As of Tuesday, March 20, (that is when we get a report of our Lifesong account), and I have good news to report! We have $1730 contributed towards are match! This is everything that came in over the weekend and before Tuesday. If you have given since Tuesday, it is not reflected in that amount. How amazing is this?!?!?! We have really been blessed with such supportive people around us.
Thank you everyone! We appreciate all of the support, both financial and in the emails, comments and words of encouragement! Please pray that we find out our court date as soon as possible. It is quite difficult with my work schedule as a resident to get coverage and get off work, especially in June.
Again, thank you!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
HIV+
Here is the rest of the story.... the rest of our "Leap of Faith" and journey to our second son.
We were moving along quite content with our second adoption. We have Tedi, our first adopted son from Ethiopia, and were both very busy in our jobs. Our agency, Lifeline Adoptions who places children from Ethiopia through West Sands Adoptions, was telling us 7-9 months wait for a healthy boy aged 0-5...well really about six month for our more specific 3-5 year old boy. This was fine with us. Our dossier landed in Ethiopia on February 6, 2011 and we started our official wait.
But then, on Sunday, February 26, our minister, Ben, at church spoke on who we follow.... he said "Does the way you are living life require God to show up?" "We dream little and only dream what we can do alone." He said, "We must say, 'God this won't happen without you showing up.' " We sang Hosanna which says "break my heart for what breaks yours." We have heard those lyrics before. We were challenged by Ben's words but nothing changed that Sunday or that Monday...we both went back to work and back to life.
Then on Tuesday, February 28th, we had picked Tedi up from his best buddy Sam's house and had just eaten at a local Mediterranean restaurant (Tedi loves all ethnic food). On our drive home, I was reading JT facebook statuses out loud.... it is a habit of ours, both for laughs, interesting stuff, and on this night life changing stuff.... West Sands Adoption posted on their facebook:
"Any families who are interested in adopting an HIV+ child between 4-6 years old (both genders) please contact West Sands Adoptions. We have several children in this age range waiting for their forever family. If you are interested in learning more about adopting an HIV+ child, check out this link or contact our office for more information."
JT just looked at me. I remember we were pulling into the second space in our lot. He knew I had always been okay with HIV+ adoption but he always said once I was out of training and was more available for appointments. He told me to let him pray about it overnight.... I did not. I was on facebook that night messaging with Sheila. She informed me there was a waiting list full of HIV+ kids and all it required was an amendment to our US approval (which is free). She asked if she should let our local rep, Lesley, know we were considering this. I told her no.....that we are good friends with Lesley and JT would call her. He called her five minutes later. She said she would pray for us and slipped in that there were also 2 sisters that needed a home if interested. She knew I want a girl eventually. JT immediately said no.... He then remembered Ben's words. After 24 hours of gut wrenching, knee-dropping prayer, we said "okay, Lesley (and God), if the girls are paperwork ready. We will be their parents. If not, we will be the parents of the first paperwork ready HIV+ boy." We did not know what God would do. We waited.... 60 excruciating hours. Then, Friday morning March 3, Lesley called. The girls were not ready but there was a boy waiting for a family. Of course, we were excited. We felt so convicted waiting for a "healthy" child when "our" child was waiting for us.
This boy, (we will call C.W. for online purposes...though he won't go by this), is 4 1/2 years old. Yes, as the title implies, he is HIV+. You read correctly. Our second son is infected with a Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Now that we had accepted his referral less than one month from being added to the wait list, we knew there would be explaining to do. We shared the details with our close friends and our family. All were so supportive. Tedi has changed so many hearts in our world that it did not surprise me that C.W. and the knowledge of his HIV were welcomed without question.
However, despite our lack of reserve in sharing with our friends and family, we have carefully discussed and prayed about disclosing C.W.'s HIV status on our blog, on facebook, with his future school, and speaking on this topic in general. We spoke to families who both share their child's status and those that do not. After all this, and after seeing reactions of some ancillary people around us (even educated people), we realized that nothing was going to change if we did not speak up. If we speak up and educate those around us, and then they do the same, maybe just maybe, the stigma and knowledge associated with HIV may be changed for our son and those with whom our influence reaches. No, we won't go to the park and say "Hey my name is Natalie and my son is HIV+." But we will speak up, have a voice, defend the hearts of the those who have no one to do so. We realize we may lose friends....were they really friends? Probably not? There will be some people who may not let our kids play with their kids despite education. That is fine. Did we want them there anyways? Hmmmm... probably not. There will be days when we must digest hurtful things said to and about our son and family... There will be tough talks in the teen years about sex and relationships. That will not be easy regardless of the health concerns. However, despite the difficult days and difficult circumstances, blessings are always weaved throughout the circumstance.... Change will happen...
As always, we are always transparent and share our hearts. Feel free to email us with questions. However, please remember that these are our children and they have their own personal stories that led them to be in our family. We will always protect their hearts above anyone else's questions.
Thank you for reading our story and joining with us. See below for the biggest way you can help us right now.... with our $2500 challenge!
