January Moments, 2018

Happy 66th Gramma DeeDee

Mom, Mom-in-love, Gramma~
We could not love you more that we do now...well, until your next birthday! We love you more every year. This year, you keep getting smaller, but our love for you keeps getting bigger. You are such a servant to our family and do it with such humility. We are proud of you and cannot wait to get together and celebrate you. xoxo HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

New Job??

I have been thinking about/praying about going back to work for years. I thought I would be worth more if I made money for our family. It turns out, God is showing me the worth that I have in Him, do whatever He calls me to do (with out without pay).

Here is the email I sent today:

I am letting you know that I am officially declining the payroll/offerings bookkeeping position at this time. We have been praying, and we believe that God is calling me to be fully invested in other ministries and commitments that He has clearly directed me toward. After speaking with the person in the position currently, I do not believe that I would have the time to do the job to the standard expected at this point. Though I love the position and have the skills to do it well, I cannot give the days and hours in the office required to fulfill the obligations of the position. 

Had it been a year ago, I would have jumped at this job without hesitation. Because God is clearly calling us to foster, that needs to be my priority. As we discussed, when I commit to something, I am “all-in” for the glory of God. I do believe that I would not be able to fully do the work in a way that glorifies Him, doing payroll or as a foster parent, if I try to fit in both. 

Please know that I am honored that you considered me for the position and hope that you keep me in mind for future positions (even this one again, if the opportunity arises in the coming years). I will continue to pray for God to give you wisdom as you seek to fill various jobs. I pray for God’s clear direction for our SWBIBLE and that He would bring just the right people to do His work in a way that builds up the church body and brings Him ultimate glory.

Honestly, for the first time, I am 100% content where God has me and see value with a bigger, eternal perspective. He may call me into a ministry that brings home a paycheck one day, but not today. 

Taekwondo--Isaac growing in many ways

Here is a bit of an email I sent to Isaac's taekwondo studio:

"I wanted to take a moment to thank you for investing in our children. My son is growing a lot, physically, mentally and in character with the help of Murrayhill Martial Arts. As a result of taekwondo, his confidence is growing as well. Yesterday, he was called out in his PE class by the middle school teacher because of his excellent form in planking. He held his plank for 2 minutes and was asked to demonstrate his form for the rest of the students to emulate. He came home thrilled. His had-eye coordination has also improved, which has helped him other sports. Even his balance and core strength is what helped him hop up on the board with ease at our surfing lessons in Hawaii this past summer. In addition to these wonderful things, I see him grow in his drive for excellence and pushing himself beyond his normal limits. The time and money we put in at Murrayhill Martial Arts has been more than worth it"

***Chris really like the part of the PE story where the teacher, Mr. Stoughton, told Isaac that he has a lot to live up tp because his dad is so buff. It's true! Chris works so hard on how he is taking care of himself. He is my "Captain America"! (He is about the same height, weight and build). 

Foster Class Fridays

Chris and I have been attending foster classes every Friday. They are helpful. They are sobering. They make us sad, angry, shocked, sick, yet hopeful with an elevated determination and eagerness to press on.

We discuss our class on a lunch date at Sweet Tomato. It's a bonding time, for sure. It brings up the past, makes us evaluate our own parenting philosophies and causes us to discuss how life will be different when God brings these little ones into our care.

We know our life with change...in the immediate and in forever. It will be work. It will be sacrifice. It will bring joy. 

Isaac understands the level of commitment and "inconvenience" this will cause our family. He acknowledges that the children NEED families like ours to love them because they come from some place of brokenness. He also knows that we will be used to extend grace and hope to biological parents and we work with them and care for their precious one. As the same time, he knows how we meet his needs will not be the same. Time and attention will have to be shared and divided differently than it is now. He comes to us a lot and wants us to be available when he "needs" us going going forward. 

I see God at work in his heart. One of his prayer requests this week was that God would take away his selfishness about fostering and give him the right attitude. 

Thank you, Jesus, for this and so much more!

Friday Dates with Dad

Mostly every Friday I pick Isaac up from school to have a mini date. I think my favorite times are our talks. Yes I take him to Taco Bell, yes I even let him drive my car on an abandon road, but it's the talks. What do we talk about? The better question is what don't we talk about? We have discussions about  every thing  from our fascination with Teslas to how old the earth is. We just say anything and everything! We are beginning to trust each other with our most vulnerable thoughts and we are building a friendship that will last a life time.  (Written by Dad)

Email Update--MIDDLE SCHOOL LIFE

A lot can be said about what is going on in our daily stuff from recent emails. Here is a taste:

Emails to Isaac's middle school teacher:
 (one about a book in class that was appalling)

"To the 6th Grade teachers and/or administrative staff,

I am writing to express my concern with a book that is available to the 6th grade students that includes materials that stand outside of Beaverton School District standards and guidelines. The book, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli is self described as a love story where a “sixteen-year-old, not-so-openly gay Simon Spier is blackmailed into playing wingman for his classmate or else his sexual identity—and that of his pen pal—will be revealed.”  It was brought to my attention by my son, Isaac Korenthal, that a book in his class included gratuitous language, under age drinking of beer, overwhelming inclusion of sexual topics presented in a very “untasteful, blatant, and overly graphic” way that is contrary to district standards. To name a few, one of the characters mentions sex being better than Reese's candy (though he says he cannot speak from personal experience) and mentions “buttsex.” The use of the f-word is overly abundant, along with words like “a**hole”. 

