Lickers, Legos and Love

My baking lickers. They will lick mostly anything I have to offer. 
 

All of my kiddos will eat ice cream in a heartbeat.  Make your own sundae bars are great to have when there are people over. This is Miah's.  

This little star is always playing in the weirdest places.  There is always a battle going on.

Social worker comes over Thursday and we will get our final date for adoption next week.  Please keep praying for the rest of the funds we need for our finalization.  

gofund.me/rru3xd5  

Olivia's made this this cute little jar..

Today is Olivia's birthday but we will celebrating it on Saturday. Double digits!  A post with lots of pictures will follow.  We've had  a great week so far and everyone seems to be healthy.  Schooling away and working on rummage.  If anyone wants to drop things of for our rummage in May please email me, we will gladly take it.  All proceeds will go towards Abraham's adoption this year.   

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Paperwork and Happy Kids

Everything is rainbow in her world. She doesn't like math at all so I told her to write with something more brighter. 
  

No sure what this is that he made.  He just wanted me to take a picture.

Love how sweet little ones are when they sleep. We are working on getting rid of that paci for sleeping right now and it's not going very well.

We will be getting our finalization date in a few weeks(hoping for mid March). Please keep praying for the rest of the funds we will need by that date.

He's such a happy guy and so full of smiles!

Costco trip.  We love it there.  We can feed everyone lunch or dinner for under $10.

So he totally rolls everywhere now.  This is how we found him after nap time.  He looks like a turtle.

Emptying stuff  and cleaning out junk here at the Funks.  We went through 2 file cabinets full of papers and binders.  These binders were all holding different adoption documents that has accumulated for 7 years.  We had all of our Africa stuff in there along with our prior 2 failed adoptions.  There was a wave of emotions going through it all.  So many sealed formal documents and so much time and energy. It was good to go through and get rid of. 

We are finally done with the colds. Abraham just finished his meds for a respiratory infection.  I hated every minute of it.  I am hoping we stay healthy now for another year or so.  

I can't believe the snow is melting and spring will be around the corner before we know it.  

So excited for spring!

Appreciated..

  Went to the WI Chiefs' conference and was able to have some real adult conversation.  In my world that doesn't happen much at all.  

Passed this huge guy along the way.

On my way there (driving our Honda CRV that was my dad's old car at 224,000 and still kicking) a little nervous with serious snow covered roads.  I was on the country roads white knuckiling it and came upon an Amish buggy up a steep hill.  Oh goodness...I slowed down and said a quick prayer.  It looked like the horse was really struggling.  It was one of those long steep hills where you want to go 100 mph per hour up and then fly for a few miles through the air and never die kind of hills!  I actually came to stop and took a picture.  Then I started to get stuck....then I finally made it over. As I passed them the kiddos waved out the glass window they had on their buggy. I love the Amish and so do my kiddos.

 As I was driving I noticed that I had passed all the gas stations on my right side(ya know because right turns are easier then left) so I said to myself that I would just get gas in the next city.  As I was driving my gas light was on so I went into preplanning mode for parking on the side of the road and walking to the nearest gasstation in yoga pants, ankle socks and tennies.  My dad always told me to dress for the weather popped into my head.  I thought crap..well at least I don't have the kids.  It would just be me walking. Said another prayer and thankfully got there just in time.  I have to say I felt safer knowing there were so many officers on those roads due to the lack of snowplowing done.  Terrible.  You couldn't even make out the roads.  

In case your wondering I eventually got there safe and sound.     

This was the cute little elephant that greeted us.



This was the yummy dessert they picked for the conference.

 

Dave's term ended so he stepped aside as President of the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police and transitioned to the role of “Past President” for another year. He also takes over as President of the  leadership foundation so one more year on the board of directors. He  gave an exit speech which focused on serving others, especially on wellness for our officers and caring for each other. He  must have hit a cord because he  got a standing ovation from the almost 400 people that were there. Then to his surprise, the Attorney General of Wisconsin came up and presented him with the Attorney General's Leadership award. Amazing. It's nice to see how appreciated he is and well loved.

Have a wonderful Weekend!

  

 

running on empty

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)


Here's what I've discovered: all my God-wired ability to think through chaos, all my attempts at organization and having awesome kids didn't prepare me for Grace. This was a long fricken week here at the Funk's.


 God's strength is good.

Every day I turn to God and rely on what 2 Corinthians 12:9 teaches me 



I don't have it in me to do this one more day, I need Your strength. This sickness stuff is killing me. I was ready to throw in the towel and give up on the mom duties here.  After Dave and I got hit, Gabe got hit with a nasty ear infection.  Then Abraham got it on Wednesday and he had his first ear infection. Sleepless infants are no fun at all.  Up every 10 minutes for the past few minutes is not my idea of fun. I broke my own rules just to survive and the kids loved it. My goals were to just get through the days not get a gold star.

 
I don't have the patience in me for this … I need Your patience. My big kids this week were awesome and on fire to help and serve in anyway.  They totally rock!  Anytime I needed to nap they were there to help and let me sleep. Now if I could just shut my eyes while I lay in bed and not think of things I have to do!

I can't think straight right now ... I need Your clarity.
I'm not even sure I have love in me right now ... I need Your love. I love how kids just love no matter what.  I can snap at them or get crabby and they never do the same to me.  They continually help with a loving heart and forgive.  Forgiveness is what it's all about. My dear Olivia was leaving me more love notes constantly.

 How can these not make you laugh and smile.  She is so darn sweet and loving. 

God's strength is enough. Sometimes you have to get to the end of yours to learn that.