Surprise! Greg!! and Oh how we love snow!

Little Haitian angel!
















Little Haitian angel meets her big sister again!
















Daphca was LOVING being with Keverly!






















I was loving being with Daphca!















She loved OG's breadsticks!
















MK reunion!
































Surprise Honey!

















41 and can still blow out all the candles!

































Me and my man!

















Greg and his "niece" Mikayla.

















Jerod and Alex, we'll try anything, including a laundry basket or should I say and Alex basket.
















Jerod, Alex and Skippy, friends forever!
















Daddy and Annie
















Okay so we didn't just try a laundry basket, we used the cookie sheet too. (and it worked!)















SHE LOVES SNOW!















So, the basket may not be that fun!















Hmm... I will try a skateboard without wheels. He liked that, until he fell!















Jerod liked the soft sled. Smart boy!!

So, what I couldn't tell you on Friday was that we were going to surprise Greg at Olive Garden with a fun visit from some of our friends from Mexico. They work with us and have been with us on this M journey for the past 5 years. We have all been through a lot together and it was so nice to celebrate his birthday together. We were blessed to be able to also celebrate the reunion of Keverly and Daphca. Keverly is Daphca's sister who first took care of her at the Rescue Mission in Haiti. This was the first time they had seen eachother in many months. It was precious.

Greg's present of course was that I prayed for snow. Well... I have been praying for snow for the past few years and well.. HE is good to me. So we left OG and the snow had already started. It was wonderful to see all of our Mks excited about the snow. They have spent the past 2 days doing nothing but playing in the snow. It has been a joy. One gift I gave the kids was that I told them if Wake County schools were closed, their school could be closed too. It was fun to see them hurry home and watch the television to see if Wake County had canceled school. Fortunately for them Wake County came through for them and they have been given a snow day! So, more snow fun tomorrow! Hope wherever you are you are, you are enjoying the snow too! Love you all!! Missy

Happy Birthday Greg!!

Today is my sweet little man's 41st birthday.

I can't believe he is 41! It was just yesterday that I met him! We are going to Olive Garden to celebrate and then we are looking forward to a very cold and wintry weekend to enjoy together! Hopefully we will get to build a snowman! I am praying for a fun filled snowy weekend! Love you all! Look for pictures to come!! love, Missy

The Face of Haiti

Waiting for Daphca















Dancing because she's coming!














The big arrival!





































Overwhelmed!

















Already Daddy's girl!















Meeting her sister! (and cousins!)

















"FINALLY, we have our Daphca!"





















































Meeting one of her big brothers.

















Coming to life.














"Hmm.....I think I am gonna like this place."














"Man....this stuff is GOOOOOOD!"



































"I love her!" (That is what they were both saying!)

Playing with her favorite toy, the bag!

I am in trouble, I thought we were done! Hmm......

I must say my heart is so happy for our friends the Dysons. Their precious new addition, Daphca has brought such joy to us all! She is truly adorable! She really is the face of Haiti. I just wish we could all fly down pick one, two, three or more of them up, love them, feed them and care for them at least until things are better and then send them back to those relatives who may love those children with all of their hearts. Like foster care from afar. Oh, if there was only a way. Hope you are all smiling like I am. Please continue to pray for Haiti, please also pray for our precious friends in Mexico. There is a lot of unrest there as well. We are praying that there will be peace brought to both places. Will you pray with me?

Okay, I have to let you know that my husband is on cloud NINE!! Why, you may ask, because he is a COLTS fan, that is why!! If I could put a picture of him with his Colts hat on and have it show up right here, I would, but.... I don't know how to do that. He is actually a little bit crazy right now thinking that the poor little Saints are going to be slaughtered by his mighty Colts! Hee hee! I may be over exaggerating a tiny bit, but only a TINY bit! Any way, if you wondered what he will be doing during Superbowl, it won't be having a grand old party, it will be sitting by himself in front of the television completely focused on the game! This is serious stuff! :o) Love to you all!! Missy

