Life Unexpected

It's been 3 weeks and 1 day since I started "7."  To be honest, I haven't really wanted to write this blog post, because I have felt somewhat a failure at this fast.  I have felt like a failure for a lot of reasons.  First of all, while I have eaten A LOT of chicken, spinach, apples, bread, black beans, eggs, and sweet potatoes, there have been several times when I have had to veer away from the fast due to traveling, retreats I have been on, and dinner appointments we have had.  Each time I have veered away from the 7 items, I have felt like I have failed...like I haven't done this thing as well as I possibly could, even though the reality was that I didn't really have access to those 7 items.  Guilt...it gets me every time. I have also struggled with hearing God's voice.  To be honest, one of the biggest reasons I chose to participate in this fast was because I so desperately wanted to hear God's voice on several major things I had been personall...

Today marks one official week since starting our fast, "7."  To catch up those who didn't read my last blog, Nate and I are on an adventure to not only simplify our lives, but to draw closer to the heart of Christ, through an experiment/fast of simplicity.  This month we are focusing on food and have chosen seven food items we will be eating for the month:  chicken, black beans, spinach, apples, sweet potatoes, eggs, and wheat bread.  We have also chosen to not drink coffee.  While we have had to make a few "exceptions" this week along the way (which I will have to blog about later), I am learning as I go.  H ere are a few things I have learned in week one... 1.  Coffee has created its own rung on my personal food pyramid.  Seriously.  I consider it a necessity for life and parting ways with it has been painful!  The first four days I had a massive headache, I was a grouchy mama, and I every time I drove by Dunkin Donuts and Starbuc...

Happy New Year and welcome to the first blog post of 2014!  This past year has been one of the most incredible years of my life and I am still in awe of all that has taken place.  It's hard to believe that 10 months ago we received a phone call that would change the course of our life.  My mom and I had just returned from a day out on our annual Mom/Daughter Florida trip, when Nate called with the news.  After a 3 year wait, we had finally been matched with a 4 month old baby boy in Ethiopia!  Two months later we would get the call that we had been invited to travel to meet him, and Nate, myself and my mom, would jump on the plane 24 hours after that call, embarking on a trip that would go down in the history books as some of the best days ever.  That trip would be the one that would captivate our hearts in a way we could have never imagined and we met and held our son Biruk for the very first time half way around the world.  Almost two months later,...

At the start of the Christmas season I heard Third Day's song, "Merry Christmas."  The lyrics are powerful and read as follows: There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn Crying for momma's arms At an orphanage just outside a little China town There the forgotten are But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine It's Christmas time again but you're not home Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights I'm warmed by the fire's glow Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white, Make angels in the snow But half a world away you try your best to fight the tears And hope that heaven's angels come to carry you here It'...

I've been avoiding blogging these past several weeks, because I honestly don't feel like words can do the thoughts that are in my heart justice.  For the past several Christmas seasons, I have only been able to imagine and dream about what having a child would feel like.  Last night, as I my family and I headed up to Hershey Park for a night of Chocolate World, Christmas lights and visiting Santa's reindeer, I felt as though I had to pinch myself...what I have been dreaming about for so long is now my reality, and in so many ways, it feels like of what I imagine heaven to be like. I watched as Biruk slept in his car seat, his little lips pursed in the cutest of ways, and felt teary-eyed again. This is our son!  Hope has come to us this Christmas season.  I watched as my Dad held Biruk in his arms during the Chocolate World Ride, making sure that he saw every little animation that was present, and listened to my Mom calling out in excitement making sure Biruk experi...

One of the greatest things about finally having Biruk home is experiencing all of the "firsts."  This weekend was definitely a weekend filled with first time experiences.  For starters, Biruk and I experienced our very first "Mommy/Son Morning Out," this past Saturday.  As crazy as it seems, Biruk and I haven't really been anywhere by ourselves since we have been home, other than the grocery store.  We tend to do A LOT as a family...me, Nate and Biruk (which I LOVE)...especially now that Nate is a stay at home Dad.  Saturday, Nate had decided to go out with a friend for the morning, so it was just Biruk and I, and I decided that it would be a good idea to take him Christmas shopping with me.  Let me just say, shopping with a one year old is no easy task!  The first couple of shops were great.  And then he had his first meltdown.  Sometimes when I push him in the cart, he just wants to hug me...which I love...the meltdown included a few brief ...

Throughout our journey, some of the most challenging days have come around the Holidays.  I come from a family where traditions are huge and family time is priceless.  While Thanksgiving and Christmas are two holidays that we can't wait to be with our family for, over the past several years of our waiting process, they became holidays that we longed to have our own child to share in the celebrations with.  Last Wednesday, as we loaded up our car to travel to Bel Air for Thanksgiving, it was almost surreal that we weren't just taking our dog Al with us this year!  We had an actual child in our car...a son that we had not only dreamed about but prayed for as a family over countless holidays.  That reality in itself set off the flood works of gratitude in our hearts. Our Thanksgiving was amazing.  From driving in the car with Biruk (ok...that had it's amazing parts and not so amazing parts, let's be honest!), to watching the Macy's Day Parade, to eating Th...