Love's Redeeming Work

Elijah and I were at Walmart the other day. We had a full basket and I was exhausted and had a headache and just wanted to pay for our groceries and get home.  But Walmart was packed and every cash register was busy and the lines were 3 and 4 carts deep.  We got in one line and waited and waited.  We looked at each other and realized that we got in the never moving line from hades.  So we looked down and saw a bit of a shorter line and decided to make a change. 

 

I went ahead and got in place.  Elijah was pushing the cart around people and obstacles to get to me.  A lady showed up with her full cart to get in the line.  I politely told her that I was there and motioned towards my son.  She smiled and moved on.  I was relieved.  Just as Elijah rounded the corner to move next to me... a man in a wheelchair came up cutting Elijah off.  I tried to explain to him that we were in line.  He began to berate me.  "Where's your basket? I don't see a basket!"  Helpless I watched as he moved ahead of me and started to tell the people in front that I had no right to stand there without a basket.  Embarrassed I quietly informed him that we had already been standing in line for quite a while which was why we had moved.  He didn't respond. 

 

I stayed in that line behind that man and grieved.  I grieved my response.  I grieved that I was mad and tired.  I grieved my witness to my son.  I grieved that I failed in showing kindness to someone who was in a wheelchair.  I grieved the  fact that I fail.  Often.  My selfishness.  Tiredness.  I too often rip over people.  Wanting what is mine.  Refusing to budge when it comes to my rights.  My spot.  My way. 

 

We got in the car - Elijah upset at the man.  Me.  Upset at me.  I drove away thinking about my failings.  What I should have done better. 

 

He is Risen.

 

What does that mean? 

 

For me - forgiveness.  A washing of my sins. 

 

Here's the honest truth about me.  I fail. On a daily basis.  I get angry.  I'm rude.  I'm selfish.  I steal joy.  I get defensive.  I gossip.  I am sometimes less than truthful.  I am lazy and stubborn.  I want what's mine.  I am human.  I desperately need a Savior.  I can't wash myself enough times to rid myself of the grime of sin that clings to me on a daily basis.

 

 

He is Risen.

 

What does it mean?

 

To me...  It means freedom from the weight of sin. It means adoption.  It means new life.  It means that death loses its power over me.  It means hope.

 

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

 

 

I'm not stuck in my sin. I have a Savior.

 

One who gives GRACE and FORGIVENESS to me when I am less than kind to a less than kind man at Walmart.

 

LOVE'S REDEEMING WORK IS DONE!
 Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

 

HE IS RISEN!

 

CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!

 

 

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

 

 

ALLELUIA!!

Three Matchings

Here I am again.

 

Friday.

 

Yelling for the families!

 

I'll be honest.  The news across the ocean is making me ill.

 

I don't have words.  I have stopped writing about it because I just don't even know what to say anymore. The major news media has articles all the time now but often what I am reading doesn't match what I'm reading in other places. 

 

In the midst of the chaos... the families march on.

 

Nicole Dewberry is now IN COUNTRY working to get her boys.  I am so excited for her.  She met Anthony TODAY and HE SIGNED and he is going to have a MAMA and a PAPA and I am crying as I write!

 

Look at that sweet boy! Signing on the dotted line!!!

 

This morning I received an e-mail from someone offering a 500.00 MATCHING GRANT for the Dewberrys.  Won't you please help me match it? Nicole doesn't even know this yet.  I get to surprise her with the news when she reads this blogpost!!  Please help me match this for her! She meets Murray next week!! They are still about 2,900 short of being fully funded.  Pray too for them as Anthony is in a region where court has come to a standstill.  Pray that the doors open for court to happen!!

 

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE DEWBERRYS

 

And talking about matching grants...

 

The Lusher family is adopting a sibling group of FIVE.

 

Yep.  Five children.  (Pictured are four of the five ... aren't they beautiful??)

 

    

They are leaving in a matter of weeks. And are about 17,000 short... BUT... They have an $8,000 MATCHING GRANT through Lifesong for Orphans!  If they get that matched then they get another $8,000.00!

