Raing day painting...

I knew this morning was supposed to be nasty and rainy and the kids would quickly get cabin fever. So after supper last night, we ran into the craft store and grabbed a couple of things for some morning painting. Once they got into it, they really enjoyed it. We ran out of things to paint (while waiting for first and second layers to dry) and I ended up grabbing some canvas' I had put back. I have to say...I love all the things that they made.

They made me laugh, talking like they were great and famous artists in their studios. They had me laughing so hard! I love when kids see the true art in things. Things don't have to be perfect, they just have to look like what your mind tells you it should. While they were painting and creating their sweet things, I asked each to help me paint a couple of small canvas' I had.

Can I just say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way they looked when they finished?! Partly because of the sweet hands that helped make them. When we finished, Hulk offered up the sweetest idea...he wanted to sell his artwork to help fund this adoption. He has the most compassionate heart! If you missed the post about him helping friends of ours last year with his lemonade stand, well it's worth the time to read it!

We talked a little about his idea and Bug offered some suggestions as well. Let me just say...I think their ideas are fantastic!! I hope you all like it too! I'm going to work on some things tomorrow and let you all in on it this week. I can't wait! I love that the kids want to be involved and that they are walking this journey with us.

So, stay with me...something fun is just around the corner!!

Adoption Update

Well here goes. I've hesitated to post an adoption update for a variety of reasons. But now that we are there...I feel like I can fill everyone in on the last couple of months.

So, a couple of months ago we sat with a mom and her friend. I will call them B (mom) and K (friend). It was a great supper and a long conversation. We laughed and talked and truly felt connected to B. We all left and I felt like we were simply parting with long friends. B is due this month. She wanted more for her baby than what she could provide at the time. I heard her heart and I committed myself to pray for her. As a mom, I felt very connected to her. I have never been in her situation. And while it is somewhat complicated...it is not uncommon.

So, while there was little I could do for her, the one thing I could do was pray for her. I prayed for her health, but mostly her well being. I couldn't imagine the emotions that must be present during those last few weeks of pregnancy when consider adoption. Communication was difficult, but again, I don't think that was unusual given the circumstances.

B's friend K, was helpful and always very sweet. She updated us as she could. We knew that through Christmas and New Year's, communication could be even more difficult, everyone is busy and lets face it, holidays often bring chaos. Not a bad chaos...you know, your life no longer has a schedule chaos! ha!

We reached out to K for an update last week. I had hoped to have supper or at least meet with B and K this past weekend. But instead...B had the baby! A little early, but we all know babies make their arrival on their own time.

Our emotions were all over the place. We were concerned for B, and concerned for the baby. How were they? Were they healthy? Could we do anything? Did she want us there? Was she still considering adoption?

Fast forward to this week. Things are more complicated than I can go into here. But what I can say is that we are assuming that B is keeping the baby since we have not hear any more from either B or K.

We are ok. We know that if this was our child, then it would have happened. 
Our hearts are at peace. And we know that B knows we are here if things change. 

As much as we would love to adopt again, we never want to adopt if mom isn't 110% sure that adoption is the best option for her and her child. Our prayer now is specifically for B. We pray that everything falls perfectly into place for her and her new son. We pray that God will guide her and impact her life like never before.

So, what does that mean for us? Well, it means we are in the same place we were a couple of months ago. We committed to an 'open door' for adoption. We still know that if God plans for us to adopt again, than He will allow it to happen.

How can you continue to help? As always, please pray for us. Please pray that God will guide and direct us and help us when difficult decisions are in front of us. Please let others know about us. You never know who may be considering adoption.

And as always, thank you for your thoughts and prayers!!

Me and Hubs
Hulk and Bug

Ringing in the new year...saying goodby to the old year...

2013 was a year we will never forget. It was a year of major ups and downs. In January 2013, we started the new year praying God would lead us to an end to our business of 7 years. We knew it was time to move on, time to make a change and we started the year hopeful that God would lead us to the answer. And He did. It was/is a major change in our family. Financially, it is much different...in both good and bad ways. Our income in less...but so are the expenses. We were blessed in late 2012 for Hubs to start working with a great company that has continued to this day. They are wonderful and we feel amazingly blessed for Hubs to be working with them.

