What We Have Been Up To….May May 28, 2009

My energy level lately has been pretty low.  This time of year my allergies sap my energy and I feel like I am walking around in a fog!  There are days I wake up that way and it is hard to do anything beyond what really NEEDS to be done in a day.  I am always saying that one of the things I am looking forward to about heaven and my new body is NO ALLERGIES!

We celebrated Kira’s seventh birthday on Sunday, May 3.  She chose hamburgers for her dinner (I threw in hot dogs as well).  Actually, both the girls ended up having hot dogs which was their first time having them.  They liked them. 🙂

Our Birthday Girl

We had family and friends who are family at the party.

The Cousins

She got a princess cake – chocolate!  Yeah!

The girls have been taking swimming lessons the whole month of May.  More on swimming later.

There was Mother’s Day at my Mom’s house:

Great Grandma Helen and her great grandkids!

Kira got to have a second birthday (is that something Hobbits do?) with our homeschool group:

We had an “Oregon City” outing with special friends:

In front of the McLoughlin House

We also had family and friends over for Memorial weekend for a shish-kabob barbeque – you should have heard the attempts at repeating that word!  I don’t have great pictures of that day since I forget to do much photo taking when I am in charge of the activity!

Kevin has been working hard getting a fence put in on the back of our yard.  We have wanted to get to this project for a long time and it feels good to have it almost done.  The girls have helped out as well.  They love to be Daddy’s helper.  I’ll post yard pictures when we get it finished.  I am happy with how it is turning out.  It has been a lot of work, but very rewarding.

Another thing going on around here is getting paperwork together to start on our adoption.  Brings back memories!  That will keep me busy for a couple of months at least.  I do remember how good it feels when you have it all done and sent off! 

The girls are excited about their brother in India.  It has been fun to listen to them pray for him and to tell others about him coming.  It will be interesting to see how they react when it actually happens. 🙂 

Spring/Summer has officially hit.  Not only is the weather getting nice, but I am starting to hear, “Do we have to do school today?”  I swear there is a kid manual that is handed out at birth to every child in every country.  They all know the same lines because there wasn’t anybody around here to teach the girls that one!

Kalindi-isms May 24, 2009

Kalindi was very happily explaining to Auntie Lori today that she has “gobbles” that match her swimsuit.  Auntie Lori was very understandingly ignoring the fact that she was saying the word wrong – either that or she didn’t have a clue what Kalindi was talking about!

Overhearing the conversation I corrected Kalindi that the word she was looking for was “goggles” – which I might add I have done at least twenty times since I bought them for her.  🙂 

With that correction, Auntie Lori then knew what Kalindi was referring to.  She told me, “Those are the kind of things that Mommy needs to write down and remember.”

Here are a few other words the girls have trouble pronouncing:

prastick – for practice.  I have worked on this word with Kalindi so many times! 

umbermamella – for umbrella.  This word ends up sounding a lot like their attempt at Cinderella.

Honestly, they are doing so well with their language that it is hard to come up with these examples.  I must admit that I enjoy these little “mistakes” just as much as I enjoyed seeing Kira lose her front teeth.  They are part of the growing up process and they make me smile.  I love being a Mom. 🙂

Kira’s Stories May 23, 2009

Kira has always felt a little left out when Kalindi will tell stories of things that she remembers of their family.  Kira was too young when she was last with her mom to have memory of it.  She usually will make up a story – always telling me first that she is making it up! – about doing something with her Indian mom or older sister.

Tonight, before bed there was a little misunderstanding and Kira got upset and ran off crying.  I went after her because I felt bad that I said something that made her feel sad.  I apologized to her because I had made a wrong assumption about something and reacted which caused her to be upset.  We hugged and then went back to what we were doing before.

While getting ready for bed, Kira asked to speak with me “privacy” (her word for wanting to speak with me alone).  She said she was sorry for what had happened earlier and we hugged and she told me that she loved that I was her mommy and thanked me for making her feel better.

When I was tucking her in, she asked if she could tell me a story.  I said yes, of course.  She said, “There was a little girl named Kira and her Mom made her feel happy and let her get on her back and we laughed.  I am so happy that she is my Mommy.  The End!”

The look of joy on her face made me feel like the most special person in the whole world!  This wasn’t a “story” this is what really happened.  Now, she has her own stories.  She has expressed so many times lately how happy she is that I am her Mommy.  I have seen in dozens of incidents that she appreciates things that I do for her or just enjoys sitting next to me or on my lap to watch a television show or read a book.  She will grab my hand when we are walking and express how much she loves me.

Many of you might not think this is anything special, but it is!  Kira is attaching to me as her mother.  She is realizing that she can count on me and trust me.  Yeah!  I just love adoption. 🙂

A New Schneider May 20, 2009

As you know, we have been praying that the Lord would guide us and show us whether another adoption would be right for our family at this time. There have been some struggles in considering this call as our flesh reminds us of all the things we could worry about. 🙂  But, all those things are out of our control. We just think we can control them!

We were praying and asking the Lord to give us an answer about a particular boy. (I will post a photo when I know it is okay.) He is now four years old, he will be five in October. He is described as happy and active by the agency representative we are working with who was just there visiting. She brought back video that I was able to watch yesterday and it confirmed in my heart that this is the child the Lord has for us. Kevin was already sure – isn’t that interesting!?

So, in my strength and wisdom I say, “Now wait a minute! Can I really do that?” But, it does seem as though the Lord has put this boy on our hearts. God does not promise us an easy road. He only promises to walk that road with us – leading and preparing the way. God calls all His children to be His disciples. That means letting go of earthly things that I hold dear and being willing to obey and follow Jesus wherever He leads.

