Thursday, November 24, 2011

Here at Blessed Beyond Belief I am thankful....

This Thanksgiving I am going to share the top 11 (for 2011) things I am thankful for:

11. My family even though the milit*ry keeps us away from them most of the time I treasure the time we do have together!
10. My honey...God has blessed me with 20 years married to my best friend!

09. My kids...certainly been blessed more than I deserve!

08. Brianna...trying to treasure each moment knowing that all too soon she will be off to college. 
07. Nicholas...cannot believe how he has become a young man and is so tall.

06. Hunter...my miracle boy who continues to amaze the doctors and is my comic relief.
05. Claire...my super smart sign language speaking girl and most certainly momma's girl.
04. Caleb...my little snuggle bug.
03. Caelyn...our newest treasure waiting for a family in China.  Soon baby girl soon.
02. My great country that I was blessed to be born in.  Thankful for those in the milit*ry that fight to keep us free.
01. My Lord and Savior who has blessed me with these...

Happy Thanksgiving!  What are you thankful for?

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Adoption update

Some of you may be wondering where we are in our adoption process.  Let me try to fill you in.  Last week, we submitted our LOI to China!  In the adoption world, that means we have submitted a letter of intent to adopt a particular child.  Now we are working on getting our home study completed and on getting all the items needed for our dossier.  While we work on this, we are waiting to recieve our PA which is a pre approval from China saying we can go forward in our pursuit of this child.  This is so exciting and I am thrilled to say that God has provided all the money we have needed so far!  God has brought us buyers for the things we have been selling and He has nudged people to support our puzzle fundraiser.  The puzzle fundraiser is still going on so if you want to sponsor some pieces you can use the ChipIn button on the blog sidebar.  However, we know that more funds will be needed.  We still have China program fees coming up among other fees.  So with that in mind, we have been selected to partner with 2 businesses that will walk alongside us and help us raise the funds that will be needed.

The first one is Ground to Cup Coffee.  This is how Ground to Cup Coffee explains who they are from their website.  "At Ground to Cup Coffee we are centered on creating an environment where each of us grasp the reality that coffee is so much more than just a cup of coffee. We are passionate about empowering those causes that have a direct impact in our community and across the globe such as the construction of youth camps, adoption and orphan care, cancer research, shelters supporting the homeless and the hungry and helping sustain the coffee farmers themselves. So, join us in making a difference by drinking a freshly roasted cup of coffee while “Bringing a Hope and a Future” one great cup at a time."  We are so excited to be working with them to raise funds for our adoption!  We have an online store and receive 40% of all sales in our store!  If you love coffee or would love to give the gift of coffee this Christmas would you consider checking out our store.  You can check it out by clicking the link below or by using the link on the side of our blog.
Click here to visit Ground to Cup Coffee.

The second one is Wild Olive tees.  So, if coffee isn't your thing maybe an awesome t-shirt would be!  Here is what Wild Olive tees has to say about their mission from their website "Wild Olive adoption tees have been created as a means to help families fundraise for their impending adoption. Our goal is to partner with adoptive families to help them gain support from friends and family to offset the cost of their adoption, and in turn, help bring children home to their forever families!"  Again, we are so excited to be partnering with them! Their shirts are so beautiful and each one has a verse on it.  Each time you wear the shirt you are proclaiming God's Word to the world.  You can check out the t-shirts by clicking on the link below or on the side of the blog.  If you purchase a shirt make sure you use our family code of HAINES1120.  Put this code in the coupon code section and the comments section of your order.  By doing this, you assure that our family gets credit for your purchase!
Click here to visit Wild Olive tees.

So, maybe this Christmas you will consider doing some of your shopping for gifts from Ground to Cup Coffee or Wild Olive tees.  What an awesome way to get some great gifts and help bring our daughter home at the same time!  Would you please share our blog with your friends and family and help us get the word out about our fundraisers?  We are blessed by each one of you and we are forever grateful for those of you who support our fundraising efforts.  To us you are Jesus with skin on and we thank you.

Monday, November 14, 2011

National Adoption Month continued...

I shared Claire's one year video so now I have to share Caleb's video! Enjoy!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Orphan Sunday

Today is Orphan Sunday and I can't stop thinking about a certain orphan in China right now.  Today is her birthday.  Today she does not have a family to celebrate her and tell her that she is special and that God has big plans for her.  But this is not where her story ends.  She does have a family she just doesn't know it yet.  She does have a family that longs to tell her how special she is and that God loves her so very much.  She has a family that is working hard to raise the money to bring her home.  A family that is working hard on all of the paperwork that is required.  Soon very soon she will finally find out that it is her turn...her turn for a mommy and daddy.  So today, her birthday, I pray that God is holding her close and whispering to her inmost being that she is special, that she is loved, that someone cares.  I pray that God will continue to hold her close until we can be His hands and feet and do it for Him.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

National Adoption month continued...

You know by us adopting we are not changing the world but we are changing the world for 1, 2 even 3 children.  In my last post, I posted the video that we made of our first year with Claire.  She loves to look at pictures of herself so I invited her over to take a look at the video.  When it started, she immediately became upset and wanted to leave.  If you watched the video then you know the first couple of pictures are of her at her orphanage.  However, as soon as the pictures changed to us in China getting her she immediately changed.  She cheered and wrapped her arms around my neck and squeezed.  Friends, Claire has been home for over 3 years and she still cannot bear to look at pictures from her time at the orphanage nor does she want to talk about it.  So even though we are not changing the world, we changed her world.

Our adoption journeys have also opened my eyes more to my adoption.  God has lovingly opened his arms and invited me to come to Him and now I am an heir; a child of His.  Oh, how I cheer and long to wrap my arms around His neck!

And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughers, says the Lord Almighty."
2 Corinthians 6:18

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

National Adoption Month!!!



In honor of national adoption month, I thought I would share the video we made of our first year with Claire. Adoption is such a blessing, the bible tells us that children are a gift from God. I am so thankful that God is filling my quiver with His children!