The Philippines!!!

Many people have asked where we are going to adopt from. We were so unclear as to the direction God wanted us to go...we heard another couple tell of their adoption experience and they too could not decide so they went two different routes...

The first route, of course, was domestic adoption. We have put our names in with my OB doctor here in town as well as with everyone we know...counselors, pastors, etc who may know of someone who wants to give up their baby for private adoption. Essentially, this mother would choose us to adopt her baby and we would go through the legal process together. We would not have to go through the foster care system (which I just don't think I could handle emotionally!) and it could be finalized fairly quickly. That is one option.

The second option is international adoption. We had narrowed the countries down to three: China, South Korea, and the Philippines. All we had heard about over and over and felt drawn to them in some way. Through someone we know we found our agency, Lifelink, and met with a caseworker. All three of these countries are options through Lifelink. However, we were told China is up to a 5 year wait and we took that as our answer that China was out for us (we liked China because of the almost certainty that we would get a very young girl). South Korea was a possibility, but it seemed very certain that we would get a boy. So, the Philippines struck us as the best choice for our family. I had seen several different things on TV about orphans in the Philippines as well as other things and now know God was slowly leading us in this direction.

At this time, we are taking both routes...which ever pans out first is the way we will go. We are confident God will lead our family to the child that is perfectly meant for us whether that be here in the USA or the Philippines!

Adoption!

Well, as most of you know by now we have decided to adopt. We have had a lot of questions so I thought I would try to answer some here in this blog and keep everyone up to date on our progress.

Hubby and I have been trying to have another baby for over three years. We have had some testing with our doctors and they have said to keep trying that it could happen anytime. But it hasn't. We truly feel that God has not allowed us to get pregnant so that we would follow Him in adoption. We want Punky to be a big sister (she will be so great at it!) and we know we could provide a good home and family to another child. So, that is our primary reason for adopting.

However, through all of our research and investigating on the different options and avenues we could go, we have really felt strongly that God commands all Christians to care for the orphans of the world. Currently, it is estimated that there are 147 million orphans worldwide...all children in need of parents, homes, siblings, love, caring, and some even basic necessities. We feel it is our responsibility as well as comission from God to care for orphans. James 1:27 says "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

I will continually be posting our feelings, desires, and needs throughout our journey and hope you will continue to read and share this blog with others. We covet your prayers and are excited to see what God is going to do in and through our family. He knows best and we are trusting fully in that.

How To Love A Child

be there. say yes as often as possible. let them bang on pots and pans. if they're crabby, put them in water. if they're unlovable, love yourself. realize how important it is to be a child. go to a movie theater in your pajamas. read books out loud with joy. invent pleasures together. remember how really small they are. giggle a lot. surprise them. say no when necessary. teach feelings. heal your own inner child. learn about parenting. hug a tree. make loving safe. bake a cak and eat it with no hands. go find elephants and kiss them. plan to build a rocketship. imagine yourself magic. make lots of forts with blankets. let your angel fly. reveal your own dreams. search out the positive. keep the gleam in your eye. mail letters to God. encourage silly. plant licorice in your garden. open up. STOP YELLING. express your love. a lot. speak kindly. paint their tennis shoes. handle with caring.

And I added...show them Jesus.

Children are miraculous.

She really is learning

So, Punky is in Cubbies/AWANA at church and I have kind of wondered if it is too much for her to have to learn Bible verses at such a young age, and if she really does retain and understand what she is learning. However, she likes going to it and I figure it can't hurt anything to learn about Jesus as much as possible!!!

So last night we said prayers right before bed and I asked her if she loved Jesus and she said yes. I asked her why (thinking maybe she didn't even know why) and she said "Because he loves me!" I was shocked! I asked her how she knew that and she said, "God loves us and sent his Son!" It melted my heart to hear her say that. She really is comprehending and learning what she is hearing....and the most important lesson of life that Jesus loves her and died for her. That is all I can ask.

Radio Sadness

I have my alarm clock set to wake me up to the radio...usually I wake up and turn it off before the news comes on. I don't like to watch or listen to the news anymore...it is usually, sad, sickening, or scary. So, I don't listen.

However, the other morning, the news came on and I didn't shut it off. They were talking about the universal health care bill and how it is in the Senate (or something like that) and they are taking parts out and adding things in. Then, they got a statement from one of the Senators and he stated something like "We should not allow the issue of abortion to prevent millions of people from having health care". I absolutely couldn't believe my ears. How about let's not let the issue of abortion prevent millions of people from living!!!! If I knew the name of the person that said that, I would write a letter. It saddens me that now, abortion is not a big controversial thing that we all debate, but rather an issue or debate that we throw under the rug in order to pass another bill.