 

So every single dollar is doubled.  To donate to them you have to donate through their blog to Lifesong for Orphans.  Even though it is a tab bit harder then clicking the easy Reece's Rainbow buttons.. PLEASE TAKE THE EXTRA MOMENTS AND DO IT! This family is stepping off a HUGE CLIFF.  Think about it.  These kids get to be together.  They are true siblings.  Right now they are separated.  But in a matter of weeks they will be united under one roof.  That is amazing and wonderful.  Last December I helped Carla bring three siblings together and that was joyous.  Yes, it is hard.  Yes.  Absolutely.  Each of these children will challenge their socks off.  But the Lushers are up for the challenge.  They want these children beyond words. 

 

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE LUSHER FAMILY

And also speaking of matching grants....

 

There is ANOTHER BIG matching grant that has stalled.... The Wetherington family.  This matching has been on the table for a LONG TIME and they have had less than $100.00 matched. 

 

 

 

They leave in 6-10 weeks... they are bringing home two sweet babes.. This is their second time adopting so they really have stepped out in faith for these two.  Juliette is aging out soon.  They have a $7,000 matching grant.  Their FSP needs to read $16,001.28 for their match to be met.  PLEASE PLEASE HELP THEM GET THIS MATCH MET!! 

 

WHEN you donate... leave a comment on THEIR BLOG so that you can be entered to win an ipad or Disney tickets. 

 

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE WETHERINGTONS

 

That's it.  Three families. 

 

Pick all three. PLEASE.  Every single one has a matching grant so every dollar donated is doubled.

 

It's Easter weekend.

 

Nine children are finding families.

 

Nine children will be home next year celebrating Easter.

 

Nine.

 

How utterly cool is that thought!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mamas Can't Run

I so very much miss this highly neglected blog!

 

Yesterday I was racing Aaron out to the car and he won.

 

In the car he informed me that Mamas can't run.  Papas can run.  Boys can run.  Little girls can run.  Mamas can't run.  Mamas sit.

 

Right now I fear that he is very close to the truth.

 

This Mama is TIRED of sitting.

 

We have ONE Year 3 product FINISHED!!

 

 

 

13 more to go...

 

It's going to be a long spring.

 

I'm going to be doing a LOT of sitting.

 

Aaron is going to be doing a lot of winning!

 

BIBLIOPLAN

 

P.S. - I'm going to be in Cincinnati, Ohio next week for the Great Homeschool Convention!  All of you Ohio+ homeschoolers going to that convention... Come make my day and stop by my booth!   Just walk in the main entrance doors.. turn left.. walk a bit and there I will be!  A rather NICE location this year.

I'm Failing

I've been single minded.

Staying off the internet.

Refusing to blog.

Focused.

Focused.

We have 14 products due out this spring/summer and I need to stay focused.



I'm HOPEFUL that the first of those products will be finished today!

Focus, Julia.

FOCUS!!!

But then I take a quick break and slip into the Reece's Rainbow Facebook room where people are single-mindedly focused on advocating and raising money for families and doing whatever they can for orphans and my single-minded resolve just goes to pieces.

How in the world can I concentrate when I see Terri Casebier in that room helping to raise money for this family and that one and yet is NOT funded herself and is leaving in a LITTLE OVER A WEEK??

How in the world??
How can I concentrate when I see so many families with such great need?

I can't.

I can't do it.

I'm failing.

My single-minded resolve is out the window on this Friday morning.

I'm blogging this morning.

For a few families who are leaving REALLY SOON and need help NOW!

The Casebier family

Terri is crazy!!  She is leaving in nine days and spends her days yelling for other families.  She's the reason I am blogging this morning.  She's  getting these two darling little ones!  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SOW INTO THIS ADOPTION!

 

I am so humbled by Terri and her willingness to lay aside her own need for others around her.  Will you help me bless her today?  Sow into her adoption.  They are about 7,000 short of what they need!! They are leaving next weekend!!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE CASEBIERS
CLICK HERE TO READ THEIR BLOG

And after you donate to them... will you please help a few other families who are leaving soon and in real need!!

