Updates...

It’s been awhile for any posts with new updates on the family. So, here is a very SIMPLIFIED version of what we’ve been up too.

Cassie: Our beautiful 16-year old girl has been a busy gal. We met with the guidance counselor a week ago to talk about her FUTURE! aka COLLEGE! Applications, ACT scores, class rank, universities, majors and minors, financial aid, college campus tours, college fairs, etc. When did my baby girl get SO OLD! She is SO EXCITED! I’m a little overwhelmed. Thanks to Aunt Kris, Cassie DID register to take the ACT test in early April! We’ve visited two campuses already, but she wants to see more. We are also going to go to a college fair at Xavier High School in March. Whew! 

Cassie also has been getting ready for the softball season by going to open gym every Saturday morning. She has been playing in the pep band and working concessions on almost every home basketball game for the girls’ and boys’ teams. She has headed “animal days” for FFA week at the school, where she took our cat, turtle, hamster and parakeets. (She wanted to take our two goats in the backseat of her car!) 

She has also been planning for the Junior Prom, which will be the last week in April or the first week in May. Decisions, decisions. We did take care of the PROM DRESS shopping this past Saturday and she LOVES the dress she brought home! (I’m still in shock on how much a dress costs!)

These are pictures of Cassie being inducted into the National Honor Society this past January! We are SO PROUD of her! 

Jordan: Our boisterous and full-of-life 13 year old just finished up her basketball season! She has been playing since October, so it has been a long season. The coolest part of the season was how far she has come though! Brad and I can totally see such an improvement in her ball handling and shooting skills, that she should have a lot of fun next year in high school!

Jordan has taken the texting and cell phone usage to ultimate lengths this past month! She used over 2700 minutes on our cell phone plan! Well over 1200 minutes over her Mom’s usage! UNBELIEVABLE! She’s quite proud of herself too!

Jordan is into the “boys” and doing everything with her friends. The problem is that Jordan gets along with just about everybody, so she is quite the social butterfly! Jordan is debating to go out for track this spring (which she hates running, but her friends are all doing it!) or being the manager for the varsity softball team. You just never know with Jordan!

Here are some pictures of Jordan the basketball player!

Noah: My sweet, still-giving-Mom-hugs boy! He is 11 years old and growing like a weed! (his feet and legs!) He still talks about hunting with his dad non-stop and even talked Brad into coyote hunting before school last week. UGH! (When will the madness stop!)

He’s moved into watching over his two little brothers but also having a lot of fun with them. There have been way too many wrestling matches going on in my living room! Speaking of wrestling, Noah has decided to go out for wrestling this year. First time ever! He has had two meets away, but we will get to see him in action this week at home. Can’t wait! I think! I’m not the best wrestling mom (as I found out watching Muluken!). 

Noah just finished up his basketball season (6^th grade traveling team) and still plays the trumpet in the band. He also just competed in forensics and received all 1sts! Not bad for a speech kid! We were SO PROUD of him at the forensics’ parents night.

Noah is itching to get his four wheeler home from the shop, so he can start running it around in the mud. FUN!

Here are some pictures of Noah's basketball season:

 

Muluken: An almost 8-year old sweetheart full of life! His religion teacher whispered in my ear yesterday that he prayed for his “Africa daddy”! How sweet is that?!

Muluken finished up his wrestling season but still tries to take on his older and younger brother at home. Sounds like a herd of buffalo running through my home! UGH! (Boys are just so rough & tough) Muluken LOVES going to school and learning! He reads books to Tinsae, takes his spelling tests without reminders, and is very careful to print beautifully!

He still runs like the wind and pretty much can beat anybody in a foot race! Look out Wega track team! He does keep talking about going out for football in the Fall (which I am NOT looking forward too!) Brad is getting pretty excited for that too! 

Muluken has also been preparing for his First Communion, in which he needs to write in a journal, goes to classes, and even meetings with his Mom at the church. He’s REALLY looking forward to walking up with the family for communion at church!

Tinsae: A four-year old little boy full of energy and giggles! He is ALWAYS teasing somebody! He has the cutest darn giggle ever and it just brings a smile to my face every time I hear it! Tinsae decided to take a scissors to his favorite camouflage sweatshirt last Friday at the babysitter’s house. UGH! I was SO NOT HAPPY! He was quite proud of his cutting ability until he showed it to the babysitter and she did not smile! Oh-Oh! He then repeatedly asked the babysitter, “don’t tell mom!” I guess I’m the mean one in the family!

Brad took the three boys to the Iola Fitness Center for an afternoon of swimming on Saturday. This was Tinsae’s first time swimming and HE.LOVED.IT! Even though he doesn’t care for water to be on his face in the bathtub/shower, he really didn’t mind it too much at the pool. He LOVED the water slide, especially with Daddy holding on to him! After an hour and a half, and his hands looking like little prunes, Daddy said they were all done! When he got home, he asked me if he was going swimming tomorrow?! I’m so excited that he liked it so much! Look out Grandma Lenz’ lake!

Here are some swimming pictures:

And, if you made it this far...

