I have said many times that I could never home school, that my children would not live through the first week. I am happy to tell you that Shane is very much alive and actually may have learned a thing or two this week!
I will also admit...I actually really enjoyed it! Of course, I am home schooling probably the "easiest" of my children (no offense to the other 8, but Shane really is the most easy going kid in our family). We got through algebra, science, civics, literature, theology, spelling, grammar, art, music and even PE (although, I did absolutely nothing for PE, except drive him to football practice and cheer him on during his game on Saturday, which they won 20-6). Shane took 3 tests and did really well.
I'm not naive enough to believe that it will always be easy, but at least I know, with God's help, it is possible to do things that I believed were impossible for me to do.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Zi is on the move!
It's official... Isaiah is now crawling.
Not really sure how I feel about that, I mean I know he needs to crawl and then walk and then run and so on, but I really liked him not being mobile.
I liked him not being able to get into everything and I really liked him being content to just sit in my lap and be held. After all, he is my last baby (please, God, please, he is my last baby, right???) and I was really enjoying him being... well... a baby!
BUT, I am thrilled that he is developing and growing and it shows the amazing love and care he receives from the staff and volunteers at Angel House.
Not really sure how I feel about that, I mean I know he needs to crawl and then walk and then run and so on, but I really liked him not being mobile.
I liked him not being able to get into everything and I really liked him being content to just sit in my lap and be held. After all, he is my last baby (please, God, please, he is my last baby, right???) and I was really enjoying him being... well... a baby!
BUT, I am thrilled that he is developing and growing and it shows the amazing love and care he receives from the staff and volunteers at Angel House.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Moving!!! Well sort of.....
Jody got a call from the recruiter yesterday. The state department has decided to postpone the October training. It seems that so many of the current officers in Haiti have decided to re-new their contracts that there are only 3 positions open at this time. The state dept. figured out that it is not cost-effective to hold training for only 3 people.
The next training is scheduled for late January with deployment in early Feb. That training has 20-30 openings as well as the 3 not currently being filled. Jody was told that his chances of getting into that training are excellent.
So.... our plan right now is to postpone the move for the whole family until the end of Jan. The thought of us being separated for 4 months is not something we want to do nor do we feel that God is asking us to. No date for the move has been set yet but we are looking at the last week in January. As things get closer we will keep everyone posted.
We really appreciate all the prayers regarding this move. We asked that God reveal to us by Oct. 1st what we should do and once again, He answered. We know without a shadow of a doubt that God has plans for us in Haiti and we are content to wait on His perfect timing of when it will happen.
We are still waiting on the new owners of our house to realize they are the new owners! Please, pray they realize it soon! We would very much like to have the house sold before the new year!
The next training is scheduled for late January with deployment in early Feb. That training has 20-30 openings as well as the 3 not currently being filled. Jody was told that his chances of getting into that training are excellent.
So.... our plan right now is to postpone the move for the whole family until the end of Jan. The thought of us being separated for 4 months is not something we want to do nor do we feel that God is asking us to. No date for the move has been set yet but we are looking at the last week in January. As things get closer we will keep everyone posted.
We really appreciate all the prayers regarding this move. We asked that God reveal to us by Oct. 1st what we should do and once again, He answered. We know without a shadow of a doubt that God has plans for us in Haiti and we are content to wait on His perfect timing of when it will happen.
We are still waiting on the new owners of our house to realize they are the new owners! Please, pray they realize it soon! We would very much like to have the house sold before the new year!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Moving or not moving????
That seems to be the main question I get lately. I can not remember a single day in the last few weeks that someone hasn't asked me that!!!
And the answer is.....
We still don't know!!!!
OK, so this is the story. Jody has been told by the company that does the recruiting for the US State Department, who contracts with the UN to place US officer's in Haiti, that he is exactly what "they" are looking for. Who "they" are we are not sure!?!?!? Jody has submitted all of his paperwork (47 pages of info) to the company who in turn submits it to the State Department. We have no idea if that has happened yet or not. We have been told that the State Dept. are the ones who decide who goes to the training and when. They also decide who will be deployed (if the person has passed the training which consists of writing assessments, physical agility testing, firearms qualifications and a lot of briefings that are all "hush-hush") immediately or will be deployed at a later date.
We have also been told by UN officer's already in Haiti and the recruiting company that if the candidate is taking family with him, it is better for the family to be in country prior to the candidate arriving. It makes the transition easier according to them. BUT, the State Dept. does not tell the candidate until 2-3 weeks prior to the training if they have been selected to go!!
So.... that means that the kids and I would have less then 3 weeks notice to pack up the house and move to a third country and get settled in a house. That's not even taking into consideration the price of tickets purchased on such short notice!
