• Grandparents are such a blessing. Sweetness in the mist of hardship. #familytribe #stasitribe #grandparentslove
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    Grandparents are such a blessing. Sweetness in the mist of hardship. #familytribe #stasitribe #grandparentslove
  • Fruit from the farm growth. Small but good. #gracewoodfarm #stasitribe #familytribe
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    Fruit from the farm growth. Small but good. #gracewoodfarm #stasitribe #familytribe
  • Enjoying the beauty of life and family while missing our boys oh so very much! 
Thanks mimi and poppy. 
#familytribe #stasitribe #bringobadiahhome
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    Enjoying the beauty of life and family while missing our boys oh so very much! Thanks mimi and poppy. #familytribe #stasitribe #bringobadiahhome
  • These two make a mean salad and an even better team. That we a tribe vibe all day 👊🏿
Thanks to an amazing friend who just showed up with more groceries than you can think we will be cookin up a storm for days! ❤️
#familytribe #stasitribe #bringobadiahhome
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    These two make a mean salad and an even better team. That we a tribe vibe all day 👊🏿 Thanks to an amazing friend who just showed up with more groceries than you can think we will be cookin up a storm for days! ❤️ #familytribe #stasitribe #bringobadiahhome
  • The mystery that gets me on a the daily. How life can be so painful and so beautiful all in the same moment. 
I know that it’s those who stick around and don’t give up that they are those who find the answer. 
So picture me holding on. Picture us sticking it out. •
“And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.”
‭‭ECCLESIASTES‬ ‭1:13-18‬ ‭NASB‬‬
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    The mystery that gets me on a the daily. How life can be so painful and so beautiful all in the same moment. I know that it’s those who stick around and don’t give up that they are those who find the answer. So picture me holding on. Picture us sticking it out. • “And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.” ‭‭ECCLESIASTES‬ ‭1:13-18‬ ‭NASB‬‬
  • I had to leave my boys last night. It’s bitter sweet for sure because I miss my other babies so much. 
The hardest part is just not knowing when, to be honest. Our family has been through so much that we are good at carrying on, but the idea of forever and ever with no end gets to us all. •
I can’t even tell you the army that has rallied behind us as we have gone after these two adoptions. As we have simply just loved our daughter and son. There is no way we could have done the past 5 years without this army! Community can be so much work and time but man do they give back!! •
Me leaving didn’t really hit Obi till this morning. Last night he just kept asking a lot of questions about the visa, but this am luke woke up to him balling and he just held our baby who once again has to be separated from his family. •
I’m so thankful for my amazing husband! 
Thank you everyone for contributing to pray! Don’t stop praying with us, it’s all we can do now! 
#bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #familytribe
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    I had to leave my boys last night. It’s bitter sweet for sure because I miss my other babies so much. The hardest part is just not knowing when, to be honest. Our family has been through so much that we are good at carrying on, but the idea of forever and ever with no end gets to us all. • I can’t even tell you the army that has rallied behind us as we have gone after these two adoptions. As we have simply just loved our daughter and son. There is no way we could have done the past 5 years without this army! Community can be so much work and time but man do they give back!! • Me leaving didn’t really hit Obi till this morning. Last night he just kept asking a lot of questions about the visa, but this am luke woke up to him balling and he just held our baby who once again has to be separated from his family. • I’m so thankful for my amazing husband! Thank you everyone for contributing to pray! Don’t stop praying with us, it’s all we can do now! #bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #familytribe
  • Whether sitting down or standing up, or laughing or crying or running or crawling. See the beauty that is in your life! 
#onelife
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    Whether sitting down or standing up, or laughing or crying or running or crawling. See the beauty that is in your life! #onelife
  • The last date we had was before Gia’s trial. That was in September. So today was a treasure, truly and in our beloved Kenya. Such a memory I will hold forever. Also, because after this week I don’t know the next time I will see him and because last year in our anniversary we didn’t get to see each other but for a few minutes. Thus making today all that much more sweeter and precious to me. 
Thank you to our American and African community that made today even a possibility. It has truly taken an army to bring us to this point. 12 years!! We’ve made it this far and we haven’t killed each other 🤣 and that’s totally worth celebrating! 
