Sara Groves, "I Saw What I Saw"

Mom's new website

My mom has her own website for all of her great designs!  She has offered to make and sell these items and give us part of her earnings for our adoption (go mom!)....she will continue to make these after our adoption, as well!  She can custom make anything...wreaths, funeral wreaths/saddles, she does weddings, centerpieces, spray...you name it, she makes it!  Here is her site, chocked full of her designs!  Click on the link, below!

Designs by Jo

 *In case this post gets lost in the shuffle...please look to the right hand side and you can also click on the link under  "sites I follow"*

Great Turn Out

We had such a fun time, last night, at the coupon class!  Thanks again to Brandi J. for donating her time and putting on a very good presentation on how to be good stewards of the money God gives you!  Thanks to my mom for decorating and setting up...she also brought her wreaths!  Chrissy for setting up and taking my 3 wild ones!  A big thank you to all the ladies who came!

Next up:  Freezer cooking party..............

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY

ISRAEL JUDE!

WE LOVE YOU AND CAN'T WAIT TO BRING YOU HOME!!!!!!!!!!!

Something to chew on

If 1/3 of all Christians who could adopt would open their home to a child,

there would be ZERO orphans left in the world!

If you have ever thought about adoption and have questions please feel free to ask me.

Ugandan Necklaces!

The Karamojong women create these beautiful necklaces by hand and from re-cycled paper!

These necklaces are purchased by 147 Million Orphans Ministry and they send them 50% of the profits back to the feeding program that is run by Katie Davis!

These necklaces sell for $15 each.  Our family will receive a portion towards our adoption.

If you are interested in buying one (or more), please email me at bart.brandi@mchsi.com and let me know.  Once I receive an order (minimum I need is 20 to create an order), then I will send it to the ladies at 147 Million Orphans.  All shipping, for the month of August, is FREE!

Thank You

A heartfelt, public thank you to the people who have helped in our journey to bringing our son home:

Marilyn

Tammie

Hardin Baptist Church

Casey P

Sandi & Clint

Phill & Sharon 

Emily

Mom

Mom II

Gary (my hero)

Barney

Frank & Bettie

Jim & Deborah

David & Teressa

Scott & Whitney

Mike & Debbie

Sylvia

Dalene

David & Tera Melber

Jana Koch

Joetta Kelly

Ron & Dawn

David & Norma

Jake & Ashley

Mike & Stacie

Teemu & Jeni

Mike

Tim & Linda

Olivet Baptist Church AWANA

Laura Roberts

Lesley Scott

Meredith Hannah

Julie Erwin

Buddy & Audra

Steve & Casey S.

Nick & Julie

Steve & Jennifer

 Brandon & Brandi

Brad & Chrissy

Glenda

Sherry

Ron & Vicki

Mina

Michelle

Tiffany

Brenda

Brandy

Jaymi

Teresa

Schana

Jana

Maribeth

Misty

Alicia

April

Lisa

Lori

Those who chose to be anonymous.

Those who have covered our adoption/family/son in their prayers.

For those I missed, I sincerely apologize. Know that your generosity and your prayers are known with our Father.

Ephesians 3:14-20

 ¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶that according to the riches of his glory  he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and  height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, 

according to the power at work within us,

A week of many blessings

Not only have we sold 13 wreaths and have 9 people coming to our coupon class (hoping for more), but we got our washing machine issue fixed...they sent us a check for the amount of our washer, so B went and bought me a new one and it is going to be delivered on Monday :)  Then, the insurance company FINALLY came through with the check for the repairs or our floor and it was enough to buy materials to fix the floor and enough for B's travel :)  Then, I got a phone call from my sister and she has all her childcare needs met for whenever she gets a date!  God is so good, all the time and all the time, God is good!

I publicly send a HUGE thank you to my mom for giving me this great fundraiser!  She is spending her time to design these wreaths and all for her grandson.  I love you, mom!

I must also give a shout out to the Better Business Bureau...when you've been out of a washer since July 6, they are the ones to file a complaint with :)  They had the issue resolved within 8 hrs.

