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!!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

I Just Love When He Does That....

Just had to mention what He did for me last night. I had a client I counseled last night. It ran late and Dw was home with the kids. I mentioned that since the cupboards were basically bare, I probably ought to just go to the grocery store. It was late. I was tired. Emmy & Graham were at youth group. Dw said, "Don't you want to wait till you have someone big to go with you?" "It's okay, the cupboards are so empty, I better just go."



So after a couple of hours of shopping and $456.00 + later I turned toward the exit. Heading toward the door precariously manuevering the two carts and having a stinkin' hot flash at the same time (extra special niiiiiice....I absolute love having hot flashes while I am pushing two loaded shopping carts bundled in winter clothes, it is my favorite!).....suddenly I remembered all that snow we had and how awful the parking lot is just to walk on, let alone try to get two carts to my car. So I prayed, "Lord, would you please bring someone along who knows me who could just help me drag these carts to the car...."



The WalMart greeter was just a young girl and she smiled and laughed as she saw me with these bulging carts. I said, "Please tell me I'm burning a bunch of calories, huh?" She laughed even harder and said I had to be. Good thing!!



I pushed my way to the door and looked at the parking lot - looking for someone I knew. The entire parking lot was empty of people. It was the barren I had seen in a long time. I prayed again, "Pleeeeeease Lord, would you send someone to help me with these carts?"



Literally, at that very second, out of NOWHERE came a young man carrying a little girl. In the darkness I peered at him and realized I didn't know him. But I am always smiling at people, so I just smiled. He said, "Hey, would you like me to help you get these to your car?" OH.MY.GRACIOUS! I said, "You are an answer to prayer. I was asking the Lord to send someone to help me and you are a wonderful answer to prayer." I asked him what his little girl's name was? "Kay".


As we got to the car I turned and saw his tee-shirt (crazy kid was only wearing a tee-shirt). I said, "Hey, what's your shirt say?" It said something like, "Because of the cross I'm forgiven." I gasped! "Oh my gracious!!! You're a Christian!" I told him that my husband pastored The River. He said he was unfamiliar with it because they were from South Fork.


I thanked him and Kay profusely and rejoiced the entire way home - Yippee Jesus!! I just love when He does that....answering our prayers on the spot!!


Of course I still wonder if I were to go hunting in South Fork, Colorado if there would really be a young man with a little girl name Kay?? My guess is he might even just have been an angel!!



PS Have a super fun post for later today.....someone special has a birthday today!! Be back soon...

17 Simply Sweet Words:

JR said...

LOVE ♥ that story! Thanks for sharing!!

Liberty Ruffles said...

Am loving this!

Lisa said...

A great story. It just shows how God can answer prayers where ever and whenever, if we take the time to ask.

I bet you had a lot of groceries.

Lisa
Newark, ohio

Chris and Sarah said...

I love those angel stories!!!

Adeye said...

tooooo wonderful. He's just amazing like that :)

Love you, friend.

Leah W said...

I love that we serve a REAL God!

Sasa said...

Linny, I love to look up the meaning of names (God was always very purposeful in naming His people throughout the Bible, right?). Guess what "Kay" means? Rejoice. How's that for a little God detail?! I love His ways!!

karina said...

I love when He does that too. It's like getting a love note from your hubby, or flowers for no reason. Just lets you know that He loves you enough to care about the little things. :)

scrappy quilter said...

God is so good. I truly believe He sends angels just when we need them. Beautiful story. Hugs

Shanti said...

awesome story!!

Alison said...

Oh, I just LOVE stories like that! We do serve an awesome God!

Jim and April said...

how awesome is that! Right down to the very little things we need, God cares about them all! Thanks for this reminder!

WilxFamily said...

I just love how He provides in the little things.

Oh my goodness do I love Him.

Melissa said...

I love it !!God is so good !

Jill said...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE hearing of God's tiny miracles! PRAYER...it's a GOOD thing! ;)

living4him5 said...

LOVE, LOVE,LOVE IT!!!!!!

notesfromthefrugaltrenches said...

Trust a Christian to do such a thing ;) Wonderful story. I love seeing the fruits of the spirit in action!!