Rainy Day Coziness

Rain, rain don't go away...

I'm a true Oregonian at heart.  I love me some rain.  It's nearly the end of June and it's been pouring down rain for days.  YESSSSSSS.  

You see, the sun hates me, and I'm not terribly fond of him either.  I don't tan, I burn and burn and burn some more.  After a bout of melanoma during my pregnancy with Addy I felt I could finally admit my true feelings about the sun.  While everyone else in Oregon gets all giddy about sunshine, I feel a tad of resentful. Soaking up the sun is not my kind of fun.  Hence my love for Oregon.  It rains here A LOT.  It's gray and cloudy A LOT.  That suits me just fine.  When the sun comes out and everyone else gets all giddy, I feel so much pressure to "soak it in"...when I'd much rather play inside where I don't have to be on the constant lookout for shade.  Coziness is my friend: rain pouring, windows open, coffee brewing, classical music playing...yes please.  Glaring sun, squinty eyes, burning skin...no gracias.  

Which brings me to the point of this post (yes it has one!).  Pouring down rain calls for a good book.  Here's what I've got goin' on around here. 

For the Kids:

All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor.

When I was in 3rd grade my Uncle Steve was my teacher.  He was my most favorite teacher EVER.  Now he's on the executive board for Wide Awake International.  Awww, full circle!  Yay!  Anyway, often we would have free reading time at school, and every time I would choose this book.  I read it over and over.  I loved every detail about it.  It's about five daughters in a Jewish family growing up in New York City at the turn of the century.  Oh my, the food descriptions, the sisterly fun (I only have brothers), the pinafores and bows in the hair.  It's a great book.  I forgot about it for years, but just recently remembered it and googled every detail I could think of in order to find it again.  We checked it out from the library and have renewed it three times so far.  It's a great read-aloud for boys and girls alike.

All-off-a-Kind Family is just as good now as it was when I was 9. LOVE.

For the Home School:

Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson.

Years ago when we were on the verge of homeschooling, but just couldn't bring ourselves to commit to doing it (never thought we would, afraid as all get out), this book was the clincher.  I owned the old edition, then got the new edition for Christmas, managed to lose the new edition in our move, and just scored a $.50 copy of the old edition at a used curriculum sale a couple weeks ago. 

I love to reread this book every so often to help remind myself of why we home school and what is important to us in our parenting.  As someone who never thought she would home school, but knows God has asked it of us, this book is incredibly encouraging and practical.  Much of what our home school looks like I learned from this book.  I love the emphasis on discipling our children.  That's what this parenting thing is all about right?   If you are on the brink, considering home school, but unsure, I urge you to give this book a go.  It's amazeballs.  

 *Name drop alert: Jed and I got to meet Clay and Sally Clarkson and even visit them in their home when we were in Colorado in March.  Holy celebrity sighting Batman!  Sooooooo cool.  Anywayssss...

For Wide Awake International:

The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D. and Maia Szalavitz.

I just started this book, so I can't give it a full recommendation yet, but I'm fairly certain it's amazing.  :) Jed has been a fan of Dr. Perry's work for a long time.  It informs all the work he does at the organization where he currently works.  Yesterday Jed was blessed to attend a conference by Dr. Perry with his coworkers and was blown away.  Perry is the leading expert on stress, trauma and brain development.  In this book Dr. Perry explains what happens to the brain when children are exposed to extreme stress (ie institutionalization, unmet needs, abuse, neglect) and his methods of therapy.  He basically throws all we know about brain development on it's head (no pun intended...but hahahaha). Pretty cool stuff.  We are just taking it all in, asking God to guide us, direct us, and give us wisdom in bringing this knowledge into Ukraine.  

For Fun:

The Wilder Life, My Adventure in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure.

Okay, ready for some vulnerability here?  I'm about to geek out on you.  I LOVE this book.  It's about the author's love of all things Laura Ingalls Wilder and Little House on the Prairie.  OMG.  I am so there.  She had me at Little House.  I have been a Laura Ingalls fan for as long as I can remember.  I just may, or may not have every.single.episode of Little House on the Prairie (or LHOP..hehe) on DVD.  I just might know every.single.detail about each episode.  I can tell you what Pa said to so and so about the plow, how Albert overcame his addictions (really, Michael Landon?), who burned down the blind school, and which candy was Nellie's favorite at the mercantile.  I'm an LHOP nerd and I don't care who knows it!  

