~~ Thanks for all the e-mails I have received regarding this post. I appreciate it so much. You guys rock! What a blessing this list will be to families who are adopting!
~~ Sunday will be the last day to contribute and have your name added to the drawing for the $500 Target gift card and other prizes. Winners will be announced next week.
~~ Your kind words about our upcoming move meant the world to me. I’ve been feeling rather tender. Saying goodbye to dear friends is my worst. I hate goodbyes! We’re trying to get in the maximum amount of time with those we love here before we move…and still get the packing done. The days are flying by.
~~ Been pondering the $6 BILLION spent on Halloween every year! Wow. Seriously?
~~ I am so looking forward to sharing the stories of some pretty amazing families with you in the month of November–Adoption Awareness Month.
Answering some recent questions:
Why is Haven no longer wearing her glasses?
She did so great with them for a while, but these days she refuses to keep them on her face. We are getting a second opinion on the prescription. So hard to know what’s going on when she is unable to tell us. Sweet lovie.
When are you moving? Are you making any detours on the way?
We leave here on November 17. Yes, we are making one little detour. We have been invited to share our adoption testimony in a church in Illinois–so we will spend a weekend with some new friends out there. We are so looking forward to it. We absolutely love to share our passion for the fatherless with anyone who will listen.
I left a comment, but I don’t see it on your blog.
Ugh. I cannot figure out how to fix the ongoing problem. I love Disqus, but some comments don’t go there–they still go to the original commenting system (which is no longer visible to readers). I would love to know how to fix it. Sorry some of your comments are not showing. Please know that I read them all.
How much weight has Hailee gained since she came home?
Eleven pounds (and climbing)!
Do Hailee and Harper play together?
Yes, they do. More and more so recently. You know, when the LORD made it clear to us that we were to bring Harper home with Hailee (we had only committed to Hailee initially), one of the things we felt certain of was that she would be good for Hailee. We knew that she would be higher functioning and that it would be a good thing for Hailee. God never makes mistakes! Even now we are seeing how Harpy is amazing for Hailee. I look back on this post and am just amazed at how the Father told us, even before these two came home, that Harper would be a keystone in Hailee’s life. I love how God weaves families together.
Where are all the children who you have advocated for on your blog now? Are they all home?
I will write a separate post with all the details and their families blogs.
How do you find time to blog?
Late at night (probably a little too late).
I read that you are a vegetarian. Does the rest of your family eat meat? I would love for you to share some vegetarian recipes.
Yes, I am a veggie girl. Haven’t eaten meat for 24 years. My family though does still eat meat. However, not a lot. They eat a lot of vegetarian meals. I hardly ever buy red meat–they mainly eat chicken and fish. Absolutely–I can share some of our favorite meatless dishes with you. I might share some of my favorite websites and resources too…if you would be interested in that.
You are moving back to very cold winters. Are you okay with that?
Ha! It’s no secret…I hate snow! Going back to very long winters is something I have really had to get my head around. I’m a Southern hemisphere girl. We don’t do long, freezing winters where I come from. Actually, I do like snow….if I’m inside looking out of a window. Wimp. God has been so kind and gracious to me with our upcoming move. The thing is that when we are obedient to follow Him–laying aside all our fears, our concerns, and our doubts–He is so faithful to meet us right where we are. I am so conscious of His abounding grace in this season. His grace will get me there. And His grace will enable me to be content–no matter where I live, no matter what my circumstances. His grace is sufficient for me! Besides, “what is life, but a vapor?” (James 4:14).
Do you ever get to send updates to Hailee and Harper’s orphanage?
Actually, yes. When I was there last year I met an amazing group of American volunteers who were there to work with some of the kids who had special needs. They came with suitcases full of braces, walkers and other things to help the children there. It was incredible to watch them help children, who had never even stood up on their own before, find their legs with the help of a little walker. Amazing. Anyway, this group is currently back in Ukraine and they have gone back to our girls’ orphanage. They have taken some updated pics of our girls to show them. I wish I could be a fly on the wall. You can follow their blog here. They are such wonderful group of therapists. Please pray for them–that they would find favor there to work with even the most profoundly disabled kids (something which has previously not been permitted). Thanks!
There you have it. I think that answers all the questions recently. If I have missed something, or if you have something else which you are curious about, just ask in the comments and I will answer them there.
Have a super blessed Saturday, everyone.
