Our Little Noodles

Five kids - 5 & Under! (Missing Two kids Over 18!)

2011-09-09T07:48:00.000-07:00

New Newer Newest!

2011-08-26T07:34:00.001-07:00

There has been so much going on in our household that I could never write about everything! Many, many changes. Here are the highlights (& low lights if you are a pessimist):

Elliott Lochlyn Stever was born on May 30, 2011 weighing over 9 lbs! Healthy and beautiful. She had to be readmitted to the hospital for jaundice-related issues for a couple of days but recovered beautifully. She is a bright light in my life - the most perfect baby. Content, happy, smiling, healthy, expert breast feeder, etc.

Braylon's adoption was finally finalized after much stress, tears, financial hardship, and love on July 18, 2011. We are very blessed to have him in our lives. He is our only son and very special of course. He is just growing and learning and challenging everything I have ever known or felt about children. He is so smart and wonderful and challenging and stubborn and all 2 years old! His progress is amazing and ongoing. He will have surgery for hernia repairs in October of this year.

One of the main changes / challenges our family has faced is the loss of my job. Because of a ridiculous government, horrible ethics & morals, and a heart wrenching decision to put my children first, I am now a stay-at-home mom. These are my opinions of course, so please do not get overly upset by my adjectives. I have worked outside of the home since I was 16 years old. I am now 42 years old and trying to learn how all of these amazing women - mostly younger than me - do this job! It is the most challenging, difficult, tiring, wonderful, blessed, amazing thing I have ever done. Economically, we have been challenged more than any time in our lives. It has been terrifying at times. Food, clothing, housing, health insurance - these are things that so many of us take for granted. I do not any longer. Thank God for a hardworking husband and father. My husband has found work and never stopped providing. He immediately took on the role of sole breadwinner and has worked so hard day and night. You know, I woke up this morning and discovered something wonderful: This Halloween I will not worry about what day trick or treating falls on so that I can hurry my work to be finished early and rush home at 5 pm. This year I will not worry about getting Thanksgiving and the following Friday off - I will be home to cook and teach my children how to make dressing. This year I will be able to finally do Christmas crafts with my children. I can enjoy and savor the week of Christmas. I can read about the birth of baby Jesus to them. I can take my time the days following Christmas morning and clean up slowly. I can BE with my family.

None of these thoughts and feelings and opinions are in any way judging working moms - I have always been a working mom. I am just absolutely so blessed to be able to attempt to run this household and raise my children and be a wife to my husband. I would not change a thing.

New Valentine's Day Thoughts

2011-02-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

I am one of THOSE people - I have never liked Valentine's Day. Not when I was a child, not as a teenager, not as a single woman, not as a married woman. I made exceptions for my kids but was still not really "on board" with the whole concept. Personally, I would rather be told "I love you" and say, "I love you" any other day of the year. For no reason in particular. But.....

This year I am especially and deeply thankful for my husband and children. My husband is hands-down the greatest man I know. It is a privilege and an honor to be his wife. I would not change one thing about him because even his imperfections make him who he is. I still look at him and my heart melts. We are so connected that I would feel incomplete without him. I know, I know......do people really feel this deeply about one another anymore? Well I am here to tell you - yes!

I am also so blessed by all of my children. I always feel great love for them. However, this Valentine's Day, I am so blessed and fortunate to have 6 beautiful children and one on the way - a total of 7 mighty blessings! Babies ranging in age from 22 years to 22 weeks in utero! It is amazing to be a mother - something I have been for a long time. It is, by far, my greatest accomplishment and my greatest source of joy and pain.

So, this year I will actually celebrate the dreaded "Valentine's Day" because of the blessing of my family. To all of you, I love you unconditionally and forever with a love as deep as any ocean!

Still On Our Journey

2010-12-29T07:29:00.000-08:00

We are still still on our adoption journey! Now that Braylon has been placed with us since October, we are in the process of finalizing his adoption - making it legal. Our family has settled in to doctor appointments, therapy appointments, feeding issues, medical equipment, and changing personalities. We are all doing a good job in my opinion. It is not what we expected really, but we had no idea what to expect, so.........

The beginning of our time together consisted mainly of caretaking. I think that was harder on me as a mother than it was for my husband. He opened my eyes one day by telling me, "Welcome to a father's world honey!" And he could not have been more right! Coming from a first-time adoptive mother who already had five biological daughters, this was a totally new experience. I am having to CREATE a bond with my new son. This has not been a simple task, especially with Braylon's special needs. He has Retinopathy of Prematurity (vision loss) and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (chronic lung disease). (Braylon was born very premature.) So our bonding does not particularly involve sight. We must find other ways to form attachments.

The wonderful part is that this is going so well. We are blessed to have great resources to tap into here in Alabama. The Institute for the Deaf and Blind has been key in providing us with the tools to help Braylon achieve everything he possibly can in life. The PT has also been wonderful to work with so far. Our Children's Hospital in Birmingham has a phenomenal clinic that has been instrumental in giving our son the best care available. We have also found some wonderful friends in our area (even down the street!) who have children with similar needs.

After having our first post placement visit, we are feeling pretty good about things. We have a wonderful, supportive social worker who has been so good to us. She continues to help us with every step along the way. Overall, this experience has been like no other. Adoption has felt this way to me: very unnatural sometimes but in the very best way. I know that sounds crazy or even negative, but I do not mean it that way at all. It is truly the work of God. Simply that. No way around it. We would not trade one day during this journey. We have grown closer to each other as a family and closer to God. We are so grateful and honored that He blessed us with Braylon.

On a final note to this post, we wanted to share another miracle and blessing that God has chosen to bestow on our family during this Christmas season. We are expecting a new baby in June of 2011. We are so happy that God has graciously blessed us with another child. We are joining the elite club of the "large family" quickly! A club we have prayed to be a part of since we married. Thank you for continuing to pray for us. We know that our lives will not be without hardship and trials, but we would not trade it for the world.

Christmas Wishes

2010-12-21T10:53:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Stever Family!

We are so very blessed. Thank you to all of the people who have supported us and loved us. We are grateful for all of you!

The Journey to Our Son - Part II

2010-12-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

When does a mother of six who also works outside of the home full-time find time to blog? I want a solution! And it cannot involve staying up until 2:00 am to write!

This will be yet another part of our adoption story in a nutshell. We finally completed our home study and were planning on forwarding it to two different organizations who helped children with special needs find families. One even specifically works with children with Down Syndrome. We actually thought that we were specifically being called to adopt a child with Down Syndrome. We began to plan more fundraisers while we waited for a while (a year or more) to be contacted. We knew that we were approved to adopt a child with minimum / mild needs.

Our home study agency primarily works with international adoptions and domestic infant adoptions for infertile couples. They really do not have a "special needs adoption" program to speak of. They do have children become available from time to time who have very severe needs, but these children are usually cared for by experienced parents who have adopted before.

This is when we believe (including our wonderful social worker and staff) that God had His hands all over this adoption from the beginning! A child became available that was 18 months old with fairly manageable special needs. We were all very shocked, excited and cautious. Everything began to happen in a whirlwind! We met with this little boy and his foster mother at our agency. We read all of his medical and history that we could. We were counseled by our social worker and went home to talk together and pray for guidance.

We researched hundreds of websites, organizations, blogs, and resources which had information about his needs. Finally, my husband calmly and quietly stated this to me one day, "I just do not see one single reason that we should not adopt this child. I am strangely at peace after meeting him, discussing his needs and background, and praying about this. I think this is what we are meant to do." It was exactly what I was feeling.

So, we signed a mound of paperwork and received a mound of blessed information from his foster family, and we took our son home! We are in the process of finalizing his adoption. And.....this journey is far from over. I will chronicle some of the many challenges we have faced so far. These are not "negatives" by any means. But - I would like to say that there are many challenges and obstacles and a range of emotions that we never expected. I believe that the adoption of a special needs child is so unique. You can never really plan or prepare yourself for all that will happen or for all the things you will feel. I have experienced the birth of five children but am still amazed at the new, wonderful, blessed, painful, challenging things that I am experiencing. It is a journey like no other I have ever travelled.

God has been so good to our family. I am still so humbled and thankful to Him for all of my children. My husband and my children are truly the greatest people in my life. They are what makes me rich - rich in heritage, glory, and love. They are why I strive every day to become a little bit better. Thank you for following along with us. Part III is coming as soon as I can find time and words to write.

The Journey to Our Son - Part I

2010-11-04T09:39:00.001-07:00

I am going to attempt to take you along our personal adoption journey. This post has been a work in progress for so long. I will begin with how God moved the hearts of my husband Matthew and I. He burdened our hearts for adoption through a picture of a Miss Corinna from Reece's Rainbow. Her beauty and the plight of the Ukrainian orphans pierced our very souls. We committed ourselves to God and answered His call to adopt. This began back in late summer/ early fall of 2009.

Along this journey, we have had the honor of meeting so many families - adopting both internationally and domestically. We began attending our local Down Syndrome Outreach Group and made several friends there who had adopted. We found an agency in Birmingham who would help us complete our home study. We then began our search for a placement agency. We learned that the Ukraine was quite concerned with the adoptive parents' mental illness history. This would prove to be a challenge as we have had some mild bouts with depression and such in our past. We were also very concerned about cost and the travel time / waiting periods that were involved in an adoption from the Ukraine. Having three children under the age of 5 at home would prove to be a difficult obstacle to travelling.

We began the daunting task of fundraising next. This was not an easy task and it would end up being a very challenging issue. Matthew and I are very independent and stubborn. We take care of our family together - most often only relying on each other for help. We do not ask for money. Period. But - as we learned, "God's Will, God's Bill." We swallowed that sinful pride, and told everyone about our desire to follow God's calling to adopt. We received a variety of responses. Some responded very warmly, some negatively, and some never replied at all. The most heartfelt responses we had were from total strangers - those adoptive families we had never even met. They embraced us and supported us both financially and through prayer and friendship.

To those of you that supported us and believed in us during this journey - we will never be able to thank you enough. Your generosity and kindness will always be remembered whenever we look at our son. You had somewhat blind faith in our family, and we will forever be in your debt. Thank you friends - we love you.

Our family worked very hard to fundraise - we sold t-shirts and children's books and coffee products. We also tried several other creative ideas. Throughout the entire adoption journey, we were concerned about travel. We always travel as an entire family but that seemed unrealistic when looking at the Ukraine. Not only did we lack a full-proof, long-term, reliable babysitter - we also were not comfortable leaving our young children for a long period of time. I believe that we began to reconsider our decision to adopt internationally during this time. We also believe that God - our Navigator - was steering us in the right direction - His direction for our family.

It boils down to this for us: all children, both domestically and abroad, are orphans if they are without a permanent family to care for them. We were never interested in adopting a "healthy, Caucasian infant" - indeed, we have 5 healthy, biological daughters. We have always been interested in adopting a child with special needs. This is what we believe God is calling us to do. For those of you who do not understand our calling to adopt, or who resent us and disagree with our calling - you are entitled to your opinions. However, please do not judge us for trying to follow God as His servants. We pray that we will be able to adopt again in the future for this has been one of the most meaningful, joyous, difficult, painful, extraordinary, blessed things we have ever done. We will always support our friends and fellow adoptive families in any way we can.

