At the End of the Day...

Is there ever enough minutes in a day for us mother's to get everything accomplished that is set before us?  Sometimes I think there is just no way!  I have been working hard on getting a regular routine set up that can mix in there all the other stuff that needs to get done. I could really get overwhelmed if I think I need to get it all done 'today'!  Even if I didnt take a break for rest I dont think I could ever have everything done.  With all that is required of me I also want to enjoy the day!  The Lord really has given me permission to prioritize and to focus on a few things each day and add in the rest day by day.  I am finding so much joy in my bible time with the children.  If I did no other schooling but got this done for the day I feel I have touched eternity in some small way.  When I just slow down and seize the moments we seem to get 'more' done!  Its hard as a mama to have a full plate and sometimes with so many little ones it feel as though all we are doing is disciplining all day.  It has helped me to step back look at each situation Thru the eyes of Jesus.  If we call on Him, He is faithful!  Today I got much done, much more than I expected to get done.  Spoke love into each childs heart, all of them were pretty attentive during their learning time and I got that mountain of laundry kicked out!! Well for today hehe.  Got some organizing done to help me keep it under control, need a few more dressers and bookshelves.  All that said what matters at the end of the day?...is that Jesus was intertwined into everything!  He is that thread that holds everything else together.  God makes everything work together for His purpose and glory! and thats a good thing. :)

His Timing, My Ever Growing Patience

I feel so blessed today.  Ive been feeling like we are going to be hanging in limbo for a while with MercyAnne's adoption.  Well  the Lord heard my prayers and today I received a call from our casemanager that she is indeed working on our papers so that we can move on to the next step of getting assigned a adoption case worker, yay!

 It really was a blessed call after being up all night with Mercy throwing up and then Joah this morning.  Such peace it brings and peace is such a sweet gift!  Now Im even more excited and hope that they can expedite the adoption as requested from the fcrb.  Maybe even before our family trip to Disneyland.  Im so looking forward to this much needed family time together.

*Sigh

I feel like I have been spinning my wheels in all different directions this week.  I have had too many errands and being sick on top of it all.  Im so glad that next week things look like they will be cooling down temp wise, nothing is worse than being so busy and it being too warm out. I would say hot but I know hot and its not quite here yet!
Ok so...I have been working on making dietary life changes to better my health and to keep from adding any more meds to my life, and hopefully dropping most of them.  I have done very well in making daily choices and on the spot decisions.  Ive lost 15 pounds so far.  While watching my carbs over the last 8yrs. I really allowed myself to eat protien foods without much thought.  With that has come a elevation in my cholesterol. While not horribly high 207, its high enough for me to be concerned of it going higher if I dont take control now!

Ive also learned alot about myself and my eating patterns.  I eat when under stress.  And the worse part is eating under stress and a full schedule life.  They dont mix well at all!  Stress causes me to just pop whatever in and having a really busy hectic day causes me to make wrong choices in what I choose to eat.  I have stayed away from fast food for about a month now. Before I would stop and just get what ever if we were out and about and it hit lunch time.  Now I either pack our lunch or I will have a my wiser choice and choose a low fat sub.  Not that we ate out often but even just once a week or so can add a craving for the bad things.

I really do feel better and believe that I have made a life change not just a change for a while or a fad diet change but one that I can live with.  I think it also will be good on my kiddos to think twice about what we put in our bodies.  While we are not perfect, and we still will have a treat now and then it the day in and day out choices that we make that stand and make the bigger picture difference.

Ive been under quite a bit of stress this week. I had plenty of opportunity to just let my new convictions fly out  the window after all stress used to equal justification right!  But I really have taken this to heart and want to remain faithful to myself on the most stressful days!  By the Holy Spirits help we can I can do this if I will just stop and listen. Im so glad that the Holy Spirit guides us and reveals to us what needs to be worked on in His timing, such a loving God we have!  So my *sigh, is one of relief that I am not alone in this, He is giving me the will power to stick to it and the knowledge to help me grow in this area. I praise Him!

The end of the rainbow

Well it is certainly warming up quickly! 90 is just a little too warm for March, hopefully we will see some more cooler temps before summer hits us with the triple digits!

 While I thought last week was going to be a more quiet week with not having to take MercyAnne to visits it was anything but quiet.  Didnt really get much done other than running around with a busy schedule and ending up getting sick :(   Im hoping to get much more done this week and getting back into a much needed slower pace schedule, we havent seen one of those in almost 4 years lol!

 Know one knows  unless you have walked this road that we have been on how draining it can be, but worth every minute invested! The blessings at the end of the rainbow are that we will have adopted 4 beautiful arrows from our heartwomb, God is so good and amazing. As I look back and relfect all that God has done I really stand in much awe and amazement.  Here are a few things I can remember that God used that will not only stick in my heart and mind forever but on my babies too.

 Not long after we received Madison and Jaden we were on a car ride home and it was very cloudy day out, those kind of clouds that are huge and puffy and full of rain with a little gleaming burst of sun shining thru.  When out to the left of our windows we saw two full size beautiful rainbows!  I said 'look! Madison and Jaden two rainbows!! One for you Madison and one for you Jaden! :)"  I began to tell them of Gods love for them and that the rainbow was a sign of promise!  Not only does the rainbow remind me that God will never flood the earth again but it reminds me of ALL of God's promises, such as how He will never leave us nor forsake us.  Madison and Jaden was abandoned in a park when they came into custody but God never has left them and He saw them safely into our arms. They can look to God and know that He has a beautiful plan for their lives.  Now when they see a rainbow they  yell out "God's promise!"  Not knowing then whether we would have them for our forever children brings such peace and love into our hearts that He was working His promises out even then!  and we could say today too that, that double rainbow is also for Jeremy and MercyAnne!  We are so excited that the end of those rainbows sat the gift of adoption for them all! 

Every moment of each day God is working in our lives, in the big and little day to day routine we are in.  I want to seize every moment and grow in His Knowledge, and Love! What a honor and privilege.

Blessings to everyone,  and the next time you see a rainbow remember God's promises!

 Debbie

My First Post :)

How fun!  Amanda helped me set up my blog and then well a week or so has passed and I havent been able to get on here.  Im excited to have a blog and write down my thoughts and daily activity's. Our lives have been so busy and full it will be nice to sit down and reflect what God is doing in my life and my families.  Exciting times are these as we trust each day to His purpose and glory.
May today find each of you resting in His grace and walking in His light and living life to the fullest which He has given us.
Until my next post...God bless!