We were moving along quite content with our second adoption. We have Tedi, our first adopted son from Ethiopia, and were both very busy in our jobs. Our agency, Lifeline Adoptions who places children from Ethiopia through West Sands Adoptions, was telling us 7-9 months wait for a healthy boy aged 0-5...well really about six month for our more specific 3-5 year old boy. This was fine with us. Our dossier landed in Ethiopia on February 6, 2011 and we started our official wait.
But then, on Sunday, February 26, our minister, Ben, at church spoke on who we follow.... he said "Does the way you are living life require God to show up?" "We dream little and only dream what we can do alone." He said, "We must say, 'God this won't happen without you showing up.' " We sang Hosanna which says "break my heart for what breaks yours." We have heard those lyrics before. We were challenged by Ben's words but nothing changed that Sunday or that Monday...we both went back to work and back to life.
Then on Tuesday, February 28th, we had picked Tedi up from his best buddy Sam's house and had just eaten at a local Mediterranean restaurant (Tedi loves all ethnic food). On our drive home, I was reading JT facebook statuses out loud.... it is a habit of ours, both for laughs, interesting stuff, and on this night life changing stuff.... West Sands Adoption posted on their facebook:
"Any families who are interested in adopting an HIV+ child between 4-6 years old (both genders) please contact West Sands Adoptions. We have several children in this age range waiting for their forever family. If you are interested in learning more about adopting an HIV+ child, check out this link or contact our office for more information."
JT just looked at me. I remember we were pulling into the second space in our lot. He knew I had always been okay with HIV+ adoption but he always said once I was out of training and was more available for appointments. He told me to let him pray about it overnight.... I did not. I was on facebook that night messaging with Sheila. She informed me there was a waiting list full of HIV+ kids and all it required was an amendment to our US approval (which is free). She asked if she should let our local rep, Lesley, know we were considering this. I told her no.....that we are good friends with Lesley and JT would call her. He called her five minutes later. She said she would pray for us and slipped in that there were also 2 sisters that needed a home if interested. She knew I want a girl eventually. JT immediately said no.... He then remembered Ben's words. After 24 hours of gut wrenching, knee-dropping prayer, we said "okay, Lesley (and God), if the girls are paperwork ready. We will be their parents. If not, we will be the parents of the first paperwork ready HIV+ boy." We did not know what God would do. We waited.... 60 excruciating hours. Then, Friday morning March 3, Lesley called. The girls were not ready but there was a boy waiting for a family. Of course, we were excited. We felt so convicted waiting for a "healthy" child when "our" child was waiting for us.
This boy, (we will call C.W. for online purposes...though he won't go by this), is 4 1/2 years old. Yes, as the title implies, he is HIV+. You read correctly. Our second son is infected with a Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Now that we had accepted his referral less than one month from being added to the wait list, we knew there would be explaining to do. We shared the details with our close friends and our family. All were so supportive. Tedi has changed so many hearts in our world that it did not surprise me that C.W. and the knowledge of his HIV were welcomed without question.
However, despite our lack of reserve in sharing with our friends and family, we have carefully discussed and prayed about disclosing C.W.'s HIV status on our blog, on facebook, with his future school, and speaking on this topic in general. We spoke to families who both share their child's status and those that do not. After all this, and after seeing reactions of some ancillary people around us (even educated people), we realized that nothing was going to change if we did not speak up. If we speak up and educate those around us, and then they do the same, maybe just maybe, the stigma and knowledge associated with HIV may be changed for our son and those with whom our influence reaches. No, we won't go to the park and say "Hey my name is Natalie and my son is HIV+." But we will speak up, have a voice, defend the hearts of the those who have no one to do so. We realize we may lose friends....were they really friends? Probably not? There will be some people who may not let our kids play with their kids despite education. That is fine. Did we want them there anyways? Hmmmm... probably not. There will be days when we must digest hurtful things said to and about our son and family... There will be tough talks in the teen years about sex and relationships. That will not be easy regardless of the health concerns. However, despite the difficult days and difficult circumstances, blessings are always weaved throughout the circumstance.... Change will happen...
As always, we are always transparent and share our hearts. Feel free to email us with questions. However, please remember that these are our children and they have their own personal stories that led them to be in our family. We will always protect their hearts above anyone else's questions.
Thank you for reading our story and joining with us. See below for the biggest way you can help us right now.... with our $2500 challenge!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
$2500 Challenge
An anonymous donor came to us....they said....
"For the next month, we will match anything donated to your adoption up to $2500." So here we go! We have 1 month to raise $5000. You know that what will pay for..... our first trip to Ethiopia and a little more.
Spread the word. If 250 people give just $10, we are there! Of course, more is welcome but that is how simple it is! Click the link below to give your $10. Please spread the word!
"For the next month, we will match anything donated to your adoption up to $2500." So here we go! We have 1 month to raise $5000. You know that what will pay for..... our first trip to Ethiopia and a little more.
Spread the word. If 250 people give just $10, we are there! Of course, more is welcome but that is how simple it is! Click the link below to give your $10. Please spread the word!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
In Pictures: Both Hands Project
Here are pictures from our Both Hands Project. There are several Before/After as well as a few of the still pics from the day. At the bottom, I again included our video in case you missed it. Enjoy!