More in our next post about the specific road to our son, Braylon Matthew Stever.

Day of Celebration

2010-09-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

32 years ago, a bouncing baby boy was born that would change my life forever. No, I am not speaking about one of my children. Matthew Allen Stever entered the world crying and making a fuss! Oh, what a beautiful day! I would not find out until years later that this would be the light of my life - my closest friend, my partner in crime, my husband, & father of my children. Several things come to mind:

"Love is first friendship and then commitment." --Jacques Pierre Ribault

Even though this is quoted all of the time, it truly explains our relationship.

"No, I don't understand my husband's theory of relativity, but I know my husband, and I know he can be trusted."
Elsa Einstein

If there is anything I know with 100% certainty, it is that my husband is trustworthy. Trust is a must for my husband - he must trust you in a relationship. He will always tell you the truth.

"Opening her eyes again, and seeing her husband's face across the table, she leaned forward to give it a pat on the cheek, and sat down to supper, declaring it to be the best face in the world."- Charles Dickens

This is too sweet for some, but it is really how I feel about him. He does have the best face in the world to me!

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you." - Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Again, may be corny to some, but this summarizes the effect my husband has on me. I AM a better woman, better wife, and better mother because of him. He holds me up, stands beside me and behind me, stands in front of me when he needs to, and carries me when I need him to do so. He lets me be myself ALWAYS.

Thank you God for blessing this world with Matthew Stever - my forever love. Our lives are richer and fuller because you are here with us. I love you.

Wedding Day Pictures June 2010

2010-09-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

A & M

Family including new Son-in-law

Family

K & A

Blessings to You!

Talking the Talk - Time to Walk

2010-09-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

It has been way too long since I blogged about anything! I guess there has been so much going on in our household that I just couldn't find time. Really though, we have been going through so many changes that once I begin a post, I have to erase it and begin another. Then, more of the same. These are good changes and are more like growing pains I guess.

God really has worked with our family. He has been with us the whole time on this journey - for almost a year! We have completed our home study and are waiting on an official approved copy. Can you believe that? We have a situation that has arisen that we are not ready to share yet. We are in the midst of a frenzy of prayers right now, and we ask you - our friends and family - to join with us and pray to our Father on our behalf. Pray for clear heads, open hearts, loving arms, adequate funds, unconditional acceptance, and smooth processes.

Sorry to be vague, but we are not at our point of clarity just yet. God is working out the details for us. So, we will give you an update on where the Stever Family is heading as soon as we know! Thank you all for your support this last year. It means everything to us and we still need it more than ever! Please continue to share our fundraisers listed on our blog with others as well.

I would like to close with an expression of my love, respect, grief, and celebration for a little angel named Selah. Her family's blog is called His hands His Feet Today. If you visit, remember to offer encouraging words - no negative comments should come near this family as I am very protective of them! They are another family similar to the Pattersons that truly inspire me and make me want to be better. They live the example of unconditional love. They truly believe that all life is precious and that all children deserve to live and die in the arms of a family. Thank you to them for showing us how God wants us to love. Bless little Selah for touching the hearts of so many.

A Family Who Needs Us

2010-08-10T11:57:00.000-07:00

Friends:

I was fortunate enough to run across a blog that has captured my heart. This family has the strength of a million soldiers. They are fighting a war for their daughter Ashley's life and the battle is bloody and difficult and ugly. I have been praying for this little girl and her family and thinking about what I can do for them. They do not know me and I have never met them. I have only become acquainted with their lives through this blog.

The parents have tremendous faith and strength. They will never give up on their beautiful little girl's life. They are a shining example of the power of love and family for us all. I am humbled by their struggles and feel so honored that they would share the intimate details of their horribly painful battle with us. Yet - they hold up hope and faith that their daughter will live. They will not entertain the idea of giving up.

Please I implore you to pray Ashley's family. Pray for continued strength to endure this pain. Pray for their precious daughter as she fights for life. They are a hard-working family that will do whatever it takes to sustain her life.

I am forever changed by having known about their lives. Dear Lord, please give this family strength and healing and surround them with Your love.

Stepping Forward in Faith

2010-08-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

I have been experiencing a true "inner struggle" for a while now. I have happened upon several really inspirational blogs of families who are dealing with special needs. They are shining examples of the family I want be. They accepted God's call to parent their children NO MATTER WHAT. NO IFS, ANDS, OR BUTS. They did not place limits on what they would accept. They did not question for one minute what God was asking of them. They faced their fears of the unknown head-on.

I am ashamed to admit that every now and then something bad tempts me to question what special needs our family can handle. Can I truly handle parenting a child that has a terminal illness? Or don't all of us as God's children have an expiration date on our bodies? Deep stuff for me to ponder! I think it is putting my faith to the test - the test of a lifetime.

I'm sure that no one in their right mind wants to say goodbye to a young child. Death is difficult and painful enough right? But the death of our child......well - really God's child. We are here to parent and love and support and care for our children. But they are all our adopted children, aren't they? This is really really hard for me to grasp because the experience of growing a baby in your womb, carrying that baby, nourishing them and giving birth to them - life! Well, let me tell you it is like nothing else. It truly is MIRACULOUS.

Since I was 18 years old, I have spent my life protecting my children and keeping them from harm, sickness, danger, and meanness. Knowingly accepting a child into our family (whether by adoption or birth) that has life-threatening, or at the least, life challenging medical needs is quite terrifying to me. I know it is selfish and weak - believe me I pray for strength every night.

I just wanted to share these fears with all of my blog friends because I hope that you have felt something similar and understand me. I need your prayers to give me strength of body, mind, and spirit. I know that God has big wonderful things in store for us! I pray that we will be worthy of His plans and take that step forward even though there is risk involved.

Better Than A New Car!

2010-07-16T12:13:00.000-07:00

http://www.reecesrainbow.org/havegrantwilltravel.html

Okay - If this doesn't bring me out of hiding to blog, then nothing will! What better way to spend $20,000 than to save a child from death! Join me in a prayer of thanks for the donor who decided that this precious and beautiful little boy deserved life more than he/she needed some material "thing." God bless you!

Look at that face! Please step up if you are able and bring this baby home!

Prayer Request

2010-06-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

Yes - I am still blogging and we are still on our adoption journey! I have been spending some quiet time in prayer with God for the last couple of weeks.I have been feeling that His plans for our family are taking a turn. He is showing me the path and I am seeking advice and assistance from our social worker on this. We are at a cross road right now - not a bad one though. Just a detour or a different view.

Would you please pray for our family? We need for you to pray that we will receive the guidance and trust in God that we need to continue on our adoption journey. We have been called to be the family to a special needs child. Please pray that our Lord will provide all the means needed to do just that!

Blessings to you all - your prayers mean the world to us!

Time for Reflection

2010-06-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

Haven't posted in a while. God has been calling me to reflect recently. After praying for several families losing their precious children and enduring so much hardship, I have been turning inward to reflect on my blessings. I also feel that God is building up to show our family something very BIG and DIFFERENT somehow. Do you ever receive feelings like this after prayers and talks with God? The more I really talk to Him and the more I become quiet and listen (okay, this is a tough one for me), the more He reveals to me. I am unsure what twists and turns He has in store just yet, but I am eagerly awaiting.

All I can explain is this: We are moving towards a big change. Don't have a clue what kind of change. I still know that we are called to adopt. I just think that God is about to shake things up a bit. Even though it scares me to death, I am so excited! We began on a journey, but we are in for an adventure...........of a lifetime! I will blog about whatever happens when or if it happens. I do feel changes inside of me. I feel like I am preparing to be used for something great!

Thank you Father for using me! I am so blessed and honored to serve as Your daughter, a mother, and a wife. Please show me how to do what You need me to do. As always, we appreciate all of your prayers for our family! Be blessed!

Stepping Up To the Plate

2010-05-21T14:28:00.000-07:00

From my devotional prayer :

"In this spiritual journey, God wants to know whether you'll trust Him when He calls you to do the impossible. It's easy to make trust an easy word to utter, but when your name is called and your assignment is given, what will you do then? What if God called you into something that wasn't glamorous? What if you were called to leave your comfortable salary and position and start an outreach ministry? Whatever God's called you to do, I hope you'll listen to Him and go for it. If you're wrestling with your call, you need to know God will provide. You may have to make some sacrifices and compromises, but I assure you, God will take care of you. Here's a little hint for you. When you show God how faithful and committed you are to Him, that's when He'll open up the windows of heaven and pour you down some blessings."

Here we are Lord. Ready to serve You. Ready to carry out Your plans for us. We accept our assignment and will do our very best for You. While we are not perfect, we were made in Your image so we are good. Please help us along the way - we really need you. Hear our cries for mercy and endurance. We have hearts that are burdened by Your children - especially the orphans of the Ukraine. Help us help them.

A Princess Dancing

2010-05-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

I think we are all grieving the loss of "our" Serbian Princess Chrissie. I cannot help but feel distraught because I am only human. I cry for her mother, Lorraine, because I am a mother too. I cry for her short life because she just received her chance of a "real" life with a loving family here in the US. I cry because she fought and fought and suffered - all with that tiny little body. A body not unlike my 4 year old's body - I cry selfishly because it could be my child one day.

Then, I try to hang on for dear life to my faith - my unsteady, faltering, imperfect-but-still-here faith. I know that her life was worth far more than anyone will really ever know. Chrissie touched thousands of families all over the world. The Pattersons are an example of the kind of family that I want to surround my children with. This is it my fellow daughters and sons of God! It doesn't get more real than this, does it?

Deep inside, this is why adoption terrifies me. I am so weak and so human. I am afraid that adopting a special needs child may place our family in the exact position that the Pattersons are in. I may have to let go of my child before I am ready! However, isn't this a possibility every day with every single member of our families? We do not know what the future holds here on earth. We MUST have faith in something more.

The really important things in life, the greatest battles, the greatest victories, the greatest and deepest love is found when we let go and take that chance. So, our family will do just that. Thanks be to our Father for placing families such as the Pattersons in our paths. Hug your children and hold on for dear life! Every moment with our loved ones is pure gold and so precious! Please join with us in praying for the Patterson Family.

Show Your Support NOW!

2010-05-17T14:41:00.001-07:00

Dear friends and family:

If we are indeed Christians, we cannot close our eyes. The vast number of homeless children is just too apparent. Wake up everyone! Stand up and make a difference! If you cannot or will not adopt, then support a family that can! It takes all of us - God's Body of Christ - to rescue the innocent and give them homes and love.

My dear friend Tina Kacirek has rekindled a fire inside of me! The Kacirek Family is such a beautiful example of being obedient and following God's plans for His people. I am inspired by their example every day - they amaze me! Thank you Tina for reminding me again (when I needed it most) that what we are doing is saving lives!

