Stories.

"Black or white, we all have a story to tell," Stella humbly prayed one night in closing prayer. The amount of truth this statement held left tears streaming down my face. The Lord has led each one of us on a journey that has resulted in a story to tell. It's time to step forth confidently and tell your story. My story. It doesn't have to be pretty. It doesn't have to flow like a steady stream. Mine for sure does not. But it does have to be told. Because The Lord has done mighty things. And the good news is He isn't finished. He is refining our stories daily. We are all a work in progress, but whether you are living a middle class life in America or fighting for your life in a third-world country, we all have one thing in common--a Father who loves us unconditionally and is writing a beautiful story of redemption on each one of our lives.

The plane flights start to drag by slower and slower the closer you get. It doesn't matter how many times you make this flight, your heart is overwhelmingly excited to see the faces and hug the ones you hold so close in what has become another place I find myself calling home. May has become the month of celebration here at Sozo. On May 13th, we celebrated a special 3rd birthday. This date represents the day the doors of our first home at Sozo in Uganda opened initially. 17 children. No clue what the next step looked like. Just raw obedience. Some days i close my eyes and try to imagine what that day looked like for Allen and Jay. The countless emotions that raced, the nerves, the unknown and yet still the peace that truly does surpass all understanding rested on them at the end of that day. A leap of faith, to say the least, but one that resulted in a domino effect of seeing 69 children growing, loving and excelling in a consistent home that was grounded in The Lord. We fully rely daily on the guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead us in the way we should go and we call upon patience, understanding, mercy and Christ's love with each day that passes. But we are seeing the fruit that has resulted in the way these sweet lives have been invested into over the last 3 years.

"I discovered an astonishing truth; God is attracted to weakness. He can't resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him." --Jim Cymbala

I was privileged with the opportunity to spend about 18 days back in Uganda during the month of May. Each time I return, it hits me on another level that I am truly watching these precious lives grow up right before my eyes. I've seen Mercy go from having a huge space in that sweet smile from losing her first few baby teeth, to seeing a little white speck peak through her gums, to now seeing a tooth poking out. I've seen Big Eddie go from being withdrawn when he is in a group of people, to him now dancing, clapping and singing in devotion. I've watched many of our boys and girls in house 3 step up and proactively take part in being leaders within the house. I've seen what appeared to be little girls and boys just a few months ago become young women and men overnight. I consider this a blessing.

 I was there with Zub on his first day eating at the house. On this February day i will not soon forget, we had to teach him to stir his food together, followed by teaching him how to eat his food with a fork, as it became increasingly obvious that the act of partaking in a hot meal served in a bowl was something that had not been readily present in his life. This truth was evident by one glance at his swollen belly and protruding chest--he was malnourished in every sense.

Physically, emotionally and spiritually. He scarfed his food down like he was in an eating competition. He was hesitant to allow anyone to show him affection, then once that wall came down, he clung tighter to my neck with each hug that was given. But, oh dear friends, the transformation that can take place, by the grace of God, in just a matter of a few short months. When I saw him in May, he had grown taller, he was speaking more English, he was eating like a growing boy should be and that sweet belly of his was going down. After he was diagnosed and treated for worms, malaria and typhoid fever on one of my first few days back, the road to being a healthy and growing 8 year old boy was back in full swing.

He sat in my lap on the way to church as we piled in like sardines in our taxi my last Sunday in Uganda. He watched out the window as we passed the hundreds of people carrying on with their everyday lives on the streets of Uganda. The market. The hair saloon. The butcher. MTN minute booths. And his eyes stayed fixed out the window the whole time. He was lost in a gaze and I immediately began to think about what all he had seen in his short 8 years of life. What his everyday life consisted of prior to Sozo. Had he been told "I love you" before he was daily loved, hugged and kissed on within the safe walls of our compound, or more importantly does he know that he has a Heavenly Father that adores him and longs to have a relationship with him. What did he do when he was scared? Who comforted or took care of him when he was sick?

