two children, two lives, one love

There is no one but us.

2011-10-13T10:31:00.002-05:00

I am over in Ethiopia right now working for Glimmer - I'm in Addis, but I've been in the south and around Gonder in Amhara, heading to Tigrey this weekend. It's been a while since I posted - as you can guess, adoption news has slowed way down. This trip has meant much to me -- and I have fallen in love with the people over here.

Below is an Annie Dillard quote that I have been thinking about a lot while on the road over here. Mainly there will never be a perfect time - that's not awkward - when you have your crap together to follow God's path. We are all broken people, and his people have always been that way. It's really empowering when you start thinking about it. Totally inspired.

“A blur of romance clings to our notions of “publicans,” “sinners,” “the poor,” “the people in the marketplace,” “our neighbors,” as though of course God should reveal himself, if at all, to these simple people, these Sunday school watercolor figures, who are so purely themselves in their tattered robes, who are single in themselves, while we now ae various, complex, and full at heart. We are busy. So, I see now, were they. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? There is no one but us. There is no one to send, nor a clean hand, nor a pure heart on the face of the earth, nor in the earth, but only us, a generation comforting ourselves with the notion that we have come at an awkward time, that our innocent fathers are all dead – as if innocence has ever been – and our children busy and troubled, and we ourselves unfit, not yet ready, having each of us a chosen wrongly, made a false start, failed, yielded to impulse and the tangled comfort of pleasures, and grown exhausted, unable to seel the thread, weak, and involved. But there is no one but us. There never has been. There have been generations which remembered, and generations that which forget; there has never been a generation of whole men and women who lived well for even a day.” – Annie Dillard, Holy the Firm

Blessings,C

Want to Know What's Going on in Ethiopia & the Adoption Slowdown?

2011-07-15T14:13:00.000-05:00

Jamie Dean @WORLD Magazine does a good job of explaining the cause of the slowdown in Ethiopia for American's waiting to adopt. There are a lot of false information out there.Take a look at this article that came out today in World Magazine. It does a good job of explaining where things stand and how they got there. It also addresses the lack of facts to back up the corruption rumors. Tell me what you think!

WORLD Magazine | Life or death | Jamie Dean | Jul 30, 11

www.worldmag.com

WORLD Magazine | Life or death | With international adoptions harder and harder to process and a slowdown in Ethiopia, the second-largest source of hope for American parents wanting to adopt overseas, the outcome can be heartbreak, or worse | Jamie Dean | Jul 30 11 |

Child Brides - National Geographic June Issue

2011-07-08T17:18:00.002-05:00

Photo taken by Stephanie Sinclair

www.stephaniesinclair.com

Here is a link to a series of photographs titled 'Too Young to Wed' of child brides that appeared in the June Issue of National Georgraphic. While child brides are illegal in many countries the practice of marring children still takes place often in the wee hours of the night.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/06/child-brides/sinclair-photography

It's hard to imagine what it would be like to be married at 5, 10 or even 14 years old.

Are you adopting?

2011-07-08T11:10:00.000-05:00

Or have u already? Hooray! I'd love to follow ur story. Please leave ur blog or twitter handle. My Twitter handle is cleighholder.

What's your answer?

2011-07-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

What's your answer to @NickKristof's question about how to report on hard things in Africa without promoting a grim view of all of Africa?

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/01/how-should-we-cover-africa/

making the leap to Twitter...yikes!

2011-06-29T16:56:00.002-05:00

here is my new handle: cleighholder

send me yours!

Enjoying Beth Moon's Ethereal Photos...

2011-06-29T16:15:00.001-05:00

Do u have a favorite photographer?

http://www.bethmoon.com/TKC04.html

Austin's 1st Ethiopian Culture Day June 18th!

2011-05-25T09:48:00.004-05:00

Love Africa? Or better yet, love Ethiopian food?! Come out to Austin's 1st Annual Ethiopian Culture Day! Scott and I will be there if you want to meet up.

Need a BIG smile? Watch 'Whip My Hair'

2011-05-24T12:24:00.002-05:00

You know Will Smith, but have you met his 10-year-old daughter Willow Smith? Check out her fun hip hop moves as she sings 'Whip My Hair'. You gotta love that spunk and hair!

Summer in the Sun, Here We Come

2011-05-17T17:07:00.000-05:00

A busy last few weeks, but we're back. Scott and I both were traveling for work last week -- Dallas for me, Denver for him. This weekend we kicked it closer to home exploring the Pearl's farmers market and the art museum in San Antonio with some friends. Now its time to make some fun in the sun plans that will keep the baking heat at bay, especially since it looks unlikely we'll be jetting over to Ethiopia anytime soon.

Last summer we spent most weekends figuring out how to dry wall our half finished apartment behind our house. This year's summer plans? more outdoor adventures. We've already begun playing with the idea of going camping in New Mexico for Memorial Day...so if anyone know of a good park in the mountains let me know.

Here's what's on my hit list. Let me know what I'm missing!
1. Swimming in Comal (all summer)
2. Camping in Marfa
3. Lavender Farm in Fredricksburg
4. Lakehouse with my sister's family
5. Seaworld -- can you believe that Scott's never been! really want to pet some sea creatures.
6. Kayaking the Guadalupe River
7. Footloose play at Zilker Park
8. Fishing somewhere...
9. Some 10K races..any suggestions?
10. Old movies at the Paramount (yes, it's not 'outdoors' but it's a summer must!)
11. Amy's ice cream
12. Rock Climbing in the Green Belt
13. Dancing at old dance halls like Coupland
14. Others???

Video of Ethiopian Orphans

2011-04-22T10:59:00.002-05:00

Sometimes we need to put a face to the idea of 5 million orphans living in Ethiopia today. This video shows footage of a number of orphanages in Ethiopia, including the Kolfe Orphanage for boys in Addis.

Ethiopian Orphans from Simon Scionka on Vimeo. HopeChest.org put out this video in 2008.

My sweet friend Shanna reminded me this week of Psalm 23:13, and it's stuck with me. It reminded me that God's goodness will be seen in this life, and in the lives of the poorest, and weakest. Please join me in praying for these children. As God cares for the sparrows, he also cares more for these.

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 23:13

We could, you know. We can live any way we want. From Annie Dillard

2011-04-19T10:43:00.000-05:00

"We could, you know. We can live any way we want. People take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience -- even of silence -- by choice. The thing is to stalk your calling in a certain skilled and supple way, to locate the most tender and live spot and plug into that pulse. This is yielding, not fighting. A weasel doesn't "attack" anything; a weasel lives as he's meant to, yielding at every moment to the perfect freedom of single necessity.

I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you. Then even death, where you're going no matter how you live, cannot you part. Seize it and let it seize you up aloft even, till your eyes burn out and drop; let your musky flesh fall off in shreds, and let your very bones unhinge and scatter, loosened over fields, over fields and woods, lightly, thoughtless, from any height at all, from as high as eagles."

Passage from Annie Dillard's Living Like Weasels in her book Teaching a Stone to Talk

Summary of USCIS' April 6 debriefings on the adoption process in Ethiopia

2011-04-07T14:37:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for a good summary of the recent USCIS April 6 debriefing provided to key players in the adoption world on the status of the adoption process in Ethiopia, check out this blog. I expect the timeline for the adoption process in Ethiopia will continue to shift as gov't agencies look to provide better oversight. There may also be hope that the slowdown could be temporary. All in all, things continue to look up.

Artist Sara Lathan! Check out her new website.

2011-03-30T20:55:00.001-05:00

Highway by Sara Lathan

My dear friend Sara launched her new art website -- which I love! Check her out.

http://paintersara.wordpress.com/paintings/ Sara has a gift at capturing the spirit of a thing -- whether it be a night or a person. Below is Cinco de Mayo in St Louis that she nailed, and caught both our friends in their element. Sara -- it brings it all back!

Joint Council Update on Ethiopia Adoptions

2011-03-16T10:29:00.000-05:00

This is an update copied from the Joint Council website:

ETHIOPIA – UPDATE 3/14/11

Various blogs and listservs are reporting that the Ethiopian Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs has announced a revised plan which includes the processing of 20 adoption cases per day. While Joint Council has also been provided with this information, it is our understanding that no decision has been made or announcement published by the Government of Ethiopia.

We believe that it is premature to speculate on the intentions of the Ministry but rather seek to continue to partner with the Government of Ethiopia and use this opportunity to increase child and family protections while continuing intercountry adoption. Joint Council fully supports the government’s efforts to increase the capacity for regulatory oversight of service providers, strengthen the review of each adoption case and expand social services to Ethiopian children and families."

http://www.jointcouncil.org/ethiopia-update-31411/

i have a crush...

2011-03-16T09:11:00.000-05:00

on this blog and organization called "ordinary hero." They share adoptive stories and a photo list of children around the world still waiting for families. You have to request a password to get access to the photo list.
http://www.ordinaryhero.org/ This is one more example of the new generation non-profits getting the word out about the 142 million children around the world that need a home.

Isn't this cutest little t-shirt? So many families are raising up their children from the cradle to think about and help orphans! such a cool movement -- inspiring.Ordinary heroes also has merchandise for adoptive families raising money for their adoptions.

what dreams may come

2011-03-15T16:26:00.000-05:00

Familia 2005 by DeCinti Vive

This painting by DeCinti Vive makes me think of afternoon naps with vivid dreams, spring rain, open windows, and heavy homemade quilts. makes we wish we could remember our dreams better. going to brew some Lady Grey tea now.

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Pequea-Amrica-by-DeCinti-Vive/937002

Illustrator Mark Ryden

2011-03-15T14:46:00.002-05:00

Love how this illustration my Mark Ryden captures more than the mere appearance of these children, and communicates something essential about who they are.

http://www.markryden.com/

jolting post on foster care from Campbell who aged out.

2011-03-15T12:52:00.001-05:00

I love this black bird in the "Percolated Paradox" header.

