I ALMOST NEVER KNEW YOU by Christine Wyrtzen
Inspirational Home and Family Blog
Showing posts with label Adoption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adoption. Show all posts
Thursday, August 4, 2022
Beautiful Song about Adoption: I Almost Never Knew You
This is a beautiful and touching song about adoption!
Monday, May 11, 2015
Mother's Day Grief and Graces
by Diane Fenlason - Used by permission
Note from Lois: I am so blessed to have Diane as my niece!
For every mother, there is a story. I know no mother who has not been through a battle while on her journey. For each mother, the journey is personal and unique, but she is not the first mother to have endured that type of journey, and will not be the last. I think I have been in many different motherhood shoes as I have walked through these years of my life, and I want to share some of my heart as it pertains to such a special day. A day that can be so PAINFUL to some of us.
I have been a young married woman who miscarried. I was hopeful that I was pregnant, and expecting a child. I could feel my body beginning to make some changes, even though it was very early in the pregnancy. The excitement was building. And then, very suddenly, he or she was gone. Devastated. Sad. Wondering if the baby would’ve been a boy or girl.
I am a woman who would deal for years with infertility, finally being told by the specialist that I just couldn’t conceive, for reasons that were not apparent. I routinely and, with hope in my heart, went through several rounds of fertility treatments. I waited with impatience through weeks that seemed to last an eternity for the doctor to say “YES, you are pregnant! It worked!” But each time, I was met by a silent shake of the head from the nurse to say that I was not pregnant. The hope of having a baby died more each time it failed.
I am a woman who came to terms with the idea that I would probably never have children. Maybe that wasn’t what the Lord wanted from me. I pleaded with God to take the desire away from me if He was calling me to do something different with my life than to be a mother. It hurt. No less than cutting out a piece of my heart.
I am a woman who became an adoptive mother. Twice! I remember wondering if I could love a child that I would adopt as much as I could love a biological child. As soon as she was placed in my arms, She. Was. Mine. The child of my heart, physically given life by another. The complete, crazy joy I felt somehow melded into one with the complete sadness that must’ve been within the birth mother’s soul that day. I wondered how it would be to be able to say “thank you” to that woman I would never know. How do you say thank you for such a gift?
The second time I became an adoptive mom, I was able to sit arm in arm with the birth mom. I was able to hear his heartbeat from inside the womb during her last OB appointment. I was able to spend a lot of time with her after she gave birth, and before bringing our new, tiny blue bundle home. Yes, I was joyful. But I was in awe of this woman who said she had prayed that God would provide a mother who would teach her baby, as he grew, about God. This woman who looked me in the eye and said, “You are the one I prayed for!” As she and I dressed him for the trip home from the hospital, and we hugged one another, I whispered in her ear that I would always honor her, and that I loved her and he would grow up knowing his story. Her life choices had led her to this moment, and it was unbelievable the pain, sorrow, joy and hope that hit me all at the same time. And finally…….I knew what it was like to be able to thank the one who carried her child – my child – and placed him in my arms to raise. It was a moment I will never forget.
I am a woman who was a single mom. When these two children were young, my first husband made the decision to leave the marriage. While I didn’t realize it at the time, at least not fully, he had left the marriage very early on. The divorce was a formality for him at that point, I suppose. But it was devastating. I didn’t get married for this. I got married for life. I was committed. I was faithful. I loved. But now, I was alone with two children. And I was angry at God. Angry that He allowed this to happen. Angry that now my kids didn’t have a father who was present in their life. At least not in the way I thought it was supposed to be. It was hard. I suddenly found myself not fitting in. Most of my close friends were couples. Now I was feeling like a 3rd wheel. I didn’t fit with singles, because I was older and had kids, and no singles group I knew then was comprised of 30-something women with kids. I didn’t fit at church. My church didn’t even know what to do with me. I still served. I was still faithfully attending. But there was a strange silence around me, like no one knew what to say. But I realized the answer was not to leave the church out of my discomfort. It was to stay and to allow God to grow and use me in ways that I never imagined. To model for my children what faithfulness and accountability looked like when life was hard. And, with time, healing came.
