Okay, I know that many of our friends and family might think we have gone nuts here.  What are you guys doing you have four kids and adopting two with special needs???  This seems to be the theme of conversations that we have encountered.  Or we are concerned that you might be taking on too much, or have you considered the fact that you may never be childless the rest of your life, or how are you going to pay to raise six children?
Well, honestly we were only going to go get Nellie in the beginning, and than other adoptive families told us that we should put two on the paperwork just in case we changed our minds.  So that was the start, the beginning to the possibility of bringing home two girls.  When I asked rr about who was available for adoption with Nellie they gave me a list of children.  Right away immediately Katelyn was staring me in the face.  In her photo she looks so frightened.  I just wanted to scoop her up and tell her everything would be okay.  We prayed and I often showed Dan her photo but neither of us were ready to say we were comfortable with the possibility of two girls.  Slowly though something changed, the worldly fears were still there but I felt like I was justifying them.  Slowly my heart felt full of love for this little girl and the Lord changed my heart.  I truly feel like this has been a time of spiritual growth in my life.  I am learning to be a better mother, a better wife, a better child, a better person, learning to be a person of light, in all situations.
To be honest at first I struggled with the possibility of raising 6 children.  I kept thinking in my head how can I do it?  When we first committed to Nellie, I kept reading blogs where families were adopting 2, 3, 4 kids at a time.  I to, wondered how they would handle it.  The thing is, I realized that if I am given 6 children to raise God will give me what I need to raise them.  I know that things won't always be easy, we aren't expecting easy.  We are going assuming the worst and hoping for the best.  These girls are worth change to our lives.  They have nothing, and the 163 million orphans in the world deserve what all the rest of us have.  They deserve stability, love, a mom and a dad, brothers, sisters, education, food, clothing, and homes.  They deserve to be wanted.  I often wonder why others thing that it is okay to just leave them there.  My answer to that is that maybe others just don't know the reality, but we just can't turn our heads away.  We see the need, and we have the ability to save two and that is what we are going to do.
I know many will say saving two won't change the situation, but friends if we all took a deep look at ourselves and did something to help orphans the whole would be a lot less.  I personally have had my eyes opened over the past several months where Christians in my life, could really care less about our family adopting or any other family adopting.  This so concerns me, we are the body of Christ and these children are the least of these, and we are called to help in some capacity.  This adoption isn't only our family ministry, it honestly should be a part of all of our ministries in some form.
So, here we are just a few months from traveling, and yes we still need over 10,000 that amount is the total for both girls. I know we will get there whatever it takes we will get there.  Just please keep us in your prayers.

Blessings Times Two,

Dan and I have committed to bringing home two little ones.  Nellie will have four brothers and one sister.  We feel so blessed.

This is Katelyn and she is in an orphanage close to Nellie.  Both girls are 5, sort of like twins.  I will tell more about our decision in a later post, but for now know that we are bringing home two sweet loves very soon.

Someday's from sheer exhaustion and things not going quite right, I find myself feeling sorry for myself. Today was one of those days.  I am constantly hanging on desperately to a glimmer of hope that things are going to go better than what I am told.  Then I got knocked down again.  It seems that so much of our process has been going at snail speed.  I contacted a congressman to help get our USCIS approval quickly and today he called and said that he hoped to see it processed by the middle of February.  This was upsetting because I hoped to be summitted  to Nellie's country by the first of February.  So in a moment I found myself anxious about what was coming next.  I know this is a pattern for me something out of my control and I freak out.  Even if it's only a few weeks difference.
You see, I can't help but feel like I failed.  There are so many families in Nellie's country right now, and they all committed to there little ones around the same time we knew we were to bring Nellie home.  But for some reason they are there and we are sitting here waiting, and waiting some more.  I read there stories of meeting there children and realize how much Nellie needs us now.  I read about other families and they talk about how they didn't realize there kids were going to be so small, so thin, so developmentally behind, so overstimulated when they spend an hour with them, how they love them so much but  the smell from there rotting teeth is overwhelming.  I just weep.  I weep because I am so thankful that they are there rescuing there children and I weep because I'm not there yet rescuing mine.  The longer we wait here the longer she waits there.  She doesn't know that we are coming for her, my mind wonders how she makes it through each and everyday.  What does she think about? These babies are survivors.  They have to be, how else do they make it?
All I know is that when we started I knew this wasn't going to be easy.  Everyday I remind myself this. Somedays I feel like I can conquer anything and then there are days like today that I want to crawl up on my bed and just cry.  I just need to keep trudging.  Hmm, maybe I'm a bit hardheaded and I haven't quite learned my lesson yet, trust Beth.  He has it handled.  Do not be anxious about anything, and pray.  It will happen all in His perfect timing.  So tonight, I am asking you all to pray.  Pray for this whole process to bring glory to God.  Pray for my anxious heart.  Pray for our precious girl to stay strong. Pray for speediness.   Pray that more orphans find families.  Pray that our story touches someone else.  Pray for the families in country.  Thank you friends for taking the time to support us during each moment of this season.  It is hard, but I know we will make it through it she is worth anything that we might have to endure.

