our GOD is faithful

He has faithfully kept you, brought you out of captivity. Rejoice, rejoice with all your hearts; sing him a new song. That's heard high on the windswept mountains, it will resound. Lead, Lord with unfailing love those that you have ransomed. And we will sing out as we go along, "our GOD is faithful, our GOD is faithful". --- Bethany Dillon, "Exodus".

i <3 this scripture verse

"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for." Ephesians 1:11

I Saw What I Saw

My sister Allisyn introduced me to this video, and I just loved it! I wanted to share it with those of you who may not have seen it before, and reintroduce it to those who have. http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=38974b6dd52e94ba5bb2

You're ingrained into me by Him

I wonder what my future little one is doing right now. Is he or she in Ethiopia, in Ghana, or maybe even right here in my own home state? Or are they even born yet? If not, GOD is thinking of them, and He knows them fully. He already has a plan for their life.
I do know one thing: little one, I think about you everyday & what you will look like, who you will be on the inside, whether or not you'll be a big kid or little kid when I get you, and how much love I already have for you.
I had a dream about you the other night. You were beautiful, but I've forgotten what you looked like now.
It's hard knowing you were meant to do something, and having to wait SO LONG to do it. Adoption is my heart, ingrained in my thoughts.
Dictionary.com says to ingrain is to implant or fix deeply and firmly, as in the nature or mind. Yep, little one, that's what GOD has done to me. And it is the most wonderful feeling in the world to know He has changed me, redeemed me, saved me, and molded me into the person I am today. I do love you, little one. And one day, when I finally meet you face to face I'll squeeze you and hug you, and kiss you a million times infinity. One day...

:))))))

GOD is just too amazinggg for words :))

Things are happening that just speak of his "prosperous" plan, things that give me a hope that my future was designed by Him, and is being carried out as we speak :)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." --- Jeremiah 29:11

yay!

I was looking through the classes they offer next semester [b/c I have to register next week] and, lucky me!!! :)), they offer African Literature! :)) Yay!!

monkeys, and lions, and giraffes, oh me!

So yeah, I was walking through Ross [aka the best store ever!] looking for scrapbooking things and a baby gift for my cousin's new baby Abby. I found all that stuff & then I saw it. It was hanging there on the rack calling my name :)) I couldn't resist this great deal on this fabulous 5-piece Carter's onesie. My ark just grew. And just so you know, it's hard to just wait for that great deal every once in a while - but I'm doing it really well, I think. This is the first thing I have bought since the first time at Target :))

p.s. And I'm making myself wait until next year sometime to buy the next thing.

...

Sometimes I wonder why GOD feels so VERY far away, then I remember those before me who had no Bible. Like Abraham, for example; he had no text to look at, to remember the promises. He just knew that what he felt was real, eternal, and so amazingggg!

I get to thinking sometimes about what I would say if anyone ever asked me why I believe in GOD and His Son Jesus. And you know what? I can't explain it, at least not in any definite terms. He is my life, He is what enables me to breathe. He is my hope, my salvation, my eternal love. GOD cannot be put in a box, and defined with one word. He created everything, therefore He is billions upon billons upon more billions, millons and trillons of beautiful words. And amazing is the only word I can come up with that sums up a bunch of those. Yet it still doesn't do him justice :))

I apologize if this post appears scatterbrained LOL.

Over the rivers and through the clouds to Kimberly's house we go...

little Josiah, 6 months. so sweet. silly jilli, 4 1/2 years. such a character.

I stand in awe of You.

mr. judah, 3 years. spontaneous sweetie.

What a fun time my sister Allisyn & I had at my older sister Kimberly's house! :)) I, of course, loved seeing my niece, Jillian, & my two nephews, Judah & Josiah, but most of all it was great to have some sister time! There are ten years between my sister Kimberly and my twin sister Allisyn and I. When we were younger it was such an age gap, but now that I (and my twin sister Allisyn ) are twenty one, almost twenty two, and my sister Kimberly is thirty two, it is becoming so much fun! We are closer than we have ever been and things make more sense now between us three. I do have another sister, Stephanie, that is sixteen years older than me, but she lives only a couple of blocks from my parent's house, so I see her every weekend when I go home. Above are pictures of Kimberly's kids :)

hmmm...

