Olive Shoots & Muddy Boots

Comfort Food for a Winter Day

2012-02-07T14:28:00.001-05:00

Bear with me . . . photos posted somehow before I had time to write text . . . I promise the recipe is worth the wait . . .

A Clever Little Something to Think About . . .

2012-01-30T21:22:00.004-05:00

Scroll down and pause the playlist at the bottom . . . .

And Now For Some Humor!

2012-01-19T00:15:00.001-05:00

As the days march on, we are settling well into a new routine. Different forever than the old one, but not bad. Just different. Luckily, we are finding humor in things that otherwise may just push us all over the edge.

Things about America that African children find amazing:

1. Washers and dryers. Who knew? All of the kids are fascinated by the bizarre American custom of throwing dirty clothes into a deep, dark hole in a large metal machine and having them come out sometime later (after much churning and spinning) wet and clean. "MOM! What???"

The dryer . . . rates even higher however. Pulling warm clothes and towels out and holding them up to their faces just about did them in. How is this possible??? they seemed to ask with their expressions.

It has also become a game for them as dirty laundry goes in and then comes out sometime later - warm and dry and smelling like Downy - to see if they can identify the owner of each item. Phoebe especially, likes to stand right.up.in.the.dryer. when I'm trying to unload it and shout out with such excitement, "MOM!!! Phoebe!!!", "MOM!!! Eliza!", "MOM!!!! Olivia!!" (Which sounds like "O-Lee-Vee-Uh") This is cute for about the first two minutes. Then, after the first FIVE minutes or so and after about the tenth load . . . not so cute. I have to keep reminding myself that she is taking such joy in what is such a mundane task for me. It has actually helped me enjoy doing laundry. Such wonder and pleasure in such a simple thing.

For Ben, our most mechanically inclined, these two machines completely captivate him. When I'm in the kitchen, content knowing that the laundry is clipping along, my bliss is interrupted by the ringing of bells on the dryer. I tiptoe down the hall and see him open the dryer door, close it, push any and all buttons and re-start the dryer on all different settings. This little dance may happen five or six times in a five minute period. He is dead-set on figuring out how this thing can be responsible for such magic. Some days, I open the dryer and find his wet and muddy snowpants stuffed in with a load of clean and almost dry towels. OR . . . I open the washer and find a load of clothing - already washed - sharing space with wet, muddy jeans.

I started noticing that my go-to washer settings - Load size: Super, Temp: Hot, Task: Heavy Duty Wash - were mysteriously changed when I went to take a load out. The dials now read such ridiculous things as Load size: Small (this has NEVER happened), Temp: Cold (very rare) and Task: Rinse Only. The first few times I thought either I was losing it or the machine was malfunctioning. I'm slow.

Utterly fascinated . . . but not yet comprehending the process! Ha! :-)

2. Ice. Who knew? Two love it . . . two hate it. "Mom!!! (always with a LOUD volume and ended with an exclamation point!) Water! ICE!!!" . . . or . . . "Mom!! Water! NO ICE!!!"

Also included in this category is ice cream. I know this will sound so cruel, but I cannot tell you how utterly hilarious it is to witness someone's first popsicle headache. And even MORE hilarious to see it happening to FOUR people at the same time! :-) Sick, I know.

3. Volume controls. Up. Down. Up. Down. "Um . . . Isaac . . . could you please go and see what exactly is going on in there?"

This fascination also applies to remote controls of any kind. Take the batteries in. Take the batteries out. Push all the buttons. Hold it up to the ear to see if it makes a sound.

Week number two, Zane came marching up the stairs from the basement - Jesse and Ben left in his wake - shouting at full volume, "YOU ARE FORBIDDEN FROM EVER TOUCHING THE REMOTES AGAIN!!!!!" Followed by, "Mom!!! Do I have authority over them??? They are touching everything and now they have PERMANENTLY ruined the XBox!!!" Did I mention he is six? He has no fear and thinks it is his sole purpose in life to point out to Jesse and Ben all the ways they are NOT acting like normal Americans.

The unforeseen gift in this is that all of the kids, while completely annoyed at many and different points throughout the day, have also found great humor in it. All 13 of us have had SUCH moments of side-splitting laughter over the silliest things. It has helped us see how things that seem normal to us are completely weird to the new kids and we all just LAUGH. And then we fall on the floor and laugh some more.

And truly, laughter is THE best medicine for healing and growing.

Cuteness and Fun on a Warm Day in . . . January?

2012-01-12T01:14:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was long but good and while still thinking through Part 2, I thought I'd post some photos of our day. Such a strange, glorious block of weather we've been having. I think it was almost 55 degrees. Midwest, middle of January, should be snowy and COLD. We are ALL really glad it's not! :-)

Right hand woman. :-)

Have a great day!

Words Are Difficult to Find

2012-01-10T01:01:00.001-05:00

It has been too long since I've updated, and for all of you who have been following our story, praying for us and BLESSING us with food and so many other good things, I am so sorry!

I have had profound thoughts swirling in my head since the very first day they arrived home, but then, as night comes and the last one is fast asleep (eleven kids makes for a serious bedtime routine!) I am so tired and also so deeply touched by the day and this crazy life and the ways God has been so real and right-here-with-us that I simply cannot find the words to do it justice.

I'm going to try tonight because I think it is important for two reasons: one, because I don't ever want to forget these first days, and two, because I think it is really, REALLY important that you know the WHOLE picture thus far. I am realizing that so many adoption blogs paint a one-dimensional picture of what this experience is all about, and, as with most all of life, it is so much more than that.

The first couple of days were mostly a haze for all of us. Rob and the kids home from Africa were jet-lagged and probably completely overwhelmed with America, American Christmas, and snow! Once we got through Christmas morning (Gifts for eleven kids take a LONG time to open when certain people insist we go one-by-one. I won't mention who that certain person might be.) the reality began to set in for all of us that this is real. Forever. No take-backs, no do-overs, no pause and rewind. The first few days were a novelty. Everyone was on their best behavior, giddy over Christmas gifts, intrigued by all the gadgets that mark American lives, but by days three and four . . . well, the bio kids were getting slightly agitated with the noise level (it seems LOUD is a cultural norm in Ethiopia and I think especially when you've been one of so many kids trying to be first for food, first for the cute outfit, first for the nannies to fawn over) and frankly, sick of stepping aside and yielding to whatever wants and needs the new kids had. They were sick of finding their 'stuff' messed with, sick of having to answer questions and explain every last minute detail of everything. It was beyond difficult for them and they were clearly growing fatigued with the whole experience. The language barrier was beyond exhausting.

For Rob and I, well . . . most of those same feelings were haunting us. Add to that the immense pressure of making sure ALL of the kids were doing okay emotionally, ALL of the kids were getting some face time with Mom and Dad AND making sure we were setting down proper boundaries with the new kids.   Add some unnamed, very loud, very demanding little girls to that mix . . . one loud, demanding little boy who up until now had rather liked being the loud, demanding one (but was now being handily outshouted, outdemanded, and outeverythinged) . . . and you get the picture. For about 90% of my waking hours I thought my head might.just.explode. Really. One of the days I'm pretty sure I was hitting myself in the head saying, "I CAN'T TAKE THIS ONE.MORE.MINUTE! CAN'T DO IT!" Pretty sure because after that and for about two days, my head hurt like nobody's business. Felt exactly like someone had hit me repeatedly. :-)

Those days were beyond difficult and I want to be so totally truthful about that.  Fear and yes, even regret, began to creep in and I cannot tell you what that was doing to my heart and mind. I have never prayed so much, begged prayer from others so much, and felt so totally out of control.   So totally aware that unless God reached down and gave us some sense that things were going to be okay, we might just have made the pivotal, worst mistake of our lives. Does that sound horrible? I know it does. But I want to let you in on the secret that most blogs won't . . . it is the down and dirty truth. Because when you decide to love and care for children that are abandoned and hurt, and bring them into your home forever, it is hard. And so very messy.

Here's the thing though. God. HE is faithful. HE is good. And He heard our cries and at some point in that first week, we both had some supernatural peace come over us. We down-shifted and moved into survival mode. Do only what's necessary, keep EVERYTHING simple, get some play breaks for the bio kids and SURVIVE. We stared at one another with glazed over eyes, asked one another, "Are you sorry?", and both knew way, way down deep that we were not.

Somewhere in all the craziness, God met us and we have all been given a measure of grace that is astounding. Because in all of the scary adoption BOOKS, they tell you to not expect life to look anything close to normal for six months to a year. I believed that totally the first week. (I was, however, sticking fast to the six month end of the spectrum. Rob . . . well, he leaned waaaay toward the year end. :-) )   The miraculous thing is that this week and most of last and every day that comes is growing exponentially better. Life is taking shape, the day-to-day routine is coming back and there is ORDER in this house of 13 people. The boys love school, love to help (who knew a vacuum cleaner could be so fun?), and LOVE to play. The bio kids are back to their homeschool tutelage and back doing school with me, Rob is back to work, and very most, most beautiful of all? ALL three of my little girls are napping AT THE SAME TIME!!! Praise God! :-) There has never been a more appreciated hour and a half (two if I'm lucky!) and most certainly never a more enjoyed cup of coffee (made only better by the HEAVY CREAM added to it. Let's get serious folks, the 2% milk just ain't gonna cut it!).

The weird and beautiful and wonderful thing is that over the past few days, there have been more moments of joy and awe at what God has done, and fewer and fewer moments of crazy.  Bad crazy. There will never be a shortage of good crazy around here!

Stay tuned for part two . . .

The Hard and Beautiful Truth . . .

2011-12-30T23:12:00.002-05:00

Quick Update

2011-12-30T16:18:00.001-05:00

I have so, so many thoughts and feelings swirling through my head and heart these past few days. Still trying to process and write them out in some coherent manner. As soon as I can find 5 minutes to do that, I will share with you here. Adoption before kids arrive is such a consuming experience of anticipation. After . . . well . . . after is where reality sets it. Raw, real, heartbreaking, heart-exploding-full-of-love reality.

For now, the kids really enjoyed the brief snow day. Woke up to a blanket of white exclaiming, "Beh REH doh, beh REH doh!!!" (Sounds like bear- REH-do with the 'r' rolling off the tongue like a Spanish 'r'.) We're pretty sure they've never actually seen or felt or tasted snow, but have heard about it and seen photos from traveling families who have visited the Transition Home. Pretty cool to see it their first week home.

Phoebe hamming it up for the camera. Loads of personality.

Ben. This boy spent the ENTIRE day outside. When the snow got boring, he came in, put on shorts, went back out and rode a bike for about 3 hours straight. He and Jesse spent two full days - no breaks - teaching themselves to ride a bike. They'd never seen or ridden one, but for some reason their image of America included bikes and they couldn't wait to give it a try. After two days, lots of falls, and incredible tenacity, they both mastered it. :-)

And then we have Georgia. Or Cindy Lou Who as we like to call her. Not amused with her sister pointing the camera at her endlessly. A twelve-year-old trapped in a two-year-old body.

Yes

2011-12-21T23:36:00.000-05:00

Oh Where, Oh Where is All Their Hair???

2011-12-21T16:54:00.000-05:00

Got some new photos today from Olivia. Girls looking good, hair is starting to grow out a little (can't wait to start playing with styles for them). Here is older daughter - she'll be turning 7 pretty soon . . .

Pheobe Asrat - 6 1/2

And then . . . we have the boys. This photo was taken on our court trip . . . .

Hair's a good length. Easy to wash, not too hot. A nice length.

Here are their photos from this week in Ethiopia. Seems the nannies line up the big boys and have a group haircut day . . .

Benjamin Abebe - 9 1/2

(I think this hair cut makes him look much older!)

Jesse Fasikal - 12

(Told Rob this week that he got the scar from climbing a mountain. Fell and somehow on the way down, hit his nose/eye area. He said that God saved his eyesight, so it must have been a pretty nasty fall.)

Back to Ethiopia for Our Embassy Appointment!

2011-12-21T00:15:00.001-05:00

Rob and Olivia flew out Sunday morning at 5:50 a.m. to go get our kids! Our embassy appointment was today (Tuesday) at 1:00 p.m. Ethiopia time, and we PASSED! Rob was able to get a lot of good information on the kids' history, some medical questions answered and take the kids out to eat for lunch. This was their FIRST EVER time to eat in a restaurant and maybe their first time to use a fork! Crazy, but in Ethiopia the traditional meal is eaten with your hands and it is likely that's all they've ever eaten. They were pretty talented right off the bat and enjoyed showing off their fork skills for Dad. :-)

Tomorrow they'll get a chance to spend one last day with their friends and nannies, one last night sleeping in their beds at the Transition Home and then, on Thursday morning, they will be with Rob until they board the plane. I have to tell you all that the scene of them saying goodbye continually plays in my head. Shedding a lot of tears these past few days. This has been their home and family for the past year and while they are coming to a family that loves them, this will be one more time of losing people they love and of saying goodbye forever. So much wrenching heartache that braids itself throughout the joy. Such a complicated, beautiful, horrible reality adoption is.

We would be so thankful for prayers for them. This is surely all very exciting for them, but we also know that inside they have to be scared to death and so uncertain of what's to come. If eating in a restaurant and using utensils is new, can you imagine all they will have to acclimate to once in the U.S.? We are going to be very diligent about taking it slow with them and giving them time to adjust. We would really love specific prayers that they would learn English quickly and be able to communicate their feelings to us.

This is a forever home, but it will take some time to bond as a family, get used to America, and grieve. For the next couple of months we will be hanging out very close to home. Probably won't see us at church for a while, probably won't be seeing us much at all. This seems really severe, but all the good literature on adoption AND families who have gone before, advise that it is critical that we bond well at the outset to help with success long-term as a family. In the context of the rest of their lives, a few months seems not so long. We have appreciated so much - do appreciate - all the kindness shown to us by so many of you. We pray everyone will be understanding of our decision and patient with them as they graft into the Thomas family.

Our good friend Tracy has set up a meal schedule at http://www.takethemameal.com/ . If you are interested in helping us out in this way, please email me and I will get you the login information. We don't expect this, but many people have asked if they could bless us this way, and the answer is yes! I have no idea what to expect in the next few weeks, but imagine it will be challenging and not having to plan meals and grocery shop will help this mama a ton.

I am hoping to post more photos soon. Olivia promises to put her photography skills to use today (at midnight our time, they are just going down to eat breakfast (8:00 a.m.) and preparing for their day.) The plan today is to stick close to the Transition Home, spend time with our kids and the kids still waiting on their forever families to come.

Susannah Konjit - 3 1/2 years

Hope you all take time today and the next few to focus on Christ and the true beauty of this season. Slow down, pray up and enjoy.

Love you all . . .

Advent Reading - Day 14

2011-12-19T00:46:00.000-05:00

Mark 1:1-11

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
"BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY; THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.'"

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was lucusts and wild honey.

And he was preaching, and saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals.

"I baptize you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." (NASB)

Advent Reading - Day 13

2011-12-19T00:38:00.000-05:00

John 1:10-18

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.

Advent Reading - Day 12

2011-12-19T00:32:00.000-05:00

John 1:1-9

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

Notice that Jesus is called "the light" seven times in this short passage. Now, as John is showing us Christ as both man AND deity, he uses the word "light" to explain that Jesus is like a beacon, showing us the WAY. We will know Him because He is completely opposite from the darkness around Him. John wants us to be sure that we don't miss Him! Jesus represents the light of wisdom, the light of recognition about who God is, and the light of eternal life. John (the disciple) also mentions the forerunner, John the Baptist, who will reflect Christ but not BE the light. Many people wondered if John the Baptist was the Savior and John 1:6-8 clarifies that Jesus is the ONE, the LIGHT. - teachingmom.com

Advent Reading - Day 11

2011-12-19T00:24:00.000-05:00

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. (NIV)

Advent Reading - Day 10

2011-12-19T00:17:00.000-05:00

Luke 1:11-25

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous -- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.:" (NIV)

Advent - Day 9 (Yes, I'm Behind!)

2011-12-19T00:04:00.001-05:00

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God,
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling; "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!" See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (NIV)

Have You Ever Wondered . . .

2011-12-05T21:52:00.014-05:00

. . . if those sponsor kids are really real? Is it really true that $34.00 a month is all it takes to feed and educate a child in a poor country?

I am writing tonight to advocate for a particular program called Children's Hopechest. You can find their button on the left side of the blog if you scroll down a little. We have been sponsoring a little boy through CH for a little over a year now. Last year, if you remember, Rob went to Ethiopia to help out with several projects at a Children's Hopechest carepoint - Trees of Glory. The little boy we sponsor attended the school there and we were both really excited to meet him in person and take him a care package. When Rob met him, he (Abush) cried most of the time, barely talked to anyone and was visibly a scared, sad little boy. He was found alone and wandering the streets when he was 4 years old - a full orphan - and except for the dedicated people at Trees of Glory and an elderly woman who now cares for him, he is alone in the world. He wanted nothing to do with Rob and when one of the teachers at the carepoint asked him what was wrong, he told him he knew Rob wouldn't ever come back. His heart had been broken and abandoned and he had no interest in playing that game again. How much can one little heart endure? Rob had a very difficult time leaving him and we have prayed for him and worried about him ever since.

