A Good Way to End the Year

While there is no real news on the "adoption red tape" we've been muddling through, (except that talks continue and our agency is hopeful), we did get a new assessment report on the kids today. They usually send one every other month.

Included was this paragraph:

[The Social Worker] reported that she shared with the kids that the processes seems a bit slow and the Doman family will be coming later. [They] understand the wait and they promised to pray for their family everyday.

THEY are praying for us. Can you imagine such a thing?

They also sent these pictures:

Below... Not bad for a 7 year old who has only just started learning English (her third language), let alone a new number system and a new alphabet. (If you're wondering what their numbers and letters look like, check this out.)

 
I've blurred out her name at the top, but this is from our 9-year-old, "to mom, dad, and Jack."

 And they made some pictures just for Jack:

We're not allowed to show their faces, but these are our girls. The top one is "Mary," age 9, and the bottom one is "Lucia," age 7. Lucia is checking out the social worker's phone.

And this boy...our sweet almost-12-year-old. Click on the letter to enlarge it. Sigh...

 

We love these kids so much I can hardly stand it.

Thanks for your continued prayers that God will work miracles and move mountains to get them home.

Happy New Year!

Our Hope

Yesterday at church a lady who had read my previous blog asked, "So what do you do now?"

Good question.

We wait. We pray. And we hope.

So many of you have sent us messages and posted comments saying that you will pray for our little family, and it has encouraged us so much.

Our only Hope is in Emmanuel...God with us. He is Father to the fatherless and He places the lonely in families. He says that true religion is taking care of the orphans and widows, and so we know He is in this.

Our only hope.

But it's enough.

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, 

you can say to this mountain,  'Move from here to there,' and it will 

move. Nothing will be impossible for you. -Matthew 17:20

This week, as you celebrate Christmas, some very important meetings will be taking place in Ethiopia. (They celebrate Christmas on January 6, so this week is business as usual.) The Federal Ministry has invited all adoption providers to a meeting, and our prayer is that Sebilu, who is director of African Operations for our agency, will have opportunity to petition for our children and other kids stuck in the same situation.

It only takes faith the size of a mustard seed to move mountains, and this is a big mountain we're facing.

We need a Christmas miracle.

I know it's a busy week, but as you remember the Christ Child who came for the lost, the forgotten, the poor, the needy...will you petition for the children in Ethiopia who don't have moms and dads? For our sweet children?

Thank you. We look forward to sharing how God has moved mountains in response to your faith--even if it's the size of a mustard seed.

Adoption Update

A lot of you have been asking when we're going to Ethiopia. Our agency told us to expect travel in the December - January time frame, and here it is December, and we don't have any tickets or even a timetable for travel.

I've put off blogging until I had more concrete information. I knew there was some red tape our team in Ethiopia was trying to straighten out, but I hoped it woudn't take too long.

Today I talked to our agency and received some upsetting news. Despite their best efforts, the team in Ethiopia has not been able to get the necessary sign-offs, and it looks like obtaining them is going to take some time--if they are able at all.

You may have heard about a case in Seattle where an adopted Ethiopian child was made to sleep outdoors, forced to shower with the garden hose, and ultimately starved to death. Her adoptive parents have been charged with murder.

That case caused a lot of bad press for the Ethiopian government. They were made to look as though they had not done their due diligence, and now they are very hesitant to allow international adoptions at all. Their constitution guarantees that right, but the current government is making it nearly impossible for agencies to do their work.

A series of approvals have to be given at Ethiopian's city, county, and state level before a child can be approved by their federal government to be adopted internationally. Our children received those letters more than a year ago--but now the federal government is requiring additional information on those documents.

Unfortunately, our children's region--the Tigray region--is no longer allowing int'l adoptions from their region, and they are refusing to re-issue the approval with the necessary information. And so we are at a stalemate. Nobody wants to budge.

It seems like it would be easy enough to solve, but Ethiopian culture is completely different than ours, and getting things done requires a different set of cultural rules and etiquette. We are thankful that our agency has employed an amazing team in Ethiopia that consists of Ethiopian men and women who know better than anyone the rules of the game.

This team, led by a man named Sebilu, is working every angle they can to get our children cleared. Right now Sebilu is making the argument that the federal government needs to look at the best interest of the children rather than simply crossing items off of a checklist.

Friends, will you pray?

Pray that God gives Sebilu favor as he meets with these people in authority. That God would show him favor.

Pray for our children. The last report we received says our little girl, Lucia, asks continually when her family is coming.  David and Mary ask to look at the photo books we've sent almost every day.

These children have been without a family for nearly seven years--since Lucia was just an infant. David recently told a social worker that he'd seen a lot of other kids get adopted, but after all this time in orphanages, he never thought it would happen for them.

Pray for the leaders in Ethiopia. I understand their desire to give due diligence, but at this point, it seems our children are political pawns in an unfair game.

And pray for us. Our hearts are broken. We want our children home.

