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Double Review

2010-08-19T12:12:00.000-04:00

This week I get to review two products from CSNstores.com, the Jeep 2-in-1 Baby Carrier, and Jeep Baby Products Back Seat Organizer.

First I'll talk about the Back Seat Organizer. The organizer shipped very quickly and arrived about 2 days after purchase. CSN upgraded my shipping to priority for free, which was a treat, and as always, checkout and purchasing on the site was simple. The organizer is very nice. It has lots of pockets for holding a variety of items and was very easy to install in the car. I have some concerns about the clear vinyl pocket holding up over time, but so far it is working fine. I love that that pocket is removable so I can keep some diapering items in the car and take them into a store or restaurant if needed! I can see this being a useful item in the car for years to come as its not made specifically for baby or children's items.

photo courtesy of CSN stores

The baby carrier did not ship as quickly or arrive as fast, but it was still a reasonable timeframe. The carrier is very nice. The straps are padded very well and are adjustable in all kinds of ways! I love that the straps cross over in the back, providing a great way to spread out the baby's weight. The new "secure fit indicator" is very handy - it shows you when the sides of the carrier are adequately locked so that there is no question if baby is secure. There is a mesh vent on the front to allow baby more air circulation around the body, which I really like. I also love that there is a bag for the carrier. This will be very nice when we fly to Korea next month - it will keep all the straps and buckles contained in one spot.

Reviews

2010-07-28T14:31:00.000-04:00

I have been lucky enough to have been selected by CSN stores to regularly do a review on this blog of an item from their site. I will be starting them soon and then be providing a review about once a month. They won't be huge items like dining room furniture or anything, but smaller items from their online store. I did a review for them last month on my work blog and decided to move the reviews to here instead. Hope you enjoy!

Lake House

2010-07-14T15:42:00.000-04:00

My family and I were fortunate enough to be invited to a friend's lake house this weekend, and we had the most wonderfully relaxing time! We spent all day on the lake exploring all different modes of water transportation (kayak, paddle boat, tubes, floaties, jet ski), we collected snails, explored shores, observed nature and just plain had fun. It was an ideal, inexpensive family vacation. We were joined by 3 other families and my brother who is home from Italy for the summer, which made the whole experience that much more fun! Enjoy some pictures below :)

Happy Birthday, Anna!

2010-07-13T19:46:00.001-04:00

A few weeks back, Anna turned 5. Five seems to be a magic number - sense of humor starts developing, real personality starts emerging, and interests become clear. Anna is a silly little girl who (still) loves tiny things. She's very interested in collecting things - she collect rocks, shells, leaves, anything she can find many of! Anna has also begun to show a talent for art. She loves to draw animals and people, and will often hear a song or a story and then promptly draw what she's imagining. She still loves her monkey "Monk" and has recently aquired a new favorite animal - Pokey the lizzard. Both of these are garage sale purchases!

This year we had a jungle-themed party for Anna. She was allowed to invite 12 of her friends and she had a great time! I'll put up a post about that later. For now, enjoy photos of Anna over the years:

Newborn Anna

1 yr old

2 yrs old

3 yrs old

4 yrs old

5 yrs old

Happy Birthday, sweet girl! Mommy and Daddy love you so much. We enjoy your silly jokes and the way you love to sing and draw. We are proud of how loving and giving you are toward your brother and friends. We love your enthusiasm for God and how "God can do anything!" We are excited to see how you will develop over the next year!

Summer!

2010-06-09T17:50:00.002-04:00

Wow, this blog has been suffering. With my craft site, the adoption blog, and my facebook page (both personal and Knits and Knots) I don't have much time or energy left for updating this space. I mostly post family photos and updates on facebook, which doesn't leave much leftover for here. I thought it would be fun to share on here about something new I am trying out with the kids though.

It is summer here. Since we could be called to leave for S. Korea to get Alex at any moment, I've become aware that its our last summer for a while where everyone's potty trained and no one needs a nap! The kids and I sat down the other day and worked out a weekly schedule that includes time with Aunt Lisa, time at the pool, downtime, and playdates. I didn't want to fill the summer completely with entertainment though. I thought it would be smart to start having the kids help with weekly chores. Once we have another child in the home, maintaining a clean living space will be that much harder. I realized that Eli and Anna were probably also more capable of helping then I give them credit for!

Today I assigned each of the kids a bathroom. We went to the store and bought for each of them: a bucket, a toilet brush, a empty spray bottle (to contain vinegar water), a small bottle of liquid dish soap, wash cloths, and a pack of baby wipes. I took them one by one into their assigned bathroom and taught them how to clean the toilet, sink, and tub. The removed the bath towels and put them in the washing machine and hung clean ones on the racks. We used vinegar water for the sinks and tubs, and dishsoap for the toilets, and the baby wipes were for wiping down the toilet seats and rim of the toilet (the one place in my home I insist on using a disposable wipe on... eeew!). They were both so proud of helping, and they did a great job!

I think as parents in our society we tend to think of our kids as something we have to take care of, but we forget our responsibility to raise them into adults who can care for themselves. While they may not have done as thorough of a job as I would (and I'll still have to go in and do a thorough cleaning myself at times) they did pretty good for their first time. It did take longer than it would have to do it myself, but if I can train them well over the summer, its possible that by the time the school year rolls around and we've got a 3rd child, I may be able to send them off to clean their respective bathrooms and we'll have an overall cleaner and healthier home. And, my kids will have the self-confidence to know they are an active part of our family! Hurray for empowering my children :)

A Long-overdue Update

2010-04-13T08:20:00.000-04:00

Well, it seems as if this blog has gotten ignored! I could blame it on many things and make lots of excuses. Instead, I'm just going to post some pictures of what we've been up to (in no particular order)!

Celebrating Easter at Nana and Papa's

Another visit from Bubba

Celebrating Valentine's Day

Cheering on the Colts

Enjoying Spring at Eagle Creek Park

Playing at the playground

Drawing (this one was done by Anna and includes the baby)

Playing games

Soaking up the sunshine

Attending work events

Getting fit together (The one day that Eli ran with me!)

Using our imaginations

Reading together

Losing teeth

Eating ice cream

Acting just like daddy

Cuddling with Daddy and Mommy

Hanging out with Papa and Evan

Spending time with friends

These are just snapshots of the last few months, but they've been filled with so much more!

He's SIX!

2010-01-07T11:51:00.001-05:00

It happened. He got older. He's SIX and I feel old! In August Eli started Kindergarten and has made a best friend. He's got a loose tooth and can count to over 130. He's reading at a 3rd grade level and loves to tell jokes. Eli is totally into robots and gears and "anything with electricity". He got a ton of robot/machine related gifts for Christmas and birthday and enjoys playing with these along with Legos and Frigits. He is so much fun to spend time with at this age! He can talk your ear off and stump you with questions you thought you knew the answer to :)

We celebrated his birthday with two parties this year: a friend party and a family party. Eli was thrilled to spend his actual birthday with friends AND get a second party :) We also took him out to Red Robin where he got a free birthday sundae and balloon. He felt very celebrated this year, and I think I'm finally over the guilt of his thrown-together-at-the-last-minute first birthday party (it was the day after I was released from the hospital from being treated for dehydration when I was pregnant with Anna)!

Here's is photo lineup for age six!

Newborn Eli

1 yr old

2 yrs old

3 yrs old

4 yrs old

5 yrs old

6 yrs old

Happy Birthday to the coolest 6 year old we know! Mommy and Daddy both love laughing with you and have so much fun as your parents. We love your tender heart and concern for the needs of others. We know you will grow up to be a good man!

Robot Party!

2010-01-07T11:35:00.000-05:00

Eli turned 6 on New Year's Eve. I can hardly believe its been a year since his last birthday post! I'll post another one of those, but for now I'm going to share some photos of his Robot Party. Eli got really into having a themed party this year and inviting friends from the neighborhood. We were going to do a joint family/friend party, but when I counted the number of friends he wanted to invite (12!) I figured it was time to do separate ones. We got some "Robots" the movie invitations, thank-yous, and centerpieces off of freecycle, and the theme for our party was born!

First we worked on decorations. Eli wanted the house to look like you were inside a robot. It was a lot of fun to scheme ideas. Each year we leave the Christmas tree up through Eli's birthday. On that day it becomes the birthday tree! This year we covered it in red crepe paper and taped gears to the crepe paper. We also taped gears on the front door to "show people its a robot party and not just a regular birthday party" (quote from Eli).

Birthday parties require balloons, so we blew up 25 balloons and on each we drew a robot, gears, or an electrical circuit.

