Happy New Year!!!!!

Saying goodbye to one year and moving into the next is pretty exciting. I wonder what it will hold? I am looking forward to the completion of the adoption. We are all ready for the newest family members to come home and we can begin to blend. I know you have all been praying for us and we are ever thankful.
LeAnn started a new curriculum this year and is doing very well. She is looking forward to a new season of softball. She is also looking for babysitting jobs, so if any of you readers are close and in need send me your number and I will have her call you.
Laryssa is also doing a new curriculum. She is having a great time and really learning. Not that she wasn't learning before but this is different. She has also decided to return to dance. She really loves to dance but in the past she was not sure, but now she is VERY sure.
WE as a family are enjoying seeing all the new adventures in front of us. We all thank you readers and followers for everything.
Have a safe and happy New Year!!!!!
Bridget

Sit and wonder

Dear friends
I am sitting and thinking back on 2010. I am so amazed how God has put people into our path that helped us in our adoption process, as well as helped me grow SO MUCH closer to Him.
In this past year I have met a number of women and some of their husbands and children. All of which have adopted. Not all from Ethiopia but most. I am so blessed by their stories and suggestions. I have taken everything they have given to me and prayed on it. God had allowed me to use things now and has placed some away for when my children come home.
This summer was a highlight of my year. I was able to be a part of Gods work in such a way I could not ever have planned it myself. I was able to take the talents He gave to me and us them to glorify Him. In the process of this I learned lots of things, one having boys in the all girl house. I never knew how gross yet cool boys are. I never saw the soft side of a teen boy and the mean side of the quiet ones( girls or boys). I have been blessed beyond that I deserve.
The end of the year is hard yet happy for me. I am ready to close this year and say hello to all the new and wonderful thing God has for our family, yet I feel like I am loosing a very special time I had too. I thank all of you out there who I have met, been a part of a get together, and those who I have only seen in a distance one fine day.
This year has been wonderful and well educational. I have grown so much spiritually and have had the pleasure to hurt for His glory. When we first started this adoption I felt God was calling us to a huge plan and I realized I tried to steer the wheel of His ship.After I was knocked into the back seat and submitted to the people who are the professionals and allowed them to do what they know how, God placed before us two beautiful children. I am still waiting the day for our return for them, but I know to be still and rest in HIS arms.
God has been awesome in our life, family , and in me. I thank you all for every prayer you prayed and all your support in every way possible.
I may not know who you all are but I do appreciate everyone of you more than fingers can type.
Thank you all
In Christ Name
Bridget
ps....thank you ((({{{{O}}})))

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!

Hello all,
I am pleased to say this year was one learning lesson after another. I enjoyed every up and down. I feel I learned a lot about what Gods will for me is and I am finally comfortable with the truth. I am not the same person I was in the beginning of 2010 and I will enter 2011 even more changed.
I am happy to say we were able to be home with these two children for Christmas but my heart was thinking of my other two who were not here. I am in constant prayer that we will get the January Embassy date so they will be home soon. Rich and I are both very content with the time line God has for us. Each time I try to move forward on my own I feel His hand. I thank all of you for wonderful support and prayers.
Looking into next year is all I can say is WOW lots to look forward to!!
Thank you all
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Bridget

A shower!!!!!!! WHAT!!

Well,
I do not know how to thank you all better than to say, Prayers are hear and answered daily.
I was expecting to go out on a "date" with Rich for our dataversary. Yes a date night I invented, and little did I know a bunch of friends were there too! I was so SURPRISED!!! Thank you all for your attendance, seeing you there made my day. I am very happy to be blessed by not only a great group of women but even you men who came and shared your Sunday evening with us. You all have made each step of this process smoother. I am not the best writer but I do know my heart and I feel the love.
Going to a different church was hard but seeing friends that we haven't seen in so long made it easy. Then to end the night with all of you that made it GOD'S DAY! I know He is not only in charge of everything that happens but He also controls the things that do not happen.
Each day I grow closer to HIM and I have your prayers and His love for me to thank. I know I could not do this alone.
Thank you all for your generosity and love,
Bridget
Your friend in HIM!!!!