Back Door: After (brand new door)
Front Porch: Halfway Done
Front Porch: After
Bathroom: Before
Bathroom: After
Random Pictures from the Project
The Video
Friday, March 16, 2012
Do Something
I had a friend recently say to me "I feel like such a bad person because we haven't adopted and don't want to." We continued to talk but I walked away from our conversation realizing many people may feel this way. But there is no need to.... I truly believe that not everyone is called to adopt. Just like everyone is not called into foreign missions, the medical field, to being pastors, stay at home moms, or otherwise. However, unlike all of these things, we are ALL called to help those less fortunate... not just called, but told to do so if you believe the Bible to be your guide in life.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy;deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalms 82:3-4
If you don't believe that, caring for orphans and those less fortunate is the "right" thing to do...for the greater good, to make this world better....for you or your kids. Whatever your motivating factor...you can make a difference.
So then what CAN you do?
1) Adopt: Obviously, this is my number one answer. If you are toying with it in your mind, email me. If money is standing in your way, email me. If race is standing in your way, email me. There are so many resources and conversations that can make these things seem eerily small.
2) Support Adopting Families: There are so many ways to do this. Both financially and other ways.
A) Financially: If you can not give one lump sum of money, you can commit to sending a certain amount of money to them or their agency on their behalf. You can attend fundraisers, buy tshirts, promote their fundraisers on your social media. You can offer to host a fundraiser, enlist your church to do so...
B) Non-Financial: If you can not afford to financially support families, that is fine. Send them a card once a month to let them know you are thinking of them. Pray for them and encourage others to do the same. Re post their efforts on social media. Just showing your support means so much and at the same time advocates for the least of these.
3) Shop: Yep, you read correctly. SHOP. We all do it but being more purposeful in our purchases can literally pay huge dividends for the seller.
Examples: Choose a coffee shop that sells fair trade coffee.
Noon Day Collection: Buy jewelry, scarves, journals and more made by men and women all over the world.
Junk Posse Wonderful and beautiful jewelry
TOMS Stylish shoes .... when you buy one pair, another pair is donated to a child
Just click on the blogs to the right and you will find many more options... there are so many ways to do this, especially at the holidays. I could name site after site of wonderful shirts options as well....Feeding the Orphans, 147 Million Orphans, Ordinary Hero....
4) Sponsor a child: If you can not adopt, sponsor a child. Organizations like Compassion International, WorldVision, Amazima, and Children's HopeChest all over child sponsorships. More often than not, the children are unable to be adopted or live in countries where adoption is not availabe. Usually the fee is $35/month and you help feed, educate, and clothe this child. You send them letters and they do the same. You make a difference in the life of one child.
***********************
I read this quote the other day and it has caused me to re-evaluate. Nope it is not a Bible verse... read it. It is more than applicable to this topic.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy;deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalms 82:3-4
If you don't believe that, caring for orphans and those less fortunate is the "right" thing to do...for the greater good, to make this world better....for you or your kids. Whatever your motivating factor...you can make a difference.
So then what CAN you do?
1) Adopt: Obviously, this is my number one answer. If you are toying with it in your mind, email me. If money is standing in your way, email me. If race is standing in your way, email me. There are so many resources and conversations that can make these things seem eerily small.
2) Support Adopting Families: There are so many ways to do this. Both financially and other ways.
A) Financially: If you can not give one lump sum of money, you can commit to sending a certain amount of money to them or their agency on their behalf. You can attend fundraisers, buy tshirts, promote their fundraisers on your social media. You can offer to host a fundraiser, enlist your church to do so...
B) Non-Financial: If you can not afford to financially support families, that is fine. Send them a card once a month to let them know you are thinking of them. Pray for them and encourage others to do the same. Re post their efforts on social media. Just showing your support means so much and at the same time advocates for the least of these.
3) Shop: Yep, you read correctly. SHOP. We all do it but being more purposeful in our purchases can literally pay huge dividends for the seller.
Examples: Choose a coffee shop that sells fair trade coffee.
Noon Day Collection: Buy jewelry, scarves, journals and more made by men and women all over the world.
Junk Posse Wonderful and beautiful jewelry
TOMS Stylish shoes .... when you buy one pair, another pair is donated to a child
Just click on the blogs to the right and you will find many more options... there are so many ways to do this, especially at the holidays. I could name site after site of wonderful shirts options as well....Feeding the Orphans, 147 Million Orphans, Ordinary Hero....
4) Sponsor a child: If you can not adopt, sponsor a child. Organizations like Compassion International, WorldVision, Amazima, and Children's HopeChest all over child sponsorships. More often than not, the children are unable to be adopted or live in countries where adoption is not availabe. Usually the fee is $35/month and you help feed, educate, and clothe this child. You send them letters and they do the same. You make a difference in the life of one child.
***********************
I read this quote the other day and it has caused me to re-evaluate. Nope it is not a Bible verse... read it. It is more than applicable to this topic.
"To have laughed often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Both Hands: THE VIDEO
Below is the video of our Both Hands project from last Saturday. I get emotional and overwhelmed each time I watch it.....overwhelmed by the changes made, by Mildred's contagious positivity and love, by the outpouring of support from our friends and family who were there to support us.
I am sure you will enjoy the three minute video. If you have not already supported our adoption in prayer or giving, thank you! If you have not, please consider doing so... even $10 goes a long way in an adoption. If you can't afford to do so yourself, please consider reposting the video and encouraging others to do so. Our son is a special boy and so is adoption!
