Normally birthday's aren't a big deal to me. I love to celebrate other people's birthdays but I just don't care too much about my own. I LOVED it as a kid. Couldn't wait to plan a party, have friends over, open presents...it was so much fun. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, my birthday lost it's novelty.
This year, our kids have really gotten into the birthday spirit. They're much more excited about my birthday than I am. Their enthusiasm is starting to be contagious. Unfortunately, they're much more interested in making me cards & presents than giving me the gift, I truly desire: NO WHINING for one day. LOL!
There IS one specific gift that I was hoping for this year. It seems like it's been a long time coming and I would have eagerly accepted this gift earlier. Apparently, it was meant for my birthday because it arrived today. I have in my hands a picture of MAC with his welcome bag!!! :0) I've checked e-mail several times throughout the day and had just decided that it wouldn't be here until later this week. Then I went to run errands, including a trip to the post office. There it was! I couldn't believe my eyes. AAI printed off an 8x10 copy of MAC with his welcome bag and mailed it to us via snail mail.
He looks happy in the picture. He's wearing the t-shirt we sent him. It seems to fit him fairly well with room to grow. Boy did it get wrinkled on the trip! He's holding the photo album in his hands and has the bag of stuff in his lap. He's smiling big enough that I can clearly see he has a small space between his front teeth and is still missing the teeth on either side. I wish I could post a picture of him but that will have to wait until after we pass court. I'm hoping they'll still send me an electronic copy of this picture too as the copy is very dark and difficult to scan.
But...my heart is happy. The kids are jumping up and down with excitement! He *officially* knows about us and has our pictures in his hands. My friend Tana left today and will deliver another letter and some stickers to him next week. We asked him lots of questions so hopefully he'll write back (with help of course).
What a GREAT birthday! :0)
Now if we can just get our court date for Mother's Day....(one milestone at a time)!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Thursdays Before the Throne
Proverbs 22:9 "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."
Galatians 2:10 "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."
Psalm 140:12 "I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy."
A couple days ago, Merrily Ripley, the director of AAI posted the following (reposted w/ her permission):
Ghana
I am feeling sad but thankful. Today we got the following message from our coordinator in Ghana regarding an orphanage that has sent us some children for placement.
THE CONDITION AT KASOA IS PATHETIC , THEY DON'T HAVE FOOD THERE AND THEY ARE FORCED TO PREPARED BANKU AND THEY STARTED RUNNING TILL TODAY.
("running" is diarrhea, banku is a corn porridge mixed with cassava, is very cheap but has almost no nutritional value) The children that this orphanage has sent to us have had terrible parasites due to the contaminated water supply. I told Anita to send our staff grocery shopping for fruit, eggs, and chicken and to buy drinkable water for them. Fortunately we had an extra $500 on hand so there will be no delay. It is so hard to think of kids suffering because there is not good food or water available. We had plans to raise money so a borehole for water could be drilled for them. It looks like this project moves into the urgent category. I am thankful we have folks who care.
Merrily then posted this:
I asked Anita to provide more information on the Kasoa Orphanage, and this is what she had to say:
This orphanage is in the Central Region of Ghana, in an area where there are many Liberian refugees. It is an impoverished area outside of Accra (the capitol). The orphanage has no regular outside funding and often struggles to feed the kids 1-2 very basic meals a day. They do not have a source for clean drinking water. When they can, the purchase "pure water sachets" for the children to drink. These are plastic bags with clean drinking water that cost around .05 each. When they don't have the funds to purchase pure water sachets, they have to use water that can be contaminated with parasites and human waste. Our goal is to install a water borehole on the property of the orphanage so that they can have safer drinking water. I would also like to purchase them at least one water filtering canister so that they can take extra precautions with the water from the well that they wish to drink. Our goal for the borehole is about $2000. The water filter can cost around $250. In addition, this children's home needs ongoing nutritional support for its children. Many of the children are at least moderately malnourished. When I was in Ghana in February I was privileged to go with our staff to pick up 5 children that were moving into our adoption program(into our Children's Home). On the way back to Eban House we stopped to get the children a good meal. The children were ages 4, 4, 7, 8, and 8 years. We got the children chicken and rice--a very common meal in Ghana. I was shocked to see that none of the children had a clue how to eat a piece of chicken. It was a foreign object to them. THAT is how bad the eating situation is at the Kasoa orphanage. So, our immediate need is for the borehole, but an ongoing project is to provide regular donations of nutritious food to the home. Your efforts towards this end are MORE than appreciated!
