Here With Us

In this season of Advent, I've become quite weepy!  When we sing the songs, listen to them on the radio, sing at church, my mind goes to God, God as a baby.  Mary, rocking a baby to sleep.  Yet, this baby was there at the formation of the world.  This baby, who is fully God and fully man, chose to came to earth to love us.  Here with us.  To save us.  Die for us.  "Heaven's love reaching down to save the world."

What a thought.  Each year this thought just wrenches my heart.  God speaking to me through manger scenes, swaddled babes, quiet reflection of my time with newborns.  With these thoughts and watching my friends and family cooing over their new babes or growing bellies, I try to picture Mary. Mary, whose song is reflective of mine.  Or what I want mine to be.  I frequently have a harsher tone than I expected the mother of Jesus to have.  Or less patience.  I wonder how her human qualities reflected those of her Godly son.  She said her soul magnifies, or reflects/makes bigger, the Lord.  On the one hand, I can easily see this.  When you're physically holding God, how glorious He must be, how thankful to be chosen.  I often go back to Mary's own words after hearing from the angel she will bear a son, in Luke 1:38, "And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her."  

She is an inspiration.  This young thing, approached by an angel, life changed, marriage relationship changed, trusting, wholly serving the Lord.  My thoughts race to this young mom, holding her newborn son, a son that was there at the dawn of time.

My friend Ely sang a song at church called Here With Us, and I LOVE the lyrics.  I've been hearing it on KSBJ this season and each time it takes my breath away.  I love verse 2.  But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep.  I wish I could post Ely's rendition, but I can't find it on the church's site.  Google Joy Williams and you can hear it performed.  Forgive me for this being after Christmas, but it still rings true.  Hallelujah, son of God, servant King, Here with us, You're here with us.  Praise Jesus!


Lyrics from http://www.songlyrics.com/joy-williams/here-with-us-lyrics/

It's still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small
How tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah, son of God, servant King
Here with us, You're here with us

It's still a mystery to me
How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time
How His ears have heard an angel's symphony
But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah, son of God, servant King
Here with us, You're here with us
You're here with us

Jesus, the Christ, born in Bethlehem
A baby born to save, to save the souls of man

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah, son of God, servant King
Here with us

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah, son of God, servant King
Here with us, You're here with us
You're here with us

Transformation Contest

Friends,

I don't do this often, and I have many other posts brewing, one just for this beautiful Christmas season, but I did want to let you know that Eric and I are hosting a HUGE transformation contest with our Advocare team and customers starting 1/6/14!  The first email went out and we are helping with big CASH prizes!!  If you are interested, please subscribe to our customer list below and we will send out an email with all details later this week.  You can unsubscribe at any time!

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And if you are interested in participating, we are having a kick-off mixer on January 4th.  We'd love to have you! :)

 

Two Years

If you know me, you know I easily memorize dates.  So it wouldn't surprise you that this day has been tugging at me all day.  It's my friend's daughter's birthday.  Tomorrow is the day we found out we were pregnant with Anna 4 years ago (as well as my college roommate's birthday).  But the 17th stuck out in my head for something else.  It's the day we got our immigration approval for our son 2 years ago, and 2 days later, got placed on the referral wait list with our agency.  Just 6 months they said....

Where has 2 years gone.....

So often I get the question, "So whatever happened with that adoption thing?"  Or, "Oh, are you still doing that?"  I'm not going to lie, sometimes it hurts.  It is on my mind every day, this adoption 'thing.'  I don't fault people, I know it's not as important or prevalent to them as it is to us.  I know you can't see the growing heart like you can a growing belly.  If you are a part of my every day life, you know we are still doing this 'thing.'  If you've asked the question, it's ok.  It seems like forever, I get it.  Really, I GET IT.

Source

Many times, the days are long, we are doing our thing.  Preschool, homeschool, prayer, coop, bible study, church, friends, family, love, quiet, phone, crafts, reading, time, joy, connecting, music, laughter.  It's hard to describe, this waiting.  It's not all-consuming like I thought it would be.  It is definitely God-breathed and for our good.  It is a practice in patience and prayer.  It is anticipation and love.  It is definitely faithful and big.  But it can seem so small at the same time.  When we glorify busy, we get lost in the shuffle.  God has been trying to re-focus me lately on Him.  He's always in the scope, always, just sometimes He's a little blurrier than I'd like Him to be.

