Christmas with our kids....

Our Family
Pappy and big Boy!

Woah! This bumbo is something else!

Just like everyone else....he thinks Mammy is funny!

Let's see how long I can handle this Bumbo thing!

Fun during the season at Promise House

The finished product....Before the artist completed their work!


We had one girl who had never made cookies and decorated them before...I had to share with her our experience with the gingerbread house...remember that one, Becka??

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As I sit and write...I wonder what God has in store for Jesse and me as a family this coming year. I went today to pick up some items for Promise House girls for their birthdays this coming year if they are in our care when it comes about. I had a blast! I love clearance and discounts ...Wal-Mart had both today. While I passed thru the Tree Shop...I couldn't help but wonder what Momma was thinking last year when she bought that Christmas tree at the after Christmas Sale. I am sure she was wondering what the next year would be like...she had officially began her retirement on the last day of school in December, 07. Mom was a giver not a taker! She showed me how to have the servant heart that I have today.
We always come to this time of year to make those changes in our lives and to see if we can really hold on to those changes all year long. I just pray that we will be the servant that God wants us to be. We made a choice this year to go wherever he wanted us to go...if I had made the choice I would have been serving in Louisiana somewhere near my kids. But we have allowed the God of our life to make that choice. This Christmas...I made the statement to the kids that I wished that I could serve closer to my kids. The older two made great and mighty statements back to me. One said " Mom, How long have you been away from family? Almost 20 years, right?" I said, "Yes!' The other said....Mom...you are doing what God wants you to do. We will be there for ya!
So I ask you tonite as I write....Are you being the servant that God wants you to be?

Our cute pumpkins! They call us Mammy and Pappy!

We enjoyed our 11 days off. We got to see all of our family except Ben.

God blessed us with days to understand why grandparents love to be grandparents.

Love 'em, spoil 'em and send'em back to Momma and Daddy!

Pappy and the boys!

Pumpkin No. 2

Pumpkin No.1

Susan's Purpose Driven Life....

Today I was given the privilege of taking one of our girls over to the clinic for a checkup. As we waited in the waiting room, I glanced around for something to read. Since I am out of the baby realm, as far as having them myself, I didn't find the Parent magazine in my taste of literature to read today. I did see the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. We did this study in our church about 5 years ago. I opened the book to the first day and read it. There have been times in my life that I have questioned what it is that I am suppose to do here on Earth. Today I was reminded just what "i" am suppose to do. "I" am suppose to look toward God...he will direct me in the ways that he wants me to go. Now to some that may seem just plum dumb stupid, to quote an old friend, but to me God was telling me that being the Momma to my three kids was just right where he wanted me. Although some may say I wasn't the greatest I did what I knew best. Now I serve God thru being no less than a momma to all the girls that have passed thru, are here and who will pass in the future. God holds my plans in his hands and he knows what is best for me!

Rest and Relaxiation!

This Thursday we start 11 days off...no kids! no cooking unless we choose! one hundred percent Nothing! I figured up today that since we started on August 11 of this year for one reason or another we have worked all but 10 days. When we were back there looking here it didn't seem bad at all. But now looking back we need a break! So we are starting off by sleeping for two days! ha! then we are traveling down to Louisiana to spend time with Becka and my dad, and a couple of sisters at a reunion on daddy's side of the family. On Sunday we are going to go farther south to John and Georgiana's to help with the babies on this coming Monday while Georgiana returns to work. John will be onshore on Wednesday.
Please pray for our traveling safety, pray for our girls here as we leave them for a "very long" time, pray for one of John and Georgie's baby foster boy's, he has RSV and in the hospital, pray for Becka as she continues to try to heal from the pneumonia, pray for this ol degenerative osteoarthritis that I have that it will take a chill pill.
Later~

Whew!~ 2 Babies at once! 2 weeks and 4 weeks!

October 2, 2008
John and Georgiana are happy as little larks! They got a call sometime this week that they could possibly be getting another baby. They will be picking him up from the hospital tomorrow! He is 2 weeks old! I can't wait to see him or is it them in action as parents with two. hehe! We are excited for them and I ask that you pray for good health for these two babies.

