What a day!

          Wow….what a day! As I sit on my couch unwinding after a long day I am overwhelmed by where this day has taken us.  It is Halloween.  Some could say a bad holiday but we choose to celebrate Fall and Harvest and the blessings we have been given.  Ashley and Travis jumped out of bed to begin the day’s festivities.  Ashley dressed for school in a pumpkin shirt with pumpkin earrings and Travis got to wear his costume all day.  Tonight we enjoyed a family night at Trunk N Treat at our church.  Ashley was a Japanese woman and Travis was Spider Man.  Everything from the rock walls, inflatables, great friends and the incredibly decorated trunks made it a great night!

            What astounds me more, is the outpouring of support we received today from my co-workers at Cornerstone Kids.  Don’t take that wrong….I work with a wonderful group of Godly women!  They are wonderful in every way and a ton of fun too.  But, today they went above and beyond.  Some had asked that I bring my jewelry to the staff meeting and wow….they blew me away!  The support they showed us was amazing!  Knowing again that we were able to feed orphans and to raise money to bring our little one home was a win win all the way around. 

           Last week, I started to have some major concerns about the financial part of our adoption.  There’s no other way to put it except that it is costly.  As we move forward, the costs increase.  I had to just pray and turn it all over to Jesus the other day. I just couldn’t carry the worry and fear anymore!  We know HE called us to do this and HE will bring it all together.  HE will not bring us this far and not take us the rest of the way.   How about that timing?  I turned it all over to Jesus and now I am selling my products like crazy!  I’m going to have to place another order!  It’s wonderful!!  Why am I amazed?  He takes care of us, He honors what we are doing and He provides….just like He says He will….and yet I am shocked.  What an awesome God we serve! 

          Happy Fall Ya’ll.  Blessings!

Ashley & Travis ready for fun!

First Fundraising Event

            What a great day it has been!  Today I spent the day sharing a booth with my sweet friend Heather at a Fall Festival at our first official Fundraising event!  It was so much fun!  I met the nicest people, got to talk about Amazima and 147Million Orphans and about our dreams of bringing our little one home.  We had friends from church show up to surprise and support us.  There were also chats with another adoptive mom that brought her little one home just months ago and others thinking of adopting in the years to come.  And as an added bonus…..we sold some items!!  Yay!!  I hope there are some proud women walking around wearing some beautiful jewelry and sharing the story of how they were made and how they supported our adoption!  God is so very amazing!  Today we were able to work for our little one while also helping to feed orphans in other countries.  SO cool! 

           In Matthew 25 Jesus says in vs 25 “For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat” and then in verse 41 He said “I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.”  

New video

LOVE this new song!! Filmed in Haiti it is just great!  This band has 2 orphanages in Haiti so they have a love already for these children.  Love it! I hope you do too!  : )

Coming Together~

         Today was amazing!!  It seemed like God was giving me a pick-me-up today!  After weeks of things stalling out, paperwork not coming together, last minute requirements, and everything seeming to take f..o..r..e..v..e..r……a lot came together today!  I picked up some key documents and got some great confirmations!! Everywhere I went it seemed that I had someone come and talk with me about adoption.  I had my new 147 Million Orphans Bag and it was getting attention everywhere!  I try really hard not to talk about adoption with everyone but the conversations went flying about orphans.  One thing led to another and person after person was asking me if I knew anything about adoption!  Really God? I just kept smiling, answering questions and praising Him for putting these people in my path.  Whether we came together so that I could point them to resources for adoption or if they were sent to encourage me I’ll never know.  I just know it was a wonderful day!

          It’s coming together!  The documents are piling up and the to-do list is getting shorter!  I’m so excited I could burst!  Yes, the wait will still be long but each day is one day closer to bringing them home! 

This is all I want to do tonight….”Shout for joy to the Lord”  Psalm 100:1.  

Race Against the Clock

         If you are new to our journey, yes we are adopting!  And yes, we are adopting from Haiti.  Then why does my heart skip a beat and I stammer when someone still asks me where we are adopting from?  Well, that is because it is not really set in stone yet.  Many of you have asked what is going on and why it is up in the air so-to-speak and why we have used the phrase ‘trying to beat the clock’.  I hope this explains it a little.

