Sunday, March 30, 2008

Like mother like daughter...

We are going up on our eighth week of having three girls at our house it amazes me how much my mother comes out in me. Here are jut a few of the many things that are coming out in me...
-WANTING to clean up after all they do but realizing that it is part of their life experience to learn these things.

-Asking question after question to get the whole truth nothing but the truth... PLEASE HELP ME GOD!

-Going to the store for what feels like the millionth time this week spending $100 and feeling like you've got nothing. Not to mention coming home from the store and feeling like its ALL gone in a day. My mom blamed it on the "growing boys". Shawn is my only boy and he's growing alright :)

-Feeling like you say "No" or "May be later" WAY more than you say YES, but wishing you could say yes to everything their hearts desires.

-Trying to finish fixing dinner as fast as you they will quit asking "what are we having for dinner?" or "is dinner ready yet?"

-Asking "Have you done you homework yet?" knowing the answer is NO.

-Feeling like things are never done until all are in bed asleep and prayed for before then you can rest peacefully for the evening before you have to get up in a few hours and do it all over again.

Mom thank for all the things I saw no need for growing up. Thank you for telling me no even when I didn't want to hear it. Thank you for being my mom when it wasn't easy to be my mom. Since I was the last of four with two boys before me I know you must have been worn out! There were so many things that I found so frustrating as a teenager that I said I WOULD NEVER do when I have children. I know these children aren't here for forever but Mom I could have never done this with out YOU! Thank you mom for instilling a Godly foundation in me that will never be destroyed. I love you MOM!






Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Child like faith

Last Easter Shawn leans over to me at church and says...I think that it is time to start looking seriously in to the foster care program. We have both thought it so many times but NEVER at the same time. In fact I remember saying I would love to do that but there is NO WAY that I could. I could NEVER be a foster parent.

I'm not sure how many of you know but about 7 weeks ago Shawn and I have taken into our home a group of "foster children". The reason I use the quotations is because it is not done through the state. These children were just part of a family in our church that was in need and God opened the doors for us to take them in for what in the beginning was three weeks. It has now progressed to July or August. This has been a huge change for both Shawn and I. Personally, I have worked with children in some way shape or fashion both in and out of the ministry since I was 14 but they never lived with me. There have been many challenges and adjustments that we have had to make. First and Fore most...We can't walk around naked anymore... :)

Shawn and I have desired to have our own children for about 9 years now with out success but we have always found joy and love from enjoying our friends children and have always wondered why God had never blessed us with children. It says in Psalms 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the disires of your heart...Then why is it time for others to have babies but not us? I have been on my face before God countless times asking and searching for some form of answer. I finally have some form of and answer. Our home is now filled with a musically gifted 20 year old who is preparing to have her second child, a painfully bruised but EXTREMELY talented beautiful 14 year old, and a (now) 4 who is learning new things each day and is always ready to entertain. (In case you were wondering the 20 year old is the mother of the 4 year old.) Their story is INCREDIBLE and honestly wouldn't be surprised if you see it in book form some day.

God has blessed us with children for a season, and continues to AMAZE us with the things that THEY TEACH US!!!! Don't for one minute think that we believe that this is all about US "helping" them. God has done so much in our personal walk with Him. I was talking to the 4 year old on Easter...Bright eyed and full of hope she said, "Kara did you know that Jesus fought a BIG fight with the devil and the devil thought he'd won but then JESUS rose from the dead to win the fight JUST so I could live forever in heaven with HIM!" Yeah I know that but to hear it in those words...so simple...so true...Her faith amazes me.

Thank you God for these blessings no matter how the length of time.

Monday, March 24, 2008

I have to admit...I am a blog virgin...

But not after today! I have read blogs till I have lost track of time. But this is my first time ever writing/doing a blog...not sure if I'll continue but at least I can say that I tried and it either was or wasn't for me. The whole blog thing intimidates me because I've read a lot of yours out there and they are awesome! I am not known for putting my feelings into words or expressing myself in the most eloquent way but I usually have an oppinion about most things. I realize that one of my greatest emotional needs is to be heard. I'm not one to go around and tell everybody what my oppinion is but what I desire is for my oppinion to want to be heard not because I forced it on someone but because it is actually wanted. So the way I think about this is...If someone WANTS to read my blog then great...if not this is purly an avenue for me to release what I am thinking or feeling about a particular issue. No promises that you will receive any WISEdom from reading this blog (lol) but may be this will be yet another way for God to speak to me through what is writen. So let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a 32 year old wife, friend, sister, daughter and christian education director at our church. I am the youngest of four...born and raised in Tampa Florida...MAN DO I MISS THE BEACH...who currently resides in Bolivar, Ohio with my husband and two beautiful dogs. Getting to Ohio has been a ten year journey that first lead us to Lakeland Florida, Salisbury Maryland, and most recently to Rocky Mount North Carolina. It is awesome to be able to look back and see Gods hand in every place that we've been. There are things that I miss about each place but if I had to chose any place to move back to it would be North Carolina. We moved there knowing NO ONE and moved to Ohio leaving our family and a lot of wondeful memories...here are just a few reasons we love rocky mount...

The Girls enjoying the yard


Webb Man


Shawn and Sarah


Sarah!


Our First House


Blue Teeth Troy

Shawn Squared!






There are so many more but I'll post it another time!!!