I had an extended time of being alone with the Lord late last night while all was quiet in the house. What a gift. God spoke to me and I heard His voice. He caused me to focus on the cross. He cleared my vision. He straightened my thoughts. He poured out His Spirit. He reminded me that "it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."
Why do I so often forget this perfect truth and instead choose to live in my own strength, all the while knowing that there is a better way? The Spirit of the living Lord is alive within me, promising me victory, strength, truth, hope, and joy. Hallelujah! It is no longer I who live. It is Christ who lives in me!
It is His punishment that has brought me peace. It is his wounds that have healed me. (Isaiah 53)
Thank you to any one who may have prayed for me last night. God was listening.
Good news today! We received the first draft of our homestudy. This was sooner than we had anticipated, although I had been praying we would receive it by today - and we did! We will now make revisions to it and then it will be sent off to All God's Children for their review. The waiting list is getting closer and closer! All in God's perfect timing.
"I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." Galations 2:20
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
What's a Blog For?
Tom's meeting with his boss today went very well. Tom felt very encouraged afterwards. His boss was quite interested in our whole process. He is taking the cost analysis sheets to the other co-owners of the company to discuss it with them. It is our prayer that the company's budget and the owners' hearts would be opened to help support us in some way. So, we will keep praying for this and hope to hear back from him soon.
I guess I'm not quite sure how to use this blog. I want to update those who love us and are wanting to pray for us and to follow the steps of our journey. But, I feel funny about putting my personal thoughts, dreams, and struggles out there for people just to read. I keep my own private journal and write it all there. But, how much do I share with people "out there". I admit that I over-analyze things. I know that the written word can be interpreted wrongly. People can be offended. People may judge me. People may not understand my thoughts and emotions and they may not accept them. I really don't like to be vulnerable - at all. That's why this whole blog thing is hard for me.
At the same time, I have been helped and encouraged by reading other adoptive families thoughts, hopes, fears, dreams, and struggles. They have ministered to me. They have lifted me up when I'm down. They have given me much to pray about. They have allowed me to enter into other's joys and pains and lift them up to the Father. It is my hope that by sharing some of our story, others might be inspired to start praying about adoption. Others may think for the first time about supporting the orphan. And, so I write, but carefully and thoughtfully - hopefully honestly and helpfully.
All this to say, I have struggled about whether to share what I have been going through recently. My emotions have been ALL over the place. I alternate between excitement, anticipation, joy - and fear (actually terror), doubt, worries, and anxiety. I seem near to tears at any moment. I feel that my faith is so weak. I am disappointed in myself. I don't like the way I have responded to some things. I feel selfish. God is truly revealing some things in me that I don't like and I know they don't bring Him glory. Sometimes, I feel like I don't even recognize myelf. This is stretching me. Much farther than I even anticipated. I knew it would. But I didn't realize how much. And, for Pete's sake, we're not even on the waiting list yet! If I'm struggling this much now, how will I ever cope when they get here??
I read this quote last night: "The process of adopting a child takes more courage than you think you have, offers more self-knowledge than you think you want, and reassembles your characteristics into someone familiar, but changed." - Jana Wolff That summed it up for the way I was feeling when I read it.
It's safe to say that I have been under attack. The enemy of my soul wants to destroy me. He always has. Our family has been experiencing some hard things as well. Tom and I recognize what is happening. Satan surely does not want our family to take this step of faith. He wants the orphans to stay orphans. He does not want them to know the love of God or to hear of how Jesus died for them.
Don't be worried. We are not looking back. It's not that at all. It's just that it's hard right now. So, pray for me. Pray for my faith to grow. Pray that when it is tested, it will come forth pure and refined. I guess the benefit of vulenerability is to have increased prayers offered for me. That's a good trade-off.
I guess I'm not quite sure how to use this blog. I want to update those who love us and are wanting to pray for us and to follow the steps of our journey. But, I feel funny about putting my personal thoughts, dreams, and struggles out there for people just to read. I keep my own private journal and write it all there. But, how much do I share with people "out there". I admit that I over-analyze things. I know that the written word can be interpreted wrongly. People can be offended. People may judge me. People may not understand my thoughts and emotions and they may not accept them. I really don't like to be vulnerable - at all. That's why this whole blog thing is hard for me.
At the same time, I have been helped and encouraged by reading other adoptive families thoughts, hopes, fears, dreams, and struggles. They have ministered to me. They have lifted me up when I'm down. They have given me much to pray about. They have allowed me to enter into other's joys and pains and lift them up to the Father. It is my hope that by sharing some of our story, others might be inspired to start praying about adoption. Others may think for the first time about supporting the orphan. And, so I write, but carefully and thoughtfully - hopefully honestly and helpfully.
All this to say, I have struggled about whether to share what I have been going through recently. My emotions have been ALL over the place. I alternate between excitement, anticipation, joy - and fear (actually terror), doubt, worries, and anxiety. I seem near to tears at any moment. I feel that my faith is so weak. I am disappointed in myself. I don't like the way I have responded to some things. I feel selfish. God is truly revealing some things in me that I don't like and I know they don't bring Him glory. Sometimes, I feel like I don't even recognize myelf. This is stretching me. Much farther than I even anticipated. I knew it would. But I didn't realize how much. And, for Pete's sake, we're not even on the waiting list yet! If I'm struggling this much now, how will I ever cope when they get here??
