Weekend Remodel

The weekend before Thanksgiving I decided to tackle Isabelle's bedroom!
Here are the results.... Three coats of red paint later, and really in need of a fourth unfortunately (but that will have to wait!)

That's barnboard wall paper in the back. And I really need to lose the mini blinds and replace them with wood blinds...... But overall I have one happy cowgirl!

It's Friday Already????

It's been a speedy quick week! Back to school after a Thanksgiving break, working on a curriculum writing project for the Children's Equipping Center, and talking to and meeting with potential clients with my new role with Christian Adoption Consultants.

In addition to laundry (still not folded), Birthday Party Planning (Tay's 12th birthday is on Saturday- more to come on that), and running after a tiny girl who is now fully mobile on all fours!

And now for Elia's latest accomplishments!!!!


Not everyone can do this!!!!


Starting to pull up!



Squirrel Gazing!


Hunting for food! She found this all by herself and was quite pleased!

Finalization Date!!!!

It's finally here!
We go to court to finalize our adoption on December 13th!
YIPEEEEEEE

Thank you for the prayers, and as is typical with our very good God, the finances came in just in time.

REJOICING IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD

I just wanted to thank you all for praying and let you know that the last needed money to finalize our adoption has come in!
We are so blessed!

I will be telling the story of our whole adoption journey on the other blog shortly, and recounting the provision of God through it all.

This is How We Ended Our Thanksgiving Day

Snuggling in the boys room watching Beauty and the Beast!

Aunt Lois Update

Elia Jane with Aunt Lois


My Mom, Aunt Lois, and Jack (my cousins youngest)


In the Stone Chapel where we prayed together for Aunt
Lois, with Melissa and Jack (my cousins children).


Stone Chapel, a beautiful little recreation of a
chapel in England within walking distance of
my cousin's house!

Please continue to pray for Aunt Lois. She returns to Little Rock in December for another round of chemotherapy (I think about 3 weeks). She longs to be home with her family for Christmas. Pray for strengthening of her bones and muscles and that she will be able to undergo chemo without terrible side effects!

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Thanksgiving Day!

Zion, Grayson, Israel, Judah, Isabelle, and Taylor


The Early Crew at the Bohlender's Thanksgiving Day!
John, Sean, Grandma B, Randy, Kelsey, and Danie
(with our various children in the background)


MY BREAKFAST, no eggs needed thank you very much!


Zoe and Elia playing. They can now play without
hurting each other for the most part!


Me with my oldest, Nick!


Elia's First Thanksgiving! We are blessed!

On My Way to Fayetteville

We had a lovely Thanksgiving Day. I'll post about it later on today. I'm up and trying to pack up for a short overnight trip to take my mom to see Aunt Lois.

Pray for us please.

Elia and Isabelle will be our traveling companions. A true "girls day out".

What's Your 1996 Theme Song?

Your 1996 Theme Song Is: Ironic by Alanis Morisette

It's like rain on your wedding day It's a free ride when you've already paid It's the good advice that you just didn't take Who would've thought ... it figures

What's Your 1996 Theme Song?

Random Things that Happened Today

1. It snowed in Kansas City.

2. 3 deer walked through our back yard, 2 of them very large buck. One jumped over the neighbors fence, realized he was trapped and jumped back out.

3. I had a long overdue visit with my dear friend Kelsey. We did the "try to talk about as much as possible in a short amount of time", and I don't think we were done talking.

4. Elia crawled on all fours! She's quite pleased.

5. I removed all books and magazines from the low shelves on my coffee tables.

New Blog

To follow my journey as an Adoption Consultant please check out my blog
The Spirit of Adoption.

It's not much at this point, but we'll get it up and looking good before too long!

I HAVE A NEW JOB

I haven't quit anything I'm already doing!
I'm still a wife and momma!
I'm still an Intercessory Missionary.
I'm still serving the children in the Children's Equipping Center.
I'm still teaching art at the Daniel Academy.

But I'm now working as an Adoption Consultant for Christian Adoption Consultants!

