Thankful Thursday

We have so many things to be thankful for and I have been reminded of this more recently as I have been reading an awesome book by Ann Voskamp entitled “One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are.” This book reminds me that Jesus GAVE THANKS in EVERyTHING and that I need to have a heart of Thanksgiving—thanking God for everything and viewing everything as a true gift from Him.

And this means giving thanks in everything…not just the good, prosperous, joy filled times, but in everything…triumphs, tribulations, pain, loss, sickness, busy schedules, debt, drama, daily duties, tired bodies, and even those dark times when we don’t think we can go on another day. This book is teaching me to express gratitude for the life I already have and to fully live each day alive in Christ!

It has been fun…even the kids are getting involved…you might hear Jaida say at the dinner table… “Mama, was that number sixteen?” And she is referring to the number of the next thing we are thankful for in our lives…when you truly seek and search for them…they are limitless and recognizing this can truly transform your life!

So, since today is Thankful Thursday, I thought it would be perfect to share with you the top 8 things that I am thankful for today…

#1: I am thankful for an 18-year-old Son who is MUCH MORE fun when he is at the Oral Surgeon’s office on Nitrous Oxide! (Ty)

#2: I am thankful for a young 7-year-old son who was SO BRAVE at the Ortho when he received his Quad Helix Palatal Expander appliance and who works so hard on making proper speech. (Jax)

#3: I am thankful for a husband who loves the Lord and treats me like a Queen everyday, even when I least deserve it!

#4: I am thankful for a 6-year-old daughter who simply cracks me up and brings me to laughter many times in a day. (Jaida)

#5: I am thankful for a 12-year-old son who is just plain silly, finds humor in all human bodily noises, and is secure in his skin. (Josh)

#6: I am thankful for an 18-year-old daughter who reminds me daily through a phone text of the wisdom in God’s words. (Mikayla)

#7: I am thankful for a God who loves ME with all my flaws and whose faithfulness is steadfast.

#8: Today I am most thankful for…New Photos and an Update on our 12-year-old daughter in China! We hope you enjoy the photos of our beautiful daughter and discover a few new things about her. We are so very blessed that God has called us to be her Mama and Baba! Jemma Yanping’s birthday is tomorrow and she turns the big 12. We are so hoping to wrap her in a bear hug by mid-August! We can’t wait to bring her home!

Our Beautiful Daughter…Jemma Yanping Gerber 

Ping looks healthy & happy!

Some things you might like to know about Jemma...

• Jemma just finished 4th Grade in China and did very well in her studies. She got an 84% in Chinese, an 82% in Math, a 92% in English and her favorite subject is Art.
• Jemma likes to wear dresses and sandals and her favorite color is PINK!
• Jemma's favorite things to do in her spare time are drawing, playing Badminton, and kicking Shuttlecock.
• Jemma is working on her English and can say simple sentences and words.
• Jemma can use a computer and ride a bike, but can't swim yet.
• Jemma's biggest fear of being adopted is learning the English language.
• Jemma's current feelings about being adopted include being excited and happy to have her own family. She is excited to move to the U.S. but has normal concerns as any adopted child would have.
• Jemma loves funny TV shows and movies and when she is scared, she likes to be comforted and praised.

I hope you have a "THANKFUL" filled day!

Blessed Mama of 6

This Crazy Life of Ours

I can hardly believe it has been almost 6 months since I last posted on this, our newest adoption blog. To say the least, life has been very busy for our family over the past 6 months and I apologize that this is only my 3rd post on this blog. I will attempt to do better, but I make no promises that I know myself I cannot keep. I will try to get you all caught up on our crazy lives in today's post.


With 2 high school graduations and our 3rd adoption, I wondered how we would make it through the year sanely. I definitely had moments of shear insanity, crying fits (more like uncontrollable moments of sobbing), mental breakdowns, and wondering how I ever raised my 2 oldest children safely to 18 years of age and why God has entrusted me with 4 more children to do the exact same task....but "with God, ALL things are possible." Matthew 19:26....and with God, we made it through! God is AMAZING!


You know, God truly listens to us when we pray...a testament to this is that I had been praying all along that we would be able to focus on the twins' graduation and not have any of our adoption plans interfere. God delivered...2 days after the twins' graduation, we finally received our Letter of Approval from China that Yanping is ours! We had to wait a long 83 days to complete this part of the adoption process, but nonetheless, God allowed us to get through graduation and focus on Mikayla and Ty and for that I am truly grateful! 


However, we really were hoping to travel to China this summer to bring Ping home prior to school starting in mid-August, so we would have some adjustment time before jumping into school but I don't think that is in the cards for us. God's timing is always perfect, just not perfect with OUR human plans. So, we continue to wait to complete the next phase...so many phases, so many hurry ups and then wait a little longer, so much longing in our hearts to bring our daughter home, so difficult sometimes to rest in the knowledge that "even though we know not all His plans, we know we're totally in His hands!" 


If you are of the praying kind...please begin to pray for these things especially:

• That Ping's heart becomes softened toward our family and she will be able to bond to us and love us as her parents and forever family.
• That the orphanage is preparing Ping for the upcoming adoption.
• Safe travel to China and back and that our children at home will be happy and safe while we are gone.
• Even though there will be many trials and tribulations, that we will continue to rely on God and have faith that He will carry us every single step of the way.

Thank you so much for praying with us and for us on this...our final adoption journey!