Number NINE!!!!!!!

I stand corrected........we are now up to #9 on the waiting list!!!  Woo Hoo!!!!!

Now we're just waiting......to see her face.

Well. we're working our way up the wait-list of referrals---for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about....we're soon to be matched with our sweet baby girl. 
How old will she be?  Somewhere between 0 and 30 months.  When will we see her?  At our first court-date, which has been typically around 6-8 weeks after referral.  When can we bring her home?  Usually about 2-3 weeks after the first court-date.  But one thing at a time.......we seem to be teetering right around #13 right now.  It's hard to tell (unless we ask, which I won't do just yet) because we don't have contact with many of the adopting families from our agency.  So from what we know we are at least 13th on the list at present time.  The way it works is this......say the next babe in line is girl- baby, age 9 months.  Well, if the next adopting parents are waiting for a boy-baby--18 months, they would be skipped over and the next in line would have a shot.  If the next person says they would like either gender 0-12 months, then chances are this could be their babe!  Depending on health status, etc.  So there you have it.  When you ask me one of these very common questions, I will refer you here! :0)  I do love the interest in our adoption.  Before, I felt like I was spreading the word.....but NOW everyone seems to know.  Pretty cool to be able to share such an amazing part of our lives with you all. 
I'm lov'n it. :0)

LOVE is NOT a COLOR t-shirt giveaway!!

Here is yet another family adopting from Ethiopia and trying to get some help with their costs.  Sooooo go HERE and check out their tees they are selling and take a chance that YOU will win one!  Aren't they awesome??

Coffecupoffaith is their BLOG.

WHY???????

Why do I question?  Why do they question?  Why do YOU question?  

I started out my week with a little bit of a faith relapse.  A few months back when I was dealing with my breast "tumor" and wondered WHY?, and then I've had some things in the last few days that have left me questioning God.  Was THIS really what He intended?  When He said to add this little girl to our already-perfect family, did I understand Him correctly?  Or is it possible that this is truly what He intended, but not fully.  I know very well that this adoption is not the end for me....for my family.  God is asking us for more.  This was just the small step in the beginning of really BIG things.  I know that He is using me, as well as all of the other families that are adopting, to spread the word about His people everywhere.  He's already done this with many others before us and He will with many after.  I truly "get" this part.  But it's really difficult to explain to others, particularly family, when I question things myself.   

I posted already about how my sister is beginning to understand what we're doing.  It seems (and this part I've had figured out since the beginning of the process) that our families truly feel that we will go into debt or even have to claim bankruptcy to pay for all of it.  And my answer/question is, "Do we question when you go out and buy a new car?"  I also believe that adopting outside of our community, for some reason, also has them riled up.  And it makes me wonder why what we choose isn't ever really good enough. It makes me sad that we're always in a battle about right and wrong.  So isn't this what families are for?  To support each other in the good times and bad?  And it's soo difficult for me to see that anyone could think THIS was bad.  I have gone back-n-forth about how I will feel when we bring our baby home and everyone will want to hold her...love her.  I would want to ask "Where were you?  Where were you when we needed you?  When things were really hard and you couldn't bare to lend an ear, to soften your heart, to ask for more information?  Where were you then?"  Why can't you just give a little and know that we are trying to do the right thing?  As we get further along I have thickened my skin, so I try not to care.  But I do care.  It doesn't matter that they don't "get it" or don't even want to try.  We are going to do it.  God has asked us "Will you do what I ask of you?  Even though it may seem so unreachable and difficult at times?  Will you follow me and do what I ask?"  And because of our Faith in Him, we will.  So even though we love our families and care sometimes what they think of us....what matters is that they are our family.  I will give them grace even when they may not deserve it, and I will hope that some day they will "get it". I WILL be there for them, always.  Even when they are doing something Christ hasn't called them to....when they've hit the lowest low.  

To our families: I will be praying for you and I will tell you that I am.  Even when I don't understand, I will try. 
It's all that I ask of you.  

 So when you question me, when they question me, and when I question myself, 

the answer 

will always be the same.  

Because it's what God has always wanted.

Another T-Shirt giveaway

Check out these kick'n shirts that have a logo that is OH-SO-TRUE!! 

Go Here to enter the drawing.   

This same Julie from 7900 miles just won MY t-shirt giveaway!!  

Sweet stuff!!

 

WINNERS!!! Thanks For Playing!!!!

My little helper (Luke) drew the two winners!!

funny thing....he doesn't even know why he's doing this:0)

didn't ask once...

but he did a great job!  and THIS was the result.......

