My trip to Cali

I must tell you...my cousin Kristopher's wedding to Stacy was held at the most beautiful setting I have ever seen...by far. I am including some pictures of the location-Centerville Estates-and then I will post more as I can. They are such wonderfully sweet people...very loving and compassionate, certainly meant for each other. It's awesome too because they are this throw back to another time--when peace love and harmony ruled the world!! :) So many stories to tell of my adventure, but alas I am extremely tired today. Today was the first day of Discovery Days at church and I am pooped. Due to a flight delay, I didn't get home until about 1am and had to be to church with all 4 kids, a niece and teenage friend by 7:45!!! Whew...lol. But God was so gracious and gave me the energy I needed to get through the day. Here are the pictures....









Congrats Kris and Stacy---may God bless your union and may you find pure joy in each other!

Kilyoni

Kilyoni and Marlon

I spoke in May about our meeting with Kilyoni and a potential trip to Zambia. I wanted to introduce you (virtually anyway) to Kilyoni, the man that we met and Marlon connected with so well. He is very kind and gentle, with a childlike faith that reminded me to rejoice in all things...with abandon and praise for our great God. Even the littlest thing amazed and awed him--it is so good to put life into perspective that way. Sometimes we get so bogged down with all of our own craziness and chaos...things like font and color of paper for a project...things like whether or not to have pizza or subs for a luncheon...things like whether or not we had enough to do in our free time. I am not finger pointing because believe me I am at fault of these things as well, but really people...in the scheme of life and our ultimate goal of living as a sacrifice for God's will...do any of those things matter. I am committed to being aware of my shortcomings in this area of making little things big and focusing on stuff rather than salvation.

Thank you Kilyoni for sharing our joy for life and love for our King with us.

Special Day

Today was an amazing day in our house. Marlon adopted Isaiah. Now what we already have all known and felt in our hearts, that Marlon is Isaiah's dad...is official for all other intents and purposes. I can't even express the utter joy it was to have this be final. While it may also seem a bit sad because it means that someone chose to step away from knowing what an amazing child Isaiah is...I truly believe that this situation is part of Isaiah's walk and that Marlon is God's gift to Isaiah and to me. To have to verbalize why Marlon is a fit father for Isaiah brought me to tears. Explaining out loud how a man could step in from 6 weeks old and treat a child so much as his own...his whole family so much as their own...that our children never even knew he was not his blood father...that is a true rarity. It's so easy to see. To hear Marlon say why he wants to be Isaiah's father...I am so thankful for this day. When I think of the painful things that I did and sinful ways I behaved...God is so good. So gracious...so merciful. He can take such a bleak siutation and make it fully good, fully beautiful...if you only trust in Him, turn to Him, rely on Him. A very wonderful moment was when the guardian ad litem added that she wanted the court to know in her many years she felt we were one of the most stable, loving homes she had ever come across. That is God. That someone would look at us and say those words...that is a true testiment to God in our lives and our desire to live by His will.
Here are some pictures of our day. God's blessings on each of you reading this.


Father and son...what more is there to say?


All of us with the judge...she was such a wonderful lady.

Last soccer game

Elijah being...well, Elijah (what a hambone!)


Isaiah in action

Well yesterday was the last soccer game of the season. The kids played a great game and won (yeah!) which made them all smile. Marlon always has certificates that he makes up for the kids and also attaches their medal to a ribbon so they can wear it if they want. It is likely that he won't be coaching in the fall because Elijah wants to play football and Isaiah is trying out for select. He is doing well and just has to remember to have that aggressive, confident spirit on the soccer field.
That is all tonight. I am very tired and just wanted to stick in a couple of pictures from the game.
I have some pictures of Kilyoni to add on later. Nite.