Finally, as I've written about before, I know that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil.

Wouldn't it be just like Satan to make an innocent child question his worthiness to have a family? Doesn't Satan want us to feel lonely, isolated, unlovable, and forgotten by God?  That's what he's doing to our kids. He's hardening the hearts of those in authority so that our children will never know the love of a mother and father. They won't be told of the goodness of our God and see His provision in their lives.

But God is greater.

Will you stand with us in agreement, wherever you are right now?

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God.

For with God, nothing is impossible.

Why I Got Angry Today

This is a re-post from September of last year. Still relevant, especially today.


Today, Ken and I attended a CPR and First Aid training class. The presenter was a firefighter/EMT from our community. And I liked her. She was funny. Really funny. Did I mention likeable? She made the training enjoyable...even at 8 am on a Saturday morning.

However, part way through the training, something was said that really upset me.The trainer was talking about CPR and the new recommendations for compressions and mouth-to-mouth. She said something to the effect of, "As a non-medical professional, you are considered a Good Samaritan, and you aren't legally bound to give mouth to mouth. And if I were you, I wouldn't. Why? Because people are gross. And you never know what gross diseases people have. They might have hepatitis, TB, or AIDS. And although the experts say you can't get AIDS from saliva, I don't believe it."

Whoa. Stop right there, lady.

I have several dear friends who are HIV-positive, and this stigma has got to stop. It's a lie. It's a fear-based lie. I was shocked and disappointed that this medical "authority" would disseminate false information. I was so stunned at the time that I didn't speak up. I wish I had. But now I will...for my friends with HIV, for children with HIV, for anyone touched by HIV. I have to speak up...as a Christian, as a promoter of the truth, as a human being.

First of all, people with Hepatitis, TB, and AIDS are not gross. Some of the symptoms of their disease may be gross, but they are not. They are human beings, dearly loved by God and created in His image.

Second, this woman appeared to have misspoke when she used the term AIDS. I believe she meant HIV. HIV is not AIDS. HIV is a virus, that if left untreated, can cause AIDS. Because of advancements in treatment and testing, it is uncommon for a person with HIV in the United States to progress to having AIDS. In fact, people who are being treated with antiretroviral drugs usually have an undetectable viral load, meaning the virus can not be detected in their blood. Therefore, transmission is very unlikely under any circumstances, and most of them live out normal life spans with minimal health issues. With regular treatment, they can marry, have babies, and do just about anything an HIV-negative person can do.

How is HIV transmitted? A person can contract HIV through mutual blood or semen contact. This most often occurs during unprotected sex or by sharing needles during injection drug use. There are also cases where a mother passes the virus on to her newborn or transmits the virus via breastfeeding. These instances usually occur with people who are not receiving ongoing antiretroviral medications.

If you aren't having sex with an HIV+ person, sharing needles, or being breastfed by a person with HIV, the risk of becoming infected is virtually non-existent.  

 

Can HIV be transmitted by saliva? No. In some persons living with HIV, the virus has been detected in saliva, but in extremely low quantities. Contact with saliva alone has never been shown to result in transmission of HIV, and there is no documented case of transmission from an HIV-infected person spitting on another person. 

Can a person get HIV from casual contact with an infected person?
No. HIV is not transmitted by day-to-day contact in the workplace, schools, church, or social settings. HIV is not transmitted through shaking hands, hugging, or a casual kiss. You cannot become infected from a toilet seat, a drinking fountain, a door knob, dishes, drinking glasses, food, or pets. HIV is not an airborne or food-borne virus, and it does not live long outside the body.

Let me repeat: HIV does not survive well outside the human body. You cannot catch HIV through saliva. You cannot catch HIV by touching HIV+ blood unless you have a gaping wound or open sore and it enters your blood stream. If you do have open wounds, you should be using gloves when dealing with anyone's blood.

Friends, PLEASE end the stigma. If the Church is not proclaiming the truth, showing love, and giving compassion to those affected by HIV, who will?

I got this information from the CDC.gov, TheStigmaProject.org, and TheBody.com. Some of it I copied and pasted; some I paraphrased. For more information, visit any of their sites or gather your own research from reputable sources.

Ferguson

I'm trying not to be judgmental about folks who respond to injustice with violence because I have never stood in their shoes. I've never been fearful of the police. I've always thought justice would prevail. I've rarely been a minority.

But I wish I could get inside their heads for just a minute so I could understand why they act the way they do. It doesn't make sense to me, but maybe it makes sense to them. Or maybe they are so overcome with grief and anger that even they don't know why they are doing it.

All I know is this: We're about to have three little brown-skinned people join our family in a few short months. And sometimes, especially on days like today, I feel scared for them. And I also feel scared for anyone who might judge them based on the color of their skin rather than on the content of their character. Because those folks will be dealing with this Mama Bear. And Mama Bears can be kind of scary when they're protecting the little ones they love.

And the Winner Is...

