...a plan comes together??????
One week ago I had the privilege of introducing two of my best friends! Jen and Shannon. I love these two girls so much! Jen and I met in high school and Shannon and I met when we both adopted our first children from Taiwan. Recently God has meshed these two friendships together! Jen and Shannon are both currently adopting from Africa so we all had dinner together last week so they could talk process, travel, country and etc. Because of my friendship with both gals I was the lucky one that got to tag along!
We talked about so many "cool" things. We prayed, dreamed, and hoped for our families. We cried, got frustrated, and pleaded that things would come together soon. As we sat there for 4 hours (I think our husbands started to wonder if we were ever coming home) "Inter Country Adopt-Joplin" was born.
"Inter Country Adopt-Joplin":
We have just started out as a facebook page but hope that it will turn into so much more! We want a safe place for families in the Joplin area to connect, chat, cry, plea for prayer, and experience life with other families who have also adopted. But most importantly we want a place where we can connect our precious adopted children. In the one week since this website has been born we have 43 members who have adopted from or are currently adopting from China, Ethiopia, Taiwan, Ghana, DR-Congo, and Vietnam. ISN'T GOD AWESOME???!??!
We aren't sure where this group is going to lead, but we are excited to see! We are planning a BIG event for the Fall 2013 and possible smaller events between now and then. Plus I was just contacted by "Inter Country Adopt-Springfield" about doing an event together! So cool!!
If you want to know more about Jen's adoption journey click here.
If you want to know more about Shannon's adoption journey click here.
If you want to know more about my adoption journey......stay tuned :)
Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Are you spring cleaning?? Help us out! We are trying to raise as much money as possible on our May 5 garage sale! We will take anything and will come pick it up!!
Our new goal is to raise $750 at this sale!
If you want to stop by we will be open from 7am-(until I get tired...haha!) If you need directions to our house send me an email or FB message!
We will have men and women's clothing, men and women shoes, accesories, boy clothing (up to 3T), shoes (up to size 9 toddler), TOYS, some furniture, home decorative items, strollers, car seats, and TONS of misc. items!! Most items are name brand and very gently used!!
Come check it out and help us raise money for our next adoption :)
Our new goal is to raise $750 at this sale!
If you want to stop by we will be open from 7am-(until I get tired...haha!) If you need directions to our house send me an email or FB message!
We will have men and women's clothing, men and women shoes, accesories, boy clothing (up to 3T), shoes (up to size 9 toddler), TOYS, some furniture, home decorative items, strollers, car seats, and TONS of misc. items!! Most items are name brand and very gently used!!
Come check it out and help us raise money for our next adoption :)
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
So I promise I am not avoiding this blog.....well....wait....that's a lie....maybe I am. I really want to post news but I can't yet. So you will all just have to be patience! :) *Welcome to the adoption world where patience is a 4 letter word*. Let's just say we could possibly have some BIG news on the horizon but we are waiting on an email....so until I get that email my lips are sealed (unless you are one of the "chosen" few who I bare my soul too).
I am just asking that you PRAY! Please pray for us and for God's will to be done. I hope to post soon.....
Love you all!
I am just asking that you PRAY! Please pray for us and for God's will to be done. I hope to post soon.....
Love you all!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
We are slowly moving towards a final decision on how to proceed (country/agency) in our adoption journey. We have gotten some confirmation that a couple of places are not going to work out for us (we dont meet the criteria) and then we have also gotten confirmation that a couple of places are not good fits for our family. We will hopefully have a definite decision by next week.
May 5 we will be holding our first fundraiser for our new adoption journey. We will be having a garage sale. I have known many people in the past who have done garage sales and have not had a lot of success but we are hoping to raise at least $500. If you live in the Joplin area and have some stuff laying around your house that you would be willing to donate towards our garage sale we would appreciate is so much (and gladly come get it!) Let us know!!!!!
As we begin our journey our dear friends, the Chase's, are very close to finishing up their journey! We are asking that you please pray for them! Their adoption journey has been LONG and hard. They are in the process of waiting for their second travel date so they can bring home their precious (and I PROMISE he is precious) baby boy! We would love for them to be able to travel to get him the week of May 20! That is 5 1/2 weeks away!! God can make ALL THINGS possible! So will you please committ to praying for their family every day until they bring there son home??? Read about their journey here.
