March Update

As of March 6th, we will be on the wait list for 22 months (in process for 28 months)! The rumor is that we should anticipate a referral within the next few months! We are so excited. Hopefully, by the end of summer, our newest addition to the family will be home adding to the excitement of life in the Thomas house!

As far as finances, now we are just saving up for our travel expenses. The estimated total travel expenses (according to our adoption agency) is $5000-$8000 per trip. So, we are needing to get that money together pretty soon. Lots of friends and family have been asking how they can help recently, as everyone is aware we are getting closer!! We do have a few fundraisers that are on-going and one NEW one…

FUNDRAISERS

Ordinary Hero: This is a non-profit organization that does mission trips and promotes orphan awareness. They have some awesome products for sale and we receive 40% of items purchased online. Check them out! They have lots of products for both men and women (some adoption-themed, some not). Shop here: http://www.ordinaryhero.org/Ordinary_Hero/Store/Store.html. Just make sure you click on  'Thomas, Jennifer' as the fundraising affiliate from the drop-down during checkout.

Just Love Coffee: $5.00 to us for each bag of coffee sold www.justlovecoffee.com/TheThomas. The coffee is DELICIOUS!!

Adoption Bug T-Shirt Fundraiser: You can order t-shirts from this site: www.adoptionbug.com/thomasadoption. You can order and pay on-line and the t-shirt(s) will be shipped directly to you. We make anywhere from $5-$10 (depending on the t-shirt) per shirt sold toward our adoption. Check it out! They have some cool, high-quality shirts for sale!

TAX DEDUCTABLE GIVING: Lifesong for Orphans: Make a tax deductable donation. They will accept donations in our name up until we travel to bring home our child. Make checks payable to ‘Lifesong for Orphans’. In memo section: ‘THOMAS #1855 ADOPTION’. Send to Lifesong for Orphans  PO Box 40  Gridley, IL  61744.

PRAYER REQUESTS

-          First and foremost for our future baby – who is probably born by now. For his or her health and development in these first few months of life (see page 2 of this letter).

-          For our future baby’s biological parent(s). In some way and for some reason, this baby will have to be relinquished for adoption. That has got to be THE most difficult and selfless decision someone can make. We ask for prayers for their hearts.

-          Finances to continue to come through and successful fundraisers.

-          Patience and faith for both of us in this process.

-          Jaden working on recording his first album (all proceeds earned to go toward the adoption). He is working hard. He is putting the finishing touches on the CD – so that he can press on and finish up with God’s perfect timing.

Thank you all so much! We are very blessed by each of you!

The Thomas Family

I am a Whiner.

The other day, I was listening to my kids and I couldn't help but think, 'Wow, I'm raising a pair of whiners.' Their talking was kinda like this, "Mom, can I have some candy? No? I want chocolate milk. What? We're out of chocolate syrup? But I don't like white milk. Can we go somewhere fun tonight? What about a movie night with popcorn? But mom, I just got home from school, you're supposed to be nice to me..." And on and on it went. Meanwhile I was cleaning the kitchen and making dinner. Wanna know what the voice in my head was saying (no, you don't)... 'Ugh, maybe I could get the kids to do some chores around here and help me keep this house clean. CHOCOLATE. I have high cholesterol (why me, God?) but I still need a daily fix of chocolate! I wish my hubby got home earlier to wait on the kids while I cook and clean in quiet. I don't want to take the kids to swimming lessons tonight, I'd rather take a bubble bath in TOTAL QUIET...' Get it? Yep, I've rubbed off on them. I AM A TOTAL WHINER. ;(

It dawned on me that, in the birth country of my future child, THIS is what they live like...

Shoeless - and yet look at those smiles!!

Traveling miles for water and carrying it on their backs - yet I can have bubbles in my hot bath whenever I want -- or at least after the kids are sleeping.

And three of us whining over a lack of chocolate when many people in Ethiopia live on one meal per day.

