The Nation's Capitol (we're leaving with a Capital L!)

Tonight, J and I will depart for a 4 day trek to Washington, D. C. to the annual CFA seminar. Each year, CFA honors their operators, employees, and spouses for a 3-4 day conference on leadership and training. In case you don't know WinShape Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A. This year at the seminar WinShape Homes is being featured. . each home has a child that is being featured, and we have a huge booth to work in.

Huh, huh, huh. . do you know what it takes to get us outta here? As I am stealing from one of the other foster moms, "it takes an Act of Congress". Here's the country's decrees:




Now here's mine:


Notice the entire kitchen island is covered with sticker charts for good behavior, checks, envelopes for various babysitters, master lists for the family, a master list for AC (she gets 3 pages alone), envelopes with cash, medical release forms, and insurance cards. . it has taken days!


Here's just an example!


We hope to get in a little sightseeing and hear from some awesome speakers, such as:


And for some awesome leadership training, this guy will be there!
For a fun treat, we heard this guy will be there. . maybe he will make a cake that looks like this?

Snow Makes all Things New!

Over the past 36 hrs, I have been through the ringer. A stomach bug descended upon Ann Claire and myself. . I thought I was going to die. It was really bad there for a bit, I knew I was approaching dehydration and was so weak I couldn't peel myself off of the bathroom floor. Sweet J took the household over in a mighty force and would crack open the bedroom door to push through sprite, a heating pad, and to periodically check on me. Hysterical to see his face covered with his shirt, I knew he really must love me. This week we have faced many other hardships, so to spend a day watching the snow fall, cover the ground with white, see my kids faces light up at the sight of it, and to see their joy in playing in it. . it made all things feel new!

To our surprise when we awoken this morning school had been cancelled due to impending snow. . we would have to wait and see if it would come? Around lunch the snow started and the kids squealed with delight! "It's snowing, it's snowing!" and "It's sticking, it's sticking!" (every good southerner knows, it's not official until it STICKS) Around 2 they headed out with many breaks in between for hot chocolate and a good warm up by the fire inside. They all had a blast, and even Big T and B headed out to make the cutest snowwoman I have ever seen!

Meet Geraldine! (of course her snowwoman accessories are pink and chocolate!)

The rest of the gang thought they would get in on the snow person action!







All in all, it was a day to remember, the final measurement was around 2.5 inches! That's a lot for us!

These are some shots taken this morning at sunrise! Thank you Lord for your beautiful creation! Several from my front porch and kitchen window! What a sight!

The Harsh Reality of Foster Care

Ok, I have been quiet long enough, but I must speak out. I have tried to protect the life choice of several of my girls, but I must give my opinion. . well because I am the mom and this is my blog.

About a year ago we begin to face the Harsh reality of parenthood. As Foster parents a different reality sets in when kids you have seen through the brutal years of teenagerhood start to "make their own choices". Yes "make their own choices" is what we will call it, but we all know what it means. Teenagers facing early adulthood have one thing on their mind. . Independence, notice with a capital I. (there are so many spiritual analogies I could apply here, but I will at the end)

Ahem.

I have cried my eyes out, screamed, defended, helped, driven, yelled, begged, pleaded, preached at, talked with, prayed over and prayed for these girls. They are mine! I have earned the stripes to be called mother and J has earned the stripes to be called father, trust me EARNED THEM, not even their biological mothers call to tell them Happy Birthday, write letters, or check on them. To my knowledge they have never even sought them out. I have poured the sweat and tears into seeing them to where they are. . Young Adulthood. Several of our girls came during the most tumultuous years of their lives, PUBERTY. Most of their worldviews on life had been burned into memory due to the circumstances from which they came. Many ADULT topics they were exposed to were set in place. The images were there, had been felt, lived out and witnessed. . there is no turning back the permanency of the effects of what they have seen. (yes it matters if your small child witnesses a fight between mother and father, yes it matters if your small child wants to see a PG-13 movie, but that is another post) Many of the children we have helped through the years come to us with scarring that is not their fault, to add to their pain, there is no one, no one lining up to parent them!

