Amazed by generosity

A year ago Michael and I were so stressed out wondering how we were going to make our first payment for our adoption expenses. We had a month to come up with lots of cash! Six months earlier we had felt called to start the adoption process (we've always wanted to adopt, we just didn't know when), so we stepped out in faith with little money in our savings (as usual).

We have literally been amazed, shocked, dumbfounded by how the Lord has provided. Last year Michael started coaching and I was able to work for my brother-in-law's advertising company. We were able to make that first large payment. Since then, every time we've had another payment due, surprisingly enough we've had money!

In the last six months, we have been so humbled and honored by so many friends and even strangers who have heard about our adoption and bought a shirt, or made a donation! We've had people donate to our garage sales, nieces and newphews have lemonade stands and give of there own money, more nieces and newphews do a bottle drive for us! A benefit concert is also in the works! Oh, and we received a grant from this awesome ministry...Katelyn's Fund!

Really these people are so amazing and we are so blessed to be in their lives. I'm so glad we have so many great people around us who are willing to invest in our adoption and who will love our baby so much. Thanks so much to everyone for supporting us in so many ways.

Urgent Advocacy Needed On Proposed New Haitian Adoption Law ~ July, 2009

I received this email today from an AGCI family. They have been waiting for their daughter to come home from Haiti for 2 years. I cannot imagine how hard that would be. You can help by using the following link to contact your senator.

SUMMARY:
Haiti is currently operating under an adoption law that was decreed in 1974 by Jean Claude Duvalier. The 1974 adoption law is outdated, has serious limitations that are not in the best interest of children and causes confusion in its application resulting in significant delays in legal processing of adoption cases.

Children in Haiti matched with adoptive families are waiting as long as 4 years to complete their adoption. Other children awaiting adoption will endure this same wait unless a law is passed now.

With the help of UNICEF and others, a new adoption law has been developed for both domestic and intercountry adoption in Haiti. The law clarifies adoption processing protocols and mandates clear government oversight responsibilities which will correct many of the problems with the present adoption system.

Many Haitian children are in desperate need of adoptive families and will benefit from this new law. This includes children who have been waiting in the adoption system (many up to three years) due to confusion and difficulties surrounding the outdated law.

URGENT ACTION NEEDED:
The Haitian Legislature will convene soon. It is URGENT that the new Haitian Adoption Law be included for approval in the agenda for the upcoming session.

Contact your Congressional Representatives [click here for direct link and letter to your Representative] and urge their strong support of the new proposed adoption law in Haiti. Please ask them to contact the Haitian authorities.Please share this Call To Action with friends and family to join this effort:

Here's a picture of Caleb's inspirational Uncle Andy and his hottie, preggo wife, Laura. Blogger was being annoying and not letting me upload it on the previous post. Isn't her belly cute?

The many hairstyles of Caleb

Friday

Caleb decided months ago that he was growing his hair out after seeing a guy on a commercial that he thought was cool. It was very hip and I thought rather cute. He had awesome highlights.

Saturday

We spent the weekend with Amy and Zach. During which, Caleb decided he wanted to get his hair cut like Uncle Zach. I think mainly because he wanted Zach to be able to spike it like he had with Nathan earlier. His little buzz is cute but I miss his long hair.

One Week Later

Michael asked me to cut his hair, Caleb echoed his request. We told him he had little to cut. He said he wanted to look like Uncle Andy. The next thing I knew Michael had taken him out back and created a baldie. He's so proud of his fuzzy head! And I keep telling myself it'll grow back.

#9

Our caseworker, Christy, called us on Friday. Last month we were #18 on the waitlist. I was expecting that we were maybe #17, maybe #16. But she said we are #9!! Single digit. So exciting. I'm afraid that I may have scared Christy a little with my reaction. I was shocked and super excited.

For the last couple of days I have been thinking about our baby so much. How old will she be? What's her story? What's her name? What will it be like to finally hold her? Will we get to meet her birth family? Will she have tight, cute curls like Micah? Will she have a dimple? You know all that good stuff.

Her birthmother has also been on my mind. She is giving me the greatest gift a person can give. I don't know what the situation is, but regardless of what it is, I am grateful to and saddened for this woman. I can't imagine what it must feel like to give your child to another family. I am blessed to be on the receiving end of this situation. Our baby's mother will always hold a special place in my heart.