 Becca is adopting from Ethiopia as well.  Check her blog out at  http://rejoiceandbeglad.wordpress.com/ !!  Yay, becca!!  I saw YOU have a Luke too!

AND

And Julie is also adopting a little girl from Ethiopia.  You can see her story here: ttp://7900miles.blogspot.com/ !!  Sweet!

 Congratulations ladies!! 

And thank you to all who so sweetly commented and played along!!

I plan to check out each of your blogs....so LOVE this adopting community! :0)

Today is the LAST DAY!!

Sign up now to get your name in for the T-Shirt giveaway!!  Drawing will take place tonight and will be announced in the morning! 

Rules are in the last post!!  Hurry quick!

My First Give-Away!!!!

"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you" John 14:18

Our t-shirts were designed to raise awareness of the world orphan crisis.  And about 1/3 of these children are orphaned in Africa.
We are selling them to help us raise money for our adoption costs (and we can sure use the help :0) to bring our little girl home from Ethiopia.  We are currently somewhere like #13-15. on the referral wait-list, so we will know who she is soon!!
If you'd like to purchase a shirt you can order on this page--down on the right side.
 
When we have paid all expenses we would like to use our shirts to help other adopting families.  One child at a time.....

                   

I think it's time for a give-a-way!!  Don't you?  10,000 HITS and it's time to celebrate!!  So......I decided I want to give someone a chance out there to have our new shirts in their sweet little hands. Let's do TWO shirts, huh?  Okay, so here it is......you earn a chance for each thing you do.

1.   Comment here and tell me your blog address (if you have one),  so I can come visit YOU!
2.    Post about this giveaway on YOUR blog using this link: http://4boys1girl-kchiolis.blogspot.com/     
3.    Add me as your blogging friend (and tell me that you did)

Give-a-way will end Wednesday eve, May 19th

    One child at a time......
Will YOUR heart be broken for an Orphan?

Large and White

If you're looking for a large and you want it to be white, then you've come to the right place!!  

I was able to reorder some Ladies Large t-shirts in White!  Just remember that the Large fits like a Medium....it's what I wear, if that helps any. :0)  And maybe when I sell some more of the other sizes I can get some variation for the rest of you too!  

How's THAT sound?  

okay, good.
when you're ordering make sure to click on the pull-down buttons to see other sizes.

Bathtime thoughts (kinda like "Deep Thoughts"...with an additional tub)

So I was just chillaxin in the bath with my Epsom salts and bag over my conditioning-head----I KNOW you want a picture, RIGHT?? ha!  :0)  I was reading the manual from our adoption agency which is given to us to read while we're waiting.....and since we are now officially waiting, I thought this was the time to read some.  So real scary stuff, I must say.  Not like spooky scaring, but more like, "OH MY GOSH!  Can I be a good parent to an adopted child too?"  I just had this impression that I was going to parent my adopted child the way I do my biological children--which I know isn't always perfect.  BUT until recently I didn't get that it could be so hard in the beginning especially.  Our friends who just adopted recently really had a smooth transition.  So I was being very naive thinking that this was how it is for everyone.  Thank goodness for manuals and Yahoo Forums (hi girls;0)!  I apparently need to get me some more reading material.

As I was feeling the temptation to go to sleep (I'm still in the tub here) I really thought about how much we adopting/adoptive parents expect from those who aren't/haven't adopted.  I was having a conversation with that same friend the other night about how rude people can be and they say things without even putting one ounce of thought into it.  For instance, "So why Africa?  So are you gonna try to save them all?" and "They should just stop having babies if they can;t take care of them." and "There are orphans here too" (I think I wrote about this one once already).  So yes, they should think more before they speak (and maybe have a few less beers) and yes, they should maybe ask in a different tone with different wording.  But they really don't get it.....they just don't.  I know I have changed my thinking tremendously, and this is really hard for me to say when I know that other adoptive families may read this, because maybe they didn't go through this same transition.  Maybe they already knew.  I think that maybe we (me) interpreted God's calling differently than He truly intended for us.  I began following missionaries on their blogs wishing I could do something more than what I was, I kept up (still do) on those amazing 147 million orphans girls who were/are helping so many people to bring their kiddos home.  I have felt this pang to help the needy all of my life, but never more than in the last couple of years.  I never thought this (this next thing) was wrong (and I'm still pretty confused by it--but it seems pretty important) until now.  Here it is..........I wanted to save a child from poverty, from hunger, from destitution, from lack of love, from a life without an education.  I wanted to scoop them all up just like the missionaries in Haiti tried to do.  I wanted to take away their pain and suffering.  And I still do.  But THAT was not the reason (I don't think) that God was asking me to go forward and trust Him and lead my family into a place of the unknown.  I truly feel now that God planned to bless US in making this decision.  He always had a plan for this child to be a part of our family....a little girl was always part of the plan.  And I don't know what else He has paved for us, but THIS journey He has brought us on has opened my eyes.  God loves all of His children.....this part I know.  It doesn't matter where they live or how they live or what they look like.  He loves them all and wants what's best for them.  And these children in Africa love where God has placed them.  They love their country, they love their people.  Even if it looks to us like they have nothing, they think otherwise.  Their bare feet, and toys made of cardboard, and threads for cloths are good enough for them.  Because they have God in their lives and they have each other.  They are happy.  They may not have much, but they are happy.  And I know there are probably many things I don't understand yet because it hasn't been explained.  But the bottom line for me is that God did not lead me here to save this child.  This baby girl would be saved in God's eyes right where she is.  God will bring us together to be a family.  The one thing this little girl doesn't have.....a family.  She is the piece to our puzzle and we are to hers.  It is still very difficult for me to explain to my family and friends if they haven't been in my shoes already.  But to have people constantly saying "You will be such a blessing to her" (this is a very common thing to say--I can't tell you how many times I said it myself before) has started to make me really dig deep.  Because, really, this amazingly-special little girl will be a bigger blessing to us then we could ever be to her.  
I am lowering my expectations of people who "don't get it" and people who outright don't want to "get it", because I have faith that they will soon enough.

