so blessed

i am completely humbled by the people that God has placed in our lives.  so many people have been overwhelmingly supportive of our adoption.

i remember when we started church planting 2 and 1/2 years ago...it was a lonely time in my life.  i was in the middle (15 weeks in) of a problematic pregnancy with boy #4.  on day 2 of church planting we lost our precious baby...an all time low in my life.  God was raining down blessings on the church, but i felt like he had forgotten all about me personally.

and here 2 1/2 years later, God is redeeming the years that the locusts ate (Joel 2:25).  my life is full of amazing friendships, an awesome family, and God continues to show up in HUGE ways to bring our baby girl home.  i am blessed beyond measure.

this week we received a $1000 donation to our matching grant.  WOW!  and last night our life group surprised us with a $750 check for our adoption.  WOW!  i cried, surprising the girls who couldn't believe that i didn't cry while watching The Help!  See, I'm not completely heartless! :)  we are so humbled and so blessed.  did I mention that yet?  thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  i can't say that enough for each and every person who have given gifts (large and small), donated items for our garage sale, bought flowers, had trees trimmed...all for our precious baby girl.  we are just $2750 away from our total goal!!!  Yay God!

the ups and downs of adoption

to say that this adoption journey has been a bit of a roller coaster would be a bit of an understatement.  but I would be a fool if I didn't take that opportunity to give thanks for many things along the way...
...getting on the front end of adoptions in Honduras
...having the application fee waived 1 year ago when we began this journey
...quickly moving through the mountain of paperwork and homestudy to complete our dossier
...finding out about additional paperwork in time before completing our dossier
...God's financial provision through many of you to bring this baby girl home
...success in a flower making home business raising a good chunk of our funds
...approval for a $2500 matching grant

our newest news is this: we found out Monday that we were approved for the Show Hope grant for $5000...so much more than we anticipated.  This brings us within $3000 of our total needed funds for our adoption.  God moved a pretty big mountain this week and we are so thankful!

We also received some disappointing news this week.  IHNFA had been communicating with our agency that they would be providing referrals by the end of the year for the first group of families (us included). We found out today that the IHNFA is again on strike, which means there will be a delay in the fulfillment of those referrals. 
                                                   Three more months. 
                                                         It seems like an eternity. 
                                                              The anticipation is killing us. 
 We are choosing to continue to trust in God's sovereign hand.  It is now looking like it will be april before we experience the sweet joy of holding our baby girl.  I am believing that He is holding her for these months that I am not.  I believe that she is leaning her head into His shoulder as she falls asleep tonite...and every night.  I believe that His hand is on her and on us and will bring us together in His perfect time.  Today, I am thankful.  Choosing to be thankful for this process and the love it is growing in me for our baby girl.  Mama loves you, sweet girl.  Mama loves you.

a matching grant

We are so blessed to be recently awarded a matching funds grant to help with the expenses of our adoption through Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc.,a non-profit private operating foundation. Hand in Hand will match any funds that are donated through our friends and family for the expenses of our adoption. All funds received through our friends and family will be matched dollar for dollar up to $2500, making it $5000, by Hand in Hand. All donations are tax-deductible.  So far we have $1020 of the $2500.

So suppose you would like to double a gift for our adoption.  How do you go about doing this?  All donations are tax deductible and can be made payable to “Hand in Hand Christian Adoption” postmarked by December 17, 2011 (they extended our deadline 1 month) to: (for tax purposes please include our name on the outside of the envelope only…do not put our name onthe check itself)

Hand in Hand Christian Adoption, Inc.
Dan and Megan Anthony
18524 Juniper Street
Gardner, KS  66030

Thank you for your prayerful consideration.  By Christmas, we should have our referral and anticipate travel 6 weeks to 2 months after that.  We're coming down the home stretch!

update from Honduras

Despite the recent strike in Honduras, IHNFA has appointed a new director, who also happens to be the official personal assistant to the First lady of Honduras.  The First lady of Honduras is the one who has been spearheading the adoption efforts for Honduras' orphans.  IHNFA will be resuming work and returning to normal beginning this week.

In the past, Honduras Children’s Court made the decisions on which children were available for adoption. Since IHNFA has taken this responsibility from Children’s Court, the adoption process will be processed more quickly.  YAY!

According to IHNFA, there are approximately 11,000 children currently under their care and referrals should be made by the end of this year.  End of this year.  This means our baby will have a face, and likely a name for Christmas.  So excited!

from honduras, with love

I recently made a purchase off of craigslist for a now out-of-state friend.  Boo.  I miss her!  I purchased burlap sacks.  Ten of them...for her to make these awesome shades for her porch.

