skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Today, I'm sharing a very exciting Show and Tell...at least it is for me and my family!
See this magazine....
It's called Home School Enrichment and it is a wonderful source for home school families across the country.
Last fall, discouraged with the long novel that I couldn't seem to finish, I decided to stretch myself a bit and try submitting an article to a magazine. This magazine. And they accepted it!
On Tuesday, I reached with trembling hands and pulled this very copy out of the mailbox...
I honestly could scarcely breath, since I had never had anything published before...my heart was beating a mile a minute as I took it into my hands.
And at first, I was afraid that my article hadn't been published after all...but then the dawning came.They had changed the title slightly!
But nevertheless there it was...In fact, it took me a while for it to sink in, but my article was the feature article, "Learning from the Journey" blaring on the cover....wow.
I honestly had a hard time grasping that, since I wasn't advised on the final outcome or layout.
And speaking of layout, here's a glimpse of the first couple pages...
(This is just the first part of the article...another two pages follow!)
I have written stories since the time I could hold a pen and to finally see my name in print is such an amazing thing.
My little girls were so excited, too...and it was so gratifying to see the them proud of their mommy for a personal achievement! Since they both like to write and make up stories, maybe this will inspire them even more to keep writing though their lives!
Thank you for allowing me to share this special moment in my life this week.
For more Show and Tells, visit Kelli and There is No Place Like Home.
Blessings!
What busy days these are ...and I know several of you can relate to not always having time to post or completely keep up with other blog friends posts! But I hope to catch up with most of you a little at a time.
But I wanted to share with you something special...actually two...
On Sunday, I was privileged to be among ten or so other family members on my husband's side to witness first hand and pray along side a sister who was committing her life and heart to the Lord. I think all of us were in awe to just be able to there, much less be used in any small way...
Even my girls were able to witness her prayer and it is something none of us in that room will probably ever, ever forget. We are rejoicing along with the angels right now...
So, in a way, this is a spiritual birthday as it marks a new birth in Christ.
On Wednesday, my mom celebrates her 82nd birthday. Hard to believe...(and for her, too!)
I plan on getting her this week to have her spend the night and then when we take her back, the girls and I are taking her to a surprise destination! (Shh...I have to be careful, she reads my blog!)
But I hope to tell you all about it afterward!
For her 80th, I wrote a longer, detailed post about her which you can see here.
In the meantime, Mom, I wish you a very happy birthday.
Thank you for always being there for me...for your prayers and guidance...and for being one of my very best friends.
I love you and so grateful to still have you in our lives!
~Tammy
You might remember my telling about my brother in law and his wife, who while in the process of adopting a child, found out that they were expecting another in a more conventional way!
Their adorable little boy was born last summer, and they have suddenly gone from being "just a couple" all these years- to the parents of two!
A true miracle and double blessing.
Well, this Sunday was the big day...their babies' dedication!
The church is a large one, so they were just a bit nervous...
Our family's job was to reserve a whole pew for visiting family and friends who were coming. And it turned out to be a full pew!
We all sat huddled nicely together-with two and a half year old K. sitting like a perfect angel in my lap for awhile- and 6 month old S. being as calm as you please, gazing non-nonchalantly around, or showing occasional interest in the contents of his diaper bag...
...when very soon it was time for the four of them to go up to the platform.
Our pastor briefly touched on their special story and while doing so, K. seemed very interested in being in this new vantage point.
Now, our church has a very large screen...and several other screens on either wall...and when we have dedications, the babies' photos are taken just before and displayed for all the church to see.
So, needless to say, K. was very enthralled with seeing herself everywhere...
before promptly announcing to the pastor (and hundreds of people) that she had to go potty.
Luckily, she's still in diapers, so we proceeded on. ;)
As the pastor prayed, we all extended our hands in prayer with him over these precious babies and their parents.
It brought back some memories for my husband and I...having each of our own babies dedicated was such a meaningful time for us.
And I remember another time, when this same brother in law tip-toed into my hospital room eight and a half years ago after my first baby had been born to peek in on his newborn niece. He didn't stay long, since I was recovering from some harrowing complications...but long enough to say wistfully, "I wish I could have one."
So, witnessing this prayer of dedication on Sunday, I was also witnessing God's incredible graciousness.
And I was glad I was there.
The four of us stopped at the hospital after gulping down supper, and before heading a to Bible study, for a most important date...to meet the newest member of the extended family!
You might remember, there are twelve in my husband's family, but still, very few offspring from the clan...and what kids there are now teens or preteens...expect for ours. So a baby is big doin's!
And as almost all of you know, my husband's brother, P. , and his wife began adoption procedures last year for an adorable little African American girl- two years old. And several months before she came to live with them, they found out that they were expecting a baby the old fashioned way...which was a complete surprise to them, to us, and even to the doctors!
And now he's here. And I have to say, I am completely in love...
He is in my husband's arms in this picture, but this was after I held him for as long as I possibly could.
In fact, as I had walked over to peer at the little bundle in my brother in law's arms, he handed him right over to me!
You would think an experienced mommy like myself would be just fine, but honestly...I just don't remember my babies being so tiny!
