Bragging Rights...

Bragging on Emma today... her artwork and photo are featured on Snapfish's Mother's Day Page (she drew the horse and stable picture and her photo is on the featured photo necklace on the right side of the page)

Take a look!

Deliver me...

My soul was bruised yesterday. I was struggling to find perspective because my emotions were flattened and gray and refusing to comply with my strict orders to “snap out of it”. In these times, I am sometimes at a loss for words to pray and frankly in these time I often don't even possess the desire to speak with my God. The Holy Spirit will often send a faint melody bubbling up from the recesses of my memory to give voice to my emptiness and prompt me to pray. Yesterday it was Margaret Becker's Deliver Me:

I was just about to tell You
What I'm sure You already know
How my throat is tight with crying
Yet my soul is arctic blue
'Cause I've seen some tears that didn't move me
Whispered words I didn't mean
Held back all my love for anger
Grown so weak in all these things
So in all these things

Deliver me from me
And deliver me to You
Come and set me free
Come and find me tried and true
Come on now
Deliver me from me

I was just about to run away
As far as far could go
When I recognized the cruelest captors
Living right inside my soul
And I can't escape their endless movements
Cannot shed them like a skin
Can't control all these emotions
Cannot live while they're within
So in all these things

Deliver me from me
And deliver me to You
Come and set me free
Come and find me tried and true
Come on now
Deliver me from
me

And now I'm falling, falling
Dreaming of Your arms of mercy
They are soft as the new winter snow

Deliver me from me
And deliver me to You
Come and set me free
Come and find me tried and true
Come on now
Deliver me from
me

Wordless Wednesday

My baby is FOURTEEN...

The oldest... the one you learn everything with... my first baby is fourteen. He is gifted in so many ways. He's creative, funny, brilliant in a scary way but most of all he has a heart for the gospel. I love him so. (Yes, that's me with the big hair. And that's Uncle Joe holding little Landen)

These photos are when Landen got his "very own brother" (his words when he found out we were adopting Isaac) and then with his brother this week. By the way, when he was three he would beg me for that haircut... he called it a "circle head".

Happy Easter from the Baldwin Bungalow

What????

I took this photo at South Bend Regional Airport when I was dropping off Larry the other day. Apparently our 'goodbyes' can be said AT the airport...

regarding the Gramma...

At bedtime the other night while Gramma Kerns is visiting:

Em: Mom, I think Gramma loves Jesus SO much that she should be a visiting pastor sometime. She would be really good at it.

You know, if I can be known for nothing else, I hope it is that I love Jesus so much...like Emma's Gramma.

Ain't No Reason...

This is a must watch...all the way to the end.

What American Accent Do You Have?

My friend, Tonni, did this on her blog and they nailed her! So, I thought I'd try it and sure enough...they got me too. Try it yourself but if you do, make sure you leave me a comment and tell me if they've got you pegged and what label they gave you!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West   Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta.
The Midland
Boston
North Central
The South
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Two Concerts...

Last Sunday a group of us from our church's orphan ministry, Father's Heart, worked at the Steven Curtis Chapman concert. We specifically were there to answer questions about adoption and help promote his "Show Hope" campaign where money is collected in change buckets and then the funds go toward grants for those going through the adoption process. We had a great time and it was so encouraging to talk to so many other people who feel called to adopt.

Then last Thursday, Emma had a short performance at school with her music class. She sang, played recorder and the xylophone. She was SO nervous (look at pic to the left). She kept looking up at me and I would mime deep breathing so she could try to relax! She did great...look at the concentration going into playing that xylophone.

Fun with Mice...

hosted by Maddie Baldwin

costume design by Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix

Extras provided by Big Sister's Horse Collection

Starring
Sleeping Beauty
(aka The Skinny Mouse)
and
Jan
(aka The Fat One...yes, she was named after Jan in "Grease")

Love Thursday...a day late...

She'll always be my baby.

Wordless Wednesday

Stuff kids say...

Tonight. Maddie prays.

"Dear Jesus, Help Mommy get her joy. Help Daddy get his joy. Help EVERYBODY get their joy."

Yesterday. Emma.

"I just love Christmas. You know how on Christmas day it just seems you wake up breathing different air?"

My girl (s)...

I found a graded paper that Emma left out on the table this morning. On the bottom was a "Writing Activity" instructing the student to write a paragraph about what you can do to help the planet and to use at least three spelling words. Here is Emma's paragraph (I think she's found her voice, don't you?):

Do you live in a city or what? Well, city or not, we have to make a giant change. Stop smoking! Find something else addicting like chocolate! You should see the changes we can make.

Chocolate! I love it!

I also just need to share how grown up my baby is getting...we took these this morning. And, NO, I don't let her wear lip gloss (yet). She was playing in my bathroom while I was getting ready... but you have to admit, pink is her color!