AAAHHHHH

Friends
I finally got the message I was waiting for. Well in a way it was. We need one more document to complete the file. We are looking to returning in January and I am at peace with that. I really would have loves to go and return to start the new year off with a full family but I think God wants it to be different. I am in His will and ready to go when He calls.
Thank you all for your prayers they are so well heard.

I do want to address one thing, Church. We love HBCNL, we as a family. We have no hidden agenda or any pinpoint reason that we are going. Rich is the head of the house here and if anyone...including children, want to know the reasons why...Ask Rich. I know leaving is very hard on my girls as well as myself. But I do not want the children of this church family bringing it up in children's settings. Laryssa had a boy shout out in class at her "what do you care my mom said you are leaving the church!" Laryssa about fell over with tears. I know it doesn't matter Christian or not children are children. But, I ask any of you who are moms that are reading please pray for the hearts of our children. That they grow up to rely on God and depend on Him alone. That as a family we use each others strengths to help one another. Finally that we as Christians remember we are still one body with the same head, we may be under different roofs of worship but we are under ONE GOD. Thank you all for some encouraging emails and facebook messages I am looking forward to the road God is calling use too.
In HIS Name
Bridget

Awaiting

So all my readers. I have a question for you.
~Have you ever wanted something so bad you thought your skin would peel off if you didn't get it?
~or That you felt you were beyond ready to GO somewhere but just needed the date from another source to know when you were able to GO?
We I am the lady in the red circle waiting for the agency to let us know when the Embassy date is. That will determine when we travel again. That is also what determines when our family gets to be ALL under one roof.
I am not trying to rush anything, but I do admit I AM COMING OUT OF MY SKIN!!!!
I feel like a 5 or 6 year old on Christmas morning..."is it time yet????"
Please pray I hold it together for the sake of my children, all of them. I am really happy to say that we are all ready to start the New Year off in a great way...
Thank you all who have praying DON'T STOP we are always in need of more!
Thanks
Bridget

well

Hello all who read. I am so happy and sad now. I found out people do read my blog, but I also realized I put out some info without thinking.
I first would like to apologize to my church family. I did not mean to make this sound like we are angry in any way. We are not it is just time. And to the readers that I didn't know I had...Thank you. I am very happy to know we have people praying for us during this time.
Thank you all who read and all who are praying. I have to admit my heart hurts a bit but I am under the leadership of my husband. I will miss and look forward to visiting the church with our children. You all have prayed with us during this process and we are VERY thankful.
I enjoy being able to write to you all, but I do not ever mean to offend anyone.
B~

Prayer

Hello
It is the night before the final day of school for the year 2010. We started this new curriculum and I really love it. I almost felt bad leaving the BJU Press but it is accountability I needed, and my children LOVE IT! It is called Classical conversations, and it is biblical based and very cool. I do owe a big thank you to my friend who introduced it to me and well...Thank you!!!!
I know you have read about the adoption and yes I am going to home school ALL four children. I am ready for the new children to come to school and get to know the kids and feel comfortable with the changes. I am not starting them in a class until we do some English work at home first.
I am really seeing God work in all we do. He is most definitely in complete control over here.
I do want to say this weekend coming up is going to be a very big and busy one. Sunday is Christmas at GG's house and the Christmas Program at Church. I know that we will be sleeping in on Monday!
Oh by the way, the reason why I named this one prayer is because I have a prayer request. Besides the adoption, travel, and family changing. We are now in the process of finding a new church. We loved the church we have attended for the last five years but Rich and I feel it is time to move on. I do not now about you but when changing churches it is a happy sad experience. We new the time was coming due to things happening in the body. We also felt we need to do this before the kids come home so they do not have any big changes when they first come home. We will be out and visiting some old friends at their churches and seeing family and friends that we have been missing so much. I am asking for prayer because as you know I am not good with conflict or change in these ways. Pray for the peace and clarity in all we do, pray God gets all glory in our obedience to His call, and that our adoption is also honoring and glorifying to Him.
Once again Thank you all who read
Bridget :)

The Family of SIX!!!!!

