Time.......

From Dossier to Haiti to boys home with us:
316 days
Or
10 months, 10 days

From our application to adopt from the creche to Dossier to Haiti:
224 days
Or
7 months, 9 days

Total time from meeting the boys, deciding to adopt and until they came home = 540 days
Or
1 year, 5 months, 22 days


time at home (as of today) as a family of 4 = 17 days

Info from USCIS about pending adoptions....click here

What do you make of this? Clear as mud?

IF you are in process of adopting from Haiti READ THIS NOW!!!

I rec'd this from a fellow adoptive parent in Indiana. PASS IT ON. PRAY. Lena



Below is a portion of the briefing our office received from the Department of State in Washington . I wanted to make you aware of the information right away. I will contact you once any new information when it becomes available.

Adoptions Info

U.S. citizens with pending adoption cases in Haiti are requested to contact the Department of State at AskCI@state.gov for information about their adoption case. In your inquiry, please include: full name and contact information of parents, full name(s) of child(ren), date(s) of birth of child(ren) [if known], and the name and contact information of orphanage. Your constituents can find additional information about adoptions in Haiti at http://adoption.state.gov/news/Haiti.html#.

does anybody know...

exactly where in the Haitian adoption process is "Civil Judgment" ? It may be a step just before Parquet, or it may be a(n) (early) step in Parquet.

It is not listed here, which is the most recent info I have been able to find on the Haitian adoption process by someone working on them in Haiti.

Does anybody know?

Pray with me, please

Hi all,

Thanks for your tips, suggestions and thoughts on the whole issue of school. It's been helpful. I will continue to pray about it and see where God leads.

Today, I am praying specifically for fast, forward movement of our adoption file / dossier. I am asking God to protect every single piece of paper and to guide it all through the system. I am so thankful for the fast forward movement we have had so far, and pray God allows it to continue. I am also praying for God's provision as to the remaining adoption expenses.

Will you pray with me?

Thank you.

Info on Haitian adoption process

Here's a link that outlines the current Haitian adoption process-the steps on that side, after dossier prep/submission. It does not mention the new step where parents have to go and sign the notebook at the tribunal. My understanding is that step needs to take place before the MOI step. And MOI is no longer called that-it has more letters/a bigger name.

Just thought I'd pass it along.

At home...even though I'm thousands of miles away from home...

That's the best way I can describe it. This feeling is odd to me, because this sort of travel is/was so out of my comfort zone, prior to that first trip in July of 2008. Hard to believe I can feel comfortable and at home, like I belong here, some place so very different from my home. I attribute most of this to God. His peace-the kind that surpasses all understanding....the prayers of His people. I CAN FEEL THEM. Please do not stop. YOUR prayers are so important. So vital. So needed. So effective. Please keep praying.

Tomorrow, Sunday-we're going to go to church...checking out a new church this time. And I think we have another outing planned...then an afternoon of work at the orphanage. I cannot wait to share pictures, once I get home.

Oh, and the last post titled "Oh by the way" said that we are out of IBESR, in case the title did not pique your interest. PROOF that God answers prayers and is in the business of miracles. We got in and out of IBESR in 2 months. TWO months. That IS a miracle. This is a process that often takes between 4 and 16+ months........and we got out in 2. My heart breaks for those families that are languishing in this step or any of the others.....I am thrilled for our family, and I remember to pray for other families stuck in the process. Please join me in praying.

Please keep praying for rapid (supernatural) forward movement in our adoption files/process.

So, soon, on to Parquet, where the children become our children in the eyes of the Haitian government.

Thanks for praying.

Ephesians 3:20 keeps coming to mind. I love this verse. Go look it up, I'm not gonna put it here. Get your Bible and read it. :-)

REALLY?!?!?

Image via Wikipedia

So I've heard bits and pieces of a new step being added to the Haitian adoption process. Really?!?!

The rumors have been swirling for the past month or two....

The first version said that the adoptive dad had to go to court in Haiti and appear before a judge to state that he was aware of the adoption, and really wanted to adopt the child(ren). Really?!?!

The second-third and fourth versions said both adoptive parents had to appear in person and confirm their desire to adopt. Really?!?!

That does appear to be the case, at least at the moment. I am aware of several families that are in Haiti right now, due to this new requirement. I hope to learn more after they return to the States.

