Thursday, March 29, 2012

Created for Care Retreat-- Part One



So this past weekend I drove up north of Atlanta alone (boy was that peaceful!) to a beautiful resort called Lake Lanier Resort (www.lakelanierislands.com) for an incredible retreat for adoptive moms. It was called Created for Care http://createdforcare.org and over 450 women-- Adoptive or waiting to adopt were there! I was sooooooo excited! I've always said that I feel like adoptive moms/families are like their own little club-- we just understand each other more than other people understand us. We have had people say the craziest things to us and searched within ourselves for the best responses to be kind and educate when really we just want to hit them over the head! Anyhow, my weekend started meeting a "friend" of mine who I feel like I really know even though we never met! She contacted me almost 2 years ago through the Bethany Christian Services FB page because I put a post there. We ended up talking on the phone and then following each other on our blogs and FB through both of our adoption journeys. She is just as cool in person if not more!! She roomed with me and another girl she brought who she met at their Bethany Adoptive Parents Training weekend and Cherie is a waiting mom too! That was the beginning of the excitement of the weekend!
My first breakout session was with an Adoptive Moms panel-- I LOVE panel discussions. It's so fun to see what people have to say and soooooo neat to see several women all with awesome families built through different types of adoption telling their stories! I must admit I was most excited to see/meet Aimee Powell (Mac Powel's wife-- lead singer of Third Day). I have read their stories in magazines and seen some of their testimonies but so cool to meet her in person and what an awesome person she is-- not that I ever doubted it...
OK--there is so much to say that I'm going to put this in a few posts...

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Psalm 27:14 and Psalm 31:24

So these are the scripture verses I have been meditating on this past week. If you aren't sure what they are go look them up! ;) We are at the 3 month mark of waiting which is really NOTHING. Some days it is nothing and I'm so busy and other days it's just a grip on my heart wondering when our daughter will be brought to us. I have complete faith that God will bring her in His perfect time. I must admit it is MUCH easier the second time around!! Kind of like having your 2nd child-- you don't get as nervous or as anxious as the first time. It is still so very exciting but I know it is all going to work out just right...
So I've been blessed to be able to minister to other waiting families with Bethany. About a year ago I contacted Bethany's Director and told her that I love making digital scrapbooks and would be willing to help edit or make books for couples that may be having difficulty with it. She said "Ok great-- thanks. We'll let you know." I never heard anything until December. She called and asked if I could help them. I was so excited. I filled out paperwork and became an "Official Bethany Volunteer." I am now the Profile Book Consultant and I love it!! I love helping couples make their books go from ok or good to awesome! It is very rewarding! Just this last week one of the families I talked with and reviewed their book brought home a "stork drop" baby after their book had only been "out there" for 2 weeks! I was sooooooo excited for them! I just LOVE seeing families built through adoption. It is such an awesome blessing!!!