So last night Scott came to the hospital to sit with Maggie for a bit, so I could run home and take a shower and love on the kids (Joseph / Daisy are a bit snotty, so they can't come to the hospital) and I think I just hit a moment in the car by myself when I realized that my cup was empty and cracked.  I felt Jesus holding it together and filling it up drop by drop ... I was trying to figure out why I was feeling like this and on the verge of falling apart, when God gently showed my life at the CARNIVAL the last 8 months - Trip to Uganda and all the emotions of leaving Joseph/Daisy there, home for Maggie's surgery, back to Uganda to bring Joseph/Daisy home, the off and running for 4 months w/ 6 kids, school starting, doctor after doctor for Joseph plus weekly Vandy visits for Maggie, running 147 w/ Suzanne, and now back to the hospital with Maggie ... It is like being on a roller coaster then jumping off to run to the free fall ride and then sprinting to get on the tea cups, only to then be in line for splash mountain ... IT JUST ALL CAME INTO VIEW LAST NIGHT ... and I was listening to one of my favorite songs while this little movie played in my head ... THERE IS NOTHING GREATER THAN GRACE

I hope it will give you a bit a comfort and peace like it did me ... Felt like it was my ticket to get out of the CARNIVAL and just BE !!! I am not even sure how I could have handled any of this w/out Scott ... He has been amazing ... When I call him this morning he was at home making breakfast for the kids ... I laugh all the time and say he is a much better dad to 6 kids than he was to 1 ... He was so nervous about everything w/ Jeremiah and now he can run the show all by himself .... I LOVE YOU HONEY !!!

Can't wait to share w/ you about my mini home make over my friends did to my house while I have been  at the hospital ... I don't think there is an emotion out there I have felt in the last 72 hours - fear, peace, humbleness, joy, sickness, laughter, weariness, alone, gratitude, relief, love, and so much more ...

 Maggie did great in the surgery and we spent the night in ICU so they could monitor the blood loss from the surgery and she did end up needing a transfusion last night ... They removed her old skin graph from China perfectly and pulled her scalp over the burn and left her w/ a small bald patch, but the doctor is very hopeful that once the hair starts to grow that the patch won't be so big .... We still have to go back in 6 months from now and put in a new skull bone where part of hers is missing .... Her spirits have been amazing and she is w/out a doubt the best little hospital patient I have ever seen .... We got checked in to a normal room today about 12:30 and finally got us some food ... Maggie is now running a fever which is not good ... Please pray that there is no infection ... I seem to be constantly asking for prayers for my girl, but I count on it and the strength it gives my family is something I can't describe w/ words ...

Jesus Calling yesterday was amazing for me ... "Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity" ... If you don't have this daily devo you should treat yourself to one for Christmas ...

I hope your Thanksgiving was blessed ... I am thankful for many many things this year !!!!

Wednesday at 1pm if you could please pray for Maggie and Dr. Kevin Kelly ... In this surgery they will be removing her skin graph from China, taking out her expanders, and stretching her scalp over her burn ... There are lots of steps and lots of prayers needed - pray they can remove the old skin graph w/out any loss of fluid near her brain (there will be a neuro-surgeon present), they have enough skin to stretch over her burn, and that it will stay expanded and turn into healthy hair producing scalp skin ... We really need the skin to stay thick and healthy so that in 3-6 months they can go back in and re-shape her skull and put in an artificial skull piece ...

I could go on and on about how excited, nervous and scared I am, but you have all heard it before ... This is draining emotionally and yet I know Maggie is covered by the Lord and by you all ... My hardest moment is when they take her around that corner away from me ... I feel helpless !!! She is in a state of grogginess from the meds and she is just starring at me ... She knows I am her safety place and they just roll away with her and I have to just loose it for a second ... Scott and the Lord comfort me and we begin the waiting ... Waiting to hear from the surgeon, Waiting for God to do HIS healing power thing, Waiting to hold her in my arms, and Waiting to go home !!!

We will be in the hospital over the holiday, so on a positive note I will miss all the extra HOLIDAY POUNDS ... That is definitely something to be thankful for ...

I appreciate you all more than you know !!! LOOK HOW FAR MY GIRL HAS COME !!

Scott and I are on our way to Georgia to meet Mike and Suzanne to speak at a conference ... To say the last two months have been crazy busy is an understatement ... God is using us and for that we are thankful ... We have Maggie's surgery next Wednesday and after that the Oatsvall team is taking a break from traveling for a couple of months ... As I sit in the car working on my speech, I asked the Lord what part of YOUR story do I share ... Which direction do I come from ??? I want to be a vessel and be transparent ... I have become more bolder in my sharing over the last year ... I know there are Emily's, Maggie's, Joseph's and Daisy's out there waiting !!! I know it is not what I say that will change someone's heart for adoption, but I hope seeing the blessings of my daily life will ...

Thankful for my sweet Scott who gets the ache in my heart for orphans and walks with me ... Thankful for the bible !!! Somedays I just open it in exhaustion and plead for it to fill me up ... In Nehimiah 3 it has the long list of people who helped rebuild the wall and what they did ... This had me thinking of all the people standing beside me to rebuild - Ordinary Hero, Amazima, Show Hope, Danitas Children, projecthopeful, Glimmer of Hope and all my sweet girl friends and then there is the younger generations - wow !!! Don't ever think for one mi ute your voice doesn't count ...

Blessings on your weekend !!!

Our 147 SHOP and SHARE the SPIRIT house party is tomorrow at my house (315 Wilson Pike, Brentwood, TN) ... If you live in the area come on out ... We just had two new products arrive (not online yet) ... They are adorable and SUCH A STRONG MESSAGE ...

10-6pm we will be open for HOLIDAY SHOPPING ... Every item will have a tag that explains our heart and mission at 147 ... Invite a friend and come fellowship w/ us  -- NEW TUMBLERS, CUFF BRACELETS ... Uganda Necklaces, Cow Horn Earrings, and all the 147 tees you can imagine, plus some specials on VINTAGE GEAR - sweatshirts only $25 !!!

I am a guest blogger on the 30th of each month on NO HANDS BUT OURS ...  I have been a total slacker lately ... here is my first post back ... click here to view ... blessings on your Wednesday .... We are off to Vandy to have Maggie's expander checked ... It may be leaking ... I appreciate all your prayers for Maggie over the last 3 years ... YOU GUYS TOTALLY ROCK !!!

I will say it is completely impossible for me to help everyone that asks ... This a great opportunity to help some sweet friends that brought home two boys with brittle bone disease ... I have known the Overby family for many years and they have been a constant support to our family ... I remember the look in Leslie's eyes when she told me they were first adopting Addie ... It was pure JOY from the Lord ... Last year they brought home Noah and Micah from China ... They will require treatment the rest of their lives and I understand all to well the medical challenges with bringing home SN angels and I want to bless my friends ...

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO TO OUR ADOPTION STORY ARTICLE AND LEAVE A COMMENT ... THE PUBLISHER WILL DONATE $2 FOR EVERY COMMENT !!!  THAT COULD HELP W/ A LOT OF DOCTOR VISITS !!! 

won't you help me PAY IT FORWARD ... click here