Month by month, things have changed. We've adjusted to our new 'norm'...which means we are doing things that have brought our family closer even though it took awhile to realize it. We've had to cut our budget and adjust financially. But that also means that we are eating home more and staying in more. We are being creative about our time out and being more aware of what we are spending. We sold 2 vehicles and are currently driving 2 vehicles that are completely paid for. We've paid down debts a little at a time. I am learning to shop more frugal and be more aware of things that I purchase.

All in all...while it has been hard at times...I am choosing to find the joy in it all. We are happy! We are healthy! Spending more time home has brought us closer to one another. Hubs new job, while not as flexible, brings more consistency into our family...something we needed although I don't think we realized it. Being able to spend Christmas and New Year's with Hubs home with us...not stressing about what he needed to do, was amazing this year. That is something we haven't had in many many years. Not going out all the time and not treating the kids to everything they want has allowed them to be more thankful than they once were. Trust me...they still get a lot, but not a toy each and every time we go to the store.

In August we updated our homestudy for another adoption. Given the fact that Hubs recently changed jobs, I know people thought we were crazy. And that is totally ok. But if those people could feel the pull we felt...the heart God have given us...the absolute push, to put our YES on the table again...well, they wouldn't think we were crazy at all. See, when God tells you to do something...you do it. You don't question it. This was one of those times!! We said yes to having an open door to adoption. We are currently on our Faith Journey of adoption.

We've watch Hulk continue to grow into the amazing young man he is. The last couple of years we watched as he has struggled academically in school. His frustrations were breaking his spirit and that broke this Mommy's heart. But this year...oh this year...has been AMAZING!! I have no idea what made it click. Maturity, teacher, curriculum...all of the above? Who knows?! What I have seen, is a confident young man who is bringing home lots of As and Bs. I have seen a young man whose compassionate heart has blown me away time and time again.

We have watch Bug as she has grown from a baby girl to a big girl. She keeps us laughing every day. I've watched her grow in gymnastics and heard her sweet voice talk time and time again about wanting to be a cheerleader or gymnasts when she grows up. I've heard her sweet prayers as she asked God to give her another brother or sister. I've listened as she's started asking the difficult adoption questions, and watched as her heart absorbs the reality of the story she has known her whole life.

I've talked with many families this year. I've talked about adoption, being a multi-racial family, different types of relationships in adoption. I've listened, and talked and cried with many of these families. I've watched as several of these same families started the adoption process and welcomed their new children home this year. Being a tiny itty bitty part of that has been amazing. I've watched as close friends have opened their hearts to adoption and welcomed their babies home...and I've loved snuggling with those amazing bundles of God's beauty. Hubs and I sat and talked with a mom a few months ago about adoption for her unborn baby. Our hearts broke for her, we felt immediately connected to her and I was blown away at her courage and strength. That few hours changed our lives. We left feeling like we had known each other forever. Our prayers continue daily for this sweet mom and for all moms considering adoption for their children.

So what am I looking forward to this year?
Oh so much!
I would love to learn to coupon more and do freezer meals and more crock pot, easy meals.
I would love to find a better schedule to keep my house cleaner (yea..I hear all of you laughing!! bahaha!).
I would love to find a better balance between family and the studio.
I would love to work closer with adoptions, whether in counseling or creating profiles again, or education...or maybe something else. This has been my prayer for years but I feel like this is the year!

I'm excited to see where this adoption journey will lead. We could be so very close to our next child and possibly so incredibly far away. Only God knows at this point where that journey will lead. He has asked us to be faithful and follow Him...and we are! In more ways than one!

In all honesty, I have no idea what this year will bring. We will continue to be faithful and trust Him. So from our family to yours...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Yes, we are normal!

I keep meaning to post this and just keep forgetting. Life has been crazy the last couple of months. Now, that Christmas has passed, I can see more time again here on the blog. Yippee!

So, a couple of weeks ago, an incredibly sweet woman approached me and the kids during breakfast out. She was wearing one of our fundraisier tshirts and simply said...'excuse me....but did I buy this shirt from you?'. Odd question, maybe...but she didn't know me, and I didn't know her.

