Y2K!!!

A whole decade of time, as we define it, is gone. 10 years ago, as i write this, everyone was holding their breath, wondering what would happen when the clocks & computers rolled to all zeros. We were all talking about then new millenium & what would happen in the 2000's. Do your remember?

I am amazed that very few people are talking about this being the end of a decade & the beginning of a new one. The end of the 2000's forces me to reflect on the past and then think about the next decade coming up. What impact do I want to have over the next 10 years? What does God want to see from me 10 years from now, when we turn to 2020?

Don't we all want to have a profound impact on the world in some way? Don't we all want to leave a legacy that really makes a difference? One thing I do know from my short 34 years here is this: if we don't take small baby steps forward each day, if we don't work towards a landmark/goal, NOTHING will EVER happen that is profound. We must plod along, every day, towards the mark that we feel God has called us to.

I wish I knew exactly what to say about my goals for 10 years from now. But I can't answer that right now. Personally, I for sure want to be living a more sanctified life, in close fellowship with God and his Son. Our children are a good goal to have on the radar. I want to see them living lives of service and submission to Christ. What beyond that? How can a best serve him? Show me God. Show us God.

Are you ready to hear him? If you are already razor focused and doing what he wants, keep going. Don't give up. At the same time, I think the end of a decade is a good time to fine tune your focus. Let's do it.

(btw, my son carson just asked: what's Y2K? funny how time changes things, huh?)

All in 24 hrs

Jada's first Christmas with our family.

Our readoption in the US! She's officially Jada Eyerusalem Rinkenberger.

Celebrating Jada's first birthday, (which is actually tomorrow).

Merry CHRISTmas

Let it snow!

Advent Conspiracy...love this idea!

It's been a while

Blogging hasn't been a priority lately...obviously. And honestly, I'm not sure how long I'm going to keep this up. I might be doing a montly highlight post from now on. :) Anyway, here's a quick recap of the last few weeks.

A "just because she's cute picture". :) Love this shirt from our sweet neighbors. It says "Little Sister".

To kick off the Holiday season we headed with all the Rinks to stuff stockings for those in the Military. I love that my kids get to "serve" and "give" and not just "get" during Christmas.

Another just because pic. After all she's why I started this blog. :)

The following week we headed to my parents for Thanksgiving. Bless my mom's heart. She hates turkey but made it for the rest of us. Actually, my dad grilled it. Yummy. Thanks for the great weekend Mom and Dad!

The little boys watching a movie.

The big kids playing a game. I know Bart is really not wanting to give this money to Ems. :)

After Thanksgiving we headed to a hotel for an extended family Thanksgiving. My kids talk about this year round and look forward to it so much.

Jada still has Giardia and couldn't swim. So sad. She LOVES the water. She was getting so excited just watching everyone splash and play.
So, Quinn, being the thoughtful guy that he is, brought a hand full of water to Jada so she could splash too. :)
Then, Daddy, being the fun one, took her into the water so she could splash and play a little without getting wet.

Fun with cousins.

And finally getting our tree. Kade informed me that our house is just really pretty boring. Not near enough decorations. I don't go all out, but we do get a real tree ever year and I guess that will have to do for now.

And one last just beacause. :)

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and I can't wait to get your card in the mail! ;) One of the highlights of my year, getting Christmas cards from friends and family. Love it!

Jada

Just an update on Jada. It's been 2 1/2 mos. since coming home and she is doing great. Her personality is really developing and when I think of how she was when we first got her I think she must have been "scared". Not really , maybe just unsure of what was really going on. She was reserved and more quiet. Now she's fun and busy, busy, busy.

She was going after me one day and started climbing the steps. On accident I think b/c she didn't like it too well and she hasn't done it since. :)
Loves the trampoline. You put her on there and she laughs and crawls all over.

Mommy loves you!

Two bottom teeth in this picture and she now has 3 on top! Five teeth in 2 1/2 mos.

Loves being outside doing anything.

