How to Cook the Thanksgiving Meal

This year I asked my students what they like to eat for Thanksgiving. Using a graphic organizer students were able to write how they think you cook the food that they enjoy eating. We made a Voice Thread for all the recipes that were made. You can listen to each student tell how they would cook their dish. You can also click on the comment section and type or speak a comment to one or all of the voice threads. We hope you enjoy How we would cook the Thanksgiving meal.
http://voicethread.com/share/2464524/

Christmas Card

Photo Card

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Thank You God Shutterfly Book

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A Happy One Year Ago

One year ago today Hannah came to live with us.  It has been an exciting and interesting year.  We have had a lot of fun together going places such as Discovery Place, Bicentennial Garden, Hickory especially Mimi and Papa's and Glenn Hilton Park, etc.   We have also enjoyed time together at home making a gingerbread house, playing board games, reading books, watching movies, cooking together, etc. 
We are excited that the adoption social worker came Thursday and we are all planing on being finished with all paperwork and home visits and being in the courthouse for the adoption ceremony on Hannah's 10th birthday.

One Year Ago

One year ago today Jason, H,and I were doing laundry and packing to prepare to leave the next day on vacation.  Around 5:00, we got a phone call saying we had to return H to DSS because the judge was allowing her to live out of state with a relative.  We were all three completely and totally heartbroken.  Within an hour she was packed up and on the way back to DSS.  We knew that this would be the hardest part about foster care and at one point the reason we were not going to do foster care.  After hearing another couple say that if God gave them a child through foster care just long enough for God to know someone would be praying for that child then it was worth the heartache of losing them, we decided to do foster care.  Yes that was one of if not the hardest days of my life but after a year a day has not gone by that she has not been prayed for. 

The Final Space Flight

Today I watched NASA space shuttle Atlantis leave Earth, marking the program's final flight. It is unclear as to what will happen to the space program.  It has been said that there will be no more space flights.  Does this mean that there will be no more astronauts?  What about NASA?  It is sad to think that 5 or 10 years from now children will not know what an astronaut was or what a space shuttle looked like.  It is so hard to believe that this is yet again something that will have to be taught from a textbook or the internet.  My heart is heavy for the ones that will either be without a job or will have to go and work for the Russians.  I guess this is just another job that is being sent overseas.  What about the kids right now that have only dreamed of being astronauts...what will happen to their dream?

What is a mother?

This Mother's Day was difficult and frustrating for me.  After listening to people and reading Facebook posts, I have learned that many of my family and friends only few mothers as those who have children that they delivered.  These same people only accept children into their family if they are biological or maybe adopted.  Many people that I know do not realize that giving birth does not make you a mother.  There are so many women in this world that pop out children all the time but they have NO idea how to be a mother to those children.  Giving birth DOES NOT make you a mother.  Loving, showing Jesus, teaching, correcting, disciplining, holding, hugging, raising, comforting, meeting needs, providing for...these are all things that make you a mother.  Below is a poem written by a person that was adopted from foster care:

Some Mums and My Mum

Some mums have kids,
Just, one two or three
Mine has had hundreds
She's special you see
She's not my real mum
But with that I'm ok
Some mums can't hack it
And send their kids away

So I sure am lucky
Cos the mum I have now
She makes me feel safe
Though sometimes we row
Cos no mum is perfect
And we all have to learn
How best to raise kids
When it is our turn

Kids don't come with a guidebook
It's pretty much trial and error
But no kid should suffer
Anguish, torment and terror
Thank God for those willing
To share family and home
With kids less fortunate
Thro' no fault of their own

We know there are times
When tempers will fray
But that's kids and parents
At the end of the day
And my mum is special
She guides me her best
I know truly I am loved
Whatever life's test

Pauline Oliver

There are so many people that would not be where they are today, if it were not for the love, support, and care from a foster or adoptive mother.  The next time you eat at or pass by a Wendy's you can thank a foster/adoptive mother because without one who knows where Dave Thomas would have been.  Next year, I am praying that people will remember that just because a woman does not give birth, it does not mean she is not a mother and just because a child is not biological or adopted it does not mean they should not be included/accepted in your family.  Thank you God for calling me to do this very difficult but very rewarding thing called motherhood to a wonderful, beautiful, funny, and sweet little girl.

Springtime

Song of Solomon 2:11-12:

"For the winter is passed. The rain is over and gone. The flowers are springing up. And the time of the singing of the birds has come." 

I love Spring...my allergies/sinuses HATES it but everything else loves it!  I can't imagine how you can look at the change from winter to spring and not know that there is a God.  Everyday this week I have noticed something new growing or changing and I have said, "Thank you God!" Friday on the way home I thought this row of Pear trees that I love every spring had been killed because they just looked brown.  Monday I was so excited to see huge white petals all over the trees.  Hannah said it best when she said, "They look like they are covered in snow." God blesses us every year by bringing trees, leaves, and grass back to life.  He brings the birds and butterflies back and gives us new babies and growth.  When it is so cold and dark during the winter, spring is the light at the end of the tunnel.  Spring brings hope for new life and change.  I can not think of spring, new life, and change without thinking about what Jesus did for everyone on the cross.  This is my favorite part about spring.  I am so thankful that Jesus was willing to give up his life so his blood could take away my sins.  I know that when I die I will spend forever in Heaven because Jesus gave me new life.  If you don't know where you will go when you die find someone to talk to that will tell you about Jesus and what he did for you.  Jesus died for your sins so you don't have to spend eternity in hell.  He gave you new life just like he gives flowers and trees new life each spring.  Thank you Jesus for your beauty and blessings everyday!  I love you Jesus!!!!   

