Well I didn't feel it was right to let it go and not update my blog as well... even though I'm sure most of you have been as hooked on following the Hollis blog as much as I have...
Not ONLY did the Hollis family raise the $20,000 BY thanksgiving, but they've gone way over! And are still continuing to receive donations to God's glory.
(Thanks to those who donated through my chip-in button... sorry it didn't show up on the widget, I'm not sure why it wasn't working right. But your funds did come in and were given to the Hollis' on Wednesday night. Thank you. :))
So now if you go to the "new commitments" link on the RR site, you'll find a sweet little brown eyed girl who's forever family couldn't love her more... and can't WAIT to go get her... AND are fully funded to do so. A Thanksgiving MIRACLE.
The things that fill my heart currently
-How can I reach out to other parents of kids with special needs in our church?
-Do I help my husband eliminate his stress or do I contribute to it?
-Has it really been one year since we committed to adopt?
-Is my step-dad ever going to be able to live the way he used to?
-Have I done a good job of showing Micah what a mommy is?
-How do I explain to my kids what it means to hear God's voice?
-What can I do to bless people back the way they've blessed me?
-Do my friends know how much they mean to me?
-This Thanksgiving am I thankful for all that I have or do I take things for granted?
-Do I help my husband eliminate his stress or do I contribute to it?
-Has it really been one year since we committed to adopt?
-Is my step-dad ever going to be able to live the way he used to?
-Have I done a good job of showing Micah what a mommy is?
-How do I explain to my kids what it means to hear God's voice?
-What can I do to bless people back the way they've blessed me?
-Do my friends know how much they mean to me?
-This Thanksgiving am I thankful for all that I have or do I take things for granted?
Supporting Crazy Love
My heart is completely overwhelmed today.
A couple of posts back, I told you about my friend Melanie and recommended her book. And on my sidebar you'll find a picture of a sweet little girl with glasses and a big smile: her daughter, Hope.
Now I have something to share but I struggle with how to start this... how far to go back with this story... If you're willing to bear with me, I'll start at the beginning. This is a long story but an incredible one that cries out of God's creativity, humor, compassion and love for His kids. Warning- don't proceed unless you have some time, something to drink... and maybe some tissues.
Not long after Abby was born, I asked her service coordinator if they could give me the name and phone numbers of some other families in our area that had little ones with Down syndrome. I really wanted to get to know some other families walking this same road that was so new to me. They gave me two names. One of them is a story for another day. The other: Hope Hollis. These two names and phone numbers stayed on my fridge for months. I don't know if it was the newness of having three kids or the denial of Abby's diagnosis that warred within me, but I never did call either of these families. After about a year of looking at them on my fridge, I threw the paper away.
Fast forward to mid-adoption process for Micah (and Oleg at the time). A friend from church, Jackie, came up to me and said that there was a family I had to meet. Their daughter started at the school where Jackie works and somehow they made the connection that Jackie knew me and were thrilled because they'd been praying for Pavel and Oleg on RR! Random! They'd been praying for the boys and when they found out the family adopting them lived close they tried to get contact information but couldn't. SO, they were so excited to find that Jackie knew us! But then came the kicker for ME, "Their little girl's name is Hope Hollis." Crazy.
So Melanie and I finally met at church. And she's one of those people I feel like I've known forever. We haven't been able to talk often, but when we do, its like getting together with an old friend.
Which brings us to a couple of weeks ago. Mel and her amazing kids do regular devotions in their home. And recently they've been talking about "Crazy Love" the book by Francis Chan. And talking about doing things that are crazy out of their love for Christ. So their 11 year old daughter, Lydia, decided to raise some money for kids on RR. I believe the goal was $2000 before Christmas. And they chose a couple of little girls for the money to go to specifically, Nadine and Darya.
And that's where REAL crazy love began... God has put something in Lydias heart and she now has a deal with Melanie that if she raises the $20,000 herself that they will ADOPT Darya! AND she wants to raise it all BY Thanksgiving!
So why am I sharing all of this with you? Why does this affect me to the point of tears every time I think about it? Because I've met Darya. I rocked her little bouncy seat, talked to her, and got her to smile. And ever since that day, that little face has been stuck in my head and my heart has longed for that precious girl to have a forever family.
Lydia has said that if 200 people would be willing to give $100, she would have all of the money she needs to bring home a new baby sister. To the world it's foolishness that an 11 year old could raise $20,000... but isn't it just like God to do something like that?
I'm adding a ChipIn button on the side of my blog for the Hollis family. Will you let God use you to be a part of this Thanksgiving miracle? Will you support crazy love?
To follow the Hollis family (and really get a bigger picture of the story than I was able to portray here) you can go to their blog here.
The things that fill my brain currently
-What needs to be cleared out of our house so it looks presentable enough to sell?
-What are some creative things to put in my kids' lunches?
-What am I going to get my husband for Christmas?
-What area of town do I want to live in if we move?
-Do the Duggars use their home-made laundry detergent in those high-efficiency machines?
-Is this the best way to rearrange our living room furniture?
-How many ounces does Mabry get in one feeding when she nurses?
-How many times do I have to tell Micah "no"?
-Will we ever see our church small group again or has life become eternally chaotic?
-Does Abby wake up at night because she's scared of something?
-When did Emily start talking like she's a teenager?
-If Micah is Ukrainian, why is he so tan?