Because we are in the early stages of the Haiti side of things (it pains me to even type that because we are at over 14 months in the process already and we are in the early part of the Haiti side of things), we have time to prepare and plan (ie raise money). I will also be looking into if it is possible for us to complete this step early-before we get to that stage of the "process". That could save an added trip.

For us, each week long trip to Haiti costs us between $1400-$1800 per person. We could save a few bucks by staying a shorter time. But we sort of figure if we are going to dole out the money for the airfare, we might as well enjoy some time with our boys and help out at the Orphanage.... It seems silly to go that far for less than a week. But that is an option.

Some other families were in the later stages, and this new step has the potential to significantly delay their process. As if 2-4 years was not enough time to process an adoption. Really?!?!

What appears to be true is that this is a certain judge, in a certain court, in a certain city. And yes, that is where our stuff will go. So it is possible that this step will evaporate before we get there. Or more steps could be added. Really?!?!

It also appears to be true that this is a politically motivated change. And that the people who "decided" this step was necessary KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT THE ADOPTION PROCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously-as creative and outside the box I tend to think I cannot come up with a way that I would be able to do this without my husband's willing participation. The money. The letters. The home-study. The BLOOD TESTS. The photos. The tax returns. The multiple sets of finger prints. The psychological evaluation. The medical exams. Did I mention the money? or the BLOOD TESTS?!?! Really?!?!

Honestly, it tells me that the "powers that be" have no idea of what the U.S. requires for parents to be approved to adopt (that is a legal/court process). But worse, it tells me that the "powers that be" have no idea WHAT THEIR OWN COUNTRY REQUIRES.

There are different theories as to why this new step. I am not going to get into the reasons why.

I don't care. I really don't care why.

This is not something I am going to be able to change.

So I've got to let it go, or I will go crazy.


I.
Will.
Go.
Crazy.


And not the fun, goofy, silly, funny kind of crazy that I love to be.

The lock-me-up-in-a-room-medicate-and-restrain-me-so-I-don't-hurt-myself-or-anyone-else-and-throw-away-the-key-kind of CRAZY.

SNAP. What's that you say?
That's my break from reality.
My psychotic break.
It could happen.

So I've got to let it go.

This is a battle, people.
We need prayer to get it done.
God is not surprised by this.
God is still in control.
We need to hit our knees in prayer.
There is no other option.
None.

Join us, and the other families caught in this "process" and the children growing up in orphanages when there are loving families that CAN and WANT to provide for them.

Love them.
Feed them.
Snuggle them.
Teach them.
Care for them.
Pray for them.

Pray for us.
Pray for me.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,

but against the rulers, against the authorities,

against the powers of this dark world

and against the spiritual forces of evil

in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:12

One year ago.....

Image by hoyasmeg via Flickr

I took a step of faith, obeying God and following Him way, way, WAY out of my comfort zone. I don't know if I can convey just how far out of my comfort zone this was....you'll just have to trust me on this one. (One example, I used to get nervous driving to CANADA. seriously. I used to be so fear-based, it blows my mind, looking back.)

I went on my first short term mission trip ever last year at this time.

When our church started planning the mission trips for that year, there were 3 or 4 separate trips planned, to different countries. In the early planning stages, the meetings were held jointly for all the different trips. The various leaders would present information on the country and the projects that the team would be doing while in country. Then we would split up into smaller groups based on the country/team/trip we were most interested in.

I went to the meetings, because I have always been interested in missions.

But I never had the __________________ (time, money, ability, group to go with, faith, etc., you fill in the blank with any excuse you can think of, and I had it) to go.

I would listen to the plans and discussions and think, that'd be neat, but I never did anything about it.

Eventually it came time to commit (*uh-oh, I have commitment issues also) to one trip, one country.

Haiti just "floated to the top" of my interest list. It wasn't like there was a big flashing neon sign or an audible word from God, but more like it just felt right. Haiti got "under my skin" and "into my heart" from the begining.

And so, I went about making plans.

Passport. Check.
Shots. Check.
Time off work. Check.
Fundraising. Check.
Gathering supplies. Check.
Reading all I could about Haiti and Three Angels Children's Relief. Check.
Packing. Check.

I remember the anxiety mixed with excitement.

I remember the full blown fear that tried to turn to panic at times.

I remember thinking of all the good I was going to do. (this one is funny in hindsight)

I remember wondering if I was doing the right thing, for the right reasons.

I remember getting negativity and objections and an overall lack of support from some people. Some of which I expected. Others were a shock.

