Our Journey to Bring Home Our Princesses...

Whirlwind of Inactivity

2011-07-20T16:56:00.002-04:00

Really, it has been. I know it sounds funny but that totally describes the last eight months of our lives...but this too will change soon.

So, I think I'm seeing a definite pattern in our lives here. Here is the short of it. Things are still changing, but for the better. We still need patience and all of your prayers...

We did finish the adoption/foster classes, while waiting for our license we realized we financially aren't prepare at the moment to bring kids into our family, so we are waiting, AGAIN. But slowly I'm realizing that it has to be in God's time, not mine. I see that a few short years ago we had a desire to adopt, and that desire has not left. We moved to Kentucky for seminary and he ended up not being able to attend due to calendar conflicts and finances. Tony tried to find a new job in Louisville after the economy took a nose dive in '08 but didn't find anything, so when the opportunity came up to go back to CT, he thought he was doing the right thing by taking a management job there. We are seeing now that that was probably not God's Plan but one of our own making. Since we've come back we don't feel like we belong here...kind of out of sync, bad timing if you will. We had been given some advice after we were in KY for a year, 'pray about it, but stay there and wait, it will work. We were sure that was God's Plan when we saw the timing of this move, you'll be fine. Stay and work it out.' Really wish we had listened.

So, the past month and a half, my mind has been playing tricks on me. When Tony and I are talking about going to a particular restaurant or store here in town, sometimes my mind visualizes that place in Louisville and I start thinking of driving, but not the streets here in CT but the ones in KY! Weird! I am beginning to feel a desire to be there, not here...that desire is what happened when we moved to KY the first time. We are feeling a pull/draw back, and we would not be upset with that change either!

So one Monday afternoon, about a week and a half ago, while I was sleeping off a migraine, Tony went on line, as usual lately, to look for a job. He did his usual search here in CT, didn't find anything different so he decided to search elsewhere...Tampa, near our son Austin, places in NC and Louisville, 'just for ha-ha's'. Well he applied for a job at a big tire retail company looking for management jobs in Louisville. He told me when I woke up. I said okay, let's see what God does with that one.

That Tuesday morning he called me from work to tell me he had just come off the phone with the hiring manager of that company he applied to, the guy, his name sounded familiar to both of us, was interest in him, he told him to send a resume and he'd get back to him. Tony sent him his resume that night and heard back from him the next day and told him to give him a call when Tony gets to Louisville for vacation, July 31-August 3!

Details, the manager is a member of a mega-church in Louisville, the company is not open on Sundays, there are 13 new stores under construction right now and each store employs at least 12 people. This guy is a real christian, Tony has had to work in at Monro anywhere from 1-3 Sundays a month which really crushes family time, and Tony shoulders almost the entire store, employing 4...and in CT's dying economy, he also shoulders the wrath of upper management of the chain which blames the manager, not the economy. No wonder the guy is losing weight and looks like he's 60 instead of his age!

We are seeing this as a positive change for us, and if this is the Plan that God has in store for us, we welcome it! Maybe we will be in a position to bring home a child or children in the foreseeable future? If that is really what God is going to do for us, we welcome that too! But I'm learning not to push my wants and desires on God, but to wait for Him to provide...so we feel like we're 'in sync' again!

Happy Mothers Day!!! Has It Been That Long...Really??

2011-05-09T00:32:00.003-04:00

Happy Mothers Day to all you mothers that read my blog! I pray that your day was filled with love from your blessings!! My oldest son spent the day with Tony and I, and that hasn't happened in forever! My middle son, Austin, moved to Florida a week ago and that broke my heart. He surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers he sent yesterday...I cried like a baby, but I'm better now. I miss him terribly but I am so happy that he is happy...that did my heart good. My baby called me and talked with me today...I miss him so much too. All in all, I had a good day!

Wow, it's been just about 2 months since I blogged last. We officially graduated our foster/adoption classes on May 3rd. Tony has his interview this Tuesday, and we are waiting for one more reference letter and our physicals to be sent into our licensing worker and then we are done. Soon to be licensed...finally!

We are getting bedrooms ready and such and will be in touch with another worker tomorrow. On top of being licensed domestically I still have a heart to adopt internationally. Hopefully I will find out if this license can be transferred to int'l...we'll see.

Well, I am getting tired, I think I'll get to bed so I can start bright and early on the rooms...still have lots to do before placement! Happy Mothers Day again!!!

Home Study Begins...

2011-03-10T21:44:00.002-05:00

Well, we were able to get into a class and have had two classes so far. We had our social worker do a walk through and small interview on Tuesday afternoon and we were told that so far everything looks good. Things are still up in the air with the twins, but we feel like we are making head-way.

I really need to get children into this house, I am spending WAY too much time on facebook/farmville! It's fun, but I know I'd be happier with kids in this house with me! :)

We had company last Sunday, my oldest son and his friend and her 3 boys. Well Maddie was beside herself with happiness and excitement...she was so sad when they left, so I know she will love having kids in here with us all the time. What a great dog she is :)

Well, I just thought I'd pop in and let you all know what is going on here, in case you were wondering. Please pray with us for our future plans, adoption classes and everything that entails. We have a lot of planning coming up and this will all be challenging. Pray for clear direction for us and that we know what steps to take...thanks!

2011-02-22T22:04:00.002-05:00

Well it has been quite a while and believe it or not, I'm still here. There have been many changes in my family and as well as other RR families. I am so excited that several of my friend have gone and brought their newest additions home, and I am extremely excited that one family has changed their minds and they are now in country visiting their new son, Nathan! It has been easier for us, over time, to face the fact that we have not been able to get our girls. We have not given up, we have talked about it til there was nothing more to say.

Since the economy is not helping us in any way to provide financially for a homestudy or any other obligation toward our adoption, I decided to become a licensed daycare provider in my home and any/all money I make goes directly to adoption funding. That is if there is a call for more daycare providers...we'll see.

We are also moving ahead to become license by the state to foster/adopt. We both feel that we are going to take steps, even baby steps, to get this going. My heart breaks for them, and any child that we could conceivably adopt, that they aren't home here with us and that precious time is being wasted.

Lets see...things that happened in two and a half months. Thanksgiving: had a nice time visiting with family. December 20th: picked up Cale from the airport for Christmas vacation. Had a wonderful time with him home...I miss having my children home. January: SuperBowl, and then had to put my wonderful black beauty bunny, Middie, to sleep...suddenly. That was crushing. Then I realized that time, precious time, is passing right before our eyes.

We are praying for God's timing in these plans. Our classes begin next Tuesday evening. Please pray with us that everything works out, I think I have a better shot at being licensed as a daycare provider at the same time we are going through our training classes.

Well, I'm heading to bed hopefully with wonderful dreams of filling our home with children again. Have a wonderful night, and please pray with us.

Letting Go...For Now...We Are Not Giving Up, Just Re-Grouping...

2010-11-03T11:51:00.004-04:00

So, BIG DEEP BREATHE...I have had to do a lot of that lately. With frustration, pain, anxiety and much sadness...here goes...

First, a week ago our oldest son, Chris, came to church, which is not usual for him especially when he is working. He came to make sure he saw us because he needed to tell us that we are now grandparents of a 5 month old baby boy named Dillon. We don't know details and we are not even sure if we will ever be able to see him much less spend anytime with him. Yup, all of the above descriptive words, that is how I'm feeling. :( Letting Go...

Then, Austin, our middle son, told us on Monday night that he was moving out to live with friends across town. OMGosh...my one of my biggest fears became reality! This truly will be an empty nest as of Thursday night. Yup, all the above descriptive words again! :( More Letting Go...

Well, the biggest problem we are facing right now is our homestudy. We are facing a lot of pressure from the powers that be to finish the homestudy and get our USCIS approval. We are not concerned about passing our homestudy, and we never have been. our biggest challenge is the same now as when we first began, we need money to complete everything...and it's just not there. Tony's job really has messed him over big financially, so coming upon $2250.00 for a homestudy is no easy task. No one told him that if he became a manager he would take a cut in salary, and in this economy, there would be a small commission bonus, otherwise he wouldn't have accepted the offer. We have exhausted every avenue to secure that money but have been unsuccessful. Remember, we have always said, 'God's Will, God's Bill' and that if He wanted us to bring the beautiful princesses home He would make a way. Well, so far we have had nothing but trials. So...ALL OF THE ABOVE DESCRIPTIVE WORDS...AGAIN! And MORE Letting Go...

So, I am about to write a note to Andrea to release the twins to make them available for adoption. I am going to ask that she wait until Monday though. We are still going through with our yard sale and we are hoping to put up our FSP so people there will see that it's for real. The money made this weekend will be used toward our homestudy and if there is any extra, it will go to our USCIS application.

So with my broken heart in hand, I have been crying all week. Crying because I am a grandmother with no grandchild to show for it, and basically no hope to see him either.

I am also crying because I haven't been without children in my house in 28 years, and I am afraid of the quiet. I have always had a child's voice in the house with needs to be met, I was needed. Now what???

And crying because I have to, hopefully temporarily, let go of the dream of bringing home those beautiful twins that we have been posting all over our house and telling everyone about. Now what????

SO....here is the message...

I always thought that God was teaching me patience, and I think He still is, but He has added the part of 'Let Go and Let God'. I really have learned that God is in Control of ALL circumstances, but sometimes it's hard to move out of the way and let Him do what is necessary. I woke up thinking about this message this morning. God is in Control, including our grandson, our son wanting to grow up and do the natural thing, and to work through the details that will allow us to bring home the twins, or who ever God has deemed to be our newest child(ren). God is so Good, He really won't leave us on this walk...

So, here is the reality of our future.

At least we know about Dillon. All we can do is pray that his mother will allow his paternal grandparents visits now and then.

All of my children are gone from home, but they're not dead! I will have to be happy that we have a great relationship with them and they will be over once in a while.

While I am very sad about our 'empty nest', it will allow us to downsize to a 2 br apt or house to rent that costs less and WILL pass a homestudy inspection!

I was pretty amazed this morning when I woke up with all of this on my mind. God gave me those thoughts, I know, because I went to bed crying about all of the above and I actually woke with peace.

As far as letting Sandra and Slavka go, we aren't letting them go permanently, when the homestudy is complete we intend to commit to them again, if they are still available. We are certain we will complete our homestudy with flying colors, we just need to finance it. This is a temporary setback, we still love them and we are looking forward to the day we can bring them home.

So, please pray for us as we move forward, pray that the girls will still be available for us when we are finished, or that God protects our hearts if that is not to be so, and that He will show us who He has for us.

We are going to keep blogging, so please don't think this is the end. We still have fight left, and those girls are so worth it, as is any child that needs a home. Thanks for reading my blather, and please just keep us in your thoughts and prayers...Thank you! Have a blessed day!

Some Fairly Good News and...well...some other stuff...

2010-10-28T14:10:00.003-04:00

I haven't been around much because I have been trying to get a blanket finished that I promised. Then, I have planned a Yard Sale and Kids Fun Day for Slavka and Sandra! Please Pray that everything comes together for November 6th, including weather :) I have also busied myself with another baby blanket to sell at the sale. I am really hoping to make enough to pay for our homestudy and USCIS. We'll see what happens.

One of my best friends, Nancy L, moved back home to CT from Tennessee earlier this month. Well, long story short, she and her sister have hired me part-time to sit with their dad during the day while everyone is out of the house. It will be used to help pay for things in our adoption, sooooo....I finally have a job. I am applying for another part-time job in retail too, and hopefully that will be enough to move our mountains...

We have been waiting for almost two months for Tony's HR department to move on this letter they were supposed to send us for our home study as well as to the girls country. Well, Tony made a series of phone calls and kept leaving messages, which were never returned. He finally just made a cover letter and faxed a form letter to HR and they actually responded....and they even notarized the letter! OMGosh I was blown away!!! Now we are sending it back to New York to have it apostilled...each little step brings us a little closer to them. Not fast enough for us, but apparently fast enough for God. He is the one that is moving the mountain of debt and paperwork in His Timing...not ours! Can't wait til we get those little ones...

Well, back to filling out applications for jobs...have a blessed day! :)

Doing More And More To Do...

2010-09-24T13:05:00.004-04:00

Here is another seal from our state, we just had a couple of other documents apostilled and they just arrived...now if we could just hear from the foundations we applied to!

We really are still plugging along, hoping mountains will be moved for us to go forward.

We were told from someone who is going through the same thing we are that most people we know will not be the ones helping us through this, but it will be the kindness of strangers...

hmmmm...so far that is what we've seen. And those strangers that help may receive more of a blessing than those that don't.

God adopted the gentiles into his family which is a big example of what God wants of us and his plan...why is it most christians don't see that?

Oh well, enough pondering...I'm spending the next 6 hours applying on line for every seasonal job I can in that time... please pray that something (or 2) opens up for me! :)

Have a blessed and beautiful day~

Keeping Our Eyes On The Prize...

2010-09-21T15:04:00.002-04:00

This adoption has had so many ups and downs and bumps...I feel like a milkshake! We are still plugging away, with the vision of my two girls in our arms, holding our hands through the airport on our way home...that is what I see and dream of the most! That is the 'Prize' on this journey, to be able to escort two beautiful little girls home, something my heart has wanted for a very long time!

I just sent off a couple more documents for apostilling, hoping for a quick turn around! We have also applied for two grants in the past two weeks. If you are a praying person, please pray for quick answers on those grants! They could be answers to a couple of our prayers...

I started an online fundraiser last week and finally figured out how to make it an 'event' on FaceBook. Every time I listed it, it got lost in the status/news updates...now it's an event that will be hard to ignore...I hope!

I'm having my grand opening Tupperware Party this Saturday. I sure hope I have a better turn out than I have had with my fundraiser so far...I am praying for success in this venture. It has the potential to make us pretty good money towards our adoption, as well as saving money for others!

I am open to starting an online fundraiser for you if you have the need. It's really pretty easy, it just requires participation from your friends and family! Email me kidz2luv@gmail.com and I'll explain it all out for you! I'd love to help...it'll keep me busy and out of trouble! :D

Have a great day!

I Can't Believe How Great It Feels!

