Why International Adoption?

We have been asked this question multiple times and I think I am ready to answer it on a more public level. Why did we chose international adoption for our first adoption? Why did we chose Ethiopia? Well, it can be broken down into one reason. Because we are feeling a pull in our hearts toward the orphans in Ethiopia. But, let me expand on that!

We feel that God knows the children he has for us. It is our jobs to be open and prayerful for an answer as to where we will adopt. Our agency approved us for two countries, Bulgaria and Ethiopia. We ruled out Bulgaria simply because they won't adopt out the children under age one and usually not until they are 2 and we really want to (and feel we should) start our parenting journey with an infant. So that left Ethiopia. My dad's cousin was a missionary in Ethiopia where he was martyred. His wife is still in contact with people in Ethiopia and has already helped us so much with translating words and names (thanks Jewell!). I know that that connection, the family tie, is a huge flag in my book of God saying "this is where your child is".

Now as for our plans for after Ethiopia? Honduras is looking promising. We also feel a call to foster here in the US one day when we have more parenting experience.

In summary, you can only know where you should adopt and what would be best for your family. For us it is Ethiopia, for you it may be China, for others it is private infant domestic adoption. Where ever you adopt and who ever you adopt it all boils down to loving a child who needs to know love and that is what we are in this for. I am sure my answers to this question will grow and change while we head through this process. This is where we are now. So partner with us on our journey and bring home baby Hoos!!! (check out our 5k too!)

Stay in bed 5k!

We are going to be doing an adoption fund raiser for us and a couple of awesome friends who are also adopting Read about them here! A stay in bed 5k is where you sign up like any other 5k, there's a fee for a t-shirt packet and you can get sponsors and everything, the only thing missing is the running! All you have to do is wear your shirt and number on the day specified and go on with your day. You can take pictures of yourself in your shirts and of course your race number during the day for entrance into a drawing for a prize!

So basically this is a neat way to include all of our friends, even those who if you see them running you had better start running too, in a great event!

Deadline for registration: September 22nd (so we can order shirts and other goodies for you!)
Day of the 5k: October 13th
Where: Anywhere you go on Oct 13th!!!
How much?: $30/ participant (includes shirt, race number, goodies and opportunity to win a prize!)
How?: Go to the paypal link at the top left of this page and submit 25 dollars add a note with your shirt size and address!
Goal: 75 participants

Help us meet our goal and have some fun finding creative places to sleep too! Now excuse me while I nap train for this awesome event!!!

Upload your race day pictures here on the facebook page!!!

Cornhole Tournament

Our cornhole tournament was a HUGE success! We have such an awesome group of friends and family who support us so much! Feeling very blessed! Also did some brainstorming of other fund raisers we can do in the near future. So hopeful and excited for things to come!!! Since I forgot to do a fact Friday and it is Sunday already I think I will just post a cute picture of one of our dogs doing my job for me on Friday while I wasn't posting a fact Friday!

Kimby cleans up after the daycare kids lunch!

You're gonna do what? Breast feeding my adopted child

I have been running this post through my mind over and over trying to figure out how I would write it. The subject is a little odd, I haven't seen too many blogs where adoptive parents from ET have breastfed (or at least that they wanted to talk about publicly). But, I am one that when I do something unique I shout it off the rooftops. I strive to instill courage in all my introvert brethren, at least that's what I tell myself. So here it is: we are going to give it a good try to breast feed our adopted child. (if our agency and social worker are kosher with it)

What the la leche league has to say about it!

I am going to just give you how we broke it down.

Pros: Promotes attachment/bonding, it's practically free of cost once you have a pump and storage system, it is what I would do for a biological child, it's best for the baby nutrition wise, and it's something that has been done for pretty well all of history (ever heard of a wet nurse?).

Cons: It is considered "weird" to some, it may be awkard at first and near the end, let's face it we're white and he is black (stereotypes and such), and there is always the "what if's" what if he doesn't latch etc..., just one more new thing for such a young person, and what if people view it as morally wrong.

As you can see the majority of the cons stem from how others view us. Obviously, we can't let that out weigh the pros that it is really what is best for the baby. The con about the stress of adding one more thing to change is a different story. We are going to do our best to tackle that when it comes. By taking things slow, doing it in the process that is recommended by either a doctor or a lactation expert.

Of course this is a huge under taking (as it is when breast feeding a biological baby) but I am willing to work at it and Howie is along for the ride and being very supportive. So be praying for us, that we are making the right choice for our family. I'll post more about this when we get farther into the process!

A quick update

Well there's the bottle! Almost 2/3 full of change and a ton of cash. We have managed to start a really expensive diet and still save all this change! So excited to keep pinched and sacrificing to bring home our baby! Want to join us? Let me know!

That book in the picture is a must read! So buy it, read it, and implement what you find!

Ok, there's my update! I just got excited to share our bottle and this amazing book!

WWJD? But I don't wanna!

Being a Christian is a huge part of who I am. I try to make every decision in my life in regards to what the Bible teaches. Recently I have been tested in this. There are days when I feel like nothing I do is going to matter. Days when the "what ifs" of international adoption get a hold of me. Those days when I wonder if this journey we are on will ever have an end point. Today was one of those days.

It was a worry day. I worried about the home study, attachment, breast feeding (post to come on that bombshell right there), money, money, and oh money. Then I remembered the sermon from church on Sunday. We finished up the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5, 6, and 7. He suggested we read those three chapters as often as possible and to live by them in turn. I did read those three chapters last night. I read the words Jesus spoke about not worrying. Yet here I am, worrying. After I had this realization I took some time to pray it out. I had a heart to heart with my maker and came out on the other side feeling motivated and encouraged that this would all come together. And together it came!

Last night I posted our coffee fund raiser on a Facebook page for our area "classifieds" where people post stuff for sale and advertise their businesses. Right when I got done praying I went to the computer and as a last resort hold on my independence checked our fund raising websites. There in the "orders" column were three names I did not recognize. Three complete strangers bought coffee in support of our adoption. I was blown away at how God can use an innocent by stander for His will. Those people who bought that coffee reminded me of how I just needed to trust God. Give ALL my decisions to Him and trust he will guide me in the correct direction.

So, I am telling you here and now. This crazy, messy, unorganized life will be guided by God. 

Free Coffee? Here's how!

We are giving away a free bag of coffee from our Just Love Coffee Store! All you have to do to be entered in the drawing is purchase something from our Meylah Storefront by Saturday September, 8th 2012 at 8:00am. I will do the drawing at 9:00am Saturday and notify you via this blog and my facebook of the winner! So get over to Our Meylah Store and order up!