Happy Birthday Jack

 Homesick by MercyMe

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now

I Am My Mother

I know some people say this phrase with regret.  What I mean is "I am as ridiculously awesome as my mom;)"  Some of my favorite childhood memories are tied to music.  Every summer we had a song that mom would blast when it came on the radio and we would roll down the windows and sing really loud.  One day we all dressed up as DC. Talk and taught my littlest sister to say, "yo yo Pops, what's up" when my dad walked through the door.
Anyway, in the spirit of summer, loud music, and mommy fun we made this video this morning.  (sorry for the poor sound quality and the ridiculous effects!)

Cloth Diapering

As I find myself becoming increasingly "crunchy" (Is it weird that I love that term?  It reminds me of granola, and chocolate covered almonds, and popcorn, and jimmies (which I am pretty sure you cannot get organically or natural but also sure you cannot eat soft-serve ice-cream with out), but I digress) I am thinking more and more about cloth diapering.  I wanted to do it with my firstborn but all the folding and pinning just seemed like too much work.  Now, as I'm learning more I am convinced I can do it but totally overwhelmed with all the choices!  Prefolds?  All In Ones? One Size?  What's best for baby?  What's easiest?  Snaps or Velcro?  Most economical?  And what about covers?  Woolies or something else? How does a girl get started in this task?  So I am pleading with you, my faithful few, will you spread the word and help a girl out?  Please send your friends, family, enemies, whatever over to The Shoe to share their cloth diapering experiences, otherwise I may be walking around with a naked tushed baby in a few months and we just can't have that!

Win Awesome Prizes!!!

Beck Burk, the lovely lady who designed this blog, is giving away some awesome gift baskets!!!  Check them out by clicking on the picture below.

8 Months and Pampered Chef

We have been DTE (dossier to Ethiopia) for 8 months now!!  On one hand it feels crazy long and then on the other it really doesn't seem so bad.  We've been crazy busy and our days have been very full!  The good side is, as I've said before, everyday we wait means our baby will likely be closer in age to his cousin to be:)  Also, at this point we may not have to take any time off of school to go to Ethiopia because our trips will be in the summer (that's assuming that we ever finish first grade;)

So for now, we wait.  We're ok with it but definetely jumping everytime the phone rings.  OH did I mention we are NUMBER TWO on the infant boy list?!?!?  That means that our phone could ring litereally any second with a referal call and we would see our son's face!!!  Or we could sit at two for weeks or even months.  Who knows??  Well, God does and that's a good thing!

Now for the fundraiser part!  Our adoptive buddy Carmen became a Pampered Chef consultant and is doing a fundraiser for us.  All you have to do is go to her page www.PamperedChef.biz/DrucksKitchen click on "Shop Online" put in "DeVol" as the host and start shopping!  It's so easy!!!!  Pampered Chef has so many great things, especially for Mothers Day or if you have a friend/sister/daughter/wife who happens to be a baker.  Maybe you could get her some cookie sheets or the mega lifter  to lift her cakes, or maybe some mini muffin pans.  You know, if you know someone who likes those kinds of things;)

Also, please feel free to spread the word about this fundraiser!

Blessings!

Our Day Without Shoes

In a spur of the moment decision the girls and I decided to participate in One Day Without Shoes. This is a global movement to raise awareness for the millions of children who have no shoes to wear.  People without shoes are at risk of contracting debilitating and even deadly diseases.  The company that started this movement is Toms and for every pair of their shoes you buy they give a pair to a child in need!

The day started off rainy but warm and the girls were excited.

Our toes were primed and ready to go!

Lindsey's teachers were surprised to see her bare toes!

Christin was loving it!

I left the girls barefoot at the preschool and headed to Whole Foods.  I was so nervous that I was going to step in something gross or step on glass in the parking lot.  By the time I got there the temperature was dropping quick!  My toes were cold in the puddles and I walked in circles just to avoid the water.  I thought I would be told to put shoes on right away but I was over halfway done my shopping before I was asked to put my shoes back on.  The manager was very nice and even apologetic.  He agreed to let me talk to some of his employees and even posed for a picture with me.  (note the photo bomber in the back, he was pretty excited to be in the picture:)

By the time I left Whole Foods it was freezing!!!!!  So freezing in fact that my poor mom, who had the girls, wound up at Payless buying shoes and socks!  (I had packed flip-flops but they just weren't cutting it)

So what did we learn from this experiment?
Lindsey says, "some people don't have shoes!!!"
Christin said, "My feet were freezing.  I learned that I am blessed to have a Nana who buys me shoes and blessed to have lots of shoes at home"  (George and I discussed having a One Day Without Food to inspire the same kind of feelings at mealtime but we thought there may be some legality issues with that;) (PS.  In case there are any people getting up in arms right now that I don't feed my children, I do, don't worry!)
Finally, what did I learn?  I learned how blessed I am to have so many shoes and how painful it would be to go without.  My feet still hurt today!  It was so sad for me to think that my child's birthmother may be one of those without shoes.  I could barely handle it in good health.  I can't imagine going barefoot everyday while pregnant.

The next time you are looking for shoes, please consider Toms!  They are a little pricey but really you are getting two pairs of shoes:)

Blessings!