tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87174801956172885352024-03-05T23:52:19.021-08:00Moved by Faith - Blessed EternallyOur unexpected journey to grow our family through adoption.Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-64857322715390566852016-11-19T20:49:00.001-08:002016-11-19T20:58:35.234-08:00Our FamilyWe were at a Christian concert earlier this week with our junior highers. Nothin' like making a mama feel old then putting her in an auditorium with music that is blaring words that she cannot understand. After three artists in a row that I couldn't understand I texted my husband to tell him how old I felt. Yes - I texted him sitting two seats down from me because it was too loud to talk to the man I love who was sitting with his ear plugs in to help muffle the noise. Point taken - we are not the concert goers that we used to be! Thankfully Newsong came on next and the night carried on with artists that I could relate to and worship with. The highlight of the night, as always, was raising my voice alongside my teens and thousands of other people in glory to God. As always they have a pastor speak and share the good news of the gospel. They pass the buckets for a love offering and they have tables and tables of pictures of little children who need sponsored all over the world. At intermission, close to the end of the night, my husband turned to me and said how coming to these events always makes him want to take another little one home with us. He <u style="font-weight: bold;">quickly</u> clarified - - I don't mean like home-home with us...I mean like sponsor one...not like adopting again...I just mean the flyers. Haha!!! Who has to clarify something like that??? I love that we do!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(We did<b> </b>get to bring home a sweet one with us this week - a new sponsorship for a little boy in India)</span></i></div>
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I love that we were obedient to God's call when He asked us to adopt. I love how God orchestrated each and every child that has come into our home. I love that Josh and I can have conversations that lead to life changing decisions through God's direction and guidance. <br />
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The blog has been pretty quiet over the last year and there are a lot of reasons why - - seven main reasons (as you can imagine life with seven kids keeps this mama pretty busy!). I hope to be on more often and keep everyone up to date with how things are going and what God is laying on my heart to share. The more dynamic our family gets I am acutely aware that there are lots of layers to our family. There are many stories to share and be inspired by - but also many stories that aren't mine to share. There are pasts that are precious and messy - - There are presents that are full of struggles and progress - - There are futures that are unknown and scary and hopeful. I am learning to see where the fine line is - between my story and theirs - - Between giving God the glory in what He is doing and giving my children a voice in their own story. For now - I want to update and introduce you to the newest Krohn members.<br />
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Over five years ago a conversation started that has taken our family on this journey that has almost doubled our family. Across oceans and state lines. Through blood and sweat and tears and a WHOLE lot of paperwork. There have been times of turmoil and times of elation. This last year has been an abundance of all of the above. This coming week will be one year from when we had our conference call with the case workers to interview us and see if we would be a good fit. The call went well and we felt SURE that our hearts would be heart broken if we weren't chosen. God placed them on our hearts when we first saw their pictures and we told the committee just that when they asked us "Why these kids when you already have five at home?" You see - it has never been about how many kids we do or do not have. It was never about wanting a fuller table or more mouths to feed. It has always been about being obedient to what God was asking us to do. It has always been about us being blessed by the kids that God has put in our family. It has always been about having enough room - - in our home and our hearts!<br />
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We started this adoption conversation almost two years ago. We prayerfully moved forward with a hope and a prayer. The timeline from the start was not what we had hoped for. It seemed like delay after delay and I was quickly reminded of the adoption reminders that God always gives me. I am NOT in CONTROL (how could I have forgotten this lesson learned from our first adoptions). We had to petition to be approved for more than one kid and we had to build another bedroom just to prove to them that we were all in. God laid on our hearts the desire to keep siblings together and we knew in our hearts that He would see us through to just the right ones. We sent out 90 inquiries over a six month time frame before we heard the words in mid-December that we were chosen for the kids who had already stolen our hearts.<br />
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We got to spend a few days with them in January and then they joined our home in March and legally became ours in September - rounding out our kid count to SEVEN!!! It's been a great few months - full of highs and lows and unknowns and firsts! We are so thankful to be where we are - surrounded by the kids we are! God knew - - all along - with all of them - He's known!<br />
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Welcome to Our Family!!<br />
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RICHARD is seven and crazy and busy and tender-hearted and helpful and a boys boy!!<br />
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TIANA is five and sassy and smart and silly and loves to sing!<br />
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Family is about learning to love and be loved! It's about being there for each other and mentoring and showing grace. It's about looking outside yourself and having playmates! Siblings are what makes a family a family!</div>
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Our Family - Better Together - For His glory!</div>
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-4244454738850028392016-06-18T21:25:00.000-07:002016-06-18T21:25:12.661-07:00Finding WingsHave you ever watched a caterpillar crawl around oblivious to the world around it. It spends it's days munching and crunching among the greenery that makes up its whole world. Caterpillars wiggle through day in and day out growing and living life. Then one day they get a sense of purpose that leads them to change - - to close up and wrap up and let God do His thing.<br />
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Do you ever feel like a caterpillar? Do you ever find yourself all wrapped up waiting for God to work in your life - to change you and inspire you to come out anew? Do you ever feel like the caterpillar that is waiting and waiting for the cocoon - wondering when God is going to change you and use you and transform you?</div>
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Coming through two international adoptions, one state-to-state foster adoption, and three full term pregnancies - - I have had my fair share of waiting and of feeling all wrapped up in a cocoon! The anticipation of what it will look like on the other side - - the fear of the unknown - - the hunger for the change - - the sense to just trust and let it play out how it's meant to. Looking back over my life I can see times of crawling through the leaves, and times of change and transformation that comes in the wait, and there have been times of emerging on the other side to find new gifts and wings that have taken me to new levels and adventures.</div>
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I recently read a blog post written by a fellow adoptive mom about the blessings of adoption and fostering. It was on the cost of change that we choose to have in our lives - - emotional, financial, marital, etc. She mentioned that we go into adoption and parenting wondering what it will cost us - - and let me tell you it DOES cost! It costs blood, sweat, and tears - - oh so many heart wrenching tears! The adoptive mama of the blog post was bold enough to ponder - what if the reasoning behind our parenting is not for us to bless them....but what if it is because of the blessings that they turn out to be in our lives!</div>
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As a mother of SEVEN - as a mother to belly babies and babies that don't share my DNA - as a mother to teenagers all the way down to my five year old - as a mother to my five boys and my two precious princesses - - as a mother....I will tell you that the blessings are MINE! I feel like I was crawling around as a caterpillar - oblivious to the blessings that God had in store for me! He wrapped me up in motherhood and asked me to trust Him and let Him guide my life and that He would bless me in return and give me wings - wings to fly - and wings to see the world anew - and wings to change lives - and wings to inspire....and you know what? The wings that He gave me are my children - - each and every one of them!</div>
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I have pondered and reminisced a lot lately of the journey that God has brought me on as a mother! My oldest belly baby turned thirteen this year, our Ethiopians have been home for almost four years, and we brought home our newest two three months ago! Seven blessings that I don't deserve and that I didn't even know that I needed in my life - but I do! I need each and every one of them and God knew we were meant for each other. I am so thankful that I trusted God to walk this crazy journey that He has given me.</div>
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As I spend time with my kiddos and get to know them more and more I feel like they are on their own journey of finding their wings. Some of them are just munching and crunching through life growing and roaming, oblivious to what is to come. Some are wrapped up inside their cocoon changing and transforming into what God has planned. Some of the older ones are starting to peak out of their chrysalis. They are trying to find themselves and see where their wings will take them. Each of them are growing and changing and blossoming into amazing little blessings! I am so thankful that God put me in their lives for these moments - for the befores and the afters...for the bright times and the dark times...for the new times and the waiting. I am thankful that I am getting a front row seat as I watch my blessings change and transform and grow into all that God has in store for them.</div>
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Whether you find yourself waiting-yearning for God to wrap you up and create a change in your heart...or maybe you are deep within the cocoon as God changes and prepares you for what is to come...or you are emerging into the light with a new vision and passion - - wherever God has you - - I will tell you the same thing that I desire for each of my children to understand as they are on their own journey to find their wings....God is with you through it all and He will see you through and it will be far more than you could ever hope or imagine!</div>
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So trust the process - - be changed and renewed and come out with wings to take on the world! </div>
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-79985732654292782172016-04-04T21:03:00.004-07:002016-04-04T21:03:57.081-07:00Settling In!We've been home with our precious new children for two weeks. Anyone who is close to the adoption realm knows that the range of the honeymoon period varies greatly from child to child. We had a wonderful few days visiting with the kids back in January - but definitely saw glimpses of behaviors that showed that the kids were processing all that was happening to their little lives. When we arrived to pick up the kids and begin life as a family - - the kids started right in! It was a hard first day or two as they were testing boundaries and learning if they could trust us with their emotions. They were doing their best to cope with all the goodbyes that they had to give and the preparation for all the hellos to new family that would be coming in the days to come. They did great on the drive home and were anxious to meet all their new siblings. We were blessed to be able to bring them home during Spring Break week so the kids were all home and able to spend some precious time getting to know each other. There were healthy emotions from all of the children as they got used to the idea of each other.<br />
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The first week was full of lots of fun and relaxation as we provided unstructured time to just be together. They did well processing through a high stimulating holiday right off the bat - - anyone who has been there done that knows how huge of a success that is! They did well out and about for short amounts of time and have even done okay with others in our home for limited amounts of time. Our transition time and cocooning has looked very different this time around. Last time we adopted, the boys were in pure CULTURE shock! Everything was brand new and overwhelming - from the smells they smelled to the food they ate to the language they heard and spoke. This time there is new and change but the sense of feeling overwhelmed is much different and seems easier. When there are frustrations or confusions or emotions - the kids have the language and the words to talk it through which makes life a whole lot easier as we help them process and heal.<br />
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This last week school started back up which meant early mornings and routines. It meant added stress and anxiety from everyone. Josh and I have been blessed with the opportunity to be home for a few weeks during this initial transition period and boy am I thankful. It takes a lot of energy - physically and emotionally - to blend relationships and build trust. There has been intentional time spent with each kid in the house at different stages throughout the day as they seek affirmation and assurance that they are loved and as they process through the change.<br />
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As we get to know what our new normal is and begin to settle in - it never ceases to amaze me that God orchestrates everything so perfectly. I find myself looking around my living room when we are all crashed out, draped under blankets, cuddled up to each other - and my heart feels full!! A smile comes to my face and my heart sighs deeply as I think about God bringing all of these precious children into my care in all of their own unique ways. It brings joy as I look at all the shades of skin and the rainbow of hair colors - it makes me smile knowing that this is what God's love is and I get a glimpse of it every single day!<br />
