20 year class reunion--good times

2 weekends ago was my 20 year class reunion....i know, i certainly don't LOOK that old, huh?  tee hee.  here are some of my favorite picts from the weekend with a VERY successful outcome--everyone seemed to have a great time...myself included.

 This is my life-long, Pee Wee Herman-lov'n, Violent Femms jamm'n girlfriend, Jill. We have been friends since 6th grade, stood up for each other in our weddings and have been through so much together.  LOVE HER!!!

and our friend, Jeff, that we have been buds with from Junior High times. 

  
some great friends from long-ago times, all chums from grade-school and digg'n their time together.

Five out of seven girls who "hung" together 7th grade thru graduation--
i cherished this time with my girls!. 

   We had a great time while we could--it took 20 YEARS to get us all back together!

 there was some picnic-ing.......

a little boogy-ing....

and the whole class (those who made it) together again!!

20 Years....
it's a long time.

Still More T-shirts!!

We are still trying to sell as many t-shirts as we possibly can to help us raise the money we need to travel to our baby girl.....TWO times!!  I have some new colors and I'm soo ready to have them out to all my fellow followers.

You can purchase shirts to the right on this Blog page or email me at kchiolis@gmail.com (you can also contact me through email for sizing & color questions).

One-hundred percent of all shirt purchases will go towards travel expenses to Ethiopia where our little girl is waiting for us.

  I also have a variety of women's shirts in numerous colors and sizes Small thru XL for purchase that I am not listing on my blog ( too many colors). They are true-to-size.

It's all about ME!! :0)

today is my birthday.  i am 38....i don't feel 38, and i hope i don't look it either!  not that being 38 is bad.......it's just wayyyyyyy older than 28! :0)  

ya know how we always write something special about our kids and husbands when it's THEIR special day??? well, i don't know anyone else who does this, but here's a little bit about ME......

 

i like to think that i'm a good person. that i do the right thing. that i make friends easily and make people feel happy. i like the person i'm becoming the older i get.  i feel the compassion for others is contagious and it makes me want to give of myself.  

 i have a blessed life with my little family.  i have the best "job" in the world....i stay at home with my boys. i love that i can be here to share their milestones, and funny stories, and caterpillar-catching.

i am married to a great guy who works so very hard to provide for us and he makes me happy.

i like my blogging and some face book. i don't like spiders or mice.  i love camping and beaching it.  i don't like cleaning or doing laundry.  i don't like cooking, but i love to bake birthday cakes for my kids.  recycling and eating healthy make me feel like i'm doing something right.  volunteering my time to a worthy cause makes me feel valuable.  

i value my friendships.  i detest judgment.  i have too many animals and not enough finger nail polish.

 i have a love for chocolate and ice cream, but have reactions to both. :0(  

 i am conscious about the ever-growing needs of the world and i want to be a person who contributes to it's necessary change.  i want to love on all the orphans.  
i will be able to soon. :0)

i love my life.  i cherish my God. 

life is good.

it's my day to celebrate all that i have, all that i am, and what i want to become. 

it's my birthday.

Overwhelmed

My class reunion is this weekend....my 20th reunion.  I don't FEEL that old!!!  Okay...some days I do. :0)  

And guess who's in charge?  

The person who said after doing the 10-year reunion, "I will NEVER do THAT again!!". 

And the same person who said, "IF we have a 20th (cause no one would ever take on the responsibility), I would be willing to steer the in-charge person in the right direction, but I WILL NOT have my name down as the one doing it all.".  

The same person who did the 10 year with one other person for a class of almost 500 people and now again with one other person with the same graduating class of almost 500 people.  

The same person who has 3 children and one on the way through a very stressful adoption and fund-raisers full-bore and thank yous to write.  

The same one who gets overwhelmed so very easily and has stomach aches because of it.

Yep.  

It's me.  

I'm happy it's happening because I volunteered to take it on.  

I'm so excited to see so many long-lost faces. 

I'm proud to have such a great turn-out though the only invites were through FaceBook. 

And I'm  anxious to see how everything goes and hoping that there are no complaints this time around.

So hopefully the woozy stomach will go away soon--from the nerves and the stress.

God, please give me the strength and peace I need to finish this week and get on to the next.  

You know I will be grateful.

Amen.

I Need Africa More than Africa Needs Me

As I sit and think about this child of God that we are about to make a part of our family, I think about her country. The country I fell in love with. The place that God led me because He knew I could make a difference there.

I think about her family and how they are soo courageous and how much they must love her to want to give her the very best.....they did their best.

Some day I will have to explain why she is here with us as part of our family and not there in Africa with her biological family--the place where she was born and lived and raised for two years of her life.

