Jeremy was prayed for on the 700 Club!

CBN (where Jeremy works) has a show called the 700 Club. It has a segment called "Bring it on" where people can send in questions for Pat (Robertson) to answer (on a wide variety of topics). Recently they started a new method of sending in questions - via web cam. Since Jeremy knows the producer of that segment, he was asked to to a couple web cam questions, in case they didn't have any on some days (I guess people either haven't caught on that they can do this, don't know how, or just don't want their faces on tv??). Jeremy didn't know they were going to use one of his questions last Thursday - but it was definitely in God's plans! You can see it HERE. Pat's response was a good one.

Gordon Robertson saw that question, and told his producers that he wanted J on the set after Friday's Spiritual Gifts seminar, to be able to pray for Jeremy! How awesome! I was so excited for Jeremy to get the prayer as I know he has been stressed out this past month or so, and could use a time of refreshing! I really hoped and prayed that Jeremy would go get that prayer (and not get too busy with all the technical stuff). I just didn't expect this to happen . . .

God did a mighty work this past Friday the 13th! Watch the 700 CLUB VIDEO to see what God had to say to my wonderful husband!!

The words of God for him are at 40:41 - 42:39 (Anne Thigpen), 43:56 - 45:04 (Jane Hamon), 46:20 - 48:53 (Duncan Smith from Toronto), and 57:59 - 58:39 (a woman from the audience). J was really touched by God through these words - especially Duncan's message!

May God bless you and minister to you through this 700 club segment!!

You can also view parts 2 and 3 of this series that they did. Part 2 is a night of soaking prayer online (this past Tuesday - and hopefully every Tuesday night from here on out!), and part 3 is about the Manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

Blessings!

Lori :)

Heaven Bound!

What an awesome day today is!! The Angels are rejoicing in Heaven today and God had to use his pen (or quill . . . or magic marker . . . whatever he uses)! Why? Becuase our darling daughter Wendy told Jesus that she wanted Him to live in her heart and be the Lord of her life today! :) What a blessing! Now all my kids are Heaven Bound!! :)
Of course, this all came about while we were snuggling and praying and talking after a very looooong "4 minute" time-out that she didn't want to take for over an hour and a half. Instead, she wanted to scream (did you hear it?) and almost burst some blood vessels in her eyes in the process! :) OK - not really . . . but she was screaming mad that mommy would have the audacity to put her in a time-out for disobeying!! How dare Mommy do that?!! :) I know . . . I'm the "meanest mom in the world" . . . or so I've been told. :) But thankfully - after the punishment is finally done and we are snuggling and loving on each other - I'm usually the "best mom in the world" again and all is well in the West household . . . . for at least a minute. :)

I know that I haven't kept up with this blog. I'm sorry. I have started another blog, and I've just been trying to keep up with all the other momly duties that I have each day. :) But thank you for checking in on us!

Wendy is doing awesome (except for the occasional 4 year old fit like most kids)! She amazes me! I knew she was smart - but she still amazes me! The other day she was watching daddy mow the lawn and asked him "Why are you doing that?"
"Doing what? Mowing the lawn? Why do you think I'm doing it?" he asked her.
"To make mommy happy?" she replied. !!!! :)
You betcha!! Because otherwise I don't know that he would do it . . . or at least not as often! :) What a smart cookie she is!

Also, when asking her what we should get daddy for his birthday - she went on to list quite a few things that are Jeremy's favorites - a new Star Wars movie, a Star Wars shirt, a new van, a new chair, etc!! I was sooo surprised at how specific her answers were! She definitely knows what her daddy likes! :) This girl doesn't miss ANYTHING!! :)

So - as you can see from this post . . . Wendy has turned 4. I will have to post some pics and fill you in on her recent b-day later. I just realized that my other daughter's bus will be arriving in 5 minutes and I still have a wet towel on my head from taking a shower (late in the day - I know! But I did get some exercise today!!). And then it's off to pick up another child (my 10 year old) from school! :) So . . . . for now just rejoice with us that Wendy is part of God's kingdom and sealed for eternity as a Princess of the King!!

Blessings
Lori :)

I'm all done here!

"I'm all done here!" Have you ever felt that way? If you said no - then either you are lying or you haven't lived long enough! :) Hee,hee. Evidentally my 3 year old HAS lived long enough. :)

We were just going about our normal routine - the kids running around torturing each other . . . ok, ok - not really - at least not today. They were playing . . . . .and occasionally getting on each other's nerves. :) I was folding my 5-7 loads of laundry that I trudge through twice a week, when Wendy walked over near me and said "OK. I'm all done here!"
"What? Done with what?" I asked.
"I'm all done HERE. I go to Guatemala . . . . . .to my home." she casually replied.
"Oh. I see." I said calmly, and then teasingly asked, "Why? Don't you like it here? Don't you like Mommy and Daddy and Ryan and the other kids?"
"Without hesitation or even looking up, she matter of factly said, "Yes. . . . I like you. . . . but I go to Guatemala . . . to my home".

We started to talk about how I bet she misses it there, but that this is her new home . . .that was her old home. She has yet to agree with me on that issue. Usually she says "No. . . . is YOU home. My home . . . Guatemala". Just before the phone rang and cut our conversation short, I said "Well, when I was 3 I lived in a different home too".
"WHAT?!" she cutely, quickly and loudly responded. :)
"Yes. But now I live here . . . .with you. Aren't you glad?"
I never did get to hear her response or finish the conversation as raced to get the phone (I should have just let voice mail get it).

