Realization

(I'm about to ramble. Just hold on, it's a bumpy ride)

The hardest part of choosing to adopt the way we have is not knowing "when". Most agencies have wait lists and the higher you get on the wait list the closer you know you are coming to your child. With this "private" or "independent" adoption we have no time frame. Our orphanage selects families through prayer (how cool is that) and so you can be chosen right after you get approved or months down the road.

I am a self admitted "planner". You could call me a prepper, I like to make sure I have everything I need in the what-if's. I make lists and use calenders and even though I still miss things I try really hard not to. With not knowing when we will be bringing our baby home I am on hyper drive. We haven't even really officially been put on the orphanage's list yet and I am already planning. I made a packing list, I figured out what we would do with the dogs while we are gone (any volunteers to house sit? lol), I planned out our departure and return (gotta stop in LA for a day or two so mum and pops can meet the so far faceless (not nameless HEHE, for now I'm calling him Ichibod, we'll reveal the name when we have a face!) child we have all been loving for so long), I even brainstormed what I want for a baby shower, and then I cried over my journal entry for the day.

Basically I am realizing this is actually going to happen. We are homestudy ready, our i600a (immigration paperwork) is ready to be sent, we are collecting what dossier paperwork I know we need, and we're also getting ready for an infant to live with us. Since we thought we would be fostering before we ended up with an adoption we got bunkbeds setup in the nursery, WELL long story short the fostering is being put on hold, so the bunk beds have to come down! Then I get to decorate the room we'll be bringing our sweet firstborn into when we come home (in pirates of course!)!

Then there's the finances. We still have no clue exactly how much this will cost (obviously less then our previous adoption attempts) so I am constantly worrying we won't have enough.

I'm fairly certain the above is just a snippet of what my mind has been like for the last month. I've been all over the place! I believe it's a condition I have named "Adoption Brain". Similar to pregnancy brain only more scattered and less mush. It's hard to think straight when half your heart is on the other side of the world!

Joshua 1:9.

Parent's Night Out Info!

Here's the Facebook event for the fundraiser.

If you can't see the event here are the forms in Google Docs:

Info Flyer

Registration Form

Looking forward to this one!!!

Lead Me, Be My Shelter

(deep post about to come your way) In 2004 I went on a mission project to Jamaica. While there we spent a lot of time bonding with the teenagers. We taught each other songs and games and just had a really good time. One of the songs they taught us was "Hear My Cry Oh Lord" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTJpvDmQyxc). I fell in love with the song. It's a simple song that just sings over and over again Psalm 61:1-3

 "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy." (KJV)

When my heart is overwhelmed. In this process my heart is overwhelmed FREQUENTLY. My heart is overwhelmed by the children who will live on the streets and never know a family. My heart is overwhelmed for the children who will age out of care all over the world and chart a very hard road. My heart is overwhelmed that there are orphans in the first place, a truly painful reality. My heart is overwhelmed that we won't be bringing our children home as fast as I'd like. My heart is overwhelmed by the cost that is facing us financially. My heart is overwhelmed by the fact that we can only bring so many orphans into our family and there will always be so many more.

When my heart is overwhelmed Lord, lead me to the ROCK that is higher than I. Trusting that you God, are the strong tower. Hold those kids who live on the street that they may find some comfort in your arms. Help us be a light to the kids who age out of care that they might find a narrower and brighter path in you. Bring our children home in your timing! You supply for all our needs, show us how to bring in the finances to get these kids HOME! Most of all, plant the seed of orphan care in the lives of your people so that more and more orphans will find their home. Help us be a light in your world so that fewer kids get orphaned by violence and poverty. HEAL the wounds in the hearts of these children God and show them they have never been without a father! Heal our hearts in the process, teach us how to love and bring these kids up to be amazing people. Be a shelter, hear my prayers, lead me to you in all this God.

What Kimby, Dingo, and Hank have to say about getting little brothers!

We have three fur babies. They have been getting all the attention for three years now and so I interviewed the three of them about their feelings on our adoption. (this is a joke btw... For those without a funny bone, I don't really talk to my dogs about their opinions...)