I read this quote last night: "The process of adopting a child takes more courage than you think you have, offers more self-knowledge than you think you want, and reassembles your characteristics into someone familiar, but changed." - Jana Wolff That summed it up for the way I was feeling when I read it.
It's safe to say that I have been under attack. The enemy of my soul wants to destroy me. He always has. Our family has been experiencing some hard things as well. Tom and I recognize what is happening. Satan surely does not want our family to take this step of faith. He wants the orphans to stay orphans. He does not want them to know the love of God or to hear of how Jesus died for them.
Don't be worried. We are not looking back. It's not that at all. It's just that it's hard right now. So, pray for me. Pray for my faith to grow. Pray that when it is tested, it will come forth pure and refined. I guess the benefit of vulenerability is to have increased prayers offered for me. That's a good trade-off.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Prayer Updates
I know a few of you are reading this who want to be updated with prayer needs. I mentioned last week that Tom would be having a meeting with his boss tomorrow, Friday. That has been changed and is now scheduled for Monday at 2:00. It would mean so much to us to have your prayer covering that meeting.
Tom was able to drop off all of our paperwork for our home study yesterday. They told us we should have the first draft next week sometime. Please pray that the homestudy is done in a timely fashion and that we can forward it on to our agency very soon!
Your prayer support means so much to us. Thank you!
Tom was able to drop off all of our paperwork for our home study yesterday. They told us we should have the first draft next week sometime. Please pray that the homestudy is done in a timely fashion and that we can forward it on to our agency very soon!
Your prayer support means so much to us. Thank you!
More Thoughts on Orphan Crisis
As I've been thinking and praying about what is going on in Haiti and the immediate response to want to reach out and help - it has raised some serious questions in my mind.
Why does it take a massive crisis to cause people to act? Why does it take something like the absolutely incredible disaster in Haiti to get the news media to pay attention to human suffering? And why do our hearts open wide in the stark face of this disaster, but normally we keep them tightly closed up and safe from caring for the needy around us. I ask myself those questions. They are questions I need to think deeply about.
There are almost 150 million orphans in this world - RIGHT NOW!! If there are so many people who are willing to open their homes immediately to adoption in the wake of a massive natural disaster - why not open our homes now to the millions of orphans who are most definitely experiencing their own natural disaster.
Millions of orphans are starving to death, without parental care, without proper shelter, without proper love. Why not adopt these orphans? Why wait for the next natural disaster to move our hearts to compassion?
I am praying that God uses this current crisis to open many hearts to the need for adoption right now all around this world, including our own country. I pray that God opens my heart to the needs around me and that I act. God adopted me and saved me from my helpless state of complete hopelessness. May I be willing to do the same.
Why does it take a massive crisis to cause people to act? Why does it take something like the absolutely incredible disaster in Haiti to get the news media to pay attention to human suffering? And why do our hearts open wide in the stark face of this disaster, but normally we keep them tightly closed up and safe from caring for the needy around us. I ask myself those questions. They are questions I need to think deeply about.
There are almost 150 million orphans in this world - RIGHT NOW!! If there are so many people who are willing to open their homes immediately to adoption in the wake of a massive natural disaster - why not open our homes now to the millions of orphans who are most definitely experiencing their own natural disaster.
Millions of orphans are starving to death, without parental care, without proper shelter, without proper love. Why not adopt these orphans? Why wait for the next natural disaster to move our hearts to compassion?
I am praying that God uses this current crisis to open many hearts to the need for adoption right now all around this world, including our own country. I pray that God opens my heart to the needs around me and that I act. God adopted me and saved me from my helpless state of complete hopelessness. May I be willing to do the same.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Haitian Orphan Crisis
As all of you know, the situation is Haiti is unthinkable right now. Our hearts are aching for all involved, and especially for the most helpless of all - the orphans. We have found out that there is an organization in Indianapolis called Safe Families that has been given permission to place some of these orphans for adoption immediately with Indianapolis families. This is the only place this is happening! You can read about it here.
The amazing thing is, that so many families responded immediately just from the Indy area, that it appears there are more than enough families to place the orphans arriving here shortly. They received thousands of applications and, within one day's time, they are already no longer receiving any more applications from families wanting and willing to adopt. Wow.
What an amazing testimony of God's love outpoured on the helpless and needy. That so many families in a relatively small geographic area would respond immediately to open their homes and change their families forever just causes me to rejoice. Praise the Lord! Please be in prayer for this whole situation - that the orphans could be transported safely and quickly, for their physical health, their emotional health, and the families that are preparing for such a huge life change in a very short time. May God get the glory!
Update: As of now, there is a pool of adoptive families that are ready and waiting. It remains to be seen when and if they can transport some of the orphans from Haiti to Indpls. Please pray that this will happen and that it will be able to happen quickly. There are many details that need to be worked out.
The amazing thing is, that so many families responded immediately just from the Indy area, that it appears there are more than enough families to place the orphans arriving here shortly. They received thousands of applications and, within one day's time, they are already no longer receiving any more applications from families wanting and willing to adopt. Wow.
