What a difference another year can make

I'll say it again...What a difference another year can make. Tony and I spent a wonderful day together celebrating our 27 anniversary of our 1st date! We made some business calls on customers, had our favorite pizza together, spent some time with my parents, chickened out on telling them about the twins...AGAIN! But it was a wonderful day none the less! And we are now thinking about how different it will be next year at this time! Which makes me a very happy woman...

When we returned home last night, I read the emails that came in during the day only to find that Reece's Rainbow will be in People Magazine in February!!! They were picked to be featured in the 'Heroes Among Us' section! That is SOOO exciting! I was approached just yesterday by a special ed teacher, here locally, who was interested in RR, so I told her about it. I will be purchasing business cards to hand out...it is much easier.

So last night in the car on the way home I told Tony that I was disappointed that we still haven't found a good time to tell our 'special secret' to my family yet, even last night. When we heard the news from Andrea's email that RR would be in Peoples Magazine, Tony said that will be the best way to break the ice on this conversation...so we are going to arm ourselves with both Paula's article in Woman's World magazine (Paula is Bella's mommy and Kevin's wife :D) of RR and the Peoples article and break it to my parents that we are attempting to make them grandparents of little ones again...sooo, can you say 'renewed excitement'? :)

Tony is starting to get nibbles on our new business, so that is looking up, as is the possibility that I should hear something in the near future about the census job...we downloaded all of our paperwork to start our application for the homestudy and other study paperwork and a book list for study. This is getting exciting again...

My prayers and hopes are that next year at this time Tony and I can renew our vows at 26 years with 'our girls' walking, with their brothers, down the isle to help us celebrate our marriage! We were thinking of renewing our vows this year, but those girls, or any of the children on RR, are an important part of who we are...so we are saving our money to bring them home!

Until next time...have a blessed day!

Frustrating News...But Still Not Bad...

Well, I received a letter in the mail about the billing clerk job, they couldn't use me and would keep my resume on file for 6 months. A little sad, but realizing that I have no car dealership experience and that someone else here will be able to feed their family. I couldn't be sad for myself after that. Thank God I have a mind the can reason things like that.

So, still waiting on the census bureau phone call. The pay would be great! Looking ahead with purpose...

Almost finished with commitment paperwork, just waiting for a way to come up with the fee. I have decided that we will pursue the ideas that I have. I have already started selling gumballs at Tony's work. So far it has brought in about 20 dollars, in a month and a half. At that rate we'll be able to bring them home by the time they are 20 years old! :)

We are going to look into a EIN number tomorrow to help legitimize us in others eyes. I think we are going to tell our immediate family sometime this week...pray for that! It could go either way.

We are also going through our papers for our homestudy. We are trying real hard to keep our chin up as we go through this time...I know that God has all the details worked out...just wish He'd let us know what those were :)

I am going to start selling something very special. I am calling them 'A Heart For Adoption' pins. Here is the picture:

They are hand beaded by me and hold a lot of meaning. I will be asking for a $10.00 donation for them. Please email if you are interested in having one. The entire amount will go to our promise fee. I am going to create a store front, or something like it, and go from there.

Well, I'm going to go start another heart and watch to Vikings beat New Orleans...Have a blessed night!

What an AMAZING Day!!! God has truly blessed many of Reece's Rainbow children with families including our own Prayer Angel, Sophia! She had someone step up and commit to bring her home!



Yes...truly God answers prayers!!! :) Yeah! Yay for Sophia and her new forever family!!! :)

Quick Update...

Well, I'm still waiting for a job. Census Bureau looks promising, but I won't hear anything for a few weeks. And I won't hear anything about the billing clerk for at least a week. So once again we are in a holding pattern...but that's okay! God knows when and we are waiting 'patiently', sometimes anyway...

But we have faithful friends praying for us, so we are able to handle it.

As far as us being the adoptive family to the 12 year old from the Philippines, we found out that our homestudy had expired, so we needed to start from scratch and needed to be done by Thursday, and that wasn't happening...so those doors and windows were slammed shut, which is what we really wanted to happen. Anytime we get a definitive answer is a great thing!

So our focus is totally on the twins again. It was so funny, but Tony was the one that just blurted that out right after we found out about our state homestudy. He said, "Then I guess that is God's way of saying we are to focus all our energy on getting the twins!" Just another sign that God has this planned.

We love them so much, just pray that we can get the fund-raising going or I get a job...

Well, I'm going to go watch 18 and counting, Michelle Duggar is an idol! Tony is scared! :P

New Prayers Tonight...

