tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61246105046866639152024-02-20T19:56:03.468-08:00journeys of the reece's piecesLiving God's plan for us to the fullest...:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-2781458279881392632011-12-13T21:30:00.000-08:002011-12-13T21:30:06.219-08:00A Father's Love<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My first guest blogger! :) A special message from my sweet husband...</span></div>
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<strong><em><span style="color: black;">John 3:16: For GOD so LOVED the world that he gave HIS only begotten SON that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. </span></em></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Hope abounds as we quickly approach Christmas and the grand celebration of our Savior's birth. I am so thankful for the precious gift given to us by Christ's great sacrifice and the promise of eternal life. </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Although my Dad is no longer on this earth to share Christmas with this year, I rest in the assurance that I will one day see him again. I am grateful for all the time we had with him and all of his great love for his family. </span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGaCEgX1HFK887PNtiG-XHJEb6AfnC6-eHIjr3yRv70Au4Mei6CQ5ZWffnKcd0sCZeskF1OopmfVIqFl1nxVYcmy9fcHNBjucxdcdJRsPLQd6a58B3z5BVWC_kmbQWZ_CuYxadJ6yt20/s1600/Big+Camera+download+12-3-08+160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGaCEgX1HFK887PNtiG-XHJEb6AfnC6-eHIjr3yRv70Au4Mei6CQ5ZWffnKcd0sCZeskF1OopmfVIqFl1nxVYcmy9fcHNBjucxdcdJRsPLQd6a58B3z5BVWC_kmbQWZ_CuYxadJ6yt20/s320/Big+Camera+download+12-3-08+160.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><strong><span style="color: black;"></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">One of the things his grandchildren did to say goodbye was to release balloons to Heaven at his graveside. Several months later our children wanted to send balloons to Grandpa again to say hello so they wrote notes to him on the balloons and let them go to Heaven. It was amazing to watch the balloons released separately from my children's hands stay side by side during their entire journey as far as eye could see. </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">I have posted the short video celebrating my Dad's life for anyone who was unable to attend his memorial service or wants to one again remember the life that he lived.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Merry Christmas!</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: black;">David</span></strong></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UUAH-kjTqas?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-81542786256542239762011-12-02T13:51:00.001-08:002011-12-02T14:02:11.512-08:00A year ago today...<div style="text-align: center;">
We met the most beautiful little princess.</div>
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We fell in love looking into her big, beautiful brown eyes.</div>
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We danced.</div>
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We cuddled.</div>
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She fell asleep with her hand curled in mine.</div>
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Love looks like this...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sOlEaS_DNLbQh7Qc4Vq2ezMEqfDN6JFfGRNOMWy2iTk7GHEWUrLNumQbMWuRi2AdA5XnpUaRP2vWOcS9SYOQVnTYZRxC_sO_sgZIvicclnohnvqBrasOVGS0xqauej7nok44QXf2_bM/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sOlEaS_DNLbQh7Qc4Vq2ezMEqfDN6JFfGRNOMWy2iTk7GHEWUrLNumQbMWuRi2AdA5XnpUaRP2vWOcS9SYOQVnTYZRxC_sO_sgZIvicclnohnvqBrasOVGS0xqauej7nok44QXf2_bM/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+126.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-72398679307568383382011-11-21T13:13:00.001-08:002011-11-21T13:13:58.721-08:00God's Gift of Multiplication!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCM97bdH2iJ2_oaF_EF0ZPoGCPIRZ-xWG0e3CiVBaD0AbMq7Q52sKrykXw1tlbIdCPWvceMAxDNsEoUQXnVz_KjXO7Sm3FxL_eZCPaZX9tlygFgn7Y-8XEWWhtpMXZ-epaV_R-gxQ0ozd/s1600/DSC_0248.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" closure_uid_scnfbe="2" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676110561154776370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqCM97bdH2iJ2_oaF_EF0ZPoGCPIRZ-xWG0e3CiVBaD0AbMq7Q52sKrykXw1tlbIdCPWvceMAxDNsEoUQXnVz_KjXO7Sm3FxL_eZCPaZX9tlygFgn7Y-8XEWWhtpMXZ-epaV_R-gxQ0ozd/s400/DSC_0248.JPG" style="display: block; height: 352px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">In shock. In amazement.<br /><br />An incredibly generous
donor has thrown down the gauntlet: they will MATCH the next $130,000 given to
build the schools at Adami Tulu & Ziway - Lifesong for Orphans by December
31.<br /><br />That's $65,000 for each school!<br /><br />So for every $1,000 you
give....it just magically turns into $2,000!</span><br />Now keep in mind, this is
a real match, not a phony one. This is not a $130,000 gift. If we don't raise
the money by December 31, it evaporates into this air.<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 100%;">I think I can speak for all of us working on this
project, we are beyond excited!<br /><br />Will join us in helping change the
world?<br /><br /><a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=W3BB63S6635GQ"><span style="color: #2288bb;">MAKE
A MATCHED DONATION NOW</span></a> -</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-style: italic;">your donation is 100% tax deductible</span></div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-69529898925732336602011-11-21T13:08:00.001-08:002011-11-21T13:12:03.749-08:00Great Post about Adami TuluRemember <span style="color: red;">Spare <em>CHANGE</em> Children's Lives</span>? Remember Adami Tulu?<br />
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I hope you
will check out this post from <a href="http://www.aaronklein.com/2011/11/adami-tulu-project-the-next-phase/"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Aaron
Klein</span></a> about what's next for Adami Tuli Project in Ethiopia! We would love to
have your support as we go forward in faith to complete Phase 2!:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-51295736926230313552011-11-01T11:12:00.000-07:002011-11-01T11:12:13.655-07:00HAPPY Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkCc8QK-TQjt8TEDVIWJKCepAaqJ8AY_t1GwO6cdKD3ywM4rT_gAd6d3t-xTPZcdyc7-QFINHWRmjHvcn-O3mN18OVJdY-hlSOdI_UdOETaJOyIvwErqeizAcc4MVsJ1lkPhrlNOSoxk/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkCc8QK-TQjt8TEDVIWJKCepAaqJ8AY_t1GwO6cdKD3ywM4rT_gAd6d3t-xTPZcdyc7-QFINHWRmjHvcn-O3mN18OVJdY-hlSOdI_UdOETaJOyIvwErqeizAcc4MVsJ1lkPhrlNOSoxk/s320/044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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October 31st, 2011 marked the begininng of a new family tradition!</div>
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HAPPY Day!</div>
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<strong><em>H</em></strong>arvest</div>
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<strong><em>A</em></strong>ppple</div>
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<strong><em>P</em></strong>arty</div>
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for</div>
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&</div>
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<strong><em>Y</em></strong>oung</div>
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The Parents...</div>
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aka Mickey Mouse & Mouseketeer<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGteF8CX3noz7tKMJsQaTjJdswRFvhS-EVUbtboPAmX8L_9fpndSOEUtWBredTt8kTWEQuIQ4ZEmScd8X8nNZOwxxlA6uI9qWA3NQ-rn344QGvGOkhc3tmwGeJnPOBRZMns7ut6HgdvyM/s1600/058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGteF8CX3noz7tKMJsQaTjJdswRFvhS-EVUbtboPAmX8L_9fpndSOEUtWBredTt8kTWEQuIQ4ZEmScd8X8nNZOwxxlA6uI9qWA3NQ-rn344QGvGOkhc3tmwGeJnPOBRZMns7ut6HgdvyM/s320/058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Young...</div>
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Peter Pan!</div>
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<br />Tinkerbell!</div>
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Wee Little Miss Captain Hook!</div>
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The night's activities included: </div>
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2 crafts, </div>
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a game, </div>
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a candy hunt,</div>
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and yummy, yummy food!</div>
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The first craft was creating Happy Apples... </div>
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one for each member of the family, in the style of each member for sure!</div>
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2nd activity... making tiny caramel apples to have for dessert later!</div>
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Yummy!</div>
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<br />3rd activity... while Mommy was inside making dinner... </div>
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Mickey Mouse and the kiddos were outside collecting leaves </div>
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to make Happy Leaves of course!</div>
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What's for dinner?</div>
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Flap Jack'o Lantern Pancakes (pumpkin pancakes with white chocolate faces)</div>
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& Mighty Apple chompers...</div>
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Yep...</div>
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After dinner, the fun continued! </div>
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Nothing like a game of Falling Leaves (dropping foam leaves from the balcony down to see if they can be caught by the person below!) to get the kiddos excited!</div>
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And finally, it was time for the Apple Picking (candy) Hunt. Our kids love hunting for Easter Eggs... so we turned trick-or-treating into a bit of a hunt in their rooms upstairs. They were delighted to find boxes of candy hidden under red apple cut-outs hidden in their rooms!</div>
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Time for dessert! </div>
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How mini were the "caramel" apples (granny smith apples dipped in melted butterscotch chips and rolled in sprinkles... yummy)? ... </div>
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See for yourself!</div>
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For some of us, they were bite-size... others... just the perfect size!</div>
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<br />Fun was definitely had by all!</div>
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Did our kiddos miss out on "trick or treating"? </div>
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In the traditional sense... yes.</div>
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But, having our son exclaim (without prompting), </div>
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"This is the BEST night ever!"</div>
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We think that the first HAPPY festival was a hit!</div>
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P.S. Yes, the "Candy Fairies" still did come in the night... replacing the piles of candy they gathered throughout the night... with golden dollars! Ok... they replaced all except for the Junior Mints... which Peter Pan asked in a nicely written note that they please leave for him! ;)</div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-64558436444054401922011-10-26T12:37:00.000-07:002011-10-26T12:51:23.500-07:00Speeches and swimming and heels... oh my!<div>
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Nothing like a few adorable videos to make up for </div>
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7 months of not posting, right?</div>
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So... here is Beans practicing for his first speech meet. </div>
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A kindergarten speech meet you ask? Yes... it was adorable!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxprxrVyun8ZQwrszUl7PDnVBAPypVOD09C_DPWwPISv86KKRFWIf2voJRSOMNEplD3I25z9EKzzh_w38vy-w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Then there is the new little swimmer!</div>
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She is having SO much fun!!</div>
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Can you tell?<br />
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And finally, not to be outdone by her older siblings, </div>
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our littlest Sweet Pea has taken to strolling... in heels. </div>
