Christian Chronicle--- finally!

Back in August 2012, while our daughter Gina was here being hosted from China. A friend from Christian Chronicle came to visit and interview our family. 

We wrote back and forth. Rewrote the article. Things quickly changed. Gina went back to China. We went to Korea twice. Cade came home. Homestudy was started and the list goes on and on.

But at Gods perfect time.. I finally had time to sit and write. But before I could finish my writing... Cade got sick.. Very sick. Our adoption agency called and Surprise! Gina's file is ready and another surprise.. We will approve you for two from China .... And just like that God chose to reveal our daughter Sage.

And then the words came to me... To write this article.

I haven't even seen it yet but friends are messaging me. I am so excited to share our story in this incredible publication.

If you have an extra copy... Please email me I would love to send you a self addressed envelope to receive one for each of my kids.

God bless!

The Pearls and Vision Forum---Get the Garbage out

Warning: some homeschooling, christian parents may not like what I am about to say...but you need to read it.

We have always homeschooled since my oldest started school and had a bad experience. I am always the first one to say, "The reason we home school has nothing to do with public school teachers. I believe if you want a good education and you live in the United States of America and desire a good education. You can get that at any public school." Homeschooling is our choice and I do NOT feel other choices for other families are wrong. And it is really none of my business, anyway.

In the homeschool world, you often get the terms 'those kinds of homeschoolers' or at least you guys aren't 'the weird kind of homeschoolers'. Meaning my kids wear pants, dye their hair crazy colors, have iPods, are more socialized than some public schoolers and so on. You see where I am going with this.

I have often looked at those other kinds of homeschoolers and been slightly curious as there lifestyles seemed so different yet intriguing to the naked eye. The eye that doesn't see inside the home.

My mom was given a copy of Michael and Debi Pearls book once To Train up a Child. She gave it to me without reading it and I delved in. As they were ..those kinds of homeschoolers... At the time I was appalled. I will post a link to several quotes from the book at the end of this blog such as beating to submission. Terrible abuse. 

I have also been a long term supporter of Vision Forum.... We have... Well now I will state we had ordered some home schooling material from this catalog. Like most home schoolers, I had ordered from this company mostly history and than goodness I ordered none of its character building. What I didn't realized was their mission statement which supports a Patriarchal lifestyle. Meaning women are not allowed a voice. Ever. As in... Women are only here to serve men. Yes.... Only to help their man. Whether that mean their father... Or husband. A man is basically the God of the home. Also racism, they speak of the south in such a demeaning way and I will leave it at that.

This is wrong. 

I did not even know of this lifestyle.

This is insane.

Women are being abused. Children especially daughters are being abused in this lifestyle and I was supporting it.

This is my public opinion beware of anything Michael or Debi Pearl or Doug Phillips or anything coming form Vision forum. Doug Phillips, public speaker aka Patriarchal lifestyle believer aka just had an affair and abused his power with a young girl, that he speaks of straight from God. 

Run. 

Any homeschooling material I have purchased from Vision Forum will be going in the garbage, luckily most of it was so boring we never used it. It is going in the garbage, because it is garbage.

Here is the link with quotes from the most satanic book I have ever read  To Train Up a Child. 

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/2013/04/some-quotes-from-michael-pearl.html

Pro-life really?

Middle of the night ramblings from my iPhone.

So please excuse the typos...

Most of you know I am as Pro-life as the next conservative. I do not believe in abortion. I believe there are other choices. However.. A sin is a sin. And all sin is forgiven. This is not where I am going with this

I see so many of my friends complaining about our politicians decisions on abortion yet I see no ACTION. I see lots of complaining, posting and even picketing at abortion mills. It's a free country and I know picketing has its purpose. I am not anti-picketing.

However before you post on Facebook or Twitter how pro-life you are; lets evaluate just how pro-life you are.

What are you doing to stop abortions?

Think about this.

If a child is not aborted... But given up by their birth mother then this child is an orphan.

Hello have you noticed the orphan crisis in this world?

How many birth mothers who can not support their child .. Are we supporting? Helping? Encouraging? Being there when they suffer the pain and loss.

Pro-lifers...including myself are awesome at flashing that we are against abortion.

But when we stand in line on judgement day... God will not say how many times did you complain about abortion on your Facebook? Twitter? How many signs did you make for picketing at the local abortion mill? Or even how many signs did you shake at devastated moms make a devastating decision?

What does God command? Love others.