We also had a silver bowl filled with (silver) hershey's kisses, and even the old computer board from inside the dishwasher (replaced this summer) as a decoration.

I kept the food to a very simple minimum, cake and icecream. We ordered a cake from Walmart with a Transformers theme - gray with black gears. Eli was so excited (and quick to point out that there were actually 7 candles on the cake not 6... but I couldn't have it be asymetrical)!

Every good kids' birthday party needs some games. We did:

pin the antenna on the robot

just like pin the tail on the donkey, but with antennae (each child got their own color) instead of tails and, of course, a robot in place of the donkey :) The prize for this game was silver colored sixlets that I found in the wedding section at Walmart. I thought they looked like ball bearings!

gear toss

I cut 2 large gears out of cardboard, covered them with aluminum foil, then covered that with clear packing tape. The pole they were tossing the gears onto was a weighted box covered in aluminum foil and packing tape, with an empty wrapping paper tube covered in duct tape and then stuck to the top. Each child had as many chances as it took to hit the target, each receiving a prize bag of candy.

and robot freeze

Eli was lucky enough to get an awesome robot for Christmas. This one dances on command, so we would start the music and have all the kids dance like robots. When the music stopped they needed to freeze. If they didn't they were out. The winner got a bag of jellybeans, by Eli's request.

I wanted the kids to be able to take a robot home, so we did a robot craft. I found some suggestions online and found all the parts I needed at our local dollar store. Here's what our masterpieces turned out like:

I had so much fun planning this party! I think all the kids had a blast and will remember a fun time with Eli. We're already dreaming up ideas for Anna's party this summer :)

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-29T15:34:00.000-04:00

Halloween is probably the one holiday that I spend the least time preparing for. I love carved pumpkins but don't like the work. I like crafting, but for some reason making costumes isn't my cup of tea. And I don't typically decorate the house because I don't want to scare the kids, and most Halloween decorations are a little scary! I've been really busy this month preparing for the benefit walk/run we're putting together in our neighborhood, and in typical fashion I have spent almost no time prepping for Saturday. However, today we got in the spirit!

This morning I took the kids to the local orchard/pumpkin patch. I dressed them in matching outfits and planned to get some good shots of them (I can't miss the chance, you know!?).

We first looked through the old barn turned market and picked out some decorations for the house. Eli checked out the antique cider press and was thoroughly intrigued by all the gears.

After choosing some mini pumpkins, dried corn, and a few treats (hot apple cider and home made apple dumplings... mmmm) we headed outside.

They don't run the tractors to the field to pick your own pumpkin during the week, so instead we settled for checking out the large array of pumpkins they had outside the barn. The kids had a blast walking through the "maze" of pumpkins and sitting on the "roller-coaster" of rocks.

We took home our prizes and spent some time painting them with washable paints. I'll have to be sure to keep these on the porch in case there's rain before Saturday!

We still had a little time before Eli had to hop on the bus, so we fashioned a large spider web out of white acryllic yarn and a spider to climb on it from black trash bags. The kids think our spider looks a lot like a black octopus, but I don't think he's so bad :)

Benefit Walk/Run

2009-10-17T14:41:00.000-04:00

Michelle is 15 years old and has been diagnosed with leukemia. She and her family live next door to me. Michelle spent her entire summer at Riley Children’s hospital where she received numerous rounds of Chemotherapy and also underwent a bone marrow transplant. She is finally home with her family, but her immune system is very weak at this point so she will be required to stay out of school for one year while her body recovers and her immune system strengthens. Michelle’s mom, left her job this year to stay home with her daughter during this difficult time.

Our neighbors have decided to hold a benefit walk/run in our neighborhood in honor of Michelle and her family to show our love and support for our neighbor, Michelle. We are asking for each family/individual who participates to bring a monetary donation for the family in order to give them a head start on paying the many medical bills they have incurred over the past year. The run/walk will be for all ages and open to everyone. The walk will be one mile and the run will be two miles and both will end at the park in the adjoining neighborhood. We will have a benefit bake sale, cider, goodies, face painting, bounce house, and more at the park as well. The run/walk will begin at 10:30 am.

If you're interested and you live on the west side of Indianapolis, email me (amoberly@gmail.com) and I'll give you specific details!

Happy Halloween!

Photo Shoot

2009-09-28T08:11:00.000-04:00

My next door neighbor is a wonderful friend, and also an accomplished photographer. She does natural light photography and family portraits around the Indy area. Last month she did a promotional shoot downtown Indy for a store on Mass Ave, Nurture (if you're really interested in the details, check them out here). Our kids participated and we got the best photos we've ever had of our kids out of the deal! Its funny because we were pretty sure they were all going to turn out bad considering the kids never seemed to have a smile on at the same time. Loree has a natural gift behind the camera and I have seen first-hand the amount of effort she puts into each session she does. If you're interested in having family or child portraits done or your teenager needs great senior portraits, be sure to check Loree Alayne Photography out! I didn't want to post all the photos up here, but if you want to see the rest, go here.

Morning with Mommy

2009-09-24T17:27:00.005-04:00

The other day I found myself with an entire 3 hours with just my 5 year old. His sister was in preschool and his cousin was at home sick. As tempting as it was to fill that time with all the things I can't do when I have a 3 kids running around, I decided instead to spend that time just focusing on this little boy who is growing up way too quick. After grocery shopping and picking out a special picnic lunch we headed to the local town park. We played on the playground and had an impromptu photo shoot guided by Eli.

Next headed out on some trails and found a large field full of wildflowers with some paths mowed through. The day was hot but beautifully sunny. We walked around in the "labyrinth" (as Eli called it) for a good long time and I introduced Eli to how to take pictures with my camera (he took the one of me). Eli wanted to take a picture of every flower we saw.

I am so glad I took the chance to spend some time with my guy - this time is fleeting.... he's at a crossroads in life and is off and running to become a man right before my eyes.

Bubba

2009-09-16T10:01:00.004-04:00

I did not post much this summer, and one thing I neglected to mention was the fact that my brother was home from Italy. He is on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ doing ministry with the students in the metropolitan universities of Rome. He was home this summer for a 2 month visit during which we spent a lot of time just hanging out. He was here to raise support but was able to also devote a lot of time to family. Brian has been in Rome almost 3 years now and only been able to come home for short stays. Anna was only 18 months old when he left, Eli was 3, and our nephew hadn't even been born yet. Our older nephew was 10 when he left, and "Bubba" (as the now 12 year old has called him since he could speak) was sorely missed. Needless to say it was a wonderful time of reconnection with his niece and nephews! By the end of the two months, Anna was practically in tears at the idea of Bubba returning to Rome, but was comforted by the fact that he'll be home in a few months to celebrate Christmas.

On one of the last days of August, we celebrated Brian's last day home. We had a delicious dinner; played Molkky, football and Wits and Wagers; and generally enjoyed our last hours as a united family. As much as we all miss Bubba now, we are proud of the work he does in Rome and look forward to seeing him in a few months! Enjoy some photos of that last day.

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-09-08T14:38:00.001-04:00

There's a great giveaway for all you toddler moms out there - you can win a darling little Jack and the Beanstalk toddler backpack or the pattern to make your own. Check it out to see if you can win!

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Family Night

2009-08-28T21:16:00.003-04:00

My new favorite way to spend a rainy Friday night:

Breakfast for dinner

Board games with the kids

Oh yes, and cantaloupe from the garden (this is NOT to be confused with cantaloupe from the grocery store, which by comparison is about like licking a rock)

Some restraint is required on my part to play board games with children, but it really helps when I actually LIKE the games we're playing! No Candyland around here - I'd rather eat a box of live snapping beetles! Ok, that's an exaggeration (is there even such an insect?), but I'm so glad we've moved on to some better games. Some of our family favorites at the moment are Monza, Tsuro, Treehouse, Incan Gold, Crazy 8's, Go Fish, and the one in the photo is Pandemic (not really a children's game, but the kids can tolerate it for a time).

How did you spend your Friday night?

First Day of School

2009-08-26T12:29:00.004-04:00

Eli started Kindergarten this year. It is so hard for me to believe my oldest is in "real school"! So far Eli loves every minute of his school day and has not asked to stay home yet - he did that regularly with pre-K :) Anna and I are enjoying having some one-on-one time while Eli is at school and my nephew is napping. It is also a good time for Anna to have a little quiet time, and mommy too! Below are some of my favorite shots of Eli's first day!

being silly while waiting for the bus

here comes the bus!

saying goodbye was hard for Anna that first day

on he goes!

"bye mom!"

off he goes!

The Last Year...

