John Piper's Blog Rocks!

I just hopped over to JP's blog and got stuck reading for hours. I couldn't stop.

I cannot be as pro-adoption as I am without being vehemently and passionatly against abortion. Abortion and Adoption, as social issues, are locked as links of a chain. I think often people say "Yes, I am pro-life and adoption as option for those who have found themselves in unplanned situations", almost as if the two issues are seperate. I believe it goes so much deeper than this. God calls us to be a voice for those who cannot speak, for the fatherless, for orphans. An aborted baby is all three of those. I forsee this post being a little scattered because I haven't been able to gather my thoughts before typing. So bear with me because I couldn't gather; I am too moved by what I have read and listened to in the last hour to try to scrape together my scattered mind. Read this for example (taken from a link on abort73.com):
Abortion, by the numbers, is a racist institution. That's not to say that all or even most of those who support abortion are racists. Nor does it imply that there are no racists among those who oppose abortion. This statement has nothing to do with agendas or intent. It has everything to do with the simple, undeniable reality that in the United States, abortion kills minority children at more than 3 times the rate of non-Hispanic, white children. The rate is even worse for black children. The Reverend Clenard H. Childress calls this phenomenon "black genocide", and has built a national ministry around the exposure of what he calls "the greatest deception [to] plague the black church since Lucifer himself"...

Lest you feel these claims are an exaggeration, consider the numbers. According to the most recent census data, black women make up 12.3% of the female population in America, but account for 35% of all U.S. abortions – that according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The Guttmacher Institute (AGI) puts the percentage of black abortions at 37% of the U.S. total. Similarly, AGI tells us that Hispanic women account for 22% of all U.S. abortions, though they make up just 12.5% of the female population. Compare those numbers to non-Hispanic, white women, who make up 62.6% of America's female population(1), but account for only 34% of all U.S. abortions.


Abortion is eliminating minority children in the United States at a staggering rate.
Every day in America, an average of 3,315 human beings lose their lives to abortion. Based on the percentages above, 729 of those babies are Hispanic, 1,127 are white, and 1,227 are black. Not only are black children being killed at a far greater percentage than white children, they're being killed in greater numbers, period. Is that not shocking?! Though the white population in the U.S. outnumbers the black population five to one, abortion kills more black children than white children, every day.


I am left speechless. How is this happening and why are people not outraged by what is essentially a genocide? We are often asked why we decided to adopt transracially. Aside from the sheer fact that we just wanted to be parents, in the beginning our reason was very simple: we knew it was what God was calling us to. We didn't necessarily have any specific reasons. We did know that black children are always harder to place than white, making the need for families to parent black children much greater than that for a white baby. The average wait time proves that. A couple will wait years for a healthy white baby, but a couple waiting for a black baby will wait mere months. So we went into transracially adoption feeling like we were meeting an obvious need while ministering to a mom who needs us.

Nearly 4 years after submitting our paperwork for our very first adoption attempt, reading articles like this do nothing but solidify God's call on our family. Our call now goes way past "meeting a need" in the community. Reading that 1/3 of black babies are aborted, and knowing that adoption isn't necessarily something that is considered an option among many, I am led to believe that abortion is the option that women run to when they aren't ready for a baby.

What does this mean to me? How does it apply to my life? I have felt that among Christians, domestic adoption isn't viewed as the rescue of an orphan like international adoption is. Any person who thinks this is more wrong than 2+2=5. I define domestic adoption as a partnership between souls. While I have only met one of our birthmoms, we have partnered with all three of them to stared death in the face, we have struck down Satan's tool of death in abortion, and have given three kids life. WE did that; it wasn't just Scott and I but it involved one other very brave mom. Our birthmoms went against the flow of this society, a culture who values life so little, and selflessly gave 9 months of her life so that one may live. She valued life so much that morning sickness, loss of jobs, rejection from family, whatever was the end result, was viewed as worth the price knowing that her child would live. Then, to take it even a step further, she chose adoption. Our birthmoms didn't care if their families were angered by their choice, didn't care what friends thought, didn't care that they were possibly viewed as unloving; all they cared about was the life growing in their womb. And as a family, we stand beside these women while we all proudly snatch a baby from death's hand. Domestic adoption is so much more than the rescue itself. It is the partnership between souls who may never meet, but whose goal is the same: to give life.

I have said it before and will say it again: MY BABIES WERE NOT OPTIONS! It kills me to think that any number of people may have looked at our birthmoms and said "You have options." Ugh. Just ugh. It makes me ill. So I'll send out a challenge to wrap it all up: if you have ever thought about adoption transracially do not let any person stand in your way. I have heard countless people say "I couldn't do it because my grandparents wouldn't approve." I hate to say it, but who cares what grandpa thinks? Grandpa isn't around forever anyway. I know that sounds uncaring and all, but, well, I am not known for my tact. We didn't ask a single family member what they thought of our decision. When it came down to it, we knew immediate family thought it was great, and that was all that mattered. And in the end all of our grandmas and grandpas love our kids to pieces. So to my 3 or 4 readers (haha) be open. That is all I ask.

I almost didn't watch this video. I am so glad I did. I also now love Nick Cannon :)

Seriously?

I have heard it all. After asking Jordan 4 or 5 times to please take off her pull-up so we could get ready for church she begrudgingly obliged. She got it to her knees then told me she couldn't get it off. Why? Because her feet were in the way. Worst.excuse.ever.