If you would like to make a donation go to AAI and click on the Donate Now button. Be sure to mark your donation for Ghana Children's Home. In one day, $700 has been raised. It would be great to see the rest of the funds provided for within the week!
Galatians 2:10 "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."
Psalm 140:12 "I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy."
A couple days ago, Merrily Ripley, the director of AAI posted the following (reposted w/ her permission):
Ghana
I am feeling sad but thankful. Today we got the following message from our coordinator in Ghana regarding an orphanage that has sent us some children for placement.
THE CONDITION AT KASOA IS PATHETIC , THEY DON'T HAVE FOOD THERE AND THEY ARE FORCED TO PREPARED BANKU AND THEY STARTED RUNNING TILL TODAY.
("running" is diarrhea, banku is a corn porridge mixed with cassava, is very cheap but has almost no nutritional value) The children that this orphanage has sent to us have had terrible parasites due to the contaminated water supply. I told Anita to send our staff grocery shopping for fruit, eggs, and chicken and to buy drinkable water for them. Fortunately we had an extra $500 on hand so there will be no delay. It is so hard to think of kids suffering because there is not good food or water available. We had plans to raise money so a borehole for water could be drilled for them. It looks like this project moves into the urgent category. I am thankful we have folks who care.
Merrily then posted this:
I asked Anita to provide more information on the Kasoa Orphanage, and this is what she had to say:
This orphanage is in the Central Region of Ghana, in an area where there are many Liberian refugees. It is an impoverished area outside of Accra (the capitol). The orphanage has no regular outside funding and often struggles to feed the kids 1-2 very basic meals a day. They do not have a source for clean drinking water. When they can, the purchase "pure water sachets" for the children to drink. These are plastic bags with clean drinking water that cost around .05 each. When they don't have the funds to purchase pure water sachets, they have to use water that can be contaminated with parasites and human waste. Our goal is to install a water borehole on the property of the orphanage so that they can have safer drinking water. I would also like to purchase them at least one water filtering canister so that they can take extra precautions with the water from the well that they wish to drink. Our goal for the borehole is about $2000. The water filter can cost around $250. In addition, this children's home needs ongoing nutritional support for its children. Many of the children are at least moderately malnourished. When I was in Ghana in February I was privileged to go with our staff to pick up 5 children that were moving into our adoption program(into our Children's Home). On the way back to Eban House we stopped to get the children a good meal. The children were ages 4, 4, 7, 8, and 8 years. We got the children chicken and rice--a very common meal in Ghana. I was shocked to see that none of the children had a clue how to eat a piece of chicken. It was a foreign object to them. THAT is how bad the eating situation is at the Kasoa orphanage. So, our immediate need is for the borehole, but an ongoing project is to provide regular donations of nutritious food to the home. Your efforts towards this end are MORE than appreciated!
If you would like to make a donation go to AAI and click on the Donate Now button. Be sure to mark your donation for Ghana Children's Home. In one day, $700 has been raised. It would be great to see the rest of the funds provided for within the week!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Hodge Podge AND Exciting News!
Well... It's been a crazy week. I missed Thurdays Before the Throne AND Show & Tell Friday. Hopefully, I can get back to those this week.
Ds/8 was in a fun musical with the Kings Kids group from church this week. They had extra rehearsals last Sunday & Thursday as well as the normal rehearsal on Tuesday. Performances were on Friday night and Sunday morning. It was SO funny but they also did a great job of sharing the gospel. Our local high school football coach was the main character which brought loads of teenagers to the audience.
We had snow this week. It's nuts! I signed dd/5 & dd/6 up for SPRING soccer. Why was I sitting in a downpour of COLD rain mixed with snow on Saturday morning? Brrrrrrr!
I was expecting our welcome bag to arrive in Ethiopia this past week. I don't think I've ever checked my e-mail SO frequently, waiting for the picture of MAC opening his bag. I found out today that they still aren't there. A family that's leaving this Thursday is taking them so HOPEFULLY he'll get it next week.
