A couple weeks ago we were contacted by Huff Post Live. They were doing a 25 minute segment on special needs adoption and had found our blog. They wondered if we would be willing to participate in the live segment. Christi wasn't available, but I was able to participate. Here is the segment. If you've ever considered adopting, it might be worth watching:)
Friday, November 15, 2013
Date!
OK. I absolutely LOVE this video:) The music is fantastic. (Must admit I hadn't even heard Taylor Swift's version). I love a cappella performances, and these guys don't disappoint. But what I like best about it is the cute storyline of the video. For several months over the summer Christi and I pretty much gave up on dates. We were just so crazy busy. About four weeks ago Christi had had enough of apathy and let me know it was important for us to date each other. And she was right! I highly recommend it for married couples:) Thanks, Dad, for the link.
Silver Linings
Life is hard. The trials that we go through ourselves can cause much pain and heartache. But the trials that we see our kids go through can hurt us even more. Before I got married I remember my dad telling me that being a husband and a father would intensify the experiences I would go through for the rest of my life. The highs would be higher. The lows, lower. I believe this to be true.
Taylor and Parker made the Providence Hall basketball team again this year. No huge surprise, although, since the coach was different, it wasn't a foregone conclusion. So Christi and I were able to breath a little easier when we got the text Wednesday morning from Parker. It was a picture of the team list. Both of their names were on it, along with several of their friends. We were so happy for them. Then I noticed that two particular names were missing. These are good kids, great kids even. Both close friends of Taylor's. And knowing as many of the kids that made the team as I do, I knew that both of these boys should have made it. Prior to last year's tryout, one of these boys had told Taylor he had been praying all summer to make the team. He didn't make it last year as a 7th grader, but we were sure he would make it as an 8th grader. For some reason he didn't. The other boy looked at the final list on Wednesday morning, saw he wasn't on it, checked out and went home.
Even though they're not our kids, Christi and I just ached for these two boys. We know how devastated either of our boys would have been had they not made the team. And we love these boys, too. They are great kids who are a good influence in Taylor's life. Why? Why does life have to be so hard? I know at some time, at some level, our boys will face a day when they don't make the team. How do parents face such crushing pain and still go on?
Christi and I were really impacted by it. We talked about it several times through the evening. At one point Cali looked at me, obviously not understanding how important such a thing could be, and asked, "Why are those boys sad?" Me: "Because they didn't make the basketball team." Cali, with a bit of a smirk on her face, "I didn't make the team!" She kind of rolled her eyes as she said this, indicating that she thought it was a pretty silly thing to worry about. I think that was all she meant, but the deeper meaning in what she said hit me pretty hard.
OK. Find pain in not making the team. But then look at your legs and realize how grateful you are that you could try out. Someday you'll grow up, get a job, have a family and probably forget that you missed that one year of basketball. But you'll always have your legs. Some people don't.
So much pain in the world.
But so much joy. So much to be thankful for.
Friends who rally around Cali. Friends who invite her to all kinds of parties and late nights and church activities. Friends who push her between classes and help her understand assignments. Unbelievable advances in medical care and equipment. Laws that seek to make as many opportunities as possible available to people with all types of disabilities. Literally hundreds of people who love Lexi and who have experienced the light she brings into a dark world. Thousands of people who have viewed videos of Sophi on YouTube and who have had their burdens lightened by watching how she lives her life with joy in the face of hardship. (Soph just walked in and is narrating every picture of the first link above: "Me on a slide in the park! Me on da beach! Me in a box!" and on and on and on:)
So many experiences in the world around us that testify that God lives and loves us. Sunrises. Sunsets. Mountain peaks and ocean surf. Tulips in spring and roses in summer. Horses to ride and dogs to love and wild animals to marvel at. From the Grand Canyon to the Florida keys to the vast beauty of China, so many, many places and wonders in God's masterful canvas.
And most of all, faith, hope and love in and through Jesus Christ and His gospel. Faith that someday we will all be resurrected with perfect bodies. Hope that through His grace we can live again with our Father in Heaven. Love for a family that will be together throughout eternity.
