Louisiana Snowmen!

I am sure that most of you, that are not from this area, heard about the snowfall in the south. We were not so lucky. We barely got a dusting of soggy, slushy patches of snow. Nevertheless we were excited to see a little white!! We bundled up the girls in their new snow boots from Grandpa Rolly(for a SD Christmas visit) and all the other winter gear. This is what we could muster.....two snowmen about 6 inches tall.

The girls thought it was great fun to see two little snowmen looking in on them as the played the rest of the day. After coming in with rosy cheeks and soggy mittens, we made chocolate hot cereal, which the girls called porridge, and hot chocolate for breakfast. Jason and I had our hot cups of coffee. This was an unexpected winter memory that we made and we had so much fun. As you can see in the next picture, I think Jason, well, enjoyed being the biggest kid!

He precariously got up on the roof and started lopping snowballs at me and the girls. They enjoyed teasing Daddy and then running away as he yelled "bombs away!!" with his dripping snowballs. He was squeezing his gloves out too!!

So here was the story of our "white" winter. If we get anything more news-worthy snow news, I will be happy to share it with you.

And There were Two!!

This post is so long over-due. I was doing well before the holidays approached. You may understand why after I share some news that will change our lives....forever!! About a week and a half ago, Monday, November 1st, we got a call from our agency. "Are you sitting down?" They always ask that question before they tell you good news. "I am now", I said. I was only a few feet from our high-stool. I quickly sat, I thought, "the quicker I sit, the quicker I will hear the news." "Well, we have two boys for you, they are brothers." There is a pause, I know she is waiting to hear something from my end. I know some cry, others start yelling or screaming in excitement. I honestly didn't know how I would react. I hesitated, then said,"I knew it!!" I didn't think she quite expect that response. For the last few weeks I had a strong hunch that we would be presented with two boys. I think the Holy Spirit was getting me ready for the big decision that Jason and I would need to make. I told Lisa(our agency contact person) about my hunches and she just laughed. She went on to explain that she thought of us right away when she got the information of these two boys. The best news though.....they are brothers!!

Teketel is 3. We will call him Jonathan Teketel Meyer*****picture removed


Mussie(it means "Moses" in Ethiopian) is 1. We will call him David Mussie Meyer.***picture removed

Yes, we will be doubling our family. We had always talked to the girls about getting one little brother, so when this news came along, we showed them the two pictures. Gracie and Allie immediately said,"Can we keep them both?" Our hearts were over-joyed to see their excitement as well. Gracie argues that she is more excited than we are. We prayed that evening and the next day. We searched our hearts for strength and ability. Most importantly we prayed for God's will. I soon realized that I didn't have the ability or the strength to raise 4 kids under the age of 6, but if God called us to do this, then He would give the ability, strength and grace to be the kind of Dad and Mom we needed to be for our four children. We called Lisa back Tues. afternoon and told her we would take the boys. Jason was flying on clouds, I was more walking around in a fog saying, "4 kids under the age of 6, what I am doing?" After about the 3rd day, Wednesday, excitement started overpowering my fears. Jason has now declared we have enough kids to play football. I think he is excited not to be out-numbers anymore!! :)
Yes, I do feel overwhelmed at times and a little apprehensive of the unknown, and excited and all the other emotions that run in-between. Through it all, I have a peace that doesn't come from me. I am resting in Jesus Christ, My Lord and Savior. He is SOO much bigger than I am. Through is whole journey I have been so humbled and blessed that God would choose us to be a part of these precious boy's lives. What a privilege and honor!! I appreciate even more that I am a child of God's and that He accepted and adopted me!! What's even more amazing is that I was His enemy and my heart was dark. He still loved me enough to died for such a wretched sinner as me. As others have said, it puts the amazing back into amazing Grace. It also has made me see through fresh eyes the great privilege and joy that I have to be Gracie and Allie's mother as well. The role of being a mother is sacred and so full of blessing, responsibility and importance. I never take for granted that God has called me to this. I don't want to miss a moment of being a part of the lives of these 4 children.
Pray for us......We need and covet your prayers. We are anticipating bringing the boys home from Ethiopia by Feb or March. There is a lot to do between now and then. A lot of miracles need to happen.
Thank you all for your support and the joy that you share with us. You may never know what it means to us for you to share in our joy for these boys that you have never met. I promise to do better in keeping you all updated. Feel free to ask questions. I would love to fill you in.

QUOTE: "Be more amazed that you are saved than that they are lost."

I was talking to a friend of mine today about wanting to keep the freshness and "bright-eyed" wonder of being a child of Christ's. How often I have taken for granted my relationship with God. I can tend to keep Him in my back pocket for my convenient emergencies instead of keeping Him front-and-center, ever before me and letting Him use me as He sees fit.
I can soon forget the miracle of Christ reaching down into the depth of the ocean of my sin and picking me up and choosing me as His own....that is the the "bright-eyed" wonder and awe that I don't want to lose. Whenever I need to get my life in perspective I go to the cross. There forgiveness, grace, humility and love meet. It's not about me at that point, but Christ's death and resurrection on the cross for my sin. It reminds me of this song.

The Wonderful Cross

"When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Chorus:
Oh the wonderful cross, Oh the wonderful cross,
Bids me come and die and find
That I may truly live
Oh the wonderful cross, Oh the wonderful cross
All who gather here
By grace draw near
And bless Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an off'ring far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all."

