What to bring to the Orphanage??!!

Shoes are a big deal right?! The right size... the right color for your outfit.... the "coolest" kids shoes for your little people... but how about the basic need to even own shoes? There are kids around the world that don't even know what a proper fitting shoe feels like

THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW TO COMPLAIN THAT THE SHOES ON THEIR FEET ARE RUBBING ON THEIR TOENAILS!!


When we travel to Ethiopia in the next few months, we plan to pack as many pairs of CROC's as we can fit into extra luggage! We are talking multiple 30 gallon storage tubs hauled halfway across the world to kiddos who need them so much! 

Why the CROC's? They are made of a tough, durable, and long lasting material. They can be handed down from kiddo to kiddo and it is out hope that they will last longer than regular tennis shoes. From experience, we have handed down very few shoes from one boy to another just because they really get used and worn.

Will you help us? From now until we leave for our first trip to Ethiopia we will collecting as many pairs as we can packed into those tubs! We hope you will join us in this! 
I am going to add a "tracker" on my blog and we will be able to track and hopefully exceed our goal of 100 pairs! 

Acceptance Paperwork

So the last two weeks have been a crazy world wind of activity! We signed and express mailed our acceptance paperwork to the International Coordinator of Bethany... that one Visa Application is HARD!! Sheesh... I think I messed it up like three time! She has already sent it to Ethiopia to be translated and she promised they would push really hard to get our paperwork submitted to Court before the closure... since no official date for the closure has been announced. We can not post pictures online of our little people so if you see us around and want to look, you likely will not even need to ask, but please do! 

Many have asked "What next??"

1. We will wait to hear that our paperwork has been submitted to the Court
2. Then we will get a Court date... !!
3. Travel to Ethiopia for our first trip which will entail meeting the kiddos and attending a Court hearing
4. Travel Home without my babies... =(
5. Wait to hear that we passed Court and have a letter of recommendation from MOYA
6. Wait to be submitted to the United States Embassy for travel documents to bring the kids home..
7. Be invited back to Ethiopia for our Embassy appointment and to bring the kids home

We are hoping and praying that all of this will happen before the end of the year!

There is an ongoing drought crisis in Eastern Africa that has me on my knees in prayer for all the millions of people affected by this...please pray with us for the people there! We need to do something.. Ricky and I are in the processes of trying to find ways to help... we will be reaching out to you all when we have nailed something down and asking that you join with us... how can this not break your heart!

Let me count the ways....

I have been secretly working on this blog post for a while now… I wanted it to be EVERYTHING that I could possibly think of… so here is goes!

Today marks 5 years of marriage to my best friend…

Today, I am more in love with him that the moment we said “I do”

Today, I am more excited to spend forever with him that I was 5 years ago…

I am thankful for his kind spirit, his willingness to bend and break to what God has called him to do. I am thankful for his amazing tender heart towards me and my crazy emotional self.

I am daily blessed by the laughter he brings to our home, the crazy stories and ideas he comes up with and his willingness to embrace the “boy” so he can play with our crew.

I love how he loves my Jakey. There are no words to describe how it makes my heart feel to know there is no difference in our home, blood or not, Jakey is his baby too.

I appreciate how thoughtful he is, leaving at 8:30 at night to go get me ice cream… and getting up at 5:00am to be home early to pick up the kids.

I am in awe of his devotion to me. Just in awe… there is nothing in my being that can describe the wounds he has healed, the scars that he has made less visible. The time and tender devotion has made me a new woman, and I will be forever grateful.

My most favorite moments with him are when he laughs, it melts my heart. His smile from across the room in a weird or awkward situation calms me, the look in his eyes when he knows I have been hurt by someone else makes me feel safe.

His steadfast love for our children, the ones who are here in our home and the ones who are across the world, brings me to my knees in thanksgiving.

He lets me sleep in every day of the weekend, no matter how many times each of us has been up in the night with the kids…. He continues to show self-sacrificing love on a daily basis and I am forever thankful for the moment he walked into my life.

I love that he calls me several times a day from work just to say HI! Even when he is at work, it is important to him to make me feel loved, and I do!

5 years ago today we were getting ready to say “I do”… we had planned and prepared for nearly 6 months and all seemed perfect… The off ramp to our wedding venue had a fire and more than half our guests were stuck in traffic from the fire and missed our ceremony… but through all of that (even as a crazy bride) my question was “Is Ricky here?” This has continued as we have moved past the party to celebrate our vows and into our lives. If he is here, then I am ready!

Yesterday we received an anniversary gift that could not be matched by material gifts to each other… we were matched with the sweet additions to our family. When the moment hit me…WE WILL HAVE 5 KIDS!!.... I again went back to “Is Ricky here?”

I love you Big Bird… you inspire me and I am thankful for every moment of time we get to spend together and the moments we are apart I am praying for you and thinking of you!

On day 238.... and WE GOT A REFERRAL!!!

Our my gosh!! What an amazing day this has been! I promised myself I would blog about the referral on the first day, so it would be fresh in my mind... here you go!!

6:56am- Missed Call from Unknown Number...
7:05am- Missed Call from Unknown Number..
7:10am- Email from Grand Rapids, MI BCSI Headquarters...

Dear Brandi,
I am trying to get a hold of you we have a referral for a 9 month old girl and a 3 year old boy! Please call me!!

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7:15am- Call Ricky crying hysterically... he assumes someone needs to go to the ER (LOL) and I finally am able to get the words "referral" out!
7:30am- Throw all three boys into the car... someone was only in underwear and they had all not eaten... and drive them to my in-laws house... "They have not eaten and are dirty...I gotta go!"
8:05am- Meet Ricky at my office (half way between our house and his office).... Set up webcam to record the call and call BCSI back to get more info...

8:42am- Open email to look at pictures of our sweet new additions!! AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING!!!

I have spent the rest of the day on cloud 9billion and didn't get any work done! I came home early after picking up all 30 copies of their pictures from Costco and now are are headed to tell the boys about their new sister and brother!
We are over joyed and so thankful for this moment!

Praying Boldly..

So after reading this post I have been thinking a lot about praying boldly and being honest with God... even when the answer is no or not right now to know that I can come back to Him when I am disappointed because I have already gone to Him with my honest and bold request and am more comfortable going to Him with my sadness.

So I am asking, BOLDLY, that each of you pray with my for a referral this week!! Please pray this with us as we desperately want to bring our little people home from Ethiopia before the end for year! Please pray with us!  

Needed this tonight....

Thanks Kim for remind me....

"Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that when you are done the will of God, you may receive what is promised."  Hebrews 10:35-36.