tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77279738324515989272024-03-13T21:23:11.255-04:00Teachable Moments From My Saviorby: Allison JordanAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.comBlogger647125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-10285793044102045092017-06-08T09:27:00.001-04:002017-06-08T11:34:32.432-04:00Dealing With the "What For"...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gPPEBTwvSVi_0MGw8JqlEPVVfvtR5pWvmCIr9rrivMK0emA3gOl9-bY6bXRNXkmOm5rVIN4PX9gopsPBbAi_uZXxb9ghzCdMdeawGZ034dovvVmr0qUB40IfD8wQoTA85D679mBHKKg/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="1126" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gPPEBTwvSVi_0MGw8JqlEPVVfvtR5pWvmCIr9rrivMK0emA3gOl9-bY6bXRNXkmOm5rVIN4PX9gopsPBbAi_uZXxb9ghzCdMdeawGZ034dovvVmr0qUB40IfD8wQoTA85D679mBHKKg/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This was
the picture I sent my hubby from the exam room right after the tongue lashing I
received from my doctor last week. Frankly, I was done. Too many doctor visits
in one week and I was starting to feel like a pin cushion. I was just done.
Now, there will be no medical lawsuit filed for bad bedside manner or bashing
him on social media. I really do love my doctor. I met him on a pretty bad day
many years ago and he has been a great help as he's seen me through the
trenches on some things. He listens and really gets to the root of issues. Even
those issues you don't want to deal with. You don't find great docs like that
often so he is a gem, but that day he gave me the "what for" because
of my neglect of getting in there sooner to take care of some things and, quite
frankly, I didn't like him right then. Lol! He didn't buy my whole sob story of
"too busy, not enough of me to go around, new school, family
responsibilities, can't take time off, I'll get to it when summer rolls
around" speech. It didn't sit well with him and I'm pretty sure he gave me
the same look as I had in this picture. Whatever doctor! </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "apple color emoji"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đ</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But, in
all honesty, I'm thankful for him. Though there aren't any major things going
on (praise the Lord!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "apple color emoji"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đđź</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">), he reminded me that those little things have become bigger
things and I need to release my stubbornness and not wait so long. I got the
"taking care of yourself is a necessity that needs to be put back on the
top of your 'to-do' list so you will be around for a long long time" lecture.
Okay, okay!! I get it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm sure
most of us find ourselves in situations like these. Life gets busy. We put off
things that need attention because it's just not something we want to deal with
right now. We think it can wait because our attention is on so many other
things that we feel take precedence. This would involve focus on ourselves when
others around us need attention too. For me it is always easier to take care of
others. It brings me joy! But as some really great (and kind of bossy </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "apple color emoji"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đ</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">) people in my life
reminded me that taking care of myself helps me better serve others, I decided
not to roll my eyes quite as hard and take it to heart. Yes, I have given this
same advice out of my own lips to others many times but it didn't apply to me,
right? O, how I still have so much to learn in this life. I am a work in
progress and a stubborn one at that. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "apple color emoji"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đ</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That's
just part of life. You fall down, you get back up. You make a mistake, you
learn from it and press on to do better. Or like me, make that mistake again
and again and try not to make it AGAIN. Life is hard. But to be all that God
wants us to be takes intentionality to apply all that we learn from His Word
and on this journey of life. Like you, I really do want to be around for a long
time because there is so much I know God has for me. I have great purpose and
YOU do too! So, I will continue pouring into Scripture and do as my doctors
say. I will make more time for my dear family and loved ones and I will
continue working hard for the glory of God!! Life is hard, but it is a gift and
everyday I am reminded of just how precious it is! I love this life God has
blessed me with! </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "ms mincho"; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Mincho";">â¤</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So for
anyone else out there making sense of some hard places, please know you've been
prayed for. Let's remember that God is good and He is good at being God. He
knows best and it is up to us to be still, listen, and then follow through on
what He has for us. Let's also thank those He puts in our lives that encourage
us to be the best of us so we can become better! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Blessings
to you all this day as we press on the pilgrimage of life! </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "apple color emoji"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đ</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><i>âSet your
minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.â<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><i>Colossians
3:2 ESV<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><i>âSo
whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.â<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><i>1
Corinthians 10:31 NIV<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "cambria"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><i>âThe
thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life
and have it abundantly.â</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "cambria";"><b><i>John 10:10
ESV</i></b></span></div>
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<b><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: "cambria";">"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: cambria;"><i><span style="color: #741b47;">Proverbs 27:17 NIV</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: cambria;"><b><i><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #741b47;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria";">"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls has no one to help them up."</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="font-family: cambria;"><i><span style="color: #741b47;">Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV</span></i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-23173037254613670722017-06-06T08:33:00.001-04:002017-06-06T08:33:27.082-04:00"Mom" is my Superpower!<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSXRX1xJ3PKy2DG8RR1PAonMRYWZbN8v1Yt0lxtFsqP6oCzFkJGkIWGkAPW_dK_I4elAt3CsWqmzpaXojweuhNnrlbWWMYFcReLbDBORMztS0Svq_FVYLl_KT_IHcISSL0IEpIuOU29M/s1600/IMG_9919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSXRX1xJ3PKy2DG8RR1PAonMRYWZbN8v1Yt0lxtFsqP6oCzFkJGkIWGkAPW_dK_I4elAt3CsWqmzpaXojweuhNnrlbWWMYFcReLbDBORMztS0Svq_FVYLl_KT_IHcISSL0IEpIuOU29M/s200/IMG_9919.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Life can get so
busy that sometimes there just aren't enough hours in a day. That is the
glamorous but oh-so-special life of "Mom". One particular morning,
during a very busy season, I visited my local grocery store after realizing it
was time to restock the pantry and refrigerator that had gone extremely bare.
The milk had run out a few days before and there were no trash bags left in the
house s</span><span class="textexposedshow">o we had resorted to using plastic shopping bags to throw out our waste.
Yes, it sounds wonderful doesn't it? Lol! I had been pretty busy those last
couple of weeks so the minor things like food for my family and proper waste
disposal got a little behind. Haha! Ok, I am really not that terrible, I had
just been in too many directions.<br />
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<span class="textexposedshow">After I made out my shopping list and had it
organized by grocery aisles, I grabbed my purse and coupons and headed out the
door. âMomâ is my superpower so that grocery-shopping thing had nothing on me.
I even went in full Pender County mode by donning a big old t-shirt and yoga
pants and wore my hair up with no makeup on. Yes, yes, I was a sight to behold!
But surprisingly, I felt a twinge of freedom and went with my head held high.
Or that may have just been the large scrunchie on the top of my head. Haha!</span><br />
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<span class="textexposedshow">I selected my buggy (a.k.a. shopping cart),
disinfected with hand sanitizer and made my first stop at the coupon hub for
the special coupons just for me! Oh, how special I felt when they printed out
with "Jordan Family" at the top! Ok, now I was ready!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">I began stocking my buggy and checking off my list.
At the same time I was adding up my purchases and shock and awe began to set
in. Wow! Those prices! Of course, the budget is the same but the prices have
taken a dramatic hike so then I began making adjustments. I'm sure you all
understand, well, unless you have an endless supply of money and in this
economy, I kind of doubt that. So, the list gets adjusted and some of those
previously selected items get the ax and go back on the shelf. But,
nonetheless, I press on and come to the end of the list. By this point my mood
starts shifting and I get a little discouraged. It was as if the grocery store
acted as some sort of kryptonite to my âmomâ superpower. Lol! Of course, it was
just my human weakness that came to the surface so I asked God to show me how
to make the most of out of what He had blessed us with.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">I paused in mid-aisle and said a prayer of thanks
to God for His constant provision. I praised Him for the many items in my
buggy; those items that will nourish our family and even our sweet dog, Louie.
Though it may not be everything on my list, it was more than enough, and for
that, I was grateful! I needed an attitude adjustment and also to refocus on
God's many blessings.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">I took my final turn down the frozen foods aisle
and as I walked, every light in the freezers began lighting up. The more I
walked, the more lights lit up! Oh, how I love it when God sends me teachable
moments in these unsuspecting places. Lol! In all my redneck glory of no makeup
and yoga pants on the frozen food aisle, God reminded me, in His gentle way,
that He will always give me just enough light for each step I'm on. His light
will always shine brighter than any disappointment or circumstance I am in and
He will guide me every day of my life.</span><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">This was not exactly how I had imagined my grocery
shopping experience that day. But the longer I walk with the Lord and trust His
heart, the more I see His presence in every area of my life. From lifeâs
victories to lifeâs disappointments, He will always show himself faithful and
guide me to His Word for comfort and direction.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">Thank you, sweet Father, for your perfect ways of
adjusting my focus back on YOU. In my weakness, YOU are strong. Itâs not my
power but YOUR power within me that I walk in. Thank you for reminding me that
YOU are always enough and will provide every need beyond what I could ever
imagine. You are so good and YOU are enough!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">Today, take some time to see the goodness of God.
Through all your frustrations and disappointments, remember that you have a God
that loves and adores you. He is for YOU! He will provide your every need and
give you just enough light for each step your on! Blessings to YOU this day!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">âYou will keep in perfect peace all who trust in
you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the
Lord God is the eternal Rock.â</span><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)</span></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-48360503434641167822017-05-25T07:42:00.000-04:002017-05-25T07:42:30.737-04:00He Really is all We Need!<span style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">How do you rightfully sum up a year that changed your life in just one front porch pondering session with Jesus?</span><br />
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Well, I don't think I can...</div>
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I was thankful to come out to the porch this morning and dry off the rocker to spend time with Jesus. Even more thankful the temperature was still in the 60s and the humidity was so low at only 95%. Lol! đŹ There is always such calm after a storm. The gentle breeze is delightful and goes right along with my reflections. </div>
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I guess I've been reflecting a lot this week. Remembering where I was just a little over a year ago walking a path that had nothing on it yet, except a lot of dreams, prayers and, to be honest, many fears. There's a lot of questions on an empty path and loneliness too. But as God keeps reminding you that He sees the whole path and that my job is to just trust Him and walk forward, you realize so many things you never knew and see more of the heart of God! He really is all we need!</div>
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I looked out in the auditorium the other night into the faces of the families of Seacoast and God gave me a gentle squeeze and said,</div>
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"Look what I did!" </div>
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These were not just faces of random people. These were families that I remembered every tour, meeting, and phone call. Hearing their story and being honored and entrusted to pour into their precious children. These were families that have become part of my family. A bond through a beginning year where it took great faith to entrust their child to us, a new school, and where it took great faith in us that God would do as He promised and bring them in. </div>
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Great is HIS faithfulness!</div>
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I love our growing family!</div>
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So today, I'll finish this time of reflection and my cup of coffee and head in to work to tie up loose ends. Still hard to believe I'm wrapping it up when its been front and center for all these months. Then I'll take the weekend off with my family as we take this thankful living venture with great intentionality. </div>
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Yes, I'll take a deep sigh and probably even cry some more at the goodness of God through some really hard days and some even greater days. But then I'll hit the ground running next week, continuing on to what God has in store, trusting Him with every step as He lights the way. Lots to do! Lots to pray over! But knowing He's got this! It's ALL His!</div>
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He is amazing God and the best is yet to come!</div>
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âNo eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.â</div>
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ââ1 Corinthians⏠â2:9âŹ</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-8356511968521281952017-05-22T06:33:00.000-04:002017-05-22T06:33:07.480-04:00There's No Place Like Home!<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
There are so many things I love about my home! đĄâ¤ď¸</div>
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I love the people that inhabit it with me. I love the location away from the chaos of city life. I love the view from my front porch. I love the marks in the kitchen doorframe that measure how my precious kiddos have grown. I love the voices I hear going from room to room as my once little kids with little voices are now big kids with teenage/young adult voices. <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I love the family dinners around the kitchen table where laughter is abundant but etiquette is not. </span>I love waiting at the door and seeing my husband pull into the driveway at the end of the day. I love being the first to hug him tightly when he comes in our home. I love my crazy dog and how he gets excited when I grab my coffee and Bible because he knows its front porch time for us. I love the late night Nerf gun fights by the kids (and sometimes their dad đ) when I'm tired and ready for bed but they are wound up and ready to keep going. I love the prayers I hear lifted throughout each room to our awesome God and the Bibles opened for guidance. I love watching my daughter continually dance and sing around the house or hearing her laugh with her cousin as they constantly FaceTime each other. I love marveling at Caleb's latest Lego creations and listening to the story behind it. I love seeing Ben and his girlfriend sit on the floor as they work on crafts for her preschool class. I love watching Ben and Matt walk down the street with their fishing poles and backpacks headed to the neighborhood pond together. I love hearing the dog start barking out of jealousy when Matt hugs on me in the kitchen. I love our frequent dance breaks in the kitchen because sometimes you just gotta. I love seeing the kids in deep conversations with their dad as he shares wisdom and encouragement with them. I love hearing Ben head out the door in the early mornings headed to work because he's taking responsibility and growing into an incredible young man. I love the sweet notes we all leave for each other whether handwritten or by text. I love walking through the fog of Axe men's body spray from the upstairs boys section then to enter the fog of cotton candy body spray from Callie's bedroom. Yes, yes as crazy as some of it is, I love it all! â¤ď¸</div>
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The list could go on and on so I won't bore you anymore with my revelations of our "glamorous" life. But waking up this morning beside my wonderful husband, God so tenderly reminded me that even though life is hard sometimes (ok, a lot of times. Ha!), it is still amazing! We cry together, laugh together, sometimes get annoyed with one another but it's the together that makes it all work out. At every turn in this home I see God's blessings. Even though I also see lots of work that needs to be done throughout the "house"...our "home" is a priceless masterpiece that God has been building since Matt and I said "I do" over 25 years ago. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. Some days it is downright imperfect and a big mess. But it is my mess...my home...with my tribe...and together we grow. </div>
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Christ has been and will continue to be the center of our home. Through Him we love and live and grow and this morning I am so grateful for each and every part of it. The overflowing sink of dirty dishes, laundry piles, and dust bunnies are just part of its character. Lol! But the main attraction is the awesome work of God that He continues through us all. Living, learning, loving.....</div>
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Thank you, Father, for my home and all the dear souls with whom I have the honor to do life with. I am blessed and, today, so eternally grateful! I don't take a second of it for granted. Sweet, sweet blessings!</div>
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Look around your home today. Look past the mess and thank God for the blessings that inhabit your home. Hug each loved one tightly and realize that each day is a gift! Tuck the memories inside and continue making new ones and live life to the fullest. Thankful living! Gratitude and praise on this Monday!</div>
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âBut as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.â</div>
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Joshua 24:15b</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-79051922805359334962017-05-09T06:00:00.000-04:002017-05-09T06:18:53.406-04:00Our Journey to Caleb 2007 - "Gotcha Day" Recap<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: #2a313d;">Looking back 10 years ago as finally, all three of my children were together! What a blessed day and we praise God for the miracle of adoption! Today we celebrate 10 years !! God is so good!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">There is only one word to describe today, AMAZING! It
is now 9:30 pm on "gotcha day" and all three of our children are
asleep. That's right THREE! I can't believe we finally have Caleb! Matt and I
have been saying that it seems surreal. We have waited so long and now he is
here! It truly has been a remarkable day! I thought I would back up to the
beginning and tell you how the day went.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We got the bags unpacked and somewhat settled and then
I headed upstairs to where the other families were doing their paperwork. We
will do ours after we have Caleb. After the meeting we were to get our money
together and copies of our passports. We already had copies of our passports,
but they wanted them on their paper since the paper size is different here. So
we headed down to the front desk to exchange our money. They only let you do a
certain amount per day. So now we are off to find a bank to do the exchange. We
ended up down the road at the China Agricultural Bank. Long lines in the US are
nothing. We got there at 11:15 and 1 1/2 hours later were leaving. There were
five of us and you take a number. They were on 63 when we arrived and our first
number was 73. Okay here comes the fun part. The first in our group went to the
teller and 30 minutes later had their money exchanged. It is not even that much
to exchange. We were supposed to have everything to Rosa by 12:00 but that
didn't happen. It was taking so long for us that the Chinese people waiting
were getting a little irate. One man started screaming at the teller because it
was taking so long. Needless to say, we were glad to get out of there. That is
the only time we had to do that. Everything was to Rosa by 1:15 and then we
relaxed and had lunch, KFC! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We gathered on the bed and had prayer time together
and then got all our things together; travel approval letter, gifts for the
orphanage workers, and Caleb's backpack and headed down to the lobby at 3:30.
By this time the butterflies were flying 747s in our stomachs! Even Ben said he
had butterflies. As all the families gathered in the lobby you could feel the
excitement! On to the bus! It was supposed to be a 15 minute ride, but with the
traffic, more like 40 minutes. We went into the building, took the elevator to
the 9th floor, walked out and heard them call our name. As soon as we turned
around, there he was! Our little man! You could tell he was trying to be brave
but soon the tears flowed. My heart was breaking for him. He settled down very
soon and let me and Matt both hold him. In the meantime, everyone else is
getting their babies. It was so exciting! The orphanage director answered some
questions and then gave us a picture of Caleb's orphanage and a sheep statue
since he was born in the year of the sheep. We said our goodbyes (we'll see her
again tomorrow) took pictures and were back on the bus. He started warming up
to Ben and Callie on the bus, but when we got to our room, he was already one
of the family. He was laughing and smiling, he has even given me kisses!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Matt and I did our paperwork and then we decided to go
eat - McDonalds! We walked in and got lots of stares. Caleb enjoyed his first
chicken nugget and fries. The whole time he ate, he would just stare at Matt
and smile. He loves him already! We got back to the room and it was bath time.