Then, the Lord brought an amazing man into my life. A single dad. We realized that this was a divine appointment for each of our lives, and he asked me to be his wife. I realized that this man 1)Truly loved the Lord and wanted Him to be #1 and 2) Truly loved me in a way that made me see Christ’s love for His church. We had our eyes wide open to the challenging road that lay before us in “blending” a family, but nonetheless, God led us here, and who were we to say no to His leading?
I am a stepmom. Like most blended families, we struggle with kids going back and forth between households, and the challenge of creating consistency along with helping the kids to adjust whenever they come back home, since rules and the way of life in the other households are so different. It’s hard when you are the mom of the household, but not everyone calls you “Mom.” However, my calling to be a mom to my stepson is just as real as my calling to be a mom to the other kids. I ask God for grace on this task every day, and ask Him to keep strengthening the relationship I have with every one of my kids. And, just as a bonus tip: I have learned that “Blended Family” is really a misnomer. Bringing two broken families together is more like taking pieces of two different shattered vases, and trying to create a whole new vase (or something that resembles it) out of all the shards. It is time consuming, messy, and doesn’t always look good. But the reward is to hopefully end up with a vessel that will be used for something beautiful. I pray that our “glued together pieces” will be that kind of vessel.
And….I am a woman who, at 40, after believing my life was very full, and that God had made me mom to three great kids, found out that we were expecting. What?!?! We were so surprised, and recognized the fact that God does have a sense of humor, and a timing that is all His own. And, that timing is PERFECT. Our youngest is a constant reminder of God’s grace lavished on us. We borrow our children for a time, but they are all gifts from our Heavenly Father. Treasures from Heaven.
If you have gotten through today’s celebration of motherhood feeling some degree of hurt, disappointment, or with a reminder of what you feel that you are missing…..YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It is a lonely place. I recognize that. I have felt that. But never let the enemy convince you that you should continue to feel alone.
One of the greatest things about God’s grace is that when we are weakest, His grace can lend us strength. When we think we are in a hopeless situation, He IS our hope. When we feel that we aren’t complete, we can find comfort that He alone makes us complete.
Before I was a mother, I was a mother-at-heart. God put that deep desire within me to be a mom. Maybe that is where you are today. Perhaps your desire to become a mother has gone unfulfilled. Or maybe you are a dear mother who has lost a child. Or perhaps you are parenting in a difficult situation, or with a wayward child whose rebellion has broken your heart into a gazillion pieces.
Take heart. Your journey is just that. A journey. You are not done, and your story is not finished being written. If the Lord has put within your heart the desire to be a mother, then go and do the work of motherhood. If you haven’t been gifted with children of your own at this point, be a woman who graces others with love for their children. Some of the most influential women in my life have actually been single women who have loved on my kids and have been role models of faithful followers of Christ. Do not become isolated in the false belief that you are on a road without companions. There are many of us. Some who are on that difficult road right now, others who have been for a long time and are tired and weary, and some of us who have gotten a little farther along and can remember well the hardships. And yet, we can see how God’s mercy and grace met us where we were. He can meet you there, too. All of us have our own story, but we are not meant to deal with these challenges alone.
I celebrate motherhood. Not all mothers have children standing beside them. But mothers do know within their hearts that the unwavering love of a mother is there. I applaud your courage. I acknowledge the depth of your hurt when this day comes and you find it excruciating. I get it. Reach out. Find a woman who can help you see God’s grace to bring you through and help you to thrive in His joy and His completion of you. There will come a day will you will be able to pour out into others, too. You will be able to say, “I was a woman who was there, where you are. Look what God did in me!”
My sister, it is ALL God’s grace. It’s all for His glory. If I had never had any children, I would hope that God’s grace could be seen through me, and that He would have me poured out into little lives somehow. But for now, I pray that as I get up each morning and my feet hit the floor, I would be a better momma to my four kids. That I would be more patient. That I wouldn’t get mad at the kids when they start to bicker with each other. That I would still want to serve them breakfast, even when I don’t feel thanked or appreciated. That I would take every opportunity I have today to teach and train these precious children that God has entrusted to my love and care.
I pray for you, wherever you are in your journey. I don’t understand why but one thing I do hold to: The Lord has a plan and purpose in everything He allows. Good and bad, joyous or heart wrenching; He can use it all for His honor and glory. He has a perfect and good plan for you! He really does! Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans for you says the Lord; plans to prosper you, not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.”
