A Penny for your thoughts

If you could read my mind, hear my thoughts what would they be? About 1000 times a day, is she ok?, Hungry, cold, will she bond with us? How will our flight be, will I get travel sickness? Will we make all our flights, will our case pass thur court the first time? Will she be a happy person? Is she afraid, all new faces in the new orphanage, what is going on in her little head. Can I rock her to sleep the first night or will she arch her back to be put down? If she goes to a Dr. will they use clean tools to check her out? How will our kids manage with us going away for about a week, I will miss them so much. Will we come home safe. I will dread the jet lag coming home, trying to get back into a normal routine. I hope the company's and contacts I have made this week will come through with enough donations to fill 4 tubs of much needed items. Will we get any "free" time in Ehtiopia to see the country some?

Biggest Need..

Our agency suggested that the biggest item needed for the orphanage they sponsor in Ethiopia is Powdered Formula and clothes, shoes for up to 5 years old. That being said, most airlines will allow 100 lbs checked per ticket. So basically we each could check two 50lbs bins.(200lbs!) If I was to pick between between being hungry or having clothes I would pick the food. I may bring a few shoes clothes ect, but I will be very careful as the weight adds up fast. The formula is much more important and very expensive in Ethiopia. It is all imported and with inflation prices most just can not afford to purchase it.

I have found a link for free formula samples and a donation sheet for free shoes.

http://robeez.com/SiteCM/U/D/E497FFE4D847E5ED.pdf

*Robeez Heart & Soul Program Shoes

http://www.membersmarkformula.com/free_sample.aspx?gclid=CPj8ovvvoJcCFQFvGgodjwEX-w

Above Free formula samples, not sure if you get mailed a coupon or the actual can, but I ordered one anyway and also asked family & friends to order some for us too!

This sums it all up:

So many families that have been trying to complete an adoption, failed infertility treatments, closed countries, birth moms not picking you ect.. In a nut shell this quote touches where we have been and what we have survived. It is true, but when you are in the middle of such heartache its hard to think of something wonderful is waiting for you.

"When God takes something from your grasp; He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you."

Quote of the Moment....Plan for a Merry Christmas

As for the economic pressure on parents, Gottlieb sounds a fatalistic note.

"Believe me, there are families with much bigger issues on their plates right now then worrying about whether their child will be unhappy because they did not get a particular toy," Gottlieb wrote in his "Out of the Toy Box" blog. "Delivering disappointment goes with the job of parenting."

What parent would not love to give their children a Christmas full of presents, mountains of presents? That however is out of the question for many families, including ours. What will we do to create memories that are not as easily forgotten as a present that is thrown to the wayside as soon as the batteries die? Well, we do art projects together, winter walks, visit the local outdoor Santa. (Even if the line is over an hour long.) Pile up with wonderful books from our library, take each night to read stories. Attend local churches, Christmas events, baking together. Remembering the much less fortunate, remember how lucky we are; and not how sad for the presents we can not purchase. This time of year is about the birthday for Jesus. The event my daughter remembers most is : Last year we decorated a birthday cake for Jesus. She asked tonight if we were going to do this again. I think that's a great idea! Please scale back the craziness that comes with the holiday season. Get back to a simple time of just plain enjoying each other. Not ending up Christmas Eve so tired that you are not able to enjoy the season.

"Traditions" Santa Visit

We told the Kids today

Well after dinner, M & M were told of the new sister they are going to have. We gave them each a photo of her. We told them some of the details then asked them if they had any questions. Big sister M, "What is her favorite food?", "What is her favorite animal", Big brother M, "Will she have stinky pants?" and "I will do everything for her." There you go from the mouths of babes! I still don't think they have a full grasp of how their world is going to be rocked! So for now we will enjoy the pending wait and prepare Big Sister and Big Brother the best we can. Hopefully the school will do a unit on Ethiopia, that would be neat.

Happy Birthday big A Look whos 7!