One Obsessed Mom.

I have a plan in place.  Call every ten minutes until someone approves our paperwork.  Really though, I will call everyday until immigration approves us.  What else can I do while I'm waiting.

My dryer stopped working on Friday, and I have a huge pile of laundry.  It is insane, I must be behind 12 to 14 loads.  Really, does anyone else do 6 to 7 loads of laundry everyday.  So on my list tomorrow is to find a repair man because my laundry room is starting to smell like dirty socks.  It is kind of funny actually.  I  have been on this organization kick the last few weeks, and my goal this weekend was the laundry room.  I was going to completely organize it and make it warm and inviting.  What I have now is a room that I can barely open the door too.

Other things on my to do list, put something on my walls.  We have lived here for almost 7 months and I hate to say it but it looks like we just moved in.  There is absolutely nothing on any wall, it is completely boring.  Anyone want to come over and give me so decorating advice?  Paint, I have intentions of painting several rooms in my house, however this will continue to fall to the bottom of my list because everything else seems to be more important.  Oh, school.  I need to make sure that my kiddos understand that this week I mean business, they will absolutely finish everything I put in front of them, I need to pretend that I am rough and gruff. I also need to stop procrastinating the tax return, I see lot of receipts in my future,late nights.  There is a theme in what I am typing tonight, and it is absolutely not characteristic of me.  I see a very unstructured few weeks in front of me.  I feel like a chicken with my head cut off.  I finish one thing just to find that I forgot to do something else.  It kind of reminds me of my pregnancy brain. Another thing I desperately need to do, I need to hire someone that I trust to watch my daycare kids while we are gone.  This is such a daunting task that I keep putting it off, saying I will start the hunt tomorrow  So if you know anyone in our area that is good with kids and would like to make a bit of money when we are in country please let me know.  I'm sure there are a million other things too, but my brain doesn't know what they are at the moment.

Please pray because the word that keeps coming o mind is frazzled.  I really want to be that Proverbs supermom, superwife, but unfortunately I am completely missing the mark today.  Oh and if none of this makes any sense at all, please forgive me, I am in desperate need of sleep.

Butterfly Kisses

Our minds are such amazing gifts.  It so awesome how moments stay with you and surface when it is important.  Tonight I had a wonderful memory.  When Dan and I were young, Bob Carlisle had a hit that played a lot on christian radio, Butterfly Kisses. I would blare it in my car and shout out butterfly kisses after bedtime prayers, putting little white flowers all up in her hair. This song to me was personal. I remember one day the song came on and we were about to my house.  So we sat in the driveway and I finished singing the song.  Dan was staring at me, and all of a sudden he had tears in his eyes.  We shared a beautiful wordless moment.  I think he was mourning for me as I didn't have a father in my life, and it made him sad to here the words of the song and to know that I went without the love of an earthy Dad. He was right, I longed for that connection with a father.

How precious that I get to see this song in a new light.  I get to think about my husband and the bond that he is going to have with his little girl.  How blessed I am, can't wait for the moment that we meet.  I know that moment will also have a lasting affect on our lives, one that we will remember when we are old and gray.  One that will have impact on our testimony, and one that we will tell her over and over.

What is Nellie's Name?

I got medical reports back yesterday, cross your fingers our Stateside helper thinks they are going to work.  She is getting the okay from one other person.  If they are okay, all we need is USCIS approval, and our 2011 tax return and we can summit our Dossier.  So tonight I will be over my head in receipts.  I usually wait until the last minute to get them done, but this year it might be the tax return that keeps us from summiting, so I'm working on it as fast as possible.  It seems like daily one more thing falls into place.  

