I'm Taking A Break . . .

This will be my last post for a bit. 

I'm leaning the wrong way.  

Let me explain . . .

A few weeks ago, while running never ending errands in preparation for the wedding, I repeatedly drove past a church sign.  You know the ones?  Black slide-in letters on a white background, changed every so often to display scripture or catchy phrases . . . or in some cases, just worn out, overused "churchy" sayings.  Well the particular sign that I happened to make 15 or so trips past, displayed this little message:  "You fall the way you lean."

This became food for thought that I would chew on each time I drove by.  Yesterday God brought these six little words to mind again.  This after I had tapped a couple of wrong keys on my computer which then left me "frozen" in an unwanted screen.  I was anxious about the whole situation, about not being able to "do" or "check" anything online.  Anxious in an unhealthy way.  Anxious in a way that made me realize that I was leaning the wrong way . . . and about to fall.  I've been leaning on the Internet, on blogging, on blog reading . . . and now on Facebook (ugh) in hopes to keep up with my Taylor.  I'm not saying any of these things are bad, or unhealthy--if one has their priorities straight.  Right now, I don't.

Jesus said, that the greatest commandment was this:  "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength."  

ALL my heart, soul, mind and strength.  All.  I'm finding that I spend much to much of my day thinking about that next blog post or checking for comments.  Or now-- on what my next Facebook status update should be, and not nearly enough time on the things that matter most. So, I needed to ask myself, "What is filling my mind?  Where is my heart?  Where am I exerting my strength?"  I didn't like my answers.

I've been leaning the wrong way.  If I'm going to fall, this would not be where I would want to land.  It's time to turn around and lean on the Lord.  After all, is there any place better to fall?

Two things I wanted to share before I take a break --

The bridal portraits that I took of my precious girl, the week before her wedding.   (Brady assisted, and credit for the fourth and fifth pictures down go to him.) 

And secondly, the very first picture I ever saw of our sweet Teddi girl.  Exactly two years ago today, June 11th, 2007, God revealed the answer to my prayers!

My little flip calender for that day said this ~

"God makes a promise -- faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly awaits it."

Thank you Father that your promises are true.  Thank you for my precious girls.  Thank you for teaching me what it means to wait faithfully. 

Thank you for the ever so gentle reminder to lean on You.

Blessings from my "still learning to lean the right way" nest ~

I'll be back.

Love,

Tina

Prayer requests and a quick update . . .

Remember Dave and Rebekah who are currently in Brazil adopting their four new babes --while their other five children wait at home?  (You can see my update here.)  They arrived in Brazil on May 21st and received their children on May 23rd.  I initially reported that they would be in Brazil for  30 days to complete the adoption . . . I was wrong, it's more like 45.  I can't imagine being away for that long, or being in a foreign country for that long with four new (and very rambunctious) children.  The point of my request (on top of the obvious "trying time" they are in) is this--Rebekah is sick.  She has been sick for several days and has been given antibiotics, but is not getting better.  You can go catch up with this precious family here.  In the meantime, would you please lift Rebekah up to our Healer, the One who is able to make her healthy and whole again.  Would you also lift up Dave who is doing a great job keeping the "new crew" together.  I'm sure they could use an encouraging word at this time, as life in Brazil (and four new children) swirl around them!  

One more . . . My Daddy is back in the hospital. He was just here in Texas for the wedding and doing quite well.  He has been recovering from gall bladder surgery and a bit of heart trouble.  His heart flipped into an irregular rhythm during the gall bladder trauma, and finally a few days post-surgery "flipped" back, with the help of medication, or more likely prayers!  Well, his heart "flipped" again on Saturday morning and he has been hospitalized since.  Will you please pray that his heart will do one more "flip" back into it's regular rhythm, and then stay there!  Love you Daddy, we're praying!

On the homefront . . .

Teddi continues to recover from her tonsil and adenoid--ectomies, and is playing happily with Brogan as I type.  Nights are another story.  In a word: rough.  I don't think it's as much the pain now as it is the trauma of the whole experience, again, that is making her so restless and agitated and scared.  Needless to say it is wearying, especially for her, and in eight weeks we will do it again with her flap surgery.  She's a tough little bird, but she's had quite the go of it.  I am thankful that school is O-U-T, and we are officially taking a breather as of today!  Ten more days until her cast somes off and then we can swim.  My sweet Brogie promised his sister that he would "wait, til Ted can swim" before he takes his first dip.  I love that boy, and my cranky little China bird too!