So please - I implore you and beg you to search your hearts for God's Spirit. Help an adoptive family TODAY! Do not wait for His children live on borrowed time. They are alone, cold, hungry, and our responsibility. Do not turn away! Support adoption! If you feel inspired to help our family adoption, we will be forever grateful and pray for all of you. If not us, then choose one of the hundreds of families who need your donations.

Pray for all of the families who are being obedient to God's calling to rescue His children. Do not ask "Why?" and do not recommend "Let someone else do it!" Give them your unconditional love and support - step out in faith today!

Handing It Over In Prayer

2010-05-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me the following song lyrics:

Don't Pray and Worry

(Recorded by J. Moss)(Written by James Moss)

He knows all that's before you

He will never neglect His child

Nor will ignore tears in your eyes

Lay your cares to rest

Chorus:

The righteous won't be forsaken

Just hold to your faith

And His word will be manifested

Be steadfast and don't fear

Don't pray and worry

Why is it that we will spend time

going to church but don't understand why

Why we must pray

And then believe things we pray for will soon be received

The prayers of the righteous availeth much

Be not weary in well doing

God of Heaven can do anything

Lay your cares to rest

For the righteous

Chorus:

He who holds the future

Also rules this land

And responsible for each breath we take

Just pray and then leave it there

Pray and then leave it there

Maybe you've lost all hope

And can't see past tomorrow

Speak His word into your life

And stand on His promise to you

This is a beautiful song, isn't it? I love the idea of "praying and leaving it there!" Our family is going through a time of waiting - waiting on the adoption process, waiting on our daughter's wedding, waiting on a possible job opportunity. It is the most difficult thing for me personally. I can pray for others - no problem. But trying to pray for God's will for our family and our needs is so difficult for me! I always try to be in control even when I know that I have NO control at all. It is all up to God - He knows what is best for our family and He has a divine plan for us.

Please continue to pray for our family - we appreciate all of your support so much! May God bless you as well especially if you are experiencing the same kind of waiting in your prayers.

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

Quoted by Dr William Sears MD (one of my favorites):

"Having dedicated over 40 years of my life to working with and helping moms, I’m still in awe of one special mother, my wife Martha. I personally wish each of you a blessed Mother’s Day and thought I’d share a Mother’s Day story that has stuck with me through the years. One of my favorite Mother’s Day memories involves a situation when a person once challenged my wife Martha about about having so many kids and contributing to the world’s overpopulation, Martha quipped: 'the world needs my children!' The world needs your children too! Love, nourish and cherish them. "

I love this! What will society become if there are no families? No children? The family unit is the core of all existence. Within the heart of the family lives God our Father. I, for one, cherish each and every one of my children and those that God has chosen for me in the future! Give thanks to God Almighty for big families with loving members!

2010-05-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

If you visit the blog A Place Called Simplicity - link below - they are having a Crazy Love challenge to help adopting families bring their children home. There are a variety of fundraisers listed there where you can find all kinds of meaningful things to purchase. Better yet, you will be helping an orphaned child find a family!

http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2010/05/crazy-love-challenge-3.html

We have all of our fundraisers listed on our blog :

Just Love Coffee - Stever Adoption Family Page
Adoption Bug T-shirts - Stever Family Page
Barefoot Books - Kelli-Stever Page

Thank you so much for supporting our family adoption of a special needs child from the Ukraine. We appreciate your prayers, purchases, and donations! May God bless you and your family!

2010-04-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

Rescue those being led away to death; Hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

Proverbs 24:11

This scripture passage may seem over the top to some, but to an adoptive family, it seems right on target. This is how I feel when asked why we rush and fundraise and tell our story and save and give every penny we can to our adoption and the adoptions of other families. We are not calling ourselves "saviors" or "saints" by any means. Far from it. We are simply putting things in proper perspective for those who do not understand our urgency and passion.

We are trying so hard to do God's will. We are presenting our family as His servants - we wish to serve Him by doing whatever it takes to adopt a special needs child from the Ukraine. Please continue to pray for us. We appreciate your prayers so much. If you wish, prayerfully consider making a donation to our adoption. We would love to have you join our family in making a difference in the life of one of God's forgotten children.

2010-04-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.allarepreciousinhissight.blogspot.com/

If you have a family, I would like to suggest you visit the blog above for a mixture of reality and Christian example.

Before we began this adoption journey last year, I was quite far away from my Lord. I mean, we are still searching for a "home church" where we may worship. We are not shining examples of steadfast Christianity - I was raised Catholic and my husband was raised a mixture of Baptist and Church of Christ. We both come from troubled backgrounds - whatever the heck that is! We are a "blended" family with children from my previous marriage. The list could go on and on I promise you.

BUT - If there is one thing that I can say about this adoption journey (and I can say several), it is that my Lord called me. He summoned me. And He summoned my husband as well. We had no choice but to follow. It is that simple. It did not matter what our Christian "status" was or where we were in life because He led us down the appropriate paths to find our way to Him. When I find a family like the Pattersons above, I feel like I have been electrocuted with His spirit! Even though I am suffering and praying for them, I am so glad that God placed them right in my path! This family is what it is all about my friends.

My heart has been so burdened by their story. Their beautiful adopted daughter from Serbia (Chrissie) has only been home for a short time. Now her parents must find the strength and courage and FAITH to allow her come home with them one day or go home to be with her Heavenly Father. The ultimate sacrifice - our children are not ours. We have the privilege and honor of carrying them in our wombs, flying to foreign lands to rescue them, raising them in our homes, and loving them unconditionally. But in the end, we are all God's children. We cannot control life or death. This is what the Patterson family has taught me.

I will continue to pray for Chrissie's heart, lungs and body in general. I will also pray for the Patterson family during this difficult time. They are a testament to parents' love for their children.

Lord, Make Me Uncomfortable

2010-04-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

The following excerpt is from a Lifeline Children's Services newsletter. It is worth reading:

"As I think of "comfort" I think of the 143 million orphans in our world - whether in US foster care, in orphanages overseas, on the streets, or squatting in abandoned buildings. To save, rescue, and reach orphans God does not call us to be comfortable, but to go through the lack of some comfort. To save, rescue, and reach orphans many times means entering into hostile lands or parts of our world that know nothing but poverty, it many times means leaving behind the modern "comfort" of home, and many times if called to adopt it means risking the "comfort" of your family and spending the "comfort" of your vacation time to spend weeks in another land.

Rejoice today beloved that Jesus was willing to risk all "comfort" for our sake... Oh beloved, will you allow God to use you to impact the life of a child?"

http://www.lifelineadoption.org/

What "comfort" are we willing to sacrifice for the life of an orphan? What is the life of a child worth? My friends, our family is praying for the strength and courage to sacrifice our comforts. We hope that God allows us to endure discomfort so that we may offer one of His precious little children a loving home with us. Please pray for our family as well.

Just A Great Quote

2010-04-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."-Mother Teresa

Doesn't get much better or more real than this, does it? As we try to prepare for our home visit, I am reminded of the reasons why we began this journey in the first place. Yes, we are out of our comfort zone. Yes, we are crazy. (Ha Ha - not dangerous though!) Yes, we are sacrificing material things to adopt. Yes, we are frightened of the unknown. Yes, we are relying on God to provide the funds and are working on fundraisers to help.

Yes, it is all worth it. We are called to serve Him. He has called us to serve the orphans of the world. This is our small way to make a difference. We have a lot of love to give a child. We are giving it to our 5 biological children also. We will always have room in our hearts and home for God's precious children.

Thank you for supporting us.

Birthday and Easter Wish

2010-04-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Grandma! She has been the best support person during this adoption journey! Thanks to a generous Birthday Wish donation via Facebook, we are closer to paying for our entire home study! We are trying to get ready for the visit coming up in 2 weeks now! Cleaning, straightening, building, mending, etc.....

I was reminded again this weekend how special my family is - my husband, beautiful girls (older and younger) and my in-laws! The girls loved their Easter egg hunt with their adopted "Maw Maw" and their visit with Aunt Melanie in Birmingham!

My prayer for our family and each one of you is to come out of our "comfort zones." This is what Jesus did for all of us - He even died on the cross for us! Blessings to all!

Moving Along

2010-04-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

Our first appointment with our social worker for our home study went great! We took the whole family to Birmingham and made a day of it! The kids visited with their Grandma and Aunt Melanie and we answered questions and discussed the home study process. We have now scheduled our home tour/visit for April 16 - please mark this date on your calendars to lift prayers up to the Lord! We need all the support we can get! We are so excited about this! We cannot wait to see the child that God has chosen for us to add to our family. Our children are so important to us.

For any family or friends out there: If you receive a reference letter, please pray over it and support us with your answers. We appreciate all of your help and love and prayers right now!

Happy Easter everyone!

Giving Thanks

2010-03-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

I always reflect on my blessings on my birthday each year. Tomorrow is my 41st birthday, so the time has come again. I am overwhelmed by the multitude of blessings that God has poured into my life! I have the most loving partner in life - my husband Matthew and our five beautiful daughters. They give me reason to breath every single day! I have been truly blessed by many new friends through the Internet and blog world. These families inspire me and strengthen me with their devotion to orphans and adoption. I also have my basic needs met - food, water, shelter, etc. God has been so good to me during my 41 years! He stood beside me during some troubled times and He never gave up on His child!

To all the blessings in my life: please accept my heartfelt thanks for all that you are, all that you have done, and all that you continue to do for me and my family. This journey that is being led by God is not for the faint of heart. It is difficult and emotional. With your support, we will complete it and have many new adventures to come. Thank you friends and God bless all of you.

Blessings!

2010-03-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

We have been blessed with a donation from a wonderful non-profit ministry that supports adopting families! This will help us cover the next installment due to our home study agency! WOW! We continue to be amazed and inspired by the generosity of those who have never even met our family. We are humbled and thankful beyond words. Thank you for believing in us and lifting us up in prayer. Continue to pray for our home study appointment in Birmingham next week. We are blessed!

Puzzle Fundraiser

2010-03-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

Quick reminder: Our Puzzle Fundraiser is a great way to support our adoption and become part of our future child's life forever! It is a very affordable way to donate to our cause - saving the life of a Ukrainian child. $5 per piece - the cost of a fast food value meal. Please prayerfully consider this fundraiser as a special way to join with us on our journey. Click the link below:

http://www.noodlepuzzle.blogspot.com/

Fundraising Mania!!!

2010-03-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard, we are fundraising like crazy for our adoption of a special needs child/children from the Ukraine! I thought that I would list all of our links to these in one post today. These are all available on the left of our blog as well. We have:

Puzzle Fundraiser: $5 donation for a puzzle piece with your family name on the back

http://www.noodlepuzzle.blogspot.com/

Adoption Bug T-shirts: 6 designs to choose from on our Stever Family page

http://www.adoptionbug.com/SteverAdoption

Just Love Coffee Fundraiser: Variety of coffees & other items on our family page

http://www.justlovecoffee.com/SteverAdoption

Barefoot Books Fundraiser: Multicultural children's books from our adoption event page

http://www.kelli-stever.barefootbooks.com/

We are also so blessed to part of the Kingdom Kids Fundraising/Grant Program! You may visit their website and make a tax-deductible donation to our adoption. Just go to Family Grant Donations and type "Matthew & Kelli Stever" in the Designation box.

http://www.kingdomkidsadoption.org/

Thank you for reading this post and sharing it with everyone you can! We have been so very blessed to have the support of our immediate family and close friends. We would be additionally honored, blessed & fortunate to have your help! Please prayerfully consider a donation to our family adoption and help us spread the word!