And so I hope that as life continues to bring it's inevitable challenges, we will each be able to focus on the equally inevitable joys. I didn't start this out thinking it would be a Thanksgiving post, but I guess it fits. I hope I can always give thanks for the blessings in my life, even when the hard times come. And I hope my kids can do the same.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jeremy
Taylor and Parker made the Providence Hall basketball team again this year. No huge surprise, although, since the coach was different, it wasn't a foregone conclusion. So Christi and I were able to breath a little easier when we got the text Wednesday morning from Parker. It was a picture of the team list. Both of their names were on it, along with several of their friends. We were so happy for them. Then I noticed that two particular names were missing. These are good kids, great kids even. Both close friends of Taylor's. And knowing as many of the kids that made the team as I do, I knew that both of these boys should have made it. Prior to last year's tryout, one of these boys had told Taylor he had been praying all summer to make the team. He didn't make it last year as a 7th grader, but we were sure he would make it as an 8th grader. For some reason he didn't. The other boy looked at the final list on Wednesday morning, saw he wasn't on it, checked out and went home.
Even though they're not our kids, Christi and I just ached for these two boys. We know how devastated either of our boys would have been had they not made the team. And we love these boys, too. They are great kids who are a good influence in Taylor's life. Why? Why does life have to be so hard? I know at some time, at some level, our boys will face a day when they don't make the team. How do parents face such crushing pain and still go on?
Christi and I were really impacted by it. We talked about it several times through the evening. At one point Cali looked at me, obviously not understanding how important such a thing could be, and asked, "Why are those boys sad?" Me: "Because they didn't make the basketball team." Cali, with a bit of a smirk on her face, "I didn't make the team!" She kind of rolled her eyes as she said this, indicating that she thought it was a pretty silly thing to worry about. I think that was all she meant, but the deeper meaning in what she said hit me pretty hard.
OK. Find pain in not making the team. But then look at your legs and realize how grateful you are that you could try out. Someday you'll grow up, get a job, have a family and probably forget that you missed that one year of basketball. But you'll always have your legs. Some people don't.
So much pain in the world.
But so much joy. So much to be thankful for.
Friends who rally around Cali. Friends who invite her to all kinds of parties and late nights and church activities. Friends who push her between classes and help her understand assignments. Unbelievable advances in medical care and equipment. Laws that seek to make as many opportunities as possible available to people with all types of disabilities. Literally hundreds of people who love Lexi and who have experienced the light she brings into a dark world. Thousands of people who have viewed videos of Sophi on YouTube and who have had their burdens lightened by watching how she lives her life with joy in the face of hardship. (Soph just walked in and is narrating every picture of the first link above: "Me on a slide in the park! Me on da beach! Me in a box!" and on and on and on:)
So many experiences in the world around us that testify that God lives and loves us. Sunrises. Sunsets. Mountain peaks and ocean surf. Tulips in spring and roses in summer. Horses to ride and dogs to love and wild animals to marvel at. From the Grand Canyon to the Florida keys to the vast beauty of China, so many, many places and wonders in God's masterful canvas.
And most of all, faith, hope and love in and through Jesus Christ and His gospel. Faith that someday we will all be resurrected with perfect bodies. Hope that through His grace we can live again with our Father in Heaven. Love for a family that will be together throughout eternity.
And so I hope that as life continues to bring it's inevitable challenges, we will each be able to focus on the equally inevitable joys. I didn't start this out thinking it would be a Thanksgiving post, but I guess it fits. I hope I can always give thanks for the blessings in my life, even when the hard times come. And I hope my kids can do the same.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jeremy
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Our Brave Little Girl
Sophi declared with pride this morning: "Mommy, yesterday I scared the bee away in pre-school!"
Christi: "You what?"
Sophi: "There was a bee and I scared it away so it wouldn't get the other kids!"
Christi: "Wow! That's great!"
Sophi: "And I scared it away from the teacher, too! She said I did!"
Christi: "Good job, Soph. How did you scare it away?"
Sophi: "I cried!"
Christi: "You what?"
Sophi: "There was a bee and I scared it away so it wouldn't get the other kids!"
Christi: "Wow! That's great!"
Sophi: "And I scared it away from the teacher, too! She said I did!"
Christi: "Good job, Soph. How did you scare it away?"
Sophi: "I cried!"