Here is a jolting post on the foster care system from a twenty-something woman named Campbell who aged out of the foster care system. At least it jolted me awake with comments like "The chances of an 8 year old foster child being adopted are pretty small. CPS waited until I was too old and too damaged to be loved by a family." The idea of an 8-year-old being too old to be loved makes my heart sick. And the grim realities of a child returned 12 times to an abusive mother makes my stomach turn. The gritty blog "Percolated Paradox" follows the on going struggles of a young woman who survived foster care. It helps to put a face and story to the some 20,000 children that age out of foster care each year. Campbell bravely shares her raw story with us, and reminds me we must pray and befriend these lonely little ones.

From Percolating Paradox Blog:
When people abuse their animals and the police find out, they usually lose those animals for good. They aren’t given a second, third, or 12^th chance to take care of their pets. With children it's different. Children are removed from their abusive homes only to be given back to the people who abuse them. The law states that biological parents have a right to their children but the legal rights of parents should never trump the human rights of their children. Abusive parents should not be given chance after chance to be decent parents and human beings for their children. CPS removed my siblings and me from our mother at least 12 times before she had her rights removed and was sent to prison for felony child abuse. By the time her rights were removed and I became available for adoption I was 8 years old. The chances of an 8 year old foster child being adopted are pretty small. CPS waited until I was too old and too damaged to be loved by a family. If they had kept me when I was an infant and adopted me out to someone that wanted a baby my life would be so different today. The lives of my siblings would be so different today. I’m not saying my life would have been perfect or easy. I’ve never wanted a perfect or easy life. I just wanted a family that loved me and a place to call home. I just wanted to belong somewhere. That’s all I ever wanted. That’s all any foster child ever wants. They just want to be safe and loved"

To read the full post go here.

"Children Of God" - Official Music Video

2011-03-09T19:09:00.000-06:00

It's been a sad day because of all the delays regarding Ethiopian adoptions. A friend posted this music video called "Children of God" by Third Day. And while I balled, it was a good reminder of God's love. It's about adoption -- be sure to watch the end. Hope you're encouraged.

help.

2011-03-09T08:53:00.000-06:00

please consider signing this petition. there is a movement in Ethiopia to radically slow down the international adoption of orphans. In Ethiopia there are currently 5 million children in need of loving homes.

please pray. please spread the word.

Thanks.

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43714.html

Help the Anderson's Bring Home 'Little T' from Ethiopia! Fundraiser

2011-03-04T11:50:00.003-06:00

When:Saturday, March 12 9:30 - 11:30 AM

Where:4725 Snake Eagle Cove Austin, TX 78738

Hi Friends. You're invited to help a neat couple bring home their new son ‘Little T’ from Ethiopia!! Come out to a Stella & Dot jewelry party that Scott & I are hosting to support some of our friends who are in the process of adopting their second child from Ethiopia. Ben and Teresa are doing a lot to help give children currently in one of the poorest places on earth a loving home. We'd love your help! We'll serving up killer breakfast tacos at my parents place in Austin. And the jewelry is pretty cool!! Guys you're very welcome to come. (Scott may need some company!)

Ben & Teresa Anderson are excited to bring home 2 children from Ethiopia this year (7 month old baby girl came home right before Christmas & a 7 year old boy will join the family late spring). Teresa has begun selling Stella & Dot to help pay for the adoptions.

I am excited to introduce you to Stella & Dot, a fabulous new line of jewelry that has been featured in InStyle, Lucky, Oprah and on Hollywood's Red Carpet. Whether you're ready to shop or just want to hear about the adoptions, see pictures, or bring donations, please come out and join us for the morning!

DONATIONS! In addition to playing with jewelry, please bring donations for their son Temesgen's orphanage.

BRING FRIENDS ...THE MORE THE MERRIER! THANK YOU FOR HELPING!!!

Can't attend, or want a peek? Go to www.stelladot.com/teresaanderson
Click on “find our hostess” Type in Courtney Holder

Guess where the coffee bean came from??!

2011-03-04T09:22:00.000-06:00

Landscape around Dube Bute in the Oromia Region (southern Ethiopia)

pic taken by Kristin Laughlin

Guess where the coffee bean originated from? Ethiopia!! As a dedicated coffee addict I find this quite exciting. I've been reading up on Ethiopia on Wikipedia, and found lots of fun facts about the different regions and cultures. For instance, I had no idea Ethiopia has the 2nd largest population in Africa, or that there are still active volcano's in eastern Ethiopia. So much to discover about the culture and land of our future children.

It's a diverse land. In the northern part of the country you have deep gorges and steep towering mountain peaks of the Senale Mountains. In the central part of Ethiopia you have the highlands, and a giant rift called the Great Rift that bisects almost half the country. And in the south you have the lush greenery (see the pic above), and coffee crops. Like Texas where I live, in Ethiopia there is so much conflicting terrains smack up against one another -- lush hillsides, deserts, arid mountains, deep canyons that can rival the Grand Canyon, and some of the lowest points on earth. The picture of the south reminds me of what I thought Narnia must look like as a child when I read C. S. Lewis' series. Breathtaking.

And the idilic scenery of some of the areas of Ethiopia makes the contrasting poverty seem even more cruel. To live in such a place filled with beauty and then to only have access to dirty water, hunger, poorly built school buildings, and few health clinics.

The extreme poverty alongside the natural beauty and happiness of the people is a wonder. I have never been to Ethiopia, but I hear from my co-workers at Glimmer, a non-profit that works only in Ethiopia, that the rural people are a joyful, and happy people. Here is one of my favorite pictures of happy children living in dire circumstances. Clearly circumstances do not define your happiness. It makes you wonder what really you need to live a full life?

have you ever fantasized about having a pet FOX?

2011-03-01T11:00:00.002-06:00

I totally have. Well guess who is living the dream? A group in Siberian that has been "taming" and raising a handful of the only domesticated foxes in the world for over half a century. They found out that over time the foxes of each generation have started changing their looks to look more "dog-ish". Their tails have gotten shorter, started to curl, wag, and they are no longer all silver, but lots of different colors. How cool! In fact, they suspect that our breed of dog a "Sheba Inu" comes from foxes! Check out their story in National Geographic -- it's part of a larger story about breeds that humans have domesticated over time -- like umm...pot belly pigs. oink. But unlike piggies, foxes can cuddle! Ok who wants one??

Here is an excerpt:

"Trut reaches in and scoops him up, then hands him over to me. Cradled in my arms, gently jawing my hand in his mouth, he's as docile as any lapdog. Except that Mavrik, as it happens, is not a dog at all. He's a fox. Hidden away on this overgrown property, flanked by birch forests and barred by a rusty metal gate, he and several hundred of his relatives are the only population of domesticated silver foxes in the world. And by "domesticated" I don't mean captured and tamed, or raised by humans and conditioned by food to tolerate the occasional petting. I mean bred for domestication, as tame as your tabby cat or your Labrador."

Read the full article.

My Sheba Inu named Enoch. Maybe a descendant of the fox!

365 days of learning to open my eyes.

2011-02-25T15:48:00.005-06:00

Picture by Esther Havens of Haiti orphans seeing a tray of food coming down the hall.

Today last year, Scott and I submitted our application to adopt from Ethiopia to our dynamite adoption agency Gladney. What a journey! I was giddy with excitement when I pushed that "sent" button that emailed the adoption application. We were finally on our way to becoming parents, and to bringing home children that needed a family. What a thrill to do what Scott and I had imagined doing 3 years ago when we were still dating. That first month I had problems sleeping because I kept wondering what they looked like at 2 am. Were they born yet? Was their family going through something heartbreaking?

Now that we're on the wait list, those 1st-month questions have come back. I'm antsy to see the faces of our children, to get that call that say's we've been matched with our children. But I wouldn't wish away the 365 days of our journey.

It continues to open my eyes. Like Bono reminded me this week, God is always with the vulnerable, and with the poor. And I'm starting to see it.

Last year, the main reason I wanted to adopt was because I wanted it. But the journey continues to change me. This journey has had so many of God's fingerprints all over it that it's been overwhelming. I am not just reading a verse that says God cares about orphans, I am seeing through our story, our friends story, my job at Glimmer, and all those people popping into my life along this path that God is moving to change people's hearts to help the over 140 million orphans in the world. Moving people to act.

People like Esther Havens -- a talented photographer who is using brilliant photos to spread the word and tell the stories of some of the most vulnerable of children. Check out her fabulous photos in a recent exhibit called "telling stories that change stories." You can purchase a print. Here is one of my favorites photos and stories about a young man named David who was forced to be a child solider when he was young, and has found forgiveness and peace from God.

I continue to run into people like Esther that are living a crazy life to help these children. And it's inspiring. And addicting.

Its been a wild, crazy, frustrating ride to get my heart, and feet to go to a place where God has been all along. I started on this journey thinking I was the one doing it. And I'm coming to see that God is the Great Mover. And the Father to all these fatherless little ones. Instead of the being the one that saves a child through adoption, I'm beginning to see how adopting a child may in the end save me instead.

“if you giveyourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your lightwill rise in the darkness and your gloom will become like midday and the Lordwill continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places” Isaiah58:9-11

spring garden on its way...

2011-02-23T09:00:00.001-06:00

I love the smell of lemon tree blossoms.

Free Download of Adoption AudioBook -- woohoo!

2011-02-22T11:28:00.000-06:00

Russell Moore's Adopted for Life-- The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches audiobook is FREE to download this February from ChristianAudio. It's a good read if you want to hear more about how adoption is at the heart of the matter of Christianity. It reminded me that Jesus was an 'orphan' adopted by Mary's husband Joseph. And that Joseph was an adoptive dad. Something so obvious, but I'd never really thought about it. If you spend a lot of car hours driving like me this might be a good pick. Each month ChristianAudio has a new free audiobook for download so if you're interested download it this week before its gone.

http://christianaudio.com/free

Inspired by Bono's Reminder -- God is with the poor.

2011-02-21T08:32:00.003-06:00

Bono in Uganda.

“If you remove the yoke from your midst,the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself tothe hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will risein the darkness and your gloom will become like midday and the Lord willcontinually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places” Isaiah58:9-11

Inspired. U2's Bono reminded me Fridaythat God is always with the poor, and vulnerable. And this is where we shouldbe too. I came across a speech Bono gave at a 2006 prayer breakfast tocall others to action to help Africa, and those living with hunger and AIDs. Hequoted Isaiah 58:9-11. It's haunted me all weekend.