Christian Adoption Consultants helped us in our adoption journey. Amy Young, the founder and our consultant, walked us through the adoption process, assuring us every step of the way, encouraging us that GOD WILL PROVIDE when we had nothing, and rejoicing with us when Elia was placed in our home! When she emailed me and asked if I knew of anyone in the Kansas City area who would like to serve as a consultant, I emailed back saying, "I'd like the answer to be ME, but we'll pray and get back to you."

God's way of answering was to stir deep excitement and peace in my heart, and to proceed to have at least 4 couples contact me over the next few days/weeks asking questions and seeking my help as they begin their adoption journeys.

Pray for me as I step into this exciting new adventure!
I will most likely establish a separate blog for this, so stay tuned for that!

In addition if you are interested in adoption, or know families that are and might be interested in talking to me, please email me at tracieloux@gmail.com

MY MOM IS COMING

I'm really excited that my mom is flying in from Pennsylvania on Thursday afternoon for a long weekend visit. We are sooooooo far away from my family, and the holidays are especially hard.

Mom is flying in and we'll have dinner at Derek and Renee's on Thanksgiving Day.

Friday I'll be driving her down to Fayetteville to see her sister Lois who many of you have been praying for. Please continue to pray for Aunt Lois, she will be returning to Little Rock soon for another round of treatment. Pray for grace and strength for her, and FOR HEALING. Pray also for the family.

We'll return back to Kansas City and hopefully get some time to just relax and enjoy each other and maybe get in the Prayer Room some before she flies home on Tuesday!

Elia in the Leaves

The leaves have all fallen off of our two gorgeous red trees in the backyard. Elia loved sitting in the piles and playing with (or trying to eat) the leaves.

My Kids Make Me Laugh and I'm Glad

My son Nick (15) came in the door the other night after playing indoor soccer w/ some FSM students and some friends of his. I was in bed reading, and he walked in all sweaty and red-faced and says the following:

"I am so meant to be an artist (pause for affect). I just got the crap beat out of me. David Brymer's brother fell backwards and smacked me in the face. I mean I thought my face was just going to be permanently smacked in, and I have rug burns on my legs."


I laughed so hard. Not at his trauma, and certainly not at his pain, but at the fact that playing soccer for a few hours served to solidify his believe that he was created to be an artist! I'm glad he's not afraid to step out of his "box" and do things that aren't really his bag, but I think it's very cool that at 15 he's becoming more and more confident in who he is and what he was created for!

Our Blue Eyed Girl!

It seems to have been awhile since I did a baby photo update!
Here's our beautiful girl!

Kansas City Fall

I'm a Pennsylvania girl, and I miss Fall in the northeast. We moved into this house in January, and I was quite thrilled this fall when the huge trees in my back yard were painted wonderful shades of red, orange and gold! It did my heart good! I took this photo just a couple of days ago. I know we need to rake at some point, but I'm not in a hurry.

Lil' Cowgirl

Tonight we attended cousin Sophie's 10th birthday (she's on the left). Elia is being held by her cousin Teyolla!

Baby Hannah In China Update

Thanks for praying.
HERE's THE AWESOME GOOD NEWS!
Sandi and Baby Hannah are coming home!
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
CLICK HERE FOR STORY

Jesus Went Grocery Shopping for Us

Our move here has been a huge transition. We've had to learn to rely on the Lord in new ways and have seen many MIRACLES of provision, especially over the last 8 months.

The Lord miraculously provided $15,000 for Elia's adoption.

The Lord "gave us" our vacation this summer, the day before we were scheduled to leave and had no money to go.

The Lord "gave us" Christmas money for our kids gifts last year, during a season where it would have been impossible to buy them gifts if He hadn't come through.

I could go on.

But yesterday Jesus went grocery shopping for us. At least that's what John said, when he walked in to the kitchen to see the shelves of the refrigerator brimming, and two enormous boxes of food on our kitchen floor. It's not just that someone decided to bless us, it's that we could literally see the kiss of God in it.

