Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Spring Has Sprung!!!

Here on our little homestead, spring has sprung in a big way...well, maybe not so big yet.  In fact, everything is still pretty small...but that's the big news!

Our cauliflower, broccoli, and tomatoes are all beginning to "spring" to life.

Nine tiny puppies waiting for new homes.  They can't wait to make some little boy or girl giggle with glee.  I love how they pile up in a cute bundle of wiggly warmth!

Spring brings eggs from our happy hen, Lucky.  She was the only one who escaped the pillaging and plundering of the coops by the chicken-dog bandits back in the fall, thus the name "Lucky."  We're lucky too.  She's a faithful layer of the best brown eggs around and we're going to be adding some coop-mates for her soon.

The handsome rooster below is "John."  He's the nervous, hen-pecked father of our hopefully soon-to-be-chicks.  John and Erma are John Wesley's golden-laced Polish chickens.  He bought them last year and they are really gorgeous.  (Well, a bit eccentric-looking, perhaps, but very pretty, nonetheless.)  I love hearing John's cock-a-doodle-doo every morning!  It's so homey.

Here is sweet Erma.  We were hoping she'd go broody on us, and we think she has.  She laid a clutch of about 14 eggs and a few days ago she became very much a homebody, rarely leaving her nestbox, except to eat and steal the occasional worm from John.  So, hopefully we'll have a few chicks in a few weeks.  What could be more spring-like than new chicks???

Monday, March 29, 2010

We need you to pray!


I am Facebook friends with most of you who subscribe to our blog, however there are some of you who are not on FB, and I wanted to get the most "bang for my buck" (or should I say the most "prayers for my post") so I am posting it here...

As most of you know, we moved out of our Van Lear house a couple years ago and moved into our "evidently-not-so-temporary" little house, with the intention of selling the house and eventually building a house out here.  We've had a million and one delays and "God" interventions which caused us to not get around to selling the house.  I can't say I'm sad about that.  After all, we were able to allow others to use the house when they needed a place and we all know that everything happens in God's timing anyway.  But, I am happy to say that we finally got a "FOR SALE" sign put up last week. 

We feel that we have priced it well and we have chosen to go the "For Sale By Owner" route rather than to use the services of a realtor.  We know without a doubt that the Lord GAVE us this house when we moved here in 2003.  It was $30,000 less than any of the other homes we were looking at and it was much bigger than the others.  He KNEW we'd need that space...he knew he would be taking us from 3 children to 8 children in that home.  The price we're asking is far less than the appraised value, and with no realtor commission to figure in, we're hoping that the next owners will find it a blessing and answer to prayer as well.  Sure we could ask more and thereby MAKE more, but that's not really the point for us.

We've had 3 phone calls on it so far and were supposed to show it on Sunday, however that family didn't show.  Tonight Harold showed it to a family who evidently likes it pretty well!!!!  They are going to the bank in the morning to see about financing.  YAY!!!

So...as you read this, if you would say a quick prayer that if this is the family the Lord has for the house that He would work out all the details, we'd sure appreciate it.  If it's not the family He has for the house, then just pray that we'd be patient. :)   Thanks everybody!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

We Don't Have A Clue...


In preparation for my trip to Haiti, I've been doing some Googling, trying to learn as much as I can about what's going on there and the challenges faced.  Although I've been following a few missionaries' blogs since last year before John Wesley went, I have found a few more that I am learning from recently.  And I'm learning that I respect the Haitian people and their spirit more than I can say.

Take a look at this post.   http://haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com/2010/03/20/new-children-admitted-this-week-3/   Reading this makes me ashamed that I've ever complained that I had to drive the 4 1/2 hours to Cincinnati for my kids' appointments.  At least I get to drive a car on good roads.  If I had to CARRY my child and WALK the whole way, would I bother?  This medical missionary talks about parents, who hear they are going to be holding a clinic, walking and carrying their children for serveral hours, some for up to 2 days over rough terrain and up steep mountain passes in order to reach their clinic.  That is LOVE.  That is hard work.