Thank you for your love and support!
The Henderson Family- Both Hands Project from William H. Wallace II on Vimeo.
The Henderson Family- Both Hands Project from William H. Wallace II on Vimeo.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Dumpster Help....
The widow we served on Saturday needed quite a bit of stuff thrown out...stuff she had collected over the years. We had a dumpster donated by Waste Management, but this could not be delivered before the project. We were in a predicament because we had all this trash and yet could not load the dumpster until today. I had to work until now (4am) so JT was concerned about doing this alone with Tedi. Well, as you can see from the picture below, he did not have to do this alone. Another testament to our great friends. They are such blessings to us.... Three of the guys in the picture were there Saturday and yet came back again to help.
Again, thank you! We heard today from the widow's daughter that she invited all her friends over to show them her "new house." What a compliment to those that served with us!
Again, thank you! We heard today from the widow's daughter that she invited all her friends over to show them her "new house." What a compliment to those that served with us!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Both Hands.... It Happened Today!
Today was the day! We loaded up all of our donations, met our friends, and worked at a widow's home. In case you missed the details....here is how it worked:
We decided to adopt: For us, an Ethiopian boy
We found a widow: Miss Mildred
We put together two teams: We put together a work team (our laborers for today). We put together a letter sending team (this team asked for people to sponsor them, and us, as we worked on the project....much like being sponsored for a run-a-thon or golf-a-thon)
We sought donations for the project: Lowes, three Home Depot locations, Chick fil A, Jason's Deli, Costco, Brownsboro Hardware, Waste Management, and Sherman Williams all gave supplies for today.
We worked: Today more than fifty people showed up to help us declutter, paint, fix plumbing, do yard work and much more at Mildred's home. We partnered with another adoptive family, The Wallaces, because the volume of work was so great at the home. They are also fundraising separately from us. We worked our tails off! Our friends loved on Mildred and had a great time together.
Now, we pray for donations: That letter sending team....well we sent about 350 paper letters and 500 email/facebook messages regarding sponsorship. All the money sponsored for us goes directly to our adoption costs. We have a substantial referral fee to pay as well as the travel costs. Since our referral for our son came so quickly (story coming soon), the fees are upon us much more quickly. If you are interested in supporting our project and adoption, please check out our Both Hands page.
We will be posting a video of the project in the next few days. For now, check out these pictures! They are just a couple of shots of all the people having lunch, courtesy of Chick fil A and CostCo! Again, we are so blessed with such amazing friends. I just can't get over the outpouring of love from our friends....from church, from each of our workplaces, old friends from 90 miles away, our parents, and more... That is the biggest lesson..... the blessing of people God puts in your way.... our friends, the widow (Mildred), her family, our son, each other. How could we really do life without one another?
We decided to adopt: For us, an Ethiopian boy
We found a widow: Miss Mildred
We put together two teams: We put together a work team (our laborers for today). We put together a letter sending team (this team asked for people to sponsor them, and us, as we worked on the project....much like being sponsored for a run-a-thon or golf-a-thon)
We sought donations for the project: Lowes, three Home Depot locations, Chick fil A, Jason's Deli, Costco, Brownsboro Hardware, Waste Management, and Sherman Williams all gave supplies for today.
We worked: Today more than fifty people showed up to help us declutter, paint, fix plumbing, do yard work and much more at Mildred's home. We partnered with another adoptive family, The Wallaces, because the volume of work was so great at the home. They are also fundraising separately from us. We worked our tails off! Our friends loved on Mildred and had a great time together.
Now, we pray for donations: That letter sending team....well we sent about 350 paper letters and 500 email/facebook messages regarding sponsorship. All the money sponsored for us goes directly to our adoption costs. We have a substantial referral fee to pay as well as the travel costs. Since our referral for our son came so quickly (story coming soon), the fees are upon us much more quickly. If you are interested in supporting our project and adoption, please check out our Both Hands page.
We will be posting a video of the project in the next few days. For now, check out these pictures! They are just a couple of shots of all the people having lunch, courtesy of Chick fil A and CostCo! Again, we are so blessed with such amazing friends. I just can't get over the outpouring of love from our friends....from church, from each of our workplaces, old friends from 90 miles away, our parents, and more... That is the biggest lesson..... the blessing of people God puts in your way.... our friends, the widow (Mildred), her family, our son, each other. How could we really do life without one another?
Me and Emily, one my oldest and dearest friends. She is a Rock in my world.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
A Face Changes Everything
“We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They
are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re
not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything
changes…” – David Platt, “Radical”
GIVEAWAY
Our friend Deena is doing a giveaway to help bring Tedi's brother home! Her little girl, Grace Hiwot, came home from Ethiopia the same week as Tedi. She has put together an awesome giveway over on her blog, http://teammarquis.blogspot.com/. All you have to do is go there and make a donation of any size to our Both Hands Project to be entered. You won't be disappointed. Below is a picture of the items included. Head on over to her blog if you interested!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
WE GOT A REFERRAL: Our Second Son
You read correctly! Yesterday, March 2, 2012 around 9:00 a.m., we received a referral for a 4 1/2 year old boy from Ethiopia. We can not post his full picture till after passing court but he is beautiful.