Adoption Bug T-shirts!

2010-03-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

We are so excited about our new t-shirt fundraiser! Please visit our Stever Adoption Family Page and support us! Let everyone know about these shirts because they are a great way to show your support of our adoption and adoption in general!

http://www.adoptionbug.com/SteverAdoption

Families to Pray For - Part III

2010-03-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

I will never be able to list everyone that I would like to, but here are a few more families that need your love and support!

Davis Family

http://oureyesopened.blogspot.com/

Lorenz Family

http://journeytoapromise.blogspot.com/

Sisemore Family

http://tillgodbringsthemhome.blogspot.com/

Burman Family

http://burmanbunch.blogspot.com/

Join with me to pray for these wonderful families! They need our help! I am again humbled and honored that my family is in their company. Let us pray all of these children home!

Families In Need - Part II

2010-03-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

I would like to recognize several more families that need our help. They need prayers, support, and donations to bring home their children. I have been so honored to have read their stories and even corresponded with some of them. Please take some time from your day to visit their blogs and read about their journeys. I am blessed to be in their company!

Basile Family

http://angeleyesadoption.blogspot.com/

Statz Family

http://ourfifthgirl.blogspot.com/

Harper Family

http://choosingcharlie.blogspot.com/

Lewandoski Family

http://findinghunter.blogspot.com/

Kacirek Family

http://kacirek.blogspot.com/

Toomey Family

http://onestitchatatimetoomey.blogspot.com/

Families In Need

2010-03-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

I want to dedicate the next few posts to other families that I have met through emails, blogs, Face Book, Reece's Rainbow and such. I consider all of them wonderful, loving families who have a heart for adoption and are answering God's call. I will never be able to mention all of these good people that I have been so fortunate and blessed to meet. I will try to post about as many as I can. Please visit their blogs and find them on Face book and read their heartwarming stories. Pray for them, support them, and if you feel so inclined - donate to their adoptions. I have been inspired and lifted up by every one of them. May God bless them and lead them in a straight path to their future sons and daughters.

The Enskat Family

http://allabouttheenskats.blogspot.com/

The Sanchez Family

http://savingsofia.blogspot.com/

The White Family

http://whitesadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/

The Land family

http://allgodschildrenukraine.blogspot.com/

The Parker Family

http://snadoption.blogspot.com/

The Salem Family

http://nogreaterjoymom.blogspot.com/

Stay tuned for more terrific families in future posts!

Large Families

2010-03-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

I was reading posts on Face Book and came across a great blog post that you must read! That is - if you love large, multicultural, biological/adoptive families!

http://randybohlender.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/what-not-to-say/

I absolutely love this way of thinking! What a refreshing view of the large family! People should always think before they speak. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. It is a definite reread!

Blessings for a spectacular day!

Good Attitude

2010-03-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

I have not posted in several days because I have not had a very good attitude. I have been a little bit down due to numerous things going on around me. I decided that rather than whining or posting about empty, boring subjects, I would just sit back and chill for a few days. Then, I read a daily devotional entitled, " Begin Your Day with a Good Attitude." I had to hang my head in shame! This is NOT the way I have been starting each day.

I am learning a few things during this unique adoption journey. I cannot allow money or the lack of it bring me down. I must have faith - not during the good times! Too easy! During the worst of times. Sometimes I have to sit back and be content with the small things. I must look at the problems and snags along the way as "challenges to my faith." Is this unknown orphan in the Ukraine worth some discomfort? Some pain? Some hard times? Some headaches and difficult decisions?

YES!

I need a wake up call now and then! Therefore, we will continue to fundraise, sell, network, refinance, & brainstorm every minute of the day so that we can make a difference in the life of one of the special children in a Ukrainian orphanage. Please pray for our family. We need this more than anything!

Special Note to Our Children

2010-03-04T14:52:00.000-08:00

I came across this blog from another blog! It has crossed my path twice now so I must share it with you!

You must read this blog! http://itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-dont-want-my-children-to-be-happy.html

What a perfect and beautiful way to explain adoption to our families! Thank you for sharing this with us! God bless you!

Quit Faking It

2010-03-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

I would like to join Courtney at www.storinguptreasures.com with her campaign! Amen! She has a lot of nerve and I admire her for her candid post! I would like to attempt to share a little bit of my real life with you.

First of all, I will share a quote from her blog here:

"I am really screwed up. I need Jesus something fierce."

I also fake my faith sometimes. I try to pray the "right way" but many times I do not even know if I mean what I say. I know that God is very disappointed in me.

I am not always real when it comes to my precious children. Sometimes I even fake with them. I pretend to be Mother of the Year and work full time and look forward to weekends of zoo outings, playgrounds, book reading, etc. when all I really want to do is sleep the weekend away.

We go out for fast food - there - I said it. I wish we ate home cooked delicious meals that take all day to prepare and are filled with fresh, organic ingredients. But we do not. In fact, we very rarely eat true home cooked meals. We eat what is easy and quick to prepare. I am even faking the fact that I wish we ate home cooked meals more often. What a pain! I like the easy meals!

My home is a total wreck 90% of the time. We pick up more than clean up. I wipe off things with Clorox wipes more than thoroughly clean them. My kids eat crumbs off the floor sometimes.

I read all the articles on child rearing including time outs, time ins, creative discipline, no yelling, etc..... I yell at my kids. Yes - I yell at my kids. Sometimes I even throw a temper tantrum myself that is far more juvenile than theirs.

As I share some of the things I fake every day, I hope that you appreciate my honesty and start your own mini revolution too! I think what is most important is that we all admit our faults and try to be as real as we can. God forgives us and accepts us as we are. He is not a fake. He is EVERYTHING. I am nothing if not His daughter. And I love all of you as the fakers that you are too! : )

Overwhelming Support from a Friend

2010-03-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

I have had the privilege of meeting a wonderful mother online. We met by God's plan through blogs and email. We both have a heart burdened by an orphan known as "Corinna" in the Torez facility in the Ukraine. We also both love coffee and coffee creamer and both live in Alabama! Josette has been such a sweet special friend to me and she is going 100% on faith! We will meet some day soon, but until then, I want everyone who follows our story to realize what a faithful, generous woman she is.

She parted with several items that were very special to her. They held dear memories for her and could have been sold for numerous other better causes than ours. However, she chose to donate the proceeds to our family adoption. We have not even been matched with a particular child/children yet. But - she believes in our heart for adoption and stands beside us on this journey.

I will never be able to show you the extent of my gratitude, my dear friend. Please know that you and your family have become a part of our family - you are a part of our future child's life forever. May God continue to bless your family and keep you safe and happy. I hope that one day I can give to you some of what you have given to us! Maybe our families can share a meal & fellowship together in the near future! I love you!

Prayers & Support

2010-02-26T13:55:00.000-08:00

This family really struck a chord with me. They really do set an example for all of us - an example of faith, love, nurturing, and answering God's calls - all of them! They are a wonderful family with 10 children from age 13 down to newborn. Their family blog is as gorgeous as their children! Courtney, the mother, is a talented photographer. Just like many of us, they are facing tough times; however, they are very positive and trust in God to bring them through all hardship.

Would you all please take a look at their blog and at Courtney's Etsy Shop? The links are below:

http://www.storinguptreasures.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Wifetotherockstar

I love how this community of adoptive families pulls together to support one another. I hope we can put our arms around this family as well and pray for them. Thank you Courtney for your inspirational posts about your wonderful family. We continue to follow along with you with hope and support.

Big Family Benefits

2010-02-25T08:28:00.000-08:00

I visited a family blog today that I follow. She had an article from Matthew Archbold. Here is a copy of it:

Why big families are easier:

Patience. I never have to teach patience. My children know that I can’t drop everything for them if I have a baby in my arms.

Work Ethic. My children have learned to work because there are always chores to do in a small house packed with little messy lunatics. And they all learn quickly that sometimes they have to clean up a mess even though they didn’t make it.

Humility. My children have learned it’s not always their turn. They’ve accepted they can’t always get their way because other people have to get their way sometimes. They’ve learned that some children are better at certain things than they are.

Foreign language skills. You can learn a lot of Spanish by watching ten years of Dora the Explorer that you just can’t pick up in two. And now with the Diego spin off I’m practically fluent.

Laughter. The children have learned to laugh at the insane non sequiturs of younger siblings. They’ve learned that laughing just feels better when seven people are doing it along with you.

Competition. Do I really need to go into this? Everything is a competition in big families. The children compete over who reads faster, who drinks their milk faster, who gets to the bathroom first…etc. Everything is a competition and they’re all keeping score.

Balance. The floor of the front room of my home is a minefield of toys and childhood paraphernalia. Just walking through the room requires great skill and balance. I’m absolutely convinced my two year old will be a favorite for Gold on the balance beam in the 2016 Olympics. (She might have to lay off the cookies a little but I’ll deal with that later.)

Life isn’t fair. Sometimes you just give it to the baby because you want a little quiet. Not all the time. But sometimes.

Just say “No.” Being able to say “no” may be the most undervalued skill in this world. The need to be liked is pervasive. The need to be cool even more so. Having brothers and sisters teaches children to say “no” about 143 times a day. It’s a good skill.

Praying. They learn that nothing beats praying together as a family.

Nature/Nurture. Having many children has taught me that nature has a lot more to do with who my kids are than nurture. This is helpful, especially when your children misbehave you don’t have to feel bad about it. Just say “Stupid nature!!!” and blame your spouse’s genes.

Namecalling. You can occasionally call your child by the wrong name and still not be considered a terrible parent. They know who you mean just from your tone. Sometimes if you need something done you can call the wrong name and someone will still show up. That helps.

Spying. My children have learned that they can’t get away with anything. I have spies who look a lot like them who are willing to drop the dime on them for anything. Even at school I’ve got a child in just about every grade. If they do something I’ll hear. That keeps them nervous. And I like keeping my kids a little nervous.

Friendship. The children have many friends. They’ve got girly friends, crying friends, fun loving friends, consoling friends, and crazy friends. And they all have the same last name. And they’ll be there forever for each other. No matter what.

Love. I think my children have learned to love because there are others around them to love and who love them. I honestly can think of no better way to teach children to love than siblings.

I could not have said it all better myself. This is so true. The link is here:

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/why_big_families_might_be_easier
The Boyd Family blog is a great one! They are a big family! I have learned more from their blog than any adoption class yet! Visit it here:
http://10kidsin2010.blogspot.com/
Blessings to all the Big Families out there!

