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!!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Gardening: {With a Boatload}

I really can't think of much I would rather do then work outside in the garden as a family. There is something so gratifying about working hard {and playin' hard} and seeing the fruits of our labor.


Last week-end we worked together and put in our garden. Dw had built some raised beds out of scrap lumber.....and together the big kids worked steadily along...

and together we planted: herbs, tomatoes, squash, zuchinni,
peppers, lettuce, cabbage and more herbs...


Really, is there anything better than a tomato out of the garden?


Maybe only better is fresh tomato on top of fresh lettuce,

And while we worked the little ones played on the John Deere







'Course that ol' John Deere needed a lil' fixin....


thankfully Daddy's hammer was nearby...








Tractor's fixed.....and ready to run....




And all of a sudden, Emma turned on the hose......
and where the two hoses joined a spray spurted across the acres....


and somehow {miraculously} I caught on camera Elizabeth's sheer delight when she saw the water spurting across the field....



and the playin' began.....


Jubilee tentatively peeked at the water....

cautiously leaning closer...{as Elijah ran for cover}

Then her own giggles started....

And she was right in the mix of things....


Gardening toes.....

Living in the country and a boatload of kids is kinda like Peanut Butter and Jelly....

they just gotta' be together...



8 Simply Sweet Words:

Rachel said...

My idea of the perfect day! :)

Mama of 2 and Counting... said...

Looks like fun! My kids love helping in our garden as well :) Just a tip w/ the cilantro: Trimming off the white flowers and keeping it a little shorter helps it grow better. Unless of course, you want the seeds...

Marci said...

I CAN NOT wait until I have a "boatload" to garden with me!!! Thanks for giving me hope and expectancy!
Hugs!

Janet and Kevin said...

Linny,

Too cute for words! Such wonderful pictures of your beautiful children and husband working in the garden. Made me smile. Thanks for sharing.

Love,
Janet and gang

Jill Funkhouser said...

Love the fresh pics!

Waitingfaithfully said...

Love your post, the family fun, and all of the pics--but the last one of little Elizabeth's joyous face, dripping with water, just made me cry . . . I look at her smiling face, and think of the way God miraculously brought her home . . . and *tears* . . . He is so good! So very good. Elizabeth Mercy, your Heavenly Father has great things in store for you!

Linny~ May your garden grow, and may your harvest be bountifully blessed!

Love you!

Tina

~Truly Tina~ said...

Oh, these pictures just delight my heart on this lovely Sunday evening. Isn't the simplistic beauty of nature just wonderful? Isn't the love and togetherness of a family a magnificent blessing from the Father above? Thanks for sharing the pictures. They made me smile. :)

By the way, that photo of the fresh green tomato immediately caused me to salivate and crave a hot plate of fried green tomatoes! I know, I know...not very healthy, but hey, what can I say, it's summertime and I'm a true Southern gal. ;)

Gretchen said...

My two favorite things..kids and gardening. We have made lots of meemories with our gardens.