tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56916883302059079212012-02-14T16:02:59.195-08:00Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.comBlogger5281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-12172585096085124912012-02-14T00:30:00.000-08:002012-02-14T00:30:03.074-08:00

Two of the teenagers from church surprised us by offering to babysit for free so we could go out for Valentine's Day. It meant so much to us. One more reason for Jon to love volunteering with the high school kids! We went out on a pre-Valentine's Day picnic on the lake. It was perfect. No cards or flowers (I'm weird and don't like receiving flowers.) Just me and my beloved and the sunset.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-81748594827187054592012-02-13T09:05:00.000-08:002012-02-13T09:05:38.030-08:00

1. Take a picture (or use an existing one) 2. Upload to Picnik (their site is closing in April so all of the premium effects are free!) 3. Design something cute. 4. Order 4 x 6 prints. We just ordered 50 valentines for $6.50!

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-3414148638394127252012-02-13T02:38:00.000-08:002012-02-13T06:33:13.598-08:00

A couple of weekends ago something really special happened. Our entire (female, anyway) Sixty Feet U.S. team was in one place.  All together. All of us. And our cupcakes too. I think God planned for me to work with a ministry whose primary fundraiser is cupcakes. Some things are just meant to be. This is Laura, who I like to think of as Atlanta-Me. If I was a tad classier and

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-14407489749567854652012-02-09T06:43:00.000-08:002012-02-09T06:53:11.133-08:00

Ambrose needs some formal preschooling and isn't ready to attend preschool, so we're doing Sonlight's pre-K curriculum. Next year, he'll either have another year of homeschool preschool or he will attend preschool. As for Cade, he is beginning kindergarten next year. I always inwardly scoffed at friends who got all uptight about where they were sending their kids to school. As a former

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-64384985423919531162012-02-08T17:37:00.000-08:002012-02-08T17:40:53.940-08:00

Remember my friend Sara I had y'all pray for in December? They were appearing before an appeals court after receiving a negative ruling to adopt their daughter. They have been parenting her for close to a year, and have moved to Africa for the last 11 months to officially become her parents. Well, tomorrow they get their ruling. Tonight US time. Sara is physically sick and without her husband, so

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-50473655665694663352012-02-07T00:30:00.000-08:002012-02-07T00:30:00.946-08:00

The time has come to air some grievances here. No, these aren't life-altering problems. They're just minor irritations. 1. Going to the dentist. I hate going to the dentist. It seems like such a waste of time and babysitting hours. No matter how much I try to tell myself to close my eyes and pretend that I'm in a day spa, the drilling sounds bring me back to reality. Furthermore, what's with

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-56902467899620655542012-02-06T06:25:00.000-08:002012-02-06T06:25:29.273-08:00

5 years ago today I was handed a pink, warm, teeny tiny babe and ushered into the world of motherhood. Isn't he just perfect? Today my firstborn is 5. That squealing little bundle is now my running, jumping, mischief-causing boy. My Cade is compassionate (he always comes home from school telling me of a new situation we need to pray about. Usually it involves a classmate's injury.) He is

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-89261682066489003602012-02-01T09:18:00.000-08:002012-02-01T09:27:43.789-08:00

My friend Jena made a video of our journey to Ambrose! We love it. Ambrose would watch it on repeat all day if I let him. Enjoy! (Turn up your volume 'cause the song is awesome!) Oh, and watch till the VERY END. It's the best part. Please feel free to share on FB or your blog. We are so thankful to God for all He has done for our family. An Orphan Becomes a Son from Jennifer Penner on

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-35007802807388314692012-01-25T06:37:00.000-08:002012-01-25T06:37:22.808-08:00

I have this super hip, super talented friend named Lauren. She turned her dining room table into a chalkboard. I've seen this before but never thought about doing it. Our table is a scratched up mess that we bought at Sam's Club when we were first married, so it's the perfect candidate for such a project. As much as I'd like a new table, it would probably look just like the old one in no time

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-51073431903269446342012-01-24T00:30:00.000-08:002012-01-24T00:30:02.507-08:00

A couple of weeks before we left Africa to come home, Amby had his head shaved for the last time. Jon and had run an errand that day away from the orphanage and while we were gone the staff shaved him. Since coming home, I haven't had his hair cut at all. Partially because I can't find anywhere in our town where a child with African American hair can get it cut. And also because I just love my

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-75127886453210746122012-01-23T01:00:00.000-08:002012-01-23T01:00:05.513-08:00

As I'm getting ready for Created for Care this week, I've been thinking a lot about what I learned last year about raising children who come from hard places. This year I am now actually parenting a child who has dealt with much in his life and I can look back and see what worked for us and what didn't. I should start by saying we broke all of the typical "adoption rules." Ambrose is four and a

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-81826599051056686522012-01-20T06:14:00.000-08:002012-01-20T06:15:24.320-08:00

In case you didn't know, I live in the land of beans and tortillas. It's a good place to be - I can get my whole family a Mexican take-out dinner for about $15. Or I could just hop the border and go get tacos if I felt like it something we never do, but really should. When Jon and I were newlyweds and quite broke, I experimented with different bean recipes that would feed us for days and days