2010-09-14T16:29:00.004-04:00

I sent out my birth certificate to have it apostilled in the state I was born, Maine, last Thursday. It arrived on Friday, was apostilled and sent back out on Friday...and I received it YESTERDAY!!!

Here are the pics

Isn't the Maine seal pretty???

We are making progress...can't wait to be done!!! Please pray for our grant applications. We know that God will provide :) But prayers sure do help!

Well, We're Still Plugging Along...

2010-09-12T21:47:00.002-04:00

I have been spending time gathering info on grants that we may qualify for toward our adoption. So far I have three I am applying for. Hopefully we'll hear something positive. I am also trying to sell my hand made pins.

I have also, for the time being, signed up to be a Tupperware Consultant to help fund this adoption. Stay tuned, I'll be sure to post when things start heating up with parties! And yes, you guessed it, I still don't have a job :) But that's okay...

God's Will...His Bill. God will provide for this adoption, even if it's when we are about to travel...we just feel it :)

Keep tuning in, it can only keep getting better! I just ask you all to continue to pray! Thanks...

This Wait Is Over...For The Moment...

2010-08-27T15:48:00.003-04:00

Apparently the company I applied to work for liked me but hired someone else, but...my staffing agent told me that they wanted him to keep in touch with me as they may hire me in the near future! The important thing is now I know where I stand. Time to move forward...

So, last night I went to visit a favorite cousin of mine through the years, Beth. She is very much a proponent of our adoption is now looking to do a party to help us fund-raise, as that maybe the only way for us to afford our home study and USCIS submission! Details will be shared in the future...

Beth, and her husband Kenny, threw ideas for fund-raising at me for a couple of hours last night and there were a couple of great ones! One is contacting an organization that gives grants for certain circumstances, so I am pleased to say I sent a note to them, so hopefully they will consider a grant to the twins fund! :)

Then Kenny mentioned running clubs for a walk/run for Reece's Rainbow awareness, I had never heard of running clubs, so I search for some on Google and found one here in our home town and a town over. I sent them emails asking if they would be able to help us to organize a run for the twins and to help RR!

My house work is backed up now because of this job hunt and fund-raising endeavor...but it'll be there when I'm done sending letters and emails! :D

Please, I am asking for prayer for our endeavor to fund-raise and bring our girls home...it may seem self centered, but this is their chance to have a loving home with a mommy and daddy, dog, bunny and BROTHERS...something they won't experience where they are now. Thanks! Have a great day!

Waiting...and waiting...and waiting...some more...part II

2010-08-26T17:21:00.002-04:00

Okay, with the roller coaster ride of the day, I once again didn't hear anything from my staffing agent. So I called him at 4:30 this afternoon and left him a voicemail. Once again I don't know whether I have the job, but I am encouraged to have a wonderful husband to set things right in my mind. God really does match you up with the right mate for life. I can't thank God enough for him!

Tony told me that I have more competition this time looking for a job, and that the right job is out there for me...we will do whatever God wishes to raise awareness and raise the money to bring our princesses home, even if it means my not having a job. At least Maddie will be happy about me staying home...we have 'girl time' every morning while I eat breakfast. It's practice for when we bring the girls home! :)

Anywho...hopefully tomorrow's update will bring great news...don't worry girls, God will make a way! :D

Patiently Waiting...and waiting...and waiting...

2010-08-25T14:58:00.002-04:00

So, I said hopefully next time I blogged I'd have news of a job, but I'm still playing the waiting game. A friend told me I've been waiting so long, I must be an expert...I think she's right! :) I told her I am going to write a book about waiting and invite many Reece's Rainbow families to send me their stories of waiting...might make the best seller list, maybe...

So, today is an upside-down day. Tony usually has Wednesday afternoon off and we do what we need to do and then chill. I can do everything I need to get done in the morning and be ready to go when he gets home. Today he had to work in the afternoon, and my mind and body is all confused! I have a lot to do today but I figured it will all be there when I'm done updating my blog!

We sent out seven letters yesterday to area churches about our adoption and advocation of Reece's Rainbow. Praying we hear from at least a few of them about what we are doing. It would be great if Tony got a chance to go speak at a couple of them to get the word out here in New England! Please pray for that...

Anyway, both interviews for the job went well, I'm just hoping and praying that the reason I haven't heard from my staffing agent is because he is checking on my job history and such. I guess if I don't hear from him by tomorrow morning, I'll be calling him. Gone are the days you are hired on the spot I guess! :P Oh well...

I guess I'll update you all tomorrow after I speak with the SA...all of your prayers are coveted!

I Guess...

2010-08-18T15:51:00.001-04:00

I've taken far too long a vacation from this blog! I'm back and on my way out to my first interview in a year! I am so afraid to get excited, although I had a tough time sleeping last night thinking of the day we would go get our new daughters! :)

Hopefully the next blog will be that I have a job!!

Well...Finally!

2010-07-12T21:40:00.002-04:00

We have finally decided on a homestudy provider, and are really excited to get started! We decided to change places because they seemed to take too long for just returning a simple phone call...and their web site seemed to be too interested in domestic adoption anyway, and almost to the point of trying to talk you out of international adoption. Oh Well...moving on now... :)

I had a really bad month last month with migraines and all, and then a stomach bug last week...yuk! But that is the way we are attacked, always with our health. So glad I'm feeling better.

Today I actually made red pepper relish! OMGoodness was it fantastic!!! I know what everyone is getting for christmas next year!! :)

Well, just thought I'd stick my nose in and let you all know we haven't fallen off the face of the earth...just needed time... Thank you all for hanging in there looking for us! Can't wait to go get our princesses!!!

Happy Fathers Day, And More...

2010-06-19T17:15:00.003-04:00

I have to say this has been a tough month. Nothing too difficult, just lots of stuff...and tomorrow is Fathers Day!

Fathers Day is going to be rather melancholy for me. Tony is going to work because our sons are not going to be here, Chris is working, Austin is in Kentucky at a christian concert, and Cale is still in Kentucky, so Tony has no reason to be home...this year! :) He gave his assistant the day off so he could spend it with his little ones, and I'm just dreaming of next year when the girls will be bringing him breakfast in bed and then going to church with their new forever daddy! That is soo exciting! :D

Tomorrow is also a very important anniversary in our lives...June 20th was the day that Tony said I could look into Reece's Rainbow again, I did and saw these two beautiful faces looking back at me asking to come home. It's the day I texted Tony and asked if we could have two instead of one that they are twins, and he said sure write to Andrea and ask about them...so I did! Tomorrow is a very important day in our lives and the lives of our new girls. June 20th will always be a very important day to me, as will when we submitted our paper work to Andrea, our travel day, our gotcha day, the day the get home, their birthdays...our lives are about to change and we can't wait!!! :D

Well, I'm off to clean my house, again...I'd like to wish every dad that reads my blog an incredible Fathers Day!!!

Just A Quick Update...

2010-06-02T11:50:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to share what I received for my birthday from my 96 year old grandmother, my kids call her bobche, which is polish for grandmother. She is the girls great grandmother. She told me she couldn't think of anything else she wanted to give me other than a hand made crocheted hat and scarf set and a hat with little ear covers for the twins! What a true blessing :) I have a set for each of them! What a wonderful birthday gift for me...

Have a wonderful day!

Getting more excited...

2010-06-01T13:19:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I called our social worker and told her I was sending an email to her regarding scheduling our homestudy. That phone call was on Friday and I sent the email on Friday. Now I am sitting here on pins and needles waiting for the all important phone call...VERY EXCITED!

I have been sitting here ticking off the holidays before we bring our girls home. We have fathers day, 4th of July, Labor Day and, in the event that we can't travel in late October/early November, Thanksgiving! That should be it...VERY EXCITED!

Right now I'm getting ready to go away for 3 days to Rochester, NY for a Gifted Talented Conference. I've been going to these conferences with my friend Cindy for quite sometime now and really enjoy learning about the different games and curriculum that there is for children and deciding what curriculum and games to get for our girls when they come home. I'm looking forward to this weekend!

I'm also excited about weekends again because for 3 Sundays a month I have Tony back and we can go back to church as a couple! That is really exciting for me!!! This Sunday, one of my closest friends husband is going to take pictures of Tony and I so that we can have some semi-professional pictures of us for our profile and to send in a little book we are making and sending with another couple that we hope will be traveling in June! A book so the girls will recognize us when we arrive! And let them know we are their mommy and daddy and are coming to get them...we hope it all works out that way!

Well, gotta go do some laundry and pack for the weekend. Hopefully I'll blog some more before we leave on Thursday. Have a blessed week!

Well, It's Official...

2010-05-28T11:11:00.002-04:00

Tony went to work yesterday afternoon and took over as the new manager! He really likes his new staff, and he actually was in a great mood when he got home :) He said the 30 minute ride home gives him time to unwind before he gets home...a plus for me!

His store isn't top in the market like the store he just left, but there is tons of room for improvement, so it could be a better store in a while. To put it differently, he won't be making the money we thought at first, but that's okay and here is why...

Remember my constant rant of not finding a job? Well please pay attention, this is really important and a lesson I'm learning along the way:

God is in the details. Did you get that? God is in the D E T A I L S...that's right! So this whole time, God was planning for Tony to be promoted giving us just about the right amount, nothing more and nothing less than what we will need. And that always seems to be His Way!

So now that I don't have a car during the day, because we need our car to last for a while, I will be able to do things at home instead of worrying about finding work and I'll be able to get paperwork done and prepare the bedroom for our twins...God has allowed me to stay home and be the stay at home mom that I have always felt called to be :)

Well, I have alot of things I need to do, especially call to schedule our HOMESTUDY!!! Plus some other not so fun things like clean the bathroom, do laundry and wash the floors :( But all the while I'll be thinking of my girls...can't wait to add homeschooling to my list of things to do! :)

Have a wonderful day!

Well, Kind Of A Big Day...

2010-05-26T22:55:00.002-04:00

Let me back-track a bit...Our week started off with some so-so news. It seems that the country that we are adopting from closes down for summer vacation from July to September. Well at first I wasn't too happy, but as I started to think about it, that actually works in our favor. At the time of that news, I was feeling pressure to get things in gear and find a job (no pressure at all right?), and start planning and trying to get everything done...blah blah blah. Well, suddenly I realized I had a timeline and my brain cleared and it is clear as a sunny day. So I now can truly say that we should be traveling in October. So then today...

My day started off like most others, trying to get motivated to do something. That is difficult when you start your day with a migraine. Then it got interesting...

Tony called me about 10:30 to ask me to pray for him. Hmmm, not an unusual request, but different because he said he was going to get a visit from his Regional Market Manager. Well he didn't know what to expect, except that he was going to be given his own store! Yes, ordinarily a great thing...but under the present circumstances it could be a tumultuous situation.

Well, he had his visit and was given a store about 20 miles from here, which will necessitate a move to another town, which we may or may not do right away. We have already started our adoption paperwork here so we may just complete the adoption and move later on...still on the fence about that one.

He becomes a manager tomorrow. Along with additional hours, he will have 3 Sundays off a month (up until now he has worked almost every Sunday since last October :( ) so we can go back to attending church again, YAY, he will receive a commission on sales every paycheck and he will receive a quarterly bonus! That is the biggest news! I don't have to find a job and we will be able to move forward without fundraising for our initial fees anymore!!!! So now when people want to donate, we can direct them to our FSP so their donations are tax deductible. Then we are going to have business cards printed with the picture of our button of our twins, with our fs page and blog address to hand out to everyone and anyone who wants to see.

Our very next adoption item is our home study fee and passports which I can proudly say we can provide for those fees...we'll just have to fundraise for 12,000.00-13,000.00 for all of our other fees!!!

So, as long as things goes forward as was told to Tony today, tomorrow afternoon I will be calling to schedule our homestudy for late in June! And then we have all of our other paper monster to plan for....OMGOSH! This could really be happening....AAAAAAGGGGHHHH...Going to bed now, I can't believe what tomorrow can mean...time to dream of finally bringing our beautiful girls home forever! :)

God's blessings...

What A Beautiful Service

2010-05-23T18:55:00.002-04:00

I just finished watching Chrissie's Celebration of Life Service a while ago. She was a beautiful princess that finally found her forever family. It was a blessing to hear about her and the story that her mother, Lorraine, told about her adoption, the joy and happiness Chrissie 'Jewel' brought to the family and the decisions they had to make regarding surgery and treatment. It really was a uplifting time.

As much as I am saddened by her passing, I can't help but feel some joy that someday soon we will see her again, this time in person, watching her dance and jump, run and play. She has been totally restored to her original splendor which God intended, and I'm sure she will still 'be the boss'!

I am grateful to the Patterson family for sharing their Serbian Sensation with the world, during the hospital stay and today for her Celebration into life. The love they all have for their princess was very evident in the service today. I am honored I was able to attend, even 2000 miles away. God has gifted everyone with many blessings today, I just pray that others can see that.

Well I'm off to spend time with hubby. I pray that you will have a God Bless evening too.

Barbara Christyn Joy Patterson

2010-05-21T10:42:00.003-04:00

I took a few days off to just re-evaluate things and returned to my email group for Reece's Rainbow and facebook only to find out that our beloved Chrissie had passed away early Wednesday morning. My heart is broken for Chrissie's family right now. There is nothing more to say.

Click on the title of this blog and it will bring you to Lorraine's blog for Chrissie.

I'll blog again soon, just not now, I'm just too sad.

Our Anniversary...25 YEARS! When did that happen? Part II

2010-05-11T22:11:00.004-04:00

Well, like I said earlier, we spent the day reminiscing about and visiting our past. Spent a chilly, but beautiful day together, and it's funny, it was quiet and I didn't mind too much...must have been the 'special-ness' of the day :D

We came home and after dinner, we had our beautiful anniversary cake from my sister! Here we are cutting the cake...

And the cake is being eaten...

When we cut our cake at our wedding, May 10, 1985, Tony wouldn't let me do what I did last night, and it was fun...so the next picture is what I had always wanted to do...

And yes that was a staged annoyance frown! We had fun with that and he couldn't believe I took the pic, but I just couldn't help myself... :D I'll have to work on that for next year for our renewal...everyone is welcome!

And this is how we spent today...

I can't wait til the day that the twins can 'Hop on Pop' as he is sleeping just like the boys used to do... :)

Good night all, God's many Blessings to you...

