Daddy's Home!!

Sturdy and plump and clean and fair, With big brown eyes and a tangle of hair, There's a little lassie who runs to meet her father's step that rings on the street, As, day after day, at the set of the sun, Father comes home when his work is done.

Making money for wife and weans, Few are the sheaves the good man gleans;

All day long he is busy down-town,

Snowflakes sift where his hair was brown;

But he starts for home at an eager pace,

and love lights up the care-worn face.

For there at the window watching out

Is the little maid whose merry shout

of "Daddy is here!" in his ear shall be,

Swift as he turns his own latch-key.

And glad is the heart at the set of the sun

When father goes home with his day's work done.

~Anonymous

Thanking the Lord it's Friday and Channie's daddy will be home..

Have a blessed weekend and make sure you meet that man of yours with

a smile...

Trusting God

On November 12, 2007 I landed in Monrovia, Liberia to bring home a little sick baby boy whom I did not know.

No one prepared me.

As I landed, the heat of the African continent was breath-taking.

No one prepared me.

No one prepared me for the amount of people I would see or the noise that was there.

No one prepared me for the smell, the sights or the faces of the people I would see.

I walked into a new world and my main goal was to walk out of that world alive and well.

I was frightened most of this trip. Scared that Jo's paper work wouldn't go through.

Scared to sleep in a strangers house with guards and gates around me.

Just scared.

I just wanted to be on the other side and have Jo safe at home with my family.

I doubted our decision to adopt, I doubted my ability to survive in this country.

Fear does alot of things, but one of the main things it does is keep you from doing the will of God because you're too fearful to take chances or to do "hard things." You're too afraid to take a chance so you miss a blessing.

The night was March the 24th 2009

Driving in the rain to a hospital.

No one prepared me

No one told me how it would it feel to lose life before you met life.

No one prepared me for the look of heart break in my husbands eyes

when they said they couldn't find a heart beat. NO one prepared me for the sights I would see

or the noise that would surround me that night.

No one prepared me for the days that followed and the massive hole that

is and will be Forever in my heart.

I just wanted to survive.

I wanted to wake up every morning still breathing and remembering that God's plan is perfect.

No one prepared me for the months that would follow when the heart ache gets so bad that you have to pull over on the side of the road until you stop crying. No one prepared me for the anger that I felt.

I just wanted to be on the other side of this. Looking back and saying "I made it through."

I survived.

Life is scary. Life can be difficult to navigate sometimes and you wanna throw in the towel and say " I'm through, I'll coast from here thank you! NO more chances. No more living on the edge. My heart can't go through anymore hurt or anymore pain. I'm sure the Lord understands."

But does He? Our life is not our own and when you let that sink in, I mean REALLY sink in you know that our life belongs to the Lord and He expects big things from us. We are not to live in fear. We have a big God with big life changing adventures for us and we should be living beyond ourselves all the time.

To bring Him glory.

When you go through 'hard times' you have a couple of choices...(This is me preparing you..)

you either get bitter or draw closer to the Lord.

My choice is the latter. I will not give up..I will not go down saying "well I was too scared to do this or that because I lost so much and the pain is too bad."

I will live my life to the fullest...

When I die Lord willing an old old woman I want a bunch of children around my bed sending me

on to the other side saying 'well done mom'.

I have six voices now and Scott and I are moving forward with our adoption of voice #7....

We will not stop our calling in life.

We will move forward and trust that the Lord will use us to grow up another soul to love Him..

Will there be heartache? I don't know..

Will it be scary? I'm sure the un-known is always scary and for me lately that's been my way of life.

What's supposed to happen hasn't been happening and I've had to trust the Lord on a level that I've never had to trust him before.

Adoption I know is a put yourself out there kinda thing, but I don't just want to "survive" this journey. I want to live this journey....I want to make waves and the only way I know to do that is keep moving forward with my head up high looking to my Father.

It's trusting when I don't possibly know how every thing is going to work out.

But I'm in!! Scott's in. Heck, our whole family is in.......We know that this will change our life and we say "Bring It On".....

Voice #7, mamma's looking for you and I can't wait to see God show up and show out in our life...

I guess the main point I want you to see is that No-one can prepare you for YOUR hard-times.

You have to resolve to push forward through each hard time and grow and trust and keep moving..You can't change the past but you can impact the future..........

Memories from Charleston...

We invited some friends to vacation with us so we could "get to know them better".... It turned out to be one of the best vacations we have ever had.

