Shining Stars Egg Hunt

Today at Shining Stars (the Water Angels ministry to the homeless children) the children hunted 1700 eggs on the property adjacent to Water Angels. The children were so excited, and thrilled to find egg-after-egg!

Leaving the building for the hunt...

Anthony is so excited!
Sarah Grace grabbed some goodies too!

In front of the outdoor chair...Mason and Franklin try not to be too conspicuous.

Mother and son. Adorable!

Braden is up for the hunt!

Cole willingly helped others fill their bags!

Kristy, I think she understands! Yeah!

Mytravia strikes a pose!

Group photo of everyone! Thank you to the girl scout troop who gave their time to hide the eggs! Thank you!

Checking out the loot! Braden and Lamar count. Jessica is always helping someone! Lamar found 71 eggs! He was thrilled!

And the winner is...Emanual. Stephanie gave him a HUGE stuffed dog for finding the most eggs!

At the end, it's time to clean up and set up to do it all again tomorrow! Reid is vacuuming to help prepare the facility for the Easter service. Stephanie pulled out the baptismal so I assume there will be at least one baptism! Yeah!

After the service, there will be another Easter Egg hunt. However, this one will be for the adults! Our church has donated over 3,000 filled Easter eggs! Thank you! Come join us if you can!

Please pray everyone will understand the true meaning of the celebration. What a wonderful God we serve!

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come." 2 Cor. 5:17

Easter Question From a Twelve Year Old

Omar and Lamar are spending the weekend with us. They haven't been with us in a few weeks, and I've enjoyed listening to them play outside. Bike riding and shooting hoops have been constant!

Last night, Reid led our family devotion and read scriptures about Jesus' death on the cross. The passages he read led into a discussion about Easter. Omar asked Reid, "Where does Easter come from? Why do we celebrate it?"

My amazing husband gave an eloquent presentation of the true meaning of Easter and why he read the passage he chose; because Good Friday represents the day Jesus hung on the cross to pay for our sins. We receive the gift through His death of being saved. He then spoke of Jesus' resurrection and the empty tomb we celebrate Easter morning.

Omar then asked a direct and pointed question, "If Easter is about Jesus being raised from the dead, then why does it seem like it's about Easter egg hunts and a big bunny?"

Stop...for a...moment...and think...about...that...

This question from a twelve year old boy who did not really understand the meaning of Easter. His question has been on my heart since last night, and I can not shake it.

Last night, we talked to all the boys about the basis for our faith. Why we need Jesus. Why it's imperative to understand what Jesus willingly gave up for us. Why we celebrate the empty tomb!

The egg hunts, bunnies, etc... are not wrong in and of themselves. I'm left to wonder though, if these things are offered with the true testimony of Easter. Wondering...

Adoption Appointments

Quick update:

We're on the way! Tomorrow Reid will have his first "official" adoption appointment. At the doctor. For a fun physical. Oh the things you will do for a child!

Next Tuesday, we will have our first interview for the home study. Pray the case worker will find us to be fit parents. Seriously, thanks for praying!

We're starting to read our "Adoption Education" material as we are able. I'm spending my free time reading blogs about blended families. I'm quickly finding that I have very little free time.

I'm finding great JOY in the resurrection this week. Praying you know the truth in your heart -
"And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again." Mark 8:30

Be a blessing -
Bye!

All in the Reflection

It's creepy looking at these pictures! On Tuesday, we went to the AMSE museum in Oak Ridge. These photos were taken in front of the magic mirror.

Braden came home with a FREE set of magnets because he busted his head open while we were there. He fell back on a railing and was a bloody mess by the time he got to me. Dabbing it with a cloth helped the blood to clot and caused the bleeding to subside. Thankfully! The magnets from the gift shop pleased him tremendously!




Sneaking a soda. Trying to conceal it so I wouldn't have to purchase one for each of the boys.
It's not a complete trip to Knoxville until you have experienced the Atom Smasher. Megan, Sara, and Rebecca all found it to be a hair-raising experience. Go girls!

Megan's Eye

There is one thing I've learned to do. Anytime the Raisners are with us, hand Megan the camera. She has an amazing ability to capture photos like these...
















Thanks Megan! You grab personality with the camera lens. What a gift God's given you. Thank you for sharing your talent with me. I'm blessed by these photos.

The picture of Mason and Andrew will be a treasure forever.

Hiking House Mountain

Have you ever started something and then realized it probably wasn't a good idea? Have you ever been in a situation where you really needed to turn back, but were too far along to do so? Have you ever realized that perhaps you overestimated your own ability and those who were trusting you? Ummm...that's exactly what I experienced on this greatly anticipated hike up House Mountain.

Strenuous? Yes, to some degree I remembered. Steep? I vaguely remembered steepness, but only at several points. Short? Not really, but doable I thought.

We began our hike easily, but not too far into it, I realized that I'd forgotten what a difficult hike this mountain was to climb. We continued hiking, and I was listening to huffing and puffing all around me.

"We're halfway up now. I think." I'd offer as encouragement.

Trudge, trudge. Mud. Slipping, sliding. Legs hurting. Continue on. Huff. Puff. Heave-ho. "Come on, you can do it. We're nearly halfway. I think."

After hiking (a.k.a. mountain climbing) for nearly two hours, I continued to reassure the trailing crowd that, "Surely we are halfway there. I think. Really, we must be close to the top, or at least halfway there. Surely. Halfway. Come on."

Finally, Amy, whose ankle was already compromised from a bad injury a few weeks earlier decided to stop. Because I'm such an 'always-stick-with-you' friend, and not because I was tired myself, I offered to stay with her while the others trekked on to the top of the mountain.

Amy and I waited for the kids to return, and we all began traveling back down together until I heard a blood-curdling scream from behind me. Hurrying back up, I found Amy clutching her injured ankle. She'd nearly slipped down the mountain slope until her daughter-hero, Sara, broke her fall. Yes, we should have turned back much sooner.

Huffing, puffing, and hobbling, Amy traversed down the rocky slope. A large tree branch functioned as a walking stick for the remainder of the hike.

I've learned my lesson. I will NOT take friends to House Mountain again for a gentle afternoon hike. I'm so sorry, Amy. However, it will be a great story one day. Really. Don't you believe me?

Our only group photo! Before the ascent...
No, it's an easy hike. Really!
Heading up the trail...that's what friends are for.
Amy, come on! We're at the halfway point! Really!
Tis the season for ladybugs.
Reaching the top...kids only...
Brothers...

And sisters...


Finishing the HIKE! At the vista on the ridge.

Way to go guys and gals, YOU made it!

Amy, I hope your ankle is healing nicely. Seriously! I mean it!