The Silver Lining

Hi everyone! It is time for GOOD news! It is DAPHCA time! Daphca is a sweet little girl who was abandoned in Haiti a little more than a year ago. She was taken in by a rescue mission and loved and nurtured by a sweet girl who was volunteering her time there. It was a love story like no other. They did fall in love, as did this girl's family. The adoption process started 8 months ago and they were told to expect it to take 2-3 years before they could have her. Well, Daphca is now just 16 months old and is being brought here to the US as I type. We are so excited. I feel as if it is happening to me! Her big brother and sister are staying with us while her parents travel to get their little princess. Her oldest brother and sister are in college and cannot be here for the reunion and I know this will make it very hard for them! However, we are rejoicing that God has answered our prayers for Daphca and 21 other orphans as they will all meet their new parents tonight! God is good! Thanks for praying! Love, Missy

Loving the warm weather!

Hi friends! Well, I must say we really love snow, but OH how we love warm weather too! I guess that is what we really love about NC! You have snow in the mountains and then you have warmth at the beach and they aren't too far apart! My mom asked me just yesterday if my kids have been missing out on any socialization because of being home schooled. I almost laughed because I sometimes feel they do too much socialization.

Greg said that he read an article that said teenagers today spend 8 hours a day on technical things. Texting, computers, videos games, television etc... That is shocking to me since they are in school for 7 or 8 hours and then they are probably eating or asleep the other 8. So, when I see my boys outside playing in Nerf gun wars or mud ball fights or playing football, everyday for at least 4-5 hours, I am a VERY happy Mama!! They have a good group of kids here that all love to play outside and it generally doesn't matter the weather, they will be outside. I guess when you live in small apartments it is incentive to go outside! :o) So, I will be posting some pictures of their adventures outside very soon, so you can enjoy seeing children playing like they kids played when I was little.

Hope you are all having a great week! I am still praying for Haiti and for my friend's little angel to be brought here soon. She is in the process of being adopted and just needs those final go-ahead words to have her brought here. Please pray that she gets the go-ahead and soon you will see pictures of her on here!! Greg has been taking an intensive course this week 8-5 everyday. He has been one tired little man! One course packed into one week is tough on an OLD guy!! He will be turning 41 on the 29th! So, if you want to send him some over the hill cards, I would love it! :o) Love you all!! Missy

Suffering

This is Licia and 2 of her sons sleeping outside of their rescue center.

Suffer:

transitive verb 1 a : to submit to or be forced to endure
b : to feel keenly : labor under
2 : undergo, experience
3 : to put up with especially as inevitable or unavoidable
4 : to allow especially by reason of indifference
intransitive verb
1 : to endure death, pain, or distress
2 : to sustain loss or damage
3 : to be subject to disability or handicap

This is what Webster's Dictionary says it means to suffer. However, I don't know if even those words can really describe what suffering really means. Looking at these pictures, I think our hearts can see what it means to suffer. To submit to or be forced to endure~ that is what these people are having to do. They aren't just pictures, they are real people with hearts and souls, with feelings. They have lost. Some have lost family, some have lost their homes, some have lost both. It is hard for me to think about anything else. I remember when Annie had her accident I felt what it was like to suffer. I couldn't quite wrap my mind around how people could be going about their lives when my baby was in pain. I mean, why didn't the world just stop and suffer with me? Why were people going to movies and laughing and eating out and playing at the beach? I realized that is just what happens. People suffer everyday and the world just keeps right on going.

HOWEVER...... I think a lot differently now, I still go about my everyday life, but I do so with a heart that is full of pain and grief and suffering for those who hurt. Then I give my thoughts for those who are suffering to the only ONE who can really help them. JESUS. I can't take a shower right now without thanking God that I have running water and a home. I can't fuss at my children without then thanking God that He has given me this precious children that sometimes disobey. My heart is heavy for Haiti and the people there. I have posted some prayer requests from a friend's blog below. Licia and her family have a rescue mission in Haiti and these pictures above are from her blog http://haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com/ Please pray for them. They really need your prayers. Pray for all of the children who are in the process of being adopted and have families here in the US waiting to help them. Pray that the government will intervene and help these babies/children be united with their families here in the US.

Licia says:
We are asking you to pray about..

• The Rescue Center location. The damage is getting worse with each tremor that we have. We need to make some decisions soon. The kids have been living and sleeping outside since Tuesday night. We are thinking a new location that is not far away.
  
