She Broke the Board!!

Brianna tested last week for her next Tae Kwon Do belt.

She meant business!

Congratulations Brianna on 

being promoted to green belt!!

Of course, I have pics of her with her green belt...but they're on my phone. It'll probably take me 6 months to get those pics on here. 

For the first time in my life, I wish I was a computer nerd.  I just don't understand these things. Or anything electronic for that matter. Actually, anything that requires instructions is over my head. 

That is why I know it was a God-thing to adopt and it's not just a phase...because it requires paperwork...LOTS of paperwork...which is my greatest fear on the face of this earth. Adoption is full of instructions, paperwork, and computers...all the things in life I despise!! 

Sometimes God requires you to walk outside your comfort zone and try something you're not sure you can handle...but on the other side is a blessing!!!

God can do some amazing things, abundantly ABOVE anything you could imagine to think or even ask!!

More pics to come...I have some great ones of Josiah, but he has now required that I "clear" them with him. I just love this pre-teen age, you know, where he thinks he can have an opinion, tee, hee.

How do you say "y'all" in Mandarin?

Ok, so I just have to post this.  I was discussing the location of my children's provinces and I explained to my 10 year old daughter that her little sister was in Southern China. When she heard this she asked me if she would have a Southern accent. I burst out laughing. My daughter stared at me. She was serious.  Of course, me being the visual person that I am, I immediately started to formulate in my mind what a Chinese Southern accent would sound like. Can't picture it. Do you think there's a Chinese Paula Dean?  If there is, I want to meet her. Seriously. "Have some rice...and butter." "Have some congee...and butter." "Have some tea...and butter." 

Tee hee.  I love my imagination!!

Ok, onto adoption related things in my life: Pray, pray, PRAY that I receive my Article 5 on Tuesday! Those of you who have adopted know this is a big deal...those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, ummm, never mind, too long to explain. Shortened version: it's an approval of the approval of the U.S. approval of China's approval on something someone in America approved after someone approved China's approval. Got it? Do you approve?

Ok, that's enough. This adoption process has affected my brain.  I'm going to bed.  :)

Tired of Hitting Delete

Several months ago I was out of the adoption loop. I did not know ANYONE who was adopting from China. Since then, I've joined adoption forums, and about 6 different yahoo groups. Not to mention, I've taken over the mission's dept. of our church. Now, I've gone from not knowing there was a cause to speak of, to now being overwhelmed with the need. 

And I can't adopt them all. I want to!! For some reason, when I see the faces of these 12 year old boys waiting for a family...well, I just can't handle it. They are my son's age.  Their faces are burned into my mind. One in particular I'm thinking of...he looks like an Asian version of my son. I am destroyed whenever I see this boy's face. He is being advocated for by one of the yahoo groups I'm on...and I have to delete the email. Because I'm already adopting two. A little girl with a heart condition...I have to delete the email. 

People email with fundraisers. They need help. It's not a hoax or a scam...they really need help in order to help change a child's life. And I have to delete the email, because I can only give so much.

At church, we receive tons of mail from missionaries...they need our help. They are IN the orphanage, they are the ones digging wells, feeding children, schooling the poverty stricken, binding the wounds physically and emotionally...and I have to throw some of the mail away, because I cannot support them all.

I'm so tired of hitting delete.

I'm so tired of throwing away the mail.

We give when we can, and yes, we can pray for them. But Jesus said if you say to the one who is hungry to go and be filled, but you don't do anything for them...then where is your reward? And what good did that do?

I want to do more. I want to help more.

In 2012, I would like to be able to help more, give more, pray more.

But I'd also like to see other people's lives changed. Yes, I wish everyone could/would adopt!! I really do. But I'd also like to hear that more people understood the cause of the orphan and were doing something about it.

I would like to see some of these kiddos adopted in 2012, who are being advocated for, and want a family so bad!

Doesn't every child deserve a home? Don't they deserve a family? 

The fact is, several months ago, I found Le Hai's picture on one of my yahoo advocacy sites. People had been advocating for him for a few years. What that also means is that someone else, somewhere hit delete when his file came up. Now he's my son. He will be in my arms in February. 

I'm praying that these little ones (and aging out ones) on this advocacy site will have someone pause before hitting delete, and say, "I think that might be the child for us."

James 1:27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Forgetting to Blog

What's wrong with me???? I keep forgetting to blog!!! Do you know why? Because I'm reading everyone else's blogs!! I feel like I'm in school and I'm about to take the most important test of my life. I'm reading to glean info from others who are a few steps ahead of me, or in China currently, or have adopted two at once, and so on and so forth. I feel like I have to remember everything. It's complete nonsense, I'm sure. The fact is though, I LOVE reading about other's adoptions and I LOVE talking about it. It's no different than when I was pregnant...all I wanted to do was hang out with other preggers and talk about our weight and cravings. Now I'm adopting and I still talk about my weight and cravings. :)

Concerning adoption this week: not much to report; I'm still waiting on my Article 5, and I'm guessing I wouldn't hear anything until the week after Christmas.

I will post pics hopefully tomorrow of Josiah and Brianna doing their Christmas program at church today. They did a great job. Our camcorder tape ended literally 30 seconds before Josiah's speaking part...good thing we can order a DVD of the service!! 

The Hamster Wheel is Going Again

Yes, the hamster wheel is my brain. I don't have a rodent in a cage living in my house. Stay with me here. :) 

My mind is going...and going...and going...

Things to do, things to pack, appointments I need to fit in before China.

We are seven weeks out...or less.

And my mind won't.shut.off.

I don't sleep. While I'm talking to people my mind is in China or going over my checklist for China. It's the little things; all the little tiny details of life. To be honest, right now as I type, I can't think of one thing on my to-do list. That's why I have a list, so I don't have to remember it later. It's just the issue of getting it all done. And I know it will. 

I hate the word "nesting," but that's exactly what it is. I want the kids' rooms done (I'm still decorating them). I want everything in its place. Which is silly, really. My little girl and boy aren't going to walk in this house and tell me I should have more pictures on the wall. For the most part, I'm being completely ridiculous. 

But then there's the other stuff. Items you HAVE to bring. I'm starting to compile a place in my house for all the stuff we have to pack. I don't know how some people do it, but I've heard of a number of people who pack so light that they just have carry-on luggage and no checked bags. Once my hubby heard that, that was it. So now it's like a fun little game to see if we can fit everything in carry-on.

I can't believe I'm writing about packing. It felt like this day would never come. Do you know I have wanted to adopt little Chinese children for over 15 years? Do you know Brianna was 3 years old when I started begging my hubby to adopt? That was 7 1/2 years ago. During that time I have read every blog known to mankind to glean as much info as possible, waiting for my turn.

In about 6-8 weeks, it will FINALLY be my turn!!!!

Now on to my list....