Of course, then I started listening toall my old U2 albums. Here are some lyrics from U2's "One."Also, here is a YouTube video of Bono performingOne. Hope you're inspired too.

One love. One blood. One life you get todo what you should. One life with each other. Sisters. Brothers. One life butwe're not the same. We get to carry each other. Carry each other. One life.One.

Where is my Jane Austin book?

2011-02-09T18:13:00.001-06:00

"The Blessing of Being Named," by Rebekka Seale

Love Rebekka Seale's illustrations and blog. Below is a snippet from one of her posts that makes me want to cuddle with Jane Austin's Persuasion and a cup of 'Lady Jane Grey' especially on a day like today since I'm in Dallas at my sister's house watching it snow.

Today I want to wash all of our walls in this warm, bright white. I want to open the windows, let the fresh winter air in, and snuggle under sheepskin blankets in oversize cableknit sweaters. Several of them. I want brew thick coffee in our french press, and eat lemon poundcake, and dunk the crusty edges in my coffee, and stretch out, and read stories all afternoon, and snuggle with our tiny gray cat, and take a lavender bath, and be so full of joy. I have never loved winter like I love winter right now. -- From Rebekka Seale blog: http://www.dearfriendrebekkaseale.blogspot.com/

Rebekka's illustrations are lovely, and her prints are on Etsy if you're an Etsy addict like me.

I need to go on a diet...and cut out my gadgets. Thanks T.S. Eliot for the reminder.

2011-02-01T09:50:00.004-06:00

My life is full of distracting noisy gadgets -- gadgets and their apps fill up my purse like they fill up my life. In the last month I've also filled up my life with running from one job or project to another. And then when all that is done, and I'm exhausted, I run to a gadget like it's some comfort food to make myself more busy. Like some beeping thing is restful. Let's be honest here -- I'm an addict. This morning I took some time to sit still, and re-charge. It was painful to do. And then I came across this dog-eared gem by T. S. Eliot on the spiritual act of creating. And I entered into the first step of recognizing my addiction. I'm on a consuming binge! Someone please stop me. I come home, plop down and look at design websites, read a fluffy book, check Facebook or continue too just busy myself. As a painter, painting is not a 'relaxing' activity -- it's hard work filled with frustration, and it's not the first inviting thing I turn to when I'm tired. But it does feed my soul -- yikes -- I promise not to turn precious moments on you. Just hold on. The act of creating something -- as both T.S Eliot and my sister Brittany recently reminded me -- is a spiritual act that gets at the heart of the matter. Creating, is like a long run. It hurts, and wears you down, and then -- magically -- you feel purged and rested. Thanks T.S. Eliot for sharing the light. Let's see if my warm fuzzy emotions about creating will carry me further than a few days...any bets? Hope you get inspired by this poem.

Here is a snippet of T.S. Eliot, Choruses From 'The Rock' IX:

"The soul of Man must quicken to creation.

Out of the formless stone, when the artist united himself with

stone,

Spring always new forms of life, from the soul of man that is joined to the soul of stone;

Out of the meaningless practical shapes of all that is living

or lifeless

Joined with the artist's eye, new life, new form, new colour.

Out of the sea of sound the life of music,

Out of the slimy mud of words, out of the sleet and hail of

verbal imprecisions,

Approximate thoughts and feelings, words that have taken

the place of thoughts and feelings,

There spring the perfect order of speech, and the beauty of incantation.

Lord, shall we not bring these gifts to Your service?

Shall we not bring to Your service all our powers

For life, for dignity, grace and order,

And intellectual pleasures of the senses?

The LORD who created must wish us to create

And employ our creation again in His service

Which is already His service in creating.

For Man is joined spirit and body,

And therefore must serve as spirit and body.

Visible and invisible, two worlds meet in Man;

Visible and invisible must meet in His Temple;

You must not deny the body.

Now you shall see the Temple completed:

After much striving, after many obstacles;

For the work of creation is never without travail;

The formed stone, the visible crucifix,

The dressed altar, the lifting light,

Light

The visible reminder of the Invisible Light.

Little Ones Waiting...

2011-02-01T08:46:00.001-06:00

My adoption agency just launched this page where you can see Asian children who are waiting for a loving family. Please spread their story.

Our Burgeoning Local Adoptive Family Group

2011-01-31T09:08:00.001-06:00

About a month ago we started a study group with four other adoptive families that either have Ethiopian children, or are on the waitlist like Scott and me. We're going through Karyn Purvis 'Connected Child' book and handy study guide. None of the families really knew each other when we dined and shared the bare bones of our adoptive stories that first -- now let's be honest -- 'awkward' evening. With only four short weeks of bonding under our belt, I can already tell this is going to turn into a tight group of like-mined folks. And I'm so thankful to have this community of dedicated parents to stumble along through the adoption process with. And I'm thrilled to think of what it will look like as our children start their new beginnings with us, and meet so many local families that 'get' what they're going through. As a first time parent I'm nervous about just plain parenting. And it's a nice added perk to have a whole group of parents who can relate to all the transitions our kiddos will be going through when we bring them home. While we're thrilled to get them here, our children on the other hand will most likely be grieving the loss of their language, country and family. It's a hard thing.

The group has already grown to include 7 families from San Marcos, New Braunfels and San Antonio, and I can't wait to meet all the other children that will be joining the group in the months ahead as many of the families complete their adoption. Other families are welcome to join us.

We even have a Group Facebook page!

Why Ethiopia?

2011-01-26T10:55:00.000-06:00

Saw this video posted on Emily's adoption blog. It made me cry. The video is circulating many adoption blogs -- it's from a family who wanted to tell friends why they chose to adopt from Ethiopia.

Makes me love my job at Glimmer even more.

the simple power of a stencil

2011-01-17T15:09:00.004-06:00

I went over to a friend's house last night and was reminded of the power of a simple stencil! She had stenciled bright popping circles on the floor of her children's playroom. I found these elegant bird stencils today, and believe my bathroom may soon hear some tweeting...yes, this is so over done. But despite the markets over saturation of bird things -- I still adore swallows, swifts and sparrows like these from this Etsy artist...

Thanks Teresa for the great idea!! Oh and Brittany I saw DRAGON stencils at Hobby Lobby!! The pic on the website is weak, but in person it rocks.

Found another winner!

http://www.stencilkingdom.com/catalogue/catalogue.php?page=artnouveau/catalogue_body_artnouveau_artnouveau06.php

Life after the dossier:nesting or something

2011-01-15T21:25:00.000-06:00

So about two weeks after we bought our first house, I started wanting to adopt for 'reals' this time. And then about two weeks after our dossier made it to Ethiopian soil, I started obsessing over painting, re-organizing and making our house a little more lived in. The obsession has now bled over into my blog. As I can't stop looking at cute blogs that use salvaged objects to decorate their homes, I must share. I love the adult whismicaliness and the Gothic feel of these. Here are a few favorites:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/boston/jen-robs-gothic-bungalowhouse-tour-093805

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/house-tours/tims-old-boot-of-a-carriage-house-house-tour-136635

http://www.designspunk.com/

And could I decorate my kid's room with this artist please!! I heart 'Hidden Eloise

http://hidenseek.typepad.com/come_out_come_out/

Location:Poplar St,Marshall,United States

Inspired by other adoptive mamas...

2011-01-04T16:23:00.000-06:00

Enter a raffle for $10 to help the poor in Ethiopia and get a chance to score lots of Ethiopian goodies. Emily Alexander keeps pulling out more creative ways to inspire us to give more to help those living in rural Ethiopia. When I think all the good things coming our way in 2011 as Scott and I hope to bring home children from Ethiopia, I can not express how seeing people like Emily give so much of themselves to Ethiopia inspires me to re-think what's important in life.

http://www.teamalexander.blogspot.com/

We're on the waitlist!

2010-12-15T11:36:00.000-06:00

As of December 14th, Scott and I officially got on the waitlist! We're thrilled.

What if this adoption changes us more than the children?

2010-12-13T11:56:00.000-06:00

Do you get caught up flipping through old photos and old memories? Do you get caught up thinking about why you had to wait for good things to come? I did while putting together Scott's & I's photo album for our dossier. I overnighted the album this morning, and completed the final step of paperwork for our dossier. Meaning, waitlist here we come! Most likely it will still be a year before we bring home our children. But I'm ecstatic this morning. Ecstatic. It's all out of my hands. Every bit of last paperwork, and now it's in the hands of our adoption agency, the Ethiopian gov't, US immigration and most thankfully the hands of God.

It took us longer to get to this step than I expected. The wait was frustrating. very. But looking back -- it was helpful. Scott and I conversations this last week clarified how important these 10-months of waiting time has been for our marriage, our prayer life and for preparing us to be parents. This last year -- reminded me some of the first months of Scott and I's marriage -- filled with lots of unexpressed, and somewhat unrealistic, expectations about ourselves, our children and other loved ones. The time of waiting has given us the time to process, the time to love each other better, and the time to release some of these expectations to the wind in favor of grasping the hand of Providence. love that word -- why has it gone out of fashion?

In counting our blessings, here are some winners. Scott and I have gotten more honest with each other. And we've become closer. I'm closer to my sisters, my core friends. My new job at Glimmer continues to introduce us to many like-minded people that love Ethiopia. Scott's job is taking off in new and exciting ways. And I'm beginning to see that this adoption may not be all about growing our family as much as growing us.

Mothers Helping Mothers -- good cause, lots of warm fuzzies

2010-12-08T16:41:00.000-06:00

During thisgiving season, one mother is choosing to give back to other mothers in rural Ethiopia. I got to meet this specific mother, Kristen Greene, this weekend and hear how she's putting a call out to other mothers to join forces and help some of the pregnant mother's in the southern region of rural Ethiopia who do not have access to modern health care. During the process of adopting her two children from Ethiopia, Kristen and her husband Jeff learned about the lack ofmedical care in the rural region her children were born. In response, Kristenis asking other mothers to join her in providing the women of Tercha with amaternity ward. In the United States, awoman has a 1 in 4,800 chance of dying from complications due to pregnancy orchildbirth in her lifetime. In Ethiopia, a mother risks a 1 in 27 chance. This sub-campaign, Hopefor the Women of Tercha,is part of a larger campaignto provide the people of Tercha with access to education, clean water andmodern health care. Click on the links to read more and be moved by the Greene's family story.