Now that I have you attention, I want to write about something other than the winner of the free book. But I promise...I will tell you the results of our drawing in just a minute.

I was sitting in church this morning thinking about our Ethiopian kids and some of the recent snags we've hit in the process. They aren't anything major at this point, but they are annoying little things that delay bringing our children home.

I could be mad at the Ethiopian government for changing the rules mid-game. I could be upset with out agency for not foreseeing these issues. But they aren't the enemy.

There is an Enemy, and he is very real. He's called a Liar and a Thief, and for good reason.

He lies to me and to you and to my kids in Ethio all the time. He says we're not good enough. He says we don't belong. He says nobody will ever love us. He says we're unworthy. He says things will get worse.

And he steals. He steals our joy. He steals our hope. He steals parents from children. He steals our mental and physical health. He steals our sense of well-being.

I believe every snag we hit in this adoption is another attempt by the Liar and the Thief to keep our kids from having what every child deserves--a mom and a dad. A family. Grandmas and grandpas. Aunts and Uncles and cousins. Because if you don't have any of those things, it's hard to believe in a good God who loves you.

I can't think of anyone more vulnerable than a child without a family to love and protect him.

And I believe the Liar and the Thief would like to prevent our kids from belonging to a family and a church family who loves them and tells them the truth about God, about life, about death, and about themselves.

You can fully trust the Liar to do what he does best: lie. And usually about the things that are the most important.

...

If you are the praying sort, would you say a prayer this week for our kids? There are some important meetings where our Ethiopian team will meet with government officials to try to find out just what they need to provide to get things moving. Decisions will be made which we have no control of.

But God...

The authorities that exist in Ethiopia have been established by God. Their hearts are in God's hands. That's what the Bible says, and I choose to believe it.

God is able. More than able.

...

And now...on to the original purpose for this blog... our WINNER!

We printed every comment that was left on the blog and on Facebook, and we cut them into strips which we folded and put in a bag. At dinner Saturday night, we had Jackson pull out a piece of paper. And he pulled out... mine! For real. Forty some strips of paper, and he pulls out the one we accidentally included (I had commented on the FB post).  #ThatsMyBoy

Not to worry, we had Jack choose another one, and I'm super happy with his second random draw. 

The winner is a fellow adoptive mom and Wheatonite, a writer, and an advocate for modern-day slaves. She has authored 13 books (maybe more?) and is an avid reader. She's been a part of the same book club for more than 15 years. I first met her more than 15 years ago because her husband was my boss. Now that I freelance, I'm my own "boss," and I like to joke that he is *still* the best boss I've ever had.

*Drum roll, please...





Congratulations to Terri Kraus! Let me know which of the books you'd like, and I'll get it right out to you.

Thanks to everyone who left comments. It was encouraging and fun to see all the people who were reading.
...

OH, and just for fun, after we pulled Terri's name, I let Ken pull a name out of the bag. Guess who he pulled? His mom. Like father like son. :)

Unwrapping the Gift

It's been a really strange couple of weeks, and I've hesitated to blog about it for two reasons. First, it's hard to put in words something you haven't fully processed. And second, there's the matter of privacy. How much is appropriate to share in a public forum? What is helpful, interesting, and/or informative so that readers can pray for our growing family?

As I told you in a previous blog, the boy we are adopting went to court to say whether or not he wanted to be adopted. The initial report was simply that he did very well and everything turned out as expected.

We didn't get any more details for several days because the email of our team in Ethiopia wasn't working. When we finally got pictures of the children unwrapping our gift books--and the full report on what happened--I couldn't quite process everything.










...

I remember the first time I left our son Jack with someone other than a family member. He was just a few months old, and the church we attended at the time offered a Mom's Day Out. For just a few dollars, you could leave your child in the capable hands of a nursery worker for several hours on a weekday.

Being a stay-at-home writer and editor, I thought this was a great idea. But as soon as I dropped off Jack, my heart sank. I missed him so much I could hardly stand it. All the cliques applied: I felt like I was missing my right arm. I felt like I'd left my heart in that nursery and was walking around without it.

I was miserable.

When they called me 45 minutes later to tell me Jack had been crying and they couldn't calm him down, I was secretly happy. I raced back to the church as fast as I could to get my child back in my arms.

That's a mother for you. At least with her firstborn, and at least for the first few months. Now Jack goes off to preschool twice a week, and neither of us sheds a tear. But I still miss him when we're apart for an extended period of time. I wonder what he's doing. I wonder if he's happy. I wonder if he's sharing all the family secrets. I wonder if he made it to the potty in time.

He is always on my mind.

...

Our three soon-to-be-adopted children in Ethiopia are always on my mind as well.  

Will they like it here? Are the decorations in this bedroom too baby-ish for an 11 year old? Is this coat going to fit her? Will it be warm enough? I wish I could find a coat in yellow since that is her favorite color, but all I can find is pink and purple! How will they do in school? Should I homeschool them? Will they be kind to Jackson? Will Jackson be normal jealous or crazy jealous? Will they be the only chocolate-skinned kids at their school? Will other kids like them? Will they be teased because of their foreign names and thick accents?