What an amazing testimony of God's love outpoured on the helpless and needy. That so many families in a relatively small geographic area would respond immediately to open their homes and change their families forever just causes me to rejoice. Praise the Lord! Please be in prayer for this whole situation - that the orphans could be transported safely and quickly, for their physical health, their emotional health, and the families that are preparing for such a huge life change in a very short time. May God get the glory!
Update: As of now, there is a pool of adoptive families that are ready and waiting. It remains to be seen when and if they can transport some of the orphans from Haiti to Indpls. Please pray that this will happen and that it will be able to happen quickly. There are many details that need to be worked out.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Reports, Pants, Conversations, and Fingerprints
Have I mentioned that God is good? He is so good. He is so good.
All things have been ironed out so that we can deliver the last of our homestudy documents to our agency tomorrow!! What a joy it will be to drop those off and be done with that part of the paperwork! Anyone want to come over and party with us? Well, let's wait until the report is written up and make sure we pass. :-)
My sis-in-law, Leah, gave us a gift today. She ministered to us in a special way. She took my youngest out shopping and bought her four pairs of pants. She knows that we are on the adoption budget - and that Eva needs new pants. So, she did something about it. It brings tears to my eyes. And, as a bonus, I got rare one-on-one time with my special little niece, Ellie, while they were out shopping. Thank you, sweet sis!
At ballet tonight, God sent me more encouragement through a friend from our homeschool co-op. We had a chance to talk while the girls were in class. She adopted a little girl from Vietnam about three years ago, I think. She had great insight and advice to give me. She told me to start praying now that when we go to pick these kids up, they will know that we are their family. That they will know they belong to us. She said they prayed that for their little girl and that she bonded with them immediately and just knew that her place was with them - even though that is a very unusual reaction for a young child in an orphanage. Will you please add that to your prayer list as well? Thanks for taking the time to share with me, Michelle.
When we were fingerprinted for our FBI check with our homestudy agency, we were told that they had just started to do the fingerprinting a new way. We scheduled our fingerprinting appointment right away, went in the next week, and received FBI clearances very quickly. We have since come to realize that that is not the case for most. There are many families with our agency who are waiting three months for this clearance. They cannot submit their dossier or get on the waiting list until that is complete. We did not realize at the time what a gift it was that our agency had just very recently switched to a new method of doing this. We are so thankful. We see once again God's sovereign hand on our whole process. At the same time, we are praying for those families who have been waiting so long.
Have you noticed how many friends we have who have adopted internationally and domestically? And there are many more that have not been mentioned here yet. We are so thankful for their support, their prayers, their example, and their faithfulness. It is a wonderful thing to know those who have gone before us. They have shown us how to care for the "least of these".
"Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for he who is least among you, this is the one who is great." Luke 9:48
All things have been ironed out so that we can deliver the last of our homestudy documents to our agency tomorrow!! What a joy it will be to drop those off and be done with that part of the paperwork! Anyone want to come over and party with us? Well, let's wait until the report is written up and make sure we pass. :-)
My sis-in-law, Leah, gave us a gift today. She ministered to us in a special way. She took my youngest out shopping and bought her four pairs of pants. She knows that we are on the adoption budget - and that Eva needs new pants. So, she did something about it. It brings tears to my eyes. And, as a bonus, I got rare one-on-one time with my special little niece, Ellie, while they were out shopping. Thank you, sweet sis!
At ballet tonight, God sent me more encouragement through a friend from our homeschool co-op. We had a chance to talk while the girls were in class. She adopted a little girl from Vietnam about three years ago, I think. She had great insight and advice to give me. She told me to start praying now that when we go to pick these kids up, they will know that we are their family. That they will know they belong to us. She said they prayed that for their little girl and that she bonded with them immediately and just knew that her place was with them - even though that is a very unusual reaction for a young child in an orphanage. Will you please add that to your prayer list as well? Thanks for taking the time to share with me, Michelle.
When we were fingerprinted for our FBI check with our homestudy agency, we were told that they had just started to do the fingerprinting a new way. We scheduled our fingerprinting appointment right away, went in the next week, and received FBI clearances very quickly. We have since come to realize that that is not the case for most. There are many families with our agency who are waiting three months for this clearance. They cannot submit their dossier or get on the waiting list until that is complete. We did not realize at the time what a gift it was that our agency had just very recently switched to a new method of doing this. We are so thankful. We see once again God's sovereign hand on our whole process. At the same time, we are praying for those families who have been waiting so long.
Have you noticed how many friends we have who have adopted internationally and domestically? And there are many more that have not been mentioned here yet. We are so thankful for their support, their prayers, their example, and their faithfulness. It is a wonderful thing to know those who have gone before us. They have shown us how to care for the "least of these".
"Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for he who is least among you, this is the one who is great." Luke 9:48
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Too Much Information
That's how I've felt this past week. After taking six online training courses and filling out a very detailed workbook for our adoption agency, I feel inundated with information. Don't get me wrong - I am a knowledge hound. I love to research. I love to learn. I am planning on being very intellectually prepared for all that is coming. My issue is this: the focus on all that could possibly go wrong. I must admit that I was feeling very discouraged this week. The joy was draining away to be replaced with a vague sense of dread and unease.