He loved it! He had so much fun in the tub, blowing the bubbles and he wasn't
scared a bit. Callie showed him how to brush his teeth and then we gathered and
said bedtime prayers and it was hugs and kisses. It was funny, we heard they
are very protective of their shoes. He didn't mind taking them off to get in
the tub, but when he got his pajamas on, he put his shoes right back on. He is
sleeping in them now. He laid there and I rubbed his sweet face and sang
"Jesus loves me" and he drifted off to sleep. No tears! I pray he
sleeps peacefully!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I thought about Moses today before we left. How his
mother loved him so much and put him in a basket to save his life. I wonder if
Caleb's birth mother was watching today from around the corner to see his
"forever family" come to take him to safety. I pray that God gives
her a peace to know that he is safe and loved and where he is supposed to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">As I sit here now, watching all three of my beautiful
children sleep, I am so overcome with emotion. God is so awesome! He knew
before I was born that this was to come and He put it all in place. He is the
Living God, and we sense His presence to strong! God has indeed blessed us with
this miracle of adoption and I give him total praise!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for your prayers! We don't know what tomorrow
holds, but we know Who holds tomorrow!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">In His Mighty Grip!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, Callie, and Caleb!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB5_BzisITZV7eyw-i6tZkjgn0E2kAitX3b2yUm54tNklB39wnkKXa1V8gECwNHK-Cytu-t5gZzWUg_R0V-HsJUe8tG45rLfkWsY9h-DvTD_RPJxE4Z8hoanKeeNOgyuRhwXZ-pDhLmY/s1600/1979758_742693092448664_5127613805857252656_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB5_BzisITZV7eyw-i6tZkjgn0E2kAitX3b2yUm54tNklB39wnkKXa1V8gECwNHK-Cytu-t5gZzWUg_R0V-HsJUe8tG45rLfkWsY9h-DvTD_RPJxE4Z8hoanKeeNOgyuRhwXZ-pDhLmY/s1600/1979758_742693092448664_5127613805857252656_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go meet our children!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0dPN1seesMGID0fQZJpu2Ai3DRyirvECZcwdxQ5zcpYHC-VnmsJvGxIZVAhEdutw_2kiF9w92qqM4YSJ68G3h1IRxRLrOjBhoQqrd4nJteQmdM9DdFLYmb6DGRw8xnaWuUFVLNJj18E/s1600/10150520_742693149115325_7767751701142602928_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0dPN1seesMGID0fQZJpu2Ai3DRyirvECZcwdxQ5zcpYHC-VnmsJvGxIZVAhEdutw_2kiF9w92qqM4YSJ68G3h1IRxRLrOjBhoQqrd4nJteQmdM9DdFLYmb6DGRw8xnaWuUFVLNJj18E/s1600/10150520_742693149115325_7767751701142602928_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big brother and big sister ready to meet their little brother!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyZQtkie-zKTesXA8w1qkc_BbqYNEzT8hi-EBxnueeF2qqPmrvgevyURIkJpueJxAb0-cSnpJPA-xYy9SKhQTrdBVHMvzs6ehQuSerqU-SVJUfhS-LSx5f-VXLcMSwacY8JYZT_VcQp0/s1600/10251941_742693252448648_1731312354816852008_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyZQtkie-zKTesXA8w1qkc_BbqYNEzT8hi-EBxnueeF2qqPmrvgevyURIkJpueJxAb0-cSnpJPA-xYy9SKhQTrdBVHMvzs6ehQuSerqU-SVJUfhS-LSx5f-VXLcMSwacY8JYZT_VcQp0/s1600/10251941_742693252448648_1731312354816852008_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at these beautiful children!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGFyPtitUTQV90isG4M4JdX-IoTEKxBzriTaPpSlXAb9jusR3TXe4jKwrYM69jewcVIrw1eKqHtlQRn3APVOS5xwl-ZSxR9egJvUvBjUMtrHAt1vW83ebujHQlNm4qoIlUhyX_I0roHU/s1600/10312475_742693192448654_9204877874133500704_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSGFyPtitUTQV90isG4M4JdX-IoTEKxBzriTaPpSlXAb9jusR3TXe4jKwrYM69jewcVIrw1eKqHtlQRn3APVOS5xwl-ZSxR9egJvUvBjUMtrHAt1vW83ebujHQlNm4qoIlUhyX_I0roHU/s1600/10312475_742693192448654_9204877874133500704_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First family meal....McDonald's</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWrtNEZ2nFXoN7hLK8xCzNVM6mxyHukZBAIoKf3hp-tEEou1hacNFdvgnF-4mmZ4yFl4Nw5zY3-MPnV8D7-tveeC1cJ-DhmEuX2cIl6RQWkjNDCFybH-tTt2RgP3uqwhyphenhyphenGwNumCqfMTM/s1600/10314476_742693219115318_7150560063156653243_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWrtNEZ2nFXoN7hLK8xCzNVM6mxyHukZBAIoKf3hp-tEEou1hacNFdvgnF-4mmZ4yFl4Nw5zY3-MPnV8D7-tveeC1cJ-DhmEuX2cIl6RQWkjNDCFybH-tTt2RgP3uqwhyphenhyphenGwNumCqfMTM/s1600/10314476_742693219115318_7150560063156653243_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBLZzTqEiVBiQT4dbYaXP0X03LFOFZesg-X_lHNKNfcFSaK7OAxCdlvL_TxXNOQzeEtOYkQIE1d2aqbZQUNnQKO4G_HvjI8d5F83sx16-JM-s0nK-JmPcoeWVKlPXSYSE0zwJnV8PHF4/s1600/10342833_742693349115305_5222075431895446007_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBLZzTqEiVBiQT4dbYaXP0X03LFOFZesg-X_lHNKNfcFSaK7OAxCdlvL_TxXNOQzeEtOYkQIE1d2aqbZQUNnQKO4G_HvjI8d5F83sx16-JM-s0nK-JmPcoeWVKlPXSYSE0zwJnV8PHF4/s1600/10342833_742693349115305_5222075431895446007_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First bath was a hit!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Precious boy sleeping soundly with his mommy and daddy!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Our Journey to Caleb 2007 - GOTCHA!!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">God is so good! It has been an amazing day! We have
Caleb! We got to the Civil Affairs building at about 4:20 and Rosa told us we
would get our children in alphabetical order. That means we would be about 5th.
We thought we would have time to get our camera out but we all walked in and
they said "Jordan family". As soon as we turned around, there he was!
He was carrying the bear we sent him four months ago. At first he was very hesitant
and not looking at me. He was holding back the tears. The director kept telling
him "Mama" and he said it and then started to cry. He was so scared.
We talked to him and showed him his bag and then he let me pick him up. He
still was very hesitant. We talked to the director for a few minutes, in the
mean time everyone else was getting their babies. It was a lot going on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We stayed there for about 45 minutes and then loaded
up on the bus for the hotel. We are now in the hotel and as soon as we walked
in the door he motioned that he needed to go potty. He did very well! He
immediately started playing with the toys and Ben and Callie and he is now
laughing and smiling. He is very at ease with us now and he is a joy! That is a
little recap but we will post more after everyone is in bed. Right now I am
going to go enjoy my whole family!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for your prayers! Please keep them up as we
begin as a family of 5!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Love to all,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, Callie and NOW....Caleb!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zAqZOciTLpBvkAX86AGZbLtIkYW2SzmPAryNyo4ih5Fe7EhpqxrB3i94mOK0IJuHowj3N-uXmK31Ap5hVFK8QCgJnzsyr9Wz6BLPivaOpDgOjZo-ZxPdt5EUfHf5Rzf5M3sIURQjmAg/s1600/10262143_742548612463112_4723298245832148984_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zAqZOciTLpBvkAX86AGZbLtIkYW2SzmPAryNyo4ih5Fe7EhpqxrB3i94mOK0IJuHowj3N-uXmK31Ap5hVFK8QCgJnzsyr9Wz6BLPivaOpDgOjZo-ZxPdt5EUfHf5Rzf5M3sIURQjmAg/s1600/10262143_742548612463112_4723298245832148984_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here he comes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4t3d27ip67t4HXBuDAaMiw5xPsod97a0EKAaY92TJNamr6mLOTZPf8Fuq-7T_somiQDTD6WE-a4000pIkdb2doAEmYIYeVyWihJyMwyZUUNadz9ordiRbchRgtUQMvocU0R-tIG7efo/s1600/1010381_742548729129767_4095747419436376375_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4t3d27ip67t4HXBuDAaMiw5xPsod97a0EKAaY92TJNamr6mLOTZPf8Fuq-7T_somiQDTD6WE-a4000pIkdb2doAEmYIYeVyWihJyMwyZUUNadz9ordiRbchRgtUQMvocU0R-tIG7efo/s1600/1010381_742548729129767_4095747419436376375_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6LJxpVcwLNL6_kEab9bE-sZCr4Zw2rrw1_LcUnK7vR0H67tjbf92uS1cMPu2NbXcuIiCpQF2oQVb4wSDOAI7sIlcZrLvS5aa8Ri7gQ_npErbySIUNKHBSz-EF1wjEQkoGA7Mq1-81cI/s1600/10313827_742548629129777_4051888043906788143_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6LJxpVcwLNL6_kEab9bE-sZCr4Zw2rrw1_LcUnK7vR0H67tjbf92uS1cMPu2NbXcuIiCpQF2oQVb4wSDOAI7sIlcZrLvS5aa8Ri7gQ_npErbySIUNKHBSz-EF1wjEQkoGA7Mq1-81cI/s1600/10313827_742548629129777_4051888043906788143_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Introductions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnza-fIHOhM925urQh_yP38ybfwFMTifelE4Ric5k3HOLEx3idVQw5HC5RRAZsWOeGAF_id3lDMZyKf6S0LOlUKMh4eOM5V0RitEZH8xP0fgA-AHEcSS3t_7K_cBr9ewXxXU6_yDUTzg/s1600/10348628_742548682463105_8141395854987958656_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnza-fIHOhM925urQh_yP38ybfwFMTifelE4Ric5k3HOLEx3idVQw5HC5RRAZsWOeGAF_id3lDMZyKf6S0LOlUKMh4eOM5V0RitEZH8xP0fgA-AHEcSS3t_7K_cBr9ewXxXU6_yDUTzg/s1600/10348628_742548682463105_8141395854987958656_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little scared</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ04VhzxccCwp0yWws-gxpC4ixaQF7GLnygowe9R0dcQbfh9lbdhxJVTHdLd3i9tXL6S_9-trUBUXzPQwsdOgYD-KrM6sgZ4r1QqOq7HmyvTjUWP7G39RnV4FxY5316r8FETVdoNLS-pQ/s1600/1908320_742548709129769_5568996477908889042_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ04VhzxccCwp0yWws-gxpC4ixaQF7GLnygowe9R0dcQbfh9lbdhxJVTHdLd3i9tXL6S_9-trUBUXzPQwsdOgYD-KrM6sgZ4r1QqOq7HmyvTjUWP7G39RnV4FxY5316r8FETVdoNLS-pQ/s1600/1908320_742548709129769_5568996477908889042_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GOTCHA!!! He fit perfectly in my arms!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4t3d27ip67t4HXBuDAaMiw5xPsod97a0EKAaY92TJNamr6mLOTZPf8Fuq-7T_somiQDTD6WE-a4000pIkdb2doAEmYIYeVyWihJyMwyZUUNadz9ordiRbchRgtUQMvocU0R-tIG7efo/s1600/1010381_742548729129767_4095747419436376375_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4t3d27ip67t4HXBuDAaMiw5xPsod97a0EKAaY92TJNamr6mLOTZPf8Fuq-7T_somiQDTD6WE-a4000pIkdb2doAEmYIYeVyWihJyMwyZUUNadz9ordiRbchRgtUQMvocU0R-tIG7efo/s1600/1010381_742548729129767_4095747419436376375_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-rdxqnJFMmXbBSZxfsgiZuZdWjR1P09Wro1H5AIZpfXXvdYk7VVWBxjqyN2g16xxMcS-BIrHiqGYXmGaqsd3ASElEIvZ0AJKEXH5pYCqPD0jeGCHpIHKVntopEeDKj80zyj491j0S84/s1600/1509996_742548972463076_2439573399530120760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibCxdHMGdgbzVJySTajAL2te-U0yUsoh7Nx9Gj_XxqFJa5JzkX_8yzoZaWBS5CRcEbt9hkc2rPWs6MqNBjSV4iXE8DkageU8UoMyePGOfr-ATaFFpCZ2OrN-sY3X4W8sSrcnzebvD0m8/s1600/1939752_742548742463099_842969553150200547_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibCxdHMGdgbzVJySTajAL2te-U0yUsoh7Nx9Gj_XxqFJa5JzkX_8yzoZaWBS5CRcEbt9hkc2rPWs6MqNBjSV4iXE8DkageU8UoMyePGOfr-ATaFFpCZ2OrN-sY3X4W8sSrcnzebvD0m8/s1600/1939752_742548742463099_842969553150200547_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruHZ5ttoPoO7MxBk3rYtr5i7kLgBRPTGiPUIM5UsJ5_4hMU86C6oKjNOUl3CS_3vBxwrTW0ZIiXQ3Hsa6AOkT4wfoFwNE4weejw0HQiZZSqLHiO1A2sD8qGp0-0z_QAVLxZ-p7pRoOe0/s1600/10173635_742548782463095_8421367068265143783_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruHZ5ttoPoO7MxBk3rYtr5i7kLgBRPTGiPUIM5UsJ5_4hMU86C6oKjNOUl3CS_3vBxwrTW0ZIiXQ3Hsa6AOkT4wfoFwNE4weejw0HQiZZSqLHiO1A2sD8qGp0-0z_QAVLxZ-p7pRoOe0/s1600/10173635_742548782463095_8421367068265143783_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at pictures!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting his "baba" aka daddy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqCT23mjghy2VjAhXrZ7v7jbEDE8mySyCszUWdX330Fj5MwL4ry4J5hFfSNFtlEtbFWjwrrWDasHLZ3gUURZKVlZmHM4XwdKoG4oNpoL9XOE46BJWDoXDYK9LRtV0fTruugaga69x_ss/s1600/10291194_742548939129746_4464752794439740084_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqCT23mjghy2VjAhXrZ7v7jbEDE8mySyCszUWdX330Fj5MwL4ry4J5hFfSNFtlEtbFWjwrrWDasHLZ3gUURZKVlZmHM4XwdKoG4oNpoL9XOE46BJWDoXDYK9LRtV0fTruugaga69x_ss/s1600/10291194_742548939129746_4464752794439740084_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally have all my babies! :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4TkiF8nOyfi-dMgxQW-AicxBKHnZzvXcAGKjarq1HC94jlUDm6N_cHoN8lmiiyVxGhBU4cAtePOkpIQt0_8gyUH_Xnu8BjzzJg8uo9FnJbYQ3b07dIMISNf_FZiXx9tC1ofyhwr50zI/s1600/10354671_742548909129749_659542520899555110_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4TkiF8nOyfi-dMgxQW-AicxBKHnZzvXcAGKjarq1HC94jlUDm6N_cHoN8lmiiyVxGhBU4cAtePOkpIQt0_8gyUH_Xnu8BjzzJg8uo9FnJbYQ3b07dIMISNf_FZiXx9tC1ofyhwr50zI/s1600/10354671_742548909129749_659542520899555110_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family picture with the orphanage director</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-rdxqnJFMmXbBSZxfsgiZuZdWjR1P09Wro1H5AIZpfXXvdYk7VVWBxjqyN2g16xxMcS-BIrHiqGYXmGaqsd3ASElEIvZ0AJKEXH5pYCqPD0jeGCHpIHKVntopEeDKj80zyj491j0S84/s1600/1509996_742548972463076_2439573399530120760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-rdxqnJFMmXbBSZxfsgiZuZdWjR1P09Wro1H5AIZpfXXvdYk7VVWBxjqyN2g16xxMcS-BIrHiqGYXmGaqsd3ASElEIvZ0AJKEXH5pYCqPD0jeGCHpIHKVntopEeDKj80zyj491j0S84/s1600/1509996_742548972463076_2439573399530120760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-rdxqnJFMmXbBSZxfsgiZuZdWjR1P09Wro1H5AIZpfXXvdYk7VVWBxjqyN2g16xxMcS-BIrHiqGYXmGaqsd3ASElEIvZ0AJKEXH5pYCqPD0jeGCHpIHKVntopEeDKj80zyj491j0S84/s1600/1509996_742548972463076_2439573399530120760_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun with his forever family!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwSRKjsCyUxscRw5IOyPygpirnIw0eVqc_WAoDauVA7DooDr5H-u3un4l4-1sQp5ficQ_oXYAoSW11XIFcG9e_xq24NG9GtlgONkXvq481TkJeKxJ1F7Tv4GQjwHTgsK6FwC6GxUyiSg/s1600/10294297_742549002463073_2210873887916802735_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwSRKjsCyUxscRw5IOyPygpirnIw0eVqc_WAoDauVA7DooDr5H-u3un4l4-1sQp5ficQ_oXYAoSW11XIFcG9e_xq24NG9GtlgONkXvq481TkJeKxJ1F7Tv4GQjwHTgsK6FwC6GxUyiSg/s1600/10294297_742549002463073_2210873887916802735_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He was fascinated with Ben's gameboy!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVwpDlnzUgAdkYJF7GFVPFIto53cxqauyrFYC9rxTYb3zL-PaaO6UH3QxBJCTOjD589jaxovmJ_AXzrVWccHnWd_LmmFb1sOsiakbsRMLOCrxGe2pTJQIf_zCBnl5N2TTm9aNKS_-jxY/s1600/10329209_742549022463071_3597843539548531388_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVwpDlnzUgAdkYJF7GFVPFIto53cxqauyrFYC9rxTYb3zL-PaaO6UH3QxBJCTOjD589jaxovmJ_AXzrVWccHnWd_LmmFb1sOsiakbsRMLOCrxGe2pTJQIf_zCBnl5N2TTm9aNKS_-jxY/s1600/10329209_742549022463071_3597843539548531388_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fEXcypL9AqB_vndTviDJmL8zI9qleROZ82-lDxzGHWz9vjy2RnF9PuD2LGuem3zm5ykClqrCHClZtx2kKrIKF0rhYXPCYRY3V_FPKNmuM3dJo8cU7lYCdeBXUA5k0sNJkN32DAge0TA/s1600/10352568_742549149129725_4471787863979726976_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fEXcypL9AqB_vndTviDJmL8zI9qleROZ82-lDxzGHWz9vjy2RnF9PuD2LGuem3zm5ykClqrCHClZtx2kKrIKF0rhYXPCYRY3V_FPKNmuM3dJo8cU7lYCdeBXUA5k0sNJkN32DAge0TA/s1600/10352568_742549149129725_4471787863979726976_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He has the BEST smile! :)</td></tr>
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Good Morning! It's "GOTCHA DAY"! I can hardly believe that we have made it to this day! Only by the grace of God did we sleep so well last night. We are all just waking up (it is 7:00 am here) and the butterflies are multiplying in our stomachs. We are now 9 hours and counting till we have our son! It really does feel like I'm in labor! I remember those last few hours before Ben and Callie were born and all the emotion we had. We were nervous, excited, and overjoyed all at the same time and it is no different this time. All I can think of is Caleb is just waking up and I guess they are giving him breakfast and getting him ready to meet his "forever family". I can't imagine what is going on in his sweet little head. We pray that God will cover him with peace today. It is going to be a long 9 hours. 7 of the families in our group are adopting baby girls from the same orphanage which is about 3 hours away and they will all fill out their paperwork at 10:00 this morning, us and the other family are adopting from different orphanages and we will fill out our paperwork after we have our children. We are the only family in our group adopting a boy. Rosa said that in all her years of helping adopting families, she has only witnessed about 20 boys being adopted. We will all get our children together at the Civil Affairs Office this afternoon. We have all been given permission to visit our children's orphanages, but that won't be set up till after "Gotcha Day". I will let you know when that will be as soon as I know.<br />
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It was funny as we touched down in Guangzhou last night, everyone erupted into cheers! We have gone from "vacationers" to expecting parents. We are all on the same floor of the hotel, floor 31, and checking in our rooms and seeing the cribs set up brought tears to our eyes. It is almost here! After we got checked in, we headed down to Pizza Hut! We have KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and Starbucks right next to our hotel. Yeah! American food! Our hotel is beautiful! We are staying at the Asia International Hotel, which is the tallest hotel in Guangzhou. There is a revolving restaurant on the 45th floor and the view is amazing. Guangzhou is a huge city, but compared to Beijing, it seems much cleaner, more westernized. We are also very relieved to know that they don't cut the air conditioner off at night here. We slept in a nice cool room! Maggie and Rosa told us that the Chinese like to be warm. Thank God for the USA! Even our flight yesterday seemed like an oven. That was a long 3-hour flight!<br />
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Thank you all for your encouraging messages and especially your prayers! It means so much to us to know that everyone is praying for our family! I do know how you feel being on that side of the computer. When all my friends were here adopting, I think I checked the computer 100 times a day just waiting for information. I promise that I will post pictures as soon as I can. We get him at 4:00 (if anything changes, I will let you know) and then I don't know how long it will take to get back to the hotel, but we should have pictures posted by the time you wake up. We miss you all so much and can't wait to share the joy of our new son with you! Stay tuned and we'll post those long awaited pictures soon!<br />
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In His Mighty Grip!<br />
Mattďťż, Allison, Benďťż, and Callie (very soon Caleb!) <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-40244936414851906582017-05-08T06:30:00.000-04:002017-05-08T06:38:20.324-04:00Our Journey to Caleb 2007 - Day 6 "Gotcha Day Eve"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Our Journey to Caleb, May 8, 2007 - Gotcha Day Eve!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Ni Hao! Well it is
our last and final post from Beijing and we are so excited to be traveling to
Guangzhou today. It is about 6:30 am here and Matt and I were sharing our
thoughts about "Gotcha Day" tomorrow. We are so overwhelmed
with God's peace and grateful that He has given us this wonderful
opportunity. Thank you for your prayers. We are definitely feeling
every one of them. We serve an awesome God and ultimately we want him
glorified through our journey. Please pray that Caleb will transition
easily and that we will keep our focus on our God first and foremost.
