Category Archives: Adoption

Adoption

A Question and an Answer

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Someone asked me yesterday, “why would you want to adopt instead of having your own children?” I have so many patient, informative responses to that question, some downright snarky ones, and some hilarious ones. I think if you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know why we’re adopting, but…

A lot of things have got me thinking lately about the American Dream.  The desire for success. And money. And comfortable living.

I think if I “achieved” great success and great wealth, it would feel so small to me, knowing that there are still people in this world, who don’t have their basic needs met.

I know a man who is a millionaire, because he diligently saved his money over 50 years. But, what if he had given it away, how many people would it have fed, provided clean water, an education? Is saving practically really a great quality to have when that money could be put to good use? I am not stating. I am just asking. Honestly and humbly.

In response to the person who asked me yesterday, why we’d ever want to adopt, I read this beautiful blog post  today.

Adoption, First Adoption

Busy, busy

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We’re still alive. And mostly well. And chugging along over here. I have been buried under a big avalanche of napkins. Yes, this is wonderful. It is business. It is money. But, it is exhausting. And I have more to do than spend 2 hours on the computer designing, 12 hours printing and another hour running around each day. Like, um, finishing our adoption loan applications. Or those letters I told Bethany I’d email to her last week to be translated into Russian for Reed and Scarlett.

Tomorrow is our big USCIS fingerprinting day. A few of you said your local USCIS office let you go in early. I’ve heard through the grapevine that the Kansas City office does NOT allow this. That is why we just waited until our appointment date.

Christie blogged about this great series which Rachel is doing on HIV+ orphans & adoption. Really good stuff. Thank you so much, Rachel, for blogging about HIV and Christie for sharing the link.

Also, Angie blogged about this book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt, today. I was so excited. I instantly ordered it.

Fundraisers

Garage Sale Feedback

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My sister-in-law, Rachel, emailed me a few days ago, to share some of the stories from their garage sale. I wanted to share this with you all. As I mentioned before, they did not price anything for the sale. They had info about our adoption & asked people to donate whatever they felt was right. It sounds like it was a very positive experience…


“I have to share a few stories from the garage sale, I was amazed by how caring some people were.  There were a few people that took advantage of the no-price policy, but overall people were so great.  There were several people that just gave us a dollar or two as they were leaving, they didn’t buy anything but they just wanted to donate to the kids.  There were a lot of people that shared stories about people they knew who had adopted or were looking into adoption, and they understood how difficult the process was and what it meant.  One lady bought two books and one small item and gave us 20 dollars and didn’t want any change, one lady had her kids give us each a dollar and then showed them the pictures of Reed and Scarlett and talked to them about where their money was going.  It sounds a little crazy, but it was really an good experience, I felt like I saw a really good side of people this weekend (which I don’t think usually happens at a garage sale!). “

Fundraisers

Garage Sale

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My in-laws rock. This Friday and Saturday, my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and mother-in-law had a garage sale. No set prices. Just whatever people thought was an appropriate donation to our adoption. They made $800!!!

It was so awesome of them to put this garage sale together for Reed and Scarlett (and us, of course!)… I barely did anything for it at all.

We only donated one thing to sell.  Aaron’s parents, sister, brother-in-law and aunt donated most of the items.  His sister, brother-in-law and mom put lots of time and work into this garage sale, not to mention all of the stuff which they sold. We are so grateful for their generosity!

Thank you so much! I don’t think families get any better than ours, Aaron’s and mine.

Adoption, First Adoption

Grateful

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I am grateful for a lot these days…

Almost every night, after spending 10 hours at work and an hour driving to and from work, my husband sits down in front of the computer and studies Ukrainian. I am grateful for a husband who loves adoption and is as excited to travel as I am!

Yesterday, I found the blog of the Heim family . Traci & family just got home from adopting Dasha from the same orphanage at Reed and Scarlett are in! It was a lot of fun reading their blog, and seeing the photos and videos of Dasha. She is absolutely adorable. She is just 6 weeks older than Scarlett, the one who someone thought was Scarlett’s sister.

Traci emailed me a group photo of some of the children in their orphanage, and the photo includes Scarlett. Traci also told me about her experience adopting from that orphanage and it was mostly positive! It sounds like for an orphanage it is a very good facility. I am grateful for her email today.

My in-laws are holding a garage sale this weekend… they are donating the money people give them to our adoption. I am grateful for all around awesome in-laws.

A mother in the process of adopting two little girls from Reed and Scarlett’s orphanage emailed me today… I am grateful to learn that two more little girls have homes!

Bethany is coordinating a sponsorship program for the kids in Reed and Scarlett’s orphanage.  We have an opportunity to send a package to Reed and Scarlett. She emailed me three days ago and I already have most of the stuff for the package. I am SO excited about it. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to mail them some things that they might need and also introduce ourselves to them. We are NOT writing that we’re in the process of adopting them, but we do hope that they’ll learn a bit about us and we won’t be complete strangers when we show up at their orphanage.

There are lots more kids needing sponsorship… it involves sending them a package at least twice a year. Filling it up with clothes, toys, toiletries, and a letter about your family (photos, too, if you chose!). If you are interested, let me know and I will put you in touch with Bethany.