-Does Ashley talk this much when she's at school?
-Was that my phone ringing?
-What time did I feed Mabry last?
-When was the last time I showered?
-What day is this?
Yep. That pretty much sums it up.
-What are some creative things to put in my kids' lunches?
-What am I going to get my husband for Christmas?
-What area of town do I want to live in if we move?
-Do the Duggars use their home-made laundry detergent in those high-efficiency machines?
-Is this the best way to rearrange our living room furniture?
-How many ounces does Mabry get in one feeding when she nurses?
-How many times do I have to tell Micah "no"?
-Will we ever see our church small group again or has life become eternally chaotic?
-Does Abby wake up at night because she's scared of something?
-When did Emily start talking like she's a teenager?
-If Micah is Ukrainian, why is he so tan?
-Does Ashley talk this much when she's at school?
-Was that my phone ringing?
-What time did I feed Mabry last?
-When was the last time I showered?
-What day is this?
Yep. That pretty much sums it up.
Check out this book
I'm so excited to share with you that my friend Melanie has written a book! "The Journey For Hope... the testimony that birthed a story" She's a dear friend of mine... I would say from church, but really it was only the Lord that connected us. She has an incredible testimony and has now put it into writting.About this book:
"90% of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to benefit Amazima Ministries and Reece's Rainbow Waiting Children. You can obtain more information on these incredible ministries by visiting: www.amazima.org and www.reecesrainbow.com.
This book has been written by an imperfect author who has an incredible love for an imperfect little girl named Hope. She entered my life on September 5, 2005 and changed everything forever. "The Journey For Hope" is our story.
May the Lord be magnified through it all.... "
Go check it out HERE.
(And hey, my birthday is on Sunday... if anybody needs any gift idea's... !!! :))
Happy Birthday Abby!!!
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My sweet Abby Grace turned three years old yesterday. Three years ago... wow. Every birthday of Abby's brings back sort of bitter-sweet memories for me. On one hand that was one of the worst nights of my life... being given what was devastating news to me at the time, having my other baby in the ER with 105 fever and not a thing in the world I could do about it, and feeling SO lost and helpless in so many ways. On the other hand, that was the night that my angel entered the world and changed my life forever. I can hardly even type this through the tears of love for my baby. She IS my sunshine. Abby is sunshine to everyone around her. Even in her spunky 2 (now 3) year old attitude... she can throw a tantrum and then in seconds pull you close, suck her thumb and with the other hand stroke your face. I'm so in love with that little girl and I could not be more thankful that God chose me to be her mommy.
As I type this she is down the street at her first day of school. For those that are unfamiliar with the system, TN has paid for all of Abby's therapies, evaluations, orthotics (foot braces), walkers, etc. But when children turn three, they are transferred over to the public school system to receive therapies and services there as a part of pre-school. Abby is in a class of 6 other 3 year olds with varying special needs.
At her last day of therapy (at the nursing home where she's been going for 2 1/2 years now... they have a pediatric therapy room there), they threw her a huge birthday/going away party. It was the sweetest thing and I was on the brink of tears through the whole thing. All of her therapists were there along with most of the staff. They decorated a big room and we all had cake and snacks and watched Abby open gifts that everyone had bought her. They even wheeled in a few of the patients who've come to fall in love with Abby over the last couple years. :) I couldn't believe it looking around the room at all of these lives that this special little girl had touched. We left with half a cake, two trash bags full of toys, and almost three years of memories. I'll never ever forget it.
And this morning I dropped my big girl off at pre-school... she went right in yelling a big "Hiiiiii" to everyone as she entered the room. :) I really think she'll do great but the over-protective mommy in me is going to have the harder time I think. :) But she's a go-getter. I'm sure she'll have a blast. My mind keeps going back to that Dr. Seuss book "Oh the places you'll go"...
I love you sweet Abigail Grace. I love you... so... much. Happy Birthday.
Fall fun
I love fall in Tennessee. Its so beautiful. The weather is perfect and the trees are just gorgeous. I could go on and on but I'll try to refrain from getting all cheesy and sentimental on you and suffice to say, I just LOVE fall.
We spent one evening carving pumpkins and cookin' up some good food...
And once again, the kids had a blast at our church "Trunk, treat and tailgate". Micah went as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and was a TOTAL hit. :) Abby made an adorable Tinkerbell... and if you've ever seen the Tinkerbell movie... Ashley and Emily were Silver Mist and Rosetta (the water and flower fairies, c'mon!) The cute little Fireman and Puppy are my adorable nephews. And miss Mabry stayed there at her grandma's house as a sweet, cuddly baby. :)
PS. I got the Pumpkin Muffin recipe here from Three Simple Girls. They were SO easy and really good, go check it out!!
We spent one evening carving pumpkins and cookin' up some good food...
And once again, the kids had a blast at our church "Trunk, treat and tailgate". Micah went as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and was a TOTAL hit. :) Abby made an adorable Tinkerbell... and if you've ever seen the Tinkerbell movie... Ashley and Emily were Silver Mist and Rosetta (the water and flower fairies, c'mon!) The cute little Fireman and Puppy are my adorable nephews. And miss Mabry stayed there at her grandma's house as a sweet, cuddly baby. :)
PS. I got the Pumpkin Muffin recipe here from Three Simple Girls. They were SO easy and really good, go check it out!!
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