What is really mine?

Three weeks ago, we made the decision to let our baby girl go to a week of church camp!  She was thrilled and immediately began making a list of everything she wanted to take.  I, on the other hand, went about my life as if nothing was happening!  If I ignore it, it won't happen, right???  Right!!!!!  Guess what?  Today, I took her to camp!  As I was standing in line to register her, one of the camp workers reminded me that, "She's not yours anyway!"  Now, I knew that the worker was referring to the fact that my baby belongs to God and she is on "loan" to me.  But for a moment, my mind and heart seized with the thought that can be one of my biggest fears . . . .my baby girl, though she belongs to me legally, is not from me.  I don't know if other adoptive parents struggle with these kinds of thoughts, but today I did.  Today, I battled the "what if's", the "how comes", the "what is going to happen" questions all day.  I beat myself up that I'm not a better mom, wife, friend, Christian, etc.  And then I got an e-mail from my babies foster parents.  They are retiring after 14 years.  I wept (for the umpeenth time today)!  But this time the weeping was out of gratitude.  Steve and Trudy took us into their home and family 10 years ago.  They showed us God's love in very practical, tangible ways.  They cared for our baby girl before they even knew she would be our baby girl.    They didn't lay claim to her as "their" baby.  They bathed and fed and clothed and diapered her knowing full well she was on "loan" to them.  What a sacrifice!!  

So, yes, my baby is not mine.  She belongs to a God that does and will care for her much like Steve and Trudy did 10 years ago.  BUT, I am ever so thankful that God in His wisdom "loaned" her to us!

95' REALLY?????

Did you notice the name change of my blog?  :)  Mouth from the South suits me best I suppose (even my own sister thought so!)!  I loved growing up in the South drinking sweet tea and Dr. Pepper, eating grits and sausage gravy, shopping at Roses, snapping beans with my grandma.  The one thing I did not love about the south, however, was the HEAT!!!!!!  More specifically, the heat and HUMIDITY!  Which is why at the ripe old age of 23 I moved NORTH.  I crossed over into enemy territory all for some relief from the heat.  Where is that relief????  After 15 years in this foreign land, I have yet to experience this so called relief.  Unfortunately, now I kinda, sorta, maybe love living here! :)  So, I'll deal with the heat, I'll drink DIET sweet tea and DIET Dr. Pepper, I'll eat sausage gravy, I'll shop at Wal-Mart, I'll buy pre-snapped green beans and I'll stay inside in the air conditioning! :)  (And occasionally I'll whistle "Dixie")

Below are 3 videos of how the kids deal with 95' weather!

Will I have enough to say?

As I think about starting a blog the one question that comes to mind is "Will I have enough to say?"  Those who know me well can stop laughing . . . now!  I have been know to speak my mind, stick my foot in my mouth, talk to much, . . . just to name a few! As I get older (and older and older), it's harder for my mind to stay focused, to be creative. Maybe trying to write things down will boost my brain capacity! :)  So, here we go . . . .