When Baby Books Just Won't Work for Our Coming Cuddle Bugs

2010-11-30T12:08:00.000-06:00

A few weeks back I went hunting for a baby book. A silly thing to do now that I think about it. I started flipping through Peter Rabbit themed and other blue and pink books, and saw scores of useless pages with questions I will never be able to answer for our two children coming from Ethiopia. "Weight at birth?" Hmmm...underweight? Don't really want to highlight that one. Dates of first smile, first teeth, even first word. No idea. Hospital name? Can I change that to birth family hut? Seriously, I'd have to hack up half the baby book to make it work.

And then I looked online for baby books for adopted children -- and I found a bunch of..."uglies." I'm sure there must be sharp ones out there, but I launched Plan B instead.

I'm making a baby book using our pet bunny Peter and dog Enoch as the book's mascots. Here are a few unfinished pages that I started. I'm chronicling all the ways friends and family have come along side us to already love on our children through their prayers and friendship. I'm getting to list -- while things and emotions are so fresh -- all the ways God continues to confirm that this is the way we're suppose to start growing our family. Then I'll be able to write up some of the fun facts about our travel adventures, and about Ethiopia as a country. Lots to do! Lots to do with all that "waiting time."

So, lets get those creative juices flowing! Do you have some other good baby book questions or page ideas for our coming cuddle bugs?

Have you read 'There is No Me Without You'?

2010-11-30T10:40:00.000-06:00

Over the holidays I want to read "There is No Me Without You," by Melissa Fay Greene -- the story of an Ethiopian widow whose home becomes a refuge for hundreds of AIDs orphans. Talk about a life that changed the destiny of hundreds of children. Has anyone read it? http://www.thereisnomewithoutyou.com/

Need gift ideas that inspire during the holiday season?

2010-11-22T17:49:00.001-06:00

Thinking about giving a gift this holiday season that changes lives in big ways? Check out the trendy military hats, jackets, totes and jewelry from Bow in the Clouds. 100% of the proceeds will help transform a village in rural Ethiopia called Dube Bute. Read the Alexander's story about how they're working to change the lives of those living in a village where their son Eyasu spent the first 2 years of his life. The funds donated to the "Hope in Dube Bute" campaign will provide the 4,200 people with access to clean water, education, modern medicine and medical care and a veterinarian clinic.

Here is a snippet from their campaign page:
"We just got back from Dube Bute Kebele, where Eyasu spent the first two years of his life. It’s hard to begin to describe just how overwhelming the experience was. As we look back on the day, and all of the ways that the Lord has worked in order to get us to where we are, I am overcome with excitement at being able to finally kick off this campaign.
The need in Dube Bute is extreme, 4200 people are living in heart breaking rural poverty. But, by the grace of God, we are going to be able to address every aspect of need in the kebele. Water, Health, Education, Veterinary Services – they will all be part of this campaign. Our goal is to raise $284,000, which will provide the necessary funding for a complete transformation of Dube Bute. While the need is extreme, there is hope…" Click to read more.

Why Ethiopia You Ask?

2010-11-14T17:10:00.001-06:00

One of the major reasons, Ethiopia made sense to Scott and I was because of the level of extreme poverty-- it is one of the poorest places in the world -- and the high number of orphans living there today. Some 5 million orphans (about 12% of the population) live in Ethiopia today. That's the same number of children under age 18 who reside in Massachusetts, New York State, and Washington DC combined. If every parent in those places died tonight - that would be similar to Ethiopia's orphan crisis. On an individual level, each child is someone's daughter, or son; someone's sister or brother; someone's friend or grandchild. Someone made in the image of God. That child has a name, a birthday, and a great need for a new family. For that child to be available for adoption, some tragedy has struck the birth family. Scott and I want children, and feel that adopting from Ethiopia is one way to help. We feel strongly that adoption is just one way to help the 142 million orphans around the world, but that there are many ways to get involved with helping end this crisis. Please spread the word.

In Ethiopia:
* 1 in 10 children will not reach their 1st birthday.
* 1 in 6 children will not celebrate their 10th.
* Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Over half the population lives on less than a $1 a day. The average income in Ethiopia is US$100 a year. Almost 82% of the population lives on less than $1 a day.

I heart my mailbox! It delivered my I600! it's a good day.

2010-11-13T18:11:00.000-06:00

We got approval to adopt from immigration today in the mail!!! Been waiting on this baby -- no pun intended -- for a while :)

Waiting

2010-11-12T11:03:00.000-06:00

Qoyta in Amharic means "waiting." My sweet friend Dawn surprised me with a necklace at the orphan Sunday event last weekend that says "Qoyta" on it. It also has two stones representing the two children Scott and I are waiting on. I was overwhelmed with tears when Dawn gave me such a precious gift and I have worn it every day since.

This recent season of waiting seems to drag on with plodding steps as we wait to bring home two precious children from Ethiopia, but I was recently reminded by Annie Dillard that each day is filled with holiness, mystery and is ever so fleeting.

"Time is eternity's pale interlinear, as the islands are the sea's. We have less time than we knew and that time buoyant, and cloven, lucent, and missile, and wild." -- Annie Dillard, Holy the Firm

"Every day is a god, each day is a god, and holiness holds forth time. I worship each god, I praise each day splintered down, splintered down and wrapped in time like a husk, a husk of many colors spreading, at dawn fast over the mountains split." -- Annie Dillard, Holy the Firm

This is the image of dawn enjoyed by the runners during the first few miles of the Chosen Marathon for Adoption in October.

If you need some xmas or holiday gift ideas, Dawn is selling 'destiny' necklaces that go to help widows and single mothers in Uganda -- many affected by the AIDs in epidemic

http://funkyfishdesigns.com/womenofdestiny.htm

Wurstfest Ride 2010 Go Dad!

2010-11-11T14:42:00.000-06:00

At the Finish Line

Scott and my Dad did the Wurstfest ride in New Braunfels last weekend -- its a ride from Austin to New Braunfels. It was my Dad's first bike race, and he rode 64 miles! So proud of you Dad. You can tell from their biking gear in the before pic that the day went from chilly to perfect with blue skies.

Before the Race

Coffee & SA Women Talk Shop about Adoption!

2010-11-10T12:57:00.001-06:00

Two of my favorite things -- drinking coffee and talking about our future children from Ethiopia. I enjoyed both last night alongside about 10 other women who have adopted or are in process at La Madeleine in San Antonio. The group meets once a month for coffee and chatter. If you're in the area, let me know, and I'll add you to the email list. About half the women, like myself, are connected to Ethiopian adoptions. But there were many mothers who had adopted through foster care, from China, Russia and a few more places around the world.

One of the mothers-to-be -- Jennifer -- is fundraising to build two wells in Ethiopia through Charity Water instead of fund raising for her adoption of a little girl from Ethiopia. Her husband gave up his birthday for the cause. One well funded, they're going strong are raising enough to fund well #2. Check out their story. Jennifer is a professional photographer and her talent bleds through on her blog that is juicy, colorful and fun to look at.
www.pureandlasting.com

Amos' Story - -Music Video

2010-11-08T09:47:00.001-06:00

Scott and I went out last night and watched Aaron Ivey perform at last night's Orphan Sunday concert at FEFC in Austin, Texas. It was a fabulous event that brought awareness to the over 140 million orphans around the world. Check out Aaron Ivey's moving music video telling part of the adoption story of his two children, Amos and Story, from Haiti.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4eZybIXpm8

Attention Coffee Addicts, I Mean Drinkers

2010-11-04T08:25:00.003-05:00

We recently set up an account with a local coffee roaster named 'Grounds to Cup' that will donate 40% of the coffee sales purchased on-line in our name to our Ethiopian adoption. Yea!! If you’re a coffee lover, Grounds to Cup will mail freshly roasted beans to your door. Please feel free to forward this to others like us that need a cup of joe in the morning, or other friends looking for creative ideas to help fund their adoption. To order coffee, just click on the “Holder Family Ethiopian Adoption” store page on the Grounds to Cup website. Shipping costs are best if bought in bulk ($6 for me to buy 3+ bags). To skip shipping costs you can purchase coffee in-person from Scott or me.

http://www.groundtocupcoffee.com/fundraising-partners-list/index.php

Our Coffee Label :)

i HEART my mailbox

2010-11-01T13:57:00.000-05:00

It may be dirty, but i HEART this metal box. Remember how much you liked getting mail as a child? Well I've returned to those days of running out 3 times to check for the mail. I'm waiting for that document from CIS immigration that grants Scott and I approval to immigrate the children we adopt from Ethiopia to the US. It's the last gov't document we need for our adoption before we send everything over to be blessed by the county, the Sec of State and the federal gov't. After approval from the powers that be, we get on our agency's waitlist and begin the wait process to be matched with our children from Ethiopia! wahoo! Come on US Post Office...i need some special mail. Thinking maybe I should paint the mailbox red? Let me know if you have other ideas.

Two Children, One Love.

2010-10-27T11:45:00.000-05:00

The marathon this past Saturday exceeded my expectations -- great friends, great weather, great run, and a lot of solitary time to think along the 26.2 mile run that had few spectators other than those dedicated to hydrating all us runners out on the course. In the first few miles off to our left, the almost 1,200 runners got an eye full of a pale half-mooned rainbow, and on the right was a cotton-candy pink sunrise creeping up the sky over the rolling hill country. The beauty just filled you up. The full marathon course ran along the Guadalupe river and I'm looking forward to sharing some of these river-run-through-it views with you once I get some pics.

Like all long runs there were moments of ankle, knee, and shin discomforts but I'm pretty sure I had a smile plastered to my face most of the 4 1/2 hour run.

