You're Adopting From WHERE?

A few years ago God changed my life when He called me to serve in the country of Moldova.  I went to church one Sunday morning to hear a presentation by a representative from Baptist Child and Family Services.  I listened to the services offered and found the presentation somewhat informative.  Then the rep began talking about their international work.  He flashed a picture of a small country near Russia and my attention level changed immediately.

My husband had to stay home that day nursing a painful backache.  I walked through the back door and told Tommy, "I think God is calling me to go to Moldova."  Tommy replied, "Moldova? What's that? Sounds like a disease.  I grabbed a sandwich, googled Moldova, and started my research. 

Two mission trips and thousands of frequent flyer miles later I am still captivated by this beautiful land by the Black Sea.

The Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. A country of less that 3.5 million, Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe. In its history, Moldova has been part of Romania as well as the Soviet Union, and has been an independent nation since 1991. Since it gained its independence the Republic of Moldova continues to strive toward economic stability. The country was caught in the time warp of less than desirable orphanage conditions, however the country is working diligently to secure economic stability, and orphanage conditions have improved greatly in the last 5 years. Chisinau is the capitol of the Republic. (Taken from International Family Services Website)


New friend and National Director
of Children's Emergency Relief International



Hanging out with the girl we sponsored for a few years.




Trina Bickham and Becky Westmoreland
Chisinau, Moldova  TEXAS STYLE
Mission Trip #2

New forever friend from Mission Trip #1
Kim Grizzard

Stella-Translator from trip #1
Stayed with us in Texas for 3 months

 








Struggling

My new favorite singer is Audrey Assad.   Today I relate well to her song, "Lament".

I'm Mary and I'm Martha all at the same time;
I'm sitting at His feet and yet I'm dying to be recognized.
I am a picture of contentment and I am dissatisfied.
Why is it easy to work and hard to rest sometimes,
sometimes,sometimes

I'm restless, and I rustle like a thousand tall trees;
I'm twisting and I'm turning in an endless daydream.
You wrestle me at night and I wake in search of You...
but try as I might, I just can't catch You
But I want to, 'cause I need You, yes, I need You
I can't catch You, but I want to.

This is supposed to be an adoption blog.  I found the right agency in June.  I downloaded all the paperwork and got to work.  I was excited.  Then darn it, July and August had to roll around and spoil everything.  We put my mom in a behavioral hospital in July hoping to see some daylight in this deep, dark hole she has lived in for 9 months.  After five long weeks in that hospital she was still in the dark but with new medication.  We've had a death in our family, a  breast cancer diagnosis, and an aunt who needs a new liver.  We spent an August afternoon in the ER at Baptist Hospital with my mom.  Then a week of praying that mom's biopsy was not cancer.  It has been a year long struggle with congestive heart failure, depression, hospitals, doctors, medicine, bills, collection agencies, ER visits, trips to St. Luke's in Houston, Baptist Beaumont, and Oceans Hospital in Lake Charles.

Why am I including the health of my family?  It's part of my adoption story.  It's been hard to focus on fundraising for an adoption when my mom does not want to get out of bed.  My mom is one of my best friends.  I want her to be a part of this story.  I want my second daughter to experience her Grans.  Daughter #1 has had her Grans spoil her rotten for a few years.

We want to adopt our little girl from Moldova.  We want a debt free adoption.  Then there's the "to fundraise or not fundraise" struggle.  Is it right to fundraise for a child? Our girl will come with a price tag ranging anywhere from $25,000-$30,000.  One girl.  She's worth every penny and I haven't even met her.  The application and the international Hague approved home study is a little less than what it costs for some women in the U.S. to give birth. That's why the application is still sitting on my desk.  I do not want to go into debt.  But I want to get my girl out of the orphanage I'm certain she is living in today.

Audrey Assad's song sums it up.  I am content knowing that in these hard times my God has not left my side.  Yet I'm dissatisfied that my mom is not better and that the adoption app has not been mailed off.

I miss my mom desperately.

I'm restless.

I'm struggling.

New Beginnings

Hello!  Starting a new journey with an amazing guy, a precious daughter, and our boston terrier, Pedro. Hoping to add one more beautiful face to our family next year.  Grab a cafe mocha and enjoy!

I know you've heard the stories

But they all sound too good to be true

You've heard about a place called home

But there doesn't seem to be one for you

So one more night you cry yourself to sleep

And drift off to a distant dream  

And somewhere while you're sleeping

Someone else is dreaming too

Counting down the days until

They hold you close and say I love you

And like the rain that falls into the sea

In a moment what has been is lost in what will be

Where love takes you in and everything changes
A miracle starts with the beat of a heart
When love takes you home and says you belong here
The loneliness ends and a new life begins
When love takes you in

Steven Curtis Chapman