As Mr. Tom said "Y'all took a chance"

Yes, we did, but we are so glad we did.

We built so many beautiful memories!

Did I mention there was 19 kids between our two families?

We walked,

Downtown in the old market,

down King street, through the battery...

We played in the huge fountain at White Point Gardens,

we walked on the Cooper River Bridge, just to say we did.

We played on the beach, collecting sea shells,

and jumping waves.

We ate wonderful food at neat restaurants, and laughed MUCH.

We did nightly devotions where afterwards

we sang or talked until late at night.

We had a surprise 'treat' when Mr. Tom
brought home chocolate one night.
We watched Indiana Jones movies until Late or Early depending on how you look at it...minus a few adults...:-)

We had a lazy picnic underneath

the huge oak trees in Charles Towne Landing,

where we wished we would have brought a quilt to take a nap.
We watched the kids 'get rich' from retrieving quarters from underneath the coke machine.

The kids played in the yard, acted like pirates, climbed trees, and camped out underneath the big "Tree" bed...all the while looking out for the "Germans"..:-)


We had a big 4th of July surprise, the Isle of Palms was having a huge fireworks show and we didn't know it. When we walked out on the beach it was packed and we ended up having perfect seats a gentle breeze from the ocean and a big fat moon over head.

We waited in line for bathrooms and all had a blast doing laundry and dishes together.

We laughed more than I thought possible.


The kids would fall asleep on the couch during devotion time at night and one by one we would carry them off to bed...
Some even fell asleep under the tables.

We helped a single mom that was our "neighbor"

she had cancer and needed some work done in her yard.

All of the guys cheerfully pitched in and got the job done,

leaving a lasting impression and a new friend from Charleston.

We had a big shrimp boil for supper on Saturday.

This was a time for reflection of our trip and a wind down.

Every day was bitter sweet because we all knew it was one less day we had together.

By the time Sunday rolled around, there was a cloud in the air.

Everyone woke up knowing that we were leaving

and once again Mr. Toms words were right on target:

"We will all be melancholy for a few days" he said, and his words have rang true for our family all day..

We lingered in the driveway saying good bye many times acting as if we were at summer camp and would not see each other till the next summer when if fact we'll see each other on Sunday.:)

We have walked away with a special bond with this family that will continue to grow..and we're already planning a trip to the snow capped mountains next.

Now this is one family we can travel with.

We just need a bus........

Up Date From Charleston South Carolina

Greetings from Charleston:

Vacation is a must for our family. We save all year to have at least one big nice vacation.

We usually rent a hotel room but this year decided to rent a house through vrbo. Wow is all

i can say we rented a 2400sf house mins from everything and the difference is unbelievable..keep in mind this is the same cost of a medium priced hotel...
Food has been awesome!!

My husband has cooked fresh sword fish and fresh tuna and the weeks just started...

The kids have enjoyed the hot-tub.

We have went on a dungeon tour, to shopping at the ole slave market.

one day we got up early and went to the beach....

We love having Scott all to ourselves..:)

We love it here!

Write more later.

Some exciting news to share when we get back from our vacation.

We will be leaving tomorrow morning for our big family vacation.

Everyone make sure you gather around next week for some exciting news we have to share....

It's sure to make a line at the watering trough.

Do You Like to Rock Climb? I bet your kids do........

Walking in the Rain

I know that most of you have never experienced the loss of a child but those of you who have may can contest to what I'm feeling right now.

Grief is an energy zapper. It drains you so fast and you can neither stop it or slow it down.
There are certain 'triggers' that recall your broken heart up to the surface and then the grief over takes you..Your in the middle of a thunder storm of your emotions before you or your husband or friends even know anything is happening...

The only thing you can do is keep walking..
It feels like your walking with 50lb weights tied to your ankle's though so it's not as easy as it sounds..
Those of you serious about your 5-k training ever tried running in the rain?
Your running in the same place, you have the same clothes on, it's the same time of day but it's raining so EVERYTHING is different.
Your wet, your getting your face smacked by little rain drops your not comfortable..Your trail or road looks like the dry one but the trees are heavy with the rain that flows. The ground is soft and muddy and you have to keep moving..You can't stop..

You want to stop and just let the rain pound, let the mud rise and the lighting strike but you keep moving.

Grief over the loss of William has left me broken and wandering in the rain alot but you may not see it unless your one of my few friends that know me well but it's there..I try to keep moving forward and I do and some days the weight feels like 10lbs but today it feels like 150.

