the widow's mite

We celebrated Christmas last night with my in-laws.  With 14 kids between 4 families, its always loads of fun!

There was a bit of talk about the hopes of our little girl being in the mix with all her cousins next year at this time.  My very crafty sister-in-law (who had my name) made this lovely hat for me and a matching one for our sweet girl!  So fun, and so beautiful!

We stuck around my brother-in-law's house for a bit after everyone had left.  They called their 4 kiddos (11, 8, 6, 4) in and had us take a seat.  The subject of adoption had come up in their home and they had been talking about the adoption of our daughter, their cousin.  It touched their sweet little hearts in such a big way.  So big that they busted into their piggy banks and collectively gave us a huge gift of $51.  I wept.  Our sweet nephew and nieces reached in deep to help bring their cousin home.  We consider this a huge gift.  It makes a small dent in our expenses, but it was a huge sacrifice for them to give it.

This passage immediately came to mind:

Luke 21

A Widow’s Contribution

 ¹Looking up, Jesus saw people, especially the rich, dropping their gifts into the temple offering box. ²He noticed a poor widow drop in two small coins. ³He said, “I can guarantee this truth: This poor widow has given more than all the others. ⁴All of these people have given what they could spare. But she, in her poverty, has given everything she had to live on.”

They gave of the small amount that they have...
        which clearly means so much more to Jesus (and us) than giving what can be spared.

Kiddos, thank you!  We are so blessed by your gift and the sacrifice you made for your cousin.  She will be  told of your sacrificial gift and how it helped to make her an Anthony.  Love you guys...hugs...big hugs!

surprised?

God sure isn't, but I am completely blown away that we are nearly at the $6000 mark for adoption fundraising!  I am completely humbled at what God has done and is continuing to do with some fabric flowers and feeble hands.  I am blown away by His continued grace and blessing on our lives and this path of adoption.  I've been making flowers feverishly and am taking a break from it for a couple weeks while the kids are home and the mister has a few days off.  What a way to grow a family!  It is so much more work than carrying a baby for nine months and birthing him/her.  I'm finding it almost a bit more rewarding, though. 
This baby girl
...so far away
...maybe not even a thought to her birth mom yet
...has completely captured my heart! 

Just a month ago I was so unsure of whether or not I could love her as much as I love my boys.  Those fears have been erased...ERASED!  I am smitten.  So smitten that last night my man and I had a short little date.  So we went to the store and picked up this...

for our nameless baby girl who we don't know, but God knows intimately!  It's screaming for a crocheted hat with a flower on it :)...on the docket to purchase as soon as that etsy shop opens back up.  Little things like this are keeping me focused when the flower orders start to overwhelm me. 

Merry Christmas sweet girl...we're praying that next year you'll be home for Christmas!

getting there

I have been completely blown out of the water with how fast these flowers are flying out of my house!  Our thermometer of fundraising keeps going up....we are so thankful.  To all of you who are adorned with flowers...or going to be once you open your Christmas present...THANK YOU!


Let me tell you a little story about last weekend's craft show.  I got my table all set up...which, by the way, was set up directly in front of everyone who walked in the front doors.  I had a chance to sit down and look at the program which listed all of the vendors and what they were selling.  The very last vendor was a woman with the title "Hope for Honduran Program".  "Hmmm.  What's this all about," I wondered.  I almost walked right past her table when she noticed the flower I was wearing and wanted to know where I got it.  We chatted for a bit and I noticed that this was indeed the Hope for Honduran Program table.  She owns an orphanage in Honduras (with unadoptable children), travels to Honduras every 6 weeks, and was selling things that these children had made to help fund her program there.  We had an instant connection.  She invited me to come with her on one of her trips to teach the children a craft that they can make to sell.  What a cool thing.  It is so great when God places people in your path not only to confirm that you are on the right path, but to help you along the way.  Our God is so big!  The bonus is that she LOVES the flowers and has purchased 7 so far.  She wants to be an east side vendor and tells everyone she knows to buy these...and they do!

