THE WORDS I WOULD SAY

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say

 BY  SIDEWALK PROPHETS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news

of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in

the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

HOME

Picked up daddy @ the airport today, all were happy to see him.
Ro had to have blood drawn yesterday and as I sat there in the chair
holding Ro on my lap, I thought about the first time I did this (16 months
ago) How they could not find veins in this little girls arms and they tried
6 times and still did not get enough blood. I think I cried more than her
that day. Holding her hands today I noticed how bigger and healthier her
hands look and she can even open up her left hand now. I do not know
what conditions she would be in now if she were still in the orphanage.
They did a great job with her but they do not have the resources that we
have here in the USA.   Sooo  Blessed !!   Today they found a vein the
first try . I did cry today,I cried for the little ones who still live in orphanages.  xoxo

We also watched "Home for the Holidays" last night Children in
Foster Care who are crying out to be adopted, to be part of a family,
someone to call MOM or DAD, brother, sister.  A family to go home
to on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, etc.
It's sad children do not choose to be orphans.

TGIF

This cold is really kicking my Butt!
I am trying to get through Christmas cards, decorations, parties, etc.

I just figured out how to add pages to my blog and will  add pictures
of the hats I have made/making and the donations we have received
for fund raising. Will update things not sold yet  weekly.

Find myself wanting to get through the holidays really fast so we can
hear news from India. I have faith that we will bring another orphan
home but it will probably not be when I want it to happen.

FAMILY TRIP

Family trips are always amazing and exciting !  The weather was
great. (always warmer in Florida than Maine) This was Ro's first
family trip and she was so excited with all the new things she saw.
She learned so many new words and tried to repeat them.
Who ever said "you have to spend lots of money to have fun on
a family vacation ".  We all had a great time !

Dave leaves for California tomorrow and will hopefully be back 
before Christmas. Ro graduates from cast to leg brace tomorrow.

Adoption....faithfully praying for great news in the new year, that
CARA will start processing special needs adoptions, for a quick
process and  be granted a full adoption.

still working on CHRISTMAS decorations  and cards (slacker)

RECASTING

Yesterday the purple cast came off and the pink one went on.
Ro was not happy with the whole process but she did great.

Still in awe of the adoption grant from SHOWHOPE..
I think we are down to $13,700 left to raise.

I also got to hug someone whom I have not seen in 15 years.
she was (still is) very special to us.

God is just doing some amazing things right now...

TEARS

   I called USCIS today to see if our application has been approved
yet ? (will we get approved it has been 74 days already ?)  The nice lady
told me we were approved today and we should get our letter in the
mail.  said "thank you GOD"   I have to admit it is difficult to keep the
faith with everything on hold and fund raising going slow.
   I figured I would go out and check the mail. When I saw the letter
from SHOWHOPE I thought "oh, I do not want to open that we can't
get good news twice in one day". It reads:   WE ARE PLEASED TO
INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED AN  ADOPTION
ASSISTANCE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF  $7000.00.
I started to jump for joy but ended up crying.  THANK YOU GOD !!!!

MONEY ?

We were getting ready to take Nathan to the ice cream shop
so he could spend his birthday gift certificate. I got Rohana ready
to go then was putting my shoes on when Rohana opened my
crochet book and there was ten ones in it from my first sale
on Saturday. She showed it to me then I asked her to please
put it back in the book. So she walked over to the trash can
and was going to put it in the rubbish. I stopped her and asked
her to put it back into the book please. Dave and I could not
stop laughing.
Guess what..........     IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY!

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY

   Another craft fair done. A boy about 6 years old told his grandmother
"I want that Boston Redsox pillow for christmas" she said "what about
the Patriots"? he said "no !, I like the REDSOX ". So his grandmother
bought both REDSOX  pillows, one for each grandson. Then I
sold a frog, pink girlie, and a owl hat.
   It is awesome to actually walk around a craft fair and see some of the
gifts our father has given us. And to raise money for the food pantry
and the town heating assistance fund. Had a great time.
   My heart sank a little today when I over heard someone saying that
we should not be sending food or money to other countries when we have
starving children here in the US and we also have homeless people, we
should be taking care of ours first.   