We decided several weeks ago to go ahead and buy tickets for the kids and I to go, knowing that the next scheduled training is Oct. 25th. We have tickets to travel on Oct. 11th. The problem now is deciding whether or not to go and take our chances that Jody gets deployed immediately following training (we did not know when we bought the tickets that there was a possibility of a later deployment or that Jody would not be told until the last day of training when is deployment will occur!!!)
What we need know is PRAYER!! Please, pray that God reveals to us (and the people in charge) when it is time for Jody to go soon!! We feel very strongly that it is "WHEN" not "IF" we are going. We also need a miracle that our house will sell immediately. It will be very, very difficult to pay rent in Haiti and a house payment in the states.
We still have so many decisions to make and we can not move there unless we have a plan for housing etc. We do not want to be irresponsible with our money and rent a house prior to knowing we are going for sure but waiting to the last minute is really not an option either.
We are asking that everyone who feels called to do so, keep this matter in prayer.
Thanks so much!!
I've also decided to change the way people comment on our blog. We have many family members and friends who do not have blogs of their own who would like to post. They will now be able to post under "Anonymous" but all comments will be monitored by us. They will not appear on the blog until after they are approved. I simply ask that if you are using the "anonymous" setting that you include at least your first name. If any comment is sensitive or hurtful we will not approve it to protect those reading it (which includes our children).
And the answer is.....
We still don't know!!!!
OK, so this is the story. Jody has been told by the company that does the recruiting for the US State Department, who contracts with the UN to place US officer's in Haiti, that he is exactly what "they" are looking for. Who "they" are we are not sure!?!?!? Jody has submitted all of his paperwork (47 pages of info) to the company who in turn submits it to the State Department. We have no idea if that has happened yet or not. We have been told that the State Dept. are the ones who decide who goes to the training and when. They also decide who will be deployed (if the person has passed the training which consists of writing assessments, physical agility testing, firearms qualifications and a lot of briefings that are all "hush-hush") immediately or will be deployed at a later date.
We have also been told by UN officer's already in Haiti and the recruiting company that if the candidate is taking family with him, it is better for the family to be in country prior to the candidate arriving. It makes the transition easier according to them. BUT, the State Dept. does not tell the candidate until 2-3 weeks prior to the training if they have been selected to go!!
So.... that means that the kids and I would have less then 3 weeks notice to pack up the house and move to a third country and get settled in a house. That's not even taking into consideration the price of tickets purchased on such short notice!
We decided several weeks ago to go ahead and buy tickets for the kids and I to go, knowing that the next scheduled training is Oct. 25th. We have tickets to travel on Oct. 11th. The problem now is deciding whether or not to go and take our chances that Jody gets deployed immediately following training (we did not know when we bought the tickets that there was a possibility of a later deployment or that Jody would not be told until the last day of training when is deployment will occur!!!)
What we need know is PRAYER!! Please, pray that God reveals to us (and the people in charge) when it is time for Jody to go soon!! We feel very strongly that it is "WHEN" not "IF" we are going. We also need a miracle that our house will sell immediately. It will be very, very difficult to pay rent in Haiti and a house payment in the states.
We still have so many decisions to make and we can not move there unless we have a plan for housing etc. We do not want to be irresponsible with our money and rent a house prior to knowing we are going for sure but waiting to the last minute is really not an option either.
We are asking that everyone who feels called to do so, keep this matter in prayer.
Thanks so much!!
I've also decided to change the way people comment on our blog. We have many family members and friends who do not have blogs of their own who would like to post. They will now be able to post under "Anonymous" but all comments will be monitored by us. They will not appear on the blog until after they are approved. I simply ask that if you are using the "anonymous" setting that you include at least your first name. If any comment is sensitive or hurtful we will not approve it to protect those reading it (which includes our children).
Monday, September 10, 2007
New pictures of Isaiah
Here are a few new pictures of our little guy. . . although, he isn't all that little. Isaiah, also known as Zi, is currently 8 1/2 months old and already weighs 18 lbs and is 26 1/2 inches long!
Isaiah after his bath!
Hanging out on Sissy's bed.
Zi's first tooth!
A very unhappy Zi, after mom took away his chocolate cake!
Zi in an Indiana Toyota shirt, is that a "sign"??
Zi's beautiful profile.
Thanks to Anne, Angela, Megan and Carsen for the great pictures!
Isaiah after his bath!
Hanging out on Sissy's bed.
Zi's first tooth!
A very unhappy Zi, after mom took away his chocolate cake!
Zi in an Indiana Toyota shirt, is that a "sign"??
Zi's beautiful profile.
Thanks to Anne, Angela, Megan and Carsen for the great pictures!
Friday, September 07, 2007
The joys of a simple life
We have recently been "simplifying" things in our life in preparation for our possible move to Haiti. Most of the extras have been cut out and the clutter is gone. Some amazing things have happened as a result. The family has started spending more time together doing simple activities. Tonight after dinner we went outside to "cool off" since we are using the air conditioning less to prepare our bodies for the heat in Haiti. It was a beautiful night!
