Feeling at Home away from Home

I just asked Dave to sum up in 6 words or less how he is feeling right now.  Feeling at Home away from Home was his answer.  I’ll post a lot of thoughts when we get home but it’s been a fantastic trip so far and I can’t even begin to tell you how important/good/amazing etc it has been to finally have Dave come to Haiti and meet his son.  Frankie is doing so well.  He’s so happy.  He’s so well cared for.  All his friends and him spend their day laughing and playing.  I feel as he knows us and that he is enjoying his time with us as well.  I am so thankful we chose to add to our family through adoption.  It really is an amazing thing.  If you have ever had that heart urge to adopt I encourage you to do it.  We are so blessed that Frankie is a Rhodes.  He’s one amazing little guy!

Happy Birthday TODAY sweet Izzie

3 Years ago today, Izzie Rhodes joined the Rhodes Clan.  It was a LONG day.  I reflected on it on her year old Birthday.  You can read that here.   And When she turned two here.    So thankful for our very sweet and ever SO FUNNY girl.  She is truly living up to her name!

Izzie when she was born:

    

Izzie at One:

Izzie at Two

Izzie at Three

No words needed

Do you ever run across a picture that says it all?  I just did this weekend.  Our friends from FL were up last weekend who I have not seen in 12 years and they were able to see my race.  Gina snapped a picture and just tagged me on it this weekend.  We all hopefully have those people in life that  love us fully… regardless of all the junk and mess that we are. That will choose to walk with us through the good and bad.  It’s been no lie that the past 6 months have brought much stress, change,  joys, struggles, questions, confirmations, confidence, clarity, confusion…. you get my point.  It’s really not life without it and if you can’t relate can you let me know what planet you live on? 

Dave was gone this weekend in KY and I had lots of time to be here with the girls and reflect on life.  And the reason I get through so many questions that come and go on our journey is because of this man.  It really is a joy to do life with him and I’m always amazed that God saw fit to allow me to walk with him.  He supports me in my personal dreams and passions and encourages me to do things that without his encouragement I might have never done. 

Sorry for the mushy gooshy post but it’s just been a mushy gooshy time and I just needed to share

One more run…. with purpose.

I’m thankful that there has been much happy news to share these past few days.  Izzie’s birthday, our upcoming trip to see Frankie, Movement of our papers…  and even more happy news to share.

This time last week I was recovering from the Greenville, SC half marathon.  Ready to hang up my shoes.  But by the end of the evening I knew there was one more thing that I needed to do.  You see, I ran the 200m and 400m dash in high school (a long time ago) but I’ve never been a distance runner.  This last January a friend asked if I wanted to train for and attempt a half marathon.  I said “sure”.  Why?  Because I just finished having children and I had not got my heart rate up in over 10 years.  I wanted to do it for ME.  Training for it was hard but we did it and in April I completed my first ever Half Marathon.  I never thought I could run that far. 

After that one another friend asked if I would train and run one with her.  In a lapse of insanity and forgetfulness I agreed.  This time I wanted to do it for SOMEONE ELSE. I really struggled training for this one.  A few times I did not think I would live up to my commitment to her.   I’m so not a natural runner and it’s hard for me to train.  But in the end we did it.  Never thought I would do one half marathon let alone 2 in one year.

 

And then just when I’m ready to finally stop torturing myself, I hear that inner prompting voice tell me there is one more race to be run.  And I might even dare say that this whole year of random running was possibly to prepare me for one last race.  This time I am running for a PURPOSE.  So I will humbly join a current group of  marathoners and attempt one last push for a half marathon.  To help raise money for a VERY GOOD cause and bring awareness to a ministry that is changing the lives of women in Haiti.  

 

So what am I running for?  Through our process with adopting Frankie I have met some wonderful people who live and are serving in Haiti.   I love Heartline the place where Frankie is being raised.  They are doing so many amazing and impactful things as they find many avenues of serving those in Haiti.  Heartline is Run by John and Beth McHoul, who have been in Haiti over 20 years.  Their mission includes an orphanage, a sewing school, a child development program, and a prenatal program. Recently, the prenatal program was expanded to include a birthing center, run by midwives.  The last time I was there… they were getting ready to offer the birthing center.  I can’t wait to see it for myself here next week!

 

So that is the big news.  This January 10th I will be running for a purpose.  Check out this link and read all about it.  I’m going to start posting info leading up to the race.  But for now just wanted to announce what’s happening with me, my heart for Haiti and investing in others through an amazing opportunity.  If that tugs at your heart at all check out the heartline runners blog!