Without him, we are nothing. It has been an incredible adventure,
learning all about China. Amy, the history that we are learning is
great. You would love it. We will bring you back some things about
their history.</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Thank you again for
all your kind words of encouragement. Mia, Callie is missing you and
your class too! She has enjoyed reading your posts and sends her
love. Miss Scmigg and Miss Hostetter, the kids say "Ni
Hao" to the class and that they are learning A LOT! We miss you
all, cousins, grandparents, friends! We will see you all in about 11 days
as a family of 5!</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Well, we are signing off
from Beijing, we will post tonight when we arrive in Guangzhou. Please
pray for safe travel and that all our luggage gets there at one time!</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">In His Mighty Hand,</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, and
Callie (and tomorrow Caleb!) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">(Part 2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Well, we are finally
here in Caleb's city! We can hardly believe it! It has been a long
day but we are here. The flight went well and all our luggage is here and
accounted for. The hotel is spectacular! We are in a suite and it
is beautiful. The kids are in cots in the sitting room and there is a
large master suite. They even had a crib set up for Caleb. Of
course he is going to be too big for it, but it was a nice touch. We did
find out that we will not get our children till 4:00 tomorrow. We were a
little bummed about that but the Guangdong province only allows 30 adoptions a
day and they scheduled us for 4:00 tomorrow. So we are going to try to
get a good night's sleep because we are extremely tired and tomorrow we will
get everything unpacked and ready to meet our son! Everyone is starting
to get butterflies! </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Just knowing that this
is the last night Caleb will sleep in that orphanage, the last night he goes to
bed without a hug and kiss from mommy and daddy, the last morning he will wake
up without someone telling him "I love you". It is a very
emotional time for us! We can't wait to tuck him in tomorrow night,
say prayers with him, tell him about Jesus for the first time in his sweet
little life! It is finally here! Please pray! Pray for him
and this huge transition; pray for Ben and Callie as they welcome a new
sibling; pray for Matt and me as we become parents for the third time; and pray
that God will be glorified tomorrow in this union that he has been preparing
our family for.</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">We love you all and
can't wait to post pictures of our "gotcha" moment!</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Goodnight from
Guangzhou!</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "ca"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, and
Callie (tomorrow - Caleb!) </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi414ozo9-JKiupYcTDbjFReH4O9cSDXghPaDhLRkmh5EXCW2Ta9zkrbG1LayJFT03zxotYlJv0KUrVQ6P4xyJtnBhz4gxvYBMncujpbFxOyEGizbMJviBWaupqzEj9BZsUY5vK4_4OvW8/s1600/10253908_742074602510513_8088670382249647698_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi414ozo9-JKiupYcTDbjFReH4O9cSDXghPaDhLRkmh5EXCW2Ta9zkrbG1LayJFT03zxotYlJv0KUrVQ6P4xyJtnBhz4gxvYBMncujpbFxOyEGizbMJviBWaupqzEj9BZsUY5vK4_4OvW8/s1600/10253908_742074602510513_8088670382249647698_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McDonald's never tasted so good!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblJxh0hTXSUEbJWHE9LAFLfalJDQGn6orvwA8m3FHoeKuYS5Lf4aP-ss0zYTUDa09CAoPuFOhGGkiLjr7QmtIaRcSazcUi8LFZrQO9lNT9MmL-Hc9B_RW645-yhzSamJWKPruMLxptec/s1600/10178068_742074642510509_5173842471962020316_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblJxh0hTXSUEbJWHE9LAFLfalJDQGn6orvwA8m3FHoeKuYS5Lf4aP-ss0zYTUDa09CAoPuFOhGGkiLjr7QmtIaRcSazcUi8LFZrQO9lNT9MmL-Hc9B_RW645-yhzSamJWKPruMLxptec/s1600/10178068_742074642510509_5173842471962020316_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maggie and Callie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlR_zFeU6M63xeRBJEfGydg4FHwABjRFz_bYrzo6ANAWVDoLWnBsuCBQ0QDo9VG7KiLwDnyd8kNFOZ_-W9StofluFk0EyiUcrogBrPlLFAeyjP04rkT2mDqL-UGiWbuy4XGC9rRlRiNY/s1600/10314686_742074672510506_2405194673565790884_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlR_zFeU6M63xeRBJEfGydg4FHwABjRFz_bYrzo6ANAWVDoLWnBsuCBQ0QDo9VG7KiLwDnyd8kNFOZ_-W9StofluFk0EyiUcrogBrPlLFAeyjP04rkT2mDqL-UGiWbuy4XGC9rRlRiNY/s1600/10314686_742074672510506_2405194673565790884_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2008 Olympic Mascots</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8orW1WYbS-83HmXiRrRkmuFsYI04HxZ0g6FUTYDpjacKXSNtL0BE0NKER8Kg_LM1LAEdYIhnrn6n9FZEOOrHTcM_cX7p4XHL3SJu-ZZtHgWGquTrVtoPps1AHAk9daOpvnMbdWT0Ia70/s1600/10341595_742074615843845_5730613899707990576_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8orW1WYbS-83HmXiRrRkmuFsYI04HxZ0g6FUTYDpjacKXSNtL0BE0NKER8Kg_LM1LAEdYIhnrn6n9FZEOOrHTcM_cX7p4XHL3SJu-ZZtHgWGquTrVtoPps1AHAk9daOpvnMbdWT0Ia70/s1600/10341595_742074615843845_5730613899707990576_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt & Ben had a serious Big Mac attack!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8orW1WYbS-83HmXiRrRkmuFsYI04HxZ0g6FUTYDpjacKXSNtL0BE0NKER8Kg_LM1LAEdYIhnrn6n9FZEOOrHTcM_cX7p4XHL3SJu-ZZtHgWGquTrVtoPps1AHAk9daOpvnMbdWT0Ia70/s1600/10341595_742074615843845_5730613899707990576_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPXhhpMODrcfaMaG0A-8c1OQX2bOU21ky6D4ZFrf-D8ifuTPhxUhEoarYgF1xwNgMmwOTT2AKy3k9ZM1ekRzB9sqweoEUwYZvbxOlmAWcGOmLBhGDnmMyv-NkeVFcswd9mcJQKj_DvPk/s1600/10275932_742074762510497_3902626906849568901_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPXhhpMODrcfaMaG0A-8c1OQX2bOU21ky6D4ZFrf-D8ifuTPhxUhEoarYgF1xwNgMmwOTT2AKy3k9ZM1ekRzB9sqweoEUwYZvbxOlmAWcGOmLBhGDnmMyv-NkeVFcswd9mcJQKj_DvPk/s1600/10275932_742074762510497_3902626906849568901_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last night as a mom of 2!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSCAoIuntKBvrBXSrZRqd5UpaTVqYXDJTBottqdLWB2PCvBinp2ovyN-tn0PBdQprydGdWfOUrgsT_H1wMkqUWlyiRV4Z0Hbu91iaXdFdNvie2oxfq12teyfWzSv0SSKhCvYZdv0zrOw/s1600/10260011_742074735843833_318014374062690683_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSCAoIuntKBvrBXSrZRqd5UpaTVqYXDJTBottqdLWB2PCvBinp2ovyN-tn0PBdQprydGdWfOUrgsT_H1wMkqUWlyiRV4Z0Hbu91iaXdFdNvie2oxfq12teyfWzSv0SSKhCvYZdv0zrOw/s1600/10260011_742074735843833_318014374062690683_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful Asia International Hotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZo-eMuKzsT-rwceep_qm3ffgKQeNoMEJEDTjw8frmyZtRZiILup7zn8oKj4vXwTi_s9b9_ZUpT2Ntw-0aR7VrINduTcS_AOdPlYbKBTsZmj-PugfH1UjiHMlEuemhKGBUeoZpR5UBd2c/s1600/10155492_742074712510502_125310825572107394_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZo-eMuKzsT-rwceep_qm3ffgKQeNoMEJEDTjw8frmyZtRZiILup7zn8oKj4vXwTi_s9b9_ZUpT2Ntw-0aR7VrINduTcS_AOdPlYbKBTsZmj-PugfH1UjiHMlEuemhKGBUeoZpR5UBd2c/s1600/10155492_742074712510502_125310825572107394_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master suite with a crib!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix999VJ47ffjQRyB4qAFRxUd7VYQBbRjMhFxSTyMubSQHAgY89OZpnMSrWpY2ugHOU68R2N68tiH0mLQ1UZHFnNwbTspasBB7ixFHNtOnab3ga_-sJYBZUifXtATaCWF7_lBsd6EpbKdk/s1600/10352028_742074685843838_3981871262965715202_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix999VJ47ffjQRyB4qAFRxUd7VYQBbRjMhFxSTyMubSQHAgY89OZpnMSrWpY2ugHOU68R2N68tiH0mLQ1UZHFnNwbTspasBB7ixFHNtOnab3ga_-sJYBZUifXtATaCWF7_lBsd6EpbKdk/s1600/10352028_742074685843838_3981871262965715202_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callie settling into the hotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Continuing Our Journey to Caleb - Day 5 - May 7, 2007<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Good Morning to all! It is about 5:30 am and this is
our last full day in Beijing. It will be a very full day but as I awoke this
morning, all I could think is that tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou, Caleb's city!
We are now 2 days and counting till we get our son! They have kept us so busy
these last couple of days and now it is almost time! We were talking at dinner
last night about "Gotcha Day". All 9 families will get their children
at the same time so we will all experience the joy together. We have become
very close with all these families in just this short amount of time. I am so
in awe of our Lord how he knew what families to place us with. The kids have
had a blast and Matt and I are forming great friendships with these families.
Three of the couples are getting their first child, one family is adopting
their second daughter, and four families are adopting for the first time
although they have other children. We are trying to plan out how we can take
turns filming each others "gotcha" moment. We are all so excited!
Most of these families have been logged in to the CCAA since October 2005. This
has been over a 2 year process for them. But now the moment is about to arrive!
Please pray for all of us getting ready to be united with our children. Some of
these children will have to travel several hours to get to Guangzhou to be with
thier families. I am so thankful that Caleb is in the same town and will not
have to endure a long trip to get there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">As I spent my time in prayer this morning, I thanked
God so much for giving us this opportunity. My heart is so full of gratitude
and praise for blessing me with this wonderful family I already have and now to
be adding another precious soul to it. He is my strength and I give him total
praise and honor!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Have a wonderful day and we will update tonight after
our big day at the Great Wall and shopping!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Love to you all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Allison<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">(Part 2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Today was our last full day in Beijing so we went out
with a bang! We took a long bus ride to the Great Wall! It is incredible! First
we took our group picture and then we had a choice to go two directions; the
easy way or the steep, more difficult way. Guess which way we went? That's
right, the steep, more difficult way. The easy way had so many people on it, so
we decided to try the other way. Most of us got about half way up and enjoyed
the view from there but the other half made it all the way to the top. Matt and
Ben were among the brave souls who trekked all the way up. I was so worried
that Matt was having to drag Ben up there but Matt said it was the other way
around! I know they will sleep good tonight. It is so funny that at different
stages of the Wall, the street vendors are there trying to get that sale. One
of them followed me all the way to the bus, trying to get me to buy some hats.
"50 yuan, 2 for 50 yuan, 4 for 50 yuan." Even after we got on the
bus, we saw him out the window trying to get my attention. I guess if we stayed
there any longer, he would have paid me to take the hats! Well, we finally
headed to the Cloisonne Factory and that was amazing how intricately they
design those beautiful pieces of art. Everything is done by hand and is
spectacular! We ate lunch at the restaurant in the factory. Guess what was for
lunch? CHINESE! We are really getting tired of the same thing for breakfast,
lunch, and dinner. We are ready for some good 'ole American food. When we get
to Guangzhou, we will have more options!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Next on the agenda, the Jade Factory. We were given a
lesson on jade, how to decipher real from fake, carving and design. These are
very talented people. After the lesson, we were given the chance to shop. These
are also persistent sales people. They don't let you shop alone, oh no! They
follow you around. It is so funny! After the final purchases, we boarded the
bus and headed back to the hotel. They took us by the site of the 2008 Olympic
games and we were able to get some pictures. They are very proud be hosting the
games and are working hard to make it happen. During our long bus rides today,
Rosa and Maggie gave us lessons on Chinese money, flowers, Olympic mascots, and
Maggie even sang us the Chinese national anthem and the US national anthem in
Chinese. That was wonderful!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">We got back to the hotel and had about an hour before
we were to leave for dinner...you guessed it, more CHINESE! Okay, I love
Chinese food, but enough is enough. One more spoonful of rice was going to make
me scream. Callie and I opted to stay in the hotel, watch a movie and order
Pizza Hut. Praise God! Pizza Hut delivers right to your room! Tears of joy
overwhelmed me! Ben and Matt wanted more Chinese, so we wished them well and
enjoyed our pizza! It was very good!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou and we cannot wait! We
get to sleep in and take our time packing up. We will leave the hotel at 12:30
and our flight is at 3:00. We will do paperwork Wednesday morning and get our
children in the afternoon. It is almost time! Please keep us in your prayers!
It has been a wonderful time and we praise God that we have all been well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for all the prayers, we sure do feel them!