Our Anniversary...25 YEARS! When did that happen?

2010-05-11T12:24:00.004-04:00

For me, it feels surreal...it just doesn't 'feel' possible, and yet everytime I do the math, it comes up the same...25! Unless I'm doing something wrong with my math, maybe I'm not applying the proper 'new math' rules...Did someone change the rules again without telling me?? :D Anyway, it just doesn't feel possible, and I don't feel my age either! I don't get it, but that's okay...time flys when you are having fun?

I am so happy we've made it this far. We wanted to renew our vows, but when we saw Slavka and Sandra, I wanted to have them more, so we didn't do the whole gown, preacher, meal thing...we felt we needed to bring them home and then celebrate our new family all at once, corny I know, but that's me! Take me or leave me...I always wanted a daughter, and now we're getting two! :D Complete family (maybe, we'll see what God has to say later)!

We didn't do a lot yesterday, we drove around Tony's hometown and saw places that we went to while we dated and visited his family grave and just reminiced about our early lives. I had a wonderful time, but Tony felt like he should have done more...little does he know what he is doing now will certainly benefit us all down the road. I love that he feels he needs to do more, I just wish he'd get that I never care what we are doing, I just love being together...he says it's a guy thing! Poor guys! :D

Anyway, Sunday was a special day, and I didn't realize that my sister was going to celebrate our anniversary on the same day as Mother's Day and my mothers birthday. She started her day creating a replica of our wedding cake, minus the cascade of butterflies along the side. This is the picture:

The color matched our wedding party colors and our original cake colors...I don't know what inspired her, but I'm not complaining! We were so blessed :D

She also gave us a beautiful silver anniversary frame:

I can't wait to have a nice picture to place into the frame :)

Well, that is all for now, I will blog some later since I have pics of us cutting and eating our anniversary cake! I still have 3 other days to make up for, and I really haven't run out of blog ideas, at least not yet... I'll see you and blog about last night! Hope you have a great day full of blessings!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T22:14:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful day today!

My day was special. I spent the day at my parents house and had a nice time catching up. We celebrated Mother's Day, my mother's birthday and our silver anniversary. That was special.

Unfortunately Tony had to work, as did Austin and of course Cale is away and had to work all day. But I did have a wonderful time! I'll share what we received for our anniversary tomorrow since tomorrow is our big day!

See, I told you no pity party...I'm too blessed for one! And by the way, one of the biggest gifts was Austin getting high speed internet for the house...that means no more interuptions and more blogging and email for me! :) YAY!!

Have a blessed night!

Wow...36 + hours without internet...

2010-05-08T22:28:00.002-04:00

Can really cramp my plans! Sorry I didn't blog, I would have if I had the chance!

I was hoping to keep up on how things were progressing with Christyn Joy, Chrissie, but not having the internet was like being on a desert island :( I had no contact with anyone...I didn't like it. The biggest issue was Chrissie updates. I really freaked when I got the digest from Lorraine and it was looking rather dark for her. But I know that God is bigger than anything we are going through, so that helped. Then when I told Tony my frustrations and how I thought it was all satan, Tony said it was all God...making me rely on Him and not the internet...wise, and that is why God put Tony together with me!

Anyway, Chrissie is doing better right now and we just need to remember to pray for her. God will take care of the rest!

Sorry for not blogging, I'll make up for the last couple of days over the next couple of days, I promise!

Hoping you all have a VERY HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!! I know that I will! :) Love to all!

Pity Party At My House On Sunday!

2010-05-05T20:44:00.002-04:00

Well here I am again. I thought I'd run out of things to blog about, but my children and family keep me going... :)

Really, there won't be a pity party, but the day won't be nearly the same as it would if I had all three of my boys and my beautiful little girls with me! I found out today that my youngest son, Cale, Austin and Tony had planned to surprise me by flying Cale home for my birthday in 2 weeks. He called Austin and told him he can't make it home for mothers day or my birthday...that made me sad. I really miss Cale...phone calls don't take the place of hugs and 11:00 pm kitchen talks that we have when he is home...can you tell I miss him? I am, and have been, praying that he changes colleges and moves back here, but unfortunately we raised him to be an independent young man who enjoys being out on his own, and he likes his friends in KY... :( So, I am like a good number of mothers who have to hear from their children that live or attend college far away from home. I guess I am just happy that he is here in the US, he could be a soldier in Iraq...always an upside...

Speaking of upsides, next year at this time, I will have my princesses home and yes this will be my last mothers day without daughters, and maybe I will be blessed enough to have all of my sons here too! Then my mothers day will be complete! :D

Have a great night! I know I am!!! :D

Well...This is a record for me!

2010-05-04T20:14:00.002-04:00

I think now, if my math is correct, I am 1/7th of the way to forming a habit...it takes 21 days to form a good habit, and this is day 3 :D We'll see how long this lasts...

I will start with an update on Chrissie...God is Amazing, not that I, or anyone should be, surprised! It looks like things are looking up for our little Serbian Sensation! Just keep her in prayer that she continues to do as well as she is doing...To Our God Be The Glory!!!

We had another 'quiet' day, the kind I don't like! But on the up side, my middle son, who is still living at home, is spending more time at home...I'm not going to lie, I'm one happy mama! I don't think many people understand families that are close. I actually caught an eye roll from someone who thinks it's ridiculous that Austin is still at home. Not all children that stay at home sit around all day playing video games and eating mom and dad out of house and home! He contributes his share of chores, pays rent and works full time. That is what is required of him...and he is good company, too.

I have always had a dream that we would someday own a huge home with enough room that all of our sons would be able to live with us, with their wives and all of their children...What can I say, I really enjoy being a mom! And yes, everyone, with very few exceptions, thinks I'm off my rocker! If I'm off my rocker, should it be a surprise to anyone that we are going to adopt? I think not! :D So now my dream is expanded to include Slavka and Sandra and their husbands and families too! But that won't happen for a really long time...Tony says he isn't going to allow dating until they are in their 30's...so that's that! ;) ROFLOL

Well, I actually did do some things today, I planned where we are going to relocate the bunny and how to re-arrange the house to organize and get started on the bedroom for the twins! So see it wasn't all that quiet I guess...

Well, it's Tuesday night, I need to go start getting ready for bed now because my favorite family is coming on tv at 9:00...the Duggar's!!! Tony doesn't like it when I watch them at night because when he dreams at night the Duggars are usually in them. He calls them Duggar Dreams...poor hubby :D

I hope everyone of you has a great night!!

Wow...Here I Am Again.

2010-05-03T19:57:00.002-04:00

Well this isn't a record yet, but I'm blogging for the second day in a row. :) I'll start by telling you that Chrissie still needs prayers, she has another big day ahead of her tomorrow. We're praying for her too, and her wonderful family...

Well, then Tony received an email today from a local BMW dealership for an advisor position he applied for the other day. The manager seemed to be interested in Tony's transfer to Indiana a few years ago...don't know why or where that is headed, but this dealership has other stores in Florida and New York State...hmmm... What next? :D Maybe a move again? Bring it on Lord, you know we'll go anywhere You wish...

Tony and I had a great quiet day together, but we really need little ones to keep us young, I felt old and I don't like that... cuz' I'M NOT!

One of my best friends told me a few weeks ago that she had been praying for a way to raise money for us to bring the twins home. Well, she said He told her to paint pictures, so she painted us three sweet pictures and we just got them today! I am not sure how I am going to sell them, I think we'll do some type of 'give away' on this blog or my fundraiser blog, we'll see...

Please pray for us now too, we need to plan our yard sale, when and where, so I can plaster our neighborhood with flyers asking for donations and also send out an email and message to everyone we know... we really want it to be a success so we can finish fundraising for the first few things we need to do. Then we can move on to the BIG ticket items like grants and such...pray for success so we can bring our princesses home before October... :)

Well, I'm going to go now, I have things to do so Tony can surf for a while...hope you have a wonderful evening! Til tomorrow...

Let's see...

2010-05-02T14:47:00.007-04:00

I know I missed blogging yesterday, but here I am and I think I have a new goal.. A Blog A Day, All Through May! Let's see if I can do this... :D

Just letting anyone not following along about Matt and Lorraine Patterson and their Serbian Sensation, Chrissie, who is four years old and underwent open heart surgery on April 19th. She seems to be doing okay. They are changing her ventilator today in hopes that she will feel better. She has a fever but drs think it's due to internal swelling of tissues, not necessarily an infection. She is an amazing little one and her family is wonderful. We are continuing to keep her in prayer, especially since she seems to be in more pain than she has had. Please pray for her and her family.

Now, I am also going to blog about my two princesses! They are beautiful in our eyes...yesterday I went to my mothers house to scrapbook and looked through my old pictures and noticed that Sandra looks just like me at her age! And she looks just like my Aunt Nancy and cousin Julie! I can't wait to unpack my pictures to see pictures of Tony's family because I think that Slavka looks just like Tony's mom...I'm really 'chomping at the bit'! :D Have I told anyone lately that I love those two sweeties!

A couple of weeks ago, right after Easter, I went shopping, not for the girls but that always happens :D I happened to find the Easter sale at Kmart and most of the decorations were 90% off. Well I saw their bunnies. The first one I found was this cute little pink one, at 5.99 regular price. I scanned it and found it was $.59 so I picked up two!

Then I was looking at the cute white one that cost $9.99, it was $.99, so I bought two!

Then there was the cutest, and biggest, purple bunny and he is usually $19.99, and he ended up being $1.99, so I bought two!!!

So here they are waiting patiently for their princesses to come join them! :)

I have chosen and bought their quilts, they are beautiful Laura Ashley Heirloom quilts! They are a bright pink with white daisy's all over them and they are reversible, white with pink/dark pink narrow stripes on the other side, and I bought them at Burlington Coat Factory at a fantastic price!

Awesome for them...now it will look like their new bunnies have a field of daisies to eat and sleep on while they are waiting!

Well, enough already, gotta go get dinner planned...Have a wonder-fun evening of Blessings! :D

Hmmm...Blogging AND Making Money At The Same Time, Who Knew?

2010-04-27T14:35:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I logged onto my blog this morning and found out that there is a new program for bloggers to raise money. Apparently I can blog about books that we are using/reading for our adoption and if we use Amazon and somehow connect our blog to their site, we can make a commission on the sale. Interesting concept, I think I'll look into it...hey, it's another way to get these girls on their way home quicker ;)

I haven't blogged about our twins in a few blogs, so here is an update...they are still ours! We are still looking for ways to raise money to bring them home. Recently a couple of people have come up with an interesting way to market their fundraising venture. I would love to incorporate it into our fundraising, but I'm just not sure how it will work in my circle.

Here is the deal...

We have to raise $12,000.00 to $13,000.00 for the travel expenses and other expenses while in country. That means that if 1000 people donate $13.00, that would cover all our expenses and we would be able to get it done!

Now, I am thinking that we would print up flyers and leave them in the doors in our neighborhood and perhaps ask our internet friends to pass the word around the net with the girls sponsorship page address.

I'm not sure how it will all work, but please feel free to leave me messages and let me know if you think it'll work or if you have better ideas. Always open to other ideas...

On an exciting note, I now know my paypal account works! I had a person donate to my puzzle fundraiser for our twins and her donation is sitting in my paypal account waiting to pay for our home study fee! We are so excited, and I would so love to get all this 'stuff' taken care of quickly. Please continue to pray for us, we love those girls so much, and I am beginning to dream of holding them and rocking them a lot more often, which means my heart is going to ache soon, so I just want them here... :) Thanks!

Hope you have a fantastic day!

More Of God's Blessings...

2010-04-25T18:12:00.002-04:00

Like I said recently, God has a way of placing things in perspective for me. This has been a difficult month for us here, and it's not over, but that is okay, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm pretty sure it's not a train...trains don't really run around here anymore!

Today started with news about Chrissie, she was being weened off of the medication that she was on to keep her in a coma. Well, they didn't think she would respond to anything for about a week, and PRAISE GOD, she has been responding to her mothers, Lorraine, voice and her touch! It looks great that there is little to no brain damage and she can feel others. Her family has asked that people continue to pray for Chrissie as she isn't out of danger yet. They are still dealing with her heart and the possibility of infection and the list goes on...please continue to pray for little Chrissie. The fact that she is responding and is still living is a HUGE blessing from God!

Another blessing is that Shelley and her new son Kullen are almost home. It has been a very long trip and if we don't hear from them for a few days, we won't be too surprised! God is Awesome to have blessed them abundantly over in Bulgaria and Serbia with successful orphanage visits and such, but the bigger blessing is that they are finally home.

I'm still looking for a job, but in the down time, I have been able to come up with what I hope are successful ways to raise money for us to bring the girls home as well as bless Reece's Rainbow in the years to come.

And then there is the other stuff, like preparing our homestudy paperwork and planning Slavka and Sandra's new bedroom! I am turning their room into a 'garden party' bedroom! I am going to paint a field of wild flowers on the wall, perhaps a trellis with fake ivy climbing up in the doorway and I have the plans to their beds made complete with a picket fence headboard and footboard with bird houses on it... I also bought, on sale of course :) , a huge purple bunny, a medium white bunny and a little pink bunny for each of their beds. I can't believe I am actually going to be able to do this FINALLY! I saw a picture in a craft magazine years ago and I really wanted to do it, but my boys thought it was too sissy ;P, who would have guessed :D... and I can't even get Tony to wear a purple or pink shirt, so the garden theme wouldn't work in our room! We do have John Deere sheets and a John Deere quilt I made for Tony...maybe we can add some garden into that theme?

Anyway, I am really looking forward to what our Lord does this week in the lives of others...Hope your week is God Blessed!

God's Blessings...In Hindsight

2010-04-23T10:56:00.004-04:00

Truly God has blessed many this week, in many ways. Here are just a few...

Chrissie, the little Serbian Sensation, as her mother Lorraine has penned, is still alive and fighting. We have been praying for her and her family since her open heart surgery began on Tuesday morning. It has been a roller coaster all week, she died twice and right now she is on life support, and she is alive. I have been humbled and brought to tears by the strength her mother and father, Lorraine and Matt, have shown through this ordeal. What amazing faith! Please go see their blog about their precious princess Chrissie.

http://allarepreciousinhissight.blogspot.com/

Finally it's time for Shelley, Kullen and Leah to return home to the US after such a long time away from their families. Praise God!

