One year ago today...

It was one year ago today that we started this crazy adoption adventure!  If you had told me on that bleary-eyed, rainy evening that we would be where we are one year later, I would have told you you were crazy.  NEVER in a million years did I think that this is something I would actually get to be a part of.  Adopting a child is something that God put on my heart YEARS ago - you can ask my friends.  I told a handful of close friends, probably a little over six years ago, that I would really love to adopt a little boy from Africa some day.  It was my dream.  It was a desire that God placed in my heart before he placed me in my mother's womb.  I don't think I would never feel complete or fulfilled or be as close to God as I am now if we were not going through this process.  My faith in God has grown exponentially since January 22, 2010. 

To read about how it started one year ago today, click HERE.

I am so grateful to my husband, who against his own desires, left this up to God and chose to trust and have faith in spite of his doubts and selfish desires.  This is not a small feat.  It requires a lot of strength and a lot of weakness.  Our weakness, God's strength.  I asked him, about halfway through this process, what he would do if I told him I wanted to back out of the process (just testing, of course).  He said he couldn't stop at this point.  That God had laid it on his heart as much as he had mine and that we were in it for the long haul.  How amazing is that!!!  He went from a man who absolutely did not want to adopt a child or have another baby to a father praying tearfully that his African-born son would be home soon!! 

There have been lots of well-meaning people throughout the past year who have said things along the lines of "this is such a wonderful thing you're doing" and "you guys are amazing" (No, really.), and what we want everyone to know, more than anything, is that this adoption is not about US.  WE are not amazing.  None of this would be possible without God.  HE is the one that put this in our heart, HE is the one that has moved people to support us spiritually and financially, HE is the one that has and continues or orchestrate the adoption process, HE is the one who chose our son, HE is the one who encourages us when we are frustrated with the process, HE is the one who has surrounded us by other families going through the same process who can sympathize and relate, HE is the one who has softened our daughters' hearts and created a desire in them for a little brother, HE is the one who will continue to guide us once our son is home and who will give us the right words to say in the difficult conversations, HE is the one who has helped us love a country that we have never been to, and HE is the one who deserves all the praise.

It is on the one year anniversary of my heart being broken that I am happy to announce our next event!  

Texas Hold 'Em Tournament

February 26, 2011

Old Town Pizzeria

9677 Elk Grove Florin Road

Elk Grove, CA 95624

Doors open at 5:00 p.m. for pizza/salad buffet

Tournament starts at 6:00 p.m. (buffet will close at this time)

Before February 14th - $50 buy-in 

After February 14th - $60 buy-in

PLEASE PAY IN ADVANCE to secure your spot with the light blue "partner with us" link on the side of this page (PayPal) or in person.

Buy-in includes pizza/salad buffet!

Bar (wine and beer) will be open.

Raffle prizes, 50/50 raffle, and cash prizes for winners!

Because we are hoping to fill the restaurant with tournament participants, there will hopefully be "standing room only" for those who are not playing in the tournament.