We talked for a few minutes and she told me that she found my blog from a friend of a friend on facebook and had ordered a shirt. I mailed a ton of shirts to people I didn't know, but remembered her name because she was fairly close to us. She was so kind and asked about our children and adoption and the progress of our current Faith journey to our third adoption (updates on that coming up later).

We talked for a bit, and then she said a few things that made me laugh incredibly hard inside. I quite literally had to make myself NOT burst into to a screaming laughing fit (because that would make me look like a crazy lady! right?) and only humbly laugh a bit.

She commented on our family...and how 'perfect' we are. How 'perfect' my kids are. How they are so well behaved and well dressed at all times (are so it appears as she has only followed me here and more recently through my photography facebook page). Her amazing compliments continued until I had to politely cut her off. ha!

So, now that it has come to my attention, let me set some things straight:

We are a normal family.
Our kids fight like all others.
They drive each other crazy at times.
And they enjoy driving each other crazy.
And that drives me crazy!

Our kids may appear to be well dressed at all times.
When we go out, I expect them to be wearing clean, size appropriate clothes...that match.
I love if they happen to be cute clothes also.
But it doesn't really matter.
Bug changes clothes 4MILLION times each day. No exaggeration. 
She has a style of her owe.
I don't let her wear 'her style' outside of our house.
They LOVE hand me downs...and so do I!
If it were up to Hulk, he would wear shorts and a tshirt every single day.
In fact, that is all he ever wears to school
And that is ok.
Also, if it was up to him, he would never tie his shoes and only wear one sock
Don't ask...we don't know why either.

Yes, they are well behaved.
Most of the time
Not all of the time
They often spend time in 'time out'
As well as other consequences
We expect their best
We expect good attitudes
We expect good manners
We expect them to be kind and polite
But they aren't always those things...because they are kids.
And that is ok.
They learn from mistakes.
We learn from mistakes.
That is why God gave them parents to guide them and correct them.
And why God gave us children...to guide and correct us.

I'm  terrible house keeper
Let me repeat...TERRIBLE house keeper
Our family runs in a million different directions at all times
I often have a stack of folded clothes in the living room.
Yep, the living room
And that is ok
We rarely make beds in our house
And that is ok

We are not perfect
We are so far from perfect that it's not funny
And that is ok
We don't want to be perfect
Why would we?

Life is about the journey of life
Do with what you have, good and bad and make your journey your best
Rely on God to lead you.
He loves your imperfections!

I hope that puts some things in the light! Love you all....and love that you all think we are an awesome family...I think we are pretty awesome too! bahaha!!

Adding another bed...decorating time!

There is no new news on the adoption front, but we've decided to go ahead and add another bed to our home. It's been something we've talked about for awhile, and have been keeping our eyes open for a nice set of bunks. Well, this past weekend we found them. Rather, my mom found them. Picked them up with the help of my daddy on Saturday. They are great!!!

With the help of the kids (um, yea, me and 2 kids...hubs was out of town), we took apart (they wouldn't fit through Hulk's bedroom door) and reassembled the bunks and took apart his full bed and removed it from his room. It was a lot of work...probably would have been less work with another adult. ha! But they wanted to help.

I look at these bunk beds and they mean so much more than just another bed in the room. They mean that we are growing our family. Maybe now, maybe in the future. But we are dedicated and ready. The kids LOVE them...now to get the room together. We have been needing to paint both kids rooms  for some time now. So, hopefully we can do that in the coming week and start making both of their rooms fun and cute...and ready for a new brother or sister.

Now...off to pinterest. Need some inexpensive, diy, decor ideas!!

For now, I have this idea for the walls. I made these quickly and thinking of printing them for 16x20 frames (each painted in coordinating colors or just black)...or decoupage them to canvas? Don't know yet. I love dictionary art and love the way these turned out.

Both kids rooms will be painted gray so if they need to trade rooms when kiddo #3 comes home, they can. So, color and fun stuff has to come through art and bedding. What do ya think?

Hulk is 8, so I'm trying to find something fun...but also something that can grow with him for a couple of years.