Got her first haircut. My sis just trimming off the ends.

She's found her spot on the counter Grandpa!

Playing patty-cake.

Its' been a great 2 1/2 mos. Always easy? No. We've been through 3 rounds of Giardia meds and not sure she's clear yet. We've been waking up at nights again (I like my sleep). Everyone asks if there's any jealousy with the boys. There isn't, but there is with Jada. She did not like me holding or loving on them (although this is getting better). I've gotten stares when I go out. I've been hurt by a close friend who wouldn't acknowledge Jada when we were first together. All four boys are potty trained and I could be totally out of the baby stage. But, we're still in diapers and still buying formula. A big family is a lot of work. But, we're thankful. Thankful that God has adopted us and thankful that He used us. He doesn't need us to accomplish His will, but we've been blessed because He has called us here. In some ways it feels like she's always been a part of our family. We love her, love her, love her!!!!

Friday night

Friday night I took the youngest four to the Kids Museum while Bart and Carson met some friends for a ball game.

Bart, Eric, and Phil were roomates together in college. All three got married within a year and then all three had boys 9 mo. apart. Alex, Ethan, and Carson. I'm so thankful for friendships that span years and miles and stay strong because of Jesus! I decided I was ready to get out of the house and go do something fun with the younger ones. I can be quite a homebody. With five kids, it's just easier. But Friday we went and had a blast. The boys loved it and Jada was good as gold.

Quinn driving some semi's. He's got farming blood in him. Hang on a little longer dad. ;)

These two kept going back to the kitchen to make pizzas. I had to laugh b/c I was remembering that last year I wanted to get the boys a kitchen for Christmas. I knew they'd love it. My husband wouldn't hear of it. :) Now that there's a girl around here, guess what I'm asking for for Christmas?!

One of my favorite parts. Too funny. :)

Quinn took a pretty good pic. This little girl was glued to my hip and loved every minute of it. She hardly made a peep, except when she got excited and wanted to grab and play too.

Lovin' the water table.

One day

Yep, one day is all it took for this little guy to be potty trained. Being the mother of five children has really made me wise. :) Ha! It's nothing I did, rather maybe what I didn't do. I didn't do anything for a long time. Call it laziness, call it overwhelmed, call it whatever. It worked. :) He's almost 3 and I guess he was just ready. Here's to a drop in my Walmart bill and no more soggy diapers.

I just love a cute little bum in undies! :)

Happy Birthday Quinn

7 years old today.
You are a great tractor driver, a good friend to all, compassionate, self-less, kindhearted, a good lego builder, a good swimmer, a great brother, and just a fun boy! We love you so much.

Dad said it so well. If I were 7, I'd want to be your best friend!!!!

Kade and Jada

Finally got my camera back after 2 weeks! Funny how lost I felt without it. Each time Jada did something new (she's pulling up and has 3 teeth!) I would run to get it, and then realize we had left it at my parents while visiting. Ugh. But, now we're back in action. Got some pics downloaded and have taken some more so I have plenty to post about. Now I just have to find the time! :)

To say that Kade loves Jada would be an understatement. All the boys love her, but Kade adores her. He told me the other day that he just didn't understand why he couldn't marry a sister. And this is coming from my boy who always said, I'm not getting married mom. I"m just going to live with you and dad forever. Now he's only 4, so it's an innocent statement. :)

Helping make the bottles and feed Jada just makes his day.

In the afternoon the two older boys are in school and Cole is napping so it's just the two of them. Jada likes to "wrestle" and loves balls (I'm not sure she has much of a chance to be a girly girl with 4 brothers) :) Love this pic.

Family Pic

Okay, not the best, but with 7 people, it's not real easy. :) We have to keep trying cause Christmas is coming!

Some sweet words from Jesus

The following is taken from Katie's blog. If you still haven't checked it out, do it now! This (like every post) touched me tonight. Saying yes to God. That's been my soapbox for quite a while and here it is again. God isn't finished with me yet! Father God may I say yes every time you call, and may I live my life dangerously in your Hands.

