Mar 23

a thought provoking scripture this morning

By Bible Thoughts, Moldova

i know today is friday (well in moldova at least) and later on today i plan to write a post about the three year old we call addy grace. but while it is still thursday in the states, i thought i would post a scripture that hit me this morning.

Mark 10:28-30

Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property…

Along with persecution.

And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.

i know following Christ is full of blessings. i know following Christ is peace and happiness and joy. i know Christ loves me and cares for me and will always be right here, taking care of me.

but don’t forget that there will be persecutions along the way. it doesn’t mean Jesus has forgotten about us. sometimes it means we are doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing! sin makes it impossible not to be persecuted as followers of Christ.

trials don’t always mean we are doing something wrong.

sometimes they mean we are doing everything right.

hmmm.

Mar 22

yay mercy

By Kids, Moldova

mercy has been a champ this week. she’s been teething, getting her top (right side) front tooth. or so we thought. she’s also been fighting a fever, ear ache and snotty nose. all possible symptoms of teething or a bug. then low and behold i am playing with her and making her laugh and i look closer…only to find that she is cutting ALL FOUR OF HER TOP TEETH. i didn’t even know that was possible. no wonder the kid has been such a grump. ♥

we were blessed with a washing machine. then we were blessed with a new and improved (non-leaking, non-earthquaking) washing machine. what i didn’t realize is that the front loading washing machine was most definitely created by a mother. i was able to make dinner and clean the kitchen while mercy laughed, giggled and danced with our clothing. (side note: please appreciate her adorable cloth diaper bum in jeans!) here is just a little piece of the fun:

today we discovered that whenever you say, “yay mercy,” she will respond by smiling brilliantly and clapping for herself. she only claps for herself. she doesn’t clap if you say “yay addy” or “yay dada.” we tried. she has very high self esteem. 🙂

hope you enjoy these two videos of this quickly growing (at least mentally!), goofy kid! she sure makes us smile and laugh.

Mar 15

flashback mercy

By Family, Holidays, Kids

sarah reminded me that we never really did anything with these pictures. we haven’t even touched them up, but i think they look really good just the way they are. this was the funnest (??) photo shoot i have done with sarah and now i realize we are a great team. i have tried taking mercy’s eight month and nine month photos on my own and oh. my. goodness. impossible? maybe. mercy’s next few months (years?) of her life might be documented in blurs of motion. i’m not joking. i don’t understand how something so little can move so fast.

on that note, here she is in all her six month adorableness. when climbing out of a metal bucket took time. when crawling was a little slow and methodical. when she sat still. those were the days of easy picture taking. 🙂

p.s. she is nine months tomorrow. how is that possible?

Mar 12

learning how to craft in moldova

By Moldova

i did a little bit of successful crafting ’round here and wanted to share it! it feels good to feel the crafting urge come back. (insert long story.) this is a wreath i made that i gave as a house warming gift.

purchase the most hideous wreath at the second hand that you can find…

is that a potato?

make yarn pom poms (i read different blogs and this is the closest to the method i used):








let this cute thing make pom poms too!

make a zillion pom poms, planning on making this wreath:

wrap wreath in ribbon and discover that you really like the look of the ribbon:

start tying pom poms on the wreath:

search high and low for your pom poms and discover they are currently in use:

realize you like this look instead, with some ribbon showing…but that it needs a little something more:

make a few felt flowers. i am sure there are a zillion tutorials online but i actually just watch my sister, sarah make these and did what i remembered her doing. i used a hot glue gun that isn’t pictured.


take a picture before giving as a gift!