go make disciples

After years of praying and months of planning this morning I bid my big brother farewell for the summer as he got on his flight to venture to China. Though the walls of our tear ducts threatened to break open I couldn't have been more proud than to see my brother walk up the stairs to catch his flight. He is living his life for the Lord and that is the most amazing thing to experience. He is a disciple of Christ going into the world to make disciples of all nations and one day I am sure he will hear the Lord say to him "Well done Stevie, my good and faithful servant!"

Please keep Stevie in your prayers these next months!

Mario

We finally beat Mario! After countless hours, a few cups of coffee and energy drinks, staying up until morning and many many laughs the game is defeated. Now it might sound stupid that 3 college students stay up all night to play this wii game, but let me tell you these have been some of my favorite times in the past couple months. Times where we laughed until we cried, yelled at each other for dying right before the finish line or bubbling at the wrong moments and hanging out with my family. I am glad we defeated it but I am sad it is over... I guess we need to find another game to defeat!

family blessings

Today I have been reminded of how blessed I truly am. My family is amazing but something I have noticed is that as we grow our distance does too; not necessarily in a bad way, just simply in a way of lifes course. We all attend different schools, have different hobbies and do different things, but we are a family and coming together is one of the greatest moments I now get to experience. Maybe its the corny jokes Joel tells, or its the dances I see my dad come up with, or maybe its the way I get to see Stevie interact with the kids, or the love I can see in my moms eyes. Maybe it's the way the kids swarming around us as though we are celebrities, or the fact that we no longer fit around the table. It could be the joy of a guitar coming out with a new song being played and kids dancing around the floor, or quiet possibly its the late nights playing mario or sitting in the family room drinking coffee and swapping stories, whatever the case may be as I grow these times of gathering are something I cant help but to look forward to.

With Stevie leaving in a couple of days for the next few months the reality of the entire family being together has hit me. In this last week we will experience this for the last time until August. When looking to this date joy bubbles up inside me as I already have a picture of Levi, Gabe, Isaac, Joshua, Gabby, Rosie, Jonah, Luke, Cheyenne, Elle, Jesse, Me, Joel and my mom and dad greeting Stevie as he comes home. The whole family together again with stories being told and memories being made... just as life should be.

I am truly blessed!

vacation

Vacations are an obsolete in the Hasemeyer household. It is rare to find us all gone for a day let alone a week or longer. When even the thought of a vacation crosses our mind instantly the realization of driving anywhere for hours with screaming children, or staying in 3 different hotel rooms with still not enough beds, or just the work that has to be accomplished making it not really a vacation at all, brings this idea of vacation a bitter dream rather than sweet one.

With that said vacation would be a perfect experience if we didn't have to drive too far, there was enough room and if it was an easy going adventure... and this past week thats exactly what vacation was. My family is blessed to be the owners of a timeshare in Carlsbad in which we are given the room once a year. It is right on the beach with a swimming pool and game room and surprisingly enough it's big enough to fit the whole family (with people sleeping on the ground of course!)

Just like any other day at home our days on vacation were eventful with glasses breaking, kids being taken to the emergency room and fights occurring, but that made for a week to remember. But just the idea of finally being on vacation made everything seem that much sweeter. As of now we are all home and back to the reality of waking put early and going to school or work.

This vacation was fun while it lasted... too bad it was only for a week!

Mothers Day

Like most holidays my family has our traditions and mothers day is no exception. About 8 years back my older brothers and I gathered up all the kids and the red wheel barrow and took the hike up the block to the corner flower nursery. After walking around and debating on which flower would be perfect we would finally agree load the rose bush into the wagon, roll it up to the register, pull out our saved cash, and head back down the street to home.

Though our traditions has slightly changed: instead of walking we now have to take a car a few miles away and instead of 5 children with different opinions there are now 11, but the rose bush for mothers day has continued. It is a great experience to see the kids do something for my mom because she does so much for us. The rose is a constant reminder of the love we have for my mom, it is a gift that keeps giving.

Mom we love you Happy Mothers Day!

tears to remember

today my mom showed me a letter from my sister and so the tears began to flow.

Rosie I miss and love you <3

Luke

Luke is a miracle child. He brought a lot of firsts into our home; first special needs, first dependent child, first child who was unable to run and swallow and first kid who looked nothing like the rest of us. We met Luke when we switched from Orange County Adoptions to San Bernardino Adoptions and after our first visit with him we instantly fell in love. He was a tiny five-year-old, weighing only 25lbs and was not able to much of anything besides sit in the house and watch television all day. The scars along his chest, the feeding tube, the inability to truly communicate and the difference in color was easily passed by when looking into his eyes and seeing the need that we can provide for this child. After many visits Luke was able to come home with us and just a few short months later he officially became Luke Elijah Hasemeyer.
Like I said Luke was the first special needs child that came into our home. Not only was he declared mentally retarded, because of his many surgeries including open heart, he never learned how to swallow which meant he was fed through an eating tube. Because of this Luke was not getting the nutrients he needed and not growing. but after a couple short months in the Hasemeyer home Luke began to eat. His first food was cheetoes and soon it turned to corndogs, a meal he feel in love with. Once he was able to get these foods down he moved on to other delicacies and finally began to grow.
Today is in the 8th grade and it is amazing to think back at where he began and where he could be. Because of his disabilities and color Luke was considered unadoptable. He would have been stuck in a medically fragile home his whole life where nothing would have been expected of him, he would have never learned to eat or run or read or be a normal boy. Now he has that opportunity and it is amazing to see him grow and know that he is a Hasemeyer!