I know there are many of you out there who have waited for months to years for a referral and this happened very quickly for us. We understand this. We were open to many different kinds of children (altering our time frame) and God opened our home to this little man. I will post more of our story later (likely tomorrow) but I wanted to put this out there! We are SOOO EXCITED! Oh, and so is his big brother!
I know there are many of you out there who have waited for months to years for a referral and this happened very quickly for us. We understand this. We were open to many different kinds of children (altering our time frame) and God opened our home to this little man. I will post more of our story later (likely tomorrow) but I wanted to put this out there! We are SOOO EXCITED! Oh, and so is his big brother!
Raising Support
SO there are 2 friends that have stepped up and wanted to help us with the remaining costs of our adoption fees and travel. In addition to our Both Hands Project, these below fundraisers are wonderful ideas and projects. Check them out and see how you can help. Thank you friends for the help!
1) Marquis Family Giveaway: When we adopted Tedi, there was this cute cute little girl that came home at the same time... they were from the same village in Woolaiyta and lived in the same orphanage. Her mother and I are still friends and they want to help us get the funds to bring our second son home (see above post). Deena and I have continued to chate over the last 18 months and now she wants to help get #2 home! Check out her giveaway below! Head over to her blog to donate!
http://teammarquis.blogspot.com/2012/03/big-giveaway.html
2) Scentsy: Another adoptive mom started selling Scentsy to help raise money for their adoptions. She has kindly opened up a party in our name. Anyone who is interested in or already buys Scentsy products can click on the link below. They have everything from wickless candles to stuffed animals that smell amazing and many other projects. Check out the below link and join the "Henderson Adoption" party once you get to the link.
https://kaseyellis.scentsy.us/Buy/SetupPrompt
1) Marquis Family Giveaway: When we adopted Tedi, there was this cute cute little girl that came home at the same time... they were from the same village in Woolaiyta and lived in the same orphanage. Her mother and I are still friends and they want to help us get the funds to bring our second son home (see above post). Deena and I have continued to chate over the last 18 months and now she wants to help get #2 home! Check out her giveaway below! Head over to her blog to donate!
http://teammarquis.blogspot.com/2012/03/big-giveaway.html
For the next week, I will be giving
you a chance to win this awesome assortment of Africa related loot. I have
three shirts, a paper bead necklace from Uganda, a key chain, and a great book
to give away.
All you have to do is make a donation
to The Henderson's Both Hands project.
I don't care how much you
donate...every single dollar helps. We have all seen the amazing things that
happen when people in "blog world" donate to help fellow adoptive families. I
have seen amazing amounts of money collected for families in such a short time!
EVERY SINGLE DONATION will help.
If you make a donation, please leave
me a comment. That is all you have to do!
If you feel led to share this
giveaway on your blog or facebook, that would be extra
awesome!
Here are all of the items you could win...
I love Suubi
necklaces. They are beautiful necklaces and are packaged beautifully for gift
giving.
This book is such a good read! It is a
historical fiction novel which is set in Ethiopia during the 1970's. I have
learned so much about Ethiopia and it's history through books. I promise you
will love this book and will learn so much about the heartache and difficult
political struggles that Ethiopia has endured. I am giving away a new,
hardcover edition of the book.
This hand-embellished t-shirt is super cute. It
is black and has an applique Africa cut out on the left hip. It is a size L,
but it seems like a junior fit, so it runs a bit smaller than a regular women's
shirt.
This kids shirt is a size 6-8. I would say that
it also runs small and is more of a 4/5. It is a pink tee with a brown polka
dot Africa appliqued on the front.
I also have a very small tee from a wonderful adoptive family. The brown t-shirt pictured is a shirt says "147,000,000 minus one" and is about a size 24 mo (the tag says 4, but there is no way).
I ordered one of these shirts for Grace, and was unsure of size, and Cindy was so sweet that she sent me two shirts to be sure that one fit Grace! How sweet is that? So, here is the smaller shirt that did NOT fit my little Grace (or her not so little tummy).
I also have a very small tee from a wonderful adoptive family. The brown t-shirt pictured is a shirt says "147,000,000 minus one" and is about a size 24 mo (the tag says 4, but there is no way).
I ordered one of these shirts for Grace, and was unsure of size, and Cindy was so sweet that she sent me two shirts to be sure that one fit Grace! How sweet is that? So, here is the smaller shirt that did NOT fit my little Grace (or her not so little tummy).
Super cool Africa key chain
So there you have it! PLEASE donate a few
dollars (or much more) to our friends Both Hands site
After you donate,
just leave me a comment. Your odds of winning are really good, so get to
it!
Thanks so much for your support!!!!
I will be picking (Grace will pick out of a hat)
a winner next Friday (March 9th).
2) Scentsy: Another adoptive mom started selling Scentsy to help raise money for their adoptions. She has kindly opened up a party in our name. Anyone who is interested in or already buys Scentsy products can click on the link below. They have everything from wickless candles to stuffed animals that smell amazing and many other projects. Check out the below link and join the "Henderson Adoption" party once you get to the link.
https://kaseyellis.scentsy.us/Buy/SetupPrompt
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Leap Year (of faith)...