And after the report and photos we got two weeks ago, my thoughts have started including ones like these:

Is that a smile on her face as she looks at the photo book we sent? Do they feel scared at the size of their new school building? What does it feel like to go to court and say your circumstances are so bleak that you are willing to be adopted by an unknown family who live in a foreign country where you will know no one, save your two siblings? 

What does it feel like to tell your social worker, "I know what adoption is, but I never thought it would happen for us because we've waited all these years in the orphanage." And how did he feel when he asked, "How soon will my new parents come and get us?"

My mind is constantly processing these ideas. Now that our children know about us, I want them right now. I don't want them to wait one second longer, and yet...there is nothing I can do to speed the process along.

The Ministry of Women and Children in Ethiopia has suddenly changed the rules--they want originals on all the important paperwork. Previously they accepted copies. That means our team in Ethiopia has to scramble to get originals of who-knows-how-many documents.

...

When I was pregnant, everyone told me to enjoy the pregnancy--that the baby would be here soon enough and then I'd be enduring many sleepless nights. But still, I couldn't wait to meet my son.

Nobody is telling us to enjoy the adoption process because we all know that three children are going to bed tonight without a mother and father to tuck them in, to kiss them goodnight, to pray with them.

And that breaks my heart. I am going about my usual business--writing, editing, meeting with friends, going to church, babysitting, attending parties--like everything is normal. But nothing is normal. We have three children who are waiting for us, and I hate being away from them.

...

My husband tells me that for every comment I get on my blog, there's at least 10 other readers who don't comment.

He heard that statistic years ago, and I'm pretty sure it was before the advent of Facebook links and the ability to simply hit "Like."

That's why I'm doing a giveaway this week...to see who my readers actually are. Anyone who leaves a comment on this blog will be entered into a drawing to receive a free book. The winner can choose any of the following books and it will be mailed directly to them. The winner may choose from threse books:

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
Called a simple, enchanting tale...warm and funny and thoroughly unpredictable.
Publishers Weekly calls this "one of the best Christmas books ever."

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp
A beautifully illustrated book to celebrate the Advent season together as a family.













The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
A Moonbeam Award Gold Medal Winner and one of my favorite books!














The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas by Ann Voskamp

A New York Times Bestseller, this book is an Advent calender and a devotional all in one.















Any of these books will make your Christmas more meaningful...or the winner could use the prize as a stocking stuffer.

Leave your comment in the section below to be entered to win! We'll announce a winner this weekend.

A Quick Update

Our social worker messaged me a little while ago and said she'd received an email from Ethiopia saying D. did great in court today and all went well! She didn't have any more details, but that is more than sufficient for now.

Also got a call from our realtor. Some of you may know that we've been trying to sell our condo in Florida. (We were renting it, but currently it's vacant and on the market.) After a long stretch with no interest, someone viewed the place today, and while he didn't make an offer yet, we are hopeful.

Thank you for your prayers.

And if you want to buy a beautiful condo in Florida, just 12 minutes drive from the beach, located on the gorgeous Lake Emerald, let me know! Apparently it's a hot property. :)

Where Things Stand

If you saw my status update today on Facebook, you know that I took a bit of a tumble. I singlehandedly tried to move a desk from our basement to our main level.

The desk is not a heavy one, but it is somewhat large. I made it up several stairs, with my 3-year-old boy cheering me on from behind. Just as I neared the landing where the stairs turn, I lost my balance, my legs buckled, and everything started moving in slow motion.

I was falling. The desk was falling. We were both crashing toward my son. I had the presence of mind to tell Jack to move out of the way, and luckily he wasn't hurt. The desk and I did not fare as well.

I saw this pin on Pinterest RIGHT AFTER I fell. #Hilarious

Moral of the story is that some things in life cannot be done by yourself. You need help in order to be successful.


Adoption is the same way. So many of you have come alongside us and helped us and prayed for us. And we are so grateful. So I wanted to let you know where things stand, and how you can continue to pray for us.

Right now there are some crucial things going on here in the USA and in Ethiopia.

First, what's happening in the USA: Our children's papers are being reviewed by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Before we can move forward with the adoption, we need their blessing. This process can take 8-12 weeks, and we've been in it for about 4 weeks. According to our agency, the USCIS has been requesting additional paperwork on most cases, and that slows things down considerably. Our agency did everything they could to cross all their t's and dot all their i's, but whether USCIS thinks it's enough to prove the legitimacy of the children's orphan status is debatable. A lot of it depends on the person reviewing the case.

If you are a praying person, we would really appreciate your prayers for a favorable review and no request for additional evidence.


This is also an intense time in Ethiopia. We've been informed that we've been assigned a Guardian Court Date for October 31. We are not required to be at this court appearance; it is for the children's current guardian (the orphanage manager) to state again that they truly are orphans and that they are OK with an international adoption.

