The Hummingbird Lesson

Hummingbird's are fascinating creatures. I always love to spot them fluttering around brightly colored  flowers. Yesterday one got stuck in our garage. Sam came in to tell me about 10:00 am that there was a hummingbird in our garage. Sure enough there was. I felt certain our little friend would explore momentarily and then realize there were no brightly colored flowers amongst the bicycles, skateboards, scooters, balls, bats, Barbie jeeps, smelly cleats, dog crates and a plethora of other belongings. I was painting our mudroom right off the garage so I was in and out quite a bit to retrieve more painting supplies. Each time I entered the garage our little friend was still there flapping wildly and searching for what appeared to me a way out. He kept flying up instead of down a little and out the wide open double doors! I started to become concerned for him as did Sam and Lulu. We looked up hummingbirds on the internet and found they are attracted to red and like sugar water. So......we found a red cup, made "hummingbird food" according the the internet directions, poured said food into red cup, placed a ladder, with a red top, under the area he was flying and put the red cup with sugar water on top of the ladder. Our hope was that it would see the red, find the food, and fly downward just a foot or so and then out the open doors. No such luck! Lulu and I prayed for our friend as she was concerned he was lost and missed his family and Mommy and Daddy. (I could eat this child up) The bird kept flying harder and harder upward. We got a broom and the pool net hoping to direct it toward the open doors. Nope! We laughed so hard because we looked like the biggest idiots and we hurt our necks in the process :-) I even got the big fan and tilted it upward to blow the bird toward the opening. We tried everything we could think of but the dumb bird just wouldn't cooperate. We were trying to "help" it and I am sure it thought we were trying to kill it-what with all the wild broom and pool net waving. At the end of the day after the Littles were in bed, I went out to check on my friend. It was getting dark. I opened the door and did NOT see him! Yipeeee! I said to Will, either he died or he flew away. Moments later I saw Will looking down with an odd expression on his face. Oh no! "He is dead isn't he?" "Nope, he is sitting under my back tire looking at me. He is breathing but not moving." It was pitiful. There sat my much exhausted little friend with wings spread out on the concrete. I then went frantically searching for our ancient butterfly net. I swear that thing must be 10 years old. I found it and Will gently placed the net on top of the bird and slowly and gingerly drug him out to a bushy area. I quickly closed the doors and we tried to take the net off him. His beak was stuck in the net! Seriously??? Will shook it a few times and finally......with a great swoosh....my buddy took off into the dusk sky. He was free. He soared so high and fast! I ran in to tell the Littles and they all cheered!

Ok, you are probably thinking, "Lady, you really need to get a life!" I will admit, I was really"into" this little fella. I started to wonder if there was a lesson in this for me. Oh yes there was. How many times do we exhaust ourselves trying to go down our own path? Like the hummingbird trying to find his way out. How many times do we strive and work and exhaust or even harm ourselves because we think we know best? What if God was right there waving a broom or a pool net at us trying to redirect us but we were too headstrong to heed His "help" Some times the things God puts in our paths for help or guidance don't always "look" like help or a good thing. How many times are we the dumb bird that just won't cooperate? But what if we fully trusted? What if we stopped trying so very hard to find our own way and just let Him lead us? I know I have felt like that bird on the concrete, my wings collapsed with physical and emotional exhaustion. That silly bird could have had a grand day in the warm September sun eating nectar from beautiful flowers. It chose instead to almost kill itself and flap around all day in a HOT, smelly garage. Maybe sometimes we actually need to collapse on the concrete to be able to look up and say, "Ok, help. I can't do this on my own. What is your plan God?" And when we do.....how high might we soar? And I'll take sweet nectar over a smelly garage any day! How about you?

Soccer

Ok, I am so behind...Sam played in a tournament in Charlotte 2-1/2 weeks ago and did fairly well for their first time playing together this season. It was nice because Will and I were able to go alone with Sam and he got to be an only child for the weekend! So nice to just have one on one time with your kids.