During the run I was overwhelmed with a sense of receiving something better than I expected, or deserved. While training I skipped many mid week runs, and was expecting to limp my way through the last 6 miles, but I never hit that wall. And the weather forecasted was sticky and hot, but the runners got cloud cover most of the way and some nice showers to slick off the sweat and salt. Most of the run felt surreal, and I had an overwhelming sense of peace and joy. Oddly, I really enjoyed the run instead of just gritting my teeth through it.

We had 10 friends come in to join Team Holder on the run from Brooklyn, Ohio, St Louis, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, San Marcos and New Braunfels-- many of them first-time half and full marathon finishers. We also had many volunteers give up their Saturday to come out to support us. The youngest of these being little Maddy -- I think she's 4 years old. She kept saying "go,go,go!" And we did! All these supporters visually reminded me that Scott and I are not the ones making this adoption happen. It is a labor of love sitting on the shoulders of so many friends and family who are already and will continue to love our Ethiopian children and whose prayers are helping bring them home, and who will continue to love them as they grow up.

I hear from others that have adopted and read in books that the hardest part of the adoption journey is when the children finally come home. Because these children are coming from a hard place, a place of loss, that when they arrive is when they will begin to need the support and love that will carry them into adulthood not just from us their parents, but from a community. I am really encouraged to see my friend's affections already getting wrapped up into the lives of our children. Their love and influence will outlast our children's homecoming, and I hope help guide their lives. So much love, we are truly humbled.

It is truly one love that so many continue to offer up that will bring these two children home. One love that is guiding them here, and will help them grow into adults. One love from so many different loved ones, friends and even strangers that is changing two lives. In the end, I think it has very little to do with Scott and I. Saturday was a great race, and is a metaphor for what I hope will be the life of our children. That it will be a long journey, not a sprint. Sometimes hard, but I believe God and our friends will run alongside them, and cheer them on. I felt the love guys. Thank you.

Empowered to Connect

2010-10-27T11:11:00.001-05:00

Here is a site of resources from Dr. Karyn Purvis with some of the best advice about how to empower adopted children to heal and connect to their new families and friends. Love it!

Scott and I are looking for families to go through Purvis' "Connect Child" workbook with. Let me know if you're interested.

Fabulous Chosen Marathon for Adoption!

2010-10-25T16:59:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday we had 12 people run a half or full marathon for Team Holder to help us raise funds for our Ethiopian adoption. It was a fabulous experience with some 1200 runners and all the volunteers that made it happen! On our team Taylor placed third in her age group, Mara placed 11th and I placed 12th! Beth, Sara and Jon all ran their first half marathon. Here are a few pics of our team. More details, and pics to come.

Taylor, Courtney, Scott, Beth, Sara, John & Erick.

Madison, Mara & Bess.

Great AP article on the growing trend of Ethiopian adoptions by David Cracy

2010-10-25T16:09:00.001-05:00

Adoptions from Ethiopia rise, bucking global trend

By DAVID CRARY, AP National Writer – Tue Oct 12, 2010
NEW YORK – As the overall number of international adoptions by Americans plummets, one country — Ethiopia — is emphatically bucking the trend, sending record numbers of children to the U.S. while winning praise for improving orphans' prospects at home.

It's a remarkable, little-publicized trend, unfolding in an impoverished African country with an estimated 5 million orphans and homeless children, on a continent that has been wary of international adoption.

To read the rest:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101012/ap_on_re_us/us_ethiopia_s_orphans_1

LOVE THIS! Sesame Street:Song: I Love My Hair

2010-10-19T09:36:00.001-05:00

4 days till the Chosen Marathon for Adoption in New Braunfels

2010-10-19T09:32:00.000-05:00

Getting a little nervous about race day this morning, but jazzed that 1,000 runners, and all those volunteers will be joining the cause for the first inaugural marathon for adoption in New Braunfels, Texas. I keep hoping the weather will change to something cooler! please. please.

Totally unrelated, here is a pic of my big-footed bunny Peter and my husband from this weekend -- we are looking forward to more moments of staying off our feet and drinking coffee in the coming Saturday mornings instead of long runs!

13 days till the Chosen Marathon -- We've got a Rock'n Team running the race!

2010-10-11T13:08:00.005-05:00

The count down has begun! 13 days till when the 'Holder Team' will be running in the Chosen half-and-full Marathon for Adoption to raise funds for our Ethiopian adoption!! wahoo! big day. Scott and I have many dear friends and some complete strangers that will be joining our journey on Oct. 23 to help us bring home children from Ethiopia. We feel blessed.

THE HOLDER TEAM:

We've got a committed caravan of dear friends driving 890 miles from St Louis to join our team on race day-- big thanks to Jon, Sara Elizabeth, Erick, Beth, Sara L. and Garrett. Love you guys! The dedicated and fellow gluten-free pasta eater Mara is flying in from Cleveland, Ohio with her cousin Bess joining us from Brooklyn! What do I mean by dedicated? During training, Mara ran 2 twenty mile runs - alone. As you know runners, that's a lot of alone time to endure. Our public relations man Madison worked hard not only to train for the race, but to spread the word about the Chosen race to all manner of friends, runners, and total strangers down in Houston. In Dallas, my sister Brittany posted race flyers and told her friends. Another teammate joining us for the race, is the hardcore-marathon runner Judy coming from our adoption agency Gladney in Fort Worth. My favorite pumped-up, running-buddy Taylor is on our team. She and my terrific husband Scott kept my feet going on those long HOT runs this summer! And Rebekah who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting in person is from San Antonio. She found our team on the Chosen marathon website and kindly wanted to help us!

Through this race, Scott and I have met a lot of big-hearted people that are giving up their time, and resources to help orphans and over 20 families raise funds for their adoptions. Some of those big-hearted people include our friends at Church of the Cross in San Marcos who are adding their support and prays for us and others on their adoption journey. While Scott's longtime training buddy Joel and many other friends work hard to keep all us runners hydrated during the 26.2 mile event. Yea water stops! Jenni Lord first dreamed up this life-changing race one year ago, and it's been a pleasure getting to know her and the whole race planning committee of volunteers that's making it happen in less than 2 weeks.

We've got a rock'n team, a mass of race volunteers and today Scott and I's hearts are brimming over from the support these folks and the many others have given to our adoption journey. Having so many loved one and new friends come out and take part on our journey is overwhelming. We're definitely feeling the love.

Our team is looking forward to crossing that finish line. And Scott and I are thrilled to be one step closer to bringing home our children from Ethiopia!

Donate in Memory of Baby Ewan Petermann

2010-10-08T09:05:00.002-05:00

My friends the Petermanns lost their little baby Ewan because he was born with a broken heart this last week. He lived 20 days, and in this short life touched so many lives. To read more about this remarkable life, or to donate and help James and Kirsten deal with the financial costs, go here. All funds will go to the Seattle Children's Heart Center. I wish I could have met Ewan, his life was precious.

Glad you're ok buddy.

2010-10-07T07:55:00.001-05:00

I was reminded today about the kindness of God. Scott and I have a sweet dog named Enoch. My sister Brittany last night reminded me that he is one of those special ones, and I have to agree. Enoch is so ecstatic about the cold weather sweeping into the hill country and the living room where I’m working this morning is reverberating from the thumps of him hitting the wood floor as he throws the tennis ball to himself and then scampers to get it. This Japanese black and white Sheba Inu exudes joy. If joy is something animals can truly participate in, Enoch does.

And what’s so precious about my dog – is that Enoch was hit head on by a car less than two weeks ago. Scott and I watched as a car and my little 20-pound dog collided and we both thought – ‘he’s dead.’ And today my playful Enoch is bounding before me. And I’m reminded about the good things God has given to us. Scott and I both adore this little creature – he’s our buddy. And I’m thankful this morning that he’s still our little buddy. We named Enoch after the Old Testament friend of God that never died. And I think the name fits.

Enoch was adopted from the St Louis Humane Society in March 2009.

The truth is, I want this to work out according to my plan.

2010-10-04T14:49:00.002-05:00

So after spending all weekend at the Together for Adoption conference in Austin, Texas, we came home to find our appointment time and date with immigration in our mailbox. In less than 3 weeks, we'll be completing another step in the process that will allow us to send our application (or dossier) to Ethiopia and get on a waitlist! Yes it all sounds like gibberish and dull work, but it's one step closer to Scott and I bringing home our child/ren from Ethiopia. And it was a nice piece of mail to come home to after emotionally loosing it at the end of the conference.

With great speakers like photographer Esther Havens and adoption specialist and author Karyn Purvis the conference was fabulous, and moving. It was fun meeting families who were also in process to adopt, and many adopt from Ethiopia. I enjoyed scribbling in my notebook favorite quotes from speakers about parenting and connecting to adopted children like, "you'll never win a heart with force," or "the child bled before they came home to us, they must not bleed on our watch." But after listening to 20 hours over 2 days to people talk about the 147 million orphans around the world, I was overwhelmed with doubt.

Who can save 147 million orphans around the world? Who will love them? Why do so many end up on the streets alone to fall into a dark life? Where is the church? There is a crisis of fatherless and motherless children, and the numbers are mind numbing. And then at the heart of the matter, and where it becomes personal, why is the process of adoption so hard?

I heard family after family get on stage and talk about how their adoption worked out. How they overcame obstacles, time schedules, high costs, their impatient hearts and their own lack of faith to bring home their children. And while this should have been encouraging, I felt empty.

I believe Scott and I's journey to bring home our children from Ethiopia will work out accordingly to God's plan. But honestly today, I'd rather it worked out according to my plan. My plan, that everything falls together perfectly, right now. That the waiting ends. That my wants, not my needs, are met.

Its wrong, but its where my heart is. And the only thing left is to pray, God give me faith. I believe in a great and awesome God who will answer this prayer even without me having to feel all the warm fuzzies. Even as I am weak in faith, he is strong.

I wanted to share this place where I am today, because I think it's an honest reflection of places along the adoption journey I have been before, and will be again -- in times of doubt. And it's so easy to write about these emotions after things have been resolved and my faith has returned. I want to look back at this entry and see how God has taken me from a dark place to a place of peace. It seems to happen time and time again in my life, and I can only believe God will do it again.

I'll keep you posted.