I will have to find the words to explain how soo many people loved her soooo much that we all came together with the Lord's wishes and blessings to give her two families. She will always be a part of Africa...it will always be her home. And so God will teach us to teach her everything we know about this lovely place.

Africa.

(pause my music at the top of the page to view and listen---I love this.)

New Fun Shirts!!!!

More t-shirts to sell!!  I have new colors and sizes!!  You can place your order with PayPal to the right, or email me at cholo5@wescomm.com to discuss which sizes would work best--The sizes in some of the shirts tend to run small. :0)

 New colors!!  
And toddler sizes too!

In Ladies (sizes Med, Large, & X-Large) (these all fit small--like Juniors sizes)..... 
I now have RED, as well as the CHOC.BROWN & WHITE.
And in 2X-Large I have a LIME GREEN--also fits small.

$20 each

Men's (sizes Small, Med, Large, X-Large, & 2X-Large) (pretty true fit) 
come in RED, SAND & CHOC. BROWN.

$20 each

Youth (sizes Small 6/7, Med 8/10, Large 10/12) 

come in TANGERINE, SAND, & CHOC.BROWN  
$20 each

Toddlers (sizes 2T, 3T, 4T) (all fit a size small) in LT PINK, LIME GREEN, & RED  
$15.00 each

I also have women's shirts in many different sizes and colors that run a size big in Small, Medium, Large, X-Large.  Email me for details or questions cholo5@wescomm.com   

 

More colors coming soon!!  
Like hopefully today!  

Filling our time...awe summer!

We are finding lots to do while we wait on that precious baby girl--funny thing is....she probably doesn't even know she's being waited ON!  Here are some things occupying our time.....thank goodness summer is here... without a dull moment.    

 

Summertime!!!

Our Baby GIRL....yes, it's a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So just in case you haven't heard--here's the latest!!!  We have the most beautiful little girl in our hearts and two of the most amazing pictures to gawk at for the next few months until we get to meet her in person.  She has these eyes....Oh My Gosh!  And the lashes on this sweet babe...and her smile--she looks soooooo happy!  When someone says she's cute, my oldest, Cole, repeats my words "She's not JUST cute, she's gorgeous!". And Zachary says she's perfect and definitely the "one", and Luke says he'd like a baby with more hair. :0)  They all adore her and are showing her picture to anyone who will take the time to look.  She is 2 years and 3 months old and she has a light in her eyes that says so much.  She has eyebrows that look like Dic's side of the family (Greek), and a smile that's been compared to Lukey's.  She's absolutely the piece to our puzzle. :0) And me and Dic......we are in LOVE

Check out these t-shirts

There is another great giveaway--check it out HERE !! The words have such great meaning and truth. Trust me...you'll love it!

down in the dumps

Feeling sad (and extremely tired) today after seeing movement of referrals, but yet we stay in the same spot.  I am truly happy for the families who are being matched with their babes, but I am really longing to see HER little face.  On the bright side, those that are waiting for court-dates and travel seem to be stuck-as-stuck-can-be and we would only to add to the mess if we received our referral now.  So I'm praying that when our time comes we will zoom through that whole process.  I can't even imagine what families from other agencies are feeling who have been/will be on the wait-list for a year!  I need to count my blessings and keep the faith--cause that's my job. Praying praying to get through it all with ease and a soft heart.

Rapid Valley Rocks!!!

This week I took some of our adoption tees to the kids' schools for a couple of teachers that were interested.  I left with $650 dollars in sales!!!!  Then I kept receiving phone calls for more, so within the last two days of school I sold $200 MORE!!!  Here are some picts of the lovely ladies sporting my creation in lieu of our adoption journey.  Thank you Rapid Valley teachers and staff--you're the greatest!!!

These "girls" (Mrs. Ketterling & Mrs. Junclaus) are Cole's teachers from 4th & 5th grade Multiage.  All three of my boys think they are pretty great stuff.  

This is Janet (secretary), Mrs. Kwasniewski (school nurse), Mrs. Claussen (Kind teacher), and Miss Billie (preschool teacher).

 more school staff looking marvelous!

 and Mrs. Comes and one of her students, Taylor.

 I was so overwhelmed with their generosity and support for our adoption.
  I hope they know they are all loved!

Foster to Adopt, Adopt Domestically, Adopt Internationally--Is there a RIGHT way??

I have had a struggle that I've written about before and I never seem to have the right answers....or at least I don't feel completely satisfied with what I tell people.  So when I read this post of a blogger-friend I wanted to share.  This is a family who has done BOTH....fostered children whom they adopted AND adopted internationally.  She says it so well.
If you feel so inclined, please read  
HERE.  

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?