This same site has a few other posts that detail different cases that they've encountered.  They have a center focused primarily on meeting the needs of children with "kwashiorkor" which is a specific type of malnutrition.  They talk about having treated over 108 children (during a specific time frame) for this disease.  Of those 108 children, there were some who were still being treated at the time of the writing, and they had already been able to treat 71of them and send them home healthy (relatively).  But 21 of the children had died.  DIED...of malnutrition.  We have no clue. 

How do you watch a child die because of a lack of nutrition?  HOW--when you know that just across the ocean, just a short plane ride away, there is plenty to be had?  Plenty thrown away every day.  Plenty that has been thrown away by restaurants because it had set out for 5 minutes longer than it should to satisfy "freshness" standards?  Plenty that has been scraped into the trash cans by those of us who wrinkle our noses at the perfectly good food piled too high on our plates and don't think twice about throwing it away.  Plenty that sits in our cabinets or in our refrigerators.  And we don't even comprehend how really wealthy we are...how blessed we are.

I'm not saying "how do they watch them die" in an accusing manner, as if they are callous--they're not.  I just mean, how do these people--these medical missionaries--wrap their minds around the injustice--indeed, how do WE?  Once we KNOW these things are happening, how do we continue our happy, comfortable little lives and not DO something about it?  Are not those sweet children every bit as precious as the ones I tuck into bed with full bellies every night?   Are they not equally beautiful and unique creations of our Heavenly Father--created in HIS very image?  Are we truly caring about and serving the LEAST OF THESE?  When we look into their faces, are we not seeing the face of Jesus looking back at us?  Or is that it, that we are refusing to really see them at all because it is too painful.  Because seeing means feeling their pain, and that would mean upsetting our comfortable lives. 

I'm talking to myself here, not passing judgment on the rest of the world.  I'm just as guilty of assuming someone else is taking care of business and I don't need to worry about it.  You know, "Oh, poor babies, I'm so glad the missionaries are over there taking care of them."  Well, guess what I'm finding out?  It's not enough.  Yes, missionaries ARE doing wonderful things, making very real differences in the lives of the people they are serving.  But still, there are 21 out of 108 children who died during a SHORT span of time just because they DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT!!!!  That is wrong.

Reading these stories has given me a fresh appreciation for the comparative wealth that we live in here in the states.  But it has also given me a burden that I'm not sure how to carry.  I don't know what to do with it.  I don't know how to make a difference except to pray.  It is almost discouraging, as I am realizing how nearly insignificant a single week of my time will be.  Not that I had expected to fix all of Haiti's problems while I was in town, or anything, I am a LITTLE more realistic than that, but you know...you go on a mission trip with hopes of being able to help out at least a little.  And, I know, we will...we WILL accomplish things that need to be done, but my heart aches for those bigger issues that can't be addressed in a week, or even months and possibly not even years.   I long to be able to have more of myself to pour out in service.  No, not more of myself, more of Jesus, because it is only in Him that Haiti's true healing can be found.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Mother love...It doesn't always look the same...

My sister-in-law, Missy, has been in Haiti this past week on a mission trip.  She talked about serving in one of Haiti's many orphanages and having the privilege of loving on the children.  While she was there, a mother brought her little one to the orphanage in hopes of leaving the child there.  She told me about another little one, one who had significant special needs and feeding problems, who had been brought to the orphanage and left there by her mother because the mother just couldn't meet the many needs of a baby with such profound needs.

For us, American moms, who have food in our cupboards, grocery stores, food stamps available for the worst of times, food pantries, medical care, doctors, specialists, feeding teams, occupational and physical therapists, and insurance or state funded medical coverage to pay for our children's healthcare, giving our children away just so they can EAT and have their BASIC SURVIVAL NEEDS met is unthinkable.

But the truth is that in both of those cases, the mothers were giving their children away out of their own deep LOVE for their children.  Because they knew they didn't have (and may never be able to get) what those children needed to survive and they knew that giving them to the orphanage was their only shot at giving their children a future and HOPE.  Likely, life was difficult for those moms before the earthquake ever happened.   Now, in post-earthquake Haiti, things surely must seem hopeless.  The earthquake removed what little semblance of normalcy--what little glimmer of hope--that many mothers had of giving their children the kind of life they wanted for them. 

Missy's stories weren't the first I'd heard of mothers giving their children away to give them a better life.  I follow a few blogs of some missionaries who talk about that off and on as well.  And truly, today as I've spent some time reflecting on the situation, on the strength of those mothers and the self-sacrifice it took for them to come to terms with the fact that they could not provide for their children, it became clear to me that really I am no stranger to that kind of love. 