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So - moving forward we are going to continue to love on the kids that God has given us! We are going to continue to trust Him to help us build trust and love into our children's hearts and show them what FAMILY looks like. We are thankful for the prayers and encouragement of those of you who have stood by our side and stepped in to be our village! We are thankful for those that have brought meals or sent bags of clothes! We are thankful for those that have asked our kids about their new siblings and gave them a little hug as they shared their hearts. We are thankful for amazing coworkers/friends who have stepped in to make sure things ran smoothly while we are taking time to be home with our family. Mostly we are thankful for the chance to be right here-right now as God works in and through our family!<br />
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Keep praying for us as we know everyone will continue to cope and process. Keep praying for us as we continue to trust God with our hearts and our family - on the good days and the hard days that are sure to come.</div>
Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-48714006043575137092016-03-09T17:55:00.000-08:002016-03-09T17:55:17.524-08:00Coming HOME!!!It has been just over five months since we first saw their faces....and two and a half months since we found out they would be ours! After many tears and prayers and filling out and redoing paperwork....we got word today that our paperwork is complete and we have approval to bring the newest Krohn kids HOME!!!<br />
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There have been highs and lows on this roller coaster called adoption - - and we don't even have them home yet. There were times where things looked like they were just wrapping up - to turn around and seem like it was all falling apart. Through it all, this last week I hit a place of peace and surrender. I knew that my worry and attempts to control everything were doing no good. I fully surrendered our process and our family and our future to God and knew that however He worked it out that I would trust Him and know it was best. I have started each morning praying that I would be here and present and that I would be a blessing to the children that were placed in my path - - the children in my home and the children in my classroom. The weeks prior to that I was stressed and didn't want to be at work - - it made me mad that I was teaching the plans that I had made for a sub to teach to my class while I was supposed to be on leave. The delays made me stressed and worried that it would all fall apart - - and at times it seemed like it would. But this week God met me - - there in the cry of my heart to trust Him - He met me - - in the songs he would stick in my head in the mornings about peace and joy - He met me. I've had more peace this week than I have had in months and I'm so thankful that He brought me to this place. I know many of you were praying for us and I was definitely feeling it this week.<br />
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We are all excited to finally be bringing the kids home. We both have work obligations that we need to see to next week, so we will be traveling to get the kids NEXT weekend. It falls at the start of Spring Break for all the kids so it will be a nice time to all be together for the week before school picks back up. Please know that with all of the excitement there will be a lot of transition happening and we envy your continued prayers. Our children have been blessed to have some consistency in their life while in foster care which is such a blessing - - but will make the transition to our home difficult as they will be grieving the relationships that they will be losing by coming into our home. We will still be keeping in touch with some of those people and know that they will always have a place in their lives - - but it will not be the same and will be a hard transition for our new young ones. </div>
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We are once again meshing and melding into a new family dynamic. There will be seven little ones in our home getting used to each other and we will be working to find our new normal. Please be patient with us - - we may hole up for a while - - we may decline coming to events - - we may not want people over to the house. When we do make appearances out in public - please respect our space and decisions with our kids. Please don't hug on them or offer them things without asking. We are working at having them bond and attach to us and it gets confusing and has added stress when out in public. Please don't tell them how lucky they are to have us or how blessed we must be - - they have lost a lot in their little lives to be in the situation that they are joining our family and it is not to be taken lightly. Please honor and respect the time that we feel we need to give to our kids - - but please DON'T DISAPPEAR!! Please still pray for us - please text or message words of encouragement - please check in and see how we are doing - please offer to help out with the other kids in the house. We love you all and appreciate the support and encouragement that you guys have shown our family as God has grown our family into what it has now become. We definitely could not have done it without all of your prayers and support.</div>
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As excited as we are that the paperwork is finally done and we are finally getting to bring these precious kiddos home - - the real adventure is just beginning. The next weeks and months will be hard. There will be tears and hard times...but there will be joy and laughter too! Through it all we will continue to lean on God and trust His plan for our family. We will continue to give God the glory because without Him we would be nothing.</div>
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-39172610184483879062016-02-03T19:24:00.000-08:002016-02-03T19:24:15.025-08:00Ups and DownsAnyone that has been very close at all to an adoption knows that it can be stressful and can come with highs and lows. This week has been an emotional roller coaster! Part of it is my fault - - now that I've met my kids and held them in my arms I want to bring them home SO BADLY!!! Part of my stress and feelings of being overwhelmed is because I am not content in the wait.<br />
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Anyone that knows me very well knows that I do not do well when I do not have control. God knew this about me and that is why He has had me wade through adoption paperwork on more than one occasion -- numerous amounts of paperwork that you are relying on OTHER people to complete. Not only to complete but to complete correctly - - and in a timely manner - - and as if people's lives depend on it...because they DO!!! People's lives depend on each little signature and each little form filled out when you are working on an adoption - - and to be the one who's life is affected and have no control!!! Now you see where my worry and stress comes in - - I recognize that this is something I struggle with and have learned to turn it over to God. Oddly enough though - my turning it over to God looks an awful lot like a toddler pleading and begging for a cookie at bedtime. It starts with pretty pleases and an innocent angelic face - - then it turns into angry stamping and saying "I want" - - then at the most dire of times (like today) it turns in to full on sobs and pleading with God for some sort of direction.<br />
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Many of you have been praying over the last couple days for our paperwork. The last three days have been full of ups and downs in the process. Just when I felt down and out - something would shift and make things seem back on track - only to have something else that happened that seemed to derail us. I got a call yesterday afternoon that stirred up some issues. 24 hours later when I got a call this afternoon from our case worker we still didn't know much - but best case scenario we were set back a week or two having to re-do some paperwork....worse case scenario we were starting OVER from square one (like new fingerprinting, homestudy, the works - - which would have taken months)!<br />
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I finally broke down and let the tears fall - - and once they started there wasn't an end in site anytime soon. Hubby was at work - - kids were doing chores and looking at me weird out of the corner of their eye wondering what in the world was wrong with me. I had to drive to a neighboring town (to pick up a library book that was left at our tax appointment - oh joy!) and was thankful for the quiet drive to clear my head and just let the tears fall as I prayed to God and tried to make sense of the possibility of not bringing the kids home for months!! I couldn't wrap my mind around it and my heart was discouraged - - I sang to the christian radio some and cried some and pleaded with God a LOT.<br />
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As I pulled into my driveway an email dinged through on my phone - - it was my case worker and she had finally heard back from the person we needed to hear from to know how we needed to proceed......in a brief couple sentence email (that she sent to me after hours when she was already home but knew that I needed to know) all was right in the world and my tears (that had been going now for over an hour) were now tears of relief! They need to simply resubmit the correct form - I'm hoping it only delays us a week or two! This morning - - this is the delay that I DID NOT want!!! But after being faced with starting at square one and possibly months and months of more paperwork - - - I'll take resubmitting!!<br />
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I probably won't be able to truly let my breath out that I seem to constantly be holding until they are in my arms and I am bringing them home. BUT - - your prayers have been working and I have felt them and feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many that care so much about our family. Adoptions are always full of stress and anxiety and things that can be discouraging - - Satan HATES seeing kids come into loving God fearing homes. He will do all he can to steal, kill, and destroy our joy and hope and love!<br />
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Continue to pray friends - - pray these kiddos home!! And then pray for them IN our home because those first few months are HARD!! I appreciate you all more than you know.Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-74367840365665362622016-01-26T21:05:00.000-08:002016-01-26T21:05:57.155-08:00Hugs and I Love You'sWe got to spend last week getting to know our new kiddos! It took a lot of man hours to prepare the crew here to be set up and taken care of for the week. Thanks to grandmas and grandpas and family friends - the kids were all settled and scheduled for the week. I got sub plans done - which is no easy feat - and were ready for a week away to spend time with my hubby and my new kids. We had some flight delays but not too bad. We got a good night sleep our first night in town and headed out to the kids' foster home the next morning to meet them. We were anxious and nervous and weren't sure how it would go - - last time around when we met our new kids the first bonding was spent wading through language and cultural barriers. There were lots of things to teach them and show them since everything was literally brand new. This time felt different and we weren't real sure how they would respond to us. They had only found out about us less than a week before so we weren't sure what they were expecting either.<br />
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We knocked on the door and were greeted by their foster mom - her and I have been emailing and calling for the last few weeks and we have already started a bond and friendship. It was great to meet her and tell her thank you for loving on our kids for us. As we walked into the house - R came running across the room and leaped into Josh's arms. T hid behind the coffee table giggling a nervous giggle. It took some coaxing but she finally came over and gave me a hug. They showed us their rooms and the pictures we had sent (the kids had all written them notes to welcome them to the family). There were a LOT of nervous giggles and activity. After about ten minutes they were ready to head out. We grabbed their bags and car-seats and we were off to bond and get to know each other - for the next four days.<br />
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I quickly realized that it had been a long time since we've had a toddler in the house - - I needed a MOM purse...to carry snacks and wipes and water bottles. A quick stop at Target and we were all set. T spent the first day just staring at us - nestling her head into us - and calling out "Mommy" or "Daddy" as she gave a hug. She craved the chance to call us Mommy and Daddy and would say it over and over again. R was definitely more reserved. He had lots of questions and stories to tell and we were "Josh" and "Tausha" when he talked to us. The first day went well and was full of nervous energy and building trust. I got lots of hugs and even an "I love you" from each of the kids by mid-day - - that was definitely more than I expected. They truly are ready to have a family and crave that place in someone's heart. I spent the day hefting my mom purse on one shoulder and carrying "T" on my other hip (it's been a long time since I've carried a child around all the time...but when a cute little 4 year old that you are trying to bond and attach to says "Hold me mommy!" you hold her and cuddle her and whisper how much you love her in her ear - - no matter how much your arms and back start aching because you are out of shape and not used to it!). Needless to say - we all went to bed exhausted (probably emotionally and physically).<br />
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Over the next couple of days we had meetings and outings. We spent time learning about likes and dislikes. We had a few sibling arguments and a couple of meltdowns - - we got yelled at and there were tears. And honestly I'm thankful - - the meltdowns and the tears are healthy and show us that they trust us enough to be vulnerable and show some emotion. It shows us that they feel like they can be real and test some boundaries and not just put up a front and pretend that everything is okay. Because honestly - everything isn't okay. Their ENTIRE world is changing and transitioning and is full of unknowns.<br />
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We had some meltdowns and tears on the home front too! We phoned home a couple days in to have the kids "meet" on Facetime and check in with how everyone was doing. By the end of the talk the three youngest were all in tears. If you know us at all - we leave our kids often! They are used to spending the weekend at grandmas - they never fall apart or miss us like this. This trip was different though - it was full of emotion and change and unknowns. Their ENTIRE world is changing too and they have to figure out where they fit in all of it.<br />
