Today is National Adoption Day.
I have been up since 4am today. My FIL came in last night and he and my husband left this morning in hopes of bringing home the big buck...oh yes, it's the opening day of deer season here in Michigan.
I finished the book Wild Swans while I was flying home from Pittsburgh this week. This book was very impacting for me. Being an American, I truly have no real concept of the suffering that goes on and has gone on in the world. This book is a true account of 3 generations of women from the same family. It is absolutely amazing and I would recommend it to anyone.
I have been up since 4am today. My FIL came in last night and he and my husband left this morning in hopes of bringing home the big buck...oh yes, it's the opening day of deer season here in Michigan.
I finished the book Wild Swans while I was flying home from Pittsburgh this week. This book was very impacting for me. Being an American, I truly have no real concept of the suffering that goes on and has gone on in the world. This book is a true account of 3 generations of women from the same family. It is absolutely amazing and I would recommend it to anyone.
There are two fundraisers going on that I am aware of, they are on my sidebar. One is for Mia Hope and you can win a $500 gift card, the other is for Kris' baby E. and you can win a wii. Please do what you can to support these families.
I have 2 ladies who have joined me in Project Christmas Angel to send a shoe box with a 2 lb bag of rice and a small gift to be delivered to The Angel House Orphanage in Haiti. If you would like to join us, please send me an e-mail and I will get the details to you. timnkim@gmail.com
Visit http://threeangelshaiti.org
You can see photos of the waiting children and find information about the orphanage, the school and opportunities to volunteer.
329 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 329 of 329bye Michelle
Well said Monica!
You have adopted 3 children so far!
Now, as to your question (about 20 minutes prior!), Kim...
We are doing fine here in Missouri! Actually things are going better now. I had a bit of a low point with my son (age 10, high maintanence) a few weeks back...but, the world is back to not being so bleak and black now. Always good to be back out where you can see a light at the end of the tunnel, once more!
Yes, we have adopted three kids, NONE OF WHICH WE COULD AFFORD TO ADOPT OR RAISE...and God has always provided, not in advance, but always in time.
And, we adopted "out of order", too...adopting a six year old when we had a two year old already in the home.
Lena,
Do you know Cara, who is getting the boxes?
Yes, I do know Cara. She was our leader/chaperone when I went on the mission trip in july. :-)
I think it's wonderful for people to hear that other people have made things work with God's help and that they definitely can take a leap of faith with adoption.
How exciting Lena! Two boys, wow!!
I spoke with Cara's husband because she wasn't there so that I could let them know that I would be doing this and he was just so nice. What a southern gentleman.
We adopted out of order as well, worked out great for us, I never have understood why people make such a big deal about that.
Lena is how I found out about this project. She found my other blog 'No Place Like Home' and left a comment one day.
Yes, they are a nice family-I've met Cara and the 2 children they are adopting from the orphanage.
Monica-I'm with you-God will provide! He always has, always will. Some people are just dense.
Thanks Monica, we're so excited. Not what we had planned,exactly, but what God has planned. And I've learned thru the years that God's plans are ALWAYS better than mine. So we are excited too!
sorry, Ikeep typing monica when I mean marla!! lol, so I'm have a 'dense' moment. It's a little hard for me to keep up/re-read the posts. It's my first time here, and I have to go out of the window and reopen it it see the newest comments. I don't have a refresh button on my comment page for some reason.
Lena, from the main page, try left clicking on the comments and select "open in new window". THat should give you the refresh icon
Amen Lena, I could've never planned out the way our children have come to us (2 from China, a surprise pregnancy during the 2nd adoption). His plan is perfect (even when it does throw me for a loop, LOL)!
OOOPs meant RIGHT click
K1-thanks, it worked! this is much better now!
you're welcome. glad it helped
Lena,
Go back to the front page of the blog and right click on the word comments associated with this post, it will open a big screen for you and you should be able to refresh in that screen.
If you just double click on comments, you can't, you just get the small box.
Marla-sounds like you've had quite an adventure! pregnant during adoption. yikes! But of course, God knows best.....I'm going to check out your blog...
and of course you all are welcome to visit mine any time!
Oh, I see you are all set!
YEah, that small box thing was kind of annoying, this is much better now! Thanks for the tips, guys
Kimberley, we not only look alike, we think alike. :)
I will Lena! I am excited to follow your journey to your boys.
