Glimpse of Heaven

Parker, Paeton, Phelix and Phisher!
The twins are not easy to photograph, but isn't this a cute one!
Sweet Phelix!
Still trying for that perfect beach photo of the kiddos!
Pretty Peaton!
Handsome Parker!
Phisher the ham! He keeps us all on our toes, always a party with this guy around!
The PHISH!
Phisher loved just walking the beach, looking for shells, playing in the sand and just walking.
Sweet boy, Phelix ready for construction of his castle!
Big sister, little brother time.
Phisher waiting for the perfect wave, he's a natural surfer!
Daddy and Phelix.
Jamie and the big kids went deep sea fishing. What a catch!
Parker reeled in this 5 1/2 ft 150 lb Bull Shark. YIKES! Parker decided to catch and RELEASE!
Paeton and her monster Grouper!
Parker and his Red Snapper! YUM!

We cut school a few days early and headed to the beach, our fav St George Island! We stayed at a new home this time, it was beautiful! It was called, Glimpse of Heaven, we concur.

Swimming lessons 4 ELMO

Phisher LOVES water! If we take our eyes off of him for 1 minute he is playing in the dogs water. Today he decided to let Elmo swim in the dogs water. Then, and I am only guessing here, he used Elmo to help clean up the evidence. As smart as he is, I guess he did not realize that he and Elmo only made the mess BIGGER! The whole laundry room was flooded. The entire bowl of water was either in Elmo, on Phisher, or all over the floor. The cat condo was even flooded! Life is an ADVENTURE, take time for water play and enjoy the ride :>) !

Parker's Confirmation

Outman 6 after Confirmation! We are so proud of you Parker!!
My sister Wendy, and my Mom drove down to support Parker in this eternal decision.
Jamie's parents were there and so proud of Parker too!

At the beginning of 2010, a class of 48 Confirmands committed to learning the books of the Bible, how to spell them with 80% accuracy, 4 mission projects, attendance and written summaries from church services, youth group attendance and to attend the opening and closing confirmation retreats. I am sure there were other requirements but these are the ones I could remember. This was the biggest confirmation class our church has ever had. We make a big deal out of Confirmation, well, because it is a big deal. Friday May 30 was a banquet held in honor of the confirmands. We had a delicious dinner, watched a slide show of infant, toddler and current photos submitted by the parents of the confirmands, watched as each confirmands 'mentor' read them a Bible verse specifically chosen for them and then each confirmand gave their testimony. Saturday May 1, during church each parent gave a blessing to their child in front of the church family. It was an incredible weekend full of memories that we will always treasure!

Parkers Testimony:

Testimony

My name is Parker Outman and I just want say I have had a great time in confirmation. I’ve meet some great people, made a lot of friends ,and I appreciate the leadership of the Confirmation staff and especially Tim and Jane. I have been raised in a Christian home and have always attended Christian schools. Both have taught me a lot about living a Christian life and how to be God’s servant here on Earth.

But for me, I feel I really came to know Christ as my Savior in the summer of 2007 at Kanakuk Kamps. So, I go have a great time at Kamp and on the last night before the parents come to pick us up a speaker talked to us about God and Jesus and stuff. What he was talking about seemed pretty important so I listened and he told us that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and he shared this verse with us, “For the wages of sin is death”........ouch! I knew what sin was and I knew I had lied and done all that stuff.............. but, the gift of God is eternal life! He then told us how we could have eternal life by accepting Jesus into our heart, and thats what I did. I have continued to go to Kanakuk every summer.

Since I gave my life to Christ my life has changed drastically. I started my own Bible study for my friends and classmates. I also committed to a 2 year Bible study through Kanakuk called, Ironman, based on the scripture verse, Proverbs 27:17 “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Because I completed 2 years of the Ironman Bible study I earned the opportunity to serve on a mission trip to Ecuador. Me and 7 other guys and 4 mentors from Kanakuk went to Ecuador for a week in March this year to serve the people there. We loved on kids who live in extreme poverty and played a lot of soccer with them and served the children meals and even led a church service in a rural, tiny church in the Andes mountains where we were able to bring 20 children to Christ.

I am also looking forward to serving on a mission trip this June with JT and our JR high youth group.

Probably the most dramatic change in my life was when I became a big brother again last summer. God called our family to bring into our home an orphan from Ethiopia and I guess HE has a sense of humor because He gave us twins. One year ago, July 4, my family grew by four new feet when we brought home Phisher and Phelix, my twin brothers. Sometimes it is hard but this is how I try to live my life, God first, others second, and me third.

Jamies Blessing to Parker

Parker,

I am proud of you, I believe in you, and I love you.

You have always had a strong and quiet faith that has helped you to be a mighty warrior for Christ, and accomplish great things in service to him.

I always hoped to be your mentor and brother in Christ, that piece of iron that sharpens you, but I want you to know that you have been that just as much for me.

I know that God has great plan for you Parker and I look forward to watching his light shine through you.

Just as God said to Jesus, “ This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 5:16

Proverbs 27:17

Coll. 1:10

1 Chron 28

My Blessing:

Parker, Son,

as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a Mom. It seemed like forever before God answered my prayers and blessed me with you.

