Choosing Joy Now

Category: Family

  • The Long Awaited Coming

    The emotional, mama-heart in me started the countdown in August when we dropped her off at school. I couldn’t wait to have all my girls back together again in one house. But the practical, home-schooling mom waited until Thanksgiving before I started pumping the excitement throughout the house. After all, we did need to accomplish…

  • A Day at the Arch

    We stopped for a few hours in St. Louis. Wow, America, you really have some amazing places.

  • the People

    The most precious gift ever given (outside of salvation) is people. Yes, those people we pass everyday. The ones we call family and friends and the ones we have yet to meet. We were never intended to go life alone. Thank goodness. Because of our travels, we get to spend time with some amazing people.…

  • The World I See

    Photography is something I have always enjoyed. On a trip, I take hundreds of photos each day. I’m pretty sure my family needs counseling over this issue. Some may say I’m a little obsessed, but I prefer passionate. My pictures will never hang in a gallery, but I that’s ok with me. As long as…

  • Fall

    Fall. My favorite time of the year. Beautiful colors. Cool winds blowing. Leaves crunching underfoot. Snuggling up in comfy sweaters. Special moments with family. Bonfires. Pumpkins. Football. Candy corn. And plenty of photos to capture the moments.

  • Gotcha Day

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    GOTCHA DAY! One year ago today, we “got” Hanissa and she “got” us. It is an exciting day to celebrate and remember the past year, but it is also a sober day to celebrate and remember all that she left behind. The joy parents feel at adding a child to their family comes with many…

  • A Day at the Farm

    We heard about a farm, not far from us and decided to check it out. It was more than the usual farm experience.

  • Homesick

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    It’s little, and often strange, things that remind me of home. Korean writing on a sign, Chinese voices on the next aisle, the inside of an LG washing machine (I warned some were strange), shin ramen at Walmart, the smell of onion and garlic. When I least expect it, there it is. Lump in my…

  • And…She’s Off!

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    Children. We hold their hands encouraging them to take their first steps. We pick them up, dust them off, and offer kisses and hugs when they fall. We’re their biggest cheerleaders. We watch them struggle. Pray for them daily, point them in the right direction, and even discipline them to help them get back on…

  • What We did this Summer – Part 2

    The month of July was spent in Mississippi with lots of family. We made time to do many things.