Benefit dinner Thanks

We had our Benefit dinner at church this past Friday. I want to thank everyone who turned out in the bad weather to support us. We raised over 1800.00 praise God. Every penny counts and gets us closer to our kids. We had lots of fun and food. Still eating spaghetti leftovers. Only about 25lbs of it was left:)

This past weekend was busy for us. With the dinner Friday and then Saturday Jim and I took a much needed break and went out on a date for our anniversary. It was great to get to spend some alone time talking and laughing. We all need that. Our anniversary was Sunday ( same day as the Ethiopian elections) we spent the day at church and then home in the garage cleaning Jims new/ very old car seats. I thought all day off and on about the elections and how this one day could affect our adoption. Everytime I think about it I pray "Lord, please let the right person be elected to this office that will have your heart for these orphans." We will not hear anything form this region for a while. I am guessing months. But in this wait our kids are being fed and loved. They are hearing of Jesus and he is working in their hearts.

I read a story that is so true. people see 147 million orphans world wide and think wow it's too much. What can we do to help that will make a difference. Sure you can adopt one or two children but it's not making a dent. To those of you and sometimes me who think this way here's a story you might need to hear.

"A Father and daughter were walking on the beach. The beach was filled with starfish that washed ashore from a storm. They would all surely die, being outside the water. The father watched as the daughter picked up a starfish, and walked up to the water and carefully placed it back in. She did this over and over and over. The Father, while filled with Pride for his daughter, comments. Honey. Why are you doing that? You are not going to make a difference, look at all those starfish. They are everywhere (as he motions to the thousands of starfish across the beach) As the Daughter picked up another starfish, carries it to the waters edge and places it into the water, the Daughter replies. "It made a difference to that one"

It matters to that one child you adopt, sponsor or pray for greatly. this just puts it all in perspective for me. It's all overwhelming when you look at it all but God didn't call me to look at 147 Million he only called me to look at our two in Ethiopia... for now:)

No News yet

We still have no news about our kiddos in Ethiopia. We did receive some new pictures of our referred boy. He has already grow so much in the time we have "known" him through pictures. I just want to get them both home.

We have our Benefit dinner at church next Friday. Wow that has been an experience. With sending out over 100 invites and not getting much response I'm not sure how many people will be showing up. I am planning for an army and hoping for the best. I'm still concerned on how this is all going to come together. Worries me more than a little. I've never one anything like this and I feel I am going in blind for the most part. But I know it will all work out and I tend to stress over the small stuff.

Mothers day

Well, today is Mother's Day. It hit me hard this morning as the kids gave me their handmade cards and the very cute table water fountain that something was still missing. Our other two kiddos were not here yet. On a day when I should be able to hold them tight they are thousands of miles away. I am hopeful that next year we will have the entire Kirkland crew together to celebrate this special day and all of the other days as well.

This week was busy, busy, busy. We received our I-71 clearance form. Yeah! Last form on our part needed for a court date in Ethiopia. Now we just wait for the kids to be released. I am praying that the elected official in Ethiopia after May 23rd does not drag his/her feet to write the new rules and open the region back up again.

We also had an adoption benefit yard sale. My friends and family are nothing short of awesome. They donated their items, time, and money to our cause and we raised over $500.00. Talk about a wonderful feeling. I was not expecting that much at all. God does provide doesn't he.

This week I have been feeling the lesson in my wait is not so much a lesson anymore but preparation. My heart is being prepared for our children. My prayer is that the hearts of all of us are prepared to open and love each other as God has loved us. I know time will go by fast as it always does with kids, school, work and family but it's on these quite hours after everyone is asleep I sit and think of our Ethiopian children. I wonder what they will be like how they will feel, adapt, even sound when speaking. This journey has brought me closer to the word, family, and new friends. I know it has been long and it is far from over.