Highlighting an Awesome Post

A fellow adoptive mom, Andrea, who inspired me to do Project Pad with the girls, has written an awesome post on Joseph that I thought would be good to share: www.babeofmyheart.com/joseph-is-broken/  If you go to her home page, you can also read a cool one on the Magi.  It has been a blessing to "meet" through blog land some incredible, like hearted, sisters.
26 Days until we meet A & F!!!!

Breakfast with Tom

This morning I came across this video of a talk by Tom Davis.  He is the gears behind Children's Hope Chest, a ministry to the orphan, poor and broken.  I have been wanting to read his books for awhile now, and after watching the video, I ordered some of them.  I'll share when I'm done if you want to borrow them.  So, when I saw the video clip I decided to have breakfast with Tom and listen while I ate.  So glad I did!!  If you can find the time or if you can't make it to church, this is a great option.  Be inspired!
http://vimeo.com/11537197

Speaking at Forever Men's Conference in Winnipeg from Tom Davis on Vimeo.

The Family Table

I LOVE family dinners where we are ALL gathered to "Break bread" together.  It can definitely be a challenge with work and extra curricular activities, but we prioritize this and attempt to gather more often than not during the week.  We are currently a family of 5, growing to 7 God willing, very soon.  Our old table only sat 6, so we moved that one to the basement and purchased this:

We live in Amish country and this was handmade by some Amish and purchased from Olde Oak Tree Furniture:  A small family owned business which sells great quality, last forever, Amish furniture at a fair price.  I love it!!  And hey, look, there are 8 chairs...hmmm, and there are 2 leaves which store inside the table...we can fit many around this table. (My husband is sweating)  hee hee.
A & F, our hearts and home are ready for you!!!

Saddle'n Up our Horses

Our Great Adventure is getting closer!!!
  We have our flights and accommodations booked for Africa.  We leave Jan. 19th!!!  We will meet A& F on the 22nd and our court date is the 25th.  We will arrive home on the 26th.  They will not be coming home with us this trip , but hopefully it won't be too long before we return again to bring them home.
Please be praying for all details; that God's will be done, that His peace be with A & F, for safety for us and our kids at home.
Steven Curtis Chapman's song keeps playing in my head:  Click on below link if you want to listen.
~Angie D

Great Adventure

Why Adopt????/Support orphan care???

This video that is floating around blog world answers it so well for so many who are adopting even though they have or can have their "own" biological kids.  I will never forget the moment that God allowed me to FEEL his love for the orphan.  Right there in the middle of Speice (a crazy, loud basketball gym) of all places.  It was POWERFUL and something I felt was impossible to say "no" to.  Thankfully, God had been uniting Dave's heart also.

We are Thankful!!!!

Today, yes today we received our gift of GOLD!!!  That is, we received our court date...finally!
We have a court date of January 25th.  The last week of January we will finally get to meet and hug on A & F, and I can't wait!!!!
Praise be to God, Dave was already able to arrange coverage for that week.
Africa here we come!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Gift of Silver

This morning, as well as about a month ago, we received a gift of silver:
The gift????...=  Pictures   of our babes in Ethiopia!!!  These gifts were from traveling families who are adopting from the same orphanage, through the same agency as us.
Waiting families CRAVE these gifts as a pregnant mommy craves pickles, grilled cheese, chocolate, or whatever your "must have" is.
Now we await our gift of gold....that is our court date which will determine when we travel to meet them for the first time.  Followed by the gift of diamonds.....which will be when we pass court and add them to our family forever!!!
So what gift is more valuable, more beautiful than diamonds?  LORD JESUS of course. " Lord You are More Precious than Silver...."  Love that song.
Sorry...can't post these pictures until we pass court.

Feed My Starving Children

This weekend was our churches turn to serve with Feed My Starving Children (click).  It is a fabulous opportunity to serve together as a family and with friends.  This organization has such an ingenious way to get the job done that 94% of the money goes directly into the food and supplies for the feeding program.  They do not spend $ on advertisement, so if anyone or group is looking for a service project, this is a great one to do.  You can find out more at the link above.  Our church packed 206,700 meals!!!