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</div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-37593805861173273602011-04-10T10:20:00.000-07:002011-04-10T10:26:36.648-07:00Lessons from a "Mommy Retreat" to the Beach...One of my favorite authors is Max Lucado. To me, it seems as if he writes in pictures and parables the messages God lays on His heart. He describes times and lessons so vividly, it’s as if I can close my eyes and imagine myself there with Jesus… like a little child, who has come to sit upon his knee or sit at his feet and simply listen with childlike trust, love and simple understanding. <br /><br />Our adoption journey that last four months has been difficult for our family. Each new week has brought with it the excitement of “Could this be the week we receive travel clearance?” and for 18 weeks now, the extraordinary disappointment of “Not yet.” It has been difficult to simply trust in God’s timing, to understand how he could purpose such a long wait for His glory, to calm the “Mama Bear” instincts that passionately rage inside my heart to have our daughter home. <br /><br />God has blessed me with a husband who recognizes that God has created me as a “social introvert” (gotta love labels!). It simply means that while I love being around friends and family, I gain my energy from time alone… with God’s word, my bible, my guitar and a stack of sweet “chick-flicks”. Together we realized that I had not had such a time of refreshment since our first child was born… so 5 years later, here I am, in a quiet room at the beach… 36 hours later, refreshed, renewed and missing my hubby and kiddos like crazy! Exactly what this Mama needed!<br /><br />Yesterday, I took a three hour walk on the beach. The beach wasn’t crowded, so many times I walked along with my eyes closed and simply listened… and prayed… and listened… and this is what I heard… <br /><br />“Listen to the sea. What do you hear? How does it reflect Me?” <br /><br />“Now look at the waves and beyond. What do you see? How does it reflect Me?”<br /><br />“Close your eyes and feel the wind in your face. What is its purpose? How does it reflect Me?” <br /><br />So, I listened. <br /><br />The sound of the sea is constant. While the roars may ebb and flow a bit, the sound does not cease. While every once in a while I would become distracted by a sea gull, barking dog, or child giggling nearby, the sound of the sea was still there… constant. Not shattered by the other sounds. Constant. Not muted. Constant. <br /><br />“How does it reflect Me?” <br /><br />The presence of the Lord is constant. He promises to never leave us or forsake us. However, I realized that I’d let other “sounds” in my life mute His voice. Even in the constant chattering of my children, His voice is still whispering to me… constantly… if only I’ll listen. Even in HOA meetings, ministry work, part-time consulting work from home, laundry, groceries… His presence is constant, He is longing to direct my words and actions… if only I’ll listen. He is constant. <br /><br />“Now what do you see?” <br /><br />In the waves I saw bold strength crashing down upon the shore. I saw gentleness sweeping across the sand as the sea retreated back. As I looked beyond the line of crashing waves, I saw a vast sea of power and softness… so far beyond my vision… stretching beyond the horizon as-if completely endless. <br /><br />“How does it reflect Me?” <br /><br />It reminded me of how one of the children’s bible story books describes God’s love. His Unceasing, Unbreakable, Never giving up, Always & Forever Love. In two words “Be still”, Jesus calmed a raging storm. His powerful love brought gentle peace and safety to His children. Even to His children who were not fully trusting Him. How very much like me. His love is never-ending… His love endures forever. He is strong and powerful… yet gentle and wise. In His love, He has written the pages of each of our lives… given up His own life so we can spend eternity with Our Creator. His love is endless. <br /><br />“The wind… close your eyes and feel the wind.” <br /><br />On the first half of my walk, the wind guided me gently down the shore. On the second half, it pushed against my every step… strong, *chilly*, and gusting now and then. <br /><br />“How does it reflect Me?” <br /><br />The wind gave the gulls strength not just to fly but to soar! Sometimes we can feel the pressures of the world beating upon us at the wind in our face, but God is there to lift us, strengthen us, help us to soar above for His glory. I’m reminded of these words: Even the winds and the waves obeyed Him. Do not be tossed by waves of doubt and uncertainty. Hold fast to the Rock upon whom your foundation is built. <br /><br />In 36 hours, I’ve spoken less than 1,000 words… no words of correction or discipline to my children… just simple words to my family of “I miss you. I love you.” <br /><br />In 36 hours, I’ve listened… I’ve been corrected… I’ve been lovingly disciplined by my Father… and I’ve been restored. <br /><br />His presence is always with me, strong, powerful and gentle… I simply have to listen, recognize His voice and obey! <br /><br />His love is unceasing, always and forever. It is unstoppable… I simply have to choose to accept it, share it and live in and through it! <br /><br />His purposes are always for good. Trials may come, but in them He does not leave. I am a work in progress, under construction… He has purposes for our family as we remain steadfast in His love. He is the foundation of our home and He reigns victoriously. I simply need to remember these things… and consistently put them into practice.:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-49639883955217028402011-04-05T09:21:00.000-07:002011-04-05T11:36:10.083-07:00SPARE CHANGE!!! YOU changed children's lives!25 families joined us in collecting spare change (and/or donating during our SPARE CHANGE campaign!)! We launched the campaign in honor of our sweet baby girl's first birthday... While we missed having her with us... it was precious to see children bringing in their piggy banks to share with the children of Ethiopia! <br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v7f2Jkznn8XCE_yXp73CNm5ti8niANQ139dY8gbfU_-PVHlDGo-mo9_qPeZhniU1c3wBaOVOQv_isOla4l6MuAjIw0CklOFg1_ROPJe4Vjw5mQvOak46aXghQ04oD2jC42kmcJesKaw/s1600/134.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVqYc7stP4LUeU4rwoUN-Vc7kePLmMggPJXMGtXb8c5NUzLvQteHErdcWnOq5boUNCxdEqFS-wnv9v6w_jv5YOfVgrAxaJ2VmPkKs2zwraTI2uWOeNJo7NHj3Yi0IN0IpKUbTqdEpobs/s1600/134.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592136227564087570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVqYc7stP4LUeU4rwoUN-Vc7kePLmMggPJXMGtXb8c5NUzLvQteHErdcWnOq5boUNCxdEqFS-wnv9v6w_jv5YOfVgrAxaJ2VmPkKs2zwraTI2uWOeNJo7NHj3Yi0IN0IpKUbTqdEpobs/s320/134.JPG" /></a> <br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIyLXPVk0iKT7A0b7GWsncFvlFwD_KDB5ZX01V8y0HnThSQgUynVTwvr-HEWDmPYz1QBQQ6rsq1wgZCKkirEyqqXt7DYhPH4hH0rh-31pOMObRYfljM67HP0dCSd-TgIoLtvFNTQMoQI/s1600/144.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592136747907257010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIyLXPVk0iKT7A0b7GWsncFvlFwD_KDB5ZX01V8y0HnThSQgUynVTwvr-HEWDmPYz1QBQQ6rsq1wgZCKkirEyqqXt7DYhPH4hH0rh-31pOMObRYfljM67HP0dCSd-TgIoLtvFNTQMoQI/s320/144.JPG" /></a> <em>We were excited to receive BAGS of coins on our front door;</em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>checks in the mail from Oregon, Washington & Iowa; </em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>on-line donations from Oregon, California, Colorado & New Mexico</em>! </div><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAo_wyfBtNTlCAeo_XeDGsIX-XTsNdkapj6uCt96dD2gzzBZpzWnUatSE8KLUCw80oAIQyq_p5Sys-6t5UXMMnhIozK8srZ5sI6P_4seforND6pQCqp7e3Utx4lH_efBTw9JaN8YfiOM/s1600/022.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592136761025432130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAo_wyfBtNTlCAeo_XeDGsIX-XTsNdkapj6uCt96dD2gzzBZpzWnUatSE8KLUCw80oAIQyq_p5Sys-6t5UXMMnhIozK8srZ5sI6P_4seforND6pQCqp7e3Utx4lH_efBTw9JaN8YfiOM/s320/022.JPG" /></a></p><br /><p align="center"><strong><u>And... the final result? Over $900!!!!</u></strong></p><br /><p align="center"><em>And now... for the winners!!!! You can only win once (so everyone has a chance to win!!!)</em></p><br /><p align="center">Most combined: The Skeele Family... a huge bag of coins: $117.48... you win a t-shirt & chocolate!</p><br /><p align="center">Most quarters: The Moss Family... 124... you win a t-shirt!</p><br /><p align="center">Most dimes: The Durbin Family... 442... you win a t-shirt!</p><br /><p align="center">Most nickels: The Corrigan Family... 108... you win chocolate!</p><br /><p align="center">Most pennies: The Schneider Family... 492... you win chocolate!</p><br /><p align="center">Thank you to EVERYONE who donated. YOU made a difference... and touched our hearts and our son's heart as he saw the coins add up... and more and more children "fed"! :)</p><br /><p align="center">Once again, stay tuned for the next EXCITING fundraising campaign!</p></div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-8273799767850180342011-04-05T08:48:00.001-07:002011-04-05T09:15:59.177-07:00Adami Tulu - What now? A critically needed add-on project!Upon receiving the incredible news that the classroom expansion project for Adami Tulu was fully funded, we stood in awe of how quickly God perfect provision for the project came about! <br /><br />However, as our fundraising team (our family and our awesome friends the Williams) was really just getting started and our SPARE CHANGE campaign in mid-stream, LifeSong for Orphans Ethiopia was contacted to see if there was an additional need for the school. <br /><br />Indeed, there was. In fact, they have a critical need for new restroom facilities that were not included in the original construction costs because the original fundraising goal was so high already. But, God is good!!! and He provided those funds!!! <br /><br />Now, we have the opportunity to continue our fundraising to help make an even greater impact. This is what the current latrines look like in Adami Tulu... Cassie & Ryan Williams saw these first-hand on their latest trip to Ethiopia last month when they brought their handsome son home!... <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgMJeSgrYW_0AJ7DB_ocuDK9O5Ghp-jAl8jtRJIcyzzLS2aimO5Fl-ajJLDTLO4WUrZovX2w3SsQWV0HoXiJ_zlFklthDTxJNE5v96kTPb_DcXFhiGSL9olAetnQmHuD170qDeedkplc/s1600/latrine-adamitulu-2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592130072854538034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgMJeSgrYW_0AJ7DB_ocuDK9O5Ghp-jAl8jtRJIcyzzLS2aimO5Fl-ajJLDTLO4WUrZovX2w3SsQWV0HoXiJ_zlFklthDTxJNE5v96kTPb_DcXFhiGSL9olAetnQmHuD170qDeedkplc/s320/latrine-adamitulu-2.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmziOiNmGkefcbQUSPaSvg5aZac9U360RnRBQsujOvKG-Y1vEz34iwtoMuzPn5QQ77Lg1oFamc7rT3IWvLcXqiBgy3xqA5MDQd6CwxqLxEybMvIgV7QL4RKfhIry7nG6yVeNEujcefBA/s1600/latrine-adamitulu-3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592130067490436050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmziOiNmGkefcbQUSPaSvg5aZac9U360RnRBQsujOvKG-Y1vEz34iwtoMuzPn5QQ77Lg1oFamc7rT3IWvLcXqiBgy3xqA5MDQd6CwxqLxEybMvIgV7QL4RKfhIry7nG6yVeNEujcefBA/s320/latrine-adamitulu-3.jpg" /><br /><br /></a> Beautifully constructed restroom facilities in Ziway, Ethiopia (just north of Adami Tulu) where Lifesong also operates! This is what the finished project in Adami Tulu will look like!!!! What an incredible difference for the children and staff of the school! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7r1NVG6LhE_60Q0P5UaZkaleTVbpwWATPUT6TpqjoOx2Jli5BZw8C5saaYG6BgAa5DiGaDxVO6etAPcrW90_MJ3HOJ00lclc1a_ukdcrC7QMuoO-3yteURxfC6CCVSxqmly67EBSNKk/s1600/latrine-ziway-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592130064981786066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7r1NVG6LhE_60Q0P5UaZkaleTVbpwWATPUT6TpqjoOx2Jli5BZw8C5saaYG6BgAa5DiGaDxVO6etAPcrW90_MJ3HOJ00lclc1a_ukdcrC7QMuoO-3yteURxfC6CCVSxqmly67EBSNKk/s320/latrine-ziway-1.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />So.... our fundraising continues to help provide for God's children... a chance for a good education, nutricious food, discipleship... and now... good hygiene! Praise the Lord! The cost... $7,500! So, let's get going! :)<br /><br />Be on the look-out for our newest fundraising campaign in the next day or so! It is bound to peak your interest!!! <br /><br />Or to give now.... simply <a href="http://akle.in/adamitulu-williams-reece">click here</a>.:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-58065777657604811112011-04-05T08:32:00.001-07:002011-04-05T08:46:04.310-07:00Adami Tulu Classroom Expansion... the Lord works His wonders!On 3/20/2011... our fundraising team received amazing news! <br /><br />One generous donor read another team's latest blog post and saw that the overall need remaining to fund the classroom expansion project was $12,000. That day, the donor provided a single check to fill the gap! <br /><br />The Lord worked in mighty ways to show us His goodness and generosity <strong><em><u>of </u></em></strong>His children <strong><u><em>for</em></u></strong> His children. We had donations ranging from $1.55 to $12,000... each giving what they could, with what they had for His purposes! THANK YOU!!!! <br /><br />A team will be traveling to Adami Tulu, Ethiopia in August to help with the classroom construction, run a VBS, and perhaps provide small medical clinic sessions. If you would like to help support the team's travel costs, they are selling awesome t-shirts <a href="http://www.caseypicker.com/shirts/">here</a>.:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-50377422646822131062011-03-13T15:20:00.000-07:002011-03-13T17:35:36.865-07:00100 Days of Waiting...<p>Today marks 100 days since we've been waiting to return to Ethiopia to bring our daughter home. I'll be very honest... These last 100 days have been days filled with hope and despair, joy and sorrow, celebrations and missed milestones. But as I've wrestled with God even just these last few days, He has shown me something I've been completely missing... Himself. His promises.</p><p>For the last six months or so, our family has started doing daily bible readings after dinner. We are using the NIV Family Reading Bible that walks young families through daily readings and offers questions for the kids (and parents) for discussion afterwards. Shani typically does some coloring and singing to herself while Micah listens quite attentively (most nights)so he can earn a stickers as rewards for right answers. Motivation is a good thing! :)</p><p>We were moving right along through the Bible until we can to Psalm 100. We've been "stuck" on it for a good month now. It has become our nightly reading with BOTH kiddos learning more and more of it by heart. It wasn't until I watched this video of Micah, read the words myself, and listened WITH my own heart that I realized God "stuck" us with this desire to read this nightly, so His words would penatrate our hearts and we would live boldy and confidently His promises.</p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyXmQU6dCI2gxHHdBnwn8w_KMAwhQZQ1fYcbdVDc1ITTKHVIa9TnplZDwUy6r1QL-h4OVvSlWRjDM6tf3AhcA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p align="center"><em><strong>Psalm 100</strong></em></p><p align="center"><em>Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, </em></p><p align="center"><em></em></p><p align="center"><em>Worship the Lord with gladness; </em><p align="center"><em>Come before Him with joyful songs.