         The Hague Convention is a world -wide agreement that safeguards adoptions.  It was established many years ago to protect the children, the birth parents and the adoptive parents in all countries that are a part of the Hague Convention.  When a country (like the US) is a part of the Hague then we must comply with all of the laws world-wide.  So far it sounds easy enough right?

         Haiti has never been a Hague country and the US has allowed adoptions with Haiti for many years with no problem.  But since the earthquake, Haiti has been pushed by many large relief organizations to become a Hague country as it looks good on the global status.  So, in June of this year (2012) Haiti began the process to become a Hague country.  This threw the adoption circles in a whirlwind as it would have closed adoptions in Haiti immediately (because they would never have passed the Hague standards for adoptions)!!

          Many of us believe that becoming a Hague country can be a very good thing for Haiti, but it must be done the right way,  in the right order and in the right time.  Doing it too soon and without the correct preparation may cause more harm than help.  For instance, other countries tried to push things through too soon and were not able to meet the strict Hague guidelines and were denied Hague status.  The US is allowed to do adoptions through non-Hague countries (meaning those that have never applied for Hague status) BUT the US is NOT allowed to do adoptions through countries that have been denied the Hague (have applied and have been denied).  Another country that did over 4,000 adoptions a year now does less than 10 because they have never passed the Hague.  We want Haiti to become Hague approved but we want them to be ready to pass and adoptions be able to continue and not be stuck on hold for years while they try to pass the Hague standards. 

        How does this affect us?  First of all, we are praying that Haiti never closes its doors to adoption!  We do not want to see any family (ours or anyone else) be paired with a child and fall in love with that child and then not be able to bring them home.  That would be devastating!!  We also want the orphans to find forever families and closing their doors will not allow that to happen. Personally, we need to know how to prepare our documents.   We are at a crossroads right now.  If we spend money to prepare our documents for a non-Hague country and mail them to Haiti but before the process is completed they become a Hague country, then our documents are null and void and we must begin again with preparing (cost and time) new documents to meet Hague standards.  

         How can you help?  We welcome your prayers!!  Your support and encouragement are overwhelming!  Your love for our child already is so wonderful and we thank you! You can pray for:

         *the country of Haiti as they make decisions regarding the Hague and preparations to put everything into place

          *All adoption agencies and orphanages that must be approved and undergo extensive evaluations to be Hague approved. (Our adoption agency has not received their approval to do adoptions in Haiti under the new laws that go into place Nov 1^st 2012.  We are praying for their approval.  Haiti will only select 4 agencies for adoptions.  We are praying ours is one of them.  The orphanage we are adopting from should be receiving their approval any day now also).

         *that we can complete our paperwork quickly to get it to Haiti (another blog to come on that later)

         *that we can get started on our fundraising

         *that our child will be protected, cared for, and loved on until the day we can bring them home!

         I’m clinging to my life verse right now Proverbs 3:5  Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  I’m so glad that I don’t have to try and understand everything.  I don’t have to plan it out and I don’t have to try and work it all out. He already has done that!  God knows our child!  He knows their name, where they are, how old they are….in fact…He know everything because He created them!  He didn’t create them for this.  He created them to be with their parents but because of our broken world He has still worked it all for good and for His glory and we will be able to bring our child home! We just need to continue to trust and follow Him as He leads us to our child!  Our God is SO good! 

Sweet Faces Video

Here's a short and sweet video that will make you smile.  A few months ago there was another orphanage that was closed (long story) and 23 of the children were brought to the orphange that we are adopting from. This is a video from their 3rd morning there.  The kids were playing outside after getting up and getting their morning baths and waiting for breakfast to be served.  I just love their bright eyes, beautiful smiles, waves, laughs and some shy looks.  Just melts my heart.  Hope you enjoy it too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veGp4eKVagA&feature=youtu.be

Paper Chase

     Just like in life, the adoption journey (even the beginning stages that we are in) has ups and downs, highs and lows, good and bad, and everything in between.  Right now our journey can be summed up as a paper chase.  Every moment not consumed with being a wife, mother or teacher is spent tracking down documents or visiting people to gather forms, signatures or documents.  I have learned the meaning of words like home study, dossier, authentication, notary, and Apostille of which I never knew before.  I am learning how to contact state offices to gather official documents and how to cross state lines to get what we need.  As the papers come in, I start checking them off my list and add them to the ever growing pile to translate.  With each check my heart rate goes up and I almost get giddy with excitement.  Yet, often with each step forward there is another step backward that requires more work.

