tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63455716992902834592024-02-20T18:32:52.325-08:00My Perfectly Imperfect WayStriving to grasp the reality that I am imperfect and life is not about me. "When the jars of clay remember they are jars of clay, the treasure within gets all the glory, which seems somehow more fitting." -Jen HatmakerBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-76961662414762192582013-08-22T11:23:00.003-07:002013-08-22T11:23:59.063-07:00Bittersweet HomecomingWow. I can't believe it's been 1 week since I've been home. Not sure my heart is fully here though, but it is so good to hug my babes and cuddle my hubby. And since I've been home, I've been thrown into the busyness of life, as any "good american." WHY is busy good? It's totally not, and I actually hate it - it's so stressful. I am really going to try to stop more. I remember one day when in Wa, Joha (our Ghanaian director), told us we completed 2 full days of work in less than 10 hours. Oh how I strive to be NOT BUSY. Good luck, right? Living in Orange County.<br />
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Well I figured you would want to know everything we did, yes? I mean - you did send us there. And I promise it was a very fruitful trip. Main points:<br />
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1) All 4 directors in the same country, same place, same time - AMAZING!!!! This allowed us to have very productive meetings and talk about things that really needed to happen face to face.<br />
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2) Visited children who are in our sponsorship program and identified new children to add to our program. Stay tuned how you can sponsor one of these little angels for only $25 a month. :) (They are writing their sponsors letters... so sweet!)<br />
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3) Made a new friendship with a church in Kasoa whom we will be able to partner with for future ministry mission trips, sponsorship, etc.<br />
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4) Sat down with government officials in Wa (a community that is in desperate need of love and help in the upper west). These meetings were so good to have with Social Welfare because now they are on board with what EP is striving to do.<br />
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5) Dreamed of plans for a rehabilitation center in Wa - one that would welcome children for a short period of time, give them counseling with their families, medical attention, school, etc with the purpose of reunifying them with their families when possible. Looked at a potential site.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFye7RC1tRkiSbTbJduf76_Wvitnz3UyyFN6hj5PyJl6Bg5NwaqY_ontCedqIsnSKJ_R2MUNck5dmzeGYxfBMj_a8NVThk2i_-yQmCZXM5udlR950kuFLdJnoZxuMTecKnq4JgNkQ-Tec/s1600/IMG_4195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFye7RC1tRkiSbTbJduf76_Wvitnz3UyyFN6hj5PyJl6Bg5NwaqY_ontCedqIsnSKJ_R2MUNck5dmzeGYxfBMj_a8NVThk2i_-yQmCZXM5udlR950kuFLdJnoZxuMTecKnq4JgNkQ-Tec/s320/IMG_4195.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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6) delivered treated mosquito nets and food to children homes all over the country, literally - you haven't experienced Ghana until you drive on those famous dirt roads. Wow. Take your Dramamine. <br />
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What's next???? Well, there are so many ways to get involved - we're a brand new baby organization and we would LOVE to have you on board. Here's just a few tidbits with more info coming.<br />
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* Sponsor a child! Or a family. This family lives in the little shack pictured behind them with no washroom or clean water.<br />
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* One of our directors in Ghana also has a children's home that she is funding from her personal money. EP has given her 1 month of sponsorship to keep it open in September, but we'll need to find her an ongoing sponsor to help out with finances. It costs around $350 per month to keep her home open. that's only $50 a month for 7 people. Maybe your life group wants to partner with us?<br />
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* We're opening an Eban Project store online and we would love for a volunteer to help run that and ship out orders.<br />
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* Wa! Good at fundraising or grant writing? We would love help fundraising money for all EP's efforts in Wa - mainly the rehabilitation center which is estimated to be around $35K.<br />
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* Come to Ghana with us!! Are you interested in going on a Missions Trip or taking your church, group of friends, coworkers to Ghana? Let us know - we can definitely use people of all ages. I would love for you to visit my 2nd home and eat some banku with us!<br />
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Love you for loving us so much!<br />
<br />
x,<br />
b<br />
<br />Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-51608822491109183692013-08-05T16:51:00.003-07:002013-08-05T16:51:46.914-07:00To God be the Glory<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Spiritual Warfare.
Gosh, it’s exhausting. From
before we even left our homes to come, the attacks began: sickness, 911 calls,
family emergencies. The day we
left: I was sent on a goose chase around
LAX to find the terminal I was supposed to check in at – NO ONE KNEW! My ticket only said United, but United had no
record of me – it wasn't until 30 minutes before my plane left that someone
found the mistake. By the GRACE of God,
I made it. Once we arrived: No luggage –
Lufthansa thought it a smart idea to send half our plane’s luggage to South
Africa so they could downsize the plane.
However, that meant our luggage didn't arrive until 11p the NEXT
day. That’s cool. Then on the way home, tire blew in our
friend’s van. No one carries spares, as
tires here are around $300. Once up in
the room, literally my watch exploded, flash light stopped working, AC in our
room was broken, as well as our fridge.
My camera broke. OH, and I became
seriously ill… you know, that fever and pure strep throat thing; the kind where
you can’t even swallow your own spit.
Ghana isn't like Mexico or the US where you can just run to any old
pharmacy and grab the latest antibiotic to help you out… but again, God prevailed. As we were pulling up this little pharmacy, I
prayed like crazy for a Z Pack. And the
poor man behind the counter looked at me like I was crazy, then I begged him
for an antibiotic. His eyes lit up, and
he returned with the mightily coveted Z Pack – that wasn't even expired. Fever gone, 80% better.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Why is Satan fighting so hard against us? Could it be because we were here to witness 2
families receive news that their kids’ visas were ready to be printed (THEY GET TO COME
HOME!!)? Could it be the amazing
meetings that have taken place between our directors here in Ghana and Anita
and I? Could it be programs that are
being established to further His Kingdom’s work and to help restore His world? And friends, we are just on day 2 of being
here. We still have almost 10 full more
days here. God is definitely the
ALMIGHTY ONE and I have yet to understand the reason he is allowing me to come
on this ride with him. </div>
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<br />
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I leave you with a
great picture of a sweet kiss my Jesus gave me tonight: As we were walking to buy more water, God led
2 of our old Ghanaian friends to walk home instead of taking the trotro which
allowed our paths to cross. As they did
not know we were in Ghana, and we believed they were at school, it was such a
sweet moment of blessing when our eyes met on the street corner. I felt the embrace of my Jesus in their arms
– a sweet kiss, reassuring us that He is on our side. But man, what a site to see for the locals,
I’m sure: This crazy abruni (white
person) jumping up and down in the middle of the street, embracing our friends
and giggling with joy. A familiar face that was Jesus' face to me tonight.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
x,</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
b</div>
Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-35884230831954299172013-07-10T22:23:00.000-07:002013-07-10T22:23:31.119-07:00Get a biddin' and send me packin'I am in awe of how donations have just poured in these last couple of weeks. I wish I could just KISS you all. And I LOVE the timing of each donation. Just when I felt hopeless and asked God - "Lord, am I just a crazy person??? I really thought you had divinely called us to GO NOW, but how Jesus? The funds just aren't there." And then people, I open up my email and see a $500 donation from an old friend whom I hadn't even told her about Eban Project yet! WHAT?? And then the next day I open an envelope from our mailbox with cash and a sweet note from 2 lovely sisters. Come to find out these sisters had just started a new business and believed in God's work through EP so much that they are continually giving 10% of their profit to us. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!! And seriously folks, story after story of this - of God's faithfulness. We're not totally funded yet, but we're more than HALF WAY THERE! Only about $3300 more. <br />
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But, if I were honest, that $3300 scares me, sends a yucky feeling into my stomach, because that's $3300 we just don't have but need <i>in three weeks!</i> So we'll wait, we'll trust, and we'll beg you again to donate. But this time, maybe you can walk away with something that will remind you of us. And, every time you see that item, you'll lift EP and the people of Ghana up in your prayers.<br />
<br />
Here's the scoop... we've collected some amazing items and we're going to auction them off through <b><a href="http://www.32auctions.com/gteamtoghana" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">32auctions</a>. </b>Come by and take a peek and help yourself to some beautiful artwork by Sarah Carter, beautiful tutus and tutu dresses for your little misses (we even have one in Ghanaian colors, YES WE DO!), some yummy treats, and even some goodies from Paper&String as well as Smell Swell. OH, and wait... you still don't have your taxes done, you say? OR you are already looking for someone to do them next year - no need to look any further, we have a CPA who has donated his services... yes we do. And he is well versed in adoption tax credit and can work in all 50 states. So BOOM. Go buy.<br />
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One little thing. Yes, it's a little pesky that you have to become a "member" of 32auctions to actually participate and bid. But guys, it's easy as pie. After you click <a href="http://www.32auctions.com/gteamtoghana" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>HERE</b></span></a> for our auction listing, you'll be able to browse our auction and if anything tickles your fancy, then click on the tab LOGIN where you'll be directed to "Create an Account." Your name, email, bidder name, and a password. That's it. Then they send you a little email verifying YOU and it takes you right back where you can <strike>give us all your cash</strike> donate to our first trip as Eban Project. If the auction thing isn't really you, but you'd still like to donate, we'd LOVE that and kiss your feet, well maybe hug your neck. You can do that at our website<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span><a href="http://ebanproject.org/donate" style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">ebanproject.org/donate</a> . <br />
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Happy Bidding!<br />
<br />
x, b<br />
<br />
<br />Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-89020225307188576042013-06-19T12:27:00.000-07:002013-06-19T13:33:07.973-07:00I've been keeping a little secret, for about 3 months...It's true. For about 3 months, I've only shared with some close friends, and now we're telling the world. And if you tell me, "Well, I thought you looked pregnant," I'll kick you in the knee. I have NO baby in my belly. Seriously, I will kick you. BUT, I do have something exciting to share.You know my heart has been in Ghana the last 3.5 years, ever since I knew our son was there. I have had such a love for the people who live there, for the culture, for that little corner of the earth. I'm even trying to get my husband to move there... someday, hopefully. <br />
<br />
Well, about 3ish months ago, I had the opportunity to partner with one of my good friends, Anita, and some "family" in Ghana to make the dream of having a nonprofit here in the US a reality. For almost a decade, my Ghanaian friends, the people who facilitated our adoption in Ghana, have been devoted to family preservation and caring for the vulnerable in Ghana. And my sister from a different mister, Anita, had this dream of creating a nonprofit here, stateside, to come alongside our dear friends in Ghana, and for some reason, God wanted to use me to help make this happen. I'll spare you the details and give you the mini mini version, but that week went something like this:<br />
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<i><b><span style="color: cyan;">Friends in Ghana:</span> We would love to have a stateside partner</b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: cyan;">Anita:</span> I have a dream... nonprofit, you help?</b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: cyan;">Me: </span>hahaha!!! how? me? Let me pray and ask people to pray (Monday). </b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: cyan;">Me:</span>(Tuesday and Wed) life group and mom's group: HELP! Pray, I feel so inadequate, how? me? how?</b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: cyan;">Good friend:</span> B, you're not 23 anymore, if God called you - DO IT!</b></i><br />
<b><i><span style="color: cyan;">Husband of a friend:</span> (Thursday) B, I would love to gift you a nonprofit. DONE. We'll mentor you, do the taxes for you, help you in anyway.</i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: cyan;">ME:</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span>(Thursday) I guess I'm co-founding a nonprofit. Okay God, here we go...</i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="color: cyan;">Jesse:</span> Well, I knew God gave you an ODD love and devotion to a country that wasn't your home, and I always wondered why. Well, I guess I know now. Lets do this.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
