Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Waiting to Be Matched

Our adoption agency informed us that our case is scheduled to be presented to the board THIS FRIDAY. (It is possible that they wont get to it until next week, but next week would be the latest).

What is matching? Well, matching is when the Inter Country Adoption Board ICAB looks at all our paperwork (our complete dossier) and all of the paperwork and files for the children we are hoping to adopt. They ask the social worker questions about how we are prepared to provide for and take care of the children, and why they think we would be a good family for them. The ICAB looks at all the information, and then they decide if they think we will be a good match for this sibling set. If the answer is "Yes." Then, we are officially matched and the next step is getting the kids Visa's, passports, and whatever else they need before they would travel. It is possible that they may have questions or concerns that they want to address before giving the final "yes" which would add time to the decision.

Anyways, we are coveting your prayers. Please pray for God's perfect plan to come together without any complications. Please pray that the board will look favorably on our file, and that the Lord would guide them in their decision. We also pray that God would provide the provisions for this adoption in His perfect timing. Please also pray for peace for us. We are so nervous and excited awaiting the official decision.

Thank you for your prayers. I cannot thank you enough!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Trip to NY Summer 2013

Finally trying to post some pictures from our trip to NY. 

The trip was an adventure to say the least. My dad had driven Dustin's motorcycle present down to NC only 2 days before my drive up to NY; so he could ride back up with me. The last time I drove down from NY by myself with all 6 kids and our dog, my "new" car broke down in Maryland, and I got stranded for 3 days in a low-end hotel (that would allow pets). So, to make the most of it, we walked to the Kmart and bought swim suits thinking we could hang out in the hotel pool while we waited for the car to be fixed. However, after our first day in the hotel, they shut the pool down because they said it didn't pass inspection. Now, that was an adventure!

This trip was not quite as eventful as that one (which I am thankful for). However, the air conditioning in the car went out at our first stop. That means we drove the entire way to NY with NO AC! That made for a sweaty, stinky trip. 

While in NY, I hoped to get it fixed, but after talking with mechanics in several shops, I was told it would be about $400 which was not in the budget. So, we decided to just tough it out.

We enjoyed climbing the falls behind my grandparents house, fishing in the pond, and all the things in the woods and outdoors that I enjoyed in my childhood. Simple pleasures :)  I love that my kids love them too!


 Aunt Jeanette took the kids fishing in the pond behind the house I grew up at.


 
 Grandpa Jack teaching the kids how to drive a 4-wheeler.
Swinging at Grandma Gayle's.

 The girls playing in the creek. Too cute!


 Blake just hanging out while we climb the falls.

 Uncle Brandon took the older kids the entire way up the falls.
Here's the look-out near the top of the mountain I grew up on.

Our time in NY never seems long enough. After a week in upstate NY, it was time to head home. We are already missing NY and all our family and friends up there. 

The drive home was HOT, but the kids were such troopers. We picked up some spray bottles, and my Aunt Dotti packed frozen baggies of wash clothes for the kids to wipe themselves down with as we drove. We left at 4pm hoping it would be cooler (it was 95 degrees out when we left). Needless to say, it was a very hot trip home. My grandmother insisted that we stop in a hotel on our drive instead of doing the 14 hour drive straight through (like we typically do). It was so nice to get to take a shower and spend a couple hours in a bed (actually, I slept on the floor, but my kids had a bed). 

My dad drove BACK down to NC in a separate car with my nephew Daig. My dad came down to help us repair the roof over the kitchen that has been leaking for some time, and help us finally get the pool put in that we got back in the spring. He has been working very hard on the pool for the past two weeks. (For the story on how we came to have a pool, please read here).

There has been several obstacles in the process of putting up the pool. First, digging and trying to level the entire thing without the proper tools. Plus, because it was used, all the pieces have warped a little, and they don't fit in perfectly, and we were missing bolts. The pool liner that is made for that make and style of pool didn't quite fit, so they had to fold it over and bolt part of it down. The ladder is missing the back half and has bolts in it that would break the liner, so they had to come up with a platform and attach something to the bottom of the ladder to protect the pool. Now, the filter isn't working properly and keeps popping the circuit. They are trying to figure out what sort of electrical issue they are having so they can fix that.

Thankfully my dad and Dustin are able to "improvise, adapt, and overcome." That must be the Marine in the both of them. They are so determined to get it up for the kids to enjoy before the summer is over. I applaud their perseverance, and I pray that they get it done soon, so they can take a break and enjoy it!

Monday, July 29, 2013

Gift of Labor and Love for Dustin

Whew, Summer is flying by!

I wanted to get some pictures up from our trip to NY. But first, I have to tell you about an amazing labor of love and generous gift.

