Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Grilling with Papa
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Let's try this again - - Play the "Guess My Referral Date" Game!
This past August, I invited you to play the referral-date guessing game for a chance to win a donation to your favorite orphan/adoption cause. Alas, there was no referral by the end of the year. Now I am upping the ante! I will make it worth your time to play along, so keep reading to find out how you can win a chance at $250for your favorite adoption cause, orphan charity, or fundraising adoptive family.
As I explained previously, I failed miserably at waiting gracefully while I was waiting for travel approval for Amelia. This time around, I told the Lord early on that I was *determined* to wait patiently...calmly....serenely. Quit laughing!!! It's rude!!!
I know, I know...just saying that should have clued me in that the Lord was going teach me a thing or two about waiting. Yes, as you might have guessed, what was supposed to be a short wait has turned into a longer wait. I know 9 months isn't so long compared to how long some families are waiting, but it's forever to me, and forever to The Chunster, who is on a mission to become the World's Best Big Sister. Also keep in mind that I have never waited for a referral before. The last time I adopted, I was matched right away with a waiting child.
My agency's program in Taiwan is rather new, and there is not a list of waiting children. Also, this time, I really feel impressed of the Lord not to leap with my heart first, but to TRUST and WAIT. That is really hard for me! I have always thought myself to be the kind of person to just say yes to the first opportunity, but this time the Father is teaching me that sometimes obedience is NOT walking forward, but standing still. Ouch! Double ouch because I am having to eat some words and attitudes I held before...judgment in my heart about others who have chosent to wait instead of to say yes to other opportunities.
I confess to judging harshly people who were being "picky" about what children they would or would not adopt (that's what I thought...maybe they were just being obedient to God - like I said, I am eating my judgmental thoughts!) Sometimes, for reasons we don't fully understand, God asks us to say no to things we would ordinarily think are from Him. Why? I am not sure. Sometimes, I think it might be an exercise in hearing His voice and obeying. Sometimes, I think it might just be He wants us to know that He has something different in store - maybe not any better or worse, but just different.
Which brings me to this post. I am in the waiting room. I don't know when I will be let out of the waiting room. I don't know when the "wait" will lift and it will be a resounding "GO!". But I do know this: I have decided to have FUN while I wait! What's more fun than a bloggy game?! (Don't answer that!)
Here’s how it will work: You select any date from today’s date to December 31 to choose when you think I will receive my referral. Whoever is closest to the right date, without going past that date, is the winner. So, for example, if you pick February 1, and someone else picks February 3, and the referral comes on February 2 (picked by nobody), then the winner would be the person who picked February 1.
The prize: I will make a $250 donation to the adoption/orphan charity of your choice or to a family of your choice who is in the process of adopting a child (any country). If there is more than one winner (i.e., more than one person picks the same date, and that date is the winning date), I will split the prize among the winners.
How to play: Leave a comment with the date you think the referral will come. Leave the name or website of the charity or family of your choice (yes, it can be your own family if you are adopting!)
To help you narrow down your date selection, here are some “helpful” hints: I am currently sitting at #1 on the waitlist. My dossier was approved on April 29, 2010, so as of right now, I am 9 months into the waiting phase. My agency told me in June that it might take 9-12 months for a referral (and they usually estimate conservatively). In December, they told me they expected to match me "in the next couple of months." As of today, no match...but who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Happy date-picking! Date-picking closes at midnight on Saturday, January 22.
Amy
As I explained previously, I failed miserably at waiting gracefully while I was waiting for travel approval for Amelia. This time around, I told the Lord early on that I was *determined* to wait patiently...calmly....serenely. Quit laughing!!! It's rude!!!
I know, I know...just saying that should have clued me in that the Lord was going teach me a thing or two about waiting. Yes, as you might have guessed, what was supposed to be a short wait has turned into a longer wait. I know 9 months isn't so long compared to how long some families are waiting, but it's forever to me, and forever to The Chunster, who is on a mission to become the World's Best Big Sister. Also keep in mind that I have never waited for a referral before. The last time I adopted, I was matched right away with a waiting child.
My agency's program in Taiwan is rather new, and there is not a list of waiting children. Also, this time, I really feel impressed of the Lord not to leap with my heart first, but to TRUST and WAIT. That is really hard for me! I have always thought myself to be the kind of person to just say yes to the first opportunity, but this time the Father is teaching me that sometimes obedience is NOT walking forward, but standing still. Ouch! Double ouch because I am having to eat some words and attitudes I held before...judgment in my heart about others who have chosent to wait instead of to say yes to other opportunities.
