Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Our Christmas this year was absolutely wonderful!  

Sunday Love.

Goodbyes

Sawbonna! (Hello!)

Today was another wonderful, blessed day in Swaziland!  Again, we started off waking up at about 6-6:15 to be at breakfast and head out to our church at about 7:45.

When we were pulling up at the church, all the village children came running down the hill to meet us. Man, I love that sight.  All these children running to meet and greet people they just met two days ago, and probably the only white people they have ever seen.  The joy, the love, the openness they all have... I LOVE AFRICA!

Anyways, today was our last day at our church.  I kept repeating to myself, "Take it ALLL in. This could quite possibly be the last time you EVER see these precious kids that you have fallen in love with in two short days... don't miss a wink." Needless to say, today was a day that I will never forget.  And I don't think I can, either, because I have about 800 pictures from the day; each picture with its own background story and beautiful memory.

Our days have consisted mostly of bonding. Bonding with the moms, teenagers, toddlers, babies, gogo's, and all the community people.  Bonding is most important, creating relationships with the people in our village, even if nothing else gets done, is all that matters.  And bonding is definitely what we did.  We did build and plant them a garden and teach Bible School to the children, but most of our time was consumed in making relationships... which made it so much harder to say goodbye.

My heart is just so overwhelmed here.  There is so much to take in during the day; so much that I store in my journal in my heart and hope to never forget; so much, that I just wish I could have had a camera crew to follow every step of the way so that not a single breath could be forgotten.  From the looks in the children's eyes, the deep sadness dwelling in them cutting a hole right through me, to the times of joy where I feel I could fall on the ground and laugh for hours with these new friends while they make fun of me because I can't say a word right, for the 20th time, to hearing them worship, in that tiny, stick church building.  There were so many times today that I just wanted to freeze time and sit there forever.  so many memories that flood to my mind when I close my eyes... in just 3 days I have done more and learned more and lived more than I ever have, and just thinking about it and reflecting on my time at the small 33' X 33' stick church makes me wants to cry.  The ugly cry.

I just have to pray that God come speak to me.  That He come sort out all my feelings of sadness, anger, longing, love, confusion, and joy.  I am so angry that I had to leave these people.  I could have stayed for the rest of the summer, no lie.  I am angry at the circumstances they live in.  The poverty, the death, the disease, the hunger... it just doesn't make sense to the human eye.  But what is even more confusing is their joy and their faithfulness.  When they praise God, they sing whole-heartedly, holding nothing back.  When they talk and live, they have so much joy.  And I find myself thinking, "Joy from what?  These people, from the world's eyes, appear to have nothing, yet they have EVERYTHING.  How can I get some of this joy?"  I have yet to find out... for I am NOT finished, I am not letting go.  I will not forget them, and I know the Lord has plans, great plans, for them as they continue to live with such joy and faithfulness.

Back to the goodbyes.  We started the morning off by hanging out with the children for a while, the boys played soccer, I taught the teenage girls how to play volleyball (which they thought was the COOLEST game in the whole wide world), and Mrs. Burns and the garden team finished up the last of the planting of the garden.  After that, we handed out clothes to the children, moms, and grandmothers.  That went very smoothly, and everyone was so grateful for their new treasures: underwear for child, an article of clothing for child, bar of soap, article of clothing for mother/grandmother, underwear for mother/grandmother.  Since when have I been so ecstatic about a used shirt or underwear or soap?  Lots of evaluating the life I live has been done and is being done.

After we got finished with handing out our goodies, we bonded again... at least I did.  That is pretty much ALL I did the WHOLE time.  We shared lunch with all the people there, which they were also grateful for.

In the afternoon, two groups headed out into the community to pray and visit the sick.  Very hard.  Very heart-wrenching.  No words can describe what it is like to walk into a room with a person dying of AIDS.  They don't understand what AIDS is and what it can do... but we do, and my heart aches for them.

There is more about today, some praise-the-Lord only-God-can-do things, but it is past midnight, so that will have to wait.

Destination: Africa. Day 2

Sarah here.
Hello from Africa! We are safe and sound in Swaziland.  I plan to post my daily journals of our Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday traveling, but for now, I will start with today.  It is almost 11 pm (Swazi time), and I am running on very little sleep, so bare with me.