Although I was disappointed to hear MAC doesn't have his bag yet, my disappointment was short-lived. I just found out this afternoon that our paperwork has been submitted to court!!! This is VERY exciting. We should find out in the next 2-3 weeks when our court date is. I'm predicting the last week of May or 1st week of June but I really have no idea. We're praying that we can pass court the first time. Once we do pass court, we're given an embassy date which we use to set up travel arrangements. Most families are traveling approximately 5 weeks after passing court.
Ds/8 was in a fun musical with the Kings Kids group from church this week. They had extra rehearsals last Sunday & Thursday as well as the normal rehearsal on Tuesday. Performances were on Friday night and Sunday morning. It was SO funny but they also did a great job of sharing the gospel. Our local high school football coach was the main character which brought loads of teenagers to the audience.
We had snow this week. It's nuts! I signed dd/5 & dd/6 up for SPRING soccer. Why was I sitting in a downpour of COLD rain mixed with snow on Saturday morning? Brrrrrrr!
I was expecting our welcome bag to arrive in Ethiopia this past week. I don't think I've ever checked my e-mail SO frequently, waiting for the picture of MAC opening his bag. I found out today that they still aren't there. A family that's leaving this Thursday is taking them so HOPEFULLY he'll get it next week.
Although I was disappointed to hear MAC doesn't have his bag yet, my disappointment was short-lived. I just found out this afternoon that our paperwork has been submitted to court!!! This is VERY exciting. We should find out in the next 2-3 weeks when our court date is. I'm predicting the last week of May or 1st week of June but I really have no idea. We're praying that we can pass court the first time. Once we do pass court, we're given an embassy date which we use to set up travel arrangements. Most families are traveling approximately 5 weeks after passing court.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Kids at Layla House
Layla House is the name of the orphanage where MAC is. Often times, volunteers go there to work with the kids and on projects. A team of volunteers was at Layla a couple weeks ago and one of them wrote about the kids on her blog.
One of the boys she wrote about sounded just like MAC and his name was very similar. In fact, I thought it was MAC she wrote about. That she just spelled his name wrong. I've learned that it was a different boy from his group with a similar name. She did tell me that she could have written the same things about MAC. Either way, it was a blessing to hear about these children. You can read about them here: The Kids
One of the boys she wrote about sounded just like MAC and his name was very similar. In fact, I thought it was MAC she wrote about. That she just spelled his name wrong. I've learned that it was a different boy from his group with a similar name. She did tell me that she could have written the same things about MAC. Either way, it was a blessing to hear about these children. You can read about them here: The Kids
Friday, April 11, 2008
Show & Tell Friday
Welcome to my salt & pepper collection:
Most of these belonged to my mom when she was young. I love the little patriotic set and the praying girls. The cowboy boots are a lot of fun too!
The piano was one of my favorites as a child. Can you tell I took lessons? I love the little hugging ducks too.
I've always liked the toaster set and the Christmas geese are just darling! The book set in the back includes a sugar holder as well.This collection sat in a box for years. It was a lot of fun to find a place to display them and set them free. :0)
Thanks for stopping by! Stop by Kelli's House to find more show & tell sites.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Thursdays Before the Throne
John 10:10-18 , NKJV
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from my Father."
This is the passage of scripture that dd/6 memorized for Awana this past week. It is so neat to see her hiding God's word in her heart. She doesn't "just" memorize either. She seeks to understand what the scriptures mean and she applies what she learns to her life.
We are all learning how wonderful it is to be one of His sheep!!!
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from my Father."
This is the passage of scripture that dd/6 memorized for Awana this past week. It is so neat to see her hiding God's word in her heart. She doesn't "just" memorize either. She seeks to understand what the scriptures mean and she applies what she learns to her life.
We are all learning how wonderful it is to be one of His sheep!!!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
RUN to the Video Store & Rent This:
God Grew Tired of Us
Dh & I rented this on Saturday. It was SO well done and very educational. If you have children in Jr. High or up, they should see this movie too. For younger ones...preview it first. We did decide to let our dc watch it the following day. We discussed it with them first so they were prepared for some of the images they saw. The movie/documentary was surprisingly funny at times which helped lighten the heavy content. It's about the Lost Boys of Sudan and specifically follows three young men in their journey to America. It is so hard to look at my 3 dc and realize that many of the Lost Boys were the same age as them when they were separated from their families, trying to survive on their own.