But here's the interesting part. Any child being adopted who is 11 or older must also appear in court and state that they want to be adopted.

Our son is 11, so he will also appear.

He and his younger sisters are residing in northern Ethiopia, and federal court is in the capital city. It is not a terribly far distance, but road conditions would make going by car very difficult. So he and his guardian will get up early in the morning, fly to Addis Ababa, where they will be joined by our agency's social worker. They will go to court, and "D" will say whether he wants to be adopted.

I hope he says yes. I think he will, but it is his choice. His sisters have no say in the matter because of their age, and he is very close to them, so even if he has doubts, I think he will want to do it so he can stay with them.

That is pretty big.

But something else pretty big is going to happen on that day as well. Our agency's social worker is going to tell him about us. While he and his sisters know they will be adopted, we don't think they've been told anything about us. At this meeting he will be presented with three photo books we made--one for him, one for his sister L, and one for his sister M. The books contain pictures of our family, our home, and places they will frequent when they live here such as their school, church, downtown area, etc. We also included cards for each child with a personal message.

The social worker will talk through everything with him and explain the books. I don't know if this will occur before he makes his court appearance or after....I'm guessing maybe before so he can be more informed?

I have to be honest. I have that same nervous feeling you get when you're on a first date. I really hope he likes us. It seems silly when I type the words into the computer, but it's how I feel. I want him to like us and want to be a part of our family.

Later that evening, D will fly back to Northern Ethio to his orphanage. He will be given a big responsibility: to share the books with his sisters and explain everything to them.

Will you pray for D on Oct. 31? (No, they don't celebrate Halloween in Ethio, in case you're wondering.) It will be so much information for him to take in. I know as the older brother he feels a certain sense of responsibility for his sisters, and he wants the very best for them. Please pray that everything goes smoothly--from the flight to the meeting with the social worker and, of course, the court appearance. Pray that God will prepare D and his sisters to be a part of a family after a very long time without one. Pray that their young hearts will be flooded with peace and joy.

Someone recently said to me, "I'm sure they will be so happy and so grateful to find out about you!" I hope she is right, but in actuality, change is hard. Change is scary. And some people are resistant to change. It's hard to leave every.single.thing you know and hold dear and venture out to a new beginning. Or at least I imagine it's hard. Actually, I can't imagine it at all. I would be terrified.

But God...

He started this process, and we are confident He will complete it for His glory, for our joy, and for the well being of these three children whom He loves so dearly.


Hopefully we will get some news late in the day on the 31st and be able to share it with you. Until then, please keep praying.

Love to you and yours,
Luann

Shut Up

So yesterday I was sitting in a coffee shop, trying to do some freelance work, when I noticed a middle-aged man walk in. I did a double take, because he looked slightly familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place him. He eyed me suspiciously as well, and then looked around nervously.

Turns out he was meeting another man--not sure if he was a friend, a mentor, or a pastor of some sort. But the two sat right behind me, so I was privy to quite a bit of their conversation, and it seemed like a confessional of some sort.

Now, before I go any further, let me say that I'm all for accountability and confessing/sharing with friends. But I'm also for listening, and for having a teachable spirit.

Let me explain. Man #1 seemed to do ALL the talking. Or at least all the loud talking. He was telling Man #2 about his marital problems, and how his wife had left him, and what a terrible sinner he was, how merciful God is, and blah, blah, blah, blah.

For nearly an hour, Man #1 verbally puked all over Man #2. It didn't seem like he was seeking advice, since Man #2 barely got a word in edgewise. It was just talk, talk, talk. Excuses, excuses, excuses. My wife never...and My wife won't. But God ... My church ... My bible study... Blah, blah blah.

I am not unfamiliar with this type of man. I know someone else quite well who likes to talk about what a terrible sinner he is and how he messed up his marriage, but he always adds in little digs about his wife, insinuating that a lot of the problems are her fault. And two years counting, he hasn't changed a bit.

So yesterday when I heard this middle-aged, quite respectable looking man, going on and on about how close he was to God but not taking even a second to receive counsel from the man he was with, I wanted to do something.

I wanted to stand up, walk over to his table, grab his shoulders, and shout, "SHUT UP. Quit talking and start doing. Go home to your wife and work on your marriage. Quit talking about God's grace and forgiveness and start reflecting it."

I'm so tired of "Christian" men being unkind to their wives. You stood before God and witnesses and promised to love her, care for her, cherish her, and protect her. And now the person who is supposed to be protecting her is the person she needs protecting from.

When I got up to leave, I took a long look at the man in the denim shirt and the pressed, pleated khakis. He looked at me, too, and I wonder if he knew I was on to him and his sort.

I drove away, thanking God that my husband is kind. Loving, Teachable. And a great listener.

Black and White

I'm sitting in Starbucks, where I should be working on a freelance project, but am instead staring at three little faces on my computer screen.

