Getting Ready! Our next move!!

Well, the Lord says to not get discouraged. He gives hope and he tells us to take courage.  It is time.
We have been through much, had ups and downs and learned a lot the past 2 years.  This started with the realization of orphan needs in the world way before, then took off with prayer and a picture of Kaylee and changed into a testing of our faith.  Were we going to keep going? Were we going to give up?  Yes and never!! Those were our answers and still are!  The direction took a little time and prayer to decide and we have decided to move toward Ukraine. We do not rule out other options as well, but we do so knowing that our family will continue to grow over the years through adoption possibly from various places!  We do not do this just for us...just because we want more children....no we do this out of knowing the orphan will change our lives out of our obedience to the Lord to adopt.  Do we also want children, well yes. Of course!

So hopefully Ukraine in June 2013.  We have some fundraisers we are working on, as well as saving as much $ as we can and being disciplined to stay on a budget!  Praise God in advance for His provision.

We will be having a Tasting Party in which people can taste items and they purchase them! For example, salsas, sauces, jams, cookie mixes, bread mixes, etc.  This will take about 2-3 months of prep work. If anyone has canning equipment and would like to donate 2 dozen items please let us know! There are also other ways to help, such as donating a bunch of ingredients that go on sale and we can put them together as well.  Canning jars of all sizes are needed as well!  Just let us know if you want/can help in any way and we would love to talk with you!  We are also looking for a cute location to hold the Tasting Party!  There could also be other items for sale there as well, like cupcakes, cake pops, smoothies, fresh juices, etc.  My specialty are fresh squeezed juices and smoothies, so I am considering having some of these ready made items to taste and purchase the ingredients at the party as well!  This party will be in either April or May.

There are other fundraisers as well such as the Master's Dance Academy, a rummage sale and the Kaylee's Hope Esty Store!

I am also trying my hand at making Vera bags, that would be just like Vera Bradley handbags and some children clothes that are just like Matilda Jane.  This will be fun! I will be putting quotes and pictures on my fb pages soon! :)

We know that God can provide and don't expect everyone to just fund us so to speak. We truly do enjoy preparing for these fundraising events and have experienced just how these events bring our friends and family together.  There are some friends and family that want to support us, but are just not so sure about adoption (the old questions of 'why would you want to do that?!) that arrive at the events and have a wow factor when they realize it really is working. Then we also have friends and family that care and really want to understand our perspective on the adoption mission and are motivated themselves to move toward adoption, praise God!.....and finally we have more friends and family that understand the mandate to Christians to care for the orphan and the needy and have already adopted...now being our cheerleaders and educators. When they all come together in one place it just makes the mission happen.  We pray many are inspired, changed and that the orphan truly changes the church.

Timeline of events and travel dates coming soon!! :) Please be in prayer for us, its a big step moving forward again.

Dance for a cause! Adoption!!

First of all we thank all of you for following our personal journey to adoption during this time. For those that have followed us since we began in 2011 you feel the pains of carrying the child and labor with us---in regards to the WAIT and PAPERWORK!!  It has been a long journey and that's ok. Ok in the sense that God is ultimately in charge and He has allowed this time for a reason. I know it has been really good for our family to blend over the past 2.5 years. Derek and I had recently been married and I have 3 children that were used to just a single mom raising them for 10 years.  Everyone of us have been adjusting to new roles and dynamics in this family. Actually it has readily prepared (as much as can be prepared for) us for adoption as we are used to the molding of family roles and the needs of children, etc. In fact, I have heard children of divorced parents are orphans themselves.  Unfortunately I see that in their lives.  Even though they have 2 parents (well 4 when you count remarriage!) that love them dearly and care for them so much, they still feel the consequences of abandonment.  It has been a journey as I have seen them learn to trust again and open up to their stepdad, respect his leadership and rely on him.  It is a joy to see, but also a heartache as I never wished that upon them. 

We want to do all we can to show orphaned children in this world that there is a Savior that rescues them.  There is a Savior that never left them nor abandoned them. We want to be the hands and feet of Jesus to children in this world. 

Another way we are going to do this is through a long time dance ministry!  About 11 or 12 years ago the Lord showed me that He is the author of dance.  I have a blog,Click Here which explains it all! Learn technical ballet, learn about God's purpose for dance and have fun praise dancing with all donations going towards supporting orphans!