God is so good and we are in awe of our journey so far! Good night one more
time from Beijing, we love and miss you all very much!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #10131a; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, and Callie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1X-3XrBoHoWr98_7PkdEmPii8Kj23y-oF_38x_1id7NFxtKfgX38E6FTZqwHTNYsBDpwi6ij4z7lJwFSkDdhhPZgQAgMhcJJYObFSkLBdu6FaMXt7RwiRioIxtSAOuAdwxuobKxQ1myg/s1600/1922306_741571472560826_7745418795228740334_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1X-3XrBoHoWr98_7PkdEmPii8Kj23y-oF_38x_1id7NFxtKfgX38E6FTZqwHTNYsBDpwi6ij4z7lJwFSkDdhhPZgQAgMhcJJYObFSkLBdu6FaMXt7RwiRioIxtSAOuAdwxuobKxQ1myg/s1600/1922306_741571472560826_7745418795228740334_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group picture at the Great Wall!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJ2AQPcppHs2ma9WMIZvkYTw6SDed-xPxr7NshJlong-AW4-AaiJxyAcqnY9wMLc17SSZ1Yx97Syt47JVOyD5ndti8BkKlEBeHX-Psd1726XhsztC4mGExo1ZbGr83Wvw18hkvIjEJe8/s1600/10171071_741571399227500_4085432039255240945_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJ2AQPcppHs2ma9WMIZvkYTw6SDed-xPxr7NshJlong-AW4-AaiJxyAcqnY9wMLc17SSZ1Yx97Syt47JVOyD5ndti8BkKlEBeHX-Psd1726XhsztC4mGExo1ZbGr83Wvw18hkvIjEJe8/s1600/10171071_741571399227500_4085432039255240945_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXWBa1Kh-rgip-27mCHvPYwfTFw2pKr1IemrJ9cH3IQ4OdZvcNWDnyA3iMpCzhKuU-KeVt46XAsPvu_EFSDGl3TK5CfqgMjl5N59Jj9IaTYwO3LeyIQZ20uG8E5AQ-ORoC9dW6Lvnp6M/s1600/10297679_741571455894161_1758963263734904009_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXWBa1Kh-rgip-27mCHvPYwfTFw2pKr1IemrJ9cH3IQ4OdZvcNWDnyA3iMpCzhKuU-KeVt46XAsPvu_EFSDGl3TK5CfqgMjl5N59Jj9IaTYwO3LeyIQZ20uG8E5AQ-ORoC9dW6Lvnp6M/s1600/10297679_741571455894161_1758963263734904009_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My handsome son on top of the Great Wall of China</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJqR_-Xj9kSwgS_Fx6uP6wRfdOI56fH3N3M-4xvDs5I_gcadZE22CLU4aa-3pjSc63Ufrcm6nHQ5Kl4lyJsiS4lbk8xIyEXNAuvTX-7uTowSxB4bdbyIiESOCY40c58Obuf91R0TwRUg/s1600/10308251_741571429227497_7517366249178250409_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJqR_-Xj9kSwgS_Fx6uP6wRfdOI56fH3N3M-4xvDs5I_gcadZE22CLU4aa-3pjSc63Ufrcm6nHQ5Kl4lyJsiS4lbk8xIyEXNAuvTX-7uTowSxB4bdbyIiESOCY40c58Obuf91R0TwRUg/s1600/10308251_741571429227497_7517366249178250409_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvZM6yarPZjh-rafdUEjnajPqKR5LgYTYmWM0VJgeM-QU0MrTFoxGx8-8llGXrkrIr6cOYVgOTRxRASo_1IuPaUBVJDZkRUbvhJk9DkeSwj9JwqV0GuTF8_U4S1mGZF0CBAjxenW3aTw/s1600/10308768_741571202560853_6170239658103162548_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvZM6yarPZjh-rafdUEjnajPqKR5LgYTYmWM0VJgeM-QU0MrTFoxGx8-8llGXrkrIr6cOYVgOTRxRASo_1IuPaUBVJDZkRUbvhJk9DkeSwj9JwqV0GuTF8_U4S1mGZF0CBAjxenW3aTw/s1600/10308768_741571202560853_6170239658103162548_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzTat4kV4bDAWuP6zjgbOm3CIhnhUC5rFMg9s1GckxoQroNg2T_TaS-bGFc1bpCAZbHfQ9aqBsWPnUySH0aRab6A-wn58LvTEarnJTrlnAM3bXL3jEpY6IB09vIXC-QlgZccEejYp7wc/s1600/10330316_741571215894185_4990386196498192306_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKzTat4kV4bDAWuP6zjgbOm3CIhnhUC5rFMg9s1GckxoQroNg2T_TaS-bGFc1bpCAZbHfQ9aqBsWPnUySH0aRab6A-wn58LvTEarnJTrlnAM3bXL3jEpY6IB09vIXC-QlgZccEejYp7wc/s1600/10330316_741571215894185_4990386196498192306_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFMgebKKIvOITsvmzTyPBxadL_fW8gVspbZrKq0dP4AO2qZWC8ZtJ2NnPDNXADYqiUZKRNQtuUjob2SpuZy7YUbktnUxoKaFeqE3vvxA2iGM4fNsBUOwMRjsLs5x5A561TZIH5iRXbpU/s1600/10338270_741571665894140_6616564761743114278_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFMgebKKIvOITsvmzTyPBxadL_fW8gVspbZrKq0dP4AO2qZWC8ZtJ2NnPDNXADYqiUZKRNQtuUjob2SpuZy7YUbktnUxoKaFeqE3vvxA2iGM4fNsBUOwMRjsLs5x5A561TZIH5iRXbpU/s1600/10338270_741571665894140_6616564761743114278_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One tired group! ;)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaMfx5Bou5JzdrNMfzCVIuzuUdxfJITkauR3jLJmdxVs-sVJtXysozb8s1_LiY-z8WfIoENjQ3dDGeTyRf9IrDzaTYQWtmexoHRs-8k920Zhtpc1tkL2TNhwCsmMgKQSzDfRmxRaatxg/s1600/10349969_741571242560849_3246908246194068529_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAaMfx5Bou5JzdrNMfzCVIuzuUdxfJITkauR3jLJmdxVs-sVJtXysozb8s1_LiY-z8WfIoENjQ3dDGeTyRf9IrDzaTYQWtmexoHRs-8k920Zhtpc1tkL2TNhwCsmMgKQSzDfRmxRaatxg/s1600/10349969_741571242560849_3246908246194068529_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They were scared to get too close! lol!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPm-gFtigG2khlgxliNqQDYHhteqo4Ibr6rJfdm6xWad1t1jZVX5LF_NLylDTeddHGcslP7K4ItwDMRTbvtSBmhs0B50xMhITO531BX0VA3hrxQDmD72Urh2_x2Aeo12PZM3tpmUP6kd4/s1600/10172802_741571795894127_7886577955776118541_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPm-gFtigG2khlgxliNqQDYHhteqo4Ibr6rJfdm6xWad1t1jZVX5LF_NLylDTeddHGcslP7K4ItwDMRTbvtSBmhs0B50xMhITO531BX0VA3hrxQDmD72Urh2_x2Aeo12PZM3tpmUP6kd4/s1600/10172802_741571795894127_7886577955776118541_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Jade Factory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJzpj0Q0AQlLbf-xjxtTm5_5Ibftg1x7c6Q5sP9oO7HwnyDVECkxhQSz7EoklUnoQCpsHB9h4CTvJmNHKhnagmCwLhd-uoyopvpwlFsAhTAduJr6KmPPDu_TmleIJVIHZ4n0DL3R_BzA/s1600/10353118_741571782560795_1221889862476004770_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJzpj0Q0AQlLbf-xjxtTm5_5Ibftg1x7c6Q5sP9oO7HwnyDVECkxhQSz7EoklUnoQCpsHB9h4CTvJmNHKhnagmCwLhd-uoyopvpwlFsAhTAduJr6KmPPDu_TmleIJVIHZ4n0DL3R_BzA/s1600/10353118_741571782560795_1221889862476004770_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cloisonnĂŠ factory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pp8EKv8_x23si3uq6HlWdTe-92MSptLUqsmr-LitghXGzEn7Qdr7W4BWRbPVug5WXC-Y6IJqHEs7ed-M4BI1BCuXjlItwfmlT5-bbvGErx7a8IZVMcajoA10vdj-aKAkDAQGWHvL09g/s1600/10259735_741571805894126_7569637275266596089_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pp8EKv8_x23si3uq6HlWdTe-92MSptLUqsmr-LitghXGzEn7Qdr7W4BWRbPVug5WXC-Y6IJqHEs7ed-M4BI1BCuXjlItwfmlT5-bbvGErx7a8IZVMcajoA10vdj-aKAkDAQGWHvL09g/s1600/10259735_741571805894126_7569637275266596089_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaahhh....Pizza Hut!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWnBHSlmIgf8wpi2Hp5g21HvFgK1dOSYNccmMK1ItAa10QH_7fMq4vYgUsqpA0tMyLLZJ6v-4QgxhlRogPHcftnvcgWbcDzMypkTnn3tK5X8zHwrz-IYcYE1KQOlvqM6IcnBB9kX2oXI/s1600/10253740_741571832560790_2702122006804166394_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWnBHSlmIgf8wpi2Hp5g21HvFgK1dOSYNccmMK1ItAa10QH_7fMq4vYgUsqpA0tMyLLZJ6v-4QgxhlRogPHcftnvcgWbcDzMypkTnn3tK5X8zHwrz-IYcYE1KQOlvqM6IcnBB9kX2oXI/s1600/10253740_741571832560790_2702122006804166394_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callie enjoying a taste of home!</td></tr>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-31656227097881888352017-05-06T06:46:00.000-04:002017-05-08T06:41:27.473-04:00Our Journey to Caleb 2007 - Day 4<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Our Journey - Day 4, May 6, 2007</span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Good Morning! Well I am glad to say that
it is 5:30 am and I am the only one up. We are getting our bodies on China
time. We were so exhausted last night so we slept great! It didn't
even get too hot in our room this time. We found out that they cut the
air conditioning off at night. That is why we were so hot. They
said that it is still springtime and they like to feel warm. Well I guess
after all of floor 15 complained about the hot rooms, they kept that AC running
strong last night. It was wonderful! I woke up with scripture going
through my head this morning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">"This is the day the Lord has made, let us
rejoice and be glad in it." Ps. 118:24<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">"Be still, and know that I am God; I will
be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Ps.
46:10. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Today is Sunday and we will be going to the
International church service. It is amazing to me that they will hold a
church service for tourist, but their own people are not allowed to
attend. We have to take copies of our passports to show proof that we are
foreign passport holders. Our guides are not even allowed to go in with
us. Although we will greatly miss our church, we are anticipating a
church service in a different country. What an experience we are in
for! Our guides are so sweet, but we are not sure if they know
Christ. Please be in prayer for us as we form relationships with these
wonderful ladies and that we will be able to share the greatest message with
them. Enjoy your day at church! Worship and praise our Lord and be
thankful you live in a country where this is possible. So many times we
take for granted things like going to church every week. I urge you today
to go and celebrate this independence you have; first of all in
Christ. Those who know the Lord are alive in Christ and have
eternal salvation. Secondly, that you live in a country where you can
freely worship! Our God is so good! We give him the glory and honor
he deserves! We love you all and pray you have a wonderful day in the
Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, & Callie <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">(Part 2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Today was another unbelievable day! After
breakfast we had some time before boarding the bus, so we decided to walk to
Starbucks! That was wonderful! Stephanie, I had a Mocha Frappacino
in your honor. It tasted just like home! We then headed to the
church service. On the way there, our guide, Maggie, shared with us about
religions in China. There are 5 legal religions in China.
Christianity being the last. She said that it is legal for them to go to
church but if you wanted to build a church, you would have to take a class and
get regulated. Sounds like free Christianity doesn't it? I have to
say that the church service was awesome! It is held in a convention center
and is only open to foreign passport holders and they check them at the
door. Once inside, you are together with people from all over the
world. The service was so much like home! There was praise and
worship time and they would sing in Chinese and English. Hearing the
familiar praise and worship songs sung in Chinese and seeing everyone together
worshipping and raising hands to the Lord was very emotional. Just
thinking about everyone there from different countries, different
denominations, different languages, but serving one God; the ONLY God! I
was so overwhelmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit! Benjamin told me
after the service that it was awesome! We all agree! We were able
to talk to a few people that were in the service and it was such a neat experience.
I am so glad that we were able to worship there today! We serve an
awesome God!</span><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">After the service, we went for more Chinese food
(shocker) and then to the Pearl Market. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing
about the pearls and seeing how they put them together. As we talked to
some of the workers, they were of course trying to sell us lots of
things. They knew we were all adopting children and they wanted to honor
us by giving us a very good deal. They are very appreciative of the Americans
adopting their orphans. The lady helping us was trying to sell us pearls
for our adopted daughter and when we told her that we were adopting a boy, she
was shocked. At first she didn't believe us but then she called more
girls over and told them. She said "his parents didn't want
him?" They find it so hard to believe that someone would abandon a
boy, but not a girl. Then they just kept telling us, "lucky boy,
lucky boy". </span><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Then it was off to Summer Palace! It is a
beautiful place. The mountains are breathtaking! Callie was again the
celebrity as people would stop and stare and take pictures and some would just
want to walk up and touch her hair. This has been the first foreigner
that some of the Chinese have seen. It was again very crowded and we were
shocked to see parents stopping right in the middle of the sidewalk where
people were walking and letting their toddler go to the bathroom. We
saw it twice in just that little bit of time. At least one parent held
their child over the storm drain to go. Needless to say it was very
nasty! Noone seemed to be shocked except for us. I guess this is
pretty common here. Ha! As we approached the next storm drain, one of the
guys in the group asked if anyone else needed to go! We all declined!</span><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">We were able to come back to the hotel for about
an hour before we left for our duck dinner. We are all about ready for a
big, juicy hamburger and french fries! Matt has now taken the kids down
to the bowling alley for a little bit while I update everyone on our journey.
I do want to say that today was very moving for us. Some things are very
hard to see, but very necessary for us. We want to experience what
Caleb's homeland is like; the good and the bad. God has a purpose for his
sweet little life and I cannot wait to see it unfold!</span><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Tomorrow we will be going to the Great Wall and
doing some shopping. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers!
We have so enjoyed reading your messages! Have a wonderful evening!</span><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">We love you all!</span><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, & Callie </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObNz4jtgdTsd4IEgrd6VnswmpeNSxWMBYSsSOCFbMIq6VeXC4xS4H7x-gzbt16C_hyXNkOSQFi1bghWpeuCHCiApksEJFhtSuDjNPY_nTRM6t5fDw39OjPjPwGRP-u7qgiewsRUEW_7A/s1600/1972311_740747032643270_1110324799600858250_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhObNz4jtgdTsd4IEgrd6VnswmpeNSxWMBYSsSOCFbMIq6VeXC4xS4H7x-gzbt16C_hyXNkOSQFi1bghWpeuCHCiApksEJFhtSuDjNPY_nTRM6t5fDw39OjPjPwGRP-u7qgiewsRUEW_7A/s1600/1972311_740747032643270_1110324799600858250_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben & Callie overlooking Summer Palace</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUDZW7VF9Rv5arPUEkz594Pi8OleICAtmfiH81uAe9gil7CI8yG4Nv3EIS4WLi7_8lYgIws16uM9OmihPc1eJpvkCks8zJyfL_0n8Q37vtMJfyIHPWzRlzEbBKFmQs-DcCjBcB_9yfcI/s1600/10245376_740746829309957_1790283753735806735_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcUDZW7VF9Rv5arPUEkz594Pi8OleICAtmfiH81uAe9gil7CI8yG4Nv3EIS4WLi7_8lYgIws16uM9OmihPc1eJpvkCks8zJyfL_0n8Q37vtMJfyIHPWzRlzEbBKFmQs-DcCjBcB_9yfcI/s1600/10245376_740746829309957_1790283753735806735_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">International Church Service</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_L3484JaWaKBokI_SPnLuopAf8H__WOG73Vz-lLTUpwHPojRnd32tNpzcu1fBp2pyoCEo68LBAbwZR7mAfMk9gP8vrT96otWEwJ4IZDhNjAHbKVJcHdWWGr5Uet2nXFT9Sc8OmtvSho/s1600/10250210_740747005976606_1378063081692845750_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_L3484JaWaKBokI_SPnLuopAf8H__WOG73Vz-lLTUpwHPojRnd32tNpzcu1fBp2pyoCEo68LBAbwZR7mAfMk9gP8vrT96otWEwJ4IZDhNjAHbKVJcHdWWGr5Uet2nXFT9Sc8OmtvSho/s1600/10250210_740747005976606_1378063081692845750_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having Callie's pearl necklace made!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJPf-uKMvuC7IVX6r4StDx7EOV7KJO1gVAzTvkVys5dZKzt4uMG8eaEZyfd8usXrxnhGJjdBezpgzK1CQO39YVIvA6KKyIDD_Wt2BBWoKeP1ZRKuNMn0rIqae9U1EIW01aW-tuOUg6Kk/s1600/10311228_740746909309949_5595669421493760105_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJPf-uKMvuC7IVX6r4StDx7EOV7KJO1gVAzTvkVys5dZKzt4uMG8eaEZyfd8usXrxnhGJjdBezpgzK1CQO39YVIvA6KKyIDD_Wt2BBWoKeP1ZRKuNMn0rIqae9U1EIW01aW-tuOUg6Kk/s1600/10311228_740746909309949_5595669421493760105_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lesson at the Pearl Factory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqlhuPKnY2v8Vb5gB8gMPWst2SiYyDuHurBZsHterwY-E3JwoKCLxMxJQ-tZD1qpLnwKbTeahSuPb-cWI6mUSWQJ1xSwoqb4CuS0Lr484hOAJF6h3aGX6RlnYAUPI468oqn1vXah5SLg/s1600/10313367_740746869309953_3304908623951733183_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqlhuPKnY2v8Vb5gB8gMPWst2SiYyDuHurBZsHterwY-E3JwoKCLxMxJQ-tZD1qpLnwKbTeahSuPb-cWI6mUSWQJ1xSwoqb4CuS0Lr484hOAJF6h3aGX6RlnYAUPI468oqn1vXah5SLg/s1600/10313367_740746869309953_3304908623951733183_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer Palace</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our hotel in Beijing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2FJdz4zUITi2jsdWjkT9M2tXtxGsQRbzzlpmeBTS0_7ggDI8hcb3ep7LPKqLSc6O8EBYN3U1OBtcZYWn9pW6G5c04hqhyphenhyphenIBIBFeIPnaeO-RPTb1olkWUhMTOaUyPZe8_J_6AUm0XuIU/s1600/10345987_740746779309962_6771101059176581621_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2FJdz4zUITi2jsdWjkT9M2tXtxGsQRbzzlpmeBTS0_7ggDI8hcb3ep7LPKqLSc6O8EBYN3U1OBtcZYWn9pW6G5c04hqhyphenhyphenIBIBFeIPnaeO-RPTb1olkWUhMTOaUyPZe8_J_6AUm0XuIU/s1600/10345987_740746779309962_6771101059176581621_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaahhhh....Starbucks! :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvlOUWZNCUBzt_UAtGP2gf40oheG6AQPSJK6rd7EGnXM7Qy3HgVhNWPFb2LLuG3Ac1PMFsMiyjD-HO1hFxjse9Bq770v7X3QDWj8oAzWb6r-xWUukuO4n65aPCB33OMzoMm_YD2jNjzw/s1600/14864_740746842643289_5108683249316386512_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvlOUWZNCUBzt_UAtGP2gf40oheG6AQPSJK6rd7EGnXM7Qy3HgVhNWPFb2LLuG3Ac1PMFsMiyjD-HO1hFxjse9Bq770v7X3QDWj8oAzWb6r-xWUukuO4n65aPCB33OMzoMm_YD2jNjzw/s1600/14864_740746842643289_5108683249316386512_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site of the water sports for the 2008 Olympics</td></tr>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-73591143693384357402017-05-05T06:30:00.000-04:002017-05-05T06:56:48.739-04:00Our Journey to Caleb 2007 - Day 3<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Continuing our walk down memory lane through
China. Here is our journal entry from May 5, 2007, as we toured Beijing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Where do I even begin about our day today? I
guess with breakfast. The breakfast buffet opened at 6:30 and we were there at
6:30. As we walked in the door, we noticed that we were the only non-Chinese in
the restaurant. We got a few looks, to say the least. There were a lot of
"different" things on the menu but we did find things we could eat.
After breakfast, we walked around the hotel and checked things out. There is a
bowling alley, billiards room, swimming pool and spa! You can get a pedicure
for about $7. That is a bargain! We also found the gift shop and got us a
Pepsi! It is no Dr. Pepper, but it was great! I have a picture of Ben drinking
the Chinese Pepsi (tastes the same).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We met our group at 9:00 and boarded the bus for
our big day out. Callie was glad that 2 other little girls were here. Maggie is
5 and she was adopted from China and is here to adopt her baby sister and Macy
is 4 and is here to adopt her baby sister. The girls became instant friends!
Rosa gave us instructions on the bus about some of the things we would see and
what we should and should not do. As we exited the bus, we were awed at some of
the things we saw. I had no problem with my kids wandering off. There were
beggers all over the street, street vendors, and people galore. It is a holiday
in China so there were close to 17,000 people in Tiananmen Square. Probably the
hardest thing I have ever seen is the little boy, about 10 years old, wheeling
himself around on a board with wheels, because his feet had so many open wounds
and were swollen like footballs, begging for money. If that doesn't tell you
the conditions here I don't know what will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We walked around Tiananmen Square and Callie and
Macy became celebrities. Because of their blonde hair, people were coming up
wanting their pictures with them. They were calling them "angels".
They believe this brings them good luck. It was a little humorous! We had heard
this would happen so we were prepared with hands on our daughters. Then, Ben
had girls wanting their pictures with him! He's the man! We then walked around
the Forbidden City, it is huge! Ben got a little concerned because of all the
beggers but finally realized just to ignore them. Of course, we did at some
point have to use the restrooms and got the experience of the "sqatty
potty". You will see pictures! That is interesting. After the Forbidden
City, Rosa told us that we were going to have lunch at a local family's home.