Big sister and Frankie are busy settling into their new apartment.  We miss them, and hope they can come see us from Houston soon (otherwise we may hit the road headed east to H-town)!  Bryce is "in" from the field this week-- he's in and out regularly (does that make sense?).  This week he's in, teaching his team in the classroom, end of next week he's out in the mountains,  teaching his team to "survive"!  Miss you Bryce.  At home, speaking of survival, Brady is preparing for a week long trip to Colorado.  He leaves this coming Saturday (by van), once there he'll spend three days as part of a team summitting a peak in the Rockies!  Following their descent the team will spend another three days ministering to the street kids of downtown Denver.  The ministry he'll be a part of is called Elevations, which is part of a bigger oranization known as Dry Bones Denver.  It should be quite the life experience!

I need to sign off for now, little bird's big squawks are beckoning . . .

Thank you for the prayers!  Please remember Dave and Rebekah  and my Daddy.  Sorry, that wasn't a very quick update . . . thanks for reading along!

Blessings from my "celebrating summertime" nest ~

Tina

Thankful Thursday . . . late.

I have so much to be thankful for these past few weeks.  Some days have been very trying emotionally . . . some days have been physically exhausting . . . but all days have been filled with the greatest of blessings.

I am thankful that yesterday morning (two days post-op) my baby bird's biggest complaint was not her raw, tonsil missing throat, or her broken elbow wrapped up in a heavy pink cast, no --her biggest complaint was a small hangnail on her right thumb.  I guess a girl can only take so much!  After some neosporyn, a band-aid, and a dose of pain reliever she was . . .

back in the swing of things, and well enough to attend her 

Pre-K class's Teddy Bear Picnic at a nearby park.  

(She had not been happy to see Brogie leave for 

school without her the previous days.)

I took her a bit later, after the other children had already arrived at the park.

As soon as the first little guy saw me roll her up the sidewalk

 in her stroller the call went out . . . "Teddi's heeeeeear!" and 

her classmates came running as if he had hollered "Free ice cream!"

As they surrounded her in her stroller, the same sweet

 five year old announced, "Teddi's back in business!"

Yes indeed, Flit doesn't stay down for long.  

She hadn't been to school since the day she broke her elbow

and the littlest "queen of the class" had been missed!

These are the pictures that came home with Brogan the day she had

her elbow surgery.  To think that barely more than a year ago

Teddi was an orphan "waiting to belong" and now she has this little

flock of friends who come running at the sound of her name . . .

oh how indescribably thankful that makes me!

I am also thankful that after nine nervous months of wedding planning . . . reservation making, dress buying, tux ordering, flower designing, photographer hiring,  invitation sending, shower attending . . . all the way down to the nitty gritty last minute details (slightly interrupted by a flower girl's broken elbow) we pulled it off!  So many people worked so hard to make Taylor and Frankie's wedding a magical event. I am grateful to them.  Many people traveled great distances to celebrate with us, I am grateful to them!  This photo snapped at the reception sums up the day . . . the "I do's" were marvelously blessed!  Thank you Lord for a sweeter than sweet day, thank you for holding the rain, thank you for the blessing of a new son-in- law.  I am so grateful.

I am thankful for this sweet man of mine who in the post wedding days has completely picked up my exhausted slack.  He has moved a mountain of dirty laundry, bought groceries, and kept the house from falling apart.  Thank you babe, I don't know what I would do without you!

Lastly, if I step out my front door and look up, this is the scene.  Sweet or what?  It's the same nest that was painstakingly built while we waited to travel for Teddi.  The same nest that contained five brand new baby birds upon our return from China.  That very same nest is blessed once again . . .

and so is mine!

Blessings from my ever thankful nest ~ 

Tina

Wedding Pictures (and Little Bird's Surgery~ Updated)

Update:  We are home from Teddi's surgery, minus tonsils and adenoids.  The surgery went smoothly, but coming out from under anesthesia was another story . . . let's just say we survived!   We arrived home about 3:30 p.m. and she just polished off two bowls of her favorite soft noodles!  I'm ready for a nap . . . Thank you Lord for keeping Your hand upon my girl.

