I dare you to read it...

So I've thoroughly researched all things blog related to Africa and adoption and have seen this blog's ministry button on others blogs. Last night I sat down to read this young girls lastest entry and was moved to share it with all of you. Katie is 20 years old and felt God leading her to Uganda after high school...she was obedient, she stayed, she has 13 foster children, she is LIVING out her FAITH!! Unbelievable story...PLEAE take 5-10 minutes to read the first two blog entries. The August 26th blog entry so sums up what Josh and I have been dealing with as far as wrestling with our meager faith on issues of starvation and extreme poverty and a big GOD who can change it all. We really feel that we've learned that HE has provided for all of these needs through his BODY of believers and that so little are ACTING on what HE has called us to do! Katie states that there is a LARGE number of children with dire needs BUT that there is an even LARGER number of CHRISTIANS and that if only 8% gave time or money then all the needs would be met of these children!!! WHAT??????? How are we MISSING this???? How are so many of us getting it so wrong?? And don't think we feel like we're "doing something" just because we're adopting...we too are struggling to find ways to be used by God to truly make a difference. But I do know this...starting at just FIVE dollars you can donate to this girl's ministry (see AMAZIMA button on this blog's column to the right over there) and only 300 dollars A YEAR will send one child to school, clothe them, provide school supplies, feed them two meals a day, and provide basic medical care!!!!! You can also do something by donating to the five for fifty campaign (another button over there) and make a difference in the lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS. And we're right there along with all of you...we're learning this as we go and we're opening up our hearts to be obedient to what God will lead us to!

Is this a joke?...

I woke up early this morning and couldn't go back to sleep so I decided to get up and go down and make coffee. Last night I had asked Josh to take our home study paper work to his office to make copies and would get them from him midday and re-mail the packet that never showed up. I realized I wouldn't have a chance if I didn't go right after we left the gym this morning so I decided to make copies one at a time on our home printer since I was up anyway and got it done before the boys woke up. We ran by a local parcel plus and I paid a lot more to ship the packet with Fed-ex but felt better about it! Well, wouldn't you know that as I sat down to check on the first packet that it is now showing up in Huntsville!!?? You gotta love it...maybe I need to learn a patience lesson. You agree? It's that obvious is it? NICE! Well at lest they'll know we're serious (seriously ANXIOUS) about our home study! :) Oh...isn't this a fantastic journey? On a side note, the boys and I had a lovely play date at Noah's Ark pool and are looking forward to capping it off hearing Tom Davis speak tonight at a local Chick-fil-a event while meeting some local Houstonians how have recently brought home their Ethiopian little girls! Fabulous...can't wait to meet some friends who have walked this journey already! Now for a nap...

Wouldn't you know...

So I have to share...we've already established that it is my personality to get things done and out the door when I'm anxious about something. So on Monday I ran by the doctor's office to pick up our physical exam letters which was the last piece of our home study packet. I go home and immediately put the boys down for naps and begin assembling our packet and get them ready for mailing. (I also sent one to our case worker to save a step and luckily she e-mailed to tell me this the night before!) We head to the post office and I stand in a very SLOW line with two boys to make sure the letters get mailed correctly and on the last truck out. I accidentally chose to send them certified mail instead of delivery confirmation but as I left I though to myself that that extra step of caution is probably good being that one of the packets had a very large check in it. So I go home relieved to have that part over with. As I get online to check the packages status the following days I realize that neither have been delivered! ????????? I e-mail both women and sure enough one was delivered to AWAA-Texas in Dallas but nobody was there to sign for it because she was on vacation for the week! :) And the other one still hasn't been delivered to Huntsville! Nice huh?? Just when I think I'm in control I'm reminded that I am not the author of this journey and every day is a day that the Lord is using in HIS timeline! Makes me kinda smile though...ironic. And I can smile because I sat there and used our home printer to make copies of everything I sent so I can just resend it all but there goes this week! :) So if anybody out there finds a Home Study application and all kinds of personal information about the Chambers then send it my way!

A little closer...