The information we were getting was good. But it focuses on what could go wrong and only presented us with worldly solutions. There is a place for that for sure. But I hope and pray our first response to hard issues will be spiritual. One course we took suggested that if we are experiencing depression after the adoption, we should sign up for a joke of the day e-mail! Okay. That ain't gonna work. I mean, humor is important - you know I believe that, but I need the LORD when I'm feeling down! Tom and I had a good laugh over that one. If only it were that simple.
I had a visit from a good friend on Friday. I just love God's timing. He knew I was discouraged and he sent me help at just the right time in the form of Amy. Amy is a friend that I met in my newlywed days. We don't get to talk often anymore, and we see each other even more rarely. But we when we do see each other, it's like no time has passed. Amy adopted a 2-1/2 year old boy from China three years ago and just adopted a 7-year-old girl from China five months ago, both with health issues. She shared so honestly from her heart about the difficulties and the joys that they have faced. Some of the things she said spoke directly to my fears and concerns - that I had not even voiced to her. I love how God does that! I felt encouraged after she left. I felt hopeful again. Thank You, God. He knows my needs and He meets them.
Tom and I have learned a lot this week and we're thankful for that. We feel more prepared and more able to see adoption through our kids' eyes. We have decided that we will prepare, but not over-prepare. We will deal with things as they come up - with God's strength and with His provision and wisdom. Just like we do with the kids we already have. I have peace with that.
Our reference letters were all completed this week. Thank you to all who blessed us by doing this! We are now ready to submit all the paperwork on Tuesday to complete our homestudy!! Please pray that our homestudy is written up quickly and that it is accurate the first time and does not need revisions. It's hard to believe that we could only be a few weeks away from getting on the waiting list!
Also, Tom's boss requested that Tom schedule a meeting to discuss the adoption process and costs more in depth. That will be happening this Friday. Please pray for that meeting. I am praying for God to do more than we can ask or imagine. Will you do the same?
The information we were getting was good. But it focuses on what could go wrong and only presented us with worldly solutions. There is a place for that for sure. But I hope and pray our first response to hard issues will be spiritual. One course we took suggested that if we are experiencing depression after the adoption, we should sign up for a joke of the day e-mail! Okay. That ain't gonna work. I mean, humor is important - you know I believe that, but I need the LORD when I'm feeling down! Tom and I had a good laugh over that one. If only it were that simple.
I had a visit from a good friend on Friday. I just love God's timing. He knew I was discouraged and he sent me help at just the right time in the form of Amy. Amy is a friend that I met in my newlywed days. We don't get to talk often anymore, and we see each other even more rarely. But we when we do see each other, it's like no time has passed. Amy adopted a 2-1/2 year old boy from China three years ago and just adopted a 7-year-old girl from China five months ago, both with health issues. She shared so honestly from her heart about the difficulties and the joys that they have faced. Some of the things she said spoke directly to my fears and concerns - that I had not even voiced to her. I love how God does that! I felt encouraged after she left. I felt hopeful again. Thank You, God. He knows my needs and He meets them.
Tom and I have learned a lot this week and we're thankful for that. We feel more prepared and more able to see adoption through our kids' eyes. We have decided that we will prepare, but not over-prepare. We will deal with things as they come up - with God's strength and with His provision and wisdom. Just like we do with the kids we already have. I have peace with that.
Our reference letters were all completed this week. Thank you to all who blessed us by doing this! We are now ready to submit all the paperwork on Tuesday to complete our homestudy!! Please pray that our homestudy is written up quickly and that it is accurate the first time and does not need revisions. It's hard to believe that we could only be a few weeks away from getting on the waiting list!
Also, Tom's boss requested that Tom schedule a meeting to discuss the adoption process and costs more in depth. That will be happening this Friday. Please pray for that meeting. I am praying for God to do more than we can ask or imagine. Will you do the same?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Are We Missing Someone? - Part II
(Tom here again – this is the continuation of my journey—sorry it seems so out of synch with what we are going through today, but I must finish)
I was totally oblivious to what my wife was feeling. I really had no idea how much she thought about adoption. I think that was a combination of her not wanting to nag me and me being absolutely frightened to death to even bring up the subject.
However, Tif would ask me about it from time to time. I remember one night just last year in particular where she asked me if I had thought much about it. I honestly told her that it had not been on my mind much at all—and this was a surprise to me. I knew as well as she did that if God wanted us to adopt, that He was going to have to change my heart about it. I was surprised to realize that since I was not thinking about it on my own, it must be something that He does NOT want us to do. But this night sticks out to me more now because I think it was the night that she had given up. I still remember the sense of defiance that I had. It was almost a cold, hard feeling. It just must be too late for us—God must have some other plans, I thought.
But that feeling of finality didn’t erase the years of praying. Besides Tiffini’s daily petitions (I’m just guessing they were daily…possibly hourly), I had earnestly prayed to the Lord years before that if He wanted us to adopt, that He was going to have to make it clear to me. My wife, to her wonderful credit, has always allowed me to lead in our relationship and in our family. Sometimes I am too slow and a little too deliberate in making decisions, but she knows that God will eventually get around to doing His thing in our lives.
And so, every so often there was this one question that would pop up in my head that I would ask myself: Are we missing someone in our family? We would be sitting around the table at dinner time, and the question would float into my head. I would look at the empty seat and try to imagine another little person there. One day in particular we were getting into the van after church, and I looked in the mirror and saw two empty seats in the back. Was there supposed to be someone sitting in those seats? Who was that someone?
