Check out this link to a new song that Steven Curtis Chapman just wrote for an upcoming VeggieTales video. The video was produced by another adopting family's production company.
Steven Curtis Chapman - "Meant to Be" Music Video from David Watson on Vimeo.
I loved it! What do you think??
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
God is Good!
When the BBQ was in the planning stages, Shannon and I had discussed how much we both hoped to raise from this event. And, while we knew God would provide, and amaze us, we were adding up the costs of the food, dunk tank, and bouncy house thinking, "if we clear $500 for each of us we'd be happy." Then, Shannon followed that up with "and if we each could get $1,000 I'd be THRILLED!" And, that was the end of that conversation....we were on to the next. You see, these BBQ planning meetings occurred during our morning runs together, and our topics jump back and forth a gazillion times over our course. Anyway, as He always does, God amazed us. We each brought in about $1600!!! We couldn't be more thrilled, and thankful, and humbled.
I say humbled because I generally don't like receiving help from others...I like to be able to accomplish things on my own...and boy is God teaching me a lesson in humility. While I don't consider myself a prideful person, I would say that in this area, I am very prideful. Who do I think I am that we can come up with $50,000-60,000 in less than a year's time! That's more than my salary! And, just looking over the fact that we are about halfway through financially makes me breathe a sigh of relief and concern. It's amazing to think that we saved so much the past 8 months, and that with the generous help of our friends and family we are about $22,000 in, and well...depending on travel costs (they vary so much depending on time of year) probably another $35,000 left to go. Sigh....
Anyway, before I move on to some more good news- THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! To those of you who gave sacrificially of your money and time, and to those of you who have been and continue to pray over our adoption. Please know that we are so grateful, and we can't wait to share the completion of this journey with you!
Okay- onto some good news. I called the FBI yesterday (okay...one more item to add to the "You kow you're amidst an international adoption when...." list). After 7 weeks of mailing them our fingerprints they finally added us into their system. We were told 8-10 weeks from submission, which we thought meant from the day you mailed it in. Apparantly it means from the date you enter their system because the guy said 12 weeks from now we should be receiving our clearance forms. Well, we are praying to need them earlier than that, so I asked him what would happen if we need to bring them over to Russia prior to those 12 weeks. He followed that up with: "If you dont' get them by next week, call again." To which I responded verbally, "Wow, okay, great! Thanks!" And, in my head, I responded..."Wait, What? We just went from 12 weeks to 1 week?" But, I figured I'd take that as good news...keep my eyes out for the FedEx guy, and pray!
I then called our agency to let them know about our FBI update. In that conversation I finally remembered to ask the very specific question I had kept forgetting about in previous phone calls...."So, when they say 'We will have more information on the Jackson's case by mid-late September' what exactly does that mean?" And, the answer was.....A REFERRAL! We are so excited to think that we are just about 3-5 weeks from finding out about our little one...and possibly then 4-6 weeks from heading over to meet him or her! Lots of smiles and excitement!
Thank you all again for all of your help with the BBQ! We will continue to keep everyone posted on things! I can't wait for the day that I can post about a referral! Woohoo! :-) Here are some BBQ Pictures I think you'll enjoy!
The DeVols and Jacksons
Our lovely donated cake...thank you Rene!!!
Our information board...thank you Hannah and Leah!!!
The DeVol's information board
The jellow salad Flag look-a-likes...thank you Homans!
Fun Bouncy house!
When I couldn't throw Greg in, I had to make it happen! :)
Us with our parents...the excited Grandparents to be!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
BBQ Just a 2 Days Away!!!
Are you in the mood for some awesome grill food, yummy desserts, fun games with friends, or possibly even bouncing around...or dunking someone you've always wanted to? Okay, so we are still trying to work out a good deal for this last option...so if you know someone or have a connection for a dunk tank, please do tell! We hope you can come on out to our Family BBQ this Saturday! If you haven't already purchased tickets, you can still get them at the door! :) We will also be having a silent auction and both family adoption T-shirts available for sale, and of course, FUN!
If you can't attend, please continue to pray for both us and the DeVol's as we are both waiting for "the call" to travel over to Russia and Ethiopia to bring our precious children home. It's been an amazing journey for both of our families so far, and we are so thankful to have such a support of family and friends to help make this possible.
"Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me." -Matthew 18:5
Love,
Liz & Greg
If you can't attend, please continue to pray for both us and the DeVol's as we are both waiting for "the call" to travel over to Russia and Ethiopia to bring our precious children home. It's been an amazing journey for both of our families so far, and we are so thankful to have such a support of family and friends to help make this possible.
"Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me." -Matthew 18:5
Love,
Liz & Greg
Friday, August 13, 2010
My Burdened Heart Becomes Even Heavier
I have been feeling very burdened over the past month for orphans...orphans in Russia, America, and all over the world. I don't know where God is leading us, but I know that we will not end with the adoption of one baby from Russia. We don't know whether this means we will adopt again (although that is a very huge possibility...just trying to focus on getting through one at a time), or whether we are going to try to start an orphan care ministry through our church, or if we as a family are going to do a hands on service project to help orphans on a regular basis. We are just praying hard about this right now....it's a bizarre shift of focus though.
Previous to these past few months, whenever I would think about an orphan, I would be just thinking of and praying for the one God has for us to bring home.... now, my prayers are bigger- Lord, please be with every orphan in every country who is longing for a loving mom or dad to feed them, to change them, or to just hold them. The fulfillment of life's most basic needs...oh, how I know I took that for granted. As we visited the shore this past week, I was reading a life changing book (Thank you Aunt Sue!) "The Boy From Baby House 10," which tells the horrific yet amazing story of a boy who was adopted at the age of 8 from a Baby Home in Moscow. While I was reading about how he would lay in his crib in his own mess, and wish he had strength in his legs to stand, and to get himself up out of his "mess" kids around me were building sand castles. While I was reading about a boy who was sent to a mental asylum because he could not answer questions like, "What is this (picture of a loaf of bread)?" because he had never seen anything more than half a slice of bread at one time, sea gulls around me were stealing more bread than this boy had eaten in the first few years of his life. While I was reading about how he couldn't answer the question, "What kind of tree is this?" (because he had never even been in the outside yard surrounding his orphanage) I was laying on sand, watching kids play with it, and eat it. It moved me to tears....again, and again. How could these kids be labeled "imbeciles" because they didn't know answers to questions that they did not have a chance at knowing! My heart is broken for these.
So, as we wait, we aren't as focused on ourselves....we have everything! We are focused on the ones who have nothing, and we are praying that somehow more people would open their hearts to love and help an orphan. I heard someone quote a Christian magazine that said, "If every church (not family) in America adopted ONE child, there would be no more orphans in the world." What a powerful statistic. While asking and praying that EVERY orphan find a family is a huge request, we serve an awesome God who is able to do above and beyond all that we could ever ask.
Previous to these past few months, whenever I would think about an orphan, I would be just thinking of and praying for the one God has for us to bring home.... now, my prayers are bigger- Lord, please be with every orphan in every country who is longing for a loving mom or dad to feed them, to change them, or to just hold them. The fulfillment of life's most basic needs...oh, how I know I took that for granted. As we visited the shore this past week, I was reading a life changing book (Thank you Aunt Sue!) "The Boy From Baby House 10," which tells the horrific yet amazing story of a boy who was adopted at the age of 8 from a Baby Home in Moscow. While I was reading about how he would lay in his crib in his own mess, and wish he had strength in his legs to stand, and to get himself up out of his "mess" kids around me were building sand castles. While I was reading about a boy who was sent to a mental asylum because he could not answer questions like, "What is this (picture of a loaf of bread)?" because he had never seen anything more than half a slice of bread at one time, sea gulls around me were stealing more bread than this boy had eaten in the first few years of his life. While I was reading about how he couldn't answer the question, "What kind of tree is this?" (because he had never even been in the outside yard surrounding his orphanage) I was laying on sand, watching kids play with it, and eat it. It moved me to tears....again, and again. How could these kids be labeled "imbeciles" because they didn't know answers to questions that they did not have a chance at knowing! My heart is broken for these.
So, as we wait, we aren't as focused on ourselves....we have everything! We are focused on the ones who have nothing, and we are praying that somehow more people would open their hearts to love and help an orphan. I heard someone quote a Christian magazine that said, "If every church (not family) in America adopted ONE child, there would be no more orphans in the world." What a powerful statistic. While asking and praying that EVERY orphan find a family is a huge request, we serve an awesome God who is able to do above and beyond all that we could ever ask.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Out of Our Comfort Zone...
When Greg and I started out on our adoption journey, we had determined in our minds that we would not fund raise. Rather, we would somehow be able to manage this on our own...Well, I guess as it always seems, the moment you set out in your heart that you can do something on your own, without help, God goes on a mission to teach you a lesson. Friends and family approached us a few times earlier this year about trying put together an event to help us out financially. After much hesitation, and tens of thousands of dollars later, we found ourselves agreeing to some help. ;)
With that being said, here are some of our events and fundraising efforts that we have going on:
Tickets are $3 more at the door
AND , Last, but not least....this one's my favorite, b/c it doesn't require any $$ on your part...
Of course, we also welcome your prayer support. I know that the peace we have had through this entire process is because there are so many people that we have praying for us- and that means SO MUCH to us.
Well, here we are- outside our comfort zone, welcoming the help of our family and friends....