And then just as quickly as those questions raced through my mind about sweet Subaria(Zub), I began thinking about each one of our children. The neglect, the rejection, the lack of love that was a reality in one way or another for each one of them during their childhood. Oh, how I hope to never quickly forget that every single one of our children have walked in shoes that we cannot even begin to fathom. At one time they drank impure water. At one time they went days without food. And at one time they too did not know if they would ever escape the nightmare they were living. How blessed I feel that The Lord allows us to be His hands and His feet to the precious lives that He has so carefully entrusted to us.

And oh how special the day was that we journeyed over bumpy dirt roads and gracefully made our way through mud pits formed by a morning downpour out to the 60+ acres of land we are eagerly waiting to purchase. For the first time, I physically set my eyes on the land that we are ever so confident The Lord has called Sozo to claim as home. 

 

This will soon be the foundation that The Sozo Village will be built upon. I've seen pictures. I've seen video. I've heard numerous stories told about the incredible families in the community that surrounds. But as we looked over this open space covered with the greenest grass I've ever seen in Africa, rolling hills that looked like they were made to scurry to the top, followed by rolling back down like you are reliving one of your childhood afternoons in the summer and the beautiful Lake Victoria that borders one side of the land. It left me breathless. It already felt like home. And as much as I thought that I loved that land prior to pulling up to it, this was trumped by an urgency and longing for the day the land has been paid in full and has the name 'Sozo Children' written across the top of the titles for this land.

Dear friends, it's evident that His hand is all over The Village Project and He gets every bit of honor and glory for what has already been accomplished, and the exciting days that lie ahead of us. Some ask why there is such an urgency to raise the remaining funds needed to purchase this piece of land and to begin building on it. We are urgent because there are thousands of lives waiting to have a faith family for the very first time. Oh how precious that first Sunday service will be at the first building to go up, the church. We are urgent because of the amount of souls waiting to hear about a Savior who paid the ultimate price for them, as love kept Him nailed to that cross. Oh how I can hardly wait to hear the angels rejoice as the lost sheep return Home one by one. Salvation awaits. 

We are urgent because of the hundreds of lives that are waiting to call Sozo home. We have already began praying for safety, protection and a persistent hope for those who will soon be told "Tubatwala Walungi"(We are taking you to a better place). Oh how unforgettable and uniquely distinct each day will be that The Lord allows us to "sozo" just one more. 

We are urgent because there are many like this sweet little girl on the left who shook violently, as her body was overtaken by fever and chills. There isn't a medical clinic anywhere in this village or even within walking distance to her home. How vital will a medical clinic be to this community? A medical clinic that will provide for immediate needs but at the end of the day pointing these lives to the Ultimate Physician. And lastly, we are urgent because the nearest school for these children in the community to attend is at least 5 miles away and must be reached by foot. Once they arrive to school, they are in classrooms where the student to teacher ratio is anywhere from 150-200 students for every 1 teacher. You read that correctly, ONE teacher. These children need an opportunity to thrive within a classroom setting and receive an education.

The possibilities are endless. The dreams that are building within the lives of our children who are currently in house and those who are still to come, are vital and important. The Lord has stirred the desire within us to see this carried out unto completion. Will you join the journey with us? Will you prayerfully consider contributing to the purchasing of this piece of land? Will you play a part by investing into the lives of the future leaders of Uganda?? How I pray The Lord will nudge you to make a move today. To play an important part in the story that The Lord is daily writing at Sozo. 

I am enthralled by the Lord's love and plans for Sozo with each page that turns....

                    

Visit www.sozochildren.org/donate to financially join the journey today.

Fundraising...African Style.

As my journey continues with Sozo, I will periodically be selling different handmade items to help fund and support along the way. Just as I sold Africa prayer ornaments back during the holidays(which are still for sale, CLICK HERE if interested in purchasing one), I will now be selling African bags that are handmade in Uganda. Each bag has a 5 inch burlap cut out of Africa that covers the front. With the purchase of one of these bags, you will be playing a special role in the journey that I have embarked on with Sozo.

You can place your order today for one of these bags(more colors to come this week) by emailing me at kellyanne@sozochildren.org . Each bag cost $25.00 and if it will be shipped to you, it will be an additional $5.00 to cover shipping. I am able to receive payment by cash, check or credit card. You can also go straight to my Etsy page to place your order.

Thank you for all the love, support, prayers and the way each of you come alongside me daily to see this dream truly be a reality in my life.