Catch Up...

• So Punky has had a stuffy nose. However, she won't let me spray it or use the aspirator or help her blow it. So I finally told her that she had to stop complaining about it (because she really whines about it) unless she was going to let me help her. She says, "But Mom! I don't like any of the ideas you like!" Hubby and I just laughed.
• We were eating breakfast the other day and Hubby and I were talking. Punky said, "Let's focus on eating, guys!" I think she has heard that at the babysitters.
• Punky has said several times that she will eat turkey on Thanksgiving. I'll keep you posted as to whether that actually happens. I doubt it.

Halloween 2009-Part 1

Punky was a cute black kitty for Halloween...

Will post more pics later, as we didn't get to celebrate with Buddy because Ab was sick.

Rough Day

I really cannot believe how much my 4 year old knows, comprehends, and says. Hubby just said the other night it seems like she is so much older because of some of the things she says. She definitely acts like she is 12 sometimes!!

Well, the other night, I was trying to get her into bed and I asked her to pick out her clothes for the next day. She asked why she couldn't do it the next morning. I told her that it stresses me out in the morning (I am NOT a morning person) and that we need to get it done tonight so that we don't fight about it in the morning. I told her, "Baby, I don't want to fight with you about your clothes, and we really need to move fast in the mornings." She thought for only a second and then said, "No, mommy. Don't worry. We can do it in the morning...I will fight fast!" OH MY! I didn't quite know what to say to that!

Then a few nights later, she was picking out her clothes for the next morning and couldn't decide so I told her to go to bed and we would do it in the morning. She said, "But mommy, I don't want to have a rough morning!" OH MY! She learns so much!

Pity Party for Me

So many times I only think about myself...what I'm going through...what I'm feeling...what matters to me..who I have to make dinner for...what needs cleaned. God has taught me some very important lessons the last couple of weeks, but the one I learned this week was especially hard.

Every Thursday, I get to pick my nephew, Buddy, up from preschool at the same time I pick Punky up. I love it because Punky gets excited to have someone to play with at home and I like to see Buddy actually in school! He is such a wonderful little boy.

Anyway, this past Thursday, I had a pity party for myself. For some reason or another, I left work just a few minutes late, which meant I was going to be pushing it to pick up the kids. Even though they are both done at 11:30, I have worked it out so that I can pick Buddy up about 5 minutes early and still have plenty of time to get in the car line to pick up Punky. Well, I found myself leaving work at the time I should have been picking up Buddy. I am driving in the car, getting frustrated, getting angry at the SLOW cars in front of me, mad at the road construction that is slowing me down. I finally pull into the school lot and decide to pick Punky up first so they don't send her to after school care, etc. It was a mess. I pull into the car line only to see that there is a different teacher putting them into the car, and she is not NEARLY as fast as the usual teacher. Great! Just what I need. I am huffing and puffing and really getting myself worked up. I get Punky in the car and race over to get Buddy. I failed to mention that it is cold outside, and raining very hard at this point. I jet full sprint into the building to get Buddy, running all the way. I pick him up, run him back out to the car, get both kids buckled in and at this point I am done! I am upset, tired, hungry, soaked and totally feeling sorry for myself.

I really don't have those days tooooooo often...in fact many times I get teary eyed after dropping Punky off at school in the morning...I thank God as I am walking to my car that I have a beautiful child to take to school, that my job is flexible enough to allow me to do that, and that God has blessed us financially to be able to send Punky to a private school. I really have a great life. But there are those days like Thursday that the pity party for me begins. I found out just today that on that Thursday morning, one of the moms of a little boy in Buddy's class was killed in a car accident on the way to pick him up from class. In the instant that I was feeling angry and tired and UNthankful, I am sure that mother would have given anything to be in my shoes. My heart is sad, not just for this family's tragedy, but because I missed an opportunity to see the little blessings God has given to me. I hope from now on when I get stuck in traffic or am running late, that I think of this and remember how blessed I am and how thankful I am for what I have, for every day I have here on earth, and for the wonderful people in my life that I GET to care for.

Ballet

So Punky has started her first ballet class...it is for 4-5 year olds. She absolutely loves it. She is in the same class as her little friend from church and it is the most hilarious thing to watch these little uncoordinated girls run and twirl about thinking they are the most beautiful ballerina. I was laughing so hard (she couldn't see me) and I have to wonder how the teacher gets through class without laughing! Here are a few pics...