Help two little boys join a family

My friend Patrice has something really important on her blog about a special family adopting two little boys that are brothers. They both have EB (the same genetic disorder that my friend's son has) and this family has experience with it and have been called and moved to adopt these little boys. The problem is that it's SOO costly. We know that adoption is costly but wow, this is VERY costly. The boys are actually in two different regions in two different orphanages. They've been separated because of their age. Because of that, they are having to do a lot of extra work to reunite these brothers and bring them home. Can you share this info and give $5 or $10 to their family? They have already raised a TON but there is much to raise. Thankfully, we serve a Mighty Provider!

Here's my friend Patrice's blog where she gives some great ways to help: http://patriceandmattwilliams.blogspot.com/2011/05/important.html

Here is the family's blog. You can go there to read about this family and to donate.

I won something cool!!

Guess what? I won something so cool! The other day when I posted about my Week in Review, I was entered in a giveaway by Amy at http://www.filledwithpraise.blogspot.com/ to win a copy of the book, "A Room with Footprints" by another adopting momma, Rachelle!
Here is her blog:
http://www.treasuresovertherainbow.blogspot.com/


Here is a video about Rachelle's book and how your purchase of one helps build schools in Ethiopia!


Go here to buy a book!

Our May Number

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That's halfway!!

My Week in Review

This week I decided to link up with Amy over at Filled with Praise. I've been reading her's and everybody else's in the past but I haven't actually written about my high and low for the week yet. So here goes!

The High and the Low (all in one day)

My high was a result of probably my low for the week. This is my best friend, Meredith. On Tuesday, I had a bad day....well, a terrible day. I was feeling overwhelmed, fed up, sad, you name it. My Kindergarten students were off the hook. My daughter was quite the opposite of kind at soccer practice. The fact that we have been trying to adopt for 2 1/2 years was sinking in hard. I was worried that we're not gonna find the people to rent our home. Well, I could go on. I know...it's not sounding like a high yet, is it?? Just wait! So, Meredith and her husband invited us over for dinner. After dinner, I'm pretty sure she could tell that I was about to just fall apart. She asked me to stay after Brian took Isabel home. She whisked me off to her bedroom and left me there w/ her itunes and pillows. She closed the door and said, "I'll be back in a while." I was able to have much needed quiet and alone time with the Lord. I cried on her pillows and it was just such a peaceful release. I could sense the Holy Spirit comforting me and holding me close. After her kiddos were put to bed and her husband was leading his Bible Study, she came back to check on me. She listened, encouraged, cried with me, and laughed with me. I'm not sure how you can repay someone for that. My attitude changed. My heart was in a different place and I was ready to get up and keep going. I'm pretty sure their family needs to move to Texas with us. :)

"Oil and perfume make the heart glad,

and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel."

-Proverbs 27:9

Much love,

The Cat's Photo Shoot

We break from normal adoption posts to share pictures from

Isabel's photo shoot of Jasmine, our cat.

This would appeal to Jasmine's thuggish-ruggish side.

Isabel designed all of the cat's ensembles and accessories. Jasmine actually seemed to enjoy it. She sat there and even posed sometimes. It was ridiculous! :)

Of course, this would be her look if she were to attend a royal wedding.

This was for when she becomes a princess one day.

If you'd like to schedule a pet sitting, please feel free to contact Isabel. :)

Praying for 2 mothers

Guest blogging tonight...the husband (A.K.A. Brian)

I find myself during this mothers day thinking of and praying for 2 mothers. One is the woman that God destined to be my wife, the love of my life, and the other I have never even met nor do I even know her name. While mother's day may be an American holiday, motherhood is universal.

Tonight I am thinking of a mother in Ethiopia. She is faced with a decision that I canot imagine having to make. She may be looking at her daughter, not sure of what to do. She may be wondering how she is going to be able to provide for her daughter that God has given her. And yet, she may already know the decision that needs to be made, or may have already made it. She is hoping and praying for a forever family to adopt her daughter.

She does not know us, I pray that one day we will get to meet. But she hopes; and she prays. And while she is praying for her daughter tonight half a world away, so is another mom. My wife is an amazing woman. I love that I get to be blessed by being her husband and Isabel is blessed to have her as a mom. There is a little girl somewhere in Ethiopia that longs to know the love of a mom. She has no way to know it yet, but she already has a forever mom that loves her deeply and is already praying for her. We will see her face one day soon and then get to meet her. We will get to love her and be the parents that God created us to be for her. I just pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, that right now, at this very moment, she would know that her mom is praying for her and loves her so very much.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV)
So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love

Brian

Crazy dream and Halfway there!

I had the most bizarre dream last night. I dreamed we got our referral. In my dream, I was sitting at home when we got the call. The referral was for a sweet little 2 1/2 year old girl. Her name started with an L I think. It's hard to remember stuff from dreamworld. :) It was so so real though. It made me excited and hopeful for the day we receive the referral for our daughter. In my dream, we all just stared at her picture all day. It was so sweet. I can't wait for that day.

Oh guess what? Our unofficial number is 47 so that means we are half way! When we first got on the waitlist we were number 93 so I think 47 is about half way. We've been on the list for 6 1/2 months now and we still don't really know when we could receive a referral. They told us 9-12 months after we got on the waitlist but who knows really with all of the changes that happened and the rainy season that will happen in Ethiopia. We're still excited to see our number going down and each time Isabel runs to tear a link off of the chain in her room. The other day she said, "Mommy look it's getting shorter! We're closer!!"