Monday, July 9, 2012

Resurrecting the blog!

Welcome to MY blog! And my first blog post!  Do you like the facelift???  The new look is a bit more reflective of MY personality, and it brings a smile to my face each time I look at it.  Since we are no longer in the adoption process of bringing more children home, the blog's focus will take a slight change of direction.  Of course adoption will still be a big part of it (how could it not?) but now I hope to focus more on our home life and the things most important to me~
Faith, Family and Home

I'll be sharing how the Lord is working in our lives, adoption related topics,  family news and doings, what we're doing in our homeschool, some family favorite recipes, and the like.  Nothing fancy. Because we certainly are not fancy.  Just our simple lives.

I spoke with Emily earlier today by phone, telling her about the new blog design and that I was, indeed, going to resurrect her blog, and I thanked her for the gift she has given our family over these 6-ish years.  The gift of recording our lives as  precious children were joining our family. You know, I appreciated what she did at the time.  I really did.  But since she's stopped blogging, I now REALLY realize how much I appreciated her blogging. I've missed it.  I've missed this chronicle of our life as a family. How I wish she were still the one blogging.  But time moves on.  Seasons in our lives change.  It is as it should be.  She is moving on. Emily's love for her siblings has not changed.  Her passion for the orphan has not changed. But her proximity to home and our family has changed.  She's not in the midst of the daily flow of our lives much anymore.  And it's hard to blog about it, when you're not living it!  So, the baton has been passed, and now I'm the one who'll be doing the posting.

It's a new season for me as well.  For the first time since I can remember, we are not in the process of adopting.  Our children are home, and I finally feel like I can focus on who the Lord has given me.  I'm not in the midst of paperwork or waiting on "A's."  And oh, how I miss it.  You adoptive mamas know.  It just becomes a part of you.  And I must say, it feels a bit empty not to be in the thick of it any more. Not on RQ. Not looking at "lists." Not waiting. But it's ok.  And it's good.  And it's a new season.

Part of this new season has to do with the ages of my older children, as well.  The are now far from home.  Leading their lives.  As they should.  As we've raised them to do. Drew is now working for the next 8 months in Kansas City, training to be a Federal Bank Examiner.  He'll then move to Omaha, where his permanent home office will be.  Will will be graduating in Dec. from Baylor.  He plans to attend grad school (Lord willing) in Denver.  This summer he's been in most of the Western states, collecting soil samples for a geology field camp.  He was back to Waco for just a few days, and now he's off in Kenya to assist a doctoral student with research work.  So he is far away, too.  Emily, has been on staff at  Camp Ozark this summer. And loving it, I might add!  My baby girl~ also far away.  So a big factor in resurrecting the blog is to keep in touch with my big kids~ allowing them to see all that's happening on the home front.

So, if you've read this far, thank you.  I hope you'll come back and visit!  And maybe even leave a comment, so I'll know if anyone out there is still reading.  I'm going to try to post to the blog regularly.  Perhaps not as regularly as Emily, but a couple of times a week, I hope. 

     
And I did it!  My very first blog post~ complete with photo!

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

I LOVE your first post! I have missed being able to keep up with the family so well :)

Love, Bill

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!!!! You did a great job with your first blog. I am sure Emily is proud.

Looking forward to updates.

Kristi said...

At first when this blog showed up in my reader I thought, now what blog is this? And then I saw it was you guys! Hooray!!!
I've been wondering what's been going on with your wonderful family! Good to know what the "big kids" are up to and I look forward to some of the home school/everyday adventures with the littles.
Blessings to you and your family!

susieloulou said...

Hurray! Looking forward to more!

Love for Lilly Yin said...

YAY!
I am so happy that you are blogging!

Ashley said...

Welcome back to the blogging world. I have been following since you traveled for Katie. Its great to hear the entire family is doing well. -Ashley

Catherine said...

Woo hoo! Welcome back! You've been missed!!! I was so excited to see your feed come up!

It's great to hear how your big kids are doing and wow....your littles have grown so much too! Heh, Hannah and I still pray for Baby Ellie each night but it's looking like *sniff* there's not much baby left. They grow so quickly!

LOL! I saw your post was up 58 minutes when I clicked on it. I was excited thinking I'd get to be the first to leave a comment in your new, beautiful blog but nope....6 others beat me to it! You're popular friend!