I keep telling myself that God has a plan for us and is charge of our adoption timeline. We're a little nervous right now with my husband's job not looking so stable. But we just have to ride it out.
Marla, it worked out fine for us, too, adopting "out of order"...and, really, if you stop to think about it, when you adopt "in order" you are CHANGING the birth order...the youngest is no longer the youngest! We didn't change birth order...our oldest stayed the oldest and our youngest stayed the youngest! Worked out fine!
Yes, isn't that funny that they think I am you (Karen) sometimes? They are such amazing girls, the whole family is wonderful. Your sister has been an incredible friend to me through all of this.
And, I'm with you, Lena...it is HARD to keep up with reading the back comments and trying to type out comments!
LOL, and yikes is right. My husband still laughs about my reaction to that positive test the very day after we accepted Jacey's referral.
Rick just texted. He isn't feeling so hot still. Doesn't look like he'll be coming down to the church. I need to go get dressed to play in the dirt. I know I will end up with bronchitis after this... my lungs already hurt.
(I'd stay home, but I'm kinda in charge since the Pastor's are away at the retreat and I told them I'd cover for them.)
Holy cow Marla! I have sometimes wondered what we would do if that happend.
You'd better bundle up Karen. Bronchitis is no fun.
oh, the day after?!? wow. Double YIKES. I bet you weren't overwhelmed or anything, were you? :-)
Well, I cried for 3 days. Not exactly a graceful reaction, but I was petrified that we would lose the referral, and we almost did. Our social worker really went to bat for us though, and China allowed us to proceed.
It is a little busy on the chat right now, I'm just hitting refresh all of the time and trying to hang in there :)
We had a woman in our first travel group that found out she was pregnant when we returned from China. Seems she got pregnant in the weeks before our travel. Her son was born 8 months after "Metcha Day" for their daughter. They had three children under 4.
Then Holt made us travel alone because I was 6 months pregnant and they didn't want me "hurting" other family's feelings. It was crazy.
I have heard of that happening, more than a few times, people having babies right around the time they could go get their kids etc.
Kimberley, I used to get bronchitis EVERY year when I lived in Michigan. Thought it was a God send when I moved out here to WA and didn't get it... until three years ago. I've gotten it annually since then. Hate it!
Holy moly, 3 under 4! Our saving grace was that Jacey was almost 6 at adoption, so we didn't get two babies at once. We did go from one child to four in exactly 2 years, but it really wasn't as bad as it sounds. ;)
I got a lot of bronchitis when I lived in Ohio too...not so much since moving to Arizona.
Oh man Karen, that's no fun at all. Zach used to get it every year when he was little. Any gift ideas for Ella?
Marla,
You had to travel seperately because you were pregnant? Wow, that doesn't seem right.
1 child to 4 in 2 years. those are some numbers!! I'm so glad that it worked/is working out for you. You survived, that gives me hope!
Hey, K1...THANKS FOR THE TIP!!! I always had to go through a 3 step procedure to get back to the newer comments, but with your tip, I finally have a refresh button at the top of my comments page! Thanks!!!
It would be my dream (and my husband's nightmare!) to have had gotten a positive test right on top of accepting a referral. Up until about a year ago, I still let my hopes get up every time my cycle was late...only to have them be dashed a few days later. But, I think I have finally reached an old enough age (and am weary enough!) that I am finally satisfied with "just three" children...LOL!
(It was a burning desire of mine to adopt again or have a bio kid, didn't matter, until just recently...but our THIRD adoption rattled my husband to the core...because we "couldn't afford it". And, truthfully, our son keeps us worn out enough, that, really it is best that we only have three...
Kimberly, Ella has absolutely EVERYTHING she could possibly want or need. Just wait until you see my sister's house this afternoon!
I would suggest books, if anything. Kelly really want's to foster a love of reading in the girls (she somewhat succeeded with the boys).
Lena,
What should I send as a gift to Haiti? What do the children need? Do the older children need toys more than the babies or vice versa?
Ok, I will see what good books I find for Miss Ella.
Hi everyone! I'm up a bit early today and thought I'd come by to say hi if I'm not too late.
How is everyone doing??
Yeah Kimberley, when we got TA there was a group leaving right away and I thought I'd be going with them, only to find out a few days later that no, I'd be waiting almost another month so we wouldn't be with a travel group. I was devastated. They didn't want me offending anyone with my pregnant belly. They wanted me to let Derek go alone and get her, which of course was NOT going to fly with me. I'd have traveled 9 months pregnant if I'd had to.
