Author Archives: admin FIRST…I want to say THANK YOU to the new family sponsors of some of the Wiphan kids!!! I have gotten a couple of emails that either someone has ALREADY signed up to sponsor a child I posted OR they are going to soon!!! THANK YOU for making a difference in these childrens lives!!! NOW…to catch […]  I hold on to this command. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1. I know I am His–so He is the strength that works through me. I know my children are His–and I will treat them with tenderness because they are His. Last night–my sweet one was up from 11pm to 3am…kicking […] oh, i want that shirt..love it, kj Yes girl…thanks for that post about being imitators of God! btw, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the shirt you posted about. I am definitely telling my hubby I want this soon! :0) love that shirt! did you get the slim fit one? or the other? it’s so hard to know what size to get of all the great adoption shirts out there! Courtney—I got a medium in the slim fit. I couldn’t have done small…medium is pushing it:) Love the new shirt! And love “Into the Streets”! We bought our Dad’s Father’s Day cards with a donation to that ministry! Love it! 🙂 Very sweet children. Their eyes are just captivating. Thank you for the reminder of being imitators of God. It’s easy to walk through our daily lives and live for ourselves. We already sponsor one Wiphan child, but OH how I wish I could sponsor them all! What a wonderful organization! I just wanted to say thank you for giving people an opportunity to really touch the lives of orphans. We wrote our child a letter, and the one that I recieved back from her is still on our refridgerator. I cry just thinking about how sweet that little letter is and how much it means to me. It’s amazing that I have a little penpal over in Zambia. Thanks again for the opportunity 🙂 Just ordered the VERY cool shirt! praying for these sweet kids. I want to be an imitator!!!!! & I love that shirt 🙂 andrea – thanks for letting me know about the size on the shirt! i really appreciate it! 🙂  Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. Ephesians 5:1 I just started reading a book by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick and Dennis E. Johnson called Counsel from the Cross. It’s a book that is rich in Biblical truth–so you have to read and then soak it in. And then read some more. If you lived […] The book sounds wonderful and encouraging! Amen!! You continue to encourage my heart time and time again!! You are a sweet blessing my friend!! 🙂 … and for me … I would not be the same person I am today had God not directed my hand to click on your link via Cris’. Seriously, I have learned so much through this circle of blogs and have grown so much this year. Thank YOU for being YOU and for sharing as openly and authentically as you do. LOVE!! You continue to inspire me Andrea! You have a heart of gold. If I was in your shoes I would probably be so overwhelmed with life. And I know you ARE but you keep giving and sharing and I know that with every post God is using your words to reach hearts. I know they continue to touch mine. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself and allowing God to use you in such incredible ways!~ Beautiful post!! I just want to encourage you regarding ITY. My middle son was born with a birth defect and for 3 years we were given the run around and I became very discouraged with the medical world. I do not have a medical degree, but I am a mom and the whole time I went with my mommy instinct. In the end it paid off. He found out what was wrong and we have been treating him ever since. You are Isaac’s mom and honestly you know what is best for him. I will be praying for you for clear guidance, because I know how frustrating it can be! Simply Beautiful. You are such a gift to ME! Wish I were next door to hug your neck, hold your baby, and digest what sounds like an amazing book together! Whenever I read your words, I find myself so often saying, “I needed to hear this today!” – And today is no exception! I am so glad that I started reading all these blogs about people who truly have broken hearts for the world. And yes, my husband makes fun of my “blog world” too 🙂 Praying for Isaacs health- God knows exactly what he needs! i am sorry that there is so much confusion related to ity. could i please have that last doctor’s number so i could call him and say “you are a big, dumb poophead!”