 Lovely.

In searching through the stash of burlap bags to find 10 of the same color, I found a treasure.  A burlap bag from Honduras.  On the front was a photo of Honduras with the words "Washed Honduras Coffee".  It sat on baby girl's bed for the last few weeks waiting for some inspiration.

                                                           Yesterday the inspiration came.

I took my scissors to the bag and this is what I came up with...

 This chair was donated for our garage sale fundraiser.  It didn't sell.  

I kept it in the garage unable to part with it.

 I'm feeling like the chair needs something else.  A pillow?  A coat of paint and some distressing?  Any ideas?

This I love.   My treasure from Honduras.

SnapShop winner

I know...I'm a day late with this post.  Sundays are busy days for us.  I knew you'd forgive me!

Here it is...the winner of the SnapShop course beginning October 9th at 5pm.

              CONGRATULATIONS to Amy S.

Amy, be looking for an email from me today with the login information for the course.

Thank you bunches to the 16 people who entered the giveaway and contributed money to our adoption fund.  Know that you are all winners in my book for helping to bring our baby girl home!  But remember...a portion of the proceeds from the SnapShop registrations for the month of October are generously being donated by Ashley to our adoption.  So, if this is something you are interested in registering for, you can benefit our adoption by registering now.  What are you waiting for?  Go.  Do it NOW! :)

a giveaway...

Ashley Ann of Under the Sycamore has generously donated a spot in her SnapShop photography course as a giveaway fundraiser for our adoption.  The course is valued at $200, but honestly, I think you will find it to be a steal as you learn to better capture everyday moments through photography.

                         I am so unbelievably thankful for Ashley's generous donation,
                         but even more for her heart for adoption as she and her
                         husband are in the throws of paperwork to bring her baby
                         home from China.

The October section of the SnapShop course run from October 9th @5:00pm - October 30th @5:00pm US Central time.  Remember it is self-paced, so you can access it 24/7 during that time frame.  Go here to see what this course will teach you.

the details:  On the sidebar you will see a new "chip-in" button.  For every $2 that you donate to our adoption fund through "chip-in" your name will be entered into the hat.  So, if you donate $10, you will receive 5 entries.  Super simple.  The entries for the giveaway will close on October 1st, 2011.  The winner will be posted on October 2nd.

But wait.  It gets better.  Ashley and her husband have generously chosen to donate a portion of the proceeds of registrations for the October SnapShop class to our adoption fund.  So, should you not win, registering for the October class will improve your photography skills as well as help to bring our baby girl home.  Spread the word!

***you will find the "chip-in" button on the side bar at the very top of the page***

slushies

We made slushies today.  Just 2 ingredients.  Sparkling water and popsicles.  The cheap, not very good for you popsicles that come in the long skinny bags.

Defrost your popsicles a little.  Try running them under hot water to speed up the process, but don't over defrost otherwise you'll have homemade soda pop!  Then bang them with a pot or rolling pin to break up the chunks.  Make sure the kiddos keep the banging to the popsicles and not each others heads! 

                       Add about 1/4 cup of sparkling water.  And a straw.

                                                Liquid refreshment...

dossier day

Today, came an announcement that made our children squeal with delight.  We went to the bank...

for this...(and some suckers, too)

then we stopped at Starbucks for a celebratory drink.

on to the Post Office.  (I love the Westlake Post Office.  We are tight with the workers.  Jay is awesome!)  This is the stack of papers to be mailed. 

What is a dossier?  I'm so glad you asked.  It is a compilation of papers that are required for adoption from a foreign country.  For us, it included...
...letter of authentication (for the Honduran lawyers to work on our behalf)
...original birth certificates
...marriage certificate
...medical examination forms
...certified bank statement...glad that was a statement of how much we had...before today! :)
...proof of residency statement
...home study
...US Immigration Notice of Favorable Determination
...3 photos depicting family life
...3 copies of each of our passports
...2 passport photos of each of us
...photo of each room or our house including front and back yard
...psychological examination
...certified check to the adoption agency

So Jay, our awesome postal worker, was surprised to see us back again today.  We were there yesterday getting the boys passports.  He decides to share our business with the customer he is helping...telling her that we are adopting.  She looks over at us while we are trying to get the boys to cooperate for a photo and yells "congratulations."  Yes, it was awkward.  She came over to tell us that she has 2 biological children and 2 that they adopted from South Korea.  Dan recognizes her voice and remembers meeting her at the park when we had a missions team here handing out popsicles at the baseball games.  This awkward moment turns out to be a great connection.  We exchanged numbers and she practically made me draw blood and swear that I would call her once we got our referral to show her the photo of our baby girl!  What a fantastic resource she will be as we encounter who knows what on this journey of adoption.  Plus she snapped this photo of our family.  I love it!  Thank you, Lynne!

