A Pierce Christmas ~ 2010 ~ Thoughts and Musings

The background for this post actually began December 25, 2009.  Last year on Christmas day, even before we had decided for sure and committed to adopt, I prayed that God would bring our children "home" by this Christmas. I wrote the prayer down on a slip of paper and put it inside a Christmas ornament that has been sitting on the table by my bed all year.  The entire adoption process has gone extremely smoothly and quickly by all standards, and it appears that we will indeed be together with our kids this Christmas, possibly in Ethiopia - and "home" is wherever your family is, so that totally counts!

~

Since we have been closer to the final steps of completing our adoption and bringing our kids home, we have realized that major portions of our process would likely happen around Christmas time.  We've "warned" our 4 bio kids for a while that they should not expect Christmas as usual at our house - one gift or quite possibly none, with the exception of a new brother and sister, of course (and B & T truly are "gifts"!), and most likely no decorations.  To their credit, we've not heard a single complaint about the likelihood of no gifts this year.  While they are not accustomed to overboard or outlandish gifts at Christmas (everyone gets 3 gifts each, and if it is something big like a PS3 or a pet, etc. it counts as one of the three for each kid), I am still so proud of them for having their hearts in the right place... so, so proud.  (They won't be doing without gifts because we can't scrounge up enough to buy them something, we just think our money is better spent in other ways this year.)

~

I have, however, heard from several adults who wonder if I'm going to have time to get "all my Christmas shopping" done before we leave for Ethiopia.  I always say with a smile, "No, we're not buying Christmas gifts - everyone we know has too much junk already!"  Really, all the adults we know have too much stuff, and all the kids we know have too much stuff.  WE have too much stuff!  So, if you know us personallly and were expecting a gift, sorry, but we're not getting one for you this year!  "Your" gift will be going to an orphanage or a needy family. :)

~

And if you come over to visit during the Christmas season, you won't see all the usual decorations and lights at our house.  We're just not going to go through the hassle and headache of doing all of that.  In light of eternity, it won't matter.  It really won't.  And it will not hinder our celebration of the coming of the Messiah  - it will likely even help us celebrate Him!  (Another good thing about not putting up decorations is that it will help when we come home with B & T - they probably wouldn't know what to think about all that stuff!  I surely don't want to be telling them, "No", about taking ornaments off the tree, etc. and then have to spend an entire day taking it all down and putting it all away.  We're going to make everything as simple as possible.)

~

One somewhat unexpected attitude we've encountered is that some people are under the impression that we will be disappointed not to be "home" for Christmas.  Honestly, at this point, I would be disappointed to NOT be in Ethiopia for Christmas!  My celebration of Christmas is not tied to any place or even tradition we may hold dear.  I can celebrate my Messiah's birth anywhere, and I believe that serving Him through serving "the least of these" is the best way for our family to genuinely and sincerely worship Him on that day.  I think that would be the best Christmas ever!

~

I am so thankful that the entire adoption process has been an experience that God has used to teach our family to focus more on the needs of others.  We have always been a relatively "giving" family.  But God has REALLY focused our hearts on meeting the needs of people around the world who need Him and also those who have physical and material needs, as well.  We have become passionate about it.  Now I really can't even imagine buying stuff for people who already have way more than they need.  I had much rather spend any "gift" money on the needs of those who actually have "needs".  Our kids usually draw names and buy gifts for each other, but this year they are going to each purchase one gift to donate to an orphanage. 

~

I wonder what would happen if each Christmas we would all give just half of the money that we spend on "junk for other people who already have too much junk" on meeting the actual needs of the least of these as Jesus commanded us to do.  (That would still leave half for buying stuff for people who don't need anything!)  Can you imagine the difference it would make in countless lives around the world?  Can you imagine the difference it would make in the life of your family?  I know it is making a huge difference in our family.  I am so grateful that God is ripping us out of our old ways of thinking and of doing things and placing us in the middle of His will, that He is breaking our hearts for what breaks His, and that He is changing our family forever! (I just want everyone to have this experience!)