Well, were do I start. We, Rich and I, set out on November 19th to Ethiopia to meet the two children our WONDERFUL agency matched to our family. We arrived on Saturday night at like 11:45pm so they had a driver pick us up and bring us to the guest house were we stayed for the week. Sunday morning we woke up and Gail, the women who is in charge of the home were our children are staying, picked us up and brought us to the children's house. WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW ...and many more. We arrived on Sunday early afternoon and could not leave for all the coffee (BUNNA) in Ethiopia.

There is not one child there that we didn't want to bring home. So many had parents and showed us their photo books and we laughed and loved on each and everyone of them. We met children getting ready to move to all different areas of the US and they are happy to say the least.

Our two children...well we were introduced by about 20 kids running through the courtyard screaming, "Mebrate Roba Family, Mebrate Roba Family....!!!!!!!!" It was so cool to see that the books of photos are looked at by everyone. They approached us with hugs and saying Hi mom and dad. That was it, It finally was real. For the longest time I had a photo of them but now a piece of me is in another country waiting for us to come back and bring them home. That sounds so cool...HOME!

I know I can not speak for everybody but if in you heart you feel God calling you to adopt or do something for an orphan...come talk to me. This place was open, friendly, and most of all LOVING! I would not say this will be our only adoption we go through but it will always be our first.

The way I thought Ethiopia would be was dirty and unfriendly. I apologize to Ethiopia. They are all very friendly, caring, and hardworking people. I enjoyed my time there and will be returning soon...many times!

Our adoption is not over. we have to now return for our Embassy date were we will receive their paperwork, passports, and release information from Ethiopia. That is the time we bring them home. So please continue prayer on provision of GODS WILL.

Thank you all so much for all your prayers. I also want to thank the agency we used!!!! they are the best.

So the moment you have all been waiting for....

The time is SO close

Each night I lay in bed thinking...Soon I will hear FOUR voices calling MOM. I can not wait til I can share all my hearts crys with you, whoever you all are. We are getting ready to head out to our destination and appear in court to say "YES! We would love to be there parents" Please pray the judge says "You are accepted!!!" Oh what a joy this hole journey has been, and to think it is not over. I want to say thank you all for your prayers and support during all of these ups and downs.
If ever you think of adopting...DO IT!!!! I believe there are a hole lot of loving and deserving children out there who need a family. And if you are not thinking of adopting then I would say help out someone who is looking to adopt. Raising your children is not easy but you make the money, time, and effort to accomplish it all. But when it comes to adopting raising and extra income to get there is not so easy, and sometimes very scary. It takes a whole body working together to complete any task, so that includes supporting each other when we step out to do something.
Please, I am not asking for me but think in your heart and see if there is something you can do for an orphan, a widow, or a neighbor.
Thanks for reading, have a great week!
Bridget

Simply amazing

As I had told you all our court day was not completed on the day we were assigned. But it was finalized on Wednesday!!!!! WE PASSED!!! It is a go we are defiantly in for the mid November court date that we have to appear in. Rich was so calm on the outside the whole two days of waiting I on the other hand not so much.
Things that crossed my mind were... WHY?, ...Who was more important than I?... and the only thing I could come up with was...God knows. We as a family did complete our fast as planned and felt that someone was in need and we could wait.
Now the wait is over and we are in packing mode. The girls are getting a little sad but happy and so am I. As for Rich well you know he will show his feelings soon, I think?
To night we are off to see my niece in the play "BYE BYE BIRDIE" @ Oak Lawn HS
How fun. I am looking forward to everything that is to come with this adoption and the new children coming home to us. I would like to ask if you may all pray for a smooth transaction for all of us. I think, after watching a few friends bring home children to their families, that it takes allot of Gods will and discernment to get though it all.
Please note those of you who are reading, I thank you. It has been my pleasure (a very dear friends line) to walk you through our life calling. And from the bottom to the top of our hearts we thank you for your prayers.
:) Bridget

