Family Fun Fridays: Four Firsts

This family posting is going to revolve around the "firsts" that have occurred in the past week for our family.  It is amazing how much kid grow and change, yet still experience things for the first time.

Last Friday, I hinted that we were going to take the kids somewhere for a surprise on Friday night.  Our friends generously and graciously invited us to attend Barnum and Bailey's circus in Cincinnati at US Bank Arena.  We had never done this as a family, and the entire trip was paid for (minus gas money).  What a blessing!!!  We had our own box to sit in with our friends, our own food and drinks (even a fridge), and our own bathroom.  I don't know if I could ever attend the circus any differently in the future.  That was pretty awesome.  We didn't tell the kids where we were going, but as soon as we parked and walked inside, Kurtis handed out the tickets.  Kate read the word, "circus" right away and was astonished.  Her comment that followed still cracks me up.  She said, "This is the first circus I have been to in all my 5 years."  The kids all LOVED it.  I didn't get many pictures because we arrived late and I was too caught up in all the action.  Here is a picture of K-lady with her dear friend after the show was done.    

The three kids at home before driving to the circus.

Another first that occurred in our family, was our first daughter losing her first tooth.  I know you are all going to think I am crazy, but I actually cried.  I didn't bawl my eyes out or anything, but I definitely had little tears well up in my eyes.  I think I was extra emotional because it happened while we were out of town at my Mom and Dad's house and my husband wasn't with us that weekend.  I just felt like my baby was no longer a baby anymore!!  I got over it quickly and K-lady decided to write a letter to the tooth fairy.  It was hilarious and she even titled her card "Fall out in the basement", because her tooth fell out while she was playing in my parent's basement.  She had to inform the tooth fairy of the name of her actual city where she lives,  but that she was just visiting in a different town to see her grandparents.  The tooth fairy did make her debut appearance at Grandma's house that night.   These are fun days with the kids that are going by all too quickly!!

Love the little ringlet curls on the sides of her face :)

Another first, was a field trip the kids and I took yesterday.  We went to a local Krispy Kreme donut shop for a tour and a presentation on how the donuts are made.  It was concluded with a FRESH and YUMMY donut, as well as a cup of water for everyone who attended.  It was fun to see some other families from our homeschool co-op, as well as watching the kids enjoyment of something new.  Although the field trip was free of charge, I couldn't walk into that place and not come out with more donuts to bring home.   Krispy Kreme knows that they are doing!!  :)  Sadly enough, I forgot my camera today.  You will just have to imagine how stinking cute were my three kids......all decked out with their donut shop hats, peering into the donut window.  (actually since I wrote this article last night, my friend, Heather, posted some pictures from the donut trip on facebook and tagged me, so you can check them out there :)

Lastly, my kids got to meet their new baby cousin "L" for the first time.  She is a beautiful and sweet baby.  I thought K-lady was never going to give me a turn to hold her.  She didn't want to let her go and keeps asking when we will get to see her again.  I am so thankful to watch my sisters have babies and become mothers.  Here is a picture of K-lady and her new cousin.

Have a wonderful and blessed weekend!!  Also, if you live in the area, come check out our church this weekend, Covenant Creek Community Church for our service at 6 PM on Saturday night.  We will have some appetizers, snacks and desserts following the service (with a Honduran theme) because Honduras is going to be our international mission focus.  We would love to see you there if you don't have anything going on and want to check it out!!

Adoption Talk Thursdays: The Book

I have not been the best at keeping up with my blog lately.  I am not concerned though.............there are definitely more important priorities in my life.  It has been fun to share my experiences and the things I am learning and I really enjoying writing when I am able. 

I am getting very excited because next month we are approaching Little A's "gotcha day", a term that I have heard people use when referring to the adoption finalization day.  I am not sure what we are going to call that special day yet, but we have decided it is definitely something we want to celebrate as a family.  She officially became our daughter forever on April 20, 2010 (although she was our daughter from the moment we saw her).  In the future, I would really like to celebrate this day by letting Little A choose a place she wants our family to go out out to eat, followed by a small gift (maybe a meaningful book), and then I would like to tell her the story of her life. 