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Cute Quotes
College football commentators often quote statistics. When they run out of meaningful ones they turn to what Parker calls "made-up stats." Such as: "State university is undefeated…since the middle of last season…when they lead at halftime…against non-conference opponents…from the Pacific time zone." OK, so they're not usually quite that bad, but you get the idea. Graci, our little observer, came up with her own "made-up stat" today. We were driving to church for youth night and she said, "Have you ever noticed that all the people in our family…who are adopted…who can see…have trouble with their legs?" That's our Graci!
On the way home from dropping the older kids off it was just Sophi and me in the car. She suddenly says "Lori and me are BFFs!" (Lori is one of her pre-school teachers.) "What?" "Lori and me are BFFs!" "What's a BFF?" "It means we team up!"
I love the wonderful, funny and insightful comments I hear from my kids every day:)
-Jer
On the way home from dropping the older kids off it was just Sophi and me in the car. She suddenly says "Lori and me are BFFs!" (Lori is one of her pre-school teachers.) "What?" "Lori and me are BFFs!" "What's a BFF?" "It means we team up!"
I love the wonderful, funny and insightful comments I hear from my kids every day:)
-Jer
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Come Unto Me...
If it seems like deja vu when you go to church on Sunday, it's because you've heard the lesson before. The same basic messages are repeated in sermons all over the world. Love God. Love your neighbor. Confess your sins and accept Christ as your Savior. Why all the repetition? Because it takes a lifetime to learn many of the lessons.
I had one of those "I've-read-this-a-hundred-times-so-why-does-it-seem-so-new-this-time" experiences yesterday. I had been whining to Christi about some of the responsibilities we have. I was primarily focused on some of the many things that being a Christian requires of us. It's not always easy! But as I read the scriptures I came across this passage from Matthew 11:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
What a moment to reread this message. I felt like it had been written just for me. "Take my yoke upon you." In other words, do the things He's asked me to do. (Quit whining and just do them!) And what will happen if I do try to shoulder the burdens He has called me to bear? I will find rest unto my soul. For His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I pray that I will have enough faith to always shoulder His yoke. That I will push through the challenging times knowing that in the end He will give me rest.
Jeremy
I had one of those "I've-read-this-a-hundred-times-so-why-does-it-seem-so-new-this-time" experiences yesterday. I had been whining to Christi about some of the responsibilities we have. I was primarily focused on some of the many things that being a Christian requires of us. It's not always easy! But as I read the scriptures I came across this passage from Matthew 11:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
What a moment to reread this message. I felt like it had been written just for me. "Take my yoke upon you." In other words, do the things He's asked me to do. (Quit whining and just do them!) And what will happen if I do try to shoulder the burdens He has called me to bear? I will find rest unto my soul. For His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I pray that I will have enough faith to always shoulder His yoke. That I will push through the challenging times knowing that in the end He will give me rest.
Jeremy
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Carving Pumpkins
For Family Home Evening the Monday before Halloween, we carved pumpkins. Instead of having a pumpkin for each child (perhaps a bit too many!) (pumpkins, NOT children:), we carved in teams: Taylor and Xander, Graci, Cali and Sophi, Parker and Lexi, Dad and Jesi. A fun evening, followed by powdered doughnuts!
-Jer
-Jer
Party Time!
Christi is a brave soul! She scheduled birthday parties for Sophi and Cali on the same day. Sophi from 3-5. Cali from 6:30-10:00. Both came off beautifully. Sophi had a "P" party, with pajamas, princesses, pizza and all things "P." Cali's was particularly fun. Christi took 12 girls to the mall and sent them in two groups on a scavenger hunt. They had to get physical items (a french fry you didn't pay for, earrings for Cali, etc.). They also had to get several different things on video (a random person singing happy birthday in a different language, all the girls in the group eating dessert together, etc.) They had a ball! Here are some pics:
Dressin' Up!
Halloween:
 |
| Ghost! |
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| Princess:) |
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| Taylor and Parker wore costumes they had when they were three years old! |
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| ??? |
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| Ninja! |
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| Cutest Cheetah Ever! |
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| Mulan:) |
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| Ready to Trick or Treat! |
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| Evil Princess? |
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