I just don't want to live like this. Don't get me wrong - I still intend to whine a bit (after all it's only natural, right?) but I am hoping to, in the next few weeks, limit the whining that is spoken in MY head and aloud in this house. I don't want to take for granted these gifts (chocolate, shoes, education, water, money) God has given my family, our community, this country. I want to spend less time complaining and whining and more time devoted to prayer for the least of these - or those with less than me.

I know my whole world is about to be shaken up when I get to go to Ethiopia twice in the (hopefully very near) near future. I can feel myself and my family being prepared in little bits for this - and I guess I'm starting with admitting that I am a whiner - working on whining less. ;)

20 Months

Happy New Year!!

As of January 6th, we will be on the waitlist for 20 months (in process for 26 months). The rumor is that we should anticipate a referral within the next month or two. Yep – MONTH OR TWO!!! That means we would be traveling for the first time in February or March (hopefully) and bringing baby home in maybe May or June! That’s not long! We are so excited. Our friends are currently in transit to Ethiopia for their second trip and to bring their son home!!

As far as finances, now we are just saving up for our travel expenses. The estimated total travel expenses (according to our adoption agency) is $5000-$8000 per trip. So, we are needing to get that money together pretty soon! Plus, when we think about a crib, pack n play, bottles, etc. it’s just totally overwhelming – in a FANTASTIC way!! ;) I can’t lie – at times, it causes me to panic thinking ‘what will we do if we get the call and don’t have the money?’ But if there is one thing I’ve learned over and over again during this process it is that God is in control and His timing is perfect and He didn’t call us to adopt because we were ready financially. He called us to adopt because our hearts were ready and willing. HE will provide!  Lots of friends and family have been asking how they can help recently, as everyone is aware we are getting closer!! We do have a few fundraisers going on…

FUNDRAISERS

Just Love Coffee: 

$5.00 to us for each bag of coffee sold www.justlovecoffee.com/TheThomas. This fundraiser is on-going until we travel to Ethiopia to bring our child home – And the coffee is DELICIOUS!!

Adoption Bug T-Shirt Fundraiser:

You can order t-shirts from this site: www.adoptionbug.com/thomasadoption. You can order and pay on-line and the t-shirt(s) will be shipped directly to you. We make anywhere from $5-$10 (depending on the t-shirt) per shirt sold toward our adoption. Check it out! They have some cool, high-quality shirts for sale! This fundraiser will be on-going until we bring our child home.

TAX DEDUCTABLE GIVING:

Lifesong for Orphans: Make a tax deductable donation. They will accept donations in our name up until we travel to bring home our child. Make checks payable to ‘Lifesong for Orphans’. In memo section: ‘THOMAS #1855 ADOPTION’. Send to Lifesong for Orphans  PO Box 40  Gridley, IL  61744.

PRAYER REQUESTS

-          First and foremost for our future baby – who is probably born by now. For his or her health and development in these first few months of life (see page 2 of this letter).

-          For our future baby’s biological parent(s). In some way and for some reason, this baby will have to be relinquished for adoption. That has got to be THE most difficult and selfless decision someone can make. We ask for prayers for their hearts.

-          Finances to continue to come through and successful fundraisers.

-          Patience and faith for both of us in this process.

-          Jaden working on recording his first album (all proceeds earned to go toward the adoption). He is working hard. He has begun the recording process but it is taking longer than anticipated – so that he can press on and finish up with God’s perfect timing.

Thank you all so much! We are very blessed by each of you!

The Thomas Family

Baby #3

Today, something rare happened... My 5 year old was watching a movie quietly downstairs and my little 3 year old fell asleep in my arms. I had a half hour of total quiet. I used the time to focus on praying for my children. I prayed for both of my current children and then it hit me - in a way it never has before - my third child could, more than likely, already be born... I don't know what he/she is experiencing during these early days/months of his/her life.

Here I was-  holding my little girl in my arms praying thankfulness that my little miracle baby survived her first few days of life before we even knew that she was terribly sick or just how sick she was. I was praying for her current days - thanking God for her strong will (yes, this is something I am (sometimes) thankful for), her smarts, and her encouraging nature. And also praying for her future - her heart, her health, her marriage... All the while I am rubbing her back and looking at her scar and my mind immediately goes to baby 3. Where are you? Who is loving you? Where do you sleep? Who holds you? Who comes to you when you cry out at night? What scars are you coming to us with? Oh baby, I can't wait to be your mommy and to give you so much love.