Lately he's been using our future son to re-focus me on His son.  How He loved us....oh He loved us.  Before we were even born, before our ancestors were born.  So much that He came to earth as an offering for us. The best gift.  Humility.  Servanthood.  Even to death on a cross.  Ephesians 1:3-6 says it so much better, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

Source

God has taught (is teaching) us so much in this wait.  How worth it he is.  This son that we don't know anything about besides the color of his skin.  This child that we don't even know if he's been born yet. This baby who will go through trauma before we can get to him to make him forever.  This country that has grown in all of our hearts.  This God that is big enough to provide and comfort and call us to cross oceans to follow His will.  This child that was birthed through prayer and feels like the closest we've ever been to the Lord in following Him.

Source

In our journey, we've witnessed miracles.  In our hearts, our children's hearts, in friends.  We've grieved with friends over failed placements, still grieving.  We've rejoiced over births and finally forevers.  I can't wait to share the story of my friend, the current miracle that brings me back to God each day I consider her womb.  These days my God still proves miraculous.

Randomly Saturday, I got an email from babycenter.com about me being 4 weeks pregnant.  It was so random, and jarring.  I was in New York and forwarded to Eric with a joke attached.  Who knew?  I have been a little sad lately about wanting another baby.  I did when we started this adoption process.  I took a full month to pray every day.  I wanted another one first.  I asked, God, do we have a baby first, see what the gender is, adopt different, adopt first??  He was very gentle, but clear, and said, you don't have to know the next 10 steps, just the first one.  Adopt first.  We prayed about it and started our process.  I thought God might have been using that time to get me out of the always wanting another baby.  I felt like that emotion would never go away.  And for a time it did.  A year ago, if you would have asked me, I would have said we were definitely done having babies biologically.  But these past 6 months, I don't know, something has changed.  I enjoy this time, the no more diapers, more independence, playing more than fighting phase.  But as family and friends have little ones, some years after their last, it brings that desire back.  All things pass through the lens of what is God's will for my life, not what I want for me, so I am praying.  So if you think of me, pray for my mommy heart, that God will prove crystal clear.  But, with this email, I can't help but wondering....is it true?   Are we getting closer?  36 weeks left?  It seems so long but oh so short comparatively!  I have friends who have traveled an adoption journey that have journaled when God placed something on their heart, and it turned out to be a significant date in their child's life.  I have kept a (not very consistent) journal and this was a small portion of my post on 11/5/13:

Recently I have a strong desire to have another baby. It takes my breath away sometimes and makes me question why this adoption process is taking so long.  I know you told us to adopt next, Lord, so we will.  But this yearning for another bio baby is strong.  Are you solely preparing our hearts and minds to bring home our new son?  Or do you have other plans for us?   

I thought our child might have been born in September.  I had this feeling, one Wednesday night, the 4th, at church.  I was overcome with anxiety and burden and honesty with my Father.  I wrote some things down that night, here is just a snippet:

Lord, I’m scared.  I don’t know what this adoption will look like.  It seems very real, but with no real end in sight.  Lord, protect our boy.  Be with him, whispering in his ear that his mom and dad are coming.  Praise you father for the love you give us for him. Help knit all 6 of our hearts together Lord.  I pray over his heart Lord Jesus, that you will begin the healing.  Lead us to what he will need most.  Provide, as you have constantly done throughout our journey.  

So to answer any questions, yes, we are still adopting.  No, we did not think it would take this long.  Yes, it is hard having NO end in sight, no dates, no timeline.  No, we are not giving up. Yes, we still believe with all of our heart that this was God's plan and that He knows exactly who we are waiting on.  No, we are not losing hope, because our hope is not in the US Embassy, the Ugandan courts, or international adoption ethics; our hope is in the one that we consider faithful because he promised (Heb 11:11b).  Yes, we choose yes!  We will follow and obey, no matter what the cost!

Source

Have a coffee lover in your life?

If you are in need of something for that person who just LOVES coffee, we still have our Just Love Coffee store open.  All of their coffees are either fair trade, direct-trade, organic and shade-grown coffee beans that are high quality from all over the world.  This company has been extremely easy to work with and we love their mission. 

I received an email today (for Cyber Monday) with great sales and a free christmas CD with $50 purchase.  If you are in need of some fantastic coffee, you can shop here:  

https://justlovecoffee.com/newsomefamily/

Great discount on a great book!

Until midnight tonight (Sunday, December 1), "Say Goodbye to Survival Mode" is 30% off on Amazon!

When you order just use the coupon code BOOKDEAL.

http://www.amazon.com/Say-Goodbye-Survival-Mode-Strategies/dp/1400206464/

And be sure to hang onto your pre-order receipt and visit MoneySavingMom.com on Tuesday because they have put together a really cool freebie package — and we're giving it away to everyone who pre-orders a copy!