Adoption Update....

We've had several people ask us recently about the state of this adoption. Since this is an adoption with no plan...it's has been just that. No plan. No direct path. Just faith and knowing that we were led to adoption again for a reason. So far, God has not told us the reason why. And that is okay, we are patient (most of the time) and will wait on His timing.

What we know? God planned this. He broke our hearts for adoption again for a reason...and He has a child preparing for our family.

In the past few weeks, we have searched our hearts and prayed for guidance. We prayed about a 6 week old baby boy with a heart condition in another state. We prayed about a 4 month old baby boy in a state over with a severe genetic issue. We prayed about an unborn baby with unknown issues and prayed about a unknown baby girl facing abortion. We've also prayed with and talked with several friends and 'friends of friends', and complete strangers about the adoption process. And have answered questions and prayed for a mother considering placing her baby for adoption.

I sit back and think that 'nothing has happened'...and yet, so much has happened. We do not know the path of this adoption. My patience would rather it happen sooner than later...but that may not be my plan. And frankly, I'd much rather it be HIS plan than mine!

We have no idea if the child joining our family is already born or if his/her mother is currently considering adoption. So I simply pray for all mothers considering adoption and all children waiting for families. Would you join me in praying?

Would you join me in praying for mothers considering adoption. My prayer is always that each of these mothers are 110% confident in their placement plan. That if they want to parent...that they can find a way. No regrets. I pray that these mothers choosing adoption, find the perfect family for their baby. I pray that God surrounds them with comfort and peace through their pregnancy, delivery and after placement.

Blown Away...again!!

Last week a friend and I were talking about fundraisers and adoption (she is in the process as well). There is that fine line of  having support and then feeling like you are literally begging for money. You know...burning the bridge. I NEVER want to feel like that...and I certainly don't want others to feel like....'oh no, photogirl is trying to get money again'. *sigh*

I've said it time and time again, but I will say it once again. The support shown for our family....amazing. Simply amazing.

Anyway, back to my conversation with my friend. In the midst texting, us crafty mama's decided to take the plunge into something that we knew was do-able for us. We are both crafty and creative and love to try knew things. Sooooo....we did. After a couple of days around her kitchen table, we created these BEAUTIFUL necklaces. Each one soon became our favorite...and then we would complete another and IT would be our favorite. You know how it goes...

Well, we went out on a limb and made a good many...really not knowing how well it would go over. We knew WE loved them...and our friends were saying THEY loved them. But you never know!

This afternoon, we launched 39 necklaces out there for the world to see. The majority sold within a few minutes and tonight we have only 10 left. We sold 29 beautiful necklaces today.

That. Is. Amazing!

Those that bought from us....thank you thank you thank you!!
What is special about these necklaces is that they support TWO adoptions. Yep, my friend and I are doing this together. I LOVE that!! And we have been asked several times about when the next sale would be. Hope we can nail that down this week...but for now, all I can say is THANK YOU again!!

God truly funds what He favors. Again, and again he has proven it!!

If you want to check out the few that are left, just take a peak at them on our page.

An amazing week

This has been a great week.

This week, I am behind on my laundry.
Dishes are piled in the sink.
My house is a wreck.
The studio is a wreck.
My car needs to be serviced.
And I still haven't made it to buy the kids some fall clothes.

But, with all that needs to be done, it has been a terrific week! I have watched my son's confidence SOAR as he does well in school. A struggle we have battle for a couple of years now. I have watched my daughter tumble to her hearts content, every day, for her love of gymnastics. I have prayed with friends as they had several adoption situations in front of them this week. I have talked to other families hoping to adopt and shared our story. I have answered questions and prayed for a expecting mom who is considering adoption for her baby.

Most of all, I've been encouraged time and time again this week via text, email, facebook, calls and letters. People encouraging us for this adoption. People continuing to commit to prayer for our family.

While I know with every inch of my heart that this is exactly the path God has chosen for us...I will also admit that there have been a couple of dark days in the past couple of weeks, wondering, HOW? Financially, adoption can be tough. And for this adoption, we are truly praying for a private adoption (us, mom and attorney) because the fees would be less. But...we also KNOW that God funds what He favors...so we are considering anything that comes our way. I have faith. No doubt. But there are times that faith can be soooo tough.

