A Really Cool Give-Away!!

I'm so thrilled to announce my FIRST BLOG GIVE AWAY being sponsored by another adoptive family!! I've given stuff away before....BUT this family contacted me and asked to give some cool things away via my blog...and HEY...if it will help another adoptive family....THEN I'D LOVE TO!!!! :) Let me introduce ya...This is the MicKinney Family from http://www.lifeabitsweeter.blogspot.com/ They are signed with America World Adoption Agency and are on their way to adding a beautiful Ethiopian baby girl to their family!!! This family is working hard to raise the funds needed...and man, they've got some cool things going on...Let me show ya:

First, my favorite, is her Ethiopian Glass Tile Pendant necklace!!! One side is the map of Ethiopia and the other side says "147 Million Orphans Minus ONE"!!! I now have my very own AND LOVE IT!! I have worn it every day since receiving it and have gotten LOTS of comments....Here is another pic of it:

She is also taking orders for "other countries"...so if interested in another country besides Ethiopia on your Pendant Necklace...contact Michelle through her Fund Raising Blog: http://www.michellemckinney.blogspot.com/

She has also partnered with www.mochaclub.org and is selling these awesome tshirts to raise money for their adoption!! I have ALWAYS loved this shirt...My sister Kelly has one and I'm so excited to have one now too (pictured above)!!! This shirt speaks right to my heart..and I could do a WHOLE POST just on this one saying: "I need Africa more than Africa needs me." It is so true...Ethiopian people were some of the most gracious, happiest, kindest, most giving people I'd ever met...BUT YET they have nothing(in the eyes of the rest of the world)!! Our lives are changed forever and opened to HOW MUCH we really have and HOW MUCH we really should appreciate our own lives....and all this can be learned by visiting those less fortunate!! Ok, off my soap box...but you get it...I think this shirt is powerful and strong!!!

Michelle is also selling things from this Blessing Unlimited Catalog (above) to raise money for their adoption...All orders benefit their adoption!! It is a Faithbased Greeting Card and Gifts Catalog!! I looked through it and it had some great things!! I do believe you will find the link to the catalog by visiting her fundraiser blog: http://www.michellemckinney.blogspot.com/

***Ok, so this is HOW the GIVE AWAY works!!!!! All you have to do is check out Michelle's three things she is offering and DECIDE which one you would like MOST: a pendant necklace, a new tshirt, OR $20.00 to spend in her Blessings Unlimited Catalog!!! THEN leave me a comment here on this post and LET ME KNOW which item you'd like to receive IF YOU WERE TO WIN!! It is that simple!! I will pull out three names and Michelle has graciously offered to mail the 3 winners the prize of their choice!! That simple!!! Remember you can view MORE pics of her items at her fundraiser blog http://www.michellemckinney.blogspot.com/ BUT leave me a comment here and say which prize you'd like to win the most...and i'll pull out the names Sunday night!!!

Thanks everyone for playing...and Thanks Michelle for having such a kind, generous heart!! I'm so excited to see WHO wins!!

Happy Friday to you all, kj

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him." Romans 15:13 NIV

Teddy Bears, Coffee, a Video, Prayers and a Thank You!!!