See, I had the blessing of being able to meet and have significant long-term relationships with the mothers of each of my children whom I have adopted, except for one, who I only met briefly twice.  And in every case, I can honestly say that my children were loved by their first mothers.  So much so, that of the four moms I share children with, three of them willingly entrusted their children to me personally.  Basically each of them saying the same thing.  That they knew they couldn't overcome the obstacles in front of them enough to give their child/-ren the kind of life they wanted for them, and would I please take care of them and love them for them. 

What a sacred trust I have been given!  How can I judge them?  Would I be that selfless?  Or would I just keep on, knowing it wasn't a good situation, but wanting to keep my child for myself?  I can't really say what I would do, because until I'm in their shoes and have lived their lives, I can't possibly assume to know.  But I CAN imagine the agony of making that kind of decision.  Whether the obstacle a mother faces is lack of food, lack of knowlege of how to care for a special needs child, drug addiction, extreme poverty, or demons in the past (and present) that prevent one from moving forward...the situation is basically the same.

Will you join me in praying for the mothers all over the world (maybe even a momma YOU know) who are faced with such heart-rending decisions?  Hug your kids and say a prayer of thankfulness that you aren't having to face the decision of keeping your child and causing more harm, or having to give your child away to give him a chance at life.  Can you imagine?

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Crazy Love Party and Haiti...


So...this post is a bit out of my comfort zone.  Way out of my comfort zone, in fact.  But, I really believe it is part of an answer to prayer. 

In my post a couple days ago, I talked about my excitement (and anxiety) about the upcoming missions trip to Haiti that John Wesley and I will be taking in May.  I even asked for your prayers for necessary provisions and supplies.  But I didn't come straight out and ask for your help.  I might never have done so.  But GOD knew me and knew I would need a nudge so...

This morning, I visited the blog of a sweet fellow adoptive momma and found her post titled Crazy LOVE and I knew it was time to reach out to the body of Christ and express our need.  After all, this need is not for selfish gain.  What I am asking for, I am asking for so that Christ can be made alive to the people of Haiti.  So that His love can be shown and His comfort given.  We want to go to Haiti in order that we can meet needs and in the long run, be a part of something bigger and more significant than ourselves.

So, here are the things you need to know in order for this post to be part of the Crazy Love Party!
  • Our family is one of the founding families of a new church plant here in Paintsville, Kentucky.  We helped to plant Mountain Community Fellowship about 4 years ago with the intention of bringing Christ to our community and to reach out and make a real difference in the lives of the 91% of unchurched people in our area.  My husband is an elder in the church and I have recently been working with a few of the youth who are forming a praise band.
  • In answer to the question of tithing...of course we tithe.  Please know I'm not saying that to boast, simply to answer the question Linny said we needed to answer  :) .  The Lord has always abundantly met our *needs* and even most of our wants and I can't imagine NOT tithing.  It's all HIS, after all.
  • Our PRIMARY need, of course is for prayers, but our physical need is for money to cover the cost of airfare and lodging in Haiti.  During our mission trip, our group will be helping to build an orphanage for Hope in the Light ministries and doing whatever is necessary to serve and bring the Gospel of Christ to the precious people who live in the area where we will be staying.  Things we hope to do during the week we will be there include a possible free medical clinic, do various activities with the children who attend the mission's school, and visit a nearby hospital and minister to the patients there.  Our pastor is going also and will be doing some minstry with the area pastors.
  • If you have questions about the trip or that you would like to ask of me, you can email me at underwoodlori@yahoo.com
I'm looking forward to this trip and most of all seeing God at work in the whole process!  If anyone feels led, I would appreciate your continued prayers and of course, if the Lord lays it on your heart to contribute financially, that would be an added blessing. 

Crazy Love is the kind of love that we are called to have by Christ.  It's the kind of love that I believe causes us to reach out and meet each other's needs, whether it's bringing a child into our family through adoption, or going to a new, strange country to bring the Gospel, or providing the means for others to do these things.  We need more Crazy Love in this world!!  Thanks, Linny, for your Crazy Love!  Y'all enjoy the party!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Cousins, Creatures, and a Cold Frame...