Okay. Now I HAVE to go. It's a good thing the church is only 1.5 miles away...
Monica, you are welcome.
Everyone good luck with your adoptions and families and finances and have a great weekend.
Kimberly, have a great time at Ella's birthday party. You can be my surrogate! They can call you Auntie KimKaren
For the Project Christmas Angel-I think that older kid toys would be good-cars always seem popular with the boys. They use sidewalk chalk and they color. Cool underwear are a good thing too....for the younger kids-things like blocks and those little books with hard pages, etc.
Hey Kayce how are you?
Bye Karen!
Too funny! Yes, I will be Auntie KimKaren today :)
or maybe small action figures?
Those are good ideas Lena. I could fit a lot of matchbox cars into one shoe box.
Hi Kayce,
I'm new here-Lena adopting 2 boys from Haiti.
bye Karen.
Lena,
Do they like Superheros?
Yes-they just ask that we don't send anything that will melt (chocolate etc) and that we stay away from weapons/guns etc. I like to get some of those balls too-small, soft ones.
Hmmm, I wonder why I can't add Karen's blog to my following list? It says it can't detect a feed for it. (?)
Marla, I still trying to digest your comment, "Then Holt made us travel alone because I was 6 months pregnant and they didn't want me "hurting" other family's feelings. It was crazy." ....that is utterly STUPID!
We went through Holt, too, for our first two adoptions and, in a round about way for our third adoption.
They do have a strict rule about having to wait a full year between the arrival of each child into the home (because of bonding/attachment)...maybe they were trying to hide from the other families that they were making an exception with you? Even then, it was STUPID to penalize you like that. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances (like a surprise pregnancy) and they should have just had nerve enough to be upfront with everyone in the travel group that they were making an exception for you...that is reasonable....leaving you out there all alone, without the support and benefit of your travel group was really just plain mean.
Jumping in to say good morning! Even though I have missed many Saturday morning chats,I do like going back and reading the news you all share. Thank you!
Alyson
Alyzabeth's Mommy for Eight Weeks!
I can't add Karen either, her blog is private, so it won't let you add her.
Yes, they like Superheroes-and some popular stuff-Like the movie Cars, and (believe it or not) the movie Annie. The girls have some barbies and dolls etc. Things get worn out fast in a group setting though...so those would be additional ideas for Project Christmas Angel
Thanks again for all your support on this! It means a lot and makes a difference to these kids to know someone cares.
I'm excited about doing these boxes! Thanks for the ideas. We'll do at least two, one boy and one girl.
Good Morning Alyson! I am loving all of your photos of Alyzabeth!
Oh! I didn't realize that was it, at some point I must have emailed her for access then, because I can read her blog, just couldn't add it. Thanks.
Thanks, Marla!!!
Thanks to Kim and all of her readers Project Christmas Angel will be a success and bless the Haitian children greatly.
Thank you Thank you Thank you
I'm thinking that is the reason because I can't add any other private blogs either. It makes it tough for me to get over to them since they don't show up on my list.
We'll have to keep getting the word out. I hope they get everything that they need.
Alyson,
Alyzabeth is adorable.
I'm sure that the church down in Florida is getting a good response.
Alyzabeth is gorgeous! I see you're a Nascar fan. I met David Ragan and his family in September. He emceed a golf tournament that I chair for our local Down syndrome group, his older brother has Ds, as does my oldest son. He was so sweet, I can't help but cheer for him now (and I never watched Nascar before).
Hey, Kim...I didn't know you had another blog!
I do. It's more of an adoption newsreel really. I post information and articles about things happening in the adoption world. There is a link to it on my sidebar. It's a network of families who are have agreed to be available to families who may be considering adoption and have questions about a particular country or process. I'd love to link you. Take a look at it. It's called No Place Like Home.
Hi Kim! I'm good. Getting ready for a show this morning and I'm pretty excited about it.
Hi Lena. Thanks for saying hi. Two boys from Haiti, congratulations! What is the process for Haiti?
This has been fun, but I guess I should go. I promised the girls we'd bake some cookies today and they are ready to get started. I hope you all have a great weekend!
Are you in an art show Kayce?