</em></p><p align="center"><em>Know that the Lord is God.</em></p><p align="center"><em>It is He who made us, and we are His;</em></p><p align="center"><em>We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.</em></p><p align="center"><em>Enter His gates with thanksgiving</em></p><p align="center"><em>and His courts with praise;</em></p><p align="center"><em>Give thanks to Him and praise His name.</em></p><p align="center"><em>For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;</em></p><p align="center"><em>His faithfulness continues through all generations.</em></p><p align="left">God called us to this miraculous journey of adoption, but <em><strong>I </strong></em>have allowed my heart to be in despair because the timeline is simply not matching up to <strong><em>my </em></strong>expectations. </p><p align="left">I have leaned on <strong><em>my</em></strong> own understanding of things and <strong><em>my</em></strong> American expectations of how things should work. </p><p align="left">God's Word says, <em>"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6</em></p><p align="left">Seeing others travel before us that were orginally "after us"... <strong><em>I</em></strong> have felt left behind... forgotten... <strong><em>I've </em></strong>questioned how God is purposing this all for good.</p><p align="left">I say it again... God's word SAYS, <em>"For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 100:5)</em></p><p align="left">And then I heard a quite whisper today, reminding me that this journey is not just the journey of myself, my hubby and our two precious children kids here in our arms. God may be using our sweet angel in Ethiopia in ways mysterious to us. Can a 1-year-old be used by God? Most certainly! Every day that passes, our hearts grow dearer to hers. Yet, she is thriving in the care of the nannies of the care center. She is growing and learning and loving and sharing in her birth culture. God is growing in her a testimony too. This is <strong><em>her</em></strong> journey to <em><strong>her</strong></em> forever family. Does God long for her to be in a forever family? Yes! One who has despaired over the days they have missed sharing with her? No!</p><p align="left">So, I purpose for as many days of "waiting" yet to come, to do so with boldness and confidence in His promises for each of His children. </p><p align="left">I love the song "While I am Waiting" by John Wallen. I am moved each time I hear it in the movie Fireproof. But, as I closed my eyes and listened to the words last night... I heard God confirming what He needs from us right now... while we wait on Him and His plan for us...</p><p align="center"><em>I will serve you while I'm waiting</em></p><p align="center"><em>I will worship while I'm waiting</em></p><p align="center"><em>I will not faint</em></p><p align="center"><em>I'll be running the race even while I wait</em></p><p align="left">The song recognizes that waiting can be painful <strong><u>but</u></strong> we can remain hopeful; that waiting is not easy <strong><u>but</u></strong> it can be peaceful... if we wait on/in/and through Him.</p><p align="left">If you are an adoptive Mommy/Daddy I pray you'll be touched by this song...</p><p align="center"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHIqOHU6Dhg&feature=related">While I am Waiting</a> ... </p><p align="left">For all others... whatever you are waiting for (answers, jobs, clarity, direction), I pray you will do so in and through Him.<br /></p>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-70418052249321452462011-02-22T21:12:00.000-08:002011-02-22T21:59:04.373-08:00Spare CHANGE Children's Lives ForeverMy hubby put together this beautiful video. Please take a couple minutes to let us introduce you to our newest fundraising efforts for the Adami Tulu, Ethiopia school project!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDT3c6eJq9w">Click Here</a> for video!<br /><br />Reportedly, there are over $10 Billion U.S. in coins currently gathering dust as spare change in piggy banks and old cookie tins in homes all across America.<br /><div align="center"><br /><em>Gathering dust… </em><br /></div><div align="center"><br /><em>$10 Billion… </em><br /></div><div align="center"><br /><em>Gathering dust… </em><br /></div><div align="center"><br />Yet, imagine for a moment what your spare change could do? </div><div align="center"><br />Micah to Mommy, “What can this quarter do for the children in Ethiopia?”<br /><br />Mommy to Micah, “It can provide two nutritious meals to fill their tummies for an entire day.” </div><div align="center"><br />“What about this dime?” </div><div align="center"><br />“That’s just about enough for one meal.” </div><br /><div align="left"><br />From this conversation, our 5-year-old son inspired us to think about the spare change we had laying around and what an impact that random quarter and dime could have if only we allowed it to. </div><div align="left"><br />So we went on a hunt for spare change and this is what we found:<br />• $0.74 in Mommy & Daddy’s “key/sunglasses/wallet” baskets<br />• $2.70 in Daddy’s car<br />• $5.22 in Mommy’s minivan<br />• $6.15 in Mommy’s wallet (and the bottom of her purse)<br />• $28.16 in the coin jar<br />• PLUS $6.25 from returning 125 soda pop cans (5 cans = 1 child fed for a day!)<br /><br /><strong>$49.22 in coins (and cans) gathering dust… </strong></div><div align="left"><br />As we continue to raise money for the Adami Tulu School project in Ethiopia, we realize that many families with today’s economy go from paycheck to paycheck somehow making it through the month with nothing left to show for by the end of each month. However, somehow we always seem to have a bit of spare change that we have collected over the weeks that sits idly in our vehicles or on our dresser or slips through the couch cushions.<br /></div><div align="left"><br />So, we have come up with a fund-raising strategy that we would like to share with you...<br /></div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">We are calling it:<br /></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Spare</span> <em><u><span style="color:#000099;">C H A N G E</span></u></em></strong> <strong><span style="color:#009900;">Children’s Lives Forever </span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong><br /></div><div align="left">We are proposing that you collect and save your spare change over the next 30 days, pray about what options you have, and do something with it.</div><br /><div align="left"><br />Consider these 3 options:<br />1.) Use it for yourself.<br />2.) Give to someone you know directly that really needs it.<br />3.) Give to the Adami Tulu School Project.</div><div align="left"><br />As we were pondering over this idea, God put into our hearts and minds the lesson of The Widow's Offering from Mark 12:41-44. </div><div align="left"><br />Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."</div><div align="left"><br />It reminded us that no matter where we are at in life, even if we don't have much, God still wants us to give from what He has given us.<br /><br />Want to have a little more fun with this? How about a contest? At the end of March, the individual or family who has contributed the most (1) pennies, (2) nickels, (3) dimes, (4) quarters and (5) coins overall, will receive a prize! Winners for most pennies and nickels will receive a yummy "Hope Takes Root" white chocolate bar. Winners for most dimes and quarters will receive an awesome "Hope Takes Root" T-shirt. And for biggest donation overall... both chocolate and a T-shirt!<br /><br />So start collecting, counting, and tallying your total... donate and then leave a comment with your totals!<br /><br />If at the end of the 30 days (or SOONER!!) you would like to give to the Adami Tulu School project, there are a couple options to do so. One option is to mail a check made payable to Lifesong Adami Tulu Fund, PO Box 40, 202 N. Ford, Gridley, Illinois 61744. Please write: “Team Reece-Williams” in the memo field. The second option is to deposit your change and give online through our secure donation page through LifeSong. You can donate on-line via PayPal at <a href="http://akle.in/adamitulu-williams-reece">http://akle.in/adamitulu-williams-reece</a> using your credit card. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">And THAT is other exciting news! Our travel companions from our first court trip to Ethiopia have joined hands with us to raise funds towards our goal! Ryan & Cassie we feel so blessed to have you on board!</div><div align="left"><br />For more information on Lifesong for Orphans: <a href="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/">http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/</a> </div><div align="center"><br /><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">“How blessed is he who considers the helpless…” Psalm 41:1 </span></em></div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-40429075807895616042011-02-16T09:09:00.000-08:002011-02-16T09:59:21.115-08:00Let me out of this cocoon!I've been writing the BEST blog posts in my head while showering, going for walks, making dinner... they've been just perfect! Now, here's my best attempt to get it out of my head and heart and into written words!<br /><br />I've told close friends lately that our family has been in a stage of "cocooning". I didn't think much about that phrase until I was reading Shani the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar yesterday. I laughed out loud thinking of how similar I am to the caterpillar... eating a little healthy food here, a lot of junk there (seriously... I was working yesterday and 1/2 a bag of Cheeto Puffs disappeared!!!), and then filling myself up with a nice green leaf on Sunday (extra prayer time!).<br /><br />Anyway, the caterpillar ate and ate, then he built a cocoon around himself and "stayed inside for more than two weeks. Then he nibbled a hole in the cocoon, pushed his way out and..."<br /><br />Ok... let's stop there! :)<br /><br />In complete honesty, this journey has been tough. In order to withstand the incredible ups and downs, I've built a cocoon around myself. I've found that sometimes God has us withdraw a bit in order to build us up, strengthen us, and push us forward to the light and life of His plans. It's OK.<br /><br />However, the last couple of weeks especially have been "dark" inside this little cocoon. It has been almost 11 weeks since we last saw OUR baby girl (the caterpillar only stayed in his cocoon 2 weeks!). And, there is absolutely no indication of when we will see her again. None.<br /><br />Yes, we received a beautiful, smiling picture of our little angel on the other side of the world. Yes, we KNOW God is in control and will bring her home... but our love for her just grows each day... the longing for her to be with us increases... and this total lack of control of not knowing when she will be home completely stills life somedays.<br /><br />Somedays I feel like I can't stay in this cocoon any longer... it's been TOO long... it's dark... it's suffocating... So, each day my heart LEAPS at a new e-mail, at a single phone call... will this be the day we hear the precious words that we have been cleared to travel?<br /><br />We are not alone in this journey and we are so incredibly thankful for our new adoption family. Not only are we blessed with new best friends living less than a mile from us whom can truly understand this journey... we have 8 other families literally scattered throughout the nation that we traveled with on our first trip for court. ALL of us are still waiting. ALL of us are still praying. We have seen families with court dates after us, go before us. We have gathered together in a virtual group hug... gathering together in prayer... all 9 families. We long to rejoice watching each family be reunited with their child God has chosen for them.<br /><br />We are so ready to "nibble a hole in the cocoon", push our ways out and fly! Fly to our children, embrace them with the incredible love God has given us for them, and bring them home... to our families... to our children here who too have been through the ups and downs and confusion of the wait.<br /><br />I know that these "labor pains" will <em>soon</em> end and we will once again be overwhelming blessed by God's faithfulness as we become a family of 5. One day we WILL look fondly back on this wait.<br /><br />After all, I now remember fondly the third tri-mester of my pregnancy with Micah. As a high-risk pregnancy, I was blessed to have 3 doctors appointments every week, a weekly ultrasound, 2 weekly non-stress tests. A weekly ultrasound meant I was able to see "new pictures" of my baby weekly! 2 non-stress tests meant I was able to lay for 1/2 an hour each time and hear my baby's heart beat! At the time it was exhausting and inconvenient... now I would give anything to see weekly pictures of my Ethiopian princess, to cuddle her and hear her heart beat!<br /><br />I know... long ramblings of a very pregnant adoptive Mommy. All this to say... when our family comes to mind, please pray for God to make a way for us to be reunited with our daughter quickly. Please pray for our children here to continue to bond with pictures of their sister. Please pray for us to have peaceful, patient, understanding hearts... and to continue to share His light and the beauty of adoption!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5j2zAVzhp0czRsB7icB3VIQrqrn3RWbeAQqLXvq7wpwGfMq-YZrDtymUpT3enns1wLTDLGw3-MGc04e-H_2LYTv0rHukf8a-lSJovyAjTUBl-GiDOV0o9M80XeiE-3XKbwsi7NS2Gls/s1600/monarch-butterfly_large%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 206px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574347132055251426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5j2zAVzhp0czRsB7icB3VIQrqrn3RWbeAQqLXvq7wpwGfMq-YZrDtymUpT3enns1wLTDLGw3-MGc04e-H_2LYTv0rHukf8a-lSJovyAjTUBl-GiDOV0o9M80XeiE-3XKbwsi7NS2Gls/s320/monarch-butterfly_large%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a><br /><em>" But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31</em>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-16082004894266574902011-01-25T14:51:00.000-08:002011-01-25T22:11:38.653-08:00What's Next?... Adami Tulu!!!