This Side of Eternity

What do Football and Orphans have in common?

2012-01-26T21:27:00.000-05:00

If you are having a Super Bowl Party please consider taking time during half-time and participate in Tony's challenge.
Tony's Halftime Video Kit is available at:
www.adoptionjourney.org/dungyhalftime

TV watch party organizers will find 3 things in the kit (free):

Downloadable versions of the 3 minute video message from Tony & Lauren Dungy
Instructions on how to burn the video to DVD or stream it to TV set boxes
Conversation guide with suggestions on presenting the message with friends & family gathered that day

Great Faith or just a Really Careless Decision?

2012-01-24T19:36:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder if some of the decisions I make are based on “Great Faith” or do I just make careless decisions. For example, if a person decided to take a mission trip overseas but knew they did not have the money. They went ahead and registered, made their plane reservation, and started packing. Is that “Great Faith” or just crazy?

Let’s take adoption for example, since that is near and dear to my heart. There is a family is in the process of adopting one child. During the process they hear about a precious child with a medical condition that desperately needs a family. They don’t have the extra money needed for the adoption and they really don’t have a lot of extra space at home. You have medical bills, therapy, and medical equipment. Despite all of that they decide to go through with the adoption, knowing the resources will be there when they need them. Great Faith? Or just a crazy careless decision that may turn out good or maybe not?

Is there a fine line between having “Great Faith” and just making decisions without considering the consequences? We are making some big decisions for our family right now and I keep wondering, are we having “Great Faith” or are we just making careless decisions?

I would love to hear your thoughts, any scriptures, stories or sermons you could share with me.

2012-01-10T14:34:00.002-05:00

(Picture taken by Nina Mullins Photography)

I love this child so much, sometimes I honestly feel like my heart will burst. You will rarely see me without him. If we are in public and he can’t find me, you will find a panicked look on his face and the screaming soon begins. None of my other children have had significant “attachment” issues when they are dropped off for Sunday School or taken to a friends for a play date. Any time I tried to leave Jacob with someone he screamed most of the time I was gone. He is better about staying with his daddy and my parents. WOOHOO!! Many friends and family have said, “you really need to have time alone”. Therapists have said, “you really need to get Jacob involved in some programs so he can become more independent”.

It really got me thinking about Jacob’s dependence on me. Jacob is a smart little boy. He understands most of what you say. He is very aware of his surroundings. Sadly, Jacob is unable to verbalize his needs. Imagine this. You are a 4 year old child. You are unable to do anything for yourself. You are stuck in a chair and cannot move anything except your head and you have some movement in your arms. You understand EVERYTHING that is going on around you. You can not feed yourself. You can’t even tell anyone when you are hungry. You can not yell when you are choking. You can not tell anyone when your diaper needs changed. You can’t tell anyone when something scares you. You can’t ask anyone to play with you.

HOWEVER, there is ONE person in the whole world who understands your language. This person can tell when you are hungry. This person can tell when you are about to choke and need assistance. This person knows when something is around that will scare you. Remember you are four years old, you are stuck in a chair, and you cannot speak. How would you feel if you needed something and that ONE person was not around? SCARED? FRUSTRATED? PANICKED?

So until my son has a voice I am very content to be by his side when he needs me. I am his mom and that’s what a mom does.

We are very excited that Jacob received an ipad and we are currently working on setting up a communication program for him. We have tried other communication devices but they were too complicated and too big to carry around when we leave the house. I can’t wait to see my son independent and confident. It will probably be one of the highlights of my life.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012-01-06T11:22:00.000-05:00

I have so many things running around in my head that I want to share with you. Plus lots of things happening around here to share.

BUT!!!

for some reason every time I sit down to write nothing comes out. Maybe God is asking me to wait? Maybe I am just so scatterbrained right now I can't put my thoughts together? Whatever the case I guess I am taking a short break to sort it all out.

Hope to be back soon!!!

Do you have room?

2011-12-21T16:48:00.000-05:00

During a recent conversation with my husband about adopting more children the phrase, "we have no room" came up several times. You will not hear those words from our mouths EVER again!!!

Sometimes God gives one of his children a clear message to share with others. God gave Megan @ Millions of Miles words to share and they have changed me profoundly. Go read her post titled "Do you have room?" Not only has God given this message to Megan but to several other people recently. Catch what Amy just posted last week.

After you read her post watch this video.

and this video.

That Whoever Believes in Him from Southland Christian Church on Vimeo.

MAYBE GOD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING????

Disney Wish Trip 2011 - Part 3

2011-12-10T08:35:00.000-05:00

SPOILER ALERT!!!! If you don't want to know secrets behind the Disney Christmas Parade do not read this post.

We happened to be at Disney the weekend they were filming the annual Disney Christmas Parade. Yes, you heard me right the Christmas Parade does not actually happen on Christmas Day. It is taped during the month of November to allow for proper editing. Taping is an ALL day affair. It is a tedious process and they film the same section several times. The taped version on Christmas morning is definitely more magical! Christmas morning see if you can catch a glimpse of us on the parade route. There were so many cameras there is no way to know if we were actually taped.

Disney Wish Trip - Part 2

2011-12-08T13:42:00.001-05:00

We spend six days wondering around the Disney Theme parks. The kids had a blast and Sera's face was priceless when she met the Princesses. She also fell in love with Mickey & Minnie Mouse. We were able to attend two special Christmas event while we were there; the Mickey Very Merry Christmas Party and the Candlelight Processional which was narrated by Michael W. Smith.

Disney Wish Trip 2011 Part 1

2011-12-07T08:37:00.000-05:00

We chose to take Sera's wish trip during the holiday season so that Sera would be able to experience all the lights and decorations at Disney. Well, Siemen's heard about Sera's story and decided they wanted to do something special for Sera. On one night of our trip Sera was given the honor of turning on the Christmas lights at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights presented by Siemen's at the Disney Hollywood Studios Park. We are so grateful to Siemens, Disney, and Give Kids the World for making our trip unforgetable.

It was a very special night and Sera was treated like a princess!

Samaritan's Purse

2011-12-06T13:17:00.000-05:00

Before we left for Sera's wish trip we made sure we packed our shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. This is one of our FAVORITE holiday traditions. We get the opportunity to bless a child overseas with Christmas presents and share the good news of Jesus Christ. Each of our children write a letter and pack their own box. The pictures below are of them writing letters to put in their boxes.

Don't despair, if you forgot or just did not have time, you can still pack a shoebox online. Operation Christmas Child has a page where you can Build-a-box online and choose which items you want included in your box. You can also make a financial donation to help with expenses related to shipping of the shoeboxes.

Legoland in Florida

2011-12-05T21:21:00.000-05:00

Last week we traveled to Florida for Sera's trip from The Lexington Dream Factory. We spent nine days in the Orlando area. I am going to start posting pictures from our trip. The below pictures are a day trip we took to Legoland. The kids had so much fun there and the adults were amazed by the lego creations.

Lifesong for Orphans - HopeEthiopia100

2011-12-05T18:59:00.000-05:00

Hope Ethiopia from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

Children at the Lifesong Ethiopia school are fed 2 nutritious meals per day, provided with a quality education, and taught the message of Jesus Christ. This gives kids like Beza the hope they need in order to break free from gripping poverty.

We currently have a need to build a 12-room expansion to our existing school, in order to reach more children like Beza. We have been blessed, by the generosity of a donor, to be able to MATCH all donations to the Ziway and Adami Tulu Schools between now and December 31st... up to $130,000!!!

This week, the 5^th through the 9^th, we invite you to join Hope Ethiopia:100. We are looking for 100 people to give a one-time $100 donation!

Joining this team will not only give hope to kids like Beza, but your dollars will be matched AND you'll be entered into a drawing for a FABULOUS gift basket (details below).

*Gift basket includes: $100 itunes or amazon gift card, Lifesong t-shirt, Lifesong cookbook,Journey On CD, handmade necklaces & note cards by orphans in Zambia, handmade ornament from a child in Ukraine, 5 bags of Gobena coffee, Gobena coffee
mug, Gobena t-shirt, andGobena tote bag. This basket is worth over $250!

*To commit via check, please send an email to info@lifesongfororphans.org. Make check payable to Lifesong for Orphans, indicate 'preference Hope Ethiopia: 100' in the memo.

Our Story in Southern Child Magazine

2011-12-04T13:29:00.000-05:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More parenting

Gifts with a Purpose from Lifesong

2011-11-22T18:45:00.000-05:00

Make a Difference in ONE Life!

What is your holy discontent? What is your God-given passion on this earth? You know, that one thing that MOVES you to action, that brings you to tears, and causes you to lose sleep? We have a passion, a yearning to see justice for the fatherless!

"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." - Isaiah 1:17

2011 Gifts of Purpose from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

It's that time of year again. Holiday music rings through your speaker systems. Decorations light up your street corners. Families gather together.It's the season of love, joy and family.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during this season of giving, we often forget to give to those who NEED it most! This year give differently. Give FAMILY to the 147 million orphans worldwide who dream of belonging. Give HOPE to children living on the streets whose only Christmas wish is survival.

What if, this year, your family gave a gift to those who need it most? A gift that won't fit under the tree?

Would you consider making a difference in ONE LIFE...

Help a child break free from gripping poverty.

Give the love of Jesus through Christian mentors.

Give a future to an orphan's caregiver.

This year join Lifesong for Orphans in giving a gift with purpose. A gift that will speak Jesus to a child. Introducing Lifesong's 2011 Gifts of Purpose Catalog.

NOW, for even more exciting news....

In Ethiopia, children need an education to break free from gripping poverty. Public schools are lacking, so kids are left behind without the HOPE of an education or future. Our current Lifesong school is not only giving by teaching these children about Jesus, but also feeding 350 hungry children 2 meals each day. We currently have a need to build a 12-room expansion to our existing school... please join us to make a difference in a child's life.

