Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Weight of the World

Advocating for orphans is HARD. I am trying my best to pray through the roller coaster ride... to to offer up the anxiety for the children suffering, but it. is. so. hard.

Every day it's news of heartbreak. Then news of joy. Then more heartbreak. More worry, more scariness, more urgency. Then more joy. More prayer requests.....

This isn't even going to be a well put together post. I am at the bottom on a hill on the roller coaster and I don't even know why. I think I worked myself up into such a frenzy when Nico got his grant that I am having a hard time recovering. I'm trying to take a breather, but that's also hard.

Not to mention that I want nothing more than to start the adoption process myself and we're stuck in some kind of limbo. I'm tired of being right on the verge of something. I'm tired of struggling. All I want to do is DO SOMETHING. There is an urgency here. There are lives at stake. We are a willing family. We are ready to do the work involved in an adoption. We are open to the struggles that come with therapies and possible surgeries that a child with Down syndrome requires. So, I'm not sure what exactly it is I need to do to get us there. It's killing me.

On top of it all, this is the longest freaking summer ever and the girls and I are going insane because we can't go anywhere very often. We're stir crazy and annoyed with each other.

I'm not looking for advice. Feel free to offer it if you'd like, but I just needed to get this all out on "paper". I know I'll get through it all, because I know that I'm called to advocate for children. It's been my "thing" since before I can remember.

Jesus, I trust in you.


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Thursday, July 26, 2012

7 Quick Takes


--- 1 ---

I don't have much to write about this week. I've started this post early so that hopefully I can figure out what to put in each Take...

--- 2 ---

It's monsoon season here and we've had a lot of these lately:
Haboob!

--- 3 ---

Seriously.

--- 4 ---

All of a sudden this week, Tessa has decided that she would use the potty. At first she was coming to tell me to take her, but now she is going first and THEN telling me. We actually just ran out of the bribe candy because she's gone so much! I'm so excited! I know, I have an interesting life.

--- 5 ---

My mom and I had a meeting with my priest over the weekend. It was pretty ugly, but I'm glad we're taking steps to heal our relationship.

--- 6 ---

I just added the blog roll widget to my sidebar the other day and it cracks me up!! My blogging friends have some pretty colorful posts, and seeing them all together was hilarious. Check it out. :)


--- 7 ---

Well, the orphan I have been advocating and praying for for months FINALLY has an open grant. I know money is tight for so many people, but every dollar helps in these adoptions, and having a grant to benefit this sweetie could move mountains. Please, consider donating!


Also, starting August 1st, we will start a change drive called "Nickels for Nico". All you have to do is collect change and keep it in a baggie or a jar (we're using an old formula container) and at the end of August add it all up and deposit it into his grant account. Easy and fun! My kids have already started collecting and they're loving helping out. I will have a separate blog post just for this special event in a couple of days. 


Phew! :)

Happy weekend!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

2 Wonderful Families...

Are traveling this week to adopt their children from Eastern Europe but they are still not fully funded! I am putting this urgent plea out there just in case any of you want to spread the word and/or donate.

The Rogers - Click here! They still need $3,500!



The Marble family - Click here! They still need $6,000!



Please pray and spread the word!!


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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

It happened!! Nico FINALLY has a grant!!!

Folks, you don't even know how excited I am. I woke up this morning and read that all of the kiddos in Nico's region would be getting grants and I couldn't believe my eyes. I stood in my kitchen choking back tears and praising the Lord for answering my prayers.


This sweetie means the world to me. So, I beg of you, even if you have just $5 to spare, PLEASE donate. I want to build up his account as much as possible. He deserves it. Sin has failed him for so long. WE have failed him for so long.

Nico desperately needs to be rescued, and he is in an expensive region, so his parents will most definitely need all the financial help possible.


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Saturday, July 21, 2012

On Chick Fil A

The current climate in the United States is a little scary. Our religious freedoms are being attacked and gay "marriage" is being pushed everywhere we turn. If we disagree in redefining marriage, we are labeled as haters and bigots.

I could sit here and blog about how I'm not a hater or a homophobe, but what good would it do? I have yet to meet someone on the other side of the debate engage in rational discussion.

I do like this post by Jennifer @ Conversion Diary, though. http://www.conversiondiary.com/2012/07/a-conversation-with-my-gay-friend.html

And now, because of Chick Fil A's stand on marriage, they're being bullied and attacked and everything else.

They are a private company. They have a right to give their money to whom they choose. You have a right not to eat there. No biggy... that's called America, we have the freedom to give our money where we see fit.

Now the mayor of Boston vows he'll keep CFA out of his city. I'm sure a lot of people there agree with him, it's Boston, after all, but there are plenty of companies that give their money to much more atrocious things, like Sonic, for instance. I'm pretty sure, last I checked, that they give money to Planned Parenthood. I don't see any conservative mayors trying to force or keep Sonic out of their cities. I'm pretty sure that's not the job of a mayor. I'm pretty sure the job of the mayor is to make sure the city prospers, but in this backwards world, maybe I'm wrong...

