Little Miss Busy

Our Spy Summer

This summer, child spies, disguised, stalked the halls. Photos of enemy targets, shoved down over sized apparel while t.p. rolls, rope and tape made up necessary gadgetry. Eight children in one house became the backdrop for almost daily Spy Kids adventures.

It's funny how a household with four children feels oddly quiet after we have enjoyed eight! Jason and Linda (my brother and sister in law), and their classic four were able to stay with us for their summer school-break in the U.S. We laughed, swam, played, exercised (a little), refereed (very little), cooked ethnically, and cleaned every once in a while. Mostly, we just shared life and I am deeply thankful for the opportunities we had to re-kindle relationship. If, when they left, we could have thrown up blockades, we would have! Unfortunately, our high tech gadgets were on the blink on the day of their departure and they are now safely settled in Morocco. We sure miss their faces around here.

My Steve and his "Buhbuh"

I love watching these two interact. Lucia puts up a racket if Steve doesn't give her his attention as soon as he walks in the door. She practically throws herself at him then revs up the belly laugh for his slurpy kisses. Her cocoa eyes follow him around until he looks at her. Bursts of wiggles and squeals ensue! The following pictures don't capture that laughter, but I love how she is looking at him in these. I love that my honey is such a hands on dad. I love it.

How about those eyes!

Okay, so blog negligence is my middle name! Here are a couple of pics I took yesterday. There are so many pics to post and mental conversations I have had with you, dear friends. Things I have wanted to share along the way. It makes me feel "clogged" just thinking about all that I had hoped to post. So, I decided that for today, a couple of pictures would suffice. As soon as I posted them, I showed Emma and Amanda, who said, "Those are cute but not nearly as adorable as she is in person." Yep, it's true! She is the HAPPIEST, most EXPRESSIVE, CHATTY (really, really noisy), down right FUNNY baby EVER! Crazy cuteness!

Lucia & I

Steve posted this picture yesterday while I dove into my soft, feathered bed. The trip was miserably long but Lucia was an absolute sweet cake! I'm a puddle of goo over our happy, adorable baby! I have so much to tell about her, the trip, the orphanage, Ethiopia, the great new friends I made! Somehow it all seems overwhelming to put into words right now. I am so thankful....My cup runneth over and over! Thank you for praying us through this week. I will always look upon my time in Ethiopia with unreserved joy and tenderness. It was priceless to walk off the plane, to see the looks on my family's eager faces, to experience the squeals of love and laughter, the reveling in our newest babers. I can't wait for you all to meet her!

triple scoop (cuz everything comes in threes, right?)

1st) Our daughter, Lucia Josephine, is officially ours and we are hers!!!! Happy, happy, happy!!! Everything sailed through today in Ethiopian courts. Thank you, Lord! In regards to her name, well, we are the worst name "picker-outers" (Is there such a word?)! Add to that our combined stubborn streaks and you end up with either a really, really long name or one that can be said five different ways. Take your pick. Lulu, Josie, Jo, LJ (thinking of you here, Jase). We are a family peacefully divided and will surely have one confused little girl! Oh well! (fat grins here) By the way, I like Lucia, pronounced (Lu-SEE-a, with an accent on the i). :)

2nd) Ayisha is scheduled to be admitted to the epilepsy monitoring unit on April 7th, where she will undergo extensive testing. She'll be taken off of all medication in the hopes that she will have several seizures while under their care. This testing could last from 2-10 days. We will be having a time of prayer for her on April 5th at Cornerstone Church (6:00 p.m.) for anyone local that would like to join us.

3rd) I will depart for Ethiopia on April 25th to bring our baby home! I cannot travel any sooner due to processing and embassy schedules (and as it turns out, it is better this way anyway). We are delighted that my parents will be able to come and care for the girls while I am away. Now, if we could convince them to bring their adorable new puppy, Harriet, along!


As a "topping", Easter Sunday and Caleb's entrance into glory will be deeply remembered and commemorated the same day this year. It is my heart's desire that we not be within hospital walls by then. My eyes sting, just thinking about it, truthfully. Still, please pray that we would rejoice in the Lord and maybe taste of Him, our hope, not only despite our circumstance but in it. May we remember well that even though we do have trouble in this world, He HAS overcome the world.

I Am Rich, Rich, Rich!

Years ago, I scrawled a children's poem with this title. It is about friends. Wonderful, real, faithful friends.

