"A Glass of Forgiveness"

For her birthday, Ellie received a really great book, "Beakers, Bubbles & the Bible" from The Moons. Ellie's been begging to try out the science experiments so we decided to make a little family science time and we experimented with lesson one. The girls had such a blast that I'm going to go ahead and copyright this and give you all the lesson in case you want to experiment for yourselves:

A Glass of Forgiveness
Learning Forgiveness

1 John 1:9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Lab Equipment:
candle
clear drinking glass (taller than the candle)
coin
flat plate
food coloring
match
water

Before You Begin:
Add food coloring to the water in order for it to show up against the plate

Experiment:
1. Place the candle in the center of the plate & light it
2. Set the coin on the plate several inches from the candle. Pour enough colored water around the candle so that it completely covers the bottom of the plate where the coin is.
3. Place the clear drinking glass over the candle and watch.
4. When the flame goes out on the candle, the water will be drawn into the glass, leaving the coin by itself on the plate.

Observation (We talked about the the following questions while repeating the experiment several more times. Then, we had the girls color their observations in "science journals" like Sid the Science Kid).
What happened to the flame when the glass was placed over the candle?
What happened to the water that was around the coin?

Discussion
1. Each of these things in our experiment represent something. The candle is God, the water is you, the coin is sin and the glass is when God forgives you.
2. With these representations in mind, repeat the experiment asking questions as you go. Ask the significance of each item as you put it in place. When the candle, water, and coin are in place, ask where the sin (coin) is. It is in you (water)
3. Read 1 John 1:9. The Bible tells us that if we confess our sin, God will forgive us for disobeying Him. When we confess our sin, there is something different about our lives. What is different about where the sin (coin) is once God forgives us?
4. When God forgives us He pulls us away from our sin and close to Him. He doesn't want that sin to be part of our lives anymore.




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Christmas Traditions

Every year we travel to visit our extended family over Christmas and that equates us celebrating our small family Christmas early. Now that Riley and I have been married seven years, and the girls are getting older, it's been fun creating traditions of our own. While growing up I loved baking huge batches of cookies with my dad, and then delivering them to all of our neighbors nights before Christmas. I've enjoyed carrying this tradition over to my family and my girls love it too. Last night we delivered our cookies to neighbors via a wagon ride with hot chocolate in tote. This year Ellie insisted on being the one to hold the packages, ring the doorbells, and give out the "Merry Christmas" greeting. After our cookie delivery escapade, Riley made a fire in the fireplace, we opened our stocking stuffers and ate lots of appetizer treats. We read the Christmas story and went to bed. When the girls woke early this morning their stockings were filled with candy from Santa & lo-and-behold, the donuts left out for Santa had all been eaten. We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and blew out his candle a'top the cranberry muffin, and then shared breakfast together. We, then, took turns opening the gifts under the tree. Our last activity was sending the girls on a scavenger hunt to find their final gift, and this was an event Riley remembers as a child. Ellie quickly caught onto the concept of "clues" and "scavenger hunt" and Saedi was doing her best to keep up. I'm sure next year we'll add a few more traditions, but we've got our collection started. It's easy to get caught up in the fun & hullabaloo of Christmas, but I'm proud that my girls understand that Christmas is about giving...just as Jesus was born on earth to give us life.
Cookie Delivery

Making the fire

New panties!

The girls experimenting on me with their new doctor's kit

Finding the final gift...a mini-tramp!




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Vintage T-Shirts

While this is not one my thrifty finds, it is a worthy find to make mention of. So, check out these cool vintage t-shirts AND know that in purchasing one, you're helping the orphans in Ethiopia. Also, click here to find more great gifts to help the people in Ethiopia. Perhaps, you can let your kids pick out an item from the catalog while teaching them a mini geography & poverty lesson. Or maybe you & your hubby can reduce your Christmas budget for each other this year in order to give to genuine need. You could even get a group of friends, and purchase an item in the catalog. Let me know if any of you decide to go for it. Myself, I'm leaning towards purchasing a new water well. Happy shopping!



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Udder Covers

Hooter Hiders, Udder Covers, Nursing Wraps. These are just a few of the names for this modern nursing tool. My friend Jodi made me one of these when I was expecting Saedi and I loved it for making nursing convenient, but still private. Well, I learned tonight from my friend Jen that if you go here and apply the code, "Christmas" you can get one of these nursing lifesavers for only the price of shipping ($8.95)!



