Because my brain is mush....

I decided to let myself off the hook- and share two pictures of our family from the holidays! 

Happy 2012!

Garage Sale Fundraiser...

Two weeks ago we decided there was no better way to clean house than with a good old fashioned garage sale! Sure, it was cold and December...but you know what- God blessed us with SUN and we were able to raise $300 for our adoption fund!!

As we carried armfuls of stuff out the door that morning, my brother-in-law said to me, "You know, even if you guys only raise $5 today- you are out there showing God that you are willing to do the work to make this happen- and He will bless that." At the time I didn't think much of it...but you know what- in the two weeks since our garage sale, we have been blessed with donations totaling.....drum roll please....$2,000!!!! It has been an incredible two weeks...watching all of you love on us and our boys! We are feeling incredibly lucky!

Unfortunately, I do not have my camera handy to share Christmas pictures of Little Miss and Little Man with you all tonight....but rest assured they will come this week....for now...

Merry Christmas, from our family (near and FAR) to yours!!!

Our Children are Connected!

I am so happy to report that in less than 48 hours every piece of the 100 piece puzzle had been sponsored! Children (and adults too!) from VA, NY. NJ, OK, OH, TN, CA, FL, and Hawaii!!!! are being represented! The response simply amazed me- to know that you all wanted to show your love for our boys was overwhelming! We love them more than they know- and now when they get home, they will SEE that you all love them too. This puzzle was important to us because we won't have baby books- our pictures will only date back to about a year ago (their referral photo) and we won't have old family movies to share with them. This puzzle was our way to show them that while they were waiting- we were waiting to- and dreaming of them, praying for them, and crying happy as well as impatient tears- all on a journey to bring them home!

Yesterday, was one of those days that I was simply overcome with what the body of Christ can do when they come together! We thank you all for your willingness to share this experience with us- we feel the love!

From Your Children To Ours...

This is the time of the year that we, as parents, focus a great deal of time and attention on our children. We bake cookies together, spend time making special crafts, taking trips to different events taking place throughout town- and maybe even to Santa =) Our kids make lists of their requested gifts- we check them twice (and then visit no less than 15 stores to find the desired item). We talk about the real reason for the season and we remember His birth in special ways. It really is an awesome time of the year! I know we have been having a great time baking cookies (Little man's favorite activity) and visiting some fun family-friendly activities around town.

As much as I savor this time of the year with Little Man and Little Miss- I also find my heart aching for my three children who don't even know what is in store for them this coming year (prayerfully very soon!) They don't know Christmas...they don't know the innocent joy of running downstairs to a glowing Christmas tree- to new toys, books, clothes...they don't know the joy our children experience this time of the year...

This year- I can honestly say I didn't even set foot in the mall to shop. I have passed by and can't even bring myself to walk through it- we haven't visited Santa, we didn't rush to have Christmas portraits taken...it's been a different season for us, and yet, I will treasure the memories we have made.

This season we have spent a lot of time talking about "the three little boys" that will be joining our family...Little Man is very aware of how our family is going to change- he may not know how it will fully impact and change our daily life- but he loves looking at their pictures and talking about sharing his bedroom and toys with his new brothers.

I am going to ask you to consider giving your children a unique gift this holiday season- assuming your shopping isn't complete just yet! We have decided to add something truly unique to our children's new bedroom---

Little Man is VERY into fire trucks right now...and he has opted to make that the theme of the bedroom he and the youngest of the boys will share. This is a picture of a 100-piece puzzle. We are asking our friends and family- and anyone who wishes to support us on our journey- to contribute a $5 donation- and a piece of the puzzle will be added in your name! The goal is to have all 100 pieces sponsored...which will help to fund an airline ticket home for one of our boys! You can sponsor one in YOUR name OR your CHILD'S name! You may think your child is too young to understand what they have helped to do- BUT I promise....you might just be surprised when you tell them- they have helped bring a little boy to a family who is anxiously awaiting them!! 

You can make your $5 donation using the Donate Now button on the right side of the page...please be sure to add the name you wish us to write on the back of the puzzle piece in the comments section. Thank you! 

