So, what do you think will break next at our house? It is truly becoming laughable around here.
Just before Christmas the latch on the third door on Eric's truck broke. On Christmas the bathroom flooded and the oven broke. The day after Christmas the garbage disposal stopped working. Yesterday my brand new steam cleaner ceased to function. And today my mostly new vacuum wouldn't work.
So what will be next? Maybe I'll offer a prize to whoever guesses correctly! LOL
Our USCIS paperwork was mailed on Wednesday and should be in the DHS office tomorrow morning. Then the waiting begins. Keep praying!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas!!
We have had a very exciting Christmas day at our house! :-)
I had a very hard time sleeping last night and it was about 2:30 AM the last time I looked at the clock before I drifted off to sleep. I figured the kids would be up about 6AM, so I knew I would be tired today. But when Ana wandered into our bedroom excitedly telling me about the packages "wrapped in gorgeous gold, shiny paper" and I looked at the clock it was 4:30AM!! I told her it was WAY too early to get up and she needed to go back to bed. That worked for about 30 minutes and then ALL of the kids were up. When we finished unwrapping the presents Christian asked why it was still so dark outside and I laughed when I told him "It is still dark because it is not even 7AM yet!" What a start to the day...
I took a nap and then we "puttered" around the house playing with presents and relaxing. One of the things Zac got were some of the Cars characters that change colors when you put them in cold or warm water. I finally got motivated to get in the shower and when I walked into our bathroom there was a waterfall running over the edge of the vanity and onto the floor! I am not sure how long they had left the water running full blast trying to make those cars change colors, but lets just say our bathroom could have been declared a flood disaster area by the state! Even the drawers in the vanity were full of water!
We finally got the mess cleaned up and I got ready. When I went to heat the oven to start dinner, the oven would not work!! Eric finally got it lit, but for a while I was afraid that we might be eating peanut butter sandwiches for Christmas dinner.
It has been an eventful day to say the least. Several times today I have thought about my friend Lorraine telling me that every time they have gotten close to bringing one of their adopted children home things have started to fall apart around their home. They jokingly say that when things start breaking they know that their next little one will be home soon, and I am hoping that is the case with us to because we got a great Christmas present today.
We are not very good about walking to the other side of the neighborhood to check the mail so we never got around to checking it on Thursday. When we finally picked it up today the final copies of our home study as well as the letter from our pediatrician asking that our adoption be expedited so that A.J. can get home to get the medical treatment he needs were both in the mail box. I have our I-800A paperwork all ready to go and it will be in the mail first thing Tuesday morning!!
This is the last big hurdle in our adoption process and there is still a chance that our I-800 could be denied. Please pray that our file will end up in the hands of exactly the right case worker, and that our approval will arrive in our mailbox very quickly. I will definitely be checking the mail more often!
Praying that your family had a wonderful Christmas spent surrounded with family, enjoying the laughter of good friends, and celebrating the birth of the Saviour! I got some great gifts today, but the greatest gift I will ever receive came when Jesus was born and died on the cross to give me the gift of eternal life.
Merry Christmas!!
I had a very hard time sleeping last night and it was about 2:30 AM the last time I looked at the clock before I drifted off to sleep. I figured the kids would be up about 6AM, so I knew I would be tired today. But when Ana wandered into our bedroom excitedly telling me about the packages "wrapped in gorgeous gold, shiny paper" and I looked at the clock it was 4:30AM!! I told her it was WAY too early to get up and she needed to go back to bed. That worked for about 30 minutes and then ALL of the kids were up. When we finished unwrapping the presents Christian asked why it was still so dark outside and I laughed when I told him "It is still dark because it is not even 7AM yet!" What a start to the day...
I took a nap and then we "puttered" around the house playing with presents and relaxing. One of the things Zac got were some of the Cars characters that change colors when you put them in cold or warm water. I finally got motivated to get in the shower and when I walked into our bathroom there was a waterfall running over the edge of the vanity and onto the floor! I am not sure how long they had left the water running full blast trying to make those cars change colors, but lets just say our bathroom could have been declared a flood disaster area by the state! Even the drawers in the vanity were full of water!
We finally got the mess cleaned up and I got ready. When I went to heat the oven to start dinner, the oven would not work!! Eric finally got it lit, but for a while I was afraid that we might be eating peanut butter sandwiches for Christmas dinner.
It has been an eventful day to say the least. Several times today I have thought about my friend Lorraine telling me that every time they have gotten close to bringing one of their adopted children home things have started to fall apart around their home. They jokingly say that when things start breaking they know that their next little one will be home soon, and I am hoping that is the case with us to because we got a great Christmas present today.
We are not very good about walking to the other side of the neighborhood to check the mail so we never got around to checking it on Thursday. When we finally picked it up today the final copies of our home study as well as the letter from our pediatrician asking that our adoption be expedited so that A.J. can get home to get the medical treatment he needs were both in the mail box. I have our I-800A paperwork all ready to go and it will be in the mail first thing Tuesday morning!!
This is the last big hurdle in our adoption process and there is still a chance that our I-800 could be denied. Please pray that our file will end up in the hands of exactly the right case worker, and that our approval will arrive in our mailbox very quickly. I will definitely be checking the mail more often!
Praying that your family had a wonderful Christmas spent surrounded with family, enjoying the laughter of good friends, and celebrating the birth of the Saviour! I got some great gifts today, but the greatest gift I will ever receive came when Jesus was born and died on the cross to give me the gift of eternal life.
Merry Christmas!!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Kartangener Syndrome
Several people have asked us lately to explain what A.J.’s “special need” is, so I thought I would post the answer here.
The reports that we have received about A.J. do not specifically say that he has Kartagener Syndrome, but they do report that he has situs inversus and that he has a history of very frequent respiratory infections. Because testing for this type of very rare disorder is not available in his country, an “official” diagnosis has never been made, but based on his medical history we are fairly sure this is what he suffers from.
The combination of situs inversus, chronic sinusitis and bronchiectasis was first described in 1904. Manes Kartagener described the syndrome in detail in 1933, and it bears his name. KS is estimated to occur in 1 in 32,000 births. Kartagener Syndrome is a combination of two different problems – situs inversus (reversal of the organs, for example the heart is on the right side of the body rather than the left) and primary ciliary dyskinesia (dyskinesia = abnormal movement).
Cilia are small, hair like projections that occur in the lungs, respiratory tract, reproductive system and in the ventricles of the brain. These cilia continually move to “sweep” bacteria, viruses, and foreign debris such as dust and smoke out of the respiratory tract. When they do not function properly it causes frequent problems such as pneumonia, ear infections, and sinus infections. Because cilia also have important functions in the reproductive system and brain people with KS may also be infertile and suffer from frequent headaches.
Kartagener syndrome is recognized by the three main symptoms of chronic sinusitis or other respiratory infections, bronchiectasis (lung damage from frequent infections), and situs inversus. Treatment focuses on prevention of respiratory infections and can include inhaled medications, tubes in the ears and long term oral antibiotics. Typically the frequency of infections starts to diminish in the 20’s and people with KS lead normal adult lives. In the worst case scenario, they may suffer from permanent hearing loss due to untreated ear infections and in extreme cases may require lung transplant due to severe bronchiectasis.
A.J. also had bleeding in his brain at birth and has lived his entire life in an orphanage, so we anticipate that he may also have some developmental delays because of these factors. But with a loving family, good health care, and educational support we have every reason to believe that he will grow up to be a “normal” young man. But even if he is never “normal” according to society’s definition he is loved and cherished by God and by our family. We cannot wait to get him home!
The reports that we have received about A.J. do not specifically say that he has Kartagener Syndrome, but they do report that he has situs inversus and that he has a history of very frequent respiratory infections. Because testing for this type of very rare disorder is not available in his country, an “official” diagnosis has never been made, but based on his medical history we are fairly sure this is what he suffers from.
The combination of situs inversus, chronic sinusitis and bronchiectasis was first described in 1904. Manes Kartagener described the syndrome in detail in 1933, and it bears his name. KS is estimated to occur in 1 in 32,000 births. Kartagener Syndrome is a combination of two different problems – situs inversus (reversal of the organs, for example the heart is on the right side of the body rather than the left) and primary ciliary dyskinesia (dyskinesia = abnormal movement).
