Assorted Thoughts from the Middle of the Night

1. Payton is still a spelling maniac. He called me in the other day and said is this how you spell Precious? He said he saw it the other day on an envelope and had remembered it. I know my mom will love it. Ezra is one of Payton's best friends and Paw is my dad. I love seeing the words he chooses to work on each day...it gives me a little window into who he is thinking about.

2. I have always loved Francine Rivers and still do. However, I am new Karen Kingsbury fan. She has a book series out called Redemption.My sister gave me these highly reccomended...I loved reading every one. If you are looking for a wonderful fiction series to read over the summer this is it. I cannot reccomend it more highly. I read 10 of her books in a 15 day marathon...I am a nerd. Which leads me to...

3. Insomnia...It is a struggle I have on and off. It's on these days and what can I do but enjoy it. I used to fight it, get frustrated by it, and be miserable...now I am making it work and somehow the Lord is sustaining me. This is amazing because I was diagnosed years ago with CFS (Chronic Fatigue) and have had Epstein Barr syndrome since High school. I have been reading and writing and enjoying the promise of Isaiah 45:3 "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." I know this is season that will pass. (hopefully)

4. Payton and I had this conversation yesterday-

P: If God can make everyone well how does anyone ever go to heaven?

B: Sometimes the way God chooses to make somone well is by taking them to heaven.

P: and then they come back to earth?

B: No, once your in heaven you stay there, you don't want to come back to earth.

there was silence in our car for awhile and then tears...He talked of always wanting to be with me and Tony and never wanting God to try and heal any of us in that way. We talked for a long time about this. I have no idea if I handled it correctly or not. Sometimes after conversations like that one I ask the Lord to take whatever I just said and sift it...allowing His thoughts to settle in Payton's mind and not mine.

5. Yesterday a good friend called and told us she had a us a gift card to Chili's for us and could she keep our boys while we went out to eat? We dropped them off at 6:45 and had a wonderful time. Talking, laughing and discussing things that we miss in the midst of life going full speed ahead. It was a precious gift. I want to remember to pass gifts like that on.

6. When we got home I was getting Payton ready for bed when Benjamin (Who has no fear factor) jumped off his bunk bed onto me (without telling me he was about to)...I caught him (did I mention his lights were off) but somehow my thumb caught him in the eye and made a perfect moon shaped cut in the corner of his eye. We were adrenaline charged as soon as we saw his tears were red with blood...thankfully I missed his actual eyeball and hopefully we were able to convey that it is never ok to jump off a bunk bed.

7. Fort Worth Christian has started sending out t-shirts to all of its alumni's children.We are asked often where we think Payton will go to school. We do not know. We pray often that that decision will become clear as that time arrives. We have one more year at home. We will love every minute of it. For now- they are really cute in their new t-shirts.

8. My roommate from college, Ashlie is due any moment with twins (a boy and a girl). My roommate Laura had twins (a boy and a girl) 2 years ago. So fun getting to be a part of so much excitement. I am so thankful for these deep friendships, forged through the fun and fire of college.There were 5 of us that lived together in college...between us now we have 14 kids...thats a lot of kids.

9. We are crazy about Saturday night church. We love it. We are thankful for the way it is growing our family. We also love having Sunday as a Sabbath of sorts...no agenda, no errands...just being together.

10. The adoption of my niece Lael is progressing...Praise the Lord! You can read the updates at...http://rkvaughn.blogspot.com/

11. Many of you know Christine Tyndall Pinson from ACU. I have been so blessed to get to know her through church. What an incredible woman of faith and strength. If you are not already, would you lift her and her dearest family up in prayers.You can read the details at her precious mom's blog.http://melindagayle.blogspot.com/

12. Yesterday Benjamin came in carrying a pencil bag and said, "I have my things and I am moving to the big city." I love that kid.