The Mayr family

Remember Rita?  I was yelling for her last year!  Well her family leaves TOMORROW to go get her!  She has arthro like Aaron.  Precious Precious!!  I'm figuring that I will run into them at Shriners one of these days...  Sweet reality!

 

This family is awesome!!  Kelly is crazy too.  She's been shouting along with Terri for other families.  Yes, they are short.  By a lot.  It isn't stopping them.  They are boarding the plane - willing to go into debt to get their little one home.  Every little drop eases their burden!  Every little drop matters.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE MAYRS
CLICK HERE TO READ THEIR BLOG


The Thorp family

They picked two little sisters to adopt. Margaret (pink) and Merry (purple).  Precious sisters.  But in February they received the devastating news that Merry had died of cancer.



Oh Sorrow upon Sorrow.

The Thorps leave in a little over a week to bring Margaret home. Maybe they will have tucked another sweet one or two in their bags before all is said and done?  They are not closed to that possibility.  Not as a replacement for their wee one.  Never.  But God has opened this door and they are going through.  They are not funded.  Short by thousands.  I know they would be blessed to have some help! Tracy has been another one of those crazy yellers!!  Adopting families tend to be the most giving people I have ever met!  Even in their pain.  Maybe because of their pain.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE THORPS
CLICK HERE TO READ THEIR BLOG

The Bloom family

Remember Barton??


Well his family is boarding the plane TOMORROW to go get him.  Not just him though... They are also getting Theo and Orion and are FULLY FUNDED for those three boys...

 

But that is NOT the end of the story!

Nope. 

The Lord has opened the door up for them to adopt one more.  Evan.



It is a GOD story and I cried when I read it.  He's desperate for a family and they are desperate to adopt him.  Simple.  The ONLY thing standing in their way is a $3,000 dollar price tag.  Yep.  That's it. 

A wee bit of money for a precious treasure to find a home.

They are packing their bags and whispering prayers that the Lord provides what they need. 

Want to be a part of God's answer??

CLICK HERE TO GET EVAN HOME!!
CLICK HERE TO READ THE BLOOMS BLOG.


I'm failing on this Friday.  So much work to be done and I sit here with tears flowing.  Families in need.  Babies who need out.

I'm going back to my writing now. 

Trying to get ONE product finished today!

Trying to be single-minded.

Failing terribly.

Whispering prayers as I go.

Will you donate $5.00 to each family?  How about $10.00?  That's only $40.00.  Would you consider taking $100.00 and spreading it around?  How about $100.00 each?  It is Friday for so many.  Payday. 

All four of these families are sacrificing everything to cross that ocean.  All four are leaving in days.  All four have been advocating and yelling for other families.  All four have jumped a cliff and trusted that God would provide. 

PLEASE GIVE TO THE CASEBIERS, MAYRS, THORPS and BLOOMS.


Please don't pass these needs by!

THANK YOU!

 

 

 

Shriner's Recap

It's Sunday night.

 

Aaron and I are still in recuperating mode from our Friday Shriner's trip.  We left Friday at 3:00 am and returned home at 11:30 pm. 

 

It was by far one of the longest and most exhausting trips I have done.  Of course making that trip at the same time we are burning the candle at both ends doesn't help.

 

Aaron was of course amazing the entire time.

 

 

He rarely complains and just takes everything in stride.

 

The very hardest part was finding out that he is back to wearing his braces all day AND all night. 

 

With arthrogryposis... it is often a two steps forward, one step back condition.  Three years ago we did massive rounds of serial casting to get Aaron's feet flat and straight so that he could walk without falling.  After those casting rounds Aaron wore braces night and day for the next year and a half.  When everything looked good, we were  able to graduate to just night braces.  Last year when he had his major triple surgery, we set aside the nighttime braces for several months since his legs were in casts.  When he was finally able to go back to the nighttime braces... he had outgrown the pair he owned.  So...when he had the plates removed in the fall he was fitted for new braces.  Unfortunately we did not make it back up to Shriners until Friday due to sickness and snow and scheduling issues.  That is a LONG time to go without braces of any kind.

 

Yeah.

 

His feet are no longer flat and he has gone back to walking on the front part of his foot. We knew he wasn't walking correctly but we didn't know why... Not until he demonstrated his walking to the doctor did I see what he was doing. 