Something that has been topic of discussion around here is what will Nellie's name be?  I was told as soon as we get in country they will ask us what her name is.  We can not agree in this house what her name should be.  Nellie is not her name, it is just a name that is used to protect her.  So if you look at her photo and have any suggestions leave a comment and let us know.  

Again today, there has been a pouring out of love to my little Nellie.  200.00 dollars has been donated.  This is just unbelievable to me.  Fundraising has been a slow going process, and so far this week we have received 525.00.  Truly I am so thankful, to all of you.  Not only for the financial support but the emotional support.  Sometimes this process is rough, and it really means so much to me when someone leaves a kind note of support.  You all are such a blessing to me.  We are almost to the 10,000 mark.  We still need 10,475.  


I talked with the doctors office three times today, about our med forms.  Finally, they said they are ready.
They said this last week also, so I am praying when I get there tomorrow they are done.  They called me on Monday and asked me to come get there letterhead and print the document.  So all this needs to be done correctly is signatures that are written in blue ink.  I have a feeling they are correct.

What an amazing Day.

First, we have been gone all day and it is now 2:00am and we have been home a few moments and I noticed our  FSP has gone up 75.00 dollars.  Who ever, donated to Nellie thank you so much.  It truly is amazing how the amount of money needed continues to dwindle.  10,675 left.

What an amazing day.  We left the house at 8:00am, and off to Omaha we went. We had two goals one get our fingerprints taken, two try to get a van that would accommode our soon to be bigger family. My husband and I had this huge debate on the way.  He thought trying to get in to get our fingerprints done was being pushy not bold.  Well, I think we were both a bit nervous but when we got there they took them with no questions asked.  We were in and out in 10 minutes.  Please pray that we get our paperwork back very quickly.  We are getting closer and closer everyday.  When this paperwork comes back we should be able to summit to Nellie's country within days.
So next we looked and looked at minivans and SUV's that had 9 seats.  I had this uneasy feeling on the drive because in my heart I didn't want to get rid of my minivan.  I like it, it's comfortable.  I feel like I fit in with all the other moms.  I mean who doesn't have a minivan when you pull up to soccer practice.  I tried to soothe myself saying well other moms show up in SUV's.  The goal was to get something that was about an even trade with our van that had 9 seats instead of 7.  We couldn't make a decision mostly because I wanted to go home with my van.
Then one of the places pulled up the report on our van and  it had been in a major wreck and it had major work that had been done to it.  They told us that the airbags had been deployed.  I literary was sick to my stomach because we have never had any kind of accident with it.  We bought the van in 2007 when it was only two years old.  We bought it local, at the Chrysler dealership.  No one ever told us that the van had been in a major accident.  I no longer had the need to hold on to my minivan that I loved dearly.

As we were looking we started to notice the price difference between an SUV and a full size van.  The full size vans had way more seating and were way cheaper.  It really took me most of the day to give up the idea of driving my minivan and then even longer to give up on the SUV.  Needless to say, we ended up trading in my  minivan for a 11 passanger full size van.  It is functional, it is spacey, it makes sense, it hasn't ever been in a wreck, it also is not pretty, and it is huge.  I'm not complaining here.  I kind of had an all day plea to keep stuff that doesn't matter.  I mean really come on, was I actually trying to cling to a vehicle.  So I left with a new appreciation for letting go of the things that really don't matter.  What matters is having a safe vehicle for my family, and enough room for everyone to sit.  We are so blessed that we have a vehicle at all.   We are so blessed, and it truly doesn't matter what it looks like.  Thank you Lord for providing for our needs, and for humbling my heart to realize that it isn't all about me, yet again.

Fingerprints Today.

We are making the trip today to get our fingerprints done.  Please pray that they let us get them done early. Pray that they turn out.  Pray that I don't lose daycare kids for the lack of notice. Also looking for a nine passenger minivan, or SUV so maybe we will come home with something different maybe not.  I'm just not all that thrilled about buying a large van.  Were looking for something that would be about equal trade in for the minivan we have, so it might be a needle in a haystack.  If we get these done today, we have people hopefully expediting our case for immigration.  I think we would need a miracle to be summited by the 1st of February, but I do think maybe the 2nd week seems more realistic.  We are so close, I can't believe it. March here we come.  I'm ready for the next step in this process and that part is the best part meeting Nellie.

