Monday Mourning, Meme, and Menu

Our sweet daughter safely made it to her city in China. Thank you, THANK YOU to all who have been praying for her. I tell ya, it's SO hard to say goodbye to her on the phone in L.A., knowing that she's about to be unreachable for many hours until she gets to China. When she went in 2006, I was not prepared for the feelings that gripped me during that time. I was prepared this time, and it made it a bit easier. In fact, I was thinking I was pretty "together" until I heard her little voice from Hong Kong yesterday evening. Once I was able to hear her and talk to her, a flood of relief washed over me and brought with it a massive flood of tears! I knew then that I had been more anxious than I had realized. God is so good. The same strong hand that is holding her is holding her mother!

She emailed during the night last night, and then called this morning from her city. She is there, safe and sound, with our sweet friends, the family with whom she will be staying. She wrote me that they were out eating yesterday when China started its official three-day period of mourning. She said the air raid sirens went off, traffic stopped, and the TV where they were eating began broadcasting the observance from different cities in China. Here is a video I found that may be what she saw. As I watched it, I was moved to tears and moved to pray for the victims' families. What a hurting, hurting country. How they need Jesus.



As much as I miss her, I am so glad she's there! I know she is in the palm of God's hand, loving people that He loves, bringing them His message of hope. May she and the team plant many, many seeds in the next two weeks. She is getting some much-needed horizontal rest now (as opposed to vertically, on a plane!) and they will prayer walk an area of the city in the morning (about 6 PM our time tonight.) I will be praying, too.

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My sweet friend Kim tagged me for a fun meme over at her beautiful new adoption blog. Now that I seem to be coming out of the blog-fog I've been in for the past few weeks, this is a perfect time to "play." Thanks for tagging me, Kim!

Favorite person (outside family)? Well, my first thought is of the sweet friends God has put in my life. They are each my favorite person! I hope that answer is not a cop out!

Favorite food? Tex-Mex. Oh, my. I ate so much when I was pregnant, my kids' first words were "Be careful, the plate is very hot."

Quirks about you? I talk to my dog. And he talks back. Also, I sneeze quite loudly. My sweet son just used the word "howitzer" to describe my sneezes. I feel so dainty.

How would the person who loves you most describe you in ten words or less? From my husband just now via email: "Not necessarily in order...passionate, caring, loving, wise, beautiful, creative, friendly, intuitive, nurturing, grounded" (Thankfully he didn't use the word "howitzer.")

Any regrets in life? Foolish thinking in my teenage/college years. Sadly, I could've been a case study for the books "Lies Women Believe" and "Lies Young Women Believe". But that's another post for another day...

Favorite Charity/ Cause? The non-profit of which my husband is the president. It's wonderful, but I don't want to link it here because the website links to our last name and town. If you're one of my friends and interested, email me!

Favorite Blog recently? One of my recent favorites is Heart, Mind and Seoul. It is somewhat hard to read, but she tackles some of the tougher issues surrounding transracial adoption.

Something you can’t get enough of? Junior Mints and foot rubs (Not necessarily at the same time, but now that I see the two written together, that might be my idea of heaven!)

Worst job you've ever had? Handing out samples at a grocery store (while in college, working for a temp agency)

What job would you pay NOT to have? school bus driver

If you could be a fly on the wall, where? If I were a fly capable of time travel, I'd have loved to be on the wall when Elisabeth Elliot went to visit Corrie ten Boom.

Favorite Bible verse right now? "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Cor. 9:8

Guilty Pleasure? Pedicures and massages - but I hardly ever get either one... I have two gift certificates for massages that I've been hoarding, though, because I don't want to use them up!

If you HAD to spend $1,000 on YOURSELF, how would you spend it? iPhones for myself and my cute husband, and spend the rest on biweekly pedicures.

Favorite thing about your house? The location. We are just the right proximity to our friends, family, church, and activities.

Least favorite thing about your house? The half wall upstairs allows NOISE to travel downstairs when we have people over. But it lets me eavesdrop on the kids and their friends, so it's good, too. ;) Also, I have a tiny laundry room.

One thing you are bad at? Keeping up with the laundry. Oh my.

One thing you're good at? My son just said "homeschooling." Of course, he's not doing any school at the moment.

If you could change something about your circumstances, what? I would be in Africa bringing home our new son. I guess we would have to have a layover in China so his big sister could join us!

Who would you like to meet someday? Our African son and his extended birth family.

Who is your real life hero? Our African son's first parents.

What is the hardest part of your job? Being consistent. As a homeschooling mom, consistency in discipline, schoolwork, running the household, etc. is key. That's hard for me as I naturally tend towards procrastinating and flying by the seat of my pants. :)

When are you most relaxed? In the evenings during/after dinner when everyone's home.

What stresses you out? My children being in other countries. Without me. ;)

What can you not live without? my Bible, coffee, and iTunes. In that order.

Why do you blog? To reflect on what I'm learning and what we're doing, to update friends and family if we're traveling, to refine my thoughts, to purge my brain (because, you know, there's so much in there...) and to remind myself of what we're having for dinner if I posted our menu that week. ;) Also, I've met some wonderful women that I wouldn't have met otherwise.

Who Am I Tagging?

New/Newer bloggers- Kristin, V

Bloggy friends- Linda at Middle Years, Deidre at For Such a Time as This

Bloggers you’d like to get to know better- YOU if you're reading this and have a blog!

Bloggers who you don't think will respond, but you hope will- :::shamelessly copying Kim's answer::: I'm not sure who to put for this one! If you read this and want to play along, consider yourself tagged!


Rules:
1. Answer the questions
2. Link back to whoever tagged you
3. Tag eight bloggers to do the same, 2 from each category.
New/ newer bloggers (since we want to share the love and send them traffic)
Bloggy friends
Bloggers you’d like to get to know better
Bloggers you don’t think will respond, but you hope will

Well, that was fun! Long, but fun!

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Monday: Grilled pork chops, baked potatoes, green beans

Tuesday: Bar-b-cups, peas, macaroni

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: pan-fried tilapia, broccoli cheese casserole, salad

Friday: taco soup

For more menus, visit Orgjunkie.com.

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I hope you have a blessed week!