Hello dear ones!  Oh how I miss blogging.  I have so much to catch up on!  Tonight I thought I would begin to share a few pictures from the big event, and also ask you to pray for my little bird who is now sporting a very bright pink cast on her broken wing.

The cast went on last Thursday morning and will remain in place for three more weeks.  At that time if all has healed well, the two pins will be removed from her elbow, and Flit will be back in the flying business!  Hmmm, maybe I should rethink that statement.  It kind of gives the impression that Flit isn't flitting.  She is.  And brightly, I might add.  Tomorrow we will return to the same hospital for yet another surgery.  When we return home it should be minus Flit's tonsils and adenoids.  If she does well we hope to be back home by late afternoon.  Please pray that she will eat (broth or Popsicle maybe?)  and drink for us, so that we don't have to spend the night.  Thanks for praying!  On to the fun stuff . . .

My beautiful girls!  

Flit's splint wrapped nicely in tulle

to accessorize her flower girl dress.

(Thank you Aunt Ame for the idea.)

Getting Taylor dressed . . .

when she mentions,

 "I should probably take my jeans off, huh?"

She's turning Texas on me!

Bridesmaids in blue . . .

Along with a picture from rehearsal so 

that you can see their beautiful faces.

That's my darling niece Taryn (14) in black.

My birdie bride-to-be.  Taye's childhood friend Emily, 

who flew in from Michigan!  And Frankie's sister Kathy--she

 and Taye were friends well before Taye and Frankie ever were.

Love you girls!  Wasn't it fun?

Pearls . . .

veil and headpiece . . .

my bird is ready to fly.  No worries!

Okay, this one makes me cry . . .

My baby girl is now a wife!

The introduction by our sweet pastor . . .

"I present to you . . .

 Mr. and Mrs. Francisco Rodriguez"!

My birds . . . now six!

Happy husband and wife!

They were married at the historic chapel here on our base--

about two blocks from our home.  What a precious day it was!

What a May it has been.

Thank you Father God for all that May has brought us!  The celebration of 25 years of marriage . . . a 23rd birthday for Bryce and a 21st birthday for Taylor . . . along with an Associates Degree for Taye and a marriage license too!  A one year Gotcha anniversary with our Theadora Fu Xiao.  A wedding celebration to beat all celebrations and the absolute joy of sharing it with so many people who love us.  The sweet connection we now share with Frankie's great big, extended Texas family.  And best of all a son-in-love named Francisco.  Yes indeed, May has been sweet. Thank you Lord for Your loving strength that saw me through.  

Thank you Lord for blessing my May nest!

Love from my nest ~

Tina

Sweetness in Brazil!!!!

Great news for all of you who have prayed for Dave and Rebekah and their four waiting babies in Brazil . . .

I just found out tonight (Wednesday) that Dave and Rebekah are in Brazil and they have the children!  He is faithful!!  You can see their beautiful new children here (and their five precious children at home if you check out their profile pic).  What a beautiful family of 11 they are going to make!

I'm sure Dave and Rebekah would be encouraged if you jumped on over and let them know that you've been praying for them.  They can use our continued prayers as they will have to be in Brazil for 30 days in order to complete the Brazilian adoption requirements.  Go take a look at their beautiful new babes, and thank you all for praying!

On the homefront . . . we are continuing to soak up every minute with our visiting family that we can.  Taye and Frankie left for their mini-honeymoon today after staying around to visit with everyone who traveled in from afar.  My bird has flown--that was tough.  Bryce flew back to Spokane today as well, I miss him already.  Bry's mom and dad, three sisters, and our four nieces and nephews left on various flights yesterday.  My mama, and my dad and step-mom all leave today (Thurs). That will leave my sister's family of five who will be here until sometime Friday.  Not everyone stayed here with us, but near enough to spend lots of time together! Precious time!

