2008

I'm feeling much better today. Luke took the kids all day yesterday and I slept, took pain pills and slept some more. Today, I've been pain pill free since 5:30am. Man, those things made me CRAZY!

Anyway, laying in the bed for 1.5 days gave me a lot of time to think (and become pretty smelly and have some weirdy-fied dreams...but that's another post entirely).

I thought back over the last year, what I could remember hyped up on pain pills, and remembered all of the grace and mercy that my Lord has shown us this year. It's been an interesting year to say the least. One filled with some pretty big steps of faith, some obvious acts of obedience and more blessings than my foggy mind can count.

I think back to what my 3 oldest "babies" looked and acted like in January of 08. To be honest, I had to look up some pictures on my computer. Here's what I found.

It made me cry.

"Serious, funny and WHAT?!?"
Elizabeth - 3.5 years, Lucas and Ashlee 20ish months

Baby Face Lucas
about 20 months old

Ashlee's self inked Chinese tattoo
about 20 months

Then, I think about the clear calling that led us to becoming foster parents. As we took the classes, we made good friends along the way and God confirmed that we were going in the right direction. The blessings just kept piling up.

Then, we got the call for Baby D. It was scary and emotional and completely, 100% right. We knew that it was God's perfect plan being unfolded before our very eyes.

Then, just as we began adjusting to life to with 4 kids, God spoke once more and we accepted Baby Girl into our home. From the outside looking in, this year must have painted us as the picture of crazy people. Honestly, at times, I wondered if we really were crazy. However, through it all, through all the laughter, tears, arguments, frustration, sleep-deprivation, fun, spit up and poop, God has proven Himself faithful.

When I've thought there were days when I just couldn't go on, God has carried me. When I've wanted to bite someone's head off, but supernaturally held my tongue, God was there. When I've slipped, fallen and wallowed in my sin, God picked me up, cleaned me off and set me straight.

I praise Him for being new every morning and not just once a year.

Happy New Year to you all and may you see God's blessings upon you each and every day as you earnestly seek His desires for your life.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

~Lamentations 3:22-25