#stasitribe #12years #anniversary
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    The last date we had was before Gia’s trial. That was in September. So today was a treasure, truly and in our beloved Kenya. Such a memory I will hold forever. Also, because after this week I don’t know the next time I will see him and because last year in our anniversary we didn’t get to see each other but for a few minutes. Thus making today all that much more sweeter and precious to me. Thank you to our American and African community that made today even a possibility. It has truly taken an army to bring us to this point. 12 years!! We’ve made it this far and we haven’t killed each other 🤣 and that’s totally worth celebrating! #stasitribe #12years #anniversary
  • Happy Monday world! ✌🏾💥
#familytribe #stasitribe #obilukas
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    Happy Monday world! ✌🏾💥 #familytribe #stasitribe #obilukas
  • 12 years! Today 12 years ago I started forever with this man, still the greatest adventure I’ve ever embarked on. He’s my favorite in all his ways. 5 months ago today we adopted  our 6th child. 6 months ago today we got on a plane for Nigeria and today we celebrate still here in Africa. Today I celebrated being a mama for my 11th Mother’s Day. What an adventure we have had! So much beauty and so much pain all rolled into one decision to say yes. Today and everyday my love I say yes to you and whatever God asks us to say yes to. With joy or with tears. I love you @lukestasi with all my yes’s. Thank you for being the husband that I needed not just what a little girl can dream. ❤️❤️
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    12 years! Today 12 years ago I started forever with this man, still the greatest adventure I’ve ever embarked on. He’s my favorite in all his ways. 5 months ago today we adopted our 6th child. 6 months ago today we got on a plane for Nigeria and today we celebrate still here in Africa. Today I celebrated being a mama for my 11th Mother’s Day. What an adventure we have had! So much beauty and so much pain all rolled into one decision to say yes. Today and everyday my love I say yes to you and whatever God asks us to say yes to. With joy or with tears. I love you @lukestasi with all my yes’s. Thank you for being the husband that I needed not just what a little girl can dream. ❤️❤️
  • To be a mother is not simply the act of birth. While this is a part of the journey to motherhood and looks different for each child, it’s so much more. Raising our children to know what it is that their hearts and minds are feeling and processing and how to hold that in real time and process it all in this journey called life. To hand them back to a loving God knowing that He alone holds the future. To wake each morning and go to sleep each night making the best decisions that we can with what is in front of us. To be a mother is an honor and a privilege that comes in many different ways and walks itself out in many different lights. 
This journey either with my 6 children or with those who have sat with me looking to me for comfort or wisdom, I give what I have knowing that even if I empty myself completely I see those parts of myself given,  renewed in them. 
I have been broken by this Journey, this ever up and down walk, in ways I could have never known before going into it. No plan could have made it easier or less heart breaking. Thus making this one of the greatest adventures. 
In the words of Captain Hook, “Death is the only adventure!” #mothersday2019 #stasitribe #familytribe
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    To be a mother is not simply the act of birth. While this is a part of the journey to motherhood and looks different for each child, it’s so much more. Raising our children to know what it is that their hearts and minds are feeling and processing and how to hold that in real time and process it all in this journey called life. To hand them back to a loving God knowing that He alone holds the future. To wake each morning and go to sleep each night making the best decisions that we can with what is in front of us. To be a mother is an honor and a privilege that comes in many different ways and walks itself out in many different lights. This journey either with my 6 children or with those who have sat with me looking to me for comfort or wisdom, I give what I have knowing that even if I empty myself completely I see those parts of myself given, renewed in them. I have been broken by this Journey, this ever up and down walk, in ways I could have never known before going into it. No plan could have made it easier or less heart breaking. Thus making this one of the greatest adventures. In the words of Captain Hook, “Death is the only adventure!” #mothersday2019 #stasitribe #familytribe
  • Plant heaven. 🌵🌱🌿
I love that even tho I’ve missed so much, his hand still looks so little. #bringobadiahhome 
#planetearth #plants #stasitribe
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    Plant heaven. 🌵🌱🌿 I love that even tho I’ve missed so much, his hand still looks so little. #bringobadiahhome #planetearth #plants #stasitribe
  • Did our Mother’s Day today since tomorrow is our anniversary. We had brunch and then walked through a flower market that was like a dream. If and when I ever move here we may have a problem! 
My sweet little man loved walking through it all with us and has not left my side basically since I got here. We are still working on all this picture taking he will have to get use to now that he’s a stasi 🤣🤣. The plants here are 😍😍 #bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #familytribe #adoption
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    Did our Mother’s Day today since tomorrow is our anniversary. We had brunch and then walked through a flower market that was like a dream. If and when I ever move here we may have a problem! My sweet little man loved walking through it all with us and has not left my side basically since I got here. We are still working on all this picture taking he will have to get use to now that he’s a stasi 🤣🤣. The plants here are 😍😍 #bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #familytribe #adoption
  • The many faces of Obadiah. He told me today, “mama I was so happy when we were coming to pick you! My face was a big smile and I was jumping!” 🧡🧡🧡🧡
#bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #adoption
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    The many faces of Obadiah. He told me today, “mama I was so happy when we were coming to pick you! My face was a big smile and I was jumping!” 🧡🧡🧡🧡 #bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #adoption
  • New life is all around. 
