granola bars & little boys

i got this recipe from my friend mel. 

YUM YUM YUMMM!

make them right this second... you won't regret it.

the goods you'll need:

*2 c old fashioned oats

*1 c raw nuts

*1/2 c raw seeds

*1 c shredded coconut

*1/2 c ground flaxseed

*1/3 c peanut butter

*2/3 c honey

*3 Tbs unsalted butter (i use earth balance)

*2 tsp vanilla

*1/4 tsp cinnamon

*pinch of salt

*1 c dark chocolate (i use about 1/2 c)

how to make the yumminess:

*preheat over to 300 

*toast oats, nuts, seeds & coconut on a cookie sheet in the oven until golden brown, about 15 mins.

*meanwhile, bring peanut butter, honey, butter, vanilla, cinnamon & salt to a simmer in a small saucepan. reduce heat to low.

*transfer toasted mixture to a large mixing bowl & add the flaxseed.

*pour the wet mixture into the bowl & stir until fully combined. add the chocolate chips.

*transfer the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. use the back of a spoon to pack it in really well.

*bake for 30 mins.

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we are in uganda, africa at this very moment to bring our amos home!

i have thought many times about seeing our boy for the first time
& learning his personality.

i've thought about the emotion that i would feel when i held him for the
first time...

but now it is actually happening!!! we are, at this moment, loving on our little one.
what a joy & an honor to be asked to welcome this sweet boy into our family forever!

Father, give our family grace for this transition!!!

MAKE US MORE LIKE YOU!!!!!!!

our Father has gone before us & He is sovereign in all things! :)

keep praying for us!!!

al

WE'RE ON OUR WAY!!!!!!

we are currently packing up the car & driving to the airport!!!

we're finally going to get our amos!

God is faithful & good, His timing is perfect!

we're so looking forward to this month together as a family of 5!

please pray for us. 

pray for the moments of frustration & being exhausted... that Christ, through our weakness, would be glorified & that we would be sanctified. 

pray our little amos would attach to us quickly.

pray jude & sammy would just fall in love with their little brother.

pray for wisdom for mike as he leads & shepherds our family.

pray that i would be humbled & after this long trip... would look more like Christ!

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i am not planning on updating the ole blog while we're in uganda, but i will have a few "scheduled" posts & i have some dear friends that will be doing guest posts so stay tuned. :)

we CANNOT wait to return home with our dear amos & tell all of what the Lord did in our lives & show you pictures of his cute chubby little face!!!!!!!!!

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leaving you with a picture of us with our dear friends the gales. 

i cry when i think about moving away from them. ah i will miss them greatly!

(embracing the camera here.)

al

we leave sooooon!!!!

pray pray PRAY for us!!! we're leaving so soon to get our amos!

our family has a lot happening (as you can tell from previous posts).

our house is on the market, 

we're going to uganda for a month to get our amos,

we're trying to finish up projects around the house to be ready to sell, 

we're packing,

& the list continues..........

last week i felt overwhelmed with stress & sadness. i realized i was grieving.

grieving over leaving all our boys have ever known, leaving my dear/sweet/beautiful friends, leaving the place michael & i began our relationship, leaving the season of the Lord taking us through many many hard things & many joys.

this will be a lot of "new" for us & sometimes the "old" is just more comfortable, 

even if the "new" is better for us. 

i lift up my eyes to the hills.

from where does my help come?

my help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven & earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber. 

behold, He who keeps Israel 

will neither slumber nor sleep.

the Lord is your keeper;

the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

the sun shall not strike you by day, 

nor the moon by night.

the Lord will keep you from all evil;

He will keep your life.

the Lord will keep

your going out & your coming in

from this time forth & forevermore.

psalm 121

the Father has given me so much peace & joy over the past couple days! i don't feel stressed (thank you for your prayers megan & steph!!!)!

i feel calm & i am enjoying this time with my guys.

pray for grace for us & the Lord's sanctifying work in us as we travel to Uganda as a family. may we see more clearly what our GOOD GOOD God has done for us as we in turn adopt amos into our little family.
al

used up for Him

(embracing the camera here)
(jude's making a funny face, he's not mad :))

yesterday was a difficult day with these sweet little boys. i found myself getting quickly angry with them & raising my voice. really it's because i was taking it personally that they were disobeying me instead of being grieved by their sin against the Lord. i was reminded last night that i need to see those moments as a rescue mission to discipline them & restore them to the Lord. 

all i have is the Lord's. my home, my children, my body, my wisdom, my giftings... all to be used up for the glory of the Lord. gosh i can be so selfish! humble me Lord & in the moments that i'm sooo annoyed that my boys aren't listening to ME remind me that it is You alone who deserves the glory & all my efforts!

al

we're ready to fill that seat

amos is coming! this time next week i will be running around like crazy because we'll be leaving in 1 day. 

oh my goodness oh my goodness oh my goooooooooodnessssss!

i was just thinking about his sweet little face & how much i just want to love on him & make him part of our bunch. sooooooooooon!!!!

we are so grateful that the Lord has chosen us to welcome him into our home. 

through this whole process i think i've felt the way daddies do when they're waiting for their baby to be born. like it's not really happening until you see that sweet baby's face. i cannot imagine the emotions we will all feel when we see him for the first time & hold him & play with him & hear his little voice!!!!

ahhhhhhhhh!!! can we get on the plane this very second?!!!! 

ok, just a week... i better go get busy!

al