Sweet baby girl, still un-named (we're working on that, don't worry!)...we are coming for you.  We love you as our precious daughter and we've never laid eyes on you.  We can't wait to hold you, hug you, and smother you with kisses.  We can't wait to tell you of a God who sees you...who knows you...who breathed life into your unformed body...who brought you to our family as a most miraculous gift...and who offers you a second, more precious adoption into the family of God through the gift of eternal life.  Tears fill my eyes as I think of the long 6 months that stand between us.  We are trusting God to care for you and protect you until we bring you home.  We love you, precious one!

snakes

The boys caught snakes...yes, plural...as in two...at some friends house on the 4th of July.  They were thrilled.  The snakes came home with us.  Let me introduce you to Sneaky and Jumper.

When the littlest guy and I awoke the next morning, we could not find the brothers.  No wii.  No ds.  No computer.  No tv.  I began to wonder if they had been abducted!!! :)  We found them our front...they had made this "snake playground" in the driveway.  Not once that day did anyone ask to play on any electronics.  Not once.  I began to wonder if these snakes had powers like Kaa in the Jungle Book!  I was being won over by our new friends.

Life got a little busy towards the end of the week and we weren't home much.  Friday the boys checked on the snakes to find them not with us any longer.  They baked to death.  Saturday was the burial service.  Uncontrollable tears streamed down one son's face right into the shallow grave.  He wrote a poem and read it to his beloved friends.  Broke this mama's heart. 

So much so that I promised that we could go back and capture more snakes.  What was I thinking???  Did I mention that a snake got loose in the house at one point?  Lovely.

changes...

The #1 lesson I am learning in this process of adoption is to expect the unexpected. We had hoped to have our paperwork in by June 15.  Our psychological evaluation is in Honduras being reviewed right now.  We are awaiting a favorable response on that along with the approval from USCIS (citizenship and immigration office) before we will be able to submit our dossier...hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

One of the reasons that we chose Honduras was that we did not want to have to travel more than once. 
1.  because I HATE to fly...as in I really have some issues.  My husband is threatening to drug me for the trip...and I can't say that I am really objecting!
2.  because we did not want to have to leave the boys twice in a short time period.
3.  because we did not want to have to meet our baby and then leave her only to return to pick her up several weeks later.

As you might have guessed from my gripping lead-in, it is looking quite likely that we will be traveling twice to Honduras.  Short trips...only 4-5 days long for each one.  But likely 6 weeks in between trips.  Five days of holding our precious daughter and then returning her to her crib for 6 very long weeks until we can make her forever ours.  I already feel angst about these 6 weeks.  Six weeks of knowing her smell, but not being able to smell it.  Six weeks of her missing our touch and our kisses and hugs.  But she has a Father her that knows her and loves her better than we ever could and we will entrust her to Him for those six weeks...and the rest of her life.  She is His before she is ours.

wow...just wow

We mailed in our application to USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) exactly 2 weeks ago.  This notification came in the mail this week stating that they received our application...

Um, 1930 Salem Parkway does not exists.  Nor does Westloke, OH.  And 44148 is a non-existent zip code.   But most importantly...I am NOT 40 years old!!!!!  How this even made its way back to our hands is most miraculous!  My printing is fairly neat.  I was a school teacher.  I took a handwriting class in college.  And I passed.  With and A.  Clearly we have a God that is showing us just how much this baby girl is to be a part of our family.  We are praising God!

I have never felt more proud of the US Post Office!  Never.

And did you all notice the little thermometer on the side of the blog?  Go on.  Take a look.



Did you see?  $20,000.  $20,000!!!!!  A most generous loved one put up the remaining $3,000 that we needed to submit our paperwork.  We have huge hearts of gratitude!  Only $8,000 more to go.  We are still hoping and praying to have her in our arms by the end of the year!  Please pray that with us!

wonder

My friend, Ang, is adopting a baby girl from China...actually traveling in two weeks!  After she received her referral, she went back through her photos to see what she was doing the day her daughter was born halfway across the globe.  It was the day that the baby birds hatched in the nest in their tree.  Perfect.

