Sunday, February 21, 2010

WINNERS (and another GREAT God Story)

Yes, you CRAZY T-SHIRT LOVIN, BLOG LOVIN, ADOPTION-VIDEO LOVIN people....we have a winner!!! :) I can't thank you enough for ALL your kind comments and sweet messages!! I sincerely LOVED reading each and every one of them AND I know Karen loved reading them too :) Seriously..THANK YOU!!! :)Ok, I gave you each a # that left me a comment, and I had my hubby draw 3 out of a bowl!! I tried to get Georgy (my only kid awake at this hour) to pull one out, but 2 yr. old George kept saying, "NO THANK YOU!!" Oh, well...so Daddy had to do: (above, Ok, I caught him in action doing his P90X exercise routine...he stopped for one second for me to pull out 3 names :)

He pulled out:

1. April from http://www.livingtolove.com/

2. Kendra from http://www.4boys1girl-kchiolis.blogspot.com/

3. Karen P. from http://www.followingthephillips.blogspot.com/


I wish I could afford every one of you a tshirt from http://www.147millionorphans.com/ BUT congrats to the 3 that did win one tonight!! Thank you all for celebrating with us and for playing...I am truly a blessed Momma to have such wonderful, kind people in my life!! :) I need YOU THREE to send me your size and address so I can get them in the mail to ya!! :)

**So, on to the COOL GOD STORY!!
So, try and follow me here...this is another awesome story that happened just last week:
The hubby and I took our 5 little cuties to the local Mall Food Court for some dinner last week (yes, I know, very nutritional :) Anyways, we're sitting eating WHEN THIS WOMAN COMES UP TO OUR TABLE AND INTRODUCES HERSELF!! She looked innocent enough and had 3 adorable kids with her, so I figure she's pretty safe!! :) She goes on to say that she had seen me 3x out and about over the last couple of weeks, so she was taking it as a "sign" and was going to come up and say HI!! She asks WHERE my daughter is from and realizes "she knows me from somewhere"...We try and figure out WHERE we had met before, and we realize we knew a lot of the same local people and had frequented some of the same bday parties and stuff!!! Ok, so she lets me know that she had a BIG HEART for adoption and that she was JUST WAITING FOR HER HUSBAND TO GET ON BOARD!! I told her that THAT WAS PRETTY TYPICAL and told her to go to youtube and pull up our video and show it to her hubby!! Her kids looked excited about the idea of showing Daddy a video...and off they went!!! That was it!! THEN, I get this email:
"Hey girl! I'm the crazy one that came up to you in the mall the other night! It was so good to see you, meet Lucy Lane and connect all those wild dots in my head! I love seeing God at work. I have to tell you a few things! This story might take a bit to type, but anyway, I have always had the heart for adoption and kids in general. (that's why my life work is at the children's hospital) My husband is a little behind me on that point, which we talked about at the mall the other night. Well, the kids know I would have few more kids if possible and have been praying. So walking into the mall BEFORE I see you, we were discussing what it meant to honor God and how we can honor those who are normally overlooked and they had been challenged by their children's minister at church to find someone this week and honor those who are normally overlooked. So my oldest is telling me how she sat by a girl at lunch that really does not have any friends. She had chosen her to honor this week. That conversation progresses to praying for her as well. That she is one of God's children and just as special to Jesus and we are. S immediately takes that to the orphan she has been praying for and the one that she prays will come to our family. So we end up having this big talk on the way into the mall while we eat - then you walk up and sit at the table next to us. I just knew I knew you and knew your story. Thanks for talking to us and not thinking I'm some strange stalker. So, this continues - the girls both dying to watch your video - that is the most amazing thing! (I hate to call it a thing because it is so much more!) Loved it. I forwarded it to my hubby, he watched and he's like alright, let's look into it."