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-40245538414680656382012-01-18T13:02:00.000-08:002012-01-18T13:03:22.596-08:00

It was leftovers on the patio for lunch today. Cade chose the last slice of pizza. Amby wanted to polish off the spaghetti. This all started well enough. About five minutes in, I heard a howl. Ambrose changed his mind and decided he wanted pizza. I explained that Cade was eating the last slice and offered him an alternative. He was not pleased. I walked to the kitchen sink and looked back

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-59830670643086396362012-01-15T20:36:00.000-08:002012-01-15T20:36:52.735-08:00

What a weekend. It's Sunday night and the dryer is humming and the babies are sleeping and the dishes are still dirty from weekend fun. I used to dread Sunday nights when I worked and now I find myself grateful that my only job tomorrow is caring for my three little monkeys. This weekend we had our first meeting with our new small group. We've got a cop, a firefighter, a Marine and a farmer,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-3956437814772956152012-01-12T00:15:00.000-08:002012-01-12T00:15:00.891-08:00

This is an updated version of this post. Last year I went to the Created for Care retreat  hoping for a little R & R, but I got MUCH more. The experiences I had there and women I met have literally changed my life in very real ways. At the time, Jon and I were conflicted about what path to follow with our adoption. God was really speaking to our hearts about older children, but it looked

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-19557882175840038322012-01-07T07:04:00.001-08:002012-01-09T13:18:02.828-08:00

Six years ago Saturday I was doing this - We had a lovely wedding. My beloved Pop married us in his church. Our reception was in a barn (before barns were cool, it was just the only place in town that could accomodate our big wedding. Also, the word "chuckwagon" was in the name of said barn/restaurant establishment.) My Farmer and I drove to San Diego for our honeymoon and talked about our

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-74982967891362304662012-01-06T13:32:00.001-08:002012-01-11T07:04:07.866-08:00

I am uptight about my house being clean. Yet, I live with three clutter-terrorists, so this causes great deals of frustration. Lately I've been thinking about what works to keep this place cleaned up and what doesn't. Sometimes I read cleaning schedules on blogs, usually they make me want to barf. Type A people like me shouldn't write cleaning schedules, especially if a cleaning toothbrush is

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-12349778142343428192012-01-05T19:46:00.000-08:002012-01-05T19:53:10.539-08:00

I love ALL adoption, but there are some really special things about adopting an "older child" (generally that term means 3 and up in adoption-ese.) Unfortunately, older child adoption is often considered more "risky" than adopting a baby by some. We felt like whatever age of child we brought home, we would love our child through any issues he/she had, get help if needed, and trust God to do His

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-57621414168877237662012-01-02T19:47:00.000-08:002012-01-02T19:49:40.292-08:00

Originally posted January 2011 - I'm too busy untangling Christmas lights to come up with any new content for you, and this perfectly describes the way I feel during this first week of January. It does not look like this in Southern Arizona. It's actually quite brown, but this picture seems like what January should look like, anyway. Something strange happens between December 31 and January 1

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-38192048284836957022011-12-31T14:40:00.000-08:002011-12-31T14:43:58.287-08:00

I knew God had done a lot in our lives this year, but it wasn't until I went back and looked at this blog a year ago that I realized how amazingly He has blessed us. I cannot believe I have had the chance to visit a beautiful country on another continent twice, become the parent to another child and watch our family grow in God's love through it all. God is good, people. So I now give you (in

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-47775783127916921102011-12-30T14:52:00.000-08:002011-12-30T14:52:28.925-08:00

I didn't want to let the day get away without asking my readers to do something quick and free to support Sixty Feet. Cultivate Wines is giving away a $10,000 grant each month to the non-profit that gets the most votes on their website. Right now Sixty Feet is in 2nd place! Voting costs nothing and you can vote once a day. You do have to login to vote, but you can use your Facebook account to

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-54481088687903985912011-12-29T14:47:00.000-08:002011-12-29T14:47:19.531-08:00

I'm trying really hard to strike a balance between a healthy level of "real" and whining. Our Christmas did not go as planned. My grandfather, who is very close to us and the kids, spent the five days prior to Christmas in the hospital. He was released late Christmas Eve, but too weak to join in on any of the Christmas Day fun. My kids ran to the door everytime our dog barked thinking it was

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-63795659783912640282011-12-23T00:20:00.000-08:002011-12-23T00:20:00.317-08:00

Alternately titled, "The Many Hairstyles of The Farmer's Wife." I told you I love Christmas cards. Now let's relive the last 6 years of Christmas cards, shall we?  2006 2007  2008 2009 2010 2011

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-7913564990074302032011-12-22T01:35:00.000-08:002011-12-22T07:20:53.292-08:00

Spoiler alert! No reading this if you're in my family! Christmas is just days away and I'm busy as a bee finishing up my last few DIY gifts. I always get a little ambitious when planning these things and then find myself up late at night to get things done! These three gifts are low cost, useful gifts that anyone can make. 1. Play Mat. This isn't complete, but you get the idea. I got lots (and

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-10795976071155637352011-12-21T12:08:00.000-08:002011-12-21T13:28:51.727-08:00