Growing Pains.

So many memories, questions, thoughts, ideas and precious faces have raced through my mind the last couple of weeks. Honestly, too many to number. I've realized I'm at one of those crossroads we come across at times in our lives. It's uncomfortable. One where my heart and everything I grew to love in a new way remains thousands of miles away in the midst of red dirt that covers the ground of Uganda, but I find myself here trying to justify the comforts and pleasures that come with living life in America.  I've wrestled with The Lord over what I want and ultimately what He wants. I want answers. I have a "hurry up" mentality. I see what is right before me. But He has a beautiful plan. His timing is precise. And He sees the bigger picture. 

I've tried to soak in the time I have so sweetly been blessed to spend with The Reeves' family this past week in Colorado as I am surrounded by His indescribably breathtaking design. Truly to be still, take in every ounce of beauty that the eye could possibly withhold as I am convinced that there are not bright, twinkling stars that seem so close you can simply reach up and grab one anywhere else in this world or turn a single corner without being overtaken by the vast mountains covered in pure, white snow. I look out of the window and am reminded that His blood washed my sins away and I have been made as white as the snow that has fallen gently on the sides of these mountains. 

This morning I saw a new mountain off in the distance that I haven't seen yet this week due to snow coming down rapidly or clouds that have covered them, and I pause and let out a gasp. I am taken back that The Lord carefully formed each mountain just as He carefully designed my life and set desires and dreams within me that would ultimately bring Him glory along the way. I pause and I rest. It's a good thing. The Lord is in the midst of this silence. He's teaching me. Am I willing and ready to learn? 

As we travelled up the mountain to reach our destination earlier this week, we were told we would be staying at a very high altitude all week. Along with headaches, restlessness and the feeling of not being hungry that came over a few in our group, Sham faced another challenge that no one else would physically face. While she is in the recovery process with two surgeries under her belt and many more to go, she has 6 expanders that cover her torso. These are filled over time which in turn expand to grow skin that will ultimately be grafted on the parts of her body that were burned. Due to the altitude, the expanders were expanding and stretching her skin at a more rapid pace than she had previously endured. This left her feeling a bit of pain earlier in the week as her body took time to adjust to it. The Lord would reveal to me over the course of the week that I could relate to this process in my own life. Not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. My heart, my spirit, my hunger for His word and my desire to cling tighter to The Lord than ever before has expanded in great ways since I left for Uganda at the beginning of February and even upon returning back to the States. I have been stretched. It has been painful at times. But the same way that the end result for Shamira will be a healed body that is made perfectly whole to the physical eye, the end result of the stretching occurring within my spirit will be worth it all the same. There is beauty that comes when The Lord places us on the Potter's wheel and molds us into His ever so perfect design. Sometimes it takes stepping back from the everyday mundane routines that we find ourselves in that we are honestly able to catch a glimpse of this process that leaves us extremely reliant on the Maker of Heaven and Earth.

With the free time I have had this past week, I've been able to read and really enjoy a few books. One of them encouraged me to stop and think about all that God dreamed of for my life when He created and formed me in His hands. At first this question that was posed was challenging to me. And then I realized I have in fact found what The Lord knitted me to do, and I couldn't be more thankful that He has opened the door for me to carry out this calling. I am beginning to catch small glimpses of the joy that comes when you let go, lay down your life, and live from a bigger heart. I've found my passion and couldn't begin to dream of what life would look like doing anything else. 

 "Everyone has oceans to fly, as long as they have the heart to do it. Is it reckless? Maybe, but what do dreams know of boundaries?" 

--Amelia Earhart

I am thankful for the words Auntie Christine spoke over my tender soul the night I left Uganda as she gave me one last hug and whispered into my ear "may the Lord widen your territory. Be blessed my dear friend" I can remember walking away with fresh, warm tears rolling down my already tear-stained cheeks thinking "Widen your territory? What does this even mean?" It didn't truly settle until I closed my eyes after sinking into my seat on the airplane on the tarmac in Entebbe. As I was praying that The Lord would ease the pain that comes when saying those tough goodbyes and leaving a country filled with so many I had not grown to, but instantly, fell in love with I remember praying that through my journey--His journey--my territory would expand and widen in order for Him to  be glorified all the more. I continue to daily pray that His will be done in my life and through my life.

"Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm..." 1 Chronicles 4:10

I pray every nook of this life that I am living continues to expand. May He grant me grace and mercy when the days get tough. When the pain surfaces. For I know that just as God sculpts the most beautiful pearls under the greatest pressure, He too assures that the end result of my life will sure to be as flawless as a pearl as long as I firmly hold tight to His calling He has placed on my life and withstand during the time of expansion and growth.

Lord, have your way. May I walk in fearless obedience, display raw faith and continue to live out the Gospel all the days of my life trusting that You are all that You have said You are.

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24

As I read earlier this week, death to ourselves, our agendas, our expectations and our hopes is necessary to find the deep joy that comes when we fully relinquish ourselves to the gospel.(Mary DeMuth)

Holy Ground.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ---Martin Luther King Jr.

 

As I am writing this, our youngest four are enjoying a nice, big lunch consisting of a bowl full of matoke and g-nut sauce. I downed my plate and am now enjoying their softly spoken lugandan conversations while they eat. I am simply attempting to soak in every moment that remains today. It’s quiet around here. Some have gone into town for the day. Mato and Alex are back and forth between here and market. The rest of the children are at school. I am thankful for the stillness, the quietness that fills the air today, that has allowed me to take time to process and reflect on this last month. A month that has been full of plenty of laughter, an uncontainable amount of joy, new journeys to embark on, moments where all I could do was cling to faith in my sweet Jesus and stillness. All I could dream about and more than I could begin to ask for. Yesterday was spent at one of the secondary schools some of our older children attend. We did our fair share of sweating as we ran around playing basketball while the boys played soccer. It does ones soul good to be able to sit atop the hill and look down at our boys interacting with new friends, all the while doing what they love to do. I began to think about their individual lives before Sozo. I have yet to learn all of their stories, but what I do know is that I simply could not imagine what life would look like if one of them was not on this beautiful journey with us. Each child is unique. They have their own individual and distinct story to tell. The Lord has a mighty plan in store for each one of them too. Each story consists of pain, sorrow and neglect in some way but together it makes up a beautiful picture that spills over with love, grace, mercy, truth and redemption. For we all once were orphans but now we are all the more blessed to sit at the table of our King.

 

The Lord has lavished His love upon me unconditionally over the course of this past month. He has loved me well as He always does. He has provided moments when I simply had to posture myself humbly on my knees before His throne of grace and beg for His mercy to fall over His children. I have learned to pray with urgency and faith completely believing that the things of this world shall soon pass. I have seen the importance of scripture. Realizing that these very words are truly God-breathed. I cling to His promises and speak these same promises over the lives of ones we so dearly love. He has granted us power and authority to stand in the gap and battle for ones we love in the heavenly realms.

 

 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.” Psalms 23:4

The Word of God has come alive to me while in Uganda. I can truly say that I will not be returning the same person that I left as. My faith has been stretched, areas in my life have been refined and there are still things going on here that my spirit is not settled on just yet. But I leave today. I don’t have all of the answers to all problems. I simply cannot fix the things that I want to fix here before I leave. The Lord is in control.

 

--Marginalized people continuously show up in the stories of Jesus—prostitutes, tax collectors, soldiers, criminals, poor people, sick people, old people, and children. It would be easy to see the mission of Jesus as fixer of what’s broken. That’s understandably what most people feel inclined to do when they encounter chaos in the lives of others—to fix them. But what determines brokenness? Jesus saw people so differently than the world sees them, accepting and loving them where they were and tolerating their weaknesses even as He loved them into more than they could imagine or ask.—Cindy Trimm  Your Journey to Authentic Living

 He is alive and still has our best interest at heart. It’s okay for things to not go as we think they should. I have now reached the moment where I simply release my burdens to the Lord and let His will be done in each situation.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I pack up my bags today and prepare to journey back to the other side of the world. To say “see you soon” to so many that I love and pray that in some way I have left some sort of impact on lives here even if it is just a portion of the impact that has been made on me. My heart has expanded as I have met so many new, precious lives this go around and I know that they will remain on my heart each day until I return again. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve here in Uganda and for all that made it possible for me to spend the last month here. I know the Lord will continue to be at work both in my life as I return home and here in the lives of the Sozo family in Uganda. I have been reminded of His hand that has Sozo in a firm grip. He has promised to walk beside us each step of the way and even reminds us over and over that the battle has already been won. We walk in victory each day. What a simple, but sweet reminder.