Youth for Christ Banquet

Our area YFC fundraiser banquet was last night and it was AMAZING!!  First of all YFC is such an awesome organization dedicated to loving on our area middle and high schoolers and showing them Jesus.  We had the privilege of having Natalie Grant sing for us and the testimony of Colleen and Newell Cerek the parents of Whitney who was the survivor of the horrific accident here in our area and is part of the story Mistaken Identity.   If you haven't read this I encourage you to (just have kleenex).  The faith of these families is inspiring and their love for youth is the reason why they came to speak to us.  They know that many youth and adults struggle with a mistaken identity.
I pray blessings and continued healing on all families involved and for the provision and expansion of YFC.

Project Pad: Because not everyone has what they need. It's a Girl Thing!

Last night D and her Bible study buddies had the opportunity to learn a new skill and serve fellow young women in Africa, who don't have access to our conveniences, at the same time.  Thanks to Andrea (click on name) and the involvement she has with WIPHAN (click), I was led to provide this opportunity for these girls.
Since I have NO sewing skills myself though, I knew God would have to make it happen.  And He did.  While watching our High School football game one Friday night I was sharing with some friends my desire to see this happen despite my lack of skill and equipment.  My friend said, "You need to talk with Lisa.  She owns Edward's Sewing.  Well, she no more than finished saying her name and Lisa and her family walk right by us to sit down.  How awesome is that!!
I shared with Lisa, after introducing myself, my desire and from there on out she enabled this to succeed by opening up her store to us, gathering other helpers, and getting donations of supplies.  I mean REALLY, all we need to do sometimes is be obedient in taking the FIRST step then God does the rest.  This was definitely one of those times.
So, THANK YOU Edward's Sewing, Lisa and crew, for letting this boisterous Bible study bunch  learn and serve last night.  And Thank you Andrea for inspiring us to do this.  I warn you that our donations are the work of first timers, but with that in mind, I am very proud of their accomplishment!!

Oh, and tomorrow is Orphan Sunday (see my shirt above).  A shout out on behalf of the world's 147 million orphans.  So many ways to help!  What will you do??

Family Fun

One of our favorite things to do as a family is have an occasional family slumber party in a hotel room.  Nothing like being cozy!  This time we were in Dayton and while daddy had to do this (study).  We did this:

jammed and worshiped at the Make a Difference concert that supported World Vision and featured Toby, Third Day, M.W. Smith and Max Lucado...what an awesome lineup!!  This is my favorite pic as it was totally unstaged.  They didn't even know I took it:

A lady tapped me on the back and asked,"Are those your kids?"  "Yes" I replied.  She said, "You are so lucky!  My kids would never do that."  I do feel blessed that our kids love each other and get along most of the time, and I am grateful to have had this experience with them.

Table of Nations

My posts have a tendency to be feast or famine.  So here goes my second one for the day:
A while ago my sweet friend Amy( Treasures in Jars of Clay) was over and I mentioned my fascination with race.  What I really meant is fascination with physical characteristic differences since I do believe that we are all descendants of Adam then Noah.  She shared a must listen sermon with me by Voddie Baucham.  I wrote it down on my to do list, but just got to it today in part by her recent encouragement on her "Challenged" post.  So, while I was busy stuffing fall party craft bags, I listened to this awesome sermon that really is a MUST LISTEN.  I challenge you to click here Table of Nations and listen.  (By the way, Table of Nations; what's that about?....one race)

Meeting Gabe

This past Saturday, Doria and I headed up to Chicago to meet Gebre (Gabe), the man who along with his wife started the orphanage where our children are.  It was great to actually meet him and hear of all God is doing for the people of Mekelle through him. You can actually see pictures of the orphanage and learn more about his work by going to www.hope4ethiopia.org.

Thanks Sasha for sharing your home.  It was a joy to meet you.  What a neat family you have!!!

Waiting

Waiting !!!  This is where we are right now in our adoption process.  We are waiting to hear of our court date which will determine our first travel dates.  The courts are reopen now and I was hopeful that we would have already heard by now.  Our social worker told me it would take awhile, so be patient.  I'm trying, but it's hard.  I just want to know when.  I can't wait to meet them, hold them and get to know them.  God, pour down your Spirit upon them.  Give them strength, peace and hope.

Surprise Gift from GG

My grandma, Doria's great grandma (GG), surprised us with these beautiful handmade scarves two days ago.  The colors are my favorite!!  Thanks GG!!!  You inspire me!   I hope to be able to bless my grandkids with handmade goodies someday when I am about 90.  I better get learning!  And yes, my girl has me matched in height.  My oldest has me beat!  Where does the time go? 

