Why Searching for Salt?

So there have been questions as to why my blog is titled "Searching for Salt". Someone even joked, "Is it because you are searching for a white kid?" They were oh so funny. Don't be offended by the question, if you don't know me and my family well. Our family of 7 is comprised of African American, Hispanic, Mexican, Bi-Racial, and Caucasian. So, race is something that is discussed often and usually very light hearted. I am sure the "heavier" conversations about race will take place when my kids get older. Here is our only "all of us"pic...Since I am talking about race. I have to tell about a funny conversation that I had with JB. I had read a news article written by African American families that were upset about white families adopting African American children. After I read the article, I had a conversation with JB about his feelings on it. I asked him if it is weird to be raised by 2 white parents, are there things he feels like he is missing out on, etc. Here is the funny part...I said, "You know JB, do you miss things like celebrating Kawanza?" His response was, "Kawanza??? I am not Mexican!" I just laughed...that is my son! I tell him all the time that the older he gets, the closer I get to his momma (who is in heaven)...cause some days, I need her to just remind me as to why I should not kill him. I think the second boys turn 13, they turn their brains over to the "hormone ruler". Here is a picture ofmy handsome son...but this really isn't an accurate pic because he looks serious in this pic and there is NOT one serious thing about him! I had to post the second pic, because that is an accurate pic of what JB is really like!

Ok, on to why my blog is titled "Searching for Salt". God has chosen a life for me that requires that I stay as close to Him as possible. Trust me there are days that I like to put my fingers in my ears and and pretend that what God has to say doesn't really matter. But, I can only do that for a short amount of time. Jason and I have found that there are a lot of people out there that love God, but don't understand what it means to follow after Him. I am not writing this from the stand point that we have it all figured out...just come and spend a day with us and you will see that we don't! But, we would love the have relationships with more people who truely understand what it means to seek God in all areas of their life. People will ask me "Why in the world did ya'll take in 2 more kids?". TRUST me it had NOTHING to do with the fact that Jason and I are good people or that we were crazy about the kids or that we just truely LOVE spending time with them...because actually, none of those statements are true. It is simply because we spent a LOT of time praying about what we should do and God asked us to. But, when I give that answer, people look at me with that face like...No, really why did you take them in?

Most of my days require that I check in with God all of the time. I have to have that constant relationship with Him. Because, my responsibility to these kids is not to just be their mom. But my responsibility to these kids is to show them and teach them about who Jesus is for as long as I have them. And, when you are raising CPS kids..."time" is an issue. It could mean years or it could mean weeks. One day I will have to stand before God and be held accountable for my actions.

Jason and I are just salt of the earth kind of people...not intersted in things or status or how cool we are...but more interested in what our life will look like to God when we stand before Him one day.

Going to the Chapel

So, my baby sister is getting married. Her and Ryan are getting married on August 1st in Cabo, right on the beach. I am so happy for her...Ryan is a great guy. He was able to put up with my five kids and my husband for about 5 days and he was a trooper...which means he is a keeper! Banita thinks he hung the moon!

We had a shower for Kris this weekend...it was a very nice shower! They got lots of goodies and it was nice to see family and friends that we haven't seen in a while. After the shower, Kris and Ryan came by to drop off something. By the time they were leaving, Banita had herself fully convinced that she was going home with Kris and Ryan. She ran into her bedroom and on the way out of the room, she yells "don't leab me Y an". She comes back into the living room with a pullup, a shirt, shorts, and one flip flop. Boy, she was ready to go! We had BIG alligator tears when they had to leave and she realized that she was not going with them.

Here are a couple of pics from the shower...that is my cute Maw Maw and mom, along with me and my sister.

Now I know...

I am about to start my 9th year of teaching. I have always wondered why parents are so excited about school starting. Now I know...some days I really enjoy being home with the kids...ok, actually maybe I have only enjoyed very few! I have realized that the kids and I do much better with structured activities...my husband also does MUCH better with a structured schedule. Usually during the summer, we get lots of projects done...but this summer, not so much. I sorta feel like we are on a hamster wheel that I would really like to get off of!

When I start feeling really like the walls are closing in...I just call B to wherever I am and put her on my lap and look right at that sweet smile. B is such a bright spot! A turkey of a bright spot...but, she sure is stinkin cute...some days it is a good thing!

Back to Life...

We are back from the beach. We had a great time. The kids absolutely LOVED the ocean. Banita was fearless with the ocean. I'm tired, so I just going to post some of my favorite pics and then I will write some more soon.

