We’re adopting…

In a couple of years that is. Back in 2005 I went to the Philippines. That was my first time in another country, especially a 3rd world country. My world changed!! We lived in tents for most of that summer. I was embarrassed most of the time by my “American” ways of doing things. But most importantly, it was the first time I met orphans. My heart was broken for the children who lived on the streets. One memory sticks out and I will always remember it. We were on our way to church when I saw two young girls (maybe ages 5 and 9 years old) sleeping on the side walk. People were stepping over them like it wasn’t a big deal. I remember crying and not wanting to go to church. Why do I need to go anywhere else in the world when there are two human beings who cannot fend for themselves that I could help, especially children! By the end of the summer I had my mom looking into adopting from the Philippines.

Recently I have read several adoption blogs and heard from friends who have adopted (domestically and internationally). My family has also adopted, my two younger sisters. I have always had a heart for a big family. I don’t want to bring all of the kids into the family biologically though (ouch!).

I have been looking into the agencies and finding out the rules/regulations/requirements for adopting in other countries. I would first like to focus on the Philippines. Both parents have to be 27 years of age; if there are any children in the house they have to be at least 2 years of age; couples must be married 3 years and there are other requirements, but these are the ones that have to do with our adoption time line right now. Tim and I have agreed that we would wait 4 – 5 years after being married to have children. I don’t want to wait any longer than that though (if you know me then you know that I wanted to have children right away). So, we decided that the summer I turn 27 (July 17th by the way ) we would start the process of adopting. This covers all of the requirements listed above. I will be 27, we will be married for 3 years, and we will wait to have a child biologically until after our first adoption. I am still just 24 years, so I know that this will be awhile. This will just give us more time to pray and learn more about it now instead of right at that moment. To top that off, the longest we will have to wait (I know it could be longer, I just want to hope!) is 2 1/2 years. I will be 29 probably before we have our first. I think it will be good though. We know that we want to adopt, I don’t think there is anything wrong with having a plan.

I know that things don’t always work out according to as planned. I know that this seems like something that can just be forgotten over the days/weeks/months/years of waiting until that time comes, but things are not always as they seem. Reading about parents bringing home their babies, settling in with their new babies, fighting for their babies, waiting on their babies, and waiting, and waiting. Reading what each of these families write makes my heart want to be at 27 years so much! I know that the Lord’s timing is perfect. I know that whether this begins to happen in the year 2010 or not, his plans are sovereign and right.

By the way, I know that I don’t need to rush into anything since I am a newly wed. I do not intend to. I love my husband so much and have no intentions of wishing away these next two years. Married life is amazing! I love it. I know these years without little ones in the house yet are precious and will be enjoyed!

Step 1

I read somewhere that you should drink 1/2 of the number of pounds you are in ounces of water a day. So if you weigh 150 lbs, you should drink 75 ounces ( a little less than 2 1/2 Liters ) of water a day. I weigh 125 lbs, so I am drinking 2 Liters of water, or I am going to try. I don’t think this will be extremely hard. I easily drink a Liter in one day. I just have to remember to drink that much. So here I go trying to start my healthier lifestyle.

Step 1: drink lots of water.

Praying by Scripture

Tim and I have recently been asked to pray for a marriage that is really struggling. I really would like to pray scripture over this marriage, but I cannot think of any. Any suggestions?

Extra Baggage

Crap! I have gained 6lbs in just a couple of months. I need to live healthier. I don’t exercise, don’t eat right, and am lazy. Something has gotten to happen!

FreeRice.com

I found this really great website called FreeRice.com. It is actually a lot of fun and you get to provide food to hungry people around the world. Here is the About part of their website:

About FreeRice

FreeRice is a sister site of the world poverty site, Poverty.com.

FreeRice has two goals:

1. Provide English vocabulary to everyone for free.
2. Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

This is made possible by the sponsors who advertise on this site.