Jody read to Sutton.
The other kids all jump
ed on the trampoline together then played football in the grass.
ed on the trampoline together then played football in the grass. It was a wonderful evening which reinforces to me that we really do not need mass amounts of toys, movies, games etc. for our children to be happy. A few books, a football and a tattered trampoline were quite enough!
Praise God for quiet evenings at home (well as quiet as it can be with 5 kids!!) and the joy that comes from watching them interact!
p.s. Sorry the pictures are so dark, it was getting late and the sun had started going down.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
I have been very quiet on the blog for the past few weeks. I have been struggling with some issues (sin) in my life that are too painful to share. I truly believed that I needed to put on my happy face and show the world that I was fine. In reality I have not been “fine” or anything near to fine. I also believed that I was alone in my struggle and that no one could possibly relate to my pain. A feeling of judgment and condemnation has also been present. I have been leery of sharing my pain on the internet. I have no idea who reads my blog, but I’m sure there are many who are not believers. I have worried that my struggles would give an excuse to those who do not believe in Jesus as their Savior, to not place their trust in Him. But, since this is my way of communicating with so many of my friends and family, and those same people have to know something is wrong by my silence and are worried about me, I felt it was time to come out of hiding and lay my heart out for all to see.
Thankfully, for me and my family, God has opened doors to healing. He has shown us that we am not alone in our suffering and that although there will be those that judge us or condemn us, they are not the ones who matter. The only One who matters is our Heavenly Father and if we ask for His forgiveness with a true and pure heart, He is quick to forgive and our sin will be washed away! What a glorious and wonderful thing Forgiveness is!
Since, I now know I am not alone in my pain, I felt called to share some scripture that has ministered to my heart in a hope that my pain may be used for His glory. For without God, I am nothing! And my sin would be my eternal damnation. But, by the power of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross I am cleansed! Yes, there are earthly consequences to our sins but those do not take away the forgiveness God grants to us. Instead, God gives us the strength to press on, to make amends to those we wrong and to give us the strength to forgive ourselves. Praise be to God.
Psalm 91 (New Living Translation)
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Psalm 103:11-13 (NIV)-
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him
John 8 (NIV)-
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11"No one, sir," she said. Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Whether the sin is adultery, gossip, anger, addiction, envy, or any other sin, the meaning of Jesus’ words are the same, He does not condemn us of our sin but frees us from it! He gave his blood so we could have eternal life. It is only with forgiveness that healing can begin.
“Thank you, Jesus for the Grace You give to me. Help me to live each of my days striving to be more like You. Help me to know that I am not perfect and I will make mistakes but with my eyes focused upward to You, I will be able to get through those times. Forgive me my sins and lead me towards a better understanding of why I do the things I do and teach me Your ways so I will do those things no more! Remind me when I become judgmental that I am as sinful as anyone else, help me to love other sinner’s as You love me. Teach me be a comfort and not full of harm, to be understanding and not judgmental, to be a help and not a hindrance. Teach me to always turn to You in my deepest despair and allow Your healing presence to wash over me. In Your Holy and Precious name I pray! Amen”
Thankfully, for me and my family, God has opened doors to healing. He has shown us that we am not alone in our suffering and that although there will be those that judge us or condemn us, they are not the ones who matter. The only One who matters is our Heavenly Father and if we ask for His forgiveness with a true and pure heart, He is quick to forgive and our sin will be washed away! What a glorious and wonderful thing Forgiveness is!
Since, I now know I am not alone in my pain, I felt called to share some scripture that has ministered to my heart in a hope that my pain may be used for His glory. For without God, I am nothing! And my sin would be my eternal damnation. But, by the power of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross I am cleansed! Yes, there are earthly consequences to our sins but those do not take away the forgiveness God grants to us. Instead, God gives us the strength to press on, to make amends to those we wrong and to give us the strength to forgive ourselves. Praise be to God.
Psalm 91 (New Living Translation)
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Psalm 103:11-13 (NIV)-
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him
John 8 (NIV)-
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11"No one, sir," she said. Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Whether the sin is adultery, gossip, anger, addiction, envy, or any other sin, the meaning of Jesus’ words are the same, He does not condemn us of our sin but frees us from it! He gave his blood so we could have eternal life. It is only with forgiveness that healing can begin.
“Thank you, Jesus for the Grace You give to me. Help me to live each of my days striving to be more like You. Help me to know that I am not perfect and I will make mistakes but with my eyes focused upward to You, I will be able to get through those times. Forgive me my sins and lead me towards a better understanding of why I do the things I do and teach me Your ways so I will do those things no more! Remind me when I become judgmental that I am as sinful as anyone else, help me to love other sinner’s as You love me. Teach me be a comfort and not full of harm, to be understanding and not judgmental, to be a help and not a hindrance. Teach me to always turn to You in my deepest despair and allow Your healing presence to wash over me. In Your Holy and Precious name I pray! Amen”
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Haiti here we come!!!!!!!!
