Live from New York...

It's not Saturday Night Live, but it is a major road trip for Becky, Cami and me.

Some of (most of) my greatest memories from my childhood are of New York City. Train rides into Penn Station, Neddicks hot dog, Lincoln Center, fruit from the corner market all are touchpoint for time spent with my dad. Missing school the next day never hurt either! But really, when I was growing up, our lives were busy with work and school. My parents were always in school and working so while we were together doing those things, it was always working. So the times that we weren't were precious to me. And New York factored into that in huge ways. 

So when the opportunity arose to head back to New York, I jumped on it - and dragged my two favorite traveling buddies along with me! 

We took the red eye out (planes) , and for only getting two hours of sleep - I think we were doing pretty well here! They didn't really get the full "NYC cab experience" (automobile) as it was rush hour

After dropping our luggage at the hotel, we took the subway (train) down to Battery Park and hopped a boat to The statue of Liberty. 

 (they were about over me taking pictures - which is a problem given we have two more days!!!)

From the Statue we headed over to Ellis Island. The girls were intrigued by the history of the island, and spent some time looking for family relatives that came through Ellis Island. We found their maternal great grandfather! 

The red eye took it's toll on us and we headed back to the hotel after lunch to rest a bit. Then a walk around Chinatown; we are staying at a hotel right where Chinatown meets Little Italy. 

And dinner. 

We are having a fabulous time - and making some amazing memories. I am feeling so blessed to be table to pass this legacy of time well spent together down to my girls! 

An Artist's Handiwork

The kids are back with us  - the baby full time and his older brother and sister a few nights a week. It is a fluid and ever changing situation - a flow dictated by the brokenness of a fallen world rather than by court edicts or legal declarations. 

For those who know me well, I don't particularly function well in undirected flow. I crave structure and routine. I **need** to know the rules of engagement and the processes needs to be well defined and documented for me to feel secure and relaxed.  

This situation holds none of those familiar crutches or supports. 

Yet - peace. 

My heart is at peace.

Because God is the artist of this story - not me. Not Doug. Not even the birth mom. 

Our Cami is a mighty and God gifted artist. 

She can take this empty and blank canvas.....

and create this......

(she did the illustrating of this verse in 20 minutes - totally astounded me) 

I can't do that.

Even with instructions and a process and lines to color within, I can not create the beauty that she does when she looks at the blank canvas and sees the ending. 

Much like God. 

He sees the ending to the story - intricately woven to bring Him glory. To expand the Kingdom of love that He longs for on earth. 

He knows how long this baby will be here - and how whatever time we have with him will shape his life. So if it is a day, or a lifetime, I don't need to hold that uncertainty in my head or heart, because my God is faithful and He knows the end of the story. The beautiful, messy story. 

Our lives are the blank canvases - which when we allow Him the freedom to create - He paints beauty.

For we are God’s handiwork,created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The Prayer of Jabez

There was a time this was us -

 waiting for ONE more to join us.....

But God had a different story for us - and He reminded us of that once again on Tuesday night when we met our 5th grand baby - Amelia Paige Yingling

9 years - 4 more children. 2 children -in -laws. 5 grandchildren. 3 "sometimes" grandchildren  children.

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

Enlarge my territory.

 

Bless me. 

Bless me. 

Bless me.

Bless me 

Bless me.  

This passage especially strikes me right now because not too long ago, we were told by someone that there was no way I could love my step children they was I would love biological children. (I know - who says that to an adoptive parent of 4!!!!) 

When God enlarged our territory -he enlarges our heart and our capacity to love. My children - ALL of them - step, adoptive, sometimes  - know that I couldn't love them more if we shared DNA. 

Because I love them with the love of Christ flowing through me. It may not always be perfect. But it is always unequivocal and unconditional and unwavering and undying and unending. 

So to those who think my love is less because my stepchildren and adoptive children and grandchildren and sometimes children don't share my DNA, I refer you to Jabez. 

Summer Vacation in the middle of winter!

Now that I am back posting, I have some catch up to do - most will be a very quick overview..but our annual family trip to San Diego with the bigs and their kids deserve it's own showcase! 

Congratulations for making it all the way through - I just love my family.