Family Missions Trip

I am so excited to be going on our first family missions trip! Let me tell you how awesome God is and how this all came about!

In a previous post I shared about how God has used the death of one of his beloved servants, Derek Loux, to open my heart to the many needs of the orphan. During the time, where my heart was stirred and felt as though it was being pulled in so many directions I prayed for God to show me how we(Bob and I) could be a part of helping in some small way. My heart was overflowing with a desire to help with children with special needs. But, how? when? What does this look like in my already "busy" life. Bob and I prayed about how God could somehow use us in this unique way.

Two weeks later, our boys were baptized and we were sitting at the luncheon. Our friends, Becky and Todd were sitting with us and Becky asked if we were thinking about going on the family missions trip this summer. I said to her that I didn't know anything about it and didn't even know they were offering one. I then asked her to tell me about it.

She replied with, "there is a family missions trip planned for all members of your family to go to a camp to minister to other families who have children or adults with special needs."  You must realize that our church hasn't to my recollection, ever had a special needs missions trip and yet this year was!  I cried, and then began to share with Becky why I was so touched.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Be Imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

I was so humbled by God's love for me. I mean, what I felt at that moment was almost a tangible hug from my all-powerful, loving Heavenly Father. God orchestrated this whole process. He softened my heart towards the needs of those who need help and just want to be loved, then stirred within me a desire to help in some small way and then provided a way that my entire family could be involved and minister and be ministered to. How AWESOME is He! The Creator of the Universe did this and he does this over and over again to remind us just how much He loves us.

He cares for me...a very imperfect, prideful, sinner who desires to glorify Him despite all of my many weaknesses. I wonder... how many times do I not whole-heartedly seek Him? How many times have I missed out on similar situations because of not surrendering my plans to Him? How many times have I been prompted to pray about something but let it fall by the wayside?

I am so thankful that he does not give up on me! I am so glad that He pursues me even when I am blinded by my own inadequacies.

Oh how I pray that my heart would align with what He wants me to be concerned about and for.

I am so thankful that the Lord uses us regardless of "not having it altogether". I pray that I would be a open vessel that would reflect His love and His power to those who need to see it.

This summer we will go on our trip.  Please join us in praying for this trip and that we would give the families a much needed break. I know, that we will be the ones that end up being ministered to. I am so thankful that our family has this privilege to go and I pray that this would impact each one of us in a very real way.

Phillipians 2:2-11

Do nothing out of selfish ambitions or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Each of you should not look only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him that name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

What is God stirring in your hearts? How has he showed up in the big and little things in your life?

Wildwood Reunion Part 1

Our annual Wildwood trip was so much fun. My mom and dad started this tradition when I was very little. Each year brings new cherished memories. We had a great time again this year..catching up with those we don't get to see very often. It's as if no time has passed and we just pick up where we left off.

The weather was beautiful!

Take a glance at some of the pics and keep in mind I am NOT a photographer:)

Maggie and Ben on a ride together

Ellyn, Gracie and Charis....cousins and buddies

Nate,Rob,Charis,Gracie,Nick,Maggie,Meredith & Laurel

Shay cousin pic.....missing our NC shays very much this weekend!!

Meg, Jen and myself

Charis,Gracie, Maggie, Ellyn, Katie and Laurel in, of course, matching T's!

more to come.......

Cooking Class

I decided to start teaching my kiddos how to cook. So each week I am going to try to teach them a new dish. I started out with potato salad since summer is rapidly approaching. If any of you would care to have this recipe I could give it to you but must first confess it will be given to you "Nana style" in other words, I can give you a pretty good estimate but not an exact measurement. Tasting it is necessary for this delectable dish to turn out yummy!

Oh Noooo he didn't!

The return of the "cup"!

WARNING: Some might lose their stomach over this...it might be enough to put you over the edge...I don't know, I'm getting used to this sort of thing(look at previous posts). However, not all would expect to find this at the dinner table! He got a talkin to about this one! ahhhh, grossssss, totally inappropriate to have while we are eating. He, of course, even after our little discussion, still didn't see the problem with this. Boys, whatcha gonna do?!

Melissa, how are you feeling about adopting my kids now?! :)

Happy Spa Day!!

After coming home from church on Mother's Day, I went upstairs to get changed and was then summoned downstairs. My husband took me by the hand and we walked down the steps... and this is what I found.....

this is great....everyone getting in to the action!

Maggie "decorated" the water with lemon wedges

the cucumbers were her idea too

ahhhh....simply wonderful!!!

after getting my massages....I was whisked away to the couch where I was told to rest for an hour....this sign was laid upon me whilst sleeping.....yes, this is the life I lead!

Mom Shay was next...simply luxurious

and then Mom Hirschberg's turn

My advice: Start em out young!! :)

That was an incredible Mother's day gift....one that will not be forgotten!

Thank you to the Hirschberg Spa peeps! Love you!

Happy Mother's Day!

Bob and I are so blessed to be able to celebrate today with both of our mothers.  We are so appreciative for all the many times they have sacrificed on behalf of their children.   We are thankful for their unconditional,  selfless love they gave to each of us while raising us and the love and support they continue to show to us and their grandchildren.

Both of our mothers and my grandmother have experienced the loss of their husbands(our dads/pop-pop) yet through the hardships, pain, grief and agony they have all faithfully walked with Christ. They have demonstrated strength and hope when life doesn't turn out the way we plan it because, their hope is found in Jesus Christ.