THANKSGIVING

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.   Psalms 100:4 niv

SATURDAY

   Saturday morning I set up for my first craft fair. I sold 2 hats
and met  some nice people. Then @ 5 pm,  David and I went to
the church early  to make coffee and setup some snacks for our
Adoption  talk/info evening.  We had a great time talking to each
other about what we need to get done.  Fact is, no one came.
Wondering why?  MONEY is  probably the biggest reason to
stay away from it.  It took us 7 years to decide we could afford it.
Little did we know that our perfect world was going to change
before we would bring our daughter home from India.  So it can't
be about the money!.  It's about faith.
   When we talked about bringing  another ORPHAN home, we did
not know where the money would come from. And asking for help
is not something we are use to doing, we are usually the ones who
help anyone who asks.        Praying people will support us.

A DAY IN THEIR SHOES WILL BREAK YOUR HEART.

LEARNING

Can you tell I am a newbie at blogging.  ha,ha
I am trying to figure things out as I go or when I have time to sit down.

Fact:  “If only 7 percent of the 2 billion Christians in the world would care for a single orphan in distress, there would effectively be no more orphans. If everybody would be willing to simply do something to care for one of these precious treasures, I think we would be amazed by just how much we could change the world. We can each do something, whether it is donating, adopting, fostering, mentoring, visiting orphans or supporting families that have taken in orphans. You can change the world for an orphan.” (by Stephen Curtis Chapman and CNN)

 Pray, Advocate, Support, Adopt.... please do something

FUND RAISING

                HATS ARE $10.00 EACH

     COVERS COME OFF AND ARE WASHABLE $20.00 EACH

                   PUMPKIN HATS $10.00  EACH

          ANGELS: 2 GOLDS AND 2 SILVER   $10.00 EA.

CASTING

Today ..I was amazed at how calm Ro was while we entered the
Doctors office. Even when the Doctor came into the room she
Said "hi" to him. Too funny !  But when she was asked what her
favorite color is she said "blue". I started laughing.  Once she
says a color and remembers it that is the color she prefers.
No her cast is not blue, it is PURPLE.   She wanted to walk
right away and even said " goodbye " to everyone.  She did great
until we got buckled in and the Blues Clues  DVD would not work.
(yes, I melt down when things do not work for me)

First craft fair is Saturday.   Praying for a good turn out.

HERE IS THE SCOOP

India is in the process of changing things and CARA will
now decide if a child is special needs or not and will match
the waiting child to a waiting family.  So this does mean we
could possibly not get matched with HOPE and if we do not
get matched with HOPE we will also loose the $9500.00 grant
that is assigned to her.     I do not know what to think.
   Do not know what our father has planned for us but I am sure
we will find out eventually.     Same child ?     different child ?
different country ?
   

RADIOLOGY REPORT

Boston Children Hospital called yesterday to tell us that
they received Ro's x-rays but did not received the radiology
report, to just bring it with me on the 15th when Ro goes for
her first casting opp.  SERIOUSLY !  I am still waiting for
a referral for a hemoglobin (?) Doc. I have called Ros doctors
office twice they said someone is working on it
   A couple weeks ago I had to scoop my daughters Poop and
take it to the lab (3x) after so long Doctors should recheck
Internationally  adopted children for parasites. That was
awesome, check in @ front desk, to check in again for
billing just to check in again at the lab.
   Am I suppose to tell potential adoptive parents how frustrating
adoption can be at times ?

I CAN'T

When Ro came home she did not feed her self, she had a hard
time walking, she did not talk. I am just amazed to see or hear
the new things daily. Yesterday, Na being a good brother
scooped Ro some ice cream. Then I hear  "I cann't", I asked
"what's the matter"? again I hear" I cann't"  I told her It is
ice cream you can eat it. she picks it up and looks at it again
and shows it to me.  I am thinking what is wrong with the ice cream ?
oooh, daddy puts chocolate on it. so I said whats the matter there
is no chocolate on it. She said" yes, please."   So I had to tell her
that the chocolate was all gone. Poor kid vanilla ice cream should
always have chocolate on top.

I am thinking   "I can't" a lot lately...

DESTINATION ?

So uncertain what is happening with India or with our
NON-referral agency. Can not tell us why we have not received
referral paperwork ?? But have helped 6 families with theirs.

Yesterday we brought home a 12 passenger van. (long story)

And yesterday I saw two new faces in Taiwan on reecesrainbow.
which also made me discover that we fit their program !!??


Praying.... what to do ??...signs

We are both nervous and excited for our November 19th project.

NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH

                                             

ANGELS

WONDERING

Found myself  looking at HOPE's photo. Wondering if she is hungry?
Has she said her first word yet?  Are all her medical needs being met ?
Does she have anyone to play with ?  Is anyone protecting her ?
Has anyone hugged her today and said  "I love you " ?
OK, now my tears are falling.
Our little HOPE, you have a family that will do all these things with you
and more, we just need to bring you home.

