THANK YOU JESUS! This has been a huge emotional day! We have worked sooooo hard to get all of this stuff done and redone and now it's here! We overnighted our dossier to our agency. For those of you not familiar with the adoption process, NOW we have done all we can do! It will be going to DC and then to Ethiopia and we will officially be waiting (there are like 70 families ahead of us)!!! And THEN we will be paper pregnant! Praise Him!
Also, it looks like we have a buyer for the Mustang, we will know for sure on Thursday! So we are getting closer to funding our adoption!
Thank you all so much for your prayers and please scroll down and continue praying our prayer list, your prayers are working!
June 30, 2008
June 23, 2008
I171H CAME TODAY!!!!!
So, we are off manana to have it notarized and off to Austin to have it Authenticated and then it's off to our agency and then hopefully off to Ethiopia by August! Yeah us!!!!!
June 21, 2008
Why do We Worry?
Well because we are human! My husband, who thinks I'm such a godly woman...lol, wonders why I struggle with this. I lol because I strive to be more like Him, but I fail and I sin because I am human, and I am honored that my husband sees me as godly, but boy do I have a way to go!
Anyways, I worry. I worry about my son's saftey at the park. I don't let him climb the monkey bars because he might fall. I don't let him play in the front yard period, there could be a predator, a fast car, a horrible influence of a child just waiting to teach Miles some bad word. I worry for Brandon's safety while he drives back and forth to Ingleside everyday. If he doesn't answer his phone I think he's lying in a ditch somewhere...lol! Well I guess that's not real funny, but whatever.
So recently, my life has been filled with things to worry about. Our move to Missouri, buying a new house, renting out our first house, finding a place to live for the month in between when our renters moving in and the acutal move to MO., the effects a move will take on a three year old, finding a new church, if I'll have time to till my new vegetable garden before the fall, decorating and where to put everything, what will our new neighbors think of an interacial family moving into an all white town...HERE WE COME WILLARD...LOL! And finally our adoption.
I know, I'm making this long, but there is purpose my friends! I want you to know me. Well most of you do already and are like, "tell me something I don't know." Worrying is my biggest sin! There, it's out.
So many, many times God has shown me that He's got it! I worried when my wedding ring was stolen. Many of you remember me whoaing about it. I secretly thought to myself that if I complained enough that someone would feel sorry for me and give me some kind of a discount, or just plop a new diamond on my hand. Well that was the selfish me thinking I needed to fix the problem and not trusting God. He knew this was going to happen, even before Brandon and I met. He knew the outcome and just laid back trying to teach me a lesson. Well it turned out that someone we knew, who had the exact ring that I did, got divorced and sold it to Brandon for the exact amount our insurance gave us, $500. I worried about loosing my wedding ring, and in my mind I thought I had the right to moan and complain. But now I look back and realized that I should have found joy and trusted Him.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith devellops perserverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2
Well since then I have grown and have learned. But you all know I still worry!
So, as I type, we are preparing our house for the movers to pack us and move our stuff out in three days. Miles has surgery the day after we become homeless. We do not leave Corpus Christi until July 18th. Honestly, I was a bit worried about our living situation for a month, but not too much. So a friend of mine, Sweet Annie, offered her home for a week while they are on vacation. Then one of my best friends, Julie, heard about it and offered her 10 acre farm for a week while they are on vacation over the 4th, AND Miles gets to feed the animals everyday! So just last night, we were looking at our calendar and trying to figure out the details of where we were going to stay inbetween the two weeks. The military does reimburse us for hotels (up to $83 a night for up to 10 nights). Well in Corpus, right now is peak vacation season and $83 doesn't get much, but we'd figure it out. Still not having any reservations, yet another friend, Tiffany, emails us needing to leave out of town and do some house hunting, and offered her home (with pool....yeah!) for a few days! WHY DO WE WORRY?
We are so blessed with some of the greatest people. Close friends and new friends.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6, 7
When anxiety was great within me , your consolation brought peace to my soul. Psalm 94:19
So while our lives are going to be a bit crazy, I'm giving up worrying, yeah I know it's in writing! He has shown us, in little ways and in big, that He is in control and loves us and wants to provide for us and meet our needs, if we only just trust Him!
Notice...I'm not worrying about adoption right now....see I am growing!