My dear children, I am with you. I watch closely as you struggle for holiness. Often, you are uncertain of your spiritual condition. You strive to serve but feel conflicted by the times in which you are serving. There are some things that all humanity deals with regardless of where in history they are placed. First, there will always be a difference between the world’s path and heaven’s path. These two paths, while they can run along side each other for increments, will always separate. Ultimately, each man will have to choose. Every man, to a greater or lesser degree, will have to contend with choosing first good over evil and then he will have to make another choice and that is the choice of choosing My plan for his life over his own plan for his life. After that, the choices become even more studied in that the man must choose My plan in each day, in each task and even in each moment. You may say, dear apostle, that this is a difficult call for a man, to study his actions in each day. You may say, this is asking a lot. You are right. I, Jesus, am asking a lot of you. I ask for your full commitment and I do so without apology. Dearest apostles, if you give me your full commitment, there is no limit to what I can do. Look at your life. You have said yes to me on many days. Examine what I have done with your yes answers. Consider what I am building with the commitments of so many children of God who are willing to be directed by the Saviour, their King. I am building a structure of love. I am building a structure through which many are returning. Truly, your hearts, open and filled with My love, call out to others. You provide for Me a welcome to those who feel separated. If they can be taken into your heart for even a brief moment and experience Me, with My love, then they will have the courage to both approach Me directly and to accept Me directly. Please, do not count the sacrifices when you consider your service. Do not count the loss of worldly respect. Count only the souls who are comforted and consoled. Count the repentance and healing of so many who have been restored to unity with heaven. Count the humility that I have bestowed on you, dear apostle, since you began to learn about true holiness. I am your King. I can give you anything. I choose to give you peace and holiness. I choose to make of you a resolute servant. Accept My will in your life and you will then be able to accept all of the graces heaven has stored up for you.

Message from Anne, lay apostle.

Lord, may we seek you path, regardless of how alluring the world's path can look sometimes. May we choose good in an evil generation, may we choose Your plan even when it is harder, may we choose YOU every moment of every day. We want to be fully committed to You. We want the days we say "yes" to become every day. We repent from lukewarmness, from mediocrity, from normalcy. We want to shine so brightly for You that others can't help but see, can't help but feel your love. Let us look at EVERY encounter as an opportunity to show your love. Lord on the days where helping just one more person seems like too much, help me to choose You. On the days when satan whispers "you can't save everyone, why are you trying" let me choose You. On the days when it would be too easy to pop in a movie for my children instead of reading Scripture with them, let me choose You. When harsh words are easier to find than kind ones, let me choose You. Father, like Paul, I know what I want to do, what I should do, and yet I find myself failing, discouraged. Thank You for your grace. Thank You that You who sit so HIGH would look low upon people like me and use us as a vessel for you. How blessed we are to even be called servants, to be able to share in your Kingdom and share your love with others. Thank you for the cross, where you have given us peace and holiness. Father we long to say Yes to You.

First Post Adoption Report

Did I really just write that?? I can actually say we are in the POST adoption phase. Wow. It's awesome to have Jada home, but really it's not over yet. We have to have 3 post-placement reports done by our social worker (sw) at 1 mo. home, 6 mo. home, and 12 mo. home. Then annually, until Jada turns 18!, we have to send a report to our agency (this is on our own and doesn't require a sw). Also, we now have to start the readoption phase in the US. We will contact an attorny and go through the court system here in the US. I don't think this is a big deal. Just more time and money. Which we don't have much of either right now. :)


Anyway, thought I'd take this opportunity to share a few things. My sw asked a few questions that made me reflect on our trip and reflect on our time so far with Jada. I listed the top three questions below.


1. How was the trip to Ethiopia? Amazing! Wish I could go back now that Jada and I are more familiar with each other and really enjoy it more. It's a beautiful country even amidst the poverty and the people are like none other. You would see people walking down the street holding hands or with their arms draped around each other. They are so relationship focused.