The boxes still sit unpacked on my kitchen floor. Why? Not because I'm too tired to put them away, but because I just need to keep looking down and seeing the love of God today.

You see, in addition to the many practical/necessary things that are in these boxes, there are also some of my families absolute "FAVORITE" things, and things I typically don't splurge on anymore. In the box was BEEF JERKY (John's absolute favorite snack), Sour Gummy worms (Nick's favorite), other favorite candies and snacks, and OREOS! Not to mention everyone's favorite kind of cereal- even MINE (Kashi Crunch!)

So today I am reminded that Jesus Loves us enough to go grocery shopping for us! (He actually sent a lovely assistant, but He told her exactly what to get!) Oh, and did I mention HE made us dinner too (compliments of the same lovely assistant!)

Urgent Prayer Needed

In my connections with folks that are adopting, I have come to learn of a case that needs urgent NOW prayer.

Sandi and Dennis were planning to adopt Hannah (a 1 1/2 year old from China). While in China, Dennis died of a diabetic coma. There was concern that they would not allow Sandi to come home with Hannah, but it appeared that the US Consulate would issue a visa for Hannah and they were expected to travel home on Saturday.

However the US Consulate has decided not to issue the visa for Hannah because her husband was listed on the paperwork originally. They are requiring her to return home with out the baby, have a home study update, and fill out new paperwork.

Her agency (Bethany Christian Services) and her congressman are working on this.
PLEASE, PLEASE pray for this situation.

Pray for Sandi, she has lost her husband and is grieving; as well as facing the added stress of loosing her daughter. Pray for favor and for the hand of the Lord to bring forth justice.

Quick Update

I think Elia may have emptied herself of all virus last night. Not to mention that we prayed over her and the kids really stood around her to declare healing and wholeness to her body! She napping peacefully and hasn't had any episodes this morning.

I will tell you this, we did not like it at all! Taylor was near to tears seeing her so upset and sick. Nick started blaming himself. John froze in panic (that's just what dad's do sometimes), though he swears that if I hadn't been home instinct would have kicked in and he could have handled it! :)

Isabelle on the other hand kicked into "save the day" mode, or mini-mommy mode, and rushed for towels, wet washcloths, clean jammies, baby wipes, etc.

Then we all proceeded to love on the tiny lady and pray over her. We set up the playpen by the bed, and all watched over her til she fell asleep. It was a bit of a restless night sleep, but this morning seems much better.

Thanks for all your prayers! We are believing that this is the END OF THIS STORY!

Tiny Girls Should Not Have to Get Sick

Please pray for Elia today.
She got the dreaded virus.
It is very scary to watch one so little experience the dreaded "V".

We Have A Bed

Or I should say, a bed is on its way! Thanks for all the offers!
In a community with lots of people moving in and out, it usually isn't hard to find furniture!

Thanks to our new friends Sean and Danielle for being willing to share an extra bed with us!

And Nick has slept most of the day, running a fever and aching everywhere. No more of the "V" word though!

Sometimes the English Language is Lacking in Words

I woke up at 12:09AM to a big boy in my door way announcing that he was sick and did not make it to the bathroom. I will spare you the graphic details, because frankly I feel bad for you all having to read that once again sickness is upon us.

Suffice to say, I threw out an entire set of sheets, two pillows, and there is a mattress in our garage that will need to go to the curb. In all my years of mothering, this is the worst thing I have ever had to clean up. Apparently 15 year old boys put an awful lot in their stomach in the course of a day. Nuff said.

Now if that was too much for you already, the bottom line is we have a need now.

The kid needs a mattress set. For real. I am not a whimp, trying to get out of a bit of scrubbing, but your welcome to come give it a try if you don't believe me!

And Pray for Nick today!
Thanks

Post Labels

I just started labeling posts. When I first started blogging, I had no idea what I was doing. The main thing that I wanted to label for you all are my ADOPTION POSTS, so I backtracked for you and found "most" of them I think.

Anyone new to the blog, just click on ADOPTION under Post Labels and this should take you through our story!

I'll try to keep up with this from here on out.

