SACRIFICIAL LOVE...

SACRIFICE

"to suffer loss of, give up"

"the offering of something precious to a deity (God)"

"loss or deprivation"

(definitions from Merriam Webster Dictionary)

"An offering made to God for the purpose of showing respect"

(definition from Layman's Bible Dictionary)

LOVE

"Unselfish, benevolent concern for other persons"

"To love God supremely and others unselfishly are the two most important commands of Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40)"

(definition from Layman's Bible Dictionary)

This picture is a perfect representation of a mother's sacrificial love for her children. Our Ethiopian sons smile joyfully with their Ethiopian sister - 3 children, 3 families, 1 divine plan.

I count it a priviledge to sacrifice my time, my resources, my sleep, my plans, my person & even my sanity at times, but I praise the Lord each day that I have not been called to sacrifice as the birth mother's of my children have. This picture was taken for Mama Medina (Ethiopian birth mom). Our sons's sister's dad will be embarking on a mission trip to Ethiopia in October and plans to visit Mama Medina. It is my greatest prayer that she will be able hold this picture in her hands and feel the deep love of Christ that is growing in the hearts of her beloved children. That she would know her only requests voiced for her children, "to not forget their siblings" and to "go find your sister" have been honored. That her sacrificial love for them is the very love that has allowed them to be loved by us. The Lord has placed these words from Ephesians 3:17-19 on my heart as a caption to this picture & a blessing to Mama Medina..

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Asperger's Awesome Family Fun Day Adventure

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We had an amazing 24 hours - from Asperger's Awesome Family Fun Day Adventure...to a bit of sleep...to worship & then home for lunch and relaxation. What a great weekend - the gift of time spent together filled with joy & happiness and ending in worship on Sunday - it doesn't get any better than that this side of Heaven!

Bear's 2nd Bday

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY BEREKET!!!

We are so blessed to call you son - we praise the Lord for the way He has worked in your life for the past year...we love you 'Bear'!

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Summer Fun '09

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"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24-26

MOBILE JOEY...

Our precious Joey is now fully mobile & crawling both forward and back! It is so fun to watch him crawl through the house and...get into EVERYTHING! Oh, sweet freedom for him & another reason to keep us on our toes! God is growing our sweet baby up right before our eyes & I praise Him that we haven't missed a moment.

Each day it is my prayer to be fully present in the moment so I don't miss a single blessing the Lord has for me...

BASEBALL SEASON

Baseball Season is in full swing for the Asperger family. Ethan is playing on a 'Rookie League' team for GB Little League & is transitioning into the 'real' game rules of baseball and enjoying trying his arm at pitching. Aiden & Muaz are playing on a 'Coach Pitch' team for GB Little League and doing very well at all aspects of the game. They are all having fun and so blessed to have 'Coach Daddy' & 'Coach Papa' enjoying America's favorite past time together. They are all pictured above with their prized Game Balls!!

DREAM COME TRUE...

Muaz has finished his 1st season of AYSO soccer - a dream come true for an Ethiopian boy with a love of soccer and a burning desire to play 'real soccer'! The day we met our Muaz - we walked through the gate to Hannah's Hope orphanage and he was in the 'play yard' (a small section of cement) playing soccer with some friends. The 'goals' were some torn nets tied up to either end of a small cement driveway which was the 'field'. Watching him play soccer this season was a privilege that is hard to put into words. He ran that field of grass with everything he had and scored more goals into those large, white nets than anyone on his team - it was something he always wanted and being able to give him that dream humbled my heart beyond words. He loves soccer and passionately plays the game every time! He is an excellent ball handler and team player. He excelled far beyond the ability level of teammates this year - God has gifted him with an amazing skill level and we were so proud to watch our son play out his dream with 'Coach Daddy' along for the ride & his sibling/family fan club there to cheer him on. God is so faithful to His promises for the orphan...

FINISHED WITH SCHOOL!!!

THE ASPERGER HOUSE NOW CONTAINS ANOTHER 3RD GRADER AND A 1ST GRADER! WE ARE FINISHED WITH THE SCHOOL YEAR AND I HAVE MADE A MENTAL NOTE TO SCHEDULE BETTER NEXT YEAR SO WE CAN FINISH BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY! WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF OUR SCHOOL BOYS AND THE GREAT STRIDES THEY HAVE ALL MADE ACADEMICALLY & SPIRITUALLY THIS YEAR! I LOVE THE PRIVILEGE OF EDUCATING MY CHILDREN AND AM ALSO SO LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING OFF MY TEACHER HAT & JUST PLAYING WITH THEM FOR THE SUMMER!!

