Be a part of the puzzle for two little girls!!!

With the rising costs of gas, and the delay in getting our tax refund, we are facing a shortfall of what is needed to complete our homestudy fees!  I am working extra hours, but pay periods just don't come fast enough, plus there are eight kids and a small farm to run, so that is limited to keep our sanity and everyone intact!

So, if you were looking for a way to be involved, here goes:
I have a gorgeous farm puzzle, with children playing, that has 1000 pieces.  For the purchase of one piece, we are asking a donation of $2, your name will be put on the back of the piece.  The construction of this puzzle gets us to the next step!  When the puzzle is completed, it will be all glued together and framed, with plexiglass on both sides, and hung in our little girls' bedroom when they get home!  It can be turned over to show all the people and all the love required to get them home!  It will be a forever remembrance for them of not only God's love and provision, but other people's love!  I will get a photo tonight of the puzzle in the box, and the way we will lay it out.  As pieces are claimed, we will begin to put it together.

There is a "chip in " button on the left side of the blog, and it directs you to PayPal.  If you use that it will chart what is donated.  I have not figured out how to mark what we have gotten directly (not through chip in) but I have $100 check to cash that isn't listed there.  So, please go to Chip In or get in touch with me and I can help you help us!  Please consider, literally every dollar counts!

Please, please help if you can, every small amount helps.  I am trying to rest in God in this, as I had thought this last paycheck I got would cover it, but gas is eating up a lot of our funds.  We need to get Steve to work everyday and he travels a lot - though thankfully he is home every night!  Driving our big van (the only thing that will transport everyone) is costly, and the gas tank is literally eating it up!  We have curtailed lots of things in order to conserve, but getting to church is a must, as well as doctors, etc, and grocery shopping!!!

I wish I could share a photo of our little girls on my blog, but just cannot until they are home.

Please consider being a part of the puzzle in any way that you can, and share the blog with anyone who may be interested!!!!  I would love to see it go viral!

On an upside, we are beginning to see some sales of our diabetes log books, and that goes directly into the fund too!!!!  We are keeping it really economical, as it is crucial for families dealing with this disease.  Costs are high for all the medical care.  We want to provide a good service, for minimal cost, and maybe have a little to add to our adoption fund.  But I so look forward to getting feedback as more people are using these books!  They helped our kids immensely!

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Children of God!!!! And update!

Please watch this!  It is so powerful!

And we have good news!  Things are moving forward with our adoption of A and K!  We hit a major roadblock, but that has been overcome and we are completely moving forward again!  God is so good and has truly designed this path!  It is some days truly a walk of faith and prayer. 

Yesterday we got a few photos from our adoption agency and new measurements!  I right away sent them out to Steve and Walgreens so I could have copies in my hands!  The kids and I oohed and ahhed over and over them!!!  Actually, I have been obsessively checking email to see if new photos came in, and when Kiley heard me scream, she just looked at Aman and said, "New pictures!".  And all the kids came running right in and joined me in staring at their little sisters' faces.  Sigh. 

And then this morning, a dear friend called me, hoping to catch me before work.  She was screaming and giggling, and telling me to go to my computer and the photo website that folks from our agency use to share photos!  A family traveled up to Mekele, which is where our girls are right now, and had said they would try to take photos for me!  It took FOREVER, truly FOREVER for my computer to putz its way there, but then there were both of our girls!!!!!  JJ and I oohed and ahhed over the girls, trying to find all the photos of them - and there were quite a few!!!!!  I could see glimmers of their personalities!  Talk about a great way to start the day!!!

On another note, spring has decided that it is going to be tardy this year.  In fact, we are in the midst of a winter weather warning, expecting as much as six inches tonight of heavy wet snow.  Ugh.  Double Ugh!!!  I am so ready to be starting to work in my garden!!!  And training horses.  But it has been so cold, that we do it in fits and spurts, but still are pleased with the progress our young horses are seeing.  A couple of them are just brilliant and so ready to learn!!!  We have two baby goats!  Baby girls we bought to add to our bloodlines (and reduce the risk of inbreeding).  It is so fun to have little ones bouncing around, almost makes the bottle feeding worth it!  And now we have seven kittens!  Not that we wanted more cats, but at this point all the mamas who weren't fixed have had their babies, so they can go in shortly to be fixed.  And kittens are fun!  With eight kids to love on them, they are very sociable and friendly, so perfect family pets!  Hint hint - in eight weeks if anyone is ready for a cutie, we have several!!!!!  LOL!

