A Much Needed Update

Many of you have asked how the fundraising was going, and I have been vague. For that, I apologize. The truth is, I have been busy--too busy--to stop and add it all up. And I have been doubting God. This $40,000 mountain seems so very, very big and it is easier just to pretend it is not there. I heard recently that instead of telling God how big my mountains were, to tell the mountains how big my God is. And it is true. Just hard. We have now raised almost $10,000 (the YouCaring site only shows what is raised through the site, not fundraisers and cash donations, so if you don't see it change much, that's why). That's a lot more than we started with! We have also hit some bumps in the adoption road. We knew there would be some, we just didn't expect them to be quite so soon! So we covet your prayers for wisdom and grace, and strength. This may be the biggest journey we have ever been on--perhaps will ever be on--and as exciting as it is, it is terrifying, too. There are SO many unknowns and new things to deal with, every day even. Pray for our children as they deal with busier and more stressed than normal Mommy and Daddy. Pray that God will prepare their little hearts for the changes to come. Pray for D and S and all of Ukraine as they seek peace in a such scary time.

Also, I have good and bad news. D is coming in two weeks, for two months as a host child!!!! I cannot WAIT to see him!But the bad news is, because of these "bumps" we have encountered we are not yet far enough along in our process to discuss the "a-word" (adoption) with D. Therefore, if you know us, see us on a regular basis or just happen to run into us in the next couple of months, it is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE that you do NOT mention the "a-word," ask questions about it or even HINT about it in his presence. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be sensitive to this. I realize it will be difficult when we are doing so much fundraising, and people all over know our situation, but I BEG you not to until we are told it is okay.

Pure Joy...and Prayers for Ukraine

I'll admit it. I'm struggling again. This adoption thing seems so distant right now. But it struck me today that this adoption is a GOD thing, not an AUDREY thing. If I want to be closer to it, I need to be closer to GOD. I know--this should be a given, right? I went and got my Bible since it was halfway quiet (Baby was sleeping and Things 1 & 2 were upstairs playing) and I opened it up to James, merely because we talked a little about it at church Sunday night, and because it is an easy read (easy in that it is written simply, and is easy to follow. It's not as easy to obey!). Little did I know that God was just WAITING for me to open it up because he spoke directly to my situation. James 1:2-8: Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (wait, so, He's not going to say, "No way Jose! You haven't made good choices ALL DAY LONG, like I tend to say to my children!?). But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." P.S. I began this post last week and couldn't finish it, and then our pastor hit on these very verses during his sermon on Sunday! Apparently this is one of those times when I need to be hit over the head with something!! Chris and I majorly stepped out in faith when we agreed to do this. We didn't have $40,000, we didn't have $1,000! James tells us we need to be rejoicing in these hard times because of what's going to be in our future because of them. God is molding us, shaping us, refining us through these challenging times.

All in all the adoption is going well. We have raised over $5,000!!!! God is GOOD!!!!!! I am now a consultant for Thirty-One Gifts. If you are not familiar with it, check out my website here. This is a Christian based company and we sell some awesome products--I had the pleasure of owning some Thirty-One bags before, and now I get to share them with my friends AND earn money for the adoption.

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but my AMAZING friend Kori is heading up the organiztion of a Fun Run/5K in May. We are still waiting on final approval from the City, but I am more than pumped about this event! Kori is doing an incredible job and it should be a GREAT fundraiser. Come on, City of Deer Park!


Addendum:
As you may have seen on the news, Ukraine is in an uproar right now. There is rioting, there is burning, there is murdering. Please pray for the freedom of the Ukrainian people. Our boys should be safe, but it is still a very real issue and who knows how it might affect our adoption. The team from New Horizons that recently visited Ukraine shared this video with us, stating that this thought process is exactly what they experienced from the Ukrainian people while on their trip in the last couple of weeks. A peaceful people who just want freedom. There is no peace to be had in Kyiv right now. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!!!!!! Our God is a BIG GOD, a God who is in the business of MIRACLES.

Why, oh why?

"Why? You already have four kids," you comment.
"Why? Adoption is expensive!"
"Aren't your kids enough?"
"You're REALLY going to have your hands full.
"Don't you know how hard it's going to be?"

The answer to all of these is, YES. Yes, we already have four kids. Four beautiful children that make us laugh, scream and cry, all in the same day! Yes, adoption is expensive, ESPECIALLY internationally. YES, our kids are "enough." They would be "enough" if there was just one of them. I am enough that Jesus would have died if I was the ONLY sinner in the world. YES we are really going to have our hands full, and our hearts overflowing. YES we know it's going to be HARD. It is hard anytime you bring a new family member in, it's a whole other dynamic, just like a new marriage. New opinions, new personalities, new experiences, etc. The Lord never promised our path would be easy, but He DID promise He would be there with us!