I remember raising exactly the amount I needed to pay for this trip, down to the dollar, by the deadline/due date.

Even on the day of departure, there were things that came up that in the past, would have made me change my mind and stay home. But somehow, this day, this time was different. When the "things" came up, I became more determined-I viewed the obstacles as confirmation that I was indeed on the right path.

And so, I took a leap of faith.

And I will be forever grateful that I did.

For it is on that first trip that I met the children that God had chosen for our family from the beginning of time.

And I began what I have come to call our "adoption adventure". And what an adventure it has been and will continue to be.

I still don't know when the boys will come home, but God does.

I still can't see how I am going to pay all of the adoption fees, but God has a plan.

I don't know what sort of emotional or behavioral issues the boys are going to have or not have. But God does, and He will equip us to deal with whatever it is that we will need to deal with, in the right time, His perfect timing.


What I CAN see is this:

I now have now is a deeper and closer relationship with God. It is mind-blowing at times.

I am starting to get and really understand what words like: surrender, acceptance, trust, love and faith look and feel like.

I have a stronger and more intense prayer life.

I have a building confidence in God as my provider.

I have many many more opportunities to share with all sorts of people what God has done in my life, how He has adopted me, into His family. How I am not who I was.

I have friends all over the world who share the same passion for people less fortunate than we are. I have friends, oh, do I have a whole new network of friends: for prayer, for support, for venting, for encouraging, for learning, for understanding, for listening, for crying together.

And I have a family. A mother's love. A connection to two children that I did not give birth to.

And even if these children never come home to live with us, I will have gained much. No matter what happens in this world, I have gained much from this "adoption adventure" that started with a simple step of faithful obedience.

And for that, I am grateful.

Moved.
To.
Tears.
Grateful.

On.
My.
Knees.
In.
Humble.
Prayer.
Grateful.


Readers, if God is telling you to do something, please do not delay and miss out on the blessings He wants for you. Obedience is the key. Stepping outside of our comfortable lives is the key. I implore you not to put off obeying God.

God is good.

He loves you.

He's not mad at you.

He wants you back.

No matter what.

I get it now. I finally get it, God.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer. 29:11

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Mathew 6:34

aaahhh....I needed this today....

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

Lord, You are my God.

I honor and praise You

because you have done amazing things.

You have always done what You said You would do;

You have done what You planned long ago.

Is. 25:1

You, Lord give true peace to those who depend on You, because they trust You.

So, (Lena) trust the Lord always

because He is our Rock forever.

Is. 26:3-4

Thank You, Lord for this reminder.

Help me to keep my focus in the right place, today.

On You.

Amen.

Not that I'm counting or anything......

But here's the current countdown to the next time I plan/expect/hope to hold and see my children in person, in Haiti.

• Your Countdown Time is 0 years, 4 months and 4 days.
• Your Countdown is also exactly 127 days.
• Your Countdown is also approximately 3,048 hours.
• Your Countdown is also approximately 182,880 minutes.
• Your Countdown is also approximately 10,972,800 seconds.

In other words, too long.

But on the other hand, at least I have something to look forward to.

What is faith?

It is the confident assurance

that what we hope for

is going to happen.

It is the evidence

of things we cannot yet see.

Hebrews 11:1 NLT

Items added to online auction site

Including some handmade in Haiti jewelry, other Haitian souvenirs and even a kids DVD. Plus there are still a bunch of other items available-either because of no bids or because winning bidders did not pay.

To "meet" the Haitian woman who made the newest jewelery to be posted, click here for a quick introduction.

Click here to check it out and bid on what you like. Remember all funds raised are used to help us with adoption expenses. If you want a tax receipt for a donation contact me first as there are different steps to take to keep everything legit.

Please help spread the word. Our online auction will be this week's featured item/link on this blog. You could email your friends-from the individual item listing, you could post a link on your blog, facebook, myspace or twitter accounts. Any thing would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I could not have said this better.

Image by www.PCharlon.es  via Flickr

My friend Stephanie wrote a post today, that sums up most of what I've been experiencing lately.

Click here to read A Love/Hate Relationship.

Our Adoption Time Line

Image by S Migol via Flickr

In an effort to clean up the blog a little bit, I am making our time line a post. Then I will add a link to click on in the side bar. Apparently, I'm still in a bit of an organizing mood and I want to clean up the blog a tad. (for those of you not on facebook-I have been on a closet cleaning rampage this weekend). No one got hurt though, so no worries there. ;-)

Alright, enough of that, back to the reason for this blog post:

Our Adoption Timeline: Haiti

Here is where we are, where we've been, and where we're going...

