Summer Birthdays

There are perhaps some disadvantages to having a Summer Birthday, but in Mrs. Jennings 1st and 2nd grade class at Fountain City Christian, it was a bonus. Ronnie's birthday is not until mid-June, but last Thursday he got to celebrate with his classmates.

He wanted cupcakes. So I made cupcakes. He wanted red frosting, so we did white with a Red R and 7 on each one. It's hard to believe my little man will be 7!

Below is Ronnie's class:

Mrs. Jennings called Ronnie up to the front of the room and they all sang Happy Birthday to him. Then she led the class in a prayer for him. It was so sweet and brought tears to my eyes. What a special thing to have a Christian Lady, who not only loves the Lord, but shares that love with my son and his classmates.

Thank you Jesus for Ronnie and for Christian Education.

Happy Mother's Day!

I was greeted at 12:15 am this morning by my beautiful daughter. She was, in her own way, giving me an early "Happy Mother's Day". OK, maybe it was her teeth, but she just wanted her Mommy. Then at 5:15 am a second Mother's Day greeting came from a sleepy WET 3 year old. "Mommy, I'm all wet". So my Mother's Day greetings started.

I am so Blessed to have 4 happy, healthy, energetic, fun, loving children whom I would do anything for.

They are so cute!

My parents and grandparents came for church and lunch. Below are 4 generations of Mom's. I hope to teach Maddie the Christian Traditions and Values and Faith that my Mom taught to me.

And I can't forget those handsome men. I'm so proud of the young men they are becoming. They have a great role model in their Daddy. I'm blessed to have all 4 of them.

I'm living my dream. I'm a Mommy and I love it! Happy Mother's Day!

Hard Workers

Last Friday (I know I'm behind), we had a thunderstorm blow through. We didn't really hear a lot of wind, but Ron and I both sat up in bed when the lightening hit. He ran to check windows because we had some open. When he came back he said, "we lost a pear tree".

When we woke up the next morning, this is what we found.

We knew that the tree was dying and was actually pretty hollow, but it must have been a good wind to bring it down. And if you look you can see how it just lay down perfectly beside the house and not on it. Praise the Lord!

So the crew waited for the rain to stop then headed out to tackel the mess. Below are the guys hard at work...and a few pictures of their encourager, cheering them on.

A record, 1 hour and 15 minutes from start to finish. We've got some hard workers around this place.

He Meets You

A few weeks back our Pastor, (who I might mention is a very smart, intelligent and cute guy) gave a sermon on John 21:1-19. I have been thinking a lot about one aspect of that sermon and thought I would share a bit of it here. There is actually quite a bit in this passage to look at, but I wanted to draw your attention to verses 15-17,

15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simeon Peter, , "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

The interesting thing here is the word, Love. In the Greek (which was the original language of the New Testament) there are 3 different kinds of love. There is Eros, which is where we get our English word erotic. It is a sexual love. Then there is phileo, which we get our word Philadelphia or the city of "brotherly love". It is a brotherly type of love. Then the final love is agapao which is a self-sacrificing love. A love that would give all else up for another.

So now back to the passage. Read these words again with the original word for love inserted.

"Simon son of John, do you truly agapao me more than these?"

"Yes Lord," he said, "you know I phileo you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly agapao me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I phileo you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you phileo me?"

...He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I phileo you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

Did you catch that? The first two times Jesus asks the question he is asking for a love that will set all else aside and focus solely on Jesus. But Peter's response is a brotherly love. "Lord, You know that I phileo you." It is more of a distant love. Then the third and final time, Jesus changes it. He asks, "do you phileo me?" and Peter responds, "you know that I phileo you." What Jesus is asking is, Peter, are you willing to die for me and for my sake?

Jesus sees where Peter is and goes to him. He meets him where He is. Peter wasn't ready for a love that would give up everything and sacrifice all. So Jesus goes to Peter and says, it's OK Peter, you and I have a relationship now that is not a self-sacrificing love, but we have a starting point. Jesus meets Peter where he is and tells him to, "Follow Me." (verse 19). Jesus wants us to come to Him. He promises to meet us where we are and then if we will follow Him - He will take us to amazing places. He will teach us what it means to have an agapao kind of love, or self-sacrificing.

In the end, Peter died for his love for Jesus. It was the ultimate self-sacrificial death.

So where are you today? Are you willing to say, Lord, I agapao you? Or maybe you have a phileo, brotherly, love with Jesus. It's OK. He promises to meet us where we are and if we will follow Him he will teach us what it means to have a self-sacrificing love with our Savior.

Nearing the End

Today my handsome hubby is traveling to Columbus. In just 3 weeks he will graduate with his Masters of Sacred Theology from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus. It has taken a little longer than we expected, but this journey of a second Masters and Thesis is nearing the end. Today he had to take the finished Thesis down to get signatures from his advisers and professors.

This journey began nearly 5 years ago. Ron was remembering this morning that the fall when he began classes was the same fall that Ronnie had surgery and so even his first semester was a lightened load due to the surgery. Because of his work load at OCU and the busyness of life it has taken a little longer, but we are rejoicing today as he hands in the final project.

Ron will graduate on May 22nd and I couldn't be more proud. We don't know for sure what the Lord has in store for us next, but we are thankful for His leading and blessing during this phase of schooling.

Thank you Jesus for my wonderful husband and his brilliant mind!

I love you Ronnie and I'm proud of you!

"I'm Ready"

A few weeks back, Nathaniel and I had been talking. It was a pretty good conversation about Heaven and him making a decision to ask Jesus into his heart.

