Oops!

I just realized that I have not announced the last three birthdays on the blog. Kendra's was a few months ago, and she is loving being seven. Almost everything she got was pink, so she had a very cute birthday outfit. Daddy's was at the beginning of this month. He still doesn't look as old as he is, even though, as my aunt tells everyone, "He's not even forty yet!" Jordan's was about a week and a half ago, though he was thinking he was fifteen for about a month in advance. He is maturing in many ways so quickly, and now it is almost like I have that big brother I always wanted.

Well, next year I will hopefully do a better job of announcing the birthdays when they come. The birthdays now start in January, and we have no breaks except February, October, and November (but we do have extended family birthdays in all those months, or anniversarys). Life seems to be moving very quickly now, but it is really helping us learn not to worry about tomorrow. Otherwise, planning birthday presents would take most of our time!

Big Changes

We have been enjoying our new children so much! It is becoming ever more obvious that God tailor-made them for us, and us for them. This month has been busy, as Decembers normally are, but in spite of this all twelve of us have slipped into the new schedule with ease. All the late nights with choir performances and recitals have just been made more enjoyable by the little ones on laps, and the extra goodnight hugs and kisses. It is so sweet to stand by the sink getting ready for bed and hear a little voice say "I like you." Any problems of the day just vanish.

* * *

The adjustment in normal life has been close to seeming like no adjustment, but wow, has the grocery receipt gotten longer. One wouldn't think that four little ones would add so much to the need of food, but they do! Fifty gallons of milk a month, thirty dozen eggs, and forty loaves of bread is now the norm. Thank goodness we have the chickens, which are still laying although it has gotten to below freezing. Our consumption of vegetables has not recognizably risen yet, but they are starting to realize that green stuff is important to make them big and strong like Daddy, or tall like Mommy and Nicole.

* * *

The girl's names are changed now. We had changed the baby's name to Audra from the very beginning, but Daddy and Mommy decided on new names for the other girls too. It is absolutely amazing the change that the names has made. Now, being named by Daddy and Mommy, they are truly Werzinski children. Here are pictures of our youngest five, with the girl's new names.

Christian (no new name, but new spelling)Kendra and SarahErin

Audra

***

Give praise to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever!

Our Little Sprout

Happy Anniversary!

Pumpkin

The new way to get your holiday pumpkin.

Pumpkin Cheesecake!

Yummy

Happy Thanksgiving!

White flour makes pie crusts so much easier!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. May you have a blessed beginning to this holiday season of 2007.

Hide 'n' Seek

Hiding.More hiding. Seeking. Hurry! Get downstairs to base!Running.Just enjoying the scene.

It's Always Cheaper by the Dozen

Yes, we are now a family of one dozen. Two parents, two boys, and eight girls. The four little ones are not moved in yet, but we got to spend the whole weekend with them and they will probably be here soon.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were wonderful days of wandering around the city getting to know each other. Daddy and Mommy got to meet them first at a restaurant, and as they were putting them into the car to go somewhere, we other children happened to walk by on our way back to the hotel. They decided to pick us up, since the first question from our four year old was "What are your kid's names?" We all had a great time going to the park, spending Saturday at an amusement park, and taking lots and lots of pictures.

Christian is six, and pretty determined. He will do everything he can by himself, but occasionally asks for help. He loves Daddy, and singing in the car. We nearly went hoarse singing, "Jesus Loves Me", "The Green Grass Grows All Around", and "The Wheels on the Bus" in the hours in the car together.

Savannah is four. She always knows when the camera is out, and puts on her prettiest smile. She is very brave, and does what Kendra does. She jumped out of the swings many times over the weekend, falling out a couple times, but always getting right back on.

Destiny is three. She is so sweet, always wanting to be held, or hold somebody's hand. At the beginning of the weekend Jordan was "Dirt" and Kendra was "My Sister", and Nicole was "Cole" but now Jordan is "My Jordan", and Kendra is "Grampa" or "Camper". The rest of us are still "What is your name?" to all four of them.

Audra is seventeen months old. She is the absolute best baby. We picked the four of them up every morning at about ten, and Audra never had a nap and got to bed late every night. Despite this, she never cried, or was even fussy. She talks a little, and she says "Yeah" every time she is asked a question. When Daddy and Mommy dropped us off at the hotel the first night before taking the four of them back to their foster home, Audra said "Let me out" when she saw us getting out of the car.

