Said by Justin (4 years old) after being told that he would, in fact, be receiving the promised consequence for repeating the same naughty behavior....
"Mommy, can't you just adjust the rule a little?"
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Why Adoption? Why Ethiopia?
When my husband and I met (after both of us had been widowed), we already had three kids between us. We knew that we also wanted to share the experience of having babies together. We got pregnant, and I proceeded to have one heck of a nasty pregnancy. It ended up with the baby clinging to life in the NICU for almost three weeks, and me losing about half my blood volume. Not a pretty picture. We knew that we would not be traveling down that road again. We had always talked about having a 5th child, but felt at peace with our four after the trauma we had just experienced.
Two years later, God presented us with an interesting situation. Our dear friends, who suffer from infertility and had already adopted their first child, were looking to adopt again. One of my parents' oldest friends found out that their son and his girlfriend were pregnant. They were definitely interested in giving the baby up for adoption, and chose our friends to parent the child. It was an intense, stressful few months, but pure joy when we had the opportunity to travel to Colorado with them to get their new daughter. We all stayed at my parents' house together for about a week. It was really great to see those first bonding moments.
A couple months later, we were sitting in church listening to one of our pastors speak about the months he had lived in Lesotho, Africa. In spite of the tragedy that we all know about in Africa, it was actually a pretty uplifting talk. He had slide after slide of beautiful scenery and pictures of happy kids. Somewhere in the middle of all this, I had a vision. God stood right in front of me and told me that I was to bring one of those children home. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I argued with Him. I have always been a big proponent for adoption, but not for my family. Why would we adopt when we already had four biological kids? God assured me that He did mean for adoption to become part of our family. I told Him that my plate was already full with the four kids I had. He told me that if I leaned on Him, there would always be "enough". How could I argue with that?
Immediately following the service, I went looking for the pastor and the man from the orphanage in Lesotho. I was saddened to find out that Lesotho did not have international adoption laws in place. I was undeterred though. I mean, God had stood in front of me Himself to say that a child needed to come to our house. I figured I better do my part. After speaking with my husband about my vision, and finding out that he was definitely on the same page (huge relief), we went home to start researching. Once we confirmed that Lesotho was indeed not an option, we decided to seek out other options ion Africa. Ethiopia was a perfect fit for us, and our adoption journey officially began.
I know we will adopt again. This is not the season for it, but it will be down the road. Going to Addis and seeing all the beautiful children touched our hearts and changed us deeply. I don't think either one of us would have considered an "older child" adoption before our trip. Now, the thought is never far from the front of our minds. We know that our family has some adjusting and growing to do before we will be ready to add a new member, but we have already committed to ourselves, our kids and our families that there will be another McC kid from Ethiopia someday.
...once our eyes are opened we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act. (Proverbs 24:12)
Two years later, God presented us with an interesting situation. Our dear friends, who suffer from infertility and had already adopted their first child, were looking to adopt again. One of my parents' oldest friends found out that their son and his girlfriend were pregnant. They were definitely interested in giving the baby up for adoption, and chose our friends to parent the child. It was an intense, stressful few months, but pure joy when we had the opportunity to travel to Colorado with them to get their new daughter. We all stayed at my parents' house together for about a week. It was really great to see those first bonding moments.
A couple months later, we were sitting in church listening to one of our pastors speak about the months he had lived in Lesotho, Africa. In spite of the tragedy that we all know about in Africa, it was actually a pretty uplifting talk. He had slide after slide of beautiful scenery and pictures of happy kids. Somewhere in the middle of all this, I had a vision. God stood right in front of me and told me that I was to bring one of those children home. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I argued with Him. I have always been a big proponent for adoption, but not for my family. Why would we adopt when we already had four biological kids? God assured me that He did mean for adoption to become part of our family. I told Him that my plate was already full with the four kids I had. He told me that if I leaned on Him, there would always be "enough". How could I argue with that?
Immediately following the service, I went looking for the pastor and the man from the orphanage in Lesotho. I was saddened to find out that Lesotho did not have international adoption laws in place. I was undeterred though. I mean, God had stood in front of me Himself to say that a child needed to come to our house. I figured I better do my part. After speaking with my husband about my vision, and finding out that he was definitely on the same page (huge relief), we went home to start researching. Once we confirmed that Lesotho was indeed not an option, we decided to seek out other options ion Africa. Ethiopia was a perfect fit for us, and our adoption journey officially began.
