Happy Thanksgiving! 2008

Happy Thanksgiving! It was a fun day at the Koren house. The morning started of with Hanna (my parents' German exchange student) coming over and watching a video about Germany with Isaac followed by a "Memory" game in both German and English. After more people started to arrive, the ladies and kids all played upstairs, leaving all the guys to "bonding" over...you guessed it...football (though Chris said the games were not particularly exciting). We were blessed to share our day of giving thanks with family, old friends and new friends (many of which moved to Oregon within this last year). In total we had 17 people ranging from late 60's all the way down to an 11-week-old little guy named Jackson. It was a great bunch. The turkey was on time this year and everyone contributed yummy dishes and pies to complete our feast.

We started a family "Thanksgiving journal" which we wrote in as well as all the guests. It was fun to read and I look forward to adding to it each year. There is so much to be thankful for! In America, we are so used to abundance, we easily complain when we don't have all we're used to. It is a good reminder to think about how the rest of the world lives. Our dinner is, literally, more than families eat in a month in other parts of the world. In light of that, be quick to give and thankful for all we have (even if, like most of us, your 401Ks and savings have gone down)...we are VERY RICH!

Snowflake update:

We received an email today about our Snowflake adoption and wanted to pass on the news:

GOOD NEWS!
Yes, your profile has already been sent out. The family would like you
to adopt their embryo and their packet is on its way to you! It was
sent out on Monday 11/24, so it should arrive by early next week!
When a family picks you, you receive their family profile and medical
history in the mail.
There is no definitive time period for you to decide. One to three
weeks is considerate.
When you say yes, we will call the family to let them know your decision
and prepare legal contracts for your adoption. The legal contracts are
sent to the genetic parents and to you. Once everyone signs and returns
them you can make arrangements to have a transfer done at the embryo's
clinic.
You will contact the clinic where the embryo is stored and ask them what
you need to do to become a new patient there. They will give you the
protocol and then work with your local clinic to help you obtain the
medications and have your uterus evaluated before you travel. When your
transfer date comes, you will fly to the clinic, have the embryo
implanted, and fly back home (a few days later). Your regular fertility
clinic will do the pregnancy test.

Hope this helps! Call me if you have any questions.
Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Megan

Our heart on the adoption news:
Please pray for us that we'd make the choice based on what God wants for us, not what will be most convenient. The sad news is that it is only one embryo and is in Maryland (we'll find out more details when the packet comes). Truly, we desired the children to have genetic siblings within our home and there is no chance of that with only one embryo. Also, worse case scenario is that we are there in Maryland and find out the embryo didn't even survive the thaw. That means paying for plane tickets, hotel stay and medical bills for the clinic (while putting my body through the drugs to ready it for the baby), with no baby to come home with. For the most convenient thing for our family, it'd be easy to pass then up and wait for another family. That, though, is focusing on statistics and circumstance, not focusing on what God wills for our family. Maybe this precious little one is meant to be ours...even if he or she never even makes it into my womb. I know that there are probably a lot of other families thinking the same thing (who may have already passed this family up). I know God is in perfect control and I pray that He clearly directs us and that we follow him with joy...no matter the outcome.

C is for Cookie

Isaac and Mommy made cookies together for the first time.
They were "Isaac safe" and didn't include and dairy, eggs or nuts.
We used flax instead of eggs and you'd never be able to tell the difference.
Isaac helped measure and had the best time.
If I were you, I wouldn't eat anything Isaac baked because I caught him licking a few of the cookies he shaped into balls before he put them on the tray to be baked...
no wonder they were so moist.

When Isaac's Daddy was a little boy
he used to stay on his knees with uncle Kevin
and watch the cookies bake.