I must be out of my mind delving into this. I'm either going to make a lot of friends or a lot of enemies today! I kid, I kid. I want to share our take on Santa. And I'd love to hear yours' too. I'm seeing the Santa concept in a whole new light this year, having just added to our family. Cade has now asked twice why Santa doesn't visit orphanages (oy.) Ambrose thinks all American traditions are

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-78786406585056501232011-12-20T00:27:00.000-08:002011-12-20T00:27:00.071-08:00

Ah, the annual Christmas card. I love it. I love sending them, I love receiving them. I love the photo session prior to the Christmas card. I am a stickler about having family photos done a minimum of once a year. In 2009, I think we did 3 different sessions (Ellie was born, okay!) This year my sweet friend Lauren blessed us with a photo session as her baby gift to us and she captured some great

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-25836037153792854492011-12-19T00:38:00.000-08:002011-12-19T05:33:34.610-08:00

Three months ago today, I stepped off of an airplane in Uganda and this shy little boy walked into my life. Last night when I was tucking him in, Ambrose and I were sharing our favorite memories of Uganda. He smiled big when I talked about that September day we met. I told him how very, very happy I was that day to get to be his mommy. After he was asleep, I got to thinking about this

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-80480229679765367252011-12-16T05:49:00.000-08:002011-12-16T05:50:23.655-08:00

When I first became passionate about Christians caring for the fatherless, I just didn't understand why anyone wouldn't want to adopt. I was FURIOUS with Pat Robertson when he said people needed to "count the cost" before adopting. I thought, "Great, he just gave people an out and scared them off from adopting!" Today I am going to do something I will probably not ever do again and I'm going to

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-10481046011160277132011-12-15T21:12:00.000-08:002011-12-15T21:14:41.144-08:00

I'm sorry to keep you hanging without an update on my friend Sara sooner. (By the way, I was so blessed by how many of you joined in prayer for this sweet family.) I've gotten several emails from concerned readers wanting an update, so here you go. While they don't yet have a definitive ruling, Sara feels optimistic. She wrote more about that here: http://letloveguide.blogspot.com/2011/12/

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-85453136288919049442011-12-14T09:45:00.000-08:002011-12-14T09:45:47.618-08:00

We walked outside and it was this kind of day. And since this momma doesn't like to drive in the fog, I declared it a "Fog Day" and kept Cade home from preschool. I thought we could get started wrapping presents. I had visions of the kids carefully selecting the wrapping paper for each gift and thoughtfully talking about the recipient. Instead, things went like this: 1. The wrapping paper

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-53073747471801163942011-12-13T05:27:00.000-08:002011-12-13T05:27:16.558-08:00

Sara is a really good friend. She makes a mean Mexican fiesta, even in Africa. She shared her washing machine so I didn't have to do laundry by hand. Then she put on a headlamp when the power went out mid-laundry load and started scrubbing my clothes herself. That's a good friend. I met her at Created for Care last year. We spent four hours in the Atlanta airport together. She was getting

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-62991721560432407992011-12-12T00:29:00.000-08:002011-12-12T00:29:00.081-08:00

Through my work with Sixty Feet, I am given the background information on the children Sixty Feet serves. My role as child sponsorship coordinator is basically to look at that information and organize and track it as a sponsor comes along. And let me tell you, I hear some stories. Stories of children kidnapped by the Lord's Resistance Army as preschoolers. Stories of children abused by people

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-13777151861412649112011-12-09T00:29:00.000-08:002011-12-09T00:29:00.881-08:00

It was a big day of Merry-making around here. After long naps (oh, thank you, Jesus) today, we got started on cookie making. While the first batch cooled, we headed out to Target to buy Angel Tree gifts. Jamming to the finest in holiday music, of course. After my kids had their fill of Target popcorn and were satisfied with the things we purchased for our angels (the Transformers t-shirt,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-11678760207883913382011-12-07T00:11:00.000-08:002011-12-08T19:21:37.317-08:00

Thanks to Pinterest, decorating my home for Christmas has taken on a whole new crazy. Usually, I pull out the tubs of Christmas decorations, most of which were handed down to me by my mom when we got married and I just put them out. It's Christmas, it's supposed to look tacky, right? Well this year I embarked on a few Christmas crafts and went a little theme-y-er. If you are a Type A

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-56027283221979698822011-12-05T05:55:00.000-08:002011-12-05T05:55:54.086-08:00

The other afternoon we were having one of those days. It was 4:30 and The Monkeys were being..... monkeys. The typical preschool things that can make a Mama crazy - destruction at every turn, energetic, spunky, preschooler behavior. Which is all very endearing except when it's 4:30 and Mama has been dealing with it for 10 hours! Anyway, I was feeling short tempered. And guilty about feeling

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-67117183402117186122011-12-02T00:51:00.000-08:002011-12-02T00:51:00.147-08:00

I usually refer to our bunch as monkeys, but for Thanksgiving, they were TURKEYS!  Here's how we spent the day - The Turkeys and I started out with some yummmmmy Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls and Macy's Parade while Daddy played "Turkey Bowl" football game with his high school guys. Then, it was on to the Grandparents' house. The Kiddie Table Table manners are a MUST in our home. 