Adoption - Not Abortion

2010-02-23T11:51:00.000-08:00

I am issuing a challenge to all Christians! I was raised hearing mottoes like these! As Pro-Life advocates, we have all advocated picketing abortion clinics, holding rallies, adopting rather than aborting, and organizing events to promote saving the unborn child. As Christians, this is an important ministry. However, I am finding that many people have no problems doing all of the above. The problem arises when we are called to ACT on our beliefs. For example, if you believe that adoption should be an option to an unwanted pregnancy because abortion is wrong, then are you actively supporting adoption? By this I mean are you actively supporting a family's adoption journey? Are you donating to this family? Are you praying specifically for them and their child? Are you helping with fundraising efforts? You see, it is fairly easy to state one's belief in something. I am urging you as a fellow Christian to ACT! Let's stand up and stand out! Let's do more than simply state, "We are against abortion. We believe in adoption as an alternative." Let's put our money and our support where our mouth is! I am challenging all Christians to actively support an adoptive family TODAY! You decide how you will accomplish that goal - by donations, prayer, fundraising, networking....whatever. Be an example - not just a mouthpiece - for adoption.

Note: I am taking on this challenge as well. Even though we are on our own adoption journey, I am becoming a stronger advocate for adoption. I am supporting my fellow adoptive families in every way possible. I am taking on more responsibility for promoting adoption in several different ways. I refuse to stand quietly behind a statement of belief any longer! I am going to ACT because isn't that what God calls us to do? I know that He is not satisfied with my actions yet! Please pray for me as I continue to pray for all of you!

Positively Soaring!

2010-02-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

I read this from my daily prayers. It goes something like this: "The concept of positive thinking is something that many people fail to do regularly. When things are going well, it is easy to think and act positive. However, when situations occur that are unfavorable, the idea of positive thinking has been replaced with doubt, confusion, and negativity. It is a shame that so many people allow situations and circumstances to dictate whether they will be happy, secure, and successful. In order for people to overcome this feeling, there must be a liberating of the mind.
Let us stop thinking negatively and start reflecting on what God has done and continues to do in our lives. Now this is a positive thought."

I lecture myself every day on this concept. I even say it out loud - BE POSITIVE. It is not for the faint of heart - being positive takes action and it is quite exhausting sometimes. BUT - it is so worth it! We are going to continue on our journey of adoption no matter what is thrown in our path. This typically manifests itself in negativity from outside sources - friends, family, colleagues. We just fight the battles one at a time. We will be victorious because of one thing: GOD. God is on our side.

A scripture for today because I just like it! "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
(Matthew 7:7-8 -NIV) I like this because if you never knock, or ask, or search, or put yourself out there - you will never succeed. You will never know what huge, cool things God had in store! We were in our safety net - comfortable and complacent. What a bore! Now we are soaring because we have answered a calling to serve and it feels so good!

Unconditional Love & Friendship

2010-02-19T11:13:00.000-08:00

Something very special happened today - something that I was not ready for. We received a donation from one of our dear friends. This young military family has five children. They are a faithful, Christian family that we admire very much. They live in another state, yet they have kept in touch with us much better than we have with them. They are truly an example for our family, and they have taught me what real, unconditional love means. They took that chance on us - that risk. They are like most average middle-income families these days. That makes their donation even more heartfelt to us. We do not deserve their friendship, but we accept it and ask them to pray for us.

This donation evoked strong emotions from me that were very unexpected. I had feelings of unworthiness, guilt, happiness, relief, and fear. It has made me look at the things in our life that are really, really important. Not money - but rather friends and supporters and children and our Almighty Father. He graciously showed me a sign - a sign of faith. It is so comforting to feel that we are supported. We know that we are following God's call to adopt one of His precious children. Not everyone understands this call and that is okay. We just have one request: please pray for us and support us in this journey.

Another New Fundraiser!

2010-02-18T14:09:00.001-08:00

Yes - you read it correctly! We are starting a new fundraising program that I read about from another adopting family. It is Just Love Coffee and I DO! This is a wonderful opportunity! The company is set up to give $5 profit for every bag of coffee we sell by order or online from our personalized web store. There are other products that pay commissions also such as T-shirts, mugs, etc. This company was started by a family adopting from Ethiopia. It is a truly amazing story that I invite all of you to read about. Just click on my link to the left of the blog! I really do think these people are the greatest! I am truly blessed to have found out about them. They also have a Fan Page on Facebook that you can check out! As always, thank you for your support during this adoption process. We could not do this without the support of all of you!

Making Time

2010-02-17T14:28:00.001-08:00

Today has been stressed-filled to the max! Then, I read my daily devotional and had an , "AH HA!" moment.

"Do you ever find yourself slipping up in your prayer life? God knows you're busy, but He wants you to carve out some meaningful time with Him. A powerful prayer life equates to a life full of blessings. Sincere prayer will cause God to move in your life and in the lives of those around you. Prayer that is not all about you will permit you to rise above thinking about yourself and placing the needs of others before your own. Prayer will give you peace in the midst of any storm. If you refuse to set aside devoted prayer time to God, how do you expect God to speak to you? "

These words really affected me. I have not given God the time He deserves from me. Yet I have been moaning about fundraising being a slow process and other everyday stresses. I can do much better than this. Today I pray for all of the orphans who are without families and for all of the families who are struggling along beside me trying to bring their children home too. May God bless each one of you.

Preparation For What Is Coming

2010-02-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

In order for us to get out of our problem, situation, and/or circumstance, we need to move and allow God to take over. God knows what to do, but we must allow Him to do what He needs to do. Whenever we are about to go through something uncomfortable, God equips us with what we need to endure it. Whenever we go through discomfort, it's to help us, not kill us. Our trial is preparing us for what is ahead.

I have to reread these thoughts over and over again lately! We are "stuck" in our adoption process. It is hard to swallow because it is simply a lack of funds. It is so hard to sit idly by while children are suffering! I know that God's plan is perfect, but it is so difficult to wait. Please pray for our adoption process to MOVE forward! Or just to MOVE! We have lively spirits that do not want to be still! We are continuing to fundraise and network with everyone we encounter!

I am so pleased to read about all of the families who are successfully moving forward in their adoptions. We pray every day for these families because they are part of our families too! Bless all of you who are on this journey with us!

Puzzle Fundraiser

2010-02-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

Our Puzzle Fundraiser is going strong! Thank you all for starting us out with a big bang! We are humbled and honored that so many have blessed us with their friendship and support. This means the world to us. May God bless all of our family and friends who have become a part of bringing home our future child. We love all of you and pray for you as well.

Valentines Day Everyday

2010-02-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

I have never been a fan of Valentines Day. I know I know. I am not a party-pooper I promise. I love roses as much as the next woman! However, I love them for any other time of the year. I did read something today that grabbed my attention. It said that we should not forget that God is our true love. God is love and deserves our best!

Everyday we wake up, it's Valentine's Day because we have an opportunity to show God how much we love Him. For those of you who are fortunate to have someone special in your life, I encourage you to do something special with them - pray together for God's guidance over your life. Express love daily and allow God to be manifested in your life.

That being said - I wish all of you love and peace today and every day!

Disappointed but not discouraged

2010-02-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

When life has you down, you don't have to stay down. Learn from what went wrong and make up your mind to improve what you're working on or working towards. I read somewhere that with every disappointment you face, you're one-step closer to where you need to go. For every disappointment, God will make it up to you through His blessings. Isn't that powerful stuff? A friend once told me that every now and then, God has to withhold some things from us because He knows what's best. We may get upset and even question God about His decision, but God sees what ahead of us and has a way of preparing us to receive our blessings.

I love this positive way of thinking. God is all-knowing. He is preparing our path. We just get impatient and selfish and want things when, how, and where we want them! I am struggling with this right about now! I want funds to complete our home study and commit with our agency. I get so tired of waiting and not knowing how and fundraising! I want to bring home our beautiful babe now! BUT - God knows what He is doing. This is all making me stronger and introducing me to families that are facing the same hardships. They are truly worthy of God's favor - more so than I am.

So, I am praying for all the families that struggling to raise funds during this difficult time. I am praying that they will receive all the blessings that they so deserve.

Determination

2010-02-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

Daily Prayer: What do you do when you're faced with a situation that seems hopeless? Do you throw up your hands and give up or do you roll up your sleeves and fight? It's so easy to quit at something that seems hopeless because the possibilities are slim. Possibilities appear slim when we look at things from the natural eye.
Doing the right thing will cause you to be placed in situations that are going to test your faith. Simply put - things will test you but won't prevail. Understand that God's working something out on your behalf and won't allow you to be defeated.
God loves you so much that He'll allow the enemy to become so cocky in his planning that the enemy will err. Let's all laugh at the enemy because he was stupid enough to allow you to read this message. Because of the enemy's stupidity, you're about to be set free. God takes what the enemy meant for evil and turns it into your good.
Take your eyes off what you see in the natural and focus on the spiritual. In a real sense, stop looking at what may seem obvious and place your hope and trust in God to do the impossible. Always remember, God's in control. Don't allow the enemy to destroy your future. You weren't created to quit; but to overcome. A positive attitude will take you to new altitudes. Real power comes from God working in you and through you. Do you believe it? I do! Let us take a moment to give God some praise. With God, we are guaranteed victory!

WHY?

2010-02-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

This is not an inspirational post. You will find no profound messages today. I really must rant so that it clears my system and I can move forward. Why do people ask why? "Why do you want to adopt? You have 5 healthy children." Really? Is that how many it is? "Why do you want to adopt from another country? We have need here!" But you are not adopting from here either now, are you? "Why a special needs child? What does that mean anyway?" To all this I just answer back - WHY NOT? Call me crazy (I am some days) but I am not counting the days until my children grow up and move away. I actually LIKE my kids and I LOVE being with them and taking care of them.

Plus...isn't it about time we DO something? We have been living our safe little lives with our beautiful daughters trying to save money and get to a certain point in life so that we can .....blah blah blah! Can you even begin to put a price tag on a child's life? I for one cannot. And I will not turn a deaf ear to God any longer when He whispers " Feed My children, give My children a home, clothe My children."

What am I living for really? I want to give glory to our Father. We are all God's children. I want to love these children just as our Father loves us. I think the comments are going to come more frequently now because more and more people are becoming aware of our intentions. It is not just "talk" now. It is action. We are asking for help. Many people do not feel comfortable with this concept at all. It makes us look inside and take stock of ourselves.

I challenge my fellow man to MAKE A CHANGE! Do something drastic for the life of a child! Take the plunge! Stand up and stand out! So, to those of you who did not already get it:

God willing, we are adopting a special needs child from the Ukraine. We are proud and honored and totally unworthy! But we are following God's plan for our family and we are trusting in Him to provide the rest!

Never Stop Learning - Strive to be Better

2010-02-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:1-2 -NIV)

In our spiritual journey, we should never take for granted what God has given us. I believe that God created me for motherhood. I have longed for a family of my own with a loving husband and many children playing around me. God has blessed me with just that! Now I must be ready to do my part for Him. I am so excited to see what God has in store for our family!

Side Note: A beautiful, innocent angel in the Ukraine finally has a family who has committed to her! I have streaming tears of joy for that family. May god shower every blessing upon their heads for bringing home this precious child. Even though we could not make her part of our family, we feel a bond with this family because they are God's instrument.

