Thank you for visiting! This blog is a hodgepodge of things that interest me such as writing about our family and our new adventure into soap making, advocating for orphans & adoption, providing links for freezer meals we like etc. etc. We are a Christian, homeschooling family with 9 children: 1 was born in China, 5 in Colombia 3 are biological. Welcome! I hope you find something that interests you :)
Friday, July 27, 2012
?
I put the question mark in the title, because I couldn't decide what to call this post. See, I just got done reading a little bit on another blog and was a overwhelmed with emotions. I think, that in this land of America, most of us are so comfortable and we have such cushy lives, that it is really, really easy to forget about our Father and not to lean on Him for all of our daily needs. I believe that's one of the reasons why so many missionaries go to other countries - because there people realize they need Jesus. We don't (I am being facetious here). We just need our weekly paychecks to pay for our mortgages, cars, pools, parties...
And while we are living our cushy lives, it is so easy to forget about, to not care about, to not even think about or pray for those who are really suffering. And they are suffering. The post I read was about a little girl in another country with Down Syndrome. She is eleven years old. She weighs 10 pounds. It's obvious she was left alone. Hardly fed. Not hugged. Not loved. Not given nourishment for her body and her mind and her spirit.
But one family is bringing her home. In one day, yes one day, over $23,000 was raised to help this little girl. A plea went out to help the family and prayers were answered. This one little girl is getting help. But what about the others? The ones that are left behind?
How much am I and my family really doing in the name of Christ? Is it enough? Can we do more?
How much are you doing in the name of Christ?
Are you doing anything?
Please, take a moment and follow the link below. It is my prayer that at least one who reads this has their heart not just touched, but will take action on behalf of orphans as well.
Please take a look and pray for this precious girl
Karen
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Two new additions to our "family"!
Can you guess what our new additions are?
They were once called kids.
They have hair.
Two eyes, two ears, a nose and a mouth.
Did you take a guess?
Here are two more clues:
They each have a tail.
They each have 4 legs.
One more hint.
They go "maa maaaaa"
Did ya' get it?
We have goats! I know. I never ever would have imagined that we would have goats (let alone chickens, turkeys, guineas, rabbits...)
Their names are Velvet and DD (short for Dip n Dots!). DD is Velvet's mom, and we are currently getting fresh milk from Velvet twice a day. Her milk is WONDERFUL! And that is coming from a once-upon-a-time non-milk drinker. The only thing I used milk for growing up was for my cereal and the occasional dunk from a chocolate chip cookie (and even then I forced myself to drink the rest of the glass of milk). The milk is just ever-so-slightly sweet and it does not smell "goaty" at all. Did I mention that is is wonderful?
Before we got Velvet and DD we had to put up the fence. That just happened to coincide with the 100 degree to 106 degree weather that we were having here in Indiana. It was HOT! We drank lots of water and had lots of water pouring out of us. Our foreheads would drip (a fast drip) with sweat. But it was fun, and we got it done!
Since then we have been getting used to milking twice a day. I think I must be a little protective or possessive because so far I haven't let anyone else do the milking!
In addition to drinking the fresh milk, we have also made "farmer's cheese", pudding, ice-cream (without an ice cream maker) and yogurt! They are all surprisingly simple to make. I am very excited about all the other things we are going to try making from the goat's milk - including our own soap! We ordered the soap supplies, and they should get here tomorrow - which means that within a number of days I could have a batch of fresh, all-natural goat's milk soap bars curing!
In between milking, the children have all stayed busy with 4H. This year projects included photography, health, electric and woodworking. For livestock, they entered rabbits, chickens and ducks. It was a busy, fun week for us, but I am really glad that it's over! Now we can get into a routine again. We should have that down just about the time we travel to get the new children :)
Speaking of new children... we are slowly creeping along. The other day Kevin and I got our letters in the mail telling us that we could get fingerprinted the first week in August (this is all a part of getting our paperwork updated to approve us for the five children and to extend our I800a at the same time). Thankfully, the Indy office doesn't turn you away if you go in before your appointment date, and we were able to get our fingerprints done a few days ago! It felt sooo good to have that done.