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The Nasty 23rd

Riley participated in his 3rd marathon on Saturday in Huntsville, Alabama. His first goal in finishing this race was to qualitfy for Boston this Spring, and his second goal was to break three hours (or Keving Toth's time of 2:59 something). While he achieved his first goal and even pr'd by 4 minutes, he wasn't able to pull off his under-3 goal. I was able to watch Riley at the start, mile 11, mile 19, and then at the finish line. He looked strong the entire time until the end. At mile 23 his legs were cramping too badly to hold his super-fast pace of >6:45 min miles. It amazes me every time I watch Riley race because he's one of the few people I know who are fast enough to start in the front of the pack, and he's one of the most stubborn people I know, which holds him in lead. I knew he would finish, but I'm proud of him for gutting out the last three miles even when his body was burning and he knew he wouldn't reach his goal.
Race Stats: 63rd place overall (maybe out of 1500 or 2000), 11th place in age group, time of 3:05:43.
Riley (in bottom left corner)starting the race

Mile 11

Coming around the bend to mile 19

Almost to the finish line


A slightly disappointed done







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Christmas Tree

A few weekends ago we drove out to Dover, TN to cut down a Christmas tree at Dave & Jodi's house. The girls always love going out to he Kenney's where they can see Dixie the donkey, the dogs, and the chickens, and their friend, Peighton, of course. We haven't had a real tree since the girls were born, but we decided this would be the year to re-ignite the olden' days. The cedar tree we chose didn't look that huge out in the field, but once we got it inside Riley had a lot of trimming to do. The tree is a larger version of Charlie Brown's tree, but we love it!




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Another great deal

I heard about this great deal from another frugal friend of mine.
If any of you are planning to send out Christmas cards & have procrastinated like me, here's a super cheap way to do it! Kudos to Ally for the great find!
-go to seehere.com
-create your photocard (be sure to save it)
-put '50' in your quantity
-at checkout use promo code 'newbaby'
-you do have to pay shipping but it's only $3.19
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Happy 4th Birthday, Ellie!

Birthday Girll with her Tinkerbell Cake

Oh, there's so many wonderful ways I love my Ellie-Belly:
She's my firstborn and there's a special bond attributed with that
She's got motherly intuition at a ripe young age
She's compassionate to those hurting
She's a vibrant, energetic, strong-willed, dynamic leader
She makes new friends better than anyone else I know
She's confident
She's an excellent artist and enjoys making up stories & songs
I love you so, my Bird-Bird growing up too quickly for me!
Fairy Friends: Emmy, Brooke, & Ellie

Feeding the 5,000

Opening Presents

Miss Natalie's Dance Party Extravaganza

Lovin' on Mia

Ellie & Kendall-Roo






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Wise Shopping

Christmastime is quickly approaching and the art of frugality is a favorite pastime of mine. All that said, I wanted to turn you on to my latest favorite blog. I check this site multiple times a day for some great deals and freebies. I'm always looking at the Target and Walgreens deals, but there's so much more out there! Just yesterday I was able to make a photo calendar for FREE (shipping and all!), and a few days ago I was able to get some awesome magazine subscriptions for just $5! And my latest? Well, I'm in the drawing to win Riley a Glacier Outdoor Combo Pack for fly-fishing. So, whether or not you've got thriftiness in your soul, check out the website for practical savings.

And, if you're the crafty type, I have two ideas for you. Check out this adorable crayon roll tutorial! I've made several and they're inexpensive & simple to make. Just know that if you have little people living in your house, that's what they'll be getting for Christmas this year from the Post family! Last year, I made these Superhero Capes for Ellie's 3rd Birthday party. While not as cheap nor easy as the crayon roll, these still made great gifts. Oh, and there's always a personalized apron or art smock. Let me know if you attempt any of these... I'd love to see your finished gems!

Thanksgiving in Ohio

Dave, Dad, Ellie, Riley, Me, Saedi, Steve, John holding baby Logan, Scott, Laura, Blake
Megan, Mom, Nana, Jenny holding Hailey, Theresa, Nathan

Last-minute, we decided to trek up to Ohio for Thanksgiving. Ellie is a trooper during road trips and sleeps like a champ in the car. Saedi, on the other hand, can never seem to get comfortable. Needless to say, we spend many minutes singing, playing random made-up car games, and manually holding up the computer so the girls could watch a movie. It's funny that Riley and I both prefer driving over having to entertain the girls in the car! Oh how times have changed. No more passenger side sleeping! Regardless, we're glad we went up for a few days as this is the first time my whole family has been together in over a year.

Ellie playing masks with her cousin, Nathan. Can you guess which one is her?


The girls playing momma to baby Logan. Of course, both girls wanted to give him his bottle, but their attention span lasted seconds. As they got distracted Logan's bottle would slip out of his mouth until intervention was made.


Story time with Aunt Meg. Saedi kept saying, "Jesus loves me!"