Change of Subject

Let's not talk about being sick any more. We're resting today and catching up on school work.

ELIA JANE is growing like crazy and is in the "changing every day" stage!
Here's what's new!!!
1. She is cutting tooth #6 (she decided to cut like three at one time!)

2. She is saying Dat (which we of course interpret to mean Daddy)

3. She is also saying "Tttt" (which anyone with half a brain will know means TayTay)

4. She is clapping and raising her hands in the prayer room during worship, anytime she hears music, and also when we say "Yeah LiLi" anytime she does something great!

5. She pulled herself up by grabbing the attic of her doll house. She was very proud!

6. She is not crawling on all fours, but she rolls and scooches herself everywhere. Power cords are especially fascinating. (Don't worry Dad, she'll crawl).

7. She can do push ups onto her tippee-toes and hands (very strong abs!)

8. OHHHHH, and should be TOP OF THE LIST! I got my first "voluntary kiss" last night. Just to clarify, a voluntary kiss is one where the small girl leans in and touches her lips to yours and then proceeds to stick out the tip of her tongue! It was delightful and made me cry. (more on that later)

Enough is Enough

Ok, we're sick again. I'm not liking this one bit. I went to baby shower #1 Friday night, only to come home feeling like I had been hit by a truck.... sore throat, cough, head pounding.

I get up Saturday teach my session w/ a box of tissues on the podium, and cough drops in my pocket. It really went well considering.

I race around and help with baby shower #2 for my sis-in-law, leave Isabelle to spend the night with her cousins and return home to CRASH!

I get a call a few hours later that Isabelle is throwing up. I race over get her, bring my poor sick dear home to the couch. Meanwhile my cough is feeling like someone is sticking knives in my chest.

I spend the night coughing, and holding back Isabelle's hair while she vomits all night.(For real, she's this tiny little thing and I wasn't sure after like the 12th trip to the bathroom that her body could take it any more.)

Sunday plans come crashing down: I find someone to cover my service, RSVP that I cannot attend shower #3, and hit the couch with Isabelle. Daddy gets home from his 8-10AM set in the prayer room and takes over. He saves the day by feeding Elia, changing her (she decides this is a good day to fill her diaper every hour!), runs to Walmart for the essentials, and runs some laundry!

This is not a rant, or a complaint, this is just real life! I will however be very grateful for an illness-free week in this house!

On a funny note, Elia has begun to mimic. Her mimic of the weekend, was to fake cough every time I had a coughing fit.... It was hysterical, and she was quite proud of herself!

Our Story: Part Three

So, it's 2001 and we've returned to our "hometown" in Pennsylvania after a very rough year. We buy our first house, I start a job working for a dear friend who is a Physical Therapist as her secretary. The kids start school at the Christian school that I had graduated from, where my father is the headmaster and my mom teaches 1st grade. John returns to work in sales at the company where he worked prior to our moving away.

Our first few months back are a bit rocky in many ways. Spiritually and relationally. The enemy hits hard and we are too tired to fight back.

We hear that Bob Sorge is speaking at a local church for the weekend, and we decide to attend. We literally drag ourselves there. We are so battered that we sit in the back row and just soak in the message. I cry. We come back to the next service and the next, and our spirits feel a small measure of hope.

We begin attending this church, and for a season we just sit and receive. Julie Meyer comes to lead a women's conference, my heart is stirred and I begin to surrender some things to the Lord for healing- bit by bit, I'm hearing again that the Father loves me and I really want to believe it. Chris Dupre comes and leads a men's conference- John attends. A few months later Mark Sanford from Elijah House Ministries came in for a conference. We experience a great deal of healing and growth.