So I ask for prayer from all of you I'm trying to be real on this journey so that no-one gets the impression it's easy because it's the hardest road I've traveled.

I said yes!

I said yes to another Popsicle. A simple yes that made the whole porch break out in cheers.

The sticky wet mess all over them and me..

Mom said Yes!!!

Jo's words

His words are few and I often wonder how hard it is for him to be transformed to this new world of his. He looks at me as though he has known me forever.

He walks this journey so well and yet somewhere inside I know his words are formed and stored up to be heard one day.

He has words but the few-ness of them leave you wondering..

Wondering why I can't be more like him.

Saying nothing with my lips but saying everything through my eyes, my heart, my hands..

Words are over-rated . The busy-ness of them. The loudness of them. The amount of them.

But when Jo speaks we all stop and listen and are in awe of how perfectly they are formed on his silent lips. We listen, We perk up, We know that what he has to say is important...

Yes how I wished I could be more like my quiet son.

My words few but powerful when spoken.

One of your biggest enemies as a wife is a immodestly dressed woman

It's been a while since I've been on a trip that involved two airports and a nice hotel but as the

trip started I kept finding myself being very agitated.


I didn't really know why until the last leg of our journey and then it hit me....

I see NAKED PEOPLE!!



So many women 14-30 were showing boobs, bottoms, and anything else you wanted to see.
You didn't have to buy a magazine or pull anything up on the computer, it was FREE...

I diverted my eyes. I changed my direction. I smiled graciously at these women and then I was just mad...

I was embarrassed for these girls. I was angry at the men who had lost their integrity on a short flight. They fell over themselves to help these un-dressed damsels. I noticed wedding rings on almost all of these guys and I just wondered what their wives would of thought of their helpful spirit..:) I was not impressed..I'm sure she wouldn't have been either.



One guy in particular sat next to Scott and I, we found him to be a 48 year old funny likable Christian guy who told us about his wife and kids and how he married up.
(I always think highly of a guy who talks about his family, don't you?)
We laughed with him and had deep conversation about the Lord and our churches etc....
He ruined his whole reputation with me in a matter of 30 secs.
On the way off the plane the stewardess was at the door wearing tight pants and a low cut shirt he stops and tells her how beautiful she was...She smiled and told him how sweet he was.
I wanted to jump in and say "excuse me but your wife may not like you talking like that to other women, I wouldn't like it."



I don't really know what struck me so hard except that he was a husband.
A protector, a provider, a leader of a home...a father, one who is supposed to teach and guide.
and here this guy is telling another woman how beautiful she was, like it was the easiest thing in the world to do..I have to say it made me sick to my stomach......






So I asked my husband what he would do if I wasn't with him and one of these hastily dressed women sat next to him, his response was:

"I'd move"

He said as a man you must and have to train your eyes and your thoughts.

We have alittle rule around our marriage that goes something like this:

We will not be alone with the opposite sex....(flee from the appearance of evil)


We are very careful about how things would look if my spouse walked in or drove up etc.

Call us nuts but I know my husband would never do anything to hurt me or to make me feel
less than his top priority...

Why do some Christian men act so goofy?

Why would they resort to acting foolish for some stranger?

Marriage is sacred. It's intimate, it's beautiful.

The words Scott and I say to each other would never cross my lips to someone else.

Just as I know that the way he looks at me and tells me how beautiful I am he would never say to someone else.

Not because I'm the most beautiful woman in the world but because I'm his beloved and I'm beautiful to him and I am his world.

I know this to be true of his character and he teaches this to our sons.

He used the example of our flight to tell our boys that:

"You will need to remove yourself from situations sometimes that offend you. How would your wife feel if she walked on the plane and saw you sitting next to someone half dressed? There may not be anything at all going on but you don't want to ever make your wife feel uncomfortable, you never want to put yourself in a situation that could effect your marriage in anyway."

I have some friends who are not bothered by their husbands being alone with their secretary or traveling for business with other women, this again is an area in which we don't daddle in.

I also have a friend that her husband refused to work in an office alone with another female employee because they had made a promise to each other to never be alone with the opposite sex. The guy that owned the business didn't have a problem with it and they worked out a schedule so that the husband was never put in that situation. Our friend's desire to honor his wife makes us respect them all the more.

I'm teaching Taylor why it's so important for her to dress modestly.