And you want to know WHY?

THIS is why.

Father of adoption

You've adopted me

Father of compassion

Here I am

Father of adoption

You've adopted me

Father of compassion

Here I am

Send me!

Jesus here's the orphan

He is moving heaven and earth

For little boys, little girls

We hear Jesus calling

Will you go and rescue them?

Little boys, little girls

Little do they know

Little do they know

We are coming

http://www.bringinghomeourboys.org
http://www.teespring.com/bringinghomeourboys

What Can I Do?

"I want to help, but I have no money! What can I do?!"

Does this sound familiar? Sounds familiar to Chris and I as well.

Here's the thing. EVERY DOLLAR helps. If you can only give $1, it WILL make a difference. I have over 1200 people on my Facebook friends list. If every one of them gave $1, we would be $1200+ closer! If every one of them gave $20, we would be $24,000 closer! So you see, your dollar MATTERS. PLEASE do not NOT give because you feel it is insignificant. Each dollar is one step closer to bringing two precious boys to a better life that they otherwise wouldn't have. AND, God loves a cheerful giver! This means giving out of love and compassion and not compulsion or guilt. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says, "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully^[will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." I believe this is a cause to be cheerful about. I cannot tell you how much I hate asking people for money. But I am asking, because I believe it is what the Lord wants for these boys. They are WORTH my discomfort and the hurt to my pride.

There are multiple ways you can give.

• Straight donate: www.bringinghomeourboys.org. Unfortunately, PayPal fees ARE deducted and it is not tax deductible at this time. However, we are working on an alternative, but it may take a couple of months.
  
• Buy a t-shirt. Not only do we get a portion of the money, it's also a great opportunity for you to tell others about our cause! www.teespring.com/bringinghomeourboys
• Buy from our friends. We have many generous friends who are donating proceeds from their businesses. Perhaps you were already in the market for one of these items. If you purchase from our friends, you can help bring home our boys.
  
  
  1. Scentsy: Tiffany. https://jamesandtiffanyburns.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Home?partyId=220737129
  2. (You can also email Tiffany at
  3. Mary Kay: Jennifer. She currently does not have a website, so let me know and I will get you the "hook up."
  4. K & B Moonwalk: www.kandbmoonwalk.com.If you live in the Livingston or Lufkin areas, check them out! Be sure to mention the Andersons!
  5. Younique Makeup: Carrie. https://www.youniqueproducts.com/beYOUtifulYOU/party/55341/view Check out the awesome Fiber 3D Mascara!!!!
  6. Advocare: Kori. www.Advocare.com/120123825
  7. Custom scrapbooks: Alicia. All the work is done for you1 All you have to do is insert your pictures! Each 8x8 album is $50 and includes stickers, specialty papers and more. Choose wedding, graduation, baby, etc.

• Spread the word. This is a good cause. It's a personal cause. Many people who are strangers to us may be willing to give because of the cause. You can wear your t-shirt proudly and tell people where it came from. You can can share on Facebook and on Twitter. You can tell people what your money is going for. You can...
   
• Hold your own fundraiser. Have a garage sale. Babysit. Sell jewelry you make. Remember that you know a LOT of people I don't know. And your people know other people, and so on, and so on.
  
  
• PRAY.  Pray, pray, pray. Chris and I are clinging to a lot of promises the Lord makes to us. Romans 8:28 says, "All things work together for those that love God and are called according to His purpose." John 14:12-14 says, "“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." God is God. He can do anything He wants. And if this is what He wants, it WILL happen. And maybe, just maybe, He wants to use YOU to do it.

T-Shirts!!

Everybody likes a cute (or cool, if you're a guy!) t-shirt, right?! Well, here ya go! These awesome shirts are just $15.50 a piece! If you'd like to order, go to http://teespring.com/bringinghomeourboys. Please note that they will not print, nor will you be charged until we have met our goal of 100 shirts. There is also an option for a slim fit t-shirt, a long sleeved t, or a hoodie (at additional cost, of course). Please feel free to share this with your friends!!

Never Separated

No more whining, no more worrying. This Mama has her big girl panties on. :) I am ready for this challenge. If God is for me, who can be against me?

Romans 8:28-39

The Message (MSG)

^26-28 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
^29-30 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
^31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

It is from this passage we have derived our "theme"--so to speak--of "Never separated." We may be separated by time and oceans right now but we--and they--will never be separated from the love of Christ, and we look forward to the day when we will no longer be separated physically.