I know we will adopt again. This is not the season for it, but it will be down the road. Going to Addis and seeing all the beautiful children touched our hearts and changed us deeply. I don't think either one of us would have considered an "older child" adoption before our trip. Now, the thought is never far from the front of our minds. We know that our family has some adjusting and growing to do before we will be ready to add a new member, but we have already committed to ourselves, our kids and our families that there will be another McC kid from Ethiopia someday.
...once our eyes are opened we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act. (Proverbs 24:12)
Friday, September 22, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Shhhhh......
Don't tell her I told you 'cuz I don't want to jinx it, but I just had to share the happy news. Grace slept through the night for the first time ever last night! Now we'll just keep our fingers crossed that this will be a trend that turns into a habit. 8^)
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Rare Coverage
American, or even the international media, does not often cover stories from Ethiopia. My friend Anne from Babyssinia, recently found a notable exception. A man named Joshua Hammer, recently wrote an article for the New York Times called "Ethiopia Opens Its Doors, Slowly". Not only does it include quite a bit of information and pictures fom Ethiopia's history, but it talks about King Ezana. That is my Grace Ezana's namesake. Please go check it out!
While you're in the mood for all things Ethiopia, there is another place to spend a few minutes. A lovely young lady, that is waiting for the referral of her baby sister, found a great video on YouTube from Ethiopia. If you want to get a feeling of the REAL Ethiopia, go visit here.
While you're in the mood for all things Ethiopia, there is another place to spend a few minutes. A lovely young lady, that is waiting for the referral of her baby sister, found a great video on YouTube from Ethiopia. If you want to get a feeling of the REAL Ethiopia, go visit here.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Decade-ian
10 years ago today, I went into labor with my son Daniel. Unfortunately, the little stinker wasn't born for three more days! Is it any wonder that his favorite book is the Guinness Book of World Records?! He had the 2006 version too. He reads it cover to cover, and quotes it as often as possible. The boy is a sponge.
Every year, I ask my kids for a birthday "wish list" to share with our families. This year, Daniel's included a denim jacket......and an mp-3 player (Ipod if he got really lucky!). Imagine his surprise when he was told to go check his email to find out about his last present. You see, the latest Ipod Shuffle is so new, that it won't even be shipped until October. He is SOOOOOOOO excited about his new gift. I know he will be checking the mail everyday until it gets here!
Happy 10th Birthday Daniel the Great!
We love you bunches and bunches and oodles and gobs!!
Friday, September 15, 2006
Friday Funnies
A Kid's Take.....
...On Nudity
I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom! That lady isn't wearing a seat belt!"
...On Opinions
On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents."
...On The Elderly
While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, "The tooth fairy will never believe this!"
...On School
A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. I can't read, I can't write and they won't let me talk!"
...On The Bible
A little boy opened the big family bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. "Mama, look what I found", the boy called out." What have you got there, dear?"
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear!"
Have a great weekend everyone!!
Hugs,
Blaine
...On Nudity
I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom! That lady isn't wearing a seat belt!"
...On Opinions
On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents."
...On The Elderly
While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, "The tooth fairy will never believe this!"
...On School
A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. I can't read, I can't write and they won't let me talk!"
...On The Bible
A little boy opened the big family bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. "Mama, look what I found", the boy called out." What have you got there, dear?"
With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear!"
Have a great weekend everyone!!
Hugs,
Blaine
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Never Late
My friend Amanda over at Mayhem and Magic had a lovely post today. After recalling the excitement of receiving her first referral, she shared this verse that brought her comfort as she waited:
"But these things I plan won't happen right away.
Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place.
It will not be late by a single day."
Habakkuk 2:3 NLT
Oh, how I wish I had seen that this time last year. Will and I often discussed the fact that any delays in our process were probably supposed to happen because our "perfect" baby would come home on the exact day God intended her to. What a comfort to see this very thing spoken by Him long before I even needed to hear it. To all of those families that are still waiting, hold these words close to your heart. Your "perfect" child will come home on the right day too.
Thanks for sharing Amanda!
"But these things I plan won't happen right away.
Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place.
It will not be late by a single day."
Habakkuk 2:3 NLT
Oh, how I wish I had seen that this time last year. Will and I often discussed the fact that any delays in our process were probably supposed to happen because our "perfect" baby would come home on the exact day God intended her to. What a comfort to see this very thing spoken by Him long before I even needed to hear it. To all of those families that are still waiting, hold these words close to your heart. Your "perfect" child will come home on the right day too.
Thanks for sharing Amanda!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Mean Moms
Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me: I loved you enough . . to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.
Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.
When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches.
And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or
less.
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to
cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had
eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.
Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault.
Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms!
PS Sent to me, and my kids, by a dear friend. Colleen, you are brilliant!!!
