Waiting for Glory: Month Five {Adoption Month 5-0!}

Ugh. Some months I dread these posts and wish I had never started a monthly adoption update. But I did...

The upside is it forces me to look honestly at where my heart is in this long journey, made up mostly of waiting.

This month I'm feeling discouraged and helpless. Our girl is turning one year old next week and she will do so in an orphanage. No one will celebrate the anniversary of her coming into this world. She won't smear icing all over her face and smile for dozens of pictures. That makes my heart hurt. (Side note: it also helps me to understand why birthdays are difficult for Our {collective Our} kiddos from hard places.)

What she/we need most right now is prayer. We are at a pivotol point and it seems as though the only shot we have at getting her home this year hinges on a few things:

First, pray for favor with our USCIS officer. There are a lot of confusing details (aren't there always when dealing with USCIS?) but we are waiting for our I-600A approval - giving us approval to bring an orphan into the US. We NEED this approval ASAP.

Second, pray that the US Embassy would begin their investigation into Glory's orphan status when they travel to her city in June/July. AND that the investigation would go quickly and smoothly.

Third, pray her birth certificate would be issued and that we would pass court quickly. At this point she will legally be our child and she can move to a foster home in the capital city.

Fourth, please pray for her health. She is literally in one of the hardest countries in the world to be a little one.

{This month also marks 50 months since starting the adoption process. #longestgestationperiodever}

Waiting for Glory: Month Four

That's all I got today. Waiting sucks.

Waiting for Glory: Month Three

It's hard to believe it's been three months since we said Yes to Glory. It's even harder to believe we've made very little progress on the actual adoption process in that amount of time.

Would you pray with us? We have some specific prayer requests this month and would be so honored if you would pray for our girl.

• Please pray for her health. Pray that she would supernaturally receive the nutrition her little body needs to stay healthy and grow!
• Pray for the new processes with the US Embassy to quickly be smoothed out. Pray for the DRC officials, as they navigate the new requests and guidelines, that their hearts would not become hardened for adoption due to the extra work.
• Pray for our attorneys and that they would be diligent in completing this process quickly and ethically. 
• Pray for the Lord's will in regards to moving her into a foster home or keeping her in her current orphanage.
• Pray for our fundraising as it (hopefully) comes to a close.
• Pray for our hearts. Waiting is hard.

Waiting for Glory,

Waiting for Glory: Month Two

Glory raked in some big bucks this month! Our Beard for Glory campaign wrapped up last week at a total of about $4,600, we've received about $1,700 toward our $3,000 matching grant from the Orphan Care Alliance and today we got a $2,000 check in the mail from Families Outreach. Not a bad month!

Unfortunately, not much progress has been made on the process side of things... I did get Wallace homestudy number seven in the mail today so that is something. Next week it along with our fifth (six?) dossier will begin the long journey to the DRC. Goodbye paper chase, goodbye.

Since there's not much to report this month I decided to interview the kids and let them tell you what they are most excited about teaching Glory and doing with her when she gets home. Here are their unedited answers.

T: "How to walk. That is all."

Moses: "She can see my new bunk beds. I can carry her to the car. Glory will stay healthy when she gets home. I will teach her how to stand up, jump and clap. I will teach her my ninja moves." (He then demonstrated said ninja moves.)

M: "I am excited because I can rock-a-bye her. I can hold her. I can watch movies with her and show her where the jaguars are." (Note to self: Inquire about location of the jaguars.)

Meadow: "I am thankful I will rock-a-bye she. I will help her pee. I will play with she. Are we getting two kids?" NO. "Oh, I will hold she."

 And there you have it. This girl has a lot to look forward to.

Waiting for Glory: Month One (And Beard for Glory Update)

It's hard to believe one month ago today we said "Yes" to Glory!

It's been a whirlwind of paperwork and emails and physicals and fingerprints. Thankfully, our CIS is expiring for the second time (never thought I'd be saying that!) next month so we were already in the process of updating our home study. We should have it in our hands this week and I am working fast and furious on our FIFTH dossier. As I use to tell my grandma as a little girl, "Oh, let's just don't talk about that."

The kids are beyond excited about baby Glory and talk about her all. the. time. Who is going to rock-a-bye her, what they are going to teach her, when she is coming, her birthday cake, where she will sleep and on, and on, and on they go. It is precious.

