clean water.

Our family has been in Uganda for 4 1/2 weeks now. We're settled into the village where we 

are living and though I've been posting snippets of our time here on my instagram, I wanted 

to tell you more about the water situation here.

Clean water is something that captured my heart years ago. It's something that I've always 

taken for granted--we turn on the faucet in America and we get clean water. I love long 

showers. Sometimes, I don't even turn off the water when I brush my teeth. We water our 

grass to keep it green, turn on sprinklers for the kids to run through, and even spray out 

our garages & driveways with water. 

When our son, Nico, took me to a village that he had once stayed in to show me their 

water source, my heart was broken. Every man, woman and child in that village was 

using swamp water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and caring for their livestock. 

Swamp water.

Though we rejoice that that village now has clean water--in large part from many from 

this social media community's donations--there is much work to be done still to get all 

our Ugandan brothers and sisters water.

Here is the water source for the village that we are currently living in, and where 

Redeemer House [the home where our older boys lived prior to coming home to us] 

will be located:

Once again, it's a literal swamp. This is the water that many of them walk up to 15-20 minutes 

to retrieve.

Redeemer House has a vision for their children to have a reliable clean water source AND 

for the village to have the same. Would you consider linking arms with me and with this 

village to say that we aren't okay with them using this water? Would you show them 

tangible love by helping them get clean water?

Ok, numbers people. Here is the breakdown of where we are. (I'm not really a numbers 

person until it comes to this kind of stuff. I LOVE watching God pull off amazing things

 through a bunch of people joining together with what they are able to!) 

Our family has committed to try to help raise $20,000 for the Redeemer House security 

wall and clean water campaign. There is a $20,000 dollar for dollar match by Crusader Homes. 

Of that $40,000, $25,363 has been raised! [Rejoice!] That means that only $14,637 more is 

needed to reach the goal. If we divide that in half because of the match, that's $7,319 needed. 

That is only 293 more people giving $25 each to reach the goal! 

(We started out needing 800 people to give $25!)

Click the Donate button below to give to this project through

XHope, Redeemer House's parent ministry. 

All donations are tax exempt to the extent of the law. 

Finally, most importantly, would you pray for the people here that they would have clean 
water and know of the Living Water? <3 p="">

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks 

the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a 

spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 

John 4:13-14

Off we go!

Our family is going to Uganda!

I'll be sharing more as we prepare to leave and while we are there, but since bringing our boys home, we have loved Uganda and longed to be there. We've committed as a family to make trips to this place we love as often as we can to spend time there with family and friends. Our family gets to be there for a couple months this trip! We found out that while we are there, there is a ministry we love that we could help. We began dreaming and praying how we could help them and God immediately brought my beautiful community through blogging & social media to mind. He has used you all so much to build wells, fund generators, provide food to children who desperately needed it, and find children forever families. I'm so excited to see how He uses you here.

Prior to us meeting and adopting them, our older boys were loved and cared for at Redeemer House. Maybe you remember the pictures where we road tripped from the Chicago area to Oregon to meet up with other families that had brought home children who had lived at Redeemer House? It was a beautiful reunion of these children who had lived together as brothers and sisters at the orphanage.

Redeemer House reunion 2013

The long story (kind of) short is that we love this ministry. They have Ugandans leading and running the home, they believe in resettlement with the families whenever possible and they are living out the love of the gospel with the children in their care, as well as their community. They have been praying for land and a house of their own for years and it is happening now! When we said we would be in Uganda during this time and help with whatever we could, they were so grateful.

The village where the new Redeemer House is does not have a school, electricity or a nearby clean water source. Redeemer house has plans for a school in the near future, recently had electric poles placed for the new home that the rest of the community can get electricity from now and is currently raising money for their fresh water well which will be able to also be used by their village surrounding them! I know it is hard to imagine, but many villages still use water collected from low-lying areas--swamp water--for their everyday needs. They use it for everything from their animals, to bathing, to boiling it to drink and cook. This well on Redeemer House property will be a huge blessing to many!

