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Fear is a Liar

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnClrx8N2k Today as was trying to soak in my small window of quiet alone time with the Lord (and without kids) something struck me. This song came to mind and I was reminded that we, in our fleshly bodies, often forget who the real enemy is. What really is behind the pandemic? The rioting? The social unrest? The political posturing? The fear-mongering? The lies? The finger-pointing? The fear? It isn't your neighbor, or your president, or your neighbor or some social justice group or another country--it is our oldest and most cunning foe. Ephesians 6:12 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. This enemy often knows us better than we know ourselves. He can be persuasive and attractive and manipulative but he VERY MUCH is the TRUE enemy. John 10:10 10 The thief comes only to steal and kil
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Growing our Heritage from A-Z: In Search of a Full Quiver Month 3

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Here we are again, I posted this early on in our adoption Journey with A and it still holds true:  "It feels like a  Tale of Two Cities , "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"....ALL AT THE SAME TIME." Some days are great and some are terrible, horrible, awful but the struggle is worth it.  We know that in adopting older boys we may very well be their last chance at a forever family, so we always go in knowing that the behaviors will be tough but that we will see it through.  Our resolve has definitely been tested.  However, by the grace of God and patience that surpasses all understanding,  we continue to struggle through each issue as it arises. We see massive gains yet there are still huge setbacks that require time to regain lost ground--but we are getting there.  I am 'mommy' and my husband is "daddy" and I get tons of hugs and snuggles and "I Love Yous".  A few weeks ago, after a inconceivably rough day, as I was
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Growing our Heritage: In Search of a Full Quiver--From A to Z, month 1.5

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Stolle party of 6! It has been a little over the one month mark since we added a new member to our family.  We are now a family of 6. The similarities between Z's story and A's story and behaviors are uncanny.  We learned a lot our first go-around with A about how best to handle discipline and behaviors of children from hard places and it has all come in handy.  I find myself to be far less exhausted and on edge this go around; there really is a huge learning curve when dealing with adding 8 year old boys you barely know to your family. Z is a joy.  He is a adorable ball of energy; full of love, creativity and butt cheek jokes (yes, I'm serious).  He calls me momma or mommy and loves sitting in my lap and snuggling.  He calls Jason daddy with ease, and has even asked to sit in his lap from time to time.  My life has become a tornado of beyblades, pokemon cards, xbox discs, sports and fart jokes--and I wouldn't change it for the world! I just cannot get over the gift
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Growing our Heritage: In Search of a Full Quiver Month 6--Satan HATES adoption

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We are officially in month six of our matched adoption and have our finalization court date set.  Everyone is excited and relieved to be at this point.  "A" is a completely different child and so very ready to be adopted.  As far as dealing with the struggles associated with adopting a child from foster care--those have minimized almost to the point of being non-existent.  Most of our struggles these days are what I would characterize as normal kid stuff.  However we seem to be dealing with a new struggle and our foe has doubled down on the attack. Satan hates adoption.  He hates the healing that comes with it.  He hates the broken cycles of abuse and drug addition.  He hates the love and the hope...he hates everything about it. We have been under what I can call nothing short of a blitz attack.  There have been issues after issues in our personal lives; finances, housing, deaths, sicknesses, relationships... I can go on and on here, but won't because he doesn't de
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Growing Our Heritage: In Search of a Full Quiver Month 5

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So I've been MIA for a while.  We are now closing in on our adoption date and things are good.  We still have rough waters but the frequency of them is less and less.  A has now really assimilated into the family and it's like he was always here, and I cannot imagine life without him at this point.  He's a big goofy ball of snuggles, cuddles, leggos, minecraft, xbox and nerf wars.  I was, however, woefully unprepared for the tornado that is boyhood--the ruined clothes alone are shocking!  But so much of what we encounter these days are simply boy issues and not trauma/foster care issues. I will say that Jason and I are still shocked by the injustices of this child's prior life experiences.  For the sake of his privacy I won't do into detail but there are so many life skills that he just doesn't have because no one took the time to teach him, or later on ask him if he knew how to do them.  We keep stumbling into things and saying, "That never crossed my min
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Growing our Heritage: In Search of a Full Quiver Month 3

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Wow!  Here we are, PAST the 3 month mark.  I feel as if we may have found our new rhythm of life.  Behaviors have calmed down, and all the pieces are beginning to blend together seamlessly.  We still have hard days, but their frequency continues to decrease.  If I'm honest, I can already feel the pull to do this all over AGAIN!  Yes, it is hard.  Yes, it is messy. Yes, it is stressful and conflict is inevitable.  But the benefits are so very great.  I have watched a child simply transform in front of my eyes in a very short 3 months.  I can think of no greater way to impact society, and The Kingdom, than to take a helpless/hopeless child and give them hope, love and a possibility for a future. We covet your prayers as there is still much to learn and so much ground to cover; but I have faith that all of the tears, time, effort, heart-break, frustration and exhaustion will pay off in the end. ALOT has changed for all of us this month.  Most of which I don't feel comfortable g
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Growing our heritage: In Search of a full quiver Month 2

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We are flirting with our two month mark--it is a few simple days away.  However, in adoption, no day is truly ever simple.  I recall myself dealing with an extremely petty situation at my child's school last week (one in which would have never been on my radar or high on my priority list FOR ANY of my children--let alone one with a history like, and dealing with issues like W...I'm a fan of simple, natural consequences) and this situation prompting me to say to my husband, "There are only so many things that I can possible say out loud (if you are a teacher think in the world of Think Alouds) every day and this just wasn't one of them".  However, for the other parent  involved, and the school, it was important so we did everything we could to comply.  But I distinctly remember myself thinking, this just isn't high on my priority list.  You see folks, when you are dealing with a child who has come from trauma you deal with the BIG issues first, and sometimes t
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