Tator...Part 2

That week was a whilwind week of phone calls and texts from/to the case worker and Tator's bdad. More questions from/to us to/from him/them. While we were home thinking through bedrooms and who would sleep where, and needing to paint the pink room that may be Hulk's new room and going through clothes to see what I had on hand and what we would need to buy, etc. We had time...so we weren't rushing. We wanted to paint the pink room anyway...so we will do it next week. Even if she doesn't come to our family, it needs to be done. And that was the only think on the immediate agenda. We had time for everything else. Or so we thought.

We left the previous Sunday with the impression of a longer transition, but maybe only a few weeks. After Thanksgiving. That changed quickly and the following Sunday, we were back at their house...to pick up Tator. There would be no transistion, no more waiting. This sweet blue eyed little girl would be joining our family. We were excited, and sad at that same time.

Ya'll...adoption is joyful...and it is extremely sad. Bittersweet is the best world to describe the emotions of that day. Our greatest joy...is their greatest sorrow. We hung out at the house with their family for awhile. Knowing that was the last time she would be there, in their family, like that, made me want to stay as long as they wanted. Again, we visited and talked and played...and cried.

Driving away, with Tator in the car, was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I have no idea how much of that day Tator understood. I hope she understood her bDaddy telling her that he loved her. I hope she understood when he told her he would always love her. I hope she understood that he did this because of how much he loves her. And if she didn't that day...then we will continue to remind her of it throughout her life.

Tator...part 1

Nov2
We walk into her house. Immediately we see the arms of a tiny, beautiful little girl, fly open wide. She's wanting a hug from us all. And of course we would love a hug from her too. She is much smaller than we imagined. We were told she was small..but seeing her brought it to reality. Standing beside me was my super tall Bug who is actually younger than this little girl and they looks years apart in age. But her smile and bright blue eyes make up for her tiny little self. She says 'hey' to us all and goes about her business playing.

We see her father sitting on the sofa and go over to him. We are huggers, so we of course hug him as well. You can see the sadness in his eyes as this decision has been so incredibly difficult. He loves her, no doubt. We heard it in his voice when we had talked before, but to see it in his eyes as he looks at his daughter confirms it all. We talk about lots of things. He and Hubs talked about sports and kids and random things. There was really never any awkward chit chat, and it really felt as if we were visiting old friends. The case worker and I talked for awhile about adoption in general and our families and our views on the world, etc.

I sat and read an Elmo book to this bright blue eyed little girl and watched as she and Bug and Hulk played well together. We didn't really know how they would behave or understand what this visit may mean and I prayed they understood and also prayed that their hearts were guarded. But as I watched them read books and play cars and build blocks and play in the pretend kitchen, my heart smiled.

And hour or so into the visit, the case worker asked me what I thought of this bright eyed little girl. And I smiled (my heart was smiling bigger) and told her I thought she was wonderful. My heart was guarded for many reasons. The case worker than began to talk to the father about what he was thinking and he confirmed that he felt like it was going well and he wanted to move forward. She spoke to him about time-frame and he wanted a longer transition. Maybe Christmas? Maybe Thanksgiving? Either was fine with us...we understood that this was hard and that a transition may be best anyway.

Soon after, we said our goodbyes. That little blue eyed girl gave us all hugs and kisses and said goodbye. We left feeling good...and a bit anxious...and a bit scared. But we knew that if this was God's plan, than He would reveal it. We left with this little girl and her dad in our hearts...

more in Part 2...

Prayers please...

Without going into detail, we ask that you cover us in prayer. God is doing big things right now and we have committed to the journey and are along for the ride. But these big things are somewhat scary as it's a road we haven't traveled before. But we know that He is by our side. I hope we can share more details soon. But for now, please know we need your prayers!

Adoption Update

Several have asked where we stand with this journey. Well, there are moments we feel like we are standing still. And other moments when I feel like my head is spinning. We have consistently had a situation in front of us for a year now. We have prayed for each mother and child and while we haven't been the right family yet, we have watched miracles happen over and over again.