So, to everyone who has continued to encourage. Thank you!! Perfect timing this week.
Love you all,
Me and Hubs
Hulk and Bug

 

A glimpse at these awesome necklaces that will benefit our family AND another family!!

Sales will begin TOMORROW!!! Check out the facebook page, don't forget to like and of course don't forget to view all the necklaces when they go up tomorrow. They are AWESOME!!!!

BURLAP AND BEADS

AND...this will be the LAST WEEKEND FOR TSHIRT ORDERS!! I LOVE these shirts and this will be our third...and final...order. Get your order in so you don't miss out!! All tshirts that came in this past week will be mailed asap!! You can order HERE

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

And the journey officially begins...

Tonight I get a message from our super awesome social worker. Remember that last little piece of paper we needed? Yep, she has it!! What does that mean...she is signing and we are READY!!!! Super excited tonight.

Late July...God told us to get prepared. We spend the next couple of weeks, praying, sorting our thoughts and saying YES to an open door for adoption. Soon after we met with our social worker to begin a new homestudy and tonight I sit here reading our NEW HOMESTUDY!!!

Yes, you read that correct...we have a current updated homestudy.

You ask me...so now what??

Well...we don't know.
Simple as that.

In July God placed a little girl in our path that simply turned our lives upside down. She opened our hearts once again to adoption. Seeing this same little girl journey to a new family herself has continued to warm my heart. Her new family has been fighting for her, advocating for her medical care, education and simply advocating for her to be in their family and to be loved. Seeing her again this weekend for the first time since July was amazing. It is amazing what unconditional love and care...and FAMILY can do for a child.

So...here we sit. Homestudy in hand. Our door is once again open for adoption. All we are waiting on is for God to knock on the door. And if/when He does, we will answer. Simple as that. 

So tonight...the journey officially begins.
My prayer? For God to guide us and direct us in the path that He wants us to go.
Will you commit to praying for our family?

Update

A little update...

Our homestudy is ALMOST done. And by almost, I mean we are literally waiting on one sheet of paper. One tiny little document...that we should have already...but seems it got lost. And well, in the adoption world, things like this are just going to happen. Although both mine and Hubs clearances were mailed together, in the same envelope, at the same time...only his was processed. So, our awesome social worker sent it again last week. So, literally, any day we will be done. DONE!

Whohooo!!!

On the fundraising part of this process.  We are now in process of our third order. Honestly, I didn't think we would do a third. But several people encouraged me to to 'just one more' and here we are...orders coming in. I stand amazed at the generosity of others (many complete strangers). I stand amazed at the support and commitement to keep our famlily in prayers. I simply...stand amazed.

We've been asked many questions, over and over again, so I'll take a second to answer anything I may have missed, or you may have missed. Soooo....here goes.

Timeline: There is no time line. Well, God knows...but we do not. He simply asked us to open our door and to be ready...and here we are. Ready and willing.

Baby, toddler, older child? Again, we have an open door. Younger than Hulk, but other than that, pretty wide open.

Boy or girl?  Yes, it will either be a boy OR a girl.

How will this work in your home? Good question! We have a 3 bedroom home, and currently Hulk and Bug have their own room. Hulk's room is slightly bigger, so depending on the gender of the new little one, will determine who has the biggest room. This, my friends, is a minor issue when it comes to a child needing a home...a family. For many generations, children have shared a room, not a big deal in our book!

How much will the fees be for this adoption? The reality of this....we have no idea! Scary? Ummm, yes. We started this adoption with $6.00 in our adoption account. Yes, just $6.00. There are a lot of factors that come into play with this adoption. What I know? God told us to be ready...and we are. Will it happen tomorrow, next month, next year? I have no idea. What I know is to continue to be ready. What we are raising right now, will go towards legal and travel, which we will have regardless of the situation.

How many tshirts have you sold?
First order: 126
Second order: 56
Third order: ?

So there you have it. A tiny little update. And as always...thank you thank you thank you for praying!!!!