Possibly adding to our family again???

Yep, you read it right... We may be adding to our family again if it's God's will. We were approached a few weeks ago about hosting a Chinese exchange student for the upcoming school year. After prayer and consideration we decided as a family to move forward in getting more info on students, the program, etc... Trevor has played a major part in this as he will most likely be with the student most of the time, which he was just so thrilled about so that gave me some peace of mind.

I have to brag on Trev here...He has to be the most caring and open minded 16 year old I have ever come across, he is willing to give up some extras in order for us to open our home to a student. I am one proud mama!!!

So where we stand now is more prayer!! Our rep from the exchange program needs to contact our local public HS to see if they have the space for the student. I'm a bit worried because the school is very crowded as it is and I'm afraid they'll decline the student for that reason. If so, our rep said it's up to us to advocate for the student as much as possible...And I will, you can count on it!

I am waiting now for a couple of bios to read through to see if there's a particular teen we feel would fit in our family. We have decided a 16 year old boy would be a better fit so Trev can have a buddy to show around town....Yep, you can say it, we're CRAZY to be possibly adding to our home but what a blessing for our children to have a bilingual Chinese young man in our home to share his culture and language with us. What a BLESSING it would be for Madelyn to have someone here when she comes home that can help her with translating!!!

So, we are PRAYING like crazy for God to make this happen if this is what is will is for this child and our family.

On a side note, this young man is open to attending church... Wouldn't it be AMAZING if he accepted the life as a follower of Jesus Christ!?!?!? I'm just saying....

In one week, our fundraiser/raffle will come to an end. Thank you so very much to all that contributed not only by purchasing raffle tickets but also, for the support and prayers we have received. God bless you all!!

There's still time to buy those tickets!!! click this link here http://bringingmadelynhome.blogspot.com

PS...Home study has been approved, now it's on the way to the state of IL then finally we can send in our I-800!!!! Things are moving again!! YEAH!

Prayer Warriors needed!

I COPIED THIS FROM LAINE'S POST...



At some point in our lives, we have all been touched by the horrific ripples of cancer. Whether it's through a family member, a friend, or a story that has touched our lives, cancer is a word that makes the strongest of people cringe.

But there is one special lady who has faced this battle head on. Her most powerful tool? The armor of God.

Meet Cindy, an amazing wife of 31 years and a homeschooling Mama to ten (many adopted) beautiful children. Cindy is in the midst of a fierce battle with cancer that has spread.




Click HERE to read a moving post that Cindy titled, It's A Hundred Little Things. This post is filled with Cindy's thoughts and fears about dying as she thinks about her children, her husband and her unending love for our Savior. (Be prepared to have the tears flow!)

Fellow adoptive Mama and lover of Christ, Linny, came up with the idea of a "Blog Fast" for Cindy. You can read, in depth, Linny's beautiful words HERE requesting that we join her.

The bottom line is this:

WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST.


Would you join me/us?


The Fast: Monday, July 27th


Fast: Breakfast or Lunch or Dinner or All Three


Please, please, please spread the word!

Ask your blog friends to join together with us. Post it on your Facebooks and link it to your Twitter Accounts. Let's flood the Heavens with our prayers.

Please ask your prayer chains, your Bible studies....your prayer groups....your family......all of them....and let's see what God will do!

"A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured." - Mark 1:40

MAY IT BE HIS WILL! NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!

Just what we needed!

God is so awesome! CJ and I needed this today as we had to go back and forth with more paper work dilemmas. HOWEVER, once we saw her precious face enjoying the cake her family sent her to enjoy with her friends...POOF...All the stress and worry was gone and I mean it...Gone! We are just overjoyed to see her eating on her own and cutting the cake by herself, it gives us so much hope for Linzhi and her mobility...Again, another blessing.

I can't believe how much older she already looks...but based on measurements she's only 1/2 inch taller than Rachel! They are 2 years apart in age so she's really just a little pip squeak.

On a side note, CJ is traveling to Hong Kong and Guangzhou in October on a mission trip through the Bible League. We talked to Karla at Lifeline and she reached out to the facilitator in China to see CJ will be able to have a day with Madelyn while he's there. I am praying like crazy for this to happen!! Our hope is that if she gets to meet her daddy then maybe it will take away any anxiety she may be feeling about getting adopted plus so many other wonderful things can happen through that meeting... God has moved so many mountains for this adoption and I know if it's His will, CJ may be meeting our sweetie in less than 3 months!! I will keep you posted!