#stasitribe #familytribe #africa
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    New life is all around. #stasitribe #familytribe #africa
  • Obadiah thought it was so funny we all had sunglasses. •
Kenya will forever have a piece of my heart. •
To be with my boys is soo good. It’s sad that it only reminds me more of what we are missing as a family. It’s wrong what the U.S consulate in Lagos is doing to our family and the 6 other families. •
I love My husband sooo much. So much! 
#bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #africa
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    Obadiah thought it was so funny we all had sunglasses. • Kenya will forever have a piece of my heart. • To be with my boys is soo good. It’s sad that it only reminds me more of what we are missing as a family. It’s wrong what the U.S consulate in Lagos is doing to our family and the 6 other families. • I love My husband sooo much. So much! #bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #africa
  • His imagination is all things wild and huge and amazing. •
Made it here safe and sound. Fighting not thinking about that it’s only 13 days then I’ll have to leave them again. •
Keep praying for his visa. Our family is desperate to be together again. In the mean time I’m soaking up my boys. 
#bringobadiahhome  #stasitribe #africa
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    His imagination is all things wild and huge and amazing. • Made it here safe and sound. Fighting not thinking about that it’s only 13 days then I’ll have to leave them again. • Keep praying for his visa. Our family is desperate to be together again. In the mean time I’m soaking up my boys. #bringobadiahhome #stasitribe #africa
  • I’m sitting at the airport about to go see my boys. Tears. So many tears. I can’t wait to kiss both their faces!! They are both so handsome! 😍😍😍 I saw the brightest biggest shooting star I have ever seen last night over #gracewoodfarm and then it broke into two!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾 Bring them home Lord! In the mean time I get to hug them! Still no word from the consulate other than we have 6 months if we need it. Keep praying with us!!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾
#bringobadiahhome #stasitribe
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    I’m sitting at the airport about to go see my boys. Tears. So many tears. I can’t wait to kiss both their faces!! They are both so handsome! 😍😍😍 I saw the brightest biggest shooting star I have ever seen last night over #gracewoodfarm and then it broke into two!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾 Bring them home Lord! In the mean time I get to hug them! Still no word from the consulate other than we have 6 months if we need it. Keep praying with us!!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾 #bringobadiahhome #stasitribe
  • There are memories all over my house. All the seasons that we have lived. The ups the downs. They old me together in times when I want to fall apart. Reminding me ever that life is the process of all the beauty, the chaos, the laughter, the tears. The fears over come. Watching yourself and your family do things you thought you could not do. Holding to the hope that this is not my home and I’m a stranger in a foreign land learning and exploring. Telling myself you are not the sum of all the highs and all the lows. Yet they play apart in who you are. Knowing there is hope even when it’s fragile.
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    There are memories all over my house. All the seasons that we have lived. The ups the downs. They old me together in times when I want to fall apart. Reminding me ever that life is the process of all the beauty, the chaos, the laughter, the tears. The fears over come. Watching yourself and your family do things you thought you could not do. Holding to the hope that this is not my home and I’m a stranger in a foreign land learning and exploring. Telling myself you are not the sum of all the highs and all the lows. Yet they play apart in who you are. Knowing there is hope even when it’s fragile.
  • Reflecting today on our first year of homeschooling as the year nears the endish. My thoughts as they come. • Not as hard as I had always thought it would be. • I’ve actually really loved it. • Def can see where I can improve and +/ - things for “next year”. • Really thinking of doing all year long school that just makes the whole year not to intense!? • I can’t wait to have all 6 home and doing school with everyone under one roof. • I want my life back. Oh sorry that’s another thought train. 🥴😔😊🤣😩
#homeschool mama’s what have been your thoughts on this year? How did you manage!? #homeschoolmom #stasitribe
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    Reflecting today on our first year of homeschooling as the year nears the endish. My thoughts as they come. • Not as hard as I had always thought it would be. • I’ve actually really loved it. • Def can see where I can improve and +/ - things for “next year”. • Really thinking of doing all year long school that just makes the whole year not to intense!? • I can’t wait to have all 6 home and doing school with everyone under one roof. • I want my life back. Oh sorry that’s another thought train. 🥴😔😊🤣😩 #homeschool mama’s what have been your thoughts on this year? How did you manage!? #homeschoolmom #stasitribe
  • My beautiful daughter. I love 6 year old G. All these teeth missing. Free for the first time in her life to be! To run free! You are so beautiful my sweet girl. Inside and out. 
