Category Archives: Day in the Life I have my sweet kindred spirit friend in town…and since she has never been to the South–we decided to do something touristy today and while P and L were at school we took the babies to the Aquarium! It was so much fun (Minus Isaac does NOT do crowds…and I mean doesn’t as in DOES […]  I feel like my posts the last few weeks haven’t made much sense–as I pray for what is ahead but wait upon Him for confirmation and His timing. So while I wait and pray–I do my best to share what I’m learning…partly to remember this part later–and the other part just because I feel like […] Love. This. Post. Oh sweet girl, this post was for me! We are in the midst of crazy over here. We are fostering a baby girl we’ve had since birth, she’s 3 months now. I am staying at home and really need to go back to work, but God just keeps saying no. My Mama-heart is glad, my checkbook is sad. We spent the day with our family yesterday who have quite different priorities. We toured my sister-in-laws new $400K house that only she and her 6 year old live in. We got to see the new bass boat my brother-in-law got for his 40th birthday. We heard all about the upcoming trip to Hawaii my husband’s sisters are taking in April, with a stop in California for a few days. Yesterday was the first day they had met our foster baby- who is black. They knew she was black, but knowing and seeing are two different things and that was evident. It was a long ride home last night. My heart just struggled with “things” we don’t have, and God’s plan, and acceptance. So, this post was very much for me. Thank you for sharing. Thanks, Andrea. Needed this! Praying for you! I needed to read this. We have a meeting coming up on Friday with our social worker from the pregnancy center. Everything is updated so we’re not sure why she’s driving 2 1/2 hours to come and see us and the kids are to be here. She said she was not at liberty to tell us, so my mind has been wondering what in the world this is about. Not typical, I don’t think, if there is such a thing as typical. Anyways, trying to let go knowing that God will not. Thank you for this post! I’m praying through some of those exact same things right now! I’m not one to “sit around.” I’m a “do-er.” So, the fact that I feel God call me out of a ministry that’s been SUCH a HUGE part of my and my entire family’s life for the last 8 years is SCARY! BUT, He is calling us into the wide world of adoption! We’re expecting from Ethiopia (possibly siblings!)!!! STILL, I feel a restlessness that usually, in my case, means, HOLD ON, KELLY! I HAVE BIGGER THINGS YET! And, I think, “Seriously? Can I take a small break?” Then I think of Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest,” when he says (paraphrased), “You will never be released from the Great Commission.” So, keep on keepin’ on, and I’ll try to do the same!!! (I’m trying to get a blog up and running…unsuccessfully right now, but it’ll be up soon!) 🙂 Needed this reminder!!! WIth our adoption taking longer than we planned it is so wonderful to be reminded that it is not longer than God has planned. His timing will be perfect for our family….and to rest in the beauty of seeing it all unfold is a blessing. Love you and praying for you too! Love this, friend. I was just thinking the other night about how we are on kind of a “high” right now. God is moving BIG and fast and we are seeing Him minute by minute in exciting ways. I was wondering what it’s like to come down from that mountain and settle into the everyday. God is teaching me so much lately that the everyday is where the true miracles happen, I am just more likely to miss them. Isn’t He good? Yes…yesterday I was reflecting on how our huge age gap, adoption heart, etc. were so normal 2 weeks ago in Georgia and as I sit with my oldest son’s basketball team the moms are all smiling at me chasing my 2 year old and saying, “So glad we are done with that stage.” Well, with the exception of one mom who started over with a little boy from China and is now 4 (CL/CP too)…she gets it! 🙂 She is the light of our life…so glad we didn’t miss this opportunity to be parents again! Praying we take courage and don’t let fear stop us if the Lord calls us to adopt again! I have loved “finding” and following your blog!!! You have been very encouraging to me lately as we begin the process of adopting from Ethiopia(our second adoption-first was Bulgaria-home July 2010)….we are already facing financial attack, emotional attack, and in the middle of it all..I have this CRAZY idea that we’re supposed to request TWINS!!! It is a crazy hard road into the unknown, and we have very little support…SOOOOOO, keep writing!:) It ministers to my heart and gives me the courage to continue on this WILD path of international adoption!! God Bless, PRAYING for you as God continues to call you to what He has for you. I feel those moments ….many times. The moments inbetween. Love