Cilia are small, hair like projections that occur in the lungs, respiratory tract, reproductive system and in the ventricles of the brain. These cilia continually move to “sweep” bacteria, viruses, and foreign debris such as dust and smoke out of the respiratory tract. When they do not function properly it causes frequent problems such as pneumonia, ear infections, and sinus infections. Because cilia also have important functions in the reproductive system and brain people with KS may also be infertile and suffer from frequent headaches.
Kartagener syndrome is recognized by the three main symptoms of chronic sinusitis or other respiratory infections, bronchiectasis (lung damage from frequent infections), and situs inversus. Treatment focuses on prevention of respiratory infections and can include inhaled medications, tubes in the ears and long term oral antibiotics. Typically the frequency of infections starts to diminish in the 20’s and people with KS lead normal adult lives. In the worst case scenario, they may suffer from permanent hearing loss due to untreated ear infections and in extreme cases may require lung transplant due to severe bronchiectasis.
A.J. also had bleeding in his brain at birth and has lived his entire life in an orphanage, so we anticipate that he may also have some developmental delays because of these factors. But with a loving family, good health care, and educational support we have every reason to believe that he will grow up to be a “normal” young man. But even if he is never “normal” according to society’s definition he is loved and cherished by God and by our family. We cannot wait to get him home!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Someone Said...
"If we truly believe that all human beings are created in the image of God, this forces us to place a high value on human life. Every child deserves to be raised in a loving family environment with a mother and father. It was never God’s original intention for millions of orphans to be sharing beds in crowded institutions or sleeping alone somewhere on the African prairie."
Tom Davis in “Fields of the Fatherless”
Tom Davis in “Fields of the Fatherless”
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Facts and Figures
Some people see the world in black and white, concrete terms and this post is for those people.
It is estimated that there are 147 million orphans throughout the world.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest population of children who are orphans (49 million or 12% of all children)
Roughly 500,000 children live in the U.S. foster system. About 1/4 of these children are legally available for adoption.
There are over 1.5 million adopted children in the United States
Every 18 seconds another child becomes an orphan
Children who age out of the foster care system at age 18 face a sad future. By their mid-20s less than half will be employed, more than 80% of the men will have been arrested, 68% of the women will receive food stamps, and only 54% will have earned a high school diploma
Children who age out of the orphanage system in Europe at age 14, 15 or 16 face equally bleak futures. 60% of girls will turn to prostitution just to survive; 70% of the boys will end up on the streets or in jail; and 15% of these children will commit suicide within 2 years of leaving the orphanage.
Research has shown that adopted children “consistently thrive in loving homes” (CAFO, 2011, para. 2). Parenting any child is full of challenges, but adopted children are just as likely to thrive as biological children
And for those of you who are not so concrete, I offer this.
One little boy who is waiting for his Mommy and Daddy. Just one of many.
It is estimated that there are 147 million orphans throughout the world.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest population of children who are orphans (49 million or 12% of all children)
Roughly 500,000 children live in the U.S. foster system. About 1/4 of these children are legally available for adoption.
There are over 1.5 million adopted children in the United States
Every 18 seconds another child becomes an orphan
Children who age out of the foster care system at age 18 face a sad future. By their mid-20s less than half will be employed, more than 80% of the men will have been arrested, 68% of the women will receive food stamps, and only 54% will have earned a high school diploma
Children who age out of the orphanage system in Europe at age 14, 15 or 16 face equally bleak futures. 60% of girls will turn to prostitution just to survive; 70% of the boys will end up on the streets or in jail; and 15% of these children will commit suicide within 2 years of leaving the orphanage.
Research has shown that adopted children “consistently thrive in loving homes” (CAFO, 2011, para. 2). Parenting any child is full of challenges, but adopted children are just as likely to thrive as biological children
And for those of you who are not so concrete, I offer this.
One little boy who is waiting for his Mommy and Daddy. Just one of many.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Someone Said...
"Time and experience have taught me a priceless lesson: Any child you take for your own becomes your own if you give of yourself to that child. I have borne two children and had seven others by adoption, and they are all my children, equally beloved and precious."
Dale Evansadoptive parent
Dale Evansadoptive parent
We have had several people ask us if we are sure that we can love a child that is "not our own". I am never sure exactly how to answer this question because I know that before we started the journey to adopt I would not have understood the answer myself. The reality is that AJ is already "ours" and we already love him even though we have never met him! I know this makes absolutely no sense if you think about it logically, but I can tell you with certainty that it is the truth. I cannot explain it, so I am not even going to try!
Friday, November 25, 2011
How about some Black Friday shopping with a purpose?
I will admit that I spent a little time shopping today, although I got up much too late to get the really good deals. I won't tell what I got because I don't want to ruin any surprises!
Over the past few weeks I have discovered some unique gift ideas that will bring a smile to someone's face AND support a great cause. Check them out!
All Are Precious in His Sight -- Our friends the Patterson's are selling some great gear to raise the money to bring their boys home from Eastern Europe. You can take a look at all of the cool things here. If I had any extra money right now, I would definitely be buying one of the decals!
Worldwide Orphans Foundation -- Offers some unique cards that can be used for any occasion. We all need cards for thank you notes, etc. so why not order some that will help make a difference in the life of an orphan?
Angel Covers -- Is it really time to think about sending out Christmas cards already? If you are like me and haven't even thought about it yet, check out the cards on this site. They also have a really neat blanket program. If you purchase a blanket, they will donate one to an orphan overseas.
Glitzy Glass Stars and One Heart Bulgaria -- This glass artwork is absolutely gorgeous! And the best part is that your purchase will help support One Heart Bulgaria's efforts to care for orphans. 3% of any purchase goes to One Heart Bulgaria, and if you scroll toward the bottom of the blog, you will see the special Bulgaria pendants - 50% of these sales goes to OHB!
Reece's Rainbow -- Every family has at least one person who seems to have everything. What in the world do you get them for Christmas? How about Angel Tree Dollars from Reece's Rainbow? You make a donation to Reece's Rainbow and they sent you a certificate for the recipient to "redeem" by choosing an Angel to receive the donation. What better Christmas present than the opportunity to give a child a forever family?
Happy shopping! Buy me something! ;-)
Over the past few weeks I have discovered some unique gift ideas that will bring a smile to someone's face AND support a great cause. Check them out!
All Are Precious in His Sight -- Our friends the Patterson's are selling some great gear to raise the money to bring their boys home from Eastern Europe. You can take a look at all of the cool things here. If I had any extra money right now, I would definitely be buying one of the decals!
Worldwide Orphans Foundation -- Offers some unique cards that can be used for any occasion. We all need cards for thank you notes, etc. so why not order some that will help make a difference in the life of an orphan?
Angel Covers -- Is it really time to think about sending out Christmas cards already? If you are like me and haven't even thought about it yet, check out the cards on this site. They also have a really neat blanket program. If you purchase a blanket, they will donate one to an orphan overseas.
Glitzy Glass Stars and One Heart Bulgaria -- This glass artwork is absolutely gorgeous! And the best part is that your purchase will help support One Heart Bulgaria's efforts to care for orphans. 3% of any purchase goes to One Heart Bulgaria, and if you scroll toward the bottom of the blog, you will see the special Bulgaria pendants - 50% of these sales goes to OHB!
Reece's Rainbow -- Every family has at least one person who seems to have everything. What in the world do you get them for Christmas? How about Angel Tree Dollars from Reece's Rainbow? You make a donation to Reece's Rainbow and they sent you a certificate for the recipient to "redeem" by choosing an Angel to receive the donation. What better Christmas present than the opportunity to give a child a forever family?
Happy shopping! Buy me something! ;-)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Just Waiting...
If you have ever seen the movie "The Incredibles" you might remember a scene where Mr Incredible asks the little boy on a bike "What are you waiting for" and the little boy replies "I dunno, something amazing I guess." That is exactly how I feel right now as we wait (and wait, and wait) to get all of the paperwork in order to submit our I800A to USCIS. We thought we had everything we needed, but it turns out that we needed two more pieces of paperwork to go with it. And now, it is taking forever to get those two pieces. One of them we were told might take 6 months to a year. Seriously?? 6-12 MONTHS to get a piece of paper? I understand government bureaucracy, but this is seriously ridiculous!! Do they not know our son is waiting in an orphanage without his momma and daddy? Our social worker and adoption agency are working to try to move things along, but it is SO frustrating for it to be taking this long when other families have gotten all of the required paperwork in 3-4 WEEKS.
