"And I am yours!"
As I started posting this morning, these words were being played on the radio. It was a reminder from God..."No matter what we do, no matter what goes on in our lives, ups and downs, He makes it for His glory!"
I have been having a discouraging week, various things going on. But, I call to my God, and he answers with the peace that gets me through. He may not change what is going on at the moment...He may not calm the storm around me, but he does calm me.
Nothing new on Blessing yet. We will hear, in a week or so, if he has been finalized. If not, he will be finalized next month. I am trying to be positive and think of all the things I can get done before we bring him home.
The weather is beautiful today. Sunny skies, and supposedly low sixties this afternoon!
We did get news from our homestudy agency, that we have our foster care license. That's a good step, since it is required for Wisconsin to bring Blessing home.
Still looking for that "perfect" hobby farm for us. Will even settle for just a nice piece of land to start with. There are a few possibilites we are looking at right now, but no clear answers yet. We are getting anxious to start living on a farm. My kids are looking forward to this change, so are Scott and I.
A friend of mine has started teaching me knitting. It's such a great way to sit, think, pray, and make something at the same time. I am finding it a bit addictive!
Homeschooling Anthony is going fantastic. He loves it, and so do I! I love having this time with him. He is such a great kid, kind, compassionate. This time at home will protect that and help him grow in a positive way. Right now, Alex is doing great in our public school, and Edline is getting so much help from her various teachers, that I know I could not give her at this time. Her speech has gotten so lazy lately, we are working hard on not letting her get a way with this. Although she must "think" to speak clearly, this is a lot of work for all of us to stay on top of this.
Tomorrow it is off to the ear dr. for Love once again! She is not hearing well, so this may be another surgery for tubes, third time! As long as she can hear better!
Hope everyone has a blessed day/week!
Love,Christina
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Hmmmm...
What has the Hoffman household been like lately? Uhmmm, busy!!
After spending about two months being physically ill from different things, I am finally feeling healthy again! Thank God!
Last weeks sermon at church was about, "leaving a legacy." I love this! This is so dear to my heart! I want my children to grow up with compassionate hearts, a desire to help others, and to love God more than anything! Being a family of adoption is such a wonderful way to teach this. So many days have such great teaching moments. We openly talk about our girls' conditions when they came to the orphanage. How healthy they are now, how much their little brains are learning. Even though Edline has a cognative disability, she is my most compassionate child toward orphans. This became apparent when we started talking about adopting again. It's a wonderful thing to see! Another beautiful breakthrough we have has with Edline, is...drum roll please...SHE IS STARTING TO READ!!! This is just huge!!!! For a year we have been working with sight words. This has not worked for Edline, mostly due to her lack of memory recall. Well, this year she is in the LD (learning disability) class instead of the CD (cognative disability) class. They started working on only the sounds of the letters, then learning how to connect the sounds, and she has started reading 1-3 letter words this way. Granted, she seems to have to sounds out every single letter, each and every time. But, she has finally gotten this concept and is loving this!! We are so proud of her! All her teachers are just amazed at her growth! We cannot go down the school hall without someone stopping us and telling us how much they love Edline!
Conferences were this past week. We have excellent reports ACROSS THE BOARD on all our kids! All our kids have the same reports..."very pleasant to have in class." Anthony's last day in the middle school was a bit busy with the whole 6th grade class swarming him, going to miss his presence. I am such a proud momma!
I started homeschooling Anthony this week. What a great start! He loves it! I am really going to enjoy this time with him. I really feel that he will learn so much more this way, and not have the pressures that middle school puts on these kids.
We did get an official "orphan report" this week from Donna at Acres of Hope. This gives us a good idea on how Blessing is doing. It sounds like he is a bit spoiled and very opinionated! Oh he will fit so well in our family! He loves being held, ALL THE TIME, fed A LOT, and does not like a dirty diaper! It sounds like he will be a big boy. I think he is already bigger than when we brought Love home from the orpanage three years ago. (She was the size of a 5 month old, at 18 months of age). He is in a size 2 shoe already! I can't wait to hold my little baby boy!