Today, Mammaw came to visit.  She brought lots of fun with her.  Yummy snacks, fun toys (like play-dough) and the most fun of all--the cousins!!!!  Jared played on the little picnic table on the porch with the play-dough for at least 3 hours!  He LOVED it.  And best of all, it was great therapy for his hand muscles.  Love it when therapy can be FUN!  I think through the course of the day, nearly all the kids stopped by the picnic table and played with him for a few minutes at a time.  The cute little creature in the picture was Lauren's creation.


A picnic lunch of ham, mac & cheese, and canteloupe rated a thumbs up from the guys!  Jake puts MUSTARD on his mac & cheese!  Weirdo!  (just kidding, Jake!)  Look at this cute trio!  MaKenzie loves it when the cousins come to visit.


We actually DID plant our seeds today!  It appears we will have a garden, after all.  Goodness!  We haven't had a garden in over 10 years.  I can't wait to have all those fresh veggies!   


John Wesley built this awesome cold frame completely out of "rescued" materials, which I love.  Not only is this very useful, it was completely FREE!  The window on the top actually can crank open, which will be handy as the weather changes.  His next project is building my raised beds so we can put the plants out once they're ready!  That John Wesley's a handy guy to have around, he's got all kinds of skills!

A Mission Trip to Haiti...

As many of you may remember, last year in May, John Wesley went on a mission trip to Haiti.  I really wanted to go last year, but basically found lots of reasons (excuses) why I couldn't go.  A few weeks ago, it was announced that our church would be sending another group to Haiti this year.  John Wesley loved the trip last year so much he decided he wanted to go again this year, and I decided that it was time to get over my excuses and so I'm going to be going with him.  I'm so excited (and nervous)!  We'll be going with a group of about 12-15 people (mostly from our church) to a rural area of Haiti about an hour or so from Port Au Prince.


This is a picture of John Wesley last year.  I believe they were building benches for the church.  They also worked on building an orphanage and did a free medical clinic.  This year our group will again be working on the orphanage some I think, as well as possibly holding a clinic.  We'll also do some VBS-type Bible school activities with the children who live in the community, and whatever else the organization we are partnering with puts on the agenda.

(This is another picture taken during last year's trip to Haiti.  Obviously the date on the picture is wrong.)

I told Harold tonight that I'm a little nervous about going, because as I was filling out some of the paperwork, it asked me to list any skills that I possess that would be helpful.  I came up with a great big DUH moment as I realized, I don't really have any.  I'm not a carpenter.  I'm not a nurse.  I don't speak Creole.  I don't have any obvious ministry-type gifts.  So I've been just praying that God would take the (seemingly useless in Haiti) gifts and talents I DO have (I can wash a pretty mean dish and change a diaper in no time flat!) and allow me to use them for His glory while we are there.  I have such a burden for Haiti, and I know that God places in our hearts burdens for the things He wants us to do, so I feel a peace about going, I'm just very interested to see how God will use me there.  After all, God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called.  I do feel called to Haiti, so I'm believing that He will equip me for the things He has for me to do there.

So, for those of you who read here, would you please pray for John Wesley and for me and the rest of the crew who will be travelling with us in May?  Pray that we would be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people of Haiti while we are there.  Pray that we will find abilities and talents that we didn't even know we had and that we will use them completely for the furtherance of His kingdom.  Pray for provision in the area of finances and supplies.  Pray for safety and health.  Pray that God would go before us and prepare the hearts of the folks we will encounter.  Thank you so much.                      

Thursday, March 11, 2010

UGH! Sigh... (In the words of my son...)

So...have you ever had one of THOSE days???  Oh my goodness!  It all started yesterday morning.  I got up to William hollering, "Mommy, Anna had a puppy!!!"  Oh joy!  So, I knew that a regular routine wasn't going to happen with that kind of excitement going on.  And truly, that is one of the very things I love so much about homeschooling.  Since we do homeschool year round, on days like that, when life is way more educational than the textbooks, we can pause and enjoy it.  So I don't resent the distraction.  I only wish I hadn't let it distract me so completely!  I kind of let most of my responsibilities go as well.  That means that when it came time to go to bed, there was still stuff left to do in the kitchen, and things in general weren't quite as picked up as usual. 

