Giveaway is ON for tomorrow!

We are at 85 shirts as of right now!  So, the giveway drawing will be held tomorrow afternoon after we get home from church and Silas wakes up from his nap.  All orders placed by noon central time will be entered into the drawing.  We will have a Superman was adopted tshirt and the Ugandan Bead necklaces up for one lucky person.  We will post tomorrow night who the winner is and hopefully contact him/her to get the size and color for their FREE shirt!  Both the free shirt and necklace will be shipped when the shirt order is shipped.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BOUGHT SO FAR!!!  We are closing in on our goal of 100 shirts! :)

2.5 year old pictures

Wow, how is Silas 2 1/2??  That’ doesn’t seem possible!  It’s downright unreal how much of a little man he is.  As any parent whose boy is growing up way too fast, I often look at the pictures on my screensaver of him as a baby and try to think back to him being that small.  He is such a blessing in my life.  I know I have learned more about God the Father through Silas and my relationship with him than at any other time. 

OK, I’ve held out long enough of pics of our boy.  I’ve definitely short-changed you over the past few months.  But before starting that, we’re only 25 shirts away from our goal!  We need to be at 75 by end of day Saturday to do the drawing on Sunday.  Thanks again to all who have bought to help us bring Silas’ sister home!  Keep buying! :)

On Easter Sunday after celebrating the resurrection of our LORD, we went to the downtown area of town and took some shots.  We try to do our own pictures for his half year and then have our professional friends do his yearly ones.  Without further ado, here’s our favorites … but be ready, there are a lot but you’ll thank me later :)  Let me know which one(s) are your favorite!

A couple shots before church…

 

Now off to downtown…

                

OK, daddy, I’m done.  Otherwise, this finger is going into my nose.      

Hopefully, that’ll give you your Silas fill for a while :)

One week left and Superman t-shirt + Ugandan necklace giveaway IF….

Thanks to everyone who have preordered a shirt and/or bumper stickers.  We have sold 29 shirts and 4 bumper stickers so far.  Our hope is to sell 100 shirts before next Monday when the preorder sale ends.  As you can see, we have a ways to go for that.  So, to hopefully give some incentive to help us get to our goal, if we can have sold 75 shirts by end of day Saturday, April 30th, we will give away a tshirt and Ugandan bead necklace to one lucky person who has ordered a shirt … almost a $50 value!  The drawing would be held on Sunday and the person would need to let us know the shirt they would want by end of day Monday when the sale is over.  For every shirt you purchase, your name would be entered into the drawing.  For example, if you buy 3 shirts, your name would be entered 3 times into the drawing.

Please spread the word to family, friends, church family, share the link on Facebook, Twitter, etc and help us bring our daughter home!

We will keep the counter on the right updated daily so you know how many shirts we have sold.

I hope that all makes sense!  If not, let me know and I will clarify…

And to give a little more incentive for you to make a purchase to help bring Silas’ sister home, here is a sneak peek of the pics we did with Silas yesterday.  He turned 2.5 years old on April 12th and we just do his half year pictures ourselves and we had a good time in the downtown area of our town.  More pictures to come … maybe … if we hit the goal for the shirts :)

THANKS EVERYONE!

“Superman was adopted” tee and bumper sticker!!

We are one blessed family.  Our good friends are allowing us to use their latest fundraiser design for our next fundraiser.  So, without further ado, here it is … with what I believe are the cutest models that we could have found…

 

(isn’t that picture hilarious!  Silas’ ‘fake smile’ and Lucy Lane’s raspberry) 

Many of you know that Silas and Lucy Lane were together in Ethiopia TOGETHER.  And that we traveled at the same time as Kristi so that Silas and Lucy Lane came forever home TOGETHER.  And now Silas and Lucy live about 30 minutes from each other.  I love how God works.

So the details…

This is the zoomed in picture of the front of the shirt.   The shirts are 100% pre-shrunk cotton in a regular t-shirt cut.

Here are the colors that are available…

So the colors available are royal blue, black, red, and pink.  You will see 2 versions of pink.  The darker pink is the infant and toddler pink and the lighter pink is for the youth and adults.