2009-08-11T09:45:00.004-04:00

...of my twenties! This month I am celebrating turning 29. My awesome husband did lots to make me feel special.

The weekend before my birthday he sent me on a camping/kayaking weekend with my mom, sister, and family friend.

There are simply too many photos to share in the post, so here's a slideshow of some of my favorites

On my birthday we visited a local waterfront restaurant for dinner.

Then the weekend after my birthday we had a party just for me, complete with cupcake cones and ice cream cake! (I didn't play photographer this time, so this is about the best shot I've got of the day)

What a way to celebrate my life - surrounded by family and friends!

Summa Time!

2009-08-03T17:02:00.003-04:00

This summer has had us busier than ever. With both kids potty trained and not necessarily taking daily naps, we've been on the go a lot! Eli and Anna love going to the local aquatic center and playing in the childcare area while I work out at least twice a week. We hit the pool afterward, whenever the weather cooperates, which hasn't been all that often this year! Here's a few shots from our favorite summer activites.

Local County Fair

(my sweet cousin Deanna - the kids loved having her visit!)

Playing at the Aquatic Center

Fireworks a day late because the 4th was rained out!

Hanging out at Nana and Papa's

Happy Birthday Anna!

2009-07-23T08:41:00.003-04:00

This is a little late in coming since Anna's birthday was almost a month ago, but our little girl is finally 4! Anna is a little chatter box these days and loves anything "tiny". She's constantly holding something small in her hand and incessantly looking for a rock, a tiny part of one of her toys, or anything small to play with. Anna is girly as a girl can get in most respects, but does enjoy getting down and dirty out in the backyard! Her favorite color is pink and she loves all animals, with a particular love for monkeys, including her favorite stuffed animal, "Monk".

My brother returned home from Italy for a 2 month stay on her birthday this year. He stopped by our house on his way to my parents and everyone met here to celebrate the birthday of my parents' only granddaughter. There was ice cream and cake (with some "tiny" toys on it that she loves to play with). We haven't gotten around to it, but will be having a family party on Matt's side as soon as we can get everyone together!

Here are some photos from Anna over the years for you to enjoy :)

Newborn Anna

1 yr old

2 yrs old

3 yrs old

4 yrs old

Happy Birthday Anna Banana! Mommy and Daddy love you so much. You are such a kind, sweet girl. We are proud of you and know that you will grow up to be a wonderful woman some day; your heart of compassion will bless the world!

Looming

2009-06-03T12:16:00.004-04:00

The view as the storm came in yesterday. It was intense!

Final Fun Day

2009-06-02T17:46:00.000-04:00

my sweet nephew Kieran

Our kids' preschool had a "Final Fun Day" two weeks ago to celebrate the end of the school year. Free popcorn and lemonade, balloon sculptures, and a bounce house made for quite an enjoyable day for all of us. Too bad it was SO HOT. You can see it in the red faces of all the kids :)

Mother's Day

2009-05-12T11:00:00.001-04:00

This is how I spent my mother's day. How did you spend yours?

Change A Life Today

2009-04-30T09:52:00.001-04:00

I've written about Krochet Kids International before. As a quick reminder, KKI works in Uganda to teach skills to women vulnerable to poverty and disease. They teach these women how to crochet, and then sell their wares online around the world to support not only the ministry, but also further the business education of the women In some cases they even provide small business loans to help them start their own companies!

Starting May 1 (that's tomorrow!), there will be a whole new lineup of products available on the KKI website. Check out the announcement below, and consider if you're interested in supporting this amazing ministry seeking to free women from the oppression and devastation of war and poverty.

"Come May 1st, we will be hitting our online store with some righteous new gear. Including:
- a DOZEN new hats (a baker's dozen to be exact)
- New shirts (they may or may not be v-necks)
- Another surprise shirt
- STICKERS!!!

Don't soon forget, all proceeds from the sale of KKI products go toward supporting and growing our programs in northern Uganda.

We encourage everyone to... "CLOTHE YOURSELF IN LOVE". Buy a hat & change a life today.

Learn more about what we do and who we work with by visiting: http://krochetkids.org/projects.php"

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2009-04-21T19:52:00.003-04:00

This is about all I've seen lately:

Its been raining on and off for days now. Its wonderful for all the spring vegetation, but unfortunately blooms are blowing off the trees before we even get to enjoy them! The family has found some fun ways to enjoy indoor time, but I'm looking forward to some days in the sun! Here's some pics of our indoor activities.

Anna got a "sheep" (cotton ball) at church one day that she told me she had to take care of, so the kids and I designed some "farms" for our little guys, including a barn, a pasture, a water trough, and some bug friends :)

Daddy finally got his long-desired MacBook and got right down to doing a little home recording; one of his hobbies.

A favorite of the kids is always Heroscape. Tiles that fit together and accessories to make a crazy-cool land complete with every type of hero and/or bad guy you can want!

And no rainy day would be complete without a good book. I've been doing a ton of reading these last few weeks. I rediscovered the Rama book series that was a favorite of Matt's as a child. I read them while in the hospital for 2 weeks with Eli after he was born. I think if Matt's parents had read the books they wouldn't have let him read them, but they're by Arthur C. Clarke, so I doubt they suspected any inappropriate content! The first book is great, and pretty clean. Then Clarke teams up with another author who seems to have a different idea about the storyline and things get a little shady from that point on. Overall good books, but I would have been just as happy only reading the first one!

For You, From Me

2009-04-11T22:32:00.002-04:00

A friend of mine posted the following in her blog and I decided to join in the fun as well! The first 5 people to respond to this post will get something made by me! Lucky you!

My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year.
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a mask. I may sew or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange. The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

I was going to do this on Knits and Knots, it is my crafty blog afterall, but I thought maybe it would be more fun to see who's out there reading my personal blog and pass on some of the crafty love to them as well!

The Promise of Spring

2009-03-26T23:33:00.000-04:00

Spring is on the move! It is so exciting to see the trees budding, the grass greening, and new life springing up everywhere. With this new life comes hope - hope of change, hope of growth.

I can see new life springing up in our family as vividly as I do outdoors. I have finally tackled some household tasks I just couldn't bring myself to face in the dreary wintertime. When the sun is shining I am a woman with a purpose! My spring is going to include some planting this year; I'm so excited for my first vegetable garden. I can't wait to show my kids how tiny seeds turn into huge plants that then produce food to eat. All of the patience and waiting and work produce good fruit. This is an excellent lesson for them (and for me). If I am patient and wait on God and do the work required of me, He will produce good fruit in my own life.

Cheap Creativity

2009-03-13T14:28:00.002-04:00

Anna's favorite toy in the house is the playdoh. She loves to squish it, smash it, chop it, squeeze it, and just plain have a blast! It makes a huge mess, and therefore I usually don't give in. However, with the improving weather and my likewise improving mood, I decided to join in the fun and get out some of that creative energy with the kids last week. We had a blast using our imaginations and our minds to create masterpieces. Anna never kept anything long enough to take a photo of, but here's a few shots from the day

Nice Weather!

2009-03-13T14:03:00.002-04:00

Well the weather improved for a short time here in the Midwest, and it sure made a difference in my daily life! The kids and I have finally emerged from the winter blahs and have begun to take seriously the time we have available to us during weekdays! Enjoy a slideshow from a recent trip to the local park. It was extremely windy that day, but the kids were soaking up the sunshine!

Oppression

2009-02-23T10:38:00.008-05:00

Warning: This post contains some difficult subjects including the topic of sexual slavery. Please consider who might be reading over your shoulder before continuing.

Last night I stopped by my kids' room to check on them before turning out the lights and heading to bed. Anna was asleep sideways on her bed with her feet hanging off the side. Eli was only partially covered and his bare arms looked cold. I moved Anna back onto her pillow, covered them both, and stood gazing at them from the door. My heart was so filled up and I was thinking "I love them so much!" I saw at Eli clinging tightly to his stuffed animal and recognized the comfort that little toy was bringing him as he slept deeply and peacefully. Then the thought came to mind: there are children in the world who live lives of horror every day; children Eli's age who are sold into sexual slavery; children who have no one to tuck them in at night and fear what each morning will bring; children who have nothing to cling to to bring them security. There is a child right now who is being raped for profit. I walked toward my room and had to stop in the bathroom because I was weeping. My heart cried out to God: How long will you allow evil to crush the innocent? How long until you make it right? The words of the psalmist seemed to fit my feelings best:

3 How long will the wicked, O LORD,
how long will the wicked be jubilant?

⁴ They pour out arrogant words;
all the evildoers are full of boasting.

⁵ They crush your people, O LORD;
they oppress your inheritance.

