19 days....

19 days since my last post... it just seems like yesterday that I was typing this last blog.. y'all!!! I blinked time is passing so quickly! I have wondered in this time what have we been doing... well lets see??

stomach virus.... well 2 really... yuck! no fun.. do not pass go and do not collect $200.. 2 in 3.5 weeks seem a little extreme BUT hey your dealing with the Lawrences.. everyone including mom EXCEPT for little J this year has got the virus... can you say stomach of steal!!!!!!

soccer... yep! lots of it.. I LOVE watching the kiddos play.. Lane has found her sweet spot on the field but his momma is having a hard time with the goal.. yep goalie! she is doing great we..... except now... possible broke foot! we go tomorrow am to the ortho :(

Foster reform 101! The Lord has been working in my heart for a while on some changes.. am I the only one who wants to see some changes.. ummm.. NO! from staff, directors, foster parents we want to see change.. real change! I had several great meetings and I am in the process of typing letters to send and also meetings with senators and reps in our area.. THE KIDS come first.. its about them...

home stretch of school! ahhh.. I totally have spring fever.... STAY FOCUSED.. almost there! you can do it!

being thankful EVEN when its hard... teens, laundry, cooking, chauffeuring, being mommy Dr, patience.. and I could go on.. this time of sickness.. craziness.. I have sometimes fought for thankfulness.. just being honest... it has seemed lonely so many times. I have fought for Joy , peace.. and I go.. digging into the word for strength.. stepping out of this world and into Him! praying He would be the one to turn to. Asking for guidance and strength. My friend Jen G always reminded me of the scripture
Isaiah 40:11
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

I have leaned on this! I am thankful for this.. having 5 kiddos 4 and under.

so life is like a vapor.. yep so fast.. I don't want to miss a second of my children!

Behold your God.. for who He is!

for the first time in a few years we have a ladies bible study that meets at our church on Tuesday Mornings.. its a blessing and came at the exact timing!.. The older kiddos help in the nursery along with Bro. David.. OK... he has been peed on and tugged at for 5 weeks now :) I laugh because he is running the show.. well maybe Alexis really is..

This study is OH>SO>GOOD.... BUT also Yet sooooooooo convicting! I have been repenting in my own heart about how I have not elevated our Lord to the standard in which He holds himself... I must say it is not fluffy, feel good, about me... no you see its about Him... Its about who He is... about His salvation that He gives... do you see the key words here?? HE... not me... now a days it seems like everything must be about me... especially when it comes to church...
How can I be a better wife, husband, friend?
How to have better finances?
How to have the best life?
How to claim my prayer circles?
How to ........ fill in the blank......

God is HUGE, all powerful, all knowing, sovereign, Holy, perfect, just, creator, loving, sustainer..... WOW.. that should  make us all fall before our Lord in thankfulness, gratitude, awe!

then there is us.... and believe me we are NONE of these things.... nope.. we fall short....its called SIN (an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law) .....  this is why the gospel is sooooooooo beautiful.... we have fallen short and we can't even be in the presence of God in our state.... BUT God in His grace, love, mercy sent His son to die... a horrific death so that the blood of His own son could cleanse and make us whole..... so we may be in the presence of God... Holy, Blameless, Pure!!! amen...

This is the gospel.... this is not what our modern churches are teaching... they don't seem to say sin... its almost like a banned word...

My heart is heavy for the North American church........

I have to agree with AW Tozer when he says “The church in North America is 1000 miles wide but 1/2 inch deep" 

Are we ever gonna be out of the diaper stage???

going on 14 years .. yep.. the diaper stage.... many times I thought man.... I am sooooo done with diapers... then BOOM!!! you get another foster baby in diapers! A sweet friend sent me an article on an almost retired couple that adopted teenagers!.. yep... that Winnebago is on hold!! 

You see God doesn't call us to be comfortable... He calls us to lean on Him... He doesn't call us to this "easy" life... He calls us to lean on Him... He doesn't call us to retirement... He calls us to serve Him till we go on to be with Him....

I have thought many times that it would be sooooo much easier if I had all figured out... But God calls us to trust in Him... A part of me thinks life would be so much easier if I didn't have 3 kiddos in diapers... changing... all.the.time... but then I realize the selfishness in that and realize foster care children HAVE NO ONE else.. foster care is the last resort.. no family can even take them for the most part.... WHO would change those diapers??? who would love them????who would wipe the snotty noses?????... who would comfort them?? who would give them siblings and a DADDY (BTW most don't even know who their dad is!)???

sooooooo... I continue to change diapers.... our children continue to show them what a sibling is like.... family gatherings..... family movie night.....Dr appts.......manners....... but most of all LOVE from the Father!!!    we press on .......

some encourgement for us moms... and others too!

