Author Archives: admin “They” say adoption is not for the faint of heart–you’ve probably read that before on my blog…but it is very, very true. Some times, I get sidetracked from truth and my flesh sneaks in. I start to worry what others might think of me when it is hard…because right now–we are in a season of […] If you missed us posting this just around 11 days ago–I wanted to give you an update on where we are so far. Our goal is to have 500 $45 kits purchased to help protect Wiphan students at night. These orphans will be given a reed mat to put a foam mattress on (they will […] Wow! That is so wonderful! And so quick. 🙂 Wow! What an amazing, amazing ministry!  A quick update on Mr.Isaac’s pulmonology appointment today: It was actually a really great doctor visit considering some we’ve been through! We took some more not-so-fun xrays (poor guy hates those!) and the doctor has given us a great treatment plan for asthma. We’ve got different inhalers for different occasions…daily use, emergency use, etc. It […] […] healing…and each of us matter deeply to Him (remember the little bird outside OfficeMax?) OR do you remember the bird that was waiting for us out side the pulmonologist that day…when I wa……and the song he sang??? I felt God just reminding me that HE would be my strength in this […]  Do you ever just have one of those days? Well…today was that here. Richard has been out of town on business since Tuesday morning–and today was our day “off” from doctor appointments. Isaac didn’t sleep last night that well, and he woke up having trouble breathing. We did breathing treatments, called the doctor and they […] Hey Andrea, Just wanted to share that a friend of mine adopted a little boy who was not circumcised and she said he was sick for the first 6 months after they brought him home. He was getting constant UTI’s and it weakened his immune system so he caught everything else as well. Well, the Drs. thought she was crazy but she insisted on getting him circumcised and once he had the surgery he was totally healthy with no more troubles. Just a thought. My little man is not circumcised either so I’ve filed that info. in the back of my brain in case we need it. Praying for you all and ITY. Blessings to you, I am praying that Isaac T will sleep tonight, so both of you will be rested for the pulmonary exam tomorrow. We are keeping positive thoughts for ways to resolve Isaac’s lung problems. God bless you and your family. What an amazing job you are doing, Andrea. I am in awe of you. May God continue to hold your hand. I second the BlueBerry Pie!!! It is amazing!!! We ate ours in two days!!!Yes, Sweet friend, with all you have going on, I appreciate you thinking of us during this tough time. This alone will make me buy that cookbook!! Praying, Praying, Praying that He provides rest and peace to your family tonight/tomorrow. LOVE the glimpse into your home through your blog:) I want some of that blueberry pie! 🙂 I will be praying that you get some sleep tonight . . . and I’m totally serious when I say that if you EVER need me to watch the kiddos so you can go to the dr etc, I’d be happy to 🙂 Praying for you…thankful to follow behind those of you that have prepared the way… the real and imperfect beautiful way! Saying a prayer for Isaac (and you) tonight. Aren’t girlfriends just so awesome?! God sure knows when we need one of our BFFs. Hope your little man feels better and you and your family have a wonderful, restful weekend. We are kicking off our first fundraising giveaway later this afternoon. Please stop by our blog and leave a comment. If you could help us spread the news about our give away, we would so much appreciate the help of getting the word out. What would we do without the body of Christ to help us with our needs, to pray for us, to stand in the gap and pray our little peeps home? Blessings to you! Suzanne Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers for a restful weekend with your family. Praying for God’s wisdom through all his doctor’s appointments. He truly is adorable – just like his brother Frank. TOO CUTE!!! Praying for Isaac;lovely boy. Andrea – THANK YOU! I’ve already being feeling sick about Christmas this year and how out of control it can get. That’s exactly what I’m going to do! Adoption items for all!! So glad you took your little man in. Thank you Jesus for great friends too! We are praying for you here (and commiserating too with my hubby gone). Hoping IT has a successful apt. tomorrow and you can get some much needed answers!! Saw something that made me think of ITY. A mom mentioned on her blog that her son had a bloated tummy and her naturopathic doctor said it could be from yeast. He told her about some sort of treatment (she didn’t provide a name) that helped with the overgrowth of yeast and her sons stomach returned to a normal size. I’m assuming ITY’s stomach has something to do with his hypotonia but perhaps there is also an additional, underlying overgrowth of yeast.  