GIVEAWAY update....adoption shirts

UPDATE: Giveaway winners are....
Daleea
and
Dawn C.
(we used random.org to generate the winners)
HUGE thank you to all who ordered shirts. We will be ordering a few extra so I'll keep you posted ;)

Here is the update on our shirts...we are only $1500 away from our goal. This is what we NEED asap to pay the lawyer fees for Jubilee's finalization hearing!!! Soooo, we need to sell 100 more shirts!!! That's it...100 shirts.

Wanna win a shirt for FREE??

We are giving away 2...YES... TWO shirts...1 womens and 1 mens!

How do you win....
1. Blog about our shirts = 1 entry
2. Facebook about our shirts = 1 entry
3. Order a shirt = 2 entries per shirt ordered
4. Refer a friend that orders a shirt = 2 entries
Don't forget to leave me a comment with how many entries you've earned.

~ORDER YOUR SHIRTS HERE~

OR

Order from the right column of the blog

*Giveaway drawing will be held 11/7
*All pre-sale orders will go in 11/9

Don't forget the incredible message behind our shirts. We are called to be both a Defender and Warrior for the orphan...help spread the message...be challenged to share about the orphan crisis.

China Waiting Children...waiting NOW!

Just listed some precious treasures on our advocacy blog...just look at these beauties...

Seriously folks...I wanna bring them all home! Please help me spread the word about these sweet one's waiting for their forever families!!!

To learn more about these miracles, go HERE!

Are you a Defender or Warrior for the orphan?

This thought came to me one day while I was vacuuming.  I felt the Lord pressing on my heart the direction for our fundraising t-shirts for Jubilee's adoption fees.  Our passion to advocate for the orphan is so deep...so fierce that it sometimes feels like we are in a battle for these precious children that have no voice.  The drive to defend them, fight for them can be so overwhelming and extremely URGENT!

As I prayed through the thoughts of defender vs. warrior for the orphan, it became very clear what our roles as advocates and parents are....the daddy is clearly the Warrior for the orphan...fighting to make sure the orphan doesn't become a victim in this fallen world...fighting for the simple justice that we take for granted.  The mama is clearly the Defender...the one who swoops in, scoops up the hurting child to protect them at all costs and to help healing begin.

But then I thought...I can see times where our roles have switched a bit and the mama has to be a warrior, too. I think of our own little Cana and the fight we had to bring her home.  Same goes for the defender...the daddy is the first to jump in the line of fire for these precious babes...to protect them at all costs.

I am excited to share with you our newest shirts.  Warrior for the Orphan AND Defender of the Orphan. The proceeds from the sales will go directly to fund our surprise girl's adoption. We have $12,000 in agency fees due and we have an immediate need of $2,000 for the attorney.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Warrior for the Orphan will be offered for both men and women ('cause I LOVE the design ;)

Defender of the Orphan will only be offered in the women's cut ('cause I don't think the boys will dig the frill ;)

Here are some pics...head on over to our SolomonBeads site to order yours! We are offering these as a PRE-SALE...the order will go to the printer on Nov. 9 and will be shipped to you by the end of the month. I do have a few in stock so if you order quick, I may have your size :)

Women's

 Men's

 Men's also has "Warrior" on the back..it will be a little bit larger.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER 

We Are Grafted In...

We had the most incredible honor of having our post on SPD featured on We Are Grafted In website.  We were truly blessed to be asked to share our Cana girl's story. Our greatest prayer is that it will help other families struggling with SPD.

I had meant to blog about this the day it was up but was in the hospital with hubby.  He had his gallbladder removed...there were some minor complications but after 3 days in the hospital was allowed to come. He continued to have a few complications after surgery but I am praising our Lord that he is finally doing much better.

Sooo, check out our family on We Are Grafted In ;)

65 families wait.....

