has generously offered to host a fundraiser in honor of our adoption. Book a photo session during the month of May, and sitting fee payment proceeds will go to our adoption fund. Such a sweet and amazing gift. Rachel is an amazing photographer and also has a wonderful heart, so if you're looking for some family photos, check her out!
As some of you probably know, we took a group of our high school students on a short term missions trip to Tijuana, Mexico over spring break a few weeks ago.
Thanks to everyone who prayed for our safety and time in Tijuana
Many eyes were opened
Relationships were built
Love was shared
This trip was a bit different than trips done in the past, it was a lot more relational-which was awesome.
We were able to visit 3 orphanages
Built onto a house that will provide shelter for three families (and we got to meet one of them!)
The boys were able to go into the Juvenile hall (which is called the Semi) and hang out with some of the boys who call the Semi home
We shared meals together, laughed together and shared Jesus together.
Here's just a snapshot: (sorry it's a little blurry)
Tomorrow we head to USCIS and get fingerprinted, it's the last thing that we have to check off our paperwork list; once we get our letter back from USCIS, we will send our dossier to Ethiopia and can officially be a waiting family! We "officially" started this journey back in the end of November, and it has been amazing how God has broke us, changed us, blessed us and opened our eyes more throughout these last 5-6 months.
We have the amazing opportunity to be the featured family on Give1Save1 this week. I found about about Give1Save1 a while back and was so amazed at how these women just basically started a place where all you do is get adoption out there, share peoples stories and donate just $1 (or more). That's all, donate $1 help to bring a child home. I love it, and I love the community that has been formed through it. Below is just a little of our story, stop on over to
Justin and I had been trying to get pregnant for a while, when my mom asked me "Do you think you're not able to get pregnant right now because God wants you to adopt?" It's funny because by that time, God had began to tug at my heart for adoption-I had no idea what to do with that call at that time, but I knew I needed to begin to pray for Justin's heart-that it would be softened towards adoption as well, as so I did. For a long time. About a year before we "officially" began the process, we read over various countries statistics, criteria, needs, ect. I was shocked at what I was reading and learning-much of which kept me up at night in a panic knowing what was happening in our world. God was beginning to soften and open my heart to caring for the orphans and the widows.
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
-James 1:27
It's amazing how even the little things bring me happiness now, turning on the faucet to get some water (which much of the world can't do) having 3 (plus more at times) meals at day, not having to walk miles and miles just to GET water.
I am so thankful that when my mom asked me that question, I was willing to listen, I would encourage that if you ever even thought about adoption or foster care, that you listen to those thoughts, you're not having them just because,
maybe your life is about to be wrecked too,
in an amazing way.
We love you all so much! Thank you for being a part of our families story.
"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act."