Tomorrow, dear Naomi is stopping by for a last good-bye before they head cross country, then back home to Mozambique. Tuesday evening their family and Trudgens gathered here for shared food, warm company, and laughter. The kids all prepared a show for us, the acting out of a hilarious joke, ending with a q&a for the talented cast. So very cute! It struck me all at once, that we have known every one of our *combined* eleven children since infancy (or in Ayisha's case both Naomi and Ginger knew her in Malawi as a toddler, even before we did). That at one time, we couples sat around the table as newlyweds, full of ideals, full of ourselves, and full of somewhat untested faith. We have celebrated each other's babies, grieved our losses, wrestled through heartache, and dashed dreams together. We have seen each other through glorious victories as well as more subtle changes, perhaps recognizable only within the context of old relationships. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses well. I know I have been loved despite glaring character flaws, aggravating habits, and a sinful heart. Love has covered over a multitude of sins and youthful folly. I have been loved far better than I could ever hope to love. These friends are honest, devoted, transparent and full of grace. I see Jesus in them. I know Christ's love better because of them. I am accepted by them. And this is no small thing.

Tomorrow, because Naomi and I both have MK (missionary kid) issues, we won't say good-bye really. We'll say a quick, "See ya later!", give a deep hug and pretend poorly that it is just another day. Yes, we'll insist that it is only a matter of time (DAYS) before we live down the street from each other, when we can just pop over for a good cup of tea, embarrass our children with ridiculously loud, thigh slapping laughter, debate books, and basically spill our guts. With each passing year, I am more and more convinced.

That, truly, I am rich beyond measure.

Miss Ayisha

She has had a couple rough days. Yesterday, while in the middle of active play, a vicious seizure took hold. This is the first time this has happened outside of a sleep cycle. And honestly, it is unnerving to realize a new pattern may have begun. We have been working with her neurologists on getting her admitted to an epilepsy unit, where her seizures would not only be closely monitored but instigated with the intent of pinpointing their origin. If, as it seemed up until yesterday, the seizures are localized, then surgery may be a possibility for her. I desperately hope I am wrong, but I think yesterday's seizure began on the opposite side of the brain from the norm. If so, this immediately eliminates surgical options.

Please pray for our sweet girl, for her sisters (as I am convinced the Lord intends to build something uniquely beautiful in them through this), and for Steve and I as we continue to lift our daughter before the throne of the ONE who made her.

May we persevere in faith, hope, and love.

Manda and Bossy

We suspected from day one that this bossy chick was a rooster, but his teen-age, strangled crow has confirmed it! Although we told the kids that any rooster would make a nice chicken fricasse, well....who has the heart (or doesn't as the case may be)....NOT I!

Back to blogville

Hello, friends and family! If you are still out there, I will be posting pictures and Glover craziness soon! There is much to tell! The months have spun by, as we have been blessed with extended visits with family and friends, homeschooling and exciting (if consuming) photographic developments. A photography website will be appearing soon, a logo/brand has been in the works as well as lots of new wedding images. You can check out some of Dan and Arielle's wedding images at my photography blog, linked to the right.

Last, but by no means least, we have a court date of March 25th for our baby's adoption in Ethiopia. We will not be physically present for that date, but will receive our travel dates as soon as the hearing is finished. We are told that we can expect to travel four weeks after that court date. So, it looks like I (yes, little ol' me, all by my lonesome, EEK! Actually, I am feeling mostly excited about it now) will be going to Ethiopia at the end of April to bring our baby home! We'll keep you updated on the dates so you can be praying for safe travels! If any of you know my prior travel stories (I really should write a book, or an article at least), anyway, if you know then you KNOW, I NEED the prayer!:) Oh, and our baby girl (still undecided between Lucia --Lulu for short or Josephine --Josie or Jo for short) is now rolling onto her belly, laughing out loud and reaching for things to put in her mouth. She is four months old and it is KILLING me that we have to wait another two months to bring her home! On the other hand, we are working hard to get a LOT of schooling done, to get a lot of our business stuff taken care of, and some other issues regarding Ayisha's seizures settled (more on that later).

I've decided that in order to get back into the swing of things with blogging, I am going to start back up by posting an image a day. In true procrastinator fashion, I am not starting that quite today, but soon! Hah! :)

Lots of love to you all (all two of you that follow this blog by now)! Hi Mom and Mom #2 (Steve's mom)!

Sweet dreams!