So, the author became mildly obsessed with LHOP and then took it to the next level.  She visited all the homestead sites, churned her own butter and made her own maple syrup/snow candy.  Then she wrote about her experiences.  In other words, she fully geeked out so that I could vicariously live through her.  The book is hilarious and informative.  It's made me laugh out loud more than once.  Poor Jed.  

The only beef I have with this book is that the author is sort of a purist and pretty much doesn't care for the TV series. WHAT??????  She thinks true LHOP fans should be lovers of the books, not the show.  Well, I gotta admit, the books bore me to death (are homeschooling parents aloud to admit that?).  I love me some Michael Landon, and he's the only Pa I can imagine.  Yes, I realize the show isn't true to the books, but I love it all the same.  It represents my childhood.  When Carrie stumbles down the hill in the opening sequence I feel like I'm home.  

*okay, I'm done nerding out now.  Feel free to think less of me, just don't bash Melissa Gilbert or I might never forgive you.  ;) 

Enough about me, what about you?  Got any good books to recommend?  Lay 'em on me!

Warm Buses and Warm Hearts...hehehe

It's a well-known fact among my real-life friends and fam that I'm an extra warm-blooded person.  I rarely wear a coat, and Jed constantly bemoans the fact that I'm passing that trait on to our kids.  Who needs a jacket?  They're so bulky!  I'd much rather run from the house to the car to the store and back, than to be suffocated by a bulky jacket.  Don't even get me started on the suffocation factor of scarves.  I get it that they're cute, a little pop of color for an otherwise bland outfit, but am I the only one that can't handle the strangulation?  Just the thought of a turtleneck makes me feel like my airway is about to close.

All that to say, warm weather and lack of airflow is a major downfall to my suitability as a missionary.  If you've ever traveled overseas you know what I mean.  Think warm bus, no windows down, stalled in traffic.  I have to talk myself down from the ledge.  "You actually won't suffocate.  There is air available, just breathe deeply."  

The vent right above my head...doesn't work. 

Where am I going with this?  I have no idea.  I just had to talk it out because as I write this we're on a fairly warm bus headed back to Zhitomir.  I've been sweating for the past 12 days, and so it continues today.  (I'm a Bittner.  We sweat.) Anywayssssss....I just needed you to feel my pain for a sec.  I feel better now.  :)

Now, on to more pleasant topics that don't involve sweat and strangulation.  

This past weekend was loads of fun!  We drove back to Kiev on Friday afternoon with our friend Oleg who happened to be heading that way.  He dropped us at the metro and we headed to the church where they were having a concert to reach the unreached.  We took the metro to the stop we knew was closest to the church and then hopped off.  It's like a 20 minute walk from the metro to the church, and Jed, with his bat-like sense of direction, led us straight there without a hitch.  What a guy.

Jed promptly filled in on the bass and we got to see lots of people we love.  It was a good time.  

After the concert we went home with our friend Sergei.  We had the BEST time staying with Sergei and Alyona.  Seriously.  Being around their kids made us miss our babies something fierce, but we managed.  :)  

Alyona cooked for us and fed us nonstop.  Yum.  Who am I to complain?  Her love language is feeding people, and we're eaters; a match made in heaven.  

On Saturday morning we met Jim and Marianna Peipon (remember Olya and I went with Marianna to visit the baby at the hospital?) at their flat to tag along with them to a picnic.  Fun, fun, fun!  The picnic was for a coalition for children at risk.  Basically, a group of people consisting of Ukrainians, Americans, Russians, and Mexicans, who work with children at risk in various ways around Kiev got together to fellowship and eat together.  They welcomed us with open arms and we had a great time.  It was so fascinating to hear about what others are doing to help kids and how God led them to Ukraine.  We made some new friendships and some good connections.  Who knows what God plans to do with those relationships in the future?  We are open, and excited to find out.  Thank you new friends for making us feel so welcome!  We'll see you again soon with kiddos in tow!