It has been a glorious week of blessings, much needed rain and some trials.  Thank You, God for being my Provider!

Many Opportunities to help!

WREATHS & OTHER ITEMS

You can go to this link and see what new things we have for sale (courtesy of my mom).  Please pass this onto anyone you think might be interested.  The prices are under each picture.  If there is a specific wreath you'd like, just fire me an email and I'll pass it onto my mom.  She will make it, but then send a picture for your approval.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2075279&id=1318998237&l=c32f4cdc1f

COUPON CLASS (date change)

Our coupon class will be held on August 24th from 5:30 till whenever :) at the visitors center at Mike Miller Park.

My goal for this class will be
*to teach general couponing lingo and tips,

*give tutorials on helpful websites,

...*detail how to set up scenarios to save the most money

*highlight specific tips for each local store.

I hope to give you the tools you need to COMBINE store sales, with coupons AND store incentives all at the same time to get the MOST out of pocket savings possible.

Below is an example of one month's spending and saving for my family of 6. This tracks every dollar spent on food, toiletries, eating out, clothing, misc. etc. (Everything except fixed monthly bills.)

Total Shelf cost: $1,251.05
Total Coupons savings: $275.47
Total savings from sales: $531.08
Total Rebates/ store incentives: $132.50
Total COMBINED savings: $939.05

Total OUT OF POCKET expense: $323.00
Savings of 74.18%

We ended the month with the cupboards and freezer full!!

USED INK CARTRIDGES, LASER CARTRIDGES OR OLD CELL PHONES

We will be collecting these, as well.  Just send me an email or comment here!

We truly appreciate your willingness to help our family and we are anxious for you to meet our new little one!

Hmpffff

I need a V-8.

A bowl of parmesan.

Orange juice.

Some prayers.

I feel so incredibly guilty for even thinking about having a bad day.  I have wonderful friends, in my life, that are struggling.  My Princess P....wheelchair bound.  The Dawson family...dealing with their child having cancer.  Another is currently hanging out "upside down" in an effort to keep her baby in her womb.  There is so much sadness, so much turmoil, so many questions and so little answers.  Here I am, just simply having an off day, but I have 5 healthy children; one waiting for me to come and get him, a sweet husband and we are all good.....yet I'm still having a bad day.  I have no right.

Be still and Know that I am GOD!

Missing my boy

How is it even possible to miss someone that you've never met?  Can it be the same as loving a baby that you are pregnant with?  I remember my first pregnancy and it was a heart felt yearning for seeing what this little person looked like, being able to hold this little person and pour all your love into a being that you've never met, you just know that you are carrying within you.

It was almost an ache, the last few months.  Not the ache of pregnancy, but the ache of being *so* ready, so past ready to meet this child.  I loved being pregnant.  The kicks, squirms, hiccups...watching my belly transform before my eyes from normal to completely transformed into a temporary home for my child.

My womb was warm and my kids could feel my emotions, ate what I ate...I nourished this baby, loved this baby, protected this baby.  Nothing could get to her, she was safe and she would fall asleep to the sound of my heartbeat.  Wow, how cool is that!

My son's temporary home is an orphanage.  He is in a Christian orphanage and I'm hoping that he is loved on.  He eats, when he can eat.  He must share because food is limited in Africa.  I don't know if he is too warm or too cold, if he has a bed or who protects him.  He doesn't fall asleep to the lull of calming voices or his mom's heartbeat.  He left everything that he knew.  He left his village, his birthmom and his siblings.  He was loved by his birthfamily, but due to poverty and illness, she wasn't able to care for him.  I can not even imagine sacrificing like that.  I believe that God has a special place for those women who selflessly give up their children so they can have a future, a life.....so they can eat, be loved on and make a difference in this world.

I'm never met him, though I love him.  I've never heard his laugh, but I smile when I see a picture of him smiling.  I've never told him that I love him, yet I would give my life for him.  I'm aching to see him.  Aching to touch him, hold him, feed him, love him and tell him of the sacrifice that his mom made and the ultimate sacrifice that my God made for him in sending His Son to die for him.