This morning, I woke, excited to get back into the groove and get things back to normal.  But then Harold needed the kids to help him with the fencing for the animals and cleaning out the trailer so he could haul some things later this week.  So, again, glad for those too-hot summer days that will be coming later on when it's too hot to be outside playing and we can spend the day inside schooling, I told the kids that we'd pick it up tomorrow.  Since I didn't have anywhere to be today, I let the little kids hang out in their PJ's and I just wore some sweats and an old T-shirt.

Well, cleaning out that trailer inspired Harold to go ahead and bring in some bins of summer clothes I had stored out there.  (See, he was actually being very helpful and thoughtful.  He had heard me mention yesterday that I needed to get the kids warm weather duds out.  He was HELPING!!!!  I have to keep telling myself that....)  The bins took up almost all of the living room floor space--and they were brought in hastily and were not stacked very neatly.  There was literally a narrow walkway through the house. 

Then the kids took a short break from helping Harold to come in and eat a quick lunch of various and sundry leftovers that we had in the fridge.  So now, picture my already untidy kitchen covered with gladware and more dirty dishes.  Knowing the kids would be going back out to help Harold later, I decided I'd take care of it later.  Then I sat down on the couch to eat some pancakes--after all, moms have to eat, too.

That was about the time a group of about 8 CAP volunteers and Workfest participants drove down our driveway and decided to visit with us!  UGH!  So--not only does it look like we're all just lazing around the house, but the house is a DISASTER!  The table is covered in the remains of the quick lunch the kids had just had.  The living room was in such a shape that they couldn't even SIT DOWN, heck--they could barely all get in the door!  My kids are in their jammies.  No school was getting done.  And I, the momma--the one who should be the one making things right--am on the couch eating pancakes as if nothing is wrong with this picture????  Oh, my!  I was never so embarrassed in my life.  Why, oh WHY do guests seem to show up only when my house is less than presentable???  I just sat and ate my pancakes while Harold chatted them up!  Eventually they left to look at the puppies (all 11 of them!!!) and I was SOOOOO relieved!  You better bet that I got my self in gear and started picking up after they left, though.  Thanks to some help from my kids, things are looking much better.  Now, if that group would just come back so they could see we really DON'T live in a pigsty!!!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

A really fun day...

Today was a lot of fun.  We started the day at our homeschool group.  This time we dissected owl pellets.  Not quite as fascinating as the frog, but fun and informative nonetheless.
 Each of the kids got their own pellet along with an identification chart so they could identify the type of creature whose bones they discovered inside the pellet.
 I used to think the pellets were dung.  They're not.  They are actually sort of like a cat's hairball.  It's a "wad" (for lack of a better term) of undigestible material that the owl regurgitates.  Interesting.
 Don't you love how involved the kids are in this?  As with the frog dissection, they were really interested and engaged.
Here's a picture of the bone identification chart.  I think this one was Jonas'.
 
Lena's age group does an art project while the older kids do the biology labs.  Today they used glue and colored sand to "paint" designs.
After homeschool group, we headed off to Paintsville Lake for a picnic lunch.
Cody got a chance to commune with the fish.
William and Lena spent some time swinging.
Jonas was monkeying around.
And John Wesley and I were planning our garden.  Now, if it ever comes to be or not we shall see.  But it's fun to dream.
While we were at the lake, a helicopter landed to transfer a patient to another hospital.  I'm not sure why they landed at the lake, but it was fun to watch the helicopter.  Just glad that this time it wasn't us having to get in it.
After the lake, we headed off to music lessons.  John Wesley had drum lessons, Cody had guitar lessons, and William had trumpet (cornet) lessons.  After lessons it was time to hurry home and head up to Camp Caleb where the Workfest activities are taking place.  A bluegrass band, "5 Miles From Nowhere" played tonight.  Several of the volunteers danced with the four youngest kids.  My four oldest boys are way too cool to dance!  So they sit back and enjoy the music and watch everyone else.
Matthew had fun dancing!!!
Another great example of how Jared's wheelchair has opened up his world....Every time a "dancing" song would start, he would grab his wheels and head toward the front.  Invariably, one of the volunteers would join him and dance with him!  That was so fun to watch.
And of course Lena and MaKenzie wore out the floor!  They danced and danced and danced!  Now they're all sleeping quite soundly--all tired out from the day's activity.  Tomorrow will be a home day.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Delicious...