Anyways, I worry. I worry about my son's saftey at the park. I don't let him climb the monkey bars because he might fall. I don't let him play in the front yard period, there could be a predator, a fast car, a horrible influence of a child just waiting to teach Miles some bad word. I worry for Brandon's safety while he drives back and forth to Ingleside everyday. If he doesn't answer his phone I think he's lying in a ditch somewhere...lol! Well I guess that's not real funny, but whatever.
So recently, my life has been filled with things to worry about. Our move to Missouri, buying a new house, renting out our first house, finding a place to live for the month in between when our renters moving in and the acutal move to MO., the effects a move will take on a three year old, finding a new church, if I'll have time to till my new vegetable garden before the fall, decorating and where to put everything, what will our new neighbors think of an interacial family moving into an all white town...HERE WE COME WILLARD...LOL! And finally our adoption.
I know, I'm making this long, but there is purpose my friends! I want you to know me. Well most of you do already and are like, "tell me something I don't know." Worrying is my biggest sin! There, it's out.
So many, many times God has shown me that He's got it! I worried when my wedding ring was stolen. Many of you remember me whoaing about it. I secretly thought to myself that if I complained enough that someone would feel sorry for me and give me some kind of a discount, or just plop a new diamond on my hand. Well that was the selfish me thinking I needed to fix the problem and not trusting God. He knew this was going to happen, even before Brandon and I met. He knew the outcome and just laid back trying to teach me a lesson. Well it turned out that someone we knew, who had the exact ring that I did, got divorced and sold it to Brandon for the exact amount our insurance gave us, $500. I worried about loosing my wedding ring, and in my mind I thought I had the right to moan and complain. But now I look back and realized that I should have found joy and trusted Him.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith devellops perserverance. Perserverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2
Well since then I have grown and have learned. But you all know I still worry!
So, as I type, we are preparing our house for the movers to pack us and move our stuff out in three days. Miles has surgery the day after we become homeless. We do not leave Corpus Christi until July 18th. Honestly, I was a bit worried about our living situation for a month, but not too much. So a friend of mine, Sweet Annie, offered her home for a week while they are on vacation. Then one of my best friends, Julie, heard about it and offered her 10 acre farm for a week while they are on vacation over the 4th, AND Miles gets to feed the animals everyday! So just last night, we were looking at our calendar and trying to figure out the details of where we were going to stay inbetween the two weeks. The military does reimburse us for hotels (up to $83 a night for up to 10 nights). Well in Corpus, right now is peak vacation season and $83 doesn't get much, but we'd figure it out. Still not having any reservations, yet another friend, Tiffany, emails us needing to leave out of town and do some house hunting, and offered her home (with pool....yeah!) for a few days! WHY DO WE WORRY?
We are so blessed with some of the greatest people. Close friends and new friends.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6, 7
When anxiety was great within me , your consolation brought peace to my soul. Psalm 94:19
So while our lives are going to be a bit crazy, I'm giving up worrying, yeah I know it's in writing! He has shown us, in little ways and in big, that He is in control and loves us and wants to provide for us and meet our needs, if we only just trust Him!
Notice...I'm not worrying about adoption right now....see I am growing!
June 20, 2008
CIS APPROVED!!!! I171H IN THE MAIL!
For those of you who follow our blog, this is the prayer list we posted about 5-6 weeks ago. I haven't really blogged much about our adoption lately because we've been waiting for our I171H (immigration approval). We had been told that the San Antonio office was 3 months backlogged and that our approval would probably take that long. Well as some of you know, after many many tears crying out to God, I prayed and surrendered it. I gave it to Him and trusted that if He could create the earth in a week, He could get our immigration approval in 5 weeks! So below is a list of our prayer requests we asked our prayerful friends and family to be praying for us. And guess what!!! WE ARE APPROVED, AND OUR I171H IS IN THE MAIL!!!! And amazingly it took San Antonio CIS 5 weeks, a new record! PRAISE GOD!
So again, I list this prayer list for continued prayer. I'll be highlighting the answered prayers. Our next challenge is to get our Dossier (the entire adoption package of all the papers we've been working on) out of our hands and into our agency and then off to Ethiopia before August 15. And then for God to provide us with the resources to pay for the rest of our adoption expenses. Does anyone want to buy a 1965 Ford Mustang?
