Lance and I just set up our coffee site to raise money to bring little baby Agan home!!! The organization we are working with is called "Just Love Coffee" and they are awesome. They help support not only adoptive families, but also help to support the economy of third world countries where coffee is one of their main exports. We will be given $5 from every coffee sale and are hoping to raise enough money to pay our first agency fee of $2,900. This is yummy, good quality stuff! So, if you are a lover of coffee then stop by our page and grab a bag!! If you like it don't forget to tell a friend! Click here to go to our site.
Much love,
Kayla, Lance & Baby A :-)
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Why Adoption? Why Ethiopia?
I'm sure several of you are wondering why in the world we are adopting a baby and why we are adopting a baby from Ethiopia.
Since I am a very forthcoming person I would be happy to share our little story with the blog world. I also want to document this so that when, God willing, we have our little one, we can look back at the journey.
So here we go, bear with me.
It all started in the summer of 2003 when I went on a mission trip to Uganda with my church youth group. At this point in my life I thought I was walking with the Lord, however my faith and relationship with God was less than ideal. It involved a lot of me asking God for things when I needed them and half heatedly hoping that maybe he heard me. I did not walk with God on a daily basis. All this to give you just a small picture of my small faith at that point in my life. However, I will NEVER forget the day when God told me I would be adopting a baby. We were on a safari after spending some time in a small village with lots of children a few days earlier and I heard God say to me (not audibly-but in my heart) that I would be returning to Africa one day to adopt a baby. Looking back, I am so thankful that God forced his way through my rebellious, stubborn 18 year old self to reveal one of his plans for me. Years went by and many life seasons, and spiritual highs and lows came and went. However, one thing never changed and that was that I was destined for adoption, and knew that Jesus gave me a tiny piece of his heart when it came to caring for those in less than ideal circumstances.
Fast forward 5"ish" years and I was now a year into marriage, with a hubby that is one of the most kind and compassionate people I have ever met in my life. I casually mention adoption and he isn't so sure. I decided that if God wanted us to adopt a baby, he would place it on both of our hearts so I silenced my mouth for the next two years or so and prayed. Sure enough, with no prompting by me, Lance told me that he thought adoption was a good fit for our family and that he would love to begin praying about whether or not we should adopt first or have biological children. However, no real answer was heard. We decided that we should have biological babies first and then adopt later. After a couple years of no babies, one surgery, and 2 different doctors giving me a perfect bill of health we decided that our infertility was not "infertility" at all. Around that time I began having dreams and hearing verses in my mind that I did not even know existed. Odd I know but it really began happening to me. I would find myself singing a verse I had never even heard before in the shower and 9 times out of 10 it had something to do with adoption! After lots and lots of prayer, tears, questioning, and just an overall desire to live out God's will for our life, we decided adoption it is!!
It is crazy how God's word is filled with adoption. He adopted us when we did not deserve it. He loved us unconditionally when we were unlovable and he accepted us when we were unacceptable. Jesus sought out the lonely, broken and different and calls us to do the same. What God has been telling me over and over the past couple of weeks is that our time on earth is short. Really, really short. It is our job to do the best that we can and show as much love as we can for the short time that God has allowed us to be here. This is the most important thing in life. We are here to show the love of Christ to others and bring him glory and honor through our lives. This we need to focus on first and make our main job. The rest will fall into place. :)
So there is the story of how we came to adoption. This is much, much longer than I anticipated so I will post on "Why Ethiopia" tomorrow.
Here are today's prayer requests:
1. Please pray for our babies first months of development if she has been conceived and for the health of her mother. Please pray specifically that her parents (specifically her mother) are praying for her and somehow come to know Jesus is they don't yet. Many Ethiopian orphans are orphaned due to death of their parents. I want our child to be reunited with her biological family one day in heaven! :)
2. Please pray for our initial paperwork and application fees. We know God will not let something like money get in the way of adoption, but it is a looming cloud right now.
