Introducing Our T-shirt Fundraiser

Along with our Just Love Coffee fundraiser we now have a store open through Adoption Bug. They have some pretty cool t-shirts and from each purchase from our store we receive a portion for our adoption expenses. We included t-shirts in Amharic (Ethiopian) and Chinese to celebrate not only this adoption but Eliza's adoption as well. If you now of anyone who wants a fabulous t-shirt feel free to direct them to our site =)

Here is a link to the store:

http://www.adoptionbug.com/tobyandamy/

I do have to say that any financial support we get from these sales is great but we appreciate your prayers most of all! Please keep them coming! We just found out this week that the requirements for Ethiopia may have changed and will likely involve two trips; one to meet the baby and one to bring them home. This will add expenses not to mention the hard task of getting on an airplane without our kiddo. It is nothing the Lord cannot work out. I am so glad it is not a surprise to Him.

Our Just Love Coffee Fundraiser is up and Running!!!

Our first official fundraiser for the adoption is up and running. We are excited to be able to partner with Just Love Coffee. Not only do we receive a portion of each sale but so does a school in Addis Ababa. Also, the coffee is purchased by Just Love Coffee from the coffee farmers in Africa so the money helps them feed their families as well. It's a winning situation all around. The only bummer is I'm allergic to coffee beans so you will have to let me know how good the coffee truly is.

Here is a link to our fundraising store:
http://www.justlovecoffee.com/TobyandAmy

Moving Right Along....

This morning Toby and I went in to the doctor's office to get our medical forms filled out. Let me tell you, adoption is not for the faint hearted. I just love that when you grow your family through adoption, the Dad has to get poked along with the Mom. We very happily donated some blood for the tests required and are on the fast track to complete our first "hill" of paperwork this week. So far, everything seems much simpler than our first adoption. Maybe that's because we're pros? Or just that Ethiopia is a simpler process than China? I do have to say that if everything goes well and according to plan, we may have just moved to the express lane.

On another note, while we were at the doctor's office, Eliza happily tagged along until we mentioned the shots she was due for. Poor girl! I hate that part of parenting--you know--the part where you have to do something that is good for them but painful. It was kind of funny to hear her yell, "NO WAY!!!" when they nurse told Toby to pull down her pants. Did I mention that "NO WAY" is her favorite phrase right now? Well, it is. Her wonderful siblings thought it was cute when she said it the first time so it is now said way too often. Let's just say Momma is working on reminding her to say "No thank you" instead. Although, the phrase was said at a birthday party last weekend and last I heard the birthday boy is now using it too. Oh well, whatever we can do to make an impact, right?

Here are some of my favorite moments from the last week:

1--Getting Emma all to myself--poor girl was sick and had to stay home from church but I loved getting to hang out with her

2--Seeing Ethan's new smile after he got his braces on

3--Showing Faith how to cable knit and purl

4--Having Eliza fall asleep on me while rocking her for bed time--you have no idea how huge that is!!

5--Seeing Toby get giddy with excitement every time we cross another "to do" off our list for the adoption

6--Finishing a very long book on international adoption even though I found out it wasn't required for the home study (I was pressured by the kids & Toby to not finish it but I wanted to set an example--can we say PRIDE.)

Our Big Announcement

We are approaching our second anniversary of the day we had Eliza placed in our arms. I can't tell you how much we have grown. The Lord has used our daughter to teach us so much. During the LONG wait for her we learned a lot about patience, when we met her face to face we were shown how God's timing truly is the best, and during the last two years we have learned that when God teaches you to love--it knows no bounds.

What does that have to do with a big announcement? Well, we have spent much time in prayer lately about whether or not the Lord would have us grow our family yet again. Can we handle another baby? Would Eliza be able to handle a new brother or sister? Are we crazy to even think about having five kids? What if.....? We found that it was easier to talk ourselves out of it the later in the evening it was. We even decided at Christmas that we were indeed "done" having kids.