3 years ago our precious friends, the Kahler's, traveled to Kyrgyzstan to meet their precious son, Asa, for the first time. As they were preparing to make their 2nd trip to bring him home, ALL international adoptions in Kyrgyzstan came to a screeching halt. 65 families were in process of bringing their babes home and the hope of their children coming home was beginning to look impossible. These 65 families continued to wait for glimpse of news...any news...some families received the terrible news that their sweet babes had passed away due to illness...while the others waited and prayed that the officials could come to an agreement and allow their adoptions to proceed. Fast forward 3 very LONG years, these families still wait but God is moving MIGHTILY!!!!!!!!  

One of the waiting families, the Bilyeus, lost their daughter due to complications of hydrocephalus in August 2010. They have chosen, with God's strength, to turn their deep grieving into hope and help for the remaining families. They have partnered with Lifesong for Orphans and Altynai's Legacy Adoption Fund was born. The mission of Altynai's Legacy Adoption fund is to provide financial assistance for the remaining families adoptions.

I am in tears as I write this post...I can't even being to imagine the pain of losing a child that had they been allowed to come home would still be alive. I have watched several of my friends walk this journey and it shakes me to the core.  I am asking you...my sweet, precious friends to please consider a donation to Altynai's fund...help her orphanage "brothers" and "sisters" home to their families. Altynai is safe in the arms of her Father...can you please help the other children home to the safety of their forever families?

Please go to the Bilyeus's blog to see how you can help. Read the families stories...be blessed, be moved to act! Our friends, the Kahler's, story is here. I had the privilege of getting to know this sweet family as we waited to bring Solomon home. They were in process to bring their son, Ezra, home from China. Our greatest hopes were to travel together but the Lord had other plans and we missed each other by 2 weeks. Their hearts are to serve the Lord and I have been amazed and blessed at how they have endured their journey to Asa...a journey that we pray daily will lead them back to Kyrgyzstan SOON to bring him home.

The Kahler's with Asa on their first visit! Sweet baby boy, we are praying you home soon!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N Lake Tahoe!!

A very generous family, the "D" family, blessed us with (like GAVE us!!!)an incredible vacation to Lake Tahoe. A vacation that we so desperately needed.  A vacation that came during a week, that unbeknownst to us, was going to be a week of attack back at home. The Lord knew it was coming and removed us from it so that we could be refreshed as a family to deal with the yuck we were to come home to.

Once again, I'm amazed at His love and protection for us.

~Our precious time away~ 

 

We were extremely blessed to end our vacation with a weekend visit of our very precious friends..the "K" family.  The Lord called them to move up north 5 long years ago. We typically get to visit once a year...not enough, that's for sure...oh, how we miss and love them so much! We grew up together, watched the Lord call us to marry our sweeties, and then were blessed to be a part of each of our kiddos births and homecomings. To our sweet friends...thank you for making the long trek up to see us...what beautiful, precious time we had together. We love you so much and miss you desperately!! God has blessed our families with such a gift...a gift that distance can't destroy. It was so beautiful watching our kids pick up right where they left off. We loved watching our new babes play like they have known each other forever...so beautiful! KISSES to each of you and can't wait to see you soon!

The beauty of all God has created in our two families...simply amazing!!!

SQUEAKY SHOES!!!!!!!!!!

Some of you may remember this post...the post where my husband hi-jacked my blog and divulged a very serious addiction I have....

Well, it seems my very precious friend, Annette (Kaden's mama), is willingly aiding in my addiction...LOOK...JUST LOOK at what she brought home from China for Jubilee :)

For the China adoptive family, there is something very, very precious about squeaky shoes. I dreamed about our sweet C running around in them. So, when she was finally home...those precious squeaks actually brought me to tears...our little miracle girl finally squeaking around our house. And NOW, another one of our miracle girls will be squeaking before we know it...I have no doubt it will bring back wonderful memories of those first years our baby C was home (of course baby S had some too...just imagine TWO squeaking girls...GORGEOUS music to my ears...memories forever burned in my mind and heart)

 

 

Ummm and YAY...I DID just do an entire post on shoes...LOL!!!