Above is a picture of the little doll that I bought to remind us of Honduras and our baby that waits for us there

Santa Paws

We watched Santa Paws tonite with the kiddos...fun movie.  Adoption was themed all through this Christmas tale.  It made me long, really long for our daughter...to hold her, kiss her, make cookies with, sparkle the house with its Christmas glow, and of course dress her in adorable outfits! :)  Its amazing how much my heart can love this sweet thing that may not have yet been born!  It is so evident to me that we're on the road God wants on...adoption.


For those of you who might just be dying to give towards our adoption, but aren't interested in a flower pin :) you can now donate right here on our blog via paypal.

questions

I've spent most of my evening crying.  We received our acceptance letter today from Living Hope Adoption Agency.  So exciting!  Until we got to the part where in order to continue we needed a significant check.  We have the amount for the first payment...we can do that.  But that's where it ends.  I'll have to sell an awful lot of flowers for us to bring this baby girl home before we're 40!  Satan is having a field day in making me doubt this whole thing.  "That's a lot of money...can God really make this happen?"  I'm wondering if it is really what we should do?  I mean, I know it is.  God tells us that in His Word.  We're just to this point of a significant financial investment...so much bigger than our means and the fear, doubt and questions set in.

But then I get excited.  Excited that a year or so from now I can look back at this blog entry and laugh.  Laugh in the face of my doubt.  Laugh with praise at the faithfulness of our God who moved mountains so that we could adopt our precious baby girl!  And that God would choose to allow us to be a testimony to His faithfulness and deep love for orphans. 

Bring it, Satan.  My God is bigger!

Jeremiah 32:27
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"

featured

I am so excited to be featured today on
http://buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com/

Amy and Todd have adopted numerous children and have put together a list of Christmas gift ideas that benefit adoption.  Head on over, do some Christmas shopping and help an orphan at the same time!

sometimes God speaks while I am vacuuming...perhaps I should clean more often

In trying to choose a country to adopt from and an agency to use, I've been feeling tremendous pressure.  I've always felt this pull towards adopting from China, but I am just learning about a Honduras pilot program. Available are healthy babies and toddlers and the process once paperwork is turned in is 6 mo. to 1 yr.

I was vacuuming this afternoon thinking that this decision is like choosing a mate. Let me explain. Within some qualifiers (Christian, man to be the leader of the home, godly character, etc.) God gives us freedom in choosing a mate. God knew that I would marry my husband, but I don't think he was the only one that I could have chosen and lived a happy, fulfilled life with. (Now don't get me wrong...I wouldn't trade my man for anyone in the world). So, I'm not so sure that the country we choose to adopt from will paralyze God's will. His desire is that orphans are cared for and loved and have a home. Do we really need to feel the pressure of trying to "find" the daughter He has for us?  I'm not so sure that we do.  I am not so big that I can keep God's plan from working.  He works in spite of me...in spite of my weakness...in spite of my mistakes...in spite of my sin...in spite of my lack of faith.  In the meantime we pray for wisdom and move forward as best as we can.

A new friend (thanks, Ang!) sent me this youtube video...love this song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ksMpwqjXQ

quote

“This is how God works: he puts his people in positions where they are desperate for his power, and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness.” -David Platt

This pretty much sums up our desire to adopt.  I love being in a place where God's greatness can simply shine.  You take this leap of faith, not knowing what to expect.  Sometimes after the jump, you wonder, "what in the world have I done?"  It is in those moments of uncertainty and utter desperation that God really shows up.  I'm preparing myself for those types of moments...moments that I become smaller so that He becomes so much greater!

note: reason #271 that I love my boys but would also love to have a girl...I typed this while playing light sabers with Jackson.

added to the kitty

I went to a craft show today with the hope of selling many flowers...not so much.  There was not much traffic and those that did come didn't buy much of anything.  I sold 3 flowers and made a whopping $18.  I'm choosing to think positive...that's $18 towards adoption that we didn't have yesterday!

am I ready?

Our plans for adoption have been intercepted quite a few times before.  This time it feels for real...and we've never been more unprepared.  My heart starts to race as I think about the road ahead of us.  The God who called us is faithful.  He's been faithful each day of my 33 years.  He'll be faithful to the end.  I am like a child at Christmas with the anticipation of seeing (again) first hand just how big our God is.  Seeing Him do His thing gives me a rush!  I'm sure this will be no different...