So, there you go. We're called Eban Project. HOLY SMOKES! Guys, I'm so excited. I really didn't want to share with you until everything was perfect, our website was up and I "knew" what we were doing... who am I kidding? In the beginning of something like this, it's just going to be messy, not perfect, and confusing. First impressions can't be what it's all about. We need PRAYER, help, resources. So, just like a friend asked me if I wanted to help her start a nonprofit, I'm asking you... <i>hey, want to be apart of something God is doing in Ghana, Africa? Do you want to come alongside in the very beginning and watch it grow with us? </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
So, "who are we?" and "what do we do?" Well, our mission is to transform the kids of Ghana inside and out, to stop the cycle of abuse, poverty, child labor, and holistically help them reach their full potential God has placed inside of them to do HIS work and be change agents in their communities. Because, did you know, God <i>does</i> have a plan for all his people? Even those who live in developing countries, who are struggling to keep their families together, those who are sick and whose communities see them as outcasts, those babes dying of hunger, those single moms dying of hunger because they are giving everything they have to feed their children. He calls them all and we believe He is asking us to partner with Him to restore that little corner of the earth. <br />
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EXCITING NEWS!! We (my co-founder, Anita and I) are headed there in August! Yeppers, we are. August 2nd. We bought our plane tickets in FAITH! Yes, after much prayer and conversations we decided that August was the time, specifically, we needed to go. Because we're officially brand new, we need to step again, on that soil that we love so much, to make relationships, have meetings, check on our foster homes, find land for a new home we'll be building, and network with certain people in Ghana. We feel strongly led that the time to travel is now, when there are several programs that need development, and several more that require an update by U.S. representatives. In the midst of praying on how we were going to get there, low and behold, there was a "sale" on tickets to Ghana, but the prices were literally raising hour by hour and we felt like God was saying, <i>"Sorry ladies, you need to step out into faith - buy them now, yes, before you have all the money raised. FAITH. TRUST ME. Yes, I'm calling you to step out. So what, you're a little scared. Let me provide, in ways that you aren't expecting. Let me show off my faithfulness." </i>So, friends, YIKES! We did. But we are trusting that God does provide for us, in this new beginning. It was never our plan to <strike>beg</strike> ask for donations to help us in the beginning. We wanted to do that on our own, to report back to you, all the crazy God stuff that was happening over there and how you can be involved in other ways. But, then, in my quiet time with him, I felt him saying, "<i>I don't always work how you want me to, or WHEN you want me to. YES, I will call people to partner with you in Ghana to sponsor children, families, to help restore that little corner of the earth, but don't rob my people of the blessing of helping you in the beginning." </i>Seriously, guys, I hate this part. Asking for money for ME. So there, done. Because in the future, once we're up and running, we'll have funds set aside for trips like this. But we don't now. <br />
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I can share with you the aspect of our trip I'm looking forward to the most... A big part of our program will be sponsorship, and we have the privilege of getting to meet children in three communities we are working in, signing them up for sponsorship, hearing their stories, hugging them, and then bringing YOU back their stories and opportunities for you to personally get involved in their lives. We want these children to feel like an extension of your family who live in Ghana. Beautiful relationships will occur, and I'm so excited.<br />
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I can't say it better than my friend, Anita... "Ultimately we hope that by traveling, the work of Eban Project will be greatly expanded so that the funds used to travel will be paid back to the people of Ghana ten-fold. It is our desire to serve the people of Ghana, and those that support Eban Project. We do not wish to travel to Ghana for our own pleasure. It will be a challenging trip in many ways, but ultimately rewarding if more vulnerable populations in Ghana are served."<br />
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If you feel led to partner with us in the beginning by making a tax-deductible donation, you can do that <a href="http://ebanproject.org/donate/" target="_blank"><span style="color: cyan;">HERE.</span></a> Please note on the donation page, that it is for our trip to Ghana. We're estimating that our total will be around $7,600 ($600 for food, $1500 lodging, $4000 flights, $1500 in-country transportation). Any donations raised beyond what our actual trip costs, goes directly to serving the vulnerable children and their families of Ghana.<br />
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You can see our website at<span style="color: cyan;"> <a href="http://ebanproject.org/">ebanproject.org</a></span> . Remember it's not all done yet and you can judge none! Okay? No judging. Just love in the beginning. And PRAYERS for us and God's work there.<br />
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x, b<br />
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Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-3112778944409475632013-03-04T17:10:00.001-08:002013-03-04T17:10:36.611-08:0040 Days of Lent for Kids Days 17-20That's all. :) <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/128494489/40-Days-of-Lent-for-kids-Days-17-20" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: purple; font-size: large;">DAYS 17-20</span></a> Got to go get ready for my hot date with hot hubby. I LOVE his job sometimes, and hate it others, but tonight we're getting to go try out a new restaurant full tab paid, just so he will refer clients to them. YAY for free date, it makes babysitting a lot cheaper. If it's good, I will give it a shout out tomorrow.<br />
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x,bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-48582066666223649702013-02-27T14:32:00.000-08:002013-02-27T14:32:56.324-08:00Weak Muscles (and days 13-16 of kid devos)Oh man, oh man. I'm worn out. Have you ever taken a break from working out and then get back into the gym and after a couple of days you are spent? Your muscles are so sore that you just want to sleep for days on end and not move. Well... that's exactly how I feel except Spiritually. (I'm sure if I made it to the gym my muscles would feel sore too, but that's for a different day).<br />
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I really can't share too much, because I'm really that exhausted, but this weekend was a life changing girls weekend in Malibu (okay, woman's retreat, but I'm not old enough to go to one of those, so I refuse to call it that, so instead we went to a girls weekend in Malibu). Wow, did God want me to die to myself. Who knew that I was my biggest idol? Ever since then, I've been seeing God's work and His Kingdom in a whole new light, and Jesse's been experiencing the same thing too. It's almost as if God is going to get ready to do something in us, but first wants us to know that without a shadow of a doubt, we're nothing. Our name is not great, it will not ever be great. Our ministry is never going to be ours... wow, what a concept - His Ministry is HIS, and He wants to get the Glory and HIS name shall be made great. Again,what a concept. But stupidly, I think I was trying to make it about me, and I didn't even realize it until it hit me like a huge ass bus, right in the face. Then instead of blood and broken bones, I had snot and more snot and more snot. I guess it took me that beat down to realize I needed to be humble. The whole experience was covered by His Grace, which made it bearable and fruitful and exciting. <br />
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But now, J and I are just plain tired. It's like our eyes have been opened. And we're so expectant now. We are longing for him to move mightily and are honored that we just get to be on His ride. He's moving and doesn't have to include us, but graciously is and that is humbling. I feel the Holy Spirit preparing us for change but I don't know what that is... home? work? family? We know he's moving in crazy ways through church, but I think there's more and I can't wait to see what that is...<br />
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Until then, I'm plugging away with my kids and our Lenten Devos. Here are days <b><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/127657431/40-Days-of-Lent-for-Kids-Days-13-16" target="_blank">13-16</a>.</span></b> Enjoy.<br />
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x,<br />
bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-30621746241732062832013-02-21T21:50:00.001-08:002013-02-21T21:50:24.526-08:00Days 9-12, It's totally not too late to startHere you go! <b><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/126696588/40-Days-of-Lent-for-Kids-Days-9-12" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">DAYS 9-12.</span></a> </b>I am so happy to be sharing with you what my kiddos and I are doing. I LOVE hearing feedback from you, just little "hey, we're doing this." I feel blessed by that, so thank you. And, will you please let me know if you're kiddos are doing it as well? If you haven't started and feel like it's too late...haha, it's TOTALLY NOT. That's SO my personality... welp, I missed that one, so we'll wait until next year. Let me help you out, if this is you...<br />
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1) They can take as long or as short as you need them too - it's totally doable to do multiple days at a time. For advent, we did this... we started 1/2 through the advent season and we just talked about 2 passages of scripture and then each kid colored only 1 of the pictures. We caught up in no time.<br />
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2) ALSO, there are more than 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter. Sundays are free (mini-Easters as some say). So you have extra days built in. :) We're starting day 9 tomorrow, but you don't have to be there yet, or you could have been waiting for me to publish this round... sorry you overachievers... I'm a procrastinator.<br />
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3) If you feel overwhelmed, I haven't ordered anything really in chronological order except Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter) so no one will know if you skip days, well except God and me, because he tells me things, and then I might get really offended. ;)<br />
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Doing Lent with my kids has, in essence, made me do Lent - I can't really tell you the last time that I had intentional space and time with God every day by myself. Life gets overwhelming and SO busy. I might hit a few days a week, or month, or year of real quality time with my Savior, but when I get my kids involved... holy smokes, they are bad ass accountability partners. "Mom, can we do our 40 days of Lent." "No, we can't go to bed, because we haven't done our devotions." "Dinner can wait, we need to spend time with Jesus." hahaha... yes, all true quotes from my 4 year olds. Even my 1 year old is in on it. She lasts only for 30 seconds, but she loves the coloring. They might only be in it for the coloring right now, but they are totally grasping each story and pulling wisdom from the Scripture themselves. I love how these scriptures are truly being meditated over by my 4 year olds. I can totally learn something from my babies. <br />
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I would love to hear how you're spending your Lent. If you're doing the 40 days of Lent for kids... shoot me a love note. If you're doing something else, share it - I would love to hear, get inspired, steal your stuff, etc. <br />
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Prayers for my Mr as he is single daddy this weekend. This mama is going away, with her girlfriends, to meet Jesus, and to sleep a whole night (2 whole nights) through without a kid (or husband..ehem ehem) waking me up at all hours of the night. Excited. Hopeful. Desperate for sleep and God.<br />
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x, bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-90365832688445131042013-02-15T16:36:00.001-08:002013-02-15T16:42:09.144-08:00God meets us even in the tests! (and link to new kid devos at bottom)Oh lovie ones. How was your Valentine's Day? We celebrated a little early, on Monday with a MUCH needed overnight, away from the kids. It was pure bliss. Let me let you live vicariously through me just for a moment...<br />
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We begin our 24 hours away at a local eatery where everything is grown there - totally fits my philosophy when it comes to food. (If it were up to me, I'd live on a commune with all my friends where we could sustain ourselves and I'd be drinking wine, riding a horse, and wearing a flowy white long skirt. Our kids could run back and forth to our friends home and there'd never be a care in the world, but we'd love Jesus - not one of those cult things that go on... anyone in? Okay, so that was a tangent...) After eating at Greenleaf, where we just shared a salad, we drove down to a dreamland called Carlsbad. A tiny little beach city located about an hour south of us. We ended up at Pizza Port sharing a little pizza and having a beer. Delicious. THEN... we made it to our lovely hotel around 3. As cute as Carlsbad is, we saw NONE OF IT! Seriously, 20 hours in a hotel room w/ my husband. Delightful. No banging on the door from kids, being able to watch tv, take a bath, kiss my hubby, wear or not wear clothes. ;) Oh, and take a 4 hour nap in the middle of the day. I'm telling you BLISS. We did venture out to get sushi at some point, it was late, but who cared because we got to sleep in in the a.m. PURE BLISS. When we made it back to the hotel around 10p that night, we went to the hot tub with our little skinny girl margaritas in a coffee to-go cup because we're that cool, and then played ping pong. Again - because we could. It's SO fun reconnecting with your best friend. Jesse truly is my best friend, but sometimes that relationship gets lost between poopy diapers, a crazy daredevil of a 1 year old and refereeing my 4 year olds. We only have 6 more weeks of classes and then my best friend, lover, husband gets to come back to us. After 6 years of seminary, we're ready to serve together, not just do homework and class.<br />
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THEN, our Valentine's Day yesterday was a scary one. It sucked, it was draining and a total trigger from 2009. But we got to see God show up, answer prayer, and make us practice patience and trust. For 2 hours yesterday, we thought I had breast cancer. The doctors were convinced that something was going on, and that there was in fact an abnormal lump. <br />