Receptive.

We often get asked (especially by people who knew us pretty well last April) how we came into this whole adoption thing. Often I will answer "I really don't know, God just brought it up". Last April, we were coming out of a state of sleep deprivation (thank you Little Miss) and fiercely stating that we were "good with two". We had a boy and a girl- we were good to go! And then, our family was shaken to the very core of its belief system. My brother-in-law came back from a short trip having encountered God in such a real way that I think the rest of us began to question our own state of faith. A week later I found myself in Lifeway holding David Platt's "Radical". It would be a week before I finished it- but I sat enthralled every night with what some would consider such obvious truths....but to me, they shook up everything that I knew about what it meant to be a Christian. Jesus never chased the American dream, his disciples were KILLED for their faith....and yet, today we hear pastors teaching on TELEVISION wealth and prosperity, a better life....and it certainly isn't based on the numbers being led to Christ in the far corners of the globe.

Where to go from there? Well, we knew we wanted a faith led by action. Yes, our faith is what saves us....BUT....faith without works is dead...and we wanted to feel ALIVE with Christ (especially now that we weren't sleep deprived anymore!) Adoption certainly wasn't the first thing that came to mind...in fact, sadly, I professed THREE times to three different people during the month of April that I was "glad other people had the heart for Africa, because I just didn't see that in my future"....I think someone heard me. And so, we just asked God to use us....fervently asked Him, to use us as we never expected to be used. We didn't know what it would entail, heck, we didn't even know if we would get an answer! Maybe he thought we had enough going on =) But, over the course of a week- God showed us. He showed us through a friend's story of her mission trip to Ethiopia (oh, is that in Africa?), He showed us through a sermon on James, and He showed us through an encounter I had with a woman who adopted SEVEN children, adding to her biological four. Y'all when God moves he grooves! And so....it took us all of four days to realize what God was calling us to do. Sure, the timing made NO sense. Little Miss was barely 8 months old. In fact, I had one agency suggest waiting until she was a little older. But God didn't tell us to wait.

Obviously our story didn't stop there...since at that time we were requesting an infant.

I came across the picture of our boys on waiting child list- I once again felt the grip of the Lord...and He didn't let go. For three months we questioned how we would ever do this. Even when we began to question our sanity- even when it meant switching agencies (really we just ended up working with TWO fabulous agencies), the Lord opened doors...and reassured our questioning minds. Believe me, we know- we are going to have FIVE kids, we know our food bill is going to be astronomical...we know! The last month has left us feeling a little crazy...we sold our house and bought a new one...all to have the room for kids we have never met- but love as our own. (You certainly don't need to move to adopt- just making that clear! wink wink). We are a very average couple with very average problems...we do not have the funds for adoption in our bank accounts, we do not have any more patience on an average day than anyone else (even with just our current two kids)... we do not have a magical marriage (though my husband is awesome!), we do not have the ability to keep our house cleaner than anyone else...we do not have any more time in the day...and often I forget to cook dinner until 6pm.

I say all this to say...we know we are going to struggle, we know we are going to need help, we know we are going to need A LOT of prayer. But, we also know that God called us to do this....and because we were receptive to His calling- we will NOT be alone in this.

What is God calling you to do?

Some people may wonder...

How I am going to keep up with the chores when our home nearly doubles in size?


But I have a secret....

Don't tell anyone.

In God's Hands....

When I look back over the last month...well- its hard to believe it has JUST been a month! Our heads are spinning and our hearts are anxiously awaiting a phone call that will bring the news that will reveal when we will meet our three boys. When I just THINK about the last month it is hard not to feel crazy.... suffice it to say, when God moves He grooves...and He seamlessly orchestrates each detail...and moves mountains. Each time I begin to wonder..."How is this all going to come together?" I am reassured by a God who is so personal- so aware of every detail of my life....and I know again with 100% certainty that HE set us on this journey and HE will not lead us astray....it is in His hands....

      Praying over our dossier before sending it on it's way (excuse my late posting)!
                         

                              This mommy is ready to meet her newest babies!