We do not know where this path will lead. But we know beyond a shadow of doubt that we are doing what God asked us to do. In September we prayed about our homestudy...it would need to be renewed if we continued. That meant more clearances, more physicals, and more money. We decided to give it one more year and pray that God would either throw the door wide open or slam it shut. This is His journey after all...and we are happily along for the ride. As with most adoption journey's...we have had a million roadblocks in front of us this past year. Financially, it's been a tough year.

That's the way satin works! He tries to put doubt in front of you! Emotionally, it's been a tough year. There are so many times my anxiety level has been through the roof...and that is so far from my personality. Would you pray with us that this journey will be glorified? That this path will shine from beginning to end. We have no clue what God has in store for us. What I do know...is that we have been blessed time and time again because of this journey.

We have had so many opportunities to lift families and mothers and children in prayer. We have had the opportunity to love on families considering adoption and listen to their hearts and be a shoulder to cry on. I truly feel like God has given me a platform and a passion and I thank Him every single day for bring adoption into my life. Ya'll...God is good! Satin tries his best to still our joy, and there are many times that he has succeed. But MY GOD IS BIGGER and He has proven it time and time again!!!!!

*Several weeks ago, we were asked by a few people if we would be doing another tshirt fundraiser as we did this time last year when we did our homestudy. It's something that we had considered and after being encouraged by friends to do so...we jumped in again. So, here it is. The first order has already been delivered and ya'll...these shirts are great! I thank each of you who supports our family and supports adoption. We love ya'll more than you know!

HOPE TSHIRTS - CLICK HERE!!!

Our Summer...

I have been a terrible blogger this summer...but it's because I have enjoyed every second with both my kiddos home. I hear so many moms plead for summer to end so the kids can go back to school and I desperately want it to continue. I love having my kids home!! Now, don't get me wrong...we have bad days...days when we all need a break from one another, but for the most part, it's just great!

So, since I haven't blogged much this summer, let me fill you in on what we did!

We went to Stone Mountain in Atlanta. My kids loved going to the very top so they could see 'the whole world!!

MeMe at the top of Stone Mountain with all of her Grands.

A little bowling.

Go-carting with my favorite lil dude

Meeting Blue, our newest pup. He found us....and the kids said he had to stay.

We harvested our first garden. This is Hulk's...grown all by himself.

We spent a weekend with all these amazing families who we adore.

Countless trips to the splash pad

Aliens landed in the back yard.

We fished until dark.

Morning movies, Dairy Queen and arcades

Bug learned to ride a bike.

Made a fabulous trampoline sprinkler that is still a favorite on hot days.

Spent a wonderful day trip to the beach with cousins.

And another pic of Blue...because he's so stinkin cute...

There is so much more to this summer and I was sad to see it end. I declared at the end of the school year that we would have a 70's summer....the kids would have to find their own entertainment. Now, that's not to say that I wouldn't do things with them, or we wouldn't go places. But it was by far a budget summer and I was not going to be providing all the entertainments. I wanted them to use their imaginations, and draw and paint, read books and take in the things in our own community. We had occasional treats like, morings at the theater, or afternoons at the splash pad or park. Bowling with cousins and a few rentals from red box. But mostly, they played and played and played. They created and enjoyed being with each other. They used their imaginations. The rocketship that landed in the backyard? It took all day for them to make it (and I'm still thankful to our neighbors for the fantastic box)...today, 2+months later, they are STILL playing in that rocketship. It now has lights and air conditioning, and they inside is tagged with their artwork. It is fantastic. This by far, has been the best summer break so far. And next summer, we will do it all again!

Hulk has now started 4th grade and I am ever amazed at how fast time is flying. My smart, compassionate, silly boy is now 9...and I have no idea how that happened. Bug and I will start Mommy school the first week of Sept. Our schedule of school and homework is settling in and life is returning back to normal. Well, whatever 'normal' means for our little family!

This is hard...

Adoption is hard.
It is emotionally difficult.
It is draining.
It is hard.