Yes. Today is Leap Day. JT and I are taking a leap of faith. It is amazing what happens when we take a breath and let God change OUR plans. I am not ready to talk about it here. BUT Stay tuned. It is only appropriate, though, that today is the day that we "leap".
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Both Hands Envelope Stuffing party
Our Both Hands Project is quicking approaching... We sent our sponsor letters out this week but in order to get those out, we had to stuff over four hundred envelopes. On two separate Sundays, we had great friends and family come to help! Last weekend, my stepdad even volunteered to cover the postage. Now, we pray for God to use this project to show up and show off for our second son!
Enjoy some pictures from the parties~
Tedi with our fundraising letter
Tedi and Chris doing the Deron Lamb goggles
Folding and addressing letters
Brittney and Sean hard at work
Thursday, February 23, 2012
March 10, 2012
On March 10, only a couple of weeks from now, we will be doing our Both Hands Project. As a preview of what is to come with our project.... this is similar to what we will be doing. See what you think...
No Regret
I sometimes wake in the early morning & listen to the soft breathing of my children & I think to myself, this is one thing I will never regret & I carry that quiet with me all day long. ~www.storypeople.com
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sitting at the Bar
When we were waiting for Tedi to come home, even after having a referral for him, the place I missed him (without knowing him) was in the car. JT and I would travel from Somerset to Louisville, or even around town, and wonder what it would be like with a 3 year old chattering in the back. The silence, at that time was palpable. It makes me giggle now because there is SOOO much chatter in our two small cars.
Now, I have notice the absence of our second child each morning during January and February as I fix Tedi breakfast. I am normally at work an hour or two before JT and Tedi even begin stirring for the day but the last two months have afforded me rotations that allow me more family time. Our condo has a bar with perfect space for two bar stools. As I pass Tedi his breakfast across the bar, I can't help but look at the empty stool with longing.
I realize the journey has really just started as we have been waiting a very short time on the referral list. Definitely this time around, we are so distracted with jobs and life and much busier than last time, thankfully. It takes away the minute by minute anguish, but not the occasional pangs...
To stay distracted, we are moving forward with our Both Hands project..... more to come on that soon..
Now, I have notice the absence of our second child each morning during January and February as I fix Tedi breakfast. I am normally at work an hour or two before JT and Tedi even begin stirring for the day but the last two months have afforded me rotations that allow me more family time. Our condo has a bar with perfect space for two bar stools. As I pass Tedi his breakfast across the bar, I can't help but look at the empty stool with longing.
I realize the journey has really just started as we have been waiting a very short time on the referral list. Definitely this time around, we are so distracted with jobs and life and much busier than last time, thankfully. It takes away the minute by minute anguish, but not the occasional pangs...
To stay distracted, we are moving forward with our Both Hands project..... more to come on that soon..
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Supporting Adoptive Families: Guest Blog
My friend Megan over at Millions of Miles originally posted the blog below over a year ago and reposted it today. For me being a mom who has not had the opportunity to be pregnant, this really meant a lot to me because so many people do not know what to say or how to approach it... I believe this helps and is so much of what I would want to say but could not quite get it out.... for more great post, head over to http://www.millionsofmiles.com/, and check out my fried Megan!:
Having been through both the adoption experience and the child birth experience, I found that all kinds of people know how to take care of you after you give birth, but hardly anyone knows the right things to do when you bring home your adopted child. Most people also don't know how to respond appropriately when you tell them that you are adopting in the first place. This is meant to be a guide for the friends and families of adoptive families in the praying/planning/dreaming phase as well as families in process and newly home. Link it up, cut and paste, email it out to your family. I will say all the things to your family that you are afraid to say or maybe that you yourself don't even know that you need yet! (I don't mind being the heavy!)
1. When your loved one comes to you with the news that they are planning to adopt:
•Do not say, "Oh, don't give up trying for 'your own'" or "Don't you want to have one of 'your own' instead? Adoption is not something people enter into lightly. And prospective adoptive families already do consider this child that they do not even know as 'their own'. By saying this to an adoptive family, it insinuates that you will not be accepting their new addition as your 'own' grandchild/neice/nephew/etc. Also- many families that consider adoption have been through long periods of time dealing with infertility and adoption may be a very emotional decision. It signifies the end of one dream and the beginning of a new dream. Supporters need to be very sensitive to this and be positive!
•Share your concerns about the finances of adoption, but do it in a non-judgemental way. Yes, adoption is expensive. But you need to understand that there are grants, fundraisers, and ways to aquire the money. So instead of looking at the people who want to adopt and saying, "Oh my gosh- you are so poor, you will never be able to afford this!" say something like, "I know that this will be expensive, how can we help you plan a fundraiser?"
•Do not recall in gory detail every terrible adoption story you've ever heard. This is the equivalent of telling a pregnant woman that her baby will be born with 12 arms and she will be in labor for 3 weeks and her boobs will fall all the way down to the ground after breastfeeding. Just don't do it.
•If the family is adopting internationally, do not condescendingly talk about how there are so many kids here in America who need home. Each person needs to do what feels right for their family. Sometimes that means adopting domestically, and sometimes that means going international. Either way, a child who needs a home and a family will get one. Focus on that fact and leave your personal opinions about which you think is best to yourself. Remember- they are BOTH awesome (and BOTH necessary!)