My arms tensed as I took the precious bundle and went to find a chair....quickly!
He slept the whole time, once in awhile scrunching up his face or trying to open his eyes...but mostly he was a tiny little bundle who was so much like a perfect little doll baby, not unlike the dolls my girls carried with them to the hospital room that evening.
Notice the fake baby in my daughter's arms...fake baby, real baby...kinda' hard to tell!
My little girls were chomping at the bit to hold him! Here they were, begging for a turn...notice my look of complete sincerity and sympathy...hee hee...
Finally, they each got a turn, "half-holding" him...
It was enough to satisfy them a bit. And I can tell you, his mommy was brave and trusting to even allow that, because I know how every muscle in my body would have tightened if the same scene went on with my babies at 23 hours old! But she just smiled and laughed, probably because she saw me hovering over them protectively as I quickly snapped this picture...either that, or she was just enjoying her medication. :)
I could have held that baby all night and stared at him...especially gleeful that I didn't have to be the one up every night for the next few months this time...
But we had to leave for our Bible study. As we handed him back to his proud papa, I snapped this last picture.
You can tell he is a typical daddy on the second day...just a little bit blurry-eyed. But trust me, he was beaming through the whole visit... A daddy- of two!- at last.
Extended family news:
Welcome, Baby Sammy!
My sister in law had gone in Tuesday to the hospital, to be induced early the next morning. After an entire day, she was finally delivered by c-section at around 7:40 Wednesday evening, to a healthy baby boy!
Congratulations to my husband's brother and his wife! There was a time when they thought such a blessing would never be there's...
(For more of their story, including their recent adoption, you can go here.)
So far, mother and baby are doing just great. Unfortunately, though, the girls and I just made a trip to the hospital late this morning, all a tingle with anticipation...stopping at the store for a balloon, and with our gifts in tow...only to find the sleeping mommy completely out...no hubby, and baby stashed away in the nursery.
We discreetly went out and walked around the hospital for a half an hour, returning to ask the nurse about our seeing her. She went in, then came back, reporting that she had not slept well last night and wanted to remain dead the world a bit longer.
Imagine...being tired after having a baby, which just happened to be a c-section after all-day labor. Craziness. ;)
However...you can imagine our disappointment after all our getting ready and driving out there, gifts in hand.
Plus, there's that whole thing about not having a picture of our new nephew\cousin to post yet!
We'll probably be going again with my husband after dinner- (calling first, of course) and this time you can be sure, come rain or shine, we are not leaving until we see that little guy's cute little cheeks and congratulate the exhausted new mama.
All of this strolling down the maternity hall, though, brought back such memories. Both of my girls were born in that ward...my last one just five years ago.
Each experience was completely different, however, and some time I will probably post their stories.
In the meantime, while I'm waiting to post a picture of the new addition, allow me to share a piece of my own memories, which came floating back to me this week...
(Just twenty minutes old, her big sister, not quite three, helps welcome her into the world.)
Blessings!
I know...I said I wasn't going to post again until after we went to the mountain. We plan on heading up today- just for the day...(no skis, thank you. Sleds and tobaggons, though...sure hope there's a little snow left for us!)
But I wanted to share some extended family news...and if you're like me, you just can't hear enough good news these days!
This weekend my girls met their new little cousin. I think they must have liked her just a little, because an hour later they wanted to go back and visit her again. And I don't blame them!
Some of you might remember my telling you of our brother and sister in law who have been in the process of adopting a little girl. There's a story behind this whole thing, which I have mentioned once before.
You see...about 12 or 13 years ago, my other sister in law adopted two African American children (brother and sister) when she was just a young single woman in her 20's.
Quite the undertaking!
But since my husband is one of twelve children, all of whom live in the area and are fairly close-knit, she had ample extended family as support.
Sadly, however, the daughter had some major un-addressed issues...plus, got mixed up with her troubled birth family...along with many other factors. She pretty much left our extended family to go down a different path and have two unwed, unwanted pregnancies.
However, God has a way of working through things. The baby P and J are adopting is this girl's second baby girl, born 21 months ago.
So, do you all have this straight? A little confusing, I know...but there is no doubt to any of us that God had His hand in all of this. What the enemy meant for evil, God turned for good!
And as I mentioned once before...the icing on the cake is that while going through all of the paper work, they found out- that even though it was thought medically improbable, they would also be expecting their own little newborn bundle of joy- the old fashioned way! Their baby boy will be born this summer.
Talk about complete and unexpected joys!
After several long drives and visits to the foster home, P and J were able to take their new adopted daughter home last week. We are so praising God for this!
And since they live close, we were able to meet her this 
weekend!
She loved showing us her room! In fact, she's not only cute, but so bright and alert...and studious, too! She brought us book after book!
That's her new proud mommy on the left...who patiently reads to her over and over...and over.
I just had to share some of this good news with you all. Don't you just love it when God pours out His blessings in unexpected ways?
"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." James 1:17
I do hope to tell about the play that we saw a little later in the week...as well as some other wonderful things that have blessed and encouraged our family. 
Posts