Wordless (Mon, Tue and...) Wednesday

Me and My Dana

California Dreamin'

My Friday started off early when I woke to the smell of fresh brewed coffee (Thank you, honey!). I was already packed so I got dressed and then went room to room making beds since there was going to be a showing after Larry dropped me at the airport. Everything really went so smoothly... too smoothly. At the airport I checked my bag and headed down to the gate to settle in with my new library book, Auralia's Colors (Thanks, Jen!), and my "breakfast" (see photo) while I waited for my flight. The weather was beautiful so I was confident there would be no delays and I would make my connecting flight in Chicago. I was scheduled to take off from South Bend at 9:10 am, arriving in Chicago 1/2 an hour later, leaving 40 minutes later for San Diego and arriving in SD around noon. Silly, naive girl.



As I was reading, I overhead the man across from me saying something about a flight being delayed because of mechanical problems. I butted my eavesdropping self in and asked (politely, of course!) what flight he was talking about. Ours, wouldn't you know. I got on the phone immediately and found myself on hold for over 20 minutes waiting for an agent. By this time it was clear I wouldn't make my connecting flight. The lady at the gate wouldn't make any changes to our itineraries until she had a new "arrival time" for the delayed flight. When the agent finally came on the phone line, she informed me that the flight had just been (hold your breath...) ... cancelled! I knew I had a significant advantage over the other passengers and immediately left the gate area and sprinted for the front counter. I was second in line only to find out that all the other flights (including the other airlines) to Chicago were booked until 7 pm that night. I was not happy. After much finagling, we finally settled on United paying for me to take the bus (yes, you read that right) for a THREE hour ride to O'hare airport, booked on the 8-something pm flight from Chicago to San Diego but on stand by for the 3:15 flight and 5:20 flight.




By the time I got to O'hare I was starving BUT I had to try to get on the earlier flight so I stood in line (AGAIN) and got onto the 3:15 flight (still 2 1/2 hours away) but in a really, really crappy middle seat. I took it, checked my bag and made my way through security. I hurried past all the cafes and food courts and made my way to the gate where I stood in line (AGAIN) and managed to get moved to a really crappy aisle seat. With 2 hours left I dragged myself over to the nearest cafe and ordered a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread (low WW point value) but treated myself to a beer. It had to be done.







I finally arrived in San Diego at 5:30 pm (Pacific Time) to a sky at the gloaming hour with palm trees, warm air and a cool breeze...the scent of honeysuckle wafting around me. I was home.








Today was spent with my niece and nephew in the morning. We went to Barnes and Noble and browsed and bought then headed over to Target and the dollar bins.







Later Mom and I met my dear friend, Dana, for lunch at Rubios...yay, for fish tacos!!!! The mahi mahi taco was a great low WW point option. Then tonight Mom and I met my other San Diego best buddy, Callie, and her kids at Starbucks for a while. It was so good to spend even just this short amount of time with both of them. I miss them terribly when I'm in Indiana.





So...that's my saga so far with the added bonus that when I woke up on Friday morning I was down another couple pounds. I have now lost 17 lbs since January 1st! I definitely think I deserved that beer!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

The Random 7 (not related to the Oceanic 6)...

I've been tagged by Tonni (who, btw, makes the cutest bows in the world...just ordered some for Maddie today!). The rules are as follows:

1. List 7 random things about yourself that people may not know.
2. Link the person who sent this to you, and leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours.
3. Post the rules on your blog.
4. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, linking their blog. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

The difficulty for me was seven random things that people may not know. I tend to be a pretty open book so I have a feeling that some of these things may not be surprises for many. But here goes anyway:

1. I can say the alphabet backwards in less than 5 seconds (accurately!). This is my one and only party trick. Once I've executed this feat, I'm done... I will suddenly drift to the corner of the room and start drinking myself into a stupor.
2. I have eaten Häagen-Dazs out of crystal dishes in Billy Graham's living room with his wife and daughter. One of the greatest experiences of my life...thanks to Lamb's Players Theatre and Bob Smyth. We had performed the night before at a tribute to Ruth. I have treasured pictures with Billy and Ruth in the green room after the performance as well as pictures at their home and at dinner with Ruth. I will never ever forget this adventure.
3. I have sung with Amy Grant. On the radio. On Jeff n' Jer...San Diego's big morning show. We sang "Big Yellow Taxi"...she played guitar and sang back up... BTW...she is the skinniest person I have ever seen...bony little lady!
4. I am a voracious reader. Most of you probably know this. I recently finished "Enduring Love" by McEwan and "The Bonesetter's Daughter" by Amy Tan. I am currently reading "Almost Moon" by Alice Sebold. I absolutely have to read before I fall asleep otherwise my brain is going and going like the Energizer bunny and I will never fall asleep.
5. I am "reformed" in theology and an amillenialist.
6. I am on a journey to lose weight. I've lost 15 lbs since January 1st.
7. One of my biggest dreams is to record a cd.

Now...for my dear tagging victims... I am tagging Red Letter Girl, A Day at the Zoo, This Pile, Picture This, Jess Strantz, Julie Spiller and Treasured Possessions!