It Remains to be Seen...

When I see the little Ethiopian-born princess stomping across the church stage in her clumsy cow costume singing Joy to the World, while she grabs a stray toy axe, 3 feet from chopping the baby Jesus’s manger up, I just get to thinking…. About the little girl, who 2 Christmases ago was stuck in an orphanage, with a mound of paperwork and a wide, wide ocean separating her from our family. She didn’t know what was waiting for her. I see my own 29-year-old face, full of hope of what would one day be, but lined from the miles and worry that comes from taking little boys to and from autism therapy treatments and from feeling like your own womb has betrayed you. I didn’t know how God would would work, heal, and restore. I wonder about a specific soul I may never meet. I cannot imagine the brilliant face of the woman, or girl, who birthed my JG. Was she as bright, as tenacious of spirit, as stubborn, as funny? Did she have hope her baby would live? Or have a family who would treasure her?
When I get to wondering, I get to crying- crying over the words of “Joy to the World”. I see people rushing around in their fancy cars and tacky holiday sweaters, buying more loads of junk that their kids don’t need, that their sister-in-laws will roll their eyes over, and another tie that their stepdad won’t like, busy "makin' the yuletide gay." Christmas is about a baby. A baby who was a king, and hardly anyone knew or noticed. But for those who heard, and those who knew it was precious. They were people, waiting for a savior, and they saw him. He wasn’t what they may have expected; maybe their joy was not as complete as they hoped, because the Lord hadn’t come as a 30 year old conquering king, but as a baby. The “Joy to the World” kind of remains to be seen when you are sitting in a stable, surrounded by stinky animals, and the King of Glory is wrapped up in swaddling clothes. They didn’t know it, but Easter was coming.
I am happy when I see my baby girl prancing across the stage and shouting out the words to “Jesus Loves Me” like she’s auditioning to be the next Beyonce. But part of the Joy to the World remains to be seen….and that is the day I’m waiting for…where the glories of His righteousness are revealed in full, faith is made sight, and every tear is wiped away.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love, And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders, of His love.
I wish you friends, a very Merry Christmas and much joy in the New Year!

A Washington, Oregon, & Florida Thanksgiving with Georgia on My Mind

We have been DTE (dossier to Ethiopia) for 3 months now. We are currently #21 for a baby girl, and #9 for a toddler. We have been visiting relatives all over the nation & homeschooling like mad trying to beat the clock to be finished with 1st & 3rd grades before new baby comes home… and speaking of “new baby” we officially announced her name to family while on vacation: Georgia! Her name had to be sweet, classic, and southern…like me, of course. It is one part George Mueller, one part sweet tea. Perfection.




Eyes as blue as the Atlantic

 

Enjoy the pix of our vacation & I even have a little 3-Month-DTEversary gift for you….

Vacation Hindsight Being 20/20:



Cousin Capers

1. If you walk into your aunt’s house and the first thing you notice is the kitchen smoke detector’s battery is missing, that should be the first clue that you should start praying for take-out Chinese.

2. If your family has more drama than Susan Lucci during sweeps week, expect tears, a surprise family member to show up to events, & learning a deep dark secret. Take it all in stride, not counting the potential cost of therapy needed, but instead consider possible book deals awaiting you in the future.

3. When your cousin says, “ I made yours light on the pina, heavy on the colada”, perhaps you should clarify exactly what that means.

4. When the same cousin says “get out the video camera, we totally rocked that song on karaoke!” perhaps you should consider the ramifications to your self esteem after becoming an overnight Youtube sensation.

5. Karaoke is enlightening b/c you realize that you have been singing the wrong lyrics for about 20 years. BTW: “latigo” is the leather strap used to adjust the saddle’s girth on a horse. In slightly related news: after a month of eating your way across America don’t be surprised if your “horse” needs to loosen his/her “latigo” quite a few notches, if you catch my drift.

6. Don’t allow your beautiful & talented cousin to dye your hair the day before you take Christmas card pictures. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes.

3 Mouseketeers

7. When you travel cross-country with 3 beautifully mismatched children, people will stare because they wonder if you are crazy, a kidnapper, or perhaps a celebrity nanny.

8. Next fundraiser idea:: take pledges for a Potty-a-thon : if I had a dollar for every time my 3 year old begged to use a public restroom, I could have saved myself the many hours of filling out grant applications.

i think we are starting to look alike!?

One Monthiversary on the Waiting List!