These photos are from last year . . .

What I want to share with you is this . . . YES. YES. YES!!! Sponsoring a child makes a VERY real difference in their lives. We have been so blessed because Rob and three of our kids have been able to meet our sponsor child and able to visit with him AGAIN this year when we went to Ethiopia for our court trip. Since he began attending Trees of Glory, he has been receiving meals and schooling each day for the past year AND, he has been able to do that because we sponsor him for a mere $34.00 per month. Seriously. I haven't thought much about that money this past year - haven't even missed it - and truthfully, I haven't thought a ton about how it might be helping or what it was really meaning to him. I've thought a TON about him, but the money, not so much.

What has the price of a few drinks at Starbucks given him? A chance. A chance to eat regular meals. A chance to learn to read. A chance to have something of a family - a community of friends - and loving adults at the carepoint who know him and love him and NOTICE him. And most of all, a chance to not have to wander about in a dark night, foraging for food, terrified of every sound and movement in the darkness with no mommy or daddy to hold him, or worry about him, or love him.

This year, the day after I flew home, Rob was able to hire a driver to take him back up to Trees of Glory. It so beautifully happened to be the same day a team of people from the U.S. - some of whom had been there last year - was arriving to work and visit with the children. (you can read more about that at http://family-from-afar.blogspot.com/ .) When he got there, he looked high and low and across the field he spotted him! And WOW, what a difference a year makes. What a difference a tiny bit of money and a whole lot of prayers and knowing - believing - that somewhere across the world, someone loves you and is thinking of you and CARES how you are doing. And all of that makes one very important difference - it brings HOPE back into your life, and the world looks very different from the vantage point of hope. Very different from the one of despair you knew such a short time ago. He was full of life and laughter and HAPPY to see Rob.

And here is the same darling boy the day after Rob flew home, opening his care package from us . . .

Is he not the most handsome little man you've ever seen? Just sayin'. And yes, we are both still praying for God to make a way for him to join our family. The twelfth man. :-)

If you've ever thought about sponsoring a child, PLEASE don't hesitate. Don't think so long that you never act. If you want more information on Children's Hopechest, PLEASE send me an email. I would be THRILLED to help you get in contact with the right people. Children's Hopechest has sponsor programs all over the world wherever the need is great. Of course . . . my heart is slightly partial to Ethiopia! :-)

--------------------------------------------------------

Advent Reading - Day 9

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!" See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (NIV)

Fun Way to Count Down and Advent Reading - Day 8

2011-12-05T00:36:00.000-05:00

In addition to our traditional Advent celebration, I have tried for the past several years to make some sort of fun 'count-down' to Christmas for our kids. This year went like this . . .

I went to Michaels and picked up some small paper sacks (they have several sizes - make sure to get ones that will hold enough treats for your kiddos), sheets of number stickers (you'll need enough numbers to go from 1 to 25), wooden clothes pins (the kind with the metal spring) and ribbon (you can pick from hundreds of designs and widths).

Once you're back home with your goodies, lay out 25 sacks and start numbering . . . 1 all the way through 25 . . .

Next, fill the bags with all sorts of little treats - one for each of your children. I usually buy several kinds of fun Christmas candy (Home Goods surprisingly sells some really fun and different candy). In the past I've also used little toys (cheap ones!) and even coins. The key is to go on the cheap. This should be just a little fun moment in the day and definitely shouldn't get out of hand on the expense end! I always try to find gold wrapped chocolate coins for Chrismas morning.

Once the bags are all filled, find a good place to hang the ribbon. For us, it has to be a fairly long span because the bag size has to be a little bigger to accomodate seven pieces. This year, I hung it across the center rail of a picture window.

Bright and fun and almost the first thing the kids see when they come down the stairs. This window is in the eating area of our kitchen. We start at #25 and count backwards to #1. That helps the littles know how many days are left until Christmas. I try to save the really good treats for the days just leading up to Christmas. :-) Can't wait to share this tradition with the new kids!

Advent Reading - Day 8 (Second Sunday of Advent)

Today, we light the first candle - the Prophecy candle - and also begin lighting the Bethlehem (purple) candle. The Bethlehem candle represents the preparations made for the coming Christ child. It can also be called the "Preparation" candle.

"Bethlehem is an appropriate place to signify preparation because, even though no room was available for Mary and Joseph when they came, God had orchestrated events so that Caesar Augustus called for a census to be taken. Joseph and Mary had to leave Nazareth so that they could register in Bethlehem and the Scriptures below were fulfilled.

"One of the key characters associated with this week in Advent is John the Baptist because he prepares the way for Jesus. He takes us from the prophecies of old and into the time of Jesus. this week, we are one step closer, as God's hand moves in history to bring His Son to us . . . and us to Him." - TeachingMom.com

Keep in mind that this prophecy was given 700 years before the birth of Christ!

Micah 5:2-5

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity."

Therefore He will give them up until the time
When she who is in labor has borne a child.
Then the remainder of His brethren
Will return to the sons of Israel.

And He will arise and shepherd His flock
In the strength of the LORD,
In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God.
And they will remain,
Because at that time He will be great
To the ends of the earth.

This One will be our peace. (NASB)

Advent Reading - Day 7

2011-12-04T23:49:00.001-05:00

This is the last day of Prophecy week in Advent. These verses from Malachi and Luke foretell the coming of John the Baptist, who was the final prophet to tell of the coming Messiah . . .

Malachi 3:1

"Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts.

Luke 1:67-79

And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us -- to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." (NIV)

Advent Reading - Day 6 (Friday)

2011-12-02T16:13:00.000-05:00

These three particular verses tie into one of the beautiful descriptions of our Lord. He is the morning star! "It is very meaningful that God uses a star to show both shepherds and the magi the way to the baby Jesus. In Matthew 2:2, the magi even ask, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." They knew the prophecies about the Messiah and took the star as a sign - THE sign - for them." - TeachingMom.com

Numbers 24:17, 19

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion . . . (KJV)

Revelation 22:16

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.

II Peter 1:19

And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (NIV)

Advent Reading - Day 5

2011-12-02T16:02:00.000-05:00

"Both of today's verses share a simple truth about the birth of Christ. God sent Him at the perfect time! It was the perfect time in history and God maneuvered events so that Jesus would be born in fulfillment of prophecy and His promises.." - TeachingMom.com

Galatians 4:4-5

But when the fullness of
the time came, God sent
forth His Son, born of a
woman, bor under the
Law, so that He might
redeem those who were
under the Law, that we
might receive the adoption
as sons. (NASB)

Ephesians 1:9-12

And He made known to us
the mystery of His will
according to His good
pleasure, which He
purposed in Christ, to be
put into effect when the
times will have reached
their fulfillment - to bring
all things in heaven and on
earth together under one
head, even Christ. In Him
we were also chosen,
having been predestined
according to the plan of
Him who works out
everything in conformity
with the purpose of His
will, in order that we, who
were the first to hope in
Christ, might be for the
praise of His glory. (NIV)

Advent Reading - Day 4

2011-12-02T15:55:00.000-05:00

Daniel 9:24-27

"Seventy weeks have been
decreed for your people
and your holy city, to finish
the transgression, to make
an end of sin, to make
atonement for iniquity, to
bring in everlasting
rghteousness, to seal up
vision and prophecy and to
anoint the most holy place.

"So you are to know and
discern that from the
issuing of a decree to
restore and rebuild
Jerusalem until Messiah
the Prince there will be
seven weeks and sixty-two
weeks; it will be rebuilt
again, with plaza and moat,
even in times of distress.

"Then after the sixty-two
weeks the Messiah will be
cut off and have nothing,
and the people
of the prince who is to
come will destroy the city
and the sanctuary. And it's
end will come with a flood;
even to the end there will
be war; desolations are
determined.

"And he will make a firm
covenant with many for
one week, but in the
middle of the week he will
put a stop to sacrifice and
grain offering; and on the
wing of abominations will
come one who makes
desolate, even until a
complete destruction, one
that is decreed, is poured
out on the one who makes
desolate."

*This passage is important to the Advent journey because it details an exact timeline of the events that prove Jesus is the Messiah. Daniel 9:24-27 outlines what is known as the prophecy of the sixty-nine weeks.

"In short: The decree of Daniel 9:25 took place on March 4 of 444 B.C. when Nehemiah was ordered to rebuild Jerusalem. The 69 weeks of 7 years equals 483 years (173,880 days using the common prophetic calendar in which a month is always 30 days and a year equals 360 days).

"This leads to March 29, A.D. 33, the date of the Triumphal Entry when Jesus comes into Jerusalem and allows Himself to be crucified. This is checked by noting that 444 B.C. to A.D. 33 is 476 years (Remember, there is no year "0"). 476 x 365.24219 days per year = 173,855 days. (Here we use our calendar to see if the dates in our time confirm the events as they happened on the Biblical prophetic calendar!) Count in the extra 25 days between March 4 and March 29 of the two dates and it EQUALS 173,880 days!

"Even in the calculation of these unquestionable dates, I am humbled by the fact that our Lord's life is not confirmed by the date of his birth, but by the date of that for which he was born: to die "but not for Himself".

- from TeachingMom.com

Embassy! and Reading - Day 3

2011-11-29T22:15:00.002-05:00

We got an email tonight saying . . .

"Congratulations, your family’s paperwork is being submitted to the US Embassy tomorrow."

. . . and all I can say is "YIPPEE"!!!!! This means that if all goes well and their file looks good, we could be cleared for travel in as little as 8-10 days. PRAYING! We feel pretty confident that it will be a smooth clearance. Usually, hold-ups occur because of questions in their status (are they true orphans?, etc.) or issues with health (positive TB test, etc.). Our kids' case is well documented, well investigated and they are healthy. And yes, we are praying! It would be such a gift to have them home and settling in before Christmas morning. As a homeschooling mama, I would also love that month-long break to allow all the kids to have time to 'mesh' before the grind of school picks back up.

We've been gathering little gifts to send over to the kids with another family, but maybe, just maybe, we'll be delivering them in person! :-)

And now, here's Day 3 - Waiting in anticipation . . .

Isaiah 42:1, 5-6

Behold, My Servant, whom I

uphold

My chosen one in whom My soul

delights.

I have put My Spirit upon Him;

He will bring forth justice to the

nations.

Thus says God the LORD,

Who created the heavens and

stretched them out,

Who spread out the earth and its

offspring,

Who gives breath to the people on

And spirit to those who walk in it,

"I am the LORD, I have called You

in righteousness,

I will also hold you by the hand

and watch over You,

And I will appoint You as a

covenant to the people,

As a light to the nations." (NASB)

Isaiah 60:1-3, 19-22

"Arise, shine; for your light has

come,

And the glory of the LORD has

risen upon you.

"For behold, darkness will cover

the earth

And deep darkness the peoples;

But the LORD will rise upon you

And His glory will appear upon

you.

"Nations will come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of

your rising.

"No longer will you have the sun

for light by day,

Nor for brightness will the moon

give you light;

But you will have the LORD for an

everlasting light,

And your God for your glory.

"Your sun will no longer set,

Nor will your moon want;

For you will have the LORD for an

everlasting light,

And the days of your mourning

will be over.

"Then all your people will be

righteous;

they will possess the land

forever,

The branch of My planting,

The work of My hands,

That I may be glorified.

"The smallest one will become a

clan,

And the least one a mighty nation.

I, the LORD, will hasten it in its

time."

Advent Reading - Day 2 - Prophecy Candle (Waiting)

2011-11-28T22:05:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 11:1-2

Then a shoot will spring
from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his
roots will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the Lord will
rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and
understanding,
The spirit of counsel and
strength,
The spirit of knowledge
and the fear of the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

"Behold, the days are
coming," declares the
LORD,
"When I will raise up for
David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king
and act wisely
And do justice and
righteousness in the land.

"In His days Judah will be
saved,
And Israel will dwell
securely;
and this is His name by
which He will be called,
'The LORD our
righteousness.'"

Advent - Day 1

2011-11-27T23:50:00.004-05:00

In our family we celebrate the anticipation of Christ's birth with Advent readings. We gather around the table either right after dinner or right before the youngest ones' bedtime, light the Advent candle(s) and read. Sometimes we cue up Christmas songs and sing along, sometimes not. With younger kids, sometimes simple is best. :-) I have also printed out coloring sheets that relate if the readings are longer. It keeps little hands busy and usually buys us enough time to read without interruptions. (I'm also not above bribery with cookies and milk!)

(This year we're planning to combine this with the traditional Christmas Advent calendar (opening the little windows or untying a piece of candy each day of December). I'm hoping to post some photos of fun things we've done in the past. So many creative, easy and FUN ways to do this with kids.)

Over the years, our kids have looked forward to this time and it really does prepare our hearts for what the season is truly about. On days that have been especially hectic, the calming effect of a quiet room, dark except for the glowing candle light, brings us all back into focus and recalibrates our hearts. I think this year especially as we wait for our children in Ethiopia to make it home, it will mark these days of waiting with even more meaning. Anticipation. For Christ and also for what He has brought to our family this year.

The first week of Advent is marked by a theme of 'Waiting'. We use a simple Advent wreath with three purple or blue pillar candles and one pink. In the center we use a white 'fatter' candle. Week one we light a purple (or blue) 'Prophecy' or 'Waiting' candle. Week two, we light the first purple candle and then add the second purple candle or the 'Bethlehem' or 'Preparation' candle. Week three, we light the first two purple candles and now add the pink candle. This is also known as the 'Shepherds'' or 'JOY' candle. It represents the message of great joy that is brought to the world about Jesus' birth. On week four, starting with the fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the three previous candles and now add the fourth candle (purple), the 'Angel' or 'Sharing' candle, which represents the love which God shared with the world when He sent His Son, Jesus. It also represents the angels announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds and they then shared it with others.

On Christmas morning we light all four candles and last, and best of all, we light the white candle in the center. This represents CHRIST, our Messiah. Jesus, Light of the World, is finally here!

Advent Reading, Day 1:

Psalm 62:5-6

My soul, wait thou only
upon God; for my
expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my
salvation: He is my
defense; I shall not be
moved. (KJV)

Isaiah 26:3

Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind
is stayed on thee: because
he trusteth in thee. (KJV)

Isaiah 40:31

Yet those who wait for the Lord
will gain new strength;
They will mount up with
wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not
become weary. (NASB)

The Best Part of All

2011-11-16T08:11:00.003-05:00

First of all, we want to say THANK YOU to so many people who have walked beside us in this journey. Your prayers, kind words, helping hands, donations, time and love will forever be etched in our hearts. We have learned so much from you about being His hands and feet.

Please scroll down to the bottom of the page and pause the playlist before viewing and please . . .

Meet the newest members of our family . . .

We Made It and The Contrast That is Ethiopia

2011-11-15T16:39:00.002-05:00

We made it to Ethiopia in one piece (Four pieces actually. Ha!) and were able to spend time each day visiting the Transition Home and getting a good chance to see different parts of the city. Such an incredible experience of extremes. On the same streets you see well-dressed business men, mothers with babies begging for food or money, new Range Rovers and this . . .

As you can see in the photo, the roads are terrible - as is most of the infrastructure. While a few people are wealthy and able to purchase whatever they need, most are not. If gravel is needed . . . well . . . people mine for rocks right out of the roads and alleyways. Our drive to and from the Transition Home each day was very BUMPY! :-) This was not an uncommon sight and tucked right in between several roadside storefronts, there were patches of grass where the goat herders brought their live animals to sell to local purchasers. Yes. They would kill and skin the goat right there on the street and sell to the local butcher shops (there were several) or sell live goats to take home and slaughter. Gives a whole new meaning to fresh meat. :-)

This is a charcoal vendor. Most of the local people cook over charcoal fires and coffee beans are also roasted this way. Often frankincense is mixed with it to give a sweet smell to the fire. Coffee is a staple of this culture and no matter how rich or poor, the coffee ceremony brings all people together. I must say as a coffee addict, this tradition should definitely make its way to America. Such a beautiful way to bring people together.

These . . . ? I have to admit I thought it might be an impressive store of firewood for some ambitious person. It turns out that these nice, straight, uniform pieces of wood are used for this . . .

Scaffolding! All over the city, wherever new construction is happening, you see this. Looked kind of pretty to see all those sticks lined up and strapped just so, but it also made me very glad to be from America. :-)

From our Guest House balcony we could see this . . .