As of last night, we have a generous donor that has stepped up to MATCH all donations to the Ziway and Adami Tulu Schools in Ethiopia between now and December 31st... up to $130,000!!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? What a GENEROUS way to make the most of your giving and bless the children and families in these communities! Let me tell you first hand, these schools NEED to be expanded... these children NEED an education... they NEED to be fed each day... they NEED to hear about Jesus! Lets give HOPE to these precious children in Ethiopia!

Would you join us in prayer as we seek to make the need known?

MAKE A MATCHED DONATION NOW!
***You can use the link above to make a matched donation OR select any of the Hope Ethiopia options below.

Gift of $30 cares for 2 children for 1 month.

Gift of $525 cares for 35 children for 1 month.

Gift of $1,500 furnishes one classroom.

Also, don't forget that you can give a gift in honor of a loved one this holiday season!

New Pictures of the Kids

2011-11-20T21:01:00.000-05:00

Thank you Nina and Wes Mullins @ Nina Mullins Photography for taking such beautiful pictures of my children.

You Asked for it: Video of Jacob walking!!!

2011-11-17T12:44:00.000-05:00

New Family Pictures

2011-11-08T20:15:00.000-05:00

Our pictures were taken by a dear friend and fellow adoptive mom, Nina Mullins @ Nina Mullins Photography. Hope to have more to share soon!

Operation Christmas Child

2011-11-07T18:08:00.001-05:00

We will be packing eight boxes in honor of each of our children. They are such a blessing and want to give to others. Please join us and share the love of Christ to children around the world.

2011-11-07T09:30:00.000-05:00

My heart was filled with JOY this morning as I watched Jacob begin to walk in his walker unassisted. He made is across the family room twice without assistance. My heart was bursting with JOY!!!

Then I saw this . . .

Jacob had walked over to the girls room wanting to play with them. This is as far as he can go. My heart broke.

Joy and Heartbreak

2011-10-26T13:59:00.000-04:00

The JOY of seeing my son mobile and independent!!

The HEARTBREAK of knowing the obstacles he will face inside our home.

This is the hallway and doorway he has to maneuver to get into the boy's room,

which is also his room. Remember he is four years old so not an expert driver.

This is the hallway and doorway he has to maneuver to get into the girl's room and the bathroom.

This is our only common living area.

Notice the amount of space between the couch and his equipment.

My mother's heart is aching for his freedom in our house. I want to see him cruising around following his siblings around the house. We are so blessed and grateful! God has blessed our family more than we could have ever imagined. It still hurts to know that you do not have the means to provide for your child a home that promotes his independence and self suficiency.

All BOY!!

2011-10-16T14:30:00.000-04:00

They are INVISIBLE no more! Please Join Us!

2011-10-15T11:30:00.000-04:00

President Obama Targets LRA from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Fall Fun

2011-10-15T11:03:00.000-04:00

Another Beautiful Girl

2011-10-03T18:57:00.000-04:00

Miss Faith Fu Xiang

She is Happy!!!

2011-10-03T09:31:00.000-04:00

As promised I am slowly taking new pictures of the kids.

Here is a new picture of Elshaday!

Dirty Little Secrets - Part II

2011-09-30T19:46:00.000-04:00

Don't tell

my daughter

but

she has

HIV

Our daughter has been home almost two months. She has really blossomed and is quickly learning English. She had only been home a couple of days when I began to wander if she understood that she had a long term illness. She asked daily if she was almost finished with her medication. We have contact with her older sibling so I asked if our daughter was aware that she had HIV. I was not surprised when she said that our daughter did NOT know that she had HIV. After asking our daughter a few questions I was able to confirm that our daughter only knew she was "sick" and needed medication.

*Disclaimer: I completely respect our daughter's birth family and their decision to not discuss the details of her diagnosis with her. In her birth country there is still a huge stigma surrounding the diagnosis of HIV.

As I stated in my previous post Dirty Little Secrets - Part I we are very open with our children about their health. We do not want them to think they need to hide secrets about themselves. There is no reason for them to feel shame. It is also important that they be aware of their medical diagnosis so they can educate themselves and become prepared to manage their own health when they are adults. We want to empower our children. We want our daughter to understand that God loves her and we love her. We love EVERYTHING about her!

Please keep our family in your thoughts as we begin this journey with our daughter. Our prayer is that she would trust us and lean on us and our Heavenly Father. I pray that God gives us the words to use that won't confuse or scare our daughter but will give her a clear understanding of her diagnosis.

Lifesong for Orphans - Zambia

2011-09-29T07:23:00.000-04:00

Brush to Berries from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

"Simply giving this person money is treating the symptoms rather than the underlying disease and will enable him to continue with his lack of self-discipline... a better solution would be to develop a relationship that says, we are here to walk with you and to help you use your gifts and abilities to avoid being in this situation in the future'" (An excerpt from the book, When Helping Hurts)

Lifesong is serving the people of Zambia... the orphaned, the at-risk, and the poor... by utilizing the land that is, like the people, so full of potential. Lifesong farms-Zambia reaped its first strawberry harvest in June, and local grocers have been purchasing the berries. With additional acres to farm, we are hoping to process some of the berries and begin marketing Lifesong Farms Strawberry Jam.

By harvesting fruit, we are able to serve more orphans by providing the gift of a job at Lifesong's gardens and self worth to an orphan's caregiver. We are also able to provide future employment for our kids as they transition into adult living, develop a system to raise funds to help cover operational costs, and develop expertise that can be replicated in multiple countries where Lifesong serves. Most of all, we are seeking to glorify Jesus as we teach others how He walked.

**GIVEAWAY:

1st PRIZE: Lifesong is giving away a 1-night hotel stay for the LIVE ORPHAN SUNDAY event in Kansas City!!! Let me just tell you, this event will be FABULOUS!!!

2nd PRIZE: Lifesong is giving away FREE Gobena Coffee for 1 year - 2 lbs per month shipped straight to your home.

HOW do you enter? Well, I'm glad you asked! There are several ways to enter. PLEASE LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT BY GOING ON THIS LIFESONG POSTING FOR EACH ENTRY, including your email address so Lifesong is able to contact you!!!

1. Share how the Lord is working in and through your adoption/orphan care ministry (1 entry)

2. Re-post this Zambia blog posting on YOUR blog to share what the Lord has been doing at Lifesong Zambia (1 entry)

3. Tell about an Orphan Sunday event you had or attended in the past (1 entry)

4. Tell your plans for THIS YEAR's Orphan Sunday on Nov. 6th (1 entry)

5. Re-post this on your facebook wall (1 entry)

6. Re-post this on your twitter page (1 entry)

7. Post on YOUR blogs, facebook, or twitter and tell Lifesong that I sent you (1 entry)

8. Tell what you think about the 'Brush to Berries' video - what moved you, what stood out to you, what are you excited about? (1 entry)

9. Become a fan of Lifesong on facebook here (1 entry)

10. Send an email to info AT lifesongfororphans DOT org asking to receive our monthly updates (1 entry)

PLEASE leave a separate comment on Lifesong's post for EACH entry, including your email address so they are able to contact you!

***Giveaway starts immediately and ends at midnight on Monday, October 3rd.

Dirty Little Secrets - Part I

2011-09-27T21:39:00.000-04:00

are you ready?

NOT

PERFECT

I know you are totally SHOCKED, right?

Here is my dirty little secret.

(my skin)

I have a skin disease called Psoriasis. It first developed in the 4th grade and covered 90% of my skin. I had it on the bottom of my feet and it hurt to walk as my feet would crack and bleed. It was a terrible thing to go through as a 10 year old. I remember people being afraid of me, being laughed at, and feeling ugly. I would wear long sleeves and long pants even in the middle of the summer.

I still deal with constant intense itching and a creepy crawling feeling on my skin. My scalp is covered so I have terrible dandruff, which is not controlled by typical dandruff shampoo.

BUT

I am content. There was a moment. I don't remember how old I was but I remember the specific feeling I had. God gave me peace. I felt an overwhelming unconditional love. God spoke to my heart. He said, "you were beautifully and wonderfully created by me. it is your inner beauty that is most important"

So many people are shunned into hiding because of a fear of what others may think. I will admit I have been there before. It is a shame that we can not embrace the uniqueness of God's creations. As a society we see uniqueness as a negative. God created us to bring glory to him. God does not make a mistake.

All of our children are unique creations made by the loving hands of our Heavenly Father. One of the things we try to teach our children is to not be ashamed of or embarrassed by a physical feature or medical condition they may have. We also teach them that God would want them to treat everyone they meet with respect and love.

Stayed tuned for Part II . . . .

First World Problems and Adoption

2011-09-22T11:41:00.001-04:00

I will admit that I am guilty of complaining about first world problems. If you don't know what I am talking about jump over to the Kinnell's blog and look at this post.

I am heartbroken right now. I am seeing more and more complaints about "first world problems" from our daughter adopted from a third world country. When she came home she had such a serving heart. Now I have to hear MANY times a day how neglectful we are because we are not letting her have a cell phone, laptop computer and new clothes.   She is ELEVEN years old.   Seriously, why does an eleven year old NEED a cell phone. Who are they going to call?? If she needs to call someone she can use our house phone.  She has been home a little over a year and honestly I am devastated. I don't know what to do or where we messed up.

We are fighting a HUGE battle right now for our daughter's heart.   One of the biggest lessons we try to teach our children is that this world is not about US. It is not about living, acting, and having what everyone else has. It is about loving and serving others. It is a hard lesson to teach when almost ALL of the kids her ago DO have cell phone and laptop computers and new expensive clothes. Sadly, that is just the area we live in.

I could really use so advice here.   Anyone have suggestions or wisdom to share?

