Thankfulness.... Day 10... Martina. :)

One of the things I have tried to faithfully do over the years is pray for our childrens future spouses. Even though we obviously didn't know who they were- God did- and we knew it was important to be covering them in prayer.
 Once again God proved His faithfulness by blessing our family with an amazing future daughter-in-law- Martina. Just a couple of weeks ago our oldest son, Travis, asked her for her hand in marriage. :) While they are not setting the date until after they both graduate from college- we are thrilled with the news and couldn't of asked for better.

We love you Martina and we are so happy you are in our lives. What a treasure you are. :) You are one brave girl to take on our big, crazy family- and we adore you for that. :)

Congratulations Travis and Martina!!! We are so proud of you both!!!

Thankfulness... Day 9... The Boggs and The Patlans

Today I am so thankful for The Boggs and The Patlans-

 missionaries with whom we serve alongside here at Eagles Nest. :)

What a joy it has been to work with these two precious families who have welcomed us here with open arms, loved us, and treated us as if we are family. They have shared with us their experiences and their wisdom as well as supported us as we try to figure things out on our own. They have let us voice our opinions without judging us and encouraged us to do what God has called us to do above all else. We have watched in awe as they work amongst the people here and they have been more than willing to teach us all they know. They have been patient and loving and never once making fun of our attempt to speak the language. ;) Through their examples we have witnessed their love for orphans, birth mothers, and the people here regardless of where life as them right now. They have helped make what is a huge transition for us go so much more smoothly because of their willingness to help us in any way they can.

 I think though what I am most thankful for is while even though they have way more experience and knowledge than we have in mission work they have continually been open to new ideas- never once making it about them- and always making it clearly about God. Their love for the people of Guatemala, and their love for the Lord is so evident in their every day work.  We are so thankful that God allowed us the privilege of working along side these two beautiful families. Thank you Boggs and Patlans for letting us be on your team. We are truly blessed.

Thankfulness.... Day 8 my sister. :)

It has been so easy for me to come up with things I am thankful for. I have to confess thought that there have been days where I forgot to tell God how grateful I am for all He has given me. Thinking through these things makes me realized how truly blessed I am. At home Todd and the kids are joining in and we have a 'thankful' jar. Each day we write something we are thankful for and we are going to read them together on Thanksgiving Day. Nothing like counting your blessings to make you realize just how many you have.

Today I am thankful for my best friend and sister Jenny. We always joke and say we share a brain- and I am quick to tell her I have the bigger piece. ;) Jenny knows me probably better than anyone else in this entire world- and pretty much not a day goes by that we do not talk. She has been by my side since the day I was born and we have shared every aspect of our lives together. She has held my hand when I cried, and laughed with me so hard our sides hurt. She was my Maid of Honor, in the hospital room when I brought my biological babies into this world and she helped me bring my adopted children home as well.We adore each other kids and 'get' each other when no one else in this world does. She has supported me and always been my biggest cheerleader. She has loved me at my best and at love me at my worst- and I couldn't imagine my life without her in it.

Jen I hope you know how much I love you and how thankful I am you are in my life. Thank you for being your silly, fun, loving, GIVING, generous, sweet self. Thank you for believing in me and for understanding me the way no one else in this world does. I adore you big sis and one day we will live next door to each other again. ;)

Thankfulness.... Day 7 Our partners. :)

Not a day goes by that we do not stop and thank the Lord for our amazing partners. Those individuals both little and big who make it possible for us to be here serving. Those who faithfully lift our family up in prayer, advocate for us, encourage us and sacrifice so that we can be here doing what we do. Plain and simply,without them doing their part we couldn't be doing ours.

I cannot even begin to explain to you the ways we have seen God at work through those who are partnering with us behind the scenes. Days where God showed us He was there as we witnessed them at work. Days where Gods heart for the orphan was revealed through theirs. And it is in those moments we are refreshed, uplifted and have the strength to keep on going.

Just last we I received an email and this picture from a church in Illinois. The teacher told me she had taught Childrens Church through the month of October and they highlighted our family and the work we are doing here at Eagles Nest. The children learned about mission, collected money to purchase a pair of shoes for the kids here as well as prayed for our family- and I had no idea they were. Seeing their precious little faces show up in my inbox brought me to my knees. God is so good and works in ways we couldn't even imagine.

We are so thankful for our partners. Thankful for their hearts, their crucial part in making missions possible and their desire to give in such a selfless way. Thank you for the example you are to those around you, but most of all, thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus. We love you guys!!

