Back!

Where have these last two weeks flown???

While Rich and Nathalie, along with all the staff, evangelists and volunteers from overseas are having their official welcome to "Impact World Tour" with a traditional Fijian feast (i think), I am finally able to re-enter the blogging world.



I'll spare you the details of my 2-weeks. Suffice it to say that they have been extremely challenging, bringing me to the end of my strength daily. Actually a beautiful experience - seeing how the Lord helped me through it all (and still is)!



I'm amazed I'm still awake, considering the fact that I've been up since before 3:30am. Had a fresh veggie juice today that really energized me... I guess when you're desperate you go back to the healthy stuff :)



Yeah, Shayden has been quite sick. On top of his usual constipation(painful) and reflux(messy!), he's had the flu with a bad cough etc. an ulcer in his mouth that made drinking from the bottle extremely painful, is teething and to top it all off, the orthopedic surgeon that he had an appointment with last week, tied off his 6th little finger which caused a lot of discomfort, pain and crying the whole week.



We went back yesterday and the same doctor pulled the remainder of the little finger off - Shayden was in a lot a pain again - lots of tears again - but today he was so much better and pretty much back to his normal self. OUFF!



I better go now and get Kylie to bed and do the dishes...

Rambling

I can't believe I actually get to blog! WOW!
After a bad night with Shayden waking up crying 3 times (there was a horrible storm howling all night right onto our bedroom - I thought the roof would come off any second!), the house is quiet now!

The kids are all at school, Kylie at kindi and Shayden asleep - and since I cancelled my other babysitting 'cuz of Shayden's bad cold/cough, I AM BY MYSELF IN THE QUITE HOUSE! !
WOW!!!
It feels AMAZING!!!

Before I get too excited, I better have some breakfast and do the dishes - LOTS of dishes.
Our dishwasher just "died" on us last night.
Good thing it's not ours but the landlords' - they will hopefully fix it or replace it (most likely) VERY SOON!!! Never needed it more than now :)
I guess there are good things about not owning your own home - every time somethin' needs fixing (which is quite often around here), all we have to do is call the landlords! YAY!

Rich just about to leave

It's been a trying (and tiring) last few days. Shayden has been very challenging - I think he may be teething. Sleeping badly, being fussy and even running a fever - - - and throwing up more than ever. Some days I feel like I can do hardly anything but take care of him (and the laundry!).

Of course that affects the rest of the family, and Kylie - who has also not been feeling well again - acts up - and then sleep-deprived me acts up - - - and stressed-out-with-computers-not-working Rich acts up (good thing the teenagers are behaving decently at least). I leave it up to your imagination what "acts up" means (nothing too horrible, to assure you :))

Rich is leaving for Fiji tomorrow - I'm gonna miss him - it'll be so full-on with me having to run the "show" by myself and we've hardly had any time with each other since his last trip.
Yes, we have wondered if it was the right decision to take in Shayden- - -
But then again, when we were in Taupo for that week-end, I felt God whisper to me that it was the right decision.

He also whispered to me that I shouldn't be afraid of pain (the pain of missing Rich, of having to go through difficult times, of giving back Shayden one day ... etc).

He also told me some more things (very reassuring). So, I've got to keep those things in mind when the going gets tough. And if you don't hear from me, just remember me (and Rich) in your prayers :)

A few more pics

Kylie: "When Shayden will go with another family, I will miss his ears!"

(Kylie has a special love for ears!)

Vegies anybody?

Kylie's photo - she loves taking pictures - here Shayden has just had his last bottle for the night

Encouraged!

There's been so much sickness in the family again this winter - it's not even funny... Kylie has come down with the flu again (getting better) and today I tried to rest as much as possible to help my body fight that flu off - once again.

I am really blessed that I haven't gotten really sick yet - thank you, Jesus!!! - hopefully I'll get over this as well - really quickly!

Rich and Leilani are in Auckland for a fundraiser for IWT Fiji. Normally, Rich was supposed to have left for Fiji tomorrow, but he postponed his departure to next Wednesday. There were just too many loose ends and too many things left to do before his extended trip away.

I've been really touched by what Jesus said in Matthew 25: 31-40:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me,

I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

It hit me for the first time that what we are doing for Shayden (and other foster children) is exactly what Jesus was talking about here! I've felt such encouragement from Jesus through this! Nothing to be proud of (it is my great pleasure and privilege to be able to take care of Shayden!), but it feels good to sense Jesus' pleasure with what you are doing!

I've also been reminded often these days of a prophesy that we received during our wedding ceremony about us being surrounded by many children of different colours, way too many to be our own ... I feel we're on the right track :)


As much as I LOVE taking care of Shayden, there is also a price to pay - with sleep-deprived nights, very little time with Rich and a really intense schedule (will get more intense when Rich leaves). Anyways, it was just such a beautiful encouragement to sense that Jesus takes what I do for Shayden (and Kylie, Leilani, Jeremie, Nathalie!) as if I was doing for HIM! WOW!!!

How incredible of a GOD is this - that he so identifies with the smallest and most helpless! Makes me just love him even more!!!

Rest

Today is a day of rest, after a very busy week (with Jeremie and Shayden sick), culminating yesterday in Kylie's birthday.

Yep, our little girl turned 4!!!

Her actual birthday is on August 13th, but we advanced it so that Rich could be there for it. We had a nice party with a few kids. It was fun seeing Kylie enjoy her first real party! Her favorite part (besides the gifts) were the games! We had a lot of fun and it was a blessing that Shayden was happy the whole time. He sometimes doesn't handle a lot of people (and noise) very well.

Here are some pics:

This is Kylie opening the package from her grandma in Germany - a favorite of every birthday!

What do we have here? Oh, an apron - WOW - to help Mommy cook and bake - and lots of other goodies - for the whole family

This is Kylie with her favorite gift - guinea pig Toby (she chose the name all by herself). She now has both of her main prayer requests answered - a baby and a guinea pig!

Toby close-up

Kylie's flower cake - made mostly by Leilani

Rich with Shayden yesterday