We recently watched some baby birds hatch in our tree.  I wonder.  Was that the day our baby girl was born?

I realize that our story may not be the same as the Weldon's, but it made me think.  Will (or was) the day of her birth be just another ordinary day with a special little sign from God that we won't know about until we have that referral in hand?  I wonder.

garage sale recap *UPDATE*

*(UPDATE)* We made it.  Actually we surpassed it...totaling $2139.  Praise God!!!

I'm tired.  What an undertaking this was.  I will never have another garage sale....I think I said that last summer, though!  However, this sale I would do again in a heartbeat.  For an orphan.  Any orphan.  But today was for our orphan.  We ended the day with $1685 cash in hand.  We have a few things left that will sell on craigslist, I'm sure, putting us over the $2000 mark.  $2000.  $2000 from things that people were getting rid of.

Thank you to those of you who loaded your cars, vans, trucks, and trailers (yes trailers...thank you Smith's!) with items that we turned into cash for our baby girl!

Thank you to marvelous friends and family who came to sort, price, load and unload these items...even in the rain!  I was amazed at the hagglers some of you turn into when a baby girl is on the line! :)  The grunt work isn't fun or easy, so you all are rock stars in my book!

Thank you to my children who ate 6 consecutive meals of cookies and lemonade along with watching exorbitant amounts of netflix.  Oh, and thanks for trashing the house, too.  Lovely.

Thank you, God for this incredible journey of faith you have placed us on.  I am continually blown away...and a bit ashamed that my faith is so small.

So there's my speech.  Instead of an Oscar, I'll take my daughter! :)

garage sale

It is the night before the looming garage sale fundraiser for our adoption.  Our friends have been so generous with donations.  Our garage is packed TO THE GILLS with stuff to sell.  Everything from a beautiful dining room set to stuffed animals and a walker still with fresh tennis balls on the legs.  Anybody need a standard def. TV?  We have 6 to choose from.  6.

I'm pretty sure our neighbors think we're hoarders.  They don't know we're adopting and they haven't asked any questions, but you know they're just waiting for us to make an appearance on the show.

Shutters, windows.  We've got all ends of the spectrum.  This side of the house was all cleaned up on Friday only to be loaded with this on Saturday.

But by this Saturday it will all be gone one way or the other and we will be that much closer to getting our baby girl in our arms.  The weather forecast does not look favorable, which could make the day miserable.  I am hoping the front takes a sharp left turn to the north by 9am...and stays there til 5pm on Thursday. 

I'll have a weekend post with how it all went. 
I know you're all on the edge of your seats with anticipation...

memorial day

Some photos of a last.  Our dear friends, the Darge's are moving to Illinois.  The Parma Hts. Memorial Day parade has been a tradition the last few years.  Although, this year it had us wondering why.  It was so much less about a great parade and so much more about what we were celebrating.  Waiving our flags to memorialize the men and women who have served to keep us free.  So much more about the company...and the food.

Somehow the Darge girls missed the photo op.  I am not a professional, clearly.  Next year there will be another sweet girl in this mix of boys.  Our girl.  The Darge's must return for another parade.  The Westlake parade.

so close...

We are so close to submitting our dossier we can taste it!  Things are looking good in Honduras in that the adoptions are moving a bit quicker than the agency had originally anticipated.  So exciting.  The idea of holding our baby girl in our arms by Christmas is looking like it will become reality.  Please continue to pray with us for the funds to keep coming in.  Flower sales have been rather slow.  Our total need to complete the adoption is a tad under $15,000.  $6500 of that is needed in order to submit our dossier and keep things progressing.  Our goal is to have that money in hand by the end of the month so that the paperwork can be submitted.  The remaining $8500 is what we will need for travel and expenses in Honduras...including a humanitarian donation that the agency asks for which will go directly to the orphanage to help care for the other children.

We are having a garage sale on June 22nd and 23rd as a fundraiser.  We will begin taking donations the beginning of that week.  Consider what you may be able to donate...furniture, housewares, tools.  We are trying to stay away from clothes unless you have some really nice items that will sell.  We are excited to see how God is going to move mountains for us.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..."
                                                                                               ephesians 3:20

for myself...

The past few days I have been completing some projects for myself.  I made these pillows for my bed.  All from fabric and supplies that I already had.