Top 10 List of Things to NOT Say in the Adoption World

2010-09-29T14:33:00.001-05:00

Have you read "Single Dad Laughing' blog? it kills me :) Hope you enjoy the re-post below! This post is about all the horrible things you should never say in front of an adopted children, or to parents of an adopted child. We all need a little education about not saying things like -- 'where is his real Dad?' Thanks Dan for helping us to THINK, before we say something hurtful.

How much did YOUR kid cost?

Okay, here comes another "Single Dad Ranting" post. You may laugh, but
hopefully only because you see the idiocy and carelessness of some
people, bless their hearts. Please, though, this is something that I'm very
serious about and I hope you'll listen in.

What do you notice about this photo?

TO read more go to:
http://www.danoah.com/2010/09/how-much-did-your-kid-cost.html

My imagination keeps getting away from me.

2010-09-27T19:30:00.001-05:00

My little niece Lucy has a birthday tomorrow! [She's the little blond one on the left]. I had fun getting this make-believe lover a sparkly, twirly ballerina skirt today to pop in the mail. Before finding this newest dress-up accessory, I scouted out Target looking for something to do with mermaids, because Lucy keeps telling her mommy [that's my sister Brittany holding her in the picture] that she wants to grow up and be a mermaid. I have to agree. I too would love to grow up into a mermaid. Alas while I failed to procure mermaid-like attire, I began to wonder what kinds of children's clothing I'll be getting next fall. Will it be Batman PJs, or wispy skirts with sparkles?

It's surreal not to know the age or sex of the children Scott and I will start a family with sometime soon. We've passed our adoption homestudy and our next move is to complete the paper work going to Ethiopia, and get on a waiting list. Once on the waiting list, we will wait to get a referral for one or two children under the age of 5. The category seems so vast today. If one of the children is four years old at the time of referral, we could be starting school next fall. And if one of the children is 6 months old, we could be heavily investing in diapers for years to come.

Having 6 nieces and nephews to watch grow, play and celebrate birthdays with has both prepared us and excited us about the prospect of becoming parents to children of all ages. As we continue to pray for God to guide us in our path to adopt, and as the time goes closer to when we may be bringing home children, my imagination grows. I look at girl's hair styles and wonder how curly our children's hair will be. And randomly I'll think 'Is it still too early to buy a swing for our backyard?' It's all silly, but it's now a well-trod bunny trail that my mind keeps taking. And day by day, it seems less strange that children -- age unknown -- will be living with us soon.

How is it that my heart and, by extension, my imagination can feel attached to children I've never seen, and know nothing about? I can only think of it as a grace. A grace straight from the hand of God. What a beautiful way for God to prepare my heart for our children through imagination. It is a wonder.

One Child Makes it Personal.

2010-09-23T12:22:00.004-05:00

One picture, one story, the face of one child makes statistics personal to me. Especially the statistic that 5 million orphans live in Ethiopia today. Here is a moving post from the "Every Bitter Thing is Sweet" blog that I regularly follow. The post shares some of Sara and Nate's story about their adopted daughter from Ethiopia and the greater orphan crisis. This picture and story puts a face on hunger statistics for Ethiopia and the world.

This is our daughter, just after she arrived at the orphanage. Taken by a doctor who wanted to show us the extent of her malnourishment.

Yes, the orphan crisis is one of the few things that keeps me up at night. Children not only abandoned to AIDs, poverty and war but then subject to exploitation at the hands of traffickers in their own hometowns … and in my hometown. The lump in my throat comes not at the vast numbers of children orphaned throughout the world, but at the mental image of one single child. Cracked lips, hair matted from sweat, dirt caked fingernails and bloodshot eyes from yet another night of poor sleep on the street.

Millions of little cross-bearers fill our earth, without someone to help carry their load. I have yet to hear a story of an orphan enfolded into a home that didn’t reek of pain. The weight of my own personal pain has seemed unbearable at times, but it doesn’t hold a candle to what some of these 6 and 7 year-old orphans have faced. Alone. Their tolerance for pain stretched thin, and at an age where I didn’t have one “ouchie” go unkissed.

To read the full post go here, "Every Bitter Thing is Sweet."

Some of the Forgotten Children

2010-09-16T15:41:00.000-05:00

In China, a child with albinism would not be able to go to school, get married, or get a job. Through adoption, they have found a mom, a dad and a family of siblings that provide unconditional love. I love seeing how God moves hearts to love the forgotten children.

The 'Spirit of Adoption' blog shared this video. It's called 'The Chosen Ones' by preston gannaway

Run for Adoption!!

2010-09-16T15:08:00.000-05:00

Scott and I passed our home study last week, and now we're turning our attention to the Marathon for Adoption coming up soon October 23. In preparation, we're doing another long training run this Saturday morning around town lake in Austin. Let me know if anyone wants to join us for all or part of the run. We're doing the 11-mile loop and then maybe the 7-mile loop after.

We're pumped that so many of our friends will be joining us in running a half or full marathon next month to raise awareness for orphans around the world, and to help us raise funds for our adoption! We have friends, and friends of friends, from Houston, St. Louis, Brooklyn, New Braunfels and Austin coming down to run in our team, or volunteer for the race.

Please continue to spread the word about this race! It's going to be a great event. More than 25 families are raising funds through the race to pay for their adoption.

Here is a pic from the historic Gruene 10K, Scott and I ran in last Saturday. A group of us wore 'Run for Adoption' tshirts!

www.marathonforadoption.com

Love the Smiles, Check Out this Glimmer Video!

2010-09-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

Here is my video of the week from Robit, Ethiopia! I love all the smiles.

Early Registration for Together for Adoption Conference Ends Today!

2010-08-31T11:35:00.000-05:00

Early registration for the 2010 Together for Adoption Conference Oct 1 & 2 ends TODAY. If you're coming, stop by and say hi at the A Glimmer of Hope table in the expo! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Visiting Orphans in Their Distress -- Zeway, Ethiopia

2010-08-16T12:31:00.000-05:00

Watch this moving video and check out my sister Heather's trip to Zeway, Ethiopia to visit the orphans that her group -- Hope in Zeway -- provide food, clothing, shelter and a social worker for. These children don't have parents, but often take care of their siblings. A number of the children her group visited last month are about to loose a parent, and become orphans.

I love the quote that inspires my sister's group:

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. -- James 1:27

The Wisdom of Mother Teresa on Orphans

2010-08-16T09:35:00.001-05:00

I read this quote on my friend Michelle's adoption blog: “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted,” Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The quote reminded me how much wisdom Mother Teresa passed on to the next generation -- especially concerning orphans and poverty. Anyone know of a good biography?

Mother Teresa wrote her birthday as August 27 because it was the day of her baptism. It's coming up in a few weeks. What better way to celebrate her life, than by reading about it!

Michelle's family is currently in Kiev adopting a 16-year old girl named Maria. They're been spending the last week with other teens living in Maria's orphanage.

Homestudy Scheduled for August 24!

2010-08-12T10:55:00.000-05:00

We're pumped, and working on some house projects this weekend to get ready! Need to finish tiling that bathroom. Thanks for every one's prayers and encouragement. We've been trucking down this adoption path for 7 months now, and it's good to see progress.

Together for Adoption in Austin, TX Oct 1-2

2010-08-11T15:10:00.003-05:00

Photo by Esther Havens

If you're interested in adopting sometime down the road,

already in process or already have adopted domestically

or internationally, I hope to see you the Together for Adoption

national conference October 1-2, 2010 in Austin, Texas. At

the conference, come visit me at the A Glimmer of Hope

non-profit table in the Expo section! Also check out

photographers Esther Havens and Kristin Laughlin at the

conference -- both of these photographers have traveled

with Glimmer in Ethiopia to document its projects and the

women, children and communities that benefit.

Together For Adoption Conference

Austin, Texas

October 1-2, 2010

Hill Country Bible Church

Address: 12124 RR 620 North, Austin, TX 78750.

The Kirk Family's Adoption in the Ukraine

2010-08-10T08:54:00.002-05:00

My friend Michelle from Dallas is currently with her family in Kiev, Ukraine adopting a 16-year old girl named Maria. While in Kiev, they found out about two older children named Vlad and Olga who's adoption just fell through because the adopting family didn't pass their homestudy. If you know of anyone interested in adopting older children please pass their story along.

Read more at the Kirk Family Blog:

http://www.davidkirk.org/

Konstantin called me tonight asking for some help. When he sent me Maria’s picture he also sent me pictures of two other children in need of adoption, Olga and Vlad. They are older as well. A couple was going to adopt them but were not recommended during the home-study. So now these two children who thought they would be adopted are back to being orphans. We will all be meeting them tomorrow night when we go to see Maria again. If you know anyone, or know of someone who knows someone who might be interested in adopting two older children please forward this to them and have them make contact with me. Vlad turns 16 in about three weeks and after this it will be too late for them to have an American family. It is really not as expensive to adopt as most people think and just takes some time and energy.

EthiopiaKids.com!! It's a sweet blog!

2010-07-29T09:45:00.000-05:00

Need a new fun Ethiopian blog to add to your blog roll? Check out Ethiopia Kids -- it's a blog set up by Anne & Tom who adopted from Ethiopia, and it's a great resource for adoptive families, including information on funding adoption, Ethiopian culture and ways to give back to Ethiopia, and other stories from adoptive families. Anne & Tom also have an active Facebook page with over 800 fans!

Home Study Ordered!!! whoopi!

2010-07-28T09:19:00.001-05:00

I'm ecstatic! If you can get past the bureaucratic sounding of the phrase "home study," I'll fill you in on why this morning I'm emotionally connecting to this crocodile in the photo. I've been waiting to say those three words 'home study ordered' since February. It's a big mile stone for Scott and I, and it took a lot of prays, and some creative budgeting to make it happen. Thanks everyone for your prayers and support as Scott and I continue to pursue adopting a child(ren) from Ethiopia. I'm waiting to hear back from our rock'n adoption agency Gladney in Fort Worth to know what date the home study will take place, but I'm guessing sometime in August.