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You see, I had gone in for my woman's yearly - NO BIG DEAL. I actually love my doctor and wish I could be her best friend, but I only see her 1x a year. She's so funny, sweet, caring, and GOOD. So in the midst my boob hanging out and her fondling me we were chatting about our newest addition to our family, Miss Sophia Journey and the very free spirit she is. As Dr. W is laughing at the stories I'm telling her of Fia free-falling onto to pillows on the ground from our couch and her constantly said "Fia, get down!" when she climbs on top of tables (YES, she takes the words right out of my mouth and then claps for herself) my doctor's face changed. It became worried, concentrating on something she felt. As soon as she stopped laughing, I remembered a lump I had felt 2 months ago or so, but then life got busy, I forgot, and then I was kicking myself for not remembering. <br />
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She immediately had the breast center here get me in (it happened to be next door). I had to wait 30 minutes before I was seen. In that 30 minutes I was having flashbacks of when I went in for a "cold" and came out with cancer Christmas, 2009. This was NOT where I wanted to be. Jesse was at home, but I was told I wouldn't find out any results that day, so it wasn't a big deal for me for him to be there. I also shot out a quick text to my bffs and had them pray for me. I also cried out for God to meet me and for Him to let me know He was there. I was called back to a room, and the ultrasound lady gave me a minute to get undressed. In those 5 minutes when I was alone in the room, my breast, right where the lump was burned so hot and so painfully, I was sure that God had met me. After my ultrasound, a doctor who specializes in breast cancer came in, she immediately found the lump and tried to repeat the ultrasound, but nothing was there. She sent me to get a mammogram right away, and it looked perfect. She was baffled. She told me because I have a higher risk of cancer given my history and family history, that she wanted to check me again in 3 months on a certain day of my cycle (apparently boobs have a "quiet" time...haha) but she thinks she'll declare me as having "no cancer" then. I'm telling you - not a fun 2 hours for either J or myself, but wow - having to trust God in the not knowing, and being able to tell Him I would trust Him even if the worst came to be true was huge for me, for us. He keeps refining us, and it's painful, but at least I see purpose for it. I don't know if that hot feeling/burning sensation was God's healing or Him letting me know He was there, but it was comforting. I'm finally beginning to scrape the surface of what it means for the Almighty God, to be my Abba. For him to not only care for my church community, may family, the CHURCH at large, but me specifically, to love me specifically. To love the one named Brandi, with brown eyes and a lump in her boob. He loves ME. And HE wanted to show me that he was there. THANK YOU JESUS!! <br />
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I'm so hoping your Valentine's day was filled with your boobs hanging out, but for a much different and way more fun reason.<br />
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x, b<br />
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PS, haha about the devotions. I'm so silly - my lovely, pastor of a husband, pointed out to me that I named my kid devotions INDULGENCE which means the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins...OOPS, hopefully I didn't offend anyone. I really meant the opposite of "to fast" which I thought "to endulge" would be good, but wrong spelling makes it completely wrong. GRACE folks. AND, yes. Jesus wasn't tempted by dessert, but in the desert. Maybe a Freudian slip. What can I say?! Here is the updated, for lack of better name: 40 Days of Lent for Kids: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/125699116/40-Days-of-Lent-for-Kids-Days-1-4" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">DAYS 1-4</span></i></b></a> and newly added <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/125706100/40-Days-of-Lent-for-Kids-Days-5-8" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">DAYS 5-8</span></i></b></a>Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-88945242869002364712013-02-13T15:58:00.003-08:002013-02-15T14:41:09.750-08:0040 Days of Lent for Kids, days1-4You didn't think I'd do it did you... well, here it is! :) <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/125699116/40-Days-of-Lent-for-Kids-Days-1-4" target="_blank">40 DAYS OF LENT FOR KIDS, DAYS 1-4</a> Granted it's just days 1-4, but still. SUPER DUPER DISCLAIMER: I'm not computer or blog savvy at all, at all, at all. So, yes - there's probably another way to upload the PDF or get the columns and pictures to align better in the devo - but I'm a crazy busy mama, details are just going to have to slide. (however, if you know a better way - LMK, I love suggestions. Sorry it ain't all pretty.)<br />
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Here's my vision for this: I totally stole the idea from the Jesse Tree where you read scripture and color an "ornament" everyday the month leading up to Christmas (I guess I could have just said December, duh - it's been a long day!) teaching you and preparing you for Jesus' birth. Well, although my Christmas tree did just get taken down not too long ago, it's actually not up, so I'm not making ornaments with the kids, but more like stringing the coloring rectangles everyday and hanging the garland, for us - in our entry way so my babes can show off their work to whomever walks in. I'm curious as to what you'll do with yours. Let me know. Share your ideas.<br />
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I'm excited to start this journey of Lent with my kiddos and I hope these are encouraging to you as well. Of course, I wrote this with a very specific audience in mind - two 4 year olds and a 1 year old, but even if you have older kids - do the Bible reading together and there's SO much you could discuss. Let me know if you need any direction. <br />
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A little secret. I used to be a youth leader in my former life, I mean, I did go to school for Christian Education Leadership and have my degree in youth pastoring...haha. But wow, it feels so long ago so I'm a little rusty, no judging. Plus my sweet age was more like 11-18. I loved those junior high and high schoolers. But hey, now I have myself a young brood. So we're doing bible reading and corny coloring because that's what they love. I hope your babes will like it too.<br />
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x, bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-5056071261629959152013-02-12T15:39:00.001-08:002013-02-12T15:39:43.466-08:00Yes, it's been awhile!Oh it's been a hell of a season over here, hence the absence of me. Well, let me keep it short (ha!) - I'm so incredibly rejuvenated and I'm about to explode, there's so much I want to tell you. But really, God is so gracious to me and for some reason, lets me in. Why? I have no idea. But, I am excited to tell you that I'm inspired. Inspired to invite you into my Fast for Lent, but really it's not a fast at all - it's an overindulgence - I guess? Is that the opposite of fasting? Well, let's be honest - I suck at fasting, or giving up anything and when I try it's all vanity related. "I'm fasting carbs, sweets, wine, and more wine for Jesus." (haha - or so I can fit into a bikini which I haven't even become close to doing for the last 5 years???) So, this year, God has invited me to spend more time with Him and really pouring His love and His STORY into my family these next 40 days. Here's a little glimpse of how He called me to this unique fast this season.<br />
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Sammy, is my almost 5 year old, going to 10! (He's from Ghana and we really don't know his age - we, along with our agency made the best educated guess we could - but I think we're a little off. That, or God gave me a really really intelligent and smart little booger. Sometimes too smart for his own good.) Anywhoo... here are some questions my little boy has been pondering and asking over the last few days:<br />
<i><b>"Mom, did Jesus get hurt while he was on the cross?...Does it hurt to die?... I don't exactly get why it was fair for him to die when he did nothing wrong. So, it was a nail like this (as he holds up a fork from the silverware drawer) that someone pounded into Jesus' wrists that starts on top and then goes all the way through? Who could do that to someone? Why didn't His Dad stop it? Isn't His dad, God? My daddy would never let something like that happen." </b></i>And you wonder why I don't think he's 4 1/2 years old.<i> </i><br />
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We did a Jesse Tree project for Advent where we read a certain Bible Story every day followed by some coloring/craft of some sort leading up to Christmas. Oh yes, I didn't do them some of the days while others we doubled up - so eventually they all got hung and the kids literally BEGGED me to do them everyday. I loved this idea so much that I've been on the hunt for a Lent version - I cannot, for the life of me find one. So - I guess I'll invent my own to share with you. :) I'm partnering it up with some Bible verses our church is reflecting on every day and I'm really excited to see how God pours into my kids, myself, and my husband these next 40 days and I hope that you'll comeback tomorrow and check out what I've put together. In the meantime, check out <a href="http://www.evengelicalimmigrationtable.com/" target="_blank">I WAS A STRANGER</a> for verses that we'll be reflecting on. <br />
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I'm hoping you too will join me in a little Jesus indulgence too this season. My hope is that my daily reflections that I post here will be encouragement for you, if I'm honest - that they'd really be encouraging to me!! I find Jesus meets me when I write, maybe because it's one of the only times I'm not distracted by the 3 beauties he gave me. Crazy huh, when you slow down, you hear the voice of God. It's not that He is always quiet, it's that He's often drowned out by chaos, poopy diapers, arguing kids, even laughter and silliness.<br />
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x, bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-87212005193607176472012-08-31T22:53:00.000-07:002012-08-31T22:53:57.488-07:00I'm going to lose friends over this one...So I feel like I should say why I've been absent, yet again... family. rest. vacation. family. blah blah blah. Summer is OVER! (well for us, ha, not so much! It's like so hot, I don't even shower anymore because I sweat more after the shower and hardly anyone who isn't in a million $ home has ac by the beach. And, let me tell ya, the little window units don't really do anything for our set up - open living, dining, kitchen...too big of space to cool down. First world problems, yep!) Anyways, I'm so ready for the fall. Our summers are crazy busy and this fall is hopefully one of rest (idiot - you have three kids 4 and under. This does not equal rest). But I tell you, I have only committed to 3 things a week. Nurture, (my mom's group at my old church, yes old - shut up, I love that group and I'm not leaving them. My best friends are there.) And my new mom's group (at my new church- YES, shut up. My "going to be" new best friends are there. Haven't you heard the song, "Make new friends, but keep the old...") And thirdly, being a life group leader at our new church. MMMMmmmm... I LOVE my new church. I kinda wish I could french kiss it, I love it so much. I'm just so excited about what is happening at my little community. Jes and I were asked to share a little on Sunday morning about caring for orphans and adoption (in our series, Who Is My Neighbor). I can't say much more or I'll spoil it, but I'm just really excited. <br />
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Ok, so our church. Series. Who is my neighbor. Last week we talked about loving our vulnerable neighbor, including our undocumented neighbors. Yes! And I LOVE it. (Lets not debate this now - lets just be Jesus to the ones who are here) This spurred on a thought, accompanied with conversations I have had with new and old dear friends, let me tell ya lovies, that I CANNOT get out of my head. This is where I'm going to lose friends... wait for it. <br />
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Background A, brief. ha! Sammy, to send or not to send to K next year at 5.5?? Thinking maybe yes, instead of my original plan of sending both my twins at 6.5 and 6. (another debate for another time). We are in an amazing school zone (not all schools in our district are deemed "amazing" by others). We might get kicked out of our home if our new owners knock our place down to build million $ town homes in place of our single family home and the duplexes that surround it. Where to live? Half of our friends live on the east side of town (where we are now) Half live on the other side of the freeway 1 mile from us in an area we'll call C.P. Beautiful homes. Amazing community of people. School in the neighbor that NO ONE SENDS THEIR KIDS TO. Why?, you ask. Well, lets go back to our undocumented neighbors. Rumor has it, that the majority of the attendance of the school is Spanish speaking with no to little papers. MY GUESS, is that there isn't much parent involvement due to a) fear of judgment, b) don't feel equipped, c) doesn't know that they are needed or wanted. Pure speculation.<br />
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Background B. I'm a teacher. Credentialed K-8. I taught in this district. Not at CP school. I did do my student teaching at a school "like" CP. At the time, my thought was "if ever I have a blond hair, blue eye babe - they will not go here because the one that does is pushed into a corner and does busy work all day while I try to get the other 25 kids in my 2nd grade class to learn their colors and letters IN ENGLISH."<br />
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Background C. (where I might begin to lose some conservative friends....) Totally off topic, but a "must know" for this. Jesse and I LOVE the LGBT community (is that PC anymore?). We HATE how the CHURCH at large treats this community like the "least of these" because they are absolutely NOT. And, I'm so sorry to all my friends who have been damned by the church. Sometimes I think, man - the JESUS that the "Church" is portraying is not the Jesus I know. Another post for another time. I also know some of my friends in this community who HATE Jesus because of how the Church has treated them and I HATE that. I think Jesus mourns over his children treating his other children like sh*t. All that to say, Jes and I have thought about (don't make plans because God always changes them... yata yata yata.) uprooting our family one day and getting 10 of our friends to uproot their families and all move into the middle of this community in San Fran to do nothing but live and do life and show them a different Jesus with NO strings attached. To become their friends because we want to. To live in their community because we WANT to. We would not be moving there so they will lose the lifestyle (is it wrong even? again, another post on <i>my</i> liberal thoughts another day ... and I just lost more friends. haha.). And we wouldn't be moving there to make some straighties...hahahaha! NO. That's a preposterous thought, if you ask me. We just want to radiate the love of our Jesus, so that our friends can meet this Jesus and love this Jesus that I know. HE gets to do the changing if any changing <i>needs</i> to be done.<br />
