I am thinking of joining the Schizophrenic Support Group

:)

Some days I love this DC adventure. Some days I hate it. Some days I love the open possibilities before us. Some days I want to go back to Egypt.

Some days I am amazed at what neat people I have met. Some days I am so homesick I could cry.

Surprising. I am normally such an outgoing, gung-ho, attack and overcome person - that this up and down stuff has thrown me for a loop. I have to wonder each day....is today a day I feel like climbing the mountain to the top? Or would I rather crawl in a dark hole today?

Just being real and transparent.

Why Am I Not Blogging?

Seems like some of YOU keep asking this! :) Well, there are SEVERAL reasons:

1. The adjustment to being with my children 24/7 - along with the transitional stuff that is taking an ETERNITY.... keeps me from having much "quiet" time to form my thoughts into blog posts! But the girls and I have made HUGE strides in the last couple of weeks towards finding a semblance of structure and "at homeness".

2. My emotions and thoughts are so muddied. It is hard to even describe what I have been feeling, observing, and analyzing about myself and this move. When I find the words and cohesive thoughts to share these things - I will. I am getting there!

I hope to start looking at my blog in "blog bytes"...small snippets of thoughts and stories, instead of the comprehensive posts I once could share on our adoption blog. It is taking a shift in my brain to do that!

So hopefully there will be at least little snippets every few days - instead of one per month! Thanks so much to all of our friends and family for keeping up with us and for your prayer and support!

PRAYER NEEDS FOR DECEMBER:
1. Please continue to pray for Macy and Mia. Pray that there will be a "settling" that takes place in our home. Pray that God will give us wisdom as parents to guide them into Godliness.

2. Please pray for Macy that she will have a strong and positive desire to learn as we continue home-schooling.

3. Please pray for Brad and I to find God's direction for our lives. When this program ends in August - we still have no idea what God is leading us towards. It would be REALLY wonderful for God to begin to open up doors and shine a light on our path! :)

4. Please pray for our marriage...that in the midst of chaos and uncertainty - that we will cultivate a beautiful marriage that reflects God's love in all we do.

5. Please pray for God's provision. December is traditionally a crunch month for everyone...please pray that God will provide all of our needs.

6. Pray for friendship.

7. Pray specifically for us emotionally. Some days we feel lost. Some days are good. All days we know we are in the center of God's will....but there are still emotions, frustrations, and disappointments to deal with. Pray for grace. God is teaching us so much through this whole experience.

Thank you...and much love. :) (fh)

Last Month in Pics

The Princess and The Bee

Seems like there was a princess and a little bee last fall in Huntsville at the Moms group costume party.....hmmm...yep. Those costumes got recycled this year.....and The Princess and the Little Bee visited Washington DC! There was a little carnival at Ebz (Short for "Ebenezers"... the church coffee house) and the girls loved it! They were just too cute walking down the sidewalk together!

I have NO idea who these guys are...I am assuming that maybe they attend NCC...but this picture was just too funny! LOL! Is that supposed to be the nun and the cowboy? :)

New neighbors and friends:

There is a family that lives 4 houses down from us that has a little girl, Niya, who is close to Macy's age. That common denominator has caused us to get to know one another....and they are a GREAT family. Dad works at Library of Congress; Mom works for ...Mitre....(sp?) Very classy yet personable people. And being personable is not even something I have found throughout the Christian community here! Mark (dad) has brought us several things from his DC garden (some plot of ground they rent to have a garden spot a few blocks from here!) - and it has been WONDERFUL! Yummy eggplant!

Me and the girls went with Gwendolyn (mom) and her girls to a soccer game a few weeks ago (they also have a 14 year old) - and had a great time!

Macy and her new friend Niya.

My new friend and neighbor Gwendolyn. She has been such a blessing to me! She keeps me laughing and definitely has a "tell it like it is" personality! Love her!

Noni's Birthday

My mom had a birthday this month...and even though we did not get to see her - we made her a birthday cake! And ate every bite! :) We used ALL the candles we had in the house and still did not have enough! :)

Sightseeing finally!

We have lived here for 3 months and not really taken the time to see much of anything! So we took a day during the Thanksgiving week to go! We were FREEZING as we stopped in front of the Washington monument for this pic!

Macy took her little camera with her into the Smithsonian...it was so cute watching her take pictures of EVERYTHING. Unfortunately she also kept taking the batteries out of her camera...and thus erasing every pic she had taken...or I would post some of her creative photography here! :)

BOTH girls still LOVE lip gloss. Or lip stick. Or paint. Or anything they can make a mess with! I heard them giggling this week...and walk into the bathroom to see that Macy has brilliantly painted her little sisters face....and TEETH...with some lipstick!

