Finally Our Gotcha Day Video!!!

Jada's Adoption Story from Longing for Africa on Vimeo.

Holiday, Traditions, and Giving Part 3

The last few weeks I have been trying to get life somewhat back in order after the fun craziness of the holidays and New Year. I don't know about your house, but my house was completely turned upside down...laundry was falling out of the hampers and calling my name, the bathrooms had more toothpaste on the counters and in the sink and it was grossing me out, our Christmas Tree was now looking very sad and needed to be taken down, and even my kiddos were a little outta sorts!

We usually take our tree down as a family before the New Year, but this year we had company were enjoying our time with them instead...to be honest, I don't even think our tree got watered after Christmas and boy, it showed. The kids were now back in school, my hubbie was at work, and here I was taking down the Christmas tree and decorations all by myself. One of my FAVORITE traditions is as we are putting away our Christmas decorations, we think about our goals for the next year and write them on 2 note cards and keep one and pack other away with the decorations. Obviously this tradition had to change up a little bit, so I decided I would finish packing things away and complete our tradition at dinner that night. I pulled out the note cards and read the previous year's goals that each of us had written. It is moments like these that as a mom, I just take a moment and sit and reflect on all that God has done in our lives in the last year.

That night at dinner we all shared our 2011 goals. I love this time! We gave high fives and let out a few screams of excitement (yeah...there is a lot of girls in our household and we tend to be loud at times) for the things we accomplished and we encouraged each other to try again on the goals that we didn't meet. I love this time because #1 It gives me a glimpse into my kiddo's hearts and what is important to them at that moment/year #2 It helps us to encourage one another as a family and to know that we are all on a journey #3 It gives the kids another opportunity to see us...their dad and mom succeed, fail, and try again #4 I have years of goals that document where we've been and how God has worked in and through our lives. We ended our evening by writing our 2012 goals and packing them away with the Christmas decorations. I went to bed that night thanking God for all He had done in the last year and was so proud of each of my children as unique and different each of them are in their own ways. I know their goals and pray that God will help them accomplish them for His glory and that He will complete the good work that He has began in them.

With that being said, 2 of my girls have a goal to build a well in Africa. We took our oldest with us when we went to Ethiopia to adopt our youngest daughter and she cannot forget what she saw. Now after knowing what she now knows, she has a passion to do something, so they have a goal this year to build a well. So we are helping them get started... hop over to the I am a Drop of Water blog to follow their hearts and efforts. (the blog is still getting built, but it gives ya a sneak peek!) I hope you will join them on this journey of making a difference!

Holidays, Traditions, and Giving Part 2

I went to the store the other night ALL BY MYSELF. A rare treat. Usually I have at least 1 or 2 tagging along with me. I was just picking up a few groceries and enjoying a little quiet time and then I realized Christmas music was playing! I dug through my purse and found my phone to txt my hubbie and tell him...because once Halloween is over is we are all about Thanksgiving and Christmas in our house:) We've got lots of little traditions that make Christmas unique for our family and we LOVE celebrating them! Some we have continued from both sides of our families and some we have started on our own.

Last year, our Embassy date was delayed and we were heartbroken that we would not have Miss J in our arms on Christmas. So this year is her FIRST Christmas home...extra special and all the more fun!

On Christmas Eve, we serve one service/worship one as a family. LOVE! There is nothing more sweet than worshiping our Savior together as a family the night before His birth. I love to watch the faces of my precious kiddos as they sing, "Silent Night" in the candlelit auditorium...beautiful.

Afterward, we head home, turn on our Christmas lights on our tree and mantle, light candles throughout the house, and get the fire going in the fireplace. Cozy, cozy! Then we have a "Birthday party for Jesus". Our tradition is read velvet cake and ice cream...yum! I love singing "Happy Birthday" to our Savior and blowing out His candles together.

Our kids open 2 presents on Christmas Eve. The first one is a new pair of pajamas. (Bought on clearance last year for $1-$3...score!) I love cuddling by the fireplace with my kiddos in there new pjs on Christmas Eve:)

Then the second gift is a "spiritual gift". Usually it is a new devotional or something to help them grow spiritually throughout the year. Last year, everyone got a leather Bible. After 5 kiddos, we have enough devotionals to share or to do again, so this year we got orphan advocacy apparel. Half the proceeds go to help bring another orphan home or help feed another child in poverty. Plus, my kids wear the shirt all year to bring awareness to the worldwide orphan crisis and continue to pray for the one that proceeds went to help. Here are two of my favorite non profits that we ordered gifts from:

Ordinary Hero

147 Million Orphans

Holidays, Traditions, and Giving Part 1

Miss J's first Halloween came and went and boy, did she have FUN! She was so excited to wear her pink princess dress and even more excited to wear her snazzy princess boots that light up and was all smiles for pictures. She wiggled down outta of our arms at each house we stopped at and ran up as fast as she could grabbing fist full of candy. Then her sisters and brother would pry it out, saying, "Just one. Just one." Too cute! The neighbors loved it and my kiddos had a ball trick or treating with her for the first time.

As with every holiday, right before Halloween the stats started rolling across FB and Twitter about how much the U.S. spends on candy, costumes, Christmas presents, and right next to it is a picture of a starving child. It is heartbreaking and they are good reminders IF we choose to change our value system, change our budget, and give in some way or another.