We honor you today, Mom Shay, Mom Hirschberg, and Nanny Shay for showing us what it looks like to really live for Christ when life brings both sorrow and joy.  We love you!

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come,


She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.


She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.


Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:


Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all


Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.


Proverbs 31:25-30

I love this man, thank you mom for teaching him how to love, cherish, and respect a woman.  For that I am grateful. What a precious gift he has been to me!

My beautiful mom! The one, who through example, taught me how to be a mom!  Thank you for teaching me to seek Jesus in all circumstances and for pointing me to His word.  Thank you for loving me even when I am not lovable!  Your wisdom is priceless and one that I will continue to seek and treasure. I love you!

So incredibly thankful and blessed to have Nanny in our lives.  "Great" to the great grandkids.  My children love spending time with you and so do I.  Thank you for being a loving mother to my dad and grandmother to all of us. You make the best pie's around!(especially blueberrry)*hint hint...love you!

Since I was a little girl, all I wanted to do was grow up and be a wife and mommy.  God in his graciousness has blessed me with my desire.  I have four beautiful children and another one to come through the privilege of adoption.  There is nothing more important to my heart then to see my children love Jesus with all of their heart, soul and mind. May I continue to seek His face in all that I do.  May I be a reflection of his love.    

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in Christ Jesus...for ever and ever! AMEN.
Ephesians 3:16-21


They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:3b


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE WOMEN IN MY LIFE!

Exciting News on the Hirschberg front!!

I am really excited to share some news with you!  We are adopting!!! We are thrilled!

This journey into adoption has been an exciting one, let me share how God has worked!

A little tiny seed was planted..... 

Several years ago Bob and I had the privilege to volunteer for Bethany Christians Services, a Christian Adoption Agency.  We would help out with the fundraising banquet in several different ways, whether it was going to different businesses and asking for donations or helping with the stage set for the night of the banquet.  Bethany's vision, to help the orphaned be placed into forever families, quickly became a part of our heart.  Little did we know how big of a part that would play later in our lives.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  James 1:27

At different points in our lives we felt the desire to adopt but Bob and I never seemed to be on the same page at the same time.  We just continued to pray about this.  Our church partners with Bethany and so every so often we would get a picture in the bulletin of a child who was in need of a forever family.  Our children would plead with us to adopt.  We continued to pray.

A couple of years later, the seed began to sprout...

Bob and Robbie had the awesome privilege to go to  Kenya, East Africa on a missions trip with our church.  What an incredible life changing trip for the two of them to go on together and experience a different culture.  They went and visited a crippled children's home where they got to minister to some of the children through some puppets they took.  They would tell you though, that they were the ones that were ministered to.  The children who had various sicknesses and diseases were the ones that brought joy to both of them.  Robbie loved visiting the orphanage where he got to play soccer and other games with the children.  His heart was overwhelmed by the joy that these children had despite their conditions and not having a family.  The window of Bob's heart began to open towards adoption.  We continued to pray.

...once our eyes are opened we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows that we know and holds us responsible to act.  (paraph.) Proverbs 24:12


Through one families tragedy a bloom appears...

Derek Loux, who was one of the greatest orphan advocates, life was suddenly taken in a fatal car accident.  His life was one devoted to special needs orphans and advocating on behalf of those who have been used in sexual trafficking.   My sis-n-law Lisa,  shared on her blog his life and I quickly went to his blog.  I read something he wrote regarding his adoption of three sons and my life will forever be impacted.  Here is a little tidbit of what he wrote coming home from adopting his 3 sons with special needs.  He was exhausted and frustrated by the process...

On the drive home that night, the Lord whispered in my ear, "This is Redemption. Derek do you know how far I travelled to get you and bring you back? I had to be separated from my Son, in order to get you, just like you are separated from your children in order to get these boys.  Do you know how expensive it was for me to purchase you?  It cost me everything.  Do you know how broken, sick, damaged, twisted, dirty, smelly and hopeless you were?  And at the end of it all, you had nothing to give me or add to me.  I did it for you.  I emptied myself and became nothing so that you could have it all.  This is Redemption." 


My friends adoption is redemption.  It's costly, exhausting, and outragious.  Buying back lives costs so much.  When God set out to redeem us it killed Him and when He redeems us we can't even really appreciate or comprehend it.
 do you know how far I travelled to ge
Bob and I prayed, I had sleepless nights...praying and asking God to give us direction on what he wanted us to do.  Through prayer one night Bob and I were talking and he said, "I believe we should start the adoption process".   My heart jumped and dropped all at once...lots of emotions...and here we are, in the middle of this adoption process and we are excited by all that God is teaching us.  We are eager and thrilled to be adding another little Hirschberg to our family.

"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.  For you will spread out to the right and to the left...."
Isaiah 54:2-3

Please join with us in praying for our child and for all of the many...many orphaned children who are in need of a loving family to take them in and make them a part of a forever family.

I am only one, but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I still can do something and because I can not do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do."
Helen Keller

What can I say...really?!

Apparently, I am failing in the hygiene department! Take a look for yourself and cry laugh with me..

silly me for looking in the vanity cabinet for this...what was I thinking?

do you see a problem with this? yes that is a toothbrush!

ummm...i suppose they were thinking they were going to be here for a while and might need a snack???

what in the world...people!!!!! Be scared....be very scared.....!