LuvBug

Season of Change

Wow its been a long time since I have sat down to blog - so sorry.  Between being a full time mom and wife, a full time nurse, a photographer and many other hats I just have not had time to sit down.

Now I guess you are wondering why today?  Why is today different from any other day?  I have to say it is not due to turning in any of my wonderful hats I wear, but it is due to the fact we have some big news to tell everyone......

Anyone that knows us very well knows we are always open to change, we are nomads at heart and we are always open to where God leads us.  Well, God has opened the doors for us to move to Hickory, NC.  Jason has been offered a job as a Campus Pastor at Christ Church.  We are very excited about this opportunity and we truly fell in love with the town.  There are big town aspects as well as small town aspects.  We are close to hiking, skiing, and the beach.  They even have a farmer's market every Saturday were I can get fresh fruits and vegetables.  The landscape is beautiful, which means ample places to take pictures.  And we have found a cute little house to rent that is on 1.5 acres with sturdy trees to hang swings for the kids.

Our big move is planned for May 31st.  Please pray for us during this time.  As much fun change can be it is also very stressful.  We are going to miss our families at The Vine and I am going to miss my family at work, as well as all the wonderful families I love on every week.  Part of my heart will always stay in Atlanta :).

 

A Blessed Day

What a beautiful, blessed & fulfilling day I had :)!!!  Today, after I helped get Weatherly & Tennyson ready for school, Mikel & I drove to The Garden to spend a day with a resident at the homeless shelter.  She has been living at The Garden for about 2 years after she lost her job as a teacher.  Not long after she lost her job her self-esteem plummeted, she ran out of her severance money & found herself with no where to live.  At this point she had no clue what to do - she prayed for guidance and God led her to The Garden, a shelter for women and children.  She found comfort, refuge and a family there.  Now, 2 years later, she is trying to gain control of her life again.  Today Mikel and I took her to get a photo ID and open a bank account.  Social Security is beginning to pay for her disability so she will be able to start going to a doctor and get her health under control which will allow her to get a job and in turn rent an apartment.  What a blessing!!!  God is so good :)!!!!  I can not tell you enough on how she blessed my life with her beautiful spirit, her friendship and her love.  I could not have asked for a better day....

Thank you Lord for bringing us together today and allowing us to praise your name together and enriching our lives further with your love.  You are an awesome God!!!!!

 

It's Offical!!

It is offical, our stress of the adoption process is over :)!!  Mikel is now a Sebren - Jason and I are now on his birth certificate and his legal parents.  Of course he doesn't realize a difference, but now I can breath a little easier, I can add him to my insurance and I can enroll him in pre-school as a true Sebren.

The day of the adoption I could feel my heart beating outside my shirt.  The butterflies in my belly were fluttering around so fast I could barely eat.  It was the excitment I felt the day I got married.  Going to see the judge with the family (which included the kids, Jason's mom and 'Mr. Ken') was truely amazing!!  The judge was fabulous - he was so gentle, so loving and so excited to be doing this for us.  By the end of our time in his chambers I had tears in my eyes.  My family is completely intact :)!  Thank you Lord, you are so amazing!! Mikel, like my older two children, is a gift from you and will grow up knowing you.  I can not thank you enough for ALL your blessings!!

Meeting Nations

Today was a little stressful - Today we met Nations (Mikel's birth mom) for lunch at the Varsity for the first time since we picked him up in March.  When the adoption process started we promised her we would keep in touch and let her see Mikel periodically.  I made a hard decision on that day, whether I wanted the adoption open or closed.  In the end I figured it would be best for Mikel to know who his birth mom is for a few reasons:  he will one day realize I am not his biological mom (hmm, I wonder why..);  Nations does love her children and that is why she wanted them to have a better life;  we want to continue to love Nations and show her the love of Jesus.  However, realizing those factors and acting on them are two different things.

