why not??

Sometimes.... 
doing something special, 
for no reason - 
is a good enough reason.

So.... we rented the SLIP-N-SLIDE from the base.

Worth every penny!

TONS of fun!

weekend activities

Sometimes it's nice to stay home -

hang out with friends - 

and be creative.

recycled glass jars from jelly and pickles and whatever.....

a little paint

and the possibilities are endless.

Mike's birthday

another plus for living on a tropical island....

No matter what time of the year your birthday is -

You can have a beach day!

Happy 43rd Birthday Mike!

my second half marathon....

Coming off an injury to my right calf,

I wasn't sure I could finish this race -

My time wasn't record breaking by any means -

but I did finish.

And I am proud of that!

As usual, my running buddies "THE SOLE SISTERS" pulled me through.

The HAFA marathon.

After party at Sumay Bar and Grill

AMAZING hamburgers

AND .... Ms. Heidi Larson 

will HOOK YOU UP

if you want to host a party there.

This is our second big event there and she is awesome!

(so are the burgers....)

I recommend the PIKA burger (medium) 

YUM!!!

Also, saying good-bye to a SOLE SISTER -
I will miss you out there Kira on the roads -
but the memories last a life-time!

I would NOT have made it through this race without her.

THANK YOU KIRA!!

foster care update

It's been quite a while since I did a foster care update.

You can read the last one by clicking ----  here.

OR.......

If you are new the blog - you can read about our foster care start ----  here.

the waiting process ---- click here.

our first placement ---  here.

our sweet baby angel ---- here.

and a FULL HOUSE ---- here. 


We have been foster parents on Guam since April 2011.

We are leaving Guam at the end of May 2013.

Two years as foster parents and a big change on our hearts and our lives.

I had this crazy (unspoken) idea that I was ready for this.

That my own kids were half grown and that I could "babysit" full time for a while,
and then say good-bye to children in our home.

I don't think I am wired that way,
and I don't think that's really what God meant when he said in James 1....

²⁷ Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: 
to look after orphans and widows in their distress

So much has changed about the way I think over the last 24 months.
I have read a lot of books.

Processed
Prayed
Studied
Tossed ideas around with others

LISTENED

Processed more
Changed my way of thinking
and prayed some more about how I need to change my way of thinking....

I have founded a non-profit organization to help foster kids.
(It's called Project 127 Guam)

The idea came from Colorado.
They have a Project 127 Non-profit organization with over 40 churches working together to get foster children into Godly homes.  You can learn more by clicking here.

My ultimate goal is the same,
that no child on Guam would be waiting for a home.

I want to show that many churches can work together.
That Christian parents will answer God's call to care for the least of these.
that they will step up;
become licensed as foster parents;
adopt;
or come along side those that are and support them in big ways.

I read a quote that said,
"There are no unwanted children, 
only unfound families"

Will you pray with me?

2013 - Moving Forward

Once I got behind on the blog - it was overwhelming to try and catch up.

Cause I have this thing in my head that it all needs to be chronological,  you know.

And so I had several stories that started in my head,
and made their way to partial print....
sitting in the "draft" folder.
But they never got finished.

So today, I decided,
I'm over that.... it's a new year.
You just aren't going to know those stories.  OK??

I gotta move on.

Here's some ways I'm trying.

Today, January 30th is the one year mark since sweet angel baby left our home.
I've thought about her a lot this week.
I still miss her.
I would still take her back.
But I am happy that she is safe where she is.
That she is loved.
That she is wanted.

A lot of foster kids don't go back to those kind of places, so I am thankful for that.

Another way to move on, literally....is that we are leaving Guam in May.

I need a whole Jerry Springer mini-series for our last three years on Guam.
The ups and downs and ends and outs of foster care -
but then, there is the blog, so maybe I'll get to that.

Moving on....

Call me shallow
or lame

But one of my goals of the New Year was to catch up the laundry.
Whatever your opinion is about that,
keep it to yourself.

7 people live here
and a dog;
and it's hot,
year around;
and the kids play sports,
and I run
and there is none of wearing something twice
you sweat,
you stink,
the clothes need to be washed

Anywho....I did it.
I got it all caught up,
including clean sheets on everyone's bed.

I matched the giant basket full of socks
And threw away the rest
(my mom would be so proud, she spent 2 weeks here trying to find sock matches,
I think she was ready to go out and just buy new socks for everyone.)

So, I'm keeping up with the laundry and not letting the pile get "too big".

and MOVING FORWARD...

I have got to stay home more.

See, honestly, after Meleah left, staying home was NOT healthy for me -
I was a wreck.
so when the kids were at school,
I stayed out of the house.

And it looks like it.

BUT....we are moving to Virginia and there has to be some organization done around here before the movers come in.  Otherwise, the chaos gets moved.  That can't be good.

Along the lines of moving:

Foster Care update - the girls that we have in our home have lived with us for 13 months.
Their situation was supposed to be temporary.
Clearly, not.
We have another court date at the end of March which may, (or may not) provide us with guardianship.
If it is granted, we will be moving to Virginia with five kids.  It still overwhelms me a little to say,
"I have five kids".    I can't explain the ball of emotions over the last year.  Foster care is a mixed bag.
I would never lie to someone considering foster care and say, "YOU WILL LOVE IT!"

There are blessings in the storm - always, 
but it's still a storm.

And last but not least:

I ordered Christmas cards with an online coupon on Black Friday.
Yes, the Friday after Thanksgiving.

They still haven't come.

I kept thinking EVENTUALLY.... but still no.  And Friday is Feb.
So now, if they come....that's just TOTALLY wrong to mail them.
Right?

That's my OOG for the YEAR - no Christmas cards.  GASP!!

I love getting Christmas cards - so don't scratch me off your list because you didn't get one.

*(I did get a refund from the company)

That's all the random in my head.

Melda out....

Just sayin'

January 12th....

Don't be a hater!