Five Beautiful Noodles

2010-02-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

I spend most of my time posting about our adoption journey and the ups and downs we face every day. Please let me write a post about my five wonderful biological daughters who are my inspiration and my heart.

Morgan is beautiful, intelligent and independent. She owns her own home and is planning her wedding (yes, wedding) coming up this June. We invited her to go to dinner with us last weekend at a pizza joint and she said, "Yes. Only you cannot talk about the adoption! I am planning a wedding you know!" This made me take a step back and share in her moment.

Alex is my feisty, gorgeous senior in high school. She absolutely hates school! She has a temper and is very emotional as well! She is graduating this year. She is also the most tenderhearted girl and loves her little sisters to death. I have to make an effort to keep up with her high profile life.

Avery is the self proclaimed "big sister" of the youngest three. She is so smart and is the spitting image of her father. She makes up new names for herself because she is tired of the name "Avery!" And I mean original names! Jalayla is her latest! She also loves her Grandma.

Kennedy is a cute and goofy little sweetie. She has her own language that even we do not understand sometimes. She is not afraid to turn on the tears if she needs to do so! She always says, "I sorry Momma, I sorry Avvry." She loves toughing and cuddling.

Miss McKinley is a mess! She has been so quick to learn everything early because she has two sisters to watch and learn from. She prefers to learn to stand - crawling is just a waste of time! She has had the hardest time of any of my children with teething. She loves her sisters and her Daddy who calls her, "Junior" to my disdain!

These are the lights of my life! They are part of the reason that we are adopting. We love them so much and are so proud of everything little thing they accomplish. Thank you for being the best daughters a mother could ever ask for! We love you all so much and cannot wait to see what you will become and what you will accomplish!

Waiting On You

2010-02-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

A blog that I follow called "Finding Our Butterflies" posted this song by John Waller. This family is an inspiration and I am "borrowing" the lyrics to post here because they inspire me. It is painful waiting for funds. AND God's time is not our time. So true! I hope this touches your hearts as well. Please visit their family adoption blog also at www.findingourbutterflies.blogspot.com

I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord"

Our Labor Is Not In Vain

2010-02-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

I tend to beat myself up because I don't believe what I'm doing is making a difference. I read today, "People are looking for immediate results without understanding they're planting seeds." God is working everything out. As long as I do my part, God will handle the rest. I must not allow the opinion or success of others deter me from doing God's work. I get physically tired and emotionally drained, but I always lean on the everlasting arms of God. My life isn't in vain and neither is my work.

We are doing something really important. We are so unworthy of what God has in store for us but we will accept His plans for us and live the best lives we can. Thank you Dear God for calling us - Your servants - to parent one of Your beautiful children. Inspire the hearts of our family, friends, and colleagues so that they will support our cause and lift us up in prayer.

We Need Your Help and Support

2010-01-28T13:17:00.000-08:00

In this spiritual journey, we must never lose faith. Hold on to God in the midst of our storm. When everyone else bails out, God is right there with us. Even though He may seem distant, the truth of the matter is He hasn't gone anywhere. We should not grow weary in your faith - hold on. God wants to know: What have I done for Him lately? Have I given Him my best or am I holding back? When I serve God and do what God has called me to do, I will receive all that's meant for me. On the other hand, if I refuse to serve God, how can I expect God to do anything for me? When I know that God has placed me where I am for a reason, I can handle any obstacle thrown at me. In a real sense, when we know God is able to do in us what others declare impossible and impractical, we can rejoice. We should not look at what we can't do based on people's opinion of us. We should seek God and get ready for our victory.

That being said, we are sending our letters / information packets out to family and friends this weekend. If you receive one, please pray and consider a donation to our family. If you do not, please lift us up in your prayers and help us network and get the word out! We need all the help we can get! After all, we are rescuing a blessed child from an institutional existence at best. We are saving a life! We are giving love, a family, a home.

Thank you all for your support and prayers. We are forever grateful.

God Can Move Mountains!

2010-01-25T14:33:00.000-08:00

In this life, I've discovered that life isn't fair and if you're not careful, you'll find yourself full of frustration and aggravation. Frustrated because it seems as though God has left you by yourself to fight for yourself. And frustrated because you're sick and tired of being sick and tired. The first thing I need to do is make up my mind that I am better than the situation I am in. I am better than ordinary, and better than that which tries to confines me. To change my situation, start with partnering my outlook on life with my uplook (God) and I will see a different outcome. The second thing I need to do is never give up on believing that God is able to deliver me from that which is trying to destroy me. I need to remember that faith moves mountains. It doesn't matter how big your mountains are, they can be moved. I have got to believe it if I want it moved. I must always remember that God is more powerful than any situation I am in. With God, I have the victory.

Isn't it great to give yourself a motivational speech sometimes? I have to do this a lot actually - especially these days! Thank you to all of you that are praying for our family and our adoption every day! We need you and we appreciate your support.

If it's not building, it's breaking.

2010-01-22T11:37:00.000-08:00

Daily devotional:
In order to move where God wants you to go, you'll need to serve an eviction notice to all of your haters trying to bring you down. In this spiritual journey, you need to avoid anyone and/or anything that's contrary to what God has for you. Unless you serve up an eviction notice to all that which is trying to bring you down, you'll always face drama in your life. Once you've served up the eviction notice, the next thing to do is open the door and shout 'see ya, don't want to be ya.' Financial worry needs an eviction. Emotional baggage needs an eviction. Loneliness, depression, anger, and greed need to be evicted. Allow God to step in and order your steps. You won't regret it.

I really needed to hear this. What a rough week! Lots of stress and worries that have been weighing down my husband and I. Praise God that we have been able to work through them and refocus and what is important. We have a beautiful, blessed family. I had to re-evaluate my status. Am I willing to learn and grown from mistakes during this adoption process? Am I willing to listen to my lifelong partner in my marriage when he voices concerns? Am I willing to hand over all of my weakness and sin to God?

Pray for our family as we struggle to continue on what has become the most difficult journey of our lives. May it also be the most meaningful.

Don't Get Distracted By Distractions

2010-01-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Whenever you've made up your mind to reach your destination, any hesitation on your part will cause you to be delayed in getting to where you need to go. When you decide to follow Christ, your steps are ordered by the One who knows you and knows all about you. If you get caught up with distractions, you'll miss what's in front of you. What God has for you is in front of you, not behind you or beside you, but in front of you.

This is what I prayed today. There are so many distractions all around me - some of them legitimate. Sick babies, job stress, money, etc. However, none of them are as powerful as what God has in store for our family! I am going to try to view the next week (pending home study visit with no funds yet) as a "done deal!" I am beginning to personally coin the phrase "fly on faith" for our adoption. What other way will we succeed? Odds are stacked against us. God is for us.

Finding My Purpose

2010-01-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

From Psalms "In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

Am I doing what God's called me to do? Am I doing everything with purpose or simply going through the motions waiting for something to happen? When I see things as possible, I will do the unthinkable. As long as I have breath in my body, there is time to fulfill all that God has called me to do.

This is a very scary time. Home study visit pending and no deposit ready for them. Do we reschedule? Or do we fly on faith? We may have to back up the visit a week but that is still okay. I refuse to allow lack of funds to halt this adoption progress! I must have faith and be strong! Please pray for us to have faith during this trying time. We need your support!

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Side Note: Thank you so much to my blog followers and friends! Your kind and supportive comments here have meant the world to me. May God bless each of you for being so inspirational to us!

2010-01-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

"Your life and mine shall be valued not by what we take, but by what we give."

- Easter Seals founder Edgar "Daddy" Allen

Big Things To Come

2010-01-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

We are approved to adopt from the Ukraine! PRAISE GOD - HE IS SO GOOD! We also received approval for a fundraising/grant program. YAY! I would like to take a moment and give thanks to God. Thank you Lord for standing by us every step of the way. We doubt you and worry, but we know better! Your mighty hand always pats our backs and steers us in the right direction - if we allow You to. We are setting up our first home study visit sometime next week, too! WOW! I am overcome with pure joy and "my cup runneth over."

When God speaks, we need to move.

2010-01-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

Everyday that we're blessed to wake up, we should be seeking to do all that God has called us to do. When God speaks, we need to move. When God speaks, He directs you in what you need which may go counter to what you want. God's need is always better than your want. God can and will speak to you through various means. God isn't limited in His communication method. Often times we want God to speak to us audibly but fail to listen when He speaks to us through those around us. God can use anybody and anything to speak to you.

As this adoption process moves along (we are cleared from our background checks!)I am becoming fearful of many things. Worried about funds, grant acceptance, people's opinions, time off work, leaving my children to travel, taking my baby along, etc.... I pray fervently for trust and faith in Him.

2010 This Is Our Year!

2010-01-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

Daily prayer from Rev G: "Whenever you make up your mind to do something, you need to write it out and discipline yourself everyday. Anything worth having is worth working for. It begins with having the right attitude. With the right attitude, you'll begin to achieve all that God has for you. God is planning to do something very powerful in your life this year. In a real sense, all that you went through in 2009 has prepared you for a major breakthrough in 2010. Let this be the greatest year of your life. Activate your faith and trust in God to take care of the rest."

This will be our year! This adoption will be one of the most important things we have ever done. God called - we must listen. We have no choice you see. Our eyes are open now - we can never forget. We must act!

Barefoot Books Adoption Fundraiser

2009-12-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

We are ringing in the new year of 2010 with a wonderful fundraiser! I will be selling multicultural books, Cd's, & gifts from Barefoot Books. This is a great company that gives back to the community. The commission earned goes towards our adoption costs. There is a Winter Sale going on until January 31, 2010 which offers 80% off select items! Please click on the picture to the left to browse my web page.

New Year Prayer For All

2009-12-31T08:11:00.000-08:00

My daily devotional from Rev. G.: "I thank You for this day and everyday You bless us with. As we embark on a New Year, I pray for peace, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. I pray that 2010 will be better than 2009. I pray that any hurt received in 2009 will be comforted in 2010. I pray that any sickness/illness encountered in 2009 will be cast out in 2010. And I pray that hopes and dreams will be renewed, restored, and revived in 2010.

God, I pray that You bless the ones reading this prayer. I pray that You will open up the windows of heaven and pour out a mighty blessing upon their lives and the lives of their families and friends. I pray that we may become more concerned with doing Your will instead of always asking, begging, and pleading for money and material things. I pray that You may show us that life is beautiful in the little things. Lord, I pray that You may strengthen our faith in trying times and allow us to rise above mediocrity and seek to be all that You have called us to be.

I pray that you may forgive us of our bad habits and anything that was and/is unpleasing to You. Continue to shower us with Your grace and mercy. I pray that we will become more focused on serving You and doing what You have called us to do. Strengthen us and guide us."

Happy New Year to all of you! May God bless you and tour families.

Out With the Old & In With the New

2009-12-30T07:09:00.000-08:00

From my daily prayers: "Your life is too valuable to hold on to dead and boring things. God wants you to experience new blessings, fresh anointings, and powerful miracles; but you must first get rid of the old and accept the new. Once this is done, get ready to go higher and higher in your walk with God."