We were REALLY bummed about spending our first Thanksgiving without family. Will & Rachel hosted dinner at their house on Thanksgiving and we went there along with several other people from the church that do not have family here in DC. It was really nice and I made some new acquaintances! I learned that Jeff has worked for the government for 19 years....Scott is a Pediatric Oncologist...and Henry has a PhD... Geez! These guys are brilliant! And Henry has such a neat story...he has only been a Christian for 3 years...I will have to post a story about him soon!

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Brad's Wild Goose Chase

Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something…
Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.
—Introduction to Wild Goose Chase.

Wild Goose Chase is the new book that was just released by Pastor Mark. Wow. The intro describes EXACTLY where we are.

While we were at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta last month - there was a flock of geese...and guess what I encouraged the guys in our group to do?! Chase them! While I take pictures!

This pic is of Brad....chasing His goose!

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Wow. I just checked Brad's blog (he JUST started blogging....he is SOOOO BEHIND the times!) LOL! And I just HAD to post part of his devotion he wrote on a study he is doing. It REALLY spoke volumes into my life right now. So good.
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FIG TREE MOMENTS
The proteges at NCC are studying the book of John and I'm really loving it so here's my thoughts on a passage that we tend to zoom past and ignore. By the way - the pic up top is a fig tree somewhere in Israel. Check out the people standing under it - that's one big fig tree!

47Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"
48Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." (J2.47.48)

"I saw you." This is a powerful statement – a reminder – that Jesus knows exactly where we’re at – everyday – every minute – every second – even when we don’t think anyone is watching us – the quiet places – the lonely moments – when we’re at home – driving to work – doing menial tasks – or even when we’re just sitting around under a fig tree – Jesus ‘sees’ us.

The Greek word for ‘to see’ is ‘eidon’ and it means to have regard for one – to cherish – to pay attention to – the word even means to ‘discover.’ Nathanael caught the Lord’s attention when he was simply sitting under a fig tree – and the first amazing thing I see here is that Jesus can step into the simple and make it supernatural.

I believe that this could possibly be one of the Lord’s favorite things to do – it’s His hobby – show up where it’s normal and splash some color on it – drench the mundane with His presence – don’t believe me? He did it in ‘the beginning’, He did it in Bethlehem, He did it at the wedding banquet when all he had was thirsty guests and 6 stone jars of plain old water – He does it all the time – we simply don’t see it. Nathanael was kicking back under the fig tree – we say, BORING – Jesus says, AMAZING! Just remember the next time you’re drowning in simplicity – look up, you might have just caught the attention of the God of the Universe.

...Now this isn’t a critical look that God gets blamed for all the time but one of love filled fascination – the way I watch and listen to Macy and Mia when they’re playing – when they don’t realize that I’m watching and listening – many times I’ve just stood there mesmerized – getting all teary eyed – thinking of how much I love them – how fast they’re growing up – how proud I am of them – how thankful I am for them - and they don’t even realize it. So that act – that emotion I experienced watching my kids has God’s fingerprints all over it – it’s like He’s smiling at me and saying to me, “see there – fun isn’t it?” Our Father does it ALL THE TIME. I’m glad He does because it shows me that He’s thinking of me even when I’m not thinking about Him.
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Wow. That was like something out of a devotional book that I would pay money for! Powerful!
Hopefully he will keep it up....you can check at http://www.bradmcmath.blogspot.com/

November 3 Update

PICNIC IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE
On the Sunday before Joyce left we had a picnic right here on this lawn on the street in front of the White House. I know we live here....but it really doesn't seem like it. Life is just flying by at it's usual pace....and I don't think living in the nation's capitol feels like a reality yet.

GOVERNMENT MEETS GHETTO

Part of the "missing magic" may be the fact that the REALITY is: part of DC (and especially the part where we live) - might be described as "Where Government Meets Ghetto". Seriously!

And that takes some getting used to. When you think of DC - you usually just think of things like the majestic government buildings....the Washington Monument...the Capitol...the White House...

But, honey, let me tell you - our neighborhood streets are NOT on the movies! Just try driving down H Street - where it seems like a bomb has gone off on the asphalt...and you will have to dodge at least 30 jaywalkers as they "mosey" their way across the street. Why did the chicken cross the road? I don't think they have ANY idea!

HOWEVER, I did have to kill some time this week - so I drove down some streets that I have not been on...and found that the more "major" streets here in Capitol Hill...like 'Constitution' are actually very pretty. It helped my perspective a little that day!

Brad and I also took the girls to the NW part of the city to the zoo this weekend...we have not really been to that part of the city - and it was BEAUTIFUL! Beautiful houses, streets, trees, etc. I think to rent a place in that part of town STARTED at around $5000 monthly ( I remember some being $9000 monthly). Now I remember why we didn't look very hard to find a place in that area! Whew!