***What If your child HAD NO ONE to tuck them in?? NO ONE to snuggle with at night?? NO ONE to comfort them when they wake sick or scared?? Well...let me introduce ya to a little girl I know that is determined to make a difference in the life of a child "on a 7 year old scale"!! My daughter Helen has a friend since birth named "Sarah"!! Sarah was challenged by our church to MAKE A DIFFERENCE and PAY FORWARD A KIND GESTURE!! Our church, one Sunday, handed Little Seven Year Old Sarah 5 dollars (along with everyone else in the congregation) and they were told to "Use the money to MAKE MORE MONEY...THEN give it away to help others"!! Sarah and her Mommy came up with the idea to GIVE ORPHANS in Sierra Leone their VERY FIRST TEDDY BEAR EVER!!! You see...orphans in Sierra Leone aren't adoptable, yet they live in orphanages dreaming of a future!! Sarah's mommy helps with the group: The Raining Season and Sarah heard of the need of the orphans in Sierra Leone and HOW LITTLE they all had!! Finding food, medicine and clothing is a challenge each week for all the children..SO...a stuffed animal to call their very own would NEVER be able to be afforded!!! So....Sarah took her 5 dollars and had lemonade and brownie stands ALL WEEKEND to raise money to buy each child their VERY OWN FIRST Teddy Bear!! Each bear costs $10.00 and she is TRYING and BELIEVING that she can reach her goal!! You can read more about it by going to http://www.teddybearsforsierraleone.blogspot.com/ !! You will see a Pay Pal button if you'd like to donate $10.00 for a bear!! The next group from The Raining Season will travel in May to deliver these precious bears to each child!!

Oh, and I didn't mention that Sarah is also STUFFING all the bears too!! Well, she'll probably get some help from friends to get them all stuffed...but these are bears STUFFED with little American hands for the little hands in Sierra Leone to love on!! So, these children may not have a person to tuck them in OR someone to care for them when they are scared at night...but they will NOW have their very own bear to squeeze and love on BECAUSE of a little 7 year old girl in America!!Again, you can click HERE if you are interested in helping Sarah reach her goal or reading more about it!! Way to go Sarah!!!

***I'd also like to give a SHOUT OUT to The Read family from http://www.lovingourleah.blogspot.com/ for introducing me to some delicious Ethiopian Coffee!! This family is currently adopting from South Korea and they are selling this coffee to raise the money needed!! My Ethiopian Coffee just arrived and I enjoyed a cup RIGHT AWAY!! (i'm slightly obsessed with coffee...and this was some fabulous coffee :) You can order your own by visiting www.justlovecoffee.com/TheReads Thanks Read Family!!

****Also...My sister, Kelly, is organizing and planning her next Mission trip to Africa...She went 3x last year...and her first trip this year will be in July!! She is taking a group with her to represent Ordinary Hero and they are headed to Ethiopia....Let her know if you'd like to join the group....Watch her little, short promo video below...it is too cute:

***Also praying tonight for all the changes taking place in the Ethiopian Adoption world!! Ethiopia announced yesterday that they'd now require TWO trips during your adoption!! I can find many positives in this change and certainly welcome it IF it helps a child's adjustment and long term care...BUT praying for those families that NOW must come up with the extra money IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME!! Please know that we "old timers" in the Ethiopian Adoption world ARE PRAYING for all of you currently in the process!!

Ok, that's all i've got tonight...Stay tuned for tomorrow night's GIVE AWAY POST!! I have some cool stuff to give away :) Happy Thursday to you all, kj

P.S. A huge thank you goes to to my girl Karen for this fabulous GIFT this week:

What a great surprise!! I love it and will cherish it always!! (it is a 20 X 20 now proudly on display in my home :) Thanks Karen!! You are the best!!! kj

Happy 5th B-day To My Sweet Boy...(and one year ago today)

