This Week's Collage...

"Coffee... wonderful proof that God understands our needs and meets them perfectly"

This mug, sitting under our fabulous Christmas Keurig gift, makes me laugh...

This week has contained both its highs and its lows. Through it all the Lord has, by His grace and His mercy, reminded me of a few things...

#1-God is the ultimate need-meeter

#2-This world is not our home

I don't know where you are today, on a high or on a low, I pray you will be encouraged by these truths...

"Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 124:7)

"The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made... The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing... The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." (Psalm 145:8-9, 14-18)

"The LORD is everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength... they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31)

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us... For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now... we ourselves groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved... the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words... What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or danger, or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (excerpts from Romans 8:18-39)

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:17)

Speaking of good gifts, here's one: Joshua showing off his artwork...

It's been a chilly week, here's Titus curled up in a quilt...

The kids got out of school early on Thursday for freezing rain and icy roads, so they decided to put on a show... I wish I could show you the videos, but they're reserved for family viewing only - ha. It is too cute. To me it is such a sign of healing on some levels. Especially for my Ukrainian born four. To see them singing, dancing, and being creative is beautiful. Of course my Ethiopian born child came that way - ha ha. He is Mr. Entertainer.

Friday morning I was finally able to join Angela for lunch at school. She is a cutie. We enjoyed cafeteria style grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken noodle soup, apples and chocolate cake. :)

Saturday, our social worker returns for a 6 month post-adoption follow up from Ethiopia (which requires: 3 month, 6 month and 12 month follow ups). Here's Joshua (a.k.a. Eyasu) counting for us in my messy bedroom stacked high with laundry - ha ha - please ignore that part. :)

We are trying to let the kids read to us, as well as us read to them, on a more disciplined basis. Here is a preview of what that is like... Jana (and all her siblings) have come SO far...