My life right now

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.  Psalm 37:23

Lately I feel as if I have the craziest life.  I know I don't.  I know God directs our steps. I know He paved the way for many of the things that happen and we are just to walk it out by faith.

Every nook and cranny of my home is filled.  We have seven people living in our four bedroom home. True, we probably have more square footage than most Belizeans.  But we all stay home all day doing school and work.  Sometimes I feel like the walls are caving in.  But they aren't.

Our newest nine year old uses my desk in my room for her schoolwork.  It works best because she is not distracted there.  But it means I am typing this blog now before I wake her up.  Sometimes I am a referee, just trying to keep Erika in her own room doing her schoolwork.  Helping the four girls with different work from different subjects from different grades can at times be overwhelming.  

Team that up with cooking two hot meals a day, doing seven peoples' laundry, and trying to run a vacuum because Net is tonight.

Every Wednesday, I teach a Bible Study at the local Crisis Pregnancy Help Center.  This requires preparation, typing out and copying the lesson, and time away from working with my girls.  Every week, I want to quit.  I usually only have 1-3 women show up.  The numbers are small.  Yesterday, I decided to take Erika with me, as she tends to not stay in her room when I am gone.  It was pouring rain.  Since all of my ladies walk, I really thought noone would be there.  Erika said, "Let's not go...noone will come."  But I said, "I have a committment, we must be there just in case."  I also really thought I was wasting my time.  But as I drove around the corner, one of my youngest girls was there, with a trash bag wrapped around her baby.  She had gotten a ride and was waiting for me.  I did the Bible study one-on-one with her and then took her home.  And I decided not to quit:)

Last Sunday night, we baptized our newest nine year old, along with 6 others.  This little girl wants to grow up and lead worship or be a pastor.  I believe she could do these things.  The enemy does not want her in our home.  Please pray for us.  For her.  It is real easy to hear of orphans, children in foster care and children's homes, and just move on.  It changes when they come to your church, and you know their stories and God won't let you get them off your mind.  I never thought we would adopt three children.  I knew we would adopt Erika.  She was my dream.  But these other two girls have become God's dream for our family.  Wherever I go, I have four beautiful, different looking, different race than me girls.  And they are all so beautiful.  So people sometimes stare.  Kailey once told me, she just smiles back, because she is so happy to be in our family:)  I truly believe God makes families.  Because although life is sometimes crazy, our family is beautiful.  Yesterday, I asked the two youngest girls to draw something fun they wanted.  Larisha drew our whole family in New York City.  Her dream to go to America is huge.  Erika drew a Christmas tree with all of us around it.  Her dream will come true (and mine too) because Josh will be here for Christmas this year.  I need no gifts because I will have all my children together.

Moving on, Lee is a busy man.  Three mornings a week, he is up early.  One day he meets with the city council and prays (the girls like this because he brings home fresh baked goods...that one of the men brings..from the meeting for them).  Two other mornings, he personally mentors two men in the church.  This morning, as I was getting the coffee going, the mayor walked in our gate.  This was powerful to me for two reasons.  First, Lee is mentoring the man who one day may be the prime minister.  He is a good man.  The other reason it was powerful to me is...he is such a humble man.  He brought in our empty trash can.  I don't know why...but it just struck me of his character. 

 On another note, last Sunday night, our School of Ministry...the seven that made it all the way through...gave their final sermons.  I asked Lee if I could go.  I am so glad I did.  I sat in awe, as almost all of them have been with us since we very first started LifeNet.  And they are true leaders.  The cream of the crop.  I wanted to cry tears of joy, as the Lord whispered in my ear...See...this is why I sent you and Lee to Belize.  I think sometimes God knows we just need to be reminded.

There are so many more things I would love to share.  But I have four girls who are not getting out of bed:)  Tomorrow I will throw my last birthday party for Tori.  Her and Kailey's birthdays are exactly two weeks apart, so we are having a joint slumber party.  It will be a blast.  They will be tired and grumpy the next day.  But this is part of the fun of being a mom.  Celebrating the lives of our precious children.  So we have rolled and frozen the meatballs, made props for our photo booth, bought the nail polish and face masks.  All the things these beautiful girls want to do.  One funny story is that when you have an artistic child, and you are making props, she sits down beside you and takes over!!!  Her art teacher contacted me and Tori will be displaying some of her art in a booth at an art show in a couple of weeks.  What an honor.

alright...time to get the day going...