Try, Try again

We decided to make our own popcorn today!  I had seen this on T.V. and thought it would be fun to make our own popcorn. 

Here are the ingredients:  popcorn kernels, olive oil, salt(we used Garlic salt), and a brown paper bag.

You put the popcorn kernels in a cup and pour olive oil and salt over them.  Mix. Then you dump them in the brown paper bag and fold it over twice. Put the bag in the microwave.

Our first batch BURNED!  We used 1/2 cup of kernels and popped it for 3 minutes.  Some of the kernels were still popping and coming out of the bag and all over the microwave, while the rest was burning.

So we tried again:

We used 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels and popped for 1 1/2 minutes.  YUMMY!!!
The girls LOVED IT. 

A little History

My name is Christine, my husband Robbie and I have adopted two girls from China.  Elise was adopted in 2003 at 9 months old,and Rachel was adopted in 2007 at 15 months old.  They are now 10 years old and 6 1/2 years old.  (According to Rachel, I have to put that 1/2 in there).  

A friend of mine went to New Day Foster Home in June 2009 on a mission trip with our church.  I was supposed to go with her, but knowing we were not going to adopt again I could not emotionally go on the trip. Well, my friend went back to China in October of 2009 to adopt her son and because her husband could not leave their family business she asked if I would help her bring her son home.   God had me in His arms, because on this trip to China, He taught me so many things.  He helped my lay my desires to the side and opened my eyes to the needs of these children.  I began to focus my time into advocating for these chldren that still waited. 

I began to do fundraisers sending all the proceeds to China, to New Day Foster Home as well as their Forever Home.  We sold blueberries, made jewelry and sold it, and had yard sales.  I teamed up with a few more people who also had a passion to help orphans worldwide.  We chose an organization from each continent and began to pray continuously for these children.  My heart was still with New Day.  I learned as much as I could about everything New Day does and began to share with everyone who would listen.   Our goal was to put a lot of people in one place and tell them everything we had learned about each organization.  This was a whole new game field for me, lots of planning and lots of details.  I called my husband Robert in to help me.  During this time, a child that was at New Day really began to soften his heart.  I began to pray that God's will would be done.

After months of planning, on May 17, 2012 we held our first annual benefit dinner "Step Up To The Plate".  We are still in awe of the work that is going on through this event that took place.  But even more amazing is the answered prayers of several people. 

One of those prayers was mine.  You see, while I was serving God and being his hands and feet, God changed the heart of my husband.  A little girl named "Clarie" had touched his heart so much that he had begun to pray about our family adopting again.  On May 20th, my husband came to me and told me that he was ready to adopt again. 

We have begun our paperwork and are looking forward to expanding our family.  God has laid it on our hearts to adopt an older child this time, one who possibly would be overlooked by many.  Please keep us in your prayers.

You can also search for our Step up to the Plate facebook page to learn more our organization, or just keep checking back here for updates. 

He can move mountains!

Robbie said YES!  Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially beginning the paperwork to adopt!  Our girls are so excited, they regularly talk about having a brother or another sister, so they are giving us all kinds of suggestions.  You know me I would like a bakers dozen!!  But I will be patient and thankful for all that God blesses me with.  Now we start the "mountains" of paperwork.

Food and Friends

Tonight we went to our friends house for dinner.  We had home made tacos with ALL the fixin's.  We always love getting together with them and just hanging out.  Does 8 adults and 15 kids sound like a relaxing time to you??  It is when the kids play and use their imagination and enjoy each others company allowing us adults time to talk.  Thanks Super K's for an awesome time.  Here is their blog to follow their adoption journey.   http://therealsuperks.blogspot.com/

So Many Choices

Yesterday I took my six year old with me to the grocery store. Before we went she helped me make the list. I wrote down the categories on the paper, Produce, Dairy, Frozen, etc. and she wrote down the items. As we would think of an item to get she would have to figure out which category it would go under and then write it in the correct spot. When we were almost done, she asked me about ice cream, which spot shoud it be in? Dairy or frozen? I told her to put it in the category that we would find it in the store. So she wrote Ice Cream Bars under frozen. 

When we got to the store she helped push her own small cart and we got all of our shopping done. We came to the frozen section and she was thrillled. She looked in the window of every frozen case SEVERAL times. After a good 5 minutes of just looking I told her to make her choice. Her reply was, "Mom, it is hard. There are so many choices and they are all good ones!"
Isn't that how life is? SO many choices and they all seem to be good ones?
Choices at the grocery store. Do we get the frozen vegatables or the fresh. They are both just as good aren't they?
Choices at work. Do we get involved in that conversation? We want to fit in don't we?
Choices at home. Do we get the new kitchen countertops? Nobody else still has the yellowish green ones from the seventies do they?
Choices with the children. Do we allow them to watch this television show or spend the night with their friend? We want our kids to like us right?
Choices that affect your eternity. Do I not just believe that there is a God, but have a relationship with Him?
Everyday we have so many choices to make and they all seem to be good ones. Choices are made each and everyday whether you realize it or not. Some are done without even thinking about them, like choosing to brush your teeth before you go to bed, even if it is midnight. After wearing braces for five years, I don't even think about it, I just brush them.
Not making a choice is the same as making that choice. If you decide not to make the choice, it will be made for you. If you don't get involved in that family conflict, someone may think you do not care. If you do not tell the kids that the television show is inappropriate, then they will think it is okay to watch it. If you do not make a desicion to follow Jesus Christ then you are making the decision not to follow Him.

I know that I do NOT always make the right choices, but I do try to do my best and that is all that God expects of us. He is always FOR us and wants us to do our best and He will always forgive us of our past and accept us with open arms.