If all goes well on Oct. 1 and we pass court, my dh will be meeting our son for the first time that next week.  He will get to hold him, laugh and cry with him and love him, just like the Father loved His Son.  How precious.  Soon, he will be home and we will be in a whole new world.   

Today, I'm missing my son.

More Wreaths for sale!

Wreaths for Sale

Inside/Outside Wreaths for Sale.

  

My mom makes some beautiful wreaths and she is offering her services to you!  The 18" are $25/wreath....for every wreath, we get $15 towards the adoption!

22-24" are $40/wreath....for every wreath, we will get $30 towards the adoption!

Please consider buying a wreath..you get the beauty of a her work and you can bless our family.  

Please send an email or a comment, if you are interested.  Mom is ready and waiting!  

Pass this along to all your FB friends or email to as many people as you'd like!

Humbling yet thankful

Other than the smell of fresh poop, this morning (thanks Sadie)....my morning has started off well.  I slept very good last night and that was much needed.

After yesterdays events....I was on edge and ready to throw my hands up and say...."I'm DONE"!  B came home  and allowed me to leave for a bit (a long bit LOL).  I went to a friends store and talked with them, went to Cato and got 3 church shirts and a skirt....I love that store, I got my shirts for $3.99, $4.99 and $6.99.  I'm anxious to go back to see if they mark the rest of their bohemian skirts done.  I'm finding that I really like those skirts.  They are something that I can wear around the house and not be guilty of looking like sludge LOL.  If I can just discipline myself to brush my hair, in the mornings.....that's a work in progress.

I was relaxed when I got home.  I just needed to breathe, a bit.  I had an offer of my dear friend to HS my raddish....we shall see.  B isn't all about it because she is such a difficult child and I really don't want to put my friend through that, but the prospect of her catching up and learning, in a different environment is appealing.  I can say that because I've HSed her for a long while and it is very frustrating.  Public school isn't an option.  We've tried that and let's just say, demons came out to play in her and she made very very bad choices.  It was not good.  We've tried private school and it was atrocious.  She just can't survive in that type of environment.

As for my humbling experience, this morning, my friend...my Chrissy girl came and got all my dirty laundry and took it to her house to wash.  I'm the one who likes to do for others but when it comes to my washer being down for a month and others wanting to do for me, I'd rather pull my teeth out.  She is taking time out of her day to wash our nastiness...now that is a friend LOL. I'm humbled and I so appreciate her willingness to help my family in this way.

Everyone is quieting doing their work.  I'm 95% caught up on grading their work from yesterday.  It is peaceful, God is good.  I'm ready to finish tackling the day, as long as I'm girded with my armor and the Lord leads my way!

What a day....

My morning started with a bang and extreme anger.

My dogs are kenneled, below my bedroom, in the attached garage, in the evenings.  The 2 little dogs are usually pretty quiet, but when my other dog gets wind of something going on, she CONSTANTLY barks.  Normally, I can tune that out.  

Off I go to see what (who) is the culprit.  I hear noises in the kitchen and ask what is going on.  Apparently the girls were "screaming" because their were ants on their ceiling.  The boys were going to save the day.  When you have a rad kid, you automatically assume that she is the instigator, since, normally, she is.  Come to find out, that it was my other daughter that was beginning our morning of chaos.  Needless to say...happiness was not on my agenda, at all.  I was furious with them screaming like banchees because of an ant that can be killed with a shoe.  

All that said, lots of yelling....our morning starts.  They are eager to do schoolwork because they think that that is going to make me forget our horrible beginning.  I didn't discourage them from finishing their work, which is why they got it done so well.  

Amongst this crap, I thought...well, I have fresh tomatoes, they will go bad, so I'm going to attempt to make chili (on one of the hottest day of the years).  I had some leftover beef/cheese dip and thought that would taste great.  So, I begin boiling them.  While I'm working with the tomatoes and fielding 5,000,000 questions, the phone rings.  It is the insurance adjuster saying that she wants to come earlier than normal because she "has time".  We've only been waiting since April, but hey...oh well.  I said come on.