<div align="center">Our last blog post ended with these words:<br /><br />"God, what plans do you have for us next?"</div><div align="left"><p align="left">In reality, this has been a prayer item for us through each major (and minor) journey that He has set our feet upon. When we were asking this question, when we said "next" we were thinking... after our adoption is complete and our family is finally all together!</p></div><div align="left">Ever since our first trip to Ethiopia in February of 2008, Ethiopia has become a signicant part of our lives. Not only have we been blessed with an incredible daughter, we have been blessed by her precious heritage. We fell in love with the people, the amazing history, the land...</div><br /><p align="left">And yet, as we traveled back to Ethiopia in December of 2010, we prayed that God would open our eyes and hearts in a new way. For years our hearts have been burdened by the sheer statistics of orphans in our world. There is, in fact, a global orphan crisis. But, what would He have us do? One by one we see families being blessed by God uniting them together with sweet children as "Forever Families"... and we long to advocate for the miraculous beauty of adoption, both domestically and internationally. Our family has been twice-blessed now by adoption, but how else could we make a difference?<br /></p><br /><p align="left">Our prayer was that God would lead us to an organization that provided for three key areas: physical, spiritual, and educational well-being for orphans and vulnerable children. And a "bonus" would be one where we could stand side-by-side other adoptive families and perhaps one day become involved with our hands and feet (in addition to financially).</p><p align="left">God has answered our prayers and we are so excited that God has clearly showed us what he has for us "next"! (Funny... His timing was <em>not</em> for us to have our adoption complete and our baby girl home in our arms... rather to go forward <em><u>now</u></em>... as His children need us <u><em>now</em></u>... not just once things are "nice and tidy"!)</p><p>Without further adieu, we'd like to introduce you to the Adami Tulu Project through Lifesong for Orphans! This is a project that meets our prayer areas perfectly... meeting the physical, spiritual, and educational needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Ethiopia! And, YES!, God gave us our "bonus" request... as we are partnering with at least three other adoptive families at this time! He is GOOD! <a href="http://www.aaronklein.com/adoption/">Aaron & Casey Klein</a>, Holt International adoptive parents, are spear-heading these efforts and we are thrilled to join them.</p><p>In short, this is an opportunity to raise funds to build and expand a Christian school in a primarily Muslim area just about 100 miles south of the capital city of Addis Ababa. David and I are thrilled that on our next trip to bring our baby girl home, we will actually be driving by this village on our trip back to Addis from Durame! Not only do these precious children receive a strong faith-based education, they are provided 2 nutritious meals every school day!</p><p>Our team's goal is to raise the entire $35,000 needed for the project. David and I have committed to being one of seven couples aiming to raise $7,000 each for the project. Some will raise more... some less... but together we are working to make a difference.</p><p align="center"><em>Are you interested?</em></p><p align="center"><em>Will you join us?</em></p><p align="center"><em>Is God calling you to help look after His children? How will you answer?</em></p><p align="center"><em>Need more information?</em></p><p><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0BwDeoL7Kr8dyMTU2N2YwNGQtYWEzNi00ZDMwLWE4OWItZDcxOWIzZTBjZWYw&hl=en&authkey=CLDhtSc">Click here for more detailed information on the Adami Tulu Project!</a> </p><p>And...</p><p><a href="http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/">Click here to learn more about Lifesong for Orphans...</a><br /></p><p>And FINALLY...</p><p><a href="http://akle.in/adamitulu-reece">CLICK HERE to help make the first donations to get our fundraising effort started!</a></p>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-91889344981390478242011-01-11T18:36:00.000-08:002011-01-12T13:30:20.919-08:00Beautiful Ethiopia... Life is precious!<div align="left">On November 30th, we began our first trip to bring our 2nd sweet baby girl home! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />While I don't feel it necessary to take a trip down memory lane day by day here on our blog, I do <em>finally</em> feel ready to share just a bit... of our pictures... and my heart. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />We had prepared ourselves for an emotional journey, knowing we would meet the little one God intended for our family, only to leave her behind and in His arms once again. We prayed that our eyes and hearts would be wide open to what God would show us and teach us on this leg of the journey. Though we had thought we were prepared, we surely weren't. What a blessed, trying, joyful, heart-warming, heart-breaking trip we took!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />There are simply no adequate words to describe the emotions of meeting your child for the first time. We had loved on her picture for 4 months and now met her face to face. She is simply precious. Calm. Alert. Endearing. Cuddly. She has the biggest brown eyes (and that is saying A LOT coming from this brown-eyed mama of two other brown-eyed babies!)! She fell in love with Daddy and watched his every move. Precious... just precious.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><div align="center"></div><br />Our large travel group was such a blessing to be a part of. So many of us had connected before arriving in Ethiopia, others we met as we waited in line through immigration... all became family. It's an unexplainable experience how God draws families together so easily as you walk the same paths. Watching each family meet their child was simply precious. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />When we first found out we would have to travel twice to Ethiopia, it was a bit discouraging. When we found out that we would travel 18,000 air miles round-trip to appear before a judge for approximately 2 minutes, it was... a bit unthinkable. However, having been there/done that, we consider it a great priviledge! We were with the judge 62 seconds, stated our desire for our sweet baby to join our family forever, and at the end of our questioning heard these precious words, "Then I have nothing to worry about. She is yours."<em> </em>Precious.... just precious.<em> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br />(Note to other adoptive parents: while the judge may say this to some families, no one "passes court" until the written court decree is complete.)</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em> </div><div align="left"><br />Saying goodbye to our sweet girl was indeed a heart-challenge. While in country, we learned how precious and fragile life is. Several of our travel companions were struggling with having their children in the hospital, and united by God's love for one another, it was impossible not to feel the pain that they were feeling, leaving their children with so many unknowns. (All in our travel group are healthy now... Praise the Lord!!!) David and I felt incredibly fortunate that our sweet girl was healthy and cuddled her <em>extra</em> knowing what a sweet blessing we were being given in those moments with her. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />As we put her down in her bed for the last time, she turned over, got to her knees, pulled up on the back of her crib, pulled to stand, reached up and pulled her nametag off the wall... as if to say, "I'm outta here! Mommy and Daddy are here!" A heart-challenge for sure! :)</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />The next day we began a tour of Northern Ethiopia that was simply incredible. On our first adoption journey to bring Shani home, we did not have the chance to travel much outside the capital city of Addis Ababa. We are so glad that we took the opportunity to SEE Ethiopia this trip. In 3 days, we traveled over 750 kilometers (about 470 miles) north to Bahir Dar and Gondar <em>and back</em> (yep... that's 1,500 kilometers or about 900+ miles roundtrip). It was simply incredible! The landscape beautiful! The villages amazing! Life so simple and so full of joy!Toiling with joy! Thankfulness for littlest assistance! The history incredible! Did I say it was an incredible trip? I'll let the pictures tell more of that story...</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />A bit more of heart... God allowed us to see and learn (and perhaps re-learn) so much that when we returned to the U.S., it was an incredibly difficult transition. Culture shock doesn't even seem like the most appropriate description. It was just simply hard for my heart to function in this seemingly complex life with so many "worries". My "worries" now seemed so petty. My "needs"... simply wants. Walking into Costco... I could barely handle knowing how much I had at my fingertips while I'd met a woman and daughter who would walk for miles and miles carrying their own weight of wood on their backs to earn $.30 that day. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />However, what David and I learned on this journey is that poverty is not the "end all". Joy abounds!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />What is now on our hearts... not to bring "abundance" to His children, but to bring them comfort in their distress, food and water for their survival, education and the living Word of the Lord... More on this to come, we pray...</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><br />Let's get on with the pictures...</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_Cyh5b3lhFPJ7dAsBOYoR28Rtn2kAV2ocrHshBBhS2WPH64Cl8SARlSyWTgOY2pCCNMneIXw2LnquQmV4ykc53sak1_YPt039P9k3wORj9rQv37LET_sXo3yJvRdatHR4tQjAwVZ33c/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+048.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561127203416583266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_Cyh5b3lhFPJ7dAsBOYoR28Rtn2kAV2ocrHshBBhS2WPH64Cl8SARlSyWTgOY2pCCNMneIXw2LnquQmV4ykc53sak1_YPt039P9k3wORj9rQv37LET_sXo3yJvRdatHR4tQjAwVZ33c/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+048.JPG" /></a> So many of the sights and smells made it feel as if we were coming home... I loved waking up the first morning to find bright sunshine and to be greeted by this "cat on a hot tin roof" just outside our guesthouse.<br /><br /></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oIQr2xzqPS8m5CzP-t-SdI81J7m-v971epZF68f8DRUN6UQwtL25T4YyEJ4M0tDnVdMXan-7JpKee-tsPVDfMNOuwPvBAQIOGPnpATIebvR2Ub0EzN3FM4WJ3uDb3W7OEUZ0906Agvs/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+074.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561127211940597234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oIQr2xzqPS8m5CzP-t-SdI81J7m-v971epZF68f8DRUN6UQwtL25T4YyEJ4M0tDnVdMXan-7JpKee-tsPVDfMNOuwPvBAQIOGPnpATIebvR2Ub0EzN3FM4WJ3uDb3W7OEUZ0906Agvs/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+074.JPG" /></a><br />A familiar sight... seeing the children's clothing all lined up to dry...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhy3RpSYxXmS8l83XoDwCP8MekVvi53iHUmjfe1KfbiZlRcq-nSBVF3ZBo9OBH08aL5s-RF9sqSKjpC5HaBOnlieh75jbZZDTFmybrKSSZJi6Cen5lq6fbhnQWNMYjlzMHDI8uxr0zSo/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+165.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561127215757879026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhy3RpSYxXmS8l83XoDwCP8MekVvi53iHUmjfe1KfbiZlRcq-nSBVF3ZBo9OBH08aL5s-RF9sqSKjpC5HaBOnlieh75jbZZDTFmybrKSSZJi6Cen5lq6fbhnQWNMYjlzMHDI8uxr0zSo/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+165.JPG" /></a><br />Meeting our baby girl... just precious... don't worry... it won't be long until we can post her precious face... until now, feel free to "oooh" and "ahhh" over her adorable hands and feet...<br />.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCxz0svfOsRFp6So5gZLOd2Sojg7v1aSRKhLgpB1mLjTiXuz9DHEw6qbY7vk82KWFLKwku3qaVl6ZXBHUA4qWMsVooU4eroK5smWMZDhLVOYMz7Dcluw61FigP9t2gBy7NzRXQ09ZrO4/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+127.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561128698624935778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCxz0svfOsRFp6So5gZLOd2Sojg7v1aSRKhLgpB1mLjTiXuz9DHEw6qbY7vk82KWFLKwku3qaVl6ZXBHUA4qWMsVooU4eroK5smWMZDhLVOYMz7Dcluw61FigP9t2gBy7NzRXQ09ZrO4/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+127.JPG" /></a><br />Watch out Shani... baby sister is going to LOVE your shoes... in fact, she's only half a toe length away from sharing the same size as you!!!</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhvVykI7woFojzoZlcWJ8FUitavFWw5wlEBqKlcuMdyuWz0z2TdB2ngRP-V7A59WlS7fQ2o2NkR3SdF5IDOIG_5QT_Tzk4iyxkBoqSDSrejZZGItJNSaN570q3HVJAYDW0lP-eOpoZyM/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+167.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561128701941092354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhvVykI7woFojzoZlcWJ8FUitavFWw5wlEBqKlcuMdyuWz0z2TdB2ngRP-V7A59WlS7fQ2o2NkR3SdF5IDOIG_5QT_Tzk4iyxkBoqSDSrejZZGItJNSaN570q3HVJAYDW0lP-eOpoZyM/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+167.JPG" /></a><br />After giving her a bottle, sweet baby girl lovingly on her own reached out to hold my finger... I nearly squealed and begged David to grab the camera QUICK!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEsQgsB65Z68Y5lXUq8lV2_uSD4wDcKkldLqYoQ07OyhyphenhyphenxuPq-_ayH0Xo8s_oqtmUo-duBOSjEMwDeO3LD2jqam5gJ6znsoRLF5kPp8gLyvzgLCpmdp-lXWg-YxvuKzbMtTRSrxU_jQI/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+190.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561128714071969650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEsQgsB65Z68Y5lXUq8lV2_uSD4wDcKkldLqYoQ07OyhyphenhyphenxuPq-_ayH0Xo8s_oqtmUo-duBOSjEMwDeO3LD2jqam5gJ6znsoRLF5kPp8gLyvzgLCpmdp-lXWg-YxvuKzbMtTRSrxU_jQI/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+190.JPG" /></a><br />Our tour guide... Tsegaw... YOU ARE AWESOME!!!