So, this is where you come in. The home has to have a brick wall perimeter for safety of the children, the livestock & for the future on-campus school. They have been fundraising for the wall (bricks) and the well (buckets) and our family has decided to join in with a big goal!

We're looking for 800 people to give $25 each to reach our goal of $20,000! 

Our home building business, Crusader Homes, is matching all giving dollar for dollar up to $20,000. That will finish their wall and the well! Your $25 donation will become $50 instantly!

Our family hopes to be there as these projects are happening and we will be helping put the final touches on the new home for them prior to their move in date this Fall. I'll be updating on the progress of the fundraising and the projects mostly as @letlovegrow on Instagram. Would you join me in joyfully giving $25 now? Let's use our bucks for these bricks and buckets so that Redeemer House can continue their beautiful ministry!

Give any amount through the button below & it will go directly to xHope's (the parent ministry of Redeemer House) paypal account. Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar. All donations are tax exempt to the extent provided by the law.

Please join us by giving your BUCKS to Redeemer House's

BRICKS & BUCKETS campaign to build their security wall & get a 

fresh water well!

The beautiful, new Redeemer House property with the already funded front wall and guard shack. 

Can Busy Moms Actually Have Time For The Bible?

I love when friends share great resources with me & so I'd love to share a couple with you today. 
I've been asked several times [on my instagram--where I usually am on social media these days] how I 

do Bible time, have devotions or write out books of the Bible, so I want to address that first.

My simple answer is that I just do it, but also that sometimes I don't. I tailor it to whatever particular 

season we are in and what works. Right now it is usually when the 7 big kids all go off to school and I just 

sit down with some coffee and do it. Sometimes the baby is on my lap and sometimes she is napping 

elsewhere. Sometimes the twins are joyfully playing together and sometimes they are coloring

each other's faces with Sharpie. I do find that leaving my study materials out on the kitchen table 

in the center of our home helps me come back to it many times throughout the day. God doesn't 

prescribe one specific way of how walking in step with him works. Do what works for you in 

each season!

Right now, I am using 2 main disciplines in my personal Bible time--journaling through my pastor's 

series in Acts and writing out a chapter of 1 & 2 Corinthians every day in February.

Bible journaling: Our church does expositional preaching--working verse by verse through a

book of the Bible. We recently started the book of Acts and will be working through it for 

about the next year. (Here is a link to my church's app if you'd like to join us. You can listen to the 

sermons from anywhere!) What works for me right now is to take notes on my phone's Bible app 

and then I transfer and add to those notes in my ESV journaling Bible as pictured here. I'm 

currently using the She Reads Truth app for my Bible and notes. I lost all my sermon notes 

there several months ago and was so sad about it, but I like it enough that I'm hopeful that 

I don't accidentally delete the app again and that they develop a way to save individual's 

notes soon! I know the actual journaling & drawing in the Bible is a new thing for some. As

a doodler, it is a way that I've always loved. I have been even more inspired with a Bible 

made specifically for that, as well as a movement of women sharing with #illustratedfaith. 

Seriously, check out that beautiful hashtag! I mean, I'm getting ready to break out paints 

on my Bible, y'all! 

Writing out the Word: This is something that a friend challenged me with and I love it. We simply 

write out a chapter of the Bible of the every day. We worked through Proverbs and are currently

working through 1 & 2 Corinthians for February. It has brought a new level of understanding and 

appreciation of the Word to write it out. Some days I'm behind and some days I long to sit all

day writing it out. The beauty is that God is never-changing and always present. There is grace

in the process and the goal is simply to know Him better through His word. We have a FB

group to encourage each other and share what we're learning if you'd like to join us. 

Listen, I know it's not easy. There will be times that it is easier than others, but friends,

we need this. We must know His word to live by it--for His glory and for our good! [If you 

download our church's app you will hear my pastor speak that truth often!]

I'm praying for each of you reading this that He would intensify your desire to walk

in step with Him and grow your hunger for His word. 

