A Glimpse at Our Year!

This year has brought so many unexpected changes to our family!  I thought it would be neat to document our journey with some words and pictures of our beautiful family along the way!

JANUARY

~ Josh and I got to go to Marriage Retreat for the first time ever! SO much fun!

~ Hubby got lots of hunting in - these are the only pics from January I could find!

FEBRUARY

~ Noah turned 6! (My Neice turned 8!)

~ We went to McCall on our annual trip with the Krohn Family

MARCH

~ Leah Turned 4!

~ My Brother Got Married

~ Jarod did some Wrestling

~ Josh popped the Question - "What would you think about adopting a little girl?!" 

 

APRIL

~ Jarod Turned 8!

~ God helped us decide to grow our famiy through Adoption!

 

MAY

~ Started Home Study with New Beginnings

~ Got Accepted to the Ethiopia Program with America World - Started Dossier

~ Celebrated our NINE year Anniversary

~ Noah Graduated from Kindergarten

~ Went fishing for Memorial Day

 

JUNE

~ Finalized Home Study

~ Worked on Dossier

~ Went Camping

~ Everhart Family Reunion

~ Jarod Broke His Arm!!

 

JULY

~ Hosted the BIGGEST Yard Sale EVER - Raised $5800

~ Grandma Everhart went to be with Jesus in HEAVEN

AUGUST

~ Went Camping

~Officially DTE - Dossier to Ethiopia

~ Back to School - Mom 4th Grade, Jarod 3rd Grade, Noah 1st Grade

 

SEPTEMBER

~ 1st Catfishing Trip

~ Daddy Got a Bull Elk

~ 1 Month DTE and Waiting

OCTOBER

~ Fun with Friends at the Corn Maze

~ Flag Football

~ Pumpkin Carving

~ Watched African Children's Choir

~ Worked an Adoption booth at the Stephen Curtis Chapman concert

~ 2 Months DTE and Waiting

 

NOVEMBER

~ Jarod went with Daddy Hunting

~ Thanksgiving w/ Family

~ Noah got to go to his FIRST BSU Game

~ 3 Months DTE and Waiting

 

DECEMBER

~ Fun Christmas Time with Friends and Family

~ 4 Months DTE and STILL Waiting

 

We know and trust that God's plan is perfect and He knew what this last year would hold! 

He also knows each and every memory that this coming year will bring!

We are hoping and praying that 2012 will bring more smiling faces into our home!

We got a beautiful new picture frame from the in-laws for Christmas - I am hoping to have new faces to fill it with in the coming months!  But what I love about it is the quote that is on it - it seems so perfect to explain the journey we have been on this last year and the hope we having for 2012!

"LIFE TAKES US TO UNEXPECTED PLACES.....LOVE BRINGS US HOME!"

4 MONTHS and Counting

We are so very excited to be celebrating being DTE (Dossier to Ethiopia) for 4 months!!  We were originally told that our wait could be 5-8 months, most likely the shorter end of that timeframe due to the fact that we are requesting a toddler.  Referrals have slowed down a ton and it is always difficult to estimate what the wait might be - it honestly could be NEXT week or another 6 months!  It is all so unknown but....we are rejoicing to be another month closer to seeing our sweet daughter's face!



Awesome T's

So we finally decided to take the plunge and do a T-shirt fundraiser!  I was a little nervous and had no clue how to even begin designing a tshirt!  But the internet is an amazing source of information and resources!  Found a great site with a user friendly design program!  I think they turned out GREAT!  We will probably be ordering sometime by the end of the week!  Let us know if you are interested by either posting a comment here or messaging me on facebook!  I'm not sure with the holiday rush how reliable or quick the postal service is so not sure when they will be in but I will for sure keep you posted!  I will have a paypal up and running in the next couple days.  You can submit your payment through paypal and just list the sizes you need in the memo section...OR...you can always drop a check into the mail!  Message me if you need my address.  Payment is due before we will deliver - as I'm sure you understand!

Adult shirts are $15 and Kid shirts are $12.

There is an additional charge for shipping of $3 for 1 shirt or $5 for 2 or more.