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By the end of our week - "T" was asking me over and over - - "I'm your baby girl?? - Yes, sweetie you are my baby girl...forever and ever. - And you're my mommy? - Yes, sweetie I'm your mommy...forever and ever!"<br />
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By the end of our week - we were no longer "Josh" and "Tausha" - R was naturally and out of habit calling us "Dad" and "Mom" - he was wearing Dad's hat all the time and even wanting to order the same food as Dad - he wants to be just like him and craves a Daddy hero to look up to.<br />
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By the end of the week I was catching a cold and we were over living out of a hotel. It is exhausting eating out and entertaining kids at outings (movies, bowlings, museums) - we fit in 4 different meetings with social workers and even a meeting with the school. We were sad to hug our kids goodbye but we were missing our kiddos here and the routine of everyday life in our home. We helped them get ready for bed and tucked them in - we told them we loved them and that we would call soon and often until we can come get them. Our time with them was precious and we are thankful for our few days. We got to know their tender sides and the parts of their hearts that are wading through the grief and trauma that has been their life. We got a glimpse of the months ahead - the good things and the hard things that we will be working through.<br />
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Our paperwork is submitted and our checklists are in the process of getting checked over - our case worker anticipated that we may have approval in approximately 4 weeks. We are keeping our fingers crossed for mid-February but we'll see how everything goes. In the mean time - we are going to keep in touch with the kids through phone calls and Facetime. We are going to reassure them that we love them and that we are still here. We are going to treasure our kids that our in our home and reassure them that we love them and help them wade through this transition. I'm going to be busy getting my classroom ready to be gone for a few weeks when the kids come home.<br />
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Please pray for us - - please pray for our paperwork...for our kids here...for our kids there...for all the hearts involved that will be saying goodbyes and hellos...please pray for doctors and teachers and workers that are working to get the kids into a forever family...please pray that above all else we will continue to trust God to guide and direct and comfort our family through this process!<br />
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-90267418035687605372016-01-06T20:51:00.000-08:002016-01-06T20:51:39.546-08:00What's Next??We have been overwhelmed by the support and encouragement from friends and family as they have joined us in celebrating our good news! The kids got to share in the excitement as they went back to school this week - getting to tell their friends and teachers about our new additions. Everyone seemingly has the same response - CONGRATULATIONS - NOW WHAT?! What's next?? Well - we don't know a lot but I'll try and walk you through what we do know.<br />
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We DO know that we will be MEETING the kids in THIRTEEN days!!!! Josh and I will be flying down and spending a few days loving on our new little ones. The days will consist of some meetings - with therapists, case workers, school teachers, etc. But that time is also going to be filled with TIME - time with our kids just soaking them in and beginning to form a bond with them. We understand that this transition is going to be difficult for them, and we want to earn their trust at their pace and help and support them during this time best we can.<br />
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We DO know that our paperwork was submitted to their state office the week of Christmas. It has to get through their office and then through the Idaho state office. This paperwork will give us permission to bring the kids out of the state they are in, and allow them to be placed in Idaho. We anticipated this stage taking a couple of months. Well - we got an email last week that said it usually only takes about a MONTH! We were surprised and felt like everything was going quickly! We will continue to pray that everything goes through smoothly and that God's timing will be perfect!<br />
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We DO know that once we have our paperwork completed for our state approval, we cannot bring the kids home until our agency has ALL of the necessary documents they need. Luckily, the kids' caseworkers have the list - several of the things are already in place, and they are working on gathering the rest of the items. Our case worker said that there is often a piece or two of paperwork that isn't quite in place when state approval comes through, which ends up delaying bringing the kids home. Please pray with us that ALL the documents that our agency requires will be gathered in the next couple weeks so that we can bring the kids home as soon as we get state approval.<br />
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We DO know that the kids DON'T know about us yet! We found out we were their family two and a half weeks ago. Unfortunately with the holidays the last couple of weeks, many of the offices have been closed and people were on vacation. The kids were also out of town for a while celebrating Christmas with their foster family. We are hopeful that they will find out in the next couple of days. We know that they will need some time to find out about us (they will be using our photo book to get to know the kids and our family) and process the change that will be coming. Please pray with us for their hearts as they find out that their whole world will be changing. Please pray as the people in their lives will be working on preparing them to meet us in a couple of weeks.<br />
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We DO know a TON of information about the kids! We have been blessed with some email communication with the foster family and they have been WONDERFUL about answering questions about the kids. From everything to what size clothes are they in - to their favorite colors - to what kind of hair products do they use. They have been great! We even had a nice long phone call where little "T" walked in to ask her foster mom something and I got to hear her sweet voice. I may be biased but she has the cutest little voice EVER!<br />
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We DON'T know for sure when we will get to bring the kids home. We anticipate it being approx 4-6 weeks from now. We also have dealt a LOT in adoption paperwork over the last several years and we know it often doesn't come early or on time - but usually LATER than anticipated! We are hopeful to have the kids home around mid-February, but realize that it very well could be end of February or early March or mid-March. Anyone who knows me as the planner-TypeA person that I am - you know that I don't do well with vague. Unfortunately, when dealing with paperwork you deal in vague and you expect delays. We know that it will happen in God's timing and pray for His guidance and peace until then. We know that the transition will be hard for everyone involved so we are spending our time preparing for the difficult few months ahead.<br />
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We DO know that GOD loves us and orchestrated our family for this journey! During the first adoption when people would ask me "Why Ethiopia?" my response was simple "Because that is where my kids are - if they were in a different country that's where we would go." Ethiopia did not bring about what we expected - but it brought exactly what God expected and I am SO thankful for that! This time we felt led to stay in the States and people once again asked why not Ethiopia or some other country. In my heart it was an easy answer - this is where my kids are! We have felt God already leading this matching to our kids and are excited to watch Him work it all out.<br />
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** Please continue to pray for our family - for our kids here and there who will be coming together soon! Pray for our adopted children as all of this may bring up emotions of their own adoption. Pray for our younger kids as they learn to not be the babies of the family anymore, and they have to learn to share the attention that comes with being the youngest. Pray for us, as parents, that we would be mindful of all of our kids and their needs and have insight in how to spread our love and attention to each one of our kids exactly how they need it. Pray for our family - that we would continue to trust God's plan and journey for our future.Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-82349855374331955102015-12-18T23:33:00.001-08:002015-12-19T21:34:57.122-08:00Adding TWO to our FLOCK - Matched!!Do you ever have those moments when God just shows up and orchestrates everything? When we went through our first adoptions, God gave us little clues here and there that reassured us that we were on His path to finding our kids. From the timing-to the names-to a kid in the background of a family picture that would some day be IN the family picture - God gave us little signs all along the way that just make me smile. He cares about the little bits of the story that end up weaving an amazing masterpiece. One of those times was when we saw Nahome's sweet face for the first time - you can read about it <a href="http://krohnjourney.blogspot.com/2012/03/most-beautiful-brown-eyes-ive-ever-seen.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. There was something about him that stole my heart from the first glance - I knew he was special and meant for us. As we went through the adoption and brought our boys home, there were moments looking back that were just like that. Special little glimpses that showed us that God always knew. I remember looking back on how it worked last time and wishing that I would have paid attention to God unfolding it as He worked - so I could see each little special glimpse as we went. As we started this adoption, I anticipated God working in the same way. It has been no secret, however, that this adoption has felt very different than last time. It has been quiet and contemplative. There has been more fear and feelings of the unknown. No signs of assurance that we were on the right track - just God's gentle whispers to trust Him.<br />
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That is....until the first week of October! I was scanning through adoption sites looking for kids to submit inquiries on. This is something I did every few days. As I opened up a site - that I hadn't been to for a while - a couple cute little faces popped up and my heart jumped a beat! I read their profile, elbowed Josh and showed him their picture and gave a little gasp as I told him "Babe - these could be our kids!". Now - you have to know! We had submitted inquiries on over EIGHTY sibling groups over the last 5 months. There are lots of wonderful kids, but these are the ONLY kids that I had felt this way about. Josh's response was "Well - maybe they are. Last time you elbowed me when you saw a cute little face - God brought us Nahome!". I remember thinking to myself - - wake up and pay attention! You wanted to be aware and watch God unfold each step along the way - this is the start of their story! Could it really be? I didn't know, but I had hope in my heart for the first time during this adoption and I didn't want to miss a thing.<br />
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We submitted our homestudy and waited to hear - just like we did with all of our inquiries. A couple of weeks went by and our case manager got word that they were looking into some In-state families but said to check back in about a month to get a status update. "In-State Only" was something we were all too familiar with! There were MANY inquiries that we were declined because they were wanting to keep the kids in state to be near other family, etc. As we got news that they were looking in-state for these two, we chalked it up as another dead-end inquiry. BUT - - I couldn't shake them. My mind wandered to them often - my heart hoped for them - and my thoughts were filled with prayers for them. They said to give it a month...so we waited and went on with life as usual.<br />
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Well, three and a half weeks later we got an email that they had been given approval to look out of state and they wanted to have a phone conference with us! This is the first conference call we had been asked to be a part of and we were beyond elated that it was with the kids who had stirred our hearts. We were excited and hopeful that God would work it all out. We had to wait through the weekend for our time with the team - our minds were reeling and we were antsy and anticipating how it would all work out. We knew we would get to learn a little about these sweet kids that God laid on our heart and to try and show them a little glimpse into our family and our hearts - to wait and see if God opened or closed doors. The call was amazing - we felt such peace about the kids and their needs. We felt that we opened up and showed them who we are and were real with them and laid our hearts out for them to see. We felt that we allowed God to speak through us. As the call ended we were even more certain these kids might become a part of our family! We found out that we were 1 of 5 families in this phase of the process and that they would be taking a couple of weeks to finish up interviews and meet to make a decision about these kids that had become so special to us.<br />
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As we went through the Thanksgiving holiday, and the first few weeks of December with all the traditions of Christmas shopping and decorating - our hearts yearned to know if these were our kids and how next Christmas would look with them in it. We begged and pleaded with God - hoping that His plan would match with what our hearts were aching for! We trusted that God would open or close the door to these two - but we knew we would be devastated if it closed. We continued to search adoption sites and submit inquiries - but honestly each inquiry I made felt hollow. I didn't really want any of them to be mine - because my heart had already been taken. My mind wandered and wondered through all the specifics - where would they sleep, go to daycare, how will we tell the kids, what will it be like when we first meet them? My heart also worried about the heartache if it wasn't us - if God closed the door. We just had to wait and trust and pray.<br />