Officially In Love

2011-09-20T18:42:00.000-04:00

I am officially in love with our newest daughter. She has blossomed in the last two weeks into a content and joyful little girl. I am not the only one who loves her.

Check this out . . .

He lights up at just the sound of her voice! It really melts my heart. I have a feeling they are going to have a very special relationship.

VOTE for God's Littlest Angels in Haiti

2011-09-19T18:45:00.000-04:00

Please watch the video below about God's Littlest Angels Haitian Baby Ministry in Haiti. Several months ago I fell in love with a little baby named Sonia. If you are a long time reader I am sure you remember me talking about her. She was around 6 months old at the time and living at God's Littlest Angels. She was diagnosed with Down Syndrome and had serious heart complications. She was able to come to the USA to have life saving heart surgery and is now back at GLA and thriving. There are many other babies in the same situation as Sonia. They are sick, malnourished, and underdeveloped. GLA's ministry is providing life saving care to these children. This ministry has become very dear to my heart.

After watching this video please take a moment of your time and follow this link to VOTE. GLA is very close to receiving a $50,000 grant for their ministry. It will only take a minute of your time but it will make a HUGE difference in the lives of these children.

2011-09-18T14:48:00.000-04:00

I am sick, tired and grumpy. Since I have said I will always be REAL on this blog here it goes.

I am tired of dealing with night terrors EVERY single night.

I am tired of forcing kids to take their medication.

I am tired of listening to children who scream and cry all day long.

I am tired of living in a house that does not have enough storage.

I am tired of climbing into the attic to get things.

I am tired of having a doctors or therapist appointment almost every day of the week.

I am tired of the wheels on Jacob's wheelchair getting stuck in the grass.

I am tired of our family not eating at the table together.

the list goes on and on . . .

Basically, I am tired of the world not revolving around me. There you have it. I am actually a very selfish person!

I am a DREAMER

2011-09-10T22:35:00.000-04:00

I am a dreamer. I always have been. Just thought I would share some things I have been dreaming about recently.

My Dream House

A kitchen where I can do some serious cooking

with a view like this

plus one of these

Recap of our day

2011-09-06T22:07:00.000-04:00

Our day started out well! Everyone was up, dressed, teeth brushed and ready for the day by 9:00. We got school started around 9:30. Ms. Shanna(speech therapist) came to work with Sera & Jacob. We wrapped up the morning half of school with a fun art project. We had lunch on schedule at 12:00. This is where things went CRAZY!!! Elshaday came with some medication but not enough to get her to her first doctor's appointment. We HAD to get her medication TODAY so she would have it for tomorrow mornings dose. So I loaded up all eight kids and we headed down to the Kentucky Clinic Pharmacy to pick up her meds. Should not be a big deal meds were called in 5 hours ago so we should be able to walk in pick them up and head home. NOT!!!!

I will not bore you with all the details of why it took us 4 hours to complete a task that should have taken us about 1 1/2 hours including driving time. I would like to ask you to do me a favor. IF ever again I mention taking ALL my children to pick up a prescription PLEASE remind me about today. They were pretty good for the first 15 minutes, I think. Gabriel & Elshaday kept fighting over who got to push the elevator buttons. This led to me swatting Gabriel on the rear end right there in the middle of the clinic hallway. (no, I do not have a problem with swatting bottoms in public to get my kids attention) While waiting for our medication two kids had meltdowns which included them screaming and crying, "I want to go home" very loudly. Gabriel could not sit in a chair appropriately and could be found in lots of interesting positions. Ethan kept irritating every one else just for the fun of it. Faith could not stop slapping her hands on the table which made a very loud noise, irritating her siblings and I am sure everyone else in the room. When I moved Faith away from the table this led to her meltdown. Elshaday kept creating tears because she wanted water, she was hungry, she wanted to go home, she wanted the book someone else had. The girl is persistent she can sit and say "mom, I am hungry" repeatedly for a good 15 minutes. She can also create tears in just seconds. Sera kept wanting the seat everyone else was in and tried to push them out of their seat and yelled at them. There was also a loud and lively game of paper, rock, scissors. Good thing I do not get embarrassed very easily.

On a bright note there were two special people who blessed me today. As we were walking down the hall an older gentleman asked if we were from Nicholasville. He said he had seen the article about Sera in the newspaper and prayed for her every day.

On the way out of the clinic the lady who collects the parking garage tolls said she had seen me in the clinic with the kids. Of course, at this point I am thinking about how terrible the kids behaved. I said, "yea, I feel like crying right now". She just said, "I commend you on what you are doing".
The kids were so exhausted after going crazy at the clinic that they immediately feel asleep in the car. Got home around 5:00 and rushed to find something to cook for dinner that was quick. Ate dinner around 6:00. Medication given. Little ones to bed at 7:00. They passed out very quickly. Watched movie the big kids. Faith got up twice with night terrors. Big kids to bed at 9:00. MOMMY TIME!!!!!

So there you have it.

Settling In FINALLY

2011-09-05T09:06:00.000-04:00

Most of our children have transitioned into our home very smoothly. We brought them home and the next day life went on as usual. Granted we added a few more doctors and therapist to the mix when kids came home but we have never had to disrupt our normal schedule.
As a family we have had to make some big adjustments this time around. Each child is so different and their response to change is as different as they are. I have always said that this blog is a place where I want to be open about the joys and struggles of a adoptive family. So here we go . . .

Our family first saw a picture of our newest daughter almost three years ago.   As we were waiting for our court date back in 2009 we found out that due to circumstances beyond our control we would not be able to adopt Elshaday. It has been a rollercoaster ride since that day. We received a email in March 2010 asking if we would still consider adopting Elshaday. Again, lots of ups and downs but finally brought her home a few weeks ago. All of this to say that our family, especially our children, have been anticipating her arrival for a few years.

Elshaday is a very strong willed little girl and I am getting the idea that she may not have been told "NO" very often. However, she is perfectly fine with telling me "NO". If she wants to play with something she just takes it. If she doesn't like something you are doing she will just kick or hit you. She would gently hit another child just to see what my response would be.    As long as she is getting her way life is good and she is a happy little girl.

The kids have really had to work through their feelings about Elshaday's behaviors. They were disappointed to fine out the little girl they had waited for and anticipated playing with was, in their words "MEAN". Our other child, which we adopted as a older child, asked if she acted like that when she came home. I assured her she did not.

My husband often refers to parenting like training a dog. Although I typically do not like this analogy I think it fits here. In a pack of dogs their is a heirachy, same in a family. A dog will fight his way up as far as he can in the pack. When training a dog it is important to make sure the dog knows who is at the top of the heirachy. If you don't your dog will never comply with your commands. Our daughter is just trying to find her place in the family. She is learning the heirachy of our family and where she fits in it.

We basically decided to hide out at home for a few weeks. We tried to keep a regular schedule and not have many disruptions. We wanted to be consistant when dealing with undesireable behaviors.   I have been waiting to write this post because I wanted to be able to share progress not just struggles. I am so happy to report that we have gone from her telling me "NO", to her first saying, "NO" and when I stand my ground she will say "okay, okay" and comply with my request. ALL of the unwanted behaviors towards the other kids are gone. I am sure that the "testing phase" is not over but we are in a good place right now.

There is so much more to say but the kids are pestering me and I am having a hard time concentrating on what I am writing. Hope to write more later.

Staying Cool

2011-09-03T11:08:00.000-04:00

Sera's New Picture

2011-08-28T19:34:00.000-04:00

Ok, I know I am posting a lot at one time. We have been super busy since Elshaday came home so I am trying to catch up. One thing I have needed to do for some time is take new pictures of the kids. So far I have only gotten Sera's picture. Maybe tomorrow I can get a few others.

Sera's Big Girl Bed

2011-08-28T19:26:00.000-04:00

Sera is a creature of habit. Change does not come easy for her. However, I was tired of picking her big butt up and putting her in the crib so I decided it was time for a big girl bed. She is getting really heavy! At first she was not happy and said, "No, No" but when made her bed up and put her babies to bed she slowly came around.

I just went in to check on her and she is sound asleep in her bed!

I DID IT!!!

2011-08-28T19:14:00.000-04:00

I managed to get our closet reorganized in ONE DAY!!!

Time to Tackle My Closet AGAIN

2011-08-26T08:48:00.000-04:00

Our master bedroom closet not only houses our clothes but all our school supplies, therapy stuff, books, and the medical and adoption files.

The side of the closet with school stuff is getting a little crowded. I have to reorganize about every 6 months.

THIS STUFF

NEEDS TO FIT ON THESE SHELVES

WELCOME HOME ELSDADAY

2011-08-22T07:33:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have been slow in updating the blog. Elshaday came home two weeks ago and we started school last week. Lots of adjustments in the last two weeks that required ALL of my attention.

Here are a few pictures of our family at the airport!

So thankful the Twietmeyer family could join us at the airport.

Thanks to Kiel we have great video too!!

I Was Bold Once Too!

2011-08-02T22:00:00.000-04:00

What happens to us when we reach adulthood? I remember no fear as a child and during my college years. I would walk up to anyone and just start talking. I had no hesitation when I saw someone in need. Where did that girl go?

Sunday at church God really got my attention. Jacob was having no part in sitting in worship service so he and I walked the long halls at church. I had noticed a man sitting outside when we walked in that morning and as we walked the halls I saw that he was still sitting in the same spot. Our church hallways are glass so you can see outside. As we were walking I heard God's voice say "go talk to him" every time I walked past the doorway where this man was sitting. I think I walked past the door 3 times, then I finally got brave and walked outside but still walked past the man. I could clearly hear God's voice but still I tried to ignore him. I walked past him one more time, then turned around and FINALLY got the nerve to stop and say HI. I am sure if anyone was watching I looked pretty silly.

