It's Love

Monday, June 8, 2009

Its been a while: my summer read

Well... its been a while. I haven't disappreared... at least not entirely. We no longer have the internet at home and I am staying busy with the girlies. I am also trying to get some reading done. I have a goal to get two books finished this summer - both by Francine Rivers. The first is THE ATONEMENT CHILD and the second is REDEEMING LOVE.

I am over half way through the first book. I read it once in high school but I could only really remember the general idea of the book....not the intense emotion I would feel as I read it. I have cried a couple times... out of anger, out of disgust, out of helplessness. Its hard. Its hard to hear people - especially Christians - talk about... my daughter ... that way. I know its fiction. I do. But I also know people think, say and feel what is written in this book. The woman in the book, Dynah, was raped. A Christian, from a Christian home. She becomes pregnant. Its as if the child she carries is not a child due to the way the child was conceived. Did I mention that he baby is a child. Did I mention that it is a living being. With a soul. Did I mention that my daughter could have been that child? I have never hid that detail of my daughter's life. I didn't because there is no shame in it. I would never keep it a secret because I feel like she would feel like I am ashamed of it. I am not. I just believe it shows God plan. That her creator-created her. It was not by accident. It was diliberate. His plan for her is big. I am thankful to be a part of it.

I didn't even mean to write as much as I have. Once the book is finished I will respond... I will address the things that angered me. I will process the emotions that I felt. I have tears even now as I think about it. My daughter is playing with her little sister as I write this. So joyful. So innocent. She has no idea that as she grew in her mother's belly..her womb.. - people - even "Christians" viewed her as merely ... I can't even describe it. She would have not been described as a miracle or a blessing.

Oh how she has changed my life. Oh the joy that she brings.

Thank you Jesus for your plan. Thank you Jesus for her mother's strength to bring her into this world. Thank you that you created something beautiful from something so ugly.

Stay tuned....

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Host an orphan!

I received this email and wanted to pass it along to you all!!!

"
Dear friends and families,

I am once again asking for your help - my last plea did get one little boy a family but there are 8 boys in urgent need of a host family. Many times we see pleas like this and figure that someone else will do it - but I need for YOU to consider helping out these children. Can you imagine living in a world with out knowing someone loves you?

For those of you who have children - adoption is NOT just about infertility. Adoption is about giving a child the family they need and the love they don't have. If you do have children - think about them. What would you want for them if something happened to you? Would you want them to become forgotten? For Christian families - adoption is the very thing that God offered us. I love the quote by John Piper that adoption is the visible gospel.

For those of you who may be facing infertility - you may have never considered an older child. I will tell you from experience that these children have so much love to give and they still need to have parents and most of all love.

These boys will be made to leave the orphanage in the next few years - 70% of them will turn to crime, 15% of them will commit suicide within the first year of leaving and the possibility if them making it past age 23 is grim.

I have 8 boys coming to Indianapolis area on June 12 - July 4. In the past three years that we have had children come, it has always bothered me that boys are so hard to find families for. 90% of adoptive parents want to adopt girls. The boys below are beautiful and precious and deserving of a family. Photos are attached!

Hosting is the best way to "try on " adoption (not the children). It will allow you to see what kind of children are in the orphanage, how normal they are, how incredible they are - you can't help but fall in love with these children. I fall deeper in love with every group - after meeting them I am passionate about helping them because they are REAL not just some orphan I have heard about. Has God been speaking to your heart? For me, it was a call I HAD to answer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dima (travelling) and Jenya (not travelling) are two precious brothers needing a place to stay. Dima is 8yo, calm, very smart and kind. Jenya is 6yo and is full of energy, very bright and his eyes sparkle with personality.

Vitaliy is a 11yo boy who is very bright, loves to draw, can read english, and is a good friend to all the children. He has a younger brother Artyom that is 5yo.

Bogdan is a 10yo boy with asian features that has a younger sister that is 6yo (not travelling). He is very hardworking and loves to draw. He will most likely NOT be chosen by a Ukrainian family because of his ethnicity.

Misha is a 6yo boy that has the bluest sparkling eyes - he is adorable, inquisitive and very sweet.

Oleksiy is 10yo - serious boy, kind, tidy, stable. Good in completing tasks.

Artem is 8yo - he has alot of personality - loves to sing, likes to play with other kids, likes to be a leader, likes to read.

Vova is 9 yo boy that is kind and has many friends. He has a smile that you can't help but smile back.

Artem who is 11yo and has a younger brother who is 6yo. He is a bit quiet and reserved, calm, stable. Good friend.