A 'middle class' home with their chickens. (A common sight) They also had two dogs who barked ALL NIGHT LONG. Ava said after the first night, "I think dogs in Africa are nocturnal." :-)

And this . . .

We got a kick out of the white mannequins. This street was like fashion row. All shoe and clothing and a few jewelry shops.

And this . . .

This family lives right behind the chicken family. SUCH an incredible difference in lifestyle, yet they were friendly next door neighbors.

And this . . .

This one shows the extremes here. Note the satellite dish and right beside it, large bowls of corn ready to be hand ground. On the tarp drying? Chile peppers. (Most of the Ethiopian food we experienced was very spicy.) And my gardener's heart loves the vegetables planted along the perimeter of the fence. Clothes lines are everywhere. Hand washing and line drying are just a part of daily life. Seems romantic, but I sure am thankful for my Maytag.

Coming soon . . . . Meetcha Day!

2nd Leg Is On The Way!

2011-11-13T21:02:00.002-05:00

I elected to leave my laptop at home and use hubby's while away. Unfortunately, that meant I also needed to remember all of my passwords/login information after many hours of flying and serious jet lag. If you've been following this blog over the past week, you know that didn't happen. :-) I could not remember my login info for the blog. Not. Tried every password I could remember (and there are several) but not one worked. Not one. So . . . I am just going to pretend it's one week earlier and post our updates like I wanted to from Ethiopia. Please, play along . . .

This is the second team heading out for Dulles at 4 a.m. Our dear friends graciously offered to drive us to the airport. They got up at 3:30 a.m. in order to be at our house on time. Oh.my.goodness. I did not sleep more than an hour before having to get up and go. I never sleep well before traveling and this was no exception. Longer trip + farther away + leaving kids at home = no sleep. Eliza and I were running on fumes, but VERY excited to go and meet our new kids and reunite with Daddy and Ava . . .

See how happy we look? So far, all was going as planned. HOWEVER, that was about to change. When we got inside and ready to check our baggage, the ticket agent informed us that we were flying to D.C. and then the FOLLOWING day flying out to Addis Ababa.

"Hmmmm . . . could you please repeat that?"

"Your ticket has you flying out from Indianapolis to Washington D.C. today and flying on to Ethiopia tomorrow."

"Umm . . . that's not gonna work. I have to be in Addis by the morning of the 7th. Can you please call Ethiopian Airlines and see if you can change the flight?"

"Sorry. I tried their 800 number and they said they couldn't change it because the tickets were purchased through a travel agent." (Using my ticket to cover his mouth as he coughed. Gross.)

"Okay, well, I HAVE to be on that flight. Any suggestions???"

"You can try to talk to the agent in D.C. and see if they have room on the flight. I can't guarantee they'll have room though."

Time to think on your feet mama! There was no way we would make it to Ethiopia if we didn't risk it and go on to D.C. Praying all the way, I decided to head on and trust God would make the way to get us on that day's flight to Ethiopia. Once in D.C., we had to go down to baggage claim, get ALL of our bags (thanking God we sent the biggest donation bags with Rob the day before), go back through security (for the third time this trip - note to self: do not wear a belt while flying!) up to the top level and BEG the Ethiopian airlines guy to let us on the flight. He was willing, if we were willing to pay an extra $200/ticket! Can you say, "Not in the game plan!"??? Once he realized it was the travel agent's mistake, he took pity and let us on for no extra charge. Not the way we planned for the day to go, but it taught us both a lot about staying calm and trusting that God would work it out for good.

After that, the flight to Ethiopia was great. Nice, new plane (Boeing 777), smooth, and decent food and movies. We were blessed to be on the same flight with three other families adopting through America World who were in our travel group.

More to come . ..

We're On Our Way!

2011-11-05T21:33:00.001-04:00

Today, bright and early, Rob, Ava and I got up around 4 a.m. and prepared to go to the airport. This little lady woke up about ten minutes before Ava. Out of the blue. A little alarm clock? She started crying and was having no part of going back to sleep. That is completely out of the ordinary for her. She's a through-the-night sleeper. Being wise to the ways of children, we knew our only options were to take her along or let her cry and wake up all the other kids at 4 a.m. Hmmmm . . . didn't seem like much of a decision. :-) So . . . we grabbed the nearest hat - her brother's - and along she came.

She did not stop talking the entire time we were in the car. "Is that the airfort? No? Oh, maaaaan!" "Wook at doze wights. They pretty. Is that the airfort?" "You going to Afica Daddy? Oh, maaaan. . ." "Doze wights is pretty." The.entire.time. So sweet and nothing sweeter than baby kisses to say goodbye on.

Here's the first leg team . . . They should be touching down in Addis Ababa at around midnight our time. Ethiopia is about 8 hours ahead of us. Unfortunately, that means they will have to hit the ground running as it will be 8 a.m. Addis time. Hoping they slept on the plane . . .

Eliza and I will be flying out at 5:45 tomorrow morning - bright and early with bells on! The best little gift is that tonight starts daylight savings time so we'll get an exta hour of sleep tonight. :-) Doubt mama will sleep much anyway, but the idea of an extra hour still sounds nice.

We'll try to keep the blog updated from Ethiopia. Internet is spotty, so can't promise, but we will definitely give it our best shot. If we pass court on Thursday, we can post photos of the kids. PRAYING we pass the first time. If all goes well and all the letters are there, we should pass. That could mean that our Embassy date will come within 4-6 weeks (or sooner, God willing!) and we can bring these little guys home forever! In an ideal world that would be sometime just after Thanksgiving and a couple of weeks before Christmas. (That pretty much narrows it down to the first week of December!)

THANK YOU to ALL of our friends and family who have been and continue to pray for us. We have felt and continue to feel the peace and sense that you are praying. Keep it up. Please. We love you all and can never put words to the emotions we feel - gratitude doesn't seem to come close. There is something so precious about knowing you're being lifted up in prayer - truly a peace that passes all understanding.

Field Guide or "How to be the Village"

2011-11-04T14:47:00.001-04:00

Hop on over to Jen Hatmaker's blog to read her post on "How to be the Village: http://jenhatmaker.com/blog

Thoughts . . . and a Challenge

2011-10-30T22:58:00.002-04:00

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.""

II Corinthians 8:9-15

"The truth is that the 143 million orphaned children and the 11 million who starve to death or die from preventable diseases and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitutes, or other horrific conditions and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164 million needy children.

And at first glance that looks like a big number.

2.1 billion people on this earth proclaim to be Christians.

The truth is that if only 8% of the Christians would care for ONE more child, there would not be any statistics left.”

~From the book Kisses from Katie

"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."

I Timothy 6:17-19

Leaving in 2 Weeks!!!

2011-10-23T15:12:00.000-04:00

We will be somewhere over the Atlantic in just two weeks. While in-country we will be visiting several orphanages where the day-to-day needs are great. The nannies work very hard to make do with what they have, and so appreciate any items that come to them via adoptive families. Their needs/wants are not extravagant - just practical items that help tremendously to care for the little ones awaiting families.

We would be thrilled to deliver items if any of you would like to donate to the orphanages. No pressure, but we love to help and wanted to extend that ministry opportunity to our friends. No shipping costs . . . we'll deliver the items right into the hands of the nannies!

Below is a list of their current needs:

General Items:

- Children's clothing (new or slightly used only); boys' or girls', sizes 0-8 years. Clothing needs include day clothes, pajamas, underwear and shoes

- Diapers for up to 30 pounds

- Toys to stimulate babies such as colorful objects, rattles, etc. that are appropriate for babies up to 2 years.

- Unscented baby wipes

- Powder baby formula with DHA/RHA (MUST be one of the following brands to keep their diets consistent: Enfamil, Similac, Parents Coice from WalMart, Target's generic formula, Kirkland formula from Costco)

- A&D Original Ointmen, Diaper Rash and All-Purpose Skincare Formula

- Hand sanitizer

- Underwear for the older kids (8-14 years old)

- Clothes for older kids (especially trousers, dresses)

Medical items/Medications:

- Multivitamins: (Tri-vi-sol (0-6 mos.), Poly-vi-sol (6 mos. - 2 yrs), Chewable multi-vitamins (2 to 9 years), Adult multi-vitamin (9 yrs. +)

- Tylenol (acetaminophen): Infants, Children's, Suppository

- Syringes for giving medications (5mL)

- Plastic disposable gloves

- Baby nose saline spray

- Neosporin

- Mouth and nose masks

- Benadryl liquid/elixir

- Permetherin for scabies

- Toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss

If you would like to donate any of the items above, you can either contact me via email or by leaving a message here on the blog. For those of you with my phone number, feel free to call. I will be happy to pick items up to save you a trip.

THANK YOU so much. We will take loads of photos so you can see the nannies and little ones your kindness helps.

Bloodlines . . .

2011-10-07T21:23:00.002-04:00

Looking for a home . . .

2011-10-05T15:06:00.001-04:00

We are trying to simplify life here at our house and sadly, that includes cutting out extra work in the form of caring for these guys. If you, or someone you love, would like to add them to your family, we would love for you to have them.

They are both purebred Ragdoll cats, 11 months old, neutered and front declawed. They are currently about 20-25 lbs. and that is probably their top weight. Ragdolls are large cats. They are very friendly and more 'doglike' in their demeanor. (Meaning, they follow you around, come when called, and are very, very sweet.)

We got them when they were just over 6 weeks old, so they've been well socialized to live with a family. They LOVE to be held and are very good with kids.

We are asking $150 each (they are usually $250-$400 from a breeder) and will include a bag of food and a litter box. I can get their pedigree papers if anyone would like. I just need to contact the breeder and have her send them.

Tuffie

Socks (he is HUGE - this photo is deceiving)

Promises

2011-10-04T23:38:00.000-04:00

"Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.'

If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.

And the LORD will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.

And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in."

Isaiah 58:6-12

Court

2011-09-30T14:02:00.000-04:00

We just got the call today . . . we have a court date!!!

We will be on the ground in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on November 7th or 8th spending time with our kids! Our court date is scheduled for November 10th, when they will legally be declared our children forever.

Trying to breathe . . . so much to do in a few short weeks!!!

Will write more soon when we've all had time to process.

Hope you're all having a great day! :-)

Preparing to Travel . . .

2011-09-26T14:51:00.000-04:00

We're busy getting the house ready, getting travel shots, and just generally trying to prepare for life with four new children. We have been submitted to court and are not so patiently waiting for word of when that date will be. It could be as early as mid/late October! The courts in Ethiopia have been closed for several weeks because of their rainy season. The constant rain makes travel difficult, so the courts essentially shut down during that time. Hard to imagine if you live the U.S., but that is life in Africa. Once we get the call, we will have to be prepared to fly within a few weeks. Did I ever mention I hate to fly? Really hate it. Hate the thought of leaving my babies here. Hate the thought of being cooped up in a plane for 18+ hours. This, of all the componets of this adoption, is the thing that is testing my faith the most.

Yet . . . after seeing update photos of the kids and getting even newer ones from a traveling fellow adoptive family, I almost cannot breathe most days. I need to get to them. Need to see them, hold them, tell them it will be okay. It is almost impossible to put into words the feelings now that we KNOW who they are. Trying hard to wait on God, yet not wanting to miss one more day with them. Wanting them out of the Transition Home and into our home, with their OWN beds, their OWN toys, their OWN clothes. They are very, very well cared for in the Transition Home, but everything there is community property. They will leave with only the clothes on their backs. Try to imagine that.

I want them to come home to rest and be filled with plenty of food and to be able to curl up in a warm bed that belongs all to them . . . a pillow that belongs all to them . . . pretty dresses and shoes - all yours baby girls . . . a new coat and new shoes that fit and weren't worn by several kids before you - all yours, dear sons. Most of all, I want them to have the chance to be kids again. To not live in fear. To REST. In literal terms and in emotional and spiritual terms too.

We know the road set before us will be difficult at times. We've read the books, gone to the seminars. We aren't kidding ourselves, but we also know without a doubt that this whole journey has been carefully orchestrated by a great and AWESOME God. And as with all things He ordains, there is incredible joy and sometimes fear too. And as is always the case, there is a whole lot of walking in faith. What we've learned over the years of parenting a large crew and especially through this past year, is that taking the steps is worth it. Totally.

And Last But Not Least . . .

2011-09-19T22:13:00.002-04:00

Dear son number two - Asa - turned 7 in early September. He LOVES the lake. Loves it. His little heart is so full of joy and he pours forth that joy to all of us. So, so kind and gentle.

He is sad to see the summer - and another season at the lake - fade away. He learned to knee-board this summer and could have done it for hours on end if there weren't certain other people waiting for a turn. :-)

He has been missing those two front teeth for over two years now. He was ~~the victim~~ playing a game with older siblings that involved a blindfold, twirling, and allowing him to walk smack into the air hockey table. Two front teeth, dead, soon to be abcessed, pulled. I kinda like him this way, but alas, I fear this will be the year they finally grow in.

Happy Birthday dear boy. Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

Georgia B. turns 2

2011-09-19T21:52:00.003-04:00

This sweet little Georgie-girl turned two in mid-summer (catching up!). She is just the absolute love of our lives. Soooo funny. She's talking so clearly now and pretty much constantly. Definitely a woman! She told me tonight when it was time to go to bed, "No . . . I not tired. I going to watch Looney Tunes."

Up next? Potty training. I told her a couple of weeks ago that we were going to potty train soon. So now, whenever she wants to give it a try, she shouts out, "Mommy, I'm going on the potty train!" Don't have the heart to tell her it's a chair . . . :-)

Birthday Girl!

2011-09-19T21:21:00.000-04:00

Sweet Ava turned 10 this weekend. Double digits. Not sure how I feel about that yet . . . still pondering.

Happy birthday, sweet girl. You are such a joy to me and your dad. :-)

This girl is busy thinking of ways to raise money for a plane ticket to Ethiopia. I think she'll do it. She's a very resourceful girl!

We love you!

Referral!!!!!

2011-07-28T23:49:00.000-04:00

We are THRILLED to announce that we have accepted a referral for a sibling set of . . . . .

FOUR!!!!!!!

You read that right. And yes, we are thrilled. Did I mention that already?

We are scrambling about updating our homestudy (as luck would have it, all of the documents from our first homestudy are soon to expire), updating our I-171 and fingerprints and praying for a speedy court date. Ethiopian courts close soon for their rainy season, so the best we can hope for is probably sometime in late September or early October. If that is the case, then hopefully an embassy date will come a few weeks after that and we will have these kiddos home by Thanksgiving or Christmas at the latest.

We would really appreciate your prayers for smooth paperwork updates, an efficient court process in Ethiopia and especially for the hearts of these little ones. While gaining a forever home is such a good thing for them, still there will be grief.

Hope you're all surviving the heat. Oh.my.goodness. I NEVER thought I'd wish for winter!!!

Details . . . and Adoption

2011-07-12T00:17:00.001-04:00

We are praying through some crazy stuff right now. Praying for clarity, wanting a very detailed roadmap, knowing all the while that when God callls, our job is to follow.

In the midst of that, this came to us via a fellow adoptive mama on our Yahoo Group who shared this recently . . .

A common phrase you often hear from people is, “I don’t do details.” Usually they mean they’re more big picture people. They don’t like to get bogged down in minutiae.

In His own way, God doesn’t do details either. At least when it comes to His commands to people in the Bible. In fact, He can often be painfully vague.

He told Abraham simply, “Go to the land I will show you.”

When He beckoned Peter to walk on the water, He simply said, “Come.”

On His command to Moses to free the Israelites from the most powerful nation in the world, He merely commanded him, “Go, I am sending you to Pharaoh.”

God didn’t use any detail. He didn’t lay out a step-by-step plan. He just issued the command and expected obedience.

Sometimes people wanted more detail. Moses wanted to know how it was going to happen. What should he tell the people? But God didn’t fill in much detail here either.

"I will be with you."

"Tell them, I AM has sent me to you."

That helps.

On the one hand, you would think God was kind of winging it. On the surface, it would seem that His plan was just to deal with the details as they came about. And that’s not very reassuring. Not when you’re being asked to step out on faith.

On the other hand, when you read on in the stories, God had every detail covered. Abraham’s journey. The plagues. The Red Sea. Even Peter’s ability to walk on water. And that’s very reassuring.

God is extremely meticulous. He is all about the details. Far more than you’ll ever be. He has everything already figured out. Every pitfall and possibility accounted for. Every detour arranged to get you to your final destination.

So God definitely does the details in terms of His plan and working it out.

But God doesn’t do the details in terms of what He communicates to you.

That’s because He knows there are some details you’re simply not ready for.

And ultimately it’s because He’s more interested in your full obedience than your full understanding.

Don’t worry. God has every detail in your life covered.

He just doesn’t need you to know them first to follow Him faithfully.

written by Pastor Steven Furtick

More Food - Or, All This Waiting is Making Me Fat! - Or, The Easiest, Yummiest Dinner Ever!