Well, we sat down as a family and worked out a plan that everyone thought worked well, and I picked up a few extra hours to help to pay for the adoption.  We all talked about what worked, what we all preferred and what we needed at home to make it work well.  Can I say that I love my kids?  They are so smart, so resourceful, and so caring.  We have laid things out two weeks at a time, and worked out a plan, and should be able to let me earn enough for the next payment to the agency!  Then we are left with the $9000 payment to our international agency and travel fees, oh yeah, and fingerprinting fees.  But we are getting there, in fact, we are a long way there!  God is so good!  We have consigned a lot of things that we don't need or don't fit into our vision for our family, have created diabetes log books that we are selling, and have been selling candles (we took the month of April off).  I will be teaching some classes at a local venue (the Galleria), and that goes directly into the fund too.  I know that the need seems overwhelming, but we are getting there, God continues to send fabulous people into our lives who want to help, and we just keep working.  God has done this in the past, and will continue.  He loves these little girls even more than we do, than we ever will, and He will provide!!!  Amazingly, this is the adoption I am the least stressed about.  I know that I know that I know, that it will be done.  I am at peace, though I desperately want to have my little girls home. 

Though, I would say that certainly this is our last adoption!  I know I said that last time, but I really think it will be!  LOL!  Two little ones, and upper level high schoolers and everything in between!  What a great life, how eclectic!  But, today, I can certainly say that I cannot see it happening again.  I can totally see us helping other families to adopt, teaching, mentoring, encouraging, whatever.  God may have other plans, but today, I cannot imagine anything else.  Today I am so focused on the kids at home and the two to come home.  It is amazing to watch my kids' hearts also be stretched between two continents!  Aman figured it out once - he told me "Mom, it must feel like half of your heart is there, and half of your heart is here, and it cannot be whole until everyone is in the same place."  Good insight son!  I then described to him the utter joy and peace of the first night home, realizing that ALL my children were sleeping in their beds, under ONE roof, all together.  The utter realization that it was done and they were all here and safe.  Maybe that is what makes me so thrilled with each and every child and moment we have together.  They aren't a burden (sometimes a challenge) but such a privilege, because they are HERE.  There is a saying in the adoption world that your adopted child grew not in your body, but in your heart.  That is true.

Well, pray us through this next snowstorm.  And that our mare who is so very pregnant could wait just a couple more days to have that baby - for warmer weather!  But oh, she is so BIG.  We keep telling her to have that baby already!  Our stallion colicked and passed away a couple weeks ago, so there will be no more unplanned babies.  Which is good.  But dear Moe lived out his life totally adored, loved on and comfortable until the day he died, which was what we wanted for him.  He was a special needs horse, and the sweetest boy you could ever meet.  We miss him, but know that he was well loved and happy.  That eases the loss.  And looking forward to his baby is a positive thing!

Have a great day everyone and a Happy Easter if I don't get on before then.  I will post when I am doing my classes as soon as we nail down a time!  Should be soon!

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Ordinary Hero!

People have asked for how they can help, and I really do appreciate it!  We have several fundraising things going on currently!  I really like the fundraisers where YOU get something too!  I do appreciate straight donations, don't get me wrong, but I also like it this way!

Vine Candles!  We have the most amazing soy candles and goat milk soap based lotions.  There are sixteen candle scents and four lotion scents.  We have been selling them at church, but will take the month of April off, at least at church.  I still have quite a few left and can fill orders!  If you are interested, get in touch and I will get you more information.  They are $14 for one item, $25 for 2, and $37 for three - lotions and candles can be mixed and matched!  Look for our table at Celebration Church again in May!  Or I can get some to you now!