My dad and my brother picked up a wrecked motorcycle about a year ago. It was a Kawasaki Volcan which was the make and model that Dustin used to have (before he sold it to cover adoption costs for one of our previous adoptions). So, my brother and my dad worked for a year on this bike completely repairing and restoring it.

They didn't tell Dustin, but all their love and labor was to be a surprise gift for him. They said that while they don't have a lot of extra money, they wanted to do something special for him because they see Dustin give so much to so many people; they wanted him to have something special for himself.

Here is the before and after pictures of the motorcycle:



My dad and my brother's generosity and kind hearts are just beautiful. Seriously, my dad and my brother are super talented. My brother also powder coated the bike and personalized the paint job himself (this is something he does "on the side" as he is a carpenter by trade).



I am so thankful to have such an incredible family. Thank you Dad and Brandon for the many hours of work and love that went into this very special gift for Dustin. You are a testimony and an example of Christ's selfless love. You have blessed us immensely, and I pray God blesses you in return. We love you so much!

As I mentioned in a previous post, Dustin wasn't able to come to NY for our family's annual trip to visit my family because he stayed back to take care of the farm and get projects done around the house. He does sacrifice so much to provide for our family, and he works so hard at his job, around the house, and on the farm. We are so grateful to have such a loving, hard working husband and father who's desire is to glorify the Lord in all he does. I pray God continues to bless Dustin.


I hope everyone is enjoying their Summer as much as we are! I'll try to get some pictures up from our trip to NY at some point.

We are planning on starting school August 1st (at least half days to start with). We have our Trillium Home School Co-op starting August 15th, and we need to have 2 weeks worth of our curriculum for our first meeting.

Also, don't forget, our Christmas in July Fundraiser ends July 31st. So, don't forget to place your orders if you haven't already. For the link to the Fundraiser click here.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Preparations Around the House

We just returned from our annual trip to upstate New York. That is where I am from, and we try to get up there at least once a year to visit all of my family members that still live up there.

It is always a fun time that my children look forward to; but, this year, Dustin didn't get to go. We decided it made more sense for him to stay home at the farm and take care of all the animals rather than paying someone to farm-sit. While he was here, Dustin worked hard around the house on getting the kids rooms set up for our additional children.

The "boys' room" will have all six boys in it, and the full bathroom attached will be just for them. Our boys already in our home love the outdoors and the mountains; so, Dustin put a wallpaper mural on the wall to bring the outdoors in. I love it! Here is how their room looks so far:


We still need some sheets and boys bedding and a couple more mattresses, but we have no doubt that the Lord will provide it in His timing.

Our younger girls room will have the three younger girls. One side has a regular bunk bed, but in order to provide a larger play area, we are using a loft on the opposite side of the room with a play station underneath it.

Our older girls room is not even close to done yet. We are still working on it, but we have one bunk bed for their room so far.



Before I left, I had painted a tree on the wall, and Dustin added a verse to the bottom right of the tree (which isn't in the picture). The verse says, "You will be like a tree, firmly planted by streams of water You will yeild your fruit in season; your leaves will not wither; And whatever you do will prosper." Psalm 1:3. We plan on getting pictures of all our family members hung up on it.


He also added a bunch of shelves to the shed and our study. Everything is coming together nicely! We just wanted you to get a peek at the progress.

We are still waiting to be officially matched, so there isn't any news on that yet. But, we have gotten a little closer to our fundraising goal for our adoption (take a look at the thermometer on the right-hand side of the page to see the progress)!  Thanks again to everyone for their generosity in helping us bring our kids home.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

1000 Gifts

I recently read a book, "One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are" by Ann Voskamp, and it changed my life. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it.
(spoiler warning) The very first chapter, you find out that the author (Ann Voskamp) witnessed the death of her little sister when she herself was still a child. She admits that such a vicious tragedy had lasting ramifications in her spiritual life (or lack their of).

The book is her journey to answer her questions, to restore her faith, and to find true peace and joy. It starts with a challenge to number and list 1,000 gifts, and it changes her entire perspective.

It may help that I can totally relate to the author in the fact that she is a home schooling mother of six, living on a farm, who also enjoys photography. However, I am sure that everyone can relate to the fact that we have questions we cannot answer. All of us, at one time or another, have asked the question of "Why?" Many of us desire a more intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father!

After reading this book (literally the day I finished it), my car broke down in the parking lot at Vacation Bible School (VBS) at a church we were visiting. I was mortified and frustrated (especially since I had taken my husband's car as mine was not working). So the "good" car I took to VBS wouldn't start, and I had to ask people to help me jump the car over and over only to find out the alternator needed to be replaced. I wanted to cry, but I found myself trying to be thankful in the situation. I had to make a conscious choice to choose to be thankful:

1. I was at VBS, so there were people there to help me.
2. The weather was nice and not pouring rain or really hot.
3. The kids were having fun in church instead of sitting in the car waiting for it to get fixed.
4. My friend's husband called and found the part I needed and went to pick it up for me.
5. My sister-in-law's boyfriend is a mechanic, and came to the parking lot and fixed it on the spot before the kids even finished VBS.
6. Better that it happened before Dustin drove it to Georgia that weekend.

