Clark the puppy....what is going on?

I thought I would share a little humor from our lives and then get on to something a little more serious. Clark has discovered that it is totally fun to pretend he is a dog. Yes, he is continually all out canine! When he gets into his "puppy mode" he won't even speak...he crawls around, follows Timmy, rubs his head up against things, rolls over on his back, when we ask for kisses he rubs noses, etc. It sort of freaks me out a bit, but T.C. thinks it is hilarious. Ummmm, the jury is still out on that one. He will, however, snap out of it if he knows MOM is serious...I can only take so much puppy business! (he even crawls up/down the stairs) A friend of mine assured me that her son did the same thing and even went as far as barking at people when they asked him a question. Thanks, Suzanne, for letting me know we didn't have the only puppy boy out there!!! Ok, and to clarify the pictures of Clark pushing the vacuum...NO, we don't really put the kids to work...he was having a fit when he saw me vacuuming...so I had to let him push it a little! He kept telling me "me, me, me".

On to other things....
I still smile every time I say the word "kids"...it hits me again and again and I tell myself "it is plural..KIDS...it is finally plural." I waited so long for this. I truly believe I was put on this earth to be T.C.'s wife and my children's mother. That is what I live and breathe for. I can't imagine my life any other way. However, there were days I doubted everything. Most of you know that we suffered several miscarriages when Ali was a toddler. It was devastating. That is all I ever wanted to be was a mother...and I felt like I was being held back. I questioned God every single time it happened. Why me, God...why? I never understood, but trusted in God's sovereignty over our lives. I knew he loved us and had a plan for our lives. Now, we fast forward 7 years and God is allowing us to catch a glimmer of his plan. Had we carried another child/children, we would have never considered adoption. Oh, what we would have missed! He sent us a little angel..so full of life and love and so ready to BE loved. We would have missed so much. We would have missed watching our son enjoy an ice cream cone...chase frogs with his big sister...play at a park for the first time...eat his first chicken nugget (and oh how he loves them!!)...meet his grandparents...and anticipate watching him discover who God is!

I have always LOVED this song by Mercy Me (one of my favorite Christian groups) called "Jesus, Bring the Rain"

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that
I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there will
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain

I am yours regardless of the clouds that may
loom above because you are much greater than
my pain you who made a way for me suffering
your destiny so tell me whats a little rain

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the lord God almighty
is the lord God almighty
I'm forever singing

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there'll
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain
- Mercy Me "Jesus, Bring the Rain"

How true it is! We are here to bring God glory regardless of our circumstances. Though that is so easy to do when things are going well, isn't it? We have all been there...then things turn dark and we question God...but God is still God and STILL the ONE in control. I think we have to go through difficult times to truly appreciate God's amazing power. He is the only one that can sustain us.

Enjoy our blessings from heaven...

Ali and Clark