Seroogy Chocolates!  We are just getting this going, but we will be able to offer the best chocolates around!  I will have all the details for you shortly, feel free to order! 

(Both of these companies are local companies, so your money stays at home!!!  And we make a 50% profit on both!)

Ordinary Hero - we have begun this also.  I don't know if anyone dearly loves meaningful t-shirts, but this company was created by an adoptive mom to help adoptive families!  I get 40% of every purchase. Add my affiliate name at checkout.  There is a button on the sidebar!  Feel free to share!

We are also thinning down around the house.  I have a nearly perfect green and tan (very current styles) graco stroller, and the matching infant carseat that locks onto the stroller.  It is absolutely adorable, wonderful and I had been given it as we are adopting.  Well, international adoption being what it is, our littlest girl will be too big for it by the time we are able to get her home.  I would love to get it to someone who can use it right away this spring. Since we are heavily into fundraising for this adoption, I would like to sell it for something, to complete our friend's intention of benefiting our little girl.  New I know they are expensive (but oh, so worth it for the quality).  I would like to ask $50 if that seems reasonable.  I can send photos as soon as my husband gets home to help me with the camera.  Will deliver to Green Bay, Denmark, Kewaunee, or nearby areas as we go by! So, in case you are local and can use it, get in touch!  I will be replacing it with a double stroller!




I also have a wonderful Medella breastpump (Pump N Style) that I had gotten last year before Sammy died, having planned to nurse him when he came home.  Needless to say, I don't need this!  A and K are beyond this stage.  It is totally complete, in the box.  I would love to get $75 to replace what I spent on it (I got it very lightly used).  Again, it all goes right into the adoption fund!

Thanks everyone.  I hope this helps some other folks see a variety of ways to fund an adoption!  It takes creativity but there are lots of options!


"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Tortillas!!!!!

We have been threatening to learn to make our own tortillas for some time and today was finally the day!

Turns out it is really simple and doesn't take a ton of time overall.  We made about 45 tortillas, all about 6 inches in diameter.  They tasted especially good with lunch meat as a wrap!  The Ethiopian born kiddos told me that it tasted like "kika" which is a tradition Ethiopian bread.  I had no idea, but it is blindingly simple. 

We love tortillas and go through a ton.  But of course, the prices are through the roof.  And when you think about the amount that our crew eats, well that makes it a bit of a delicacy.  We figured that we spent $4.60 on the flour (ten pound bag), 1 cup of shortening all total, a bit of salt and warm water.  According to how many tortillas my math whiz of a husband figured we could make from that bag of flour, it puts each tortilla at four cents a tortilla!  Way cheaper than what I buy at the store, much fresher, and I can play around with the recipe!  My budgeting mind is just spinning figuring how much that cuts out of what is taken up by buying tortillas!!!  I figured that I could MAKE about 90 tortillas for what I pay for ten at the store, and maybe even more than that!  Cool!!!!!

And honestly, it was fun!  Hubby and I mixed up the batter together, you let it rest for 20 minutes, and then start dividing it up into little balls, then roll each ball between wax paper (with rolling pin), pop it in the hot cast iron pan (no oil), fifteen seconds on each side twice, and it is done - or watch what it looks like and stop when it looks like you want it to.  I had kids joining in on the fun too.  I figured we would, but it is much easier once I have figured it out myself - can't really teach very well what I don't know - at least it takes longer.  After a while we ended up with assembly line style making of tortillas!  I can see where you could get really good at this and it would be a very simple process to do on a regular basis!

I have to admit though, I took the recipe from another blog and here is the link: Chickens in the Road Tortillas.

Chickens in the Road is a blog that I love, so please check it out.  She is just amazing and her blog is gorgeous!  I am not yet that creative, but am sure having fun with my blog! 