I continue to repeat things to myself:
"as long as each child has a family...that is what matters. It is ok if it is not us"
"Maybe God brought this situation to us, so this little one could be covered in prayer?"
"We agreed, that if this didn't happen, we are ok"
"An open door for adoption...means it could happen at any time"
"It's ok that this is hard. It is easy for us compared to the mothers considering adoption"
"This is God's journey...and we are simply along for the ride"

But let me tell ya...it. is. hard.

The last couple of weeks, we have been called about 2 different situations. Both were children who needed to be placed quickly. Both tore open our hearts and made us examine every aspect of our lives and family. Both made us wonder if we were strong enough. Both made us realize that this is a journey like no other.

We are about as wide open as you can get when it comes to this adoption. Age, race, gender, special needs. In the past couple of weeks, we were called about a toddler and a baby to be born in a couple of weeks. 2 different situations. The toddler had significant needs and a lot of unknowns. Many things that were a bit unexplained...was it due to neglect? Is it something that could improve with a team of medical professionals? Or not? The baby is expected to have a brain deformity as well as some other possible issues. His unknowns have a HUGE range of possibilities. Both of these children tugged at us. And our hearts wanted to say yes yes yes! But after much prayer and soul searching and thinking about our 2 children and the makeup of our family...we had to say no to both situations.
It is a horrible feeling.

I never heard back on the first situation, but I know that there is a wonderful family out there who is equipped to handle his needs. And for the baby that we have spent the past couple of days praying about...lifting his parents up...praying for peace and unity about the decision.....we found out today that a family stepped up for him. A forever family who felt like he was meant for them.
My heart rejoiced!

As much as we want to say yes to each and every child that comes our way, we have to make ourselves step back and evaluate.
It is hard.

So, as I sit here tonight indulging in the leftover chocolate frosting from tonight's cupcakes as I drown my sorrows of uncertainty...I am also celebrating for the family who put there yes on the table for this baby to be born soon. Adoption is about finding a family for each and every child...it is NOT about us. Not every child is meant for us. We are not the best fit for every child.

But I rejoice that we ARE for 2 amazing kiddos who are already in our family. I cannot imagine our lives with these two. They drive me insane at times...but they are my world and I am thankful for each and every second we share. God is good...He is faithful. He has proven it time and again. And I know, that if it is His will
...then He will again.

Adoption update

I haven't updated our journey in awhile. Not because I haven't wanted to...but because it seems like we've had such little movement. But looking back, we've actually had a lot. We started this particular adoption with our YES on the table. We asked for God's will to be done. And while we both want that to mean that there is another child out there for us, we also know that only God knows the answer to this. We have a heart for children and are pretty wide open. Gender, race, up to age 4, medical needs, drug exposure, etc. But while we hope this journey ends in adoption, the truth is, well, we just don't know. We pour our whole hearts into a situation when we hear about it. I pray over the mother and child and pray she finds the perfect family. A few times, we have felt the need to present our family as well. This has happened several times this year.

Many of you know that we met with a mother late last year and spoke with her about adoption. We had hoped that if she placed her child for adoption that she would place with us. She delivered in January and we lost contact. It simply was not God's will. And that is ok. We had total peace. We covered this mother and her child in prayers before he was born...and continue to do so today.

Soon after that, we presented to a mother and father who was soon to deliver their son. There was a chance that this soon to be baby boy would have a life changing diagnosis. We said yes and presented our family. Upon delivering their son, they chose to parent. And that is ok. We commited to lifting him in prayer and his parents...and we continue to pray for them today.

A month ago, I received an email from an attorney about a baby boy (already born). Long story short, he was rocking Down Syndrome and needed a family. She thought about us...and we were so incredibly excited. However, she had a wrong number for us and couldn't reach us before reaching out to other families. We were a little disappointed...but the point of adoption is finding families for children who need families. And she did. She found a great family for this little boy. We wished it had been us..but it simply wasn't meant to be. And that is ok. I continue to lift him in prayer as well as his new family.