So, dear sister, if you are looking down at your feet today, discouraged at where you are, realize that the Lord sees the many steps ahead of those feet, and He is there to walk with you. We can’t see very far ahead. But we can trust the One who does. Grip His hand, and hold tightly!
Have a blessed day, to all the mothers and mothers-at-heart! You are amazing!
Diane Fenlason
Email: BusyMami@msn.com
Note from Lois: I am so blessed to have Diane as my niece!
For every mother, there is a story. I know no mother who has not been through a battle while on her journey. For each mother, the journey is personal and unique, but she is not the first mother to have endured that type of journey, and will not be the last. I think I have been in many different motherhood shoes as I have walked through these years of my life, and I want to share some of my heart as it pertains to such a special day. A day that can be so PAINFUL to some of us.
I have been a young married woman who miscarried. I was hopeful that I was pregnant, and expecting a child. I could feel my body beginning to make some changes, even though it was very early in the pregnancy. The excitement was building. And then, very suddenly, he or she was gone. Devastated. Sad. Wondering if the baby would’ve been a boy or girl.
I am a woman who would deal for years with infertility, finally being told by the specialist that I just couldn’t conceive, for reasons that were not apparent. I routinely and, with hope in my heart, went through several rounds of fertility treatments. I waited with impatience through weeks that seemed to last an eternity for the doctor to say “YES, you are pregnant! It worked!” But each time, I was met by a silent shake of the head from the nurse to say that I was not pregnant. The hope of having a baby died more each time it failed.
I am a woman who came to terms with the idea that I would probably never have children. Maybe that wasn’t what the Lord wanted from me. I pleaded with God to take the desire away from me if He was calling me to do something different with my life than to be a mother. It hurt. No less than cutting out a piece of my heart.
I am a woman who became an adoptive mother. Twice! I remember wondering if I could love a child that I would adopt as much as I could love a biological child. As soon as she was placed in my arms, She. Was. Mine. The child of my heart, physically given life by another. The complete, crazy joy I felt somehow melded into one with the complete sadness that must’ve been within the birth mother’s soul that day. I wondered how it would be to be able to say “thank you” to that woman I would never know. How do you say thank you for such a gift?
The second time I became an adoptive mom, I was able to sit arm in arm with the birth mom. I was able to hear his heartbeat from inside the womb during her last OB appointment. I was able to spend a lot of time with her after she gave birth, and before bringing our new, tiny blue bundle home. Yes, I was joyful. But I was in awe of this woman who said she had prayed that God would provide a mother who would teach her baby, as he grew, about God. This woman who looked me in the eye and said, “You are the one I prayed for!” As she and I dressed him for the trip home from the hospital, and we hugged one another, I whispered in her ear that I would always honor her, and that I loved her and he would grow up knowing his story. Her life choices had led her to this moment, and it was unbelievable the pain, sorrow, joy and hope that hit me all at the same time. And finally…….I knew what it was like to be able to thank the one who carried her child – my child – and placed him in my arms to raise. It was a moment I will never forget.
I am a woman who was a single mom. When these two children were young, my first husband made the decision to leave the marriage. While I didn’t realize it at the time, at least not fully, he had left the marriage very early on. The divorce was a formality for him at that point, I suppose. But it was devastating. I didn’t get married for this. I got married for life. I was committed. I was faithful. I loved. But now, I was alone with two children. And I was angry at God. Angry that He allowed this to happen. Angry that now my kids didn’t have a father who was present in their life. At least not in the way I thought it was supposed to be. It was hard. I suddenly found myself not fitting in. Most of my close friends were couples. Now I was feeling like a 3rd wheel. I didn’t fit with singles, because I was older and had kids, and no singles group I knew then was comprised of 30-something women with kids. I didn’t fit at church. My church didn’t even know what to do with me. I still served. I was still faithfully attending. But there was a strange silence around me, like no one knew what to say. But I realized the answer was not to leave the church out of my discomfort. It was to stay and to allow God to grow and use me in ways that I never imagined. To model for my children what faithfulness and accountability looked like when life was hard. And, with time, healing came.