Being a parent is such a gift --- sooo much work -- but such an awesome gift. Baby #3 will be such a HUGE gift to me, but it saddens my heart so to know that it is tearing another mommy's heart apart. And it saddens my heart to think of babies and older children who are parentless - who seriously have no one to rub their back, rock them in the middle of the night (these days 4 times a night), pray for them endlessly... I can't wait to bring baby #3 home. I will come to you, baby mine. Soon.

John 14:18 "No, I will not abandon you as orphans--I will come to you."

Amazed

As I sit writing this, I am just amazed. I am amazed at God's perfect timing. One minute, I'm sitting in despair, feeling like I need to be 3 places at once and not able to comprehend a way to make it to any of them. That very moment, someone comes to my door to drop off a meal - simple enough - but then offers to take my kids as long as necessary for me to get to the most important place I need to be at the time and also relieve me of the stress of being those other two places.

I stress about not being able to make it to our fingerprinting appointment because my husband is in the hospital and we get a new appointment date that is far enough in the future that I can rest easy in knowing he might even be able to pass through the metal detectors on our way through security for the appointment without crutches. PREFECT timing.

I am crying on my way to work, wondering how I am going to be able to keep this going with a husband and a mother that can't walk or be on their feet for any significant length of time. Just a few days later, I am offered a position that provides the flexibility for me to work from home frequently, spend WAY less on gas money, and be able to help my family out as needed for the next several months.

We look at my husband's foot on Sunday and just cry out to God in prayer that night for healing. Bandage comes off Wednesday and even the doctors are AMAZED at how much better it is looking.

God's timing and provision is SO amazing to me tonight. I am humbled. I am grateful. I am moved. I am blessed.

Family Happenings

     Our little baby turns three today!! I can't believe the past three years have gone by so fast!! She is a very special little girl - full of spunk and lots to say (all the time). She keeps us on our toes, but in a good way! We have total confidence in her ability to use all these gifts God has given her in BIG ways some day! That's awesome!!

     I also want to give a bit of an update as to what has been going on with our family here lately. It's been hard to keep everyone in the loop, and I apologize for that. About three and a half weeks ago, Jaden's big toe on his right foot started swelling up and becoming quite painful. I made him a doctor appointment on day 3 of these symptoms and the doctor said it looks like and sounds like a classic case of gout. He gave him a blood test for gout and some sent him home. While the symptoms did say gout, we had some trouble understanding why. Two days later, the blood work came back neg for gout and they sent him in for an x-ray at 9:15a.m. At 11:45a.m. they called to tell him everything looked normal on the x-ray and wanted to send him to a podiatrist the following week. Well, by that time he was in excruciating pain and a huge blister had formed on the bottom of his toe (yep, within 2 and 1/2 hours - crazy!!). He went in to urgent care and she immediately realized it was infected. She squeezed out as much of the infection as she could, put him on 2 antibiotics and he came home. By that night at 8:00p.m., the pain was getting worse and the redness was traveling up his foot even further. We took him in to the ER for some iv antibiotics and came home a few hours later. He kept his foot up but continued to be in horrible pain the next two days. On that second night, Jaden started becoming real lethargic and falling asleep in a chair on-and-off and he became nauseous  He developed a temperature, so off to the ER we went yet again. In the ER, they drained as much of the infection as they could yet again (ouch!!!) but said that the infection was too far for him to go and that Jaden would need surgery to remove the rest of it. He was unsure, at that time, if it had reached the bone or not. The following night, they did surgery. Thankfully, the infection had not reached the bone and they felt that the surgery went pretty successfully! We were very relieved. Come to find out, Jaden had gotten two staph infections through a bad case of dry/cracked/Athleits's foot. One of them was a super bug that was resistant to the first round of antibiotics they had put him on - thus the infection continuing to get worse and worse. We are so thankful we took him in when we did, or the outcome could have been much, much worse.

