So it begins!

Jeff and I got up early today so we could go vote. We voted in our small town library, and the parking lot was completely full. On our way home, we went to a nearby city to go to the bank. We went past one of the voting places, and it was completely packed out, so voter turnout seems to be pretty good. It is all in God's hands now. All we can do is pray.

Yesterday, Evie decided that she didn't need training wheels on her bike anymore. She didn't tell us this! She has training wheels on her bike that flip up, so she went out to play yesterday, and flipped up her training wheels and taught herself to ride her bike without them! She did this within about 1/2 hours time, while I was inside making dinner. I didn't even know until she told us at dinner, and Jeff and I both thought she was just making up a story. This morning, after we got home from voting, she had us come outside and she showed us. She wasn't kidding! I was completely amazed that she taught herself that, and in such a short time. Here is a video of it from this morning. I took 4 videos total because I was so proud of what she had accomplished :).

The future of this country

This is a long article, but for those who are unsure about this election and who they are going to vote for, this article is a must read. Believers in Jesus who are on the fence over this election really need to read this article. It is scary, but I can honestly see this happening. This letter was from citizenlink.org, which is a Focus On The Family website.

http://focusfamaction.edgeboss.net/download/focusfamaction/pdfs/10-22-08_2012letter.pdf

Thoughts and ramblings

I have a bunch of thoughts rolling around in my head today. I really was enjoying blogging, and reading everyone's blogs. Now some blogs are becoming so negative that I can't even visit them. I thought blogging was supposed to be fun! I am realizing that life is too short to get stressed out about stuff I read online. Life is going to happen, regardless of what is written about on someone's blog. I can change things by prayer, and by taking action on things, but obsessing about issues isn't going to help make my life any better. I know that God is in control. He is not shocked off the throne by things that are happening. I am so thankful that He is my God. I'm so thankful for the gifts He gives us.

I think I have been getting riled up reading political blogs because of the abortion debate. In my mind, it should not be a debate. I have been pregnant and know that a baby has a beating heart in the womb at 5 1/2 weeks of age. I have seen my ultrasounds. I know that is not a blob of tissue. I just can't figure out why others don't seem to see it that way. How can someone who has felt life move in their womb, seen an ultrasound or ever held a newborn baby even think that life doesn't begin at conception? People talk about Pro Choice. Does that baby in the womb get a choice? I get so aggrevated that adoption is rarely even talked about as an option. At Planned Parenthood clinics, women are advised to abort or keep the baby. Adoption is not even a consideration in their minds. I have been thinking a lot about Evie's birthmother lately. What is crazy is that today I received a letter from the adoption agency where we adopted Evie, giving us some updated information about Evie's birthmom. That has only happened one other time in Evie's 6 years of life. I had been sending letters and pictures to the agency for them to send to her since Evie was born (this is customary in adoptions). We have what is called a semi-open adoption. The birthmom doesn't know our last names or where we live, but we send letters and pictures to the agency so they can send them to her. I had been concerned about her for quite some time because we had been sending stuff, and the agency said they had lost touch with her. She finally contacted them, and has had some personal problems, but is doing okay. All day yesterday, before I even got the letter, I had been thinking about her for some reason. Getting the letter today brought back all kinds of memories for me. I was thinking about the first time we met her, right before Evie was born. She was 8 months along, and was a beautiful and sweet person. She was tiny, except for the round belly. I think that many people have this idea that birthmom's really want to give their babies up for adoption, and that they don't really care about their babies. They don't realize what an agonizing decision it is for them. She was so emotional during our meeting, that Jeff and I almost didn't want to go through with it because we felt so sad for her. Her pain was raw, and it was real. On Mother's Day I always feel great sadness for her, as I'm sure it is a hard day for her. I am so grateful for the gift she gave us. Yesterday and today I was remembering the moment when Evie was placed in my arms at 2 days old. I don't think I have ever seen a more beautiful baby. She had tons of hair, and amazingly it was the exact same color as mine. God did that just for me :). I remember that first night with her, and Jeff and I kept turning on the light just to stare at her. A lot of it seems like a blur. Lack of sleep will do that to you! Thankfully I kept a diary during that time (and still do), so I will have those memories in writing.

I think adoption is one of the greatest gifts. I get a little glimpse into what it is like to be in the family of God. According to the Bible, in Ephesians 1, we are adopted into God's family when we accept Christ. So just like Evie is now forever a part of my family, I am forever in God's family. He sees me as His daughter. This year, Evie asked Jesus into her heart. What a blessing that was for us because now she is a part of God's family too. I am so grateful to God for His gift of salvation. What a joy to know that I will forever be with Him, but also will be able to be with others that I love who also know Him.

Last Night

Last night as Jeff and I sat watching Hillary Clinton give her speech after Barack Obama won the democratic nomination, I just sat there wishing she had won instead of him. I am not a Hillary fan by any means, but I would have definitely wanted her to win over Obama. Senator Obama has been labeled the most liberal senator ever. Even more liberal than Ted Kennedy. I have a lot of issues with this man. The following article is one of the issues I have with him. Here is a statement made by the Washington Times. You can click on the link underlined to read the whole article...

While in the Illinois state Senate, Mr. Obama voted against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. This Act addressed cases where, during an abortion procedure, the live infant was actually born. The act would have banned killing the living child." -Washington Times

The Born Alive Infants Procection Act protects babies born alive after an abortion, and also protects them from partial birth abortions. Many states have this law and it states all live-born babies were guaranteed the same constitutional right to equal protection, whether or not they were wanted. A nurse in Illionis discovered the unspeakable. "As a nurse at an Illinois hospital in 1999, I discovered babies were being aborted alive and shelved to die in soiled utility rooms. I discovered infanticide. " The bill for protection of infants passed the Illinois legs, but Obama voted against it! " Obama had been the sole senator speaking against Born Alive on the Senate floor in 2001 and 2002 and had single-handedly killed it in a committee he chaired in 2003. In February 2004, Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, sent a fund-raising letter with the "alarming news" that "right-wing politicians" had passed a law stopping doctors from stabbing half-born babies in the neck with scissors, suctioning out their brains and crushing their skulls (this is what they do during partial birth abortions). Michelle called partial-birth abortion "a legitimate medical procedure". Even Senators Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy and John Kerry saw that a baby born alive was a living being, and they voted for the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. Obama was the only U.S. Senator who voted against it. That is beyond horrible to me. How can someone who claims to be a humanitarian have these kind of views?

Senator Obama recently said after speculating if one of his daughters became pregnant that, “…if they made a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.” Punished? He views a child as punishment? Of course he never mentions adoption, just abortion as the only alternative. As the mother of an adopted daughter, his comment is extremely upsetting. If Evie's birthmom had taken his stance, my daughter would just be another abortion statistic. I look at the beautiful face of my daughter and am so thankful that her birthmom chose life for her. I just pray for this country. I pray that Barack Obama would change his views on this. If he becomes president, the "change" he will bring about is not what I would consider to be good change. Children like Evie will not see the light of day and get a chance at life if our country adopts his views.