We have decided to respond to a request for a family for a 12 year old girl who needs a new family. We didn't think we'd hear anything, so we let it go, but apparently 6 pm isn't too late for a SW to contact anyone! We received an email from her worker at 6, and we placed a call.

We are praying that this will work out, and if it isn't meant to be that doors and windows will be slammed shut.

But don't worry...we totally haven't forgotten our twins! We are still full steam ahead. We just know the importance of family and how everyone needs one to love them unconditionally. We still are breathless waiting to bring those beauties in EE home to us!

I have a job interview and test for the 2010 Census Bureau on Wednesday and an interview at a dealership for a billing clerk on Thursday after Bible Study Fellowship. Please pray that one of those jobs comes available so that we can move ahead...God will provide for ALL of our prayers, we just need strong warriors on our side!

God Bless!

The Job Hunt Continues...

I have two leads for jobs that I am totally qualified for and are full time and will allow a quick promise/homestudy fee and then our other fees. Will also allow us to move soon and purchase a new car for when we bring the girls home. I will be sending my resume to one and calling the other for an interview on Monday.

We are also going to attemp to tell my parents soon (no we haven't worked up the nerve yet) about our adoption plans. Like I said before, we have told them about our adoption plans but that was for a domestic adoption and it was 5 years ago. We'll see...I really don't know what reaction to expect with an international adoption. EEK!

Please pray for our family, that God will open the doors soon for me to work temporarily outside of our home. I am so bored with cleaning house and watching tv...BORING. And that He will open my family's hearts to the opportunity we have staring us in the face. We are really excited for the day we can contact RR with our Promise fee!! :)

Hope you are having a great night!

Adding Our Condolences

On December 23, 2009, the Loux Family lost an amazing man, Christian husband and loving father. I cannot put into words how wonderful Derek is, so please visit the family blog. Click on the title of this blog and that is the link to their blog. What an amazing family, my heart is truly broken for them, not for Derek, because we know where he is, but for the family missing him.

God Bless them in their time of grieving.

And Waiting, And Waiting, And Waiting...

And looking forward to the day that we can bring our children home.

Tony went for the interview and let's just say it was a semi-waste of his time. But at least he knows what kind of job it is and that he really isn't missing anything. It would have been a serious cut in pay for about 2-4 months, and if we wanted to bring the girls home, that totally would have been a poor choice. He decided not to take it and he will just keep looking for the perfect opportunity. And at least he has a new suit for preaching, if he ever has the time or opportunity! :D

Speaking of opportunity, our son Cale and I shared a Christmas gift to Tony this Christmas...we pitched in and shared the cost of a Dealership Fee for AmsOil which is something that Tony has always wanted to do, but never seemed to have the money for it. Tony and I are now a Dealer/Distributor for AmsOil products...something to grow for our future! We're working on it girls, really we are!!! :D

We also didn't take that house either. They wanted 3,000.00 to move in...if we had that much money, we would have already paid the promise fee and homestudy! Twins first, housing after...that is what we are thinking at this point. Letting the country know that someone is serious about bringing them home.

I'm also starting to send out resumes again. So we'll see if I can get a reliable job to help with financing this adoption, as it seems that others are having a difficult time getting grants because the money just isn't there. I really don't want to have others totally fund this adoption journey, not when there are so many other children needing homes, and only so many other families willing and able.

Oh, and Tony has already begun thinking about bringing home a little boy with DS after we get the girls settled...well, what do you think of that??? God Is Great!!! All The Time!!!!

Wishing Everyone A Very Happy New Year!

Well, here it is a brand new year and things seem to be moving along for us.

Tony had a very successful interview last Tuesday and was called back for an 'all day 2 part' interview this Tuesday. He is pretty excited as it will be a job change for him, (marketing with tons of customer service experience) but in a great way! It also includes a raise, small, but every little bit helps!

I also went and checked out a 4 BR house for rent that is 50 a month more than what we are paying now, and it is like a palace. I would love to rent it, but they may put it on the market in a year or two which we are looking for a place that we will be in for a while after adopting, just to make sure they are well adjusted before we move them again.

Our other dilemma is that if we move, we will have to use the money that we will have mid month this month, which means we may not be able to commit to the girls this month. So I am now praying for God's guidance in this decision. We can commit now and move when we find just the right place or we can do what we always seem to do...jump at the first apt/home that comes along and wait to commit!

My heart is screaming COMMIT! My mind is telling me to wait on the Lord! Please pray for us and this decision. We may know by tonight...this should be interesting....