Tutu much fun!

With the holiday season kicking off this week we have been busy preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas fun.  The girls have been rehearsing for a performance at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony and the community children's concert. They are both really excited. At the lighting they will be all decked out as who's from Dr Seuss's Whoville. I have been busy making costumes and figuring out how to get who hair to stand up!  So much fun!!! (I will DEFINITELY share pics later!!) I made a Christmas tutu for Genna to wear as part of her costume. Very Cindy Lou Who I think!! Grace requested some crazy, funky Christmas pants. Holly leaves, the words Holly & Jolly, and bright Christmas colors adorn her new pants! I am sure all  the Who's will be a sight to see!

Something else exciting happened in the process of making costumes. I shared the tutu photo on fb and had another adoptive mom suggested that I sell them as a fundraiser. (Why didn't I think of that?!!) I already have a couple of orders and can't wait to get more!! So if you would like to order one for your Christmas sweetie you can order through my Paypal link on the right. They are $22.50 with shipping or $20 if local. All profit goes towards our adoption.  ***In the purpose area on Paypal please write your child's waist size, height, and the word tutu. Thanks so much! I can't wait to make some more!!!

~ANDREA

Blessed

Let me just start by saying that there are moments and days in my life were I feel there is no possible way I could ever be more blessed. It is true.  I am a daughter of the most high and He has been so generous to me.

This month I am taking stock. Each day sharing something or someone I am thankful for.

 Days 1-14

Day 1: Today I am thankful for warm blankets on cool nights.

Day 2: I am thankful for insurance and readily available doctors.

Day 3: I am thankful for clean water that is accessible right here in my home.

Day 4: I am thankful for transportation. Gas is high but we have always been able to keep it in our tanks and for that I am thankful.

Day 5: I am thankful for my kitchen, the gathering place of our house. I am thankful that many of our family and friends visit it often. That the table that I celebrated every one of my childhood birthdays at and ate most of my meals at, is the same one I eat at with my family each night.

Day 6: I am thankful for morning time with my girls. They sit on my bed or run around the room while I get ready. "Girl talk" is what they think we do, memories is what I know we're making.

Day 7: I am thankful for the guy I started dating at the age of 16 and married at 19. The one who I have shared more than half my life with. Josh can make me smile like no one else. He is truly my best friend.


Day 8: I am thankful for the ministry that I work at and the team that I work with. To be able to go to work each day and to share the message of hope and love with families is a HUGE blessing. There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for the opportunity to be a part of it. Standing each day with people who love Jesus and love kids!

Day 9: Thankful for great teachers, administrators, and schools that my children love.

Day 10: Thankful for to live in a neighborhood were neighbors lookout for one another and always lend a hand.

Day 11: I am so very thankful for my children. Each one unique and different from the others. God has given me many gifts that have forever changed me and they are a few of them. I appreciate life and all that it holds a little more each day because of them. Grace hates injustice and would give until she has none. Genna loves everyone she meets and is bursting with joy. Delaney has a sweet spirit about her and prays everyday for "da whole fide fworld".

Day 12: Thankful for family. Josh and I were both raised in Christian homes. We were raised to love God and love others for that we are truly thankful. My parents displayed a love that was never based on conditions. I have aunt and sister that our priceless to meand extended family that I am thankful for as well. I am thankful also to be a part of Josh's family.

Day 13: I am thankful for friends. Friends old and friends new. Friends who walk beside you regardless of where life's path takes you. I am so blessed to have always had great friends!!

Day 14: I am so very thankful for each person God has placed in our path on this adoption journey. Our AGCI peeps have been a huge blessing to us. There have also been others who have educated and inspired us through out this journey. We are thankful for each one!!!

Here are just a few of them!

Each day we must make the decision whether to focus on the what we think our lives are lacking or to look around and embrace the blessings that are already there!

~ANDREA

Full Sprint Ahead!

We are hitting the fundraising road once again. This time we are taking off with a sprint. With the possibilty of a sibling referral now awaiting us, the fees with be more than we had planned for.

Sooo...

We are hoping to provide a few services and some great gifts that can be bought just in time for Christmas in order to raise the money we need to be able to say YES to whatever the Lord chooses for us.

****We have opened up our own "coffee shop" thanks to

Just Love Coffee.



http://www.justlovecoffee.com/Biggerstaffs



When you purchase from our store we receive a portion towards the cost of our adoption.

Lots of great fair trade organic coffee just in time for Christmas!

What a great way to double your giving this Christmas!

Buy a bag coffee as a gift= giving to our adoption and to the receiver of the coffee!

****We are lending a hand to all those Black Friday shoppers.

That's right on Nov 25th we are opening our house up from 7am - 1pm for the locals to leave their children and do their Christmas shopping kid free!

Don't worry we can handle the extra kids, we have lots of great helpers in our house!

And...

**** We also have our adoption tees available. You can clink on the link above to find out more information.

Have a GREAT rest of the week! ~ANDREA

Exciting News!!

After much prayer....We are excited to announce that we have extended our parameters!!

We will now be waiting for a referral of a boy, girl, or set of siblings (2) up to the age of 24 months!

We would have liked to increase the age even more but our agency requires us to continue our current birth order.  So that means the child or children we adopt must be at least 10 months younger then our youngest. This isn't an E*thiopia requirement, just one a few agencies have.

We are also open to a child or children with special needs. Which could mean lots of different needs. It is really hard to explain exactly what that may be. We are just continuing to pray for whatever child(ren) the Lord has for us.

I look at the picture above of our sweet stair steps (really...they are 3', 4', and 5'!!) and I am overwhelmed with joy just thinking of what this picture will look like in the future. We have been so blessed in our role as parents. The ups and downs, highs and lows, it has all been worth it.

This year our hearts have already been pulled and stretched in a thousand ways just dealing with the new phases these three have entered. Each success and struggle have brought great growth to our children, to us as parents, and to the family as a whole. I can't even imagine what the journey ahead is going to look like or what it has in store.

A bit of scripture that I think every parent needs tucked away in their heart.

I need to be reminded of it now and I am sure I will in the years to come.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.   Lamentations 3:22-23

Scripture Saturday

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,  since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.   Colossians 3:23-24

Saturday Scripture

I have decided to try something new on the blog. Every Saturday, instead of a post about us or anything else, I am going to try to simply share a piece of scripture.

 One of the greatest gifts in this life for me has been God's word.

In our house, one of the first things we strive to teach the girls is the value of the Bible. Miss D is now in the process of learning that the Bible is God's word and the truth!  Here is this week's:

New Harmony, IN

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.      

Matthew 7:13-14

I hope your day is blessed!  ~Andrea

Giveaway Winner!

is the winner of our GIVEAWAY!!! 

Kristen please email me at jabigg_98 at hotmail.com with your address and sizes.

Thanks to all of you for your comments, emails, and fb messages.  

We have been so blessed by those who have walked this journey with us!