First trip to Haiti, Mama met the boys: July 2008
Applied to the creche to adopt: July 25, 2008
Rec'd approval from 3A's: August 6, 2008
Dossier and International Home Study preparation: August 2008-February 2009

Second trip to Haiti; first time officially as Mama December 2008
International Home Study approved: January 2009

Third trip to Haiti for Mama, first for Papa March 2009
Dossier to Haiti: March 9, 2009

Fourth trip to Haiti for Mama April 2009
I-600 filed in Haiti April 20, 2009

Birthparent interview May 20, 2009
USCIS made a "favorable determination" about the orphan status of the boys: June 5, 2009

First Legal: ??
Enter IBESR: September ?? 2009 (we were notified on September 18, 2009)
(time from dossier to Haiti to being notified that we entered IBESR = 193 days or 6 months and 9 days.)
Exit IBESR: November 18, 2009 (that is TWO months). God is GREAT!!
Parquet: ?
2nd Legal: ?
Enter MOI: ?
Exit MOI:?
Passport: ?
Earthquake: January 12, 2010
8 hours not knowing if the boys were okay or not. Lots of prayer.....lot of tears of relief when we got word that they were unharmed.

Visa: Humanitarian Parole issued January 18, 2010

Travel to bring the boys home: Boys arrived in Florida on January 18, 2010. We arrived in Florida on Tuesday January 19, 2010 and returned to Arizona on Weds. January 20, 2010

From and including:DTH Monday, March 9, 2009
To, but not including : Us getting to the boys in Florida Tuesday, January 19, 2010
It is 316 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date
Or 10 months, 10 days

Three more!

Image via Wikipedia

Three more children have gone home; to the US and their forever families in the past few weeks.

That makes 11 children home from Three Angels in a very short period of time. Praise God that Haitian adoptions do in fact get completed and approved and children do get to come home to their families.

Please keep these families and children in your prayers, as this is a time of grief and transition. So much to adjust to. New surroundings, new rules, new people, new language, new sights, new sounds, new smells. Pray that the children would begin to attach to their parents and siblings. Pray that the parents would have wisdom and patience for dealing with and teaching the children what they need to learn.

Also keep praying for the children and staff still in Haiti-as they say goodbye and go on with their day to day lives.

And pray for the families of children still waiting to go home.

Our day will come.

Quick Update-I have been speechless for a few days.

This is a bit of a bipolar post. Full of ups and downs. My life is sort of like that these days. Friends and family moving away. Job changes. Financial stuff. Decisions. Big decisions. Small decisions. I don't think I am losing it. Maybe I am. But if I was, I don't think I would be aware of it, do you? Hmmmm. I'm pretty aware that my emotions are all over the place right now. I think that I just have to laugh or cry. Sometimes, both at the same time. So read on, at your own risk. LOL


Last week, I got an email from USCIS that says they have made a "favorable determination" regarding our AOF application. What this means is that USCIS has reviewed documents submitted and at least initially found that the boys meet the legal definition of orphan, as is required for immigration to the United States. That is good news. It's one small step in a process full of big and small steps. I don't really think it means we are any closer or anything like that-it just means that one thing has been accomplished. The letter tells me to pursue the adoption abroad, and then submit those documents to USCIS for a final approval. And it gives a deadline of September 2009. THAT made me laugh out loud.

In reviewing the letter, I also saw something else, that was not good news.

It's strange, because it is not something that I did not know.

I mean, I did already know this, but there was something about seeing it in black and white that just sort of took my breath away. Part of the documents reviewed include the forms/paperwork that the birth family filled out when they relinquished the boys to the orphanage.

Now I KNEW how long my boys have lived there. I have seen the pictures and talked to people involved with the orphanage long before me. This was not new information to me, but seeing the date in black and white really did a number on me. It took my breath away. It broke my heart. It forced me to my knees and to cry out to God. I have cried for the last several days, off and on. Fine one moment, not fine the next. Better when I don't think about it. But it's pretty hard not to think about it.

They have been there too long. That's all I'm going to say about it. It's a good place. They are happy. They are loved. They are fed. They are cared for. They are learning. It is a good place and I'm HAPPY they are there, for the alternative could be so much worse. And yet, it saddens me deeply because children belong in families, not in orphanages. Period. end of story.