We finally arrived back on our little slice of heaven around 2:00 am.  When we return home from traveling, someone will invariably make some comment like, "That was a fun trip," or, "It's SOOO good to be home," etc. 

Tonight upon our arrival home, William said, "That was the most DELICIOUS vacation!"  I have to agree!  Chicago's got it goin' on in the food department!
Speaking of delicious, I spent several delicious hours on the road getting to know the characters in My Antonia.  Oh MY!  How I loved this book!  I shouldn't even get started on it; there is just TOO much to say about it.  Suffice it to say, this is my new favorite book.  And my girlfriend, Antonia--contrary to popular opinion, she's not to be pitied.  She was a rich, rich lady.  Nevermind the scraping-by, lack of carpet in her home, and the missing teeth.  She remained true to herself and her values and everyone who knew her loved her--including her many children.  Her home was happy and lively, even if not fancy.  (See why I love her????)  She was wealthy indeed!  Who needs to follow the socially acceptable, formulaic route to "success"?  Not me.  As long as my children and husband respect and love me and my home is a place of joy, I couldn't care less if I ever seem successful in the world's estimation--even if I DO end up toothless and careworn.  (Thank goodness for "tooth dentists," though, right?)

Friday, March 5, 2010

Whirlwind tour of the Windy City...

We started the day by taking the "L" into the city.  (First we tucked slips of paper in all the kids' pockets with our phone numbers and other information on them in case we got separated. Yeah, I'm just a little paranoid!)
MaKenzie chattered non-stop on the train ride.  Well, when does she NOT chatter non-stop?  She was having fun with all the new sights and sounds of the train.  When we told Jared we'd be riding the train, he was expecting more of a "Thomas the Train" type train, so he was a little less than impressed.
Here we are deciding what we're going to do first.  William decides to cast his vote as to whether one should roll under or over.  It's OVER, for the record.
We visited Millenium Park.  You'll notice that Matthew's not here.  He stayed with Grandma and Grandpa.  Feels funny for him not to be with us, but I'm sure he's having lots more fun there than here.  I miss him, though.
We were told by some transplanted Chicagoans that we should be sure to visit the "Bean"--so we did and here we are.  It's just a great big reflective bean-shaped sculpture. 
We had fun playing with our reflections in the Bean.  Here's a pic of us girls.  I'm the one with the big forehead!  :)  I decided to simplify my life this morning and chose to NOT fight the Chicago wind and I just pulled it all back. 
 
This was an interesting piece.  It was a glass-bricked wall with lighting and imaging within.  The face would change from time to time.  Lena is standing at the bottom, just for reference to let you see how tall it was.
 
 Having a wheelchair has changed Jared's life.  It's given him so much independence.  It was so fun today to watch him see a pigeon and actually chase it!  Without asking or commenting, he wheeled away after it--under HIS OWN power.  I love that he's able to pursue his own interests in his chair.  So, I just followed him to see if he'd "catch" it.
 That moment of happiness that he was able to pursue his own interests, was followed by a bit of a downer, though.  As we watched the people ice skating, he turned to me and said, "Mommy, I want to ice skate."  For a minute I was tempted to wheel him right out there and give him a spin around the ice.  Doggone it, he SHOULD be able to ice skate.  He SHOULD be able to do what all the other kids can do.  Most of the time, I do just fine with the knowledge that some of my kids have their limitations, but other times, my heart hurts for them and I have to have a quick little pity party. 
 Window washers scaling the side of a skyscraper.  Doesn't look like such a big deal until you look at the next picture.
 We decided to eat at Gino's East.  It turned out to be a great choice.  We all oohed and ahhed over every bite.
 Gino's had a fun atmosphere, lots of graffiti everywhere.  I helped Jared use his red crayon to leave his name on the wall near our table.
 Harold dubbed this "the best pizza he's ever eaten."  Must be good, huh?
 Cody thought so!  Check out that cheese!  Mmm-mmm good!
After eating, it was back to the train station and back to the hotel where several of us took a nice nap.  Heading home tomorrow!