Okay here we go! Blogging is a new journey, but I pray this is a platform to share how God is working in my life. I will start this journey with a little about who I am – just the footnotes!
The best place to start would be with my parents - they have encouraged and challenged me throughout my life, directing the course that has come to be an exciting road. Though my life did not emulate Collasians 3:20 "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord", we made it! Next to God, I owe everything to them. I never thought in high school my parents would be my best friends - but they are!
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Tom and Laura |
My childhood is remembered fondly. I am the oldest of three and though I do not have near the stories my husband does of his childhood (because I never glued a flower bed full of petals to the side of the house or shot my brother with a bow and arrow =), I did carry the reputation
of being a little bossy - I know big surprise!
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Ellisa, Joshua, and I |
My life has memories in the city of Orlando, but my home and heart are in Western Pennsylvania. I was homeschooled kindergarten through high school. This allowed me to start college my senior year, then graduating with my Associates Degree in Nursing a month after my 20th birthday - surrounded by loving and encouraging family and friends who never left my side.
My support system!
While in nursing school my high school sweetheart enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. He is number five of 12 kids, an avid hunter/fisherman, a man of God, and now a Marine - I was in love!
Boot camp graduation
A month after graduating nursing school I married my high school sweetheart. After a Disney World honeymoon, I followed him across the country to the border town of Yuma, Arizona.
June 2009
Over the next few years we felt the searing pain of loss when we experienced miscarriage three times. The word miscarriage sounds so void in comparison to the ache my heart felt. Each pregnancy and new life was celebrated and grieved with the peace that only Christ can give.
That journey in its entirety is for another day.
“
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26
This a lot of footnotes!
Here is where we are today. My husband and I are foster parents. We have been blessed to have five children through foster care and hope to finalize adoption within the next couple months. My husband is a Marine, I work as a Registered Nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, I am in Grad School for my degree in Nursing Education - we are just living life the best we know how!
Here we are. Humbly before God. Thankful he included broken people like me into his great plan. My new mission in life is to care for... Our Five Little Hearts.
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
James 1:27
So great to see you are blogging, Julia! I look forward to reading your future posts and to follow your journey as a new mother of FIVE! (when are we going to see pictures of the little ones?)
ReplyDeleteI really like how you incorporate Bible verses into your writing; not only do I find these verses encouraging, but they also represent who you are as a mother and the foundation you are laying for your new family!
~keep writing~
love--
Abby
Can't post pictures until adoption finalizes! =)
ReplyDeleteJulia & Kent, I haven't seen either of you since youth group, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm so happy for you both. I can honestly say that Foster Care has changed my life, as well. With my parents fostering children, I can tell you the positive impact it's made on so many lives! It's definitely a blessing to have known as many children as we have, and we've watched so many of them grow. I'm very excited that you'll get to do that with your soon-to-be, kids! I hope you continue to keep us posted on your journey! Thank you for doing such an amazing thing!♥ -Nikki D
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