Whether you are CEO of a large corporation or a street child in a poor country, improving your vocabulary can improve your life. It is a great investment in yourself.

Perhaps even greater is the investment your donated rice makes in hungry human beings, enabling them to function and be productive. Somewhere in the world, a person is eating rice that you helped provide. Thank you.

Check it out! It is great b/c it helps you with your vocabulary and to donate to hungry people around the world (even if you don’t have money to give from yourself).

South Africa as she knows it

My dear friend Mary told me during the fall season of 2006 that she was going to move to Johannesburg, South Africa to serve as a Children’s Minister to Lyndhurst Baptist Church. I was really excited for her! This is a huge deal. Over the time of her living there she has also picked up many other responsibilities: she works at an AIDS orphanage and she also works as a social worker at the local schools (the schools did not have the funding to pay social workers, so she took over). She has now lived in Johannesburg since December of ‘06 (or around that time). I miss her. I have no clue what kind of world she lives in. I can see a glimpse of it now though. Another friend, Julie (our wedding photographer) and Mary’s best friend, went to visit Mary for a couple of weeks. She took lots of pictures! I am so excited to see them. She is also selling these pictures. The proceeds from the sales go to the ministry that Julie worked with when she visited Mary. Go here to see the proofs.

My baby sister got hurt!

This is so sad to me, but probably not to you. My little sister, by 11 years, does competitive cheerleading. She is good too! She can do all of the flips and she is one of the girls to throw the others in the air. Did I mention that she is only 13 and she can do this!? Over the weekend she had practice. Her and this other girl were throwing one of the flyers (girls who are thrown) into the air when the flyer came down and hit the other girl with her elbow (she should have been tucking her elbows but didn’t). The other girl didn’t want to throw her anymore b/c she didn’t want to get hit, so Necie (my sister) said that she would switch. (She’s not scared!) Here is the outcome:

Excuse her hair. She was woken up to take this picture. My mom wanted me to see (I live five hours away). Poor thing. She is tough though! She didn’t even cry. By the way, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened, and she keeps on going. Her eye is so swollen she can barely see out of it.

Help this family out

This is a family who is in the process of adopting a special needs child from Liberia. The need is great for this little boy to be home with his family. Click here to see how you can help out. The family is asking for just a $1 donation to help with the adoption cost, which by the way is $15,000.00!!! The family has already adopted one child from Liberia. The adoption agency sent out a plea to all of the families asking for them to consider giving this precious child a home. This family stepped up to the task. Visit their site and read their story.

Uh-oh

I really would like to have a baby. I have always wanted to be a momma. I think I was asking Tim when we would have babies before we were even married! We have agreed on waiting four-five years (which is the best choice for so many reasons) but I want one now! I have five friends pregnant and two others who just had their babies. It also doesn’t help that I work in the children’s ministry at church, read tons of adoption blogs, and babysit three boys (ages 5 months, 2 years, and 4 years). I am surrounding myself with babies, I know. I love to be around them though. Especially little boys. I love it!

So…this is me just whining to you about really wanting to have a baby, but waiting for eternity (I am a drama queen by the way) to have one. Thanks for reading.

Is there anything wrong?

For those of you who know anything about the medical field, help me out here. I had a pop-tart for breakfast around 9am. It is 1pm and I am about to pass out and am really shaky b/c I need to eat. I am like this often though. My body seems to count on each meal like it is my only life line. There have been days when I have had each meal on time, and all of them were healthy and I still get like this. My mom has always said that I just have problems with my blood sugar. There is not much mercy in my mom’s diagnosis though. She has also had this problem, although I do not know if gets as bad as mine. If you don’t know me, let me describe myself to you so it might help you to diagnose me .  I am 24 years old, 5″6, 120 lbs, skinny, but not in good shape, I don’t drink or smoke, I don’t eat as healthily as I should. Should I just live healthier? Should I see a doctor? What do you think?