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We were told after our phone conference that they would be making a decision THIS week! Needless to say - I have had trouble sleeping and my heart raced each time my phone beeped! We've anxiously awaited the time to know if this door is closing - - or if our hearts and arms get to open wide and bring them into our lives! Well - - - this morning we got the call that our family was chosen!! God worked it all out and He allowed a spark in our hearts that started a couple of months ago to grow into a yearning and a love for these sweet kids we haven't even met! We are excited to announce that our not-so-little flock will be growing by TWO - - a little 6 1/2 yr old brother and a cute little 4 1/2 year old sister will be joining us in the next few months!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYVmK1Idq9AUEyRHT0Tv9SufvtxB4ZOfKfsu6T99Q_VA7yWnC0-jG8MjXtBOxxyO3a94fDivczA99yEPSUbFC1wgsHkaCS59tdvgTnYgJfyOtWpWO9CCFbw0J6xMe-jXyR4nrhCXUSkU/s1600/birds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYVmK1Idq9AUEyRHT0Tv9SufvtxB4ZOfKfsu6T99Q_VA7yWnC0-jG8MjXtBOxxyO3a94fDivczA99yEPSUbFC1wgsHkaCS59tdvgTnYgJfyOtWpWO9CCFbw0J6xMe-jXyR4nrhCXUSkU/s320/birds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We don't know a lot of the specifics yet as we move forward - - we do know it will take a lot of paperwork and probably a couple of months to get them ready to come home from out of state. We are hoping to go down and meet them and spend a couple days with them sometime next month. A few weeks after that, we are hoping to take all the kids down to meet them and begin their time of bonding and having fun as siblings.<br />
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We don't know what the future holds and we know there will be tough times ahead as transitions happen and our family finds it's new dynamic. But today - our hearts are full and we are at peace knowing that God loves us and has given us two more beautiful blessings. And you know what - looking back now that part of this story is revealed...there ARE little bits! There are little bits of this story that date back to last year - - some to over four years ago when we started our first adoption (just shortly after this daughter was born) - little bits that point to these kids being in our family and God orchestrating it all!<br />
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<em>We aren't sure yet what the guidelines are on sharing information - </em></div>
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<em>but we are pretty sure we can't share their beautiful faces. SO - this will have to do!</em></div>
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** Please continue to pray for us - - for our new kids as they find out that their life is going to be changing. For the kids currently in our home as they prepare for the plans to come. For us as we make travel plans and finalize paperwork. That we would continue to trust in God's plan and His timing!<br />
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Merry Christmas from our flock to yours - - we know it will always be a Christmas to remember!</div>
Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-27186588153222531852015-11-23T19:52:00.001-08:002015-11-23T19:52:42.488-08:00Steps of FaithThere are times that God asks you to do things and verifies each step along the way! It feels like you are RIGHT where God wants you to be and it is crystal clear. You may not see the why or the how but you know the what - God walks with you and guides you. God grows us and stretches us by asking us to trust Him - to step out in faith. There are other times that it is not as clear - and He still asks you to step out in faith. As we send out inquiries and wonder all the what ifs as we look at little faces that could or might not become a part of our family - we have no way of knowing, all we can do is trust that God will close or open doors as He guides our kids home.<div>
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One thing that has surprised us is how quiet this adoption has been. We send out inquiries here and there and hear back from inquiries every once in a while. For the most part - it is much less communication between us and case workers than we thought it would be. As we have gotten to look closer at kids' files, we have prayed for God's plan to be clear - to pull out of an inquiry knowing they wouldn't be a good fit for our family or to seek more information wondering if they could possibly be ours. God has opened and closed doors as we knew He would. He continues to guide our family and asks for us to take small steps of faith - making decisions not knowing what the outcome will be. </div>
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We continue to look into faces and send out inquiries wondering if these will end up being our kids - with each sweet face a little piece of me feels like it goes with them wondering if they will one day call me mama. With each new step I feel my heart getting wrapped up in theirs and know that my heart won't be able to come out unscathed. Stepping out in faith - putting your heart out there - not knowing what will come of it - knowing you may get hurt in the process - moving forward knowing that it may not work out but if it does it will be full of blessings beyond belief!</div>
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This is where we find ourselves - - too committed and deep in the process to be anything but ALL IN! Praying and hoping that God's plan looks like the plan playing in our hearts. Trusting and hoping that God will continue to clearly open and close doors as He brings our family closer to home. Faithfully continuing to step out in faith - - even when we can't see what is around the bend.</div>
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Please continue to pray for us along this process. Pray for us to trust God's plan for our family and be bold and brave enough to follow it, even when it feels blurry and unknown. Pray for our children that will be coming into our home (wherever they are) - that they would be safe and loved and that God would start preparing their hearts for the difficult transition that will come. Please pray for our children in our home now - that they would be ready and prepared for all the change that will come to our home and for ease of transition to a new normal when the time comes. Please pray for our health and finances - - honestly Satan does not like seeing orphans cared for or families uniting together in God's name and we have felt bombarded and tested and know it is because we are obediently following God's plan. Please pray that we would continue to lean on God and step out in faith as He grows our family.</div>
Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-13427871614423973232015-10-31T09:14:00.000-07:002015-10-31T18:11:07.352-07:00GROWIsn't it funny how looking back on life can give you a mix of different emotions? Sometimes it's - "I am so thankful that's over!" others it is "I miss those days". Some you look back with sadness at the hurt and the pain and still others bring tears to your eyes from the overwhelming joy that is left on your heart from the memory. It seems that I have been doing a lot of life pondering lately. As I have said, these last few months have been trying - - and the struggle has been personal - limited to my inner struggles. Satan likes to trap us in our own self crisis so that we don't really see - - see the world, see what God has planned, see what love can do! Looking back at our last adoption, I have many emotion filled memories. It was some of the hardest months of my life but I felt alive and felt God right by my side walking us down the path He had chosen for our family. It is the time that I felt closest to God and every adoption choice we made I felt God's reassurance that we were on track - following His Will. I grew more in my faith and relationship with God through our adoption than I ever could have imagined.<br />
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Going into this adoption I was bracing myself for the ride! I knew the roller coaster that it had been last time and the raw emotion that gets drug up and bared for all to see. I remembered the yearning in my soul to see through God's eyes - to have my heart broken for His people - to see just a glimpse of this broken world through His lense. I remembered the excitement of the unknown and the passion in my heart as He asked us to walk hand in hand with him in FAITH. But this time has been different...<br />
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...the feelings have been different and the yearning in my heart is different. I find myself asking God what's next and where now and He seems quiet and almost distant. It feels like He keeps whispering, "Trust Me". And I do! I DO trust Him - - but it feels so different...it feels so unsure and unknown and unstable. I feel myself being pulled and stretched in a COMPLETELY different way than last time! Last time it felt passionate and full force....this time feels quiet and personal, almost lonely. <br />
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Last time there seemed to be so much to share with those around us - our passion seemed infectious and God used our story to motivate and inspire. I was blogging a few days a week - my heart brimming with the passion and excitement of it all - needing to get it out and share it with the world. I was writing letters to my child to be and felt a heart wrenching need to hold and care for them. It was emotional and raw and real. This time the blog has been quieter - because my heart feels quieter - I'm not sure what to say or share. My heart is full of unknowns - - when and where?? I don't know. How many and what genders or ages? I don't know. The passion for what God has planned for our family feels real....but blurry. I can't quite see what it will look like....I can't quite feel what it will feel like....I can't quite glimpse what we will become.<br />
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What I do know is that God called us down this path and He is working. What I do know is that we don't have to FEEL His presence to know that He is there. What I do know is that we can GROW just as much in the quiet times as we can in the full force times. What I do know is that God is asking me to lean on Him - in a different way than last time - - but asking still the same! What I do know is that I will!<br />
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There is a new song on the radio that I have fallen in love with! It makes me want more for myself and it makes me yearn for my children to love and know God and GROW in His grace. It makes me want to put my trust in God so that I can GROW deeper in my faith and in my love for Him and His people. It made me realize that God GROWS us all differently, but He loves us enough to continue fighting for us. Even though this time feels different and quiet, my prayer is that He will continue to GROW me into what He has planned for me.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">~GROW~</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Down in the dirt buried deep</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">There is a promise there's a seed</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">And with some sun and with some rain</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">A little shelter from the pain</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">With some patience and some time you'll see</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">It grow and grow</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Stretch your arms up to the sky and like a bird you'll learn to fly And grow</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Some fall upon the rocky ground</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Does anyone hear when they cry out</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Some fall upon a bed of thorns</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Guess you can't help where you're born</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Lord pick them up with your hand, 'place them in the good land so they can</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Grow, and grow</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Stretch your arms up to the sky and like a bird you'll learn to fly</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">And grow, and grow </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Let your branches spread and bloom from that seed inside of you you'll grow And grow</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">And with some sun and with some rain</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">A little shelter from the pain</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">With some patience and some time you'll see</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">It grow and grow</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: nexaRegular, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">~ Kolby Koloff ~</span></div>
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-84840531533713696762015-09-06T20:11:00.003-07:002015-09-06T20:42:54.480-07:00Peace in the WaitMany people have been asking how things are going with the adoption. Well - - - it has been going, it just doesn't feel like it. Our home study has been out and about in the land of social workers for two months now. With all of the kids waiting for families, you'd think that it would be a fairly swift matching. This, however, is not the case. The process has been pretty quiet and we really don't hear much from week to week. The process is so very different from our previous adoptions and we really didn't quite know what to expect during the wait. We weren't sure if the process was normal for this type of adoption or if we needed to be doing things differently, so we contacted our case worker a week or so ago to get her take on things. I came away from my conversation with her feeling better and more settled into the waiting game. She said that our case has been very normal and that we have some good and active inquiries (we submit inquiries on kids that we are interested in and they look at our home study). She said that since she has been doing this, no family has been matched in the first couple of months. She said the average is SIX MONTHS and only one family has ever gone over a year. She said she has gotten really good feedback from social workers about our home study and our family.<br />
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SO - - we wait! We wait for God to orchestrate it all! We wait for God to prepare our hearts! We wait for God to prepare their hearts! We wait for God to paint His masterpiece and guide us down His path in growing our family!<br />