Well needless to say, that concerned us all a little. But I have to admit, that
was one of the most moving times of the whole day. We all got on Rickshaws and
headed through the Hutong Disrict of China which is a very poor, crowded place
and I have to say, I should never complain about traffic in Wilmington again.
There are rickshaws, bikes, cars, buses, and walkers, and it is a
"free-for-all". We took the rickshaw back in what looks like an alley
that you shouldn't go down, and we stopped at a family's house. We walked in
and they sat us around two tables with little plastic stools. They were so nice
and that was some of the best food we have had! They explained their culture
and how they live. They are considered "rich" because they have a
little upstairs to their house. It is very tiny but nice. Our guide for this
tour told us about the "one child policy" in China that started in
1979. Now it has been changed to one or two children, but most will not do that
because it costs too much just for one child. The government only gives
families 1,000 yuan to have a child. That is why there are so many orphans in
China. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">After lunch, we boarded the rickshaws again and
were hounded by the street vendors. They are persistant! We took a tour of the
Hutong area and then ended up at the only Deaf Kindergarten in Beijing. Because
of the holiday right now, there were not many kids there. These kids live here
and have been given the hearing aid and are learning to talk. One of the little
girls came and said a poem for us. She is 8 years old and precious! That ended
our tour and we headed back to the bus. Rosa told us that this is not usually
in the tour for AWAA but because of the holiday, we are here longer than normal
and they added this for us. I am so glad they did! This was so awesome to see
how this country really lives. It is definitely a different way of life. The
atmosphere here is smoggy, very dirty, and smelly! My heart was deeply touched
today. I can tell you that I am so proud to be an American. I am glad to know
that Caleb will never be a little boy rolling around on a board begging for
money. I thank God that he called us! Pray for these people. It is a lost
nation and so in need of a Savior.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We will post more of our day on another page
because we can only add 20 pictures per page and we have a lot! It has been an
amazing day, and all four of us have been touched in a deep way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">(Part 2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We just got back from dinner! That was
interesting too! On the menu: rabbit, duck, fish, beef, chicken, pineapple
rice, mussel soup and white rice. Glad I wasn't too hungry. Of course, Ben and
Matt tried it all! There was some Chinese dancing that was pretty nice but we
are all extremely tired and ready for bed! We did get our bags back tonight!
Praise the Lord! Caleb's clothes have been found! Tomorrow we are going to the
International church service and Summer palace and the Pearl Factory. We found
the Starbucks!!!!!! It is only 2 blocks over so we will be visiting that tomorrow!
We also saw the KFC, Pizza Hut, and McDonalds. I don't know if we will make it
there. It truly has been a wonderful time so far. We are exhausted, but I
wouldn't trade a minute of what we have experienced. This is Caleb's homeland.
I want to soak it all in! I have posted the rest of the pictures of today and
look forward to posting more tomorrow! Thanks for all the encouragement back
home! It means so much to us so please keep it coming! We love and miss you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Good night from Beijing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, & Callie</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UFaqPKSVrJlixQXK7yYKKUfa8_bA05d3DEZkMWLG1QKWlgGvXItdMuqodoM4vn8Yzw4r2F3Jn_Ev7_TlTSpCo-OrjummGA_7UjFIO3khAxVHdV3kL-zaF-bh9EbRV5XkyTIMDl7SvRk/s1600/1979863_740147956036511_1797472936171383993_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UFaqPKSVrJlixQXK7yYKKUfa8_bA05d3DEZkMWLG1QKWlgGvXItdMuqodoM4vn8Yzw4r2F3Jn_Ev7_TlTSpCo-OrjummGA_7UjFIO3khAxVHdV3kL-zaF-bh9EbRV5XkyTIMDl7SvRk/s1600/1979863_740147956036511_1797472936171383993_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sight seeing in Beijing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf937I_vuyoAymPbusFMYszD-sDaZtTgxOyj-c4m7INTny32Wd5M7mlTAPf7_5FH_pNEeZH8ixFa2JT2I2BYnkA1AEHOMc9GmZRkKOp5RqEVWvh_Qse9CgJbUEyNylGty4BC6t5RggkA/s1600/10294493_740147502703223_612343665773081566_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf937I_vuyoAymPbusFMYszD-sDaZtTgxOyj-c4m7INTny32Wd5M7mlTAPf7_5FH_pNEeZH8ixFa2JT2I2BYnkA1AEHOMc9GmZRkKOp5RqEVWvh_Qse9CgJbUEyNylGty4BC6t5RggkA/s1600/10294493_740147502703223_612343665773081566_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlm74PAuu8wxulP31fcDQ9X4SzO0_CMDbt5M_TxCT0A7-94zU37fhSD8XuAw63FnKJoVzaHm5h8h-xGM8tG_kRh2JPFxqmL0vsDY9uWRjfUDZiL6mqjj81gyn_8IJ-cn6XKGcLc2kqFHQ/s1600/10177994_740147809369859_1846962568264403518_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlm74PAuu8wxulP31fcDQ9X4SzO0_CMDbt5M_TxCT0A7-94zU37fhSD8XuAw63FnKJoVzaHm5h8h-xGM8tG_kRh2JPFxqmL0vsDY9uWRjfUDZiL6mqjj81gyn_8IJ-cn6XKGcLc2kqFHQ/s1600/10177994_740147809369859_1846962568264403518_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our guides, Maggie and Rosa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsHLlgpMaMgFHPq-rET6vfWIqllQguMKzYCWnBosEatXda2_Q6SiW7Q0-Q-ujQuCN1K6fJiQ74lw3mZ17dHRQmDxtX_f3QeXAQO_nyz4vZSeJNOS1G0xDZXcmXBmWdzdYe9XMTsIs7Dw/s1600/1620964_740148009369839_110435244741941040_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsHLlgpMaMgFHPq-rET6vfWIqllQguMKzYCWnBosEatXda2_Q6SiW7Q0-Q-ujQuCN1K6fJiQ74lw3mZ17dHRQmDxtX_f3QeXAQO_nyz4vZSeJNOS1G0xDZXcmXBmWdzdYe9XMTsIs7Dw/s1600/1620964_740148009369839_110435244741941040_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tour of the Hutong District</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX38K6AlSLhz3I9owEdbayoCRIIXo2rXiR3Kh_CSMiyKtrnLobEppMd0-rN7zyWke1od_DU5QHwTOLMHykjgL37zXIfgpTUTnAizfmSU0-fzacxY7XUjd5hMdoRSKLXAsUPm0Ojp3xeTA/s1600/10154490_740147902703183_7646441930933227620_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX38K6AlSLhz3I9owEdbayoCRIIXo2rXiR3Kh_CSMiyKtrnLobEppMd0-rN7zyWke1od_DU5QHwTOLMHykjgL37zXIfgpTUTnAizfmSU0-fzacxY7XUjd5hMdoRSKLXAsUPm0Ojp3xeTA/s1600/10154490_740147902703183_7646441930933227620_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "squatty potty" </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oer-0QCw97rbvqGNucoP-5muQSGhFD5KZNAWO96olR7U-dKj-CRscUYs8GjABM8IUi6qbwzRoiCnNHwzJ3aeKQsQMq6qTTjB8hrwWwJIGFFmjcv41PStWKPdfQ6V24fR1_P6q3eybw0/s1600/10176055_740147692703204_5557874570648041819_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oer-0QCw97rbvqGNucoP-5muQSGhFD5KZNAWO96olR7U-dKj-CRscUYs8GjABM8IUi6qbwzRoiCnNHwzJ3aeKQsQMq6qTTjB8hrwWwJIGFFmjcv41PStWKPdfQ6V24fR1_P6q3eybw0/s1600/10176055_740147692703204_5557874570648041819_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little celebrity! lol!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our China Family</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese Pepsi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsvB7aEWLrYtA7lBQyyrlisUhTJeGMw_RnD8OciD8xWiQO3DWkNVWjhwxm_Y6BLdptiyKQb5u8rhwpK2RNI2BppfTd-P3oajMIxO-eTpiCQRYZ8qas0EjlK_wociGv0hAyyY-7g34jEI/s1600/10309343_740147886036518_1685805500263180566_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsvB7aEWLrYtA7lBQyyrlisUhTJeGMw_RnD8OciD8xWiQO3DWkNVWjhwxm_Y6BLdptiyKQb5u8rhwpK2RNI2BppfTd-P3oajMIxO-eTpiCQRYZ8qas0EjlK_wociGv0hAyyY-7g34jEI/s1600/10309343_740147886036518_1685805500263180566_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rickshaw rides</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maggie, Macy & Callie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUIaEFlSM2X6gXhpqZUzG0PKrbngoMnRGjaxEI1lXv9uXjxx4-xXfRrDuHBaC-2VygLx_M5XpMb9yZudQB48KRrPk4HXMzbxcJCIfhR4FmQnNnX_HXUZcqFDfK6IJFwVQsvDZqYKGkJY/s1600/10247466_740148116036495_6133535604059908040_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUIaEFlSM2X6gXhpqZUzG0PKrbngoMnRGjaxEI1lXv9uXjxx4-xXfRrDuHBaC-2VygLx_M5XpMb9yZudQB48KRrPk4HXMzbxcJCIfhR4FmQnNnX_HXUZcqFDfK6IJFwVQsvDZqYKGkJY/s1600/10247466_740148116036495_6133535604059908040_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Precious girl at the Deaf Kindergarten</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaH6SjBWh8FjF-axdjslt-PZ7Ck-LsjVFFUmMXUkQzBc45VJDzf6IlZ6KRgaKBVG_BvrMeQrYC_ApOYVywfA0hUrCnENRnhgklDv6PV3o72bjxI6buRGU9N_cj6MXds4zCnrxUcsBjwqM/s1600/10174854_740148096036497_7269278306271599431_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaH6SjBWh8FjF-axdjslt-PZ7Ck-LsjVFFUmMXUkQzBc45VJDzf6IlZ6KRgaKBVG_BvrMeQrYC_ApOYVywfA0hUrCnENRnhgklDv6PV3o72bjxI6buRGU9N_cj6MXds4zCnrxUcsBjwqM/s1600/10174854_740148096036497_7269278306271599431_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deaf Kindergarten</td></tr>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-52026717257406045072017-05-04T06:44:00.002-04:002017-05-04T06:49:56.796-04:00Reflecting in the Wait....<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was my journal from March 19, 2007, just a month and a half away from traveling to China to bring Caleb home. </span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><a href="https://youtu.be/1bj-rlGcj8M" target="_blank">Song by Tommy Walker, "He Knows My Name"</a></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their
strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint."</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Isaiah 40:31</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></b><b><o:p><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> </b><b>"Wait"....a verb I have become very familiar with
over the last 15 months. As adopting families know all too well, you
prepare and prepare and then you WAIT! Sometimes that waiting is painful
but through the wait, God so sweetly whispers his promises in our ears.
Promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deut. 31:6), promises that
when we can't pray for ourselves, our Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf
(Rom. 8:26). That is where I have been. Though this wait has not
been the most pleasant thing I have encountered, God has taught me so much and
He has been preparing me and my family for the glorious reward at the
end. I wanted to take some time to share my thoughts with those willing
to listen and I pray that through our family's experience in what God has been
teaching us, we can be a light of his goodness and mercy in your life. I
hope you will follow along:</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well today was a great day! At 4:10, right after we
returned home from school, we got the call that our referral acceptance letter
came in today! We are now one document away from going to China!
Praise the Lord! After me and the kids, and of course Louie our dog,
finished doing the "happy dance" we were able to make phone
calls with our good news! I feel that we are rounding the bases and
homeplate is in sight. What a journey this has been! First, I want
to say what an awesome God we serve! I can't bear to think of what
blessings we would have missed out on if we would not have answered the call to
adopt. Even though we don't have our precious son yet, God has so deeply
touched our lives and we will never be the same. Sure, this journey has
been one big roller coaster, and anyone who knows me well, can attest to the
fact that I am not a fan of roller coasters. However, on this roller
coaster, God's hand has guided me through every loop, turn, and dip only to
bring us to the final stretch and only by the grace of God have
I held it together. What an awesome God!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My heart if so full of anticipation right now just
thinking of our precious son waiting in China for us. The
Chinese government has labeled Caleb an orphan. And by their
standards, he is. But God has known his sweet name even before time
began. He formed him and predestined him to be a part of our
family. I awoke last week with Caleb's sweet face in my thoughts and
the words of the song, "He Knows My Name". He never has been
without a name. God knew and has revealed it to us! I think of the
woman who gave him life and abandoned him at the gate of a children's hospital
in hopes he would be found and have the chance of a better life. I think
of Jesus holding this innocent child until a person found him and brought
him into safety where he now awaits his family from Burgaw, NC to come get him
and take him home. Not too much longer my sweet boy!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Over the last three months I have closely followed three very
dear families in their journey to China to bring their daughters home. To
see God work in these families and these children makes me want to shout
"Hallelujah!" I'm sure I have a time or two if you ask my
kids! God is at work! These children are removed from the
orphanages into the arms of their "forever families" and have made
drastic improvements so fast. What confirmation that we are on the path
God laid before us. But most importantly, these precious souls are in
godly, Christian homes, with parents that love the Lord and are following the
commandment given to them in <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Duet. 6:5-9,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your
hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit
at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get
up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your
foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your
gates."<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh, glory to God! These children are hearing the most
important message ever! If that doesn't make you want to get up and
shout, I don't know what will! God is so good!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There have been so many people that have played an intricate
part of his little life. People that we may never, on this side of
eternity, know of, but God so beautifully orchestrated every piece of this
precious life and proves to me that adoption is truly a miracle! I have
been so blessed in my life. God has allowed me to be married to a man
that loves the Lord with all his heart and is so faithful and loving to his
family. He is my best friend and every day our love grows sweeter.
I am honored to be called his wife! God has also blessed me with two
spectacular children. Benjamin is a loving, tender-hearted boy who loves
people and is ready to follow God's leading in his life. Callie is very
nurturing and full of life. She is a joy to be around. Each one of
us has a beautifully colored thread that God has woven together into a
tapestry for his glory. I can't wait to see how Caleb's thread will be
woven into the tapestry of our family to display God's beautiful masterpiece!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now as we take this final stretch of our journey, I want you
to know that we are so honored that God chose us to adopt. That first
step out of our comfort zone was difficult, but just as we took that step, God
carried our feet the rest of the way. Although our journey is not over
yet, I know in my heart that this adoption is not the end for us. God has
shown us the need for these orphans to find their forever families. There
are millions of orphans all over the world just waiting. Does that mean
that we will adopt again? Well, that I don't know, but I do know that I
don't want any family to miss out on this miracle of adoption because of fear
and uncertainty. Fear of the financial, fear of the unknown, uncertain on
how this would impact your family. If we had succumbed to our fear and
uncertainty, Caleb would be in that orphanage without hope of a family.
Pray for these orphans. Pray for the families seeking God's will
regarding adoption. Pray for the orphanage workers taking care of these
precious children. Pray that God will remove any fear from those ready to
take that next step. God is bigger than any fear! He sent his
only Son, Jesus, to die for us! He sacrificed so much to adopt us into
his family. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"In
love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in
accordance with his pleasure and will." Eph. 1:5<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God bless you for taking time to read my thoughts!
I know they are long and believe me I could go on for hours about the many things
God has shown me through this but I will finish up. I ask you now to bow
your head and pray for Caleb. In just a matter of weeks, he will be
removed from the only life he has ever known and it will be a little
frightening for him. Pray that God will saturate him with peace and
that he will know that he is loved. Pray that God will prepare his
little heart for our family! I appreciate so many of you and your
encouragement of our family during this time. Please lift us up
daily! We are blessed to have you take part in this miracle with us and
we are so excited to become a family of five! We love you all very much!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Praising my Lord!</b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Allison</i>đ</span></b><span style="font-family: "cambria";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-59226382803455467592017-05-03T06:30:00.000-04:002017-05-03T06:29:21.117-04:00Walking Down Memory Lane Through China 2007 - Days 1 & 2<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Ten years
ago today our family of 4 boarded a plane for China to bring our Caleb
home! Here is the first post of our 16-day adventure in China as we experienced
the miracle of adoption. I hope you enjoy the journey as we travel down memory
lane over the next several days!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #2a313d;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<u><span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Day 1 - We Have Lift Off! ~ May 3 & 4, 2007<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We finally made it! We just checked in our hotel
and we are doing great, just a little tired! We started the day at 8:00 am
Thursday at the RDU airport and it is now 4:45 am Friday morning US time (4:45
pm China time). We are glad to report that the flights were smooth and
uneventful, just the way we like them. The kids did great! They are real
troopers. There is nothing like being suspended in the air for 14 hours! The
flight was packed. About half of the people were Chinese and the other half
were adopting families! They fed us lots of food and had some movies playing,
none that we were interested in. The kids thought the little bathrooms were
neat and we got up and walked around a lot ( no blood clots, Mom). A couple of
times it seemed like a party, everyone looking out the windows and talking to
each other. It really did go by fast. The highlight of the flight was going
over the North Pole! That was cool and we have some pictures of that. We looked
hard for Santa but he was nowhere in sight! The flight took us up over the
North Pole, Siberia and Russia and on into Beijing. After being up for 23 hours
now, I still have not seen nighttime, how weird is that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Two of our bags did not make the flight so
hopefully they will be here tomorrow. Please pray that they make it soon. One
of the bags is Caleb's and the other had some extra clothes in it. It took a
while in lost and found filling out paperwork but our guide, Rosa, says she
will take care of it. We are confident that God knows where they are and we will
have them soon! We are going to take it easy and get lots of rest tonight and
then we have a full day tomorrow; Tianamen Square, Forbidden city & Summer
Palace. We will have a blast! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Thanks for all your prayers so far. We are so
excited to be here. As we landed in Beijing, my heart leaped for joy just
knowing we are in Caleb's homeland! Only a few more days till he is ours
forever! God is so good to get us to this point and everyone is safe and
healthy! Please keep up the prayers and we will keep you updated!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">We love you all! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Matt, Allison, Ben, & Callie</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div>
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<span style="color: #2a313d;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59AvKmER9S2IiyyVe9NNIGbcLRBVE6GyxYLdlGpWDRTiYuYIOHGC1DFbN_hpZ5BLULZ8hG07e9ErBJC6xmJ1ziYJLh8_lYI13SuWY_FSQU9sloKztXaf8T3Zv6PkQHcCOHXjylmTukkw/s1600/1506854_739519056099401_8175535022038791249_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59AvKmER9S2IiyyVe9NNIGbcLRBVE6GyxYLdlGpWDRTiYuYIOHGC1DFbN_hpZ5BLULZ8hG07e9ErBJC6xmJ1ziYJLh8_lYI13SuWY_FSQU9sloKztXaf8T3Zv6PkQHcCOHXjylmTukkw/s1600/1506854_739519056099401_8175535022038791249_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving USA...next stop - CHINA!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a jet plane!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying over the North Pole</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben riding in the cab on the way to the hotel in Beijing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callie posing for a quick picture at the hotel</td></tr>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-48662150079770309252017-04-25T06:57:00.004-04:002017-04-25T06:57:54.998-04:00Finding Romance and Joy in the Everyday of Marriage!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJS3o0_A68izGbIwXJ5GZr6D8rgpytZKDzS9Spqz9bDxdqdaw5Kq_X5FWuDdwGPuVmTeRtb1D8u_cd_oyfw1dEJSfvwQEpjEf4QMylP7CLJdThZ9UjUoelscZDIAzued4GAH40KyTT5jU/s1600/18157815_1492945110756788_730775159049332403_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJS3o0_A68izGbIwXJ5GZr6D8rgpytZKDzS9Spqz9bDxdqdaw5Kq_X5FWuDdwGPuVmTeRtb1D8u_cd_oyfw1dEJSfvwQEpjEf4QMylP7CLJdThZ9UjUoelscZDIAzued4GAH40KyTT5jU/s320/18157815_1492945110756788_730775159049332403_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I stood at the front door one night and my
teen-age daughter burst into laughter as I started clapping and squealing with
excitement when I saw my husband pull in the driveway from work! Lol! Yes, I
still get butterflies every time I see that man of mine and I also love
embarrassing my children! Haha! It was another good opportunity to show my
daughter what true love really is and not just what is portrayed on television
love stories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is real life. Finding romance and joy in the
everyday....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After 25 years of marriage Matt and I still
cherish every second of our time together! Would we love regular date nights
with a quiet dinner and moonlit walk? ABSOLUTELY! But with 2 busy jobs (one
that takes him out of the country quite a bit), 3 children, and all the
responsibilities of housework, bill paying and other grown-up responsibilities
...we don't always get THOSE dates. Lol! We have learned to get creative in our
dating and keep that romantic spark! </span><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One afternoon we spent a romantic date at our
local grocery store, shopping together up and down the aisles for our family as
we sipped our peppermint white chocolate mochas that we purchased from the
McDonald's drive-thru.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now if that doesn't say "love and
romance" than I don't know what does! Haha! </span><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In all honesty, it doesn't matter what we are
doing. It can be the hurried moments where we high-five each other for making
it through another day of life together or it can also be the spontaneous
moments of a slow dance in the kitchen as we block out the world around us.