It leaves me speechless and the only pathetic words I can utter is, Thank you, God. Thank you for saving me, a sinner.

Bummer News

Today we found out some news we weren't expecting. We thought our dossier packet had gone over at least a week or more ago. We learned that our agency is still waiting on our homestudy office to send over their updated license information. Each year our state requires all agencies, even our homestudy agency to renew their license. It is not their fault, but waiting on the government to send it to them. It is frustratingly slow and should have already been sent. Hopefully they will get it the end of the week and our packet will be done the following week. So maybe in two or three weeks before it's sent over.
Even though we were disappointed and frustrated, we know God's sovereignty is perfect and just waiting a little bit longer will set in our paths exactly toward the child God has for us. So even if it is a bummer, we are at peace. We knew there would be ups and downs. So we wanted to share this update and continue to ask for your prayers for us and this child in which we will be crossing paths with very soon.
God bless!!

Between Two Worlds: Tax Plans and the Incentive to Work

I enjoy keeping up with this blog for various topics and came across this great example of how each candidate's tax plans would break down. It was enlightening. Check out the Barstool Economics section if you read any of it.

Between Two Worlds: Tax Plans and the Incentive to Work

Summer Here & Gone

SORRY FOR THE MESS, I'M LEARNING :(

I love summer, at least I did until I moved to Louisiana. I quickly realized that the heat and humidity was too much for embracing the outdoors this time of year. I soon reasoned that summers down here were like winters up north. You just stay inside most of the time. The spring and fall are long here and the winter is mild and we do enjoy this time of year. This is when we encourage grandpa's and grandma's to visit!

One of the things I like most about summer is fresh veggies from the garden. I am lamenting that I don't have my own, but a kind friend shared from her garden. I thought they made a pretty picture in my kitchen!!


In the spring we started a very exciting venture. After much prayer and many years of patience, we took a step of faith and started an adoption process for a toddler/baby boy from Ethiopia, Africa. Above is a picture of the beginning paperwork. Adoption pregnancy can be compared to biological pregnancy is this way. As you get further along in your pregnancy you gain weight, and as we progress in our adoption "pregnancy" we gain weight in paperwork!! I wish I had weighed it and kept a tally. Our dossier packet was just sent over this week and we are officially on a waiting list of 6-9 months. Another family whose packet went over with ours already got matched this week. Yikes, this is where I started to panic. We just sent out our grant and loan application as well and I am hoping we find out quickly if we qualify or not. I think we will be matched sooner than the 6-9 months range. We are sharing this so you can pray for us in this venture. Pray for God's wisdom and provision. It will change our family, but we are so excited. The girls talk about it all the time!! We will keep you posted on any new happenings in this area.




Over the summer the girls took swimming lessons, which they loved.









Early summer we added a new addition, Riki Tiki(Gracie named him). We found him starving and was only going to keep him for a few days and find him a new home. Well, the girls fell in love with him and he got along with our other cat. He is quite the entertainment for the girls and our other cat, Whitefield






















In Sept. the girls and I drove to Oklahoma to be with my sisters for a quick reunion. We had a blast and they surprised me for my birthday and took me for my first pedicure! As you can see, we had a blast and the time went too quickly. It's amazing how our extended family dynamic has changed in a year. Never a dull moment when all the cousins are together. We were rather tired by the end of each day!!
















Above are my sisters Tiffany(holding Sadie, Danae's daughter) and on my right(in pix) is Danae and on my left is Aubrey, who has a little guy Hudson. I know my sisters will not care for this picture, but it shows a little of our goofy side, which I love about our times together.

This past month I had the opportunity to attend the first True Women's Conference in Chicago earlier this month. It was organized by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and featured speakers such as John Piper, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Mary Kassian, Janet Parshall, Joni Erikison Tada, Susan Hunt, Carolyn McCulley etc... It was hands down the best conference I had been too. Not only encouraging, but the speakers offered the "meat" of God's word and spoke from from their hearts about tough issues in light of what God's Word had to say about it. Not only did I come away admonished and encouraged, but hopefully a changed person. I also had the privilege of meeting up with my good friend Tiffany(in picture-miss you girl!) and Stacy Reaoch. Someone asked us if Tiff and I were sisters. Now that I look at the picture, our glasses look alike and our smiles!!

Sorry this was a legnthy post, but I wanted to catch y'all up a little bit. Look forward to keeping in better touch with everyone!!

I DID IT!!

I know, you all are gasping and waving your arms above your head and exclaiming....."I can't believe it.....she finely started a blog". OK, I know I am exaggerating, but I kinda feel like that. I can't believe that I did it. With the help of my sister Aubrey to help with a few hick-ups, I am up and running. I am excited to be able to keep in better touch with friends and family. Some of you may know that I don't update or use facebook or MySpace very often.

"So what is the purpose of this blog?", you ask. That is a very good question! Well, let me think.....ok, just wait, it's taking me awhile, I can't think of anything right now!!
O yeh, now I remember: to keep in touch with family and friends, to share with you what is going on in the lives of the Meyers, to give cute antidotes and new pix of our cute kiddos, and to share things that the Lord has been teaching me as a Mom, wife, and friend.

So, you can eagerly anticipate the arrivals of new updates, hopefully on a weekly basis!