BLESSED!

I'm so blessed by the family I have!  
There are kids all over the place, but it's wonderful and each and every one of them have a special place in my heart!  


I will have to say that one of the hardest things about being away from home is missing all of these shining faces and the giggles and hugs that go with them!  I love my special kids to the moon and back and I will miss them dearly!  Thank goodness for technology so we can keep in touch.  I don't want to miss those babbling conversations and the silly stories of all the wonderful things kids do :0) 
  

Movie time... Aubrey, Grace, Stephanie, Josiah,  me, Alana, Zoey, and Hailey!

You gotta love a house full of kids... especially when they are all so sweet and cute!  This picture shows most of the wonderful kids that are near and dear to my heart.  My nephew Isaac was at Cub Scouts when this picture was taken and my nephews Micah and Gideon (recently adopted) were on their way home from the Ukraine!  


I love how my family has answered the call to adopt!  It is not an easy task, but I believe it's worth a little sweat and tears because there are now 5 less orphans in the world today!  

Joey and Gracie enjoying a warm seat on the beloved dog, Bentley :0)

Zoey creating some mealtime entertainment for everyone!

 This night was such a funny night!  We were all sitting around at dinner time and Zoey was full of spunk and chattering up a storm.  I'd been trying to get her to say "auntie" for months and was trying again since she was being so vocal.  The great thing is that she finally said it!  This will be such a memorable moment because not only did she say "auntie," she had a burp right in the middle of it... it was the sweetest, funniest "aun uurrp tie" I've ever heard!  We were all rolling on the floor laughing and Zoey thought it was the greatest thing!  Now the crazy thing is that she usually claps when I ask her to say "auntie" because we made such a big deal about it... but she does know how to say it so way to go Zoey!

She is the silliest girl and loves it when she has a captive audience!

This poor couch gets a workout all the time!  


I'm really going to miss my little sisters (shadows)!  Rarely does a day go by when one of them doesn't ask to have a sleepover in my room, or to help me feed the horses, or to have me tuck them into bed!  I love how they look up to me, but the pressure is on... do they see Jesus in me?  I sure hope so!

I totally love my family!  They have all taught me so much about living life to the fullest and always hoping for the best!  Their endless hugs, pokes, and kisses will truly be missed!   

A Time of Waiting...

The Delay...
Being delayed in heading to Salem has been a very insightful time for me...  At first the delay was a big disappointment and I actually felt like I messed up and failed in following God's plan.  As I've pressed in for answers and recovered from the initial shock, I've found that this time of waiting isn't a waste of time or a failure in any way.  The waiting has actually been a time of great joy and encouragement in my life!  God is so GOOD and He never ceases to amaze me with His perfect plan for my life!


Here are a few things that I've been learning in this time of waiting...
That I can be a missionary anywhere.  I may not be in Salem yet, but God still has amazing things for me to do here in Aberdeen! 


Over the past few weeks I've been blessed with the women's Bible study going on at my church.  "A Woman's Heart" by Beth Moor is showing me so much about myself and how God is the center of my universe.  I can try and fulfill my needs through relationships with people, but I will not be satisfied because I was created with a need that only God can fill.  This study has showed me a lot of truth and the ministry times have been so sweet as many women share their lives and pray for one another!


One big area that has become my mission field here in Aberdeen is the public school setting that I find myself in.  Being a substitute teacher is an interesting place to be and I've come to realize that I can be intentional about building relationships with the kids by showing them patience and love instead of just surviving the day.  Some days are harder than others, but I'm finding that listening to the students and spending an extra couple of minutes getting to know them goes a long way.  So many of these kids are starving for attention and love... their behavior is just crying out for someone to take notice and care.  I am choosing to care and hopefully they will see God's love shining through me.


A song that has encouraged me along the way... 
"Desert Song" by Hillsong


This song has spoken to me so much about the different battles and trials we all go through in life, but how the VICTORY is already won... PRAISE JESUS!  My choice is to bring praise to the King in every season of life because He is WORTHY of PRAISE... He is my reason to LIVE!


Blessings of the delay...
Another blessing of the delay is that I will be able to meet my two new nephews before I head down to Salem.  My brother and sister-in-law are in the process of adopting two 5 year old boys from the Ukraine.  Currently Rachelle and her mom are in the Ukraine to bring Gideon and Micah home and hopefully in the next few days they will finally be home.  I'm seeing now that it is important to be here for this change in our family and I'm excited to meet these precious boys who have spent years longing for a family.
Please pray for a safe passage home for Rachelle, Doris (Rachelle's mom), Gideon, and Micah.  Gideon is an active boy who loves to see and experience new things and places... he will be busy, but will probably do ok with the traveling.  Micah, on the other hand, struggles with being outside of the confining walls of the institution, the only surroundings he's ever known.  It is very scary for him to be out and about so please pray that he will adjust to the outside world quickly and not have a traumatic trip all the way home.


To read more about their adoption journey visit their blog:
 http://addtothebeauty-evensen.blogspot.com/2012/03/paperchase-is-done.html


I've been so blessed in the waiting, but I do need help in moving forward in God's plan!
Please pray that the finances continue to come in.  I'm getting closer to being fully funded, but I have a little way still to go.  


I invite you to come hear more about what God is doing in my life and the exciting mission work that He has called me to do through YWAM!


I will be sharing about my missionary journey at Calvary Lutheran Church on Sunday, March 18th at 9am.  
2515 Sumner Ave.  Aberdeen