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-22925954059585378072011-12-01T00:55:00.000-08:002011-12-01T00:55:00.739-08:00

I wrote this post in April when we visited Uganda for the first time. Our day at the AIDS hospital there is seared in my memory, and I feel like an appropriate way to acknowledge World AIDS Day is by stopping and recognizing that people live with this illness that ravages bodies and robs lives. This illness that is so easily treatable and preventable. Please, take a moment with me and walk in

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-5980258077311650682011-11-30T02:07:00.000-08:002011-11-30T05:08:34.085-08:00

Funeral potatoes are an old stand-by dinner from my childhood. Don't think I'm weird, my mom named them, and the name is fitting. I know it sounds morbid, but I will guarantee you some variation of these potatoes is served at every single funeral reception you will ever attend. My husband once challenged this theory and just weeks later we found ourselves at a memorial gathering.... eating

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-31637717958837763462011-11-29T06:52:00.000-08:002011-11-29T06:57:51.368-08:00

To get up early enough everyday to enjoy my coffee, read my bible, do a workout, and take a shower before my children wake up at 7. To stay up late enough to spend time with my husband after the kids are asleep rather than just falling into a heap on my bed at 7:30 PM. To follow one of those clever "cleaning schedules" wherein I spend only 15 minutes a day cleaning and somehow my house is

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-87151067168806100382011-11-24T06:55:00.000-08:002011-11-24T06:55:05.374-08:00

For lives redeemed and mercies anew every morning. For sunrises on lettuce fields and sunsets over the Sonoran mountains. For the laughter of children all day long. For our full stomachs and warm beds. For a forgiving God and His unending love. For a family knit together by Him alone. We are thankful. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-8682041824779184162011-11-23T04:55:00.000-08:002011-11-23T05:01:05.486-08:00

Today I want to share a really special experience I had at one of the remand homes in Uganda and a very real way you can be a part of giving the hope of Jesus to the children there. I sat with Mercy and the Sixty Feet interns feeling a little bewildered. She was 14 and sobbing "God has forgotten me" over and over. We hugged her and tried to convince her otherwise, but I have a feeling I would

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-23255333607470033032011-11-22T01:43:00.000-08:002011-11-23T05:14:42.636-08:00

If I ever have more than 5 really good recipes to my name or reach Pioneer Woman fame (which seems unlikely) this will be the picture for the cover of my cookbook. I posted this recipe last year and I thought I should share it again in light of the fact that Costco is making a killing on their overly-spiced store-made pies. Don't you dare buy an apple pie at Costco! Don't do it!! I am so

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-78101839669050522892011-11-21T13:40:00.000-08:002011-11-21T13:40:28.338-08:00

Poor Thanksgiving, it is really starting to get the shaft. Every year Black Friday and the official start of Christmas shopping overshadow it more and more. This year some stores are even staying open ON Thanksgiving! I could write a whole post about that, but instead I'll show you our fun little Thanksgiving craft. Also, we might already have our tree up, so I don't want to be a hypocrite. I

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-17005356621172119542011-11-17T01:30:00.000-08:002011-11-17T04:49:04.727-08:00

My Farmer and his iPhone capture some breathtaking sights in the early mornings on the farm. Take a look at what's growing this week - Romaine lettuce. We eat WELL this time of year. Sprinkler pumps at sunrise. More Romaine lettuce, on the Mexican border. Cauliflower harvest is just around the bend. I feel blessed beyond measure that my babies get to grow up with their Daddy being the

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-26690225119518989652011-11-15T05:39:00.000-08:002011-11-15T05:39:32.224-08:00

Lauren was the second person I ever talked to about adoption. She encouraged me and was someone who gave me the boost I needed to get started in the process. I followed her family's journey to bring their son, Mareto, home last year. He is their first child, and after hearing of the pain she and her husband suffered from infertility, it was truly a blessing to watch her become a mommy! Well,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-31855080292409112452011-11-14T07:59:00.000-08:002011-11-14T07:59:13.974-08:00

Last week we had an indoor day due to inclement weather. Inclement weather in southern Arizona means it was windy and we had runny noses going on in the house. But for those of you with actual severe winter weather, here are some fun things to do on a day in. Pancakes are my kids' favorite breakfast. We never seem to have time for them, though, so it was a perfect day to make them!  Art time!