I never thought I would love cooking, but perhaps it is the company I keep when I am cooking - it isn't just preparing a meal, it is doing something for the family, with the family.  I love the chats we have while we work on things, and the things we all learn together.  I think each of the kids in the family regularly spends time cooking with me, and they thank whoever made the meal, and make a point of thanking everyone who helped with it!  Even my boys cook!  We are working to make it a very regular occurrence with each child as I want each one to be very able to cook for themselves by the time the are on their own.  At least to cook somewhat and maybe to even enjoy it!

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Radical Challenge!

I have spent the last month really digesting David Platt's *Radical - Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream*.  This is one that takes some real digesting, because it really calls us to take and honest look at our faith and what we are truly called to.

I really appreciate the practical manner in which he approaches living out our faith, and the examples he gives throughout.  We all want to live out our faith, but it is very easy to lose sight of the goal, very easy to get caught up or distracted by daily life and what our culture calls to value.

I found that my views were challenged, and while I thought I was living out my faith, *Radical* really opened my eyes to how I can do so more, in very practical ways.  I found the book a very good read, understandable language, arranged in a manner that really encouraged me to keep reading and thinking and praying.  This is a book that is well written, and challenges us to be more than we might have conceived of, and exactly why.  I highly recommend this book to someone wanting to live out their faith in a practical way, to truly walk the walk we are called to by Christ.  I will warn you, it will challenge you, get you really thinking and examining our roles in the world, our ways we can contribute.  It will not leave you unchanged if you thoughtfully read it. 

I am going to look up more books by Davit Platt after reading this!  And be re-reading *Radical*!

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Diabetes log books!

Life with type 1 diabetes is a family affair.  It affects everyone, and as the parent of a child with type 1 diabetes, we are always looking to make the kids invested in their health care and also to always remember that they are KIDS!

We have struggled with log books (for recording their blood sugars, food logs, insulin dosages and other notes that are crucial for them to have in order to make good decisions about their cares).  Most log books don't have all the spots for the information we want, or are too large to really be easily portable for kids, and basically are just plain boring.  We have struggled to really find a way to get the kids more positively involved in their cares, as they keep getting older and we need to be teaching them each step of the way, and also, their needs are constantly changing as they grow, and the information in the logbooks is priceless.

But, being kids, they are bored with them.  I don't blame them.  So, somehow it needs to be kid friendly, easy to find, durable and have all the spots for the info we really need - which we feel is more than most log books have.  So, out of frustration we designed our own log books and tried them out.  We talked with Aman and Kiley about how to lay it out, what they wanted to know and what size they wanted the log book to be so it fit into whatever they wanted to carry it in.  It needed to be used many times a day.  We did some revisions and may do one more yet to tweak a small detail we noted.  But, we have used these log books for about two months now and have seen the two kids have much better record keeping, which allows us to have enough information to make the changes that need to be made!  I am very interested to see the doctor in the next two weeks and see if their A1Cs have improved like we are sure they have.  And we have the data to prove it!  I think the pediatric endocrinologist will be thrilled.

Well, we decided to personalize or individualize each one.  So, we looked at other things.  We needed it to be easy to see (bright is great as they often get set down somewhere), more durable cover than just plain paper (gets tossed in backpacks, purses, the table, wherever), and fun for kids.  We found some great cardstock, and that is what you see on these.  Kiley and Aman are THRILLED!!!!  They each picked a color and pattern they wanted and are so happy with it.  Well, we have many, many more patterns for covers, and will be working on those as we need them. 

What we want to do, is to get these out to other families that live with Type 1 diabetes.  Diabetes for kids is tough.  We cannot take that away, but we CAN make it a bit more kid friendly in any way that we can.  This was our effort. 

We are offering these for sale for $3 each, a 30 day log book, shipping to be added, but it will be minimal as I think it can easily be sent first class and we will only charge the actual cost.  If you are interested, please contact me and we will get them out to you!  I will post new patterns as I get them printed and assembled.  We just wanted them to be fun for kids, to encourage them to use them to keep good data and take charge of their health care. 

Please feel free to spread the word and share this post with anyone you feel might be interested!

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Ever had a hard time getting going?