The shirts are $19.95 (adult 2XL and 3XL are $2.00 more).

OK, and here is the bumper sticker…

The bumper stickers are $5.00/each.

We are also doing FREE shipping in the continental US!  If you are outside of the continental US, leave a comment with your email and city/state/country, and we will email you the shipping cost.  This will be a pre-order sale meaning that we will not order them until the sale is over.  We will be selling both the shirts and the bumper stickers through Monday, May 2nd.  We expect it will take 7-10 days for us to receive them and then we will ship them right out!  So, you should see them on your doorstep mid May…and if you’re local, Silas will hand-deliver them to you and tell you thank you in person … and you may even get a kiss blown your way … or a hug … or at least a high five or knuckles out of it! :)

To order, select your options on the right side of the blog.  The shirts are divided into 3 categories:  Infant/Toddlers, Youth, and Adult.  Please select your size and your color and click ‘Add to Cart’.  It’s that simple!  Please confirm your color and size before submitting your order!

What a GREAT way to spend some of that tax refund you got, right!?

Thank you for helping us bring Silas’ sister home … and yes, we do have a name for her but not ready to divulge it yet … although, if you ask Silas, he’ll blurt it right out! :)

Please remember that this is a pre-order sale so shirts will be shipped in the middle of May!

Order many and order often! :)

Please share this link on Facebook, email, etc to help us bring our baby girl home!  THANK YOU!

OK, being I have short-changed you over the past few months, here are a couple more pictures from Silas’ photoshoot today…

 

This is Silas’ fake smile again.  It’s hard not to crack up when we ask him to smile and he pulls this one out.

Thanks again everyone … we really do appreciate it!

Few pictures from today

OK, I know I have slacked on things in this world.  That’s no secret.  And there is really a good excuse.  Really there is.  I just can’t give it up yet.  Hopefully in the next couple weeks I will be able to talk about the exciting news of what has consumed my last 5+ months of my life.

In any event, here are a few pics from today … it’s sad in looking at our camera that we have not taken any pictures on our ‘good’ camera in a month.  We’ve done a few on our little point/shoot and our phone.  But next month we’ll do our own little photo shoot for his 2.5 year pics … friends, that’s just crazy.  Our boy will be 30 months old!  He is such a little man now … unreal what he is saying these days.  For example, at supper tonight, we were eating out on the deck (it’s been amazing here in TN the past few days).  As our side item, we had some squash.  I eat all mine and Silas nonchalantly picks up a piece of his, puts it on my plate and says "I'm borrowing you some daddy.”  Amber and I look at each other and laugh.  Yeah, it’s not the right word but what 2 year old gets that?!  It is definitely fun stuff happening around our house all the time.

Oh, before the pics, I’ve been horrible in updating where we are with Silas’ sister.  We are UNOFFICIALLY #24 on the list.  Even with all the things going on in Ethiopia, there was good movement the past couple weeks.  We still don’t know what will exactly happen in Ethiopia but it appears it won’t be the proposed 5 cases/day being processed.  It appears it may be 20-25 which would be about 1/2 of what they were doing.  However, before the changes, we know many families did not pass court due to MOWA documents not being there so would that mean they were really doing less than 50/day??  Who knows … we’re just praying for our daughter, for each child waiting for a family and that each child is truly an orphan and that any unethical processes would be dealt with immediately and those responsible be appropriately dealt with.

OK, with no further ado, here’s our boy :)

Before church …so big.  Really don't think it gets much cuter. Just sayin'

Silas was all about modeling today – here is another shot of him and immediately after wanting to see his picture

Silas and his momma – my 2 favorite people in the world.

I’m glad Silas makes this picture look good.

I never knew how much fun a tape measure could be.  Many of hours so far.  I’m surprised the thing still actually works.

Disregard the highwaters … the boy sits with his feet crossed like this all the time :)

Silas has to mimic what we do EXACTLY these days.  He had to get a pillow, lay down, and cover all the way up just like his momma.