Five years ago TODAY I became a MOMMY to my FIRST son!! I had been a "girl" mommy up until this day...and my sweet Hal made me a "boy" mom too!! I was SO in love from DAY ONE!I could have seriously EATEN this boy up!! I never knew HOW MUCH I could love a "baby boy" until I met my Hal!! He wasn't ever what you would call an "easy" baby!! He was actually very fussy and difficult from day ONE!! But I didn't care....he was my BOY!! We had a joyful time in the hospital together..but..... this sweet, calm new born didn't last for long!! I thought he was seriously the prettiest newborn I'd ever seen...so I just focused in on "how cute" I thought he was during our months of "crying fits" ahead of us!! :) I came home from the hospital to a "just turned" 3 year old, a newly one year old and a "screaming" new born that couldn't be pleased!! Thank the Lord my girls were fairly easy, because Hal required A LOT of attention!! He ate around the clock and required holding 24/7!!His crying fits seemed to level out around 4 months, and by 1 year (above), he hit 30 lbs and was HUGE!! He was off the chart in every way possible!! He was intense, seriously smart, very sensitive, and talking WAY before he was suppose to....He kept us on our toes (and still does :) but his HEART was huge!! He LOVED us passionately and was always eager to please!! :) Our Hal is still our only child out of 5 to keep us "challenged"!! (doesn't everyone deserve ONE : ) He can by shy and quirky yet funny and out going at other times!! He's sensitive and emotional YET very LOVING and KIND!! Where my girls will eat anything...he won't touch a THING!! My girls could care less what I pick out for them to wear...Hal has cared from DAY ONE!! He refused all diapers day and night at 2o months and wouldn't have an accident if his life depended on it...He took his "training wheels" off his bike at his 3rd bday and never looked back!! We've just always called him an "old soul"!! He doesn't miss a beat and you WON'T get a thing by him!! BUT...We wouldn't change a thing about our sweet boy, because God made him PERFECTLY for us!! :)

And, I do believe that the BEST thing that ever happened to Hal was getting LL as his baby sister!! They truly have a special bond!! He may push us away and say our kisses and hugs are "gross"...but he smothers LL in love ALL THE TIME!! His first and last thoughts of the day are "loving and holding" his baby sister!! He truly watches over her and takes care of her....I think that LL was a little gift from God for our Hal...She truly brings out the BEST in him, and he's never happier than when he is holding and playing with her!!

We celebrated Hal's 5th bday by having his friends join us at the local "Jumpy" place!! (pictured above)...He picked this place and had a GREAT time!! He even picked out his bday shirt to wear...a "mario" tshirt (not momma's first choice :) But, hey, if Hal is HAPPY, we're ALL HAPPY!!! :)

***Happy 5th bday sweet love!!! Momma and Daddy LOVE you so much and we can't believe you are ALREADY 5!! Where is the time going?? We know God has big plans for your smart head and big heart!! We can't wait to see what that is....You are a wonderful gift from the Lord!!! :)

(and one year ago today...on Hal's 4th bday...we lost our referral for Baby K...her birth mom changed her mind and returned to the orphanage to reclaim her baby girl...I knew in my heart it was THE RIGHT THING, but it still hurt...It was a call from my case worker that I never expected...I still remember "the call" like it was yesterday...It was just a SHOCK more than anything else!! Many travelers witnessed her mother coming and carrying her baby away wrapped in a pink blanket...I got many accounts of the actual event...and even one last picture taken before she was gone for good out of our lives!! We are thankful tonight (one year later) that Baby K's Mommy returned..that she was able to parent the child that was rightfully HERS!! We rejoice that they were able to be together AGAIN..AND we pray for their safety and happiness EACH and EVERY day since!! We know looking back NOW that Baby K was just a stepping stone to get us to our daughter Lucy Lane Martha...and for that...we give MUCH PRAISE!! )

**Happy Wednesday to you all, kj

Spring Has Finally Sprung!!!

Oh, how it makes this Momma HAPPY to finally have warm weather and 5 little children running outside barefoot!! Yes, we're from Kentucky and live in Tennessee, so children around these parts are found "barefoot" most of the time!!! :)Well, my little Ethiopian Princess had forgotten that she had NOT worn shoes for the first year of her life...I seriously didn't put shoes on her until almost her 1st bday....She also wasn't walking last time it was warm around here...so she found herself in a LITTLE shock when I placed her in the grass yesterday BAREFOOT!!! She immediately plopped herself down and refused to walk on the dry, dead looking stuff.......... She pointed to her favorite car because she wanted it SOOO badly...but she just wasnt' quite sure HOW she was going to get over there to it.....

Above, we have her having a conversation with her feet whether or not they are going to walk on this stuff or not..........

"Hmmmmmm....Is it worth it??? Should I cry?? Hmmmmmm......"