We know that in this journey, we will need to make some tough decisions if we want better. We are committed to our adoption in 2010! We will achieve all that God has planned for us!

God Has Everything Under Control

2009-12-28T13:37:00.000-08:00

That is what I tell myself when I have a whole family sick during Christmas! Also when I am struggling to complete our home study. This adoption journey is so exciting and never dull. I do not want another Christmas to go by for any of these beautiful orphans without a famiy. My precious 4 year old Avery got upset one night because she did not understand why some children do not have a Mommy and Daddy. "What do they do when they are sick?" she said. "Who gives them kisses and hugs?" she wondered out loud. What more can we can say? How do you answer that? That is why we keep on going day in and day out.

Merry Christmas to All

2009-12-26T13:01:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful example of our Heavenly Father here on earth - Derek Loux. Praying for his entire family and all his friends. He is holding all the orphans who never got the chance to have a father's love. I wish I could have met this amazing man. We hope to bring home as many as possible God willing.

Love and blessings to all of our family and friends!

Child Who Needs Your Help

2009-12-23T08:19:00.000-08:00

I have just found out that a 15 year old girl from the Ukraine is in need of a family. If she is not placed by August 2010, she will age out and have no chance. When she does turn 18, she will be sent out on the streets where prostitution and drug use are typical. She has a very positive description and would make a wonderful daughter. If anyone knows of a family that would be interested, please let me know so I can share the contact information for this young girl.

Thank you to everyone for your help! Merry Christmas to all of you and God bless your families!

Daily Devotional Thoughts: "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. The more you praise God in the midst of the stuff you're going through, the less you worry about what you're dealing with."

Life Ain't Fair

2009-12-22T14:48:00.000-08:00

Daily Devotional: "Life ain't fair. Whoever told you it was, lied to you. In this life, I've discovered the more you try to make sense out of something, the more confused you'll become. The more questions you ask, the less likely you are to find a solution. Instead of asking why you're in what you're in, ask God to give you clarity on how to deal with the issue. It's easy to say seek God in the midst of confusion, but it's difficult waiting on Him for an answer."

Today I pray for an open heart, open mind, and open ears. Let God prepare the way and lead us through this adoption. Stop asking questions and wondering how and why! Merry Christmas to all who are questioning as well!

Christmas Shopping & Wishing

2009-12-21T12:07:00.000-08:00

This is a favorite time of year for our family. We love decorating, shopping for the girls, cold weather, and songs and movies! We are having better and better Christmases because we have taught our sweet little girls about the true meaning of giving rather than receiving. We are buying less "things" and focusing more on a couple of items they really, really want. Less is so much more! This year what is really getting to us is the fact that the beautiful angels abroad will spend another Christmas alone, hopeless, and sick. We ache for them.

As always during this time of year, appliances and cars break and funds must cover these. This year it hurts because we are trying so desperately to save for our adoption. We have faith, though. We have some items that we will begin offering as gifts for donations in 2010. Our fundraising can begin in full force once our home study is complete so watch out! If your heart leads you - please make a donation at the bottom of this blog site or sign up and shop through iGive or Onecause so that a percentage goes towards our adoption! Your prayers are the most important for us!

One last thought: As I read my devotional prayers this morning, I immediately knew that God was speaking to me about my dear husband. It said: "Unfortunately, many of us have adopted the mentality of saying 'I love you' without any meaning. Many have learned this behavior from dysfunctional family members and abusive relationships. The phrase, 'I love you' has taken on many meanings. In other words, allow the words of my mouth to please you instead of me showing you. Love is more than words; it's showing someone how much they mean to you through your actions. Your actions should show someone how much he or she means to you." This is what my Matthew does each and every day. I have always complained to him that I wish he would say "I love you" to me more often. I get very needy and want these words to make me feel better. However, what he DOES for me and our family every day is so much more important. Thank you for showing me how much you love us Matthew.

Another Emotional Day

2009-12-18T13:32:00.000-08:00

Do not let anyone tell you that adopting a child is easier than carrying a child! I have had some anxiety problems while pregnant the last three times but nothing compares to these emotions! It really is a roller coaster ride, isn't it? My Christmas wish would be for people to understand the definition of true mental illness. I read this in my devotional for the day: "Confidence is realizing that God has given you a gift, talent, and ability to use for His edification. When you're confident in yourself and your ability to function in your calling, you won't settle for settling and you won't allow yourself to be played, disrespected, nor disregarded. When you believe in the words from the apostle Paul to the Philippians, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,' you'll be able to accomplish those goals you have set forth.

Scripture of the Day

2009-12-16T06:26:00.001-08:00

"For with God nothing will be impossible." (Luke 1:37 -NKJV)

Impatiently Waiting

2009-12-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

This is a very hard and emotional time for us. We are mid-home study and moving forward as quickly as possible. However, it is so difficult to hurry up and wait! It is so hard to look at pictures of children (especially one you really feel a calling to adopt)and know that you must follow guidelines and wait for the process. I have to confess that I have been selfish. I wanted to only pray for a child to come home with us. This is wrong. I have asked forgiveness and now I am praying for that child and every child to find a family - even if it is not ours. God has plans for us - big and important plans. I was just being tempted. Please pray for us - for patience, serenity, and peace. Please pray for the orphans of places like Torez. Pray for their little hearts to endure.

Trying to Conquer Fear

2009-12-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

Am I afraid if I do God's will, I will go against the wishes of my family and friends? If I know God has been calling me to make a difference, why am I arguing and procrastinating? Anytime I choose to stand up in the face of fear, I am going to go through some difficult times. Difficult times will strengthen me. Whatever I want to do, I should pray to God for direction and guidance. Then, I will go full speed ahead! This was my prayer this morning. When I feel down and out - just tired of the battles every single day - I tell myself this! This adoption will not be handed to us on a silver platter. We will have to work and fight and let go. We will have to let God lead the way - even if it is a difficult, scary path.

More Thoughts on Faith

2009-12-08T07:12:00.000-08:00

This is another daily affirmation that I would like to share because it just fits how I feel this week:

We all have the Power - God's Power - on the inside that will help us get through anything on the outside. Bad things happen in our lives. The reason why we are sane is because we didn't give up on God. No matter how bad the situation may be, always trust in God. When we remain faithful in what appears to be a hopeless and helpless situation, God steps in and does something awesome.

This is what I pray every day now. This adoption journey is not easy - on any level. Is anything really really important easy? I hope this experience makes me a stronger, more humble, more caring wife, mother, and friend.

Step Into the Winners Circle

2009-12-07T13:06:00.000-08:00

This was in my daily affirmation and I had to share it with all of you:

When people around you tell you something's impossible because of your lack of expertise or experience, they have no understanding of divine intervention. Laugh at them because you can use their hateration as motivation for your elevation. It's about believing that God is able to use you inspite of your flaws. From family members, to friends and coworkers, and even to people who claim to be children of God, you'll have people trying to defeat you. But you must always rise above the negativity and shout 'I'm a winner today!' As long as you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you'll never be defeated.

I am so grateful that this fellow Christian shared these inspirational words. Today, I will begin praying for us to be winners! Winners in God's Circle!

Thought For Today (and Everyday)

2009-12-04T07:02:00.000-08:00

"I'd like to ask God why He lets poverty and injustice exist, why there are so many orphans and why He does nothing about it.....but I am afraid He will ask me the same question".

Right in the Middle

2009-12-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

We have now been finger printed! We will mail these and our other forms off so that we can have our background checks! I am also in the middle of lots of educational reading. Since I am a bookworm, I love it! Much of this information applies to all of your children, so it is very helpful to read. Keep our family in your prayers as we continue this adventure. It is a thrilling ride, and I become more "on fire" inside my heart for adoption! God is a show off sometimes! He never does anything small - what He is doing with us is amazing. We are in awe of His goodness and His precious children around the world.

The Next Steps

2009-12-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

Finger Printing and doctors appointment tomorrow! Here we go! We are very excited and nervous! Please pray for us to have successful appointments. Our family has been sick with all sorts of fun viruses etc. so we are ready to get back on track and healthy again! We have been having dreams and thoughts about the children of Torez again. I want to share another wonderful quote that I read on a fellow adoptive parent's blog:

God does not call the equipped. He equips the called.

We are praying that this is true! For - we are truly unworthy servants, but we will fight just as hard as we can to save these children!

Passing Our Stories Along

2009-11-25T16:47:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to our new web friend, Ali! It was so wonderful of you to include us and all of the following families on your blog. God bless you! Make sure to visit Ali's family blog at http://missionfielddesigns.com/mygodgivenmissionfield/
We are sharing these stories here as well:

Dawn is an adoptive mommy of two little girls from China, and is raising funds to bring home two more children from Ethiopia. She is selling handmade blankets and custom wooden growth charts in order to raise funds for their upcoming adoption. Her items would make wonderful Christmas gifts! Stop by her blog, and take a look!

The Langton Family is another family anxiously waiting to bring their child home. They have already been matched with a little boy name Alex. You can follow their journey of bringing Alex home on their blog. Like us, I am sure they are dreaming of the day when they will have their little Alex home with them. Their donation button can be found in their sidebar. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will get the Langton family one step closer to bringing their little boy home where he belongs.

I was very blessed to also visit the Sisemore’s family blog. Just as the Stever family has a heart for orphans with down syndrome, the Sisemore’s have a heart for orphans with cerebral palsy. They have one adopted child from China, and they are doing a bunch of other fund raisers so they can bring their little boy Jeremiah home from China as well. Jeremiah has cerebral palsy. You can take part in any of their fund raisers, and get them one more step closer to bringing Jeremiah home. Here are all the links you need to know about. Jeremiah’s Promise, tax deductible sponsorship, magazine fund raiser, and they are also selling coffee like us!
God has laid it upon the hearts of the Hodges family to pursue adoption. They too are going through the adoption journey. They were blessed with two biological children and are now praying that God will bless them with an adoptive child. You can follow the Hodges family as they do what they can to bring a child into their home. You can find their donation button in their sidebar.

Another family waiting to be united with their adoptive child, is the Calvaresi family. They are waiting, and raising funds so they can bring their little girl Ana-Sophia home. Ana-Sophia was diagnosed with developmental delays and autism. By sending a donation to the Calvaseri family, you are helping make it possible for them to bring Ana-Sophia home where she belongs. You can read their whole story, and leave a donation by visiting their site.

The Aus family is waiting to bring their son Chase home from China. They were blessed with two girls from China earlier, and now they are anxiously awaiting the day when they can add Chase to their family. You can follow their story, and even chip in a little toward Chase’s adoption by visiting their family blog.
The puzzle piece fund raiser, has been the most fun and rewarding fund raiser so far. We are not the only one’s doing it either! The Burgess family is also doing a puzzle piece fundraiser. Their puzzle is coming together really fast! They are doing an international adoption from China. You can donate through their chip in button, or you can make a tax deductible donation through Kingdom Kids Adoption Ministry. Just mention it’s a donation for Kevin and Karen Burgess’ adoption.