Well, this morning, I was brushing Eli's teeth, when Nathaniel came in and was looking pretty nervous. He said, "mom, I gotta tell you something". I was rushed, but quickly said, "what"?

He said, "Remember when you told me that if I was ready to ask Jesus into my heart to come to you or dad?".

"Yes", I said, slowing down now and really listening.

"Well, I'm ready."

Just then Daddy came upstairs to get ready for church too. We walked into our bedroom and sat on the edge of our bed. He got shy all the sudden and wanted me to tell Ron, but then Nathaniel said again, "I'm ready".

Ron and I asked him some questions to make sure he understood what he wanted to do and what that meant. Then Ron lead him in a prayer where he admitted his sins, asked for forgiveness and asked Jesus to come into his heart and change him. What a beautiful time it was.

At the same time, Ronnie was in the hallway. He had been sitting their since getting dressed just reading his Bible aloud. He was reading the Genesis story of Adam and Eve and how they had disobeyed God and had been ashamed and had been kicked out of the garden. So, while Ronnie was reading of the account, Nathaniel was admitting his sins to Jesus and asking Jesus to be His Savior.

Ron and I have prayed and talked long before we had children about ways that we wanted our home to be run and how we wanted our home to be a place where not only Jesus was talked about and lived, but a place that would be a welcome opportunity for our children to begin their own relationships with Jesus.

Ron and I have had the privilege of being present and leading both Ronnie and Nathaniel in that prayer to begin their relationship with Jesus.

We are rejoicing with the angels in Heaven today. May 2, 2010 will be a day that will be celebrated in the Adkins home for years to come.

Tradition and Birthdays

Maddie wasn't sure what to think of a candle and cake. She hadn't had either before and she wasn't quite sure what she was suppose to do. There were a few tears even...

but she finally figured out that she really likes cake and frosting is even better.

There is a tradition in our home, that Grandma Neff makes the kids 1st Birthday cake. It is a bear that she decorates differently for each one. This year I offered to make Maddie's. We weren't sure how Grandma would feel and I wanted to make sure Maddie got the bear too. In the end, Grandma and Pap ended up being able to come today, so we saved the bear cake.

Maddie's enjoyed it just as much as her cake yesterday.



She wasn't exactly sure what to do with the sunglasses from Pap.

She loved the Little People Zoo though.

Thanks for coming Grandma and Pap and for sharing in Maddie's 1st Birthday Celebration.

The First Year

Today our beautiful little gal celebrates her 1st Birthday. It doesn't seem possible that a whole year has gone by. We are changed completely here in the Adkins home. I'll let you see for yourself in pictures all the changes that Maddie has gone through in the last year.

Our Beautiful Maddie is growing and changing and developing! We are even more excited today than we were a year ago to have her as a part of our family. She brings laughter and fun and lots of pink into our home. We love you Madison Anne. Happy 1st Birthday!

I like to be Helpful

With a family of 6, it's important that we help each other out. We are learning what it means to be helpful.

Below Eli is making sure Sissy doesn't fall.

OK, he got a little more into the camera and forgot what he was doing.

Nathaniel can be helpful too.

Eli likes to hold sissy's hand. We just have to teach him that he can't take off while she's holding on.

Yesterday I witnessed the older 2 boys teaching Eli to play baseball. This is a first. Last year Eli was content to just be outside when his brothers were. Now he wants to be involved in what they are doing. I was proud to see that both Ronnie and Nathaniel were willing to teach him and be helpful.

So we are learning to be helpful around the Adkins home.

Helping Out

On Sunday evening, Maddie, Eli and I packed up and went to see Pap and Grandma (my parents). Mom's 6th treatment was Monday morning and I took her. Dad is finishing up his finals for IWU and then he will be done for the summer. He is also on a scheduled sabbatical as of Saturday. (the Sabbatical was scheduled before mom found out she had cancer - isn't it Amazing how God works).

So, I was looking forward to going to treatment with mom. I hadn't been and I was anxious to see how it all worked. I had heard about Ryan's (Ron's brother), but never actually went with him either.

Part of me wanted to take a picture of mom sitting in the chair receiving the medication (just to document this journey), but I wasn't quite sure if that was appropriate. It was interesting to me though and I found myself wondering about all the other people receiving treatment. Again I was thankful that we are going down this road with Jesus by our side.

Monday morning before we left I cleared Eli to go see Grandma in her room. I knew she would be finishing up getting ready (make-up and such), but I didn't even think about the fact that her wig wouldn't be on yet. He was slightly taken back, but simply exclaimed, "you look like a boy". Once she covered her head he felt better about it. They even looked at the wigs! So here is what Eli would look like as a girl. We were always told when our boys were little that they were too cute to be boys - well, I'm not sure about that, but I do think he looks a little like his Adkins cousins! Doesn't mom look great!?!

While I took mom to treatment, Eli and Maddie got to stay with some friends of ours. Ms. Connie and Anna. Anna is about 5 months older than Maddie and Eli absolutely adores her. He was so excited to go and play at Anna's house.

We are thankful that Connie was willing and available to keep the kids. They all seemed to have a great time. Thanks again, Connie and Anna.

We also stayed Monday night and did a little cleaning on Tuesday before coming home. We had a good time with Grandma and we are so thankful for how well she is doing.

Thank you Jesus that Mom is doing so well. Thank you that we know you as our Personal Savior and we don't have to go down this road of cancer and treatment alone. Thank you!