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g6lCLUV3OoXkeyN4D-P0Jcfnyvz7qljZt84DNU-ZvySEJUbMRoKMDXnXaMevRQK9wFEe4-01KdD1y9WPrLTPeIF9nwj6DI2EA3I17YtSuDNJJedPIJCGRD9u9Ko0s7_TSog-GW7KbxE/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+270.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561130038803320450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g6lCLUV3OoXkeyN4D-P0Jcfnyvz7qljZt84DNU-ZvySEJUbMRoKMDXnXaMevRQK9wFEe4-01KdD1y9WPrLTPeIF9nwj6DI2EA3I17YtSuDNJJedPIJCGRD9u9Ko0s7_TSog-GW7KbxE/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+270.JPG" /></a><br />The Blue Nile Gorge... a bit hazy from the pollution of Addis, but a simply amazing landscape... think Grand Canyon, albeit wider! God's majesty so alive in His creation!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdr_755e_GClEZpVsI2LfeQtWXpAbyiccKAOdygRVrzUR5pUa3mzVoBYbPldFEjbzM3V6AQcG8slTLzJ-yE2NtB0D4aqKCeNB9JzCla7eP-cLvvrkidikflATm6KVeu2G2L2pkYcXwxc/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+250.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561127223654087298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdr_755e_GClEZpVsI2LfeQtWXpAbyiccKAOdygRVrzUR5pUa3mzVoBYbPldFEjbzM3V6AQcG8slTLzJ-yE2NtB0D4aqKCeNB9JzCla7eP-cLvvrkidikflATm6KVeu2G2L2pkYcXwxc/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+250.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESaFSh6zos_OVEQyhGQagmpdvwlYGRZSZ6EHa2_L9ANuAwUqRULRqaTVgz_4rxPCWmLUG8FjYhujFAQwlhyrAS20WCUgJT_Vi_0XslQZSA8eQaBDCvYPDYa-UqvqHqp0er5_micSz34M/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+256.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561127235865906626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESaFSh6zos_OVEQyhGQagmpdvwlYGRZSZ6EHa2_L9ANuAwUqRULRqaTVgz_4rxPCWmLUG8FjYhujFAQwlhyrAS20WCUgJT_Vi_0XslQZSA8eQaBDCvYPDYa-UqvqHqp0er5_micSz34M/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+256.JPG" /></a><br />We were driving on a Saturday and as we "climbed" up out of the base of the Gorge, literally hundreds of people were carrying loads just like this to the top of the Gorge for market day. Miles and miles and miles... most with no shoes... most with beaming smiles... to earn less than a dollar that day...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybx2A5hero8yQCgSwoUq-EsBaDjfRzWUhKNquXZW0P6yQRg7hjAu2-HFUfXntxUtp6rpNNBSF_Lc9lT_NfBVggZx6AcBf4gil0bLYOTW1egPrMq-dWmfgEMzTnML8hjZcMVIGmboB4Jw/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+266.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561130028858130402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybx2A5hero8yQCgSwoUq-EsBaDjfRzWUhKNquXZW0P6yQRg7hjAu2-HFUfXntxUtp6rpNNBSF_Lc9lT_NfBVggZx6AcBf4gil0bLYOTW1egPrMq-dWmfgEMzTnML8hjZcMVIGmboB4Jw/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+266.JPG" /></a><br />Beautiful farmland... all done by hand... all done by hand... endless miles...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2byIwl2xWPGUlAFdJT1RMU8CJX_KXEi85YtVXpxfe3UlAe869igq9KTJTR_vI793gfD2_UeuOzTdraMn4-jAiEMbtgKIZMPg0jgH5UmQ9LbNdXi_20_O9y_ktvyyMxuL6qS8CKlrx7Y/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+273.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561128681591308066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2byIwl2xWPGUlAFdJT1RMU8CJX_KXEi85YtVXpxfe3UlAe869igq9KTJTR_vI793gfD2_UeuOzTdraMn4-jAiEMbtgKIZMPg0jgH5UmQ9LbNdXi_20_O9y_ktvyyMxuL6qS8CKlrx7Y/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+273.JPG" /></a> </div><div>Market day in just one of hundreds of villages we passed through...<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPxz5zPck9lxPSKNY3fCGxV_DzzhA-O5GHfMpB4v0qSHWA81S0Zn1CmhGDMlMHFCWaanbDGUtrwNl8ijgK74SekuWDVGVJAS9hyphenhyphenSMBLWFqZzXvjUqbhjZyyJQAK0sa9_FTsd0QO0gXOY/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+291.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561130042315807794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPxz5zPck9lxPSKNY3fCGxV_DzzhA-O5GHfMpB4v0qSHWA81S0Zn1CmhGDMlMHFCWaanbDGUtrwNl8ijgK74SekuWDVGVJAS9hyphenhyphenSMBLWFqZzXvjUqbhjZyyJQAK0sa9_FTsd0QO0gXOY/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+291.JPG" /></a> </div><div>The highlight of Bahir Dar... Lake Tana. We took a boat ride across the lake to two different islands to visit monasteries. The first one was closed due to construction, but I will never forget our visit to the second. When we got off the boat, we were greeted by a sweet young boy. He led us across wiggly rocks to the main part of the island and as he did I began to ask him a few questions. 25 families live on the island supporting the monastery. He takes a boat ride each day to attend school in Bahir Dar. He is 11-years-old. And, when I asked him what he wanted to do when he got bigger, he replied, "Oh ma'am, whatever God chooses me to be." Precious...<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPoVHJevAMDAVa8SE5Gzv2pdEzuNABLArzMpSB7Y19mHP-tre1iMVOIuI-2uzeUcSDcNySEmWLbTv2oiCkrvola_KFVNinKOkF63Olh-YMWCDGZ0ihvZZaKQx1UTkdVgIZW46z3A074g/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+319.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561128692349664578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPoVHJevAMDAVa8SE5Gzv2pdEzuNABLArzMpSB7Y19mHP-tre1iMVOIuI-2uzeUcSDcNySEmWLbTv2oiCkrvola_KFVNinKOkF63Olh-YMWCDGZ0ihvZZaKQx1UTkdVgIZW46z3A074g/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+319.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhlZI_dc-Ebm_EDu5dKQaj_l_jhk6inUjR0THY9cqPQf9TZ6DcuiYLvonf1VjdYbq5wAmAas7pfs8EUAbGazS9XeRx2c92_tb_m4N-2d6dviKuheeoy9bhsaVuSqNkd09FY8p2wZJVAI/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+339.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561130056325382034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhlZI_dc-Ebm_EDu5dKQaj_l_jhk6inUjR0THY9cqPQf9TZ6DcuiYLvonf1VjdYbq5wAmAas7pfs8EUAbGazS9XeRx2c92_tb_m4N-2d6dviKuheeoy9bhsaVuSqNkd09FY8p2wZJVAI/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+339.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo__kGUelcbfDBAc-D4xv7r_32N_eyxtjBy_daZc4fipsBdLRAF8ueETg8Xs0SUFJxoWN4ZktFDve7x7CkhEvmLog166Hlex0PvDVsarHyaLh5ttbyyts-QojUP7qj2H-2DE21fy6ny4/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+346.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561131639753980162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo__kGUelcbfDBAc-D4xv7r_32N_eyxtjBy_daZc4fipsBdLRAF8ueETg8Xs0SUFJxoWN4ZktFDve7x7CkhEvmLog166Hlex0PvDVsarHyaLh5ttbyyts-QojUP7qj2H-2DE21fy6ny4/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+346.JPG" /></a> </div><div>Lake Tana hippo! Yep... we were in the boat... just about as close as comfort allows! tee... hee...<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMu2nooZfwYBVzUCnibB_Gnoj0HJunC7ypY6Ba5GULH4-ApL98i5hc8FAKgtsKfOLoDj8b40U_NpuqjxC3c7mhpCwrgi_K3OI38V3lSU5m9PClRZK6FfaOs0dJcvyEcYvmQxfD8EhqjgY/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+357.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561131633022617202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMu2nooZfwYBVzUCnibB_Gnoj0HJunC7ypY6Ba5GULH4-ApL98i5hc8FAKgtsKfOLoDj8b40U_NpuqjxC3c7mhpCwrgi_K3OI38V3lSU5m9PClRZK6FfaOs0dJcvyEcYvmQxfD8EhqjgY/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+357.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nzF4qC1lhNK3rkFlTUUwOUuKz7IwRkt9RQvnVxDb3oMRYpRzOupYjH_WcRUCdXo40AZ8Nq4AXpFlcZukVgshS-J6BXWBHjIli75Ap2TVPyrs9mcHDipDgERYFEDqsVlnMBkoklZK7us/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+369.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561130058963347714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nzF4qC1lhNK3rkFlTUUwOUuKz7IwRkt9RQvnVxDb3oMRYpRzOupYjH_WcRUCdXo40AZ8Nq4AXpFlcZukVgshS-J6BXWBHjIli75Ap2TVPyrs9mcHDipDgERYFEDqsVlnMBkoklZK7us/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+369.JPG" /></a><br />Along the journey, we stopped several times for coffee (so much for decaffinating myself this summer... there is NOTHING like Ethiopian coffee... Yum!!!) and yummy food. This particular stop we were given a full coffee ceremony along with yummy injera, eggs, chicken and goat (yep, I ate the goat... much more outgoing than our first trip... and didn't even get sick this time... imagine that!).<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Pt0aO_i3mNts7Nlo_6r9veJA6cpky72_aLR-z6XbwbyNqstbDpk28YfzkgLBFAaDmdxPtmxx1oZSgqF3XfLgcbZISh5Vxep5Ggf10Mh0oi293wGzz_1zphU7Y9poqh6vsaz5wubOZ_A/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+431.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561131664098292994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Pt0aO_i3mNts7Nlo_6r9veJA6cpky72_aLR-z6XbwbyNqstbDpk28YfzkgLBFAaDmdxPtmxx1oZSgqF3XfLgcbZISh5Vxep5Ggf10Mh0oi293wGzz_1zphU7Y9poqh6vsaz5wubOZ_A/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+431.JPG" /></a> Precious children everywhere we went...<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4kREg01O48UZxtZxnYKYgfRWwx8C7oFWOkxS36DYqCrY1qrAtMW9ILHNwnJGRs1KZbSHp5Tw2tJBjMhhJ5ri-gCXresddyByL-BEOOKsmiZ5KmVIP9MN300oxCT8IvyIjsWFH1xERvw/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+435.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561131675595158242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4kREg01O48UZxtZxnYKYgfRWwx8C7oFWOkxS36DYqCrY1qrAtMW9ILHNwnJGRs1KZbSHp5Tw2tJBjMhhJ5ri-gCXresddyByL-BEOOKsmiZ5KmVIP9MN300oxCT8IvyIjsWFH1xERvw/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+435.JPG" /></a><br />A very proud mother... wanting to show me her baby...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLcGlNUhxYS0xNjF9tAr6vlDRQswDAlIW8O9JTBnOgG0zvmXx-7iTR3l3fJtYaNudIcc1rdVHyx-CtnnS8ykdInnvKQcI0hg7GnsEs2CV4icfsTTDV527tKg4SvHdLytfi-X0ZOnUC0Q/s1600/12-11-10+XP10+Ethiopia+Trip+Download+062.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561137066620847474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLcGlNUhxYS0xNjF9tAr6vlDRQswDAlIW8O9JTBnOgG0zvmXx-7iTR3l3fJtYaNudIcc1rdVHyx-CtnnS8ykdInnvKQcI0hg7GnsEs2CV4icfsTTDV527tKg4SvHdLytfi-X0ZOnUC0Q/s320/12-11-10+XP10+Ethiopia+Trip+Download+062.JPG" /></a><br />One form of transportation... in fact, we had a close run-in with one of these! Alas, all is well!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-x-Jt7zZNTVyQ6QbQHFvTaYA58XwVEaxktXbVnzohIwO02GRJzsAy4In2gPsC7e11JHUKOcf1DnWxZ0VsspcedfFYTvyF5Guixs679js2CC1t8ulVf32Jj_dOYTV-60EhL9v1xFqF_8I/s1600/12-11-10+XP10+Ethiopia+Trip+Download+054.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561137063098686066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-x-Jt7zZNTVyQ6QbQHFvTaYA58XwVEaxktXbVnzohIwO02GRJzsAy4In2gPsC7e11JHUKOcf1DnWxZ0VsspcedfFYTvyF5Guixs679js2CC1t8ulVf32Jj_dOYTV-60EhL9v1xFqF_8I/s320/12-11-10+XP10+Ethiopia+Trip+Download+054.JPG" /></a><br />Incredible views...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYx-gSMaIdAeS8Qf3wJzqqsycYotAXj5GyZpVuSmTwac2CklYAbaHTLJWVkO-rDc3OrCV2wyJPRnbob6Xyn_aA-dfF4k_b2h_6q-Fn7b-G9-jaD76jNMMwAZZAF7So1DU5SdA-AQtEBYs/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+439.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561131681144764642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYx-gSMaIdAeS8Qf3wJzqqsycYotAXj5GyZpVuSmTwac2CklYAbaHTLJWVkO-rDc3OrCV2wyJPRnbob6Xyn_aA-dfF4k_b2h_6q-Fn7b-G9-jaD76jNMMwAZZAF7So1DU5SdA-AQtEBYs/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+439.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbVKXLrWDcOouh-GGe1IfAcwinljECw18QiOdEBOMTqxDN4uZBC2logqn3bMJGk5Pu0wBNiqIZ9U4cdqJ1fnxqw412aEhh2Etx1PaX2IY7KQuddt8BacTO44maiTCpqDs4unWTvtdbes/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+444.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561132918845305346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbVKXLrWDcOouh-GGe1IfAcwinljECw18QiOdEBOMTqxDN4uZBC2logqn3bMJGk5Pu0wBNiqIZ9U4cdqJ1fnxqw412aEhh2Etx1PaX2IY7KQuddt8BacTO44maiTCpqDs4unWTvtdbes/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+444.JPG" /></a><br />Gondar... think Ethiopian Camelot... six 16th century castles in one location... the construction was simply amazing and the history given by our hired tour guide... unbelievable! If only I could remember a tenth of all he shared with us!</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryfSft8YmMgEpVEd5u6H1Juq2Tj8UhyCzGu9r5qBylfzYYPmReimSo1PU9OOierQFHmmyyd00qJ5bkPcx2wLDK46L_iKi5Nm814mK1EzmSdb73DcpWKEPtIjqV6nBoFDinTlv4bUjJsc/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+478.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561132920971715826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryfSft8YmMgEpVEd5u6H1Juq2Tj8UhyCzGu9r5qBylfzYYPmReimSo1PU9OOierQFHmmyyd00qJ5bkPcx2wLDK46L_iKi5Nm814mK1EzmSdb73DcpWKEPtIjqV6nBoFDinTlv4bUjJsc/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+478.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJhtM__lezOEwCy89tfk5wUih2AO_L8DpJbHpDuOQgE-MQm9KUl0OV2SewZG3JHNDv137JuMO4AgaJhyphenhyphenEcmRALFXqHeGpc3VXE3U8x7X3xdoDcBKRMZ8LPFe1RkPc3pzs5DHqYj3ATWg/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+495.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561132931303094818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJhtM__lezOEwCy89tfk5wUih2AO_L8DpJbHpDuOQgE-MQm9KUl0OV2SewZG3JHNDv137JuMO4AgaJhyphenhyphenEcmRALFXqHeGpc3VXE3U8x7X3xdoDcBKRMZ8LPFe1RkPc3pzs5DHqYj3ATWg/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+495.JPG" /></a><br />Church...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQJdxWoYhAR2Tlos68N9IozcRu8NmIHOIip19AaecqJEsw_6-QE4ykknGa49D-asf21I5TmDXmPVXCiIKp50u-B0cjYDFR8xYjoDZIqp5IpkWB72gtYizvMvzbZDgtGVfr-JmZXHufCQ/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+541.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561132940135976482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQJdxWoYhAR2Tlos68N9IozcRu8NmIHOIip19AaecqJEsw_6-QE4ykknGa49D-asf21I5TmDXmPVXCiIKp50u-B0cjYDFR8xYjoDZIqp5IpkWB72gtYizvMvzbZDgtGVfr-JmZXHufCQ/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+541.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAid4v2ctj1ez2NVmk77kd1U-5ioN7kTlxkMoFDwtcNTjOCMTFoRrplDvQHOIMAHNtspI2IRcbijeDUM8geQ2XLFLKWblyOgYb0JbjC_97nPYtvawTW51FpfPxd0ddkWbKci8n4kWpRM/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+543.