Some of My Photo Albums

I've been needing to get these pictures up to share with you all. These were taken in August. For Obi's birthday, he really wanted to goto the go-karts. He is always so easy to please.With his 8th birthday I was thinking about his life. Does anyone remember the trouble we had with him as a toddler? We used to call him "Jeckle and Hyde". I remember many,many days of crying. Days of tackling him down wrapping my legs and arms around him as he would flip out, scream and cry, hit, and kick. And many days of him going from being so loving and lots of hugs to the next minute being so hateful and even looking at us with hateful eyes. At times I had talked to his doctor thinking there must be something else going on. His doctor even did a head scan because of how extreme things were. I prayed so much for him. I would kneel down beside him as he slept and pray for him a many nights. I wasn't sure if I was gonna make it, if Ben was gonna make it.I tried so many discipline ideas. Then, (I remember this so clear) the week of his 5th birthday it was like an amazing change. The Lord had answered my prayer, a miraculous change. The sweet, loving, joyful side of Obi had won over. And as the years have gone by he grows in that direction. He has this huge heart...HUGE heart for everyone, but especially his family. He is always wanting to do for others before himself. And this amazing, uncompromising discernment for what is right and just. And the things he finds funny just makes you laugh along with him. And this year his mind just amazes us. We went to Disney and instead of being enamored by the show or ride his mind goes straight to figuring out how it all works... and not the typical child figuring out, but getting technical and in detail with Ben and I looking at eachother while shaking our heads in amazement. And then on top of it all, he is the kid that is easy-going, easy to please, and has this "everythings okay" attitude. I am so proud of my Obi and I thank Jesus everyday for allowing me to be his mommy... I am honored!!

Obi's Bday

1st Day of Metrowest Elementary

And I just thought this picture was cute. Frankie's not too into the beach.

We Made It...7 Weeks Ago!!

Move Across America

We made it across the US with no problems... actually it was almost boring! The route we decided to take was the safest, most mellow, fastest, BORING way to go. We went through a lot of nothingness. Click on the album and then watch it as a slide show (you'll feel like your along for the ride). If it wasn't for two stops I would've gone bonkers- Shashone Falls in Idaho (Niagra of the west) and then to my biological grandparents farm in Illinois (haven't been there since I was 2).
Its amazing how the Lord does things, even when you don't ask. Ben and I just assumed we would live in either a low income neighborhood or a really old one. We just don't even think about anything upscale. When we got here we looked and looked and looked on the east side of Orlando. There is a good mixture of okay, good and great neighborhoods. We didn't even try to look west. Part of northwest Orlando is called Pine Hills (also called crime hills) and I have bad memories of some men jumping out of their car with what looked like a gun, yelling things at me, and coming up to Jeshuah's side of the vehicle. I took off, up the shoulder of the road, in a ton of traffic, almost caused a huge accident. They chased me for only a couple of blocks and then I wasn't worth it anymore. When I stopped,(in a safer spot) I realized I had never been so terrified in my life and then I lost it. I started shaking so bad I couldn't drive anymore. Then below that is okay area, but below that and it covers all of western Orlando is very, very expensive upscale areas. Some is new some is old but its all very nice. And the schools are great, the parks are nicer, even the grocery stores are nicer. So of course this wasn't one of choices to go look. But we got to an end of where to live. We got a little scared too. We had looked and looked but absolutely nothing for one reason or another. And it was looking hopeless. So one morning we kind of jokingly said, "Lets just go drive around the west side and the Lord will say, 'Here is where you're going to live and its the right price!'". So we drove around looking at absolutely beautiful houses, way way way out of our price range... just for fun! I said, "Hey, theres a street with 'junky' houses on it." They were nice houses just didn't compare to the other streets. So when we turned down it, there was a for rent sign around the corner. It was a 3bdrm house with a fenced yard, tiled flooring, carport and driveway, and a screened-in pool. Ha Ha Ha, lets call to see how much, we were curious. It was at the top of our price range- stretching it but do-able- and they accepted our application no problem. We were asking the Lord, "Are we supposed to be in western Orlando, not eastern. Are you sure Lord?" And then something amazing happened. A plane in the sky spelled out... "Jesus Luvs You. Trust Jesus" with a big smiley face. Amazing in itself, but this is the 2nd time He has done this for us. Last time we moved to Florida and we were looking for a place to live and we were headed to look at a place in Kissimmee (just below Orlando) and the same thing was just ahead of us in the sky.
So the next day we decided to keep looking in western Orlando and get some options. We found a nice apartment, gated and alarm systems on each apartment, and in( I don't know how) our price range in Metrowest( very nice, newer, ritzy neighborhood). We have police that are paid to sit on our street just to be a presence (its a program they just started this year). And the school is the best elementary in the county. And they accepted our application. Oh yeah, there is also a fireplace in each apartment (?). So we even had options. We went from feeling hopeless and scared to having options... nice options.WOW! So of course we took the cheaper and moved into the apartment. We also thought it would be easier to get involved with people in an apartment.
We have had our fair share of trials, but we just keep going- knowing we are where He wants us. The door hasn't opend for us to start anything yet for a fellowship, but it will happen! I keep getting these great ideas (well I think they are great)for our future church family, so I just keep tucking them away until we actually have a church family.
Please, please keep praying for us for whatever the Lord leads you to pray. He is so good to us and we totally do not deserve it. May God reign in my life and yours.