Pray for your children daily and Parenting is hard work

Pray for your children daily and being a parent is hard work.  Jason and I are taking a parenting class on Wednesday nights and this is what the teacher told us he wanted us to learn if we did not learn anything else...parenting is hard and to pray for your children daily.  Jason and I have been foster parents for about a year now and being foster parents REALLY is hard work.  It is very difficult to try to raise a child that has been raised by other people for the first 8-9 years of their life.  I said raised but I guess I should have said failed to be raised by other people.  It is so hard to try to teach right from wrong when they have never been taught it before.  It is hard to teach them not to lie when they spent the first 8+ years watching their parents and the other adults in their lives tell one lie after another.  It is hard to teach them to obey adults when they have been allowed to rule the house for 8+ years.  Sometimes it is so tempting just to let our foster child do what ever she wants, I mean how many times in a row can you say the same thing over and over, but then we have to think about what that would do in the long run.  Four years from now when she is a teenager and we have failed to teach her to obey, tell the truth, be responsible for herself and belongings, how to respect those in charge, etc because it is easier than constantly punishing and correcting her then how would we be different from the parents that she was taken from.  Some family members have told me we are too hard on our foster children but what they don't remember is that foster children are not "normal children" we not only have to teach right from wrong we also have to break years of incorrect raising from sorry parents.  Yes that means that we may have to punish her for a solid year or so but we are willing to do whatever it takes to help her become the young woman God has planned for her to be.  We have told her that she is not going to like us at times but she will thank us one day when she looks back to see what could have been if God had not placed her with us. 

Broken Hearted...What Should Not Happen!

On Friday, January 21st Sarah and Justin Stewart took their 11 year old daughter back to the doctor to find out why she was not getting better after two rounds of antibiotics for strep. Lauren was sent to Brenner's Children Hospital and around 11 pm we found out she had Leukemia. Saturday, January 22nd after many tests we were all excited to learn that she had the most treatable and curable kind of cancer. We were hopeful and knew that she would get treatments and would be home and doing well. Yes we knew it may take a few years for her to be cured but we all believed she would be cured. Well she was cured of Leukemia on Sunday, February 13th around 8:10 am. The sad thing is she was not cured the way we wanted her cured...she was cured when God took her to heaven and gave her a new healthy body. Lauren was such an awesome young lady. She often helped me with kindergarteners or first graders when I would volunteer on Saturday nights. She was always willing to help in any way she could and was great with the kids. She loved helping them and also loved playing games with them. When I see Lauren in my mind I see her holding her sisters' hands and walking together. They always seemed to truly love and adore each other. I see her beautiful smile and dark hair. I see her passing out snacks in The Snack Shack most of which she could not eat but she didn't complain about it. I see her running in her Upward Soccer games. I see and hear her beautiful voice as she sang with her sisters in the children's Christmas play. I laugh as I can see her trying to keep Cameron from breaking loose and shaking her booty on the stage at church. I see a beautiful young lady who will be forever missed by many friends. As sad as it has been for us, I just can't imagine what her parents, sisters, aunt and uncle, grandparents and other family members are feeling. I have been amazed at her family's faith and their ability to praise God in this horrific storm. I hope that if I am ever in a horrible storm like this, that I have the same faith and is able to praise God like they have. Lauren's family has been such an inspiration to us all. They could have been asking why and complaining because in our selfish world parents should not have to bury their children and grandparents really should not have to see their grandchildren buried. They have not done this...they have praised God instead. I have hope that because of their faith and ability to praise God in this dark time that many people will be touched and brought to the Lord. I know that God has a purpose for everything and I pray that lives will forever be touched and changed because this beautiful girl has passed away. Lauren we love you and will greatly miss you but we will see you again!!!!

A Weekend Filled With Highs and Lows

Friday I left work on time (those that work with me know this is VERY rare). Hannah and I came home and picked up Jason and then we left to go to Danville to go shopping for Hannah's birthday party. We got home and started packing everything we would need for her party. We were all so full of excitement about her party on Saturday and getting to celebrate with family and friends. We did devotions, put Hannah in bed, and watched a little TV. Like every other Friday, I soon fell asleep in the recliner. When I woke up I went on and got ready for bed. Jason brought the laptop to bed so I decided to hop on Facebook for a few minutes. I saw a post from some friends that their daughter had been admitted to Baptist. Jason and I started praying because we know it normally is not good to have to be sent to Baptist. I messed around on FB for a little while and then saw from my friend that it had been confirmed that her daughter had Leukemia. I felt like someone had punched me in my stomach. I had to read it twice for Jason to get what I was saying. I tried to go to sleep but my thoughts just stayed on them. How do you handle that kind of news? How do you explain to your sick child and your other two daughters? I did the only thing I knew how to do and prayed. I know I had to have prayed for them a 100 times Friday night. I kept waking up and every time my heart was so heavy for them. Jason and I decided not to tell Hannah until after her party. We got up Saturday and put on pretend smiles for Hannah all the time our thoughts and prayers were going to the Stewarts. After the party, we did learn that Lauren has the easiest to treat kind of Leukemia so that was a huge relief and the beginning of many answered prayers that will be coming for Lauren. We told Hannah and she was upset and full of questions. This just is not something that should be happening to sweet little girls like Lauren. We will continue to pray and trust what Jeremiah 29:11 says. Praying for Lauren Stewart daily!!!!