ALL THINGS-ADOPTION!

November is Adoption Awareness Month. So I thought I would post a little bit about adoption and my experience. Nothing short of a miracle.

Romans 8:28 - And we KNOW all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.

This is the verse I think of when I think about our adoptions, our infertility, our "plans" we made and our future. ALL things. ALL things. It is so reassuring. It gives peace.

We signed up with the adoption agency the same month that we started trying to have a baby. We knew the process could take years, and so we thought we would see what happened first, adoption or pregnancy. We had no idea it would take YEARS for both!

It is hard (understatement) to hear the doctor tell you that you will not have a baby without "intervention". -ALL THINGS!

It was hard to look into the "intervention" and know that we could not do it. - ALL THINGS

It was tough, to go to the orientation at the agency and hear the stories of so many little ones who are in so much need, and yet the process to get them would be

daunting and long- ALL THINGS!

It was hard to have a person in our agency, who seemed to work against us at

EVERY turn. ALL THINGS

It was great to see God work it out and nothing this person did could stop us from getting our children. ALL THINGS!

No one saw how hard it was on Dan and I, and yet it pulled us together and we became strong together! ALL THINGS!

It was tough to see others have babies, use names we had picked, show off pictures and celebrate, as if it was just "something everyone could do". God was teaching us. ALL THINGS

The waiting, waiting, waiting and waiting, while my spirit was longing for its purpose...to be a mama. The wondering if I ever would be one. I can't describe that fear...ALL THINGS!

So many who "knew of someone" who was pregnant and might not keep it. These were tough. It felt like it was rubbed in my face, that EVERYONE even those who could not provide for a child could pregnant but not me! ALL THINGS

The horrible nerves that filled me, when heading to our interview to see if we would get our little baby boy. ALL THINGS

The wonderful joy, and unexplainable happieness, when they brought my son into the room and handed him to me. ALL THINGS

The overwhelming fear, walking up to the witness chair in the court room, fighting to keep our son, and then to feel the Grace of God pour over me, and carry me

through the testimony. ALL THINGS

Seeing my husband walk around the corner, and smiling at me, letting me know, our son was here to stay! (say it with me!!!) ALL THINGS!

The wonderful phone call I got, saying we would recieve a daughter, and the greatness of seeing her and falling in love. ALL THINGS.

The terrible helpless feeling, of watching your little baby struggle for breath and praying her little body could hold on until the medications could work! ALL THINGS!

After long days in the hospital, the WONDERFUL relief of watching the color come back to her face and the nurse say "she is breathing better" ALL THINGS

The terrible horrible feeling of taking your baby to bio visits, that stress her out. Having to hold her and comfort her, so she could relax afterwards. ALL THINGS

Hearing the judge set up a plan of ADOPTION for both children! ALL THINGS

Walking out of a court room with two children who were

FOREVER OURS! ALL THINGS!

Adopting was the the hardest most wonderful beautiful experience in my life! And I can look back...as EVERY detail, the good and the bad, the wonderful and the terrible, the peaceful and the terrifying, and see that this verse came alive for us.

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD!

Is this what I planned on? NO! Is is 1000 times better than what I ever planned myself...YES!

Adoption, I am so blessed by it. I was adopted when I was 7 years old into the Family of God. I adopted two wonderful blessings, when I was 31. I am so glad God had the spirit of adoption towards me! He is the one, teaching me what it truly means to be ADOPTED.

November may be the month adoption is talked about, but everyday in our home,

it is GOOD!

38 years

Today is my mom and dad's 38th wedding anniversary. So I am gonna brag a little.

What a great legacy they are leaving to my two older brothers and me. I remember being young and in school and having friends who were dealing with their parents divorce. I can remember one little girl saying "you never know, anyone's parents can get divorced anytime they want". To which I said "well mine wont". I had this deep security in my parents and their relationship. I felt the deep commitment and saw the TRUE, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE they had for each other and that was so great. To grow up, never having to wonder if my parents are going to stay together. I know in this day and age, some would say that you can never KNOW that a couple will stay together, but I learned the opposite growing up watching my parents. I grew up KNOWING and waited till I found the one for me, who I KNEW would be with me my whole life. My mom and dad are not perfect, no one is. And I know that they have had to work, at times, to keep their marriage strong. They have been a wonderful example of marriage to me. Just think about this. All three of their kids are happily married, raising their children. In a world where so many grandparents are having to raise their grandkids, some how my parents got the message across. My oldest brother has been married to his wife for 13 years, my other brother for 12 years and me, for 11 years. 7 children between us, and all in happy secure homes. This is what I pray I can teach my Ben and Hannah. That it is possible and that they are worth having it in their lives. Love, marriage, commitment for life. The secret, the one thing that made the difference, that got the message across was that my parents showed me you MUST have God in your marriage. And they showed us each day how to include God in their lives and marriage.

I think my parents deserve credit for their marriage. It has been so much more than just a marriage, it was how I learned to be married. And for that I am grateful. Grateful for a life free of custody battles, awkward holidays, or a home full of anger and unhappiness. Grateful for the peaceful home I was blessed to grow up in, with the constant security I had. SO Thanks mom and dad, for your example of a happy marriage. I am now enjoying the same for my home, and your grandchildren are growing up with the same security I did. My prayer is that some day, I can see MY grandchildren experiencing the same!

Happy 38th Anniversary, Mom and Dad

Family Photos!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Facing MY GIANT!!!!

We all have giants. Those things that seem SO big that no matter how we try, it feels like they always win, and will ALWAYS be there. Hovering so tall and looking down at you with VICTORY in their eyes! Those things in our lives, that seem to be so big, so strong and so permanent. It can get depressing. It can start to feel hopeless, when you try so many different ways to defeat them, they pop right back up and take over again.

