He is Greater.....John 3:30 says He must become greater, I must become less"

I used to be rather rebellious and such....now a days the naughtiest thing i do is use my hot spot to fire off a late night blog.   Ooohhhhh....scary, huh.  It's been over 2 weeks since we left home.  We have had an amazing trip.  Maybe it was God's plan that I didn't have time or Internet to blog along the way.  I feel like I lived in every moment of our trip.  And I mean EVERY moment.   The reflection and blogging later will be a sweet "round 2" for me as I unpack this vacation in a deeper way.  For now I can say this.  My family is amazing.  Every single one of us and yes, that means me too.  I didn't know how I would do in a camper with all 7 of us for over 2 weeks.  On this last night in the RV, I can say that of all of us, I did the worst..... But I didn't do half bad.  I've almost made it home.  We have a long travel day tomorrow to make it all the way home. If you think of it, pray us through ok?  I will ...

Life serves up many disappointments....even on vacation.  No one sells souvenir beach towels.  No one.  Anywhere.  Some gift shops agree with me that its a great idea.....but don't have them.  In Cody, Wyoming, the cowboy clerk behind the counter said something like this:  "Well, ma'am....we don't have much for beaches in these parts to need a beach towel."  Ooey. I'll just wait until they go on the  end of summer clearance at WalMart in good ole Iowa and replenish my pool towel stash. Today, when we left the reunion we had high hopes of going into Seattle for some sight-seeing and exploring.  We got off on the exit that google maps directed us to.....but every road was smaller and tighter and more nerve-wracking to travel on.  The 30 foot RV is not welcome in the city of Seattle.  Our hopes of parking at the zoo and taking a bus or train around the city vanished in the panic and strain of trying to not get in an accident. ...

Here is one of the things cousin Harlan said we should do.  Hike down a mountain trail to see this waterfall.  We found the spot but then Roger and I got out and walked down.  Ken said he would drive the other kids to us....and Josiah was asleep so Grandma Dee agreed to stay along the road in the RV with him.  When we got to the entry of the hike, grandpa drove past, not seeing us....so Roger and I decided we should just do the hike and find the rest of the fam later......I had to swallow worry to do that, but I trust my dad in law, and my kids....and so we headed down.  We made it to the falls and it was so beautiful and worth it....and breathless...and humbling.  Half way up, the kids found us.  Grandpa doubled back and so I went back down with them (only part way....I was completely winded)......and Precious, Claire, Isaac, and Jeremiah hiked all the way down and all the way back up from this place.  I am so proud of them for doing it....and...

cousin Harlan Kredit, park ranger, giving us advice on  how to navigate the Yellowstone National Park.

I've got so many awesome posts just milling around my head but alas.....AT&T does NOT like national parks!  Therefore we don't have service much of the days of this trip.....and that's ok.  I can post retrospectively too because we are getting some great memories and great photos!  This photo shows our kids and Roger and his parents, Ken and Dee with cousin Harlan Kredit.  Harlan has been a forest ranger at Yellowstone for decades in the summer.  (he teaches high school during the school year).....and we had the honor to greet him when we entered Yellowstone park yesterday.  We commented on how devastating it was to drive into the park and see all of the dead burned out trees and he told us that it was nature's way....and they leave it alone.  Only when a tree dies, can a pine cone release delicate seeds that will plant a new tree......and as proof of that, when we left the park that night we saw all the new pine trees from a forest fire in 19...

Huh.  It's midnight....July 17.  Vacation starts.  Today.  Well....after I sleep that is, since its midnight.  We have food in the camper and clothes are being packed.....and in the morning we need to tidy up the house and do the dishes and bring the dogs to the dog boarders..... Sometimes vacation is for relaxation and restoration.  Other times vacation is for adventure and experience.  This year, we opt for the latter.  Our motivation is a family reunion that has taken place every 3 years for decades.....and is steeped in tradition and love and depth.  Heck yeah I want to give my children that experience! We are taking the Hurricane RV up the pacific northwest to Lynden, Washington for the reunion, then down to sister Lois in Cali.....and eventually trecking back through Utah, Nebraska, etc. Vacation.  Adventure.  Wonder.  Memories.  Experience. Bring it. 

Oh Lexi.  She is supposed to be a "therapy dog" but I can't find the time to do the training for her.....or even watch the daggum videos that explain the shock collar that speeds up the process.....and so I think this: I have all the information about Precious and what is hard about her....and how to help her....but daily life and spontaneous situations happen....and the "ideal" doesn't happen.  With Lexi, the same is true.  She is a smart dog.  She is loving and fun and capable.....but I have not invested the necessary time to make her useful.   Well. Look at them.  I kinda think they both know what is supposed to happen but she is 5 and Lex is a pup....so even if I cannot afford to send the dog to training.......or quit my job and devote my time to Precious.....maybe they will figure it out together.  It's not impossible or improbable.....really.  My glass remains half full....always. Perhaps they will figure it out all on their ow...