Others, even if it doesn't feel like a blessing at the moment, have been blessed with an answer of no it's not time to adopt. Another received a date for them to travel to pick up their son! Dossier's have been sent out! There has been a successful adoption, and now we're just waiting for the GOTCHA DAY!

Tony and I have finally been able to meet a family from Reece's Rainbow that live in Massachusetts, and they live just an hour from us! :)

I guess you could say that once again I am being blessed with peace about not hearing from any of the jobs that I applied for last week. I really can only look at it as God hasn't prepared the perfect job for me yet.

This week I have watched satan try to bring christians down, but all he did was succeed in bringing them to their knees...in PRAYER and PRAISE to our heavenly Father, our Great Physician!

An aside, I believe I read on Lorraine's blog that they had over 13,000 hits on their blog...take that satan!!!

What A Week! Praise God...

2010-04-20T18:36:00.002-04:00

At least it feels like it has been a week already...and it's just Tuesday.

Once again my troubles have paled in comparison to others problems. Yes, God has a way of doing that to me...not a bad thing really, but it sure is humbling.

I thought my car was a major frustration, then onto the way I felt when people ignored things.

Then I got home...

There was Shelley and her brand new son Kullen and her friend Leah. Blessed to go visit orphanages but when they needed to come home, they couldn't. To top it off, Kullen is sick. :(

Then there was Chrissie and her heart surgery yesterday and her mothers gut wrenching plea for prayer for Chrissie...she had died and now is in a medically induced coma and on life support.

Now there is the little 6 year old special needs boy they found dead in a park in Texas, with no identification.

It kind of placed my troubles on the back burner, so to speak and now I am able to concentrate on praying for others and their difficulties.

Yes, I am praising God for making me Aware of others. I'm glad He re-focuses me and shows me what is really important. Thank you Father for your correction! :)

Hope everyone has a great night...and please pray for Chrissie!

Please Pray For Our Friends!

2010-04-19T10:27:00.003-04:00

r HisWe are asking for prayers for Shelley, our friend, her newly adopted son, Kullen, who happens to be sick, and Leah. They are in stuck in Bulgaria after adopting Kullen and they are waiting to fly home, but the volcano erupted while they were in another country visiting an orphanage.

We are all worried about them, Kullen especially because he sounds like he has a sinus infection. So please, pray for their safety, finances and ability to get back home. And pray for her husband and other members of her family while she is away.

We all know that God is still on His throne, but asking for His help is what we are supposed to do...Thank You! Have a blessed day! :)

You Know, God Is Really Amazing!

2010-04-18T18:00:00.003-04:00

Okay, while I was steaming and sad this morning, I did leave out a positive detail...we are blessed with my oldest son who is a tow truck driver. He towed the car to Tony's work for free. And Tony works on cars for a living, so for about $30.00 he was able to replace the timing belt and it was done already! :)

God really has blessed us! Oh, and I freaked out too because I lost an envelope of money from our budget, and we found it in the car!

Praise God! He is Awesome the way He takes care of the details :)

Have a wonderful evening and enjoy your family!

Anger ends in GRRR...

2010-04-18T13:36:00.002-04:00

You know, if I laughed as much as the time spent aggravated lately they would haul me away in an ambulance! :) Yes, I admit I am finding more to complain about lately, but sometimes I think I am righteously angry. Let me explain...

Today I dropped Tony off at work, on a Sunday AGAIN :( Righteously angry? Yes, in a perfect world, but not so much here. Once again satan wins. On my way home with the car, suddenly the car dies without so much as a sputter or cough. Righteously angry? You bet, I was going home to get ready to go to church to so I couldn't go. satan won. Still righteous? Not so much, it's a car and cars break. The timing belt broke again for the second time in 5 months! Righteously Angry? YES! Better quality components put in the cars would be helpful. But let's face it, it's a car and cars break! So not really righteous...

While I sat for an hour and 15 minutes on the side of the road waiting for assistance with my flashers going, not one person stopped or looked at me to see if I was okay or if I needed to call someone. Righteously angry? YES! I was pulled over at a stop light too...roll down your window and ask me if I need anything? You can't always assume that someone has a cell phone or that they are okay enough in that type of situation. What has happened to everyone? I understand that people are creeped out about stopping in these situations, but you can't stop, roll down your window and ask if I am okay or do I need them to call someone for me? And to top that off, I recognized 2 cars that drove by as members of my own church. Righteous anger? YES indeed.

I posted this on my fb status and one person mentioned that we all have crosses to bear and sometimes that means covering our eyes...not quite sure I knew what that meant, but I reminded her that I felt like the samaratin that was ignored by the priests and pharisees. Anyone remember that story?

Two things struck me this morning as I saw the apathy in God's people:

1. Any one stuck on the side of the road is some one... someone's mother/father, son/daughter, brother/sister, grandmother/grandfather, aunt/uncle. Turn the table and say the person was YOUR (fill in the blank) and no one stopped to help?

B. If I am invisible to God's people, then does that mean that we will ever receive help from my christian brothers and sisters to bring our twins home?

The cost of stopping this morning would have been 5 minutes and they may have been a few minutes late to church. If time, as precious as that is, can't even be spent on making sure someone is okay, then how can I believe that they will spend precious dollars on making sure that two of God's children have a forever family? Righteous Anger...GRRR...YES!

I don't make a habit of stopping for people that are with others or are visibly on the phone, but if there is one bit of doubt, I will turn around and make sure they are okay and have someone coming for them. I don't ever want to have to look Jesus in the face and give an account to Him that I was going to be late to church or dinner and I just didn't have time to stop. Righteous Anger...GRRR... YES!

GRRR...But Hopeful!

2010-04-16T15:11:00.002-04:00

We gotta whole lotta GRRRin' goin' on!

With tax day in our rear view mirror, we are grrr'ing because the state we lived in before was just a bit greedy, so any hope of having a tax refund to put toward our adoption is out because we owe! We don't owe a lot, but enough to be a pain in the back side! That made us rather annoyed!!! GRRR...

But, on a happier note, I have just applied for 4 jobs, 3 receptionist positions and 1 retail within 15 miles (round trip) of our house! I left one of the places hopeful today, the office manager was not in today but is in on Monday so I should hear something from her on Monday! YAY!!!

So please, if you are a prayer, please pray for this job! I really liked the place as soon as I walked in. I'm not a psychic but I had a really good feeling about it. We'll see if this is where God wants me! And thank you for the prayers...He is the only way to get through all this!

So now I have to get rid of this sinus headache because I have so much to do, a room to clean, organize for a yard sale, get my daily chores completed...but right now, healing!

I sure hope you're have a fantastic day! Bless you!

2010-04-15T16:39:00.002-04:00

I guess I don't understand companies anymore. I was really excited to see that Target was hiring, then when I went on line to apply, the Target in our town isn't hiring, one about 18-20 miles away is. So why did they advertise there then? Aldi did the same thing last fall, when I inquired with them and was told it was for a store about 18 miles away from my house. Aldi may pay alright, but I am not going to travel 20 miles to go work in a retail store that isn't going to pay me more than minimum wage, especially with gas prices on the rise again :( So it looks like we are still waiting...

On a brighter note, I have started digging out the room that will be the girls bedroom! I am moving things and re-arranging to fit everything where it needs to be! :) Just trying to keep busy while I wait for a job! I just can't contain my excitement!!! :)

Soon girls...mama and daddy will be there as soon as we can! :)

The Waiting Game...

2010-04-14T22:06:00.003-04:00

Well, I put in applications today, and I will again tomorrow. If we can do it before our homestudy is complete, we are also going to apply in the next week or so to the Both Hands Ministry through LifeSong Ministry. Both Hands is a project to help a widow and at the same time you are earning funds toward your adoption. You can earn up to 10,000.00 in funds. What a huge chunk of money just for spending a day volunteering to help a widow! Wow, what a blessing...

http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/bothHands.html

Please check it out. What a way to help widows and orphans :)

Getting Ready To Go Out...

2010-04-14T11:53:00.002-04:00

Looking for a job AGAIN!!! Something has to give soon. And I am noticing other job opportunities as we are out and about, soooo....

I am going to Target. I figure if I get a job there, that money will go toward our immediate adoption expenses, and maybe there will be a discount? I saw a beautiful comforter/sheet set that we want for their room! And some furnishings for their room, too. Not to mention all the pretty clothing for girls there :)

Also, Babies/Toys R Us is hiring. Either place will work for the same thing, adoption expenses and discount for future purchases. Just praying that something comes available soon! God is Great and He will provide what we need! :)

Have a great day!

Happy 28th Birthday Christopher!!

2010-04-11T14:24:00.002-04:00

You know, I woke up today with a thought...my oldest son Chris is 28 years old today! WHAT...where did the time go??? Boy did I feel old, but then I remembered that Chris is my oldest! I felt so much better because my youngest son, Cale is just 20! WHEW! :D

28 years ago today was Easter Sunday and Christopher was born! I went into labor with him on Good Friday, was in labor for 36 hours and the dr. finally gave up and did a c-section. I was young and he was my first! God gave me my son and He changed my life. My sister and I are totally the opposite, like night and day! My sister was always the babysitter for all the cousins and neighborhood children, and I wasn't and I loved that! That is until that fateful day, April 11, 1982 when I became a mom! I absolutely fell in love with Chris and have LOVED each of my children and have been in love with children ever since! I have taught preschool Sunday school, high school Sunday school. Children are the future...we really need to invest in their lives in a big way! Investment starts with love...

We came back in town last year right on his birthday, so celebrating happened a few weeks later, but this year we are going to celebrate ON his b'day and are having his favorite...grilled barbecue chicken, potato salad and Coke! We missed doing this while we were in Kentucky.

We loved our boys and really did have a time of it trying to raise each of them, in different ways, and sometimes had to question whether we'd make it through every stage...but we are happy to say that Chris is exactly how we raised him to be. He is loving and caring, would give the shirt off his back to help someone (even in the cold) and he is a great kid!

He is looking forward to the twins getting here, and I think they will really LOVE their big brother Chris!

Happy Birthday Chris...we're glad we're home again to celebrate your day! We love you! :)

Here Is Our BUTTON!!

2010-04-08T10:36:00.003-04:00

Grab This Button

Here is the blog button that Lu made for us! Thank you sooo much Lu! If anyone knows me, that button is perfect for what I am about! We are so excited to share our button with anyone who wants to share it with others to help us bring them home sooner! :)

About 3 weeks ago the MOJ of the twins country gave us the okay to file papers for the twins to be ours... That, to us, is HUGE! We are so excited for the day we fly to pick them up!!! They are so special to us.

So now I'm in 'super get busy' mode. We figure if we need to stay here a little longer, then we will bloom where we are planted. God provides, we just need to be patient and wait for Him. I won't lie, being patient isn't easy for me, and this seems to be an underlying thread of learning for me, but at least I can see that now, and with His help, we will be fine.

So, today I am in the pantry and the kitchen. I am clearing things out to sell in our yard (tag sale here in New England...just a little cultural lesson :) sale, organizing for our eventual move and getting ready for our homestudy to begin.

Then to switch wardrobes from winter to summer so we can get rid of all these storage tubs out of the twins bedroom.

I am also going to put in an application for a job. They are not hiring or interviewing until 4/15th, so if I get that job, at least I will have had a jump start on cleaning and getting ready for our homestudy! Yay!

So please pray for this job opportunity...it could easily help us to bring Slavka and Sandra home to us! :D And that will make me one happy mama!

Can You Tell?...

2010-04-06T16:26:00.004-04:00

Can you tell how excited we are to have them with us next Easter? This is the pic of a couple of things we bought for them...cute felt Easter baskets, some bunny necklaces and rings, some stickers and grape flavored lip balm and a bible matching game...I can't wait to go get them, we'll be bringing these things with us when we go... :) I just thought I'd share!

Keep us in prayer as we do our fundraising...so we can go pick them up soon! :)

Happy Easter! He has Risen!

2010-04-05T21:05:00.004-04:00

We had a very nice Easter Holiday with our family. We enjoyed spending time with my parents and our boys! Even more, we had a glorious day remembering that this is the last time we will be alone on Easter morning...next year we will have two beautiful little girls, Slavka and Sandra, to have an Easter morning Egg hunt, and then dress in frilly dresses for church! And I will once again be able to color Easter eggs and all of the other fun things we did on Easter morning...until the boys grew up!

I have to admit, I did buy Easter hats (pictured above, for some reason I can't get this blog to put pics where I want them) and little Easter baskets with little trinkets...I just couldn't help myself this year :)

I am beginning to count down the holidays we have without the girls... Mother's Day, Father's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, first day of fall and hopefully they will be here before Thanksgiving! What a wonderful Thanksgiving that will be! We are so excited to have a full house again! God is so Great! :)

Have a great night!

Recapping...Again...STILL...

2010-03-30T20:24:00.004-04:00

We are still waiting...for a lot of things...still...

I am working on a crib sized baby blanket, still. I am in the process of making 20 more pins, still. I am trying to figure out how to get them out where people can see them and where we might sell the pins so that we can reach our goal, still.

I am trying to get the word out about our puzzle fundraiser, pins, prayer blankets so people will help us bring the girls home, still. I am working on a huge yard sale, still.

I am still waiting for a job, I will be going to fill out an application for a receptionist job that I qualify for, but won't know anything until after April 15th. Praying real hard for a job, still.

We just had someone donate to the girls, she purchased a few pins and donated above that, so we are in the neighborhood of $650.00 to $700.00 away from our commitment fee! Another step closer! That truly did our hearts good...so as of tonight we have a new way to view 'STILL'...

Psalm 46:10-Be still and know that I Am God. He truly is Great and has provided thus far, so we are still and we know that He is in Control. :) We'll be there for you girls, your Father has Promised!

Happy Birthday Cale!!

2010-03-26T13:27:00.002-04:00

How's this...two post updates in one day! It's a record for me I think :) I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to my youngest son, but he's no longer the baby. I just spoke to him and he is excited about his new sisters, but I didn't dare call him the big brother yet :)

I miss having him here all the time, making me laugh and saying silly things. I guess we can say that he is the reason we are adopting. I had so much fun with him having him here all the time, homeschooling him and teaching him right from wrong, I just stayed young through it all. He is goofy, like his dad and I was lucky enough to have him home with me!