His name was Basil. I have no idea of his current economic situation, from his story it is possible that he is homeless. Basil was recently diagnosed with cancer. Basil told me that he frequented a restaurant downtown where an 18 year old young man worked. Basil said it was a rough part of town so he would go in an check on this kid who worked the late shift. On that Saturday night when the young man had finished his shift he walked across the street to talk with Basil. He asked if he could pray for Basil, which he did. As he walked back across the street he turned and asked Basil to come to church with him. When I met Basil outside of church he was waiting for his friend to arrive. Basil was so eager he had arrived at church four hours early and was quite content to sit and wait. I have prayed for Basil continuously since then. I can't get him out of my head. I don't know anything else about Basil except the few stories he shared as we talked. The history really doesn't matter but what does matter is that Basil needs God.
I am so thankful that I FINALLY listened! Lesson learned! I want to be BOLD again!

Happy 6th Birthday Ethan

2011-07-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

Can't believe my little man is 6 years old. Ethan was just a little over five pounds when he was born. He made a scary and dramatic entrance into the world. We thank God for blessing our lives with Ethan!

Help! I Can't Sit Still

2011-07-24T20:53:00.000-04:00

Can you tell which child has sensory processing issues?

YIKES!!

2011-07-23T20:26:00.000-04:00

So I was giving Jacob a bath tonight and realized three things.

1. His head is one inch from the top of his bath seat.
2. His feet hit the end of the bathtub. He is too excited in the bath so his legs do not bend.
3. A larger bath seat will not fit into our bathtub.

I have no idea what to do about that! We have two bathtubs in our house and they are exactly the same.

Special Delivery in the Mail

2011-07-23T15:53:00.000-04:00

A family who recently traveled mailed us a note that Elshaday had written to us while they were visiting the orphanage. For those who need a translation it says "Mom, Dad I so, so , so , so, so, so Love You"

Can't wait to give her a BIG hug!

FINALLY COMING HOME

2011-07-21T17:42:00.000-04:00

THIS

BEAUTIFUL

GIRL

COMING

HOME!!!!!!!!!!!

We will travel to Chicago the weekend of August 5th to pick up our beautiful daughter and bring her home.

SHE IS COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-07-15T06:40:00.000-04:00

We first saw her picture on a waiting list two and a half years ago. She has had a place in my heart since I first saw her picture. It has been an emotional ride and I can't wait for her to get home.

We had decided it would be best to have her escorted home instead of traveling back to Ethiopia. We filed our I-600 here in the USA on June 3 and had been told the processing times were 75 days. We received our I-600 approval in the mail YESTERDAY!!!

For those who don't know the I-600 is what you file to get their travel visa. You would normally file it in the country of adoption when you travel to your Embassy appointment.

I don't have a travel date for her yet. I am waiting on the agency to arrange the escort.

Got Medical Equipment?

2011-07-13T20:19:00.000-04:00

We have been very blessed to be able to find many pieces of medical and therapy equipment for our children. It is absolutely necessary in order for them to continue to flourish. However, our family room is beginning to look like a medical facility. Besides our bedrooms we have one main room in the house. This room acts as our family room, Jacob's bedroom, therapy room. office, school room, and medical equipment room.

Yes, we have medical equipment in our entryway. In fact, the SMALL yellow gait trainer is about to be switched to the MUCH LARGER gait trainer below. This thing is as big if not bigger than his wheelchair. It is so worth it though, you should see him cruising around in it. Of course, there is only a small area from the front door through the living room that he will be able to use it. The rest of the house will not be accessible.

Below is Jacob's corner of the family room. We could not fit the medical bed into the bedroom with the other boys so his bedroom is now in the family room. Sera will benefit from a medical bed very soon but it definitely will not fit in her tiny bedroom. That is Jacob's speaking device on the stand there. I cannot wait to make a little video of him using it. It is so cool. He just looks at a picture on the computer and the computer speaks the label for that picture. For example, if he looks at the picture of a bottle the computer will say "I want my bottle". How cool is that!!!

These are just the items in our family room. We have things stored in our closet and theraputic toys stored under some of the beds. We also have a few things in the garage. We are just beginning to think about things Sera is going to need as she looses her vision and goes into kidney failure. Thankfully we still have some time before we have to seriously think about that.

What we do on a rainy day!

2011-07-12T19:37:00.000-04:00

On rainy days you will frequently find a dance party happening at the Maas Home. Yes, the really hot man at the computer desk is my husband. He was in charge of finding the music videos for the dance party.

Update on Sera

2011-07-12T09:32:00.000-04:00

Realized today I have never posted a picture of Sera using her stick. She does a great job with it. She is still learning to trust the stick and still wants to rely on feeling with her feet. She is really doing amazing and it came very natural for her.

Two weeks ago I took Sera back to Cincinnati Children's Hospital for another round of tests and doctors appointments. We did not find any surprises with her Endocrine system. We are still looking at low levels of growth hormones and issues with urine processing. We will need some more extensive tests to decide what treatment will be necessary. The rest of the Endocrine system systems seems to be working properly for now.

She also had a kidney function test and renal ultrasound done. Her kidneys are still functioning in the "normal" range. That is GREAT!!! The cysts on the right kidney have spread some and now there is some involvement with the left kidney. Still a good report considering.

We go back to see the Endocrinology, Nephrology, Genetics, and Vision in three months to come up with a treatment plan.

On Monday Sera & I will be going to University of Kentucky hospital for a couple of days. Sera need to have tests done for seizure disorder. We know she is having seizure but can't figure out how often without having EEG tests.
Thanks for all your prayers and support!

2011-07-10T23:22:00.001-04:00

Tonight as I carried Jacob and placed him in his bed I soaked in the peacefulness in his face. Life is not easy for Jacob. He struggles to accomplish each purposeful movement but when he sleeps his body is so peaceful. In that moment I was overcome with love for my son. I immediately thought, "I will never get tired of carrying him to his bed". No matter how heavy he gets I will consider it a pure blessing to carry my son to bed.

I guess that is how God feels about us. No matter what we say or do He considers it a blessing to carry us through the tough times.

I LOVE YOU JACOB AND I AM HONORED TO CALL YOU MY SON!!!

We "LIKE" Show Hope!!!

2011-07-10T18:27:00.001-04:00

During the month of July a generous donor has offered Show Hope $5,000 for each 5,000 new "likes" on their facebook page. Show Hope has blessed so many families through their encouragement and adoption grants. Our family has been blessed and encouraged by Show Hope during each of our adoptions. Show Hope is also helping orphans in China through Maria's Big House of Hope and other programs for children with special needs. Steven Curtis Chapman, his family, and the Show Hope staff are amazing people and God is using them to touch so many children and families. If you would like more information about Show Hope and their ministry to orphans and adoptive families you can go to their website HERE. Please take a moment to go to the Show Hope Facebook page and "like" their ministry. It will just take a few seconds to do but it will affect the life of a child and family forever.

A few years ago we had the opportunity to volunteer at a Steven Curtis Chapman concert. We were able to talk to families one on one about adoption and orphan care. It was a wonderful evening of encouragement for us also. I think I could spend all day every day talking to families about adoption.

After the concert we were able to spend just a few moments with Steven. He was so very nice and gracious. Oh, how I would love to have just one day with he and his family. I would love to have a laid back day, maybe sitting around the pool, watching the kids play and sharing stories.

Thank you Show Hope, Steven Curtis Chapman, and all the Show Hope Sponsors. You have blessed our family tremendously!!

A New Record

2011-07-04T23:53:00.000-04:00

It is not even midnight yet and Faith has woken up SEVEN times screaming. She has woken up Sera three times in the process. She even threw up from screaming so hard. She has soaked her clothes from sweating.

Jacob has been up FOUR times crying. I can never figure out what causes him to cry during the night.

Gabriel has woken up and came out of his room THREE times. He was really not "awake".

Oh, the joys of parenting children who have suffered trauma. Now I can't get back to sleep!

Divine Meetings

2011-06-27T20:44:00.000-04:00

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who is "FOLLOWING" my blog. In the last week we jumped from 39 up to 61 followers.

Today I had to run some errands and take a child into town for therapy. I managed to get to therapy and one store before lunch. I decided to come back home and then run to the store closer to home after lunch. Of course, my husband, the logical one could not understand why I would not do it all at one time. Obviously, I am not the logical type and I take into consider it was raining and I did not want to take that particular child to another store. It was WELL worth the second trip to me. PLUS, I would have missed a divine meeting!

I was walking through the store probably looking frazzled and a nice lady walked up to me. All she said was, "You don't know me but I wanted to tell you how blessed you are." Tears welled up in my eyes. I really did not know what to say. I just said, "you know I have eight kids". She said again, "you are so blessed" and walked away. I can only assume she has read my blog. So to the very nice lady who blessed my heart today I want to say THANK YOU!

Challenging Week-Keeping It REAL

2011-06-26T21:17:00.001-04:00

The last week has been tough on so many levels. I hurt my back, pulled a muscle or something, probably when picking up one of the kids. I am feeling much better today but I have struggled all week. It is so hard to NOT be grumpy when you are in pain every time you move.

I am frustrated with the wait for Elshaday to come home. I called USCIS Adoption Unit last week. We are having her escorted so we had to file the I600 here in the good ole USA. BTW, I do not recommend this unless it is absolutely necessary. It is a slow process. They are quoting 75 days until our case is approved. They were still assigning cases from APRIL!!!! Seriously, we already have an approved I600A. We have already traveled and legally adopted her. Plus the Embassy in Ethiopia has approved our case for travel. I know they are just doing their job and following the laws and regulations. I have spoken to them on the phone before and they have always been nice and helpful. I am sure they work very hard. It is still very frustrating for me the mom.
Sera's behavior has been very challenging for me this week. It is so hard to figure her out. I have discovered that she requires a very rigid schedule. She wants EVERYTHING to happen in the same order and at the same time every day, especially first thing in the morning. She even says the same things to me every morning when I get her out of bed. If this does not happen we get lots of crying. Plus her behavior with food is involved is becoming more difficult to deal with. I am not sure how to handle this issue. Our kitchen and eating area is open to the rest of the house. She can see or hear anytime someone goes into the kitchen. If someone does not have her distracted in her room with the door shut it is impossible to enter the kitchen without her having a meltdown. So happy we have a wonderful Occupational Therapist who is going to start working with us on some of these issues.