Have you heard about the new rave? Well, at the Promise House that is! LOL! We are teaching all the new girls how to knit by loom! Audra, our sumnmer, missionary started this with the girls during the summer. We have hats, scarves and blankets of all shapes, sizes and colors. The girls love it! (Thanks Audra!) During the first week of a new girls life here we are attempting to get them in school. This means that our director goes thru lots of paper work during that time. Meanwhile, I have the job to entertain the new girl. So, guess what this is their first craft they learn. Look forward for more pictures of the girls work.

Jesus, Babies and Love

This past weekend we spent with our family, minus Ben, in Mississippi. Our kids were able to make the trip to Mississippi. John and Georgiana brought along their foster child. He is beautiful but then all babies are. God has placed him in their home maybe for only a short time but for him to be loved when he needs it. Their love for him reminds me of the little song:

Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Red and yellow

Black and white

They are precious in his sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world!

Two Babies later...

As our life begins to settle down from the whirl of baby birthing I feel a long winter's nap coming....well at least in 6 days when we get off for 4! We have sent one to the hospital for an inducement which I was able to be there for the birth. I actually made it thru the birth and all of its glory without passing out. I can now say that giving birth is really a miracle of God. This little one came into this world but fast to be transferred to the NICU. I can say that after several days there he is now here at the Promise House with his mom. He is doing well. We normally don't take them back here to the Promise House with the baby but since he has an appointment on Monday with Children's Hospital we allowed them to come back here. Our other girl gave birth to a boy on Monday evening. Mom and baby are doing great! They were discharged to go home on Wednesday evening. Today we got another new girl! Thank goodness for Sonic and Happy Hour...takes the nerve endings and makes them manageable with a Route 44 Diet Coke! I can taste it now!

Babies, Inducements and Rest!

Tonite is a wierd kind of nite for me. I sent one to the hospital for a planned inducement tomorrow, one is planning for Monday morning at 5:00 a.m. (thanks goodness I am not on duty til 9 a.m.) and then my new arrival, she is 12 and 6 months pregnant. I really wanted to call mom and tell her all about this.....

Can you believe that the girl going in the hospital tonite asked me to come stay with her at nite after the baby delivered? She actually thought I would be quiet! I do remember one of the names my dad called me when he was heavily into the CB area. Rachetjaw! I guess I have changed alot this year. So tonite I sit here pondering the world we live in??? Many times I have questioned whether I raised my three kids the right way, whatever that means. I think looking at the happenings around my house today...I did a darn good job! I love you Becka,John and Ben and then my two "in-laws" Georgiana and Lance!

Before I could finish this letter in walked Jennifer and the girl that was due to go to the hospital! They were too full to take her. So I got her and the others ready for bed then Jennifer calls me at 10ish saying the hospital called and they now have room for them. Life is funny! Here at the promise house is beginning to be funny. God does have a sense of humor I believe.

Today when the girls got home from school one of the girls hurriedly called me to her room. She had a tan pair of pants on and up near the waist band on the rear of the pants she just knew for sure that the stain was blood. I, of course, asked like where from...she responded with....well I will let your imagination play with that one. So...the more that I looked at it I thought I think I know what this is. I went inside our apartment, asked Jesse if one of the 6 Sonic Route 44 drinks could have spilt on the front seat of the van where this young lady had sat on the way home from school..He said "Sure did!" Case solved!.....now on to our next adventure. By the way I had a good laugh. Laughter is good for the soul!

Gustav and 6 dogs

This past weekend was a busy weekend. John, Georgiana and K'Lyn plus Ray and Terri came for an unexpected weekend. The unexpected was nice in one way and bad in the next. We enjoyed having them for the weekend but the reason why they came could have turned out to be tragic. Both of their houses survivied the storm, leaving our kids with no power as of last night. We have a habit in our family of traveling with dogs. This storm was no different. John/Georgiana have two plus Ray/Terri have 3 then we had to count TJ in on the count. The dogs were outside in a pen so we had no problems. The girls really enjoyed them. They would come inside to get ice cubes for their wtaer just to see Madame blow bubbles thru their nose plus see her eat the ice like a human. This was too funny. When they all left on Tuesday to go back home our kids took T.J. with them. T.J. was a good friend to me thru a hard time in my life. Funny how you get attached to them four legged creatures!