⁶ They slay the widow and the alien;
they murder the fatherless.

⁷ They say, "The LORD does not see;
the God of Jacob pays no heed."

- Ps 94:3-7

I have been reading some books lately that have really opened my eyes to the world as it truly is today, in more parts of the world than we want to realize. It started with reading the book Sold. It is a fictional story about a Nepali girl tricked into living a life of sexual slavery. I read it in one day. It was so compelling because the author based the story on her personal experiences of meeting women just like the character in the book. Most often these young teens were told by an acquaintance that there was a job for them in the city that would help them provide for their families, only to be sold by their new "friends" to a brothel. The women are given no hope of ever escaping from this life, and therefore live lives without hope at all. For over a week after reading Sold I could hardly do anything without feeling grief. Grief for the millions who are forced into slavery in one way or another around the world each day. Grief for the children who have their innocence stolen from them and are forever damaged by the loss.

The other book I have been reading is Terrify No More. It is the real life account of Gary Haugen, president of International Justice Mission (IJM) and his team's mission to rescue children from sexual slavery in Cambodia. The book recounts many of IJM's successes at bringing justice to opressors and freeing the oppressed, but its focus is on a raid in one particular town in Cambodia where children as young as 5 years old were being openly sold for prostitution. After months of scouting the area, gaining support from the government, and training the local police force they conducted the raid and were able to rescue over 20 girls, at least 10 of whom were under 10 years old. As I read this book I am constantly being reminded that this could easily be my child if I happened to live in a developing country where the government simply does not have the resources to combat the disease that is human trafficking.

My heart has two reactions to all of this. The first is deep and longing grief for those who are suffering. The other is anger and frustration that evildoers are allowed to prosper; that people are actually making money off of the suffering of others. Many people come against these same feelings and it causes them to question or turn away from God. They wonder how a omnipotent and good God could allow such injustice in the world. Since they can't reconcile the idea of a loving God with the overwhelming oppression we see in the world they conclude that there really is no God. I however have the opposite response. I see what sin has done in this world. It has made us greedy. It has made us blind to the plight of the voiceless. But I see the fact that there are organizations and individuals willing to sacrifice their time, their financial security, and even their lives for the sake of the oppressed as evidence of God's Spirit at work in the world. That love and passion, the desire to make circumstances better for the opressed, to heal their wounds and remove them from a place of despair, and to bring them to a place of joy and peace; THAT is the evidence of God. I know that ever since I prayed that prayer "I want my heart to expand outside of myself" before leaving for India, God has been doing just that. As His Spirit works inside me I respond with a passion, love, and willingness to sacrifice that I did not have before. I am able to want less and give more; I am satisfied with what I do have; I am burdened with an expectant hope for the future - one that I have a part to play in.

While I cannot fully comprehend the timing of our God, I believe that He is holding out his judgment in waiting for the oppressors to repent. In the mean time He wants His people to be His voice of justice in the world. We cannot stand by and see people being crushed and not respond. I don't know exactly what that looks like for me (I do know this post is part of it), and I most certainly don't know what that looks like for you. But I am confident that if we are willing, God will show us how to respond until His final word is spoken. As the psalmist writes later in the same passage:

¹⁴ For the LORD will not reject his people;
he will never forsake his inheritance.

¹⁵ Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.

- Ps 94:14-15 (emphasis mine)

Great Playdate

2009-02-20T11:10:00.006-05:00

I met a friend at the Indianapolis Children's Museum for a playdate with the kids on Wed. I just love that place! As my friend put it, "you can just see their brains expanding while they play!" We decided to get a membership this year since the kids are old enough to be easy to deal with, and they don't nap anymore. The extra time we can enjoy at the museum now makes the 30 min drive worth it! We got there at 10 am when it opened and didn't leave till 4:30. The kids and I were understandably exhausted by the end of the day! Here are some of my favorite photos from the day.

One of my favorite exhibits: Fireworks of Glass by Dale Chihuly. Underneath the tower of glass that is in the center of the whole building is a ceiling of glass in the basement. There is a spinning seat that you can lay on and spin and look at the glass. It is incredibly beautiful. It reminds me of being underwater, looking at coral or something.

Also, Chihuly is just cool. I mean check out the eye patch! I want to be that confident of myself!

The newest "special" exhibit is the Lego Castle Adventure. Both of my kids loved it - Eli loves Legos, and Anna loves castles! It was a huge hit.

Then there's Playscape where there's enough sand and water to keep them occupied for hours.

Finally we made a stop in the Dinosphere for a little archeological dig, complete with goggles, scrapers, brushes and tape measures.

Lots of fun was had by all :)

Adoption Blog

2009-02-16T20:01:00.000-05:00

Our adoption blog is up! Find it here :)

Public Announcement!

2009-02-14T08:47:00.002-05:00

Its time to go public with this... we are officially in the process of adoption! As of Monday, January 26, we are on the list for adoption from South Korea. When I put up the last post about my India trip, we had already begun the process, but nothing was official yet. Many of our friends and family have requested a way to keep up on the progress of our adoption, so we have decided to set up a new blog. Join us there to keep up to date!

Photo Fun

2009-02-09T22:09:00.004-05:00

I got a brand new camera for Christmas and I have really enjoyed taking it for a spin and learning all its new tricks. I love it!!! It gives a much higher-quality photo than I was ever able to achieve with my previous point and click that was over 6 yrs old when it finally bit the dust. Here's a few of the photos I've taken recently. Enjoy!

The aftermath of the first snow day to hit Indiana

My latest project

My favorite piece of "art" in the house - a trunk inherited from Matt's uncle

The crabapple tree in our front yard

Anna's beautiful morning smile

Eli sharing his thoughts with me

Family tea party complete with outfits, china, and real tea

The sun sparkling off the snow and turning our backyard into a sea of diamonds

The India Story - Adopted

2009-01-21T17:16:00.000-05:00

One of the other results of this trip was a major change in attitude in my heart about another topic. Matt and I have considered adoption for years now. Neither of us has ever given international adoption any thought at all. Recently, I had begun to become pretty comfortable with our family: 2 kids, 2 adults, its fun, its easy, it makes sense. I had begun to move away from the idea of adoption for 2 reasons – life would be harder with 3 kids, and my questioning whether I could really love a child that wasn’t my own.

On this trip God showed me that it is possible to love a child that isn't biologically yours so much that they feel like your own. And this can happen in only a matter of days. I fell in love with a 9 year old girl who is part of the orphanage we visited in India. When I left the orphanage I cried like I cried when I left my own children, because I felt like I was leaving a child behind. This was so surprising to me, because I wasn’t sure I was capable of bonding like that with any child that quickly, let alone with a child from another culture. Again, as I recognized that I was not promised a comfortable life, I began to see that this might apply to my family as well. While 2 parents/2 kids might be the most comfortable life, it may not be the life God has for me. We all become adopted as God's children through Christ: "For he chose us in [Christ] before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." I believe if God is capable of reconciling me to himself to where I have truly become His daughter, then He can bring a child into a family that is not of their bloodline, but who becomes their own.

The ServLife orphanage doesn’t adopt out, or you would all be hearing that I was in the process of gaining a new daughter! It was so hard to leave "my child" behind, but God showed me something in the pain of leaving her as well: I cannot claim any child as mine - they all belong to him; the ones He's given me to care for and every other child in the world. As hard as it was to leave my own children in His care while I went across the world, and as hard as it was to leave my "spiritual daughter" in India, they are all in God’s care. I learned that God can care for the people I love without my help – I need to live into the place He has me for the time that I am there and love the people He puts in my life. When I am not with them, I can be praying for them. That is the way that I can be actively serving God. Who knows, that may include another child in the future. One from another culture I'm not familiar with - a child I haven’t even met, but who will truly belong to our family.

My "daughter" in India

The India Story - Sacrifice

2009-01-05T16:24:00.000-05:00

Another lesson I learned while in India was this: I have no right to a comfortable life. Jesus didn't come to make things easy; he came to bring his kingdom to the lost and needy. This was exemplified in the sacrifices I saw made by "A.L.D" (the overseer of the orphanage and the head of the pastor training school) and his family and many of the pastors who attended the conference.

Bihar is a State in Northern India and shares its northern border with Nepal. While Bihar is a very fertile land, it "lags behind the other Indian states in human and economic development terms, whilst ethnic Biharis living in other states of India are victims of racist hate crimes and prejudice" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar). Basically, it is very poor and lacks the infrastructure needed to provide adequate resources to the people living there. The city we visited is most definitely a poor city and, for many, quite undesirable to live in. Part of the problem is that when people there become educated, they move away instead of staying to provide economic stability and growth.

