Amazing Adoption "COINCIDENCE?"

First of all, Roger is somewhat better...yesterday I drove him to work to let him catch up on some paperwork. He drove himself this morning but I don't expect him to stay all day. He is not anywhere healthy enough to put in 9 or 10 hours on his feel. Now you've just go to hear this amazing "coincidence" that happened to me!! (I don't REALLY think this was a coincidence....just read on.) Over this weekend I was REALLY discouraged. I think our bodies get so tired that we allow our sin nature to take over and I was beginning to question what God is up to in our lives. I had had a sore throat and fever the whole time Roger was in the hospital. I know....people who are sick should NOT visit people in the hospital. I get it. But what would Roger have done being so sick and delirious without someone with him all the time? I used antibacterial hand wash and kept away from everyone. Roger was on super dooper antibiotics so I figured he was fairly safe from me. I also have been suffering from an incredibly painful knee and I ran out of my blood pressure meds and I couldn't leave Roger to get into the doctor's office to get a new prescription. So by the time Roger was released...and still not feeling very well,...I was worn out and just plain discouraged. I asked Roger if he felt that we were still supposed to go through with the adoption. Now realize that adoption is my passion and something that I earnestly want to do. I mean, I LOVE our little child already without having any idea who he/she is! But I was being doubtful...why had God allowed us to go through this illness and then have the burden of having to pay all these hospital bills? Did God REALLY want us to adopt? How are we going to pay for all these things? Does God REALLY want us to adopt from Lesotho, Africa? I mean, no one I know of has even HEARD of Lesotho much less traveled there to bring back a little child!! I poured my heart out to Roger and he said, "Yes, I still want to do this and I think this is what God wants us to do." With thankfulness in my heart because of Roger's response, I dropped the conversation. Later that day, we went to a home improvement store. Roger was feeling miserable and I felt similar but he insisted that we go because they were having a sale on doors and we need doors for the other house. While Roger was speaking to an employee at the store, I was standing back a ways and another man was nearby looking at some merchandise. I had seen his family with him elsewhere in the store. They were a spotless looking little group of immaculate children and an adorable wife. The female part of the family were wearing dresses...so I immediately felt a connection since MOST of the time I wear a dress. (Just my own conviction...and my preference) Anyway, another man walked up and asked me if my children had lost some money. I thought that was strange since my kids weren't with me and I said, "No." Then it occurred to me that he must have thought that I was married to the man in front of me since I was also wearing a denim skirt similar to the little girls' dresses and his wife was shopping in a different part of the store at that moment. "Oh," I exclaimed. "We're not married. My husband is up there!" pointing to Roger. As it ended up, the "mistaken" husband's children hadn't misplaced money either but since it is in my personality, I struck up a conversation with him. I told him that his children were adorable and asked him how many he had. He said he had 4 and I told him that we had a combined family of 8 and that we were working on adoption. He asked me where we were adopting from. "Lesotho, Africa." I said. "Wow! Really? I grew up there because my parents were missionaries there! In fact, my sister just left to work as a missionary with orphans in Lesotho!" He was as astonished as I was! I mean, in all of Indianapolis, what were the odds that we would meet at this hardware store?? Literally no one that I have met (other than one man from Southern Africa) has ever even heard of Lesotho!! And I talk about adoption every chance I get...to EVERYONE who will listen! (Just ask my husband!) During our conversation, he told me how horrible the conditions there in Lesotho really are. Entire families are dying of AIDS or starvation. Little children are left to fend for themselves while the bodies of their parents and siblings remain in their little one room houses. EVERY boy this man grew up with and was friends with have died of AIDS. He asked a missionary about them and was told that they had all died. That's the sad truth that these little orphans will face when they grow up. The little girls and boys eventually will contract AIDS and die without Christ. That's what OUR little child will most likely face if we don't go and get her...with God's help, of course. Anyway, we exchanged information and he promised to put me in contact with his sister in Lesotho! The very next morning I received a phone call from this man's mother inviting us to come to their house and meet them and look at pictures of Lesotho! This dear sweet missionary lady was also just thrilled to pieces! She couldn't believe that we were going to GO to Lesotho and bring one or two precious little souls home with us. She also told me that no one that she has ever talked to outside of the missionaries involved in that country has ever heard of Lesotho! She said, "What are the chances that you two would meet? It MUST BE OF GOD!!!!!!!" I feel the same way and plan to meet up with her family very soon to talk! ISN'T IT AMAZING WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO YOU? He knew that we were dealing with fatigue and discouragement and that we needed desperately to HEAR from Him. I am in awe of the love that God shows to us. He is just asking us to be obedient and DO what he asks us to do! Don't get me wrong...adoption is NOT a hard thing to ask me to do. I think that God has put that desire in my heart for so many years and HE just wants us to be faithful to Him and DO it. What do you think....was this a "coincidence"? I don't think so. Blessings! Beth

Roger's Home!!!!

