8 more days and Russ and Anthony off to pick up our boys!  I am so excited, nervous, anxious, joyful, excited (oops…I think I already said that!).  My husband is not one to show emotion until it actually happens.  I guess I make up for him on that side!  Anthony is getting very excited.  I know this is going to be such a life changing thing for him.  He is at a great age and I really think this will have a deep impact on his life.  Several people have asked me if we would consider leaving him behind and just having Russ go on this trip (for money purposes).  My response is yes we could do that, but we both strongly feel that Anthony is supposed to go on this trip.  We will find a way for him to do this!

Still so much to get done.  Russ is going to try to tile the bathroom floor this weekend.  This is the bathroom that is in between Anthony and Samuel’s room.  It is very long!  Will probably take the entire weekend.  We also need to fix one of the closets with a shelving unit.  Austin, Joel and Jeremiah do not have dressers, so we are going to convert their closet into a large dresser.  I wish I was more handy with this kind of thing so I could help more.

My wonderful friend Jennifer has offered to come over for a day and night after Russ and Anthony leave to help me get some clothes organized and last minute things around the house.  I am going to try to do some bulk freezer cooking as well with my older girls helping.  We will be doing cooking class 101!  I still need to make up menus and shop for that!

I have to look at my boys pics every 5 minutes to say blessings over them!  They are so handsome and precious…but I may be biased in my opinion!

I still need to paint soccer balls on Samuel’s walls, set up his bed, clean out his closet!  UUGG!!  Ok.  Take a deep breath!  God will help me organize and prioritize!  I am finding that I am spending 2 hours in a quiet time each day!  You know the saying, the more you have to get done, the more time you should spend with the Lord!

I am still not getting up as early as I should be, but somehow when that alarm goes off at 4am I just can’t quite do it!  Just 30 minutes more of rest is what I cry out!

Please pray that our business will run smoothly while Russ is away.  He has never been gone this long from our business.  Please pray that God will be with the staff and help them through any issues that may come up.

I guess this morning I am just having rambling thoughts….Sorry about that.  I think that is the way my brain is functioning this morning!   Actually, I can’t lie.  My brain has been functioning like that since last week.  I feel like I just need to scream, “SSSSSSSSTTTTTOOOOPPPPPP!”  so I can slow down my thought pattern and actually get something accomplished.  Have you ever done that?  Having so many things to get done that your brain can’t process it all and you are making yourself dizzy by running around in circles like a dog chasing its tail?  (I can’t let my son see that sentence…major run on!)  I need someone to come over to my house and just shake me around a little.  I guess I need to take the advice I say to my kids all the time, “FOCUS.  Just focus on the task at hand.  One step at a time!”

Ok.  I have just given myself self therapy this morning!  Nothing like talking to yourself as if yourself is another person sitting right next to you!  Did that make sense?

On the serious side, I was reading in the book of Acts this morning (Acts 10:9-16).  It was about Peter accepting a higher will then his own…God’s will.  God was telling Peter to not act in being prejudice towards the Gentiles.  God gave a vision to Peter.  The same vision three times…just in case Peter didn’t get it right the first time!  Peter had to set aside any prejudice that he had towards the Gentiles and accept them as clean, as God had made them clean.  As I was reading the commentary, the last sentence really struck me, “Peace always comes after accepting a higher will than our own,” (The Fruit of the Spirit Bible, pg 1304).  This is so true.  It has amazed me through out life how when I have chosen to say, “Yes,” to God, the peace that overflows all around me and through me!  I pray daily this Psalm to God, “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground,” (Psalm 14:1).  Just as Jesus said to God, His Father, “It is not my will, but Your will be done.”

Our purpose is not to do things our way, but His way!  He is to receive all the glory and fame!  God has given me a sense of peace from the very beginning of this journey to Liberia.  He gave me that peace because I chose to say yes to a higher calling.  There have been times when I have swayed off the path and lost the vision of the promises He has made, but I have been quick to throw myself at the foot of the cross, only to seek His face and His word that He hid in my heart.

Sometimes those around me have not understood why I have chosen to do a certain thing or go a certain direction, but God knows.  He gives me peace in my heart.  I am learning daily to do His will and to seek His will on my life.  I know that I do not have full support of this adoption from certain members of my family.  They are filled with fear and not understanding.  But it is not by my will that we go forth to Liberia.  It is not by my will that we have said yes to the wonderful world of adoption.  But it IS by God’s will that we choosen this route.  Each day I grow closer to my Lord.  I am here to serve Him and am honored that He would entrust me with His beautiful children!

Seek God’s will in your life!  Learn to hear God’s voice.  He will take you on an amazing journey and fill your heart with peace!

After thought:  I just read this to my husband and he is smiling his silly little smile.  I asked him why?  He thinks that I should have said that my scattered brained thoughts are an every day occurrence!  Ok.  I guess he is right!