Have a wonderful weekend...

Enjoy another dose of Miss Maddie!

Discouraged...But HOPEFUL!

Hey All,

I don't like to blog any negative posts but I am very disappointed and I thought I would share since I know MANY of you have been in my shoes...

Our Home study is currently sitting on a supervisors desk just waiting to get approved which we were told was going to happen last week. As of last night, I was told the supervisor has been in meetings and training and our sweet case worker doesn't have any more info to share....So, we wait now even more. I am really trying to stay positive, I've been sending it all up to Jesus and I know HE is in control of this but today and hopefully just today, I'm feeling discouraged to the point of tears. Madelyn knows we're coming so I'm worried she's feeling all kinds of emotions...stress knowing a BIG change is coming, happiness, fear, excitement, etc... I'm concerned for her well being, not physical but emotional. Again, we're all praying for her and the transition that's coming her way. *sigh*

CJ and I have walked this path with Linzhi and we had many hiccups along the way so I get it and I understand all the red tape, approvals, revisions,etc... I know it will all be forgotten once she's in our arms but today this mama is feeling blah about it all so I'm going to move on to some other topics that are exciting!!!

Fundraiser/Raffle update... God is blessing our efforts to raise money for Madelyn's orphanage. We are now at $2, 210!!! We are just so amazed at the generosity of people we know, strangers, blog buddies, business associates, etc... We are so humbled and grateful. THANK YOU!

Linzhi Rose surprised her mama the other day by making her entire bed! She worked so hard on it that her little forehead was sweaty. I love her will and her determination, she will do wonderful things in her life, I just know it!

Rachel has mastered spelling her first name (has for a while) and now her last name...Z's are really hard she says...Her penmanship is very nice. Kindergarten is right around the corner (sniff, sniff) but we are confident she's ready!

CJ and I have joined a committee at Rachel's new school to help raise money to purchase a new school that has been vacated. Rachel's new school is a small Christian school that is split between two churches. We are praying like crazy for God to bless this precious school with a new building, then all the kids can be together. We are thrilled God brought us to this school for our girls. I prayed about homeschooling but I feel it my heart it is not what he's telling me to do at this time so we prayed for a wonderful school and boy, did he deliver! I will keep you posted on our prayer efforts and the school.

Trevor is still trying to find a PT job...No luck. He's been a bit discouraged but I keep reminding him of all the people that have lost their jobs. He understands but I know he wants some pocket $$ for his car and clothes. He told me he's been praying about it...AHHHH, music to my ears... I love that he's a praying young man...what a comfort to know my teenage son is saved. =)

CJ and I have gone down our list of finances, we're in good shape but we want to stay that way so we're cutting where we feel it's wasteful. So, yesterday we went to the local Chevrolet dealership and traded in my lovely Tahoe for a new Traverse, it's a crossover between a mini van and a SUV. I do love the features...Like the curtain airbags, split seats, navigation, etc... But what I really love (besides the safety) is the savings of $200 dollars per month! That's a savings we couldn't pass up. I love my Tahoe but filling it up at the pump nowadays is running us $80-95 dollars each time...That hurts!

Today or tomorrow our sweet Madelyn will be getting a delivery from her loving family. CJ and I decided to send her a little something every 6-8 weeks. We feel since she's almost 8 and is aware of us, it's a good idea to let her know we're still coming for her especially now that the paperwork has come to a temporary halt. So Miss Maddie is getting another cake but this time, it's chocolate!! We also paid extra for digital pictures like last time...So hopefully, we'll get some updated pics next week!

Well, that's about it on my end, it's going to be a lazy day here. Linzhi's not feeling well and it's rainy, it's actually been fall like all week in this neck of the woods so I've been cooking fallish foods...This morning I put a roast in the crock pot and will add some potato's, carrots and onions later on ...It's smells so yummy!

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Time is flying!

Ok, am I the only one feeling summer is going WAY to fast?? I went to Target the other day and started looking through all the school supplies...YIKES! I LOVE summer and for me, time is ticking way too fast. I'm so behind in my blogging because we've been swimming like fish now that we have a pool heater, it's been great! The girls, Trevor and myself swim almost everyday unless it's raining but if it's in the 70's and the pool is in the 80's...We're in!