Excuse the mess...it's laundry day...

After I put away all of the laundry...

not really...

my dad came over and helped me build some raised beds for a vegetable garden...again, with supplies we already had (from a not-so-successful attempt at an ice rink in the backyard)...thanks, dad!!!

But now it's time to get back to work.  Time to make flowers.  Time to sell said flowers.  Time to apply for grants.  Time to have a garage sale fundraiser.  Time to get creative.  Time to pray for God's provision.  Time to raise the 2nd to LAST goal amount of $5000 to keep things moving for our adoption.  I am so thankful that God's economy is not our economy.  As a friend put it...that's 100 people graciously giving $50.  Not a big deal when you look at it that way!  Pray with us for God's provision to keep moving forward.

We've had some setbacks along the road.  The lab work for our physicals for adoption was not covered under our insurance.  We have a ridiculously high deductible.  Nearly $1000 to pay for the lab work.  God is not surprised by our setbacks.  This is just another opportunity for Him to shine!

the last...

I find myself referring to milestones lately as the last.  Today I will spend my very last Mother's Day as a mom of 3 boys.  I wouldn't change a day in my life of mothering three boys.  (OK...maybe I would change yesterday.  Shopping with three boys is a nightmare.  Plain nightmare.)  But I have to say that around Mother's Day is one of those times that I wish I had a daughter....for those mother/daughter brunches that I usually frequent by myself.  Remember in the movie "Father of the Bride II" when George and Nina find out they are having another baby.  She looks out the window day dreaming of she and her daughter skipping down the street wearing sweet dresses and licking an ice cream cone.  Then George daydreams of a daughter running away from him screaming and throwing things...throwing a fit.  I'm thinking that having a daughter is like Nina's vision.  If its more like George's vision...keep your comments to yourself.  Don't kill my dreams.  I'd rather not know the truth.

homestudy

The beloved homestudy visit took place this week.  We prepped the kids.  We prepped the kids some more.  On how to be polite.  Why is that so quickly forgotten?  Prepping didn't help this situation.  I'm not sure anything could have helped this visit from the social worker.  The boys were silly.  Crazy silly.  Almost obnoxious.  Almost.  Rolling all over the floor while she was trying to talk to them.  Talking loudly.  I was ready to crawl out of my skin and show my ugly self to the social worker.  I showed restraint.  All the while thinking, these kids don't care who she is.  They don't care what she thinks of them.  They don't care what she'll write about them.  They are who they are.  I could learn a few things from my crazy, silly boys.  I'd be better for it.

missing my baby...

April is a bit of a hard month for me.  Two years ago on Saturday we lost our sweet little Carter.  I was 15 weeks pregnant and had been experiencing some difficulties with the pregnancy.  I had a placental abruption three weeks earlier and was put on a mild bed rest at home.  (BTW...bed rest is like a prison when you have three boys ages 7, 5, and 15 months.  Not to mention the man of the house starting a new job.  A hard job.  Church planting.)  I went into labor on April 2 of 2009.  That was the first and last time we held sweet little Carter.  He was already with Jesus, but we sang to him and dreamed of all things that we wouldn't get to do with this perfect little baby boy.  Even at 15 weeks everything was there.  Ten little fingers.  Ten little toes.  Knobby little knees.  Boy parts.  We could see all of his veins through his transparent, fragile skin.  The sweet little clamp on his umbilical cord made it all so very real.

Peace reigned that day.  Peace that passes understanding.  Knowing that Carter would never know pain.  He would never know sorrow.  He would only know perfect love from his perfect Father.  As much as I miss this sweet boy, I have such joy to know he is with Jesus.  I have such joy to know without doubt that I will see him again.  Perfectly whole.  What we cradled that day was just an empty shell.  I am so thankful for a loving Creator who is cradling my baby (babies...Carter plus 5 others) and loving him perfectly. 

Mommy and Daddy love you, Carter.  We miss you more than you know, but we're so thankful you're with Jesus.  Hugs to you.

always on time...

Things here at the Anthony household have been crazy!  We've had these bugs, which we recently found out are nasty drain flies...ewww, since October.  Yep...they were drowning in the punch at Thanksgiving.  Through a series of events in January, we found out that we had a broken pipe in our kitchen floor.  Not an easy fix when you live in a split level where the kitchen is on a slab.  This was likely the source of the flies as all the water and yuck from the garbage disposal was going right into the ground under our kitchen.

