Why I Blog {reflections on it’s purpose…for me}

I started blogging many years ago…back when Parker man was a baby–and I had a photography business. I started blogging at first–for my clients…to share my work—to share the latest with the business…one that I once loved–and honestly…with my ever growing family…one that I don’t miss. I was working 2-3 days a week–but as our family grew I cut back working…and bit by bit I felt the Lord challenging me to share about my family as most of my blog readers were my photography clients at the time. Truly it was a step of faith for me to share more and more openly about my faith knowing my clients were the ones reading. Being at home all day with littles and editing at night to keep up with the business…and being a language arts major with a LOVE for writing–my blog served as an OUTLET for me also.

When we started our adoption–I really needed to continue to work for a bit…but in that process I changed my photography blog to a family blog to help my friends and family keep up with our adoption milestones…and once again–bit by bit I felt the Lord challenging me to write more about HIM than any other thing…to write about what I was learning in HIM and simply documenting our days not for the world–but rather for the legacy Richard and I would leave in our children…

I’m a scrapbooker-wanna-be…but I just can’t add that to my list–and with my heart for writing…I feel like I kill 2 birds with one stone by “scrapbook writing” for my children to one day have–to see God’s faithfulness in our lives…and to just hear their momma’s heart.

Now I know others happen upon my blog (as I also happen among some and have some favorites that just minister to my soul)…so I’m happy for you to be here reading…and humbled if the Lord would ever use anything from our lives or my writing to encourage you. That is an overflow of Him–and nothing, nothing, NOTHING of me. Some times I hear bloggers saying they want to “up their readers” or “get more traffic”…and one thing I think you should always ask if you are blogging and this is your heart is, “WHY?” Is it to reach more people for the gospel? Is it to make His name greater known? I’m just thinking aloud here–and assuming just my kids are reading…and I’m always surprised when I hear any one say they have read my blog…and humbled. Everything we do should be for His glory and not our own. It should be for His name sake…and not our own. Is should be for to bring more to Him rather than more to our blogs or our whatever. I think it’s healthy in whatever you do to ask “WHY?”…and then to be true to the answer in how you live it out…whether it’s why you blog, why you go to church, why you meet in a small group…WHY do you do that? Is it really for His glory? And how in doing this–will you live that out?

For me–my purpose is to reflect on His faithfulness for my own sake and salvation–to work it out so to speak as I daily need to reflect and look for Him in my day. I also want to document life for my littles…I stink at scrapbooking and I stink at journaling–this momma is an open book and because I totally think no one reads this but me and maybe a sweet reader here and there…I just write my heart–and ask Him to do whatever He wants with it. No strategy…no advertisements…no guest blogging…just real–just life–just for His glory–just what He is doing–just our daily…but in our daily–often as I type I begin to see…His goodness…His faithfulness…because when you look–He is always there. And through writing–here…I have met some of my dearest, sweetest, kindred-spirit sisters in Christ (a brother or two here and there too:).

And on that note–it must be noted…

Today.

Today…Rico and I *finished* our home study paper chase! Is it just me–or do you some times think chase should be spelled chace? We finished our paper chase! YAY! Now we just have our dossier (da-see-aye) to complete! (This is for international adoptions–and just more paperwork craziness…more fingerprints, certified this and that…and heading down to the capital for authentication crazy. If it’s sounds confusing–it is…I’m still confused!) BUT we are done with our home study!!!

We took Isaac and Frank WITH us for medicals. Parker and Laney had their homeschool elective day–so we only had to take two to medicals–yet it’s funny to take littles with you and after an hour of waiting in a waiting room they begin to get CRAZY–then the nurse asks you what the physicals are for and you say another adoption…the crazy looks start:). CLEARLY…WE NEED MORE CHILDREN…can’t you see that sweet nurse lady:)

Knocked that out in record time!!! YAY! Now we’ll have our final home study appointment and wait for the final home study to be written. THEN we’ll ship that off to USCIS and wait for immigration fingerprinting. Then we’ll wait some more for clearance…and then our dossier (da-see-aye) will be sent off to China. Once it’s there, we’ll wait for a LID (log in date). After that, we’ll wait 6-9 months for travel. ALL THE WHILE…we’ll be watching our son grow up in an orphanage…and I’ll be driving my reader crazy (assuming at least my mom;) is reading!). Alright–that’s all folks for tonight. I’ll end on a tradition that kept my momma heart sane while we waited on our ITY…a note to our son waiting…(have to post it because if I wrote it I’d lose it…and saved on line is the only way this disorganized momma will be able to keep her thoughts for always:). Blessings to you this night…until next time!

xoxo, Andrea

Dearest Baby Z, (Still praying over your name…)

You are worth it. You are precious to us! How I can’t WAIT to have you in our arms!!! When we first saw your picture…we knew you were ours. EVERY ONE…I mean EVERY ONE says you look JUST like your big brother Frank–only you have black hair. God is pretty creative and amazing how He does supernatural things like that. You have been waiting for toooo long–but momma and daddy are jumping through hoops as FAST AS THEY CAN! We are coming! We are praying hard we’ll have you home by your 2nd birthday. Now that’s a long stretch I know–because that’s MAY–but the Bible says all things are possible…so we are praying, hoping…and running as fast as we can! Not a day goes by now that we don’t think about you. Momma is having a hard time homeschooling your big brothers and sister because she’s a bit distracted thinking about you…wondering what you are doing each day…dreaming about what it will be like once you are here and longing for time to fly when we can hold you in our arms. Know that the Lord has always had a great big plan for your life, and that you are deeply and forever loved. We would do anything forever for you…praying you sleep peaceful tonight and every night until I have you in our home (and that’d be okay if you sleep peaceful once you are here too–but you can cry out whenever you want when you are home and I’ll come running!) We love you so much sweet boy!

Love you…Momma