I like big Buts!

"Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander."

Yesterday in church they shared that quote. It is written at the end of the Holocaust Museum in DC. The Pastor was talking about big buts. Yes I spelled that right. One t BUT. He said, "There is no need for an excuse if there is no attempt to change your life."

Buts begin with an invitation

Buts lead to inattention

Buts result in inaction.

When I was listening to him my heart went to adoption. Maybe because that is the season of life we are in right now. I applied the above to adoption.

God tugs at your heart and begins to tell you its time to adopt. - The invitation

But I can't possibly be hearing right! God you would not call me. I have a child already, I have 2 children already. I have 3 children already. I have 5 children already. I have 10 children already. This is crazy!

People are going to think I am crazy. People are not going to support me. I will lose friends. People will say mean things.

I didnt really hear right so I am going to just ignore it until I get a big sign from God. One that I know is Him telling me to do this. - the inattention

I never did get that sign so I am not going to do it. I weighed the risks and benefits. Its too high a price for my family to pay.
BUT
-We dont have the money to adopt.
BUT
-We arent rich.
BUT
-We have enough kids.
BUT
-We like our life the way it is.
BUT
-Its too hard.
BUT
-What if the child has "issues" ?
BUT
-We can't do that to our other kids.
BUT
-We dont have time.
BUT
-It is crazy!
BUT
-None of our friends will approve.
BUT
-Our family wont like this.
BUT
-What if I heard God wrong and this really isnt His will for us.


The excuses or the list of BUTS is sometimes a long list! But still some of us do it. Why? Because were crazy! Because God said so.

When you finally do God's will, His perfect and pleasing will, it can be scary. You are jumping off a mountain praying God will catch you. You are getting out of the boat and walking on water praying you wont sink.

God loves us. When we do what God asks He wont let us fall. He wont let us sink. It is scary? YES! Do you sometimes get hurt? YES! BUT is it worth it?

Absolutely!


This isnt just for adoption. This is for all things. What are some of the buts preventing you from God's will? Do you have a big but? Is God asking just for some time from you? BUT there just isn't enough time in your busy day?


"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do." Henry Ford



Be blessed

Missing Birth Certificate

Well the paperwork is almost done, so close..so close! I wanted to be finished by now but we are missing something. Something very very important. Noah's birth certificate.

We just can not seem to find it. I know its here somewhere. Please pray that we find it.

Some prayer needs are:

Birth certificate

Paperwork to go through

My surgery and recovery

Babysitter for the 3 day training in January we have to go to in order to adopt.

Thanks

Be blessed

Told the Kids!

Today is thanksgiving and what better day to tell the kids they will be getting another brother. Unfortunately we told them while they were knee deep in christmas stuff. So they got excited but then saw shiny christmas bulbs and well moved on. Lol.

Anyways we announce to the world the end of this month. Im ready. Paperwork is almost done. I cant wait to see what my son looks like.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Be blessed

The Twins

Last night while I was looking on the TARE website I came across a new picture. Two boys going down a slide. I looked at them and I knew who they were. They were the twins I had seen in March and started advocating for. My heart leaped. They were taken off the website and I had been praying for them as well as many others. Here they were back up here looking fantastic! Juan and Victor. 3 yr old beautiful happy loving twins! Juan has DS and Victor has CP.

I want them. Thats no secret. I want them to be my boys. Paul says no. He would adopt Juan in a heartbeat but 2 is 1 too many. My heart hurts for them. Paul says 3 kids with special needs is a lot for a family. I agree. But why the connection? Why do I feel so strongly about these boys? If they are ours God will tell Paul, otherwise our child will be found and we will adopt him.

So until God tells Paul they are ours or until our their mama comes forward I will advocate for their adoption. They are in San Antonio foster care system. Their adoption is free or minimal cost(travel). Just think of how they will thrive having a mama and daddy. Could your pray for them please?

Here is a link to them

Be blessed

Slackin'

So Paul and I have been slackin on the adoption front lately. Today I need to get the folders back out and keep pressing on. Its not that we arent excited, we are. Its just we have 5 children and so far during this process we had a 10 day vacation, our car broke, Paul lost his job and I am getting surgery. That is a lot to deal with. Haha.