Praying for things to start moving in India.    FAITH !

I have two craft fairs set up possibly three.  Making angels.
When I get my camera back I will post pictures.
Ta, ta for now   (too much pooh)

HOPE

It has been a busy week @ our house.  I am taking drivers
education again. Well actually Au is but every morning
I am being told how to drive and what I am
doing wrong.  Bad habits stay with you forever.
Eventually it will be a good thing.
I am currently working on getting into some craft fairs
in the area.


Update: We might not have to wait until December
to get our dossier ready..gives me a little hope and still
alot of faith that we will bring another daughter home,
just not when we want it to happen.

SONGS

Really listening to the words in songs.

We were made to be courageous.......
To act justly,  to love mercy and  to walk humbly with your
God.   

I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what
God called me  to do myself.....

If we are the body.. what are our hands, feet and mouths doing ??
Especially Casting Crowns songs


Update (should be downdate):  seems that our adoption worker
no longer works for our agency anymore.  Deja vu, this happened
last adoption. (both agencies) I am trying so hard to pray instead of
getting upset, have faith.  In HIS timing not mine.
We did get our biometrics taken today.

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY

We kicked around the idea of going to the Steven Curtis Chapman
Concert and finally decided we could not afford to go.  And then get
the opportunity to volunteer for showHOPE was just a blessing. It was
an awesome evening talking to other families about adoption. I feel that
God had a hand in that opportunity and that some good ministries might
come out of that opportunity.   I am still in awe of the whole evening !


Not to mention that Dave and I got to get some mom and Dad time
to just talk about everything.  we talked so much that we
(Dave, the driver)  forgot to put gas in the car.    ha,ha
And it is now OK that I signed my husband up for this.


Be a glow in the dark person, let your light shine for others to see.

                  

NOT A RUMOR

Well. India  is not looking at Dossiers until December.
What am I suppose to be doing while I wait ?
finding hearts for ORPHANS @ the concert.
finding hearts for ORPHANS in Maine?
finding hearts to support adoption in Maine ?

also fund raising for our adoption.



Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out
and not be answered.  Proverbs 21:13        OUCH !

SCC CONCERT

Really want to go to the Steven Curtis Chapman Concert in Mass.
Oct.9th.  So when they put on facebook that they still needed
volunteers for the concert. I signed Da and me up to be volunteers.
So today I received an email.... WE ARE VOLUNTEERS !!
WOHOO ! 

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

I missed a chance to do a fundraiser yesterday because of
miscommunication. But I do not think standing in the pouring
rain for 3 hours would of been a great idea..   Still bummed.
I did have a great time going out to lunch with other church moms.


UPDATE: still waiting to hear from the orphanage

RUMOR: daughters country, not looking @ dossiers until December ?
truthfully my first reaction was NOT AGAIN, but then I though it is ok,
not my timing but HIS..      here comes that patience word again

CRAFTS

Sunday I picked up the first craft donations. Pillows 13x13, 4 Red Sox
and 3 Patriots and a childs quilt 44x44. Thank you so much ladies
@ MMC.  I am crocheting childrens animal hats.    Can u say busy !

We are currently waiting to hear from the orphanage and the committee
once we send in our partial (big) payment and more paper work
Hope will be on hold 4 us. :)

COC and PASSPORT

We finally have Ro's  Certificate of Citizenship and her US Passport.
It really gives me a feeling of Adoption Completed !!

On our way to Bostons Children Hospital  for Ro. we were talking
about our last trip to India and hubby said " wow, were doing this again!"
It is amazing that we are bringing another orphan, daughter, little sister
into our crazy family.       so Blessed.

YESTERDAY

yesterday I forgot to post because I am nursing a bad cold.

 And yesterday I read this:  "The foundation receives many requests for
grants and we review each application carefully.  After review of your
information, we have determined that your adoption does not meet our
criteria for a grant.   Wishing you best of luck with your adoption".

That was yesterday, today I still have faith

praying for blessings not luck

PHONE CALL

Official phone call welcoming us into the program. Expect 8 to 12 months
probably 12 with the back log CARA will have because they stopped
looking at dossiers for 3-4 months to implement changes in India.
We were  kind of joking about it happening quicker because we
expect it to take longer. (pleasssee)

official

Our home study has been received at our placement agency.
That means we are officially in the India  program and the
coordinator will contact us shortly (ha, more time)
I have to say I feel more relaxed/ peaceful with this adoption.
maybe it is because I added faith in our Heavenly Father .