Then, the Lord brought an amazing man into my life. A single dad. We realized that this was a divine appointment for each of our lives, and he asked me to be his wife. I realized that this man 1)Truly loved the Lord and wanted Him to be #1 and 2) Truly loved me in a way that made me see Christ’s love for His church. We had our eyes wide open to the challenging road that lay before us in “blending” a family, but nonetheless, God led us here, and who were we to say no to His leading?
I am a stepmom. Like most blended families, we struggle with kids going back and forth between households, and the challenge of creating consistency along with helping the kids to adjust whenever they come back home, since rules and the way of life in the other households are so different. It’s hard when you are the mom of the household, but not everyone calls you “Mom.” However, my calling to be a mom to my stepson is just as real as my calling to be a mom to the other kids. I ask God for grace on this task every day, and ask Him to keep strengthening the relationship I have with every one of my kids. And, just as a bonus tip: I have learned that “Blended Family” is really a misnomer. Bringing two broken families together is more like taking pieces of two different shattered vases, and trying to create a whole new vase (or something that resembles it) out of all the shards. It is time consuming, messy, and doesn’t always look good. But the reward is to hopefully end up with a vessel that will be used for something beautiful. I pray that our “glued together pieces” will be that kind of vessel.
And….I am a woman who, at 40, after believing my life was very full, and that God had made me mom to three great kids, found out that we were expecting. What?!?! We were so surprised, and recognized the fact that God does have a sense of humor, and a timing that is all His own. And, that timing is PERFECT. Our youngest is a constant reminder of God’s grace lavished on us. We borrow our children for a time, but they are all gifts from our Heavenly Father. Treasures from Heaven.
If you have gotten through today’s celebration of motherhood feeling some degree of hurt, disappointment, or with a reminder of what you feel that you are missing…..YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It is a lonely place. I recognize that. I have felt that. But never let the enemy convince you that you should continue to feel alone.
One of the greatest things about God’s grace is that when we are weakest, His grace can lend us strength. When we think we are in a hopeless situation, He IS our hope. When we feel that we aren’t complete, we can find comfort that He alone makes us complete.
Before I was a mother, I was a mother-at-heart. God put that deep desire within me to be a mom. Maybe that is where you are today. Perhaps your desire to become a mother has gone unfulfilled. Or maybe you are a dear mother who has lost a child. Or perhaps you are parenting in a difficult situation, or with a wayward child whose rebellion has broken your heart into a gazillion pieces.
Take heart. Your journey is just that. A journey. You are not done, and your story is not finished being written. If the Lord has put within your heart the desire to be a mother, then go and do the work of motherhood. If you haven’t been gifted with children of your own at this point, be a woman who graces others with love for their children. Some of the most influential women in my life have actually been single women who have loved on my kids and have been role models of faithful followers of Christ. Do not become isolated in the false belief that you are on a road without companions. There are many of us. Some who are on that difficult road right now, others who have been for a long time and are tired and weary, and some of us who have gotten a little farther along and can remember well the hardships. And yet, we can see how God’s mercy and grace met us where we were. He can meet you there, too. All of us have our own story, but we are not meant to deal with these challenges alone.
I celebrate motherhood. Not all mothers have children standing beside them. But mothers do know within their hearts that the unwavering love of a mother is there. I applaud your courage. I acknowledge the depth of your hurt when this day comes and you find it excruciating. I get it. Reach out. Find a woman who can help you see God’s grace to bring you through and help you to thrive in His joy and His completion of you. There will come a day will you will be able to pour out into others, too. You will be able to say, “I was a woman who was there, where you are. Look what God did in me!”
My sister, it is ALL God’s grace. It’s all for His glory. If I had never had any children, I would hope that God’s grace could be seen through me, and that He would have me poured out into little lives somehow. But for now, I pray that as I get up each morning and my feet hit the floor, I would be a better momma to my four kids. That I would be more patient. That I wouldn’t get mad at the kids when they start to bicker with each other. That I would still want to serve them breakfast, even when I don’t feel thanked or appreciated. That I would take every opportunity I have today to teach and train these precious children that God has entrusted to my love and care.