Joy and sorrow. Elation and grief. Every adoption is borne in tragedy and loss. A mother dies. A father dies. Children are left without the most basic need: someone to care for them. Someone to love them.

But God. ... He places the lonely in families. He cares for the orphans. He makes beauty from ashes. He turns mourning into dancing.

Today 168 pages of documentation have been sent to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Fifty-six pages for each child we are adopting...proof that they are indeed orphans. Testimony from witnesses who know their family and can verify their parents are dead and they are in need of care. Birth certificates. Death certificates. Official translations.

Ken and I knew much of the children's history, but there's something about seeing their parent's death certificate in black and white.

A  mother died. I wonder what her final thoughts were. I try not to think about it too much. The thought of it is almost too much for my heart to bear.

But joy... The documentation also includes baby pictures of our three Ethiopian children, pictures I had never seen before. They are black and white, and photocopied on the world's worst photocopy machine. But I see their eyes. I see their little ears and mouths and all the things a mother loves.

Tears of joy, tears of sadness.

The next part of the process usually takes 12 weeks, and then we're getting really close to the Big Day. Twelve weeks from today would be just before Christmas.

I can't think of a better gift.

Do Over

Great news for all of you who have long abandoned your New Year's resolutions:

Today is a new day, a new year. Time for a Do-Over...if you need one.

In Ethiopia, they follow the Coptic calendar, which celebrates the New Year on Sept. 11.

Today I'm an honorary Ethiopian. Do you want to be one too?

Here's another reason to consider being Ethiopian for a day: In Ethiopia the year is 2007. Seriously. (If you don't believe me, check this out: this.)

So if you woke up stiff and sore this morning...if you're feeling like your age is catching up with you...deduct 7 years from your current age and live accordingly.

Reset your internal clocks, my friends! Melkem Addis Amet! (Happy New Year!)

Too School for Cool

Before:

During:

After:

According to Jack, "School is great."

Thoughts on 43

• A giant piece of carrot cake is the perfect way to end a perfect day.
• I am so rich in family and friends that even Bill Gates is jealous.
• Well, he would be if he knew me. But he doesn't. His loss.
• I've had my share of ups and downs in life, but for the most part, I live a pretty charmed life.
• A quiet house at the end of a long day is a wonderful gift.
• I love that I spent the majority of my weekend gluing, cutting, painting...creating. Creating makes me feel joyful.
• I bet that joyful "I just created something!" feeling is the reason God made so much stuff.
• Yesterday Jack didn't want to take a nap, but I finally convinced him to lie down on my bed and quietly read books with me. He'd look at a few pages and then turn his head to me, put his face next to mine, smile hugely, and say in a high-pitched voice, "Mom! Your birthday is tomorrow! I'm sooooo excited!"
• My hubs gave me a dishwasher for my birthday. You know you're a grown up when appliances excite you.
• 43 is so much better than 13 or 23 or even 33. Probably better than 3 too, but I don't remember that much about 3. Because I'm old.
• I read this quote today: "There are two great days in a person's life - the day we are born and the day we discover why." -William Barclay
• I've known the "why" part for a while, but the vision has become more tangible this past year. That makes me happy and excited.
   
  I can't wait to see what next year holds.
   
  
  

Conditions at the Orphanage

Some of you have asked about the orphanage our kids are at. Yesterday I was able to message some other adoptive parents who have children that were at this orphanage, and they gave me some

reassuring information.

From everything they said, the workers are extremely loving, caring for the children as if they were their own. They said there isn't a ton of "stuff," but the children liked the orphanage better than others.

I was told by one of our workers that both Islam and Christianity (Orthodox) were practiced in this area, so the kids might be exposed to both. However, the other parents I communicated with didn't seem to think their children had received any instruction in Islam.

The town where the orphanage is located is small-ish and laid back, especially when compared with the hustle and bustle of the capital city, Addis Ababa. (Legend has it that the Queen of Sheba came from this area of Ethiopia.) The workers are very welcoming and we were told to expect a coffee ceremony (tradition in Ethio as it's the birthplace of coffee), which takes a few hours!

All of this info on the orphanage is relative, of course, because an orphanage is never an ideal condition in which to live. But...some are better than others, and I'm happy our kids are at one of the better ones.

...

We continue to prepare for our church's fall festival, where we will be selling more pendants to raise money for FIVE airplane tickets from Ethiopia to Chicago. Here is another sneak peek at some of the original, one-of-a-kind pieces we'll be selling. There's only one of each, so don't get your heart set on anything! :)

This butterfly and winky-smiley face would be so cute on a little girl, wouldn't they?

Love these two pieces below. I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I'll never run a marathon, but if you or someone you love has, the 26.2 would be a nice gift. The one on the left is our "African Sun," but it's made on a rectangular pendant. Isn't it beautiful?

Love these for the kiddos in your life. A great stocking stuffer or back-to-school gift. And the one on the far right...perfect for any classic rock fan..