The next weekend Julia and Sam played in the Aiken Cup. This year both kids switched clubs and so this tournament was a bit of a rivalry as their previous club sponsors this tournament. This was Julia's first time to play with her new team. They played an age group up and still dominated. The competition is not extremely tough in this tournament for the older girls but still the team played well. Julia scored a total of 10 goals for the weekend, with 2 hat tricks (3 goals in a single game) in 2 different games!!! They won their age group! Sam's team did very well having to play 3 games on the last day and also won their age group!!!! Sam played his old team in the finals. He was quite nervous and psyched!! A tough game and at the end of regulation play it was tied 1-1. They went into 5 minute over time periods with the first team that scores winning. About a minute or so into the overtime Sam received a great pass and took the ball down and shot hard at the goal........AND SCORED!!!!! Winning the game for his new team!!!!! It was a bittersweet win! So proud of him!!!!

Go Gunners!

This past weekend, Labor Day Weekend, usually brings us to our favorite beach and my "Happy Place". Unfortunately, Julia's team played in the Atlanta Cup instead. Hmmmmm....beach or south Atlanta???? I joyously awoke at 4:45 am Saturday morning to attend the first game. Saturday they won both games and we stayed at the lake with my parents, about and hr drive instead of paying the lovely Atlanta hotel rates. It felt a little more like a holiday that way too! Unfortunately, or fortunately, which ever way one would choose to look at it, they lost their first game Sunday morning. This ended our tournament and left us with half of Sunday and all of Monday to enjoy. They did not play well. It was hot and I think they were tired, or at least that is they way they looked! We had a great time at the lake, got some much needed rest, ate way too much good food, watched movies, played, shopped, and then ate a little more!

The regular season starts....we have this weekend off and then the chaos begins with 2 kids going in 2 different directions across several states, with 3 Littles in tow. Sometimes I question WHY we do this? Our kids love it. Our kids are good at it. We try to make it a family "event" although we often look like the circus arriving at the fields! Ha! The joys of a large family! People tell me that I will miss it when they are grown and gone....hmmmm? I am sure I will, craziness and all. For now, it is our lifestyle and I am thankful for strong healthy bodies and the dedication and commitment my kids put into it and the relationships they build through it. Here's to a great season...Go Gunners!!!!

PLEASE consider giving

Please see this blog post for details http://www.teamchenzhou.blogspot.com  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider giving ANY amount to help these kids. Let's watch God multiply our meager offerings!!!! School is so very VITAL. If they are not funded they return to the orphanage to sit on a wooden bench ALL DAY LONG watching Sponge Bob. They are precious kids that need our help. I have hugged them and looked into their faces....they NEED us! Please PRAY for full funding. Donations are tax deductible as they are funded thru Love Without Boundaries. Thank you!!!!!

The last one...

My last one started school this past Tuesday. It was bittersweet. I so enjoyed having this first born of mine home these past 4 years but it was time to move on to a new chapter...school again. She was thrilled and has had a fabulous first week. I will always treasure that time with her at home. I got to see how my child learns, how she organizes, her strengths and weakness, her determination and self-guiding spirit. It was a joy to be her "teacher" if only for a point in time. I will miss having my oldest around, my buddy. I love this girl and her heart. She is not only my daughter but my friend. She transitioned beautifully into this new phase and that made me so very happy! As I dropped her off Tuesday morning, I must confess I had a few tears. Why? I think I envisioned 3 years from now, which WILL fly by, dropping her off at college......how did the years go by so fast? As I kissed Jaida, my 1st grader, goodnight that evening with her toothless smile, flower nightgown, and stuffed animals lining her pillow, my mind raced back to 9 years ago. Julia looked like this, and now......now as I hugged my little 6 year old a bit tighter and lingered a bit longer, I caught  a whiff of Julia's perfume still on my shoulder. She is all grown up, almost. Jaida will be too....sooner than I realize. A reminder to enjoy the days with my children, even the tiring ones. They go by so very fast! Grateful this week to be a mom, ok a sometimes frazzled mom, to 5 treasured gifts! Thank you Lord for the gift of children.