Throw in a little female teen drama and you have a small idea of what my week was like. Unfortunately, we were thrown into the world of a teenage drama a little earlier then expected. As Grace continues to develop and mature VERY quickly we are now thinking she is probably more like thirteen years old. At least she looks and acts like a thirteen year old. Fortunately, I have experience working with teenagers.

I am so blessed. I never write on this blog with the intention of whining or complaining. I write because I want to be REAL and show my REAL struggles.

I am not perfect

GOD IS!

I am so glad I have HIM to carry me

Silly Tidbits About Our Family

2011-06-23T15:08:00.000-04:00

One of the kids is on a HIGH callorie diet

One of the kids is on a LOW callorie diet.

One has HIGH tone.

One has LOW tone.

One CRAVES sensory input.

One AVOIDS sensory input.

They ALL have one thing in common though.

God LOVES each and every ONE!!!!

(and so do I!)

FOLLOW ME PLEASE

2011-06-22T18:35:00.000-04:00

Hi Friends!

Yahoo is telling me that I am getting about 200 hits a day. Well, that is just blowing me away. I can't imagine that many people are reading my blog. It could be 10 people checking my blog several times a day. Wouldn't it be crazy if 200 people WERE reading my blog?
If you are a regular reader of my blog would you mind clicking on the FOLLOW ME button on the right sidebar. I would love to know how many people are reading!!!

My Princesses

2011-06-18T14:12:00.000-04:00

My Girls are Smitten

2011-06-17T20:15:00.000-04:00

For my girls who love Justin Bieber. They love this song! I can't believe I have girls old enough to be smitten on a pop teen singer.

A Question for My Readers

2011-06-16T19:40:00.001-04:00

There are times when you just need to be still and know that God is God. Right now I am in that place. I have tried to come up with something inspirational to say or a great story to share but I have nothing. I am just being still and soaking in all the Goodness of My God!!

While being still my mind tends to go off on its own. I have been thinking about my little Sera. Before Sera hits her teens she will loose ALL her vision and have kidney failure. It will most likely be sooner since her diagnosis came at such an early age and has progressed so quickly. Most children are not diagnosed until age 7-9.

So I got to thinking and thought I would post a question. . . .

If you knew that by the time you were a teenager you would be blind and have a life threatening medical condition what would you like to do or see before that happened?

Please leave me a comment. I would love to know what your thoughts are.

Trip to the Zoo

2011-06-14T21:06:00.000-04:00

Grace told us she had a goat in Ethiopia. When we traveled to Ethiopia for our court date in April she asked if we could bring her goat home with us. Well, that was not going to happen. This weekend we went to the zoo and Grace got to spend some time with the goats. I think she felt right at home.

Unexplainable Peace

2011-06-06T19:50:00.000-04:00

Last week I was told by a doctor that one of my children will eventually have a life threatening health condition. My child my die or at least have to deal with a long term condition that will drastically affect her quality of life. I have been processing that information for a week now.

How does one plan for the future with that information? There is no way to predict when it will happen. There is no way to stop it from happening. Yet you know it's there and at any time we may have to deal with it.

HERE IS MY PLAN

1. TRUST GOD

2. LOVE HER EVERY MOMENT OF THE DAY

3. TRUST GOD

4. PREPARE OUR CHILDREN FOR THAT MOMENT

5. TRUST GOD

I have incredible, unexplainable peace. My God is BIG. My God created the universe. My God created my beautiful daughter. My God is perfect. My God has a plan which is bigger than me. My God loves me. My God loves my daughter.

Sera's Kidneys

2011-06-02T21:34:00.000-04:00

We were aware that it was a possibility that Sera would have kidney disease. One of the medical conditions related to her genetic disorder is a very serious kidney disease. This week Sera saw the Nephrology Dept at Cincinnati Children's. She has been diagnoised with Nephronophthisis.

Nephronophthsis is a serious kidney disease which will eventually lead to kidney failure. It is unknown at this time how quickly the disease will progress with Sera. There are 3 types of Nephronophthsis; Juvenile, Adolescent, and Infantile. Depending on which type she has kidney failure could happen from age 3 up through her teens. Sera will be going back the end of this month to have further testing.

Sera is also having issues with Hypertension and has started blood pressure medication. She will need to have her blood pressure closely monitored. Keeping her blood pressure under control is extremely imported to help maintain her kidneys as long as possible.

I have to say it HURTS to know our daughter's future struggles.

BUT

It provides such peace to know the God does not make mistakes.

Sera is a very special little girl and God has BIG plans for her.

WE LOVE YOU SWEET SERA!!!

Fishing with Granny & Poppy

2011-05-31T22:06:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to come up with something a little more exciting or thought provoking

BUT

GETTING

NOTHING

Here are some pictures from the lake yesterday to hold you over until I can think of something more important to say.

Summer Haircuts

2011-05-30T06:40:00.000-04:00

Arboretum with Friends

2011-05-28T15:02:00.000-04:00

We had a great morning with our friends from the Visually Impaired Preschool Program. We met at The Arboretum and enjoyed a nice walk, games, and sacks.

Living with a child who has a rare disorder

2011-05-22T19:26:00.000-04:00

There are six primary features of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome of which Sera has five. There are twelve secondary features of which Sera has nine. Although she is mobile is a very involved little girl and requires constant supervision.

I have given her the name "Sweet Sera" because 90% of the time she has a gentle personality and a sweet soft voice. HOWEVER, anytime food is involved there is another side to Sera's personality. A child with Bardet-Bield syndrome can have similar characteristics as a child with Prader-Willi Syndrome. These children have central obesity and Hyperphagia(increased appetite for food).

Sera has no idea when she is hungry or full. She does not register when food is hot or cold, spicy or sour. Although she does not know when she is hungry, if she sees food she thinks she needs to eat. If she never sees food during the day she never request to eat. Sera does not chew her food but tries to stuff her mouth and swallow without chewing. Of course this leads to lots of choking!

We have one main family area in our home, our living room opens to our eat-in kitchen. NOONE can walk into the kitchen without Sera finding out. This has been very frustrating as Sera will stand and cry anytime I walk into the kitchen. Since we are trying to control her weight she is limited to a 900 calorie diet. She is very limited on sweets and snacks. Anytime I try to give one of the other kids a snack we all have to listen to Sera cry. The rest of the kids have hearty appetites and need those extra calories. Even if I just finished feeding her lunch, if someone else walks in to eat she will start screaming wanting to eat again.

So, I am adding to the criteria for any home in the future to have a kitchen which is closed off to the rest of the house with a door that locks.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

2011-05-17T12:53:00.000-04:00

Sera had her casts take off today from her surgery. It brought tears to my eyes to see her little finger for the first time. If you did not read the previous post about her surgery you can read it here "Sera's Surgery"

Our Journey to the TRUTH

2011-05-14T19:25:00.000-04:00

In the spring of 2009 we decided to start the adoption process again. We found two little girls, with no special needs, ages 3 and 7 on our agency's waiting list. It was perfect because we had girls age 3 and 7 at home and thought they would be a great match for our family. The agency did not have the medical reports back on the girls so we had to wait a few weeks before we could officially accept their referrals. Well, we found out that the three year old was more than likely HIV+. I am not sure how to explain how we felt. I guess you could say we were like, "humm, we never really thought about adopting a child with HIV". It wasn't necessarily scary to us but we were just not informed about HIV or AIDS. We were educated enough to know how the virus was transmitted but that was the extent of our knowledge. We had no idea the life expectancy of a child with HIV. What medical treatment they would need? How to handle injuries? We had no idea what was involved in raising a child that was HIV+. The agency asked if we still wanted to accept the referral. So off I went to do research on HIV.

I came across the blog of Carolyn Twietmeyer and connected to Project HOPEFUL. I soaked up ALL the information on their site. Then I watched Facing Life Head On Part One and Part Two. I had my husband come and watch the episode about the Twietmeyer family too. I think we both just kinda sat there and soaked it all in. After watching the video I checked with our insurance about HIV medication. I was surprised to find out the medication was covered under our insurance. I think we were both like,"well, HIV is not that big of a deal." If this is the child God has for our family then we will deal with whatever comes our way.

So, we contacted the adoption agency and our home study agency to let them know we wanted to adopt the two girls. Due to a ridiculous policy the home study agency would not approve us for these two specific girls. We were shocked. God had something else up his sleeves. God had been preparing our hearts for another little girl. What you don't know is there were two girls also on that waiting list that were HIV+. They had been on the list for several months but we had never considered them because we were not adopting another child with special needs, especially not a child with HIV. One of those girls is our new daughter Elshaday, who is waiting in Ethiopia to come home. We first saw her face two years ago and we are so excited she will be coming home soon.

Project HOPEFUL Kentucky

2011-05-14T14:01:00.000-04:00

(yes, I need a haircut)

This week at Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit VII I had the opportunity to meet the family that had a huge impact in our adoption journey. This is really a two part post but I am so excited to tell you something I am going to tell you the ending first. Check back later today for Part Two, which is really Part One of the story!

Two years ago we happened upon the blog of the Twietmeyer family. (My next post will explain how we happened upon their blog) Carolyn is the founder of a nonprofit organization called Project HOPEFUL. Project HOPEFUL was created to advocate for families adopting children that are HIV+ . Project HOPEFUL has recently been featured in People Magazine and on The Today Show. Project HOPEFUL is based out of Illinois, but recently they decided to branch out in order to effectively support more families. They are now looking to have State Associates in as many states as possible.