Please be in prayer for Sangeet and for us. We want God’s best for this little boy. He lives in New Delhi at Missionaries of Charity orphanage. He does have a medical special need which is the reason that India will let us adopt him as we already have two children from their country. It is not serious, but will probably require some surgery.

You may have known that our first concern about an adoption was how to pay for it. The Lord is starting us out in that regard. We can use money that we saved from our tax refund that was to go for closing costs to refinance and pay property taxes – to start the process. We found out a few weeks ago that we are eligible for a new government loan program and not only can we get a great interest rate, we can roll our closing costs back into the loan – something we found out was now allowable with this program. So, it seems that the Lord is opening a door that we are going to walk through. With that money and a gift we have received we have enough to pay the agency fees. Isn’t that amazing how God is already providing?!!

We will have money to raise to pay for some other expenses and travel. We will also be working hard on paperwork this summer – which is a perfect time to be preoccupied with that since school will be minimal and I will have more time.

The girls are very excited to have a new brother. They want to help us pay for it and have offered us all the money in their piggy banks! Isn’t that sweet? They know what it feels like to long for a family and they know the joy of being a part of one.

We would appreciate it if, when you think of the crazy Schneider family, that you would pray for us to be led by the Holy Spirit and not our own thoughts and fears. He knows what He wants to accomplish in and through our lives and He will do it perfectly. Please also pray for the safety and care of Sangeet. By the way, I have tried to find out how to pronounce his name and from what I have found online it is Sung – geet. It is a Sanskrit word with a musical meaning.

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus

God as Shepherd May 12, 2009

I have been growing and stretching (read struggling) in many ways lately.  It is always interesting and comforting to me how God uses His Word and the scriptural books I am reading to speak to me and teach me.  Have you ever had that situation where you are reading several things and somehow God brings a main idea together?  It always packs a punch – and maybe is the kick in the pants that I need.  Unfortunately, I resemble a stubborn donkey more often than I should.

I have been reading a book with the girls called Sammy and His Shepherd.  It is an exposition of Psalm 23 for kids.  Each day we read one of the phrases of the Psalm and there is a story to illustrate one of God’s attributes as our Shepherd.  It has been so good for me. 

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

We learned that Jesus is our good shepherd who takes care of us and knows our name.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

We learned that we can rest because we know we are safe, we are free from irritations, and we have all the food that we require.

He leads me beside still waters.

We learned that our good shepherd knows our needs and He is diligent to provide what we need. 

He restores my soul.

We learned that a sheep will get cast down and unable to get up for various reasons.  Sometimes they are weak because they are sick or haven’t had enough food.  Sometimes they can’t get back up because their wool is covered with dirt and debris and they lose their balance and can’t get their feet under them to get up.  Jesus restores us – lifts us up – when we are helpless in our sin and unable to get ourselves up.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

A shepherd knows that sheep will keep eating in the same place even when the grass is gone and all they are eating is roots.  So, they move their sheep to another pasture with fresh grass. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

The Shepherd leads us on a narrow and sometimes hard path, BUT He is always right there ahead of us leading the way.  We do not walk the path alone, we have nothing to fear.  And, best of all, the destination is wonderful!

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

The shepherd uses his rod and staff for guiding, for rescuing, and to protect from enemies.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

The sheep can enjoy their new pasture the shepherd has led them to because he has gone before the flock and prepared it for them by getting rid of enemies and things that could hurt them.  The shepherd also has provided clean water and food for his sheep.

You annoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.

The shepherd puts a special oil on the sheep so that nose flies will not bother them which can be so bothersome that a sheep will hit his head on a rock to get rid of the flies and kill themselves in the process.   In this lesson we also learned that our acknowledgment of our good Shepherd’s love, care, guidance, and protection of us is crucial.  We must see that there is not just a drop in our cup – it is so full as to be running over. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…

Our Shepherd teaches us that every sheep in the flock is special because they were chosen and purchased.  If we realize that every believer is loved by God we will accept and love them just as the Shepherd loves us.

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

We learned that the more we know our Shepherd, the more we become like Him.  We also have a desire to share about Him with others who do not yet know Him.  Once we belong to our Shepherd we are His forever!

There is more, but I will let this digest for a bit and write the rest of it for you later.  I hope that you will be encouraged by this picture of your good Shepherd. 

Lori

A Few Quotes May 2, 2009

A few cute things heard around our house lately:

Mom:  “First of all…..”  (In response to a request to do something wherein my response was no.)

Kalindi:  “What is the second of all?”

Very good, huh?  Good grasp of fairly subtle English lanugage understanding, I would say.  We all got a good laugh out of that one.

Kira:  “The princess wants to watch…..oh, I mean, the birthday girl wants….”  🙂 (A Freudian slip?)

Speaking of the birthday girl, she enjoyed her birthday yesterday (Friday, May 1), however, was a little frustrated that she didn’t open presents.  We have a history of opening gifts not on our birthday, but on the day we have the party with family.  Kira’s party is Sunday afternoon, May 3. 

This morning while I was making the breakfast she had asked for, she said to me, “No one has said “Happy Birthday” to me today.”  Ha! 

Enjoy your weekend.  Lori

King of Kings May 1, 2009

I don’t know about you, but I rarely have the right perspective on Who God is.  Enjoy this video that proclaims all that our God is that He has revealed to us in His Word.

Thank you Janine for sending this to me.  Have a great weekend.  Lori