Sigh...
Keep praying that things will start moving so that we can get AJ home!!
Sigh...
Keep praying that things will start moving so that we can get AJ home!!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Thirty-One Fundraiser
Ready to start some Christmas shopping? How about some fashionable AND functional gifts from Thirty-One? Thirty-One is a Christian company that has great bags, baskets and totes in trendy patterns and fabrics.
Our friend Terry is hosting an on-line Thirty-One party for us and donating ALL of her profits to our adoption fund. So you can check off some of that shopping, get yourself a little something, and help bring an orphan home all at the same time. You can’t get better than that! J
To order, visit this link: http://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/eventhome.aspx?eventId=E1223361&from=MYEVENTS
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Mountains are Moving!
God is moving the mountain, boulder by boulder! Our home study has been completed, and the agency in Eastern Europe has told us that there should be no problem with our adoption being approved on their end. The last hurdle that we face is getting our approval to adopt internationally from the USCIS. We will be submitting that package within the next week or so. Please pray that it will land in the hands of exactly the right case worker and that we will receive our approval letter in record time.
The final "mountain" that will need moving is getting the funds we need to bring A.J. home. Adoption is insanely expensive and we are still a long way from having all of the funds we need. Please pray!
The final "mountain" that will need moving is getting the funds we need to bring A.J. home. Adoption is insanely expensive and we are still a long way from having all of the funds we need. Please pray!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Please Pray for Us!
We received some bad news today. News that may mean that we will not be able to bring Allen home. This is a roadblock that only God is going to be able to remove. Please pray that the situation will be resolved and we will be able to bring our little man home.
And please pray that I will be able to trust God that I will be O.K. no matter what the outcome is. I am a complete and total mess tonight. I know it is very hard to understand (because a year ago I wouldn't have understood it either), but once God shows you your son or daughter you immediately fall in love. Facing the possibility of losing them is overwhelming.
Please pray for Allen as he continues to wait for his Momma and Daddy. We are trying so hard to get to you, little man. We love you...
And please pray that I will be able to trust God that I will be O.K. no matter what the outcome is. I am a complete and total mess tonight. I know it is very hard to understand (because a year ago I wouldn't have understood it either), but once God shows you your son or daughter you immediately fall in love. Facing the possibility of losing them is overwhelming.
Please pray for Allen as he continues to wait for his Momma and Daddy. We are trying so hard to get to you, little man. We love you...
Friday, September 2, 2011
The Paths We Travel
We have faced a long list of challenges and setbacks over the 6 months that we have been working on our adoption. Injuries, surgeries, the death of a mother, financial problems, paperwork issues, loss of friendships, and behavioral challenges with our children to name just a few. I was starting to get discouraged with all of the problems that we were facing and honestly had days when I didn't know if I was going to make it through. You know that expression "when it rains it pours"? I felt like I was living that!
Last Sunday all of the kids overslept and we didn't make it to Sunday School, but I just felt like we had to be in the worship service. During the sermon Pastor David made a statement that helped me to put everything in perspective - "You won't come head to head with Satan if you're going the same direction as he is." It was encouraging to me to remember that many of the stumbling blocks we have faced were placed in our path by Satan specifically because we are traveling a path that that directly opposes his. Satan does not want God's plan to be put into action and he will do anything he can to prevent us from doing what God wants us to do. As hard as it is to face these challenges, I can look at them and know that they are there because we have chosen to go God's direction instead of any other direction.
Last Sunday all of the kids overslept and we didn't make it to Sunday School, but I just felt like we had to be in the worship service. During the sermon Pastor David made a statement that helped me to put everything in perspective - "You won't come head to head with Satan if you're going the same direction as he is." It was encouraging to me to remember that many of the stumbling blocks we have faced were placed in our path by Satan specifically because we are traveling a path that that directly opposes his. Satan does not want God's plan to be put into action and he will do anything he can to prevent us from doing what God wants us to do. As hard as it is to face these challenges, I can look at them and know that they are there because we have chosen to go God's direction instead of any other direction.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
"Chunks" of Cash
One thing we discovered very quickly when we started our adoption process was that funds seem to come due in "chunks". You pay a "chunk" to have the home study done, a "chunk" when you complete the agency contract, another "chunk" when you officially commit to your child, and another "chunk" when you submit your USCIS paperwork.
We've gotten to the point in our adoption process when the next bug "chunk" of money will be due. As soon as our "golden ticket" arrives from USCIS we will be submitting our dossier to the country we are adopting from. Along with the paperwork package our next agency payment will be due. After that payment, the "chunks" of money that are due start to get closer together as we move closer to bringing Allen home.
We are starting some new fundraising to raise the first "chunk" of $5,500. We have a lot planned and we are praying that y'all will continue to support us on this crazy journey! We are also applying for several grants, so we would appreciate prayers that those would be approved.
Here is some of what we have planned:
- "That's My Pan" fundraiser
(These are awesome pans, especially if you go to a church that has lots of potlucks!)
- Homemade candy sales
(Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are coming up!)
- Garage Sale
(November 12th - hopefully it will be below 100 degrees by then!)
Stay tuned for more information!!
We've gotten to the point in our adoption process when the next bug "chunk" of money will be due. As soon as our "golden ticket" arrives from USCIS we will be submitting our dossier to the country we are adopting from. Along with the paperwork package our next agency payment will be due. After that payment, the "chunks" of money that are due start to get closer together as we move closer to bringing Allen home.
We are starting some new fundraising to raise the first "chunk" of $5,500. We have a lot planned and we are praying that y'all will continue to support us on this crazy journey! We are also applying for several grants, so we would appreciate prayers that those would be approved.
Here is some of what we have planned:
- "That's My Pan" fundraiser
(These are awesome pans, especially if you go to a church that has lots of potlucks!)
- Homemade candy sales
(Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are coming up!)
- Garage Sale
(November 12th - hopefully it will be below 100 degrees by then!)
Stay tuned for more information!!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Beyond Belief
This is truly mind boggling. How can people possibly treat another human being like this? How can this happen?
This beautiful little girl is ELEVEN years old. She weight TEN pounds. She is so tiny that she fits into an infant bouncy seat. Our children grew out of those by the time they were 6 months old! This precious child has spent her entire life in an orphanage where she has never gotten enough to eat, has very rarely been taken our of her crib, and has not gotten any of the therapy or medical treatment that could have allowed her to be a smiling, laughing, talking, walking, truly living little girl.
And she is not the only one. Reece's Rainbow has information on several children from this same orphanage who are in desperate need of families to love them and give them a chance that they will never have where they are now.
I don't want to believe that this type of thing happens. But it does happen. And it happens much more that anyone would like to think. I want to just close my eyes and pretend that I did not see these pictures, but I can't. I had to share this with you. Just knowing that this type of atrocity is still happening in our world is the first step in winning the war. Together we can make a difference.
This beautiful little girl is ELEVEN years old. She weight TEN pounds. She is so tiny that she fits into an infant bouncy seat. Our children grew out of those by the time they were 6 months old! This precious child has spent her entire life in an orphanage where she has never gotten enough to eat, has very rarely been taken our of her crib, and has not gotten any of the therapy or medical treatment that could have allowed her to be a smiling, laughing, talking, walking, truly living little girl.
And she is not the only one. Reece's Rainbow has information on several children from this same orphanage who are in desperate need of families to love them and give them a chance that they will never have where they are now.
I don't want to believe that this type of thing happens. But it does happen. And it happens much more that anyone would like to think. I want to just close my eyes and pretend that I did not see these pictures, but I can't. I had to share this with you. Just knowing that this type of atrocity is still happening in our world is the first step in winning the war. Together we can make a difference.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Waiting and Wondering
We finally got our FBI clearances so we are ready to submit our paperwork to USCIS (Customs and Immigration) to get our "golden ticket" that officially says we can bring our little man home! This is the last major hurdle before we travel to Eastern Europe. It is very exciting to have come this far, but it is also making the waiting much harder. It's like the last 100 miles of a cross country trip - you have already travelled so far and you know you are almost there, but everyone is tired of travelling and just wants to be there already!