Please pass this on to all your friends, families, church, and co-workers. We want very much to find a family who will be interested in adopting or be willing to advocate for them. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

-- Blessings,Lydia Tarr Ukraine Program Director and Hosting Coordinator Russian Program DirectorMLJ Adoptions 317-332-9411 www.MLJadoptions.com

"Adoption is the visible gospel." John Piper

"We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life. But those who make their journey home across time & miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands." Kristi Larson

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Graduation!

This past weekend I graduated from grad school!

Its crazy I know. Its neat to see the journey I took to get here. I was never really big on school and never really took advantage of the many opportunities God placed in front of me. I was blessed to go to a great high school - a VERY small, Christian school called The King's Academy. The school was really big on knowing God's call on your life and missions. I went on four mission trips while in High School (Mexico, Chicago, Dominican Republic & Kenya) and have always been in love with other cultures. I also always wanted to make a difference. While I did take advantage of some of the opportunities I also had a crappy attitude some of the time and I really wish that I hadn't wasted what was in front of me.

I went to college at Indiana Wesleyan University and I would eventually graduate with a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice. Again, I wasted the first three years of college with a ridiculous attitude towards authority, terrible sleeping habits, and just getting by in my classes. While I never drank or made many of the mistakes that college kids make, I still didn't take full advantage of what was in front of me - like chapel. We had AMAZING speakers come and share with us - like Frank Peretti, Dr. Dobson, Dan Seaborn, Ken Davis, Josh McDowell and many others. . . thankfully I had my stuff together and hear the men that I just listed.

I truly believe that you become like the people you are around. Even "Christians" can bring you down and be the stumbling block. Find people who are on fire for God and who want to be the difference - then hang out with those people.

The end of my junior year of college I met my husband Kyle. He changed everything. He challenged me and encouraged me. He believed that I could do it. I started to really appreciate what opportunities I had and took advantage of them. I started doing better in school and having better habits, attitudes, everything. A year later I married him. A year after we were married I graduated (April 2006).

Summer of 2006 I tried finding a job, by August I hadn't found anything and decided to look into the grad school that had a table up at IWU about their counseling program. It was an hour and a half drive each way. I got accepted on probationary status due to my gpa in college. Dr. Tammy Schultz wanted to know what would be different about grad school - could I maintain a high enough gpa? I told her I could. She believed in me - that it was possible. Kinsey was born at the end of my second semester in grad school. I missed all my finals and flew out to California. They let me retake them all once I got back - the staff was just amazing like that.

That second semester in I fell just below the gpa I needed - I would have one chance to pull it up. I had to retake a class and get an A. It felt impossible. An "A" in Theological Foundations of Counseling?? But I had people believing in me, encouraging me, and I did it.

After that - I never let myself get that close to losing what I worked so hard for.

Now, I have graduated!

I now have a Masters in Interpersonal Relations (click for info).

I am just so thankful for the classes, the professors and the people who I have learned with. I completed a practicum/intership at an alternative learning school, addictions recovery group and a high school. I have been challenged and encouraged to be the person God has intended for me to be. Every class was a favorite. I traveled to Ukraine on a missions trip with my program and was challenged to jump out of my comfort zone. I just feel blessed to have met the people from the program and the professors who have really encouraged me.

Someday when all my kiddos are in school, I may work as a counselor in a school, a juvenile corrections facility...or where ever God leads me. But for right now my education is helping me to be a better wife and mom. That is truly all I have ever wanted.

My parents, 4 youngest of my 7 siblings, and my babies!

My amazing husband and two beautiful girls!

Monday, May 11, 2009

My Little Beauties!

Here is momma with her big girl who looks absolutely *beautiful*

Sisterly Love :)

My little baby cakes who is just growing growing growing...

Saturday, May 2, 2009

My baby is 2!

Can you believe it? I can't. There we were - just young kids - 22 & 23 years old. We got the call, jumped on a plane and a few hours later laid eyes on our beautiful girl. I can still remember the emotions of that day...that minute. They came in after we had been waiting for 18 hours in the hospital room to tell us "You'll have a baby in 10 minutes".

They decided to do an emergency c-section! WHAT?!! Its crazy.

I can remember standing in the delivery room as they brought her in -

still covered in all the yucky stuff :)

She looked so perfect. She was ours! She had beautiful black hair and big black eyes.

I still can't believe we did it! My husband isn't the type to welcome change, or to try new things - but HE DID! We talk about it alot... He still can't believe he did it :) He has made the comment -

"If I had known that it could be this great - we would have done it sooner!"

But I think things turned out just perfect.

She lights up our lives.

Look at us - our little family.