I pray for you, wherever you are in your journey. I don’t understand why but one thing I do hold to: The Lord has a plan and purpose in everything He allows. Good and bad, joyous or heart wrenching; He can use it all for His honor and glory. He has a perfect and good plan for you! He really does! Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans for you says the Lord; plans to prosper you, not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.”
So, dear sister, if you are looking down at your feet today, discouraged at where you are, realize that the Lord sees the many steps ahead of those feet, and He is there to walk with you. We can’t see very far ahead. But we can trust the One who does. Grip His hand, and hold tightly!
Have a blessed day, to all the mothers and mothers-at-heart! You are amazing!
Diane Fenlason
Email: BusyMami@msn.com
Monday, April 28, 2014
Unplanned Pregnancy
If
you know of anyone struggling with an unplanned pregnancy, or hurting
from a past abortion, free counseling and other resources are available:
2. by calling 800-A-FAMILY (800-232-6459).
1. by checking a phone book for a Pregnancy Resource Center
and contacting them
and contacting them
2. by calling 800-A-FAMILY (800-232-6459).
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Moving Thoughts from a Foster Mom and Foster/Adoption Books
by Aisling Solarek - Used by permission
We
took the Foster Care class. Finished the class in April. On a Thursday.
Got our first foster baby boy the next day! He was with us for a week.
He was with us for respite. His foster family were taking a weeks break.
You know you can be approved for respite care? You can take the class
and help those foster families who need a short break. Respite. A friend
of mine is a respite foster mom and she has provided a loving home for
many children while their foster families rest. April 16, God brought us
a two year old boy and an 8 month old girl. I have told you about them
before and told you how quickly we all fell in love. These two were
younger than Conor and Erin and we had the perfect little family. Four
kids. Two boys. Two girls. This little guy and little girl have an older
brother and sister. As I would bring my little ones to visit their
parents at the Department of Social Services, I would see their older
brother and sister. I would hear them say to their younger brother and
sister, "I really miss you. I love you. I will see you next week." I
could see the sadness as they would not only have to leave their
parents. They would have to leave their siblings.
I
started to fall in love with them. I was hoping someone in my church
would take the older two children so they could be close to their
younger siblings. I was really hoping God wouldn't pick me. Do you ever
feel that way? If we took the older two, I felt like my life would get
too messy. I mean, Conor would not be the oldest child in the family.
What was this going to do to Conor and Erin? I was worried about MY
children.I was worried about what others would say or think? God said to
me, "They are all MY children."
God's heart
breaks for ALL of the children in the World. Mine should too, right? So
in August we asked the DSS if we could foster all four children so they
could be together. They told us to wait until the end of December. We
were willing and obeyed God. That is all we could do. So we went home
and waited for God to bring these two children into our family. I will
tell you that the enemy shows up when you are standing up for children
in need. People in need. Life isn't easy. Whose life is?
Everyone
has something. You know why we have something? It's so we bring our
something to God. In our weakness HE is made strong. HE can do all
things. HE can be our strength. God also brings blessings. Our neighbor
was moving and she asked me if I would like a set of bunk beds and
mattress. Yes please!! You know what the precious part of that was? The
bunk beds matched the other furniture. God cared about the girl's room
enough to send us free matching furniture. Isn't that precious? That's
God. I didn't do that. God gave us another dresser for free. We bought
two for a great price on Craig's List. We bought a bed for 15 dollars at
a second hand store. God provides. Now, just so you know, all of our
bedroom furniture is second hand (except for our crib and matching
dresser that my mom bought when we were pregnant with Conor). We treat
the children how we treat ourselves.
I had two families from my church give me Christmas presents for the kids. Things that looked brand new that their family didn't need anymore. Awesome!! God was so kind to give us months to prepare for the older two children. We had time to prepare our hearts and our home. We had time to emotionally prepare our children. We had time for a trip to Disney World! God brought the two older children to us on December 22. It has been over three weeks since they arrived.
I had two families from my church give me Christmas presents for the kids. Things that looked brand new that their family didn't need anymore. Awesome!! God was so kind to give us months to prepare for the older two children. We had time to prepare our hearts and our home. We had time to emotionally prepare our children. We had time for a trip to Disney World! God brought the two older children to us on December 22. It has been over three weeks since they arrived.
