Fundraising

I want to make sure to keep track of some fundraising ideas...

- Bake sales at church
- Babysitting/date night (babysitters would volunteer their time)
- Benefit concert
- Sell stuff on Craigslist
- Silent auction - gather things from people/businesses for bids
     (Eric for lesson or 2, custom scrapbook from me, Jennifer Denton photo shoot, Mike photo shoot, Sea World passes from JJ or Todd, Voice or Guitar lessons from Andy) possibly online
- mow lawns
- donate button on blog
- Having Andy's band do a tip night

Reality

This is a hard post for me but I've been thinking about it a lot and wanting to get it out. When we first started talking about adoption I was only 22 and we were set on China. The minimum age requirement was 30 so we knew we had awhile before we'd be on that road. Well, now I'm turning thirty, we have two girls and this adoption that we've always talked about is now a reality. Honestly, about 3-4 months ago it kind of hit me - this reality - and I freaked out. I was doubting. I mean, this would now be the next step in our family. Is this really what we want?

In facing my doubt and being honest with myself, I realized that it was me being selfish and just plain greedy. I wanted to be pregnant again so I could feel that baby moving, eat what I want, experience the miracle of birth all over again. How could I choose that when I've already been blessed with two pregnancies and so many women are unable to have any? I doubted being able to bond with a child who I didn't "carry". But you know who was making me feel like this? Satan. He sure does convince a girl. But you know who won again? God. He is so faithful with his peace and guidance. The Holy Spirit totally came over me about mid-December as I read through The Pratterbox Blog. I read the story of this young couple and was just overwhelmed. I saw a picture of little Aaron. His sweet round cheeks, big brown eyes, full puckered lips. He is SO darn cute! But then I watched a video of how Hannah's Hope was established and when I watched those children just in awe of getting shoes.... wow.... this little boy was dancing like I've never seen before. That bright smile, lanky arms and utter joy... I was sold and I no longer felt like I NEEDED to be pregnant again. I just need and WANT to be a mother to another beautiful child.

I know that HE gave us a heart for adoption. For orphans. For the least of these.

And we shouldn't ignore it.

Neil said something the other night. He said that we are equipped with gifts and called to jobs such as teaching and that he thinks people are called to adoption. We have ceratinly been called and we will not let the machine take a message. We are here and even though there is still a little fear of the unknown, we can rest in knowing that His will be done and that He will be there with us every step of the way.

Baby carrier

I was never one to strap the girls to me and carry them around but I know it will have to be different with numer 3. I've read that carrying them close to you in essential to the bonding that needs to happen when you aren't with them as newborns. I just found this awesome tutorial to make a baby carrier. It's similar to the ones that all the girls from church use (forgot what it's called) but it really supports their weight on their bottom rather than the crouch like the bjorn. Don't want to forget this idea!

http://ourtaiwaneseadoption.blogspot.com/2010/02/1-week.html

The other story

As I'm following along with people's stories and holding on for the next post like pages in a fabulous book, I have really learned to realize there are two sides to the story. Yes, this family I'm reading about it will be bringing a baby home or has already met their sweet one but there was a really tough decision made for that to happen. The other story belongs to the birth families. The mother had to decide to give this child up because she couldn't take care of them one way or another or even more heartbreaking, she didn't want them. But either way, that child will always be part of her and she will always remember them. I couldn't imagine having to give my child up or tragically leaving my child behind. I want to remember to pray diligently for our child's birth family so that while we may be rejoicing in seeing our numbers get closer to #1, someone far away is getting closer to losing a child they love.

I read the most touching post the other night when some new parents got to meet their baby boy's birth mother and grandfather... a tear jerker for sure and it just really touched my heart. How blessed they were to get pictures all together, to ask questions, to hug the woman who gave him life, to have even more closure than most are able to get. Here is the link so that I will be able to get back to the story easily when we might be in the same boat or so that we can pray to be in the same boat.
http://pratterbox.blogspot.com/2010/02/121609-birthfamily-meeting.html

First info packets

SO excited to get our first info packets from the two agency we will be looking into - AGCI and AWAA (American World Adoption Agency). We requested the AGCI packet three weeks ago but never got it so I'm about to request again and we are getting the AWAA in 3-5 business days. I also looked up seminars but could only find one near Dallas. Heard from someone at AWAA and he told me they will have their schedule up soon and should have one in SA this Spring.

