Author Archives: admin Almost seven years ago, I found out I was going to be a mommy. Being a teacher on top of our exciting news–I wanted to learn everything I could to be prepared. I read the books. I sought advice from experienced mommies. I took all the birthing classes…ALL of them. Over six years later, I […]  One of the goals in this house…is to simply have fun. And this girl–she just makes life fun. I can’t believe in just 2 1/2 short weeks she’ll be FIVE. Wow…how time flies. She is my heart…my girl…my sidekick in our house. There are too many things to count that I love about her…but I’ll […] Wow – she is so gorgeous Andrea! I am so excited to finally have a girl in this house =) I’ve been dreaming of it for SOO long. PS – it seems we are awake that the same hours during night lately 😉 I always seem to catch your posts MINUTES after you post them, hehee! Looks like my little four year old is only a week older than your little four year old! 🙂 Maybe one day Quinn will get to meet Laney and all her wonderfulness. She is so precious!! So funny, because I posted on Caty today being my “little sidekick” too! 🙂  There are some things in life I just can’t resist. Going back to work isn’t one of them. Using my photography…and only stamping “Georgia Lane” on pictures of my babies…ah—now that is irrestible to me. Yes…dear clients reading this–I really do miss you. BUT this…this time with my babies…is just too sweet. And my Issac. […] Scrumpdillyicious!! Exciting news!!!!! We just got our acceptance call from AGCI this afternoon!!! So excited! Now for figuring out ways to fund this adoption!! We are trusting HIM!!! Love the pics of ITY!!! Hope to maybe (fingers crossed) be working on our dossier by the Womens retreat in Feb!!!! Yayyyy!!!! Also, could you send me your address again so that I can mail you this ck and the other panties random people have just handed me! (: Yes! Please to a photography session on the retreat!! 🙂 Yes a photography session at the adoption conference! I love your photography and Angie Carley’s and I know at least one other momma who will be there, plus me, who love to take pictures, too! Loving your photographs, you def have a great talent, please share how you get such great light on your little man! I know, a flash, but what kind of light, my photos of my little one are so dark, did you guys pass the pads out yet, any photos? ON NO Tara!!! NO flash here!!! Natural light only in my pictures girl!!!!!!! i LOVE the last one andrea! love it! a photography workshop at created to care? YES, PLEASE!! Is Hong Kong too far? Oh my Gooooooooooooodness! ♥ He is Irresistible! ♥  -I love that…”fight to the finish”…that is how the Message version of the Bible titles the second paragraph of Ephesians 6. One thing that used to really freak me out before I was a believer and in my first days as a believer was reading anything about the devil or spiritual warfare. Didn’t get it…the […] Beautiful. The writing, the photos, Frank’s kiss, the babies, the momma’s … all of it is just beautiful!! Praising God for YOU! So true! My life used to be so safe and comfy… but I felt like something was missing. When I stepped out and started trusting my Lord, my life became healed and exciting to live. My world is so chaotic right now but all I feel is HIS peace! Great words Andrea, those scriptures have helped me through time and again when I have faced various trials. I agree with what you wrote and i just loved the pics like always! I was just talking to someone last night about what a spiritual battle adoption and orphan care seem to be. I have never experienced the like. You worded both sides so well – both the messy work of satan and the overwhelming love and grace and victory that comes from the Lord. Thanks for going there and talking about the unseen. Praying for you in the midst of thei fight. lifting you all up today. THanks for the reminder and encouragement – needed that! WHAT an encouragement it was to spend time with you and your family last weekend! Even though your voice only lasted for five minutes 🙂 your lives have ministered to us a great deal! You are always such an encouragement just when I need it. 🙂 So happy to see your family so full! ♥ 17 months of praying & waiting. I needed Galatians today. Thank you!  WHAT if you could win a photography session by a photographer who no longer offers sessions because her kids are so stinkin’ cool?! Like…you know YOUR FAVORITE photorapher of all time;)…hee, hee. Like ME!!! SO…get this fun fundraiser to help bring the Cook family’s baby girl home… You can go to the Cook’s blog HERE […] Love these ideas and love the Cooks!!!! What an incredible way to do a fundraiser!!! You’ve left me with ideas swimming in my head!!! 😉 You’re awesome, have I told you that lately?! ♥ Andrea, I will be praying for your family!! It was so great to meet Isaac this past weekend. When we left Saturday night, Jason said, “Man, Isaac is cute, I mean I knew he was cute, but I wasn’t expecting him to be THAT cute.” 🙂 Wow! What a sweet friend you are and a huge compliment to the family that you are willing to do this for them! I hope they know how lucky they are to have a friend who is even willing to help them fundraise and get the word out! Wow! I’m totally blown away!!! |
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by admin
Sounds like a fabulous resource … I am going to forward your post to my SIL!