---------------------

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that

you may be careful to do everything written in it. Joshua 1:8

the journaling bible link is an affiliate like, which means i'd make a small amount of money for each person that clicks through

and buys it. i'd never link you to something that i don't LOVE. also, it's backordered. this looks similar. :) 

for the love of sweet P

Nothing will make me open my blog back up like falling in love with a little one

who is in need of a family. It is my very favorite way that God has used this little

space--to help families find their children & children find their forever families--

and I pray that He will do it again. First it was Anika, then Esther and now...

Meet sweet P. She is 3 years old and the agency has been looking for

her family for quite some time. The agency prefers a family that is internationally
paper ready or nearly there. The country she is in prefers her to have family with

4 or less children in the home. 

Serious inquiries, please email me at momentswithlove@gmail.com

and I'll put you in touch with her coordinator. Feel free to share this 

post. My whole family just loves her and we can't wait to see what

family God has for her.

#lifewithtwintoddlers

today, in desperation for a shower, i jumped in while the twins played in 
my jewelry. they quickly moved on to spray bottles & rather than have 
the whole bathroom drenched during my wonderfully relaxing 6 minute shower,
 i encouraged them to spray only into the [recently cleaned!] toilet. 
maybe disgusting. maybe genius. disgustingly genius?! 

#lifewithtwintoddlers

but, seriously--how cute are they?! i still tell them every, single day, i can't believe there

are TWO of you! how blessed am i?! they even say the 'TWO of you!' part with me now.

way blessed.

Speaking out about Hyperemesis Gravidarum

A week ago, I showed this picture on instagram of arrows that I have to

represent our children in reference to Psalm 127.  

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows 

in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth.  Blessed is the one 

whose quiver is full of them. Psalm 127:3-5a.  

You'll notice that there are 10 arrows and we are so grateful & excited that we will be 

welcoming a new baby in September!

I'm thankful for everyone sharing in our joy and I want to share more about

a condition that I have with pregnancy.  It's something that's widely misunderstood

and is hard to talk about.  In my previous pregnancies, I had no desire to talk

about it publicly as I was literally just fighting for the babies and I to survive.

This time, due to a lot of research, experience and education, I was able

to start a vitamin regimen even prior to pregnancy that helped my body fight it.

Then, was able to start on medication specifically for this condition upon

its first symptoms.  My symptoms begin before I'm even able to get a positive

pregnancy test.  

Hyperemesis Gravidarum [HG] is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening 

pregnancy disease that affects 0.5%-2% of women.  It is marked by rapid weight

loss, malnutrition, and dehydration due to unrelenting nausea &/or vomiting. 

Having HG has been hard for me to talk about.  It can be a really dark place

to desperately love and want your baby, but also feel like dying for 36 or so

weeks.  Although it isn't a choice I would ever personally make, I remember

feeling such relief 10 years ago to hear my doctor once say that 1 in 7 women who 

have hyperemesis choose to electively abort their pregnancy due to the condition.

It sounds so sick of me to feel relief with that and I pray that I'm not misunderstood

there.  I grieve for those moms and their babies.  Yet, it validated how terribly

awful and dark this condition truly is.  You can read an article about that here.

Each of my 6 pregnancies have been slightly different and it is different for

every woman, but the best way that I can explain it is that I literally just

puke all day.  On an exceptional day, it is about 5-6 times and on bad days, it

is 20-30 times.  The bad days tend to come in cycles and the cycle is hard

to break.  I've taken oral medication formulated for chemotherapy patients

with nausea, been to the hospital numerous times for IV fluids, had to have

nutrition through a PICC line when I couldn't get it orally, had a pump that

I poked into my thighs daily to continuously deliver anti-nausea medications

and some of the darkest days of my life.  

It is often tricky because the cycles don't come with any rhyme or reason

and many times when I can keep something down, it isn't anything that you

would imagine would sound good to someone who has been so sick.

It is debilitating to your life and effects the whole family.  That adds another layer

of shame and guilt as you watch it turn your family life upside down.

It is hard to reach out for help when you're in survival mode and in all honesty,

I cannot imagine someone in our home at my worst.  

9 weeks with baby #10. Despite having lost 5 lbs so far, my body knows what to do to keep baby healthy.

