I love Christmas! I love the holiday season and this year is a special one.  It will be our last as a family of 3.  We are so excited to welcome Kenzie into our forever family and we cannot wait until she is home with us.....but God has been working on my heart.  I realize that I need to live in today.  God holds the future and as much as I want to figure it out....mold it into my desires....or plan it on my own.  If I truly trust in an almighy God that means I have to trust in Him in EVERYTHING...not just when it is convienent for me. 

This has been so hard with our adoption process to Kenzie.  It is so easy to compare our case to other cases.  To wonder why "they are moving" and we are not.  But just in the past week God has began to show me exactly what has been going on.  We have received very positive news for THOGL and how our process is going.  We still do not know exactly when God will allow us to bring Kenzie home...but we have hope.  Just a few weeks ago I was in a really bad spot.  I was crying out to God, pleading, and begging Him to give me answers.  He did!  It wasn't the timing that I wanted...but He gave us answers! 

Several have asked when we will get to bring Kenzie home after court.  At this point we have no idea.  We asked THOGL what they thought and they gave us their opinion but they also do not know. For the majority of the couples who are home it has taken 2 months after their court appearance to bring  home their baby or get their first decree.  One couple actually took 3 months.  But because our process is being done a bit different we have been told our "long" waiting was done before court (10 weeks) so we remain very positive that it will be in God's perfect timing.  We know we will lose a week during Feburary because of Chinese New Year.  But we are praying that the Lord will show us favor and process everything before that week (this is very wishful thinking). 

Kenzie will be 5 months in 6 days!!!  We had hoped to have her home by 6 months.  At this point we know that, that will not happen.  But that's okay!  God has given us a huge peace about her age. 

We are so thankful for this time in our life and we know that God has us exactly where He wants us!  We know that it is going to be so hard to leave Kenzie...but we also know that God will reunite us very soon and when that day comes we will give HIM all the glory!

Good news today! 

Ted emailed this morning.  The courts sent notice that our court appointment is on Jan. 11 at 9:30am which is Jan. 10 7:30pm Joplin time.  So please set your clocks, calendars, and alarms to be praying for us during that time!  We are unsure if Kenzie's birth mom will meet us at court or come to THOGL first and ride with us to court.  But we are very excited, anxious, and nervous for that meeting.  We want God to be glorified and for Him to give us the words to say to her.  We are forever indebted to her and the precious gift she has given us.  So please pray for her as well.  We know that this will be a very hard time for her.

Several friends who are adopting from THOGL are having hold ups in their cases.  The judge and social workers seem to be moving very slowly right now.  Please pray for them and that they will not get discouraged in their waiting.  God's timing is perfect and it is so hard to understand that some times.  Please also pray that the judge and social worker will work through our case rapidly.  As Chinese New Year approaches in Feb. we are hoping that they judge will want to process as many cases as possible before that date....if not it could set us back a week or two.  We are still praying to have her home in March.  We were told that is very realistic and actually it could be even sooner because of paperwork that has already been completed towards our case.  We pray this is true.  It would be so much fun to have Kenzie at Kyler's 6th birthday party...which is March 16! 

Thank you for your continued prayers!  We feel them and know God hears them! May HE be given all the glory and praise through this process!

3 weeks from today we leave to meet our precious baby girl!  We are so excited!   This weekend Richard and I had an all day date day in Springfield, MO and Branson, MO.  It was so great to get a away, finish Christmas shopping and just spend some time together dreaming about the future and setting family goals.  While we were shopping we did find a super cute outfit that we are going to take over to Kenzie for a mini photo shoot!  I will be so excited to share those pictures....

Speaking of pictures....you all have been patient long enough. 

Here is our precious Kenzie Ann Mei-En Jett  (4 months old)

 

 

A few things we have learned about Kenzie:

*She is a great sleeper

*She doesn't like her bottle at first but once she realizes what it is she is a great eater

*She is VERY loved by several of the workers (they aren't "allowed" to have favorites...wink, wink)

*She loves to cuddle

*She giggles, rolls, and is begininng to sit up

 

 

Hang on baby girl......mommy and daddy are coming!

Going private....

Richard and I decided that we are going to make our blog private until we get Kenzie home!  We want this blog to be a place that we can update you all as we prepare to go to Taiwan and while we are in Taiwan.  It is much easier for you all to go to one place to read our updates than for us to send out individual messages! 

Thank you so much for your support and prayers as we have been on this journey!  We COULD NOT do it without you!

Much Love,
Tiffany

Over the weekend I watched the movie October Baby.....um....5 stars.  Words cannot even begin to express how this movie made me feel.  I loved every second of it....I am so thankful for the writers and that God nudged them to create a movie that touches on an issue that is hard....but so needs to be shared.  So grab a box of Kleenex and watch it if you haven't.  You will be blessed.


