Through the Eyes of a Child

There are so many different facets of adoption. There’s of course the expense, how are you going to raise it, why China when it’s so expensive. There’s the travel, so far away, leaving behind children, getting used to time change and flying so far. There’s the unknowns of the child, what is her health really like, is it worse is it better than they said, are there things they missed? And then there is the one that really mattered the most to me-how will your children respond and act, now and when she comes home? My girls (I say girls because though I have a boy he is really too young to understand what is going on), have gotten to see first-hand adoption taking place. I said before I have friends who have adopted, so they have seen a few families they know going from having 1 or more children, to have another baby or child being added, that was not biologically theirs before. So the whole idea behind adoption I think they get, this child is coming into our home and is here for good. From the moment that we started talking about looking into adoption they were hooked, asking us, is this her or him every time they saw me looking at ANY child on the computer. My second daughter Emma, was very and is VERY interested even now looking at any child she sees that looks Asian and asks if she has a mommy. And when we decided on Nina they were crazy excited. They started thinking of names, and deciding where she was going to sleep and where she would sit at the dinner table. After our first garage sale the girls were eager to save EVERYTHING they have and put it in the Nina money jar! A little background on the girls-like most children EVERY penny they get they want to spend, especially my sweet Emma. But her little heart is changing and she has looked in every corner of the house-closets, beds, under beds, EVERYWHERE, to find money to give to help bring her sweet sister home! Even when she does her chores, she puts the money right in her sisters save money box. And when we go to the store Emma explains to her sisters that we cannot ask to buy anything extra because we need to save all of our extra money to bring her sister home. This gives me such great hope in teaching my children that there are better things to spend our money on than ourselves. (Such a hard lesson to teach children, in my opinion, in a world of me, me, me.)

SISTER! Yes and they have called Nina sister from the time they found out we were working to bring her home. There was no doubt in their child like faith hearts that this was their sister and mom and dad would find a way to bring her home. It cracks me up to watch how if they see a toy they may have out grown that they now have to decide, do we sell it to get money for Nina or do we save it for Nina because she might like it? A thought they came up with totally on their own! They blow me away!

Now don’t get me wrong. I know there will be PLENTY of challenges we will face when we bring Nina home. There will still be and always be sibling spats. Nina will get attention like a new baby would get attention. But I am so excited and happy to see the love that is growing in my children’s eyes for this child who once had no one and now has a family to call her own!





UPDATE:

I did get an email from my agency from Nina’s orphanage. Unfortunately nothing about her health. But they did tell us she likes to sing but can’t really sing words yet, she just gets loud…HAHAHA she will fit right in!!! How awesome is that! They said she is shy with strangers but will grow very close to anyone who teaches her songs! Now is that a Noll or WHAT!!! The pictures I’m sharing with you are ones with the doll and picture album we sent to her-one of the pictures is of her looking at a picture of her baby brother. It just totally and completely melts my heart!!!

Picture number 1 and 5 she is holding the doggie and picture album of our family that we sent to her. And the one that makes my heart melt the most is picture number 3 where her nanny is showing her the pictures and she is looking at Levi. <3 <3!!! Best Christmas present EVER!!!

Thank you all who contributed to the 31 party! And if you would like to buy a t-shirt, the link is on the side of this page.



Have a great week everyone and a VERY Merry Christmas…remember what this season is about…

Not In my Strength

A simple post to remind myself that when my faith is weak, He still remains strong...
Having a tough weak remembering this fact, but tonight I heard my husband playing this song and I was reminded of HIS strength...

                                                             "All Things Possible"

I will call on Your name
For there’s always a way
When You lead me
And when life knocks me down
I am not counted out
For You’re with me
And You’re with me

[Chorus:]
Even when it feels like the light is fading
And I’ve lost my way
Still I’m holding on to the One who’s making
All things possible

Even when it feels like my heart is breaking
Hold on, there is strength
Knowing I belong to the One who’s making
All things possible

I know mountains can move
I’ve seen what You can do
In my weakness
So my heart will believe
If I wait I will see
My God doing, what only He can do

[Bridge:]
My God is strong and mighty
My God is faithful
My hope is in the Lord
For He is able