What a morning

Dear friends,
Well today was the day of our first court date in the country we are adopting from. They had to close court early and our case was not heard. I do know they will hear our case tomorrow and we will get the news then.
I am pleasantly at peace. I am in complete submission to Gods will for this adoption. Our Pastor gave a sermon an the difference between satans attacks and God tests. I know that God wants all children to have a home so I am in His will. I also know satan wants us to doubt God and His power. I trust that God has this one and I am reallying on His sovereignty.
Thank you all who read, feel free to respond anytime. I do need others to encourage me at times. I am pressing on and moving forward.
We still have our court date that we go to the chosen country. And that is when we meet our children!
Praise Gos for all He has done and is doing.

what a great day!

Well my friends it has been a long time and I have some great news. Today I spent the day with three families. I know it does not sound fun but there was 33 people, 16 of which were adopted. I felt so close to my children yet so far!
I am preparing to leave soon, but first and for most, October 25th is a court date for our children. I am going to ask that you please pray Gods will on that day and that we hear good news soon after.
Also, we are in need of prayer for the upcoming travel dates that we have. I do not want to post any of it due to the fact I am not sure of the guidelines of that form of posting. I am very grateful to all of you who have been standing by us in prayer and support. We are looking forward to sharing more when we are able.
But as for the exciting day. Thank you Shane and Dianna for allowing us to be a part of such a beautiful moment!!!!! Love the girls, oh yea and Alexi too! Good luck with the play...Break a Leg!!!

Good night all
Bridget :)

We Have Our Court Date!!!!!!!!!!

Well my fellow readers. I am so pleased to say WE HAVE A COURT DATE!! And yes we also have internet back. I have waited a whole week to let you know this great information. We, Rich and myself, will be headed to our destination in mid November. I am so excited and very overjoyed with this. I can not begin to tell you how it feels but I can tell you when you give birth to a child the feeling you feel when the child is born and the pressure is gone and you just want to cry...this is the same relief but a totally different JOY!

We have been working toward this moment for ten months and I will let you know now it is worth all the ups and downs. I know God is in control of all that is to happen so I want Him to get the praise and glory, not us. He is the one who has given us the will to do this, the means to do this, and the one who has given us the encouragement to keep going. (Philippians 4)

So those of you who read our blog thank you. And for those of you who have supported us in prayer or any other way...THANK YOU!!!! Now you can see the prayers in action and please continue to read as we pursue His work til it is finished.

I will let you know more as soon as I know more. Thanks for reading!!!

Just saying

If you are looking to support a fine organization I found one. Project Hopeful is their name. I am the first person to admit when I heard about adopting orphans with HIVt I thought WHY?
Well let me tell you why. They are HUMAN, they have a LIFE and moreover they have a CHANCE!! I thought you get this cruel desease and you die. NOT! HIVt is controllable with the right medicines. The children who suffer are normal and some of the most loving kids I have met. No my children I am adopting do not have HIVt and no I am not plugging this for any other reason but I LIKE IT! The people who do the classes are very educational and the women and men who operate the organization are just down to earth.
Please look them up on the web. She makes and sells the coolest jewelry, bags and T-sirts. The profit goes to helping these little angles get a home.
I have been thinking about this all night because I feel God has blessed me with 4 healthy children and we, my family, will do something for these kids when our adoption is complete. I do have to admit this is so heavy on my heart that informing the web was the least I could do.
Thank you for reading...whoever you are.
www.projecthopeful.org