Please keep my little bird in your prayers.  They will cast her arm early Thursday morning (it's the wee hours of Thursday as I type).  She no longer needs any pain meds, and she isn't letting her broken wing slow her down one bit.  She is scheduled for surgery to remove her tonsils and adenoids on Monday, June 1st.  She has no idea this is coming and is NOT going to be happy about missing her final week of school.  We needed to get this surgery done ASAP though in order for her to have eight weeks to heal before her P-flap surgery . . . in hopes that she will be ready to start school the third week of August.  Whew!  We certainly weren't planning the little elbow surgery thrown into the mix, but we are taking it one day at a time.

Thank you all for your prayers.  To my blogger friends, I can't wait to catch up with all of you. To my sister-in-love Jodi, in Michigan, I'm thinking of you.  I love you and miss you!  Love also to my dear Rosemary in Florida.

Blessings from my very busy, post-wedding nest ~

Tina

It Was A Wonderful Day!

A quick post, as I know you are waiting patiently . . . Just one picture for now, of my "new and improved" blessed nest.

My baby girl was a beautiful bride and is now a wife! Another one of my birds has flown, but I have added a wonderful new son to my flock, and I feel so very blessed! The whole day was amazing. The ceremony went perfectly, thanks to the help of many. Teddi was feeling better and carried off her flower girl duties like she had done it all before. Brogie grinned from ear to ear, as expected. Big brothers were great groomsmen. The whole bridal party looked marvelous. The reception was a sweet celebration with oh so many friends and family . . . upwards of 250! I was incredibly blessed by all of the people who came to share our joy. Incredibly blessed! It was amazing!

Thanks to all of you for the prayers for the wedding . . . for Teddi . . . for my strength and rest (I had a huge nap today). We are enjoying precious time with our families who traveled in from many places. I will post more when things slow down a little . . .

I'm a mother-in-law!

Blessings from my "heart is so full" nest ~

Tina

Update ~ My Little Bird Got Hurt

Update: (Friday night)

We are 12 hours from wedding bells and I am off to bed!  Teddi rested most of the morning, and was able to make it through the rehearsal luncheon and the rehearsal.  She still needs Tylen*l with codeine, but is eating well and smiling lots.  Thank you all so much for your prayers, I know that they have made a huge difference for all of us, especially Teddi.  

My beautiful Taylor girl is getting ready to fly . . . I'll post again as soon as I can!

Blessings from my wedding bells are ringin' nest ~

Love and thanks,

Tina

This is going to be quick, as it is late and I am exhausted, and we are 36 hours from wedding bells . . .

Teddi fell on the trampoline on Wednesday evening.  Yes, I did say she fell "on" . . . we have a safety net, and she was jumping alone as cousins watched.  She landed wrong and broke her arm at the elbow.  I wasn't home, and got a frantic phone call from daddy.  We were soon at the nearest ER, where they determined that is was indeed broken, gave her morphine and splinted it, and then we had to transfer her to another hospital (the same one she had her palate surgery at) so that they could operate.  She had surgery at 11:00 pm Wednesday night to put two pins in her elbow.  It only took about thirty minutes, and they did not have to go "in" the pins were inserted from the outside.  She's in a splint until next Thursday, when they will cast her for about three more weeks.  We spent the night at the hospital and were discharged at 9:30 Thursday morning.  We arrived home just in time to greet the continous flow of family arriving for the wedding . . .

Her right arm was wrapped to protect the I.V. 

and her left elbow is in the splint, and sling --

which we have fondly named the "arm purse".

A looooong nap after arriving home.

A cheerier picture from Tuesday--

taken after a Chinese lunch to celebrate her

Forever Family Day!

Teddi's big break happened a mere four hours after our 12 month post-placement visit with our social worker.  Our visit happened to fall due right in the middle of wedding week since I neglected to schedule it sooner.  Oh my busy nest . . .

Please pray for a speedy healing of my little bird's broken wing.  Pray too, that she can manage a modified version of the wedding rehearsal (and luncheon) tomorrow, as well as fulfill her flower girl responsibilities at noon on Saturday.  Pray  for her mama bird's strength.

Thank you dear family and friends, in advance, for your prayers.  My first born bird will arrive tomorrow, just in time for rehearsal.  And my Taylor bird is nearly ready to spread her wings and fly . . .

Blessings from my emotional nest ~

Tina