Missions

For as long as I can remember I have had a heart for missions. I have always had a love for other cultures and other countries... even other cultures in my own country. My first missions trip didn't happen until I was a sophmore in high school but my love for other cultures started long before that. I can remember being quite young and my parents/grandparents would set up a correspondence between me and missionaries from our church. I would write them letters, ask for pictures and I would put them in a scrapbook. When the missionaries would come back on break I would get to meet them. I was involved in AWANA and I was able to write letters to a group in Africa who had an AWANA program. They sent several pictures of them in their uniforms... playing their games... their group.

I just loved learning about these different countries and the ways that these missionaries were changing their world.

Going to a Christian high school we went on a missions trip every year. First year we went to Mexico and worked with an orphanage. The second year to inner city Chicago to work with Jesus People USA, and also special missions trip with just me and one other student to Kenya, Africa. My third year we went to the Dominican Republic.

I didn't take any missions trips during my college years - thats my biggest regret I think. Kyle and I went to England & Scotland for our honeymoon which was great - but no missions trips.

While I was getting my masters at Grace they had a class called Social & Cultural Issue. I *LOVED* it. Learning to counsel different people groups and learning about other countries. Along with the class was a missions trip to Ukraine. I was four months pregnant when we went on the trip, which wasn't a good combination with flying - but whats a little bit of vomit?

I have always had a heart for missions. I know God has called me to be a mom and a wife. God has been showing me that I have my own little mission field here at home.

I have kept saying to myself (since that trip) that I would post about the amazing experience I had ... I kept saying when I really had some time. Well... its been a year and a half since I got back and I still haven't posted. Sooo... I will soon. With pictures.

Thats another piece of where my passion for the fatherless is from. I have met them. I have experienced them.

Mommy & Daddy's Bed

When I was little my dad would have to leave for work at like 4am - 5am due to his 2 hour commute. I remember going in and snuggling in bed with my mom in the early hours while he would get ready for work. Its weird. I can still see the images of him getting ready and giving us a kiss when he had to leave. Their bed always seemed more comfortable than my own bed.

I love being a mom and now having my own kiddos who love to snuggle in our bed.

I dunno what it is. They could wake up a few times a night - but once they come into our room they sleep so soundly. They love to snuggle with mommy and daddy. Not gonna lie... I love it.

Last night both girls slept clear through the night. We were all in bed at 10pm and at 6:30am Kyle and I woke up and I couldn't believe it. A half hour later Cali started crying... and I loved going to get her to bring her in to snuggle. :)

Pictures!

My baby isn't a baby so much any more

Her horse :) She is getting so big!

She loves her two bears :)

The girls the last night in the old house on the floor by mommy & daddy :)

Kinsey Sleeping - Last Night in our OLD house :)

Kinsey & cousin Kate

Wrong Impression

Okay ... um.. I just went back and re-read alot of what I have been saying. I don't want it to come off as that I dislike people who only prefer to adopt a child of a certain race. Or prefer to adopt any child except children of a certain race. I have many people I would consider friends who are in this position. My bestfriend is one of these people. Not only that - but she is scared to even adopt. Period. I think my frustration with people is out of disappointment.

I respect these people. I like these people. I even admire some of these people.

And THAT is why I get frustrated.

Because I simply don't understand.

They disappointment me.

These people that I look up to and love - who are suposed to be like Jesus - place value on the tone of skin. And that breaks. my. heart.

That is why it angers me.

That is why I get upset.

That is where this frustration comes from.

Because they view certain children as less.

A child that could potentially be mine.

Movie

We watched Evan Almighty tonight. Since everyone feels like crap we thought a little movie would be fun. Thought Kinsey would like the animals in the movie (she did) and I hadnt heard too many negative things about it. Probably wasnt worth the $4 I spent but ya get what ya pay for. Kyle's favorite part (where he just cracked up) was the nose trimming at the beginning - go figure :)

I try to take something good out of things like that so this is what I came up with.

1. We may think we know what God has planned but we have no clue (yeah i already knew this but it was a nice reminder). In the movie God asks Evan to build an ark for the flood that will come. He gets mocked. People think he's nuts. And on the day God said there would be a flood people wait for rain to prove Evan and God wrong. Turns out it wasn't going to rain to bring a flood - but this housing addition would be flooded because a dam ends up breaking. It destroys all the homes but because Evan did what God asked the were safe on the ark.

2. We have to trust that God knows eactly what he is doing. In the movie God (or Morgan Freeman - who Kinsey kept calling grandpa lol) asked him to do something that didn't make sense. Who builds an ARK just outside of Washington DC? It took alot of faith and alot of guts.

And just when I thought there wasn't going to be a flood, I thought to myself...

Even if there is no flood, maybe God wanted to know that he was willing to obey?

I hope I am always willing. And I hope I follow through.