what God does… Right there with ya Andrea! This post was for me too. Our family is about to enter the “crazy” life and leave our comfy American lifestyle behind. I know it’s the perfect path for us, but I wonder how many people will understand and encourage us along the way. I am blessed to have a husband who doesn’t question this path and is obedient to God’s perfect plan. Thank you for writing you thoughts and feelings, it makes me feel that I am not the only “crazy” one put there…. I am sitting here reading your post and amazed at how God speaks through people that I don’t even really know! God has been calling our family to a life that isn’t normal and goes against what society says a family should do or have. He is calling us instead to give Him all that we have so that He can make much of His name through us! Oh how that doesn’t make sense to alot of people! Thank you for allowing God to use your journey to encourage me. You were speaking on EXACTLY what I have been praying about!!! Praying about God really breaking my hubby’s heart for those in need. He gave me a triple dose of mercy but hubby just doesn’t understand. God is bringing people into our lives who need lots of support on top of the call to adopt. I am just faithfully trying to follow his call even when it’s hard. Even when it costs or results in sacrifice for our family. Sun I had a discussion with my hubby about getting his heart ready for what God has in store for us & that adoption while scary for him is our next step. Afterwards he accidentally broke my super heavy indestructible mantle cross the 4th one since I felt in my heart to adopt. I told him God is letting him know that faith without deeds is meaningless & that we are called to act despite our fears. He is a factual guy & is having a hard time reconciling what “makes sense” with what God is doing in our lives. Oh & the other day God used your blog to lead me to ourunveiledfaces.blogspot because they are needing 100 families to donate just $20 to build a grain mill in Holeta!!! God has used you to bless my life and to speak to me in so many ways!!!! Thank you for your courage & faith!!! Thank you friend. You are so encouraging at keep things in perspective! Thank you Andrea. You let the Lord speak through you today and it clearly reached many of our hearts. Just today I received more paperwork from AGCI and our journey to Ethiopia is getting so overwhelming. But your words lifted me up and reminded me of all of God’s promises that I’ve been standing on since He first called us to this task. I look forward to holding my Zoe Ameris in my arms; giving God all the glory. Bless you. Andrea, you are wonderful! I’m so thankful for your thoughts and inspiring attitude and faith. I feel as though we’re being called to adopt. My husband doesn’t feel the same; saying we’re stretched enough with the four kids under 9 we have now (the youngest being just 7 months). My sister tells me how much we’ll miss out on and how crazy life would be with more. We even discussed how my kids just might not get the chance to go to Disney World. 😉 I’m so relieved that someone else thinks as I do in that those things don’t really matter to me (and I don’t think they will really matter to my kids). I want them to be grateful. happy. giving. loving. faithful. I don’t think that will come with material things and experiences that society says they “should” have. Keep doing what you do – because it’s great. God Bless You!  How I love that I was reflecting on Psalm 46 as my day began. And a sweet day it was. I wish I could write about all of it’s sweetness–but some times it’s so sweet I have to keep it all to myself:). I even lit an appropriately sweet candle from a sweet blog reader […] up late writing a talk and i had to check blogs before i went to bed. so glad to get little glimpses into your life. like your nuggets from the word, your two ever-growing babies on your hips, your continual desire to spur others on toward love and good deeds, and your fabulous chalkboard diswasher. brilliant beyond brilliant. i would love to do that. is it paint or some kind of adhesive backed panel? thanks also for the photography advice. no matter how many times aperature is explained to me, it goes in one ear and out the other. but hopefully this time it will stick. thanks for inspiring me in lots of different ways! …So a baby on both hips totally explains why you’re so stinkin tiny! ooooh love these ideas! Keep ’em coming! Thanks! You go girl! Your arms have got to be buff! Love it! I love the five families idea! Before beginning our journey to Ethiopia, we were foster parents for almost two years and had NO respite care available for a simple date night or weekend away…all of my grocery shopping was done at 9pm or 6am! Supporting and encouraging one another is so vital throughout the crazy journey of fostering and adopting. Thank you for that encouragement! I love this glimpse into your life! And yes, my two and a half year old still has his binkie too. Our rule is bed or carseat…but daddy wants it to go to just bedtime. Not sure I’m ready for this!!! =) OH you crack me up 🙂 Oh LOVE the ideas of meals, and help. We have never had that- EVER. But it would be amazing to have. I am totally letting Joanna do whatever for however long…..the more children you have the more chill you become 🙂 at least in our home. 