~

So, the Pierce Christmas 2010 will not look like any we have ever had before.  When I prayed that we would have our kids by Christmas 2010, I was just thinking of my own little small-minded plans.  But God had bigger plans that I never would have dreamed.  I never would have begun to imagine that we could possibly be spending Christmas IN Ethiopia WITH our children.  I never would have imagined all the things God has taught us throughout this year.  And I never would have imagined that our family would have changed and grown so much in just the last 11 months.  I love the way God answers prayers and that His ways are always greater than my own.  We're still praying that God will supply all the funding for the entire family to travel, and we believe it will happen!

Together for Christmas?

(This is what our puzzles look like!)

Now that B & T are officially ours, we are planning for our trip back to pick them up.  We have word from our agency that our likely embassy appointment date is December 22nd.  We have all along wanted to take the first four with us when we travel to get them so we can all come home as a family.  (See our April 1st post about this here.)  But now it is more urgent for us to raise the funds for this.  We have only a couple of weeks before we HAVE to purchase plane tickets and make all final reservations.

If we don't have the funds to take everyone with us, our family will be separated for Christmas.  Michael and I will be in Ethiopia with B & T, and the other four kids will be in the states with other family members.  Our embassy appointment on the 22nd would mean that we would have to return to the embassy on the 24th to pick up their visas and would not be able to be home for Christmas Day as a family. 

Taking the enitre family on this second trip is something we have been praying about and feeling we should plan for for a long time - with no way of knowing it could possibly end up being around Christmas time. We are using our Puzzle Piece fundraiser (more info here) to raise the money for this trip.  We need to sell every last piece in order to afford to take everyone and be together for Christmas.

Please help us keep our family together for Christmas by donating. 
Thank you!
(PayPal donate buttons located on right side-bar and October 1st post here.)

The newest Pierces!

Found out moments ago that we passed court and they are officially ours!

Biruk Brielle & Tebarek Jeremiah

Pierce

Our first trip to Ethiopia...

Days leading up to trip...
~Packing, packing, packing - for parents to go to ET and for 4 kids staying in 3 different places 2 states!
~Getting snacks together for us, for kids in ET, and gifts for ET nannies and guides. 
~Finalizing arrangements where the kids would be staying each day (many thanks to family and several friends). 
~Buying some supplies with money donated for orphanage.

Wednesday, November 3rd - Thursday, Nov. 4th

~Went to Mobile airport for 10:30 am fllight but were able to leave on 9:15 flight because there was room on the plane and we were there early. 

~Mobile to Atlanta.  Short and boring flight... just the way we like 'em!

~Atlanta to Dulles.  Seated next to Kim S. from Starkville, MS.  About a million things in common:  both went to MSU (at the same time but didn't know each other), both have 3 boys and one girl, both home school, both on our way to Ethiopia!  (She was going for a medical mission trip.)

~At Dulles.  Long layover.  Met the Grants!  :)  Met Ethiopian woman who told us what our kids' names meant.  (Both mean "blessed".) 

~Dulles to Addis.  Long flight.  Long, long flight.  Stopped in Rome for fuel.  Flight from Rome to Addis was fun.  A "party" on the plane!  People everywhere up talking and visiting.  Answered many questions and shared Jesus with some Muslim guys who just happened to ask Michael what he does for a living! ;)  (Then the guys in front of us who were on a mission trip to Malawi were asked the very same questions, so those Muslim guys got to hear the Truth twice!)  Were able to introduce the man behind us to the medical mission team so they could work on setting up something in Somalia. 

~Arrived in Addis @ 8:15ish Thursday night.  (26 hours...) Went to Yebsabi Guest House.  Met Gowins, Davidsons and Flemings.  Then to BED!  Heard dogs barking and roosters crowing all night...  thankfully, we were super-tired. 

Friday, November 5th
~Breakfast at Y.G.H. Some ET breakfast foods and coffee.

~Transition Home for "Meethcha Day"! 

~ Photos and videos of Grants meetcha.

~Met T and B for first time!!!

~Gave and received the hugs and kisses we've waited so long for.