Do I believe she has to wear long black skirts and a head covering? No, I don't see that standard in the bible, but the standard I do see in the bible is to love thy neighbor. If you're busy loving others you would never want to hurt anyone...by your actions or your dress... especially the person whom you will spend your life with.

It's been a lot of fun talking with Scott on this subject and I appreciate his leadership in this area.

I'm thankful for his faithfulness in all areas of our marriage and I'm thankful that he honors me when I'm around and when I'm not around.

Remember It's a slow fade:

Be careful little eyes what you see Be careful little eyes what you seeIt’s the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the stringsBe careful little feet where you goFor it’s the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
It’s a slow fade when you give yourself awayIt’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to grayThoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paidWhen you give yourself awayPeople never crumble in a dayIt’s a slow fade, it’s a slow fade
Be careful little ears what you hearWhen flattery leads to compromise, the end is always nearBe careful little lips what you sayFor empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray
It’s a slow fade when you give yourself awayIt’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to grayThoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paidWhen you give yourself awayPeople never crumble in a daycasting crown lyrics on www.lyrics-celebrities.anekatips.com
The journey from your mind to your handsIs shorter than you’re thinkingBe careful if you think you standYou just might be sinking
It’s a slow fade when you give yourself awayIt’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to grayThoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paidWhen you give yourself awayPeople never crumble in a dayDaddies never crumble in a dayFamilies never crumble in a day
Oh be careful little eyes what you seeOh be careful little eyes what you seeFor the Father up above is looking down in loveOh be careful little eyes what you see

Controversial post coming up

As most of you know my blog is easy on the mind and it's fun and up-beat for the most part and it's just my family journal but after the weekend I just spent with Scott I will warn you that I'm working on a post that some may not like...
So be looking for one of my first controversial post..

I will not make this a habit nor do I intend to change my blog style but as a woman
I feel like I need to speak up...:)

Until then..:)

Being Scott's wife

Scott and I will be spending the next three days together ALONE.
I'm almost breathless saying that..Alone.... hmmmmm it's been a while folks.

Our conversations are usually broken words interrupted by three year olds.
As I get older I find that I forget what I was talking about just mins. before
I was interrupted. We will put out what ever fire there was and look at each other and
say "what were we talking about?" Alot of times we just have to call it and say if you remember let me know.

Our bedroom is full of kids all the time. We are a cuddly bunch of people if you have ever
been around us you know we are affectionate..We love being together and we're together all the time. Our bed is full with little people, teenagers, their stuff and Scott and I are in there some where....At night we have occupants on a pallet in our floor? Don't ask me why..When our kids get around 4 they ask "can I sleep in your floor." and we always say YES! We are older parents remember and we know all to well that our floor will be empty one day so we live for today..We say Yes alot because we realize how time flies.......we understand that 4 year olds don't stay 4, they grow up and wouldn't sleep in your floor if you paid them...so we enjoy the warm little body at the foot of our bed. We enjoy the little boy who crawls up for morning snuggle time. Yep we are the sappy parents who try not to take one moment for granted... :)

Our telephone time is some of the most intimate times we have...We make a point to talk on the phone when he is commuting to and from work...This is time I usually make my bed or do some other chore while spend time with Scott on the phone..hey! you take it where you can get it..


Our car time is no help because..our back seat is loud and restless...complaints, singing, fighting,and just plain noise, this keeps us from having much time..

We have secret hand shakes, secret eye looks,
and secret code words for our conversations and
this is as close as it comes to being a romantic couple in our home... on some days.

So Alone with my man...I feel almost like I'm blushing by the very thought.

Will he like who I've become while raising his children?
Will he see any of who I used to be before six kids?
Will he enjoy my conversation?
Will he enjoy just my company?
Just me!!

I feel like I've changed so much over these years, some good and some not so good.
I know alot of times I've neglected him as my husband in order to be a better mother.
Although he never says a word about this I feel like I could definitely shape up in this area of wife..

Yet when we're alone and I'm just his wife, can I pull it off? Can I be carefree and interesting?
Can I still make him laugh.


Marriage is one of the most beautiful roads I have ever traveled and
Scott is the perfect travel companion... for me....Somewhere along the journey
you realize you give up alot to have a big family..but the rewards are too great
not to do it.....
When we're empty nesters ( we'll be 80) I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to do all the selfish things we missed out on.....:)

So here's to beautiful memories, time alone and being Scott's wife..