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And honestly - - I have PEACE! The last several months have been hard and trying. There have been several things that our family has dealt with that would have been major triggers for kids from trauma and frankly would have been a nightmare to have dealt with if the new kids would have been with us. God knew - God always knows! He knew what we could handle - He knew what our summer was going to look like - He was faithful to walk with us and prepare us for what's to come. There were MANY days over the last few months that I apologized to my husband for being a HOT MESS!! I felt like I was in a season - a time of being tried and tested. A time of being shaken up and put through the wringer. And honestly - most days - I failed! I failed miserably on my own and learned to lean on God to hold me when I felt overwhelmed. I looked to Him for peace when I felt like I couldn't handle even one more thing. My motto became "It is what it is!" There were so many things that seemed to be coming our way - one thing after another - and there wasn't much we could do about any of them. But we could hand it over to God and have Peace. It has taken many months but I feel like I'm finally to the point of PEACE. Peace about my health - Peace about my family - Peace about my family to be! There is not a thing too SMALL or too BIG for my GOD and boy am I thankful! I'm at PEACE!<br />
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So - - we wait! We will wait and trust God to work it all out for His glory! We will wait in the peace that can only be found in Him! We wait...</div>
Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-74696741327502104552015-07-13T22:48:00.000-07:002015-07-13T22:50:45.207-07:00Crumbs in Your SheetsDo you ever have a long and exhausting day and you cannot wait for your head to hit your pillow??? As you tuck the kids in and say bedtime prayers you can almost feel the relaxation and calm of nestling up for some much needed sleep. The time finally comes and you crawl into bed.....to find your child has, at some point in the day, eaten a cookie in your domain and left crumbs on your nice haven of rest. So - instead of relaxation and peace you are irritated with each little move you make as mini crumbs poke and prod your body no matter how many times you sweep them away - there's always one more crumb that finds its way to you as you roll over an hour later.<br />
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Well - - Satan is a little bit like crumbs in your sheets. Sometime he shows up big and in your face - but more often than not he shows up as little irritations of every day living. He likes to steal our joy and replace it with frustration and annoyance. He likes to keep our mind occupied on things that distract us from peace and rest. The last few weeks I feel like Satan has my number and is enjoying watching me squirm in my sheets full of crumbs. There haven't been a lot of big in your face moments - but subtle maneuvers to steal my joy and peace. I feel him in my head planting seeds of doubt and frustration. He has fed that frustration with physical limitations and setbacks. He keeps me feeling overwhelmed and anxious which steals my joy.<br />
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I don't know about you but I'm fed up with crumbs in my sheets! I am sick of Satan thinking he has a foothold on my life and in my family. I don't know about you but I think Satan is attacking me - the mom - the glue - the clockwork! Do you know what else?? I think he is attacking me because he is scared of my family! Because I think my family is pretty awesome - I think they are doing BIG things for God's Kingdom! They love God and His people - 4 of the kids pledged their faith by getting baptized in the last few months. I think the fact that we have pretty awesome kids and a rock star marriage had Satan worried already - - but now that we are being obedient and stepping out in faith to add some more kids to the mix -- I think it had Satan at the drawing board trying to scheme a way to muddle it all up. I've got news for him - - if Satan thinks he can get to my family through me....he's got another thing coming!<br />
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God is my comfort and my strength and I will not believe the lies any longer. God's direction and path are where we seek to keep our family and we will not second guess that. My physical limitations are well within God's hand as the Great Physician. To put it in simple terms - - HE'S GOT THIS!!! He's got ALL of this! He can handle my renovated messy house and make something organized and beautiful out of it - and help build sweet memories along the way. He can handle my mind wandering and wondering and questioning and second guessing for every home study that goes out - - every no we get in return - every second of waiting to hear something (anything) on the rest - - every minute spent searching-wondering if I'm looking at a picture of my children or not. He can handle my body - every infection and headache and every ounce of pain. He can handle my children - and my husband - and me!<br />
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I'm sick of the crumbs and the irritations that Satan is throwing my way! God can handle it ALL if we let Him! So today - I choose GOD's PEACE over Satan's crumbs!! Will you let Him handle your life - your family - your crumbs?Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-13521519944044183342015-06-25T08:01:00.002-07:002015-06-25T08:01:45.411-07:00PROGRESS!!!!So - almost a month ago we had our last home study interview and they let us join the waiting child program, anticipating that we would be wrapped up with our home study the following week! Well....a long four and a half weeks later and we are FINALLY HOME STUDY READY!!!! <br />
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We got word yesterday afternoon that our home study was signed and complete - approving us for a sibling group of 2. It has been almost 4 months since we started this process - and I'm so thankful this phase is done and ready to move forward.<br />
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SO WHAT's NEXT??<br />
Now that our home study is complete we can begin to make inquiries on specific children that we are interested in. We have been looking at online profiles for months now, compiling a list of possibilities for our family. Last night I was able to start making contact on the kids on our list. If the kids are still available, they will contact our agency for a copy of our home study and if they feel we would be a good match then they will send us more information on the kids.<br />
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Looking through profiles can be overwhelming and daunting - who should we inquire on, who is a good fit, how do we know?? We rest in peace that we serve a mighty God and He knows exactly where our kids are and how and when they will make it into our family. So - we are making contact but trusting God to lead the way.<br />
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We were told to expect the inquiry process to go fairly quickly - - being open to a sibling group, our professions, and family dynamic - - they said that case workers will be very interested in a family dynamic like ours and will probably be making contacts about additional possibilities on their case loads. <br />
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We are excited to welcome new ones into the family but there is still a lot to get ready. We have to remodel a bedroom, get some additional furniture (bunk bed, dresser, etc), continue to prepare our hearts and home for adding in new kids who are coming with emotional scars. So - I am thankful that we are finally to this step and we are able to move forward in the next phase. But, I am also going to enjoy the time I have here and now in this moment. This time of preparation of our home and our hearts is part of the process and I will enjoy it while I have it.<br />
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Please continue to pray for our family and we will continue to keep you posted on the progress of growing our family!<br />
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<br />Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-21872774617201991102015-05-31T19:55:00.000-07:002015-05-31T19:55:39.858-07:00Moving ForwardWe started this adoption journey to a sister over four years ago. God led us to Ethiopia and back again and on to a new adoption adventure this winter. It seems like we have been working at it forever - but we trust and know that God's plans are higher than our own and we are very excited to see what He has planned for us. We have been working through adoption paperwork and fingerprinting, through training and interviews for the last couple of months. My motto (and my screensaver on my phone) became...<div>
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This last month has been busy with family time and end of school craziness and has actually gone by pretty fast. We found ourselves at our second (and final) home study interview last Tuesday where we were pleasantly surprised to find out that they were letting us pay our fee and join the next phase of our program! He have our home inspection tomorrow but were told our home study is pretty much complete and they are hoping to have it finalized and ready to go sometime this week!!! This means we will FINALLY be home study ready and will get to begin making inquiries and contact with social workers on siblings we are interested in.</div>
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This is such an exciting step.....BUT it is also a little overwhelming and scary at the same time. Looking over profiles and faces of sweet kids waiting for a family can be daunting and sad (to say the least). How do you ever go about choosing?? They all deserve a family and who am I to say or know if it is with us?? What I've come to realize is that I DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE! No matter how sure I am or how certain of an outcome - I don't get a say...only GOD DOES!!! If I let MY MIND wander....try to take control...try to what-if our future....it is overwhelming and feels like a lot to take in. When I remember that I have a God that loves me deeply and knows each one of my children even better than I could - a God that knew we would be in this exact place in growing our family and knows exactly how it will play out - a God that heals and restores and comforts and guides each and every aspect of our lives if we let Him - - when I remember all of that....it is like a burden lifted off of my shoulders!! I don't have to choose - or try to decide - or bear the weight of it all. It is a relief knowing that He already knows.</div>
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So - we are extremely excited to be starting this next phase of our adoption. The phase where we get to search faces and search our hearts. Where we spend a lot of time on our knees asking for peace and understanding. The phase where we trust God when hope-filled doors close and unexpected doors open. When we try to follow God's plans even amidst fears and uncertainty. We know that this phase will lead us to our children - but we also know that that path is just the beginning of a life together as a family.</div>
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I don't know where my kids are - I don't know how many there are or what their genders are. I don't know how many birthdays have passed or what makes them smile. I don't know their story or their hearts. But I do know that my God is big enough to take care of them until I can hold them and tell them that everything will be okay. I know He is with them (and always has been) and will lead them to us in His perfect timing. Until then I hope they know....</div>
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Please continue to pray for us as we venture into the next phase of our adoption. Pray for clarity and peace in following God's plans. Pray for our children's hearts as they prepare to welcome new siblings into their lives and home. Pray for our new children as they are uprooted once again to join our family. Pray that God's hand would be in it all and that His glory would shine through!</div>
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-46593696925094307672015-04-30T20:13:00.000-07:002015-04-30T20:25:29.520-07:00Making ProgressLife has been busy and I am thankful! It took me a while to come to grips with the fact that we were at a stand still with our progress for our home study. We had to wait SEVEN weeks to attend training before we were cleared to move forward with our Home Study. I kicked and screamed and was not a happy girl. In hind sight, these last seven weeks have been a refreshing time to focus on my children and just live life. I love this time of year when the sun peaks out from the winter dreariness. Everything feels vibrant and new. During the wait I have tried to purposefully be in the moment with my kids. To feel vibrant and new and refreshed with them as spring sets in. What I've been able to soak in is some pretty amazing kiddos that have seemed to grow up right before my very eyes. I focused on each of them and what makes them tick - I would catch myself staring at them and just watching their gears turn as they had conversations with each other. They are all at such a fun age where they are really finding themselves and morphing into their own independent and strong person.<br />
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I still find myself wondering where my daughter is and I pray for her daily. Last week, as the training approached, I was giddy and anxious. I told my husband that it was like waiting for Christmas morning. Honestly, I was more excited for it to come and go so that we could move on than I was for the actual content of the training. With that said, the training was VERY GOOD! We learned a lot and enjoyed the discussions that we had with fellow adoptive families. We got to spend the weekend without the kids - with a dinner date and a movie included! It was such a refreshing time for us to focus on us, where our family is, and what we feel God is leading us toward in continuing to grow our family.<br />
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If you know us at all, or followed our previous adoptions, you know that it NEVER goes how we think it will in the beginning. God shaped and molded our hearts so much over the year and a half it took to bring our boys home, and I am so thankful! This time around we thought it was pretty straight forward as we knew a sister was for sure in the mix this time! We had a very familiar nudging on our hearts, however, this last weekend as we sat and listened to a 16 year old young man who had been raised in the foster system. About halfway through our time listening to his family's story, we turned to each other with a glimmer in our eyes and we knew we were all in, whatever that might be! We always say we are all in - - up for whatever God has planned for us - - willing to be His hands and feet in whatever way we can but He always has a way of showing us that we aren't as in as we thought we were. A gentle whisper or nagging on the heart to trust Him - to follow Him - to not try and control the outcomes. It is in these moments that we are learning to listen and follow His direction. I want to live my life with arms wide open and my heart set on God's desires for my family and my life.<br />