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Wrestling thought now (and here's where I lose a bazillion friends...friends that I lose now, I LOVE YOU, don't hate me, I'm not judging, I'm not in your shoes yet... but I'm praying to be in your shoes, I think??!)... <b>If I'm willing to uproot my family and 10 other families and plant us in a community that is liberal in every way possible</b> (I'm not just talking about lifestyle), <b>then why the hell am I not willing to uproot myself and 10 other families to invade this school.</b> OH WAIT, 10 of my friends live in that community already! Why hasn't this happened yet? I know that my community (friends) pour into this school, but why won't they send their kids there? Couldn't much more be done to further the kingdom if we reached out to this school is such a radical way. (I have done absolutely 0 research, haven't talked to the principal, haven't visited the school. These are just questions I am having).<br />
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I hear this from most of my friends, "But my kid loses out on good education." <i>ok, I get that, but the school is going to have to change if we all send our kinders there next year - all 10 of us. Plus, again, coming from a former k-8 teacher and a reading specialist, it's kindergarten. You can supplement at home. You CAN. You can probably supplement until 3rd grade pretty easily. 5th grade, maybe not so much for the typical parent. </i>This is NOT to say that kindergarten teachers are worthless. They are absolutely valuable. There are parents everywhere that in any given month would rather take a gun shot to the abdomen then to have their kid plus 25 other 5 year old kids over to teach them every day. Not me, I LOVE kindergarten. In 5 years, if you're hiring... pick me!<br />
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My question: <b>What is education?</b><i> Is it merely reading, math, science, writing, art, oh ya - history, I hate history? Or is it life skills as well? Is it kingdom teaching? Is it teaching diversity? Is it befriending these kids who aren't like your family and then maybe one day that will have an adverse affect. Can I dare say, "Johnny's" whole life course could be changed because his parents and him know YOUR family. One less gang member? One more college student? One more teacher one day? One more soul in Heaven???? One more teacher blessed by the extra help and love from our families? One more family (you?) learning what it means to "love your neighbors?" To do LIFE with your neighbors? </i><br />
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This ISN'T a "WHITES, LETS TAKE OVER THE CP SCHOOL!" (duh, Sammy is black guys) It's a call to Christians who live in that community to come together and do life together. Not just with the other white, middle class folk, but life WITH YOUR NIEIGHBORS... ALL OF THEM! It's a call to stop lying about your address so that your kid can attend another school in another district. It's a call to love on our neighbors, all of them, despite WHO they are or what documents they have. (again, don't start flooding my blog with comments about border control) Regardless if you like it or not, they are YOUR neighbors and Jesus is very clear that we are to love them. Yes yes yes, and to follow the rules of the land... but lucky for us, we make those rules! :) So, go to your local town hall meeting and fight for them to stay here now. (wow, the blood is just dripping from my heart tonight!) (I might need to tame down if I'm going to be a pastor's wife, but I'm not one yet... not until March baby!)<br />
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But, seriously, what's it going to do if 1 family doesn't transfer out? Very little. What will it do if all of the families that I know DON'T transfer out and send their kids there? More than very little . And, from one planner to the next, Jesus could come back before tomorrow - so why the heck are you worrying about what high school your kids are going to in 9 years? He IS coming back before my kids hit 13 because dude, I can't deal with teens. Karma's a b*+@h and we all know what kind of teenager I was.<br />
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Easy for me to tell you what to do, huh? Yep, totally is. But, I kinda pray that the Lord leads us over there so that I can partner along side of you and send my kids. <br />
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KNOW, that I don't look at you with judging eyes, although you don't believe me right now. I swear to you. I love you all. And, I hope that you let me wrestle this one out loud. You might laugh at me one day, and I might laugh at me one day about this. Or, you may never speak to me again. I definitely told Jesse last year before we moved to our house now, it HAS to been in the east side because of the school. I just wish that I would have thought about that more. And if you take NOTHING away from this, well, at least you gave your eyes a good workout. Don't hate me, please give me grace. I'm just stumbling down this road called life, trying to decipher between rebellion by my nature and this thing called conviction that looks like rebellion sometimes to the world's eyes.<br />
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x, bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-26550079125376087012012-08-04T22:14:00.001-07:002012-08-04T22:14:50.083-07:00Miss Me Much?Oh my, this is quite laughable. Literally the last post I began to write, like 2 weeks ago ended with "and shoot, I'm dreading this media fast that I am a getting ready to embark on. Lord, I need your help." and CRASH my computer came down. Seriously, shut off, wouldn't turn back on. Luckily, our dear friend is an IT guy (didn't know that, although there's a hint of dorkiness in him - shoulda known. ;) j/k Matt).<br />
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Anywhoo... Saint (when I just typed it, I accidentally spelled Satan...whoa, haha) Matt laid hands on our computer and prayed because there was stuff that I just couldn't lose, like pictures, Jesse's homework, adoption stuff, etc. Apparently there is maintenance that one is supposed to do with a computer to make it last. Well, clearly my cool husband and I are far above this dorkiness to hold this nonsense in our mind. But, nonsense it's not. Apparently, our computer history had never been cleared...and guess what Matt said... "It would totally explain their problem if I find a ton of porn on here." But, ye of little faith, there was no porn... just adoption stuff. Thousands and thousands of adoption sites, cloth diapering online stores, a few articles on how to make your own laundry soap, the occasional theology website and homeschooling blogs. haha... want to know who someone is, look at their computer history. Guess we're not that cool after all. We're (Jesse will argue it's not him, he just lives with me) a big bunch of passionate dorks who are ignorant in how to take care of a computer. And funny thing is, we don't even have our computer back. Jesse borrowed Matt's wife, Shannon's, computer so he could do school work and while J's at work, I high jacked it. Now, how smart is Matt really??? Letting us dumb-ass ignorant computer people use HIS/Shannon's computer.<br />
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Well, let's catch up friends! What did you do the last 2 weeks? Well, for me - it's been quite eventful, but I wish there was still less of a presence of tv. Seriously, I'm not an alcoholic, not a drug addict, but I really think I'm addicted to television. Why can't I be addicted to working out??? More on that in a few. I'll just hit the BIG points.<br />
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1) I'm CANCER FREE!!! Maybe I mentioned that in my previous post a couple of weeks ago, but guys, it's worth mentioning again. I was terrified it was back, the doctor made me nervous, and I seriously thought this round I was going to die. I was seriously, intentionally giving my kids "good memories" so if I died, they would remember how much fun mom was, although I'm not that fun. But, this scared mom let them have Popsicles for lunch one day and we ran through the sprinklers with our clothes on and then rolled around in mud. And, one day, we didn't even get dressed. We just read books and watched movies while eating popcorn in our pjs all day. Why does it take me thinking I'm dying to let loose sometimes? That's so stupid. So, I hope to continue to pull the stick out of my own butt more often, and drink more wine. Maybe there is a correlation? But who knows, maybe the cancer was back and God took it away? All I know is that God met me in my fear and my heart even began to soften and think, "I really do want Jesse to be happy and for the kids to have a mom if I die, so maybe I'd be okay if he remarried." But here's the real issue, I don't want to share my mansion in Heaven with Jesse and the other woman and ALL our kids, bc I'm sure they'll have like 5 of their own... seriously? NO. He's my man, and he's not supposed look at another woman the way he does me, even if I'm dead, right? Jealous much? Well, really, I'm not jealous now, but the dead me is totally jealous. God and I need to work this out. But, seriously, I'd rather Jes just fine a lovely, gay woman to give him companionship and love on my kids. I could totally share my house with her in Heaven. Just no bed sharing in Heaven. Man. I. NEED. TO. STOP.<br />
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2) We had 2 of our nieces, 9 and 5 spend the night with us for a cousin sleep over. Please shoot me in the foot if I say in the next year that I'd like to adopt 2 more kids. (haha, as I'm proof reading I noticed I just said the next year, I didn't say ever! :) ) My nieces are amazing. I love them. They are the best behaved and HELPFUL little girls ever. It's just that 5 is WAY more than 3. My sister-in-law deserves mom of the year award. 5 kids 9 and under and she is so grace filled and doesn't even drink. She's nursing right now and is SO <strike>not like me</strike> not the mom who would have a glass of wine while nursing. On the way home from the beach with all 5, I made J stop at the store to get us more booze just to make it through the night.<br />
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3) this is a big one guys. "Bug (what I call J), I'm ready. If you feel like God can use you and grow you here, us here (at the new church, previously called the other woman), if you feel like this should become our new family and new home, I will jump in feet first with you." Tears are seriously pouring down my face as I'm typing because there is excitement but so much mourning going on inside me. I don't have to tell you again, but I LOVE my (not quite old) church, my family there. It feels like home. It feels safe. It feels like Jesus to me. It's really where I first encountered Jesus and KNEW it. I feel like God is giving me a picture now, this very moment... so I'm going to type it:<br />
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<em>I feel like at my old church, Jesus started to really shape this plant, tend to this plant who was in a little clay jar. And by no means is the plant beautiful in her own eyes, but yet God is still pruning it and loves it, and calls it beautiful. But this plant has almost outgrown her little clay pot. It's now time for her gardener to transplant her into a larger clay pot and it hurts, it disrupts her. But here, in this large clay pot, there is room for her to grow, room for her to learn that she is exactly who her God made her to be. Not a tiny stem with a little bud, but maybe a full plant with life. There is room for her to see herself beautiful as she starts to see the fruit that is able to be born from her, because there is room and because God moved her.</em><br />
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Now that I'm totally bawling, this encourages me. Makes me want to throw up a little, because so often I forget that God actually sees me, cares about me, loves me, could call me by name... not just Brandi who went to RockHarbor, but Brandi his precious daughter whom He created to love. So if you hear nothing from this whole post, hear that GOD LOVES YOU. YOU. HE MADE YOU UNIQUELY. AND HE KNOWS YOU BY NAME. And keep reminding me of that because I forget all too often. I just wonder how many times in my life, I've tried to be someone else because I look up to them, because I think they hear from God way more than I do, because I love their clothes and shoes and self confidence. But I wonder how many opportunities were wasted for kingdom work because the ME he made me to be, I was not confident in and I missed it because I was trying to be someone more spiritual, more cool, more dorky even, who would never go "there" or talk to "him" or do "that" for a job. There is grace from our Savior, I know, so I won't dwell on the missed opportunities, and neither should you. But I want to be encouraged, I want you to be encouraged, that God made you YOU so that He could use YOU and your uniqueness to touch unique people who would respond to accepting His love through the very unique, YOU. <br />
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Not at all where I saw this post going... but I want to stop there. That is enough for me to process and sit with for one night. I'll get to the not so perfect media fast soon. Ironically, I'm going to need some accountability from the blog to hold me to less media. ha! I'll explain later. <br />
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Much love to you not only from me, but from God. He genuinely loves YOU, even if you don't quite love him yet, or even like him at all. He's okay with you where you are right now. But He longs for you to know his love, even if it's on your terms for right now. It doesn't change how he feels about you.<br />
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xo,<br />
bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-24872738672403231142012-07-17T15:43:00.000-07:002012-07-17T15:43:46.198-07:00"7" things I hate about you...1. YOU'RE challenging me. 2. you're. challenging. me. 3. You're KILLING a part of me, making me die. 4. You're changing me. 5-7. you're challenging ME!<br />