The kids and I are moving to Haiti!! I'm not sure the country is ready for us.
We took a huge leap of faith and bought our tickets yesterday, we leave on Oct. 11!! Much later then I hoped but with Shane's knee injury and the price of tickets being what they are, we knew we needed to wait!! We did find such a great deal on tickets, it's worth the wait!
We still do not know when Jody will be deployed or where he will be stationed in Haiti once he is. We do not know where all the money is coming from for the move. BUT... we do know that this is what God is calling us to do, we are trusting in Him completely. He will provide! He will be glorified! He will be praised!
Please, pray for us as we wait on God's provisions. Pray we are able to get everything we need to go. Pray we are able to spend quality time together before we leave. Pray for strength for Jody as he is separated from us.
Also, pray that Shane's knee heals quickly so he is able to fulfill his need to hit people in a constructive, culturally acceptable way and more importantly so he does not require surgery!
We took a huge leap of faith and bought our tickets yesterday, we leave on Oct. 11!! Much later then I hoped but with Shane's knee injury and the price of tickets being what they are, we knew we needed to wait!! We did find such a great deal on tickets, it's worth the wait!
We still do not know when Jody will be deployed or where he will be stationed in Haiti once he is. We do not know where all the money is coming from for the move. BUT... we do know that this is what God is calling us to do, we are trusting in Him completely. He will provide! He will be glorified! He will be praised!
Please, pray for us as we wait on God's provisions. Pray we are able to get everything we need to go. Pray we are able to spend quality time together before we leave. Pray for strength for Jody as he is separated from us.
Also, pray that Shane's knee heals quickly so he is able to fulfill his need to hit people in a constructive, culturally acceptable way and more importantly so he does not require surgery!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Bummer for Shane
Yesterday was the first day of full contact football practice for Shane. Within an hour of practice starting Shane was participating in tackling drills. During the drills he was tackled from the side and ended up hurting his knee.
I took him to the doctor today and we found out he tore the collateral ligament in his right knee. The swelling and pain is too severe to see if the Meniscus is also damaged. He needs to go back in 2 weeks when the swelling goes down to find out if a trip to the orthopedic surgeon is necessary.
At this point it looks like his football season is over before it even started!! He is really bummed but
is trying to remain positive. For now he is off his feet for at least a week. Too bad, we just decided to get rid of cable. I guess I'll be buying the new Harry Potter book after all.
is trying to remain positive. For now he is off his feet for at least a week. Too bad, we just decided to get rid of cable. I guess I'll be buying the new Harry Potter book after all.Monday, July 30, 2007
Happy Birthday, Sutton!!
Today is Sutton's third birthday. It is really hard to believe that she is 3! She is without a doubt, my most trying child but I love her oh so much! She has the sweetest laugh and loves to cuddle. She is growing so fast and changing everyday. I thank God everyday for bringing this wild child into our lives!! She makes everyday an adventure!
I should also point out that I did not post about our other 2 July birthday's. Carsen turned 19 on July 22nd and Landon turned 4 on July 13th. Both of which I missed. I was leaving for Haiti on Landon's birthday (he did get sung to and had a special lunch before we headed out to the airport). And we left Haiti the day before Carsen's (she also had special meal of lasagna before we left Haiti).
Missing birthday's seems to be a trend this year, I was in Haiti for Shane's in May and I will be in Haiti for Jody's in August! I need to really plan my trips better, don't I?!?!?
Friday, July 27, 2007
Just another day in the life of the Gray's
This post is really for Carsen. She has been missing her siblings. And they have been missing her!! Yesterday (AGAIN!!) Kynsley asked me when Sissy was coming home! Although they miss her terribly life must go on!
Last night after taking Shane to Football practice we took the other kids to Ice Cream. One of my fondest memories from my childhood was going to Thrifty drug store and getting a $.29 scoop of ice cream with my family. Well... it's now called Rite Aid and the scoops are now $.99 but it is still fun.
No time for a picture with the boys! They were way to busy finishing their cones.
The girls on the other hand were all cheese!
Carsen, hope you enjoy the pictures. We really do miss you but know you are right where God wants you!! Love ya' Poohbear! I'll see you soon!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
20 years ago today...
... I was a young impressionable 18 year old girl with her whole life ahead of her ...uunmmm that's not really the truth let me start again!!
20 years ago today I was a stubborn, wild, know it all, always looking for trouble, 18 year old woman who was ready to commit her life to an equally stubborn, wild, know it all, slightly older 26 year old man! Despite the many warnings to wait until I was older, to wait until after I finished college, the warnings that it wouldn't last, I knew that I knew that I knew that I was meant to be Jody's wife!
20 years (and 9 kids) later, I still know that I know that I know that I am meant to be Jody's wife!
