Fundraising, Overall Update...and a wild dream :)

We have been so blessed by the donations we've received from our Lifesong letter. So far we are at $1280 - which is almost a plane ticket! We are well on our way to our $8000 goal. But time is running out - since our deadline is mid-June :) We so appreciate the prayer too.... they are sustaining, for sure.

On the paperwork front, we received our ORIGINAL child study and paperwork for the referral. We hope to wrap that up this week and then also get I800, I864, I864A, and DS230 -- I THINK when those thing are done... the paperwork ends and the waiting begins ... this is the waiting in which you can't do a thing about it but merely....wait. Of course that has been the case throughout the process, but we always knew there were many steps ahead that we would have to participate in.... once this stuff is done, I think our only final step is travel to pick up our little girl! I pray for her every night -- think of her often -- her picture is my screen saver at work - so I see her cute little face every day...often :) We can't wait to meet her! Even dreaming strange dreams too.......

Last night in my dreams I was checking out daycares...and nothing seemed right ... Brad and I went to one and all the babies were in little barn food troughs! They were painted light blue and there were rows of tiny babies all line up -- and then a cat sat at the end in one keeping watch and there were no care givers.... it was the weirdest dream... AND then the most interesting part of the dream... I looked down and a Christmas Nativity Set was displayed at the end of the row of babies. Wow, what a dream. I felt great relief for all those babies, in my dream, because I knew Jesus was watching over them.... ok, I know, I have some weird dreams...but what do you suppose this one means? On a more funny note... I remember thinking, "well, if it was good enough for Jesus...it's good enough for our babies" -- Crazy dream huh? I chose to believe that little Miss Lauren is being very well taken care of in India :)

Gotta go - J-man is hungry for breakfast.

Longing for Lauren

In all the hustle and bustle of life, we still continue to pray and long for our daughter. We are so very thankful we have Joshua and have a busy life - it allows time to go by quickly... we can't believe we've been in this process for almost a year this June -- in the adoption world that is very short - but it doesn't make the waiting any easier. Each day our little girl is there, we're wondering what she's doing...is she ok, (not sick)...is she happy, playing with others, is she content?

I ran across a blog of someone who has already adopted from the identical orphanage that Lauren is coming from. It seems like an amazing place, where they are well taken care of and loved well. The children transition very well and are attached....thereby making that new transition of attachment possible for the adoptive family. We are SOOO thankful for this place and our agency that has such a good reputation in India. They both love these children very much!

We are also thankful for all the training we've been getting through our agency, books, seminars, and our new support group. All of this is better equipping us for the day we bring Lauren home. In a book recently, it described the experience that all moms go through is the moment when the child asks if they came out of her adoptive parent's tummy. I find this particularly intriguing, because Joshua asked me about 3 weeks ago if Lauren would be coming out of my tummy. I was shocked, but I explained that Lauren has a different tummy mommy in India. So of course when I read this scenario in the book, it made total sense that a child of toddler (or even the age of J-man at 5) would ask such an innocent, but curious question. See we talk about adoption alot in daily life, but children don't fully comprehend it until it's really explained that children are in their birth mommy's tummy, but parented by a different mommy. What I got out of all this was just this..... these books and all we're going through for our service plan, seminars, etc... are really equipping us well... I find great confidence in this. I am certain there will be surprises and challenges.. but this equipping is really lining up resources for us to turn to for guidance. I know we will also rely on Jesus and our God given instincts, but sometimes we might just need some well researched practical direction -- and we choose to believe that God is behind putting these people in our path. He is providing in places we didn't know we'd even need....and we're not sure we will need all of them, but hey...if certain issues comes up.. we are prepared. {But I'm banking on the fact that God's plan is alive and well...and if we're meeting them now... we'll be needing them in the future}...as someone said at the seminar..."That's just how God rolls".

The Summit

Brad and I just spent two days in Louisville at the Summit Conference sponsored by the Christian Alliance for Orphans. It was held at Southeast church, and wow...was it amazing. First of all the church is absolutely huge! The people, greeters, hosts were awesome, friendly helpful...top-notch. The speakers at the conference were equally amazing. We learned so many techniques and even heard from a panel of adult adoptees ... that was really good to get their perspective on being adopted. Of course God was at work and we ran into certain people we were hoping to find in the sea of thousands of people -- and we even ran into a few surprises that we were not expecting, but God knows our every need. I'm finding this is the theme of our days lately..... he is providing our needs even before we know that we need them! He is one amazing God! All for now -- missed our J-man and have soccer game this morning and who knows what this afternoon has in store. Stay tuned..... continue to pray for our little Lauren so far away.

A Great Mother's Day

Had a great mother's day yesterday... enjoyed time with my church, my family, and then a trip to the park. At the park, there were several Indian families from the neighborhood there enjoying the beautiful sunshine and playing with their children. I loved watching the little ones go down a slide or take a swing in the baby swings there at the park. I could see little Lauren in their faces....and I really longed for her. But I also know this was a love note from God, saying, "I know you are thinking of her, and one day she will be playing here right along with many other people that look like her"...

Joshua had a great time riding his bike, playing chase with daddy, and also playing hide-n-seek. This was all at the park...after he already spent a few hours outside with his neighbor friends. They play together so well, and love each other. I am ever thankful for such great neighbors with such great kids. Capped the park trip off with a visit to our other neighbors who have a new puppy....so cute, words can't describe.

It was a great day :)

What a blessing from Lifesong - Fundraising for Lauren

We have been blessed that Lifesong will provide to us an adoption grant for some of the remaining fees and adoption expenses incurred in order to bring Lauren home. Here is how this works... friends and family make a tax deductible donation to Lifesong for Orphans and follow these steps:

Check payable to Lifesong for Orphans
On the memo line write "preference Blunt #1973 adoption"
Mail check to:
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40 / 202 N. Ford St.
Gridley, IL 61744

Deadline is June 15, 2011. Money received by Lifesong will be passed on to us in the form of a grant... and you will receive a tax write-off for the donation.

We are trying to raise approximately $8000 - this is the remaining expense that has not been paid to finalize the adoption. We know that not everyone will be financially able to donate... and we're asking for your prayers! We cherish your prayers, because we know through intercession God listens and responds according to His will. Thank you all so much for partnering with us in our adoption.
Blessings~
Brad, Renae, and Joshua

Joining an adoption support group

We are so excited...we've found an adoption support group in our home town and we're attending our first meeting this Thursday night. God has placed this in our path....so we're really looking forward to see what He has planned.

We also will be attending an adoption seminar for two days next week... this too we are excited about - listening to national experts on adoptions, having discussions with other families, etc... should be a great time.

We're still waiting for our original referral paperwork... I know it takes time, so we're patiently waiting. Our hopes for traveling this year are diminishing...but that's ok... we'll get her... when we get her. We just can't wait, we're so very excited.

Joshua shared her picture with his classmates this week at school for show and tell... the children were very interested and the teacher got the globe and showed them where India is located... I wish I could have seen Joshua's presentation of her...his teacher said it went very well :)

All for now... making dinner
Renae.