Wow, Praise God. Talk about blessings. When I chose to recognize the blessings, it changed my entire perspective!

Why does this surprise me so? Isn't that what I have my children to do if they start to have a pity party? I tell them to "count your blessings." List the things they are thankful to God for to turn their focus from self-pity to thanking God. It's all about perspective.

Sometimes, it's the rush to get things done, the "inconveniences"when things don't go as planned or plans have to change, the change in our schedule, not getting as much done as we had wanted,...etc. These things prevents us from taking the time to thank God and recognize His blessings.

I love this quote from Ann Voskamp's book about our hurried lives:

"Being in a hurry. Getting to the next things without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I've ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing...Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away."

I want to fully see what is right in front of me. Recognize it, cherish it, enjoy it, without rushing to the next thing and failing to see and give thanks for all the God has blessed me with.

Perhaps that is one of the reasons why I love taking pictures, each photo is a documentation of His gifts, the blessings that our Lord has given us. We just need to slow down, recognize the gifts, and give thanks for them.
"Joy is the realest reality, the fullest life, and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given:joy." -Ann Voskamp One Thousand Gifts

(I will say that the author has a very unique style of writing. Her imagery and description is poetic, and I enjoyed that; however, I have had a couple friends explain that they found the description a little distracting. However, hang in there and read this book in its entirety because the over all message and content is life-altering; it has seriously changed my life).

Monday, July 1, 2013

CHRISTMAS in JULY Fundraiser!!!!

I have some pretty amazing friends! Several of my friends are consultants for some great companies, and they have all offered to donate 100% of their commission to our adoption for all the sales on these fundraising parties for the ENTIRE MONTH OF JULY!!!!

July is 6 months prior to Christmas. Why wait to do last minute shopping when you can pick up some great gifts at reasonable prices AND help us bring our kids home from the Philippines?!

Shopping includes:

Scentsy, Velata, Grace Adele, Mary Kay, and Usborne Books!!!

My awesome sister-in-law, Erica Bestul, is a consultant for 3 different companies (Scentsy, Velata, and Grace Adele), and Erica has offered to donate 100% of her commission to help bring home our kids (her future nieces and nephews). If you have a question about your order to one of these companies, please contact Erica at Erica_Bestul@hotmail.com.

1. SCENTSY has lovely smelling tarts and beautiful warmers that use lightbulbs instead of candles (which is so much safer), and I think it makes the tarts last longer. Plus, Scentsy has bath and shower products, plug in warmers, and room fragrance sprays too. These are GREAT gift ideas for teachers, friends, and co workers!


Check out all the great products and scents; shop Scentsy HERE.




2. VELATA is fun and fondue, cheese fondues and chocolate fondues.  Who doesn't LOVE some fondue? You can purchase the fondue warmers along with premium chocolate, cheese, and other mixables. They also sell bowls and other accessories.



3. GRACE ADELE offers really cute purses, wallets, jewelry and other accessories. These make great gift ideas for your lady friends, moms, and sisters. Plus, they are very stylish AND reasonably priced!

Check out all they have to offer at Grace Adele HERE.

4. Mary Kay is a globally trusted name in skin care, make up & body care. There are lots of great products! (Make sure you put "Bestul Family" in the notes section when you order you Mary Kay in order for us to get credit). For questions about what products would be best for you, please contact Alexis Greco at 910-630-3629.

Shop Mary Kay HERE (please put our name in notes section at checkout)


5. Usborne Books & More Is the leading publisher of educational children's books. Usborne has all kinds of internet-linked books for updated, kid-safe websites to enhance children's learning. They have colorful children's encyclopedias, read-aloud books, board books, and all kinds of interactive books.



Pick up some books for the kids to read over the summer, enhance your home school curriculum, or stock up on some Christmas presents that will really take your kids places.  If you think your child doesn't like to read, then you just haven't found the right book. Get your kids EXCITED about reading! Check out all Usborne has to offer! For questions about your order email Mandy Rhodes at findingoutlittleone@yahoo.com.


Happy Shopping. 

*********Please feel free to share invites to shop for your friends and family************

Every purchase brings us a little closer to having the funds we need to complete our adoption!

Thanks for your support, and thanks Erica (Scentsy, Velata, & Grace Adele), Alexis Greco (Mary Kay), and Mandy Rhodes (Usborne Books & More) for your generosity! I pray that you too will be blessed by this fundraiser!