YIPPEE!!!!!

We finally sent in our dossier invoice so it should be on it's way to the Philippines any day now!!!! YIPPPEEEE!!!!!

B.J, the Bear, Love and the Harsh Realities of Life

I have a wonderful friend...*Lolo. She is this amazing woman of God. She gets it, you know? She knows she is a child of the King, that He created her for His glory and pleasure, and that all rest and security is found in Him. I recently (out of guilt to someone else) sent her one of those crazy form emails; "Answer these 20 questions and send it back to your friend" (62 actually) Now there was this question. "What did you want to be as a child" My answer was "A truck driver. My favorite show was 'BJ and the Bear' and I wanted a pet chimpanzee and thought you had to drive a truck to have a chimpanzee" Funny right? Imagine how my parents felt when people asked their "princess" "What do you want to be when you grow up?" A truck driver!? Wow. Silly. **How proud they must have been!
Lolo's answer was way different. "What did you want to be as a child?" Her answer was "LOVED" UUUGGGHHH! She broke my heart. Lolo's family was abandoned by her father leaving her mother, who had a 6th grade education, to raise three kids on her own. Lolo's family was poor. She can remember nights wondering where her head would land and on what pillow. She remembers wondering where her next meal would come from (as an adult she began to hoard food, if she had one box of oatmeal she had ten). For a time there was very little order or stability in her life. This emptiness she felt eventually led her to an alternative lifestyle. Lolo came to find Jesus and He delivered her in ways she never thought possible. She married a wonderful man, has two great boys, and is a very Godly woman who is a real inspiration to many.
We are adopting because there are hundreds of thousands of children in this world that want just what Lolo wanted....to be loved. Oh, suffer the little children to come to me, Jesus said.
We chose international adoption but there are so many domestically that need love too. So what do we do? Jesus tells us to take care of the "widows and orphans" I think nowadays that includes single moms and kids from broken homes. Here are some links
Dave Thomas Foundation
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America
Bethany Christian Services Adoption Agency
*Name has been changed to protect my behind
**No truck drivers were deliberately harmed in the writing of this blog

A "Quick" update

Ok, nothing is ever quick with me Ha Ha, I know this but....we went for more adoption training and what I determined is that adoption is NOT for the faint of heart but I am not faint at heart, therefore I am incredibly determined. The questions raised in my mind were ones I had not thought of before, and ones I will continue to "ponder in my heart" for many years to come. Some of them are to personal to share, others were just not thought of. Lots about the birth mom, she will always be there in my child's heart and you know I think I want my child to always be in hers. I realize now that there is only One who can fill the void caused by a sense of loss and rejection, because He experienced it! I know that I cannot do this with out Him. And I don't intend to!

And another thing...

In case you didn't know, ADOPTIONS ARE CRAZY EXPENSIVE!!! Now that isn't a complaint, just a fact. People had told me before that adoptions were expensive, you have no idea until it stares you in the face. God chose us to do this and we are willing, and He is willing to provide according to His riches. Oh and by the way, my Father owns the cattle on 1000 hills.
So we needed to send some paperwork in and needed about $100.00 and what do you know, the Lord laid it on someone's heart to give us $100.00 through our Paypal. And another thing, we have been saving to send out our dossier, and with our tax stimulus check (Thanks, George), we were exactly $1000.00 away from having the amount we need. A family we know told us they were not called to adopt (NOT AT THIS TIME GUYS tee hee) but they were called to support us and they donated, you guessed it, $1000.00.
Now, please know, I share this in all humility!!!!! Not to boast or seem prideful, but just to share what God is doing. When He calls us to do something, He equips us! There is no way on earth, Nathan and I could afford to adopt, without His resources, His economy. Your calling may not be to adopt, or even to support someone who is. But you do have a calling! Just remember, when He calls you, He gives you exactly what you need, when you need it, not sooner, not later, you just have to have faith.

Let the Little Children Come...with a better attitude!

Brace yourself, this could be a long one!
Wow! Yesterday was beautiful weather. Only the fifth dry day this month for our area. We took advantage of it too. After five weeks of LaGrange Family Chaos, traveling, work, school, injuries, and appointments, we really needed a quiet day. No cells, no texts, no emails, just us and nature. We took the kids to McCormick's Creek State Park, and for the most part had a great time. Nathan's brother, Aaron, and his lovely wife Sarah, live near by so we ate dinner with them. Now the best part of this deal was we got to see our two year old,ADORABLE nephew Sawyer. (Although we still love Aaron and Sarah ;-) This boy couldn't be any cuter. He is so full of life, and energy. We spent 30 minutes watching and laughing as he tackled a double dip ice cream cone, with a bug, a dog 10 times his size, and exploring everything with fresh eyes and a pure heart.
The funniest part about Sawyer is he is finding his independence. When Sarah would say tell him something, his usual retorts were, "No", "uh-uh", "I don't want to", "Daddy, help me", "Oh-wa, Man" (my personal favorite), and eventually end is "ALLLL-wite" we he realized Mommy was very serious about her instruction and he had better listen or face the consequences.
I don't always find spiritual lessons in everything but this one I did. How often do we hear the Lord direct us and just say "No. Uh-uh. I don't want to. Oh,Man!" Sometimes we may end our disobedience with "Alright, if I really have to". But then we spend the next month questioning whether we heard right, checking with our friends to see if we heard right, and seeking 14 confirmations to see if we heard right. When Jesus said we should become like children, I don't think that is what he meant ;-) I bet sometimes He thinks, like we as parents often do, "Will you just listen to Me already?" Jesus want us to listen, explore His will for our lives with fresh eyes and a pure heart. Our decision to adopt has definitely been a lesson in this for Nathan and I. This sure does take faith like a little child, for a little child.

PRESSURE!!!!!!!

AAAHHHH....two more days before I have to blog again.
Think, Tricia, think, think, think.......;-)

Lousy Blogger

Ok Ok Ok...yes I know I am a lousy blogger. That is so much my personality....I am great out out the gate and not much for stamina ;-) I would love to have a great spiritual analogy, some words of wisdom, some thought provoking idea....but to be honest...I just don't, it has been a very busy month, and I am mentally drained.
An update....we got a certified copy of our home study in the mail the other day and the kids laughed (in a scared way) as I danced around the kitchen doing the "stir the pot dance" (some call it the cabbage patch) as I sang "We're cool.... enough to get a baby".
Our dossier is done and ready to be mailed to the Philippines. I will let you know when that happens. And I promise to Blog...at least once a week.