I am honored to announce that I am the Kentucky State Associate for Project HOPEFUL!!!! I am so excited about this opportunity to support and encourage fellow adoptive families.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2011-05-08T18:37:00.000-04:00

We found this sign hanging on the wall in the home of Elshaday's birthmother. Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's around the world and to all the woman who have been a mother figure to so many.

You are a gift from God!

Surgery Went Well

2011-05-05T21:01:00.000-04:00

Sera's surgery went very well. In fact she did so well we did not have to stay overnight. She is one tough little girl. Everything went as expected. There is the possibility that she may need more surgeries on her hands in a few years. The doctor said something very interesting which I had never thought about. When Sera's little body was forming, her brain was designed to recognize ALL of Sera's fingers and toes. Even though the "extra" ones are gone her brain is still wired for 7 fingers on each hand and 6 toes on each foot. Her brain does not know that they are gone. As I understand it, because the brain still thinks the extra digits are there, sometimes they have to go back in a do some work on the nerves.

How cool is it that God creates our brains with such detail that is unique to our individual body.

Sera's Surgery on Thursday

2011-05-03T20:51:00.000-04:00

It is finally Sera's big day. We have waited and jumped through hoops for the last year. Sera has a rare genetic disorder called Bardet Biedl Syndrome. One of the main characteristics of this disorder are extra digits. I have been told that Sera's case is even more rare due to the number of extra digits.

Sera will be having surgery on Thursday morning at Shriners Hospital. We would appreciate your prayer for her surgery and recovery. The surgery is expected to take about 4 hours if things so smoothly. She will have casts on all her hands and feet for at least two weeks.

Sera has seven fingers on each hand. Her right hand is a little more complicated because three fingers are fused together. The doctor said depending on how the surgery went on her right hand she could require more surgery in the future.

Sera has six toes on each of her feet. She also has an extra bone in one of her feet which will also be removed. I am excited that Sera will finally we able to wear regular childrens shoes. She has been wearing what I call "sock shoes". They look like socks but have a rubber sole on them. They have been a lifesaver, especially during the winter.

This surgery is bittersweet. When Sera came home Ethan said, "mommy I love all of her fingers". We do! We love each and every special part of Sera. It will make life so much easier for Sera but we will miss all those fingers.

Meeting Her Birth Mother Part Three

2011-05-02T19:28:00.000-04:00

When it was time to say goodbye everyone walked Elshaday up to the car. They each said goodbye to Elshaday with the traditional kiss on each cheek. Elshaday's mother and sister walked Elshaday to the car. Darren & I both said goodbye to her mother and sister in the same manner. These words pale in comparison to the actual emotions of the moment. Elshaday did not say anything nor did she shed a tear. She was quiet and reserved.

We had been in the car for maybe fifteen minutes when I noticed a few lone tears rolling down Elshaday's face. It had finally hit. The reality of what was happening. I put my arms around her and she bowed her head down leaning on my arm. She stayed that way for close to an hour. Very quiet and very still. Then suddenly she looked up leaned over and kissed me on the check. She climbed up into my lap and put her arms around me. She stayed there the rest of the drive to Addis. This picture was taken just after she climbed into my lap.

Meeting Her Birth Mother Part Two

2011-05-01T14:00:00.001-04:00

You can read Part One HERE.

I am going to do my best to describe the inside of her home. We walked into her home and to the right was her bed. To the left was a table and storage area. The walls were papered with newspapers and the floor was covered with mats and rugs. In the center of the room was a small table. Around two sides of the table there were benches. A large pillow had been placed on the bench for comfort. She asked Darren & I to sit at the head of the table. She had also invited the people who had been her support system since Elshday was born. It was obvious that they had been very involved with the family. Elshaday remembered each of them and greeted them with a big hug.

On the table was Defo Dabo(a large round bread), popcorn, and fruit, along with the traditional coffee.

Darren was asked to cut and serve the Dabo(bread). Of course all the ladies were giggling at Darren's bread cutting skills.

The whole time we were there the ladies just loved on Elshaday. You could tell that they loved her very much. A few times Elshaday's mother spoke to us through the orphanage director. She thanked God several times for our family and for the people who had helped her when she gets so sick. She kept saying to us, "I wish I had a gift to give you but all I have is my daughter." I don't think I could ever adequately express how humbled we were at that moment, that God has chosen us to be grafted together with this beautiful family.

Before we left Elshaday's mother gave her a necklace with a small heart pendant. She asked if we could keep it for Elshaday until she comes home. She told Elshaday that when she wanted to remember her mother she could just look at her necklace.

Meeting Her Birth Mother Part One

2011-04-30T21:31:00.001-04:00

I really don't know if my words can even come close to capturing the day we spent in Elshaday's home town. The director of the orphanage and her husband drove us to meet Elshaday's mother. We met at Layla House and picked up Elshaday. Elshaday wore the traditional dress she had picked out the day before when we went shopping. She looked beautiful. It was supposed to be a two hour drive to her town but in reality it took three hours to get there. Mostly because of the many obstacles on the road like dogs, cows, goats, horse & carts, and piles of large rocks. There were also several heavy rain showers during the drive.

First, we stopped by the orphanage for lunch and to spend some time with the children there. Elshaday remembered a couple of the older girls who have been there for a few years. We had lunch and coffee there, it was very yummy. The children were beautiful and very happy. They are very well taken care of as if they were their own children. The children go to school but are also taught very good manners. They are taught basic self care skills to help them in the future. We were very impressed by the older kids.

The drive from the orphanage to Elshaday's home was only about fifteen minutes. Here are some pictures from the drive.

We pulled off the side of the road and walked down a little trail between some houses. Elshaday knew exactly where she was going and led the way down the trail.

We walked up to the gate and Elshaday knocked on the door. When her mother opened the door they embraced each other. They were both so happy to see each other.

When we walked into her home it was obvious that she had spent a lot of time and money preparing for our visit. Below is a picture of the outside of her home.

Stayed tuned for Part Two of our trip to visit Elshaday's birth mother. Hoping to write more tomorrow.

First Day with Elshaday

2011-04-29T19:48:00.000-04:00

On Easter Sunday morning Darren & I were escorted to Layla House to meet our daughter. I planned to get every moment on video. We walked into the orphanage compound and before we could get our camera out she spotted us. I wish I could play that moment back to you. She saw us walk around the corner. She got the biggest grin on her face. She took off running towards me, jumped up into my arms and wrapped are arms and legs around me. She squeezed me so tight and planted the biggest kiss on my check.

Then she saw Darren. Well, lets just say the girl loves her daddy. From that moment on it was all about daddy. She was so eager to show us the package we sent her and her school books.

My first impressions of Elshaday. . . She is beautiful and full of energy. She seems to be happy most of the time. She likes to play basketball. She is very thin and petite. She is probably only a couple of inches taller than Ethan, who is five. Her pants kept falling down when she was running around. She has several teeth that are rotten. I don't see how she eats, of course, they are used to eating injera which is very soft. We gave her some snacks and she had a really hard time chewy them.

Maybe tomorrow I can share with you our trip to meet Elshaday's birth mother. That was an amazing day!

Introducing our daughter . . .

2011-04-29T07:23:00.000-04:00

Elshaday Maas

WE PASSED COURT

2011-04-26T10:03:00.001-04:00

Court went well today and we are now officially the parents of Elshaday. Wish I could post a picture but we cannot get it uploaded. You will have to wait until we get home.

Tomorrow we will travel to her home village to see her mother. Elshaday will make the trip with us. We are so excited to have this experience with her. Please say a special prayer for us tomorrow. It will be an emotional trip and a 2 hour drive. Can't wait to get home and love on our children back home. We will certainly miss Elshaday as we wait for her Embassy date. It will be hard to leave her but we will have plenty to do to prepare for her homecoming.

Rebecca Maas
Mom to Miranda(age 6), Ethan(age 3), Faith (age 2)
Gabriel (age 2) & Jacob (age 1)
www.kyfamilyforfaith.blogspot.com

Ethiopia Day one and two

2011-04-25T13:07:00.001-04:00

We arrived in Ethiopia late Saturday night. Easter Sunday morning we met our daughter. As soon as we walked in the gate she recognized us from our picture. She ran up jumped into my arms and wrapped herself around me. It was beautiful. She is very attached to Daddy now. We spent 3 hours with her on Sunday. She loves to play basketball and can jump rope really well. She is a very active little girl.

Today we went to lunch, did the mountain thing(3rd time now), and some shopping. It was great to have some other families join us this evening. We had been alone at the guesthouse. We all went out for Chinese food. We have enjoyed just getting out and walking around the city.

Tomorrow morning is court. Can't wait to show you a picture of our daughter.

Rebecca Maas
Mom to Miranda(age 6), Ethan(age 3), Faith (age 2)
Gabriel (age 2) & Jacob (age 1)
www.kyfamilyforfaith.blogspot.com

Heading to Ethiopia VERY SLOWLY

2011-04-22T09:38:00.000-04:00

We are sitting at the airport in our home town. Of course when you fly international they tell you to be at the airport early. We get here for a flight scheduled to leave at 10:45. when we check in they say our flight has been delayed. How in the world is a flight already delayed two hour. so now we sit for four hours in our hometown airport. BUMMER!!!

check in with you later.

2011-04-20T21:54:00.000-04:00

We made it through our crazy week of rescheduled appointments, packing, and travel preparations. Now I am sitting her staring at the wall and my brain won't turn off. Did I remember to do everything? Did I write everything down for Grandparents? Is our plane going to crash? Have I told you how much I hate to fly? Will I be able to relax and not worry about the kids? Have I told you how much I hate to fly? Will Jacob scream when I drop him off tomorrow with Grandparents? Will Jacob eat for his Grandparents? Have I told you how much I hate to fly?