Ok.....so stay with me here....it only gets better....I then got this second email:

"We requested our packet this am - the lady called me this morning already and emailed. Very impressed. J even said we should go ahead and fill out the pre application thing and see what they say from there. YAY! Thanks again! So many things/people connected so quickly I was excited. Had to tell you. Hard to type out those kind of stories, but I knew you would love to know how God obviously put us at the same spot again for some pretty good reasons!"

**And, finally, tonight they came over for dinner with their kids to get ALL THEIR QUESTIONS OUT!!! We've always said that my hubby and I will sit with you at our table, feed ya, and answer all those initial questions you may have when starting the process!! Let us hold your hand and I promise it will all seem WAY MORE DOABLE!!!!!! :) So, that's what we did tonight...We are so excited about our new friends!! They are now signing with AGCI and going for NOT ONE...BUT TWO from Ethiopia!!! (Did you notice how far God brought that hubby? God is so good!! :)

AND, here are our new friends tonight at our home:

It was so much fun getting to know them tonight...and I'm sure they'll have a blog up and running soon!! I'll keep ya posted!! :) Praise be to God for a chance meeting at the mall!! :) 2 fewer orphans in this world!!! YAYYY!!!
Happy Sunday to you all, kj

31 comments:

  1. WOW Kristi! Can you believe this is your life? Truly ... how incredible is our God?! You and Will are doing such a mighty work to continue to advocate for the orphan and bring other families along this most blessed journey of adoption!
    I am so proud to call you friend.
    Sending you love and blessings from Hong Kong,
    Kim

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  2. What a great GOD story!!
    I just shaved my legs today and I have been in serious pain reading this since I got goosebumps and goosebumps and leggings dont do well together ;)
    So glad there will be 2 less. I will come for 2 one day too hopefully!
    God bless you and your family!!

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  3. love these God stories...inspires us all. thanks for posting these fun stories. see you guys friday at the airport?

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  4. That is WONDERFUL! God is so good and the ripple effect just keeps on going. LOVE it!
    Blessings,
    Amy

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  5. Wow. That really is an amazing story. I love your willingness to share the gift of adoption with so many others.

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  6. Amazing! I love it!! I love how you invite them into your home and share with them your story - God is really using you Kristi. I just love reading your blog every day. It inspires my life, seriously!! I pray God can use our adoption story to lead others to adopt. We are in Virginia, and if you ever meet anyone this way that needs a family to talk to, please send them my way! I don't feel like I do enough adoption advocating, even though my heart is there, I am looking for doors. Or if there is anything I can do to help here in Va, please call on me!
    www.lovingourleah.blogspot.com
    love, elisabeth

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  7. Unbelievable....I love to see God at work on those husbands!!

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  8. Can you please share w/ me some things about AGCI compared to Bethany? I have been waiting for a month now for my Homestudy paperwork to arrive...is that typical? I'm so discouraged by how things are moving along with them at this point. I have filled out a preliminary packet w/ AGCI. Just wondering if you could encourage and enlighten me. Micah Kayya_95@yahoo.com

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  9. You are such an advocate! Thank you so much for all that you do! I pray that God stirs many, many more hearts through you!
    That story made my day!

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  10. praise God! That brought tears to my eyes! God worked a mighty way in my husband too because He first put it in my heart! God is SO amazing!

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  11. What a great story! Bummer on not winning the shirt, he he. :)

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  12. Reading thru the tears in my eyes. God is so awesome! Thanks for being an advocate for the orphan.

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  13. First of all......BEAUTIFUL story!! God has used you and your family, that's for sure! And secondly.......I WON!!!!! YAY!!!!! I always say I NEVER win ANYTHING!!!! And I WON!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? I would LOVE to buy a t-shirt from every adopting family out there...and I will when our adoption is complete, but for now I must keep pinching those pennies. So THIS was a great surprise--thank you!! (OH, and I have a t-shirt in the makings myself-can't wait).