~Gave them fruit snacks. T called all his friends over to share with them.

~Played on the playground, kids got our cell phones and took pictures of everybody and everything.  They had a great time taking a photo and then showing their subject the pic.  Everyone else seemed to enjoy having their photo taken, too.

~Lunch at Metro Pizza.  VERY good!
~Went to ET museum at University of Addis Ababa.
~Back to T.H. for more play time and meetings with doctor, psychologist, and social worker.  All went well.  Great reports from everyone.
~Michael and T played soccer.  T was very good and whenever Michael would pretend to "cheat" or tell him the wrong score, T would always call him out on it.  It was SO funny!  Michael would say, "7 points for me!" and T would say, "No, 6 for you! 6 for you!" 
~Delivered care packages and took photos and videos for other waiting families.
~B fell asleep for a few minutes in Michael's arms, but that didn't last long because T woke her up trying to get the cell phone to take more pics.
~A VERY good first day!
~The Grants and us walked to dinner at Zebra Grill.  Much fun visiting with them.  Power failure.  Sat about 10 minutes with no light.  Generator started up... power!  Lots of visiting.  Good food.  Cat wandering around inside the restaurant.  Electricity still out when we went outside to walk home.  Very dark - only light was passing cars' headlights.  Not afraid of anything but tripping on uneven sidewalk.
~Met the Whipples!


Saturday, November 6th

~Breakfast at Y.G.H.
~Trip up Entoto Mt.  Very steep drive.  People and mules carrying things (sticks, eucalyptus, dung, firewood). 
~Met the VanCleaves!
~Lunch at Lucy's.  YUM! 
~Went to T.H.  Photos and videos of meetcha for VanCleaves and Whipples.
~More fun visiting with T and B.  Michael flipped them again and again.  They had so much fun.
~Dinner at Avanti. 















 Sunday, November 7th
~Breakfast
~Walked to Devon photo shop with Grants to get photos of kids and us printed for kids to keep by their beds.
~International Evangelical Church.  Pastor is from North Carolina.  Great to worhsip with people from ALL over the word!  Like heaven...

~Lunch at Lime Tree.

~Visit T and B.  More fun.  Saw their rooms and beds at older kids' T.H.

~Shopping.  Kids came to van trying to sell gum and other things.  We asked them to sing a song, and they sang, "This is the Day"!

~Dinner at "traditional" restaurant.  Ate traditional food and saw traditional dancing.  VERY interesting.

 

Monday, November 8th

~Breakfast

~Coffee factory.

~Meeting with birth mom.  Difficult and heartbreaking, but well worth it.

~Opened window in Y.G.H. room and heard Justin Bieber singing "Baby, Baby" coming from outside! 

~Lunch at Amsterdam.
~Grants, Pierces, and Whipples to Kaldi's Coffee then COURT! (None of us passed that day, but Whipples received word Tuesday that they passed. Grants have Dec. court date. We have another court date set for Monday, Nov. 15th.)
~Visiting the kids at the T.H.!

~Back to Y.G.H. for a "quiet" evening. We went up to the Grants' room for popcorn, movie-watching, and snacks. Fun! Joined a while later by the VanCleaves and Whipples - CRAZY fun! We had the best time. Laughed harder than in a long time. We love our new friends!

Tuesday, November 9th

~Breakfast

~Visited orphanages: KVI and Kids Care. 

~ Shopping.

~Lunch at Makush.  Met Jeanine J. and O. and A.  (She had just picked up A. from T.H. for good!)

~Last visit with T and B. 

~More photos and videos for other families.

~Loved on T and B.  Went back to Older Kids' T.H. for last time. 

~Kept from crying until I made it out of the gate!  (Yay, me!)

~Back to Y.G.H. for quick shower and packing. 

~To airport with Grants and Chad F. 

~LONG plane ride to U.S.A. begins. (27 hours travel time!)

Wednesday, November 10th

~Arrived at Dulles

~Ate lunch with Grants.

~Almost missed our flight to Atlanta because we talked for too long with the Grants!

~Dulles to Atlanta.