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However, those are all the things I love so far about the book 7 by Jen Hatmaker. It's a total vacillating kind of relationship - me and this book. "I hate you, this is stupid, but I want more because this is so good for me."<br />
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Premise of the book: Jen, an affluent pastor's wife in TX is rocked by the Holy Spirit when confronted with 7 areas of her life. She is an all or nothing kind of gal, so to experience the feelings and somewhat lifestyle of the marginalized (whom they are now in community with) she takes 7 areas of her life, one per month, and totally lives radically. For example on the clothes month, she only wore 7 items, for food month - only ate 7 foods, etc. It's her journal of what God does with her and her family and the journey they take to become poor in wealth.<br />
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I have a dear friend who is leading our bookclub through this book and to see woman who live in Orange County be challenged in radical ways is so powerful. We take 1 chapter a week, we come and discuss, and we fast the following week. My prayer for this book journey is that God gives FREEDOM and that we see clearly our idols and areas that have strongholds on us. We are not quite 1/2 way through, but I'd love to share some thoughts with you on how this has affected our family. I will just do one post per chapter, otherwise you'll be reading til next week! <br />
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Food: <em>*disclaimer, we're processing still over here at the Gibbs house and love this journey and frankly - aren't asking for any input in this area yet. Please let us struggle and love us where we're at.</em> This one is a biggie for my family. I think we eat relatively healthy. However, we have a ton of slip ups - and lets be honest, I'm 20lbs more now than I was on my wedding day. For the food week's fast, we didn't do anything radical like some of my friends did, but what we did do was educate ourselves on what we are putting in our bodies. As I was reading the chapter, questions began to pop in my head. Ones that have before, but this time I wanted to give them space to sit and percolate and give validity to them - because after all, they are MY questions that obviously my subconscious wants to know about. ;)<br />
<em> Did God create us to eat meat? In Genesis He told Adam and Eve to eat from any tree except the "one." I don't think he said, see that lamb over there, kill it and eat it in the Garden of Eden. And I know that after the fall, people ate meat bc it talks about how you shouldn't eat pork if it causes your brother to stumble, but were they only eating meat because they didn't have enough plant based food? Is it evolution that has caused our bodies to be able to process meat like it does? And why was it that when I had cancer I felt the best I'd ever felt when we switched to soley a plant based, whole grain diet?</em> <br />
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When I was diagnosed with cancer in December of 09' Our doctor had told me to become vegan to slow down the rate of the cancer growth so we did and I felt amazing! We were originally going to "live" with the cancer and try to slow down the growth naturally and even possibly reverse the tumor size, and this is the route that a few of my doctors suggested. The vegan diet is what they put terminally ill patients on to give them more "time." And right then and there should have been enough to make us stay that way forever... why in the world would we not eat a diet that was so good for you (as long as you do it right!!!). BUT, then there was this beautiful little boy whom we got a call about on Dec 28, 2 weeks after I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma, and he needed a mama who was cancer free (or the courts would look favorably on NO cancer) so as fast as we could go, we used medical intervention and cut that sucker out and followed it up with radiation. And then we went to a country where it is incredibly hard to eat a plant based diet and still get all the nutrients that one needed. (and at this time, I had little to no thyroid hormone in my body, so I needed lots of energy to power through). And then I just never got back on the bandwagon. But, during my 10 weeks on the diet, I had so much energy and remembering telling Jesse - I feel SO good, yet I'm sick, but I have never felt this "whole." In fact, it was hard reversing and coming back to meat... there was a period that I just couldn't digest meat and dairy, I'd throw up, be in severe stomach pain (esp with red meat) but I kept working at it until I could have my tri-tip and milkshake. (hence the extra 20lbs!)<br />
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I brought up my "theological" questions to the hubby that's a pastor, and he didn't have the answers. Little did I know, my lovely meat eating husband was having the same questions, but knowing how granola I am, he knew I would jump at the opportunity to become vegan once again and he wasn't quite sure if he was ready to give up his steak and cheese so he never brought it up. Kinda don't blame him, a double double is pretty tasty esp with extra cheese. So, we went to where all good researchers go to... NETFLIX. And we began watching documentaries. We totally understand that all documentaries are heavily one sided, however we found one that we thought was pretty fair. Forks over Knives. Watch it, tell me what you think. We know that there are some things they didn't take into consideration... they focused on mass produced meat and dairy and not the cows my great-grandmother raised, milked, and then fed us growing up. But, we're guilty of not buying free range meat/eggs/dairy, so I felt like they had a good argument for us.<br />
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Are we vegan today? Well, not exactly. But, we did go shopping and bought no meat. Yogurt, yes. We have planned an all vegetarian menu, properly balanced with plenty of protein, for the next week. However, I am waiting on some results that I get on Thursday, and laughably, we both said - if my cancer is back - out goes all the dairy and meat products along with processed food and sugars. HAHAHA!!! Again, why wait for bad news to radically do what's good for one's body? I guess good is relative. Now, don't think I'm a crazy mama who will never let her kids have cupcakes or hotdogs at a birthday party, but I may be that mom who makes gluten free/ healthier versions of desserts for her kids at home and give them carrot sticks instead of chips for a snack.<br />
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My challenge to you: No, it's not to become vegan. :) Although if you did, lets swap recipes! But, to ask yourself, "What am I putting into my body, into my kids' bodies, into my husband's body? Does it have an affect on our health?" It never hurts to educate yourself and NO ignorance isn't bliss! I told Jesse that if he were to die of a heart attack related to how he eats, I'd resuscitate him and kill him again. And friends, don't think I won't resuscitate you just to kill you again if your diet causes you to have a heart attack, or if you overdose on doughnuts. I love you too much. <br />
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x,b<br />
<br />Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-24918669594255660232012-07-13T22:00:00.000-07:002012-07-13T22:13:34.163-07:00I'm a B*+@!Alanis Morisette's song rings so close to me, and I think I kinda made it my theme song for a long while, maybe up until today. But it's kinda written about me, to me, from me. Just ask Jesse. Although he'd NEVER call me one, I'm sure the thought may have quickly passed through his brain a time or two or twenty. I alluded to feeling suffocated in the Midwest growing up, always feeling as though I had to be perfect, which clearly I am - even my blood is A+. All this to say, I think when I "started a fresh" in CA, it was the perfect time to let it all hang out... Hence the "This is me, take it or leave it baby."<br />
<strong><em>I’m a b**** I’m a lover, I’m a child I’m a mother, I’m a sinner I’m a saint, I do not feel ashamed. I’m your hell I’m your dream, I’m nothin’ in between, You know, you wouldn’t want it any other way.</em></strong><br />
And, although I love being real and raw - a straight shooter, I am beginning to realize that sometimes I can seem or even be selfish. "I don't want to, so I'm not going to," or "If I have to then I'm going to totally let the whole world know how super duper miserable I am doing it. BOOM. I bet that's the last time I'll ever be asked to do..." As my life is being purged at this very moment... (hating and loving the book 7, I'll write another post just on that later), I am beginning to see this selfishness and dare I say, poor attitude that can accompany my personality sometimes. And, may I even be braver and say, I am beginnin' to think God's going to refine part of this to b*+@!iness into being more like Him which is going to suck and hurt A LOT.<br />
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At the new church, the babes learned this <strike>stupid</strike> new Bible memory verse, "Nobody should seek out his own good, but the good of others. 1 Cor 10:24. (I actually didn't take time to look up the reference or the actual wording, I'm just taking my 3 and 4 year olds' word for the accuracy of the verse - ha!) Adalee, especially, has been reminding me of this constantly because she is SEEKING out the good of others over her own, and it makes me sick. "Here Sammy, I think you should pick out the cd tonight because I want to make sure you like it." "Hey mom, where is my bike? I think our neighbor would like to ride it instead of me because she doesn't have one." How old is this 3yr old really??? <br />
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Anyway... I hate the thought of getting to know our neighbors, let alone love them like Jesus asks us to. I most definitely have NOT sought out their good over mine. In my defense, I had sucky sucky neighbors who made me and my children cry multiple times daily at our old place. Have you ever lived by a crazy old woman who HATES children? I really think she had anger issues and if I would have ever turned my back, I wouldn't have put it past her to hurt one of my kids. And then we shared walls with a man who abused his wife, physically and emotionally and who blared his music into my kids room 24hours a day and then complained when they cried too loudly at noon (because they were over tired from his blasting music). So, when we moved (a year ago tomorrow) I made a pact to myself... do not get to know your neighbors, keep to yourself, being a good neighbor means minding your own dang business and not getting in the middle of any domestic disputes. "Love my neighbor" could just mean waving hi to them and being polite if they asked to borrow an egg. Yeah, not so much. Over the last month, the <strike>annoying voice</strike> Holy Spirit has been giving me opportunities left and right to love my neighbor, to be Christ to them, to show their kids God's love. And I have literally kept saying, "NO - not now, I've got 3 kids, I'm tired, my time is precious, I need to see which guy Emily gave the boot to, I need to see how many likes my picture of Sophia playing in the sink got, etc." And then today happened. <br />
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"Mom, you keep saying that we can play with our neighbors only if you're outside with us, can't you please come... don't you want us to share God's love with them? How can we if you don't let us play with them?" This coming from my 4yr boy. Our neighbors are a little rough around the edges... 7, 8, and 11 and they use the F bomb a LOT and don't exactly withhold their body strength when wrestling w/ my 4yr boy. Not to mention, sometimes chase him w/a bat (all out of fun, really) saying, I'm going to beat you up. So, yes - supervision is needed. Our neighbors' parents don't speak English so it's a little hard to have the "make your kids behave or I'm going to slap them" conversation. So today, after I was guilted into loving my neighbor (way to go Jesus, use a 4yr old to get to me), we walked over to Ruben, Ruby, and Issi's house and asked if they could come play. <br />
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Those kids' eyes lit up, they were so excited at the invite. They quickly ran outside and immediately there was laughter and organized chaos in our backyard. After an hour, we were all pretty sweaty. It was humid and hot here today (not the normal, we're spoiled I know). The sweating and panting kids - all 5 of them begged to come inside. I was thinking... <em>Inside? hell no... I did my part by letting the kids come over in the first place. I think that's enough "love my neighbor" as I can handle today. </em>But somehow the Holy Spirit grabbed a hold of my tongue and said, "Sure, but the baby's asleep, so lets just play games together. <em>WTH games??? Seriously Holy Spirit?? This means I have to sit down and play with them because my little kids will need help and they might not know our family rules, boo hoo me!! </em>Literally I was kicking my feet inside my head. I wanted no part of this. But here we were. We sat down to play Chutes and Ladders, a fav at our home. You spin the wheel which lands on 1,2,3,4 and that tells you how many spaces to move. There are a hundred numbered squares on the board and you just follow the numbers, in numerical order until you reach the top. If you land on a square w/ a ladder, you get to climb up to the higher numbers, if you land on a chute, then down you go to lower numbers. Simple, right? My 3 and 4 year old can do it w/o supervision. But no, the 7,8,and 11yr old couldn't. They didn't know how to count 4 spaces over or which numbers were higher. Does it go 28, 29, 30 or the other way? (Granted the 11yr old has some special needs and is more on an 8yr old level - but still). Immediately I had to choke back tears. I had to literally excuse myself to the bathroom and I wept. How Lord can I be so unloving, so unwilling? How did it take me this long to open my hearts to them? This broke my heart. I am so convicted. I'm a teacher... I AM A TEACHER! Of course. I. am. a. teacher. Okay, God. I have all the knowledge, resources, and passion to help kids learn. Why didn't I know they needed help? Oh, because I'm so selfish and not seeking the good of others over mine? Sigh. Then a big picture kind of question popped in my mind..."Could you want to do more with me than just use me to tutor these kids? Could you want to love on them through me? Do they even know you? Is their kids' education, or lack of understanding their education, their biggest need?"<br />
