Another Way God Has Made My Life Beautiful...

Aren't they just gorgeous????

Gotta love these hams!!

...is an amazing Family that we get to go see this weekend!!!! The Cousins!!! Love you guys and can't wait to see y'all!

J.Man and SunShine's first CHRISTmas!

WoWW! a lot has happened since my last post. Sorry I have been out of blogger world for a long time )it seems like every time i post i say i'm sorry i haven't posted in so long). We had an amazing time with Cousin's, a blessed CHRISTmas, and a fun time with an Aunt and Uncle ringing in the new year. I would to do this post about CHRISTmas morning and then another about the afternoon and then our visit with the cousins!

We got up at 8:00 and did the usual wake up call (stomping on the floor above Mama and Daddy's room to wake them up and caroling at the top of the stairs).

Then we came down stairs, took the annual "children on the stairs" CHRISTmas picture.
Before we opened the gifts, Daddy read the CHRISTmas story. It was so peaceful.

J. Man was so excited! He didn't know what to do with all his gifts!

Sunshine woke really fast when she saw her first very own doll house!
And just her Mother, she put as many tables in one room as possible!!!

IT was so awesome to see Little Man excited about getting books about animals!
He loves them!

It was amazing to my little big brother excited about getting his new Bible!
This morning it was awesome to sit with him in the foyer and read the Bible.

How many 13 year olds would do you know that would excited about getting a hard, all one, Narnia series?
MY SISTER!!!!! She is so insipiring!

I know, I. AM. CRAZY!
I was so excited to get a pretty apron!
Hope said that I picked out the loudest one!

Hope is so cute when she gets excited!
I got to help Mama do a lot of shopping for Hope! It was a lot of fun!

And MARIGRACE GOT A GUITAR!!!!!!
She was really excited and so were we!!

Thank you all for stopping by! I hope that you a have peace in your soul about the this new year that surpasses all understanding! God has blessed me beyond words and I am so grateful! Thank you again for stopping by!
God Bless,
Leah-Joy.

The Cousin's are coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those you who don't know who the Cousin's are, they are our awesome family who we don't get to see a lot. Well, there are 10 people in our family, already houseful you would think, right? Well, with cousin's there are 24 people in our house and it is an awesome party!!!!

At times there are peaceful moments with Gomer Pyle... then crazy moments with hide and go seek. It is pretty awesome!!

then crazy moments with hide and go seek. It is pretty awesome!!

Encouragement!

If anyone is feeling bogged down, like you can't get anything right, or your just feeling discouraged, I would encourage you read this post from my Aunt Renee. It is an amazing and uplifting message from a fellow sister in Christ.

God Bless,
Leah-Joy.

I Don't Know What to Title This One

Well, as you can tell, I have been out of blogger world for a while! Well, last saturday we were blessed with being ale to go to a Do Hard Things Conference (i talk more about that later). While we were there God told me that He had something big for me to do. And so, I was like, well, ok, whatever you say. Well, when He did start giving me signs about what He wanted me to do I got really scared! I told Him that he was going to have to keep giving me signs in order for me to this. Well, I guess He smiled and said, "Hey y'all, what this," and He did. And I guess I should of thought that it was amazing but, because what He wants me is so big the sighns scared me. I was hoping that I was making it all up and that I wouldn't see anything. Well, I saw alot. The mission He has given me is to bring abortion to an end in our state. And when He told that I was like "Well, that would be really hard, what if I fail and look dumb?" What is crazy is at the conference they talked how even FAILED EFFORT BUILDS MUSCLE! We have to kee going! I had shared with Small Group last Sunday that so mant great men in history were because they were stuborn and determined. Whinston Churchhill said to "Never, never, give up." He wasn't considered smart, he had a lipse, but what most people don't know is that he was the only man that Adolf Hitler was afraid of. A humble, determined servant of Christ, who never gave up. And when I thought those thughts of doubt I realized that I was being dumb and COMPLETELY contradicting myself. Let me share with you some f the sighns that He gave.

