Using My Voice.... (and one year ago today)

yes, I've been given the gift of "gab" since my earliest years of life!! I could seriously talk to a wall if I had to, and I'd have a rather NICE conversation!! :) Anyways....this week was a fabulous week in the ADOPTION WORLD of GAB!! I don't have any good pics to prove it...but you can visit some of these other blogs to SEE that I made it around to quite a few COOL things this week:


Tuesday was the monthly Ordinary Hero meeting!!! I love what my sister is doing with her non-profit, and I love attending her monthly meetings to be UP on WHAT her latest adventure is!! She has had some good info on Haitian Adoptions lately too, if interested: http://www.ordinaryheroblog.blogspot.com/







Thursday was the African Fellowship Group monthly get-together at Tracy's house!! I so LOVE getting together and chatting with people that share the same passion as I do!! And, there is nothing better than watching LL play with her buddy Maggie....They are just a few weeks apart in age and they came home one month apart from each other!!! And, they'll go to kindergarten at the same school THE SAME YEAR!! Isn't that just cool!! FYI: Tracy M. is the friend who inspired us to adopt (see her video at the bottom of my page) AND, they recently passed court for 4 more children from Ethiopia!!! That's right...They have just adopted a sibling group of 4 and will be traveling in February!! So...stay tuned for that airport homecoming!!







Saturday I attended my friend Cris's baby shower for her two boys she is getting ready to travel to get!! She used AGCI and has already passed court for two precious little brothers!! It all went very fast for them and it was so much fun celebrating with her!! I can' t wait for her airport homecoming!!!







Then, today, Sunday...I did what I LOVE most!!! I got to talk at our church AGAIN and share our journey of faith and adoption!! We are attempting to hit up every Sunday school class at our church...and we're busy on Sundays doing just that!! It is too funny HOW much I enjoy sharing my story and love for Ethiopia with people!! I have several partners that share their adoption stories too!! It is just so much fun!!! So.....If you are in the Nashville area and would like our little group of adoption mommas to speak to your church, women's group, Sunday school class, etc....let us know and we'll show up :) (armed with my video in hand, too :)







****My hubby and I have been busy at night reading "CRAZY LOVE" by Francis Chan....It has been great for us to read something like this and grow spiritually together...Next is the "HOLE IN THE GOSPEL" book everyone is raving about!!! All I know is...I want to keep using my voice...keep spreading the word of how wonderful adoption can be...and keep making people aware of the orphan crisis going on in this world!! I don't want to be a "luke-warm" Christian as the book CRAZY LOVE puts it!! I want to do MORE!!! I CAN do more!!! Until I figure out what the "more" is...I'm going to just keep USING MY VOICE!!! Cause that comes easily!!! :)







***Have fun clicking around....Happy Sunday to you all!!! kj

ps....I almost forgot....one year ago today...I had THIS at my house!!! YUCK!!! My biggest girl, Helen, had her 7th bday JUNGLE party at home on this day last year....(And, yes...i can't believe she is almost 8...oh, hurt me :) ....

I love WHAT I wrote on this day one year ago...We were sitting at the #1 spot with our agency and dying for our referral...Oh, how a year changes so much:

"And, here we all are!! The J Family after successfully surviving another b-day party and clean up!! What fun it was and how blessed I am!! I am truly appreciative and humbled by this life I lead!! I couldn't love these four little people I have been given and my hubby any more than I do!! They truly make my life so happy.....now I just need Lucy Lane to make it all complete :)"