My Woodbull Family

The 18th of January is a very special day for me. It was the day I got five other siblings. ‘Officially,’ we’v been family for four years now, but for me the story starts two years before that. I want to share with you the day that God brought the TB family into my life and how I knew, from day one, that they would take up such a big part of my heart.

We were on furlough the year of 2006. The whole time had been jam-pact with activities and churches and historical sights and faces that it is all, sadly, a bit of a blur. As an 11 year old girl a lot was changing for me emotionally and there were times I thought I just couldn't handle all the moving, the unknown. And the feelings of not BELONGING anywhere or really KNOWING anyone were strong.

There's one night I remember in particular. Me and my sister were in bed, and I was sobbing. I wanted so badly for life to be normal. And I knew that just going back home (Mozi) wouldn't cut it. By now I didn't know many m.ks there and there weren't many m.ks there to know in the first place. I felt beyond words the ache of being so alone in this big world. All I wanted was someone who I could say of, 'THIS is my friend'. As much as an 11 year old girl can feel, I felt. I remember Sarah comforting me, telling my that God would provide. That night I fell asleep begging God to bring someone, begging Him to take away my loneliness. 

The very next morning, I kid you not, I was awakened by an answered prayer! I could hear the voices of my siblings in the living room talking over something. When I joined them, I found that Sarah had just gotten an email from a girl named Damarise, who had four younger siblings (around our ages) and  who was writing because (can you guess it?) they're family was moving up to Namp as missionaries! I was ecstatic, as you can imagine...I just KNEW God had something beautiful in store!

We met the TB family about a month after the email. And like we always say, 'We just clicked!'. When we got back to Mozi they were waiting for us. We grew closer and closer and one day, while the TB kids were staying with us, we (never do we agree on who thought it first:)) had this great idea to adopt each other! We thought it was going to be just a little thing for fun, but after four years, our family is still strong! We have so many wonderful, hard, exciting memories together. Each and everyone of them has a big place in my heart, and will always be a part of me. After all, when God brings people into your life in such an amazing way, you don't just let them go. Thank you, God, for my siblings...every single one of them!

I Have Discovered My Super-Power!

I have discovered my superpower. Shame it’s taken me so many years!

Setting: Mom and Dads room, Grace and Benaiah on couch, Mom sitting in rocking-chair

Me- nudge Benaiah in the ribs

Benaiah- ‘Hey!’ shoves my shoulder

Me- ‘Mom, Benaiah…he HIT me!’

Mom- turning around in time to see Benaiah gasp as he shoves me again ‘Benaiah!’

Me- Looking hurt ‘Mom, he-he did it again!’

Mom- ‘Benaiah!’

Benaiah- sputtering ‘She hit me first!’

Me- bringing on the tears. ‘Benaiah, that was a LOVE pat.’

Benaiah- snorts ‘Liar.’

Mom- ‘Benaiah!’

Me- ‘You just called me a liar? Benaiah, I was just trying to tell you I love you.’

Benaiah- Thoroughly speechless. I have made him into the bad guy and Mom’s eating it up.

Me- laugh. ‘Mom, no It was me.’ And proceed to explain how I was just joking.

­Benaiah- ‘You’re so mean.’

Me- about to cry. ‘Mo-o-om’

:)

Journey Home-Through the Valley

You’re walking home: You get to the place you absolutely dread passing. It freaks you out. You’re sure someone or something is going to come out of the shadow/ forsaken house/ woods, whatever, you fill it in. Cause I’m pretty sure you know what I’m talking about. And I’m pretty sure you know what you’re going to have to do. Keep walking. And walk fast!

Ok, so maybe you don’t do that. Maybe you wait, and wait, and wait. But, honey, we’ve been here 50 times before and we all know to get home, you have to get through. Maybe you run, maybe you sneak, maybe you grab a couple of friends and you all scream your way through. But you gotta pass it, like it or not.

And now you’re wondering, where is she going with this? And what a weird way to get to a point. It is, right?

I guess what’s been on my mind lately is that even though there are things you’re scared to death to do, things you never ever wanted to have to face, things you would prefer to just not have happened at all....News flash: it does, and you have to. My advise? Keep walking.