Whew! What a week! The good news is that Roger's home! He's going to be on 10 days on antibiotics and pain medicines as well as anti-nausea medications. He's doing better but his leg is still very sore and swollen. I laid my hand on his leg this morning just to see how hot it is and I left an imprint of my hand in the swollen tissues. Kinda yucky, huh? Today is Becca's 14th birthday! I am planning to rush out and spend the afternoon with her doing some birthday present shopping. I feel bad that I haven't had the time to shop for her this week but I have the feeling she understands! I told her that I will take her anywhere she wants to shop and she said, "Even the mall?" I cheerfully said, "Yes!" although I would really rather just go to the local Kohl's department store. However, the mall seems to be a young teenage girl's dream place to shop so we're off as soon as I get lunch finished! Roger's all settled with his leg up, the dog at his side and Harmony the cat nestled on the foot stool. He didn't make it to church this morning and he was supposed to run the sound booth tonight but will not be able to do that this week. Usually Roger "builds" a beautiful birthday cake for each child's birthday but Becca wants cheesecake so this is a very good thing since I didn't want to have Roger work on decorating it this year since he has been so sick. (I have the feeling that he would give it a good try!!) The local Marsh grocery store will be happy to sell us a delicious cheesecake for the occasion! Since Becca is now 14, I have decided to allow her to have some make up! Please know that this girl will NOT be painted up but just some light make up to accentuate her eyes! So I am going to buy her some makeup today as well! Have a lovely day. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and comments. They meant so much to us and Roger was VERY touched! You are a blessing to us!! Blessings! Beth....and Roger!! XOXO

Roger's improving!

Another long day at the hospital yesterday but praise the Lord, Roger is getting better! Still having some strange hallucinations...probably from the pain medicines. Trinket once again visited him and then he saw lots of kittens running around the "travertine tile." (I don't know what travertine tile is...but ROGER hallucinates about it!) And what is it about cats all of the sudden????

He had another kind of funny hallucination later on. About suppertime, someone came in asking him if he got his supper tray. The lady left and Roger said to me, "I don't even know who P Diddy is!! I think he is a "Rocker"!"

This morning I came downstairs and had some of our own P Diddy to clean up since someone forgot to take care of our new crazy little dog, Bella. She also got into a whole bowl of dried Asian noodles from the pantry and ate them all! Poor Rebecca will now probably have something other than P Diddy to clean up later on today.

I'm sure that was completely inappropriate...but sometimes you just GOTTA laugh!!

Yesterday morning, I had made up my mind to climb up on the roof of our new little ranch house and fix the ridge cap that had blown off and needed to be reshingled. NO, OF COURSE I HAVE NEVER FIXED A RIDGE CAP....but I was certain I could do it. (First I changed out of my customary denim skirt and into some lovely fitting "yoga" pants. I don't do yoga, either, just in case you wondered.) I had already purchased the little tube of tar and roofing nails I needed. Since I couldn't get the large extension ladder we have at our current house to fit into my little mini van, I hoped that I could make do with the smaller ladder we had at the other house.
Well, when I go there, I realized that it wasn't tall enough! So, I went back into the house a bit discouraged since our Indiana weather is calling for some more nastiness this weekend and Roger is laying in the hospital worrying about the roof leaking.
Not more than five minutes went by and my dear precious dad called and said he had planned to come other that afternoon and fix the roof. My dad is 76 years old...but is in the condition of a man in his early 60s...if that old. I told him NO! I was afraid he would fall off the roof and be really hurt. (He has the tendency to do that kind of thing! He wouldn't be my Dad if he didn't have a cut up hand or leg or whatever all the time!)
Anyway, he won the argument and came over yesterday and fixed the ridge cap and repaired some other missing shingles. He is and always has been my hero. So is Roger...just not in the same way!

Roger's leg was looking much better when I went home late last night. He is going to be so touched by your prayers and thoughts toward him! Thank you!!

Blessings,
Beth

Update on my honey....