Adoption and Kaylee

The definition of ADOPTION given by Dictionary.com is a verb (used with object) stated as 'to choose or take as one's own'. Looking back in my email I notice the date my husband and I started on this adoption journey together was 3/14/2011, which was exactly a year and a day after we got engaged and the day of my first son's birthday. However, the adoption - or to take as one's own-journey started way before. It started when God knocked on my heart when I saw videos of orphanages in a certain country. It especially started when I heard children were just moved to a 'dying' room when they were too ill. This was devastating news for a young American woman to hear! How could this be?!! How could anyone let this happen?!! As Americans, we are able to call CPS when we think a child is being abused and our state will investigate and rescue children when needed. 

We don't have orphanages per se here in America, but we tend to do our best to protect children.  My heart cried out for those children. My heart broke for children abandoned and hurt, left to die. My heart broke for orphans, those abandoned children with no one left to protect them. 

Are you willing to allow your heart to be broken for a child? Are you willing to let your comforts go so you can do what Jesus would do?! Save a child from death?! What is worth more?

Can God provide the funds?  Clearly, yes He can.  Do you think God is BIG enough?  More importantly, the question is, Do you BELIEVE God is big enough?!  Faith, sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1).  Seek to be like Abraham...faith, God counted to him as righteousness.

I am basically talking to Jesus followers at this point....God is waiting for you to seek Him in everyway. He is even waiting for you to ask Him about His heart for orphans.  It is clearly stated in scripture, but are you willing to ask God to GIVE YOU His heart for orphans?!! 

Click here, here and and here to gather information and stories about orphans.Click here, here and here for more information and resources.  Pray and go.  Choose to obey and be doing 'true religion' as scripture states.  Also, yes, taking care of widows is a part of that and there are many ways to support them as well.  Many of the orphanages around the world have helped support widows by giving them jobs to take care of orphans. Other organizations, like 31 Bits, are providing jobs so women can rise above poverty.  Support them! Click here to see another organization committed to helping women and families rise and raise their families. 

We started our journey of adoption by seeing a profile and picture of a little girl named 'Kaylee' according to her agency representing her back in 2011. However, by the time our paperwork got to her country she was 'already in process of being adopted'.  So, we moved on. We waited for another match and did not receive a match according to our paperwork.  Then, as many know, our country closed its doors recently to American adoptions. 

As we are praying and seeking the Lord for the next step, we are greatly anticipating making major strides this year and pray by years' end we will have an orphan(s)-no-more in our family.  We are planning on keeping our blog name- Kaylee's Hope (kayleeshope.blogspot.com) as well as our Esty Store named Kaylee's Hope and allowing the name 'Kaylee' to represent all the orphans in the world.   The most recent estimate is that there are approximately 145 million orphans in the world (UNICEF 2008).  Will you be a voice for a Kaylee? Will you ransom a Kaylee? Will you help save the life of a Kaylee?  She is waiting for you. Will you take her as 'your own'??

I was adopted.

I was adopted. This past week I resigned from a my job that I held for the past 4 years. 2 years ago ended a 10 year stretch of single motherhood. During those single motherhood years the Lord tested and tried me in many ways. He was relentless in His pursuit of me and faithful in answering the prayers of 'I will do anything Lord, I surrender to You Lord, make me more like You Lord, shape me Lord, etc.' He became my everything during those hard and trying years. At moments of trial for provision or for company He would ask if I would surrender to Him being my all. Sometimes I failed the tests and all the time He loved me. During those 10 years I held a job that just didn't seem to make ends meet. Finances were always a struggle for me, some bad choices led to financial hardship, plus add a single income for raising 3 kids..it was tough. At one point, I joined with Crown Financial Ministries and utilized their Volunteer 'Money Coaches' that was extremely helpful, but the income just was so low compared to the expenses that it felt like barely a 'baby army crawl' to get anywhere. It felt like there was no end in sight and now freedom on the horizon. I remember at my coach getting down to the nitty gritty with me several times and saying, 'it would be better to go to Sam's Club and get the bulk box of chicken tenders than try to buy in small quantities each week' or 'find out which monthly bill you can cut back, such as your phone bill..call them and see'. It was tedious and felt like finding $2 more dollars wasn't really worth it. There often was much fretting or anxiousness surrounding paying bills and purchasing anything! A couple times during those years I was working 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet, but then very worn out with no energy left to parent.