I will continue to keep you all updated! Thank you for joining us on this journey! God is good and we give him ALL the PRAISE and GLORY!
May 5 we will be holding our first fundraiser for our new adoption journey. We will be having a garage sale. I have known many people in the past who have done garage sales and have not had a lot of success but we are hoping to raise at least $500. If you live in the Joplin area and have some stuff laying around your house that you would be willing to donate towards our garage sale we would appreciate is so much (and gladly come get it!) Let us know!!!!!
As we begin our journey our dear friends, the Chase's, are very close to finishing up their journey! We are asking that you please pray for them! Their adoption journey has been LONG and hard. They are in the process of waiting for their second travel date so they can bring home their precious (and I PROMISE he is precious) baby boy! We would love for them to be able to travel to get him the week of May 20! That is 5 1/2 weeks away!! God can make ALL THINGS possible! So will you please committ to praying for their family every day until they bring there son home??? Read about their journey here.
I will continue to keep you all updated! Thank you for joining us on this journey! God is good and we give him ALL the PRAISE and GLORY!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Adoption Update...
Many people have asked us about our adoption journey....where are we in the process.....how much money do we need....are we still adopting from Taiwan?? So in light of so many questions I decided to give a brief update of what is going on...
The Process: We are currently praying about where God wants us to adopt from. We are 99.9% sure that we are supposed to proceed with another international adoption but we just don't know where from yet. We have narrowed it down to 3-4 countries and are specifically praying about each one and that God will guide us in the direction he wants us to go!
The Money: We are still taking donations, but currently not fundraising until God shows us where we should adopt from (each country/agency has different costs). We know that this adoption will cost us anywhere from $20,000-$30,000. The money part is VERY VERY VERY scary for us but a friend just told me on Friday night that "if money is the only thing holding you up from another adoption....then that should not be an excuse....God will provide". We are trying to put money into savings each month for a second adoption and we are currently getting our rear-ends busted by Dave Ramsey (to become debt free) but we will still need help from our faithful family and friends! But more to come on that later :)
Taiwan: No, we will not be adopting from Taiwan again. (That is a sentence I never-EVER thought I would write.) The Taiwanese government is changing laws and making international adoptions very hard. Three agencies that we contacted about adoptions in Taiwan sent us letters saying that we need to pursue other options because at this time international adoptions from Taiwan are very unclear. We have both been "mourning" the news about Taiwan but are beginning to feel that it is EXACTLY what God wants for our family! So our mourning is turning into excitement about the future!
So that is where we are at....I am excited for the day that I can announce where our second child will be adopted from....but until then we will continue to pray (and ask you to join with us) for God's guiding and direction!
The Process: We are currently praying about where God wants us to adopt from. We are 99.9% sure that we are supposed to proceed with another international adoption but we just don't know where from yet. We have narrowed it down to 3-4 countries and are specifically praying about each one and that God will guide us in the direction he wants us to go!
The Money: We are still taking donations, but currently not fundraising until God shows us where we should adopt from (each country/agency has different costs). We know that this adoption will cost us anywhere from $20,000-$30,000. The money part is VERY VERY VERY scary for us but a friend just told me on Friday night that "if money is the only thing holding you up from another adoption....then that should not be an excuse....God will provide". We are trying to put money into savings each month for a second adoption and we are currently getting our rear-ends busted by Dave Ramsey (to become debt free) but we will still need help from our faithful family and friends! But more to come on that later :)
Taiwan: No, we will not be adopting from Taiwan again. (That is a sentence I never-EVER thought I would write.) The Taiwanese government is changing laws and making international adoptions very hard. Three agencies that we contacted about adoptions in Taiwan sent us letters saying that we need to pursue other options because at this time international adoptions from Taiwan are very unclear. We have both been "mourning" the news about Taiwan but are beginning to feel that it is EXACTLY what God wants for our family! So our mourning is turning into excitement about the future!