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-65361639986368628162011-11-07T10:11:00.000-08:002011-11-07T10:12:43.101-08:00

These days I am a professional ball-dropper. I knew this after forgetting about the playdate I was in charge of coordinating for my mom's group this morning and also forgetting about the big service project our adoption fellowship was supposed to be working on this week, once again, that I was coordinating. Someone should tell me to stop volunteering to coordinate stuff! If I'm so scatterbrained

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-53436407562007026432011-11-04T00:57:00.000-07:002011-12-12T13:22:42.495-08:00

This weekend is Orphan Sunday. These are the scattered thoughts of a mommy with a new son changed forever by the love of Jesus. The day we met. Two weeks ago today I brought my son home. We met five weeks prior to that. I went into this expecting a very long healing process. I was prepared for slow progress, because you just can't rush a little heart in healing. I knew this first month home

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-94862734730156152011-11-03T00:48:00.000-07:002011-11-03T06:14:38.894-07:00

These days the big question I've been getting is how we're doing so far. Soon I'll write a legitimate post about how we're handling the real issues, but let me just share a little bit of my everyday with you right now. Cade thinks he's really cool because he knows a few Luganda phrases now. Let's face it, that is a little bit cool for a 4 year old. Double the fun. Ellie has a best friends/

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-21981209377435496202011-11-02T13:46:00.000-07:002011-11-02T13:46:28.874-07:00

Ironically, after our discussion about Halloween and worldiness yesterday, I'm posting Halloween pictures today. Don't worry, it's all good, clean, family fun here. That was my hypocrite disclaimer. I am pretty certain Ambrose thinks we are nuts. Well, if he didn't before he sure did after Halloween. Ah, Halloween. The one day of the year adults can wear the ridiculous and parents encourage

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-68853467845892525942011-11-01T02:28:00.000-07:002011-11-01T02:28:00.613-07:00

I have a confession to make: I am a young lady in an old lady's body. Things bother me that probably don't bother most people my age. Sometimes I'm like the Church Lady from Saturday Night Live. God, in His infinite wisdom, matched me with a husband who will still rock out to whatever is on the top of the charts at the moment while I'm bumping scripture set to music in the car - hey, it's for the

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-25298232841314887732011-10-28T21:46:00.000-07:002011-10-28T21:46:11.528-07:00

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-12872680646613498742011-10-23T07:02:00.000-07:002011-10-23T07:02:55.037-07:00

Ambrose and I left Uganda late Thursday night, exactly one month since I arrived there. He fell asleep before the first plane took off (it was an 11 PM flight) and slept 7 out of the 8 hours of that flight. When he woke up, I told him, "We are on the airplane!" He looked around confused and said, "No, mommy, this is a chair, not an aeroplane." When we landed, we stumbled off the plane and

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-50478616326972114062011-10-19T04:26:00.000-07:002011-10-19T04:26:00.512-07:00

In between court dates and working on Ambrose's visa, I had the chance to hand out the kits from the For Girls Only Project. We took kits to two remand homes and one orphanage, giving out 72 total. Let me just tell you the two things the girls were most excited about were the deodorant and the bra. And girls in Africa aren't that different from girls in America; each girl tried on bra after bra

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-19285514221152305842011-10-18T10:28:00.000-07:002011-10-18T10:28:26.164-07:00

Thinks "cheeps" (french fries) and Fanta are perfect for any meal. Loves the Wonder Pets. Has one volume - LOUD. Orphanage kind of loud where one has to practically yell to be heard at all. Makes up songs all to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle" and usually based on whatever he sees at the moment. Thoroughly enjoys the baby game where he cries pretending to be a baby and I comfort him. Has

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-72277100096075070762011-10-12T06:22:00.000-07:002011-10-12T06:22:25.730-07:00

Waiting for the next part of our journey home to be complete. Loving my newest little munchkin. Finding red dirt everywhere. Feeling refreshed by the arrival of three dear friends from the U.S. Remember Shelly and Colleen? You know, the ones who raised the funds for our airfare? And sweet Amy, who held my hand and answered a million questions through this process. We all wound up here in

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-80518307091918169782011-10-08T08:10:00.000-07:002011-10-08T08:10:17.113-07:00

After months of trying to lose these stubborn pounds, I've finally found an effective diet and exercise plan. So effective, I've lost 8 lbs in just 12 days!  For this diet to be effective, you have to be removed from all food that sounds appetizing and it does help if you're at least moderately ill at all times to suppress your appetite. For best results, just go to Africa. Also, unlike any

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-14899122801443173982011-10-06T10:47:00.000-07:002011-10-06T10:47:01.396-07:00

this little boy is orphaned no more. he officially has a mommy and daddy. forever. This mommy has a third baby. This family is blessed to announce our newest addition, Ambrose Masaba.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-13126710480336672472011-09-27T08:32:00.000-07:002011-09-28T22:35:38.311-07:00

That's all I can say to describe how I'm feeling at the moment. We traveled across the country, stayed a night, and returned all in the course of about 36 hours. The trip was hard on everyone, and there were some especially emotional parts of it for A. We will travel again next week, hopefully with more information. My little brain can't process much else right now, so that's all I've got to say

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-8309263770179755812011-09-26T03:57:00.000-07:002011-09-29T15:47:34.245-07:00

So far I've shared a lot about our first days with A. You all are privy to our baby book here, sort of. But I want to be really careful not to mislead you into thinking it's all rainbows and unicorns all the time. The truth is, his early bond to us is not a true attachment. Rather, it's more of a clinging on for dear life. And the sad part is, there are 49 of his friends who do the same thing

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-67448829231117105482011-09-25T11:25:00.000-07:002011-09-25T11:25:16.972-07:00

I know I've mentioned this before, but we do not yet have custody of A. Hopefully we will in the next couple of weeks after we attend court. For now, we are staying at a guesthouse on the orphanage grounds. Children are not allowed in the guesthouse, so we usually go over and spend our time at the orphanage with A. Today after several hours with him I headed back to the guesthouse to get ready