We've also been spending some time promoting our current fundraiser "Beard for Glory" AND, drum roll please..............................................................

The No Beard votes have taken the lead!!!

 

No Beard - 158

 

Beard - 138

That means we have raised $1,480 with this quirky ol' idea of mine. Not bad if I do say so myself.

Remember, voting will go until Valentine's Day so please keep liking, sharing, pinning and tweeting. (Imagine if someone who died 50 years ago read that. What the what? Sorry. Ran. Dom.)

We can't send a Thank You to everyone who has supported us but, Lord willing, one day soon we'll be able to post a video of a sweet baby girl getting off an airplane and joining her forever family because of YOUR generosity.

Big or small each gift counts and every time you share our story YOU are bringing Glory closer to home.

Waiting for Glory,

Waiting: Month 7 (The wait is over. For now.)

We will not be adopting Moise. 

I have pounded the pavement, argued with God and had a good cry. I'm still not sure what is next. Or why what happened has happened to us.  

There are a lot of details surrounding this situation and we are still processing everything. 

For now, we are going to step away from international adoption. We are tired. Four years is a long time to be living this roller coaster and we need a break. 

Please pray for peace and clarity. We have two decisions to make: what is next for our family and what to do with our knowledge of the plight of children in Africa and all over the world.

Dear Moise

Dear Moise,

Happy Birthday! We are madly in love with you and cannot wait to bring you home. We have been looking for you for a long time! Every day we ask God to bring you home quickly so you can meet your Papa, Mommy, brother and sister. He is waiting for the perfect time and we trust Him. When He says “Go!” we will jump on the first plane we see and be there super fast!

Moise, do you know that you are precious? God made you just exactly the way you are. He created you and He loves you – even more than we do!

We want you to know that it is ok to be sad and scared and confused. It’s ok to be mad and angry too. No matter how you feel, we will always love you and we will always keep you safe.

At our house there is plenty of food and clothes and toys. You have your own bed and it is soft and clean.  

Your brother and sister can’t wait to meet you! Did you know your brother’s name is Moise too? Here we say it like “Moses” but it is the same. He is so excited to have a brother and can’t wait for you to come home! Your sister’s name is Meadow and she thinks it is so funny to have two brothers named Moses! 

They save all of their money so when God says “Go!” we can buy our plane tickets. Planes from our house to your house cost a LOT of money.

On the way home, we’ll fly over a big ocean. Mommy HATES flying but you are worth it. Precious boy you are so worth it. We can’t wait to hear your story, to hear your voice and to let God heal your heart. I know it aches sweet boy and our hearts ache too. We will be there soon.

We love you,

Papa and Mommy

Waiting: Month 6

I can't believe it's been six months since we first saw our little guy. Currently we are waiting on his birth certificate to be issued so we can file for court.

For those of you unfamiliar with the adoption process or the goings on of a third world country, birth days and birth dates are not the big deal they are on this side of the pond.

It's not uncommon for people to not know how old they are. So, when they have to get a visa to leave the country, a birth certificate must be created.

Since no one knows how old old Moise is (we've decided to refer to him as the french version of Moses until we can talk to him about what he wants to be called. "The other Moses" just didn't sound right.)

We've been waiting on this birth certificate for over a month so my request is you join us in praying it be issued. Like yesterday. Once we have the birth certificate we can file for court and court means he will legally be our boy.

A BIG step. 

Will help us get there? Pray for Moise's birth certificate to be in the hands of our attorney this week and for a court date to be filed for.

THANKS!

waiting: month five

We are alive.

I thought I should start there since the past month I have taken an unintended hiatus from the blog.

Let me say this: it's been crazy. We are surviving. 

I'm praying that soon we will get into some kind of normal and I can get back into a routine of posting.

This past month of waiting goes down as the easiest thus far. In part due to the level of crazy in our house but mostly because we have made quite a bit of progress in the past month!

One month ago we were waiting on step #4 - filling for the first judgement. As of today we are on day 17 of the first 30 day wait period! Step #6!

We are certain that your prayers are speeding things along! Keep 'em up!

ps. By mid week I should be able to post a more informative update about our extra boys. Things are moving along with them as well - stay tuned!

Congo 2012

Today is the 12th! We are thankful for you who are joining us as we fast and pray today for God to bring our little boy home ASAP.

To be honest, we don't expect it to happen in 2012. It could. But we don't expect it anymore.