So this week we decided to grant Nations' wish and meet for lunch.  About 2 p.m. we drove up to the Varsity, all the while I felt like a rock was in my stomach, and Nations walked up to the car.  I unbuckled Mikel and she immediately took him from me.  At first I felt a little resentment, Mikel is now my baby, but then I remembered that she didn't want to run away with him, she just wanted to hold him.  We went inside with Nations, Mikel's big sister (Tatiana), and Tatiana's adoptive family and ate lunch.  The whole afternoon went well.  All the kids played together, Nations got to visit with us and her children, and we all bonded a little closer.  After two hours we were all exhausted and went our own ways.  Once we got in the car I was drained from emotional stress, but I felt like we had made the right decision.  I know we will get together again, and it will get easier with each passing event.  I also know with each passing event we will get closer with Nations and she will feel more like extended family instead of the "other mom" or just "the birth mom".  God gave us all such comfort and peace when we were around each other today, and I know he will continue as long as we let him :).

Happy Birthday to The Vine!

Jason and I have been attending a new church in Braselton, GA since the fall of 2008.  We have totally enjoyed it and we love everyone there!  It is a new church plant and it's 2 year birthday is this month - Happy Birthday to The Vine :)!!  So I wanted to show you a one year recap of what The Vine has been up to the last year, it is very impressive :)....

Jason's Testimony

I love every part of my husband!  He is a loving best-friend, a great father, and  a man who loves God with all of his heart.  Jason has a very unique testimony that shows how awesome God is, take a look....

Am I dreaming?

The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind....at times I feel like I am dreaming.....then I look around and I see 3 beautiful children looking back at me.  Yes, 3 children.  Last night at 10:00 Jason and I rescued a little 9 month old, Deontae, from a homeless life on the Atlanta streets.  This is the same little boy we were hoping to adopt about a month ago, but the mom had decided not to go through with it.  We were over joyed with her decision and never questioned her again.  Then around 7:30 last night the mother of Deontae called Jason and told him she wanted us to pick up her son and adopt him. She wanted a better life for her son, a life she could not give him on the streets.  Jason and I dropped everything, Mr. Ken came over to babysit, and we ran to Atlanta to pick up Deontae.  Now, 24 hours later, he has adapted well and is sleeping in a small crib in our bedroom.  Weatherly and Tennyson have also done really well with a new baby in the house.  Weatherly has taken on a motherly role and Tennyson just watches him.  Little Deontae lightens up whenever Weatherly and Tennyson are around - he begins to dance and smile. It is so fabulous to watch them all play together :)

Now much prayer is needed - the adoption process begins.  This is not permanent until 10 days after the adoption papers have been signed.  Please pray God's will is done, pray we adapt well to this life change, and pray the children bond as brothers and sister.

Thank you for your prayers

The little boy, that you have been praying for, is going to be staying with his mommy.  His mom was saved on Sunday and is leaning on the Lord for strength during this difficult time.  She believes with God's support and the support she is receiving at The Garden she will be able to push through her struggles. Please continue to pray for this little boy and his mommy as their faith in the Lord grows.

As for my desire, it is what God desires.

Please Pray...

Jason and I are in need of your prayers.....

It has always been a desire of mine to have 3 children, it has also been desire of mine to adopt.... However, I never knew how any of these desires would play out.  After Tennyson was born Jason and I decided not to have anymore children because my body did not do well with pregnancy.  My heart was crushed.  Jason and I still spoke of adoption, but we do not have the money to go with the trend to adopt across seas.  We often prayed that God would provide us with a child that needed love when it was time...

Tonight while Jason was at the Garden loving the women and children he was approached by Pastor Seven.  One of the women wants to give her child to someone that can love him and provide for him.  Is this an answer to prayer?  We know if God wants this to happen - it will.

So I am asking for you to pray that our hearts are satisfied with whatever God wants.  Let our desires be his desires... 

My New Tat

Today was a very hard day for me, it was not a day I imagined would send me into tears. Today would have been Brad's 35th birthday.  He loved birthdays, almost as much as Christmas.  He loved any reason for family get togethers and any reason to give or recieve gifts.  He was the most special individual I have ever met.  I praise God I was lucky enough to have been his sister - what a gift!

So today, to celebrate Brad, I went and got a tattoo.  I have to say it was the most painful tatoo I have ever gotten, but it was well worth it.  I have been wanting a tattoo since Brad died in August, but I wanted to wait for the right time.  Today was it....

The big star represents Brad, he was as unique and wonderful as a shooting star.  A verse that reminds me so much of Brad is Philippians 2:15 - so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. The four little stars respresents Jason, Weatherly, Tennyson, and myself - as a reminder that we, too, must shine like stars for God in this crooked and depraved generation.