Last week at this time we were winding down from a week at the beach. It was quite a fun week. We went to the beach and I had fun watching Hannah jump over waves and draw pictures in the sand with her feet. I was reminded of the special bond between Hannah and Dylan and am so thankful for both of them. They both are incredible people that have their own separate path in life, but when they connect, I see a beautiful bond.

While staying at the condo, Hannah was making friends any moment she could and we met a wonderful family that was on vacation from Atlanta. Hannah connected immediately with the oldest daughter and they played together every moment they could. I am so amazed at how much Hannah came along in her swimming while we were there. When we arrived, she had a hard time getting her body far enough under water so she could dive or do an underwater handstand. By the time we left, she was doing an incredible handstand underwater and I know it was due to her watching her new friends swim and play.

I wish I had some pictures of some of things that Dylan was able to do. He enjoyed playing golf with my dad and my brother and from what I hear, he had a fabulous time and can’t wait to do it again.  I’m really happy that Dylan is able to pursue the things that make him happy and that he can do so well.  Thanks to my dad and brother for supporting him in his love of golf!

We were able to spend some time at a shopping area called Broadway at the Beach. There are a few rides there that Hannah likes to ride each time we go and was affectionately calling it the ‘circus’. Not quite a circus, but hey, it works for me She rode the teacups and the whales (all electronic, I assure you) and the moved on to the fountain in the center of the shopping area. She LOVED it! She jumped in there, dress and all and had a blast. In fact, we went back a few days later and were more prepared with bathing suit and all and she was a bit more timid. She said she liked it better with the dress on.

We were able to spend lots of time with family, which I love…it’s good to connect with those that have known you your whole life and to hope those connections will last, even if you do go on separate paths in your life. The love is still there and will always be…this is something that I hope they know. My parents, brother and sister-in-love, aunt and uncle…they ALL are a blessing to me.

Hannah and I spent a few hours going back to the ‘circus’, but it was a bit hot, so we ended up going into a wonderful store, called Yours and Mayan and we were able to buy these scarves in honor of my friend, Lauren. It was fun just hanging out with my daughter. She is a gem.

So we ended our time just playing together in the pool and with all the other families gone, we had the pool to ourselves for most of the day. Hannah was able to swim as much as she wanted and we had lots of joyful moments together. I am so thankful for moments such as these and would not trade them for any amount of money you could offer me. These moments are priceless.

**UPDATED**

The simple things. Like knowing your family is there, like knowing you are happy and knowing that you have very little worry. Embracing those moments of each day that are the most precious of gifts and having the assurance that there will be another opportunity to do the same again tomorrow.

When they are taken from you, how do you assess the damage?  With grace and courage and love…yes, most profoundly, love.

Elijah Rainbow, may your spirit remain a constant presence in your mum’s life and in the lives of your earthly sisters, and may your smile be seen in the beauty that surrounds them each day. You are loved, dear one and are missed beyond comprehension.

This IS love, written from a grieving mommy’s heart:

“Now I will learn how to comfort those who have lost a child, I will learn how to love those who have family in jail, I will learn how to be a single parent and I will learn how to love the people around me who are well-meaning but not comfortable with our lifestyle.

These are huge areas in which I will be stretched and growing in grace and love, and I embrace the opportunity to grow in Christlikeness, however painful it may seem at this time.

Know this: God is good. All the time. Of this, I am convinced.”

I love you, dear sister.

To receive updates on the family without the hype of the media, like Lauren’s page on facebook.

If you can donate financially to the family, they are in great need of support.

To keep up with ways to help support the family, like the facebook page, Sparkling Elijah Rainbow.

Most of all, pray. And rejoice with and love those that are closest to you. Let nothing stand in the way of facing each day, with love.

“Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds ;
    rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. 
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, 
    is God in his holy dwelling.” Psalm 68:4-5

**UPDATED**

I am selling  some bracelets that I designed for $10 plus shipping and will be giving all the proceeds back to Lauren and her family. If you would like to view the bracelets, go read my post on The Jewel Vine. I have my Etsy store linked to that post and you can purchase the bracelet from there. Please consider giving in some way, whether it is through buying an item in remembrance of Elijah’s life or directly to the cause of helping Lauren financially (follow the links above). They are in great need of our help, encouragement and love. Thank you.