A few things that I appreciate now that I'm home....Electricity. The gov't in Ethiopia shuts off the power every other day. A good shower. The shower literally was 3 little streams of water. I have thick hair and it took forever to wash! A soft bed. I sleep on my side and in the morning when I woke up, my hips were sore. Good plumbing. We couldn't flush the toilet paper. Laws that govern and control cars emissions. While walking or driving down the road, the thick emissions were enough to make you cough and get a headache real quick. Safe drinking water. We had to brush our teeth with bottled water. This list could really go on forever. It's so different there. I was reminded of the abundance I have in America. We have so much and we have so much of everything! I feel blessed and responsible for all I've been given.



2)What's been the biggest challenge since coming home? Um......well......let me think.....I don't know.......um......well.......Honestly, it's gone so smooth! I can't emphasize enough how thankful we are that things are going so well. Jada is just so sweet and we all love her so much. The bond was instant. The minute I saw her and held her in my arms, she was mine. The boys adore her. Never any jealously. They are constantly asking "where's Jada, can we wake her up from her nap, can I sit by Jada at supper", etc. I hope it never wears off. I made the comment that acutally going from 3-4 kids was harder than 4-5. My sw looked really surprised and said "why do you think that is?" Two thoughts...one,this is from God. Where He calls, He will provide! And two, we have such an amazing support group of friends and family praying for us all the time. (Thank you!)



3)What's been the best thing about her? This kinda caught me off guard. Not sure why. I thought about it for a moment and then with tears in my eyes I said that 2 1/2 years ago, I never thought she'd be here. I had just had four boys. I was DONE having kids. Four kids rocked my world. I really wanted a girl, but after four times, I mean come on, the odds don't look so good. Adoption was NEVER on my radar screen. So, the fact that she's sitting here today is just a miracle. God completely changed my heart. He has grafted Jada so beautifully into our family. She's a perfect fit. I really mean that. She has a fun personality. She can be so playful and fun and then other times she's so focused. She'll completely ignore you or try to get around you to get at what she wants.

(I feel like I should add a little disclaimer here. Although our experience has been so great and "easy", many adoptive families have a different experience. For some it takes weeks or months to bond with their new children. This isn't wrong or bad, it just is. )

And just one more thing to share. One thought is sticking out in my mind tonight. I want to challenge you to ask God what He wants from you. Maybe you already do. For me, I had seen and heard of many people adopting but I never even asked God. I just said, "no, that's not for me". I've had people come to me and say "I'm happy for you, but I could never do that." You know what, they are right. THEY can't do it, but God can. And I hope you know I'm not just talking about adoption. It might be missions, it might be witnessing to your neighbor, I don't know. Ask, and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.


Thanks for making it to the end of this long post. Here's a pic from today just for sticking with me. :)

Quick update

This past week my mom and my sister's family came for a visit. They really came to see Jada but we'll take them regardless of the reason. :) We had fun at the Pfest and rode more rides than ever imagined. Somehow we all managed to be up early and ready for church on Sunday. Here is my crew and my two nieces. (Michael, you really should have come for the weekend, we're only missing two handsome boys.)

Jada and Daddy at the parade. Her first Pfest. If I were a diehard, I'm sure this photo would go in the lifebook (baby book) but alas, I'm still a Hoosier at heart. ;) Spending some time with Nonnie (my mom). Jada loves to wave. She started a couple days after we got home. It's gone from a big up and down arm wave to the side to side Miss America wave. So cute. I'll have to video someday.

Just a cute pic.

Loves her bottle! When we were at the Care Center in Ethiopia, they told me they fed her every 2 hours! I'm trying to stretch her out and get her to eat a little more a little less often. If she's not hungry (or too tired), she's really a happy little girl.

And other newsworthy events....Kade started preschool! He loves it. Amazing how a backpack makes him look so grown up. A couple days a week, I only have these two at home.
And that's all for now. Thanks for encouraging me to post Wendy. :)