Travel Sooon

Hello all,
Yes the best news does come in short emails. "You are totally submitted..." That was as far as I got when I realized they were talking about "US". Rich and I will soon be traveling for the court hearing for our adoption. I am so overwhelmed with joy I do not know if I should breath or cry. So I do both!
Well Last November when Rich said "what will it take to begin this adoption process?" I said one phone call. I was wrong! Yes me I was wrong. It does not take a phone call, it takes an extremely GREAT agency and a hole handful of dedicated people to make it happen.
I have the best guide, GOD. The best support system, Rich, The Heims', Devenoughes' and so many more adoptive families, and the best family ever. I read about the families who have split over this subject and my heart goes out to you. I had a short time in this 10 months that I was not sure how my family felt. In the past few months they have been asking questions and supporting us so much. I am extremely grateful to all of you and we do look forward to introducing all of you to our new children.
We are doing things to generate the additional income needed for travel and the care for our bio girls while we are out of country.
Well I have FOUR children...WOW I said it. I am so excited to say WE are going to be traveling!
OK well I got that off my chest I will post again soon. Lord willing. As soon as I get a date YOU WILL KNOW!!!!!!
Thank you all for reading
Bridget

sitting in HIS timeline

Did you ever sit and hear everything around you? Like you know you are in the room but you have nothing coming out of your mouth. Not that you have nothing to say but nothing is coming out. Today was one of those days for me, I sat at a friends house and wondered if I have a place. I know God had me there for a reason and I wanted to be there but is all I could do was sit and listen. I wanted to scream from the rafters "I am a mother of FOUR!!!!" but then something kept me quiet. Then I got home me and the girls spoke about the adoption and they had nothing...no questions , no worries, and no thoughts. So we ate dinner and then laid down to watch a movie. And there was the feeling again, hush.
I think God is seeing who am I waiting on; the government for a court date or for His provision. Well I know the answer to that HIM. We are totally relying on His provision for this. We entered this adoption with nothing and we keep finding ourselves blessed beyond measure every time an invoice comes in.
Now I realize the cloud I am sitting on is not ignorance it is called His peace. I am so very happy to have all of you praying for this procedure and for the growth of our family. I am blessed with a husband who is very Godly, two bio daughters that are very strong in their faith and two more children waiting to come home and a family who is totally behind us.
The timeline HE drew is so worth sitting on, thank you LORD for your love and grace. Thank you for "being" my all in all.
So I guess He had me sit still today to learn "Lean on ME!!!!!" I can't help but to think of Proverbs and all the fools. I do not want to be seen as or be known as a fool.
Still waiting for our court date...pray for His will please.

Moving Forward

As I sit at the computer in a quiet home watching Rich do some paperwork. I sit and I think, in a few months I will have FOUR children in our home and it will not be so quiet. I am so looking forward to the days of running and confusion. I have been beyond blessed in the last 2 months. Not only was I able to help a friend but I was blessed beyond measure by each one of those children. They have all taught me a thing or two about the to do and not to do.

I was able to see first hand how my bio girls react to someone coming in and sharing their space. It was not good but I watched the adjustment time take its toll and they were all great. I saw boys in my home, I do not have any boys, and I thought it would be fine but I see were I need to MAN UP the room a little before he comes home. I can say for sure the bathroom is boy certified.

I also was able to watch the different personalities come out and how they blended into my own personality. The social workers tell you to read up on different things your children will encounter but I think having the experience I was able to have allowed me to see were I need to read up on what to do as the parent, my own feelings.

At any given time in the last two months I have had six to ten children with me. I know your thinking I am crazy but I loved it. Every child has its own idea of what is acceptable or not. I think I have learned parenting is about loving each child has they need to be loved, but disciplining them with God's book. I have found that no matter who the parents are,Christian parents, you can not go wrong when you put reason to scripture. All the children were very respectful, for most of the time. When I got my feelings hurt God grew me, when I was in the position to discipline I prayed.

Now back to being home at the computer, Rich doing paperwork. Thank God for these moments. LeAnn is on trip with a friend in Tennessee, and Laryssa had a sleepover by a friends house. The house is quiet but I am in His peace with it all. May God bring us the peace and understanding we need for this journey and thank you all for your continued prayer.