    Jaden is recovering slowly. I can't believe bad an infection can take you down like that!! He still can't wear a shoe, has to walk on crutches and keep his foot elevated. We have received meals, and prayers and cards from people. A group of people (some of whom we had never met before) came and raked our leaves for us! It's been amazing and we are truly humbled and blessed by everyone's thoughtfulness.

    More updates later in the day -- the morning is getting away from me -- I've got lots of birthday activities to tend to today! ;)

October Update and That's My Pan! Fundraiser

Just writing to give you a quick update on our adoption.

As of November 6th, we have been on the waitlist for 18 months. The rumor is that we should anticipate a referral around Christmas or maybe end of January. That means we would be traveling for the first time in Jan. or Feb. and bringing baby home in maybe April or May! That’s not long! We are so excited. Our friends are currently in Ethiopia meeting their son. We can’t wait to get together with them when they return and hear all about their travels and see some pictures.

Here is a break down of what is going on, financially, with the adoption.

Step                           Cost                Date Paid   Due Date
Application Fee – LSS $420.00        10/25/10
Application Fee – Holt $300.00         10/27/10
Home Study Fee – LSS $2,780.00 1/14/11
USCIS                          $890.00          2/2/11
Program Fee – LSS          $1000.00 5/20/11
Remainder of Prog Fee      $750.00 Upon Referral
Dossier Fee – Holt          $3,000.00 5/6/11
Dossier Update Fee – Holt $255.00  6/28/12
Program Fee – Holt           $9,890.00 saved Upon Referral
Post Placement Fee – LSS $1,300.00         Upon Referral
Trip 1 to Ethiopia           $8,000.00 (estimated) Upon Scheduled Travel Date (have $400 in the bank for this)
Trip 2 to Ethiopia $8,000.00 (estimated) Upon Scheduled Travel Date

FUNDRAISERS

Just Love Coffee: $5.00 to us for each bag of coffee sold www.justlovecoffee.com/TheThomas. This fundraiser is on-going until we travel to Ethiopia to bring our child home – And the coffee is DELICIOUS!!

Lifesong for Orphans: Make a tax deductable donation. We have been told that they will continue to accept donations in our name up until we travel to bring home our child. Make checks payable to ‘Lifesong for Orphans’. In memo section: ‘THOMAS #1855 ADOPTION’. Send to Lifesong for Orphans  PO Box 40  202 N Ford Street  Gridley, IL  61744.

Adoption Bug T-Shirt Fundraiser:
You can order t-shirts from this site: www.adoptionbug.com/thomasadoption. You can order and pay on-line and the t-shirt(s) will be shipped directly to you. We make anywhere from $5-$10 (depending on the t-shirt) per shirt sold toward our adoption. Check it out! They have some cool, high-quality shirts for sale! This fundraiser will be on-going until we bring our child home.

Pampered Chef Batter Bowls: These make great Christmas gifts! I am selling pre-made Batter Bowls with the following recipes inside: Celebration Cookie Mix, Hearty Minestrone Soup Mix, or Cowboy Chili Mix. They are $20 each. You can add a medium scoop to your order for $17. I will assemble them for you and put a pretty bow around them with cooking/baking instructions on a gift tag. Let me know ASAP if you'd like to order one. They make great co-worker gifts, teacher gifts, or neighbor gifts, etc. ;)

That’s My Pan! Fundraiser: These also make GREAT Christmas gifts. You can browse online (http://www.thatsmypan.com/) but will need to contact Jennie to order. Please see the attached price list for accurate prices. Orders due Nov.26th, 2012.

PRAYER REQUESTS
- Finances to continue to come through and successful fundraisers.
- Patience and faith for both of us in this process.
- Jaden working on recording his first album (all proceeds earned to go toward the adoption). He is working hard. He has begun the recording process but it is taking longer than anticipated.

Thank you all so much! We are very blessed by each of you!

The Thomas Family