Working on fund raiser ideas, crafts and a shout out for help.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance
about what we do not see.   Hebrews 11:1

Irene

Well we did not loose our electricity until 12 pm. so everyone
in the house was awake.  Then our mookey (dog) did not want
to sleep alone... Long sleepless night.   we are ok,

First day of school went well even though it was only a half day.
after Au and Na returned home from school we went to the library
and than swimming at the beach (cold water) Ro loves the beach.
before dinner the electricity came back on !! (things we have that
other countries do not) we are so blessed, it's time to share it.

homestudy

Yesterday I drove to Portland to pick up our home study.
official Thursday and printed Friday. we filled out
a grant application and dropped it in the mail today.

We have emptied our yard and have flashlights and
candles ready and water. waiting to see what Irene
will bring us tomorrow. waiting and praying !!

DROPPED BALL ??

Well today I am trying to not get upset, just PRAY,PRAY.
Our homestudy was completed a month ago. (not official until
our placing agency checks it over) Today we still wait....
If I had my home study I could send out some grant applications
and also meet some of the deadlines for those.

Next fees are due at referral. oh goodness !!

I know pray and pray

PATIENCE

I will admit that I am still learning how to be patient and I
do not like it. Still waiting.. home study is in review.

Our youngest turned 4 today ! she is such a blessing
It is amazing to see how much she has changed to see everything
she can do now that she could not do when we brought her home.
to hear her say words and try to jump and tell the dog to go
while pointing. Thank you God for the chance to change the
life of an Orphan and to also change our lives.


A GRANT FROM OUR CHURCH !    PRAISE THE LORD !!

WAITING

We are currently waiting for our two agencies to swap paper
work and sign contracts,wording on home study, etc before we
can be officially matched with our little girl...wait,waiting

I hope to start an adoption support/info group soon.


"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in
the power of thine hand to do it" Proverbs 3:26

NEWS: OUR HOME STUDY IS BEING REVIEWED !!

AWESOME GOD

We just received great news..A $9500.00 grant from our
agency!!(bigger than expected)) tears of joy !!
need to get officially matched with her to use the grant.

Our God is an awesome God He reigns from heaven above
with wisdom power and LOVE our God is an awesome God...

praying for the other $25,700.00 we need to raise.

A NEW MONTH

August already. Today I have mailed out our paper work for our
second agency (we have a home study agency(in our state) and a
placement agency(not in our state). A little more work since we
chose to love the state we live in. Speaking of Maine ....
FYI, International adoptions in Maine have dropped from 128 in
2005 to 54 in 2010. Guess it could be about the finances.
We are praying that God will help us fund our adoption.

Go out and do good. "love your enemies, bless those who curse
you, do good to those who hate you... (Matt 5:44) We are to
do good to fellow believers (Gal.6:10) Do good and share what
what they have with others (Heb.13:16) What a reminder.

PAPERWORK

Filling out paper work is not my favorite thing to do.
But if it will help us bring another little girl into our family,
I will push on. Our Home Study is done just waiting on more
paperwork and some fees to be paid before we can officially
accept her referral.

"Don't be afraid to ask others to join you in your adoption journey,
supporting you financially and personally, for the body is made up
of many parts, and we all need one another. Let others have the
0pportunity to invest in the things of God as well. "carry each
others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ"
(Galatians 6:2)

HOME STUDY

Well our last visit with our social worker was today.
WE ARE HOME STUDY READY !!
 I am excited but also nervous. adopting again...another girl.. WOW
So Blessed.   Thank you God
Bring on the paper work !!

FAITH

When we stepped out in faith almost 4 years ago to adopt a little girl.  We chose a country but some how that country was changed.  I had never traveled internationally and really had no intentions of ever doing it
and it was also a country that my husband was not interested in visiting.
   I honestly have to say that it was for selfish reasons we wanted to adopt a little girl.  During our adoption  journey we saw Gods grace showed to our family over and over.  We learned that everything is not on
our time but Gods.   I am still in awe of  Gods grace.
   We traveled to India to bring our little girl home in 2010.  She does have Cerebral Palsy but we are so blessed with her. India was amazing !  Such beautiful people and country.  The poverty is what touched me.
Oh the little things we could give up to help the orphans and widows in India.  God my eyes are open.