Looking forward to reading and seeing what you post!

jan said...

i'm happy you are back too! can you start blogging for me if you really get into it?!!!!!

and i can 100% relate to settling in on the 'not in process' anymore. there will always be a tug, but there's a peace that is greater than the tug.

love ya!!!! jan (we traveled together exactly two years ago :)

Our family said...

What a wonderful site to see! I have missed Emily's blogging so much. Pam, I am so glad you have taken the torch to continue the blog. I look forward to reading more soon. And I love the new blog look too!

Julie said...

so glad the blog is back! great first entry! i look forward to future ones. i like the things you will be talking about.

Valerie at Home said...

Good to see a post from you and a pic of the not-so-littles! We'll be back from China Camp next week and will have to plan lunch soon.

Amy said...

Pam, I'm thrilled to have you back to blogging. It's great to hear the updates! Blessings to you all . . . can't wait to hear more.
-Amy

Rachel said...

I am so glad you are resurrecting the blog! I have missed the updates from your family. I enjoyed Emily's blogging, but I also loved your updates from your most recent adoption trip, and I look forward to hearing more about how Ellie is adjusting, and how all of you are doing. Thanks for sharing your lives with us!

Jodee said...

Welcome back! I am sooo glad you decided to continue blogging! I can't wait to follow your sweet family again!

Judi said...

Love the new blog! And I am looking forward to reading about your kiddos and family!

Debbie said...

YAY! So happy to see you blogging. I love reading about your family and will be following along. And I love the makeover of the blog. Too cute.
Hugs, Debbie

Rita and John said...

What fun! I look forward to following along! :)

Grace said...

Thank you!

Stephanie said...

Love seeing your kiddos again! Be
autiful!

♥ Kayla ♥ said...

I have enjoyed following your adoption journeys over the past couple of years (from Kate to Ellie). So glad you're taking over the blog for Emily.

Joy said...

I am so glad you are back. I just checked the other day to see if there was anything new. I am waiting on A5 and then TA for my almost 11 month old daughter waiting in Zhuhai, Guangdong, China. We hope to be leaving on Sept. 6. My blog is www.theweaversworld.blogspot.com.

Janet and Kevin said...

Yeah Pam! I have been needing my fix of your family updates. You know how we adoptive moms are addicted to blogs!!

:)
janet and gang

Wolfes Home said...

Pam! I am so excited to see that you will be blogging! I loved following your family through Emily and will look forward to seeing this new season through your eyes. Hugs to you!

Julie said...

Hi Pam,
Been following many years and still here! I remember coming along your blog just after your first adoption. It has been a blessing to watch your family grow! Glad to see you'll be taking over in the blogging dept. Missed ya!!

Look forward to seeing more of you!!

Tammy said...

Yup! Here and reading! :-)

Amy Ivey said...

Oh, happy sigh. I just love you, My Friend!!! So excited for this new season of your life with your beautiful family!!!

Kimberly said...

Yay, the Blog is back!! I am thrilled to be following the adventures of your family again! Your posts from China this last trip were great~ and I am enjoying your blog revival and seeing your updates on all the kids. They have all grown up a bit more since the last time we were able to get together :).

Anonymous said...

Yay!!! I missed this blog!!!

Leslie said...

I am not reading blogs much anymore, but I'm sure glad I came by to check on yours!!!

LOVE IT!!!! (not that I didn't love it before but change is good too!)

I love your post about meeting Tracey, and I LOVE all of your girls' modest suits. What is up these days with little girls wearing revealing swimwear???

OK, veering OT, but I really, really, really need to email you friend. I so wish we lived closer.

You know, it is interesting b/c I am *barely* still in the 30-something age range and I don't feel I fit at all either. The 30-something MOms I know think I'm the crazy Mom of 6 children who drives the big van. I wish I could meet a "Tracey" somewhere. Still praying and longing for that IRL friend, who lives nearby. ;)

Can't wait to check up on all your latest posts!!! {{{HUGS}}}

Leslie said...

You know I'll be reading!

I have said it before, but you must be one PROUD Momma of those *big* kids!!!

Please do educate me on what exactly a Federal Bank Examiner does? It sounds very official and serious!

And tell Emily I said hello! I have been so unmotivated to blog since going private. I need to get on the ball and get this stuff documented. You are doing a great job here!

As for the new season, we are definitely in it. We are done no doubt about it. Things feel very full here and I feel at peace with that. Can you believe we traveled to China together TWICE? How crazy is that?!

I need to go to bed! We are starting our new school year tomorrow ... and I'm still printing out some last-minute items LOL! I used to be so organized. :)))