Well, as much as I am proud of him, I am also melancholy as today my last teenager turns 20...so no more teens at this time. But I take great comfort in the fact that soon we will have little ones again in the house...keeping us young and making me happy! No more silent empty nest! YAHOO!!!

Well, I have to go finish email and being a housewife...HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY CALE!!!

Well I Thought...

2010-03-26T11:46:00.003-04:00

I really thought I would just feel the way I felt when I heard from our facilitator about the country's decision to allow us to adopt the girls...just loaded with nervous energy! Right? Yeah, that's all, and then I'd want to go out and window-shop, looking for things for the twins! Yeah, that's it.

I have seen others who say they were moved to tears when they found out and such, but that didn't happen to me. Then, on Wednesday afternoon when I received a note from Andrea, it didn't say anything in the subject line, so I opened it and there was a link and the message was copied to the woman, Lu from England, who makes the blog buttons. All the note said was 'Up and running'. So I sat there and couldn't figure out what that was all about...that was probably the longest 1 minute of my life, then I clicked on the link...

And then the tears came pouring down my face and I must have cried for at least the first 5 minutes...there on the opened RR page was our beautiful twins faces and our family profile that said 'Slavka and Sandra for the Stancil Family-Manchester, CT'. It was probably the first time it wasn't surreal for me! If you were sitting here watching me type this right now you would see me crying again!

I called Tony at work and told him through my tears, and he said 'There's no crying in adoption!' which did get me laughing...he's a goof-ball like that! I still can't look at that page without tearing up! I didn't think I'd be this sappy, I just figured I would be full of nervous energy, but no, cry baby is more like it. I really have to practice not crying, I'm gonna mess those two babies up when we finally go get them...they will think I was sad or something! And going to see the officials! UGH...I hope they can discern happy tears from sad!

Well, gotta go look at my daughters again and cry some more...have a very blessed day!

They are OURS!!!

2010-03-21T21:40:00.002-04:00

I just love saying that :D We are so excited and our love grows stronger everyday! I get up everyday and check the 'my family found me' page just to make sure this isn't really a great dream that I just woke up from...and everyday their pictures are there, and I just want to reach into the screen and squeeze them both and give them hugs and kisses! I have been waiting too long for daughters, they don't have any idea what they are in for!!!

We are about $800.00 away from promise fee...I have a couple of good friends that are helping me plan a large yard sale, complete with baked goods and maybe some lemonade (or just kool-ade, or maybe some sweet tea-we learned something while we were in Louisville)! I am now starting to plan a 6 to 10 mile walk for adoption...just trying to get a hold of people that have organized large walks like I'm thinking...we'll see ;)

I am also looking into 2 job possibilities this week, maybe at Babies R' Us and the other at Walgreen Drugstores. Please pray that I am successful! I am really getting excited at the prospect of working and being able to take care of our homestudy within the next couple of months, and then for the other expenses that we are finding in our guide book for their country. I am getting excited by the hour, I can't believe they are ours, right now it seems surreal...maybe I'll go back to see if they are still on that mffm page! Yup, they are still there! :D Did I say I'm really excited? :)

Thanks for following our blog! We hope you had a very blessed weekend!

Oh HAPPY HAPPY WEEK!!!

2010-03-18T16:06:00.007-04:00

Well, if you have been looking at the 'my family found me' page on Reece's Rainbow, you will notice that our 'TWINS' are there! We had sent in our information to our facilitator and to Andrea, but I had not thought things would happen so fast, at least not until Monday of this week. We found out kind of by accident, someone emailed about the new page that was created and she was happy to see new commitments there including our two, Sandra and Slavka!

So my heart sank, :( I worked up the nerve to email Andrea to ask who had come forward, or was it us. She responded so quick that my stomach flipped. I told Tony I couldn't look, so he said he would...and here was her response:

YOU are the family! :)

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!!! I think my heart really sang! I have only felt that way a few times in my life, the day I was married, and everytime I found out I was expecting! I totally feel like we are pregnant, minus the sinus headaches for three months and the night sickness! We are SOOO EXCITED!!! I had so much nervous energy we took a drive and ended up looking at things for the girls! Like I didn't already create a tote of things for them, like cute magenta tops I found on clearance, Hello Kitty hot cocoa mugs, a bouquet of 'stuffed flowers' with faces, a bible memory game...and more!

I'm not sure if we can announce it on the elist until our FSP is posted, so until or unless I hear otherwise, this is the only place that we will announce that Sandra and Slavka are OURS!!!!

Now reality of the work ahead has set in...we received the guide for the country we are adopting from...and there is so much to do! I just thank God for those who have walked this path before me, their experiences will certainly be appreciated! One step at a time. And I refuse to panic about the money. There are several people we know who are nay-sayers and are really trying to make things much bleaker than it needs to be. If it is God's will, these girls, God's girls, God will see to it that every penny, dime and dollar will be there! :) AAAAAHHHHH - THEY ARE OURS!!!!!

We did find out that we cannot rename the girls the names that we chose when we adopt them, the only change will be their last names. I'm just excited to bring them into our family, I think I'm okay about not renaming, at least at first.

The information on the hows and whys of their country is really exciting, but intimidating. There is so much we will need to gather, but after following many blogs, especially 'beautifulgiftofGod', Bella and her family, I know we can do this and that it will feel amazing when it's over!

Our biggest prayer is that we can get everything done and have them here with us before Thanksgiving...What a wonderful day of Thanksgiving that will be!!

We are PRAISING our God for the opportunity to be Sandra and Slavka's mama and daddy! AAAAAHHHHHH!!! The TWINS are OURS!!!!

Well...we just keep plugging along!

2010-03-11T14:13:00.005-05:00

Our days are filled with bad stuff like cars breaking down to exciting things like friends coming along side us and making donations to our adoption! I truly feel like life right now is a roller-coaster ride! This past week, we had someone who has become very special to us on this journey tell us that she and her husband would like to donate to our adoption. Well, I was speechless, (which doesn't happen very often) then I regained my composure and emailed back. They sent us a wonderful love offering which is allowing us to send in our Voice Of Hope fee and Family Sponsorship Page fee along with our applications. We can now concentrate on our promise fee and then our homestudy fee. Little steps, but steady steps. We also had a couple of people donate to the twins fund page which is even more encouraging to us! We really had a very blessed week from truly special people in our hearts, and God will bless you for your gracious gifts! Thank You!

Tony and I chose names for the girls the other night and we are so excited about our choices! Can't wait to share them...email me if you want to know what they are, we aren't going to share on our blog until after the facilitator and court accept us to adopt them.

I went out looking for a job this morning at temp agencies, because once I get the twins home I intend on devoting my whole being to them as a full time sahm and homeschool them, as I think that teaching them one on one is the best way to overcome their issues.

Well, the trip to the temp agencies were very unfruitful...there is truly nothing out there, so I am just praying something will open up soon, anything, even retail! I will be going out again tomorrow morning, so if you can pray for success in this, that would be great!

But as we go out on this journey, we know this...God does have a plan for us and for the girls, we just need to continue to be patient...He will provide a way for us to bring them home! :)

What I'm Doing Now...Prayer Blankets

2010-03-06T12:58:00.007-05:00

Pink, Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow with Pink Border

I am making my Prayer Blankets available for order. I started making Prayer Blankets about 10 years ago in Ashley Nichole's honor. I call them Ashley's Dream. Here are pictures of them in the colour pallet I follow.

Blue, Pink, Purple, Green, Yellow, Blue border

Green, Yellow, Blue, Purple, Pink, Green border

Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink, Yellow border

Small is Carseat sized $45.00
Medium is Nursery/bassinet/layette sized $55.00
Large is Crib sized $75.00

All prices include shipping unless you are out of the US. And these prices are subject to change if prices of yarn goes up astronomically. I am selling these to raise funds to bring our girls home! Yes another fundraiser :) Anything to get them home! Please email me if you are interested in one and we'll talk price then. And if you are a Reece's Rainbow family, I have special pricing for you so that it isn't so pricey...adoption fees are bad enough without having to spend a lot for something special!

I am keeping my idle hands and minds busy, so that I don't become discouraged in our journey! So, To God Be The Glory!

Have a blessed weekend! :)

Plugging Along...

2010-03-02T14:50:00.003-05:00

Well, yesterday was a busy day for me. I went comparison shopping, found a better place to shop, visited with our friend that hosted our party, and I may have landed a temporary part-time tutoring job to teach a woman from Peru how to speak english, and she and her friend would pay me for the tutoring which will be a donation to the twins. I am beginning a very temporary pt english tutoring job starting this Saturday. I will be helping a woman learn to speak english and understand what she is reading for her citizenship exam in a couple months.

Every little bit helps, and I'm still praying for a full time job to hurry to bring the girls home, but we'll see what God has planned! Can't wait for the day that I can look back on all this and 'laugh?'...

Today, I took all of our donations to date and wrote names on the back of the puzzle pieces to begin! We had enough to write names on 80 pieces today! You can see pictures on our 'Puzzlemaniac' website. At least I feel like we are getting somewhere...not fast, but we are getting somewhere...And we are grateful for every donation! :)

Well, time to get some more house work done, enough day dreaming of the day we get to bring them home! :D Okay, I'll multitask...I'll daydream and do housework at the sametime! Sounds like a plan...

Hope you have a blessed day!

New Sense of Purpose...

2010-02-28T20:55:00.003-05:00

It's funny, the longer we wait, the more determined we are becoming in our quest to get those girls! Everyday that passes, my desire to be their mommy is stronger. I am sad that we couldn't commit to them on their birthday Saturday, but it's okay, that was MY plan, obviously not God's! I just pray that God gives them a sense of peace that they will be okay while they wait. They are wanted in the worst way, I just pray that He tells them they will have a mommy and daddy, and three big brothers waiting to spoil them! And a beautiful black lab named Maddie that will finally have her own little girls to love on!

I can tell that we have a couple of friends praying for us right now because I do have a sense of peace myself. I'm still not sure how everything is going to happen, but I do feel that God 'has our backs' ;)

So in the meantime, I am busying myself with adoption paper work, reading materials, fund-raising crafts and making plans for our presentation at church. Staying busy is the only way not to go stir-crazy for me! Thank you Father for busy work! :)

Have a blessed night!

Happy Birthday Girls...

2010-02-27T10:52:00.004-05:00

Today is a difficult day for us. Today is Slavka and Sandra's 7th birthday and they still don't have a committed mommy and daddy. We still want to be, and some of our family is on board...but a simple $1000.00 stands in our way to begin that journey to bring them home. Just last night someone said they thought our gold party was today. :( We are still reminding ourselves that God is in control! So...we keep plugging along...

These are our steps:

I make prayer blankets for babies in Ashley's honor and I just received an order for one this morning and the profit will go toward the twins. I will be posting them on my Etsy.com store if you are interested. And if you are a RR family and wish to purchase one, let me know, there is a discounted price than what is posted on Etsy.

I am applying for full time job that pays a fair amount. I'm praying I hear from them soon so that we can start the process. I have also decided to go to some of these temp agencies and see if I can find temp work that pays a fair wage.

We are going to share what we are doing at our church on March 14th at our pastors request. Maybe that will place some solidity in people's minds that we are serious and perhaps convict some others to either step forward to help or maybe commit to giving to RR in the future.

We will keep on fundraising in any way that we can come up with. As I have said in past posts, God is still in control and if it is His Will, these girls will become ours on His schedule, not ours, although I like my time table better :) He knows we love them already and He also knows what is best...I guess I still have some learning in patience... That seems to be a NEVER ENDING lesson for me...

Pray for us, please, as we continue to try to commit to bringing these girls home...

God Is Still In Control...

2010-02-21T16:52:00.004-05:00

Well, we had our GlitterBug Party yesterday. We had pink and white frosted cupcakes, and my son's girlfriend Virginia, her friend Courtney and I sang happy birthday to Slavka and Sandra! There was lots of food, and I had wonderful fellowship with the GlitterBug Rep that drove down from Maine to be here for the day.

The party was planned to be 11am-4pm as an open house so that while people were out and about, they could stop by for some refreshments and to sell their gold and walk away with money. Not sure at this point what God is up to, but time will tell. One of my best friends thought the party was at 7 pm so she didn't make it, but she is still going to sell her gold, she is thinking locally and just give us the total, which would be better than 10% of the sale. I also had a few that said they couldn't make it, but they'd be praying, and others that didn't have any gold to sell but they would give a donation. Out of 160 invitations sent out, a total of 12 people responded, and only 3 people came and we had a total of 3 sales...yes 3, one being my own gold. Our total was $204.00 toward our promise fee. Not alot, but something is totally better than nothing!

I would be a liar if I said I wasn't disappointed...I'm very disappointed at this point, but...I also have immense faith in my Father. I know that He has a plan, and it's better than mine :).

Even though we didn't make much, my parents are donating some of what they sold at the party yesterday, My BFF is donating what she can to the promise fee. The best part of yesterday was getting to know our Rep from GlitterBug. It was funny because the past few times we talked on the phone, she kept talking about what we would do during our down-time, but there were no awkward moments at all, the six hours flew by. We got along great, she was so sweet, we had alot in common and she was like a sponge about homeschooling and adoption. Because she did a party in Virginia a few weeks ago for someone on RR, and then she did my party, she is very interested in learning more about adopting through RR. That may be what God had planned all along. And if that is all He had planned, then that is all that mattered. It's up to us to keep praying and having faith that He will provide for this adoption in His own time and way.

To God Be The Glory...

First Fundraiser: GlitterBug Gold Party/7th Birthday Party!

2010-02-16T16:51:00.002-05:00

We are excited at the prospect of having many family members and friends come to sell their unwanted gold/silver jewelry so they can make some cash and the twins will benefit by bringing us closer to committing to our beautiful daughters! I am praying that we will be able to do this sometime early next week so Slavka and Sandra will have the hope of a mama and daddy for their very own! What a wonderful birthday gift!