~Atlanta to Mobile.

~Arrived in Mobile 5:45 pm.

~HOME (with a surprise delicious dinner waiting for us from our friend T!  Thanks!)

UPDATE on Ethiopian Orphanage

Well, last week when we were in Addis, we were able to visit the orphanage I had written about (10/28/10).  And, yes, it was very, very sad. 

In the toddler room, there were at least a dozen kids.  They were so sweet...  All I could think is that they deserved to be in a family, not living in a big room full of beds and kids.  Only a few, though, wanted to be held and tried to get our attention.  Most kids that age want to be held, but I think they were not accustomed to being carried around and loved on.  The nannies reallly do the best they can, but there are so many chores that must be done just to keep things in working order (everything is hand-washed - clothes, sheets, diapers, dishes - and keeping things tidy and clean takes a lot of time with that many kids to care for) that there is no time left for snuggling. 

We next visited the baby room.  A room about 12x12 with 5 beds and about 13 babies.  The babies were lying on blankets on the wood bed bottoms. The mattresses that had recently been purchased by the other group when they were there were not on the beds because they had been taken outside to be cleaned.  They are wrapped in plastic so they will not be ruined, but they have to be cleaned often since there are no good diapers.  The babies were still wearing onesies that were holding their make-shift diapers on, but with no plastic pants to cover the diapers everything just leaked onto their clothes and beds.

The room was a kind of dark, there was a bit of crying but not a lot, and multiple babies in every bed.  One bed had 5 tiny babies in it.  Their feet were all cold because they did not have socks or blankets on.  We picked up some of the babies to hold, and every single one had on wet clothes.  Their make-shift diapers were almost useless.  We had just brought in several bags and containers of diapers, wipes, sheets, clothes, etc. so we 4 moms went into "mom mode" and started asking if we could change the babies and dress them in dry clothes that we brought with us.  We went to the office, grabbed bags of disposable diapers, wipes, and dry clothes so we could start cleaning and changing babies. 

As we changed, cleaned, and dressed babies, the nannies started bringing in the freshly-cleaned mattresses. Several of the babies were too small even for the newborn sized diapers and clothes that we had brought.  We were able to put new crib sheets on mattresses, and place the clean, dry babies back into the soft beds.  (We tried to explain to the nannies how to use the plastic-backed crib mattress protectors that we brought, but I'm not sure they understood.  Hopefully, they will soon - it would really lessen their work load.)  We put socks on tiny, cold feet, and we held and hugged and loved on as many babies as possible until we had to go.  We wished we could stay and rock them to sleep, realizing that many of them had possibly never been rocked to sleep in their lives. 

Try to imagine all the craziness of four moms in full-on "mom mode" and a couple of nannies in this tiny room with all these babies as we were trying to make sure every last one was clean and dry before we had to leave.  It was cramped, loud, bustling, and a picture of the love of Christ in action.  The nannies were so grateful for the things we had brought and for our help.  They just kept saying, "Bless you... bless you." 

We also were able to take $200 cash donated through the blog so the orphanage could purchase other supplies needed.  And another family brought $150. (Our agency office in Addis has possession of the money and will be working with the orphanage to use it most wisely in purchasing items needed.)  It's true that $350 can buy a good bit of stuff, but with so many babies and toddlers, it won't last long.  Just think about how fast one baby goes through diapers and how much laundry they make.  Multiply that by 25 to 30 babies and toddlers - whew! that's a lot of work and money. 

We took several packs of disposable diapers, which would last a while with only a baby or two, but I am sure they probably only lasted a few days with that many babies.  When we go back (hopfully in December), we want to take a bunch of cloth diapers and plastic pants with us.  At least, they can be washed and reused many times. 

It was an amazingly painful and eye-opening experience for all of us.  We will never be the same...
(We pray we will be able to take our four bio kids with us when we go next time.  It will be truly life-changing for them as well.)

If you would like to make a donation for supplies for us to take on our December trip, please see the October 28th post and donate through PayPal "Donate" button. 

Thanks!

Diapers for Ethiopia orphanage...

