Hellur Again...

I've been slackin'... O well. Lots going on so blogging just hasn't happened.

I just can't wait until I can blog and post pictures of our kiddos... I think I've just been boycotting in hopes that NOW would be the time... but we shall wait some more. 

So lately...
Here's my super cute family on Easter! :) Poor dogs... you can't even see Jubi's face because she's so black... and Walt obviously did not want a picture... but life's hard! We had a good Easter- church, lunch with the Knick's, and time at home. Thankful for Jesus. 

Check out how awesome my hunny is!!! 

He made us an end table (we are selling them for adoption money too if you are interested - $75)! It looks great in the house! And he framed my Africa poster that I got at a market in Kenya!! It's been rolled up and in a secure location for 3.5 years... it was time to give the thing it's rightful place! I LOVE IT!!!! I... well Jacob... hung up the other pictures with it too - it's now the mission trip wall/room. I FINALLY feel like it's okay to start thinking about decorating the kiddos rooms. THAT'S A BIG DEAL!! I have prayed that God would not let me start thinking about that stuff until it was the right time. I'm thinking about it... and we are having to move around lots of stuff to get ready for their arrival!  The Africa pictures and college collages are having to find new homes... but that's COMPLETELY fine because we'll have our kiddos and all will be right with the world! 

**On that note... we are now just waiting for Belize to send us PICTURES and medical information and... TRAVEL DATES!!!**

That could be this week, this month.... or way later.

I've had more Origami Owl jewelry parties! I love that job - it's super fun! You meet new people, learn their stories, and sell really awesome and unique jewelry! 

Look how cute and presh this necklace is???!!!! 

O... the pups. Ya know... since my human kiddos aren't here yet, I'll just show you the furry kiddos. They are nuts! Seriously... NuTz! They are fun though. 

Jubi sheds like a man woman, likes to bark at Walter, hides under the couch and gets stuck in the couch cover and yelps until someone rescues her, and SHE POOPED IN THE FLOOR THIS MORNING... almost killed her. Good thing she's cute.

This weekend we went up to Birmingham... it was a whirlwind of a weekend! I got to do everything I set out to do... but it was crazy busy! I had breakfast with my Nanny and Pawpaw, had an Origami Owl party, went to see my cloggers at their competition, went to an adoption fundraiser my awesome youth pastor's wife held for us, dinner for the birthday week boy, and then back to the competition for awards!!!!! I got to do it all with my mom so that made it even better! It was wonderful. And my girls are so stinkin' cute! They did awesome! 

Sunday morning I got to eat with my dad, brother, sister-in-law, niece - Ava, and nephew - Barrett! It was so good to spend time with them... it doesn't get to happen very often! 

It's also my Ava, Barrett, and my brother's b-day! So... naturally... Cracker Barrel brought out birthday cake for her breakfast treat! :) 

This 4 year old is just adorable!  

Wait for the Lord,

Be strong and take heart

and WAIT for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

We got a fence yo!!!

So... if you didn't know... my husband is AWESOME!!! And he is manly...

HE BUILT A FENCE!!!!! 

I was a little leery about this whole fence building busy... and by a little I mean a lot.  We were going to get Lowe's to build it for us, but they were gonna charge $1,800 in LABOR ONLY!!! cough, cough... NO!  So Jacob become the builder!  I'm pretty darn proud!

Look at the mastery work!!!

Our potentially cute patio! :) I'm inspired now to make it cute! 

You are impressed too aren't ya??? Yep... I know! And if you wanna pay him $1,800 for labor... I'll loan him out! haha!

Now... even though he is pretty much Superman... he did have some help building this. Our pastor, Andrew helped a lot and some of the youth/college students dropped by for a bit. But there was one man who was here the entire time and even came over to work by himself because he's CRAZY! :)
This man is Barrett! You can read SOME of his story here.

 I don't know what to say except that God is good. This man wasn't expected to live as of January 25, 2011... not he's building fences!! Yep... that's MY GOD!

Building... it's hard work. Jacob was beyond sore after he built and built... our fence.  In another perspective... Barrett is building his life back. His "normal" looks a lot different than it did before January 25, 2011.  His family looks a lot different... His faith looks a lot different... His strength and body is a lot different...