2011-07-11T22:45:00.005-04:00

Our new favorite meal around here is shredded beef tacos. After living in Texas for 2 years, I got completely hooked on Mexican food and am always looking for ways to incorporate it into our menu. My guys love tacos, but I get tired of the same old ground beef variety so I decided to play. This is basic Mexican. Believe me, I can get way fancier, but this is down and dirty, easy to make, GOOD food that all the kids and hubby love.

Okay, are you ready???

First, head to the store and buy a good roast - or not so good as you'll see in a minute. I usually buy a sirloin tip or an English roast. Truthfully, I can't tell a bit of difference between them in taste or tenderness. I usually buy whichever is on sale. For our family of nine, I buy a 3 1/2 to 4 lb. roast.

However . . . the following is made with rump roast that my dear mother-in-law bought for us. It turned out just as good and is much more economical to buy if you're on a tight budget.

Okay, start by letting the roast come to room temperature. Season all the sides well with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Then, place in a pre-heated skillet (coated with oil) and brown on all sides. You want your skillet to be hot from the get-go to get a nice, brown sear.

Side one . . .

Last side getting brown . . .

We were VERY blessed by m-i-l to get not one, but TWO roasts, so I made them both and packed them into the crock pot. This is a big crock pot - not the smaller round one. As you can see, it is wall-to-wall. Never fear, it will all turn out okay in the end. :-)

Once you get that beautiful, brown, salty, peppery roast into the crock pot, head to the pantry and get the following . . .

. . . it is IMPERATIVE that you buy this kind. Target (my favorite store!) Archer Farms Roasted Tomato and Chipotle Salsa. If you don't happen to have a Target store nearby, try to find a good, smoky, roasted chipotle salsa. I can't guarantee the results though!

Next, open the jar (I used two jars this time since I had two roasts. One jar is enough for one roast unless you like a lot of extra sauce.) **See note at bottom about number of jars.

I puree my salsa because my kids don't like "chunky" salsa. As in, if they can't see the big pieces of tomato and peppers, they don't realize exactly what they're eating, they just know they like it. I have a very low tolerance for food whiners so this little step eliminates that for me. Completely worth it for all of us. :-)

After you've made the decision to puree or not puree, pour it over the roast(s). Let it run all down the sides and into the bottom. Cover that meat!

The only real way to do this right is to cook it on low all day. You want the meat fork tender and shreddable (is that a word?)

Now, go about your day. At this point, if you're thinking ahead, you may want to make homemade tortillas. We love this recipe from Pioneer Woman. I use lard and I'm tellin' you they are AMAZING. I've eaten a few tortillas in my lifetime and once you've had these, the store bought ones just don't cut it. They take a little work but I promise you, they are TOTALLY worth it if you can carve out the time to make them. Delicious! You can make them ahead of time and re-heat for dinner and they are just as good.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/homemade-flour-tortillas/

Okay, back to the meat . . .

After about six or seven hours, grab a fork, lift that lid and test the meat. You should be able to sink that fork in and pull away a tender piece of meat with no problem. If it doesn't shred easily, let it cook longer. This is very important. You want that meat fork tender. Critical.

Here is the beautiful, brown, smoky, finished meat. This cooked for about seven hours . . .

At this point, your nose will be in heaven. Something so wonderful happens when the beef and salsa meld together. It is the perfect blend.

This night, I shredded the beef all up and skimmed the fat off the remaining sauce in the crock pot. Then, we took the homemade tortillas and started building . . .

Meat . . .

Cheese . . .

Homemade salsa - also from Pioneer Woman and after making MANY batches of salsa, this one is my go-to. It is perfect EVERY time . . .

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/restaurant-style-salsa/

Lettuce . . .

Sour cream . . .

Avocado . . . (if you like it!)

Once you've built your perfect taco, wrap up that tortilla and take a big bite. You will be in heaven. I promise.

Because I had so much meat, I took some of it and made beef enchiladas the next night. Just roll the meat and some cheese up in tortillas and use the remaining sauce over the top. If you want to get really crazy, add some caramelized onions inside too. Cover with foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until hot all through. I put cheese over the top when there are about 5-10 minutes left to go on the baking. Leave the pan uncovered and when cheese is completely melted they're ready to eat.

**If you're planning to make enchiladas, definitely use two jars of salsa so you have enough sauce to pour over the top.

Unbelievably, with this large family, we actually had even MORE meat leftover after tacos and enchiladas. The third day, I made nachos with the last of the meat and they were delicious. Topped them with cheese and heated them in the oven. Everyone added their favorite toppings after that (lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc.)

So, there you go! Easy, and at least three really yummy ways to use the same meat!

I have also used chicken breasts and a pork shoulder with this salsa and they were also REALLY good. We happen to like the beef best, but you really can't go wrong with any of the three.

Enjoy!

What We Do While We Wait - More Food

2011-06-14T00:56:00.001-04:00

For those of you who love dessert, this is one delicious, easy, melt-in-your-mouth, full-of-sweet-goodness, recipe!

Off the top, let me say that I love to garden and pull weeds and pick things and can those things. I love to see a dried up little seed grow into a lush, harvest bearing plant, then pick and store up that food for my family and friends. I am certain I could write an entire book on the theology of gardening. So, for this recipe, I canned apple pie filling last fall. It was the first time I had ever thought of doing that (with the suggestion of a friend) and it was EASY and boy, were we all glad I had done it when the COLD, dreary winter days were upon us. You can completely skip this step and buy apple pie filling from the store or cook apples right at the time you decide to make these - assuming you will make these. You would be crazy not to try them at least once. TRUST me on this one.

If anyone is interested in the recipe for apple pie filling, please let me know. I'm going to skip that step here, but will be happy to pass it along. It is EASYas long as you have a few simple tools to do the job.

Anyway . . . You will need some form of this:

I highly recommend that you find an orchard near you this July and go pick some Yellow Transparent or Lodi apples and can a dozen quarts of this. You will not regret it for a single second. Again I say, TRUST me. If you are time challenged, however, you can run to the store and grab some Granny Smith's and whip up a single batch for the following recipe. Let me know and I can send you a good recipe.

Here we go . . .

First, you'll need to gather the ingredients. You need: apple pie filling, puff pastry sheets, one egg - beaten and ready to use with a pastry brush, butter, cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, a little bit of milk and vanilla.

Next, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Thaw puff pastry until it is pliable enough to unfold. On a clean, smooth counter or similar smooth surface, unfold puff pastry sheets, and repair any cracks by pressing them back together. Gently roll sheet to enlarge it about an inch in each direction. Be careful not to smash it too much - GENTLY roll until each sheet is in the shape of a square. Then cut each larger square into 4 smaller squares.

Spoon apples onto the center of each square. Place a few dots of butter on top of apples and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Take the egg wash and with your finger or a small pastry brush, paint the egg along the sides of the pastry sheet. This acts as a "glue" to hold the pastry together better. Fold over from corner to corner into a triangle shape, and press edges together to seal. Place turnovers on parchment paper on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them. Gently paint egg wash over the tops of triangles and sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven, until turnovers are puffed and lightly browned.

Now . . . for the glaze . . . Please don't skip this step. Please.

To make the glaze, mix together about 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, a tablespoon or two of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a small bowl. Adjust the thickness by adding more sugar or milk if necessary. Glaze should be thin enough that you can drizzle from a fork. Next, drizzle. Drizzle.drizzle.drizzle. I drizzle over warm turnovers. Some recipes say to wait until turnovers are cool, but believe me when I say, you want to eat this sweet, gooey, flaky delight while it is warm.

Are you ready?

Just hot from the oven:

Drizzling . . .

Serve to the smiling, longing, drooling faces surrounding you. You won't have to call them if they are anywhere within nose-shot of your kitchen. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you will have them wrapped around your finger for days.

Do not expect leftovers unless you are crafty and can figure out a way to hide one for later consumption. My favorite spot is the pantry. At night. When all the little darlings (and one big darling) are fast asleep. Some day I'll tell you about whole pecans dipped in Nutella. In the pantry. At night.

Have a great day!

Still Waiting!

2011-06-13T23:54:00.001-04:00

Well . . . we are still waiting! :-( June 3 marked . . .

. . . months of being DTE (Dossier to Ethiopia). We are SOOOO very close to getting our referral. Right.at.the.top.of.the.list. KILLING ME!!! We are both trying to stay busy (NOT difficult, believe me), keep our eyes and hearts turned to and focused on God, and believing that the ONE who has called us to this is exceedingly, abundantly able to do more than we can think or imagine. It has in the most blessed way caused us to keep our eyes fixed on him. Caused us to pray more and better and to TRUST that He is working ALL things together for good. ALL things. Not just on the adoption front, but in every tiny detail of our lives.

I was reminded by a cousin-in-law this past Sunday that God already knows the outcome. He has had the exact children for our family decided from the beginning of time. His timing and the orchestration of events is happening now in ways we may never see or even be able to imagine this side of heaven. Our job is to pray and BELIEVE that He has it. He has it.

I will be completely candid and say that for several months now I have been playing the game of shoving all thoughts of this adoption out of my mind. The idea of waiting and waiting since the slow down kills me. The idea that there are children sitting in an orphanage somewhere WAITING for paperwork to be done so they can be placed in a HOME and a forever family kills me. The thought that people who could expedite that paperwork will not or cannot kills me. So, over time, I've begun to realize that I have stopped believing that God can or will make this all come together. That He who called us to this really cares how or if it will all turn out.

And then this . . .

From that unbelief, I realized that for so long I have functioned in my own strength. I pray, but I'm not sure I really believe he hears or cares. I pray, but I don't lay it all out there. I don't want to burden him with my deal. Make any sense??? Like . . . He's got enough going on without adding more to His plate. Somewhere along the way I went from a little girl who BELIEVED He loved me and CARED about every detail of my life and LOVED to tell Him about every detail to a woman who read too many books and heard way too many academic sermons and lost the ability to TALK to my ABBA.

I realized a few weeks ago that I have been praying for Him to restore that desire and belief in me. Even while praying not being sure I believed He would. But, He has. In an incredible way. In this way - THY WILL be done. In this adoption, in our family life (immediate and extended), in our marriage, in our homeschool, in our ministry. Thy will be done.

Thy.will.be.done. And you know what? It feels free and terrifying all at the same time. To pray it and say it and mean it. To really mean it. Take my life - our lives, we pray together - and use them for your glory and your kingdom. The stuff? Use it for your glory. Our time? Use it for your glory. Career? For your glory. Help us to be completely done with my way - our way - and have our eyes fixed firmly on you. Scares the pants off me. But there is no other way to go beyond with Him. To move past the ordinary, safe, in my own strength kind of living. No other way.

And so, we are waiting. :-) Expectantly and with great hope. Knowing without a doubt that it will come together in exactly the way and time and place that He ordains.

Garage Sale Success

2011-05-23T00:01:00.001-04:00

We had a great two days of garage sale fun. We made a good amount of money for our time and this mama is so happy to not have to bring a lot of stuff back into the house!

Thank you to everyone who donated goodies for us to sell and a big thank you to our dear friends who hung out with us and helped tremendously (coffee - THANK YOU!, taking money, smiling and selling sweet treats!)

I have to thank my great kids and hubby too. We have a knack for pulling together to get a job done, but I promise - no more garage sales guys. :-) We are so ready for summer and time for rest and fun. This has been a long year of school and work. It was starting to feel like we'd never make it to the finish line, but here we are! And not one minute too soon.

Hope this is a blessed week for you all.

Garage Sale!

2011-05-19T22:01:00.002-04:00

We have decided to have a last minute garage sale this weekend. Didn't have enough going on with the end of the school year! Ha!

Come see us tomorrow and Saturday from 9am - 3pm. We have some great stuff - go-cart, toys, housewares, XBox (the traditional one - with 7 games and controllers), homeschool curriculum, baby clothes, electric guitar, books, baseball cards (lots from 80's-90's) furniture, jewelry . . .

And . . . the girls are having another bake sale! Cookies, coffee, sweet tea and lemonade!!!

Below are some very fun bottle cap magnets for necklaces or your fridge. Hard to see here, but they are all dressed up with a little 'bling' and very cute.

Hope to see you there!

Food - Or What We Do While We Wait (Patiently)

2011-05-02T13:16:00.000-04:00

One of my most favorite things to do is to cook. And eat. Having a large family drives me to come up with good food that doesn't cost a fortune. It's a challenge to try to make really yummy meals that are budget friendly but not made of 'cheap' food.

On the menu tonight? Bacon wrapped pork tenderloins marinated in teriyaki sauce and then roasted to a crisp, caramelly, bacony deliciousness. I can buy four nice sized tenderloins from Costco for around $14.00. Bacon, about $4.00 and the teriyaki sauce varies depending on whether it's store bought or homemade. (If you have the time, homemade is infinitely better and soooo worth it.)

Bacon-Wrapped Roasted Pork Tenderloin in Teriyaki Marinade

2 Pork Tenderloins
Bacon (1 package or 6 slices for 2 tenderloins)
Teriyaki Sauce

Take tenderloins and place into a large shallow bow. Cover with 1 2/3 cups of teriyaki sauce OR if time is short, you can use 1 bottle of store bought teriyaki marinade. (I prefer Ken's Steakhouse Teriyaki Marinade because it does not have high fructose corn syrup.) Marinate for a few hours or overnight.

When you're ready to prepare, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take the tenderloins out of the marinade and place on rack in roasting pan OR 9 x 13 baking dish. I prefer the baking dish because the meat seams to 'soak in' more of the teriyaki flavor as it cooks.

Taking 3 slices of bacon per tenderloin - gently stretch each slice, one at a time and wrap around the first tenderloin. Tuck ends under so they do not shrink and curl while roasting. Follow with second tenderloin. Pour reserved marinade evenly over wrapped tenderloins.

Place in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until meat reaches and internal temperature of 160 degrees. When done, remove from oven and tent loosely with foil for about 10 mintes. Slice and enjoy!

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce or Marinade

2/3 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
1 cup soy sauce
4 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup white sugar
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 dash red pepper flakes (if you like more heat, you can kick it up a little!)
black pepper to taste

Directions

Bring mirin to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Season with garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and black pepper; simmer an additional 5 minutes. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Easter Traditions II

2011-04-27T01:10:00.003-04:00

I had several people ask about the Easter egg activity to teach little ones about Christ and the 'point' of Easter. We love to do this and truthfully, it makes Easter more real for me. Something about the simplicity and the visual, tactile approach of this that brings it home.

So . . . here it is. A little improved over last year . . .

First, you need to gather your supplies.

Eggs (we used fresh white eggs - not hardboiled)
3" wicks (you purchase these in the candle making section of most craft stores)
Candle wax OR paraffin wax you'd use for canning (it's cheaper!)
Egg dye
Something to sit the eggs on & for lighting them later (we used these fun tea light containers I got at Michaels)

To begin, we prayed and then talked about "why an egg?" Eggs represent new life - in the case of Easter, new life in Christ. A new beginning.

II Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

John 5:24 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life."

Second, we talked about how we are created in the image of God. We read Genesis 1:27 - "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

We talked about how we are ALL created in the image of God, yet each and every one of us - all of humanity for all of time - is one of a kind, unique, special. We considered then, how BIG God is. Billions of people, each made in His image, yet each completely different.

Then, we dyed those plain ol' white eggs and made them each different . . .

And because I want to be totally honest and let you all know that we are just a bunch of sinful folks over here AND because I have a pet peeve with bloggers who paint a picture of family perfection (especially when it's spiritual perfection) it was at this point that we had to take a time out to talk about how arguing about who goes first and throwing the occasional elbow is MISSING THE POINT KIDS! It's at this point that I started praying, PRAYING, for God to send me an abundance of peace and PATIENCE. It is very hard to smile and be spiritual when the little devils are acting like that!

Okay. Smile. Ready to go on?

We got bored with the plain old egg dye . . . not too exciting huh?

So, we broke out the food coloring and started dribbling it over the eggs. A little here, a little there, some really messy hands . . . and here's what we ended up with . . .

Pretty eggs. We were all happy with the way they turned out which led us to talk about the feeling of joy we get when we create beautiful things. Which led us to talk about God and his amazing, breathtaking creation. ALL of it. Does He feel joy about the things He creates??? Does He feel joy over us?

Genesis 1:31 - "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good . . ."

Zephaniah 3:17 - "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Third, we talked about the problem of sin. That we have been separated from God because of it. We have a problem that needs fixing.

I took each egg - unique, pretty on the outside, smooth - and broke it open. Inside was a gooey mess. Outside, the shell was jagged, uneven, broken. I cannot tell you how poignant this moment is for all of us. Such an incredible visual and conversation about outward appearances and the truth about what's on the inside.

Proverbs 20:9 - "Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?"