• In our history lecture our teacher talked about the sactity of life.
• I have seen the director of our Criss Pregnany Center' name twice this week.
• I am reading a book called "Just Do Something" and in it the author talked about Esther saving her people; last year I wrote a paper about Esther saving her people and how the babes of abortion are our people we need to save them.
• I was able to talk about Abort73 (a website who's mission s to raise aware in teens about abortion) on Wednesday night at church and it felt so awesome and I was thankful for that oppurtunity!
• Matthew 8:10,13 says, " As assuredly as I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel... 13Go your way and as you have believed, so let it be done for you."
• Before I read this I was very afraid, Matthew 8:26 says, "But He said to them, 'Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?' And there was a great calm"
• In the book I am reading for school the author talked about what miracles babies are!
• In "Just Do Something" the author sad that if you want a career in medicine, then do something that will honor God, "to not perform abortions." (talk about feeling like you were feeling being hit up side the head wth wrds!)
• And just now my sister told me that our cousns ran a marathon to help stop abortions.

So, yes, there it all is! I am so thankful for all the girs that listened to me tonight at Small Groups and all the girls who got so excted and wanted to join me! God is so awesome!!! As I was talking with them and as I have been writing this I have realized that I wll not be doing this alone, that even if I am physically alone, HE IS with me!!

So, we hope that maybe we can start by volunteering at our local Crss Pregnancy Center. And just a shout out to ny other girl who may read this and have a passion for innocent lives, please leave a comment and I would love to pray for you and would appeciate if you would pray for me. Thanks to all who took the time to read this. Please pray that God will guide so that I will do what need to do, one step at a time.

Thank you all so much for your support, encouragement and if you know anyone who wants to help fight this injustice and speak for those with no voice, please send this way and I would love to encourage them if I can, pray for, just form an online community of ACTIVE prolife young women, for we are either a child or an adult and God has called us to be adults and act as adults, so we need to do something adults would do.

Again thank you all so much for listening!

God Bless you!!

Joy.

Just wanted...

to let everyone know that Aunt Renee had her baby!!

3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from Him.

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.

Plalms 127:3,4

From a Thanful Heart...

It really is a blessing to be homeschooled. Well, as part of our school, Mama requires that we take piano. Well, sometimes I really don't like to take piano and just think of it as a pain! The other day we were in town and I had my recital book with me, it needed to be bound. As we stood in line waiting to get my book back this sweet little lady came up and wanted some pictures of her granddaughter copied. As she got the pictures out I looked at her hand. On her right hand, she had only a thumb. That really made me think. I was like, "You are standing here, getting your piano book fixed and you are complaining about it! And here is a lady with only one finger on her right hand." That made me really thankful, not only that I can play the piano, but that I have all my fingers, that I am healthy and have the opportunity to take piano. When the sales associate handed me my book back, the little lady's husband asked me what kind of music it was. I told him it was piano and that we were homeschooled. He then told me that when he was little he had the opportunity to take piano but he didn't want to and now he wishes that he could play and his wife said that I better be thankful that I know how to play. I am now trying to be ever so thankful for the opportunity to learn and play the piano.

Thank you Lord,
For my mother who has taken the time to stay at home with me and teach me,
and for my daddy who makes the sacrifice so that I can take piano lessons.
Amen.

