Homeschooling with a MISSION

Ever had Bird in a Pie? Well, AbiNoelle sure didn’t want any! We were sitting at the kitchen table and Mommy was enjoying a piece of pie.

“Mommy? What kind of pie is that?” asked AbiNoelle.

“Pecan.” Mommy said.

“Ewww! I wouldn’t want that!” AbiNoelle declared.

“Why? It’s so good!” “What are you talking about?” Mommy questioned. “This pie is sooo tasty!”

“Mommy-  [said in a very exasperated manner] You know you don’t want a bird to be in your pie!”

In that moment, Mommy understand and with a twinkle and a chuckle, said, “AbiNoelle, that’s Toucan – this is Pecan. Big Difference.”

Quickly AbiNoelle said, “Oh yeah, I get those two mixed up sometimes.”

….And Mommy finished up the last yummy bite of that BIRD IN PIE!

And now, leaving the family funnies, it’s time to play “Ket-chup!” You’ve played that one before, right? We all have. Life. It happens, and, then, before we know it, we’re at it again…playing “ket-chup.” You know, you have to “ket-chup” -[catch up] on this, that and the other. Well, for us, life has been full, so now begins the “ket-chup” phase, including this blog. Let’s see….where did we leave off? Ohhh – THE ARRIVAL! It was a long wait, but she finally arrived, and we want to tell you all about it.

The story begins with LIFE!

Life.

It happened September 28, 2017. All the noise, the many voices, the shuffles, the whirl of instruments – they all faded into the distant with a flood of emotions spilling forth uncontrollably as I saw her for the first time – LIFE. AmiJoy Lynn Lilly – all wrinkly and mad – she made her debut with that perfect but loud doll baby cry. We watched and prayed as they tended and checked and, in quick whispers of thanks, kissed and cuddled LIFE.

LIFE  – our own little miracle – Miracle #2 from the Lord. Life is so precious. It’s hard to imagine how callous, brutal and unloving some can be to LIFE. The Lord, in His all-knowing will, has brought us full-circle to this lesson of loving LIFE this past month. You see, some eight plus years ago, we gave our desires of birthing life over to the Lord and embraced four special souls whose LIFE had been scarred by the unlovely. Not seeing the future, we gave love to those four only to see it taken for other purposes. Our hearts were broken for that LIFE, yet God in His kindness for us, gave LIFE born to us on November 12, 2011. This LIFE – AbiNoelle – special in her own merit, prayed believing for another LIFE. Our Heavenly Father heard and answered and AbiNoelle held LIFE (AmiJoy) for the first time on a Thursday at the Asheville hospital. Big Sis and Little Sis!

How Blessed we are!

But we were to be more blessed! AbiNoelle and Mommy, after a few weeks of recovery with AmiJoy, went on their first outing – a homeschool group activity – only to be totally surprised by LIFE. After those eight years of not knowing what became of that LIFE we had loved, LIFE came staring us in the face. Now at 13 and 15 years old, two of those precious lives have been adopted! For them, not all can be forgotten, but the “system” is gone, the unlovely left behind and precious LIFE embraced!

We could not be more happy and thankful to be a witness, a part of all this LIFE. From family funnies to the “ket-chup” phase to hoping for life to a LIFE full of hope – God is SO good!