God has been really working on me in several areas. He is so faithful and loving. So many times I feel the need to "do what I want." He stops me and diverts my path to be alligned with where He wants me to go.
I have an image that appears in my head so many times. It's not a dream, it's how my heart yearns to help orphans. Here it is... I am walking along a dirt road, by myself. I come across a child that is looking at me with empty eyes, this childs body is nothing but bones, sometimes this child has a severe deformity, a child that this place would call..."cursed" or not "worthy" of a life. So many times I see people just walking right past this child, sometimes they are business professionals on their way to work to earn enough to have that expensive car or house. Sometimes they are moms, just driving by to get to their childs soccer game. But, I don't walk by, I go to this child with a heart that wants to heal them, love them, rescue them. This is where the image ends, but the thoughts of the "other " people make me so angry. Okay, so in our regular lives, here in this very rich country, people may not see or imagine this image. But there are so many opportunities to help others. It may be a homeless person, it may be to sponsor a chid, it may be to mentor. There are so many ways to just be Jesus to others. I know that my heart is for the orphans. I truly want to be Jesus to these beautiful gifts that God created. I'm sure God weeps when people pass by these Jesus situations. I know I don't want to cause my God to weep! I want Him to say to me, "well done my good and faithfull servant."
After spending about two months being physically ill from different things, I am finally feeling healthy again! Thank God!
Last weeks sermon at church was about, "leaving a legacy." I love this! This is so dear to my heart! I want my children to grow up with compassionate hearts, a desire to help others, and to love God more than anything! Being a family of adoption is such a wonderful way to teach this. So many days have such great teaching moments. We openly talk about our girls' conditions when they came to the orphanage. How healthy they are now, how much their little brains are learning. Even though Edline has a cognative disability, she is my most compassionate child toward orphans. This became apparent when we started talking about adopting again. It's a wonderful thing to see! Another beautiful breakthrough we have has with Edline, is...drum roll please...SHE IS STARTING TO READ!!! This is just huge!!!! For a year we have been working with sight words. This has not worked for Edline, mostly due to her lack of memory recall. Well, this year she is in the LD (learning disability) class instead of the CD (cognative disability) class. They started working on only the sounds of the letters, then learning how to connect the sounds, and she has started reading 1-3 letter words this way. Granted, she seems to have to sounds out every single letter, each and every time. But, she has finally gotten this concept and is loving this!! We are so proud of her! All her teachers are just amazed at her growth! We cannot go down the school hall without someone stopping us and telling us how much they love Edline!
Conferences were this past week. We have excellent reports ACROSS THE BOARD on all our kids! All our kids have the same reports..."very pleasant to have in class." Anthony's last day in the middle school was a bit busy with the whole 6th grade class swarming him, going to miss his presence. I am such a proud momma!
I started homeschooling Anthony this week. What a great start! He loves it! I am really going to enjoy this time with him. I really feel that he will learn so much more this way, and not have the pressures that middle school puts on these kids.
We did get an official "orphan report" this week from Donna at Acres of Hope. This gives us a good idea on how Blessing is doing. It sounds like he is a bit spoiled and very opinionated! Oh he will fit so well in our family! He loves being held, ALL THE TIME, fed A LOT, and does not like a dirty diaper! It sounds like he will be a big boy. I think he is already bigger than when we brought Love home from the orpanage three years ago. (She was the size of a 5 month old, at 18 months of age). He is in a size 2 shoe already! I can't wait to hold my little baby boy!
God has been really working on me in several areas. He is so faithful and loving. So many times I feel the need to "do what I want." He stops me and diverts my path to be alligned with where He wants me to go.