Dh & I rented this on Saturday. It was SO well done and very educational. If you have children in Jr. High or up, they should see this movie too. For younger ones...preview it first. We did decide to let our dc watch it the following day. We discussed it with them first so they were prepared for some of the images they saw. The movie/documentary was surprisingly funny at times which helped lighten the heavy content. It's about the Lost Boys of Sudan and specifically follows three young men in their journey to America. It is so hard to look at my 3 dc and realize that many of the Lost Boys were the same age as them when they were separated from their families, trying to survive on their own.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
What If?
Dh & I are full of our own "what if's" about adoption and how it will change our family. In the end, we feel called by God to do this and He has no "what ifs." He has a plan for our lives & He knows our future. Here's a beautiful post by another adoptive mom who wrestled with "what if" a year ago and is now feeling blessed beyond measure. Her family truly amazes me with their love for God & orphans. What if?
Friday, April 4, 2008
Show & Tell Friday
For more show & tell items, visit Kelli.
This is what the girls' frames look like. They're old but beautiful. You can see the rose detail here which is the main reason I wanted the girls in these frames.
Here's ds/8 hanging in his new frame (pun intended. :0))
Here's dd/6, our "angel" baby. She's still an angel most of the time.
Here's dd/5, FINALLY out of the box and in a frame. I'll eagerly be posting pictures of MAC after we pass court. :0)
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Thursdays Before the Throne
Psalm 62: 5-8
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."
Please join me in prayer for a fellow sonlight family. Mike Rayson and his wife Amy lost their 11 year old son in a tragic accident less than a year ago. Yesterday, their 7 year old son was viciously attacked by two german shepherds in front of their 9 year old daughter when they went to get the mail.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to you on behalf of the Rayson family. Please heal Oliver's wounds Lord. I pray that the skin around the wounds would survive and heal. I pray that they will find the owners of the dogs so they may rule out the possibility of rabies infection. I pray that there will be no infection and that he will be able to heal completely without disfigurement or scarring. Give Oliver strength and comfort Lord. Please heal his emotional wounds also from this very scary thing that happened to him. Be with his sister, Laura who witnessed this awful occurence. Comfort her and strengthen her. Help her to know and understand that there is nothing she could do to stop it. Lord, comfort and strengthen Mike & Amy. As Amy said, this is like having the scabs ripped off of their emotional wounds. Cover those emotional wounds with your healing power and wrap your loving arms around them. You are the ultimate physician Lord, the great healer. Help them to find comfort in that. Lord, I know their are people all over the world praying for this family. Hear our prayers, Lord. Please heal this family. Thank you that you are our refuge and our strength. Thank you for being an everlasting presence. Help the Raysons to feel your presence right now. Give them refuge and strength.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."
Please join me in prayer for a fellow sonlight family. Mike Rayson and his wife Amy lost their 11 year old son in a tragic accident less than a year ago. Yesterday, their 7 year old son was viciously attacked by two german shepherds in front of their 9 year old daughter when they went to get the mail.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to you on behalf of the Rayson family. Please heal Oliver's wounds Lord. I pray that the skin around the wounds would survive and heal. I pray that they will find the owners of the dogs so they may rule out the possibility of rabies infection. I pray that there will be no infection and that he will be able to heal completely without disfigurement or scarring. Give Oliver strength and comfort Lord. Please heal his emotional wounds also from this very scary thing that happened to him. Be with his sister, Laura who witnessed this awful occurence. Comfort her and strengthen her. Help her to know and understand that there is nothing she could do to stop it. Lord, comfort and strengthen Mike & Amy. As Amy said, this is like having the scabs ripped off of their emotional wounds. Cover those emotional wounds with your healing power and wrap your loving arms around them. You are the ultimate physician Lord, the great healer. Help them to find comfort in that. Lord, I know their are people all over the world praying for this family. Hear our prayers, Lord. Please heal this family. Thank you that you are our refuge and our strength. Thank you for being an everlasting presence. Help the Raysons to feel your presence right now. Give them refuge and strength.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
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