Play with Purpose

Malachi played with the new train set for over an hour tonight. He looked so grownup sitting on the floor with his trains.The video is really grainy, but is so funny as he watches the train go under the couch. He is doing great! He is going to be bursting through his 2T clothes any day now and only 10 months ago was wearing 9 months. The kid has done some serious growing!
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My Baby Girl

Today we cut Rebekah's hair. She has had a couple of trims in her short life, but her hair has never been CUT. When her hair was wet it was getting close to her waist, within 1-2 inches...I absolutely love her curls and I had mixed emotion with her wanting to cut her locks. BUT, I must say it is adorable and reminds me of when she was about three.I always tell my girls that I think God is going to let me have special permission to ask for different eternal hair and get my own set of curls:) I think we should have added JOY onto her name somehow. :)

"Kickin' the Monster!!!"

Great news today on my brother! He left on Sunday to Tulsa once again for more chemo. This was the big trip when they would be looking at his tumor. They have been checking his blood for tumor markers, which have come down each time. But today the results from his CT scan showed some amazing miracles. With this cancer I do think it is miracles that cure it. It is the WORST cancer to get,if that is possible. However, they could actually see his stomach apart from his pancreas. Before the tumor was blocking the stomach and I guess it was like one big blob. They said his pancreas is looking like a pancreas again. I bet he never dreamed he would be so happy to hear that about an organ. They can see where the radiation is working. He has 5 more trips of chemo. He is on the same type as Patrick Swayze. They wanted him to continue "forever" having treatments every three months, but he feels like it is poison in so many ways ( good at times) but wants to continue to work on gaining weight and muscle mass. The doctors can't believe how much muscle has returned. We really do believe he is saying, "SEE YA!" to the beast... HAPPY IN OREGON!

Figuring things out

Today my heart is heavy. Not in a depressed way, but deep in thought and contemplation. I am still trying to make my life mirror what I believe God has called me to. I have touched on this several months ago, but it has not become clearer, but in some ways more murky. We had such an amazing opportunity to go to Ethiopia for two years with two organizations that are movers and shakers. Well, the day we were supposed to sign to go I was put in the hospital and then a long journey started to wellness again. So much has happened since then... cancer fight with brother, lay-offs -- yes more than one time, attachment issues ( that has improved 150% and will write that in another post), medical bills that are mounting, slow real estate market, adjusting to having my guy working in Louisiana ( no he does not come home on weekends), and life with five precious little people. I am in NO way complaining, but am truly grateful for hard times in ways I have never thought I would be. I am tougher than I knew. More sure of God than ever before!!!! Know HIS POWER works in quiet ways and also in EARTH MOVING ways. Appreciate the smaller things in my life and am more in love with my man than I would have ever thought I was capable of. I know God is GOOD and even SPECTACULAR because I have had more happiness and contentment in the midst of the storms than I have even had when life was easier. This is true!!!
My heaviness today is from being so willing to go and like our pastor spoke of today willing to risk it all in order to work in Ethiopia. However, we have had many voices telling us that my illness was a sign that we were probably not to go. Yet during this time there have been many things that still point that way to east Africa and my mind is more resolute. How do you know? Which voice do you listen to? I never want to be out of the will of God-- EVER!!! Some of the same people in our lives talk of living life out of the comfort zone are the same ones telling us we are not to be going. It would be too stressful on our children... the economy is not in a position for this to be wise.... it is hard for families to move out of the US... you will never make it... the money is a problem.... what will you do with your house... health...health... whaat about your mom, brother... what will you do when you come back...braces, college....kids and their school... the questions are never ending. Maybe these folks are speaking the truth and we are being stubborn? I want to hear the voices that we are supposed to.. I am confused! I know God can redeem whatever happens. So today I will continue deep in thought and prayer... yet still live in my moment today by going to see "Doggies" at the shelter, shopping for milk, finishing up homework, changing diapers, and loving my family. The answers don't have to be today.

Loving Life with Five

Our dear friend Andrea had been telling us she would take our family picture now that Malachi is home. So we set a date thinking we would just smile, click and be done. It turned out that we got over 100 photos and she took a walk with us for almost two hours down the Portland eastside esplanade. We had no idea what we were in for or how much fun we would have. She captured our kids in ways that pictures have not done before. Thank you dear friend Andrea!!!! and to Rich for watching the kids so you could get away for a bit.

To Be Continued.....

Longing for Ethiopia

I am very sensitive to smells and often they are my memory-- strange I know! For some reason the Ethiopian coffee with my dinner last night took me back to my time there. I had an added treat to my coffee though with an herb called, "Adam's health" ( not sure of what the Ethiopian word is)... Not only did it look beautiful, but calmed the acid in the coffee and had a smoothing effect on my treat.

God has so put this country in my heart! The coffee is an added bonus... Have I mentioned how much I LOVE LOVE coffee??? I am lucky this is a safer addiction:)