Christmas Laughs

     So I'm sittin' here thinking about the last few days (a.k.a.: Christmas Eve and then the Day.... and the following).  I've gone to who-knows-how-many Christmas Eve services because I basically have two families... which means TONS of presents, not that that's the most important thing:)... but anyway, just so you all know, Mary Did You Know has become the most popular Christmas song of the year (I think I can still hear it).  Good thing it's one of my favorites.  
     I think being 14 now is getting to my head.  I'm so excited that I have enough money to buy everybody in my immediate family a present -- a good one.  I had no trouble getting one for everybody... but Meg.  Although she is one of the most easy people to buy presents for, her family also has a tendency to buy exactly the right thing (many right things).  So when I saw How To Train Your Dragon - a movie she has been dying to buy - it was fate.  Until I thought about it.  Sure enough, come Christmas, in perfect wrapping is the movie... I think from Gram, but who knows?  So chocolates, here I come.  Since my dad loves chocolates, it was like killing a bird with one stone (not quite like that).  
     Thursday Megan and I are going to Juniper.  I've never heard of it until now and I'm so excited.  It seems like we always have a shopping expedition to tell of, but here it is again.  Shopping to us is bonding since we are basically on opposite ends of the spectrum... me, shy and a book-lover, her loud and proud.  But our love of jewelry and clothes brings us together like none else.  I've really gotten to know Megan over the last few years and she is one of the most fun to be around, entertaining, and kind-hearted people I know.  We joke around a lot about how lucky my dad is to be married to her, but really she is awesome.  So is my dad, but us girls have to stick together.  
     I'm gonna go now since I really have no point to this post except to show how much I love my family.  Ever since we established this blog together, it's become a really fun project sort of thing to do.  No deep thoughts today.  

    Merry Christmas from Callie.  

Reflect and Relax.

On this past Sunday, Kirk spoke about the "January Blues" or the feeling of letdown after the Christmas hustle and bustle.  You know, the calm after the storm sorta speak. I have never been one to really dread this time of year, as I see a new year, new beginning, and those anticipated new year's resolutions.  Although I claimed to have never acknowledged the January blues, as I am looking over my work schedule, I added some extra shifts which one could easily conclude I was subconsciously preparing for the dreary January.

I post this because I have always been a go, go, go-er.  Not so much an adrenaline junky, but a busy junky--work hard and play hard.  I have had to learn to enjoy precious moments that fly by and not take family moments for granted.  I have always worn my heart on my sleeve.  A good quality at times, at times, not so great.  I have had to learn to make time to get to know others, their likes and dislikes, what makes them tick.  It's amazing, but after spending, my entire life with my family, I still spend the car rides home asking my husband, "Did you know that about my mom (or sister, or brother-in-law?)."

This Christmas was the first Christmas without my grandmother.  She was truly one of the most amazing women, beauty radiating inside and out.  If you met her, you were better for it; she could put sunshine in any day.  After opening many amazing gifts, my mom presented us all with Devotions of the Heart, a compilation of my grandmother's most cherished quotes, biblical verses, and thoughts. As I am thinking back, speechless does not often grace my vocabulary, but the only word I can think to describe this moment.  I will cherish it always and am so thankful for an often "techinically-challenged", caring mom who took the time to solidify memories. 

With this, I end today with page 29 of Suzanne Kersting Earnhart's Devotions from the Heart:

Thank God for Little Things

Thank you, God, for little things
that often come our way,
the things we take for granted
but don't mention when we pray,
The unexpected courtesy, the thoughtful
kindly, deed,
A hand reached out,to help us
in the time of sudden need-
Oh make us more aware, dear God,
of little daily graces
That come to us with "sweet surprise"
from never-dreamed-of-places.

                     -Helen Steiner Rice

In 2011, I hope to be able to do just this- live in the moments, bless others, and cherish life.

Thank you God for bubble baths, bubbly kids, and an amazingly supportive husband.

Running on His Love, the Zimmermans

My #1 is a teen...

The title says it all.  I am now officially mom to a teenager.  On December 7, Callie turned 14!

There are so many things I love about Callie. She is beautiful, inside and out, as she loves to shop and dress but can kick it in jammies, as well as is shy but can have you laughing out loud in minutes with her quirkiness.
It has taken me awhile to crack that quiet demeanor, but over the last year Kirk and I have seen such personal and spiritual growth. She has such a caring heart.   I will also take the opportunity to plug her 130 page novel she has been working on--her creative talents are AMAZING. Let me know if we can forward you a copy.We are so proud of her and are excited to see where life will lead.

I remember the first time I met Callie. To backtrack for those of you who don't know, Kirk and  I met at Riley Hospital for Children.  After the first couple visits, Kirk brought both Callie and Caleb to Riley to say hello to the Fosters and casually introduce them to me.  Callie was 9, shy and a head full of curly hair.  As we colored her bubble-lettered name in with brightly colored crayons, her shyness wore off and she told me all about school and  practically anything else that popped into her head. Kirk and I went on our first date that night: to McDonalds (some things never change ;) ), with the kids and Pirates of the Caribbean happy meals, where I forced to demonstrate my most pathetic pirate impressions--ARRGGGGGGGGGGHHH. Nothing more romantic then that my friends!

This weekend we celebrated Callie's birthday over a double-layered red velvet cake with confetti-chip icing and heath sprinkles. Yes, diabetic coma, but Callie's absolute favorite.  I worked the weekend, so after arriving home at 8 managed to assemble the troops, and we popped out a birthday cake and meal, toffee, and appetizers we are saving for the elders Christmas party (Caleb had to sample then to make sure they were good options).  It seems silly, but it was actually a night for our memory book; we laughed at the chaos and complete disaster of the kitchen over  a 10PM dinner celebrating an amazing teen!  Moments like this make my heart melt---livin' life in its simplest form!