3. Please pray for Lance & I to stay organized and on top of things. We also just closed on our house and are spending lots of hours working on that!
4. Please pray that the Ethiopian courts stay open. They close for the months of Sept & Oct and no one ever knows what will happen with adoption when they re-open.
Ok that's all for now.
Thanks for checkin in......
Since I am a very forthcoming person I would be happy to share our little story with the blog world. I also want to document this so that when, God willing, we have our little one, we can look back at the journey.
So here we go, bear with me.
It all started in the summer of 2003 when I went on a mission trip to Uganda with my church youth group. At this point in my life I thought I was walking with the Lord, however my faith and relationship with God was less than ideal. It involved a lot of me asking God for things when I needed them and half heatedly hoping that maybe he heard me. I did not walk with God on a daily basis. All this to give you just a small picture of my small faith at that point in my life. However, I will NEVER forget the day when God told me I would be adopting a baby. We were on a safari after spending some time in a small village with lots of children a few days earlier and I heard God say to me (not audibly-but in my heart) that I would be returning to Africa one day to adopt a baby. Looking back, I am so thankful that God forced his way through my rebellious, stubborn 18 year old self to reveal one of his plans for me. Years went by and many life seasons, and spiritual highs and lows came and went. However, one thing never changed and that was that I was destined for adoption, and knew that Jesus gave me a tiny piece of his heart when it came to caring for those in less than ideal circumstances.
Fast forward 5"ish" years and I was now a year into marriage, with a hubby that is one of the most kind and compassionate people I have ever met in my life. I casually mention adoption and he isn't so sure. I decided that if God wanted us to adopt a baby, he would place it on both of our hearts so I silenced my mouth for the next two years or so and prayed. Sure enough, with no prompting by me, Lance told me that he thought adoption was a good fit for our family and that he would love to begin praying about whether or not we should adopt first or have biological children. However, no real answer was heard. We decided that we should have biological babies first and then adopt later. After a couple years of no babies, one surgery, and 2 different doctors giving me a perfect bill of health we decided that our infertility was not "infertility" at all. Around that time I began having dreams and hearing verses in my mind that I did not even know existed. Odd I know but it really began happening to me. I would find myself singing a verse I had never even heard before in the shower and 9 times out of 10 it had something to do with adoption! After lots and lots of prayer, tears, questioning, and just an overall desire to live out God's will for our life, we decided adoption it is!!
It is crazy how God's word is filled with adoption. He adopted us when we did not deserve it. He loved us unconditionally when we were unlovable and he accepted us when we were unacceptable. Jesus sought out the lonely, broken and different and calls us to do the same. What God has been telling me over and over the past couple of weeks is that our time on earth is short. Really, really short. It is our job to do the best that we can and show as much love as we can for the short time that God has allowed us to be here. This is the most important thing in life. We are here to show the love of Christ to others and bring him glory and honor through our lives. This we need to focus on first and make our main job. The rest will fall into place. :)
So there is the story of how we came to adoption. This is much, much longer than I anticipated so I will post on "Why Ethiopia" tomorrow.
Here are today's prayer requests:
1. Please pray for our babies first months of development if she has been conceived and for the health of her mother. Please pray specifically that her parents (specifically her mother) are praying for her and somehow come to know Jesus is they don't yet. Many Ethiopian orphans are orphaned due to death of their parents. I want our child to be reunited with her biological family one day in heaven! :)
2. Please pray for our initial paperwork and application fees. We know God will not let something like money get in the way of adoption, but it is a looming cloud right now.
3. Please pray for Lance & I to stay organized and on top of things. We also just closed on our house and are spending lots of hours working on that!
4. Please pray that the Ethiopian courts stay open. They close for the months of Sept & Oct and no one ever knows what will happen with adoption when they re-open.
Ok that's all for now.
Thanks for checkin in......
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
News!!
We are so excited to announce that we are adopting a baby from Ethiopia!! This has been something we have been praying about for a couple years now and after God doing a big work on our hearts, we are doing it!!We still desire to have biological children and believe that we will in God's time. But we feel confident that this is exactly where we are supposed to be right now!!