Monday
July 19, 2010
Destination: Jesus Is the Answer Church in Swaziland, Africa

Today was our first day of serving the people of Swaziland.  We started off the day waking up at 5:30 to shower and make it to breakfast by 6:40.  There are 300 people on our Heart for Africa trip, so we were put into teams of about 10 each (we are the largest group with 23 people, Stroups, Burns, Pastor Thomas, a group from Atlanta, and a group from Taiwan), and larger groups, called waves, to split up breakfast times.  There are 3 waves (teams 1-10, 11-20, 21-30), and we are in wave 3... which is the best because we have the latest breakfast!  And it also means that we have the shortest commute, wave 1 travels about 2 and a half hours each way to their church, wave 2 travels about 2 hours, and wave 3 travels about an hour.  Our group, though, has an incredibly short commute; we only have about a 20 minute drive to our church.
So, moving right along, we ate breakfast, which was really good.  The juice, though, wasn't as good... we had some sort of guava juice and lemonade-looking, but NOT tasting, juice.

Then we headed to our church.  Being at the church and loving and living with the people of the surrounding area was indescribable.  I love this country!
So much happened today, so many stories to tell.  Each person, each child, each house had their own story, but they will have to wait for another day because it is 11:30 PM Swazi time, and I have to wake up at 5:30 tomorrow morning.

Our first day was a huge success, and I have 629 pictures (yes, 629 pictures from JUST TODAY!) to prove it... which also all have their own story to tell. I am too tired to go through and pick out my favorites...
I hope to post a real journal tomorrow and a few videos I shot today of all the children and women singing "Jesus Loves Me" and breath-taking songs in Siswati (not sure how to spell that).


Goodnight! Or good evening to those back home!
Love,
Sarah

Sunday Love

A Time To Dance...

a time to weep,

a time to laugh,

a time to mourn,

and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3:4

I love this recent conceptual photo shoot of Sarah on pointe.  The elegance of pointe and the rustic atmosphere of our 100 year old barn mixed perfectly for these exceptional treasures.  I just had to share!

Bridal Shower and Faith Like Potatoes

6/26/10

Happy Monday!  On Saturday, a few friends of mine and I had a gorgeous bridal shower for one of my good friends, Cindy Ford's, son, Josh's, soon-to-be-bride.  It was a beautiful shower!  Six ladies from our neighborhood, seven including me, hosted the shower.  

The Hostesses and Bride (L-R): Nancy, Me, Julianna (bride), Lorrie, Jamie, Becky, (Kristi and Jerrie not pictured).

I was so amazed at how beautiful the shower was!  There were gorgeous flower arrangements everywhere, only china and crystal was used for serving, the cake was beautiful, and Becky's house accommodated everyone very well!

Between the seven of us who hosted the shower, we have twelve daughters ranging from twenties to two (Ella)... so we have LOTS of showers ahead of us!

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After I came home from the shower, the kids swam, I laid out by the pool, and we enjoyed our (VERY HOT) Saturday afternoon.  

The weather here has been SO HOT that all we can do is either swim or stay inside. I don't think it has been below 95 degrees for most of June, and it is hot ALL DAY LONG... from 8 am to 8 pm it is humid and in the 90's.

____________________________________________

Then, it was designated Family Movie Night.  We watched Faith Like Potatoes.

BEST.

MOVIE.

EVER.

It is about a family who works and runs an orphanage in South Africa.  I missed the first 15 minutes of the movie because I was popping popcorn, so I'm not exactly sure how it all started... you'll just have to see for yourself!

I cried, I laughed, I bawled, and I held on for dear life to see what would happen next.

This is a great example of what can happen when you just have faith.

*I hope you had a good Monday!  And for your next movie night, be sure to watch Faith Like Potatoes.

Sunday Love

A 4 Year Old's Take

I was sitting at the computer and Joe came up to me to tell me that Grace needed a towel.
Not letting a moment like this pass,
I swooped him up, gave him a big ole hug, sat him on my lap,
and said
"Oh, Joe, let me see that handsome smile!"

He responded with a huge smile
full of joy and pride
and then a look of confusion engulfed his face
as he said
"My hands don't smile; they wiggle!"
and proceeded to wiggle his fingers!
The way his little mind works just entices me!
Hand-some has a whole new definition
in the mind of my silly 4 year old!

I love that little bundle of joy and love!
He is smart, loving, compassionate, caring, hard-headed
and a real-life giggle box!
I love to listen to him laugh
and his funny remarks, like the one above,
are sometimes just too cute not to share!

I love you so much, Joe!!!

truest love...

For you created my inmost being;
       you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
       when I was made in the secret place.
       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
       All the days ordained for me
       were written in your book
       before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:13-16

...is our Savior's love for His children!

Boys Home, Birthday, Recital, OH MY!

These two handsome boys just got back from the beach.

They left Sunday (May 30) to spend a week with Mimi and Papa (Greg's parents) and cousin Harrison.

This was their first time to go on a 'big trip' all by themselves, and they were certainly missed!  I am not sure how much they missed us, though.