A.L.D. chose to move his family to Bihar, knowing the undesirability of the city he was going to (read more about A.L.D.'s story here). This was a sacrifice he made in response to God that his daughter has also made. After attending college to become a teacher, A.L.D.'s daughter returned to her family to help teach the children in the orphanage and the surrounding community. Instead of moving away, as many educated do, she is sacrificing a comfortable life in a large, modern Indian city to live in the poorest state in India. A.L.D.'s family of 4 adults and two children are responsible for caring for over 20 orphans who range in age from around 6 - 15 years old, and they are building a facility that will allow them to care for up to 100 children! For A.L.D.'s wife and daughter, their daily lives revolve around caring for and loving these children. Not much time or energy is spent to make their own lives better or simpler. Life in Bihar has not been easy: A.L.D. has been threatened at gunpoint to leave the city; children have thrown rocks at his home and his family; but over time, the local people have accepted his presence there, and they have begun to have a positive effect in the surrounding city.

A.L.D and family*

A.L.D. not only oversees the orphanage, he runs a pastor training school to educate local and regional Christians to be capable of teaching God's word and leading a church. We had the wonderful opportunity to meet and talk with some of the pastors that A.L.D. has trained during the time we were in Bihar. They shared stories of Christians, both pastors and lay-people, who have been threatened and/or murdered in the violence following the killing of a Hindu leader that was blamed on Christians in August 2008 in the Indian state of Orissa. A.L.D. shared with us that many of the pastors he knew from that region would call him and say they have been threatened and would ask him what to do. He reminded them that God was their protector and that He would keep them safe. None of the pastors that A.L.D. spoke with have been harmed in any way, but many Christian families and missionaries have been chased from their homes or killed.

Meeting these people made me recognize that persecution is real. And, it comes not just from religious sects - in many towns in India and the surrounding countries there are laws that affect Christian lay people and pastors. One pastor shared that he has been refused entry to certain towns because the leaders know he is a Christian and an evangelist and do not want him "converting" their people. We also heard of laws that limit a Christian's political rights and ability to do business. We were told that some states require you to register with the government before you adopt Christianity as your religion so that they are aware of the Christians in their region. The part that was life changing to me was that even amidst this persecution, these men stand steadfast and praise God loudly and passionately!

The pastors worshiping at the Christian Worker's conference*

*Photo and video courtesy of Steve Hurry

Happy Birthday Eli!

2008-12-31T07:41:00.007-05:00

Well, he did it... my boy finally turned five! For some reason this was a huge milestone for me. I think it could be because five is the age that you go to kindergarten. And that means Eli will be away from me every day of the week during the school year. That's a big deal!

We celebrated Eli's birthday in style yesterday with a party filled with family, friends, and neighbors. He loved the attention and was very grateful for all his gifts. He and his friends had a blast together! After seeing my friend Alison do this for her kids' birthdays, I decided to do a quick photo review of the last 5 years of Eli's life :)

Newborn Eli

1 yr old

2 yrs old

3 yrs old

4 yrs old

5 yrs old

Happy Birthday, buddy! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you! You are growing up to be a smart, loving, and kind boy. Keep listening to Jesus in your heart and He will help you become a wonderful man some day!

The India Story - To His Glory

2008-12-08T13:25:00.006-05:00

After landing in Nepal and driving to Bihar, India, I realized that I am quite naive to the quality of living and needs around the world. I recognized a day or two into our trip that the hardship and despair I saw in India was reality for those people; they were not just putting on a show for me, the visiting American. I know that sounds ridiculous, but for a while, I think I was seeing the whole thing as if watching a movie - nothing seemed real. I think I had convinced myself that life couldn't be as bad as people make it look on TV. But I soon began to see that for many many people in the world, life is nothing like the ease and comfort I've become familiar with. Seeing the desperate situations many of the people in India endured made me realize how much I had been leaning on the world to provide my sense of comfort and sense of self.

Also, God showed me that my identity can not be found in the things of this world or the praise of men. This didn't necessarily come from any one experience or sight, but just something that God spoke quietly into my heart over the time we were there. Over the past year I have been struggling to find my “place” as a mom. I have felt the need to be more than what I am – to try to make a name for myself somehow. But I realized that making a name for myself outside of where God has placed me is selfish, arrogant, and destructive. It only brings me to a place of discontentment with God. This doesn't mean I'm never allowed to do things where people praise me, but that I can't do it for the sake of their praise.

This was a hard lesson for me, but something that I really needed to hear! I came home with a whole new outlook on my job as a mom. I still am not perfect, but I have found myself enjoying my kids and my responsibilities again! I am so thankful that God didn't allow me to continue seeking my own glory over His.

The India Story - Culture Shock

2008-12-07T12:29:00.005-05:00

This is what I was faced with when I arrived in India that first day:

Talk about culture shock! Everywhere we went, we were oddities. People stopped, stared, and sometimes even pointed at us because we were unusual. I recognized maybe for the first time in my life that Caucasians are not the majority every where on earth. I am not culturally biased; I have friends of different color and backgrounds, but living in middle-class, Midwestern suburbia has distorted my view of the world significantly. Somewhere in my subconscious mind I began to believe that my experience of life was typical across the globe, even when my conscious mind knew this was false. I also came to the recognition that Caucasians are not the only facet of God. We were ALL created in His image: Caucasian, African, Indian, Asian - we are all displaying parts of our Creator. The American image of a white Jesus with light eyes and blondish hair is just as inaccurate as my image of a white King sitting on His throne in heaven. In my time in India and Nepal I fell in love with the Indian/Asian people and culture. I found beauty where before I had only found unfamiliarity. This was a true blessing to me.

All the photos and video in this post are from Steve Hurry, one of the members of our team, and the ServLife staff member on our trip. Many thanks to Steve for allowing use of his photos on my blog! The photos are really amazing. If you're interested, you can view them full-size here.

The India Story - Overview

2008-12-06T13:09:00.001-05:00

There is so much I could share about my trip. I have over a thousand photos collected from all the members of our team I could put on here that would only give you a taste of all that I saw and experienced. This is what I hope to be the first in a series of posts where I share about my time in India and Nepal.

First I'll share a quick overview of our trip:
We had a team of 9 people from my church, Common Ground Christian Church who went on the trip. The leader of our team was Steve, a staff member from ServLife International (the ministry we were visiting) and a member of Common Ground.

Back Row (L-R): Jen, Carrie, Dustin, Jessica, Jana, Steve
Front Row (L-R): Vanessa, Me, Alicia

It was about a 2 day trip through Incheon, South Korea and Kathmandu, Nepal; plus a short commuter flight and a 1 hr drive to reach Bihar, India. We stayed in Bihar in the ServLife orphanage/pastor training school for about 6 days where we played with and loved on the kids and attended/spoke at the annual indigenous Indian pastor’s conference. Then we flew back Kathmandu and stayed there for 2 days where we visited two ServLife ministries there. Then we took about two days to return home.

View Larger Map

I wanted to go on this trip to get outside of myself. To see the world as many experience it instead of as I experience it every day. I had been feeling very lukewarm about my walk with God for a long time. I thought this just might jump-start things. It was scary to go, but I had a lot of hope for what would happen. We stayed overnight in South Korea on our way to India, and I was missing my family and scared about what was coming. This was the prayer that started my trip: "Bring peace to the unease of my heart! No, wait; don't bring peace… peace breeds complacency. Challenge me! Stretch me! Grow me! I want my heart to expand outside of myself.” I should have known that God would answer my prayer!

I'm back!

2008-12-01T17:33:00.005-05:00

I'm back from my internet hiatus and my trip to India! I have lots of things to process and many great stories to share. I hope to put together a slide show and explanation of my trip to share with you all here in the near future :) For now, I'll just post a few of my favorite pics from the trip.

Hiatus

2008-10-31T08:15:00.003-04:00

I decided yesterday that the internet is taking over my life! Not really, but I do seriously need to reduce the amount of browsing and reading and overall internet surfing I participate in. With my trip coming up I really want to spend this next week preparing my mind and spirit for what I will experience in India. I also want to take some serious time for reflection and reconnection with my family when I return. So I'm taking a hiatus from the internet until the end of November. I will miss all you lovely people, but I promise to check in with you and see what you've been up to after the end of the month! I will still be checking my email since this is the only way to be notified about my work stuff, so if you need me feel free to email, but otherwise I'll see you after Thanksgiving :)

I leave you with this parting photo to keep me in your hearts until my return!