PRAYER REQUESTS FROM A PREVIOUS POST
So again, I list this prayer list for continued prayer. I'll be highlighting the answered prayers. Our next challenge is to get our Dossier (the entire adoption package of all the papers we've been working on) out of our hands and into our agency and then off to Ethiopia before August 15. And then for God to provide us with the resources to pay for the rest of our adoption expenses. Does anyone want to buy a 1965 Ford Mustang?
PRAYER REQUESTS FROM A PREVIOUS POST
- CIS San Antonio will process our application in the next 5 weeks
- God will provide us with the money we will need to pay for the remainder of our adoption expenses
- For our baby girl. For her health. That she feels the love of God and that He is her Father always and she always finds love, peace and faith in Him. And wherever she is right now, that He is creating her to be our daughter and she is loved and held and fed and cared for
- For our baby's birth parents. For the toughest decision they may ever make. Or for their health. I truly feel the pain that this family may be going through and please pray that this is their only and last option
- For our agency. That they continue to understand the anxiousness that adoptive parents feel and process our paperwork accordingly and ethically
- PLEASE pray that our dossier will be out of our hands and in Ethiopia before we move on August 15, 2008!
- For a referral of a girl under 18 months, court date and travel before December 31, 2008
- For us to become the parents that God has called us to be to this baby girl. To give us the knowledge and wisdom we will need to be her parents
- For Miles, that he bonds and loves his baby sister
- That we will continue to stay focused and not to want this adoption more than we want our God
June 16, 2008
1965 Ford MUSTANG For Sale!
Brandon is giving up his baby so that we can bring home another baby! Please spread the word. This mustang is in wonderful condition and drives great!
June 11, 2008
Malnutrition and Hunger in Ethiopia
To our friends and family,
As you probably have seen in the media lately, Ethiopia is in major need of food! The agency we are working with does a lot of humanitarian aid in this area. Please follow the link below and consider a donation to help feed these children! It could be our baby you are helping! Thanks a bunch!
As you probably have seen in the media lately, Ethiopia is in major need of food! The agency we are working with does a lot of humanitarian aid in this area. Please follow the link below and consider a donation to help feed these children! It could be our baby you are helping! Thanks a bunch!
Right now, up to 6 million children under the age of five are at risk of malnutrition in Ethiopia . According to the UN World Food Program, insufficient rain and the skyrocketing prices of food are the main causes behind the current crisis, and millions of people are facing starvation.
You can make a difference. Your gift today will send much needed assistance to children and families throughout Ethiopia . Children’s Hope International is currently helping hundreds of children in the Addis Ababa region, but the need is much greater.
You can donate as little as $10 to help save these children’s lives. If we do not act now, millions of children risk losing their lives.
· $25 will provide food for a child for one month
· $50 will provide baby formula for an infant for one month
· $100 will provide food for a family of four for one month
· $300 will provide food for a child for an entire year
· $1,200 will provide food for a family of four for an entire year
http://orphan.childrenshope.net/index.php?id=3&tx_active_pi1%5bshowUid%5d=2766&pointer=0
June 6, 2008
We Cut His Hair Off!
I know, his hair was too cute! But I'm the one doing it like 3 times a day. Plus he's been getting really hot. So I had it cut today and I really like it. I might even go shorter next time!
June 4, 2008
We Got Fingerprinted!
I know, this is my third post today, but I had so much to share! Well we got home on Saturday night, after being in Houston, Oklahoma, and Missouri and found our finger print appointment letter for immigration in our mail. We had been scheduled for Tuesday to get fingerprinted in San Antonio...lol! Talk about road trips. We we drove up to S.A. and got finger printed, so let's pray that we get that Immigration Approval in the next 2 weeks! One step closer, and all the glory to Him!
The Wedding
We were in a wedding recently and Miles had a blast! Brandon was the Best Man, Miles was the Ring Bearer, and I was the Wedding Coordinator. Miles, my child, was the one trying to get on the stage during the ceremony and looking at me with this, "you can't get me" smile! It turned out beautiful. Miles danced for about 4 hours straight with his new cousins! Congratulations Uncle Jeremy and Auntie Chaun!
WE FOUND A HOME IN MISSOURI!!!
We found our home in Missouri! We had to have looked at like 30 houses! So this is where we will be living in a few months! It's about the same size house we live in now, but it's in a great neighborhood and it's a lot newer. Plus we have a HUGE back yard! Our house is up for rent right now and we will be reviewing rental applications next week! It's almost here!
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