Help support other adoptive families!!!

The Braner family from Colorado has an adopted daughter from Rwanda and they are currently in the process of adopting a boy.  They have started a very creative ministry called AnNi Designs.  They sell t-shirts and the profits go to support families who are in the process of adopting.  One of the shirts in their summer line will go towards a family who is adopting two children from Rwanda.  It has a picture of Africa on it with the word "IBYIRINGIRO" across it, which means HOPE in Kinyarwandan. 

Check out their website at http://www.annifororphans.com/

Lots to be thankful for!

Hey all- I'm sorry it has been so long since I posted, but there is no news on the adoption front. This is the e-mail I received from our POA today "Today I checked with Velonique as she had told me . For this time I talked with he on phone. and the answer is still the same. She told me that she will let us know in near future if she hears of anything from the other guy who is helping. As for her, she is still very busy doing other things."

Sooooooooo, we continue to trust God's timing- He alone created the universe and can most certainly take care of the details of our lives according to His will. He is so good all the time and I continue to be overwhelmed by His great love, mercy, and grace.

On a different note, I am a part of a band that leads worship for the high school ministry at our church. We are releasing our first CD this Saturday (tomorrow) and we are SUPER excited! Our lives and everything that we are belong to Him and we pray that these songs are used for His glory alone. It is available on iTunes and there are music clips on myspace (www.myspace.com/alivedownriver). Next week we are heading to Cornerstone music festival in Illinois to lead worship as well and after that it's off to Columbia for a mission trip. All this crazy busyness certainly makes the wait a little easier!

Have a wonderful weekend:)

Still waiting:)

I just heard from our POA and he said that Veronique is taking a few well deserved days off after the events she planned this week for the children of Rwanda. He thinks we may hear something by Wed. of next week, but no promises. God is in control and we TRUST Him!!! Have a wonderful weekend:)
Katie

Fun with my dad:)

Every summer since Adam and I moved to Michigan my dad has come to my house to help me with various projects around the house.  My neighbors know when his van shows up that it is work time.  He has taught me so much and we have had a ton of fun installing floors and decks and various other things around the house.  This year it was time to get the extra bedroom ready for the kids- yay!!!  We ripped out the old white carpet (yuck- I HATE old carpet) and we are laying down flooring that is durable, waterproof, and oh so easy to clean.  I keep saying thank you and my dad keeps saying, "you don't need to thank me."  That's just the kind of person he is and I love doing projects with him:)  We installed this floor in our kitchen, dining, and living room upstairs and it is great, but VERY hard to cut.  By God's grace, (yes I think he cares about these details), we found a manual vinyl tile cutter for rent at The Home Depot and it is making cutting the planks a cinch!  So...if you ever install allure vinyl plank flooring from The Home Depot- you NEED to rent a vinyl tile cutter.  I attached pictures because I am a dork:)

On the adoption front- we really hope to hear some news from The Minister's office this week, but if not, we are hopeful it will come next week.  It reminds me of when I was a kid and my parents took us to a restaurant.  I would ask, "when is our food coming?" and my parents would say, "It is just around the corner."  I trust that good news is just around the corner and in the mean time I am going to defer my nervous energy to obsessively cleaning and organizing my house.

To all families with dossiers in Rwanda.

Hi all- I heard from our POA again today and he said that Veronique (the woman who is responsible for verifying all the materials in our dossier) is planning a big event in Rwanda for the children and she has been very busy making the necessary preparations. From what I understand this should be over on the 16th and then we may have some news shortly after that. I just thought I would pass the info along as I always feel better when I know why I am waiting. As my friend Tina says- "The blessing on the other side will be well worth the wait!"

Have a wonderful week!

Not really an update:)

It's been a while since I've posted news, but there's not much to tell. Veronique from The Minister's office e-mailed me today and said our dossier will be analyzed as soon as possible- whatever that means...last week she told our POA to stop by this week and this week she says it will be done as soon as possible...so we wait. We are clearly among many families waiting for this approval and we understand that these things take time. If you think of it, please pray that everything works out according to HIS timing (not just for us, but also for the other families) so we end up with the children that HE has chosen for us already. They are probably already born so you can also be praying for them as you feel led! Thank you for all your loving support:)

Adoption is greater than the universe...

This video is so beautiful and so profound. I had to share it with you!!! Make sure you turn off the music before you watch it:)