Spending time with my amazing husband of over 25 years still brings a smile to
my face and warmth to my heart. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">True love isn't always roses, candlelit dinners,
or romantic kisses with soft music playing in the background. It isn't always
played out like a Hollywood romance on the big screen with a huge dramatic
ending that leaves you feeling all nostalgic and teary-eyed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">True love is sticking together through the real
life everyday moments that are often messy and unromantic, thorns and all, with
dinners that frequently come from the drive-thru and the only music playing as
you finally get a moment to steal a kiss is the sound of a child yelling,
"gross". True love is extending grace and forgiveness through
disappointments, holding hands as you read scripture together and pray for
guidance to navigate parenting and life, encouraging each other through the
daily routine that can be daunting at times, seeing true beauty even through
expanding waistlines, receding hairlines, & wrinkled faces and recognizing
each other as masterpieces from God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">True love is going through over 25 years of
marriage contained of victories and heartaches and realizing that if you had it
to do all over again...you wouldn't change a thing! </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
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<span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "System Font"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "System Font"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thank you, precious Lord, for the gift of my
husband and the blessing of our marriage! We may not have it all together but
our love is true...and it's real...and centered on YOU! All glory and honor are
YOURS! </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-27209541691837810192017-04-23T07:54:00.000-04:002017-04-23T07:54:08.190-04:00A Thankful Heart and a Sweet Soul!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiH6_lbF8K7dKKMiO1u54S119b72FXR5uKsZamWd6KEUkjiSi5uekbSH2hDPg0tIWf8l1o4Tw0F3YUWlK3LnZT_JWjasVfiU0Kyb1Fr9IIDcaq14fE8FncwgYrxebNo2vmHOc6NqgrVs/s1600/IMG_9082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiH6_lbF8K7dKKMiO1u54S119b72FXR5uKsZamWd6KEUkjiSi5uekbSH2hDPg0tIWf8l1o4Tw0F3YUWlK3LnZT_JWjasVfiU0Kyb1Fr9IIDcaq14fE8FncwgYrxebNo2vmHOc6NqgrVs/s200/IMG_9082.JPG" width="143" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I walked into that little pharmacy the
other day where I have frequented every 3-4 weeks for the past six years.
Instead of making a purchase for medication this visit, I carried a bag with a
card and just a small token of my sincerest appreciation for the kind soul that
has walked a journey with our family for these six years...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">God has called me to look back over the
last few weeks. To look back on a year that was full of turning points in our
family. A year that tested our faith and sent us into the unknown in many
areas. A year where trust in God was realized with hearts of utter abandon. A
year that will always be etched with markers of spiritual growth out of the
hard places. I'm thankful God reminds us of those places. Because, for me, the
memory puts on display the picture of faithfulness and steadfastness in a God
that loves and carries His children. Remembering where we were spurs us on to
continue walking the path God has laid out for us, no matter how rough the
terrain can be at times. God is so good!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Six years ago, when the doctors at
Chapel Hill informed us, after years of monitoring lab work, ultrasounds, and
biopsies, that Caleb was at a point where medication was needed; we began a
search for a local pharmacy that could actually get this medication and to see
if insurance would cover it. I called all over town and it wasn't available
anywhere until one phone call with a sweet angel turned out to be the beginning
of a journey together. This sweet angel made sure Caleb's meds were here every
3-4 weeks and went through countless insurance battles with us and our doctor. And
just over a year on this medication, Caleb had no indications of the medical
condition he was born with. The medication was doing the job and the doctors
were astounded and pleased so we trekked on in praise to God! Then just three
weeks ago our final insurance appeal was rejected for one form of the
medication with new specialty pharmacy regulations in place and we were again
at a point of pleading with God over this. Specialty pharmacies we were
demanded to use were having trouble getting this form of med and Caleb still
could not swallow a tablet (after countless hours of prayer, practicing with
Tic-tacs and googling every maneuver possible). So we prayed and worked
tirelessly as the last dose of meds were taken and the tablets were set to be
in the next day. (Right before we left for vacation</span><span style="font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đł</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">).
They came in on the last delivery of the evening at 7:15 and as Caleb went to
take it, we gathered and prayed. He returned to the room with a look of shock
and excitement that he did it! We praised the Lord together as He always comes
through right on time. (Not my time, mind you, because this momma was tired.</span><span style="font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Apple Color Emoji";">đ</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">
Ha!) We have graduated on and he is doing great! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">So the other day I tried to express my
appreciation to this sweet soul who partnered with us for six solid years and
all I could do was cry and say, "Thank you" for all she had done. I
won't be calling her every 3-4 weeks but she will always be a special soul to
our family. To the countless friends that have prayed with us over the years in
this matter, "Thank you" too!! Words could never express our
appreciation for those who have continued to be our prayer partners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">God brings people in our lives for
seasons and she was there as a hopeful light in a scary season in our family
six years ago and continued that same blessing all along the way. We praise God
for her!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">You may never know the impact you may
have on someone else's life. God never crosses our paths with others by
coincidence. We like to call them divine appointments. People may come and go
and some may stay a lifetime, but always pray to show kindness and love to all
and shine the light of Christ wherever you go! Be the blessing!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-24741445151609844662017-03-29T07:05:00.002-04:002017-03-29T07:05:10.261-04:00Sin-ectomy A few days after his 13th birthday, Ben had his tonsils out. Yes, a tonsillectomy! What a big word! I had heard how painful they could be on a child, but the older the child gets , when the surgery is done, the harder the recovery. Poor thing! He could hardly swallow, he was nauseous, and just felt crummy for days. He could hardly eat anything and even lost about 10 pounds in a week. It is so hard, as a parent, to see your child in pain. I wanted to take that pain and make it go away, but at the same time, I knew that was part of the process and to make his overall quality of life much better he would endure some pain. When his doctor came out of the surgery to give us the report, his comment to us was that Benâs tonsils were âmammothâ (enormous, huge, massive). They were some of the largest he had seen on a child. He said his life would be dramatically better now that those âmammoth sizeâ tonsils are out. His breathing would become better and he would have a more peaceful life, physically. What a statement that was! Ben had struggled for 8 years with congestion, breathing difficulties while sleeping, and overall sluggishness because of not sleeping well and then to hear that his quality of life would be dramatically better was wonderful news! Of course, he had to go through many days of pain and discomfort before it got better but we knew there was a light at the end of that tunnel.<br />
<br />
After sitting with Ben during his recovery one night, I decided to go out for a walk. I began to ponder that statement the doctor made with every pound of the pavement;<br />
<br />
âNow that the mammoth size tonsils are out of the way, his quality of life will get better.â<br />
<br />
It made me think of my walk with Christ. There are times in my life when sin gets in the way, it becomes âmammoth sizeâ, and hinders the quality of my Christian life. The very breath of my soul becomes labored when sin gets in the way and there is much unrest. There are times when the Great Physician needs to do a âsin-ectomyâ so that my quality of life in Him can once again be what He designed it to be. This âprocedureâ is often painful and can be uncomfortable but oh so necessary for my overall health. The end result is rest, peace, and breathing the sweet oxygen that permeates to the depths of my soul and gives me life! How sweet it is! I began to praise God and ask Him to reveal to me the sins in my life that need to be removed. Though I knew it could be painful, I wanted to live a clean life that was pleasing to Him and I was willing to let Him cut it out. Forgiveness and mercy are the healing balm applied by our Great Physician to repented sin! Only He can heal our sin-infested souls and make them beautiful for His glory! It is all about Him anyway. Any pain that I endure could not hold a candle to my sin He carried on the cross.<br />
<br />
âHe himself bore our sinsâ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; âby his wounds you have been healed.â<br />
ââ1 Peter⏠â2:24âŹ<br />
<br />
So let's get real and honest before the Lord. What areas of sin in our lives need to be âsurgicallyâ removed? Maybe there are areas of bitterness, selfishness, envy, unforgiveness, bad attitudes, harsh words, grumbling and complaining, or pride. Whatever the sin, it hinders our relationship with God and needs to be removed. I pray that this will be a time of great healing in all our lives so that we will be able to breathe and worship the way God intended. Itâs time for us to dig deep and reveal ourselves wholly to him!<br />
<br />
âRepent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.â<br />
Acts 3:19<br />
<br />
To prepare for the procedure, let's read our âsurgicalâ instructions from Godâs Word, repent and turn away from sin, and allow the Great Physician to do His work in our lives!<br />
<br />
âPurify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.â<br />
ââPsalms⏠â51:7âŹAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-29727599997447754802017-02-07T07:09:00.002-05:002017-02-07T07:09:52.490-05:00Concluding our story...â¤Concluding our story...â¤<br />
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Can you believe I am finally concluding our story today? Though our story will continue as God has many more things to pen and there is so much life to be lived, I will end this part of our story for you. You are a champ for tagging along. đ<br />
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These last several years of our marriage, God seen us through some other challenges. Especially this last year as He called us to step out in faith and into new beginnings in areas that we had been settled and comfortable for some time. It was definitely one of my hardest years taking on new adventures in a new job and seeing changes in relationships that were so dear to me. But through it all and through my many tears, God carried me. New joys, relationships, blessings, and new mercies! He is a good Father! Though it all, I gained new appreciation and awe of my husband. He loved me so well! There were many days last year that I was difficult to love but he only loved me more. He met me where I was and loved me through every part. Such a beautiful reality of what God designed marriage to be. Loving as He loves and Matt has done that so well. â¤<br />
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Through every hardship that has come up in our marriage over the years, God has been faithful. Did you get that? GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL! Even when we were faithless, God remained faithFUL! Praise HIM! God has been there every step of the way and continually makes something beautiful out of each hardship!<br />
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What we have discovered is that God desires us to be holy more than happy. When we seek holiness from His perfect will, there is a joy unspeakable. Times can be difficulties but peace and joy from our God can remain.<br />
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When you are down on your face and have nowhere else to look but up, you see His grace and mercy in ways that bring peace and healing. I can look back over our 25 years of marriage and, yes, I see those difficult times, but more than that now, I see the beauty that God brings from it. I see how we have fallen in love over and over again. I see the deep faith it has instilled in our marriage and family. I see the incredible strength God gave us and continues to give us. I see how our faith impacts our children and as they continue to grow, our desire is that they follow Jesus and live for HIM only. Most importantly, I see the love of a Father on His precious children and how that deep love changed our lives!<br />
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I have fallen in love with my husband deeper than I ever thought possible over these last 25 years. Our love has expanded even larger than our waistlines. đ When we began our marriage, I used to love the sight of our shoes side-by-side on the floor or our toothbrushes together by the bathroom sink. Twenty-five years later the bottles of our blood pressure pills are side-by-side and I still get a touchy-feely moment of togetherness. Maybe a little different perspective. Lol! đ Its a reminder that we aren't so young and carefree anymore but it definitely shows we've lived a lot of life together. TOGETHER! Together is always better!<br />
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When I said, âI doâ, I never thought I could love him more than at that moment but God has shown me differently. The love grew and took shape into something deeper, more meaningful, just like the love for my God. The more I know my GodâŚtruly know Him, the deeper my love for Him goes.<br />
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Throughout this week, I have shared a brief part of our married life together. This may have been more information than you cared to have heard, but there is so much more than canât fit onto these pages. Most of these treasured moments are written on the delicate places of my heart and will remain. I love the place we are in our marriage. Through the challenges of last year, God brought such a sweetness out of it that is refreshing and full of new hope in life. Our lives are rich and full of love. Our marriage is not perfect but it is OURS! We work hard at it. We show each other grace and forgiveness and we know that through every day as our relationship with God grows, so will our relationship with each other. Itâs all about HIM!<br />
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That is the secret to a great marriageâŚ.God! If you do marriage any other way you will miss out on all the benefits that God makes available to you. God designed marriage and we will continue to give HIM his rightful place in ours. I pray you will do the same in yours. We can't let our guard down. Marriage is special and needs daily protection and safeguards in place to keep it honorable before God. The enemy wants nothing more than to tear marriages apart. But we will bow low before God so we can stand strong before the enemy! It is worth it!<br />
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Thanks for taking the journey with me this week! I do wish I was sitting across the table from you at the coffee house sharing this story as we sipped our frothy lattes. But I am so grateful you joined me here. (I was sipping my coffee from my own coffee bar as I was penning these words. đ) Its been a joy to take this walk down memory lane with you. God is so faithful and He continues to amaze me every day! To HIM be ALL glory!<br />
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âLove is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.â<br />
ââ1 Corinthians⏠â13:4-8âŹa<br />
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âBut the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you [setting you on a firm foundation] and will protect and guard you from the evil one.â<br />
ââ2 Thessalonians⏠â3:3⏠â(AMPâŹâŹ)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-86823243036443268012017-02-06T06:47:00.001-05:002017-02-06T06:47:57.334-05:00Around the World and Back Again! Continuing Our Story!<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
Around the world and back again! đ Continuing our storyâŚâŚ</div>
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So now we are about 11 years into our marriage and I was thoroughly enjoying my time as a stay-at-home mom. But when Callie was two and Ben entered school at WCA, I began work at our church preschool to help out with expenses. What a blessing that was! I fell in love with all those sweet students and my coworkers. Callie was in preschool with me and Ben was in 1st grade. It really seemed as though things were smoothly moving along. But as a couple of years went by, Mattâs company was struggling to keep the doors open and we knew he needed to find work. We put our house up for sale, Matt began searching, and within 3 weeks our house sold and Matt began a new job. Wow! Things donât usually work that quickly for us! Lol! Mattâs new job would take him to Lakeland, FL, for about a year and then from there we didnât know where it would lead. There again, we found ourselves at a crossroads of what God would have us to do. We made plans to stay put here in Wilmington and see Matt on the weekends but after flying down there to help him find an apartment, things became a little unsettled. I boarded the plane home from Florida and cried the entire flight. I know the man beside me was ready to get off that plane and away from this lady who snubbed and snotted the entire flight to ILM. I called Matt when I landed, both of us crying, because God made it clear that we should not live apart for those long months. So, when God speaks, we listen and obey! I loaded up Ben and Callie when school was out in May and headed to Lakeland, FL, into a 650 square foot, one-bedroom apartment and began homeschooling. Oh mylanta! That was not in the plans just a few months before. </div>
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That was an intense but beautiful time for us as a family. Ben and Callie had their own little beds and shared the one bedroom. Matt and I would blow up an air mattress every night, roll the couch out of the way, and sleep on the living room floor. Because of our cramped quarters, me early morning quiet time had to be taken in the bathroom. Thank God he met me there! But when you need alone time with Him, you'll find a way! đŹ It wasnât exactly glamorous, but it was home because we were all under one roof. Just as God intended! One of the perks of living in Lakeland, FL, was our close proximity to Orlando. We had season tickets to Disney World and got to visit quite often. We loved that! It was a huge help being away from all our family and friends. We found a great church that just so happened to be in an old mall. It was actually called First Baptist Church at the Mall. I had told Matt many times that you could worship and praise God at the mall, well here was proof! Lol! The first Sunday we visited they sang one of my favorite songs, the preaching was straight from the Word, and as we met the pastor, we knew we had found our place to worship and plug in during this interim. </div>
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So, there we were in a one-bedroom apartment enjoying life as a family of four and then God began to moveâŚ..againâŚ.</div>
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It was during that time that God began working on our hearts about adoption. Nothing about that made sense at the time. It was expensive, we were comfortable with our two children, and we didnât even know where we would end up after Florida. Matt wasn't on board. So I just committed it to prayer and let God handle the rest. And He sure did! </div>
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When God calls you to something, He will see you through it. God had already begun putting the details together and this was a true test of our faith and trust in him. Mattâs job moved us back to Wilmington in December of 2005. The kids and I arrived a few weeks before Matt and got the house set up. When Matt arrived on December 21, he tossed the adoption paperwork across the bed and said he filled out his part now it was my turn. So as we pushed send on the computer to submit the initial application, we looked at each other scared to death and wondered what we were getting ourselves in to. Lol! But the adoption process began! We were in and trusting God BIG!</div>
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I was able to go back to work at the preschool in January and we were enjoying the total dependence on God through it all. The next year and a half we were deep into our "paper pregnancy". I think I gained more weight during this paper pregnancy than the other two biological pregnancies. Mountain upon mountain of paperwork, fingerprints, home studies, and all manner of international adoption details with a hefty price tag. But God put a love in our hearts for a child we didnât even know yet and it was clear we had to move forward to bring our child home. We took a huge step of faith in obedience to God and He put all the details in place!</div>
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(I will not go into all the details of our adoption here, but stay tuned in May for our adoption journey as we celebrate Caleb being home for 10 years!)</div>
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We boarded a big jet plane, all four of us, on May 3, 2007 and were China bound! All the way around the world in the town of Guangzhou, China, we welcomed our precious Caleb into our hearts on May 9, 2007! It was absolutely beautiful and God continues to amaze us with his love and grace today through that experience! Our little family of four wasn't quite complete without our Caleb. Our lives were changed forever! God was continuing to write our story and we all know that He is the Great Author! God is so good and faithful and we give Him all praise and glory!</div>
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Tomorrow I'll conclude our story and share how God has, yet again, taken us through more giant steps of faith this last year. We've reached many milestones in our family over this year and we remain completely surrendered to God and His will! That doesn't guarantee a comfortable life. Sometimes it is downright hard. But it does guarantee a life of growing and drawing closer to His heart. It means realizing the blessings through the hard and seeing God chisel away the rough edges in order to display His masterpiece. A masterpiece that He adores and will be used to further His Kingdom's work. That's where we want to be! He is worth it!! </div>
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So join me tomorrow as we wrap it up! Thanks for following along! â¤</div>
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âTrust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.â</div>
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ââProverbs⏠â3:5-6⏠</div>
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âI am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].â</div>
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ââPHILIPPIANS⏠â1:6⏠â(AMPâŹâŹ)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-65220272933408624242017-02-05T13:24:00.002-05:002017-02-05T13:24:45.543-05:00Not Done Yet..The Story Continues! <div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
Not done yet đ...continuing the story.....</div>
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Well, we did tie the knot on that cold Saturday evening in February and spent the night celebrating with all our family and friends. We left our reception and traveled to our honeymoon in Myrtle Beach. As we checked in the hotel, we were easily spotted as newlyweds when Matt started to sign us in at the check in desk and rice fell out of his hair all over the counter. Lol! </div>
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I was so happy to be Mrs. Matt Jordan and begin our lives together! A couple of days later on February 10th, Matt's birthday, we received a call that my grandfather had passed away suddenly of a heart attack. The news hit me like a ton of bricks. We packed up early on Tuesday morning and headed home to be with our family. After the visitation in Wilmington, we traveled to Virginia for the funeral and burial in the town I was born in. In an instant we went from celebrating together as a family over a new relationship to grieving together in the loss of life.</div>
