I CHOOSE YOU

(because i hate to schedule posts, especially heartfelt ones.  i shall again interrupt my break and bring this piece of work to you. xo)


He grew in her, for nine entire months.  He lived and moved and breathed in her, for nine months.  He was created in her.  God literally moved mountains to create him in her.  And he looked upon her, even before he moved those mountains, and said, I choose you.

He was present, fully and 100% present, for those entire nine months.  Even when no one else was, He was present.  He was there, creating and knitting together this little being we call Trey Malachi today.  He was there when she chose us.  Oh, was He present when she chose us.  He was present during that phone call.  He was present in the heartache and in the rejoicing.  He was there.  All because when she was born He looked upon her and said, I choose you.

We'd been waiting.  We'd been waiting because we knew what God had told us to do.  We knew what we were commanded to do.  We knew that we were supposed to welcome a son, a fifth child, into our family.  We knew this, we believed it, we did this.  Why?  Because God once looked upon every one of us and said, I choose you.

We waited more, on that Tuesday after he was born.  We prayed, had knots in our stomachs.  We ached, we hoped, we rejoiced.  But then there was a text message, two phone calls, tears, joy.  It didn't matter how it happened, it was just that in that moment the only thing I felt God was saying was, I choose you.

And when God said those three words, so did she.  She said I choose you to raise my son.  I choose you to share a last name with him.  I choose you to be the parents, the siblings, of my son, who grew and was created in me.  I choose you to adopt my son, to raise him as yours, to be his family.  She said I choose you because when I did, God already had.

It isn't about how it happened or why it happened.  It isn't about details or little things.  It is just because God looked upon us and said

I
choose
you.

It's crazy how those three words can change a person's life in an instance.

All I know is...

I'm so grateful they changed mine.  In many, many ways, they've changed mine.

Hallelujah, our God is good.

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EIGHT MONTHS

Interrupting my break once again to bring you Treybe's 8 month pictures.  Such a joy.

Loves: cheerios, hugs, music, dancing, waving, sweet potatoes.

He is too much, and I have no idea how I lived without him.











k, now i'll really be back after the new year :)

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MY CHRISTMAS

I'm taking a break in my break to bring you my CHRISTmas (it's Christmas break, what else am I supposed to do with myself?).  So, here is my CHRISTmas eve and day.  I dearly hope yours was fabulous.  I'll be back with more after the new year.  :)

got ready for CHRISTmas eve service with this shirtless kid sitting on my bed.  oh my goodness, he's too much.

 Baby boy's first Christmas.  So striped pajamas and the cutest hat ever.

Annual-photo-by-the-tree-gone-wrong.  So my family.


traditions - egg casserole 

baby boy's breakfast



overwhelmed?



my christmas :) (those shoes!!!!!!)

i'll never tire of this on the floor every single christmas.

anddd afternoon after-christmas movie watchin

and, oh look, emma tries out the webcam on her brother's new computer.

happy CHRISTmas, yall.  xo

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SEE YOU NEXT YEAR

I do this every year, and this year it couldn't have come at a better time.

I need a good blog break.  I'm now officially on CHRISTmas break (!!!) and I need to step away from writing a bit, and focus on what's important.  I want to refocus myself on what I truly designed this blog for.  Don't worry, I'll be back.  But for now, I wish you all a happy happy CHRISTmas, and a lovely New Years.  You all are the reason I keep writing.


I pray you have a fabulous CHRISTmas praising the One who brought us this Holiday.  I love you all. 


xoxoxox


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INSTAGRAM LATELY

To be honest when I heard about all this Instagram craziness I was kind of afraid I'd have to delete my account.  But after a response from Instagram I think I'll be staying for a little while, and that makes me really happy.  So, my instagram lately.

the best cookies // CHRISTmas crafting


sunrise through the window // fun. itunes session - the best.


over the wall // friday.


sunset off of the 51 // through the octagon mirror during class.


iced coffee after a nice run // he does this all the time and it's the cutest.





from this to this // yay algebra!



the old old baseball field i used to ride my bike by everyday // happy CHRISTmas




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AFTER THE RAIN

Went outside after a lovely desert rain yesterday & captured two of my brothers together.







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GOD GAVE US FOREVER

Today, we received Trey's birth certificate in the mail.  It has never in all my life made me quite as overjoyed as it did to hold that piece of paper in my hands, to see my last name on it, to know it means forever.  To know it means he will never leave my family.  I could talk and talk and talk for days about what adoption means to me, but things like these.... this is why I love it so.  Forever has never felt as beautiful in my heart as it does tonight.  It's been a long seven months.  More things have happened in the past seven months than I know was possible to happen in such a short time period.  But every day that I wake up and see his face, I am reminded of the perfect story God made for Trey.  Even if it was official on September 6th, it has never felt better to hold a piece of paper in my hands and say forever.

If you've prayed for Trey or my family during some of those moments when I didn't know if I would ever hold this piece of paper in my hands, I want to thank you.  You are a part of his story.  And there is nothing truer in my mind tonight than the fact that my God is greater.

We are overjoyed that God gave us forever with Trey.














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