Do you ever have days that NOTHING you have planned works out?? as a busy mom to 8 I know that everyday can bring something new and sometimes things that I have planned just don't get done.. can I get an AMEN!!!!! I was speaking to one of the case managers  for our kiddos and she relpied.. I have got nothing done that I needed to do.. lots of other things popped up.. we laughed and then I said something that I always say to myself when days just don't seem to go as planned... " God had something different for me today!" 
I always want to rest in Him, rest in His sovereignty, rest in His plan, rest in His salvation, rest under His wings..... I think I have all these plans and when those things don't happen I am reminded once again that He is in control. May that be where we all are... resting in HIM! He knows what is best, He loves us, He cares for us, He meets us..... right where we are! I am so thankful that God is there.. He knows my inner being, He knows my heart.(yikes) .. He is so good to us even when we THINK we know what is best!.. so today I pray that we would rest in His plan, His love and His sovereignty!

keep.repeating.to.myself.too!!!

It only can get lost so many times till.... you dont find it.

Last night we ordered Doug a new wedding ring.. we laughed soooo hard because we ordered off Amazon... I mean we are prime members and we get free shipping and get this it was 88% off retail... I thought it was a GREAT deal!!!! I mean we are frugal... well maybe cheap.... We want to be good steward of the Lords money... soooo you may ask well WHY did you have to buy another ring... well.... Christmas when we went to the wilderness in the smokies Doug rode the "tidal wave" ride... he was body boarding along and all of a sudden he stopped.. ran up to the man who was the 
"professional" and told them that his ring had came off... well this cute little boy was behind Doug and started his adventure on this... well they had called maintenance and while this kiddo was on the ride having the time of his life... it stopped... water gone.. maintenance had arrived... we felt TERRIBLE!!!! that ride was shut down for at least 15 minutes hunting, diving, and searching high and low for the ring... well... no sign..... we were disappointed... the kiddos even sad .. they thought that was the bond of Doug and I .. I was disappointed that he lost it but we reminded the kiddos that  the wedding band was only an outward symbol of what God had already bonded in our marriage and covenant with Him! this then reminded them of baptism... and outward symbol of what God had done on the inside.. if we take the time we can pour sooo many truths in our kiddos.. take that opportunity, talk, converse... you will not regret it!!!!
This was the 3rd time this ring had fallen off Doug's hand.. we have found it previously in the bottom of the outside garbage can... yes full of trash... GAG!!! GROSS... we also found it out in the middle of the woods with get this.... a metal detector.... well the 3rd time it is swimming somewhere at the Wilderness in the smokies... hey.. if you are there and come across a ring.. be sure to tell us !!! LOL!!!


here is a picture of the new ring.. I love it!!! $23.00's baby!!! I love a good deal!!! the picture says 29.99 BUT we got it just in time to get another discount sooooo you know I love to save money!!!! $23.00 :)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HZUFGL6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This kid is SOOOOO funny!!

if you know Andrew well you know that he does not think like other kiddos at his age.. He CRACKS us up!!!  just some recent funnies

He had just drank some water and was gulping... lots of air... then a few minutes later he says "mommy, my stomach hurts." "I replied what does it feel like?" his response.... "it feels like crumbled eggs!"

"I cant drink this water it smells!" Doug replies "what does it smell like?" "it smells like the dogs breath!!!!"

a N inja... interpreted  "A Ninja" you still can convince him it is A NINJA!!!

story told by Ms Mary at church :: We were reading the Christmas story from Luke and talked about how Jesus' Mom wrapped him in swaddling clothes. He said Miss Mary how come Jesus mom swallowed him up! Too cute....makes me smile....just love him.

just a couple of funnies I wanted to make sure I have so I wont forget these...

visits with grandparents...

oh, boy... where do you start?? Andrew last week went to my in-laws house... boy oh boy.... he went by himself and guess what he was the only child for 4 nights.. one on one attention (which is great) BUT coming back home is a real shocker to a system.. yes.. you are now back to one of 7.. 8 if I include Doug as one who I take care of too.. THAT can take a toll on a 4 year old system... He has been bouncing off the walls and EVERYtime it is time to go to bed.... CRY... because he wants to watch a movie... ummmm NO.. you have school tomorrow and we don't need a TV to go to bed... I am forever grateful for grandparents and one day I will be one myself... but for now I have to retrain the brain.. Andrew you are back home buddy!!! I love you sweet boy!!!