A Walk in the Park

2008-10-27T07:28:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a glorious day! The sun was shining; the air was crisp and cool; the trees were on fire with brilliant colors; I was with my family. It was a wonderful day! We had started out rough. Matt's 31st birthday party was Saturday, and the kids stayed up way too late, so they were not the most friendly little people on Sunday. We wanted to get out of the house to kind of reset as a family - work on all of our attitudes a bit. Going on a nice long walk seemed to us the way to do it.

For Matt and I this looks a little different. Matt loves the city - the sites, sounds, and smells of urban life. I love the country - the quite, solitude, and nature. Well, living 30 min outside of a "downtown" area meant that we went for the country :) Our town has a relatively new town park with an amazing walking trail we'd never been on. The trail leads from the playground, around a huge pond, past a creek and trails that lead to neighborhoods, past a frisbee golf course and an amazing old barn (that hides a small dumping ground for the park, it looks like). I took along the camera and caught some really nice (and sometimes goofy) shots of my husband and kids. We had a wonderful time of rest and relaxation as a family. Enjoy a little snapshot of our time!

Krochet Kids

2008-10-16T08:35:00.006-04:00

Early this spring I was investigating the idea of starting my own business. I was looking into the idea that it might be possible to use my love of all things yarny to support my family and make an impact in the world. I had a vision that either the items I made or the money I earned could be put to a better use than lining my pockets, but I didn't know what that was. I came across an organization called Krochet Kids International that was doing something very cool... something much like what I'd like to do!

KKI works in Uganda to teach skills to women vulnerable to poverty and disease. First they are taught to crochet. The items they make can be sold for a profit which gives them a sustainable source of income when they graduate from the program. They are also taught personal budgeting, financial saving, and small business management, with the hope being that the skills they are given will provide them the ability to build a small business of their own handiwork to provide for their families.

The women who are currently a part of the program are all single mothers or balancing the running of their own households and their extended families' as well. They are women who have been displaced and, in many cases, orphaned by war. They are women who live lives in conditions that many of us can not imagine even exist. They are women who love God, love their families, and love their country. They are women just like you, or your mother, or your sister, or your wife.

So how does this impact you? In the words of Pamela, one of the women who is a part of KKI's program, "I want the American people to love us and they should pray for us as well so that we have peace in Northern Uganda." In addition to loving and praying for these women, you can also invest in their lives in a tangible way. KKI has a store that sells actual items these women make. Each hat is handmade by one of the 10 women currently involved in the program. Each hat is a piece of a woman's life. Each stitch is made with love and a hope that their circumstances can change. I know many of you have made the commitment to have a "handmade Christmas" - where all the gifts you give are handmade by you or someone else - why not add a Krochet Kids hat to your gift giving this year? You will not only be giving to the recipient of the hat, you will be giving to the lives of women who have a much greater need than many of us can imagine! If you don't want to purchase a hat, check out their site for other ways to get involved!

"How does my purchase support these women?" you ask. The woman who are a part of KKI are given a salary for making the hats. Your purchase supports the mission of Krochet Kids International, making it possible for them to provide the salary for the women and expand their programs to include more women in the future. "Proceeds from hat sales are infused back into the very communities from which they came in order to promote further development and aid in Northern Uganda. We seek to aid the continued efforts of education, healthcare, and clean water through the work of various local organizations." (from the KKI website)

Disclaimer: I do not work for (nor was I solicited for promotion from) Krochet Kids International. I honestly believe in this 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian organization and its impact on the lives of the Ugandan women. In my opinion this organization is a great model for how we can use our giftings to promote health and hope around the world! All of the information I have presented here comes from their website (much of it from this page). I cannot verify how the funds of your purchase impact the global community. Instead I am going on faith that this program is legit and does what it claims to do. Please read the story of how KKI got started and form your own opinion before making any purchases.

Day 5 - Winner Announced!

2008-09-19T07:00:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Dorothy!

Since I never heard from Breien, Dorothy is our runner up! Dorothy, please email your mailing address to me (knitsandknots at gmail dot com) and I will get your info to Hearts at Home so they can get it out to you right away!

_____________________________________________

Congratulations to Breien in Lansingerland !!

Her name was drawn** to win a free copy of Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God. Breien, pl ease email your mailing address to me (knitsandknots at gmail dot com) and I will get your info to Hearts at Home so they can get it out to you right away!

Thanks to everyone who participated, I hope you enjoyed learning more about Hearts at Home this week! If you haven't already done so, check out http://www.hearts-at-home.org to check out all the free mothering resources!

**note: Winners were chosen by assigning a number to each commenter, and then using the random number generator at Random.org to determine the winning entry. If I don't hear from Breien by the end of the day Friday, Sept 26 a new winner will be drawn and announced.

Contest Day 4 - Resources

2008-09-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hearts at Home has tons of resources available to support the development of any mom in any stage of life. I bought two books last year, Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God and My Heart's at Home by H-a-H founder Jill Savage. These both seemed timeless and like great long-term resources as my kids won't be tiny forever!

Since I already shared about Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God on Monday, I thought I'd share about My Heart's at Home today. Jill Savage is a mom to 5 children - she knows what she's talking about when it comes to mothering! Here's an excerpt from the website where you can buy the book:

Founder and CEO of Hearts at Home Jill Savage explores the important role "home" plays in a family's journey. With her personable and engaging style, Jill shares practical ideas, grace for mistakes, and spiritual insight from her experience as a mother of five and conversations with many other moms that will inspire you to create a home environment that fills your heart in more ways than you can imagine.

I really loved Jill's casual writing style that both encouraged me as a mom and challenged me to think. One thing Jill talked about was making my home a refuge from the cold, cruel world - not just for my own children, but for each child who enters my door. As a part-time childcare provider for my nephew and various other children through out the year, this was a huge encouragement and challenge to me!

Don't forget, today is the last day to leave a comment on my blog to be entered in a chance receive a copy of Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God! Or you can visit http://www.hearts-at-home.org to purchase your own copy of My Heart's at Home or any other of their wonderfull resources. You can even sign up for a free e-newsletter to stay connected to Hearts at Home throughout the year!

Contest Day 3 - Conferences

2008-09-17T07:09:00.000-04:00

Hearts at Home holds 3 conferences annually in the center of the country. I attended the Great Lakes Regional conference in Grand Rapids last year. I'll share with you what the experience was like for me at my first Hearts at Home experience.

We arrived on a Friday evening and joined thousands of other moms for an evening of music, drama, and fun. The speaker was Lisa Welchel ("Blair" from "The Facts of Life" for those of you born by 1980) who was very entertaining and encouraging. At the end of the evening we had a chance to shop through the huge store of resources that they had brought along and set up in the conference center. The Friday night session is considered a "Mom's Night Out" and it was a great way to spend a Friday night!

We enjoyed a leisurely evening and woke up early the next morning for the full day of workshops. We had a few main sessions featuring Lisa again. My friend and I also attended 4 workshops that day. Some of our workshops overlapped, some did not. We each had picked 10 sessions that seemed interesting to us, and the conference coordinators made sure that each person got to attend 4 of the 10 they had picked. A lunch was provided for us and we met up to eat together. The day was capped off with a great worship session and send-off. We took some time to look through the "store" again and then walked a few blocks to the downtown area and had a great meal.

One of my favorite parts of the whole experience was when my friend and I sat down that evening and looked over the notes we had taken. We shared what we learned at the sessions we weren't in together. It was like I had gone to 7 instead of my 4! It was a great time of processing what I had learned. It was that night that we decided we were making the trip back to the same conference this year! It was so moving and impactful that we knew we needed to make it a priority to come again. I returned home renewed, refreshed, and "recharged" with a new outlook on how to be the best mom and wife I could be!

After all this talk of what Hearts at Home is all about, it makes you want to go, doesn't it? Well there's still time to sign up for these conferences:

October 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
November 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois

If you don't live close enough to drive to a conference, and hopping on a plane isn't an option, you can also order a Home Conference Packet which gives you the conference via CD. That's a nice deal for the nursing mother that's not ready to leave her little one and come as well! Visit http://www.hearts-at-home.org for more info.

Don't forget to leave a comment about how you keep your "mommy batteries" charged to be entered in the drawing to receive a Hearts at Home resource!

Contest Day 2- Founder interview

2008-09-16T07:42:00.001-04:00

Tanks for all the great comments yesterday. I have a great list of ideas now of how to keep my "mommy batteries" charged! Remember - if you leave a comment on this or any post this week, you will be entered in a drawing to win a valuable Hearts at Home resource! (See Monday's post for more info) Today's post is going to include a question and answer style interview with Hearts at Home Founder, Jill Savage.