How many birth moms have we thrown baby showers for that have decided to not abort there babies? ...Who probably have lost friends and family because they chose life?

 How many moms have we hugged because there hearts are broken because they did abort there unborn? Yes they are still people with hearts and souls.

How many not aborted children have we adopted? Fostered? Hosted? Sponsored? Visited? Ministered to?

Please quit facebooking and tweeting your complaints and DO something!! 

God wants action.

Here is an article that inspired this rant...http://www.theblaze.com/stories/

2013/01/02/is-adoption-a-pro-life-policy-

that-evangelicals-should-embrace/

Idlewild FUN

Thank goodness for Idlewild Who closed their park last year due to weather and gave out free tickets!!

I took 6 kids to a water park alone... Luckily we were meeting very helpful friends.


Idlewild or bust!


Avah loved every ride ... Are you surprised? And loved riding with.. 'Colie'.


Merry go rounds.. She had fun but needed to get on by herself, get off by herself...


Mia loved the 'horsies'.. Even requested we go back to ride again. This is coming from the little girl who prefers the wagon while we pull her and hand her cotton candy and other treats. She usually just wants to watch.


Avah insisted upon having her photo taken for dongsang aka little brother.


Mia rode the cars with our great friend Ethan aka best helper!


Avah rode alone!! Honking and waving all the way!!


Mia really enjoyed swimming this time. She usually prefers dangling her feet and splashing others.


Idlewild has a new lazy river. The girls loved it and enjoyed riding on Mr. ken around and around.


Of course ...Avah was a little fish!


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100th Anniversary Dinner

Last Sunday was our congregations 100th anniversary. It was wonderful hearing all the history. We headed over to the Hilton for a dinner after service.




Teens were enjoying themselves..




As usual...




These two were jamming to the be bopping by this fabulous group.




Great time. Great friends.

Being intentional...

I made this poster this evening as our "SUMMER BUCKET LIST". Its real easy for  me to sit around pining for my son who is not home...and no end in sight. But I am choosing to be intentional with the 6 fabulous kids I have home. So we are having a FUN FUN FUN summer!!!

And maybe a school filled summer as well. When Cade comes home, we will need to take a small break so I need to be at least a month ahead from where I usually am. So in the midst of trying to convince my kids to start some school...we will be finishing our summer bucket list.:)

Struggling

I am struggling right now.

I am seeing and hearing so much negativity towards people wanting to make Radical decisions to follow Christ.

From Christians.

Radical decisions are hard enough the way it is. But to have other Christians ignore, gossip and tell you your crazy doesn't help.

However I don't feel like these people realize Satan is using them so actively to discourage another from what God wants them to do.

So here is my advice (my blog.. Don't want it .. Don't read it.;))

1. Ask yourselves these questions.
-are you jealous that you don't have the faith to make this decision?
- why can you not respect what others do and pray for them?
- what are you teaching your children?

2. Pray for them.

3. Look for your radicalness.. That fully consumes you and keeps you on your knees.

4. Don't knock it until you try it.

5. Don't shatter someone elses chance of a family by trying to talk them out of it.

6. And when all else fails.. Be quiet. If you have nothing else to say.. Say nothing at all.

Because hello... Look up statistics on a child becoming Christians if they stay in an orphanage.... They don't...
Adoption is one of the biggest answers to modern day slavery and human trafficking.
-Matthew 25:40

Fan or Follower...

I know you might say that I am hormonal...or grump..or stressed...or overwhelmed. But I dont think that is it.

I am sad.

I am saddened by this world.

I cry.

I cry because people dont realize what is happening, or is that they do know what is happening but arent doing enough?

I cry... Where is the church?? Where are we? We want to add on gymnasiums and have outlandish social activities ... For what??? How is this glorifying God?

Are we fans of Jesus or followers? This is the bible study we are doing on Sunday morning at our congregation. I pray that I am a follower. I want to fight this fight with my entire being.

Thats where I feel I am...I am not doing enough.

Did you go to sleep warm tonight? With more than 10 blankets in your house? Warm pajamas? Full stomachs? Watched your big screen before you fell asleep? Downloaded your kids pictures onto your laptop before falling into blissful sleep because you know your choices for breakfast are aplenty? Guilty times 10 here......

I hate Disney World. There I said it..does it hurt your feelings? I am sorry Mickey Mouse. No not really. I hate it. Will I probably go there? I dont know because I am a selfish American and thats the place to be, right. IF you dont take your kids there you arent giving them what every American child DESERVES and has THE RIGHT too. Forget about those North Korean children who are fighting over the kernel of corn out of the cow pattie over there.

