookings seem forthcoming.  Our goal of performing for many people far and wide no longer seems out of the realm of possibilities…I've designed a website for our merry band of actors and we shall see where this takes us.  It's so exciting to be a part of this, to be doing something I love to shine the light of Jesus into the world!  
One of the things on my goals was to be a part of a women's ministry.  All my life I have had a wide variety of friends, but mostly they were guys.  I just found it to be easier to maintain those relationships - too much drama w/the ladies!!  I'm not a 'girly-girl' either so shopping and makeup and jewelry don't interest me much, but sports and stuff does.  I've managed to keep some very dear friends who are girls close and for that I consider myself blessed, but it's always been a challenge to attend anything women oriented at church.  I have generally steered clear of large gatherings of women!! but then when I did actually go, I started to feel encouraged, loved and happy.  I forced myself to try again and pray about relationships w/women.  The opportunity came up to be one of the 'founding members' if you will of the women's ministry team a woman is starting at our church.  I said yes, wondering if I was biting off more than my emotions could handle, but not a day goes by that I don't think of one of the other women on our team and how she has blessed me w/her friendship!  One night we were getting together to make some decorations for an event...a bunch of us arrived w/supplies and tools, but our fearless leader was not there yet so we didn't know where to start.  We sat talking, laughing, hugging and crying...when our leader came, we got right to work and the talking, laughing, hugging and crying didn't stop!  It didn't feel like work =)  Our hands were busy and so were our hearts.  I had to blink back tears when I thought about how I would feel if I had missed out on all of that, the friendships, the chance to serve others in the church and just to say that I was a part of a team who wanted to share what we had w/other women in the community!  How I had ached for something simple, just friends who could do stuff together every once in a while and actually cared about each other's lives!  And now that I have it, I will fight to keep it!  There are times when I feel like I'm such a goof and I don't fit in or I don't have the newest clothes or whatever kind of crap Satan made me believe all my life - but I kick him in the teeth and go anyway.  So there.  
As for all the other stuff on my list...still working on it.  As you know, we've adopted once already and are on the wait list to do it again.  (Please pray that God hurries...it's hard to wait!!)  I've seen a komodo dragon at a lizard zoo (or something like that), so I'm sort of counting that.  We've visited both Duke University and UNC (more specifically, the basketball courts), but haven't seen a game yet, so we are what - 1/4 of the way there?  I'm slacking in the exercise dept these days, so improvements to my 5K time will have to wait.  Some serious discussions (including price checks!) have been had about the house boat down the Mississippi River, but...trying to decide which items are more of a priority than others.  Buy a house in the country?  Get a new truck and camper?  Go on a super awesome trip down the river?  Go to Europe?  How do you go about deciding???  Apparently I am learning the lesson that you don't.  God opens a window or a door and you just go through it.  Then you write a FB post telling people to stop praying for your life list!  Then you write a blog post of how blessed you are to knock things off your list....

Playing house

This is performance week!  Three rehearsals and four performances...people get a little crazy and apparently full of the giggles!  I snapped this pic from backstage during the fight scene.  If you haven't seen it and are near Plymouth WI, you should come!  Our goal is to perform this show in various venues and cities, so if you think you'd like to bring us into your community, please email me - I'd be happy to provide the storyline and basis for the show.  I am so privileged to be working with people who have many talents!!  I am tired too, though, so please pray for me, the others and our families.  Right now sickness is taking over...but we press on.  I am grateful I have this opportunity - not only am I fulfilling one of my goals for the year but I feel like I am flirting with one of my bucket list items. So in short, tired but happy.  It's hard to be away from family, but it fills my heart to be around people like me (performer types!), people I have come to count as close friends.  Just the other day I was working on little favors for an event with some of the women from the women's ministry team at church and we talked, laughed, cried and hugged while we worked.  I was only there for 30 minutes but those moments were like buoys for my soul!  So many times in life I feel like I am just playing house, not connecting to real people or stuck in my own issues...the family in the play is plagued with strife, stress, problems etc and they can't seem to find the value in relationships...I am blessed to have some strong relationships in my life!  I praise God for that and for the people by which I am surrounded!

SuperKALEifragilisticexpialidocious

Fall is my favorite season!  I have so many more pictures to share but I'm busy prepping food, going to school/gymnastics/swimming events, and practicing for the play!  And my birthday is coming up!!!  I am looking forward to breakfast at my favorite place (where they do both the prep AND cleanup!) and hopefully lots of hugs from my family I haven't seen in a while.  Hurry up October!  :D

It's not Narnia, but there's a window in this closet!

Just cleaned a bunch of 3T and 4T dresses out of my girl's closet...I am in awe of her growth, both physically and emotionally.  Today she wore a dark teal shirt that said "Daddy's Little Darling" w/a purple and black tiger striped ruffled skirt and lavender leggings.  She definitely knows what she wants to wear and has no trouble expressing herself these days (about clothes or otherwise!).  Tomorrow may be our last food related appt at Childrens' and here I sit.  The quiet, nearly speechless little girl w/crooked bangs and a fear of just about everything is gone.  She used to smile all the time b/c it made other people happy and she had no clue how to process all the other emotions.  Heavy emotions she must have been feeling...over the past 4 years, this girl has come to know security and what amounts to never enough love.  She has gone from backing up as far as she could go on the beach to get away from the ocean to striding in and laughing when getting knocked down by the waves.  She used to whimper if you made any kind of motion while holding her - swaying or bouncing would get you a quick death grip and tears! - to loving to bounce on my exercise ball, jump on a trampoline or hang upside down from the rings at the park.  She drinks from her camelbak when she wants, devours ice cream, cottage cheese or animal crackers, asks for bites of some new things...gone are the days of wondering if she even gets hungry or thirsty.  Her legs are so long, her hands still not very steady but writing letters at school, her understanding and questioning more complex, her hearing perfect!  (She often will ask about things we talked about after bedtime...sneaky girl!)  Clearing the dresses out of the closet and dropping her off in first grade make me feel like we've successfully crossed the wobbly rope and plank bridge over rushing waters.  Don't get me wrong, the journey isn't over, I just feel like we've completed one of the challenges on that show Fear Factor!  The contestants would jump up and down (I'm imagining, never saw it) and then they'd turn to them and tell them about the next one.  Right now I'm in the jumping up and down stage - marveling at what God did and what we allowed Him to do.  I'm wishing I could bottle this feeling up for the next leg of the journey, just so I could use it to spur us on.  God is good and if you are clinging for your life on that rope bridge, hearing nothing but the sound of the water crashing on the rocks, I implore you to take a deep breath and remember the last big thing God did in your life.  If you wrack your brain and come up w/nothing, come talk to me.  I have stories of cancer disappearing, tumors that quit growing, babies that were never meant to live seeing years and years of life, empty arms being filled, wombs being opened, money appearing right when needed, hearts softened, families reunited and strengthened and more!!  And I can introduce you to these people - I didn't just hear about them on tv or read about them in a magazine...

This is why I never clean, people.  I wind up thinking too much and crying.  =)  A good cry, but it's hard to get stuff done when you want to tell everyone about the goodness and mercy of the Lord!

The three best decisions I ever made

1.  Decided to follow Jesus

2. Said yes to marrying the curly haired man who brought crossword puzzles to Spanish class in college.

3.  Planted a blackberry bush in the backyard.