Attack of the birds

We had an amazing time at the zoo with the Springers yesterday. The weather was amazing. I guess no one else knew that because no one was there. We had the zoo almost to ourselves. It enabled the kids to enjoy each of the animals they wanted for as long as they wanted. The highlights included all the light bulbs that are around the zoo (in preparation for "zoo lights"), the guys on the forklift putting light in the trees, the train parked near the elephants and the birds. The birds were crazy yesterday. They were extra loud, extra hungry, extra friendly, and extra poopy. Isaac was cracking up when the birds were screeching. He kept asking, "What's the bird saying to me?" Aunt Christina and I had food for the birds and felt like we were being attacked. I was actually a bit nervous and overwhelmed with the birds all over me, but (for the sake of the kids) I showed "no fear".

Snowflakes are coming

After Chris finished a 30 minute call to Snowflakes (the embryo adoption agency) today, we are officially done with our part of the home study. As of today, our family packets will be sent to genetic families to select us. The lady Chris spoke with on the phone told us that there are so many genetic families waiting that we should be selected VERY SOON (possibly even within weeks...weeks). It is very exciting! Please pray that the Lord clearly directs us with the right family and that everything would fall into place with their fertility clinic.

Getting excited to cook!

I am actually getting excited about cooking. Due to the fact that the kids and I are on a restricted/allergy diet (I am only because I nurse Abigail) and because Chris hasn't even made it home in time for dinner in who knows how long, I have dreaded making anything. I know there are people like my friends Lindsay and Christina who are mommies and work who still manage to keep their meal interesting and actually continue to try new recipes...not me. I am thankful to get a salad made with some chicken (that's not too dry because leave it in the oven 10 minutes too long I had to attend to the kids who are doing who knows what at the moment when the timer went off).

Anyway, I realized I started that last paragraph with talking about getting excited about cooking and only talked about how much I don't like it and don't so it....Here is why I am excited...I have finally pulled recipes from the girl who has made something in the crockpot every day of 2008 and posts it to her blog (she was even on Rachel Ray on day 160-something). Crockpotting never sounds good in the summer but sounds great in the fall. I love soups and one-dish meals. I love the easy clean-up after dinner. The crock-pot works out great for our family because Chris doesn't leave for work until 9:30am but gets home between 6:45-8:30pm. That means the mornings are great and the evenings are chaos; cooking dinner in the morning is awesome.

I have the harvest stew in the crock right now and am make the cornbread stuffing tomorrow (to test and see if I want to make it on Thanksgiving). For those who like to crockpot, check out YEAR OF CROCKPOTTING

33!?! You look like a high schooler!

My Friend Tiffany had a birthday yesterday. She is a few years older than me but she looks like she could be a girl in the highschool group at my church. (Tiff, your husband is so blessed to have you...you're a hottie!)

Anyway, she and I worked together at Legacy Private Academy California 6 years ago. I assisted in her classroom; she is the most amazing teacher I have ever seen. Even thinking back to that time reminds me how inspiring she was to the students and to me. She was so passionate for her students to learn and so loving toward them, they loved coming to class every day.

Tiff is one of the few dear friends in Cali I have made since high school that I maintain a close relationship with. It is amazing to think that one of my very best friends is one who I only spent less than one year with in person. We have been 1000 miles apart for over 80% of our friendship. The funny part about our year together is that 3 months of that year Chris and I lived with Tiff and her husband Dan. When we sold our condo, we had no place to live. The Somervilles took us in and gave us tea on the couch together by the fire, a wonderful guest room, and delicious candle-lit dinners on place mats with cloth napkins. Our time with them was like staying at the "Inn at Somerville."

Tiffany is like me in a few ways (mostly our drive, our love for taking control, and our love for making lists). Other than that, we are pretty much night and day. She likes to run, cats, hosting parties, meeting new people, taking naps, resting on vacations, hot weather, B&B's/nice hotels, extra crisp bacon with extra purple onions, not flying in airplanes, and watching weird movies...often including Tom Cruise. I, on the other hand...don't. :) I can pretty much bet that I won't like any movie about which she calls and says, "Koren, you have to see this!" I can also bet that if I call her when my heart is aching, she'll always say, "Koren, can I pray with you right now on the phone?" I love that we are so different...yet it works. It works because we make it work. It also works because we love Jesus and we love one another. Even though I would love to be sitting on the couch next to her typing this (though she'd be saying, "Koren, finish that and give me a rub"...because she is very persistent in getting me to rub her back...and I'd be saying, "Hold on!" To which she'd reply, "Come on Koren...PLEASE Koren!"), I am glad to have my dear friend...even if she's 1000 miles away.