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561132940937839522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAid4v2ctj1ez2NVmk77kd1U-5ioN7kTlxkMoFDwtcNTjOCMTFoRrplDvQHOIMAHNtspI2IRcbijeDUM8geQ2XLFLKWblyOgYb0JbjC_97nPYtvawTW51FpfPxd0ddkWbKci8n4kWpRM/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+543.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div> Our tour guide in Gondar! What a memory! Wow!!! </div><div>He loved this picture and seeing the height differential!<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvYILoTRak9HKrOf-73OX_Ovs0pty_EH8lhp30f6WkrSFn8XhUi6EZvH7WHb30BtrRw-LIlt7u84M_un5ZSu4Ed9PU7len-06A8bacCYUz5LrF8LuoibGzQfprfipfVWa0VRAJJ8_3v8/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+548.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561134022951122354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvYILoTRak9HKrOf-73OX_Ovs0pty_EH8lhp30f6WkrSFn8XhUi6EZvH7WHb30BtrRw-LIlt7u84M_un5ZSu4Ed9PU7len-06A8bacCYUz5LrF8LuoibGzQfprfipfVWa0VRAJJ8_3v8/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+548.JPG" /></a><br />The ceiling inside the church... a multitude of angels... singing "Glory to God in the Highest!"<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd6PNtjRj5rTEgDI8J17nRsljuijsRW_XkPRXrj5aus1Nx8eJjj-J10Xea1LPbkn1hwLK2-KimlBtmc8NTs4-Z2Sr24olE0Y1Ip2Jph9BBoTm2QYrjT2UlAhUx72uVxnq-ujIUT1nPJM/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+556.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561134014345004418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd6PNtjRj5rTEgDI8J17nRsljuijsRW_XkPRXrj5aus1Nx8eJjj-J10Xea1LPbkn1hwLK2-KimlBtmc8NTs4-Z2Sr24olE0Y1Ip2Jph9BBoTm2QYrjT2UlAhUx72uVxnq-ujIUT1nPJM/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+556.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJN2-Rcnyv0CHGwszC1E_1OF8l7xWDrQWgqitrreJqEdYUKb5D_iKQOdzIk2kavGrUXHd5959po_m-yHMSj2mfH9f3dh2Qj8Aw_yAaIqUy0UbwAQVsk2_3c0F3kpEE5cGmpWkJ8mS53Y/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+563.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561134030305576658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJN2-Rcnyv0CHGwszC1E_1OF8l7xWDrQWgqitrreJqEdYUKb5D_iKQOdzIk2kavGrUXHd5959po_m-yHMSj2mfH9f3dh2Qj8Aw_yAaIqUy0UbwAQVsk2_3c0F3kpEE5cGmpWkJ8mS53Y/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+563.JPG" /></a><br />The city of Gondar with the castles in the far distance...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bf2qrBLNRNNpARJ8kOM7KxFduFUBT42ZOJFAYuHqHWJZ286lnAr5mLQuzxz6hhaohODj1SSekXst2koE84e7a5FAcMh9JSRnNHUQ8A_3tspt_l4j_b01md9kR7iMbEiWH5vN7Pur1sg/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+586.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561134038559533538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bf2qrBLNRNNpARJ8kOM7KxFduFUBT42ZOJFAYuHqHWJZ286lnAr5mLQuzxz6hhaohODj1SSekXst2koE84e7a5FAcMh9JSRnNHUQ8A_3tspt_l4j_b01md9kR7iMbEiWH5vN7Pur1sg/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+586.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOv7jR2_aJE-CAk3xIOXma-xtMNds6YtqlbeEBhBh2cx0Ksr6urJ6P4yWYR7eBc8M-4j7RII52AEr5AvV_CMP79yHxLZ22bFLHn94jy1hdpPmkHlgope9pRTwPAPtDvATUYPAtZqMjpXY/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+592.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561134046842671330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOv7jR2_aJE-CAk3xIOXma-xtMNds6YtqlbeEBhBh2cx0Ksr6urJ6P4yWYR7eBc8M-4j7RII52AEr5AvV_CMP79yHxLZ22bFLHn94jy1hdpPmkHlgope9pRTwPAPtDvATUYPAtZqMjpXY/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+592.JPG" /></a><br />On our drive back to Addis (all in one day... a 14 hour drive...) we stopped along the way handing out small birr bills. Sometimes we would be "blessed" by priests/monks, always we saw pure joy, sometimes we were able to stop long enough for a "story"...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkIr2ddd7EelEaej_aGmbQwKHtkGa7HNC0L3AI99oAcwlieeDL-Ahq4xnx1B0TFmEIOES6zFUC64AC-fYgZkUdFncTFXSCv_XKYoTe302eCvS_s-oGAW5pPLGNns-89cinNMYTgYlwq0/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+650.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561135128347083074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkIr2ddd7EelEaej_aGmbQwKHtkGa7HNC0L3AI99oAcwlieeDL-Ahq4xnx1B0TFmEIOES6zFUC64AC-fYgZkUdFncTFXSCv_XKYoTe302eCvS_s-oGAW5pPLGNns-89cinNMYTgYlwq0/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+650.JPG" /></a> </div><div>"May your journey be blessed... your travels safe..."<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9k-h888R_WyLA1IaIcZrfM0SWnB1Z8Kw58WVniqOlE58s2BeKe2H8n4Heu4wTvBnm6shly_IBX6UECMRASWOsrUWA5uB5awVGzWqyqxsIJJV-FLQ8VLoCya0ECJk-WxbA4n5kZVJXAU/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+652.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561135134013605874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9k-h888R_WyLA1IaIcZrfM0SWnB1Z8Kw58WVniqOlE58s2BeKe2H8n4Heu4wTvBnm6shly_IBX6UECMRASWOsrUWA5uB5awVGzWqyqxsIJJV-FLQ8VLoCya0ECJk-WxbA4n5kZVJXAU/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+652.JPG" /></a><br />A sweet humble shepherd working to make 2 birr (16 birr = $1) a day plus one meal.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsKTqb-7AHcVe3Z5IyrtHzWQPhQwXYiah2O44cVmJHgdtocbJtg8QobpG-kPKwjANJMjX4Rzk8cGYa68ogr-uSsPULCk2rWF2FZWupXT8TOMEOmb8uMuK6OJ3yUrpgBRWQ-nOK_WONbs/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+668.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561135138355192210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsKTqb-7AHcVe3Z5IyrtHzWQPhQwXYiah2O44cVmJHgdtocbJtg8QobpG-kPKwjANJMjX4Rzk8cGYa68ogr-uSsPULCk2rWF2FZWupXT8TOMEOmb8uMuK6OJ3yUrpgBRWQ-nOK_WONbs/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+668.JPG" /></a><br />A mother and daughter climbing the gorge with hopes of making 5 birr that day.<br /><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFz0C0QoOel2YlOJiz6NW7a_tj-eJ8qLuR7xzJ6U75UiJ31CHZD6Mochymt1oWJpYXA_Pm605xD7ahiMcLK53tZ2TQ-raDEegN2aXQQO_f-amujouFmvriehFu0q1qxS4XzdpxKp7Vqso/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+680.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561135140584794178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFz0C0QoOel2YlOJiz6NW7a_tj-eJ8qLuR7xzJ6U75UiJ31CHZD6Mochymt1oWJpYXA_Pm605xD7ahiMcLK53tZ2TQ-raDEegN2aXQQO_f-amujouFmvriehFu0q1qxS4XzdpxKp7Vqso/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+680.JPG" /></a><br />Babboons...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkk3AVRb3OsyxIYD1qVrhQbiS_pP6meGCdYkZh7SXgth-FaMy3uTZXlgnBhhrQxcz-bsDEtPzEtaxq1iavX9ck6CdD_1j5ON2W1h6TMdAKmcyJtLrIFat2Uez8o8_sqduoIIyqidFrX4M/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+695.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561135152086403282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkk3AVRb3OsyxIYD1qVrhQbiS_pP6meGCdYkZh7SXgth-FaMy3uTZXlgnBhhrQxcz-bsDEtPzEtaxq1iavX9ck6CdD_1j5ON2W1h6TMdAKmcyJtLrIFat2Uez8o8_sqduoIIyqidFrX4M/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+695.JPG" /></a> While we say goodbye for now...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcdQf5NkHRiGfC4yf7oNY6hm3qCiy0kCDKSpGQX81W1eMkmlmtPTOJ0ocMr7PJ2Ff1mMRtLWpRkapIasFplx6KGrBHRmSzugnEMP8mgdeabk2RfrwaSoa6EglnQOkLTnZRbpX5OLkx54/s1600/12-11-10+XP10+Ethiopia+Trip+Download+069.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561137073642537458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcdQf5NkHRiGfC4yf7oNY6hm3qCiy0kCDKSpGQX81W1eMkmlmtPTOJ0ocMr7PJ2Ff1mMRtLWpRkapIasFplx6KGrBHRmSzugnEMP8mgdeabk2RfrwaSoa6EglnQOkLTnZRbpX5OLkx54/s320/12-11-10+XP10+Ethiopia+Trip+Download+069.JPG" /></a> </div><div>We will return beautiful Ethiopia...<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGIonwW4-ttkNZu-vUHayFPFBXLstdi5mprqWL1L56P-ODnTiiXu2IVAmTZ3XFeVIE36oOg5MDbbignpVafP09p00W-Js-PrasjRqYL8uJMTaTfstXaQkXOgcaZWIBy-myn0BbMTnLq4/s1600/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+712.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561124583443262338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGIonwW4-ttkNZu-vUHayFPFBXLstdi5mprqWL1L56P-ODnTiiXu2IVAmTZ3XFeVIE36oOg5MDbbignpVafP09p00W-Js-PrasjRqYL8uJMTaTfstXaQkXOgcaZWIBy-myn0BbMTnLq4/s320/Ethiopia+Trip+%25231+712.JPG" /></a><br />You will never leave our hearts...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE46ebDdwrMhQgrDo3cKtJzhOHxbxijQgiAyIXV2Z_YIrWaUc5zrtAaGzMCaf_mF20y6zYiB21mkVubOOnX2KrLoZ3nPHkN372wOLQzZwFCsTYi6xsuMV-YtxxA1FCjxludMJZIR6Im0M/s1600/12-11-10+XP10+Ethiopia+Trip+Download+085.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561137084279679762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE46ebDdwrMhQgrDo3cKtJzhOHxbxijQgiAyIXV2Z_YIrWaUc5zrtAaGzMCaf_mF20y6zYiB21mkVubOOnX2KrLoZ3nPHkN372wOLQzZwFCsTYi6xsuMV-YtxxA1FCjxludMJZIR6Im0M/s320/12-11-10+XP10+Ethiopia+Trip+Download+085.JPG" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div><p align="center">God what plans do you have for us next? </p><p><em>"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27<br /></em></p>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-88926276911979903082010-11-28T21:29:00.000-08:002010-11-28T21:46:44.527-08:0036 hours... and counting...<div align="left">36 hours until our first flight leaves!... and we begin yet another leg on this miraculous journey!!!</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">4 days until we meet the precious one who's picture we fell in love with 4 months ago... until we hold her in our arms and cuddle her close and long to never let go...</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><p align="left"></p><p align="left"></p><div align="left">5 days until we appear in court... until we prayerfully become the legal Mommy & Daddy to God's chosen beauty for our family!</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">And... 5 days...</div><div align="left">... until we say goodbye to our sweatheart</div><div align="left">... with a promise to return</div><div align="left">... and to never leave her again!</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong><em>We cherish your prayers for our family:</em></strong></div><div align="left">* For safe, healthy travels... </div><div align="left">* For a sweet first meeting with our daughter!</div><div align="left">* For all our paperwork to be in perfect order...</div><div align="left">* For God's grace and goodness to be with us in court...</div><div align="left">* For us to hear the precious words "She is yours!"</div><div align="left">* For our children at home and those caring for them to have fun, be blessings to each other, and for a wonderful reunion for us all!</div><div align="left">* For emotional peace and understanding as we continue to wait for the FINAL trip to bring our sweet baby girl home!</div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-78511189443139148072010-11-11T15:33:00.003-08:002010-11-11T15:49:42.315-08:00A look at love...I have seen "love" come to our home in so many forms...<br /><br /><div align="center">This is what love looks like from a dear <em>"giggle sister"</em> in </div><div align="center"><strong><u>New Jersey</u></strong>...</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnjXJi8cOjj1YC_coqJFh6TIMssFkVjR7eBxH5-WLqKGF8azldrSKO5Yex257Pp7p21BBZ-pe4Bm3CFjXWI2un6Ww1Eh1DPcO-4U2lwjoSN1TfvJD6Bpi2PVx54nx3y0m6GMI4luKQCo/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538441118055839234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnjXJi8cOjj1YC_coqJFh6TIMssFkVjR7eBxH5-WLqKGF8azldrSKO5Yex257Pp7p21BBZ-pe4Bm3CFjXWI2un6Ww1Eh1DPcO-4U2lwjoSN1TfvJD6Bpi2PVx54nx3y0m6GMI4luKQCo/s320/003.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> This is what love looks like from a <em>women's bible study group </em>in </div><div align="center"><strong><u>Portland, OR</u></strong>...<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZWzfiA8OE13DQ4q0RNqYG91lUoC9yHW_s-XHXdqhvp1IndVn6v4H4cELfsJobDy6JGy4uCux5paP3ncwBD82QtH60Kz9rUMuBetQUs4mZ8fQa66l5rKgBj10t-hLLLo9GzI8Gs1JuIM/s1600/11-6-10+Picture+Download+030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538440880055915874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZWzfiA8OE13DQ4q0RNqYG91lUoC9yHW_s-XHXdqhvp1IndVn6v4H4cELfsJobDy6JGy4uCux5paP3ncwBD82QtH60Kz9rUMuBetQUs4mZ8fQa66l5rKgBj10t-hLLLo9GzI8Gs1JuIM/s320/11-6-10+Picture+Download+030.JPG" /></a><br />This is what loves looks like from <em>childhood friends</em> now in </div><div align="center"><strong><u>Arizona</u></strong>...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yCyZc4NIA_mEepFGaJynxGM2Fta9H5P9v_7hURRQlPeQ7LI-16wMPCMKfRpPQkoF9YYgmTH03Wi1x_xfhTTZviN2FBZ-AZqj0X2Luz4JEyjIfxilpsaSfGw_7DR14NcqUppwRlz7sAI/s1600/11-6-10+Picture+Download+029.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538440872288795362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yCyZc4NIA_mEepFGaJynxGM2Fta9H5P9v_7hURRQlPeQ7LI-16wMPCMKfRpPQkoF9YYgmTH03Wi1x_xfhTTZviN2FBZ-AZqj0X2Luz4JEyjIfxilpsaSfGw_7DR14NcqUppwRlz7sAI/s320/11-6-10+Picture+Download+029.JPG" /></a><br />This is what love looks like from a <em>preschool</em> in<br /><strong><u>Verboort, Oregon<br /><br /></u></strong><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0FkkdmxKhleKtGYxS8b6b6-ABK5t7oDLUdrGHMDNRg2spj7tZi5zeJHteVu1oZn7jCkzM6h_lDfW83LFRFwpUgx1U3I5kUqlVq6Nu_NNKwfPn69OzkFbvHkp3qVRSfdGV5Eg3PPpCfI/s1600/11-6-10+Picture+Download+027.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538440868642084258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0FkkdmxKhleKtGYxS8b6b6-ABK5t7oDLUdrGHMDNRg2spj7tZi5zeJHteVu1oZn7jCkzM6h_lDfW83LFRFwpUgx1U3I5kUqlVq6Nu_NNKwfPn69OzkFbvHkp3qVRSfdGV5Eg3PPpCfI/s320/11-6-10+Picture+Download+027.JPG" /></a><br /><br />This is what loves looks like from a <em>couple with a heart for God's kids</em> in </div><div><strong><u>Sherwood, Oregon<br /></u></strong><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEima92j2dgiB4zRlUYr4VcLczWzq1yW-XL_LapnK_j5WMNArQ3ZmzYKIiMnadkeIMbDFnRKrFCeUJ8lyKE8WaUB5xbTfErpI3nQlLJ4DBCku20C_mkVrimF14g-l5LJ9hzzu7VSdRAhLto/s1600/11-6-10+Picture+Download+026.