Now I realize that it was probably God’s Spirit who was prodding me with those questions. He was planting a seed, and slowly preparing me for something else.
Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:13-14
I was totally oblivious to what my wife was feeling. I really had no idea how much she thought about adoption. I think that was a combination of her not wanting to nag me and me being absolutely frightened to death to even bring up the subject.
However, Tif would ask me about it from time to time. I remember one night just last year in particular where she asked me if I had thought much about it. I honestly told her that it had not been on my mind much at all—and this was a surprise to me. I knew as well as she did that if God wanted us to adopt, that He was going to have to change my heart about it. I was surprised to realize that since I was not thinking about it on my own, it must be something that He does NOT want us to do. But this night sticks out to me more now because I think it was the night that she had given up. I still remember the sense of defiance that I had. It was almost a cold, hard feeling. It just must be too late for us—God must have some other plans, I thought.
But that feeling of finality didn’t erase the years of praying. Besides Tiffini’s daily petitions (I’m just guessing they were daily…possibly hourly), I had earnestly prayed to the Lord years before that if He wanted us to adopt, that He was going to have to make it clear to me. My wife, to her wonderful credit, has always allowed me to lead in our relationship and in our family. Sometimes I am too slow and a little too deliberate in making decisions, but she knows that God will eventually get around to doing His thing in our lives.
And so, every so often there was this one question that would pop up in my head that I would ask myself: Are we missing someone in our family? We would be sitting around the table at dinner time, and the question would float into my head. I would look at the empty seat and try to imagine another little person there. One day in particular we were getting into the van after church, and I looked in the mirror and saw two empty seats in the back. Was there supposed to be someone sitting in those seats? Who was that someone?
Now I realize that it was probably God’s Spirit who was prodding me with those questions. He was planting a seed, and slowly preparing me for something else.
Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:13-14
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Git 'Er Done!
That's what we've been doing around here. Just gittin' 'er done! One thing after another is getting knocked off our list. It feels good to mark each thing off - especially for a compulsive list-maker like me!
Today, all 5 of us had our physicals. We went to a new doctor's office and I was so impressed with everyone there. They really went out of their way to get all of our forms filled out just right and to get the doctors' signatures notarized. It is such a relief to get that done.
Tom picked up his birth certificates and his employment letter today. Yesterday, he picked up our completed local background checks which were done within one day's time! And you'll be glad to know that neither of us have a local arrest record.
Tom and I are completing online adoption education courses right now. This has been a good thing for us to do together. We are learning a lot and it gives us good avenues of conversation to discuss issues more in depth. We are also completing a workbook from our agency.
Some dear friends and family are writing our reference letters for us and we hope to get those from them on Sunday. Hopefully, they don't share too much information about us! With those done, all of our home study documents will be ready to go!!!
The plan is to get all the completed documents to the home study agency on Monday so they can get our homestudy written up. Once that is done, they will send it to us to review and make any changes necessary. They will then forward it to AGCI for their review and approval. Once they approve it, we can send in our dossier (collection of documents that will be translated and sent on to the Ethiopian government for their approval of us). Once AGCI approves our dossier, we can then be put on the waiting list for our children! Whew! It is my hope to be on that list by mid-February, but I realize that most of the timing is not in my control at all. It will be good to be done with my part and then just wait on the Lord's timing. We are hearing that the wait for a referral is getting longer all the time. While I'm not real excited about that, I accept that God knows what timing is best for all of our family. During that wait, we know that God will be preparing all of us. We also hope to do some fundraising type events while we wait.
Today, Tom dropped off a letter along with a packet from the Dave Thomas Foundation for his bosses to read over. We are asking them to consider an employee adoption benefit. We sure would appreciate prayers concerning this matter.
That's the update for now. Now, off to watch another online class. We're considering these classes "date nights". :-)
"...fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
I Peter 1:13
Today, all 5 of us had our physicals. We went to a new doctor's office and I was so impressed with everyone there. They really went out of their way to get all of our forms filled out just right and to get the doctors' signatures notarized. It is such a relief to get that done.
Tom picked up his birth certificates and his employment letter today. Yesterday, he picked up our completed local background checks which were done within one day's time! And you'll be glad to know that neither of us have a local arrest record.
Tom and I are completing online adoption education courses right now. This has been a good thing for us to do together. We are learning a lot and it gives us good avenues of conversation to discuss issues more in depth. We are also completing a workbook from our agency.
Some dear friends and family are writing our reference letters for us and we hope to get those from them on Sunday. Hopefully, they don't share too much information about us! With those done, all of our home study documents will be ready to go!!!
The plan is to get all the completed documents to the home study agency on Monday so they can get our homestudy written up. Once that is done, they will send it to us to review and make any changes necessary. They will then forward it to AGCI for their review and approval. Once they approve it, we can send in our dossier (collection of documents that will be translated and sent on to the Ethiopian government for their approval of us). Once AGCI approves our dossier, we can then be put on the waiting list for our children! Whew! It is my hope to be on that list by mid-February, but I realize that most of the timing is not in my control at all. It will be good to be done with my part and then just wait on the Lord's timing. We are hearing that the wait for a referral is getting longer all the time. While I'm not real excited about that, I accept that God knows what timing is best for all of our family. During that wait, we know that God will be preparing all of us. We also hope to do some fundraising type events while we wait.