? amen to our need for the gospel for daily transformation! amen to bloggy friends who keep us connected and remind us of what is important! Just wanted to add my 2 cents about the doctors…just continue to pray about it and trust your gut instinct. Before N became ill, I trusted doctors wholeheartedly, but once a true medical issue crops up, you realize that lots of doctors will have different opinions and different treatment plans (we were given everything from a strict diet to a month of antibiotics to anti-depressants). It’s a learning process where you have to lean on God more than the doctors – which can be surprisingly difficult in a society that puts a lot of stock in modern medicine. It sounds like you are approaching everything with discernment, but I just wanted to say I know how frustrating it can be, and GRRRRR! :o) Also, I can’t believe the obese comment!!! Amen sister! LOVE your heart and LOVE you! I have this book on my shelf, but haven’t started reading it yet… just bumped up on my list! 🙂 A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon your blog when I really needed some guidence in my walk with Christ. I am nearly brought to tears with every post because of you passion for our Father, your family and your friends. You inspire…Thank you! LOVE Elyse! I got to hear her speak last November. I’m reading “Comforts from the Cross” Another one of hers… its excellent if you haven’t already read it! 🙂 oh dear friend – really needed to hear this today. I have been fighting a physical battle here (pretty sure Satan is not happy about the life-changing stuff that has been happening in our house:), and I have been feeling oh so discouraged. And yet again you remind me to look to Him – needed that reminder today!! So, even with the UTI, cold, pink eye, kidney stone, herniated disk, poison ivy that I have – I am choosing to praise Him!!! Thanks for the needed kick in the bum:) Don’t know you but am also a Christ follower. Very inspiring life you are living for Him and His glory. Have you thought about gluten intolerance? My best friend’s 2nd born went through 2-3 years of no one believing her mom instinct that something was actually wrong with her baby until one pediatrician suggested gluten. Presto chango, new baby. Praise God and pass the rice flour. (Of course today on Stuff Christians Like, Mr. Acuff discusses the person who wants to fix your prayer requests. Totally not trying to be that person but why reinvent the wheel?) Oh goodness… I can’t even imagine the frustration of the doc visits and the circles they have you running. We are constantly praying for Isaac and I’m kinda with you in the belief that he is healing from past malnourishment and muscle weakness but he is doing SOOO well and has come SO far. It’s so hard when docs just quickly dismiss you. Thank you again for giving our shirts a shout out! We love you! I’m SOO excited to get a chance to go visit all of these blogs of the women who bought our shirts:) I’m not a doctor- but I play one at halloween. (not really). Here’s the scoop that 8 mo has taught me on the belly situation. Parasites are not always noticable in the stool samples. Giardia is especially difficult for a few reasons. (i won’t go into them). So if the parasites or eggs were spotted in one sample then they are there. Even if, without treatment, they aren’t spotted on the next sample. Another thing to consider- is to treat imperically for .. campo… something or other. It is quite common and it is a bowel infection caused by kids having poo on their hands and then in their mouth. It creates a call from your states CDC but it is quite common and answering… “he’s had since I met him in Ethiopia” is generally enough for them to realize he didn’t get it from a public source. The belly size. It gets huge for a number of reasons. First- he has no muscle tone. Not just skeletal muscle that we see when we are inshape but the muscles that keep his organs in place. Plus his organs now have to FIT into place. THAT TAKES TIME. Second- They feed him extra calories in ET to get the numbers on the scale to go up. Often this is with sugary milk. Regardless of how they get the weight up- his body isn’t ready/able to absorb it- because it is geared toward retaining fluid/calories rather than using it because it is stuck in ‘survival’ mode. Add in the parasites and belly infections and it simply takes longer than we expect. Teg had HORRIBLE night sweats. I never said much about it to the doc = I just assumed it was normal. The DAY- VERY SAME DAY – he started being treated for campo… (bowel infection) the sweating stopped. WHOA! I had never thought about that. He also had gas that would literally- I mean literally- clear out the house. (I thought my nephew was bad). People visiting in the middle of winter would go outside for fresh air as it was so prolific and pungent. That went away within 48 hours of treatment. (just what you wanted to read about… sorry) Our ped- said that it could take a year for T’s stomach to not be so.. ‘out there’. After 8 mo- it is ‘pretty normal’ most of the time now– but any swimming activity where he swallows air and water in mass amounts and it’s right back out there looking painful as ever! But keep in mind T is older than your little one. So I have no idea if it might take more or less time, for proper belly distribution (hee). I posted some before and after photo’s on my blog back in my August update if you want to see a bit of difference. It’s better now. I don’t know if I can add a link in this but I’ll try.  