This was a FaceBook status earlier today from a fellow adoptive family currently in Ethiopia:

"A hard start to our day. Visited an orphanage with deplorable conditions, and left in tears. Our group was able to buy 10 crib mattresses (yes, babies are sleeping on the wooden bottoms of the cribs). But they also need massive quantities of diapers-ripped pieces of sheets wrapped around their bottoms and held in place with their onesie t-shirts isn't cutting it."

We will be in Addis Ababa next week and will be able to purchase diapers to donate to this orphanage. If you would like to help, please donate through the button below. THANKS!

DIAPERS

(Can't wait to get back home and tell you all how much your money blessed others!)

God always has a lesson in store for me… (and I am incredibly thankful for that!)

We received our referral on July 23rd realizing that it would be a while before we received our court date assignment due to the fact that courts in Ethiopia would be closed for most of August and September. I was prepared for that wait. I survived all those weeks without a bit of fretting or even impatience. But the day courts opened in late September, I was ready to receive a court date.

Days went by.

No date.

Others received court dates.

We did not.

Then more received court dates.

But we did not.

Some of the ones who received court dates before us actually received referrals after we did – that was hard.

I was torn. In my mind I knew that God knew what was best and that everything would happen in His time, and that we were not waiting on the Ethiopian government for our court date - we were waiting on God. But I also wanted that date sooner rather than later.

Friends kept asking, “Got a court date yet?”, “Heard anything yet?”, etc. 
My response would be, “No, haven’t heard anything. Thanks for asking.” Sometimes I would even add, “But it’s all in God’s time.”

The problem with that was that even though I claimed that I was trusting God for the timing, I actually was disappointed in His timing. I was frustrated that God hadn’t done what I wanted Him to when I wanted Him to.  I was saying I was okay with it – and I really wanted to be okay with it. But deep down, I was NOT okay with it and the disappointed tone in my answers revealed that – not only to me but also to others.

Over the last few days, however, God has really been showing me what I was doing. He shined a light deep down in my heart and revealed what I was hiding in there – and it wasn’t pretty.

God showed me that when I said I trusted His timing but was still disappointed in it, not only was I doubting His plan but I hadn’t really surrendered my will to His. If I were really trusting His perfect timing, then I would have an excitement that His will was being done. I would actually be joyful that no matter “what” happened or “when” or even “if” it happened that it would all be the way He planned it to be and that it would be perfect. God’s perfect timing is something to be EXCITED about! It’s something to count as a blessing rather than something I must tolerate until I get what I want.

Yesterday God really began to convict me that whenever anyone asks me about a court date that I should not speak with a disappointed tone but that I should speak with joyful anticipation about what God is at work doing on our behalf. I had a chance to start last night when a few people asked at a home school “thing”. (If you home school, you probably know what I mean!) I LOVED sharing with them that I knew God was at work and that we were excitedly waiting on His timing. And the best part was I actually meant it! I had completely given the timing to God. I had completely surrendered what I wanted. Finally.

All morning I couldn’t wait for more people to ask if we had a court date yet just so I could answer them. I kept thinking about getting to church Sunday morning and sharing my “new” answer and what God had been teaching me with everyone who asked. Then, this afternoon, I was driving alone and thinking and praying that I would be able to share accurately in a blog post all He has been teaching me. I was overwhelmed with emotion and near tears in thanks for the blessing of God’s teaching in my life and wondering when the next opportunity for me to share it would come.

And then guess what happened literally less than two minutes later…

Michael called to say we have a court date!

November 8th. YAY!

(Now I’ll have something different to share with everyone who asks. I had my other answer already planned out, but I’m happy to share this one, too!)

Great adoption video!

Auburn Football Offensive Line Coach has daughter adopted from Ethiopia.

"I Have a Dream"

Earlier today I was working on Deke's (10th gr.) American Lit. lesson plans, and one of the things he will have to read next semester is Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech. It's been a long time since I read it, so I read it again.

Here is a tiny bit of what he said: "I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama...one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers."

Well, AMEN, then!