13. and one last Benjamin story...the kid loves Danimals...Tony and I laugh about how drinks them in 5 seconds flat. The other day I was doing laundry and cleaning and as I walked through the living room I kept seeing Benjamin drinking the same Danimal. I thought, "Wow he is really making that last." Until I went to put something in the trash and saw 12 danimals with different straws laying on top of all the trash. The kid had been taking care of all of his own refills. We have since moved all snacks to the top shelf. Benjamin has his calcium for the next month.

Benjamin loves Precious!

While Payton and I were in Benin, Benjamin spent his days and many nights (I will someday tell the story of the exact moment I was being taken to the airport Tony was being taken to the ER sicker than I had ever seen him)...with my mom, Precious, as she is called by the grandchildren.

Since returning home we have noticed many things about Benjamin that show my moms influence on him. Just to list a few:

He wants his Bible in his diaper bag or in my purse at all times.

Everyonce in awhile when driving in the car he will say, "Let's get some praise music going."

He wakes up in the morning and says "Lets talk about what we get to do today...I bet its going to be wonderful.") His voice inflections on this one makes him sound exactly like my mom.

When changing a pull-up on Benjamin, as soon as he lays down he will say, "It's not gross, its just a part of life."

He now prefers his apple juice from Starbucks....if too much of the day passes he will come in from playing and say, "We have not been to Starbucks yet."

At night he says, "I love so much I can hardly stand it."

In his prayers instead of dear God he now starts with "Father"

When he is about to be disciplined he now will look at us with a completely straight face and say, "I live with Precious at her home, please take me there now."

My mom left on Sunday for 2 1/2 weeks in Kenya. This morning I was doing laundry and heard Benjamin talking to my mom...It seemed like he was answering questions, but I knew my mom was in London and I had not heard the phone ring...I walked in and said, "Benjamin, who are you talking to? Hand me the phone." He handed it to me and said, "I love Precious, why she talking like that?" I said,"Hello, who is this?"

Lady on the phone: "Miss, this is North Richland Hills 911, I repeat do you need an ambulance or police assistance?"

My heart rate accelerated like I had just done 45 minutes of cardio. I quickly explained that was my 2 year old, apologized profusely and then apologized some more. The lady was kind.

I explained to both boys after we were done that we should never play with the real phone and then explained that 911 was something we only used in emergencies. Payton took ever bit of it in...wanted the definition of emergency and nodded solemnly when asked if he understood... When asked the same question Benjamin just looked at me with a huge smile and said "Who wants to call Precious again?"

Some of My Favorites

When our kids walked up to the orphanage to give these balls all of the kids went crazy. I was so convicted of how easy it is to make someones day and wondered why so often days pass where all I am concentrating on is making sure I make my own.

I took this picture of Payton's feet on the bath mat as he was about to get in the shower. Thick layers of dirt are the only way we fair bears can appear tan.

So many precious kids everywhere you look.

Love these tigers!

Payton loved Benin!He was so funny to me talking to these kids in English...even now I am loving hearing his thoughts on what we have just experienced. I will have to write a whole post just on his quotes. He has already told us that he will return to Benin when he is older to work there. The one thing I can say is he won't be a pilot. The pilots called him up to the front to take a look at the plane and one of them asked, "Payton would you like to be a pilot someday?" He looked at him smiled and said, "Absolutley not." He does not say anything without great conviction.:)

The wait to meet our sweetest Lael was worth every minute. She is a doll. To say I am crazy about her would be quite the understatement. Please contiue to ask the Lord to secure her adoption. Things continue to proceed painfully slow. Oh that He would seal on earth what was long ago sealed in our hearts!

HOME!

Payton and I walked out of US Customs last night and literally ran to jump into the arms of Tony and Benjamin.

Our time in Benin was rich beyond words. We come home full to the brim with stories of the Lord's faithfulness...

I have so much to write about and I will do so soon...Along with posting some of the 279 pictures I took! :)

Thank you! Thank you for your prayers and support!