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538440851929094770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEima92j2dgiB4zRlUYr4VcLczWzq1yW-XL_LapnK_j5WMNArQ3ZmzYKIiMnadkeIMbDFnRKrFCeUJ8lyKE8WaUB5xbTfErpI3nQlLJ4DBCku20C_mkVrimF14g-l5LJ9hzzu7VSdRAhLto/s320/11-6-10+Picture+Download+026.JPG" /></a><br /><br />This is what loves looks like from a <em>1st and 3rd grade class</em> in </div><div><strong><u>Enumclaw, Washington<br /></u></strong><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETzgRPDbdWw85QoYnVjtbxFN-BvNFwdml1S6w0il7FW8UmkFuZpsThajJ3Yg3hz7clrzA6mBJnIMe5iDoGXVXCSz08i0_nVi6LsUHg4_f8x8IW5AydeCdN4PPNANrtHODyjg__hu8FoE/s1600/11-6-10+Picture+Download+025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538440848977131762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgETzgRPDbdWw85QoYnVjtbxFN-BvNFwdml1S6w0il7FW8UmkFuZpsThajJ3Yg3hz7clrzA6mBJnIMe5iDoGXVXCSz08i0_nVi6LsUHg4_f8x8IW5AydeCdN4PPNANrtHODyjg__hu8FoE/s320/11-6-10+Picture+Download+025.JPG" /></a><br />Here is LOVE all bundled up and ready for delivery...</div><div>Blessed by 150 pounds of LOVE...</div><div><br /> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuoULrOfsVhbkh20BO74bzXJhR238GYus21asLhWGHrCXsk19wF-dnoeTi55fscwgKd2AMydzmC7LcRyvOHRQ3yXF9pe-ci57ysgDQlRdICB-4-fXgVYyRVCL3PfLTflQqAYWGx2aKzM/s1600/015.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538441122761662994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuoULrOfsVhbkh20BO74bzXJhR238GYus21asLhWGHrCXsk19wF-dnoeTi55fscwgKd2AMydzmC7LcRyvOHRQ3yXF9pe-ci57ysgDQlRdICB-4-fXgVYyRVCL3PfLTflQqAYWGx2aKzM/s320/015.JPG" /></a><br />Thank you to everyone! </div><div>You have touched our hearts deeply!</div><div>Your impact will cross the nations!</div><div>And God... I am sure He is smiling... as His children have taken care of "the least of these"!</div><div> </div><div>Are we still collecting?... You bet!</div><div>That's the beauty of 2 trips!!!</div><div> </div><div><br /><br /> </div><br /></div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-50812222208687139662010-10-14T13:23:00.000-07:002010-10-14T13:45:52.540-07:00Leavin' on a jet plane!Ok... not yet! <em>(How about in 46 days????) </em>God has blessed us with a court date of December 3rd! We are so excited to be traveling with another local family and 5 other families from our agency! We plan to have a party in Frankfurt where we all seem to be landing before our last leg to Addis.<br /><br /><br />What a journey we are on. Even having "been there/done that", I still can't imagine what it will be like to meet our sweet daughter, to hold her in our arms, to stand before a judge and say "Yes!!!", and then leave our sweet love behind as the paperwork is completed. God has made my heart so "soft" and yet... He is making it "strong" through these adoption journeys. A strong, soft heart... but still not a patient one!... tee... hee...<br /><br /><br />It's been an incredible week on the adoption front! Friends from across the nation have received referrals, court dates, updates on court decrees. And, so tender to our heart was a referral to our very good friends who live in our same small town. We've determined our baby girls will be BFF and we may just have to dress them as twins! tee... hee... Thank you God for blessing us with families to process this journey together.<br /><br /><br />It's also been a heart-warming week. We were lovingly surprised by a beautiful couple who donated a huge box of donations for the children of Ethiopia! I posted our thankfulness on Facebook and friends across the nation have responded wanting to help as well... friends I haven't seen since highschool, friends in New York, Arizona... local friends! What a sweet blessing to see His children stand up to take care of His children! We are so thankful for the generous hearts and kindness we have witnessed this week!<br /><br /><br />And now... for a touch of lightheartedness...<br /><br /><br /><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ZMtq5rW0mLp4VbpBD-h6oUERlj3hOqAUZQyWMYvcFLHUBuAedoHA-Ph5IIHVtxpuYpJUoMXe0kVwc5og0veghFPe6KCCAAfy9exG-BZbkY-dDINyRfsG2LQEcM9NmeT3OZ18mj-jLzk/s1600/10-7-10+Download+051.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528004049128850498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ZMtq5rW0mLp4VbpBD-h6oUERlj3hOqAUZQyWMYvcFLHUBuAedoHA-Ph5IIHVtxpuYpJUoMXe0kVwc5og0veghFPe6KCCAAfy9exG-BZbkY-dDINyRfsG2LQEcM9NmeT3OZ18mj-jLzk/s320/10-7-10+Download+051.JPG" /></a></p><p>This is a "classic" Reece family shot... you simply couldn't capture us any more "real" than this!<br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetWKOOgDyme5kC4-mNP7wY5YqWlu2dyQuJAB3SLZRlvotsIsxKjIpcwmhWvkQUv1gbUhj0VA7ii8Wfj1l_G4USHAsgZoDx4miYr-IJ9qGX3V_2ElhvA-vXRV8QPhJAihDWi-oHJ2wtgw/s1600/0018.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528004039916453586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetWKOOgDyme5kC4-mNP7wY5YqWlu2dyQuJAB3SLZRlvotsIsxKjIpcwmhWvkQUv1gbUhj0VA7ii8Wfj1l_G4USHAsgZoDx4miYr-IJ9qGX3V_2ElhvA-vXRV8QPhJAihDWi-oHJ2wtgw/s320/0018.jpg" /></a> Beautiful 2-year-old princess!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklkBj0vRNRxl227yDUPRHQtLR0lFuyNohcqCGz4GOIkHBQ7LEBa7W8WJYa_hcaLsBaR4zgIMGx1YGPmLfhwtIaYyTBYzjqwx43g8d6Ag8y-Ra9vRmXVc-nDFS4wYzWjybVino38q9v-A/s1600/10-7-10+Download+070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528004024894910386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklkBj0vRNRxl227yDUPRHQtLR0lFuyNohcqCGz4GOIkHBQ7LEBa7W8WJYa_hcaLsBaR4zgIMGx1YGPmLfhwtIaYyTBYzjqwx43g8d6Ag8y-Ra9vRmXVc-nDFS4wYzWjybVino38q9v-A/s320/10-7-10+Download+070.JPG" /></a> Crazy hair night at AWANA's... my bug boy went all out with a super cool "do"! :)</div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-33827835026638536302010-09-28T14:11:00.000-07:002010-10-11T16:02:18.150-07:00Finally! The Referral Post... Labor Emotions Involved!!!<div align="center">Every adoptive family has their own story re: "the call". Here is ours!</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">August 2nd, 2010 -"The Call!" came at just before 3:00 pm! </div><div align="center">We were given the referral of a 5-month baby girl! </div><div align="center">Hubby receives the next call... it's time to come home... we're in labor!!! </div><div align="center">And indeed it was!!!....<br /><br />Here I am... laptop in hand... ready to see the pictures of our baby girl!<br /><br /><em>Time picture taken: 4:23 PM (Time elapsed: 1 hour 23 minutes)</em><br /><br />(I had already exercised GREAT patience waiting for hubby to come home!)...<br /><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4dcMy_x2dzO6H5Z4Hg_yoGbHCtW3Tf0-v1qoAjGCNGMVuVrCFUtX_84gxVOqctjYsbRkpRLfYAc7K1zVadQ0HiwExHH_3f8B28RAo6OrCZVBpJzLk9FTVl_h-tVEh4kCh2ZGkCewBG0/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522075698766583010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4dcMy_x2dzO6H5Z4Hg_yoGbHCtW3Tf0-v1qoAjGCNGMVuVrCFUtX_84gxVOqctjYsbRkpRLfYAc7K1zVadQ0HiwExHH_3f8B28RAo6OrCZVBpJzLk9FTVl_h-tVEh4kCh2ZGkCewBG0/s320/001.JPG" /></a><br />Ok... we are hidden away in the nursery... </p><p align="center">Kiddos are watching Dora downstairs... here we go!<br /><br /><em>Time picture taken: 4:24 PM (Time elapsed: 1 hour 24 minutes)</em><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OZRMBTtMniLNoPbRUN1YEqN8PtFVKvCK3E3Ii_W3ciZ5tTj8Xz0aC7e3uFRzkB1LMRCxdlKM978McpeLXgmSr5Wkz6ZF7JESLaPebx4PVJr9QLX3YvafJH0zIjjFpKb5s8_2NjHhb_k/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522075704549357746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OZRMBTtMniLNoPbRUN1YEqN8PtFVKvCK3E3Ii_W3ciZ5tTj8Xz0aC7e3uFRzkB1LMRCxdlKM978McpeLXgmSr5Wkz6ZF7JESLaPebx4PVJr9QLX3YvafJH0zIjjFpKb5s8_2NjHhb_k/s320/002.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Hmm... no e-mail... WHAT! It's been an hour and a half since the call... </p><p align="center">Hit REFRESH a thousand times... (my poor laptop)... </p><p align="center">and call our sweet social worker a hundred times...</p><p align="center">Her outbox shows the e-mail is on it's way.... Cyberspace show me my baby!!!!</p><p align="center"><em>Time picture taken: 4:32 pm (Time elapsed... 1 hour 32 minutes)</em><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwO2Wys-F3ROzQdpueos9wzHQAXpCaVc_YuJsb3VF8kFm3LfLwCPzhXH4mzDod1NkzHtEZ9vBt4s0169BWivUui7RraJiq7cwdVfqeBG7ShwsAz4bAcGLSqrRclV0aZar9y_OSqWAGXi8/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522075707959762850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwO2Wys-F3ROzQdpueos9wzHQAXpCaVc_YuJsb3VF8kFm3LfLwCPzhXH4mzDod1NkzHtEZ9vBt4s0169BWivUui7RraJiq7cwdVfqeBG7ShwsAz4bAcGLSqrRclV0aZar9y_OSqWAGXi8/s320/004.JPG" /></a><br />At this point, I thought I may very well lose my mind!</p><p align="center">The reality is... something is not working right... </p><p align="center">We later find out that the files were HUGE and our sweet social worker, once she had commuted home, broke down the HUGE file into many small e-mails... </p><p align="center">In the mean-time, Dora is done, the kiddos need food and I still haven't seen my baby!!!<br /><br /><em>Time picture taken: 4:55 PM (Time Elapsed... 1 hour 55 minutes)</em></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMye0uKqumMmJY6NfQnGC9Iw_F2SEWs7Mb19DDrCTTgjw9Rc1X367ClfH5peKJRFYmAWN2JjjFDHIaCqbe2bmekg0QyNPzk_vOjBXz9JybRmF9Q_Si_NXolmL25Fr-wvBh1hh6G3blmf8/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522075720600345394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMye0uKqumMmJY6NfQnGC9Iw_F2SEWs7Mb19DDrCTTgjw9Rc1X367ClfH5peKJRFYmAWN2JjjFDHIaCqbe2bmekg0QyNPzk_vOjBXz9JybRmF9Q_Si_NXolmL25Fr-wvBh1hh6G3blmf8/s320/007.JPG" /></a>Dinner is done, hit REFRESH one more time... FINALLY, the e-mails start showing up!!!</p><p align="center">We retreat back to the nursery while leaving our kiddos in the capable hands of Veggie Tales this time...<br /><br /><em>Time picture taken: 6:56 PM (Time Elapsed... 3 hours 56 minutes)</em></p><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1DBy5pg8Tt-840pewuLWd79LM-uIW4fNBvy_4krm39KI4Q38GYJ-WkRsKuJMFI_aT5obDe7Bdl7PmAVmL5YTKQeU3gbr1MAq4CRWO4mQZbr-Ut2cTd-67Hd_EVSGuqRlUmx8Mt3V1t4/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522075719049758722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1DBy5pg8Tt-840pewuLWd79LM-uIW4fNBvy_4krm39KI4Q38GYJ-WkRsKuJMFI_aT5obDe7Bdl7PmAVmL5YTKQeU3gbr1MAq4CRWO4mQZbr-Ut2cTd-67Hd_EVSGuqRlUmx8Mt3V1t4/s320/009.JPG" /></a><br />Our sweet girl! </div><div align="center">We see your big, beautiful eyes!!!</div><div align="center">Your pouty lips and kissable cheeks! </div><div align="center">We are in love!</div><div align="center">You were so worth the wait! </div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-2422559446066758382010-06-23T19:47:00.000-07:002010-06-23T20:35:59.457-07:00A new perspective on "The Call"...The internet has definitely been an awesome tool that God has used in my life! First and foremost, He used it to help me meet my Prince Charming! Indeed! Amen! Secondly, He has used it to connect me to people all over the United States with hearts for adoption and His precious children... even connecting us with a wonderful new family living just down the street that, honestly, we may never have met otherwise! What a sweet answer to prayer!<br /><br />Today our adoption Yahoo! group was buzzing with activity! Travel dates being assigned, people passing court, and referrals! There was so much wonderful joy being shared. But the green bug of envy caught me AGAIN! Where was "our call"? "Oh my, we've been skipped over!" (Simply due to the fact that God has called all of our families to different genders/age ranges/medical conditions, etc.) "But... STILL!" <em>(can you hear the sad whining going on.... oh dear...)</em><br /><br />Then I recalled a sweet conversation we had with our new friends... and was reminded that we said "yes" to His calling... openly and with all our hearts... yet, nothing is absolute. His plans are His plans. His timing is His timing. I suddenly realized, the call we are waiting for is HIS!<br /><br />I have found such relief in that! Yes, oh, yes, I'm still excited to hear from our awesome social worker... but now, when she calls... in reality it is God using her as an instrument of His voice and plan for our family! Sweet!<br /><br />So, green bug of envy... you aren't welcome anymore! Let the joyful waiting continue...<br /><br />And in the meantime.. Thank you God for this incredibly beautiful sunshine, for the amazing family you've given me, for an incredible week of Kidfest VBS (and the energy to withstand monitoring 100 or so preschoolers during recreation time!), for awesome giggle times with my kids and for new friends who love You and gently remind me of Your love!... I am so very blessed indeed!<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486177263366762466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-93OESfxGbrygmThch3DpZSjYtJ9W46fjEfjpFfBMIRMEpLRBMNJMlK43CvT4VetjZnO4rNCWjff2SoGRZ9nV-SKsJVhubY4cAG04wwG0pxeTfo47B1sEIAF7IUCkdKU4XiGNaS0jExI/s320/021.JPG" /> <p align="justify"> <em>Shani with one of our new friends... sweet Eliza!</em></p>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-45148349343760058382010-06-07T14:32:00.000-07:002010-06-07T14:56:10.131-07:00Joyously waiting...<div>How's the waiting going? Well, while my intentions were wonderful... to wait peacefully as the Lord reveals His will and timing... however, my heart and mind are struggling every now and then to stay at peace. </div><br /><br /><div>The reason is simple... it's the realization that the sweet baby girl God intends to be a part of our family is undoutedly alive! Do we know her name? Have we seen her face? No, but God does and has and has her wrapped in His loving arms and protection even as I write this! </div><br /><br /><div>For those who have not been a part of the adoption community, these emotions are so hard to describe and understand. There is an expectant joy, wondering if today will be the day the call comes! With that is an indescribable ache... wondering if today or tomorrow or next week or next month will be when the call comes!</div><br /><br /><div>I ordered t-shirts from another adoptive family's fundraiser and received them in the mail today. I cried reading one of the "stamps" on the package... "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." Martin Luther King Jr. That couldn't describe our journey more perfectly. We asked God when we should start our adoption process. We took the first step when we felt His calling. Though, like a spiraling staircase, we can't see the rest of the "steps" ahead of us, He knows. </div><br /><br /><div>Until He reveals the next "step", we wait joyously... enjoying the family He has already blessed us so abundantly with... </div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXak9O3y6hc__VuFmd-prDXje140CLOErtKr-NMROcGJi1Z36N5M8EF-GWF1044QfGoZm1w2Z1vsE1kodihvXbSJ_pfX5aOusE7mv9rjEz4N2ZIlWT59h8IL9hgWR6ElfvB4EcyUbgFc/s1600/through+6-1-10+053.