Men's Shirt
"He is...Father to the Fatherless"
($15 plus shipping)

Women's Shirt
"He Gives.....Hope to the Hopeless"
($15 plus shipping)

Kid's Shirt
"I'm a.....Child of God"
($12 plus shipping)



Thanks everyone for supporting our family!



Big Brother's Excitement

Since we decided to adopt, the kids have been really excited but in really different ways!  Leah is excited to have a sister to play dollies with!  Noah is excited to have more kids to play with - he hopes we get a sibling group of 3 - he said he's praying for there to be 6 kids in our family.  Jarod says he is excited but he has also responded the same as he does with everything else - he has been VERY reserved.   He doesn't do change well and is old enough to know that we are going through a LOT of change.  Since we decided to take the kids with us on our first trip over to Ethiopia, Jarod has seemed a little bit more excited.  He talks about Ethiopia more and he prays for her often.  This evening the kids were drawing and writing in their notebooks.  Jarod told me that he wrote Naomi a letter!  Reading it brought tears to my eyes!  His simple excitement says it all!  We LOVE you Naomi!  We can't wait to bring you home and to see your sweet face!  We are anxiously awaiting the phone call that will bring us your picture!  Jarod is going to be your protector and your confidant!  He loves you very much and is VERY excited to be YOUR Big Brother!



Christmas in HIS Arms

My sweet cousin Sharee heard this song and posted it on my facebook page.  She said when she heard it she thought of Naomi and me.  I tear up every time I listen to it!

TRUSTING that God will hold my daughter in His arms this Christmas!

HOPING to have her home to hold next Christmas!

THANKFUL for the baby who came so long ago to change the world...FOR ME!

Finding Contentment

Ever since we started down this path of adding on to our family - my mind and heart has been CONSUMED with the change and future that is to come.  I have found it hard to focus on much of anything because my mind is already busily trying to process and think through all that is going on with the adoption.  During the "Paper Chasing" my mind was checking off what needed done, what documents we were still waiting on, where all the $ was going to come from, what notaries were open at what times, etc.  I busied my hands and my mind with filling out forms and checking things off.

Once we became DTE I wasn't really sure what to do with myself.  There was NOTHING I could do - no papers to sign, no appointments to make, no files to update.  The waiting began but my mind didn't rest.  Constant overanalyzing - how many families are ahead of us, what referrals were being given out, did we request the right age group, where is all the $ gonna come from - consumed my mind.

Over the last 3 1/2 months since we have been DTE, I have had a difficult time really getting into much - my mind isn't really into my work, or my church, or even Christmas.  I usually am the one BEGGING my husband to let me put up Christmas decorations!  This year - I don't really care - I let the kids do it all and didn't even freak out when the tree wasn't perfectly centered or spaced just right.  I have realized that these things have lost their flare and their meaning to me because my heart and mind isn't here - it is focused halfway across the world on a little girl that I've never even seen.

Over the last week or so, as my heart has been empty and aching for my daughter - God revealed to me the joy and blessing that is right in front of me!  My kids have been super cuddly and lovey lately!  They might just be sucking up because they are SUPER excited to get to travel to Ethiopia with us - but I think it has been more than that.  I think God is allowing me to see the blessings that are in my life - instead of wishing away the days until we get to Naomi.  Jarod even crawled up in my lap the other day and just wanted to cuddle with me and let me rub his back - this NEVER happens!  Leah says, "I love you Mommy!" with a sticky kiss and a soft pat on my arm!  Noah is my love bug and always has loves for his Mama!

I have heard God's still small whisper calm my heart and tell me "Be Still!  Be content with where I have you.  Trust me to take care of everything.  I've got this."  I have felt a renewed sense of purpose in my classroom as I focus on the students that I can make a difference for in the here and now.  I am excited to get invested in our church family.  I am excited to be content to spend the evening cuddling with my kiddos and my honey!

Am I SUPER excited to see our daughter's face for the first time?  ABSOLUTELY

Will I go CRAZY, yelling and screaming, crying and rejoicing when we get to go meet her?  OF COURSE!