I pray for the children-these two boys especially, but for all the children living in group settings or worse, on the streets. Who will care for them? Who will do something?

I read a verse recently that said (my paraphrase) not to steal from orphans BECAUSE GOD IS THEIR DEFENDER..........and defend He will. I can't recall where the verse was exactly, I think it was in Proverbs. God is the defender of orphans. That's pretty powerful. I like the image.

I pray that God protects these children's hearts. I pray that He helps me deal with it-and I pray that people will step up and DO SOMETHING for these precious children.

Like Tara L.

See the side bar (back on the upper left hand side of this blog page) for this week's feature and read about what she is doing. Click on the before/after picture of the little boy and read about what Tara is doing. She's an American living in Haiti. Has been there for four+ years. Has bio and adopted children. Teaching women skills. Making a difference, and running a marathon to save the lives of Haiti's malnourished children-you can help, right there from the comfort of your own computer screen. Click on the link, read the stories and give if you feel led to give.

I pray that God's people will DO SOMETHING.

Homesick for Haiti

Here are two wonderfully written posts- I couldn't have said it any better. I have no news, nothing has changed in our adoption. So it's not a bad news day. It's just another no news day, of which there will be many many many more.

I'm feeling Haiti homesick at the moment. To feel better, I pray. And I look at pictures and videos. That helps, some.

I'm really missing the boys today. Wish I could hop on a plane.....

at any rate, here's what I wanted to share with you today.

Adoption Delays

and

What's Wrong With Us?

Life. Death. Adoption. Attachment.

Our last Christmas together.

Today is the fourth anniversary of my mom's transition from this life to eternal life.

Four years.

48 months.

208 weeks.

1460 days.

Wow.

That is hard to fathom.

On one hand, it feels like yesterday.

On the other hand, it seems like an eternity ago.

Four years.

Throughout my life, I have lost many things.

Dreams.

Plans.

Hopes.

Relationships.

Pets.

Money.

The "ideal."

Jobs/Careers.

Innocence.

I have also lost other people. Acquaintances. Friends. Children of friends. Relatives. This was not my first experience with death. I attended funerals. I cried for those other people and their families. I was sad. Down. Blue. Grieving. Or so I thought. I guess in my own limited capacity, I was indeed grieving.

When my mom died it was an experience (pain) like no other. Now that I am on this Adoption Adventure and learning more about "attachment" I look back on that time, and can really see exactly what "attachment" is. The only problem is that you can't really see "attachment." It's not something you can hold in your hand and measure. The pain and grief that I experienced when my mom died was different than those earlier losses.

More intense.

More excruciating.

More painful.

And that, my friends, is evidence of "attachment." As complicated as my relationship with my mother was at times, there is absolutely no question that we shared "attachment."

As I watch my friends and relatives and their children interact, I do see glimpses of "attachment." I see the infants cry when their mom puts them down or leaves the room. I see the preschoolers come running to their moms when they fall down or when the other kids aren't being nice and their feelings are hurt. I see kids whisper to their mom because they are too shy to talk in front of me or the group of adults that is gathered around someones kitchen island. I even see "attachment" in the way a big (teenage) brother looks out for one of his younger siblings.

It seems to me that "attachment" is something that is learned. Over time. Parents who give birth to their kids and/or adopt them as an infant have a leg up on fostering "attachment" over those of us adopting older children. This is part a function of time, and part a function of infancy. A new born baby requires a lot of time and attention. And a newborn baby is so small, so precious, so cute, that we (adults) feel warm and fuzzy toward that baby, automatically (in most instances).

If baby cries and a parent meets the need-comforts the child, the child feels warm and fuzzy and "attachment" is created. And then reinforced over and over by the positive interactions and care giving of the parent to the child. This happens millions of times during infancy, and the child learns to trust that his/her needs will be met. As opposed to the child living in a neglectful or abusive situation, on the streets, or in an orphanage setting. In those situations, often, the child cries/has a need and there is not an adult available to meet the need. Or worse, the expressed need is met by abuse or harm. So the child learns that he/she must meet their own needs, and eventually shuts down the feeling of need, because it is just too painful to express a need and have it go unmet. This is a useful survival skill, but it will be a problem in future relationships. It will be a block to true intimacy and connection.