You too Marla! Have a great week~
Bye Marla.
have fun baking!
Kim,
Just got back from "No Place Like Home"...it looks like a terrific resource! You always do such a nice job with your blogs!!!
Yes, I would love to be linked. Thanks! (We have adopted from China and from Taiwan.) (Doug, from Taiwan, was a special needs adoption.)
I will add you, thanks Monica!
Kim-I'm still available if you want to add me as a Haiti resource for your No Place Like Home blog
Kayce-the process for Haiti is loooooong. optimistic time frame for us (no bio children at home) is 18 months from the time dossier gets to Haiti. 24 months more realistic. I have met people online who waited 3 years. loooong. fluid, ever changing. frustrating. that's the process. :-)
I'm actually selling children's books now, more so than the art right now. I just recently started and am doing it to help with our China costs. I love it! Check out my website or blog....
Website - http://kaycewilkinson.mybarefootbooks.com/
Blog - http://gobarefootwithme.wordpress.com/
This is the publisher of Motherbridge of Love, which is what attracted me in the first place.
I'm adding "No Place Like Home" to my side-bar, too.
I used to have all my blog links separated out in categories...but, since switching over to the new blog list (which I LOVE because it rotates the most recently updated up to the top), I no longer have my blogs sorted into categories....all of them are just thrown in together...adoption blogs and totally unrelated to adoption blogs.
I liked having them more orderly...but, the current way is has started to grow on me, too...so, I might not ever get them all sorted back out again...just leave them all in one happy list together!
Lena,
My blog designer's father has been ill, so she hasn't been able to make my new Haiti square yet. When that gets installed, then I will be thrilled to add you as my first Haiti blog :)
I love it when I get to add a blog from a new country.
Kayce,
I saw your new blog, but didn't really know what it was about. I'll have to go and check it out again.
Marla just showed me how to put the new bloglist on my blog, so I have only had it since this morning. I'm pretty excited about it though. I can use anything I can get my hands on to help me stay on top of the blogs I follow.
Lena....Well you're in for a treat with two boys! I have a son (bio) and man is he the best! Boy are so different from girls...they always love their mommy. It sounds like maybe Haiti is a bit like China. We're hitting our 32 month of waiting. Are the boys siblings?
okay, I'm happy to help....not that I'm an expert-but I can help. I'll look forward to it.
:-)
Kim...the new blog is mostly just for the business. I do book reviews there and post sales that are going on and also do free giveaways, which I'm getting ready to do in about 2 weeks. Keep your eyes and ears peeled.
I definitely will Kayce :)
my comment disappeared?!
Yes, they are bio brothers 5 and almost 3 years old.
:-)
I've been having fun with the new blog list...so EASY to add to!!! Not like the old days!
Also, I love that I can choose to put photos for the most recent entries up with the blog or part of the text of the most recent entries or just the title alone...etc.
Actually, I guess I DO have two categories (forgot I had done a LITTLE separating)! I have a category for folks that are friends in cyberspace (ie separating out into a group of their own the blogs that belong to people that I have interacted enough with to FEEL like I really do KNOW them.) Your blog is in that group, Kim....and that group gets a photo and part of the text up along with the title of the newest post (which really eats up the side-bar space, but is okay since there aren't many blogs in that particular list)...
How fun! It's great that they are so close together. When will you be welcoming them into your arms?
Thanks Monica!
I'll have to play around with my list and see what I can do with it.
My sidebar is way too long, but when I look at it, I don't see anything I want to part with right now, so I just leave it long :)
Wow...the comment list is almost up to 300! Maybe it has been busier at the chat today because it is colder out (so we don't want to run outside and play!) and it isn't quite into the holiday rush yet (though I am shocked at how many signs of Christmas are already in full bloom...radio stations playing non-stop Christmas music and stores that were already decorated for Christmas on November FIRST!
Kayce, don't know yet. 18-36 months are the range of dates that are being thrown around.
It will happen when it happens.
I plan to travel to Haiti in December to see them, so that's the next time I plan to hold them.
Kim, just set your blog (in settings) so that it shows way more of your posts at one time than it currently does...that way your side-bar won't look overly long! That's what I do! I have a side-bar that goes on for eternity...but, so do the posts that show up on my front page, so it's all good! Everything balanced and all that!!!
I am so glad that you are able to go and see them Lena.