"Ok...this is kind of funny after all................."

"Ok, I give up...I'm up and giving it a try EVEN IF I don't like it one bit...."

"OK, so it isn't all that bad.....I even found a dead leaf in my car!!!! "

And, then she REALLY got the hang of it and ran all over the back yard....WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BABY????? I now have this toddler that can even climb on and off a 4-wheeler by herself....crazy BIG girl!!!

I found myself Praising God all day for the beautiful weather!! We stayed outside all day long....Cousin Nathan was over playing too which totally keeps everyone entertained!! I even took all 6 kids out to eat lunch by myself...I think my Helen counted 8 PEOPLE that stopped at our table to ask, "Are all these children YOURS?" "Mam, you are BRAVE!" and my favorite of course, "Mam, I just had to stop and tell you...your children are so well behaved...are they all yours?" I think people just give the compliment out so they don't feel so bad about asking IF THEY ARE ALL MINE!! :) LOL I left everyone confused when I said "NO...only 5 of them are mine..." You could see them trying to figure out WHICH 5 were mine!! :) too funny!! :) (cousin Nathan is also adopted from Ethiopia...just an fyi for anyone NEW around here :)

**So, the TRUTH is..I bribed them ALL with a cookie to sit still and use their good manners while we ate out!! :) It works like a charm!! :)

***Happy Spring to you all...hope you are getting this fabulous 70 degree weather where ever you may be!! And TRY going barefoot...it is fabulous!! Happy Tuesday to you all, kj

Paying It Forward....

Let me tell ya the story of a fabulous little morning....
**My hubby and I wake last Saturday morning and decide we're taking the 5 kiddos OUT FOR BREAKFAST to experience some wonderful pancakes at one of our "kind of famous" local hole in the wall places!! Last time I had breakfast there, I ran into Steven Curtis Chapman...so I kind of like the cool little place!!! So, we head out... We arrive and enter this cute LITTLE place with our LARGE family of 7...and we get the entire restaurant staring at us from the minute we enter (kind of normal with a large family, and not to mention that all 5 kids are little and look basically the same age :) So...they have one large table left open..so we get sat quickly (yay..) So, breakfast is going as usual....no one crying at our table yet (a bonus at any eating out adventure)...a drink or two were spilled....Hal (my 4 yr. old) not eating because he doesn't like anything....AND...I certainly was enjoying every bite of my banana-chocolate chip pancakes!!! (my absolute fav) Then the craziest thing happened EVER:

We are just about finished eating when our waitress comes over with a simple paper napkin in her hand and shows it to us....She goes on to explain that someone sitting across the restaurant wanted to give us THIS NAPKIN....The napkin simply said "GOOD JOB" written on it...AND, she explained that they had told her to tell us "WE WERE DOING A GOOD JOB" and THEY PAID FOR OUR BREAKFAST BEFORE THEY LEFT!!!! Will and I were stunned!! She said they had already left, and paid for it all, and JUST wanted the message sent to us!!! Isnt that the craziest, nicest thing EVER?????? We asked her IF she knew this person/couple?? And, she said she DIDN'T!!!! She'd never seen them before....I seriously got all teared up and couldn't believe someone, a complete stranger would do something SO NICE!!! So...we left our morning outing with such a fresh, renewed outlook on life...There really ARE a lot of nice people in this world!!! And, if such a small gesture could bring us SUCH warmth and happiness..we wanted to GIVE THAT BACK!!! So, look out world...we're looking for the next opportunity to PAY IT FORWARD!!! We're going to do the exact same thing....I'm sending a note over to the NEXT BIG family out and about I see...and picking up the tab for their meal....I'm also leaving FIRST before they figure out who did it!! :) I'll keep ya posted!!! :) AND, a HUGE thank you to the complete stranger that MADE OUR DAY!!! :) May God Bless you for being so kind!!

***Happy Saturday to you all, kj

Having Computer Tech Issue....