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480153009377539810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXak9O3y6hc__VuFmd-prDXje140CLOErtKr-NMROcGJi1Z36N5M8EF-GWF1044QfGoZm1w2Z1vsE1kodihvXbSJ_pfX5aOusE7mv9rjEz4N2ZIlWT59h8IL9hgWR6ElfvB4EcyUbgFc/s320/through+6-1-10+053.JPG" /></ a><br /><div></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ1STfeiRbC3xdAj9G2FA5w650ULXHpwbT3sjK4hJTdHbgERQswcZ4Zg8tqQrZu7CP7wihsBVOlT0BVATkdbPM8SAEXF8JA5INfY4Kh7aJ6EcRSvmEXtGwu3jkjEGLcACT2HPqXpElAo/s1600/IMG_2877.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480153000848552178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ1STfeiRbC3xdAj9G2FA5w650ULXHpwbT3sjK4hJTdHbgERQswcZ4Zg8tqQrZu7CP7wihsBVOlT0BVATkdbPM8SAEXF8JA5INfY4Kh7aJ6EcRSvmEXtGwu3jkjEGLcACT2HPqXpElAo/s320/IMG_2877.jpg" /></a>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-17654509257308439332010-05-04T13:54:00.000-07:002010-05-04T14:15:45.343-07:00Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord...Some of the lyrics from one of my favorite praise songs right now... "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord... as we wait upon the Lord... as we wait upon the Lord."<br /><br />A waiting heart. That's what I'm praying the Lord continues to give me... a joy-filled waiting heart. (I've stopped praying for patience as that is WAY too easily tested... tee... hee...). So, I've decided to take a "Daily Waiting Journey" and blog a bit about it!... because we are all waiting for something... right? So here we go!<br /><br />"Yet those who WAIT for the Lord WILL gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)<br /><br />Now I don't have a clue who the Rev Theory is but I've got to say that he has summed up this waiting game pretty well! (And please don't hold me responsible for other articles I haven't read of his!!! tee... hee...) But, this one is worth a looksee... Check it out...<br /><br /><a href="http://therevtheory.com/2009/03/08/strength-will-rise-as-we-wait-upon-the-lord/">http://therevtheory.com/2009/03/08/strength-will-rise-as-we-wait-upon-the-lord/</a><br /><br />At this point, we know God has called us to travel to Ethiopia twice now to be united with our baby girl; a sweet baby we have not yet seen pictures of or even know if she is in existence. But, we know that with new laws put into place as of May 1st, we will travel once to meet our daughter and go through court proceedings to formally adopt her. Then somehow in God's perfect will, He will strengthen our hearts and minds as we say goodbye to our sweet pea and wait until we are told we can return to pick her up and bring her home (a second trip).<br /><br />Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord for our referral, our court date, our travel dates, meeting our child, our embassy appointment... and as we leave our sweet kiddos here at home not once now, but twice.<br /><br />See why I like that verse... those who wait on the Lord will gain NEW strength... strength we don't even have yet! Sweet! God is good and so faithful to provide!:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-2338545791766118112010-04-18T13:35:00.000-07:002010-04-19T14:37:29.426-07:00A Waiting Mother's Heart...Ah yes... "waiting"... I've been thinking a lot lately about what that really means and what that has looked life, especially in my adult life. How I've yearned for things, right here, right now. How I've planned for things. And, yet, how God had me wait. Wait. Wait.<br /><br />My plan: married at 23, first kiddo at 25, and 2nd kiddo... <em>certainly</em> by 30 (I didn't want to be too old when I was having a young family). God's plan... wait! Wait for the one love He had chosen for me. But, it would have been so much easier if he would have just whispered, "Precious child, you'll meet him when you are 28, please don't despair." But, would I have truly found comfort in those precious words or would I have then argued "28? But that means we won't have our first child until I'm (AH! horrors!) 30!" Wait... child... wait.<br /><br />Our China adoption: it would be just an 18 month wait. 6 months of paperwork... then the wait lengthens and lengthens... and God says "wait"... and then... "I have another plan that you won't even believe I have in store for you." Not China... but Ethiopia!<br /><br />More paperwork, waiting for a referral of a beautiful baby, waiting for court, waiting for travel... at last we are a family!<br /><br />God ends our wait for China after 2.89 years... after a lot of waiting... and a lot of praying...<br /><br />As we begin our 2nd Ethiopian adoption I can't stop thinking about "waiting". And, what is it that we are waiting for?<br /><br />* We are waiting to see God's plan for our family unfold.<br /><br />* We are waiting to see the precious girl He alone has picked to join us in this life.<br /><br />* We are waiting on His timing. Through our first amazing journey of international adoption we learned that all we could really "control" is when we start the journey. Leaving the rest completely in His hands and having us expectantly wait... THAT is His plan.<br /><br />* We are waiting to see His plan for OUR FAMILY, not comparing our journey to other families, but waiting to see what He has in store for US.<br /><br />* We are expectantly waiting... a joyous addition... whom we can pour our love and lives into!<br /><br />And yet... in the beautiful land of Ethiopia, where we witnessed first hand the amazing love of it's people and of God and His Spirit living among them so purely... we know...<br /><br />* There is extreme famine... there is poverty... there is hardship we could not bear...<br /><br />And as we wait... at this very moment...<br />* There may be a beautiful mother waiting for her child to be born, unsure of how to care for her and/or fearful that she may not even survive the birth herself...<br /><br />* There may be a father looking in the eyes of his baby girl right now; waiting for help, waiting for answers, waiting for hope...<br /><br />* There may be a mother or father making a long journey... on a long, dusty road... the hardest journey, with the most difficult decision he/she has ever faced... giving up his/her child because they simply can't help her survive.<br /><br />* There may be a baby girl laying alone, abandoned, only under God's watchful eye... right now...<br /><br />We are waiting for the God of Heaven and Earth to reach down and make His purpose known.<br /><br />For us, international adoption is so much more than a "paperwork pregnancy". It is a journey of life: of our lives, of a Ethiopian family's lives, and of God blending the families into one because it is somehow, his good and perfect will... It is heart-breaking and <em>joy-filling</em> all at the same time!<br /><br />These are the words in my heart. A waiting mother's heart...<br /><br />Psalm 130:5... "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.":)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-3994146232381983582010-04-18T10:31:00.000-07:002010-04-18T10:40:06.728-07:00"Officially WAITING"...Yes! It's official! We are officially on the wait list for our next baby girl! The kids and Mommy went and visited our awesome social worker at Holt to pick up our completed home study... the last step in our paperwork needed to complete our dossier (all the paperwork required to be considered for international adoption). Yeah Kathie! Thanks for showing us around your office and all your fun animals from Ethiopia!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqpjhGiQEO-l-CwosWMBvF_om6tbscLCvsMlemnS2HNzdLLhV4UokoJMzFqrPnsZoqCjsDe07BQSvke5YXkpiEoMyssvpdADKduasRWpLiZupAKmaJJCYxWTaznk9o_Vpgd3f6zk-H_I/s1600/087.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461532077700594450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqpjhGiQEO-l-CwosWMBvF_om6tbscLCvsMlemnS2HNzdLLhV4UokoJMzFqrPnsZoqCjsDe07BQSvke5YXkpiEoMyssvpdADKduasRWpLiZupAKmaJJCYxWTaznk9o_Vpgd3f6zk-H_I/s320/087.JPG" /></a><br />I know it's a bit blurry... but I love this picture of Shani... as if to say "Thank you... I'll take this from here!"<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-GfcVC5l_cJuiqK7-M-hKZJUg4SDK8NAFdh-TBmANgPuc_XCQRGTy5PJAEmXahlibMrwToaKvQzve9O8mqMDLSPvqLqYyWxQuxuuAqALbZLnGonO6Ulb2X15Rf8le0L7LGhn4uAEV-k/s1600/089.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461532067039749074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-GfcVC5l_cJuiqK7-M-hKZJUg4SDK8NAFdh-TBmANgPuc_XCQRGTy5PJAEmXahlibMrwToaKvQzve9O8mqMDLSPvqLqYyWxQuxuuAqALbZLnGonO6Ulb2X15Rf8le0L7LGhn4uAEV-k/s320/089.JPG" /></a> Then, it was off to the state capitol to have the documents state certified. Unfortunately, my on-line mapping did not take me where I needed to go, however, fortunately it was my third to the office (tee... hee... ), so with a little detective work, we found our way to where we needed to go!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HNRn2xQZNa2Jpcx32RJ7t3tal1ZEU9tbZzeqUoXn4-Z-ex4WvSYsmT2f9JpoOvSieeWJSo4Hd8_j6mM5GGRsXsjhq1ugNbfYLrRj8pHj12si6UIZ_PGH8xRzQg4GAVUrkhVpnrVjU_c/s1600/093.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461532056542003298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HNRn2xQZNa2Jpcx32RJ7t3tal1ZEU9tbZzeqUoXn4-Z-ex4WvSYsmT2f9JpoOvSieeWJSo4Hd8_j6mM5GGRsXsjhq1ugNbfYLrRj8pHj12si6UIZ_PGH8xRzQg4GAVUrkhVpnrVjU_c/s320/093.JPG" /></a> We sent off our paperwork and it was received and approved by Holt! So, yes, we are waiting! Hmm... that's a topic for another post...<br /><br /><div></div></div></div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6124610504686663915.post-84500246584382820822010-04-18T10:01:00.000-07:002010-04-18T10:20:45.448-07:00Jesus is Risen! Yes, indeed!Yep... Easter... one year ago! Crazy how fast they grow and how blessed we are that their love for one other just seems to be keeping right up!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyKzhxs3ssLQxU1e9vNM-aUBHiadDdh3i1sfDqLTsDJezrL31rDOjSq8xaS68oBgyz6qsAzGrdwlC_uA04h1utHANQOUHgvo6MpVHx21sWqNc9XnUxvCYncQI0Y13WQ9yFlE6NXjkmsI/s1600/095.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461525493265564098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIyKzhxs3ssLQxU1e9vNM-aUBHiadDdh3i1sfDqLTsDJezrL31rDOjSq8xaS68oBgyz6qsAzGrdwlC_uA04h1utHANQOUHgvo6MpVHx21sWqNc9XnUxvCYncQI0Y13WQ9yFlE6NXjkmsI/s320/095.JPG" /></a><br />I love these kiddos! All dressed up and looking like the precious angels they are...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6yfKkN3kV6ZshUs10YRvf1Pa6q82iZ24HgyFoKjrWWzTh-ZKYgXpzZnxU1y51-RD-3tTKei1Uow8xP9JkR28fO_mrmi-4RnZ6hzej7gTeO3LNkp-3OWSkARjUSMqmJ4MOCe84RFFqG4/s1600/049.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461524876484107410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6yfKkN3kV6ZshUs10YRvf1Pa6q82iZ24HgyFoKjrWWzTh-ZKYgXpzZnxU1y51-RD-3tTKei1Uow8xP9JkR28fO_mrmi-4RnZ6hzej7gTeO3LNkp-3OWSkARjUSMqmJ4MOCe84RFFqG4/s320/049.JPG" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-1HZY2X-MzfN-uf792ZeDldSDo2-NrU-zlujf-XD1Th-HsibkvV2w3PndUKdQeeUejFl8nlXmzX4_-APuJ7mGDxEF3lhEghL50XJdSpa_b8wnmJbnPbnUG8lELzD3qM60Uw07H9KtJc/s1600/047.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461524856524272962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-1HZY2X-MzfN-uf792ZeDldSDo2-NrU-zlujf-XD1Th-HsibkvV2w3PndUKdQeeUejFl8nlXmzX4_-APuJ7mGDxEF3lhEghL50XJdSpa_b8wnmJbnPbnUG8lELzD3qM60Uw07H9KtJc/s320/047.JPG" /></a> This easter will be one that will remain in our memories for a long time! Watching Shani's first Easter Egg hunt was of course very precious! And, Micah hunting for eggs so methodically... well, it was just so NOT his typical self, it still makes me giggle. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>But, the sweetest blessing was hearing from our children's pastor that Micah had come forward at the end of Sunday school to profess his belief in Jesus. Yes, he's only four and yes, we have taught him to the love the God who has made him, and our family and all the beautiful things (especially bugs) that he loves so much. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Micah has enjoyed praying since he was very little. In fact, the Christmas right before he turned 3, he prayed over our large family meal and thanked God for each person at the table by name... including my Great Uncle Al whom he had just met. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>This Easter, Micah prayed at the meal as well... and there was hardly a dry eye when he was through... it went something like this... "Dear Jesus, Thank you for this day of celebration. And God thank you for your Son who loves us even when we are bad. Thank you that he isn't on the cross anymore but is alive! And Dear God, thank you for my family. I love you. Amen." Yep, so cool! You are one AWESOME 4-year-old buddy!<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0AG_vF48_mAf-53xAy4_-zLH-2CU6eB6W91yupQozi1PvNSUmDQ1x5QNJrOBhg5k8JrAA3Wtk_QOTniv6vScnL1aRQ2a9kvBJ0kmA5RVCCf-kM2L8DZ03Gj9OARKlxlbATFjHAoK7e4/s1600/067.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461524842722121666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0AG_vF48_mAf-53xAy4_-zLH-2CU6eB6W91yupQozi1PvNSUmDQ1x5QNJrOBhg5k8JrAA3Wtk_QOTniv6vScnL1aRQ2a9kvBJ0kmA5RVCCf-kM2L8DZ03Gj9OARKlxlbATFjHAoK7e4/s320/067.JPG" /></a>And, Great Grandma, Grammie, Papa O. & Dodo thanks for making the special trip up to share Easter dinner with us! What fun! We love you!!!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFn2vhbCiDueZgasxEdIKvw0vl5Wonm8BQuYT72H36j0xoz5srHxOI1AOb5uU0yfnGK-zgVDzrRu5SiCJIowSczJCEyy3Qcl8rptFdCXZ6OHNgP-dsX7RSBW49mxhEhekdiUcq1Alzd8/s1600/080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461524836178507170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFn2vhbCiDueZgasxEdIKvw0vl5Wonm8BQuYT72H36j0xoz5srHxOI1AOb5uU0yfnGK-zgVDzrRu5SiCJIowSczJCEyy3Qcl8rptFdCXZ6OHNgP-dsX7RSBW49mxhEhekdiUcq1Alzd8/s320/080.JPG" /></a></div></div></div>:)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10178359707938778630noreply@blogger.com0