Ecclesiastes 7:20 - "There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins."

So, we have a BIG problem. Sin cannot stand in the presence of God. Sin demands a reckoning, a payment. The wage sin demands is DEATH. Spiritual death and physical death. One look around this world and one honest look into our own hearts tells us the problem is very real.

We have another problem. We can't fix the sin problem on our own. No matter how hard we try.

And so, fourth, we talked about the fact that we NEED someone bigger who can take care of the problem. We need a solution in order to LIVE. This brings us to JESUS CHRIST. The ONLY one who can fix our problem. The ONLY reason we celebrate this Easter holiday.

Romans 5:6-8 - "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 4:25 - "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised up to life for our justification."

Fifth, I melted the wax on low and we placed the wicks inside each egg.

Then I poured the melted wax into the EMPTY egg shell and FILLED it. We discussed how once we have recognized our sin problem we can come humbly to Christ and ask him to fix it. And he will. And he does. He FILLS US with his Holy Spirit, his love, his joy, his LIFE.

Acts 13:52 - "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."

Ephesians 3:16-19 - "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Titus 3:3-7 - "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

Sixth, we reflected on just what that means for us. He gave HIS life - his perfect, sinless life - and submitted himself to a brutal death so that we may LIVE. And if Christ willingly laid down his life so that we may live, and he fills us with his Spirit so that we may live abundantly, the very least we can do is to live our lives for him and in accordance with his will. Perfectly, certainly not. But with perserverance and obedience and allegiance to our KING.

Hebrews 12:1-2 - "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Romans 12:1-2 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

I Peter 1:13-16 - "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy.""

After this, we put the eggs aside to allow the wax to set up and to wait for night. The next part is so much more meaningful if you can do it in a darkened room.

Last, later that evening, we grabbed bibles, turned out the lights, got quiet (darkness helps kids get really quiet) and lined up the candles . . .

John 8:12 - "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.""

We're Getting Closer!

2011-04-04T14:27:00.000-04:00

As of Sunday, we are officially . . .

. . . months DTE (dossier to Ethiopia)!! This is good news because it means we're that much closer to our referral date. I have to confess it seems like we've been waiting much longer than seven months. Praying and hoping we'll get good news soon. We would love to have these kiddos home before summer ends.

We are officially number . . .

. . . on the waiting list for twins or siblings age 0-4 years, and number . . .

. . . on our agency's waiting list for unrelated children age 0-4 years!

Since the Ethiopian government has re-structured the department that writes approval letters for adoption, subsequent referrals, court dates and embassy dates seem to be moving more smoothly and efficiently. This is GOOD news for all waiting on referrals and GOOD news for orpans waiting on a forever family to come to them. With the current movement we've seen, we're hoping for a referral in the next two months. Optimistic, but that is exactly what we're praying for.

Hope you all are enjoying the rain today. :-)

Happy 16th Anniversary!!

2011-03-25T13:32:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! This is Olivia, the daughter of the woman who writes on this blog! I wanted to let you all know something very special. Today is my parents' 16th wedding anniversary!! Rather than my mom tell all of you, I "hacked" into her blog to tell you first! This is from me and the rest of the crew, as we are called.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away." I Corinthians 13:4-8

Mom and Dad, you are the best parents kids could ever wish for and we love you so much! You have gone through married life with all of us right there behind you. I don't know if that is completely a good thing or not, but we are glad we are able to celebrate with you today! We love you!!!

p.s. My mom is wishing for more followers! Could you consider hitting that "follow" button for her? I'll help her post more often!

Love,

Your Kids

Adopted

2011-03-13T00:41:00.004-05:00

Be sure to scroll down and pause our playlist before watching . . .

Carp-e Diem??

2011-02-27T23:16:00.002-05:00

As we wait for winter to go away for good, the kids are going stir crazy with cabin fever. The pond is full, thawed and ready for canoeing and seemingly, a little fishing???

This weekend, oldest son and a buddy headed out for some adventure. This included among other things, cutting off a piece of their boxer shorts to start a fire out in the woods (these boys are resourceful!), shooting airsoft rifles and going down to the pond to see what they could see.

Our pond is basically a glorified mud puddle. It was completely dried out this summer except for a small little area that is a little deeper than the rest. Seriously, we were walking around down there this fall and having nature hikes IN THE POND. Like, IN it. Dry as a bone.

Somehow, do not ask me how, they found these three beauties floating along the side. Seems they were probably frozen over the winter and were thawed 'loose' by the warmer weather and snow/rain. Now, I cannot tell you how shocking it was to see these huge and VERY smelly fish. Carp, I'm told. Who knew? All the time we've lived here we have never seen a fish, never even considered they could be there as the pond has dried up twice since we've been here.

Turned out to be a really great day for a couple of 13 year old boys . . .

This is the hand of our 11 year old for a size comparison. Rob's foot is just to the right.

Hope you all have a great week!

Birthdays!

2011-02-21T15:50:00.001-05:00

We are patiently waiting on our referrals, praying for a certain little boy (still can't reveal details!), and ALL getting older. Most of our family turns another year older in the winter months. All but one have fall and winter birthdays so from September on we have LOTS of parties. Throw in Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's and you can imagine the present buying/wrapping/receiving. It is so much fun.

This year, my cake was made by oldest daughter - layers of fruit from the summer's harvest - I wonder if she's trying to tell me something?! Really, it was refreshing and nice to lighten up after all the eating over Thanksgiving and Christmas. We are needin' some serious exercise over here! Looking forward to soccer and baseball this spring.

Oldest daughter turned 15 this year. YIKES! Where has the time gone? Seems like a day ago that she was running around with a head full of curls. You know when older folks tell you to enjoy the time because it goes so fast? Well, I'm here to tell you, I GET IT. Incredibly sad and exciting all at the same time and it seems the older you/they get, the faster it goes. ENJOY it. Make the most of the time and be purposeful with the days you have together. I am trying more and more to not say "we'll do it later" with all of my kiddos. Later is getting here WAY too soon for my liking.

This sweet girl has been such a joy to our family and such a great big sister. She loves to write and loves photography and has started her own blog which you can see here: http://astorytoldinpictures.blogspot.com/

More posts coming soon. I am so hoping to be able to reveal some very good news. Waiting on our agency, going before God daily and praying for a miracle.

Hope you all have a great Monday!

5 Months DTE and Counting!

2011-01-30T22:42:00.002-05:00

Well, as of February 3 we are officially 5 months into our wait for a referral. The wait time right now is about 5-8 months or possibly more. Things have slowed down a little over the past few months as Ethiopia makes positive changes in their court/embassy proceedings.

We are busy staying busy and trying not to think about the wait. Christmas made that somewhat easy but now, in the winter lull, we are starting to get anxious. Waiting on God is getting really real. :-) We've been busy moving bedrooms around, wondering if these kiddos will be boys or girls or both. The kids here are starting to argue about just where the new kids will get to sleep. Fighting over having the privilege of sharing rooms! That whole "I want my own room" thing is completely lost on our kids. They have always loved sharing bedrooms. Kind of like a constant slumber party in our house!

We are also on our knees about something related to adoption and though we can't reveal that just yet, are begging for prayer for a certain little boy and for God to blast through walls to make a way for him. We have seen His hand working and are on our knees seeking just what He is trying to show us. If it is what we think it is, it will take a supernatural effort to make it fall together. What we know is this: God is really big. Nothing is too hard for Him. His will cannot be thwarted. So, we are trusting and waiting and praying big!

I have made a renewed committment to post more often. I have some fun ideas in the works to shift over to a website supporting big families and advocating for orphans. You can be sure there will be a lot of fun, humor and FOOD mixed in!

Blessings to you all . . .

Jeremiah 32:17, 19 - "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you . . . great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds."

Depraved Indifference

2010-12-03T23:35:00.001-05:00

Project Hopeful

2010-11-29T23:21:00.002-05:00

We are going through photographs from the trip and processing all that happened over those nine days, but I wanted to post this and advocate for these dear, dear children. There are SO MANY beautiful older children all over this world who have been orphaned due to HIV. Many of them are HIV positive, but with medication, are living normal, vibrant lives. I encourage you to watch this video of Carolyn Twietmeyer as she talks about ALL of her children - 7 bio and 6 adopted. Some of her children are HIV+.

Please pray for these children and for what your love could mean to them. There are so many ways to get involved. Visit Project Hopeful's website for more informaion.

Be sure to pause the playlist at the bottome of the page . . .

Update from Ethiopia - Part 4

2010-11-20T23:07:00.001-05:00

From Rob's email: On our way back yesterday we visited Kind Hearts for the last time. They waited for us about 1 1/2 hours past their typical departure time and greeted us like rock stars! I think we got some good pictures and when we left you could have ripped my heart out. Eh wed eh shah loh, Eh wed eh shah loh's all around. I love you, I love you, I love you . . .

The time at Trees of Glory has been bittersweet for us all. This is where 'A', the little boy we sponsor, attends. We had big hopes for what the days there would look like with him. As it turned out, it didn't go as planned. We had hoped they could spend a lot of time playing with him and holding him. Here is a little of Rob's email about TOG and little 'A':

I just got up. Last night the power went out during dinner so we ate by candlelight and flashlight. It sent us to bed early which was a really good thing as we have all been exhausted. I have to make this quick because there are people in line behind me. We met 'A' yesterday and got video of us giving him his care package. He is very shy but has a great little smile. He kept his head down most of the time and I couldn't see it but he was smiling. He does not speak Amharic, but Oromifa, which they speak in the countryside. After meeting him, Simret, the founder of Trees of Glory, told me that he was found on the streets in the village up the road, abandoned, and both of his parents are dead. He is now living with an old woman in a different village near TOG. When I heard this, I had to take a walk to regain my composure as I was devastated and wanted to put him in my suitcase and bring him home. We were only at TOG for 2 hours yesterday and handed out care packages so we didn't get to spend any one-on-one time with him but we are going back today to hang out for a lot longer. I plan to spend a lot of time with him and let him know that we love him and will come back to see him again.

'A' is very afraid and speaks very little. We got some pictures today but he would not really interact. He smiled as I was playing with some kids on a merry-go-round but he cried when I picked him up.

So . . . I am heartsick for this darling child. He was 4 years old when they brought him to TOG. Simret is the incredible woman who cares for these children and she is looking after him when he is there with her. But, my mother's heart cannot stop weeping for him. I look at my little boy who is the same age and cannot begin to describe the depth of grief at the thought of him alone on the streets and wandering. Looking for food, safety, warmth, his mommy and daddy. So many questions . . . did he see them die, what has he endured in his short life, how long was he alone? When I tuck my children into bed, I walk away and weep some more.

Father of the fatherless, please protect him, hold him in your hands, comfort his tiny heart . . .

Update from Ethiopia - Part 3

2010-11-20T22:10:00.004-05:00

This trip was spent for the most part at two schools - Kind Hearts and Trees of Glory - which have been founded and are supported by Children's Hopechest. All of the children who attend are sponsored by families and their kindness allows these children to receive an education and one good meal a day. They would not have access to an education otherwise and many would not have a decent meal either. Especially at Trees of Glory which is located about 65 kilometers outside of Addis Ababa and is in a very economically poor region of Ethiopia. This travel group had the incredible privilege of delivering care packages to each of the children at both carepoints. Most included gifts, clothing, photos and letters from their sponsor families. These photos were taken by Karen Wistrom (she is heading up the trip) at Kind Hearts school. Rob's computer is, in his words "fried", so he can't download his photos. They have taken hundreds so we'll be able to post more and hopefully a video when they get home.

Is he not the most precious little guy you've ever seen? Rob is reading his letter while the gentleman on the left (he works and teaches at the school) intreprets.

This trip has been life changing for Rob and our kids. For us all, it has made everything 'real'. Real people, real poverty, real beauty. Such incredible, loving, kind people. Such an amazing culture. They have all been journaling A LOT and we hope to share once they get home. Here is O---a helping act out a story for the kids:

And playing with the kids at Kind Hearts. She is the consummate big sister. At almost fifteen, she is such a beautiful girl inside and out. I look forward to watching her grow into adulthood. Big things ahead for this girl.

Update from Ethiopia - Part 2

2010-11-17T00:16:00.005-05:00

Hubby and oldest two kiddos are setting out with Children's Hopechest on Day 3 to Kinds Hearts school. It has been a great experience so far and they are loving the time they get to spend with the kids. Here are a few photos from today (yesterday - this time difference is so confusing!)

A little "tatoo art':

Some very sweet lovin':

And here is a little from the emails we've received so far:

We have been gone since 8:30 a.m. after not so much sleep last night. The kids slept pretty well but the Orthodox Christians have a call to prayer really early like 4:30 and the horns were blowing. Went to Kind Hearts, went and got goats to slaughter for lunch tomorrow, went to the Transition House and held the babies!!!!

You will absolutely love the traditional dancing but probably not so much the traditional food. Is--c tried a couple bites but one bite ended up in the toilet and the other was reluctantly swallowed. They told him it was beef but it was really goat meat which is nothing like a good filet! Ol--a ate a little bit but we all supplemented with some jerkey when we got home.

And, for those of you who really KNOW Rob, this will make you fall off your seat. From oldest daughter:

The goat meat is disgusting. It’s really rubbery and tough. They gave us raw meat and cooked meat with the injera at the traditional dinner. Dad tried the raw meat. :O

Rob has promised to type out his journal entries when they return to the Guest House tonight. I will be sure to post when/if he does. Still waiting on video. If they are able to get it downloaded, I will be sure to post it.

Hope you all have a great rest of the week!

Update from Ethiopia Part 1

2010-11-17T00:12:00.001-05:00

Hubby and kids have been in Ethiopia since Sunday. So far, it has been a wonderful trip. They are just setting out on Day 3 at Kind Hearts school. Tomorrow they head toTrees of Glory which is located about 67 kilometers outside of Addis Ababa.  Our sponsor child Abush attends school at Trees of Glory so this part of the week will be extra special. They will have 3 days to spend with him and all of the 80+ kids at Trees of Glory.

We attended an Ethiopian Cultural Festival last Saturday night that a local Ethiopian church holds for adoptive families. It was an amazing experience. The pastor was so kind and so grace-filled toward the families. I will admit that at times I have struggled with what the Ethiopian people feel about Americans adopting their children. Do they resent us?  Are they full of heartache for the loss of so many precious children to a continent so far away?   What do they feel? I will try to quote something he said that has been on my mind . . . "Ethiopia is a very beautiful, very special . . . very poor country. It has been hit hard by HIV AIDS, by famine, by poverty. Some say there are 4 million orphans, some say there are more. Some say there are 6 million. I want to say that we support what you are doing. Adoption is a very beautiful thing. It is God's plan. We are adopted by God if we are in Christ. He has adopted us into His family. We say 'who are these Americans?   Who are these people that adopt these orphans into their hearts and into their homes? You are doing a good thing. It is good.'" To me, it was the voice of God confirming our decision, casting aside doubt, encouraging my heart.

The entire evening was so special. The beautiful women of the church prepared a HUGE spread of traditional Ethiopian food. It was spicy, textural and overall very good. I am in search of good Ethiopian recipes for Injera and Doro Wat if you happen across some!  They also dressed in traditional Ethiopian costume and sang Ethiopian praise songs and danced. It was something to behold. Let's just say American worship leaves a LOT to be desired.   There were so many precious children who had been adopted and were there with their new families. The church community really reaches out and DESIRES so deeply to stand in the gap for adoptive families. They have such a heart to be the thread that weaves together the child's birth culture with their new culture. I really cannot express the depth of love and sincerity they communicated to us all. I left full of excitement and utter longing to bring our kids home.   I have worried some about how we could teach our children (all of them) about a culture we had never truly experienced. I left with a total God-filled peace knowing the community is there and that we will be tied together with these incredible people in the coming years - feeling blessed beyond measure by their willingness to be that real and true link.

Feeling the Love

2010-11-15T22:48:00.003-05:00

Day 1 at Kind Hearts and he is smitten already!

Orphan Sunday

2010-11-08T14:41:00.001-05:00

How Do You Fit It All Into a Ziploc Bag?

2010-11-02T01:20:00.001-04:00

Rob and our two oldest kids leave for Ethiopia in just 2 short weeks. We are excited, nervous, and just plain speechless at times thinking about what the trip will hold.

We sponsor a little boy at Trees of Glory, one of the carepoints the travel team will be visiting. I cannot put into words the feelings in my heart that Rob and kids will actually be meeting him face-to-face, giving him gifts, holding him, playing with him, loving on him. It is a once-in-a-lifetime moment and for many sponsor families, a dream that won't happen this side of heaven. Incredible.

