This summer I am trying to be the Mom that says "yes",  because it's the last year all my kids are under the age of 13-- and it might be the last time Zeke asks me to do fun stuff with him.  We have a bucket list of things we are crossing off and I must say we are having fun.  Last week we measured Zeke and he is 5',  I am only 5'2" and I think he grows every time I look at him- by the end of the summer I am quite sure he will have pasted his short mommy up! 

 This summer we are taking a class together to learn about the "end times".  Today I found him researching the Bible, on his own, trying to find some answers to some questions he had about the last class we took.  He seriously knows his Bible better than me ( I am embarrassed)   

   Zeke would probably be one of the first people to tell you that our life is not easy.  Adopting kids is not easy.  Homeschooling is NOT easy. Having to share a room with your adopted brother is NOT easy.  But Zeke would also be the first to say compassion is what God asks of us, and if he asks-- we should not say "no".   

  It's so much easier to say "Yes" to things when you have a list and an image in your mind of what that might require.  When God asks us to do new things we don't always take the time to seriously think about what that would require and most often we don't think about how it would bless His heart--we usually just think of excuses of why that doesn't fit in our plan.  

  God will give us the desires of our hearts, but we have to be willing to put in some hard work.  I will admit that adopting kids is way harder than I ever dreamed it would be.  The burdens and trauma that they carry is way too much for a mother's heart to comprehend.  But as their mother I have to be willing to travel that path with them, and teach them about a God who able to do anything and has the power to heal. 

   My kids and I have a list of what our summer might look like, we are excited and looking forward to spending time together.  If we don't have a list we might just look back and wonder what we did all summer and then ask "what did we do this summer?".  The same is true in life, everyone should make a list.  Make a list of what you would like to do & what you think God is wanting you to do with your life -then dare to say "yes" to His calling.

   Things we crossed off already this summer:

-bird watching

-telescope

-hike

-nature center

-visit a farm

-sidewalk chalk

-picnic

-obstacle course

-geo coaching

-ride a bike

-frisbee (or krisbee as J.R. calls it)

-movie night

-soccer

-make a movie

-slip n slide

-visit grandparents

-find a new playground

-bbq w/ friends

-sleep in a tent

-build w/ tools

-cut down a tree

-pillow fight

-card games

-make pizza

-dress up

-aquatic center

-play in a creek

-go swimming