K-lady and W-man really enjoy the nights when we tell them their own "stories".......about my pregnancy with them, how they were born, what they were like.  I haven't started telling Little A her story yet, but I know the time is coming soon.  To assist in telling her story, I thought it would be helpful to make a little book with pictures, some words, etc. to show her how much she is loved, special, and has her own unique story, just as her older siblings do. I have been thinking about this book for the past year, but finally sat down and made a book on Shutterfly this week.  I LOVE how it turned out.  I wish I could share a link on here, but if you want to see the book, you will just have to come over for a cup of coffee sometime :)   I am planning to read this book to her each year on her special day. My desire is to share a simple story when she is little, and add in more detail as she grows older.  There are some special pictures in this book that I have never shared with anyone before (i.e. never before seen footage) :)  I think she is going to appreciate having this book and these pictures someday.  I was even able to get several pictures of her birthmom, her half sister,  and one of her birthfather.   And of course the book is filled with beautiful pictures of her first year of life!  I won't lie, I was in tears by the time I finished making the book.

If you have a special day for your adopted child, what do you call it?  What do you do to celebrate?  I feel like this is almost like a birthday for her.  I am very excited, can you tell??? 

Grateful to the Lord for what He has orchestrated,
Sarah

Recipe Mondays: Giant Chicken Taco Nachos

I am posting a simple, healthy, and delicious recipe this week. It is one of all time favorites for a quick and tasty meal that the whole family loves. I found it on Rachel Ray's website, under the "kids cooking" section. I figured it would be easier and involve less ingredients.   I was accurate........this recipe had a simple list of ingredients and was easy to prepare, compared to many of her other recipes. The kids like this meal and they can get involved with preparation, which is an added bonus!!

Here is the recipe: http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1064

I don't have any pictures this time, but you can see what it looks like on the recipe link above.  You won't be dissappointed if you make this! :) :)

Let me know if you try it and what you think! :) :)

Family Fun Fridays: Surprises and sunshine

If you read my post from Tuesday this week, I have come to a decision about tutoring for next year. After much prayer and seeking counsel and wisdom from others, I have decided to go for it!!! I am really excited for this new challenge and I think it will help me stay focused and disciplined with school in our home. I am also excited to be able to help support other parents in their homeschooling journey and share the love of Jesus and hopefully some creativity with their kids as I tutor them one day each week.

I am so excited about this coming weekend!! We are taking the family somewhere tonight in Cincinnati for a special surprise!! Next week, I will be sure to post pictures and share this fun and first time adventure for us. Although we may be a bit groggy in the morning, we (just the kids and I) are going to head to my parent's hometown for the rest of the weekend. We will get to see my sister and her new baby on Saturday, followed by a birthday party for my niece and seeing my in-laws on Sunday. It is amazing how much I have to pack just to go home for one night, but it will be worth it!! (I can't imagine how packing goes for family's larger than ours) :):) My husband has to work all weekend, but at least we will have some fun things going on to distract us from his absence.

Isn't this warmer weather so nice and refreshing? We went to a park yesterday and I completely lost track of time, as we were all happily enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. We nearly missed Little A's afternoon nap, but she didn't seem to mind. It is going to be really fun this summer now that all three of the kids are walking and playing. I think it is also going to be a challenge to keep up with Little A. She loves to run as fast and as far as she can as soon as her feet hit the ground. :):). I love it though!! Bring on the warm air and sunshine!! :):)

Adoption Talk Thursdays: Transracial Adoption Thoughts

My mind is spinning and I feel a little bit like my face is stinging from a hard slap. I think it was a needed slap and the type of sting to open my eyes and my mind.  I didn't realize that there has existed such controversy over the issue of transracial adoption.  I have personally never seen why it would even be an issue. I decided to read a book called, "In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories."  This book, although painful to read at times, has been eye opening and challenging.  I found this book while perusing blogs of families who have adopted children of other races. I know that I personally do not struggle with racism or feeling superior to any other human being, but this book gave me many other perspectives that I had not previously considered. In Part 2, of this book, they are actually interviewing many young adults who were of different races and adopted into white families.  I haven't finished reading it yet, but I am enjoying learning through their experiences and reading their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives.  The book also addresses concerns I have thought about as Little A grows older, such as how it will feel to her to be surrounded by white people much of her childhood, or how she will be accepted by other blacks. From all the reviews, it sounded like it was a "must-read" type of book. Here is a link to the book:

I feel like this would be a good book for anyone to read, but especially if you are considering doing a transracial adoption or if you have already done one. For us, we didn't go out seeking a child of a race different than our own. We just left things open and Little A's birth mom chose our family.  Little A is a gift from God, and we also believe God chose her for our family.   I have always viewed people as people.....just unique in the outer appearances.  I completely look past color of skin, because after all, don't we all have different shades, tones, and colors??  After reading this book, though, I realized that could be a somewhat naive statement.