Owls and snowflakes. So pretty!

And if you are a sports fan, these would make great key chains!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Enjoy your weekend! What are your plans? We don't have anything on the calendar...and that makes me super happy. :)

-Luann

100!

I got a message from a teenager at our church. He was ordering two of the Reality Check keychains (4million minus3). A teenager with a part time job. He wanted to do his part in reducing the number of orphans in Ethiopia.  And when I delivered them, he gave me a twenty dollar bill and told me to keep the change.

This will sound cheesy, but that order really touched me. He would probably be embarrassed if I mentioned his name, but he knows who he is. Thank you!

Another friend messaged me to say her pendants had arrived, and immediately her daughters put them on and were wearing them around the house.

A friend from my high school and college days donated several hundred dollars for just one pendant. I was stunned.

And a woman I met on the Mom's board on FB ordered two of our "signature" pendants "Splendor."

Two friends bought pendants last minute as birthday gifts for family members, and a family member stocked up on them so she'll have Christmas gifts to give her coworkers.

A young mother who I knew when she was FIVE YEARS OLD (I know, hard to believe I'm that old) not only bought some pendants but is donating hand-made earrings for me to sell!

I wish I could share all the stories. Each and every sale, each and every prayer, is so greatly appreciated. We couldn't do this without you.

I've just totaled the number of sales we've had, and we're at 100 pendants sold! ONE HUNDRED. That's a lot. My niece, Melissa, ordered 97, 98, and 99. It was not intentional on her part to be the hundreth; I believe it was more a matter of procrastination. Regardless, to celebrate this milestone, Melissa will get one free pendant of her choice. (Send me a message, Melissa!)

SNEAK PEEK
The response to these simple pendants has been so overwhelming that we've decided to expand our inventory and sell them at our church's Fall Festival on September 13 in Winfield.

Our local artisan (I love using that word, if you haven't noticed) is providing SEVENTY-FIVE completely unique, one-of-a kind pendants. You guys, they are so amazing. There are different colors, shapes, and themes for whatever your interest is.

Here is a sneak peek at just a few of the many choices that will be available.

 Don't you just love the "courage" one? It would be such a lovely gift for someone who is facing a difficult time. It could easily be adapted to a key chain if the person isn't into jewelry. The multi-colored heart would be so sweet on a young girl--perhaps a reminder gift of how proud you are of her.

A few more:

Does anyone else LOVE the bronze/black sunshine? I love how organic and earthy it is. It would look great with a black top.

Here are four more that I am crazy about:

I have a friend who loves the color red. And with her golden brown skin and dark hair, she looks great in it. I chose several red pendants for her to choose from.

And if you are a fan of snow like me, you'll like the beautiful snowflake pendants. This one is in a crisp blue, but I have a few others in other shapes and sizes.

The brown square pendant on the far right...wouldn't it be perfect for a fall outfit? It has autumn written all over it.

We also have a teddy bear, a football, a smiley face, a butterfly, and many, many more.

Please come out to the Fall Festival if you're interested in any of these pendants. There will also be an antique car show, bounce houses, a petting zoo, and pony rides. And food. Delicious food. Because we're Baptist and Baptists like to eat.

And if you'd like to purchase any of the original pendants, we have about 20 of each available. I put in a rush order, and they are ready to be packaged and shipped.

Lastly, if you already received a pendant and it arrived broken, PLEASE let me know. I've only had one report of that so far, but I really want to know so I can do better with the packaging as well as replace the damaged items.

Thanks again! See you at the Fall Festival!

Luann

Deep Breaths...

You guys.

I.Can't.Even.

I mean.

I don't even know what to say.

Overwhelmed.

Excited.

Grateful.

{deep breath}

As of about two minutes ago, we have sold FIFTY-SEVEN pendants. Fifty-seven. In less than 3 days.

Oh me of little faith--I only ordered 75 pieces total. And that was a stretch. Initially I was only going to get 50, but I felt the nudge to get more.

And these have ALL been blog/Facebook sales. Apparently God knows how much I hate looking someone in the eye and asking them to buy something. I haven't even set any aside to sell at the booth we'll have at our church's Fall Festival in a few weeks.

The African Suns are gone. Gone. And four are on back order. I have to call my artist-potterygirl-artisan-friend and see how soon she can make more.

I am in awe. I don't know why...I  look at all that God has done already...and yet, I still have moments of doubt.

A little story for you. I was at a thrift store a few weeks ago. It benefits a program for single moms and their kids and is run by a local church. This church is more of the foot-stomping, tongue-speaking, hand-clapping variety than my church (although we do have our moments), and gosh do those women running the shop love Jesus.

Well, when they found out I was shopping for clothes for three chillin's that we're looking to adopt, they gathered around me, layed hands on me, and Prayed. (That's praying with a capital "P," as opposed to the way some folk pray with a little "p," if you know what I mean.)

They prayed for the children, the transition, the resources, the funds to come in. They prayed for our family, our faith, and when they prayed, they believed it.