What is the meaning of the name "Hearts at Home"
There are so many good things that a mom can do---not just in the workplace, but also in the volunteer arenas. Before we know it, our heart is tugged in so many different directions. We encourage women to keep their heart at home---making their family their first priority---because we only have one chance to raise our kids.

Briefly describe your ministry and its purpose.
Hearts at Home is a Christ-centered organization designed to encourage, educate, and equip women in the profession of motherhood. We offer encouragement through our conference events, website (www.hearts-at-home.org), published resources, bi-monthly magazine, and our newly launched radio program. Our National conference alone, held in Central Illinois every spring, hosts over 5,000 moms each year. The women who attend represent over 30 different states.

What does it mean to professionalize motherhood?
Most moms answer the "what do you do" question with "Oh, I'm just a mom." That answer alone speaks volumes about the lack of value she feels about what she does everyday. However, when a woman thinks of motherhood as a valid profession, she carries herself differently. A professional sets goals, seeks out continuing education, and sees her contribution to society in a positive way. When this woman answers the "what do you do" question, she responds with I'm a wife and a mom and I love my job. I'm a woman committed to the profession of motherhood.

How do you run an international ministry and still be the mother you're instructing others to be?
15 years ago when Hearts at Home had our first mothering conference, we were expecting about 500 moms to attend. When 1100 mothers from 10 states showed up we realized that what we meant for a one-time event, God meant for the birth of a ministry. One of my early prayers was, "Lord, if this is going to be bigger than my vision, you have to send me many moms to make the work light." God has answered that prayer over and over again. We have over 150 moms and about a dozen dads that serve the Hearts at Home ministry year-round. They each take one little piece of the puzzle and do their job well. I may be the most visible voice and face of the ministry, but home is still my priority.

Why must mothers make sure that their hearts are at home?
Most of us don't realize just how fast our kids grow up. In the blink of an eye your kid moves from a Happy Meal to Value Meal #9! When you keep your heart at home, you make the most of this unique season of motherhood.

How do you become the "intentional" mom that your family needs? What exactly does it mean to be intentional about motherhood?
Being intentional is about deliberately using the moments we are given with our children. It's about being proactive rather than reactive. An intentional mom has a vision for her family and home environment and she pursues that with purpose and goals.

Jill Savage and her husband Mark live in Central Illinois with their five children ranging in ages 8-20. Jill is the founder of Hearts at Home (www.hearts-at-home.org), and is a sought after author and speaker.

Blog Contest Week!

2008-09-15T06:58:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite ministries for mommies, Hearts at Home, is hosting a Blog Contest Week and I wanted to take part! Hearts at Home is a Christian-based ministry, dedicated to supporting and encouraging mothers through every stage of motherhood - from bringing home their first newborn baby to helping their adult children cope with a newborn of their own! Each day this week I will be sharing a little bit about the ministry of Hearts at Home and what it has meant to me as a wife and mother of 2 preschoolers. Stay tuned for info on how you can win a valuable Hearts at Home resource!

As a college student, I always pictured myself as a career woman who would easily balance the pressures of business and the priorities of being a mother. All that changed drastically the moment I found out I was expecting our first child! Suddenly I wanted nothing more than to be home with my baby all day every day to watch him or her grow.

I began to stay home with my son the day he was born and soon discovered that this mothering thing is not as easy or "natural" as everyone had made me think! I was now the main source of care and and love for this tiny being. How was I to take care of him and still find room for caring for myself? It got even harder as another child joined our family and I began to feel like I no longer existed.

I had heard about Hearts at Home through some friends at church who attended a conference every year, but had been unable to attend. Last year I decided it was time to invest in motherhood they way I invest in any business prospect - I needed to get some training! I convinced a friend to attend, and we headed up to Grand Rapids, MI for the Great Lakes Regional Conference. I'll share more about my experience there in a later post, but for now I will say the conference awakened me to a whole new concept of mothering and really recharged my "mommy batteries"!

And now for the contest!!!
One of the best resources I bought at the conference last year was a devotional book called Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God, by Mary E. Demuth. Its a wonderful book full of 1-2 page reminders of why it is we do what we do as Christian women, mothers and wives. I found it to be invaluable over the last year as I sometimes read the same devotionals day after day, soaking in God's truth about me time and again! If you leave a comment on this post, or any post this week, your name will be entered into a drawing to win your very own copy of Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God provided by Hearts at Home. Here's what I want you to answer in your comment: what you do to keep your "mommy batteries" charged?

Check out http://www.hearts-at-home.org for more info on the ministry and conferences available!

Upcoming Trips!

2008-09-12T07:08:00.002-04:00

The next few months before holiday season is going to be busy for me. I am heading to a Mom's conference over a long weekend in October and then to India for 10 days in early November! I'll be posting more about the mom's conference next week, but today I'll share about India.

Here's an excerpt from the support letter I have sent out:

God has been doing many things in my life lately, not the least of which is giving me a desire to develop a heart of compassion for the people of the world. Living in a supportive and loving community surrounded by people who are in many ways very much like me has been wonderful for my spiritual growth, but it has served to insulate me from the needs of people around the globe.
On November 8-18, I have the opportunity to join a team from my church to serve at an orphanage in Raxaul, Bihar, India and dive head-first into the world as it is experienced by many people today. If you don't know much about the region, Bihar is a north-central Indian state, bordering Nepal. I am told that there are 85 million people there, less than 2% of whom claim Christianity. Bihar is considered the "graveyard of missions". ServLife, a Christian organization, has an orphanage there and is building a new building, as well as a school, resident guesthouse, and training school building. They are a bright light in a very dark place. We hope to support the local Indian missionaries and build eternal relationships. (If you would like to know more about ServLife and how to participate in what God is doing around the world, please check out their website: http://www.servlife.org/)
The orphanage will also be hosting a pastor's conference for indigenous Indian pastors while we are there. We will be spending time with the children, encouraging the staff, and providing some basic medical care including vitamins and protein supplements. We will also help out with the pastor's conference, and some from our team may provide teaching as well. It is our prayer and hope to encourage the saints in India doing God's work, and to play a small role serving while we are there.

I am really excited about the trip and trust that God will provide the funds for me to attend. Matt and I have been considering adoption for a long time, and having the opportunity to serve in an international orphanage will hopefully go a long way in truly breaking my heart for the children of the world. Please pray with me as I prepare to leave! You can also keep my family in your prayers as Matt will be staying home with the kids the whole time I'm gone - a mission all on its own!

Jesus on YouTube

2008-02-17T15:32:00.003-05:00

It occurred to me the other day to question why Jesus was born at the time in history that he was. I mean I know the people of Israel were groaning for a Saviour, but was there more? Did God choose to incarnate himself before the invention of much of the technology that we have at our disposal today? What would happen if we had videos clips of Jesus up on YouTube that we could turn to anytime we wondered what he said instead of having to read the bible? What if instead of ever holding the printed Word of God in our hands, we read them on our Blackberry between stops on the subway, while texting our BFF about that cute guy we met last night? Where would the Holy Spirit come in here? There would be so many MORE ways to pick apart Jesus words and read into his inflection that we might decide we don't need the Great Counselor to impact our hearts and give clarity to our thoughts. Our lives are so hectic today, that I'm not sure Jesus would ever be heard correctly. He would just be another "lunatic extremest" to pick on in the media. He would maybe even get lost in the jumble of spiritual opinions that you can come across in only a brief search on the internet. Maybe God chose the time he did because it was perfect... obviously God chose the perfect time. He chose a time where transition of the message of Christ would be limited by a persons commitment to the Gospel; where you couldn't make Jesus your part-time job; where it was all or nothing, with no in-betweens. Maybe that's a lesson for us today. Is Jesus my part-time job? Or do I commit my life fully to him everyday, not pushing him aside for the ease and interest of technology?

but I love you! squish

2008-01-30T20:29:00.002-05:00

Today Eli was trying to show Anna that he loved her by giving her a huge bear hug. Much to Eli's consternation, Anna didn't appreciate this and tried to push him off. This made Eli upset, who then - to prove his deep devotion to his sister who obviously didn't understand what he was trying to do - proceeded to lay on top of her and smother her with affection. This all ended with me having to break up a fight with the warning to Eli that if he didn't stop trying to hug his sister that he would get a spank! Would a mother really spank her child for hugging their sibling? Sometimes I wonder about the words that come out of my mouth. I say them without thinking. I think them without questioning if its what I really mean. Some days I just go on auto pilot and don't stop to consider what the impact of the words I'm saying might really be. Eli's response to my threat was "but if I stop hugging her, I'll stop loving her!" So sweet, so innocent, so confused. I'm glad we took the time to talk about what I really meant this time before I carried through out of frustration.