    I am a size medium and my address is:
    Kendra Chiolis
    3795 S Valley Dr.
    Rapid City, SD 57703-5945

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  14. Simply AMAZING! Good thing your family is so active out and about the community for all these peeps to meet you:-) I am in awe of how God is using your adoption! Another incredible testimony.....I have to say the part about going from 1 to TWO surprised me! God is good!!!
    Blessings,
    Jenny
    www.needhamfamily5.blogspot.com
    (waiting for Abby in India)

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  15. Congrats to the winners! That is such an awesome story!!!! My husband is coming around on the adoption thing, but still doesn't seem 100% convinced. Plus, I am terrified of the traveling. I can't help it. That's what's holding me back. Do you have any advice on that for this TX girl who has never been hardly anywhere (and who has major travel anxiety to begin with)?!! Ha!

    I just wanted to say that I just love how you share your story and have been so instrumental in others adopting. Lucy Lane is so special and it's just such a beautiful testimony to the way God loves to work!

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  16. Wow, that is amazing! We have been planning to adopt for over a year now, but financially have struggled to start the process. I was looking into AGCI, but when I glanced at the financial statement I had to fill out I became disheartened, feeling like we could never make it work. After reading this post I am going to call AGCI right now to talk with them some more and put my fears aside and hopefully we will able to start. Thank you for sharing your God story, I love it!

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  17. Who cares if we didn't win no stinkin' t-shirt! LOL That story has me crying tears of joy! An even bigger cause for celebration! Praise God! May He continue to use your family in such mighty ways!

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  18. LL's video continues to amaze. Two less orphans in the world - yahoo! Love reading your blog & the things God has you doing.

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  19. I was feeling discouraged today, the wait is feeling long... but reading this post and remembering why we are adopting has helped a lot. Thank you for reminding me. I wish we lived closer, I would love to meet you all. Great God story!

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  20. That is so awesome!!! Love it! A big blog post coming from me soon.......! ;)

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  21. THANK YOU for sharing your entire adoption journey. Adoption has now become a reality for my husband and I as we begin the process of adopting from Ethiopia! Lucy Lane has been an inspiration to us! www.road2ethiopia.blogspot.com

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  22. You are so inspiring. We are waiting for our referral of older siblings and even though we're well into our process you still inspire and amaze me with the work you have done to encourage families to start down the path. I love the way God is using you.

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  23. my oh my ! Are you keeping track? I am totally amazed at the power of such things in the name of God!

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  24. hi kristi! It's kristen. The boys are not siblings...yet!! They are about 2 and maybe 4! So excited to bring them home!! Our two kids greet them every morning(have them framed all over the place!!)so, them being excited makes it all that much more fun!! Our grant has said he already wants to adopt when he is older..He's only 7!! Take care..love following along on your blog!! Kristen www.leapoflove.blogspot.com

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  25. love love love hearing yet another God-story from you, kristi:)!! and YAY...so fun to be a winner in the contest! if it's a fitted tee, i can do med or lg and if it's unisex, a small...thx, friend!

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  26. It's amazing to read how God chose your family to advocate for the orphan, Lucy Lane to be the catalyst for many to break through and actually do it. You are His hands. What an example of letting God work through you!

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  27. I, like so many others, wanted to let you know what an inspiration your blog and your "gotch day" video has been for our family and at least 2 others that we personally know. We arrived home 1/23/10 with our 3 and 5 year old daughters-making us a family of 7! I have watched countless homecoming videos and we now have one of our own. Praise be to God for His endless blessings. I pray that your video along with others will continue to move people to a spirit of adoption. You can view our video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rmGKLS8hMg.

    Defending the cause of the fatherless,

    Jessica
    www.steadfastminds-ethiopia.blogspot.com

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  28. Jessica, i used your video on my blog tonight...I couldn't find a place to leave you a comment..so if you happen to read this..i wanted to let you know :) kristi

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  29. Tears! God is SO good, isn't He?!! I LOVE how He is working so powerfully in your life!

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Thank you for your kind words!!