Little Girls Night Out

At some point you really need to teach girls how to shop "specials" "discounts" "On Sale"!!!!

So, last night, I had a wonderful coupon for dinner at Applebee's. (one kids meal and one meal at $5.50, $2.00 off another burger/meal leaving only one burger at regular price! ) YEA
So, the girls and I had a wonderful time-- This is when you find out about who likes who, if there is a "boy" friend in the picture, talk about classes- and little Zoe' feels so grown up!

Than we hit the mall- a going out of business store- kids got great shirts for $3.50 and 4.50. And another store a 70% off sale. All in all they did great!! And Zoe' got a build a bear- She named her Bailey. Love at first hug! I guess that was the only really "extra that we did- ;)
It sure made my child's day!

Blessings, Pamela

Back to School---

OK, I love my kids- I do..... but, that love is stretched very thin by the end of the 4Th snow day and the 6th day in the house. OK they did go out to play some.

So, back to school today- I am so glad. I know that this is not about me- The kids are glad to be going back to school. See friends not have to do the silly things mom has asked for-- you know, play box games together with NO fighting. Put together a 3-D Lego monster. READ for 45 minutes and than tell me about the book (s). One of the days the kids got to clean!

I really have had thoughts of homeschooling. Several of the kids really need to move faster than they are are regular school and need more challenges. Today, I have really nixed that idea-- I know that I will come back to it- But, I need to figure out how to homeschool without killing the kids. (that defeats the purpose) Homeschooling would be different than snow days- as I hopefully would have the things for the kids to do each day....lol

Than I am even considering this idea is light years away from my former self- For years I was an enlightened atheist. I am so glad that God did not give up on me and sent people into my path along the way until I found Him. In the years before I knew Jesus, I thought that kids that were homeschooled were really anti-socal, were behind-- I have misjudged. I am sure that their are some anti-socal kids, but there are many in school too--- Anyway, I am really giving this a lot of thought-

Well, I am glad for school today! ;)
Blessings, Pam

Snow Day

It looks like about 6 inches. That's a lot for southern Virginia. It was like Christmas for the kids. Unfortunately, it was too much snow to risk going out to the OBX for church today. The kids were so excited yesterday, that the boys were up and dressed at about 7:00 ready to go. I held them off until 8:00 so as not to wake up any neighbors. It was dry and powdery, so the kids couldn't put a snowman together. Of course, since we've become southerners, we don't have adequate winter wear that helps them to stay out all day; so they're only out for about an hour at a time.

We've taught the kids not to go in and out the house constantly. When Z came and rang the door, I thought she needed me to get something for her or to ask permission to go to a friend's house or something. Instead I got a earnest plea to come inside "to stay, 'cause I'm too cold."

Echo a prayer for Haiti

In the wake of the devestation in Haiti, sometimes I can only cry in agony and say, "Lord PLEASE, do something!!" There are so many people, with so many needs, for so long. I want to echo this prayer I saw from a friend...

Lord, I just want to say THANK YOU...
Because this morning I woke up and knew where my children were.
Because this morning my home was still standing,
because this morning I am not crying because my husband/wife, my child, my brother or sister needs to be buried out from underneath a pile of concrete,
because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water,
because this morning I was able to turn on the light,
because this morning I was able to take a shower,
because this morning I was not planning a funeral,
but most of all I thank You this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of Haiti.

Lord I cry out to You, the one that makes the impossible, possible,
the one that turns darkness into light,

I cry out that You give those mothers strength,
that You give them peace that surpasses all understanding,
that You may open the streets so that help can come,
that You may provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all that they need in a blink of an eye.

For all those that have lost family members...
give them peace,
give them hope,
give them courage to continue to go on!

Protect the children and shield them with Your power.

I pray all this in the Name of Jesus!!!

To all my email/blog friends please continue to forward this so that we can pray together for the people in Haiti .

Will It Snow??

Well, If it doesn't storm on Sunday, we are headed out to the Outer Banks to visit our old church and LOTS of friends! Now, this is a surprise so, please do not tell anyone that we are coming!!!!

It will be lots of fun to see everyone. ;)

We are ALL hoping that it does not storm! I need to walk on the beach again. Very calming.

Sharing! I try to share everything!!!

Sharing!
Well, I came home from my MOST marvelous weekend-( one of the best that I've had in a long time) sicker than a dog. The drive home, the sicker I got. So, I did the right thing, I shared this horrible sickness (flu) with my beloved- today he is sicker than a dog. And you know what, I actually believe him, having been there.....

My time with "L" and family was wonderful. We had great meals, and I had a great time with the grandkids. Went to my favorate brunch place. I really like the area that my daughtor lives in. The day spa was to die for! It was so nice it must have been sinful! ALL in ALL we had wonderful birthdays! (hers and mine)

One of "L" passions is scrapbooking. I had a great time looking at the scrapbooks of the boys. Going to a scrapbook store and seeing how to do it right! She is so good at it! I was looking forward to starting on my project on Monday, first thing- Monday first thing, I was flat on my back!! oh well- I'll get it. Wed., today and I am now at least up out of bed!