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So here we are on a familiar journey following God's hand in growing our family. We realized that children separated from their siblings because families weren't willing to take them all in was unacceptable. If Nahome or Isaiah's brothers ever came up for adoption we would not think twice about bringing them into our family. We realized that the same should be true of our daughter!! They have had a hard enough life without having to lose their brothers and sisters as well. So we are going to leave it up to God. We will see what He has planned and I am excited to sit back and watch how God orchestrates the whole thing - to His glory!<br />
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Updates:<br />
* We completed our training this past Friday and Saturday.<br />
* We had our first of two Home Study interviews on Monday.<br />
* We were emailed the remaining adoption paperwork that we needed to fill out on Tuesday.<br />
* We completed our adoption paperwork on Wednesday and mailed it in to them today (Thursday).<br />
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Looking Ahead:<br />
* We meet with a family counselor on Monday to gather info for the home study.<br />
* We should hear early next week when we can schedule our remaining interviews.<br />
* I am hopeful that we will have the home study finished up around the end of the month and then we will be able to begin making inquiries on children that are waiting for families.<br />
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Be Praying For:<br />
* Our children in our home as they prepare for new additions.<br />
* Our children that God has planned for our family - that they would be safe and loved and that they would not lose hope. That we would be able to get to them in just the right timing so that the transition is as smooth as possible.<br />
* Our marriage as we venture into another adoption - it is not for the faint of heart. Pray that we will be cohesive and unified. That we would lean on God and family for support. It can get stressful and exhausting and lonely.<br />
* Our paperwork as we work on compiling the story of who we are in our home study.<br />
* Our hearts - that we would continue to trust God and His direction and guidance throughout every aspect of this process...from the timing to the waiting to the paperwork to the hiccups that will come. Pray that we will see His hand and trust His plan.Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-38366118481910044462015-03-14T21:10:00.000-07:002015-03-14T21:10:11.051-07:00I DO REMEMBER!If any of you know me personally you know that I am TYPE A - to the letter! I like things a certain way - I'm pretty opinionated and think my way is right - I tend to like to control things - I despise waiting and when forced to, my mind reels with all the "what-if's" and "to-do's" - I like to do things for myself and not rely on other people to complete tasks on my to-do list....as you can imagine being paper pregnant for an adoption brings out the best in all of the scenarios above!! You'd think I would learn - - you know we have done this before! You'd think I'd stay calm and relaxed and go with the flow. You'd think that I would sleep at night - instead of thinking of all the things that need done, have been done, will be done, etc. You'd think that I would expect to have to jump through paperwork hoops and their not-ideal paperwork pacing.<br />
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I do remember - VIVIDLY - the excruciatingly painful waits while our boys were halfway around the world - the waiting that seemed hard at the beginning when we were waiting on one piece of paperwork just to get started...then the waiting that made the beginning seem like a walk in the park as your heart was torn from your chest as you say goodbye and leave your child in another country until the paperwork can be finalized....the never ending checking of your phone for a phone call or email at wee hours in the night! I DO REMEMBER!<br />
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What I guess I am missing and seeming to forget, these days, is that God took us on a journey....we were broken, shaped, molded, inspired, shattered, and awoken - - not through the paperwork but through the PROCESS and the RELATIONSHIPS that we made. We leaned on God's hand and His timing because we had to - - it was beyond our control and thank goodness for that! As we have started our next adoption journey I feel like I have dove in head first with a list of expectations of how it should go! You'd think that I would have learned my lesson last time - - that it will probably end up playing out every way EXCEPT how I am expecting it to! Thankfully I have a husband who helps keep me grounded and focused when my type A tries to take over! Thankfully I have a God who is patient and understanding when I yet again try to take control and end up having to turn it back over to Him.<br />
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So - I'm giving up my expectations! I am going to try and be calm...and relaxed...who knows, I might even end up going with the flow!! (Those of you that know me very well are smiling right now and wishing me luck with that). It is so easy to second guess everything, push for others to hop on board and see the urgency (there are orphans needing homes for goodness sake!), to predict and what-if scenarios until you are blue in the face! But you know what - - its going to happen how it is supposed to.....when its supposed to....how its supposed to....I DO REMEMBER! I DO trust God to guide and direct our daughter to our family! I DO trust that He will keep her in His care until then! I DO trust that we can grow during the process - - that we can be broken, shaped, molded, inspired, shattered, and awoken - to learn to live and love like He does! I DO REMEMBER how hard and painful the journey was - but I also REMEMBER how close I felt to God's will and plan for our family! I remember being broken in every good sense of the word! I remember having LIFE SHATTERING and HEART ALTERING moments throughout our adoption, and I expect no less from this one. My daughter is out there (God has made that clear in the still small space of my heart)! From here - - I will follow Him and let Him do His thing!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;">If you'd like to support us along this process, here are some ways!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;" /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;"><u>* PRAYER</u></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;"> - - we know that we cannot do this alone!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;">-Pray for our daughter - wherever she is - that she would be safe and surrounded by people who care for her. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;">- Pray for our children as we walk this journey - that their hearts would be prepared to embrace another child into our home.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;">- Pray for our paperwork as we start compiling it all - - that it will go smoothly.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;">- Pray that we would truly follow God's leading in searching for our daughter - that we would trust Him and His plan for our family. ALL IN - Not Try to put GOD in a BOX!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;" /><u style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px;">* FINANCIAL</u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Schoolbell; line-height: 28px;"> - - A domestic adoption in no way will be as financially demanding as an international adoption. We will however have adoption and travel expenses. God has blessed us and we know He will continue to provide all that is needed. If you would like to help out financially, we would simply ask for an $8 donation to support our family of EIGHT! It is less than a movie ticket - about two cups of coffee at Starbucks - and it will change a child's life forever! If you would like to make a donation you can do that by clicking on the PayPal link on the left of the blog.</span></span></div>
Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-9337741359408502732015-02-26T20:34:00.002-08:002015-02-26T20:36:28.730-08:00Here We Go Again - Krohn Family of EIGHT!!FOUR years ago over spring break, our world was changed with a simple conversation in our kitchen. It only took a couple of week for God to take our questioning hearts and turn them into a passion for orphans worldwide. God led us to Ethiopia to grow our family through adoption and to bring a precious little girl into our home. As with most things in life, God had plans that were higher than our own, and we ended up bringing TWO amazing kiddos home from Ethiopia - - neither of them being a girl! You can read about our journey to our boys <a href="http://krohnjourney.blogspot.com/2012/03/most-beautiful-brown-eyes-ive-ever-seen.html" target="_blank">HERE </a>and <a href="http://krohnjourney.blogspot.com/2012/07/double-blessing-krohn-family-of-seven.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!<br />
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It will be three years this Spring when we stood in the orphanage courtyard in Ethiopia, surrounded by dozens of amazing little blessings that had lived through more life than they should have had to at their young age -- we looked into each others eyes and we knew we were not done. We knew that God had chosen our family to walk this journey - not to bless a child - - but to be blessed by the children that He has and will bring into our family.<br />
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As we brought the boys home and waded through the good and bad days that make up blending and healing and getting to know new members of the family, our thoughts of adding another was on the back burner. It became a "maybe" instead of a "some day". As life has settled into a new normal, we have felt God softly prompting our hearts to be more like His. His gentle nudge to look at what we can do - who can we love - how can we make a difference. It didn't take much to know what God was asking of us. It's the promise we made to our daughter, THREE years ago next month, when we moved forward with her new little brother....it was time for our DAUGHTER.<br />
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In typical fashion, I passionately went to work narrowing down what programs would be the best fit for our family. We prayerfully looked into our options and allowed God to close doors. We spent months praying and allowing God to lead us. If we learned anything last time, we know that it will be an adventure of ups and downs - - of unexpected twists - - and of faithful obedience.<br />
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So - we are officially starting a new chapter. Our plans (for now) are to pursue a domestic adoption here in the US. We officially kick off the process next week when we meet with our agency and start the paperwork. We talked with the kids about it tonight and they are all excited in their own ways - - Nahome wants a brother, Noah wants to bring home two, Leah is over the moon excited to finally be getting a sister, Jarod and Isaiah are reflective and thoughtful. As soon as we sat down to our "Family Meeting" Jarod and Noah guessed exactly what it was about....they know our family and our hearts, and everyone is excited to see what God has planned.<br />
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We know from walking this journey before that we cannot do this alone! Adoption is one of the most emotionally exhausting things I have ever been a part of -- adoption is rooted in grief and heartache that is very real. There will be joy and rejoicing and there will be fear and confusion. We will need a village of support to walk this journey with us - - to encourage us along the way.<br />
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If you'd like to support us along this process, here are some ways!<br />
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<b><u>* PRAYER</u></b> - - we know that we cannot do this alone! When talking with my best friend about the prospect of adopting again she said "SIX?? Wow - you sure you are sane enough for that??" My response to her was - "NO - I know I'm not sane enough! God doesn't ask for sane - just obedient - and He will take care of the rest." <br />
-Pray for our daughter - wherever she is - that she would be safe and surrounded by people who care for her. <br />
- Pray for our children as we walk this journey - that their hearts would be prepared to embrace another child into our home.<br />
- Pray for our paperwork as we start compiling it all - - that it will go smoothly.<br />
- Pray that we would truly follow God's leading in searching for our daughter - that we would trust Him and His plan for our family. ALL IN - Not Try to put GOD in a BOX!<br />
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">* FINANCIAL</u> - - A domestic adoption in no way will be as financially demanding as an international adoption. We will however have adoption and travel expenses. God has blessed us and we know He will continue to provide all that is needed. If you would like to help out financially, we would simply ask for an $8 donation to support our family of EIGHT! It is less than a movie ticket - about two cups of coffee at Starbucks - and it will change a child's life forever! If you would like to make a donation you can do that by clicking on the PayPal link on the left of the blog.<br />
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We are very excited to follow God's plan for adding a new sister to our crew! Thanks for following our journey and supporting us along the way. Stay tuned to see how it all plays out...<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.375px; text-align: start;">“Every night I pray to God to keep you in his arms until I can hold you in mine.” – </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.375px; text-align: start;">Unknown</em></div>
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<br />Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-62198936248666432542014-12-22T08:24:00.002-08:002014-12-22T08:24:36.004-08:00FamilyBoy it sure has been a long time since I have written. My blog used to be my therapy - my way to pour my heart out - my passion while waiting during our adoption. Well - - now with a full time career and a family of 7 to care for it is not so easy to drop in front of the computer and jot my thoughts down. It is harder to have thoughtful ideas to share with my readers - my mind seems jumbled and busy just like the rest of my life. Thanks to a little mis-hap with my laptop I no longer had the ease to cuddle up on the couch with my thoughts to write, either. Well - thanks to an early Christmas present I am back in business and determined to take a minute to catch up on some writing.<br />