 

So we are back to full-time braces.

 

 

Aaron's eyes filled with tears when he was told but after the doctor told him that braces would have him walking straight again he was fine. 

 

And I promised him that he would have brace-free time so he can still build his Legos because my boy does all of his Lego creations WITH HIS FEET...

 

 

This is an Aaron Nalle EXCLUSIVE Mini-Van!

 

 

To be honest... I'm the one who is having the harder time with these awful things!

 

 

I have been grieving his loss for the last 48 hours.

 

He's the sweetest little guy with the most accepting little heart.  He bears his disappointments so well but dang it... I wish he didn't constantly have to deal with those kinds of disappointments!

 

 

It just kind of stinks tonight.

 

 

Shriners Bound

We are on the road... 

Thank you to everyone who poured into Renee and Alan's need..  They have all they need with a beautiful cushion.  Please pray those babes home.  

Pray them home. 

Urgent Need

I am posting this tonight for Renee and Alan who are across the ocean in a very hard situation...

 

 

I am not able to write a blogpost at this time (Aaron and I are leaving for Shriners early in the morning) and as I wrote this morning.. I am in a huge writing nightmare....so I am just cutting and pasting from a friend's (Jennifer Doloski) Facebook page .... 

 

 

 "Renee and Alan are at the end of the process of adopting five children...

Two of the five are medically fragile. As in, the situation was so scary that last weekend several friends raised the airfare to fly a nurse/friend/adoptive mom out to help the family get home. 

 

 Those two babies will go, literally, from the airport to the hospital. Their doctors are already on alert.

 

  The nurse MUST be home by Saturday - she has a job and a family to return to - and this should have all been very simple. 

 

 But Lufthansa staged a planned strike this week, and now airfares have SKYROCKETED. They paid $717 to fly the nurse friend out there last weekend, and now that same flight is selling for $2900 - for a ONE WAY SEAT. The first quote the family got this morning to fly home was for $23,000. Their travel agent - who is usually able to access humanitarian fares - is also hostage to the increased fares from the strike. (Fares are up because people couldn't fly all week and are now scrambling to get on flights - so, of course, the airline takes advantage of this by charging more.)

 

  Last we heard the family had a quote just over $13,000 to fly everyone home on Saturday, with their nurse, and with doctors waiting for their arrival. They need just over $5,000 to be able to book the tickets and come home. 

 

 (If tickets were still at last weekend's $700/person, they would have funds enough.) 

 

 I know this family. When we raised the money last weekend to send out the nurse, we did so privately, both for the protection of the family and because we - a group of their closest friends - were able. But the situation is desperate now and we have been given permission to beg for donations to get this family home and get those two boys the medical care they desperately need. Please pray for this family, and if you can make a tax deductible donation - please do. "

 

THAT'S THE NEED.

 

Will you help?

CLICK HERE.

Their FSP needs to read $48,987.00

 

 

 

 

The Crunch Is On

Neglected.

 

Lonely.

 

Abandoned.

 

That's this blog.

 

I miss it.

 

I would much rather be writing here than working on curriculum.

 

But the crunch is on.

 

Rob and I look like zombies right now.  We are writing and creating as fast as our fingers and brains will go.  When we try to sleep our brains will not shut down.  We have FOURTEEN products for our Year 3 and at this moment NONE of them are finished.  Some are almost. Some are close.  Some are halfway.  Some are not started yet.  Ugh!

 

 

We have people lined up ready to buy these products that are not finished.  It is making us a bit insane in our little house in the woods.

 

Please bear with me.

 

I have not stopped caring about the orphan.

 

I have NOT stopped caring about the families.

 

I have NOT forgotten my promise to share about visiting our Lost Boys.

 

I'm just drowning in curriculum writing right now.

 

AWWWWWW!!

 

P.S. - If you are on Facebook and use BiblioPlan... Some of the BP moms started a cool BIBLIOPLAN USERS group.  Come join.  Get ideas.  Support.  Encouragement. 

