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Where Are They?

Wordless Weekend

Why Ethiopia?

This is not our video-another family made it, but it really answers the question.
I think out of all the questions Ive been asked, this is the most popular one.

And as much as I try to think of some great justifying answer that will make it "acceptable",or that will offer some new insight and clarity to the person asking, the only real answer I have is "God said Ethiopia."

So why not?

Nothing Really...

is what we've been doing.

Charlotte is feeling better. Although she seems to have something going on with her nose

Its spread to Ethan now too.

"Wubby Dutty" came for tea today. It was the last thing he ever did...

Charlotte crafted this Robber Alarm the other day

Last weekend

We didnt last long what with those gloves. Maybe we will get another chance this weekend.

And by-the-by, when did playing in the snow go from fun to work? I used to love playing outside. Now, its:

1. Endure 3 hours of "Can we go outside now?" "No, wait until Caden takes a nap"

2. Get Caden asleep or otherwise distracted so he doesnt see us sneaking out the door

3.get appropriate clothes on everyone

4.remove charlottes clothes so she can use the bathroom

5. put clothes back on

6.Find any hats/gloves/etc that will work

7. stealthily head towards the door

8."WAIT MOM WE FORGOT THE CARROTS FOR THE SNOWMAN!!"

9. Get the dang carrots

10. Get Caden to go back to sleep

11. Get outside, only to find that the snow is too dry to make a snowman

12. make some snow angels

13. Take a walk to the backyard

14.Eat snow on the way

15. "Charlotte where are your gloves?"

16. "Well they got snow on them so I dont want to wear them!"

17. Give my gloves to Charlotte

18. "These dont fit me!"

19.Find all gloves now strewn about the backyard

20.Herd everyone back in, protesting and crying

21. Remove all the snow clothes

22.Break out the cookie dough and a movie.

Quarantined

Charlotte threw up in church today. Actually, up in the cry room. I had kept her in church with us until she started crying because her tummy hurt. I knew what was coming, it seems she is more prone to throwing up than the boys. Luckily only 8 or 9 people saw. And they were really nice and cleaned it up and helped me get Jeremiah. They didnt act grossed out at all, which reminded me how thankful I am for our little church family.

I thought the flu thing had bypassed us, but I guess we are in for it now. She has been sick all day, poor thing.

(And yes, Liz, if you are reading this, that trash can is from church.

I stole it from church. If you can lose your salvation mopping your kitchen, I think I'm in big trouble :)

And thank you Crystal for taking care of MissionFriends- you are awesome!

Hold on Tight...

You know in the movies, when something BIG is getting ready to happen?

The music starts building, and as you are sitting there in the dark, eating your popcorn, you start to get that rumbling in your stomach that says, "oh boy, this is going to be awesome!"

And you find yourself gripping the armrest next to you which is also being gripped by your neighbor, whom you have never met, but its ok, because you are in this together?

Well, if you were sitting next to me right now, I would grab hold of your hand and say excitedly, "This is going to be so awesome!!"

There has been alot, (and I mean, nearly every single adoption blog I read-which is alot) of buzz about a teenage boy all the way over in Latvia. He is going to turn 16 on January 23rd and become ineligible for adoption. He will be kicked out of the orphanage and be forced to live on the streets. He will have nothing. And it is winter there.

But hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have never and will never meet him have been advocating and raising money for him to find a family before then. Its no exaggeration to say that miracles would need to happen in order to do this.

There is a lot of discussion about whether the word "rescue" is appropriate when discussing adoption. Some think its making too much of the process, that its making the whole thing out to be a publicity stunt or something, making it bigger than what it is.

I think its a pretty appropriate term.

Rescue: 1.to save from danger or harm 2.save from being discarded 3.an instance of providing help to somebody in a difficult situation.

"For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight."

Psalm 72:11-14

It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them.

Isaiah 19:20

I found the following post here .

Can you hear the music building?

* * *

48 hours later….

48 hours ago, I sat in this chair crying as I tried to put the weight of one small Latvian teenagers’ future into words.

48 hours ago, Davids was a lost boy, a boy who had been abandoned not only by his birth family years ago, but by a family who he believed had chosen him.

48 hours ago, his dreams of being the most important person to somebody, of being loved and treasured, became ashes, like paperdolls in the fire.

48 hours ago, Davids was weeks away from being homeless in the dead of the Latvian winter, his future bleak, frightening.