I'm thinking of maybe changing the name of our little "campaign" (and doing a better job of getting the word our there) but we are going to stick with the 12 theme since this is the year we saw our little Moses' face for the first time. (And, random factoid, it was my basketball number in junior high and high school. I have an emotional attachment to the number twelve.)


Please pray Moses would be protected - physically and spiritually.

Pray that his little body would stay healthy.

Pray that his food would give him the nutrition he needs.

Pray for his caretakers, that they would be kind and loving.

Pray for our attorney, that he would be timely, diligent and communicative.

Pray for our agency, that they would not grow weary in their labor for the children of the DRC.

If you'd like one of these little cards for your fridge, car, favorite book, etc. please email your physical address to wordfromthewallaces AT gmail DOT com

waiting: month 4

Well, another month has come and gone.

We are a teeny tiny bit closer to bringing "J" home. Our Consent to Adopt was signed and we are now waiting for the first judgement - the Judgement Suppletif - to be applied for. Please join us in praying this happens quickly.

Filing for the first judgement is step number four of 25. 25 is when we travel. (Insert insomnia and sobbing here)

A few months ago I came across DRC Adoption Services. One of the services they offer is visiting your child in the orphanage, taking a few photos, measuring and weighing them, observing them, etc. We decided that these visits are well worth fee of $40 and have since signed up to have DRC Adoption Services visit "J" monthly.

We received our first "report" this past month and it was worth $4,000. First, the photos. Oh my heart I wish I could share them with you! For the first time, we saw "J" smile! It was just as amazing as the first time Moses and Meadow smiled at us. (You know, a real smile, not an "I just passed newborn gas" kinda smile.)

His whole face lights up when he is smiling. He looks like a different kiddo altogether. Don't worry, it is the same kid:-)

Then the report.

First I read his height and weight and, although it is in kilograms and centimeters, realize with some quick math that he is taller and weighs more than Moses. Who is supposedly 1 1/2 years older than him. Hmmmm. Confirmation of what we already suspected.He is not two going on three. He is three going on four. At least. We're ok with that.

Then I read the next sentence: "J" is called "Moise" or Moses and goes by the name Moses. What the what?!

Moses?! Another Moses?

We knew "J" was his orphanage name, assigned to him when he came into care, and we assumed that when he was found by the authorities he was too young to know or verbalize his name.

Turns out we were wrong. He knows his name.

Yep. Another Moses. 

We let it sink in for about 24 hours and came the the conclusion that we will have two Moses'.

In the words of Moses Radio Wallace "It won't be confusing. When you say 'Moses' you will just get two Moses'."

We adults complicate things don't we?

wait on the Lord

"Wait" is a four letter word for prospective adoptive parents isn't it?

There are few things that offer respite from the pangs of waiting. Seeing pictures of your soon-to-be kiddo is one thing. Getting good news about forward movement in your process is another.

Nothing, hear me - NOTHING, can fill the hole in our hearts like the Word. I was encouraged by this excerpt from the devotional "Experiencing God Day By Day" and expect you will be too.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord! - Psalm 27:14

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. We want to be people of action. We feel better if we are doing something to address our need, but waiting forces us to rely on God. David learned what it meant to wait. He was chosen by God to be the next King of Israel, then spent years waiting for the day God's Word would come to pass in his life. As he waited, a paranoid, egocentric king occupied the throne that had been promised to him. David spent his time hiding in caves and living among his enemies. As he waited he saw good friends murdered and his family possessions taken. He saw Israel's enemies wreak havoc on his nation. Perhaps no one ever faced greater adversity while waiting upon God's promise than David did. He certainly understood what it meant to become discouraged and fearful.

But David also enjoyed the reward for waiting upon the Lord. He became the greatest king in Israel's history, and, more importantly, through his trials he became a man after God's own heart.The psalms David wrote during his days as a fugitive have been cherished words of encouragement for millions of people through the ages. Through David's descendants came the Messiah. David's willingness to wait has blessed us all.

Times of waiting on the Lord can be some of the most precious moments in your life (John 11:1-6). If you are waiting on God for something, read Isaiah 40:31 and find encouragement as you wait for Him to fulfill His promises to you.

Congo 2012

The last post, waiting:month three, was scheduled while we were out of town on vacation. I wrote it on Saturday night with no progress to report from the previous month. Not a fun post to write. Little did I know that our Consent to Adopt was issued on Friday! Finally! We'd been waiting on that one form for weeks and weeks.