Pray for Boldness

It is a much better day here.  In fact I am getting ready to call a senator to talk about expediting our adoption process with USCIS.  I'm working on being bold.  I'm not a bold person, I'm more of a sit in the background and watch type person.  I'm a spend the day with my kids kinda girl.  So today's boldness involved going to the clinic to see if our medicals were done yet.  No, there not but I'm getting better at asking. Patience is definitely a virtue that I am learning well. Called USCIS to talk to worker, about getting Sherry an appointment.  No, they are not open today, not sure why.  They must take 2 days off for a holiday.  Now to call a senator, this is so out of my comfort zone, but here I go.  Will, let you know how it all goes.

Also, getting ready to start my taxes, as I need my 2012 finished to summit.   to Eastern Europe. Oh, the pressure.

Yesterday was a rough day. I tell you this has been the most stretching time of my life.  Learning to deal with who I am in a world that doesn't understand my love for Christ and what he has called us to do in this season.  Learning to turn towards Him in the bitter, hard moments.  Please Lord help me to have a loving heart that is full of grace and not a heart that is bitter.  I'm human and fall, but He keeps picking me back up and leading me down the path again.  I couldn't do this without Him holding my hand.

This morning I went to the mail box to find a check for 250.00 from a complete stranger.  Someone I don't know.  This person is from my town and felt led, and saw the need to bring home Nellie.  I opened the letter and was just in tears. I am just so thankful.   My God is good all the time, in the moments of sorrow, hardship and the moments of great Joy.  I am constantly in awe of who He is, working on a transformed life, becoming more like Him.  I know everything I go through is to draw me closer to Him, and to glorify His name.

We have 10,750  left to raise to go get Nellie.  I know we will get there. So hopeful that we will be able to travel in March.

I think over the past months since deciding that we wanted to bring home a precious little girl that you my readers have come to see how passionate I am about adoption.  For the past several months it seems to be what I live and breath, trying to get everything done to bring home a miracle girl.  There are many other things that our family are passionate about.
My husband is a people person.  When I send him on a five minute errand he will be gone for hours. Why because he is out talking to people.  When we are in the community he knows everyone.  He is a pastor and  one of his greatest joys is telling others about Jesus. Teaching others and seeing transformed lives.  He is a pastor of a very small church.  On any given Sunday we might have 15 to 20 people sitting in the seats of the church.  Our church and my husband are passionate about the lost, and definitively want to help those in great need.  Our church I feel puts our arms around those that others would turn away.
This gets me thinking, this is a statement for our family.  It's who we are.  We are a family that wraps our arms around those in need. I think it defines us well. It doesn't matter where your from, what you have, or how you dress. It just doesn't matter, we show others that they are loved.   So if you wonder what drives us, it is our love for our Savior.  We feel our Fathers love and we want people who don't know him to feel a glimpse of His love.   Especially those who would be overlooked by others.  If only a seed is planted from our actions than so be it.  My greatest wish is for others to see that I am who I am because I have a father in heaven who loves me so much.   If only they could see it, and know that they too are so treasured.
Our lives are a field to do the Lords work, we are not just Sunday Christians.  Nellie will be loved in our home, she will be taken care of, she will laugh, she will cry and know there is someone here to wipe away her tears.  She will have a home, but the most important thing is that she will be know about our Lord who loves her so much and has a plan for her life.  The possibilities are endless for her life, she can be who she wants to be with the help of a family who wants her,  and loves her.

Priorities

My week has been a bit frantic.  I have a tendency to try to fix everything and do everything myself for everyone else.  On Sunday, at church I walked in late to go to Sunday school, so I decided to watch my kids to see if they were behaving in there Sunday School class instead.  The kids were in a race to see who could built the highest tower of oreo cookies.  At first it was easy but by the time they got to 7 or 8 cookies there towers started to fall over.  There wise Sunday school teacher started talking about living a balanced life.  I'm not sure what passage they were studying but it reminded me of
 Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;


A lesson at that moment I really needed to think about.  I am a busy lady and have started thinking about redefining my priorities.  I came across this chart that kind of puts it all into perspective for me.  Trying to remember that in this busy season that the Lord is  my first priority and if I do that than everything else will fall into place.