We have chosen to give this 100% over to God and we have faith that we will be provided for and protected throughout this process. The more we learn about the ins and outs of international adoption, the more we realize that this is going to be quite the journey and we aren't taking any of it lightly. We know challenges lay ahead! However, we are ready and can't wait to grow closer to God and grow stronger in our faith.
God has already started giving us wonderful signs that HE is with us in this. We know that God loves adoption and we feel so blessed that he is choosing to grow our family by blessing us with a little munchkin from afar!!
Please check my blog frequently, as I will be posting prayer request for our little one. It is an odd feeling having NO control whatsoever over this child but it leaves us with no option but to put this little life, and its prenatal development and safety completely in God's hands.
I will also be writing more later on why we are adopting, why it's Ethiopia and all that good stuff.
We are super excited to get going on this crazy journey! Keep checkin in......
Saturday, September 17, 2011
RADICAL
I posted a few weeks ago about a book I read, Radical by David Platt. If you haven't read it, I strongly suggest that you go to the closest book store or hop onto amazon.com a get this book.
In a nutshell, this book talks about how our faith, the commands given to us in the bible, and just how our overall relationship with God gets very mixed up in our "American" culture. It talks about the very real and often unavoidable struggles between the things of our culture and how it affects our Christian walk and purpose here on earth. Don't worry, it's not one of those books that says all wealth is evil and that we need to sell everything we own. However, it has definitely helped me refocus on what is and what isn't important and how I should be using what I have been given for the betterment of the world and people around me. Not only because that's what we should probably do as Christians, but because it is in fact what we have been COMMANDED to do. Its crazy how easily I forget things of such high importance!
It's awesome, encouraging and a must read!!! It has really encouraged me to get into the word and really hear and do what it says!! Read it and tell me what you think! I would love to hear how other people receive this book!!
In a nutshell, this book talks about how our faith, the commands given to us in the bible, and just how our overall relationship with God gets very mixed up in our "American" culture. It talks about the very real and often unavoidable struggles between the things of our culture and how it affects our Christian walk and purpose here on earth. Don't worry, it's not one of those books that says all wealth is evil and that we need to sell everything we own. However, it has definitely helped me refocus on what is and what isn't important and how I should be using what I have been given for the betterment of the world and people around me. Not only because that's what we should probably do as Christians, but because it is in fact what we have been COMMANDED to do. Its crazy how easily I forget things of such high importance!
It's awesome, encouraging and a must read!!! It has really encouraged me to get into the word and really hear and do what it says!! Read it and tell me what you think! I would love to hear how other people receive this book!!
On another note, I just LOVE my fam!! The Girods are here this weekend (Betho was here all week chillin with my Mom while my dad was out of the country) and Cody got here yesterday. We had a GREAT day today! They came over this afternoon, we headed to Barnaby's (my FAV) for lunch and then came back over here and put little Maxieboo down for a nap in my room. We created the coziest little nap time environment for him, consisting of 3 fans, 4 comforters for his palate, and then 2 baby blankets to cuddle with. I mean he was living in luxury. However, he did not see it that way and after a mere 20 minutes of snoozing his cute little head popped up and he was wide awake for the rest of the afternoon. He is a little sick with his first cold (break my heart-depressing) so I think he was a bit out of sorts. But that's ok, he joined our party. We made a huge spread of hummis, cheese, grapes, turkey, chocolate and chocolate wine and all watched football! We thought chocolate wine was going to be the best thing ever and it was, in our opinion, almost un-drinakble. It was so weird and I can still taste it lingering in my mouth! Gross!!
I just love them. Can't wait until they can actually move here and we can do this kind of thing every weekend. Having a twin and then having her marry one of your husband's best friends is just the best thing ever!! Once we get our house (which is is 2 weeks!) I am going to get a pack and play and a rocking chair so Max can have slumber parties with Aunt KK & Uncle L!