First off is America's favorite Heinz 57 hound Kimby

Me: Kimby, do you want a little brother or 2?

Kimby: Ruff. Only if they let me sleep all day long and don't stick their fingers up my nose!

Me: Fingers up your nose?

Kimby: or clip my nails.

Me: Do you need to go back to bed?

Kimby: NO!!! But I want to sleep on the couch.

This is Kimby sleeping in a carseat on the way home from the Kennel

So Kimby seems to not care. He has always been the one who is only serious about not going to his room...

Next up was Dingo.

Me: Dingo, what will you do first when you meet your new brothers?

Dingo: I lick. I love licking. They need to smell like me so I lick them. A BUTTERFLY!!!

Me: Can we focus here Dingo?

Dingo: You need licked. Let me lick you.

Me: Dingo, I'm trying to ask you some serious questions here.

Dingo: Will they let me lick them? If not no brothers. I like to lick noses. Will they have noses? 

Me: I think we're done here

Dingo: NO! MORE LICKS!!!!

Protecting the house from evil butterflies!

Dingo has a slight obsession with putting his tongue on EVERYTHING.

Last, but certainly not least, is Hank.

Me: Ok, Hank can I sit next to you while we talk.

Hank: No. 

Me: Ok then I will be over here. What do you think it will be like having little brothers?

Hank: I think it will be glorious! I can protect them from bad things like the neighbor coming up the driveway, and fireworks. BARK AT ALL THE THINGS!

Me: But what if they are sleeping? If you bark they'll wake up!

Hank: GOOD! They must be alerted of the danger of a butterfly flying outside my window!

Me: What about playing with them, will you play soft?

Hank: Yes. Unless I am tired then I must be left to grovel in my pity. 

Me: Pity? Oh Hank...

Hank: BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK There's a squirrel within 10 square miles of the house. I must alert the troops!

Hank with the daycare kids

Hank is going to have so much fun with his kids. He's a healing puppy and who better to love a healing puppy than a healing child!

All things considered I think the dogs are going to love having kids to play with, herd, and have all kinds of shenanigans with. I look forward to the kids wearing the dogs out. I used to worry about them and how they would react to having kids here all the time but I'm not too worried about it anymore! We'll certainly have a full house! With lots of chewed up toys!

Fundraising!

It's been a while since I've posted! Our home study is complete (well almost, it's not finalized just yet) and we are just waiting to be matched with our little angel(s).

So while we wait, we FUNDRAISE!

First off on September 21st from 5-9 we will be having our first PARENTS NIGHT OUT! It's where you bring your kids to our house and we do dinner, a craft, and a movie while you get to do dinner and a movie, or sleep, or nothing at all who cares you're childless! You can email or Facebook me for more info! I'll have a flyer posted soon! (preregistration is required!)

Sometime in September (TBD) we will have a DOG WASH! You bring your furbabies here and we'll wash your dog! I'm going to have preregistration for that. It will be $5 for a small dog (under 30lbs) and $10 for a large dog. If you don't preregister it will be $6 and $11.  Flyer to be posted for this too.

AND on October 5th we'll be having our PHOTOGRAPHY fundraiser! 30 minute sessions will include a 10 photo CD of your edited photo's. Think Holiday cards or Fall family photo's! Perfect timing! Preregistration is required and I will have a form put together ASAP!

THEN we will be hosting a Chick Fil A spirit night at the CFA in Beavercreek! Details to be announced soon and flyers will be available. CFA spirit nights are where you take a flyer in to the Beavercreek CFA and 10% of your purchase goes to our adoption fund! Pretty awesome huh?

I WILL ALSO be making "handmade" Christmas cards! I'll post them up here when I have them done. Only making a certain amount of these one of a kind goodies!

AND I am still making cloth diapers! Plumberbums.storenvy.com and facebook.com/plumberbumssharkiepads!

WOOO!
That was a lot of information! Basically we have tons of ways you can get involved in helping us bring our angel(s) home! We've got some other things in the works that I'm not ready to share just yet, think BIG events and lots of fellowship! You all have been so supportive of us and I'm excited to share time with you during the above events!