Ethiopian Adoptions

OK, most of you in the Ethiopian Adoption world are well in tune with these events.  And I know I have been a stranger ‘round these parts … and there is good reason for that which will be explained at another time.

Today, I am asking for your help.  I believe you know how God has busted open my heart for Ethiopia and her children.  The Ethiopian government body Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) has announced they plan to CUT processing adoptions up to 90% starting this week.   A notice just got posted to the State Department today.  A little background can be found here - http://betheanswerforchildren.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/ethiopia/.

I am asking you to sign the petition at the link below asking them to reconsider this recommendation.  This petition will be sent by the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (http://www.jcics.org/) to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia.  I am humbly asking you to share it with your friends, family, church, facebook, etc.   There is a facebook event here that you can join and invite others to join as well. 

And as much as I want to make this about me and my daughter in Ethiopia, I can’t.  It is true that if this actually happens, our wait for our daughter would go from an estimated 5-6 months to 4-5 YEARS.  Bigger than that though are the thousands of children that will continue to sit in orphanages waiting for their forever family.  Children who are HIV+ that have parents waiting to bring them home and get them the care they need.  Children pouring their hearts out to God that they may feel the love of a mom and a dad.  Even bigger than that are the children that won’t be able to receive the care they need because there is no room for them.  Living on the street or in dire conditions – vulnerable … hungry … no shelter … no hope.  And let me be clear:  corruption has NO place in the world of adoption.  I am not advocating for corruption by advocating they reconsider this recommendation.  I believe there are other ways without affecting thousands of innocent children.

Here is the petition:  http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43714.html.  Please take a minute and sign.

And the JCICS just posted this today on their blog:

In only 24-hours, over 11,000 concerned individuals have joined our Emergency Campaign for Ethiopian Children by signing our petition. We extend our thanks to all who have supported this initiative by signing the petition, distributing the campaign information and expressing your support of child protections and ethical adoption.

Today, we have continued our communication with the Ethiopian government and respectfully brought the outpouring of concern to them. We believe that there may have been positive developments and will provide further updates as information is confirmed.

There is NO DOUBT that I believe this is a spiritual war going on.  It’s not a battle with MOWA, Ethiopian officials, or the courts. It’s not of this world.  It’s against satan and his army.  He loves orphans.  He HATES adoption.  He loves the lost.  He hates that as Christ-followers, we are forever found and adopted into God’s family.  He loves the broken hearted.  He hates a joyful heart.  Amber sent an email out to friends last night and one of our missionary friends responded today: Amber, I will be praying.  I received an email this morning from one of our vice presidents who is from Ethiopia about heavy persecution of believers in the southwest of the country.  Over 50 churches and 30 homes have been burned.  Much to pray for.

We also know where God’s heart lies in regards to orphans and His children… it’s throughout Scripture.  However, we also know that the majority of the time, He works through His people to accomplish things on the earth.  So, we can’t idly sit by and watch and just say “God’s got this” and think He’ll actually do anything if His people aren’t doing anything. 

PLEASE join me in praying for Ethiopia, the children in Ethiopia and the leaders who will be making decisions over the next few days.  Pray that these leaders will see the face of Jesus every time they talk about their children.  Also, praise Jesus’ name for who He is, for what He’s done for us, and His plans for our lives.  Our lives may not play out how we thought they would or how we think they should, but it’s not really about us.  It’s about a time on this earth in preparation for an eternity praising, glorifying and honoring the King of all kings and the LORD of all lords.  As a baseball fan and with the season just around the corner, I think of our time on earth as the preseason – a time to work out all the kinks, to practice, to understand our role and responsibility on the team, and enjoy playing a game we love with a team that you’d die for.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

-Troy

TOO OLD!

Before I get into the meat of the post, I want to give a quick update on our baby girl.  We just got our official number yesterday and we are #40 for our girl.  I was really hoping to be in the 30s for the New Year but we’re close, right?  There are ALOT of families who are waiting to travel (either first or second trip) so we’re hoping in the next couple months to see some good movement.  Once those families bring their kiddos forever home, it will open up more spaces in our transition home.