So that is where we are at....I am excited for the day that I can announce where our second child will be adopted from....but until then we will continue to pray (and ask you to join with us) for God's guiding and direction!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Our "Stuff"
You know that feeling....that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you realize that life isn't going to work out how you had planned? Surely you know it? We have all had those moments in our life where it seems like everything is going to change and all we know to do is "hold on tight" because it might get bumpy.
Not gonna lie. These past several months have been so hard and full of change. I seriously have felt like I have taken one blow after another.
First it was my marriage.....Richard and I went through something that shook us to the core....we didn't know if we could or would survive. But because of GOD'S GRACE and a whole lotta' prayer and forgiveness we are on the mend. Second was my health.....I have been on this stinkin' health journey for way to long and just a few weeks ago got news that wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear. Third was career changes for my hubby (more on that in a future post) and me going back to work full time. And fourth was our journey to another baby. Changes that we never saw coming, news we never thought we would hear, and for the first time uncertainity as to what God has planned for our family. To say that these last several months have been hard.....would be the understatement of the year. Just the other day my sister asked me "How do you do it? How can one person experience so much pain yet still smile and keep on going?" My response to her (through my tears)....."I just figure God has something amazing planned for me and my family and one day he will use this messed up girl as a testimony for HIS GLORY." I can't imagine going through all of this just so that I can keep it to myself. I don't know when that time will come or who will listen....but God has a plan. His plan may not be revealved to me the way I WANT....but isn't that called faith? We must have faith in all circumstances....even the ones that literally bring us to our knees.
I am not sure why I wrote this post. Maybe because I just want to get it all off my chest or maybe because someone else needs to hear that they are not alone. We all have "stuff". It is no fun to deal with "stuff". But the cool thing....God can use that "stuff" for a bigger purpose. Not too long ago a dear friend said this to me.
"God can redeem any situation and make it into something beautiful"
Let God redeem you! Run to him. Let Him be your comfort, your stronghold, your security. Life (especially the Christian life) isn't going to be easy, we are going to get kicked in the gut, have the wind knocked out of us. Satan is going to do anything and everything he can to bring you (us) down. He doesn't care what it takes or who it effects. Whether it is your marriage, your health, your career, or your adoption journey.
"Let go and Let God!!"
Not gonna lie. These past several months have been so hard and full of change. I seriously have felt like I have taken one blow after another.
First it was my marriage.....Richard and I went through something that shook us to the core....we didn't know if we could or would survive. But because of GOD'S GRACE and a whole lotta' prayer and forgiveness we are on the mend. Second was my health.....I have been on this stinkin' health journey for way to long and just a few weeks ago got news that wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear. Third was career changes for my hubby (more on that in a future post) and me going back to work full time. And fourth was our journey to another baby. Changes that we never saw coming, news we never thought we would hear, and for the first time uncertainity as to what God has planned for our family. To say that these last several months have been hard.....would be the understatement of the year. Just the other day my sister asked me "How do you do it? How can one person experience so much pain yet still smile and keep on going?" My response to her (through my tears)....."I just figure God has something amazing planned for me and my family and one day he will use this messed up girl as a testimony for HIS GLORY." I can't imagine going through all of this just so that I can keep it to myself. I don't know when that time will come or who will listen....but God has a plan. His plan may not be revealved to me the way I WANT....but isn't that called faith? We must have faith in all circumstances....even the ones that literally bring us to our knees.
I am not sure why I wrote this post. Maybe because I just want to get it all off my chest or maybe because someone else needs to hear that they are not alone. We all have "stuff". It is no fun to deal with "stuff". But the cool thing....God can use that "stuff" for a bigger purpose. Not too long ago a dear friend said this to me.
"God can redeem any situation and make it into something beautiful"
Let God redeem you! Run to him. Let Him be your comfort, your stronghold, your security. Life (especially the Christian life) isn't going to be easy, we are going to get kicked in the gut, have the wind knocked out of us. Satan is going to do anything and everything he can to bring you (us) down. He doesn't care what it takes or who it effects. Whether it is your marriage, your health, your career, or your adoption journey.
"Let go and Let God!!"
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