Today, Tom dropped off a letter along with a packet from the Dave Thomas Foundation for his bosses to read over. We are asking them to consider an employee adoption benefit. We sure would appreciate prayers concerning this matter.
That's the update for now. Now, off to watch another online class. We're considering these classes "date nights". :-)
"...fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
I Peter 1:13
Friday, January 8, 2010
"Free for Adoption?!"
Tom and I went to the local sheriff's department today to apply for yet another background check. I keep wondering if I've been arrested for something and just forgotten about it? All those secrets I've been keeping from Tom about my questionable past are all out in the open now. Anyway, we went into the depressing, dreary office and filled out the necessary paperwork. As I turned it in, Tom asked how much we owed. The lady said, "Oh, it's free for adoption."
Excuse me?? FREE FOR ADOPTION!?
Baby, we hightailed it out of there before she realized what just happened. Surely, it's against some kind of unspoken law to give away anything related to the process of adoption! Didn't she see that desperate "we're adoptive parents, just tell us and we'll pay it" gleam in our eyes?? I will always cherish that moment 'cause I'm pretty darn sure we'll never hear those words spoken to us again!
We had a wonderful dinner last night at a local East African restaurant. It was our first time to try authentic Ethiopian food and it was a great experience. The food will take a little getting used to. The bread that is used as plate as well as utensil is called injera and is a flat, spongy, sour pancake-like thing. You use it to grab all the rest of the food and eat it. The food comes in little mounds all over the injera. The kids all tried it. The twins weren't too fond of it, but Riley ate quite a bit and tried it all.
It was special to be there with two other families who had their adopted daughters with them. Tisha's twin girls were there, and another 3 year old girl, the daughter of our new friends, Don and Kelly. You could just see that the girls recognized the food and the atmosphere. They came alive and were chowing down on that injera! It was great to see their families so well adjusted and so happy together. What a gift to have people like this to share our lives with who are walking the same road that we are starting out on. I feel very blessed to have friends who are ahead of us and can share with us their wisdom and experience.
While there, eating Ethiopian food, hearing Ethiopian music blaring, seeing the screen with non-stop native Ethiopian dancing going on, I felt a little out place, out of my element. Even though we were there with other American families, in my mind I tried to envision if I was in Ethiopia by myself and feeling uncomfortable and out of place. When we bring our two little ones home, they will be removed from everything familiar. People, sights, sounds, smells, textures - all that they know will go missing - and they won't really understand why. I want to be able to put myself in their shoes and see all of this from their perspective. When I'm in an uncomfortable place, I usually know that soon I can go back to where I feel safe and normal again. That won't be an option for our kids. I know that it won't last forever and soon they will feel like this is home. It was evident from the little ones last night that they knew who their family was and they felt safe and happy. I'm very thankful for that. I pray that our little ones' adjustment is quick and that it won't be long until they feel that they belong here.
Excuse me?? FREE FOR ADOPTION!?
Baby, we hightailed it out of there before she realized what just happened. Surely, it's against some kind of unspoken law to give away anything related to the process of adoption! Didn't she see that desperate "we're adoptive parents, just tell us and we'll pay it" gleam in our eyes?? I will always cherish that moment 'cause I'm pretty darn sure we'll never hear those words spoken to us again!
We had a wonderful dinner last night at a local East African restaurant. It was our first time to try authentic Ethiopian food and it was a great experience. The food will take a little getting used to. The bread that is used as plate as well as utensil is called injera and is a flat, spongy, sour pancake-like thing. You use it to grab all the rest of the food and eat it. The food comes in little mounds all over the injera. The kids all tried it. The twins weren't too fond of it, but Riley ate quite a bit and tried it all.
It was special to be there with two other families who had their adopted daughters with them. Tisha's twin girls were there, and another 3 year old girl, the daughter of our new friends, Don and Kelly. You could just see that the girls recognized the food and the atmosphere. They came alive and were chowing down on that injera! It was great to see their families so well adjusted and so happy together. What a gift to have people like this to share our lives with who are walking the same road that we are starting out on. I feel very blessed to have friends who are ahead of us and can share with us their wisdom and experience.
While there, eating Ethiopian food, hearing Ethiopian music blaring, seeing the screen with non-stop native Ethiopian dancing going on, I felt a little out place, out of my element. Even though we were there with other American families, in my mind I tried to envision if I was in Ethiopia by myself and feeling uncomfortable and out of place. When we bring our two little ones home, they will be removed from everything familiar. People, sights, sounds, smells, textures - all that they know will go missing - and they won't really understand why. I want to be able to put myself in their shoes and see all of this from their perspective. When I'm in an uncomfortable place, I usually know that soon I can go back to where I feel safe and normal again. That won't be an option for our kids. I know that it won't last forever and soon they will feel like this is home. It was evident from the little ones last night that they knew who their family was and they felt safe and happy. I'm very thankful for that. I pray that our little ones' adjustment is quick and that it won't be long until they feel that they belong here.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Dossiers and Holidays
Good news - today we received our Adoption Planner from AGCI and I have a phone call scheduled for tomorrow to talk with our case manager! I'm so excited to move on to the next phase of our adoption which is putting together our dossier. I'm not sure what is so exciting about mountains of paperwork, but somehow it gets my heart pounding! Pray for us as we get started on this project. It will be all-consuming for a little while - and then after it's completed, the long wait begins. I can't wait to get on the waitlist!