So, it looks like my computer may have crashed...it is at the computer doctor and I am currently using my hubby's 10 yr. old laptop that just doesn't work...so....I'll post again hopefully soon...Just wanted to let ya know that there WEREN'T anymore "security breaches"...just old bad computers :) Have a great weekend IF I don't get to chat with ya...kj

From 5 To 9...They Are Home Safely!!

Last night was another night FILLED with miracles at the airport!! We watched the Mihnovich Family go from a family of 5 to a family of 9 IN AN INSTANT!!! Yes, this amazing family adopted a sibling group of 4 from Ethiopia and arrived home safely last night!! Praise God!!

After many delays and MANY hours in travel...they were on American soil and VERY READY to get home...Well...above, 3 of them were awake...and.....below..
the baby of this sibling group couldn't quite HANG with the rest of the gang...He decided that sleeping through all the excitement was the way to go!! :)And, yes, above...it is really sad when the Momma of 7 that just traveled 40 hours to get home LOOKED BETTER than this momma!! LOL Oh, well..I've never seen Tracy look bad!! Tracy and her family are the ones responsible for our deciding to adopt. You can scroll down to the bottom of this page and see their first Gotcha Day with Baby Levi!! It was that video that changed our lives forever....We didn't even know this family, but were so excited to find out that they were local...Now, 2 years later...they have completed their second adoption and we're so proud to call them FRIENDS!!!

Well, they obviously have MANY friends...the airport was packed...even at 10'oclock at night....And, it was packed with Ethiopian beauties everywhere!!!

above, Elle is the big sister to this sibling group now of 7!! And, Levi is the baby still!!!

Jr. Poppy Dip herself was in FULL BEAUTY ACTION at the airport last night...I always say that this child should be on the cover of "Adopt Ethiopia" and there wouldn't be another waiting child in Ethiopia !! :)

I LOVE this above pic...it is Missy who just got home a few weeks ago with her son from Ethiopia and she took the "147 Million Orphan Feed 1" shirt and changed the "1" into a "4" for this event...AND, you have the FOUNDERS of http://www.147millionorphans.com/ shirts posing on each side of her....GREAT IDEA Missy!!! Wish I'd thought of it!!! :)

above, AND here is Missy's son, Micah Shewit!! He stopped to pose for me....It was just weeks ago that HE was the new kid at the airport...AND, now he is an old pro at AIRPORT HOMECOMINGS!!

And, we have some of the Mommas posing in their 147 Million gear!! We all looked at Gwen and Suzanne (founders of it) and said, "What did we wear before you started your business?" LOL

Vannessa and Amy were out supporting too...Both of these Mommas are on the waitlist for Ethiopian boys..I can't wait till their homecomings!! :)

This precious Ethiopian baby boy was just too cute!!! I think he and his Momma actually look a lot alike!!

2 more beauties welcoming their new friends home.....

I love these two friends....I said they needed to be on a Shampoo commercial...What GREAT hair!!

Another sweet family, above, just getting started in the process!!

Momma Poppy Dip and her twin girls!!

And, above we have two of the Mommas that rode in my hubby's van to the airport last night...that was one of the MOST fun parts..the ride out there!! We had 6 in my van and we laughed and gabbed the entire way there and back!! I love all the women God has put in my life..they inspire me each and every day!! And, I especially LOVE the Mihnovich Family for adopting 4 more!! What an inspiration!!! What might seem "crazy" or "hard" to the rest of the world...seems so NORMAL now to all of us!! Witnessing God bring this family together seems SO NATURAL and BEAUTIFUL!! I love the way God has changed US ALL so much during this journey of our lives!!! I'll never be the same after witnessing such miracles take place!! :)

Praising God for this amazing FAMILY!! Our Tennessee community just went up in population by 4 more!!! 4 more beautiful children being given the chance at LIFE!! God is just too good sometimes!! :) Welcome home sweet children ...We love you, welcome you, embrace you and pour sweet blessings over your life!! Happy Wednesday to you all, kj