Overwhelming Gratitude

             We live in a day and age of technology. More specifically the internet is one that blows my mind. The internet brings people, information and things into our homes that we never thought would be possible.  While social media has harvested greed, envy and misunderstanding, leading to hurt feelings and frustration, it has also been a way for people to reach out to each other in times of needs. I have seen people reach through the social media to help others because of  hurricanes, floods, fires and all other types of other circumstances to help people get back on their feet. But never did I think my family would be on the receiving end of this kind of generosity! Why, I already have two people as members on my blog who I have never met! People who want to know about our journey. That just blows my mind that someone who doesn't know our family cares enough to keep up with us. THANK YOU! We had someone donate $3 to our goal. And while $3 may not sound like much, it is those acts that make a HUGE impact on our certainty that we are right where we are suppose to be, doing exactly what we are suppose to be doing. I didn’t know the person who gave, as far as I know, they don’t know us, they could have read and kept going, but they cared enough to give what they could, and for that I am SO grateful! THANK YOU! We also had someone that I don’t know buy 3 shirts! Again THANK YOU!!! Both Josh’s and my family and friends are going above and beyond what we ever asked or expected, to help us come up with ideas to raise money, get our story out, and pray for us. THANK YOU sooo much! My girls violin teacher asked if she could help put the word out about our adoption and maybe take donations at the Christmas concert for ours and 2 other families adoptions, and not long after that conversation I got a call from the leader of my Bible study asking if our family could be the Christmas project this year to raise money for Nina!! I was blown away and in AWE of the love people have shown to us! Thank you!
When Josh and I talked about doing adoption when we got married, we, like I said in my other posts, were going to wait til the children were older. Our plan was to start saving our money when WE thought we were ready to move forward. But God’s plan is perfect. We are saving as much as we can of our own paycheck, but the price tag is high! We are relying greatly on God using people to help bring our little girl home to us. And so far He has not disappointed! Today in church we sang a song that made me think of the people God has blessed us with through Nina’s adoption. It is called Beautiful Things by Gungor. The lyrics are:

“All around, hope is springing up from this old ground, Out of chaos life is being found in You, Oh you make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of the dust, You make beautiful things, Oh you make beautiful things out of us…”

Know your gift, no matter the form, or the amount, does NOT go unnoticed or without much gratitude! You have touched our hearts and you are forever apart of the journey of a little 2 ½ year old girl in an orphanage in China. Our little Nina bug.

THANK YOU ALL!!!! Xoxoxoxox

--I have posted the song Beautiful Things in my play list below, as well as some other songs that make me think of our sweet Nina.

• P.S. Don't forget if you want to order a 31 bag as a Christmas bag you need to have your orders in by the 10th of December!!! Also there are still plenty of shirts available! :)

It Does Not Make Sense To Me

and

Adoption Bug T-Shirt Fundraiser

Some of you may read this and know exactly how I feel, some may think maybe she's is being over dramatic-and that's okay, I'm self proclaimed dramatic...just ask my hubby, and then there may be those of you who will think I may just be plain crazy. Maybe you wont say it out loud...but you think it could be a possibility. Why you ask would you think all these things....because I think I may be all of those things! I spent Thanksgiving having fun with family and eating great food and truly being thankful for all the things God has blessed me with, but part of me was trying to push back sadness. Sadness for a little girl I have never met, many many many miles away from home. I missed her so much and it made me sad that her family was having a family get together and she was somewhere in a cold orphanage. She was unaware of the happiness that holidays could bring. Possibly hunting somewhere for something else to layer on her cold body in the cold China winter. Maybe longing to play with the doll the older child took away from her that she could never call hers. Maybe I'm wrong about imagining all those things. Maybe her orphanage had the privilege of being heated (though doubtful), maybe they had plenty of toys to go around. Maybe the nannies at the orphanages went the extra mile to make sure the children enjoyed the holidays the best they could. But she was still without the love of a mother and father telling her daily how special, beautiful and wonderful she is and how much they love her.
              I have to admit I was surprised by these feelings myself. How could I miss someone I've never met? Or wish for someone who wasn't here, if they had never been here? It's not like I knew what we were missing by not having her here. I don't know if she would be outside with her older sister exploring her Nanna's new yard, or in the kitchen like her sister just a little older than her, trying to help cook, or like her middle sister, who would be playing with her cousin trying to make her smile. I don't know what makes her giggle, or makes her eyes light up. Or if she would want light meat or dark meat, or any meat at all. So what was I missing so much? I could not answer the question, nor could I make the sadness of not having her with us at the table, go away, but I did know deep down inside-I was missing her. Somehow, in a way I don't think I could ever describe, I fell in love with this child who I don't even know. She is our daughter, and I can't wait to hold her in my arms and spend everyday getting to know this little peanut. Now to get through Christmas...


Phew-now that I got that out! I wanted to tell you all about another fundraiser that we are doing. It is through a company called Adoption Bug. The company was started by a couple who wanted to fund their own adoption so they started making their own adoption shirts. Now they are making shirts for other families adopting to help fund their adoptions. We as a family get to pick out which designs we want in our store, and you go through our store to pick out which shirt you would like to buy. In addition to the shirts that Adoption Bug designed there are shirts that are designs from Show Hope, a Christian Adoption organization, founded by Christian music singer Steven Curtis Chapman, that helps children find their forever families, help raise funds and awareness for adoption, and help families get grants for their own adoption. Part of the commission  from any of the Show Hope shirts that are purchased, will go to Show Hope to help them help more children and families. There is a link on the left side of my blog down under the Donate button and the blog archive, that will take you to our family store. You see it?---> The one with the shirts? HA! That's it. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful night and a great week!

Our link to our Adoption Bug store:  www.adoptionbug.com/ninanoll
About Adoption Bug: http://www.adoptionbug.com/
About Show Hope: http://www.showhope.org/home.aspx