Adobe Mountain Railroad Park

What a nice day together as a family. I drove to the very northwest valley to join other foster families at an event sponsed by Arizonians for Children to the Adobe Mountain Railroad Park. Being in a family with a train obessed child I knew this was going to be great fun. They support three different types of train/track layouts, each one unique. Outside are trains that are the size of shoe boxes and they run on batteries. You can walk in and around the layout as the trains go over bridges, through mountain sides and across the deserts. Inside they feature more of what I call miniture train layout that are like the size of match box cars. This room was huge and featured scenes native to AZ. (Like downtown phx loading docks, Flagstaff shipping yard, etc) Nathan was in HEAVEN!!!! We stayed in that room for a long time watching all kinds of trains run...it really was cool. They also feature the Arizona Steamers, which if you have ever been to the Stillman-McCormick Railroad Park, these are the smaller, rideable trains that took you on a 30 minute journey through "ghost towns" and desert scapes. I could go on this ride because the baby was too small, but everyone else thought it was fantastic. What a joy to see your son be enthralled with how these trains were working/running along the track. I can't wait until he begins to ask more inquisitive questions as opposed to focused observation. All in all is was great to finally get out of the house and doing something as a family. (PS the baby has really turned a corner in the last day or two and is doing great!!! thanks for all the prayers)

Nathan-ator...future musician

ROCK on sweet boy...

Rainy Day Schedule

With all the rain I had to modify my afternoon routine with the kids. Usually we do homework and then playing outside but not this week. So, in the spirit of all the rain Samantha and I made Oatmean Chocolate Cookies. I also used it to teach a marriage lesson. Shane's favorite cookie is Oatmeal Raisin and my favorite is Chocolate Chip. I explained how before marriage we are each our own 'cookie' but when God brings into our life the mate He has than we marry and become one cookie. (Ok, so a little corny, but she understood and thats all that matters right?)

because life does go on...

Hair...it is a way of life and inspite of pure saddness and unblieveable devistation life does go on. This photo was from Fox news and on another mom's blog and speaks to me about a people who have suffered but have a strength I admire humbly.

"Lord, these are your people...you love them. Please continue to comfort their hearts and care for those that need help. Thank you for bringing some of your children to the US for care...please intervine more on the behalf of those still waiting for families. Lord, you are good...always...thank you for your grace, mercy and compassion."

Plums and Puffs

This lil miss is quickly becoming the source of all laughter in our home. She is a HOOT! She is determined to feed herself and it is a battle to get her to eat 'baby food' off the spoon, like it is soooo beneath her. She does this hilarious lizard thing with her tongue which makes all of us in the house laugh. She is making her way around the house and bee-lines for the dishwasher everytime it opens. She says 'mama', 'dada' and I swear she said 'bye bye' yesterday as we were working on waving. She claps her hands and squeals with excitment anytime we pay any sort of attention to her. She is the most social baby I have ever seen...wants to be where the people are. We are still praying about her future and trusting God has all that under control.

Finally, I took the girls to see "The Princess and Frog". Both girls were bouncing around with excitement as we made our way to the theater...little girls are just so precious. I love the colors most about the movie. I remember vividly when I saw "The Little Mermaid" for the first time and I was awed by all the colors that danced around the screen during the songs and this movie was the same way. It was very 'classic Disney' in my opinion. It did have some scary parts but nothing I thought was any worse than Ursalla or the crazy witch lady in Sleeping Beauty, but Ayana did ask me a couple times if she could close her eyes...poor babe. What I loved most was seeing her eyes light up everytime the 'princess' came on the screen and she would yell out her name. One part in particular I don't ever want to forget...Prince Naveen was dancing at the ball with the blonde southern belle Charlotte and Ayana wispers in my ear..."Mommy, he is Superman." I said "Oh really, why is HE Superman?" She said back, "Because Mommy, he is handsome!" I was laughing and huggin her all at the same time. And then my sweet Samantha...the movie credits were running and she turned to me and said, "Mom, Princess Tiana is very kind." I was so proud because she can get caught up way too much in the outside vanity of things and I was impressed with her maturity to see beyond the beauty into the character of Princess Tiana, which by the way was amazing. Her character talked throughout the movie about working hard for things and being appreciative for what you have and having pride in where you come from. It was a cool lesson my daughter grabbed a bit of. Anyway, of course I will be lining up to buy it when it come out on DVD to add to our Princess collection, but mostly I am happy Disney did a movie with African American characters and that they turned out to having amazing strength and perseverance.

Cinnamon Banana Oatmeal (your kids will gobble this up!)