I hang up, continue working in my muck and the phone rings again.  It is my sons therapist..she is frantic because, on her way here, she sees an 18 mth old child in the middle of the road and she couldn't find who he belongs too.  I told her that I'd be there in a moment and I set off.  She gave me the wrong name of the road, but during this time, Bug calls and says the appliance guy is here (again, my washer has been broken for a month).  I told her to not answer the door but to holler through saying I'd be there in a moment (I was 2 min. from the house).  He said that he "couldn't wait too long".  He put me off for the last week, wasn't supposed to be here between 12 & 2.  It was 9:40.  I hustle back, thinking...gotta help therapist, gotta get man to fix washer...I ran home, told him that he should've called first and got him to begin working on my washer.

He is working, I can't leave to help the therapist, but the police show up, so she said that she was on her way.  She was flustered and overwhelmed, the appliance COULDN'T FIX MY WASHER! and then when I'm on the phone with the people to demand a new washer, the insurance adjuster shows up.  After much much much time here, she said that she would have our whatever done by tomorrow, maybe........good grief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I've hollered at my kids, dealt with a kid in the road, fussed at an appliance guy, had a moment with the adjuster, watched my son get therapized, educated all my kids and made some killer chili..............

Prayers.............Help me, Holy Spirit!  Bring me a check for my repairs and that my new washer comes TOMORROW!

How do I teach, this raddish child?????!!!!

Granted, I started school, yesterday, but this has been the last 2 days.  Bug 10th, Peach 7th, Boo 4th, Gigi who knows some 3rd, some 4th and Catfish K.

Get up and grooving by 8.  
I do my personal quiet time.
Take out dogs.
Eat bfast.
Get dressed.
Do chores. 
Begin schoolwork.
I print out a VERY detailed schedule for each child.  It is very very clear, as to what they are supposed to do for the day.  Not for the week, but for the DAY. 


Bug pretty much can work independently...asking a few questions throughout the day.
Peach does much work by herself, with the exception of Math and we work on that together.
Boo, Gigi and Catfish still work with me on about 95% of their work.

Table work (I sit in the middle and I work with one child at a time...as needed).  We all work together.  I have found that Gigi can not be in the room with us, she will not work.  We work our tails off.  As they complete a subject, they give it to me...I grade it, immediately and then log it down.  This lasts from about 8:30-12:30.  

Dogs out again.
Lunch.
Quiet time, which means that they take the things that they can do on their own, to their rooms and work.  Most of this is reading, spelling, etc.  It gives me a chance to regroup, have some alone time and start supper
Dad gets home by 4.

During this time, all this time....NONE OF HER WORK GETS DONE!  She does part of it, I check it, correct it, tell her what to redo, answer questions, send her back to her room.  She can't be around ANY distraction.  She says it is done, but I can never seem to find it, in her notebooks.  It is currently 9:00 pm and she is still doing her work.  She *needs* someone standing over her, all the time.  That's how it was in public school and private school.  She exasperated the teachers and sent them in a tizzy.  

We feel led to HS her, as we do all our children.  I'm just tired and do not know a good way to get her to learn.  Start her on lower grade work?  How is that gonna help?  Give her the answers that she so desperately wants for her work?  How is that gonna help?  Stand over her, constantly?  How is that gonna help the other children?

She's been tested, medicated, off meds, changed meds, back on old meds, gets plenty of sleep, eats like a horse.....I have no idea what to do.  No discipline works.  We've taken everything out of her room; she doesn't care.  We've put her in the corner; she doesn't care.  We've given the other children fun privileges while she has to sit in her room; she doesn't care.  We've spanked, it has no effect.  We've practiced planned ignoring; she doesn't care.  What on earth can be done....we've been through many therapists, tried counselors, pastors, changed curriculum, held her back a year.................

I'm up for ANY suggestions that ANYONE might have.  I know my God placed her in our home, for a reason.  Please, Lord, help me see it and see her through your eyes.