Jody, Happy Anniversary, sweetheart! Thanks for the last 20 years and I pray that God blesses us with another 20 (or 30 or 40... years that is... not kids!!!!!).
20 years ago today I was a stubborn, wild, know it all, always looking for trouble, 18 year old woman who was ready to commit her life to an equally stubborn, wild, know it all, slightly older 26 year old man! Despite the many warnings to wait until I was older, to wait until after I finished college, the warnings that it wouldn't last, I knew that I knew that I knew that I was meant to be Jody's wife!
20 years (and 9 kids) later, I still know that I know that I know that I am meant to be Jody's wife!
Jody, Happy Anniversary, sweetheart! Thanks for the last 20 years and I pray that God blesses us with another 20 (or 30 or 40... years that is... not kids!!!!!).
Monday, July 23, 2007
some pictures from the trip
These are pictures of the Livesay's place in La Digue. It is absolutely beautiful there.
Here are a few of Carsen and Brit "packing" an abscess they just drained.
Isaiah and Phoebe had fun "playing" together!
We had fun in the sun at the IboLele Hotel!!
And... a few of the kids at the "O"!! Sorry, there aren't more, but like I mentioned earlier today, I kept forgetting my camera at St. Joseph's!!
we're back!!
Jody and I arrived yesterday afternoon. It was an interesting journey. We had an 8 hour lay-over in Miami so we took a cab to a mall in Miami and just hung out.
Our plane to LA was late departing but the pilot made up time in the air only to arrive at LAX and sit on the runway for over an hour because there were no open gates!!
We stayed at the Raddison (which was very nice) and then caught another plane to Sacramento. We had a problem with one of the tires on the car on the way to the airport so had to stop in Woodland (the city we used to live in prior to moving to Redding) at the local Walmart and get 2 new tires!! The one nice thing about being there was running into Isaac, Christine and Logan!! Jody gave Christine away when she got married to Issac but since we moved we have not seen them nearly as much as we would like to!! Logan is 5 months old and this is the first time Jody and I got to see him!! See... God can use ANY circumstance to create good things!!
We had a great time in Haiti. Isaiah is getting so big! He is so easy going and just so much fun to be around. We had a great time visiting the Livesay's, thanks guys, we can't wait to see you again! And, Brit the college applications are being mailed today!!!!
It was great getting to see the "Indiana crew" again (as well as meeting some of them for the first time). We did not spend as much time at the "O" as we usually do, between looking at houses, visiting the Livesay's, celebrating our anniversary and Jody meeting with people from the UN, we hardly had time to!! I also, did not get as many pictures as I would have liked to. I kept forgetting my camera at St. Joseph's!! I will post pictures as soon as I can.
As far as our move goes.... we still do not know anything! I really hope God reveals His plan to us soon! This waiting is driving me nuts!! Patience is just not a virtue I have learned yet!
Our plane to LA was late departing but the pilot made up time in the air only to arrive at LAX and sit on the runway for over an hour because there were no open gates!!
We stayed at the Raddison (which was very nice) and then caught another plane to Sacramento. We had a problem with one of the tires on the car on the way to the airport so had to stop in Woodland (the city we used to live in prior to moving to Redding) at the local Walmart and get 2 new tires!! The one nice thing about being there was running into Isaac, Christine and Logan!! Jody gave Christine away when she got married to Issac but since we moved we have not seen them nearly as much as we would like to!! Logan is 5 months old and this is the first time Jody and I got to see him!! See... God can use ANY circumstance to create good things!!
We had a great time in Haiti. Isaiah is getting so big! He is so easy going and just so much fun to be around. We had a great time visiting the Livesay's, thanks guys, we can't wait to see you again! And, Brit the college applications are being mailed today!!!!
It was great getting to see the "Indiana crew" again (as well as meeting some of them for the first time). We did not spend as much time at the "O" as we usually do, between looking at houses, visiting the Livesay's, celebrating our anniversary and Jody meeting with people from the UN, we hardly had time to!! I also, did not get as many pictures as I would have liked to. I kept forgetting my camera at St. Joseph's!! I will post pictures as soon as I can.
As far as our move goes.... we still do not know anything! I really hope God reveals His plan to us soon! This waiting is driving me nuts!! Patience is just not a virtue I have learned yet!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
What Am I Afraid of?
Hey there, it's Jody again. No this is not going to be one of those Blog Posts like last time. I'm over all that. So.....you wanna know what I'm afraid of? I'll tell you but first a little background. I, for a living, race towards people with guns in their hands threatening to do harm to the first person they see while the rest of the normal population is running, sometimes screaming, away from the bad people with the guns. No fear. I breech, (that means "force open" for the unfamiliar with that term) sometimes with explosives, locked, barricaded doors where I KNOW there is someone on the other side waiting to harm me. No fear. I VOLUNTEER to be the first one, of a ten man team, through the door on "High Risk" warrant services. (Unless you're the lead dog, the view never changes). No fear. I'm the first onto the helicopter, standing on the skids, (the things most helicopters land on) waiting to either repel or "fast rope" off of the skid 100 feet above the roof of some building where there are bad guys we have to go search for and arrest. Again, no fear.