 

P.S.S.... Last Friday I shared about the Dewberrys ... they needed $8,550.00 to be fully funded... Well as of this morning they need $3,813.00.... WOO HOO!!! $5,000 + in less than a week!! 

 

If you haven't given to them.... PLEASE DO - CLICK HERE ... 

 

Nicole is PRAISING GOD and packing her bags all at the same time... She's crazy like that!

 

 

Slow Down!

Time?

 

It goes too fast.

 

It seems like only yesterday I was holding this sweet babe in my arms.

 

 

But yesterday he turned 16.

 

 

 

SLOW DOWN TIME!!

 

 

SLOW DOWN!!

 

His laughter. 

 

 

His pure zaniness.

 

 

His gifts. His intelligence.

 

 

 

His achievements.

 

 

His sweetness.

 

Slow down!!

 

Sixteen is too fast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Builder

 

 

I don't know what he is building...

 

 

But whatever it is... he is working hard.

 

 

 

 

Stopping only long enough to give me a cheesy smile..

 

 

And then back to work!

 

 

MOM!!

 

 

Littlest is LOVING the coming of spring.

 

Last year at this time he was covered with casts and his misery index was off the charts.  This year he is cast free with NO surgeries in the wings and totally enjoying being outside every single chance he can get. 

 

Next week we  travel to Shriners for a follow-up and new braces.  We were actually supposed to follow up and get the braces all the way back in November but sickness forced us to postpone that trip. Then we were scheduled for February but a snow storm prevented that trip.  So we are trying again!  I'm hoping he hasn't outgrown the braces before he even gets them! 

 

Spring break is next week and Aaron is TOTALLY BUMMED.  He LOVES school.  He loves his friends and he loves learning.  He is now reading simple CHAPTER BOOKS which blows us totally away.  His reading is progressing fast although he struggles to understand/retain what he is reading.  Being locked away for six years from any and all experience is a definite setback.  But he is progressing.  I don't know if/when he will 'catch up'. Most days I try not to care.  He's nine and is in first grade and has the sweetness and vocabulary of a pre-schooler.  He thinks mechanically beyond his years and understands way more than he can say.  He's happy.  He's funny.  He's the messiest child I've ever met!

 

 

I love him more than words can say!

 

 

 

A Waste?

Several years ago I was given a huge gift. 

 

Not a gift I was to keep but one I was to give away.

 

A donor offered me a $10,000 matching grant and told me I could choose the child or family.

 

I was given the matching grant at the end of March. 

 

I was absolutely overwhelmed with the offer and was terrified at the same time.  How in the world was I going to pick a child or family and how in the world was I  going to get $10,000 matched???? 

 

This was at a time when matching grants were rare.  

 

I had no idea what to do with it.  Rob and I went around and around praying and considering.  Weeks went by. Then a month.  Then two.  I went back to the donor and begged off.  I wanted them to do the picking.  Find someone else.  I could NOT raise $10,000.00.  My life was crazy.  I had too much on my plate.  I couldn't choose.  Etc. Etc. They pushed the money back into my lap.  Pray some more.  God will lead.

 

So we prayed.  We considered.  We had no idea.

 

Until I heard the story of a little girl named Taylor who wanted a family.

 

 

And a family who wanted her.

 

They were in desperate need as their dossier was already in country and they needed over $20,000 in less than 2 weeks.

 

I sent the link and the story to Rob.  I went out for the afternoon to do some shopping and while I was gone I felt that familiar pounding.  This family. This is the one. When I came home Rob came up to me and said we should use the matching grant for this family.  I love my husband and I love his heart.

 

We didn't know the family.

 

They weren't even on our radar.

 

But it was clear to both of us almost immediately that the matching grant was for this family.

 

We had 10 days to raise the money.

 

I was terrified.  I contacted the family and they were so blown away they thought it was a scam.  It took a lot of convincing to prove to them that it was truly for real.

 

We laid out the matching grant and the need and within 2 days the money was raised.

 

TWO DAYS.

 

You can read the story HERE and HERE.

 

It was the first time in my life that I had ever been part of anything that crazy and amazing.

 

And what made it sweeter was that in the end there was enough raised so that not just one child... but two were adopted..