Slap in the Face

It's been one of those days. One of those days when I can't seem to find the positive in anything. I have been on a major organizing kick lately, one where I am so driven that it is all I want to do, but all I can see is everything ELSE I need to be doing. The kids are leaving messes everywhere, the baby's diapers need washing, the clean laundry needs folding and the house majorly needs decorating (for my peace of mind, silly I know, but yet another unfinished task), and I am ready to get this adoption thing rolling--on MY time--not the Lord's. This popped up on Facebook earlier, like the slap in the face I needed (like yesterday's elephant wasn't big enough?!):

The Lord did not say, "Audrey and Chris, because you have so much money to give, I want you to trust Me and adopt these children." He said, "I want you to trust Me and adopt these children." I can already tell that allowing Him complete control--trusting Him--is going to be the name of this game and the only way to find peace in the midst of it. I am ready for my babies to be home NOW. I would LOVE to wake up tomorrow morning to an email that said, $39,000 has just been deposited into your account. And it could happen, IF the Lord wants it to. But that wouldn't build my faith much, I don't think. Proverbs 3:5-6 says,"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track." (The Message) So as I wake up each day and see that ominous number looming I will remind myself (and need you, my friends and family to remind me from time to time) that God is SO much bigger than a mere $40,000.

Eating an Elephant

 
Have you ever heard the idiom, how do you eat an elephant? Well, how DO you eat an elephant? The answer is simple. One bite at a time. A friend reminded me of this today. $40,000 seems HUGE and ominous right now, so I really needed that encouragement. Every little bit helps.

Please pray with me today for the four kids we have now. Pray that they will not feel slighted as Mommy and Daddy are so focused on getting everything done for this adoption. Pray for preparation in their little hearts for the changes to come, especially Christopher. We talked to him quite a bit before we made our decision, but hearing things and experiencing them can be quite different. And pray for our precious boys in Eastern Europe. Pray that they will understand the opportunity this will give them. Pray that their hearts will be open to the love we have to give, but more importantly, the love of Jesus Christ.

If you would like to help financially, or by advocating for our family, you may do so at www.BringingHomeOurBoys.org.

The Broken Road

Yesterday morning I woke up with doubts for the first time since we committed to this adoption. I knew it was just the enemy so I focused on the way the Lord provided the money to host. A few hours later, after a hectic morning I was driving and thinking about what a great kid D is DESPITE everything he has been through! MULTIPLE host families of children from his orphanage have told me, "When ____ saw D's picture she smiled big." or "_____ gave D a big thumbs up, and believe me he wouldn't if he didn't like him!" or "_____ says D is a GREAT kid and believe me he'd tell me if he wasn't!" Another host family said, "We had the privelege of spending a few hours with D this summer, and what a great young man he is!" As I am mulling over all of this, I hear these words on the radio: "God bless the broken road that led me straight to you." I absolutely lost it. My heart just BROKE. All of the pain that Chris and I saw in D's beautiful eyes, in his precious Russian accented voice, the fear, the abandonment he has felt, it can ALL be used for God's glory. And God has blessed US through it. The thought of the Lord placing this precious, fragile life in our hands is so absolutely humbling and special. Who are we to receive this privilege? We are mere jars of clay, empty and ready for use by the Lord. So, so, humbling. Here I am, Lord. Use me.

Go Big or Go Home

Two years ago we began house hunting. We found what we thought was the house for us, but it fell through. Then we found this house. Isn't it pretty?

It had almost everything we wanted, plus some. Well, there were several setbacks with this one as well, all beyond our control. But we really felt like this was the house for us. So as we struggled to wait for the Lord's timing we prayed that if this was THE house, everything would fall into place, and we made a covenant with Him to use it for His glory.

The time has come. Chris and I have felt the call to adopt for--get this--two years. The whole time D was here I didn't dare hope that we would be able to adopt him. I did my best to remain objective, and I think I remained true to that. But once he left I couldn't help but feel that part of our family was missing, and that D was the missing piece. I was confident in this, but wanted to make sure Chris felt the same way. He brought it up a few mornings ago and said, "I WANT to adopt him, but I don't see how we can afford it." I had to smile. He had said almost the EXACT same words about hosting D in the first place. I gently pointed that out, and how the Lord had answered our prayers within HOURS of us giving it to Him (if you haven't heard this story, click here.  It's a good one!).

All of this to say...we will be pursuing adoption of D, AND of his 7 year old brother S. We will be doing a LOT of fundraising--to the tune of $40,000--that will encompass adoption fees in the United States as well as in their Eastern European country, lawyer fees, passports and Visas, doctor visits, and travel costs. We COVET your prayers, even beg for them. Our God is a BIG GOD, and He is STILL in the business of miracles!

