Not Wavering

Once we knew we were approved I called our agency to ask about how long it would take to receive our adoption agreement. She explained it would be in the mail right away and so me, being the impatient one I am got frustrated when it didn't show up the next day. Is this in God's hands or not ? I reminded myself it was and even though I looked for it daily I was fine when it didn't come.

More donations came in and Brian and I tried to sync our calendars to have our first fund raiser but between all the baseball games, cross country meets, church responsibilities and work it seemed like we never going to get started. Finally, a date worked for both and so we are happy to say Saturday November 10th we will be having our first fund raiser. YAY! Don't know where or what time yet but we'll let you know.

So, one of the main reasons for this blog was to help us somehow network with other families also on this journey and to tell you the truth this was my main concern. I know we have people who are supporting us and are praying us through etc. but there is something about being on the same road as someone else and having that connection no one else quite gets. So, here's the exciting part...one of my Starbucks regulars Kelli, and her husband Dean are on this journey also. They already got their LID (log in date, meaning their dossier has been accepted by the Chinese gov and they are on the list for their referral) so they are about 6 months ahead of us but that doesn't matter. Kelli and I have spoken a couple of times and it's so refreshing to hear of someone else's journey and to know we can walk the road together. Thank you God.

Ok, back to waiting. Saturday it came and I was thrilled. It's huge, so much paperwork. We only have 60 days to get it back to our agency and still haven't raised the rest of the 700 we need to sign the agreement. Not only that but since I allowed my permanent residency card (green card, which by the way is pink) to expire I just had to spend 370 dollars to apply for a new one. I was so angry with myself. But as Brian constantly says...IT IS WHAT IT IS!!!!! I talked to our agency and they said it wouldn't hold us up at all.

What does this have to do with the title? I'm not going to lie, I was wavering. Yes, already. I was upset with myself I had to spend money we didn't have and wondering if I was making all this up in my head. Last night during my quiet time the Lord led me to this scripture
Romans 4:20-21 ~ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. I am not going to waver, His promises are true and His desire has become our desire to bring our little girl home. I was reminded of this again in our devotion with the kids this morning. It spoke of a tightrope walker and asked the question why didn't he fall when everyone was screaming and applauding for him? The answer- because he was focused and therefore able to keep his balance. It's the same for us or anyone on any kind of journey. Our focus has to be on God and what His promises have already told us not on the circumstances of money or time.
Jeremiah 29:12-14 ~Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.

I know I say this a lot but thanks for being on this journey with us. Blessings.

And Baby Makes Three.

I have just heard/read the news, my precious friend Shannon and her husband Adam have finally been given the go ahead to go and pick up their baby girl, Analise Jade from Guatemala. I have known Shannon for 7 years and I can't think of anyone who deserves this more than her. It's been such a joy and inspiration to watch this whole process unfold and my heart is jumping for joy for them. We love you Shannon and can't wait to meet baby Analise.

One Word...APPROVED!!!

Well, the first approval has come in. Our application is approved!!! We are thrilled. So, this is where we go from here.

~ Our agency will send us our adoption agreement which among other things states we will not use any other agency but them. It's also the first set of pages of our dossier.

~ $700.00 and our signatures seals the adoption agreement deal and allows us to proceed with a local social worker and begin our home study.

~ From what I understand our home study will cost anywhere from $1200.00-$1600.00 and will take approximately 90 days.

During this time I am sure there are mounds of paperwork to collect, fill out and send in.

So, what now??? Well, in just over a week you have sent in $350.00 and we are so thankful. Now we have been officially approved the fund raising can and will begin. Any ideas? The standard car wash and garage sale are a given but I am open to any suggestions. Please help us out.

Alright, guys here we go...we are so excited you are on this journey with us. We can feel your prayers and can't thank you enough. Keep checking in...

Guestbook

I know there are several of you out there who are not into leaving comments but if you would, please go and sign our guest book to let us know you stopped by. We would really appreciate it. Thanks!

One Week and Counting

Today is Monday and it's been a week since we submitted our application. I know, only a week. I know what you are thinking...if she's having problems after only a week God help her and us. No, I am fine I was just letting you know. Things have been going really well and last week was such a great week. Let's see if I can catch you up.