Micah's thanksgiving

I'm glad Mom and Aunt Gail cooked our thanksgiving meal. If Micah was in charge we would have had "chicken legs - cook in the oven and pickles - just open the jar you bought them in."  Love these treasures from preschool. 

Happy 5th Birthday Micah Man!!

Today is Micah James' 5th birthday.  We started the day with streamers and donuts.  

He spent 3 hours with friends at preschool while I visited aunt Bailey, then we headed home for a yummy lunch.  

Walking into school.

With Mrs. Christina.

We came home and played with our friends, the Williams, while their parents moved for a few hours.  We made some cupcakes to take to our Missional Community later that night.  We eat dinner together twice a month and celebrate together.  

He had told us a few weeks ago he wanted a transformers (BumbleBee) party.  But we never really talked about if he wanted anything.  I asked him yesterday what he wanted and he was very specific.  A blue and yellow race car (think hot wheels), a dinosaur land for his new plastic dinos, and a monster truck.  All reasonable and do-able.  

So after work, because I have been the opposite of on top of things, Eric went by to find his gift.  He found a pack of cars, which was the only one that had a blue and yellow car.  Then, he found a super cool dino pack from animal planet.  Here was Micah closing his eyes while daddy brought it in.

The Dino Pack

He loved it.  Later I thought it funny that the dino pack came WITH a paleo and archeologist, as well as an airplane :).   

We headed to Missional Community, which we LOVED.  Everyone made Micah feel so special, and our little middle child/boy needed that :).  His old sunday school teachers are in our group and they brought him: a monster truck!  The one thing he told me but we didn't get/forgot!!  Such a blessing.  This is us singing to him before cupcakes.  

These were taken at the local pumpkin patch at the Methodist church last Monday before his preschool open house.  I made the girls Baylor dresses so he insisted on a green and gold shirt! :)  It makes his eyes so green!

 Mrs. Barbara and Micah

 Mrs. Christina and Micah

Micah Man, 

What a huge blessing you are to Daddy and Mommy!  You have taught us to trust the Lord, big patience, letting go of some control, and how to love a red-headed, sensitive, "future knight in shining armour" as your shirt says.  You will be a phenomenal husband and father someday, as you take such good care of me and your sisters.  You love your daddy so much, and I just love how you still call him dada.  You still say upspide down and it might be the cutest thing I've ever heard.  We pray big blessings over you this next year.  We know, if you get to become a big brother again this year, how exciting, and trying, and different it will be.  And we know you will need extra loving, which I can't wait to partake in.  You have always been my super cuddly bug and I love your from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.  God has great and mighty plans for His kingdom that involve you, and we couldn't be more thrilled to lead you on this journey to know Him fully.

Blessed to be your mom,

Mommy 

Forgot to link back to your birthday 5 years ago: so click here!

1 year

2nd year

June 2013

I have already posted a good part of our June!  You can read about Cara's injury and birthday here.  And Father's Day and Eric's birthday.  

So here are just a few random pictures from June in the Newsome House.  

Anna banana loves to be a big girl like Cara.  So here she is 'doing her hair.'

 Yaya & Papa went to visit family in MS and brought back Roll Tide outfits for all the kids.  My kids LOVE to match, so these got a lot of wear this summer.  

We were still very much into swim team at the beginning of the month.  Micah was an 'assisted swimmer' and he always asked this sweet girl named Faith to be his assistant.  She was so kind!

Swim team was a great experience for us.  Cara really enjoyed it and got better.  She was 6 still on May 1st, so she competed in the 6 and under group, which only does back stroke and free style.  She got invited to the Meet of Champs for both events and the free style relay.  She medaled in all 3!!  (Which means she got 1-8th place), with her highest medal being 2nd place.  We were so proud of our kiddos!

 Not sure if these videos came through.

Friday's after swim practice they got to go off the diving board.  Here is Cara!

 The first weekend of June, Bethel hosted a weekend family getaway at a friend's (few) lake houses.  We had such an amazing time on the water, visiting with friends and getting to know our church family better!

Here is Anna on the deck above the lake. 

 Beautiful sunrise.

 On the boat ready to ride.

 My two red heads. 

 The big kids testing out the tube.  Micah ended up being tossed off.  It was a bit traumatic, I don't think he rode again after that, but I got him on the wave runner.  

 We wore them out.  This was less than 10 minutes after we left! :)