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Pics with Daddy

Hair Salon

Horsey Rides

Daddy and the girls raking the Fall leaves




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Loss, Grief, & Rejoicing Intertwined

"Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again...My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you."
Psalm 71:20,23

I've been a poor blogger lately due to a heavy heart pre-occupied by sad news. A few weeks ago we found out I was pregnant, and then at six weeks I miscarried. I finally feel like I'm able to put a small bit of this experience into words. Thus, getting re-started on this blog feels like a dreaded, big step right now. Writing about it is yet one more confirmation of our loss, but it's also a needed step of closure for me. So, bear with me as this is just the beginning of my intertwining thought process.

I'm unable to explain it, but these past two weeks of grieving through my personal loss I've felt an unusual attachment to the Ethiopian baby's birth mother. I will probably never meet this woman, and I may never know the circumstances to why she chose to hand over her precious baby. But right now my heart and soul grieve with her for the loss she has experienced or is about to experience. I find my mind causing me to think the worse not about her but about her circumstances...is she somewhere dying of Aids; is she desperately poor & feels she can no longer make ends meet; is she lonely & feeling hopeless? I grieve for the unknowns of her life. Whatever her circumstance, my heart aches for her and it yearns for her to find the peace of Jesus that is sometimes easiest to recognize in our strongest hardships.

So, yes, even in this grief we're so very grateful that God is preparing us for the arrival of our child from Ethiopia. In some ways, this child from Ethiopia has been my hope. The miscarriage has ignited my passion to fight harder for that baby and I'm beginning to feel first-hand what it means when the books say, in adoption "we are parenting from loss" (MacLeod 5). While we rejoice that we're getting a new member of our family from Ethiopia, and we're excited to add to our family and become a multi-cultural, multi-racial family, this adoption is based upon loss. We will experience the loss of not being able to carry this child and care for the little one for the first months of his life. Now, we'll add the component of loss due to miscarriage. And while everyone may think that this child is "so lucky" to be gaining a family in America, this poor little one will experience more loss than most of us will suffer entire lives. He will have been handed over by his own mother, and losing his country, language, extended family, caregivers, history, and comfort of being with others who look like him. So, yes our hearts skip with excitement when we dream about this adoption happening and holding our little one for the first time, but right now this momma is grieving over the loss of a miscarried "belly baby" (as explained to Ellie) and I'm grieving for the suffering that our Ethiopian baby & his Momma have (or will) endured.

I've appreciated the following statement that is referring to adopted children, but I think can be applied to anyone who has suffered a loss: "If we work with our children to honor their loss, it can be incorporated, and the child can function as a whole again. Then grief & loss are still part of the child, but no longer the dominant part" (MacLeod 174). For me, honoring loss right now means acknowledging that my miscarriage was real and painful, and while this loss will always have a place in our family's story we can rejoice at the joy that awaits us ahead. This little one will not be forgotten.

Aahhh...now that feels good to get that written out. And thanks to Megan for giving me the Scripture that I've clung to:

"Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again...My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you."
Psalm 71:20,23






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While I'm Waiting

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Cupcakes

For the past two years we've gone to Natalie's house with other friends on Halloween night. We all bring food to share, some of the guys usually pass out candy, the kids go trick-or-treating, and then we watch them go bonkers from the sugar in hopes that they'll eventually wear out. The girls were cupcakes this year. Ellie had spotted a cupcake costume on the cover of our Pottery Barn Kids magazine and had been asking to be a cupcake. This thrifty momma was not about to shell out the money for a Pottery Barn costume, but my mother-in-law was happy to help me re-create the costume. I think we did pretty well! The girls got loads of candy and had a blast with their friends.
Brookey as Snow White, Miss Emmy as Cinderella & Ellie as Cupcake

Inspecting the Goods

Buds, Ellie & Caleb





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New Sleeping Arrangements

We recently transitioned the girls to the same bedroom and they're loving it! The funny part is that they now prefer sharing a bed, too! Saedi rarely prefers the crib anymore, but it's still in the room for those times when they're too giggly. I'm completely thrilled that this transition went much more smoothly than I anticipated. Our hope is that our girls will be comfortable sharing a room and even a bed with our adopted child (depending on his/her age) in order to ease any attachment issues. Saedi's old room is now the playroom which has helped keep a lot of toy clutter out of the rest of the house. Chuh Ching!




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Hawaii Re-Cap

Hawaii was a breath of fresh air for Riley and I. We had an entire week to ourselves. We woke early (that's what a six hour time change will do to you) most days and simply did what we felt like doing. Some days we ran, snorkeled, visited Chinatown, worked on adoption paperwork, hiked, drove around Oahu exploring the North Shore and watching surfers, read by the pool, napped, toured Pear Harbor, feasted on fine cuisine, and relaxed! It was a time of re-connecting after back to back deployments. It was a time of dreaming about our future, our family, and reflecting on God's goodness.