And now, 48 hours later

Davids

has

a

family!

A family has stepped out in faith—having known of this boy’s existence for less than two days—and claimed him as their own.

48 hours ago, this family stepped out on the faith that God would provide $20,000 for them to adopt Davids.

And that’s where we come in…

Today we are celebrating, as well we should. But we can’t move on yet. There is work to be done! You see, if Davids’ family can’t raise the money…

the won’t be able to proceed…

and if they can’t proceed…

it will be over

for good.

Many of you who are reading this have already been part of Davids’ miracle—-by the way, how does that feel? How does it feel to know that one day you are going to be in Heaven and you’re going to look up and see this handsome brother-in-Christ who will say to you, “You prayed me a family!” How will it feel when Christ hands you a crown, and you see one particular sparkling jewel that’s there because you wept for this boy and prayed for him and helped bring him home? When you cast that crown at the feet of Jesus, rejoicing because of His mercy and might? Will there be yee-haw in Heaven? (That’s a hypothetical, y’all. Because if I’m there–and I will be—there’ll be some yee-haw. No, notHee-Haw; YEE-haw. That’s all I’m sayin’….)

Our work is not over. We still have much to do. But I think this is the fun part. I mean, the past 48 hours has been the cryin’ kind of work. Now comes the the part when all George Bailey’s friends come rushing in the house smiling and laughing and throwing their spare change on the table, singing Auld Lang Syne.

48 hours ago, I pledged to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the family who would come forward and answer God’s call. I know God is going to provide the $20,000 needed to rescue His precious son Davids. And I believe He is going to do it

through

us.

So keep being a part of this miracle. Project Hopeful has set up a fund for tax-deductible donations toward Davids’ adoption. Donations of any amount will help get this boy home to a loving family. God will multiply every single dollar.

Should we make it fun? I like fun. Fun is so…well…fun, isn’t it? How about this: David would have been lost forever on his 16th birthday, so you could donate $16 dollars to commemorate his receiving the best 16th birthday present ever! His family committed to him less than 48 hours after his story was first shared, so you could contribute $48. And of course, if you are able to donate more to get this boy into his forever family, please don’t let my limited imagination hold you back!

But when it comes right down to it, if all you can spare is $5, then God will take your widow’s mite and multiply it. Whatever you can give, know that you are standing in the middle of a miracle, shoulder-to-shoulder with Davids’ new family. But please don’t keep on walking just because you think your gift is too small. It’s not.

How awesome would it be if— oh, I almost can’t type this, because it’s just too awesome to even think about— how awesome would it be if we had Davids’ adoption fund fully funded…

…within 48 hours?

CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO THE PROJECT HOPEFUL DONATION SITE. All donations are tax-deductible. ***Please put DAVIDS in the comment section to ensure that your gift is credited to his fund.***

Get in the middle of this miracle, bay-bee!

So…who’s with me?

The Faces of HIV

The Tweitmeyer family founded ProjectHOPEful to educate families and squash the many misconceptions about HIV and AIDS that scare people away from adopting infected children.

Did you know that 95% of major medical insurance companies cover the cost of the medications needed to treat the disease?

Did you know that it is so manageable, that medically speaking it is preferable to having diabetes?

Did you know that children with HIV can live a normal life span, work, get married, and have children, and that only a small percentage of children born to mothers with the disease will contract it?

A really good interview with Caroline.

Reese's Rainbow advocates for orphans with HIV as well as with Down Syndrome. These children are all in danger of being transfered to mental institutions soon. They will not be taught, they will not go outside, they will not receive the medicine they need to survive. They will die there, because of the stigma of their disease, unless someone rescues them.

"Baxter" shares a birthday with my niece Olivia.

This boy, called Peyton on RR, has already been transferred to a mental institution.

He is a month older than Ethan.

This little girl is the same age as Charlotte.

What I love about...

Her charming personality

Her ability to make a mess as soon as I turn my attention from her. And when she says with those wide eyes and raised eyebrows, "I don't know. It wasn't me!"

her bravery and willingness to try anything

Her winning performance at the Christmas Pageant

She is the best mommy to her babies

Her exploration of the arts

Her widely varied facial expressions

She's way more glam with a baby in her tummy than I ever am.

That she insists on getting her hair "cut" anytime anyone else does.

The fact that a backpack full of blocks doesn't hinder her dancing skilz at all

She snores.

she's silly

This picture