Chris swung like this so he could swing himself until we started jumping out of the swings. We have video of everbody jumping except for Mommy, Audra and Nicole (because they didn't jump).

The first day Destiny and Jordan matched in orange, jeans, and, of course, cowboy boots.

On Friday we went to a science workshop for a few hours, and we all really enjoyed that. There were tunnels to crawl through, experiments to try, and hot air ballons to play in. When we got there, Daddy jokingly mentioned that we weren't enough for a group rate, even though there were so many of us. The man looked at all of us and said that he would give us a group rate anyway.

All together.

God has put eight years of preparation, grace, pain, work, growth, sweat, heart-blood, and tears, into the above picture. When we began searching for children, none of these were born, but God graciously made us wait for them.

Psalm 115:3,13,14; 116:1-9 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest,
O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

We're Gonna Meet Them!

Finally! We get to go meet our children on the 2nd! The whole family gets to go, and Daddy and Mommy will meet our four new children on Friday, and if all goes well, we kids get to meet them on Saturday. We can't say much about the specifics right now, but after things settle a little, we will be able to tell the whole glorious story of how God prepared us for them and them for us.

* * *

After we get to meet them where they live now, they probably get to come up here for a visit sometime soon. Then, they will move in. All of the timing, though, is subject to a lot of change, as even this upcoming visit has been changed around several times. God has brought us this far, though, and He will lead us faithfully to the end (or new beginning).

* * *

God has shown us His faithfulness in so many new ways since we found out about the children. Our friends have prayed for us, many friends and acquaintances have been generous with gifts for the children, and He has given us peace while the visit situation was unknown. We do thank you all so much for the prayers, and continue to covet them as we embark on this new journey with the children.

* * *

This is the LORD's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Psalm 118:23

My First Knife

Hello y'all, it's Renaissance Man here.This is my first post so I don't know exactly how to do this but here goes.This is the process of making my first knife, offered for the instructio(or warning!) of others.This is the stock steel I used for my knife, I salvaged it off

an old wheelbarrow and I have no idea what kind it was.

It was over a foot long, about two inches wide, and 3/16" thick.

The steel has now been rough cut with a hacksaw
(this takes a long time, but since I don't posses a cutting

torch is was the only way to do it).

I have now ground the edge to the required bevel using my father's angle grinder.When you do this be careful that you don't burn the steel, or turn it blue by leaving the grinder in one spot for to long. By the way if you do this don't touch the blade! It will be extremely hot, as in 900'F .

The blade has been sharpened and I'm cleaning up the steel. After this I extendedthe bevel much farther up the blade and left it in the rough grind state, then wrapped the handle in waxed thread.

The finished knife! Its not a beauty to be sure, but it works.

Have a Happy Clappy Day, and good luck!

Renaissance Man

Raylene's Pictures

My dear friend Sally and I recently spent a day exchanging photography skills. I went out to her family's home and we spent well over an hour wandering their property, climbing ladders, benches, rocks, and hills for the correct angle and the perfect background. Sally did a beautiful job, and I ended up with many pictures that are so much better than any studio photos I have ever had. Thank you, Sally!

Wheelbarrow Fun!

I promise! It really is fun!

Quite a comfy ride.

Getting (gently) dumped out.

Thank you, Kayla! This is fun!

What a bounce!

Creativity In Action

This was our project for Columbus Day. Since Daddy was off of work, he and Mommy decided to give us the day off of school too. Shauna has had this dollhouse for a while, but today she, Kendra, and I (Raylene) got out the paint to make it suitable for the six girls dolls living there.

Shauna and Kendra are so creative with their dolls. They have made all six of the dolls that live in this house, sewn matching clothes for them, and made couches, beds, tables, and chairs. The dolls are quite comfortable in their old-fashioned house with cheery colors, carpet (after the paint dries), and numerous pillows, which double as cushions for the wagon when they go to church. Since Mommy has done so many projects like painting the rooms and sewing clothes, the girls have plenty of left-overs to work with, and have put them to good use.

Waiting

Serene I fold my arms and wait,

Nor care for wind, or tide, or sea:

I rave no more 'gainst time or fate,

For lo! my own shall come to me.

* * *

I stay my haste, I make delays,

For what avails this eager pace?