We are always looking for new things to try and get our kids to eat that are better for them but taste really good. Oatmeal is a great way to start the day but they only want the extra suger, instant kind which really provides very little in the way of satisfying them all morning., So, once again off to the internet we go and Shane found this amazing recipe this weekend. My kids gobbled it on Sunday and asked for it every other morning this week...I'd call that a huge success!!! Try it for yourself and/or your kids....

3 cups water, bring to boil

1 1/2 cups oats, add to water once boiling

cook on med heat for 5 min then add remaining ingredients

1 banana, sliced thin

1/4 milk (I used my vanilla coffee creamer to avoid adding additional touch of sugar)

1/2 tsp suger

dash of cinnamon, to taste (we LOVE cinnamon so I have to add a little more than that)

Mix, and I let it sit for another 2 min or so to war up the bananas and then mixed again so they would break up even more in the pot!!! These measurement fed all my kids but you can certainly cut it down by half for my friends with only 1 or 2 kiddos.

Yum yum!!

Rush to Judgement

Ok, soap box moment is about to start but there are just a few things I need to get off my chest. Things are so different than they were 30 yrs ago...ok, so I am not sharing any moumental news with that statement, but to a certain degree, at least from my perspective, things are different in the areas of race and mixed race families. (disclaimer: I realize this is not true for every where in the US, and acknowledge that it is not everyone's experience, but it is mine)

So from a very young age I learned that race wasn't anything to think differently about. My Uncle left the US with the Peace Corp when I was a toddler and when he came back he brought with him an African American wife and her daughter. I though it was really cool to have another girl cousin in the family since at the time we were seriously out numbered, like a 5:2 ratio. Anyway, I never even thought about her being a different race than me...not one time did it enter my mind. We played together and life went on as usual. I mean really, in my extended family on both side there were dark brunettes, bright red heads and platnium blondes, so in my mind they fit right in. I am thankful to my parents who never made any issues about anyone looking different. I just remember being told we are all family and we are all the same in the inside; that was enough for me. So when I started dating Shane, I discovered his family is mixed race...how cool was that? I actually loved the fact that he had adopted sisters and thought it was more normal that they were multiracial...because that was my normal. When we got married I remember thinking how I was going to give my children the same experience with family that I had...we are all people...God's people.

Now fast forward 13yrs and funny how God gives us experiences or dare I say feelings about certain things only to end up using them for some amazing good in the future. When God opened the door and Nathan came to us we had no idea which or even how many doors He would be opening. We did take the 'foster care' journey and we all know we have 3 amazing kiddos who happen to be African American. I find it so ironic that the only placements we have ever had have been this race. When we went through the training all we heard about were Native American and Hispanic, simply because of our southwest location. But, God, that amazing Lord we serve, knew what He had planned and so here we are...with these three kiddos whom I adore more than I ever thought possible. However, I was angered deeply this week to read a blog post of a wonderful family who has adopted 3 girls from Haiti and the Mom's experience in a professional's office last week. She was taking one of her girls in to a new office and went up to the desk to check in and the woman at the desk questioned who she was in relation to the girl being seen. Her first question wasn't inappropraite, but when the mom said "I am her mother" the desk clerk had the nerve to ask her if she had proof. I was horrified as I read the heartbreak in her words. I was MAD at the fact that she would even ask such a question. I was humbled at the fact that that may be my experience some day.

I am sure it must seem strange to people to see a me, a white woman, in the store with 3 African American children. It is not every day that a bouncey energetic 3yr old running around with cornrows and beads is holding hands with her mother, who is white and YES, does her hair thanks to Youtube. But please, if I can encourage one thing...please do not make your first assumption be to question whether or not she is that childs mother. We hold steadfast to the truth the our Lord and Savior is shaping our family into what He has always had planned. He has put these precious babies of His into our home and if He chooses for one, two or even all three of them to stay with us forever we are happy to rise to the challenge. I don't look at my kids and see skin color...(yes, I call them my chocolate babies but they are just so yummy to kiss and snuggle), I see my kids. We don't live in the most cultural part of town, and certainly we may have to make choices in the future that will only enhance all our experiences in this world, but I find that so exciting. I think all these families that choose adoption, and more so the ones that choose to adopt transracial, expect certain looks but we love our children no matter how different we look from eachother. Did Moses look Egyptian? I don't know, but we have an opportunity to help these children understand God and His love, His identity, and His purpose...gives me chills all over and an incredible sense of peace. We are thankful to be part of a church with so many adopted children...many from all over the globe. Their examples have made it easier to take another step on this path.

What a journey...thinking over the past 10yrs...wow, can't wait to see what the next 10yrs brings our family. We jumped on God's rollercoaster and have been thrilled by adventure ever since...

