One of the most life changing weekends ever!!!

I am headed here in one hour to spend the weekend in intercessory prayer for the college generation.  This is the 3rd time I have done this, the first in One Day 2003 which was held right outside of Sherman.  Even before One Day I longed for the day my son (and eventually girls) could be a part of this amazing group and today is the day.  You have to be a high school Sr or College student to attend.  It is a weekend where the students spend seeking Gods face for their lives and is JAM PACKED with the most fabulous speakers and worship leaders in the world.  I am thrilled that Jordan asked to go a year ago and is excited for this weekend.  He is headed off with a few friends from his discipleship group at church and others and I can't wait to hear what God will show him this weekend, how his faith will be challenged and how he will be encouraged  for HIS FAME AND RENOWN.  It is an amazing priviledge to spend the weekend praying for these kids and is UNBELIEVABLE what God does.  Pray for me as I pray for our 268 Generation....your kids will be there one day!!!!!

Gotcha Anniversary #3...then and now..

.....then..March 30, 2008....he stood in the corner of the room behind the bed so sad and scared....

fall 2010, posing with complete cofidence

"....uhhh, hands off big guy"...and he didn't let dad touch him for another two weeks

2011, he wakes every morning and asks "where's dad?"..and many times throughout the day..."when is dad coming home?"

"not sure who or what you think you are but don't touch the pink shoes"

I love this picture...it was taken during Hudson's Christmas program...I snapped it right as he saw me in the audience.  Nothing like your child's face lighting up when they see you!!!  Very different from that first day.  

It is so hard to believe it has been three years and yet we really can't remember life without Hudson...he continues to bring joy and laughter to us daily and we are STILL in awe with humble gratitude that we were chosen to be his parents.

Three years ago today....

.....we were physcially still a family of five although finally in the same country as our boy...

We were climbing the great wall in below freezing temps....

eating lots of this...

and making dear, sweet friends....

...counting the hours before we got our hands on this sweet baby!!!

Thomas brought the circus to town..

This has become a permanent feature of our living room...once in a while it is replaced with scenes from Radiator Springs or back to the wild west with a playskool fort and then further back to midevil times with a castle but most days Thomas runs through our living room on a new adventure.  Last weekend the circus came to town so Thomas and friends have been busy building, moving and transporting animals...I hear this coming weekend is Thomas' b'day so a party is being planned.

My dad pegged Hudson as an engineer his first summer home (at age 2) when he would watch grandpa patiently in his shop as he would hammer red hot damascus steel into knives on his anvil or use any number of tools in some fix it job.  Hudson will study any sort of moving part in a machine and you can just see the wheels in his own head turn as he tried to figure out how things work.  He loves to construct his own bridges and train tracks and builds ramps and towers with anything he can get his hands on.  He will study Thomas "track maps" and go about following the design.  I have never once seen him show any frustration as he works puzzles, designs and takes things apart and puts them back together.  His tool kit is never far from whatever project he is working on a it always contains electrician tape which can hold anything together.    

Who knows what Hudson will end up doing in his life.  I have a child old enough that I know what they displayed when they were little does not necessarily mean it will interest them years later....but sure enjoying the imagination and wonderment of now.  

40 Days For Life

If any of you have read unPLANNED you know what 40 Days For Life is all about.  If you want to be part of a powerful, but PEACEFUL movement I would encourage you to go to their website and see if your city is participating.  I talk with girls weekly who are faced with crisis pregnancies and abortion is a consideration.  My heart SO longs for these girls to choose life for their babies over death.  Just as many of you are advocates for the orphan because they can't advocate for themselves we need to have the same passion for the unborn and ACT!!!!  I am totally opposed to any hateful and unloving actions towards those that are involved in the abortion industry in any way,  that is not how the battle will be won but we MUST storm heaven with our prayers and always be loving towards girls, boys, men and women who are victims of abortion and its money hungry industry.  I hear about the pain weekly in girls I talk with who come through our centers doors.  What they thought would be an "easy" fix to a then problem has turned into shame and emotional pain, and many time paralyzes them in their relationships.
My heart and hope is that adoption would be thought of more readily than abortion every time a girl/young woman is in a crisis pregnancy.   It is amazing to me that there is a more negative reaction to adoption than abortion and SO the enemies delight.  I met with a 13 year old last week who is pregnant and due to her mom's tough love is moving forward making an adoption plan, PLEASE pray with me that she will take this first act of parenting seriously and choose a future for her child.  She is one of three clients right now moving forward with adoption, all who have considered abortion.  They are my heroes!!!!
I would also encourage you to read unPLANNED.  This is Abby Johnson's story about how she left an abortion clinic in Bryan, TX after directing it for 8 years and literally ran in the back door of the Christian Coaltion down the street.  Because of their peaceful relationship that they had developed with her over time she knew she could go to them when she needed a safe zone.
It is an amazing book showing both sides of the battle....PLEASE read it as it will give you a whole new perspective on how the other side views "us" and what truly works.... an amazing story of God...grace and mercy!!!!




***Please feel free to email me privately at sharonteague@me.com if you have ever been touched by abortion.  Many women have never shared their story with any one, no shame or guilt will be found in you by me.  

Half the Sky fundraiser

If you want to see some AMAZING photos check out Lisa's blog...she came home recently with her darling daughter and her pictures are so beautiful.  I found her blog through my friends Denise and Diana.  Diana's blog was the first I ever followed when we were doing paperwork and she was bringing home her first China jewel,  Ruby...(she is now waiting for her fourth jewel...third from China...Emme).   Denise and I became friends as we waited for all the "a's" and traveled to China together almost THREE years ago.  I have seen both of their photography become works of art and they have learned much through classes with Lisa.  Lisa is offering her first online class and and although this one is now already full I hope to get in one of them maybe this summer.   Lisa is donating part of the proceeds from her classes to Half the Sky.

We have made it through two snowstorms in 9 days (the kids had 6 snow days!!!)....the weather is now a balmy 76 degrees but I have a little boy who has the flu.  He has been pretty miserable and had to miss his first Valentine party but since this is the FIRST time since he has come home he has been sick I can't complain too much.    Hopefully tomorrow he will feel good enough to head back to school for pajama day!

Don't know where to begin...

For those of you who blog do you ever get so overwhelmed with what God is teaching/doing in your life that you don't even know where to begin to explain it?....hence my reasons for lagging so behind in blogging. Life is good, moving along as it should but due to my stumbling upon some REALLY good teaching, reading some REALLY good biographies (just finished Bonhoeffer and am now reading William Wilberforce) spending a lot of time in prayer, being streched BIG at work and waiting on Him I don't really know where to begin. I will say for the first time in a long time I am EXCITED about what He is doing....and if you would ask what I would say "I don't know" so stay tuned I and will try to lay it out as it is reavealed.

In the meantime Jordan is still trying to make a college decision. All acceptance letters are in and it is just figuring out which direction to go...southeast, northeast or northwest...

Madalyn had homecoming this weekend and had a great time. She was beautiful and it was fun to spend time doing all the "girly' things getting ready for the event. In case your wondering homecoming is this time of the year as her school doesn't have football so homecoming is during basketball season.

Life is going too fast.

Madalyn and Logan

Her sweet friend Carolyn