Happy birthday "OLD" friend...I am so excited to see you in June...only 7 months until you ask for a rub and I refuse to go running with you. I love you...A LOT!

PS I don't think Chris will ever be an insurance salesman. :) XOXO

First trip to OMSI ***with clarification

We went with Grandma, Papa & Hanna to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) yesterday. It was geared for much younger children than I expected. It is so interactive that we were bouncing all over from exhibit to exhibit. Even though Isaac didn't understand most of what was at OMSI, he was very engaged the entire 3 hours we were there (and would have been for several more hours if he didn't need a nap). We took a handful of pictures in the beginning but got so busy that we forgot about the camera.

I asked Isaac what he liked best about OMSI. This is what he said:
"Eating Grandma's animal, the special lights, growing bigger and smaller, playing with the slime, and I like the museum...and the alligator in the toilet too..."
Guess you had to be there to understand. :)

I was struck by an exhibit that displayed the stages of a baby growing in the womb. They actually have babies that died either by accident or natural causes from 6 weeks to 34 weeks. As I walked around and saw them, I was so sad to know that they were all little ones who never breathed their first breath. I was also amazed how anyone could look around that exhibit and still think abortion doesn't kill a child and is just a woman's "choice." It reminded me to pray for everyone who walked around that room...that their hearts would see the truth about the sanctity of life. Isaac was very intrigued that he looked like that as he grew in my belly.

****Two dear friends read the blog an reminded me what a tender topic abortion is. Because I was emotionally fired up about the topic (with Obama suggesting that he wants to overturn the ban on partial-birth abortion), I didn't think about the fact that their may be people out there who I might hurt with my careless words. It is true that I do pray that anyone seeing the exhibit will see how a baby is a baby from the start. At the same time, I don't want to sound rude, judgemental or unloving toward those dealing with the emotional scars of having a abortion. In no way was I meaning to condemn anyone for their past; I am praying for changed hearts in the present and future. God has and does forgive me for "murder." In 1 John 3, God reminds us that if we hate out brother we are murders. It is also listed in 3 of the gospels as a sin in a long list...which also mentions not honoring/disobeying your parents (which my parents can attest to the fact I needed a lot of forgiveness for). God sees things our list wrongs differently than we do. He hates all sin. We are the ones who place "that's not SO bad" on certain sins. Truly, Jesus paid for all our sins...past and future...if we surrender them to Him. He is gracious beyond measure....

even to me...whose sins put Him on the cross.

By the way, you can't tell how cool OMSI is by these photos, but you can see how much Grandma adores Isaac.

Good News--never old news

As I was reading my Bible today, I stopped to soak in Romans 5:6-10. I replaced the general terms and directed it toward me, making it a prayer. It went a little like this:

Dear God,
Thank You that while I was still helpless, at the right time Christ died for me, the ungodly.
For I know one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But You, God, demonstrate Your own love toward me, in that while I was a sinner, Christ died for me. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, I shall be saved from Your wrath through Him. For if while I was Your enemy I was reconciled to God through the death of Your Son, much more, having been reconciled, I shall be saved by His life. AMEN!

It is both refreshing and convicting to stop and remember the price that was paid for my sins and the penalty I deserved that was freely paid by God through Jesus on my behalf.

It has been nearly 15 years since I have been a Christian. Because God saved me when I was fairly young, it is easy to forget what life was like without His grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness. I remember how life-altering it was for me when I was a new believer. I remember thinking...WOW! Christ died for me. I can't earn it. I have hope in Him. I have a purpose and the excitement of looking forward to heaven. Jesus is AMAZING! I also remember being so broken over my sin at times when I was living for myself and pursuing things of the world/things of the flesh. They never satisfied and left me feeling so empty and burdened with guilt. In those times I remember being so grateful for Jesus who took those sins away...as far as the east is from the west. I remember feeling the literal weight off me when I confessed my sins to Jesus and turned to what was right in His sight.