Headed to the Beach...

So, I realized yesterday that we only have 6 more weeks of summer...depression set in quickly! It seems like just I am getting settled into this summer thing and now it is almost over.

So, we are headed to the beach tomorrow. We got a beach house for 4 days. It is kinda cool, because even though Jason and I have not had our own "biological" children, regardless of what age they were when they came to live with us...we were the first to show them the ocean. So, just like our other kids...this will be Lisa and Vincent's first time to see the ocean.

I will never forget the first time JB saw the ocean. He kept asking me "well where does it stop?" and "can we go to the other side?". He was the cutest thing I have ever seen playing in the ocean. We even have a picture of him holding his shorts up so high, that his butt cheek is hanging out. Oh man, if I had that picture on my computer, I would post it in a heart beat!

The ocean has a special place in my heart because I have lots of memories at the beach. My best friend, Anthony and I spent LOTS of time at the beach. I think of him every time I hear the ocean. As a matter of fact,the last time that I saw him before he passed away, we ate at our favorite restaurant in Galveston and then took a walk on the beach. I have lots of pics of us together, but not on my computer...this is one of the only pics that I have of him on my computer...so I am posting it.

Lots of other memories at the beach...One of the first family trips that Jason went on with my family was to the beach.

When Jason and I lost our second baby, we went to the beach (now we are about to take our 5 kids to the beach, not even 2 years later! God's so funny!!!)

Jazzy had her first birthday with us at the beach. I am posting a couple of pics from that beach trip...it was Jazzy and B's first time to see the ocean...it was in November...so it was kinda cold.

I don't know there is just something about the ocean...it makes me feel closer to God. Probably because it is just so much bigger than me, so much bigger than I can even imagine.

This morning our Pastor taught on Daniel and the point that keeps playing in my head was about Daniel always praising God...which of course as Christians that is what we are supposed to do.

But, God used Daniel as an example because Daniel didn't wait for the "good" outcome to praise God. He praised him all the time, even when he didn't know how everything was going to turn out. It is easy to praise God when everything turns out good, but can we praise God before we know the outcome?

Jason and I are good at giving God the praise when everything ends up is ok. But, God wants us to take our relationship with Him deeper than that. He wants us to praise Him in the middle of the storm, because we trust that He is in control and since He is in control...everything WILL be ok. I want to praise like Daniel, but that will require me to lay down "Rachel" first.

So, I really need to stop writing and go get packed...I am the worst packer in the world! Last weekend when we got to Ft. Worth, I realized that I had packed all of my kids some cute clothes...but, I am not real sure what I packed for myself.

Happy 4th of July!

Hope you had a GREAT 4th of July. We spent the evening at our friends house. We ate some great burgers and went swimming.

We also enjoyed watching Alec and JB shoot off the fireworks. We laughed really hard when Alec shot the roman candle in JB's direction...he had to dodge the roman candle...it looked like something you would see in the movies.

The kids (including the one I am married to) really enjoyed swimming. The kids jumped off the side like 900 times. B jumped in the pool all by herself tonight...she wants to do everything all by herself. I can't believe how big she is getting. Jazzy is like a little fish in the water.

I was looking back at pictures the other night of Jazz when she first came to live with us...man she has grown and changed. I see glimpses of who God created her to be everyday. I am including a picture of her last 4th of July. This is a picture of her catching her first fish with dad on July 4th...look at her now!

Our whole family has changed drastically in the matter of a year.

It's funny how God's plan for your life can be so much different than how you think it is going to turn out. Our pastor taught a couple Sundays ago about how God's ways are so much higher than our ways and how God should be in contol of our lives. For me, sometimes living for God and trying to trust him in every aspect of my life means that some days "I" feel very out of control. Trusting God even when it doesn't make sense is when it gets really tough. But, looking back on my life...I have no regrets, because I know that each day I try to live for God and to follow after Him.

Ft. Worth

So, we spent last weekend in Ft. Worth with my sister and her husband to be. We had a great time...I am not sure how Kristen and Ryan's nerves are from all of our kids...but, we had fun.

We went to the local Aquatics center and the kids had a blast!

We also went to the Ft. Worth zoo. The kids really enjoyed it...mom and dad, not so much...the combination of Texas summer heat and animal poo made such a sweet aroma for our 90 mile zoo hike. Ok, so maybe not 90 miles.

But, it was all worth it when B looked at me and said "mommy I lika da munkeys".