SPRING HILL FAMILY CAMP

Make a Smilebox slideshow Spring Hill Family Camp - Memorial Day Weekend has become a tradition our family looks forward to each year! Our dear friends have been going for years and have invited us to be part of a wonderful weekend of family fun & worship. This was our 3rd year (we missed last year because we were in Ethiopia). It was the 'Year of the Zip Line' for the Asperger boys - Ethan, Muaz & Aiden conquered the zip line and are still talking about how they can't wait until next year already. Spring Hill puts on a fabulous family camp and the activities are great, but we love it because of the families we get to share the experience with. The Lord has gifted us with the most precious friends and spending time with their families for an entire weekend of play & worship is awesome. We all attend family worship together twice a day and it is so moving to see all the children & adults sing and praise the Lord together. We thank God every day for the friends He has given us and the way they enhance our walk with the Lord.

A THIRD GRADER...

WE HAVE A 3RD GRADER IN THE HOUSE!!!!

Ethan worked very hard at school this year & is now finished with 2nd grade - yahoo!

The top picture is Ethan @ the end of the year & the bottom picture is from the beginning of the year - he sure is a handsome young man & we are so proud of his academic and spiritual growth this year!

ONE YEAR LATER...

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On May 30th - one year ago - Joe and I arrived to Detroit Metro Airport carrying precious cargo - our Ethiopian sons, Muaz & Bereket. We were united with our children & began a new chapter in the life of the Asperger family.

It has been quite a ride for the past year - we doubled the children in our family, sold a house, bought a house, moved and began driving a passenger van ('Blessing Box'). I now have mastered the necessity of 'head-counting' my blessings when we go anywhere and cook twice the amount of food for dinner (growing boys...& I know it is just beginning!). We have doubled the amount of homeschoolers in our home & begun the life of multiple sporting activities. And one year later, I praise God that we are catching our stride and running the course He has set before us with great pleasure & perseverance!

God has hand crafted a family for us that is beyond anything we could have ever asked for or created on our own. It is exactly everything we never knew we wanted/needed/loved. Each and every hour of the day for the past year have been filled with parenting experiences that I cannot even put into words - blending families...molding characters...building trust...bonding...growing in love for one another...praying...establishing respect....learning...crying...grieving...anger...tenderness...discipline...forgiveness...learning some more...talking...mending...praying some more...thanking God for His provision...joy...sorrow...& love, but the greatest of these is love...

And there have been times that I think all of these experiences have occurred during the same hour...what a privilege to weave the character of God into the hearts and minds of all 6 of our children through each of these joys & challenges. It has been so important to remember that nothing is a surprise to God and He walks before us and with us through each life moment He ordained for us before He breathed life into our lungs....

What a year...what a God...what a family...thank you Jesus for the Asperger 8

Happy Mother's Day...

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SIX BLESSINGS - TRUE GIFTS FROM THE LORD - EACH ONE HAND CRAFTED BY THE FATHER - THAT CALL ME MOMMY. I AM HUMBLED BY WHAT GOD HAS CHOSEN US FOR & ENTRUSTED US WITH!

JOEY WAS DEDICATED ON MOTHER'S DAY BY OUR DEAR FRIEND AND PASTOR - IT WAS A SPECIAL TIME OF PRAISING THE LORD & DEDICATING THE GIFT OF JOEY. MAY HE GROW TO BE A STRONG MAN OF GOD THAT IMPACTS LIVES FOR THE KINGDOM...

THE BELOW VIDEO GIVES A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF MOTHERHOOD AS AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL WORSHIP...ENJOY!

TOGETHERNESS

Togetherness is one of the most precious blessings of homeschooling. These pictures give a spackling of the gifts of a typical homeschool day at our house. Older siblings caring for and teaching younger ones...family bath times...sharing in victories (Aiden displaying his 100 chart completed easily and accurately for the 1st time!)...sibling bonding time. I am so grateful for this gift of time with my children and the time they experience together by being home.

BABY BOYS...

It's amazing how fast our baby boys are growing! I thank the Lord every day that I have not missed a minute of it! Joey started eating baby food with his cereal today - I think he approves!