In all this God was still relentless. I had asked God several times over the past 6 years stating 'why am I doing this'(working in other positions for employment). There were many times of trials and ups and downs with my job. One negative was not having my summer's off(as I had as a teacher)!! Boo. Also, not feeling like I saw my kids enough or feeling super stressed making it difficult to relax and have fun with them, etc. He never seemed to quite answer me, other than several times I heard, 'I have released you from this'. Ah, what I now realize! It was not the job He was releasing me from at that time, it was the stress. I did not NEED to stress. I did not NEED to fret. See, I did not really believe He had rescued me. I did not believe in my spirit that He had adopted me as His own. It was not till this past Friday, as I resigned from a 4 year position and began dialoging with my Savior about 'where He has brought me and to where I am going' that He began to unfold something to me. You see, I have signed a teaching contract to work with my past employer again or some would say, 'I am going back home.' I will be teaching at Victory Christian Academy again I asked 'why Lord'. 'Why the 6 year journey of working for other employers and now to go back?!! I was just confused. I was/am really looking forward to going back as I have always loved teaching, but I was just plain confused and trying to make sense of it. The Lord spoke very clearly to me...because you now believe you are mine. You now trust me as Father and Provider. Its as if He audibly said, 'See, Alyssa, you are mine and you are adopted. If you would care for your own children, how much more will I care for you, oh daughter of mine.' He very clearly reminded me that adopted children are cared for and loved.

As I have been reading in preparation for our daughter to come from EE, I read that our child may fret and worry at times about food or abandonment or clothing, etc., but that doesn't change the fact that she is cared for and the provision is right there waiting for her, not going anywhere and sometimes healing needs to take place in order for the child to trust the parent and relax. I guess I needed some healing time. It has been a journey of healing. I am reminded that I am adopted. I am a child of God. Truly. God's children don't fret. God's children don't worry. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. He is Father.

Stepping Forward

This waiting is not easy or for the faint in heart.   
As it is written, "He who waits on the Lord shall renew their strength." Thank you Lord.  

SOOOOO...........its time for a step.
God is renewing our strength. I am thankful and excited to share that Journey Moms is going strong and been a blessing to many over the past year.  Some of you remember Journey Moms started last year, when two thoughtful women came to our adoption fundraiser, shared their contact info and said to keep in touch with them!  I jumped at the chance to talk with them due to my own questions and desire for support in this endeavor and we all started a 'Mom Support Group' for those touched by adoption!  Thanks to Jayne and Diane for opening their houses to us every month, praying for us and sharing their stories and hearts with us! 

Our Journey Moms is taking a next step and joining with Liberty Bible Church's Adoption Ministry- Growing Families to host an ADOPTION SEMINAR!!  We pray this will bless many families, caregivers, grandparents, friends, aunts and uncles, etc. touched by adoption and give them needed resources and ideas for supporting the adopted child. You are welcome to attend! 

YOU ARE INVITED!! 

'Loss and Attachment'

for the Adopted Child

 by Debi Sibray, MSW, LSW from Journey Moms. 

This will be a general overview of the loss and attachment issues a child may experience from adoption and how to best support and encourage a healthy attachment.  This is specifically designed for all touched by adoption such as parents, grandparents, babysitters, aunts, uncles, friends, etc. in order to learn some very practical ideas for helping the child form healthy, thriving attachments.

Thursday, July 12th, 2012

6:00-8:30pm

Liberty Bible Church

Enter Door D - Food Court

824 N Calumet Avenue 

Chesterton, IN 4

Please RSVP by July 6th, 2012 to Alyssa Chirch on facebook or alyssachirch@comcast.net.

Space limited to 50 people. 

Desserts, Coffee and Water available! 

Childcare may be available, this is still in the works!  When you RSVP, let us know if you would need it, how many children, their ages and any special needs! Thanks!

As Derek and I began this adoption journey with Kaylee in mind, knowing many adoption stories from families in our own lives and books I had read and along with the family dynamics we have already, there were no doubt some fears and questions that came up!  In this, the Lord readily brought 3 needed women in my life.  2 of whom started the adoption ministry-Journey Moms with me and 1 that I wept with at our adoption rummage sale.  I spoke of Jayne and Diane already and I am so thankful for their support and prayers over the past year and especially during the time of learning that Kaylee had already been adopted by another family when our paperwork arrived in her country. Debi (speaker for seminar above!) also walked into our rummage sale that day for a God-moment when I expressed by concerns with attachment regarding adopting an older child (Kaylee was 5 yrs.). I began crying just sharing how hold she is and how I am just unsure of how it will go ....Debi assured me and said that she had just gone through attachment therapy training and would love to come over and work with her!  I started weeping.  This was a moment when God showed me His ever-present faithfulness. He knew my heart and my fears that very day, He knew His request to take care of orphans, and He knew our hearts to be obedient to the call.    He took care of it.  Even now, we make our plans and God directs our steps.  That day was bigger than Kaylee. That day was a day of obedience and desire to support orphans however and whenever we can!  In that, I am so glad Debi has agreed to share some of her attachment training with anyone willing to learn!  This is especially helpful to those related to or friends with those that are or have adopted!  Please plan on joining us for that special night!  I am looking forward to it and know it will be helpful when someday we have a child in our arms and not just a football!! See below.  :) xoxoxox   Alyssa (& Derek)

News Next Week?