I stand amid eternal ways,

And what is mine shall know my face.

* * *

Asleep, awake, by night or day,

The friends I seek are seeking me;

No wind can drive my bark astray,

Nor change the tide of destiny.

* * *

What matter if I stand alone?

I wait with joy the coming years;

My heart shall reap where it has sown,

And garner up its fruit of tears.

* * *

The waters know their own, and draw

The brook that springs in yonder height;

So flows the good with equal law

Unto the soul of pure delight.

* * *

The floweret nodding in the wind

Is ready plighted to the bee;

And, maiden, why that look unkind?

For lo! thy lover seeketh thee.

* * *

The stars come nightly to the sky;

The tidal wave unto the sea;

Nor time, nor space, nor deep, nor high

Can keep my own away from me.

John Burroughs,

"The Best-Loved Poems of the American People" Doubleday 1936

* * *

As we are waiting for our new children, it is comforting to know that God will bring our own to us. He is in complete control, choosing where, when, and how.

* * *

"The LORD is my shepherd: I shall not want." Psalm 23:1

Introducing Our Friends

As you may have noticed, we now have links to several of our friend's blogs. Here's a little introduction to each of them.

We met the Parish family on New Year's Eve, 2006. We have spent the past several months (has it only been that long?) enjoying their wonderful, encouraging friendship. Since we met, Mr. and Mrs. Parish have celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, their oldest son Dan and his wife Kendra have had a second baby, their second son Max has gotten engaged, their daughter Sally has graduated from high school, their third son Simon has broken his hip, and the little three (Jayni, Jacob, and Lily) have been adopted. Their fourth son, Jeremy, has not had anything very exciting happen to him, but we absolutely love him, along with the rest of the family.

We met the McCracken family in August of 2006, when we attended their church for about a month. Mr. McCracken is the pastor of that church, and Mrs. McCracken is a beautiful pianist. Their oldest daughter Jenny is engaged to Max Parish, and Kaylee and Connor are enjoying the family tradition of music, with great talent.

Aaron Telian is a thoughtful, energetic young man that we go to church with. He is the oldest of eight children. He works for himself as a carpenter, but makes time for much thinking, reading, and studying. He is also an incredible piano player, and an avid hiker. His blog is philsophical in tone, but easily accesible and quite thought-provoking.

Max's blog is also philosophical, but he tends to focus on love a little more these days. (I wonder why?:) His posts are usually quite deep, so they invite much thought and consideration. The quotes at the top of the main page are my favorite part of the blog.

We also go to church with Garrett Valdivia. He plays guitar very well, and he showed Jordan some of his techniques the first week we met his family. His blog is a little more random than the others, but usually hysterical. If you need a laugh, you can normally find it at his blog.

These are all of our on-line friends. We would love to introduce our other friends, but so far we can't. If any of you do get a blog, though, let us know, and we will update our links!

Basic Skills

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/how_to/4221637.html

I read this article and strongly agreed. It's about all people acquiring basic skills.

Jordan

Enjoying being sisters.

It's Fall!

With the nip in the air, slightly overcast skies, and a need for covers at night, it's official. Fall is here! Fall is our favorite season for decorating the house. Two days ago the little girls made a few new decorations to go with the leaves, corn, and gourds we have collected over the years. Their creativity is blossoming, and making the house more inviting.

Now we get to enjoy the oranges, reds, and yellows of autumn until after Thanksgiving, when we start to decorate for winter. The bright, lively colors inside will help to counteract the gray skies. And if it does happen to get hot again, the decorations will help us remember that we can pretend we have fall weather, even in central California.

Time for Children!

Daddy and Mommy went today to look for our children! Our home study has been signed off, so we are beginning the search for them. It will probably still be a few months until the children move in, but we might know who they are in just a little while. We are so amazed at all the preparation God has put us through in the last seven years. We are also thankful that He chose to prepare us and not throw us in blind. He has taught us so much, and done a lot of purifying in the process. We are looking forward to meeting the children, and seeing how God has prepared them for us!

Pictures of Jordan

Yes, this is a prank photo. With Jordan, it's got to be fun to get his personality.

Well, that's it for the photos for now. I will post some photographs of the new children when they come, and hopefully I can convince my parents to pose for some together. We'll see if Daddy will go for it.