I would rather be holding my friend Amanda's little boy who was beat into a coma by his birth father. tell him i am sorry some office worker deemed him ready to care for him. i want to hold these children and look into their eyes and tell them how sorry I am that millions of dollars go to support Gay marriage or to purchase Iphones (yes I said it..and I have an Ipad and Ipod) GUILTY...

I keep thinking...we will or should be 'done'I am tired. My laundry is ...excuse me...has EXPLODED. we may have to add on again...OH but wait..have you seen the pictures of the orphanges...where there are 100's of babies in one room...with only a few caretakers....!!! I think not....

Stepping off my soapbox...dont worry I will be back.

God's Girls

Literally... These are God's Girls.


And I got the blessing of spending the day with these girls and taking them to the God's Girls youth rally in Pittsburgh.


The theme was transformation. It was an awesome theme for young christian girls and older for that matter.


This was Camye's first year and she was positively giddy!


They released live butterflies to symbolize releasing the sin in their lives.


Love these girls!



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Lads to Leaders 2013 Part 2

Well I am bummed but our camera messed up. So for now I only have what was on my phone or what I stole from Facebook.




This was our 5th grade bible bowl team!




Chloe first place scrapbook in winners circle!:)




Camye's team was a bible bowl finalist!




Great family pics on Easter morning besides for whoever had my camera... Had their finger over the lense.;(




Excitement for our K-2nd graders!




Yay Paul and Mia!




More excitement over bible bowl top scores for K-2nd grade!!




11th grade puppet team places 2nd!!! That's me in the middle!!:)




A little Rogers bling for all their hard work. This year I incorporated L2L curriculum into our homeschooling. I must say I have never done as much bible as we have done this year. It has really been such a blessing. Winners or not... We learned more about Gods word and that is all that matters.
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Lads to Leaders 2013-part 1

We participate in a fabulous program with our church called Lads to Leaders and Leaderettes. And basically it is a tool for kids to study Gods word, give speeches, learn to lead songs, work as a team on a puppet team, art work.. The list goes on and on. I can't say enough about this program.


We attend the Nashville convention. It is held every year at the Opryland hotel. Yes.. Awesome.


Our hospitality room... Ran by my fabulous friend Lori. She keeps things running smoothly at us well fed.


4th grade puppet team!:) we did out tonight if they won. They worked so hard!:)


8th grade puppet team!!:) they ha their best performance of the year yesterday which was a good thing because we were put in the 9th grade category. We needed a perfect performance!


Some of our bestest friends moved away this year but not after a long hard working L2L year!!! This is Camye with their oldest daughter Holly.


Waiting for the show to begin!


Mia sneaking in the candy bag!!


It is so incredible out of 10,000 people attending conventions across the US this weekend.. We have the blessing of attending the same convention with my first cousin and her family. AND we are in the same color!!! And tonight out girls Camye and Kinlee will be competing against each other in Winners Circle Scrapbook. Both deserve to win and both worked super hard!!


Bronze medals for Good Samaritan!


I had the honor of teaching Gifts to these beautiful christian girls.:)


Just a glimpse at our families bling for Friday night!! Bring on Saturday night!!!


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Project Organization 2013- Week 1

Okay that's what I am calling it... My mother says I am nesting. Which ever I will take it.

I am going to try and blog my nesting... I mean organizing weekly. Basement photos coming soon!!

I have to make room for our little guy. So I have some major things to get cleaned up and out.

So the wall shelves in the little girls are coming down...this went up...



I had this cute decorative stand where the shelf above was. And with soon to be 7 kids... Decorative is out and functional is in.. But I still think this looks great.:)


I haven't organized my new Expedit yet but you get the idea.:)

I have also cleaned out one of my antique dressers that really was for decorative purposes only. It's gone! A nice clean spot in its place.

Stay tuned for this weeks projects!

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L2L bible bowl Fun!

Proverbs- not a fun bible bowl book.
One of my favorite books..
But not for bible bowl.
But we have had over 31 weeks to have a blast with this book... And boy have we ever.


We have made crafts!


We have mind mapped.


We have studied.


We have played games.


We have studied Gods word together.


But most of heart... We now have Proverbs written on the tablets of our hearts.
Check our our iMom board on pinterest!:)

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