Well I have decided to face a GIANT in my life. It is embarrassing to say that FOOD is a Giant in my life, but it is. I let it become one! Some days, I feel so powerless against it. I have tried lots of things, things that work, but I don't stick to. I start to lose weight and feel better, and somehow that Giant comes right back in and I let it take over again. I started thinking about how junk food feels like a Giant to me, one that I can't conquer, and it occurred to me. If food is a Giant to me, then why not face it with God. I need to use His Word to help me fight the daily battles with this Giant. Why not have God be my help in my efforts to lose weight. And why have I not used Him before. HE can help me defeat this Giant AND to continue to do so. So even though I may not be doing Weight Watchers, or Jenny Craig, or the Cookie Diet, I feel like I will be having a victory, because the Lord is with me, even in this battle to Defeat The Food Giant!

1 Sam 17:3-11

And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.

Yep, this is the scene here at my house. Me on one mountain, and ALL THAT GOOD TASTING FOOD, on the other! With the valley between us having a well worn path that I have traveled so many times! It is apparent just how many times I have travelled through that valley, by the numbers on the scale and the numbers on the tags of my clothes.

And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.

The "champion" in my fight here, are my cravings. My taste buds, who know just how wonderful all those foods taste to me. How when I eat certain foods, I feel emotionally "better". My Giants today, to be specific, is the BBQ chips sitting on top of the microwave, and the pineapple sausage in the fridge, and the Dr. Pepper waiting for me to drink a cup and then keep going back for more. These foods know just where to hit me. They have all the "appeal" that reels me in! They are made of sugar, oils, fats, and preservatives that are bad for me, but they are wrapped in such an appealing package, and I give in.

And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.

It is crazy, but those chips sometimes seem to be like that! They call out to me, and DARE me to resist! And that soda... says "come on, all you need is a little caffeine and you will feel so much better!" And just as the verses say, when I keep losing those battles, I become a servant to this food. I give over my own body and health. BUT I know that if I find the right way to be victorious over this GIANT of food, then food will be MY SERVANT!!! I will win back my body and health!

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

It is a daunting task, this food and eating right. Some may look at this and think "she is crazy, it is just food", but to me it is a powerful force that has taken over and it is overwhelming to think about getting control over this part of my life. But this time, I choose to bring My GOD along with me!

To Be Continued...

P.S. If you have this same Giant in your life, please feel free to share, and maybe come along with me, while I start to Face my Giant.

FAMILY DAY

The Scheer household has been busy lately! We see each other everyday, but have not had time to just be together in a while. And it was getting to be too much. So we took a day, shut everything else out and spent the day together as a family! IT WAS PERFECT. Just the four of us! Dan has been having to work late this past month and the kids are constantly saying they miss their daddy. One thing I love is that we are a close unit. When there is not enough time with each other, things just don't seem right. I love that the kids are so close to their daddy and that their daddy is so close to us!!

So we went to the pumpkin patch. And had a wonderful time! So come along and take a "Photo tour" of our wonderful day! (please stay seated and keep your arms and feet inside the tram at all times)....okay sorry bout that!

About to enter the Pumpkin Patch!!

Sissy wanted to ride the pony! She loved it! Her pony's name was MAX!

They were not sure about the singing chickens!

Ben in the GIANT pumpkin!

AT THE PIG RACES!!!

(okay I know in this pic, it is goats, but they did the pigs after the goats)

Ben could not concentrate on the pig races, cause the train kept going by!!

Hannah in the driver's seat, and Ben along for the ride...Yep that's how they roll!!!

I Liked this one!

AND THEN THERE WAS THE TRAIN!!! BEN WAS SOOOOO EXCITED!!!

Hannah, well she liked it, but the train was definitely Ben's thing!

Just look how blessed I am!!!

My family on a hay ride!!!!

I know what you are thinking....what about the PUMPKINS!!!! WELL here they are!!!

The search BEGINS!

Still searching...

They found the ones they wanted!!!! (took forever!!)

My Girl!

About to leave!

"HELPING" dad take the pumpkins to the car!

It was a great day!! A wonderful day! We got home, and Ben talked mom into

serving PUMPKIN PIE for dinner!! Yep, I did, they ate A LOT too!!

Thanks for taking the "Photo Tour"!

The Blues

Yep, been having the blues a little the last few weeks. Things of life have just been happening all at once and before I knew it, the blues had settled in. They did not "pass by" or "stop in for a short visit" or "stay the night and went on their way". They decided to set up camp right here, and I am having bit of a time getting them to "move on".

Can I give you a good reason for why they are here...no. I have some things that are not "all that fun" going on, but nothing that should have these unwanted visitors assume they could bunk here for so long. They are pesky little guys. They may take off for a few hours, and I start to feel relief, but they keep coming back, making themselves at home right here in my heart.

There is one thing for sure though. The Lord is good ALL the time, and all the time the Lord is good. So while I am attempting to send my unwanted visitor's an eviction notice, I will remember that they are temporary and that the Lord and His presence in my heart is permanent. These "blue's", though not big and bad, just enough to make my heart heavy, are now my ENEMY! It is clear I am not able to make them leave on my own. My Lord will need to banish them! And I know He will!

So I am determined to focus on the good, and turn my eyes upward! He sends me blessings everyday! And the "BLUES" are on their way out!

PUPPIES!

We have puppies!! Gertie did a great job, and is as usual being a wonderful mama! She always has cute pups! Here they are. About 3 hours old! They only get cuter as the weeks go by! Good job Gertie!! You get steak tomorrow!!!