Thank you in advance!
Love,
Liz & Greg
With that being said, here are some of our events and fundraising efforts that we have going on:
- T-Shirt Sales - Adult and Youth sizes available: XXL, XL, L, M, S, XS, YL, YM, YS, YXS - $20 donation for adult/$15 donation for youth size (design close up picture is on previous post)
- Family Adoption BBQ - August 21st - Open House- from 4-8 PM - @ Cedar Lane Pavilion behind Laurel Hill Bible Church - Enjoy Bob Conrad's awesome cooking, games, and FUN!
Tickets are $3 more at the door
- Beef and Beer- September 11th- 6-11PM
Democrat Club in Blackwood - Tickets are $25 each
**If you are unable to attend either of these events,
but would still like to support, you may purchase tickets anyway,
just let me know so we can get a head count for food**
- Turn in your old gadgets (ipods, video games, cell phones, etc) that are cluttering your drawers and closets to gazelle , and we get their value in donation $!! They even send you a pre-paid shipping label! Follow the link to the right side of our blog.
Of course, we also welcome your prayer support. I know that the peace we have had through this entire process is because there are so many people that we have praying for us- and that means SO MUCH to us.
Well, here we are- outside our comfort zone, welcoming the help of our family and friends....
Thank you in advance!
Love,
Liz & Greg
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Update...again and T-SHIRTS FOR SALE!
This afternoon I received a call from our agency who was clarifying the "when does/did the wait officially begin?" question.
GOOD NEWS! Our wait DID officially begin back on May 19th (according to their computer systems this is the day they sent our Dossier to Russia) when we sent our dossier over. Side note: I have our DTR date as May 25th...and am keeping it that way, because that's the date I knew that it was officially over there.
SO- that means that we are almost to our 3 month wait mark...where does the time go? And, while we were told that the estimated wait time for a referral is 3-6 months from May 19th, it could be sooner, or later than that...it just depends on which children become available for international adoption that are currently in "the system."
On another note, here's a picture of the art work on the front of our adoption t-shirt. Greg and I came up with the idea, but all the designing was done by an awesome artist at our church, Bob. He's been so patient with us through all of our "change this", and "wait, can we do this..." e-mails. THANK YOU BOB!
If you would like to purchase a shirt, you can click on my paypal account on the right, or just e-mail me, if we live close. They are $20 for adult sizes, and $15 for youth. We should have them in by late next week!
GOOD NEWS! Our wait DID officially begin back on May 19th (according to their computer systems this is the day they sent our Dossier to Russia) when we sent our dossier over. Side note: I have our DTR date as May 25th...and am keeping it that way, because that's the date I knew that it was officially over there.
SO- that means that we are almost to our 3 month wait mark...where does the time go? And, while we were told that the estimated wait time for a referral is 3-6 months from May 19th, it could be sooner, or later than that...it just depends on which children become available for international adoption that are currently in "the system."
On another note, here's a picture of the art work on the front of our adoption t-shirt. Greg and I came up with the idea, but all the designing was done by an awesome artist at our church, Bob. He's been so patient with us through all of our "change this", and "wait, can we do this..." e-mails. THANK YOU BOB!
If you would like to purchase a shirt, you can click on my paypal account on the right, or just e-mail me, if we live close. They are $20 for adult sizes, and $15 for youth. We should have them in by late next week!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Update from our Agency...
It wasn't the news I was hoping for, but either way...it's still good! We got an e-mail from our agency today that our dossier has been translated and "officialized" in Russia. Our contact over there is waiting for the MOE to register it. THEN, our "official wait" begins. This is the part I was disappointed by- I thought that the wait we were given (3-6 months) included this translation/registration process...and it still might- I have an e-mail out to our agency to clarify this. But, I took her e-mail to read that our 3-6 month wait starts now...or sometime very soon when the MOE does register us officially to the Moscow Region.
I'm trying to stay positive about the possiblity of traveling before summer's end (being a teacher, that would be WAY easier than leaving a brand new set of kids in the beginning of the year). I know that our Russia contact has had us on his radar already now for a few months...so it is possible he could have a referral in mind for us, but just needed to get us "official." --hoping for that to be the case! :)
The other thing the e-mail said was that the region of Moscow has been moving quickly...another good sign!
So, the wait continues...begins?...no, ...continues. :)
I'm trying to stay positive about the possiblity of traveling before summer's end (being a teacher, that would be WAY easier than leaving a brand new set of kids in the beginning of the year). I know that our Russia contact has had us on his radar already now for a few months...so it is possible he could have a referral in mind for us, but just needed to get us "official." --hoping for that to be the case! :)
The other thing the e-mail said was that the region of Moscow has been moving quickly...another good sign!
So, the wait continues...begins?...no, ...continues. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