It will all be worth it when I get to see my daughter face to face for the first time. Plus I know the Big Man Upstairs. I know that HE has a plan and a purpose for each person in my family. I also know that whatever that plan may be it is PERFECT. So I go with peace in my heart because My God is Good All the Time!

Five Days Until Travel

2011-04-17T18:40:00.000-04:00

We leave in FIVE days!!!! So many thoughts and emotions. I hate to fly. Anxious about meeting our daughter for the first time. Excited to have quality time with my husband without interruptions. Nervous about court. This is the first time we have had to attend court for our adoptions. Worried about our kids who will stay with grandparents. They will be fine but a mother will always be a mother. A mother worries. Grieving for our daughter's birth mother. Grateful that we will get to meet her birth mother. Pumped up about traveling outside of the city of Addis Ababa. This will be the first time we have left the city while in Ethiopia.

It has been hard to come up with words to express my feelings recently. Right now I am feeling humbled, blessed, grateful, and more in love with my Savior every day. There have been lots of tears in the last couple of weeks. I can't wait to share the whole story behind this adoption. It is beautiful.

Our Family and HIV

2011-04-15T21:23:00.000-04:00

This week a mother stood before a Judge in Ethiopia. Her heart was heavy but also thankful. She asked the Judge to allow her daughter to be adopted by an American family. You see the mother has been very sick for a long time because of the AIDS virus. She knows that at any time she may grow more sick and die. She has watched her daughter grow thinner over the last year. She does not want the same fate for her child. So why is she thankful? She knows that her daughter now has the chance to LIVE with HIV and not die from AIDS.

In two week I have the honor of standing in front of that same Judge. To say that I am humbled would be an understatement. Humbled that God has given me the honor of loving and caring for this beautiful mother's child. She has made the ultimate sacrifice for her child, to let her go so that she live and thrive. Our daughter's biological mother will always have a place in my heart. I get the opportunity to say "YES" to the Judge, to this little girl, to her mother, and to my Father God. Yes, I want to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Yes, I want to love the children who others think are unlovable. Yes, I want to be a mother to this beautiful child.
For more information about HIV or adopting a child that is HIV+ please see the following websites. . .

PROJECT HOPEFUL

POSITIVELY ADOPTED

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

Where have I been?

2011-04-14T22:02:00.000-04:00

I am sure you are all wondering where I have been this last week. As many of you know with adoption, especially right before you travel, unexpected things always happen to take away your focus. As a Christian family we know that those distraction are just satan trying to get us frustrated. Well, we are headed to Ethiopia next week so of course this week has been filled with lots of distractions and frustrations.
The biggest frustration was a computer virus that wipped out our computer. Thankfully I was able to recover the majority of files and pictures. However our computer had to be rebooted back to factory settings, which means I had to reinstall ALL the programs and settings. Man, that was a pain in the you know what!! Just today did I finally get everything up and running again.

Lots going on around here. Getting ready to meet our daughter. Preparing children to stay with grandparents. Getting ready for Sera's big surgery the week after our Ethiopia trip. Packing. Packing. Packing. We have 12 therapy/Dr/School/Medicaid appointments between now and next Thursday. I am not going to know what to do with myself while in Ethiopia. I am used to a very full schedule.

Hey, if you are going to be in Ethiopia anytime between April 23-28 leave a comment. I would love to get together with some other families and hang out.

Table Dancing

2011-04-09T13:43:00.000-04:00

Praise & Prayer

2011-04-08T19:01:00.001-04:00

PRAISE

Late Tuesday night we received an email saying we have a court date for April 26th. With all the rumors out there about slowdown we certainly did not expect this wonderful news. Really, it's kinda wild because other families who where submitted to court within the same week as us have middle of May court dates. My God is a God of miracles. The next 30 days is kinda crazy with a major surgery and the Orphan Summit. God was perfect as always in allowing us to travel before all the craziness hits. THANK YOU JESUS!!

We received another true miracle today. We received our TAX REFUND!!! Again God working. The IRS website initially said that we would receive our tax refund on April 19th if there were no issues. Then a few weeks ago it changed to "processing delays and refund would not be received until May 5th" Well, I fully expected after that to see the dreaded "under review" the next time I looked. We were really counting on that money to pay the remaining adoption fees and travel expenses. Last night, on a whim, I checked our status on the IRS website. I was BLOWN AWAY because it said refund will be direct deposited on April 8th. THAT IS TODAY and it was there. Today I was able to pay our remaining adoption fees and book our airline tickets. GOD IS SO GOOD!!!

PRAYER

Obviously we would appreciate your prayers as we travel to Ethiopia to meet our daughter and attend court.

On April 13th Faith has to have a nasty tooth pulled. The dentist visits are very traumatic. She has to be strapped to the table for the smallest procedure. She has actually gotten her arms out of the restraints before. It is not fun. Please remember her next Wednesday.

On April 14th my mom has to have a right and left heart cath. done. This was unexpected and just scheduled today. BTW they are supposed to watch some of the kids while we are in Ethiopia.

On April 18th we have IEP meetings for two kids.

On May 5th Sera has surgery to remove the extra digits on her hands and feet. This is a major surgery and will require her to wear casts on her hands and feet for at least two weeks.

On May 11-13 is the Orphan Summit in Louisville. We are super excited about going. We are a little stressed about everything else going on and Darren taking more time off work. Please pray that God can work out those details for us.

COURT DATE

2011-04-05T22:14:00.000-04:00

I am laughing out loud tonight!!

We have a court date!

April 26th

When the Waiting Gets Hard

2011-04-05T16:13:00.000-04:00

Waiting is always hard.

Waiting to meet your child for the first time.

Well, that is just PAINFUL!!!

I am an easy going person for the most part, but when it comes to my children not so much. We are waiting to meet our daughter. We first saw her picture two years ago on an agency waiting list. It has been a long road with many bumps. We finally had our case submitted to court the last week of February. We wait and wait and wait. Here is where it gets the hardest. People are getting court dates but we have not. Do they not understand that I have been waiting for two years to meet my precious daughter? Do they not know that her 9th birthday is the first week of June and I want to celebrate with her?

Every moment I am awake I pray continually, "Your timing God!" I pray that God would take away my selfishness and only desire His perfect timing. He keeps reminding me to "be still and wait".

2011-04-05T07:57:00.000-04:00

I am sure many of you are stuck in tax limbo just like we are.

The dates change

April 19th

then

May 3rd

then to the dreaded

"UNDER REVIEW"

I have heard a few people say they are waiting for the tax refund to begin another adoption. As you know we are in the middle of an adoption right now. We are currently waiting for a court date. We still have a few thousand in agency fees to pay and then the travel expenses. Our tax refund is "supposed" to help out with a large chunk of that.

So I thought it would be interesting to see how many people were waiting on their tax refund to start an adoption or help with current adoption expenses. I have created a poll on the right side bar. This is NOT to make anyone feel guilty for not using their tax money for orphans. I just thought it would be interesting to see how many people are in the same boat as we are.

A God Sighting

2011-04-03T16:20:00.000-04:00

Ok, so not actually God himself but God through another person. There have been MANY God sightings recently.

Last week I went to get a new cell phone. A little history behind my phone. We have always depended on the "free phone with contract" cell phones. We have NEVER paid for a phone. We do not use the data plans so we don't need all those frills. Although I would LOVE to have a fancy phone it is just not in the budget or necessary for our lifestyle. Two years ago, as we were preparing for me to travel to Ethiopia, I got a new phone. The phone was supposed to be able to be used internationally and supposed to be a little higher quality than the phone I had. Well, it did not work ANYWHERE except in the USA. It was always very hard to hear the person calling and I always had people tell me they could barely hear me. So last week when I received a card in the mail saying I could get an early upgrade I was super excited. Off I went to the phone store with all seven children in tow. To my dismay I was told that they do not have any free phones but they do give a substantial rebates on certain phones. I said "thank you" and started out the door with the kids. The kids, being curious as they are, asked why I did not get a phone. I simply responded, as we were walking out the door, that mommy could not afford to buy a $60.00 phone. Sometimes I should probably keep my mouth closed until we get into the car.

I love when God sends us encouragement just at the right moment. It had been a hard couple of days. I had tried to get some errands completed for two days and kept running into obstacles. I remember thinking as I loaded the kids in the car at the phone store, "can't anything be easy". Tears started to well up in my eyes. Seconds later a very nice lady, who had been at the counter purchasing a phone, came up to me and asked if she could buy me a phone. I was certainly taken back a moment but how do you say no to a blessing from a stranger. She told me that she had been a foster parent for many years and that her children were now off to college. She said she understood how hard being a mom is and she really wanted to do this for me. I got a new phone and a blessing!!

I will probably never see that sweet lady again but I am grateful that God used her that day to give me a blessing. Are you listening to God? Are you missing out on giving someone a blessing? Are you missing out on being blessed by giving?

Adoption Update

2011-04-02T15:07:00.000-04:00

Well, I wish I had something, ANYTHING, to report. I have no idea what is going on with our adoption case. As I mentioned before we had been told our case was submitted to court back in Janaury but ultimately found out it was not submitted until mid February. It has been five weeks since our case was submitted to court. Families with other agencies are getting court dates. I inquired as to why we had not received a court date yet and here was the response.

The federal adoption judge has been hesitant to schedule more court dates, that might ultimately need to be changed, until she is able to see how the process is now working with MOWA recommendations

I really don't know what to say. It does not make sense to me because other agencies are receiving court dates. The reason I am telling you this is to ask for prayer. I don't know if the delay lays with the agency or the court system. What is important are the children who are stuck in limbo. Some of them children with special needs and health issues that need to come home soon. Our daughter is HIV+. We would appreciate you lifting up our daughter and our adoption case up in prayer. My God is a BIG GOD!!! He can move the mountains!