2. Once families are in process:
•Check in with the adoptive family's (from here on out called A.F.) emotions! Adoption can be a very emotional process. There are days where you are in the dumps and days when you want to celebrate. Give the A.F. the space to talk about their feelings and their frustrations. When they call super excited and say, "I got my I-171h", pretend like you know what they are talking about and jump up and down and throw a party.
• Throw a baby shower just as if the A.F. was pregnant. Make a big stinkin' deal over the mom to be. Obviously, don't play the how big is your belly game. But do everything else the same!
•Support A.F. fundraisers. They need your help! Better yet- host a fundraising dinner, pancake breakfast, auction, raffle, etc. to help the family raise the money to bring their child home.
•If there are other children already in the A.F. offer to babysit them leading up to traveling so that mom and dad get a few last dates in before the new addition.
•If the adoption is international, educate yourself about the child's birth country.
•If the adopted child will be of a different race, educate yourself about transracial families by reading articles, books, etc. Just googling transracial families will bring up a wealth of information.
•Offer to keep siblings, pets and housesit for the A.F. when they are traveling.
3. Once families are home:
•All the same rules apply as when you bring a baby home from the hospital. Bring food, offer to coordinate meals and food dropoffs for church groups. Come over and clean. Wash clothes and put away laundry. Wash dishes. Do not believe the A.F. when they say they do not need help. THEY DO!
•Respect the A.F's rules regarding holding their new addition. Many families may wish to not have any outsiders (this includes Grandma!) holding their child so that this child who has been with many caregivers can learn who mom and dad are. A.F's do not do this to hurt your feelings. They are only doing what they feel is best for their new child. Do not make them feel bad about this.
•Also- sometimes to foster attachment in our adopted kiddos, the parent's don't want to leave them with a sitter or family member for a long period of time after coming home. Understand that this is not because the family member or sitter is not trusted or loved. It is just to help give the new child the right sense of family and permanance.
•Offer to run the carpool, run errands, cut the grass, babysit the siblings, pick up items at the grocery. New moms are notoriously sleep deprived- even if this is the 10th child they've adopted. Drop over a huge cup of Starbucks. Say hello at the door with said cup of coffee and leave.
•Give gift cards for takeout and pizza- so that long after the food welcome wagon has stopped coming, the family can still eat without having to cook! Seriously- who wants to cook when you've been up all night with a crying baby?
•Even though the A.F. did not give birth, families who are bringing home new children will be exhausted from long nights in the hospital (domestic adoption), long flights or a week or two in a foreign land with a new baby who has most likely been screaming non-stop because the child has no idea what is happening to them. Give the A.F. the forum to share how ragged they are. Do not judge them. Every single part is not going to be perfect. Let them get how hard it all is off their chest without feeling guilty about it.
•Watch for post adoption depression. It is a real thing. Just because a woman isn't flooded with pregnancy hormones, doesn't mean that she can't develop depression. There is a lot of leadup going into an adoption and sometimes the reality is tough and can lead to lots of emotional ugliness. Be supportive.
•Do not expect adoptive parents to be "super parents". I find that there is a huge stigma that adoptive families should have it all together because they "paid a lot" for their children. All families are on a learning curve- no matter how they got their children. Do not be quick to dispense advice if you've never adopted a child (because parenting an adopted child in the early days is a lot different than a biological child), but be quick to say, "How can I help?"- Then be willing to actually help!
•Most of all, share in the joy that comes with bringing a new child into the family!
Having been through both the adoption experience and the child birth experience, I found that all kinds of people know how to take care of you after you give birth, but hardly anyone knows the right things to do when you bring home your adopted child. Most people also don't know how to respond appropriately when you tell them that you are adopting in the first place. This is meant to be a guide for the friends and families of adoptive families in the praying/planning/dreaming phase as well as families in process and newly home. Link it up, cut and paste, email it out to your family. I will say all the things to your family that you are afraid to say or maybe that you yourself don't even know that you need yet! (I don't mind being the heavy!)
1. When your loved one comes to you with the news that they are planning to adopt:
•Do not say, "Oh, don't give up trying for 'your own'" or "Don't you want to have one of 'your own' instead? Adoption is not something people enter into lightly. And prospective adoptive families already do consider this child that they do not even know as 'their own'. By saying this to an adoptive family, it insinuates that you will not be accepting their new addition as your 'own' grandchild/neice/nephew/etc. Also- many families that consider adoption have been through long periods of time dealing with infertility and adoption may be a very emotional decision. It signifies the end of one dream and the beginning of a new dream. Supporters need to be very sensitive to this and be positive!
•Share your concerns about the finances of adoption, but do it in a non-judgemental way. Yes, adoption is expensive. But you need to understand that there are grants, fundraisers, and ways to aquire the money. So instead of looking at the people who want to adopt and saying, "Oh my gosh- you are so poor, you will never be able to afford this!" say something like, "I know that this will be expensive, how can we help you plan a fundraiser?"
