Joy El Jublilee

Paul took the kids to a christian camp called Joy El on Saturday. They were having their Jubilee celebration. The kids had a blast and it was free. This is the camp many of the children have attended in the summer . This past summer we could not because of finances but, it is a wonderful camp where many of our kids have given their life to the Lord. They had a great time.

We have tied everything down and are ready for "Sandy"

Well maybe we went a bit overboard...when we tied all the kids down :)

 I have never in my life heard of such hype about a storm. We have prepared our home outside and in and, yes we did tie down outside toys that could not be moved, taken our trampoline nets down, lowered the b-ball goals, put away bird feeders, bought some extra drinking water and are ready...not sure for what besides lots of rain and wind. Usually we have not lost our power during storms...not even the winter storm of 4 plus ft of snow. If we ever do flushing tolites would be one of our first concerns....but thankfully we have 2 pools full of water to use . Because that would be a major area of concern with 27 of us living here :)

Those of you in a diff. area probably don't see or hear what this is about as much as those of us who live here...but honestly I have never experienced preparedness for a storm like this. Sams Club even opened its doors at 7 am this morning instead of its later Sunday am opening.  They have neverWe got an automated phone call from Comcast directing us what to do and how to reach them in the event we have issues. Going to church and all day on the interstate cherry picker trucks who will help with debris removal having been traveling north. Prayers for us in the path of this storm would be appreciated.

Who would have known ...

I never thought that this past week would have been so full and my days so long . It was a good week but honestly I am exhausted tonite. Two days this week I spent all day in Baltimore. We had a fun late nite with our dear sweet sister, and former intern- Mary on Wed.. I sure wish she lived closer to us…We love her to pieces and never tire of her hanging around us but that was a nite I did not go to bed until 1:30 am. All the things that happened this week were good and some were even great - Gracie had her eye surgery and is doing well. I have been helping Mary Kate get ready to travel with Keith to Ghana and we have gone out at nite shopping. I am also trying to get most of our Christmas shopping done. I am just tired with all the busyness. This picture was taken on Sunday at Cunningham Falls and looking at it gives me a peace…..remembering our day , remembering the Lord's beautiful creation and all of His provision. Thanking Him !

Glorious Fall morning in the mountains

 It was beautiful this am and the leaves around here are at peak… so we decided to pile everyone in the vans and head to the mountains. We actually live around the mtns. of WV but our home is situated in a valley…So we don't have to far to go to be in the mountains. They are the Appalachian Mountains and they are gorgeous in the fall and spring. We had a wonderful time and the opportunity for pics of the family were easy with all the beautiful creation around .

The Chosen Path- Making a Life

This was a devotional , a gift from my son, Jonas for my birthday. The flowers were from Joe- Thank you for helping to make my b-day special. They came up to visit and we had a wonderful time - getting to know Joe, visiting with Jonas and just enjoying life .  I started the devotional and on Oct. 18 I read one that I loved and want to share it here :

This days devotion was written by G. W. Truett

I particularly loved what he wrote and found the opportunity to encourage one of my children this week with it as well. So I thought it might be good share here as well….

Young men dream dreams like Joseph dreamed. Little children dream dreams. But after we get to be men and women and out into the thick of the fight and the years come on with all their battles and burdens, the peril is we shall lose sight of visions and look downward and become muck rakers, with our eyes not "toward the hills from whence cometh our help". Oh the peril when idealism is lost, when a man does not dream dreams anymore, when he can not behold great visions any more, when his hands and his brain and his heart are tired, when he quits dreaming , hoping planning, building! How perilous his plight is when his idealism is gone! The loss of idealism will make a man say: " I have no time for dreaming. I am a practical man; my business is to make a living." Your primary business is not to make a living. Your primary business is to make a LIFE. Getting enough bread and meat for your household is incidental, but important I will grant you, and quite comfortable and conveinent : but making a LIFE is what you and I are in the world for. Making a living is just a passing incident, that is all. Before we are to pray for our daily bread and meat, we are to pray that the kingdom of God may come and that the will of God may be done throughout all the earth even as it is done in Heaven above. Making a life is our real business, a compassionate life, reverent toward God and obedient to His revealed will: the right kind of life, true, fearless, humanity helping and sympathetic.

Making a LIFE- Just what does that mean ? I am now 56 yr young…working my way toward eternity quicker as each year passes. My health is not what it was, my energy is certainly not , but in some ways my life is more intense and full off the stuff that pushes me more easily to a deep understanding of what G W Truett shared here. I still have big dreams. I have visions of many more children. I dream dreams of lives being changed by my choice…my chosen path to follow the will of God to encourage others to care,  do and love the orphan, the children that suffer daily with basic necessities like food, water, health, and loneliness…who have no one who cares when they are afraid, or in pain. No one who wants to be with them because of their smell, lack of parentage , lack of the right to be fully human because of their parents choices to follow a path of destruction, despair into alcohol, drugs or neglect of the very children that God blessed them with. Then they are placed in places of hell. Where often the gov't that removes them from their first hell only to place them into a second one . I can't even imagine life lived like that because I had a loving family who surrounded me with love and enough food for me to not feel hunger,medicine and health care when I was sick. I know that some of my dreams and visions have caused divisions or made others look at me as crazy or way out their with my faith…but I will not apologize for following the Lord's will into this ministry of loving on children and the privilege of being allowed to add more children thru the gift of adoption into our family.

I will actually celebrate …I will dance with gladness in my heart and shout from the hilltops the message that the Lord cares, He loves and will always be there for you. Your life is worth it.

The month of November is National Adoption Month…I will be writing my daily posts around that theme and would love to have some questions, issues or reflections you would like to hear from me about concerning our adoption journey that we have traveled now for 27 yrs… If you have a question or idea or issue you would like please email me mommajeaneb@aol.com ….I would love to hear from many of you.

Pretty Nails to celebrate my b-day

Last nite we did manicures for everyone….Why do girls love getting their nails done ? It was fun...

Who would not have a happy b-day with these faces shining in your life every day…..

 Abraham- 29 

 Joseph- 22 

 Jacob- 21

 Ben- 20

 Isaac- 15

 Caleb- 13

 Josiah- 13

 Luke- 11

 Andrew- 8

 Isaiah- 6

 Judah-2

 Jesse-2

 Olivia- 20

 Cate-19

 Nataly- 19

 Rachel-19

 Leah-19

 Anna-17

 Tia-15

 Lily- 13

 Mya- 10

 Gracie- 9

 Sari-7

 Selah- 7

 Lila-4

 Ava- 5

 Mady- 2

 Kloe- 10 months

 And of course my hubby- Paul, who after 41 yrs of "dating" makes it all worth it.

Now these are the pics of the ones at home ( take out Ava, Mady and Kloe ( Mary Kate and Keith  :) Our son, Jonas who lives in   DC , Molly and Mike, Laura Jeane and Brian and their children- Tyler and Drew,  Jenn and Jeremiah and their children- Ella, Ezra, Eli and Zoe and you have my whole immediate family….. Not to mention my extended family, friends and people I have never met but feel a kindred spirit with ( that just that term friend seems so little to describe the shared love we have for children)----all make me feel blessed. Thank you for not only my birthday happy but every day that is full of a life shared with you.