I have found myself wondering a lot about Allen in the past few days. We haven't gotten an update on him since we were approved to adopt him and not knowing how he is doing is starting to make me a little crazy. I watch Eve and Zach (who are both so close to his age) and I wonder. I wonder is he smiling and laughing like Zach does when he sees any of the characters from Disney's Cars? Is he running and jumping like Eve? What does he like to eat? Will he devour yogurt and chili like our other kids? Does he talk non-stop like Eve does or is he a man of few words like Zach? Can he throw a ball across the room, jump off a chair, or even climb the stairs by himself? There is so much we don't know. We don't even know if he is healthy and safe. I am praying that we get an update from the orphanage soon and that our I-800A is processed very quickly so that we can go meet him.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6
He tells us to be anxious about nothing, to trust him for everything, and to bring it all to Him in prayer. And that is what I am trying to do today.
Prayer Requests:
Health and safety for Allen and all of the other orphans around the world and in Eastern Europe specifically
Patience for me (Kelsey) as we continue to wait. Eric is doing much better with the waiting than I am!
The Hays Hills Baptist Church Love the Least Foundation - that God would use us to start a revival in orphan care through Hays Hills
I have found myself wondering a lot about Allen in the past few days. We haven't gotten an update on him since we were approved to adopt him and not knowing how he is doing is starting to make me a little crazy. I watch Eve and Zach (who are both so close to his age) and I wonder. I wonder is he smiling and laughing like Zach does when he sees any of the characters from Disney's Cars? Is he running and jumping like Eve? What does he like to eat? Will he devour yogurt and chili like our other kids? Does he talk non-stop like Eve does or is he a man of few words like Zach? Can he throw a ball across the room, jump off a chair, or even climb the stairs by himself? There is so much we don't know. We don't even know if he is healthy and safe. I am praying that we get an update from the orphanage soon and that our I-800A is processed very quickly so that we can go meet him.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6
He tells us to be anxious about nothing, to trust him for everything, and to bring it all to Him in prayer. And that is what I am trying to do today.
Prayer Requests:
Health and safety for Allen and all of the other orphans around the world and in Eastern Europe specifically
Patience for me (Kelsey) as we continue to wait. Eric is doing much better with the waiting than I am!
The Hays Hills Baptist Church Love the Least Foundation - that God would use us to start a revival in orphan care through Hays Hills
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sad Parallels
On Saturday we went to the Town Lake Animal Shelter in Austin to look at a kitten to bring into our family. The Town Lake Shelter does great work rescuing abandoned animals and finding them new homes, but it works under very tight budget constraints and in an old facility that does not come close to meeting their needs. The paint is peeling everywhere, old doors have been boarded over, supplies and kennels fill up every possible space in the entire facility, the concrete is cracking, and the smells are almost overwhelming. All of this added to the constant din of barking dogs and meowing cats makes it an unsettling place to be.
We spent 4 hours there Saturday afternoon filling out paper work, being approved to adopt, and meeting with our new kitty. Then, when we thought everything was complete and we could bring Yogi home, they told us that he still needed to be neutered and we would have to make another trip to the shelter the next day and fill out the remaining paperwork before we could bring him home.
The whole time we were at the shelter I was very uncomfortable and I just could not figure out why. But as we were leaving I realized what was bothering me. The parallels between our experience in that animal shelter and the reality of adopting a child of God from an orphanage overseas were overwhelming.
- Like that shelter, the vast majority of orphanages are underfunded, sometimes to the point of not having sufficient food for the children.
- Like that shelter, orphanage facilities are old, poorly maintained and simply depressing places to be in.
- Like that shelter, orphanages are filled with children crying out for a forever family to love them the way they deserve to be loved.
- Like the process for our new kitty, adopting internationally requires huge amounts of time and energy to complete the application process.
- Just like adopting Yogi, adopting internationally requires multiple sets of paperwork and several trips before your child can officially become a part of the family and come to his or her new home.
- And just like when we brought Yogi home, for every child who finds a forever family there are dozens upon dozens still waiting. Still crying. Still living their lives in awful places and terrible circumstances.
Just like I wish I could bring every kitty in the Town Lake Shelter home with me, I wish that I could give every orphan in the world a home. All 147 million of them. Obviously, one family can not make that happen. But one family who influences a church, that reaches a town, that educates a state, that changes a government CAN make a huge difference in the lives of these children. And if that one family can influence another family who influences another church, etc. then we can really make a difference!
My heart is just hurting today. I want my son HOME and away from the circumstances that are difficult even in the very best orphanages. I want the number of orphans to start decreasing instead of steadily increasing each year. I want more people to be aware of the orphan crisis both in the U.S. and throughout the world. I want to figure out a way to have a positive influence in the lives of those orphans that we have to leave behind when we bring our son home. And there are so many other things on my heart today...
Please pray for all of the families who are currently going through the adoption process. It it a long, hard road. Please pray for all of the children who are waiting for their families. And please pray that I will have patience and endurance as we continue to wait for all of the boxes to be checked so we can bring Allen home. Thank you!!
We spent 4 hours there Saturday afternoon filling out paper work, being approved to adopt, and meeting with our new kitty. Then, when we thought everything was complete and we could bring Yogi home, they told us that he still needed to be neutered and we would have to make another trip to the shelter the next day and fill out the remaining paperwork before we could bring him home.
The whole time we were at the shelter I was very uncomfortable and I just could not figure out why. But as we were leaving I realized what was bothering me. The parallels between our experience in that animal shelter and the reality of adopting a child of God from an orphanage overseas were overwhelming.
- Like that shelter, the vast majority of orphanages are underfunded, sometimes to the point of not having sufficient food for the children.
- Like that shelter, orphanage facilities are old, poorly maintained and simply depressing places to be in.
- Like that shelter, orphanages are filled with children crying out for a forever family to love them the way they deserve to be loved.
- Like the process for our new kitty, adopting internationally requires huge amounts of time and energy to complete the application process.
- Just like adopting Yogi, adopting internationally requires multiple sets of paperwork and several trips before your child can officially become a part of the family and come to his or her new home.
- And just like when we brought Yogi home, for every child who finds a forever family there are dozens upon dozens still waiting. Still crying. Still living their lives in awful places and terrible circumstances.
Just like I wish I could bring every kitty in the Town Lake Shelter home with me, I wish that I could give every orphan in the world a home. All 147 million of them. Obviously, one family can not make that happen. But one family who influences a church, that reaches a town, that educates a state, that changes a government CAN make a huge difference in the lives of these children. And if that one family can influence another family who influences another church, etc. then we can really make a difference!
My heart is just hurting today. I want my son HOME and away from the circumstances that are difficult even in the very best orphanages. I want the number of orphans to start decreasing instead of steadily increasing each year. I want more people to be aware of the orphan crisis both in the U.S. and throughout the world. I want to figure out a way to have a positive influence in the lives of those orphans that we have to leave behind when we bring our son home. And there are so many other things on my heart today...
Please pray for all of the families who are currently going through the adoption process. It it a long, hard road. Please pray for all of the children who are waiting for their families. And please pray that I will have patience and endurance as we continue to wait for all of the boxes to be checked so we can bring Allen home. Thank you!!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
And the winner is....
We ended up with a total of 21 entries for the gift card giveaway, with $16 donated, 3 face book posts and 2 blog posts. Thank you so much to all of you who shared our story and donated to our fund! We are constantly humbled by the number of people who are facing their own challenges or in the middle of their own adoption journey and still step out to support us. We are blessed to have you as part of our lives.
I entered the numbers into http://www.random.org/ and the winner of the $50 gift card is Becca T.! I'll be contacting her tonight.
Thanks again for the amazing support. Hopefully we'll be posting soon to say that our dossier is on it's way to Eastern Europe!
I entered the numbers into http://www.random.org/ and the winner of the $50 gift card is Becca T.! I'll be contacting her tonight.