Shoes ...Shoes....Shoes

Today I outfitted two more girls in school uniforms and shoes. This makes four since school began. I am not sure that dressing more than three for school is fun! Tomorrow I get to go shopping for school shoes. Same style just one of every size ... now that sounds like fun! Some days I feel like the verse in the Bible...the one about your quiver being full! Tomorrow makes number nine in girls here at Promise House which by the way is the limit! I do think my quiver will be full for sure!

Resturant 1620

Yum! Yum! The girls graduated from the Inside/Out program with the Bethany Christian Services this past Wednesday evening. We all were invited to dine in a private dining room at the resturant. The girls were served apetizer, salad and what you see above, Beef tips, mashed potatoes with cream cheese and green beans. The desert was delicious with it being Chocolate Custard. It was fun to see the girls enjoying themselves.

Show Guns

The girls have been involved in a program called Inside/Out with Bethany Christian Services. On the day that the girls got a complete makeover BCS treated us to Sho Guns. This was a pretty cool time, the food was delicious. As you can tell we enjoyed the chefs!

I was able to attend this event with the girls and their houseparents at that time.

How are we doing?

I have heard that a lot in the past few days. So I thought I would share with our friends. We are doing ok. I can't say that life here at the Promise House is not challenging for I would be telling a lie. It is! I can say that since we have been coming to the Promise House including before we came on August 11, I have seen God do wonders with these girls. I do see changes and that is all owed to God. Yes, He used Ryan/Amada and us as his tools but he has been the difference in the girls lives. Now to just be able to explain that to the girls where they will understand.

One of our girls told me that she could see a change in herself and it was for the better. Another girl told me some time back that she was an athiest. God opened the doors the other day for me to show pictures to her of a premie baby born at 28 weeks. With his moms permision, I was able to show this particular girl the improvement with Issac from Week 1 to Week 3. I am so excited that God used me to share with the girl his miracles with Issac. Sometimes we have to look for the "bloom"....you know: "Bloom where you are planted!"

God has been good to us. Please continue to pray for us! We have three girls due the week of September 9th!

The Lord's Supper X 8

The church we attend here in Little Rock had scheduled the Lord's Supper this past Sunday evening. So we chose to stay home with the girls since we had not talked to them about the importance of the Lord's Supper. Jesse called a "family meeting" following supper Sunday evening. He explained the Lord's Supper which led into them asking many more questions. Jesse was able to share the plan of salvation with them. I ask that you pray for these 8 girls that they will truly have an experience within their heart with the love of Jesus. Many, many questions were asked....planting the seed...that is what our job is all about!

Our time....

Time counts for a lot in the Promise House. We count the days til the due date. We count the days to the next doctor appointment. We count the days to visitation. I guess by now you can kinda get the drift. So seeing a girl sitting and updating her caleander is not an unusual thing. By all means .... we live by time!

Bows, Bows and for sure that is Yellow Canary Paint!

A Sunday School class from First Baptist Fort Smith came today to paint and do crafts with the girls. As you can see we made bows for each girl. Then the men painted two of our bathrooms...Canary Yellow! The girls and I also got to make bracelets and earrings. They played lots of baby shower games. It was a lot of fun. I guess it helps to love to do crafts!

Horse,Manure and the Book of Job

Lucy poses for a picture on Moon.

Today was a new adventure but then I am beginning to think that every day at the Promise House is a new adventure. We loaded up the van and headed out to "Kingdom Reins" with Mrs. Becky from Bethany Christian Services. We met Mrs. Laura and Lucy, who was adopted thru Bethany Christian Services. They both showed us things about the horses. One, did you know that you have to have something like tennis shoes on to be around a horse? Well, some of our girls did not...they wore their flip flops! two, did you know that horse manure will not stick to your shoes? Then finally did you know that in the book of Job they describe a horse? Three cool facts that we found out today.

Meet Moon although Lucy calls him Sun!

Where we are now...

We have currently moved to Little Rock to be houseparents with the Arkansas Baptist Children's Home at the Promise House which is for unwed pregnant teenagers. We are moved in but unpacking has been really slow. For one we moved from a three bedroom house thinking we had downsized (such a better word than "thrown away" our stuff) enough for the move. NOT! So we are still working on that part of our life. Look for soon quotes from the girls and more about Promise House!