Ginormous

So today my mom did me the most lovely favor. She offered to keep all my kids for the morning while I had some alone time. I first went to Kohls to exchange some pants, then headed to the mall. I ate a pretzel while sipping on lemonade and doing my Colossians study. Then I strolled and told myself that I am just looking. I ended up in The Children's Place where they are having the "take an extra 50% off" sale. I love that sale. That is when I stock up on pants for Jordan. It is the only brand that has ever fit her right. Well, they only had one 4T pant left. But, they had tons of $3.50 pants for JW. The shocker? I had to buy 3T. Yes, my boy really is that big.

This huge boy of mine is trying very hard to figure out walking. He lets go and stands unassisted, but once he moves anything (hand or foot) he is flat on his face. The thud is so loud that you would expect him to leave a hole in the floor :)

A Letter From Mom

Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."


Dear Jordan, Micah, and big JW,
This post will not include any pictures or funny stories. My heart is somewhat heavy and I have some things I just have to get out. Today you are way too young to remember the tragedy that is the Haiti earthquake. Two of you are just itty-bitties, and well, Jordan, seeing as you think you met the Mickey Mouse this weekend I am guessing that something like an earthquake isn't quite on your radar yet. A week later and you are still talking about meeting Mickey at the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Oh to have the imagination of a 3.5 year old...

Haiti is a country griped by voodoo, a country that is being ravaged by HIV/AIDS. I really believe that God does use evil for good. Poor Joseph was sold off by his brothers but was later used by the Lord to feed a nation through the famine. (I hope by the time you read this you know where to find this story in the Bible. If you don't, go find it. I won't do the work for you by telling you where it is.) Anyway, what was intended for evil (the selling off of their brother) was actually used for good. You see, the God I serve isn't limited by earthquakes, homelessness, and HIV. Nope. Not my God. My God is the very God who created the universe. He tells the sea just how far to come, while directing lightening bolts through the clouds. Right now as I watch videos of orphans coming home all because of this earthquake, I am convinced that there is a greater purpose in store, an amazing story being played out. Because of this earthquake, more Christians that would have ever gone before are going to flood this poor nation with medicine, water, food, and most importantly, the gospel. Jesus cannot come back for his children until every single one of his chosen have been called and saved. There are people in the country of Haiti right now whom God has chosen. Because of this earthquake, someone will step up and go and preach, calling those chosen to God. Amazing, isn't it?

We must not discount "the least of these". Go to them!

A Laugh For the Day

Upon trying to convince Scott to get one of those things that go on top of the van for luggage, this is the conversation:

Me: Scott, we have 3 kids. We will use this forever. No matter the cost, it will be worth it. We can't have junk in the aisles of the van because someone needs to be able to crawl back and help the babies.

Scott: three kids and one on the way!

Me: hahahahahaha! NO WAY!

I am still chuckling about that one. I think my husband has lost his mind. Oh wait, maybe he just needs to be reminded of how hard 3 kids are. Maybe, just maybe, he needs to be home by himself with them for more than a couple hours at a time.

Yup, at this point in my life I am so done with kids. This could change at any moment though.

2009 In Review

What a wonderful year it was! God was so good to us and proved that he is indeed faithful even when we are not. I just don't know how one makes it through life without God. I don't think I have very many goals for 2010. Seriously, my goals are pretty short term nowadays: make it to naptime then make it to bed time. But after listening to the song Beautiful You (not sure of the artist, but it is a Christian song) I am sure that one of my goals will be to deeply root myself in God in order to find my beauty in him. And, now that I have 2 girls, I am even more sure that I need to begin teaching them of the beautiful creatures they are in our Lord as well. God gave us an innate desire to be found beautiful. There isn't anything wrong with that; it is just where we find that beauty that becomes the problem. I also want to spend more time reading the Bible with all three of my kids. We read with Jordan every night, but as much as she LOVES to read I wonder why I don't take more advantage of it.

My second goal for 2010 is to become even better at my lovely hobby of taking pictures. I mean, I think I am pretty good as it is, but there is always room for improvement. I need to get better at taking pics outside with the flash (during midday...that is always tough). I also want to find a wall in my house that I can paint white so I can put my kids against it and take gorgeous black and whites. That might be kind of hard considering my love for color, but I will try anyway.
Here is a year in review of my favorite pictures. I am going to try very very hard to pick my favorite picture for each month. I am hoping I can see my own progression in photography by looking back.

January: Jordan went through the phase where she wanted to wear hats.

February: I can't decide. Both focus on the eyes, but in very different ways.


March: still my favorite shoot ever, which is why I can't pick just one! I can't believe these pics are almost a year old. It means my baby is getting older and it also means that spring is around the corner.




April: I have to pat myself on the back for this one. This is straight out of the camera. No editing done at all :)

And I love this one too. Isn't she gorgeous?

May: Hadley gets my vote.

June: purely for centimental's sake

July:

August:


September: Ellie...need I say more?

October: These aren't great pictures, but you sure cannot deny the humor in JW's rolls haha! He has slimmed down since then.


November:


December:
I had several from this shoot that I really liked. I couldn't pick; but here is one of my favorites.

and for art's sake:


Here's to another great year! Can you believe that hubby is already talking about adopting #4? Slow down, buddy! Let me get past the yucky stage of wearing baby poop and puke, then we will talk about the next one.

The Ultimate Treasure Hunt

Geocacheing (pronounced geo-cash-ing). We are so doing this when it warms a bit. What great family fun AND you can do it wherever you are. So when we are visiting Scott's parents we can go treasure hunging. Or when we start taking family vacations we can take a break from mini-golf (hate it, by the way) and the beach to go geocacheing. Scott doesn't know this, but when we sell our car I am taking some of that money and getting a GPS just for geocacheing. I can't wait!
http://www.geocaching.com/