The past few months have just stunk. Day to day life has been SO HARD. After dropping my oldest four at school in the am, I have found myself thinking..."just 3 more years and they'll all be in school!" The thought of not having to watch EVERY move of Josie Love and Caleb just sounds like heaven on earth to me. When I say that they are into EVERYTHING....it is an understatement. I actually used the bathroom all by myself the other day! I walked out feeling like I had achieved something HUGE JUST to find that Josie had gotten into my pantry and poured pancake syrup all over the counter. While cleaning up the sticky mess, I found myself thinking....maybe using the bathroom alone isn't such a luxury?!? Josie has been potty trained for 9 months now. The past week she has decided to just go in her pants MULTIPLE times. The fun part is, that she WAITS until we are at someone else's house. At our friends Christmas brunch, at my Mom's Christmas Eve (2x), and at my in-laws house yesterday (3x)...AAARRRGGHHHH! There is a STACK of broken Christmas decor that have been broken that are on my husbands desk just waiting for gorilla glue to make them whole again. I could tell you story after story after story, AFTER STORY much like this one, but am afraid that I may cry if I bring them back to the forefront of my mind. (If Caleb wasn't so cute I might just punt him into the next county some days.) Above all else, I'm tired of acting it's ALL GOOD, cause it's NOT. It is hard, and this preschool stage is WEARING me down.

Mike and Michael are duck hunting, Annabelle and MillerAnne, and Grace spent the night with their cousins at my in-laws last night. So, I am home with my three littles. I am up in my bed with Joshua snuggled up next to me, coffee with yummy hazelnut creamer bedside, and my Jesus Calling book and my bible sitting next to it. hhhmmm....think I might open them for the first time in WEEKS.

I am preparing you for what is on the road ahead. Take time to be still in my presence so that I can strengthen you. The busier you become, the more you need this time apart with me.So many people think that time spent with me is a luxury they cannot afford. As a result, they live and work in their own strength-until that becomes depleted. then they either cry out ot me for help or turn away in bitterness.

How much better it is to walk close to me, depending on my strength and trusting me in EVERY situation. If you live in this way, you will DO less, but ACCOMPLISH much more. Your unhurried pace of living will stand out in this rush-crazed age. Some people may deem you lazy, but many more will be blessed by your peacefulness. Walk in the light with me, and you will reflect ME to the watching world. JESUS CALLING BY SARAH YOUNG

WOW! HE never leaves me nor forsakes me...then why have I felt so alone the past few weeks? Maybe because i have been SO busy preparing for adoption conferences (what I will speak on), the holidays, and the chaos of school ending (parties, birthdays, and spend the nights) that I haven't taken the time to fill my heart with the Holy Spirit. While much of what I have been doing is "kingdom work", I havent been filling my heart with what is vital for me to feel like I am living and not DROWNING. The Holy Spirit feels my hearts SO FULL that I actually feel as though I can breathe again. He gives me peace that I cannot get from giving gifts, feeding children worldwide, helping others with adoptions, loving my children and husband well.....

I HAVE to take the time to give HIM the chance to fill my soul, with HIS presence, HIS peace, HIS love, and HIS patience. I do not have it now, I NEVER will without HIS loving arms wrapped around me and HIS love pouring OVER me like water in a parched desert. OH I am so thankful, that HE is EVER present and it is I who moves away from HIM, and when I realize it, He welcomes me with OPEN arms, again and again and again!

I am looking forward to the New Year! I cannot wait to see what HE is going to do with 147 Million Orphans. We gave $53,000 away last year to help orphans in Ethiopia, Uganda, Honduras, Haiti, China, and the US. We have over 200 families that will be fundraising with our gear starting in January.

While I seem frustrated with my children in this post (hahaa), I am SO thankful that HE has entrusted me with their little lives and I cannot imagine life without each and EVERY one of their little smiles that greet me each and every morning. The husband that HE has given me is the most wonderful man on earth. He is patient, loving, and makes me feel whole. Our lives are TOTAL teamwork and I cannot imagine life without him.

I AM THANKFUL.... SO THANKFUL THAT MY SWEET SAVIOR IS CONSISTENT WHEN I AM NOT!