Poets have written eloquently about the love of a mother for her son because it is such a great love. I am so proud to be your Mom, and I love you deeply.

As your parents, we have accepted the challenge of raising a young man who can change the world for God. We are delighted for you to take part in the powerful purpose and unique mission God designed just for you.

As a disciple of Jesus, always stay true to who He created you to be. God created your individual personality and gave you special gifts and abilities. So in every thing you do, do your best-----choose the most important thing------the thing that will last for eternity.

As the Bible says,”Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear my children are following the way of truth.” 3 John 1:14

The Backyardigans go for a swim!

Doesn't everyone play their Backyardigan guitar in the toilet?

My REAL brothers

I have wanted to post this since it happened last week. The BIG P's were out of school last Monday,(after Easter) and I took all 4 p's to the park. I left the little p's in the BIG P's care and ran a errand 1/2 mile down the street. While I was gone the Big P's enjoyed swinging the little p's in the swings and taking them down the slide. What made this an interesting day at the park were the questions the Big P's were asked about their little brothers. While swinging the twins a couple of little black girls came up to Parker and Paeton and asked them why they were swinging those black babies? They told the little girls they were swinging their brothers on the swings because they think it is fun. Then the little girls asked them, "are those your REAL brothers?" They confirmed that "yes these are their REAL brothers." Then they asked Paeton if, pointing at Parker, "is he your real brother too?" Paeton told the little girls that yes Parker was her real brother also. She went on to explain to the little girls that our family adopted her brothers from Ethiopia last summer. I guess that satisfied their curiosity, there were no more questions after that.

They did however over hear a conversation a white boy and girl were having with their mother. They were asking their mom the same question, "why is that boy and girl pushing those little black babies on the swings?" The mother proceeded to inform her children that she did not know for sure but she thought the boy and girl were probably babysitting the babies.

I was taking Phelix into the medical center to visit his doctor today. As we were approaching the entrance an older black woman smiled at us and said, "ooh, that baby is so pretty! Is it a boy or a girl? Ooh, he's so pretty, looks Indian or something. Is this your baby?" I told her he was my baby and thanked her for the kind compliments and told her that he had a twin brother at home. I told her that we adopted them last summer from Ethiopia. She said, "You did, you did that? God bless you! You adopted him? Ooh, God bless you! Can I hold him? I want to say I have held an Ethiopian baby!" I let her hold him, I think he made her day. She told me she was going to put us on the prayer list at her church. She thanked me again and blessed us again and she was on her way.

I write about these experiences and questions to let you know how it makes me feel and how I have decided to handle these situations. I wish I did not have to tell people the "whole" story, but the fact is, our family looks different and that raises some questions. My children are my children. We have 4 of them and are so proud of each of them. We love them so much it is not possible to put it into words. I could just leave it at that but that would not satisfy the curiosity of most. Although part of me doesn't want to have to go into all of the details, another part of me has decided to go into all of the details. I want to spread HIS love through our adoption of Phelix and Phisher into our family. I want people to know we are not some super family. We are just a regular ole family who answered the Lord's call. I want people to know how incredibly blessed we are to have Phelix and Phisher in our family. I want to tell people how rich our family is now that the twins are in it. I want to share with others how much we have grown as a family in our faith and relationship with the Lord during the adoption process and after. I want to world to know how FULL our hearts are, how in serving others and caring for the orphans He asks us to care for we have truly received the greatest gift. The gift of meeting Him and walking along side Him in this Earthly life.

Happy Easter 2010

Happy Easter everyone! To the KC family and friends, we missed being with you all today! It was a perfect day here in the Cape, mid 70's, sunny, little breeze. Jamie's parents hosted us for easter dinner and the twins first Easter egg hunt. Grandma is smart, she filled the little guys eggs with teddy grahams, YUM! Phisher really enjoyed himself and had fun gathering the colorful eggs.

Phelix wasn't too sure about gathering the eggs. I think next year when he is walking around everyone better watch out! It is a little hard to gather eggs when you can't walk yet. Thanks to his big brother, Parker, Phelix got his fair share this year :>)
Okay, I know I am their mom and all but, are they not the most handsome little fellas ever! These sweet smocked outfits were showcased by my boys! The company who made them is still calling to thank me for choosing their design for the twins to model. HA!

Last year at Easter we were a family with 4 children but 2 of them we had yet to meet. What a blessing to have us all together this Easter! The BIG P's are just crazy in love with the little p's ! The little p's are just a little crazy about the BIG P"S too!
The world's greatest big brother and big sister and the world's most loved twin brothers!!
We are lovin' every minute of being outside we can get. The weather has just been awesome! Paeton even filled up pails of water for the twins to play in because it was so warm! They loved the water activity their big sis put together for them! They are already buggin' their dad to get the pool open. . . yahoo! My favorite summer past time for sure!

What a wonderful day, wonderful memories, and how blessed are we to have the most wonderful Savior. Praise the Lord, Jesus has risen! God's blessing on you all.