This photo was taken July 4 on a hot summer walk.  Aren't they just precious?  My big kids aren't available for photos very often, but these littles are with me all the time.  I am so grateful to be their mom.  Adoption is a crazy thing.....and filled with lots of complex issues and emotions.  In the best world, these 2 kids that I love so much would be with the mom and dad who created them....but we don't live in that world.  We live in the world where if the best is not possible......we step up.  God is for it.  I am for it.  I will step up again if God asks us to.....but for now....these two...... These kiddos are a product of the not-so-much of American freedom.  With roots in African heritage....and therefore slavery in America.....as well as the oppression of minority that leads to poverty and hardship.....the generations that proceeded them suffered much.  There is a term called "white priveledge"....and it applies to m...

I'm making lists right now.  Shopping lists, to do lists, who to call lists......when to do what lists before we put the RV in drive and leave town.  Tonight, sitting in my rock-a-bye chair, I've come up with another list in a quiet moment. Why I need a vacation: 1.  My work won't let me cash out PTO unless I take a full 2 weeks of vacation.  Um.  Ok. 2.  I haven't taken a vacation since last August, 2014......and I watched a full year of other peoples vacations:  fall, winter, spring and summer.  It's my turn. 3.  My family is often separate, doing separate things......its time for us to be cohesive again. 4.  I have a demanding job.  I need to breathe in the mountain air and the ocean breezes and gain perspective again. 5.  On vacation, I typically make resolutions for exercise and health when I return.  I'm due for some resolutions. 6.  I need new photos of my family all in one spot.  I can't find any...

Hello  Hurricane!  In 5 days we will load up and head out for our road trip.  Are you ready, Hurricane?  We are busy and exhausting......we are not easy.  get ready ok?  Hurricane, prepare yourself to keep us safe and transport us to our destinations?  Please don't break down!!   Hurricane, rest now.  Be ready.  I will begin to pack you soon.  Remember......you work for me..

Ugh.  We have lost "blankie".  Precious has been attached to a pink blanket her entire life, from the day we met her.  We were at the adoption agency and the social worker took her in and we held her and cried and laughed and cried and took pictures and then we went to Target and bought her the pink blanket and all the rest of the baby stuff.  We wrapped her in that satin, soft pink blanket and she has been wrapping up in ever since.  It's been missing for about 2 weeks, I think. She will be six years old next month and we should maybe be ok with it just disappearing but that is not the case.  I'm kind of messed up over it, actually.  It has to be here somewhere.  It isn't even pink any more but more of a washed out bleh color.......but it smells just right, like her, and it is worn and loved and......ok.  I miss it too. The 3 older kids all had a favorite blanket and when each decided they were "done" with it, I refused to let them get ...

Today, Violetta came again.  Oh, that name......it makes me feel peaceful, content, happy.  I should really get a kitten and name her Violetta.  (just kidding).....but seriously.  Tuesdays are fast becoming my favorite day of the week!  My dear, sweet mom-in-law chose to bless me this summer and gave me enough money to cover weekly cleaning until we go on vacation mid-July.  She understood how happy I am when Violetta comes and tames the chaos......and polishes my wood.....and cleans the lid of the garbage can.  Yes.  She seriously does that.  Some of you may do that in your own homes but the rate at which we dump things in our garbage is impossible to compete with......until Violetta comes. Its the big things, like the house smelling good and looking fresh and clean, but also the little blessings.  A freshly scrubbed sink and kitchen window sil.  I stand in the corner of my kitchen hours and hours a day and deal with the stinky ...

This morning I woke up earlier than I wanted to.....after less sleep than I had hoped for.  I read Isaiah 49.....mostly because I happened to have a book mark in it.  Why not, really.  This verse is still with me at the end of the day.....Isaiah 49:11........And I will turn all my mountains into a road, and my highways shall be raised up. When I read it this morning I was thinking that I should hang onto this verse and blog it in a few weeks on our road trip.....after I take some awesome photos of mountains and roads and hiways....but I don't have much discipline for waiting....and I feel like there is a less obvious point today. If I get some awesome photos on vacation I'll bring it back, I promise.  For now, its just this.  When we were trying to adopt our little flower from India, we were part of a group of families who were also trying to adopt kids from the orphanage SCH.  The group was called "Mountain Movers" so whenever I read a passage of scri...

Well, hello summer!  You have arrived!  A month of baseball and sunshine/rain and splashing in the pool......bug bites and bonfires and butterflies and blooming things.......oh, sweet summer we have waited so long for you!   Last night we had a moonlight swim party with bonfire for Jeremiah's baseball team after their last game.....and we deposited Claire's first "real" paycheck.  She asked what medicaid and federal taxes were.....oh dear child.....welcome to the working world!  She works in our local little mall in a flower/gift/coffee shop.  :)   I'm sitting outside tonight at suppertime, enjoying a meal prepared by my sweet uncle and listening to lawn mowers and cars and dogs.  It FEELS like summer even if it's a cool evening....and I just really wish it could last long enough for me to learn to cook with the fresh basil and parsley and mint in my flower box....and the kale I bought at the farmers market.  Three months of summer ...