While most of the country has been enjoying unseasonably high temperatures, we have been enjoying snow and cold…and wind. Today is a very windy and cold day.  I can see the power of God in the wind here in Idaho and I can see the power of God in our family, blowing in the winds of change.

There are many changes taking place in our family as God molds us all into what He would have us be. Some changes are small, like a gentle breeze and some changes are huge, like the 50 mile an hour winds that blow across our high plains desert.

Often change means saying good-bye. Last week we had to say good-bye to a member of our family and it was so hard. He had been with us since he was little and had been loyal all the years he had been here. Yet, it was just time. We couldn’t just watch him suffer any longer, so on a sunny day we laid him in a grave we dug out back on the property he so dearly loved and said good-bye to Caleb.

His kittens miss him and so do some of the other barn cats. The kittens slept beside him every night and now they are lost without their buddy. But, change is a part of life and we go on with his memory in our hearts.

Other changes in our family are HUGE and can not yet be shared, but soon. I can share that we met some new friends a few weeks ago and now there is talk of a documentary being done. When I am able to share, you can be sure it will be AWESOME!!

We are looking forward to a mini-vacation next month. The change in scenery will do everyone some good and the weather should be a lot better by then.

We make our plans, but God directs our steps.

We have dreamed of a bigger vehicle for a while now since our van is pretty full. It is impossible to go anywhere over night without hauling a trailer for the sleeping bags, pillows, clothes and food. We had our heart set on a bus that we could convert to a camper with bunks, a kitchen, a bathroom and other things. We calculated how much money we would save by not getting three hotel rooms every time we needed to stop and how comfortable it would be. We could take our pets with us and not have to worry about boarding them or finding someone to watch them. We knew that a bus in our price range would require lots of “sweat equity”, but we were willing to work hard to make this dream a reality.

Yesterday, we discovered that God has other plans for us and right now, His answer to a bus is no. Instead we are hoping to upgrade our 15 passenger van and get a trailer of our own to haul. I guess it would be different if we traveled around regularly, maybe to homeschool conventions or to churches. And while we are disappointed at being told no, we are rejoicing that God has a plan bigger and better than anything we can imagine for our family. We need to walk in obedience to Him and He will direct our paths.

It seems like it has been a long time since we had nothing to do on a Saturday, but today was the day. We hung out together and played after chores in the morning. We played with the 6 new foster puppies in the wind. We watched the snow blow across the fields. We watched a couple of movies together in the afternoon. We cooked together, cleaned up together and just enjoyed our down time together.

As I was going through some old papers I came across this poem that was written by a friend of mine and I changed a few of the words so it would pertain to our family.

Digging holes, picking flowers

Working in the garden for hours and hours.

Watching the stars, searching the clouds,

Running and leaping, singing out loud.

Another lost shoe, more missing books,

Family memories, coats on hooks,

Shooting off rockets, performing plays,

Ice cream cones on long hot days.

Toys left out, messy yards

Coloring pictures, “oh well” cards,

Hand-me-down clothes, worn out toys,

7 beautiful girls, 5 wonderful boys.

Some still ask if we are done.

We can’t imagine missing one.

Each a blessing from the Lord.

Within them all are great treasures stored.

As years increase, they give to us.

Think of all we’d miss if we did not trust.

In faith we walk and freely receive

Blessings upon blessings, too rich to believe!

Yes, the Lord has blessed us much more through adoption than we ever believed He would. I can’t WAIT until tomorrow!