Tomorrow we have church and then small group lunch/football watching. It should be a great day!! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Football season!
I think I post this same post every year, and think one of these years that it is going to get better. But unfortunantly my opinion of football has not changed over the past several years. I mean I am SO bored! No matter what I do I cannot find the joy or fun in watching a football game and I can usually find fun in anything!! I need some advice on how to embrace the fun of fall football b/c everyone else seems to love it but me!? Am I just wierd!? I just do not see the appeal in any way what so ever!However, now that we have a house I can probably fill the hours with fun little chores and crafts!! Anyone out there who feel the same is more than welcome to come over and make cookies and decorate!! :)
Happy Monday! Glad it's about behind us! :)
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Blessed regardless of my circumstances
This has been one of those weeks where I have been having a little personal pity party over some things that have been going on in my life. The good thing is that I know my self worth is not measured by my accomplishments, good traits, bad traits, life stages or anything in between. My self worth lies in the fact that I was fearfully and wonderfully made by my heavenly father and was made in His image. I was created to be a light on this earth and walk around on my two feet, day in and day out living out my life to show God's glory here on this earth. One thing I know for sure is that I was not put on this earth to be bitter and entitled. I want the life that God has predestined for me since the beginning of time. I want to stand at the gates of heaven and hear, "Well done my good and faithful servant" and what I want more than that is for as many others as possible to stand with me at that gate and hear that same thing, because I allowed God to do a work through me and brought others to him!!
I am so blessed to have the life I have. Its overwhelming at times that I have been given so much. I know that "to those who are given much, much is expected", and I pray that I will never get in the way of what God expects from me because of my own silly emotions and occasional pity parties. Plus pity parties suck and are depressing! No thanks!!!
We sang this at church this morning. God speaks to me daily through songs. He must know how my brain works and how I retain scripture. He spoke to me today through this song.
Every blessing you pour out I turn back to praise. When the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say, blessed be the name of the lord, blessed be your name Jesus. Blessed me the name of the lord, blessed be your glorious name!! He gives and takes away, He gives and takes away.
My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name!
He has given me much and has taken little. My heart will CHOOSE to say blessed be your name Jesus until I am standing you in heaven one day!! :)
I am so blessed to have the life I have. Its overwhelming at times that I have been given so much. I know that "to those who are given much, much is expected", and I pray that I will never get in the way of what God expects from me because of my own silly emotions and occasional pity parties. Plus pity parties suck and are depressing! No thanks!!!
We sang this at church this morning. God speaks to me daily through songs. He must know how my brain works and how I retain scripture. He spoke to me today through this song.
Every blessing you pour out I turn back to praise. When the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say, blessed be the name of the lord, blessed be your name Jesus. Blessed me the name of the lord, blessed be your glorious name!! He gives and takes away, He gives and takes away.
My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name!
He has given me much and has taken little. My heart will CHOOSE to say blessed be your name Jesus until I am standing you in heaven one day!! :)
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Boston!
Boston is:
Chowder eating.....
Monument hiking....whew....
Statue looking.....
Pizza sharing....
Window Shopping........
Canolli eating....
new culture exploring......
Baseball watching......
scenery loving......
musket shooting learning......
knowledge gaining....
food smelling....
lots of walking.....
hot dog eating.....
American history touring.....
Italian food eating......
bed and breakfasting"ing"......
Whale watching.....
Witch hunting in Salem......
Dunkin Donut eating......
&
MUCH MORE!!
Boston is AWESOME. It is so clean and beautiful. Filled with history, great food, you can get everywhere on foot or on a subway, and it has endless things to do. We had such a wonderful time learning all about the history of the town, eating lots and lots in the "North End" which is like a little Italy, going to Chinatown, whale watching, and going to Fernway to watch Texas kill the Red Sox. We stayed in the most beautiful bed and breakfast and filled every second of our trip with fun!! I would recommend Boston to anyone who is looking for a fun, interesting, relaxing, exciting vacation!
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