Now, on to step #4 of 25 on the path to traveling and bringing our little guy home - filing for the Judgement Suppletif. When we switched from Ethiopia to the DRC, we were told the process would take 12 months start to finish. We prayed that even with the set-back of loosing our first referral, we would be home with "J" in 2012.

We pray that request daily. The kids pray it multiple times a day. Moses expects his brother to be home by Christmas.

So when we found out we are still 12 or so months away from bringing "J" home, it was heartbreaking on many levels. Emotional. Financial. Parental.

But somehow I didn't feel like we should stop praying for 2012. We discussed, prior to this new 12 more months bullarky, starting a "Congo 2012" campaign, rallying the troops to pray "J" home this year.

Instead of going with "averages" or "estimates" or "statistics" we are going to stick with the One who controls and defies time. We decided to continue praying for 2012 to be the year "J" will join our family. And we decided to go ahead with rallying the troops.

Since "J" is technically not yet our child, we can't share his photo online. You'll have to join our "Congo 2012" campaign to see his sweet face!

 
We had a few (okay a hundred) of these cards made to remind and encourage our family and friends to pray that "J" will join our family in 2012. We would love for you to hang one on your fridge!

If you'd like to join us as we storm the gates for this soon-to-be-no-longer-an-orphan, send your address to wordfromthewallaces AT gmail DOT com. There are lots of details that need to be worked out, and 21 more steps in this long road, but the Lord knows them all.

He alone can get us to the Congo in 2012 to bring "J" home! 

Will you join us as we intercede?

waiting: month three

This waiting, it sucks. 

You're shocked I know.

But here's the thing about waiting for three plus years - sometimes your pride tricks you into thinking you've actually gotten good at it. Like you've conquered it and are so content and experienced at it you've got it under control.

Then you get smacked upside the head with what seems like an impossible weight of waiting you can't possibly live through. For us, that smack came last week when we learned we are still 12 or so months away from bringing "J" home.

And here's the thing about that weight - we can't carry it. We must wait on the Lord. Not in a cheesy just stand on the sidelines and pick daisies all day while something in the Heavens magically comes together.

We have to wait on Him. Lean on Him. Ugly cry out to Him.Get on our knees before Him.Give it all over to Him.

Only when I am crushed by God, do I truly wait on Him. It's sad but true. My humanness can't do it otherwise.

So here we are: crushed and waiting. Thankful that He's got this. He's not finished writing this story, it's just going to take a little longer than we thought it would. Like three years longer. But who's counting?

p.s. For those of you who are reading because you're in the DRC process and care about the logistics - there were more errors found on our Consent to Adopt and our attorney was robbed at gunpoint. He lost his cell phone, computer and passport. (he was out of country) Therefore, we don't know if the Consent to Adopt has been signed by the mayor yet or not.

The reason for the additional wait is because we have an amazing agency who cares about the children of the DRC - ALL of them, not just the ones who can be adopted, and is working hard to build a relationship with the government officials instead of working around them. Building relationships takes time but they are committed long term to the care of the vulnerable children of the DRC.

Empowered to Connect - Nashville

I know many of you are playing the waiting game just as we are. I know the need you have to feel like you are doing something, anything to connect with your child while you wait. 

SO, I want to share an AMAZING opportunity coming in September to do something productive for your child! The Empowered to Connect (ETC) conference will be at Brentwood Baptist Church In Nashville on September 14th and 15th.


ETC is an initiative started by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Michael and Amy Monroe to provide practical tools and resources for adoptive and foster families. I've had the privilege of hearing Dr. Purvis and Amy speak and the passion they have for equipping families and the church is absolutely from the Lord and absolutely priceless.

Thanks to Focus on the Family, with the coupon code FOCUS, you'll receive 50% off the conference fee making it just $30 per couple! UPDATE: The FOCUS code is no longer valid:-( The regular price for the conference is still a GREAT deal!

Who else is going? Comment if you'll be there - we'd love to connect with you in Nashville!

waiting: month two (take two)

Today marks two months since we accepted the referral for "J".

We are a tad bit closer to bringing him home. We learned on June 7th there were "errors" on our Consent to Adopt form and it was re-filed. We might already be in the midst of the first 30 day waiting period but the power has been shut off in Kinshasa so communicating with our in-country attorney has been difficult. We're hoping by the time he is able to call the US staff we will already be a week or two into the wait!