 

I am ever so confident that we are truly standing on Holy Ground here in Uganda. His presence is surely here. He has legions of angels surrounding each and every one of us.

 

“..take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”

Exodus 3:5

 

 

 

This is the day that the Lord has made...

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” –Sarah Ban Breathnach

Where to even begin. To catch up on life for the past few weeks would be nearly impossible. Joy. Strength. Happiness. They all have played a role in the daily life here in Uganda.

 

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

 

 

The everyday life here in Uganda is busy. It has its moments of chaos as the van is pulling out for school in the morning and Vivian is left in the bathroom mopping. Or when Norah loses Victor’s homework book before they even leave the school yard. Or when we should all really be in bed but due to the short amount of time to do chores and homework after school, I find myself laying upstairs on the floor in the boys bedroom finishing up that days homework. And then there are moments of pure delight. Moments that I can only wish I had some way that I could go back and capture them once they are over.

 

Like when Dennis and Julius run inside and yell “Auntie, come and take a picture of this,” only to walk outside and find them all gathered around the little white table that overlooks the area where you find children running around in the afternoons. As I get closer I find them ready to dig into an afternoon snack. Some of the food they have brought home from school, some are leftovers from lunch that day and then they’ve put some of their money together to buy a fanta that will be shared amongst the 10 or so ready to tear through their snack. They then go on to taking turns serving each other as they laugh and enjoy each others company.

 

 

I snap a photo and then sit back and enjoy this moment. I soak in the fact that they are learning to share. And then rejoice because at the end of the day, these are brothers and sisters doing what normal brothers and sisters do, loving and serving each other. This moment was actually captured in a picture. But then there was the moment when Norah closed out last night’s devotion with prayer. She quite possibly prayed one of the sweetest prayers these two ears had ever heard. She began with asking each of us to close our eyelashes and then proceeded to thank the Lord for all they have. For the opportunity to have their school fees paid. For the blessings each one of them has received. For the sponsors in each of their lives that help fund their daily lives. For the privilege to have moms and dads who love them in the house while there are many other children who don’t get to say that. And most importantly for what the Lord is doing in their lives. Thank you Lord for being so deeply rooted in these children at such a young age.

And then there is house three. I cannot go without mentioning what those young men and women have taught me in the time that I have been able to spend with them since arriving in Uganda. This in fact was the first time meeting most of them because when I visited in October most of them were all boarding in school on the other side of Kampala. I have never been more thankful to have them so close to us now. They are special. They are pushing through school and striving to be top in their classes. I have been so impressed with how well they are adjusting to their new schools since the move in December. They are meeting friends and getting involved. Some of the boys are playing in soccer leagues that were created within their secondary schools. It’s a pleasure to see Sunday and Hakim run up and down the soccer field with their team during a soccer match on Sunday afternoon.

 

Then there is Hakim, Kenneth and Samuel who have started an apprenticeship at a garage downtown. They travel to town six days a week and work from 8-5. They are not only learning about how to fix cars, how to drive and many other important skills needed to know in life, but they are gaining wisdom, knowledge and discipline that they will need to individually excel in life as they get older. They are taking it seriously and absolutely love it. I am so thankful that Sozo has given them an opportunity to do this. It’s an honor to sit and watch them shine in something they are passionate about. Something that is going to be used and will make a difference in many lives over the years to come.

 

I never could have dreamed that my heart could grow such a deep love for the older ones the way that is has so quickly. But that is where the Lord quickly shows up and says “these are my children too.” They make mistakes and you love them through them. They hold tight to the things you say. And they understand that they are privileged to be where they are today. Some easily forget the older ones as they are sometimes harder to take in when they have been exposed to so much more than we want to think about, but then I once again count my blessings as the Lord has allowed us to open a door to them and extend His grace and mercy to them daily.