 

http://www.heartlinerunners.blogspot.com/

 

We are out of IBESR!

We had a big moment of Celebration last night in this long process of adopting our son through Haiti. You see this paperwork below? Big news… It’s out of IBESR.

 

I’ve celebrated with other families as they have been informed of the progress of their papers. And I must say I underestimated the pure screaming joy and what it would feel like to be personally told the same news. I could not stop running around the house and screaming. Then the girls started screaming. And then we hit the play button on our favorite black eyed peas song and danced away. Then facebook and texting and phone calls. Whew! what a time.It’s just one small step but it’s a huge step. Momentum can to do the heart good. So we celebrate answered prayer. We now change our prayer from getting our papers out of IBESR to getting them into MOI. And most important of all we keep praying for our dear friends who are still waiting to get their papers in the system. My heart continues to break for them as they wait. But I know I will be celebrating with them one day soon where this same news that we got yesterday will penetrate their hearts and bring them so much joy…. and we’ll continue to celebrate each step.

It’s coming, I promise

My dad just called and asked what my news was.  I’m very sorry I’ve kept delaying things.  It’s just a time issue and I’m at work right now and am slammed and need some more time to get my post ready.  And I hope it will live up to all the excitement…. now there is way too much pressure….

Do you know what my dad thinks my news is?  He said, “are you pregnant?”  Um, NO DAD.  That is not my news and I think I hollered in there somewhere. ARE YOU CRAZY! 

Look for it this weekend.  Regardless it will be up by Monday for sure.

Much love to you all.  Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!!!!

I promise it’s coming

My announcement that is.  Was supposed to share news yesterday but I’ve got to catch up from Izzie’s birthday party that we had last night.  Sorry there has been delay. Look for a post tonight on what is coming next for me…..   I’m very excited about it!!!!

Race Day Photo’s

Completed….

(I’m still waiting on Wendy to get me a picture of us together when she downloads it.  Until then this one will have to do.)

This past Saturday Wendy and I completed our half marathon that we’ve been training for the past few months.  It was a good race.  I felt really good.  The anticipation and then the actaul training for one is what actually does me in.  We had full steam crossing the finish line which I give credit to the Jeff Galloway walk run method.  It was hard to make ourselves walk the minute during the first 4 miles because there is such momentum going but it was so funny because at the end, the last few miles we were passing people left and right with a shocking pace.  Felt good.

So now what?  Glad you asked.  I’ve got some more shocking news coming that I’m going to post tomorrow.  I’m even shocking myself with what’s next.  If you have heard my voice over the past month you would know that the shoes were to be put up after this race.  A much needed break from running and planned run schedules.

And then you hear a whisper.  An urge in your heart that let’s you know you are not done yet.  Maybe this “year of running” was meant for something more?  That maybe these runs have all been part of a bigger picture that is being created but it’s just not done yet?  No, I’m not running a marathon.  Maybe one day.  Although I highly doubt it. But I do think what is next is so fitting for me personally and on my journey.  I can’t wait to tell you about it.  Keep posted!

Wiggle, Jiggle Snore Cow Moo.

Wiggle, Jiggle, Snore Cow Moo.

That is the title of the book Emma wrote a few weeks ago.  She came home from school one day earlier this month and proceeded to sit on the kitchen counter working on a masterpiece!  At one point she came and asked for a stapler.  I was occupied with getting some work done so I found one and handed it off without really paying attention.  Then she comes to me and says, “mom, I just wrote a book.”

I must say it is the cutest children’s book about a farmer who has a cow who wiggles, jiggles, snores, and moo’s and keeps the farmer up and all the other animals.  It put the farmer in crisis mode, and well you’ll just have to read it to find out what the farmer does.  I was so surprised when she first read it to me and to see her story unfold in her eyes.  Unhindered by her parents or others correcting her.  It’s raw and it’s brilliant.

The best thing about this book for Emma is that she took it to school and read it to her teacher.  Then her teacher said she must read it to her principle and then the principle said she could be on the morning show and read it to the whole school.  That is happening today.  I’m not kidding when I say she popped up like it was Christmas morning and told me she must get to school early today.

I’m thankful for Emma and her imagination and for her love of art and drawing. Thankful for people who encourage her daily to use her imagination to dream and create.  I know we wish that for all of our kids.  Just celebrating today with her on something she’s so proud of.  Anyone know how to get these kind of books published?  I think she may be on to something!