Be Careful What You Wear

2011-04-01T14:11:00.000-04:00

I shared earlier this week, in this post, about my recent sinful desire for the world to revolve around me. I also mentioned my favorite shirt that says "It's Not About Me". Well, I did decide to wear it every day this week to remind myself that life is not about me.

I want to share something that happened a few weeks ago while I was wearing my beloved shirt. I had taken Jacob to Cincinnati Children's Hospital to see some of his doctors. We were there ALL day. I decided we would go outside the hospital for lunch. The only choice in that area is a McDonald's. In this area of Cincinnati Jacob is the majority and I am a minority. So we are waiting in line to order food and a very nice lady, who was escorting a young woman who appeared to be cognitively disabled, walked up to me. She told me that she really like my shirt and wanted to know where I got it. Of course I told her all about Project Hopeful and directed her to the website. She ordered her food and left.

Jacob and I sat down to eat lunch in the restaurant. A few minutes went by and a young man walked up behind me. He said, "Excuse me. Do you have some money that I can use to get some food?" I hardly ever carry cash but I had brought $7.00 with me for lunch. After buying my food I had $2.00 left. I said, "I only have $2.00 but you are welcome to have it." I handed him the money and as he walked off he said, "Thank you. I could tell you were a nice person. By the way I like your shirt". The young man walked out the door without buying anything to eat. Mind you I never thought for a moment that he would actually buy food with that money. That really was not even the point. God prompted me to give that young man the money so I obeyed without question. I think that day was more for me to learn a lesson about listening to God. There are so many times that God has prompted my heart to act and I missed the opportunity out of selfishness. I am working on that. My friend Linny over at A Place Called Simplicity wrote a wonderful series of post on listening to God. I challenge you to read them. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

This really got me thinking about how many times I have worn this shirt or another shirt with a Christian message out in public but did not act in a Christ like manner. How many times have I been frustrated with my children or expressed my frustration with waiting in line while wearing a shirt with a Christian message. WOW!!! Better watch what you wear because people are watching.

Confession Time

2011-03-30T08:38:00.000-04:00

I have to confess that recently I have been a little selfish and lazy. Paperwork is stacking up, appointments need to be made, and the list goes on. . . . .

Maybe it is the winter blues? I don’t know, but I can not get motivated. I have always been a very active person. I love an adventure. I am a go and do person.

I would love to blame it on the winter blues but honestly I think I have just been selfish. I have found myself hiding my favorite snacks so the kids don’t ask for them. They are MINE, MINE, MINE!!! I have been dreaming of vacations that are totally beyond what we NEED because I WANT, WANT, WANT to go. I have found myself thinking of my own desires above others WHY TO MUCH recently. As I am sitting hear writing this I feel sinful and gross. Funny, because my ONE goal this year was to serve others more and here I am. The human nature is so sinful and focused on earthly desires.

I know what you are going to say. But you are such a giving person and I always see you serving your children. Yes, you will see that but there is more. It is a heart issue. Every once in a while that little green monster appears and I get selfish. I want the world to revolve around what I want.

Alright now that I have confessed it is time to move ahead with the battle. I will not let “myself” interfere with the plans God has for me. One of my favorite shirts is my Project Hopeful shirt that says “It’s not about me”. Maybe I should wear it every day this week to remind myself. It’s about God and serving Him and serving His people, especially the most vulnerable. My rewards are in Heaven not on earth!

It's Tortilla Tuesday

2011-03-29T17:50:00.000-04:00

It's Tortilla Tuesday!!! Don't forget to send in your photos and stories to info@lifesongfororphans.org!

What difference does Lifesong Honduras really make in the lives of the 550 students we work with?

Nutritionally: Every day students at Lifesong Honduras receive 3 balanced meals. (Join us today for Tortilla Tuesday! Confused? Click HERE)

Educationally: The national average of students in public schools who go on to college in Honduras is around 1%. At Lifesong Honduras, about 40% of students go on to college!

Economically: In a country with a national unemployment rate of 70%, over 70% of Plan Escalon graduates have full-time jobs!

Spiritually: 2011 Vision Team member, Brian Kerz, speaks from what he saw first hand:

Isn't teaching the gospel message really what it's all about? And after leaving Lifesong Honduras to live on their own, 90% of Escalon graduates still consider themselves Christians and 85% continue to attend church on a regular basis!

Lives are being changed. Lives can continue to change because of the difference being made by people like you!

Our goal is:

We have two days left.
We need 63 commitments!

Will you help us continue to serve children in Honduras?

Can't commit to $30 p/mo? Give your best gift today... we can all make one sacrifice and come together as the body of Christ to make a big difference!

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that we sent you from our blog! Your donation will be doubled thanks to a gracious giver!

Your support makes these stories possible!
All administrative costs are covered, so 100% of your donation will go directly to helping orphans.

Check back tomorrow to see our family's pictures and stories from Tortilla Tuesday!!

Lifesong Honduras Day 7

2011-03-28T19:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday, everyone! Well, we are on day 7 of our blitz, with only 3 more days to go!

Today we're going to let Guy Henry, director of Lifesong Honduras, tell a little about Plan Escalon in his own words.

Plan Escalon from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

God is working in Honduras! He is bringing up young men and women through hardship to a place of purpose and hope... and He is using the staff at Lifesong Honduras to do it!

But they can't do it alone. Will you join us?
Our goal is:

So far we have 31 commitments.

We need 69 more.

That's about 23 commitments a day!

Please join us! If you can't commit $30 a month, give what you can. Let's come together to serve these kids in Honduras. Let's change their lives. Let's change their nation.

Don't forget to participate in tomorrow's Tortilla Tuesday! (Don't know what this is? Click HERE)

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that you came from our blog! Your donation will be DOUBLED thanks to a gracious giver!

Hear personal stories & follow the progress on our blog!
Your support makes these stories possible!
All administrative costs are covered, so 100% of your donation will go directly to helping orphans.

Do you call yourself a "Christian"?

2011-03-27T16:59:00.001-04:00

A recent sermon series at our church challenged us to be "Real Christ Followers" not pretenders.

The Professional Con-Artist from Southland Christian Church on Vimeo.

The Self-Righteous Superstar from Southland Christian Church on Vimeo.

The Religious Bully from Southland Christian Church on Vimeo.

The Respectable Fraud from Southland Christian Church on Vimeo.

Info on HIV+Adoption Tonight 8:00

2011-03-26T19:43:00.001-04:00

Lifesong in Honduras - Part 3

2011-03-24T21:29:00.000-04:00

Edmund Gives Back from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

Edmund is just one example of many who have been helped by Lifesong Honduras, and are now giving back. I love how he obviously cares for these kids and even gives what little he has away so they can have shoes! What a great example.

Here’s a question for you… How many pairs of shoes do you have?.

10? 20? 30? (eek!)

The kids at Lifesong Honduras have one pair each… sometimes two (a pair of boots to serve in). Wow.

This Saturday join us for Shoe Saturday. Simply count your shoes… and get your kids in on it too. Have them count theirs. And then tell them about the children in Honduras. Tell them about Edmund who sacrifices his own money so children in the village can have something on their feet. Then as a family pray. Thank God for His faithfulness and His blessings on your family. Thank Him for raising up men and women and children in Honduras to care for the poor, the orphaned, the vulnerable. Ask Him to continue to provide and watch over them. Ask Him raise up supporters so Lifesong can continue to serve in Honduras.

We are reaching for a goal:

Please pray that we can reach this goal? Maybe God wants to use you? Will you prayerfully consider joining us?

Maybe you can't give $30 a month... Maybe you can give more. Today we want to encourage you to give your best!

One commitment we've received was a one time gift... Another commitment was matched by the donor's employer... meaning his gift has now quadrupled! We are so excited to see people rise up and give what they can!

Thank you to those who have committed so far.

We have 15.5 commitments.

Can we make 100?

We have 7 days... 84.5 commitments to go.

With your help we can do it!

Lifesong Honduras

2011-03-22T06:43:00.001-04:00

Honduras Blitz from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

What if every time you gave a dollar to orphans it became one more?

One more dollar towards food, education, shelter?

One more dollar towards sharing the Gospel and providing Biblical mentorship?

One more dollar towards changing the life of a child?

I love to use this platform to advocate for those in need... and thanks to a generous donor every dollar given to Lifesong Honduras will be matched… up to $120,000! We praise the Lord for this amazing gift and invite you to be a part of it.

Over the next 10 days we are teaming with Lifesong and are hoping for 100 1-year commitments of $30 a month. Just think, for about $1 a day a life in Honduras can be forever changed.

Partnering with Tree of Life Missions in Honduras, Lifesong for Orphans is able to work toward providing hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless and healing to the hurting. TOLM reaches kids through a program called Plan Escalon. (Escalon is translated "escalator" and is used to describe the children's escalator out of poverty/brokenness.)
Through this program we strive toward:

Providing an education to the poorest of youth
Providing food to the poorest of youth
Providing vocational training & micro-business opportunities
Providing free medical and dental clinics to those in need
Training young people to give back to their communities
Reaching people in the jungles of the Mosquito Coast

Stay tuned for stories, personal testimonies, and fun ways to spread awareness and instill a heart of giving in your kids!

Our goal is:

Will you help us? 100 commitments in ten days is no small feat, but with God it is possible. We have seen Him move mightily in His people to serve orphans and we pray that this ten weeks will be a testimony of that! Together we can make a difference in the lives of these kids! Together we can do more to bring joy and purpose to orphans!

Contact Lifesong at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that we sent you from our blog!

Hear personal stories & follow the progress on our blog all this week!

Check back often to hear personal stories and get updates on the progress. Please join us in prayer as we ask the Lord to raise up 100 commitments!