Never to much for GOD

Well as I sit and await the arrival of my Ukrainian/American friend I was told the children we are adopting know they are chosen. How cool is that, we are the parents of two beautiful girls that God has given us. Now we are the proud parents of FOUR!!! Everyday it gets more real, first it was paperwork...I was in awe with the amount of information everyone needs. Then it was the waiting on the children they would refer to us. I thought everyone of them needs a home but, God had our children planned b4 we even started this process. Now we are entering the traveling of our adoption...We wait once again for an email...COURT!!! Yes when you adopt international you go to court in the country you are adopting from. I ask for everyone to please pray that we get a date and we, Rich and I both, get there safely. No I am not at liberty to say where or who at this time but when it is official and they, the authority over me, I will spill!!!!! I am so looking forward to telling everyone. I feel as if my inner sound is on high but I have muted the volume on the outside. So if you were in my head you would have a headache!!
Well now I am cleaning up the house, nesting, LeAnn is going away for her first vacation out of state with a friend, and Laryssa and I are going to do some special things while she is gone.
Like I said in the beginning of this letter my friend is coming home so please pray for a great transition for her and her family. I know God will sort out all details but it always helps when you are praying.
I also ask for pray for our family as it grows. We have been seeking the wisdom and strength of God and may He get all the honor and glory for what is happening here. Thank you all for reading.
Bridget

TOO EXCITED

Sometimes I feel I get on here and type and no one reads it. But then there are those days that I just have to tell someone!!!! We are awaiting our agency to call us and let us know when we are able to go to our destination and have a court date for our adoption. I do not want to say to much information and break the rules but as soon as I can say anything more I WILL. Please pray that we get the court date and the tickets to get there. I am splitting at the seams to say more but I am not able yet. I am so pleased with the agency and the destination we had God choose for us, this has been so crazy and wonderful so far!!!! Thank you all who have been a part of this journey! WOW on top of this my friend Traci will be coming home soon from the Ukraine with her daughter!!! Amen!!!!! This is one feeling I can not explain and I never imagined it to be so warm!

Thank you everyone who reads and please continue to pray for Gods provision.

Bridget

God knows!!!

This morning I woke up in a very sad mood. I had no reason to feel this way but I did. I was thinking maybe today HE forgot about me...NOT!!!!
Well we woke up and went to Bible study and a friend bought us, me and the 6 children, lunch and that was so nice I didn't have to think or cook!!! Then after being home for about 15 minutes I opened my mail. I beautiful card from my cousin, she wrote me a very encouraging note in support of our adoption. WOW!!! I didn't see that coming, but I so thank you!!! Then a friend showed up a little while later with a BIG bag of chocolate chip cookies and a card with another encouraging letter.
So if I look back at my day I see how God was allowing me to have a pity party before He brought in His crew to clean up my mess.
I thank everyone of you for your support and prayers. They are exactly what we need and definitely what HE calls for us to do for one another.
Thank you all again
One proud Mom of FOUR!!!!

Garage Sale

Well the girls asked "MOM what can we do to help get our sister and brother home?' I told them we need to just move along as God directs us. So they felt it is time to clean out the house and sell everything we can to make room for new family. Of course I cried, then they asked if they could raise the money themselves to buy the tickets for them to get to our house. How could I say no...Well the time is now and we are nowhere near ready but a sale it is. Thursday, July 22 through Saturday, July 24th. I am so impressed by all the things they feel are nothing in comparison to getting their sister and brother home. Please pray for good weather and a great out come. I am so blessed with good friends, great family, and one awesome GOD!!! Thank you all!!

We accept!!!!

Well we as a family got together and have accepted a referral for a sibling set of two. Please pray for guidance and direction. We are very excited and ready for God to grow this family! Thank you for all your prayers thus far. We will keep you up to date, as well as we can. Please feel free to ask your prayer teams to pray for us. We need clarity and guidance!!!

Process up to date!

Friends
We have now completed the rest of the paperwork on this end. Next step is finding out who will be joining our family. I have a great feeling about this and I am looking forward to the next leap of faith. Please pray we are on the right track and that God is being glorified in everything!
Thank you all for reading, I would love any input from those of you who have done this. This is our first adoption and we are very happy.
<3

And they are OFF!!!!

