Training up a child

Ava loves NFL football!!

Why Do I Find These Things....

In the back seat of my suburban!!!

Ava Speaks To Me...

I often wonder what Ava would say to me if she could talk. Its just amazing how she seems to communicate so well without saying a word.  Here is interpretation of her actions and mannerism's:

* Oh dad! I love it when you pick me up and hold me

* Dad, watch me, I can pick up a cracker and eat it all by myself

* Dad, when you throw me up in the air like that, it makes my tummy feel like butterflies. Do it again!

* Dad, I'm so glad you came and picked me up out of my bed. I was crying because I wanted you to hold me. I'm OK now, you can put me down and I'll go to sleep now

* Dad, I sure am glad to see you! Where have you been all day?

* Dad, watch me! I can sign "Dad", "Music", "Eat", "More"! Are you watching?

* Dad, quit looking at your phone and pay attention to me. I'm about to crawl.

* Oh, yea! Please lay on your back and throw me around using your legs! I love that! It makes me laugh real hard. 

* Dad, I love it when you kiss me on my neck. It makes me feel so special.

Holding Hands

I love it when my daughters hold my hand.

Target Practice...

29 Cups

Last time I checked, there were only 7 people living in my house
TODAY! I don't understand why there are 29 dirty cups and 1 coffee cup
in just 10 hours????

Saturday Afternoon Soccer...

I was taken off guard by this special chair. It seems it can serve as a seat + potty.  No need to make a trip to the lieu with this device. Just, enjoy the game!

Look who is sucking from a straw?

Look who is stand/leaning!

On her own.

Why Not?

When Charissa came to me and asked me, "Can we adopt a little girl with Down Syndrome?". I didn't say anything.  I just thought. 

Then she said, "... there is a little girl in Ukraine that needs a family." I didn't say anything except.. mmmm.

I began to go over and over in my mind how MY life would change. How would this affect ME. What if this happened what if that happened. How would this little girl integrate into our family?

So, here is a list of questions I asked, prayed over and meditated on for several days:

- This is a huge commitment

- Will she talk, eat, walk

- What will folks think of me having a child with a disability

- How will my life change with this little girl

- Will my kids accept her

- Will my kids rebel

- Will my kids be safe while I am half way across the world

- Can I afford this

- and many other thoughts

Then I had this thought.. What is this little girl thinking:

- When is my daddy going to come kiss my neck and throw me in the air?

- When is my daddy going to come help me get my eyes fixed?

- When is my daddy going to help me learn how to eat, walk, talk?

- When is my daddy going to take me out of this crib and put me on his shoulders?

- When is my daddy going to hold me close at night before he puts me to bed?

- When is my daddy going to tell me he loves me?

- When is my daddy coming to get me? Why's he taking so long? I'm ready!

God defends the orphan! He will defend me and my family..

What a blessing little Ava has been in my life! I just cannot imagine life without that little girl. Jesus will increase your ability to love every child you bring into your home. He'll work miracles in your heart and in the hearts of a whole lot of other folks too.

Don't be afraid to LOVE! Love heals.

Hope... loves her Dad...

Hope came in to see me while I was working in the office. As she came over to me she was scattering Austin Cheddar Cheese crackers across the floor. Instead of scolding her for dribbling crackers, I smiled and asked her.. "Can I have one". She quickly responded, "No daddy, you have to get your own". I just picked her up, gave her a big hug, then let her down and she was on her way.

A few moments later, she came back into my office with a whole set of the crackers, 6 to be exact. I smiled again and gave her a big giant hug.

My turn!

looking over you

journal entry 06-11-2008

Wow, that was a loud thunderstorm... what time is it? 3am, oh good... I get about 3 more hours of sleep.

Wait, before I go back to sleep, I need to check on the kids.

Simeon, upstairs sleeping sound in the game room because its too hot in his room he says.. CHECK. Simeon, you are amazing. I think you'll be an engineer.
Liesel and Hope.. Liesel is sleeping sound and Hope is in my bed kicking me! When did she crawl in bed.. CHECK, CHECK. Liesel, you are so mature and Hope I love giving you kisses!
Jude.. Phooey, he crawled in my bed too! No wonder I can't get any sleep. Jude, you are amazing too! A great communicator. Maybe you'll be President some day!

Ava.. My newest daughter. Wow, I love you so much! How could I love you so much. How did God put such a powerful love for you inside of me. That was so neat when you held your little arms out to come to daddy today! I really do think you loves me. You look cold, I'd better put a blanket on you and make sure your vitals are good! Oops, you're moving around, into a contorted position! How do you sleep like that?

Thank you Jesus for my wife and children. I love them so much.

Ok, back to sleep. Its just a gentle rain now and an occasional rolling thunder.

Fishing?

The boys had a different agenda...

looking for live bait... giant spiders?


casting into the rocks


trolling at a high rate of speed...