A whole week of relaxation?

quiet?

freedom?

quiet?

fun?

quiet?

beach?

quiet?

tanning?

and, uh QUIET???

I don't know if they realize how good they had it!

They had a FANTASTIC time going to the beach (almost every day!), drinking smoothies by the pool (the highlight of EVERY Florida trip, I might add), and biking around the area.  They rented bikes for the week, and rode their bikes ALL OVER!

John and James have definitely come back a bit more tan and proud of their newly appointed freedom.

But they were so excited to see Joe and Ella and the girls again... and vice versa!

Ella looks pretty happy to have James home!

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The boys came back Saturday... which was a pretty important day for a certain 12 year old in our house!

James turned the big 1-2 on June 5th!

Sarah, Anna Grace, and Joe made James a birthday sign to greet him when he got home!

I am so proud of the young man James is becoming!

He is sweet and loving toward his brothers and sisters.

He is creative and smart... and loves to build or take apart ANYTHING!

He is my go-to-guy whenever I need something fixed or repaired.

And, most importantly, he loves and follows God and cares about everyone around him.

I know that God has some wonderful plans for James,

and I am so grateful that I get to witness it as it happens!

-----------------------------

And for his birthday, James got to go see his sisters' dance recital!

Sarah and Anna Grace's dance recital always falls on the weekend of James's birthday... and this year was not any different...

EXCEPT it was the first year that we made John and James go!

Sarah (14) has been dancing since she was 5 years old,

Anna Grace (8) since she was 4,

and the girls and I thought it was about time for the boys to see what goes on beyond the dance practices, makeup, and costumes.

Overall I think it went well (taking John and James).

And Sarah and Anna Grace did a wonderful job!

That was our Saturday!  We are so happy to have John and James back home; James celebrated his birthday Sunday with a cake and a new bike; and another successful dance recital is under our belts!

SUMMER!

I meant to post last week about the kids getting out of school... but, as you can tell, I didn't.

Part 1:
Sarah (14) got out of school last Tuesday, May 18.  I am so proud of her and how she blossomed this past school year.  Last year she decided that it was time to go to a bigger school; the four oldest went to a private Christian school (which is an AMAZING school, don't get me wrong), but in the junior high grades, classes get a little small.  So for eighth grade Sarah went to the public junior high school.  She was a cheerleader, on the A honor all year, and never let down her guard for God.  She LOVED her eighth grade year, and I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE WILL BE IN HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR!!!
I didn't get any pictures of her last day of school because she went out to eat with a lot of her friends right after she got out.


Part 2:
John (13), James (11), and Anna Grace (8) got out of school last Wednesday, May 19.  I am so proud of them, too!  We LOVE their school- they learn about God in every subject, and the teachers are so kind and helpful!  I snapped a picture of them before they left school...

I don't think James was too excited to pose for pictures... he was ready to leave! :)

All four older kids (plus John's friend Jordan).

Anna Grace LOVED her 2nd grade teacher!  She had a great year!

James also loved his teacher!  She was very funny and loved all her 5th grade students.

I didn't get a picture of John and his 7th grade teacher.  He was just ready to leave!

Part 3:
Luckily (so that I will remain SANE), the little two are still going to preschool twice a week.  It is nice to have JUST the older four to do fun things on Wednesdays and Fridays... sometimes a break is NICE.

We have had a wonderful start to our summer... filled with movies every night, sleeping in every morning, and playing outside and inside.  So far, so GREAT!

My Thoughts Monday

My Thoughts Monday is a day dedicated to sharing what is on our minds.  Join me each week to share what has been weighing heavily on your heart and mind.

This week: I've had all these thoughts about adoption (and why people don't 'get it') swirling around in my head for days.  I finally sat down at the computer and emptied it all out into this poem.

Just because you do not see me
Just because you do not see me, doesn’t mean I don’t exist
Just because you do not love me, doesn’t mean I do not wish
For someone just like you to come into my life
Make me apart of your world, tuck me into bed each night
Some people think this place I live, is fine for me for now
But the real truth about it is, I struggle just to wonder how
How can this dirt, the pain I feel each time the misery comes
How do I erase the filth, the hurt, the pain so deep my mind just runs
Runs to a happy place where family is near
So kind so loving so complete so wonderful and dear
Where are you now why aren’t you here, I cry myself to sleep
Waiting for a mom and dad to come and rescue me
God says he took us as His own we are now His daughters and sons
But will you take me into your home and for me this battle won.
I struggle why no one seems to care to see the pain I feel
The physical and emotional that is so very real
I am the same as your sweet child that God brought from your womb
I need the same love and care the hugs, and the laughter too
So just because you do not see does not mean I don’t exist
It just means I am struggling alone still with my only wish
The wish for a mom and dad to hold me close each night
Not let another person come and in my world bring fright
I need a protector, love, teaching, comfort, someone to hear
All the dreams the passion, desires that God has been so clear
So clear that we all need a family, a home, a place that every child desires
A place to grow to sing to dance to celebrate and admire
The way I’ve grown and have developed into the beautiful child I have become
Because you came for me and out of the darkness I can finally see the sun.
So thank you mom and thank you dad for showing me God’s love
The kind that lasts forever and into His arms I will finally run
Not run away from my fears but into His family I will go
Because you loved and showed me the God you also know
So on this day we can celebrate, the past, the pain is gone
And so for me, but not for others this battle is finally won
I now know the true meaning of Jesus because you showed His love, and no longer will I roam.
You sacrificed your life your dreams and you gave to me a home.
I will never be perfect but you didn’t care and took a risk
And you decided that just because you didn’t see me, doesn’t mean I did not exist.