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Neighbors aren't just families who live in close proximity to us, but they are people who have needs. Will we ever really get to know our neighbors well enough though to find out those needs?? If we are supposed to be missional in our communities, then I think we gotta do the uncomfortable and bake some cookies and go knocking on doors. My thought isn't even "SHOOT" after that swift kick in the booty, but now a, "Lord, forgive me for not doing this sooner. Please redeem the lost time... the time I could have known them but chose not to. Help me not get stuck in the past and the whatifs, but show me your grace so I can try tomorrow." Life is messy for me, for my family. But it is also mesy for my neighbor whom I haven't met but KNOW they just brought home their first baby girl last week, for our neighbors who yell at each other at 1a.m. in the middle of our alley, for our neighbors whose kids are getting left behind at school, and for our neighbors whom I know absolutely nothing about, except they have a little girl the exact same age as Adalee and we've never had a playdate.<br />
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Do you know your neighbors? Could God be stirring up something in you? Could He want to use you in their life to be His hands and feet to them? Could he want to use THEM to change your heart, to bless you? In the book Mark, Mark says to "Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" (which I suck at). He also says, "Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31 The two greatest commandments in the Bible and I suck at both of them. But now, I at least have a desire to not suck at them as bad. <br />
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My prayer for you is that you find grace from Jesus in what you have not done, and courage in Jesus to do what He leads you to, and for self control to not eat all the cookies that you bake your neighbors this weekend... you in it with me? Want to bake this coming week and take some yummies to the neighbors? I'm in. I hope God uses our kind gesture to open up a line of communication. So often I find myself getting sucked into this OC mentality and then wanting to totally rebel by running away from it all - lets move to Ghana (my heart's home) but then again, I think I'll probably have neighbors there too. So, I should practice Mark 12 until God moves me.<br />
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Please let me know if you go and meet your neighbors. I'd love to be encouraged by your stories.<br />
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x, b<br />
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</div>Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-60944291057499095822012-07-09T22:21:00.001-07:002012-07-13T23:31:31.261-07:00Part 2, My thoughts on the "other woman."Oh dear. I'm now trying to be careful of every word written down because I just received my first comment from a reader who I personally don't know, yikes.... what is she going to think if I say this, or that... shoot, what if my parents are reading, my in-laws. ACKKK... in my last post I said Jes has a fine booty and the s word. But, haha... reality... this is who I am, perfectly imperfect. And, I made a promise to myself that I would be raw and honest and try to have no filter, although filtering might be nice sometimes...Sorry folks, thank you for embracing me. And, how humbling knowing that more than my bff is reading this. Sip of wine... let's continue.<br />
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A little background, our home church has this brilliant philosophy that they rediscovered from the early church called "missional communities." With the thought that one should attend church in their physical community, do life with their neighbors, and serve to meet the needs of those in their neighborhoods. We love this way of thinking as a couple. Well, with that said, there was a church replant that came out of our home church which is within walking distance from our home. So when Jes and I considered visiting another church, this one stuck out in our minds as a no-brainer to try.<br />
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Okay, I cried like a baby before I got out of the car, we all know that I can sometimes be overly emotional. But once I made the leap and actually got out, I saw this<strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"> </span></strong><a href="http://www.poptopheaven.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">car</span></strong></a> and anyone who really knows me, knows that I would die to have this. Although Trooper, the name of the owner, had a vw version that was a 1977 model. Yes, Trooper. And seriously folks, that is who I needed to see. I am a hippie to the core, granola loving snob who makes her own laundry soap - so it was refreshing to see one of "my kind" there with NO SHOES!! <br />
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There are just some things that come with being at a mega church, and one is a polished worship set. I have so many distractions in my own head that I LOVED not being distracted by someone off beat or out of tune... to me, when I worship at my home church, it automatically takes me to this far off land where it is just my Jesus and me (yes, very narcissistic, but sometimes I need to be loved on by Jesus and need to give him my love and heart and during worship at my home church, is the easiest place for me to reconnect with my Savior). So, I was nervous going to a church where there are only 4 people on staff and 100 people max at the 1 service that meets at an alternative high school. Selfishly praying, Lord, worship is where I KNOW I will meet you, please meet me and help me not focus on the unpolished worship. Help me not resent not being at my home. Essentially thinking, if the music isn't good, I'm not staying. (YES, I get it - totally self-centered, but people... just hold your horses.)<br />
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We drop the kids off to their classrooms and Jes and I walk in. I have massive ADD, so I'm not going to hear one word if I'm not sitting up front and J knows this... however, I really wanted to sit in the back today, I didn't want to be noticed. But no, Jes marches right up front and sits right behind the pastor. So, I have NO idea what is practiced for worship, do you raise your hands? Do you close your eyes? Do you stand/sit... who the heck knows because I'm sitting right up front and can't really turn around without everyone looking at me. Wow, okay. Already I'm uncomfortable. J sees communion set out, so he's already stoked; something our home church practices, but not every week together. However, if J had it his way, we'd take it every day together, not just every week. So I was happy for him then. The music starts, I just stand, in silence, eyes closed and pray. I'm so uncomfortable. And I hear a whisper, "Can you still worship me?" I don't answer, just stand. I don't even know the answer to that. I look, I hear the music, not in perfect rhythm, not in perfect tune, actually, quite perfectly imperfect. As service goes on, I'm captivated by every word the pastor says... it's like he's talking to just me, well, because he kinda is. It feels like we're having a conversation in a coffee shop. He walks us through John 18. I didn't realize how much I missed going through a chapter of the bible. Oh, it was so sweet. And communion time came. What you may not know about Jesse and I is that we hold very tightly to the sacraments of baptism and communion - we believe in infant/child baptism and know that something divine takes place in both sacraments, they are not just a symbol, but much more (for another post, another day). It's been a challenge to be at a home where the majority of people there don't share in that same belief, respect our belief - absolutely, but that's different. When Phil, the pastor spoke about communion, he caught us off guard because he spoke what we believe the truth is about communion. How refreshing. I got a glimpse of one of God's babies... a little, healthy plant that is seeking out his sunshine and I began to get excited. I felt myself begin to let go and worship my God for the sheer opportunity of getting to. What an amazing site to see, to witness, his beauty. His beauty sure does come in all shapes and sizes, and in the most unexpected places sometimes. I feel like maybe God wants to challenge me in meeting with him. It is so easy to be drawn into a beautiful, reflective worship set. I love that. It's easy, it's yummy, it's like someone spoon feeding me dessert. But here I felt like Jesus was saying, "Brandi, you're not going to get your whole meal here at this worship set. I get to now teach you what it is like to worship me without the big training wheels. This might require you putting forth some effort to prusue me, like cracking open that Bible of yours so I can speak to you, or pulling out your journal so you can write to me and see how I'm really here with you. I might ask you to sit and be still and know that I am your God throughout the week, not just during a magical worship set."<br />
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After the service was over, the people were so friendly, I totally felt like the new kid, but people made us feel welcomed. We actually knew quite a few people who attended there that we hadn't connected with in a long time. Jes and I made a 6 week commitment to this community to learn about this community, to get to know this community, to seek out relationships there. I can't think about where we will be at the end of 6 weeks, that's too burdensome for me right now, but I can think about Sunday. I am finally at a place in my life where I am beginning to enjoy the journey. I used to be, "God, just tell me where I'm going to end up and I'll deal with the car ride there." But not knowing, is kinda fun. <br />
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Wow, if you would have heard the conversations that were happening not even a year ago b/t hubs and I. "I don't care where you end up being a pastor at, just don't ask me and the kids to come with you if it's not our home church. I mean, I'll go, but my home church will be where I really worship at. I'll just come to support you." See, I've come a long way. God never ceases to crack me up.<br />
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x, b<br />
<br />Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-88130075924550285282012-07-08T22:50:00.000-07:002012-07-08T23:03:24.356-07:00a not so secret affairConfession: I'm having an affair. I pull up this morning, to a home that is not my own and tears fill my eyes. I feel like I'm not being loyal, like I'm going behind my family's back. All these emotions inside of me, I literally feel nauseous, I think I'm going to puke. I feel a hand on my thigh, a sweet kiss on my cheek, and a soft whisper in my ear... "We don't have to do this if you don't want to, but babe, we're only visiting another church." <br />
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Clearly, you don't know my husband if you think I'd ever cheat on that stud... it don't get any better than <strike>that piece of ass</strike> his handsome charm and sweet, caring heart. But truly, the above is an account of what really happened this morning. <br />
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*DISCLAIMER, I LOVE MY HOME CHURCH!!!! And I think that is why I felt so disloyal this morning. I had to struggle and am still processing what it means when I feel "disloyal" in this context. Who does my loyalty belong to? I KNOW it's not a sin visiting other churches and my home church sends its staff on sabbaticals and tells them NOT TO COME TO OUR CHURCH, but be refreshed by other churches and big C church. But you don't understand, I L.O.V.E. my church, my community. I've been there for 10 years, faithfully serving, praying, and for a short time working there. I literally don't have 1 friend in my closet circle that I didn't meet at my home church. I grew, I met Jesus there. I was baptized into Christ as a child, raised in the faith, believed in Jesus, but I encountered the living God in a way that I never knew existed... He LOVED me despite all my crap, my sin, my shortcomings. Maybe it's because I grew up in the belt buckle of the Bible Belt, but it was NOT okay to sin... and if you did, you were a horrible Christian. It wasn't a safe place to struggle with anything (or at least I felt that way). But at my home church, I learned that Jesus walks with me through my struggle and I didn't have to get my sh*t together before I came to him. He took the nasty and made it white, He is molding me, growing me, and pursuing me in ways I wasn't open to before, because I didn't think I was worthy. My church has been through the most difficult times of my life with me, when our first year of marriage <strike>sucked and I wanted to give up</strike> had its little trials, when we thought our daughter may be born only to die, when our son was "stuck" in Ghana, when I had cancer, when we had "lost" our little Sophia for 2 hours after she was born (our birthmom had a change of heart for 2 hours at the hospital after her birth)... we had hundreds of people stop and pray, carry our burdens with us, cry in relief when God met us. This place is my home, aside from our little 3 bedroom, our church is my home. But that's just it, it is MY home and my husband has never really felt like he completely belonged. <br />
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He'll tell you he loves our church, loves our community, loves our pastors. Some of his best friends, he met there. He won't say 1 negative thing about it. He is just unsure if it's his home. Unsure where he sees himself in our 5000ish person church. He's so close to the finish line of school we can almost see the light. However, man I'd be pissed if Jesus came back the day he finished school... seriously, WTH - why not 7 yrs before!!! Anyhoo... I'm sure I'll be singing his praises and forgetting how much we've stinkin' sacrificed for Jes to become a professional Christian just for Jesus to come back. Wow, selfish much... where was I, oh yes... with J finishing school so soon, he's looking at where God might have him, thinking about what kind of role fits his gifting and which don't. J is a huge visionary, totally plans years before things happen, knows what he's doing tomorrow even for lunch...hahaha...APRIL FOOLS!! NO, J is the farthest thing from visionary or strategist as you can get. Event driven church, we love - we're at one, it's totally brought us to where we are - but for J to work at a church where the valued staff is all visionaries who empower the lay people to care for, to shepherd people, to love on the flock - maybe not a good fit for J?? If you have ever had a conversation with Jesse, you probably thought 1 of 3 things the next time you saw him, 1) is he going to make me talk about my feelings again???? or 2) I CAN'T wait to sit and talk with him, he hears me, he gets me, he challenges me, he cares about me or 3) wow, he's so hot and I probably shouldn't talk to him again because he's Brandi's man.<br />
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Um...time out, if you're reading this still...praise to you. This is so frickin' long...<br />