“I pray that out of His glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep in the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19

 

I am moving in to my last week here in Uganda with all intentions to soak up and enjoy every second of my time left here. The days have flown by. I have grown to love the permanent dirt that cover the bottoms of my feet, the sweat that pours like a river as soon as you walk out the door and even the roosters crowing at all hours of the day. I am reminded of His beauty from the time the sun rises in the morning until that final look up at the brightest stars I have ever seen as I head into the house each night. This place gets more beautiful as the days pass. Praising Him for the opportunity to be here.

 

“In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

 

 

Out of the Overflow of My Heart...

It is hard to believe it has already been one week since I arrived. It has been full days filled with contagious joy, sweet prayers and of course anything and everything that you would expect from a house full of siblings—CRAZINESS!!

The Lord has repeatedly shown up in the midst of it all to either teach me something about Him or to refine something within me. It’s a beautiful thing. I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to pause and reflect on all that the Lord is, all that He has done in my life and truly lavish in His love. He is so good. And these children, aunties and uncles are evidence of this in the flesh. They sing a song that talks about yearning for the Lord so much that it hurts. What does that look like? Do I yearn for the Lord so much that it hurts? It is a sweet thing; A beautiful picture of utter dependence.

I have begun the education evaluations this past week that we intend on doing on all of the children in the next few weeks. This is going to help us see where they currently are, and then allow us to evaluate their progress throughout the remainder of the year. It’s been exciting to watch the kids already improve from the last time that I was here. They are each getting smarter and smarter with every day that passes and it makes me hit my knees with thankfulness at the thought that there are so many families on the other side of the world who make sacrifices to sponsor these children every month. Be it through education, nutrition, health or housing, it takes every aspect to make a child whole. With every outfit I see these children run around in, with every doll I see the girls braid the hair on, and at every meal that we take throughout the day—I am yet again reminded that without the generosity of so many, life here would look very different. And then in the same breath, I am humbled at the moms, dads, aunties and uncles over here. They love each one of these children well. They do whatever it takes to make sure they are fed, well rested and growing like weeds! Family is valued here and I am blessed to play a part in this big family.

I pinch myself every morning I roll out of the bed from under that mosquito net at the thought that today I am getting to do life in Uganda at this time in my life. I am treasuring each day. With every piece of clothing that is laid out to dry, with every shirt that is folded, with every dish that is washed, I pray that I am serving well and loving well. I pray that in the stillness, I am being filled, and in being filled, I pray that loving and serving is done out of the overflow of my heart.

And so it begins..

Life in Uganda for a month. It is going to be a blessing. I can already tell. It's busy as it always is here with the normal everyday buzz of that alarm that comes quickly at 4:30 am. Wake up, chores, breakfast and then morning prayer and its off to school we go. I quickly learned my first day here that things are different from the last time I was here. It is quiet in the house throughout the day as all of our kids are now officially enrolled in school. I have fallen in love with the intentional moments that I have been blessed to share in between the Aunties and Uncles. We are rolling into day 3 and I can assure you that I can now chop and grate bellpeppers, onions and tomatoes like it is my job. But in saying that, I messed up the first few times. It is done precisely but instead of momma and Christine getting impatient and doing it themselves, they allow it to be a teaching moment. Life is about teachable moments. Christine told me yesterday that if babies gave up on trying to walk after there first attempt that led them to end up on the ground from a wobbly fall, we would never have mastered walking. It takes mistakes to learn. And that can be applied to much more in life that just the size I chop my bellpeppers! We pick up four of the kids at 12:45 and the rest do not come home until close to 7. But let me tell you, the short time spent with Vanessa, Frances, Florence and Zoob(the name has stuck around the house once I couldn't say his full name correctly) before lunch and nap is not taken for granted. Once 7 o'clock hits, the madness strikes up as they bathe, have devotion and eat all before that quickly approaching 9:30 bedtime. The days pass quickly. It feels like Monday and it is already Thursday!!
Pray for our kids as they have started back to school this week for the first time since holiday break. They are getting adjusted to a new schedule and longer, busier days. Pray the Lord sustains them throughout each day.

 

ZOOOOB!

 

Little Miss Priss, Van!

Post-nap play