Saturday afternoon and evening we hung out with various friends and laughed a lot.  

Sunday, oh I loved Sunday.  It started out with Alyona feeding us some more delicious food, and ended the same.  Hehe

We headed out to church by taxi after the frantic rusharound of your typical Sunday morning.  It was hilarious to talk (sign/google translate) with Sergei about how Sunday mornings are the same for families all around the world.  "Hurry up!  Eat your breakfast!  Stop hitting your brother please.  Grrrrr."  Then you get to church "Hallelujah...."  Yep.  Sunday morning in Ukraine is just like Sunday morning in Salem.  Why is that?  Hilarious and true.  If your Sunday morning isn't stressful, let me in on your secret. ;) 

After a great time at church we joined our friends in their typical Sunday afternoon hangout.  Everyone takes the marshrutka to our fave: Puzata Hata!  Puzata Hata is a cafeteria-style Ukrainian restaurant.  Delish and cheap with plenty of space for hours of chattin' it up.  As our friend Andrei says "Sunday afternoon is for relationship."

Sunburned...my bad.

After the deliciousness of Puzata Hata we walked for a bit, talking more, till we got to the metro and parted ways.  Sergei and Alyona went to go buy their kids a pet mouse (yep, that's totally not happening at my house) and we went with our friend Elvin to chat more since we won't see him again before we leave Ukraine.  

After that it was home again home again jiggety jig.  Alyona fed us some more, and Jed and Sergei drooled over guitars online- just your typical Sunday night when you live with a musician.  

Anya and I did this:

I give this past weekend two thumbs way up.  We are so blessed to have good friends in Kiev who love us.  The feeling is so mutual.

 

Blind Date on Sunday

Warning, I'm in a bit of a mood.  Not a bad mood, just a quirky mood.  An I'm-not-sure-what-will-come-out-of-my-mouth (or fingers) mood.  You've been warned.  Now feel free to read on.  :)

Today was loads of fun.  I laughed a lot today.  Don't you love days like that?  

Today I got to go to Kiev Vineyard!  I love that place so much.  Jed was super jealous, and you all should be jealous too because it's a wonderful place to be.  Hehe

Last year when we walked into Kiev Vineyard we felt right at home, and I felt that even more this time.  I feel like I can just "be".  I don't have to be "on".  I don't have to be a certain anything.  I am loved just as I am.  I may not understand a lick of the worship or teaching, but I understand the heart, the passion, the love.  Our hearts beat the same as the other hearts in that room and that's enough.  

     

After church my friends Anya and Sasha walked me to the metro because I had a blind date with an American couple.  Anya and Sasha were pretty afraid to leave me to navigate the metro alone.  What? Me, alone in a city of millions of people I can't communicate with, on the metro, alone?  What's to worry about?  Ha!  I wasn't worried at all.  

They wanted to come along, but I promised I would be fine. After I finally promised to call Sasha when I arrived, they let me go.  I felt so loved!  :)

The metro is a people-watcher's heaven.  Seriously.  Old people, babies, people in a rush, people taking their time, people with flowers, people with guitars, Babushkas with big grocery bags.  I just want to squeeze those cute little grandmas!  They're so stinkin' cute!  

Annnnnd I made the trip without a hitch!  Aren't you all proud of me?  

I met Kevin and Debbie Nelson on my blind date and just had the best time.  I can't say enough.  I love them!  The crazy thing is, I got their info from my friend Kim who's been praying for them for a long time now, but she's never met them.  Jed and I thought we shouldn't turn down any possible connection so we emailed the Nelsons and arranged the date.  Then I was talking with a co-worker at the hospital a week before I left for this trip and she told me she has a cousin in Kiev and I should meet her.  Well, the cousin just happens to be the one and only, Debbie Nelson!  Ha!  Destiny's child I tell ya.