My little buccaneer said it was high time to pick a winner! And since momma can’t tell her little mate no to just ONE pick…we went for THREE this time! Doesn’t that make you happy when we do that? It makes him happy! BECAUSE…guess what this rockin’ t-shirt goes toward??? ANOTHER little one finding their […] I keep seeing commercials for the movie and I think we’re gonna see it this weekend. I’ll keep my eyes open for Frank! WOW! I never win anything! So fun! Thanks for doing this Andrea! Now do I keep the shirt for myself or get one for my husband? 🙂 That is the cutest pirate I have ever seen! Praying for him! praying for you today, for wisdom for the doc, for healing for ITY, and for sleep for you all! ohh poor isaac…so thankful God gave him parents like you to help him heal and grow up healthy and get through this! LOVE the pirate pics…way too cute! Praying for your precious pirate! One verse that I have claimed for my son (2.5 yrs home 4 mo. from ET) as he is fearful and grieving is Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear, but you have received a spirit of sonship.” Praying for healing whether the root is emotional or physical for your sweet son. I absolutely love the pirate pictures. I think if you look cute up in the dictionary you should see those pictures. He is precious!!!!! You know I will totally be praying for ITY and all of the amazing Young family!!!!! I love you all and so does the Great Physician. Sleep is the hardest. Nightime is when it all hits and they feel so alone and vulnerable. It is also THE ONLY TIME that my guy shows pain. physical pain. Praying. I forgot to mention… is he growing? Quick growth and the growth pains are AGONY! I have to put my guy to bed on ibupro or tylenol many nights in the week after growing 5 inches in 7 months. Will pray for divine wisdom for you and the doctors and for supernatural healing! Yes, he is the cutest pirate. I am so glad Frankie baby got to go to Austin! He rocks. 🙂 Ohhh and some cockroaches can fly too.. jez saying…..  FIRST…I updated my blog a little with new colors and new headers:). AND after being with WordPress for almost a YEAR now (oh I miss blogger’s ease!) I finally figured out how to add the “follow me” thing that is so easy to use in blogger!!! SO…my computer illiteracy keeps me from knowing how to […] WOW…I got to be your “1st Follower”! I am seriously excited about that! 🙂 Does that make me a groupie or maybe just a blog stocker. You decide…LOL! From one “poop digger” to another…Jenny lol. digging through poop… oh, i want that tshirt…lovvvvvvvvvvvvvve it….what a great one, kj Glad to see that Isaac is doing so well! Can’t wait to read more about him in the coming months…Khakki Alright, I love the shirt. I may need to order one if I don’t win 🙂 I clicked the follow button too. Hopefully it works 🙂 I DID see that Target ad, and I DID think of your ITY!!!!! So funny! I love reading your blog! You and your family are in my prayers daily. God Bless all of you! =} I love seeing photos of YOU and your family!! And Praise God for all those donations of the bags, pads, and panties. They look very professional and something that any girl/woman would be happy to receive. Way to go!!! Whew, the whole wally world story tired me out reading it 🙂 Love keeping up with you guys through the blog! Keep up the great work. Love the shirt…I definately want one! I am faithfully following too! 🙂 Ok since I have to comment to maybe win a t-shirt I LOL at the cricket in your last post. I get those in my house and I put a jar on top of them and we tip toe around it all day until my husband gets home. Definitely do NOT want to squish them cause they have alot of guts! Blessings on your sweet family! If I when the shirt, will my life become more simple? smile! How fun to see all of the pad kits. My friends and I made 33 more kits that we will be sending soon! loving all the bags! I can’t wait to add mine to the pile! ps- I also love the shirt!!! I LOVE the shirt! Thanks for doing all these giveaways to support other families’ adoptions. Oh, and as a sidenote, check out netvibes as another blog-reading spot. You can customize your page and gather all the blog updates in one spot (like google)! I LOVE this tee and the message on it. It has become our family mantra. I would love to win! I also clicked the follow button! Love the shirt and the pictures of your sweeties! Thanks for adding the following thing….just added myself…this will make my life SO much easier! So funny, as I was scrolling to get to the bottom to follow you, I saw the Target add and TOTALLY that that was your little Isaac! CRAZY! I love the shirt! Andrea- I faithfully follow your blog. I love your honesty and the hope you give for adoption. I love that shirt and the meaning is so true. Blessings to your family. I love the message on the shirt! Love that shirt! Thanks for the chance to win! Also clicked follow to your blog. Just hoping noone that shouldn’t gets my info since I guess FB shares it that way? You have to agree to share your basic info. Not sure what all that means. 