So what's the big deal? Everyone in the adoption process wants a peek at your home study before they sign off on your application -- the US gov't, your adoption agency, the Ethiopian gov't, etc. It's the meat and potatoes of your application. It's the report a social worker provides after visiting your home and interviewing you about your adoption. And it's what Scott and I need before we get three big things:

1. To get on the waiting list with the Ethiopian government for a child
2. To get approval from US immigration so we can adopt and have our child become a US citizen
3. To apply for adoption grants and interest free loans to help us meet the costs of international adoption.

"So, do we get to keep this emotional high for a while?" Scott asked me last night. It made me laugh. With six months under our belt in the adoption process, its been a long emotional rollercoaster of waiting, praying, expectations, the unknown and a lot of excitement. Like I told Scott, I'm going to try and keep a postive outlook and working on my 'waiting well' skills. God's been very good to us, and this journey continues to stretch my faith. Stay tuned, and I'll let you know when the home study will happen.

Quotes Mostly on Children, a Pinch on Poverty, a Smidgen on Life

2010-07-23T18:12:00.000-05:00

What are some of your favorite quotes? In this season, I'm fixated by these.

"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." — Albert Einstein

"To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man's life."- T. S. Eliot

T. S. Eliot

"God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them." --U2 lead singer Bono on poverty

"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows." -- Isaiah 1:17

"A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it." - G. K Chesteron, Everlasting Man, 1925

"There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood." — Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner)

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." -- Jesus, Matthew 18:2-6 NKJV

"The most interesting information come from children, for they tell all they know and then stop." — Mark Twain

"It is not necessarily those lands which are the most fertile or most favored climate that seem to me the happiest, but those in which a long stroke of adaptation between man and his environment has brought out the best qualities of both."- T. S. Eliot

World Magazine: On God's Provision

2010-07-23T15:01:00.001-05:00

Photo by Bowen Rodkey / www.bowenrodkey.com

Check out Brooklyn pastor Jamison Galt in Susan Olasky's World Magazine article on the church Jamison is planting in Clinton Hill -- an inner-city neighborhood that houses 50,000 people, and three universities, including Pratt Institute. Living in an urban neighborhood known for pumping out powerful literature, music and art, I'm jazzed to see the Galt's raise their own diverse family in such a culturally rich environment! Alongside two six-year old twins, Adaline and Arthur, Jamison and his wife Laura just adopted two Ethiopian children -- daughter Tihun, age 3½, and son Solomon, age 10 months. I'm excited to see the follow-up report World plans to do next year! Thanks for sharing Susan!

Hope in Ethiopia

2010-07-23T08:49:00.001-05:00

My sister Heather just got back from a trip to Zeway - Ethiopia to spend time with children who are or will soon be the head of their household. This means they will be taking care of younger siblings on there own without an adult. Read the Hope in Ethiopia blog to find out more about the way this group is transforming lives.

Ethiopia Foster Care: A Long-Term Solution to the Orphan Crisis.

2010-07-21T15:20:00.000-05:00

There are too many orphans in the world to have one solution. Adoption is a great solution for one child, (or even the 12,753 in 2009 adopted by US citizens, according to the US State Department). But what about the other 163 million? Or even the 5 million in Ethiopia? Americans adopted 2,277 Ethiopian children in 2009. Americans adopting Ethiopians is not the long-term solution to this crisis, but a band aid. Here is one idea on how to address the issue on a big scale. Read this great article on long-term foster care solutions for Ethiopian orphans by Johnny Carr from Bethany Christian Services that ran in the Washington Post:

Orphanages should not be viewed as acceptable long-term solutions for children. Man has made orphanages for children, but God made the family for children. How then do we place as many children in families as possible?

Bethany Christian Services has started bringing together churches in the United States with churches in Ethiopia into long term foster care projects. These are one-on-one relationships; essentially, the U.S. church provides the necessary financing for foster care and the Ethiopian partner inspires its members to help find families and develop loving, local communities. The two churches coordinate their efforts in a symbiotic fashion, working not only on adoption issues, but also any other missions projects that they wish.

To read more, click here.

5 Million Orphans in Ethiopia

2010-07-21T14:51:00.002-05:00

I just read the statistic that 5 million orphans live in Ethiopia, according to this Newsweek article. Its hard to make such a large number seem personal and real. It's hard to put a face to each child -- each girl and boy without a mom and dad. 5 million is more than twice the population of Houston. While I'm thrilled to be adopting, I'm still looking for a solution that would address the bigger issue of orphans in Ethiopia, orphans in the world.

A Glimmer of Hope -- A Game Changing Strategy

2010-07-15T10:46:00.004-05:00

Have you noticed the growing number of creative non-profits changing the face of how we go about helping the poor? As a generation X-er, I am thrilled! In the 80s, we saw western money dumped on Africa and not doing much good, because it slapped band-aides on the deeper problems. I'm ecstatic to see creative thinkers like Philip and Donna Berber think outside the box. The Berbers founded A Glimmer of Hope, and they're showing us a peek into how a game changing strategy can change lives in Ethiopia for the long haul.

Three weeks ago, I started a new job at Glimmer because of its strategy, it's powerhouse team and its work to lift women and children in Ethiopia out of poverty. As a soon-to-be adoptive mom with a child from Ethiopia -- you can see the attraction. With any non-profit, I want to see where my money goes, and with A Glimmer of Hope that's the best surprise! 100% goes to the project! The Berbers cover 100% of the non-profit's overhead expenses, so that donors money goes directly to building school rooms, health clinics, water wells and providing micro-finance loans in rural Ethiopia.

Plus, their projects "partner" with the local leaders in rural Ethiopian villages, instead of telling them what to do. Glimmer's long-term goal to fight poverty in Ethiopia means maintaining the dignity of the people and it's a game changer for the quality of life of women and children. For example, this year Glimmer will provide clean water to thousands by building 900 water wells in rural Ethiopia. Dirty water is the number one killer of children in the world -- about four million children under five die from just one water-borne disease. In 2009, Barron's listed Glimmer founders as the 6th most effective givers in the nation, (The Best 25 Givers, Nov.30, 2009). For adoptive families and donors interested in changes lives in Ethiopia, the Glimmer strategy makes sense when you're looking for the biggest bang for your buck.

Similarly, the ABBA Fund strategy empowers adoptive families to adopt by providing 0% interest loans to adoptive families. International adoption is expensive, but ABBA's interest-free loans is opening opportunities for all of us. These kinds of inventive funding tools and long term strategies are changing the face of the donor world, and I expect will take off like wild fire.

While the poor may always be with us, I hope we'll continue to learn to love them better by treating them like people made in the image of God, instead of the faceless masses. Let hope grow. Let us love better.

Attachment Insights from "Every Bitter Thing is Sweet" blog

2010-07-09T08:18:00.001-05:00

Here are some great insights on "attachment" strategies for toddlers from Sara on her "Every Bitter Thing is Sweet" blog site. As Scott and I pursue adopting a toddler -- I've been trying to learn more about ways to help our child(ren) learn to attach to us. If you're doing the same kind of research, you may want to check it out:

A friend who, on the heals of her last domestic adoption, is pursuing Ethiopian adoption (I love that … no time wasted!) asked me recently about attachment. As she was considering a referral of a child older than what she’d originally anticipated, she wanted to know what attachment issues she might anticipate.

Now that this is behind us, I can more readily write about the challenges we faced with Caleb.

Early on he began to show classic signs of a child who hadn’t fully attached to his mother. What some parents boast about — “my child just loves people! isn’t he so friendly!” — the parent who has adopted dreads. I got very used to emailing friends and family in advance of playdates to request that they not respond to my son’s shirt-tugs and freely-distributed kisses. God-infused mother’s intuition guided me even more than all the books on attachment I read; but both told me that without a secure understanding that Mommy and Daddy were different than the others drifting in and out of Caleb’s life, his emotional maturity would be stunted. Love can come from many places, but mother is a role only one can fill. ("From Every Bitter Thing is Sweet" blog)

Click here, to read the whole story.

Good News from RunTex for the Chosen Marathon for Adoption!

2010-07-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

Scott found out from Austin parks and wildlife that we couldn't have a table down by the running trail this Saturday. BUT! RunTex (Austin,TX) has agreed to help us market the race! YES! So Scott and I'll be hanging out at the Riverside location Saturday morning. Stop on by and see us! Also, look forward to seeing the marathon featured on the RunTex website!! Good things are happening.

The marathon continues to look for business sponsors -- so if anyone has any ideas please let me know. The goal of the race director Jenni Lord is that all the registration fees will go towards adoptive families, instead of covering the cost of the race. The race is looking to raise some $100,000 to go towards these families -- which ROCKS. So far, there are 25 teams that will support 25 adoptions running in the race! I'm really looking forward to seeing what God will do with this event.

A Visit with Eden in Ethiopia

2010-07-08T08:19:00.002-05:00

I've been keeping up with my sister Heather's Zeway Trip Team 2010 while they're in Ethiopia for 10 days by reading the group's blog. Some of the faces and stories of the orphans and widows you meet break your heart. Last summer the Zeway Team was inspired to travel to Ethiopia by the verse" pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their distress," James 1:27. The Zeway team unites Food for the Hungry, Grace Covenant (Austin, Texas) and Zeway Evangelical Church partnership to help orphans get shelter, food, job training and community in Zeway -- very rural Ethiopia. Here is the beginning of a story about the team's visit yesterday with one such orphan. Her name is Eden, and she needs your prayers.

Zeway Team -- Matt Kouri tells Eden's story:

Our first house visit was with Eden, a young teenage girl who is new to the partnership. She is in rough shape. She is HIV positive. Her father died last year and her mother died when she was 3. She also has epilepsy, and about 4 months ago had a seizure when she was roasting coffee and fell unconscience into the fire. She was severely burned on her left arm and leg. Because of our FH partnership and funding, they were able to get her to a hospital for treatment. She is doing better now but still has significant grief.

She opened up to us in an amazing way. Her step-mother who practically raised her refused to have anything to do with her since her father died and since she learned she had HIV. She is so desperate for a family, so much so that she called her relatives from another town and acted like she was a friend of herself and told them that Eden had died, just to see their reaction. They immediately came to Zeway and to Eden's house, but only to collect her things for their own use. When they saw her, they were angry and demanded that she pay for their transportation costs back home.

Click here, to read the rest of Eden's story.

