Cry for the Orphan

Yesterday our local Kiwanis group asked me to speak about our adoptions.  I have been fairly quiet the last year about our adoptions.   But if I am asked to speak I am glad to do so.  I enjoy it a lot and I am blessed to be able to encourage people to conisder giving a child a forever family.  Many Christan's go through life saying they don't know what Gods calling for their life is.  I don't have that excuse.  I know what Gods calling for my life is.  He called our family to adopt, he called us to be a voice for the orphan.  He called me to teach His will regarding the plite of the orphan.

As you all have probably heard R*ssia is currently considering closing adoptions to the United States.  This saddens my heart.  We have a close family friend that has adopted twice from Russia.  While in Vietnam she thanked the Director of the orphanage we visited for his dedication to the children there.  She spoke of the untolerable conditions her other two children had endured in R*ssia.  While I am saddened for the families that have longed to hold their children and may never have that opportunity.  My great sadness is for the children that will now linger in orphanages and will never see the outside of those orphanage walls.  These children are left in their cribs, tied to chairs and neglected.  I am sure there are good orphanages in R*ssia but to think about the possibility that non of these children will have the opportunity to have a normal life or to have a Mother, Father, sister or brother is beyond belief.  Politics should remain politics and the children should not be impacted.

I'm attaching a link to Linnys blog  she is a much better writer than I am and makes some good points regarding Gods timing and His mercy on us.  She has asked that we join her in prayer and fasting on 12/29/2012.  If you read this in time please join us.

With all that said I feel renewed with the fact that God has a work for me to do and I will continue to do His will.

Running

So earlier in the year I started running.  I was always one of those people that said, "Running is not for me." I decided that 2012 was going to be a year of change for me.  So I read the Bible in 90 days and on 3/31 I ran my first 2 mile run.  I ran at the Paws and Claws event at Withrow Springs.  I ran 2 miles in 23 minutes.  Which if you know anything about running that is really pretty dog gone slow!  But hey I did it.  So my next run was in Harrison.  It was a 5k which calculates out to be 3.2 miles.  I ran for Housing for the Orphans and I ran that in 37.05.  Which again is pretty dog gone slow!  Two weeks ago I ran at the Sugar Plum race in Springdale.  It was another 5k and I ran it in 32.43 minutes.  It was all pretty level and I had a 5 minute improvement in my time.  On Sunday I ran the Fayettevile 5k.  If you know anything about this 5k you know that it is hilly.  I was concerned that my time wouldn't be as good this go around since there were so many hills.  I was rather pleased with my results.  I ran it in 32.44.  One second difference than the weekend before.   So I'm running about an 11 minute mile on average which for "runners" that still pretty slow but I'm improving.  The last 2 events I've come in #6 in my age group so overall I'm pleased with my progress.  I'm not telling you about my running as an attempt to brag but to encourage all those people out there that have always said the same thing I did "running is not for me".   Get out and get moving.  You don't know what you can or can't do until you get out and give it a try.  

Here are a few pictures that you can chuck at.  I look like a fat cow!  No matter.. I'm moving and you can too!

This was the last 20 feet or so of the 5k.

It's almost Christmas!

I've been promising pictures for quite some time.  Well I finally have a couple to share.  I've got to get back to taking more pictures of the kids.  Especially here at Christmas.  I always do a comparitive growth year over year of the kids. 

 

Addie got a new hair cut last week.  It looks super cute on her.  I wish she'd take the barette out of it so you could see it down.  Alas, she likes it pulled back.

 We went to see Santa on Saturday.  We had over an hour wait to see Santa but the kids were troopers.  We then went to see the Christmas lights on the Fayetteville Square.  If you've never been to see the lights you really need to go it's a treat.

Last but not least Jonathon will turn 26 tomorrow! I can't believe he will be 26.  He has always been such a blessing to us.  He protects our county and he loves his family so much.  Happy Birthday Jonathon we are very proud of you!

 

Don't forget to be a blessing!  In doing so you will receive the greatest blessing yourself.
Tina