Tomorrow (well, it actually is tomorrow already in ET) is the day that Christians in Ethiopia celebrate Christmas. My friend put this on her blog today and I copied the information - so thanks, Tisha. We are hoping to go to a local Ethiopian restaurant with some other adoptive families tomorrow night for a meal to celebrate their Christmas Day. I'm really looking forward to eating authentic Ethiopian food!
This info came from http://www.whychristmas.com/
"Ethiopia (and especially the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) still use the old Julian calendar, so the celebrate Christmas on January 7th, not December 25th! The Christmas celebration in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is called Ganna. Most people go to Church on Christmas day.
Many people fast (don't eat anything) on their 'Christmas Eve' (6th). At dawn on the morning of Ganna, people get dressed in white. Most people wear a traditional garment called a shamma. It's a thin white cotton piece of cloth with brightly colored stripes across the ends. It's worn like a toga. If you live in a big town or city you might wear 'western' clothes. The early Ganna mass starts at 4am!
The Ethiopian capital city is Addis Ababa. It's a modern city. Most people who live outside big cities live in round house made of mud-plastered walls which have thatched cone-shaped roofs. Sometimes houses in the country are rectangular and made of stone.
The design of Ethiopian Church is similar to the houses. In the country, they are often very old and have been carved out of rock. In cities, modern churches are built in three circles, each within the others.
The choir sings from the outer circle. Everyone who goes to church for the Ganna celebrations is given a candle. The people walk around the church three times in a solemn procession, holding the candles. They then go to the second circle to stand during the service. The men and boys are separated from the women and girls. The center circle is the most important and holy place in the church and is where the priest serves the Holy Communion or mass.
It's also a tradition that one of the Wise Men who visited Jesus came from Ethiopia.
Around the time of Ganna, the men and boys play a game that is also called ganna. It's played with a curved stick and a round wooden ball, a bit like hockey.
Traditional Christmas foods in Ethiopia include wat which is a thick and spicy stew that contains meat, vegetables and sometimes eggs (sounds yummy!). Wat is eaten on a 'plate of injera - a flat bread. Pieces of the injera are used as an edible spoon to scoop up the wat.
Twelve days after Ganna, on 19th January, Ethiopians start the three day celebration of Timkat. It celebrated the baptism of Jesus. Children walk to church services in a procession. They wear the crowns and robes of the church youth groups that they belong to. Adults wear the shamma. The priests wear red and white robes and carry embroidered fringed umbrellas.
Musical instruments are played during the Timkat procession. The sistrum is a percussion instrument with tinkling metal disks a bit like a vertical tambourine. A makamiya, a long T-shaped prayer stick is used to keep the rhythm and is also used by the priests and a stick to lean on during the long Timkat church service!
Ethiopian men also play a sport called yeferas guks. It's played on horseback and the men throw ceremonial lances at each other (sounds rather dangerous!).
People don't give and receive present during Ganna and Timkat. Sometimes children might be given a small gift of some clothes from their family members. It's more a time for going to church, eating lots and playing games!"
I wonder tonight what our children are doing on this Christmas Day in Ethiopia... I pray they are experiencing love, have a belly full of food, and are safe from all harm. Please join me in praying for them tonight.
Tomorrow (well, it actually is tomorrow already in ET) is the day that Christians in Ethiopia celebrate Christmas. My friend put this on her blog today and I copied the information - so thanks, Tisha. We are hoping to go to a local Ethiopian restaurant with some other adoptive families tomorrow night for a meal to celebrate their Christmas Day. I'm really looking forward to eating authentic Ethiopian food!
This info came from http://www.whychristmas.com/
"Ethiopia (and especially the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) still use the old Julian calendar, so the celebrate Christmas on January 7th, not December 25th! The Christmas celebration in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is called Ganna. Most people go to Church on Christmas day.
Many people fast (don't eat anything) on their 'Christmas Eve' (6th). At dawn on the morning of Ganna, people get dressed in white. Most people wear a traditional garment called a shamma. It's a thin white cotton piece of cloth with brightly colored stripes across the ends. It's worn like a toga. If you live in a big town or city you might wear 'western' clothes. The early Ganna mass starts at 4am!
The Ethiopian capital city is Addis Ababa. It's a modern city. Most people who live outside big cities live in round house made of mud-plastered walls which have thatched cone-shaped roofs. Sometimes houses in the country are rectangular and made of stone.
The design of Ethiopian Church is similar to the houses. In the country, they are often very old and have been carved out of rock. In cities, modern churches are built in three circles, each within the others.
The choir sings from the outer circle. Everyone who goes to church for the Ganna celebrations is given a candle. The people walk around the church three times in a solemn procession, holding the candles. They then go to the second circle to stand during the service. The men and boys are separated from the women and girls. The center circle is the most important and holy place in the church and is where the priest serves the Holy Communion or mass.
It's also a tradition that one of the Wise Men who visited Jesus came from Ethiopia.
Around the time of Ganna, the men and boys play a game that is also called ganna. It's played with a curved stick and a round wooden ball, a bit like hockey.