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-9636142770281252342011-09-24T11:24:00.000-07:002011-09-24T11:24:34.733-07:00

Communicating with Africans is SO different than communicating with Americans. They are uber-polite and proper with their language. They also have heavy accents which are hard for my western ears to decipher sometimes. The other day I had lunch with my friend Lovelyn and her two boys she is in the process of adopting. I noticed when she spoke to them she donned an African accent. I was really

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-82892044589508353962011-09-22T12:09:00.000-07:002011-09-28T22:37:54.625-07:00

I want to jot down a few things about my first days with A. I'm sure my writing skills are not going to be anything awesome as I am super jet lagged and exhausted from orphanage work, but I have a lot of memories I don't want to forget. This morning I got to morning devotional a little late because I wasn't feeling well. When I slipped in, A got out of his seat and ran and jumped on my lap.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-74354714171924941362011-09-21T11:45:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:51:15.696-07:00

Meeting each of my children had this feel of holiness to it. Like heaven had just parted and sent this little person down to me. I know that sounds super cheesy, but I don't know how else to describe it. Every mom knows meeting her children is almost sacred, one of life's greatest treats. To be completely honest, we did not expect that experience when meeting A. The descriptions I've had of him

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-29195825372332937612011-09-20T14:56:00.000-07:002011-09-20T14:56:42.113-07:00

Amsterdam. We landed on red dirt after passing through three continents. I have a confession to make. We're staying in a hotel tonight and I felt SO guilty about it. Tomorrow we are moving into the guesthouse at A's orphanage, but our flight got in so late that we decided to book a hotel for tonight. A fancy hotel. Not only do we have a fridge, but a locking fridge. You know, so no one

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-77476613015489457752011-09-19T12:16:00.000-07:002011-09-19T12:16:36.707-07:00

We are in... En route to... With a pitstop in Amsterdam along the way.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-75280642046954994852011-09-19T09:23:00.000-07:002011-09-19T09:45:56.316-07:00

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-55900014486124046062011-09-18T08:06:00.000-07:002011-09-18T08:06:38.288-07:00

Today I am kissing my babies goodbye for a very long time. The hardest thing about going to Africa is by far being apart from my children. The Farmer will be with me in Africa for about 3 weeks and then will come home. God willing, I will follow him with A about two weeks later. I will be away from my children for a month. To say I've felt guilty about this would be a massive understatement.

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-85101267839519272042011-09-17T08:05:00.000-07:002011-09-17T08:06:43.026-07:00

Several months ago, Jon surprised me with a big girl camera as a belated birthday/pre-baby gift. I was excited, but also a little intimidated. I'm one of those people that has had Photoshop on our computer for three years and has only ever used it to crop photos. It's just not user-friendly! I know I need to just take the time to sit down and figure it out, but who knows when that'll happen. So,

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-77836424062476914602011-09-16T07:07:00.000-07:002011-09-16T07:07:18.303-07:00

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-38138611408185722632011-09-15T00:09:00.000-07:002011-09-15T06:09:19.252-07:00

I'll be listening to SCC's "The Great Adventure" (on repeat) trying to get myself pumped to leave Sunday. Right now I'm feeling, er - nervous. The best way to describe it is the way I felt when I was in early labor with Ellie. I was up most of the night and knew I was in labor, but I dragged my feet about going to the hospital. I sat on my yoga ball and watched the early morning news, put on

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-46794052341707285112011-09-13T08:05:00.000-07:002011-09-13T08:09:45.042-07:00

I made this my profile picture because it seems to describe life right now. A few days ago I thought it might be wise to contact the embassy in our son's country to make sure everything was all ready to issue his visa. It wasn't. They hadn't received any of the paperwork from the US side. I found this out at 6:03 AM while checking morning e-mails today. I started dialing the phone numbers

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-57544462224441875912011-09-12T06:28:00.000-07:002011-09-12T06:28:43.259-07:00

I just realized my last few posts have been kind of heavy. I hate to be Debbie Downer and I need some sillies, so today I'm sharing with you even more tips for the shallow gal headed to Africa. You can find the official Shallow Gal's Guide to Africa here. 1.) Check this out. So the boxes of prepared food I planned to bring didn't fit in my suitcase (waaa waaa waaaaaaa....) and I thought some

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-24017555649422632682011-09-10T07:56:00.000-07:002011-09-10T07:57:03.142-07:00

Originally published September 11, 2010. There are some things that should be written and recorded lest they be forgotten. Births, passings, life's joys and sorrows. It has been just 9 years, so I am recording this now before the memory is lost in the jumble of the day-to-day. I was sixteen and living at North Carolina School for the Arts. I shared a second story dorm room with Kristy, a

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-28316308060320365882011-09-09T00:03:00.000-07:002011-09-09T06:35:33.446-07:00

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10 I've been thinking on this verse a lot lately. In so many situations, I find it on my heart. I'll hear a sound byte on the radio or news. Read a blurb online. Catch myself doing something automatically and wonder - Am I considering others above myself? The answer is almost always no. That concept goes