Blessings, Pamela Dawn

Off to "little Birthday gift!!"

Well, I am off to my gal "L" house. We are having a "girl;'s weekend- or mother-daughter weekend-- whatever we call it, I am so happy to be part of it!! Tomorrow, we will be treated like "princesses" at a day spa. And going to have brunch out at one of my most favorite places to eat. And BEST of all, I am going to get to spend some time tomorrow night with my little grandsons. (Just us!!! yea- we are sending mommy and daddy out for the night-- my little birthday gift to BOTH of us!!- me time with my favorite little guys and "L" with a night out--:)

Having the big bunch of kids that I do- it really took some planning to be able to leave!!- So, 2 meals in the refrig- and there is always pizza!-- The kids were so cute this AM before school- "are you really going?" yea, I'll be back on Sunday night-- "no- you can't go---- sure I can honey-- daddy will be here- ohhhh"--- I am glad that we are becoming a real family- ;)

Kind of a long drive, in a short amount of time- BUT well worth every minute-
Blessings, Pam

Romans

Two weeks ago, our pastor started a sermon series on Romans. I don't know how long it will take but, he said he was going to do the whole book and at the pace we're going, it's going to be several months. That doesn't bother me at all because Romans is my favorite book in the Bible.

I think I like Romans, because Paul sounds so human and down earth in this letter as compared to his other letters. He sounds like a man writing to his little brother. It's sounds like he's talking directly to me or about me most of the time. Though Hebrews is considered the Faith book, I like the way Paul teaches about faith in Romans. I like that Romans is kind of like Christianity For Dummies, and sometimes Paul's version of Chicken Soup for the Soul. If a "pre-Christian" is really looking to start somewhere, I like Romans. Whenever I try to share the gospel with anyone, I always tell them to read Mark (the shortest gospel, and it grabs your attention in a hurry), and then read Romans.

We've even begun reading Romans aloud at the dinner table (a chapter at a time) and having small discussions afterward. I can't think of a better book of the Bible to read to children...can you?

Happy Birthday!

Today is my Honey Babe's birthday!

Please join in with me to bless her.

Pam may the Lord bless you with a joyous year. May He bless your hands and all that they do - and they do so, so much. May He bless you with good health and strength. May the Lord bless you with more new friends to share with. And may He bless you with more smiles and less tears.

I love you with an endless, fathomless love.

Your husband and friend
Juan

What would Jesus do?

Juan and I receive emails about adoption and thinking about adoption from readers.
We feel honored to be able to be used even in just a small way and to let others know, "Hey, we've been there."

Because of the books out there about "birth order" we sometimes are asked how we feel about this. Lots of couples are very scared of what it might do to their family, how it will affect their current kids, and what kind of short- and long-term implications it might have. How did your oldest feel about no longer being the oldest? Maybe afraid that changing the birth order will be taking away from the child somehow in some way. How will this effect the child's emotions, self-worth, and their security.

We have changed the birth order of different kids in our family several times. I think that that change always creates some upheaval, but that is not always a bad thing. We have had Joey the longest and he has changed order several times. He would like to be the oldest boy, sometimes, but he likes having older and younger brothers more.

I think that the benefits really out weigh the negative thoughts of "birth order"
You are NOT taking anything AWAY from your children. Instead, what you are doing is imparting to them something eternal: You are expanding their capacity to love. Think about that for a minute before you read anything else. How do you plan to teach your child to love others unconditionally and in total compassion without giving them the opportunity to do so?

Our children have a greater capacity of love in their hearts than I could ever impart to them by just giving them a safe Christianity, by maintaining their status quo, by simply modeling "godliness" as parents (as if that's the end-all be-all for a Christian family). My kids...all of them...have lived out self-sacrifice and understand (because they live it!) that laying down one's life does not steal anything from us. That is the lie of the devil, who would have us believe that sacrifice is not worth it; that there is nothing for us in return; that God doesn't really mean what He says when He said to His followers that "anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [Because] Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:38-39).

Do you really believe that? That whoever LOSES his life for Jesus's sake, for Jesus the Orphan's sake, will actually FIND it? Ask yourself honestly. Because you might answer YES prematurely. I have no doubt that you might believe it for yourself, but do you really believe it for your children, too? That if they "lose" their "place" in the family that Jesus will instead impart to them LIFE? REAL life???

Consider the older orphan. Consider the sibling groups. Consider the ones who are not often considered.

And whatever you do on your adoption journey, PLEASE I beg you, do NOT steal from your children the opportunity for their love capacity to be expanded. Do not deny them the true gift of learning early in life that "My life is not my own."

When your first adopted child, who is now the middle child,after being knocked down from oldest to very middle prays for the orphans and asks to adopt again because children are hungry- your heart will beat out of your chest, not just because you can envision another child saved, but because you know that your child will NEVER EVER live a limited, safe Christian life. He won't even know what that means. In fact, he won't even have the capacity do so.

And all because you didn't limit your child. You didn't limit God.

Give your children the gift of the greater capacity to love. Let it ripple out into the future.

Let it change the world.
Blessings, Pamela Dawn