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***