February Martini

So I'm having to post this from the app on my phone because it no longer syncs with my computer. They loaded in backwards order, starting with today.... And this includes January because I didn't get around to it last month. Enjoy!

In memory of the lady who taught me about the birds and bees, the value of a clean kitchen floor, could silence a basement full of loud girls with a single glare and loved me like I was her own.  She has been gone for almost a year and it just isn't the same without her. 

They  are so BIG. 

Meadow's post Comfy Cow meltdown.

What happens when I make a phone call.

My birthday and Ethiopian New Year.

We have three kids beds now...

Getting ready to play in the 'snow'.

What did you do with your extra day? 

Happy Leap Year Day!

Jesus is...

Just for fun on a sunny Saturday morning!

a story of God's awesomeness

Ready for an unfolding story of how awesome God is and an example of how he works even when we don’t realize it?! (enter giddy excitement here.)

I’ll try to explain this as simply as possible but part of the awe of this story is in the intertwined details.

One of my Facebook friends has a son who was adopted domestically 6-7 years ago as an infant. We’ll call her Karen. Karen has a great open relationship with her son’s biological father who is now a Believer living in Louisville. We’ll call him Sam.

Sam works with a Tanzanian woman we’ll call Amy. Amy is pregnant with her 7th child and is concerned that she cannot care for this child. Amy has told Sam that she has considered aborting the baby. Sam has tried talking to Amy about adoption but she does not speak English.

Karen sent me a message to see if I knew anyone who could translate for Sam. Thru friends at church I was put in touch with a man from Tanzania who we’ll call Frank.  

After I explained the situation to Frank, he offered to speak with Amy. Sam gave Amy Frank’s number but we were unsure if she would call him. A man. A complete stranger. To talk about having an abortion.

Amy called Frank! And they know each other! And she use to attend his church! Because of this, she was comfortable sharing her story with Frank. And he was comfortable speaking with her.

Amy shared with Frank that at her first doctor’s appointment she talked with her doctor about not feeling like she could care for another baby. The doctor offered to give her a shot that would “take care of” the baby. Amy went home to discuss this with her boyfriend. Amy’s boyfriend felt that yes, they needed to abort the baby and could not care for another child.

They made an appointment to abort the baby. 

Amy backed out. 

They made another appointment to abort the baby. 

Amy backed out. 

They made a third appointment to abort the baby.  

AMY BACKED OUT! 

PRAISE GOD!!!

The boyfriend now says Amy is crazy because they cannot care for this child. Amy is confused. Amy needs our prayers.

Frank explained adoption to Amy over the phone today but she has a LOT of questions. (My facebook friend Karen is interested in possibly adopting Amy’s baby.)

Amy, Sam and Frank are going to be meeting this week so that Sam can explain to Amy what open adoption can look like.

How insane/amazing is it that God put Amy and Sam in the same workplace? Not only is Sam a Believer, but he has lived through open adoption as a birth parent!

Like I said, this story is still unfolding, but there are already so many ways in which God has been working. 

Praise God that he moved in Amy’s heart and prevented her from aborting this baby! 

Please pray that Sam would be an encouragement to Amy and her boyfriend and that Frank would translate accurately. Pray that God’s will and purpose for this child be fully realized and all for His glory!

encouragement and perspective

I've shared before that we have the most uh-mazing community. On. The. Planet. We've gotten all sorts of messages and phone calls and words of encouragement since loosing our referral last week. I want to share some of them here - I think they may be encouraging to some of you as well!

"I am praying for you today, for your heart, and for the child(ren) out there whom God already knows need your family. I also thank Him that He saw fit to allow this child to remain with a family who wanted and loves him. Adoption and orphan care is complex and riddled with bittersweet emotions, for both adoptees and their families. God uses the adoption process and journey to sanctify us as much as He uses it to provide homes to the children in need! Hugs to you!"

"After I talked to you last week and got the update on the orphanage I just kept thinking about the adoption path that God has had you on....all I could think was about Esther. Why the heck are you guys in the Congo??? Well, obviously, for such a time as this. Praise God that you have not turned a blind eye to the horrible info that you found. Praise God that you and your friends were praying for G to be safe and to get out of that place. It makes me Praise God for your faithfulness to where He has brought you. I will continue to pray that G is truly safe with his family."

"I heard about the kid you were trying to adopt. That sucks. But, it's kinda cool that because you were trying to adopt him, they found his family. How awesome would it be, if the next kid you try to adopt they find their family, and the next one and the next one? All because you are trying to adopt one kid."

That last note is from a dude:-) But yes, how awesome it would be indeed if we could pray home half a dozen kids. Including one who eventually ends up in our home!