And as soon as they get home they will have a princess party like the one we will have for them this Saturday! I already have a princess table cloth and pink and white streamers... and we will be picking up balloons and cake for them. Pictures will be taken and added to their lifebook that will be scrap-booked.

Soooo excited to see what can be done for Slavka and Sandra... please pray for this weekend and for the twins that really need a mama and daddy! :)

Getting out of first gear

2010-02-09T21:05:00.004-05:00

Well this is hubby/daddy writing tonight. The last few days have felt like we have kind of shifted gears a little bit. Still a long way from full throttle and racing to the finish line but progress nonetheless. I will be sharing with our church the second week of march. JoEllen can't do it because she is a big wimp when it comes to public speaking. That is okay though since she does a lot more than me anyway. I can't wait to let people how God wants to use His people to give these awesome kids a home. I hope I don't turn into a boring windbag. We are very excited to begin partnering with our wonderful church family. Unfortunately my current job keeps me from being there on Sunday mornings. We are praying that changes soon. My prayer and focus will be to inspire more men to take the lead when it comes to adoption. I'm tired of hearing story after story of women having to sell their husbands on the idea. Its time for us guys to get off the couch and into the game and start taking the lead in this. That is God's plan, not mine. If God is calling your family to bring a child home from another part of the world then it is the husband that leads the way into those far away places, not the wife. She is our helper but God has commissioned us to lead the way. Ladies, tell your husband to read the wonderful piece I have linked here tonight. I was convicted. I hope you guys will be too.

http://www.reformation21.org/articles/the-manliness-of-adoption-testosterone-and-pure-religion.php

What An AMAZING Day! My Head Is Still Spinning!!!

2010-02-05T17:20:00.002-05:00

Okay, we started our day with a visit to our pastor, and he was totally encouraging of our plans to adopt! He prayed for the girls, us and our time with our parents this afternoon. That was step one...he also asked us to gather as much information that we can about Reece's Rainbow and make a dvd presentation on the children that are available for adoption so we can present this to our church family. Tony will be working on a sermon about adoption to present to the congregation... and we may begin an adoption ministry at our church! That was amazing in itself, but...

The most amazing thing of all was that we went to visit my parents this afternoon, we just stopped in, my grandmother was there with them to share in the news of our adoption plans, and we told them! It went over okay, which is what we had hoped. They had the few questions that we thought they would, and we were able to answer them, and they thought the girls were so cute. I'm sure that when we receive our information after paying the fee that they will be just as much in love with them as we already are! And my grandmother seemed happy that she would be a great grandmother (Bopche, she's polish) again! I feel blessed that God gave us peace enough to tell them and He helped things go very smooth...and we are sooo EXCITED!

We also have a Glitterbug Gold Party planned for February 20th. We are going to make it a Birthday Party for the twins! We are just praying for a larger venue for this event because we are hoping that A LOT of people will come, we are spreading it out as an all day event so everyone that wants to come can anytime they want.

Please be in prayer for us as we look for a large enough place to hold the party and for most, if not all, of the promise fee to be provided on that day so we can pay it on the twins birthdate, February 27th! Don't worry girls, mommy and daddy are working on it! :)

What a difference another year can make

2010-01-27T14:02:00.004-05:00

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...

2010-01-24T19:57:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-01-21T20:32:00.002-05:00

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...

2010-01-14T21:58:00.002-05:00

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...

2010-01-11T22:41:00.002-05:00

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...

2010-01-09T20:40:00.005-05:00

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

2010-01-08T14:57:00.004-05:00

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...

2010-01-07T16:16:00.002-05:00

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!

2010-01-02T18:20:00.003-05:00

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....

Boy It Has Been A Long Time In Coming...Merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T16:11:00.002-05:00

I had hoped to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and an even Happier New Year...but we have spotty internet, so I don't always get to blog...at least not in the last few weeks! But enough with the whining already...

We have already started looking for a new place to live. We have begun filling out our adoption paperwork and also found that there really in not a requirement for how close a sex offender can live to you...which shocked us and our SW! But Tony and I don't feel safe with an offender so close (and the fact that it just isn't safe or healthy here), so we are opting to leave here and live elsewhere, where the girls will be safe, but even though we are moving because of that, I think I may be a 'helicopter' mom, at least for the first 20 years they are here!

Tony is still struggling with his job, I know, I know...at least he has one, but with so much drama and stress, to what end? So any prayers will be extremely appreciated. He is really struggling with the hours and his RM's morals, or should I say 'lack of' morals. He also doesn't want to be a part time dad, even our boys had him more than the normal child and we don't want the girls to lack that part of him...he is too good a dad for that...

We also need to find a time to sit down and tell my parents about the girls. They know from the car magnets that we are advocating for Reece's Rainbow, but we haven't found the right time to tell them about our magnificent plans to adopt out of country! Please pray for that too!

So in looking back over the last 6 months, Andrea was right, take your time and work at it, it may not happen as quick as 'we' wanted...God knows best, and His time is really what matters!

We have already grown to love these girls and just can't wait to bring them home. So our true prayer and hope is that we can go and bring them home before next Christmas to enjoy a real home with real parents and lots of love!

We are praying to be able to secure our commitment fee before their next birthday, February 27, 2010. I can't think of a better birthday present for them!!! Please pray with us for this gift!

Hope everyone of you has a God Blessed New Year!

Happy Belated Thanksgiving...

2009-12-01T18:19:00.002-05:00

We had a great Thanksgiving, our first back in New England. It was great visiting with friends and family.

We are thankful for everything that God has given to us this year and we are looking forward to what He has in store for us in 2010. We hope that we will be bigger by two at this time next year...

We are starting our paper work for our home study and getting prepared for the following year! :)

We pray everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends, and that God blesses you richly in the coming year!

You know...I'm such a sap....

2009-11-24T11:16:00.003-05:00

When it comes to twins. We have twins in the family and it skips a generation or two. Well neither my sister nor myself had twins, much to my dismay. But there are sets of twins that need homes, and then there are those who were twins and separated. That makes me sad.

Well a month or so after seeing the twins that grabbed my heart, my eyes laid on another beautiful twin girl, separated at birth by mom. She kept the one girl that was 'healthy' and left this beautiful girl, Lilya, who has just as much potential to grow up and make something of herself.

Once again, that made me very Thankful to God that I live in a country where I can choose life for my child and shortly be able to bring more children to love into my home.

Today I am Thankful that Lilya, whom I fell in love with along with my twins, is going home!!! Her forever family has found her and stepped forward to bring her home! Sweet Lilya has a Family!!!!

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We Have Been Rather Silent, But...

2009-11-23T20:31:00.002-05:00

Thankful. God has been amazing to us. We have been blessed with much. Blessed with; finding Reece's Rainbow, a desire to adopt, the insight as to why things are not working out at this time, a network of medical support when we bring the girls home, but most important is our strong and enduring love for one another.

Recently I lost two wonderful aunts, both of whom would have supported this adoption process totally. One was here in CT and was a very Godly woman, never judged anyone but loved everyone unconditionally. She worked with all kinds of children throughout the school system. She is missed.

The other aunt was someone I truly looked up to while growing up. In fact, I took her name when I was confirmed in the catholic church. Once again she never judged anyone but loved everyone she met. I pray we will see her in heaven one day.

Tony showed his love for me this weekend because one funeral was in VT. Tony works between 60-70 hours a week and usually has one day off a week. He chose to take off this past Saturday, rented a car for the weekend and drove around 500 miles round trip just so I could say good-bye. I call that sacrifice, but that is something that he does on a regular basis...and causes me to feel like the luckiest girl in the world!

We also spent his entire surprise afternoon off today shopping for Thanksgiving Day dinner. He will also spend most of the day on Thursday cooking Thanksgiving dinner...because he loves me.

We consistently spend our free time together, and we don't usually get sick of spending time together...yes, sickeningly sweet, I know and I'm sorry :) I did marry my best friend!

If you are on FaceBook and are a friend of mine, you noticed recently that a status update of mine said 'loves her husband so much and thinks he is the most amazing man.' Well that is the truth, he is amazingly selfless and our twins will be so lucky to have a daddy like him! We are a very blessed couple, our love is strong and enduring! I am truly blessed and VERY Thankful!

God Bless you on this Thanksgiving Day!

A Little Late...

2009-11-23T20:29:00.001-05:00

But Oskar is HOME!!! We are rejoicing with his new forever family!!! :)

Wow...What A Big Day For Reece's Rainbow!!!

2009-11-13T18:06:00.002-05:00

I have had a spotty internet connection over the past couple of weeks, so logging on and posting to my blog have not happened as much as I had hoped. But...

Today RR has had several families step up and commit to our angels! One angel is Lilya. I fell in love with her shortly after the twins because she is a twin! Her mom kept her sister and gave her up! I can't even imagine. So Tony and I had decided that after we adopt the twins, if Lilya was still available we were going back for her!!! Well WE DON'T HAVE TO!!! I am so excited for her and her new family! Then there is Timosha...he has a family now too!!!

Several of the children now have very large grants, which will make it easier for someone to commit to them! For a Friday the 13th, today was a very UN-superstitious day and very LUCKY for several of our Angels!!!

Our Savior He can move the mountains...He is Mighty to Save!!! Thank You Lord!

Another Forever Family Together!!!

2009-11-06T09:28:00.002-05:00

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Once again I am blessed beyond measure as we welcome 2 more children without families into their forever family! What a blessed holiday season the Watson's will have this year!!! God isn't just Good...He is GREAT!!! Blessings to your family!

Well God Really Is In The Details, And If You Don't Believe Me...

2009-11-02T08:06:00.002-05:00

We have been following Reece's Rainbow off and on since June of 2006. I joined again in June of this year and fell in love with the twins. We have often questioned why many things have not fallen into place in these past four months. There has been everything from not being able to find a job to having a terrible landlord to just plain having trouble with financing.

I have had a difficult time finding a job even though I am qualified to do many things. The economy stinks so we have had a difficult time with everything that affects that, employment, bills, food... I have also been hit with the worst allergy season I have had in a long time, so I have been sick lately. We also have a slumlord that hoards chemicals and everything that harms the environment, can't seem to follow the law in regards to safety, and has also tried to hit my son's car while he is in it but we aren't around as witnesses. You could say that satan is having a grand time playing at our house.

When my son Austin came home the other night he informed us that he and his girlfriend Virginia, at the urging of Virginia's mom, checked out the sex offender registry and apparently we have a sex offender living upstairs from us in this house!

We had our informational meeting with our social worker on August 6th and found out that he was convicted on August 13th 2009, just a week from the day of our meeting! If we had gone forward and everything else had been great, we would have been rejected for a having a sex offender living here!

IS GOD'S TIMING PERFECT OR WHAT!!! We could have spent this whole time, all our money and resources and all and for what? I have said from the beginning that it is Gods time not our own, and here is the proof!

What an Awesome God!!!

So Much Excitement!

2009-10-26T09:46:00.003-04:00

We just found out that our coffee fundraiser with Just Love Coffee is open. Here is the link if you're interested in ordering some.

http://www.justlovecoffee.com/TheStancilFamily

This fundraiser will help us with the initial promise/commitment fee for the girls as well as our homestudy fee! Yes, a WHOLE lot of excitement!

The other exciting thing is that I had a fabulous weekend at the Education Convention. And it seems that Cindy is willing to have me help her on occasion with her conventions and instead of paying me, she will pay me in curriculum that will be suitable for homeschooling the girls! Now THAT is exciting too!!!

Have a Blessed Fall Day!!!!

Well...Here I Am Again...

2009-10-21T00:58:00.002-04:00

Yes, sitting in front of my computer on Facebook and blogging. I am still battling some type of virus that has a cough, I guess it's almost time to see the doctor. :(

I am very excited though, this weekend I am going away to help a friend of mine with her education business. She does shows and home school conferences to show her materials. She has games and programs for special needs learning and I get to try and play with them first hand. It is in one of my favorite states in New England, New Hampshire! It promises to be a great weekend and being with Cindy, in NH and learning about teaching tools for the twins...I can't think of a more exciting time!

You can visit Cindy's website and see some of her school materials, and it can be useful for home school or extra learning at home. Her link is under the twins and their clock. I am really looking forward to learning about her materials and how it will help me to communicate and teach my special needs children in the future!

Have a fabulous weekend!
God Bless!

This Is A Great Article

2009-10-20T09:47:00.001-04:00

This is exactly where we are in our thinking. And it made me want to bring home even more than our beautiful twins! Now where is that job and where is that promise fee.... :)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2364784/posts

Happy reading!

Twice In One Day!

2009-10-13T17:32:00.001-04:00

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Wow! I am sooo happy! I get to do this TWICE today. I just found out that Angie is home with her FOREVER FAMILY now too!!! :D

God is Good...All the Time!
All the Time...God is Good!

I Love Days Like This!

2009-10-13T15:19:00.002-04:00

I love days like this because I can take buttons off my blog! That is a joyous day because they are here in America with their FOREVER FAMILY!!! It means that the whole process is complete! These two beautiful children are home! FOREVER!!!

Helps me to keep looking toward our prize! Someday soon! :)

The Holding Pattern We Call Life!

2009-10-11T21:56:00.002-04:00

I didn't mean to let this much time go by before I blogged. Our lives are in a holding pattern right now. I am sick now, for the past 5 weeks and now I have a cough that isn't going away. I am hoping Nyquil will help tonight, then to the dr. tomorrow. I still have no job, things have gone from not great in our dwelling to terrible in just a matter of a week. Our landlord seems to be a lot more irresponsible with others property than we realized and decided to sideswipe my son's car with his camper and then deny he was at fault and refuses to take responsibility for the damage. Needless to say, we are done here.

So now we are looking for a house or duplex to rent. That in itself is great because we really do need to move in order to pass our home study inspection, but it means more waiting. So now I am packing things again. I am taking breaks to work on making my angel pins, deciding what quilt I am going to begin when we move, bringing Maddie, our dog, to the park to go swimming! She is sooo silly, she is really a great diversion for me during the day, especially during this time of constant waiting.

We are asking for prayer as we are trying hard to move things along and we are trying hard not to lose sight of the fact that it is in His time, not ours and He really does know what is best.

God Bless!