Kevin, Debbie, and I went to my fave restaurant, Puzata Hata, so I was instantly happy.  We proceeded to spend the next almost 3 hours chattin it up about life in Ukraine and what brought us all here.  I can't believe I didn't get a picture of the Nelsons because they are just fabulous.  They are real, funny, wise, and faithful.  God first took them to Russia where they served for several years, and now they've been in Ukraine for the past 8 years.  They gave me advice on everything from prayer support, to visas, to apartment choosing, to appliance voltage, to grocery shopping.

(You all know I was thankful for that one in particular!) 

I would totally consider a second date with Kevin and Debbie.  Too bad it can't be tomorrow!  :)

I managed to make it home to Olya's apartment without getting even close to lost, and came home to an apartment filled with friends.  Success.

Tomorrow Olya and I head to Zhitomir to check out the future Johnson landing place and to meet with a realtor.  It should be quite the adventure.  House Hunters International anyone?  

Good night all!  A special good night to my Mom.  Love you Mom!  Happy Mother's Day!  Here's your present! 

(She wants more pictures of me on the blog, just like I can't get enough pics of my babies while I'm gone.  Once a mommy, always a mommy)  :)

A Week Full of Hope!

What a week!  

This week has been so amazing that my face almost hurts from all the smiling.  :)

What a change from my last post, right? 

When I wrote that last post things seemed a little hopeless, the need seemed a little a lot, too big.

But this week has been different.  This week God has reminded us that He is in control and nothing, absolutely nothing is too big for Him.

Want the good news first?  You do?  Well, lucky you, because it's all good news!  YAY!!!

#1 On Thursday we celebrated one year since Seth became our legal son.  What a milestone!  We watched the adoption ceremony video that day and remembered all that God did to keep Seth in our family.  Ours is a crazy roller-coaster-of-a-story that only could have ended the way it did because God intervened.  We remembered how man doesn't have the final word.  God has the final word.  Isn't that good news?  Seth thinks so.  :)

 We celebrated "Adoption Day" by taking the kids to frozen yogurt and giving Seth lots of extra kisses and hugs.  I emailed Seth's case worker who fought tooth and nail for him and thanked her again for all that she did for our family.  We love her and will never ever forget her tenacity and persistence.  It made a difference to this one!

#2 On Friday we found out that Sasha's family is bravely moving forward with their adoption.  Of course our support is with them no matter what, and we told them that.  But I'm not gonna lie.  My heart absolutely jumped for joy (and my body too!) when I found out that they had chosen another one of our Lost Boys to take home as their son.  Sweet Alexei will now be called Benjamin.  Sweet Alexei, who was transferred t to the Lost Boys from the same orphanage as Sasha will now be called treasured son and brother. 

Still mourning the passing of Sasha, yet bravely trusting and stepping forward in faith.  Now that is awesome. Now that is worth celebrating.  Thank you dear family!  We stand behind you in love and prayers. 

#3 Anddddddddd last but not least!!!  

Oh my word.  Today has been amazing.  It started off with Jed and I having the opportunity to share about Ukraine with our church.  The support we felt in that room was amazing.  Our pastor brought it home that this is something our whole church is doing.  This mission is something God has called our Body to participate in all together.  It was like music to my ears.  We have known the support was there, but hearing it today was such a blessing to our hearts. Thank you Lanny!

After church we headed to some friends' house for a thanksgiving dinner.  Yum.  We were eating and enjoying each other, when all of a sudden my phone started to blow up with texts.  I knew something either really good had happened, or something really bad.  Ha!  The first text was from my friend Sarah and it just had one word "HEATH"!  Then the texts began to pour in from other Reece's Rainbow friends far and wide.  

HEATH HAS A FAMILY!!!!!

Our dearly loved Heath is found!  He has a family working right now to rescue him.  Soon he will be an orphan no longer.  

 

We knew it would happen, I mean God did too many miracles in the fundraising for Heath not to be found, but I can't believe it actually happened.  I came home to at least 17 tags on facebook letting me know it is real.  Heath baby, hold on tight because your world's about to be rocked!