Well,I finally broke away from all of the emails that have been flooding in through EVERY avenue of social media that I am a part of, regarding Katie's blog going private! While Gwen and I (and Grace...our extra set of hands) are completely overwhelmed with the work, our hearts are full KNOWING that so many people long to read Katie's words. What HUGE blessing she is to SO many...I just LOVE the way the Lord is using her to minister to the MULTITUDES (haha)

One of my FAVORITE things that I do over the holidays is bake with my mom and sisters. We started this tradition several years ago and as our daughters have gotten older, they now join the fun! I am so blessed to have two sisters and a mother who live near nearby. While we don't see each other on a daily basis or even talk daily, I ALWAYS know, that WITHOUT doubt that I can call them at ANY time (day or night) and they will be there to help with a smile. My niece Lauren was out of town, she was surely missed. We gathered at my oldest sisters house (Susan) with recipes in hand and started mixing it up! Grace and Abbie were partners in crime in baking the "chocolate -no-bakes." My mom's specialty is buttermilk fudge and I made some new yummy little snacks. ( put a hershey's kiss on the top of a window pane pretzel and melt it, then mash a m&m on the top and let it harden...sweet and salty...DELICIOUS and SO cute!) After several hours of baking we realized that EVERY snack that we made had chocolate in it! WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT MY FAMILY?!?!?

I look forward to my other daughters getting older so that they can join the fun each Christmas season. What a sweet, sweet gift my sweet Savior blessed me with...not ONE, but TWO sisters and a mother!

In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips!

Gwen and I have been flooded w/ emails (on all 3 of our email accounts) and on facebook about Katie's blog going private .... I just wanted to let you know it is just for some re-vamping / communication stuff and that she is NOT posting anything over the holidays ... It will go back to normal after the holidays, so no worries and no password needed ... THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS AND CONCERN ...

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

My children absolutely LOVE the "25 Days til' Christmas" movies on the family channel starting December 1. The whole month of November they speak of building a fire, pulling out the blankets and snuggling up on the couch together. As our family has grown, the couch snuggling has spread to the floor with masses of pillows and blankets...we LOVE it!

Last weekend (the entire weekend) the movies were the Harry Potter series. NOW, I know that this is a VERY controversial subject, but since this is MY blog, I am going to share my heart about this issue. I have heard ALL of the reviews about this series in the literary world. I know that all of the experts and critics believe that this series of books/movies are extraordinary. The issue that I have, not only with Harry Potter but also sex filled movies, is that AS BELIEVERS we HAVE to be aware of the war that is going on in the spiritual realm all around us.

There have been times through out my life where I have come face to face with demonic oppression. IT IS REAL. The spells that are cast, the lives that satan has taken over and ruined is REAL. The things that you see on Harry Potter (while we think of it as entertainment and "imaginary"...IT HAPPENS!) If you do not believe me, ask a few people who live in third world countries that deal with witch doctors and I guarantee you that they don't watch it for entertainment. People are ALIVE on this earth, casting spells, sacrificing children, killing people on a daily basis to bring satan glory and we are watching or reading the same type of "witchcraft" here in the US as entertainment. If you have had a spell cast on your or your children and you had to rely on our sweet Savior to heal your body and free your children from the bondage that accompanies it....you would NEVER desire to read about it or watch it as entertainment. If you are a believer you believe that satan is real OR NOT. If you believe he is real...then why subject yourself to his lies? Now, I know that Harry Potter is not sacrificing children but what YOU need to know is that what goes on in the Harry Potter series is the SAME witch craft that leads to all of the other. That they would show witchcraft during the season of Christ birth angers me to no end. Just another little jab from satan...easing his way in on such a precious season to celebrate our Savior.

My friend Katie is surrounded by children who have pierced their ears, pulled permanent teeth, or have marked their skin permanently so that they will not be used as child sacrifice. IT IS real....it is SAD....and as believers we HAVE to educate ourselves on this matter. The real question is...."is it worth it for us to just ignore it for our entertainment?"

The same holds true with movies that open our minds and hearts to sexual lust. When we sit and watch a couple having sex on a big screen, (and I KNOW that they do not show EVERYTHING just enough to leave the brain to wonder...which is actually worse at times) we are opening our minds and hearts to the source of 70% of broken marriages today. SEVENTY PERCENT..... All for the sake of entertainment...don't you wonder if God wonders if we even have a brain in our heads? Why on earth would we subject our minds and hearts to the very thing that is breaking up our God ordained relationship?????