This is so how I feel, right now

This is absolutely the BEST description of what a RAD child is like:

I’ve got it, I live it, I eat it, I breathe it.  They have it and so they inflict it on you.  In case you’re reading this and can’t imagine, let me explain it to you this way … a dog gets run over and he’s lying in the street, not dead, but severely hurt.  You reach out to try & help the dog and because he’s in so much pain, all he can do is react, so he bites you.  You come at him from another angle because you see he desperately needs help.  You try again, he bites you again.  This continues until you get professional help with the right tools or you finally give up and leave the dog to die.  This is probably the very best way to describe how I feel.

Are you Comfortable?

What does "comfortable" mean?  According to Websters Dictionary it means affording or enjoying contentment and security.  Okay, so what does "contentment" mean?  It means feeling or showing satisfaction with one's possessions, status or situation.

That is the world's view.  So, according to the world, I need to be secure (home, money, job) and I need to feel satisfied by my home, money and job, in order to have the possessions that I deserve.  A sweet little life where it is all wrapped up, with a pretty red ribbon.

Is that the answer?  Is that the answer to a good life?  Great job, making great money, buying great toys and bigger houses.....2.5 kids, a dog, a cat and a fish...a manicured yard, well educated/rounded children and peace wherever you go?


If this is the life that you want....then stop reading and good luck to you!  If you want more out of life, more than money can buy, then keep reading on!


God does NOT want us to be comfortable!  He wants us to be up and moving and going.  We need to sincerely pray to Him and ask Him to send us where He is working...then when something comes up, all you have to do is GO.  He doesn't call the equipped, He equips those whom He calls!


My husband and I have lived an interesting life.  We married young, had kids young and we fought, oh so much.  He wasn't walking with the Lord and I was walking very slowly.  He was saved at an older age and even though the fruit wasn't very big...it was there and it was growing in God's time, not mine.  I learned very quickly that I was not my husband's personal little Holy Spirit.  


We have walked through several fires, with little grace and forgiveness.  Moreso, we wanted to hurt those who hurt us and we allowed that bitter fruit to penetrate every ounce of our hearts.  I'm sure that devastated God.


We've gotten older and we've learned to lean not on our own understanding, but to lean on God and remember that His grace is sufficient.  We are currently walking through some hot fires....we have lost so much, over the last 2 mths.  We have lost loved ones, we have lost respect towards some people, we've experienced a loss of innocence and we've had our eyes open to many many truths.  Every day, there seems to be a new thing.  One where we are now not saying "God, you aren't funny", but we are standing there, shaking our heads, knowing that He is continuing to refine us.  As painful as it has been, we have drawn closer as a family unit and as a couple and we have most definitely drawn closer to our Lord.


I have more peace than I've ever had and my circumstances have gone from "comfortable" to "chaos".  It seems as if we are standing in the middle of a field and God is getting us with some pretty good zingers.  We are standing strong in His Word and we are hanging onto His truths and promises.  We aren't trying to independently walk through this world "I do it myself" mode, but we are hanging onto God's belt loops and we are following our Daddy through all this muck.


Comfortable, in my terms....is an unmanicured yard with weeds and dead plants, everywhere; 4 dogs that shed horrendously...2 of which try to eat people, our cats are dead, our fish got ick and our snakes fried; a factory job, making factory money, raising (homeschooling) 6 children..all with their own needs.  Leaving a place that we thought we'd never leave....to go towards the unknown.  We are no longer detail oriented people. We are simply trying to follow where He leads.


If you don't know the Lord as your personal Saviour....please savor these next steps and  pray with a yearning heart. 


We ALL deserve death.  That's why Jesus came, to save us from our sins and be the ultimate sacrifice, on the cross.  Please know the plan of salvation and what my God can do for you and how He can change your life.

Salvation is really simple.  Admit that you are lost; Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, 100% human and 100% God to die on the cross with your name on His lips; Confess that you are a sinner, separated from God; Repent, turn away from your sins; Ask God to come into your heart and you will be saved.  Baptism would be next, but baptism does not save you.  It is done in an act of obedience to what Jesus did and it is a public profession of your faith, to show the world of your decision.

Please, don't put off tomorrow what can be done today.  Our days are numbered and you can take this moment to ask Christ into your heart and reduce the number of hell by 1, as well as, securing your mansion, in Heaven.