thoughts:

"She holds no complaint for the life that she’d known." (jackie)

if you read the previous poem by my friend, you read this line. this statement struck a cord w/me. As i think about Brooke's life, from a mother's point of view", it does appear as if she has had no compliants for the life she has known; perhaps because she knows no other life.

two things from this phrase.
first: i thought of this from a salvation standpoint. We don't miss what we have never known. I don't know who reads this blog...but if you do not know Jesus Christ and have a personal relationship with Him let me encourage you to search...for you will find Him! Before I came to believe in Jesus, i did not know any other way of life--except that of my own.

second: i don't know what brooke knows or does not know. i've always said, "i wish i could get in her head for just 1 minute". Her life has changed many, mine being one. Her life has given me my "life" back...and has forced me into a world with Jesus i may not have gone otherwise.

like us all our lives are "fearfully and wonderfully made"

Sing, Dance, Praise

By Jackie

For Brooke

Sing, Dance, Praise

Our brown eyed girl sits glued to the glass.
What has caught her attention?
What makes the stare last?
I look through the window.
I see nothing at all.
She smiles and she giggles as a leaf gently falls.

She is watching the dance and learning to sing
As nature performs the praise of the King.
The movement is smooth and the song flows in the trees.
Some day she’ll remember when she bows at His knees.
He’ll ask her to do what she ne’er done before.
There’ll be a hush in the Heaven’s as she crosses the floor.

She’ll sing Him a song of redemption and grace.
She’ll know He approves by the smile on His face.
She’ll flow with the movements she saw in the grasses.
And she’ll dance at His feet while eternity passes.
She knows that He loved her and blessed her with gifts.
She saw things of Heaven that others all missed.

Her praise will be open and silenced no more.
For she heard them declare “Glory” in the waves on the shore.
She holds no complaint for the life that she’d known.
Souls came to know to Jesus in the love that was shown.
He’ll hug her so tight, His bride she shall be.
Our brown eyed girl, so “special” is she.

(this was sent to me by a dear friend of mine...thank you jackie, it encouraged my heart!)

cottage visit pictures

finally.

today brooke came over for a little while. she smiled the whole time she was w/us...my parents are here so they got to enjoy her...and they took tons of pictures (which i will have tomorrow). taking her back to the home she stays....she kicked the gravel and yelled out some words i could not make out. it appeared she did not want to return. tonight i hurt for her...and wish she could have stayed longer/spent the night. soon and very soon. but finally we got to touch her and hold her and she reached out and grabbed my hand and held it...not long, but oh how precious it was. grateful!

still

i still want to hold your hand. I miss your face and want to see you so bad! hopefully everyone will start feeling better soon so we can see you and you can come over and play.

Jesus has got you, baby.

a touch

i wanta hold your hand!

btw, if you notice, i have 2 orange rubber bracelet's on my wrist. those were given to me by my youngest, ethan. He told me 1 was for me and the other one was for Brooke. He said, "since brooke doesn't wear it, you can for her". oh man....compassionate heart.

i miss your hands brooke!

bummed

we did not get brooke for a sleepover. most of the campus she is at has had a "bug", so we decided another day would be better. got the news yesterday and it just killed the inside of me. she has not had an overnight visit since the end of September.

i miss you brooke, and you are just 4 miles away. i'll be coming to see you very soon!

nothing more to say.

sleepover!

it's time....we've waited 90 days plus...for a sleep over w/brooke and it's finally here! tomorrow night we will get her for dinner and she'll go back after supper on saturday! we are all excited to see her. she'll be painting, watching dora, eating chik-fi-la, handing out w/her brothers, and of course my favorite....i get to share the bed w/her! i'm so excited...it's going to be good!!! there will be many pictures to follow!!!

alone w/God...

I read this this morning...

When He was alone...the twelve asked Him about the parable. Mark 4.10

"When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship--when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us." (chambers)

I'm here.

break

well, thursday we have our first break at the Children's Home. that means we go off for a few days (4), and have some R&R. I haven't been able to do much on the blog because i don't have access to my other computer w/all the photos on them. However, i hope to give a full update this weekend.

Brooke did come to the cottage this past weekend and had dinner w/us. it was so good for her to be in our world....instead of us being in hers. she did really well. she mostly hung out w/josiah and ethan in their room...and enjoyed homemade pizza (molly style)....with some ice-cream.

This weekend i hope to have her over and maybe spend the night, i hope to have her paint some pictures...and just enjoy being together!

Praise

give thanks to Him and Praise His name! ps. 100.4

He is in full control and i'm grateful for it! Thanks be to Him...

missing brooke

i've been able to see brooke so much since we have been here. tonight i went over...she was finishing up her meal. she's gaining weight and gaining improvements. the girls at the cottage want to meet her, so i hope to bring her over at some point when there is a down time. even though she is just miles down the road, i want her here w/me. i guess that won't come for a long while now and that hurts. i'm missing her tonight. Jesus has got you baby.

a new year!

Happy New Year!

we are all moved in and getting things adjusted; however, i do not have computer access right now, so i cannot update brooke's blog for a bit. She is doing well. We have been able to see her everyday and it's been nice to drive down the road to give her a hug. i'll have lots of pictures/info to share when we get hooked up to the computer.

God's Blessings to you and yours this year!