Let's just say that the Lord would not leave us alone about it. Last week we stepped out in faith and submitted an application to adopt from Ethiopia. Today we found out that we have been accepted into the program. So far we have seen God do some amazing things. Without our knowledge, Toby's brother and his wife have also decided to adopt from Ethiopia. They submitted an application to the same agency last week. What a journey we get to take together!!!! We also have seen God provide most of the money we will need for the adoption. We are about $10,000 short of our goal. With that in mind we have decided to try to raise the money through a garage sale in June, selling items through companies who help with adoptions, and donations from those who feel led. We are excited to see what God is going to do in the coming months.

Please keep our family and Toby's brother's family in your prayers as we start in the adoption process. Also, please pray for our child and our new niece/nephew in Africa.

A Week Full of Firsts and Lasts

This last week has been one full of firsts and lasts. Ethan had his last basketball game of the season, Faith played in her first official piano recital, Eliza spent her last night in a crib and her first night in her new toddler bed, and Emma was there to see it all. They have all handled it very well. Eliza's first night in her bed was a little rough but as I sit here she is sleeping well in her new bed--and it's only night #2. Here are some pictures of some of the exciting happenings.






I have been working on some changes on the blog and preparing it for some exciting news we are hoping to share with all of our readers (no matter how few). Stay tuned to find out what big changes are coming for our family.

Off and Running in 2010

January has come and gone already and we have reached an important milestone--we are halfway through our curriculum!!!! This is a big deal to all of us-me included. Home schooling is not an easy task for the kids or for the parents. Knowing that God has brought us over halfway to our goal for the year is an encouragement to us all. It is now time to start praying about next year. Do we continue home schooling (so far the consensus is yes), do we keep using the current curriculum (so far that is a yes as well with a few tweaks here and there), and do we include mandatory spa days for mom in the home school budget (I can at least try, right?)?

On another note, this week marks two years since we received our referral for Eliza. We waited for a long time to bring home our daughter and I still remember feeling that we would always be waiting. I look at her now as she plays at my feet and am amazed at all God did to bring us together. She is without a doubt our daughter through and through! It seems amazing that God would bring the perfect match to our family yet when I consider that this is the same God who placed the stars in the sky--it seems more like an "of course--how could He do anything less?"

Many families have now been waiting five years. Please pray for them! They need encouragement, love, and understanding. Please remind them that God has not forgotten them. Remind them that He has a plan for them and their children will come home. God will lead you in ways you can minister to them--please listen to His direction.

Here are some pictures from our January adventures--including Toby's 35th birthday. Enjoy!



Eliza went shopping at Toys 'R' Us with her Christmas money and came away with a free Kai Lan computer game. She is right on track to be a computer genius like her daddy.




Toby took advantage of our OMSI membership and took the kids to see a T-Rex skeleton they had on display. Cool!



Happy 35th, Toby! He's not near as old as the T-Rex and MUCH better looking =)


We had a brief snow storm at the end of December. Can you tell Eliza is more into tropical climates?

Christmas, Two Birthdays, and a Happy New Year!

Christmas is a busy time at our house. This year was no exception. I only hope that amid all the busy happenings, we are able to pass on the true meaning of Christmas to our children. I do feel especially blessed to have a child born on Christmas Eve. It always reminds of what Mary went through to have Jesus. Sweet memories of that Christmas as well as the one when we were expecting Emma and had her on December 27th are special gifts.

This year was a big deal to Ethan. He is now a teenager, having turned 13. I was trying to relive his first Christmas when he was just a day old by playing some Neil Diamond cds I played then. He wasn't interested in dancing around with me but Eliza did take me up on it. It's an exciting time in his life.

Emma turned 11 a few days later. She is such a laid back girl. So much growing up is going on at our house. It is bittersweet for us as parents as we are excited to see what God will do in their lives yet want to hold on tight to the years that we have them home.

This Christmas was a lot of fun. It was Eliza's second Christmas home and she had a great time handing out presents and opening them. We took her to see Santa this year and during the wait in line she kept telling us she was going to sit on his lap and ask for a dollhouse. When she finally got up there she clung tight to her brother and had Faith tell Santa what she wanted. Not a bad set up for her when you think about it.

Here are some pictures of the festivities at our house. Enjoy! May your new year be one full the God's blessings!