Despite still having some hard days, I am extremely grateful that the condition

is much more under control this pregnancy. Matt has stepped up to cover

many of the areas that I just can't right now & the kids are chipping in even

more, too.  I want to speak out about this because many times we are told that

this is what every woman goes through.  I've been a nurse on floor with ladies

experiencing hyperemesis and it's so misunderstood--even in the medical 

community.  I'm in a private support group on Facebook and my heart breaks

to listen to other women experiencing HG and often not getting support &

care they need.  My faith & the blessing of a new, teeny, tiny life within 40 weeks 

is always what keeps me going, but I'd be lying if I didn't say even that was 

really hard to cling to in the worst moments.  

If you or someone you know is experiencing hyperemesis,

please reach out.  Keep seeking help and know that you aren't alone.

You can learn more & get support by clicking the HER foundation button below.

Our Ebenezer.

Our family has been working through the Austin Stone Advent Devotional as

we prepared to celebrate Jesus' birth.  We've really loved it and everyone from age

5 and up has been a wonderful part of the discussion that happens surrounding it.

At the end of each devotional, there are questions about the reading and then a more

light-hearted question with space to record the children's answers. I've enjoyed recording 

things like their favorite winter activity so far and what one thing they want to thank God

for that day.  A few days ago the question was, 

What was the most difficult thing your family faced this year.  

How was God faithful during that time?

Whoa. We listed 3 hard times that our family went through and how God showed his

unrelenting faithfulness. As we talked about one of the situations, the ways in which

He was faithful just kept pouring out--the kids were even saying things that I had forgotten

that God had done!  We all ended up being pretty amazed and in awe of looking back at 

how He carried us.  I asked if it would be okay if I typed some of it up and boasted 

publicly about God and they all agreed.

One year and 5 days ago, our family of 11 boarded a plane that would be the first of 3 to

take us on a 23 hours journey to the country of our hearts, Uganda.  It was truly a dream

come true to travel there with the whole family and to spend Christmas there with so 

many people that we love.  

We were quite the sight--EVEN after we'd checked in our 22 bags of personal things, gifts

and donations!  Well, very soon after our arrival, Evie--who was 1.5 years at the time--got

very sick.  The twins were sleeping with Matt and I and she just puked all night long. 

Sometimes she wanted to nurse, but it always came back up and often times she didn't

want to at all & was so lethargic. I don't get fearful often, but this was different--she was

really sick & I knew from the beginning that it was serious.

Looking back, it was a very difficult thing.  I asked for prayer from our community,

but Evie was probably sicker than I even eluded to. And although my family's health was

the number 1 priority, my heart--our hearts--were hurting to have this amazing trip 

with our family in a place we love dearly & to be in the bed [or clinic] so sick.

We didn't get to do all the things we planned to as a family, but it was amazing and so

comforting to sit around our kitchen table the other night and recount the wonderful 

faithfulness of God on a trip that we all cherish!

We began saying ways that God showed his faithfulness even in this hard time and 

the kids were even saying things that I had forgotten happened.  THAT is why I'm

writing this and will continue to write out stories like this--we are so quick to forget.

This will be my Ebenezer stone--1 Samuel 7.  

[And I'm thinking about making a tangible reminder in our home so we can all see it regularly.]

Here are some ways that we listed His faithfulness & grace during that difficult time:

Sparing Evie's life.

One of the kids said this one and though it took my breath away, it's true.  As a very

sick baby, who was a preemie and in a land where they had watched many children

die from various ailments and lack of treatment choices, it is absolutely true.

Praise the Lord.

A whole community of prayer warriors from near and far.

When I posted on social media asking for prayer, hundreds of people--friends, family

and strangers--began praying for us and checking in on us.  I was beautiful and I have

no doubt it upheld us.

Providing ease of transportation, obtaining medicine & getting medical care.

As soon as I knew a pharmacy would be open, I hopped on a boda [a motorcycle taxi] and

went into town to see if I could get her some medicine to at least calm her stomach. Some things

are a lot easier in Uganda--I was back within the hour with liquid Zofran, an anti-nausea/vomiting 

medication for the equivalent of a few dollars.  The next day, when I took her to the clinic,

she got great care, there were no problems starting her IV despite her dehydration

[as a former pediatric nurse, I know what a blessing that is!] and I got to take her

back with me & just bring her back [via boda ride & our beloved sling] for her

doses of IV antibiotics.  