Well, we are a very near to sending in our huge application packet to begin our face to face portion of our home study!! Wooo Hooo! We have Sable's vet appointment tomorrow to get her up to date on all of her shots and get a piece of paper saying that she's up to date and we'll be ready to go! This is a big accomplishment for us considering that we ALL had to have doctors appointments and then follow up appointments to get our TB test results read and managed to get it all done in one week!! We did also manage to find some incredible new doctors and we didn't know what to expect with new doctors but all of them were incredibly patient and helpful in filling out all of the necessary paper work we needed them to fill out. So all in all it's been a VERY busy week but a productive week! The fire inspector also came out yesterday and we realized (after paying the $160 fee) that it was going to be another $300 or so to be up to code to get the permit they said we need. We obviously didn't pass that inspection and I e-mailed our agency case worker and asked again about needing the inspection and she responded that that permit was definitely not what needed and that our case worker could do it for us! NICE! Of course, we've had some hiccups this week as well. Wouldn't you know it that as we rushed home from the gym this morning and I had 15 minutes to shower and dress before rushing out again to make it to our follow up doctor appointments that Wyatt would find my Iphone and think it funny to go dump it in the toilet?? AND THAT WAS MY REPLACEMENT IPHONE!!! There goes that...guess I'm destined to have a $20 phone now! OH...and Josh did get his autobiography written and it was a great one!

Stuck no longer...

So we've been stuck for a week or so on finding out to how to get a fire safety inspection and an environmental health inspection. I have always maintained that I could find anything on the internet and thought this would be no big deal. I figured dozens of people need these inspections every day for adoptions of some sort or other and that if Texas requires it for a home study then somebody, somewhere has to have a contact number for it. BOY WAS I WRONG! I searched many local Houston websites trying to find the info and gave Josh lists of numbers to call from work to try and get somebody on the phone all with no success. Well, on Friday we FINALLY got someone to call us back about the fire safety inspection that knew who we needed to contact (more phone numbers) and after a $160 fee and more phone calls today we might be making progress on that task. Our agency case worker also e-mailed on Friday that our case worker would be able to take care of the environmental health checklist during a visit for the home study so that will be taken care of. Of course after faxing in the credit card payment form and application for the fire inspection we've learned the contact lady did not recieve it (so our credit card info is just floating around a random Houston government office???) and we tried again. We also never heard back from the man that is actually supposed to come out to the house to do the inspection but we've left messages! So hopefully we're getting closer...maybe? I have my doctor's appointment tomorrow and the boys go together on Wednesday (what was I thinking??!!) and Josh goes on Friday and it is my goal to have our paperwork ready to send out next Monday to begin the face to face part of our home study! Then we'll finish up our dossier paper work and...oh we'll get to that part later. One step at a time! Oh, and if I could just get Josh to write his 5 page autobiography! Surely he can find time between work, putting the boys to bed, training for a marathon, and studying for his CPA exam! Easy peasy!

Change of pace...

Ok...so remember that post down there that talks about how I rushed the papers out the door so nobody was waiting on us? HA HA HA! Now we have a HUGE pile of paperwork that sits here waiting on US! Boy was I naive! Of course the small things are taken care of...but we now have the check list for our dossier and also the check list for our home study. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of stuff to gather! Let's see where we are with all of it...one of these days when we catch up a little I'll put the checklist up for those that would like to know what is included. We've gotten Josh's proof of employment, I've written my proof of non-employment, we've gotten proof of health insurance, life insurance, marriage certificates, certificates stating we completed our Hague training, and signed all paperwork that just needs signatures. We've all made doctor's appointments that happen next week (I go one day, I take both boys together on one day, and Josh goes a separate day which is no small feat being that we all have new doctors for various reasons), we've ordered our birth certificates, found out where to get our police clearance letters, have written more than half of my autobiography (Josh is still dragging on this part of his assignment), and will be distributing our letters of reference this week. We still need to get Sable (the dog) to her vet appointment for shot updates, copy a whole bunch of stuff, and finally find out how to get a fire safety and environmental health inspection in Houston. Wheeeew! So we're a tad bit busy right now...but we'll be taking a break this weekend to celebrate Oliver's 3rd birthday by inviting friends and family over to dig in the sand (in 102 degree heat...should be a Saharan desert theme instead of construction) and eat LOTS of cake and have a great time! So at least there's that! We'd love your prayers in getting all this paper work done and maybe one or two that I'd relax and let it happen when it happens...let's forget that post down there hinting my personality lends itself otherwise! I will say I've used the office more than I ever thought I would when we moved here not to long ago! Back to typing...

Video Inspiration

I have been obsessed lately with all things related to adoption and specifically Ethiopian adoption. I thought I would use this blog to share some videos that have moved me with those of you that have not explored international adoption. The adoption video is a little long but it gives a pretty thorough glimpse into what adoption from Ethiopia will be like. The Sara Groves video is just beautiful and inspiring. Oh, and don't forget to scroll down before playing these videos to the red and pink playlist and hit pause to hear the sound from the videos only.