Happy Valentine's Day

 

 

from the wallaces!

one less

As of Friday afternoon, there is now one less orphan in the world! Our little boy in the DRC had an uncle and sister who were looking for him. And they found him. And while we are saddened by the news that this little one will not be a part of our family, we are rejoicing that today he is with his family. We firmly believe that the best place for a child to be is with his birth family in his birth country. (If they are able to care for him.)

We are saddened by this news but not altogether surprised. The orphanage where this little one was living is bad, even for the poorest country in the world. There have been three investigations in the last five years; including a current one. We have prayed daily that God would protect "G" and get him out of there. And He did.

As additional orphanage allegations came out in the past few weeks, I've said many times "It will be a miracle if we can get this little boy home." What I meant by that was our home. What God intended for him was a different home. But I believe our prayers were not unheard or unanswered. They were just answered by an all-knowing God who sees the finished picture when all I've got is a single puzzle piece.

I don't want to come across as holy and happy and fake - this is hard. Another setback in a nearly three year journey makes me want to gouge my eyes out with the nearest sharp object. As Matt Chandler said in his sermon two weeks ago - "If there were an easy button I'd be smacking that mug." I WANT easy.

But it is VERY CLEAR that God is trying to teach us something not easy. (Likely many things or we are just really slow and it is taking a few years.) But sometimes I just don't want to learn the lesson. I don't want to relate to and encourage people who have gone through marriage crap or cancer or more cancer or being told they are unfit to parent or... But God does. He has me here, right here, because this is where He wants me. Jesus says in John 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit."

Friends, I would not have chosen "here" on my own. I would have chosen easy. I would not have chosen to produce fruit that relates well to suffering. But that is my fruit. And I would not trade it. I know that God has planted me here with design and purpose. I'm just not altogether sure what that design and purpose is quite yet.

Psalm 68:6 God sets the lonely in families...

new jewelry!

  Click on the "Shop" button above to purchase a beautiful red rolled paper bead necklace from Uganda!

Just in time for Valentine's Day!

The necklaces benefit a woman and her children in Uganda and our little boy in the DRC. Win. Win. Oh, and you because they are super cute. Another win.

 And we have these fun new hoops! I love these and it's hard not to wear every pair I make! These are made to order and the color possibilities are endless!

Pin one of our Etsy shop items, send me the link and I will email you a free shipping code. 

You can also share the love on Facebook by liking our page "for the fatherless" and sharing it with your friends. (Tag me for the free shipping code)

Help us get this boy home!

counting our blessings

This time of year is a little rough. March marks three years of being in the adoption process and last February my step mom was diagnosed with brain cancer, passing away18 days later. I've been really trying to focus on our blessings, particularly the blessings of the last three years. In somewhat chronological order, here are the biggies God has done for us:

Job security for William at the Seminary!
Amazing church plant and community!
Redeemed our marriage!
Gave us a great house in the most diverse neighborhood in our city!
Gave us an amazing baby girl!
Rocked our world with cancer! (blessing in disguise)
William traveled to Sudan for a second film!
Lindsy no longer working full time!
Cancer free!
Healthy girl!
Beach trip that we could never have afforded!
Fund raising efforts beyond what we imagined!
Referral of our sweet little boy!
New job for William at Southeast Christian Church as the Senior Editor of their new TV show!

He has always done the best for us but I'd be lying if I said I didn't agree with C.S. Lewis! The best has at times been painful but we are still looking ahead with joyful expectation. C'mon 2012.

new blog design! {GIVEAWAY}

Check out the blog!

It was time for a new look and I am so glad to have found Danielle at take heart.

I stumbled across her info on another site and followed her link because she has some fabulous hair. Yep, that's the reason, fabulous hair. But once I saw her design portfolio (and her affordable prices) I knew she had to design our new look. And she's in the process of adopting so I felt good supporting her too!

In honor of the new design I'm offering our first giveaway! We all know the power of Pinterest SO, here's what we're going to do:

Anyone who Pins our blog (Don't have a "Blogs I Heart" Board? You should start one!) or one of our Etsy shop items (Our Etsy shop also got a new look!) and emails me the link to your Pin will receive an Etsy coupon code for FREE shipping. On Saturday at midnight 7% of the Pinners will receive a FREE t-shirt. (winners chosen by random.org) Why 7%??? Because if 7% of Believers adopted, there would be NO MORE ORPHANS. And that's the whole point of this blog. Getting to the 7%.

Oh, and you can email me your Pinned link at wordfromthewallaces@gmail.com

Let the Pinning begin!