Our Quick Visit to the Cousin's

Hello to all! This past weekend we had to make quick trip to the Cousin's! The Lord has blessed Noel with a device called a VNS, it has helped her epilepsy oh so very much! It is a lot like a Pacemaker, but for your brain instead of your heart. Well, the battery in it is dieing and the surgery needs to be done up here so, at 7:00 on Friday night we left out! I don't think I have ever gotten that much stuff packed into two days ever! It was great! God kept us safe, blessed our time together, and we had many laughs, smiles, hugs and kisses from little ones! OK, lets see if I can be concise about what all we did,

• Friday: Went to a funeral from 2:00-4:30, then left out at 7:00pm, arrived at destination at 3:00am
• Saturday morning and afternoon: This time was spent with the Cousin's outside, playing the Wii, and games on the computer (for those of us talented enough!)
• Saturday Afternoon: At this time we went to Darell's parent's house. His mom fixed us a wonderful super and we had a great time! Then we went to Darell's house (I haven't even known him long and that sounds weird). There we watched Pride and Prejudice.
• Sunday Morning and Afternoon: God blessed us with an AWESOME church service! I always love going to the Cousin's church! Evangelist Rick Coram preached. Then after church Darell came to the Cousin's and had lunch with us! Aunt Renee is such a good cook! And she has eleven amazing helpers!
  
• Sunday Evening: Darell took us to a place that he and Noel like to go to. THE BEACH!!! We didn't get to stay long because it started to rain. :( Then Daniel, his brother met us for pizza and ice cream! Thanks Darell! We had a blast!!!
• Monday: This was the sad, last day. But Daddy was gracious and let us leave in the afternoon instead of the morning. WoW! I didn't realize how much we had done!
  
• OH!!! And when we got home Monday night do you know what was in our mailbox?!?!?!? We are approved by C.I.S. to bring two orphans into the U.S.A.!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Lord and thanks everyone for all of your prayers!!!

Well, so much for being concise.

Here are some pics of our blessed weekend!!

Eben, Smiley and Aunt Renee!
We love you guys!

Our little twinkies,
do you notice anything?

My sister has her "own" kitchen!
It is so weird to think that in August my sister will be living here!

Keeping the little ones occupied before we leave for church.

Twp peas in a pod! Haha!
Hope helping fix lunch Sunday after church.

Smiley makin' 'em run for it!

Daddy's little girl!

He is going to be such a good daddy!

The love birds took us to the beach!
Even though we didn't get to stay long we had a lot of fun!!
We had enough time for some pictures, a race and even some tears.

It was amazing being able to take off our shoes and walk on the beach in JANUARY!
God is so awesome!
You may be wondering why above I said "even some tears." As I stood on the beach looking East I just wished that I could run across the Atlantic, and hug Sweet Pea and J Man and bring them home! Oh how I want them to be home! Up until that moment, I believed that we were adopting, but it was like RIGHT then that I realized, that two of a my siblings are thousands of miles away from me and my family where they belong! How I long for them to be home. Thank you for all your prayers and please continue to pray as you are lead.

Well, on a lighter note, there is a funny story (at least for me) about this restaurant. A lot of times Noel and Darell will go to the beach, meet his family here, eat pizza together then go get ice cream. Well, since they do that a lot they wanted to show it to us. Well, when Noel would tell us about doing this, she just said they would go to "the loop." Well, I thought that they just made a loop when they went to these three places. When I told them that it was really funny! So, if you ever have wondered, "The Loop" is a restaurant.

Then we went to ice cream!
Thanks for such a fun evening Darell and thanks for joining us Daniel!

Who do you think is going to be an AWESOME mother and happy to have her hands full one day?
I know!

This Little Lady Bug walked all the way up the stairs with these shoes on!
Do you think she like shoes? Maybe, she just sleeps with them!

WE WILL BE BACK!!!!

WE ALREADY MISS Y'ALL!!
LOVE AND HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS SOON!

God Bless,
Joy.
"There are two things I am sure of. That I am a great sinner. And Christ is a great Savior."

My new little sister and brother!

Our God is an awesome God,
He reigns from heaven above!

Most of you have probably already seen it on Mama's blog but I had to post something about our God sent awesome news!
We are now approved by the Ghana court!!!! PRAISE THE LORD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!!!