Thursday Jayden and I had to get our eyes checked and that was a totally new experience for me. They put a local anesthetic in my eyes in order to do this certain test and then proceeded to dilate them. Let me tell you, I have a whole new appreciation for my sight. I felt blind for what seemed like hours. And whats worse
is my sunglasses weren't enough so they shoved these black film looking things between them and my eyes. Yeah and stupid me thought well how bright can the sun be. I shouldn't have checked. It made things much worse. It seemed unfair b/c Jayden's went back to normal after only an hour. Needless to say I am thankful to see as well as I do. Later that evening we met a friend of mine who's an amateur photographer to take some pics since we are long overdue for a family photo. We got a couple good shots but I'll save those for another time.

Friday was really fun. Jayden was picked for one of the authors of the month so we went to hear him read his story to his peers. His story was about One Wish he had and his was how he died and got to go and meet God. He talked about how God looked really responsible and intelligent and how he worshipped at his feet. About how he read the bible to God and how amazing He was. Then it talked about how we were sad b/c he had died and him and God were looking at us. WOW! It finally ended with him saying he hadn't really died but he did wish he could go and see God. I have to say I was pretty impressed he'd been chosen considering its a public school.

So, that same day my son invited me to have lunch with him. My 14 year old. Can you believe that? And he didn't invite me to pick him up and take him to lunch, he invited me to actually come to his school and eat with him in the cafeteria with all his friends. I, of course did not say no. I felt so cool. His friends were so nice although I tried not to talk too much just in case I embarrassed him. We talked mainly about what they were all involved in, the different cliques and of course the upcoming Homecoming Dance which Jared informed me he wants to attend. Since I didn't attend school in the US of A I am really not sure what this is about so they all explained.

The weekend was packed with cleaning, homework, baseball games, church and youth. Not to mention a beach party and baptism and a Bucs games for Brian. All in all a fun filled week and weekend. How was yours?

A Little Rusty

Yesterday was a looooong day. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I babysit a little girl named Kylie. She is 3 and a half months old. She is a really good baby. Yesterday, not so much. Now this wouldn't have normally bothered me except I was also babysitting another little girl who was only 16 months old. Let me tell you, I was so out of my element. It's amazing to me how quickly we forget. I mean, I did that. They weren't quite that close but I had to juggle the baby and toddler thing. It wasn't that the day was hard per se but I was exhausted. Right when I thought I had got them both settled one would wake up. I would get one fed and then the other would be hungry. It was non-stop. WOW, I have so much more respect for people who do that everyday in daycares and such. I'm sure glad I'm only adding one more and not two.



A massive THANK YOU to my precious friend Betsy Leeuwner for re-designing our template. I cannot thank you enough for all you did. Just like our first time around with this blogger thing huh?








Quick donation update (which you can also see in the sidebar) we have had 2 more come in. Thank you thank you thank you!! God is faithful.

Officially Official (Long Post)

Well, the papers are on their way to St. Louis as I type these words. There really aren't words to describe what I feel knowing we have started the ball rolling. If I'm honest some of the words that come to mind are words like ~ fear, trepidation, insecurity, doubt and while this is the truth of what I sometimes feel the words that truly describe the nature of this journey are passion, love, hope, faith, amazement, joy and excitement and so you see those words out number the first set. Thank you for being on this road with us. We could never do it without the support of all of you.

I get have a devotional sent to my email everyday and today's was entitled Discipline or Regret?

This devotional was written by Jim Burns

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. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
— Hebrews 12:1-3

In the 1968 Olympics within the stadium in Mexico City, the stands had gone dark after an extremely busy day of some of the finest track and field events in the history of the Olympics. All that remained inside the stadium were a few judges, the clean-up crew and a handful of reporters who were filing their reports. All of a sudden out of nowhere, a runner in his country’s track uniform half hobbled and half ran into that great stadium. He was a marathon runner who was literally hours behind the official last place finisher. He ran around the track and crossed the finish line. One of the reporters ran down to the field to ask this runner why he bothered to finish the race since he was obviously hurting and no one would even count him as a finisher. The injured runner looked up at the reporter and said, “My country did not send me over 5,000 miles to start the race but rather to finish it.”

This man persevered, endured the pain and finished the race. What a hero! What do you need to do today to sustain your life, your faith, family, or health over the long haul? Is there something in which you need to wholeheartedly persevere to finish the race of life well?

Remember this great piece of advice offered to me by my good friend Bill Hall, “When the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of changing, you will change.” The way I figure it is that in life, we either choose the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. Choose today the pain of discipline.