You can follow Heath's adoptive family at their blog here.  I've already let his mom know that I'll try very hard not to stalk her.  :)

I'm so filled with faith and hope right now.  Nothing is impossible for our God.  Nothing.  

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 

If you would like to help Alexei's family with the expenses of their adoption I know they would really appreciate the help.  They are working hard to raise the money and every little bit helps!  You can give your tax-deductible donation here.  Thank you!!!

California Dreamin'

We're baaaaaack!

Holy moly we just had the best time ever!  Sunshine + crazy amounts of friend time + yummy food in mass quantities that I didn't have to cook + Happiest Place on Earth = Heaven on earth.  It was seriously amazing.

We started out on Friday afternoon heading down I-5 for way too many hours.  We ended up stopping over in Sacramento (since we're too old to be driving through the night these days.  I don't care how good the book on cd is...it's not keepin' this Mama awake anymore!) in a cheap hotel and caught a few winks of sleep.  Then we were back on the road!  Our kids are such road warriors.  They amaze me with their bladder capacity and road-longevity.  My kids rock.

Saturday afternoon found us at the Delmore's house.  YAY!!!  We spent a couple nights relaxing, chatting, and eating.  It was fabulous.  We love Ryan Delmore's music.  In fact, Ryan and his daughter Kate wrote a song together that inspired the name "Wide Awake".  You can listen to it here.  I love that song and can't go too many days without listening to it.  :)  They are just great people.  Sarah Delmore and I are basically the same person, so of course we got along tremendously well.  Ha!  Kindred spirits indeed.  Thank you Delmores!  We miss you already!

Sweet Kate.  Our girls fell in love!

Monday evening we got to meet with my high school friend James.  It was AWESOME.  James and I were pals back in the day, and now he pastors a church in Pasadena.  A couple months ago James let us know that he'd been following our story and was interested in learning how he could support us on journey.  Oh my word, we were blown away by his faith and encouragement.  James, you have no idea how much we needed to hear the words you spoke to us.  Our faith is built, our hopes are high, and we are encouraged up the wazoo.  Thank you so much for your friendship and support.  I loved seeing you again!

James!

Tuesday we got to meet Mark Fields, the Director of Vineyard Missions.  We go to a Vineyard church and are being sent out as missionaries from our church, so it was really cool to chat with Mark.  We aren't sure how we'll fit into Vineyard Missions as a whole, since it's primarily been all church-planting in the past.  We're excited to see what God has in store!!

Next up....Disneyland!!!!!
What can I say?  I love Disneyland.  I love everything about it.  What made it even better, was that some of our dearest friends ever joined us for our time at Disney.  Disney with friends brings a whole new level of fun to things.  The giggling quota was met each day by about 9:00am.  We shared many laughs, many screams, many waits in line, and many smiles.  It was F-U-N.  With the combo of fast passes and rider swaps, the three big kids got to ride each big ride approximately 9 times.  Holy Pukeville Batman.  They have guts of steel.  Now, prepare for picture overload...
 

After weeks of wanting to "hug Mickey" Seth decided "He's too big!"

BUT, he was definitely willing to hug the Princesses!  :)  He was so proud of his Sleeping Beauty autograph.

 

 

Waiting for the parade

Passed out after a day of Disney

 

Jed working on perfecting his Splash Mountain pose

  

Aaaah...perfect!

Killing time while the big kids went on Space Mountain

My favorite picture of our time  :)   So much happiness!

 Our trip ended with a fantastic time spent with our friend Rick.  He took us out to lunch and loved on us.  It was the perfect ending to the perfect trip.  Thank you Rick!!

Thus ends our amazing gift of a vacation.  We are so thankful.  It was a huge blessing to our family.  

Now back to tackling post-Disney laundry...  :)

Whole Lotta Book Lovin'

It's Sunday afternoon and all I want to do is read a good book.  Isn't it the best feeling to know there's a good book waiting for you when you get into bed at night?  I love cozying in on a Sunday afternoon with a really great book and a cup of coffee.  I love when you're reading a book that's so good you think about it when you're driving or doing dishes.  Mmmmm, three cheers for a good book!  Bring it.  

