Holy Ambition

Ever since returning from Haiti, my heart has been changed. I pray that it continues....
I remember when I wanted to excell at work, move up and keep going higher. Now this is so less important to me. What I want to be important now can not be bought with any amount of money, or any degree.
I want to help others and want to follow the path God has created me for.
My heart is in Haiti and I pray every day that God will show me what I can do for him next. Does this mean going back to Haiti, helping Haiti from here or ??????

Only time will tell, I pray that I will know what he wants me to do and do it!

The great book I am reading for the 2nd time right now is Holy Ambition by Chip Ingram.
If you are wanting to do big things for God and step out of your comfort zone then this is the book for you.

Ransom

I read this on another adoption site and thought WOW this is a neat way to think about the money we all spend to adopt!

These are all questions we can ask until we are blue in the face. These are the things that when I wake up from my own snoring in the middle of the night staring at the ceiling fan I angrily think about to myself. If not for money we would have more children than we do, that is a fact. These however are all things we cannot change. I can’t hit the lotto if I’m not in the game, until there is reform … until there is a “Cash for Children” program instead of “Cash for Clunkers” then unfortunately everyone trying to adopt is going to have to deal with the economics of adopting either domestically or abroad. A wise person once told us as we were lamenting the cost that we were not “buying children”, that we could not look at it that way. We had to look at the cost of adoption as “ransom.” Think about it. Anyone of us would give up everything we had if one of our children currently in our home were held for ransom. We would pay whatever it took. Family would join in, friends would join in, strangers would line up to help. No one would think “well that kid deserves being held for ransom because of XYZ” … the thought is terrifying.

Look at adoption costs the same way. You are potentially stealing the future away from these children. But in a good way. There is a child being born in the US right now who needs a family so they do not grow up without hope! There is a child living in an orphanage where they share a 10x12 room with 15 other children at night who needs your help! There is an HIV positive child in a far away land who if they could only make it to the US would live a long and happy life because of all the breakthrough medicine. There is an older child that once they are aged out of the system will surely be forced into prostitution! Pay the ransom for these children, please … I humbly beg of you.

As an adoptive mom this really hits home. I also think this is a neat way to explain it, when someone asks about the expenses that are involved in adopting.

Mothers Day 2010

As I was getting ready for church this morning I was pondering how wonderful it was that all 4 kids were here for this mothers day. Only a few months ago this was not even thought to be a possibility.

This is a gift that can not be bought with any amount of money and will keep on bringing me joy for the rest of my life you can not say that about much in life.

I am so thankful that God entrusts me with these children and that he is so mighty and gracious and got the girls here this year.

He made the impossible possible and made us a family of 6.

My God is an Awesome God...and he is mighty to save
Tonya

April 3 Two Months as a Family of 6

Steve labled this picture as what he does on his days off! I laughed so hard.. What a fun Dad to let Mylee do this to him...

Updates of what has been happening. Wow in only two moths we hardly ever hear a Kreole word at the Lisle household. I am happy that they picked up English so fast but also sad that they are loosing their other language. They still pray in Kreole every day and we all love to hear it. Macy started talking about the Orphanage and her Birth Parents this month. It really helped me feel close to her, by have these special talks. I will treasure them always.

Macy had her ears piericed before and they had grown shut. She let me know that she would like to have them done again. I took her to wal-mart on April 10 and got them redone. She is really proud of them.

Mylee was having a lot of discomfort in her ears. The doctors told us this was from her tonsils being so large it reverts pain to the ears. So we went ahead and had them taken out yesterday and also had the skin tag removed from her right ear. She is sore but feeling a lot better today.

She is not happy that she can not eat her favorite snack Cheetos.

She is getting special mommy and me time today as Grandma came and got the other three kids as Steve had to work. So we have cuddled and watched a lot of movies today.

I have to say after only 2 months we really are a family, there is a lot of love between all of us and even some sibling rivalry going on too. Especially with Macy and Gage. They had the most change though in birth order so it can be expected. Macy went from Oldest to middle and Gage went from Youngest to Middle. Dakota and Mylee stayed the same.

Life is busy and no one knows this better then Steve. This past week he was off and was at the doctor or dentist 5 days this week. He is such a great help and never complains about running after the kids. What a great Dad.

Haiti Still Suffers after the Cameras are gone

Please take a moment to read about what is still happening in Haiti, and please do not forget!

http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/2010/03/cbs-news-article.html

Our story in the Dallas County Paper on 3/25

A lady from the Dallas County Paper was here tonight, she was writing our adoption story for the Dallas County Paper. So she said it should be in there on 3/25,which is Gage's 10th birthday.

Otherwise life has been busy and we are so glad the girls are healthy again. After Macy fight Mono and Mylee fighting double ear infection.

All is well again!

One month as a family of 6

Wow it has already been a month. Time has flown by, we have been so busy. I can not imagine our lives without the girls. We are a family, a family of 6.

I was thinking on the way home today about how many kids I wanted growing up. I would think I always wanted 2 a boy and a girls just like my mom. Although growing up I had always thought I missed out on something not having a sister. So maybe three kids would be ok.

Then Steve and I had Dakota and were so in love with him we thought this is all we need we will just have one. Then no I guess two will be good and we had Gage.

Two seemed just right for a long time. Till November of 2006, when God spoke to my heart and said it was time to think about adopting. Something Steve and I had always talked about.

So we thought Ok we would add one girl and be a family of 3 kids. Then I saw the girls waiting on line and that was the end of that we were OK with becoming a family with 4 kids. The rest is history as we are now a family of 6 with 4 kids.

No we are not perfect parents but who is! All I know is that you only live once and I do not want to regret that I did not do the things in life I know I was created to do.

We love our kids!