what adoption means to us

 

Mary Beth picked out these gifts for her sister and is saving them for the day when we are allowed to send them to her in the orphanage.  The big elephant she will save to give her in person.  She sleeps with them all every night... it's so sweet.

I wanted to share here what adoption means to us:

Adoption wonderful way to add another little one to our happy family- another little one to love with all of our hearts.  It doesn't mean agony in the waiting, or despair about the cost, or anger over the seemingly endless paperwork.  Those things are only very small inconveniences- easily forgotten when it's over(just like labor pains!) and they are definitely a very insignificant part of the journey.  Adoption is about giving a child a family that didn't have one before, adding more love and joy to our home and our hearts, growing our family, and making a whole lifetime of new memories.  The other stuff is nothing- truly!   It is just stuff- it should never stop anyone from considering adoption if their hearts are leading them down that path.  Paperwork is no big deal when it's over- it seems endless in the beginning but after it's done- you look back and think heck, that wasn't THAT bad!  The waiting is very similar to waiting while you are pregnant- 9 months is a long wait too... so what's a few more?  And the cost... well- yes, it's quite a bit.  But someone said to me once that IVF costs almost that much and people pay that all the time without any guarantee that it will even result in a pregnancy.  So true!  And how can any price be put on a human life?  We would pay anything to bring one of our children home if that's what it took- or to save their life... so how is this any different?  There are always ways to make money- and there is plenty of time to do it too.  If you are considering adoption and the money part makes you feel like it isn't possible for you- spend some time reading adoption blogs... families adopt over and over again- on one income and very little disposable income!  There is always a way!!  Grants, fundraisers, donations, extra jobs, the adoption tax credit, ect.  Please feel free to contact me if you need ideas or have questions.  I am always happy to talk about adoption!

Merry Christmas to our Little Angel

(photo by Carrie Snyder- The Forum)

As you can see we hung 6 stockings by the fire this year... one for our little girl who is waiting half way around the world for us to come and get her- while we wait here to hold her in our arms.  She is never not in our thoughts and in our prayers.  We may not know what she looks like yet but our youngest daughter is out there and we wish more than anything that she was here with us this Christmas.  But we know that it is highly likely she will be with us for the next one!  So even though this part is difficult- not being able to spend these special firsts with her- we rejoice in the fact that soon we will be together and begin our whole lifetime of special moments together.  And that makes us very happy indeed.

The Forum came and took our picture and did a story about this phase of our adoption journey.  If you didn't read it already you can find it here.

I heard this song recently about adoption... it brought me to tears and I wanted to share some of the lyrics here:

There’s a little girl trembling on a cold December morn Crying for her momma’s arms at an orphanage just outside a little China town There the forgotten are But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine It’s Christmas time again but you’re not home Your family is here and yet you’re somewhere else alone And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in His arms And tell you from my heart I wish you a Merry Christmas

"The Teepee Lady" {adoption fundraising}

Maybe you are wondering where I have been???
Well- I have been making things like a mad woman!

You see, a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving Ashley from Unglued asked me if I would be interested in making a bunch of teepees to sell in the new holiday pop-up shop they would be opening on Black Friday.  She extended the offer that she gives us on the other crafts I sell at their other shop:  100% of the sales would go directly to our adoption fund- they would not keep a cut.  This is very generous and has since been a HUGE blessing to our family.  Why?  Because everything is selling REALLY WELL!!  And so to keep up, I spend every spare minute making teepees, fort kits, scarves, and scrappy bunting! :)  Here are some pictures of what I've been making:

 

The second week I tried something new- doll sized teepees!  They turned out so cute.  My dear friend Wendy offered to crochet mini afghans for them- look how beautiful they are!

Here are the other VERY popular items... fort kits!
I can barely keep up making them- and I get why... they are the perfect present.  It's a gift of imagination, adventure, and hours of fun.  What kid doesn't love a fort??

I've got some Christmas scrappy garland for sale there too! 

And here are some of the scarves I'm selling- flannel infinity, and I also have some super soft double-looped knit infinity scarves also(aztec print!).

 

We have made MANY, MANY trips to home improvement stores for lumber and bamboo to keep up with the teepee sales.  Each time John says:  this has to be more than we will need!  And then we always end up going back in a few days!  :)

Here are some pictures of the kid-size teepees set up at the pop-up shop:  Unglued's Very Merry Market

Each teepee comes with a vintage afghan and a string of coordinating scrappy bunting.

Oh, and I am now known around Fargo as The Teepee Lady- ha!

Here's the whole store:  (the teepees take up the entire back end!)

Isn't it gorgeous?? If you have not visited this shop yet- do it!  They have the cutest things for sale in there and many fun events every week!  The holiday pop-up shop (Unglued's Very Merry Market) is at 102 Broadway in downtown Fargo(right across from the HoDo) and it's amazing!

Here are the scrappy garlands I sell at the original Unglued.  And next to them is one of the chandelier hoops I sell there too.

And my vintage book page hoops- I think these are my favorite!

A VERY special thank you to John's mom for all of the thrift store trips she has been making to find me all of these hoops for my crafts!  Amazing!  I keep getting boxes of them and thank goodness!  Because I couldn't make this stuff without them.  Paying full price just wasn't an option for us!  

Thank you so much Donna!

Ok, well- now you know why there haven't been any posts in awhile!  Between this, homeschooling the kids, trying to decorate for the holidays, and everything else, I haven't had a spare second!

I will try and post the Halloween pics, ect. soon.

Also, no new adoption news... still just waiting to be matched.  It could take up to 8 months from our LID so all there is to do is just wait!  It is disappointing and frustrating when months go by without being matched with our daughter but staying busy is helping and also we know in our hearts that it will all play out in the way it is meant to.  And she is surely worth the wait!

Thank you for all of your continued prayers and support during these past months- we appreciate it more than we can ever express in words. 

And to all the customers who have bought any of my items- 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!