So cool... in corresponding with Sara Matheny about their adoption process, I asked her about the two agencies above and she said those were the two they were looking at using as well. They are going to be using AGCI and I wanted to remember this list of reasons because they are awesome and will give me something to base my research and questions for other agencies. They really seem to have a heart for orphans and taking care of them as well as possible while they are waiting for their forever families.

There are several reasons AGCI is our favorite agency:


1) They're mission is bigger than just adoption.....they are about orphan care. They take care of the ones that don't get adopted, too.

2) In several countries they have their own orphanages. That way you know your child has been cared for and loved in those months that you're waiting to get them. In watching some "gotcha day" videos from AGCI, you can just see how much those caretaker women love those children. Other agencies might get your child from a government run orphanage where, in some cases, there are too many children in the orphanage to be properly cared for and loved.

3) They offer other options for mothers, like sponsorship. That gives me comfort in knowing that they didn't manipulate the birth mother into giving up her child, but if possible, offered her other options. Then I know their babies are there because they truly need to be adopted.

4) When Guatemala put a hold on adoption, many adoption agencies left because they could no longer work there. AGCI stayed because there are still children who need to be taken care of, even if they can't get adopted. I love that they are not about the business of adoption but about taking care of orphans. Sadly, there is a difference.

no, really.... why?

So I just read my last post and realized that I never REALLY expressed why I want to adopt besides it always being something I've wanted to do. Wow - this is a toughy and a loaded question but I can sum it up in a few short words.

God is Love.

He loves us enough to open His arms to us when we don't have anywhere to turn, to celebrate with us, to hold us up, to encourage us, to be the only one we can 100% depend on because we all know people disappoint and fail. He is there even when we turn away. What more precious than to share God's love to a child who doesn't know the word family? Who doesn't have someone they can turn to, celebrate with, get an atta-boy or atta-girl and just be themselves with people who will love them NO MATTER WHAT... it breaks my heart to know there are so many orphans out there wondering where they belong. Neil and I have SOOOO much love to give (Claire and Eden too!) and we want to share it with a child who needs and craves it so desperately. We want to show this child of our heart the love of Christ and let them know that we will love them NO MATTER WHAT. They will be our sweet child but they are first a child of God.

We are certainly not motivated simply by wanting to "save" someone but to LOVE them. Our heart breaks for all those children and although we can't help all of them, we can bring one home to a forever family.

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Matthew 25:35-40
35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

A seed is planted

People wonder why we want to adopt especially when we've been blessed with having two girls the old fashioned way and you know what? I don't remember a time in my life when I thought about kids and a family when adoption was ever an option for me. It's just always been something I wanted and I truly believe God placed in my heart.

When Neil and I started dating and talked about kids he was 100% on board with adoption because he knew that he wanted to do it some day too. How awesome is that? God planted it in our hearts long before we even fell in love. We always talked about wanting to have two biologically and then adopt our third.

Our heart strings attached to adoption actually made me think "I wonder if we won't be able to conceive?" and He was just getting our hearts ready for starting our adoption process earlier than our plan. Well, we got pregnant really fast with both girlies.

Throughout our years of marriage I've read, questioned others and researched but always thinking that it was far away. Now it's on our doorstep.... Eden is 14 months old. We'd like the kids to be close in age so we are now asking for prayers for God's will to be done as far as the when and where details. The past 3 weeks we've asked our life group to pray and this past weekend I put it on our prayer wall at the ladies retreat. So it's out there... people know we really are serious and that we are going to need their prayers and support to get through the process.

In wondering where, we've always said China. We taught in China five years ago and just fell in love with the little ones at the school. SO sweet.... we love the culture, the food, the people, etc. Well, they are making the requirements harder and it looks like a 6-8 year wait. Hmmmm.... we're looking at other places. In reading through blogs and trying to find stories to follow, I've constantly come across Ethiopia. I even randomly met a lady at Claire's first swim lesson who had gone through the Ethiopian adoption process and she gave me her info (http://www.ourtaiwaneseadoption.blogspot.com/) Honestly, I never thought that as an option but the more and more I read and see pictures, the more I love those sweet faces I see. The statistics of children's death rates, AIDS rates and orphan numbers is heart breaking and astounding. Then when the Haiti earthquake happened Jan. 13th, I thought maybe God wants us to look into Haiti?

So that's where we are right now. Praying and waiting for God's perfect timing.