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As you can see, Matt and I faced many difficulties very early into our marriage. Four months later I received a call from the hospital at 5:30 in the morning that my husband had been in a car accident. Matt had been leaving early in the mornings traveling out of town to work and returning late at night. That particular morning it was raining heavily and his truck lost control and landed in a ditch. Praise the Lord his injuries were minor but walking into the ER seeing your new husband strapped to a backboard covered in mud and blood can do a number on your nerves.</div>
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After that incident, life did calm down a bit and we could really begin to settle into married life. I loved everything about it! I was finishing college and working at the mall. I loved being at the door when Matt would come home from work (which I still do today) and having supper on the table. I loved waking up in the morning and rolling over to see that he was there beside me. I loved how he would open the Bible at night and share devotions with me. I loved hearing my name, Mrs. Jordan, called whenever I was out. I loved going on a date with him only to realize that I would not have to say "goodbye" to him at the end of the date. Everything about married life made me smile and I loved doing life with him. â¤</div>
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Now I know what you are thinking. Did we ever argue? Well, the answer is, "YES"! Of course we did! We were newlyweds. We were two people all the sudden living together bringing our own traditions, selfishness, and habits under one roof so, yes, we had arguments, or "intense moments of fellowship", as I prefer to call them. đ</div>
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Throughout our first five years of marriage, I believe God used the many difficulties and challenges we faced to shape and strengthen our marriage. When we were ready to begin our family but things took a bit longer than anticipated, our marriage was extremely tested. I was still living my dream, and that, in no way, included infertility. But as we all know, God has a plan and His ways are not my ways.</div>
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âFor my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,â declares the Lord.â As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.â</div>
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Isaiah 55:8-9</div>
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Anyone that has walked the road of infertility understands the extreme sadness and difficulty that loom around every corner. It wasnât supposed to be that hard. Doctor visits and medication month after month and still being heartbroken all over again at the sign of another negative pregnancy test. After a couple of years of walking that road, I finally became pregnant! We were beyond excited! I believe I walked on a cloud everywhere I went. That "glow" everyone says you get with pregnancy was a neon fluorescent light around me and I couldn't wait to become a family of three. Unfortunately, that was not meant to happen as a month later I began to show signs of miscarriage and through ultrasound, discovered that our baby's heartbeat had stopped. Matt and I were heartbroken over the loss of our child and facing every day was difficult. The next several months were filled with pain and heartache. Seeing other pregnant bellies and newborn babies were like a punch in the gut and the darkness was almost more than I could bear at times.</div>
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As summer approached, Matt got news that he would be transferring to his office in Garner, NC. This news actually made me very happy. I was ready to move away, begin again, and leave all this heartache behind. That move for us, although temporary, ended up being a time of healing in our marriage and ourselves. Matt and I worked in the same office building and we were together pretty much 24 hours a day. That was an absolute blessing! We were settling into our ânew normalâ and getting actively involved in a new church. God was working and healing!</div>
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Right before Christmas that year, I discovered I was pregnant again! We were shocked and excited! Once we had moved to Garner, I kept rescheduling my doctorâs appointments with the specialist because emotionally I wasnât quite ready to begin the infertility battleground again. But God sent us some amazing news! It was hard to get too excited as my initial blood tests werenât as great as they hoped but with Godâs divine providence and some really incredible doctors, I was able to sustain my pregnancy. My sister, Stephanie was also pregnant and it was fun sharing those pregnancy moments together. But in April of 1996 my sister's sweet baby girl Hannah was born but not with breath in her little lungs and she was ushered to the arms of Jesus. Our family grieved such tremendous loss and the reality that all the love we had for my sweet niece would never be showered on her on this earth. Those were heartbreaking days. Small little white caskets should not even exist. It's too much to bear. </div>
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But God in His great love and grace brought days of joy again. On August 6, 1996, I gave birth to the most beautiful, BIG, baby boy! Ben came into this world at a whopping 10 lbs. and 1 oz. and honestly, the world began to look wonderful again. Skies were bluer; the grass was greener, the sun shined brighter and every detail to life gained more color. Then six months later, new life again when my sister Leslie gave birth to her first son and then again five months after that as my sister, Stephanie, held her new baby boy in her arms. What was once such times of grief, God turned to times of joy in those sweet little lives. </div>
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God brought so much healing in my life through that difficult time and the birth of our first child. I was wife to Matt and now, mom to Ben and nothing could have made me happier. God blessed us immensely and through that time of healing, I began to draw even closer to him.</div>
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âChildren are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.â</div>
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Psalm 127:3</div>
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Over the next eight years of our marriage, lots of things were going on. God was shaping us into a family totally dependent on him. Matt and I faced some financial hardships in Garner and moved back to Wilmington soon after Ben was born. We settled back here and into our new church home and really began focusing on Godâs will in the midst of all the challenges we had faced so far. Ben kept us on our toes, as he was a very active toddler. There were many days, through his toddler years, that I really thought I wouldnât make it through, or he wouldnât. One or the other of us. Lol! But we both grew during that time. I enjoyed my time as a stay at home mom and wife. In 2000, we were blessed with our beautiful baby girl, Callie! We praise the Lord that we didnât have to endure the pain and suffering of infertility again and through her birth God gave us hope that not everything we encountered would be so difficult. She brought us so much joy and her big brother was quite protective of her (and still is đ). Our home was filled with a rambunctious toddler boy and lots of fills and pink with a baby girl. We were blessed indeed! God had transition ioned us from a couple to a family and that brought a whole new set of blessings and challenges.</div>
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âBut as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.â</div>
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Joshua 24:15b</div>
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After Callie was born, we decided that we were complete in our family and we were going to enjoy life as a family of four!</div>
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WellâŚthat was our plan. But God had a different plan for us...đ</div>
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Join me tomorrow as God takes our family on a new journey all the way across the globe!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-8526480557586240792017-02-04T08:31:00.002-05:002017-02-04T08:31:50.950-05:00The BIG Day! <div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And <i>still</i> continuing the storyâŚ</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">.Our BIG day!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The countdown was on to the wedding! There were bridal showers and bridesmaids luncheons and all manner of bridal activity in high gear. Three weeks before our wedding, Matt moved into our new home. What?!?? Our home! It has such a nice ring to it! I also gave up my title as WCAâs Homecoming Queen but was more than excited to replace it with a new title on February 8, 1992âŚ.Mrs. Matt Jordan! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Our BIG day arrived and I was getting married to my Prince Charming! All those childhood memories of playing âweddingâ on the playground were about come to life. This time it was with my real groom and not some elementary boy I suckered into giving up his recess to play pretend groom. Ha! Oh bless them! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We enjoyed a wonderful rehearsal and dinner! The same teacher that made such an impact on my life through my senior year was our wedding coordinator and she did a beautiful job of corralling our very large wedding party into a organized rehearsal. Then we joined our party for dinner by the water and were sung to by Matt's Uncle Ray. We are so blessed with an amazing family! After our dinner, Matt had me at home by 11:00 (my curfew was still in effect right up until I moved out. đ) We talked about our excitement and couldn't believe we had made it to THE day. I remember as we stood in my driveway, hand in hand, reaffirming to each other that divorce was not an option once we were married. We both reiterated that we were in it for the long haul. The good, the bad, and everything in between. Matt gripped my hands that night before we said our vows and said to me, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Right now we decide. It's either going to be forever or forget it."</span></div>
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Forever it is!</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We prayed together and as we hugged our "goodbye" that night, it was surreal knowing that would be the last time he would walk me to my door and then turn to go to his own home. The next night he would carry me over the threshold to "from this day forward...."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Waking up the morning of my wedding day I was âcool as a cucumberâ. I lounged around in my cozies because it was going to be a long wait to see my groom. Our wedding wasnât until 6:00 so I took my time getting ready. We headed to the church that afternoon and the excitement was building. My âcool as a cucumberâ attitude was quickly replaced by the butterflies in my stomach eating away at those cucumbers. đ There were pictures being taken, and details getting finished, and I was just ready to get this show on the road. My groom was waiting! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Finally...the moment arrived! The chimes began signaling it was 6:00! I could not believe I was getting ready to become Mrs. Matt Jordan!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Our wedding was beautiful! It was exactly as I had dreamed! The wedding party was huge and full of those most precious to us! My bridesmaids dressed in stunning purple dresses and the men so dasher in their tuxes. But nothing compared to standing in the back of the church as I heard the bridal march begin, the doors opened, and there he was! My groom was standing at the altar, so handsome in his tux, smiling in anticipation with tears of joy in his eyes, and at that moment nothing else mattered. My dad escorted me down the aisle but I don't remember much of anything because my focus was on getting to Matt, saying, "I do", and beginning our lives together as one in Christ! Our family and friends surrounded us in love and it was an honor to have both of our childhood pastors unite us in marriage that day. Rev. Wall and Pastor Herchenhahn orchestrated </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">a beautiful ceremony. We had my brother and sister-in-law and some dear friends sing during our ceremony and then as Pastor Herchenhahn announced us as husband and wife, my heart was full. We sealed our vows with a kiss! The first kiss as husband and wife! I</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">n the presence of God, </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">we turned to face our family and friends as we were officially announced, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Matthew Jordan. To God be the glory!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> <i>"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Genesis 2:18 (KJV)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We made a covenant together before God that day and, still today, take that covenant very seriously. We've seen marriages crumble all around us. It is a stark reminder of the fallen world we live in and that none of us are immune to sinful and selfish desires. None of us! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We know that our individual focus and attention has to be on Almighty God! It is only then that two people, who have their own selfish ways, can be totally committed to the covenant of marriage. Do we argue and fall short at times? Absolutely! Do we get on each otherâs nerves and act selfishly? You bet! But you see, when we focus our attention on God, we are both looking in the same direction and God can unite our hearts in a way that only HE can. He can take these two selfish people and make something incredible out of them. God's design for marriage is beautiful and holy! Through the good times and the bad times it is a blessing to behold. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am truly honored to be united in holy matrimony with my best friend and love of my life. Many days I feel so unworthy of this incredible blessing. I am blessed that Matt chose me! I am blessed that God crossed our paths that hot summer day in Chick-fil-A! I am continually blessed that God allows us to live this gift of marriage everyday! Our vows were precious then and are still today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What we vowed on February 8, 1992, we will continue as we honor each other and our God....to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>"So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>Matthew 19:6 (NASB)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Join me tomorrow as we go from the wedding to "happily ever after"...</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-12092282444844449152017-02-03T06:37:00.003-05:002017-02-03T06:37:51.260-05:00The BIG Question!!<br />
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So back to the story.....</div>
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My senior year in high school was such a momentous year in a lot of different ways. It was definitely a turning point in my life and a year I will always cherish. Matt and I had been seriously dating now for over eight months and as my senior year was beginning, Matt was completing his last few months at UNCW. We were madly in love and both of us knew that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. A week into my senior year, Matt and I celebrated the one year anniversary of our first date. Matt, with the help of his parents, made me a romantic candlelit dinner down in his family room. I wasn't feeling the greatest that night because I was getting over an illness but I did not want to miss our anniversary celebration. After our dinner, Matt wanted to serve me dessert but I politely declined because I wasn't feeling well. The look on his face showed that he was disappointed so I quickly changed my mind and told him I would love some of his dessert. As he came down the stairs with a tray of delicious looking cheesecake (my favorite!!), I also noticed a small black box intricately arranged between our desserts. Matt got down on his knee and with tears in his eyes expressed his love for me. He slipped that beautiful diamond ring on my finger and asked me to marry him! đ</div>
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Marriage proposals today have become likened to a Hollywood premiere. I've seen my fair share of all mannner of proposals and, shew, they get pretty creative! Each one setting the bar pretty high for the next endearing fella popping the question. But that night, there was no grand setup with a photographer hiding to snap pictures or a flash mob waiting to step out and sing and dance to a love song. It was just a perfect proposal from the most amazing man who was pledging his love for me. It was full of love and romance just between us and our God. As stunned as I was, I immediately said, "yes", knowing that he was the one God had chosen or me! My heart was full and I couldnât wait to spend my life with him!â¤</div>
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We continued our celebration as his parents waited in their back bedroom for us to emerge with the news! Then we rushed to my house to share the news with my family. We were so excited and also very blessed that we had wonderful parents that understood our commitment to each other and supported us every step of the way. And, yes, Matt did ask my dad for my hand in marriage and had the blessing of both sets of our parents before asking me. What a wonderful time that was!</div>
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I'm not going to lie, going to school the next week as a 17-year-old senior and engaged to be married did not receive many warm fuzzies from my teachers. đł And, although my classmates were happy for me, they also did not think we would stay together till our wedding much less 25 years of marriage. Lol! I canât blame them. Nothing about our situation screamed âhappily ever afterâ. It wasnât the ânormâ. Nonetheless, we were happy and focused on getting our diplomas and THEN beginning our lives together. All things in their proper order! đ</div>
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As I said before, my senior year was a turning point in my life. Not just because I was engaged to be married. But because God was doing a work in my life as He was molding and shaping me more into the woman He wanted me to be. I was blessed to grow up at a Christian school where the Bible was not only taught but also urged to live out and prayer was openly practiced. I had decided not to cheer my senior year so I could really focus on my studies. Matt was such a good student whose study habits were rubbing off on me and I really wanted to finish high school with great grades. </div>
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Though I had many teachers who had strong influences on my life, I had one particular teacher who impacted my life in such a tremendous way. Every morning I would enter Ms. Buick's Algebra class and she would spend the first few minutes in a time of devotion in God's Word and prayer. Times were scary as we were right in the midst of the Gulf War. So, being in the Word was the best place she could take her students first thing in the morning. Ms. Buick was bold in teaching the Word! She could really preach a sermon before we opened our books! Kind of made it easier to stomach Algebra! đ</div>
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She didn't sugar coat things or water them down. She told it like it was! She shared with us that surrendering to God and walking in him was the ONLY way that we could live the abundant life that God had promised us in His Word. </div>
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This one particular day I felt the Holy Spirit gripping my heart in such a way that I could not focus on a thing she taught that day. All I could do was pray that this class would hurry up and get over or I was going to bust. After class, I approached Ms. Buick with tears streaming down my face and asked to talk to her. She quickly took me into an unoccupied classroom and I shared with her that something wasn't quite right in my life. I had surrendered my life to Christ when I was six years old but something was off. As she shared with me through God's Word, I realized what I was missing was that intimate relationship with Christ. Yes, He was my Savior but I was too busy "serving" Him instead of really getting to know Him. I went to church every time the doors were open, I attended a Christian school, I worked in children's church, and I lived in a Christian home but I was taking for granted my personal relationship with Christ. My sins were forgiven and I was covered but I was missing out on really getting to know the heart of my Savior. Any relationship needs nurturing and getting to know each other, but I severely lacked in getting to know my Savior and that relationship was strained. Ms. Buick prayed with me that day and I remember her telling me that this day would be one that I would never forget, a day that would be a spiritual marker in my life. She was right! December 3, 1990, I recommitted my life to Christ and began a journey to know Him more. What a beautiful day!</div>
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âHe must increase, but I must decrease.â</div>
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I could hardly wait for the dismissal bell to ring at school that day! I had to share this amazing news with the two most important people in my life, my mom and Matt! I drove to Chick-fil-A and explained my day to Matt and he rejoiced with me and committed that we would grow in Christ together. I cannot tell you what a blessing that was! Then I drove home and shared the news with my mom! She was already in tears as she sat watching old home movies of my granddaddy who had gone to be with Jesus just the year before. My mom hugged me tight and told me she was so proud of me. One of the greatest days of my life and I will never forget it!</div>
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That was the day my true love affair with Jesus really began! As my love for Matt continued to grow, so did our love for God. Our desire was to begin our lives as husband and wife and know Him more, love Him more, and serve Him more!</div>
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âBut seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.â</div>
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Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)</div>
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âLord, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future.â</div>
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Over the next year and a half, we were very busy! Matt graduated from UNCW, left Chick-fil-A and entered the ârat raceâ. I was finishing my senior year with the best grades I had ever had, was honored by being crowned the 1991 WCA Homecoming Queen, graduated from high school and began pursuing an accounting degree at Miller-Motte Business College. Through it all, we were planning our wedding. Wow! There was a lot going on! But the date was set and the countdown began to the day we would become husband and wife! Our engagement was precious as we went through our premarital counseling and began putting together the foundation that would become the Jordan home. Looking back now, that year before the wedding was a whirlwind of activity! </div>
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But the day finally came! â¤</div>
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âI am my belovedâs, and my beloved is mine.â</div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To be continued....đ</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-79797230730883029352017-02-02T06:53:00.001-05:002017-02-02T06:53:39.307-05:00Once Upon A Time....<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
Today, I begin our story. If you didnât read my post from yesterday this makes absolutely no sense to you. You can go back and catch up if you like. But if you want to just jump right in...come on!</div>
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In honor of our upcoming 25th wedding anniversary, I am going to share our story. A love story that spans over a quarter of a century and shares all the growing and learning in our marriage. Some things will be boring for you, some things will sound vaguely familiar, and some things, I pray, will inspire you to know that marriage is a huge blessing in spite of our human selves. This is our journey of 25 years of walking this blessing, making mistakes along the way, but praising God that we get to walk it together.</div>
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So, if youâre ready, grab your cup of coffee and join me for a walk down memory lane!</div>
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Once upon a time.......JUST KIDDING!</div>
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Seriously, here is how it all began....</div>