I have thought about this post for a few weeks now–mostly as I drive in the mini-van to and from therapies…and many times in a mad dash from house to house to rescue each of my mommy friends who have graciously offered to watch one of my older children so we can go. I have […] Oh, Andrea…this post is so beautiful! Love your heart! Love that God called ya’ll to check yes to special needs…and I LOVE the miracles that HE is performing in Isaac’s life! Amazing!! I am just sobbing. I cannot go into all of the details, but my husband and I just recently changed our request from a healthy infant to a child with special needs child. We actually know who he is, as we found him on the waiting child list, and now we wait for all the details to get worked out to get to him. Thank you so much for posting this. Love your heart. God knew this was the post I needed today, as we just checked “yes” to our special needs babe on our application yesterday. Thanks for sharing. I LOVE the look Isaac has on his face looking at you cheering him on! Love this post.My youngest brother, who is 13, has major, major special needs. When he was born, people…even wonderful people told my parents he would make the other 4 of us kids “angry and bitter for life” and “destroy us”. Hum. Guess it has, because all of my sisters and brothers, and now their spouces, are not only NOT afraid to have a special needs child, but even want and LONG to adopt them! God gives a strength and love that connot be described! Thank you for sharing your heart! Wow… those pictures really touched my heart! I didn’t even recognize him! It is amazing how love can change a child. Just look at the light in his eyes in those last pictures! I think he just needed to be home with his family to bring out his true joyful spirit. 🙂 Thank you for such a wonderfully written post about Special Needs adoption. We have three adopted children with special needs which we were aware of prior to the adoption. You are right on and I believe that God equipped my husband and I to parent children with special needs. The very first picture of your son looks just like my Jacob’s referral picture. He has now been diagnoised with Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy. I was totally tearing up after reading the rice cracker part!! YAY for your miracle boy!!! Love how you poured your honest, heartfelt wisdom into this post! So good to read, even for those of us not checking “yes” or “no” on an home study right now. So important to remember that God only gives us as much as He KNOWS we can handle! And by the way, Kylie has a huge crush! She kept looking at the extra carseat all day pointing (trying to say “Frank”) and laughing 🙂 He’s such a sweet boy! Thanks for letting us “adopt” him from time to time!!! Andrea, Thank you for this thoughtful reflection on special needs adoption. I just wrote a blog on Monday called The Unloveable on this topic from the perspective of a family that is trying to discern how we are called to adopt. Your post is SO helpful with those tangible action steps to wisely determine what special needs your family is being called to. I truly appreciate learning for those who have gone ahead of us! PS Sewing more pads tonight 😉 great POST!! And yes. COntinue writing like this! You will be amazed at the HUGE strides that happen all at once. And the personality changes that coincide with physical strength. It is literally… AMAZING to witness! Hugs to you all Beautiful post. What an exciting week of developmental progress! I share in your joy and thank God for using you to help alleviate others’ fears of raising children with special needs. You are right on when you share that watching a child with developmental delays achieve baby steps towards milestones really makes us appreciate all the things we take for granted with our “typical” children. It is nice to be “made” to take time to savor the small joys and gains in the midst of our busy world… your vulnerability makes you beautiful. love you! Such a beautiful post Andrea…wiping tears as I type. You have so wonderfully presented an honesty picture…but never forgetting that God will give us the grace we need in the midst of the circumstance. I look at those early pictures of Isaac…I have never seen them…they are gut-wrenching…and then I look at him now – that sparkle in his eye. The transformation is amazing…truly amazing. Glad we can all pick in as your family travels this journey. Adoption has changed us…certainly…I think we finally “get it.” I LOVE your post! AMEN!!!!! I think in the beginning we were pretty open, but now even more so. We have taken in special needs- which have healed. Some more than others. Thank you LORD we did not miss our children!!! It may be hard, but soooo worth everything! Andrea,I feel the same way! I think that is why GOD sent me to work with special needs children in the schools. I love them and it is what he has called me to do for now. Love reading this and your obedience to follow GOD has been a blessing to me. Let me know if I can help you in any way. I work(PT)with all kinds of God’s children. Lisa Wilson Thank you for your heartfelt honesty! Beautiful! Hi Andrea BEAUTIFUL post! Do you mind if I copy some of your post here? Of course, I would give you full credit and link back to your blog. Several people have asked us how adopting families “pick” what kind of special needs they are willing to consider. You very eloquently explain the information and emotions behind it I think. Thanks for considering it and blessings either way! 🙂 Blessings, |
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by admin
These pictures are so PRECIOUS!! Will be praying for ya’ll as your going through this hard time. Our strength truly does come from HIM alone!
fantastic pictures!! i especially love the one where isaac is about the eat your face off! so sweet =)
the pictures are beautiful – your family is just breathtaking. We are praying for you – for rest, for strength, for peace, for healing, and for continued laughter and joy and smiles.
Isaiah 40:31
Such great pictures!!! You have such a blessed family!