Thankfulness... Day 6 and Orphan Sunday

For those of you who didn't know, November is National Adoption Month and today is Orphan Sunday, a wonderful way to spread the word about orphan care and adoption. We had a fun morning today skyping with our church back in Texas during their church service. It was so neat letting them meet a few of the kiddo's we work with her at Eagles Nest orphanage too, even if the internet service wasn't the greatest. What a blessing.

Today I am so thankful for the miracle of adoption. Thankful for this absolutely amazing, life changing experience. Thankful that the Lord entrusted me to parent and love five precious children that didn't grow in my belly but grew in my heart. I cannot image our lives without them. Each one of them have a story and written all over their stories are the fingerprints of God. A God who is loving, a God who is compassionate and a God who always keeps His promises...

I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you. John 14:18

If you are a Christian than you too have an adoption story. A story of how God came, picked you up, held you close and gave everything He had to give you life- eternal life. A story of love, a story of sacrifice and a story of redemption.

Adoption is a beautiful example of our love that reflects His.

Thankfulness... Day 5

Today I am thankful for our 27 new children. :) Thankful for the privilege of being here with them every day, for the blessing of sharing in their lives and for the lessons they have taught us already.

I used to think I knew a lot about faith, until I met them. We came here with the intention of making these children feel loved and help them to know how much they matter. I think what has blown me away the most is that that is exactly what they have done for me. Every day that I walk into the home and I am greeted with hugs and kisses and smiles and laughter.Every day they teach me how to trust a little bit more, love a little bit deeper and how to make the most of what I have been given. And it leaves me wondering how after all they have been through they could 'get it' so much better than I do?

I am so thankful for each one of these precious little souls. So thankful for the opportunity to love them and to watch them grow. So thankful for each smile, each hug and each day we have with them. We are truly blessed.

Thankfulness... Day 4

Today and I am thankful for the gift of life... and the ones who brought Todd and I into this world...

Our parents. :)

 (My mom, my dad and I)

(Todds mom and dad and Keegan)

While being a parent is one of the greatest gifts we are given, it isn't always easy either. I am pretty sure I may have had a lot to do with the loss of hair on my fathers head (love you daddy). And I know that even though your baby is all grown up it can't be easy to see them move halfway across the world to a place that is unfamiliar to you and to a place where you have to watch your grandchildren grow up over a computer screen...

And it isn't easy on your baby either...

We are so thankful for our parents who love us regardless.Thankful for the gift of life they have given us and the sacrifices they have made to help us become who we are today.

I pray we make you proud and I pray we are able to give to others as much as you have given to us.

We love you.

Thankfulness... Day 3

Not a day goes by that I do not thank the Lord for my 9 precious babies. Even though this picture is several months old (taken before we left for Guatemala) I love it because we are all together. I am so thankful that God blessed me with the privilege of being a mommy to these amazing kiddos. I marvel at how the Lord brought each one into my life, each one a gift beyond anything I could have ever dreamed for myself. Each one unique in their own way, each one with their own strengths and talents, each one a reminder of what life is all about.

When Todd and I first got married we 'planned' on having 3 children... It seemed like the 'acceptable' thing to do. Oh how thankful I am that God is so much wiser than we are.... and how thankful I am that I didn't miss out on this.

I love you my precious babies and I am so thankful God gave me you. :)

Thankfulness... day 2

One of the things I am most thankful for in my life is my precious husband...

I don’t even know how to express my gratitude for this man who I admire, adore and have shared my life with for close to 20 years. Being his wife is one of the greatest gifts I have been given. I am so thankful for his strength, courage and faith- in the big and the little. So thankful for a man who asks for nothing but gives everything he has. So thankful for a man who puts my happiness above his own. So thankful for a man who desires to have God in the center of our lives and works hard to keep Him there. So thankful for a man who understands that love is not just a feeling, but a choice… and day after day he chooses me regardless of if I deserve his love or not. So thankful for a man who has proven to me that yes, dreams really do come true...

I.am.here

Thank you so much to the so many of you who have emailed or called to check in on me. I know I have been neglecting this blog lately, but in all honesty, with all of the newness in our lives- I am having a hard time keeping up. It been hard here, in ways we expected and in ways we couldn't have begun to see.

Today, as I poured my heart out to God during my morning devotion, I was faced with the fact that I am not enough, and never will be... yet He gently reminds me 'I.am.here.'

And on these days when I don't know where to begin, that is all I really need to know.

Our lives around here look messy right now. Our days are full of learning a culture that is so far from what we have always know. Learning a language that we do not understand, learning God in a way we never have before.

Learning how to cook in a place that is unfamiliar. Learning how to work as a husband and wife team in a way we never have before. Learning together as a family about our new home.