47% percent of families said pornography is a problem in their home
Pornography a significant factor in 2 out of 3 divorces

9 out of 10 children aged between the ages of 8 and 16 have viewed pornography on the Internet, in most cases unintentionally

Average age of first Internet exposure to pornography: 11 years old

Largest consumer of Internet pornography: 12 - 17 year-old age group

The bible is full of scripture speaking of the heavenly hosts raging war against the evil one. There is a war going on DAILY. Events may seem to occur randomly, with little or NO meaning. People who view the world this way have overlooked one basic fact: the limitations of human understanding. If we only knew how our Savior's heavenly army is fighting on our behalf each and every day. We would never doubt how much He cares for us. This is why we must walk by faith and not by sight. Trusting in HIM moment by moment.

I am SO thankful for my family. Mike and I are SO blessed that we have very close-knit families. The support and love that we feel daily exceeds anything that this world has to offer. We weren't able to be with Mike's family this year because of sickness and Thanksgiving just wasn't the same!

We went to my mom's for our traditional dinner. As I sat at the table and looked at each one of the faces around the table, I couldn't help to send up a little prayer of thankfulness. My sister-in-law (LaneAnn) that passed away this year was an EXCELLENT cook. She always WOWED us with her yummy toll house pie. My brother decided that he was going to try and bake it this year (since she is no longer here to do it) and it was DELICIOUS!! We oooohed and aaaahed while we ate it. (While all three sisters just oozed about how proud we were of him!) It took us back to last year and how ill she was at our family dinner. Tears were shed as we spoke of how happy we are that she is healed and in heaven with our Savior. Their children seem to be doing well. They have definitely had their "healing moments" but overall, I feel that the Lord is giving them the strength the need for mourning.

We went to my brothers house to visit a few weeks ago. He had pumpkins picked, hayride ready, bonifre, and poles prepared for fishing! My family had an ABSOLUTE blast!

join us in celebrating with Project Hopeful! We will be forever grateful to Project Hopeful for encouraging us through the dark times in our adoption process with Josie Love. They are so passionate about encouraging the adoptions of HIV+ children. What a sweet, sweet blessing they are to me! Go purchase the newest edition of People magazine, read about their family and see if you can find the 147 Million Orphans item in one of their photos!!

During this season of thankfulness...I am thankful that God is a God of miracles. He makes himself known to me each and every day.

I've been reading in Genesis. In the past I have always read the bible and thought "well, that was in bible times." I mean, the stories seem ABSOLUTELY crazy to me. For instance, God spoke to Abraham when he was over 100 years old and told him that he was going to have a son. WHO DOES THAT!?!?!? As I continued to read it says that Sarah heard it from the tent door and started laughing and thought "YEA RIGHT! this old body? there is NO WAY that THIS OLD BODY can have a baby!" and God called her out.....questioned her about why she would laugh at was He said was going to happen...did she not believe that HE was capable of that? She lied and said that she didn't laugh because she was scared. and He called her out AGAIN.."yes you did! you laughed!"

That is me. I am a modern day Sarah. It's not that I do not believe that HE is capable of making things happen. But for him to use ME is comical. I continued to read Genesis chapters 17-22 and in chapter 19, God was going to spare Lot's life from the burning of Sodom and Gomorah. He told Lot to take his wife and daughters and run for the mountains so that their lives would be spared. Lot fled with his family. His wife wasn't so SURE she believed so she turned back towards the town and was turned into salt....dead. WHY DID SHE QUESTION? Why did she turn back and just WONDER if what God has promised was TRUTH?

That is me. What if every time I questioned what I THINK that God might be saying...death was the alternative? There would probably be more people living "radically" around here huh? You either believe this "crazy' life that you are called to live or you die....hhhhmmmm.

I was able to see my sweet friend Sarah (and her sister Katie) this weekend at our adoption conference. Sarah was with Mike and I when we were in Uganda and found out that Josie was positive. Seeing her took me back to the day that Josie lay limp in Mike's arms, with a HIGH fever. Not a word was spoken in the car on the road back to Jinja. Only tears and sniffles. My head lay on Mike's shoulder as we both wept on behalf of this sweet little angel that so innocently had contracted a virus that could take her life at any moment. To leave Josie Love in Uganda meant death. (maybe not for the next few years, but as children "age out" of the orphanage they basically are on their own.) They only have certain ARV's (meds for HIV) in Africa and not all that most HIV/AIDS people need to survive. what if I had turned back like Lot's wife in this situation? what if?

We have ONE chance at this life. ONE.

ONE.

Are you going to stay in your comfortable little place and make sure that you and every one else around you is happy and comfortable? We have the rest of our lives to be comfortable...in heaven...FOR ETERNITY. I wanna go outta her all wrinkled, tired, and ragged...LOOKIN like I have lived life to the fullest. At this ONE chance...a very SHORT chance (called life on earth)....DO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT to bring God and God alone glory.