 

When the family was in country they saw this sweet little treasure and just had to go back and get him too.

 

 

Though I had e-mail and Facebook contact with the family - it was not until this past December when I was across the ocean that I met in person the Mama of those two babes.

 

Nicole was in country to adopt an older boy who begged for a family. 

 

 

I was helping Carla bring her three treasures home.

 

 

I was so excited for Nicole over her adoption.  I met her boy, David, and I loved him.  They had tried months before to adopt three older boys but in the end all three stayed.  This trip was a total leap of faith.  She was so excited to be adopting David and I had no doubt at all that he wanted her to be his Mama.

 

But after Nicole flew back home - his family who had abandoned him since he was six - moved into the picture.  He had to make a choice and he chose his family.  There are parts of this story that are not mine to share except to say that Nicole was absolutely heartbroken. 

 

She's a stubborn woman though.  I found that out about her when I met her in person.  Stubborn and determined.   And she's a bit crazy. 

 

She's willing to give chances to older boys when everyone else would run out of the room as fast as their legs would carry them.

 

 

She doesn't fall apart when one says no.  She's willing to fight for another. And then another. 

 

I love her.

 

We are kindred, crazy spirits.  My time with her in December running around the city was a time of laughter and joy.  She's passionate and driven and despite losing one boy after another... she's not quitting.

 

How do I know???

 

Because she happens to be adopting two boys who were on my desktop for weeks as I prayed over them.

 

 

 

Murray and Anthony.

 

Yeah.

 

I love these two boys.

 

And I am believing and hoping and praying that they recognize what they are being offered and grab hold of it with all of their being. 

 

Nicole and Joe Dewberry have been bashed by many over these boys.  I get it. Each time a boy says no it is a loss of funds.  A waste. Some would have them stop.  Give up. 

 

Yes.  It is a loss of funds and a number of boys did say no.  But what you can't measure on this side of heaven is that they were given a choice.  Those boys can never say that they weren't offered a family.  They can never say that they were not loved.  They can never say they are not loved. 

 

Emir ran away.  The Rowes spent thousands to cross the ocean only for him to run away.  A waste?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  This side of heaven we may never know the seeds planted in his heart.  And that's the hard mystery.  Does it matter?  Was it a waste?  I don't believe so.  Each boy, for the rest of their lives, carries forever the memory of the extended hand of love.  Someone crossed the ocean for them.  That can't be erased from their minds and their hearts.  They carry forever the whispered prayers of the parents they rejected.  Each boy will go through his life with a prayer covering that was not there.  That covering cost thousands, yes.  But not wasted.  Not wasted.  Love is patient.  Love waits.  Love is.

 

Murray and Anthony both have the power and the ability to say no too.  Adoption is a risk. 

 

Do the Dewberry's walk away because other boys have turned away?

 

I would not be so brave. 

 

They are.

 

I stand up and applaud their courage.  They are walking through fire right now.  Nicole leaves in 17 days.  They need to raise $8,550.00. 

 

I'll be honest. I'm sad beyond words that David is not one of the boys she is bringing home.  I was as much in shock as Nicole when he changed his mind.  I couldn't think about it for a long time without wanting to punch someone.  My heart deeply hurts for him.  But I am beyond overjoyed that Murray and Anthony will be part of their family.  Anthony is in a terrible place.  He is abused on a regular basis and desperately needs out.  Murray is a bright boy who wants a family more than anything in his life.  Neither boy has a future in that country.  To know that they will be part of the Dewberry family makes me leap for joy.  As soon as I heard the news I laughed out loud.  I have not one bit of doubt that this is a good and right decision. Not one.  Neither does Rob.  Like I said.  I love his heart.

 

True.  One or both of the boys may say no but they are worth the attempt.

 

THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE ATTEMPT!!!

 

I don't have a $10,000 matching grant although Nicole does have a $500.00 matching grant. 

 

I don't have prizes.

 

I just have a story and a family I have come to love over the last few years.

 

It is a risk. 

 

Adoption is a risk.

 

CLICK HERE TO HELP THEM TAKE THAT RISK.

 

 I promise. It won't be a waste!!!