The oldest boy and Conor are best
friends! They have so much fun together!! Wow! How God blesses
obedience! They are on the same basketball team. They play Star Wars
together. The six children have a great time together and they have all
been so good! I am in shock that they all clean up after themselves.
They enjoy doing chores. They fold and put away their own laundry (5 of
the 6 kids do this!) Blessed? I am blessed. The children are blessed to
be together. but I am blessed to watch how beautiful this all is. God
came after these four siblings and He has a super plan for them. He has a
plan for my six children. If I obey God, I will see beautiful things.
Often beauty comes from ashes, right? I have noticed a few things. The amount of doctor appointments sky rockets. Babysitters for date night are a must. Paper plates are a must. Laundry is never-ending but the big jump in that one was going from 2 kids to 4. Honestly 6 kids is not thaaaat much different than 4. Honestly! Going from 2 to 4 was a bigger adjustment.
Often beauty comes from ashes, right? I have noticed a few things. The amount of doctor appointments sky rockets. Babysitters for date night are a must. Paper plates are a must. Laundry is never-ending but the big jump in that one was going from 2 kids to 4. Honestly 6 kids is not thaaaat much different than 4. Honestly! Going from 2 to 4 was a bigger adjustment.
The older kids bring different
advantages to the table. The younger ones fit nicely into the family but
cannot verbalize all that has happened in their little lives. The older
children can verbalize which has been sad, but good that we can help
them process their pain. I feel like labels have been put on older
foster children that should not be there. Biological parents have made
mistakes. The children have not. Number 1 rule? Treat these angels how
you would want someone to treat your children if for some reason you
could not take care of them. Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to
anger. Be slow to label children. We know the Miracle Worker. His name
is Jesus.
FOSTER/ADOPTION BOOKS
compiled by Aisling Solarek - Used by permission
compiled by Aisling Solarek - Used by permission
Orphanology by Tony Merida and Rick Morton
Adopted for Life by Russell D. Moore
The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis, David Cross and Wendy Sunshine
Dear Birthmother by Kathleen Silber and Phylis Speedlin
Bloodlines by John Piper (understanding the issues surrounding inter racial adoption)
Thriving as as Adoptive Family by David and Renee Sanford (Focus on the Family book)
A
resource I have enjoyed is the Focus on the Family radio. They have
said so much about Adoption and it has been a huge blessing to me to
hear from others who have walked a similar road. http://www.focusonthefamily.com/radio.aspx
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tidbits of Information for Your Family
For free directory assistance service, call 1-800-FREE-411.
For inexpensive long distance service, check out http://www.onesuite.com/. In the US all calls are only 2.9 cents per minute - anytime! Overseas rates are also lower than most. You can use it while away from home as well. Program the numbers into your home phone memory system for speed.
All Those Forwards! - Check out the truth or falsehood of various forwards you receive at http://www.snopes.com/ or www.truthorfiction.com before sending them out. Most of us, including myself, have sent at least one falsehood or misinformation out to others without realizing it. At this site you can subscribe to a free weekly e-mail, which is very informative. Read the "Truth" about Glade Plug-Ins, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Starbucks and Bill Gates giving out money, your failing to appear for jury duty and being tricked into providing information to enable others to steal your identity. The list goes on!
Protect the Privacy of Other's E-mail Addresses by sending "Blind Copies."
Did you know you can HIDE (blind copy) lists of e-mail addresses, by clicking on Bc or by putting them into your Cc: box and putting parentheses around them? It would give other people privacy.
Be informed on countless issues that Christians need to know about with this very valuable link, http://www.citizenlink.org/! I highly recommend that you receive their almost daily e-mails, even if you can't read everything. These issues affect your family! Even skimming it will help you to be aware of so much more than you hear in the news media. Stand up and be counted. Be involved.
For Interest Free Adoption Loans for Christian Adoptions, check out http://www.abbafund.org/ and www.abbafund.org/agencies.htm. Located in Charlotte, NC.
- Thanks to Ed and Darlene Weber, missionaries to Thailand, for this good information!