I am not a BIG candy buyer/spender or even Halloween costume spender for that matter (The clearance rack is my best friend!), but we do buy some candy to hand out to our neighbors. I wanna be a light for God right where we are and protesting buying a one bag of candy to share with my neighborhood probably isn't gonna the best route to go, BUT as a family we do wanna GIVE more and LOVE more and make MEMORIES in the midst of doing so. So this year we did something DIFFERENT! We made a small change that I think we will make a TRADITION. Our church does service projects in our community and through this we heard that the local nursing home always has a Halloween party for friends and family, but no one comes. HEARTBREAKING. So after we went to some houses on our street and talked with neighbors, we piled in the van and headed over to the nursing home. BEST decision we made. The kids LOVED it and realized how lonely Holidays can be for some. Sometimes that knock on the door on Halloween is a blessing for someone else. Sometimes the joy of giving candy and hearing a "Thank You" is a blessing to the person who wanted to give. Sometimes seeing little people dress up and enjoy the one night they get to wear a crazy costume out in public is a blessing to someone else. This year, we changed our focus to how we could bless those that are right here among us...especially the lonely in our midst. Little changes. I have heard of other families cutting back on candy/costume spending donating it to a non-profit that helps relieve poverty. There are so many little changes we can make, but if we just post the facts and sit and do nothing or worse the same thing, then it is of little value. I have much to learn. Everyday is a new day to surrender to God and ask Him, "How do you want to use me today, Lord?"

Transition and Change...

There are 2 things on my counter right now...this...

and this...
The card is from one of my besties who lives on the other side of the country. Every time I look at it, I die laughing. She knows me well. We've lived life together for the last decade...we've vacationed together, we've played cards till the late hours of night, we've done ministry together, we've helped each other move, we've laughed together, we've cried together, we've seen each other in our pjs, we've watched each other's kiddos have stinky attitudes...friends like these are gold...

Well...we've moved, in the middle of transition in ministry and life, this card made my day, my week, my month. Honestly, I thought this transition would be in the direction of Africa, as did my oldest daughter, which brings me to the second thing on my counter...the book. It was a birthday gift to her from her BFF back in Indiana. What tween gives her friend a book on Africa??? Seriously??? She knows my daughter well:) Yep...friends like this are gold. When we took our daughter to Ethiopia with us, God opened her eyes and now her heart longs for Africa, too. She wants to make a difference. She wants to help. She sees life a little differently now. She actually sat my husband down and told him we should be Africa...how do you argue that one with your kiddo?!?! PASSION for something you have a heart for...LOVE IT! Well, God took us all over kingdom come to lead us to where we are...family ministry...my hubbie is loving his new role and I love to see him in his sweet spot, yet all of our hearts still long for Africa...in a good way.

TRANSITION. CHANGE. That's where we've been the last few months. I've been busy as a momma getting all acclimated here and everyone is adjusting well...some are taking longer than others. There are things we love, things we miss, and things that will just take time to get used to:) There's been laughter, there's been tears, but all in all its been good. AND Miss J is doing great...the new news is I just scheduled our last post adoption visit with our social worker. Can't you believe it? Last year this time, I posted this. Crazy what God has done!

In a new place, I find myself alone a little more than usual. Alone is sometimes a good thing. Especially when it draws you to Christ and you spend more time talking and thinking out loud to Him. Thinking through what He wants you to do in this new town, new place, new community, new church. Much of these thoughts have been tied to Africa. To the orphan and the widow. Lord, what do you want me to do here and now? I've been brainstorming, researching, praying, thinking...I am excited to see where He leads...we'll see...

Transition in ministry is a hard, funny thing and yet, I've come to realize that we are nomads here in this place. When I was little I pictured myself living in the same house for 50 yrs and I think sometimes that is what we want in life...the security that things will stay the same with no TRANSITION, NO CHANGE, but I think in TRANSITION and in CHANGE is where we meet God. As I glanced at my old lady card today, I realized that one blessing of being open to where He is leads is all the friends we make along way...even if they are spread across the nation...yet they know your heart and know your passions and will encourage you to live them out where you are...yes...where ever you are, be all there...

Kisses from Katie

Well, a lot has happened in the past few months, my hubbie accepted a family pastor position in Ohio, so we are packing up our house and making an exciting move in ministry. Obviously, our little family of 5 has grown in the last 5 yrs, so here I am packing up my crazy loud family of 7! My favorite part of moving is getting rid of stuff....stuff that we no longer use, stuff that ties us down, stuff that we really don't need, stuff that someone else may be able to use. Simplifying! I want to live more simply so others can simply live. My "packing breaks" consist of getting a glass of water and sitting down to read a quick advocacy/adoption blog or video, which doesn't help because then I ask, "Why aren't we in Africa?" Katie and her ministry has captured our hearts. My older girls follow her blog and we all can't wait to read her book! Well off to have some one on one time with my oldest and then pack some more! One the side note...I've been quickly reminded of what it is like to pack with a busy toddler...oh my...Little Miss Jada is right at my side helping me "pack" and we are getting so much done together:)

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today, a one month old precious baby girl from the northern region of Ethiopia was put on a plane with a social worker and flown to Addis Ababa to Hannah's Hope. One year ago today, on the other side of the world was a family who had been praying for their baby girl and that God would meet her every need and place people in her path to care for her and love her in their absence.

As I look back, I stand in awe of our God, His timing, His provision, His plan, His answers to our prayers in the most intricate details as we prayed and fasted on her behalf. From providing a cow and a gourd to feed her when their was nothing else to providing loving neighbors who collected their money between them in order to transport her to an aid station where she could be cared for in order to live to friends and family who rallied around our family to help bring her home...I stand amazed...

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"I live not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." John 14:18

To Him be the glory for the great things He has done!