Night With the Chapmans

 We enjoyed a great evening with dear friends Matt and Courtney listening to and being inspired by the Chapman family.  Steven Curtis Chapman was the first Christian concert I ever saw and I have loved his music ever since.  They have an amazing adoption story that played no small role in encouraging us to pursue the same.  You can find out more about this awesome family at www.showhope.org  

Donaldson Doings

Cross Country

Colts

God Touches Another Heart

One Less by Matthew West (The Story Behind The Song) from emicmg on Vimeo.


Will be praying for you Matthew West Family...God's a Stirrin'

Rainy Season Coming to an End

The Ethiopian courts are scheduled to re-open September 27th.  Hopefully we will be among the first to receive our first travel date.  Stay tuned.

Sweet 16

Hers

His

Doesn't this say it all?
The differences that can just drive each other crazy!
Sing with me..."Opposites attract..and you know"
I am so thankful that although we do have our differences, on the things that really matter, we are so together!!


Thank you honey for delighting in God's word, His world and the life He has blessed us with.  You are a fabulous husband and father, and I couldn't be more blessed than to have spent the last 16 years as your wife.  Praying we have many , many more!
Happy Anniversary!!!

ADOPTED

On Sunday, August 22 we had the great blessing of witnessing our children's baptism.
Although they each had at different times come to the knowledge of their individual need for Jesus as savior,  the timing worked out that they were all ready to make the public profession of their faith together.  Our church had a special baptism service with great music and the personal touch of reading each participants written testimony as they were being baptized.
So "Adopted"...why the title?  I love the comment by J.I. Packer in Knowing God: "Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption."  We as christians are adopted into the family of God by grace through our faith in Jesus.  None of us are natural-born children of God.  Ephesians 1:3-8.  Romans 8:23 also speaks of the doctrine of adoption.  Adopted for Life by Russell D. Moore shares the beautiful story of adoption: intertwining doctrinal adoption with what we may call "real" adoption.  How cool that God had a plan for adoption all along...Moses, Jesus, us, and the fatherless/orphan.

 D, D and D,
You are so precious
to us!  Daddy and I have prayed for you to make this decision since you were in my womb.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16-19

We Are Paper Pregnant...With Siblings!!!!

Yup, next summer, this pic will have two more precious kids in it...OUR kids, and my are they beautiful!   I can't wait to show their pictures and tell you more about them.  Come on court date(that's when I officially "deliver")and we hope it will be in Oct. or Nov.  We have been praying for these two specifically since April and are THRILLED that we get to be their family.

It is through this wonderful agency that God has connected us with our "soon to be delivered" son and daughter.
We were blessed to be able to meet the Ethiopian team in person on our way through St. Louis several weeks ago.  

Officially Waiting!!!

 We received news yesterday that our dossier cleared D.C. and we are now officially a waiting family!!!  That means we are able to be given a referral now.  There are many waiting families ahead of us, but not many requesting siblings.  I have no idea how long the wait will be, but our prayer continues to be that God would orchestrate all details and that His perfect will, will be done and that His peace would guide us and cover us.   Whoever they are God, protect them and prepare them for us and us for them.

A Week of Mini Graduations

This week was Doria's 5th grade parent breakfast/awards ceremony.  She's off to join her brother in Middle School.  She has a great group of friends and I pray that God draws them to himself in these years.

At church today Devin graduated from Kid City.  He will be joining Doria in Take 56.  Not so sure how excited Doria is about that, but Devin is delighted that he no longer has to wait on us to check him out of class.

Donaldson's Delighting in Done Dossier (yeah, we like D's)

We mailed our completed dossier today.

We celebrated with a dinner at Biaggi's.
Then we braved the storm warning and went to the Fort4TheFatherless (www.fort4thefatherless.org) kick-off event with Stephanie Fast.  Oh my!!!!  I wish everyone I know could have been there to hear her story...a "half-breed" left to die in Korea after the war...and her rescue by the Lord via the hands of his servants...Totally motivating, humbling, inspiring...  Side note:  Coincidentally, Drake had just watched a film in school today about North and South Korea...I love God's timing!
Thank you God for this journey you have put us on, thank you for opening our eyes to your heartbeat...we're diving in.
A couple links to blogs of families who have also recently been moved by God to act:
www.ourunveiledfaces.blogspot.com
www.weloveourlucy.blogspot.com
www.treasuresinjarsofclay.blogspot.com
Enjoy