Introducing

Welcome to my blog! I'm saying that to myself, though you are also welcome!  I am a person with a constant internal dialog raging within. My brain is constantly rattling off ideas on life, wifing, parenting, relationships in general, natural health and all things pertaining to a woman living in these challenging and sometimes contradictory times. It is my pleasure and delight to share with you the musings of my 38 year old brain in order to encourage and maybe challenge you, hopefully not to discourage or infuriate you. So if you feel either of the later emotions following reading any of my posts, please take a deep breath and brush it off. I'd like to think that we can all get along in this world in spite of our differences and ultimately, I can't please everybody all of the time.

I am first of all human; a child of God, unabashedly in love with Jesus and a growing, evolving being in this crazy, beautiful universe that I call home. I am a wife; blessed with a godly husband who is a man of integrity and though far from perfect, a fantastic friend, confidant and lover. I am a very happy and proud mother of 8 fantastic children; 5 of whom I've conceived and given birth to the old fashioned way and twins that I proudly carried as a result of Embryo Adoption (more of that to come) and 1 amazing son through fostering to adopt. You may gasp in shock at the thought of 8 kids, but it really isn't much since I always wanted a dozen! Maybe you can't imagine it, but I can't imagine it any other way! Big and crazy is our family culture. I love a busy noisy environment, full of life and relationships. It energizes me and makes my heart sing, so please don't feel sorry for me for even one moment! Some days I wonder what a quieter, simpler lifestyle would be like and I quickly panic! I wouldn't even know what to do with myself. I guess God made me for this life so rather than compare myself to others or others to me, I simply say that we have all chosen our family culture and we might as well wear it proudly!

My husband and I contract with the Ministry of Children and Families to provide residential care to children and youth with special needs and special situations in two staffed resources, Hope Houses, that together we run as a full time job and ministry. I have been blessed from time to time with the opportunity to be a surrogate mother to some of the children that have been in our Hope Houses. I feel like "mothering" is one of the gifts that God has given me and I openly embrace the possibility of having more children. I intend to be content with the ones that God has blessed me with so far and do my best to help them to be free to be who God made them to be. That is our families moto by the way, " Free to be Who God Made us to Be!" And that is my hope for each one of you as you take the time to read my blog. I pray that you find the courage within you to seek the blessings that God has for you and to wildly chase after them!

So this is my introduction. I make no further excuses for myself or for whatever I say next. Please have patience with me as I become a blogger and share with you my journey as it continues.