All I'm here to say, is keep an eye out. Things are changing and not in a good way. It always seems to me that the people so bent on the anti-bully campaigns are the ones that are the true bullies. The ones using disgusting language on a company's page and spreading the hate. I pretty much expect to see violence next, because that's pretty par for the course with them lately.

It's not enough to them that we tolerate. We have to accept and push their agenda or we are labeled as bigots.

Hang in there, Chick Fil A. You have our business, and I'm sure there are many out there planning to support you as well.


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Friday, July 13, 2012

7 Quick Takes

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--- 1 ---

Well, my youngest sweetie finally had her gastro appt this week. She is now scheduled for an upper GI next week and if they find nothing, we will have to have a scope done to look for allergy disease. I have no idea what allergy disease is, and I refuse to Google and scare myself, so I'll just roll with the punches. Please pray for my pumpkin, these tests are not going to be fun.

--- 2 ---

Because of the illnesses in our house, Amelia's birthday party was moved to tomorrow. I can't wait to celebrate with her. Hope she has a good time.

--- 3 ---

I stayed up super late last night and made some huge progress on Heidi's doll for baby Peter. It's not perfect by any means, but it is my first doll, so I'm happy. :)


--- 4 ---
Wednesday we went to a free showing of a Veggie Tales movie at a local theatre. Amelia "won" a DVD for having a birthday that week, and it was a fun time. We ate lunch in the food court afterwards, and on the way out this older man called me over to his table and handed me a bright envelope that said, "SMILE!" on it. I thanked him warmly and went to my car. I was admittedly skeptical, but when I opened it, this was inside:


With $5 also! It was so sweet. I am still brainstorming on how to pay it forward, but it was so sweet and I felt bad that I was skeptical about what the contents would be.

--- 5 ---

If anyone local knows of a night shift position (anywhere... moral of course), please let me know. I am looking to make a tiny amount of money, so I don't need many hours at all.

--- 6 ---
We are looking at a rental this weekend!

--- 7 ---

http://reecesrainbow.org/40763/donovan

Donovan is 8 years old. He needs a momma badly. Are you his family? Look at how precious he is. :(

Happy weekend!!


For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
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Friday, July 6, 2012

7 Quick Takes Friday


--- 1 ---
We had a really nice 4th of July. The girls were all feeling well, and we went up to my grandparent's house for 2 nights. Their town has a beautiful fireworks display and they have a beautiful view, so it's always a nice time. It was also BEAUTIFUL weather, and was actually chilly that night, so I was in heaven. The girls had a blast, except Charlotte, who had a shots on Monday and wasn't very happy to be in a different place than home.



Pretty good for phone pictures, eh?

--- 2 ---

The fun all ended the next morning when Amelia and Charlotte woke up throwing up... It is Amelia's birthday today and we are home resting because she's been throwing up all day. Sigh. My poor girl. I will be writing up a birthday post just for her on our family blog (which is private) soon. Please pray for my sweetie!

--- 3 ---

We are officially looking to buy or rent a home now. It has been really frustrating because it seems like any of them I call on don't call me back, or the ones for sale end up sold to an investor. Please pray for us, we need to move soon...

--- 4 ---

I am still working on Heidi's Waldorf doll. With the crazy week we had last week, I wasn't able to work on it much. It's not looking like something I'm going to be able to make mass quantities of, so it's not going to be all that much income, but it is so fun and therapeutic. I'm really enjoying making them. Please let me know if you'd like one. I'd be happy to start another one for someone when I am done with Heidi's.

--- 5 ---

I have an Amazon link on the side of my blog. It's very easy to use, and I only get a tiny portion, but every little bit helps. If you have any Amazon purchases to make, please just click there first and continue with your order. It's an easy way to help out my family and will help us do bigger things in our lives... Yes, I'm being vague.

--- 6 ---
http://reecesrainbow.org/38523/sponsorlittle

This adorable baby has a family working to bring him home, but they need a little help with the adoption costs. They have a great auction coming up later this month, but you can also donate directly to their grant HERE. It's tax deductible! Win-win! Can't we at least get them over $500 in their fund? If 9 ppl donated $10, we'd be there! His momma is so sweet and generous, she'd be so grateful I'm sure. :) Let's help get this sweetie home!


--- 7 ---

http://reecesrainbow.org/1630/carolina

This little sweetie has a matching grant. She needs $700 to get the match! She's so sweet. 

Happy weekend!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
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Monday, July 2, 2012

Ugh - Back on FB - I'm a sucker for a cute face.

I had to log in to get someone's email address and realized I had missed a ton of fun Reece's Rainbow news, which made me realize that I can't quit FB. I am so annoyed, but I'm just going to limit most of my time there to advocating for orphans.

Plus, Becki convinced me with this:

Auction for Pasha  Coming July 20th! Yay!!!

http://reecesrainbow.org/38523/sponsorlittle

I know you can't resist that sweet face! If you have anything to donate, let us know! Becki is one of my favorite ladies and I want to see her bring this sweetie home fast!

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