Dear Friends,
Please pray for our families that are out of country. They are out retrieving the special picked children that God has set aside just for them. I will have 4 additional family members for the next couple weeks and feel honored to be the one to help. I am sure any one of these children would rather have their own mom or dad home, but what troopers they are. Day one went great and day two is off to a fine start. I am looking forward to this blended family and I am going to take every opportunity to learn from this. Thank you all who read...Feel free to send advice.
Our adoption is still in the makings. We have sent everything off and now are waiting to hear who they refer to us. I know it is a long process and what a waiting game. But I do have faith God is in the mix and as long as He is getting the glory for what we do then things are moving as planned. Thank for checking, we will talk soon!!!

Home study COMPLETE

Hello all my readers!!! It is finally here, the home study has arrived. I will be heading to next day deliver it to my placement agency and then it will be referral time. Please pray that God sends us the sibling set that is just what He wants for us. Allow God to be glorified with the next stage of this process and that He is in control of the financial end to bring them HOME! Thank you all for your prayers. Keep my friends Cindy, Traci and Melinda in those prayers too as they head out to the Ukraine and Ethiopia for their children.
Bridget

Waiting

It has never been easy for humans to wait. Whether it is for food, commercials, or the sequel to your favorite movie. But as for me...waiting has become something I think God has for me. I am waiting for the home study, waiting for DCFS, and now waiting to find out WHO my children will be. I am very happy and eager to wait on these things because I know God is in control. HE is doing the needle work and I am just one stitch in this families beautiful tapestry. I want to say thanks to all of you who are praying, and for those of you going through the same process...I am praying for you too. Summer is near and I think news will come soon and travel soon after, so as for now I lift this up to YOU LORD and I know you will send it back ready for us to move forward. Have a great weekend all!! We will talk soon
Bridget

HOT!!!

OK This is Sprummer...we missed a season. I am now getting ready for the confirmation on a family, sibling group/ set, so we know what our next step needs to be. As I hear and read of others finding out referrals for children and travel dates and court dates, I rejoice because I know soon it will be me. I am so happy for all of you parents out there that received info and I ask if you will please keep us in your prayers. We need our Home Study to go any further. With out the home study you can not fill out grants or even find out who your children are. I do know God knows so I will wait on HIM and trust in HIM. Thank you.
B~

YIPPIE!!!!!

So today I went to the post office and mailed out our dossier paper work. We are praying that God will take the papers safety to the proper people and that the home study will fallow soon. One of the most important things we have learned is that you need to be very patient with the paper work. Secondly you need to learn to lean on friends and family that support you and allow them to help with what they can. And finally Gods timing is not easy to understand but it always seems to be JUST RIGHT! Thank you all who have logged on and are reading along as we live out this tyring process...IT IS ALL WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!
B~ :)

BIG THANK YOU to Traci my friend and the time you take to help us get-r-done!!!

What a man

Well today at church Rich was asked to speak about the adoption process. Much to my surprise, he really is in tune with what is going on. Men have a way of staying so calm and cool during all the different aspects of the procedure. I am like a fish out of water wondering "what next!" He is like butter on a pan, slow but he is covering everything.
I am so blessed to have the family God has put together, I need to get the dossier papers finalized and sent out this week. I have a feeling that this will be the week I find out who my children are. Please everyone PRAY! for DCFS to complete our study and send it out to the proper people so we can receive our children God is holding on to for us.
As Rich mentioned in the service today, "It is on Gods time, and for His glory" so may we be open to act when we are told. Thank you so very much for your prayers. Take care and have a great week.
Bridget :)

Helping Hands

Yesterday we set out to help a friend with her garage sale to raise money for her air fair to Ethiopia to pick up her son. This will be her third adoption and she, Melinda, is such an inspiration to me and the process we are going through. Melinda and I are using the same agency and she helps me out with the terminology I do not understand. I sat beside her yesterday and she said to be "you need to do just what you are suppose to"...That made me think, get off your butt. I am going to send my dossier and as soon as the people holding on to my home study let it go...WE WILL BE ON OUR WAY! I can not wait for man to let me know what God is calling me about, I need to be confident and let them know where we are headed. (with love) Melinda's sale was a gr8 success and I am praying the weather lets up so she can have two more days of success and raise up her full amount needed. All of you readers, Thank you, you are a nice ear to type too. Have a blessed day and a great weekend.
:) Bridget