We have tried to "play catch-up" if you will, to pour into and invest all we can into our children that did without for many of the early years of their lives. We have invested in private schools, taken them on vacations, plane trips, church trips, family meals fit for kings, had devotions, prayed together,. . you name it, we wanted them to HAVE it, SEE it, LIVE it. Thanks to our unique and special organization so much has been provided for them. BUT when early adulthood sets in, somehow it isn't enough anymore. They want to do it their way, don't we all. BUT when the price to pay is hurting so many people in your path to GET what YOU WANT. The price is too high, for me! BUT not for them.

In the past week, two of our girls have decided to take life by the reigns and do it all on their own. Are they equipped for the journey? Maybe, maybe not. BUT the problem is the destruction and forest fire left behind has left all of us blindsided, hurt, crushed, disappointed and faced with a harshness that stings. To watch small children left behind cry out that those they have developed relationships with have just walked out on them without saying goodbye is just wrong. It is the harsh reality of what we do. . care for orphans in their distress. But what about when they "don't want you anymore". . you keep loving them, but watch them chose a path that will bring disaster? What then? How do you manage?

Oh how our Lord must mourn for us daily when we take the reigns from Him. Who are we to think that we know better than Him, and when we cry out to Him. . "I don't need you, I'm gonna take this one, you don't know better than me." A parent's frustration and I in my state is only a tiny percentage of what He must feel for us DAILY! To watch all He provides for us, then to turn back to sin constantly.. HIS love and mercy humbles me. I can only offer the same for my children because He has done that for me. That's how I keep going, that's how I face the harshness, and that's how I continue in the daily grind. . because I know I have Hope in a Savior that promises a final chapter of redemption for all of His children, even mine.

A new book you must get!

Beth Moore's new book just came out this week.

So Long Insecurity, You've been a bad friend to us.
Say Amen, Sister. If you are female and breathing you have struggled with insecurity. Even if we don't want to admit it, we all know it's true. . . our insecurity makes us not want to admit we are insecure! Anyway, Emmy and I treked down to the Atlanta area today to get our new books signed! Woo-hoo.

My week has been heavy, I mean heavy. I am tired and needed a quick refreshing day with a good friend. You know the kind of day when you can lay it all out there and they support you. It just feels good. Emmy was that for me today, such an awesome listening ear she has.

We headed south very early in the wind and rain this morning. We arrived and were surprised to find there was not a very long line to see Beth. I love, love my new Insecurity book, I just had to get a few for some friends. I can't wait to dive in and deal with my "issues".

It was a joy to see Beth, meet new friends in line that share a mutual friend with me, eat a cozy lunch with a friend, share my heart, hear a friend's heart, and have a break from the little ones. (thanks J for letting me do that)

Here's a few of our photo ops!

We are secure enough to show off our new books!




I love this woman. I have read her books, listened to her teach, watched her video lessons, and have seen her transparency that God has used. She has a gift to allow to used by God to touch lives daily. What I see in her is the Lord. So thankful she has put herself out there and is willing to be used of the Lord.




Now suck it up, get secure and buy this book! I promise you will love it, chapter one has been awesome!

I've pressed it it, now I can pass it on!

Last weekend, I had the honor of traveling to Houston with Emmy, and other "Georgia girls" for a Beth Moore Scripture Memory Team celebration. (a group of women that memorized 24 scriptures for an entire year, Siestas, as we are called on the LPM blog) It's kind of one of those things in life, when I explain it to people including my family members, they really just don't "get it". Many were proud of me, happy for me to go, but I think in their minds they were thinking, is that really for real?, safe?, and smart? Aren't we supposed to be leery of people on the Internet? Well. . the reality is, many of these women I know in real life, and our common ground in Christ. So, I know for a fact. . this was where I was meant to be. God had a word for me!

Our journey started last Thursday as we met up at the Atlanta airport. . leaving behind rainy, cold weather, and finding ourselves in warm, sunny Houston. Houston was having a warm front even by their standards. . sunny and in the 70s. It was a taste of spring. Friday morning we had a treat awaiting us at the Mokara Spa at the Omni Hotel in Houston. Hands down, one of the best spas I have ever been to. My precious hubby had called ahead and had a credit in my account, so thoughtful. I was treated to a massage, facial, pedicure, and leg and foot treatment. I think the total time I was there was 4 hrs. . I was pampered, relaxed and ready for our conference for the remainder of the weekend.