The best thing that has happened since I-don't-know-what (I wish I could come up with something clever but the children have leeched out most of my brain cells.) - this week we received FIVE photos and a 40 second video clip of "J"!

This blessing highlights one of the coolest things about adoption: community. 

A woman I am friends with on Facebook, but have never met, or even talked to in real life, sent me a message last month. She said she would be travelling to Kinshasa and would I like for her to visit "J", take some photos and video and deliver a package. UHMM, YES PLEASE!

I stuffed all of this into a gallon sized zip lock bag.

Why did this sweet woman choose us? Our little one to visit? 

Simply God's grace on our three year journey ya'll. 

I even asked her why us and she said because I am "so sweet". (Proof that we have never met.)

But seriously, there are probably 100 adopting families on the FB group with kids in Kinshasa and something prompted this sweet lady to bless us.

And bless us she did.

"J" has grown so much! Which is encouraging because most people in the Congo eat one meal a day if they are fortunate. Since his orphanage is in a slum community we assume he eats no more than that. But God is providing the nutrition he needs to grow!

In the video he waves the entire time. That's all, he just waves. For almost 40 seconds. It is the most adorable waving you have ever seen. 


He stops at the end when our sweet FB friend tells him to blow us a kiss. He kisses his hand and then slings it to the ground, almost like he has something gross on his hand and he is trying to fling it off. All. Boy.

I can't tell you how many times we have stared at those pictures or watched that video. Countless times already in just a few days. 

There are a lot of people who don't get it. Won't get it. Will never be able to relate to having a child on the other side of the world who sleeps on the concrete floor at night and eats maybe once a day and has been through more in their few short years than any of us on this side of the ocean could ever imagine. That can be hard, feeling like lots of people don't get it.

But, there are plenty of people who do. The adoption community is LARGE and caring and willing to be there in the difficult waiting and the countless fund raisers and continuous prayer requests. They get it. We get it.

Adoption is not for everyone but, if it is for you, you're joining an amazing group of people who will take time out of their trip on the other side of the world to bless you with five photos, 40 seconds of video and HOPE.

waiting: month one (take two)

Well, it's that time again. We've had our referral for one whole month!

We are excited to be at this point in our long journey. After 3 years, 3 months and 22 days (Just kidding. About the 22 days part. I'm not that insane.) we are at a point we have never reached before.

On May 31st, we received word that our agency filed the request for the Consent to Adopt our little guy! This is the first in at least five baby steps that need to take place PRIOR to traveling to bring him home.

Forward movement is good people. 

It seems like a non-event to be at a point you have never been at before. I mean, isn't that sort of the definition of a journey?

Not if you are a Wallace.

I re-read my first "waiting: month one" post and just have to share a portion of it with you.

To briefly re-cap, Ethiopia deemed us unfit to parent just one month earlier. I was still in self-protection mode and really struggling with that picture hanging on my fridge, on all of our friends fridges, on the bathroom mirror, in the kids room...

I have spent the last month trying to control my life and ignore my fears. I’ve kept myself busy by making ornaments and managing our Etsy shop. I haven’t taken the truth about how I feel to God. The truth that I am scared to fall in love with the little boy in the picture because I don’t want to be hurt again. I don’t want to live through another “what if” coming true.

So am I protecting myself? Yes. But not in a healthy way. And I’m not honestly even sure that it’s good advice. Or possible.

The little boy in that picture deserves to be loved so much that it hurts. And, just like a women with an ultrasound picture hanging on her fridge, while a “what if” might come true and I may never hold him in my arms, God put him in my life right now to be mine in this way.

I can intercede on his behalf in a way that no one was able to do before. And that kind of protection, from the Ultimate Protector, is infinitely better than my selfish ambition of keeping myself from being hurt and controlling what happens to him in my own strength. Only God can protect the little boy on our fridge, only God can give me the strength to make it through the “what if’s” that come true and only He could have adopted someone as selfish as me into his family.

I’m SO thankful for the picture of adoption the gospel provides for us, for His power over the tragedies that make adoption necessary and the grace and protection He freely gives to us as his children.

Wow. 

These words give me goosebumps knowing now the way this story unfolded. 


I fully believe we prayed that little boy home.

God used us and our friends with those pictures on the fridges to intercede for little "G" in a way that no one was before. 