2 more....

 Sam is the lone one I will be homeschooling this year but Sam, Lulu and I are doing a once a week co-op and it started Thursday. Lulu calls it "my school". Sam tolerates it. I teach art. 

Sam is a 6th grader...middle school!

Lulu is getting used to being away from Mommy!

One more to go.... Julia starts Tuesday.

2 out of 5

Yesterday 2 out of my 5 returned to school. I always hate to see summer come to an end and I swear each summer  goes by faster and gets shorter. Still don't understand the "why" behind starting school at the beginning of August...August is summer! Anyway...off they went. Jaida and Xin. A first grader. A second grader. They were excited, very excited! And if I am honest, I was "maybe" ready for them to go back, seeing that the bickering level had increased lately and the boredom level too.(Don't get me started on the boredom thing.) A great day was had by all and before I knew it, I was in the ridiculously long car line! The excitement and constant stream of voices trying to top one another with volume made me smile. They were happy. And that makes me happy.

Enjoying a last lazy afternoon of swimming on Sunday.

The Barbie family enjoying a day poolside too!

Ready to go!

Jaida in front of her classroom waiting for the bell  ring.

Xin in front of his classroom as a big second grader.

Jaida exploring her classroom. 

Julia and her BFF Haley kindly woke up "early" to go with us on this big first day! Thanks Sissy....a great big sister you are!

There is something about 1st grade that is so sweet to me. I shed a few tears yesterday as I looked at her toothless little grin ready to begin the year.... and said my goodbyes.

And little miss had to be a part of the event at hand.

 She asked "When I go to school?" What she fails to realize...Mommy doesn't go with her to school!

My hip accessory is still heartily attached. I pray my back holds out!

Happy 2013-14 school year to all!

They are there!

I heard from our guide last night, that as of 2 days ago those sweet baby girls are in Beijing! We are praising God for moving mountains and providing a place for them to go and to get the help they need. I think I mentioned on here before, but one of the big lessons of my trip was that "I" can do nothing to help the 147 million orphans of the world. I am one small person. I felt so utterly helpless. I prayed for His help, knowing He loved them more than I did. I prayed for mountains to be moved and He did just that!

Another element to this story that I must include, is the fierce sense of loyalty I felt toward Charlotte's birth mother. If you remember from an earlier post, 8 month old Charlotte had only been at the orphanage for 2 months. When Julia first picked her up, she turned as if to breast feed. It startled me and broke my heart. This baby had a mother that breastfed her and more than likely loved her. She probably abandoned  her when her heart condition became evident with her blue color and labored breathing. It was probably her only choice. She probably thought it was her daughter's only chance at life. If she left her, the orphanage might be able to provide surgery, she might live. This precious mother was willing to give up her child for the chance to give her life. Can you imagine having to make that choice? As I watched my first born daughter hold this daughter of an unknown Chinese mother, my heart ached. I can't imagine the pain I would feel if I had had to give up the child I loved and cared for and held for 6 months. I decided right then that I had to fight for this baby and for this mother. I could not let this mother's unselfish love and last chance hope for her daughter die. But again, I am just a housewife from America, in a country I didn't speak the language, with 2 governments and lots of red tape between them, what could I do? Enter my BIG God! He took our meager and desperate efforts of sending emails and praying and turned them into a chance at life for these girls. I wish I could find that Chinese mother and tell her that her daughter is in wonderful, loving, Christian hands and that her selfless act was not wasted and did not go unnoticed. I wish I could wrap my arms around her and hold her and cry with her. More than anything I wish I could tell her how much God loves her and her daughter.

These little girls' life stories have only just begun, I hope and pray. We don't know the prognosis or the specifics for surgery yet. But, I do know the One who holds them, and He is mighty. May He continue to show favor and mercy upon these little souls. May He grant healing through surgery. May He place them in loving families. May He do the impossible by human standards and in His mysterious ways somehow grant peace to that unknown Chinese mother's heart. These things I pray, Lord.

Amen!