Each sponsor family has been given the opportunity to send a care package to their sponsor child. The catch? All the gifts must fit into a gallon Ziploc bag. In order to not hurt feelings we have decided to follow suit for our little guy. My dilemma? How do you fit love and hope and the desire to give of your prosperity into a gallon baggie??? Oh, so difficult. What does he need most? What does his little 6-year old heart desire? I hope and pray that the chance to spend a few days with his "American Papa" and a brother and sister will leave them all marked for life. That he will remember their hugs and they his and that he'll have a mental image to keep forever of the family that loves him from so far away. I pray that my kids who return home will never forget their "African brother" who lives such a simple and materially sparse life, who has lost mother and father and so much more.

Kind Hearts school is the other Children's Hopechest carepoint the team will be visiting. All of the children there have been sponsored thankfully, and have been receiving food, schooling and Christian discipleship for several months. HOWEVER, as of this week, over 30 NEW CHILDREN have been enrolled at Kind Hearts. Rob and the kids, along with the team, will be meeting these new children and their profiles will be up and ready when the team returns.

If anyone has ever thought of sponsoring a child, this would be an excellent chance. Visit "Family From Afar" on our sidebar to read more about these children and how to sponsor. Or see the link here: http://family-from-afar.blogspot.com/2010/11/fantastic-news-from-ethiopia.html It is an incredible way to make HUGE difference for one child for the cost of a daily cup of Starbucks.

Lastly, THANK YOU to everyone who has given donations for this upcoming trip. Rob and kids will be taking LOADS of photos and we can't wait to share with you all where and with whom your generosity was shared. Know that you have made a difference. Your love gives tangible help, but also hope.

Isaiah's Story

2010-10-10T22:36:00.002-04:00

Isaiah's Story from 31Films on Vimeo.

Gotcha!

2010-10-10T04:05:00.004-04:00

As the days tick away with waiting, I can't help but wonder what it will be like when we finally meet our children. Surely, it will be a day of rejoicing and surely, once home there will be days of profound sorrow over what has been lost - especially for the older of the two. I LOVE this video. It makes me think of our Father running to meet us, and when we are ready to finally run to Him, He stands with arms wide open to catch us. I am praisin' our Abba that this little guy finally has arms to run to and a forever mommy and daddy.

Waiting

2010-10-03T23:15:00.000-04:00

We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the foundation of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made and his senses are being developed.
To him we cannot answer “Tomorrow”. His name is “Today”. - Gabriela Mistral, 1948

Where committment leads, providence follows

2010-09-16T15:43:00.000-04:00

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."

- Johann Wolfgang van Goethe

We are DONE chasing paper!!!!!

2010-09-07T22:44:00.003-04:00

Well friends, we are FINALLY done chasing paper! As of Friday, September 3, 2010 we are DTE. That means "Dossier to Ethiopia", and that is such a beautiful phrase for me to type and read. Sept. 3rd is also my daddy's birthday. A good day all around!

Just got done tracking that ol' FedEx package that contains months of work and about every nitty-gritty detail of our lives thus far. It started out in Indy, traveled through Virginia, New Jersey, Paris and is currently in Dubai, AE with its next stop being . . . Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. WAHOO!!!!

We are praising God and thanking Him for all the people who have come along side us to make this possible. We want to thank you all again too.

Now we wait and pray. Please join us in praying for our children specifically. At least one of them is most certainly alive and living either in the orphanage or in a situation that will lead to them being orphaned or abandoned and placed in the orphanage. We ask for prayers for their safety, health, and that they would somehow sense that a forever mommy and daddy are coming for them very soon.

We also ask that you join us in praying for the birth mother(s). When we began this journey, we assumed that these children would be complete orphans (with both parents deceased). We now know that is not always the case. Sometimes children are abandoned due to extreme poverty, other times, the birth father has died and the birth mother is very ill (often with HIV) and knows she is dying. While tragic beyond words, there is still something very precious in knowing her wishes were granted and she was able to speak final words to the adoptive family and bless her child and know before dying that her child(ren) were safe and loved and okay. We pray that if this is the case with our adoptions, we would have the opportunity to meet and pray with her and have an interpretor to tell us her wishes and reassure her of our committment. Hard stuff.

A Walk to Beautiful

2010-08-20T23:42:00.013-04:00

In November, Hubby and our older two will be traveling to Ethiopia with Children's Hopechest. They will be visiting several carepoints. One of the places they visit will be the Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa. To be honest, I had no idea what the word 'fistula' meant. After looking at this website http://www.fistulafoundation.org/aboutfistula/faqs.html I had learned enough to break my heart. As a mom of seven, I cannot imagine the sorrow of these precious women. First, in most cases, to lose their baby and then to bear the shame of this condition. I invite you to view this video. It is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.

When Dad and the kids go, they are planning to take gifts to these beautiful women. If anyone has a desire to send something, they will gladly deliver it for you face-to-face. Some suggestions would be: chapstick, pretty scarves, cloth handbags or other pretty items. The hospital has also expressed a need for baby and toddler clothing.

Each of the travelers on the trip are allowed two, 50lb. pieces of luggage. Our plan is to pack lightly in order to have a bag and a half each for donations to the carepoints. If anyone is interested in sending donations, please contact me for suggested items. Children's Hopechest has given us a pretty detailed list with a wide variety of items.

Don't forget to scroll down and pause the music at the bottom this page. . .

Prayers Coveted

2010-08-11T00:09:00.006-04:00

We would be so grateful for your prayers as we WAIT (patiently . . .) for our I-171 to arrive. It is the last piece of paper we need to complete our dossier and send it off to Ethiopia. Once our dossier is complete and received, we then wait for our referrals. Once the referrals are accepted by us, we will wait on a court date to state before a judge that we indeed do commit to loving, protecting and raising these two little ones up in our family. Our hearts are overflowing with anticipation for that day.

Our officer at the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security is a gal who, it seems, doesn't really have a 'passion' for her job. No sense of urgency, no real concern for just being efficient. I'd take slightly efficient at this point. I talked to her yesterday, and after first stating that she didn't know where our file was, she then back-pedaled when she realized how long she had had it in her possession. It went from being "somewhere in my office to yes, it's here on my desk." When I asked her if she had any idea of when she may get to it, she said she couldn't really say.

So . . . we are asking you to pray specifically for our Officer 'S'. Pray that she would wake up tomorrow loving her job; that she would get a new or renewed passion for the opportunity she has to bring orphans into forever families; that she would look down at her desk and see our file staring back and PICK IT UP and efficiently and favorably complete it and send it back to us.

We appreciate it so much!

Beautiful Feet

2010-08-10T23:39:00.005-04:00

Ordinary Hero~ A day in the trash dump in Ethiopia from Kelly Putty on Vimeo.

Advice from a 5-Time Adoptive Momma

2010-08-05T23:55:00.004-04:00

I had a friend once tell me that you will know you are fully living a Christ-centered life when people begin to question your sanity. It made me laugh at the time and then once I thought about it, I realized how true that really is.

Basically we all have the same choice: to live a self-centered life or to live a Christ-centered life. There are no other choices. When you choose the Christ-centered life you will find the world begins to lose its appeal because now it is Jesus, and what He wants, that becomes important in your life and this will look a lot different than the self-centered life. So those around you will question you, because the choices you make, the lifestyle you live, will no longer 'match up' with what the world says is good and with what the world says is popular. And it will make people wonder. And for some, it will even make them mad.

Today we live in a world that tells us that the ideal family size is 2.5 children. (Can someone explain to me how you even have a half a kid?) So, when you see a family walk in the door with 9 children, all from different races and ethnic groups- they begin to question. And for some, they feel justified to insult. Large adoptive families often get labeled. I have heard them called everything from 'child collectors' to being accused of being 'addicted' to adopting. I have been told that we can't save the world and asked when enough is enough.

All I can say is, if I was into collecting- I can guarantee you it would be one of those kind of nice collections you simply display on a shelf and look at. It would require little work, perhaps just an occasional dusting. It would be something rare- not 147 million of them waiting to be found.

As for adoption being an addiction- I will say one thing I know for sure- I can think of lots of things that would be a lot worse to be addicted to. Things that don't bring God glory. While yes it is true, I cannot save the entire world- that doesn't mean I shouldn't do what I can do. Imagine yourself inside of a burning building, lying on the floor, trapped, unable to help yourself. Someone dials 911- but the firefighters on call responded by saying 'Oh well, we can't save them all' and don't come to your rescue. There are 147 million orphans in this world trapped and unable to help themselves. How are you going to respond to the call? . . .

. . . Often times, besides the cost of adoption, the thing that stops people from saying yes is, you know, because it might be hard. People might look at you funny. The way you live your life might be changed or interrupted. You might have to give up something to make room for another. And, what if the child God places in your home doesn't look, act, or fit into the image you had hoped for?And, well, that would be hard. And hard is something we avoid. But can I remind you for just a minute how hard the price of our comfort is on them?

I often wonder where Christians came up with the idea that being a Christian resembled anything close to easy? I often wonder how so often we miss the entire point of what Jesus is all about? He is so much more than going to church on Sunday, memorizing verses of the Bible, wearing a cross around your neck, and praying at the dinner table.

And can I just tell you something else? Life is never going to be easy- regardless of how hard we try to put up those walls of protection, regardless of our attempt to make all the right decisions and all the right plans. And can I remind you that the greatest gifts in life did not come easy either?

When you claim to know the Lord and you call yourself a Christian you are not signing up for easy. As a matter of fact, I can almost guarantee you that God will call you out of your comfort zone, out of your ordinary existence and into a life that you never imagined for your self. It will be a life that is all about HIM...a life that that glorifies HIM- not you. So go ahead and love your God so much that you are willing to get out there, get a little crazy, not worry about what anyone thinks...Get your hands dirty

SERVE

GIVE

LOVE

Make your life COUNT. You might get hurt, you might be uncomfortable, you might not be popular-you might not even recognize yourself when He is done... but the one thing I can promise you is that it will be worth it. All.

- Amy Block

http://buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com/

Chickens and Kids

2010-07-27T23:07:00.001-04:00

Okay, this is just too stinkin' hilarious not to share . . .

http://weloveourlucy.blogspot.com/2010/07/western-ky-state-fair-and-my-favorite.html

What We Do While We Wait - Part 2

2010-07-27T22:15:00.016-04:00

We play . . .

Waiting for forms to come back can be so hard, but we have tried to keep busy and have fun at the same time.

Baby Girl had her first birthday this summer and it was so fun to see her eyes light up when she saw her cupcake and candle. We have cherished this time with her in her babyhood and while we are anxious beyond words to bring our new children home, we are glad to have the time to watch her grow.

We've also had a great time at the lake this year. It's a great family getaway. No t.v., no internet, sketchy phone service. Strangely, we never miss them. The two younger boys have taken to the water and Son #2 has had a blast knee-boarding and kayaking. Even though he's only 5, he just hopped in and took off. He's a better paddler than some of the older kids!

And yes, we even had fun watching the hay being cut and baled. The younger kids have been playing "King of the Mountain" and other made up games. Next year we hope to have a barn built and to be baling our own hay. Sounds like a great job for dad and almost-teenage son! :-)

We hope you all are taking some time to enjoy friends and family this summer!

What We Do While We Wait - Part 1

2010-07-26T23:09:00.005-04:00

We work . . .

This summer has been a busy but good one. We have used our 'waiting days' as well as possible and packed them full.

In May we made strawberry jam with grandma. She is the best jam maker we know and we just can't do it without her. Something about the way she stirs. :-) We made over 45 jars of jam to put away for winter and to share with friends. So yummy!

We have been working and picking and weeding in our garden all spring and summer. It has been a great experience for the kids and they are incredible little helpers. Many hands make light work has been playing out at our house this year. Youngest son spent some quality time with mom shelling peas. The great part about a garden is that everyone can help in some way. He did a great job with this.

In June, I loaded up all seven and we went a few blocks from home to a blueberry farm. In all my years of living here I never knew it existed. Kind of a freak of nature as blueberries don't really grow well in this part of the country. Each kid grabbed a bucket or box and we picked a BUNCH of berries in a short time. I'm really starting to like the help. We are a force to be reckoned with when we're on our game. :-) I think we were in and out in 30 minutes and froze about 20 quarts from this picking.

And then there is the canning . . . always exciting as I try to remain calm and NOT blow the lid off the pressure cooker. This year we have picked and canned about 50 quarts of green beans. I only blew the lid (ring and all) off one jar while inside the canner. It sounded like the entire jar blew up in there, but when it was all done and the lid came off the canner the jar was sitting perfectly upright, beans intact. The lid and ring however, were bent and laying in the bottom of the canner. How does that happen???

We are getting ready for tomatoes next. Trying some new marinara recipes to can, making lots of fresh salsa (YUM!!!) and eating a lot of BLT's (double YUM!). This week we have been on major weed patrol and getting ready to plant turnips and more sugar snap peas for a fall crop, and considering clearing a patch for pumpkins. We are running out of time though . . .

If you're bored or hungry, stop by. We'll feed you . . . or put you to work . . . or put you to work and then feed you!

Sweet Gotcha Day Video

2010-07-14T00:16:00.001-04:00

Think on This . . .

2010-06-25T16:17:00.000-04:00

"One life on this earth is all that we get, whether it is enough or not enough, and the obvious conclusion would seem to be that at the very least we are fools if we do not live it as fully and bravely and beautifully as we can."

- Buechner

Father's Day

2010-06-19T23:53:00.023-04:00

This is the handsome man to whom I've had the privilege of being married for the past 15 years. I could tell you they've been 15 years full of bliss, but you'd know I was lying. I can say that we love each other more and better than we did 15 years ago and that we are solid. Life is good. I love this guy more than I ever thought possible. He's an amazing husband, father, and friend. It has been so sweet to grow up in Christ with him.

We have learned to balance one another out over the years. In the beginning we hit head on and there was a collision more than once. :-) We've mellowed . . . when I'm uptight he's calm, when he's stressed I'm calm (usually!) . . . We're getting better at marriage and parenting as the years go on. We like each other. (We don't usually look this serious . . . posing for the photographer and trying oh, so hard not to crack up!)

Of all the things I love about him, the one I love the most is his passion for being a good father. He LOVES our kids like there's no tomorrow. He takes time with them, he plays with them. Real, get-down-on-the-floor plays with them. He is serious when he needs to be, goofy when he can't help but be, and tender most of the time. In the beginning, we said we'd like to have four kids. We wanted a big family. That's one of the reasons I married him. Couldn't imagine not having a house full of babies.

Exactly one month into married life, we were thrilled to find out we were pregnant for baby #1. She stole his heart - and mine. Neither of us would have believed it was possible to feel so much love. She's the mother hen, helper, sometime sassy, mostly sweet, dream of a firstborn daughter.

When she was about two, baby #2 came along. A son. It was tense for a minute - he was born with the umbilical cord wrapped tight around his neck. You've never seen such a shade of blue. Not a moment I'd like to relive, but once the cord was cut and unwound, he was perfectly fine. Still hates to have anything around his neck. No turtlenecks for this boy! He is his dad's right hand man and such a help to his mama. He plays a mean guitar, a mean piano and a mean game of army guy with his brothers. They worship him.

When baby #2 was about two yrs. old, baby #3 came along. A daughter. We were on a roll. She was so sweet. Jumpy, but sweet. When hubby so much as sneezed, it frightened her into a frenzy of sobbing. She has grown into a such a neat girl. This one loves her siblings (spoils them!), loves kittens (is bucking for one right now) and keeps us laughing. She has a talent for drama - in a good way. :-) She is a such a blessing.

When #3 was 21 months, baby #4 came along. We were done. Really. She was a beauty. The biggest brown eyes you've ever seen. She was sweet, smiled all the time, learned quickly and LOVED to follow her big sisters and brother around. She was just plain EASY and still is. This girl is good for a giggle, a witty comment and puts together a mean bouquet. Sometimes when I catch her sitting with a serious look on her face, I stare at her and when she notices, she just rolls with laughter. Unless she's mad. Happens very rarely, but when it does . . .

We were so blessed. We had our four - all healthy, all beautiful (I admit it, I'm biased), all sweet. After a year or so, we started getting that baby longing again. Who came up with the number four? Why did we pick that number and who said we couldn't have one more?

Soon after, we were so excited to learn we were pregnant for #5. Five would be good. We could surely do five. Well, a few weeks into the pregnancy, we miscarried. It was a huge shock and disappointment. Sad beyond words. It was curious the reactions of people. I remember one friend saying, "You know, people won't be that sympathetic since you already have four other kids." Didn't really help at the time.

I remember being afraid that hubby would say, "That's enough. Let's just be happy with four." But he didn't. Something caught fire in both of us and we longed for another child more than ever. Something was stirring in our hearts. We were led by God to a few books and a few families and challenged by the notion that God is the Creator of life and who were we to thwart His hand? We started searching the Scriptures, praying about this idea of family "planning" and walking through a time of great searching.