Hosting in a Not-So-Small Nutshell

I have been lax in my writing. I had hoped to blog my entire hosting experience, but with a 7 month old, 3 year old, 4 year old, 9 year old, hosting D and visiting with Grandma, I was so absolutely exhausted. However...the experience was amazing.

I was a little disappointed when we picked him up from the airport to be honest. He was polite but his smile was nowhere to be seen. I knew he had to be exhausted from the flight but I had such high expectations after everything I'd heard of him. The drive home was very quiet (we had to take two vehicles to be able to fit everybody, and it was just D, Jacquelyn, Gabe and I in the van and since it was after midnight, the little ones were asleep). He stared straight ahead most of the trip. He did not touch the food I'd brought as suggested by NHFC. The only times he even looked at me were once when I started singing to the radio and once when I drove over the toll bridge, he sat up and started looking around. Here is a picture from his arrival:

The next day he was very quiet and things were a bit awkward. He was very sweet, but the language barrier proved difficult. Grandma (aka, BABUSHKA) being here helped. And when I mentioned going to church that night he perked up and said, "Yes!" Afterward Babushka, D, Gabe and I went to Target to pick out some clothes. He was very humble, really didn't even want me to buy him anything but I told him that it was a rule by the agency, we had to provide for them. So he carefully chose a few shirts and pants. He had no problem telling us what he DIDN'T like! We had fun nevertheless. We also played basketball earlier that day.

As the days passed we learned how to communicate basic things and developed somewhat of a routine, but of course then the holidays hit, and EVERYBODY's routines go out the window, right?! Unfortunately I did not take many pictures at Christmas. I was just enjoying my family! We actually hosted Christmas Eve, and I was pleasantly surprised that D participated rather than to retreat to his room (which I had given him permission to do if it got to be too much).

He is very smart and wise beyond his years, forced to grow up all too quickly. But he is still a kid at heart. He loves to laugh and to make people laugh (just like me!). People sometimes see pictures of him and say, "D doesn't look too enthused about that" or something to that effect and I have to laugh and tell them that he was, but he loved teasing me by deliberately NOT smiling until AFTER I snapped the picture. He thought that was SO funny!

The kids play a lot of cards at the orphanage, and since that doesn't really require any language, the five of us (Chris, Grandma, Christopher, D and I) played a lot of cards after the little ones went to bed at night. I had been warned that the kids play by different rules at the orphanages. While we taught D to play Skip-Bo, he taught us to keep an eye on him...he was a sneaky cheater. But he wasn't doing so to win. He did it to be funny. Was it always funny? No. It got to be a bit frustrating at times, but you choose your battles. Let me just tell you there were LOTS of laughs around this table!!

Speaking of battles, while D is a GREAT kid, polite and obedient, he had no trouble letting me know when he didn't agree with me. :) He yelled at me in Russian on more than one occasion. Part of it is culture and part of it is that he is a teenager. Imagine that!

One thing you are asked to do while hosting is to take your child (or children) to the dentist and optometrist. D did AMAZING at the dentist, so much so that the dentist told me he hoped to see him again. We didn't have to go to the optometrist since D had just seen one this summer (this was his second hosting).

Some things we did as a family were: Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo, ate Hibachi, watched "Walking with the Dinosaurs" in 3D ("threh deh" as D says it!), the Kemah Boardwalk and of course the Houston Zoo. Here are a few favorite photos from the zoo:

We took him to the airport early Thursday morning. There were a few issues with their passports and travel information, so that kept us too busy to think about saying goodbye, at least for a few minutes. Watching them walk through the gates was pretty heart breaking. There were tears all around. D was stoic as always. He did hug us bye, and I saw a few glimpses back. Before he left I again told him that we loved him, and I again received the broken, "No!" I'd become accustomed to...if there IS such a thing. Even typing that my heart physically cringes.

It took a few days, but things finally returned a new normal. The kids ask about him a lot, and ask for Grandma, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The kids transitioned so well, which made it much easier on Chris and I. However, we still find each other saying, "'SCUSE ME!" every time the scooting chair or the ketchup bottle "fart," flashing each other half second grins then returning to straight faces, and shaking our heads at the thought of his stinky teenage boy feet.

Hosting was a HUGE blessing to us, and I pray that it was for D as well. No matter what happens in the future he will always be a part of our family.

If you'd like more information on hosting, please feel free to ask, and check out www.newhorizonsforchildren.org.