The concept of homosexuality and “coming out” is an overarching theme of the book. According to the district standards, this falls well outside the parameters of what 6th grade students have included in their health cirriculum, let alone being intoduced to the students in a non fiction story that leaves the children filled with more unanswered questions than appropriate answers about sexuality. The illusions to “Fifty shades of gray” mentioned on page 217 leave me with no doubt that this book is explicitly sexual in nature, directly and through innuendos. 

I understand the district’s policy to educate the children in heath about sex as described within the guidelines. I also understand addressing difficult topics like bullying, drinking, and sexual orientation. At the same time, this book falls so far outside of those parameters that is both dangerous and inappropriate for the students in 6th grade. Accordingly, it should be removed from the 6th grade reading material in order to be in line with the rules set by the  Beaverton School District.

In addition to the issues previously mentioned. There are obvious undertones throughout that allude to religious persecution, specifically against Christians. The repeated derogatory use of “Jesus Christ,”  “God’s holy name” and  “O my God” is highly offensive and defaming. It is so used that the main character blatantly states that he doesn’t know how not to use the Lord’s name in vain. 

This book is not even well written. It is written at the level of an 8th grade blogger. Aside from the curse words, it lacks vocabulary, nor does it include good imagery, apart from sexual innuendos. 

I encourage you to read the book for yourself and see that, in fact, it violates the standards of the Beaverton School District set for 6th grade students.

I am happy to buy some classic literature that would improve the 6th grade library to replace this book that should be removed immediately.  "

(...and another regarding giving her a gift of the book, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus)

"I actually bought it for you to keep. I love that the kids are exploring different belief systems in humanities. After you read it, you can keep it, pass it on...whatever you see fit. 

Our church has a huge ministry for refugees from Iraq, helping them get settled in, helping provide for immediate needs, helping to navigate all that there is being in a new place, and even offers free English classes. It is wonderful to be involved in a unique opportunity to bridge a gap. We have learned a lot about their faith, their culture, and (sadly) much of the suffering they have seen and personally endured that made them desperate enough to leave all that they know to move all the way here for refuge. 

We all have opportunities to learn, grow and be stretched. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did." 

(yet another, after my poor son was in the most pain I have ever seen and needed to be picked up from school)

"I wanted to let you know that Isaac  was injured on Wednesday, January 10th. He was unable to walk normally and in pain, even when laying or sitting. He left school early and went the chiropractor, Dr. Locke. Dr. Locke discovered that he had a rib that popped out in his back that was causing all the pain. It turns out, Isaac did get injured on the bus when he was sitting in the back and hit a bump. He remembers his “back cracking” when he hit the bump, but didn’t realize that is was more than that.

Dr. Locke popped his rib back in place, but he wants him to limit his movement today because his rib is extra vulnerable to popping back out over the next few days. Please limit his physical activity and “reaching” and “sudden movement.” Allow him to move extra slowly, if necessary, and allow him to limit what he carries. "

Poem by daddy

This month has a record number of people at the March for Life.

The topic was on Chris' heart and he wrote a poem:

A Baby’s Nightmare

I am comforted in my safe home

I know that outside war is raging, but I am not effected

I hear my heart beat slowly as I am full of joy

My home is warm and dark

In my heart I feel nothing will harm me

My eyes begin to shut as I drift off to sleep

I am woken up with a loud indescribable “sound”

I feel an agonizing pain on my leg

Then the same pain on my other leg, then my arms

I try to scream, but no one would hear me

I am in so much pain and no one can help

I hear my heart race

I try to move away from the “sound”, but I am unable

My eyes begin to get heavy and my heart finally slows

I’m tired now, I want to sleep

Maybe when I wake, my nightmare will be over

Costco Connection

I love that, when you are desperate for a date and time to reconnect, sitting in recliners at Costco can be a sweet refuge. 
...dates can be free and simple, but need to be purposeful in this busy/crazy life.

Kayla and Abigail--10 years of a special friendship

-Abigail Koren

Kayla has been my BSIFF (best sister ish friend forever) for more than 10 years! 

I love the special moments we share. We made cupcakes that were suppose to be purple. (-:

I only watch my birthday video with my family on my birthday, but we watched with Kayla this year.(-:

And, I got to go to ZOUP! two times, one on my birthday and one with Kayla. (-;   

#GRAY CUPCAKES FOR LIFE 🎂🎂🎂

New Years Day & blasting off to the American Girl store

After staying up past midnight, Abigail got up early to be at the American Girl store to see the new girl of the year. She wasn't planning to buy anything but ended up loving the new doll. So, she used Christmas money to buy her very first doll from the store (all others were received as gifts). 

Abigail loves that the new doll, Luciana Vega, loves space and is interested in NASA. Not only that, but she has a cool purple stripe in her hair. What could be better than that