Thanksgiving....
I have so much to be thankful for this holiday season.  God has truly blessed me this year and I am so thankful for this year.  It was a year that started out a bit rough...but God has redeemed the situation and allowed something so beautiful to come from it.  Maybe one day I will share that full story.

The only sad thing this year was that on Thanksgiving I was in bed....yep....the stomach virus hit me hardcore and I was throwing up every 2 hours.  I am still struggling to get back on my feet...but hoping tomorrow I can get back at it.  The laying in bed and "thinking" is not always good for me.  But Richard and Ky had a great time with my family and I was able to join them for a few hours over the weekend.  Good side.....I didn't gain a pound....I actually lost 5 pounds in the past 4 days from being sick.

There are some BIG changes happening in the Jett household over the next few months and we will be excited to share those with you as they come.....for now....we just ask for your prayers.  God is doing some amazing things and we love seeing His plans come together.

Much Love.....

***DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE POST BELOW>>>>SHOP WITH A PURPOSE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!***

Shopping with a Purpose...

I LOVE Christmas!
and
I LOVE Adoption!
So this year....I am shopping with a purpose and I challenge YOU to do the same.  As you begin to make your Christmas list think about checking out these sites! You will not only be getting your shopping done BUT you will also help bring a child home to their forever family!  It is a win, win!


One of my dear, dear friends owns a little business called Lil Bees. She specialize in little girl items....so if you have a little girl in your life...you MUST place an order!  100% of the profits made from Lil Bees goes towards the adoption of their second child.  (The below picture features a romper and headband/bow that you can purchase in her shop right now!)

I meet Beth through the Give1Save1 Blog!   I immediately feel in love with her work.   The below picture is just one of the many precious little girls she has painted!  You can customize with a scripture or a saying that fits your precious little child.  Check out her custom artwork at ArtisticAdoption

Lindsay with Lindsay Lou Creations creates some of the most beautiful crochet items I have ever seen!  All the money that is raised from her items goes towards their adoption from the DRC. 

Hannah James is a small business committed to raising money for adoption and for orphans!  The owner Desiree is passionate about helping couples adopt and bring their children home!  If you love unique jewelry....you will love Hannah James

Sew Cute and Crafty is full of  adorable personalized Christmas stockings, onesies, shirts, dresses, and more!  100% of the proceeds from Sew Cute and Crafty go towards their adoption!

Get You Here was a shirt created by Natalie.   She and her husband are on a HUGE journey right now! They are in the process of adopting TWINS from Africa.  They have created this amazing shirt and all proceeds go towards their adoption and bringing their boys home!  (I have the shirt and LOVE LOVE LOVE it!)

The team at Worthy of the Prize are HUGE supporters of adoption.  They help couples who are adopting raise money to bring their precious babies home!  Check out their full website and shop their store!  I LOVE their wristlet keychains.

These are just a few of my favorites! Please check these sites out and don't forget this holiday season....

SHOP WITH A PURPOSE!!!!

Love,
Tiffany

 

Orphans

2 billion Christians...
132 million orphans...
If the church arose each child could be provided for 15 times over.

What will YOU do?
November 4...Orphan Sunday...YOU can make a difference!

I am so passionate about adoption and about orphan care.  Long before Richard and I realized that we would grow our family through adoption we wanted to adopt.  It was actually something we talked about on our very first date.  So thankful he felt the same wasy as I did because that could have been a deal breaker ;)  But God knew what He was doing! 

My life has been so blessed through adoption.  I think about Kyler and the gift his bio mother gave to us.  I think about our future child(ren) and the gift they will be to our family. 

You can make a difference. 
Here is my challenge for you:

First Challenge:
Give a financial gift of any amount (it can be $5, $10, $20, $100) towards someone you know that is adopting.  That might mean you don't get your weekly Starbucks or you dont take your family through the drive thru.  We ALL have places that we can cut back.  I know that the times in my life when I have given financially towards helping someone adopt have been the times that God has blessed my family in huge ways!  Money is very tight for Richard and I right now but I PROMISE to you that I will also complete this challenge.  **If you do not know of a family that is currently adopting please contact me and I can give you a couple of names** 

Second Challenge:
Pray about adopting, fostering, or being involved in your local orphan care ministry.  Adoption and fostering can be very scary but their are so many people that have done it....you will instantly be a part of a new family just by taking a step of faith.   

God will use you....He will break your heart for the Fatherless.  God commands us to take care of the orphans.  Will you do your part?

Celebrate life with me......celebrate the life of an orphan being able to have a forever family!