Long time coming

Well as I sit and think about how many blessings one is to indure I realize that there is no set amount. I have been blessed with four wonderful ladies in my Bible study on Friday nights, and let me tell you WE ARE DIGGING! I am so greatful for them and how they get into my business and encourage me to drive harder. I pray that if you are out there and you need encouragement that you seek God first and allow Him to place people into your life that you need. This was no accident, these women are all different. We do not look alike, we do nott have the same backgrounds, and we are made in one image; Gods. I thank you ladies for helping me through these trails and would pray that the things you are seeking after are being blessed as well. God I am thanking you most of all for saving me and "peeling" away the layers of unnessesary stuff in my life. Oh, and as for the adoption. Things are moving along. God did driving and Rich the girls and myself are moving right along with HIS direction.
Thank you all for reading and being a part of this wonderful blog.

Easter

Last week i saw a sweat shirt and i wan tto share it with you!!!

Chirst died for me, I live for HIM!!!

To me this is something we should all do. Not for a pat on the back but for the one who took ALL of our sins and DIED and ROSE AGAIN!!!!

LUKE 23:46
THEN JESUS,CALLING OUT IN A LOUD VOICE,SAID,"FATHER,INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMITT MY SPIRIT!" AND HAVING SAID THIS HE BREATHED HIS LAST.

-LEANN K. THANK YOU!!!!AND THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!

Change in our plans...All in HIS plan

Well as some of you heard and others are just learning. The sibling group we were persuing has been changed. We are still in the process, but God is preparing us for the family He sees fit with ours. There are 147 million orphans in the world, God will place the amount He wants us to have and the ages He sees fit for our family. It was so very hard for me the last couple days, but I know God is amazing. I only ask that the first sibling set we were praying for everyone continues to pray that they do find a forever home. My heart aches and the girls are sad, but we all know the sovereignty of God is pefect. Please continue to pray for our future family, thank you.

Wonderful Friends

Thank you all who came out tonight. I enjoyed seeing you all and love the suppoprt family I have for this addoption. I also want to share with you that toward the end of the night LeAnn went on to read her email and saw I had received an email from our social worker. Our homestudy was approved to be sent to DCFS. Thank you all for your prayers. Please pray DCFS sees us as fit family for these children.
Thank you all so much!!!
Bridget

LeAnn's Verse of the Day

John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do NOTHING.

Thank you!!!!!! =] :)<3

So we are in the waiting process of this paper trail and I am learning one very important lesson, God has a time line...I have a time line...I have a finite mind to His perfect timing. I am not the most patient person. I guess I need to pray that God kicks me into shape and allows me to see things in His will and not my own. I know Rich is being very good to me through everything, he is loving me, and understanding all my SHORTness. I ask all of you out there who view, fallow or just read this once, please pray for us. I would love to see my children (ALL FIVE) playing in the park this summer, even this fall would make me happy. (am I pushing it if I pray for mothers day?) OK well thanks for reading talk to you all soon
Mother of the paper chase
B~

Hi my name is Leann i am 11years old and here is my verse of the day...

Zechariah 7:8
And the word of GOD came again to Zechariah... Do not oppress the window or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.

Thank you!!! =]

Hello everyone, This is Laryssa and this is my verse of the day:

Matthew 25:40 "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

During Sunday school my teacher read this verse and I thought of the adoption. It made me feel happy, I hope it brightens your day too.
Laryssa "9"

Thank you my friend. We are all looking forward to adding messages to this blog. Also we are looking forward to seeing your responses to our mission. Thank you to all who are praying for us too. We appreciate it very much.

many blessings

Kocis Family