So, you can imagine what kind of a project this was going to be.  And here in the Anthony house, we don't hire people to do the work...we do it ourselves.  Only this time there was no we...at least for this part.  This was all Dan.  I did not see myself operating a jackhammer and digging into the yuck under the floor.  Plus, there were bugs involved.  And it made for a very dusty, dirty house.  So I bailed.  My parents were in Florida and they are just minutes away from our house.  And their house was clean.  And quiet.

Oh, come on...wouldn't you?

We, for sure, are thankful for some loving friends who helped us immensely!  You can see that our entire kitchen and hallway floor was going to need to be replaced.  I was excited about that part, but the timing was all wrong.  We are saving for adoption.  We have an adoption account that gets filled with flower sale profits and gifts from friends.  Then we have our own savings account that we are working at building up to add to that adoption account.  This mess was not to happen right now...not where we wanted to spend our pennies.  but, God knows these things.  This big mess did not catch him by surprise.  Neither did the hot water tank that went out last week.  Neither did the muffler that went on the car the week before.  Neither does my eldest son's need for braces, glorious braces.

I had a little meltdown yesterday.  Crying.  Asking God for a break.  Asking for something to be easy.  Something to work like it should.

I got home from church today and retrieved yesterday's mail from the mailbox.  I noticed our tax papers were there awaiting our signature.  It's always a little scary opening that envelope.  I always have this dollar amount in my head and am so hopeful that it is something close to that number.  I wept as I pulled the paper out of the envelope, realizing that that number blew my number out of the water.  God provided.  He provided for the unanticipated projects.  And then some.  Some for braces.  Some for a man we know who has a need.  And best of all...    
                                                                                            ...some for our baby girl!

I hate it when I have an unnecessary meltdown.  I hate it when I doubt God's plan.  I hate it when I fail to take all of my problems to His throne...to the One who can do something about them.
I echo the words of the father in Mark 9:24.

                                  “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

i'm a-chasing...

...papers.  The stage commonly known as the "paper chase".  That's where we are.  Is it a lot of work?  yes.  Is it overwhelming?  yes.  Is it stuff I shouldn't have to do as a mother of 3 already?  yes.  Am I enjoying it?  yes.  I am choosing to.  Each paper signed and notarized brings me one step closer to being the mom of my sweet baby girl.  Who'd of thunk that in order to be the mom of a daughter I would have to have fire exits posted on all three floors of my house?  Who'd of thunk that in order to have a daughter with whom I can have a tea party I would have to submit letters confirming my husband's employment and salary and benefits and life insurance policies?  Who'd of thunk that in order to have a daughter to buy sweet dresses for I'd have to be fingerprinted and have a child abuse clearance?  As crazy as this process is, I wouldn't have it any other way.  She...this nameless, faceless baby girl that has captured our hearts...is so worth it.  What a way to have a baby!

In my spare time, I'm reading the book Adopted for Life by Russell Moore.

Outstanding.  

I love how it compares the theology of our adoption as a child of God to the adoption of a child into a family.  I'm just on the 2nd chapter, but its one of those books that you know is going to be good after reading just the first page. 

And then there's flowers.

Business has been somewhat slow since the Christmas rush, but you won't find me complaining.  There are no rings of filth around my toilets...at least there weren't yesterday.  Mountains of laundry have been reduced to small hills.  More meals are being prepared and eaten at home.  The spring rush is about to hit with some open houses and ad spots, though.  I won't be complaining then, either.
                                               We are so thankful for God's provision for this adoption.

forging on

We had a conference call last night with the president of the adoption agency.  He walked through the process of Honduran adoption with us.  Seeing as though they have not yet completed an adoption through Honduras, there are some unknowns.  We are praying that God will just clear the way and allow these orphans to be adopted quickly.  The first group of referrals are expected to be processed in March.  We are working diligently to be among the second group of referrals.  We anticipate beginning the home study next week.  Then begins the compilation of the dossier.  I'm thinking that this is going to be my new full time job.

But, on top of all of that, the fundraising continues.  Before we can submit the dossier, we need to have approximately $7000 additional funds.
                  That's big...who am I kidding?  That's huge.
 I am memorizing this verse:
                                    Jer. 32:27  I am the LORD, the God of all mankind.
                                                                Is anything too hard for Me?

We all know the answer to that question!  Nothing is too hard for our Creator who has a deep love for orphans!

So, we work (making and selling these flowers)
          we watch
              and wait for God to move some mountains and bring our girl home.