Adoptive Parent Education Group

Today, Colin and I took a little drive to Eau Claire to go to a 4-hour adoptive parent education group, required by our home study agency.

It was so wonderful!

There were only two other couples there, both of whom were preparing for domestic adoptions. An intimate group, which was perfect for getting to know each other and asking plenty of questions.

The social workers leading the group were all from adoptive families. It is one thing to read material based on research, but to have education and experiences come straight from adoptive families is such a great learning experience.

We learned a ton about:

cocooning

attachment

triggers of grief

trust

identity

trans-racial families

coping

positive adoption language

talking to extended family

sharing with our children their birthstories

and more!

We were also given information on adoptive families and adoptive mom get-togethers in Wisconsin. This is a huge blessing! We live in such a small town, that we don't know anybody within an hour's drive that has adopted from Ethiopia. So, it is nice to know of get-togethers happening within a few hours of where we live.

Overall, a beautiful day!

(Minus the 90-something degree weather we have and will be having for over a week! HOT!)

Second Meeting with Our Homestudy Agency

This afternoon Colin and I had our second meeting with our homestudy agency. We will be having 2-3 more in the future.

Today's meeting was at our social worker's office. The first half hour we caught her up with how we are doing with the paperwork process and education materials. Colin and I also had to fill out questionnaires.

The second half hour was a 1:1 meeting with me and our social worker. And the third half hour was a 1:1 with Colin and our social worker.

During these meetings we discussed our backgrounds, families, childhoods, how we met, communication, and each others' personalities.

Our next homestudy meeting is July 23rd. It will be our first in-home meeting.

I get so nervous for these, but I always pray that God gives me peace and words to say.

And He does.



You Are the Clothing of God

 As you face this day’s circumstances that may seem to demand more than you feel you are equipped to give, remember that you are merely the clothing of God. He has dressed Himself in your flesh and has given you access to His robust strength and divine power. You are His instrument and have been divinely equipped by God’s Spirit to handle whatever crosses your path today.

You are the clothing of God.

~Priscilla Shirer

Passport Application In!

Every week, we get so excited when we can check off one or several things from our list of adoption paperwork. One more step closer to our babies.

Wednesday, Colin's birthday, we applied for our passports!

It was a simple process of filling out paperwork at the Clerk of Courts. However, it could take one to several months to be approved. These and our FBI background checks will take the longest to be returned, and we need them back for our dossier in order to send it off and be officially 'waiting'.

By the end of today, we will likely have our education reading and worksheets done that are required for our home study agency.

However, we still have to complete the education requirements for AGCI. We have 10 chapters of With Eyes Wide Open left and 7 online courses.

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On a side note, Colin's birthday was wonderful. It was super hot--mid-90s--so we decided to see a movie, The Avengers, and have lunch at Wild Truffle, a favorite Italian restaurant in Appleton.

The next day, our friends Duane and Sherri invited us to join them on the Chain of Lakes for Sherri's birthday, as they rented a pontoon boat for all of us! It was so peaceful to be out on the lakes in the early evening. Very lovely.

Colin's 27th Birthday!

Today is Colin's 27th birthday!

Happy birthday to my wonderful husband, my best friend.

Do YOU have any birthday wishes for Colin???



BuyambaSoles

Colin and I were at Target today searching for a baby shower gift and card and for a wedding card for family and friends.

Well, we just "happened" to walk by the shoe section and I saw these sandals in the picture above. They are BuyambaSoles brand, and are made with paper beads!

The paper beads are made by women in Uganda, and are very likely the same ones we purchase to make our Etsy jewelry. I was just flabbergasted that Target would sell these! Awesome!

Colin, my sweetheart, purchased two pairs for me. What a husband.

I did some research when we got home and found the website for BuyambaSoles. The company hopes to establish a sustainable work environment for the women that make these beautiful beads that adorn the footwear.

In addition to this, a portion of the proceeds goes to Buyamba Uganda, which supports over a thousand students in their Nursery/Primary school and high school programs.

From what I have seen on their site, their sandals are only sold at Target. They are $13.99 a pair. I think that is a spectacular deal for a spectacular cause!

Father's Day 2012

Thinking of fathers, those without their father, birth-fathers, 'fathers' of sponsored children, those praying to become a father, those with an ill father, those journeying to become a father through adoption, those with a distant father, and our Father God today. 

See what great love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

~1 John 3:1

Thinking of Daddy-to-be Colin Mumford. My best friend. A man of God. A sweet guy I like to call my boyfriend. A defender of orphans. My forever love.
 

Learn to do right; seek justice.

Defend the oppressed.

Take up the cause of the fatherless.

~Isaiah 1:17

International Day of the African Child

Today, June 16th is the:



 International Day of the African Child

It has been celebrated on June 16th every year since 1991. It honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising on June 16, 1976. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children.

In Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, about ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young students were shot, the most famous of which being Hector Peterson. More than a hundred people were killed in the protests of the following two weeks, and more than a thousand were injured.

Today, we pray for African children.

We pray for their education.

Their faith in God, our Savior.

That through challenges, they trust and believe.

For love.

For play.

For dreams.

For self-confidence.

For laughter.

For hope.