Suzanne (my friend and partner in crimestopping) has asked me to blog while I am living a life completely foreign to me. I have the privilege of staying in the Mayernick home with Mike and Suzanne's 7 kids plus my 2 for the next 4 days! Me and my girls, Kenzie (14) and Tyler (13) got here last night and the fun hasn't stopped. This life is a HOOT!

One thing I've learned in my first 24 hours is that there is an abundance of wildlife at the Mayernick home (and I don't mean just the children). This morning we were having so much fun that a bird decided to join us INSIDE the house! Oh my, 9 kids (and me) running and screaming around the house chasing the bird (or running from it like I was) started our day off in the best way EVER! We have belly laughed about that one all day. Thankfully my prince charming, Mike (yes my husband is a Mike too... hmmm must be something about that name) had just arrived and he was able to catch the little birdie and set it free! I honestly think the bird would've just had to stay with us for the week if I had to get it out. Luckily Michael caught a pic from his phone of the temporary house guest...

And if that wasn't enough of nature for me in a day, tonight after dinner Michael Mayernick nearly stepped on a opossum that apparently hangs out here nightly!?! That ought to be exciting... Lord Please let that opossum stay OUTSIDE!!!

Seriously, I have laughed and smiled today more than anyone should! And those of you that know me know that I laugh A LOT!!! This is a busy life and I'm only 24 hours in, but it is a rewarding life. The Mayernick 7 are a FABULOUS group! The hugs make up for the spills and the smiles totally wipe away any mistakes I make (2 outfits in the laundry solely because doing diapers is NOT like riding a bike, it does not "just come back to you" after 12 years).

I am a tired momma tonight! For the past 24 hours I have lived a life I've often wondered about and have 3 days to go. I pray I can get us all to school on time tomorrow because If I get 6 kids tardy demerits it will be traumatic I'm sure! I will let you know how tomorrow goes... all prayers are welcomed! I will leave you with two more pics of the oldest girls in the house this week Grace and Kenzie...

Grace comes downstairs as I'm drowning in koolaid, jello, chicken casserole (thanks suzanne it was terrific) and I look up to see this...

Grace starts swim team practice for the first time tomorrow and said "Its gonna be a loooonnnggg season" hahahhahahaha I love this girl! So grateful she and Kenzie are such sweet friends.

Here is Kenzie who is used to being the princess of the house after today...

Peace and Blessings from the Mayernick Home!

Tosha Haynes

Some of our closest friends, Tara and Drew Maddux are in the process of adopting from Uganda. They are bringing home two sweet little boys from Josie Love's orphanage....Patrick and Nicholas. Drew is the basketball coach at our school and Tara is one of my dearest and closest friends. They have three little girls that are best friends with three of my children. I cannot wait to see the impact that their adoptions are going to make in our community. Drew reaches SO many families through athletics and his love for the younger generation. He has an unbelievable platform to share Christ's love for the orphan and how his life has been changed through adoption...just the thought of what their future holds makes me smile! Tara is one of the few "safe places" for my heart. Her friendship I hold so close to my heart, and I would do ANYTHING for her. She is truly a gift from above to me. SOOOO, all of that said.....Six Seeds has featured our family on their site for the month of November. Everyone that goes to this link http://sixseeds.tv/s/content/adoption/600-adoption_the_mayernick_family and leaves a comment, they will donate $2 dollars per comment to the Maddux's adoption! now, I know that MANY of you read my blog and never comment...but this time, I NEED you to comment!!! look at these little faces that will be coming home to their forever family in just a FEW weeks! thank you! thank you! thank you!

I usually blog on Tuesday or Thursday while my littles are napping. The past few weeks I have been getting up at 5am to get Michael out the door for middle school basketball tryouts at 6am. SO... I have chosen to nap while my littles ones are, instead of blogging. It has been a little crazy the past few weeks at the Mayernick house. We have had Halleliah Hoedowns, Pumpkin Patch fun, awards at gymnastics, and Gwen and I have been gearing up for November being "orphan/adoption awareness month." 147 MILLION ORPHANS is LOCO right now!! The amount of fundraising for adoptions is THROUGH THE ROOF!! It makes my heart skip a beat to think of all of the little children coming home to their forever families. I KNOW that our Savior is smiling up above. (not to mention the children that are HIV+ that are being pursued...woohoooooo!!!)

So, here are a few pics from the past few weeks. Gwen and I are off to pack for a sale tonight.....