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Long story short... Jesse is a shepherd, he's a pastor of people, he cares for his flock and he's unsure where he fits in a mega church who delegates that task to lay people (which hear me when I say, NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THAT MODEL, but is it the right fit for Jesse?) So we are exploring churches where Jesse's gifting could possibly be utilized more, one that hopefully we can get plugged into and that he can maybe do a 9mo internship at if in the end Jesse doesn't feel our home church is best suited for his giftings, hence the "affair" today. (awkard sentence, I know, but it's 11p).<br />
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You will have to come back tomorrow for my reflections on today. (man, because I'm tired of writing and I'll do it injustice to sum it up while I'm this tired. But it was good, I thought we were going there for Jesse, but I think God had something else in mind.) I'm definitely being pruned, and it hurts, but I will leave you with this profound image Jesse had today (which I'll totally botch)...<br />
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"There is an unrecognizable shape that resembles something that used to be human which is covered in this hard, rocky shell. But God is diligent in picking away at it and when a piece falls off, you can see this vibrant, new, green life trying to push its way through. And that is beautiful." I challenge you to ask along with me, "Lord, what is it that you want to chip away today so that your beauty can shine? What is your beauty today in me?"<br />
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x, bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-13353187305739452732012-07-06T16:53:00.000-07:002012-07-06T17:18:13.900-07:00let us start, yet once again...Hi. I'm Brandi, and I am trying to be a recovering "task not finisher" person. YES, I suffer, WAIT, my husband suffers w/ my ADD. I'm pretty darn good at having great ideas, not so great at finishing them all, hence the blog that hasn't been kept up with. So, as you have noticed, I haven't written in almost 2 years because frankly, I've had SO much on my plate - mostly great stuff, but the blog was not a priority, so it fell by the waste side. The blog used to be about our journey in bringing our sweet little boy, Sammy, home from Ghana and our journey that lead up to his homecoming... oh wait, I was a first time mom who had an 18month old girl (or somewhere around that age) and I was so that mom that thought life was SO hard w/ one kid - I'm laughing at myself out loud right now, because moms of multiple kids knows how so sweet and easy it is with just one, I was also trying to deal with my heart which was in Ghana at the time with my boy longing to be with him and worrying about him every moment, and I had this little thing called cancer (I'm all good now!) and lets just say, I sucked at juggling. But, here I am. And I want to start again.<br />
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Lets recap: I'm Brandi, mom of 3: Sammy, 4yrs, Adalee 3yrs (really only 4mo younger than Sammy), and Sophia, 7mo. We have 3 kids from 3 different vehicles: birth, international adoption, and domestic adoption. We've been through the ringer with a gamete of emotions with all of the homecoming of our kiddos and know the heartache and joy of each experience. I am so lucky to be a stay at home mom- however, by NO MEANS am I a homemaker - unless you consider making my home messy with crafts, sewing, art, kid books, toys, lots of kids, laundry, etc. And, I'm married to the hottest, most sexy man on the planet, who is my biggest supporter, encourager,the best husband/friend, and daddy anyone could ask for, Jesse. Oh, and he is a pastor, which makes me a pastor's wife - YIKES. Don't judge me, you know you are, because I kinda am. <br />
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Lately, I have been feeling a stirring inside that there is MORE; more to me, more to this life, more to God than I have experienced. I am feeling like God is getting ready to revamp me (maybe bc of the aforementioned) I have an idea as to what He might do and I am thinking that there is going to be a LOT of pruning in these next few months... so, what do you say - want to sit back, totally stalk our lives, laugh at my stupidity, smile at my cute kids, cry with me as I discover what this more is?<br />
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xo,bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-86795787442618280832010-09-13T08:06:00.000-07:002010-09-13T08:29:38.889-07:00VISA!!!I haven't posted in a while because there has been a lot going on emotionally and I didn't know how or what I was allowed to share! BUT FINALLY! After many many months, we <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">received</span> a lovely email from the Embassy stating...<br /><br /><em>Ms. Gibbs,</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Thank you for your email dated on Sept 6. We wish to inform you that your son's adoption investigation is completed and his visa is ready to be PRINTED!!!!!!!!</em><br /><em></em><br />So today, our <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">POA</span> is taking S boy's passport to the Embassy so his visa can be printed on Friday. <br /><br />I do have to tell you that the experience in finding out that our boy is coming home after many months of "fighting" for him, praying for him, missing him - was unlike any experience I have ever had. It was much more "emotional" than the birth of our daughter - not because I love him more, or wasn't excited for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Adalee</span> to be born (I was in labor for 36 hours - I was MORE than ready!!) it was just different. <br /><br />I have felt in "bondage" not knowing when or if my boy was ever going to come home. I felt like my heart had to constantly be guarded because we'd get these little glimpses of "hope" and then nothing. I was having to have other people carry me in prayer, because my soul was exhausted of praying continually. But when I opened up that little email and read those words- Jesse told me that I reacted in a way that a mom who just found out that her kidnapped son was alive - and not hurt and that he was coming home. NOW, Sammy was NEVER kidnapped! He was never in any danger and ALWAYS taken care of. But it was this huge weight lifted and the walls of my guarded heart were broken down - I could feel all that love rushing over me and it caused me to physically shake uncontrollably and weep like I've never cried before. God's spirit was ever so near reminding me that what he started, he is bringing to completion. <br /><br />God, you are SO good and YOU stay faithful, even when we question. <br /><br />Now, I'm praying for all the other families who have been waiting for thier child(ren)'s visas. Lord, bring good news for them this week too!!Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-7546426918936310352010-06-07T14:46:00.000-07:002010-06-07T15:10:11.691-07:00April 18, 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1iDTEvPMhhc3rGgbMbpIOjSGEcDVSNaNpggejulPHm-RueEENSMYkCb1kshX0-Rh8alEHrJexVSpgzJPS0XVw-5bSDskevWgUU8E4bULZwr-xgY_pn-NvgMVX_Ti1WirEYawZwNTt6I/s1600/171.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480153024021353810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1iDTEvPMhhc3rGgbMbpIOjSGEcDVSNaNpggejulPHm-RueEENSMYkCb1kshX0-Rh8alEHrJexVSpgzJPS0XVw-5bSDskevWgUU8E4bULZwr-xgY_pn-NvgMVX_Ti1WirEYawZwNTt6I/s320/171.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvlS4XvZ9rwtRbskjL6uVxIgtYFIpbCRp1rJ0yP6oTSDncIfrxqWlOpVefsEt616pHz4PY4XTu0nUiDHkRowC5It_KrGmyu0VQUIYRp2GtHlQbUjFR5_EX5nGdurYsbYNYsBxOJkp0zc/s1600/161.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480153012984912258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvlS4XvZ9rwtRbskjL6uVxIgtYFIpbCRp1rJ0yP6oTSDncIfrxqWlOpVefsEt616pHz4PY4XTu0nUiDHkRowC5It_KrGmyu0VQUIYRp2GtHlQbUjFR5_EX5nGdurYsbYNYsBxOJkp0zc/s320/161.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNlTjcCDBTvYb0mv6Jp0coTqXu4fuaXT0tbur9aRffcSt0CfZpa0ayqA5aEi8H_APHRtLfFq0rfAsaWNuReTRhbghG6mVXtBO92ULC_zRLYD0jdn8Zcm2CBsMCnA52LIR-f7WHOcFzJ0/s1600/160.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480153003413150594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNlTjcCDBTvYb0mv6Jp0coTqXu4fuaXT0tbur9aRffcSt0CfZpa0ayqA5aEi8H_APHRtLfFq0rfAsaWNuReTRhbghG6mVXtBO92ULC_zRLYD0jdn8Zcm2CBsMCnA52LIR-f7WHOcFzJ0/s320/160.jpg" /></a><br />Samuel Jesse Gibbs became ours at 9:30a on Friday, April who knows.... haha. Every day kind of runs together. But HE IS OUR FOREVER SON!!<br /><br />Quick recap - don't have too long....<br />1) Sammy's birth-mom was so nervous during court - she wanted him to become ours just as much as we did.<br /><br />2) We visited his village - just like you picture - the clay huts with grass tops, many people came to greet us - the whole village, his whole family. They were so PROUD that THEIR grandson, great-grandson, son, nephew, etc was now an AMERICAN BOY! We got to spend time with them and were humbled by their generosity and kindness. Before we left - they wanted to give US a gift- from this very poor village, all the grown men were chasing a chicken to give to us (worth almost $30 USD - more than 2 months worth of income for them). It was quite comical watching them all run around trying to catch a chicken - which we HAD to take. I was kind of praying that they wouldn't hand ME the live chicken, but was ready for it. =) (but they didn't - they just put it in the trunk - alive w/ the legs tied...)<br /><br />3) we had a 20 hr bus ride - those are always fun. We had to change buses unexpectedly half way through and the funny part was, as they were unloading all our luggage, here came over 30 goats (alive) from the luggage bins too - they unloaded them all and reloaded them all into 1 big 15 passenger van after they took out all the seats....maybe it was the lack of sleep, but it was about the funniest thing I've seen in my life.<br /><br />4) I hit a Ghanaian man - a grown man. During the middle of the night - at one of the scheduled bathroom stops, a group of Ghanaians asked "obruni (white person) is this your child. And I answered yes. This whole time, the response that we have gotten is - "AWWWW, so great, an American boy..." but this time we got - "NO, he's NOT your son. You cannot buy this boy - he is OURS, you can't take him" and then a grown man grabbed Sammy who was in my arms and I decked him... and Jesse just looked stunned that he didn't even have to do anything - I really did beat him to the punch. Then we got right back on the bus (and I cried like a big baby!)<br /><br />5) We went swimming with our son today - his very first time and he loved it... attachment is going great with all of us now. He is definitely strong willed, but so sweet. And he's sleeping right next to me as I write this. =)<br /><br />xoxo,<br />bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-14741816718322292352010-06-07T14:43:00.000-07:002010-06-07T14:45:24.709-07:00April 15, 2010Well, it is Africa and I should be okay with the change in plans - court not happening today. We woke up early this morning, put on our 1 nice outfit that each of us had, got in a taxi and headed to court with the other American family and Sammy and Andreala's foster dad, P. <br /> <br />When we arrived, our social worker arrived with Sammy's birth mom. She is beautiful. Young, long braids, and quiet speaking. She walked over and saw Sammy. Greeted us and Sammy reached for her. She held him for about 15 seconds and then told him as she pointed to me, "Sammy - go to your mama," and she handed him back. She immediately had to walk away (and I can only imagine because her heart was breaking). My heart was breaking for her... I lost it. But it's unacceptable to cry in public here. We will have much more time with her tomorrow when we visit her village. We were warned to keep minimum contact with the birth moms because they can always change their mind until after court. (this we didn't know - but from now on, it won't be like that anymore.) Our social worker did say that both moms (Sammy's and Andreala's - the other little girl of our new American friends) are very dedicated to having their children adopted. But there is always a fear, I think natural on our part.<br /> <br />We all then walked into the courtroom. There were many many Ghanaians waiting for their time in court - we were all in one HOT room (and they don't wear deodorant). Of course my little Sammy threw a fit and so I excused myself to comfort him in the hall. A judge approached me and said, "Are you hear for your case today? An adoption case? Is this Samuel?... I will see you tomorrow morning at 8a. I'm sorry for the delay."<br /> <br />I then went into the court room and found our lawyer and social worker and they confirmed the change in court date. The judge had brought home our file to read last night but left it at his home this morning without having the chance to read it...haha!<br /> <br />So, tomorrow we will go to court at 8a in the same clothes we went in today and God-willing have the decree by tomorrow. The judge did tell us that we will have the adoption decree by the end of the day tomorrow. But worse case scenario, if the adoption decree doesn't come until Monday - then J (our social worker) will stay here in Bolga and then gather the decrees so that us families may go back to Accra (big city where there is actually something to do) and so Jesse CAN catch his flight on Monday. <br /> <br />Today has been good b/t Jesse and Sammy. Sammy called him Daddy many times and kept saying, "Daddy, I love you!" He followed Jesse everywhere. We did a late birthday celebration again today where we sang happy birthday to him and it embarrassed him so bad that he "lost" it for about an hour. He's actually with his foster dad right now, recovering. =)<br /> <br />Thanks again guys so much for all your prayers and encouraging notes. We love you very much! Hopefully when I write to you next, Sammy will be Samuel GIBBS! Our forever son.<br /> <br />xoxo,<br />bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-12657267590470139522010-06-07T14:28:00.000-07:002010-06-07T14:43:20.804-07:00April 14, 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHjD5YKbr34VSYejkqeNx53fPaeT8yK11xgScafJMtFdnmEKYeAzAR2_Y9PauaBDXbvi5TFU__Et74J6fJ6P5xa9oH31FNO59dszemFehoXVLmFDsg3QXeuQl8Ahi3Ri6uqRdd29Brtg/s1600/136.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480149588224177266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHjD5YKbr34VSYejkqeNx53fPaeT8yK11xgScafJMtFdnmEKYeAzAR2_Y9PauaBDXbvi5TFU__Et74J6fJ6P5xa9oH31FNO59dszemFehoXVLmFDsg3QXeuQl8Ahi3Ri6uqRdd29Brtg/s320/136.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb0qmgJ8Th1V0JxxLqatrCz_qgCyBP3VRXV9_Cpr7afvAPCUeXkii8RszBRgNfAmnpNfucwpHgQqdbVSAoZQMrbsgVwpDsdOVwK1avL0s2KJ8TiJ_MhpREx-2yIjh14VGhyTaKNYRIc4/s1600/014.