The Crucible Challenge 2013

Awesome 4 mile obstacle course...beautiful weather, fabulous friends, and fun, fun, fun!!

A lot of the proceeds went to ReClaimed Project: www.reclaimedproject.org
Reclaimed is an orphan ministry that is truly making an impact in Starkville, MS, the US, and around the world. Reclaimed Project was birthed out of a desire to exalt Christ by fulfilling the biblical mandate to serve orphans and the poor. The ministry is based on James 1:27

So..two things accomplished:
Lots of fun and lots of funds for a great ministry!



Our team..."Team TuTu"


Brian and Trey ran in an earlier flight than Team TuTu


Loved having my sis, Elizabeth, compete with us!!




Stinky Feet was so kind to give our cheering squad some cool T-shirts!!

Definitely planning to do it again next year...

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

Happy Easter and Happy Birthday!

We had a super fun and super busy Easter weekend! Our baby girl turned 3 on Easter Sunday. I can not believe it...

 

We had a small "Easter Birthday Party" on Good Friday. We had a egg hunt, cake and ice cream, and a short visit from the Easter bunny.

 

Egg Hunting (or candy eating break) with Cousin Cline

We were so glad that Cathryn's great grandmother was able to attend her birthday party

 

 

The weekend was busy with dying Easter eggs, learning more about the "real" meaning of Easter by making Ressurection Rolls, and spending some time with family.




















Despite the rainy weather, we had a wonderful Easter Sunday. We enjoyed worshipping our Risen Savior at FBC, eating yummy lunch at Cook Cook's house, and playing lots of Easter games.

 

 

Cathryn had another birthday cake!


Three years old and her 1st Easter. Time flies when you're having fun!!

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!"
-Bill Gaither

I'm back from blog vacation!

It has been over 6 months since my last post and WOW a lot has happened.....
Halloween happened...with Spyros (Beckett), Luke Skywalker (John Scott), and Strawberry Shortcake (Cathryn)
We lived through a "small" renovation that turned major...we started the first of Sept. and finished the end of Jan. We are loving our new space!
We had a wonderful Christmas spent with family and friends.
On the adoption front, we have had a really hard 6 months. We have experienced some heartbreak, disappointment, and doubt, but through the "hard" we have been able to see God's face more clearly. We have experienced Him more personally and truly know more about His character.
We know that in all things God has a plan and a purpose. We must be obedient to follow Him.
In following Him, sometimes we must make hard, "scary" decisions.
Brian and I had been begging God to reveal to us His plan for our family. After lots of prayer, conversations with several professionals, and some research, we changed programs. We are now in the China Special Needs Program with Holt International (we are using the same agency). It was a hard, "scary" decision, but we are at peace knowing that we are following God. God has changed our hearts, and I know in this wait, He is preparing us for His will.
I love the song by Jeremy Camp...."I Will Walk by Faith"
Especially the chorus:

"Well I will walk by faith
Even when I cannot see
Well because this broken road
Prepares Your will for me."

I'm not sure about a "timeline". Every time I try to figure out when we should get a referral, God gently reminders me that He is in control of the timeline, and His timing is always perfect! We are currently working on our dossier and updating all of our expired paperwork.

Please continue to pray for us on this journey!

Here are a few pictures from the last 6 months......



John Scott playing at Pops and JoJos


Beckett has joined the family of God. The angels are rejoicing!!


Cathryn growing up with brothers!


A trip to the American Girl store


We had fun playing in the snow!


Santa came to visit


A fun day at the Zoo

"And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28

Our newest addition

Meet Pearl...
We adopted her from the humane society about a month ago. The kids love her, and she is pretty tolerant of them!

She has started running (in the opposite direction) when she hears Cathryn calling..."Mere Pearl Girl!".

Back to School

Here we go again! I can't believe it's time for school start! We have had a fun, busy Summer, and I think everyone is ready to get back into a "normal" routine...I may not think that in a couple of weeks!

Beckett's first day of First Grade


John Scott's first day of Kindergarten


Cathryn's first day at Preschool

Isaiah 42:16

I read this verse today, and I found comfort in God's promises. God will lead us when we are on an unfamiliar path, smooth out the rough spots on the journey, and He will always be with us.
I like to compare versions so I listed NIV and The Message

NIV
"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them."

The Message
"But I'll take the hand of those who don't know the way,
who can't see where they're going.
I'll be a personal guide to them,
directing them through unknown country.
I'll be right there to show them what roads to take,
make sure they don't fall into the ditch.
These are the things I'll be doing for them—
sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute."

As the journey becomes less familiar, my trust and faith in God increases...He's the only one that knows the way.

Waiting Once More

The "adoption journey" has been very heart wrenching the last couple of weeks. Through a series of many phone calls and hard conversations, we realized that the paperwork in our file was wrong. We have experienced a mix of emotions...heartbroken, angry, unbelief, confused, discouraged and on and on.
But through the hard, God has become even more evident and real in this journey. He has given us a peace that we are on the right path, a peace that even though we were so surprised by the "mistake" that He is not surprised, peace knowing that He is in control and that His timing is perfect. We have found hope, comfort, encouragement, and joy in His word.
As I was cleaning out a cabinet this week, I found this poem. I remember someone gave it to me when I was in college and single. I thought I would never find a husband. About 15 years later, look at how amazingly it applies to our adoption journey. (I hope you can read..I know its small, and I am not sure how to make it larger!)



Brian was definitely worth the wait, and I know our baby girl is worth the wait too! God is doing an amazing work on us, and we are just not quite ready...hopefully, soon though!

Brian sent me this verse this morning, and I love it...
"Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but those who WAIT for the Lord will renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:30-31