PLEASE keep us in your prayers as we continue to fundraise for our mission trip to Ethiopia and Uganda this summer! We will need $5400 by the end of April! WOW! That time is coming fast!

 

The Lord laid it on my heart today to re-post this... and so, I am. ;)
{Taken from http://buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com because I couldn't have said it better myself!)

Sometimes, we find it easiest to look the other way.

Sometimes, we believe He isn't talking to us.

Sometimes, we figure someone else will do it.

Sometimes, we blow it off as someone else's responsibility.

But what if... God meant for you to do it?

As we were talking to someone the other day about support for our mission work we heard the all to common comment of 'go ask this church- or go ask that church'.

But what I sometimes think we forget is WE ARE THE CHURCH.

And often times we use the church as our excuse to not have to do what we are called as individuals to do.

We hide behind the title 'the church' and forget the church is made up of individual Christ followers who are all to do their own part.

Because after all, He is a personal God.

Personal to me- and personal to you.

While the church as a whole is powerful enough to knock out the orphan crisis- it's going to take all of us to do our part to make it happen- or it never will.

And yet all too often we sit and we wait...

For someone else to take care of the problem...

For someone else to give...

For someone else to serve...

For someone else to do something about it...

And we excuse ourselves of our individual responsibility.

When perhaps He was talking to us all along...

In the past I have talked a lot on my blog about our ties to money- and what the Lord has been teaching us. As we are raising funds for missions, more than ever before, our eyes are being opened to our cultures connection to the almighty dollar.

And more than ever before- I see how clearly it is the one thing that is bringing us, as a nation, down.

Our love for things...

and our love of self...

Over our love for Him.

I came across this picture the other day and I felt like someone punched me in the gut. I wondered how someone could just look the other way and go on without doing something to help?



But then it hit me..

Aren't we, in essence, doing this exact thing when we- choose that $6.00 latte over giving to missions?

When we choose to take a family vacation instead of giving our tithe?

Choose to have a pedicure over sponsoring a child in need?

Choose to look the other way as the homeless man sits on the corner begging for our help?

Choose a bigger house over adopting a child?

Choose to do nothing- when we could do something?

Choose not to respond.

Roman 14:12 tells us "Each of us will give an account of himself to God."

Belonging to a church isn't enough.

Each one of us, individually, are accountable to God for what we have done for the poor, the helpless, the widow and the orphan.

I once heard someone say the only thing worse than being lost- is being lost and knowing there is no one looking for you. As the body of Christ I believe the Lord is calling each one of us- as individuals- to open our eyes and LOOK. Look for the need and act.

Give.

Serve.

Love.

Take it personal-

Because He does.

He Cried...

He cried for me today! 

He.Cried.For.Me.

He wanted to stay with his mommy.

He had REAL BIG tears for me.

FINALLY!

Now, you might think I’m a little crazy right now. If not crazy, pretty weird!

But…you see…when a child is not attached to you, he doesn’t care if his Mommy isn’t home. He doesn’t care if he doesn’t see his mommy. He will go with anyone. He will play and laugh with anyone. He will lean against anyone! He will smile and talk to anyone. He will ask for help (or food, or drink, or a hug, or a hand, or anything) from anyone.

But…

Today…

He cried for me!

He wanted me!

He wanted to be with me!

And that is…

A prayer answered…

Africa Sleeps...

As we all know, my Ethiopian boys' hair is VERY different from our hair. Muluken's hair is very coarse and has very tight curls. Tinsae's hair is softer with loose curls. Their hair is the same, in that it DRIES out SO VERY FAST!! 

So, what does a momma do for her boys...well, of course, I buy the cutest darn sleep caps for them to wear to bed at night! I ordered these from Africa Sleeps out of Canada and the boys LOVE them!!

Check out my adorable boys...

We are hoping to have some soft, healthier curls soon!
 

First Wrestling Meet for Muluken...

Yesterday, Brad, Noah, Tinsae and I took Muluken to Amherst for his very first wrestling meet. And, oh what fun we had!

We arrived around at the school around 9am and met up with Maggie, Mason, and Casey. (Cody arrived after the first match) Muluken quickly got his wrestling shoes on and started to goof around on the mats with the other WF wrestlers. We waited for the brackets to be posted and then Brad and Casey went to find out where the boys would be wrestling. Mason and Muluken wrestled on mat 4 but were in different groups due to their weight. (Muluken weighs a whopping 48lbs!)

Muluken was able to wrestle 3 different times. He lost his first match 6-8, won his second match 13-7 and his third match 9-6. He tied for first place and did AWESOME!!!!

Brad, Noah, Casey, Cody & Mason all coached and cheered along the mat, while Maggie, Tinsae and I stood on the bleachers (& yelled a little!). THANKFULLY, Casey & Cody were there to actually "coach" Muluken and tell him what to do. They were so proud of Muluken, but I think I was the proudest of all! I don't know if I will ever be the best "wrestling mom", but I sure was happy for my boy!

Brad got some awesome shots of the wrestler!