Running on His love, the Zimmermans

"..they are two of the several great loves of.my.life."

It's 4:30 AM.  Aiden is getting his four front teeth on top, therefore, he has become my night owl (waking up whenever randomly throughout the night).  It might sound crazy, but even at 4AM, I love and look forward to snuggling with my stinky, little man.  No matter what time of day, or night, he has a smile that is simply contagious. :) I am soooooo in love.

A rather frequent question I get asked when talking with people about our family's hope for adoption is, "Why would you ever adopt when you can have your own babies?" My answer is usually this--I look at the love my family has for our kids. I am constantly cuddling, kissing, and caring for them...little things that every baby or child deserves. They are two of the several great loves of my life. It literally makes me sick to my stomach at times to think of a child who doesn't have that on a daily basis. Every night, Kate, my twenty-month old, loudly slaps her prayer hands together and we pray for those kids.  We pray for the children He might have planned for our family and to prepare our hearts for what's to come.

In Kirk's sermon the other morning, he said, "loving Him means at times giving up something you love for something He loves even more." It encompasses this entire process for us.  Yes, we would have 5 or 6 children, yes, the house would most likely always be messy in one way or another, and we wouldn't go shopping or out to eat nearly as much (to say the least), but we are just fine with that. Everyone has a calling, whether it be to adopt, help someone in need, give to charities that distribute to specific causes, etc--never be afraid to follow where your being led!

Well, back to bed :)

Running on His Love. The Zimmermans

Sweet Christmas time!

I love December...smells, lights, and snow as it hits the ground before it has ever been touched.  As I was driving home last night, I was thinking about our hopeful adoption.  It is so difficult sometimes to wait on His timing... I just want an answer now :).  Kirk and I have submitted all the information we can and are simply waiting to see if this is the agency we will be working with.  Although it is so exciting to see what life has in store, I find myself at times doubting--the time, the finances, the number of kids, people's perceptions, and letting my mind create or submit to untruths.  I truly believe we are called to this mission--whether now, this agency, even with life moving at crazy speeds.
  With all that being said, another God moment.  Whenever I find myself having these "spiritual warfares" in my head, the song My Own Little World by Matthew West incredibly seems to always find itself to KLuv.  What a powerful song and how God speaks directly to me through even a three minute song...check it out sometime.

Please pray for patience and guidance as we wait for the next step.

Matthew West- In my own little world



Running on His Love...the Zimmermans

Africa?!

So Callie and I mentioned yesterday we would be venturing out to do the Black Friday shopping thing.  We did.  We got up at 4 and were out the door with a semi-plan-of-attack to tackle family Christmas shopping in one trip; after all, I had done nothing prior. 

As we stood in the Wet Seal liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine :), this woman came behind me and did the same thing--start wating.  I can't help but start talking, after all we stood by one another for at least 15mins with at least another hour to go, so just casual chit chat.  In between our three girls coming up and asking do we like this or that, does this fit, it turned out this woman and her family had just returned to the states from all places ----a four-year mission in Africa.  God is always present.  She proceeded to give me a first-hand account of life in the African nation, as well as the number of orphans there are to love.  She mentioned that any time Africans see Caucasians in their country, they assume they are wealthy.  It tugged at my heart strings, because it's not an assumption, it's a fact...our perception and the world's perception of poverty are so very different. I am so excited to embrace the Ethiopian culture, and the kids have been excited to already start learning!

One thing's for sure---God is leading us somewhere and my family can't wait to follow!

Running on His love---the Zimmermans

Gonna Be Exhausted!!

Black Friday is the most genius invention in the world.  I mean, wake up at 3 in the morning to shop, all those incredible sales, all those cute clothes...  yep, that's the good stuff.  WE CAN'T WAIT!!

But anyway, I am very thankful to be with my family today and all the amazing food we ate (my gram is an awesome cook).  And although the only thing I ate was mashed potatoes- yes I was made fun of, but what can you say?- I can appreciate how fortunate I am.  I'm counting down the hours for tomorrow... cheesy potato casserole, here I come:).  I know Meg's looking forward to it too.

We're thinking of adopting siblings from Ethiopia, Africa (6+2= a Zimmerman Zoo?).  I am so excited because I've really been wanting to make a difference in someone's life lately.  How many people can say "My sister's from Africa" or "Yeah, there's six kids in our immediate family".  I mean, that's just plain cool.  And it's really important to adopt kids from there because Ethiopia's one of the most impoverished places you can adopt from.  I hope we adopt two girls, but I definitely won't be upset if we adopt a boy.  I already have three brothers, so one or two more couldn't hurt, right?  

Well, pictionary's calling to me.... my team need's me.  You gotta love Thanksgiving.  

SO Very Thankful!

So it's Thanksgiving, and I am sitting here with my oldest daughter Callie trying to plan our attack route for the "Black Friday" to come.  We're excited of course, to go shopping at endless stores opening at crazy hours of the morning (any woman would be :) ) but this Thanksgiving has presented such a more meaningful tune this year.
   Since Kirk and I got married in July of 2008, life has been beyond crazy.  Here the scoop:
1.I made quite a  move to Fowler, a town smaller than I have ever dreamt of relocating, however really have learned to love the land of windmills and cornfields
2.added two tweenies, Callie and Caleb
3.started a job I love as a nurse on a whirlwind of a floor (come on ladies back me up here)
4. my "independent" Kate the following spring
5. my cuddly Aiden the following spring after
6. lost one of the most influential people in my life: my grandmother

As anyone knows, life comes with it's ups and downs, good and bad.  Our family is no different, we choose to see His grace and love through it all and have so much to be thankful for.

I'll let Callie take it from here: :)

~