Now for those of us adopting older children, the good news is that this "attachment" can be learned (in my opinion). You can meet the needs of your older adopted child by treating them as you would an infant.

For a season.

Responding to their needs. Promptly.

Figuring out what their different cries mean.

Comforting them.

Feeding them.

Rocking them.

Snuggling/cuddling them.

Paying attention to them.

Being fully present with them.

Trying to figure out what their (mis)behavior is telling you.

Spending time with them.

Helping them build a vocabulary to ask for what they need.

Remember, that even though your child is older, chronologically, they are in a different place (younger) developmentally. Even that child that acts more mature and all grown up. Perhaps, especially that child.

So, when my older kids come home, and you see me "babying" them, don't judge. When we request some time alone, just our immediate family and the new arrivals, don't be upset.

Just know that I am trying to teach them that I am the one they can come to when they need something. Know that I am trying to help them unlearn some stuff they've learned along the way and re-learn what it means to be a child, to be loved, nurtured and taken care of and kept safe.

Eventually, they will get it. At least that is my prayer. Once they "attach" to me, they will be able to "attach" to others and to God. After all, that is the "attachment" that matters most. If they can't do it with me, their mama, how on earth can we expect them to develop healthy relationships with other people and a healthy spiritual condition? That is my job, to point them toward their heavenly Father-who is the only one who can meet all our needs. If I can do that, I have done my job.

I "get" what attachment is now, because I have experienced the loss of it. Or more accurately, the loss of someone to whom I was very attached. It's one of those concepts that you have to experience to "get." And, I have survived the loss. Learned a lot. Grown closer to God, mostly out of necessity. I had no choice but to crawl up into my "Papa's" lap and be comforted. And comforted I was. Amazingly. Indescribably. Beyond words. And my "attachment" to God has grown because I was Held (Natalie Grant song) There's the blessing in disguise-the silver lining in the cloud.

I started to "feel like my self again" around the 3 year mark of my mother's death. The pain stopped being so sharp and, well, painful that I thought I would die. Literally, there were days (months and years, actually) that I thought the pain would kill me.

It.

Was.

Physical.

Like my heart would explode.

It became less and less-and one day it was like a veil was lifted-the fog cleared a little and I felt....different. Not like "my old self" as that person is gone, different, changed now. But I felt different.....I don't really know how else to describe it. Peaceful? Accepting? Accepted? Comforted? Confident that I am loved?

Now, at the four year mark, the acute, sharp physical pain is gone. And in it's place is more of a dull ache. I just plain miss her. I wish she was here to share all this Adoption Adventure stuff with. And to share what God's been doing in my life. Oh, do I wish she were here and oh, do I miss her. But that is selfish. She's hanging out with God and is HEALED. And "at least a thousand times, I've rejoiced for" her (from the song Homesick by Mercy Me). But I no longer feel like I am going to die. And I have a deeper appreciation of the concept of "attachment" and my "attachment" to God has grown. So, that's progress.

May is a bittersweet month for me. The entire month is an up and down roller coaster of emotion. There's lots of highs and lows. Happy and sad things to celebrate/remember during this month. Add to that the things (milestones) going on with our Adoption Adventure (read about Steeve here and Jean Baptiste here)

I have learned to just "go with the flow" most of the time, and not fight it. Fighting it is my natural inclination. I practice a lot of radical acceptance "it is how it is" sort of stuff. I talk to God a lot. When I am able to listen, I receive even more comfort and "peace in the midst of chaos" as the (Sanctus Real) song goes. And my "attachment" to God is strengthened.

God wants YOU to know that He's not mad at you. He wants YOU back. He's waiting with open arms for you to crawl up in His lap and receive comfort and love. No matter where YOU've been or what YOU've done or gone through, God IS NOT MAD AT YOU. And He wants you back. Take it from me. I've experienced it. It's true.

In memory of my mom, this week has 2 featured links up in the side bar-on the left side of the screen. One will take you to the Hospice of Northwest Ohio's page "Myths about Hospice" Go there and learn something. Share it with a friend or family member. Those Hospice folks were a God-send-a true blessing. I wish we had involved them sooner.

The other is a how to guide to breast self exam. Click on the pic that says "feel your boobies" to go to the guide, then do it. Share it with a friend.

God Bless.

Home sweet home!

These 3 precious children are at home!

The first of the next wave of children coming home to their forever families!

Pray for them as they transition home.

God is faithful.