To Blog?

I have NOT been keeping you all in the loop on how things are going around here. Please forgive me!
There are a few reasons. One is that I am pretty ridiculously busy. Not a lot of blogging time going on around here.
Another is that I am just not sure what to say. I don't want to write anything that will embarass my kids who are now getting old enough to care what I talk about on the blog.
And I don't know how to write without being completely honest. I am not good at filtering. I don't want to candy coat anything, but I don't want to write stuff that will make Ana and Brilyn uncomfortable, or even hurt their hearts when they get old and maybe look back at what I wrote about this time.

So here is the gist of the situation. Things are amazingly wonderfully miraculously good around here. God is our provider and sustainer. Our healer.

It is also hard. Painfully, stressfully, nerve-wrackingly hard. There are so many transitions going on at one time that all of our heads are spinning.

But, like I started by saying- it's wonderful.

So. Keep praying for us. Your prayers are absolutely necessary. And appreciated.

XO

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Quick Bread

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Quick Bread

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 & 1/2 cups coconut milk w/ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup mild flavored olive oil
• 1/3 C peanut butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 7″x 3″ loaf pans with lard.

In a large bowl, mix flour, oats, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in peanuts and chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, beat coconut milk, vanilla, eggs, olive oil, and peanut butter. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Batter will be lumpy.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Now's the Time to Break these Chains!

This is a sticky post. Please scroll down to see more recent posts.

Hello! Lots of folks have been asking about how they can help financially.  Here is the information you need to donate:

To donate online: https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/ExpressDonation.aspx?ORGID2=581703392 Please be sure to fill in the Designation box with our information- "Rebisz family Latvia adoption."

To donate by check:
Payable to:
An Open Door Charitable Fund
P.O. Box 4
Thomasville, GA 31799-1795
Memo line: "Rebisz family Latvia adoption"

To donate by phone with a credit card:
1-229-228-6339
Don't forget to mention "Rebisz family Latvia adoption."
Psalm 68:5
Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—
this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
⁶ God places the lonely in families;
he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.

Proverbs 19:17

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!

God has already started to move in people's hearts to help us raise the money to bring Anastasija home! Thank God for His providing hand, and thank you to those who are moved to help this way!

Thank you Brilyn- age 7! (Jam fundraiser- $308.00 as of August 26th)
Thank you Gracie and Annie- ages 7 and 5!
Thank you Kylie- age 7!
Thank you Adam and Nicole!
Thank you Russ and Erin!
Thank you Rene and Tim!
Thank you Grampy Sim!
Thank you anonymous (through church) $1,000.00 donor!
Thank you Cowherds!
Thank you Emma Long!
Thank you Casey Engle!
Thank you Caccamise family!
Thank you anonymous (through the website)!
Thank you MOPS Change for Change!
Thank you Nancy Szymanski!
Thank you Sue Weaver!
Thank you Larry and Andrea!
Thank you VonBergens!
Thank you Bergen First Presbyterian congregation!
Thank you GOOD MORNING GIRLS!
Thank you Joneses!
Thank you Eric Gravelle!
Thank you LeRoy Farmer's Market vendors!
Thank you Erion Family!
Thank you Nate Moore!
Thank you Carol Maggofin!
Thank you Tom and Anne Frew!
Thank you Ava's Birthday Friends!
Thank you Grandma and Poppa Rebisz!
Thank you MaryKay Lipstick (Hanna)!
Thank you Ransom Family!
Thank you Waldruffs!
Thank you Merville and Martha!
Thank you Chamberlains!
Thank you Shaun and Carol!
Thank you Joanne!
Thank you Adriane!
Thank you Pengelly's!
Thank you Sundi!
Thank you Bergen First Presbyterian Church (again!)!
Thank you Yoders!
Thank you Smiths!
Thank you MOPS!
Thank you Northgate!
Thank you John Kennedy School!
Thank you Doc and Sue!
Thank you Fern!
Thank you Clarks!
Thank you Jackson School!
Thank you Batavia Middle School!
Thank you Gruendike Family!
Thank you Fuests!
Thank you Plattes!
Thank you E.T.Joneses!
Thank you Kuipers!
Thank you Clint and Beth!
Thank you Slocum-Wiskups!
Thank you Varlands!
Thank you Bergen First Presbyterian Church (again)!
Thank you Shaws!
Thank you Sass family!
Thank you Bergen First Presbyterian Church (again!)

Thank you Rebisz Family Adoption Fundraiser Friends!

 

If you have donated to help our family adopt Anastasija and do not see your name listed here, please contact me to make sure we received the donation.

Estimated need: $30,000.00

Amount given so far: $31,315.00

Updated 1-17-13

Just to be clear about winter activities

This is a hand sleigh:

This is a sleigh riding party (what I like to do for my birthday):

 

This is a sled:

This is a sled-riding party (what my sister likes to do for her birthday):

 

This is a sleigh:

 

This is a sleighing party (where you can sing a sleighing song, like Jingle Bells): 



 

 

So, when I say 'sleigh riding' I don't mean horses. And when you say sled-riding, you probably don't mean high-powered engines. It's okay, we're just different.

 

XO