Well…at least in my daughter’s world! She loves this show…and wants to watch it over and again, until her next interest comes around:

Which came in the form of a little lalaloopsy doll named Jewel….

Here I am again, rethinking who I am and who I want to be….and what I want to do. Living life in simplicity means allowing yourself to rest in the knowing that all is well, that the relationship with family and with Christ is really the only thing that matters in this life. Paying attention to the little gifts that are given in each day. Time alone to talk with my husband, sunshine, listening to my daughter sleep, hearing the sound of my son playing his guitar and basking in the gifts that are given in the moment. I love my life and the people in it….and I trust that the next step will be guided by Him and it will be just where I need to be…in this moment.

Peace comes when I am completely present and engaged with my family.  Peace comes when I know that I have much to offer others and the world. Peace comes when I know my Father’s voice and I follow it confidently.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

Yesterday, Hannah and I met with her first foster mom and 2 of her daughters, 2 grandchildren and new foster baby.  We met at Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, NC (an amusement park-tourist attraction in the NC mountains).  Thomas the Train was the attraction, but seeing this family again was the highlight of our day.

We owe so much to this family.  They took our daughter in as a baby until we were able to meet her and adopt her.  They showered her with love, compassion and the acceptance that she needed.  I have seen so many children in the foster system that have not had that early experience and it really does effect how they view the world. Even though Hannah does have some sensory needs, she knows that she is loved and accepted and we are so thankful that she has had that experience from the day she was born.

My prayer is that we will continue to give her that sense of acceptance and that she will always know that she is loved, even when the challenges come, that we will be able to show her that she is a beautiful child of God…always showing us His love, grace and compassion.

Thank you, Greene family, for being and showing Jesus to our child. This is where the chord of three strands is so evident….and will not be broken.

We love you all!

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in, …..
The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’.
— Matthew 25:35,40

This week we want to go on several play dates and visit Tweetsie Railroad in the NC mountains.  We’ll be visiting with Hannah’s first foster mom and her family.  We’re looking forward to connecting again.

The kids are each pursuing their own paths! Dylan started guitar lessons last week and will be playing golf this Friday–his passions! Hannah seeks out friends any chance she gets, loves singing and dancing and is overall a fun gal to have around!

I am learning to be a giver of love, to set boundaries in those relationships that aren’t serving me well and to realize the truth of who I am in Christ.

I am struggling with organizing my time between projects (my own) and my kids’ desired activities.  Sometimes, my projects have to be put on hold so that they can know that I am fully present with them. I am okay with that, but I am trying to find a flow that works for everyone.

This week is the first time in a long time that a play date I planned resulted in lots of people attending! Yay–so excited to see lots of people coming together–kids AND adults!

I’m so glad for this meme…it really gets me writing more on my blog (at least weekly!) and I can really focus on our week and “see” all that we are doing and want to do. Plus I get to read about others’ journeys as well! Fun

Here we go…

This week we want to make lots of vegan recipes, plan play dates and time outside, finish making Hannah’s dresses, guitar lessons for Dylan and see Steve in the opening of Beauty and the Beast.

The kids are absolutely loving life! Dylan is constantly researching new foods to try and is totally into the vegan lifestyle.  I have learned about so many new foods lately and have found some amazing recipes.  He is also starting guitar lessons this Friday with a new instructor.  Dylan is very talented and just wants to be challenged in a new direction, so I’m excited to see what comes from this experience! Hannah is totally into being active constantly, wants to socialize all the time! So, we’re trying to arrange play dates when we can, but also enjoy down time as well She has recently expressed an interest in handwriting–she wants to be able to write her name.  She is creative in her expressions, so I can assume she would want to put those thoughts and expressions on paper.  Sometimes I write out the play that we are performing—just so I know what my lines are supposed to be!