Your family is adorable! I have loved following your blog and I really enjoyed what you wrote about today. It was just what I needed to hear.
oh andrea…those pictures are TRULY priceless! On hard days, just take a look back at those pics and they will truly brighten your day and remind you what you are called to do!
Praying for you and your sweet baby, beautiful pictures
Praying for you and your beautiful family. Thank you for being honest about the journey and helping others tounderstand just what adoption entails.
Wow, I have SO much to catch up on! And AMEN to that BEAUTIFUL post sister!!!
Love the photos, can’t take my eyes off that beautiful boy (and your gorgeous smile btw).
LOVE those family pics!!!!!!
Praying for Isaac- for continued strength to fight all this stuff off. What a trooper! Praying for you too- because it takes a lot of strength….thank God we know where it comes from….and we can draw on it 🙂
OH MY STARS!
Why am I crying? Oh how you speak directly to my heart. And I stand in awe of how you praise Him from the pit. And how you gracefully dismiss the judgements of others resting fully on His truth!
Then … as if your words weren’t enough … those photos.
OH MY STARS!
Do I see the strength of God and His grace in ITY’s face?
YES, I SEE IT!
And those family shots.
I must confess … the 1st one with Richard holding you in the background is beyond beautiful!
Love & Blessings from Hong Kong,
Kim
P.S. And you know, you can count on my prayers for our little man and his healing!
you represent Christ well Andrea…praying for you sister!!
LOVE this post! Relating to you. Abby is getting tubes tomorrow and we went to the ENT TODAY. Miraculous cancellation! God is good!!
LOVE THE PICTURES! So beautiful! Priceless!
absolutely wonderful and precious photos. and I’ll agree…he IS the cutest…especially snuggled up next to mommy in that beautiful sling. praying for you tonight.
oh, what great pics…Karen does mine next week..ok, so we need to start planning YOUR weekend here…Saturday night?? hanging in the back yard?? i’ll email ya, kj
The pics are beautiful!! Praying for you and your sweet little guy!
Your family is beautiful!!! We will be praying for everyone…especially for Issac’s health.
Love the pictures. Beautiful. Praying for your family.
Hugs,
Amy
Those pictures are sooooo sweet. I love the family one. Yesterday I posted this about adversity:
http://thefarmerswifetellsall.blogspot.com/2010/09/gift-of-adversity.html
Praying for you in this challenging season.
<> Know this. Keep praying. The tough Months, move on to tough weeks, which become tough days, and then maybe tough mornings or afternoons and then moments. THis changes you. As much as the kids adjust- so do the adults. <> It does get easier.
the beauty of god’s grace, strength and provision is all over this post. it shows up in the pictures of a beautiful family deriving their beauty from His! i love them all.
did you use an ethiopian shawl/scarf as a carrier in those photos?! brilliant…and GORGEOUS.
I so needed this post, Andrea! We have been “dragging our feet” so to speak on our adoption the past couple of months, however God continues to confirm His will for us to adopt in so many remarkable ways! When people look at me like,”you must be crazy, you already have such a crazy busy life”, sometimes I feel discouraged and doubt this decision, but I think of you and how REAL you have been in sharing the ups and downs of this journey, I praise God to have you as my friend, even if it is from a distance!(:
BEAUTIFUL family!! and love her in a POPPY DIP!!
Great pictures! You have a beautiful family.
Blessings,
Suzanne
freedomhollowfarmkiddos.blogspot.com
Girl, I needed this today. I’m sitting here a work, tears in my eyes. I’m tired. At my wit’s end. Patience gone. Wondering why in the world we signed on for a fourth child. The self pity party needs to stop. And God has used your blog to tell me so. Thank you.
And the pictures are simply beautiful.
So wonderful!! Thank you for sharing your story with us. Our prayers are with you and God continues to weaver your family together!!
Love You,
Mitzi Aylor
Yukon, OK
AMAZING pictures!!! You can actually SEE the love you all have for each other! Love the precious pictures of ITY in your arms! God is truly showing His grace through that little face! Thanks for posting this, and reminding us all that we get our strength through HIM!!!
Read this at THE perfect moment. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing your heart. Will be praying for more STRENGTH during this time for you!
These pictures are beautiful! I appreciate you sharing the hard and joyous parts of the journey.
So excited! Friday is our first day us ladies at church are getting together to cut out the patterns for the pads and envelopes and then we will get together a second day to sew them all!
I have been following your blog ever since you brought your sweet baby, Isaac home from Ethiopia!! I am inspired by following your story, as my hubby & I (& our 4 children) wait for a match for siblings (0-5 yr)! Thanks for taking time to blog because it makes a difference. I especially enjoyed your last blog about where your strength comes from & absolutely LOVE the pict of you & Isaac & your family as well!!
Angela