     The roller coaster of emotions was tearing me up as I rode that coaster from excitement of completing a task to getting frustrating as I needed to do things again or for more additions to the list.  I kept waiting for the ride to end but it hasn’t yet as we haven’t finished this phase.  But in my quiet time, God began working on me and speaking to me through all of this.  HE reminded me that it takes all of these stops and starts and hills and valleys to reach our child.  Yes, we are on a journey but it is a journey that He has prepared for us.  So, each piece of paper that I gather is one piece closer to our child coming home.  Each phone call is one call closer to our little one being in our arms.   I need to trust Him in these steps …..yes steps…..not step-backs……and trust that they are planned in advance to guide us to our child. 

     The verse He gave me from the very beginning was Romans 8:25 “We hope for what we do not have, we wait for it patiently”.  May I continue to wait patiently…..it is so very hard.  

Safe in the Storm

written Friday, August 24th, 2012

          As I sit here on my couch, in my comfortable home, there are thousands living in tents and shanties in Haiti on this very night.   But this isn’t like any other night.  Tonight there is a hurricane headed for Haiti.  I am picturing mama’s sitting in tents in the dark of night trying to comfort their babies.  Children in fear of the noises outside but not fully understanding what is yet to come.  Orphanages with children huddled together and clinging to each other for comfort.  We received word that the winds and rain have started.  We are praying for a slow and steady rain that will nourish the land and soak into the soil but not cause extreme flooding. 

          What you may not know is that we believe God has directed us to Haiti to adopt our child.  Somewhere in that beautiful country is our child!  But through all of this I keep wondering, where is our child tonight?  Where are they?  Are they in a tent holding onto their mother?  Is someone comforting them?  Maybe they are sleeping peacefully in their crib in an orphanage while their caregiver is praying over all the children.  Our comfort lies in the fact that our Heavenly Father knows.  He knows where they are and He is still in control! He knows even the hairs on their head and He will protect them this night even when we cannot. 

         So, as we go to bed tonight my heart is torn between concerns for those we love in a country we love and comfort knowing that my God is bigger than this storm. God, please wrap your arms around our little one tonight and hold them close like only you can!

It has begun!

It has begun! In fact, it began a long time ago.  Before we had any idea we would ever adopt a child, God was already setting things in motion and preparing our hearts.  He was doing things in us to get us ready and we are still such a work in progress.

For those of you just joining us on our adoption journey, welcome!  In some ways it seems like it has taken forever already but that might be because I am an impatient person.  In reality, it hasn’t taken that long and the road before us is much longer than that which we have passed already. 

Everyone’s first question when we say we are adopting is “Do the kids know?” and that answer is Yes.  You are more than welcome to discuss anything with them.  We have discussed it all with them and they know what we know.  Ashley has a sweet heart and a good understanding of what is happening.  Travis doesn’t seem to fully understand but rest assured that he will. 

So, how did we get here?  Well, it doesn’t happen overnight?  It isn’t a wake up one morning and say over coffee “Let’s adopt a child”.  It was a gradual stirring of our hearts.  A comment here and a fleeting thought there.  Add the Holy Spirit and you have changed hearts.  I do think it started for both of us when we went on our different mission trips to Haiti.  We both laughed about wanting to bring a child home yet there was a seriousness underneath that we each knew we wish we could have done that very thing!  I don’t think I could have picked just one though!  Scriptures kept pointing us towards adoption but our fears would turn us away.  We read books and went on trips that turned us towards adoption but then finances would turn us away.  It was a roller coaster of emotions and wrestling with God for clear direction.   But the Holy Spirit continually showed us that every reason we had for not adopting was selfish (fears, financial, etc) and that He would supply our every need if only we were obedient to His calling.  The day I turned my fears over to God to carry for me was very freeing!  He is all I need!  It is glorious not to have to carry all of those burdens around anymore.  Why did I try to do it myself for so long anyway? 

Soon there will be more to come on our process, where we are adopting from and where we go from here.  Until then, please be in prayer for us, our children and our new one wherever they may be.  May God keep them safe until we can bring them home and may God bless us and continue to guide our path as we work to prepare and bring them home.