•Do not recall in gory detail every terrible adoption story you've ever heard. This is the equivalent of telling a pregnant woman that her baby will be born with 12 arms and she will be in labor for 3 weeks and her boobs will fall all the way down to the ground after breastfeeding. Just don't do it.
•If the family is adopting internationally, do not condescendingly talk about how there are so many kids here in America who need home. Each person needs to do what feels right for their family. Sometimes that means adopting domestically, and sometimes that means going international. Either way, a child who needs a home and a family will get one. Focus on that fact and leave your personal opinions about which you think is best to yourself. Remember- they are BOTH awesome (and BOTH necessary!)
2. Once families are in process:
•Check in with the adoptive family's (from here on out called A.F.) emotions! Adoption can be a very emotional process. There are days where you are in the dumps and days when you want to celebrate. Give the A.F. the space to talk about their feelings and their frustrations. When they call super excited and say, "I got my I-171h", pretend like you know what they are talking about and jump up and down and throw a party.
• Throw a baby shower just as if the A.F. was pregnant. Make a big stinkin' deal over the mom to be. Obviously, don't play the how big is your belly game. But do everything else the same!
•Support A.F. fundraisers. They need your help! Better yet- host a fundraising dinner, pancake breakfast, auction, raffle, etc. to help the family raise the money to bring their child home.
•If there are other children already in the A.F. offer to babysit them leading up to traveling so that mom and dad get a few last dates in before the new addition.
•If the adoption is international, educate yourself about the child's birth country.
•If the adopted child will be of a different race, educate yourself about transracial families by reading articles, books, etc. Just googling transracial families will bring up a wealth of information.
•Offer to keep siblings, pets and housesit for the A.F. when they are traveling.
3. Once families are home:
•All the same rules apply as when you bring a baby home from the hospital. Bring food, offer to coordinate meals and food dropoffs for church groups. Come over and clean. Wash clothes and put away laundry. Wash dishes. Do not believe the A.F. when they say they do not need help. THEY DO!
•Respect the A.F's rules regarding holding their new addition. Many families may wish to not have any outsiders (this includes Grandma!) holding their child so that this child who has been with many caregivers can learn who mom and dad are. A.F's do not do this to hurt your feelings. They are only doing what they feel is best for their new child. Do not make them feel bad about this.
•Also- sometimes to foster attachment in our adopted kiddos, the parent's don't want to leave them with a sitter or family member for a long period of time after coming home. Understand that this is not because the family member or sitter is not trusted or loved. It is just to help give the new child the right sense of family and permanance.
•Offer to run the carpool, run errands, cut the grass, babysit the siblings, pick up items at the grocery. New moms are notoriously sleep deprived- even if this is the 10th child they've adopted. Drop over a huge cup of Starbucks. Say hello at the door with said cup of coffee and leave.
•Give gift cards for takeout and pizza- so that long after the food welcome wagon has stopped coming, the family can still eat without having to cook! Seriously- who wants to cook when you've been up all night with a crying baby?
•Even though the A.F. did not give birth, families who are bringing home new children will be exhausted from long nights in the hospital (domestic adoption), long flights or a week or two in a foreign land with a new baby who has most likely been screaming non-stop because the child has no idea what is happening to them. Give the A.F. the forum to share how ragged they are. Do not judge them. Every single part is not going to be perfect. Let them get how hard it all is off their chest without feeling guilty about it.
•Watch for post adoption depression. It is a real thing. Just because a woman isn't flooded with pregnancy hormones, doesn't mean that she can't develop depression. There is a lot of leadup going into an adoption and sometimes the reality is tough and can lead to lots of emotional ugliness. Be supportive.
•Do not expect adoptive parents to be "super parents". I find that there is a huge stigma that adoptive families should have it all together because they "paid a lot" for their children. All families are on a learning curve- no matter how they got their children. Do not be quick to dispense advice if you've never adopted a child (because parenting an adopted child in the early days is a lot different than a biological child), but be quick to say, "How can I help?"- Then be willing to actually help!
•Most of all, share in the joy that comes with bringing a new child into the family!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Tedi on Pregnancy
T: Mommy, is my brother going to be in your belly?
Me: No, dear, he is going to be adopted from Ethiopia like you were.
T: Well, you need to get that stuff to put a baby in your belly.
Me: What stuff are you talking about?
T: The stuff. You know that puts the baby in mommy's bellies.
Me: Well that takes a lot of effort and mommy does not have time for that right now.
T: So who puts babies in the bellies?
Me: Daddies put the babies in bellies.
T: Then who put me in my Ethiopia mommy, W. Y. (he knows her name), belly?
Me: Your Ethiopian daddy, C.T.
Tedi: Oh, that's right. Can we watch Wipeout?
Me: No, dear, he is going to be adopted from Ethiopia like you were.
T: Well, you need to get that stuff to put a baby in your belly.
Me: What stuff are you talking about?
T: The stuff. You know that puts the baby in mommy's bellies.
Me: Well that takes a lot of effort and mommy does not have time for that right now.
T: So who puts babies in the bellies?
Me: Daddies put the babies in bellies.
T: Then who put me in my Ethiopia mommy, W. Y. (he knows her name), belly?
Me: Your Ethiopian daddy, C.T.
Tedi: Oh, that's right. Can we watch Wipeout?
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