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Well - - since I last wrote we have had a couple of milestones. We celebrated Nahome and Isaiah's TWO YEAR Gotcha days! It feels just like yesterday that I first took them in my arms and hugged them for the first time. And yet it feels like they have been a part of our family forever - woven into our family dynamic. When I look back at how far we've come I am blessed beyond measure at God's Hand in it all.<br />
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It is interesting to look back on how our family has progressed. I vaguely remember a blur of about 5 years of diapers and crying and exhaustion - it was full of pregnancies and babies being born every other year. The few following years were full of tantrums and cuddles and sticky fingers on the windows. As a mom, I was still exhausted and usually covered in someone's snot but my heart was full and I felt like I was finally starting to get the hang of this whole parenting bit.<br />
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Well -God was not done with us yet - - not even close! He wanted our obedience, our hearts, our home, our family to be willing to follow His lead. We started down an emotional and exhausting journey to find ourselves and God's heart, while growing our family through adoption. It is one of the HARDEST things that I have ever done, and yet I CANNOT imagine doing anything else!<br />
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There were a LOT of tears and hard days in the beginning. It is amazing to think of how far we have come. Weekends were hard - holidays were harder -and life was filled with fear of setting someone off and visions of all the therapy that the kids would need when they grew up. Slowly but surely the fist fights turned into bro hugs and our family dynamic molded into our new us.<br />
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There are hard days now - days when everyone is bickering with each other - days that if I see another eye roll I'll jab my eyes out - days I watch my son whirlwind into attention seeking behaviors because of his deep rooted grief from his past - days my daughter cries and asks when will she get a sister to help fend off all the 'love' from her brothers - days my heart hurts for family across the continent that miss out on the sweet bedtime kisses and soccer goals that I get to witness in their place.<br />
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With five kids in my home and my heart I have come to realize a few things - there will always be someone mad at someone else - there will always be someone hungry - there will always be an empty fridge - there will never be an agreement on a movie - there will always be someone mad about what's for dinner - there will always be clutter and laundry strewn throughout the house (no matter how many times you tell them to pick up after themselves).....but I am also thankful that - - there will always be someone to cuddle with on the couch - there will always be someone to give me a hug when I'm having a bad day - someone always winks and says I love you when I check on them in the rear view mirror - someone's little hand always finds mine when walking in to church - someone is almost always giggling and laughing at something.<br />
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My family looks nothing like what I thought it would when I was a little girl and dreaming of my future Ken and Barbie life and boy am I thankful. God had bigger and better plans and I love my not so little family! I am so very excited to see how far our family has come and where He will take us next! God is not done with us yet - not even close...and boy am I thankful!<br />
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours!</div>
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We pray this Christmas that you will take the time to reflect and remember how far God has brought you and your family. We pray that you will consider what God has done and what He wants to do in your lives. We pray that you will also realize that God is not done with YOU yet and that you will seek HIS will in the coming year!</div>
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-65480284582006835882014-06-22T21:14:00.000-07:002014-06-22T21:14:29.976-07:00I am ENOUGH!I recently started a mom's Bible study group called "Beautiful Mess". It is based off of the movie "Mom's Night Out" which is SO GOOD (totally go see it if you haven't). I have been inspired and motivated by the daily reading and the lessons included in it. When I watched the movie tonight I was reminded of a couple of things!<br />
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**ONE** Motherhood is NOT always pretty!! Motherhood is hard and EXHAUSTING!! It does not matter if you have a newborn...five year old....ten year old....twenty year old....a mama heart is ever present - always worrying - wanting the best - trying to fix things and make things ideal. The truth is that motherhood is a mess sometimes - full of those moments when you want to scream or cry or eat chocolate in a closet!! Those moments when you feel outnumbered or on the verge or past the point of no return. Those moments when you wonder how you got into this mess - why you got into this mess - how do you get out of this mess! Motherhood is hard....but important!<br />
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**TWO** You are NOT the only mother who has moments!!! You are not alone in feeling EXHAUSTED and worn down (physically, emotionally, spiritually). When you see other moms who have it all together and they are the perfect soccer mom....they AREN'T!! They are having a good moment....but all moms struggle and it is okay to share in each others successes and lean on each other in moments of chaos and eye twitching stress!! It takes mothers of all stages and ages to walk beside each other and encourage!<br />
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**THREE** Our kids will need us differently each stage they are in! There may be diapers and bottles and carseats....or there may be homework and iphones and sleepovers...or there may be boyfriends and driver's licenses. Each new stage will bring a different role from mom. I am learning that it is hard to watch them grow and mature and start having some independence. The worry changes from them getting diaper rash or skinning a knee - - to worrying about who their friends are and what they talk about when we're not around. They begin to push away, trying to find their own footing on their life. You wonder if you taught them enough - if you loved them enough - if they know God enough!<br />
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** FOUR** I think it is an innate feeling for mothers to second guess themselves. To always wonder if they are doing enough - if they are scarring their kids for life - if they are blowing it! I loved the part in the movie when the mom says "I'm not good enough." She was asked "For who?" She responded with "for my husband, my kids, God..." The response was, "No....for you! You are not good enough for you!" So often we set the bar for ourselves SO high - Unattainably high - and then act defeated when we cannot live up to our expectations!! What do we expect???<br />
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* Now it is important to know that I am TOTALLY preaching to ME!! I am as guilty as anyone else of being a control freak, feeling defeated as a mom, second guessing everything I do, and wondering if I am good enough! Motherhood is hard and I have had (have) my fair share of moments - those not pretty ones where your mascara is running and either you are hiding out from your children or your children are hiding out from you! I have had those moments of wondering what have I gotten myself into - feelings of being outnumbered - and even feelings of regret. What I have come to realize through this study is that I am a mess....but I am God's mess! If He can make me into a masterpiece and bless me with being a mama, then He will help me along the way! To God - To my husband - to my kids....I am ENOUGH....but I need His help to be who they need me to be!<br />
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Here are some of my favorite quotes I've run across so far from my "Beautiful Mess" study!<br />
* "Mom, you do not have to have all the answers. In fact, you won't always have the answers!"<br />
* "Our craving for approval can be devastating to our souls, making us feel like we're not enough for today or tomorrow."<br />
* "Our weaknesses and struggles nudge us to reach out to others and ultimately show us how much we need God in every detail of our lives."<br />
* "We become so overwhelmed at the thought of tomorrow that we forget to focus on today!"<br />
* "Satan wants us to feel overwhelmed at every rebellious choice our kids make and every time they shut down into a wall of resentment."<br />
* "The expectations were my own....built around my desire to look like I had it all together."<br />
* "God decides our encounters, we decide our engagement."<br />
* "When they push back, ignore it, lean in, and keep pursuing your teen."<br />
* The mere fact that we get through parenthood and can share sweet memories on the other side gives us a hope for the future!"<br />
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I hope that this encourages you moms out there - to keep leaning on God and realizing that you are right where you need to be - being the mom your kids need - with the help of our Father! Keep at it mamas - YOU ARE ENOUGH!!Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-50810669567150929262014-03-27T09:51:00.001-07:002014-03-27T10:09:04.816-07:00THREE YEARS - Our family will NEVER be the Same!It started out as a typical Sunday morning - THREE years ago today!. We went to church - prayed and praised God for the family and gifts He had given us! Started lunch in our kitchen and Josh rocked our world with the question....."What do you think about adopting a little sister!?" If you know anything about our story then you know that God led us on an emotional and stretching few years to bring not a sister into our home but TWO brothers. If you don't know our story - I encourage you to go back to the BEGINNING of our blog and read up....to God be the glory!<br />
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God started us out on our journey - that started with kicking and screaming and hesitancy and quickly turned into having our eyes open to a whole new level of God's love and compassion. He worked in and through us - He taught us to lean on Him and follow His leading for our family. Well - TWO years ago today we looked into the eyes of a sweet little boy that God allowed to be our son! I reread my post from that day and it brought tears to my eyes - - read about it <a href="http://krohnjourney.blogspot.com/2012/03/most-beautiful-brown-eyes-ive-ever-seen.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>! God had it all planned out - down to every little detail...including his name - - read about it <a href="http://krohnjourney.blogspot.com/2012/06/whats-in-name.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!<br />
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God was not done with us yet and has taught us SO MUCH MORE over the last TWO YEARS! About love and grace and patience and mercy and grief! Here is the video that we made to introduce Nahome to the world all those many months ago.....pay CLOSE ATTENTION to the last picture in the frame.....a boy who seemed to be on the sidelines but like I said - God was NOT done with us yet - - read about it <a href="http://krohnjourney.blogspot.com/2012/07/double-blessing-krohn-family-of-seven.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>!<br />
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Today - THREE YEARS from starting this journey - TWO YEARS from seeing his sly little smile we have a healthy, giggly, bouncy young man who brings SO much joy to our lives!</div>
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I cannot imagine our family without him.....<br />
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to God be the glory!</div>
Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-1872852624144452762014-03-16T12:39:00.002-07:002014-03-16T12:39:38.426-07:00DO SOMETHINGI heard this song on my way to church - - I'm ready to DO SOMETHING! How about you???<div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #676767; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.33333396911621px;">I woke up this morning </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Saw a world full of trouble now</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Thought, how’d we ever get so far down</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">How’s it ever gonna turn around</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">So I turned my eyes to Heaven</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">People living in poverty</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Children sold into slavery</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">The thought disgusted me</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">So, I shook my fist at Heaven</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">He said, “I did, I created you”</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">If not us, then who</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">If not me and you</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Right now, it’s time for us to do something</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #676767; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.33333396911621px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;">If not now, then when</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Will we see an end</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">To all this pain</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">It’s not enough to do nothing</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">It’s time for us to do something</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">I’m so tired of talking</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">About how we are God’s hands and feet</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #676767; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.33333396911621px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;">But it’s easier to say than to be</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Live like angels of apathy who tell ourselves</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">It’s alright, “somebody else will do something”</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">Well, I don’t know about you</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">But I’m sick and tired of life with no desire</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">I don’t want a flame, I want a fire</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">I wanna be the one who stands up and says,</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">“I’m gonna do something”</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">We are the salt of the earth</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">We are a city on a hill</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">But we’re never gonna change the world</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">By standing still</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">No we won’t stand still</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">No we won’t stand still</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">No we won’t stand still</span></div>