A loving, gracious staff at Sole Hope guest house that helped us.

The staff at the guest house were such a bright light to us.  I felt terrible about all the

extra work--the LINENS.  My goodness, the linens.  They were always there to

cheerfully help, encourage and pray for us.  

The best mission team ever sharing the Sole House guest house with us.

Listen, some people would CRY at the idea that they were going to be sharing a guest

house with 9 kids.  Add in that they just traveled for 23 hours, some are very sick and

the parents are more exhausted than imaginable after travel plus all-nighters caring

for kids and, well, a lot of people would be horrified.  There was a mission team there

from California that was straight up, beautiful, gracious, loving Jesus to us.

Even among the service that they were they doing in Uganda, 

they prayed with us, cleaned up puke from all over the couch while I helped the child,

had hot cocoa with the kids early in the morning while I slept in with Evie,

joyfully let the kids join in their cards and games, made extra food for us/ 

washed our dishes with theirs even though they didn't have to and

just were a joyful, encouraging hearts to share the space with.

Really, I'm more grateful for them than I can properly express.

The reminder that God works without us & in spite of us sometimes--and is still good!

The hardest day was probably the one we planned to go as a family to the Busoga

fresh water well that so many of you helped happen after the dirty water these people were

drinking touched Nico's heart.  I don't know why God had me stay back with 3 of

our sick kids, but I trust that our friends in that village know that the well was placed

and our relationship continues with them out of God's love and that the rest of my 

family would cherish that time and be forever changed by tangibly seeing what God

did for his people there. When each of our family gave highlights for the year, this

was Bianca's, age 5.  She said she loved meeting the people.  

[It's cultural to not smile in a picture--I love that Anika & Ellie took that to heart as they

passed out mosquito nets to protect from malaria.]

Great friends willing to serve us.

Our family went with hearts to serve and were served and blessed ourselves.

We borrowed shillings because we hadn't even had time to exchange money.

Kelsey, a friend that runs Abide Family Center, accompanied me to the clinic 

& went to get me a Ugandan phone while we

waited since the one I'd had for years wasn't working.  Katie--someone with so much on her

plate, but who has always been so kind & genuine--came over late one 

night when Evie's IV infiltrated to bring me IV supplies to restart it.  

Asher & Dru, the directors of Sole Hope, were beyond accommodating and helpful.  

Asher even had a pump that she let me borrow when the twins weren't nursing 

well & her popsicle molds to make them breastmilk popsicles in hopes they could

keep something down.  Now, that's a friend!  [We'd just met!]

God's grace even in the smallest details!

I'm sure there are more friends that helped, but I was slightly out of it.  

A driver and precious friend.

Farouk has become a precious friend and I'm so thankful that he was with us every

step of the trip. He is kind, funny and so knowledgable about Uganda.  He loves

our kids well--even when we're all not very lovable after sicknesses, sleeplessness

and many days of close proximity.  We are so grateful for him!

Being able to go on safari.

Our trip didn't go exactly as planned, but it was such an adventure for all of us and 

His faithfulness is evident.  Evie [and Emmy, Bianca & Chloe] eventually 

perked up and our family traveled to Western Uganda to go on safari over 

Matt and my 12th anniversary.  

All the memories we still got to make!

All the things pictured below including serving with these ministries:

Sole Hope to help remove jiggers from children's feet & giving them new shoes.

Playing with buddies at Ekisa where they care for & empower people with special needs.

Going on a reunification with Sixty Feet after a boy was cleared and released from prison.

Seeing the Abide Family Center compound & meeting Ellen & her triplets whom I love & pray for.

Spending time & giving Christmas gifts with the precious kids & staff we love at Redeemer House.

Even in the hard, God is there.  He is faithful and gracious. I hope that you can see that in your

2014, too.  May He bless you and reveal Himself more to you in 2015.