#giabellesky  #stasitribe #adoption #adoptionisbeautiful
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    My beautiful daughter. I love 6 year old G. All these teeth missing. Free for the first time in her life to be! To run free! You are so beautiful my sweet girl. Inside and out. #giabellesky #stasitribe #adoption #adoptionisbeautiful
  • They are my absolute favorite + Luke and Obi! My favorite, favorite. Although this family dream has broken me in more ways than one, and continues to bring me to my knees, they are alllll I dreamt of! 
#familytribe #stasitribe #wakandaforever
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    They are my absolute favorite + Luke and Obi! My favorite, favorite. Although this family dream has broken me in more ways than one, and continues to bring me to my knees, they are alllll I dreamt of! #familytribe #stasitribe #wakandaforever
  • Celebrated an amazing five-year-old today! Missed having her brother with her but we managed to have a sweet time through some tears. 
This girl is on fire and we love everything about 5 year old Zion Arielle Revival. #wakandaforever #zionariellerevival
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    Celebrated an amazing five-year-old today! Missed having her brother with her but we managed to have a sweet time through some tears. This girl is on fire and we love everything about 5 year old Zion Arielle Revival. #wakandaforever #zionariellerevival
  • I liked this one better. 
Also, feeling hope is hard I want it, I also want to tell it to go away. 
Just be continent, while having faith, while being patient and praying faithfully. 
#goals I guess. 🌈
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    I liked this one better. Also, feeling hope is hard I want it, I also want to tell it to go away. Just be continent, while having faith, while being patient and praying faithfully. #goals I guess. 🌈
  • Rainbows falling at the piano. 
#promise
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    Rainbows falling at the piano. #promise
  • We went and saw Avengers End Game. We are a total nerd family so we are really invested, but with all we have going on and already being really invested in these movies, well it’s safe to say there was a lot of straight weeping from this tribe. 🤣😭 Like I had to bring a box of tissues!! 🤦🏽‍♀️
#stasitribe #endgame
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    We went and saw Avengers End Game. We are a total nerd family so we are really invested, but with all we have going on and already being really invested in these movies, well it’s safe to say there was a lot of straight weeping from this tribe. 🤣😭 Like I had to bring a box of tissues!! 🤦🏽‍♀️ #stasitribe #endgame
  • I want to write the story before its even done, no actually,  I want to write this story from the place of completion. Backwards is the word that comes to my mind. Yet desperately I long to see the other side. Like a plant in spring about to break forth from the ground I stretch and push for winter to be over. Let me break forth, let me see and feel the sun. Let my leaves turn green and my petals open up. 
The process of growth and death feel the same ever dancing together. •
I watch as the same plant planted at the same time but in different locations grows at different rates. Ones beauty far out weighing the other. One flourishing while the other does not. 
Lord where have you planted me? •
Tho I ask and I seek the day and hour is hidden from me. But the promise ever looming. Becoming more of a taunting mock then a beacon of hope. 
Somewhere over the rainbow comes to my mind and I sing it and weep. 
Love laid down is a love resurrected at a later date to be determined. Am I willing? 
But hasn’t that always been the question? Am I willing? Are we willing? And I, in my process come to the root of it all, willingness. 
#growth
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    I want to write the story before its even done, no actually, I want to write this story from the place of completion. Backwards is the word that comes to my mind. Yet desperately I long to see the other side. Like a plant in spring about to break forth from the ground I stretch and push for winter to be over. Let me break forth, let me see and feel the sun. Let my leaves turn green and my petals open up. The process of growth and death feel the same ever dancing together. • I watch as the same plant planted at the same time but in different locations grows at different rates. Ones beauty far out weighing the other. One flourishing while the other does not. Lord where have you planted me? • Tho I ask and I seek the day and hour is hidden from me. But the promise ever looming. Becoming more of a taunting mock then a beacon of hope. Somewhere over the rainbow comes to my mind and I sing it and weep. Love laid down is a love resurrected at a later date to be determined. Am I willing? But hasn’t that always been the question? Am I willing? Are we willing? And I, in my process come to the root of it all, willingness. #growth