Thanks again for the amazing support. Hopefully we'll be posting soon to say that our dossier is on it's way to Eastern Europe!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
A Big Step Forward
We (finally) got the news that our petition to the Ministry of Justice in Allen's country has been approved!! We are officially going to be his Momma and Daddy! Yaaaaayyyyy!
I wish I could say that was the last step and we could bring him home now, but that was really just the first step. It means that he has been removed from the list of children available for adoption and is "ours" but we still have a ways to go.
The next step will be sending in our dossier to the government. This includes our I800A from the USCIS that shows that we have been approved to adopt internationally, our home study, multiple background checks, letters of employment and more. Once the dossier is reviewed we will receive our court date and can travel for our first trip to meet Allen and do the court proceedings to initiate the adoption. Then we will have to wait about 2 months to travel back to Eastern Europe to finalize the adoption, get his visa and bring him home.
It is a long road but we have taken one huge step!
I wish I could say that was the last step and we could bring him home now, but that was really just the first step. It means that he has been removed from the list of children available for adoption and is "ours" but we still have a ways to go.
The next step will be sending in our dossier to the government. This includes our I800A from the USCIS that shows that we have been approved to adopt internationally, our home study, multiple background checks, letters of employment and more. Once the dossier is reviewed we will receive our court date and can travel for our first trip to meet Allen and do the court proceedings to initiate the adoption. Then we will have to wait about 2 months to travel back to Eastern Europe to finalize the adoption, get his visa and bring him home.
It is a long road but we have taken one huge step!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Only Two Entries for the Giveaway So Far...
We've only had two people enter our giveaway. :-(
You may not think that posting our story on your blog or your facebook page can help, but getting the word out about our adoption can be a huge help. And if you have a few dollars to spare it will help so much in getting Allen home.
So how do you enter??
1) Share our blog on facebook (1 entry)
2) Share our story and blog on your blog (1 entry)
3) Donate to our tax deductible fund on Reece's Rainbow by clicking the link to the left (1 entry for each dollar donated)
Please leave a comment if you do any of the above so that I will know who to enter in the drawing. Please help us get Allen home!!
You may not think that posting our story on your blog or your facebook page can help, but getting the word out about our adoption can be a huge help. And if you have a few dollars to spare it will help so much in getting Allen home.
So how do you enter??
1) Share our blog on facebook (1 entry)
2) Share our story and blog on your blog (1 entry)
3) Donate to our tax deductible fund on Reece's Rainbow by clicking the link to the left (1 entry for each dollar donated)
Please leave a comment if you do any of the above so that I will know who to enter in the drawing. Please help us get Allen home!!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Gift Card Give Away!!
We have a $50 Target gift card to give away!
All entries will be entered on a spread sheet to assign them a number and the winner of the gift card will be chosen using http://www.random.org/. Entries need to be received by midnight on Sunday June 26th. We will enter the numbers and announce the lucky winner on Monday, June 27th.
So how do you enter??
1) Share our blog on facebook (1 entry)
2) Share our story and blog on your blog (1 entry)
3) Donate to our tax deductible fund on Reece's Rainbow by clicking the link to the left (1 entry for each dollar donated)
Please leave a comment if you do any of the above so that I will know who to enter in the drawing. Thank you again for all of your help in getting Allen home!
All entries will be entered on a spread sheet to assign them a number and the winner of the gift card will be chosen using http://www.random.org/. Entries need to be received by midnight on Sunday June 26th. We will enter the numbers and announce the lucky winner on Monday, June 27th.
So how do you enter??
1) Share our blog on facebook (1 entry)
2) Share our story and blog on your blog (1 entry)
3) Donate to our tax deductible fund on Reece's Rainbow by clicking the link to the left (1 entry for each dollar donated)
Please leave a comment if you do any of the above so that I will know who to enter in the drawing. Thank you again for all of your help in getting Allen home!
Friday, May 27, 2011
A good mistake and an update
Sometimes I am glad that I made a mistake! It is not often, but it does happen. :-)
I was looking at the figures from the other day when I calculated the expenses and thinking that something just wasn't right. I finally realized that I counted the expenses for the in country facilitators twice, so the actual amount we need to be fully funded is really $24,000 instead of $36,000! I feel like we just got a big check in the mail. It is still a lot of money, but somehow $24,000 seems much more manageable than $36,000.
Right now we are waiting to get all of our police clearances back. We already have our Texas clearances, but we are still waiting on the New York and FBI clearances. Our home study can't be officially approved until we have the FBI clearances so we are in a holding pattern until those come in.
Once we have the official home study we can submit for our USCIS approval and once that is done all we have to do is send in the dossier! We are getting closer and closer, one small step at a time.
Once the home study is complete we can also start applying for grants and loans. We are anxious to be able to do this so that we will have a better idea of how much we will still need to raise to get our little man home.
Keep praying!
I was looking at the figures from the other day when I calculated the expenses and thinking that something just wasn't right. I finally realized that I counted the expenses for the in country facilitators twice, so the actual amount we need to be fully funded is really $24,000 instead of $36,000! I feel like we just got a big check in the mail. It is still a lot of money, but somehow $24,000 seems much more manageable than $36,000.
Right now we are waiting to get all of our police clearances back. We already have our Texas clearances, but we are still waiting on the New York and FBI clearances. Our home study can't be officially approved until we have the FBI clearances so we are in a holding pattern until those come in.
Once we have the official home study we can submit for our USCIS approval and once that is done all we have to do is send in the dossier! We are getting closer and closer, one small step at a time.
Once the home study is complete we can also start applying for grants and loans. We are anxious to be able to do this so that we will have a better idea of how much we will still need to raise to get our little man home.
Keep praying!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
More Answered Prayer!
A while back I posted about Kiril's family's struggles to bring him home after a judge in his country denied his adoption. Many of us have been praying for hearts to be changed and Kiril's adoption to be approved and today his adoption was finalized. Kiril is coming home!! Praise God for answered prayer!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
That was a no good idea!
"That was a no good idea!" is Eve's way of saying "I don't think I should have done that!".
Tonight I decided I should sit down and figure out how much money we have spent so far on the adoption, and how much we have left to spend. Now I am saying "That was a no good idea!" I have just sent myself into a state of shock that may take a while to recover from!
The total cost to get Allen home will be about $41,000. We have already spent a total of $5,000 on various fees and paperwork. That leaves a grand total of $36,000 left to go. Gulp!
Deep breath! Deep breath! This is going to be OK!
I KNOW that God will provide the funds for this to happen. But in my humanness I wish that all $36,000 was already sitting in the bank just waiting for us to need it to pay the next expense on the list.
I have been praying about the possibility of adopting two little ones and after seeing these numbers and realizing that we will most likely never be able to afford to do this again I am praying even harder. The extra cost to adopt a second child from the same orphanage would be about $1,500 (which is just the medical clearance, visa, and transportation home). It makes my mind say "Why not just spend the extra $1,500 now and rescue two?" Compared to doing the entire process all over again in a few years to the tune of $41,000 it seems like a logical question.
Prayer requests:
That God will move mountains and provide the $36,000 that we still need to go get our little boy!
That God would clearly and specifically reveal His will if we are supposed to pursue bringing home Texas Jakubauskas #8.
Tonight I decided I should sit down and figure out how much money we have spent so far on the adoption, and how much we have left to spend. Now I am saying "That was a no good idea!" I have just sent myself into a state of shock that may take a while to recover from!
The total cost to get Allen home will be about $41,000. We have already spent a total of $5,000 on various fees and paperwork. That leaves a grand total of $36,000 left to go. Gulp!
Deep breath! Deep breath! This is going to be OK!
I KNOW that God will provide the funds for this to happen. But in my humanness I wish that all $36,000 was already sitting in the bank just waiting for us to need it to pay the next expense on the list.
I have been praying about the possibility of adopting two little ones and after seeing these numbers and realizing that we will most likely never be able to afford to do this again I am praying even harder. The extra cost to adopt a second child from the same orphanage would be about $1,500 (which is just the medical clearance, visa, and transportation home). It makes my mind say "Why not just spend the extra $1,500 now and rescue two?" Compared to doing the entire process all over again in a few years to the tune of $41,000 it seems like a logical question.
Prayer requests:
That God will move mountains and provide the $36,000 that we still need to go get our little boy!