BUILDING...

It's hard, but He is faithful. He is so faithful.  He brings people and friends alongside (like my hubby) to help with the process. Yes, Barrett helped with building our fence... and my hubby is ALL IN in helping Barrett with the re-building of his life.

Friendship. It's a great thing.
Building. It's a hard thing.
Accountability. It's a messy thing.

The results of building...  security, a fortress, a monument proclaiming a job well done, more muscles for the next project, experience, and learning that won't be forgotten.

We are pumped about our fence and Walter CAN'T WAIT to get out there and go bonkers!!!!

Re-Re-Re-Revival!!!!

We did it. The first youth Sunday at Southside Baptist... it happened. Not because of us FOR SURE... but because of God talking to some high school girls and them listening.  You can read the story here. 

Practicing before

I really don't know what to say... I know that crazy because I never shut up... but the day was so good and SO GOD! There were youth singing and playing instruments with Jacob and Hunter (the bromance). It was so awesome. The fact that those students were up on stage in front of the congregation and their peers was a total God thing (especially for the pretty girl by Jacob... love her). We had the band and the youth choir. The choir kept growing and growing and kids kept coming and wanting to join in the awesomeness. That's how Christianity should be.  People shouldn't be appalled or disgusted with our hypocrisy or whatever turns them off... they should be attracted by and want to join in with the BOLD... the COURAGEOUS... the JOYFUL!!! 

Basically... these students led the adults in worship. No one left. No one got upset (that I know of) about the crazed demon boxes or electricity gi-tar. God was DEFINITELY glorified. He delighted in us and we were delighting in Him for sure.  Some of the kids were so nervous... wanting to throw up... before it started! That's how big of a deal this was. I felt like a proud momma! :) And a person led in worship by youth, that we just love, like never before.  Ahh... my heart is just singing and a'screamin'!!! 


After the music part of worship... one of our dear friends shared his testimony as the message. Barrett Foster... a miracle... shared his story.  Sadly... I have never written a full post about him... because in my frazzled head... I think if I don't write or talk or think about the bad/scary/tragic then it didn't really happen.  I wrote a little here, but it doesn't scratch the surface of what has happened in the past year. 
His story doesn't start here, but a huge part of what has molded him, Michelle, and their kids started Jan. 25, 2011. Barrett's truck met a tree. I don't know the specifics, but the collision basically broke every bone in the left side of his body.  His lungs collapsed. His skull was fractured. He was resuscitated multiple times. He was treated by every kind of doctor imaginable... and they admitted that only God can help. Barrett was in the hospital for 6 months straight and is constantly going back for therapy and visits. Barrett shouldn't be here. But he was and he is. His kids became our kids. We became a part of the Foster family and their story has become a major part of ours. Barrett wasn't suppose to live. He did. Barrett wasn't suppose to use his arms. He uses both of them. Barrett was suppose to stay in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Barrett walks... 

He's a miracle and God is amazing. Barrett's story is definitely not a story of medical genius or a miraculous surgical procedure... his story is God's story. I'm so thankful I am able to be a part of this story. God turned beauty into ashes... and is still doing so.

You can see Barrett's wheelchair that was used for his
testimony... not his transportation.

Since my brain likes to live in Utopia... I never went in Barrett's hospital room. I stayed in the waiting room... praying, loving on my new family, and only holding on to the positive HOPE.  I don't regret doing that because I KNEW Barrett would be HEALED. I never doubted. I never saw anything to prove anything else. I just believed in God's voice. I have seen God work in so many ways through this one family's story. That Tuesday night in January or last year was so grim and dark standing in the hospital waiting to hear SOMETHING.  But... seeing Barrett STANDING on stage... this past year has been nothing less than miraculous... challenging - HECK YES!, painful - so many tears for all involved, iffy - YEP!, confusing - lots of questions... but miraculous - MORE THAN ANYTHING. 


I know I said I didn't have anything to say... I lied. 


I am thankful for yesterday. God is faithful. I am claiming REVIVAL... I am believing. 


Here's my hubby... our bold leader. My favorite thing in marriage is seeing Jacob being used by Jesus... it happens often so life is good.