Thank you to the many people who continue to check in on us through this blog, even though we have had so little news to report.  It means a lot to us to know that others are joining us in our anticipation for this adoption to move forward.

We continue to be in almost daily contact with our adoption agency.  They in turn are in regular communication with their staff on the ground in Eastern Europe.  To this point, we have gotten news in bits and pieces, most of it relatively disappointing.  The ministry of education has talked with our agency about a few children for us, but none that would be available to us according to our home study (age, health, etc are fairly non-negotiable items, both for the government and for us).  Most of the time, the meetings have been completely fruitless.

That said, we have some hope that we may get a referral we could accept next week!  Judy (our agency manager) let us know that another meeting is scheduled for Monday and that there may be a child available for us.  We have learned not to get our hopes up, but we are cautiously optimistic that news could be coming soon.  We ask that you guys pray for this weekend and early next week that we would finally get news that moves us forward.  There is a little girl out there somewhere who is supposed to be a part of our family...let's pray that God gets her here sooner than later!

Have a happy, blessed Easter....He is risen!!

The Waiting Room

As much as I know things are going to move fast and quickly all will be different, I still am getting a little anxious knowing that the time is getting closer.  I love being a Mama and cherish hearing my 17 year old call me by that name still, however, those that say mothering is a never ending job are sort of mistaken. I would say that my role as Mama has severely changed over the years.  They really DO grow up quick and just don't need you like they used to, which (hesitantly) is ok. A Mama's job is different over the years and we just wouldn't be Mama's if we were not helping them grow up and move on, now would we?  Growing up means that they just DON'T need you like they used to....ah the irony. 

As the time gets closer to getting our referral I am greatly anticipating all the mothering that I will once again be doing. The nose wiping, the potty-'reminding' or 'training'-not sure yet, the chuckles of laughter, the silly faces, the coloring together, reading together, the daily clothes choices, the hair bows, the hair brushing, the bathing, the bubbles in the bath!, the dancing around the house to loud music!, the meal preparation for a little one, the dr. visits, the new school visits and attending at some point (look out Mrs. Linden or Mrs. Branner!), the learning how to ride her bike, the visits to the beach, the 'pet the dog nicely, like this', the 'why is she crying' questions, the 'is she sleeping yet?', the Winnie the Pooh movies and Sesame Street shows! Oh the joys to come!

This is the Waiting Room. It is a busy room.  It is a time of thinking, planning and anticipating.  Waiting is a verb. It is a busy word. It means to.... to stay in place in expectation of; a : to be ready and available and  b : to remain temporarily neglected or unrealized.  Ok, I like the first two better than the last.  So here I am, here we are...ready and expecting.  :)  We are planning on getting more ready around the home after the first trip.  Then we will know what size she is and will be able to go through her clothes and sort out the right sizes.  Right now we have about every size from 2 to 8.  We don't have a coat yet, but think it will be warm when we get her, at least at this rate that may be true.  We are hoping to travel during the warm months coming up. That is much more pleasant for me as I am a warm weather girl!  I was so not looking forward to EE in the winter months!  So that is one positive note.

One more thing Derek and I were talking about recently is the name of this blog. Kaylee's Hope.  We love the name and even though Kaylee has been adopted by another family we feel we should keep this name.  At this time it is best. That could change in the future, but we are planning on continuing to advocate for ORPHANS ongoing, so this would be an appropriate title as we have a HEART for the FATHERLESS and Kaylee was once one such child.  She is also the one, though she does not know it, that started us down this path towards EE and to hands-on work with the orphan.  There are so many 'Kaylee's' in the world, let's all choose to be a part of helping save Kaylee's life by either adopting or supporting those that do.  The root being--do you value life? Check out these orphans that already have alot raised for their adoptions, Click Here . 

You can do something too! :)  Love you all and can't wait to update you on our progress soon!