Stuffed

Did you mich me? That is how my sweet little cousin would greet us after a long absence when she was about 2. It is now one of my family's favorite phrases. I hope you have missed me because I have missed you all!

I am so sorry for my very LONG vacation from my blog...but life has been busy which leaves very little time for blogging. Thankfully, everyone started back to school this week so routine is back in place...hopefully leaving some room for my little blog.

You know that feeling after Thanksgiving dinner where you are totally stuffed and really the only thing you can do is take a long nap? It is like your body literally won't let you do anything else except crash on the couch (until it is time to wake up for round two anyway...hehehe!). Well, that is kind of of I feel about life right now. It is a good stuffed. God has been doing SO much in my life, in the life of our kiddos here at C.B., and in my family. It seems like everywhere I turn He is revealing more of Himself to me. However, I feel a little stuffed...not in a way that I don't want anymore. Believe me I will be ready for round 2 pretty stinkin' soon. I just kind of feel like I need a long nap on the sofa to kind of digest it all. Unfortunately being a mama to 14 beautiful teenage girls and 2 precious littles makes that a little hard to do!

Hopefully in the near future I can at least share some of this grand supper with you all so you can have a chance to munch on it with me. Today though is not that day. I am feeling a bit tired and just all around very sensitive today, so it isn't really the time to have to process it all. Meanwhile though I will leave you with the highlights from Dec. 2010 and my main goals for 2011 and how we are doing so far on them.

Highlights December 2010

• All 4 of us got to go the states for almost the whole month of the December. I wasn't sure we were going to be able to get Mr. A's visa but sure enough God opened a big fat door for us to walk right through and we were ALL able to go home for Christmas. I seriously almost started sobbing when the plane landed and I looked to my right and to my left and saw my three favorite people in the world right beside me.

That sweet family I adore so much!

• Hubby and I celebrated our anniversary with an overnight date (courtesy of a merry Christmas present from my sweet sister and her hubby) on the Plaza. It was our first real date since our sweet ladybug had been born (aka over a year) so it was definitely need and it was definitely SO FUN. I forget how much I just love hanging out with Hubby. He is by far my favorite shopping partner...no lie! :)

Little weird picture...but the only one we were able to take together from our anniversary. It is one of those long arm shots but I still love it.

• We celebrated that sweet little ladybug's first birthday with no other than a ladybug themed party. It was such a fun day and I was so thankful to get to be in KC with my family and friends. My family really does have to sacrifice so much with us being far away, so I was thankful that they got to celebrate her big day with her in person! Oh and she started officially walking on her actual birthday!

Our ladybug themed party...the star (outside of the birthday girl) being the cake that Hubby decorated!

Our little ladybug princess in all her birthday fabulousness!

• I finally got Hubby to his first KC Chiefs game! It was freezing but so awesome watching my boys pound those Titans!
  

We were really cold!

• Although we didn't get any of the snow I so desperately craved, we had an AMAZING time with everyone in KC and a wonderful Christmas together. It was SUPER hard saying goodbye.

I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing family!

• Came home to my 14 beautiful girls here in Guatemala...and words like "We missed you so much" and "We are so glad you are finally back"

Celebrating one of my sweet girls 15th birthday!

• Technically happened the first week of January, but we had one of our BEST staff retreats we have ever had here at C.B. Seriously, God broke our hearts all over again for our kiddos and for their eternities...oh may it not be in vain!
  

Goals for 2011 (in no particular order)

• Regular exercise routine for Monday through Friday: so far so good. I haven't been able to get all 5 work outs in yet but at least 3 or 4...so we are on our way. I am about 5 pounds away from my pre-baby weight and about 15 pounds away from my goal weight.
  
• Our first year of homeschooling with Mr. A: This has been hard. I had a total meltdown about it yesterday and felt like this might have been a very bad decision...mostly due to the fact that I haven't quite figured out how to homeschool him while keeping my 13 month old out of trouble. Today was a little better though so maybe things are looking up...suggestions from those of you doing it are welcome though!
• Daily Morning Quiet Times: well this one has been tough...I always start with good intentions but inevitably someone or something interrupts me. I am learning the value of just getting bits and pieces to chew on all day but man I long for some real time for mediating and praying. Our day starts at 4:45am though here...so I am just going to have to be creative I think
• Move Miss B to her room: I know, I know...you all are probably thinking I am so crazy to still have my 13 month old in our room, but seriously, if you knew how our house was set up you would understand. Honestly, I still haven't even attempted this one yet...so pray for me. Oh and for those of you that walked with me in December as I let her "cry it out" to go to sleep on her own can pray for me again because we are having to relearn that one all over again now that we are back in Guatemala
• More date nights with the hubby: Last year we only had one date night the entire year...I know really sad. It was just so hard with the baby and with nursing (and not having a pump). We have only been back three weeks though and we have already had one, so I feel like we are already on a good path.
• Memorize more Scripture: I haven't even attempted this one yet, but as I already mentioned earlier, this was our first week of a real schedule again, so hopefully I can start this next week. Keep me accountable though please!
  

I think those are the main ones that I can remember for now...feel free to ask me about though anytime. I like being kept accountable.

Lastly, I want to seriously ask some of you to join me in fasting and prayer this year for something super important: adoptions in Guatemala. I would first love for you all to join me in praying for our adoption of our sweet Mr. A. Although we have had him for so long that I know it is easy for people to forget the adoption isn't actually finished. Please pray. We still have a long road a head of us and God is really going to have to knock out some big barriers, but I am believing that 2011 is the year of victory. Please pray with us...if you would like to email me or comment letting me know that you are committing to praying daily or weekly or fasting with us, I would love that. Secondly, please be praying for the state of adoptions in general. This is an election year so we are praying that some big GOOD changes happen in this area, but basically we need something to change so our children here at C.B. have an opportunity for forever families. It isn't right that they are having to grow up in institutions when there are 100's of families wanting to take them home right now.
"Oh God please move mountains!"