Recipes... recipes... and more recipes.... and a trip to the Dentist!!!

Hello everyone... If you occasionally see a 1/2 cup of Sugar or 3 cups of flour typed in among the words here... please forgive me... I have been TYPING, TYPING, TYPING, and did I mention TYPING on this lovely idea I've had... called a COOKBOOK!!!! LOL! I have worked for hours... and still have hours to go... What a labor of love!! and so many of my "friends" thought this was a GREAT idea.... hummmmmmm...... I am seriously thinking that if I see another recipe I could possibly scream. I have been typing and working on it for several hours per night... and am bummed that it's almost Oct. 1st.. cause that was my deadline for myself. Oh well... I'll get it all completed by this weekend.... and it's really shaping up to look like a good cookbook... LOTS of yummy recipes... and I'm really excited... (well, excited to get all the hard stuff done and it sent off to the company!)

Today was a fun day for us... Brook had her first visit to the dentist!! The Dentist had told me to bring Brooklyn in the next time Bailey and I were coming in for a cleaning so she could watch and feel more comfortable.... so, off we go... and Brooklyn watches.. and after a few minutes they ask her if she'd like to go to the next room and sit in the chair... she hops down, takes the hygienists hand.. and off they go to the next room... the hygienist comes back in a couple of minutes to tell me it appears that she "wants" to get her teeth cleaned and wanted to know if I really wanted her to be seen by the Dr. etc... I said sure... so Brooklyn got the entire cleaning/check-up/fluoride, etc... she sat in the "big" chair like a 10 year old... and is very proud of herself. I have to admit that it made me teary eyed seeing my 3 year old baby in the exam chair... call me crazy, but the weirdest things make me cry anymore... the girls at the dentist were laughing and saying I needed to get those Kazakhstan boys here fast!!!! LOL!!! Like they were telling me anything I didn't already know... ha ha....

One year.....

Well, for weeks I've been waiting for these last few days and they are here.... it was one year yesterday that our adoption journey began... God spoke to my heart while attending a Joyce Meyer's Women's Convention in St. Louis, MO.... who would have known? I remember getting ready for the conference and being really excited for the weekend away.... hoping and praying that I would come home really encouraged and lifted up in the Lord... wow!!! little did I know my entire life as I'd known it was FOREVER going to change.... as I think back over that weekend in St. Louis... it's amazing how God worked all the details out... My sister-in-law was so determined we were going to attend, and in the beginning I tried to even talk her out of going, but God had a plan... (little did I know!)
If you haven't read the story about how this journey began.. I have it all typed out on a link on our website..


It's an amazing story.. and even as I think back over the last year and all the amazing ways God has shown us his will, I am still humbled by the entire thing! I still wonder why o why God chose our family... but, I know that whom God calls he equips... It's amazing how easy it is when you just make yourself truly and completely available to God.... he will do the hard stuff!!!

I really am not a SUPER spiritual amazing person... we aren't some super spiritually awesome family... we are honestly a very common, normal family who is attempting to serve God with everything within them.... and sometimes we fall short... but, you know what... God is there and he picks us up, dusts us off, and heads us back on track! I am so thankful for my Lord and Savior... I honestly know that there is NO way I could handle the emotional roller coaster of this adoption journey without my Lord.... I challenge any of you who might read my blog that don't know my Jesus to reach out to him... he's waiting and he wants a relationship with you.... lean on him during this journey... lean on him through whatever you are going through... he will NEVER leave you or forsake you!!! His word says it and it's so!

I really can't believe it's been a year since God spoke to my heart... wow... there has been $17,000 in fundraisers, numerous lives touched, our own lives totally transformed in amazing ways, and God's glory seen day after day... what an incredible 365 days!!!
I also feel like we've been on this journey for years.... it feels we've been waiting forever... and we thought for sure we'd be home with our child / children by this one year anniversary! God knows the timing in all things (including this!) and we are standing firm in his word for that...
I have to say it's just amazing that one year ago yesterday our lives COMPLETELY and TOTALLY changed forever... and if it hadn't been for that day... 365 days ago... we wouldn't even be where we are in life today... thank you Jesus for allowing our family to be apart of this awesome plan....
I also want all the PAP's out there who might read our blog or anyone that reads our blog to know that we are praying for you...

Here's praying for another amazing 365 days... I can't wait to see what's happening in our world and yours in 2009.

All my love,
Lanetta

There is still time.....

Hello to everyone tonight...
I just wanted to quickly post here that there is still time to get recipes to me.... I have LOTS of typing to do to get them ready to go, so you can continue to send them to me... I've received several e-mails asking if it's to late... and just thought I'd let everyone know that there is still time if you'd like to submit one... and honestly we need more.

(If you have no idea what I'm talking about.... scroll down to post on 8-8-08 for details of our latest fundraiser!)

and... after over 3 fun filled (boy) weeks, Jacob went back home tonight... :-(
we have to say we are very sad around here.... and miss him terribly! His Grandpa passed away last Thursday... so please keep Jacob and that family in your prayers.

Have a blessed week!
Lanetta

Trip to the Zoo...

We spent a fun-filled afternoon at the zoo yesterday with the girls and Jacob... it was a great time... All 3 kids had a wonderful day... and loved seeing all the animals, however the highlight seemed to be the train ride!!
We sure are enjoying Jacob staying with us... and I wanted to share a couple of pictures from our zoo adventure:


Climbing on the rocks is always a fun zoo adventure...








Here's a picture of the kids and Phil checking out a HUGE tortoise... the kids thought these large turtles WERE amazing... and loved watching them crawl around!!




Here's a fun one that I took right after we'd finished eating our picnic lunch... zoo and a picnic... can't beat it!!