Soon after, we were oh, so incredibly thrilled to find out we were again expecting. There was never a baby more longed for than this little guy. He was born on Labor Day a week and a half late. It was labor, baby, and I mean labor. He was born "sunny side up" after two hours of pushing (can anyone say epidural???) and weighed a whopping 9 lbs. 8 oz. Almost two pounds bigger than all of the others. He has a heart full of joy and just looking at him makes me smile. He grabs all the fun he can out of life and makes me stop lots of times to refocus. This kid gets joy.

We were pretty content with five. Not sure where God was leading us, but sure we had time to figure it out.

When said joyful son above was five months old, we got a little 'surprise'. :-) Baby #6 was on the way. I drove to hubby's office to let him in on the secret. He was more than slightly shocked. How did that happen??? We just looked at each other and cracked up. We were thrilled. Then, we were shocked that we were thrilled and laughed some more.

This little guy was born a warrior from day one. For every ounce of joy his big brother has, he has an equal amount of passion and 'fight'. He marches around the house commanding troops, shouting out orders and sword fighting with anyone who will take the challenge. He loves to laugh and play, but has the personality of a general. We move from exasperation to wonder with this one. Such a neat little guy. I can't stand the thought of him growing up, can't wait to see what he will become.

By now, we knew that we would welcome with joy as many blessings as God chose to send our way. Our hearts were open. Somewhere along the way, we learned that more children did not bring chaos. We got more organized, strangely. I think we were forced to. It was actually easier having six than it had been with three.

We grew to understand that love does not divide when you have a lot of children. Or a lot of friends. Love multiplies. Our cup was running over and we were thrilled.

When kiddo #6 was about two, we again miscarried. This time was more sad in ways (I saw his or her little heart beating a week before), less sad in others. We knew God was sovereign in ALL things. The fear was not there this time that hubby would say, "No more." He loved his little ones so much. We both realized what we would have missed if we would have stubbornly stuck to "our plan".

A year later, we were so happy to find out baby #7 was on the way. Her little heart was beating away, the danger time was past, and all looked good. We were ecstatic to welcome her into our hearts and family.

This one is just the love of our lives. Being 3 1/2 years younger than her brother has given her the special spot of being the true baby right now. I often think about God's timing with this one. Being number seven has been more than okay for her. What she may have missed in 'firsts' by being at the tail end, she has gained in attention from six siblings who think she hung the moon. The challenge for us all is not to spoil her rotten!

All this to say, I LOVE my husband. I love him for the ways mentioned, for the seven cuties you see above, for his willingness and desire to bring two new children into our hearts and into our family.

I thank God that He gave me THIS man to father our children; THIS man to share my dreams of being a mom of many and THIS man to share a passion for the orphans around the world.

The day he said, "Let's go for it," I fell in love with him all over again.

Psalm 127:3-5 - "Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;"

Moving Along

2010-06-19T00:44:00.003-04:00

Our homestudy report is done, approved and here in our hot little hands! Monday it goes off to U.S. Immigration and then we wait. We are praying for efficient employees and a quick return with the required paperwork to add to our dossier. THEN . . . its off to Ethiopia with our dossier. We will then wait (we're becoming very good at waiting!) until we hear from our agency that we have a referral of a sibling group or two unrelated children. It is so good to be almost done with our end of the process. We continue to be amazed at God's provision and His timing and how He increases our faith daily in so many areas. This whole process has stretched us as a couple, as parents and as individuals. Sometimes in hard and uncomfortable ways, sometimes in ways that are so sweet. Always in ways that are good.

One Year Later

2010-06-19T00:22:00.004-04:00

This is the sweet little babe that was the final tipping point for our family to step out in faith. What God had placed on our hearts was given wings after seeing her "Gotcha Day" video. I am forever amazed at how God has used one little girl, her birth mother and her adoptive family to change the world for so many orphans.

You'll want to pause the Playlist at the bottom of this page.

Lucy Lane Gotcha Day - One Year Later from kristi on Vimeo.

2010-06-13T21:08:00.002-04:00

Soaking up Sun and Laying Eggs

2010-05-27T22:44:00.008-04:00

Oh, have you ever seen such beauties??? We went on a little walk down the driveway yesterday. These sweet mamas were out for a little sun and egg laying. They were all very large (about 12" in diameter), very mossy and very unamused by us. :-) As the mama of seven, I could relate. I would hate to have eight people staring at me while trying to give birth.

These girls may look sweet (doesn't Beauty #1 almost look like she's smiling?) but don't be deceived. They were just waiting for a reason to stick that long, scaly neck way out and open that mouth to snap down on a finger, a toe, a nose . . .

Will the Wonder Cat meets Stella the Snapping Turtle. This cat knows no fear. He dances with Coyotes, prowls all night, sleeps in the garage all day. He almost met his match this time. :-)

Willing Hearts and Walkin' Shoes

2010-05-26T23:37:00.005-04:00

These are the cool and colorful feet of our first six children . . . .

. . . and the sweet little baby feet of number seven . . .

I want what's best for the seven sets of feet you see above. I want to get there in safety and quite a bit of comfort and really, really want to get there with all my little "feet" happy and content and just full of gratitude for this great life they have. Smiling. Grateful. Happy. Loving Jesus every minute. Not arguing/bickering/talking back/whining. (I know, a TOTAL fantasy.)

It occurred to me this week that my kiddos have gotten way down deep into a pattern of complaining lately. It also occurred to me that I have too. Hmmmmm . . .

I've been pondering this a LOT over the past few days. Hubby and I have had some good conversations and we've decided it's time for some major corrective training with the kids - and ourselves. We're going into a zero tolerance mode for whining, complaining and bickering. At the heart of all of these is one very large and SELFISH heart crying out in a hundred ways ME, ME, ME. All of us in our own sinful way have been carrying on like this. Oh.my.goodness. It is amazing how we justify our own desires. I have to admit, we are a pretty creative bunch. It's not easy to demand your own way and sound humble in the process!

I sit in complete wonder that we as people can have so much, yet whine and complain with such vigor. I am guilty as charged.

The thing that weighs heavy on my heart is this: You often hear people who have visited third-world countries say that the people there are so full of love and life and joy despite their poverty. Usually you hear them say that they learned what true joy was by watching and interacting with these people. How can that be? We have everything we need/want/long for and more, yet as a society are the most miserable and discontented folks on earth. How can that be? Our poverty is not measured in lack of goods or food or home or family. But maybe our poverty is something even worse. Maybe our poverty is poverty of the soul. We don't NEED God, really. I mean, of course we do, but there are lots of days when we think we don't. We act like we don't.

The other night when we were reading the Bible together, we stopped to talk about a passage on prayer. Oldest daughter looked frustrated and when I asked her what she was thinking, she replied, "I don't even know what to pray for. Our life is so easy." I can't really describe the feeling that washed over me. It felt a lot like failure. And poverty.

Hubby has often said, half joking, "Let's sell it all." I, half joking, say "Okay." Then, I begin to think of all the reasons we shouldn't. Some of them are good, some are a stretch. I tell you, I am the MOST creative in this bunch. :-)

I can't wait to go and get these kids and bring them home and love them and protect them and be Christ to them. My heart is there more and more. My heart is ever more thinking of the widow too. How can we help her keep her babies, keep her home, survive in her corner of the world. I want Him to teach me what it means to want more of Him and less of me. I want my kids to get that.

How will this life look in five years? Ten? I don't know anymore. I used to be pretty sure. We had a plan. When hubby says "Let's sell it all," I find myself wondering more and more what that would look like . . .

Birth Order and Love

2010-05-15T22:33:00.007-04:00

This is written by Heidi Weimer, a mom of 4 bio kids and 6 adopted (all from Ethiopia). All of her adopted children are older than, same age as, or younger than her bio kids. Meaning - they are all mixed in, all ages, birth order shaken all to heck. It is a very common fear, I think, for people to talk themselves out of adoption because of what it may mean to their birth kids, or their family life as they know it, or whatever. I know for sure it weighed on our minds for quite a while. This is a 'shake it up' post by her, and one that made us both think long and hard about some things . . .

A Greater Capacity

Every day I receive emails from potential adoptive parents and post-adoptive families asking for advice, support, feedback, direction, and information regarding adoption. It thrills us to be able to point people in the right direction, advise families in the process, and pray for those who are preparing to live out James 1:27. This is the ministry God has given to us, and we are stoked. Our vision is to serve as full-time adoption advocates, and we are making real steps in that direction. Soon we will be operating through our We Have Room web site, which will act as a resource for those stepping into the adoption world, those who are just getting their feet wet, and those who are swimming in the post-adoption sea, sometimes raging and sometimes of glee. We feel honored to be able to be used even in just a small way and to let others know, "Hey, we've been there."

One email that I receive a few times every week sounds a little something like this: "Heidi and Kirk, Your story has been very encouraging to us, as we also feel led to adopt older kids or a sibling group, but I am just very scared of what it might do to our family, how it will affect our current kids, and what kind of short- and long-term implications it might have. Can you tell me how your biological kids adjusted to being knocked out of their birth order? How did your oldest feel about no longer being the oldest? I'm afraid I'm going to be taking away from them something that is legitimately theirs and I'm scared of what that will do to their emotions/personality/self-worth/security/what-have-you. I'm afraid they will feel ripped off."

To each and every person reading this post who knows the concrete conviction of being called to care for the older orphans yet also bears the weight of the accompanying thoughts of fear, I want you to know this...Please hear me loud and clear, as we have now SIX times over displaced our "original" kids' birth order:

You are NOT taking anything AWAY from your birth children. Instead, what you are doing is imparting to them something eternal: You are expanding their capacity to love. Think about that for a minute before you read anything else. How do you plan to teach your child to love others unconditionally and in total compassion without giving them the opportunity to do so? I'm telling you now, You CAN'T.

My biological children have a greater capacity of love in their hearts than I could ever impart to them by just giving them a safe Christianity, by maintaining their status quo, by simply modeling "godliness" as parents (as if that's the end-all be-all for a Christian family). My kids...all of them...have lived out self-sacrifice and understand (because they live it!) that laying down one's life does not steal anything from us. That is the lie of the devil, who would have us believe that sacrifice is not worth it; that there is nothing for us in return; that God doesn't really mean what He says when He said to His followers that "anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. [Because] Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:38-39).

Do you really believe that? That whoever LOSES his life for Jesus's sake, for Jesus the Orphan's sake, will actually FIND it? Ask yourself honestly. Because you might answer YES prematurely. I have no doubt that you might believe it for yourself, but do you really believe it for your children, too? That if they "lose" their "place" in the family that Jesus will instead impart to them LIFE? REAL life???

What is birth order anyway but just a sequence of how your child came to you? Let's not make an idol of that sequence. Because that's what it becomes...an IDOL. Something standing in the way of you taking up the Cross to follow Him, to BE JESUS in this world. Let's not place a value on birth order that God did not intend to be there.

Consider the older orphan. Consider the sibling groups. Consider the ones who are not often considered.

And whatever you do on your adoption journey, PLEASE I beg you, do NOT steal from your children the opportunity for their love capacity to be expanded. Do not deny them the true gift of learning early in life that "My life is not my own."

When your feisty and spunky 7-year-old biological daughter, who is now the middle child of 9 after being knocked down to #5 from #2, pleads "Please, Mommy, Please!!! I want another sister my age!!! Can we PLEASE adopt again?!!," your heart will beat out of your chest, not just because you can envision another child saved, but because you know that your daughter will NEVER EVER live a limited, safe Christianity. She won't even know what that means. In fact, she won't even have the capacity do so.

And all because you didn't limit her, either. You didn't limit God.Give your children the gift of the greater capacity to love. Let it ripple out into the future. Let it change the world. "

Prayers

2010-05-14T00:22:00.005-04:00

Well, things are moving very quickly here these days. Many people who are adopting through our agency are receiving referrals much faster than they anticipated. The standard wait time for a referral is from 8 to 12 months from when a dossier is sent to Ethiopia. We are seeing several people in our America World Yahoo Group receiving referrals within 3-4 months of sending their dossier. It has been a really neat thing as many of the children are older, many have special needs and many have been waiting for a long time to be adopted. It is overwhelming to see how many people are willing to open their hearts and their lives to this mission. A good percentage of them for the second or third time. It is clear from talking with them that they have been so blessed by their experiences.

Tonight, we are asking for prayers for a potential scenario for our adoption. We would really covet prayers for clarity and a sense of assurance for some decisions we need to make in the next week or so. Sorry to be so vague, but we cannot give details at this point.

We cannot wait for the day when we have our referrals and can share their sweet, sweet faces with you all!

Giving Thanks and Paper Chasing

2010-05-07T23:00:00.012-04:00

We had our first garage sale two weeks ago. Thankfully, the rain didn't keep people away and it was a lot of fun and a success in so many ways. Oldest son spent a few really great days with my dad making daggers and swords to sell. He got some quality time with grandpa in his wood shop and learned how to use power tools. A boy's dream come true. They're two peas in a pod - like to work alone and love to build - so this was just a great time all around for both of them. The swords were just the icing on the cake. :-) Oldest son brought them home, painted them and got his sign ready for garage sale day. He sold every one he made and took orders for more. He's well on his way to saving for his airfare! Here's a photo of his sign. Have to admit it had me choked up for a minute. This boy LOVES his grandpa.

We had so many friends donate items to sell and were just overwhelmed with the kindess of so many people. Our good friends came over both days and stayed ALL day to help. It was such an amazing gesture of friendship and support and boy, they were a HUGE help. Their oldest son is a whiz at math and was a super cashier. Our middle girls and their daughter were the snack bar queens. They made about 20% of the total sales with their cookies and Ethiopian coffee! We had Africa-shaped sugar cookies that I made the nights before and delicious butterscotch oatmeal cookies provided by our friends. They were a big hit!

Our homestudy report is written up and is under review by our local agency. We should get a copy next week and once it's ok'd by us and our main agency, we send our I-600A off to U.S. Immigration. Once they send back their approval, we're ready to send our dossier off to Ethiopia!!! We've had a really smooth time of gathering paperwork. One-by-one we've checked off the boxes with no snags so far. It seems that Indiana is one of the better states to live in for adoption. We've heard horror stories of other states and the WEEKS it takes to get forms returned. Indiana is at the top of the scale for speed. Love that!

We all got our passport applications sent out today. Have to tell ya, the lady at the post office looked like she wanted to run when she knew why all 9 of us were there. :-) It was seriously funny. She was afraid. Very afraid. Luckily, we had all of our photos already taken at Costco, or she may have fainted on the spot. She kept saying, "This is going to be a lot of writing." We all just smiled and waited. I think she thought the kids would start climbing the walls or something before she could finish. We scared her. A lot. They were well behaved though and at some point went out to watch a little video in the van. They all came back at the end to give their sworn oath that they were, in fact, who they claimed to be and we were done. I'm pretty sure she went on break immediately after we left. LOL!!!

The referrals for our agency are happening really fast right now. That is GREAT news for so many kids and waiting families. Lots of little ones and sibling groups being adopted into their forever families. If these time frames continue, we could have these kiddos home sooner than we first thought. We're trying not to get our hopes up, but it's exciting to know we're so close to having our dossier ready to go.

We're officially approved for two children ages 0-4. This could be a set of twins, a sibling group of two that fit that age range, or possibly two unrelated children. Our agency does not allow "artificial twinning" (adopting two unrelated children of the same age), so we're just waiting to see how God works this out. It gets me crazy excited because I know He already knows the EXACT children He has ordained for our family and our family for those children. From each and every date that a document is finalized, to each and every person we meet in this process, to each and every person that has come along side us in support, we have sensed His hand and are resting securely in that.

We continue to pray daily for this whole process. We pray for our children, not knowing if they are born, or yet to be born. We pray for their birth mother's heart and health and if she is no longer living, that she somehow knows her precious babies will be dearly loved and cared for. We pray prayers of gratitude for good friends and family and your support and prayers as you have come along side us. We appreciate all of you more than you'll ever know.

Have a great weekend!

Garage Sale

2010-04-17T22:06:00.004-04:00

Next weekend (Friday and Saturday) is our first big garage sale. We'll open our doors (gate!) at 9:00 a.m. and close at 3:00 p.m. each day. Tell all your friends, acquaintances, anyone you meet. We've had some great stuff donated and LOTS of it! THANK YOU to all of you who donated or are planning to. We'll take stuff up to the last minute and are just overwhelmed with how kind people have been to donate. The younger kids are going to have a lemonade/sweet tea/Ethiopian coffee and cookie stand too. They are soooo excited to have this opportunity to raise funds for their air fare.

Round one of the home study is complete - round two is tomorrow. I made a good dinner and we ate together and had a lengthy discussion on the potentialities of some adjustment issues and difficult children, etc. A lot of worst-case scenario conversation. I feel a weird sense of relief talking about that. Maybe because there is so much information on orphans and adoption that leads you to believe it will all be wonderful and amazing when you rescue this child. I firmly believe it will be wonderful and amazing and oh boy, I cannot wait. But, being a mom to seven, I'm also a realist. :-) Talking realistic talk makes me want to take a deep breath and relax. I can do real. I can do hard. I really don't do pretend very well. Too much pressure.

