Our Boatload of Dreams.....
Welcome to Our Place Called Simplicity.
We invite you into our lives with one goal in mind: that you would be encouraged to live simply and truly love one another.
Married for 33 years, we are the parents of many. Eleven {so far} children. Eight of whom are adopted. We also have four sons and a daughter that we are parents of in Uganda as well. They were raised on the streets and had no parents until we "adopted" them 3+ years ago. So we really have sixteen children total {with more on the way}.
After 7+ weeks in Uganda, Emma {18} and I recently returned to the United States with our newest addition - a baby girl named Ruby Grace. Dw and Emma were leading a missions team in June 2011 where they had the privilege of meeting Ruby - a tiny 11 month old gem weighing only 6 lbs.
Our oldest daughter Abigail and her husband finally{!} allowed us the privilege of being Mimi and Jaja by bringing us our very first grand baby {from Uganda}...making us now, officially, a multi-generational adoptive family. Proof that adoption is a very, very good thing!
We've had the privilege of adopting our treasures from all over the world, some dubbed "special needs" we are convinced that the only TRUE special need a child has is to have a family.
Our peers are empty nesters, but we are certain that given this option to any orphan - "old mom and dad" or "no mom and dad", all would still vote for the old ones. So here we are - the old ones....doing it again....
If you are need of encouragement or wonder if God is able to move your mountain, please head over to the sidebar where Special Posts are listed. Start at Our Wild Adventure Part 1. You will be reminded of Almighty God's deep love for the orphan and how He will move mountains on their behalf....we call Him the Miracle-Working, Mountain-Moving, Awe-Inspiring, Gasp-Giving God!! Yippee Jesus!!
I am humbled beyond words and ever so grateful that the Lord is fulfilling a promise He gave me way back in 1982..."making the barren woman to be at home - the joyful mother of children" (Psalms 113:9). How I praise His name!!
22 Simply Sweet Words:
Wow - you have sure had a busy week! I know it is so fun to have all your family together getting ready for the wedding. Could not be happier for Tyler and Sarah. Enjoy all these wonderful moments. I will be praying about the drive to Iowa and the surgery. Blessings friend.
What a great thankful/grateful list once again. One thing I'm grateful/thankful for is this wonderful blog and you sharing your life with all of us. It's so neat to come here, see these awesome pictures and the smiles. I'm thankful for the gift of adoption....
hugs and love
I was sure when you said you found a penny pony that is was going to be Tyler on it.
We have a penny pony here at Me*jer and we are very thankful for it too.
grateful for friends who remind us of God's blessings and for a loving God who leads our path to people we wouldn't ordinarily meet. Love you!
I am grateful/thankful for your blog! Which encourages me and makes me smile daily! :)
look! i'm posting a comment! haha. i'm so bad at this, but i do read!
first off, i'm jealous that you have your own strawberry patch!! yum!
i love that restaurant you went to!! i recognize it :) you and abi look soo much alike. wow!!
congratulations to the wedding couple... how exciting! may God bless them in their marriage!!
i'm thankful for the perfect weather we've been having...not too hot--which is good when you don't have a/c!!
i'm thankful for being a SAHM..and having a husband who realizes how much work it really is!! even with little ones in school. it's still a full time job!!
i'm thankful for photography jobs that give me a little extra cash to fund my sewing projects :)
i'm thankful that i live in a safe, fun neighborhood that my kids can play freely in!
i'm thankful for the internet and all the inspiration and information it provides...as well as giving me a way to keep up with far away family and friends
i'm thankful for my little family. it is perfect for me!
i think i could go on and on, but i think this comment is long enough!!
I'm so grateful we still live in a nation that is "under God". My prayer is this won't be taken away from us. Ohilda at a bouquet of Blessings just posted this link. I hope every person reading this will take just a few moments and listen to it. It is the most powerful I've ever seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpQOCvthw-o
Thank you Tyler for helping to preserve this. May GOD bless your life ahead. ~Susan.
I'm grateful to be able to visit your blog to remind me of all I do have.... thanks
I'm thankful for seasons of joy!
And I'm thankful that God knows the rest of the story...
I'm thankful for that last photo and the way it made me smile. What a CUTIE PIE!
My hubby is wondering if he could keep up with another 3 y.o. boy and I told him he is not as old as DW yet and he is doing fine. I will show him your pictures,not the one with the oil on the floor though.
I'm thankful for your thankful Thrusdays. They always make me smile, and pause to be thankful for things I would never think of, like nail polish and road signs. Thank you for being so darn stinkin' adorable... and thank you for your beautiful BIG Ol' Honkin family that just makes my heart smile BIG!!
love you sister!
:)
Amie
Linny,
We are thankful for the skilled surgeon who just operated on our little boy's beautiful face to help him grow and give him a hope and a future.
We are also thankful for attending the Philip Hayden reunion this past weekend and meeting Tim and Pam B*ker, getting to give them a hug personally for taking such good care of our precious Philip.
Love in Christ,
Janet and Kevin
I am grateful for a loving caring husband who is a spiritual leader. I am grateful for our 7 beautiful children that have all been spared from harm! I am grateful for the camp ministry here that we get to be a part of, and the many many many hearts that are opened to see HIM!!! I am grateful for a great summer staff that care about others so much they serve with God's heart! I am grateful to live in a country that we still have freedoms!!!!!!
I love this grateful/thankful thursday list!
looks like having all your kids home is lots of fun! i'm 16, and have 3 older sisters, 2 little adopted brothers, and two little (2 and 4 yrs old) foster sisters-it makes for quite a busy/crazy/chaotic house when everyone is home. but its SO much fun!! lots of memories are always made!
enjoy your weekend and the wedding!!
I am thankful to have found your blog and the opportunity to see inside your life. I am VERY thankful for adoption as I would not be a Mama without it. And I can't imagine not being Mama to THEM. Blessings for the next coming days.
I'm thankful for YOU! :) I didn't post a Thankful Thursday today so I'm being thankful on yours. :)
I am thankful that we got our referral after 3 years of waiting!!!!
I'm grateful for bloggy friends that remind me that God is the ultimate promise keeper!
Im thankful for wonderful friends like you and special blessing from God
I'm thankful that i can read about thankfulness from folk that have been through so much!!!!
Thank You Jesus for your beautiful witness
xxx
s
Praying for beautiful weather and a wonderful celebration for Tyler and Sarah's wedding tonight.
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