Never. A. Dull. Moment.

A Friday night wouldn't be complete without a trip to the ER, now would it?!

Let me explain:
Greg, John, James, and John's friend Benjamin were playing basketball this evening, enjoying the hard-to-come-by nice weather.  The basketball game got intense, and as John was making his way to shoot a lay-up, James "got in his way" and fell into the grass... and he happened to fall on a rusty nail.  Now if anyone can get hurt by the ONLY nail in our WHOLE yard, James can... and James DID.  I will spare details and pictures, but when he showed came inside to show me, there was a hole down the side of his leg long-ways, about 3-4 inches long.  OUCH!!!  So Greg and I took him to the emergency room to get checked out, left Sarah at home to hold down the fort, got in to see a doctor quickly (which is an ER miracle), and James got the full treatment- complete with an x-ray to look for any metal left in his leg, an alcohol rinse to clean the incision, some strips to hold his 'owie' together, and a Tetanus shot.  We are SO thankful that that is the all that happened.  It would have been much worse!  And, we are home and safe now... and trying to avoid any confrontation with rusty nails.

_____________________________________________________________________________

***On a lighter note, I thought I'd give you a little glimpse into our week (in no particular order):

This is what our driveway currently looks like.  There is a shoulder being added on our street... and so we have tractors, piles of gravel, and cones decorating our front yard:

Current FAVORITE toy: dirt bike.

John was nice enough to let Anna Grace have a try at driving, too.

Sarah's school performed The Sound of Music last weekend.  The Jr. High is known around the community for their amazing performances and this one was no different.

Our newest additions- 9 furry balls of cuteness

More on these precious guys later

****I hope you had a more successful Friday night filled with fun times and no ER runs.  We are finishing off the weekend with dance practices and basketball tournaments... and the kids are celebrating as they get out of school next Tuesday (Sarah) and Wednesday (John, James, Anna Grace).  SUMMER HERE WE COME!!!

Blessings,

Shari

Happy Mother's Day, Mom

Mom,
It is impossible to thank you for all you have done.  From the hundreds of times you have brought my ID to school after I've forgotten it to all those times I "borrow" your clothes and jewelry, you have proven to be THE BEST mom in the ENTIRE WORLD! AND Although I may deny it, my friends are right... you are pretty cool.  Most of my friends don't have 5 little siblings or know all about orphans worldwide, but, thanks to you, I do and I wouldn't change it for the world!!!!  Thanks for everything!

And here is your Mother's Day present...

Your Baby Girl
I'm no longer a little girl
As you can plainly see,
But that doesn't mean
You matter any less to me.
You may not be able to hold me
Or sing me lullabies,
You may not feed me dinner
Or tuck me into bed each night.

For I am quickly growing
Into a lady not a girl.
But don't let that fool you,
I am still your baby girl.
As I start a new adventure
Into high school I will go
I will need you more than ever
Though I may not always know.

There are times when I am happy

And there are times that I am mad,

But you have always shown me

To look at the fullness of the glass.

You've taught me many lessons
From manners to having fun,
But how to love my Savior
Is the most important one.
Your words and your wisdom
Have taught me a whole lot,
But it's how you've lived your life
That you have truly taught.
Your love for your family
Your passion for the poor
Your dedication to care for orphans
Your way of always giving more
Is more powerful than words
More meaningful than any gift
The way your heart bleeds through
Is your teaching in its pure bliss.

So every year as I get older
From your baby girl anew
Someday when I'm a mother,
I hope I end up just like you.

I love you, Mom!!!!

Love,
Sarah

Ella On the Move

My name is Ella and I LOVE to play HIDE N SEEK!

Hmmm... where should I hide???

Here I go...

You can't see me!!!!

BOOOO!!!!!!!!