I keep seeing Africa... I REALLY need get there soon!

In my conditioner...

My shirt I tossed up on the hook in the bathroom...

(look at the shadow - even better!)

And I even had a blister on my heel that was shaped like Africa

(it really was, but I decided I would spare you from that image!)

Obviously, I need some new and interesting things to post - just waiting on that court date!

Samaritan's Purse

We usually do Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes with Samaritan's Purse every year.  We have loved giving to this ministry for the last 16 Christmases. (We even have missionary friends in South America who have been able to give out shoeboxes to children they have ministered to.)  Each of our kids fills a shoebox for another child their age, and it has been so fun for each of our kids to shop and choose the gifts - and then try to cram it all in a shoebox! 

But this week we received the Samaritan's Purse Christmas Catalog and Gift #1 caught our eyes and touched our hearts.  It is "Feed a Hungry Baby for a Week". This so dear to us because we have become painfully aware that it is too often the lack of FOOD that tears apart families in Ethiopia.  Something that we take for granted - every single day.  Something we never question the availability of.  Something that we have in such abundance that we become unhealthy because of our overindulgence in it.  And it is the lack of that "something" that we so often use for our "entertainment" is the cause of families being torn apart. 

I didn't realize until we began the adoption process that most - that's right, MOST - of the "orphans" in Ethiopia still have at least one living parent.  But since that parent cannot provide the basic necessities of life - including food - they must choose whether to give up their children for adoption or to allow them to starve. They realize that even if the child is never adopted, at least they have a much greater chance at survival. It's a heart-wrenching choice that should never have to be made.  No parent should have to give up their child simply so they will have food, and no child should have to live in an orphanage without the love of their family so that they might have something to eat.

So this year, in lieu of shoeboxes, we are going to feed as many hungry babies as we can in hopes that they will be able to remain with their parents.  We can't feed them all, but we can do something.  We still LOVE Operation Christmas Child, but this year we will be feeding babies instead...

If you would like to feed hungry babies, you can visit the Samaritan's Purse website at

 http://www.samaritanspurse.com/ then click "Browse the catalog".  Gift #1 is the one.

Below is the description:

Gift #1 - Feed a Hungry Baby for a Week

Mothers in southeastern Ethiopia carry their hungry babies for miles across dry, dusty plains to reach the Samaritan’s Purse feeding center. Though many of the children arrive near death, most are healthy enough to return home after a few weeks of nourishing food. Around the globe, malnutrition claims millions of young lives each year and leaves many others with physical and mental disabilities. In regions ravaged by hunger, a $9 gift can help us feed a baby or nursing mother for a week, presenting a powerful witness for our compassionate Savior.

“For He will deliver the needy who cry out,

the afflicted who have no one to help.”

Psalm 72:12 NIV

Proverbs 25:25

"Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land."

Feeling a little "thirsty" for some good news!

Just sayin'

:)

I LOVE how God works!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  Ephesians 3:20–21


God said for us to follow Him in this. And, yes, He said He would provide. If we didn’t believe this whole adoption thing was His idea and trust Him to complete it, we never would have followed Him into it. So the fact that God is providing is not unexpected. What has been unexpected is how He provides and how overwhelmed I am by it.

When we began this process, I prayed and asked God to miraculously provide $50,000 for our adoption. (In my mind, our primary need was money, but I was wrong – again!) God said, “That’s not how I want to do this. I have a better way.”

One of the blessings that God has provided through His "better way" is that He has made it so that there are many people involved in our adoption. He has provided monetary gifts in bits and pieces – some big, some small – to allow as many people as possible to be a part of bringing our children home. That means that we must be patient and wait on God to provide, and then provide some more, and then provide some more. Like the manna the Israelites received daily - just when they needed it, but only enough for that day. Never so much that that they could forget they were dependent upon Him, and never so little that they would doubt His faithfulness. That’s where we stand financially in this process.