Traditional Christmas foods in Ethiopia include wat which is a thick and spicy stew that contains meat, vegetables and sometimes eggs (sounds yummy!). Wat is eaten on a 'plate of injera - a flat bread. Pieces of the injera are used as an edible spoon to scoop up the wat.
Twelve days after Ganna, on 19th January, Ethiopians start the three day celebration of Timkat. It celebrated the baptism of Jesus. Children walk to church services in a procession. They wear the crowns and robes of the church youth groups that they belong to. Adults wear the shamma. The priests wear red and white robes and carry embroidered fringed umbrellas.
Musical instruments are played during the Timkat procession. The sistrum is a percussion instrument with tinkling metal disks a bit like a vertical tambourine. A makamiya, a long T-shaped prayer stick is used to keep the rhythm and is also used by the priests and a stick to lean on during the long Timkat church service!
Ethiopian men also play a sport called yeferas guks. It's played on horseback and the men throw ceremonial lances at each other (sounds rather dangerous!).
People don't give and receive present during Ganna and Timkat. Sometimes children might be given a small gift of some clothes from their family members. It's more a time for going to church, eating lots and playing games!"
I wonder tonight what our children are doing on this Christmas Day in Ethiopia... I pray they are experiencing love, have a belly full of food, and are safe from all harm. Please join me in praying for them tonight.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Something That I CAN Do
I've been reading a book loaned to me by my friend, Tisha, called There Is No Me Without You. It talks about a woman in Ethiopia, who, after losing her husband and daughter, wanted to go into seclusion for the rest of her life because she could see no reason to keep on living. However, just as she is going to become a recluse, a priest asks her to take in a child who is orphaned due to AIDS. She agrees and her life is changed. She ends up taking in dozens of orphans and is currently caring for them in her small compound in the middle of the capital, Addis Ababa.
Do NOT read this book if you do not want to be moved, convicted, and motivated to do something to help. It is hard to read. It is painful. I cried myself to sleep after reading last night. However, I have to read this story. I have to know where my children are coming from, what they are facing, why they are becoming orphans, their grief, their loss. We have to understand why our joy in growing our family comes from their deep loss. To close our eyes to it is not fair to them. There is so much that we, in America, do not know about the rest of the world's suffering. I am thankful that God is opening our eyes to some of it. I pray that we are faithful with what He is showing us.
This book details the suffering of the children who recognize that they are being abandoned by a parent. They are too young to understand that their parent is leaving them in order to allow them to live. They only know that they are left. They are alone. They do not have the secure love of their parents anymore. And the parent walks away with the pain of knowing that they won't see their child again, and most likely, they themselves will be leaving the earth soon. But, they have the hope within, a deep hope, that because of their sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice, their child will live, thrive, and know the security and love that a family can bring.
I read this from a mom who had adopted two siblings from Ethiopia a few years ago, and it spoke so deeply to my heart:
"I count it a privilege to sacrifice my time, my resources, my sleep, my plans, my person & even my sanity at times, but I praise the Lord each day that I have not been called to sacrifice as the birth mother of my children has."
It is overwhelming to say the least to think of these things. But our Father, our Creator, is acutely aware of each and every tear and heartache. He cares. He is at work. When I think of all of this, I think, "How is it possible to combat such immense suffering?" I know that I am only one person without much resources. This quote came to my mind last night and it encouraged me. I hope that it encourages anyone reading this as well that we can all do something. God provides each of us with gifts that can be used to help others.
"I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do." - Edward Everett Hale
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."
I Corinthians 15:58
Do NOT read this book if you do not want to be moved, convicted, and motivated to do something to help. It is hard to read. It is painful. I cried myself to sleep after reading last night. However, I have to read this story. I have to know where my children are coming from, what they are facing, why they are becoming orphans, their grief, their loss. We have to understand why our joy in growing our family comes from their deep loss. To close our eyes to it is not fair to them. There is so much that we, in America, do not know about the rest of the world's suffering. I am thankful that God is opening our eyes to some of it. I pray that we are faithful with what He is showing us.
This book details the suffering of the children who recognize that they are being abandoned by a parent. They are too young to understand that their parent is leaving them in order to allow them to live. They only know that they are left. They are alone. They do not have the secure love of their parents anymore. And the parent walks away with the pain of knowing that they won't see their child again, and most likely, they themselves will be leaving the earth soon. But, they have the hope within, a deep hope, that because of their sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice, their child will live, thrive, and know the security and love that a family can bring.
I read this from a mom who had adopted two siblings from Ethiopia a few years ago, and it spoke so deeply to my heart:
"I count it a privilege to sacrifice my time, my resources, my sleep, my plans, my person & even my sanity at times, but I praise the Lord each day that I have not been called to sacrifice as the birth mother of my children has."
It is overwhelming to say the least to think of these things. But our Father, our Creator, is acutely aware of each and every tear and heartache. He cares. He is at work. When I think of all of this, I think, "How is it possible to combat such immense suffering?" I know that I am only one person without much resources. This quote came to my mind last night and it encouraged me. I hope that it encourages anyone reading this as well that we can all do something. God provides each of us with gifts that can be used to help others.
"I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something I can do." - Edward Everett Hale
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."
I Corinthians 15:58
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