Yeah, today in the mail we got dates to get our fingerprints done.  Hoping we can sneak in next week and get them done. Other than that we are still waiting on our medicals for our dossier, I guess it might be time to go sit in the doctors office until they hand me the document yet again  Praying we will get immigration approval quickly.  I'm hesitant but I need to call on Monday to see if they will rush our case.  Still hoping to have our dossier submitted when Nellie's country opens back up.

I know I keep talking about the photo contest, so far we have 8 cute entries.  Please consider entering you kiddos.  Registration deadline is Feb. 5th.


http://createarippleeffect.blogspot.com/

Okay, I'm coming to you guys to ask for help.  If you could please take ten minutes and post our contest on face book, on local boards, on twitter, on your blogs and get the word out. I really don't like asking, I know there are so many other families that need help.  I so don't deserve the help but these precious babies do.  We are only a few months away and still need so much more.  I truly have watched as the Lord has proved for us and am waiting to see how he walks us through this next step.  I'm so grateful that you all have opened your hearts and prayed for us through this.  I truly feel loved by so many of you.  I see your passion for orphans and I see your passion for Nellie.
Truly I was hoping that this baby contest would work. I know people are looking because we have almost 60 people liking our face book page.  Wouldn't it be awesome if we could get 60 people to actually post photos of there beautiful babies.  I know this is a good idea it is just about getting it out there for people to see.  I have 38 people that follow my blog and I know that if each one of you helped us we could have a lot more people reading about this fundraiser.
I'm hopeful that we will get there. These babies are my heart.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beautiful-Baby-Contest/212656692152180

http://createarippleeffect.blogspot.com/

BABY CONTEST FUNDRAISER!!!!

These babies above all have families desperately working to go get them.  All three of our families are struggling coming up with the money to go get our little ones.  Gracie's mama is going to be traveling in a week. They are having faith that they will come up with the funds needed to get there sweetheart.  As for Sydney and Lucien's mama she only has a few short months to raise a huge ransom. Then there is our family and we are trusting that we can get Nellie in March, and we have a huge amount left to go.  All of us going to rescue children are in this together so why not trying to fundraise together.  Fundraising has proven to be difficult for our families, but these are the times that we find ourselves clinging to the promise that God will provide.  Learning over and over how to be faithful to the one who loves us so much.  Drawing closer to him in the hard moments.  Knowing that He loves these babies more than we can imagine, keeps us going.  

So our newest fundraiser is a baby photo contest.

All proceeds from this fundraisers will 100% help these three families.  All the rules and regulations to this contest are on a new blog page so go check it out, and enter your babies.  Tell your friends to enter there sweet baby pictures.

http://createarippleeffect.blogspot.com/

The registration fee for this contest is how we are fundraising.  The more beautiful chubby cheeks entered the closer we get to bringing home our little ones.

Thank you Courageous Christmas Heroes

Wow, last night was so amazing, I watched as these amazing women advocated for Reeces Rainbows sweethearts with everything they had.  It was awesome to watch as little by little the Lord provided until every single child on the angel tree had hit there goal of 1000.00.  I still sit here in amazement.  What a way to start a new year.  You ladies know who you are. I wanted you know that your appreciated, saying thank you just doesn't seem enough for all you do. Wow, what an encouragement it is to watch you come together and live and breathe advocating for these precious children. I get teary eyed just thinking about it.  Different women who all have the same heart, passion that these little ones will find  homes.  I just wanted to take a moment to thank you.  Thank you women of God for the support network you provide for these wee children and the families that eventually find them.  Thank you for believing in them when no one else does, thank you for taking the time to pray for them.  God has used you in a mighty way.

I learned something about myself these past few months watching you.  My personality is happy being a fly on a wall, I watch people, and try not to be noticed.  I sat in that facebook room for the last few months and prayed for all of you. I watched and rejoiced as each  child met there goal.  I was jumping up and down when I would find out that one was going to have a family.  What I didn't do was shout to the end of the earth pleading with others to support and donate for these kiddos.  I didn't show photos of these kids so that others knew they needed homes. You wise women have driven me to do the same.  I will advocate with everything that I have.  I am no longer happy sitting idle watching as others do it, I to am on a mission to find these babies homes.  Bringing Nellie home is great, and no small task.  But all those other faces I stare  at there pictures day after day wondering when the next person will say yes, I will save that child.  There are just so many of them.  But I have faith that our God, can find them all homes in this upcoming year.  You all taught me a great lesson, be faithful, courageous and use my voice and I too can shout out to the world and help these children.  They are so worth it.