From God's Arms, to my arms, to yours

Words and music by Michael McLean

But lately I've been thinking, 'cause it's all I've had to do.

And in my heart I feel that I should give this child to you.

(Chorus)

And maybe you can tell your baby,

when you love him so, that he's been loved before;

By someone who delivered your son

From God's arms, to my arms, to yours.

If you choose to tell him, and if he wants to know,

How the one who gave him life could bear to let him go;

Just tell him there were sleepless nights; I prayed and paced the floors

And knew the only peace I'd find is if this child was yours.

(Chorus)

Now I know that you don't have to do this,

But could you kiss him once for me

The first time that he ties his shoes, or falls and skins his knee?

And could you hold him twice as long when he makes his mistakes,

And tell him that he's not alone, sometimes that's all it takes.

I know how much he'll ache.

This may not be the answer for another girl like me;

But I'm not on a soapbox saying how we all should be.

I'm just trusting in my feelings and I'm trusting God above,

And I'm trusting you can give this baby

Both his mothers' love.

(Chorus)

A plan, an out-of-shape mama, and the rescue

This summer Michael has been driving our car to work since his summer school location is too far for him to walk to. We went down to one car last year in order to save funds for our adoption. It's worked pretty well most of the time, a little inconvenient but not a big deal. So this summer he leaves for work at 7am and doesn't get home until close to 2pm. I am a stay at home mom by terminology only, my life doesn't prove that term to be true. I love leaving the house. I love playdates and parks and shopping with the kids anything to cause less mess and noise and cleaning at my house. So not having a car is a bigger deal to me than it should be. I've actually been handling it better than I thought I would.

All that to say that today when I was planning out the day, I thought hmmm....we just got a Burley (really cool bike trailer that easily converts to a great stroller) from Craigslist and Caleb just started riding a two wheeler, we can ride to the library-- a 1.73 mile trek. Before we left I warned Caleb that we might not be able to make it there since he just started riding a two wheeler and it was a long haul he might not be able to make it.

Getting everyone ready was an event in and of itself. Addie was in a foul mood and was crying about everything, I had to talk Nathan into leaving his bike home and riding in the Burley, and all the lovely neighbor children were mulling around watching our chaos and adding a little of their own.

We finally head out.... I was shocked at how hard it was to pull the bike trailer. I changed gears, which helped a little, but a block and a half later, my legs were burning, I was having a hard time breathing and I was begging Caleb to turn around. "You can do it Mommy. We're getting closer. You're doing good." All his encouragement helped a little (and made me feel like a fool) but not enough to get me all the way there. We were about a quarter of a mile away and I saw a bench and had to stop. Caleb, who was riding ahead of me, turned around parked his bike, sat down and said "Are your legs killing you?" I must have said that a time or two during that rough ride. After finishing my travel mug of coffee I was ready to go.

We made it. I promptly called Michael and told him we would needed his assistance to make it home. We had a fun time at the library, even though the children's librarian was cranky. Why do people who don't like kids choose that job? She didn't say anything to my kids but I saw her reprimand many children for minute offenses many times during our short stay.

Michael came, packed the Burley and two cute kids in the car. Caleb and I had a lovely ride home together. Fifty pounds less and a nicer route made all the difference.

I Heart Katelyn's Fund

We had our interview for an adoption grant on Monday and it went so well. I was a little worried about it...both Michael and I on speaker phone with a bunch of people we don't know...the idea was a little intimidating, mainly I was concerned the Michael and I would interrupt or bicker with eachother during the call and sound like idoits. I'm not sure why this was my concern but it was. It's not like that happens all the time but in nerve-racking situations we both can want to get our point across.....so all of that was what was going through my head before the call. I decided Michael would be the main "talker" and I would add little tidbits. Having a 'game plan' helps me.

Anyway, the interview was amazing. We spoke with 5 or 6 people on Katelyn's Fund board and they were so nice. They asked us all about our desire to adopt and the process thus far and how a grant would help us. Then they each prayed for us. It was so encouraging! During the prayer I got my ugly cry face (I will share more of the ugly cry face in another post) on a couple times, which made Michael chuckle a little. So I was sniffling and he was chuckling....but beside for that we were normal:) They really are a great organization. They told us to email them with any prayer requests we may have through out this process. We felt so much support from them.

We won't find out if we get the grant until the board meets again next month. Just talking about our journey reminded Michael and I that the Lord has blessed us with the finances this far and He will provide the rest as well.