That God would clearly and specifically reveal His will if we are supposed to pursue bringing home Texas Jakubauskas #8.
Family Fun this Saturday!
If you are looking for something to do this weekend come join the Patterson Family for their Boss Your Heart Memorial Benefit and Team Roping Event!
Here are some of the details in case you can't read the flyer:
Saturday, May 21st
10a.m. - 5 p.m.
Hays County Civic Center
Spectator admission is free
Lots of family friendly activities (bounce house, horse rides, bake sale, games, etc.)
Roping books open at 10a.m. and roping starts at 11a.m.
Don't even ask me what all of the roping details mean, I have NO idea! Remember I grew up in New York! LOL
All of the proceeds from the benefit will be used to start the Patterson's new non-profit Boss Your Heart Orphan Ministries!
We'll be out there with our crew. Come join us for the fun!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Answered Prayers
On Monday Eric went to the Fed Ex office to send off our first packet of documents to Europe. I had expected it to be a little expensive, but when he came home and told me it was $103 I almost fell over! I had a mini-panic attack thinking "Oh My! How many times are we going to have to do this?" I was seriously thinking we might have to do a fundraiser just to cover postal services!
A little while after he got home I went through the things I still had in my bag from the day before. Several people had very kindly given us checks or cash at church and I still had those in my bag to go through. Guess how much the donations totaled? $103!!!!!
God is so good! And He has a sense of humor.
A little while after he got home I went through the things I still had in my bag from the day before. Several people had very kindly given us checks or cash at church and I still had those in my bag to go through. Guess how much the donations totaled? $103!!!!!
God is so good! And He has a sense of humor.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Signatures and Notaries and Apostilles, Oh My!!
I knew there was going to be a lot of paperwork involved in getting our adoption done, and after 15 years in the Air Force I am used to bureaucracy but I am in shock at how much time we have spent compiling documents over the last 5 days.
Every item we sign has to be notarized. Then, if it is going overseas, it needs to go to the State Department to be apostilled (which is basically the Federal government certifying that the notary is true and accurate). Thank goodness we are so close to Austin and can get the apostilles done in person. If we had to mail them in and wait to get them back I would probably lose my mind!
And as if making the documents official wasn't complicated enough we have to go through not one, not two, but three separate fingerprints sessions and police checks! I have a military security clearance, but I still have to have my background checks done. Geesh! I am beginning to think that everyone wants a "piece of the pie" so to speak. Why should Texas and New York let us use the FBI clearance we have done when they can charge us some money and make us do it again? Sorry to be cynical, but I am just a little frustrated with this process!!
Please pray that everything will go smoothly and we will be able to get our dossier compiled very quickly. I want to get Allen home FAST!
Every item we sign has to be notarized. Then, if it is going overseas, it needs to go to the State Department to be apostilled (which is basically the Federal government certifying that the notary is true and accurate). Thank goodness we are so close to Austin and can get the apostilles done in person. If we had to mail them in and wait to get them back I would probably lose my mind!
And as if making the documents official wasn't complicated enough we have to go through not one, not two, but three separate fingerprints sessions and police checks! I have a military security clearance, but I still have to have my background checks done. Geesh! I am beginning to think that everyone wants a "piece of the pie" so to speak. Why should Texas and New York let us use the FBI clearance we have done when they can charge us some money and make us do it again? Sorry to be cynical, but I am just a little frustrated with this process!!
Please pray that everything will go smoothly and we will be able to get our dossier compiled very quickly. I want to get Allen home FAST!
Friday, April 29, 2011
So Very Excited!
We have officially been "matched" with a gorgeous little guy in Europe. Based on the medical information that we have gotten we are fairly certain that he has something called Kartagener Syndrome. With this diagnosis the longer he goes without highly skilled treatment the more risk he has of suffering permanaent damage to his lungs, so we are very anxious to get him home as soon as we can.
So, when can we bring him home? The answer depends on several factors:
1) How quickly we can get the dossier compiled and sent to his country. Believe me when I say we will be doing this as fast as humanly possible because now that he is "ours" I can't stand the thought of him sitting in an orphanage for even one day longer than he has to!
2) How quickly the various governments involved process the paperwork. We don't have any control over this one.
3) How quickly we can raise the funds we need to travel to Europe to complete the court paperwork and then bring him home. Won't you consider a donation to help us get him home quickly? If you click on our family page on Reece's Rainbow (Allen for the Jakubauskas Family - Buda, Texas) you can make a tax deductible donation that will go directly to Allen's adoption costs.
Let's get Allen home!
So, when can we bring him home? The answer depends on several factors:
1) How quickly we can get the dossier compiled and sent to his country. Believe me when I say we will be doing this as fast as humanly possible because now that he is "ours" I can't stand the thought of him sitting in an orphanage for even one day longer than he has to!
2) How quickly the various governments involved process the paperwork. We don't have any control over this one.
3) How quickly we can raise the funds we need to travel to Europe to complete the court paperwork and then bring him home. Won't you consider a donation to help us get him home quickly? If you click on our family page on Reece's Rainbow (Allen for the Jakubauskas Family - Buda, Texas) you can make a tax deductible donation that will go directly to Allen's adoption costs.
Let's get Allen home!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Catered Dinner, Child Care and a Concert for FREE??
I am just SO overwhelmed by the way God has been working over the last two days! I posted a few days ago about our Love the Least Adoption Dinner Party on May 14th. We had planned to charge $25 per ticket in order to be able to cover the cost of the event and raise a small amount for our adoption. Since that time God has arranged everything so that all of the costs of the event will be covered so that we can offer the tickets for FREE!!
Everyone can come join us for awesome food, amazing music and a chance to learn more about adoption (both domestic and international) and it won't cost anything! Even the child care is free! Anyone (like us!) been looking for an inexpensive date night? How does FREE sound?
I imagine that at this point you're asking "So how are you going to raise any money if tickets are free?" We are planning a silent auction with some amazing items, and we are praying that some of those who attend will be able to make a small donation during the event. We will also have our 147 Million Orphans gear available to order that night.
I am very, very excited about this evening. If you attended the HHBC Taste of Christmas event in December of 2010 you had Cheryl's food and know that it is
amazing, and Brett McDonald's band Theophany is awesome too. It is going to be a wonderful night!
Please help us get the word out by sharing this post on your blog, posting on face book, tweeting about it, sending an e-mail about it, or telling your friends and family. We would love to fill the church and let the world (or at least Hays County!) learn about how to help orphans!
Everyone can come join us for awesome food, amazing music and a chance to learn more about adoption (both domestic and international) and it won't cost anything! Even the child care is free! Anyone (like us!) been looking for an inexpensive date night? How does FREE sound?
I imagine that at this point you're asking "So how are you going to raise any money if tickets are free?" We are planning a silent auction with some amazing items, and we are praying that some of those who attend will be able to make a small donation during the event. We will also have our 147 Million Orphans gear available to order that night.
I am very, very excited about this evening. If you attended the HHBC Taste of Christmas event in December of 2010 you had Cheryl's food and know that it is
amazing, and Brett McDonald's band Theophany is awesome too. It is going to be a wonderful night!
Please help us get the word out by sharing this post on your blog, posting on face book, tweeting about it, sending an e-mail about it, or telling your friends and family. We would love to fill the church and let the world (or at least Hays County!) learn about how to help orphans!
Friday, April 22, 2011
The Need is Big, But GOD is Bigger!!
Sometimes the need for adoptive families overwhelms me. I get upset that there are so many requirements that prevent our family from adopting certain kiddos who are in desperate need of a family. My heart hurt today when I read about this little girl in Haiti who needs a family to adopt her NOW. Like all teenage girls she has hopes and dreams for her future. But without a family to commit to her the only future she will have is living on the streets and doing desperate things just to survive. She deserves so much better. If you are paperwork ready to adopt internationally or know someone who is, please read about her.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Save the Date! Adoption Dinner Party!
Love the Least Adoption Dinner Party!
Saturday, May 14th
6PM - 9PM
Hays Hills Baptist Church - 1401 N. FM 1626 in Buda
Featuring:
Music by Theophany
Catered Dinner by Cheryl Bailey Catering
Silent Auction (items include a 1 hour massage, a photo shoot package, pearl earrings, and more)
FREE Child Care
Tickets are only $25
Anyone who donates an item for the silent auction will receive either one half price ticket to the dinner or a buy one get one free deal for two tickets.