Reading this book stretched me to think beyond my own perspective. For one thing, maybe I have never had a problem with racism, but it isn't necessarily right for me to just brush it off and think it doesn't matter.  I realized after reading this book, that I will never fully know what it is like to walk in Little A's shoes.  I will never know what it feels like to look completely different than your entire family, your friends, and community.  I will have no idea what it would feel like to go through identity issues as a teenager, not only as an adoptee, but also being from a different race.  Through it all, though, I do believe that God is greater than all that, and I know that He has a special plan for Little A's life.  I know that He will give us the wisdom and direction with how to handle different issues as they come up.  I am thankful for the fresh perspective from this book, though.  I am encouraged to be Little A's advocate through her entire life.  I am encouraged to let Little A pursue her heritage and culture as she desires.  I don't want to just pretend like we are all exactly the same in our family, because we are not.  But at the same time, Little A is fully our beloved child!!    I desire to raise Little A to know how loved and special she is, by both her birthmom and by us.  I desire for her to know how much Jesus loves her.  I want to help her in the best way possible as she develops her own identity.  I want her to have friends and role models who look like her. I am searching my heart and praying for God to provide these things.  I think it will be challenging at times as she grows older, but completely attainable.

The most encouraging thing I have read from the book is that all of the adoptees (they were all adopted into families of different race than themselves) ultimately agreed that being placed in a loving family was the best thing that could have happened to them.  They have all agreed that while it might have been nice to be in a family of same color, it wasn't the most important thing at all.  They all expressed love and appreciation for their adoptive parents.  I am most of all clinging to the fact, that I can tell Little A someday about my adoption too...........that I became a daughter of God through the work of His Son, Jesus, on the cross.  I know that there are going to be obstacles and challenges...........but I also know that God has a plan in the life of our family.  I am trusting Him to provide us with friends, resources, whatever we might need to help Little A grow and develop in a way that is meaningful to her and shows her how much she is loved, cherished and special.   Reading this book was helpful, but I am thankful my greatest council comes from God's Word.

Does anyone know of any other good books regarding transracial adoption?  What about transracial adoption from a biblical perspective?

We love you so much, Little A!!  You are beautiful :)

School Adventure Tuesdays: To tutor or not to tutor: that is my question

In case you haven't noticed, I haven't kept up with my normal postings lately.  My baby sister just had her first baby last week, and I was blessed to be with her during her labor and delivery.  Once I came home and recovered from missing a whole night's sleep, my husband had to work the entire weekend, in addition to having a time change on the same weekend.  My body has been confused and my normalcy is a bit skewed, but I am so thankful for the events that have taken place this past week.  I am going to head back to visit my sister again this weekend and I can't wait!!  My children are VERY excited to meet their new baby cousin. 

I am trying to figure out if I am crazy.  I am considering becoming a tutor next year for Classical Conversations. It is something I have wanted to do down the road, but didn't think I was ready for that kind of a committment yet.  After talking with my daughter's current tutor and our school director, I am now considering it for next year.  I am going to be entering into my third year of doing the Classical Conversations program as a supplement to our homeschool.  We basically meet one day per week and they need tutors to teach one day per week for 24 weeks during the school year.  The tutors would be responsible for reviewing the material with the students, conducting science experiments, managing the students in their class (possibly 8-10 students), teaching some basic music theory and tin whistle, etc.    I am already doing this material at home with my own kids, but I am sure it would take extra work to prepare and be ready to lead these kids each week.  I want to do it for the right reasons.  It would definitely be a help to the cost of tuition each year (since we will be having two kids in the program next year), but I don't think that should be my reason to tutor.  I am trying to figure out if I am cut out for this. I am also trying to figure out if I have the time to be a decent teacher to my children on all the other days of the week, plus prepare for this.  I know that I can teach my own children at home, but managing a small classroom of children is another story.  If you know me, what do you think?  Am I crazy? 

I will be praying about this decision and trying to follow God's leading in my life and in the life of my family. I have to admit I am actually starting to get excited when I think about teaching outside of my own home next year, but I want to make sure that I could do a good job.   I would appreciate any wisdom or advice from others too!!

Wednesdays in the Word: The Mind and Romance

I am enjoying sharing what the Lord is teaching me through this "Marriage Without Regrets" study by Kay Arthur. I have been strengthened through the truths in God's Word and desire to encourage others to also be strengthened and transformed in their marriages and other relationships.

This week, I have been studying how to love your mate (or your family members, friends, relationships, etc), specifically in your thought life.   Last week I discussed how the tongue and heart were linked together: basically how your tongue reflects what is in your heart. This week, the study went a step further and focused on both the heart and the mind as affecting our attitudes with our loved ones. 