• Infant formula and food for the kids
  
• fuel for generator and vehicles
  
• the kids in the RC (rescue center) and my kids peace in their hearts
  
• some way to be able to get some Haitian cash. All banks and places we usually exchange money are closed

pray for Haiti

I guess I don't need to ask you to pray, but I figured it couldn't hurt. I have been following a blog from a rescue mission in Haiti for quite some time now. http://haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com/ It gives you a clear picture of how bad things are in Haiti. They are okay but I think they did have some structural damage. The people in Haiti just can't seem to catch a break. Our friend's are adopting a baby from there and we are praying this will still happen quickly, she is precious and needs to be with her family here. Will you pray?

Our world seems to be falling apart at times. I look at the news and I just feel like there is a battle going on. It is an unseen battle. I know many of you know what I am talking about and it is sad to see how countries are being torn apart by the enemy. It is happening right here in America as well as in every country around us. Greg and I were talking about the struggles that go on with our friends in Mexico and we hear about the same struggles happening right here in NC. Marriages failing, people fighting addictions, people losing jobs and struggling financially, unwanted pregnancy, it is all happening everywhere. The only hope we have is Jesus. Period. He is the only one that can help us with the problems of this fallen world. We will still live in a fallen world, but.... we will do so with hope! Because..... He said in John 16:33, New International Version (©1984)"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." So, if you are facing something today that seems overwhelming, I do pray that you can find hope in Him. He really is the answer. I don't know how people make it through tough times without Him. I really don't.

I have two things I want to encourage you to watch if you have a chance. We have been doing this for our devotion in school everyday and we love them. They are testimonies from people on www.iamsecond.com/ and they are quite inspiring. The other is something that was done at a friend's church last Sunday. It too will inspire you. www.biltmorebaptist.org/cardboard-testimonies/ I hope you are all having a wonderful Wednesday and are finding ways to feel blessed. I know I am way more blessed than I deserve! God bless you all!! Love you! Missy

Loved the holidays!!

Christmas morning! It was an exciting day!! The hit of the day was a Snuggi, of all things!




















Of course these are out of order, this was our tour of the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It was a lot of fun and something Alex will never forget! If his plans go like he wants them to, he will play there someday! :o)
















The scene in Boone, NC as Greg and I were driving around celebrating our 15th anniversary. We celebrated this late since our anniversary is in June, but it was well worth it since this is where we really wanted to celebrate. We both love Boone!














I prayed for snow, and I got snow!
















Annie's first sledding experience. (with cousins, Caroline and Emily) I think this is duplicated from below, but, oh well!



















The guide said not to go past the yellow line but Alex wanted to run onto that field so bad he could almost taste it. I kinda felt for him! I wanted to play dumb and just say go for it!















This is Mason, another cousin, I wanted to get pictures of all the kids together, but it never happened. They were just too busy....can't you tell. Busy, busy, busy!















Here is Marissa, she was busy too! Oh the joy of texting! When they all have arthritis they will wish they hadn't done that so much!















Grandma (Greg's mom) and the kids after the tour.
















Annie and Caroline, they had a blast together!





So we have been out of the loop for quite some time now. We left our home on the 19th of December and returned home on January 7th! That is one lonnnng vacation. We worked in some time with a church we are working with and did some training for a trip that they will be taking to Mexico, so it wasn't all play and no work, but it was a lot of play!


We are happy to report that all three of the churches that we spoke at in November and December met their LM goal and we are praying that the overall LM goal will be met so that more Ms can be sent. Please pray that this goal will be met and 2010 will be a year of sending instead of not sending.


As you can see from the pictures we were able to spend lots of time with cousins and grandparents. Jerod, Alex and Annie had a wonderful Christmas and were happy to be able to spend some time in the snow! I guess I am to blame for the cold temperatures and the snow. I did ask for it. I wanted snow and oh how I got it! It was fun and so so pretty! We are now looking forward to a great year of lots of exciting things and lots of transition. We are passed the half way point and we are now looking at how to make going back easier on the kids. We are also trying to make sure we accomplish everything we want to do before our time here is up. Lots of planning and organizing of our time. Something I am not so good at!