On top of all of that we believe we are meant to move. Still stay in Texas but moving more toward our church and the part of Ft Worth Paul fell in love with when we adopted Noah. So what does this mean for our adoption? Well we may have to do 2 homestudies if we dont have our child before we move.

I guess with all the move stuff we should get on the ball and finish this up fast. But still there is no way of knowing how long we will wait for our child so several homestudies may be just what we have to go through.

Ok well back to the paperwork.

Be blessed

More and More

There are more and more children...boys with DS coming up on adoptiouskids or other foster adoption websites. I look at each one and think 2 things. 1- Could this be our son and 2- if only we were already ready to submit.

I know all things in God's time. Trust me I know. Im not rushing anything or wanting to pick a child just for having a child. I want to embrace this process and really want to know that a certain child is ours.

We are still planning to announce, at the end of this month, to the world we are adopting. Yesterday Trin ask me if we would ever adopt again. I think the kids will embrace it too. I think they are ready. I think we are all ready not only to adopt but to start a fantastic life here.

Texas is home. It has felt like home since the moment we got here. Now we need to make a home. A permanent place that my kids know will always be theres. Its time to buy a house and start furnishing it. Im ready to settle down. At 30 I am ready. I pray that dream will happen soon.

Please pray for us. My husband's job. The perfect home for all of us. Our adoption and our child out there waiting to be in our arms.

Be blessed

Whats in a name?

So I have been thinking a lot about names. I want to name our next child. I really liked the name Micah Jude. Then for some reason recently I havent been liking it. Last night Paul and I were talking about the age our next child would be and just getting excited. Then I told him a name I had really fallen in love with lately. So I ask him what the name meant and he didnt know so I looked it up. The name means "Praise and Thanks."

The name is Judah. When I close my eyes and picture Judah I picture a little blonde haired boy with a mowhawk. He is around 2 yrs old. Do I believe this is my child, no. I dont know what age or what our son will look like. But I do know that I want to name him. Funny thing is that I cant think of a middle name. I think this could be because his name he has now we would use as his middle name.

Now I know Noah was to be Blaze. He will be grateful he dodged that bullet, haha. When we saw Noah and fell in love with him he was Noah. He always will be Noah. Maybe that is why I want to name our next son? i dunno, but I do know that I hope we can name him Judah. It seems like like a beautiful and strong name.

I can't wait to see a picture of our child or hear about him. I can't wait until he is in our family as our son forever.

Be blessed

From the President

Presidential Proclamation -- National Adoption Month, 2011
NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH, 2011
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
As a Nation, one of our highest responsibilities is to ensure the health and well-being of our children. With generous hearts and open minds, we strive to make sure all children grow up knowing they have a family that shares with them the warmth, security, and unconditional love that will help them succeed. And yet, more than 100,000 children in America await this most basic support, and still more children abroad live without families. During National Adoption Month, we celebrate the acts of compassion and love that unite children with adoptive families, and we rededicate ourselves to the essential task of providing all children with the comfort and safety of a permanent home.
The decision to adopt a child has brought profound joy and meaning into the lives of Americans across our country. Parents are moved to adopt for reasons as unique and varied as the children they embrace, but they are unified by the remarkable grace of their acts. Adoptive families come in all forms. With so many children waiting for loving homes, it is important to ensure that all qualified caregivers are given the opportunity to serve as adoptive parents, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or marital status.
My Administration remains steadfast in our support of adoptive families and children in need of homes. Earlier this year, I signed the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act, which reauthorizes child welfare programs and makes new provisions to help reduce the amount of time young children are without permanent families. I also signed the Healthy, Hunger¬-Free Kids Act to provide balanced, nutritious meals to all children in the foster care system. Last year, during National Adoption Month, I signed the International Adoption Simplification Act, which removed unnecessary regulations and barriers to international adoption. These efforts come in addition to the Adoption Tax Credit, which was extended and expanded as part of the Affordable Care Act to make adoption more accessible to American families. Through these key pieces of legislation, my Administration is moving forward with our commitment to stand with youth in foster care and find new ways to encourage adoption.
Adoption has become a part of many Americans' lives and has contributed to the character of our Nation. As parents and as family members, it is our task to do all we can to give our children the very best. In caring for our youth and putting them before ourselves, we make a lasting investment not only in their future, but also in the prosperity and strength of our Nation in the years to come. This month and throughout the year, let us recommit to ensuring every child is given the sustaining love of family, the assurance of a permanent home, and the supportive upbringing they deserve.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2011 as National Adoption Month. I encourage all Americans to observe this month by answering the call to find homes for every child in America in need of a permanent and caring family, and to support the families who care for them.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
BARACK OBAMA