Last week, we heard about a beautiful toddler boy whose mother was considering an adoption plan. Everything about this situation pulled at our hearts. We put our yes on the table and asked to be presented to this mother. Today, she viewed info about interested families. I prayed...all day. And yesterday afternoon found out that we were not the family that she chose. Honestly, it hurt. But it is ok. It was not meant to be. I will continue to pray for this beautiful boy, his bmom and his new family.

I say all of that to say...adoption is complicated. And being in an adoption process with no clear direction is difficult as well. We commited to having an 'open door' for adoption. We are here if a child is in need of a family. We are here if a mother considering adoption needs a shoulder to lean on. We are here. We have no idea where our journey will lead. Each day brings different questions. Each day, I have the opportunity to talk to famlies considering adoption. I've had the opportunity to talk to mothers considering adoption. And the many times I've had the opportunity to pray over these mothers and their children has been incredible. And this is the journey that we will continue.

Is there another child out there for us? I don't know. I pray there is!! We are ready. We have our hearts prepared. And we will continue forward.

If you are mother considering adoption, we would love to talk with you. If you are an agency looking for a family, we would love to talk with you. If you are a family wanting more information about adoption, we would love to talk with you. This particular journey has opened my eyes so much. And for that, I am thankful. 

All Roads Lead Home - Custom Images

I am sooo excited about this! I have been brainstorming about something creative, something fun and something that means something special to each family. I have gone over and over in my head different things, but in the end, nothing seemed 'just right'...until this. I am in LOVE with these images.

You see, each family, whether, biological or adoptive, is different. Each family came to each other differently. It all started with love, and then a family grew.

How did you meet? Were you neighbors growing up? Did you meet in college? Blind date? Chance meeting at the ballpark? Fender bender at the local grocery store? Did you start your family at once? Go through a journey to meet your child/ren? Move a million times in between each child? Or grow your family in the same town you grew up?

See...we are all very very different! Your journey is just that...YOUR journey, and no one else will ever have the same story!

I created this image for our family and fell in love. Hubs and I were born in the same state, about 30 minutes (and a year-ish) from one another. One child was born in another state and another child in another country. Our beginnings all looked different, but all roads led home...to our family. It is our journey...and our journey is not over yet!

I ran out today and had a quick print made of our family image. I LOVE it!! I had hoped to have it matted and framed for this photo, but the afternoon got crazy so here it is! I have big plans for the kids hallway and it includes this print!

Wouldn't you love a custom image like this for YOUR family, to represent YOUR journey? Awesome! Simply click the donate button under this image, and don't forget to add the following info about your family:
Husband: State or Country born
Wife: State or Country born
Children: Current age, gender, Country or state born
And please make sure I have your email address. 

Once your custom image is created, I will simply email it to you and you can print at the location of your choice. Just that easy! And I would LOVE to see yours once you have it printed! If you are on instagram, you can tag me @brinawynne and #themessageisclear

Update 4/28/14: I am overwhelmed with the response from each of you! I knew *I* loved this, but had no idea if anyone else would. Thank you so much!!! Sooo, to answer a few questions that have been asked the last couple of days.

Can the quote be different? YES! If you have something in mind, just let me know. 

I don't see a spot to leave my information? Just add it in the 'notes' to seller spot in paypal.

I forgot to leave my information? No problem, email me at foreverblessedbyadoption@gmail.com

We were all born in the same state...ours will looking boring! Nope, I will use different maps to mix it up a bit.

What size are these? Good question! I'm trying to size so that you will have the option to crop to the size needed. However, with larger families, panoramic really is the best option. 

Where do I get these printed? Anywhere really, but I've found just running to the local print shop (Office Depot, Office Max etc) works well. They can work with the size you need and adjust/crop etc. Since the image background is white, it is easier for them to work with to if you need it printed on a larger size than what I have created. I chose a white matte cardstock for mine and love it.

What is your turn-around time? I'm trying my best to get these back within 48-72 hours. Just a quick as I can!

Do you need the city we were born? No, I'm really focusing on the state (or country if born outside the USA) instead of the city. 

Are the maps you use old? I'm using all types of maps, so yes, many are old. Many look aged and some are new with bright colors. I'm using them all, because I think a wide variety represents the many different people that we are.  