I just had to share these couple of photos I captured of Jacob the other night.. he's such a sweet boy and I have to admit I've enjoyed every second (well, almost :-)) of little boy stuff... spiky hair and all the boy stuff is so fun to me!!! I'm sure it's due to my lack of it in the past... ha ha... Jacob is SO proud of his new spiky hair and says, thanks Netta, I like it when you make my hair, cool... I'm so handsome!!!!! He's so right... he's a doll (in my eyes for sure!)








This picture captures a small portion of his personality.... he's ALL boy!!!














Adoption news: I have received additional recipes, but could still use more... thanks to all of you who have submitted... (if you are new to the blog and have no idea what I'm talking about... the post from 8-8-08 explains it!)
Thanks to everyone who has submitted a recipe and we are hoping for massive numbers of sold cookbooks... with lots of $$ made!!! Thank you Lord!

Have a blessed Sunday afternoon... and a wonderful week!!!
Lanetta

Resorting to begging.....

Below is an e-mail I sent out to all family and friends tonight... and it also applies to all my "online" adoption friends... if you are considering submitting a recipe we'd love to have you be apart of our adoption cookbook... (see post on 8-8-08 for details!)


Hello to everyone..

I really don't have much of an update to send out, but I am resorting to begging for recipes... I know that most of you are like me... and if someone I know and love had requested recipes it would be on my to do list... but, I would have not found the time to get around to it... or just plain forget...
so, this is my nice friendly reminder that I NEED recipes for the adoption cookbook asap!! I had originally set the deadline for Friday, Sept. 5th, but have extended it to Monday... so that if you need more time to get those yummy recipes to me you can.....
I've had SEVERAL people e-mail that they would get some to me, but haven't gotten them yet... so I wanted to remind all of you that I need them please...
thank you to everyone who has sent recipes to us... we appreciate it so much....

on adoption updates... we are still waiting... we are in line to be resubmitted to the consulate in NY and we should hear how quickly that will happen after Sept. 15th... so we are waiting... and God knows the perfect timing in all this!

thanks for your love, concern, and prayers.... I am praying for about 50 more recipes over the weekend... and please know that you are welcome to submit as many as you'd like..... (this is me begging....)


Have a blessed Friday!!
Lanetta

Labor day comes to an end...

It's always amazing to me how quickly days off from work come and go.... The long weekend is over... and we had a nice weekend. We've been blessed by the presence of an amazing little boy (Jacob) for a couple of weeks now... A couple from our church (who have adopted him - their grandson) needed some help and we volunteered... The Grandpa is fighting a TOUGH battle with cancer and has been hospitalized for over a week. Please remember this family in your prayers... This little boy has a very special place in our hearts and we will be sad to see him return home...

It's been so nice having a boy around... Phil and I have both enjoyed it so much... Phil's taken every opportunity imaginable to spend "guy" time with him... and they've had a wonderful time... from fishing, to swimming, to just wrestling.... we love this little guy to death... and are so blessed that his family has shared him with us... The girls both adore him as well... and we've had such a fun few weeks....
I had to include some pictures from our time...
Phil bought the younger kids (Brooklyn and Jacob) fishing poles as a reward for good behavior and making "good choices!" Phil was very happy to get to buy a "boy" pole.. LOL... so, the kids and Phil spent some time fishing... I was laughing as I was adding pictures to the blog that it appears we are a "fishing" family, but quite honestly we are not... the pond is in our back yard... and we do not fish very often... I in fact NEVER fish, but Phil and the girls fish a few times a year... anyway, the last few weeks, they've enjoyed it more... and this weekend the perch were biting.... so, the kids LOVED it.. they each caught fish on their own..... Phil was VERY busy re baiting hooks... while I was busy with the camera.... :-)
Here are some of the highlights...


Brooklyn was mighty proud and the first to catch a fish... she never got out of her chair... Phil and I about died laughing... she was excited, but just stayed sitting down and reeled him in like a pro...
She was also VERY excited to hold him herself for a picture.. and quickly told her Daddy she could hold her own fish... Ha ha...



This is just an adorable pic. I snapped of Brook and Jacob... isn't he a cutie??? He's had such a great time being outside around here....from the pool, to the trampoline, to the puppy, to the swings, to the fort, to the sand box, to the Barbie jeep (:-)), to the pond catching frogs... and then all over again... he's definitely slept good at night!!!




Jacob was so proud of his fish... and was ready to pose for a picture... he insisted he could put it back in the pond himself... and with only a little help from Phil he did just that...
he was ready to fish after catching one...



and then here is Bay... she thinks she's the fishing champion of the world now... (right up there with an Olympic athlete...) she caught 4 fish in a row... just one right after another... she squealed and screamed with every fish... and you'd have thought they weighed 10 pounds.... it was a great time!!



We did get some things done around the house that we've needed to get done for a while... so overall it was a great weekend....
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On the international adoption front we did hear back from our agency... and they were aware of the rumors that have been flying around... and are attempting to confirm those, but have not confirmed any of the rumors as definite yet... so, we are still waiting...

We have been trying to use this time to grow... and seek God for all he is...
The Lord has used various things/situations/instances to encourage us the past few weeks... and we are doing so much better... We can wait forever if that's what God calls us to do... one day we'll know why! or maybe we won't... but, that's what serving God and being obedient is about... Faith... Faith to step out when you are not sure... Faith to just believe God... all is takes is the size of a mustard seed...
We recently heard a sermon and this phrase stuck with me: we should not change our actions, words, or thoughts, when we are in a valley.... for these very things will help us overcome the valley we are in....
Thank you Lord for your little reminders along this journey...

Praying everyone has a blessed September....
Lanetta