(side note: in 2003 I start teaching art again in a public school- where I teach for the next three years)

During this same season, we begin listening again to teachings from IHOP. Derek's brother has started a house of prayer in Indianapolis. We visit there, and get to hear teams from IHOP-KC occasionally. (Steward Greaves came w/ Alisha Powell)

At our home church John and I start leading worship occasionally, and eventually begin leading a Wednesday night service with "soaking" devotional-type worship. We don't know exactly what we're doing, but we sing the word and we pray the word. We have no idea really how the IHOP model works, but we do what the Lord is leading us to do, and we learn a lot. The Wednesday night service then become a time where we do a teaching for a bit before the "Devo" begins. We basically reiterate the teachings that we are studying from IHOP- Intimacy, Sermon on the Mount, End Times, etc. We are growing, learning to minister as a family, and are quite happy!

It's now 2005, and we attend a onething conference in Harrisburg, PA with a group of young adults that go with us from our church. This reaffirms for us the call that the Lord has on our lives and encourages us to continue on! (At this conference we receive ministry and have some awesome prophetic words over our family). And out of the blue someone comes up to us and tells us that they feel like we will be "moving" soon. We walk away, look at each other a bit confused, sort of brush it off and set it aside because there is no reason for us to think about moving anywhere, the idea of moving was just not on our grid at all.)

This however sets a whole series of events in motion. More to come!!!!

This Weekend

1. I'm part of a Children's Equipping Leadership Summit. I teach tomorrow morning on the Spirit of Adoption (yeah! my favorite).

2. I have three baby showers to attend, one that I am co-hostessing for my sister-in-law, Heather.

3. I have one farewell party for a family going on a long term missions trip to India. Joy has been Isabelle's dance leader in the prayer room for a year now. We will miss them so much!

4. I have one boy at my house while his parents are on a ministry trip.

4. Nick and Jackson have to be a conference all weekend, so I'm the shuttle.

5. I teach Sunday morning.

6. I have a heap of laundry that will not get done this weekend.

Revelations from a 9 year old

Taylor, Isabelle and I were snuggled in bed last night waiting on daddy to tuck them in their own beds. Isabelle shared with me about her time in school where she was invited to pray over the younger elementary students by their teacher. She said,

"As I was praying for them I was just realizing how much God really loves us. I was thinking of Elia and how He loved her so much that He rescued her and put her in our family. He loves us all that much."

There you have it, the Spirit of Adoption! Simple Revelation of a GREAT BIG LOVE!
He stoops down to make me great! He reaches down and grabs us out of the muck and mire of our lives, cleanses us, makes us new, and calls us His sons and daughters.

No One in Our House is Sick

It has been a number of days since I could say that!
I'm happy to say that all of the Happy Louxes are well.
Thanks for your prayers.

Check out This Guy's Artwork

Bruce Lee
and this

Side Walk Painting

New List In Sidebar

I've added a link list in the sidebar called "Families Pursuing Adoption"... make sure to check it out!

This is Kind of Fun

Cash Advance Loans

My blog was rated "College Level" reading, though I'm not sure how accurate this is, as a friend (who is way smart than I am) was rated "Junior High".

My next job is to find out what my funny hubby's blog is rated!

Update

The sick boy on the couch was up all night throwing up.
I feel queasy, perhaps just the power of suggestion.... I sure hope so!

Good Night

One sick husband put to bed very early....
Two healthy children (Nick and Isabelle) in bed on time.
One tiny baby not feeling well at all, cried herself to sleep in my arms, FINALLY in BED, way too late!
One beautiful curly headed blonde son, who is not feeling so well in his tummy, FINALLY asleep on the COUCH!

One tired momma who thought she was going to sleep a second ago, now hears dear baby cry!

I'm Not a Very Good Sick Person!

I think I've used that title before.

Anyway, I don't do "sick" very well. The very idea of doing nothing and just resting is somehow against my nature.... hmmmmmmm!!! Anyway, yesterday I was down all day, flu-ish type symptoms, minus the fever... Today the aches and exploding headache are gone, and I'm left with feeling like someone pulled the plug (very tired), and strangely dizzy.

I dislike Walmart as it is, but try weaving your way through Walmart for a few essentials with baby, feeling slightly drunk. I'm serious! I hope no one noticed my swerving cart.

Praying a rest on the couch for a few hours will clear my brain so that I can teach the three art classes I'm scheduled to teach this afternoon.