We were finally there!

Friday evening we headed over to Houston's First and staked our place in line. Emmy and I have been known to be ready for a good seat. . we have decided it's from days of being PK's (preacher's kids) to the regular lay person. Grin. We are used to being in the front! From the moment the conference started by a greeting from Beth and her girls. . to Travis leading in praise and worship, I was so blessed. The conference continued into Saturday morning with teaching from Mrs. Beth on Psalm 119. What an awesome passage to place an emphasis on the word of God. God has blessed me this past year by teaching me His word is our weapon, His word is alive and active in me, and His word is the main offensive weapon we have upon the Enemy. When we speak it, it is real and alive. We learned. .

I am a resident alien... seeking direction... in deep want of wonder.. in peril and need... troubled by humanity... especially my own... knowing that to follow is the only road... to a straying sheep longing to be found!

Awesome stuff! Mrs. Beth encouraged us to "hide God's word in our heart", which actually means to press it in. Take the time to totally take in God's word, let it change you, help you, heal you, mend you, and fulfill your cup before you just pass it onto someone else. In a world of Facebook, Twittering, and blogs, we so often forget to do this! So. . due to reality of my life, I have finally pressed in all I took in, and am finally updating and passing onto all of you! I loved it!

The Georgia Girls with Beth!

The rest of the weekend included Food, food, food, and fun fellowship with awesome sisters in Christ. We finally found ourselves at a sit down meal, right on Georgia Jan, at Pappasito's, hands down the best Tex-Mex food I have ever put in my mouth! Georgia Jan LOVED this restaurant even more than me!

The lunch gang, what a fun time of fellowship!


Thanks to Lindsee for being the most awesome Houstonian tour guide ever. . she then led us to Crave cupcakes and the Houston Galleria for shopping!

Sunday morning we attended Houston's First Baptist Church just for a little more teaching from their awesome pastor Gregg Matte. What an incredible sight and how I miss a large church gathering. (Don't get me wrong, I love my current church family, but there is such power in worshipping with large numbers of people)

Our journey was finally over as we slowly headed north to the airport, re-entry back into reality has been busy this week. . but oh how I missed my babies by Sunday morning. So thankful for all those that made it possible for me to get away. To Georgia Jan, Twinkle, and Emmy. . your presence in my life is different because I know you. I had a blast!

Snow Day!

I know, I know all of my friends that live in the North are thinking, "what, a snow day for 1/2 inch of snow?" Remember I live in the south, snow and ice are not a good combo for those of us that have rarely seen such a sight. Growing up in this town, I have fond memories of at least 2-3 good snows a year. I am not an advocate for the Global Warming campaign, but my sweet S is a decade old and I am certain she has only had 2-3 good snows in her lifetime!

Needless to say, when flakes started flying Thursday around lunch. . the call was made and school was canceled for the next day. Snow started accumulating slowly and by late afternoon there was enough to see. . the kids immediately bundled up and headed to make snowballs. Due to the Arctic blast the weather channel has advertised very well the last week, the driveway quickly froze and the sleds were found. The kids were able to get a good slide or two in before needing to come in and warm up.

This morning, the snow was still around, so once temperatures were above 20 degrees, the kids bundled up for another run or two. J even found a few good, tall hills to sled on. . and they had a blast. We snapped a few photos. The cutest of course was AC and seeing her enjoy her first snow. (of course she was only outside for maybe 3 minutes!)

Enjoy and stay warm wherever you are!

Uggs, the new family fashion. . . in and out of the house! Thanks Uncle Rob for AC's, they fit great!

Thanks to Mrs. Emmy for AC's bunny coat!

Happy New Year

As we face a new year, let's be eager with anticipation for all the blessings God continues to bestow upon us. Today we are enjoying a relaxing day. The kids slept in until 10:30 am after a late night welcoming in the new year. We attended a bowl game last night in Hotlanta and watched Virginia Tech cream Tennessee. It was an awesome time with friends, and all the kids.

Today I am attempting to send you greetings from my new mini lap top. M. E and I have had fun playing with the webcam. This afternoon we will feast on our traditional New Year's dinner: ham, greens, black eyed peas and cornbread. I think I will have the kids all work on resolutions, mine will be a diet that will start tomorrow!