When the last woman said Amen, Rosemary, the lady I see there now every week, said, "Luann, it's done. Done."

I walked out of that shop lifted up on angel wings. I told Ken about it, but he had yet to go there until yesterday. So yesterday when we stopped by (they are only open on the weekends), Rosemary and another woman, whose daughter is a missionary in Zimbabwe, asked how the adoption was going, and Rosemary encouraged me to show the kids' pictures again. They didn't have to twist my arm.

Then I showed them my necklace and explained how we were selling them to raise money for the kids' airfare.

I must've looked worried about the finances, because Rosemary looked at my like I was crazy. "Girl, did you forget what I told you last time after we prayed?"

No, I hadn't. "I know, Rosemary. It's done. Done."

When Ken and I got back in the car, he said, "Wow! Now I know why you go there. I feel great. That was just the spiritual pep talk we needed!"

THANK YOU, Jesus. Thank you, friends, who have supported us with your purchases and especially with your prayers.

It's not too late to place an order. In case you missed it, below is what we're selling. We're out of stock on the African Suns, but I'm going to order more this week. If you're interested in buying anything, or you want to let us know you're praying, leave us a comment with your email address and I'll send you more info.

----

Splendor 
I like to think of the first design as our signature piece. Measuring about 1.5" x 1", this rectangular pendant is engraved with the Bible verse we have prayed for our children. It is perfect for moms, grandmas, aunts, teachers, or anyone who loves kids. I wore it last night when I had dinner with some of my high school friends, and one of them noticed it right away and asked, "Luann, what does your necklace say?" That's the exact goal: it's a conversation starter. The print is small enough that it may be difficult to read, but pretty enough to create an artistic design.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, for the display of His splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)

Our adopted children will be uprooted from everything they know and be replanted into our family here in the U.S. Whenever something is replanted, there is a transition time while the plant adjusts to the new soil. Sometimes it looks like the plant won't make it. But once it takes root and is nourished and cared for, it flourishes and grows. That will be our kids...their stories will display His splendor. I am holding onto that promise.

But this promise is not just for adopted children, it's for all of us. Whatever rough patches we've been through, God can redeem those struggles for good and create something lasting and strong...like the mighty oak tree.


Glazed in a concrete-earthy toned color, this organic piece comes with a black cord that can be adjusted to various lengths. We are selling this item for $15, or you can get two for $25.










African Sun--Currently SOLD OUT

The second piece we're offering is a round, two-sided pendant. On one side is a blazing African sun, and the other side simply says "Shine." I love the simplicity of the message as well as the graphic appeal. Like the previous piece, this pendant comes with an adjustable cord, and it measures about 1.5" in diameter. This necklace looks great with a V-neck shirt as well as a plain shirt that need a bit of pizzazz.

Because each African Sun pendant is individually hand stamped and cut, each piece will be slightly different. The glaze has hints of burnt yellow and dusty blue that reflect whatever color of clothing you're wearing.

We are selling this two-sided pendant for $15 each, or two for $25. If you want to order the African Sun, let me know. It will probably be at least three weeks until we get more in stock.




Roots and Wings
When I was discussing our ideas with Linda, the artist who created these pendants, two of her stamps caught my eye. One was an intricate cherry blossom and the other a gentle dragonfly.

I like the contrast between these two symbols: the beauty of the cherry blossom is only produced when it is connected to the tree, which must have roots that go down deep into the soil...and the dragonfly is made to fly, free and unfettered. These two ideas--having roots (knowing where you came from) and having wings (discovering your uniqueness and purpose)--are essential to life.

This two-sided pendant, measuring 1.5" x 1", comes with an adjustable cord and is available for $15 each, or 2 for $25.


Reality Check
I call our final piece Reality Check because that's exactly what it is. There are more than 4 million orphans in Ethiopia. Four Million. I can't even get my head around that number. But Lord-willing, that number will be lessened by three in a few short months.

By purchasing this piece or any of the pendants, you are making the "minus three" a reality. We can't accomplish this without you, and even if we could, we wouldn't want to. We want our children to be raised and loved by a whole community.

Measuring 1.5" long and less than 0.5" wide, this two-sided piece is the perfect size for a key chain. It is also really cute "doubled-up" with one of the other pendants, in a charm necklace or dog-tag style.

This smaller-sized pendant is selling for $10, or $2 for $15. It comes with a silver link key chain holder.

To purchase one of these items, simply leave me a comment or send me an email indicating the pendant you want and the quantity. This is the perfect time to think ahead for teacher gifts as well as Christmas presents.

After placing your order, I will send you an electronic invoice and you can pay directly to our PayPal account using your debit or credit card. Or, if you prefer, cash is always good.

If you live locally, I will personally deliver your purchases. If you don't live nearby, shipping starts at $1.50 per item.

Thanks for reading, praying, and purchasing!

On behalf of our growing family~
Luann