I confess to judging harshly people who were being "picky" about what children they would or would not adopt (that's what I thought...maybe they were just being obedient to God - like I said, I am eating my judgmental thoughts!) Sometimes, for reasons we don't fully understand, God asks us to say no to things we would ordinarily think are from Him. Why? I am not sure. Sometimes, I think it might be an exercise in hearing His voice and obeying. Sometimes, I think it might just be He wants us to know that He has something different in store - maybe not any better or worse, but just different.
Which brings me to this post. I am in the waiting room. I don't know when I will be let out of the waiting room. I don't know when the "wait" will lift and it will be a resounding "GO!". But I do know this: I have decided to have FUN while I wait! What's more fun than a bloggy game?! (Don't answer that!)
Here’s how it will work: You select any date from today’s date to December 31 to choose when you think I will receive my referral. Whoever is closest to the right date, without going past that date, is the winner. So, for example, if you pick February 1, and someone else picks February 3, and the referral comes on February 2 (picked by nobody), then the winner would be the person who picked February 1.
The prize: I will make a $250 donation to the adoption/orphan charity of your choice or to a family of your choice who is in the process of adopting a child (any country). If there is more than one winner (i.e., more than one person picks the same date, and that date is the winning date), I will split the prize among the winners.
How to play: Leave a comment with the date you think the referral will come. Leave the name or website of the charity or family of your choice (yes, it can be your own family if you are adopting!)
To help you narrow down your date selection, here are some “helpful” hints: I am currently sitting at #1 on the waitlist. My dossier was approved on April 29, 2010, so as of right now, I am 9 months into the waiting phase. My agency told me in June that it might take 9-12 months for a referral (and they usually estimate conservatively). In December, they told me they expected to match me "in the next couple of months." As of today, no match...but who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Happy date-picking! Date-picking closes at midnight on Saturday, January 22.
Amy
Friday, January 14, 2011
And the winner is...
The winner of the referral game is my dear friend, Cynthia, who guessed the latest date in December. There was no referral by the end of the year, so I will post an all-new contest here soon. Cynthia said I could pick the donation recipient, so the winner is.... The Smith Family Adoption! The Smiths have a son adopted through my agency's Taiwan program, and they are in the process of adopting a sibling set from Africa. You can read about them at: www.livingtolove.com
Congratulations to Cynthia and The Smiths! And don't worry...my time is coming! New game soon!
Congratulations to Cynthia and The Smiths! And don't worry...my time is coming! New game soon!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Getting ready for Christmas
As always, in search of one, great Christmas photo!
AiChun is really into Christmas this year. I think she is as exciting about GIVING presents as she is about receiving them, which is a new milestone in her development that is so fun to see.
She also has really understood the Christmas story this year. She has been so interested in all the parties - Mary, Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, the wise men. She was so disturbed by the emperor's order that all the babies in Bethlehem should be killed. But the biggest issue has been the actual birth. She is very interested in knowing who was there when Jesus was born. Was Mary alone? Did Joseph pull Jesus out? Did the innkeeper's wife volunteer to help? Who cut the cord? REALLY?!??! I mean, not to be graphic, but she has never seen a birth - how does she even know about cutting the cord? Sometimes, she is just too much.
We hope you have a very blessed Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
Amy
AiChun is really into Christmas this year. I think she is as exciting about GIVING presents as she is about receiving them, which is a new milestone in her development that is so fun to see.
She also has really understood the Christmas story this year. She has been so interested in all the parties - Mary, Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, the wise men. She was so disturbed by the emperor's order that all the babies in Bethlehem should be killed. But the biggest issue has been the actual birth. She is very interested in knowing who was there when Jesus was born. Was Mary alone? Did Joseph pull Jesus out? Did the innkeeper's wife volunteer to help? Who cut the cord? REALLY?!??! I mean, not to be graphic, but she has never seen a birth - how does she even know about cutting the cord? Sometimes, she is just too much.
We hope you have a very blessed Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
Amy
Monday, November 29, 2010
It's Mama Time
I am one very blessed mom. My Chunie-bug LOVES Mama time. She can never have too many hugs or snuggles. She climbs into my lap often. She still wants me to rock her at night. She asks for "a thousand kisses, Mom!" Admittedly, there are times when I want to say (and have said), "A little personal space, please!" However, every mom I know tells me to treasure it now because the days pass so quickly. I know they are right, so I am trying to memorize the feel of her little arms around my neck, savoring the snuggles for the days when she is grown.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Amelia's First Art Exhibition
Amelia's class had its first art exhibition. She was happy to show off her creations!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