Adam, is an 11 year old boy in China, waiting for his family to pick him up. Beth and Mark are raising funds to be able to adopt this young man. It is very touching reading about their adoption journey, and the things they are doing to be able to scrape up the funds necessary to bring Adam home to them. You can help them to be able to afford their adoption by sending them a donation. By clicking their chip in button in their sidebar.

The Wibes family has two fund raisers going on so far. The are selling coffee through Just Love Coffee Roasters, and using onecause.com. Onecause.com (which I gotta look into for us!) is really neat! . You register and choose the national adoption foundation as the cause and then benefit crediting to babsie95@yahoo. com. Then you continue on with your online shopping like normal! Brilliant!

The Boettler’s are another family digging up financing. All of us families who are going down the adoption path, is familiar with bumps in the road. The Boettler’s have overcame obstacles, and are now waiting to be matched with a child from China! You can help the Boettler’s overcome the financial obstacle, by donating toward their adoption fund. Their chip in button can be found in their sidebar.

Taking in special needs children is a big undertaking. I was so inspired today by reading about the Boyd family. They have adopted 7 children from various places in Eastern Europe, and are now in a crunch trying to raise funds to bring home 3 more children waiting for them in Bulgaria. Their story is amazing!

These are just a small handful of families who have hearts for adoption. All of them are willing to go through this huge process, and spend all of their finances, in order to give a child a home. These children have the hope of having a forever family. There is no better way to support the orphans (James 1:27) than to help unite them with the families that are so desperate to reach them. Please consider helping some of these families!

Even if you are not able to donate to any of these families’ adoption funds, I do encourage you to at least stop by and read their stories. And if you are up to it, copy this blog post, and post it on your own blog! The more the word is spread the better. I pray that these families will be blessed.

Prayer Warrior Update

2009-11-23T14:54:00.000-08:00

Oksana has a good start on the Christmas Angel Tree so far! Let's keep it up everyone! If you feel a special call, please contribute to our beautiful girl! She needs a family and a home soon!

Happy Birthday 2nd Noodle!

2009-11-20T10:29:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Avery's 4th birthday - WOW! She is the spitting image of her Daddy with her Mommy's hair! Avery is every bit the "big sister" of our youngest three daughters. She is very stubborn and smart as a whip! We love her so much! She is so excited about finding a new brother or sister and bringing them home with us!
We are getting ready for doctor visits for all three next week - that means a few shots too. We are looking forward to Thanksgiving this year and are reminded that the sweet orphans in Torez will have no families to share it with. Please pray for these children and give thanks for all that you have.

Stay Away Negativity!

2009-11-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

I do not want to waste valuable time complaining - but just one please. Negative people. GO AWAY! You do not have to understand, or give your opinions, or give advice. We are also a bit disappointed in the DHR system here. I am going to blame our experiences on an overworked and underpaid staff of State social workers and administrative staff. I wish they would not brush you off, refuse to return your phone calls, and have a generally rude attitude. We are people who are thrilled to be adopting and trying to give orphans homes, right? It is alright because God has called and we will not ignore Him! It will take much more than that to deter us! Blessings!

Moving Along

2009-11-18T06:37:00.000-08:00

Now everything is really underway! We have begun our home study process. Fingerprinting is next, more forms, doctor's appointments, copies of everything under the sun, etc....... This is the fun part, right? All worth it because a precious life will be saved. When I feel overwhelmed and want to quit, I think about those sad little faces - blank stares. Then I am refreshed again. We will bring a child home to feel the love they never have experienced. We have several fund raisers coming up. We will be selling wristbands and bulbs/seeds for the gardening soon. Please support our cause if you are able. One of my noodles will be 4 years old on Saturday! Get ready Avery!

Happy Birthday Noodle!

2009-11-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweetie Kennedy! She is such a beautiful blessing. Her accepting, unselfish attitude is so special. She is so loving and touchy-feely! We love her dearly! The whole family is going to the girls' favorite - CiCi's! Thanks for the suggestion Grandma. Even "big sistas" Morgan and Alex are going along with Kevin - Morgan's husband-to-be.

Busy at Home

2009-11-10T13:53:00.001-08:00

Things have been a little hectic since all 3 little noodles (and the 17 year old noodle) have colds! Daddy is losing his mind with cranky sniffling little girls plus a teething baby. He is the greatest! I am struggling with something that you will see pop up over and over in this journey - patience. We are waiting on a doctors letter to send to our home study agency. We pray that it will be well written and will be submitted soon so that we can get this show on the road! I have been thinking about the precious orphans in Torez with all of the illnesses going around. I pray every single day and night for their little bodies to be strong enough to endure. It makes me thankful yet again for my biological children's' good health.

Light In The Dark

2009-11-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

Matthew> It is becoming clearer with each step we are on the right path. The support structure we are getting is finding us faster than we can find it. I have been thinking about my childhood. My father worked at Easter Seals and my mother was a R.N. My father pasted away when I was ten, but even in those few years I believe a foundation was laid for the journey we are on now. I was lucky to have a father who I saw as larger than life, my hero. I can still remember some of the people I met with my dad. Lucky for me I saw these people with the eyes of a child. I did not see the disability. It was not like there was any difference between the people there or the ones anywhere else. I remember a man who was about my age now and was in a wheel chair. He could pop-a-wheelie and spin around and do all sorts of tricks. I saw the things he could do and not the things he could not. The further we go the more I remember. The feelings from then awakening now. The lights are coming on and I the past is living again. I fumbled around in the dark only to find the light inside myself.

Date Night

2009-11-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

We had a kind invitation to attend the Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Group meeting tonight. It is such a wonderful opportunity to meet some very nice families. We are too excited! Plus - this will be our first night out of the house alone together since...................hmmmmm When? We will still probably talk about and miss the girls the entire time! However, we hope to learn some new things and make some new friends so it will be great!
Maybe we can even volunteer to help in some way. We are praying for knowledge since we feel called to adopt a Down Syndrome / special needs child.

Happy Anniversary

2009-11-05T10:46:00.000-08:00

Yes - today is the 5 year anniversary for Matthew and I. It seems like time has just flown by! We have been through so much in 5 years. I cannot think of anyone else that I would rather have by my side than my dear husband. He is the strongest and sweetest man ever. I love you. I look forward to parenting more children with you.

The Starting Line

2009-11-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

Here we go! We are off and running on our journey! Our home study is beginning, so here goes all the background information and fun stuff! We are feeling very positive and thankful to God for His guidance and trust in us. Please pray for the Stevers - all of us. We have a strong family and good friends. Keep us in your prayers and pray for the children in the Ukraine.

Coming Soon

2009-11-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

We are focusing our attention on raising awareness and donations for Ukraine orphanages and institutions - specifically Torrez. The situation here is beyond sad. These beautiful children are dying every day. They need homes and love. We will be organizing several fundraisers in the upcoming weeks, so be prepared to be informed! Please pray each day for these angels in our midst.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

Trick or Treating was a blast! The kids loved it of course. Matthew and I love it too! A big thanks to my phone buddy in Georgia - you are the best! Keep your fingers crossed for us to hear from our home study agency soon. Pray for acceptance and speed!

Renewed Hope

2009-10-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

I am going to say that the most important thing to have during this exciting journey is someone who has traveled it and can offer support and wisdom. I have found so many new friends that have given us just that! My new friend from Georgia is wonderful! Our families have much in common. I hope that we will be able to live a life of service as beautifully as they are living. I am waiting on the home study agency that we applied with to call us and accept us! I am looking forward to Halloween with all my little cuties!

Have Faith

2009-10-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

Isn't that the hardest thing to do? I am so weak sometimes! Even though it had been a disappointing morning, I talked with a very helpful person at a different agency, and she was very positive and encouraging! I think that we just have to choose the right country and program. This is the hardest thing I have ever done! It is difficult for a control freak like me to hand it over. Matthew and I will continue to focus on fundraising and donating and helping these beautiful children. They are what is important. My pride got in the way but not for long! We will adopt because we were meant to - just in His time. Thank you for all the prayers and support - especially all of my new friends from RR.

Frustrated

2009-10-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

This is Matthew, Kelli's husband. It takes a lot of life experiance to get through life, some good and some bad. Why are the rough times the only thing people see? Without our pasts we will not grow and learn. This early rejection has a really different feeling than I would have expected. It is not just where you have been but what you made of it that makes us who we are. I am about the most stubborn person I know. Now I am going to be working twice as hard to succeed. Obsticals slow me down, but push my resolve as well. It is sad though, seperated by half the world and formalities.

Rejected

2009-10-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

That is how I feel today. Sad and grieving almost. Funny - even though I have birthed 5 children and miscarried two, I feel so horrible right now. We were turned down by the adoption agency who works with Armenia, Bulgaria, and several other countries. Apparently, our past struggles and income are coming to haunt us. I mailed off the application and fee to the home study agency in Birmingham yesterday. Now, I wonder if that was a good idea. I left a message with them, so hopefully they will call me back and give me some advice on where to go from here. Just a sad feeling today. I know that I need to hand it over to God and move forward. Please pray for us right now.

Our Little Noodles

Five kids - 5 & Under! (Missing Two kids Over 18!)

New Newer Newest!

New Valentine's Day Thoughts

Still On Our Journey

Christmas Wishes

The Journey to Our Son - Part II

The Journey to Our Son - Part I

Day of Celebration

Wedding Day Pictures June 2010

Talking the Talk - Time to Walk

A Family Who Needs Us

Stepping Forward in Faith

Better Than A New Car!

Prayer Request

Time for Reflection

Stepping Up To the Plate

A Princess Dancing

Show Your Support NOW!

Handing It Over In Prayer

Happy Mothers Day

Lord, Make Me Uncomfortable

Just A Great Quote

Birthday and Easter Wish

Moving Along

Giving Thanks

Blessings!

Puzzle Fundraiser

Fundraising Mania!!!

Adoption Bug T-shirts!

Families to Pray For - Part III

Families In Need - Part II

Families In Need

Large Families

Good Attitude

Special Note to Our Children

Quit Faking It

Overwhelming Support from a Friend

Prayers & Support

Big Family Benefits

Adoption - Not Abortion

Positively Soaring!

Unconditional Love & Friendship

Another New Fundraiser!

Making Time

Preparation For What Is Coming

Puzzle Fundraiser

Valentines Day Everyday

Disappointed but not discouraged

Determination

WHY?

Never Stop Learning - Strive to be Better

Five Beautiful Noodles

Waiting On You

Our Labor Is Not In Vain

We Need Your Help and Support

God Can Move Mountains!

If it's not building, it's breaking.

Don't Get Distracted By Distractions

Finding My Purpose

Big Things To Come

When God speaks, we need to move.

**2010** This Is Our Year!

Barefoot Books Adoption Fundraiser

New Year Prayer For All

Out With the Old & In With the New

God Has Everything Under Control

Merry Christmas to All

Child Who Needs Your Help

Life Ain't Fair

Christmas Shopping & Wishing

Another Emotional Day

Scripture of the Day

Impatiently Waiting

Trying to Conquer Fear

More Thoughts on Faith

Step Into the Winners Circle

Thought For Today (and Everyday)

Right in the Middle

The Next Steps

2010 This Is Our Year!