Boys will be Boys!

 So my boys headed out of town last week to have some real "male bonding"!  Anything that involves shooting "something that breathes", the girls and I freely let them go (in the freezing cold, up "way too" early, and cleaning out dead animals).  We will happily stay home and watch a few romantic Janette Oak movies:-) 

We are trying to keep ourselves busy as we wait for our paperwork from America World.  Somehow our check has been lost in space so we are now trying to track it down so we can actually start our dossier!  Thankfully, a few weeks ago I ordered birth certificates for Jeff & I.  At least I feel like I have done SOMETHING!  I have heard it said that once you start your dossier it's like starting a 40hr a week job...oh my!

Hopefully, next time we will have something exciting to share besides dead birds!

Much love, 
Erin  

Accepted!

Okay, so this past week we got our official acceptance to the Ethiopia program with America World.  So, we are NOW in full swing of all the "crazy" paperwork.  PLEASE PRAY FOR ME...I am not the most organized woman out there (I know...a surprise to all who know me) and it will take all that I have in me to keep my paperwork in any kind of organized fashion!

Oh my, this is just the beginning!

Our new adventure!

I am not  a blogger...but here is my attempt to share with you (our family and friends) what God is doing in our lives.  Let me take you back to where it all started! 

        

Here it is.  Here is the blog that God used to break through my blind eyes, my closed ears  and my selfish heart! 

 

http://allthingshendrick.blogspot.com/2010/10/reality-is-weighty-thing.html

 

God had me right where he wanted me. He used a dear friend to send this blog to facebook and on that fateful day…I pressed the link!  Therefore, I am now sitting here waiting for an approval for us to pursue an adoption of a little boy from Ethiopia!  I said it!  It’s true!  Yay!  I am so excited!

 

We believe that God has put a fire in our hearts to love and pursue Christ and to love and serve those He loves. He loves orphans.  He loves widows.  He loves the sinner.  Therefore, He loves you.  And He loves me.  I can’t deny that God’s love is stirring me in a new and fresh way. My heart is open, truly open to seek the unlovable, the abandoned and the little children with no one to love and care for them. 

 

I always believed my children would come from my womb.  With some help of course...thanks Jeff:)  That is what I always wanted.  The idea of adoption honestly had never entered my mind.  To have a child who looked like one of us and had some of my character traits, personality and quirky tendencies…what a blessing.   

 

Even all those years ago when I had an Eptopic pregnancy and our unborn child went to heaven because he could never survive outside of my womb.  It didn’t matter to me for a moment that my life was in danger.  What mother wouldn’t give her life up for her child.  If only I had the choice.  But…God was in control and He loved us AND our baby!  We knew it, believed it and held onto it those days following July13th, 2001!

 

As the years have continued to pass by so quickly I have been blessed beyond measure with my marriage and my amazing 3 kids.  Ranger, Bella and Andie have brought such joy, wonder and a true sense of love into our lives.  I truly believed that 6 years ago, October 4^th, 2004 would be the final addition to our families.  I was joyful, overwhelmed and content.  Very content.

 

It would be a number of years before I realized the stirring that God was doing in my soul and heart.  A stirring that God would bring to a boil soon.  Which takes us back to the beginning…the link to the blog that God used to get this selfish girl a step closer to His heart. 

 

There is MUCH MORE to this story but that is for another day.

 

So please feel invited to journey along with us as we start this new adventure of seeking our little one who God has placed on the other side of this world!

 

Much love, 

Erin