But, of course, financial provision is only the beginning. Even more importantly and amazingly, God is continually providing us with revelations about Himself through this process. God, yes, GOD – the One, the Only, the Eternal Living God, the Creator, the Sustainer, our LORD and SAVIOR - is revealing more and more of Himself to us daily. The greatest blessing we can receive is for God to allow us to know Him more. Nothing else even compares. I wish I could type my overwhelming feelings of gratitude and amazement and awe right into this page. I wish I could put it out there somehow so that you could “feel” what I feel. Words cannot begin to express the blessing of knowing God more and feeling His presence and leading. I just wish I could share a little of it with everyone!

Another unforeseen gift God has given us through doing this HIS way, is the bond we have with everyone who has donated to our adoption. In our hearts, every single person who has given of their own resources to help bring our children home has become a part of our family. The gift that is given is not just viewed by us as dollar signs. It is so much more than money. It is literally the gift of “our children”. Every gift, no matter how large or small, becomes magnified when God uses it. God takes something that we, in all of our wisdom, think we know the value of (a dollar amount), and gives it infinite worth by using it to do something so priceless it cannot be labeled in human terms.

God is so amazing! We love being on this journey with Him. We are thankful and consider ourselves incredibly blessed to be invited on this adventure of adoption. Can’t imagine still living our boring, old, “regular” life. Wooo Hooo and Amen!

We received the September update today!

I wanted to share a little of what our monthly updates are like.  We receive photos and info each calendar month we do not travel to Ethiopia.  Below is a bit of the information we received today from our agency.  Just thought some may want to know what type of info we get while we wait...

Our Beautiful Girl:


Measurements:
Weight: 14 kg (almost 31 lbs.)
Height: 96 cm (almost 38 inches)

Eating/Health:
She eats well; all kinds of foods
Her finger was hurt by a door in the TH; she got treatment, x-ray and medication and she is fine now

Development/Physical:
She is attending nursery level and she is excellent and active in all kinds of subjects she is getting
She can sing different spiritual songs and also good in painting different pictures

Personality/Other Comments:
She loves to play with dolls and make herself comfortable by singing different songs
She is a very happy girl who likes to smile


Our Handsome Boy:

Measurements:
Weight: 16.7 kg (almost 37 lbs.)
Height: 105 cm (almost 41.5 inches)

Eating/Health:
He has a good appetite and eats all kinds of foods
He is healthy

Development/Physical:
He is growing well
He has started to focus on lessons which he does not do before

Personality/Other Comments:
He is very much active in his duties
Enjoys to play with ball alone but not with other

Puzzle Piece Fundraiser

We are beginning our "Puzzle Piece" fundraiser!

Here's how it works:
We have had two 500-piece photo puzzles custom made using our first referral pictures of our kids.  We will be "selling" pieces for $20 each.  For each piece that someone buys, we will write the donor's name on the back of that piece.  The donor's name will be on 1 piece or 50 pieces depending on how many they "buy".  After all the pieces are sold and the puzzles are completed, we will have them framed between two pieces of glass so that the names on the back are visible.  We are doing one for our son and one for our daughter so they each will have one to keep for the rest of their lives.

We chose $20 because just about anyone can find $20 to give - from a kid to a college student to a senior adult.  Many may want to purchase more, and we certainly hope that those who can do that, will.  We honestly feel that God wants as many as possible to be involved in rescuing orphans, and $20 makes it possible for just about everyone to be a part of something amazing.  (Literally "rescuing" orphans!)

One THOUSAND pieces is a lot to sell... and we absolutely cannot do it alone.  Please, please, PLEASE share this with everyone you can.  Please post it on FB, e-mail it to all your friends, share it with others at your church - ANY way that you can publicize this would be appreciated more than you can know.  We really need to sell all of them, because that would be $20,000 for our adoption!  (And we desperately need it!) 

To help us, you can click the "Donate" button below or the one on the sidebar and enter your donation amount to pay through PayPal.  If you would rather send a check or make your donation in some other way, please e-mail me at giftsfromafar@att.net. 

THANKS so much!

Below is a distorted picture of what the puzzles look like - we can't show the actual puzzle yet because it is  a photo of the kids with a Bible verse at the bottom. 

(Aren't they beautiful?)