I think we’re going to go this weekend to pick out some color swatches for her room.  We still need to talk about what we really want to do in there (to see how much work I have to do :)  It will be a good amount of work no matter what as that room is a American-themed dark red room so it’ll take at least one coat of Kilz primer to block that color.  That should be a good late winter/early spring project.

Also, today was Christmas in Ethiopia.  Amber and Silas spent today making Ethiopian spiced honey bread and a stew for supper.  Silas tried a couple bites which is normal on anything new with him.  Hopefully, he’ll come to love his Ethiopian food.  We had fun celebrating tonight!  Tomorrow night will continue the celebrating as we’re going to an Ethiopian restaurant with a couple other families.

Silas helping his mama make the bread

The end result … well, part of it as the rest was in our bellies.

OK, so over the past couple days, I’ve really tried to figure out where the past 18 months have gone.  Silas has gone from a tiny baby who was not able to roll over to a boy who is the epitome of a ball full of energy.  His personality is so evident now.  His wanting to have me play with him when I get home from work - “Daddy, Silas, play blocks.”  “Hide and seek, daddy”, “Play chase, daddy”  I know there will be a day when that won’t be the case so I’m trying to remember that this season will be gone in a blink of an eye.

Before Christmas, Amber and I discussed that we would convert Silas’ bed after the new year.  The boy really doesn’t climb out of it (I say that even though he did this morning).  But we wanted to get prepared for potty training and for him to not have too many things introduced at the same time.  I can’t believe this day came today.  We hyped it up with him about his “big boy” bed.  And he seemed to really take to it.  But the real question remains … when did my little boy get old enough for this!?!?!

 

The before picture

One last picture of our big boy in his crib

The front is off … Silas is reliving all the memories of singing and playing in his crib when he was ‘trapped’

OK, Daddy, let’s get this thing on!

The conversion is complete.  Silas eyeing his new digs.

 

Seeing if he’s as comfortable in his new bed.  He was most happy being able to get his monkey out of his bed by himself and not having to ask us to get it.

He and I did our normal bedtime routine tonight … Bible Story, books, singing a couple songs, praying over him.  I laid him down in his bed and he stayed :)  We haven’t heard from him so we think he’s still in there.  Being that he sleeps upstairs and we’re downstairs, it’ll be interesting to see if there are any mornings where I wake up in bed, open my eyes and see him staring at me.  Actually, that’s not him.  He’d come into our room and yell, ‘DADDY, DADDY, DADDY … WHERE ARE YOU?!?!’  We had plenty of that experience when we traveled over Christmas as he stayed in his pack ‘n play in the same bedroom as us.

Alright, I need your thoughts … he’s 27 months and sleeps upstairs with us downstairs.  What should be the “rules” of getting up in the morning and after naptime?  He goes down our stairs on his own real well.  Should we tell him after he wakes up, to stay in his room and play until we come get him?  Should we let him come downstairs on his own?   Any other thoughts?  I’m leaning for him to stay in his room because he could wake up at the crack of dawn and I like my sleep :)

OK, here’s a couple other pics for ya…

To show you how much our boy has changed, here is a picture of him the first day we met him.  It was a rough go when we arrived back at the hotel with him.  We were in our room and he wouldn’t quit crying and these new parents didn’t know what else to do.  So, we finally remembered to ask God to help us (sad) and we prayed over him, to release anything that wasn’t from Him, and I took him outside.  The boy LOVED being outside and we sat on the steps for the majority of our time there … watching the trucks, vans, and life go by.  I’ll never forget it.

This is a pic of Silas showing off his new hat that his Mammaw.made him for Christmas

Playing in the snow up at Grandma and Grandpa’s,   The boy LOVES snow … he may enjoy eating it just as much as playing in it.

The eating snow was done on our deck after our first real snowfall this year.  We’re always on the lookout to make sure it’s fresh and clean.

Have a great weekend!  Melkam Ganna! Merry Christmas .... Ethiopian style!