 There are days whenI feels like I do not have the strength to meet the need of another. Days where my flesh just wants to meet the needs of it's own. Days where I call out to God and question if He called the right girl and days where I wish He hadn't.

Days where I wonder if simply cuddling a child who has never had a mother to console them after they fell is enough? Days where I try to make it about me instead of about Him. Days where I wonder how the world around me can go on in the mist of so much suffering and so much pain.

Days where I wonder how the God of compassion can allow so much loss and devastation in this world.  Days where I find it difficult to understand. Days where I question if we will ever be able to make much of a difference and days where I wonder why I thought I possibly could.

Days where I question myself and days where I question Him. Days where it isn't pretty and days where it's all I can do to muster the words, 'where are you Lord?'

 But then He reminds me...

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ~2 Corinthians 12:9

And so we begin each new day learning as we go... becoming what He needs us to become, failing misserably along the way, yet having hope that even in those circumstances He can work. Struggling to understand yet clinging to His word and who He is. Reminding myself it's okay that I am not enough- because He is. Knowing that is the truth no matter where we live or where this life brings us.

He is enough.

Even on those days we loose sight of that fact, He is enough.

And do for today, I am simply here.  

Willing.
Changing.
Growing.
Trusting.
Believing.

Over the course of the next few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving I am going to be doing posts on all of the things I have to be thankful for...It is a great reminder of the many, many  ways God is at work around us. I'd love for you to join me- looking for God in news ways- in the ordinary and in the unordinary. Seeing God for who He is and thanking Him for the work He has done in our lives and the work He continues to do.

Today, I am thankful for the Lord who is more than enough. You?

"The values we live by are worth more when we pass them on...."

From time to time I have people ask me to let them know when I know of any needs around here. But the truth is, I can't make it through a day without seeing a need.

Sometimes the needs are so overwhelming I don't even know where to begin. Sometimes the needs are so heartbreaking that I just want to look the other way. But, I did that for too many years of my life and I wasted precious opportunities to make a difference because of it. I know not all of us can do everything, but I also know that if we don't know- then we cannot help at all. So that said, I'd like to share with you a story.

This is Javier.

Javier works here at Eagles Nest doing construction work and any odd jobs he is asked to do. He is a dedicated, hard worker, always here on time and ready to go. But what stands out most about Javier is his wonderful smile- that you rarely see him without. As a matter of fact, when we first came here and we were learning who everyone was, we all referred to Javier as the guy who is always smile.

Javier has 4 precious children who are just as sweet as he is. The 3 oldest kids come to the Manna Feeding Center every day. They too quickly made their way into our hearts.

Last June Javier's wife, Estela, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl they named Clarita. Shortly after, she was outside their home where their bathroom is located and slipped and fell. She started having horrible pain in her stomach and thought she hurt herself during the fall. She lived with the pain for about a week and then finally decided she needed to go the doctor. There, she was given the news that she had a golf ball sized tumor on her cervixs and needed to have it removed.

The health care system here in Guatemala is difficult to work with. You can go to the general hospital and get care for free- but the problem is getting in. The hospital right now is only taking emergency cases because there are very few workers. The doctors are on protest now for not getting paid enough. Even though Estela has a tumor, this is not seen as an emergency since they do not know for sure if it is cancerous until they remove it. She has been waiting in pain since July to get in for surgery and there is no hope in sight- while the pain continues to get worse.  The other option is to go to a private doctor and pay. The cost for this kind of surgery is approximately $1000 (American dollars) which is a huge amount for this family- basically impossible.

And so, they wait.

And they hope.

And they pray.

And they trust.

In Him.

Tonight we had the privilege of going to Javier and Estela's house to pray with them. As I sat in their one room home, the rain dripped through the tarp they had for a roof. I wondered to myself if I will ever quit being shocked at how little these people have- but how BIG their faith truly is. The love and care Javier had for his wife brought me to tears and I cannot even begin to understand how this man continues on showing up for work each day with a smile on his face, while carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Everyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about orphans. But even more than that- I am passionate about keeping families healthy and together. I see this family trying. I see this family believing in the impossible.  And I see God at work.

I don't claim to have all the answers or even begin to know what to do.  But I know what I cannot do- and that is to sit around and do nothing. So for those of you who have asked if there are any needs here, I couldn't let this one pass. Please join me in lifting this family up in prayer and if you'd like to help Estela get her surgery you can donate on the Eagles Nest website here. Just email me at blockamy@hotmail.com and let me know it's for Javiers family.Thank you so much for helping this precious family.

****Update. I just witnessed a miracle my friends. Within minutes of publishing this post THE GOAL WAS MET. Thank you sweet Jesus!!! You are amazing!!!! If any more funds come in they will be put in a medical needs account and used for other emergencies like this. Thank you all!!!