We have so much Christmas stuff here too. I don't decorate until after Thanksgiving though. I have started my Christmas shopping already and am doing pretty good with that.
Very cool. I'll keep you and your sons in our prayers.
Hold on Monica, I'm going to try to do that right now.
It's hard to believe that Christmas is around the corner. I still haven't accepted the fact that Thanksgiving is a little over a week and half a way.
Lena, how did you get started with adopting from Haiti? That sure is a country with overwhelming needs...but I haven't heard of anyone else adopting from there. (Lots of Kenya adoptions in my cybersphere, but none from Haiti)
A WEEK AND A HALF?????????
Kayce, I was thinking it was about a month off! LOL...I am such a confused old person these days!
Thanks Kayce, we'll take all the prayers we can get!!
Monica-check out my blog-you'll find tons of other blogs of people adopting from Haiti....
I went to Haiti on a short term mission trip in July and that was all it took. God was just waiting for me....
I'm just as confused Monica! LOL! I'm hosting Thanksgiving and I have no idea what I need to do yet. I'm gonna get through this next week and figure it out next week. Funny thing is that I'm so not like this. I ususally have the entire meal planned months ago and the table already set. I'm a bit off this year and don't know why.
Ladies,
I am going to have drop off now and get ready for a birthday party we are going to this afternoon.
But please stay and talk as long as you like.
Have a great weekend!
Have fun at the birthday party!
Kim, just took a look at your blog...now it posts back to 10/26...and it looks a lot more balanced!!! Maybe you ought to set it to go back just one post further so that the post section is just a bit longer?!
And NOW, when folks visit your blog for the first time, they can see a LOT more of what you have written without having to dig back into the archives!!! Personally, it always makes me a little sad when one of my posts drops off the front page and into the archives. (I know, I am totally WEIRD!!!LOL)
Thanks for always hosting this great chat Kim, I'm glad I was up early this morning to drop in and say hi. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy opening Sophia's top drawer to see that bib. Hugs!!!
Monica-I'm reading your 'trails' blog/story about your first adoption. Wow! that's quite a story!!!
Well, Kayce, I feel better hearing that you are a bit off this year! Confusion loves company!!!
Lena, I can TOTALLY understand! I went on a brief medical mission trip to El Salvador this summer and we spent quite a bit of time at an orphanage there. It broke my heart coming home with those children...particularly several of the teenage girls that just really caught my heart.
Bye, Kim!!! Have fun at the B-day party...and I hope your FIL and hubby get their deers!!!
I gotta run, ladies....time to get off the computer and do some work!
I hope to make more Sat. morning chats. And to keep up with you guys on your journey's.....feel free to visit my blog (I'm hosting a giveaway at the moment) and comment any time.
It's been great-I'm so glad I finally made it here!
ta ta for now
Lena
Thanks, Lena! I had EVERY intention of writing down the story of our second and third adoptions, too...but never got to it. Our third adoption was the most dramatic...totally a "God-thing"...and far more a walk of faith than either of the previous two had ever been. It is still a walk of faith...LOL...our little guy is a blessing beyond measure, but also overwhelming.
Okay ladies I should get going so that I'm ready to sell books in a few hours. Enjoy your weekend!! It was nice to talk to all of you.
Hmmm...is anyone left here, or am I the last? Speak up, or I'll turn out the light on my way out!!!
MOnica, would love to hear more about that sometime-if you ever get a chance to write it down! I can imagine your schedule is pretty full! :-)
Aren't God things, the coolest?
Yes, they ARE! But, I thought you had already left!!! I plan on heading over and checking out your blog, Lena, later on today!!! (0:
Lena, you must be like me...have a hard time cutting off a conversation! My husband just rolls his eyes when I am on the phone, spending half an hour trying to get off, yet always having to jump in and bring up one last topic!
turning out the lights... (sigh)
definitely going now...
(Aren't I pathetic?!)
Umm, actually, I just didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by leaving before I was certain the EVERYONE else was truly gone!
(0:
It WOULDN'T be that I have to get the last word in, or anything like that!
I just had to make sure there weren't any malingering lurkers out there that needed flushing out....
didn't want to leave any lurkers or just now arriving late-comers alone in the dark, shutting out the light and all on my way out...
Oh... I read 'Wild Swans' so long ago... back when I was a teenager... oh it was a great book... take care
Sorry about the delay in visiting... I have been super busy with work etc...
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