Hi everyone. Roger is STILL in the hospital...this is early Thursday morning...I'm getting ready to go to bed for a while. He is still suffering with cellulitis in his leg and still running a fever with nausea and major pain. He seems to be having the worst headache ever and getting very nauseated with that. He's on an IV with antibiotics and fluids. They're giving him some pretty strong pain medicines as well.
He DOES show a marked improvement in the huge infection in his leg, however, so that is a praise, isn't it?
It's also wonderful that God loves Roger even more that we do and I love him with all my heart. So God must be allowing him to suffer through this for some greater good...even if it is to give God the glory.
I know that it endearing Roger even more to my heart. Usually it is HIM that has taken care of ME these last few years since we've been married. It is nice to be able to love on him in this way...even though we'd really rather be working on our house or ......just about ANYTHING than to have him laying so sick in the hospital!

Our pastor and youth pastor came by the hospital this morning and this evening after church our Sunday School teacher came by. We are SOOOOO blessed to have such a wonderful church family!!

Tonight Roger claimed he saw our cat Trinket and then later, evidently our other cat Harmony ran under a chair that wasn't there. Then he started talking to someone...it wasn't me...telling him or her goodbye. Last night there was a big noise and he said, "Well, that could wash the dishes!"
I'm not quite sure what that meant, but I hope whatever it was WILL wash the dishes because there seems to be some that needs to be done in this house as I just came home to it!

I think I have some young teenagers who can handle the dishes quite well on their own, don't you think so???????

It did upset me quite a bit when he started imagining things and I went outside the room and had a good cry. But all seemed better just before I left and I think he might have a restful night.

Thanks for your prayers...I DO think he is on the mend.

Blessings to you all,
Love,
Beth

Please Pray for my Husband

Hi...just a quick note. I took Roger to the ER last night. He was feverish and had flu like symptoms. He was also showing signs of cellulitis again in his leg. The docs kept him and are giving him strong antibiotics through an IV. His white blood count is very elevated due to that infection in his leg and the doctor said it is "systemic" so I assume that it means his infection is in his blood and can possibly go other places??
Anyway, he is a sick man. They intend to keep him 24 to 48 hours.
My prayer is that they can get it controlled enough that he doesn't keep getting this! This is about the 3rd time he has been really sick with this in 6 months!! This is the first time that he has been hospitalized with it and although we basically have little insurance coverage, I am glad that they are taking it seriously and possibly get it under control!
He is very precious to me. More precious than I sometimes realize.

I'm on my way to the hospital now. Thanks for your prayers.
Blessings,
Beth

I FOUND a GUCCI BAG at MY NEW HOUSE!!!!

First of all, this is my little buddy Brody! He is adorable and he absolutely LOVES his food! We took him and his big brother Dylan out for Dylan's birthday (rather a very late birthday) and we really enjoyed them! Almost as much as Brody enjoyed his toast. Yes, he ate every bit of it as well as almost a whole child's breakfast. By the way, he is 14 months old.....with a 14 year old's appetite! He is soooo precious!

This is my buddy Dylan! Evidently his new dragon is about to "toast" his toast! Dylan's mommy and daddy requested that he not get "toys" for his birthday so Grammy improvised! We gave him some money to put toward a new swingset and then bought him some shirts and some really fun books. One of his books was a popup book about dragons and oh dear, a red dragon just happened to be tied into the bow on the top of the present!! You can't count the dragon as a "toy" when it is part of the bow!! (That comes from my new book, "Being Grammy 101"...)

This is a shelf over the door in our new bedroom in our new house. When will I grow up? It is strange to be an adult woman who still collects Teddy Bears!

OH, YEAH, I DID SAY THAT I FOUND A GUCCI BAG AT MY NEW HOUSE, DIDN'T I? IT'S TRUE! I WAS CLEANING OUT THE LAUNDRY ROOM AND LOW AND BEHOLD, THERE IT WAS!!!!!

That's all....no purse, just the Gucci bag. But hey, it's better than nothing!! (Almost!) It made for a really good joke, though, as I sent the message that I found a Gucci bag to many people via text messages....then they realized that it was ONLY the bag that the purse had COME in!!

Haha!!

We are really getting quite close to moving into the house. We have to have someone come out and work on our septic system as it is backing up into the shower...yuck. We opened it up outside yesterday and stuck a 6 ft stick into the opening and into the tank. It stood straight up, it was soooo full of nastiness!! I'm not going to explain it further, I think you can get the general idea!

Pictures will follow soon, hopefully! (NOT of the septic tank...but of the house!!) We have done LOTS of painting and our kitchen cabinets are ALMOST white!!

Have a lovely day!

Beth