He Was Chosen: Gavin’s Adoption Story

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IMG_1315Gavin’s birthday was July 6th.  He turned 4 years old!

God has great plans for his life!  And has been intimately involved in his life since he was conceived.

But I’m sad to say, we missed his 1st birthday.

We weren’t there for his birth.

But rest assured, this child has been prayed for immensely!  He is loved,  he is wanted.  HE was chosen.

We may not have experienced every day of Gavin’s first 14 months of life, but we are here now.  We are here today and will be here for his tomorrows!

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Choosing to Stay on the Path

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This morning I took Gavin to a camp at our local Nature center.  After we dropped him off, Abba, Cruz and I strolled through the Children’s Garden there.  We were walking along and Abba started veering off.  I told her, “You have to stay on the path, honey.”  She questioned, as most 3 year olds do, “Why?” “Because there are dangers off the path”, I replied. “Why?” “Because they marked out the path before us so that we would be safe and enjoy our journey through the garden.” Continue reading →

Worth the Wait: Annabella’s Adoption Story

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Three years ago God blessed us with an amazing gift.  Our sweet, beautiful, precious daughter.

On June 24, 2011 at 5:04 pm, Annabella Jane Perez was born into this world.

But she was born in our hearts, oh so much earlier than that!  You see, we had prayed for Annabella years prior to her arrival.  We longed for a baby and after several years of agonizing procedures, devastating news, failed adoptions and much waiting, God answered our prayers.  The wait was hard.  We were ready to be parents.  I was so very ready to be a mommy.  Ready to hold MY sweet baby, ready to love the child God would give us.  The waiting was so hard.  It seemed the Lord was not listening, that maybe he hadn’t heard our prayers.  Everyone told us it would be worth the wait.

And it was.  So very much worth the wait!!

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The Grass Isn’t Always Greener in Iowa

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I grew up in Iowa.  The heart of the Midwest.  It was comfortable and familiar.  Predictable.

It rains in the spring.  It’s hot in the summer.  The fall brings beautiful colors and cool breezes.  The winter lasts forever with lots of snow and hope for an early spring!

Every year it’s pretty much the same.  But it was HOME.

Everyone complains about the weather, regardless of where you live.  But, Iowa means so much more to me than just the weather.

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Mama’s Night In

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I am alone.

Really.

Ok, the kids are all asleep, so they are still in the house.  But technically, in my living room, right now, I’m alone.

My husband went to a work get-together.  I chose to stay home.

Why?

Because of this.

Silence.

Jazz music.

My computer.

My bible.

And did I mention a glass of Red Knot Shiraz?

Mama's Night In

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How to Create a Good Bedtime Routine

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How to Create a Good Bedtime Routine

Bedtime.

It’s either the time you treasure as a mom of toddlers after a busy day, or the time you absolutely dread because your baby WILL NOT go to sleep.   You are emotionally exhausted and frustrated by the time you fall into bed.

For me, it has been both.

For the last year, Annabella has been our little night owl.  She would continue to come out repeatedly after we put her to bed.

But I’m happy to say, that we are pretty much back on target with our bedtime routine.  We have made a few adjustments but overall, for the time being, we have found a routine that works great for us.

And allows for mommy and daddy to have some peace and quiet for awhile in the evenings.

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The 20 Most Important Things on Your To Do List

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The 20 Most Important Things on Your To Do List

You have at least one.  If it’s anything like most moms, it’s a very long, seemingly unachievable one.

It’s your TO DO LIST.

And most of us would admit to having several of them.  One for things you need to do, one for the grocery list, one for the list of things you’d like to do with your kids, etc.  Some of us log these lists in our phones, some on paper, some are just organized enough to keep it straight in their minds (not me), but all of us have them.

The NEVER ENDING TO DO LIST.

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Wisdom From Proverbs

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Wisdom From Proverbs

Sometimes you just don’t know where to start reading in the bible.  I know I’ve found myself holding it in my hands, looking down and thinking, “Filled with so much wisdom, where do I start?”

Well, how about starting in the book saturated with wisdom?

Yes, God’s book of Proverbs.

Solomon asked God for an understanding heart to judge the people to discern between good and evil.

God responded, of course, and gave Solomon a wise and discerning heart.

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Mommy Needs A Rest Time Too

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Mommy Needs A Rest Time Too

Quiet time.  I am taking a little break in the midst of my day.  My children are resting.  I must rest too.  Even a few minutes can reset my calm button.  You know what I’m talking about!

So, I sit down with my bible to pour some life-giving truth deep into my heart.  God’s word is filled with SO MUCH!   Where do I start?  Which book do I read in?  It can be overwhelming sometimes to hold this 2000+ page book in your hands.  But, every morsel of God’s word is fit to satisfy our hungry souls.

Truly and honestly, turn to ANY page and it will fill up the God sized hole in your life.  His truth speaks from every word.  Every page. Every story.

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20 Ways to Know You Are a Mom of Little Ones

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20 Ways to Know You Are A Mom of Little Ones Being a mother of little ones puts you in a category quite different from mothers of older children.  Both stages indeed are challenging and amazing all at the same time.  But when you are a mom of infants through preschoolers, there are just some things that set you apart.

Since Mother’s Day for me was spent nursing a sick baby, I’ve spent some time just thinking to myself about the things that define my life right now.  I smiled and laughed to myself and just thought…I’m NOT the only one who is in this stage of life!  So, in case you haven’t already figured it out…

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