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-28092798139873291072011-09-08T07:19:00.000-07:002011-09-08T07:19:14.374-07:00

I'm knee deep in suitcases and can't seem to think of a thing to write. This post has been on my heart lately and I wanted to re-post it. Originally posted June 2011. I feel like this is one of the most important things I've ever written. If you read nothing else here, please, take a moment and read this. Last night as I was falling asleep, a thought flashed through my mind that sent me

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-79639053443180093832011-09-06T11:12:00.000-07:002011-09-06T11:13:19.774-07:00

(Mute the music at the bottom of the screen to hear this.) Ellie turns two while we're in Uganda. This weekend my mom was visiting and gave her this fun tutu. Ellie's great-great-grandma spent quite a bit of time explaining that she's two now. I think it sunk in....

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-60097252135830067302011-09-05T08:33:00.000-07:002011-09-05T09:17:50.531-07:00

oIt's Monday, which means it's time to get all miscellany up in here. 1. Happy Labor Day, everybody, or as I like to call it, "Skip Work Just 'Cause Day." It's one of those holidays that leaves me wondering, Why is this a holiday again? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for all of you who have the day off, but I just don't get Labor Day. Maybe I'm a bitter Farmer's Wife because the Farmer will

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-71605237419837516072011-09-02T00:01:00.000-07:002011-09-02T06:45:28.760-07:00

It's the universal primer on giving birth: I remember scouring the chapters over and over during my first pregnancy, comforted by the thorough explanations of exactly what was happening inside of me and what was to come. There was even a chapter about what to expect when things don't go as expected (which could be alternately titled, 73 Ways Your Birth Might Go Wrong.) I kind of winced through

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-16357000939506053192011-08-31T07:10:00.000-07:002011-08-31T07:10:02.860-07:00

A saying goodbye to his buddy who is going home to a new family You're next, A!

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-43116826464721147292011-08-30T00:06:00.000-07:002012-01-11T14:58:00.389-08:00

Six months ago I went to the Created for Care retreat. I was hoping for a little R & R, but I got MUCH more. The experiences I had there and women I met have literally changed my life in very real ways. At the time, Jon and I were conflicted about what path to follow with our adoption. God was really speaking to our hearts about older children, but it looked impossible from where we were. I

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-69092309377548160442011-08-26T00:07:00.000-07:002011-08-29T06:42:01.791-07:00

I'm linking up to Miscellany Monday today. Yes, this post was written on Friday. But guess what? It's all kinds of miscellany and I was too lazy busy to write a new one. Ah, Friday, we meet again. Where DID the week go? I don't know about yours, but mine was a blur of packing, psychotic nesting, and as much extra time as possible with my littles. Oh, and lots of exercise as part of my

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-5301497272209623522011-08-22T10:20:00.000-07:002011-08-22T10:20:00.470-07:00

Today is all about honesty, some of it bordering on TMI. 1. I'll start with a little confession (or two.) First, I don't "get" Pinterest. And I really don't want to "get" it. I'm sure I would get sucked in and spend hours on end clicking on pretty pictures and wanting the stuff in those pretty pictures. Also, I think Jason Mraz's song "I'm Yours" is annoying. These confessions have nothing at

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-70548134167351572442011-08-19T07:01:00.000-07:002011-08-19T07:03:21.549-07:00

The Farmer and I will board a plane bound for Uganda to meet our third child. Lately people keep saying to me, "I bet you're so busy" or "I bet you wish this month would fly by!" Neither are quite true. In fact, I'm deliberately doing everything I can to be NOT busy. And although I'm so excited to meet A and return to Uganda, I recognize this month as a very important time that I want to use in

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-54803104793637313352011-08-16T07:10:00.000-07:002011-08-16T07:11:48.275-07:00

Disclaimer: Yesterday Colleen got so bogged down with the outpouring of generous entries that she did not get to emailing each and every person their entry numbers. That would have taken all night! Rest assured, though, that every single comment, entry, and donation was meticulously counted for, with a number assigned (even if she didn't get a chance to email you your number.) Colleen's kids are

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-76091904964672136512011-08-15T20:41:00.000-07:002011-08-15T20:42:34.262-07:00

13 months ago Jon and I parted with most of our savings to follow this calling from God to bring our next child home from Africa. We had enough saved to start the process, but no idea where the rest would come from. Yet, over the months following that, everytime an adoption expense came up, He provided the means for us to meet it. In April we knew we needed to make a trip to Uganda, but we

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-67183188534987104462011-08-15T18:47:00.001-07:002011-08-15T18:47:28.705-07:00

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-66177803328059033442011-08-15T15:06:00.000-07:002011-08-15T15:08:31.402-07:00

What a day! I'm stitching up some mighty cute curtains for A's room right now, but I just had to hop on and let you know where we're at with the baby shower giveaway. We have just $556 to go to fund our airfare!  That's 28 donations of $20! (Once again, don't pay attention to what Chipin is showing, it's not updating properly and many donations have been checks.) I'm overcome with

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-10194939041083023052011-08-15T11:09:00.000-07:002011-08-15T11:09:13.621-07:00

