Clean Underwear!

Do you like clean underwear? Have you ever had to wear the same underwear for a couple of days? Well lucky you-you have underwear to wear! Korah is home to thousands of people. Some of the most godly men I have ever had the priviledge of knowing call Korah home. Its a trash dump. There is destitution like I have never seen here. Its filthy, nasty, and stinks something awful! But its full of souls of boys and men who for the first time in generations are having the opportunity to hear the word of God and to see His mighty hand work in their lives. You can be part of that by simply sending me some boxers for the boys and men who call this place home. We need small, medium and large boxers and will take gently used. Leave me your email in the comments and I will send you my address.
Go beyond the call and do something-send me boxers!! Blessings-A

2.5 weeks!!

I am having a hard time believing that in 2.5 wks I will be in Ethiopia! I am so excited to meet the two sweet babies that will soon become our legal children. I am excited to go and to see this country agian and to share it with my sweet hubby. I am so looking forward to getting to know my Ethiopian friends better and to enjoy some yummy, authentic food. I have a list of things I want to do and show Brett during nap time-which is when we are not to be at the orphanage. One thing that is hard to think about is saying goodbye. I have done this before and its hard. I have prayed about staying in Ethiopia, but feel its more important to come home to be with Mia and prepare her for how our lives are going to change. So I try hard not to all ready dread that day. On to fun things-got a new double stroller. Looked long and hard and read soo many reviews. I decided on the Safari Instep. So far its been quite the entertainment for Mia who has been practicing how to push it and get her dollies in and out of the straps:) Mia amazes me. She understands so much. Today she was asking if London and Olivia where getting enough to eat. She has been very concerned for the children in Africa who are hungry and I am so glad that she has a heart for these children. I pray that we can continue to live outloud in a way that our children understand that life is not about us, but about doing the will of God and being the hands and feet of Jesus! Praying you are blessed-A

COURT DATE!!!

On March 9th 2009 we started the process of adopting one or two children from Ethiopia. We have pinched Penny's-prayed 100's if not 1000's of prayers-had fingerprints done a few times-had a few fundraisers and watched God perform so many miracles we just stand in awe of His awesomeness!!!! We got a referral on September 9th for a baby girl and a baby boy. After a short time of waiting that feels a million times longer than its actually been- we got the news! On Monday of this week I randomly decided to check my email. I had stopped checking it so often because I was driving myself cookoo. I opened my email and saw this title-court date!!! I opened it, read it. Than I read it again. That's when the shaking and sweating started. I turned around and told Brett that we could stop dieting because we were going to Africa and not Florida!!!! For the next several days I simply went crazy-didn't sleep and had a few Pepsi's:)

So Lord willing, we will be meeting our baby's on the 24th or 25th of February!!!! I simply cant believe it. God-thank you for working even when we felt like things were going no where. Thank you for answering our prayers even though it felt like they were bouncing off the ceiling. London and Olivia-I cant wait to hold you-to kiss your sweet brown skin!

You can keep the prayers rolling in. This road is not over and we still have lots to do and accomplish. God has done some amazing things and we have some really awesome things we get to take part in when we go to Ethiopia. Blessings to you all-A

God found us you!

We got our new book in the mail on Saturday. Its a sweet story of adoption called "God found us you". Mia loves it and we have read it many times already. One thing I really like about it is the way it gives openings for conversation with your little one and their story. It also has me thinking of my little ones who are so far away. One part of this book that I so love goes like this- "Did you ever give up?" Little Fox asked. "Sometimes," Mama said, rubbing Little Fox's cheek with hers. "But I trusted God knew you, and knew me, and knew when we'd fit perfectly together." So today Lord, I am trusting you know when our little ones will fit perfectly together into our family and we wait for that day! I woke up today really missing my babies. So strange since I don't really know them. Haven't had a new picture or update in months, and yet I feel I know them in a way. I pray that in 2011 more people will step out and be a forever family for the fatherless! My heart just about explodes when I talk with people and they give me all the excuses for why they cannot adopt. I know its not for everyone, but you can sponsor a child. You can go on a missions trip and hug and kiss the children. You can do SOMETHING!!! Don't forget, as a child of God, you are adopted too. God didn't make excuses about whether or not to adopt you, He didn't whine about being too old or go on about how He would no longer have time for the things He liked to do! I know-He is God, but do you get what I am saying? So what can you do this year for the little ones across the world that just want to belong? Are you willing to give up a little, so that a child will know the love of Jesus through your obedience to His call? One little girl in Uganda was in tears because we had come all the way across the ocean to hug her. She was in awe that God would do that for her. We may have went all the way to Uganda just for that sweet little girl to understand that God heard her cry and loved her enough to send a bunch of white people to Africa to give her a hug! Praying you will stand in the gap for a orphan today-A