I am learning to simply enjoy being in the presence of my kids and take part in their journey. And be thankful and in gratitude for ALL that is present in my life.

I am struggling with connection with others. Being able to relate with others and have them relate with me and not get frustrated when they don’t try to understand my point of view.  Being outside the educational, parenting, spiritual mainstream way of thinking sometimes causes people to question your sanity.  Fortunately, I feel very secure and confident in who I am…

This week is the first time I traveled to a new town (about 30 minutes from the town we live in) to visit their farmer’s market. It was much bigger than I imagined (though, not really big at all) and I was able to see a section of our region that I had not seen before.  The views of the mountains were breathtaking!

I have been so encouraged by the community of Christian Unschoolers that I have found on facebook.  It really is a place of connection for me and a place to talk about those things that I just can’t talk to some people about…I’m lovin’ it

One of the things I’ve been encouraged to do is take part in this meme, I CU…it is a great way to talk about what is happening in our home each week and gives me the opportunity to brag just a little bit!  If you are interested in joining the meme each week, the info can be found at the Christian Unschooling website.

Now, on to the meme…

This week we want to make plans to go to the beach.  Yes, we are heading to SC to bask in the sun and put our toes in the sand. The kids are really excited….Hannah had a very difficult time getting to sleep last night she was so excited. We’re just sad that Steve can’t join us for this trip….he is neck deep in rehearsals for Beauty and the Beast (which opens next Sunday!). Maybe we’ll bring him back a souvenir!

The kids are having a blast exploring their passions.  We bought Hannah a swing to put in the front yard so she can swing to her heart’s content.  She is exhibiting some fears that we are trying to help her overcome. It’s a rope swing with a seat….a little different than what she sees at the playground. So, maybe with some regular swing time she’ll become more accustomed to it. Some interesting sensory issues has become more intense for her, mostly dealing with textures and the type of clothing she wears. Patience is being practiced all around Dylan is spending his time reading, playing music  and catching up on his driver’s ed course.  He’s shooting for August to have his license in hand…you can do it D!

I am learning that when you love someone and want to see their dreams realized, you put aside your own, so that you can take part in seeing their awesomeness be seen, heard and experienced by others.

I am struggling with organization….ahh, this has never been natural for me.  But I am realizing the importance of simplifying our lives….so, I am trying to wade through our ‘stuff’ and make life a little simpler.  It is a process!

This week is the first time it became crystal clear to me how much our kids are learning.  Dylan soaks up the knowledge he receives from reading, the skills he acquires from practicing his guitar and is very aware of what needs to be done in the house to help me out on those days when my focus needs to be on Hannah’s needs.  Hannah is finding joy in learning about letters, shapes and numbers in the every day tasks (laundry, cooking, cleaning and playing). In a nutshell, my kids love to learn and love to share with me what they have learned…and I may have missed that gift if I had been focusing on ‘my’ dreams. I love my family!

So, my attempt to write more hasn’t exactly worked out the way I planned, but life sometimes has a way of taking you in different directions than you had planned, right?

Lots happening on the home front:

I am getting ready to launch a new resource website for families that have children identified with special needs and also families with adopted children or children they are currently fostering.  This website is called Empower Your Village and I am super excited about launching it this Friday.  I really hope it will be an encouragement to MANY.

Steve is also launching a website this Friday.  It will be a great resource for homeschoolers wanting to track classes and create a transcript.  It is called My Homeschool Transcripts. He has worked SO hard to create this excellent program and we are thrilled to see it come to fruition.

Hannah is taking an acting class this semester and getting ready to start a yoga class that we will attend together.  She is constantly making us laugh and bringing us joy each and every day!

Dylan is continuing driver’s ed and pursuing web development …and of course playing his guitar any chance he gets!

Some sad news….my beloved grandmother, “Granny”, we call her, passed away last week.  It has been a tremendously sad time for me and my family as we were very close and this wasn’t something that was expected. We miss her greatly.  I will be writing another post specifically dedicated to her and the amazing life that she lived.

Until we meet again…

Christy