What a day! We've seen such generosity during this last day of our big, awesome giveaway fundraiser and it really means a lot to us. As far as totals.............. We've collected $4,094! (Remember, some of the donations have been cash or check and that's why this looks different from the total you'll see on our Chip In graph.) Only $906 to go! Remember, this giveaway is funding is our

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-39994614662704512682011-08-15T00:26:00.000-07:002011-08-15T06:31:46.050-07:00

It's going to be a fun Monday with a lot going on around here, so I'm glad you stopped by! I've also got some big, juicy news to share, but you'll have to wait until the end. No peeking, though. Let's see ..... 1. My big baby shower/sweetest giveaway ever ends at midnight tonight! We have raised $3,509 and have $1,491 to go. How amazing is that? God is good. I hope you'll pop back in later

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-85230635661205799792011-08-14T13:36:00.000-07:002011-08-14T13:36:26.083-07:00

SIKE! You didn't think you'd get off that easy, did you? Colleen and Shelly here, taking over again to share some pertinent giveaway info with you loyal readers. Right now, we have collected $3,176 to help fund the Dinsmore's trip to bring A home. Praise God! That means we only have $1,824 left to raise! Here's the plan to get us to that goal, but it's going to require all of us doing

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-34944706441942887852011-08-13T21:47:00.000-07:002011-08-13T21:51:06.797-07:00

Here we are at 10 PM Saturday night and we are now at ........ $3,059 which means we've only got....... $1,941 to go! Less than 24 hours to do it! Share, share, share! PS - the reason the total here is different from what you're seeing on the Chipin widget on the sidebar is because about $650 in donations were not donated using that button so they won't show up. (We had a "donate" button on

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-71113633795811665882011-08-13T12:22:00.000-07:002011-08-13T12:22:13.321-07:00

I know it's Saturday and no one reads blogs on Saturdays, but I just have to pop in to tell you where we're at with the Camera giveaway/baby shower. (Not all of the donations are showing on Chipin because some people donated in person or by check.) We are at.......... $2,792! That's over halfway! Just to put this in perspective, that funds one entire adult airfare and most of A's child

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-91788700178832202142011-08-12T00:52:00.000-07:002011-08-12T12:40:51.079-07:00

I am SO excited to share the For Girls Only Project totals with you all! I have to say, the project generated far more support than I could have imagined. I love how so many of you followed God's leading to love these women! Young women at the remand center "M," where FGO kits will be distributed. Now, just to remind you, this was the original goal for the project - .....we just need to

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-54147191106376514812011-08-11T19:34:00.000-07:002011-08-11T19:34:21.312-07:00

I'm interrupting this hijacking for something really important. A group of adoptive families got together to form Adoptive Families for Famine Relief. Tonight they are giving away a bunch of items when you make a donation to an organization assisting in famine relief in the Horn of Africa. Check it out!

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-3476937264293346432011-08-11T09:46:00.000-07:002011-08-16T07:03:58.801-07:00

Good afternoon, Farmer's Wife friends! It's your friendly blog hijackers again, taking Lara's blog over for the day. We just wanted to remind you that Lara's baby shower giveaway ends on Saturday night, so if you haven't had a chance to enter (or you have a weaksauce memory like myself), now's the time! Only 3 days left! We want to shower the Dinsmores with crazy amounts of love, encouragement

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-44810145638552528252011-08-10T00:36:00.000-07:002011-08-10T06:37:22.173-07:00

Happy Wednesday, Lovelies! Before I dive into today's shenanigans, I just have to say that last night our church women's ministry packed and sorted the For Girls Only Project donations. I still have some more packages trickling in, so you'll have to stay tuned for an exact total, but we EXCEEDED our goal! As if that isn't great enough, this crazy blog shower has almost raised enough to fund one

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-44846688980261651462011-08-09T00:31:00.000-07:002011-08-09T06:20:18.899-07:00

Did I get your attention? It's true! We're going to have twins! No, we're not adopting a second child. And, no, A doesn't have a biological twin. When A was referred to us, we were told he was 3. As with many adopted kids, this was an estimated age. That was fine with us because the only firm boundary we felt on age was that we should not adopt over our eldest child's age (Cade, 4.) He has a

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-79173441458460403432011-08-08T06:12:00.000-07:002011-08-09T16:11:22.749-07:00

And I'll write about my boy/Africa/adoption if I want to! In case you missed it, yesterday I got HACKED. That's right, hacked. By my two friends, Shelly and Colleen. Both are Uganda Mamas like myself and have been huge supports to us during our adoption.They threw me a virtual baby shower that'll be going on all week. Instead of diapers and booties, shower guests are helping us fund our trip to

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5691688330205907921.post-60692757991453780322011-08-07T17:32:00.000-07:002011-08-14T13:39:38.193-07:00

If you came here today looking for a funny and inspirational post from Lara, you are out of luck...because we regret to inform you that this blog has been officially hijacked! By Shelly and Colleen, that is. Under normal circumstances, getting someone’s blogger password and hijacking their blog would be a rather rude. But these are not ordinary circumstances and we had a really, really good

Larahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13404826828632906792noreply@blogger.com125