A precious gift!

This summer I went to Africa for 14 days. While on the trip I got to know some great gals from PA. They were mom and I's roomies for the duration of the trip. Well last week mom calls me and is about to burst with with excitement, but she is all secretive and cant tell me anything. All she says is that this exciting something is coming in the mail. Everyday she asked if I got the mail. By Thursday I was kinda forgetting about it. Then it was all crazy with the new year and then the mail didnt go. So yesterday I forgot to get the mail. I got it this morning. I was saw a envelope and was excited about another christmas card. I opened it and it was not a christmas card. It was a sweet little booklet that talked about making 7000 cookies to sell over christmas to help orphans in Africa. And how on a cold-snowy day in PA they sold them all! Now these women have been busy. On facebook, Marge had talked about making tons of cookies since November! They spread the word on facebook about selling them and how they would benefit orphans in Africa. I am in Indiana just praying for these cookies to sell and for the children who would benefit from the sales. Marge and her hubby are going to Ethiopia in Febuary with Visisting Orphans and I assumed the money would go with them. Little did I know that these women were doing ALL this work for our babies!!! I opened the booklet-I read this fun little story, and then I cried! I cried because this is such a sweet thing that these women have done! Women who have only known us for not even a year yet! So many people have been used by God for this adoption, but this selfless act of giving so touched my heart! I pray that each person who participated in this cookie selling are richly blessed by the Lord! I know I have been so touched by this and I cant wait to tell London and Olivia the amazing ways God used people to help them come home to their forever family! May you be blessed-A

Christmas Time!

What a fun and crazy time of year! Mia has been learning that its time for Jesus birthday and not hers. She hasn't quite got it, but she will. I know that in the morning she is going to be on cloud 9 with all her presents! Tonight is the Christmas eve service at church and she is supposed to sing with the 3 yr. old class. We will see what happens. We have just been so busy. I have been ind the process of getting London's room ready and redoing the office to be more of a productive work area. In between that, we have MOPS and Mia has preschool -which she loves so much! We have been so blessed this year. Its been kinda tight, but God has never failed us and He always takes care of us! Praise Him for all that He does for us.

Going to Africa has really changed the way I look at the holidays. I don't love the extravagance like I used too. I still translate things into shillings and birr. I think of my friends in Africa all the time. I pray that those moments we have to see a different way of life change me so that my life we be more of a reflection of Jesus Christ! Merry Christmas and may you be blessed-A

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! Today was a delightful day. We got to be with our family and had more food than I have seen for a long time. Actually had trouble fitting it all on a very large table. I have to say it made me a little ill to look at it. So much food!! Did any of the people there realize how blessed we were? All I could think of was the beans, rice and a small egg that 400 children got one day in Uganda. I thought of each of those kids we met at the dump in Ethiopia and the hunger that gnaws at them each day. I prayed that London and Olivia had enough to eat today in their orphanage. I didnt take pictures because I knew I wouldnt post them because I didnt want to flaunt my over abundance before my hungry friends in other countries. I felt sad knowing so many in Haiti eat dirt to stay alive.

I thank God for my blessings-dont think I am not thankful. But this was the first thanksgiving in my life that I hurt because I knew how abundantly blessed we were and how much I take for granted in my american life. I pray that I will remember this day and continue to share my blessings from God with others in lesser situations. Praying each of you were blessed to be having family time on this wonderful holiday! May you be blessed-A