So what AM I afraid of? Flying. Normal, every day commercial jet flying. I hate it. I've been grumpy all day because I know that tomorrow I have to fly if I want to go to Haiti. What bothers me? Follow along here. What do they call the building where you wait to board your flight? The Terminal. Hmmm. Then they announce "This is the FINAL boarding call for flight........" Real comforting. What does the pilot tell you via the loud speaker when you are about to arrive? "Please prepare for our FINAL APPROACH" Does he know something we don't? He is, after all, flying the flippin plane. There is a reason they have bars serving alcoholic beverages right next to the gate. I'm one of those reasons. Liquid Courage is sometimes a good thing for me. I once flew to Minnesota in the dead of winter on a big jet. Gail and the rest of the family neglected to tell me that once at the Big Airport, we were going to have to change planes to some little 10 passenger turbo-prop plane to take us to Peoria Illinois, our FINAL DESTINATION. I walked out of the airport onto the tarmac, saw the plane we were headed for and immediately dug my heels into the ice on the ground. It took Gail, my Father-in-Law and my Brother-in Law all of their strength to load my shivering, angry 'frady cat 225 pound butt into that little plane. I then had to help the pilot with both the take-off and landing. "Little more rudder, little more flap" I'm sure the death grip I had on the armrests of my seat is the only way that plane landed safely. So, there you have it. Flying. It is going to be a joyous day tomorrow. The only thing that keeps me going is that I get to see 3 of my children, meet some new people, see some old friends and visit a place that I have truly come to love. So pray for me. But more than that, pray for Gail. She has to put up with me on planes and in airports for the next 24 hours. She is going to need all the help she can get.
So what AM I afraid of? Flying. Normal, every day commercial jet flying. I hate it. I've been grumpy all day because I know that tomorrow I have to fly if I want to go to Haiti. What bothers me? Follow along here. What do they call the building where you wait to board your flight? The Terminal. Hmmm. Then they announce "This is the FINAL boarding call for flight........" Real comforting. What does the pilot tell you via the loud speaker when you are about to arrive? "Please prepare for our FINAL APPROACH" Does he know something we don't? He is, after all, flying the flippin plane. There is a reason they have bars serving alcoholic beverages right next to the gate. I'm one of those reasons. Liquid Courage is sometimes a good thing for me. I once flew to Minnesota in the dead of winter on a big jet. Gail and the rest of the family neglected to tell me that once at the Big Airport, we were going to have to change planes to some little 10 passenger turbo-prop plane to take us to Peoria Illinois, our FINAL DESTINATION. I walked out of the airport onto the tarmac, saw the plane we were headed for and immediately dug my heels into the ice on the ground. It took Gail, my Father-in-Law and my Brother-in Law all of their strength to load my shivering, angry 'frady cat 225 pound butt into that little plane. I then had to help the pilot with both the take-off and landing. "Little more rudder, little more flap" I'm sure the death grip I had on the armrests of my seat is the only way that plane landed safely. So, there you have it. Flying. It is going to be a joyous day tomorrow. The only thing that keeps me going is that I get to see 3 of my children, meet some new people, see some old friends and visit a place that I have truly come to love. So pray for me. But more than that, pray for Gail. She has to put up with me on planes and in airports for the next 24 hours. She is going to need all the help she can get.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Just a few more days...
And I will get to see 3 of my children and be back in the place I feel is my home!! I was just there 3 weeks ago but it seems much longer.
Jody is going with me on this trip and he is so anxious to get there and love on his kids, meet with the people from the UN 
and hang out with the mission's team.This trip will be a little different for me though. I recently took a "leave of absence" from the board of directors. This trip, I will go simply as an adoptive parent. No meetings to attend, no government official to deal with, no responsibilities at the orphanage except helping with projects and loving on my kids! I'm actually looking forward to spending time with all the kids, taking a ton of pictures (which I never seem to have time for any more) and relaxing at St. Joseph's with the team.
Jody and I will also be house hunting on Monday. I found a house on my last trip and I'm hoping it is still available for rent. And that Jody will love it as much as I do.
We will go to La Digue to visit with the Livesay's (http://www.livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/), a family from Minn. that moved to Haiti a few years ago with 5 kids! We are hoping to get some great insight and idea's from them to help make our move easier.
We are also hoping to spend one night at the IboLele Hotel 
for our 20th wedding anniversary.
for our 20th wedding anniversary. http://www.ibolelehotel-haiti.com/
Hhhhhhmmmm.... it is sounding more and more busy!!! But, I can't wait!!