Daddy

I am so thankful for my husband and the man my kids call daddy. He is so cherished by our kids and they soak up every minute of 'daddy-time' they can get! We are entering a full round of sports at our house and 'Coach Daddy' is working very hard to manage practices and games for 2 baseball teams and a soccer team. A job he loves to do and I am so thankful for his dedication to our boys! Thanks for being so special 'Big Daddy' - we love you so much!

A Day in the Life...

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Here is a snapshot of our wonderful fun-filled day at the park on a 70 degree day last week...thank you Jesus for the sweetest things in life...

TOOTH-LESS WONDER!

HOW CUTE IS HE?!?!

Aiden lost his 1st tooth yesterday & is so very excited to have joined 'The Big Boys Club of Toothless Grins'! Last night he packed the prized lost tooth in his tooth box and strategically placed it under his pillow. All the while asking questions...will she find it? Will she wake me up? Big brothers were quietly in their top bunk beds (same room) while we prepared for the Tooth Fairy and I thought they had already fallen asleep. When Aiden's last question came, "do you think she is driving in her car right now to come here, mom?" I heard big brother Ethan respond from the perch of his top bunk, "Yeah, Aiden, because it is a loooong drive here from her Tooth Palace..." Now, big brother has discovered 'the truth' about the Tooth Fairy and I was so touched by his tenderness to little brother in that moment. He made Aiden's 1st lost tooth experience so much more special because he shared the excitement and wonder. I love raising siblings and watching their tender hearts reach out in love for one another.

HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!

HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!

We enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday service & a relaxing day at home with family. Easter is the holiday that impacts me the most. I enjoy celebrating the birth of baby Jesus at Christmas, but Easter....Easter is where the story comes to life and penetrates my very soul. Easter - Jesus (the sinless man) was beaten, bruised, humiliated & nailed to a wooden cross...for me. He could have removed himself from the suffering, but He didn't because He loves me so much that He was willing to suffer and die to save me from my sins. That's my Savior. And on the 3rd day - He rose...He conquered death once for all & provided a way for me to enjoy eternity with my Jesus in Heaven.

I love to teach the Easter story to my children and I often remind them that the Easter story lives in our hearts every minute of every day as a constant reminder of God's steadfast love for us and His perfect plan of salvation. Jesus gave His life for me at Easter and each day I pray that God will help me to give my life back to Him to be used for His service...to bring Him glory for being an awesome God.

IS IT TIME FOR SPRING YET?!

IS IT TIME FOR SPRING YET?!

AH..MICHIGAN IN MARCH - WE WOKE TO SNOW AND ENDED IN SUNSHINE...

"Also, if two (or 3!) lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?" Ecclesiastes 4:11

MARCH ISSUE SERIOUS.LIFE MAGAZINE

PLEASE BLESS YOURSELF BY READING THE MARCH ISSUE OF SERIOUS.LIFE MAGAZINE - IT IS PUBLISHED BY A BEAUTIFUL FELLOW ADOPTIVE FAMILY WITH A CONTAGIOUS FAITH. THE MAGAZINE IS A GREAT FAITH-BASED READ AND OUR BLOG IS ADVERTISED AGAIN THIS MONTH AS WELL.

ENJOY!

WOW! AFTER READING THE MARCH ISSUE, I MUST POINT OUT THAT OUR VERY HANDSOME MUAZ IS FEATURED ALONG WITH ONE OF OUR BLOG POSTS ON PAGE 121. WHAT A FUN SURPRISE!!

SUNNY 60+

We enjoyed a reprieve from MI March weather today. We were blessed with a sunny 60+ & took full advantage of it! The kids worked really hard on their school work in the morning so that we could enjoy a picnic lunch and an afternoon of playing outside together. It was Joey's 1st afternoon outside and big brother Muaz swaddled him tight so he didn't get cold. We played football, baseball, shot hoops, rode bikes and took a family walk (daddy started to clean the garage, too - yahoo!!). Ah, the gift of time well spent with my children... one of the priceless gifts of homeschooling.

P.J's & TEA TIME...

Eli and 'Bear' enjoyed a little tea time before bed the other night and they were so adorable, I had to photograph the event. Take note of Eli's P.J's (on backward) - she is very independant. And as you can see, she is giving him specific instructions the entire time they are having tea together. Life is so much sweeter when shared with a buddy...