Today I am feeling just a little "slow".  Not like I am ever a great morning person, but we are having another fundraiser today, and quite often I have no luck at all with these kinds of shows.  I for years have refused to do them, just because I get such a low turnout.  But, we are trying it again.  I hope just at least a few people show up.  That would be great.  Maybe that is why I am avoiding getting going, dread.

But, on the other hand, I have a kitty sleeping on me and that is certainly encouraging me to not move too much. We took two of our young cats in to be spayed three days ago, and they are recovering well, nearly back to normal, but one is certainly resting a bit more.  With barn cats, they multiply fast.  And strays come and adopt you.  And leave kittens also.  So, we are taking our kitties in to get fixed two at a time.  As paychecks allow.  So far four of the barn kitties have been fixed this year (girls first), we have four that are already fixed, and the others will get done as soon as we can.  The waiting list for Cats Anonymous is pretty long, and honestly, we can do it for about the same cost with our country vet.  And I really like the whole thing of not asking for help.  Pride, you know.  We have the majority of the cats outside, but a few come in and out, and some were raised in the house as little ones so they are very very social.  We had a fiasco last spring with some babies getting killed by a critter, and all the soft hearts in the house determined to protect any more that were born, so the kids and I brought the mamas and babies inside to protect them.  So, they are all litter trained, and we found homes for the majority of the babies.  But a few remain.  We still hope to find other homes since they are all so sweet and make lovely, attentive housecats.  But we sincerely try to limit how many house cats we have to two.  The rest have a kitty tahj mahal on the front porch and in the barn, so they live quite well for barn cats.  But, if you know anyone who wants a very snuggly cat - we have some lovely ones!  There are a few favorites that will stay - like the stray with the leg that is permanently damaged (so she has basically three functioning legs), and the one that has totally adopted Steve as her owner.  But, if they stay, well, they are awesome mousers, live the high life well fed out here, patrolling the barns, and loved on by everyone.  When we have a bonfire, several of the cats will come and join us and snuggle (and try to scam some treats).  They have a good life.  We just are making sure that there aren't too many!  And living in farming country, there are lots of barn cats, so if the kids really wanted another kitten at some point - there are so many being given away from other barns.  And likely another pregnant stray mama will show up at some time.  And leave babies, and maybe stay, like the last one.  I have decided that my kids are the absolute champions at taming a cat that has never had much human contact.  They slowly earn its trust.  And then slowly over time build a sweet relationship with it.  And then we get it fixed and vaccinated.  Maybe that is another one of our contributions to life here!  Hee, hee.

Well, now just writing has encouraged me to start my real daily activities!

I am slowly going through everything we own, everything that is hiding in the basement, a box at a time.  Yesterday I had on a marathon of the show "Hoarders" (talk about motivation to anyone to get rid of stuff!) and the kids would bring me up a box/container at a time and I would go through it.  Things were divided into throw away, donate, keep.  If it was a keep, it had to have a place to go and a purpose!  I got through six boxes, and of that, only two boxes of things were kept - mostly summer clothes for the kids and a few sentimental things, five garbage bags of things went out - I have a habit of keeping things until I can decide about them - got a lot of deciding things done yesterday, and three bags of donations went out to the van.  The deal is that nothing can be left laying around.  I do one box all the way, clean up after it, and then call for another one.  I was so very proud of myself.  Even with my love of books, some of them are going for donations!  It was amazing to see how much I got done, and how quickly I could return my house to order after the sorting process.  I don't think I can do that every day, but if I even did that every couple days, in no time at all, the entire basement would be sorted through and decluttered!  Wow.

So, thanks for the encouragement of letting me talk to you!  Could you please leave me a note if you follow my blog at all?  I don't mind writing just to myself, as it is so therapeutic and sorts out my mind on issues, but it is also really encouraging to think that maybe it helps someone else.  I haven't figured out how to put a counter on my blog, but I would like to know if people look at it.  I hope it is helpful for someone, at the very least lets you know that life is honest, and real, and funny, and sometimes messy.  But it is great!  God loves us all!

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11