Luau Night where we watched coconut tree climbers, Polynesian dancers, and feasted on roasted pig, poi, sweet potatoes, plantains, and other foods native to Hawaii
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

Early morning snorkeling at the famous Hanauma Bay nature preserve

Riley looking down into the oily water aboard the USS Arizona memorial. We were surprised to see how much oil was still on the site.

This man is one of the few Dec 7, 1941 survivors still alive. He said this was his first time back to the site in 68 years.

Riley at Pearl Harbor on USS Arizona memorial



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The Hunt...

Another "busy" day on Ohahu...






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Hale Koa

Just a few pics of our first few days in Hawaii. Both are pool/beach pictures near the

Hale Koa
hotel where we're staying

Update from Auntie Meg

The girls are in Shelby with the grandparents while Riley and I made it to Hawaii last night after a whole day of traveling. We were up pretty early this morning because of the 6 hour time change, but we went for an early morning run and are heading to the beach in a few minutes. So thankful for this break with just the two of us. Hawaii is beautiful, warm and sunny! We're going to head to Pearl Harbor tomorrow, climb Diamond Head mountain on Friday morning, gonna make sure we hit up Chinatown and a traditional lua. Well, not gonna waste my beach time on the computer...:) Below is an update of the girls from Aunt Meg:

Well, the girls had a wonderful time at the Shelby story time yesterday morning. Mom was quick to say that Ellie was first in the fire truck, first to answer questions, and very attentive/interested. Saed-Saed crawled in to Jewel's lap (Pastor Tim's wife) and Ellie was a good big sis to her.

I arrived at Mom's around lunch time and both girls were eating. They were sweet and obedient all day long. Ellie tinkled before her nap and all by herself when she awoke 2 hours later. She helped me grocery shop at IGA and was very, very good. Saedi woke up soon after we left. When Ellie and I got home, Gpa, your girls and I went to the park and played for about 1 1/2. We showed Ellie your old house and she told us about how you had to move when her Gma died. I told her that was the house you moved to.

Saedi loved swinging and was giving big belly-laughs as Gpa pushed her (she likes swingin' like her mama). She seems to be the more adventurous one while Ellie was a bit more cautious. We walked from the Playscape down to the park by the pool and Saed (and Ellie) went down the BIG metal slide. Saed even crawled up the ladder by her self each time. Big girl!!!! and not afraid!!!)

We got back and Gma had a yummy dinner for us then we took baths. I had my swimsuit on and crawled in the big jacuzzi tub b/c I didn't want to her Saed-Saed scream (plus mom said you had already given baths and they weren't needed . . . however Ellie was pretty dirty from the park so Saed-Saed just walked around in the tub playing and Ellie got a full bath/hair wash.) Ellie wanted me to bring my confetti soaps so we were geared for a bath. We took bubbles into the tub and had a nice time. Then jammies, a snack, and library movie (Belle). I left then but when I called at 8:30ish they were in bed.

I think they are staying home today. I brought over and bought (with mom's $$) and handful of things to keep them busy (cardboard coloring house you can play in, Play-doh, sidewalk chalk, construction paper, crayons, coloring books, books, etc.)

I bought the shopping cart and it is supposed to come this week. I also got a cute 4T long sleeve/adjustable pant outfit from Children's Place. I may wrap up her clothes and send it with Mom to Mimi and Papa's house so you can get it and have her open it on her bday. I would like her to have a gift from me to open.

Great seeing you this past week. Thanks for spending time with us.

Trust you 2 are enjoying each other!
Megan





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Thankfulness

I have so much to be thankful for & lately I've been bubbling over with joy. Since Riley and I decided to start the international adoption process we've been plowing forward full speed ahead. And I'm thankful for efficiency right now! I know there will be a time in this process where there will be nothing left for us to do on this end but wait, but until then, God has been clearing pathways for us to get this paperwork done at lightning speed. Our home study is well on it's way to take place at the end of this month, our immigration forms have been sent out, and we're quickly gathering necessary documents for our dossier. We've gotten our physicals, copies of birth certificates, marriage licences, and we're reading like I haven't read in months. All is good and I'm bubbling over with anticipation as my heart grows for this next child in our family. Has he/she been born yet? What will his/her story be? How is are our hearts going to ache and rejoice with change?

I'm thankful for the unconditional support we're receiving from family. Although there are lots of questions and unknowns in the hearts of so many people who care about us, we know it comes from a place of love. Thanks to all who are standing with us during this exciting, pivotal time!



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Ohio Cousins

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