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.
Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.
When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches.
And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or
less.
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to
cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had
eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.
Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault.
Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms!
PS Sent to me, and my kids, by a dear friend. Colleen, you are brilliant!!!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Back to School....Again!
After the first attempt at home schooling this year, Daniel and I were both grateful for a break. Since he had to take assessments for the new program, and we had to wait to hear from the placement teacher, we got a week off. It was really nice! I spoke with the teacher on Friday. She had good news to share. Daniel is at, or above, grade level in all subjects. Yippee! This was especially good to hear because it gave my confidence a boost. Since last year was my first attempt at home schooling, and we took off some extra time when Grace came home, I was keeping my fingers crossed that Daniel made adequate progress. Good job Daniel!
When we went to Barnes and Noble to pick up "The Sign of the Beaver" for Daniel to use for his Literature class, I made a stop at the bargain table in the children's section. I came across the coolest Preschool book. It is full of colorful worksheets and comes with an interactive CD-rom to supplement the book. It is designed to take a child from writing a straight line to writing their alphabet. It teaches reading and math readiness skills and quite a few other miscellaneous things. Justin's favorite part is that it comes with gold star stickers and a diploma and badge to wear when he is ready to "graduate". My favorite part is that the whole thing cost $8.00. Justin is looking forward to doing "Home School Preschool" each morning while Daniel does his lessons.
It was fun to see the boys enjoying their studies. They both learned some new things, and didn't seem overwhelmed and exhausted by the end. That seems like success to me. My favorite part of the day was when it was time for me to make lunch. Daniel went over to sit with Justin to help him with his new computer activities. Justin was so excited as he completed each thing, and Daniel seemed to genuinely enjoy "teaching" his brother. Very sweet!
Continued...
Start Here...
There is a reason for this post (other than showing off these gorgeous mugs and making them famous). Their oldest son is leaving for the Navy on Wednesday. He has had his struggles, but in the end, feels the call to discipline and service. Good for him! Unfortunately, this is a scary to time to be in the military. I ask that you would include him (Lee) in your prayers as he takes on this new endeavour.
PS He is also leaving his love Jackie behind, so pray for her too, OK?!
There is a reason for this post (other than showing off these gorgeous mugs and making them famous). Their oldest son is leaving for the Navy on Wednesday. He has had his struggles, but in the end, feels the call to discipline and service. Good for him! Unfortunately, this is a scary to time to be in the military. I ask that you would include him (Lee) in your prayers as he takes on this new endeavour.PS He is also leaving his love Jackie behind, so pray for her too, OK?!
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Colorful
Some of our dearest friends (they were one of our references for Grace's adoption) recently sent me some new family pictures.
It might seem odd that I would mention this on MY family's blog, but you'll understand in a second.
You see, this family is so much like our own. Just like us, they have come from brokenness and loneliness to "yours, mine & ours".
They are also a very "colorful" family. That includes black, hispanic, japanese, irish, american indian and the usual Heinz 57 that we all have.
In spite of the potential for division because of these differences, this is a beautiful family; divinely designed.
I am honored to call them friends!Continued Above...
Spoiled!
After a late night out with a great group of families that have either adopted from Ethiopia or are currently in process, I was zonked. My wonderful husband was nice enough to get up early with Grace and hold down the fort so I could sleep in. I woke up to his smiling face and this...
It wasn't even a "special" occasion!
Will told me that he had never brought anyone breakfast in bed before. I am sure glad I got to be the first!
I love you Sweetheart!!
It wasn't even a "special" occasion!
Will told me that he had never brought anyone breakfast in bed before. I am sure glad I got to be the first!
I love you Sweetheart!!
Quoteof the Day
Said by Justin (4 years old) as he was being handed his dinner plate:
"Pizza is my destiny!!!"
"Pizza is my destiny!!!"
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Un-PC
At the risk of being horribly un-PC, I just have to tell you something. My daughter may be part monkey.In the span of about 10 minutes, she mastered the skill of climbing on the coffee table. Are you kidding me? What's next; the refrigerator?!
Friday, September 01, 2006
When in Rome....
....or So Cal, do as the Romans do!!
Kayla and Tyler had their first "spirit" day of the new school year today. They wore togas, and will be participating the "Great Greek Grape Festival" at lunch time. Kudos to their school for finding an educational, healthy and fun way to celebrate school spirit.
Kayla and Tyler had their first "spirit" day of the new school year today. They wore togas, and will be participating the "Great Greek Grape Festival" at lunch time. Kudos to their school for finding an educational, healthy and fun way to celebrate school spirit.
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