Will I try to be content and live EACH day in the MOMENT - allowing God to use me in the HERE and NOW to make a difference for HIS glory? I WILL DO MY BEST!

All In

Do you ever feel like sometimes God asks you to do things and you say "Ok God, I will do some of that."  He asks you to step out on faith and you are willing to step out just enough - as long as it is still comfortable.  Nothing radical or life changing, just the minimal so that you can claim obediance?

Through this adoption journey I am learning just how much I did this very thing.  Pray on other people's behalf who were being called to go through a radical and faith growing experience.  Give support and encouragement to others that were willing to go and spread God's love.  Give my support while keeping my comortable and controlled life.

All of that has changed!  I can tell you the moment that God began to shake my life and turn my type A - likes to control everything - hyperventilate if there is even a hint of change - life upside down!  God took hold of my life and told me - I am NOT done with you yet!  Really He said - I'm only JUST beginning! 

It is amazing as I look back over the last 8 months - I am in awe.  Each new step that God takes us on, drawing us closer to Him, giving us glimpses of His heart - Each step feels like that is what we are on this journey to learn, only to find out we don't know anything yet.  We aren't even CLOSE to the finish line of faith building and God revealing lessons.

First ~ God calls us to adopt - and through my husband no less which drives this control freak mama crazy that God used him and not me...but thankful none the less!

Second ~ God led us to Ethiopia - where we are falling more and more in love with the country and we haven't even been there.  God has put a passion in our hearts that is beyond anything that I could describe.

Third ~ God asks us to be open to a sibling group!  As I have explained before, we most likely will receive just our daughter - but you never know what God has planned.  If God asked us to be open to a sibling group strictly for obediance - then we will obey!  If God asked us to be open to a sibling group because our kids are out there waiting for us - then bring it on!  (Once again, God used my husband to urge our hearts toward siblings - drives my control crazy mind up a wall - but SO very thankful I have a husband that is listening to God's will for our lives!)

The Latest Urging - After talking to several families who have traveled recently and doing some talking ourselves - we have decided to take our children with us on our first trip over to Ethiopia! Yes - you heard correctly - we are VOLUNTARILY taking 3 children under the age of 9, halfway across the world, to a country we've never been to!  I get stressed packing my children to take them on a 4 day camping trip - and now I'm choosing to pack them up, put them on an endless flight, to a foreign country with crazy drivers and interesting cuisine. 

WHY in the WORLD would we make this choice?  Josh and I have been so blown away by this experience so far - God has shown us so much about His heart and His people along the way.  Our children have been changed too!  They look at the world differently and you can tell by the way that they pray.  They used to pray that they would have a fun day and sleep good - which they still do.  But now their prayers include "keep everyone in the world safe and healthy", "help people know that the real reason for Christmas is you Jesus", "help sister know that we love her and that you do to Jesus"!

God is molding and shaping our children to love Him and His people.  God is teaching us that this is not just about adding another child to our family.  This journey is about God moving His people, toward His heart.  We want to allow our children the life-changing experience of traveling with us on this amazing journey!  I want to watch my children interact and play with one another - all 4 (or so) of them!  I want to have my children experience the Ethiopian culture and get a glimpse of their sister's heritage.  I want my children to step away from the me-centered society that we live in and get a chance to love on their sister and other children of God!

Will it be hard at times - YES!  Will there be stress and chaos - I GUARANTEE IT!  Will God provide patience, and love, and guidance, and safety, and a LIFE-CHANGING experience for US ALL - You BETCHA!

I keep thinking that I have surrended to God's will for my life.  Then He brings a still small whisper - a gentle nudging - a simple direction - of where He wants to take me!  I am learning that I can not ARRIVE at God's will for my life - but I can be OPEN to His will for my life!  I am learning to say - Yes God...wherever and whatever...I'm ALL IN!

~ With God's Love and Blessing ~

The Krohn Family

(While the decision to travel with our children is a blessing and we are very excited, it will be adding quite a bit of expense to our already daunting adoption budget.  If you feel led to support our efforts please see the giving link on the sidebar.)

May God bless you while He moves you closer to Him!