A new Christmas Tradition with our friends the Gales :)

Thank you Don and Megan for being such dear friends! We absolutely love your whole family!! I love how our children play and laugh together and the crazy games they make up (Mary and Joseph last night) :) you guys are so special to us and we hope to continue this fun little tradition each year at least until God moves one us away..the question is who will be first ;)

BEAUTIFUL HOME! So much love here!

The events of our evening...

Getting ready to do Advent

Kids getting ready to listen to the story and sing together.

A moment of silliness between me and my man :)

 

Megan putting up with my craziness..but look at that belly it's so cute! We love you little Henry

Opening gifts next that the kids gave to each other.

We all got pictures made by the little artist Eden

Uncle Jared opening up his

I wish I remember what Eden was saying right here

One of my favs:)

 

But we all know Jared couldn't stay serious for to long :)

 

 

 

 

Owen getting his first Spider-Man toy!

 

Decorating cookies

 

Such a great evening! So much ahead for our family in the next two weeks. Busy Busy!!

As this month draws to a close may we keep our hearts close to the one who came into this sinful broken world to redeem us and make us His. May your Christmas with family & friends be a joyful one in The Lord.

 

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Adoption, potty training, trips & birthday's

So that's a mouthful for a title huh!? There is more I could probably add since its been so long since my last post :( it does make me sad to think about. Yet sometime busyness and distractions just happen. Hey, it's life :) I have to say it does feel really nice to be sitting here on the couch ( while being serenaded by my beautiful daughter with the words "my God's not dead he surely alive he's living in the inside roaring like a lion") feet propped up and just typing! So where to begin...

Adoption. What a word that is! What a journey it is to be a part of! What a struggle it can be prior to the actual traveling and coming home to the new changes of life with your new child! We are currently # 3 on the waiting list at the home. As of now (and anything can change in the blink of an eye) we should Lord willing be receiving a referral this month! I try not to become disappointed as each passing week goes by and nothing has changed. There was a little bit of disappointing news this week and some personal set backs with trying to get health insurance for our family. It was the first time I can remember in these 2 years feeling so very sad and discouraged. There was no hiding it either nor did I want to. What I needed was to spill it out on paper. While journaling The Lord quickly brought Proverbs 3: 5-6 into my writing.

"Trust in The Lord with all your heart lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make straight your paths." Easy verse to recite, hard verse to actively walk out and believe for your circumstances. It stayed with me all night. The one I put my trust in isn't something made by human hands, or someone buried 6 feet under. It's my GOD! He is good and faithful, he is alive and personal, he cares and sees. We will remember your promises from of old! He is good and His timing is never late! Each day I am having to remember and believe his word.

In the middle of all my struggling I did get inspired to do one thing. With Isaiah's soon to be arrival I decided it would be really nice if we could have Micaiah potty trained before he gets here. I also felt like he understood and would be ready. So on Monday it began. With a nine pack of Spider-Man underwear, a little motivation, and a clear schedule we were set!!! And it just delights my heart to say he is doing soooooo well! Seriously, such a big boy! Even today we had to take addy to school and run some errands right after and I just bit the bullet, ditched the diaper and kept the underwear on. No accidents! not one! It's so cool to rejoice and take part in theses small (well I'd say potty training is a big one) stages in our children's lives! Taking one day at a time & embracing each moment!

Ok. I'm going to go ahead and tie things up right here. Seems like a good stopping point. The trips and birthday will have to come later. :)

Happy Tuesday Friends

"Out of Zion the perfection of beauty God shines forth." Psalm 50:1

 

 

 

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Dreams

These days we as a family are really wanting to bring Isaiah our little boy home from Uganda. We miss him so much even though we have yet to see his face, touch his skin, or hold and love on him. The wait has been hard (going on 2 years now) yet we know and have to remind ourselves that God's timing is what we wait for. Not a second sooner.

This morning the kids were at the breakfast table waiting for their pancakes and they were dreaming and telling stories of their little brother. I LOVE seeing their imaginations run wild! Micaiah kept going on and on how when Isaiah gets here how he will want his little pumpkin (some we picked at Tom's farm a few weeks ago) and he will will think it is soooooo cute. I'm not exaggerating with the extra o's that's truly how he said it! Ha! He went on about them going in the backyard and throwing them over the fence :)...oh the mind of a boy! it's so wonderful to see the love they already have in their heart for their brother.

As of a month ago we had moved to #4 on the waiting list. Tonight we are having a fundraiser that I am so pumped about. I will be snapping photos and sharing on the blog soon.

Have a blessed day in Christ!

 

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Thankful!

This weekend has truly been so much fun together as a family. I feel like I sometimes go through these phases where I have this idea in my mind what a "fun day" looks like. I plan it out so well that when it gets thwarted in the slightest way I can become frustrated. Silly huh? Yet it's true.