He was absolutely in control of that situation. 
We were in the center of His will. 
And one of my "what if" fears came true. 
But, the "what if" that was His will, was even better than the "happily ever after" I had planned.

It was a tough lesson but one I am so grateful for.

Will you join us praying home our new little "J"? 
(If you could please specificy our home, my heart will thank you.)

PS. Don't forget to check out the Etsy Shop giveaway. It ends this Sunday!

stocked the shop {GIVEAWAY}

Our Etsy Shop has been looking pretty pathetic lately.

Good, because it means we have been making some sales.

Not good, because nothing to buy means no money for our little guy and people look elsewhere.

But it is pathetic no more!

Below is a small sampling of what is currently available!

If you are one of those people who has bought two or three or four pairs of earrings,

first, I LOVE you and second,

would you please share on Facebook or Pinterest?

I know a little incentive never hurts,

so if you'd like to share the love,

please comment that you did so.

On Sunday evening I will choose one winner via random.org.

The winner will have their choice of

ANY ITEM IN THE SHOP.

None of this buy something and get free shipping nonsense!

One entry each for sharing on FB, liking the FB page and Pinning.

If you are generous enough to share our shop on your blog,

I'll give you three entries.

It's called blog love people.

I'd do it for you:-)

The more people who see our shop,

the more ladies in Uganda who can send their children to school

and the quicker we can get our little one

home!

what's goin' on

I can't sleep.

So instead of wasting time on Pinterest I thought I'd answer a question we've been getting a LOT lately: What's going on with the Congo?

Well, right now, a whole. lot. of. nothing.

We lost our referral for G on February 10th; almost three months ago. At the time, we were told the wait for referrals was one - three months.

The one month mark came and went. I was ok with the waiting. Since we got our referral for G after only three days, I felt it was fair to wait the actual estimated amount of time.

We also knew that the international director from our agency would be making a trip late March/early April to meet the attorney in country, establish some communication expectations, visit the orphanages, etc. We were anxiously awaiting the DRC program update scheduled for mid-April.

Turns out the update wasn't much of an update. Something good did come of it - from now on they will not be referring kids until they have an issued abandonment decree. Genius! This will prevent so many families from loosing referrals - the investigation into their orphan status will happen before a family falls in love with their picture.

This new policy, which we are truly happy for, means that the wait time for referrals has been extended to six months. That means we are still three or so months away. This is frustrating. There will not be an African in the Wallace house in 2012.

HOWEVER, the Lord is teaching us to trust in Him in ways I seriously never imagined. Many things about this journey, that up until now made NO sense at all, are slowly coming into focus. I'm hoping that soon I will be able to share some of them here.

I've been learning some wonderful lessons about what family really is, taking care of those He puts in front of us and shaping our childrens souls as we steward them towards Him. Lessons I hope to never forget and to spread far and wide.

Thanks to all of you who have asked, prayed, supported, shared, encouraged and loved us well. God has BIG plans for our little family and I am so humbled and excited to be along for the ride.

Holding on tight,

"pray" and "hold fast" {GIVEAWAY}

I'm super excited to share a new fundraiser we have going on and 

share the information for other families interested in selling some of these great bracelets!

Introducing MudLove bands!

Potential band color options and the different options for the text (single or double lines) or symbol/logo on the clay.

These bracelets are:

waterproof
made of clay
helps give an African clean drinking water 

adjustable in size
help fund our adoption!

We decided to go with two phrases for our bracelets that are meaningful to our family. 

We choose: "pray" (duh)

 and "hold fast". 

Because not everyone is as cool as this handsome guy...

If you'd like more info on how to order these bracelets to support your adoption contact Rachel Walser at

rwalser @ advertising-plus dot com

Rachel can get you the hook up - aka a better deal than is listed on the MudLove website.;-)

If you'd like to support us just click on the out-of-focus-unwhite-balanced pic up top on the right. (We are adoption-poor therefore making due with the iphone photos.)

AND don't forget that now through Mother's Day 

everything in our Etsy Shop is 15% off with the coupon code "mama15"!

Now for the giveaway - what phrase would you get on your band? Why? 

Share in the comments below and a winner will be chosen by random.org Sunday evening 

(that's as good as I can get with a set time:-) 

Guess what you win?!?

 A MudLove band!

As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, 

hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. 

Luke 8:15 ESV