I’m not gonna lie to you, the future is scaring me. Like bad. But (unless I die NOW!) the future will always be there. Somehow, no matter how hard it is to get through, how hard it is to keep face, how hard it is to trust God, I have to keep walking. Because in the end, I know where it leads...I’m going Home. How about you?

And We Welcomed the New Year with Amazing Grace

My New Years was pretty sweet! There was a party at the Cunninghams house. The Cunninghams live at this HUGE farm and, let me tell you, that family knows how to have fun! I don’t think I’ve ever been totheir house without coming back sore, tired but full of wonderful memories! And yesterday was no exception.

First we got there and there was volleyball. I watched. It’s tough cause when you’re so good at something, it’s sometimes better to sit out just so you don’t make others look bad, you know? Ok, no, the truth is. . . I stink at sports. Hehe. The game ended and we younger folk decided to play again. THEN I played volleyball! Haha! It was fun! Even if it was a bit unsuccessful. But, hey, my team won!See? ;)

Afterwards we hung out. Old friends, I-haven’t-seen-you-in-a-long-time friends and new friends.  The second thing I gotta say is that Kiwi’s are crazy-fun. And if you’re reading this, Kiwi’s, just let me say- You guys are awesome! J During this whole time if was just randomness while we waited for our food to cook. Well, Andrew, Benaiah and I cheated, we brought meat already cooked.  Which now I’m so thankful for seeing how long it took some people to get their food. Haha

The other thing I love about going to the Cunninghams is SCOTTISH DANCING!! New Years just wouldn’t be the same without it. And the best thing is, most everyone is learning so you don’t feel like you’re the only one messing up. JWe did three or four different dance. I love them all! And me and my dancing partner were pretty good! I think we rocked the most! =D

Next came Armies: otherwise known as Spotlight. Around 20 of us all piled on top of the car (no, seriously, on top, I think there were two person sitting inside. Everyone else was hanging on the bumper, in the back, holding onto the sides and sitting out the window). I wasn’t kidding when I said their place is HUGE. And it’s dark. With snakes. So when Mr. C drives us out into the bush, it really does kinda mean the bush with a narrow dirt road in between. But the thing is, your adrenaline is so high you hardly even realize your shoving through thorn thistles and scraping your hands on broken twigs and pressing your face against a place that could easily have been the location of a snake just a few moments before. But I guess that is what makes it so fun. But, I’m not going to lie, there were a few prayers of protection going up . . . at least from me! Another thing I love about the Cunningham’s place are the stars! You look up into the sky and you can see trillions and trillions of stars! It’s so beautiful and majestic. (Oh, did you know that the reason we can see the Southern Cross all year long is because it’s below us? I learned many useful things!) And I always get to see a shooting star there(btw, did you know it’s the leprechauns that shoot them across the sky?)! Stars are gorgeous . . .you should definitely come to Africa to see the stars. J

We walked back home, accompanied by ‘heavenly’ music. It took about 15 minutes or so and by this time it was getting pretty close to 11. We gathered around the bonfire, roasted marshmallows and sang songs. It was beautiful! There’s something so special about worshiping God amongst other believers around a fire, late at night (while roasting marshmallows and sitting by the guitar and singing Power of Your Love and…). Then we had a time of saying what we were grateful for in 2010 and prayers for 2011. It makes you stop and realize just how good God has been to us these past few years. As the clock hit 12:00 we were all standing around the fire, holding hands and singing Amazing Grace.

After that most everyone left except for a few of us young people. There were 11 of us who stayed the whole night. We went inside to play mafia. Yeah, it got pretty hectic! JThen we sat outside just talking, telling jokes, being weird, saying pick-up lines, tearing leaves and dodging falling mangos. Seriously, there’s hardly anything more terrifying then sitting under 10 tall trees that are ALL raining mangos. Around 4:30 we headed off to sleep (after me and the girls tried prank-calling, of course J).

All in all it was a pretty awesome New Year. I came home this morning sore, tired, but full of wonderful memories! I mean there’s nothing much better than welcoming the New Year with Amazing Grace.