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Financing our move to Haiti
We still do not know where the money is coming from for our move. Until our house sells we will not have any extra money.
Saturday we are having a garage sale. I put an ad in the local paper that came out this morning. We have already made our first sale!! We had someone come to the house today asking about our bunk beds. They bought them for our full asking price!! God is so good!
We were also approached by our neighbor that is very interested in buying one of our cars. We were not going to sell either of our small cars and keep them in storage, but after a lot of prayer we have decided that we really only need to keep one of them (for Carsen when she comes home in January). With the sale of the car and most of our stuff this weekend we will have enough to fund the move without waiting for the house to sell.
Please, pray that people come to the garage sale. It is supposed to be 110 degrees on Saturday and we live on the outskirts of town so we are not on the traditional "garage sale route".
If we are able to get everything together Gail and the kids will move to Haiti in mid-August. Jody will remain in California working until his deployment (scheduled for November). Pray that Jody is able to stand the 4 month separation without going crazy. Also, that the house we looked at in Haiti is still available when we are ready to move.
Saturday we are having a garage sale. I put an ad in the local paper that came out this morning. We have already made our first sale!! We had someone come to the house today asking about our bunk beds. They bought them for our full asking price!! God is so good!
We were also approached by our neighbor that is very interested in buying one of our cars. We were not going to sell either of our small cars and keep them in storage, but after a lot of prayer we have decided that we really only need to keep one of them (for Carsen when she comes home in January). With the sale of the car and most of our stuff this weekend we will have enough to fund the move without waiting for the house to sell.
Please, pray that people come to the garage sale. It is supposed to be 110 degrees on Saturday and we live on the outskirts of town so we are not on the traditional "garage sale route".
If we are able to get everything together Gail and the kids will move to Haiti in mid-August. Jody will remain in California working until his deployment (scheduled for November). Pray that Jody is able to stand the 4 month separation without going crazy. Also, that the house we looked at in Haiti is still available when we are ready to move.
Jody pointed out today, that if we sell everything we are planning on selling, we will literally have NOTHING if for some reason he does not get deployed!! Talking about walking on FAITH!! No house, no car's, no furniture, no washer/dryer, only the few items we have put into storage and the few things we are taking to Haiti.
We are stepping out on FAITH and relying on our Father to carry us through. Jody received an e-mail from a friend a few days ago. In it was the saying...
"The Will of God will never take you to where to Grace of God will not PROTECT you!"
We have decided that will be our motto from now on.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Ever feel like you just got a spanking???
That's how I felt after church today. Like my Heavenly Father had personally called me into His room and delivered a much needed spanking!
The past few weeks (maybe even months) my lack of faith has led my life. I've allowed sinful behaviors from my past to creep into my life, I've allowed myself to lead, never once asking God if what I was doing was acceptable or pleasing to Him. God revealed some of this to me while I was in Haiti and has continued to reveal it to me since being home. 3 times today in a 2 hour span!! First during Impact group (kinda like Sunday school), we are currently going through the Love and Respect video series. Today's lesson was really geared towards the men but a few points really hit home. God sent His son to die for us, something I've known for many years. But, today it really hit home that someone else took the pain and suffering for me, for MY SIN!! For my poor choices, for my lack of judgement, for my lack of faith! He did this willingly, without hesitation. Jesus loved me so completely that He paid my ransom!! What an amazing thing!! Even though I continue to sin, even though I turn my back on what I know deep down is the "right thing" to do, even though "I know better" Jesus still took that sin from me and made it His own! He knew before I sinned that I was going to do it, as I was sinning He stood before the Father and allowed me the chance to come before the throne and ask for forgiveness!!
Then during worship today we sang the song "Never Let Go", a song I have song many, many times. But, today it really hit home. The chorus says:
"Oh no, You never let go Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth"
As I sang that song today I realized that God has not let go of me or turned His back on me, He is there through the calm, the storms, the highs and the lows. All I have to do is reach out to Him and He will be there. Even when the "Storms" are self imposed, He is still there.
And finally, during our pastors sermon, God spoke once again to this sinner's heart. We have been in the book of Esther and Pastor Bill has been preaching on the subject of "Living large with O.P.C.'s (Other Peoples Craziness)". You can read or see this series by going to www.ncredding.com and clicking on the sermon podcast link. Pastor talked about lack of faith being the biggest issue in our lives. That we need to step out on faith, that's all God asks. We are not responsible for the outcome, that is God's doing. He is the only one that knows the master plan and who are we to question that plan?? We are simply to have faith that God is in control, that He loves us and He will make things work out! The ending is up to Him not us. I can not direct what other people do, think or say. I can not base my faith (or lack thereof) on someone Else's, including my husband and children's. And when I give into the temptation that Satan lays out before me, I am basically saying that I know more then God does so I going to do things my way!!