I have an image that appears in my head so many times. It's not a dream, it's how my heart yearns to help orphans. Here it is... I am walking along a dirt road, by myself. I come across a child that is looking at me with empty eyes, this childs body is nothing but bones, sometimes this child has a severe deformity, a child that this place would call..."cursed" or not "worthy" of a life. So many times I see people just walking right past this child, sometimes they are business professionals on their way to work to earn enough to have that expensive car or house. Sometimes they are moms, just driving by to get to their childs soccer game. But, I don't walk by, I go to this child with a heart that wants to heal them, love them, rescue them. This is where the image ends, but the thoughts of the "other " people make me so angry. Okay, so in our regular lives, here in this very rich country, people may not see or imagine this image. But there are so many opportunities to help others. It may be a homeless person, it may be to sponsor a chid, it may be to mentor. There are so many ways to just be Jesus to others. I know that my heart is for the orphans. I truly want to be Jesus to these beautiful gifts that God created. I'm sure God weeps when people pass by these Jesus situations. I know I don't want to cause my God to weep! I want Him to say to me, "well done my good and faithfull servant."
Friday, October 5, 2007
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
A humble request for help...
We are seeking help to bring our Josiah Blessing home. We are so tapped out with our funds from this adoption. We have prayed over our financial situation and feel led to ask others for help. As hard of a request this is to make, I know that we can accomplish this.
I have set up a webpage, along with our mailing address and even a paypal account for those who prefer to donate directly online.
Please take a look!
Thanks,
In Christ,
Christina
http://helpusbringblessinghome.blogspot.com
I have set up a webpage, along with our mailing address and even a paypal account for those who prefer to donate directly online.
Please take a look!
Thanks,
In Christ,
Christina
http://helpusbringblessinghome.blogspot.com
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
UGH!!
Okay, the title is axactly how I feel! I have been soooo sick these past few days. I can't remember being this sick. My husband has done a great job at getting taking care of the kids' needs, off to school, etc. My 4 y.o. and I just lay around all day. Today is the first time in awhile have enough energy to sit up for a little bit.
I have realized that my kids need a little more training for when mom is down for the count. Dishes need done, a mile high pile of laundry needs done, groceries need to be bought...WHERE'S MY WIFE? Can I rent one, just until my house is back to normal???? Oh well, I will take care of it LATER! And, I will do it with pure joy!!
Before I was down for the count, we went camping and had a great time. The fall colors are so pretty! We got our campfire and s'more fix. Had a nice hike. We went and saw our little Ellie! She is our first baby alpaca. She was born almost two weeks ago, and is beautiful! She is beautfully brown all over, big black eyes, and all legs! Her mom, who is also ours, is quite the good mom! That is a blessing for alpaca owners. Crias (baby alpacas) are so suseptable to many illnesses and disease, and they are very fragile for the first few months. So having a good mom is the best thing! We are still having our alpacas boarded until we can find a farm or land. We are being pretty picky about this. I know the Lord will bring something in His timing. So, we now have 5 alpacas, and two more crias due in the spring. I will post pics when I get my energy back, the computer is as about as far as I can get right now.
I must go and lay back down! God Bless!
I have realized that my kids need a little more training for when mom is down for the count. Dishes need done, a mile high pile of laundry needs done, groceries need to be bought...WHERE'S MY WIFE? Can I rent one, just until my house is back to normal???? Oh well, I will take care of it LATER! And, I will do it with pure joy!!
Before I was down for the count, we went camping and had a great time. The fall colors are so pretty! We got our campfire and s'more fix. Had a nice hike. We went and saw our little Ellie! She is our first baby alpaca. She was born almost two weeks ago, and is beautiful! She is beautfully brown all over, big black eyes, and all legs! Her mom, who is also ours, is quite the good mom! That is a blessing for alpaca owners. Crias (baby alpacas) are so suseptable to many illnesses and disease, and they are very fragile for the first few months. So having a good mom is the best thing! We are still having our alpacas boarded until we can find a farm or land. We are being pretty picky about this. I know the Lord will bring something in His timing. So, we now have 5 alpacas, and two more crias due in the spring. I will post pics when I get my energy back, the computer is as about as far as I can get right now.
I must go and lay back down! God Bless!
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