🙂 I was already following but now I’m officially following 🙂 I would love to win that shirt!! So cute. And Isaac just melts my heart! LOVE that shirt… and I’ve been reading your blog for quite a while…but now I’m a follower!! I want that t-shirt!! If I don’t win, I’ll be buying one! Love the Girl Thing stuff pouring in!!! going to buy a shirt…would love another to give in our basket we’re fixing for an auction for a sweet family raising funds to bring home TWINS!! 3 yr old girls… LOVE the cookbook too!! What a great shirt! And I love your new blog look! Sweet ITY…..he is soooo precious! I love the pics of you and the kiddos! 🙂 Thanks for keeping it real. lol I have been reading your blog for a few weeks. Adoption is something my husband and I are considerng. We playing in a kickball tournament this weekend to help support and raise money for my cousin’s Ethiopian adoption. I would love a shirt! Your family is precious! I love the new blog change. I changed mine yesterday too! It must be in the air. 🙂 And, what a cuuuute shirt! I ordered two cookbooks for wedding presents from Wiphan this past couple weeks and I’m finding I’m a little jealous that I don’t have one of my own. I did get to look through them before giving them away and they are SO wonderful!!! Yes, everyone should go buy one!!! Love the shirt! And I love that I am now an official follower of your blog!! YAY!!! 🙂 Love the t-shirt!! I’ll be buying one, if I don’t win. oh my gosh! that baby SOOOO looks like Isaac! That’s crazy! shirt is super cute, i’ll have to get one of those. btw, love the new layout. i’m a wordpresser too, my husband set it up, but i’m over our layout & need to spruce it up! and figure out how to add all the fancy shmancy stuff at the bottom… also make a cool header, geez, now this is going to be a project! happy fall!! it was 64 this morning, i’m stoked! shoot! i forgot to mention, we have sweet little ladies at our church that are going to be making pads for one of our mission teams that goes to uganda each year. they have a ministry called “god is grace” and they support they women in the villages, they were so excited when i told them about the pads!! That Tshirt is great!! I also signed up to follow you. I didn’t know about the google reader thing… very cool! I would love that t-shirt! Cute shirt! Pick me! Pick me! Cute shirt! Thanks for the chance to win. 🙂 I am a follower! love the shirt!! and you do have a cutie pie on your hands! I’ve had to dig through poop, and it STINKS!!! *Heart* the shirt. If I don’t win one, I’m buying one. 😉 And, I really like that picture of you and Laney. There’s nothing like a mama and her little girl. Yummy! My first comment on your blog–though I’ve been following for a while. I love the shirt! Thanks for being such a great encourager–you are a blessing! Ooh! We’re adopting from Ethiopia, too! I’d LOVE that shirt! Love love the adoption shirts and am following you. So two entries!! We are in process adopting our little man from Ethiopia. Waiting for a court date… Dabney I LOVE the shirt and I LOVE your blog! Thanks for always keeping things real and sharing in so many ways! Would love to win a shirt! I LOVE that new shirt!! Very cute and feminine!:) I signed up to be a “follower” too. I would love any color….Your Walmart trip made me tired…That sounds like me.;) Super cute t-shirt! I’m now a legitimate follower! And thanks for the warning about the poop samples. I had no idea. LOVE that shirt!!! My husband and I have just started an Ethiopian adoption, and have been exploring various fundraisers…excited to discover Simply Love!!!! Your children are just precious! I am so excited for our Project Pad party with my daughter and her friends. Still working out logistics. God has shown up already though and that is awesome…I’ll share the details when we finish. Hey! I follow your blog and love reading it! You worked with my mom, Helen Pierce, at South Forsyth Middle! It would be awesome to win one of the shirts! That’s a saying I have always loved. We just got our information packet in the mail from AGCI and are excited for what the future will bring! Cute cute t-shirt! I’m here to testify as well THAT THE SHIRTS ARE AWESOME!!! I have mine on today!!! We know the Wallace family well and they are amazing people! Please don’t put me in the drawing for the shirt — just wanted to share another testimony that the shirts are fabulous!!! 🙂 And of course — what an awesome opportunity to support their adoption! I would love to win the t-shirt! Thanks for the update on the pad party. We are planning on sending ours in for the December date. Oh, and I became a follower, too! Love the shirts…and all the smiles! I love the shirts! Ok, I’ll bite. I want a t-shirt too. Holy Canoli, you get lots of comments! You rock, Andrea! 