Fun Facts we're learning about Ethiopia

2010-07-06T18:15:00.002-05:00

Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in east Africa between the Sudan, Kenya, Eritrea. and Somalia.

FACTS

Full name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Population: 85.8 million (UN, 2009)
Capital: Addis Ababa
Area: 1.13 million sq km (437,794 sq miles)
Major languages: Amharic, Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali
Major religions: Christianity, Islam
Life expectancy: 52 years (men), 54 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Birr = 7 cents
Main exports: Coffee, hides, oilseeds, beeswax, sugarcane
GNI per capita: US $280 (World Bank, 2008)

Promoting Chosen: Marathon for Adoption at Lake Austin Next Saturday

2010-07-02T15:20:00.002-05:00

Scott and I have started putting in some longer runs this week! Wahoo! And we also will have a table out at Lake Austin under the MOPAC bridge to promote the race next Saturday. So all you runners come by and say 'hi'! Please let me know if you have any other ideas of how to get the word out about this half & full marathon to raise funds for orphans and adoptive families. Put it on your calendar for Oct. 23rd.

Texas to Ethiopia Blog!

2010-06-30T15:23:00.000-05:00

This family adopting from Ethiopia has some creative ideas of how to fund raise creatively for your international adoption: http://texastoethiopia.blogspot.com/

Ethiopian Adoption Blogs

2010-06-28T17:02:00.000-05:00

Looking for other families that are in process or have adopted from Ethiopia? I stumbled across this bad boy today -- it's a HUGE list of other Ethiopian Adoption Blogs! Enjoy the stories.

Together for Adoption conference -- Austin,TX Oct. 1-2

2010-06-25T14:52:00.000-05:00

If you're in process or ever thought about adopting down the road, check out the Together for Adoption conference coming up October 1-2 in Austin! Some great speakers are coming!! I'll be there, so let me know if you plan on coming.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=118588821497658&ref=mf

This is from the conference website:
"Our conference theme is “The Gospel, the Church, and the Global Orphan Crisis.” Lord willing, the 2010 conference will be our largest and most helpful conference yet, with gospel-saturated general sessions, longer breakout sessions, and more time to network with other churches, organizations, and adoptive families. We’re intentionally structuring the conference around the gospel and community"

Newsweek: Birth Moms Deserve Our Respect

2010-06-14T14:33:00.000-05:00

Here is a moving Newsweek article on the selfless sacrifice birth mothers make when they choose adoption to give their child the "best chance at a good life": http://www.newsweek.com/2010/05/20/birth-moms-deserve-our-respect.html

Too often birth mothers are given a negative sterostype, but these women deserve our respect.

Hunting Down Race T-Shirts

2010-06-14T13:07:00.002-05:00

Anyone order shirts for races, or know of anyone in the field? I'm tasked with helping the Chosen: Marathon for Adoption order its shirts for the upcoming inaugural race Oct. 23. As a newbie at hunting down good tshirt deals, I'd love any advice. Since the race is raising money for orphans and adoptive families, we're trying to keep the prices of the tshirts down, and it's looking to be a challenge. While I'm working the tshirt angle, Scott's got the race metals covered, and moving onto finding sponsors to fill the goodie bags for runners.

Scott and I met last night with with organization team that's putting on the half and full marathon in Gruene/New Braunfels Texas. It's exciting to see so many runners, families, businesses and churches get involved to help take care of orphans around the world. As a side perk, I'm quickly learning the difference between spandex and polyester -- yikes. Who knew that 100% polyester shirts don't really wick? Well, besides all you 70s disco dancers. I've contacted RunTexas, and I'm crossing my fingers that RunTex will be able to pass along some sage race-planning wisdom. Please let me know if anyone has other ideas.

The race is still trying to stock up on sponsors, runners and volunteers. So if you're interested in helping out check out the website. http://www.marathonforadoption.com/index2.php#/home/

Running may not be your thang, but what about volunteering to pass out water or metals? There is no experience needed to volunteer, and it's a great way to meet some cool people. I volunteered at an IronMan in Idaho last summer and had a blast passing out metals to smiling-exhausted-salt encrusted athletes who are just thrilled to see you at the finishing line. Plus, you walk away with a spiffy tshirt. Double-score.

I'll keep you posted on what happens next. Oh -- and for you Austinites check out the Chosen Marathon banner hanging out on Lamar south of the Lamar bridge in front of Hill Country Running!! And spread the word! It's a good cause -- all proceeds go to orphans and adoptive families.

Below is the race course that runs along the Guadalupe River.

Ethiopian Elections Yield Strife

2010-05-27T11:38:00.001-05:00

Sunday Ethiopian elections are causing strife in country, reports the BBC. Both the EU and US say the polls were below standards. "According to the official election results, 499 out of 536 seats declared so far have been awarded to the governing party," reports BBC. Opposition leader Hailu Shawel is calling for re-elections, and accuses the gov't of violence against party members and unfair imprisonment.

Please pray for the Ethiopian people and the government during this volatile time.

The Holder Team

2010-05-16T21:40:00.001-05:00

Check it out! Scott and I's "Holder Team" for the Chosen Marathon for Adoption in New Braunfels
is getting featured on the marathon's website. www.marathonforadoption.com/index2.php#/text_5/2/

If you want to read the reason we formed a team to run in this marathon in October, go to the "testimonies" section on the marathon website.

Want to Run a Half or Full Marathon!? Choose the CHOSEN Marathon

2010-05-04T15:09:00.002-05:00

Hey Runners, WannaBe Runners & Friends of Runners! Scott and I are forming a Holder Team to run in the New Braunfels' Chosen: Marathon for Adoption on October 23, 2010. All proceeds of the marathon will benefit orphans! And if you join our team for this race, 100 % of your registration fees will go towards the cost of our Ethiopian adoption! YEAH!

When registering just put that you want to be on the "Scott & Courtney Holder" team.

Right now, you have plenty of time to start training!! The course starts in Gruene and finishes at the Guadalupe River. It's also a Boston qualifing marathon. Go to the links below to find out more about the race.

http://www.marathonforadoption.com/

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=241741642361

Da Vinci...

2010-04-29T15:23:00.001-05:00

I'm working on another painting and ran across these Da Vinci sketches in my research. It's curious we all spent the first 9 months in a tight little ball. Why not standing erect? We begin bowing with our head tucked -- chin to chest.

Deep and Wide Spaces

2010-04-27T18:44:00.000-05:00

My sweet husband decided to take me on a surprise trip this weekend. More than any place, I love the majestic beauty of the deep and wide spaces of West Texas. We drove to the Guadalupe Mountains, slept in the car, and wore ourselves out climbing to the highest peak in Texas. Besides sleeping soundly since our return, we're both now addicted to the adventure series of the child prodigy-criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl -- Scott and I are audiobook junkies on the road.

Fingerprints Done -- Whahoo!

2010-04-22T22:09:00.000-05:00

It took most the day -- but we've jumped through another hoop! FedEx is now delivering our fingerprints to the FBI center in Clarksburg. I'm hoping to get the paperwork back from the FBI to prove we're crime-free by next month. The next hurdle is the big one -- the homestudy. For this occasion, we'll unleash a clean and fluffy Enoch upon the social worker. Enoch is sure to win over the social worker -- he has magic powers. By that time, we'll have some big ripe tomatoes and a jungle of other veggies cluttering the backyard. Now don't that sound like a wholesome environment?!

West Africa Mirage, acrylic, 36" x 16"

2010-04-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

I finished this painting last night. These portraits came from photos I took in Senegal (West Africa) in 2004. The children lived in a remote village near the northern border surrounded by ocean and sandy beaches. I don't remember seeing any adults just crowds of happy children milling around. The light in my art studio is poor -- I'll try and take a glare-free picture soon.

Books, Books, Books!

2010-04-15T15:21:00.000-05:00

So books I'm suppose to be reading....
1. The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis, David Cross, and Wendy Sunshine
2. Black Baby White Hands by Jaiya John
3. Adoption is a Family Affair by Patricia Irwin Johnston
4. Toddler Adoption by Mary Hopkins-Best
5. In Their Own Voices by Rita Simon
6. Adopted for Life by Russell Moore
7. War & Peace -- Wait where did that one come from??! Oh yea, thanks lovely book club buddies (you know who you are!) Good lite and fluffy pick this time! Actually I'm excited to finally get this fat baby off my list!

Coolest cover award definitely goes to 'Black Baby White Hands!' Jury is still out on content...

Any other recommendations all you parents out there??

Thank You Taxpayers!!

2010-04-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

While gov't engineered re-distrubution of wealth is not something that thrills my heart, it trills at the NEW** refundable ADOPTION tax credit. It just got extended until the end of 2011 and increased from $12,170 to $13,170. (Thank you Jason Kovacs -- ABBA Fund -- for the update!!)

USA Today’s brief analysis:

“Taxpayers who adopt children: Effective in 2010, the bill makes the adoption credit refundable, increases the credit by $1,000 and extends the increased adoption credit through 2011.” [HT: R. Austin Wilkerson, Wilkerson Legal PLLC]

Doing the Math -- April 13, 2010

2010-04-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

I'm doing the math this morning -- best estimates of when we could bring home our Ethiopian child(ren) is 18 months. That largely depends on when we turn in our final package of paperwork to the Ethiopian gov't after getting the stamp of approval from our adoption agency and the US gov't. Then we wait to get matched to a sibling group with children younger than 4-5 years – this could take quite a while. In Ethiopia, your agency is assigned to a few orphanages -- not the entire orphan population. So often you wait on a list…

Once you're matched, you get the child(ren)s file(s), and then if Scott and I decide the child(ren) are a good fit, then the agency signs us up for a court date (usually a few months). Then if the courts give the thumbs up, it can still be 4-6 weeks before you're on a plane home with the child(ren).

In all, the numbers game is largely unproductive. Too many variables. On the other hand, planting my vegetable garden reaps immediate gratification. The sugar snap peas reach two feet high. And drawing out yard plans for where Scott and I are going to put a large rose terrace covered in huge Alice in Wonderland powder pink roses called -- Souvenir de la Malmaison -- triggers lots of smiles.