One aspect that I found to be encouraging was studying some verses on God's thoughts and attitudes towards us.  When I think about the following list, it helps me to realize that I should be loving my mate with the same kinds of attitudes and mind-set.  Should my thoughts contradict the thoughts of God?  God can give me the power to change my mind-set to be like his..........this is His mind-set:

*God wants to prosper us and not harm us and He wants to give us a hope and a future (Jer. 29:11)
*God selflessly loved us by giving up His own son and He graciously gives us all things.  He is interceding for us.  He makes us to be more than conquerors! We cannot be separated from His love(Romans 8:31-39)
* God's thoughts are precious to us (Psalm 139:17-18)

My favorite passage from this study came from 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. The whole passage is excellent to read for context, but I was struck by the part about how "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  EVERY thought.  We have a power that is outside this world.  We don't have to wage war the way the world does...........we can take our thoughts and line them up with God's thoughts.  That means all the negative and destructive thoughts that come our way during the course of a day........how many times have these little negative thoughts completely destroyed a whole evening or a whole week with your spouse? (or even longer)  How many of these negative thoughts have built up unneccesary anger and frustration?  How many times do I dwell on one negative thing about my spouse or my children, instead of casting my thoughts toward Christ and having a thankful heart for all the many positive aspects about them?  This is true romance; to be thinking the best and most praiseworthy things about my husband.  To think about that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Phillipians 4:8) is what will bring deep and lasting romance to our marriage. To love my husband unconditionally, I need to focus on positive thoughts.  I can't have those honeycomb words (that I discussed a couple of weeks ago), unless my mind and heart are in the right place.  I have been thinking long and hard this week about my thought life, and I am thankful for these truths God is revealing to me, especially in this area of negativity.  What is your thought life about your spouse, children, or important people in your life?
 
Above all, I really liked how God used this study to reveal to me a biblical way to love and have romance with my husband.  It is not just about the actions that we do (and I know the actions can be important and have lots of meaning).....but it is about our hearts and our minds.  We need to continually cast down the negative thoughts and "take captive EVERY thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5) This will bring about romance that has action and unconditional love.  

School Adventure Tuesdays: Not about me

I was unable to write a "homeschooling post" today for various reasons, most of which would be too numerous and boring to list. :):) Not to mention, I am starting to feel the effects of my husband's long work hours during this tax season, and am not keeping up with "things" in general. I don't mean to sound negative or sad. I am honestly sharing where I am....... and I am okay with the fact that I can't always do what I want to do. I am okay with the fact that I can't keep it all together. I am even more thankful for a Savior who loves me, provides for me, and gives me a hope far greater than any "thing" in this world.

I hope to return tomorrow and share some of what I have been learning in the Word this week. For those of you who feel like I do today........kind of like you just can't keep it all together, or that you can't possibly be really good at any one thing you do.....or maybe you feel your day is consumed with meaningless, mundane tasks........don't feel alone or hopeless. I am right there with you. Even more promising, is that in these days of absolute desperation, despair and frustration, we can see our total need for Jesus and to walk in His Spirit and in His truth. It is all about His power and His grace......I am worthless on my own. I am so glad this life is not about me or what I can do or accomplish. I am nothing.....I was born needing a Savior to rescue me from death. This life is now all about Christ Jesus....."I have have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.". Galatians 2:20.

Recipe Mondays: Baked Chicken Parmesan

I give this recipe 5 stars for ease of preparation, tastiness, and the leftover factor. (tastes just as delicious re-heated the next day).  I have tried other chicken parmesean recipes in the past, but this is the simplest and yummiest!  I got this recipe from my friend, Jonelle. (I think she has given me over half of the ideas for recipes on this blog so far).  I made it for our family over this past weekend and it was even a winning recipe with the children!!  Here is the link for the recipe:

Baked Chicken Parmesan

I have to admit that I did not use real mozzerella, and I think that is a necessity in this recipe.  I thought I had purchased some from the store, but was devastated to find out I only had the shredded mozzerella in a bag (leftover from pizza night).  It did the job, but I can imagine how tasty this would be with the real deal. 

Very easy!  Three bowls.....one with flour, one with egg, and one with bread crumbs/grated parmesan

Once the chicken cutlets are dipped in each of the bowls, they went into the pan to get browned for a couple minutes per side. (I think I browned them a little longer than that).

The chicken getting nice and brown on the outside. :)

Place the browned chicken on top of marinara sauce, then put mozzerella on top and bake.  YUMMY!!

Have a great week everyone!
Sarah