4/29/14: I am working on orders from 4/28 today. I am going with Hulk on a feild trip tomorrow so if you message me and I don't reply it's because I'll be hanging out with several of my favorite 8 and 9 year olds. :) I promise, I am trying my very best to get these out just as quickly as I can. And again...a million thank you's to each of you!!!!

$20 and I will have it back to you within 48-72 hours. 

And....THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! 

I hope we can announce some big news soon, and as always, ask for your continued prayers!
Either way, I will update our journey later this week. :)

Don't forget that Mother's Day is just around the corner. A gift for yourself perhaps? What about an image representing grandchildren? So many options!

Adding a few that I've created....

 

Notice anything? Yep...every one is different, just like every family is different!

Spring Cleaning - Refreshing the Shutters

Now that Spring is finally here, I'm getting motivated to fix up a few things around the house. This happens every Spring, and every year, we manage to let things slip by. For about a month, Hubs and I have been trying to decide what color to paint the shutters and front door. And the shutters are vinyl, so do we paint or just purchase new ones? They look awful and we have to do something. ugh! Well, who knows, because we can't come to a decision about the color. We just can't agree. What I REALLY want, he doesn't want at all. That's typically the way it goes, right? That's fine!

When we moved into this house several years ago, the shutters were already starting to fade, and it's just been worse and worse over the years. And since we can't come to a decision on color, I quit putting thought into it. Until this week, when I walked past the bucket of car wash supplies.

Ding Ding Ding!!

These are vinyl shutters! Surely this would work right?

Less than 10 minutes later and all of the shutters are finished...and they look great! I mean, they look brand new! Maybe this is knowledge that everyone has....but I clearly had no idea that this could be an option. I'm attaching a photo of a couple of windows with one completed and the others in there old sad state of fading. Whoa what a difference! I left that one done for a couple of days. I knew rain was coming and wanted to see what would happen. Rain came and rain went, and the shutter remained the same. Now...will I have to redo these soon? I have no idea, but for now, I could not be any happier! And even if I need to redo them soon...what's 10 minutes, vs painting or even worse purchasing new shutters?

A fresh coat of paint on the front and back doors and I'm calling it done!

Family needed for 10 Year old Boy!

First, let me cover some bases please. I do NOT work for or am I affiliated with any adoption professional...I'm just a mom with a heart for children and a mom who has been blessed a million times over by adoption. 

I've been in the adoption community for awhile and from time to time am asked if I know of families that may be interested in certain situations. Sometimes I do...and other times I do not. In those cases, I ask everyone I know and often find a connection. 

More and more recently, I've been contacted about sharing information via my blog. I have put a lot of thought and prayer over doing this. Over the past few months I have watched as several new families have been created by the power of social media and blog networking. So, with that said, here is a new adoption opportunity that has been asked to be shared via this blog. I will post new information if any is given at a later date. For now, the only information I can share is listed here. Contact the adoption professional listed for additional information or to ask any questions. 
As with any adoption opportunity, please do your own research on any adoption professionals. 

****
PLEASE NOTE:
 To be considered you must have a current Home Study! Please do not inquire if you do not have a current homestudy. Time is crucial in finding this young boy a family, and inquiring without the needed requirements only takes time away from sorting through families who could possibly move forward. Thank you for understanding! If you would like to help this child, please forward this blog post to anyone you think may be interested.

4/15/14 - Posted

10 year old African boy, currently living on the West Coast. Any family, with a current homestudy, can inquire for more information regarding this young man. He can be adopted by a family in any state.

This young man was adopted from an African orphanage at the age of 4. He is very healthy and has not missed any school due to illness. He is nearsighted and requires glasses. He hasn't had any surgeries, is not allergic to foods or medications. He has no mental or physical disabilities. 

He is a smart boy showing strength in mathematics. He receives good grades in school and tests at grade level in all subjects. 

There is additional information to those who are currently homestudy approved and genuinely interested in this possibility.

If you would like additional information, please contact Marian at marian@loveandhopeadoptions.org

Please share with your friends...you never know who his new family will be!