Down Syndrome Awareness...Why We Want To Adopt

2009-10-04T12:29:00.003-04:00

Since this is national Downs Syndrome Awareness Month, I thought I'd share why we would sincerely consider a Down Syndrome child or some other special needs children. Tony actually had a cousin who had a mental disability caused from spinal meningitis when she was 2 years old. It affected her brain in that she never grew 'older' than an 8 year old, and her love and affection totally surpassed anything we could comprehend. Her disability made her special and when I met her I thought she was the most precious person I had ever met.

With that awareness came the ability to see others with disabilities for who they are and not what their disability made them. It made me realize that they are no different than we are except that they have the ability to see others as they are. She was a gift from God that was given to Tony's aunt and that became clear when his aunts' husband died unexpectedly in his 40's. Aunt Beverly had a purpose everyday and that didn't allow her to spend time sulking and feeling sorry for herself. She had to take care of Debbie everyday, and Debbie was there to comfort Bev, and comfort her she did.

She was there to comfort Tony. his sister, his dad and me when Tonys' mom died. She just kept hugging everyone and making sure that no one was crying. The most precious gift in our time of grief was Debbie and she was appreciated more than I can say. We love her, and she is the biggest reason that we have for wanting to adopt a DS child or special needs child. We saw the love that she showered on everyone and Tony watched her blossom from baby to young woman and saw how productive she came regardless of her disability. The children that are discarded in other countries, and yes as well as here, deserve the love, care and attention that Debbie received. And with the love of a family, they can become productive citizens in their communities, and bring such joy to the family that chooses to bring them home.

I'm going to bake now, and dream of someday, being able to bake with our new family members, our twins! :)

Rainy Days In The Fall

2009-10-03T13:04:00.003-04:00

Besides Christmas, fall is my FAVORITE time of the year! Cool and crisp feel of the air, the beautiful colors everywhere! Fall harvest and warming the house with the smell of baked goods...mmm!

Last week I bought apples and made apple crisp, it was amazing! Yesterday I made peanut butter cookies, baked ziti and cheddar bay biscuits. I am definitely in the fall mood! But...not so much on the rainy days. Then I feel really tired and not very excited to do much. Fall festivals are held outside so on rainy days you can't go. I love going to the farmers market, but not on rainy days.

So...on rainy days I pretty much stay in and 'try' to get motivated to do something, anything in the house. I tend to sit and do my BSF study, facebook, play games on the computer and watch movies. That isn't bad in itself, but it also lends to looking back and dwelling on how things are and are not yet. That is not always a good thing.

I guess what I am getting at is what I am scheming in this bored little head. When I have time on my hands, I am always thinking of those two little angels in EE waiting for their mommy and daddy to come for them. Not only thinking of fundraising ideas, but how exciting it will be to have two little ones in the house again! Then I think of family time(s) and what we will do. We already have a family trip planned next summer to go to a lake that is about an hour from here. It's a beautiful lake house and we can bring Maddie, the family dog, with us. There are quite a few fairs starting in August that we can go to. There are petting zoo's near by and the library within walking distance. There is a beautiful park where we can bring Maddie and have a picnic lunch, especially in the fall. The girls are always on my mind!

A week and a half ago, we had someone tell us she was going to donate to us, and it sounded like it was going to happen, but we haven't heard from her again. While we were really excited, I did stay calm headed and did not jump to conclusions thinking it was a done deal. We know it will be in God's time, not ours. I just hope that more people don't make statements like that and disregard the feelings of those that are trying hard to bring these children home from other countries. I also did pray for the girl that contacted me as she said she was out of town at the time. Her travels were during the flooding rain in the south, so I pray that she wasn't devastated by the flooding. I was hoping that she would contact me and tell me that this was not a good time for her financially so I could let her know we'd pray for her. I also would have told her that she can just pray, we can always use prayers! :) But so far we haven't heard from her. That has been tough.

I read a blog last night that brought tears to my eyes. It was from the mommy of Barbara. She was talking about how satan is working to prevent them from getting her. Well, I can attest that he is working extra hard here in our house, but my belief in God's word isn't going to let satan win. God's timing is perfect. I don't know why I can't get a job. I don't know why that girl couldn't/didn't donate. I don't know why we have had no success trying to get this adoption going in the right direction...but He Knows!!! And, although I'd like to know, I don't need to know. It's just not time yet, but it will be when He is ready! :)

Still Trying To Adjust To The Quiet Life...

2009-09-29T09:24:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was a wonderful, and at the same time, lonely and quiet day. We went to the Northeastern State Fair called the Big E! It's short for Eastern States Exposition. Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island is represented there. It has animals, food, fun, competition. It was great to get back to New England to see this fair! We really did have a great time, but it sure was different without bringing children to see the animals and have them tug on our arms to go on rides and get fried dough, cotton candy and candy apples. It left me feeling empty and alone. I did try to see it as a date, and it was fun, but we spent quite a bit of time texting the boys while we were there. And we discussed how much fun we would have next year bringing our girls.

I met a woman who lives about 10 minutes away from me and she raises llama's. She sells 'lla-manure' at the local farmers market, sheers the llamas, washes their hair, spins it, and then she knits sweaters and makes $300.00 per sweater! I was amazed and I am going to go meet her llama's and watch her do all this. This woman is one of my hero's! I have a bunny and I have wanted to do that with my bunny fur for forever...maybe I'll try it. Another way to fill my time? We'll see about that.

So, trying to adjust to quiet, that's what I'm trying to do. I'm still looking for a job and having no luck, but others are still struggling with that too so I don't let it get me down.

We had some excitement last week when we heard that someone wanted to donate to the puzzle fundraiser, but that hasn't happened yet. We will probably announce that fundraiser sometime later this week. We are really hoping that things will ramp up soon and give us a shot of hope, but we'll see...

It's all in God's time, not ours. He will provide when He decides, I'm trying to hold on to that nugget. :)

I Guess I'm Not That Crazy After All!

2009-09-22T23:07:00.002-04:00

There have been times lately where I actually have doubted my sanity. Really. That's what you get when you compare others to yourself!

For years I have been dreading the 'EMPTY NEST', I think I've even heard it referred to as a syndrome... but either way, I have it! Not because I'm afraid of what I'll find when I find myself, but rather what the heck do I do with what I am??

I have always loved my children, from the baby stage until the leave the nest stage, my favorite being the toddler-tween. I have taught Sunday School to 4-5 year olds and 9th-10th high school. And everytime I share that I love children and want more of them, people look at me as if I am totally insane! They wonder what is wrong with me to want to torture myself again. These are the people that have 2 children and were happy with that, me...I want more than 3! Are you crazy??

So, I doubted myself. Why do I think like this? Is there something wrong with me? Why do I need to have more children? Am I not happy with who I am? And there were more questions than that...

I have a couple of friend, in fact they posted words of encouragement to me on my blog, but they are in the minority. The majority of friends, family and acquaintances think I'm not quite right. So...I wrote and asked my new found friends at Reece's Rainbow. I could not believe what a response I received! There were about 20 responses from women who are 30+ years young and every one of them feel the same way! I couldn't believe my eyes. And it felt good to finally feel like I might be normal, or at least not the only insane person around. :) I think I am going to print each of those notes out and post them around my house in frames so everywhere I look I will be encouraged.

In the past couple of weeks, complete strangers that I happen to chat with about the future adoption plans have said they admire me. I don't feel like I should be admired, that is something that people do to really important people, I just want to be me and seen as a mom...even if I'm in my 40's. I really do love children and I really can't wait to go get my girls! :)

It Alway Amazes Me...

2009-09-19T04:53:00.005-04:00

How He always brings things to mind to let us know we are on the right path. Or that my mind can see the connections...either way He never ceases to amaze me.

As I was sitting here tonight unable to sleep, I logged on to check my email and such and my home page opened up to Dr. Albert Mohlers page from Southern Seminary. I frequently read his blog and Fridays blog, yesterday, was titled "Will Babies with Down Syndrome Just Disappear?". It reminded me of my first encounter with the very new CVS test for DS back in the late 80's. They tried to get me tested and I flatly refused and I would only sign the waiver, which made the nurse angry with me. But my response to her was that this baby is a gift from God, and I will love this baby no matter what. Who am I to reject that gift even if it isn't perfect? I'm not perfect and He didn't reject me? She didn't like that nor did she like it when I told her that I was willing to deal with any problems no matter how big or small...that is what parenting is all about. Then I added that there wasn't anything that I couldn't deal with if I had God with me.

Sadly, these people have no idea what gift they are giving up when they snuff out that life. I've seen that gift in every face of every child that comes home to the families on Reece's Rainbow. I couldn't think of a better gift on earth! They are amazing gifts from a God who loves us!

I feel that Dr. Mohler's blog is right, these babies will just disappear, unless someone speaks out in their behalf and the medical community wakes up. There are advocates out there for them now, Reece's Rainbow is one. Please visit some of the blogs of the children's buttons that are posted on the right column of my blog. See what beautiful little ones they are. Visit http://www.reecesrainbow.org and see all the wonderful things that are going on with the children listed. Then maybe consider blessing someone with a donation so that they may bring one of these little ones here where they will be loved. They are already here on earth, rejected by their family and need a new family, and some of these families need little ones.

Reece's Rainbow has an Angel Tree each year. We have a Christmas Angel that Tony and I are praying for. Her name is Sophie and she is beautiful. I will post more about her in a couple of days. I love what Reece's Rainbow is doing for these little ones around the world and I hope more people will get involved and bring these special children, gifts from God, home to where they will be loved and cared for and receive the medical treatment that all children deserve.

Have a blessed day!

Believe

2009-09-16T02:28:00.002-04:00

Well an entire week has gone by and we are still waiting. I'm still searching for a legitimate job posting, looking for ways to raise money and so on. This is truly the most frustrated I've been in a while. But once again, we won't let it go, I really believe with every fiber of my being that these girls are to be ours.

As I was wondering 'aimlessly' through a department store today, I happened to go by the jewelry counter. I stopped, as usual (there is just something about sparkly stuff and girls), and saw the sterling silver. I don't usually buy sterling, but the faith jewelry caught my eye. There was a necklace on a card that said;

'Believe'-keep moving forward as if you will not fail.

So, here we are, still doing the same thing, still believing in something others call a pipe dream. Still moving forward with purpose, to bring our princesses home...

My God Can Move Mountains, Part Two...

2009-09-08T15:19:00.005-04:00

Picture removed...These beautiful girls are the twins I keep blogging about. We are seeking to raise money so we can promise their country that we will come and adopt them. Their names are Slavka and Sandra. They are from Eastern Europe and they both look like members of our family. Slavka easily looks like my Mother-in-law, and Sandra looks like my side of the family, which is totally amazing to me.

Just recently I was told that I can make anything slant the way I want, but in the future I will post pics of Micky Stancil and my cousin Julie and Aunt Nancy, and you can decide for yourself.

I thought I would make this event in our lives more real. I am willing to do just about anything to be sure they come home here to Connecticut, USA. Please pray with us :) my God truly can move mountains!

My God Can Move Mountains...

2009-09-08T04:05:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted in almost a week because I'm a little pre-occupied with trying to get organized with my fund-raising ideas. I have five great ideas but I am 'Experience Challenged'.

The first one is my angel pins and I just need to set that up on an ebay or similar site for me to sell them. The second is a puzzle fundraiser. I have a 1000 piece puzzle and I'm charging $3.00 a piece and the person's name will be written on the back for the girls to see in the future. Once again I need to find the site to set that one up on so people can donate for the pieces. The third is a bottle and can collection, this one I think will work with just flyers and an email through our church family. The fourth is a dinner/or theater, Tony and several others in our church family have planned those. That one is much larger than the other three but the next one...

The fifth one is the biggest and concerns me the most. I am trying to plan a walk-a-thon for the twins and I have NO idea how to begin... In talking with Tony last night, my vision was way to big for what this should be, this time, and as long as it is successful, I am seeing the future complete with an annual walk for Reece's Rainbow. But one step at a time, I know.

So with all that being said...I really want to bring our girls home and my mind is usually working overtime, which is why I am up at 4 in the morning blogging instead of sleeping. My mind is constantly thinking of ways to make money and even when I think I'm not, it must be because I usually wake up thinking about it in the middle of the night! We need to raise $1000 for a promise fee and $1800 for a homestudy. That's alot of cash up front...but if it is meant to be, God can, and will, move that mountain! I have seen it done...

Anyway, I am still looking for employment, but, since I am not working at the moment, I am trying to think of ways to raise money on a large scale at least until I'm working and can earn the girls here. So these are my thoughts on this...

I was thinking that I needed to map out a 2 mile walk on the streets of our town, but that brought to mind the 'what if's'...what if someone is hit by a car, what if someone twisted their ankle, what if someone passes out, and the list went on...who is responsible? So then I thought our town has a great walking/biking path, we'll just use that. It isn't near the main road and cars are not allowed. But then, do I make it clear that we are not to be held responsible for any injuries. and how do I do that? Still some unanswered questions.

Then, what about stopping points along the way? You know, for refreshments, maybe at the halfway point? Maybe I can get a local grocery store to donate bags of hard candy for the walk, and I can get little pouches for the walkers to take the candy in and as a memoir. Again, more questions... but I'd better get a move on with these plans, since I am hoping to do this the second to the last weekend in October. So...

I can't remember a time when I have wanted something so much that it hurt and I would do just about anything for it. I prayed again today that if these girls are not meant to be ours, that someone would step up and adopt them and that He would take most of the pain away. That is a hard prayer for me as it could go either way and I had to give up control, but even more, because I already consider them to be our daughters, but I also know that God is going to do what is best. I do lean on Jeremiah 29:11, He does know the plans He has for us. My prayer is that I don't get in His way! :)

So...what do I do? Sit here and vex for another month? I think not! Please pray that the way is made crystal clear and that the right people are placed in my path. I have seen Him move mountains...I know He can move this one too!

A Funny Thing Happened on Our Adoption Journey

2009-09-02T02:33:00.002-04:00

A couple of years ago, while in Louisville, my youngest son finally, at 16 years of age, asked for a dog, and because of our circumstances (our rental unit allowed dogs :) we finally gave in. There was one condition, it had to be a rescue and had to get along with our established family pet, a rescue bunny named Moose. Moose was a 17 pound Flemish Giant and was great member of the family.

