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Making a difference with Amazon

Partnering with Amazon... 4% of purchases made will go back to our adoption... send to your friends, help spread the word, and make a difference this Christmas season!

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Scrapbook Adoption FUNDRAISER

Ok, so I must admit, I'm very new to the whole blog thing, and obviously NOT very good at it! I'm embarrassed to see that it's almost been a year since my last post <yikes!>, but I'm very excited to say that we are still plugging along! We finished our home study in December, one of the HUGE steps in moving forward in the whole process.
My post today though, is to talk about the fundraiser that, as I call them, "the 3 sistas" are putting on for us this weekend!  They have worked very hard, done all the advertising, planning, etc. and they are hosting an All Day Crop, this Saturday, January 21st!  Do you like to scrapbook?  Message me for more details!  It's NOT too late!  I'm VERY excited about this special day and would love for you to join us!
May you all have a BLESSED day!
Katie

more confirmation...

We told the kids a few weeks ago, and I keep meaning to write about it and just haven't taken the time to do so... so here it is! :)  
     JOY, JOY, JOY!  Telling the kids went better than I could have ever imagined!  I prayed that God would open their hearts to the idea and oh boy did he do just that!  All 4 of them, were SO excited!  They immediately began to say what they could give up... their toys, bed, clothes, etc. We gave each of them a bear that has a sweater with a heart on it.  The heart represents the "heart" of their new sister.  We told them each time they looked at the bear, they could remember to pray for their new sister. We then all prayed together and being the scrapbooker that I am, took pictures to remember the moment as well.  :)  
     Since telling the children, they of course have had many questions, and all have enjoyed sharing it with others.  Grayson is probably the only one that tells total strangers (grocery store clerks, waitresses, cashiers, anyone! :)) but I'm delighted that they have joined with us in JOY of our great journey.  
     Some of the things that they have been saying/doing:  Anna Kate is hoping that she will get money for her birthday so that she can give it to us to save for the adoption costs, and has already planned on the blankets that she wants to take and leave at the orphanage for the other children.  We would love to be able to take them with us to bring her home, but the costs seem impossible right now, although we know that if it is God's will, then he will provide.  Therefore, she asked me the other day that if she couldn't go with us, if I would please take the stuff to the other children for her. :)  more JOY in her giving spirit!  Grayson loves to pray for his new sister just as much as he loves telling others about her, and in church last week leaned over to me while we were singing and said, "I'm going to pray for the heart of my new sister now".  How precious, how sweet... thank you Jesus for the many blessings you have given us.  
Many blessings~
Katie

It's OFFICIAL

We have OFFICIALLY begun!  I'm so very excited.  I know, it's going to be a LONG process, but the first step is complete.  We have chosen our adoption agency and completed the application!  I can't wait to hold my little girl and welcome her into our family.  I know it will be at least a year if not two, but to know that I'm one step closer just thrills my heart.
Now for the fun part!  :)  The fundraising..... I have lots of ideas running through my head, I just have to figure out what will be the most effective.  Any ideas??  I'd love to hear them!
For now, I leave you with this verse....
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Celebrating Love

What a way to celebrate Valentine's Day!  We are very excited to share with our friends and family about our new adventure....

Dear Friends & Family,

  It is with great joy that we ask you to join us on our new adventure.  God has led us to an international adoption and we are thrilled to see what He has in store for us.  As excited as we are, I have to admit that we are somewhat scared too, not sure how all of the details will work out.  We are truly stepping out on faith, and we need you to begin praying for our family and for the heart of our child.  Please also pray specifically for the expenses, and that we will not let this part “control” our thoughts, but that we will once again trust that God will provide our every need.  The hows & whys & what-if’s have been overwhelming so we are leaving all of that to God.  Enclosed you will find a “heart”.  This heart represents that of our child and we ask that you use this as a reminder to pray for her.  Finally, we hope that you will embrace us on this journey, and follow it on our blog:  ourhope7@blogspot.com  We will try to update it as often as possible so that you will know where we stand in our process.  Right now, we are praying for which agency to use, so we are very early in the process. 

“OurHope7” was created because we hope, that we will soon become a family of 7.  We hope that we can make a difference in one life of the 147 million orphans.  We hope that we can show others that God’s love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  I recently was reading another blog and the author wrote that although adoption isn’t for everyone, if we have been called, then we have to do just that.... Fight. For. YOUR. Child.  Do not look back.  Look UP.  If God opened your eyes to the orphan crisis, you cannot pretend not to know.  One of those orphans could be yours.

  I want to thank you, Sweet Friends, for your love, support and grace. May God give you all that you need to fully embrace the present season you are in. Life is hard - but thank the Lord, He never intended for us to walk through it alone.

Our Hope in Him,

Jeff & Katie, Jackson, Anna Kate, Parker, & Grayson Taylor