Today, I don't have those huge, hideous sins in my life like I had back then(I say that with the world's scale in mind...sin is sin to God...my pride, jealousy, discontentment, and laziness are all still "hideous" to Him). I have a consistent walk with the Lord that I enjoy, and it is pretty "normal." It's kind of like my relationship with my husband...It was emotionally up and down in the beginning, but now it is stable and feels so much more secure. Also, like my relationship with my husband, if I let it become routine, it becomes just that...routine. I love my husband and never want to stop being amazed about how he loves me and sacrificially cares for me/our kids. I never want to get so caught up in fulfilling the duties I have as a wife that I miss the joy of spending my life with the man I love so dearly. It's easy to get the routine down...it takes effort to show love and appreciation each day while growing our relationship.

How much more can be said about my relationship with Jesus? He tells me in His word that, as a believer, I am His bride. I am to love Him above all else, live to serve Him, and bring Him glory.

I was reminded today that I really struggle with relying on myself and completing my "checklist." I do it in my home and with my Lord. I can set aside my emotions and passions to simply get the job done. I often find myself just going through the motions. It is easy for me to get used to being forgiven because it cost me nothing. In junior high, the things that I bought with my babysitting money were always more precious to me than what my parents bought. Why? Because it cost me. Jesus offers us something totally free. I know that I can't earn forgiveness (or even begin to "pay Jesus back" with good works), and I can't ever do anything to be considered a "good person." With that said, it is easy forget the infinitely high price that was paid on my behalf. Jesus paid it all with His precious blood while I was God's "enemy." May that never become "old news" and my I never stop being amazed with the God who loved me so much that while I was a sinner, He sent His son to die for me. I am thankful for the Bible/His word that always does it's job in my heart. He says His word will never return to Him void and it's true. He always uses it to shape me, mold me, and make me love Him more and want to be more and more like Him. I have an amazing savior!!!

Two nights away at the coast

A peek at the room...

view from the balcony...

We stayed at Seaside for two nights at our timeshare. She booked a 3BR, 3 Bath penthouse. It was huge and beautiful. The only thing it was missing was friends to share it with us (and sunshine).




We had fun at a toy store. Abigail played with some girl toys while Isaac played trains.

We gave Abigail a bath in the sink because the two jetted tubs were too big.

The windows went all the way to the floor and provided a stunning view.

Happy 30th Christina

My dear friend Christina is turning 30 today. Just think, this woman was just in elementary school with me in California when she was just a girl...wow, it's been a long time. We've been there for each other through braces, boyfriends, school projects, teachers, and other friends. We used to live two streets apart and walk to school together. We even carpooled to junior college (our mom's drove us because neither of us drove or had a car). We loved going to the pool, riding bikes or walking the paseos together. We used to walk up to the Alamo and split nachos or Subway to split a sandwich and Diet Coke. We served together in the dirt, building houses in Mexico, and shared a cabin together several times at Hume Lake. Christina always loved reading and doing well in school. She was a hard worker, even from a young age. She has always loved being outside and keeping busy.

Today, she's not much different. She is older and a tiny bit taller, but she is the same friend I had years ago. I am blessed to have her only a short drive away in the Columbia Gorge. I am thankful that we get to raise our kiddos together as "cousins." I am so happy to have a friend close by who is better than a sister. I love that she knows me like only an old friend can and loves me unconditionally. After nearly 20 years, I am blessed to still call her my friend.

Happy 30th Birthday Christina!!!!

Adotion/Family Profile

We have to write up a family profile for our adoption. Here is the pictures we are using for it:

Happy 1st Birthday Elijah

Hanna (my parents' exchange student from Germany) playing with Abigail

Sorry Abigail, you don't get any cake until you turn 1

"I love the bouncing balls I got for my birthday"

"Happy birthday" from Aunt Amber

"Daddy, it seems like just yesterday that I was turning 1"

"What a fun party...I love balloons...Happy birthday sweet brother."