It has been one month since our precious paperwork flew across the pond to Ethiopia.  Being wild and crazy as DH and I are, we celebrated by eating takeout from PoBoy express, opening up the windows to enjoy the nice fall Louisiana weather, filling out adoption grant applications, and then having intense allergy attacks resulting in sinus infections.
While I'm feeling reminiscent (maybe it's the cold, maybe it's the paper-pregnancy hormones, maybe it's the homeschool mom's dry erase markers)...here's where we were a long time ago, on our DTE One Monthiversary waiting for Jane-Grace...you know back when we only went through three boxes of cereal in a week, and I could still pick up middle child without making a strange grunting sound.

Last Day to Order Show Hope Shirts!!!!

*******Order has been placed.  Still want a shirt?  That's great!  I will place my next order in about a month...or as soon as I have 12 shirt orders. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ORDERED!!!  You helped us raise $500 to bring home our next princess & also helped fund Show Hope in their amazing orphan care ministry!  ***Do you love Steven Curtis Chapman, know every word to his songs, and wave at the "Franklin, TN" highway sign as you pass by, sighing that your hair will just never stick up in the right places like SCC?  Well, friend, your sighing days are over!  You can look like Steven Curtis for only $30 (or at least own a replica of his shirt). 
We are selling Show Hope shirts to help bring home our next Ethiopian cutie!  Here's how it works: 1. Pay for a shirt ($30 adult/ $25 kids).  Half the $$ goes to help our adoption, half to Show Hope (win/win).  I will place the order as soon as i reach 24 shirts (hopefully the end of September).  2. You wear your shirt proudly while you lip-sync to "The Great Adventure"!

Red, Chocolate, Smoke, Blue "I Show Hope": S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X
White long-sleeved Tree Tee (Women slim fit): S, M, L, XL, 2XL
I Dig Show Hope (Women slim fit): S, M, L, XL, 2XL
I Dig Show Hope Youth: YXS(4/6), YS(6/8), YM(8/10), YL(10/12), YXL(14/16)
Black Tree Tee: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
Violet I *heart* Show Hope (Women slim fit): S, M, L, XL
Violet I *heart* Show Hope Child: 6months, 12 months, 18 months, 2T, 3T, 4T
Please specify shirt size and style in the paypal message and thanks for your order!! (Locals can write a check)

Adult or Child Size

Adult Size Shirt $30.00 Child Size Shirt $25.00

Prudence, Mercy, and Risk

More than one person has said to me, "You can't possibly want to adopt a child older than an infant!  Think of the psychological damage, the bonding issues!"  In light of that fear, this is a good read by Dr RDM: "Is the orphan my neighbor?"

Junk Posse Necklace Giveaway

Admit it.  You troll Etsy or blogstalk innocent people 2000 miles from your home, looking for cool adoption/ Africa (or Guatemala or China...) fundraiser stuff.  It's ok.  I'm here to help!  Into the Streets of Ethiopia is doing a giveaway of a beautiful swirly Africa necklace!  Check it out!!  If you don't win...you can buy it on Etsy.  What a wonderful way to celebrate finally turning in that adoption application, being DTE (hint, hint, Dear Hubby), getting your referral, or the anniversary of gotcha day....  I happen to know that Into the Streets is an amazing organization.  DH is on the board and our church supports and prays for the orphans & street kids that N2TS (that's the street lingo, get with it, sista) helps:)

Look Who's 3!!!!!!!

Keepin' busy, nesting, and more adoption fundraisers than you can shake a stick at....

During the paperchase, I took sewing lessons to revive my childhood skillz...and Beignet Baby was formed to help us fundraise for our second adoption. Then, because my hubby's teenage dream was to be the drummer for SCC, and because Show Hope is amazing (and became a part of our first adoption story), we started our T-shirt fundraiser. We have also have had 5 days of garage sales. Just to keep us busy, our youth are doing an Adoption fundraiser carwash in 2 weeks. And our lovely kickboxing-photog-youth pastor's wife is doing a photography shoot fundraiser for our Princess Peach in October. Wow. Here's some pix of the dresses I've made lately. If you call me and I don't pick up by the 3rd ring, maybe now you know why!

Look Like Steven Curtis Chapman for only 30 Bucks!