Russ, known as BIG BOY is doing fantastic! Potty training is going amazingly well and he's so good through the night, he'll hold it until CJ let's him out at 6AM. I am in love with him and he really knows I'm the mama of the house as he nuzzles up to me for comfort and love all the time. CJ too is in love and I think at this point he'll admit it too. Now, Tinker our little yorkie still has a hate/dislike relationship with him however, Russ likes Tinker...It's cute to watch them bond...Well, sort of. =)

Rachel and Linzhi continue to love horseback riding and count the sleeps until we go back to the stables. The Chinese class unfortunately didn't work out for us...I'm rather disappointed. It was very disorganized and WAY above our heads. I think we're going to reconnect when Madelyn comes home, I think it will be good for her but my little girls sat there LOST in translation. Again, disappointed but I'll keep trying to find a place for us.

Trevor is still on the job hunt, no luck at Sub-way and we're finding with the way the economy is it's going to be especially hard for him to find work with all the other people with out work. It's really sad to see and heartbreaking to know how bad things really are. I am so grateful to have a God that reigns and has the US in his hands, I believe we are still a Christian nation and we will rise again and be better than before...Unfortunately, I do not believe it will be within the next four years...Oh my, I didn't mean to get political on ya, but the state of IL. is tanking and I see hardship all the time. OK...off to another subject...

We sent Miss Maddie another cake and asked for digital pictures...I just LOVE getting pictures fo her, I feel like with her being almost 8 yrs. We need to send her a little something every 6 weeks so she knows we haven't forgotten her and that we are still coming to get her. I have been very discouraged with the home study process, It's been taking way too long, I am told THIS is the week the adoption agency will finally approve it and then we can move to sending it down to Springfield for their approval, then I can finally send in the I-800. I thought for sure, I would already be past the I-800 point but I guess not. I wanted her home this year but with my calculations, it looks like it's going to be the early part of 2010 that we travel...Again, my calculations...God might have something else up his sleeve...???? He has amazed us through this entire adoption so I will not doubt and lose faith, we'll travel when He decides.

This summer, we also took on some medium sized projects around the house. Last summer was the kitchen, this summer we've replaced almost all the carpet upstairs and just finished gutting the main bathroom upstairs...Gone is the 1970's wall paper and orange sink...We are now looking at a beautiful new floor, sink, faucet, wall color and accessories...I'll post a picture soon. We have also completed our landscape and deck...pics to come...

Blueberry season is upon us and I am trying to set up a time to go pick with my mom and sisters and this year we'll have an addition...My sister Emily's finance Mike wants to come with us too so it should be a good time. We love Mike! He's a sweet guy that loves my baby sister...I hear wedding bell's soon. Mike just graduated with a degree in architecture and Emily will graduate next May with a degree in architecture as well. So we're looking at a bright future for them...God willing.

Well, I pray I will soon be updating on more exciting adoption news. We really want her home, I feel like I've already connected with her, the updates really help and it's something I wish we had with Linzhi. I know so much more know then I did the first time. I will again work with Joe and Jen at My Adoption Website while we're in China. They do such a fantastic job and what a treasure to give the girls when they're older. I also love having this blog for that reason as well because I am not good at scrap booking or baby book updates so this is just a blessing to have documented.

Hopefully next week I'll post new pics of our Madelyn. Oh, our fundraiser is going AWESOME! Check it out if you haven't already...You may just win! http://bringingmadelynhome.blogspot.com We've raised over $1,500 dollars!!

Hope you're all having a blessed summer!
Amy

Intruducing....RUSSELL "Russ"

I am so sorry for the delay... Last Thursday, Trevor and I made a 3 hour round trip drive to pick up the latest addition to our family... Please meet Russ. He is the sweetest black lab puppy I have ever met! He's so obedient and smart, we've only had one accident of pee pee on the kitchen floor because mama wasn't paying attention to his cry. Rachel and I tend to work with him the most, she is teaching him how to sit and stay with treat and I must say she's very good at it! Rachel has a gift when it comes to animals, she's gentle and loving and ALWAYS gives them the benefit of the doubt especially when I see a puddle on the hardwood from a very upset little yorkie that shall remain nameless...LOL... Anyway, I'm sure we'll have more stories on Russ in the future!

Oh, the winners of the little guessing game is...

1st- Sandy Gross
2nd-Sharon Sills

Congrats!


Here's Rachel trying to lift big boy up to give him a hug.
This way worked better!

Getting to know each other.

Ok, too cute for words! I'm hooked!

Action shot! I love my new camera!!!