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480149579983166098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb0qmgJ8Th1V0JxxLqatrCz_qgCyBP3VRXV9_Cpr7afvAPCUeXkii8RszBRgNfAmnpNfucwpHgQqdbVSAoZQMrbsgVwpDsdOVwK1avL0s2KJ8TiJ_MhpREx-2yIjh14VGhyTaKNYRIc4/s320/014.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>It's so good to hear encouragement from everyone and just knowing that we're lifted up in prayer makes ALL the difference. Because I only have limited time to use the computer - I can only write 1 email - but I promise we LOVE all your emails - so keep them coming! And really, we love each of you - and somehow feel so much more bonded to you through this process.<br /><br />Lets pick some highlights!<br /><br />1) It's Sammy's 2nd birthday today! We celebrated with frozen yogurt, a slinky, bubbles, playdoh, and a book. It was so much fun - although birthdays aren't really celebrated over here, but he felt really special today, I hope!<br /><br />2) After Sammy's nap yesterday - a new boy in his attachment to his forever daddy. He let Jesse hold him, feed him, play with him. And today, he called him dad and followed him around when he left the room. It's not perfect yet, but a LOT better. It made Jesse feel really great and gave me a much needed break. It's really something holding a 2 year old ALL day when it's 115 degrees outside.<br /><br />3) Peer PRESSURE - I did it mom and dad, sorry! It was SHEER TERROR and I hated it. But, I really did hold a live crocodile's tail (touch is more like it) and Jesse sat on it. HUGE Ghanaian tradition and supposedly no one has ever gotten hurt visiting this lake with over 200 crocs living in it. Pictures to come. This is my agent's computer so I only have the pics she takes of us.<br /><br />4) Court is tomorrow and we meet Sammy's birth mom tomorrow. We will also visit his village either tomorrow or Friday where we get to meet all his extended family. We're really looking forward to time with his birth family.<br /><br />5) We learned that our boy is SPOILED even by Ghanaian standards. His foster dad LOVES him and favors him over all the other children - hmmmm... sorry little boy, but the word NO does exist in your American home. We (Sammy) has thrown his fair share of HUGE fits. =)<br /><br />Prayers we could use: That court would HAPPEN tomorrow - it should. That his birth mom would welcome our conversations with her/video and pics of her. That Sammy would continue to bond w/ both Jes and I and that God would use us while we're here to do HIS work. And for Adalee, that she would continue to do well! (We got to talk to her last night and it was so good!)<br />Much love,<br />b </div></div>Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-6214661687955730832010-06-07T14:16:00.000-07:002010-06-07T14:28:15.347-07:00April 12, 2010Dear family and friends! <br /> <br />We're now in Bolgatonga, the place where we will have court. Haha...what an interesting journey to get here. Some of this has felt like I'm on the Amazing Race from the crazy first bus ride to Kamasi to then wait for a bus to Bolgatonga, to the peeing in a shower like stall with no ventalation or anything to catch your pee - literally, you went on the ground while standing in other's urine (I would call this my road block if I were on the amazing race) The things we do for our children! We're very spoiled Americans. On the bus to Bolgatonga rode with us about 80 Ghanaian people, chickens - live and clucking, boxes, mattresses,etc. Let me remind you that this bus was like a school bus - not nice, no ac, and when Ghanaians get hot and bothered with someone - they yell! So, very very loud at some parts on this 8 hour bus trip. BUT, remarkably, Sammy did wonderful - just sat there and slept or played with some books Nana and Pops got him, or stacking cups that we brought along. The difference in American kids and Ghanaian kids... (or maybe just my two - I don't think Adalee would have sat there all quiet for the 13 hour total bus ride??)<br /> <br />Now Sammy is understanding more of whom exactly we are. At first I think he just thought we were special visitors that he has been waiting on, coming to show him special attention - but now, he's kind of "over it." I'm so glad his foster dad, Paul, is also with us - it's helping with the transition A LOT. Sammy's attachment to me seems so flawless and wonderful - he calls me mama and only wants me over everyone else, except Paul - he likes us both equally. However, his attachment with Jesse has taken a turn. We were fully aware that this would happen (probably) and kind of wanted it to - because it would show his HUGE attachment to Paul and that when he gets attached - it's a good one. If Sammy had had no issues with Jes or I and willingly came to both of us and was content with anyone - that's when you begin to wonder if there could be potential attachment issues - "could he ever be attached to ONE mama and daddy." So poor Jesse is taking the "hit for the team." Sammy, starting last night, began to refuse to even be around Jesse - turned his face away from him - cried at the top of his lungs when Jes held him. But, A had explained that there is some "loyalty" issues going on there too. Sammy is really attached to P and he might feel that if he begins to let himself become attached to Jesse, that would mean he would lose his "daddy P." It is really hard on this little boy - so much happening so fast. All that to say, his attachment today was a little better at breakfast. He would let Jesse feed him, he actually sat on his lap, and would share food with his new daddy - and even called him da. (maybe he's holding on to that "ddy" until he's for sure about jes?!)<br /> <br />We met with our attorney yesterday (after not having any sleep for over 40 hours - the fun bus ride experience and waiting time) and I'm sure he thought - those crazy smelly Americans. But, nonetheless was very nice. We will have our case tried on Thursday. Please pray for a morning time - we will not know if the judge will want to see us BEFORE or AFTER his regular cases - we're praying for BEFORE. <br /> <br />I want to thank you SO much for updating me on Adalee - it makes me smile so much to hear that she is doing GREAT! I really do look forward to all those updates! I love hearing updates even if you're not keeping her, but see her. So THANK YOU everyone. God is really giving me peace about being away from her. I'm really learning to trust THIS child with God. I really can't imagine how we would do this trip with her - there's really NO way - from the traveling, to the food, to the 115 degree weather. So, that is giving me a little peace, knowing that even IF we could have brought her, it wouldn't be the best for her. <br /> <br />I love you all so much - and we couldn't do this without your support and prayer. Oh, and another prayer request: Please pray that we (Jes and I, our social worker, agency, lawyer, the other family that we're with) are given wisdom to know if when we leave Bolgatonga if we should also leave Sammy and his foster sister Zoe here as well in foster care. This is a tough decision because it now looks like the kids need to have court where they were born (and now possibly have to reside here as well until the immigration is approved?). We DO NOT want this to be the case, because it can be traumatic for the kids to have ANOTHER set of caretakers (even if only for a month or 2). There is a family willing to take Sammy and Zoe and we'll be able, with our agency to "interview" them... so I guess that's good? But, at the same time, we do not want the embassy to tell us that we did this adoption wrong and now have to try the case all over again and have the kids move up to Bolgatonga and have to come back a 2nd time for court... "Lord, please show us the way."<br /> <br />Love you much,<br />BrandiBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-51646451592839193242010-06-07T14:06:00.000-07:002010-06-07T14:16:21.791-07:00April 14, 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgXKh046RUVF3r3R0EN526JiW5cq31_ZRvKM4w2FhspoocJdr4xiuJjDG-Nb92Dn02q99KVV7JOUNHBtKaqVrPoA7JEQu7kMzPrt-SNP0JFpHmHSKl0XiTzMdAsOKPYt6ZABN6wg8SXg/s1600/DSCN2738.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480142693801160546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgXKh046RUVF3r3R0EN526JiW5cq31_ZRvKM4w2FhspoocJdr4xiuJjDG-Nb92Dn02q99KVV7JOUNHBtKaqVrPoA7JEQu7kMzPrt-SNP0JFpHmHSKl0XiTzMdAsOKPYt6ZABN6wg8SXg/s320/DSCN2738.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAomIhoo9fYrtF7bWfAolTN13mGKpMW2VBO_WwKGL7Yy53rOYQzBIADM4Pel1Iu2FLnsl0zb1DOJHDECXqOfPMHZ4m3MuDZwlKtui_PG1tJDwJOQrCCAHtoW7OAtsv97IZMDKKz1MmRFg/s1600/DSCN2737.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480142689423225618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAomIhoo9fYrtF7bWfAolTN13mGKpMW2VBO_WwKGL7Yy53rOYQzBIADM4Pel1Iu2FLnsl0zb1DOJHDECXqOfPMHZ4m3MuDZwlKtui_PG1tJDwJOQrCCAHtoW7OAtsv97IZMDKKz1MmRFg/s320/DSCN2737.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOpmQdvgk3oIuO6Jcv1jyhNSOdC0SnT0HnQktwDizBTUi4e5cn3XQIC2P5S6IRqEuzhMhHxgRvHHVnAhR9QvUcBNZL4eCUZfcB6zq1JMYNbaY166CQmGUm4f0PIgt0SzknxC9Q38PA7w/s1600/DSCN2736.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480142675828549042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOpmQdvgk3oIuO6Jcv1jyhNSOdC0SnT0HnQktwDizBTUi4e5cn3XQIC2P5S6IRqEuzhMhHxgRvHHVnAhR9QvUcBNZL4eCUZfcB6zq1JMYNbaY166CQmGUm4f0PIgt0SzknxC9Q38PA7w/s320/DSCN2736.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Pictures of J and I meeting S for the first time!</span></div><div>Oops - they're in reverse order - look from bottom to top! =)</div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div>Brandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-37556170799805630362010-06-07T14:04:00.001-07:002010-06-07T14:06:10.861-07:00April 10, 2010Dear family and friends, <br /><br />I'm writing this update as we are riding on a bus to Bolga! We've had such an amazing JOURNEY thus far, and man - I've never been this "easy going" in my life! I have really had to learn the Ghana time around here. <br /><br />We have met Sammy and he is absolutely wonderful! He saw me and immediately called me Mama. And Jesse - man, Sammy LOVES his daddy! He still calls his foster dad,P(first letter of his name - privacy!), his "Ghana Daddy" but Jesse his Daddy. He ran and showed us his family book we sent him when we got there and pointed to each of our pictures and said - Mama, Daddy, and Addie! He is so amazing. Much smaller than I realized - much smaller than Adalee (taller though). And what a cuddle bug. It wasn't until we saw him in person that I knew how "rough" his little body has had it. Before he came to Paul, 5 months ago, he was malnourished - but by OUR standards, not Ghana's. We see this in his thin hair and skinny little body, but his hair should start growing in thicker as his nutrition continues to improve. He also has a little heat rash that should calm down as he is in air conditioning with us this week. All this to say, I can't wait for him to come home so that we can start taking care of his little body even more so than his wonderful foster family. They are truly doing a great job with him.<br /><br />We love seeing all the orphans here, they love us white mommys and daddys! It has really opened my eyes to the true need of families for all these children Mom and Dad - I have a little 14 year old picked out for you! She's wonderful. =) I even asked Jesse if we could come back and start our own orphanage - but he told me he wants to finish Fuller first! =) I'm still working on him though...<br /><br />We did find out that Sammy won't be able to come home with us this trip because NOW the birth families have to have ANOTHER interview with the embassy when we file our immigration paperwork, however the birth mom has to have a picture ID to get into the embassy, which no one has here. We will be able to pay for Sammy's birth mom's photo id, but it will take an extra 1-2 weeks to get that id and then for her to have the interview w/ a dna test. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to leave him. <br /><br />Back to right now - so we're on this bus on a huge dirt road with potholes the size of a person and rocks that are HUGE. I think we maybe going 5 mph and I think we have 5 more hours to go to switch busses to finish taking us to Bolga. What a ride. Oh, and have I mentioned that we waited over 8 hours for this bus?! I'm just so thankful that we are here with our agency who knows what they are doing and another family whom we've really grown to love. <br /><br />It's so serial to be finishing this email sitting next to my sleeping son on his new daddy! I hope that I will be able to send you "proof" of this beautiful boy (via picture) very soon! Please pray for a quick court process, that Jesse does get to make his flight, and why not - let's still pray for a miracle - somehow my little boy would get to come home with me still! And please continue to pray for my little girl at home - this mama is having huge separation anxiety and missing her so much! Thank you all for loving on her while we're loving on her "bubba." I know that she is taken great care of.<br /><br />Love you all,<br />bBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6345571699290283459.post-6029593402045612962010-06-07T13:53:00.000-07:002010-06-07T13:58:08.477-07:00April 3, 2010Dear Family and Friends,<br /> <br />We are getting ready to go meet our son in 4 days! This trip was unexpected, but definitely a blessing. As laws changed in Ghana a couple of weeks ago, Jesse and I are now expected to be in court while the adoption trial takes place. This will be a great experience for us as we get to not only be with Sammy, but see where he was born (in Bolga), and spend an extended period of time with Sammy's birth mom - something we have been praying for. We will also complete our adoption in Ghana, whereas before, we would have had to come back to the US to complete it. This will be a LONG trip for us (Jesse 2 weeks and myself at least 2 1/2 weeks, possibly more depending on "African timing")<br /> <br />There is a slight possibility that we will get to bring Sammy home with us this trip, but God will really have to have HIS HAND upon the whole process and it will have to be HIS TIMING if Sammy were to fly home with us (I would have to extend my trip by a couple of weeks probably). So, please pray for that. =) If he doesn't return home with us this trip, it will only be a matter of a weeks after I return before he is able to come home (via I go get him, or he is escorted - to be determined)<br /> <br />Also, please include Adalee in your prayers as well as us, for she will not be able to make the trip with us due to her age. This will be the first time Jesse and I have left her, ever! I'm not going to lie - there is severe separation anxiety on my part. But, Adalee will be with family and friends who love her very much, and whom she loves in return! I am confident that the Lord will sustain her while we're gone, but I would greatly appreciate prayer for peace for my heart as I already miss her, and yet I haven't even left yet.<br /><br />Love, <br />J and BBrandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02256478180327981740noreply@blogger.com0