Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A little empty...

This week we have a lot to celebrate, we are almost done with the home study, we have a new fundraiser going on and Jacob is finally eating again after that nasty 5 day tummy sickness! But for some reason today I am a little...empty. We have been going non-stop for the last few weeks and it’s been awesome helping me keep my mind occupied. The house is cleaner, the remodels are done, the home study paperwork is done and the dossier paperwork is slowly getting done. But for some reason today I can't stop thinking about my babies I can't hold yet.
About a month ago we cleaned out the 3rd bedroom and now at that’s left in there is a desk that will be moved this weekend. I’m going to tell you a little secret, not even Chris knows, some nights I go in the room and just stand there and look at the empty room. I have visions of a little girl’s room with purples and grays or an older little boy’s room with toys all over the floor. I think about all the memories waiting to happen in that room. We are happy and blessed and we love our son so much, but I can’t help having that feeling like we are missing a few family members.
Monday I got an email from a family member that kind of hurt. In reply to us emailing her about our decision to adopt from Ethiopia, she stated that “If it is God’s will that you adopt, I will pray that He changes your heart to adopt in the USA and NOT a foreign country. We have a lot of babies here that need a loving home.” Ouch. I will state first that I agree with her last sentence, there are a lot of babies in the US that need homes…and there are MILLIONS of babies around the world that need loving homes, I don’t chose who I help by where they live but instead where I feel GOD leads me too. But besides all that, he statement hurt because to me we are expecting from Ethiopia (heck we will call it pregnant if you will) and if our “hearts change” it will be HEART BREAK! My babies are in Ethiopia, my children who I pray for and already love are in ETHIOPIA. Asking me to change where I am adopting from is like asking me to give up my kids! Still don’t get it? Praying for me to change the location we adopt from is like telling me that you are going to pray for a pregnant me to not be pregnant anymore. Overdramatic? Maybe, but this is how I feel.
Can I ask you to do me a favor? Can you pray for our brown-eyed babies? Can you pray with me that they are being loved on and cared for since we can’t yet? I know right now they are going through the worst pain they are ever going to face and I wish I could be there to dry their tears and hug them like only a mommy can.

~Abbey

Proverbs 16:9 "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."

Monday, November 28, 2011

Home Study scheduled and another fundraiser!!

Our home study meetings are scheduled!! We are meeting with our social worker THIS WEEK!! AHHHHH!! How amazing is that?!? We are meeting with her on Friday and Sunday!! Wow when God says move He means MOVE!! Everyday we are getting closer to holding our new child(ren)!




Also, here is another fundraiser we are doing!! My sister, Hannah, who is a Thirty-One consultant, has offered to do a fundraiser for us!! 100% of her commission will go toward our adoption fund when purchased under this party! Please note this party ends NOON, Dec. 12 which is both the cut off day for Christmas delivery guarantee and the end of the current special.


Thirty-One is a fun & unique line ...of products. Browse through the catalog to find everything from signature purses and totes to storage solutions that help organize your life. There's a little something for everyone. There's a fun special going on right now!! For every $31 you spend, get one All-In-One Organizer, Soft Wallet, Cinch Sac, Zip-Up Pencil Pouch or Flat Iron Case for ONLY $5! These items are originally valued from $10-$22! Buy gifts for others and keep these for yourself! Shop at http://www.mythirtyone.com/hannahcole/ and make sure to shop from "Abbey's Adoption Fundraiser"!

~Abbey

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

We are moving forward again!!

Hello!! First I wanted to say sorry to anyone who actually reads our blog! Things have been kind of busy and crazy and I felt the need to step away from the blog for a little while. But, I’m back! Today we FINALLY mailed off our huge home study packet!!!! YAY!!! Ok so maybe we took a little longer than expected (um by a few MONTHS) but I feel like God was slowing us down for a reason. When I took a step back I started listening to what God had planned for this adoption. I’m not going to lie; I didn’t do this on purpose. I got really negative and sad and even refused to pray because at one point I wasn’t sure what to pray about anymore. I even went as far as researching other options because it just seemed like we weren’t moving forward at all. Between repairs at home, financial issues and our schedule, I just felt like we were never going to be “home study ready”. Looking back, I know the slowdown was important. Slowing down forced us to look at our own motivations for this adoption and listen to God’s plan for this adoption. Since starting the adoption process, so many of our desires have changed and our hearts are slowly beginning to want what God wants. I will blog more about this later!

About three and a half weeks ago our home study social worker emailed us about a home study seminar that will count as one of our four required meetings…awesome right?? I thought about it and then forgot about it because I was certain that we had to have our packet in by then and I was certain that we would NOT have it ready yet. Thankfully an awesome adoptive mom Beth (check her out at give1save1.com) messaged me, encouraging me to go to the seminar and informed me that we could go BEFORE we turned in our paperwork! The funny thing is that for the last two years, I have consistently felt God telling me to wait, even when I felt God pushing us to start the adoption, He still reminded me to wait. When Beth encouraged us to attend the seminar I suddenly stopped hearing the “wait” and instead heard the “hurry!”! Friday we went to the seminar and TODAY we sent in our home study PAPERWORK!!! Thank you Beth for letting God use you to encourage us! I’m so excited (and nervous) to begin the home study meetings!!

~Abbey


Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."