🙂 (of course she wouldn’t take a passy 🙁 we tried for months!!!) And no the baby craving doesn’t leave- or at least the desire for another kiddo…..for anyway…..that is whey we have 8 and probably more to come God Willing 🙂 Quick Q? Where did you get the dishwasher with the chalkboard front??? LOVE it!!! About to do a kitchen remodel…well update…would love that as a possibility! Kandra Love you. All us SixtyFeet girls agree… the more kiddos you add the more chill you need to be. We also agree that we love us some Andrea. Ok…I’m just wondering how you keep the awesome quotes on your dishwasher??? My kids would mess that up in about 3 seconds!(: It’s SO cute!  Well, it’s here. February 15th. Some of you may remember WHY this day is such a big deal to me. I woke up this morning and said to Richard, “It’s February 15th! You know what today is!” Like all good husbands he smiled and…waited hoping I’d finish the sentence for him–and of course I did! […] Oh my goodness. No baby should EVER look like he did in that first picture. Babies should be round and squishy! I love reading your blog, but sometimes I like to leave it on while I blog hop so I can hear the music! You have the best background music of any blog I read. Its just so perfect for me all the time! Oh my word! Other than the arched eyebrows, I see no resemblance b/t the two boys pictured. What an amazing difference!!! I’m so glad that you shared, and that Isaac has found his HOME. Thank you for posting this today! I am an adopted mama to be, we are currently on the waiting list for a little boy from Ethiopia. What a beautiful transformation in your son! Such a great reminder that love can overcome a multitude of hurts. oh, it made me cry thinking of WHAT my little man will look like IN ONE YEAR..I won’t even recognize him…Wow..what a change!!! amazing…kj AMAZING!! Our God is SO good and SO faithful! Love. What a miracle you have in Isaac. A precious child of God. Beautiful. I love how God put you before me to learn about you before Isaac, watching you grow in your adoption journey to Isaac, and life with Isaac. So HAPPY I know your blog story. =) I smiled all the way through this post, Andrea! God is so good!!! Hey Andrea! I sent you am email yesterday wanting more information on the little guy! Our family is paperwork ready for Uganda. Thanks! Oh my goodness!! Isn’t it amazing what the Lord can do!! He is soooo good. And as for cooing over Isaac’s deliciousness, I’d respond the same way… 😉 Praise God! Amazing are His works. What an amazing testimony of God’s faithfulness! Amazing to see the 1 year changes!!!! Praise be to God!! such a profound difference in just one year. the difference of family. glory to god!!!!! Tears are flowing. Oh Andrea what a transformation. The Lord has been so very faithful to you all in this journey. What a miracle little ITY is! Andrea, I LOVE GOD IN THESE DETAILS! LOVE it!!! And those pictures are amazing!!!! God took his sweet little life, brought him to your loving, sweet, gracious, godly home, and gave him life. GAVE. HIM. LIFE. I am seriously in awe. I can’t wait to see what God does with his life. This brings me such hope and expectation as we are in this “land of the waiting for our little one!!” There are no words to describe what God has done…..only Beautiful Pictures 🙂 Praising God!!! WOW!!! What a precious miracle he is! It is amazing to see the difference in one year! Praise God!! This day is special for us too. It’s the day one year ago today that I finally mailed my application to AGCI after driving it around in my car for a couple of months. Such peace the next day. crying – praise God Praise God for your precious miracle baby ITY. The then and now pictures are testimonies of God’s faithfulness! LOVE that he was wearing that precious bib when you met him! Happy Valentine’s Week from the B Family to the Y Family! xoxoxo PS–Yesterday, I noticed that several of Dr. Rosemond’s parenting articles were published on the Focus on the Family website. I wrote them a letter explaining that his views on attachment in adoption were in direct contrast to the articles on their site written by adoption experts and dealing with attachment and adoptive parenting. I sent them links to the Tapestry and Empowered to Connect websites and told them to consider having Dr. Purvis or Amy Monroe as guests on one of their programs. WOW!!! WOW!!! I would never guess these two kiddos were the same. Your little man just radiates joy!!! Praise God for His faithfulness and for your obedience. Hugs to you!!! These pics are so special. The 1st tugs in a deep way …how blest you all are to have the physical ITY so strong and beautiful today…To love him healthy….God will say “well done my good and faithful servant” I believe each of you at the Young family are all the reason for the miracle of Isaac. Wow…gives me goosebumps.Sweet blessings !  