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-27725363702413297232014-03-09T20:15:00.000-07:002014-03-09T20:15:24.712-07:00AwakeningI have been meaning to write for a while but just wasn't sure what to say. My blog has always been a place of therapy and healing for my soul. A place to pour my heart out and share my fears and joys. It is not only about me though, I want my posts to make a difference. I want those reading them to be moved and feel as if my words were thought out and heartfelt. I have been busy being Mom to 5 kids but to be honest - over the last many months I didn't really feel like I had much to offer in a blog post. My words were muddled and my heart wasn't feeling much to share. I am beginning to see why and I want to share with you what I am learning.<br />
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Have you ever been run through the ringer emotionally?? Not just the highs and not just the lows - but this crazy cycle of both!? I will try to paint a picture for you. For 2 years we poured our heart and soul into our adoption journey - an adoption journey mind you that we didn't even know we were destined for. Over those 2 years we dealt with fear, stress, joy, courage, trembling, shock, elation, confusion, frustration, weariness, heartache, compassion, awakening, anger, bitterness, feelings of being overwhelmed, heartbroken, filled to the brim, eye-opening, feelings of being insane, tired, crazy, joyful, thankful, grateful. You could pick any combination of these feelings and often I would feel them on any given day. I have had some of my highest of high moments and lowest of low moments over these last couple of years! Adoption is an EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER - it is NOT for the weak at heart. We learned more about God's grace, mercy, strength, love, compassion. He opened our eyes to what He wanted us to see - and I'm telling you it was not always pretty. It was often heart wrenching and humbling. I have never felt closer to God than over these 2 years - I poured my heart out to Him for direction and guidance for protection and comfort for my children (His children). These emotions came to a climax as the boys came home - then we spent the next many months over the last year and a half helping our boys process those some crazy emotions listed above - grief and anger, confusion and sadness, happiness and joy, experiencing firsts and the fears that come with it, reminiscing and remembering, yearning and weariness.</div>
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After 3 years of high EMOTIONS I have realized that I was on emotional overdrive for so long that somewhere along the journey it turned into survival mode. I was truly doing little more than surviving - at times I felt as if I was even failing at that. My emotions were spent and spread thin - I felt washed up and dried out. I felt as if I had lost my passion and fire - like there wasn't enough strength left in my heart to feel passionate about anything while still clinging on for survival.</div>
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I woke up one morning over the last month or so and realized that my heart yearns to feel again. Survival mode is not good enough any longer. God has been speaking in that still small voice kind of way - stirring my heart. It feels like a fog is lifting and God is awakening something in me. I want to have a direction and purpose - to feel like I am making a difference in the world around me. I want to cling to God and seek his guidance in my life. I want to feel passionate for what God is doing in and through me! I know that it may not always be easy and that it may not always be comfortable but I'm ready for God to grow me and use me and show me more of His heart!</div>
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In church today we sang Life Song and the second verse hit close to home and I could feel God continuing to awaken my soul!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Lord I give my life</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">A living sacrifice</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">To reach a world in need</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">To be Your hands and feet</span></b><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">So may the words I say</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">And the things I do</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Make my lifesong sing</span><br style="border: 0px none; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Bring a smile to You</span></i></span></div>
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I am ready to stop merely surviving and start living again! Who is with me?? </div>
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<i>Stay tuned to the blog - I think God has BIG plans for us as He continues to Awaken our hearts!</i></div>
Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-55247106123995142772013-12-07T11:20:00.000-08:002013-12-07T11:23:26.512-08:00Christmas Giving with a PurposeChristmas looks a little different for us this year - to be honest it has looked a little different for the last few years! We never went out of control and overboard - but we were content in our materialism and were awfully close to being consumed with presents and stuff and all the hub-bub of keeping up with the Jones'. A few years ago - as we walked through our adoption story - God opened our hearts and eyes to SO very much! He showed us that there are SO many important things to be done in the world and that it can start right here - in our family. We want to teach our children to focus on others and that Christmas is about LOVE. That God LOVED us enough - when we didn't earn it or deserve it - HE became flesh and dwelt among us! Christmas is about GIVING - God GAVE His only SON that we might LIVE! It isn't about Santa and Stockings and Presents. All of these are fun and exciting things and still bring joy to our family - but our focus and our purpose is to GIVE LOVE!<br />
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<b>Teaching to Give with Love Can Start Close to Home</b> - - For the last few years our kids have gotten to shop for each other for Christmas. They love to pick things out for each other and they also love the one on one time with Mom or Dad that comes along with the shopping part of it. On Christmas morning the kids are so much more invested in watching what everyone else gets because they can't wait to see them open the present from them. When our family was smaller - they got to shop for both of their siblings.....now that our family is bigger - we draw names between the kids! They have truly enjoyed the joy of giving and the surprise and anticipation of the season.<br />
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<b>Teaching to Give with Love Can Reach the WORLD - - </b>This year we are implementing a new way of giving. On top of getting to spend a certain amount on each other, the kids get to spend the same amount gifting to someone in need. We gave them a whole bunch of ideas of how they wanted to spend their money but in the end they got to choose how to give it. I LOVED the conversation that circulated through the kids. I heard things like...."It is so hard to choose - I want to help them all!" "Which one do you think is the most important, mom??" "I want to help as many people as I can - which one will help me do that?" "I want to give Bibles, because without Jesus they would have nothing!" "I want to give chickens because I want another little boy to be able to eat eggs too!!!(Any guesses on who that was!?)".....I was BLOWN away by the depth of love that the kids were showing. They took it very seriously and had awesome reasons for the choices that they ended up choosing. We also teamed up with our parents and my brother's family to make a difference in the world this Christmas!<br />
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<b>Here is how our family is choosing to Give Love this Christmas:</b><br />
~ We are providing 1500 meals for needy people in Burundi!<br />
~ We are providing Bibles and Song Books to Kids!<br />
~ We are providing 3 families with baby chicks!<br />
~ We are providing a little girl with a Musical Lamb that sings Jesus Loves Me!<br />
~ We are helping sponsor a missions team to travel and spread the Good News!<br />
~ We are providing 5 chickens to families in need so they can have eggs to eat!<br />
~ We are sponsoring a teacher in Haiti!<br />
~ We are providing 650 vaccinations for children in rural villages!<br />
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<b>Here are the organizations that helped us give love this year!</b><br />
~ Child Care Ministries <a href="http://www.childcareministries.org/">http://www.childcareministries.org/</a><br />
~ Mission Aviation Fellowship <a href="https://maf.org/donate/giving-catalog/2013/all#.UqNxD_RDsuc">https://maf.org/donate/giving-catalog/2013/all#.UqNxD_RDsuc</a><br />
~ Samaritan's Purse <a href="http://www.samaritanspurse.org/gift-catalog/give/">http://www.samaritanspurse.org/gift-catalog/give/</a><br />
<i>* There are SO many great organizations out there - - these are just a few that we used!</i><br />
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Our family is learning to love through giving! I hope you take time this Christmas season to think about what Christmas is all about and how you can make a difference this Christmas!<br />
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-42490531411643702842013-11-28T07:40:00.002-08:002013-11-28T07:40:43.153-08:00Precious MemoriesI have been thinking a lot lately about this time of year - the leaves falling and the weather getting colder. I have been reflecting on how different our lives looked this time last year - just barely having brought our boys home. There were lots of precious times - and lots of hard times! Looking back it is hard to believe how far we have come - with growing, and grieving, and becoming family!! I am in awe how God orchestrated it all!<br />
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I think my most favorite thing about this time of year - for this year - are the memories that the boys have! I hear them say "Remember last year...." and "Oh yeah - I remember...." and "When we do that this year...." I LOVE that they have a memory to draw from with holidays coming up and all the hustle and bustle that it brings. To those outside of the adoption community - holidays are a nightmare for transitioning kiddos. They truly do need structure and routine and calm and people and things around them that they are comfortable with and used to! You take the holidays - on the go, out of routine, over-stimulating, with people and things around them that they are not used to. They stress easily over things that they are unsure of....the holidays are a big mystery to kiddos from a different culture. We had lots of meltdowns, shutdowns, tears, and stress over the holidays last year!<br />
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This year - the kids are looking forward to what is to come with hopeful anticipation! They have a reference point in their memory of what to expect - sweet precious memories that help them feel connected. We still deal with issues of the hustle and bustle and the over-stimulating behaviors that can come.....but OH MY - - we are SO much better off this year!<br />
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I LOVE my 'not so little family' and all that God has and is doing in and through us! I am so proud of my children and the young people they are growing into! I am excited to share this holiday season with kids excited about life, thankful for what they have, and grateful for the baby in the manger! Can't wait for more PRECIOUS MEMORIES to be made this year!<br />
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<br />Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8717480195617288535.post-13999027754698399342013-10-19T20:52:00.000-07:002013-10-19T20:52:20.324-07:00Twins NO more!With International adoption, a child's age is usually a little fuzzy. With Ethiopia in general, birthdays are a little vague. We know several families who realized once they got home that their children were actually older or younger than their paperwork stated. With older child adoption you have to teach your children how old they are and when their birthday is - the birthday that someone at a desk picked for them at random.<br />
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When we got the boys home we had pretty good evidence that Isaiah's birth date was fairly accurate. It became pretty apparent in those first few months, however, that Nahome's was not. We had some pretty solid evidence pointing at a much younger age than his paperwork said. Documentation that is hard to deny, when put up against some person sitting at a desk taking a shoot in the dark as to how old and when his birthday should be. So we decided to see if we could use this evidence to move his birth date to a more appropriate age for him - developmentally, physically, maturity - it just made sense.<br />
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So - I'm writing to tell you that we received signed documentation from the judge that Nahome's new birth date has been approved. The evidence led us to July and we chose the 7th day of the month - we liked that his birth date would be 7-7....God's number! The kicker is that this change makes him five once again - instead of almost 7! When we talked with Nahome about it he was a little confused....but once we told him he got to have FUN summer birthdays and he is the only kid probably anywhere that gets to have TWO six-year old birthday parties he was all smiles and giggles!!<br />
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So - we no longer have TWINS in the family - just a brother and sister who have grown so very close over the last year! I am thankful for them and the joy they find in the little things of life!<br />
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Krohn Familyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09497066106970327667noreply@blogger.com0