"More Christian Than Afreican-American"

An excerp from the introduction...
"I thought I knew who I was, much like the woman at the well. When Jesus encountered her there and asked for a drink, she replied, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?' (John 4:9) That was how she saw herself, through a racial lens. That was even how she saw Jesus. In that day, the Samaritans were a minority race. They were despised by the Jews.

I know what it's like to see one's self and the rest of the world through the eyes of race, and in particular, a minority race. That was my life for almost thirty years...until Jesus entered in and adjusted my view. He doesn't identify us by color or culture. When He looks upon the people He created, He see wheat and chaff, sheep and goats, those who are alive in the Spirit and those who are dead, those who believe and those who don't.

He sees sinners and saints.

So despite who the Samaritan woman and I thought we were, Jesus knew the truth. We are sinners in need of a Savior. But he didn't leave me without hope. He offered living water, and in that single offer was immense blessing. He was offering salvation from death and forgiveness of sin. He was offering love and abundant life, peace and unspeakable joy. He was offering a kingdom of God in exchange for the kingdom of darkness. He was offering a new identity.

I couldn't be more excited to dive into this book. I think on a certain level we ALL struggle with our identities...black, white, green, yellow. I know I do! I want to be accepted by my peers, be encouraged and affirmed by those around me...if we are honest, who doesn't want those things, but by God's grace (oh and some serious therapy) I have learned that God is all I need. That He will affirm me when I need and let me flounder a bit for my own growth when that is what I need too. How exciting, isnt it? To be LOVED so much by a King that He wants to grow us in the areas of our weakness and then use the weakness for His glory down the line. I want to help all my children, but espeically my chocolate babes, believe that God choose them to be in our family. That He loved them so much that He protected them from the evil in this world, rescued them from their affliction and desires nothing but their hearts in return. He did that for them, He did that for me...He 'created' our family in His hands...full of life, love and COLOR!!!! Praise you Jesus!!!

SNOW much fun (part 3)

Sledding...need I say more?

SNOW much fun (part 2)

Ok, nap time around the Self house so another opportunity to post another part of our snow trip. The snow was PERFECT for making snowmen and snowballs so of course we had to build one...a giant one at that. (side note: the little kids were napping otherwise everyone would have participated...maybe next year)

The snow was really coming down hard during the build. Shane taught Jacob and Samantha how to roll the ball big enough to make a HUGE snowman.

They each had their own section of the man to make...Shane the base, Jacob the middle and Samantha the head. (PS: It was a lot harder thanit looks Jacob said)

This branch in the foreground broke off the big oak tree during the last storm, kinda made for a cool look in my photography opinion anyway.

Too hard to lift the middle ball so a quick pause for catching snowflakes in our mouths to be refreshed. hahahah!! these guys crack me up!!

Success!!!! He is huge and packed really well so hopefully he will survive the coldest part of the winter up there. He is a nice smiling face that greats you when driving up the driveway to the cabin.

And well, we are crazy people so why not!!!

SNOW much fun (Part 1)

I took over 200 pictures in our 3 days in the snow and so many of them are great so I will need to break it up into several posts. We had a blast....best trip to the snow yet. We finally spent a few bucks on snow pants and Jacob and Samantha spent 4+ hours each day playing hard and non-stop in the snow. We also for the first time inner tubed in addition to using the sleds...we prefer the tubes...nicer to the bums.

So, here we go....I am putting all the smiles, posed, and individual picutres of each of us in this post....love this family one

A little editing.enhancing...they played together so nice...it really does melt the mom's heart to see her kids enjoy each other.

First picture all bundled up....

This is one happy boy...he screamed last year when he was in the snow and this year he LOVED every minute. He looks so small in that big jacket...thanks Suzy for the coat!!!

TA-DA....she had a blast and was quite the daredevil in the sleds/tube!!!

Again, what a difference a year makes!!! Havin so much fun!

At one point I counted 20 Blue Jays out the window of the cabin. I set up me telephoto lense and captured this gorgeous creature!!! (there was so much wildlife this year...tons of squirrels too.)

When we arrived there was about 18 inches of snow from the storm one week before and it made of goregous icles as is melted and snowed again....sometimes it is these little things that bring so much joy of the season.

And our indoor snow bunny...she is crawling ALL over the place, pulling up to her knees and sometimes her feet, and she will be 8 months old next week. (No real update on her status...we just keep praying for her future)

And yes, I was there too...had to have the hubby take one with me so that our family doesn't become a Disney movie...where one parent is always missing...hahahah!!!

To be continued...