So - I can tell that we will be having more conversations about her "home" as she gets older. She still is very happy here and LOVES her siblings (and us . . . .most of the time). I think she is just missing all that she really remembers till she came here. I don't know whether showing her video footage of her home would help or hurt at this point. I'll have to feel that one out. We do look at photos, but not the video footage we took yet. We'll see.

So - like my daughter said . . . .

I'm all done here!

Time for dinner! . . . . .Pizza night! :)

Lori :)

2 years ago today!

2 years ago today I was getting ready in the morning, talking with my husband about the dream he had just had that had woke him up sobbing. It was the divine intervention that I had just prayed for the night before - "God if this desire (to adopt a 3-5 year old little girl from Guatemala) is from you . . . then you have to speak to my husband about it!" (he knew NOTHING about it at the time)

So, in essence - 2 years ago today we found out we were "pregnant" with a toddler girl (2-3 years old) - with long dark, curly hair! My heart was bursting to find her! I wanted to bring her home the very next day! Little did I know it wouldn't happen for another 18 months.

We are so thankful to Lucy (our agency director) and KAS (Kentucky Adoption Services) for being the wonderful "detective" agency that they were in helping us find our truly "orphaned" toddler girl! God knew where she was and knew who would be able to help us find her and bring her home!

Thank you guys for supporting, praying for us, and encouraging us (keeping me going) along the way! You are a blessing!

For those who haven't read it before - you can read all about my husband's dream (and our journey) on this blog - "The Dream"

Lori :)

I know, I know . . . Where's the update on Wendy?!

The whole gang! - Christmas 2007

Duck, NC

Wow! Am I a procrastinator or what?? . . . . Actually - it's called "trying to keep my head from spinning off my neck while raising 5 kids"! :) Our schedule is way too crazy this year! I am currently looking into (and praying about) ways to de-stress our schedule next school year!

So - for those of you that have waited patiently for an update on Wendy . . . . here it is.

She's fine.

:) hee,hee. OK -I'll give you more! :)

She has been home with us 5 months as of yesterday!! I can't believe it! She still acts as if she's been here for years! She loves to be in charge and boss her siblings around - though that gets her into trouble when she tries to tell ME what to do! :) She definitely is a West and will definitely be a leader in whatever God has for her!

2 stories that just tickle me pink whenever I think of them . . .

Because Wendy didn't come home till she was 3 1/2 years old - we missed alot of her "firsts". That makes me sad - but at the same time - I am realizing that there are so many more "firsts" that may not fall in the traditional categories. Like the first time Wendy went to Walmart with me and rode in a shopping cart! You would have thought she was on a ride at Disney World! She giggled and giggled each time we went over a bump, and it was hilarious to watch her giggling with glee as her butt was being tickled by riding over the bumpy pavement in the parking lot! :)

Not too long after Wendy arrived home, we were all sitting at the dinner table enjoying our meal. We thought that Wendy understood quite a lot of English, but we soon realized that she was really reacting to our tone of voice and non-verbal communication even more than the words. Jeremy (my husband) was in a silly mood, and in a very excited and happy voice asked our 5 kids - "Who here wants a spanking?!" :) 4 of our kids just looked incredulously at my husband for asking such a "dumb" question - but Wendy, who always wants to be the first to do ANYTHING and wants to do EVERYTHING that everyone else does - shot her hand up excitedly and shouted "YO!" :) We just laughed and laughed. (and no - we did not give her a spanking.)

She continues to amaze me with the speed at which she has picked up English! Much faster than I am picking up Spanish - that's for sure! She has been asking for 3 months now "When do I go to school?" She wants to go to "her class" each day. I think she will enjoy preschool next year! She is such a social little girl!

Halloween was fun - watching her learn all about the crazy custom of going to houses to get candy! :) After each house she kept asking me "Now? mommy?" She wanted to eat her candy so bad! After the 4th house I let her have a piece. And then, of course, she had fun digging in once we were done! The next night she wanted to do it all over again. :)

We dedicated her to God in our church on December 16th, 2007 - and she was sooo cute - going to each sibling and giving them a hug as my husband was introducing our family up on stage. :) You would have thought we had planned it.

Christmas we went to a beach house in Duck, NC and when it was time to pack for the trip, Wendy started to cry. She said she didn't want to go on a trip. I wasn't sure why she was crying, but then I asked "Do you think we are not coming back?" . . . . . The tears came heavier! "yes" she sobbed. The last trip she had taken she had left Guatemala and came here. Bless her heart! So we talked about how we would come back as this was our house where we lived, then I showed her pictures online of the house we would be "visiting", and she understood. Then she was excited to pack up! :) A few weeks later we had to go take my husband to the airport and she thought we were going to Guatemala. She said she didn't want to go back to GT unless mommy and daddy went with her. Though she has been asking lately when can she "go back to her home"? I told her that was her "old home" and this was her "new home" - and she said "No - that is my home. This is your home." That surprised me as she calls her bed "mi cama" or "MY bed" and seems to have taken ownership in living here. I think her little 3 year old brain is trying to wrap around the idea of having an "old" home and a "new" home. She really is a happy girl and LOVES living here and playing with her siblings! She is still VERY adventurous, creative, imaginative, and totally goofy! :) You should have seen her jumping into the pool at the beach house! That girl has NO FEAR! :)

I will try to post a picture slide show at some point - so if it's not there now - check back later. For now - here is our goofy wonderful girl in a few shots!

Lori :)

Our little Guatemalan Princess - Halloween 2007

This is how Wendy dressed up for Ryan's b-day party . . . in DECEMBER! :)

Ninja girl! :)

Wendy's 1st Christmas at home with us!

Wendy and Mommy (me) on Christmas day!