A risk worth taking...

As tropical storm Jova made its way through Guatemala these past few days, the destruction is evident everywhere. Lives were taken and others were forced to pick up the pieces and move on.

A couple of nights ago as I laid in my bed listening to the rain pour down outside my windown. My mind slowly slipped into panic mode and the fear began to rise inside of me. "Lord, please don’t let our home go crumbling down the side of the mountain… Lord please protect our family."

And I was taken back to a time not even a year ago when we huddled together in a closet in our Texas home. A time when tornadoes were brewing everywhere, a time when you couldn’t turn on the news without hearing about another life taken in an instant by the horrible storms. I remember sitting in that stuffy, small, closet with my babies around me praying "Lord, please don’t let our home get hit by a tornado… Lord please protect our family."

And then to a time years ago when I flying in a small airplane headed for Illinois to visit family. The airplane hit a huge patch of turbulence and that little plane bounced up and down around like a rubber ball does on a slab on concrete. I remember sitting in my seat on that little plane praying “Lord please don’t let this plane go down. Lord, please keep me safe."

As I look back on those memories one thing comes to mind.

None of us are guaranteed tomorrow.

Yet, most of the time we fool ourselves into believing that somehow we are.

We often act as if we make all the right moves, make all the right choices, and stay within the little safety net we have ever so carefully built around us- we can live forever.

Those lives that were taken here in Guatemala the past few days, I am guessing none of them could have believed that day would be their last.

Those lives that were taken in the tornados several months ago in Texas, I am sure none of them would have guessed that day would be the day.

The lives that have been lost in airplane crashed after airplane crash, I doubt if they ever saw it coming as they loaded the plane that day.

But the plain, simple, honest truth is- we are going to die.

There I said it.

I am going to die.

No really, I am.

And so are you.

We have no choice and we have no say in the matter.

One day, we are going to die. And there is no way around it.

The only choice and the only say we get is- what are we going to do with today?

What are we going to do with the precious, fragile, beautiful thing called time we are given?

Are we going to live our lives to the fullest, taking big risks, loving deeply, giving freely, focusing on the good and forgiving the bad?

Or are we simply going to exist, clinging to the very things that we cannot keep anyway, and continuing to fool ourselves into believing we somehow can?

People have asked us time and time how ‘risky’ is it to live in Guatemala. And the truth is my friends- we took a risk.

A BIG risk…

We took the risk because plain and simple,these precious souls were worth it.

And one day, when the Lord calls me home, in a way I don't get to choose, in a time that will never be quite right, I will kneel before Him and know without a doubt...

I made the right choice.

FIVE!!!!!

Kaden,
     The Lord has blessed me with a life full of people who have impacted me in so many ways. People who have taught me about what really matters, shown me who God really is through their example and people who have helped me become who I am today.

And yet none of them could even come close to opening my eyes to Jesus the way you have.

Because of who you are, I am who I am.
Because of who you are, I see my life in a whole new way.
Because of who you are, I see Jesus in a way I came so close to missing out on.
Because of who you I am no longer afraid to take risks, love deeply and step into the unknowns.

I love you my precious, funny, silly, active, outgoing, beautiful son- and I am so thankful God blessed me with one of the greatest gifts in this world- YOU.

Happy 5th birthday!!! I love you more than you will most likely ever know.

A sweet friend of mine, Elizabeth, has one of the biggest hearts I know. God gave Elizabeth a wonderful talent of creating cards and so Elizabeth put her talent and her heart to work. This year ALL (every single penny) of the proceeds she makes off of her hand created Christmas cards goes to the work we are doing here at Eagles Nest orphanage. Isn't that incredible? What a blessing!!!


 If you are needing to purchase Christmas cards this year we would so appreciate it if you purchased them with Elizabeth here. :)

Thank you Elizabeth for seeing a need and using your time and talent to make make a difference in the lives of so many. You are such a blessing sweet friend!!!

Feed my sheep...

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

'Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. When Peter answered yes, Jesus told him to feed his sheep. It is one thing to say you love Jesus, but the real test is willingness to serve him. ' ~Study notes from the Holy Bible. John 21:15-17

Art class

One of the things I love about homeschooling in Guatemala is art class. :) We have the most beautiful sceneries to paint...

While we all agreed God is the Master artist- we had a fun time trying to duplicate His work.:)

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. 1 Chronicles 29:11

Dear sweet precious obedient children of mine,

The next time mommy asks you to please be nice and smile pretty for a picture and you decide you know better... it just may be used against you for the whole wide world to see. ;)

And one more thing you need to remember, I think you are absolutely adorable no matter what face you are making.:)