Valentine’s day makes me think of the FIRST day I met my 4th child!!! Why you ask?? WELL…he was wearing THIS on June 27, 2010 when I held him for the FIRST time! Made me smile seeing that bib on him in June! SO thankful for our littles. I thought about that picture and then […] What a fun day, Andrea! Love the craziness…makes me feel “normal!” Your family is precious! In all your craziness of the day, you forgot to finish buckling Frankie Baby in his car seat. It sounds to me as though he is definitely ready to potty train. Yeah Frank! I’ve had many days like that, too many I am afraid. Glad to see I am not the only one making a mad dash for diapers and then realize once I get all 5 kids in the store that my debit card is AT HOME! Ahh, these are the days! Well, now you know how I potty train. No joke-one day we run out of diapers and it is at that time *I* feel like, hey, I think you are ready to be potty trained. (Okay, I know, not the way you are SUPPOSED to do it!) and the kids just live up to their expectations. Haha, well, usually. Or I just don’t care if they have an accident, I become master at silly songs and have to apologize to my friends for my kid peeing on their carpet. Now you know how THIS momma potty trains. You should try it sometime. Leaves room for lots of laughing. 😉 (but my kids were potty trained at 18 months because of this philosophy. Is that child abuse?) I am sooo laughing right now….because I would have totally done the same thing 🙂 he he he he….oh bless….I think I might fall out of my chair just thinking about it. But that picture of your boys- MELTING MY HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok and had to tell you we are posting our Journey to Jonathan on utube…in parts 🙂 Anywho…it brought up “similar” videos and guess whose came up? OH YEAH- yours and we watched it and I cried and I TOTALLY LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!! I saw that bib 🙂 Much Love from the crazy Wrights 🙂 Oh yeah by the way I don’t do laundry either- my hubby and kiddos do….thank the Lord because otherwise I don’t think I could do what I do- for real!! I love reading your blog! Thank you SO much for the wonderful tools you share with adoptive Mommas! I had just started reading the Connected Child when I saw your links to the Empowered to Connect site and have been listening to her talks this week. They are so encouraging and are full of so much wisdom! Just wanted to say, “thanks!” Oh goodness… what a blog post! Just love it and could not read enough of these! Sounds like some of my days and makes me know I’m not alone! 🙂 Would seriously like to know how you clean though, because I know you must – I’ve seen pictures of your house and it looks neat and gorgeous and filled with breakable stuff that would never last here! 🙂 You are amazing. 🙂 Love your diaper disaster! And that baby F kept Thomas dry!!! I’m inspired to try that trick today 🙂 I just love you! “Don’t tee tee on Thomas”. Loved getting to hear that first hand. And Go Frank, great job!! Thank you for taking time to chat with me in the midst of all this!!!! You’re just so much fun. Teee heee your story made me smile. I can totally imagine myself doing that! But it also reminded me of yet another reason I LOVE cloth diapering– besides the money saving, landfill saving (1 kid in disposables= a ton of waste which takes 500 years to decompose. That’s ONE kid. ONE KID!!!), and bonuses for the kid… there’s’ not ever the “oh no I’m out of diapers!!!” panic. 🙂 So… maybe you might wanna consider them! Kawaii baby (theluvyourbaby.com) has reallly inexpensive diapers which are workhorses; even if you just did 1/2 cloth, 1/2 disposables, you’d save a ton of money and do so much for the planet. Just a thought! 🙂 |
|
by admin
these photos of brotherly love are SO precious!!!!
They are so precious!! What great memories these two will have together 🙂
Wow! How sweet are those! That last one melts my heart! 🙂
Every picture is filled with so much love and wonderment. The photos are just perfect, Andrea!!!
Love these precious pictures, Andrea!! Adorable! And your hair looks so cute! 🙂
Oh ya. Crowds. They take a while. And crowds in new places- double trouble. It’s fear. Sensory overload brings FEAR raging in on the littles. We are still trying to figure it out. Sometimes, he’s great and others- eh. Unpredictable. Makes outings a bit of a test. But what choice is there?? He’s looking great! And I bet the next time at the same place he’ll be more comfy. btw- i love seeing the two little guys together. So cute!
PRECIOUS pics Andrea!!!