Love & Blessings from Hong Kong,
Kim
LOVE this Andrea! We read a lot before-hand, but somehow I never found my way to this book. I’m going to order it today! We have seen so much of this in Caleb and did many of the things that the book seems to recommended…love the idea of the charts though and some of the other things we missed. SO true on the birth age/family age…I’ve said that numerous times without having the exact terminology to put with it.Thanks for always providing such great info!
Thank you for sharing about this book — I just ordered it from Amazon after reading your post.
My husband and I are working on our homestudy and planning on adopting siblings from Ethiopia. We don’t have children of our own, but I have two nephews ages 10 and 7. (Their family is also adopting from Ethiopia — they are waiting for a little girl.)
As we are going through this process I have been thinking a lot about how children will adjust. Last night I had a huge thought — I often tell my nephews that we cannot afford something when they ask for a little “treat” while we are shopping. While they may be disappointed to hear that they understand. Saying that to a child who may have been given up because a parent doesn’t have the resources to care for them could be traumatic.
Lots to learn through this process. Thank you for writing your blog and sharing your journey and being a resource for those of use following behind you!
Beth
Andrea,
Thank you for your wisdom. I often find such comfort in the blogs of strangers. You are so right that parenting a traumatized child is much different than parenting a biological child. Still, it is a very rewarding challenge! My daughter was almost 10 when she was adopted and she is now almost fifteen. I often think she has behaviors that are more inline with a five year old which would be her “family age”. I had never had anyone explain it the way you did. Thank you. Your post put some things into perspective and I am going to share it with my family. There are times they look at my daughter and just see immaturity.
Andrea, I have not read this book, but I think I will. I have read lots of books and taken bits and pieces from most. Because our daughter was 4 when we brought her home, her grieving looks very different than that of an baby or toddler. I have posted LOTS on this lately as I continue to work through…..is this a 4 year old behavior or an adoption issue??? If you want to check it out, our blog is nieuwstraten.blogspot.com. Your journey will look totally different, but sometimes I enjoy looking at what other parents have gone through. Parenting Grace has absolutely been the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done. Two books that I have loved are: ‘Parenting the Hurt Child’ by Peck and Kupecky and ‘The Connected Child’ by Purvis.
Thanks for sharing this. I think that parents who are in the process to adopt need to be spending tons of time educating themselves. That’s one thing that I really appreciated about AGCI is that they really helped us to prepare for the unique challenges of bringing home a 4 year old. Blessings on your weekend!
I just opened this book about l5 minutes before reading your blog post. Another family highly recommended it.
I am waiting on a court date as a single parent of siblings, so I expect to need it a ton. I admit it is gathering dust, but I will GET it read! 😉
Awesome post and awesome resource! We’ll be adding this to our lending library very soon for potential adoptive families to read and check out! Thanks for the heads up. We’ve got tons of books on adoption both domestic and international but not this one. I’d picked it up a dozen times at Barnes and Noble and put it back on the shelf, but I think it’s a must have after reading your post. 🙂 Thanks girl!
This post was so very helpful for me to read! I’m definitely getting this book. Our little guy does say a peep when we put him in his crib at night… Heartbreaking…
I’m so glad that you posted about this book! We had read about it and heard that it was great but had forgotten the name of it. Now that we’re on the waitlist, I really wanted to remember what book it was and pick it up and start reading. Now I know! 🙂
What a special and sweet day for your family tomorrow. May it be blessed and filled with joy!
Thank you so much for sharing this book with us. My husband and I are just entering the adoption process. We live in the country that we will adopt our children from but it will still be a cross cultural adoption. (My husband and I are missionaries in Peru, working with at risk and abandoned children and impoverished families). I would be grateful if you wanted to share any other books that you have foud to be helpful to you as well.
Your family is beautiful and I praise God for what He has done.
Blessing,
Brenda