Spring Break 2014

Alternate Title 1: "Learning to Cry Out to God" 

Oh what a week it has been. Some really wonderful times and some really hard times. I am learning that I need to be diligent in praying for my boys in good times as well as hard times. God is faithful to answer each and every time...I just need to cry out to him...I just need to ask. 

Here are some pictures from our first day in NY. It was so nice to spend time with family:

Riding Naomi's little tractor

Welcoming Uncle Marty home from work! 

Petting the chickens. Anthony is so good with animals. One of these days we need to get him a pet. 

Digging in dirt...can't beat that! 

We made it to NY and back home in record time. I was traveling alone with the boys so the 5 1/2 hour travel time was a huge relief. They both did well in the car. It helped to have bags full of snack items that they never get at home. It also helped to have the books on CD borrowed from the library. 

Speaking of books...those two love to read. We've been changing things up a little since our return home and are starting our mornings off with reading the Bible instead of leaving it until the end of our day. It is such a nice way to start the day. During snack times and lunch, we've been reading Charlotte's Web. It is typical for them to beg me to read another chapter and then another one and then "just one more pleeeeaase!" Anthony now reports on what he has read in books with as much enthusiasm as his descriptions of movies he has seen. I love it!  

Prayer Card - Summer

Prayer Card - Omar

Goofy

My boys act goofy like it's their job.

I guess at six, one might argue that it is their job?

Today was another snow day. I started off feeling quite excited about it, but finished feeling very ready for the boys to get back to their school routine. We're all ready for the warm weather to stick around:).

Here are pictures of the boys with their St. Patrick's Day tattoos:

Highlights from today (I'll leave the challenges out...who needs to remember those, right?):

1. David initiated a project that involved measuring, drawing, cutting, and velcro-ing and completed it independently!

2) Anthony worked really hard on building a Lego robot and didn't give up when it was too tricky.

We are all works in progress, and even though today felt like a little more 'work' at times, it is still nice to see evidence of progress!

Age Matters

I have spent a good part of the day 'getting to know' 11 children through pictures and stories shared by their adoption worker.

We will soon be introducing these 11 children to our church family (through these pictures and stories...maybe even videos) with the hopes that others can be in prayer for them. Don't worry, I will post them here on my blog too!

Most of these children have been waiting too long for a family. Most of them are living in group homes...some of them don't even know what it means to be in a family anymore.

All of them have suffered horrible trauma that no child should ever have to experience. From watching the death of their sibling to suffering severe sexual abuse.

Many of them are at risk of aging out of the foster care system without a family..without a support system....alone.

The older a child gets, the less likely it is that they will be matched with a family. Age matters.

I feel the need to pray diligently for these teenagers.

There is one sibling set of three, however, and because they are younger they already have a potential family. The social worker explained that the younger ones get matched more easily.

Because of this, one might think we shouldn't give as much attention to the little ones, but age matters and every day that goes by without permanency for even the smallest child, has a grave impact on their development...specifically, their ability to trust.

Please join me in praying that God would raise up families that are just right for each of these children.

Bad Dreams & Powerful Video

Anthony: "Mommy, I always have bad dreams. The monsters are chasing after me and they kill me."

Me: "I'm so sorry, Anthony. If I could be in your dreams I would help to protect you."

Anthony: "You were in my dream, but the monster got you too."

Praying hard for my sweet boy....that God would replace those bad dreams with ones filled with adventure and hope.

Please take time to watch this powerful video....it gives a small glimpse into the lives of children who experience foster care.

ReMoved from HESCHLE on Vimeo.

Their Hearts

God is so faithful to answer prayers. Lee and I pray for the boys....that God would shape their hearts and help to grow them into bold, passionate, caring men. 

It is so incredible to see how God is doing just that! 

I think I get the best glimpse into their hearts when I listen to them pray. 

Do you remember being six years old? I do. I remember praying too. I remember praying hard for a puppy or a brother or something else that I wanted at the time. If God would please answer with a 'yes' I would promise to do this that or the other thing in exchange. 

My six year olds' prayers are very different from mine. 

Anthony always, without fail, always prays for OTHERS. I'm usually shocked by who he brings up: someone that was sick weeks ago...children without families...or a friend who was hurt. He prays for himself too, but he prays that God will help him to love others and be helpful at school. 

David typically starts his prayers saying how thankful he is for his family and then usually prays a prayer of thanks that God sent Jesus to die for his sins (my perfectionist still struggles with why he can't be perfect). Then he will often pray a prayer that applies the Bible story we read that night. For example, last night we read about Jonah and David prayed and asked for help to not run away like Jonah did when God asks him to do something.  

God has blessed me beyond anything I could have ever asked for as a mom...there is truly nothing better than to experience God working in all of our hearts and I pray that we will be available for God to use us as a family to serve others.