Adventures at the mall...

So, the kids' orthotics came today and it was time to go shoe shopping! I decided to trek out to the mall with all the kids in tow (minus older son who is spending the night with his grandparents) and get it all done in one shot. The plan was: get each of the younger ones a pair of shoes that fit with their orthotics, treat everyone to an Auntie Anne's pretzel, zip through Target, and the grand finale....Starbucks for mommy! Well, we successfully got 4 pairs of shoes and it wasn't an easy task with 2 little boys with super wide feet without the orthotics. The store was having a sale, so we did pretty well I think! (I did have to laugh when the salesgirl asked if all the kids were mine. Did she think I was crazy enough to bring other people's kids shoe shopping?) We then got our yummy and somewhat sticky treat (come on, you have to get the cinnamon sugar pretzels!), and then to Target. I knew our moments were numbered in Target so we worked as quickly as possible, but in the end I had to forgo the Starbucks:( Oh well, maybe next time.

Adoption Myth #1: You have to be wealthy to adopt

As it is National Adoption Month, I thought I would post about some myths that people believe about adoption. I have adopted enough times to know that the above myth is untrue. However, a lot of people believe this, and it is often what prohibits families from truly considering adoption. I have recently had three different people ask me if I was wealthy or if I had won the lottery when we discussed our large adoptive family. I said I did feel like I won the lottery, but certainly not in a financial sense!

I do find it ironic that so many will react the way they do to the cost of an adoption. $20,000! What? Yet, they don't blink an eye about signing for a loan for a $40,000 SUV or a mortgage on a $250,000 house. Material possessions hold no eternal value, and they can be destroyed by fire, accident, flood. How does one put a price tag on a human life; a living, breathing, precious life? Is there any cost too high to ransom the life of your child?

I do understand that looking at those numbers is intimidating. We have never looked at the estimated cost of one our international adoptions and said "oh heck, we'll just withdraw that from our millions in the bank"! Often it does require sacrifice. We have cut back on expenses, taken loans, gotten grants, fundraised, used tax returns and bonuses, and we have been given gifts. The bottom line is that God always provides the necessary funds, and often in ways we don't expect. I truly believe that if God is asking you to step out in faith and do something (like adopting) that He will provide the means for you to do it. It has been my experience that He doesn't usually reveal how it will all come together in advance, and sometimes it feels like just in the nick of time. He is aware of the need though, before we even express it to Him, and He knows how it will all work out.

My heart breaks...

anytime I see the picture of a waiting child, but especially those little ones who are truly in desperate need of a family. Look at this beautiful little girl! Little Lera is in Russia and in desperate need of a family. She is facing imminent transfer to an institution where she can NOT be adopted. She needs a family willing to commit to her NOW! Please pass on her information to anyone you think may be interested. She has a $5,000 grant and more information is available, please contact Andrea at: bamaroberts@comcast.net.

UPDATE! LERA HAS A FAMILY!!!!!

Why Wouldn't I?

Our Christmas Angel!

As my blog followers know, we found our precious Luke & Irina through an amazing ministry named Reece's Rainbow. This year we have committed to help fundraise for one of the waiting children. Look at Paul J (he is the button on the sidebar)! Isn't he adorable? He is in desperate need of a mommy and daddy to call his own. So many families would love to adopt, but the cost seems out of their reach. I know the grant money we received was essential to complete our adoption. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Reece's Rainbow, and pray that next Christmas Paul J. will be home with his forever family!

Plight of the Orphan

My Barrel of Monkeys

I found these adorable monkey costumes and had to get them for the 3 youngest kids. I kept trying to figure out how to make the double stroller a barrel when it dawned on me that I should be the barrel! Everyone at our church harvest carnival found it quite appropriate...especially as I spent most of the time there chasing down my monkeys that got lose...