As for me, I know of nothing else but miracles. - Walt Whitman

Monday, December 16, 2013

Thankful For...

1. Random conversations I have with my boys.
     -While watching me fry eggs one morning, Jalen and Jordan were laughing hysterically at the way the eggs were sizzling in the pan. "What are you guys laughing at?" I asked. "The eggs are wiggling their butts!" came the reply. Hmmm.....I didn't even know eggs had butts.

     -Recently, I asked the twins what they want to be when they grow up. Jordan's reply? "A horse!" And Jalen would like to be a teenager.

2. My baby girl's big heart.
     -One of our local banks recently visited the 2nd grade classes at school. They gave each child some play money, asked them what they would do with the money if it was real, and held a contest for the best answer. Malia said that she would give her money to orphans, and the judges liked her answer the best. She won a goody bag from the bank, and was thrilled!




3. Christmas programs and concerts.
Ashton's 3rd grade Christmas play:

Shana's 7th grade Christmas concert:


4. Technology that lets me instant message with a friend that lives half a world away in Ethiopia. 
     -The other night, I was able to communicate instantaneously with a friend who took care of my boys while they still lived in Gambella. :-)

5. The special mothers and staff at Hannah's Hope who took care of my boys in Addis Ababa. 
     -These men and women are precious....we are always excited to see them again. I am also excited that our adoption agency has started a sponsorship program for them. To "meet" some of our dear friends in Ethiopia, click the link below.


6. Another trip that we get to make to Ethiopia next spring! 
     -You can visit our advocate page here: http://www.allgodschildren.org/advocate-projects/manz

7. A little boy in Ukraine.
     -Yesterday was a bittersweet day for me. It was my birthday, but it was also the day that V (who we hosted last winter) found out that he would not be able to come to America for Christmas this year. He was so sure he would get to come, but his paperwork did not get completed on time. My friend Val and I are sending him a care package to brighten up his Christmas a bit. Please pray that he gets it. To my knowledge, he has never received the other care packages I've sent to him in the past. It may be that someone else decides to keep the gifts, but we're asking God to deliver this special package to V, no matter what! 

8. The fact that my wonderful husband is officially on vacation for the rest of the year! 

9. The coffee bar that Chris just built for me. (Along with the Ethiopian paintings and coffee ceremony pictures that hang above it.)






10. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!


1 comment:

  1. I LOVE your coffee bar!! Especially love the pictures above it and your ET coffee pot! So fun!

    I sure wish we could go with you to ET in the Spring. Hopefully someday we can go with you. :)

    ReplyDelete