We are selling Show Hope shirts to help bring home our next Ethiopian cutie!  Here's how it works: 1. Pay for a shirt ($30 adult/ $25 kids).  Half the $$ goes to help our adoption, half to Show Hope (win/win).  I will place the order as soon as i reach 24 shirts (hopefully the end of September).  2. You wear your shirt proudly while you lip-sync to "The Great Adventure"!

Red, Chocolate, Smoke, Blue "I Show Hope": S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X
White long-sleeved Tree Tee (Women slim fit): S, M, L, XL, 2XL
I Dig Show Hope (Women slim fit): S, M, L, XL, 2XL
I Dig Show Hope Youth: YXS(4/6), YS(6/8), YM(8/10), YL(10/12), YXL(14/16)
Black Tree Tee: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
Violet I *heart* Show Hope (Women slim fit): S, M, L, XL
Violet I *heart* Show Hope Child: 6months, 12 months, 18 months, 2T, 3T, 4T
Please specify shirt size and style in the paypal message and thanks for your order!! (Locals can write a check)

Adult or Child Size

Adult Size Shirt $30.00 Child Size Shirt $25.00

The race is on! The Dossier has left the building....

Dossier is pronounced "doss-ee-ay" or "doss-ee-air" in southern dialect.  noun. a collection of papers containing detailed information about a particular person or subject.  In adoption this is the mound of paperwork collected in a crazed manner by the paper-pregnant mama or papa.  Sometimes the dossier is hollered at, sung too, prayed over, or protected like an endangered species at an NRA convention.   It took a self-proclaimed "expert" over six months to collect, even though we had done it once before.  We are relieved that it is off to America World Adoption Association, it officially secures our place on the waiting list, and our paperwork will have to meet some final checks and be certified by good ole Hilary before it can be sent off to Ethiopia for translation & court.  We should be matched with a child/children sometime between December and June.  Our official request is one to two girls between 3- 40 months.  So, no matter what...trust me, we'll be surprised!

Prayers of a Teenage Me (& their replies)

As the 5th anniversary of my 29th birthday is right around the corner, I have been walking down memory lane. We continue to wait, oh-so-patiently, for our I171h to come in the mail so that we can ship off our paperwork to adopt princess #2...and I thought you might enjoy where i was 17 years ago in my prayer life...

• Dear God, your will be done. Use me for your glory.  Dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it.” (Psalm 22) I, the LORD, am a shield around you. I will bestow glory on you & lift up your head. (based on Psalm 3)
• Please, never EVER ask me to home school when I get old.  Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4 (just not from homeschooling)
• Help me get into law school (Duke would be awesome)…just think of the tithe! Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice…(1 Samuel 15:22) 
• Help your gospel to go forth, but please don’t send me anywhere in the world without air conditioning, especially Africa… and Miami (even if it does have air conditioning).  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)   Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth, shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth! Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been granted in what he ordaineth? (Praise to the Lord, the Almighty hymn translated by Catherine Winkworth) 
• Please, if I must marry a preacher, at least let him be rich (or have rich parents).  Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine…for the world is mine, and all that is in it. (Psalm 50)
• Give me a husband just like my friend Dean, just whiter, and taller.  The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) Tan is good & give away your high heels.
• Dear God, I just scored a negative 3 in “mercy” on a Spiritual Gifts Inventory! (I told you I should have been a lawyer!) How is that even possible, anyways? Am I still saved? Please teach me to show mercy, as I have been shown mercy.  A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. (Psalm 68:5) Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

Some people just won't "get it"

Adoption is not a one-week mission trip where you come back with a tiny buzz & a cool machete & a few tales of danger or the sadness of poverty. It is the redeeming of a LIFE, forever changed. It costs you more than money: it costs all the days of your lifetime, hard work, tears, sometimes reputation, family, or friends. “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.” It is guts and glory. Wait for the glory.

Beautiful Brylie!

Brylie is one of my favorite 10 year olds in the entire world.  She is an example to so many kids that look up to her and she is simply adored by my JG!  Check out Brylie wearing a Baby Beignet dress!

Fathers Day & Into the Streets of Ethiopia

Do you need a Father's Day card that does more than just sit there on the shelf?   My friend, Alisa, is making cards to send to the special men in your life...and 100% of your donation will go to Into the Streets of Ethiopia!  What a wonderful way to celebrate Dad!!! Click on either link to order yours today:)

First "Beignet Baby" Dress

I am dusting off my sewing skills from childhood & middle school home ec to create a new super-cute business to help fund our second adoption. I will post more pix of my creations later, and we should have fabric samples and a way to order online by June!