So.... now that I have had my proverbial "spanking" it is time to ask for forgiveness, accept that Jesus died on the cross for me and live each day in a way that is pleasing to my Father. I will stumble, I will backslide, I will fail miserably but I know without a shadow of a doubt that God will be there to catch me when I fall and I know through faith that He will make it right again!
The past few weeks (maybe even months) my lack of faith has led my life. I've allowed sinful behaviors from my past to creep into my life, I've allowed myself to lead, never once asking God if what I was doing was acceptable or pleasing to Him. God revealed some of this to me while I was in Haiti and has continued to reveal it to me since being home. 3 times today in a 2 hour span!! First during Impact group (kinda like Sunday school), we are currently going through the Love and Respect video series. Today's lesson was really geared towards the men but a few points really hit home. God sent His son to die for us, something I've known for many years. But, today it really hit home that someone else took the pain and suffering for me, for MY SIN!! For my poor choices, for my lack of judgement, for my lack of faith! He did this willingly, without hesitation. Jesus loved me so completely that He paid my ransom!! What an amazing thing!! Even though I continue to sin, even though I turn my back on what I know deep down is the "right thing" to do, even though "I know better" Jesus still took that sin from me and made it His own! He knew before I sinned that I was going to do it, as I was sinning He stood before the Father and allowed me the chance to come before the throne and ask for forgiveness!!
Then during worship today we sang the song "Never Let Go", a song I have song many, many times. But, today it really hit home. The chorus says:
"Oh no, You never let go Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth"
As I sang that song today I realized that God has not let go of me or turned His back on me, He is there through the calm, the storms, the highs and the lows. All I have to do is reach out to Him and He will be there. Even when the "Storms" are self imposed, He is still there.
And finally, during our pastors sermon, God spoke once again to this sinner's heart. We have been in the book of Esther and Pastor Bill has been preaching on the subject of "Living large with O.P.C.'s (Other Peoples Craziness)". You can read or see this series by going to www.ncredding.com and clicking on the sermon podcast link. Pastor talked about lack of faith being the biggest issue in our lives. That we need to step out on faith, that's all God asks. We are not responsible for the outcome, that is God's doing. He is the only one that knows the master plan and who are we to question that plan?? We are simply to have faith that God is in control, that He loves us and He will make things work out! The ending is up to Him not us. I can not direct what other people do, think or say. I can not base my faith (or lack thereof) on someone Else's, including my husband and children's. And when I give into the temptation that Satan lays out before me, I am basically saying that I know more then God does so I going to do things my way!!
So.... now that I have had my proverbial "spanking" it is time to ask for forgiveness, accept that Jesus died on the cross for me and live each day in a way that is pleasing to my Father. I will stumble, I will backslide, I will fail miserably but I know without a shadow of a doubt that God will be there to catch me when I fall and I know through faith that He will make it right again!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
evening with the kids
So... I'm home from Haiti. It was a good trip, a little stressful and I didn't get as much done as I wanted to but I still got to see my boys and Carsen and the rest of the girls so it was very much worth it.
On Thursday night we took to the kids to dinner and then went for a walk along the Sacramento River. Here in Redding we have some beautiful river trails and we never use them!! The kids loved it! Here are a few pictures of 
our evening. 
our evening. 
Afterwards, we went to ice cream (don't worry, Frank, I didn't eat any!!!). I think Sutton enjoyed hers the most!!!
Although, I know without a doubt that God is calling us to move to Haiti, I will miss the freedom of a walk along the river at dusk, sitting at an ice cream parlor enjoying the night air and just being free to go anywhere we want to.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
My Dad
Father's Day is always a hard day for me. My dad passed away Jan. 14, 1997. I have gone through 10 Father's Day's without him! It is never easy.
I was a Daddy's girl early on! Then my dad and I went through some real rocky times when I was a teenager, I was such a California girl/rebel and he had been raised in a very strict mid-western family that we often clashed! But, as I got older we got pretty close again. I knew without a doubt (although he rarely told me) that he loved me. After Carsen was born I saw a side of my dad that I never thought I'd see. He loved his first grandchild so much! He loved being "Papa" to her, my nephew who is 6 weeks younger then Carsen and to Shane.
The hurt I feel when I miss my father is so much easier to bear knowing that I will see him again! My dad became a Christian when he was young but turned his back on his faith for many years. On Christmas eve 1996 (just a few weeks before he died) my father stood next to me in church and recommited his life to Christ. He never said anything to anyone about it, but I knew! I witnessed the Spirit come over my father and watched as he cried tears of joy! I sight I had never seen before and will remember for the rest of my life!
Dad, I love you and miss you more then you can imagine. I know you are in Heaven preparing a place for all of us. I'm sorry that during your time here on earth you did not get the chance to meet all your grandkids, but I'm certain you will someday!! And you are going to love everyone of them! I love you, Daddy!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)