We are hoping that this will be a big fund raiser for us. And we are going to need the funds very soon! Stay posted for a big announcement in the next few days. ;-)
Saturday, May 14th
6PM - 9PM
Hays Hills Baptist Church - 1401 N. FM 1626 in Buda
Featuring:
Music by Theophany
Catered Dinner by Cheryl Bailey Catering
Silent Auction (items include a 1 hour massage, a photo shoot package, pearl earrings, and more)
FREE Child Care
Tickets are only $25
Anyone who donates an item for the silent auction will receive either one half price ticket to the dinner or a buy one get one free deal for two tickets.
We are hoping that this will be a big fund raiser for us. And we are going to need the funds very soon! Stay posted for a big announcement in the next few days. ;-)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Not worthy of a family??
Tesney's story of their family's struggles to adopt Kiril from Russia literally made me sick to my stomach. The judge in this region denied his adoption based only on the fact that he has Down's syndrome. I really do not understand how anyone could possibly think that ANY child could be better off in an institution than in a loving family experienced in caring for special needs children and with access to all of the needed services and treatments. This judge's decision will doom Kiril to life in an institution like this one - if we let it. This fight is not just about Kiril, but about each and every special needs child waiting for a forever home. Join me in praying for this family and sharing their story. Let's help get Kiril home and set a precedent for the adoption of special needs children from this region of Russia!!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Penny Pinching
As we entered into this process we were both a little uncomfortable with the idea of asking others to help us with our adoption expenses, but at the same time we knew it was the only way to make this adoption a reality. We also knew that God is faithful to provide the funds when He calls you to do something, so we stepped out in faith to start our fundraising.
Along with our fundraising efforts we have worked hard to decrease our monthly spending to be able to put aside as much as we could toward the expenses. With a family of six and mom staying home to homeschool the finances can get a bit tight even when you're not trying to finance an international adoption! But we have tried to cut back where we can and I have become diligent about using coupons and shopping the sales. I've even started to enjoy the challenge of finding the best deals. Eric laughs at me when I come home and gloat about how much I was able to save!
I thought I would share a few of my favorite ideas for penny pinching:
Target - You can save a lot by "stacking" Target coupons with manufacturers coupons. Just make sure you don't add that cute throw pillow into your cart when you're there for the deals! :)
Coupon Cravings - This was the first website I found when I started couponing and it is a great place to start. Check out her list of other blogs also!
Coupons.com and Smart Source - On-line coupons are great. You don't have to subscribe to the paper to get them and they often have really high value coupons for things like diapers.
CVS and Walgreens - If you use the weekly adds and combine coupons with the money back offers that they have you can save a lot of money! You have to make sure that you shop the stores consistently so that your rewards don't go to waste though. Coupon Cravings has a good introduction to how to play the "drug store game" if you'd like to learn more.
Happy coupon clipping!
Along with our fundraising efforts we have worked hard to decrease our monthly spending to be able to put aside as much as we could toward the expenses. With a family of six and mom staying home to homeschool the finances can get a bit tight even when you're not trying to finance an international adoption! But we have tried to cut back where we can and I have become diligent about using coupons and shopping the sales. I've even started to enjoy the challenge of finding the best deals. Eric laughs at me when I come home and gloat about how much I was able to save!
I thought I would share a few of my favorite ideas for penny pinching:
Target - You can save a lot by "stacking" Target coupons with manufacturers coupons. Just make sure you don't add that cute throw pillow into your cart when you're there for the deals! :)
Coupon Cravings - This was the first website I found when I started couponing and it is a great place to start. Check out her list of other blogs also!
Coupons.com and Smart Source - On-line coupons are great. You don't have to subscribe to the paper to get them and they often have really high value coupons for things like diapers.
CVS and Walgreens - If you use the weekly adds and combine coupons with the money back offers that they have you can save a lot of money! You have to make sure that you shop the stores consistently so that your rewards don't go to waste though. Coupon Cravings has a good introduction to how to play the "drug store game" if you'd like to learn more.
Happy coupon clipping!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Letting God Decide
I want to start by apologizing for be so negligent in posting to the blog! I can't believe that it has been almost a month since I last posted, but so much has been happening in our home that I have allowed this to become a low priority. I've had to have my foot surgically repaired not once, but twice in the last month and being on crutches has made everything much more complicated than usual!
We have spent much time in prayer over the last month as we sought God's will for our adoption. I found myself becoming very frustrated as I read about other family's moments of realizing that a certain child was meant to be theirs. Why were we not having that same feeling??
Last week we thought that God was leading us to a certain child and asked for prayer that God would reveal His will in that situation. He did that by very clearly closing the doors that would have made that adoption possible. Then this week we found a beautiful little girl in Bulgaria who we felt very drawn toward. Eric asked me to contact our adoption coordinator about her and I had just finished doing that when I decided to enter her name into a Google search to see if I could find out what it meant in Bulgarian. That search led me to The Heaston Family blog . When I saw this little cutie's picture pop up on their blog my heart sank. I was thrilled that another family was working toward adopting her, but I was SO disappointed! When was God going to show us who our child was going to be? (BTW, check out the rest of The Heaston's blog. They have some great information and thoughts on adoption)
For some reason I have felt as if the "right" way to approach adoption was to search the listings of waiting children and wait for God to tell me which one was "ours". For some reason I resisted the more usual route of waiting for a referral from the agency. {Traditionally the way an adoption works is that your are approved to adopt with the home study and other required paperwork. Then the agency you are working with takes your information and looks for children who fit into the criteria that they have your family approved for (e.g. age of the child, if you have a gender preference, if you are able to accept children with special needs and if so what severity of needs you are capable of caring for, etc.). Once they find a child(ren) that matches they will send you a referral that includes pictures and detailed information about the child if it is available. Then you have several weeks to review the information and decide whether you want to accept the referral and move forward with the adoption.}. To me it felt as if waiting for a referral was letting someone else choose our child for us. It never occurred to me that God might use the social workers at the agency to show our child to us! I know, I'm a little limited in my thinking sometimes!
I have had so many wonderful opportunities to see and feel God at work over the last few years and it was amazing to see him at work again over the last week. After several times of Him telling us "No, that one is not meant to be yours." I have finally realized that God is planning to work in a different way than I expected. We will be submitting our paperwork and initial fees to the agency tomorrow and asking for a referral.
Please pray that the child(ren) that the agency refers for us will be the exact child(ren) that God has planned for us and that we will know that these children were chosen by Him to be part of our family. We are so thankful for your prayers as we ride the roller coaster of emotions called adoption!
We have spent much time in prayer over the last month as we sought God's will for our adoption. I found myself becoming very frustrated as I read about other family's moments of realizing that a certain child was meant to be theirs. Why were we not having that same feeling??
Last week we thought that God was leading us to a certain child and asked for prayer that God would reveal His will in that situation. He did that by very clearly closing the doors that would have made that adoption possible. Then this week we found a beautiful little girl in Bulgaria who we felt very drawn toward. Eric asked me to contact our adoption coordinator about her and I had just finished doing that when I decided to enter her name into a Google search to see if I could find out what it meant in Bulgarian. That search led me to The Heaston Family blog . When I saw this little cutie's picture pop up on their blog my heart sank. I was thrilled that another family was working toward adopting her, but I was SO disappointed! When was God going to show us who our child was going to be? (BTW, check out the rest of The Heaston's blog. They have some great information and thoughts on adoption)
For some reason I have felt as if the "right" way to approach adoption was to search the listings of waiting children and wait for God to tell me which one was "ours". For some reason I resisted the more usual route of waiting for a referral from the agency. {Traditionally the way an adoption works is that your are approved to adopt with the home study and other required paperwork. Then the agency you are working with takes your information and looks for children who fit into the criteria that they have your family approved for (e.g. age of the child, if you have a gender preference, if you are able to accept children with special needs and if so what severity of needs you are capable of caring for, etc.). Once they find a child(ren) that matches they will send you a referral that includes pictures and detailed information about the child if it is available. Then you have several weeks to review the information and decide whether you want to accept the referral and move forward with the adoption.}. To me it felt as if waiting for a referral was letting someone else choose our child for us. It never occurred to me that God might use the social workers at the agency to show our child to us! I know, I'm a little limited in my thinking sometimes!