Spider Mouths

2008-01-02T10:37:00.000-05:00

Ok, Eli said what I consider to be the most ridiculous thing ever the other night. He came into our bedroom at about 2 am scared because there were spiders in his room. Of course Matt went in and showed him there were no spiders. He came back at 2:30, again at 3, again at 3:30... this continued on until Matt said "There are no spiders, the spiders aren't real, you're just imagining them!" Eli's response was "The spiders in my room aren't real, just part of the spider is real." and when we asked the response was - Their Mouths. So my son was up all night afraid of spider mouths. At the time it was so anger-producing... now it makes me laugh. How do kids do this? How can their minds so bend the reality of life and instead see whatever they desire? Maybe that's why God tells us to have the faith of a child. Because they can look past the confusing "truths" we're faced with and just see the good or bad, the right or wrong... they see God with out all the colored lenses that adults do. And they can beleive that God can do anything, even things that aren't logical. Maybe I should spend more time trying to imagine spider mouths!

Christmas Time

2007-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

I'm finally done with Christmas presents! I am not a last minute shopper, but I do like to make some of the gifts I give - which usually means I'm finishing up something last-minute. This year it was a crocheted, stuffed frog for my son. I just finished it tonight around 10 pm. This whole idea came about because I wanted to try my hand at making a crochet stuffed animal, and asked my daughter what she'd want. We settled on a giraffe, and I wanted to purchase eyes at the craft store to use instead of embroidering. While there we came across "frog eyes" - googly eyes with a green background and Eli was in love! He immediately decided he wanted a frog, so I obliged. However, its been weeks since this happened, and I'm pretty sure he's forgotten all about it. I have a sinking feeling that he'll take one look at the frog I spent around 8 hours working on and say, "Cool eyes!" and promptly move on to the gifts that have batteries. The truth is, though, that I really wanted to make the frog because I love my son. I wanted to make something for him. And no matter whether or not he appreciates it, I know the love and care that went in to that gooly-eyed little frog! That's the cool part to me. In all seriousness, that's a lot like what God did for us when Jesus was born as a baby. He knew that not everyone would appreciate the gift they were given, but he did it out of love for the people he created. His joy is in knowing that some will see the love of the Giver through the Gift that was given.

Merry Christmas - may you know the Love of the Giver this year!

My (re)new(ed) hobby

2007-12-14T20:45:00.000-05:00

So I finally picked up my yarn, dusted off my knitting needles and crochet hooks and got back in to the one hobby I think I've ever really had besides reading! I have been a winter "fiber hobbiest" for about 3 years now, but its never been something I've taken seriously. I got into it mostly when I started making things in preparation for my unborn daughter (something happens to a woman when she realizes she's going to have a baby girl - I don't care how much a tomboy you are, you start looking at pink frilly dresses with tears in your eyes, imagining the possibilities!) Well in October, Matt and I took a weekend away to Cincinatti and I discovered a book at Borders called The Crochet Stitch Bible. In it were hundreds of beautiful color photographs of crochet stitches. Immediately I was I was "hooked". On the way home, we stopped at a specialty yarn store that I would never dream of taking my kids to.... rows and rows and shelves and shelves of beautiful mass-produced and hand-spun yarns in all the colors of the rainbow just asking to be plucked down and flung around the room by curious toddler hands! Anyway, I ended up buying some bright pink fine mohair. I think I spent $16 on the purchase, more than all of the yarn I'd bought in the past, but I figured it was all part of our getaway fund. Armed with my lucious yarn and my new inspiration I created the softest, prettiest scarf I've ever made and did a second one in knit.

Later, I started talking to a friend about my hobby, and she suggested I consider selling items on Etsy.com, a craft-selling website extraordinaire. After checking it out and what's selling there, I figured, maybe I could do it. I also joined a crochet forum to get tips, ideas, and encouragement. Since then I've been re-organizing my supplies and yarn stash, cataloguing my current inventory of FO's (finished objects), and starting to brainstorm about my own new creations. Most of the things I've made in the past were from someone else's pattern, which you can't usually sell. If you're more interested in what's going on int his area for me, check out my other blog. I will be updating it frequently with what I'm working on.

So, I'm hoping with an actual hobby and something to keep my mind occupied during "downtime" with the kids, that my relationship with them will seem less stifling, and more of an opportunity to pour into them - knowing there's something I enjoy doing patiently waiting for me to pick it up and finish a row!

Its been a long time baby

2007-12-14T20:41:00.001-05:00

Ok, so I haven't posted since Nov of '05. To be honest, I didn't really plan on ever coming back to this. For a long time I just didn't think I had anything to say anymore. Who wants to hear the ramblings of a stay-at-home-mom. Then I came to the realization.... who cares? If I feel like its "postworthy", then I should just go for it! My days are now filled with endless pre-schoolers questions (and some days the painful crying of my teething nephew) and I need an escape. A place to go to express my thoughts and feelings to an adult audience. So if you're reading, thanks for joining me, and if not... well I guess I'm talking to myself ;) But that's ok, I'm a verbal processer anyway!

"lib-bicycle"

2005-11-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

Its so cute hearing little kids talk, especially when they're just learning. Eli and Matt have been going to the library after dinner every once in a while to play "com-poo-goo games" on their computers and look for free movies. Last night Matt went out with some friends and Eli was trying to guess where he was going. He couldn't remember the word for library, so he asked if Matt was going to the "lib-bicycle".

ahhhhh......

2005-11-21T22:43:00.000-05:00

I never thought that grocery shopping alone could seem like a vacation. No one yelling at me for snacks, or crying because they're tired of the pumpkin seat... what joy there is in a little bit of silence! Although, it was a little bit crazy going shopping 3 days before Thanksgiving.

Mama's Girl

2005-11-21T13:27:00.000-05:00

There is something secretly satisfying about the fact that my daughter doesn't want anyone else but me right now. Although it means that time away from her can be difficult for her babysitter whenever we go out, I find some satisfaction in being the only one who really makes her happy! As I'm writing this I can hear her cute little babbling over the monitor. I guess my free time is over!

"Pay daddy dive"

2005-11-17T15:02:00.000-05:00

"Hev Fadoo, pay dive home daddy geen caw."

Translation: "Heavenly Father, I pray that you would keep my daddy safe as he drives home in his green car."

I almost cried when I overheard my 21 month old son praying for his daddy. Normally, around 5 pm we sit down in the big blue chair in our living room and pray for Matt as he's driving home. We pray that God would keep him safe, and that we would be in a good mood when he gets home. But today Eli was praying all by himself. I didn't prompt him to say it, he wasn't just repeating what I say every day, he was really praying!

Although I don't know what he really knows about who God is, he's starting to get an idea... how exciting!

Intro

2005-11-16T14:36:00.001-05:00

As soon as I decided to stay home with my kids, I caught myself qualifying my life. When asked what I do, I would say to people, "I'm a stay-at-home mom, but I was in grad-school when I got pregnant." As if staying home wasn't a good enough answer; I had to find my significance in my past. One day I finally realized that I have the best job on the planet, and no amount of pay could ever replace the joy I receive from my two beautiful children! Ok, so its not always rosy, but what job is? This blog is a record of my joys (and struggles) as a mom at home.

Close to Home

Double Review

Reviews

Lake House

Happy Birthday, Anna!

Summer!

A Long-overdue Update

He's SIX!

Robot Party!

Pumpkin Patch

Benefit Walk/Run

Photo Shoot

Morning with Mommy

Bubba

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Family Night

First Day of School

The Last Year...

Summa Time!

Happy Birthday Anna!

Looming

Final Fun Day

Mother's Day

Change A Life Today

Rain, Rain, Go Away

For You, From Me

The Promise of Spring

Cheap Creativity

Nice Weather!

Oppression

Great Playdate

Adoption Blog

Public Announcement!

Photo Fun

The India Story - Adopted

The India Story - Sacrifice

Happy Birthday Eli!

The India Story - To His Glory

The India Story - Culture Shock

The India Story - Overview

I'm back!

Hiatus

A Walk in the Park

Krochet Kids

Day 5 - Winner Announced!

Contest Day 4 - Resources

Contest Day 3 - Conferences

Contest Day 2- Founder interview

Blog Contest Week!

Upcoming Trips!

Jesus on YouTube

but I love you! *squish*

Spider Mouths

Christmas Time

My (re)new(ed) hobby

Its been a long time baby

"lib-bicycle"

ahhhhh......

Mama's Girl

"Pay daddy dive"

Intro

but I love you! squish