Summer 2012

Summer 2012
Mikaela, Natalie, David, Jordan, Tobi and Aaron - our family in the wheat field up the road

Thursday, April 12, 2012

   Welcome to the Wright Family Blog!  We are David, Tobi, Jordan, Aaron, Mikaela and Natalie Wright.  I named our blog Come and See based on  this verse:  "Come and see what God has done, how awesome His works in man's behalf!"  Looking back over our lives I can see over and over how God has cared for us and drawn us, taught us and shaped us.  He's stretched us and has given us rest.  He leads, provides for us and heals us.  He gives us joy and peace and purpose every single day!  Oh how He loves us, all of us!  It is so good to be His child!  This blog is one way for me to tell of His goodness and His sovereignty in our lives. He is our gentle, loving, strong and mighty Father and best friend.  He is all we need.  It occurred to me, not long ago, that I talk to people more about what I want or wish, than what I've been given. More pray requests than praise. That's just crazy because I am so abundantly blessed by God so I'm trying to change that.  


 My name is Tobi and I will be the one posting about our family and our God-given adventures.  I have to admit that this is new territory for me but I'm looking forward to recording what God is doing in our lives and  hearing from you.  These are a few of my favorite things:  reading, time with family and friends, taking pictures, trying new recipes, being outside.  And I am crazy about kids.  Love being with kids!  I taught first-graders for several years and now I fully enjoy being a stay-at-home mama.


  David is my godly, handsome, amazing husband and their gentle, fun, amazing dad.  He is Vice President of his architecture firm and has built his business on prayer, hard work, commitment, and integrity.  He has his private pilot's license (which gets him home sooner some days), loves to read and enjoys golf, hunting and fishing.  He makes a point to connect with each of us every day.  I appreciate that about him.  I have to add that God has given him a huge portion of patience!  He leads our family well.


  Jordan David is our first born.  Jordan is 18 and is in the Air National Guard.  He is currently at Tech School on an Air Force Base.  He's doing very well and he loves it.  He's the first to leave the nest and this mama is missing her boy!  Thank you Lord for Skype!  Jordan walks with Jesus and is so teachable and kind.  He has faced many challenges with courage and perseverance.  Jordan loves to read, watch movies, and work out.  Oh, and eat!  He is the healthiest 18 year old I know.  Jordan hopes to go to KU soon and have a career in the film industry.  Right now he's getting up at 4something in the morning and studying his brains out.


   Aaron Hudson is 16.  He is funny and intelligent and hates getting up in the morning.  He is the first one I call on for help on the computer.  So thankful for his skills!  He is a sophomore in High School and we both hate his homework!  Don't get me started.  He has an insatiable sweet tooth so the cookie jar is often empty.  Aaron is a talented anime' artist.  He works on each drawing until it's perfect.  He's also a good beat boxer,  makes my lips numb just listening to him practice.


   Mikaela Faith  is 13 and is in the 7th grade.  She is 4 minutes older than her twin, Natalie.  Mikaela loves being a teen.  She loves friends, her cell phone, Facebook and her hair is important to her.  She is compassionate and funny.  Mikaela is also an artist.  We have several of her canvas paintings on our dining room wall.  Mikaela enjoys choir and her voice is improving all the time.  I love hearing her sing around the house.  She enjoys people but likes her alone time.  She is responsible and enjoys working in the yard.  Yay!


   Natalie Grace  is, of course, 13 and in the 7th grade.  My only strawberry blonde.  Natalie is giving and kind. As soon as she receives her allowance she's making plans to buy something for someone else.  She is friendly and quick to forgive (the name Grace is fitting).  She loves to be with people.  Natalie enjoys gymnastics and singing. She's amazing at Just Dance (Wii). She loves to bake so we share the kitchen. On the computer she is a fashion designer and watches make-up and hair tutorials.  When all the cousins are together, Natalie is the one organizing fun activities for the younger ones.


   So David and I have been married 21 loving years and have 4 wonderful biological kids.  Our current adventure is ADOPTION!  Yes and I am so excited!  It's been on my heart for sooo long and we are finally doing it!  We hope to adopt 2 children, somewhere between 2 and 7 years old, from Ethiopia!  It's been a long, gradual, unfolding journey.  We've needed the time it's taken to get here.  We've needed the training/growing time and we know there's more of that to come.


  It all started with a little seed that God put in my heart as a new teacher.  I've always enjoyed being with children so becoming a teacher was an easy career choice.  I taught in a low-income area of town.  Many of the children moved around a lot and their home lives were challenging.  Not to say that they had bad parents, just that life is tougher for some than for others.  Coming to school with many unmet needs makes it hard to learn and relate to others well.  Some of my students came to school dirty or with an empty stomach.  They didn't always have coats or even a bed to sleep on. Sometimes Mom went jail during the night so my student  stayed at the Children's Home and missed a few days of school.   My heart broke for many of them.  There were a few I wished I could just take home and keep.  I loved on them and prayed for them and gave them snacks.


   David and I talked about adopting before we got married.  We talked about waiting until after we had biological kids.  I didn't care where the child came from.  I just knew that I wanted to give at least one child a loving family.  So we had 4 kids and the desire was still strong.  At that point it was about the timing and the avenue.  We decided to do foster care to see if that could lead to adoption.  We went through the process and became a foster family 3 years ago.  We have done long term fostering but mostly PPC, Police Protective Custody.  We have LOVED it!      I will discreetly share some of our foster family stories.  There is a great need for good foster families.  Maybe our stories will help answer some questions about foster care or light a fire in a few of you to check into it for your family.  Many, many children have come into our home and have been loved on.  We do our best to make them feel safe and welcome.  Our kids have played with the children in our care and God has stretched them and grown compassion in their hearts.  But we haven't adopted through foster care.


  The past year God has burdened my heart for orphans in Africa.The more I learn the more I find myself face down on the floor crying out to God on their behalf.  David and I have talked and prayed and prayed and talked.  We said yes to God and now we are here.  In the process of adopting!  God has always, faithfully provided all we need for each thing He has called us to and we know He will come through on this.  He loves orphans and has good plans for their lives too.  He has blessed us abundantly and asks us to bless two little ones who need a family and I am so glad!  Getting to be a part of what God is doing is always a priviledge.  We know it will be challenging to raise a child with a hard past, parenting is hard.  We know that we will have to be fully dependent on Him but that is a good place to be.  


   Oh my, how I've gone on and on.  I hope that I have made some sense. I've probably left out some  important details. I promise my posts won't always be so long.  Thank you for listening to my heart.  This was fun!






4 comments:

  1. I'm glad you have a blog now! Love your heart and look forward to getting to see more of it! :) You've been a great friend and support to me. Thanks, Tobi!

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  2. I'm excited to keep up with your family through this blog, too!
    We love your family!

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  3. I echo Kendra. Love your heart, and I am so excited to walk with you guys through this adventure!

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  4. Thanks for sharing part of yourself with us. I'm excited to see how God answers your prayers and blesses 2 little ones.

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