Amos Ivey makes it to his forever home

Seems like we've been praying for this homecoming forever. It finally happened. You can learn the complete story at Aaron's blog and Jamie's blog.

Pray for this family...

Please pray for this family as they mourn the loss of their daughter in Haiti.

UNRAFFLE

Brian Seay and his family are working on an adoption. They have created the UNRAFFLE. Being from a Southern Baptist background I totally understand their unique name for this fundraiser.

Click here to read the description and find out what your UNRAFFLE unticket will give you an opportunity to "unwin". Actually, your contribution does give you a "chance" (watch out for lightning) to win something.

Their adoption story is here.

Please Consider...

Bush and Maris need help finishing out their adoption fund account. Having paid for an adoption I know how hard that is. They are down to the wire.

Bush is an amazing photographer. He's selling prints of his work. Visit this site, pick one out and buy it. I can't figure out which is my favorite, but I'm sure you're better at making up your mind than me.

Hurricanes and Haiti

This is from Aaron Ivey's blog. You can read the entire thing here. This is the part that jumped out at me.

so many have been kind to call/email/text us about how our kids are doing with all the storms and flooding. (it is a humbling thing to know that people around the country are thinking and praying for our kids in Haiti). They are both fine and safe. We communicated with Licia and Lori today. we definitley got the scope of how rough things are there right now. the MAJOR problem right now is lack of drinking water. the flooding has washed out all of the water pipes which brings in fresh water to the village and mission. there are no supplies to fix these pipes, so when their reserve supplies of fresh water run out, they are in trouble. they can’t drink the water from the overflowing rivers because it is filled with “dirty” water (contaminated). Licia is doing everything she can to conserve, collect rain water, and limit washing clothes and diapers. she says her food supply will be ok, but major concern is water.

How is your water supply today?

Oh Happy Day!

I just received an exciting phone call from one of my dear friends. They got their travel date for Russia! YES! It has been a two year wait. An up and down, twisty, turny, spinning roller coaster on steroids wait.

But the wait is now over! And soon, very soon, my friends will travel to Russia to meet their new daughters! And are we excited? Heck Yeah! I'm so excited I can't see straight!

Oh Happy Day!

"Warrior for the Right"

Sometimes we receive news that simply takes our breath away. We met the Rhea family on our adoption road. Our lives were intertwined before we even met. They paved our adoption road in prayer before we knew we were on that road. We grieve for them. I ask for your prayers for them. Adrain Odell Porier

June 24, 1982 – May 31, 2008 “Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.” Psalm 127:3-5 Our Sweet “Bubba” was tragically taken from us early Saturday morning by one he knew “needed to be redeemed”. Adrain was kind to the despised and reached out to the outcast. He was our precious, gentle, soft-spoken, tender, thoughtful son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend. Truly a gift from our gracious Heavenly Father. Providentially, he was named after his great-grandfather, grandfather and father. His first name means “Warrior for the Right”. He was son to Randy Porier and Akemi Rhea and stepson to Bill Rhea. Brother to 13 siblings. His biological brothers, Shaun Porier, Kevin Porier and Robert Powers miss him dearly. He was step-brother to Josh Rhea and wife Evan Moore and step-brother to Adrienne Rhea. Adrain was instrumental in encouraging Bill and Akemi Rhea to adopt and will be deeply missed by his adopted brother John, and his adopted sisters, Elizabeth, Maly, Maggie, Serah, Catherine, Monichea and Frances. We praise our Great God and Savior, the Mighty Sovereign, our Deliver and Redeemer, the only Living and True God, Creator of all things, Comforter, Healer, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords for gifting Adrain to us for 25 years—just a breath. We look forward to our future embrace in Heaven where we will celebrate together, the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. We now rejoice in Him for his saving work in Adrain’s life and in ours. Thanks be to God! Amen. Because of Adrain’s heart for orphans, we ask that in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the: Adrain Odell Porier Memorial Fund set up by Asian Hope, a ministry to Cambodian orphans. http://www.asianhope.org

Bedtime Ritual

My 14 year old and I have a bedtime ritual.

She comes to me and says, "Goodnight Mom."
We hug.
I pray.
She kisses my cheek.
I kiss her forehead.
And then she shakes my hand.

We've had this ritual for less than 5 years.
Her first ten years were spent in a Chinese orphanage.
We like our ritual.

What is your bedtime ritual?

Pray

I got this off of dreaming(Big)dreams blog. She got it off a friend's blog. Having spent time in Guangzhou going through the adoption process I can "see" the consulate red tape mounting for this poor woman. I can't comprehend the grief. I don't know what I would have done if Phil had died while we were there.

"I just got an e-mail from one of my friends who is in China right now. One of the families in her group has experienced a tragedy that is so hard to comprehend. The wife Sandi and her husband Dennis have been married 18 or 19 years, and this is their first child. Hannah (who is being adopted in China) is their daughter, and they were preparing to return to the States when Dennis fell ill.
Dennis was struggling to keep his blood glucose levels in check while in China and fell in to a diabetic coma yesterday. He died in Guangzhou two nights ago.
Sandi’s mother and brother are trying to get emergency visas to get to China to help out, and now there is concern that the US government (via the Consulate in Guangzhou) would deny Hannah’s visa to return to the States with her mother, as her father’s death affects the status of her adoption (on paper only, though).
Please pray for Sandi, Hannah, and their shock & grief. Please pray that the Consulate would not deny Hannah’s visa and that they would be able to return home unhindered, and for all arrangements for Dennis’ body. I ache for them….this just seems unfathomable! PLEASE PRAY!"

Jamie adds: Please if you think about it pray for this family and all the circumstances around this tragic event. Pray for the mom and her unimaginable loss. I can’t even begin to understand her life right now.

Dead in the Pew

This wonderful, yet sad, blog is by Bush. I agree with everything he says in this entry. I started reading his stuff because I liked his notes on "being the church". He and his beautiful wife are working on an apdoption. Go to "Adopting August" to learn more about their journey.