Trading dreams for new ones.......

 This is of course a crazy amount of pictures from our vacation....still.  One day you will see more regular pictures again, but for now enjoy these.  The first several are from the Walker Sisters Cabin.  If you have ever traveled to the Great Smoky National Park you may have heard of them. 

 You see the Smokies is the only national park, according to what I read, that for the vast majority bought out people's properties instead of just using vast properties that were pretty empty.  So as you can imagine there were people not so happy to just sell out and move away from the only life they had ever known. 

 What happened to those people?  Well, some resisted like the Walker Sisters.  They sold homeade things they had been making for years to visitors.  Pretty smart! 

 Most people eventually moved to the neighboring areas just outside the park!  Which makes sense they didn't want to move away from their dreams.  The beautiful views.  Their families, the graves, the churches, and the familiar sights and sounds. 

 It is funny to me to remember our dreams.  Way back several years ago we visited our first national park in Maine- Acadia National Park.  I highly recommend that park as well- AMAZING!  We were in love! 

 In love with this fun island.  The peaceful surroundings.  The beautiful scenery.  The log cabins we saw.  We decided to start dreaming about our future home.  A log cabin of course.  A HUGE log cabin. 

 We were thinking big enough for our family, but also for a bed and breakfast.  If you knew us we love hosting others!  (Unfortunately our present home doesn't have lots of extra space for more people- maybe someday).  It is in our hearts.  It is what we love to do. 

 We bought a year subscription or even two to a log cabin magazine.  We dreamed and planned some pretty cool log cabins.  Designed floor layouts.  Planned some different places to build this dream home and settle down to start our new adventure.

 He he he he......but then something happened.....

 We moved and then took the foster care class....again....and well......eventually adopted 3 more kiddos after fostering them for 3 years. 

 Then we did Ethiopian adoptions, and then of course our newest two domestic adoptions. 

 Looking back on our dream of a log cabin....

 It was fun!  We loved it!  And we still think about it from time to time. 

 (don't make things like they used to huh?) 

 BUT- look at this!  THIS IS OUR NEW DREAM!!!!!!!!!

 I wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING!!!  I MEAN ANYTHING!!!!!  Endless money....doesn't mean anywhere near what our family right now means! 

 Our own little one room school house (not quite like the one above).  Means family time daily to learn, love, practice what God wants from us, and fun!!!!

 God had different plans for our lives.  They may be really really really far from what we pictured. 

 We would have missed.....this.......I mean HE IS PUTTING REAL FOOD TO HIS MOUTH!!!!!

 He he he....his expressions are seriously so hilarious!  Since vacation he has put cheese puffs to his mouth and eaten them!  He has also eaten a little of animal cracker!  YEA MICHAEL!!!! 

 We are so much more than blessed!

 I think about our dreams now.  To see our children accept Christ as their savior, to grow in HIS LOVE! 

 To have fun with the family God has given us! 

 To share with others our passion for God's Word and for the 163+ million children that still need families! 

To encourage and learn how to be a family that loves, grows, plays, laughs, forgives, heals, and encourages each other as much as possible! 

This is our passion- and sometimes THIS IS how it feels!