I have had so many wonderful opportunities to see and feel God at work over the last few years and it was amazing to see him at work again over the last week. After several times of Him telling us "No, that one is not meant to be yours." I have finally realized that God is planning to work in a different way than I expected. We will be submitting our paperwork and initial fees to the agency tomorrow and asking for a referral.
Please pray that the child(ren) that the agency refers for us will be the exact child(ren) that God has planned for us and that we will know that these children were chosen by Him to be part of our family. We are so thankful for your prayers as we ride the roller coaster of emotions called adoption!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Yeah!!
We were so excited to receive our first cash donation toward our adoption expenses this week. This one small step seems like it has brought us much closer to our goal! We appreciate those of you who have donated cash or items for our garage sale. You are truly a blessing to our family as well as to "the least of these". THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
147 Million Orphans Gear Sale!!
We are selling shirts and necklaces from 147 Million Orphans as part of our fundraising for our adoption from Bulgaria.
We have the following items available:
Youth Long Sleeve Tee - Blue ($17)
Youth Long Sleeve Tee - Pink ($17)
Toddler Short Sleeve Tee - Mint ($15)
Toddler Short Sleeve Tee - Pink ($15)
Men's Brown Tee - ($20 - available only through adopting families!)
Women's White Tee - ($20 - available only through adopting families!)
Long Sleeve Vintage Rugged Grey Tee - ($25)
Fancy Baseball Tee with Cream body and Black Sleeves ($40)
Handmade Ugandan Magazine Beads - ($20)
You can view pictured of the items at the 147 Million Orphans webpage, however if you want to order an item please e-mail me (kjakubauskas@austin.rr.com) so that we will get the fundraising credit! If you order directly from the website we will not recive any fundraising $. Thanks!!
We have the following items available:
Youth Long Sleeve Tee - Blue ($17)
Youth Long Sleeve Tee - Pink ($17)
Toddler Short Sleeve Tee - Mint ($15)
Toddler Short Sleeve Tee - Pink ($15)
Men's Brown Tee - ($20 - available only through adopting families!)
Women's White Tee - ($20 - available only through adopting families!)
Long Sleeve Vintage Rugged Grey Tee - ($25)
Fancy Baseball Tee with Cream body and Black Sleeves ($40)
Handmade Ugandan Magazine Beads - ($20)
You can view pictured of the items at the 147 Million Orphans webpage, however if you want to order an item please e-mail me (kjakubauskas@austin.rr.com) so that we will get the fundraising credit! If you order directly from the website we will not recive any fundraising $. Thanks!!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Mazes and Connect the Dots
Parts of your adoption journey have felt like we were real life players in children’s pencil and paper games. In the beginning, it often seemed like we were in the middle of a maze. We would go down one path (often running in our excitement) only to discover that that path ended in a dead end. Then we would turn back, find the main route again and continue along until the path again ended and we had to reroute yet again. We had dead ends that said “Haiti”, “Foster to Adopt”, “Russia” and others.
Needless to say, this was a frustrating experience as we were going through it. But in retrospect we can clearly see that all of those twists and turns in the maze were in God’s plan. We had to work our way through the maze to begin to clearly see exactly where God was leading us.
Once we were firmly on the path that God had chosen, He began to give us a series of events that made one of our dear friends say “He’s just connecting the dots for you!” Now it seems as if we’ve completed the maze and are starting a “connect the dots” that will create a picture of our future child!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Prayer Request
We have the home visit portion of our home study tomorrow morning. Please pray that all will go well!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Over the past months as we have asked for prayer and wise counsel about our adoption journey I have had several people ask "Why would you bother to adopt internationally when there are children right here that you can adopt for free?". This is a question that is not easily answered, in general or for our family. We have considered doing a foster to adopt program but do not believe that this is the right option for our family for a number of reasons (explaining all of that will have to be another post).
So, why should people spend the equivalent of the cost of a new vehicle (or more) to rescue children from orphanages or group homes in another country? Check out this post from the Malone Family and I think you may start to understand why.
Yes, children in the United States need loving forever families too! But the reality is that while living in foster homes and being under the guardianship of the state is far from ideal, these children do not face the deplorable conditions and absolute lack of love that children in overseas institutions do.
Won't you please pray about supporting a family's adoption? We would love for you to support our adoption plans (I'll have a chip in link posted again soon), but if you don't please consider a donation to another family or an organization such as Reese's Rainbow or Project Hopeful that advocate for orphans.
So, why should people spend the equivalent of the cost of a new vehicle (or more) to rescue children from orphanages or group homes in another country? Check out this post from the Malone Family and I think you may start to understand why.
Yes, children in the United States need loving forever families too! But the reality is that while living in foster homes and being under the guardianship of the state is far from ideal, these children do not face the deplorable conditions and absolute lack of love that children in overseas institutions do.
Won't you please pray about supporting a family's adoption? We would love for you to support our adoption plans (I'll have a chip in link posted again soon), but if you don't please consider a donation to another family or an organization such as Reese's Rainbow or Project Hopeful that advocate for orphans.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Starting at Step One Again?
It has been a tumultuous 2 weeks in our lives. Soon after we confirmed with our adoption agency that we wanted to adopt from Haiti and had them send us the contract to sign Eric started having serious reservations about the adoption. I thought that the reality of signing the contract had given him cold feet, but it turns out he was hearing God much more clearly than I was! We prayed and talked and prayed some more. And even though I had been certain at the beginning that we were supposed to be adopting from Haiti I too started to have doubts.
We finally did what we should have done at the beginning and sought wise counsel and what we discovered made us realize why God had put those doubts in our minds. Thankfully we listened to what He was saying, because I believe that it prevented us from being in a very difficult situation. The end result of the last 2 weeks of confusion and prayer? We are right back where we started (almost). We still don't know where we are supposed to be adopting from.
Please pray with us that God would clearly reveal his plan for our adoption. We believe that we have an idea where he is leading, but we thought that about Haiti too :-/ so please join us in prayer that His will would be so obvious that even WE can understand!
We finally did what we should have done at the beginning and sought wise counsel and what we discovered made us realize why God had put those doubts in our minds. Thankfully we listened to what He was saying, because I believe that it prevented us from being in a very difficult situation. The end result of the last 2 weeks of confusion and prayer? We are right back where we started (almost). We still don't know where we are supposed to be adopting from.
Please pray with us that God would clearly reveal his plan for our adoption. We believe that we have an idea where he is leading, but we thought that about Haiti too :-/ so please join us in prayer that His will would be so obvious that even WE can understand!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Another Step Forward!
We finally received our agency contract today and have taken a big step forward in our process. We now know where we will be adopting from! Drum roll please. The answer is ---------
Haiti!
The new member of our family will not look at all like our other children, which will be a huge change for us. As those of you who know us well can testify all four of our bio kids look enough alike to be twins if they were the same age. Several people have actually mistaken our youngest two (who are only 11 months apart) for twins! We've already talked with the older ones about the difficulties and prejudices we may face being a mixed race family.
I am on a mission to learn as much about Haiti and interracial adoption as I can in the next few days. I'll share some of the highlights with you as I go along.
Prayer Requests for Today:
1) That God would clearly reveal the child he has chosen for us both to the agency staff and to us.
2) That we would be prepared to meet our new little one's needs emotionally as he grows up in a family that doesn't look like him and doesn't share his cultural background.
Haiti!
The new member of our family will not look at all like our other children, which will be a huge change for us. As those of you who know us well can testify all four of our bio kids look enough alike to be twins if they were the same age. Several people have actually mistaken our youngest two (who are only 11 months apart) for twins! We've already talked with the older ones about the difficulties and prejudices we may face being a mixed race family.
I am on a mission to learn as much about Haiti and interracial adoption as I can in the next few days. I'll share some of the highlights with you as I go along.
Prayer Requests for Today:
1) That God would clearly reveal the child he has chosen for us both to the agency staff and to us.
2) That we would be prepared to meet our new little one's needs emotionally as he grows up in a family that doesn't look like him and doesn't share his cultural background.
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