PIZZA DELIVERY

We did have pizza delivered one night. It was Papa John's - and it was HEAVENLY. Mmmmmm.....good. I have always envied people who could have pizza delivered! Living in Huntsville for the past 11 years has made me appreciate it even more! Maybe that is why it tasted sooooooo good??! :)

SEEING A CHINA SISTER! One neat thing about living here - is that one of the families from our travel group lives about 30 minutes from us - AND they attend one of the locations for our church. (I think I mentioned the details about this a few posts ago). We don't get to attend that location (National Community Church is a multi-site church....go to http://www.theaterchurch.com/ for more info!), so we have only seen them a couple of times since being here.

However, there was a church-wide trip planned this last month to visit "Cox Farms", a big pumpkin patch/kid event...and we were so pumped to be able to spend time with Joel, Shauna, & Kylee Oswald that day! Yay! It was so neat to see Kylee and Mia together again. And of course we had to take some pics!

So precious.

PRAYER NEEDS NOVEMBER 2008:

1. Please pray for Macy and Mia. This transition has really affected their behavior (so REALLY pray for mom and dad!) - we need to get things stable, secure, happy, calm, and organized! Pray that our family will find new balance amidst new challenges. Pray that their love for one another, sharing, and kindness towards one another will grow.

2. Please pray for Brad. He wants to be learning so much this year...pray that the team he works with will have time to pour into him.

3. Please pray for God's direction in our lives...that we will know exactly where He is leading us at the close of this year of training.

4. Please pray for ME! I am attempting to tackle homeschooling a Kindergartener with no support group (yet...haven't found it yet!) Please pray that Macy will WANT to do her schoolwork and that it won't be a battle! :) (By the way she is already doing AWESOME and learning to read so quickly!)

5. Please pray that God will continue to provide for us in miraculous ways as we navigate this year in DC. Pray for favor...in all things! Thank you, and may God richly bless you for investing in Brad, Glenda, Macy & Mia McMath this year with your support or prayer! We NEED you!

One Month Anniversary Living in DC

So - how has the last month been?
Crazy. Exhausting. Exciting. Lonely. Fun. Stressful. Confusing. Frustrating. Exhilarating.
I spent today unpacking....again. As of today - our printer is hooked up and our computer cabinet is finally organized! Woo hoo! I also finished loading the pictures to the August 1st post...."Backtracking through the summer" ...be sure and scroll down to that post or click on the link at the right to see my favorite "Gangsta Girl"!

Also, if you haven't read about how we came to be in DC, you can either scroll down to the post, "Genesis of this Journey", or click on the link at your right!

Here are a few moments from the last month:


We visited the capitol buildings last week before Luther flew home. It is hard to believe we only live about 15 blocks from here!






Joyce and Luther got to go tour the White House last week with our friend Floyd. I am jealous - but happy for them! We couldn't go b/c our appointment was booked for a Saturday night and that is a night that Brad works/trains. Hopefully we will get to go soon! Can't wait!

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Arlington Cemetery. If you look closely you can see the Washington Monument over Brad's shoulder. We were standing in front of Robert E. Lee's house at AC.

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Mia at the Lincoln Memorial.


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Our first Sunday here in DC we attended the location (our church here at NCC has 4 locations) where Joel and Shauna Oswald attend. Joel and Shauna were one of the couples that were in our travel group when we went to China. Both of our families adopted little girls from the same orphanage in Guangdong Province. Kylee and Mia are 8 days apart in age...and this is the first time they had been together since we left China over a year ago! What a small world that we are now living not too far from them and even working with the church that they attend!

First Impressions of the City

As Ericka has so aptly described DC, it is like a checkerboard. Every street, and every block can be a different "neighborhood". So driving into the city - it looked like at times that we were coming right into the "ghetto" - to just go down another block and see Porche's and Jaguars sitting on the street.

EVERYTHING is a row house. Not even townhouses, but whole blocks of townhouse looking houses - but JOINED together to make one big row of connecting "townhouses". Block after block of row houses. Some look decent - some look unlivable. But all part of the "picture" that makes up the city.

On the WEDNESDAY we were driving towards our new city- I get the call from the management company saying that our application has been accepted on the house we applied to get a lease on. Nothing like last minute! And that is SOOOO not my personality to embrace uncertainty like this. That alone is a MIRACLE!

We pick up the keys to the house and we all enter it - seeing it with our eyes for the first time. The first impression was not that great. We just drove through some really sketchy looking neighborhoods to get here - and now this new home of hours SMELLS very musty and is dirty. The bathrooms are dirty, the basement smells, and the kitchen is covered in a sawdust type grit.

So I set about CLEANING while the guys start unloading the truck. AFTER the place is clean - I see it's potential and that it might just be a great fit for us. By DC standards - it is big. And we have come to LOVE where it is located - on the "V" of 2 streets - so it seems like we have "less" traffic and more of "small" feel. The house is yellow brick on the outside. I will post a pic as soon as I remember to take one!