A Legacy of Adoption

Our family is full of adoption stories.  I have eight adopted cousins, an adopted uncle, and an adopted great-uncle and aunt.  Andy has an adopted uncle and aunt.  I don't doubt that all these adoptions have influenced our own decision to adopt.  I remember when I was a little girl, wishing that someone would drop off a baby in a basket on our porch so we could adopt him or her. (:  I guess the desire started early for me.  I'm so thankful that our parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts set such a good example for us of showing compassion and love to the fatherless.

My grandma and her siblings- her older

brother and sister were adopted.

(she is on the right)

When I see websites like this one, where you can search through all the children that are waiting to be adopted here in the United States, it just breaks my heart.  When we were waiting to adopt AJ I looked at the waiting children websites sometimes and now, over 2 years later, some of those same kids are still there waiting!  They must feel so sad, knowing that they are on a website and no one wants them. 

Andy and I are starting classes this week to become certified to adopt or do foster care through the state.  We both feel God is leading us down this road, and we are looking forward to what He has for us.  I'm so glad we can trust Him!  Adopting older children or children with special needs has unique challenges and honestly sometimes it really scares me, but God knows it all and He will be there in the future too.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Proverbs 31:8-9



An Old Fashioned Girl

A while back my mom gave me some old books that belonged to my grandma

when she was young.  One of them was An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa

May Alcott.  I just finished reading it, it was a nice simple story about a girl

named Polly, who was an old-fashioned country girl and how she brightened

the lives of all who knew her.  In the front cover of the book is my grandma's name,

Margaret, and the year 1933.  She would have been 20 that year. 

Reading her book got me thinking about her.  She was an old-fashioned

country girl as well, who grew up in a family of 11 children.  The photo

above includes her wedding picture, one of her china plates, and the book.

This dogwood pattern of dishes must have been popular at that time,

because I have pieces of it from my grandma, my great-grandma,

and my great-aunt, all different families.  They don't have any

marking on the bottom so I'm not sure where they all got them from.

This photo of my grandma's family was taken in 1931, she is the

third from the right.  Most of the photos we have of our grandparents

are formal studio photos so I like this one that shows them in

real life.  My grandma was very practical and lived simply,

but she was very kind to us grandchildren, showing us her garden,

or playing with antique toys with us.  I often wish

I could talk to her again, she died when I was in college.

I hope that someday I can be a good grandma too!

 

I am joining

 

Tea Time Tuesday and Table Top Tuesday

First Football Game

PD had his first football game of the season this afternoon.  He did great, and had an interception and some tackles.  He loves football and tackling- as his brothers can tell you!

 

It's fun to watch him play- although I'm looking forward to when the weather cools off a little more- it was pretty warm out there today.

 

September Sunflowers

September is sunflower time and they are blooming like crazy around here these days!

So tonight we took a little drive and picked some for our table.

Sunflowers always look so happy, don't they?

DJ and AJ helped me pick them.

LA and SJ went out to explore the lake.

Sunflowers make the roadsides look so pretty!

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it;

for he founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the waters.

Psalm 24:1-2

 

 



Monster Cookies

Our boys always come home from school hungry- I'm sure it's because they've been studying so hard!  Yea.  So, it is my ambition to always have some lunch ready when they walk in the door, so we can sit around the table and talk about the day a little before they run off to play.  I admit it doesn't always happen, sometimes they just have to look in the cupboard for something, but I try. 

I have been gluten free for 5 months now, and at my last Dr. appointment he said I could start having oatmeal and rice now!  So, I made Monster Cookies for lunch today.  They don't have any flour, just oatmeal, so I can eat them too.  After 5 months without anything resembling a cookie, they tasted awesome!  Here's the recipe--

Monster Cookies

3 eggs
1 1/8 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 stick butter
2 t. soda
3/4 lb. peanut butter
4 3/4 c. oatmeal
1 1/4  pkgs. chocolate chips (or use part M&Ms)

Blend eggs, sugars, and butter together with mixer.  Add soda and peanut butter.  Stir in oatmeal, chocolate chips, and M&Ms.  Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Pride and Prejudice

I just finished reading Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen last week.  It's a great book but I don't think I would have had the patience for it any earlier in my life!  If you're looking for a good book to read this fall and you have time to concentrate I would recommend it.

Of course, if you're reading a book written in 1813 about life in England you need to be drinking coffee out of a transferware castle mug, right?  This one features Ruthin Castle in 1792, and is made by Johnson Brothers. 

 



You know, if you think about it, pride and prejudice are the cause of so many problems in this world.  In my own life I find that when I realize I have been proud about something and then try and change it, I get proud of how humble I have become!  It's always a struggle.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility

toward one another, because,

God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the humble.

Humble yourselves, therefore,

under God's mighty hand,

that he may lift you up in due time.

1 Peter 5:5-6

 

I am joining Tea Time Tuesday and Table Top Tuesday again this week.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

 

What a Friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

 

 

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

 

 

Are we weak and heavy laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our Refuge-

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

 

 

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer;

In His arms He'll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

 

~ Joseph M. Scriven ~