🙂 LOVE the shirt! and your new blog look! I would love a shirt…my husband and I just started the adoption process to adopt a child from Ethiopia. Check out my blog at http://becomingafamilyoffive.blogspot.com. I’d love a t-shirt! I follow your blog daily! Love watching ITY grow up and develop so well! Thanks! So good to see you and give a hug at T4A! Love all that you are doing and for sharing your heart! LOVE the idea of all of us mommas getting together too and sharing our stories, love and our heart for orphans! You guys are going to keep me busy writing down all these names…many TWICE…for a drawing! Hmm…we just might have to have more than one winner! You know how I roll;-). You guys are so much fun! -great shirt. I think I am an official follower now. . .and I love your new shirt!! Love your blog, too! Just ‘followed’ you blog… although I’ve been reading for sometime! I’m a AGCI family also… just switched from the rwanda program to ethiopia. L-O-V-E the shirt It was great to see you this weekend! And, I love that shirt! How cute! Love the t-shirt! What a great message! That shirt (even before I noticed the part about a give-away) caught my eye – it’s a message I am trying to internalize, but I’ve still have a long way to go… Already own the cookbook, but would love the shirt! I still need to give you a call to get some insight with my birthmother letter/meeting. I wanted to wait until you returned from your weekend travels. Thanks again for being so candid with your posts! You’re a blessing to many. holy cow!!! you have soooo many comments! Love the shirt! Just catching up on your blog Andrea…we’ve had a few busy weeks and I haven’t found much time for fun blog reading. Oh…did I ever dig through poop when we got home – everyone’s! I think I did four stool samples from four different kids in the span of an hour one day. So gross! Ahhh….the realities of international adoption. I love your heart…so inspiring and on my worst days, I find you to be such an encouragement…to keep my priorities in order, to keep pushing forward, to work hard and not live a life of leisure. Thanks for writing! Yep…saw the Target ad and instantly thought the baby looked just like Isaac. So neat!!! Luke just said, “That’s Isaac!” It was actually the Target baby. I would love a t shirt oooo…love that t-shirt!! Great shirt… would love to win it! And that Target ad– I think you’re right! Love the shirt and the new blog style! I am comment #82 – have fun reading all these!! The Nordstroms are now official followers of your blog after being “unofficial” for several months! I don’t think we’ve missed one post – you are on our blog roll. Now you have to officially follow ours! 🙂 I LOVE the t-shirt! I’m a follower! put me in the drawing…you know i love this blog!! cute shirt!!! I so enjoy keeping up with all your adventures. Love that shirt! Hope I get to wear it! (: wow!!! you have quite the blog following!!! I admire you finding time to keep up with this amongst all your kiddo’s! I don’t know how you do it! Hey girl!!! I’ve got a date night planned Friday to see my lovely family on the big screen!!!!! I cannot wait!!!!! Love you and miss you bunches. love the adoption shirts and poop stories! LOVE the shirt and the blog…been following for a while:) |
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by admin
awesome gotcha day videos! thanks for posting them! My Isaac has a little camo outfit like your frank in the pictures…well similar…i just posted pics on facebook of him in it.
So cute!! I wish we had been able to go to the parade. Will you email me that pic of Erica and Laney? XOXO
CAN NOT WAIT to hear about the retreat. I am already praying I can go!!!!
I cannot wait til February! And great news, we are starting our adoption savings acct this week and sending off our formal app very soon!!!!! I am very excited and a bit scared all in one! But knowing that I have so much support is going to make this journey all the better! I will definetely need a weekend getaway with a bunch of adoptive mommies come February! I can’t think of anything more exciting!! (:
Love the pics and the updates. Can’t wait to hear more about the retreat. We miss you guys too. Let us know the next time you are headed this way so that we can mark our calendar.
Hugs,
Amy
CAN’T WAIT for a retreat…and the only problem I saw…it MUST be fully loaded coffee…no decaf allowed 🙂 lol so fun, kj
Awww. Frankie Baby is gonna be a chef! 😉 Hey, I agree that cooking makes one hungry, so he is one smart boy to keep the snacks handy. The pic of ITY rolling up his nose is indeed too cute.
we just got a trader joe’s an hour away…can’t wait to get in on that action. love hearing about all your activities and seeing the pix of your precious fam.