Cabbage Patch Adoption

Big sister Emma really wanted to give Niah an African American cabbage patch kid for her birthday so they would each have one to play with. It was so sweet to listen to them play. They brought all their clothes down and packed them in little bags. They then pretended to fly on an airplane for a long long time. Finally, they arrived in Ethiopia to meet their little girls. Their scene of meeting their new "babies" was so sweet and I pray mine goes as well as their imagined game. After picking up their girls they got to go to a hotel for a week and get to know their new children. Have I mentioned how much I love that our decision to adopt has broadened our children's world view. Never could I have imagined my children playing this game and it was so amazing to watch! They are really beginning to have a desire to help others in need. I feel like they are also realizing that children across the world are just the same as children across the street. "Learn to do well; seek judgment,relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." Isaiah 1:17

Tumbling into Year Seven!

We had a fun time celebrating Niah's seventh birthday this weekend with family and friends. We went to a gymnastics facility and let the kids go crazy during the open gym time. Niah shared this celebration with her much loved cousin Isabella who turned six. Thanks to Aunt Robin who set this terrific day up. The kids burned off a lot of energy runninig and tumbling. A much needed outing during the deep freeze we have been in the middle of. Thanks for all of the wonderful gifts. Our family is very giving and Niah has so much to be appreciative for. "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father." Ephesians 5:20a.

I have a dream.....

Half of our home schooling day was spent discussing the life of Martin Luther King Jr. today. We read the books Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport and Rosa by Nikki Giovanni. I highly recommend these books. We then did a craft were the kids each drew a picture of themselves with their brother from Ethiopia. It was fun to see their drawings of what they think he will look like. Below the pictures we put Martin's words, "I have a dream that one day in Alabama little black boys and black girls will join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers." We then discussed what the Lord said in 1 Samual 16:7, "For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance,but the Lord looketh on the heart." Straight from the Word is the truth of all matters of appearence. I believe Martin would have agreed with this when he said, "Love is the key to the problems of the world."

Over the weekend, the girls participated in a speaking contest for 4-H. Niah recited "When Herbert Got a Hotdog" by Kenn Nesbitt. She did great with a score of 97. Emma recited "The Dentist Pulled my Teeth Out" by Kenn Nesbitt. She also did great with a score of 95. I am proud of their hard work.

Ready to Attack!

We were lucky to have some fun in the snow with our cousin Delaney last week as it was -22 degrees below zero this morning. We have been stuck in the house for four days and we are all getting cabin fever! So, we pulled out the game of Life, Uno, and Monopoly Junior and have been battling it out. We are ready to attack on many fronts, snowballs, board games, and adoption paperwork!

Making Progress

I am so excited as I received my book, From Ashes to Africa, today. It is even autographed. Josh and Amy's adoption video, meeting Silas, was the first I watched after deciding to adopt. They have been an inspiration to us as have many other blogging families. I want to thank everyone out there for sharing their stories. I can't wait to start reading the book.

About our process, I was so happy to have mailed off a huge packet of information to KBS dossier last week only to have a list of items with changes needed this week. We are almost through the list and are praying the second packet is met with more success. I thank the Lord we decided to use KBS. It is a relief having someone else review our documents. I'm hoping to have a homestudy report back within the next few weeks. The end of the paperwork is near! Hooray!

Why Adopt?

I would like to start by explaining why we want to grow our family through adoption. Ephesians 4:4-7 says "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" Adoption is God's idea and plan. It was not an afterthought. God knew that we would sin and become orphaned ourselves. Because of this, he planned, before the world was created, to redeem us through his only son Jesus Christ. Redeem means to buy back or rescue something that was lost. We were bought back into God's family through the blood of God's son Jesus Christ. Why did he do this? So that the glory of His grace would be praised. We have chosen then to adopt to continue to glorify God in His plan that was set in place before the world was here. We will strive to raise our son to glorify God and we hope to model God's mercy and justice through our adoption. I imagine the hardships that Jesus endured on the cross for my sins and I know that we can endure any hardships or stress that may come through this process. I also realize how wonderfully rich and full my life has become since I acknowledged that I am a sinner and that I need Christ as my saviour. Since this time, I have been adopted into God's family and have benefited from his many blessings. My husband and I are excited to share all that we have been blessed with with our son from Ethiopia. We hope that you will journey with us as we follow God's leading on our pathway to Ethiopia.