Moose was the runt of his litter and already had his issues like genetic cataracts, and he suffered with gastro-intestinal stasis, he had trouble 'going' at least once a year during his molt. So, as long as Moose accepted the dog, we would have a dog. So the search began.

One day, on the freecycle Louisville list, someone posted a free 4 yo black lab mix (she is a pure bred with a white blaze-not show quality...big deal), so I inquired about her. We received pictures and Cale fell in love. Cale did do some waffling on the matter, you know 'am I ready for that type of responsibility...yada yada yada...but finally said yes. So we went and picked her up, with the intention of having her for the weekend, right? :)

She did fine all the way home even though she gets car sick and that was about a 30 minute ride from her home to ours...then she met Moose. She submitted to him and it was precious! Then he submitted to her and she licked him and he melted, which was amazing. We made sure to keep them separate just to be safe as dogs and buns, especially new, should never be left alone.

Maddie would go up to Moose and nudge his side with her nose and then he would stick his nose in the air and let her tail hit him in the face! They were so good together, and in no time Maddie became Mooses protector. Needless to say, we kept her!

Last year we had to put Moose down at 5 years old because of a lymphoma cancer, one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Both Maddie and I went into a depression. Maddie moped so much, her best friend was gone. :( So we adopted a new bunny, Midnight, Middie for short and does she ever have an attitude! So now we have the Middie and Maddie show! Different relationship than the one with Moose, but just as funny.

So anyway, Monday was Tony's day off, the only one he gets a week. He went to take Maddie for a walk in the morning and ended up twisting his ankle and skinning his knee. I never appreciated a dog more! When Tony fell, she turned around and laid at his side until he could get up and walk again. Then she laid on the couch with him while he iced his ankle and just stayed with him all day. She totally loves Tony! When I have my migraines, she becomes my dog and lays in bed with me all day everyday until it's gone. What a great girl! And she LOVES kids, she will whine if she sees kids until they come and pet her :)

So Tuesday morning at about 2:30 am, Maddie started pacing and going from room to room, and it was about every 10 minutes. Suddenly I, who has dog ears to also, could hear 4 very distinct beeps about every 10 minutes and it dawned on me that they were the smoke detectors batteries dying. She did not sleep at all and neither did we. I gave her Dramamine to relax her about 10:30 am and she slept on the couch with the tv on all day til about 4:30. Unfortunately I didn't put my foot down, Tony changed the one battery outside our kitchen door, which didn't start beeping until late in that afternoon, and he said that should do the trick...yeah right! That's why I am awake and blogging at 2:30 this morning, 'cuz everything is done. :) Every battery in the basement is going to be changed before bed today! The foot IS down...

Anyway, this problem has caused some thinking for me. Maddie is a very high need dog. She came from an abusive situation. When her people moved, they left her tied up outside with no food or water. She has a bebe in her head, how did that get there? She hates rain, thunder and wind and shakes until it stops, and always seeks out her 'mama', me, for comfort. She has been seeking me out and I'm the only one she comes to when she is scared. Attachment parenting is something that we are beginning to explore. Our generation, and the one that advised us, insisted that a strict schedule and 'detached' parenting, ie. crying themselves to sleep, etc. (There were times that didn't work for me and I would pick them up and rock them to sleep...holding them will not spoil them!) Well what if that won't work for the little ones coming into our home? What if everything frightens them? Will we be patient enough to help them to understand that we will be there for them always, or is it too late for them. From what I've read, these children already know how to sooth themselves because no one comes when they cry. Will they learn that their mama will be there for them?

So, I guess I'm wondering if God gave us Maddie to prepare us for the 'high need' child(ren) that we are seeking. Personally I think He has, and I say BRING IT ON!!! I'm going to sleep on the couch with my Maddie now. And yes, I am prepared to sleep in the girls room until they are okay to be on their own...what a mom will do for her little ones.

Beginning to Fill My Days...

2009-08-31T21:25:00.003-04:00

Well, today we chose names for our girls, one means Graceful, the other means Gentle and we couldn't be happier. They are beautiful names and we both agreed on them. And their initials will be 'appropriate'.

Once again I am posting applications on line and on Thursday I will go in person and drop them off locally. We'll see what happens.

I am also going to start working on my angel pins.

I have also started planning a quilt for a 'raffle/give-away' to raise funds for our girls. I am also beginning to plan a walk-a-thon for this fall, too. I'll keep my ideas posted!

I am going to post a picture here on my blog soon of the girls that we are 'considering'. They are beautiful and we are so very excited about it.

We have had a difficult night of peace. Our oldest son Chris doesn't live with us, our other son Austin is out for the night, and Cale is back at school, which most parents of young adults would find to be totally exciting...yay, an empty house! But the peace and quiet isn't exciting to me. The 'empty nest' which many call it, isn't my cup of tea. I personally don't enjoy that kind of quiet. I don't find it enjoyable. I don't know, maybe I should work at a daycare all day with a bunch of screaming children and get my fill that way, so that at night I would enjoy the quiet more :D But I don't think that would last very long. Our family isn't complete and that is what our journey is all about.

Thank You Lord for the gift of adoption!

Life Lessons Learned!

2009-08-29T18:48:00.004-04:00

Well things seem to be easier for me as time goes by. Cale calls and texts me on a regular basis, everyday! No it's not the same as having him home but it will do for now. He did promise that he would go to Boston College for his graduate studies!

Well, I have been making things for my fundraising adventure. And I am excited that I will be walking in the Buddy Walk on September 26 here in Connecticut. So I am keeping busy.

A thought occurred to me the other day while I was talking with Tony and sharing my frustration with him about not finding a job. First, this is the first time in many, MANY years that I have not been hired quickly. In the past Tony has said that he has never seen anything like it before...I apply for a job, go on an interview and, if I'm not hired on the spot, I have a job offer like...the next day! (I know it sounds conceited, but I don't know how else to put it.) Well, that isn't happening this time! I have applied many places and only had one interview, and that was a bust...Hmmmmm...so back to my point...

My plan for this adoption was to get a full time job somewhere, take all the money I made at that job and put it in the bank for the girls adoption costs and as they came up, I'd write a check.

I started reading all the adopting blogs and saw a common thread...God was supplying the needs and the funds for these adoptions and He was receiving all the Glory!

So, if I get a job and pay for it all, how will others see what God can and will do? How will people see the blessings that God has in store for those who trust Him? If I get a job, how will that Glorify Him? It would be ALL ME! And then I realized just how selfish that would be of me...So I guess I'm not getting a job right away, which brings me to the next thing...

I guess I will be stepping up the fundraising endeavor. I am going to begin to sell my Angel pins. I will post the picture soon. I will also be making a quilt for a raffle and either selling or raffling off a couple of baby quilts also. I am also going to attempt to organize a walk for the girls sometime in October.

So, please pray for my family and the girls as we go through the beginning stages of our adventure 'Bringing Home Our Princesses'... We all Thank You!

My Heart is Full and God is Great!

2009-08-23T11:49:00.003-04:00

Well, even though my baby is gone and can't read yesterdays post because when I read it I cry, God really has been Gracious to me! I am rejoicing that several little ones have arrived back home in the US!

Julie and Daisy just arrived home! Paula and Elizabeth brought Bella home! JoAnne just came home with her three little princesses, Masha, Milana, and Lillia! And Melissa is home waiting out their time for Mark to come home with Simon and Erik! Congrats to all the families that came home...we'll be praying for those who are working hard to do the same!

So instead of crying for myself now, I end up crying for everyone else! And my family comes in and asks me why I'm crying and the standard answer is "you know why! I just read a blog..." The blogs are very encouraging because if these families can save children from a loveless life, I know that I can!

I'm also going to start checking into an adoptive father's message board. If I find one that is great and has alot of members, great. But if I don't then I guess I'll start one for hubby and let adoption families know about it. I think that it's important for men to be able to voice concerns and ask questions of others and 'bond' (if you can call that bonding for them). It may actually help some of these husbands feel like a part of this whole journey.

Well anyway, back to the fundraising and message board searching! YAY! :)

I Don't Like It When They Grow Wings and Fly!

2009-08-22T11:28:00.002-04:00

Okay, so you have babies...you raise them to be strong and to stand on their own, teach them to be independent and do things for themselves. You home school them and teach them well... and then they are ACCEPTED TO COLLEGE!!!

I am a proud mom to a college student, but last year we lived in Louisville Kentucky, and Cale was a college student at Northern Kentucky University about 100 miles from our home. I took great comfort and solace in the fact (with help from others I might add) that he would be home about every other weekend and all holidays, and sometimes for 4 days in a row! That made me content.

When we moved back to Connecticut last April, Cale still had a month to go for classes, but I was okay with that because he was coming here in a few weeks. He came up after mothers day but just in time for my birthday. I was a HAPPY mom that day. I knew that he was going to be here for the summer! YAY for us!!!

Well, he left for school last night. A friend of his from Louisville flew up to drive back with him. He is an independent college student that daddy and I raised for such a day...but no one prepared me for the heartbreak of knowing that he is 13 hours away from us in case something happens. I am just praying that God will protect him and be gracious to me and make the time fly for me til Thanksgiving.

I am so sad, there will no longer be 11:00 pm chats in the kitchen catching up on the days events, no more Cale walking in the door saying 'surprise! I'm home for the weekend!' I guess the lesson for the day is time is fleeting...enjoy even the smallest moments, cherish every second because they won't last but in your memories!

So, needless to say, I haven't worked on any of my fundraising ideas because I've been rather pre-occupied. I will go start that now though, as time really is precious and fleeting. I'm using these weeks of quiet without my 'baby' to add to our family! Look out girls...your mommy and daddy are preparing to bring you HOME!!!

Well yesterday came....

2009-08-19T10:10:00.006-04:00

And I don't have a job yet, they told me to call them again next Tuesday. We'll see...it's all in God's time and He doesn't follow our time schedule. :(

Please pray for our family and the twins as our events are put off for another few weeks while I find a job.That job was probably not a good fit. I have had gut feelings in the past and rushed into a job only to find it was a bad idea. I had a feeling this time and Tony told me to follow my gut, but instead I wanted to follow my heart and put up with a job just to bring the girls home. I think God was Gracious to me, AGAIN, because I don't always follow (Him)...I want to be the leader! :) Isn't that sad? I've been a christian since I was 12, you'd think I would've learned that lesson already...and the one on patience...yup still learning that one too...

But in the mean time I have a few ideas to help RR with fund-raising...I think. My mind has been working overtime with ideas, some are great and some I'm not so sure about. I will try to upload them and see what others think...and please, be critical if need be, I can be thick-skinned so constructive criticism is appreciated. Sometimes I think Tony is afraid to say he doesn't like something just because I made it. :)

Well I'm off to finish a couple of projects to send to RR. Look for my uploads and see what you think.

Looking Forward to Tomorrow...

2009-08-17T19:45:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I will be calling to see if I have the job. I have to say I'm rather excited! I have figured out that if I get the job we will probably be able to commit to the twins about September 1st, which is just around the corner for us...and I can hardly stand it! I check every day to see if they are still ours, knowing someone else could commit at any time...but I am believing that God has set them aside for us. And if not, there are a couple of other children that we have considered, but the twins are the ones that have stolen our hearts!

Can't wait for tomorrow at 10:30! We'll see! :)

The Things We Do...

2009-08-14T23:43:00.003-04:00

Well, yesterday was a busier day than we had expected...we are trying real hard to find ways to collect money so we can begin this process. I have been brainstorming for several weeks and have come up with a few ideas, as well as taking ideas from others on RR's group.

Yesterday I had an interview and I will call on Tuesday to see if I got the job. That is what I had not planned on when we moved back here to CT. I was not going to work but I was going to be the typical SAHM and just do what house wives do...you know, knock back a few bon-bons while watching Dr. Phil and Oprah! :) Kidding! Anyway...

I figured that I would get a job and every penny that I made would go into the girls account we set up just for this adoption. If I like the job enough I will figure out a way to continue after bring them home, but at this point if I don't like it, I won't feel bad if I leave after they come home.

We are planning on making our Commitment to them in early September, just a few short weeks, that is if I end up getting this job.

Then I came up with an even better idea...we went and sold some of our old gold jewelry...because they are far more important to us than gold or things! So we'll see what happens on Tuesday.

Please stay tuned to see what we do next! :)

Our Journey Begins again...and so it goes...

2009-08-12T16:37:00.004-04:00

We started our journey in October of 1999, when Tony accepted the call into ministry! As time went by we felt that our family was lacking in 'mass', so we wanted to add to the ranks. :) Then in March of 2003, we had been discussing what a few other friends were doing to continue growing their families, but that just wasn't what God planned for us, financially or physically, so we let it go.

I was still home schooling our boys, working part time and just enjoying things in life. Well, I started feeling that all too familiar tugging on my heart strings and mentioned to Tony what I was feeling. I really expected to hear him say "now now, blah, blah bladdy blah..." but instead he told me that he agreed and felt the same way, so look into adoption. Well...that came completely out of the blue!!!

So I made a phone call and we were on our way!!! :)

We became licensed to adopt in our state, but our status was pending because we didn't have the room to take in another child. So when it came time to move, the available home we took once again didn't have adequate space. And then again! :( There is something to be said about God's timing...and I had to trust!

So then in December of 2005, things began happening. The house that we were renting went up for sale because the owners were getting a divorce, so that meant moving again. And to Tony and his job, there was a merger and he opted to transfer to another warehouse in Indiana and that would give him the opportunity to attend seminary classes in Louisville, KY. So we did...

Then while in Louisville, we attended an international adoption meeting and started thinking... again, and started thinking about adopting special needs children, meaning other than age. We began researching Downs Syndrome, and that is when I found Reece's Rainbow! That was about 3 years ago to the month.

Unfortunately, things were more complicated than we had originally thought, so I had to go to work and it looked like we were there for other reasons, which we still don't understand. When I went to work, I unsubbed from RR and left those dreams behind for what I figured would be for a very long time to come. :(

So jump forward 2 1/2 years, and here we are, started our journey again. We feel we would like to add the blessings of girls to our home. This time we have fallen in love with a couple of little girls and are looking forward to the day that we can announce who to everyone involved in RR! God willing, it won't be long!!! :)