LOL. The plane ride was kinda nerveracking for me LOL. I didn't like it - at all. Somehow, some way I am going to get to Africa.

p.s. I did pretty good when I wasn't looking out the window. [this was on an hour & forty minute flight]

ahhhh!!!!

Hehe. The title of my post is how I feel about now :)) LOL. I'm about to leave for the airport to get on my first flight EVER!

yay! :))

This friday [in 48 hours!!!] I will be heading to the airport to board my flight to Florida! My first ever time being on a plane. I'm kinda nervous, but I've come to realize that Jesus walked through the fire with the Hebrew boys, so He can board the plane with me & my sister :))

Allisyn & Cristian/my Daddy's bday/Holden

So today was my Daddy's bday! And with Allisyn & her boyfriend Cristian (of 11 months) there @ my parent's house I took the opportunity of snapping a few pictures of them before the guests arrived for the bday party.

The picture above is the product of my five year old nephew Holden! Of course, it had a little help from editing, but nonetheless I thought it was very good! The rest are pictures I took.

This picture was Cristian's idea. My sister Allisyn was hilarious!

As I mentioned, it was my Daddy's bday today :)) Here is the cake that my Aunt Greta made for him.

Here is my five year old nephew Holden. He loves his aunt Allisyn & Cristian. He just had to tickle her!

One of my favorite pics of the day! For those of you who do not know Holden, this is a classic Holden face. LOL!

He's just kidding around!

Wow.

Okay, so earlier tonight my mom, sister and I were wrapping Christmas presents (I know, early! lol) and my mom made the comment, "What would yall like to watch on t.v. tonight? Another Wifeswap (she has millions dvr'd)", and I was like, "Please, not another wifeswap" hehe. I thought a minute and I was like, "You know what would really be great? I wish I could see "Losing Isaiah"." And they all agreed. Then a few minutes later my mom, my sister and I went to the livingroom and my dad was looking through the channels to see what was coming on at 8:00, and what do you know "Losing Isaiah" was coming on Lifetime Movie Network tonight at 8:00.
Now those of you who have never watched this movie may not get the significance, just google it and I'm sure you'll find something. Youtube it even if you want to see a clip :) I absolutely adore this movie, not only because it speaks of transracial adoption, but because it shows how powerful love really is. I cannot explain how surprised I was to find out that it was coming on tonight just moments after I wished I could see that tonight! :)) Some may say I'm crazy, but I know I'm not. That was a GOD thing. For sure!
I have been thinking so much about transracial adoption lately, especially this week it seems. I know I needed to see this movie again. And GOD knew just how to cheer me up and give me an extra layer of hope :)

i just want to hug these little ones

These kids are just so precious, so unique. GOD made them, and with a purpose. They too have a purpose, just like the kids that have parents, that have someone loving them at this very moment. Just because they may not be privileged like the kids in the suburbs or the city, or even the country doesn't mean they don't have privileges. It doesn't mean they don't matter. In fact, it is exactly the opposite. They have life in their bones that speaks of struggle, of real struggle. They may know hunger, prejudice, hate even. Yet they somehow are still here, struggling through it all. They have a perseverance we don't. We - including myself - grumble about not having the "right" type of sugar. Do we want brown, white or powdered? They have never tasted any. They don't have many choices to make, but they do have one. They continue to strive for a hope and life they have never known. They persevere without anyone whispering in their ear it's going to be okay.

Yay!!

Oooo... and I forgot to mention one little tidbit in my last post. I leave for my sister's house in exactly one week! Wow. And it's going to be my very first time on a plane. Ever. Yeah, you could say I'm nervous. Prayers are very much appreciated at this point! LOL.

GOD is more than words can explain!

GOD is just too great for words! He has saved me, redeemed me into something He can use. He has purpose for my life. He has put the orphan so heavily on my heart. And for all this, I am SO grateful!