Tomorrow is the one-on-one with the kids - this should be good - and then Rob and I meet with our caseworker separately. Once this is complete, assuming it will be a favorable study, we can breathe a temporary sigh of relief. Then it's back to the paper chase and waiting on Immigration so we can complete our Dossier and get it sent on to the Ethiopian government. We're eager but also thankful for the time to spend with Georgia in her baby phase. She is so sweet right now.

Have a great Sunday!

Home Study

2010-04-15T23:41:00.003-04:00

We have the remainder of our home study Friday night and Sunday afternoon. We would love your prayers for these two days. Pray our younger ones BEHAVE (I won't mention a certain four year old, but he knows who he is!). The first evening will be mostly Rob and I so we're hoping for kids who are quiet, well-behaved, sweet, normal, not-bickering, love my sisters and brothers . . . you get the point! Again, I say, PRAY. :-)

Sunday will entail our case worker talking with each child individually. Again, a certain four year old needs your prayers. I think I heard him say something like, "I don't want no orphan babies" to his sister last week. Note the grammar. He told me this week, "I want a girl orphan baby and a boy orphan baby." Oh please let that be that boy who shows up Sunday!

Worth every 67 minutes

2010-04-08T23:34:00.002-04:00

David Platt, the pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, has been a favorite of ours for a long time. He lays it out there and leaves you unable to remain neutral. You either love his message, or hate it - want to rise up or sit down, cover your ears and pretend you didn't hear it.

This is from his "Radical" Series. All of the sermons in this series are excellent.

The Gospel Demands Radical Giving - David Platt from Together for Adoption on Vimeo.

Easter Traditions

2010-04-04T21:10:00.010-04:00

We started a new tradition in our house this Easter weekend. Since the kids love hands-on learning, we decided to try this project. (A big thanks to one of my bloggy friends!)

First, we took an egg and talked about how it symbolizes new life - how we have new life in Christ if we believe. This was an 'aha' moment - as in, "so this is where that whole Easter egg thing came from." We took the eggs we had dyed earlier in the week and talked about their different colors, the way each one cracked differently and then about how each one of us is made one-of-a-kind by God, in His image, and how He takes delight in each of us. They thought it was pretty hilarious coming up with what made each sibling special. Lets just say there is some real talent in this family. Talent even I didn't know about. :-) Then we read Zephaniah 3:17 - "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

He DELIGHTS in each one of us. He REJOICES over us with singing. I love that.

Then, we had a great discussion about us - people - and how our hearts are filled with YUCK (sin). We cracked some eggs and played in the goo and noticed how the egg is also filled with YUCK (yolk!). The good news? Even in our "yuck", God still loves us. We read Romans 3:23 and then 5:8 and learned that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." We had a great discussion about Christ's sacrifice and what it was for. It's pretty amazing how children 'get' that so much more clearly than grownups sometimes.

Then, we poured melted wax into the empty egg shell (I put a wick in each one first). We talked about how God fills us with his Holy Spirit when we believe and how he fills us with JOY too. How he came to give us new life and how he wants us to spend time with him each day by praying and reading his word. Ava read Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and aprove what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

After that, we took a break, had a snack and watched some Butler basketball! (We had to give the wax time to set up.)

Later that evening, we came back together to light the candles. Eliza read John 8:12 - When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Then, Olivia read Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

It was pretty amazing to see those little eggs, filled with wax and burning in the dark room. I have to say, it was one of the most poignant Easters ever for me. Such a simple way of describing the gospel. A priceless moment seeing those sweet little faces glowing in the candle light.

I hope all of you had a great Easter.

Something to Think About

2010-04-01T18:21:00.000-04:00

"My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him." --Derek Loux

New Jewelry Designs

2010-04-01T12:20:00.009-04:00

These are the fundraising necklaces I've designed for our adoption. I'm also very willing to customize and put any photo(s) and/or sayings you'd like in the pendant. They would make a great mother's pendant with baby's photo one one side and name and birth date on the back. If you're interested in a custom pendant, leave me a note in the comments section and I'll get back to you. All I need is a photo sent via email and the text you'd like on the back. These are 1"x1" glass pendants with a silver solder frame, made by me. Cost is $25.00 each. They come with a 'dog tag' type chain. These are water resistant, but not waterproof and should not be worn while bathing or swimming. :-)

Spring is Here!

2010-03-22T21:27:00.009-04:00

We had a beautiful Saturday. The sun was shining all day and it was soooo warm. We spent the entire day outside playing, working and soaking it up. We were able to get into the garden to plant peas, spinach, lettuce and radishes. This is a photo of my 'city-boy' man getting into the garden for the first time. I think he actually said, "This is some really good dirt." WHAT??? If you know my husband, that has to crack you up. The man had never even mowed a lawn until we were married. Gardening was nowhere on the radar - not even a blip. Hmmmm . . . I think he's starting to like it here.

After the yard work was done, the kids spent the rest of the day in the pond, canoeing and traveling back and forth to the island to build their treehouse. They found this guy earlier in the week hanging out in the yard and gave him a ride back to the pond in a bucket. They have had such a blast out there and I must say I'm a tiny bit jealous. I wonder if they know how great it is to have your own pond?

Here's little Miss 'G' barefoot and sassy and ready for a ride in the sunshine. She is truly a summer baby and LOVES the outdoors. It is so much fun to have a little one this age again. She's just taking it ALL in right now. Love, love, love it! She had her well visit and TB test for the home study agency today and was a trooper. One down, six to go!

Welcome

2010-03-17T15:16:00.003-04:00

Little Miss 'E' painted this sign for our front door a couple of weeks ago. The beginnings of spring were just starting to appear and she got inspired, I guess. She sat outside on the sidewalk and painted barefoot, brush in hand and soaking up the warm air and sunshine. I absolutely LOVE it. The funny thing is, I was wondering just what to put on the door to spruce the place up for the day we have our home visit. (Trying to not to miss anything!) She surprised me with this and I really couldn't think of anything better to represent this home to new guests.

We did a study on hospitality this winter and what that really means, how it should look and how we are all called to exhibit this to others. We discussed when we should extend hospitality. (ALL the time!) the kids had fun imagining what it would be like to "entertain angels unaware". It seems it's not optional - as in, "The house is a mess", or "I'm too tired", or "I just want home to be a place where we retreat from the world". OUCH! How many times have I thought or said that???

I was reading this today and was struck again by how seriously God takes this subject. This is Isaiah 58:1-8 taken from The Message (a paraphrase of the Bible in modern language). I think sometimes we look at hospitality in terms of having friends over for dinner or hosting the Christmas tea or inviting the team over to swim - which it is. BUT I am challenged by how little I take it further and see it in a much broader way, how little I am willing to step outside my comfort zone.

"Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout!
Tell my people what's wrong with their lives,
face my family Jacob with their sins!
They're busy, busy, busy at worship,
and love studying all about me.
To all appearances they're a nation of right-living people—
law-abiding, God-honoring.
They ask me, 'What's the right thing to do?'
and love having me on their side.
But they also complain,
'Why do we fast and you don't look our way?
Why do we humble ourselves and you don't even notice?'

"Well, here's why:
"The bottom line on your 'fast days' is profit.
You drive your employees much too hard.
You fast, but at the same time you bicker and fight.
You fast, but you swing a mean fist.
The kind of fasting you do
won't get your prayers off the ground.
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I'm after:
a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
a fast day that I, God, would like?

"This is the kind of fast day I'm after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'

Wow!

Garage Sale!!!

2010-03-15T11:06:00.002-04:00

Our first garage sale is scheduled for April 23rd and 24th from 9:00 until 3:00 both days. Wow, do we have a lot of 'stuff' that needs to go!!!

If anyone gets caught up in spring cleaning and wants to donate to our sale we would be forever grateful. All proceeds will go to help fund our adoption of these little ones.

We also have some large furniture pieces that we are selling. If anyone would like to see them before the sale give me a call. (Some of the items: large sectional sofa, art painted t.v. armoire, settee, misc. other pieces.)

Have a great Monday!!!

Thought Provoking Quote

2010-03-15T11:05:00.001-04:00

"If only 7 percent of the 2 billion Christians in the world would care for a single orphan in distress, there would effectively be no more orphans."

Amazima

2010-03-13T23:01:00.004-05:00

If you haven't taken the time to check out the Amazima link to the left, I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee (and some chocolate for fellow addicts!) and give her blog a visit. You will be blessed and carried from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other. You will not be the same after reading her story. It is inspiring, convicting, devastating, full of hope. Life changing.

We've Started Our Home Study!

2010-03-11T22:17:00.008-05:00

Lots has happened since the last post. We are well underway with paperwork, home studies, planning a garage sale - soooo nice to clean out closets and finally unpack some boxes that were never opened after we moved! I'm working on some different jewelry and t-shirt designs to sell to raise money for the adoption. The hope is to have photos up on the blog by next weekend. Check back - they will be cool!

We had our first home visit today and it went very well. The social worker was so nice and gave us great information and a lot to think about. We know the transracial issue will come up throughout these little ones' lives, and we are committed to doing everything possible to be prepared for that. She gave us some great resources to look through and ideas for ways to help them adjust as they grow. I must say, I've been thinking about this a LOT since we started down this road. When I'm out in public, I try to imagine what it would be like to have someone look at me from afar and make a judgement about me simply because of the color of my skin. What must it feel like to be judged on something so completely out of ones's control before one ever gets the chance to speak? It is painful but good to be stretched and convicted in this way. This process has already been such a time of growing and stepping outside of 'easy'.

Paper work is chugging away at a good pace. The most difficult challenge so far??? Dealing with the BMV to get my driver's license updated. Um . . . does the term "going postal" mean anything to anybody? I am not usually easily excited (at least not in public) but that day I thought I may just make it onto the five o'clock news. Oh.my.goodness. The scene was surreal as I watched about 45 people waiting around me texting and surfing the web via cell phone. Instant time. FAST. At the same time, the employees at this particular BMV were moving in slooooowwwww motion. Willfully. Proudly. As in, "I dare you to ask me how much longer the wait will be." Wow! Such a testing. What do you want me to learn from this one, Lord?

We were made aware by our agency today of a change in Ethiopian adoptions. Up to now, one parent could travel to Ethiopia to go to court and pick up their child and then return to the States after about a week. Yesterday, the Ethiopian government decided that both parents must be in country to attend the court date. Families will be able to meet their childen in person and spend time with them that week, but will have to go back to the States for 8-12 weeks without them and then return to Ethiopia for about 4 days to pick up the children and take them home for good.

We were originally planning on just one of us going and taking one or two of the older kids and one of our adult siblings. The thinking being that we didn't want to leave our birth kids home without one parent in case of emergency. It took a while to shift thinking on this, but we're getting there! We're now thinking about using this first trip as a potential family mission trip to go and serve at Kind Hearts school in Addis. We've challenged the four older kids to try to save up airfare over the next year and if they can do it, they will be able to go. We're still investigating options and the logistics of this. Needless to say, the kids are EXCITED and busy thinking of ways to raise money.

We continue to be so encouraged and CHALLENGED by our blog friends who have been through this process, seen the need and the beauty of the culture first hand, and are home with their children. All of them are forever changed, many invested long-term in this mission. This post stays on my mind continually. God has been doing some very painful and stretching work in our hearts and minds over the past few months. Tossing our previous assumptions about how our lives would look on end. This particular passage continues to challenge my thinking on the way we "do church", the why's behind the service, the real effectiveness of what we do week after week. Who is it for? What are my motives? Is it stretching me at all to be really, truly, hands-on more like Christ?

This is from Karen Wistrom, the Kind Hearts sponsor coordinator. Kind Hearts is a day school in Addis that currently feeds and teaches 68 children who otherwise would not have much to eat nor the opportunity for an education. It is a ministry of Children's Hopechest - you can check them out at the link to the right of our blog.

"Tom Davis (president of Children's Hopechest) shared something powerful with us as we ate a quick breakfast. It was the morning after we had driven 11 harrowing hours through mud and fog and narrow mountain passes to visit a care-point that serves over 400 children - 180 of them orphans.

These children were gaunt and thin. Tattered and stained clothing that covered skin stretched across bone. Eating grass when they thought we weren't looking. Some had lice, some had sores that weren't healing. All of them were hungry. All of them were longing for the reassuring, loving and protective arms of a mommy or daddy.

Every one of us went to bed that night with the question on our lips and hearts ... why? These innocent children, through no fault of their own, are left to fend for themselves. Hungry, scared, sick ... and alone, with no one in the world to love them, to soothe their fears, to stroke their forehead when they are sick and feverish, to kiss them goodnight. Why? It's so unfair.

And like a child, my mind shouted ... IT'S NOT FAIR!!!

That morning, Tom read from Amos, 5:21-24 (The Message).

"I can't stand your religious meetings.

I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.

I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals.

I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making.

I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.

When was the last time you sang to me?

Do you know what I want?

I want justice - oceans of it.

I want fairness - rivers of it.

That's what I want. That's all I want."

I realized when he finished speaking that I was holding my breath - I think we all were. God's Word was speaking so clearly - about the oppressed, the poor, the hungry, the lonely, the sick ... and the orphaned children we were about to visit again that day.

Later in the week, as we visited another orphange with about 50 children and 3 babies (the babies had been left at the gate by desperate family members unable to care for them). I noticed a piece of paper taped to the wall, with a child's hand-writing. It said "I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you." John 14:18.

I have to admit, my first thought was .."how can these kids actually have the faith to believe that? With all they have been through, where is the evidence? They have seen mothers and fathers die. Many have been abused, enslaved, raped and left homeless and hungry. Many have died. How can they take comfort in that verse in the midst of what their reality is right now?"

As I glanced up at the sign again after emerging from the baby room - with my arms still feeling the weight and warmth of the tiny fragile baby I had been holding. It dawned on me ... If WE are to be the hands and feet of Jesus .... then He does not leave them as orphans. He comes to them through me ... and you."

Can one of us change the world? Maybe not. But we can change it for one or two or three children. And if many "one's" of us did that, we just may make a really big difference.

Olive Shoots & Muddy Boots

Comfort Food for a Winter Day

A Clever Little Something to Think About . . .

And Now For Some Humor!

Cuteness and Fun on a Warm Day in . . . January?

Words Are Difficult to Find

The Hard and Beautiful Truth . . .

Quick Update

Yes

Oh Where, Oh Where is All Their Hair???

Back to Ethiopia for Our Embassy Appointment!

Advent Reading - Day 14

Advent Reading - Day 13

Advent Reading - Day 12

Advent Reading - Day 11

Advent Reading - Day 10

Advent - Day 9 (Yes, I'm Behind!)

Have You Ever Wondered . . .

Fun Way to Count Down and Advent Reading - Day 8

Advent Reading - Day 7

Advent Reading - Day 6 (Friday)

Advent Reading - Day 5

Advent Reading - Day 4

Embassy! and Reading - Day 3

Advent Reading - Day 2 - Prophecy Candle (Waiting)

Advent - Day 1

The Best Part of All

We Made It and The Contrast That is Ethiopia

2nd Leg Is On The Way!

We're On Our Way!

Field Guide or "How to be the Village"

Thoughts . . . and a Challenge

Leaving in 2 Weeks!!!

Bloodlines . . .

Looking for a home . . .

Promises

Court

More Getting Ready

Preparing to Travel . . .

And Last But Not Least . . .

Georgia B. turns 2

Birthday Girl!

Referral!!!!!

Details . . . and Adoption

More Food - Or, All This Waiting is Making Me Fat! - Or, The Easiest, Yummiest Dinner Ever!

What We Do While We Wait - More Food

Still Waiting!

Garage Sale Success

Garage Sale!

Food - Or What We Do While We Wait (Patiently)

Easter Traditions II

We're Getting Closer!

Happy 16th Anniversary!!

Adopted

Carp-e Diem??

Birthdays!

5 Months DTE and Counting!

Depraved Indifference

Project Hopeful

Update from Ethiopia - Part 4

Update from Ethiopia - Part 3

Update from Ethiopia - Part 2

Update from Ethiopia Part 1

Feeling the Love

Orphan Sunday

How Do You Fit It All Into a Ziploc Bag?

Isaiah's Story

Gotcha!

Waiting

Where committment leads, providence follows

We are DONE chasing paper!!!!!

A Walk to Beautiful

Prayers Coveted

Beautiful Feet

Advice from a 5-Time Adoptive Momma

Chickens and Kids

What We Do While We Wait - Part 2

What We Do While We Wait - Part 1

Sweet Gotcha Day Video

Think on This . . .