Now we are waiting. (I think there should be a new word made to describe the consistent waiting for paperwork to be completed during the adoption process - maybe call it adoptaiting???) Within a week or two we should hear back from USCIS on our approval. We will then get that sent to our agency who will get it to Colombia. And then we will be "adoptaiting" again for the official referral of the children. Just thinking about it makes be a bit nervous and excited at the same time! After the official referral of the children and our acceptance we would be traveling in 8 to 10 weeks. (And I think I'm busy now!)
Thank you for all the prayers for the children and our family. We continue to pray for their health and for an easy transition for them into our family (as well as for our children to transition well to having more siblings). We pray also that all the children are able to attach well and grow to love us. I can't wait to hold them in my arms.
May God bless you,
Karen
They were once called kids.
They have hair.
Two eyes, two ears, a nose and a mouth.
Did you take a guess?
Here are two more clues:
They each have a tail.
They each have 4 legs.
One more hint.
They go "maa maaaaa"
Did ya' get it?
We have goats! I know. I never ever would have imagined that we would have goats (let alone chickens, turkeys, guineas, rabbits...)
Their names are Velvet and DD (short for Dip n Dots!). DD is Velvet's mom, and we are currently getting fresh milk from Velvet twice a day. Her milk is WONDERFUL! And that is coming from a once-upon-a-time non-milk drinker. The only thing I used milk for growing up was for my cereal and the occasional dunk from a chocolate chip cookie (and even then I forced myself to drink the rest of the glass of milk). The milk is just ever-so-slightly sweet and it does not smell "goaty" at all. Did I mention that is is wonderful?
Before we got Velvet and DD we had to put up the fence. That just happened to coincide with the 100 degree to 106 degree weather that we were having here in Indiana. It was HOT! We drank lots of water and had lots of water pouring out of us. Our foreheads would drip (a fast drip) with sweat. But it was fun, and we got it done!
Since then we have been getting used to milking twice a day. I think I must be a little protective or possessive because so far I haven't let anyone else do the milking!
In addition to drinking the fresh milk, we have also made "farmer's cheese", pudding, ice-cream (without an ice cream maker) and yogurt! They are all surprisingly simple to make. I am very excited about all the other things we are going to try making from the goat's milk - including our own soap! We ordered the soap supplies, and they should get here tomorrow - which means that within a number of days I could have a batch of fresh, all-natural goat's milk soap bars curing!
In between milking, the children have all stayed busy with 4H. This year projects included photography, health, electric and woodworking. For livestock, they entered rabbits, chickens and ducks. It was a busy, fun week for us, but I am really glad that it's over! Now we can get into a routine again. We should have that down just about the time we travel to get the new children :)
Speaking of new children... we are slowly creeping along. The other day Kevin and I got our letters in the mail telling us that we could get fingerprinted the first week in August (this is all a part of getting our paperwork updated to approve us for the five children and to extend our I800a at the same time). Thankfully, the Indy office doesn't turn you away if you go in before your appointment date, and we were able to get our fingerprints done a few days ago! It felt sooo good to have that done.
Now we are waiting. (I think there should be a new word made to describe the consistent waiting for paperwork to be completed during the adoption process - maybe call it adoptaiting???) Within a week or two we should hear back from USCIS on our approval. We will then get that sent to our agency who will get it to Colombia. And then we will be "adoptaiting" again for the official referral of the children. Just thinking about it makes be a bit nervous and excited at the same time! After the official referral of the children and our acceptance we would be traveling in 8 to 10 weeks. (And I think I'm busy now!)
Thank you for all the prayers for the children and our family. We continue to pray for their health and for an easy transition for them into our family (as well as for our children to transition well to having more siblings). We pray also that all the children are able to attach well and grow to love us. I can't wait to hold them in my arms.
May God bless you,
Karen
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