Most of the time I prefer stories over self-help type books, but I've learned to expand my palate a bit over the years.  Since my teen years there have been a few books that have big time impacted my life, so I thought I'd share them with you in case you're looking for a good read.  These aren't my "just for fun" books, but they are books that totally changed my life.  Just typing this makes me want to go back and read them all over again!!  Yep, they are that good.  

1.  Perpetua: A Bride, A Martyr, A Passion by Amy Rachel Peterson.  
I first read this book when Addy was just a baby.  It left a ginormous mark on my life.  Perpetua is the story a real woman who was martyred in Carthage in 203 AD.  Perpetua kept a diary during her imprisonment.  This novel is based off of that diary and expanded to include the three years between her conversion to Christianity and her execution.  She was a noblewoman, a wife, and a new mother when she gave away her life for Christ.  Reading this as a new mother myself made it all the more impacting.  It was Perpetua's joy to give everything for Jesus.  Do I count it all as joy to live for Him?  Wow.  Challenging stuff.  This is a truly beautiful book that I will never forget.  Now if I could just remember who I loaned it to last....  :) 

2.  The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns.  I.LOVE.THIS.BOOK.  Richard Stearns left a powerful corporate job to become the president of World Vision.  In this book  he asks us to really look at what God expects of us.  Is our faith just about attending church and living "good" lives?  Or does God expect more from us?  This book inspired me to really open my eyes, really open my heart and live a life wide awake to what the Father is asking of me.  The Western church has a hole in it's Gospel.  We have forgotten the poor, the broken, the destitute.  What do we plan to do about it?  I am telling you, this book is not to be missed.  

Christ has no body on earth by yours,

no hands but yours, 

no feet but yours.

Yours are the eyes through which

Christ's compassion for the world is to look out;

yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good;

and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.

-St. Teresa of Avila

3.  In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. 
Jed tried to get me to read this book for so long.  I kept passing it up, assuming it wasn't my style.  The title didn't grab me, I knew the author was an intellectual...no thanks!  I don't like to have to think too hard when I'm reading.  :)  But, then Jed described the premise for the book and I decided to give it a whirl.  I'm so glad I did!!  
  Henri Nouwen was a well-known priest and teacher of spirituality and psychology at Harvard and Yale for 20 years.  He was successful and admired by many.  As he says in the book, "As I entered my fifties...I came face to face with the simple question, 'Did becoming older bring me closer to Jesus?'"  Nouwen decided he didn't like the way his life was headed and he wanted more.  So, when presented with the opportunity to become the priest for a community of disabled adults he said yes.  Thus began his new life learning what is truly important.  He gave away notoriety and fame to serve the ones who our society sees as the least.  This book is his reflections on leadership from the perspective of serving that community.  It's an easy read and chalk full of gems.  Read it!!!

4.  (Honorable Mention)  The Mark of a World Changer by Ron Luce.  
This book was the first book I ever read that really hit me in the guts.  I read it during my junior year in high school, and then again during my senior year.  My life was changed.  Of course it's totally written for teenagers and I'm sure if I read it now I would laugh at it's cheesiness, but it truly impacted my life.  
  During my high school years I went on mission trips every summer with an organization called Teen Mania.  This book was written by the founder of Teen Mania, Ron Luce.  It's all about living for Jesus- sold out for Him- every day.  As a teenager who was prone to hopping from from the spiritual high of one youth conference to another, this book called me out.  Living for Jesus is not just about what feels good.  Living for Jesus is about giving everything for Him- even when you don't feel like it.  
  
We've sold so much of our stuff along this journey to Ukraine.  All of our stuff fits in our two bedrooms.  Can you believe this book has made it through all the stuff-purging?  Oh yeah baby.  It was that life-changing.  Maybe I'm saving it for my kids, or maybe I just need to keep it around to remind me of the time when Jesus first grabbed a hold of me for good.  Regardless of the reason, there is no way I could ever get rid of that book.  It's full of cheese, but it's also full of truth. 

So, what have you been reading lately?  Do you have any great book recommendations that had a big impact on your life?  Lay 'em on me!