The Saturday after Mama's birthday it was around 1am and we were all up talking because the next day, Darell was going to have to leave. Well, Mama had told us good night about an hour before and then she comes into the glass porch SMILING!! I had Marigrace's laptop and she asks if she could have it. We were all very CURIOUS! Well, she then read the email and we were all just SO OVERJOYED! Earlier that day, I think around lunch time I began to think of a Christmas song about a family adopting a little girl from China. I then began to think of a song for our adoption. As me and Mama were talking about it, she said I could very well of been writing that song when our little one's were IN COURT. Here it is,

Six thousand, one hundred and sixty miles away.

I hear the rooster crowin' and the squirrels talkin'
as I sit here thinkin' my mind starts wanderin'
Six thousand, one hundred sixty miles away
There on a play ground swingin' away
Two little ones play
Orphans to some, treasures to another
How my mama longs to be their mother!

Chorus:
Oh, how I wish to bring ya'll home!
To be my brother and sister, no more to roam!
I want to bring ya'll home so we can play
and all your hunger will go away.

It seems like there is no way to make it doable
But we all know that with God, all things are possible.
So much to do and so many places to go.
It seems like we'll never get done with it all.
But as we give our signatures, God continues to give us His, too!
Six thousand, one hundred, and sixty miles away
While kids laugh and say boo
I sit here and think

Chorus

As I look through the mail and answer the phone
and go through my life here at home,
I can't wait for you to be home with me
And before I know it, you will be!

Oh, what a miracle it is that you're home!
You are my brother and sister, no more to roam!
Together all day long we can swing and play
and all your hunger has gone away!
You are no longer six thousand, one hundred and sixty miles away.
Thank you, Lord, for bringing them home to stay.

As I look our two little ones I am overjoyed, then I look at all the other treasures there. They look so sad and discouraged but why not? If you have even considered adopting I hope that you pray about that decision and if it is what God has for you to do, I hope and pray that you do not hesitate. I also hope and pray that you will consider the precious treasures at Eban House in Accra, Ghana.

God Bless,
Joy.

Adoption

Many of you may already of known this but any way,
adoption means a lot to me and my family.
I have five PRECIOUS cousins that have joined our family through adoption.
Two from Ghana and three from Ethiopia.
Their dad, Jim, who is also the Father of six biological children,
wrote an awesome post about the calling of adoption and going after that calling.
Even if you feel as though adoption is not for you,
it is still well worth the read!

This is the youngest that they have adopted.
When he arrived at the orphanage he was just barely longer then a dollar bill.
They then took him to the hospital and the hospital said there was nothing that they could.
They then attempted a second time at the hospital and he survived.
He was not here in America.
This was in Audis Aababa Ethiopia!
Though you may think not, Little Fella, is three years old!
He is a walking miracle!

Thank you Lord, so much for ALL of my cousins!

God Bless,
Joy.

An AWESOME week with...

The Cousins!!!

As many of you know, this past week our whole family was able to travel 400 miles and visit our wonderful cousins!
It was a blast!
With 22 people in the house there was always something going on and you could, in no way ever get bored!
We met our two new cousins, Eben and Joel! They are the sweetest little guys and fit in like they have always been in our family!
There were late night talks, early morning coffee drinkers enjoying each others company,
playing the Wii, riding bikes, going to church, going to the beach, the pool and water park and SO MUCH MORE!!!

Here is a small glimpse of our visit!

Resting with a great buddy, Peanut.

The Three Stooges,

Little Renee, Eben and Baby Girl!

Enjoying hamburgers and good company!

"RUNNNN!!!!!!"

"Why am I not getting anywhere?"

"Hee hee! Come get me!"

Dough nut's at 10:30 pm?
"YESS!!!"

Forever close friends!
Doodle Bug and Joel right before we got to the beach!

"AAHHHHHH!!!!"
Me and Southern Bell having a blast in the waves!"C'mon!!"

Noel and J.M.
Thank You Lord for giving us such an awesome week with the Cousin's!
Thank you for giving them to us as family!