What a COMMUNITY! ♥

Niki, Janice, Tarah, Megan and Me

♥ LOVE ♥ these girlies! I am SO, SUPER blessed to have them in my life! 

 

...God placed this INCREDIBLE idea of adopting on Erik's Big OLE heart... He shared it with me, we talked about it, prayed about it, and prayed about it and prayed about it... and God put it on my heart as well... 

THANK YOU GOD!

...I have to say, I really didn't know anyone who had adopted, I didn't have any idea of what to expect, the ups and downs, ins and outs - NOTHING - other than I would have to learn as I go and rely on the MAN UPSTAIRS for my strength and support!

...I am still relying on HIM (BIG TIME), but I am SO thankful He put some AMAZING people in my life to share this journey with. I enjoy supporting, loving, encouraging them as much as I LOVE their support.  

...I TOTALLY didn't realize what an AMAZING adoption community there is!  I have met some INCREDIBLE people through the AGCI List Serve, Blogging, Facebook... It is REALLY the coolest thing EVER, how SO, SO many people come together to BE THERE for each other during the struggles, to answer questions, to CELEBRATE with ya- and most people have NEVER EVER even met in REAL life - but LIFT each other up and encourage each other - every step of the way! 

I LOVE IT!

I thought I was gonna feel ALL ALONE, SCARED, COMPLETELY CLUELESS, OFF MY ROCKER :) (and sometimes i do) but, I know that there is this GREAT BIG HUGE Adoption Community who is right there ready to help ya, encourage ya, support ya... LOVE ya!!

YAHOOOOOO! 

Sitting on CLOUD #9

Got an email yesterday from AGCI - with some PRETTY COOL NEWS!  

...We were INSTANTLY on CLOUD 9 when we got our WAITLIST Number for SISTERS (0-4 Years Old)!

Yep, you guessed it!!! 

NUMBER 9!!

We are SOOOOOO Thrilled to be in the SINGLE DIGITS, waiting for SWEET, LIL SISTERS - OUR DAUGHTERS!!! Awww! PRAYING, PRAYING, PRAYING... 

A Referral call is right around the corner...

  

WE ALSO Got our little GIRL Waitlist Number - which was equally as exciting... SINCE... We are now in our TEENS!!

...and here is our NEW and IMPROVED number waiting for our daughter 

(0-2 years old)

To continue celebrating on top of THIS already SUPER, DUPER 

AMAZING, TERRIFIC news...

TODAY is..

CHRISTMAS IN ETHIOPIA!!

መልካም ገና

Melkam Gena!

Merry Christmas to our daughter(s) who we are SO excited to have HOME, in our arms!!  We will be SO excited to be able to CELEBRATE this day with her NEXT YEAR! ♥   I am going to have to do some research on what is traditionally done in Ethiopia and make this a VERY special day for her!

Into the Streets of CHILE...

Madison has a BIG servants heart and a PASSION for Missions and I ♥ LOVE IT ♥!  ...When the STUDENT Ministries at Overlake Christian Church (OCC) mentioned a CHILE MISSION TRIP! She was ON BOARD!

She thought it would be FUN to create a little bit of a different letter to send out to her friends and family for prayer and support.  So, she visited TINY PRINTS and made a this card....

on the back of her card it says:

Hola FRIENDS and FAMILY

This year I am a sophomore and I have been going to Overlake Christian Church (OCC) and LOVE getting involved in Group Life and their Youth Ministries.  An incredible opportunity arose to serve at-risk children living on the street in Santiago, Chile! I've developed a passion and desire to serve in this capacity.  After one mission trip to Guatemala and 2 trips to Kenya, I feel like am prepared to serve whole-heartedly, however I'm needed in Chili.  We will be doing drop-in programs during the afternoons that include games, stories, crafts, and music and assisting in the construction of an outreach preschool program.  Most importantly we plan to give them HOPE by sharing JESUS CHRIST with them!

I would LOVE to have you partner with me on this AMAZING opportunity to serve in Chile by PRAYER or with your financial gifts.  I will feel INCREDIBLY blessed to receive either of them! ♥  The total amount I am trying to raise is $1,100.00.  This amount includes travel expenses, food, lodging, and ministry materials...

Thanks in advance, for you LOVE and SUPPORT ,

Madison 


 We helped Madison with her Guatemala mission trip when she was going into 7th grade and of course, took her with us to Kenya to serve there in 2008 and 2009!  But we told her this is her responsibility this time. To send out her letters, etc, attend all the training meetings, organize donations, fund raise etc... We are TOTALLY excited that she has such a BIG OLE HEART for missions and we are even more excited that she is taking the initiative, with GOD's Help, to participate in this amazing opportunity!

It is SO FUN to watch her grow up, mature, see what her priorities are, passions are... I wish I would have had the opportunity to be involved in such COOOOOOOOl Student Ministries.  It is refreshing knowing she can go to a group life meeting and have contact with other leaders who hold her accountable, teach her, help her, listen to her, pray for her!!!

I am BLESSED to be able to be her MOMMY - that's FOR SURE! ...and I'm excited about her trip to Chile and to hear how God uses her there!!   SHINE ON SISTAHHH! ♥

She is gonna be a GREAT example and influence to her new little sister(s)! YAY!

It's a HAPPY Day!

25 (TWENTY FIVE) YEARS ago I threw a BIRTHDAY Party for this CRAZY kid called Erik! We had CAKE and a yummy dinner in the basement of my parents house!! 

he was..

 It was the VERY FIRST Birthday I ever celebrated with him! ♥ 

...little did I know...

 

I would be celebrating every birthday with him from that point on! :)

Today he is...

 

My Tall

Strong

Handsome

Passionate

Kind

Thoughtful

Provider

Spiritual Leader

BEST FRIEND

25 YEARS growing up together! dating, marriage, playing house, raising babies, building our home, starting a business, ADOPTING...

♥ I look forward to celebrating his NEXT 25 BIRTHDAYS! ♥

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIK!!!

I LOVE YOU MUCHO GRANDE!

...A NEW YEAR!

A few Moments to remember in 2010

Waiting and watching the numbers LOWER and the children coming HOME and dreaming and praying for the day our daughter(s) are with us!

Learned about FAIR TRADE - began purchasing FAIR TRADE Coffee and Chocolate!

Madison turned 16 and has her very first BOYFRIEND! Aaaagh! :)

ORDINARY HERO become our AMAZING HERO and gave us an opportunity to raise money to bring our Daughter(s) Home! ♥

(Answered PRAYER)

Kinzi's Softball team earned a berth to NATIONALS in Indiana!!

(Way to GOOOOO Kinz!)

 Added a few more animals to the FUNNY farm - 2 peacocks, a rooster and one more alpaca! :)

(All buddies to our St. Bernard - Bernee) :)

Met some AMAZING adopting Momma's! FRIENDS for LIFE! :)

(can't wait to start planning those PLAY DATES) :)

TOTALLY looking forward to a new year and some MAJOR changes as we gear up to SUPER-SIZE our CRAZY Family! 

(We CAN'T wait to see her/their SWEET face(s))

2011 is GONNA BE AMAZING!