It's really not about all the grand places you go, or how much money you spend, or keeping to that "have to schedule" you make. This Saturday was the farthest from that and one of the most enjoyable laid back days we've had in a while :)

Saturday morning is 95% of the time a homemade pancake breakfast made by our super dad. We changed things up a bit and the kids and I went walking around the corner to a garage sale while Jared whipped up a quick breakfast. When we got back turns out he decided to go all quick and healthy on us. We were sad to see such little carbs prepared, and bubbly syrup warming up on the stove. In its place: a slice of bacon, grapes, sliced apples and peanut butter. Good call on dad because we were going to need something sustainable for the long day ahead. Jared was headed to a free crossfit workout at 10am and in a last minute decision I decided to go with him. Do I regret it? Maybe a little. I am sooooo sore but no pain no gain I guess :)

We went to a really cool apple orchard later that afternoon because the day was so beautiful. It was a first time experience for us all. The kids loved it!! Jared climbed up in one of the trees to pick down these huge apples at the top he had his eye on. Crazy guy! I guess that was ok there was no sign saying otherwise. After the apple orchard I had it in me to embark on making my first apple pie. With much eagerness I did. Didn't have my hopes up much since I messed up a few of the steps, made a wreck of the kitchen, and burnt the edges pretty good on it. Yet I have to say my whole family took a liking to it. With a little bit of vanilla ice cream on top and man it was delicious :)

Later that night Jared and I went on a impromptu date. I love being silly with him. So thankful to truly have a best friend in him!! It was cut short due to some sickness that I was feeling towards the end of the evening. Anytime something abnormal comes up in my body I always assume I must be pregnant. Ha! This time was no different. Just to be clear I'm not. I feel so blessed that God in his wisdom put our family together in the way that he did and in the time that he did!

Happy Sunday everybody!!

Getting ready for our morning walk to scout out some sales.

A new princess app that addy is really into.

 

FYI: I was not aware this happened until it was emailed to my phone! He does not look very happy about it. Lol

 

Some Olinger apple pickin fun :)

 

Look at all those apples. We filled it till it was overflowing. Trying to get all our $ worth.

Hand picked apples plus..

A pie and a messy kitchen plus...

A Happy husband :) equals =

2 very tired kiddos!!!

 

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Voices From The Past

This question and answer is from Heidelberg Catechism.

Question: What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer: "That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil, and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him."

 

We love you and give thanks to you Jesus for your blood has purchased for us indescribable riches, and the hope of being with you and knowing you fully into all eternity!

Side note: it's really neat as I have been typing this in our living room my kids have been role playing a "church service" they take turns being the pastor while the other is the singer :), and before that we were having sweet conversations about heaven and how much they want to be there so they can meet their big brother Jesus! Micaiah then got very concerned that his daddy wouldn't still be his daddy in heaven so I just told him to hold onto that thought and ask daddy when he gets home :) these kids are so funny and precious!

 

A few things lately

So it's been a long time since I have even opened my blog to even consider writing something. I was overseas for two weeks in Indonesia at the beginning of July through the 21st and ever since getting back my life has consisted of getting back into "normal" routine and and doing some major "simplifying" to our life! There is so much I learned while gone and without a doubt one of them being that I didn't want to come back here to the states where life is driven by accumulating more, having more "stuff", and keeping up with the latest trends and style and immediately get sucked back into it.

I want for my life and our family as 1 Timothy 6 talks about "godliness with contentment." I want our hearts to be filled with gratefulness, contentment, and joy towards the Lord in all that he has given us.

Here are just a few things happening in the Olinger life that I will share through pics! Oh how I love pictures!!

1. MY KIDS ARE GETTING SO BIG!! Here are some fun summer pics!

 

Yes, this picture above actually happened (I will add while mom was away) no bystanders however they were the only ones :)

The best family!!!

Reading to her brother!

Eating s'mores for the first time...mmmmmm

 

2. My awesome reunion at the airport when I'm finally getting to see my family after two weeks!!!

Embracing each other!

All together :)

Micaiah in absolute disbelief that it's actually me!

LOVE

3. The renovated homeschool room! School starts August 30th. Cant believe my little girl is going into Kindergarten!

 

4. Took care of the molded bathroom/shower and totally loving having a guest bathroom that is serving its purpose in life!

The kids don't seem to notice but they sure loved that bubble bath :)

5. The wonderful date that I was able to go on with my best friend after being away from him for so long. Our date consisted of: paullettes in harbor town, the cheesecake corner for dessert and coffee, and some much needed talk time that was so life giving and beneficial for us both. I wish I had pictures all throughout the date but only have ones before we left.

 

I adore him!

 

Hope this will be the start of me getting back into the groove of blogging. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend with your family & friends!