This was really interesting to me b/c I know it will take major discipline to get through this adoption. And the part about when the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of changing... For some months now I have been asking God what is it you want me to do with my life, what is my purpose? What is OUR purpose? I know I'm a mom and a wife and I'm striving to be the best I can be but I knew there was something more. I had a sense of dissatisfaction. Little by little He's been showing me and Brian and guiding us. This adoption is just the beginning. There is so much more to come that has been birthed b/c of our passion to adopt a child in China. I thank God He is opening our eyes to it and as things progress will be sharing with you what else God has placed in our hearts.

Be blessed and please check back often.

Blessed beyond measure, already

I am moved to tears. The donations are already coming in. We feel so incredibly blessed. There aren't words. Our first donation came in from my sister and her family in Oklahoma. WOW!!! God's goodness is all over this. Thank you just doesn't seem to cut it. As soon as I can I will post some pics of the fab peeps already helping us.

For Shannon

I have been reprimanded for not posting enough. I honestly thought since there was nothing going on with the adoption why post? Well, Shannon told me I was wrong and people wanna know what's happening. We are still set to send our app in this week. Waiting for the pics to submit with the app. Anyway, thought I would share with you the pics we are submitting. We had to show 4 of the house, one of the outside and 3 of the inside. One of mom and dad and all the kids. I won't bother with the ones from the house but here are the ones of us.
















I know unless you have gone through or are going through this, you can't possibly imagine what an undertaking it is just to get the application in the mail. This is going to change our entire lives for the better. I can't tell you the peace we have in doing this.

Oh, side note: I know you are a bunch of smart people and I am counting on you all! Any fund raising ideas you have please send our way. We are looking for lots of innovative ideas. We've got several to start with but need lots more so I'm looking for those comments. Thanks!

Seriously?

Alright it has been almost 24 hours since this post and while I would like to say it was a great success... Not.
So, how about this?
Be the first?
Yeah, maybe you can be the first to give $1 and for that I will post your picture and short story of what a great philanthropist you are?
Or not?
Either way somebody be the first!
Lets get it started!

A SIMPLE PLEA?

THIS IS A SIMPLE PLEA FOR $1
YES YOU HAVE A DOLLAR AND BUY DONATING THAT DOLLAR TO GRACE YOU ARE PART OF BRINGING YOUR DAUGHTER HOME. THAT IS RIGHT YOU DONATE AND YOU BECOME PART OF THIS MIRACLE ADOPTION AND YOU SHARE A PART OF A LIFE GOD CREATED TO DO SOMETHING BEYOND OUR OWN HOPES AND DREAMS!

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? PLEASE HELP, FOR GRACES SAKE!

OBVIOUSLY IF YOU GIVE MORE WE WONT HOLD IT AGAINST YOU EITHER!!!!!

Finally getting started

As most of you know, Brian and I posted SEVERAL months ago that we were beginning our adoption journey. Allow me to clarify. At that moment we decided yes this was something we knew we were supposed to do and made the call to the agency and they mailed us the paperwork. The packet came in a bright yellow folder and right away I tore through it. Then, it kind of just sat. And sat, and sat some more. Then one evening out of the blue I thought well the least I can do is start filling it out. Then it sat again. Then February came and we moved. So, it went from sitting on a table to sitting in a drawer. I would think about it frequently and wonder was this something we were still called to do? It still burned in me. I thought about her all the time, prayed for her. Hoped for her. I had doubts. We didn't and don't have 20 grand sitting in the bank. Was this God? Did I dream this? No, I couldn't have. Then one day another package, only I wasn't expecting this one. I opened it and burst into tears. My dear sweet friend Shannon who is also waiting with expectancy for her little girl to come home, had put herself aside for me. She made me a gift, a beautiful gift and had Grace's name embroidered on it. She said in her card she wanted me to have something to hold onto while I waited to hold her. That little gift now sits on my dresser as a constant reminder she is coming home. As we all know God's timing is everything and now is that time. I am thrilled to say our application will be in the mail by the week's end. Tonight at dinner we brainstormed on fundraising ideas and all the kids were on board. I cannot tell you the peace I feel about this. I know there are tough times ahead but I know God would not have birthed this in us if He wasn't going to walk through it too. Thank you for praying and don't stop. I would also encourage you to please point anyone you know our way if they have gone through or are going through a chinese adoption. We would love to connect with anyone we can on this. Be blessed and stay tuned.