PERSONALLY I THINK HE SHOULD PUT HIS MONEY WHERE HIS MOUTH IS AND ADOPT. JMHO!
Be blessed

Love

"Love is a wonderful thing. You never have to take it away from one person to give it to another. There's always more than enough to go around."


-Pamela deRoy

Be blessed

Hurting

Tonight I read a story. I grabbed my chest while reading because it hurt so bad. I felt ashamed. Am I doing anything to help the plight of the orphans? Is adopting a child with Down Syndrome out of state foster care really helping? Should we go to Russia or Bulgaria? Is that the only way we can help? Is that the right thing to do? I dont know!

Tonight I am questioning everything. It isnt a money issue as to why we arent going to Russia. Paul doesnt feel like we should and really neither do I but I hear these stories and I see these children and I have second thoughts. My heart hurts for Russia. It hurts for the Ukraine and all the EE countries. In fact tonight I came across a picture of Faith, the little girl we tried to adopt and lost. I had to move very fast past them. One picture I lingered on a little long and it hurt. My heart hurt. I thought again about just seeing how she is. Is she alive? Was she adopted? I went to that horrible adoption agencys website praying God dont let her be on there or let her have MATCHED beside her name....I didnt see her?! What does that mean?! I tried to find her. Maybe I will never know this side of Heaven. I checked the Pscov russian database. I checked it in Russian because they dont let you do it in English. I translated it and went through about 40 pages of pictures. She wasnt there. I considered calling our Russian attorney again and paying her the 500.00 to see if Ksenia was alive. I just want closure.

Back to that blog that got this post all started. Are we really doing any good? Am I trusting God fully to provide our child to us or am I setting my own limits on God?

I need sleep and prayer.

Be blessed

Vacation

We are a family vacation right now and it has halted the process of getting all the paperwork to our case worker. I cant wait to get back and finish it. I also left my book at home I am suppose to read. So I will have to do that too when we get back.

While on this vacation I cant help but think and hope this is our last vacation without our next son. I wonder more and more what he will look like and how old he will be. I wonder how the kids will react to another child and if it will be really hard adopting an older child.

Ive been thinking about all the pictures I have taken on this vacation. Thinking how I now have some to put in a profile but more than that thinking about how next year we hope to have another child in these pictures. Thinking about how having us as parents will be for him. Not saying we are great, Paul is, I fall short daily. Sometimes I actually worry I will screw all of them up or am screwing all of them up and how another child doesnt deserve this life. Then God reminds me I am loved I am His and He can help. Thank you Lord.

So while the papers are on hold we will enjoy this vacation as a family of 7. Hoping to get everything left turned in next week and then schedule the homestudy. Paul and I decided to announce our adoption on the last day of November because it is National Adoption Month. We hope our homestudy will be done or scheduled by then.

Be blessed

National Adoption Awareness Month!!!

YAY!!! I love November! Its by far my most favorite time of year. You have Adoption awareness month, national adoption day, thanksgiving and as my husband just blurted out it is his birthday month!

I love adoption! Without adoption we wouldnt have Noah and that would be horrible. Our lives are forever changed by having a boy, a child with special needs. I cant wait to 1- adopt a child with ds and 2- announce that we are adopting again!!!

Anyways for more adoption info you can check out Noahs blog

Be blessed