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From the time I was a young girl I couldn't wait to grow up, meet Prince Charming, get married, have kids, and live happily ever after. You know, the whole Cinderella fairy tale right? I guess I wasn't a whole lot different from other girls my age. That was the dream! My friends and I used to play wedding on the playground in elementary school and would find some poor little boys in our class to stand in as our grooms. Oh, those crazy elementary years and poor unsuspecting souls. Bless!</div>
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Well, my dream did come true and I am happy to say that I am still living my dream with my Prince Charming complete with a castle in Pender County. Okay, it's really just a regular old house but it's our "castle" nonetheless. đThough things weren't always a storybook tale, they were indeed part of our story so I guess I will start at the beginning. That hot summer day at Independence Mall when I met my prince!</div>
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Soon after I turned 16, it was time to find my first job. On July 21, 1989, I began working for a little company you may have heard of....Chick-fil-A. Lol! It was perfect for me. No Sundays and very flexible with my school and cheerleading activities. Two of my sisters had previously worked there and it just became a family thing. I remember walking in that first day nervous that I was entering the workforce. The owner, Mr. Skelton, introduced me to the other employees and I remember, like it was yesterday, this handsome guy standing over the fryer putting in a fresh batch of chicken nuggets. As romantic as this all sounds, I hate to bust the "Cupid bubble" and admit that it was not love at first sight. He was just a nice guy cooking chicken who so happened to be my new manager.</div>
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I loved working at Chick-fil-A! The majority of the staff were teens or college students and a couple of them went to school with me. We had a great time working! Even those long open to close Saturdays were a lot of fun in spite of the crazy lunch hour mall crowd. After working a couple of weeks, Matt and I became pretty good friends. But dating did not really enter our minds because, well, he was six years older than me. Yes, that's correct! I was 16 and he was 22. Now, once you pick your chin up off the floor, I will finish this beautiful story. đ</div>
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One of my close friends (Shelly) noticed how great Matt and I got along and enjoyed being together. She decided to take matters into her own hands by convincing Matt to ask me out. He, of course, was concerned about our age difference but she, so slyly, reminded him that when he was old and gray, I would still be young and beautiful. Ha! I guess that did the trick because he did ask me out! I had dated a couple of guys before Matt but neither fit the standard I had set for dating. Maybe that sounds crazy to you but I didn't want to date a guy that I couldn't see myself married to one day. By that, what I mean is, I looked for certain qualities in a guy before I would date him. First and foremost, was he a believer and follower of Jesus? Yes, I had a long list but those things were important to me and the more I got to know Matt, the more it became evident that he possessed all those qualities. Did I expect perfection? Of course not. I am nowhere near perfect myself. But I looked for someone who was seeking the same things that I was. </div>
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So now came the tough part.....asking my dad if this 22-year-old man could take his 16-year-old daughter out on a date. But I did what any girl scared to ask her daddy would doâŚ. I asked my mom first. đŹ I came home from work all excited to tell my mom about this guy at work who asked me out and she was sharing in my excitement. I told her that he was so nice, funny, good looking, a Christian, with godly parents, and that he even went to a Baptist church. She was smiling cheerily and then I lowered the BOOM. I said,</div>
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"Oh, by the way, he is 22 and will you ask dad for me?"</div>
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The look on my mom's face was priceless! Lol! She, in her âalways-calm mannerâ, said that she would ask him but was probably about to pass out. </div>
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After work that Friday night, my dad agreed to meet Matt and invited him over to the house. So, we enter my home in our greasy uniforms reeking of fried chicken and the house is full of people. My sisters, my brother and their spouses just so happened to be there that night. Huh! Big coincidence? I don't think so. My mom and dad introduced themselves and then took us into the living room. The LIVING ROOM! We never went in there! That place was formal with fancy furniture and just shouted "INTIMIDATION". Anyway, for an hour my dad asked Matt questions as my mom and I sat quietly listening to Matt answer with perfect ease. He was well spoken and confident about what he was going to do with his life and assured my dad that he would be a perfect gentleman to his daughter. Okay, it was finally over and I was waiting for my dad to say "no", but my dad shook Matt's hand and told us to have a good time on our date.</div>
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What?!?!?!? He said, "YES"?</div>
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I think I heard thumps coming from the other room that occupied all my siblings with their ears, I'm sure, stuck to the walls as they eavesdropped. Lol! We were all in shock that my dad was allowing this date.</div>
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As a side note....my dad told me years later (after we were married) that he never intended to allow me to go out with Matt. I mean the age difference was not something that made good sense. He said he invited him over that night so he could see what kind of 22-year-old man wanted to date his 16-year-old daughter. Lol! Yikes!đł</div>
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But after he spent time with Matt, he could tell that Matt's intentions were pure and he was so impressed with him and his character! I am so thankful my parents trusted my judgment! </div>
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Well, the next Saturday, August 26, 1989, was our big date! I was so excited! I bought a new outfit (my favorite colorâŚpurple) and made sure that my hair was done just right. Now, remember, this was the 80s so âjust rightâ hair was big and full of hairspray. Donât judge! Now that you have that visual in your mind let me continueâŚ.</div>
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I was so nervous as I waited for Matt's little red Ford Festiva to pull into the driveway. I think my heart was beating through my brand new purple and black polka dotted shirt. He arrived right on time and escorted me to his car. He opened the car door for me and was such the perfect gentleman. We had a wonderful time over dinner at Rock-ola CafĂŠ. He was so easy to talk to and always carried the conversation. After dinner, we went back to my house to play a game of pool on our family pool table. It was the perfect date! We laughed, talked, and enjoyed a fun evening. Of course, I could hardly go to sleep that night. I was totally smitten and knew deep in my heart that he was the one for me.</div>
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Unfortunately, we didn't have a second date anytime soon after. Though we remained close friends, it was a few months of Matt soul searching and me patiently waiting. You see, Matt was about to graduate from college and I was still a junior high school. Everything about our situation seemed as though we should go separate ways and we almost headed that way. But both of us knew deep down that God had plans for us beyond what we expected. </div>
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It was New Year's Eve 1989 (after the big snow storm of â89), as Matt returned from a scuba diving trip down in the Florida Keys with a friend, that we realized that we were meant to be together. It was a Sunday afternoon and I was heading to the mall to do a little retail therapy since I had not heard anything from Matt returning from his trip. As I got out of my car, I spotted Matt and his friend coming toward me through the parking lot. (Key the swelling romantic music and picture in slow motion as we walked towards each otherâŚjust kidding!) </div>
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Matt walked right up to me, hugged me tightly, and told me he had missed me. He invited me over to his family's house after church that night for New Yearâs Eve and from that point on, we were inseparable. We knew that God had plans for us and we decided to give this relationship a try. He told me that during that trip away, he felt as though God was doing a work in his heart about us.</div>
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Saying "yes" to our relationship when it didn't make a lot of sense to others was the beginning of a lifetime together of saying "yes" to God in whatever he called us to do. Over our 27 total years together, we have boldly said, "yes" to God's calling many times, yet feeling alone in our endeavor of obedience to Him. From the outside, things didn't always make sense and we didn't have all the answers but, together, we trusted the ONE who did and had faith that He would direct our path. We have had our share of ups and downs. We have weathered many storms and celebrated many victories. We have experienced the struggle of being disobedient to God and we have found comfort and peace being in the center of his will. Through it all, we have grown closer together and closer to our God. We have recognized that challenges are inevitable but that joy can remain. A relationship with God at the center is so much sweeter and not a day goes by that I don't praise my Heavenly Father for navigating our paths and granting us this most beautiful blessing of marriage! </div>
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Though our marriage is not perfect, as we are not, our marriage is a continual work-in-progress that is grounded in faith, trust, forgiveness, lots of grace, and abounding love. Every day is an adventure through God's will and I am so incredibly blessed to be able to journey on with my love!</div>
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"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Three things will last foreverâfaith, hope, and loveâand the greatest of these is love. "</div>
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1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13 (NLT)</div>
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So, there it is. The beginning of our story. Long... I know. But wanting to remember every part because, well, though not the greatest love story ever told, ours is definitely my favorite. đ</div>
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If youâre up for more, join me tomorrow morning for part 2! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-91946411163602629122017-02-01T06:58:00.004-05:002017-02-01T06:58:52.328-05:00Happy February! Love is in the air!<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
Happy February! The shortest month of the year but, to me, the GREATEST month!</div>
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Next Wednesday Matt and I will celebrate 25 years of marriage! What?!?!? 25 YEARS! The silver anniversary! Praise the Lord! </div>
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I can truly say that every day is sweeter and we treasure growing old together! I'm so blessed to grow old with him...my best friend. Though no one wants to grow old, that is part of this life here on earth and I have the honor of doing just that with him! Anyone that knows us very well understands how important our marriage is to us. It is something we cherish and we work hard at. So, in honor of our silver anniversary, I am going to post blogs this next week based on our marriage journey. I took that walk down memory lane and shared our love story with you a couple years ago and apparently there were a few of you that enjoyed it and asked if I was going to share it again. So, for those few of youâŚI hope you enjoy! đ</div>
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God has given me a strong desire to encourage other marriages. Though ours is not perfect (believe međŹ) we do take it seriously and enjoy the beautiful covenant we took in the presence of our God. I have been married to Matt for over half of my life and it would be fitting to say that God has given me some pretty incredible "teachable moments" during these last 25 years. It has not always been romance and roses (although the majority hasâ¤ď¸đš) and at some points has been down right hard. But God has been so faithful and, through Him, our marriage has endured some pretty rough terrain. Terrain that has tested us and our commitment to each other but brought us to the place in which the covenant we took before God on February 8, 1992, has become even more special... more treasured... more sacred!</div>
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I look forward to sharing our journey this week. There is something exhilarating in taking that nostalgic walk down memory lane! Being reminded of how we met, how we fell in love, and how we continue to do "life" everyday with 2 busy jobs, 3 kiddos, and many other things thrown in the mix, can only make us stronger and I look forward to sharing that with you. I often share these memories with our kids and, believe it or not, they seem to enjoy hearing them. Or maybe they just amuse us but anyway....Lol! </div>
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Marriage is a blessing! In a day and age where marriage is seen as a contract between two people instead of a covenant before Almighty God, I count it an honor to share with the world the secret to a long and lasting marriage. That secret........is God front and center! It doesn't work any other way for us!</div>
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I hope you will join me this week as I count down the days to our silver anniversary. My purpose is to reflect on where weâve been so we can continue moving forward and hopefully encourage some of you in the process. We haven't always gotten it right in our 25 years but our mistakes have been used to learn and grow so that our marriage can remain strong. We will make more mistakes through our years together, of this I'm sure, but we will use them to better ourselves and let God work in us. </div>
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The journey begins tomorrow! So, my friend, grab a cup of coffee in the morning and join me for my walk down memory lane!</div>
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"But from the beginning of the creation, God âmade them male and female.â âFor this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.â</div>
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Mark 10:6-9 (NKJV)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-19377171913187876452017-01-19T07:04:00.004-05:002017-01-19T07:04:49.521-05:00Out With the Old, In With the New!<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: 'San Francisco', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.23999999463558197px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzokBQQVibAvg3-pI5a-tt14njtxGQXDog9uOqezXry3qCSmKYJQJxIFC0rkNEz_QNTwf-DzJBEtIO6s_fwDqzybEfIv-tFgsGeQDeuxi2vCjEsfqEGRXrcTVJKqm6CvviegOSpv_0RUw/s1600/IMG_7082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzokBQQVibAvg3-pI5a-tt14njtxGQXDog9uOqezXry3qCSmKYJQJxIFC0rkNEz_QNTwf-DzJBEtIO6s_fwDqzybEfIv-tFgsGeQDeuxi2vCjEsfqEGRXrcTVJKqm6CvviegOSpv_0RUw/s200/IMG_7082.JPG" width="200" /></a>I had this pair of shoes, they were my favorite pair of fall/winter shoes. They were my âold faithfulsâ. You girls know, the ones you grab to wear that will go with pants or jeans and you can throw them on when you want to be comfortable and still look decent. I had actually bought those faithful companions over 10 years before in Florida where our family resided for a while. They were a bargain at the Tommy Hilfiger outlet. I wonât buy something unless it is a bargain and I definitely wonât buy Tommy Hilfiger unless it is a REAL bargain! Lol! Yes, Iâm cheap like that, well, I prefer âthriftyâ instead of cheap but anywayâŚI digress. <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">đ</span></span></div>
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Well, I knew the fall/winter before that those faithful companions were nearing their death when they were getting faded and were showing signs of old age. But nonetheless, I put them on that year, spiffing them up a little, hoping to keep them alive. As I walked out of my office one particular day in the pouring rain, I noticed my socks became wet.</div>
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<span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">âď¸</span></span><br />What??? Not good! I didnât see any visible holes but when I got home and took them off, the bottom of them had actually split all the way through the thick sole of the shoe. Yes, you guessed it. It was time. It was time after more than 10 faithful years. Those shoes had come to their demise. They were beyond repair and in need of replacing. It was a sad day! Lol! My husband, great man that he is, comforted me over the phone, </div>
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âHoney, I think you got your moneyâs worth so please go get a new pair.â </div>
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<span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">đŹ</span></span></div>
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He understood my pain of buying comfortable, reliable, yet still fashionable shoesâŚthat could get pricey.</div>
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<span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">đ°</span></span></div>
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So, the task before me was to go on a quest of finding a new faithful companion that would comfort my feet but still provide fashion and on a meager budget. Yes, my work was cut out for me but I was ready for the task. Haha! I eventually found a new pair but it took some breaking in.</div>
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I thought about the shoe fiasco the other day. No, I'm not still distraught about my shoes (I have moved on), but how life is a lot like those shoes. We find ourselves comfortable going about our life. Everything seems to fit and it is just the way we like it. But then our comfortable starts to show wear and small cracks give way to larger ones and cause discomfort and wet soles. It is in those times where God calls us out of our âcomfort zonesâ and to take giant steps of faith that He has something else for us. When it goes beyond repair and in to something new. That can be exciting but can also be scary. No one likes to leave their comfort zone even if that "comfort" has become a little uncomfortable. It is familiar and change is hard. But with God leading the way, we have to place all faith and trust that He knows what is better. He will never call us away from something without replacing it with what is better for usâŚin that seasonâŚfor HIS work.<span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">đđź</span></span></div>
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So, if youâre facing the move from your comfort zone and following God in His leading, rest assured that He has already gone before you paving the way. Yes, there will be growing pains and times of âbreaking in the new shoesâ but where HE guides, HE provides and where HE calls you, HE will equip you with everything you need to do HIS work. </div>
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Letâs never get so comfortable that we miss the leading of HIS will. May we walk uprightly and confidently in those new shoes and on our new path. Sure, rainy days may come but with new shoes fitted and designed by the Master Cobbler, we will stay dry and be ready to face the puddles. <span class="_5mfr _47e3" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle;"><span class="_7oe" style="display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0px; width: 0px;">âď¸</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">âYou make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.â</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">ââPsalm⏠â16:11âŹ</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">âHe renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.â</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">ââPsalms⏠â23:3âŹ</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">âIn all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.â</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">ââProverbs⏠â3:6âŹ</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">âShe is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.â</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: blue;">ââProverbs⏠â31:25âŹ</span></i></div>
</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7727973832451598927.post-76569701174596576292016-12-31T10:07:00.000-05:002016-12-31T10:07:06.385-05:00The Countdown to 2017 Has Begun...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the countdown has begun to say a formal farewell to 2016 and welcome another new year. I've read the posts about how 2016 was a horrible year and everyone is ready to see it go and move on. There have been memes and cartoon strips to, as sarcastically as possible, show that 2016 was not endeared upon. Lol! The election was at the top of that list of everyone's horribles, among many other things. But I think we miss one important fact...just because the clock strikes midnight and the confetti flies as the calendar changes over to 2017, it doesn't mean that all our difficulties and trials will magically disappear with the number 2017. The old year doesn't take those particular challenges with it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I'm on no way trying to rain on your parade here. This doesn't mean you need to stop the New Year's party and curl up in the corner in a fetal position and cry. But one thing I've learned in my 43 years of life is that the difficulties I've encountered have purpose in the pain of them. Purpose that makes me lean more heavily into the big fatherly arms of my God for comfort and guidance. Purpose that sometimes changes the course of my life to line it up closer with a heavenly perspective. Purpose that keeps my eyes fixed Christ!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what happens if those difficulties carry over to the new year?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sure some of those trials will continue on in the new year but hopefully with a renewed sense of resolve to surrender them to THE God who can turn each mess into a beautiful message. God has been with me through every trial I've encountered and though they haven't been pleasant, He has taught me more about Him in its midst. Even when that difficulty was caused by my own selfishness and sin. He has shown me grace and mercy around each sharp turn of difficult and, even more so, brought me closer to His heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, yes, I am like you too and would love for each difficulty to dissipate and stroll leisurely on the easy street of 2017 but I also know that when my perspective moves from "impossible" to "God-possible", the umbrella that tried to cover the downpour of rain gives way to praise as I dance in said rain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes our negative outlook can cloud the blessings He continually does pour out on us. That doesn't make light of your difficulty. The challenge in front of you may be taking your breath and your breathing becomes more labored with every new blow to your gut. Dear friend, rest in His arms and begin to breathe in the breath of a Father who cares about you, who adores you, and really is for you. Maybe you're not seeing it that way right now but remember those patriarchs of scripture that traveled treacherous journeys as well and know that God doesn't give up on His children. He sees you through and strengthens you in the process. Press on dear friend! Keep the faith in HIM! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is a good, good Father and I pray that no matter how 2016 ends and 2017 begins that we keep our focus on Him! He brings beauty out of ashes and I know YOU are beautiful! </span></div>
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<i style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">âThe Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORDâs favor has come, and with it, the day of Godâs anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory.â</i></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>ââIsaiah⏠â61:1-3âŹ</i></div>
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<i style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">âNow faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.â</i></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>ââHebrews⏠â11:1-2</i></div>
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<i style="color: blue; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">âA manâs heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.â</i></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>ââProverbs⏠â16:9âŹ</i></div>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10477961313738207670noreply@blogger.com0