A Card-Making Tip from Jackie Schlageter in New Mexico:
I get a freebee newsletter that always has loads of great free ideas in it. One I got recently had the following link in it. It is for Jan Bret cards and envelopes. You can have the card generated with your own personal message, or like I did leave it plain and you can write what you want in it yourself. There is one decorated envelope template and 8 really cute 4 fold cards there. These can be made for that special child in your life or let the children make them and give them themselves. Either way they will really enjoy them. I hope that you and/or the children in your life enjoy these cards to make. www.janbret.com/pdfcards/pdfcardgenerator_mitten.htm
A Prescription Tip - When our children are sick, the last thing we are thinking about is pinching pennies, but this is a tip that will really save you money. My husband is a pharmacist and knows that generic and store-brand medications are regulated by the FDA just as name brands. Store-brand over the counter medicines--like ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) must be just as effective as the name brand in order to be on the market. So, always buy them because they work just as well. The same is true for cough medicines, infant gas drops, vitamins, and even prescription drugs. Look right next to the name brand and chances are there will be a store-brand that can be as little as half the price! - Dollar Stretcher tip from Caroline in MN - http://www.stretcher.com/ - Used by permission.
For inexpensive long distance service, check out http://www.onesuite.com/. In the US all calls are only 2.9 cents per minute - anytime! Overseas rates are also lower than most. You can use it while away from home as well. Program the numbers into your home phone memory system for speed.
All Those Forwards! - Check out the truth or falsehood of various forwards you receive at http://www.snopes.com/ or www.truthorfiction.com before sending them out. Most of us, including myself, have sent at least one falsehood or misinformation out to others without realizing it. At this site you can subscribe to a free weekly e-mail, which is very informative. Read the "Truth" about Glade Plug-Ins, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Starbucks and Bill Gates giving out money, your failing to appear for jury duty and being tricked into providing information to enable others to steal your identity. The list goes on!
Protect the Privacy of Other's E-mail Addresses by sending "Blind Copies."
Did you know you can HIDE (blind copy) lists of e-mail addresses, by clicking on Bc or by putting them into your Cc: box and putting parentheses around them? It would give other people privacy.
Be informed on countless issues that Christians need to know about with this very valuable link, http://www.citizenlink.org/! I highly recommend that you receive their almost daily e-mails, even if you can't read everything. These issues affect your family! Even skimming it will help you to be aware of so much more than you hear in the news media. Stand up and be counted. Be involved.
For Interest Free Adoption Loans for Christian Adoptions, check out http://www.abbafund.org/ and www.abbafund.org/agencies.htm. Located in Charlotte, NC.
- Thanks to Ed and Darlene Weber, missionaries to Thailand, for this good information!
A Card-Making Tip from Jackie Schlageter in New Mexico:
I get a freebee newsletter that always has loads of great free ideas in it. One I got recently had the following link in it. It is for Jan Bret cards and envelopes. You can have the card generated with your own personal message, or like I did leave it plain and you can write what you want in it yourself. There is one decorated envelope template and 8 really cute 4 fold cards there. These can be made for that special child in your life or let the children make them and give them themselves. Either way they will really enjoy them. I hope that you and/or the children in your life enjoy these cards to make. www.janbret.com/pdfcards/pdfcardgenerator_mitten.htm
A Prescription Tip - When our children are sick, the last thing we are thinking about is pinching pennies, but this is a tip that will really save you money. My husband is a pharmacist and knows that generic and store-brand medications are regulated by the FDA just as name brands. Store-brand over the counter medicines--like ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) must be just as effective as the name brand in order to be on the market. So, always buy them because they work just as well. The same is true for cough medicines, infant gas drops, vitamins, and even prescription drugs. Look right next to the name brand and chances are there will be a store-brand that can be as little as half the price! - Dollar Stretcher tip from Caroline in MN - http://www.stretcher.com/ - Used by permission.
Legacy of an Adopted Child
Author unknown ~ Contributed by Donna Kauffman, Editor of "Treasures from My Heart to Yours" http://treasuresbooks.blogspot.com/
Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.
One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.
Two different lives shaped to make you one.
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it.
The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name.
One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.
One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.
One gave you emotions. The other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.
One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.
One sought for you a home that she could not provide.
The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.
The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.
And now you ask me, through your tears,
the age-old question unanswered through the years.
the age-old question unanswered through the years.
Heredity or environment, which are you a product of?
Neither, my darling. Neither. Just two different kinds of Love.
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