I've been meaning to write about this for a long time....for me.  
To get it out so I could understand a little bit better myself.  
Honestly...I feel much better now.

NUMBER 19!!!

Just a short announcement........we are number 19 on the waiting list for a referral.  That's down five less than we were last week!!!  HOORAY!!!!!  Please keep us in your prayers as we move closer to our baby girl.  God has a time in mind and I know he will provide the finances--so come get your t-shirts!!! I'm sooooooo excited!

The T-Shirts Are Here!!!!!!

They are FINALLY here!  This is what I have been working on for the last few months.....trying to get my idea perfected and this is pretty darn close!  I love it!  I hope you will too!!  They are 100 % Cotton and very soft (because I like it that way).  And when you purchase one of our shirts you will not only be helping raise awareness about the world's orphan crisis, but you will also be helping with our traveling costs to Ethiopia to bring our little girl home. We are getting very close and we can use all the help we can get! :0)

 You can order a shirt(s) on the side of my blog by clicking the "add to cart" button, or you can email me  your order at cholo5@wescomm.com.  Make sure you include your name, address, sizes and colors.  I'm sorry, but the women's sizes do NOT come in the sand color (I am working on this).   

Take a Looksie!

Front

 and back

Front

 and Back 

 

And the boys sporting their new duds!  So exciting! 

Lukey, you're not a baby anymore

My youngest just had his 7th Birthday--and because we have been calling him a seven-year-old for awhile now it didn't seem to phase me so much.  And who does that?  Who makes their baby bump up a year in the last few weeks before he turns another year?  Lesson learned....it goes too fast already.

This party was titled an UN-POOL party because little Luke wanted the same cake he had when he was four--a swimming pool extravaganza with slides and kids made out of fondant  Lucky for me I had kept the fondant items just in case, but I never really intended to make the same cake again.  

Luke also thought he should have his party at the pool since we were going with the theme (he's only ever had his Birthdays at home--which we usually have inflatables at, so it's all good:0).  I agreed that the pool would be fun, but we would have to limit the numbers due to cost.  He couldn't bare to NOT have all of the family members of his friends there (good thing as the cake is pretty cumbersome), hence the UN-POOL party.  And because of the cold and rain we weren't able to have the park day we were dreaming of, so at home it was again!  I hope he knows he's loved regardless. :0) 

This is Luke and his best friend, Jevon.  His mom and I were friends before kids and these two have been been just like brothers since babies.  So sweet. Jevon is reading his Birthday card to Luke.

Happy 7th Birthday, my sweet Lukey!!! 

Meet my friend Denise

This is my friend Denise.  Please pray for her.  Last Sunday she had a stroke on her right side and she is still in the ICU at our local hospital.  She had a surgery to remove part of her skull due to large amounts of swelling on her brain.  She has been heavily sedated and is on a ventilator, but I just heard she is responding more with squeezes and head shakes and she has confirmed she has pain.  She is the mother of two young boys, wife, daughter and sister.....as well as a loving friend to so many.  If you would please keep her in your prayers for a full recovery to be the person we all know--God blesses us with miracles every day.  Please God, wrap your love around this sweet mama and bring her back to her husband and kiddos.  You ARE a gracious and perfect God.  Amen.