Urban Diet

I decided its time to go on a diet! So I went to the local ice cream
store for a snack.

Someone is in my bed!

Oh well. She can have some special treatment. She can sleep in Pa Pa's
bed.

Happy Girl

At the breakfast table, laughing.

Simeon on Pro Bass Circuit..

His first large mouth, and a good one. Already a very skilled angler. He shows me up every time we go fishing. After many failed crappie trips, he still wants to get into those.

Great job Simeon!

Princess Fisher

So patient and willing learn. Liesel did great today. Caught several
and learned to bait a hook with a worm.

Train Up A Child

Jude tore it up today. About 9 fish and turtle.

Jude...

Jude had a play this week. He was one of the stars in the production. I'm sure glad I drove 18 

miles to see him. I sure am proud of that boy! He is the one in the middle holding the kite!

Proverbs 23:10-11 - version 2

A charge and a promise...

Do not move the ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, For their Defender is strong; He will take up their case against you.

encroach: to trespass upon the property, domain, or rights of another, esp. stealthily or by gradual advances.

• Is your journey into of the fields of the fatherless to act as God's ambassador or to say, "That isn't my calling?"
• Is your journey into the fields of the fatherless to pluck these little ones from a certain death, or to say, "Sin passed from generation to generation causes horrible things like this."
• Is your journey into the fields of the fatherless to pave the path for someone else to reach God's most vulnerable treasure, or to say, "I pay my tithes and I give offerings. I'm sure my money will eventually get to them."

If so, you may be encroaching on the fields of the fatherless. By doing nothing, you may be delaying their rescue. You may be starving them. You may be denying them the shelter they need to stay warm.

Defender/Redeemer

I can't help but think about how Ava was defended and redeemed...

• A tiny child without a father or mother shortly after birth, she was cared for and kept alive by nurses and doctors for several weeks before moving to her only orphanage
• Her wonderful care givers ministered life to her daily. Changing her dirty diaper, cooking her food, grinding it up so she could drink it. Washing her clothes. Lets not forget keeping her very warm and cozy!
• 4 years of caring loving compasion
• Faith moved heads of nations to keep her alive through laws and government funding

God DEFENDS the fatherless!

Plead their case against you...

- He'll find someone to rescue these little ones. Is He calling you?
- He's looking for a family! Is he pleading their cause so you can welcome them into your family.
- He is protecting them! Is He defending them so your family can be so beautifully transformed?
- He finding ways to care for them. Is He caring for them using your finances, or is He having to find someone else?

Wow, Jesus loves these children with such a wonderful, incredibly powerful love!

As my good friend Buddy Wright said, "John, Love heals!" It can't be put any better than that.

Allow Jesus to transform your family, your thinking, your priorities. Allow Jesus to speak to you! Let Him come into that area of your life that is the most protected and guarded and He will show you things you never dreamed possible! He will show you Love!

... So Amazing

My wife has produced the most tremendous video yet of Ava and her progress. I have to say, I love my family so much. My wife and every one of my kids are just so amazing! Little Ava is loved.

So here it is, my incredibly amazing wife and her ever increasing technical skills have produced an amazing video about an amazing little girl.

I love playing with this ball!

Someone is seeing straight now!

Resting my eyes...

> In a few minutes I'm going to be able to see straight!
>

New Blogger In Training

4 Kids Fishing For Crappie

In the BRUSH! Next time... On the dock, straight down, no casting!

week of sadness

As most of you probably already know, our 6th little one, JOHN SAMUEL, beat us to heaven.

My words now are that I love my lovely wife and family with all my heart. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful woman of God. A beautiful woman who loves Jesus so much, that she would lay her life down for a sweet little girl from Europe, while also lovingly laying her life down every minute, every hour, of every day for me and the children. Her passion is caring, and show glows with caring passion!

On Monday morning my reading was Proverbs 31. I can't help but tell you that I am truly blessed with a P31 woman. You want picture of my wife, read Proverbs 31.

Worn out!

Thanks Jude for getting me to sleep.

I'm Home

Going home now!

I'm ready, let's go!

Feeling much better!

Safe in MaMa's Arms

I'm tired!

What did they do to me?

I'm Done..

Why is my throat so sore?

HEY!!! I can hear things I've never heard before! WOW! This is great!

Pa-Pa and Ma-Ma will take a picture soon.

I'm Done..

Why is my throat so sore?

HEY!!! I can hear things I've never heard before! WOW! This is great!

Here I go! Weeeeeee

On my way...

To get rid of my tonsils and adnoids and to get new ear tubes! Ava

Shopping w/ MaMa

I love these pictures of Ava. I hope you enjoy them too:

And some smiles too....

Mirrors

Miles and Smiles

Someone Loves Balloons!

Aquarium or Jungle Gym?

Big Turtles

Bull Rider

Log Cabins -Ft Worth